The Queen’s Deal

No matter what time of day, if you let your feet guide you into a casino, you will always find it packed with beings of all species. Especially if you visit one of the many pleasure planets in the universe. The Halycon Casino was no different. Neither of the two suns of the planet Ivilla had set yet. Still, people were standing in long lines in front of the casino’s double-winged entrance, hoping their accounts were full enough to be granted access into the exclusive building.

Complaints rose when one of the doormen stepped aside without question for a tall Silea, a whisper of “Madam Director” getting drowned out by the noise. The female alien threw a wink over her shoulder to the waiting crowd and entered the building, her long purple evening gown sparkling under the many lights. She followed the signs inside until she reached the casino’s largest gambling hall, anticipation rising. Glittering lights welcomed her inside, and a waiter offered her one of the bubbling pink drinks he was carrying around on a tray. She thanked him with a nod before surveying the widespread tables in front of her. The left side was filled with Roulette, Craps and other game tables. On her right side, the tables were reserved for every imaginable card game, every single one fully occupied. Her gaze trailed back a bit as she noticed a cry of victory, complete with thrown-up hands, at one of the back tables. The Silea took a sip of her drink and made her way there. It seemed the finished game had been directed into a new one by the time she reached the table. The dealer shifted through the deck in his hands to prepare, with the previous victor counting his chips.

“Goroi, I’ll be dealing this one, you can go and take a break!”

The dealer looked surprised for a second yet handed his deck over to the Silea and stepped out from the table with a short bow.

“You gentlemen don’t mind the switch right?” she asked, her voice like honey gliding over the two humans and three different aliens in front of her.

The five looked at each other for a moment before the previous victor smirked.

“No complaints here darling!”

“New dealer, new luck“, the mist-like Evvi to her right stated, accepting the cards from her with an ease one would not guess with how see-through he looked. Her galaxy eyes swirled while she handed the cards out to the others, keeping an eye on their hands and sleeves if they had them. The mint-scaled Threk in the middle seemed nearly shirtless, with how sheer his shirt was. The game picked up speed immediately, all the players steadily raising the betted amount and losing themselves in the rush of adrenaline that came with high-stakes games like this. The Silea kept dealing and switching out cards, calling out bets and asking the appropriate questions.

A smirk grew on her face as she let herself sink into the game, surrounded by beaming chandeliers glistening from the ceiling, the rustling of cards, along with the clinking of coins and chips and the gambling hall’s adrenaline-filled atmosphere.