Twenty Six

It was an adjustment, being a parent. She and Nathaniel were both operating on the edge of exhaustion even though Cullen was as good as a baby could be. They were learning to live in three hour shifts over the past few weeks and getting better at it, Nathaniel had moved a cradle into their office and they took Cullen to work with them each day.

Zoe was also a fixture in the office before and after school, and she was a great help. Cullen loved to be held and snuggled and Zoe would sit in a chair and do that for hours. The baby was being spoiled but she was as guilty as anyone, she loved holding Cullen; she was happy he was here and healthy.

Elisabeth had scolded her but found nothing wrong with him, and he was growing steadily on milk instead of formula. Delivering him hadn't been easy but it had been well worth it, and she was never going to forget the first moment he was placed against her chest.

As Zoe brought him too her Alicia set aside the bridge plan she had been reviewing and unbuttoned her top; he was a fairly predictable little one. He cried for his milk, his changes and when he was lonely; it took little to satisfy him. A clean diaper, milk or just a hand rubbing his back or belly to help him settle. He nursed happily and she murmured to him, fully aware Zoe had not backed off.

When he finished she held him to her shoulder and burped him before handing him back to Zoe's waiting arms. The little girl took being a big sister seriously and Alicia had to smile at the care she took with Cullen. Promising to teach him all kinds of things as he grew up.

When the two were nestled safely in a chair she turned back to her work, Nathaniel crossed the room with Blade and Mira on his heels; she watched warily as the woman looked at her son. "Alicia, come over here."

She rose and went to his desk, taking the chair behind it when he gestured her to; he leaned against the chair. "We have an interesting idea. The science team has been trying to map the rivers throughout the area for months. Blade knows the rivers, even one that rims the badlands. They've seen a camp along there."

"Carter?"

"Yes." Blade answered, then paused. "Or the pirates, but if they have crossed the badlands this way something has driven them. They have lived beyond the badlands for generations; my mother was not even born the last time they came this way because of drought."

"We need to know one way or the other. We need to stand together on this, we are going to live together in our camps and keep our own ways but on matters of security we will stand together. Alicia and I know how to fight Carter but Mira trained him, Blade and his people know how to travel here faster than our transports will; and they know more about these pirates." Nathaniel's voice carried the force that had followed his orders in battle but the tone was different, she knew all to well this excited him.

They knew this world was the same as the one they had left in 2149 and in a decade they had only explored a part of it. Nathaniel now had another reason to do it, a reason to push for it. And those who stood in this room were with him. Blade looked up to her husband, respected him as a warrior, not understanding that he was a soldier and his skill came from training, discipline; that it had been taught to him. He had taught her, and she knew he was teaching Blade in the same way; Storme and the rest of Seagoers were happy about that.

This would be the first time they all went into a venture together. "We need to prepare. I've volunteered Alicia to work with the Seagoers on hand to hand and bring them up to speed with our weapons. Blade has one of his men to teach ours to manage on the boats. Blade is refitting his boats for the longer journey. We've all got a lot of work to do."

The meeting went on and when Shannon showed up he joined, he would be helping with refitting the boats. Guzman was overseeing the outposts and supply runs, it would be Alicia's unit sailing with the Seagoers and Sixers; but she wondered if Nathaniel intended to let her lead.

Details had still to be hammered out, there was work and training to be done; but now they had a plan. The others left and Shannon took Zoe with her, the girl reluctantly handed her son back to her. Holding him Alicia was torn, she wanted to lead her unit, as she always had; but that could mean weeks away from Cullen. She wasn't sure she was willing to do that.

Rocking him she returned to her husband's desk, studying the plans there. She wanted to train the Seagoers, she had learned a lot from them already. And she knew what they did was right, if Carter was building a camp up river he needed to be pushed back; taught to go far away from the colony. If it was the descendants of the Pirates they needed to know why they crossed this way.

She felt Nathaniel's hands slide along her shoulders and leaned back into him. "I'm going to enjoy training them, I'm going to learn their weapons too."

"I know, it's been a long time since you've taught basic; Skye was the last." She felt his hands run along her sides.

"You'll let me train them but will you let me lead them?" He was quiet for a moment and that was an answer in and of itself. "We can talk about it later."

"We're going back to basics Alicia; it will be a little like the end of Somalia. No sonic and no transports; just skill. We'll do it, together." He looked so happy about that, and Alicia smiled, he was right. "And it will be worth it."

End

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and to review Back to Basics. I hope you enjoyed it.