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. Parts of the Nanosaurian language is derived from the Civilization Stage Language of the game Spore.
8. Triceratops Trouble
A loud explosion frightened off the herds of dinosaurs from the Trike Meadow. A nearby pack of nano-Deinonychus came to a dead halt and looked in the direction of a cloud of smoke and dust billowing up into the air.
"What was that?" asked one Deinonychus to the leader of the pack.
"I don't know, but we'd better check it out," the leader said.
He led the pack towards a massive crater.
"What the devil?" asked another Deinonychus as they watched two humans setting up another charge?
"We'd better let the Captain know about this," remarked the second in command.
"Hey hold up there you two," Nethania said as she ran up in her Utahraptor form, Ute Utahraptor walked up behind her.
"Oh hello there Captain Taylor," replied one of the men.
"What do you think you are doing here?" Nethania asked as she morphed into human form. Ute began looking around.
"We're blasting off the top layer to get down to the meteoric iron rich center," said the man.
"You can't do that here, you're disrupting the peace of the nearby meadows with your blasting," Nethania said.
"Oh but according to your father, we can blast here," said the man.
"That's right Captain Taylor, if you have an issue with this, you'll need to take it up with Commander Taylor," replied the man who appeared to be the man in charge of the operation.
"Believe me…" Nethania said and she turned away from them and changed back into Utahraptor form… "I will," Nethania said.
"Hey Commander, I've got a bone to pick with you," Nethania said entering the command center; her voice was heavy with rage. Nathaniel looked at her, then back at the private in front of him. He gave the soldier a command and then turned to her.
"What's the problem Captain?" Nathaniel asked sitting down at his desk.
"I just got back from the area near outpost 12. Did you allow blasting up there?" Nethania asked.
"Only small grade explosives and pyro-sonics," Nathaniel said.
"I'm asking you to stop the blasting, it's disrupting the herds on the nearby meadows," Nethania said.
"The herds always come back Captain; we've been monitoring the herds every time they've blasted. Nothing has deterred the herbivores from the area," Nathaniel said.
"It's still a disturbance of their peace and quiet. It's a bit like having my large carnivorous Nanosaurs come stomping through the market here everyday," Nethania said.
"Alright Nethania, alright, I'll send word to them out there and ask them to stop blasting," Nathaniel said.
"Today," Nethania said with stipulation.
"As soon as I can Nethania," Nathaniel said roughly, glaring at her.
Nethania shot him a disapproving look.
"You have my word of honor as a soldier," Nathaniel said.
"Get on it commander, or I'll have to take action and it won't be pretty," Nethania said.
Nethania and Ute headed out onto the balcony.
"Hey I got a question for you Captain," Ute said.
"And I have an answer," Nethania said looking at him.
"That area that they are blasting, that's the wild Triceratop's feeding ground right?" Ute asked.
"Yeah," Nethania said looking at him.
"Did you see any Triceratops around there?" Ute asked.
"No I didn't," Nethania said.
"Okay, here's my real question, where are all the Triceratops?" Ute asked.
Nethania looked at him.
"We need to find them. Wild triceratopses are as dangerous as Rhinoceros," Nethania said. They headed down the steps of the command center. Ute got to the bottom and began cawing loudly to summon Nano-raptors.
"Pteranodon Squadron up at Eagle Peak, come down here please," Nethania ordered over the radio.
From up on the peak of the tallest nearby mountain a flock of Pteranodons flew up and then down to the colony.
"Janga, Gorgon, report to Terra Nova," Nethania called.
"Nethania, what's going on," Nathaniel asked. Nethania looked back up at him.
"A herd of Triceratops is missing from the area that is being blasted," Nethania said.
"Need help," Nathaniel asked.
"No, we can handle it for now," Nethania said.
"Well if they are missing because of the blasting, then I feel responsible," Nathaniel said.
"It's too dangerous," Nethania said.
Alicia stood holding Juniper in her arms, Nathaniel, Reynolds, Reiley, and Shannon stood next to her. They all watched Nethania brief her Nanosaurs. There were twenty Pteranodons perched on the fencing, 180 Velociraptors stood listening to Nethania's briefing.
"Triceratops that has been pushed out of their territory can be extremely dangerous. We already know how territorial they are. Even before mankind had the opportunity to come here and study them in real life, they knew that the Trike would be a dinosaur that could fight back. That's why we need to locate these trikes and make sure they haven't caused any trouble. If we need to, we'll need to herd them to a new location," Nethania said.
"Time is of the essence. Every second wasted could be another dinosaur downed by them," Ute added.
"So let's get out there and find these trikes," Nethania said. Nethania and Ute walked between the super pack towards two extremely large pterosaurs called Giganopteryx, these pterosaurs had a wingspan of 60 feet, a long neck with a head similarly shaped like a giganotosaurus with a pair of osicones sticking out the back of the head.
"Nanosaurs move out," Nethania ordered. The Velociraptors all roared in unison and then they separated into the separate packs and the search began.
"Okay Janga," Nethania said. She climbed up into the saddle of her Giganopteryx.
"Let's get going," Ute said. He was already sitting in the saddle of Gorgon Giganopteryx.
They took off and left.
"Well…there they go," Jim said.
Nathaniel turned to Alicia and smiled when his three month old daughter yawned.
"Hey cutie," Nathaniel said. He took his baby daughter from Alicia and cradled her in his arms.
"You're not going to do anything," Jim asked Nathaniel.
"What can I do Shannon? Nethania's a headstrong young woman," Nathaniel said.
"She takes after her father," Alicia said with nudge to his ribs.
"She's worse than me in that department," Nathaniel said.
"How so," Jim asked.
"I have to knock her out to get her to go to the doctor, even if it is something serious," Nathaniel said.
"That's probably from being traumatized by doctors while she was a child," Alicia said.
"That's possible, except for Dr. Herpenshiner. She loved Herpenshiner," Nathaniel said.
"Was he that bald doctor you had come out to Russia to see her after we rescued her in Siberia, Russia," Alicia asked.
"The same," Nathaniel said.
"He was so good with her," Alicia said.
Nathaniel started laughing to himself.
"What so funny?" Alicia asked.
"That was when Nethania decked you hard in the nose," Nathaniel said with a good deep belly laugh. Nathaniel handed his three month old to Reiley.
"She punched you in the nose?" Jim asked, in disbelief.
"Yep, broke my nose too," Alicia said.
"It took me an hour to calm her down and get her to allow Alicia to tend to her injuries," Nathaniel said.
Lucas sat down next to Mira. They were still having trouble being welcomed into Terra Nova.
"When will our lives here really begin," Lucas asked.
"I don't know," Mira said with a shake of her head.
They looked out at the small lake in towards the back of the Colony. A small herd of Hadrosaurus where enjoying the cool water. Every now and then one would bellow joyfully.
"Of course it didn't help my case when I went off to Hadrosaur Plateau and had to have my father…excuse me…my uncle and cousin come and rescue me," Lucas grumbled.
The ground began to shake and rumble.
"What is that?" Mira asked.
"I don't know," Lucas said. They got up as the sound got louder.
Suddenly a whole herd of Triceratops appeared and charged down to the lake. The Hadrosaurus' bellowed with fright and ran off as the trikes splashed into the lake.
"Whoa," Mira said with a gasp.
"Soldier," Lucas called to a nearby private on patrol.
"Yes Mr. Taylor," replied the soldier.
"Command crowd control; don't let anyone near the Triceratops under any circumstance. Mira, stay here and help him," Lucas said and with that he took off running.
Lucas ran to the command center and took the steps two at a time.
"Taylor," Lucas said.
"Just a second Lucas," Nathaniel said. He was finishing up something on a plex.
"There's a herd of Triceratops just showed up in Terra Lake," Lucas said.
Nathaniel looked up at them.
"Scared off the Hadrosaurus that were enjoying the lake," Lucas said.
Nathaniel got up and walked out with him.
"We need to keep people away from the lake, they are dangerous," Lucas said.
"I know that, Nethania told me of the dangers," Nathaniel said.
They went down the steps.
"Reynolds," Nathaniel called.
"Yes sir," Reynolds said standing at attention.
"Take a couple squads over to Terra Lake. Make sure no one goes near the lake. Understand, keep a perimeter of 20 yards from the lake," Nathaniel ordered.
"Yes sir," Reynolds said.
"Go now," Nathaniel said.
Lucas went with Reynolds and filled him in.
"Hookclaw," Nathaniel called.
The small Utahraptor who had a cockatoo frill of feathers on his head looked over at the commander.
"Can you let Nethania know we found her Triceratops? They're wadding in Terra Lake," Nathaniel said.
"Yes sir, yes sir," Hookclaw said quickly. With that he ran off to where a brand new Nanosaur barracks Hangar was built outside the gate.
Janga landed and Nethania lighted off of him. She stepped up next to her father and looked at the massive herd of triceratops.
"This isn't good Nethania, I can't have them this close to the colony," Nathaniel said.
"I know, I know," Nethania said.
She surveyed the scene before her.
"Keep everyone back, move them back," Nethania ordered.
Nathaniel merely nodded to the soldiers and they began pushing the crowd of spectators back.
Nethania walked towards the herd. One big bull Trike bellowed angrily at Nethania as she approached.
"Hookclaw," Nethania called over her shoulder.
"Aye aye captain," Hookclaw said.
"Fetch me Tricorn," Nethania ordered.
"Aye captain," Hookclaw said. He ran at a dead run through the crowd and went to fetch the massive bull Nano-Triceratops. After waiting for twenty minutes the big triceratops arrived.
"Tricorn, futter na lefty, nigora la casata lefa wa," Nethania asked in nanosaurian. (Translation: Tricorn, talk to them, find out what they want).
"Aruga glacha," Tricorn said in his deeply masculine voice. (Yes captain).
Tricorn moved towards the wild triceratops and began bellowing and lowing to him.
After a series of grunting, bellowing, howling and lowing to each other Tricorn returned to Nethania.
"Glacha, lefa dava skwablo sono atha geno laukee sone asa albam niaduo," Tricorn said. (Captain, they have been driven from their home by tiny tailless biped)
Nethania glared at her father and he knew the blasting had something to do with this.
"Lefa flibdaflub sata utu. Ablani meuda nigora lefty duna fid durf," Nethania said to Tricorn. (They cannot stay here. We will find them a new pasture)
Tricorn nodded and went to tell the triceratops herd leader. Thankfully the large Trike agreed to this.
Nethania walked back to where her father was.
"We need to find them a new place to graze, and by we and mean you," Nethania said.
"Right, I'll get on to that," Nathaniel said.
"You should also have those bozos that were doing all the blasting help you," Nethania said.
"Tough kid Nathaniel," said a colonist.
"Until a new herding ground can be found, the watering hole is off limits. Deino-Packs 4, 8 and 12, stay here to make sure no one goes near the Trike herd," Nethania ordered.
"Understood," replied the leaders of the packs.
Nethania looked at Nathaniel with a stern look.
"Get to work commander, the sooner you find new pastures for the triceratops, the sooner your colonists can go back to enjoying the water. I will provide you with Tricorn to consult with on the needs of Triceratops. Good luck gentlemen," Nethania said.
"What about the meadow out by outpost 10?" asked one of the men blasting?
"What is your name sir?" asked Tricorn.
"My name is Trevor," the man replied.
"Well Trevor, before you can go saying that would be the place for the wild triceratops, you need to understand there environmental needs," Tricorn said.
"He's right, you should really understand what a triceratops needs before you put them anywhere," Malcolm said with a nod.
"Well what do the triceratops need," asked the other man.
"And you're name would be?" Tricorn asked.
"My name is Cody," the man replied.
"They need lots of shady places, a good amount of water for them to wallow in and drink, and lots of vegetation for them to eat," Tricorn said.
"Terra Nova's watering hole is perfect for them, it has all of that," Malcolm said.
"Yes, but they can't stay. You heard Nethania, they are extremely territorial," Nathaniel said.
"Captain Taylor must already know of the perfect place for them," Malcolm said.
"Captain Taylor does know of the perfect place," Tricorn said.
"But we made this mess and we need to clean it up. After all, I did pound that into her when she was a kid and I should live by my own teaching," Nathaniel said.
"That's right," Nethania said as she past them.
"If only we could get a bird's eye view of the land, perhaps then we could find a place faster," Trevor said.
"To do that, you'd need to talk to Captain Taylor about using pterosaur steeds," Tricorn said.
"Absolutely not possible," Nethania said.
"What's the issue? We need this so we can find the Triceratops a new feeding ground," Nathaniel said. They were inside Nethania's Nanosaur Hanger where the Nanosaurs could sleep in peace and comfort.
"The steeds can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous. They aren't horses that allow anyone to ride them," Nethania said.
"Surely there is some way you can help us get a bird's eye view," Cody asked
"I didn't always have the benefit of my pterosaur steeds to help me out in solving problems," Nethania said.
"What about you taking us up on that really big one?" Nathaniel asked.
"Janga, my Giganopteryx, she's probably all the way back to the Plateau by now," Nethania said.
"And so will Gorgon Giganopteryx," Ute said as he walked past.
Nathaniel sighed heavily and began to walk away.
"I suppose I could carry one person," said a sharp voice.
"Quickwing," Nethania said looking up at the Pteranodon who stepped down from his perch.
"I can take someone Captain Taylor, but only one," the Pteranodon said.
"You're powerful enough to carry two," Nethania said.
"I know that, but I don't feel comfortable without you there," Quickwing said.
"Very well, take my father, I hold him more responsible for the problem than the others," Nethania said, shooting her father a nasty smile and a twinkle in her eye.
"I don't like this idea," Nathaniel said, backing away towards the door.
"Well then, get hiking," Nethania said.
Nathaniel sighed heavily and shook his head in defeat.
"I love my daughter, but not this much," Nathaniel groaned as Quickwing flew him over the land. He looked down at the ground 10,000 feet below.
"You are at a disadvantage sir," Quickwing said.
"Yes I know," Nathaniel said.
Nathaniel almost fell off Quickwing's back.
"Whoa," Nathaniel yelped.
"Easy there Commander," Quickwing said. He curved around and pushed the commander back onto his back.
"I'm not cut out for riding on the backs of flying dinosaurs," Nathaniel said.
"Actually, pterosaurs aren't dinosaurs, we're reptiles," Quickwing said.
"What's the difference?" Nathaniel asked.
"Ask Captain Taylor when we get back," Quickwing said.
Nathaniel looked down at the ground again.
"We aren't flying in a typical search pattern," Nathaniel said.
"We aren't searching for people or saurians sir, we're looking for meadows," Quickwing said.
"So you're taking me to all of the meadows," Nathaniel said.
"Yes," Quickwing said.
Nathaniel looked down at the ground below.
"There," Nathaniel said pointing at a meadow that had a large shallow pond next to it. He pulled out his plex and marked the location on it.
"Let's head back to Terra Nova," Nathaniel said.
Quickwing let out a loud caw, banked around and headed back to the colony.
"Well done father, the Triceratops will be happy here. And I do hope you learned your lesson. Next time you wish to do anything like this again, Commander, please talk to me," Nethania said.
"Yes Nethania, you have my word," Nathaniel said putting his right hand up in the air like a man would when taking an oath.
"Good," Nethania said with a pleased grin.
"So nice to have Terra Lake available again," Alicia said with a joyful smile. Nathaniel held Juniper in his arms.
"I know what you mean, but the Triceratops did quite a bit of damage to the lake area," Nathaniel said.
"The trikes did minimal damage to the terrain father; this area will bounce back quickly," Nethania said as she analyzed the trampled ground.
"The ground has been packed down," Nathaniel said.
"Tree roots will help to break it up again," Nethania said. She sat down next to her father and took her little sister from him.
"Hey little Junebug," Nethania said.
"Oh you're so good with her," Alicia said with a smile.
"After becoming a leader here in Pangaea, creating and caring for baby Nanosaurs before Ayani joined me I think a lot of my dormant maternal instincts developed," Nethania said.
"I'll say," Nathaniel said.
Nethania smiled when she saw the Hadrosaurus returning.
"Everything is starting to go back to normal," Nethania said with a kingly smile.