Hello, my name is Braeton. I don't normally like to share my work with others. It has taken many many revisions to get to this point. If anyone notices any inconsistencies within my series please point them out to me.
Disclaimer: I don't own and I am borrowing for my story: Terra Nova characters, one Jurassic Park the lost world character (Roland), Nanosaur the Mac Game. I have also utilized Dinotopia's style of naming the 1st and 2nd Generation Nanosaurs. Some of my 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Nanosaur will be named after some of the characters of Dinosaur Train. Ute Utahraptor's name comes from the Ute Indians in Utah.
7. My Mother
Three days later
Nethania wasn't seen after Elizabeth's revelation. Ute knew something was bothering the captain. He could smell her troubled soul. After giving out the early morning patrol orders, he went in search of his friend.
"Captain," Ute called when he got to the Captain's favorite thinking tree. All was silent, but he knew she was up there.
"I can smell you captain, I know you're up there," Ute said. In the shadows of the tree branches, a pair of reflective eyes appeared.
"What do you want lieutenant?" Nethania asked.
"Something is bothering you," Ute said.
"Yeah you could tell," Nethania grumbled. Unlike Nethania, who was currently resting in the branches in her Saber-tooth cat form, Ute couldn't climb the tree.
"You want to talk?" Ute asked.
"Not right now I don't," Nethania said; her tone was rough.
Ute knew enough not to push his luck with her. His head frill lowered in defeat and he turned to go back to HQ.
Nethania was left alone for 12 minutes before she was disturbed again, this time by her father.
"Hey, Ute said I'd find you here," Nathaniel said. Nethania looked down at him and then rolled her eyes.
"Something's bothering you," he said, it wasn't a question.
"What was your first clue?" Nethania asked.
"You haven't been home for these past few days; ever since the dinner to be exact. Was it the reliving of that day in Russia?" Nathaniel asked.
"It has nothing to do with my military history," Nethania said. Nathaniel was silent for a moment looking up at her. He looked away for a moment and scratched his head. With a heavy sigh he began to climb the tree. He got up to where she was and straddled an adjacent branch.
"What's bothering you kiddo?" Nathaniel asked.
"Right now you are," Nethania said.
"Come on sweetheart, I'm not going to go away until you talk to me," Nathaniel said.
Nethania glared at him, her saber-tooth cat ears were folded back in discontent. She growled at him and then hopped down from the tree. The tree was no place to bring up the subject that was bothering her. Nathaniel rolled his eyes and followed her down.
He followed her over to the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Nethania nano-morphed back into her human form and sat down. She felt him sit down next to her.
"Alright, out with it," Nathaniel said. He looked at her.
"I know who my biological mother is," Nethania said.
"What have I told you about that?" Nathaniel said in a scolding tone.
"I have a right to know, I need to know where I came from," Nethania said.
"Nethania you are your own person, genetics has nothing to do with the way you are," Nathaniel said.
"Some people would beg to differ if they did know who my mother is," Nethania said.
Nathaniel sighed heavily again. His daughter was very keen with genetics and that was another reason why she was so good at cloning animals.
"So just who is your mother?" Nathaniel said.
"You know her," Nethania said. Nathaniel looked at her with surprise.
"She and are almost exactly the same," Nethania said. He looked away from her at that, now thinking about what Nethania was telling him.
"We're both tough, we're both tomboys, we both have the same hair," Nethania said.
Nethania had long raven black hair which she very rarely maintained and was often times in a rat's nest of knots and tangles. The only maintenance Nethania did for her hair was wash it.
Nathaniel's eyes got wide when he realized who Nethania's biological mother is.
"Alicia's you're mother," Nathaniel said.
"Alicia, like me, was known from the get go for her toughness. Her mother was an Army Doctor; her father was an Army Drill Sergeant. When you were looking for a donor egg, Philbrick caught wind that Alicia had donated one, so he pulled strings and it was her egg that was used to conceive me," Nethania said.
"Have you told her?" Nathaniel asked.
"No," Nethania said looking up at him. He could tell she wanted to now.
"Why not," Nathaniel asked.
"Out of respect to your wishes," Nethania said.
"And," Nathaniel said giving her a suspicious glance.
"We're only fourteen years apart from each other. I just don't think it's something she needs to know," Nethania said.
"She's been like a mother to you for as long as I can remember," Nathaniel said.
"The only mother I've ever known. She was the first person I went to after you announced you were going to marry Ayani," Nethania said.
"Did I ever tell you that she was there when you were born?" Nathaniel asked.
"You never told me anything about my birth," Nethania said, looking up at him.
"Some stories are better left for another time," Nathaniel said.
"Dad, I'm thirty-seven years old," Nethania said.
"Another time," Nathaniel said. He leaned forward and kissed her on the nose; he brushed a lock of hair from her face and then got to his feet and walked away.
"And the conversation goes dry," Nethania groaned. She nano-morphed back into a saber-tooth cat form, curled up in the warm sunshine and fell asleep.
Nethania was awoken when someone sat down next to her. She glanced up to see Alicia sitting next to her. By the look on Alicia's face, Nethania guessed that Nathaniel had given her the news.
Nethania stretched out and then sat upright. They sat in silence for a while. Finally Nethania couldn't stand the quiet any longer.
"Beautiful day today," Nethania said, looking up at the crystal clear blue sky.
"Yeah," Alicia said, her voice lacked all emotion.
Nethania looked at her.
"He told you," Nethania said.
"Yeah," Alicia said, again no emotion. Nethania was always impressed at how well she could hide her emotions. Nethania shook her head and then rubbed it against Alicia's shoulder.
"You've always been a mother to me Alicia. Nothing is really going to change much," Nethania said.
"I'm still shell-shocked that after all these years, my offspring that I knew existed, but didn't know where it was has been with me the whole entire time," Alicia said.
Nethania looked down at the ground and began to scratch the ground with her right paw.
"How long have you known about me?" Alicia asked.
"They told me just before I came through the portal. I had to pull rank and pull strings before they finally did the search for me and told me," Nethania said.
"See you've had time to adjust, I haven't," Alicia said.
"Well, you'll be returning to Terra Nova, I'll be remaining here in Nanosauria. You can take all the time you want. When you are ready, the Nanosaurs based in Terra Nova will know how to contact me. In the meantime I'll give you your space," Nethania said.
"Thank you," Alicia said. Then she realized that this would mean Nethania couldn't spend time with Nathaniel.
"But your father," Alicia said looking at her.
"I've been without him for thirteen years; I can go a bit longer. Plus that doesn't mean he can't go OTG to spend time with me," Nethania said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"I just don't want to be the reason the two of you can't be together. You may be okay with it, but I know he won't. He really missed you a lot," Alicia said.
"He'll understand," Nethania said. Alicia only smiled. Nethania stretched again and yawned deeply. She heard Alicia snicker.
"What's so funny?" Nethania asked.
"You really are his kitten now," Alicia said, poking her in the flank. Nethania merely rolled her eyes at that comment.
The small collection of Terra Novans gathered down in the Armored Nanosaur hanger, were Stacy Stegosaurus was being fitted with her personnel carrying harness.
"Deino-Pack 4 and 8 will be accompanying you for the whole trip as well as half of the League of Utah and Ute Utahraptor," Nethania said to Stacy.
"Any super predators," Stacy asked.
"I am considering sending the Sail-Back Squad with you, but Arthur and Angus are not accustomed to traveling such long distances non-stop," Nethania said.
"What about the other super predators?" Ute asked.
"Our only fully rested super predator is Travis Tyrannosaurus. He's getting ready as we speak. I was already planning on dispatching Arthur and Angus to join our Terra Nova division," Nethania said.
"Already to go Stacy," replied the Lead Troodon in the hanger.
"You people can get aboard now," Stacy said. The Terra Novans, except Nathaniel climbed aboard the stegosaurus and took their seats.
"What about other armored Nanosaurs?" Stacy asked Nethania.
Nethania went into a pondering position.
"Ute, on your way out, tell Arny Ankylosaurus he is to join you on the trek back to Terra Nova," Nethania ordered.
"They orders will be done," Ute said.
They began to walk out of the hanger and into the bright sunlight. Outside the hanger were 35 fully armed and armored Deinonychus were waiting along with 10 fully armed and armored Utahraptors. Nethania and Nathaniel went to check up on Travis and the Sail-Back Squad.
"I'm sending Ute with you as my Terra Novan Nanosaurian Liaison Officer. If you have any issues with the Nanosaurs or need to contact me, talk to him," Nethania said.
"You are planning on building living space for the Terra Novan Division Nanosaurs right?" Nathaniel asked.
"The hanger that is already there is large enough to house the Nanosaurs. Arny is a very social Nanosaur. He may end out parking himself in the Market and converse with the Terra Novans. He knows enough to keep out of the line of traffic, but he's always willing to comply if there is a problem," Nethania said.
They arrived in the Super Predator Hangar.
"Ready to go Captain," Travis Tyrannosaurus said.
"Whoa," Nathaniel said looking up at the large theropod.
"Head on out Trav, the others are waiting," Nethania ordered.
Travis walked out of the hangar.
"Arthur, Angus front and center," Nethania ordered. Two large tyrannosaurs that had a single sail running from the back of the neck all the way to their tail approached the captain and bent down to her.
"Alright boys, you'll be accompanying the convoy to Terra Nova," Nethania said. She placed a hand on their noses.
"What are these?" Nathaniel asked.
"They are Acrocanthosauruses," Nethania said. She patted their noses and then signaled for them to head out.
"Take care Nethania," Nathaniel said as he embraced her, "My precious kitten," he added.
"I always do," Nethania said.
She walked out with him and he climbed up next to Alicia and Juniper on Stacy's back.
"Stay sharp everyone," Nethania said as the convoy departed.