Subject: Grail: Poker Game

Sorry it's been a while, but I had a last minute thing and had to go away

from my computer for a few days. This is in place of what Francois put

in for me. You did a good job, but Arda doesn't use foul language. ;-D

It followed the course of the game itself, each taking turns. Arda took

a breath, her life history more than she wanted to reveal. Watching her

words, she spoke.

"I have my own feelings as to why I'm here. The official reason?

Epic. Epic's Kaede's adoptive father. Starfleet felt family units on

this ship would be a good thing. So, they decided to send Kaede with

him. Since they sent Kaede, her mother would be the most logical choice

to go along, hence my posting. Two please." She dropped two cards on

the table and then took the ones Francois offered.

"My reasons? My past, my heritage," she rubbed at a Cardassian

neck ridge as if it could go away, "Kaede's birth. It's all in there.

The occupation, the Circle, the Maquis, telepathic entities wanting

babies, you name it and it's weird, it's happened." She dropped the

current betting amount into the middle of the table, but didn't raise.

"I don't delve into my past much, but, let's just say I think Starfleet

finds me *and* my daughter expendable." She sighed and took a sip of her

White Zinfandel. That was probably the most unemotional assessment of

her life she ever said. No tears. Perhaps she *was* becoming more

objective in motherhood.

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