Roachia 04 Under the Cover of Darkness

by Cindy Combs

  Blair continued to stare at the round craft. "Oh my god, that's got to be the Adventurer!"

  Jim finally took a good look and felt his mouth drop open. Slamming it shut, he took a deep breath and asked, "The who?"

  "The Adventurer. The one remaining shuttle from the Colony ship. It's been lost for centuries."

  "Really?" Paris asked in astonishment, walking up behind them and also staring at the craft. "I've read about it, but never imagined it was so big!"

  "Whatever it is, it came from Roach territory," the sergeant grumbled. "The people on board look human, but who knows anymore. You two suppose to be the human Roach experts?" He glanced back at the rude officer, figuring he was one of the military scientists.

  "Something like that," Jim replied vaguely, watching his guide and Paris slowly trudge through the snow towards the ship in awe. Sheree had joined Jim, also staring at the craft.

  "Then I'd better take you to the Lieutenant."

  Still scrutinizing the stuff of legends, Blair was unprepared for the sudden surge of feeling that crashed into him. He staggered a step as pain, exhaustion, and sickness assaulted him. Barely aware of Tom's supporting grab for his elbow and Jim rushing to his side, Blair sorted the feelings out from his own, picking up a trace of annoyance mixed with the others. "Dad," he softly whispered. Before Jim could reach him, Blair broke away from Paris and raced towards the Adventurer.

  The Adventurer

  Jeff, seated on the steps to the cockpit and wrapped in a blanket, hazily watched as Frank continued to argue with the Lieutenant in charge. Feeling a shiver from Lisa seated next to him, his annoyance grew. Way off from their expected landing site, Jeff was simply glad they had landed someplace uninhabited. The snow had helped cushion their crash landing, keeping the shuttle in one piece and reducing the injuries among the passengers Yet they were far from civilization, the craft was growing colder, and they were stuck with some idiots looking for Roaches under every snow drift. Jeff briefly wondered if Bella and Harry were getting anywhere with the radio when a coughing fit and the accompanying pain in his shoulder drove all thought from his mind.

  "We have kids and injured people here. They need to be evacuated to someplace warmer with medical facilities," Frank pointed out, throwing his arm towards Jeff. "If you'd let me contact General Thornton..."

  "Until we know who or what you are, you will stay here!" the young man declared with self-righteous importance. Josiah, Jane, and Dalton sat nearby and listened, Jane holding a cloth against the cut above Dalton's blackening eye.

  Jeff missed Frank's rebuttal when a surge of recognition and excitement flooded his mind. Carefully shaking his head, Jeff wearily struggled to sort out the input he hadn't dealt with in months. By the time he had separated his feelings from the other's, everyone heard a voice declare, "LET ME THROUGH!" Looking up, Jeff spotted Blair burst through the guards and stumble into the small area. Blair paused a moment, delight and relief lighting his face. "Dad!"

  "Blair!" In an instant, Jeff was being embraced by his son. Burying his face in Blair's curly hair, Jeff soaked up the warmth, the joy, the relief, and especially the love radiating through their touch and their bond.

  Blair closed his eyes, finally feeling like everything was back in place. The arms that always made him feel safe and loved were wrapped around him, or at least one arm was. Then Blair felt his father's condition. Worry began to rise.

  Lisa's eyes were wide as she studied Dr. Mac's son. Not that she could see much but the back of his head, but the bond between them was obvious. She suddenly felt adrift, like an outsider suddenly thrown out into the cold.

  "What is going on here!" roared the Lieutenant, trying to regain control of the situation.

  Ellison, finishing his quick check for Roach smells within the compartment, turned to the officer. "I'm Captain Ellison of the 135th." Jim made sure he emphasized 'Captain', subtly pointing out his higher rank. "Lieutenant MacGregor is greeting his father, Dr. Jeff MacGregor. And you are?"

  "Lieutenant Kolsen," the officer replied, snapping off a hasty salute. Then astonishment and fear filled his eyes. "Wait a minute, THE Jeff MacGregor?"

  Jim barely kept the smirk off his face. "Yep. And may I suggest you contact General Thornton immediately? He'll want to know his best scientist has been recovered."

  As the lieutenant gulped and headed back outside, Blair pulled away from his father, brow wrinkled with worry. Placing a hand against Jeff's forehead, he called out, "Sheree!"

  Jeff swatted the hand away, feeling the concern flowing from his son. "I'm all right now. I have you back." It still felt miraculous that his eldest was alive. To touch him both physically and mentally filled Jeff with utter contentment.

  "You're hurt and sick," Blair refuted, his voice anxious. He stepped to the side to let Sheree through while keeping a hand on his father's good shoulder. "His shoulder is hurting, he's exhausted, and he's having trouble breathing."

  "I'm fine," Jeff asserted sternly then started coughing, grimacing with pain.

  "No, you're not fine," Lisa corrected. She continued bravely, "Doc Fraiser just set his shoulder."

  "It was dislocated, and Dr. MacGregor has been sick the last couple of weeks," Dianne added. She held out her hand to Sheree. "Dr. Dianne Fraiser."

  "Dr. Sheree Jackson," Sheree replied as she shook the hand. "Let me guess, he's an obstinate patient who rarely wants to take his meds or get enough rest."

  Dianne returned the grin. "Exactly. And you know this because...?"

  "His sons are just as bad," Sheree replied as she continued her examine.

  "Hey, don't I have a say in this?" Jeff complained.

  "No," the two doctors replied in unison.

  Jim watched as the dark man who had been arguing with the Lieutenant gently touch his guide's shoulder. "Blair?"

  Blair turned, paused a moment, then recognition lit up his eyes. "Uncle Frank?"

  Frank pulled Blair into a tight embrace. "It's good to see you again, kid."

  "I'm just glad you're okay," Blair replied with joy. Stepping back, he waved Jim over. "Uncle Frank, this is a friend of mine, Captain Jim Ellison. Jim, this is Frank Colton, Grandma Tess' son and Jesse's brother."

  Jim warmly shook the man's hand. "Can you tell me your situation here?"

  Frank began to fill them in.

  Like his brother's before him, Sam's eyes grew wide at the sight of the craft.

  "Is that what I think it is?" Evan asked in awe.

  "Man, it's hard to believe, but I think it is," Harvey replied.

  "What?" Rafe asked, studying the object they were walking towards.

  "The Adventurer," Sam replied. He quickly explained its history.

  Henri tilted his head. "You mean, this thing's older than the Landing?"

  "We'll soon find out," Nash stated confidently. Excitement grew at the thought of actually seeing an example of the designs he'd been studying.

  As they approached, Sam spotted Tom Paris having an argument with a young woman standing just outside an emergency hatch.

  "Leave me alone, you pig!"

  Tom took a deep breath, trying to hold onto his patience. "I really need to look at that arm."

  "My arm is fine!" insisted the dark-haired girl, giving him a glare that should have burned a hole right through him.

  Sam tried to keep from laughing at Tom's exasperated expression. "Well, it looks broken to me. Why don't you let me put a splint on it?"

  "Because I have work to do and I don't want you touching me, pig."

  Rafe, who had been listening to his radio, tapped Sam's shoulder. "I need to get you inside."

  "What's up, Janson?" Banks asked.

  Rafe gave Sam a reassuring smile. "Jim says that Dr. MacGregor is inside."

  Sam felt his stomach sink to his toes, then rise back up into his throat. "He's, he's here?"

  "Right in..." Rafe's voice trailed off as Sam dashed to the open hatch.

  Sam practically slid into the compartmen
t. "Dad!" As soon as he spotted the pale face, Sam ran over and embraced him.

  Jeff again soaked up the presence of a son. In spite of his pain and exhaustion, Jeff felt almost giddy. It felt so good to hold Sam, to know that the Roaches had not touched him. To have Blair standing nearby, his concern mixed with Sam's relief and joy, was heaven.

  Nearby, Banks and Janson stopped next to Ellison. "Report," Simon softly growled to his second.

  "MacGregor, Jeff MacGregor that is," Jim smiled a moment as he watched the family reunion, "found this ancient shuttle craft. With the help of other survivors in the Sealand lost zone, they managed to get it working just in time to escape the Roaches."

  "How many survivors?"

  "Forty-seven, including 35 teenagers from a private school and Dr. Jane Mullway, a microbiologist the Roaches had abducted. There are a few minor injuries, the worst off being Dr. MacGregor. Apparently, he's had as hard a time recovering from the Roaches' drugs as BT has. He also dislocated a shoulder trying to keep the shuttle in the air."

  Banks thought a moment. "Science Base Beta is closer, but I don't think they have their medical facilities up yet. We'll have to take them home with us. Have you identified any Roaches?"

  "No. I haven't smelled everyone, but I have covered all the adults. I can check the kids before they're airlifted."

  "Good, let's start evacuating these people to someplace warmer, starting with the injured."

  Before them, Sam had pulled back and called, "Dr. Sheree?"

  Blair chuckled. "I already had her check him out."

  Jeff wrapped a hand around Sam's neck and smiled wearily into his eyes. "I'll be fine now. I've got you two back."

  "And we've got you back," Sam replied, his quiet smile stretching across his face. Blair joined them by wrapping his arms around his family. They were together and safe. That was all that mattered.

  Next night, Science Base Delta

  It was like swimming to the top of a deep well. Slowly, he rose through thick layers of unconsciousness, finally breaking the surface. Eyes blinking, it took Jeff a moment to realize he was in an unfamiliar Med center. He closed his eyes again, trying to figure out how he had arrived at this place. The details of the last few days gradually sorted themselves out. Gingerly, Jeff managed to push much of the haziness from his mind. He could feel the aching shoulder barely protruding from under the drug-induced comfort. His chest was still tight from the illness he had picked up. But the dragging exhaustion seemed to be loosening its hold.

  With ease, Jeff mentally reached out for his sons. Both were warm and asleep. Gently sifting deeper, Jeff could sense that Sam's leg was nearly healed and that he was otherwise healthy. Relieved, Jeff carefully focused on Blair. He didn't like what he found. Not only did he sense fatigue and a headache, there was something else wrong. Worried, Jeff gingerly probed deeper. The headache was just the tip of the iceberg. Blair's head and mind felt like it had been severely wounded and now only partial healed. Jeff could sense the injured brain repairing and rewiring, a painfully slow process. What the hell happened to his son?

  As Jeff struggled to sit up, a hand laid across his chest to halt his movements. Turning his head to the left, Jeff discovered Pete Thornton sitting there. "Pete?"

  "Easy, friend," Pete soothed him.

  "How long have you been here?"

  His old friend glanced at the clock. "A few hours."

  "A few hours?" Jeff repeated, startled. He also spotted the clock, surprised to see it showed 3 am. "How long have I been here?"

  "A little over a day," Pete replied. Anticipating the next question as Jeff opened his mouth, he added, "You're at Science Base Delta."

  "What?" Jeff blinked. "When did they open the science bases?"

  "After the Sealand invasion and your abduction, it was decided it was time to move the top scientists and the more sensitive research to safer locations. This base has been opened for almost a month now."

  Jeff swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I never thought things would have gotten so serious."

  "We lost a lot of research and scientists in Sealand. Now, considering what the Roaches pulled out of Mullway, it was definitely the right decision."

  Jeff winced, remembering what Jane had told him about her interrogation. Then he shook off the worry for the overall picture. He had more important concerns. "Pete, what happened to Blair? I can tell he was hurt pretty severely. And how did Sam end up getting shot?"

  Pete gave him a reassuring smile. "You better get comfortable. Your two boys have been busy while you've been gone."

  Next morning

  Lisa slipped into the Med Center, trying to avoid people. She was supposed to be filling out endless forms and taking school competency exams so that Human Resources could place her. A few of the kids had already left, either going to relatives or foster homes. With no family, Lisa knew her destination would be a foster home. The very thought of living with strangers filled her with fear. She felt so alone.

  However, she pushed down the fear as she walked towards Dr. Mac's room. She didn't want to burden him with her insecurities. He was sick enough as it was. Her eyes darkened, remembering how fragile he had looked yesterday. Doc Fraiser had given her permission to sit with him. It had been hard to watch him sleep, dark circles under his eyes and a slight wheeze to his breathing. After all he had gone through and the tremendous effort he had put forth to get them to safety, it didn't seem fair that he would be the one suffering now.

  While she was leaving, she had ran into his sons. Blair was so friendly, asking her name and if she'd been treated well. Sam, with eyes so much like his Dad's, had made her smile with his quiet humor. They had both asked lots of questions, wanting to know what had happened to their father. It had been fun talking with them. She'd like to get to know them better, but she doubted she'd get the chance. Lisa expected to be whisked away soon, never to see them or their father again.

  Which was why she was here. Even if Dr. Mac was still asleep, she wanted a chance to see him one last time. He had been so nice to her, had shown her that even alone in the world, she had a lot to live for and live up to. The least she could do was to thank him.

  Jeff saw Lisa poke her head around the door and smiled. "Come on in," he greeted, then coughed.

  "You sure? You still sound sick," Lisa asked.

  Jeff waved her in. "I'm fine. Besides, I've been wanting to talk with you anyway."

  Lisa walked in and sat in the chair next to Dr. Mac's bed. He did look better, the circles under his eyes barely noticeable. "Did you get enough sleep?"

  Jeff chuckled while studying the young woman. He noted the new flower-print dress and the sadness in her eyes. "I slept through a whole day. I'd say that's more than enough. How are you doing?"

  Lisa shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to talk about her fears. "I'm fine. Just tired of filling out forms."

  "Yeah, government and their paperwork," Jeff acknowledged with a nod. "It can be rather tiresome. But I have something to ask you before either of us fill out any more." Lisa looked at him, her face puzzled. Jeff took a deep breath, then asked, "Do you have anyplace to go, Lisa? Any family to stay with?"

  Lisa dropped her eyes. "No family. I think they're looking for foster homes for me and for some of the other kids."

  "Would you like to stay with me?"

  Eyes wide with shock, Lisa stared straight into his face, scared she had misunderstood. "Stay with you?"

  "Well, at least be my ward," Jeff waved a hand. "I'm not exactly sure where I'll be staying. Since I'm still a Roach target, I'll probably work at a base like this one. Being with me could make you a target like Blair and Sam. I also have a lot of traveling to do, to catch up on what's been going on and help develop a plan to protect us from the Roaches next spring. Sometimes you'll be able to go with me, and I'll make sure you're under protection with people you know when you can't. But I promise I'll always be there when you need me. That is, if you want to be my ward."

  Lisa
broke into a large smile. She threw herself into Jeff's arms excitedly, giving him a tight hug.

  Jeff turned a grunt of pain into a chuckle. "I take that as a yes?"

  Lisa giggled as she sat back down. "Yes."

  "Dad?"

  Jeff looked up to see Sam, Blair, and another man in the doorway. He waved them in, recognizing the third man to be the one from the film, Blair's sentinel.

  "We're not interrupting anything, are we?" Blair asked.

  "No, Lisa and I just settled a few things," Jeff replied. He glanced at the tall man standing behind Blair and Sam.

  Blair's face beamed with pride and excitement. He'd been waiting for this moment for over half his life. "Dad, this is a friend of mine, Captain James Ellison."

  Jeff smiled at him, himself full of pride that his son was continuing the ancient family tradition. "Your Harry?" Lisa's eyes grew wide, catching the meaning behind the question.

  A huge smile burst across his son's face. "Yep."

  Jeff held out his hand to the older man. "Welcome to the family, Captain Ellison."

  "Call me Jim, sir."

  "You can me Jeff," Jeff returned. Then he flashed a smile at Lisa. "Speaking of new family members, how would you boys feel about getting a new sister?"

  "Great!" Blair replied, smiling at the shy girl. "We could use a female in this family."

  "You mean, I get to be a big brother now?" Sam asked. "Cool. I'd like that."

  Lisa smiled shyly back, enjoying the unexpectedly warm welcome.

  "That means I'll count on you two to keep an eye out for her while I'm on travel," Jeff pointed out.

  Blair waved his hands. "No prob. I think we can make sure Lisa keeps her grades up and check out her boyfriends."

  "Check out my boyfriends?" Lisa asked, not quite sure how to take that.

  "Sure," Blair replied. "Only the best for our little sister."

  "Yep," Sam added, his face deadpan. "Meaning any guy like Blair we chase off immediately."

  "HEY! I'm not that bad with girls." Blair paused a moment. "Am I?"