Seventeen year old Maddy Shannon grunted as she uprooted a rather small floral plant. Apparently the roots were deeper than her partner had predicted. What should have tale five minutes at top, had taken her twenty just for one plant. And he was expected ten plants total. Maddy sighed and wiped her forehead. She slipped the plant into the transport carrier and moved to the next one. Maddy rubbed her dirt caked hands together, scrubbing some of the larger chunks from her hands. She reached down around the five stems of the plant. She gripped it tightly and pulled. It was like lifting Josh from his bed, impossible.

"Remember Miss Shannon," Her partner, Justin Rodney called. "if the roots or flowers are damaged in the uprooting process, they're no good to my research."

"I remember." Maddy replied. "You've only told me a hundred times while on your console."

"What was that?" Rodney asked, clearly not hearing Maddy's response.

"I remember." Maddy repeated.

Rodney nodded and turned back to his console. If Maddy had a guess at what he was doing, and if he was anything like Malcolm, he was thinking up a name for the plant. Seeing as he did 'discover' it and its potential medicinal qualities, he wanted to name it. Thus, leaving Maddy to the real work of uprooting the plants.

Somehow this wasn't what Maddy had in mind for her first OTG science expedition went. Sure she'd expected trekking through the jungle, getting dirty, and discovering new and needed plants or minerals. But she was not expecting to work with the laziest, scrawniest, most accident prone claimed scientist in all of Terra Nova. Still, it was better than all the drama back at home, but she was a little guilty about leaving a slightly sick Zoe on her own.

The flower burst from the ground, throwing Maddy onto her back. Maddy gave a small 'ooff'. She looked up at the sky. The usual clear sunny skies were unusually dark and cloudy. Most likely a storm was on its way. Maddy sat up and set the plant into the canister. She closed the lid and stood up. Brushing the dirt off her hands and butt, Maddy lifted the canister and walked over to the green Rhino where Rodney was waiting.

Rodney looked up. "All finished?"

"Not quiet, but those clouds could cause a problem for us if we stay out too much longer." Maddy answered.

Rodney looked up. He scoffed and looked back down. "Don't be ridiculous Miss Shannon. Discovery was never made from cautious actions. We need ten perfect specimens."

"If we wait through the storm, the soil will be easier to extract the plants from, plus they would be in a better-"

"I'm aware of what your proposing Miss Shannon." Rodney interrupted. "But my decision still stands. We remain until we hand all ten specimens."

Maddy sighed heavily and heaved the canister back over to the small field of flowers. She dropped to the ground and started pulling the plants. Somehow it was easier than it had previously been. Maybe it was Rodney's unexpected talent to irritating Maddy to no extent, because Maddy had uprooted her seventh flower by the time the rain starting falling onto her.

Maddy looked back at the Rhino. Rodney had moved inside out of the rain. Maddy sighed and pulled another two flowers from the ground. If Rodney wanted ten, he would have to get the last one. She closed the lid and heaved the canister back to the Rhino. Maddy climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door behind her. She wiped her face, wiping the rain off with her dirt covered hand.

"Finished?" Rodney asked.

"I think so." Maddy answered.

Rodney climbed into the back and checked the canister. Maddy repressed the irritating growl she felt. "There are only nine specimens inside."

Thunder rumbled overhead. Maddy looked outside as the rain grew stronger. "Well, if you want ten, then you can get it."

Rodney grumbled. He climbed back into the driver's seat and started the Rhino. "I'm reporting you for failure to follow orders."

Maddy scoffed. "Yeah, tell me how well that goes over when I report you for slothfulness on an expedition."

"Let's think about whose more likely to be believed? A well-known scientist-"

"Whose only discovery happened because I suggested we investigate them." Maddy replied.

Rodney opened his mouth to reply, but the Rhino suddenly jerked violently. Maddy grabbed onto the door beside her. Rodney struggled to keep the Rhino driving straight.

"What was that?" Maddy asked.

Rodney looked outside." I'm not sure. But we're still moving so it can't be that bad."

Suddenly a slasher tail stabbed through the roof above their head. Maddy screamed and ducked down. Rodney cried out and scooted away from the tail. The Rhino veered with Rodney's movements. The sound of claws scraping over the roof echoed. The slasher roared loudly, stabbing its tail through the roof.

"Oh my god!" Maddy screamed.

"Grab the blaster!" Rodney ordered.

Maddy crawled between the seats toward the back of the Rhino. The strap the blaster was just in front of her. Above her, the slasher continued to slash through the roof. Maddy reached for the pulse rifles strap in the back. Rodney continued to drive to the best of his ability, which wasn't great even with the slasher trying to kill them.

Suddenly the slasher's tail cut through the roof deeper than it had. Its tail slipped easily through the hole and embedded its tail into the back of Maddy's thigh. Maddy screamed in pain. She grabbed the strap and fired at the roof. The slasher pulled its tail from Maddy's leg and shrieked. It took only a second before it started cutting through the roof again. Its tale drove through the roof again and stabbed Rodney in the neck. Blood sprayed over the windows and controls. Rodney jerked as his body began to spam in his seat. The slasher tried to lift Rodney through the roof, the hole was too small. It clawed at the metal, ripping it back. They Rhino jerked violently without control. Maddy looked back just as it came to the ridge of a canyon.


okay so this is my first terra nova fic, so it's not going to be great and there's going to be errors. i ask that you please just ignore the errors and enjoy the fic. editing is not something i do. anyways...enjoy.