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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Apr 23, 2008 15:17:36 GMT -5
Boondocker is out. That is likely wise of him. Emirate Xaaron mentally upgrades his opinion of the fellow - at least he knows his limits.
"Mirage, really. Shame on you," Emirate Xaaron chides lightly. He likes Pee-Dee - she's sensible, well-versed in Terran culture (they'll probably end up there someday), nearly indestructible, and she fights Decepticons despite having no real reason to do so. Emirate Xaaron can really respect that. Of course, the fact that liking her gives him a reason to snipe at Mirage is also excellent.
"Bluestreak, you seemed so confident earlier. Why aren't you raising?" Emirate Xaaron's tone is friendly, as is his expression, as if he was simply trying to give a bit of advice. It isn't that he intends to undermine Bluestreak's confidence in his cards or lead the gunner into something reckless.
Casually, he concludes his turn with, "See and raise by five."
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Bluestreak
Rookie
Silence is golden, but the motormouth is silver...
Posts: 213
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Post by Bluestreak on Apr 23, 2008 18:13:06 GMT -5
Whoa. Stakes have really raised now. And even though Bluestreak's borrowing Pee Dee's chips for this game, the sudden sharp raise makes him nervous. He chews his bottom lip component as he considers...
"Huh? Oh... uh... I don't have to raise if I don't want to, do I? Uh... okay, see and raise by ten." He tosses in the chips.
He's not sure if he's just done something stupid or not, but maybe it's time to stop playing it totally safe and take a bit of risk.
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on Apr 23, 2008 21:17:59 GMT -5
Boondocker peers around the table nonchalantly, interlacing his fingers together and keeping quiet for the most part, like a good rookie.
--------- Count Boony as skippable until next turn, or he feels the need to respond to something.
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Post by Mirage on Apr 24, 2008 16:50:38 GMT -5
Mirage catches Pee-Dee's wink and one corner of his lips quirk up. Xaaron's chiding earns a quirked eyebrow and and one of those looks so characteristic of the upper class, one that says, Please, I would never be so plebeian, before Mirage's attention returns once more to the game, counting out the current amount plus. "Raise by another hundred," he says, before settling back in his chair. Returning Pee-Dee's wink, Mirage drawls, "You would object to being classed with a courtesan? I am surprised. Some of the grandest, most refined individuals I have know have been such. Talented, skilled companions, knowledgeable in a variety of subjects, and discerning in their client base; getting a black mark from one would not only negate employing another, but could affect one's position in society quite ill. Well paid for their efforts, yes, but what harm is there in that?" He shrugs, and the gesture is at once offhand and elegant, "Some even served the purpose of a bodyguard, as well as companion. It is a noble profession." Mirage tilted his head to look once more at Emirate Xaaron, "You asked me earlier about regulations. Is it not fairly common for members of a command and their superiors to be forbidden from becoming entangled with each other? Such would provide quite a bit of information about one's commander, I imagine." OOC: If I'm counting correctly, current amount to see at the start of Mirage's hand is 195. But I highly encourage someone to please check my math on that. Also, sorry Xaaron. I totally forgot to answer that question from a few posts back. I blame it on Mirage being distracted by Pee-Dee.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Apr 28, 2008 21:49:50 GMT -5
At Mirage's words, Pee-Dee snatches up her cards and snaps them open in a fan in front of her face. It hides most of her scowl, but not the sudden flight of her enjoyment. She looks so intensely serious without her happiness to lighting up her expression.
Unfortunately for the race-car, he's just crashed and burned against a very large cultural barrier. Sure, there are exceptions to the general rule, but being a whore in cinema usually means one is either a bad person or is going to have bad things happen to one before the end of the movie or episode. At the very least, it's a sign of weakness and desperation and lack of resources.
"This is obviously some strange, new definition of the world 'noble' of which I have not previously been aware of.1 See and raise by another hundred." Each chip is clacked down with considerable force.
---
1. Paraphrase from "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy".
You can't make me check math while I'm still groggy from flying. Mwahahaha!
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 30, 2008 22:33:08 GMT -5
Nightbeat cracks a grin. "Maybe you ain't so bad after all, Mirage. Not as high and mighty a nob as I thought. 'course, if you're gonna dress it up in fancy talk, that's your business. But a hooker-bot's a hooker-bot no matter how you play it."
Getting awfully rich for Nightbeat's oil, but he's not gonna back out now. "See and raise by fifty."
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on Apr 30, 2008 22:47:57 GMT -5
Between Pee-Dee's snippy responses and the sudden change, and Nightbeat's observation, Boondocker finally figures out what the frag the racer was yammering on about, and it nets a scowl from the hickbot.
"Snob or no snob, ah figger it'd be in his best interests if'n he ain't above apologizin'..." he interjects, optics narrowed in Mirage's direction. "Fer offendin' th' lady."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 1, 2008 7:46:20 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron answers Bluestreak kindly, "Oh, no. You don't have to raise. In fact, if you feel that your hand is inadequate, it is entirely fine to fold, and no one will think any less of you."
Emirate Xaaron is so helpful!
Mirage seems to think that he can simply ignore something that Emirate Xaaron said to him, flirt with Pee-Dee, and once he's offended her and badly needs and out, that he can come back to Emirate Xaaron's question and that the politician will still be waiting to answer him, as if he has nothing better to do with his life than hang on every word of the suave courtier.
Glitch, please.
Emirate Xaaron wasn't on the Council of Elders because he was old. He was on the Council of Elders because he could wield power responsibly and intelligently. Little poncy courtiers like Mirage bowed and scraped to Emirate Xaaron, scrabbling for his favour. In the old days, what Mirage has done now might well have gotten one of his favoureite hunting parks demolished and had a police station put there instead, if Emirate Xaaron was spiteful and more given to being swayed by lobbyist. Instead, Emirate Xaaron first denies Mirage that which he wants – attention. He does not join in the discussion about prostitutes, although he could say a thing or two about bodyguards. In direct response to Mirage's direct question of him, Emirate Xaaron merely looks over at Mirage and shrugs, making it clear that Mirages question is too late and too unimportant to be answered directly.
Of course, that simply teaches Mirage that Emirate Xaaron is not a puppet that jumps at his command. Emirate Xaaron does need to make his revenge on the courtier a little more complete. Mirage is interested in Pee-Dee, is he? Emirate Xaaron smiles pleasantly and looks over at Pee-Dee, inquiring, "I do expect these games to last quite a bit longer, but when they do draw to a close, might I want some more of your tee-vee with you? Aside from the pleasure of your company, which is quite enough in and of its own, I find the implications about Terran-culture-loving Decepticons, such as Needlenose, to be quite useful, from a strategic standpoint."
Emirate Xaaron might have done that anyway. He likes Pee-Dee, and he does find tee-vee to have some uses, although not the uses any sane person would find, but just for Mirage, he makes that request now. Also, given that he likes her, it also provides her an out that does not involve dealing with Mirage, who has insulted her, or Nightbeat, whose existence offends her.
Then, silently, he matches what is on the table.
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Bluestreak
Rookie
Silence is golden, but the motormouth is silver...
Posts: 213
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Post by Bluestreak on May 1, 2008 20:19:02 GMT -5
"Hey, my hand is just fine --" blurts Bluestreak, then he snaps his mouth shut as he realizes he just blew it. Well, he blew it long ago without realizing, but this just confirms it. Bluestreak would suck as a spy or secret agent.
Once he's finished inwardly chastising himself for being obvious, he turns to Mirage. "I agree with Boondocker -- that wasn't nice. And how can being a prostitute be considered noble? No femme I know would think so... but maybe you and I hang around different femmes."
He tosses chips to the center. "I see and raise by twenty-five."
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Post by Mirage on May 2, 2008 0:08:53 GMT -5
Mirage finds himself, as he so often does whenever he attempts to have polite conversation with those not of his level, with a severe case of foot-in-mouth disease. Xaaron's attitude is not unexpected; Mirage did ignore the Emirate, even if unintentionally. But he's really not sure how he offended Pee-Dee, or why everyone seems to think Mirage insulted her.
It must be those damn class distinctions again.
Mirage sighs heavily and addresses Pee-Dee, though the words are for all, "One: I did not call you a hooker, or any other less savory term. I was discussing courtesans, not unregulated back alley inhabitants, and I did not even call you that, merely wondered why you would not find such a designation suitable. It truly is not a derogatory term or a beyond the pale occupation in my reality or social circle."
"Two: It is, as I said, a perfectly honorable profession, a legal and regulated one. In many cases, sex is not even a part of the contract. Courtesans are companions. And three," Mirage props his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together and propping his chin on them. "Despite all this I have somehow managed to offend you, due, I am sure, to a lack of understanding or knowledge on my part. For that I apologize, and if words do not suffice then you may take your pound of metal in their stead, and at your leisure."
That said, Mirage sees the current amount, opting not to raise, and settles back in his chair. Xaaron might be surprised to know that his invitation to Pee-Dee phased Mirage not at all. Mirage had been flirting with Pee-Dee because he likes to flirt, because she was flirting back, and because there wasn't anyone else at this damn table worth Mirage's time. Including Mr. Bling here.
Eh, maybe it bothers Mirage a tiiiiiiny bit.
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Post by Pee-Dee on May 2, 2008 16:40:13 GMT -5
Pee-Dee closes the fan of her cards in a snap. "You are a bloody fool to offer me that, Mirage. I'm going to give you the chance to rescind that from the table."
She lays her cards down, then reaches into the pot and begins stacking the chips by denomination. When she has several respectable towers, she settles back. A quick glance at her dwindling chip-pile decides it for her. "Match. And yes, I'd be happy to do that later, Bat-Xaaron."
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on May 4, 2008 19:16:33 GMT -5
Well, Pee-Dee might not like him, but she doesn't seem to like Mirage much either, and as far as Nightbeat's concerned, that's pretty good all on its own. Now if only there was some way to get her not to like Emirate Xaaron.
He considers his cards, "I'll match too."
Then, he adds, "Of course, what you've really got, Pee-Dee, is the makings of a great moll. Snappy attitude, legs up to here..."
And you like hanging on the arm of the biggest boss around.
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on May 4, 2008 21:54:20 GMT -5
Boondocker is contented for now with Mirage. He's apologized, and Pee-Dee is handling the rest of his words well enough. However, his gaze moves to Nightbeat. Boy ain't too smart, is he? Boondocker leans back in his chair, maybe scooting back juuuuust a bit, halfway expecting Pee-Dee or Xaaron, or both to go diving across the table at the detective, fighting over who gets to knock him out.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 4, 2008 22:20:09 GMT -5
\Emirate Xaaron smirks slightly when Bluestreak blurts that his hand is just fine. And yet, no one is getting out of the game. Either they have excellent hands, or Bluestreak is going to clean out of all of them. Emirate Xaaron suspects the latter, really, but these aren't his chips. All Emirate Xaaron has to lose is face, and Nightbeat and Mirage have lost quite enough of that already. Emirate Xaaron could proclaim that Megatron is his younger brother, and he suspects that he would still walk out of here in better graces than some.
Then Mirage goes and offers Pee-Dee something stupid. Emirate Xaaron thought he was dumb for offering her a set of scales! Will Nightbeat complete the trifecta of Autobots offering Pee-Dee foolish boons?
Instead, Nightbeat goes and compares Pee-Dee to something vaguely offensive. Emirate Xaaron is just about to open his mouth and insist that Pee-Dee is much more like a Wrecker than a courtesan or a moll, when it occurs to him that comparing Pee-Dee to various things is just talking about Pee-Dee, not actually involving her in the conversation. That's rather unfair, isn't it, especially when she has been so kind as to run this game for them?
Emirate Xaaron smiles genuinely and remarks, "Thank you, Pee-Dee. I really do appreciate that."
Perhaps he should try to steer the conversation away from the Heinz 57 of flavours that Pee-Dee reminds them all of and to, instead... "Now, if we are all quite done making comparisons about our kind dealer? You've all seen my alternate and Swerve's. What do you think yours are like?"
And, er, Xaaron matches.
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Bluestreak
Rookie
Silence is golden, but the motormouth is silver...
Posts: 213
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Post by Bluestreak on May 4, 2008 23:46:33 GMT -5
Bluestreak wisely decides to stay out of the discussion about Pee-Dee and Mirage at this point. Because as far as he can see, it's going to get ugly shortly if it keeps going on like this...
So instead he latches onto Emirate Xaaron's question. "You know, ever since I met your double the other day I've been thinking about that... and I guess my double would be somebody who really likes to fight a lot. I mean, I hate fighting, but I can see how I could become an oil-thirsty fighter." He shoves chips into the center as he talks, a few at a time. "I can see how another me would have wanted revenge after my... his city got destroyed, wanting to slaughter anything with a Decepticon sigil. I mean, I don't like 'Cons anyhow, but maybe another me would go berserk when he saw them." He shrugs. "Maybe? Uh, see and raise by ten."
There's another way the other Blue is different, of course, but such an obvious-to-others difference doesn't seem to be apparent to him...
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