The Complication

The Unknown

Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone that has supported this series. It is so affirming to wake up and see new views, kudos, comments, and favourites/subscribes.

In this chapter, we see the crew prepare for the upcoming trip to Earth. The next two chapters are going to be quite ensemble heavy. However, after that we're moving into two complete chapters of strictly DaTasha fluff.

As always, feel free to join me on Trek Twitter @TheTartanTart. 

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Geordi sighed heavily and scratched the back of his head. 

"Well, I'm out," he announced as he laid his cards down on the table.

The senior officers were gathered around the table in Tasha's quarters. It was their routine poker night and it had been Tasha's turn to host.

But Tasha wasn't currently playing. It was their last day of official on-ship leave from duties following the black hole situation before it was back to the routine grind and was supposed to be a lazy day.

The Enterprise was heading for Earth where a full agenda awaited the ship and her crew. Although there would be several days of shore leave during the trip, there were still official functions and work that needed to be completed.

Between overdoing it on the holodeck the night before and the stress of setting up the poker night, Tasha wasn't much feeling up to playing.

She was currently curled up on one end of her sofa chatting with Miles about his engagement.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather play?" Tasha inquired.

"My luck's always terrible unless I sit to the right of the dealer," Miles replied.

Despite sitting to the right of the dealer, Geordi hadn't shared in that luck. After several unsuccessful hands, Geordi decided to call in quits on the poker for the night.

He got up from the table and came to sit with them in the seating area.

"Seems lady luck isn't with me tonight," Geordi commented as he took a seat.

A few metres away, the rest of the senior officers were gathered around the table in a tense, but friendly game. Data was wearing his typical green visor.

His hands blurred as he shuffled the cards with an inhuman speed. He held the deck out for Worf to cut it before dealing the cards around the table.

"The game is seven card high/low with buy on the last card. To increase the random nature of this game of chance, the curse of Scotland is wild, and the man with the axe takes all," Data explained.

"In English?" Worf asked sarcastically.

Geordi and Tasha bit back their laughter.

"Hey! Cool it Mr Intergalactic Series of Poker," Beverly teased.

"Well, I'm sorry these amateurs can't seem to keep up," Riker grinned. "But I'm ready."

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Twenty-three minutes later, Commander Riker's smile had faded.

"Looks like it's amateur hour," Beverly said with a knowing smirk.

"And amateur hour doesn't look so bad from here," Deanna added as she took in the Doctor's pile of chips.

Riker had lost another hand and decided it was more than enough for one night. He had a big few days ahead of him. As much as Will Riker enjoyed playing diplomat, it was exhausting.