After Night Falls

After Watch

Marie and Jake had just pulled into the makeshift camp when Crystal and Jane had turned in for the night in their separate tents. Axel was standing attentively in front of his tent, watching for the pair in the automobile.

"That took you a while," he commented.

"Got a flat," Marie replied, pointing to the deflated tire in the back.

"Took the generator a while to get working," Jake explained, "had to siphon some gas from the tank into it. So we're a little low."

"Damn them," Axel complained, "It's 3042, you'd think they'd figured out how to improve the gas mileage enough."

"To be fair," Jake countered, "These cars were manufactured when we left, so we're missing hundreds of years of progress."

"Yes, well, still. They've got to have figured out a better way to transport matter quicker."

"There may actually never be a better way," Max pointed out, "from the readings I'm getting from the beam. We're learning a lot, but there's been relatively little progress in that field, despite the amount of time that has passed..."

"Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that we're technically old enough to be someone's ancestors?" Crystal quipped, peeking her head out from behind the opening in her tent. "I mean, we were asleep for hundreds of years. No one even remembers us over there."

"At least we got our statues," Brad said. "That was part of the deal of us coming here anyways. Helping found the new colonies, we were going to be legends."

"That was all before the new colony stopped responding three years ago," Axel responded.

"They only lasted two years," Crystal mused. "All the tech they had to help them and something stopped them after two years. The children must have just been getting used to it."

"It was foolish for them to send civilians in so soon. They had no established system," Jake commented.

"The past doesn't matter," Axel interrupted. "Now we're here and need to figure out what happened three years ago. And that begins with a good night of rest. Everyone to their bunks. Brad, you're first watch. Marie, you replace him in four hours, and Jake, you're after her."

Everyone nodded and took their places in their respective tents.

The morning air was frigid. It hit Jane harshly as she stepped out of her tent, going out to where she saw Jake sitting on a large rock at the edge of their makeshift camp.

"It's cold out here," she observed aloud, sitting next to him and shivering.

"It's always coldest in the mornings," he replied, "just like earth. The sun hasn't had a chance to warm us up yet."

"I suppose... It's weird to think that we're not there."

"Sometimes," he agreed, "but other times I'm glad it's not. I came here because I had nothing there. This was supposed to be a new start for me."

Jane nodded silently, watching as the sun rose slowly on the horizon. "I think it's a new start for everyone."

"Not Brad," Jake countered, chuckling. "He just wanted the fame. Not even that he gets to enjoy it..."

Jane giggled softly. "I suppose he didn't really think that one through, did he?"

"No, not really..."

After a moment of silence, Jane looked around at their surroundings, noting the sparse vegetation and orange tones of the sky.

"It's so peaceful here."

Jake nodded, closing his eyes to enjoy the soft breeze lightly brushing away his hair from his face. Jane noted the sandy locks and couldn't keep herself from staring. The way the sun slowly illuminated his face had her entranced. It had been a long time since she'd had any sort of male company, even before entering the space sleep.

She was jolted from her reverie when Jakes watch beeped quietly, and she turned her head back to the sunrise, hoping that the orange tones would disguise the blush she felt coloring her cheeks.

"Time to wake everyone," he commented, getting up from the rock and stretching.

"I'll wake the girls," Jane muttered, pushing herself up and marching quickly towards the ladies tents.

Jake ducked into Axels tent, knowing he would want to be the first awoken.

"Axel," he said, nudging his feet at the bottom of his sleeping bag. "It's dawn."

Axel grumbled, but sat up. "Damn girl," he muttered.

Jake raised an eyebrow quizzically. Axel noticed and ran his hand through his hair. "Nothing."

Jake nodded, and ducked out of the tent to wake Brad from his slumber. Crystal and Marie had both been woken, and Jake assumed that Jane was inside Max's tent waking her.

Brad woke quickly and with minimal complaints, standing outside his tent to stretch out his muscles. "Can't wait to get inside that city and sleep in a real bed," he muttered to himself.

"You three," Axel shouted, pointing at Jake, Marie, and Brad. "Reports on the night."

"Nothing on my watch," Brad stated, "just a couple of rabbits."

Axel looked at Jake next. "You?"

"Just the rabbits sir," he replied.

Axel nodded, and looked at Marie. "Anything else?"

"Not aside from what I told you last night."

"You misheard, Marie," Axel said, "It's not relevant. Everyone moves in their sleep. That's all you heard."

Marie nodded, saying nothing in her defense, although Jake noted that the expression in her eyes never changed. She was certain she'd heard something of concern.

"Alright," Axel continued, "the team will be here in an hour. In the meantime, I want everyone to pack up. I want any evidence that we slept here gone by the time they arrive. As soon as there's an opening, we're going in. Dismissed."