Checkers

by Timesprite

"I love you, you love--"

"For cryin' out loud... Cal! Do you have to watch that video *again?*"

"But Caliban *likes* the purple dinosaur!"

Tabitha dropped her issue of Cosmo on the table and flopped onto the couch. "I know you do, Cal. But three times in a row? Don't you want to do something *else* now?"

The hulking mutant looked thoughtful for a moment--or as thoughtful as one could be with the IQ of a preschooler, anyway. "Would Meltdown play checkers with Caliban?"

Tab suppressed a groan. "I'd really love to Cal. But--I'm *really* busy here," she bluffed. "I know, why don't you go see what Jimmy's doing? I bet he'd *love* to play checkers with you."

"Okay." The former Morlock gathered up the box containing the checkerboard and game pieces and left the room. Tabitha scooped up the remote and flipped channel to Jerry Springer.

"Finally."

----

Caliban's ability to flawlessly track mutants had been a definite asset to X-Force in the months since he'd joined the team. This afternoon, however, it served in helping him track potential playmates through the wing of Xavier's mansion X-Force had overrun. He finally found James in one of the weight rooms, working at the bench-press. He stopped as he saw his teammate enter the room, and looked quizzically at the box in his hands. "Hey big guy. What's up?"

"Meltdown said that Caliban should ask Warpath to play checkers with him."

"Lemme guess. She kicked you off the TV." He sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "Normally I'd love to play with you, Cal. But I'm really busy right now. Maybe see what Terry is doing? She *loves* checkers. I bet she'll play with you."

Caliban gave him a crestfallen look. "All right." Box in hand, he headed back into the hall, once again searching for someone to play with.

----

"Caliban? I dinnae hear you come in."

"Warpath said that Siryn likes checkers. Does Siryn want to play checkers with Caliban?"

"I'd love to Cal, but I haven't the time. I need t' run into town before the stores close for the evening. Have ye asked Tabitha to play with ye?"

"Tabitha told Caliban to ask Warpath."

"Oh. Hrm. What about Bobby? I bet 'Berto would play if ye asked him."

Caliban sighed, still cradling the game in his hands. "Caliban will ask."

----

He stood in the booth of the danger room, watching Sunspot practicing aerial stunts though a tricky looking obstacle course. Eyeing the control panel, he hit what he thought might have been the comm control, then tapped the microphone. The sound echoed throughout the Danger Room and 'Berto stopped mid flight, looking up into the booth. "Cal? What's up?"

"Does Sunspot want to play checkers with Caliban?" He held up the box for emphasis.

"Um, I'm sort of in the middle of a program here, Cal. Have you asked Terry?"

"Caliban has asked Siryn and Warpath and Meltdown. They are all too busy."

"Oh." Roberto paused. "What about Cable? He plays chess all the time... I bet he'd be happy to play a game of checkers with you."

"That is what Siryn said. And Warpath."

"Oh, well... sorry bud. I think Cable's in the hangar, anyway. It's worth a shot, anyway, right?"

"Right," Caliban replied dejectedly, and left the control room, the unused game still in tow.

----

"Will Cable-Nathan play checkers with Caliban?"

The sudden, unexpected question caused Cable to start, banging his head on the ceiling of the small access hatch in the PACRAT that he was working in. His wrench clattered to the floor. "Ow." He slid out, rubbing the top of his head. "Um, Cal, I'm a little busy. Ask Jimmy."

"Caliban did."

"Terry?"

"Yes."

"Berto?"

"Yes." The large mutant looked as if he were close to tears. "No one wants to play checkers with Caliban..."

"Aw, hey. I'm sure they're all just busy." He scratched his head in thought. "Well... why don't you ask Dom?"

'Nate!' Domino's irritated thought shouted back at him from the plane's cabin, where she was checking over instruments.

Caliban's face brightened perceptibly, and he bounded to the front of the plane. "Does Patch Eye want to play checkers with Caliban?"

"No, Patch Eye does n--"

#Dom! Would it kill you to be nice for once? No one else has time for him.#

"Oh, fortheloveof--One game. One!"

#Thank you, Dom.#

'You owe me, you bastard.' "Alright, Cal. Let's go play checkers," she sighed.

"Caliban has the game right here!"

"So I see... why don't we go down to the hanger and play there? It'll be more comfortable, and I won't be tempted to throw things at Nathan." They settled down on the floor and started setting up their pieces. "Why don't you go first?"

"Patch Eye is not very nice to Cable-Nathan," he observed as he moved a piece.

"Patch Eye would be nicer if Cable-Nathan stopped being such a dork."

"See? That is not nice. Does Patch Eye not like Cable-Nathan?"

Dom smirked and made her move. "Cal, I like Nate just fine. Most of the time, I'm just joking with him."

"Caliban does not understand. If Cable-Nathan is Patch Eye's friend...then why is Patch Eye mean to him?" He moved another checker.

"I'm not... I--it's complicated, Cal. He knows I'm kidding with him." She made her next move.

"Doesn't Patch Eye worry that Cable-Nathan's feelings will be hurt?" He made his next move. "Look! Caliban jumped Patch Eye's piece!"

"So you did. You're not half bad at this game. And no, I don't worry about hurting his feelings." She paused. "You think I should?" She moved another piece.

"Patch Eye is not very nice, sometimes."

Domino considered this over the next few turns. "Maybe you're right Cal." She eyed the board and realized she was pretty much boxed in. "Maybe I do hurt his feelings. I never thought about that." With a sigh, she moved her piece.

"Caliban wins!" He announced proudly, adding her last checker to the pile next to him. "That was fun."

"It was." She agreed, gathering up the pieces. "So, how about we go get a cookie. That sound good?"

"Caliban *likes* cookies. Almost as much as he likes playing checkers."

"You and me both, Cal. You and me both."

Fin

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