EarthBound: A Jupiter Ascending Fan-Fiction: Book 1

Chapter 3: The Relationship

Hours later, the two lie sleeping atop one another on a bed that's made for one. Caine, being the larger of the two, happily leaves Jupiter to use him as a pillow.

There's a knock at the door.

Still asleep, Jupiter grumbles vaguely into Caine's chest, "Yes, yes... I'm up."

"Your Majesty," a muffled voice speaks.

She nudges her lover. "Caine, wake up."

"Your Majesty?" the voice beyond the door beckons again.

His eyes dart open, realizing it's Captain Tsing. "Dammit! She can't find me here with you, it will mean my head!"

"Wait... what?!" Jupiter questions him, fully awake.

"Tsing can't find me here, like this... with you!" he repeats, sliding himself from underneath her, getting out of bed. "There's nothing official between us," he explains, grabbing his pants while frantically searching for his shirt.

Shaking her head in confusion, Jupiter points to the corner, saying, "The washroom, you can hide in there until she leaves. Then we can deal with the rest of that statement afterwards."

He makes his way there, standing under the sonic shower.

With Caine hidden out of sight, Jupiter walks over to answer the door, only to realize... she's naked. "Just a minute," she calls out, plucking up the largest article of clothing from the pile on the floor. Spotting Caine's Jacket, she places it around herself, snapping it closed at the shoulder. Finger combing her tousled brown hair, she makes her way to the door and opens it. "Yes?"

"Your Ladyship," Captain Tsing addresses her.

"Yes," she repeats, leaning her arm across the doorway to block the Captain from entering the room, asking, "Um... how are you?"

"I'm very well. I came to report that your family has made a full recovery. Their short-term memory procedure has been a success. They're sedated and resting comfortably," Tsing informs her, noticing that she's wearing a standard issue, Aegis Men's Jacket in X-Large.

"Excellent," Jupiter vocalizes in a high-pitched tone.

"Next, we will begin their reintegration process," the Captain explains, noticing a pair of large Legionnaire's boots by the bed and clothes thrown about the place.

"Reintegration?" she questions.

"It means we're rebuilding your house back to its original state, before sections were destroyed by Lord Balem's people."

"Right, I completely forgot that happened. Thank you for reminding me and fixing it for us," she says, indebted.

"Then there's your sub-space communication with her Royal Highness, Kalique Abrasax."

"Oh, yes," Jupiter grouses, "I have to face that conversation at some point, don't I?"

Captain Tsing surmises Caine Wise is still in the room. Regardless, she continues relaying the information, "All together, you have two hours before your reinstatement back on Earth."

"Yes, I'll be ready."

"I'll take my leave and see to the final preparations," Tsing announces, bowing her head and walking away.

"Yes, Captain," Jupiter echos, "And thank you." She fumbles in the dark for the control panel, hitting the correct button this time, closing the sliding door and locking it. She calls to Caine.

He reappears.

"Caine, what is all this about?" she asks, "Are you in some kind of trouble because of me? Is it because I'm Queen?"