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Crys had the cups laid out atop a beaten-up box. Sat cross legged behind, a shit eating grin on his face as the brother opposite lost to his latest round of mischief.
“You’re gonna get in trouble.” Trapper commented in passing, pausing to glance over the box and the brother’s disappointed look as he shuffled away and let the next take his place.
“And it’s another Taunsgday.” Crys scoffed, setting down the tiny white crystal he picked up on Christophsis. “What’s your point?”
He’d gathered an audience by now, a curious gaggle of clones clustered in a circle around him, watching each brother lose time after time and wondering if they might be the lucky ones.
You rolled your eyes. Fat chance of that, Crys had been cheating since the start. “Not you too, Reed.” You groaned as he plopped his helmet on the durasteel floor, taking a seat in front of the box.
“He’s got me hooked.” Reed whined as Crys flashed the shiny crystal and set it below the middle cup, upturning the other two beside it. “I can’t help myself.”
“You mean this is the second time you’ve lost your money?”
“Third.” A brother chirped beside him, holding up three fingers.
You ran a hand down your features, Reed’s brown eyes glued to the cups as Crys began to move them. Slowly, at first, hooking the di’kut in. Then faster, spinning the cups around the box so quickly you struggled to keep up. But you didn’t miss the crook of his hand as he swept the crystal up into his sleeve and swiftly swapped cups. The bugger.
“Alright, lads.” Crys lined the three cups in a row and lifted his hands off, holding them high. “Where’s the crystal?”
A half dozen voices erupted, claiming one cup or another, fingers pointing, flying all over the place. Whilst Reed sat with his elbow propped on his knee, studying the cup, gloved fingers stroking his chin as his brows pulled into the deepest frown.
“This one.” He placed a finger atop the leftmost cup, beaming.
You groaned silently on his behalf as Crys lifted the cup to reveal nothing underneath and Reed’s eyes bugged out of his head.
“I swear, I had it this time!” Reed exclaimed as Crys lifted the other two cups and deftly swapped the crystal back in.
“No luck, buddy.” Crys grinned, flashing a wink as he held his palm up. “Pay up.”
Reed’s lips moved as he grumbled under his breath, taking out a single credit and dropping it in Crys’ expectant hand, the shiny coin joining the small pile he’d collected.
“Drinks are on me tomorrow, lads.” He snickered and prodded the growing pile, the gold gleaming in the brash light of the rec room.
“Force, he’s unstoppable.” Longshot shook his head, threading a hand through his uppercut, the strands falling lazily about his head.
Force. An idea blossomed in your mind, slow smile spreading across your cheeks. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”
You slipped free of the circle, scanning the collection of clones gathered and found a smattering of orange clustered with the blue. You’d have to go looking. Venturing from the recreational room and deeper into the Negotiator, poking your head into the training room, the meditation room. Anywhere you might find the specific blue and white montrals you were searching for and eventually found the Togruta buried beneath her starfighter.
You cleared your throat, R2’s domed head circling around and you greeted the little droid with a nod, stepping closer to the reclining padawan. “Excuse me, sir.”
Commander Tano wheeled herself out from beneath the starfighter, brows pulled together curiously and lifted the reflective goggles off, calling your name with a quirked eyebrow as she pushed into a sitting position.
“Are you busy, sir?” You queried, clasping your hands casually behind your back.
“Just idling.” She shrugged and slipped the goggles off her head, setting them down beside her tools in a box. “What can I do for you?”
“That entirely depends on how much trouble you’re willing to get into.” You started and the Commander blinked. “If we get caught.”
“If we get caught?” She repeated, raising her eyebrow, white markings curving upwards on her burnt orange skin.
You held out a hand and the Togruta took it, letting you pull pull her to her feet and she dusted off her hands.
“Fives still owes you from sabacc, doesn’t he?” you guessed, and the Commander nodded sourly. “What if I tell you I can pay off that debt?”
Ahsoka considered, “I’m listening.”
A mischievous spark ignited in your eyes, a smile pulling across your lips and you explained the plan on your way to the rec room. Promising half the winnings if it worked and the Commander took a lot less convincing than you expected. Though you shouldn’t be surprised, Ahsoka was General Skywalker’s padawan after all. Two peas in a pod and the like.
You slipped back inside, returning to find the circle clustered around Crys had grown, as had the collection of credits, and his smug grin.
“Where’d you run off too?” Waxer frowned as you re-joined them, shuffling aside so you could plant yourself on the edge of his seat.
“Fresher.” You lied as Boil squeezed you between the two of them.
The door zipped open and you caught sight of the Commander strolling across as Crys finished the latest round, the circle of clones erupting in disbelief as he revealed the location of the crystal beneath the middle cup.
“Sorry, vod.” Crys shook his head mockingly, taking the credit. “Better luck next time.” He set it down on the pile, the metal clinking, and glanced up. “Who’s next?”
An orange hand shot up, Crys’ grin twitching, and the circle shuffled to admit the tiny Togruta, the corner of your lip perking as someone whistled.
“I’ll give it a go.” Ahsoka accepted, dropping down in front of the box. Legs crossed, back perfectly straight. Twinkle in her unsettlingly blue eyes.
“Uh, Commander?” Crys blurted, staring blankly at the Togruta.
You nudged him with the tip of your boot and he swayed. “I think he’s short circuiting.”
“Finally lost your touch, huh Crys?” Boil mocked and the bottle blond shook his head, glaring at his two squadmates as they snickered.
“It was an open invitation?” Ahsoka queried, crossing her arms over her chest, a slight curve to her lip. “Anyone can join?”
“Of course, Commander.” Crys resumed his smile but it didn’t quite touch his eyes. “You know the rules?”
“Guess which cup the crystal’s under.” She nodded as he set them up.
Crys flashed the white crystal, slipping it beneath the middle cup, showing it off atop the box before setting it down. “You ready?”
Ahsoka pulled a credit from a pouch at her belt, setting it atop the box, and returned his confident smile. “Always.”
Crys chuckled awkwardly as he began sliding the cups around and you hid your knowing smile beneath a hand, watching the confidence drain from his features under Ahsoka’s unwavering stare. Losing track of how many times he switched the crystal, seeing it shine at least twice in the light, but Ahsoka’s gaze never left the clone.
Finally, he let the cups rest, pulling his hands away, spreading them and offering her the guess. Ahsoka didn’t even hesitate, tapping the central cup twice and Crys tensed. He lifted the cup and there the crystal sat, shining innocently, a roar exploding from the gathered clones.
“No kriffing way.” Longshot breathed, leaning forwards.
Crys gingerly handed over a credit as Ahsoka grinned. “Beginners luck?”
“Why don’t you test that theory?” You prompted, sharing a look with the Commander. “In fact why not make this more interesting?”
Crys glared at you. “Not interesting enough for you?”
“Hear them out.” Boil smirked, intrigued.
You winked, “Double or nothing?”
A low murmur spread through his audience, a mix of agreement and doubt, and Crys gave her a clipped smile. “Alright.” He agreed, picking out two credits. “Double or nothing.”
The cups were set up a second time, Ahsoka won a second time and the clones lost their minds. On and on it went until Crys barely had any credits left, so intent on beating the Commander he wasted away all his earnings. You watched the padawan curl her fingers around her arm during the last round, pulling the crystal back into a cup using the Force and proceeded to tap the winning cup.
The smuggest grin broke out across Crys’ features as he lifted the cup, the beginnings of a victorious jab on his tongue dying the second the crystal flashed in the light. “What?” He exclaimed, slamming the cup down, staring at the crystal as if it personally offended him. “That’s not karking possible.”
“Why’s that, Crys?” You could barely contain your glee, cocking your head innocently.
Crys could only splutter, gesturing to the crystal, to the Commander as she pocketed her winnings, waving the cup around as if it would summon an explanation for him.
“Thanks for the game, trooper.” Commander Tano smiled as she stood, her belt pouch clinking. “I had a lot of fun.”
You almost choked on a laugh, pursing your lips to keep the noise trapped in your throat, and Waxer eyed you sideways. Pushing off your seat to follow the Togruta out, pausing to chat with a few troopers so it wasn’t so obvious, glancing around warily before meeting her back by the hangar.
“A pleasure doing business with you.” Commander Tano grinned as she piled half the credits in your gloved palm.
“Spear two fleek-eels with one trident, as they say.” You joked, tucking the credits away safely in your belt. “Tell Fives he owes me one, now.”
Ahsoka didn’t seem surprised. “You embarrass them like that often?”
You grinned wickedly, “Oh, any chance I get.”
The Torguta’s bright laughter left her beaming in the corridor as she walked away, answering her pinging comm and you tapped the credits in their compartment smugly. Smiling proudly to yourself.