Nathaniel sat in a meeting of the joint chiefs in Washington D.C. When the opportunity presented, he asked, "What would we have to trade from our time to yours for six three dimensional copiers?"
He went on a speaking tour around the United States with Elliot and they stopped at the manufacturing plant in New Texas where he was impressed at what those copiers could make. If he were in his own world, he would have looked Leah and Sam's grandmother up and told her about the grandchildren and how well they were doing. He saw the men and women around the table look at each other and had a sneaking suspicion they wanted something he didn't want to part with.
Elliot spoke for the group and Nathaniel's suspicions were confirmed that his so-called friend was informing them of everything discussed between them. "Nathaniel, we need the technology to make the portal go both ways."
Nathaniel feared that was the answer. He smiled to cover his trepidation, "It was hijacked by very powerful men who had the army under their control. Are you sure you're ready for the consequences if the same happens here?"
"As you yourself pointed out, Commander," another General spoke up, "what happened to your past might not be our future. We don't know that taking resources from the past to revive our world might not be a better answer. Maybe Philbrick has an idea to try and save more lives here than a select few you seem to think he is after. I've never know our General Philbrick to condone genocide of the masses."
Nathaniel kept silent at that reply, but thought to himself, 'I wonder how many in this room back the plundering of the past and I have the answer they need.'
The same high level General continued, "Also, if our past is inhospitable as General Philbrick claims, we'd like to send handpicked colonist back with you to live in your colony, so if our world ends a token representative would continue. Most of us have children and grandchildren who we'd like to see in a better place."
Irked, Nathaniel struggled to hold his tongue. 'First, this man wants to plunder his past to save humanity and on the other hand he wants to cover all personal bases at the expense of my world.' "I don't think it's a good idea to mix peoples. We don't know how that will change my time."
"We are using considerable resources to get you home, Commander, and you're asking for very expensive equipment. I think allowing a few families to make an exodus to your home isn't asking too much, along with the technology to retrieve our stranded people in our time."
Nathaniel heard blackmail loud and clear, "When we populated Terra Nova, we recruited skilled people and the lay people were the family members. I had total control and final say on every person who came through the portal."
"So how did the Sixers get past you?" Elliot asked.
"Mira was filling the slot of permanent outpost personnel and I allowed her to bring a large contingency of her people. A mistake I'll not repeat."
"Dr. Wallace says he has communication firmly established and all we're waiting on at this point is your side to repair the portal. He sent a probe to your time and the signature came back as your world. He was working on theory until yesterday." Again, another General filled him in on this fact. He schooled his features to not show surprise. Malcolm promised to tell him directly when he was finished with that phase. He glanced at Elliot, who found his hands interesting all of the sudden.
"Did you get a coordinate on the probe?" Nathaniel wanted to know how close to the colony it landed. Someone looked at their plexpad and rattled off the bearings. Nathaniel never gave these people the coordinates to Terra Nova and was glad they never asked so slightly fibbed, "Thousands of klicks from my portal. We found when a location was established, the openings would appear within ten klicks from that location." That was true of his fracture, but others might throw a wider dispersing pattern.
"Do we have an agreement, Commander?" The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs asked him directly.
Nathaniel knew he'd have to give up something big for what he wanted, "I'll have my Dr. Wallace or my son if he's still alive send the information."
"Why would your son might not be alive?" Elliot hadn't heard that speculation before. Nathaniel, in fact never mentioned his son.
"He was with the army and the battle was fierce with lots of casualties. I didn't get more than a glimpse of him before I entered the fissure." He looked around the table wondering how many people at this table worked with his enemies in his time. "I can't agree to people coming to my colony permanently and plan on severing ties with your time." He hoped that didn't kill the deal. "If we establish a two way portal, I'll let a few people that don't have duplicates in my world visit for a short time." He felt that was a good compromise.
"Very well, Commander. We'll get back to you with our decision," the Chairman signaled the meeting was over.
It was more than a week before he and Elliot got back to Chicago. The speaking tour ended in New York where the population had swelled to 36 million. He talked to Ayani a few times, stating a grueling schedule for the reason he didn't call more often. He was more than willing for the trip when Elliot entered his apartment the morning after he forgot himself with Ayani. Now they were back and he wanted to do more research and not be distracted, even by her.
He had an idea after Elliot dropped him off and called him, "Elliot, If I establish contact with my time and they send the information to make the portal go both ways, have Malcolm reconfigure it to your past and send someone to verify what Philbrick is saying."
There was a pause before Elliot spoke, "We'll do just that. Now you've had a busy day and it's late. Get some sleep and we'll talk about it in the morning."
Nathaniel got the impression they had thought of that already. It was late, but he traveled across the base to visit Mira in her holding cell.
"Taylor," she greeted when the door opened and he entered her private cell.
Figuring the place bugged, he and made a general signal she would interpret. Mira was lounging on her bed with a plexpad. "How they treating you?" he greeted back, speaking for the first time.
"I'm still in solitary. What did you tell them about me?" She looked at him with her customary blank expression.
"That you're extremely dangerous and might escape."
"You know better than that. This world has nothing I want. The jungles of the past are much better than this place. Any progress?"
Nathaniel pulled the chair out from the small table and straddled it backwards, "Malcolm has established a link to our time. Now it's up to our Malcolm."
"So we're close to leaving?" a hint of desperation crept into her tone that he didn't miss.
"Mira, we called a truce and worked together once before. You know as well as me that my side won the battle and your people are either in my jail or dead. Our Hope Plaza is gone and so are any chances of finding your daughter. I want you to come back into the colony as a member."
"You mean you're not going to punish me? Come on, Taylor, everyone knows what you did to Washington for nothing."
Nathaniel thought, 'How did she know about that?' Then he remembered, "You mean when I had her build the outposts?"
"Oh God. What did you do to her after we left? Wasn't it bad enough that Lucas shot her."
Nathaniel looked around and made a slashing motion with his hand and she said no more. "I pulled almost the same thing, except this time she quit."
Mira smiled for the first time since she ended up in this world, "Your lapdog? I didn't think she had it in her. What did you do then?" she sounded interested and he figured solitary was getting to her.
He smiled, "We got married."
She shook her head in disgust, "And to think I actually had a small measure of respect for her. You know she took our beating without one word."
"Thank you for reminding me. I take back the invitation to the colony."
Mira remained quiet.
"Maybe I'll just have the survivors executed. That'll take care of my problem."
"Even…." She didn't say the name, but they both knew whom she was referring to.
"If I have to. You might think about what you have to offer me to change my mind while you're sitting here waiting for me to get us home."
"You don't really think the colony would forgive us and accept us back do you?"
"You think you can survive indefinitely in the jungle?" he countered.
"It was never meant to be long term, but a few of us proved it can be done."
Nathaniel nodded, "I'll admit, you did a good job."
"I never planned on it being forever," as close as Mira could come to asking for help and Nathaniel took it as her asking him for a second chance.
"We'll see what the situation is when we get back," he stood. "Need anything?"
She shook her head and he left.
It was almost midnight when he got back to his apartment. Not for the first time he regretted dropping his tags. His nightly ritual for months was to key Wash's picture up and stare at her. She had him take a semi-nude shot and he never tired of looking at it and planning his next assault. With a sigh, he undressed and crawled into his bed alone. As he drifted off his thoughts turned to what Ayani offered.
After pulling Ayani close and deepening the kiss, he remembered he was not free to act in such a manner even with the woman his doppelganger was married to. He broke off, "Ayani, I'm sorry, but we can't do this."
"You and your sense of honor. I loved you for it when we were married. I never had to worry when you were gone for months that you found comfort with the female soldiers. But now it sucks, Nathaniel. My heart says you're back and the cruel joke is I can't touch you," her hands stroked over his chest and he had to admit the touch of a woman after so long was delightful and he thought about taking her up on her offer.
"Twelve years is a long time. I've moved on and you should also. Find a man and marry. I would hate to think my Ayani living the life of a nun."
"She is me, so I'm sure after twelve years, she'd still be mourning you," Ayani pressed against him and he caught his breath.
Putting his hands on the sides of her waist he pushed her away gently, "Ayani, if I never return home, I will take you up on your offer. For now, I better not come for supper any more, too dangerous."
"No, Nathaniel. I'll behave, I promise. Even having you here as a friend is better than knowing you're nearby and not seeing you," she stepped back so he could leave.
Even though the incident happened over a week prior, he was still remorseful. "Sorry for my slip, Wash," he mumbled more asleep than awake and drifted off.
The following night, Elliot invited Nathaniel and Ayani to supper at an expensive restaurant in the dome where they regaled her with stories of the previous week. Elliot covertly watched them; looking for proof, they were back together. He knew Nathaniel had a new wife in the past, but this was his wife for almost twenty years and he remembered them being very much in love all those years. He was hoping Ayani would see him as more than a friend and pushed the joint chiefs to allow Hope Plaza to continue indefinitely until Nathaniel was returned to his time and out of the picture once again. He reminded the joint chiefs that they didn't know how Nathaniel's presence was altering their future.
Nathaniel sat across from Ayani and she seemed fine with it. It was the first time they were together since the kiss. "I visited Mira last night," he announced hoping to confirm that his and Mira's conversation was monitored and had gotten back to Elliot. He still didn't fully trust him. After Philbrick betrayed him, he stopped communicating with the Elliot in his era.
"You were spotted walking across the base and it was reported to me," Elliot acknowledged that much.
Nathaniel hoped he wouldn't spill the part about Lucas and was sure he knew a lot more than stated. "Malcolm wants to start transmitting tomorrow to try and pick up a signal." Nathaniel went to Hope Plaza alone after Malcolm called him. Elliot said he had to be in meetings all day and feel free to visit Malcolm anytime. Nathaniel helped with the configuration of the portal until Elliot collected him for supper and Ayani was with him. He wasn't sure how he might be received when he rushed off at their last meeting. She smiled as he got in the vehicle's front while she sat in the back.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
"It means, if the Malcolm of my time gets back to the colony and repairs the portal in hopes I am doing exactly what I did today, we'll be able to communicate and work on getting me home to my time."
"I don't think the brass is going to let you go until you part with the technology to make the portal go both ways," Elliot reminded him of the meeting a few days earlier in D.C..
"So I'm a hostage until I agree."
"To be blunt, yes. We're a desperate people and you are holding the keys of hope."
"I don't want your citizens in my past. I realized when you found out that Lucas made the portal go both ways and you didn't have that technology that I probably would be held until I convinced my own people to surrender it. Keep in mind they may be willing to let me die here rather than risk our world again. We've already lost too many of our citizens and soldiers, what's one or two more to ensure their safety."
"I doubt your wife will sacrifice you, Nathaniel," Elliot glanced at Ayani for her reaction.
"You're probably right, but she isn't the only voice," Nathaniel responded.
"When do you think, knowing your people, you'll hear from them?" Ayani's good mood at seeing him diminished with his news.
Nathaniel thought, "Any day. They most likely took their time getting home with the wounded slowing them up and I expect they'll survey a relay route from the place I vanished…."
"You know your people real well," Elliot commented.
"That I do, I trained them myself."
"Was Washington with you?" Ayani asked. She couldn't bring herself to address his other wife by her first name.
"No, I kept her in charge of the colony. She may not even know I'm missing yet."
Elliot pulled his miniplex from his pocket and turned on a picture and handed it to Nathaniel, "I did a face age progression for your wife. Is this what she looks like now?" He purposely used the term 'wife' to subtly inform Ayani that Nathaniel was off the market.
Nathaniel eagerly looked at her face and was surprised, "Almost exactly. This is a good imitation," he handed it to Ayani who was curious.
She remembered a younger version, but this was a more mature woman. She had to admit the woman was beautiful and made her feel dowdy and old. Handing the mini back to Elliot, she looked at Nathaniel, "She's very beautiful."
"She is," was all he said. He still felt funny with this type of conversation.
The next night Nathaniel was again at Ayani's.
"I missed you, Nathaniel, and three calls in seven days is hardly being a friend," she chided him as she served a casserole she knew he liked.
He was afraid the conversation would turn personal again and he wasn't sure how strong he really was. She was a beautiful, desirable woman even in her late forties and she'd kept herself up. "I'll be around for a while yet. Even if we make contact, tests will have to be performed before we attempt a person through the portal."
"I want you to take me with you."
Her request stunned him, "Ayani, you're not my wife, it wouldn't work out. The colony would produce more gossips and we have enough of those already without fueling the fire. Not to mention, my living wife would be uncomfortable with a dead wife walking around."
"Nathaniel, I've had time to think while you've been gone. In a way, the separation this past week was good for me. It was like you died all over again, you not sitting here eating and telling me about your day. I know we are over, but even seeing you as a friend would be better than never seeing you again."
"And how long would that last before you made a play for me?"
She shook her head, "I know your honor. All I want is to see Lucas and maybe he'll like a relationship with me. It wouldn't be any different than if we were divorced, but still friends."
Nathaniel didn't answer immediately. He chewed his food in silence. Swallowing, he finally spoke, "Lucas is troubled. He's bright, but didn't take my choosing him over his mother very well. I don't know how he'd respond to seeing you."
Ayani read between the lines. It was like the years melted away and her husband was sitting with her and not telling her something, "Nathaniel," she stressed his name. "What are you not telling me about Lucas?"
He grinned a smile he knew she loved, "Ayani, you don't know how I missed that statement in that tone coming from you. Brings back memories. There are so many little things about you that I love."
"One of your pet names for me is pit-bull, now back to Lucas and don't try that on me." She did smile at his attempts to sidetrack her so she'd forget. How he used to pull that on her and taught Lucas to do the same.
His smile slipped, "I didn't do very well with Lucas after Ayani died; two men trying to live together without her buffering our identical temperaments. I couldn't figure out how to communicate with him and he hates me."
"Oh Nathaniel, I doubt he hates you," she couldn't believe her son was capable of that.
Nathaniel lifted the hem of his tee-shirt and showed her the scar. "I let my guard down and my precious son put a knife to the hilt right here," he rubbed a finger over the raised scar. He saw her shocked expression and wished now he hadn't opened up. He should have let her have her memories of a good boy.
"I can't believe he is my son," she spoke softly as the truth sank in.
"Ayani, I would like to think my son is different than yours. Can you tell the difference in me and your Nathaniel?" His tone was just as soft and he took her hand for comfort.
"No, you're identical. I bet if you dropped your pants, the scar running down your right leg is identical down to the bend as it wraps around to your butt."
He chuckled, "See, you do know me."
"Nathaniel, is there any way I can tempt you to spend the night and let me run my fingers over your scars like I used to?" her voice go low and sexy and he felt himself responding in his pants.
He slowly pulled his hand back, "It wouldn't take much, but I'm not ready to admit I'm stuck here." He took another bite of food hoping she wouldn't pursue him. He was getting closer to breaking.
At the door, once again she drew him in for a kiss that he returned against his better judgment. On his way home, he reflected on her wanting to come to the past with the promise she'd not interfere, then a few minutes later try and seduce him. He was certain if she went with him, she'd try and win him back from Wash. He was always a strong leader and dished out advice to his soldiers not to compromise their morals and here he was being tempted and actually thinking of giving in. He mentally replayed his speeches to his soldiers. 'Ask the woman's father, declare your intentions, ask her out to something she wants to do, listen to her. No touching until the second date…'
The next two nights he asked Elliot to accompany him to supper at Ayani's and to his relief, Elliot was more than ready to accompany him. It relieved the pressure and he actually enjoyed himself. If Ayani knew his reasons, she never let on and he was more than willing to tell stories of Terra Nova. After his brief divulgence about Lucas, he never mentioned him again.
Nathaniel was in a closed room with Elliot and the joint chiefs on the screen for a combined meeting. They were once again negotiating. The top brass finally agreed to let the portal remain on Nathaniel's frequency for twelve hours at a time, only switching back at night. It had been weeks since Philbrick called in. They were waiting for his next call to fill him in on the latest developments and the progress in getting him home.
Nathaniel was once again voicing his disapproval in letting people move into his colony, "…guarantee how your world will turn out, but I'm responsible for mine. A straight across trade, the technology for the copiers." He paused, "I'll consider letting visitors for a few days to my colony so you can see what we built, but you really need to colonize your own past. I have serious doubts that General Philbrick is representing the facts accurately."
"What gives you that impression, Commander?" a voice belonging to a chief interrogator once again asked for the group.
"Our General worked for the people wanting to destroy our past," he finally disclosed part of the facts.
There was utter silence while the officers absorbed this new datum.
Elliot was surprised. He knew Nathaniel kept secrets and his bugging of Mira's cell confirmed he didn't have the relationship with his son he portrayed. What he didn't know, was if the personalities differed between worlds. So far, he had no reason to doubt the people acted differently. This Nathaniel was identical to the man he'd known for over thirty years and if Philbrick was a betrayer, their... he pulled himself back to the conversation.
"What about if we get the technology, we take a trip to our past and verify what General Philbrick is telling us," Elliot suggested and Nathaniel gave him an appraising look.
"I think that's a wonderful idea," the chairman of joint chiefs boomed across the screen. He continued, "And I want Commander Taylor here when we travel to our past to make sure we can return. Commander, we may ask your scientist to come to our time to assist if needed."
"What would happen if two Malcolm Wallace's were to be in the same area?" Nathaniel asked.
Elliot replied, "I think Dr. Wallace would be the one to answer that question. It might be impossible and throw the entire system out of whack."
"What about your son? I understand he's dead in this time," the chairman inquired.
Nathaniel didn't want that also, providing Lucas survived the battle. "I believe…." he was abruptly cut off when Elliot's phone blared a certain tone.
Elliot made a hasty grab into his pocket and pulled the tiny device out. The room waited to hear the message. "Simmonds here."
"General," the voice of Malcolm Wallace filled the room, "we've made contact with Taylor's past. I have someone named Jim Shannon on the other end."
Everyone looked at Nathaniel and he was already standing, with Elliot moving just a fast. "We're on our way. Tell your guest not to go anyplace and we'll establish contact in a few minutes."
Nathaniel grabbed the phone, "Malcolm, how is the signal?"
"It's strong and we're receiving clearly."
"Good, tell Jim I'm on my way."
Without waiting for the joint chiefs to dismiss the meeting, both men rushed out leaving the connection open. With a smile, the chairman reached over and cut the connection. On the way, Elliot made a call to Ayani and told her to meet them at Hope Plaza and he'd give her clearance.