Solutions

Solutions: Chapter One: What are they doing here?

Warm winds touched the market place, the fabric hanging over it waving in its wake. Jim Shannon leaned on the wooden railing, watching the vendors and potential customers below as they greeted each other and exchanged either terras or goods, their voices not much louder than a murmur. Farther out a brachiosaurus herd bugled as they munched on the tender green leaves near the colony.

A group caught Jim's eye and he watched them with interest as they approached the market. One of them wore a dark cloak, no part of the skin exposed. The wearer seemed to be of average height and moved with uncertainty. The companion had a basket over her arm, and she stopped to get some fruit, her red hair shimmering in the sun. She dressed like everyone else in Terra Nova although her clothing was brighter than most. The purple color complimented her tanned skin.

"Those are the Collins."

Shannon glanced over at Commander Taylor who had joined him. As usual he wore combat fatigues and heavy boots, his gray hair and beard neatly groomed. He leaned on his hands on the wooden railing over- looking the compound.

"The Collins? Aren't they one of the richest families in 2149?"

"That they are," Taylor agreed. "Most of them joined us during the ninth pilgrimage. I understand a couple stayed behind."

The red haired woman glanced up and waved. Taylor returned it. "That's Laura Collins. She's an expert in animal behavior, growing plants and thinks about solutions for problems we haven't encountered yet."

"Interesting skill." He pointed at the cloaked figure. "And that one?"

"Barnabas Collins. Severe sun allergy. See more of him at night."

"They the only ones?" He recalled the family had more members.

"The younger son Zeke and his wife Flo are expecting their first baby. The two daughters, Piper and Peri, both of which are great cooks, work in the mess hall. They belong to oldest son Allen, the one who stayed behind with his father Owen."

Allen Collins. His wife had died a few years back. It had been big news as Jim remembered. Everything the family did was. "Surprised they'd come here."

The Commander gave him a sharp glance. "You've only been here a few weeks. The Collins are like everyone else, just looking for a fresh start." He pointed at woman. "Laura spends a lot of time OTG. Been observing our local brachiosaurus herd and has even named them all."

"She named them?" Why would anyone do that?

"Helps her research." Taylor chuckled. "Seems to think if the rovers die they we could use them instead."

Jim frowned. "Why would anyone want to?"

"Like I said, she thinks of solutions for problems we don't have yet."

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Barnabas watched his cousin gather the ingredients for dinner. Laura moved easily in between the booths, smiling at vendors and trading for what she wanted. Once she finished, she rejoined him, gently guiding him back to their homes.

"You really should have stayed indoors," she chided him.

"I enjoy at least getting to see the day light."

"Lucky everyone believes you have a sun allergy." She waved at a couple of little girls who were waiting to be picked up from school. Laura leaned closer. "Some of the children think there's a vampire here."

His brown eyes swept over them. "That's nonsense of course."

"Oh, of course." She shook her head. "I'll be spending the next couple of days OTG."

"What is so important about a bunch of giant lizards?" He couldn't understand her fascination.

"The more we learn about our new home, the better our chances of survival."

That might be true, he had to begrudgingly agree. He'd lived on Earth long enough to know what had happened would have not only end human lives, but vampires as well. He was one a handful that still survived and the only one in Terra Nova.

"I'll be hunting some of the smaller dinosaurs," Laura's words brought his attention back to the moment.

"You'll do what you usually do." She drained them and brought their blood back to him.

"Makes sense." They had reached her residence. Where she'd managed to find the bright blue she'd painted it, Barnabas had no idea. He'd chosen a dull gray, while the other cousins, who lived next to them, had painted their house a vivid yellow with red trim.

"I'm still surprised the girls chose to live with Zeke and Flo."

"Not me. They're still teens and not yet ready to work and keep up their own place. I think having servants spoiled them."

He smiled and nodded. "No doubt."

"Now, get inside and stay there until the sun sets." She opened her door. "Going to Boylan's later?"

He liked the bar. It gave him a chance to socialize and listen to the soldiers. They talked a lot about what they did and Commander Taylor. He got the impression they liked the new sheriff Jim Shannon and one them, Reynolds, had decided to court Maddy. He wondered what her father thought of that.

"Probably," he answered.

"Figured." She ducked inside.

With a sigh, he trudged around the house, past her exotic garden and into his own place. All the windows were shuttered, plunging the interior into darkness. He hung up his cloak, and entered his bedroom. The rest of the day he'd spend here, sleeping. Not that he actually did. He never dreamed.

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Laura loved light. Every window she'd opened, allowing her home to be splashed in brightness. Quickly she put her ingredients away in the drawers around the kitchenette. Later, she'd slice up what she needed to travel with and decide what to add to her pack. She figured she'd be gone two, maybe three days.

She wanted to be there when the eggs hatched and hoped Brumhilda, the matriarch of the herd, would allow her to watch. Bola would be happy to see her. The young male would follow her back to colony if she'd let him. Maybe he'd finally let her ride him this time.

Not that she believed the animals should be used like the cows or horses she'd read about. They deserved to decide if they wanted to help the humans, not be forced into it. Commander Taylor, when she'd shared her view, had thought her idea crazy.

Maybe so. Maybe not.

From what she'd seen, the colonists went out of their way not to hurt any of the dinosaurs if they didn't have to. Life and death situations, that was different, like the slashers that had gone after the group of teens a few weeks ago. They shouldn't have been out there, but the soldiers had learned many ways of dealing with the threats and she hadn't heard that any of the creatures had died.

The man she'd seen with Taylor was probably Jim Shannon. He appeared to get along with the commander as well as Wash did. That might be good thing. The colony needed strong leadership.

Entering her bedroom, painted a light purple, she stuffed her backpack with a couple changes of clothes, and other items she knew she'd need for her time with the herd. She prepared the food she'd take along, some tablets for water purification, and anything else she could think of, including her long knife.

She set it next to the door, ate a light dinner and crawled into her bed. Sleep came slowly because of her excitement. Dawn crept in and she got up, dressed, grabbed her pack and headed for the gate.

A few soldiers nodded and waved. They were used to her going OTG. The biggest surprise proved to be Bola, who waited for her.

"Well, good morning," she greeted the young male.

Bola huffed at her, leaning his long neck down to bump her slightly. She'd learned it was a way they sometimes greeted each other.

Patting his neck, she said, "Shall we go?"