French surrender...

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It was the middle of summer as Jean Bart, Alabama and Massachusetts had decided to stay at a cabin in the woods by a lake outside of the base for a couple of days.

They started out a little late from the Union base and got to the cabin in the late afternoon as the rest of the day went by uneventfully.

The three girls cooked a delicious meal outside, drank too much, and finally stumbled off to their beds.

The next day began in the same summertime manner, hot and shiny with the slightest of cool breezes ever so often.

The French battleship Jean Bart soon found herself enjoying the lazy mood of a Union summer and the time spent with new people as she smiled.

"This isn't so bad..."

She and Mammie had made peace as she was even getting to like her sister Alabama who, despite her aggressive personality and nasty sense of humor.

That evening thunderstorms moved in, squashing their plans for an evening skinny dip as other options were sought.

After dinner, they started a quiet game of cards, talking and drinking to the sky rumbling and pouring outside.

After nearly an hour, boredom began to set in as Alabama suggested they play one more game and then call it quits for nights.

"But let's make this last one interesting, winner take all, one of the losers has to do whatever the winner says and the loser can't question the command or refuse it, agreed?" Alabama's red eyes dropped down to the cards under her hands, a smile working her face back up with a gleaming in her red eyes.

"Like a slave?" Jean Bart was taken aback by tanned girl's odd suggestion and turned to Massachusetts, hoping she would scoff at the idea too.

The Indian sister just giggled, said sure and leveled off her own red eyes back at Bart.

"What do you say frenchie, If you win, you're the master over one of us, but if you lose..." Alabama's words enticed Jean Bart's pirate nature as she hesitated and gulped before nodding to the simple terms.

"Why I'm I doing this, she can't be serious... can she?"

Bart's mind went off in ten different directions as Alabama dealt the cards one last time. If she won, what would she ask the loser to do? Massachusetts was a good cook; maybe she have her make a nice meal or have Alabama clean her rig, but if she lost, what then?

"Jus' win and call it a night."

Jean Bart told herself repeatedly as Massachusetts joked about a dirty storage unit that needed cleaning, if she won while Alabama only said that this game was for keeps, no excuses.

Jean Bart concentrated hard on getting a good hand as sweat began to bead on her front head.

Meanwhile, Alabama and Massachusetts smiled and exchanged cards until finally Jean Bart gambled and scooped up several cards, in hopes of making more matches when Alabama laid her cards down and smiled.

"Full house ladies!"

"What?!" Jean had lost, laughing nervously as she watched Alabama clap her hands and rub them together mischievously.

"Okay frenchie, your mine tonight!" The white-haired Indian girl dictated, for she was master and for a moment there was silence. Alabama seemed to study the situation as she told the French girl what to do.

"Frenchie, give Massachusetts an oil massage."

"Hey, who's the winner and loser here?" Massachusetts wondered with some delight as she trembled slightly and leaned to her right.

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