Alright I'm super late. I haven't even finished editing this but I need to post it. I'll do another edit after I post it just so I don't fail my challenge. Thanks for the reviews. This is pretty crap because it was pretty much all written in the past half hour. Also I am emotional over Mella. I'll write tomorrow's chapter when I am awake and unemotional.


Chapter Seven

7 August 2138

The following day Lucas woke up to find his father seated on his bed, it was almost like it had been the previous day. Lucas groaned, rolling over in his bed. Though he had enjoyed his time at the shooting range, he couldn't help remembering the rest of the day when his father had left him. He was still bitter about it, but he was allowed to be, his father had broken his promise to him again.

"Look I know I stuffed up," Taylor began. "But I want to try and make it up to you."

Lucas remained silent, knowing that if he didn't he was likely to end up saying something that he regretted. He was disappointed and upset with his father but he wasn't angry with him. He didn't actually want to hurt him. He knew that Taylor didn't mean to disappoint him, it just happened a fair bit these days. The days when Taylor was Lucas's hero and could do no wrong were fading fast. Soon they would just be a speck in the past.

"What did you have in mind?" Lucas enquired, trying to cheer up for Taylor. He would give his father another chance, he deserved that much. Lucas wasn't a heartless monster.

"I was thinking we could stay here and play chess," Taylor suggested. "No distractions, no work, just you and me, just like the old days."

"Sounds good," Lucas replied with a smile. "I'll be out in a minute." Taylor nodded before leaving Lucas to get dressed.

Five minutes later Lucas was dressed and after a quick detour to the kitchen he met his father in the lounge where he found him setting up the chess board. It was quite dusty, clearly it hadn't been used it a while, probably not since the last time that Lucas and his father had played. It was a past time of theirs that they both enjoyed and something that the used to frequently indulge in. Lucas was black and Taylor was white. It always seemed to end up this way even though neither of them ever planned it.

"I still remember the day I taught you to play this game," Taylor announced. "You were four years old, most people said you wouldn't be able to play it at such a young age but you picked it up right away."

"Yeah, that was about the only time you could beat me," Lucas teased as he moved his castle to capture his father's knight. Taylor chuckled at his son's teasing. Lucas was exaggerating of course. He was a brilliant chess player, always thinking several moves ahead, yet Taylor was rather skilled himself. He was really the only opponent that could challenge Lucas and the only one who could beat him, even if it was only on the odd occasion.

"Don't be so sure of that," replied Taylor as he hastily took Lucas's castle. He knew that was a mistake as soon as he saw a large smirk appear on Lucas's face.

"You getting old?" Lucas taunted as he proudly stole his father's queen off the board. "Your skills aren't what they used to be." Taylor narrowed his eyes in response, trying to find a way out of this.

Ten minutes later there were several less white pieces on the board and a very smug Lucas. Taylor never stood a chance after he had walked right into Lucas's trap. Lucas had always been good at baiting his father and lulling him into a false sense of security. It was probably one of the reasons that he had such a good record of beating his father at chess.

"How about we make it best out of three," suggested Taylor. "Come on, give your old man a chance."

"Alright," Lucas agreed immediately. He was actually enjoying himself quite a bit. "But don't think that I'll go soft on you this time."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, son," Taylor replied. "I'm going to kick your ass this time."

Three quarters on an hour later and Lucas had racked up two more wins. The score was three to nil and Lucas was as smug as ever. He did enjoy winning, especially when it involved beating his father. He wasn't above rubbing it in his father's face. It was tradition when they played these friendly chess games. The winner would gloat and the loser would face the humiliation.

"Come on, rematch," Lucas called, wanting to show off his superior chess skills again.

"No, I think I will spare myself the embarrassment," Taylor responded. It was this moment that Wash chose to appear, saving Taylor from further losses. "There, Wash will play with you."

"Wash will play what with whom?" she asked as she walked in and slumped down on the couch, very much like the owned the place. She was welcome and the Taylor's place whenever she wanted and had been told to treat the place as her own many times.

"Chess, with me," Lucas grinned, eager to test his skills against another opponent. "You up for it?"

"Well I feel like I've been issued a challenge," Wash retorted. "I'm game, bring it on, kid."

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself in for," Taylor interrupted. While Wash was aware that Lucas was a skilled chess player she had never actually played a game against him. She was in for a rude awakening.

"Do you have no faith in me, sir?" Wash asked, feigning hurt.

"Out on the battlefield as my lieutenant? Yes, you're the best out there. But playing chess against my son? You don't stand a chance," Taylor responded, earning him some brownie points with Lucas. "My money's on Lucas."

Half an hour later Lucas had achieved three more wins and a rather large increase to his ego. Wash had gracefully admitted defeat, accepting that Lucas was the superior player, much to Lucas's enjoyment. While he hadn't exactly been able to impress her at the shooting range he was certainly able to impress her on the chess board, a fact that he was secretly glad of.

"Alright, you and me, one final game," Taylor challenged his son, knowing that Lucas enjoyed nothing more than a good challenge.

"You're on," Lucas replied as his mother entered the room.

"I'm betting on Lucas this time," Wash announced, inflating Lucas's ego even more.

"I have to agree with you," Ayani said as she sat down.

"Well you may have the women on your side but you'll never beat me," Taylor retorted, hoping that he could restore some of his pride.

The game was close, much too close for Lucas's liking but in the end his superior thinking won out. After a victory dance around the room, much to the amusement of the adults Lucas sat back down on the couch with a huge smile on his face.

"Isn't it a bit of a worry that you, a military leader, lost a game that involves the skill of planning ahead?" Lucas teased, knowing exactly what to say to rile his father up.

"Rematch, tomorrow, once my ego has had some time to recover," Taylor ordered. "It took a bit of a battering today." Lucas sniggered, not-so-secretly proud of himself for his seven wins. He knew he could take his father again, he had the skills to beat him. He was actually looking forward to it. He had enjoyed spending the day with his father. He hoped that they could spend more days like this together.