13 - The Edge of Chaos
Normally, Twilight was an early riser, often waking up with the sun and promptly busying herself with whatever task she’d set herself. There were some instances when she found she awoke some time after the sun had risen – today was very much one of those days. Her eyes slowly pulled open and for the briefest second her head spun and she couldn’t work out where she was. Quickly though, it all became apparent: she was in the RV, no longer held captive by Dodgson or running from wild dinosaurs. She allowed a moment, amazed that her sleep had been so restful and refreshing after the past day’s events. How her mental well-being wasn’t completely shot to pieces baffled her, but she did not complain. With a yawn she rose, only just then noticing Fluttershy - herself still fast asleep, tucked against Twilight’s own back. At some point in the night she must have crawled into the bunk with her. An odd sensation wrote across her face and Twilight realised that for the first time in a substantial time, she was smiling. And it felt great.
With a rub of her eyes she looked around. The mobile lab was devoid of all other souls, she and Fluttershy being the only ones inside. The RV itself was neat and organised, the various tools and equipment being stowed and stored neatly and sensibly. A few of the work surfaces had documents, books and torches upon them – Twilight made a mental note to find some time to read the academic material onboard – but everything else appeared to be locked away. She could just about hear some voices from outside nearby and nopony sounded worried or on-edge; this, alongside the ever-distant echo of dinosaur calls persuaded her there was no reason to stay in the RV.
Twilight glanced back at Fluttershy. She debated whether to wake her, but opted against it – clearly yesterday’s events had taken it out of her, too. She was out cold, breathing rhythmically and gently. She looked too peaceful to disturb. That, and she must have stayed up for quite some time with Harding seeing to Levine’s injury—
“Feeling refreshed?”
Twilight started. “Wuh? – Oh, Sarah. Good morning! I, uh, didn’t see you come in. But yes, thank you. I feel so much better...” She trailed off. “It’s good to see you.”
“Hardly surprising! You two looked like you needed a good rest.” Harding moved closer, occupying one of the empty seats near the bunks. She picked at a sandwich in her hand. “I’ve not been inside long – just came in to get some food. There’s plenty to keep us busy outside. If you’re feeling up to joining us, please do! Everyone’ll be happy to see you two, and the view is really quite something. But – yeah, we thought about waking you up earlier but you both looked so peaceful. Now you’re up, if you wanna shower and freshen up it’s all yours. We all washed around eight.”
“Eight? So what time is it now?”
“Half twelve.”
“Half twelve?”
From behind Twilight there was a jolt; her outburst had awoken Fluttershy abruptly who sat, wide-eyed and panicked before fathoming out where she was and what was going on.
“Afternoon sleepyhead,” Harding said with a laugh as Fluttershy began to relax. “Twilight was just letting half of the island know what time it was – and, apparently, acting as your alarm clock.” She stood with a wink, finishing her sandwich and hanging in the open doorway of the RV. “When you’re ready, come meet us outside. You’ll like it,” she finished with a wink as she left the lab.
“I wish they had woken us. Now that we’re finally here with the expedition, and we can try and relax a little, and...”Twilight trailed off, taking a deep breath. “How are you feeling?”
“...Rested,” came Fluttershy’s response after a brief pause. “I feel like I’ve been walking and running for weeks, though. I’m still really stiff, and I—” Fluttershy stopped herself suddenly. “We saw some horrible things yesterday.”
Twilight nodded once, her eyes closed. Gently she then rested a hoof over Fluttershy’s shoulders. “We did.” She sighed. “But we pulled through, and we did what we had to.”
“Y – you’re right. I know you’re right.” Fluttershy allowed a small smile to shine through. “I’m just feeling... I don’t know. I’m feeling the weight of it all a little.”
“I know.” Twilight allowed a pause. “But today is a new day.”
“Yeah... Yeah.” Fluttershy sat up a little more. “You’re right. And you and I are in good company now. And we can safely observe some dinosaurs, and have a bit of fun.” She seemed to brighten up a little, much to Twilight’s delight. “Let’s start again today.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Twilight replied, scooping Fluttershy into a hug.
“I’m glad you’re okay, too.”
The mares held each other for some time, sharing the warmth and the magic of friendship that they so naturally mastered. It had been quite some time since either had felt this level of love and so they allowed themselves this one, quiet, natural moment before beginning their second day on Isla Sorna. As they untangled Fluttershy stretched widely, smiling once more as she watched Twilight slip into the shower cubicle.
And with that, she was alone again, and she sighed heavily. She hadn’t lied to Twilight; she did feel like having fun and starting anew today. But she was so tired, so mentally drained. There was nothing Fluttershy wanted more than to curl up with Angel Bunny on her sofa back home, plenty of hot tea on tap and a big pile of books to read through. And as much as she felt better and safer being with Sarah and Ian and the others, she just needed space. Her own space, and her own company, away from the high-brow academia that the humans loved to debate and away from the politics surrounding this secretive island.
Fluttershy huffed. She was going round in circles, and she was frustrating herself. She couldn’t keep doing this. Never mind what she wanted; she had to make the most of the here and now. And that she would do. Pushing anxiety to one side and doing what she could to level herself, she hopped down from the bunk and grabbed herself some water before glancing along the length of the RV. Only then did she notice that they were no longer in the InGen compound’s forecourt, having half-forgotten that they had moved very quickly away from the site after being rescued. She sighed again, but this time with more than a little hint of relief. We’re away from the horrible raptors here. Momentarily she made her way to the door and swung it open, admiring the gorgeous lush trees and ground-hugging ferns which sprawled in every direction. As she stepped outside she was immediately hit by the humidity of the air and the leafy green smell of dense foliage and tall, wild grasses. Bliss. Truly this place felt prehistoric in setting alone. The jungle before her and the rolling plains behind reminded her of the reconstructions she’d seen in many of Doctor Malcolm’s academic works on the Mesozoic, only now she wasn’t just looking at these reconstructions, she was in them. The sights, the smells, the sounds – aside the hiss of Twilight’s shower—
Fluttershy started, pricking her ears up. The sounds...
...of dinosaurs gently calling...
Invigorated, she trotted briskly around the RV and was met with the most beautiful sight. The rolling meadow stretched wide, spanning from her position atop the gentle hill to another jungle some kilometres away. And there, at the foot of the hill around a sizeable lake, roamed a considerable herd of herbivores. A throb of adrenaline coursed as she gazed at the animals. They were stunning. Wow, Fluttershy uttered. They moved so gracefully. She drank the scene in, eyes darting from species to species, identifying them as she went. Apatosaurus. Corythosaurus. Dryosaurus. Ankylosaurus. Stegosaurus. She watched mother hadrosaurs tend to their young. She watched the enormous sauropods plod slowly about, the smaller herbivores careful to avoid these gentle giants. She watched a pair of Pachycephalosaurs go head-to-head, bashing their thick skulls against one another. And she heard the animals call and cry and chat. Celestia did she hear them. As clear as day their calls echoed across the plain and the beautiful song filled her senses. Fluttershy closed her eyes, listening to the chatter and trumpets that this collection of species gave off. This dreamy chorus completed the picture; she once again opened her eyes and beamed. This was it. This was the Lost World that everypony had dreamed of seeing, and in that moment she felt truly blessed to be experiencing such a naturally stunning phenomena. She was living the experience – living very much in the moment – and all negative thoughts and doubts were forgotten. She was among nature. She thrived, finding her headspace, and with one final, incredibly contented sigh, she felt her body physically relax. That was it. She finally felt at ease.
“Ah, Fluttershy, just who I wanted to see.”
The voice dragged her from the moment with a start; she spun. “Oh – Mr Levine—”
“Richard.”
“...Richard. Aren’t they just fantastic?” Fluttershy gestured widely, turning to once again face the sight before them.
“Absolutely. This is the spectacle we came to see.” He too turned, the pair sharing a moment to drink in the scene. “I was hoping you’d like this.”
“Of course. This is very humbling.” In another moment of silence, Fluttershy allowed the dinosaurs to fill her senses, momentarily forgetting that she was not alone. She blinked, breaking the almost mythical spell of the animals before her. “Oh! Um – excuse me for being so rude. “How’s your leg feeling today?”
“Don’t worry about that, it’ll be fine,” he said with a wave of his hand, his own gaze locked firmly on the herbivores. “Doctor Harding was telling me this morning about your unique affinity for animals. Why don’t you join us? We’re just a little ways from the RV, observing the herd. We’d love for your input.”
“Of course,” she beamed. “I’d love to.” With that she excused herself, quickly trotting back into the RV and calling to Twilight – We’ll be down the hill a little! – before meeting Levine once more and heading slowly towards the amazing creatures.
* * * *
The midday sun was beating down hard as Dodgson and his team picked their way through the thinning jungle. There had been little talking between the three men since dawn, when, upon reaching the coast, they had been unable to find their way back to the beach they’d arranged their pickup from – subsequently, as far as they were concerned, they were marooned. Morale remained low having not recovered since the incident the night before, and the only chatter between the trio came when the baby animal cradled in Dodgson’s arms would stir.
Said baby animal had proved to be an enormous handful. Periodically, and usually after what felt like a very short span of time, he would feel a muscle tense on a leg jolt, before it began to squeak and groan. Tembo’s voice echoed loudly in his head; “I’ve only got so much anaesthesia at my disposal.” He cursed silently as they pressed on, the trees slowly being replaced with waist-high ferns and shrubs.
Still, Dodgson mused, it’s not been all bad. The trio had come across a small Hadrosaur nesting site in the early morning light. It was an opportunity that they did not pass up on, leaving with a plentiful bounty of eggs. As soon as they had approached the nest, the adults flew into a crazed panic and stampeded, abandoning their broods. Tembo had told them it was likely due to the smell of the baby Rex that they were carrying with them: the duck-billed giants mistook this scent to mean the adults were nearby and hunting.
Since then, however, their day had ground to a halt. They had marched on through the foliage, searching for a water source. “Where there’s a river, there’s a boathouse,” Dodgson had said and with little else to go by the three men searched on.
King had briefly thought of suggesting they look for a communications facility to try and contact someone further afield, but he let the idea pass. The death of Baselton had shaken him far more than he cared to admit and despite everything felt little motivation to press on. He had thought it strange that Tembo didn’t suggest looking for a radio...
It was hot, and the jungle canopy had thinned offering little protection from the sun. Finding a patch of good shade they stopped, taking on what little water they had left in heir packs.
“Just going to use the gentleman’s room,” Tembo said standing. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Sure,” Dodgson replied nonchalantly.
Tembo left the pair behind and headed into the trees, making sure to put some distance between them. Situating himself behind a particularly wide tree, he paused briefly to ensure he couldn’t be heard. Satisfied, he then produced his radio.
“We’re approaching the Southern Plain,” he whispered. “How far off are you?”
“We can have the helicopters there within five minutes,” came the reply. “You’re sure we’ll see you?”
“If you miss a red signal flare I will seriously doubt your pilot’s ability,” he replied. “You’ll see us.”
“Good. Still got the baby Rex? Any other animals?”
“Yes, it’s still with us. We’re also in possession of a few Hadrosaur eggs.”
“And what of Dodgson?”
“He will be dealt with. I’ll radio when we’re ready.”
“Right. See you then.”
He replaced the discreet radio and promptly returned to the pair.
“I’ll be glad to find some water,” Dodgson said aloud as he came over. “My canteen’s just run out.”
“Let’s hope we find a river soon,” Tembo replied. “How’s the little one?”
“Still asleep.” Dodgson paused, resting a hand on its chest. “Still breathing. All good.”
“Yes, quite. Well, we ought to press on. I imagine the parents will still be tracking us and I don’t want to deal with two angry Rexes.”
“Yeah. Come on Howard, let’s go.”
Wordlessly King stood and the trio pushed on once more. The trees thinned considerably; the high ferns themselves becoming tall grasses. Within ten minutes of walking the three had emerged onto a vast, open plain. They had heard the ever-distinct sounds of dinosaur calls whilst still deep in the jungle but now that they were in the open they had found the source: a huge herd of varying species.
“Incredible,” Dodgson uttered. He and King took a moment, observing the animals. This was easily the largest number of dinosaurs either of the two BioSyn men had seen so far. “Hammond you bastard... this is something else.”Dodgson spoke with a reverent jealousy.
“Look at ‘em all,” King said quietly. “InGen really pulled out all the stops, huh...”
“Crucially,” Tembo began, drawing the others from their wonder, “all of these animals won’t just have gathered up there for a reason. I imagine we’ll find a watering hole – which, all being well, will mean there’s a river.”
“Finally,” Dodgson said loudly. His previous boyish awe had all but gone, his thoughts being drawn to the idea of a boathouse and potential escape. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go. They’ll scatter when they smell us coming.”
“They should, but remember: keep your eyes peeled on our flanks. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the adult Rexes before they launch their attack, and we might have some slim chance of escaping with our lives.” Tembo spoke grimly as he allowed Dodgson to lead the way.
With that the trio stepped out into the plains, heading straight towards the animals. They trekked with purpose; not quite a walk but not quite a run. The plains were massive and there was much ground to cover – if nothing else, all three men wanted to be as far from the direction of the Tyrannosaur nest as possible – and the herd presented yet another opportunity. They pressed on and the closer to the dinosaurs they were, the more apparent it became that there was a water source:the animals were indeed grouped around a watering hole. Fortunately for the trio a few small tributaries snaked away from the lake and into the nearby foliage. One was considerably larger than the others and Dodgson nodded to himself – with any luck they’d find a boathouse or old InGen complex not far from its banks. It wasn’t much to go on, but he had made his peace some hours ago with taking whatever he’d get at this point with regards to escape plans. “Okay! Water,” he said aloud. “We get any eggs we can here, and then we follow that river. And we should find what we need.”
“Sure,” Tembo uttered as he checked the breech of his rifle. Good, one tranquiliser loaded. Double-checking his remaining ammunition – only a few darts left, but importantly the flare gun was still present and loaded – he nodded once to himself, and set to work.
Fwoosh.
Dodgson was caught off guard by the noise from behind and ducked immediately, spinning round. “Jesus,” he cried, clinging on to the baby animal tight. “What...?” Feverishly he looked around, anticipating danger. It was only then that he looked at his two accomplices, seeing no air of terror about them, and only then that Dodgson looked up to see the red flare streaking its way up into the sky. Fear became confusion; this soon boiled over into a panicked rage as he saw Tembo discarding the expended flare gun, swinging his tranquiliser rifle around, and training it squarely at his own chest. Dodgson glowered. “You’d better tell me – right now – exactly what the fuck you are doing aiming a rifle at me.” Subconsciously he hugged the baby animal in his arms ever tighter, pulling it closer to his chest.
“Only my job,” Tembo offered simply. Focussing his arm at Dodgson’s exposed forearm, he pulled the trigger.
The shock and force of the impacting dart knocked Dodgson off of his feet. He cradled the sleeping baby to protect it as he hit the ground, a sting beginning to burn in his lower arm. Setting the baby down he yanked the dart from his flesh with a hiss, staying low and shooting Tembo a venomous glare. “You’re dead,” he croaked as he began to feel his strength leave him. The edges of his vision to blurred and he swayed, but Dodgson had just enough time to call Tembo a double-agent fucker before he hit the ground.
With a nod, Tembo lowered his rifle. Letting Dodgson babble incoherently he turned to King. “He’ll be out completely in about ten seconds,” he said. “Enough anaesthesia in there to put a man to sleep for a good long while.”
“You’re – not going to shoot me?”
Tembo paused. “No, I don’t think so. Howard, I don’t think you’ve got the balls to try and overpower me. Not to mention that I think you wanted something like this to happen.”
“I – he – ” King faltered, finally heaving a sigh and feeling his shoulders droop. “You’re right about that.” He’d always found Dodgson an irritating ass – if not a brilliant mind – but after everything he’d seen on this god damned island, King was really all too happy to see an end to Dodgson and his failed plan. “Barely a shred of remorse for George...”
“I never liked him, and for what it’s worth you have my sympathies about Mr Baselton,” Tembo said simply, scanning the horizon quickly before crouching down next to the unconscious beings. “Sit down, Howard,” he began as he produced his radio from within his jacket. Another quick scan of the horizon, he spoke: “We’re ready for you. At the flare site.”
“Received,” came a reply.
Satisfied, Tembo pocketed the small transmitter once more. He turned to King. “Ah, good. Our pickup should be here very soon.”
* * * *
Twilight lowered her binoculars, visibly glowing with delight. “This is incredible,” she uttered. “Look at this! They’re stunning.” Setting the binoculars down she let out the first contented sigh she’d felt since arriving on Isla Sorna, and scribbled some field notes regarding the nature of the enormous herd before her.
“Much prettier when they’re not trying to kill you,” Malcolm offered dryly, smirking to himself as he received glares from all round.
“I can’t argue with how true that is,” Twilight finally said, a smirk working its way across her own features. She felt that she could share laughs once again. The emotional trauma of yesterday had absolutely left its toll and she was still exhausted, but to be in friendly, safe company with field equipment and security to hand made all the difference. Twilight began to feel better. She hadn’t completely erased all memory of the vicious raptors and the ever-present threat of hunting carnivores, but everypony here was prepared for that eventuality, and in that respect she felt she was in good company.
“Beautiful, right?” Levine hummed. His gaze was firmly on the dinosaurs, eyes glued to his binoculars. Like everyone else, he too had been silent for so long – simply observing. “Watch as the species interact. Do you see how the sauropods feed from the tree-tops at the plains’ edge? Watch the lush foliage fall to the ground; you’ll see the Dryosaurs dart in opportunistically and feed on the scraps.”
The seven of them settled comfortably into watching the dinosaurs for a good hour, absorbing themselves in this serene moment after the maddening chaos of yesterday. Levine took photographs and field notes, Fluttershy narrating their every action to Twilight and the others in her youth-like excitement.
Even the ever-critical Malcolm was silent for the entire duration they observed the dinosaurs. He and Harding had set up deck chairs and enjoyed the peace. He placed his hands behind his head as he drank in the sight before him. He’d never admit it aloud – certainly not to Levine – but he found a particular tranquillity in the scene before him, something which eased his mind. Of course, as a human being he should never have had the chance to see live dinosaurs, let alone find a beautiful peace in simply watching them – such was the dictation of Chaos Theory. But humanity was an unreliable, hypocritical species. Plus, now would not be the time to bring up this hypocrisy. As far as Malcolm was concerned, this was a much-needed moment of respite for all parties, and why should he be the one to ruin that? Particularly for the Equestrians. He had noted their concerning drop in demeanour last night. They both seemed flatter and less full-of-life than when he had met them prior; this was of course due to the trauma of multiple dinosaur attacks. He glanced over at them, watching them chat excitedly, and found himself slowly nodding. This was their moment as much as it was his, and he would let them have it—
“Don’t stare, it’s rude,” came Harding’s voice from his side, and he jumped with a start. He had once again allowed his mind to run away with itself.
“Oh, I see how it is,” he began slowly. “The Equestrians are allowed to enjoy this moment, but I’m not. I – I should be gawking about theories and predators and—”
“Shush,” she cut in with a smile. “I’m glad you’re happy for them. Go enjoy this moment, too.”
Malcolm shook his head with a chuckle, his attention turning back to the herd before them when he noticed something off in the distance, far from the dinosaurs. He strained; it was difficult to see due to the powerful afternoon light but as it streaked further into the sky and passed by a cloud it became apparent that Malcolm was looking at a flare. “Sarah, you – you see that? That there?” He pointed, getting Harding’s attention.
“See what?— Oh...”
Malcolm had since stood, marching over to Levine. “Hey, pass me those binoculars,” he said to Levine as he waved his hand impatiently, snatching them from him. Twilight and Fluttershy – with whom Levine had been engaged in chatter with – were now staring at him, too.
“Get your own,” Levine bit back. “Can’t you see I’m busy conducting field research – hey! Are you even listening to me?”
Malcolm looked through the binoculars, adjusting their focus as he went. “That’s not good, at all,” he said gravely as he lowered the eyepieces. By now everyone else had seen the flare, he was sure of it. “Twilight, Fluttershy – did, ah, did Dodgson carry any flares with, do you know?”
The pair looked at each other for a moment, searching their memories. “Sorry, Ian,” Twilight said finally. “I can’t remember anything about flares.”
“Hmm.” Malcolm stared off, away at the flare. “We should do something, nonetheless. Who else is it likely to be?”
“Damn right we should do something,” came Thorne’s loud voice for the first time that afternoon. “And the thing we should do is get outta here. Everyone, pack your things and get into tree cover. We ought to stay hidden for a while, and Lord knows we’re exposed as all hell atop this hill.” He spoke tensely, sharply. “We should keep hidden, and stay away from whoever it is that’s messing around over there. We don’t need to put ourselves in danger any more than we already are—”
“If I may, Mr Thorne.” Twilight jumped in, her own speech curt and tense. “I think you’re right, and we should get the trucks hidden, but we should also have a look at what’s going on down there. We can do that without being seen!” She allowed a pause, surprising herself somewhat with just how short her tether had become. Thorne’s apathy had annoyed her, and she was going to make that known. “We could just do nothing, but inaction here seems even more dangerous. Especially if that is Dodgson... Who knows what he’s got planned! Who knows... Okay. We know that he’s on this island somewhere and he’s a danger to the dinosaurs and to us. And this island is big, but not that big.” She looked away from Thorne, glancing at the others. “I think we should at least try and get a headstart on Dodgson so that we keep ourselves as safe as possible, and that way we can do our best to protect the dinosaurs from him, too.”
“...Yes, fine,” Thorne mumbled, finding himself loath to go toe-to-toe with Twilight Sparkle. As far as he was concerned, they were here to keep away from angry dinosaurs, observe them as safely as possible, and not to meddle in the affairs of crooks. In Thorne’s mind, they had already been far too hands-on with the animals here. He would have none of it – the so-called ‘experts’ could be the ones to antagonise carnivores and distract herbivores. His job was to safeguard the team and keep a distance from the dinosaurs, and running headfirst into potential danger against Dodgson and some bent scientists-cum-criminals was not high up on his to-do list. He was never one to back down when his logic was called into question, oh no. And yet, Twilight Sparkle the Equestrian had just completely disarmed him. Must be their magic, he surmised, as he joined the others, now in a frenzy to gather their things.
“Looks like we might be able to see from further around the treeline,” Harding said aloud. “Should get us a clear view to the far-side of the plains.”
“Can we walk it?” Thorne asked.
“I certainly can’t,” came Levine’s voice. “Not after last night. And I’d like to know what’s occurring here.”
“Me either,” Malcolm said. “My leg isn’t much good for too much walking these days. That – ah – that said, I feel that I’d rather stay in the trailers.”
“Sure thing,” Thorne replied. “Take the jeep then, whoever ends up going—” Thorne found himself interrupted by the SUVs engine already coming to life. He looked up; Harding, Carr, and both ponies were aboard, now helping Levine aboard too. With a shake of his head, Thorne attempted some weak opposition to so many souls going but decided against it quite quickly. “Eddie,” he said meekly. “You’ve got a radio set in that jeep, remember to use it.”
“Sure thing Jack.” He grabbed it, holding it up as some sort of reassurance. “We’ll see you soon, you’ll hear from us ever sooner.”
Thorne watched the SUV disappearing into the undergrowth. When he could see it no more, he turned to Malcolm. “They’re playing with fire.”
“I know.”
“And those ponies are gonna put everyone in danger.”
“I know that, too.”
“And you’re not stopping them why?!”
“It’s not my place to control anyone, or any Equestrian either.” Malcolm ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping him. “Or Sarah. They – she is absolutely her own master. And Miss Sparkle and Miss Fluttershy are just the same. Those of us with sense only get through to them sometimes.”
“Jesus,” Thorne uttered as the pair – now aboard the RV – began moving it to a clearer spot on the jungle. “I dunno, Ian. I just don’t agree with what we’re doing here anymore. We were supposed to observe, then we were supposed to rescue two ponies, and now... We’re busting crooks? Does this not bother you?”
“No, no, it does. It’s just that – ah – if there is one thing I have learnt from Sarah, it’s that cold logic only gets you so far, and powerful human compassion – I digress, but I wonder whether human compassion would the correct term given our current guests – but compassion gets you just as far. And as – as much as I hate to admit it, Twilight Sparkle was right. If that is Lewis Dodgson, we need to do something about him. And if it’s anyone else, well... At least we’ll have a, ah, better idea about goings-on here.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because nobody should be here. Technically speaking that includes us, but outside of our expedition, nobody else outside of the InGen top brass should know about this place’s existence. Take a look around you, Jack. The place is a microcosm of dinosaur life as a whole. Somehow, the systems and nature here have become stable. Enter humanity to the fold. We show up with our, our, guns and trucks and discerning consciences. Suddenly, the scales of life are tipped and – and if we’re not careful, they’ll tip in favour of these dinosaurs. And criminals like Dodgson will not do us any favours at all – hey! Are you listening to a word I’m telling you?”
“What? Oh, no. Well, sort of. I tuned out when you started talking ‘life’ and ‘chaos’. We’ve all heard it a million times, Ian. Spare us the theories. Plus, look! Whilst you were gassing, I’ve parked the lab in the jungle. We’re safer now. So – just – relax for a second.” Thorne stood. “You want a water?”
“Sure,” Malcolm replied tersely. A brilliant engineer though he was, Thorne was proving to be unbelievably ignorant. Sighing, Malcolm gazed out the window: the RV had indeed been parked in the jungle, at the mouth of a trail of sorts. Big enough to get the trucks in but covered and small enough to mostly conceal them from view. They had descended the hill and were nearer the herd now but had kept their distance, Thorne having explained the need to ‘remain observers and neutral’ again after returning with their waters.
The pair sat in silence for what seemed like the longest time, wordlessly scanning the skies and plains before them for a sign of anything, until suddenly Thorne stood, heading towards the radio receiver. “I’m not waiting any more,” he announced loudly. He snatched the transmitter. “Eddie. Eddie? What’s going on?”
“Doc, shush,” came a crackled reply. It was Harding. “Okay. We can see the other side of the plain from here. It’s a long way from us at the moment. But we can see where the flare came from.”
“And? Anything?”
“Yeah. There are three guys down there. Twilight And Fluttershy tell me that they are called Roland Tembo, Howard King and Lewis Dodgson.”
“The bastard!”
“Shush,” she said forcefully. “So there’s a complication.”
“Go on...”
“Dodgson is unconscious, the other two not taking much notice of him. In his arms he’s cradling a baby dinosaur, also unconscious. Richard and the ponies aren’t quite sure what species but it’s definitely a carnivore. They surmise it’d grow up to be a big one.”
“Riiiiight...”
“That’s it. It’s weird and – hey, you hear that?”
Thorne focussed, holding the radio away from his ear. Freeze-framing for a brief moment he then sprung into action, barrelling out of the RV’s main door with Malcolm in tow. Sure enough, he could hear it: from the distance came the familiar whirr of a helicopter. “Shit.” He span back into the trucks and in one graceful movement had sat down at the radio booth: “Sarah. What’s going on?”
“A helicopter is here. Says on the side: InGen.”
Malcolm – who had been listening in – stiffened in his seat. “Oh, no...”
“Ian is not impressed at all, and I’m just confused.” Thorne now spoke slowly. “Keep us in the loop, Sarah.”
“Sure thing.” A passage of silence came and went before the radio crackled once again. “Chopper’s down. A man in a suit has hopped out, he’s balding. Spectacled. Oh – okay – another suit has jumped out and he’s picking up the dino. Tembo and King are onboard. They’re – woah – they’re leaving Dodgson for dead.” A brief pause. “Okay the helicopter’s airborne. We’ll head back once it’s gone.” The radio crackled and the only sound to be heard was the distant helicopter, the whirr growing ever-louder until suddenly it passed overhead – almost directly overhead – of Thorne and Malcolm’s position. They remained still as it came and went, thankful when it continued past them and disappeared into the distance.
Finally Malcolm spoke, his speech agitated and shallow. “In November 1993, InGen officially filed for bankruptcy. That is common, public knowledge. What – what is making little sense to me at this current moment, is why an apparently defunct company is still carrying out operations here.” His gaze was intense; he stared off into the distance as he spoke.
“It’d explain how we’re able to still exploit their systems,” came Thorne’s reply after a short moment. He felt Malcolm emanating tension, doing his best to defuse the heightened atmosphere. “We can still scan for dinos, right? And the whole ‘debate about the power being on’ thing you guys had back at the command centre? It would all add up if it turns out InGen never really went bankrupt or are still secretly operating—”
Malcolm broke. “Jack! I – How are you so collected right now?” His eyes were wide; he spoke sharply. Then he blinked once, twice, taking a deep breath through his nose. “I’m – I’m sorry. It’s just – I just...” He shook his head slowly, holding Thorne’s gaze. “This is really bad, Doc. Really bad. Hammond’s vision was a monstrous theme park. InGen facilitated this dream, and we all know how that ended. And now we’re in a situation whereby their dinosaur sanctuary is probably still operating under their control, and for what purpose? Are they planning their own park somewhere? I’ll be sure they – they won’t be rearing these animals simply to let them exist here alone. Oh no. You may remember I told you about the sample that Richard sent me?”
“I remember, yeah.”
“The data-tag, the radio chip. It does indeed all add up, as you say. InGen are up to something with these creatures. And I don’t know what – oh, no no no...” Malcolm had trailed off, his concerned features now looking past Thorne and out of the RV. Transfixed he stood, moving to the door, mumbling something to himself as he exited. “Sarah, no. He is not coming with us.”
Thorne lazily turned his head to see the SUV had returned. Harding, Carr, Twilight, Fluttershy and Levine were all accounted for. And between them, they carried the limp form of Dodgson from the jeep and onboard the RV amidst much squabbling and argument. Immediately Thorne became frustrated, and it was his turn to snap. “Enough!” he yelled, immediately quashing all bickering and commanding the attention of all other souls. “Okay. I see you are all getting nowhere in whatever you’re arguing about, so you’re all gonna listen to me. One. This might technically be your expedition, Richard, but these are very much my trucks. What is he” – Thorne pointed squarely at Dodgson, now placed on one of the beds – “doing in my wagon? And two, why are we apparently involving ourselves with criminals and thugs when we should be here passively observing dinosaurs?!”
“We couldn’t just leave him Doctor Thorne!” Fluttershy spoke up unexpectedly; she was determined but nervous. Thorne had always frightened her somewhat with his larger-than-life personality and his incredibly loud mouth, but she spoke with conviction against him. “If we left him to fend for himself we’re no better than the people who left him before us, and we’d be no better than Mr Dodgson himself...” She shot a glare at his comatose form.
“He may also be able to answer a few questions we may have,” Twilight added. “By which, I mean: We’ll make him talk and maybe learn a bit more.”
Levine spoke up. “Jack – as unpleasant as it is that he’s here – I’d like the opportunity to punch him at least once whilst he’s conscious, so he’ll know about it.”
Thorne said nothing; he simply shook his head and raised a palm. He knew he was in the minority and arguing his case here would be totally worthless being as though the situation had already been decided. The ponies couldn’t bring themselves to leave a crook to face the consequences of his own actions, and, as per usual, everyone agreed with them. So be it, Thorne thought as he reached for his water, watching the others fuss over Dodgson before turning away, staring idly into the jungle. They’ll come to regret bringing him here.
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Wonderful chapter again. The mares and humans deserved a temporary break. Sorry Thorne, but noone can stand against cute and adorable ponies with a determined look.
Don't worry about taking a long time writing. It was worth the wait!
8960914
Much appreciated! Thank you. As is probably evident by this point the balance between pony and human perspectives and approaches to what's unfolding is something I wanted to explore! Certainly in a universe where humans and ponies are able to mingle and interact, it seems sensible to not just focus on the pony characters as main characters. Plus, I'm finding it really interesting to write scenes with both humans and ponies in - how they integrate, how the interact, how they think about things - all very interesting and an excellent challenge!
As ever, thanks for taking the time to read. :)
8960915
A determined member of the Elements of Harmony can achieve anything they want to, in my books. This includes outmaneuvering somewhat narrow-minded engineers with regards to morality. ;)
Thanks for keeping up, friend! I've mapped out the next chapter in more detail and it promises to be one to remember, I think. :)
Great work as always with this chapter. I enjoyed the peaceful content with watching the dinosaurs, and also liked a lot of the character stuff here: Ian and Thorne was a real highlight for me.
But on a more serious note, I also quite liked the concluding piece of this. Black Hoof already said it, but still - no arguing with a determined pony! XD
8967315
Thank you very much! These recent chapters have been a lot of fun to write - certainly challenging. Fluttershy's emotional wobble was a real joy to write; quite interesting to explore other sides of the ponies' psyches. The interplay between Thorne and Malcolm is always great to write, such massive characters. xD
Watch this space! Next chapter currently being worked on...
9111561
I'll admit that the villains in the Jurassic Park franchise don't seem to ever have much going for them in the brain department... ;)
Cheers for reading, though. Honestly, I get the aversion to the prologue, but I feel that events that still have yet to occur will go some way to contextualising the anger in Twilight's letter to Celestia. All this aside, I appreciate you taking the time to read The Lost Ponies.
Still working on the next chapter! Hoping to upload soon, but it's a pretty dense one and will require a good deal of editing!