"I think we have everything," Elizabeth addressed Maddy. Breakfast was a family affair for once on the morning of Maddy's seventeenth birthday.
"Let me get this straight," Jim was having trouble with another child growing up too soon, especially his eldest daughter. He handled Josh becoming a young man so much better. "You're having a party at Boylan's with a few friends your age?"
Maddy exchanged a glance with her mother before tackling her father's concerns, "Yes, Dad, I'm having dinner at Boylan's with a few friends that Mark and I have made. You know couples our age."
"It's your birthday. I think a cake and nice supper with the family is in order," Jim looked at his wife for support.
"We are having a gathering with the family before her date and that's why I said we have everything," Elizabeth came to the rescue. "We'll have cake and presents. Then Maddy will be escorted to Boylan's by Mark for a party more fitting for a seventeen year old."
"We get to eat cake before supper," Zoe added the part she was most excited about.
"And if you're good and help me clean up, I might let you have a second slice after supper," her mother smiled at her.
"I will," the six year old promised.
"I'll be out patrolling tonight," her father warned.
"Stop by and say hi," Maddy smiled at him.
"I will," he promised. "You working tonight, Josh?"
"Yeah, I wasn't, but volunteered to wait on Maddy's party."
"How's your building apprenticeship going?" Jim wanted to change the subject before he put a foot in his mouth.
"I like it. There are lots of small repairs from damage caused by the bombing and Phoenix tearing homes up. I'm on the crew that does detailing and small repairs, and speaking of which," Josh stood and finished his drink, "I don't want to be late. Carver is unforgiving and the last person to arrive gets the worse jobs all day."
"Be back in time for Maddy's home party," his mother ordered.
"I'll ask to leave early, but if I'm late, I'll be working until the end of the day and will have to go straight to Boylan's," he rushed out the door.
"At least he's taking work seriously," Elizabeth stated to nobody in particular.
"I can't believe he's going to be nineteen in three months," Jim bemoaned losing two years in Golad.
Jim entered the Command Center to find the Commander hard at work and Wash missing. "Where's Wash?" he spoke in way of greeting while heading to the coffee pot.
"Not sure," Nathaniel mumbled and didn't look up, causing Jim to give him a sharp look. Usually the Commander knew exactly where his bride was.
Nathaniel didn't want to admit he wore her out and couldn't get her out of bed this morning. He forced himself from the warm covers and silky body pressed against his side when his alarm went off early. It was all he could do not to let a satisfied smile slip across his face. He wouldn't give Shannon the gratification of guessing their activities of the previous night that involved massage oil that had aphrodisiac herbs added. It was a hot seller in the market.
Jim went to his assigned area and picked up a plexpad. He noted four groups were OTG and saw to his surprise that Tasha and Skye were among them without assigned security. "Why are the girls without guards today?"
"They're on a scouting mission for me," Nathaniel didn't elaborate and Jim dropped it, although he disapproved.
A couple hours later, Alicia wandered in wearing tight jeans and her heeled boots. Her top was a turtleneck. Nathaniel took one look and grinned. So, she couldn't remove the marks he left on her neck and much of her breast area, not to mention several lower down. They did get carried away and he hoped she wasn't too sore.
"I was about ready to send a search party out for you," Jim joked.
Alicia shrugged and smiled at him, "I wasn't aware I had to answer to you."
"I was worried you ran away with the girls and left me to babysit the Commander all day."
"No, that's this afternoon," she got a whiff of old coffee and almost puked. "I don't know how you guys can drink this old crap." She decided to forgo coffee with its pungent aroma. "Did you eat?" she addressed her husband, who finally pulled his attention away from paperwork.
"I was tossed a piece of fruit in the market."
"That's not food and I'm starving. Come and eat with me."
He stood and stretched, "I need to work the units in hand to hand today. Don't want them getting sloppy. Want to work out with me before you leave?"
She started to retort that they worked out for half the night and caught herself with just a slight flush to her cheeks and hoped Shannon wasn't paying attention. "Uhh, no I am tired."
"Maybe you shouldn't go OTG then," he stalked up to her noticing she did looked peaked.
"I'll be sitting and you know as well as I what the girls are up to. I want to make sure they are okay."
Jim perked up at that statement, "What are the girls up to?"
"Oh, probably checking the still that we're not supposed to know the location of because it's in the heart of slasher territory," Alicia filled him in. "Then they'll probably go to the falls and play around and tell us they haven't been any place near the area. Then finally rush off to do some work in the vicinity where I'll find them; where they'll pretend they were all day."
"You know all this and let them go anyway?" Jim was shocked.
"They have to blow off steam, they're teenagers," Alicia stood up for the kids.
"That explains why my daughter who is seventeen today would rather have a party with her friends than a family event," he grumbled.
"She's to an age where being seen with parents can be embarrassing," Alicia teased.
"I think you two are way too lenient on the kids in the colony," Jim didn't want his children thinking they could get away with what Skye and Tasha were doing today. "Are you going to punish the girls if you find out they've lied to you?" he challenged Alicia.
"Life eventually will punish them, you know that," she took her quiet husband's arm. "You haven't joined in our conversation."
He smiled down at her, "Just enjoying Jim here feeling old."
"That's an understatement. Need me to do anything today?" Jim was done sitting on his rear doing reports that Guzman didn't want to.
"You can double check a list of houses that claim repairs haven't been made and then check with Carver as to where they are on the schedule."
"I'll do that and have a report for you this afternoon by three. I'm needed at home this afternoon for Maddy's birthday, what little I get to be involved in."
With a nod, Taylor escorted his wife to the market for brunch.
Alicia looked over the food, hungry, but nothing looked good. She saw Nathaniel buy a slab of gallosaur with a side order of fresh greens.
"Get something," Nathaniel found an empty table and looked at the sky. It wasn't raining, but still overcast.
She chose a large melon with fiber that was noted for being filling and added salt.
"I didn't hurt you did I?" he spoke around a bite of meat.
"No, but I think cuddling is in order for our main activity tonight."
"After I let the boys whip up on me, I'll agree," he speared a forkful of greens.
Skye maneuvered up the gully with Tasha in tow. Tasha was sightseeing, looking at the beautiful emerald green hill covered with grass. They could see to the top of the ridge, but if a slasher would to appear they would be dependent upon Skye's prowess with her pistol. Skye was rushing to finish for the meteorologist and Commander after frittering away the morning at the still and swimming in the cold water of the deep pool under the cascading water.
"It's nice to not have my babysitters," Skye stopped to look around. She was recording a vein of copper ore onto a plexpad from a handheld instrument whose name she couldn't remember without prompting, but was widely used in the future to find the last remnants of minerals left on the planet. "It's not like Mark and I ever hit it off. He's always been such a gung-ho soldier, he just can't let his hair down. We both came on the fifth and he didn't want to be friends even then. He was an orphan that the Commander took under his wing until old enough to enlist."
"Dad likes him. Says he's easy to train and follows orders like a soldier should."
"I would call that brown nosing," Skye moved further up the hill.
"You ever have the troopers look at you?" Tasha was curious, as Skye never mentioned it. The young soldiers stayed away from her because of her father she was certain.
Skye let out a snort followed with a laugh, "With the Commander filling in for my father. I could give them orders and they'd follow it for fear of facing him. No, I can't even get Flesh to do more than smile and get away from me as fast as possible. I guess that's why I don't pay them much mind. I would hate to be married to a career soldier. When I find someone, I want them home at night."
"I know what you mean. I'm sure Max and me will get together as soon as my Dad gives him the okay to date me."
"Your Dad's not always around," Skye teased.
"You know Dad. He pops up when least expected and when I was recovering, he was their all the time. Hunter and Max were nervous not knowing when he'd stop by."
"You and Max do it yet?" Skye caught Tasha blushing and shouted. "You have. I want details."
"I was during the occupation. Max and me figured we might all be killed and didn't want to go out without knowing what it was like." Tasha paused, "Did Lucas do anything to you?"
Skye shivered, "No, and I don't know why. I think he was more into twisted mind games than violation; he thrives on threats and inflicting pain. I watched him stab his own father and then had to shoot him twice to get him to stop. We were sure he was dead and I could see the shock in the Commander's eyes when he saw Lucas was gone. I got lucky with only a knock to the head and I got the impression Lucas would rather beat me than anything else."
"What about Josh? You're interested in him." Before Skye could answer, a family of Apatosaurus' walked along the ridge and they stopped to watch.
"Yeah," Skye spoke softly, "I don't think I measure up to that family so better forget Josh. Besides, after asking him to lie hasn't endeared his family to me. The Commander warned me off him with the story that he lost his girlfriend and was in mourning."
"There's always Hunter," Tasha followed Skye as she started working down the other side of the gully, pointing an instrument at the ground where it recorded sub terrain.
"Hunter is a brother and nothing more. Too bad Carter is a Sixer. He's cute."
Tasha laughed, "Never count him out. I don't think Mira's stupid enough to stay with Lucas if they are on a wild goose chase. She'll be back looking for some sort of amnesty."
"Would serve Josh right if I found someone else, even if it's to make him jealous like he did me, by trying to bring his girlfriend here. You know, that tells me he was never interested in me at all."
"He was, Skye, but has his father's honor and couldn't forget the girl back home. He likes to hang out with us and you are way too friendly. You need to play harder to catch."
"Why do you think I pressed to come out here today?" Skye stopped and looked at Tasha.
"I thought we were taking advantage of the nice weather. Usually it's colder this time of year. I like this warm spell that blew in."
Skye shook her head, "It's Maddy Shannon's birthday. There was a party being put together and Mark came up to Becky Schroder and myself in the market and asked if Becky and Dunham were coming to the gathering he was organizing. He didn't even acknowledge I was standing there, looked right by me. I hate him being the one to help and guard me and I'm sure he hates it also, but with his stupid rules of honor would never say so. I heard from Becky that Maddy wanted to invite me, but Mark told her no I wasn't part of their circle."
"So we're starting to split into clicks of them and us. I didn't think the colony was that big yet," Tasha was afraid the prejudices bases on race would be soon to follow, but was sure the Commander wouldn't tolerate such behavior if he knew, but it sounded like Mark and his friends could lean that way.
"I'm going to ask the Commander for other people to guard me. I'm going to have to make him listen to me. What did you think of his cozy relationship to the Lieutenant last night?" Skye changed the subject.
"I've seen them kiss in the market or in front of the Command Center, but to see them snuggled together on the couch was romantic. They must love each other a lot," was Tasha's take. "I hope Max and I will be able to do that someday without hiding."
"The Commander never left her side during the wedding. He kept a hand on her at all times, mostly where most of the men wanted to touch, her bare shoulders. I heard more than one man call him a lucky bastard for scoring her," Skye recounted what she heard.
"I saw the vids of the wedding as it was being recorded. Everyone who didn't get an invite was home watching on the plexpads. It was nice of the Commander to make sure the food served was also provided at the market the next day. It was good."
"I got in twice, at the wedding and then again at the market," Skye started walking down the gentle slope again.
"I wonder if it were Josh's birthday if we would be invited," Tasha mused aloud.
"We would. Josh and his sister have a different set of friends. I don't even know if Josh got invited, but was probably working at Boylan's to help him out," Skye turned her instrument off. "We're done and still have time to kill. I don't plan on going back until we absolutely have to."
"Sounds good to me. What do you want to do?"
"Want me to show you where Lucas lived?"
They popped out of the small patch of dense thicket into six rifles pointed at them. Tasha gave out a small cry while Skye raised her hands and stood perfectly still.
A smiling Andrew Fickett stepped through the men holding weapons, "Ladies, what a pleasant surprise." His eyes dropped to the items in Skye's hands that were suspended in the air. He took the plexpad and turned it on. "Looks like a nice vein of copper and do I see some mercury in this reading." He kept the pad and geometer and looked back to the girls. "Dangerous to be out here alone."
"We're not alone, just parted from our group. They'll be along," Skye spoke to Fickett, while trying to ignore the Phoenix soldiers. "They went up ahead and will be back anytime."
Fickett smiled with Ken Horton's face, "There are no tracks beyond where you stopped in the dirt and only one set behind you. No, I think you are quite alone. Now the question is; what are we to do with you, hmmm, any suggestions?"
"You could let us go," Skye tried her best smile, while Tasha quaked beside her.
The soldiers finally lowered their rifles and Tasha didn't like the way they leered at them. She took a step back leaving Skye front and center. She remembered her father telling her about the one time he was captured and surrounded by the enemy. She now had a perfect sense of how he felt…. totally helpless. He didn't think he would get out alive and now she had doubts these men would let them live.
"Why don't you let us have some fun, Fickett," a burly soldier left no doubt as to what he had in mind by his tone.
Fickett smiled when he witnessed fear cross the faces of the women. He turned to the men, "Have your way with them. That'll teach Taylor to kick me out of his precious colony," he took his confiscated treasures to his vehicle where he heard the scuffle behind him.
A rifle butt slammed against Skye's head. The sharp pain dropped her to her knees and she felt hands tearing at her clothes. She tried to fight and heard screaming coming from Tasha and the sounds of fists hitting flesh and then Tasha's screams went quiet. Another fist plummeted into her face, splitting a lip and it descended again until she was moaning in pain and disorientation. She felt her legs parting then a sharp piercing that made her scream from the bottom of her diaphragm. She lost track of the time and the pain and violation. Finally, mercifully she passed out.
Alicia went home, put her armor and pistol on. Going back to the office, she took a rifle from the rack and checked her rover over once more, then went to where her husband was fighting with the more experienced soldiers. Standing quietly to the side, she admired his muscular physique as he sparred. He had stripped to his waist and Guzman was his opponent. She smiled as two of the best fighters clashed. All the soldiers had gathered to witness and learn. Guz was also stripped down and sported a fine build to be proud of. Several colonists also joined the throng and watched silently as the two bruits wearing fatigue pants, bare chests and fingerless gloves threw a series of fast punches. Nathaniel went for a rib punch and Guzman spun and threw a leg in a sweep taking the Commander to the ground. Nathaniel rolled and came up in a single motion and threw himself headfirst into Guz's midsection taking them both to the ground where they wrestled until Nathaniel got him pinned. Guzman finally slapped and was let up.
"Hold on," Nathaniel raised his hand. He hurried to his wife and saw her smirk.
"Walk me to my rover," without waiting to see if he was following, she hurried away from the crowd that parted for them. She noticed many of the women had eyes only for his sweat slickened bare chest.
He opened her door and stopped her for a kiss first.
"Careful going back through the so called ladies of the colony, they might molest you," Alicia ran her fingers down his sternum making him shiver and grab her waist.
"You keep that up and tonight will be a repeat," he kissed her roughly and let her get in.
Alicia knew something was amiss by the way a door to the rover ajar and items strewn in the road. She stopped and got out, rifle in the ready position. Looking around, she noticed a set of vehicle tracks that turned around behind the rover and took off in the direction it came. Working to the wooded edge of the rover, she saw the nude body of Tasha lying on her back, legs still parted.
"Fuck," Alicia audibled and took another look into the brush, both for men and beasts. Looking back at the crime scene, she noticed Skye lying in the identical position ten feet from Tasha. Both were either dead or unconscious, Alicia prayed for the latter. Carefully she knelt beside Tasha and searched for a carotid. To her relief a steady beat pushed back against her fingertips. She quickly moved to Skye and repeated the motion. Another heartbeat pounded, but both girls were severely beaten, especially around the head and face.
She hurried to her rover and pulled out the medical bag she never left home without. While the girls were unconscious, she pulled two swabs and took a sample from each vagina and sealed them individually in cases for the lab. It was going to be dark soon and she had to get the girls to the safety of her rover before the slashers came hunting or the attackers returned. She couldn't return to the colony with the girl's nude and looked for their clothes, but first checked Tasha's pupils.
"Good, equal," she wasn't aware she'd spoken aloud. Skye's were equal and responsive also so she dropped her worry of cranial swelling to nominal. "Skye, Skye," she gently shook the girl's shoulder.
"Mmmm," Skye tried to open her eyes. Only one let light in and she thought she saw the concerned face of Lieutenant Washington over her. 'I don't remember drinking that much at the still,' was her first thought.
"I need you to wake up. We have to hurry."
No mistaking the voice, it was Washington and she was probably in so much trouble again. "I'm awake. What happened?" Maybe playing dumb would help with whatever trouble she was in this time. She had a funny taste in her mouth, metallic. How did the still produce metallic booze? Then her ordeal rushed back and she gasped. "Tasha."
"Tasha is still unconscious. Do you remember what happened?"
"Phoenix, Phoenix and Fickett," she felt so awful and violated. Sitting up with Washington's help, she saw she was naked. "My clothes."
"I have them. Here let me help," she put the pull on top over Skye's head and like dressing a small child placed her arms in the sleeves. "Can you stand?"
"I think so," she let the Lieutenant help her up and she doubled over in pain, "I got raped."
"I know. I've already taken samples so you don't have to go through that again, but the doctor is going to want to examine you."
Skye lifted one foot then another as her savior pulled her short blue shorts up. With Washington's help, she was led to the passenger side of the rover.
"I need you in back since you can move."
Alicia rushed back to Tasha and tried to wake her. She noticed both eyes were swollen almost shut and she had a goose egg sized lump over her temple whereas Skye had one on the side of her head. Tasha came awake screaming and wouldn't be comforted or settle down. Alicia had no choice except to sedate her until she was reduced to crying and quivering.
"Tasha I need to get you dressed and we have to leave...NOW," she said the last word with as much authority as she could. Tasha stood and let herself be dressed and leaned heavily on the Lieutenant as she was helped to the rover. Alicia grabbed her pack and pulled two pain injections from a compartment in the bag and swiftly jabbed the needles into each girl's thigh. She shut the abandoned rover up and checked the batteries. They were still in place so she removed them. Leaving the debris scattered where she found it, she spun her vehicle around and made a mad dash for home.
"Lieutenant."
"Yes, Skye."
"Is there anyway the colony doesn't have to know about this. It's hard enough for me without anyone knowing I was violated. After what I did, some people will say I got what I deserved."
"Nobody deserves to be raped, but I understand," Alicia had a brief flash of Dinah Powers and her friends gossiping and remembered her own ordeal at the hands of Mira and she would have given anything not to have been paraded in front of the colony all trussed up on that pole.
"I agree with Skye," Tasha settled down enough to follow their conversation. "I don't even want my dad to hear about this."
"Your dad will know something happened when he looks at you."
Tasha reached up and felt her face, "Oh... I guess you're right, but he'll hate me for letting it happen."
"I got news for you. Your father knows we're at war and you just became a victim of that war. Your father has seen too many women after they've been violated. He'll kick himself for not being there for you, but blame you, never. He loves you beyond anyone in the colony."
"I would rather go home, to Mom's. She'll understand," Skye was glad for the first time her father was dead and wouldn't be subjected facing her him, and felt for Tasha. She felt another woman would understand better.
"I'll talk to the Commander, but he has the final say. You both need medical attention and to be seen by a doctor."
"You were the first medic at Terra Nova," Skye objected. "There's nothing wrong with us that you can't diagnose and fix."
"Your faith in me is overrated," Alicia muttered more to herself than them.
"I'm serious that nobody finds out. I couldn't live with the whispers and finger pointing. It's bad enough right now," Skye was on the verge of hysterics, something she'd not experienced since making a deal with Mira to save her mother.
Alicia, to the girl's surprised stopped at the falls where the pool was swirling with constant incoming of water from above.
"There's just enough light for me to check you both over and for you to bathe. She could smell the semen and it was making her sick for the girl's sake and she knew if she'd been the one violated she'd want to wash and be emerged in water.
They both expressed their thanks and let her help them to the water where they stripped and plunged into the cold depths. The Lieutenant was glad she forgot to take the towels from the vehicle when she and Nathaniel splashed in this very pool the night he proposed. She took her turtleneck off removed the sleeves with her boot knife, and handed a sleeve to each girl to use as a washcloth before redressing in the modified top. Tasha pulled her pants into the water to wash them out and Skye followed with her shorts. The girls dried off as dark settled in, shielding them from the harsh reality of how bad they looked to observers. Skye was glad it would be dark and most people off the streets when she was escorted home. Dressed in their tops and towels hung like sarongs in place of pants and shorts, they were ready to press on.
No sooner than Alicia got moving again, her radio sounded, "Taylor to Washington." He still used her maiden name for work, a twenty year habit he was loath to break, but affectionately called her Mrs. Taylor away from work.
"Go ahead, Commander," she was all business.
"Have you found the girls?" he tried to keep his tone light, but she could hear the undertones of worry.
"I have," she paused considering what to say over the open channel that she knew was monitored by several stations. "We'll be back soon. They had some vehicle problems so are with me. I'm taking them straight to Debora Tate's. Meet me there and I'll fill you in." Another pause, "Have Guz come also to hear their adventures," she tried to make it sound as light as him and he caught the tension in her tone as well.
"We'll be waiting, Taylor out."