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[The communicator turns on while upside down, showing the floor and an enormous pile of poker chips. There are a few stacks of ten where someone attempted to order them, but the rest are just in a heap. 500 chips total, if anyone's curious enough and quick enough to count them before the communicator turns around. Firo's still unpracticed with the thing, so the view bounces around, more often showing the walls or ceiling than Firo. Anyone paying close attention might also notice a mask in the shape of a lamb's face half-way shoved under the bed.]

So, um... I was wonderin' if anybody'd be up for a game of poker. Or any card game, really, I'm not picky. It'd be nice to have something to pass the time, you know?

[He nearly winces at how petty of a request it is. It's impossible not to realize that some really creepy stuff is going on and that keeping up his skills for the Family casino might not be a priority right now. But he needs something to do, and he's sure that he won't be getting many more somewhat quiet moments like this to practice. Maybe this can finally help him relax.]

I don't actually have any real cards, but I've got stuff that's close enough. If anybody does know where I could find an actual deck, I'd appreciate it.

[He bites his lip as he wonders if there's anything he should add.]

Or if anybody could tell me where I can find a knife. A real one, not one of those little kitchen knives.

...I think that's all. Thanks.

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How familiar are you with the game of Whist?

[ You don't want to play cards with this man, Firo. He cheats. He really cheats. ]

[Firo spends about a minute fumbling with the device to switch to text.]

I've heard of it. Never played it, but I could probably learn.

[The game's popularity in the United States has already begun fading in Firo's time.]

[ Scandal. Moran would be so sad if he knew Whist was ever going to fade from popularity. ]

It's a simple enough game. How speedy of a learner are you?

So long as it's with cards, I can pick things up quick.

[Outside of what he needs to know for the Family business, he's a hopeless learner.]

Then I'd gladly teach you. Assuming you're interested, of course.

[This is one of those cases where Firo's thankful for text; if he were speaking he wouldn't be able to keep from sounding childishly overexcited.]

[I'm definitely interested. Just give me a time and a place and I'll be there.

There's a common room on the eighth floor, just near the blue lift. Meet me there in two hours if you still fancy the idea. I'll supply the deck.

I'll be there, definitely. Thanks a lot!

Hold on a mo. An extra note: bring two extras if you find them. Two-player Whist works in a pinch, but it isn't nearly as enjoyable.

Two extras? I'm not sure if I can find them, but I'll try. I only know of one other person who says they know how to play it.

[And he didn't seem too happy...]

Consider it a group demonstration if you find the other two.

All right, I'll see what I can do.

Gladly. The two hours still stands.

Yeah, I'll be there. Thanks.

[Eight months and this is exactly the kind of offer that Murphy has been waiting for, holy shit.]

...

I'm game, sure. Could use the distraction, anyway.

[As happy as he is to have a volunteer, his enthusiasm is tempered by Murphy's last comment.]

...Yeah, I think a lotta us could.

You good with seven card stud, or do you usually play somethin' else?

...

[The consideration is appreciated, if nothing else.]

Razz, high-low... Mississippi or Mexican -- I'm good with whatever.

High-low probably wouldn't work too great if it winds up bein' just the two of us.

I haven't played razz in a while, wanna do that? It's not as popular in the casinos for some reason.

True.

[He'll take the alternative, though.] Sure, razz sounds good.

[A guy sure does wind up absorbing a lot of different styles of card games in prison.]

Great.

It sounds like you play a lot, would you say you're any good?

[He's more curious if this guy cheats, but you can't really ask someone that and get a reliable answer.]

Did, once. Been awhile, so I might be a bit rusty, but, uh... yeah.

I haven't played a game since I got here, so I'm a bit rusty too. ...Actually, it was a while even before I got here.

[He kept to himself in Alcatraz, except for a bit of chatting during meals. It's been months since he's even seen any real cards.]

So, anyway, sounds like this'll be good for both of us.

[Gambling's that important, apparently.]

...

[And Murphy hadn't played since Frank died, he realizes. That realization is kind of sad, really.]

Yeah... [A little recreational gambling's never hurt anybody, right?] Saw you had some chips, too. How much you got there?

[~~All of Murphy's realizations are kind of sad~~

Firo turns from the communicator to the vast pile of chips, shrugging self-consciously.]

...I'm not sure exactly.

[He gestures to the few stacks lying around.]

Those are about 50 put together, but then I kinda got tired of countin'. Over a hundred, I'm guessin'.

[Considering how much bigger the remaining pile is compared to the stacks, it's definitely over a hundred.]

[~~The sad life.~~

[He takes a moment to look over the pile that's there, and then nods to himself.]

Looks like that's enough for a small group. [Someday, maybe.] Alright. You can set a time and place for this. I work sometimes in the gardens when there's not much else goin' on-- ["like kids getting lost in mazes"] --but other than that...

[Yeah.]

Yeah, I'm just hopin' there's enough left where they came from. But it would be nice to get a group together someday.

[One thing at a time Firo.]

What floor are you on? We could meet on one of those recreation room things. As for time, I don't have a lot goin' on. Sometime tomorrow?

Yeah, it would...

[He pauses and thinks about that. There's a lot going on, so...]

Erm, well I'm... I'm bit busy right now-- [looking for little girls and trying not to get killed in the process as well] --but I'll let you know if somethin' comes up.

[Spoilers: Chase will show up dead soon, so the answer's probably a bingo.]

Okay, then, sounds good. Good luck with whatever it is ya gotta get done.

[He hasn't yet seen all the hubbub about the kid who ran off, or else he wouldn't sound so relaxed.]

I'd be up for a hand of cards. No clue how to play poker, but I could learn.

It's not hard at all to learn, I don't mind teachin' you, if you want.

Right you are then. I do know how to play whist, but I'm not playin' with that fucker up there.

Oh yeah? Is he that good or is there another reason why?

[Given that word choice, he's going to assume the latter. And there's really only one reason it could be.]

He's a dick, is why.

I've played against jerks before, makes beatin' 'em more fun.

How come you've got a problem with him?

[Maybe he's actually a nice guy, Firo's not going to write off someone he's hardly talked to on someone else's word.]

He's just a racist English tosser, that's all. Don't get me wrong, I lived in London before I came here and I didn't go 'round punching every sass'nach in the face, he's just particularly a prick.

Uh... What's a "tosser"? And a "sass'nach"?

Fucking Christ above, you Yanks don't half make a man work for his conversation. A tosser is someone who tosses off. A sasanach's an Englishman.

[He bristles, not completely understanding what this guy's saying but thinking that some part of it is insulting.]

Well, maybe if you could talk like a normal person, I wouldn't hafta ask! What the hell does sasanach have to do with England, anyway? Doesn't even sound like a real word, if you ask me.

[In a move that's oddly wise for Firo, he refrains from asking what to toss off means.]

Don't knot your nads, I've been talking perfectly regular. Apart from sasanach, that's Gaelic. For Englishman.

No, you definitely haven't--nobody back home talks like that.

[He frowns as he tries to think of where he's heard of that language before.]

So you're... Irish?

Northern Irish.

Does everybody in the North talk like that?

Dunno. I've always been a touch chatty, but the way I speak en't unusual.

Sure. Not unusual compared to a ship in space, I guess.

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