ENG Ensign Ilaihr
Posted on July 25th, 2014 by Ilaihr

"Well?"
"Shut up!"
"Come on, you can do it."
"Shut up Ilaihr! I’m getting to it." He looked at the board with unwavering intensity. "Checkmate in 9 moves!" He cheered triumphantly.
"Tsch, checkmate in 3 DeSoto." Ilaihr smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"No…No…No, thats impossible, you can’t possibly beat me in 3 moves."

Ilaihr began motioning a Vulcan officer to come to their table. "Surek, my pointy eared compatriot; come, he refutes my victory, I think he thinks I’m cheating."
Surek sighs as he comes over to Ilaihr and DeSoto’s table to check the board.
"He is cheating isn’t he, he even knows I think he’s cheating, he has to be reading my mind."
"Firstly Ensign DeSoto, no-one has to read your mind to know what you’re thinking at any given time; secondly, Ilaihr I will sacrifice my racial dignity and beg you to stop calling me your pointy eared compatriot; and thirdly how many did you say you were going to win in?"
"Three moves." Ilaihr replied with an almost smug look on his face.
Surek examined the board closely, putting his logic skills to the test. He began to nod. "Yes, he is correct. Three moves until checkmate."

DeSoto’s face dropped, he thought he had Ilaihr this time; they had been playing chess everyday for 3 weeks whilst waiting for their respective ships to come into Starbase, and hadn’t won once. Every time he accused him of cheating, Surek was called from wherever he was on the station to judge.
"How do you keep winning man?" He begged Ilaihr for an answer.
Ilaihr looked at Surek, and Surek at him. "We’re both old, Kid. I’ve been playing chess since I was found by the Devonshire; and that was 100 years ago. We just have more experience at the game, if you keep playing then you will get better." He then startled chuckling to himself. "But with your strategic mindset, I wouldn’t put in for the tactical position on your ship."
"You know damn well I put in for that position on the Topeka." DeSoto snapped. "You two think you’re so great getting positions on the Atlantis and the Sentinel"
"I do not believe he said anything like that DeSoto. He merely implied that your overly aggressive tactics are what lead to the downfall of your game, and that such an outlook could be disastrous if you carry it into real-world application, such as that of a tactical station on a bridge."
"Yeah. But just for the record, you’re not going to let the New Romulan Republic invade the Federation are you?" Ilaihr said teasingly.
"Screw you guys, I’m going to my quarters!" DeSoto stood up and stormed off and out of the mess hall.

Surek looked at Ilaihr in a slightly stern manner. "Was it really necessary to antagonise him so?"
"It wasn’t necessary, but if he cant handle a little bit of banter from little old me, the galaxy is going to crush him. Anyway he’s a big boy, he’ll get over it." Ilaihr began to rearrange the board. "Fancy a game?"
"I have some work to get on with I’m afraid."
"Our ships don’t come in for at least another 2 days, it’s illogical to lie about something so transparent as that. Now sit, let the game begin."
Surek sighed a little. "Very well."

They both stared at the board intently.