Niner had a spring in his step as he walked back to his quarters. It had been a wonderful exercise, and he felt he had really nailed it that time. Those Null boys really knew their stuff, and Niner was confident that he could match them move for move now. He heard muffled talk up ahead, and slowed his step so he could peek in the room.

"The sunburned eopie snipes a muja fruit stuck in a wamap's paw." Darman speculated, peering at the cards in his hand.

Niner stopped dead in his tracks as he heard the statement, stopping in the doorway to watch his brothers. Fi, Darman and a couple of other members of Arca Company were in fatigues, sitting around a strange looking gameboard. They each had a hand of cards, their gazes shifting between them and the board.

Fi raised a brow at Darman. "You sure, ner vod?"

Darman nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. This is what I'm suggesting."

"Okay then," Fi replied, moving various pieces around on the board. "I pass."

"Pass," the Clone next to him, a Lieutenant, said with a frown.

Next in line was a Captain, but instead of saying anything, he silently passed Darman one of his cards face-down. "Sorry, ner vod," he said with a shrug.

Darman merely nodded as he looked at the card and then silently passed it back.

"My turn," Fi said, rolling the dice. He moved some more pieces around and then fell silent. "The optimal fruit cake makes love to the chain saw around a scooby snack..."

"Pass."

"Pass."

"Pass," Darman tossed his cards down.

Niner blinked. He just stared at the four soldiers for a long moment, watching as they gathered the pieces up and started resetting them. Omega's Sergeant blinked again before beating a hasty retreat. I do not want to know, I do not want to know... he kept repeating in his head. He paused momentarily as he heard Darman's final remark:

"Fierfek, Fi. That's the fifth game you've won in a row."

Niner groaned, lowered his head and pushed on. He really didn't want to know...