The coullee
Mark woke up, unsure how long he,d dozed off. Looking around at the surrounding jungle, he still didn't know
wether to be relieved or worried. It would be a matter of time before the people that had bombed them showed
up, or the local predators would be out hunting again. He looked around one last time before crawling in the
backseat, and putting a hand out to rouse Maddy. He stopped when he looked down and saw her hand carressing
their baby boy. She lay there. Looking forward as she did. The two girls were curled up on the floor boards, still
sound asleep.
"You awake honey?"
She nodded. still carressing Brian who was oblivious to everything. Looking around, checking the girls, she turned
her head to look up at her husband.
"Mark. What was it that woke us up? All I remember was getting screamed at out of a deep sleep, being told to
load up the kids and what gear we needed, and get out. And that voice was inside my head."
Mark answered back.
"I remember the same thing, Mads. I don't know what or who it was. But this was like split second timing.
It didn't go off til we had turned into that small gulley. And we survived."
Maddy nodded thoughtfully. Sitting up. She settled Brian on the seat beside her. T hen leaned over and hugged
her man.
"I heard you crying out there this morning, Mark. Its all right if it catches up to you. Just let it out."
Mark nodded. Folding his bride into his arms. For now things were at peace for the moment. Nothing coming at
them. Nothing earth shattering. Just a family being together. Outside the rover. The sunlight streaming thru
the trees angled further down suggesting noon. Finally. Someone in one of the Rhinos stirred and got out.
Looking around. The man listened and watched for trouble for a moment. After a while he went up to the rover
and looked in.
"Sir? Are things alright here?"
Mark looked up and nodded. Holding a finger to his lips.
"Go get a roll call. See who we have here."
He whispered. The man nodded and left to go take a count of who occupied the rhino,s. What was left of the
complement of Ops November.
Shortly. Mark and Maddy both got out of the rover and looked around. The man came back and reported to Mark
that they had twelve people total. Mark nodded, reached into the front seat and got the mini plex that he had left
there.
"We have names for these folks Dr?"
Dr. Marks replied.
"Me and Mi Lin, you and your wife and three kids, Dr. Hough, Sgt Jensen, Cpl Martin, and Specialists Mikal and
Degroot. Plus about a weeks worth of supplies and field equipment. I,m glad someone raided the shop and
grabbed the wood working stuff. We may need it?"
"Maybe." Mark stated thoughtfully. "Ok." Seeming to come to a decision.
"We need to find out if we really are safe. Doc. I,ve stayed on radio silence since we left the compound owing
to that bunch coming out of nowhere. We need to get in touch with Nova Vida, and we have to ascertain if
anything there is a mop-up op going on. Its also just a matter of time before the local wild life gets over their
little scare and they,ll be hunting again."
Both Maddy and Dr. Marks nodded at that.
"Also." Mark continued.
"If everyone is feeling up to it, we need to get together and see about putting together what happened.
Major Shannon and Commander Taylor are both going to need to know. I,ll get one of our guys on the
radio and see if we have anyone listening. And we need to put together a list of people who were at Ops
November the time of the incident, that includes inbound and outbound as well."
Finishing. Mark kissed Maddy then looked into the rover to make sure the children were asleep.
"Gaggle in fifteen, bring the MRE,s and water. Right here. We may have to cluster the rover and rhinos
in a tight formation so we have some protection."
Dr. Marks nodded then turned away. Fifteen minutes later every one was gathered around the rover.
Mark wasted no time delegating someone to take over communications and delegating camp duties. In short
order. The rover was moved out, then one of the rhinos was brought alongside at an angle with the other rhino
filling the gap behind making a triangular space in between. Mark outlined what he wanted to everyone and while
everyone got to work starting a guard rotation and putting the makings of a rough camp together. Maddy crawled
back into the rover to be with her babies and keep an eye on that side of the perimeter.
What no-one knew that less than five miles away, one of Nova Vidas rover teams picked up their trail and armed
with the sensor data, had no trouble homing in on the location.
"Ops November complement, Nova Vida command in the clear. over."
The radio transmission startled everyone.
"Ops November complement, Nova Vida command in the clear. over."
Mark looked around at everyone. Then went over and relieved the soldier who had been delegated to commo duty.
"Nova Vida, Ops November. Show your traffic." Mark replied.
"Ops November, Roger. Your situation has been observed and sending Santa Claus with five elves to wish you a
blessed day. Copy direct?"
Came the cryptic reply. Mark was thinking hard. Whats going on he thought.
"Received last but have a house full of trolls, with the grinch leading the party. You know how bad those can be."
He replied.
"Roger Ops. Grinch and the troll hoard last seen headed towards the house of dolls, Rainbow Ash officiating.
So how about getting ready to ride your magic carpet to far away lands of safety?"
"Received Nova Vida. Will have to tell Huey, Dewey and Louie Christmas came way too early."
Mark couldn't resist adding his kids into the mix. Maddy, listening in couldn't help but grin. The kids loved their
Uncle Ben. Everyone listening began to realize that help was on the way. When Mark quietly belayed the
order to make up a camp. Everyone scrambled to stow everything they,d unloaded. Nova Vida wasn't done with
the interesting chatter though.
"Ops, Eta starship Enterprise roughly twenty minutes. Have space dock ready to receive."
Mark acknowledged. "Received. Ops out."
Mark looked around at everyone.
"this is great news Sir, but isnt there supposed to be some kind of bogeys lurking about?"
DeGroot quietly asked.
Mark nodded. "We have to expect it."
Pulling out his tachs, he checked them. Sure enough. There was a red indicator on it.
Everyone else pulled their tags out and saw the same thing.
"Commander Taylor activated the locator beacons. So everyone can see us."
Mark said.
"Ok if that really is a rover with six guys in it, we,ll have to assume they may be here in less of the time advertised.
Everyone quickly took off their tachs and headed off to the outside of the perimeter.
Hanging them on a series of sticks in the middle of the crude trail. Everyone took cover. Two of the soldiers
grabbed pulse rifles and headed back up the trail. Maddy stayed low in the rover keeping the kids quiet and
staying ready with a pistol. Almost twenty minutes later, the quiet was broken by the sound of a rover
bouncing along the rough trail. Then there was the sound of a pulse rifle being fired. Then quiet. Everyone at
the camp heard voices from down the trail. Then shortly the rover came into view with the two soldiers hanging
onto the running boards. Stopping short of the vehicles everyone got out. The vehicle commander got out as the
soldiers bailed off and looked around.
"Mark?"
Mark stepped around the back of the rover with a pulse rifle raised with the muzzle pointing up.
"Sgt Ritz, your a sight for sore eyes. When did you get detailed to play Saint Nick?"
The man dropped his head, trying to hide the grin.
"I didnt want to play the grinch this year, so the man upstairs decided to show some mercy."
He replied.
"Is everyone alright here?"
Mark answered.
"All healthy and ready to go home. Whats the situation as of now?"
Sgt Ritz answered.
"So far, your the only ones we,ve found who have lived Mark. We found five others, but four dead of their injuries,
the fifth is hypercritical."
Looking around. Sgt Ritz continued.
"Its Skye thats hurt. She,ll be lucky to last the night."
The sound of Skye's name brought a catch in someones breath from the rover. Mark looked over at Maddy,
his face unreadable.
Turning back, he asked Sgt Ritz.
"Haven't seen any mop up patrols have you?"
"No Mark. It seems they were counting on the pyro sonic to do the work for them. Who ever it was, sent
a convoy thru almost a half hour after the blast. They are headed straight to the Badlands, and while we
have a patrol tailing them. Its only a matter of time before they come at us. Ben's going to tell you more
when we get you back to Vida, but if we want to get back to the colony its got to be now. Other than the
platoon that headed for the point of origin of the blast, Ben wants everyone else back in the Colony. Also."
Sgt Ritz looked at Mark.
"The place you knew as Ops November is no more. There's only three concrete slabs there now. Everything got
leveled, including the vegetation. I have never seen shredded dinos before, but they re scattered all over the
place."
Stepping up to Mark, he put out his hand.
"CPT Reynolds. I relieve you. Ben told me to tell you "'Well done'". You can rest for now. We,ll bring you home".
At that. Marks composure broke. Looking at the proferred hand. Then up at the owner.
Sgt Ritz saw tears forming in his eyes.
"Mark. Its Ok. This isnt a disciplinary action. You,ve been through hell. I mean it when I said you can rest for now.
I know you,ve been trying to hold things together, so now I,m giving you permission to let go. for a little while."
As he finished speaking. Mark quietly shook his hand. Then looking around at everyone. Everyone noticed the
stricken look on Marks face. Turning. He hugged Maddy and together, they got into the back of the rover and sat
down, picking up the children and settling them in. Sgt Ritz was also looking around, his face equally saddened.
Scratching his head and looked at his crew.
"Everett, Madison, I want you two to drive the rhinos back. These guys have had a tough night."
They nodded and went over to the vehicles.
"Ok everyone. Load up. Were headed back. Take a rest and enjoy the ride. We,ll be back quick as we can."
Turning to his rover driver.
"Go ahead and lead off. Everyone with you, keep sharp eyes. I,ll ride with Mark.
Lets move out."
Quickly climbing in behind the wheel of Marks rover. He looked back at Mark who was sitting there holding his
youngest child Brian. Hot tears rolling down his face.
Maddy glared at him and asked if doing that was really necessary. Ritz looked at her.
"Dr. Reynolds, I,m sorry. I know what it is that hes going thru. He'll be alright."
Dropping his eyes and trying to hold back tears.
"I never realized that might be a trigger, but he,s not in trouble. He,s made a damn big difference,
but its hard to stand down from any fight."
Turning back he started the rover off, and began the long drive back to the small colony they all called home.
In the back, he could hear Mark quietly sobbing. It was late evening, three days later when the small convoy
made it thru the gates. Pulling up to the infirmary and stopping. Everyone unloaded and moved inside. A detail
from the mess hall brought food over while the doctors checked everyone out. Ben was happy to have his niece
and her family back inside the gates but became alarmed when Sgt Ritz reported to him Marks reaction.
Nodding he dismissed Ritz and telling him to debrief in the morning. He hurried over to the infirmary. Inside it
was a madhouse as the twelve survivors were checked over. Ben found Mark and his family in a private room in
the back. Mark had laid Brian down on the bed and the girls were sitting on either side of their brother.
Maddy was looking anxiously at Mark, who sat there quietly. Hot tears running down his face. Looking down.
When Ben came into the room. Mark sensing someone else in the room, looked and came to his feet angrily.
Still fighting the tears.
"Ben, they almost killed my family. The bastards."
Speaking low and with a strong tone. Ben answered.
"Yes they did son. But I meant what said when I said Well done. You can step down for now. Rest."
Putting a hand on Marks shoulder, he pulled him into a hug. And held him tight.
"Soon as your done here. We,ll have you bed down in the suites down in the cavern. I already got one ready.
Jim and Elizabeth will be on their way so you can be at ease for a while. We,ll let you know more by morning.
Just let things go for a little while."
Releasing Mark, he hugged Maddy. Then reached down and picked up Adelaide and sat down. Mark returned
to his seat, and sat there quietly. Noticing her dad being unnaturally quiet. Adelaide asked her uncle.
"Is Daddy broke Uncle Ben?"
"No sweetie." He replied. "He s just falling apart. Us grown ups have that happen time to time. There's no
pleasant way around it, but he,ll be alright."
Kissing her. She settled down and the family waited to get checked over.