Preface
Admiral
"Admiral Cousland, we have unidentified… er, something approaching on starboard side."
I looked at the Captain, "Just because I joined this ship on its rotation, Captain Hollis, does not mean you need to report every little thing to me… what does this craft look like?"
I caved when I saw the worry on Hollis' face – he seemed to really not know what to do about this. I brushed that thought aside – Hollis never would have made captain if he didn't know what to do about an unidentified craft.
I was Admiral Celeste Cousland of the United States Navy. I was getting old; 58 years old. Mandatory retirement age was usually 62 – in theory, I could defer that until I turned 68, but… what was the point?
I missed being younger – with my red hair and blue eyes; I had been rather pretty… at least in the face. I barely made the enlistment requirements for weight and I was surprised I hadn't been kicked out when I only continued to gain rather than loose even with the harsh training regime. I had taken Krav Maga, Karate, Judo and Tai Chi to help my combat prowess. Honestly, with the upcoming war… well, I could have made Fleet Admiral if I were younger. That 5 star rank was only obtainable in times of War – the last FADM to serve in the U.S. Navy was William D. Leahy. He retired in 1949 after World War II and was the last to achieve this rank, almost 75 years ago now.
Hollis straightened and handed me a printout… I shot him a glare, "Is this some kind of joke, Captain?"
"M… Ma'am?" he stammered. I hoped that was genuine confusion or he would be losing his job.
"This – is it a joke?" I repeated. He shook his head, "Ma'am, no ma'am – this is what I was given when I asked."
I pinched my nose, "Then you need to fire your man for playing too much Dragon Age: Inquisition on the job. This is a picture of a Rift from the game, Hollis. I admit, this doesn't quite look like the one from Crestwood – the only rift I know of on the water – but it may be edited. Either fire your man or tell him that he needs to restrict game time to off-duty hours."
"Er… Ma'am…?" Hollis looked pale. I looked back up from the picture, "What, Hollis?"
"Uh… that…" Hollis was pointing. I looked up and gaped. It was the rift – and it was moving toward us – fast.
"Get everyone below deck – now. This is not a drill."
He shouted and I heard the alarm drills going off. He looked at me, "Admiral, are you coming?"
"Are you kidding? Someone needs to stay and observe and I'm no longer as important as you are skipper – I lived, and I'm close to retiring so go."
He nodded and left with the picture in his hand and my words in his head. When the rift got closer, I felt a sucking force on my body. I held tight to the railings.
I gaped as the skin on my hands seemed to age backwards – losing wrinkles and gaining vibrancy. I looked around and noticed the cameras on the deck all pointing toward me. I was waiting – if this was a rift from the only game series I indulged myself in, then we'd have demons on this deck.
My hair came undone from its bun at the back of my head, regaining the red color of my youth and growing to be long enough to reach my waist as it reached to the rift. My body seemed to completely return to my early twenties – red hair, pale skin, large breasts that didn't sag, less pudge that made my uniform hang loose on my body. My grip began to slip as water from the sea slicked the bars of the aircraft carrier.
No demons had shown up – and nothing other than me was being sucked toward the rift. The ship seemed completely fine – as though this was a calm day on the water.
I lost my grip as my foot slipped and I was sucked into the rift. I saw it close behind me and everything went green.
I cried out as I landed against spongy ground. I looked up and saw three others – Divine Justinia, a man with a sword and an elven woman with a bow. Oh for fucks sake – please tell me I wasn't at the beginning of the third game?
I saw shapeless forms approaching us, but I couldn't make out what they were. I knew they were the little fear demons, but… I could hardly see them.
I ran over and placed myself firmly in front of the others, "Go – now."
"Who in the blazes are you?" the man asked.
He was 6'2 with a muscular build that the Navy would have loved. His hair was black and he had a matching beard and mustache that would never have been regulation. His skin was tan, his eyes were green and he looked like he knew how to use the sword and shield in his hands.
The elven woman was 5'4 with cropped blonde hair, grey eyes and tanned skin. Her ears were delicately pointed and she was thin enough to make me jealous. I shook my head, "Does that matter? Admiral Celeste Cousland, U.S Navy – now go. I'll hold them off!"
I began shoving but the elven woman grabbed my arm and started running while the man grabbed the Divine.
When we got to the exit, I tried had to force the Divine through the portal – as the last one who hadn't gone. But the old woman was stronger than she looked. She managed to trip me so I fell through while she… was lost.
