Malcolm ordered his scientists to hurry and take saliva and blood samples from the stunned pterosaur juveniles. His goal was to take the samples needed before they woke and subjected them to a massive row of very sharp teeth. He had a special cage built to house young dinosaurs for study that hadn't been used in a couple years. The Commander and Shannon returned with four specimens, three females and one male. They hung around watching the proceedings and listening to the scientists talk.
Maddy arrived in a hurry when her father called home saying he was back with pterosaurs. "Amazing to see the most recognizable flying dinosaur of all time. Did you know when Ken Horton wrote his book, he detailed the description as we knew it to be. These saurs are dark and not pink like we'd been led to believe..." she rambled on until spotted by Malcolm.
Malcolm saw her standing by her father and the Commander and ordered her to learn how to take samples so she gloved up and joined one of the scientists where he walked her through the procedure for taking a complete set of samples and showed her how to age the beast by looking at the teeth.
"You say this was the one actually playing with the fruit when you shot it?" Malcolm pointed to a tagged pterosaur.
"I tagged it as soon as it hit the ground," Nathaniel confirmed. "Brought you the fruit in its mouth also."
Malcolm took the blood and brought up previous samples from pterosaurs to compare with. He looked at the reading with the men looking over his shoulder. "You know, this may take some time."
"I need to know what you find and soon, Malcolm," with a clap to his shoulder, he left followed by Jim. They walked towards the market and Nathaniel pulled his radio, "Taylor to Washington," he spoke formally on the open band.
"Go ahead."
"Where are you?"
"Command Center."
"Have you eaten?"
"No."
"Join me in the market," he didn't mean it to come out as an order, but it did.
"Not hungry."
He paused and glanced at Jim who was openly chuckling.
"Okay, Taylor out," he put his radio away and adjusted his shoulder holster that didn't need it. Finally, he came to a decision, "I'll be in the Command Center."
Jim watched with amusement and headed home and hopefully a waiting breakfast.
He found her sitting at his desk looking intently at a plexpad. "How are you feeling? And I probably should have spent the night," he leaned over his chair and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"I'm feeling a little overwhelmed," she waved the plexpad as an example. "The requests are coming in fast and I don't feel like a party on Saturday. I want to marry you, but am apprehensive being put on display. I do okay one on one or with the military, but all the civilians...I'm not so sure about."
He took her hand and pulled her up and into his arms, "We don't have to do a large wedding. In fact, we can exchange vows with the military chaplain and two witnesses of your choice and tell the colony to throw a party and we'll mingle. We do have to do that much."
Reynolds and Dunham chose that moment to enter. "We're here as ordered, Lieutenant," Reynolds spoke for the duo.
Alicia stayed in Nathaniel's arms looking him in the face, "Okay, right now. Our two witnesses just arrived."
Nathanial laughed, "I'm not exactly dressed properly." He was wearing a black tee-shirt and his customary black cargo pants with two pistols and his leather jacket.
"Look at me," he looked her over as bid. She was wearing a black tank top and camouflage military issue pants and her black leather jacket. Her pistol was in place. Only her hair was down, a new look he approved of.
"You're hot in anything," he leaned down for a kiss, uncaring of the two waiting men.
Reynolds and Dunham looked at each other and Dunham mouthed, 'Hot in anything', drawing a grin from his partner which was wiped off as he turned back to the superiors who just broke the kiss off.
Nathaniel went to a desk along the wall and pulled a pouch out, "Come here." When Alicia did as bid, he dropped his wedding ring in her hand and pocketed the one that would join her diamond. "Let's go find the chaplain," he murmured so his soldiers weren't the wiser as to the sudden change in plans. He took her arm, "You two, with us," he escorted his fiancé out and down the stairs followed by Reynolds and Dunham.
Most people were working that time of morning so the four people walking through the streets to the small chapel by the barracks drew little attention. Alicia's hand was securely tucked in the crook of his elbow the entire way. They stopped outside and Nathaniel whispered in her ear, "Last chance to change your mind."
"Last chance to tell me that you don't want to marry me," she responded back in his ear just as low.
"Stay here," Nathaniel ordered his two soldiers and escorted Alicia into the small office off the main area where Nathaniel closed the door.
"This is weird," Mark muttered to Dunham.
"Those two have been acting different since we got back, what with the Lieutenant being suspended for something out of her control."
"She got suspended for drinking at Boylan's instead of mounting a resistance," Mark corrected him.
"Maybe she was ordered to do that and just doesn't remember," Dunham defended her.
"I've been told her memory problems start after that. She remembers up until Mr. Shannon woke up."
"Do you suppose the Commander and Lieutenant are discussing wedding plans?" Dunham changed the subject.
"That'd be my guess. I wish I knew why we were told to meet the Lieutenant this morning. All she said is we've been reassigned, but I don't know to what," Mark looked around the room. "I want Maddy and I married in here." The room was of natural woods and had a few ornate carvings and even a stained glass window over the pulpit.
"I need to find someone to marry," Dunham envied Mark having a steady.
Inside the sunny office, Nathaniel and Alicia sat side by side while the older man sat behind his desk across from them.
"I will marry you, but as Terra Nova's first citizens you owe it to your people to do so in front of them. Getting married in secret demeans your positions."
"After what I've been through, I don't want to be on display again," Alicia shook her head. "Today would be best. That way, rumors of Nathaniel spending the night at my place won't matter."
"I think you know how I feel about that particular rumor. You two are supposed to set the example for the younger crowd."
"Wash was having an issue and I wanted to be near her. We didn't do anything," Nathaniel defended them.
The chaplain looked in disbelief at him and then looked at Alicia, "Pray tell, what was wrong with you that the Commander of the colony had to spend the night?"
Alicia looked the chaplain in the eye, "As you've heard, I was stricken with the bacteria that infected certain fruit. What you may not know is I was pregnant and my baby died. Dr. Shannon gave me an accelerant to flush the dead baby out of my system. Nathaniel spent the night while his baby was flushed from my system."
Chaplain Franklin rubbed his eyes, "I'm sorry for your loss. Nathaniel, you've put Wash through a lot since you've been back, a suspension and a baby. How's your relationship after that?"
Nathaniel reached over and took Alicia's hand, "I realize we live in a fish bowl, Franks, but whether or not you marry us today, we are living together as man and wife. We'll have our issues like every married couple and will do our best to keep them behind closed doors. I'm not giving you or anyone else an explanation of my decision to discipline my officers. My fiancé doesn't want a large, public wedding. I could care less either way. I've agreed to allow resources for a celebration of our wedding where we'll mingle with the colony."
"I have to ask, how long have you two been in a relationship?"
They exchanged a look and again Nathaniel answered for them, "We started a physical relationship last week and have been trying to not be together, but it's hard after having her. I want more and don't give a damn about wedding vows. We are ready for marriage today," Nathaniel spoke firmly.
"I'll marry you today under one consideration," he waited until they were both looking at him. "You agree to a public ceremony."
Wash pulled her hand from Nathaniel's and stood up. Walking to the window, she wrapped her arms around herself. Nathaniel shared a concerned look with the chaplain. He hurried to stand behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, "Wash, what's wrong with saying our vows before our friends in the colony?" He spoke as gently as he could.
She dropped her head, "I don't feel comfortable around them after what happened."
"Because of surrendering or my actions against you?" he squeezed tenderly.
"Both. I failed the colony and I let you down."
"No you didn't, you had no choice," he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against him.
"My head can rationalize, but my heart can't forget or forgive myself," she spoke softly, but the chaplain still overheard and moved to join them.
"Wash," Franklin's kindly tone was non-accusatory. She turned to face him and he saw unshed tears, "what can Nathanial and I do to help you get over feeling this way? The colony loves you and I know Nathaniel does also, but you're headed towards a crash of some sort unless your emotions get resolved. Oh, it might not be today or this year, but it will eat at you until something snaps. We need to help you now. Why do you want to marry Nathaniel so soon?"
Wash blinked back her tears and buried her head in Nathaniel's shoulder. He was more than happy to hold her. She knew the answer and when she told them, she knew Nathaniel would see she wasn't material to be the first lady of the colony. Better he find out now and not make a mistake he would regret. She pulled out of Nathaniel's arms and went back to her chair. She waited until the men sat before starting, "I remember everything except the shooting. I was more than happy to let Shannon take the lead after I got twenty-six people killed trying to fight that army. You'll never know what it did to me, raising that white flag. I ordered the camera's running if things went bad thinking maybe someday you'd see what exactly went down. The first thing I did before you returned was put a copy in the vault with your name on it. Have you seen it?" She proudly looked at Nathaniel.
He shook his head. After he disciplined her, she never brought up that time up to him.
"After Lucas shot me, memories got jumbled. I couldn't remember the sequence of what happened. Then you damned my behavior and threw Jim Shannon up to me as a shining light on a hill. It made me feel totally worthless and I knew I would never be able to be your officer again. I figured you would want me out of your life totally and gave you that chance by offering a civilian position. I was surprised when you arranged to keep me in the Command Center and even more surprised when you kept coming to my house."
"I've loved you for a long time. It nearly destroyed me seeing my own son shoot you. Then I was given a second chance discovering you lived. A few times in my command, I've made wrong decisions, and what I did to you was a massive mistake as Shannon and other's pointed out. My pride wouldn't let me reverse the action and you didn't seem to hold it against me, but you did didn't you?" he ended on a soft note.
She nodded, "Deep down I was extremely hurt you thought so little of me. That's what I'm having trouble with, how you perceive me."
"I think you're the greatest woman in this world."
"Your actions tell a different story," she was getting the strength to confront him finally. Franklin stayed out of the conversation. As long as they were talking, he didn't need to prompt them, but he was getting a clear picture of her problems. Taylor destroyed her self-worth in her eyes.
"I want to make you my wife. How's that for my actions?" Nathaniel didn't want to lose her.
"Until the next time I screw up."
"I already told you, I'll never do that to you again."
"You've done it twice. I keep waiting to see what I may do that you'll walk out of our marriage. What situation is in the future that will drive us apart," tears burnt her eyes again making them sting.
"I didn't realize you thought that little of me," he sounded agitated. "Why do you want to marry me when Guzman is willing and hasn't hurt you like I have?"
"Guzman doesn't have the ability to hurt me. Only you can do that."
"Give me a scenario to prove your point," he challenged.
She thought, "You've been gone for days and come home. The kids are sick and crying and the house's a mess because I've been doing your job. On top of that, I want a drink to unwind and stop by Boylan's before going home to tend the kids. That's where you find me and jump to the conclusion I left our kids to go out partying and tell me to get out, you'll find a better mother for them."
Franklin interrupted before Nathaniel could formulate a reply, "You feel like you have to be perfect and when you're not, he doesn't want you."
Alicia refocused to the chaplain, "Yes, that's exactly how I feel about our relationship. I had to be his best Lieutenant, as perfect in everything as I could be or he would cast me aside for someone else like he did by replacing me with Jim Shannon."
Nathaniel sat quietly listening to the judgment on his character and looking for grains of truth. He didn't like what he saw. It wasn't that he would ever cast her aside, but didn't communicate that to her over the years. "I'm sorry," he focused on her, "you have every right to think that with the way I treated you. I didn't do it on purpose, but I can see where I left that impression. When it suited me, I went military all over your ass. Like a true soldier, you took it without a word, but I killed your trust in me. How can I regain it and have you love me like I want you to?"
"Nathaniel, I do love you. No relationship is perfect and I'll probably always be a little sensitive in certain situations. And likewise, I do something and you'll jump to the wrong conclusion and we'll have a fight. I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to be your wife and a subordinate. We marry, we're equal."
A smile crossed his face, "I want to parade you around the colony as my wife. I should have married you years ago. My fear of the Sixers kept stopped me pursuing you. If I ever start to treat you like I did, you tell me. I'll stop, but sometimes in the heat of the moment, I may forget. Feel free to slap the proverbial shit out of me."
"If I'm not too traumatized, I will."
"I don't ever want to do that to you again. I hurt you. I never intended to do that to my best friend, forgive me?"
"Love forgives," she smiled and reached for his hand. He took it and brought it to his lips, whiskers tickling her fingers as he kissed them.
"That's one of the things I love about you. No matter how beastly I behave, you always forgive me."
Chaplain Franklin saw they seemed to work through that issue and tackled another one, "Wash, how do you think the colony sees you?"
"They hate me and I don't blame them."
Nathaniel was shocked, and squeezed the hand he was still holding, "No, Wash, you have it wrong. The colony loves you."
She shook her head, "Not after I had to surrender and so many were killed. I saw it in their eyes when I surrendered. They blamed me for not executing a better campaign. I overheard many say they wished I had gone to the portal and you were in charge of the colony then things would have gone differently."
Nathaniel was hearing this for the first time, "Who?"
"It doesn't matter. They were right and I figured drinking at Boylan's was a better option than staying near them and listen to their acrimonious complaints." Wash looked at the floor as she spoke.
"I will interrogate every person in this colony if you don't give me names," Nathaniel felt anger rising, not at her, but those who hurt her.
"People have a right to express displeasure. When you do something they don't approve of, you don't demand names. The same goes for me."
"I don't isolate myself from them. You are, so it's more than a few misguided phrases. You don't want certain people at your wedding do you?" She was silent and he knew he was right. "You can tell me or I'll ask around until I get the answers," he kept her hand firmly in his grasp.
"I may be an officer and second in command, but I'm still a woman…"
"You never had to tell me you were a woman. Every time I or another man looked at you, I assure you, that's all we saw, a talented, sexy, beautiful woman who deserved to be second in command."
"The women saw a different version and over the years have been venomous in their alternate description of me."
"And you let these inferior women get to you?"
"I was in shock at what happened and they laid into me right off with all the waspishness only a woman can spew," she hated admitting that to him. All her life she never let a woman get to her and preferred the company of men mainly for that reason. She hated the games women played with each other. "And I'm serious; they won't come to my wedding. I can't stop them from being at the reception and can fake pleasantries, but our vows are for us, not them."
"If someone upsets you, I won't allow them to be near you on your wedding. Honey, I want this to be your special day."
"It has to be special for you also."
"You being my wife is the best thing I can think of," he wanted to take her in his arms, but the chairs prevented it. "If we have a closed wedding and reception with just a few select people, that you agree to, will you agree to a real wedding?"
"Do you want one?" she realized she was thinking of herself and not him and it was his wedding also.
"I want what you gave me in the back of that transport on a regular bases," he grinned and threw a wink at the chaplain who had the grace to smile and shake his head.
"I don't want you to think as little of me like those women do," she sobered.
"Not possible, I refuse to take half my brain out and throw it away," he smirked at her and heard the chaplain laugh.
"You know, part of me wants to flaunt what I'm getting in their faces. All of them want you and think we've been doing each other for years by the comments I've been subjected to."
"You're going to point each and every one out to me and I'll tell you exactly why I would never touch them with a ten foot pole."
"You really want their names?"
"Yes, I do," Nathaniel was emphatic.
"Just for counseling purposes, I need their names also," Franklin added.
Wash glared at him, "You just want to know because you're nosey."
"That too," Franklin grinned at her.
"If I think you need to know, I'll tell you, but for now, it's something we should discuss in private. Along with that, do we want to wait and have a real wedding?" Nathaniel spoke first to Franklin then finished by addressing Wash.
"You really want a wedding with guests?" She suddenly wanted to please him.
"Yes, and I think you'd miss not having one also."
"I guess we won't be getting married today, Chaplain Franklin. Thanks for talking to us," Alicia rose to leave and so did Nathaniel.
The chaplain also stood, "I have one other question. Tell me about the baby."
Alicia felt Nathaniel's arm circle her waist as she replied, "We spent the night together when we went OTG last week. I forgot to take my last vaccination and got pregnant. I didn't know until the baby was dead. Dr. Shannon told me and gave me a shot to clean the matter out fast."
"You wanted the baby?"
She nodded, "Even though it was only days old, I was ready to have her."
"Me too," Nathaniel offered his support for a pregnancy.
"Is that one of the reasons you wanted to rush a wedding?" Franklin threw the question out while looking at both of them.
"Maybe for her it was part of it, but I can't get our one night together out of my head. Only more nights like that will drive it from plaguing my every waking moment," Nathaniel sounded as sincere as he could.
"You're not twenty anymore, Nathaniel," Franklin grinned at him.
"Try telling that to certain parts of me. I need to get married and fast."
"What day were you planning on for a wedding?"
"Saturday," Alicia looked at Nathaniel, then back to the chaplain, "on the balcony in front of the entire colony with a party right after, but the plans are in the planning stage and may change, like getting married here with our soldiers and a few friends with a colony wide party later."
"You know I like the sound of that a lot better and would be happy to perform a wedding on Saturday."
They stepped out of the office and Reynolds and Dunham jumped to their feet. Without a word, the Commander with the Lieutenant on his arm left and they fell in step behind them back to the Command Center.
Nathaniel took the rings and put them back in the drawer while Alicia addressed the two patiently waiting men.
"Sorry about that. We had a meeting to go over wedding plans."
Reynolds grinned, "Congratulations, when?"
"Saturday," she switched to work, "Skye Tate is going to be assigned to map and gather supplies near the colony. She'll need soldiers to protect her. I'm assigning both of you to be her bodyguards for now. The hours will be during the day, as she'll have to be back inside the gate before dark. Also, she'll be doing training for mapping and surveying and will have someone with her as she learns. Whenever Travis Beckham goes OTG with her, you will be in attendance. She'll be learning this week so readjust yourself to working days," she addressed the last to Mark.
Nathaniel came over, "We don't know how long the enemy will be in the badlands. There's a chance they'll come back. Keep an eye open for any unusual movement in the trees. Skye's safety is your responsibility. I don't want her falling into enemy hands. After she shot Lucas, it won't go good for her." He paused and looked both men in the eye, "You're my soldiers and the next order will be followed blindly and is top secret. You'll never disclose it on threat of banishment." He saw he had their full attention, "If Skye falls into Lucas' hands or the Phoenix Regulars; kill her if you can't kill him or them. You heard what Lucas did to Wash. He'll hurt Skye worse, beyond what we may be able to put back together." He saw shock and repulsion flit across their faces and then both schooled their features into military hardness.
Mark hesitated then responded, "Yes, Sir."
Dunham followed suit.
"I trust that will light a fire under you two to be extra vigilant. If you are overrun by the Sixers, play it by ear. Mira hasn't hurt her yet, but don't let her get taken back to the Phoenix or Lucas." Nathaniel had been speaking very quietly so not to alert anyone who might be on the balcony. He no sooner finished when Jim walked in. "Take the day off and report for day duty tomorrow, dismissed."
Jim watched the two young soldiers walk out and they both looked slightly sick. He wondered what Taylor said to them. Whatever it was, he knew they were loyal to the Commander.
"Wash, I'm starving. Are you hungry yet?" Nathaniel winked at Jim.
"I suppose," she stood and let him take her hand.
"Good," he addressed Jim, "We'll be in the market having brunch."
They got plates of scrambled gallosaur eggs and slices of cured dinosaur making it taste like ham. "That's one," Alicia saw Dinah Powers eyeing the Commander.
Nathaniel looked up and observed several people looking in their direction, "Which one?"
Alicia spoke around a bite, "Dinah, she's the worst of the lot. Haven't you noticed the way her grating voice says your name. She does that on purpose trying to catch your eye."
Nathaniel let his eyes flow over the ample endowed blond and she smiled at him. He looked quickly back to Wash, "She's revolting. I don't like died blonds almost spilling double D's out of their tops."
"She has told me from the day she arrived on the seventh you wouldn't withstand her charms."
"I remember her inviting me to supper several times," he smiled at Alicia. "I finally told her I didn't eat with civilians."
"I saw you talking to her several times and admit I was jealous," Alicia was worried he'd find the charms of a local woman irresistible. "I don't want her or her kind at my wedding."
"I have a confession," Nathaniel took her hand, "I hope Guzman doesn't get back before Saturday."
Alicia grinned back, "You see him as a threat?"
"I knew he'd had a thing for you for years. For him to come out publically and admit it….well, you don't like him, even slightly?"
Alicia set her fork down and took his free hand in her right, "I don't even remember falling in love with you, it's been so many years."
"Before Ayani died?" he always wondered if she wasn't infatuated with him while he was married.
She paused thinking back, "I think the feelings were different, a type of love, but you were off limits so I didn't look to you for a relationship, but loved you for the man you were."
He nodded, "I know what you mean. We were here a couple years and I went to an outpost looking for you and found you in the lake bathing. I turned my back, but not before getting a look from a distance at your body. I didn't see anything except a reminder that you were a beautiful woman. After that, I thought of you differently and started thinking what if, but something always got in the way."
"I can't pinpoint an exact time when I wished for more between us, but it was back when you would come visit me. I had a couple fantasies where you did more than play the caring Commander."
He grinned, "I want to act out your fantasies….all of them. You know, Wash, we've known each other for years and still have so much to learn about each other. I want us married so we can explore the sensual side of our love."
"That night in the transport was good. I've added it to my fantasies," they laughed together.
"Me too," he whispered and they leaned in for a kiss.
Across the market, Dinah watched them talk, laugh and finally kiss. She remembered the Lieutenant surrendering and the colonist gathering and she told them to hand all weapons over and do what the Phoenix told them. She walked right up to the Lieutenant and told her what she thought of her.
'Well, miss high and mighty; you don't look so in charge now. I'm sure if you weren't screwing the Commander, he'd see through your lack of experience in leading a battle. Look how many people are dead because of you. You couldn't hold them off for half an hour until the real leader returned. He didn't trust you at the portal and had to take care of getting the next pilgrimage here himself. I hope Commander Taylor replaces you when he returns and runs this riffraff off. I can tell just by looking at you how you got your commission, on your knees."
Dinah remembered taking a step back at the look on the Lieutenant's face. She had just surrendered the colony and her mindset probably wasn't the best. She was sure the Lieutenant would have decked her if Thomas Boylan hadn't grabbed the Lieutenant's arm that was drawing back. He told her to come and get a drink and get out of sight and they walked off together.
Alicia went back to the Command Center with Nathaniel after they ate. She looked at the lists that were forming on her plexpad, but her mind kept returning to the wedding and plans that had to be made. She started making a guest list and after seeing Dinah Powers decided the reception would be private also. She didn't want one single woman invited who saw her as an obstacle for their pursuit of the Commander.
"Terra Nova to Washington…," pierced her thoughts and she looked across the room to Jim and Nathaniel and both were laughing at her. "I've been calling you. Where did you go?" Nathaniel asked.
"I was busy working….on our wedding that is," she stood and took the plexpad to him. "Who did I forget to invite?"
He looked at the list, "Dinah Powers," he laughed when she slapped his arm.
"What am I missing?" Jim saw they were joking about the seamstress.
"Several women took exception to my surrendering the colony and were vocal in their displeasure. Dinah led the pack of pit vipers striking at me."
"You didn't put that in any reports. I didn't know any colonist were unhappy with your performance," Jim responded and Nathaniel nodded.
"That's right, Wash. I want a full report on who the women or men were and what they said. It could be important for future combat actions. We…and you in particular don't need to be harassed from within. We have all the enemy we can handle out there and that's a direct order, Lieutenant," Nathaniel wanted to know what type of verbal persecution she endured for the colony. He felt a pang of shame that he added to her burden.
"You didn't draw me back to this room to ask what I was doing?"
"No, Shannon got an ID on the ship's prow."