Fic: Observations, Ch 194
8: “And I can’t believe it. After uncovering the Orion scandal, both Yl’Tomromoj and Rennesaph have been disqualified from the game. It’s Pavel Chekov, the nineteen year old lieutenant for Starfleet up against the Higami and Korvin.”
9: “This is really anyone’s game now. With Yl’Tomromoj, who was the favorite to win this match, eliminated, Sherman’s Planet is up for grabs. It could be Higami, the veteran player, two time winner of the Interstellar Poker Tournament.”
8: “But Chekov’s proved himself to be quite the player in these past few games. He’s been making solid plays, great bets, and both Higami and Korvin know that he has the read on them. The kid is just amazing. What a way to make a debut.”
9: “Well I think Korvin’s out of the running. He’s got the least number of chips. It’ll be a match between Chekov and Higami.”
8: “Two very different players. Higami likes to chat a lot, try and psych his opponents out-”
9: “I think Chekov really uses that to his advantage. We saw how he was able to read Yl’Tomromoj before, making that amazing call-”
8: “Well you have to remember, though, that Higami’s been able to bluff Chekov a couple of times before. They weren’t what you’d call key moments, but Chekov’s reads aren’t perfect.”
9: “True. But here come the players, for this final round-the match that will decide everything and who gets to take home Sherman’s Planet.”
--
“He’s losing,” Sulu ran his hand through his hair and pulled at his dress coat. “Higami keeps messing him up with all that talk.”
“Jim, you’ve got to make a decision,” Leonard urged. “Before Higami makes some kind of all in move. Chekov’s not reading this guy right.”
Silence.
Jim’s face was grim as he watched Higami take another pot.
“One more hand,” he finally said. “One more hand and if he loses again, I’m sending Chris in.”
--
“I’m sorry, keptan.”
“Hey, nothing to be sorry about. You did great, got us this far. You’re just tired, especially with all this Orion crap that went down.”
“Higami is knowing how to get under my skin. I do not understand how.”
“Don’t worry about it, lad,” Scotty pushed a glass into Pavel’s hand. “Here have this. Relax, and enjoy the show.”
“This? You are giwing me wodka?”
“It’ll never be as good as scotch,” Scotty raised his glass.
“Ha. That is only what you can expect from an engineer,” Pavel raised his.
They toasted, drained their glasses, and smiled.
--
9: “This is such an unprecedented move by Captain Kirk, switching players in the final game. What do you think, do you think he was planning it this way all along?”
8: “You know, I wish I’d gotten to see him play at this tournament. I honestly don’t know, and I don’t know if anyone could tell you.”
9: “We’re on the line with one of the admirals, Admiral Pike from Starfleet right now. Admiral, do you think this was his plan all along?”
Pike: “You can never tell with James Kirk, but I’d say no. He’s making this up as he goes along, just like he always does.”
8: “Admiral, don’t you think it’s risky to do this, putting in a completely new player who hasn’t participated at all at any point during the games.”
Pike: “It’s a hell of a risk. Half of HQ over here is tearing their hair out. But I trust his instinct. Obviously he thinks Christine Chapel can win this.”
8: “So she is in to stay? She’s not just acting like a stop guard to keep Chekov from bleeding chips.”
Pike: “With stakes this high, she’s the one.”
8: “Thank you very much Admiral.”
Pike: “My pleasure.”
9: “I mean, clearly Higami doesn’t really know what to do with her. He’s never seen her play, he doesn’t know her tells, doesn’t know what kind of skill she has. He’s probably wondering why Kirk’s done this in the first place, exactly what kind of game he’s playing at.”
8: “And he’s not the only one. This is just-this has never been done before.”
9: “Well she obviously plays really differently from Chekov. I mean, listen to them bantering back and forth before she even plays her first hand. I can’t get a read on Chapel at all.”
8: “It’ll be really interesting to see how she plays.”
9: “Higami first to act, looks at ace/queen.”
“Let’s go baby,” Christine smiled, the look predatory. “I need to double up. Thank you Gami, give me some action.”
9: “Will you listen to that?”
8: “Did she really just call Higami ‘Gami’?”
9: “One thing for sure-she’s got a lotta confidence to be talking like that.”
8: “Kirk’s crew doesn’t seem to have a shortage of, do they?” [laughter] “From the small blind, 9M.”
“How much?” she eyed the pile of chips.
“I give you all the action you need, Chrissy.”
9: “And Higami is responding!”
“That’s so kind of you.”
9: “He doesn’t actually need to give action at this point. He’s the clear chip leader, he can afford to ease back a little and see how Christine Chapel plays.”
8: “I think she’s baiting him, you know? It sounds like she’s reading him.”
9: “Pocket fives for Christine Chapel in the big blind.”
8: “She’s got the advantage of being able to watch Higami all through the tournament.”
9: “Well they haven’t tangoed yet.”
8: “Chapel looks like she’s thinking about it with the pocket fives.”
“I call.”
9: “Again the battle of the blinds, and she’s relatively chip healthy. Chekov was losing, but that’s still a considerable pile there she’s got.”
8: “Small pocket pair against two over cards, it’s pretty much a coin flip. The Enterprise crew looking on nearby there in the crowd. And now the flop-is queen/five/six-a set of fives for Christine Chapel.”
9: “And that is trouble with a capital ‘T’ for Higami who has top pair/top kicker, and if I were Himagi at this point I’d ask Chapel for an engagement ring-he’s looked at her enough to make a commitment.”
8: “Higami with a bet of another 9M.”
“Call.”
8: “Chapel with a set of fives just makes the call.”
9: “Remember Higami here top pair, top kicker, and little chance.”
8: “All right, so Chapel, with a huge advantage, to the turn a king gives her the win. Higami cannot win this hand unless he pushes Chapel off it. And he checks.”
9: “Now, Chapel could wait, or she could push right here.”
8: “She’s going to put out 12M in chips.”
9: “Remember Higami is drawing dead.”
8: “He could fold and wait to make a play later.”
Silence. Higami looked at Christine, who smiled.
“I’ll give a little more action. I feel sorry for a pretty girl like you, so why not.”
9: “Higami raises to 107M!”
8: “That’s got to be half his stack right there-”
9: “Oh my goodness what a misstep from Higami!”
[cards shown, a close up on Higami’s reaction]
8: “This is one of the few times Higami’s ever played this recklessly. The first time, it cost him only a couple million, this time it’ll cost him a lot more.”
9: “What an amazing turn of events here-change in players and a huge win by Christine Chapel!”
8: “And it’s a huge psychological blow for Higami to lose so much like to this new player, no longer in that comfort zone he was coasting in against Chekov while Chapel now is in a very comfortable spot.”
9: “Christine Chapel, now with the definite chip lead and look at that! A huge portion of Higami’s stack going over to the new player.”
“It’s nothing personal, Higami. I’m just very happy to win, is all.”
8: “Can you believe this woman?!”
“It’s just a game, baby. It’s just a game.”
She smiled.
“Of course it is.”
9: “Boy, look at the load of chips Higami’s gotta send over to Christine Chapel.”
8: “He is just feeling that blow.”
9: “Things are getting very interesting here at K7 in the final game for Sherman’s Planet.”
--
“Wow. Wow. Higami’s an jackass. That was really stupid.”
“He is not out of the running yet, Hikaru.”
“He’s still a jackass.”
“Da, koneshno.”
“It’s like she’s a whole different person when she’s playing cards.”
“Aye, that she is, doctor.”
“You know, I think it’s what makes her such a good nurse.”
“Nyota, what the hell does beside manner have to do with high-stakes poker?”
“She never misses a tick if you’re hurting and trying to hide it.”
Jim nodded.
“Kind of puts the whole thing with Korby on another level.”
Shouldn’t I have known? Shouldn’t I have known?
--
8: “Chapel’s really been aggressively pursuing Higami this whole time, wearing away that confidence.”
9: “She eliminated Korvin with pocket sevens-what a play.”
8: “Well you know even though she’s been going after Higami, I think she wants him to make the move. She’s waiting for him to go all in.”
9: “Chapel with pocket deuces in the small blind. She’s looking to raise it up-does raise it to a little more than 8M. Now Higami, in the big blind. And two queens for Higami!”
8: “Higami with a re-raise to 12.3M. Back to Christine Chapel.”
Christine looked at Higami with clear grey eyes.
“I’m all in.”
8: “She moves all in!”
9: “Chapel hoping that he doesn’t call her bluff, working another ploy that would make him withdraw-”
“All in.”
8: “Oh my goodness we’re watching the final hand going down right now, on the table, Sherman’s Planet in the air-”
9: “She could not have seen that one coming-”
8: “An embarrassed Christine Chapel shows her deuces and Chapel in big trouble.”
9: “I’m surprised that Chapel pushed there at all. She had no reason to make a bet like that, a terrible judgment call.”
8: “Chapel is putting all of the Federation in a wringer right here, they’ve been trying to get Sherman’s Planet for years now, about to be lost on a pair of deuces-”
9: “She’s got to have some phenomenal luck on her side if she wants to pull this off. There’s the flop, and it’s seven/nine/tres, nothing for Chapel, Higami’s still got it.”
8: “Christine Chapel looking for a miracle and here’s the turn-OH! A deuce for Chapel she gets the set!”
[environment erupts in cheers]
9: “Unbelievable for Christine Chapel!”
8: “You don’t want the best hand here, you want the best luck.”
9: “Wow. Christine Chapel in dominating position now, Higami’s only hope is for a queen on the river.”
8: “It seems that Chapel should be 100 lightyears away now with no chips, but she just bet huge and won.”
9: “Now Higami’s the one looking for a miracle.”
8: “River card is a five, and Christine Chapel’s won it for the Federation!”
9: “I’m telling you, she could live to be 150 years old and she’ll never get that kind of luck again.”
8: “Just when we thought we’d seen it all here at this tournament, this incredible moment-wow. That’s all I can say here. Two rookie players from the Enterprise manage to win the strategic Sherman’s Planet for the Federation.”