Since I didn't have an author's note on the first chapter, I'm going to have one here. And I will add them on whatever chapter I think needs it. So, everyone who's played UT 1999 knows by now who the Blood Reavers are. As for Portia, you can find her in the game, by choosing the option "Female Commando" and then "Aphex". From there, you can choose either Idina or Portia. And yes, in my story Idina is presented as Portia's sister, bare with me here.. Hehe! Anyway, in this chapter the team isn't in the actual Tournament, but in a training session. You can figure out that "I", "L" and "D" stand for Iliana, Lauren and Dessloch. I just wanted to make sure you don't get confused... Also, Portia is going down memory lane. Enjoy your reading!

Chapter two

Portia is now 21 and, to her great distress, falling in love with her sister's fioncee... She suspected it is because he was always by her side, helping her when needed. But she wasn't the only one needing attention. For the last five years she had been there for Boris as well. Her sister Idina considered that she wanted a long engagement because she wasn't really ready to settle down. And judging by the fact that the Tournament started again and she hadn't made up her mind, she still wasn't ready.

Boris was, needless to say, hurt by this and felt himself slowly drifting away from Idina, his supposed fiancee. She didn't even seem to care much about it anymore. As he was pondering this, he unconsciously kept a close eye on Portia, who was preparing to dive underwater so she could enter the ship unnoticed. This bothered him a bit because Mariana was assigned to cover her and she was doing a great job. He shook his head and remembered the first time the team met Portia. They took a liking to her almost immediately, especially Mariana since she is 25, therefor closer in age to Portia. Even Luthor, who normally gave new people the cold shoulder, seemed to be pleased with her presence. Luthor is 28 and currently in the process of winning Mariana's heart. Kyla is 35 and she also seemed to trust Portia a lot on important missions, such as Assault or Capture the Flag. Boris, who had recently turned 41, is considered the most responsible and valuable member on the team. Mariana often jokes about it, saying that it's probably because he is the oldest.

He suddenly heard Mariana's voice in his headphones.

"I'm hit! I'm hit!"

This was followed by an announcement that Lauren of the Iron Guard had fragged Mariana.

L: "Try a bigger gun."

Boris panicked and headed to the ship's lower level.

"Dessloch, Iliana, what are your positions?"

I: "I'm headed for the top level of the ship. Portia destroyed the hydraulic compressor and I'm closing in to a victory!"

D: "I'm currently on the middle level with Portia. And Zenith, don't worry, I'm watching her back."

Boris smiled and proceeded to the ship deck to see if he could spot Mariana anywhere, when the announcer's voice boomed through their headphones that the Red Team had won the match.

*that same evening*

Portia was in the shower, pondering over today's match. She had constantly been feeling like she was being watched. Whenever she searched around, she could find no pair of eyes on her, not even Mariana's. It was obvious that she took her responsibility very seriously and only searched around for members of the Blue Team.

Sighing, she applied some rose scented shower gel to her bath sponge and tried to wash away all of the stress from her muscles. Her mind slowly drifted to Boris and what he had done for her over the years. But most importantly, how he gave her a chance when nobody else was willing to... She smiled at the thought of those gentle sea-green eyes and his rich black hair. He was so handsome...

After she signed up for the Tournament, she spent even more time with him in training. When not giving her best to better herself, they talked a lot about everything that could be brought up, from the weather conditions all the way to love. She remembered one such time in particular, when Boris asked her about her love life...

*one year ago*

"And then Luthor just jumped from the castle top, fooling Mariana that he actually went all the way down. It turned out that he just landed on the lower level, next to the blue flame. Mariana went ballistic and, by the look in her eyes, wanted his head."

Portia burst out laughing at the mental image of Mariana and Luthor acting like children.

The Reavers had just finished DOM training that evening, but didn't feel like going out dancing as planned because they were too tired. While Kyla went to sleep and Luthor, alongside Mariana, felt like a movie would be good, Boris decided to take Portia out since she worked so hard to level with the others.

Now, they were at a cozy coffee house and he was remembering funny moments from different training sessions, back when the Reavers were a Blue Team.

"I swear" Portia said, between laughs "Love gets people to do so many crazy things"

Boris smiled widely

"I would know... When your sister and I first started going out, she actually wanted to visit the Phobos satelite. She just settled for me wearing my uniform though..."

His eyes saddened and Portia took his hands into her own.

"I'm sorry for reminding you...But I have to assure you that the problem is not on your side. It's Idina, you know? This modeling job of hers went straight to her head... I used to look up to her a lot as a child... Always thought that she was the one who would continue our grandfather's work in the Tournament because she was the oldest and first born. I could only dream..."

Boris smiled and kissed her hands. Their eyes locked and, for a split second, their hearts seemed to skip a beat with neither of them having the slightest clue that the other was feeling the same. To loosen up the tension caused by this awkward moment, Boris chuckled and turned the conversation around.

"How about you? Any secret romances kept away from your best friend?"

Portia laughed out loud

"Oh, yeah right! You and I both know that nobody has ever been interested in me like that. I'm not even sure that I want this kind of attention, anyway..."

For a moment, Boris seemed disappointed and when he grinned again, wanting to say something else, Portia beat him to it.

"I mean, you know... Not from the wrong kind of guys... The type of hormonal crazed idiots that made fun of me all the way through school. I never did like guys my own age... I always said that a man was more my type, instead of a boy, you know?"

She was beginning to stutter while Boris laughed and had a particular glint in his eyes. Portia blushed and made a blunt remark about how they should make the Morpheus towers livable. After a silent moment passed, they burst out in laughter.

*back to present time*

Portia laughed to herself as she got out of the shower and proceeded to dry off. Afterwards, she got dressed in a black satin night gown and turned on the radio. As she was preparing for bed by drying out her hair, there was a loud knock on the door. She noticed it was closing in to midnight...

Who could it be at this late hour?