SHADOWS ANGELUS

DOWN TIME FOR THE 9th SQUAD
(A Shadows Angelus Omake)

Scene: The 9th Squad's ready room. Brogan, Renuka, Tyger, and Yiska are playing cards. Let's watch.

Tyger: I don't get it. Yiska, yer a telepath, how is it you keep losing?

Yiska [Who shows a distinct lack of chips in front of him): I'll have you know I have some ethics.

Brogan: What I can't figure out is how Jama keeps winning so much?

Tyger: I think her hammataros keep telling her if she's got a good hand or not.

Yiska: Is that why your kris keeps rattling?

Jama [Dealing and apparently oblivious to what is going on.]: Ante up.

[Everyone tosses their chips in. Jama deals out cards.]

Tyger: Why do I always get such crappy hands?

Brogan: Hell of a poker face there, Tyger. Between your bitchin', your tail, and your ears, the only way you could win was if we were all blind, deaf, and dumb.

Yiska: And played a mean pinball.

[Everyone stares at Yiska.]

Yiska: What?

Jama [Dips a poker chip into the glass of beer next to her and then lays it amid the rest.]: It's simple. I keep the spirits of the cards happy, I win.

Brogan: Great. I'm think I'm getting a new slogan. "The witch cleaned me out at poker and all I kept was this lousy t-shirt."

[All laugh.]

Yiska: Hey? What are we playing anyway? This doesn't look like five-card stud.

Jama: This is three card brag. That means that three threes is the highest, then three aces, and then running down accordingly; then it's a running flush, a run, a flush, then a pair: an open man can't see a blind man, and it will cost you twice the ante to see your opponent.

All [long pause]: I fold.