Page 106 of Stars in Nova

Kisan shook his head, a rare smile flickering across his face. ‘Fokk,’ he grunted. ‘Looks like we might just make it through the mission without killing each other.’

The Cephei cruised through the void of hyperspace, its sleek systems humming as it carved a path toward Galicia.

Inside the galley, the trio gathered around the small, fold-out table.

The scent of Sax’s bourbon—a rich, smoky concoction brewed from forbidden grain in the Skardis monastery—hung heavy in the air.

Samira leaned back in her chair, a slight smirk on her face as she shuffled the pack of cards with practiced ease. Sax sprawled in his seat, his boots propped on the edge of a chair, his dark eyes glinting with mischief.

‘So, what’s the game?’ Kisan asked, crossing his arms as he eyed Sax with wariness.

‘Shards,’ Sax replied, his grin wicked. ‘Easy to learn. Hard to win.’

‘Especially against someone who cheats,’ Samira remarked, cutting the deck with a flick of her wrist.

Sax raised a brow, feigning innocence. ‘Cheat? Me? I’m outraged.’

Kisan snorted, settling into his chair. ‘You? Offended? I’ll believe that when the void freezes over.’

The cards fell in a steady rhythm, and with each hand, Sax raked in the winnings—with bragging rights and the occasional IOU.

Samira gazed on with an amused expression as Kisan grew more irritable with every loss, his aqua eyes narrowing as Sax played another unbeatable hand.

‘Alright,’ Kisan groused after another round. ‘You’re doingfokkin’ cheating.’

‘I’m just a better tactician,’ Sax said, his grin infuriatingly smug. ‘Don’t be mad just because you’ve got the miscalculated instincts of a rock.’

‘That’s it,’ Kisan muttered. ‘Your ass is mine.’

He leaned forward, his movements laced with profound intent as he rearranged his cards.

The next hand was chaos.

Kisan’s subtle signals to Samira turned the tide, and Sax caught on fast. What followed was a flurry of bluffs, counter-deception, and outright cheating that had all three of them throwing rules out the airlock.

Kisan slammed his deck down with a triumphant beam. ‘Shards!’ he declared, leaning back like he’d just conquered the galaxy.

Sax studied the cards, his expression unreadable.

With a slow nod, he said, ‘Not bad. Of course, I let you win.’

Kisan’s lip curled. ‘The hell you did.’

‘Oh, hell yeah, I did,’ Sax drawled, pouring another round of bourbon. ‘Had to throw you a bone. It’s good for morale.’

Samira burst out laughing, her warm, rich mirth filling the cabin. She leaned over and kissed Kisan, her lips lingering long enough to dissolve his irritation.

Sax tilted back, his grin turning wolfish. ‘So that’s how it is, huh? And just as I was about to hit on her.’

Kisan shot him a warning glare, but Sax waved it off, his guffaw deep and resonant. ‘Relax, lover boy. Your woman is safe. For now.’

The tension shifted into good-natured roughhousing as Kisan lunged for Sax, grabbing his arm in a mock wrestling move.

Playing cards and empty glasses scattered across the table as Sax retaliated, twisting and tackling Kisan into a headlock. Their laughter and grunts of effort echoed through the ship as Samira stood at the doorway, shaking her head with an exasperated smile.

‘You two are children,’ she said, her tone dry as she gathered her deck.

Kisan broke free, his tattoos shimmering as he pushed Sax away. ‘You’re leaving because I’m about tofokkyour shit up again.’

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