Author's Note: I was going through my writing folder and came across this ficlet. Admiral Nelson and the characters from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea do not belong to me. I get nothing from this but a little escapist fun.
Admiral Harriman Nelson had been in this position more times than he could count. When the chips were down and lives were at stake, he had to know how to execute the perfect bluff. And right now those skills were being put to the ultimate test.
He could feel the tension in the cramped quarters as they watched him, anxiously anticipating his next move, wondering how it would affect them. Luckily, Nelson wasn't going to make them wait.
Letting nothing more than a hint of a smile cross his lips, the admiral laid his hand on the table.
Chief Sharkey leaned forward, staring at what lay before him. "A pair of twos?" he asked incredulously.
"Damn it!" the usually unflappable Chip Morton cursed, throwing down his cards in disgust. "I had a full house, my best hand of the night, and I folded!"
A resigned Lee Crane tossed the exec one of his two remaining chips. "Here's a quarter, call someone who cares."
Nelson leaned across the table and scooped his winnings towards him then sat back in his chair and began to sort through the loot, which included Sharkey's brand new Timex depth gauge dive watch. Slipping the watch onto his wrist, the admiral made a point of extending his arm so that the Chief could also admire the timepiece. Unfortunately, his "nice watch, Francis," was met with nothing more than an irritated grunt.
Doc shook his head. "I should have expected it." When all eyes turned towards him, he shrugged. "Well, look how many times we've seen him bluff hostile sentient creatures, rogue scientists, and other assorted nasties."
"Hey," Chip protested, "are you comparing me to that slimy brain thing that tried to take over the crew last week?"
"No, Chip, you're one of the other assorted nasties."
"Oh, thanks a lot, Lee. Now, remind me again who brought that creature aboard Seaview?"
Lee tossed his last green chip at Chip, hitting the exec directly in the chest.
"I don't believe his luck," Sharkey said, scowling at the admiral and his lost watch.
Nelson got up from his chair and slipped the watch off his wrist. "Gentleman," he said, handing the watch back to a very relieved Sharkey, "there's a very easy explanation and it has nothing to do with luck or staring down slimy creatures."
"Oh, yeah?" Doc asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "And what is that?"
"You four are just lousy poker players."
-Fin-