The Ballad of Lady Luck

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Another dusty cantina on a planet with a name she could not even be bothered to remember. That was fine. She was just passing through anyways. Win some credits playing cards, buy herself a few drinks, meet some new 'friends', maybe take one of them back with her for the night. Of course, she would kick them out the next day. She never liked to sleep with the same person twice. That was the way relationships were made and she really couldn't be bothered with something like that.

"Okay boys, ready for 'nother round?" she collected her cards and shuffled the deck.
"I'm out," a human male said rising from the table, "Lost a few too many creds to you tonight."
"Aww, common. Don't be like that!"
But it was too late. The man shook his head and left.
"Anyone else?" she asked the three other men gathered at the card table who all shook their heads and followed the first gentleman. it was getting harder to make a living this way. People were getting less stupid the more she traveled. She used to be able to keep them playing with her until their pockets were empty.

Maybe it was the fault of that bard that followed her around? Was he the reason she had a reputation now? Singing his stupid song about 'Lady Luck'. She was going to yell and demand a cut of his profits next time she ran into him. Until then, though, she was going to have seriously watch herself or she'd never be able to buy enough fuel to get the the next planet. if that happened...
She shuddered at the thought. Janira. She did not want to have to go to her stupid older sister for help! She would never let her forget it! she might even force her to get a honest job! she couldn't even imagine having to work under her sister! She would probably have her working with her troops! Training. How embarrassing! When she left home she swore she would not be like Janira, but being Zandra was hard too.
She raised her hand to the bartender and he nodded and made her another drink.
Lady Luck could only do so much.

 

[Keter]

Hutta, home. Keter had taken to wandering the streets and alleyways of his home world ever since the Cartel had retaken it. It helped him reacquaint himself with the place he grew up. So much had changed, and yet so much had stayed the same. He was whiling away his evening in the cantina near his modest apartment, somewhere he sometimes worked to pass the time. He still had some rudimentary barman skills, and his force tricks always drew a crowd. It felt good to brighten people's days. It had been too long since he had gone off and stuck his nose into some trouble actually. Maybe that was the problem. He was being all mature now and not looking for the fun stories that occured around him.

The blond smirked. That kinda attitude had led to many adventures in the past...and the Cartel had nothing lined up for him to do...he smiled as he finished his drink. Alright then, time to find a new story! He glanced about, noting the group of men leaving the gambling table, leaving behind a striking young woman. He smiled slightly before adopting an expression of polite interest as he stood up from his table and made his way over to her. "Well excuse me Miss, seems you lost your players," he said with a nod at the men leaving. "What were you playing?" he asked, leaning on one of the vacated chairs opposite her. He didn't know much about games true, never having taken the time to learn any. Still, he knew enough of the basics, of bluffing, of playing against your opponent using wits, skill and luck.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Another sucker. That's what this guy was. Maybe he might even be a friend. Maybe she might take him back to her ship for some fun. But for now, he was her next meal ticket.
"Sabacc," she answered with a flirtatious smile, "Or I was until those losers split."
She shrugged, set the deck down on the table and grabbed her drink just as it was being set down in front of her. slouching in her chair, she took a moment to actually look at this guy. His eyes were red. Cybernetics, obviously. She saw enough of that out here in the outer rim (or at least she thought she was in the outer rim. Kind of hard to tell where she was sometimes). rough place.
"So, how'd you lose 'em?" she asked shamelessly, "Eyes, I mean."

 

[Keter]

He smiled at her welcoming tone, playing her little game. Of course, it was merely a game. He had Feena, and she was all he wanted. Didn't mean he couldn't entertain a young woman now and again. Besides, she was somewhat pretty in an alien way. The paleness made her seem almost like a HUtta native, but the lack of chemical burns gave her away as someone who had not worked in the factories. "Sabacc huh? I've heard the name but never had the pleasure of playing," he shrugged, pulling out the chair and sitting down on it, leaning back, the clear image of a cocky young brat sure of himself.

Keter smirked at her almost impertinent question. "My, how forward. If you simply must know, it was a childhood accident," he replied, waving at the barman to bring him his regular. He turned his red gaze over to the woman in front of him. "So what is your story? How did you wind up here?"

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Childhood accident. How boring! Connory wouldn't have anything to write about with this guy, and that was saying something. That guy could write a song about anyone!
"My story? Eh, typical Echani history. Proud race of warriors, blah blah bah. The Fenni name ain't something to take lightly, ya know. Had it drilled into me from the start that I was supposed to live up to my name. Like my sweet sister. Janira, the Great and Annoying."
She smirked bitterly taking a long slow sip of her drink.
"It don't take much imagination to figure out why someone would wanna leave. Took my daddy's ship one night, learned to play cards and well, here I am."

 

[Keter]

Keter nodded as his own drink arrived. He nodded his thanks to the barman and focused on the woman. "Echani? Never encountered one before. Then again it' not like you're all special," he shrugged, leaning forwards to study her intently. "We are all people in the end." He wondered how she would react to his words. Anger? Outrage? Indifference? All were possible choices. Or she could surprise him. The blond sighed and leaned back as she continued to speak. "Oh, childish rebellion is it? How...quaint," he offered with a sly smirk. "So daddy's little princess is off being a bad girl and proving herself a tough survivor? How is that working out for you?"

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

This guy was... rude. He was making fun of her. Not anything new, really, but it was always a surprise when it did happen. Maybe she hadn't been away from home as long as she thought if people like this still made her cheeks go rosy with embarrassment. Or was that the alcohol that was making her cheeks pink?
Either way, she stared at the man with narrow eyes for a full thirty seconds before bursting out into uncontrollable laughter. Uncontrollable, probably because this was certainly not her first drink of the night.

Daddys little princess? That was Janira. It was always funny. Even when someone didn't know about either of them, they would STILL confuse the two. Sometimes she liked to pretend she was Janira, just to mess with people. Even though her sister was (quite a few) years older, Echani children always 'looked the same' according to people outside her race. She always figured that other species in the galaxy must be half blind or something, but it was convenient. She got away with so much just by saying that he name was Janira.

"Oh, I'm no Princess! But yeah. Works out better than ya'd think," she giggled when she finally managed to get her laughter (somewhat) under control, "So you? You come to shady cantinas to make fun of little girls? Hows that working out for ya?"

 

[Keter]

Oooh laughter. He hadn't been expecting that. He let his surprise show as he sipped his drink and let the woman's mirth run out, listening attentively to her words. "Ah, the black-striped Nexu of the pack then, are you?" he asked, rolling his shoulders. "I approve, following mere dogma and tradition is just too....stifling," the blond commented, resting his drink on the table as he inspected the echani closely. "And it's been a while since I've had the pleasure of dealing with a...ah, 'little girl'," he said, his gaze flickering over her body as if unconvinced of her words. "And it's always worked out in the past. Made most of my friends that way," he shrugged. "Well, cantinas, temples, forests...it all blurs together after a while," the renegade finished, downing the rest of his drink and beckoning for another.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Laughter was always the best response, at least for Zandra. She was still giggling drunkenly as her new 'friend' chatted away, something about how he made friends. Honestly, she didn't really care. This guy didn't know how to play cards and the more she talked to him, the less he sounded like the gambling type. Still, there was something she could get from him, she was sure. She caught that look, the way he looked up up and down like that.
She drained her glass, put on her best 'sexy smile', and motioned for another as well.
"So... What is it that ya actually do, Mister?"

 

[Keter]

He smiled to her. Direct. Interesting. "I take chances," he replied with an easy smile. "I gamble, I risk, though in truth I do a little bit of everything," the blond replied, taking his new drink. "Currently, I'm passing the time with some pleasant company," he said with an inclination of his head to her. "Let me ask you, what is it that you do, miss....?"

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Gamble? Really? He didn't seem the type. Her smile widened. If he didn't play cards, maybe she could win some credits from him some other way. She would have to turn up the 'charm'.
"Oooh, sounds like we have sumthin' in common," she purred, leaning across the table to grab her drink, while at the same time giving him a quick view down the front of her top, "Ya like to gamble, and that's how I make my living. Let's help each other out then."
She didn't mention her name, even thought she was sure he was asking for it. If he knew, if he heard that stupid bards song about her he'd leave. Nobody wants to bet against someone with a winning streak like hers. She took a sip of her drink, waiting for him to ask what game they would play, or make a suggestion. Either way, she intended to go home with her purse a little heavier. You don't mess with Lady luck.

 

[Keter]

Keter laughed. "Ah, how welcoming of you," he said with a nod. "Well, I'm always up for aiding a damsel in distress," the blond said with mock seriousness before shaking his head. "What game shall it be then?" He refrained from mentioning he was a force user. She would surely realize that soon enough. And it would help for him to learn some gambling games. They seemed a popular way to pass the time amongst the guards in Zalkot Industries. Best he knew how such things worked so he could have more of a rapport with the staff.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Was this guy a sucker or what! It was almost too easy! She almost felt sorry for him. Maybe she would invite him back with her after she took all his credits, just as a thank you.
"Hmm...... Somethin' simple for you, I think. Sabacc is a little tough to learn in one day, so we'll have to do something else..." she thought, as she reached for her card deck and started to absently shuffle, "I've got it!"
She put the deck away, went into the pocket in her bag and pulled out a new deck.
"Ever play Pazaak?"

 

[Keter]

He tilted his head to one side, leaning forwards to rest on his elbows, resting his chin on his hands. "I have heard of it, though I am not familiar with the rules," he admitted with a soft smile. "Still, I am one to try anything once," he continued, smirking slightly as he looked at the deck in her hands. He truly had never played the game. Never had time for it, in truth. Barnabus was the real card player out of his little circle of friends.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

A newbie. Perfect.
"Alright, we'll be playing a really simplified version. I'll deal 4 cards. Don't look at them. Pick one and flip it. you can flip as many as you want, but here's the thing; you gatta get as close to twenty as you can without going over. Which ever one does that, wins. Sound good?"
The rules were far more complicated than that, but she really did not want to spend all night trying to teach him. She had things to do, after all.

 

[Keter]

Keter nodded before smiling suddenly. "And what does your deck contain, in terms of cards?" he asked politely. It was just a polite question, but it would let him know what were his odds of hitting twenty with each card. It was a simple game of running the odds in your favor. If they both used the same deck, the whole thing became little more than a mathematical equation. He had heard Barnabus describe it as such once. The blond leaned off the table to make space for her to deal. "And what shall we bet?"

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

She smirked and handed the deck over to him to see for himself. She wasn't interested in tricks. Lady Luck didn't cheat. Cheating was for common filth. She may be a scoundrel, but she was still above that.
"Standard card deck. Cards 1-10. Simple. Easy. As for bets, lets see.... We can start with 20 credits each?"

 

[Keter]

"20 credits? Sounds fair," he replied, idly looking through the deck offered by her. It was as she said. He handed it back with an easy smile. "Deal."

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

She smiled as she took the deck.
"Ah, not yet! Gatta shuffle. You've seen the deck. Wouldn't want to cheat would we?"
But once she shuffled the deck (and she did a very thorough job at it) she dealt four cards from the top to him, then four more to herself.
"Age before beauty," she said motioning for him to go.

 

[Keter]

Keter laughed. "How old do you think I am?" he enquired, flipping his first card. A five. Decent start. He glanced up at her. "So, your turn?"