The group drank some more and eventually a game of Court started at their table, with Leora, Elio, and Rayan. Dorian was sulking like usual and Ana had joined a conversation across the room. Leora sipped her drink and turned back to face the game, two other men had joined them. One of the men won with a Court Flush
“Heh, looks like it's my lucky day'' he said, grabbing the pot.
“I guess we’ll see about that,” Rayan said.
Leora noticed that the boys, that’s what she liked to call the pair, were back to their old tricks. Elio had positioned himself to see the strangers’ cards off of the mirror behind the bar. As the next hand was dealt, she noticed Rayan discreetly moved his hand to his lap and back up again. At the next round of betting, she also noticed that Elio’s seemingly sporadic foot tapping, which he was known to do, somehow corresponded with the bets that Rayan was making. Two taps to call and four to raise. Rayan won with a crosses-high flush. After some time, the men seemed suspicious as it came to the final round.
“Where’d you say you guys were from?” Rayan asked as the betting started
“I forgot” one responded cryptically
Cards were dealt
“You boys sure know your way around a card table, don’t you now?”
Elio tapped his foot six times, Rayan pushed all of his money to the center of the table
One of the men raised his eyebrow “Not as well as you, it seems” he and the whole table followed suit
After some time Rayan won with a Full Court, the highest hand possible
“You cheated!” The men were on their feet
The boys were up almost as fast, “That’s a pretty lofty accusation, it's not wise to speak ill of another man like that, especially to his face” Rayan was going try to talk his way out of this
“Bullshit, boy. I seen what you two been doing, think you’re so fucking slick”
“And what exactly is that, sir?”
“I- I-uh”
“Exactly” Rayan turned to sit, “pompous prick”
“What was that, you little sonofabitch?”
“You heard what I said”
“Little fucker, lucky for you, I don’t trust you to play fair” the stranger turned to Elio “You, boy. Does that iron work?” the man pulled his coat back, revealing a polished wooden grip.
“I’d hope so”
The man growled “You got two minutes to meet me in the yard”
After a quick swig of whiskey, Elio stepped out of the back door, into an alleyway behind the bar, and stood at one end. Dueling was still legal in most of the galaxy but most planets required witnesses for it to be permitted.
“You want a count, boy?” the challenger asked
“Don’t see why not” Elio placed the oval charm from his necklace on his lips
“Three” Elio stood in his dueling position; leaning back with his left hand resting on his belt buckle and his right hovering over his holster
“Two” Elio squinted his eyes, his mind entering a rare state of serenity and calmness
“O-” In an instant Elio’s gun was smoking, his left hand having flown up to fan the hammer of his revolver
“FUCK!” the stranger yelled, clutching his hand “You bastard!” his gun was still in his holster
Elio put his revolver away and walked inside, past the man, throwing a coin at him. He and Rayan sat back at the table and grabbed their drinks. Leora sat back down
“How’d you get so good at that, El”
“I dunno, p-practice I guess”
“You’ve gotta have the fastest hands in the city”
Elio raised an eyebrow
“What’s with that… thing you put in your mouth before you draw”
Elio pulled the necklace from his neck and held it up, a silver oval with a pattern of intricate shapes and lines glinting in the light.
“It’s the Rune of Vitharr, good luck before a f-fight”
“Like your ship?” Leora asked
“Aye, he’s a warrior god from the old stories, myths really. Kissing it before a fight supposedly brings good f-fortune”
“Ah, I see, you don’t really believe that, do you?”
“I guess not, but I haven’t lost a duel yet so I g-guess it doesn’t hurt” Elio put it back on
“Sso… what happens if two people wear it at the ssame time and fight *hic*” Rayan was drunk
“Not sure. The Skjoldi world probably rather bash their skulls together than make sense of the old tales”
Rayan lost attention and looked around, he saw a pretty enough young woman.
“Oh shit, I’m gonna… go talk to her” Rayan stumbled over to where she was sitting
Elio and Leora watched with intrigue as he made his way over and introduced himself; they knew Rayan’s track record for getting women. Rayan said something and the girl slapped him, looking disgusted. He stumbled back over, and Leora and Elio broke out laughing
“That fucking hurt”
“Have another drink, tough guy” Leora slid another glass to him and Rayan downed it.
“Thanks, cap, you’re really *hic* great!”
The night drew on and the crew continued to enjoy themselves, Dorian, not wanting to engage in revelry or social interaction, sat alone at the bar.
Leora pulled up alongside him
“You alright, Dor?” she asked caringly
“I’m fine Ley, don’t worry about me”
“You know I can’t do that, someone has to worry about you”
Dorian sighed and took a sip of his beer,
“You’re thinking about your family, aren’t you”
“Aye, I don’t know if you could call it that, Ray was asking me about it earlier”
“What about?”
“He was asking if I knew what happened to them after I left here”
“Do you?”
“I know my mother died of an overdose just before I got… well… you know what happened”
“Aye, before you got impressed”
“Impressment… such a strange term. I was just a boy, of course, I was impressed, I had dreamed of the stars for so long and there I was, holding a pen to an imperial enlistment contract”
“You didn’t have a choice, Dor. You flew or you went to prison”
“We always have a choice, Ley. I had choices, and I made them, now I can’t close my eyes without remembering them”
Leora looked over to the collection of empty bottles to Dorian’s side, he wouldn’t be this open if he were sober.
“I remember the first time… My ship stopped a civilian transport for inspection, I was just out of training. They ran, or we thought they did anyway and my flight commander, Rakess,” Dorian spat the name “ordered us to open fire. Good soldiers follow orders”
He knocked back the rest of his drink.
“We all make mistakes, Dor, especially back then. You were so young and got caught up in the first thing that wasn’t home, you’ve changed now” Leora placed a hand over his, it was cold
“Who I was back then… I’d probably kill him now, give him a slow and painful death, like I’d do for any imperial dog”
Leora sighed and puffed oh her cigarette “You should go home, Dor, get some sleep”
“Maybe you’re right” Dorian choked his words as he stood up to leave.
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