"This is awesome," Max's headlamp shone wherever his head turned. The large cave was black inside without the power strips that used to illuminate the side walls. Useless discarded equipment littered the main area, abandoned in place where the commander hadn't utilized the manpower to move it to Terra Nova. Most showed signs of dinosaur teeth marks. Max, Hunter and Skye slowly walked towards the back, the dank smell getting stronger as air movement was non-existent. Smaller rooms had been cut in the rock. Piles of rock were shaped into foundations of beds and lined the walls.

"Looks comfy," Skye's sarcasm broke the silence.

"Here, look at this," Hunter's excited call drew Max and Skye to follow his voice. At the back of the cavern they found yet another hole where there were lights, turned off. Carefully placed pieces of equipment looked un-damaged. Hunter hit the light switch. There was just enough light to move around. Skye saw the same symbols on the walls and rocks that she had witnessed at the falls and felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cool climate in the cave.

"I think we should leave now. This looks like someone's using it," she herded her companions to the front. They stepped out into the sunshine and took in the sight of what it must have been like every morning for two years for the first pilgrimage and year for the second. They took in the river in front of them, the green water looking like something they would see in pictures in the future. As a group, they slowly pivoted to take in the scenery including the hill over the entrance and jumped. Sitting on a rock outcropping about fifty feet above their location was a young man wearing armor of a soldier of Terra Nova. No expression or greeting, just staring.

"Do you know who he is?" whispered Max towards Skye. He knew she was familiar with almost all the soldiers and civilians, both past and present.

Skye took in the well worn suit, medium brown hair and good looking features. She couldn't see his eyes from this distance. "No, I've never seen him."

"Hello, I'm Skye. I'm from Terra Nova," she had a way with people, could talk them into anything or herself out of trouble. This should be no different. He was a man, she was a woman. Again, no reaction.

"Look, we were just leaving. If you want, we would like to talk to you. You know, you look like you've been here a long time, must be lonely."

His constant stare was un-nerving her companions. "Come on," Max tugged on Skye's arm, "Let's get out of here. Whoever he is, the Commander probably kicked him out of the community. Might be a bad dude."

"He maybe hasn't seen a person in years," Skye was intrigued. This had to be the person drawing the strange designs, but who was he. She didn't remember seeing him around the Sixers or Terra Nova before. The Commander never mentioned another soldier he had banished. Kerin had just been kicked out and she knew him.

"Come down and visit," Skye smiled and gestured. Without warning, the strange young man pulled his pistol, aimed and shot her in the chest. The blast picked her up and threw her unconscious body backwards a good thirty feet. She landed, rolled and dropped the few feet into the river.

Max and Hunter froze, then ran after Skye and jumped into the river without hesitation. Hunter looked back to see if they were pursued and the man was gone. Hunter looked back and saw Skye floating face down, the current carrying her away. He looked for Max, who was terrified, his large eyes glazed with shock and fear.

"Skye," Max looked around at Hunters shout. Together they swam towards her. Rolling a soaked body wasn't easy, but they managed. "To shore," Hunter instructed and they felt for the bottom. It wasn't too deep, about four feet so they moved her to the shore keeping in the water and brush for cover. Hunter checked for a pulse and nodded to Max.

"What do we do now?" Max whispered.

Hunter licked his lips as he opened Skye's shirt. No wound was found or blood. "He stunned her, no holes." Hunter was too scared to be glad. "We have to carry her or hole up until she comes to." He felt her ribs and to his dismay the left side gave away under his pressure. "Blast broke ribs, we can't move her. I don't know what to do," Hunter moaned.

"What if I go for help," Max hoped Hunter would agree so he could rush back to the safety of the compound. Hunter thought for a moment then nodded. "Help me get her out." Together the boys dragged Skye into the tall grass just off the river. "Crawl until you're in the trees. Don't want that psycho finding us."

Max nodded as he crawled away. Hunter lay down beside Skye wondering once again what she had gotten them into. It seemed so harmless at the time.

Max crawled into the trees, jumped and ran for all he was worth. He picked up the well used trail they had hiked in on and was sure he could make the trip without stopping as they were in the hills not far away from home. They had hiked not being able to borrow a rover. The ban was still in place for now. Max ran by a small outcrop, skirted the rocks then headed towards the trees. The blast to his shoulder knocked him off his feet. He rolled in agony, but managed not to pass out. A shadow blocked the sun and he was looking up at the man who shot Skye, close enough to look into his piercing blue eyes.

"Please," Max pleaded, "We don't mean no harm, just out for a walk." He saw a staff in the right hand of his attacker. He screamed as a hot bolt shot through him leaving a burn where the end had encountered skin. He rolled and the stick was poked at him again and again. Finally Max curled in a fetal position, too hurt to move anymore.

With one final swipe of the staff, his attacker disappeared up the trail. Max remembered lifting a leg in an attempt to protect his battered body. The crack of his bone breaking could be heard resounding off the rocks. In trying to rise, he passed out from shock and agony. It was dark when he came to. The cry of a predator skulking nearby caused him to try and sit up, drawing all memories of his ordeal front and center. He lost any food left in his stomach from the pain and nausea. Trying to stand, his right leg buckled and a cry of pain easily escaped his non-military trained throat. Not wanting to be eaten by whatever most likely would pick up his scent, he started crawling in the direction of Terra Nova. Soon his bloody knees left a spotted trail and dirt caked them dry, with scabs of muddy blood cushioning each joint. He wanted to stop or cry out every time his right knee moved, dragging his useless lower limb, he felt bile. He lost track of the times the bile forced its way up and out. One thought, keep moving, get help became his young mantra. Max felt something grab his shoulder and was sure a caurno would feed tonight. He remembered looking into the face of a soldier telling him he was safe before everything went black again.

Taylor looked up from studying the injuries over the biobed where Max lay as his returning soldier reported, "Sir, Tasha Guzman was the only one at the house. She worked the evening shift and said she knew Skye was missing as she looked in on her before retiring. She didn't know the men were missing also or Max was injured. She told me, she figured Skye had spent the night elsewhere. That's all, Sir."

Josh saw the commander frown at this last part. Maybe he didn't like her fooling around on him. He was getting tired, "Can I leave now?"

Taylor remembered Josh was still waiting, "Anything else, something you forgot?"

A sleep deprived Josh snapped back. He should have said no. He should have showed respect, he knew it as soon as the words were out and he couldn't retract them, "I don't know where your girlfriend went to, I'm not her keeper."

A look of total surprise came over Taylor's face, then he smiled, that feral grin he used right before engaging a carnosaurus or enemy. With a glance towards Washington and Josh's equally stunned parents, the Commander spoke, "Why Joshua, that young spitfire is much more suited to some young stud like yourself. I'm an old man; I need a woman who's past her prime, slowing down, getting soft," he paced in a circle so he could see Washington's expression. He never failed to amuse himself at her expense when the opportunity presented, "Right Lieutenant?"

As usual, Washington didn't respond in public to his outburst of that nature. He knew that made for a fun time the next time they got together in one of their bedrooms. She never forgot, or forgave until he repented and begged for forgiveness. He smiled in her direction before getting back to the matter at hand. "You can go. You stay," he pointed to Jim Shannon who looked like he might follow his son.

"Oh, and young man," Josh turned near the door, "I have a twenty five year old son, and companion more than ten years older than that. Nothing like what you just said to me had ever get back to me, or Lieutenant Washington's ears, or she will take you for the survival training you missed, just you and her." Josh knew a blatant threat when he heard one.

"I'm sorry Commander; it's just you make Reynolds be so proper with my sister and Skye is free to pursue all types of mischief. I figure she's giving some to someone high up because she can do whatever she wants." Josh hoped his attempt at an apology helped with the talk coming from his father and the probable grounding, again.

Taylor nodded, as far as he was concerned the matter was over, "I see your point, but Skye and Hunter shouldn't end up like Max here," he gestured to the bed, "just because I indulge her more than I should. Get out of here."

"Dr. Shannon, I need to talk to him," Taylor indicated to the bed.

Elizabeth Shannon injected Max with a shot and soon his eyes opened to the Commander leaning over him. He saw Lieutenant Washington just behind the Commander. "Max, Max," the commander's hand gripped his left shoulder and he was shaken ever so gently, "What happened?"

Max tried to speak through his raw throat, too much stomach acid left it extremely sore, "Water," he croaked. Dr. Shannon pushed by the commander with a cup and straw. Even in pain, he smiled at his caregiver and she returned it, liking this young man. "Cave, you lived in," he tried to spare his throat.

The commander nodded down to him, "Was Skye and Hunter with you?"

"Yes"

"Where are they?"

"Do….Don't know," Max was looking scared again, smile gone.

"Did you get separated?"

"Skye got shot," Everyone exchanged worried looks. "Hunter stayed with her while I went for help."

"Did the Sixers do this to you," the Commander was hoping.

"Don't think so," he saw the Commander and second exchange a glance.

"Did you go into the cave?"

"Yes"

"This is important. Were there any drawings on the walls, designs like circles and triangles?"

"Yes"

"One more question then you can rest. What happened to Skye and Hunter?"

Max was fighting to stay awake. The pain meds were drawing him back to sleep. He started slurring, "She fell in the river. Pulled her out down….Hunter with her," Max gave in to the drugs.

Taylor looked devastated and Washington put her hand on his shoulder, comforting with her presence. He turned to her, for once forgetting who was watching, "I was so sure I did the right thing at the time, Wash," he pulled her close needing the contact, "what did I create," his rhetorical question was for her alone. Only she has shared his years of anguish over banishing his only son.

His secret companion of ten years returned his embrace then disengaged with a soft, "It'll be light in a couple hours, I'll get the convoy ready," she left without glancing at the spectators. The soldiers wouldn't talk without punishment and she knew the Shannon's were aware now that they were more, much more. As she walked to the barracks to rouse her chosen people she thought back a few days to an interesting conversation with Elizabeth Shannon.

"You're cleared for light duty, Alicia." The two women had developed a quick friendship, were almost the same age and both had logged hours waiting together for their wayward men. Elizabeth decided to confront her new friend regarding a certain Commander. "Commander Taylor confirmed you two were," she paused looking for the right word, "involved," she didn't tell a lie, well maybe just a little white one. They had left the clinic and were wandering through the people and nobody was paying much attention to the two women chatting as they made their way back to the Shannon home. Alicia had been invited for lunch for just the two of them.

Alicia shrugged, "I'm surprised he would openly acknowledge more than friendship, how did you get that out of him?" Alicia had become accustom to a non-relationship, relationship. She knew the military forbad their type of union and didn't want to be the cause of demotion or removal from command for her long time lover. Those who knew for sure the relationship was far beyond platonic didn't have proof and their loyal band of core soldiers would never rat them out. Civilians were left to speculate and they didn't matter to military hierarchy. All communication from Terra Nova went through Taylor, but she had heard that Mira and maybe Lucas also were in communication with 2149.

"You can trust both Jim and myself. After Zoe, we learned how to keep silent on important matters. Besides, with Jim and the Commander working so closely together, we are going to see a lot of each other. It doesn't matter to us what you do in your personal life. I just want you to know we are for your relationship and you don't have to be so formal around us," Elizabeth hoped Alicia would dish. She was dying to be able to ask personal questions so they could compare notes like women talking about men they love do.

Alicia considered and slowly smiled. Ayanni had been her last civilian friend and that hadn't been fair because she was the daughter of a general and grew up in a military home. Alicia would have to go back to her teenage years to remember a female friend who was a civilian. Someone to just hang out with on equal footing. She felt like she had found her new close friend in Elizabeth Shannon. She knew Nathaniel felt the same about Jim, so it was natural they should form a foursome.

"What do you want to know?" It was as close as Alicia would come to an open admission, "And remember, I get to ask as many embarrassing questions as I have to answer," both women laughed together.

Commander Taylor looked around the clinic first to Max, then across to the next bed that contained Skye. Hunter was also present sitting on the far side of Skye, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the irate Commander.

"Banning hasn't worked, latrine duty hasn't worked," the Commander was sorry in what he was about to say, "You're young, you want adventure. You don't count the cost. You have twice put my soldiers at risk going after you. No more. You are free to go OTG, I won't stop you. I will stand inside the gate and watch a caurno eat you, but I am putting the order out, no help. You are old enough to make your own choices and live with the consequences, or die with them." He turned without another word and left them to ponder his pledge.

Jim Shannon made his usual noisy entrance into the command center. Nobody was inside and a lone guard stood without. He backed out, "Where is he?" he asked, as if the guard should know.

"The Commander and the Lieutenant left a few minutes ago, Sir,"

"Which way?"

"Towards the rovers," the guard gestured in the direction the rovers were housed.

Shannon hustled in that direction, hoping to catch them before they decided to go OTG, or rather he wanted to ask Taylor about a rumor Josh heard Boylan mention in passing. In his little talk with Josh, he learned that once a year Taylor and Washington would leave the compound and be gone all day and not return until after dark. He also learned that it was the same day every year. Even when they were living in the cave, those two would disappear on that one day. Being the typical snoopy cop, he couldn't just let it drop. He wanted to know what they were up to and what was so special about that day.

He found them putting gear in the commanders personal rover, "A little bird told me you two may be OTG tomorrow," not exactly a question.

"Ah, Shannon, I was going to put you in charge tomorrow. I know how much you like all that power," Taylor joked at him.

"Un-uh, not until you tell me why both of you have to be gone together."

"I'm going to scrounge food for tomorrow," Wash smiled at Jim, escaping the grilling as she left.

Taylor started to give his usual BS answer then remembered it was okay to tell Shannon the truth. Having hid it for so long made his paten lie believable. The truth, he never told to anyone. It was foreign territory in this subject, "First tell me who leaked?"

Shannon had no love for Boylan, easy choice, "Boylan told Josh you and Wash always took one day a year, the same day, and went off together. Just so happens that day is tomorrow."

Taylor let out a small smile, "It's a date, an official date, not for public knowledge, just between the two of us," Shannon nodded.

"Same day every year, sounds like an anniversary to me?" Shannon felt he nailed the 'date'.

Taylor closed up the rover and they walked together back in the direction of the market, "It is, of sorts," Taylor admitted.

"You're secretly married, I knew it," Shannon slapped him on the back.

"No," a quiet no that told Shannon that might have been wished for, "we take the day Wash and I got back together after Somalia and celebrate. For us, it is an anniversary. A new start," he fished in his pocket and pulled out his tag. With the flick of a button, a picture popped into view.

Shannon let out a whistle, "Are those metals what I think they are?" he pointed to the upper left on Wash's uniform. Taylor sported the same metals and more, but Shannon didn't know that the second in command had definitely earned her stripes the hard way.

"This was taken the day the President pinned them on," Taylor smiled. He went to cut the picture off and his finger slipped and the second picture popped into view. "Damn," Taylor cut that picture, but not before Shannon got a glimpse and started howling in laughter. "You didn't see that one or I'll make sure if your wife wants sex, Malcolm will be the only functioning male around her."

Shannon still chuckling, asked, "Where'd that one get taken?"

"One I took when she wasn't looking. She doesn't know about that one, and she better not find out," a not so veiled threat rumbled from Nathaniel's throat.

"I gotta get me one of those tags. Not with those pictures," at Taylors look, "I wouldn't mind some of my wife."

"I can arrange for you to have one, Shannon. So now that you know why Wash and I enjoy one day a year, will you help?"

"Of course," they shared a nod, nothing else said.

The End