"Now are you the type that makes big deals over every hundredth victory? Because this is my two hundredth."
>How do you expect me to answer your question if you make a statement after it?>
It was shrewd, she'd have to be more wary than she had been. But she could divert his questions as easily as he could divert hers. "That seemed to be a rather intelligent observation."
>Didn't think I had it in me?>
"You seem to scorn intelligence."
>>How do I do that?
"You are vehement about not referring to yourself as a "geek", which I have interpreted to mean an intelligent person."
>Uh…uh…how'd you get that impression?>
She was getting to him. "By the fact that you said only geeks play this game, which requires a modicum of intelligence."
>A what?>
"Intelligence."
>Evidently not, seeing as you play it.>
"And have already won two hundred games."
>To my two-sixteen.>
"A trivialty."
--------
>Three hundred to two eighty-eight.>
"What is it about these multiples of one hundred that your species obsesses over?"
>Well, actually, my species is normally too stupid to count. I came from a better species.>
"Better than the Kelbrid?" Rruyshah raged.
>Oh! No…um, better than this species I'm stuck in. No, they're certainly not better than you…um…awesome…>
"Did you just call us awesome?"
>Um, did I?>
"I think you did. Are you trying to flatter me?"
>Um, no. No, I'm, ah…not. Yeah…not. Er…>
"I was starting to believe you had some shred of intelligence?"
>You were?> He was so impressionable it was pathetic. Then again, she was behaving like Na. (When the only other sentience on the spaceship was this dismal, it certainly wasn't her fault for imitating him!)
"No. I wasn't."
--------
"In the very likely case you lacked the sufficient mentality to realize, that was my three-hundredth victory. What is it with you and hundreds, anyhow?"
>They're like, round numbers.>
"No they're not. Numbers are shapeless."
>You know what I mean…no you don't.>
"Why such a useless, arbitrary number? Hun-dred. It even sounds weird."
>How do you say it in your language?>
"Correctly."
>"Correctly" is a word in your language?...Oh.>
"Your move, imbecile."
--------
>Four hundred. Represent.>
"What should I represent?"
It ignored Rruyshah's lack of slang knowledge. >Are you asking me to boss you around?>
"No! No…No."
--------
"Ah yes, my five hundred and twelfth victory. A superior number to five hundred, at any rate." Rruyshah maneuvered a pawn into place.
>How the heck is that a win for you?>
"Where can you move without going into "check"?"
It examined the board. >Uh…nowhere…>
"So I win. Five-twelve."
>No, no, I do! Five hundred!>
"You win…because…you can't…go…anywhere?"
>Mhmm. Right.>
"Uh…no."
>How do you know? You're not from Earth.>
"Well then this game is stupid."
>So can we quit?>
"No…I suppose I meant that your interpretation of the game is stupid."
>Just like me, blah blah blah…>
"You catch on fast if nothing more."
>Is that a compliment?>
"Eh…nah. It's not." Rruyshah came out lackluster trying to sound more convinced than she felt.
--------
>Are you going to say anything?>
"Besides…what's the word you used?"
>Checkmate?>
"Yeah, that's it. I wasn't, why?"
>Because that's your six-hundredth win.>
"Six-hundred-fourth."
>You're not counting that game. Or any of those…are you?>
"How do you expect me to know what you are referring to by "that game"?"
>You're the brilliant Exalted One.>
Rruyshah was flattered for a moment, but then realized, "That was your species' sarcasm? I mean-" before he got a chance to respond, "the species that you used to be before you wound up trapped as this?"
>Yeah…you are good. At, um, chess. And stuff.>
--------
"Six-hundredth win? Pitiful."
>You only have six-o-nine.>
"Six-thirteen!"
>Ah yes, I'd forgotten that I'm dealing with an alien too stupid to count.>
"You-" Rruyshah reached for the area of it likely to cause the most pain if removed, but checked herself. "You're very lucky Na did that thing on you. I'm not stupid enough to do something with "unpredictable effects"…or did he? Maybe you're just bluffing to save your life…nah. You're not that smart."