This fan-fiction was inspired by the newest Tomb Raider game, I strongly advise that if you haven't yet played it and plan on doing so not to continue reading this. Information of certain characters and their role within this fan-fiction are of my doing and should not be implied on the actual game's plot/story-line.

February 11th, 2013
12:49 PM
Port of Gladstone.
Gladstone, Queensland Australia.

Lara and Sam arrive at the shipping dock, they step out of the taxi and unload their luggage bags from its trunk that the cab driver pops open. Lara pays the fare and the taxi drives off leaving both girls at the port.

Sam: "I can't believe we're finally here Lara, this is so exciting!"

Lara: "Well, this wouldn't have be possible without the funding from your family Sam."

Sam: "Yeah well, you did a great job introducing your theories on the location of the lost kingdom of Yamatai to my father... he was really super impressed with you Lara, you being right out of college and all."

Lara: "It's only natural for any descendant of a lost civilization to be interested in discovering who exactly their ancestors where and most importantly what history they left behind."

Sam: "You're not fooling anyone Lara, especially not me... you're just curious to see what you can dig up on this Queen Himiko I told you about. You've been fascinated by her and her story ever since the first time I told you about it, a few years ago."

Lara: "Tales and myths of beautiful ancient queens blessed with shamanistic powers belong in story books Sam... but, you know my theory on myths..."

Sam: "Yeah, Yeah, behind every myth there's some form of truth." (Sam smirks)

Lara: "Exactly, and I intended to find those exact truths Sam."

Sam: "Well, whatever the outcome of this expedition I intended to have the time of my life... my father only provided funds to last us a month, so I plan on having a blast for the next thirty days... I hope there are cute guys on this ship!" (Sam winks at Lara)

Lara: (giggles) "You'll never change Sam... now, about this ship... Let's go and find it before it leaves without us."

Sam: "What's it called again?"

Lara: "The Endurance, a family friend of mine owns it and offered to accompany us as our captain."

Sam: (eyes widen and jaw drops as she spots the ship) "Holy ship Batman!... She's huge! What kind of person is this family friend of yours Lara!?"

Lara: (smiles) "He's an ex Royal Marine turned adventurer, his name is Roth... Conrad Roth... (Lara spots Roth standing at the bow of the Endurance, she calls up to him) Roth! (Roth looks down from the ship and waves to the girls) come on Sam, I really want to introduce you to him!"

Lara and Sam make their way onto the Endurance and meet up with Roth who stands with six other people. Lara quickly steps toward Roth and embraces him.

Lara: (tightly hugging Roth) "Roth, I've missed you... it's been awhile since I last saw you."

Roth: "I've missed you too girl, congratulations on graduating college... I really wanted to be there that day, but..."

Lara: "I know Roth, I understand... (Lara turns to Sam) Roth, this is Sam, Samantha Nishimura... her father was the one who generously funded this expedition."

Roth: (shaking Sam's hand) "Pleasure to meet you Samantha. It's an honor to be apart of this journey... hopefully we can discover some evidence of your family's heritage."

Sam: "The pleasure is all mine Mr. Roth and it's truly an honor to finally meet you after all the great things Lara has told me about you throughout the years of our friendship. And please Mr. Roth, you can call me Sam." (she smiles)

Lara: "Not only is Sam here as a representative of the Nishimura family but she also has agreed to film the expedition for a documentary she plans on putting together."

Sam: "Yeah, I just graduated with a degree in film and video so maybe this documentary will place me on the map within the entertainment industry."

Roth: "I'm sure it will Sam, now let me introduce you both to our fellow crew members... (Roth turns to the six other people who originally accompanied him) Lara, you may already be acquainted with Dr. James Whitman, who will be leading this expedition."

Dr. Whitman: (taking Lara's hand into his) "Yes, Lara and I go way back... don't we Lara? When I made a guest lecture appearance at the university that Lara attended, a few years ago... Lara made quite the impression on me, her passion for archeology is one that I haven't seen in a young person in a very long time. Plus, her being a Croft is something that demands recognition all within itself!" (he laughs)

Lara: "It's nice to see you again Dr. Whitman and I'm honored to be working by your side and leadership throughout this expedition."

Dr. Whitman: "I'm truly excited to be apart of this myself, as the world's most recognizable celebrity archaeologist, I intend to make this experience the greatest adventure of my career!... Oh, and of all your lives as well of course."

Roth: (pulling Lara away from Whitman's hold) "Alright then... Lara, this is Joslyn Reyes, she will be the Endurance's lead mechanic."

Reyes: (shakes Lara's hand) "Hello Lara, you can call me Reyes."

Roth: "And this is Jonah Maiava, he's a fishermen by trade but also a fine cook, which is why he'll be taking on the task as the ships galley master."
(Jonah smiles and gently bows his head at Lara and Sam) ...and here we have Alex Weiss, an electronics specialist who will be the ship's technician."

Alex: (sliding his glasses up the bridge of his nose and shyly glancing at Lara) "Hey..."

Roth: "We also have Ms. Stephanie Nelson..."

Dr. Whitman: (quickly interrupting Roth) "Ms. Nelson is with me... she's my intern and will be accompanying me as my personal assistant throughout the expedition. Ms. Nelson is on her final year at Brown University in the U.S and is majoring in Archaeology of the Ancient World... she was selected from a handful of students within her field of study for this opportunity, quite a marvelous opportunity I may add to be working as my apprentice for a month!"

Steph: "I'm so excited and honored to be given this opportunity Dr. Whitman. You're truly an inspiration to me, I've admired your work ever since I was a little girl. You're the cause me to why I wanted to become an archaeologist, I can't believe I'm here and working as your apprentice... it's a dream come true!"

Sam: "I think we should keep certain things in mind, like who brought us here to begin with... even though Dr. Whitman may be our lead archaeologist, if it weren't for Lara and her interest in discovering Yamatai, none of us would be here... so Let's give her some credit and respect as an archaeologist as well."

Steph: (shoots a dirty look at Lara and then Sam) "I'm here under Dr. Whitman's jurisdiction, no one else's."

Sam: "Well then, since it was my family's money that funded this expedition maybe I should have the jurisdiction to say who goes and who doesn't..."

Lara: (taking a hold of Sam's arm) "Just let it go Sam."

Sam: "No way! I'm not letting some stuck-up little princess who probably gets her way all the time, disrespect anyone like that!"

Roth: "Enough!... We're all here for our individual purposes and reasons, if we want to have a successful expedition and most importantly a safe expedition we must work as a team. Which means respecting one another, as the captain of this ship I will not allow anyone to be a passenger if they have ill willed feelings for anyone else on board. If you can't obeyed by this request than kindly remove yourself from the ship now before she sets off to sea! (there's an awkward silence, Steph and Sam glare at one another then quickly look away) Now, with that hopefully being resolved, let me introduce you to an old friend and my helmsman for this journey, Angus Grimaldi... or as I like to call him, Grim."

Grim: "I can already tell this is going to be one hell of a ride lads... this is why lassies are meant to stay on land and not on a ship at sea."

Roth: (chuckles) "Alright, now we seem to be missing someone... (just as Roth finishes stating this thought; a tall, good-looking young man quickly runs and makes his way to join the others) and I'm assuming this is him now..."

Nathan: (hunched over, his hands on his knees, extremely out of breathe and sweating) "Whoa... I thought I wasn't gonna make it... (Nathan continues to collect his breath as the others look at him baffled. After a few seconds he straightens himself up and warmly smiles) Hi everyone... I'm Nathan... Nathan Drake."

Sam: (leans to Lara and whispers) "Hello, now we're talking... he's freakin cute!"