I hope you enjoy this little story, I have built it around elements found in the Reborn trailer and introduce some of the historical facts that I believe may appear in the new Tomb Raider. Roll on 5th March!

"Lara over here", A fair-haired woman shouted across the thumping bass line of another mass-produced 'dance like an idiot' song that the resident DJ had a love affair with. Twisting around on her stool Lara saw her friend waving frantically in front of two rather attractive looking young men.

Not again, Lara thought as she took a gulp of her drink, how many times do I have to save her from her matchmaking ways. Knowing that there was no way that she could escape this time, Lara slid of the stool to see what Rose had in store for her now.

"Lara! Come on! This is Luke," Rose declared theatrically pointing towards the taller of the two who nodded his greeting, "and this," Rose paused for effect, "is Gerard". Gerard smiled and turned towards Rose who was still grinning like a child in a sweet shop.

"Nice to meet you...what was your name again?" Gerard asked softly almost drowned out by the music.

"Lara, the name is Lara".

"Yes Lara that was it, Rose has told me all about you".

"Has she now," Lara sighed.

"Oh yes, congratulations on your graduation by the way. Let me get you a drink to celebrate".

"To be honest I really could do with going home soon," Lara stumbled trying to think of any excuse to leave the bar.

"Oh come on Lara, you are going away soon you lucky sod. Have some fun!" Shouted Rose as she flung her arms up in the air drunkenly hitting Luke in the chest.

"Woops Luke I'm sorry," Rose slurred as she propped herself on the nearby wall.

Shaking her head Lara observed the drunken mess her best friend was in. Thank god university is over, Lara thought, I might not have to go on so many of these babysitting trips.

"So?" Gerard prompted.

"Yeah go on then it is only twelve-forty, I just need to make sure Rose is okay".

"She can come with us, let's go to the bar upstairs, it is a bit quieter," Gerard looked over to Rose and Luke to find them sprawled over each other against the wall, "we can sit those two separately." Lara nodded in agreement and started the long process of pulling the two bodies apart and dragging them up the stairs.

Lara hated nights out like this, long hours spent trying to fit in with the mob of revelers and avoiding any unwanted attention. Gerard seemed genuine enough as he conducted a full and proper conversation without any downward stares or wandering hands. Unlike Luke who had already wooed Rose into a one night declaration of love.

"I'm sorry about Rose," Lara said peering over at the bundle of bodies.

"Don't worry about it, Luke is just as bad. I know how you feel." Laughed Gerard. "So Rose said you were going away? Where are you going?"

"Just off the coast of Japan, near Tokyo. We are hoping to find out some information about Kublai Khan, he was the first non-Chinese Emperor to conquer all of China but little is know about his fleet that he sent eastward. It just disappeared into thin air". Lara took a sip of her drink wondering if Gerard would even be interested in all this ancient history.

"Never heard of him, but he sounds pretty interesting, did you read archeology then?" Asked Gerard.

"I did, I'm pretty lucky that I have been chosen for this this trip. The guy who is running it, Conrad, he's a tough fellow and my research must have impressed him somewhere along the line". Thinking back Lara began to wonder how exactly Conrad Roth had found her. Her dissertation examined the possibilities of an Atlantean Scion which was praised by her superiors, there was a chance that he read that. Pushing her thoughts to one side Lara sat back and hoped that one day she would have the time to do her own archeological work and become as respected as Conrad is.

"You seem like an intelligent woman I'm sure you'll will." Gerard said as though he were reading Lara's mind, "you are like a little Nathan Drake exploring the world!".

"Thanks," Lara laughed, "I doubt I'll be getting into that much adventure though!". Looking at her watch Lara realised that it was probably time to head home and begin preparing for her trip on the Endurance. Bidding farewell to Gerard and dragging Rose away from Luke, Lara began her journey home walking in diagonals instead of straight lines.

OooO

Sitting cross-legged on the deck of the Endurance Lara flicked through her leather journal. Inside lay many notes, coordinates and doodles of Kublai Khan's imagined artifacts. For the few days before the trip Lara had practically lived in the university's library building dens of books and cursing Conrad that he hadn't provided her with a photocopier card. It was nice being out in the fresh air.

"Hey Croft have you found anything yet?" Came a voice from the door.

"Not yet, but I think we are getting towards the right area if you look at these sonar scans." Lara passed Conrad three images that showed strange shadows on the sea floor.

"Interesting, but you need to do better than that. Keep going." Conrad ordered passing the images back.

"Conrad you do know we are entering the dragon's triangle?" Questioned Lara.

"And?"

"And don't you think you should be careful around here?"

"I am being careful, we have more lifeboats than the Titanic!" Responded Conrad sarcastically, "Come on Lara you're a Croft behave like one".

Watching Conrad stomp back into the vessel Lara sighed as the wind brushed through her hair. What does he mean? I am a Croft, haven't I already proved that with my research? The sun was beginning to set and deck turned pink with the fading light. Taking a sip of tea Lara looked out into the sea that ebbed along like a choreographed corp de ballet, calm and elegant. The mug was a gift from the Sisters of Artemis a Swedish Self Defense group that she enrolled in during her traveling phase. She enjoyed her time spent with other like-minded women and at least they were useful skills to protect herself if the worst happened on a night out.

Lara never thought those skills would be useful anywhere else.

A beep cried out from Lara's phone placed on top of her journal. Crouching down Lara opened the message and smiled, it was from Gerard.

Hi Lara it's Gerard. Hope everything is going well and tell Conrad where to stick his attitude! Be careful and I'll see you when you get back to the UK. Text me if you want to talk and if you go into any tombs steal some gold for me ;)

"Tombs?" Lara laughed to herself, "I bloody hate tombs!"