Stockton just nodded. His gut told him he had the big man. If the Marine had a strong hand, he’d have raised more aggressively earlier. He guessed it was more like a middling pair, perhaps two pair…something that felt too good to fold. His opponent was clearly a skilled player, but he was an emotional one too. Stockton had taken a fair amount of his money, and he knew the Marine wanted to win it back. That was a dangerous state of mind when facing a player like Dauntless’s ace pilot.

He hesitated a few more seconds, as much to increase his opponent’s tension as anything else. Then he put both hands on the table and pushed forward. “I’m all in.” His voice was stone cold, utterly without emotion. “That’s eleven thousand, four hundred.”

The Marine glared back. He was frustrated, and what control he’d had was gone.

Stockton set his cards face down on the table, still not flashing so much as a glance at them. It was all part of the show, his efforts to unnerve his opponent. He didn’t need to look. He knew what he had. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. His best card was a nine.

He returned the Marine’s gaze, giving the big man nothing, not the slightest tell. He’d had good control over himself since his Academy days, but his years as a pilot had honed his cool. He’d never been in a full scale war, no one under the age of forty-five or so had, but he’d done duty against pirates, and in the badlands chasing down tech poachers. He knew what it felt like to sit in a tiny fighter, bearing down on ships a hundred times as large without flinching. The poker table was no different, except he wasn’t risking his life playing cards.

His eyes focused on the size of the Marine across the table, the burning anger in his eyes.

At least I don’t think I’m risking my life…

For an instant, he thought his adversary might just call his bluff. He’d been working the man for two hours, playing a tight game, only raising when he had the hand. His entire game had been a set up for this bluff. But there were no guarantees. Perhaps he’d gotten the Marine too unnerved…or maybe the big man had drawn three of a kind or some other hand that would tempt him to call. But then he saw it in opponent’s eyes. Capitulation.

“I fold.” The marine threw his cards down on the table in disgust.

Stockton mucked his cards, facedown.

“No…I want to see what you had…”

Stockton felt his adrenaline surge. They all knew the rules. He didn’t have to show his opponent a thing. But the tone of voice suggested the Marine didn’t care.