Q & A - Keith R. A. DeCandido [80]
Crusher did likewise. T’Lana shook her head, folded. Kadohata also tossed in two silver chips.
The captain took three cards, and Crusher took two. Kadohata looked at hers, decided the reward was worth the risk. She took one. She got a five of clubs, a straight flush. Only a higher straight flush could beat her, and that seemed unlikely.
“Check,” Picard said.
Crusher put in one gold chip and three silver chips.
Kadohata hoped she was hiding all her “tells.” If Crusher was going to bet aggressively, more for her. Kadohata raised the bet, but only by one silver chip.
Smiling, Picard said, “I think not,” and folded.
Looking at Kadohata, Crusher said, “You know what I think, Miranda? I think you were pulling for an inside straight, didn’t get it, and you’re staying in out of pride.”
“It’ll cost you another silver chip to find that out.”
“If you think you can bluff me, forget it; I’ve played with William Riker.” Crusher tossed in a silver chip, then added three gold chips.
Kadohata pretended to study her cards, but this hand was over. The doctor obviously had a good hand, but no way it could beat her straight flush.
La Forge walked back in, holding something in his hand that Kadohata couldn’t see.
Kadohata called the bet tentatively, putting in three gold chips. She’d been tempted to raise.
Grinning, Crusher said, “Even if you pulled the straight, it doesn’t matter.” She laid down four sevens.
“Actually,” Kadohata said, putting down her cards, “it’s a straight flush.”
“That’s it, I need a new workout partner,” Beverly muttered dolefully.
Grinning as she raked in the chips, Kadohata said, “Win some, lose some, Bev.”
La Forge leaned over Miranda and put a visor on her head.
T’Lana asked, “What is the significance of that headpiece?”
Miranda took it off, turning it over in her hands. “It was Data’s, wasn’t it?”
La Forge nodded. “He wore it to every poker game without fail.” Looking at T’Lana, he said, “Not very logical, I admit, but—”
“I disagree,” T’Lana said.
Miranda smiled at Geordi and placed the visor back on her head. “What’s the game?”
“Seven-card high-low,” Crusher said, as she dealt the cards.
The poker game went on into the night….
“Jean-Luc, I’m concerned about Lieutenant Leybenzon.”
Picard set his padd on the nightstand. “Because he wouldn’t attend the poker game?”
“No.” She hesitated.
Jean-Luc took the padd out of her hand. “What is it?”
“Patients like Leybenzon are the ones who die on the table because they refuse to share information.”
He stroked her cheek. “There is little you can do. You’re a good doctor, you will find a way to gain his trust.”
“I suppose. I’m just glad Q is gone.”
“Well, with Q…”
“Jean-Luc?”
The captain indicated the center of their cabin. Beverly turned, and her jaw fell open.
Floating in the center of their cabin were letters that spelled out the words: DON’T COUNT ON IT, JEAN-LUC. YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF ME YET.
After a moment, the words faded into nothingness.
Turning back to look at Jean-Luc, Beverly said, “It really was too much to hope that this would be the last we’d see of him, wasn’t it?”
“Far too much.”
FINAL INTERLUDE
The Continuum
IT HAD BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR HIM NOT TO gloat.
Oh, it was tempting. After all the hardships, all the dismissals, after kicking him out of the Continuum, after stripping him of his powers, after civil war and procreation, it turned out that he was right all along. It took all his willpower—of which he had very little, for what need did an omnipotent being have for willpower?—not to jump up and down and point and laugh and say, “I told you so!”
All right, so it was a human gesture. What was wrong with those, really? After all, humans did save the universe.
He just hoped Jean-Luc didn’t make a big fuss about it. Of course, that was why the Enterprise captain was so well suited to the job, as Jean-Luc was unlikely to make a fuss about it. That ship of his was always going around saving things, anyhow, so adding the universe to the list probably wasn’t all that big a deal for the good