Pinkertons on the Case...A Holodeck Adventure - Episode III

Posted on 03 Feb 2019 @ 7:52pm by Lieutenant JG Jazmin Parks & Lieutenant JG Catherine Cooper

1,639 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Kalisa Conundrum
Location: Holodeck - Airship "Galloping Eel" - 1830
Timeline: Backpost

ON:

Jazmin fanned herself with her black lace fan, while she gently gripped five playing cards in her other well-manicured hand. She, smiled demurely as the other players at the table fidgeted, slouched, leaned back and stifled a yawn. Four other players still in the game and she wasn't any closer to the identity of the James Gang's contact onboard. The airship had crossed over into Ohio yesterday and if the James Boys were going to make their move, it would be soon.

The gentleman on her right had raised twenty dollars and Jazmin, eyeing her full house (Aces and Eights), called and raised again. She smiled sweetly and said nothing, he mind wandering back to dinner the night before...

Cooper for her part was playing 'high bird' She sat at a corner table, looking statuesque and dignified in her gown though feeling quite uncomfortable. She was getting used to it though and thanks to some practice with Jaz felt she could actually move properly in a fight.

The room was a little smoky, full of the sounds of clicking glass, voices, laughter and even a few giggles as wait staff moved about taking and delivering orders.

They'd checked the crew thoroughly before they came on board and none seemed to have any ties to the gang they were hoping to stop, it was Cooper's belief that there was a person at the headquarters who was sharing intel with the gang but that was someone else's responsibility. She and Jaz were here to stop an attack and hopefully find out their field agent.

They'd narrowed it down to 7 frequent flyers. 3 they'd managed to move off the list for one reason or another. Two more were in the table Jaz was playing one. One was Edmund Roys, a professional gambler who rode frequently to fleece the populace. The other being William Smythe an import/export business owner, who traveled frequently for work. Both had been present at the previous attempts hence the current interest.

Jazmin eyed the pot, the money was literally piling up. However, she really had no interest in it. Her interest was drawn to the two men still at the table with her. She sipped at her glass of sherry and took another look at her cards. It was a very good hand. Beatable, but still good. She had three of the Aces and was fairly certain that Roys had the other one. Now, she didn't know what cards he was holding, but if he was still in, then it was either crap, or it was golden.

She eyed Roys as he took a draw from his hand-rolled Cuban, while the curtains when tipakata, tipakata, tipakata in the cool breeze. He was a cool as could be and she knew if she lost, it would be to him. Then, looking over at Smythe, she wondered what the man was thinking. He drank water, his face passive, and his hands steady. His cards were closed and he did not look at them. He tossed a twenty on the table. "I'll see your twenty." He tossed another bill on the table. "And raise you another."

Jazmin sighed. "You do know that I'll just be picking this back up."

Smythe shrugged.

Roys tossed another bill on the table. "I'm in."

Jazmin looked at Cat who sat in the corner. She smiled, her friend was finally getting comfortable with the period costume and was looking a bit more, but not quite, relaxed. Then the sound of Smythe's throat clearing snapped her back to the game. "Call. Let's see what you got."

Jazmin shrugged. "Dead man's hand, Boys. Full house, aces and eights."

She eyed Smythe as she lay down her cards. A trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face.

Smythe glanced at the clock on the wall, time was getting tight. He tossed his cards down, "Two pair looks like I'm out..." He said trying to stand, the reason this trying wasn't successful was because an elegantly clad amazion woman laid and hand on one shoulder, holding him to his seat. "Leaving so soon?" Catherine purred. She glanced at Jaz for her opinion but as the others laid down their cards and looked confusedly at her, she was more and more sure this nervous little man was their mole. Jaz however had sat down with him, had played hands with him. That could tell a lot about a person so she paused for the second opinion.

Jazmin looked at the other players, her voice cold and serious, making her seem much bigger than her slight 5'5" frame actually was. "Game's over, time for you all to go."

In a matter of moments, everyone had gone and Jazmin nodded to Cat. "He's our man, that's certain."

Smythe blanched. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Jazmin smiled, Cat was in her element and she found her enthusiasm contagious. She swiveled, pulling her skirt aside to reveal her toned leg, clad in black nylon. The man's eyes widened when he saw the pistol strapped to it. "My legs always did get a second look." She grinned even bigger. "How much are they paying you?"

Airship Wild Sky

The infamous outlaw Jesse James stood at the fore of his airship, gazing through a pair of large binoculars. In the distance flew their quarry. Onboard was a payday of five thousand dollars in silver and the James Gang wanted every last ounce of it.

Frank James approached to stand next to his brother. "Well, Jesse?"

Jesse lowered the binoculars. "It ain't like Smythe to be late signalin' us."

Frank finished rolling a cigarette and lit it. "No, but he's too much of a coward to back down. He knows we'd be draggin him behind our ship by his neck if he did."

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, I'll give him another half-hour, then we're going in, signal or no signal."

Frank clapped Jesse on the back. "Whatever you say, Little Brother."

Jesse nodded again and lifted the binoculars back to his eyes.

===Airship Galloping Eel===

Back on the ship, the other players stepped back and a steward came forward. A small man, he nevertheless looked determined as he asked, "Excuse me please, just what is going on here?"

Jazmin rolled her eyes, drawing her weapon and leveling it at Smythe. As she cocked the hammer with her thumb, she pulled out her Pinkerton badge and leveled it at the steward. "Official business." Then, in a voice that seemed too loud for her small frame she yelled. "Everyone! Get to your staterooms and stay there until you are told otherwise!"

No one moved.

"Cat? Care to motivate them?"

Catherine smiled and nodded, she hoisting up the dress she was wearing to show one leg. On that leg was a badge and a gun. She showed the badge and pulled the gun. It was a lovely hand carved hand cannon as it was known. It was a six shot cylinder weapon and she fired it at a lamp, shattering it, "Police! There will be pirates. Everything is under control but to your rooms Now!" That got them moving the steward nervously backed away and started to help calm the rush as people cleared the room.

"That goes for you too." Catherine said turning to the others who'd been playing poker with Jaz, the gambler stepped forward for the group, "We can help we're not without our own skills said the dapper looking man flanked by the other players. All looking determined, Cat glanced at Jaz apparently the computer decided they needed some back up. "Then we need to to keep these people safe, you find the Captain and warn him..." pointed to the gambler who nodded, "The Captain knows me I can convince him."

Catherine smiled, "Great tell him to make way to the nearest port and call for help." He nodded and jogged off. She looked at the others, "You two help the innocents get out of the line of fire." They nodded as well took off. Catherine breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Jaz "That's got them out of the way and it needed to be done, shall we?"

Jazmin grabbed Smythe by the ear, twisting hard, leading him to his feet and then pulling his face close to her own. She grimaced at the man's breath. "You're gonna tell us everything, do you understand."

Smythe nodded quickly.

"Good. Now when is the attack supposed to happen and how many are there?"

He stammered, "any, any time nnnnow. Maybe a dozen, no more than 20 in boarding party, few on the ship to maintain position." He quickly spit out, coward that he was.

"Looks like we'll have our work cut out for us." Cat said, actually a little pleased at the challenge.

Jazmin nodded, her face grim. "Pray we succeed." She smiled, then. "Just think, though, bringing Jesse James to justice!"

Jazmin turned on her heel, skirts twirling. She addressed the group of men that had just entered, noticing they were all armed. "Listen up! The James' Gang has their eyes set on us and they'll be here any minute! I need two men on the safe. Anyone but us two ladies come down there you shoot 'em dead! The rest of you take cover on thge upper deck. Our plan is simple." She smiled and in the shadows of the room looked a bit like a madwoman. "Get them before they get us. Anyone gets a bead on Frank or Jesse, take the shot. Now git!"

The men hurried out to take positions. Jazmin approached Catherine and quickly hugged her. "Good luck, Partner. Be safe." Then before Cat could respond, hurried out to face the onoming storm.

To be continued...

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