Aces, Eights, & Allegories

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2020 @ 9:23am by Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & Lieutenant Samuel Clemens XV
Edited on on Tue May 19th, 2020 @ 12:37pm

Mission: Return to the Core
Location: In The Dreamlands
Timeline: In the Undrheim

Sam smiled wolfishly, as he carefully, precisely, spread his hand, face-up, on the table.

The game was classic five-card stud, nothing wild. The highly-distilled essence of hard statistics meeting the atomic buildup of brass alloy in the reproductive organs of the participants.

The five Kings stared at one another in their two-dimensional domain, as the cool Mississippi breeze rolled into the salon from the deck.

His opponent slowly raised an eyebrow, as one side of his pencil-thin mustache matched its movement. A deft flip of his wrist, and his own hand floated to the table, laid bare for all to see.

A sharp intake of breath, from behind Clemens.

A booming chuckle from his esteemed competitor- the sound of struggling to the side.

The steamship's engines coming to a halt, with the telltale grinding of ruined mechanisms.

The setting sunlight glinting off the other five cards- all Aces.

A whiff of sulphur, and crackling flame.

"You *really* shouldn't have bet the entire farm, Mister Clemens- I learned my lessons well from my last two mortal challengers," he chuckled. "I'm *well* past the 'shame on me' stage, now. Webster never let me forget"

The ruddy light of the flames reflected in his eyes, The Devil Sam Knew came to his feet, languidly. With a snap of his clawed fingers, the rack of struggling Starfleet officers, and, somehow, his beloved Rei, swung into view behind him, on display for the Spook Of the Hera.

Sam struggled to move, frozen in place. The sheer futility enraged him, while the sight of his crewmates trussed up, swinging from hooks, struck horror into his heart.

...the screams were all his fault, as the flames licked upward to consume them.