A Prologue Part Three ~ The Rise(sample)

Chapter One ~ the Pirate Way Part II:

Flinching, Captain Reine Zoe Xavior woke with a start, as her head pounded furiously. She squinted and looked both ways, before she looked down. Someone was sleeping on her, as she leaned up on her elbows slowly; before she lifted the comforter to see her ex-girlfriend's blonde head resting comfortably on her pelvis.

Her gunner's short hair sprawled out across her bare stomach, tickling her as she stirred. Groaning, she scooted out from under her ex-girlfriend. She slowly started to stand, as her head spun and her stomach twisted in pain.

That is all it took for her to run from the room and scramble up the kitchen ladder to the front hall. She bolted through the bathroom door, bent over the toilet, and vomited. By the time she was finished, Deytria was beside her with a hand brushing her chin-length, bright red hair from her eyes.

Dey asked, "Did you drink too much, love?"

Reine gave her ex-girlfriend a confused expression, meanwhile at the young age of twelve she was not certain what this was; however, she was now starving. She slowly climbed up using her gunner and the toilet to stand. She now stood five feet four inches tall, while she shook her head and took a deep breath; before she made her way to the sink and replied in confusion.

"I don't think so, I'm starving."

Deytria's eyebrow raised, as she watched her Captain rinse her mouth out. She joined her in the shower; which did not last long, as a rich aroma from the kitchen could be smelled. Reine quickly exited the shower, dried off, and went through the bridge to the hatch behind her chair; which led her bedroom below. The girls did not talk much as they dressed, and she started for the kitchen hatch.

Her ex-girlfriend spoke before she reached the hatch, "Hey, Reine?"

She had donned a tight fitting, gray sweater dress with a hood attached and half-sleeves. Her gunner had dressed in black slacks and a white, button-up blouse. She stopped short and turned her attention to her lover, as she pulled the loose fitting hood over her head and responded timidly.

"Yes?"

Her ex-girlfriend's bright green eyes pierced her emerald ones. The emotions nearly took her breath away. Her gunner's tone was soft, but it was fairly obvious she was still bothered by the topic, as she spoke carefully.

"You worked really hard to outfit the Vexor, and it is now a truly amazing vessel for a small cruiser. I know I was ungrateful. I apologize, Reine. Maybe I just thought I knew you, and when you turned out to be someone different... I didn't wanna accept it."

"I get it, but you need to either accept me for who I am or let me go. Apology accepted. I love you, Dey - but I don't want to be who you want me to be."

Her ex-girlfriend was at a loss for words, and she retreated into the kitchen; where Jin was still cooking. Despite her beautiful smile and cute apron, Reine could only feign a weak smile, sit, and let her head fall to the table on top of her crossed arms.

Jin was two years older than her Captain and tucked shoulder-length, strawberry blonde hair behind one ear, while she wore a long, yellow dress under a cute apron with a 'wrenches, nuts, and bolts' pattern. Vance, a fighter pilot and her boyfriend, was the same age as her and absently played with his messy, black hair; he sat at the table staring at his girlfriend's butt with blue eyes and wore gray sweatpants with a white t-shirt. Acovis, Reine's computer specialist, was about the same age as Detrya and Alexia; the navigation specialist.

Acovis was stocky now with long, brown hair and brown eyes focused on his personal computer bracelet projecting holographic menus and keys, but he relaxed in his seat at the table. He wore blue jeans and a large, black t-shirt with 'Hax' printed in big red letters on the front. Alexia was the tallest and a little lanky, twirling shoulder-length black hair with her finger, as she scanned the room with amber eyes; while she wore black slacks and a white, button-down blouse.