Preface:
Sentencing the Delinquents to life on Earth had accomplished what the council had hoped it would, buying enough time for the Ark enough time to recalibrate the CO2 scrubbers. It gave them two additional years on the space station before oxygen ounce again began to become scarce. At that point, what goes up must come down. Those remaining on the Ark prepared themselves as best they could for a drop toward solid ground. They did not know what they would find on the now alien planet, contact with the 100 had been brief before all communication was lost. Just like those that they sent before them where they went next, they went blindly.
Earth
718 days since the Fall
It began with a rumor that spread through the shared market, a meteor had hit the Earth sometime the day before a few kilometers away. By the time it had caught the attention of the Sky People leaders, the story was that dozens of meteors had come down and a whole valley lay waste from it and a norther nation was responsible for it (they prayed to the Gods overhead them, they must have brought the rocks down). Clarke had immediately put a halt to such stories, threating to hog tie any persons who continued to spread the tall tales, Sky People or Grounder.
In the end there was not enough evidence to support the story and warrant any sort of exploration toward the area, for a single day it was forgotten. It was not until a very disgruntled Grounder leader, Anya, began to make rash accusations of Sky People breaking the fragile treaty that had united the nations for nearly a year, that the group was forced to consider just what the rumor had had been telling them. Anya accused the Sky People of killing a scout of theirs and of breaching the Grounder nation's territory. She was assured by the Sky People leaders that it was not them that broke the treaty, that no one in their nation had gone so far east in months. Privately, the Sky People began to wonder what just what had fallen from to Earth. Had the Ark finally made its final decent? From Anya's reports it was very likely.
"Allow us to search out these supposed Sky People." Clarke had proposed to Anya. "Tell your people to avoid any contact with them until more can be discovered about who they are."
"I think you already know who they are. What are you not telling me?" Anya glared at Clarke, not backing down lightly.
"There is a chance they could be the rest of our population." Clarke spoke honestly. "If they are they will be ill prepared and afraid. Let us contact them before any damage is done."
After a moment of silence, Anya spoke. "You have two days."
"Three." Bellamy counteracted. "We don't know how far they are or what condition they are in."
"Fine, three. After that I cannot say for sure what will happen to these people."
That had been 48 hours ago and how Bellamy had found himself here. His wrists bound in front of him and a rifle prodding his back. He and the few scouts he had brought with him had found the crash site and were immediately welcomed with armed Ark guards and a council who held a grudge.
"It's Blake, Bellamy Blake." One uniform cried. And suddenly he was forced to the ground, the side of his face forced into the dirt while he and is group were bound with straps.
"We're unarmed." He yelled above the commotion but it went unheard.
"You are under arrest for the attempted assassination of Chancellor Jaha." Kane stood above him. Bellamy would not give him the satisfaction of any argument. He and those with him remained silent as they were forced back onto their feet. The faces around them were a blur but he could see that hundreds had survived the fall; hundreds had come to find their place on Earth. Bellamy saw one woman force her way to the front of the crowd, eventually finding her place next to Kane.
"He's part of the 100. They're alive!" Abby Griffin exclaimed. "What about Clarke Griffin?" Her eyes met Bellamy's and for a moment he wondered how he should respond. He knew for a fact that Clarke's feeling toward her mother were far from amiable and did not know how much she would want her to know. Right now he was glad that she had not been part of the group to find the Ark, even if she were strong enough to come. She was safe where she was, not being held at gunpoint. Abby kept looking at him in anticipation until finally he offered her a singular nod.
"Take me to her." She commanded, stepping forward. "Take me to her now."
Bellamy had not immediately agreed to her demands, these were armed and scared, he was not about to lead them straight into camp without compromise. He was able to negotiate with Kane that they only bring a dozen men with them, the rest had to stay put until they returned. Those that stayed behind would begin to make camp where they were. Bellamy also negotiated that two his own scouts be released and sent to the surrounding Grounder nations to spread word of the peaceful people that were now encamped here. Kane would not forgo the use of weapons and that made Bellamy uneasy.
It took the group twice as long to return to the Sky People's settlement as it did for Bellamy to find the Ark. The new arrivals moved across the land slowly and with great unease, every new sight was a new experience for them. Bellamy only hoped that the scouts he had sent to the Grounders would be enough pacify any war parties. He knew that Anya would not truly be at ease until she heard from he or Clarke directly.
When they finally reached the camp it was nearing dusk and the group was stalled when the gates of the surrounding wall were closed to them. The fort like structure they had been able to construct in the last year and half reached at least 15 to 20 feet high with scaffolding around it that allowed look outs to be on guard at any time of the day. It was these lookouts now that prevented the new arrivals from going any further especially when they saw that they carried guns.
"Tell them to let us in" Kane ordered Bellamy. The Sky People above them aimed practiced arrows at the group and Bellamy heard several safeties click off around them.
"Not until you tell yours to lower their weapons." Bellamy countered. He and Kane remained in an unspoken standoff, neither wavering. "I will not risk my people's safety."
"Your people?" Kane spat but gave the order. "Lower your weapons."
Bellamy gave Miller a curt nod, permitting him to allow them access. The man on duty looked weary of what his commander brought in with him, he became more so when he saw the rifle buried in his back as they passed beneath his perch. Word of the group's arrival had spread like wildfire and Bellamy was not surprised to see that they were met with a line of defense within the walls. Nearly a dozen of the 100 had armed themselves with the few remaining means of gunfire they had in the fort, all muzzles trained on the new arrivals. Bellamy once again heard the melodic click of every safety being removed.
"You have guns?" Kane was truly shocked at the sight, enough that he too had his weapon drawn. Bellamy was about to offer a sarcastic comment before ordering everyone to stand down. But he was interrupted by something else.
"Papa!" A small child walked excitedly between the groups, oblivious to any danger. He could not have been older than 18 months, he stumbled across the uneven ground, his arms outstretched in front of him.
"No!" Bellamy screamed. "Lower your weapons! All of you!" He lurched toward the child but was restrained by the uniformed man immediately behind him. As quickly as he had appeared the child was swept back into the mass of 100, securely held in Jasper's arms.
"Get him out of here!" Bellamy barked Jasper. The boy did as he was told, pushing his way back toward the line of cabins and tents a few yards away.
"Everyone stand down." This time it was Abby who intervened, stepping in front so she could be seen. "There are children for God sake. These are our children." The sinking sun took must of the light with it but Bellamy could make out those around him follow her order. With the sudden silence he could hear muffled cries coming from somewhere around them but could not say for sure where.
"Bellamy?" Raven had shoved her way through the 100 crowd to the clearing. "What are you doing? Release him." She shouted toward Kane.
"He is under arrest for the attempted assassina-" Kane began to recite.
"I don't give a damn what right you think you have to him. Release him now." She took a quick step forward but was stopped by uniformed men. "Abby? What is this?"
"He needs to be held responsible for his actions Raven." Abby said diplomatically.
"Your right he does, but not for whatever you think he's done." Raven said, turning to him. "Bellamy, it's Clarke." He felt a shock go through his system.
"That's Clarke?" He nearly yelled, straining to rediscover the cries he had just heard. Raven only nodded, worry setting in her expression. Suddenly every fiber of him felt the need to leave this group, he needed to get to Clarke. "Let me go." He hissed to Kane.
"What about Clarke?" Abby's inquiry went ignored and Kane remained unmoving. Bellamy finally had enough. He spun around, knocking the rifle from the uniform behind him and aimed a fist toward the man's jaw. He head-butted the one that tried to grab him from behind and offered a solid kick to the gut of another. He left them stunned enough to walk across the space between the two parties until he was engulfed by the crowd of Sky People.
"Take them to the Mess Hall. They will wait there until we know what to do with them." He called over his shoulder, knowing that Raven would take over now.