Mark awoke early the next morning. Beside him Maddy was curled up still asleep. Looking around and listening for
what it was that had awakened him. He sensed movement outside the bedroom door. But didn't move. Quietly
reaching out to the night stand to grab his pistol. He quietly started to slide out of bed and move to the door.
-Reynolds. You awake?
Despite himself. He sighed with relief. He could hear the telepathic message clearly
-Are you in the main room?
He asked. The answer made him even more alarmed.
-No. There is a young man poking around. I was about to give him a surprise he'd not forget should he do
this again. So do you want me to take care of it or let you shoot him?
-Is that who I think it is?
Maddy whispered.
-If it's my brother in law. His ass is mine.
Mark fumed.
-Well close your eyes. I have something special to play on him.
Came the cryptic answer
-What do you have in mind?
The being simply answered.
-Close your eyes and watch through mine. Its going to be good. You too Madelyn.
Maddy stirred beside Mark.
-Do it. I'm ready to watch.
Sighing. Mark quickly closed his eyes. And immediately saw a view through window slats. Mark immediately knew
the viewer was by the front door and watching the shadowy figure in his living room going through one of the
duffel bags.
I am going to kill that boy.
Mark thought. But was stopped by Maddy's hand brushing his shoulder.
-Ready?
Asked the watcher.
Both Maddy and Mark assented.
Josh never knew what hit him. He had a shadowy image of a large snake striking through the ceiling. His reaction was
a whiplash effect. Ducking almost clear to the ground. He was running before he had even completely turned around.
Colliding with several walls before lining for the door and launching out onto the porch. Mark was on his feet and out the
bedroom door with Maddy on his heels. They made it to the door in time to see the shadowy figure in a dead run for the
ring road. Every time he turned around to see what was chasing him. Mark could see the shadowy shape of a huge serpent
coming out of nowhere. Passing through its target, but stopping while inside his body. Each time it struck. Josh would almost
double over in excruciating pain, but didn't stop running. Both Mark and Maddy were now watching through their friends eyes
as Josh went barreling down the ring road. Each time he tried to slow down or stop, he would be rewarded by another strike
from the shadow serpent. He made it more than halfway round the ring to the main camp before his legs gave out completely.
Sobbing and whimpering from extreme pain. He kept trying to move away. Looking up as he moved along the ground. He looked
up in time to see three ugly snakes rear there heads above him. Seeing this. Josh started screaming and tried to gain his feet.
Again and again the snakes struck. Screams went from frightened to terrified and hideous. Josh clutched his stomach with the
excruciating pain from the strikes. Finally they stopped. Winking out and disappearing leaving only the darkness and the sounds
of the jungle. Josh lay huddled on the ground in a tight ball. Whimpering softly.
Mark snapped back to the present. Went back inside. Palming his comm off the bedroom nightstand and called Sgt Tallman.
"Sgt Tallman. This is Captain Reynolds. Get your ass around towards the south gate. We just ran an intruder out of the house.
He headed towards the south gate. Three guesses as to who it is."
I apologize Sir. It seems to some people. You warn someone not to go some place its like a moth to flame. I'll head that way
myself and deal with it. He's going to the brig and straight back to Terra Nova. If Commander Taylor had an insubordination
complaint before, he definitely has one now."
"And Sergeant. You give that boy a thorough full body cavity search. I caught him going through our duffels before we scared
him out of here. And I'm sure I scared him enough that he wouldn't know who it was."
"Will do Sir. You said the South gate?"
"Thats the direction he took off to. Reynolds out."
Putting his comm down. He looked over at the being beside the door. Maddy was leaning against the door. Head down.
Tears running down her face. Both Mark and the tall being put their arms across her shoulders and guided her back into
the house. Sitting her down on the couch. The being sat across from them as Mark sat beside her and took her in his arms.
No one said anything for a while. Mark looked across to their midnight guest. But didn't speak. He didn't need to.
-I finally remembered your name and all the other stuff. Would it have made more sense to have told Commander Taylor
than to blot our memories? Now he's going to assume that your a threat and the Ops-November complement is compromised.
-It was necessary Mark. -There was a lot we never told you that were up against. -And one of the reasons we never told
you is there are some folk from our time line looking for us and why we are severely limited in our visits to it.
Maddy who was still cuddled in Marks arms. -Her head against his chest. Finally spoke.
-You never told us what happened in your time. And every time we asked you, we felt a deep deep sadness. Such that we
never pushed for an answer. Also I willingly became pregnant twice because our placental blood is compatible with your
physiology. Because you had people who were being wasted by a debilitating disease. We assumed you had some
disagreements with your government or community that prevented you from getting treatment for your people. Also some
of our people also went over there with you. But for the life of us. We never really knew why or what was going on. We
assumed it was your business and not our own. What or why is it we had to keep you a secret?
-For starters. My name has always been Miicah. And second. We were trying to protect your colony. If word got back to
the Highland Council that you were helping us. They would have attacked the colony. We have managed to get most of our
people out of there and have a small settlement just west of here. We hope to finish getting the last of us out of there before
we cut ourselves off for good very soon. Trading our knowledge of temporal physics for the blood was a more than fair
trade we feel. As well as starting you off in developing your empath skills. Your training is almost complete in that regard.
Mark asked.
-When are you going to reveal yourself to Commander Taylor?
-Very soon. We have many people to and materials to bring through the portal. And its been trying to say the least. The
only advantage we've enjoyed so far is that were the only ones who have the portal technology. But it is only a matter of
time before our holding is discovered so we have to move soon. And Maddy. It looks like we wont need to give you the
gift we were planning to give you since the last time you conceived. You are already pregnant with at least three.
Maddy became quizzical
-Gift? What gift Miicah?
-When Brian was born, you mentioned if this was the best reason for you to stay out here. You wouldn't mind having
more. And wouldn't mind twins at least once. We decided to make a treatment that would have had you doing just that. It
would be viable for at least a year and it would bolster your health as it was in your system. With no more harmful side
effects but an exhausted husband.
Despite herself. Maddy couldn't help but giggle at that. Shaking her head, she finally remembered something very clearly. And
truth be told. Didn't regret saying what she'd said that day. She had come to love life outside the colony.
-Miicah. You really are trying to get Maddy to get her moneys worth out of me to the max aren't you?
Mark felt he had to join in.
-Of course Mark. I have to help keep a wife happy. And being married myself. I cant be the only one that suffers.
That did it. Maddy straightened up, threw her head back and genuinely laughed.
"Mark you sound like I whip you like a rented mule."
"Its a hard job, but somebody has to do it."
As Maddy dissolved into more helpless laughter. Looking up and across at Miicah. Mark went on with a smile.
"You do know what happened when our station went dark. One of your folks warned us. Did they make it out alive?"
-Yes they did. Barely. But there is now a small problem. The fracture he escaped into is now unusable. It barely
got closed in time. And it will be a long while before it stabilizes. It slowed down our migration into this time.
Mark thought a moment.
"I was wanting to propose you help us deal with the problem in the Badlands. It might help the Commander make up his
mind concerning your folks moving here. As long as your forth right in giving him your intentions on living here."
Miicah nodded.
Sitting back. Miicah closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face.
"You look tired. Has it been hard?"
-I have my family with me. I got them through two days ago and we came out not far from here so it
wasn't too far of a hike. Believe it or not. Another portal had been active and it had actually bumped
our portal to open closer to this colony.
Mark perked up at that. Maddy had finally settled down and got a serious look on her face when she heard that.
Looking back over her shoulder at Mark. They shared a look. Then turned back to Miicah.
"Captain Guzmann was headed out that way when we met him just outside the colony yesterday. That might have
been the one he said he was going out to investigate."
Mark told the being.
Miicah nodded and got up. Going to the door. He opened and three others of his kind entered. He led his wife and
two daughters into the living room and sat down. Maddy got up and hugged the woman and the kids.
- I'm glad to see you made it across. Things have gotten worse I take it?
The elven lady nodded sadly.
- Maddy, we honestly hope your Commander will grant us sanctuary. Its gone very bad back there.
Mark was silent. He knew what the woman was referring to. He only hoped they wouldn't be too late.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Out along the perimeter near the south gate. Sgt Tallman's team found Josh huddled in a ball in the middle of the road.
Whimpering and curled in a ball. When they tried to help him up. He freaked and started fighting. Not one to waste
time trying to calm a potential thief, the NCO simply smacked him across the back of the head. Knocking him out. Searching
him. They found several items that were obviously not his. Contacting Mark and informing him of the possibility of
stolen property. Mark told SGT Tallman to bring it by in the morning and to put Josh on ice for the duration. Mark also told
him to notify Commander Taylor that they had caught a thief and to prep him for transport to Terra Nova. And to insure they
had done a thorough job, to go through all his gear. Including a full cavity search. Sgt Tallman was about to protest
when Mark added that he wasn't authorized to just have fun, but to enjoy it to the max. Closing the call. The NCO
instructed the team to strip the prisoner and tie him to the roof and leave him there til morning. Going through his clothing
they found more items.
"Well well well. You have been busy. Haven't you?"
He said to him self. Bagging the stuff that he found. He waited til his orders had been carried out. Then everyone loaded up
and headed back to main cantonment. Parking in front of Novis Iniitiis Command Building. They posted a guard on the vehicle
and went inside the building. Leaving the thief on the roof of the vehicle. Josh was unconscious the entire night. Terra Nova
had been notified of the breach and instructions given to transport the perp immediately to the main colony. After fielding
the call. Nathaniel Taylor almost wished he didn't have to do what he needed to do next. Deciding to hold off til the new
prisoner was delivered. Along with the report. Shaking his head. He thanked the on duty duty officer and went back to his quarters.