Re: [Prologue] Journey to the West
ON: ECS Civetta di Cielo, Day 1 - Waiting
"Scacco?" Ariel raised an eyebrow bemusedly. "You are asking a graduate of the Empyrean Academy if he plays Scacco?"
He even sounded a touch incredulous. As though the answer should have been obvious.
"I prefer to be inquisitive, rather than presumptuous," Zerachael replied coolly, "Which I find often helps me in all endeavors in life." The plebeian smiled however, despite his cool statement, which he only said because he didn't care for Ariel's tone. Though he enjoyed in the fact that he was so masterful of his rhetoric it seemed as if he were merely commenting on it, when in fact, he had admonished his Duplicari. Not something he would have braved if he though it might sink him, as it was not impossible to detect the underlying implication. "A better question might be if you would like to play a game of scacco while we wait?"
Ariel raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe it qualifies as inquisitiveness when you already know the answer, Semeai Valorum. Perhaps you could save the loaded questions for the Senate floor. It's a better place to accomplish nothing." He crossed his arms, almost daring Zerachael to press the subject, but offered something of a smile. "That is a better question. If you want a game, I will give you a game."
Zerachael almost replied, his wits sharpened by the pseudo-dare, however he practiced a bit of that self-control he was known for and said nothing in reply, merely smiling instead, which always seemed to inflame someone more than anything else. Really though, he hoped the Duplicari was not so shallow as to be perturbed by quasi-passive aggression. He wasn't sure how they would get on, but he though there was a good chance they would get along very well. "Good, for I'm not the type to let others win."
"Well then. Do you have a board?" Ariel raised an eyebrow at him again, turning the chair away from the helm controls. It seemed strange to challenge someone to a board game and not bring a board. The Concordia scout was an able ship in her own right, but she lacked such extravagances as simulations and games for entertainment. Also suitable sleeping space, she was quite crowded.
"And you admonished me for 'useless' questions," he said in his dry air of humor. However, he took out his datapad and punched in a few of the appropriate commands. Setting down the pad, it instantly projected an image of a fully prepared board. Those pale-green eyes looked up at Ariel, as he pulled a chair so he could sit down and observe the board. "As the commander, you must have the honor of making the first move."
Ariel flashed a grin. This was already more entertaining than his prior assignment. Patricians valued oratory like any other Elysian, but rarely gave Plebeians a chance to show their skill. An all-Plebeian crew would be a fascinating social experiment from Ariel's view. "The first move? As you will." He didn't hesitate a moment - king's pawn to e4. Certainly not a shocking opening move in any sense of the word.
Zerachael watched as Ariel made his move, and sat there and thought for a moment. It didn't take him long at the very beginning of a game to decide on his move. It was not something you saw at every game of scacco, however he did it anyway - King's Knight to c6. Pleased with his move, he wondered if he could anticipate the Duplicari's next move.
Ariel mused at the move. Opening with a knight or a queenside pawn usually denoted an aggressive player. His reaction was with the King's Bishop. "Tell me, Zerachael. What do you know of the mission before us?" Ariel had yet to brief any of his crew. It would be interesting to see how much they were informed of before assignment. As the moves went on, it became quite clear that Ariel was a very defensive player, with a pretty pocketful of tricks and distractions to aid that.
Zerachael watched as the man made his moves, which he noted for its defense. He knew that he looked aggressive, and it was easy to say that in a tactical situation he was. Unless of course, it was going to make him lose, but as he moved a few of his Queen's pawns, and then the Queen herself, he didn't see any imminent danger. "I know that we are going to aide in some colonization effort, other than that, I know nothing."
"We aren't likely to see much in the way of colonization, actually." Ariel watched the movement of the pawns more closely than the queen, doing little other than continuing to lay his defenses. There was no aggression at all in his play, only a focus on positional control. "It has to do with an alien artifact, though we don't know much more about it. We'll have a better picture once we get close enough for in-depth scanning."
"Oh, artifacts, I have a special love for history. Perhaps it will be useful, as I'm assuming it should be, otherwise I doubt the navy would retrieve it?" While asking the question he had been looking at the board, and saw a series of moves he could make as Ariel moved as well. He moved his queen out of danger, and pushed his bishop and Queen's Knight into positions that seemed completely non-threatening. He was waiting to set his bait, for such a beautiful mistress she was, he was quite sure he'd only be able to use her once.
"They haven't told me much. Only that it appears to be from an advanced culture." He raised and lowered a shoulder, laying a lure with his queen. Losing the queen was really only a problem in an offensive game, after all. "I have to assume that it's something interesting, though I very much doubt it's anything dangerous. If Anex thought it was too glorious a mission, he'd have taken it on himself, or at the very least given it to a Legati."
Instead of taking his Queen, Zerachael saw his opening and placed his queen in a position that threatened Ariel's king. Some would be patient and wait so they could preserve their power players. Zerachael was different however, he did not care for it. It was possible that it wouldn't work, but if Ariel moved the right pieces, the King would be in the line of view of his Queen's Bishop, and King's Knight. "Yes, I assume so."
"With that in mind, it is an opportunity for us regardless. We really don't know what is there. For now it's only idle speculation." He intercepted the queen with his king's bishop, starting the inevitable bloodbath both had been setting up for some time. Pieces fell like a house of cards. And when the smoke cleared, per se, some seven turns later, Ariel raised an eyebrow, then glanced up at Zerachael. "It seems we are at an impasse. Draw?"
"It seems, and every great tactician knows when there is no way to win," Zerachael said in a professorial tone, "But what truly matters is who throws up the white flag first, nay, Ariel?"
"A white flag implies surrender, Semeai Valorum, which I assure you is quite different from a draw." He gave a vaguely wicked grin. "It was a good game." Presently he was made aware of another one there - who promptly identified himself as Fergal Nial, his mechanic (apparently).
"Is it? I fail to discern the difference. There is always a victor when great minds clash, it only depends on which allows fical things to get in their way." Zerachael said nothing more after that statment, and nodded to Ariel. He was pleased, and hoped he'd given the message he had wanted to the Duplicari.
Ariel smiled delicately, rising to his feet. "I disagree. Shades of gray are quite important, Zerachael." He then turned to address the mechanic.
"Fergal Nial, you say your name is. Well. I grant you permission to stay aboard. In the future I suggest you request permission before boarding, Semeai. I will be briefing you in approximately ten minutes. You may take your effects to your quarters in the meantime."