I do not own Terra Nova nor Doctor Strange nor any other story line that may get referenced. I only own the character that is created in these pages. She is all mine. Time to hatch.

The Garden

The call had been weird. The images even more weird. And now they were bumping along in the rovers at a crazy pace to validate said weird.

These were the musings of one Dr. Malcolm Wallace. The head of the Science Division at Terra Nova. He caught the eye of his partner on this trip, Dr. Elisabeth Shannon. Medical Doctor and noted Scientist in her own right. She was head of the Medical Division at Terra Nova. His tolerant grimace as he tried to maintain his seat brought a faint show of teeth. That and the sparkle in her eye the only signs of amusement. It was no secret Malcolm's constant discomfort away from his lab. But, nothing was keeping either of them from this!

.

Commander Nathaniel Taylor bumped along in the lead rover. His musings not much different than his science director's. He hadn't wanted to bring both of his top scientists, but something that ran up the weird scale like this needed more minds to comprehend. They were almost there.

.

"Hunter!" The Private about jumped out of his boots.

Sergeant Curran was walking briskly towards him. "They are almost here." Curran was shaking his head. "We haven't been able to find our way back." He ran a hand over his fuzzy scalp. "This kind of stuff gets you a reputation quick, you know."

Hunter's eyebrows shot high up. "Right, 'Cuz you know all about that." The Sergeants face started to cloud but didn't quite make it as he grimaced a smile. "Yeah." Looking down. "But, that doesn't mean you should be in a hurry to get one for yourself, Freshmeat." Hunter's face clouded.

.

The two rovers pulled up to the newest Outpost. It was larger than most of the others with more above ground. But it was also intended to be a launching pad for exploration this side of Terra Nova. The Outpost looked out at a vast plain stretching away from the Jungle. An abundance of giant trees grew in seemingly random clusters. These clusters surrounded by pasture-like areas with 3 meter high grass. The Outpost utilized one clusters of giants about a click from the jungle boarder. The giant trees served as a perfect barrier. Reinforced with some electric fencing and Presto! instant Outpost. The fences had just been raised when the 10th Pilgrimage had arrived.

Commander Taylor hopped out lightly when his rover rolled to a stop. He watched the other rover as it bounced on its shocks. The bounce changing as occupants started piling out. Malcolm and Elisabeth stretching and bending for the kinks they had acquired. They really needed a daily calisthenics session that all or most of the colonists could attend. It would likely increase morale and possibly eliminate many of the "ailments" that had been popping up since Hope Plaza was no more. The knowledge that they no longer had control over the time fissure and there would likely be no more supply shipments had gotten around. Hope Plaza was a glowing hot mess since Jim Shannon had planted the bomb the Phoenix Group so generously left for Sergeant Reilly to disarm. Now the fissure was back to being unpredictable. The Terra Novan reactions had crossed the gamut from happy to horrified.

Taylor waved a greeting to Hunter and Curran as the latter joined the group around the rovers. Taylor could see others emerging from the few structures inside the gate, which had yet to open. It had been anchored between two of the massive giants and looked sturdy enough to hold back a Carnotaurus.

Neither Taylor nor the two outpost personnel seemed terribly worried, though.

They had lucked out a few weeks ago. A couple of herds of Brachiosaur had ambled through, munching on the trees and trampling the grass. The two herds ended up merging and the social shuffling had spread the huge beasts all around. This left a perimeter of clear view for miles. Not that it would last. The grass was already knee high and the herd had been gone barely a week. And it did give them opportunity to explore. Which is why the visit from home base. They had found something.

The outpost gate started rolling up almost whisper quiet. The two scientists walked hurriedly towards Malcolm and crew who had joined Taylor by the first rover. The two field guys also ambled over.

Dr Teresa Smith,

was smiling broadly as she held out a dark fruit like item to the new group. Taylor and Malcolm gasped together while Elisabeth looked fiercely curious. "An Avocado!?" Taylor and Malcolm both blurted. "I wasn't sure!" Elisabeth breathed. "I have only seen one in pictures!" Her eyes huge.

Teresa started speaking rapidly. "There aren't many left. They are ripening rather quickly. We have been planting the seeds to see if any take." Her smile never lessening and gasping most every word. She might have started bouncing up and down had she been much younger. The urge was still very real. Her eyes practically shooting sparks in her excitement.

Curran piped up "Hunter filled all of his pockets and every knook and cranny in our rover." Shaking his head. "We ended up losing quite a few when we had to outpace a group of Ovo's and he almost tipped us." Hunter blushed. "Yeah, I thought I had them outsmarted and the terrain got me instead. There are some deep gullies running through this grass." "Almost put us in nose first." as he skuffed a boot. "Luckily we had enough lead on them Ovo's, so Hunter sorted us out quickly and we just left the fruit." Curran quipped. "We didn't have any other issues the rest of the way back." "He's not bad behind the wheel when he isn't being cocky" Curran added. "Not bad for Freshmeat, anyway." Hunter grimaced at the term. He would be glad to lose that title.

Taylor nodded grimacing his usual smile. He gave Hunter a quick nod and a "Cocky will get you every time, son. But it can be an effective learning tool." Hunter quirked a slight smile and ducked a nod in return.

Dr Smith intruded lightly. "We do have a problem, though, it seems." The group focused on her with inquiring eyes. Hunter started nodding again and finished for her. "I...We" indicating Curran, "haven't been able to find the grove again." Curran also chucked a nod, stating "We haven't even had any luck finding the spill or the gully for that matter." "It's like the grass swallowed it."

Malcolm was practically bouncing out of his shoes inside. "How..how did Avocados come to be in.. the Cretaceous? Th..they won't evolve for m..millions of years!." he stammered. And for some reason he wanted to giggle, too. Fortunately, he didn't. He just cleared his throat.

"There's a grove…?" Elisabeth asked brightly looking at each of the outpostians. "That's what was in the images, wasn't it? We could not see the fruit, though."

Taylor gestured/herded everyone towards the outpost gate, "This is where you Scientists get to work, then." Malcolm was already nodding as he moved with the others. "Yes, we can possibly triangulate from the viewpoints in the images to give a direction." The other scientists also nodding and eagerly picked up the pace through the gates which started closing as they crossed the threshhold.

It took them less than a half hour before they had a trajectory and two rovers headed into the grass. They were headed towards a large cluster of trees that almost rivaled the jungle border until the mass seemed to turn a corner a disappear from view. Hunter and Curran confirmed that just around the bend of the trees there was a lost group of just two trees separate from the greater mass. It was between these two trees they had found the avocado grove. At least, that was what they had remembered. But as the rovers rounded the bend they could not see any separate group of trees. The rovers halted.

Taylor frowned. He didn't doubt what his men had told them. But their eyes told something a little different. Rifles ready, two from each rover got out to confer, keeping eyes and ears peeled for any unwanted company. Taylor could see the confusion on their faces. Hunter and Curran looking at the distant mass and the empty plain before it. No small group of just two trees. Where had it gone?

"Okay, boys" Taylor asked, arms crossed in front of his chest. His manner curious. "What is different from your first visit?" "Well," Hunter started, "We actually came from the trees, Sir." He pointed along the border of the trees and plain that ran to the horizon. Curran nodded. "Yes, we had actually gone a bit into the trees and were roving this edge. It started getting dense so we turned towards what we figured was the plain since the way got brighter." Both were looking along the nearest border. Curran frowned and then so did Hunter. "Just not sure, sir, where we popped out." "The little grove was just there, right in front of us." Hunter nodding agreement.

Taylor gazed at the plain and the border of trees. He seemed to come to a decision. He gave his instructions and the four remounted. The rovers shot towards the treeline and the horizon. Keeping the pace light in case of any hidden gullies.

Hunter was trying not to get discouraged. The avocado trees had been such a find!

Malcolm's mind was spinning with questions. Avocados in the Cretaceous. How was this possible? What else were they going to find? Did he really want to wonder? Always had to ask both questions.

As the rovers progressed, going further than either Hunter or Curran had guessed they had come before, the tree mass suddenly seemed to be closing in on them instead of the other way around. Malcolm excitedly grabbed the com as his brain started figuring out what their eyes were trying to tell them. "It's an illusion!" He jabbered. "it's an optical illusion caused by the convergence of the trees, the sky and the grass!" "We should slow our pace a little." Taylor agreed and the rovers slowed their bumpy pace. As they progressed, it seemed as if a piece of the great trees moved away from the larger mass. It wasn't true, but their eyes had them seeing it quite differently. The piece became two giants standing apart from the rest of the trees. And at their base were bushes nearly hidden in the swaying grasses. The darker tops of the avocado trees visible in their midst.

"We found it!" Hunter squeaked. The rovers slowed to a stop at the bushes bordering the grove between the behemoths. Occupants piling out. Some with weapons ready as ever. Taylor and Curran took the lead towards the orchard. Malcolm and Elisabeth close behind eagerly taking in everything. As they pressed through the chest high bushes, they heard the unmistakable flutter of gallusaurs in flight. Their bright plummage flashing as the small bird like dinosaurs disappeared into the bushes on the other side of the orchard. Elisabeth was drawn to the base of the bushes guarding the orchard. "These were placed here." she noted. "Some time ago," Malcolm added. "See how advanced these root bases are." gesturing here and there to make his point. Elisabeth nodded and rose to a standing position. She could see Taylor a few meters away staring at the orchard trees. His head shaking slightly back and forth. She joined him waiting for him to speak.

"Truly a wonder, Doctor," he stated when he noticed her nearby. She nodded. "those bushes were moved here to protect these trees. This orchard was planted." Taylor was starting to notice what the scientists had seen. The even spacing of the avocado trees. The nature of the bushes on each side. His head tilting back as his gaze traveled up the giants at each end. He was working on the second massive when he felt that tingling at the base of his skull and he spun back around to the first one he had been scouring before. Malcolm had also been searching the same tree and exclaimed aloud with Taylor. There in the first crook, many meters from the ground was what looked like a structure. A small and camouflaged structure. He pointed and Taylor started moving towards the tree not sure his eyes were right. The others followed to where Malcolm was pointing. Soon they had gathered at one end of the orchard looking up at a definite building perched in the generous crook not even a third the distance up the guardian tree. They group milled about looking for any possible access but turned up nothing.

Malcolm had turned back to the orchard when no way to reach the perch became apparent. He was getting that puzzled look again. Elisabeth stepped over to him. "what has you puzzled, Malcolm?" He glanced at her and then back to the small trees. "Well, we can see that the bushes were placed some time ago, right?" Elisabeth nodded agreement. "but these smaller trees," he pointed out the baby avocados scattered amongst the fruiting trees. "They are barely a couple of years old." "It may be that whoever did this has only been gone for a little over a year."

Taylor had wandered over hearing the doctors talking. "I was getting that impression, as well." "This place hasn't been occupied for some time." He shook his head as he slowly turned around. "Someone who may not have come thru Hope Plaza." "I think you are very correct on that, Commander." Malcolm agreed. "Whoever planted all of this was here long before there was ever a Hope Plaza."