Chapter 21 - Last Laughs

"Last Laughs, that shouldn't take too long." You are starting to feel a little sober, but you wonder how much this machine needs to 'test your luck?' You shrug as the ladies at the table, on the screen, nod at your choice.

"Alright!" Pinky cheers as the game starts. You get dealth a whopping ten cards to start with, but you can only pair off a pair of two's. That's not too bad.  The way you one this game was sort of like an inversion of old maid. You wanted the joker, and if you paired off your last cards without it in your hand, you lost.

You had plenty to work with as you watch Pinky pair off three pairs, and Tricks smiles as she strokes her hands over the broad expanse of Rumble's body. You notice that Rather than scowl at Pinky or gawk at Trick's affections, The Madame is content to shuffle her cards after putting down a single pair.

Oh that is interesting.

"I'm first! I Pull," First round nobody drew cards, only taking one from another, "PeeJay, hm," She smiles, "Might as well call you Skivvies, at this point." She reaches out for the holographic cards.

"Might as well call me my name, at this point." You hold up a fanned array of cards. She takes a Jack from your hand, and frowns and does nothing with it. Huzzah.

"My Pull," Rumble speaks softly, "Madame," She stares coolly across the table, and Tricks smirks in her lap, patting her shoulder. 

"Me?" The Madame questions, looking toward you with a shrug, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Rumble smirks with some confidence now, and takes a card from the alien in the fur coat. "Well." She shrugs as she pairs off a five from her hand with the one she took. "You're move Sol."

"I'll also take a card from you, Madame." He smiled, "Don't think I didn't notice that little deflect a second ago."

"She wasn't very subtle," Pinky smirked.

"And you'd know all about subtly," You point at the hardened tips of the Vozi's pierced nips.

You reach forward and as you do, holographic cards form just in reach of your fingertips, but so does a holographic hand that matches the Madame, and on the screen a phantom hand that matches yours appears. Huh. You take a card, and pull it back to your hand.

You see an image of, well, yourself, as the feature of the Joker for this deck. You're in a duster coat, mid leap, armored with a rifle while silver scales cling to your legs. You have a hand curled in the air, like your chucking a grenade, or rallying troops forward. Huh.

The Madame has a mask of cool intentions on her face, but there's a twitch in her eye and you aren't sure if anyone noticed it until you scan the table, and see Trick's eyes on you. You smile, but it's a little.... wide.

You bite your tongue though, Rumble has enough cards she's not much of a threat yet, but if Pinky got the joker, she'd be in a prime spot.

"Pull. Sol." You hear the Madame speak brusquely and suddenly. Wait, what? Why was she doing that, right after he'd pulled from her? That's a damn give away.

"Wait wah?" Pinky looks away from where she'd been watching Tricks stroking her own blue breasts while Rumble's arms framed her self-ministrations. "Oh shit is my turn again?"

"Almost," The Madame reaches out and you see the digital hand reach toward the screen before another holographic hand reaches out to take a card. So much for that Ace. She frowns as she takes it, and pairs it with another ace in her hand. Too bad. You shrug at her before turning to Pinky, who is bouncing in her seat.

"Okay, pull is...." She counts in a Vozi equivalent to 'eenie meanie', "Dakka, Bang." She points her digits at Sol. "Pull, Sol." She reaches over the table, her breasts jiggling and dangling and bouncing against her the arm she uses to support herself as her dainty little digits grab a seven from your spread. "FUCK!" She swears as she pairs it with something in her hand. "I'll draw." You were allowed to pass on drawing at the end of a turn, if you chose to.

The table deals her a card and she laughs as she sees what it is and shakes her head. You turn to look at Rumble who has her eyes on you, and she smiles as she reaches for a card from you. Oh shit, did Tricks make you and give her seat a hint?

"Pull, Sol." She reaches out to take a card, and you feel something brush up against your leg, in reality, You jump and look down, to see a long leg of a holographic variety dragging up your thigh. It was thick and muscled and matched the sort of frame Rumble was likely to have. Hot damn, this is some special kind of machine. You steel yourself as you look back to see what card she's taken, and see a five is missing. 

You relax as the foot disappears from where it had been teasing you, and you see Pinky pouting from across the table.

"No fair, long shanks! I can't do that like this!" She points at the roof of the screen and Rumble just shrugs, which causes her breasts to jiggle against Tricks's. Despite her casual caressing, Rumbles face is flushed to her ears and you can tell she's breathing a little heavier.

"My pull, Pinky."

"Ah shit." She swears as she hold up her cards. Pulling someone's cards to get them out of the game was a valid option, and with as few cards as she had, Pinky was likely in that boat. The only reason to do it is if you had the Joker, or knew the card wasn't in that person's hands. You take a King, and pair it with one of your own. Damn you were doing well. "No Draw, hand's thick enough as it is." Maybe if The Madame could play on Pinky and get her out-

"Pull, Sol."

Nope. You hold up your hand and give The Madame a 'REALLY?' sort of look. It darkens when she takes back her joker and her smile broadens. "Draw," She takes a card from the table, but doesn't pair it off with anything.

"Find something you like, Freckles?" Pinky coos as she rests her chin on one hand, her breasts large enough to rest on the table. Rather, she was just that short.

"Shit." She swears and looks at everyone at the table, and you. All eyes are on her. "What?"

"Well that didn't last long, did it Sol?" Tricks asks, and gets a surprised look from Rumble. "What? I said I wasn't going to cheat." She shrugs in the large green woman's lap, and squeaks as somewhere, out of sight, something squeezes her, while Rumble's frowns.

"Well, here's a no brainer-" Pinky starts.

"That must be such a relief," The Madame hisses, and Pinky leaps onto the table, pussy bare as she stands with her arms wide.

"You want some of this bitch? Come at me!" She pushes her chest out and for a long moment, nobody moves.

"It's your turn." The Madame reminds her, "So you," She prods a long finger just above the cleft of the green girls' cunt. "Come at me." She holds up her hands, expecting the pull.

"Yeah, yeah. Pull. Madame." She yanks a card from the hand. "FUCK! Draw." She takes a card from the table before sitting down. "Double Fuck!" She slaps her cards flat on the table.

"Pull, Madame."  Rumble commands. "You guys need to relax." She reaches out and takes a card. The Madame sighs openly, dramatically, almost over the top. Rumble simply observes her card and taps the table. "Draw. It's a game, chill." She takes her card and shrugs at it, before she turns to smile at you. Your turn, again.

Rumble probably has the Joker now, but fighting for it between four people wasn't going to get you anywhere with all these cards. "Pull, Pinky." 

"What, really?" You reach forward and, feeling unsure, reach further for the cards. Your hand over shoots and your hands suddenly impact on some holographic hooters. "Ooh! Cards are right here, Grabby." She winks.

"Sorry, still a little drunk." You admit, yeah, that's a good excuse, right? You pick a card, a two, that got you no where. Damn. "Pass." You don't need more cards unless there was nothing left on the field to work with. Now the Madame was going to go right back for her Joker.

"Pull, Rumble." She commanded and reached over, her coat slipping as she did. Wait, You noticed the bright streak of flesh between the front of her coat and, was she naked under there? Completely? "Damnit!" She put down a pair of eights and sat back down. With only three cards, she's very close to getting knocked out, right there. Then again, with five , so are you.

"Feeling tense, Freckles?" Pinky laughed. "Pull, Sol." She winks at you and you offer up your cards. The holographic hand reaches out, as she kneels on the table, but then she pushes forward, and a face matching the Vozi on the screen appears, and kisses you on your shocked face, before snatching a card, and slinking back. "Aw," she sighed as she put down your three and one of her own, pairing them off.

"Pull," Rumble smiled, and looked between the players. "Pinky." Her mood improving with every round, as Tricks is content to sit in her lip quietly watching you and the other players. From the state of the nipples you can see, and your own, it's about as chilly in that digital den as it is in here. So maybe they're simulating body warmth? Good enough reason to curl up in someone's lap.

"Oh, my turn," Pinky giggles. "You gonna shove that big toe of yours up my butt?" 

"Not tonight." Rumble denies as she takes a jack and pairs it with one from her hand. "Pass."

"Pull, Rumble." You state once Rumble's back in her seat, and you reach out for the cards. You try and read their reacations as you reach for the cards. So far everyone's been just grabbing the first card they lay their hands on, then again, you've been pretty buzzed so it's been hard to tell. But hot damn, you see that twitch on the lips and snatch back your errant Joker.

"Draw," You sigh, and lean back, almost falling over, forgetting you don't have a chair.... actually. You reach behind you and feel something hard hit your hand. You look back to see a chair, made of the same holographic projection as the cards, and the ladies, and you shake your head as you finally sit down.

"Took you long enough," Pinky laughs as you finally take a seat. You look at the card you drew, seven, and add it to your hand. 

"Pull, Rumble." The Madame declares and you watch her lean over the table to take another of Rumble's cards. Oh, really? Miss straight forward is off the mark now. "Shit!" She puts down a pair of nines, only two cards left. Pinky and Rumble could knock her out if she doesn't draw, and if she does, you could. "Draw." She sighs as what she has doesn't match anything in your hand.

You look between Pinky and Rumble, both of them have smiles on their faces as you all come to a silent accord.

"Pull, Madame." Pinky reaches over and takes one of the Madame's cards. "Huh," She puts her card in her hand and smiles at you.

"Pull, Madame." She smiles as she reaches over and takes a card, and also doesn't pair it with anything, and smiles at you expectantly. 

"Please, Sol." She blushes bright, her skin almost ruby red. For a moment, you think she's asking for you not to take her card. But then you see how her hands are already curling around the inside of her coat hem. You smile.

"Pull, Madame. And pull it off while your at it." You take her last card, and eight. and she sighs as she pulls off her coat, and her wig. 

It's easier to see, now that she's bare. She has an almost amphibian smoothness to her. Her body's curves sweep out from a sweeping frame that reminds you of a serpent or a salamander, as much as it is a woman's body. She tosses aside her curly wig, tosses her Fur coat at you. It lands on your shoulder as you watch her stretch, and, walk into the background of the screen, where a pole becomes illuminated. She starts up a dance and for a moment, everyone at the table watches her begin to spin and gyrate on the pole. Silver lines dance up her arms and across her body as she dances.

"Huh." You wonder at the suddenly dancing Madame, she had been so reserved, was that just an act? While you're staring, Tricks turns about in Rumble's lap so she can get a view of the show now.

"Yup." Pinky nods. "Okay, my move. Pull, Sol." She reaches forward to snatch a card, and you're expecting another kiss, but no such luck. "Fuck!" She does take your seven, however, and drop herself down to three cards. "Okay, I'll- Draw!" She calls out, before she passes and leaves herself open. Rumble snaps her fingers in an 'almost' sort of way.

"Pull, Sol."  Rumble reaches over, and you appreciate the abundance of breasts shaking in your general direction as she does. She takes your ten, and pairs it off as she does. "Damnit." But she doesn't pull.

"Pull, Pinky." You tap the table, and the Vozi turns from watching The Madame do upside down splits while a tail holds her to the pole, to hold out her cards. You take her five, and put it down on the table with one of your own.

"Pull, Rumble." You call out, and take a card from her hand. You pull her two and you smile as you pair it off with one of your only two cards. The Joker and a six. "Pass."

"Oh aint that a shit eating grin." Pinky smiles. "Hate to ruin THAT moment, for you Sol." She smiles. Oh shit. If Pinky drew your Joker, Rumble could knock you out with your six.

"Pull!" Pinky called out, and in the corner of your eye, you can see Tricks shaking her head, smiling, while Rumble sat back to stroke the four armed woman's legs. "Sol!" She grabbed one of your last two cards. Leaving with you one, as she sat down. "Well damn. I was sure you had the Joker." She looks at the card she took.

"I do." You smile as you hold up the joker in your hand. "Last laugh is mine?" You hold up the card, and the Vozi's jaw drops. "So close, so close."

"Not bad," Tricks admires from Rumble's lap. You look between these women, and seeing their actions and expressions, they aren't just simulations. There's something more there, something familiar. You rub a thumb over your ring, while you watch the women on the screen. Pinky tosses her jacket onto the table and kicks her cutoff jeans again. Once more you find a heavy pair of jeans flung in your face as Rumble's jeans hang off your head. 

You pull them aside and smile, memories of working side by side with these women. Rather, these were avatars of those women, you'd helped code the digital assistants for the women they were 'attached' to. It isn't possible to communicate with 'normal' space while in FTL, but if you were reaching out to another ship in FTL.... certain AI could reach across the distance.

"I remember..." You smile. The Madame was the flirty, quirky, assistant to the very woman your First Officer was seeking out: Zidara Mizane. She had been the owner of the establishment you were using as a cover while you gathered resources and crew to stage your counter attack. "Zidara..." You hear a bright cheer from the stage. 

Across from you, bare chested and shameless, Pinky. You'd 'improved' her but she was mostly the creation of Pak T'Mara. She ran a chop shop sort of 'salvage' flotilla. Good for finding 'recent wrecks' and disposing of Imperial hardware. "Pak." You say the name and the Digital Vozi fingers herself before you. Yeah, that's about what her Mistress would be doing right now.

Rumble. She was a level headed sort of assistant, but she had a cunning streak once she got going. Her owner, Krisantha Duthak, had kept Golden Dancer flying better than any Imperial tech could, which was useful given that your own techs had abandoned ship, now that you recall. "Kris." You whisper and Rumble hugs Tricks close, their eyes gleaming. 

She and Tricks were fast friends, and it's no surprise. Before you'd picked her up, she'd been repairing the Private Star-Yacht of a certain Quathari Priestess. All four of her eyes were fixed on you in the same way the Seer would when you went to her for advice. "Aa'va Zas'nuan." You always were clumsy with Quathari names, but she grins wide and her eyes beam.

"They're all in FTL right now?" You ask the digital assistants.

"Yup!' Pinky perks up. "Boss is getting parts from a fixer on Dolha." She shrugs. "Gonna probably be a while, but if you'red to Aulus, we'll be able to swing round in that direction." You smile.

"That's good, but Madame?" You look up and see that she's left the pole and returned to the table, standing behind Pinky to drap her long arms over the little green girls shoulders as she shifts into shades of pink. "Your Mistress, is she okay?"

"Yes. Lieutenant Iona saw to her injuries and they are making good time to Aulus at the moment." Iona! That was your first officer's first name. "But it may be a day or two before we reach there." Still that was good, very good.

"I wish we could say the same." Tricks sighs as she curls up against Rumble. "We're stuck at Adel, there's a dispute between the neighboring factions and there's a stand off at the moment. I'd like to leave, but the ship is locked down. It's only by tweaking an FTL array we can speak like this. My mistress has foreseen that it will be some time before we are allowed to leave, unless something, or someone," She looks at you, "changes the situation."

"I've been looking at what Zoraida sent over of Golden Dancer" Rumble taps her head. "She needs a retuning, after the 'disguising' your gals pulled, she's burning fuel faster and taking more time than she should."

"She seemed like she was making good time."

"You have forgotten a lot." Rumble observes, "Sorry." She adds, hurriedly. You shrug.

"AH damn." Pinky sighs. "I'm coming out of FTL. I'll tell the boss what's up!" Pinky struts off naked before fading into the shadows of the bar.

"We're far off from our exit, at the moment, Sol." The Madame explains, "But you should get some rest," She smiles.

"Indeed." Tricks agrees and Rumble nods.

Well... they seem to be done with the games, oh. The Screen starts to fade back to the menu. "I'll see you all soon! I promise!" You call at the screen and the digital women beam. Damn, how could you forget them, you helped wake them up from simple code to near living minds. You look at your ring and it glows.

The screen appears again and you see the menu is back.

>Strength Output Assessment: Complete: Rating 13: Acceptable. 
>Visual Acuity Exam 
>Stamina Test 
>Reflex and Flexibility Test 
>Memory and Knowledge Exam: Complete: Processing Memory. Knowledge Rating 21: Equal to Saved Goal. 
>Interpersonal Test 
>Probability Awareness Test:  14 Fortunate 
>Anagyros Calibration (3/7) Locked 
>File Available: Remaining_File_02 
>File Available: Remaining_File_07 
>File Available: Remaining_File_06  

Another trooper file. You click on it and see the words fill out.

Trooper <IDC X-YF-S4-3224-2-3227-1-0154>, Additional Notes; Still owe ya that dance, Cap.

You smile and sigh as you feel your head start to ache again. Damnit, was the Good Stuff wearing off? Not great, but then, you couldn't fly drunk... You make your way back to your bedroom and find Zoraida there. She's smiling and laughs when she sees you draped in your trophies. You suddenly realize you still have Pinky's or rather, Pak's panties on your head. You set them aside before you lay down on the bed.

Zoraida curls up next to you and pulls the sheets over you. Your body feels drained again. You were barely awake a few hours, but drinking on an almost empty stomach probably didn't help. You sigh as you let sleep take you.

You'll wake up in four hours, what will you do then?