Hey all. I just want to start by saying Happy New Year, and sorry it has been so long since I updated. Between holidays and sickness running rampant in my house I haven't been able to do any writing. This chapter was exceedingly tough for me and I have had to go back and reread what I have written to get back into the swing of the story even though I have an outline of where it's going. Please comment! Let me know how you feel it's going! The support helps me keep going. To those who faithfully comment, Thank you! Much love! Hope you enjoy and I promise it won't be so long for the next chapter!
Chapter XXVI
"Agreed. We will see you there Krass." Bellamy said as he let go of the receiver and looked at the group. He had a sick feeling in his stomach that there was no good way out of this mess and their luck could have finally run out.
They had waited by the radio at the appointed time and when Krass came across the air, his voice carried a tone of sinister calm that didn't sit well with anyone, especially Octavia. He had laid out the details of a meeting to which he demanded they attend at the same glade they had met the first time. They were to bring the ship, Octavia, Madi, Clarke and Bellamy with no other interference from Haven or the T'Owvie. If they did so, and stayed for a meeting to which terms would be outlined, Krass agreed to release Indra.
Octavia was pacing with a fury that matched the storm brewing outside, and held a posture all to reminiscent of the not so distant memory of Bloodrena. "I don't trust the bastard! He will never let any of us leave that glade." She said nearly spitting the words as she turned to yet again pace the length of the tent.
Shaw was receiving a data package from Raven as he compiled another one to send back about the planned meeting and looked up briefly at the rest of the group. "I agree with Octavia. So, we need a plan, leverage, something that makes the cost of killing or capturing us to high." He outlined, referring to his past dealings with Dyoza.
Clarke had grabbed paper and a pencil as soon as Bellamy had signed off the radio and had started sketching, Bellamy watched as her brow furrowed causing a crease between her eyes as she concentrated on what she was doing.
After a few moments she stood up and set the paper on the table, a rough sketch and layout of the glade outlined in beautiful precision and looked up at Bellamy. "This is the glade, Octavia..." She said, causing her to cease her pacing and turn to face them, "You scouted the perimeter, what can we expect? Is there any way we can plan a defensive strategy?" She added gesturing her hand in a circle around the drawing.
Octavia eyed the drawing carefully and slowly walked over, "We can't get there in time to fortify any kind of defensive position. They knew we were there before we saw them the first time, so I would expect the same this time, and there's not much cover once we are there." She said, shoulders finally dropping in resignation.
"Even if we could great a plan, we don't have enough people to do it, and not enough time to prep. He planned this well, knowing we would agree to get Indra back." Madi said, frowning intensely with a distant look in her eyes as she conversed with the rest of the Commanders.
Bellamy looked up to Clarke, eyes moving over to the group, "There's got to be something?" He growled in frustration as he stared at the paper, willing an answer to miraculously appear. "I'm not going to lose anyone else." He added quietly under his breath.
Shaw had a headset on and was listening intently to Ravens message, "Guys," he said, head snapping up to look at the group, "You need to hear this!" He said and unplugged the head set so it played through the speakers.
Ravens voice filled the room, "We are almost there. Jordan and Emori are finishing the last modifications to the shielding, but we just need you to buy some time. Then, you will have weaponized back up from the air."
Shaw paused the playback on the recording realizing they weren't getting the whole picture, "They found it in the cargo hold. Jordan had totally forgotten about it until shortly after we all left, then it took him a while to find where his dad had put the main body unit and the rest of the components."
Clarke shook her head still confused, "Forgot about what, Shaw?" She asked with frustration edging her tone.
"A jump ship." Shaw said, letting the news hit the group.
"A jump ship?! And he just remembered this now?" Octavia swore under her breath as her pacing began again as she swore under her breath.
"They said Raven has modified some of the drill guns to mount on the ship so we can fire from the air." He added with a grin.
Clarke set her pencil down forcefully, "Less than a year." She said quietly, then looked up at the group as they all turned to look at her, "Less than one fucking year and we are right back where we were on Earth." And she watched Bellamy hang his head in acknowledgment of her words.
"We said we would do better. Be better. How is this any better than we were?!" She said swiping the pad of paper and pencil off the desk in her frustration.
"What are we supposed to do Clarke?" Octavia's fire lit in her eyes as she challenged her words, "Would you see us be used as some kind of pawns for the extinction of those who have sheltered us? Or sacrifice one of your own in the name of being better? Why don't you just radio Krass and offer us all up for whatever he has planned!" She said nearly spitting the last of her words in thinly vailed fury.
"O." Bellamy warned, ready to get between the two women as they faced off, eyeing Madi as she shook her head at him causing him to back of a little.
Clarke took no notice, focusing all of her frustration on Octavia, "So what would you have me do Bloodrena? Go in guns ready, and take down anyone or anything in our path?! Drop a hethalodium bomb on The Colony and watch it burn with the planet?!" Clarke challenged, voice raising in anger.
"It's a better idea than sitting here watching you play with the lives around you like they are some kind of game pieces on a chess board and you are the Queen. That sadistic maniac deserves to be blown off this planet!" She hissed stepping forward, hand on her knife handle.
Clarke's eyes flicked down at Octavia's hand on her knife and took a deep breath. She suddenly seemed to realize how fast things had escalated between them, and she paused before she continued, "This isn't a game to me Octavia. I am not about to leave Indra with Krass. I just don't know how to do that without putting us in the middle of a full out war." She said, voice lowering as she slumped back in her chair resigned, cradling her head in her hands.
Octavia took a few moments, blinded by her fury and blinked, finally registering Clarke had backed down. "We were in the middle the minute we answered Krass's radio calls. We have no choice but to go to the meeting and try to buy time for whatever Raven was talking about." She stated as the tension seemed to suddenly dissipate in the room even though her voice was sharp with anger.
Madi stepped forward, finally between them as Bellamy continued to sit on the edge of his chair, eyes watching his sister and Clarke carefully, hands gripping the arms of the chair. He was silently thankful that he didn't have to, yet again, pick sides between his sister and Clarke.
"We need to find out how long it would take to get this new jump ship down here." Madi started, voice firm and resolved with a plan, "If we can meet them with that ship, guns hidden as a last resort, then we have some options."
Shaw stepped forward from the corner he had backed into watching the argument unfold. "I will send a coded message right away to Raven and tell them we need it ASAP." he said to no one in particular and sat down at his desk.
"Tell her Emori should pilot. We need Raven on Eligis still for the time being as a back-up to protect our people there." Bellamy said, posture still showing just how on edge he was.
Clarke stood abruptly and left the tent, touching Madi on the shoulder briefly as she went by while giving Octavia a wide birth. Bellamy's gaze followed her as she left, face full of concern until his eyes swept back and met Octavia's.
She held his look for a moment, "Still the brave knight." She said softly, eyes filled with disappointment and then shook her head, turning away from him as Madi stepped forward.
"Go make sure she is okay?" She said quietly to Bellamy, pulling his hurt gaze away from his sister's turned back.
He rose, and nodded at Madi, slipping out into the blustering dawn. The storm seemed to have eased off for the time being, and the sky had cleared, but the wind still whipped around with an ominous strength, making the surrounding foliage seem to take on an angry life of its own. He made his way to the sleeping tent, stopping briefly to look up to the clearing sky using the moment to gather his thoughts.
Clarke was sitting on the cot he had slept in for a bit of the night, her head cradled in her hands, elbows on her knees, with her face covered by her blonde locks that were now edging past her shoulders and he stopped in his tracks and just watched her for a moment. It seemed like a life time ago now since they had their night together, and even after everything he still marvelled at the fact that she had survived Priamfya and was back in his life in such a profound way.
"There's nothing that you can say that will make this better Bellamy." Clarke said, voice slightly muffled by her hands.
He sighed and walked over to the cot, sitting closely beside her as she lifted her head, her sorrowful blue eyes hitting him like a tonne of bricks. "I know." He responded softly, feeling her warmth where their legs met. He opened his mouth to say something as she turned her face away to look at her hands again, then thought better of trying to comfort her and closed it again.
He tentatively stretched out his arm and wrapped it around her back, tucking his hand in by her hip, feeling her momentarily resist the contact, but then quickly recover, and lean into his strength and support with a small sigh that made the corner of his mouth twitch into a grin. He tilted his head slightly so his mouth was in her silky hair curls and breathed in her scent for a moment as they sat in silence.
"Can we negotiate a peace between Krass and the T'Owvie?" Clarke asked quietly against his shoulder as she silently reveled in the steady beat of his heart in her ear. She knew the answer before she even voiced the question, but she's needed to hear his words.
Bellamy sighed, shaking his head as it still rested against hers, "I don't see how we can. Krass wants the genocide of a complete race. I don't see how we can walk away from this and live with ourselves in the end."
Clarke moved to respond his words, but he cut any response she had off, "I don't think Monty would have wanted us to sit back and watch these people be extinguished by a tyrant. We have to defend ourselves, but we can't just start dropping bombs." And he felt her relax against him again. They had been at these crossroads before, discussing strategy and plans to have their people survive what they were facing, always together, but never together and it made him feel calmer somehow with what they were to face.
Clarke mulled over his words, and couldn't find fault with what he said. She had actually had the same thoughts that he had voiced and felt drawn to the life they had experienced with the T'Owvie. It was like the life she had with Madi, but seemingly more fulfilled in a lot of ways, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the T'Owvie, or the relationship between her and Bellamy.
She reluctantly moved away from Bellamy, looking in his eyes, "Let's go make sure we have gun support by that jump ship and get Indra back. Then we worry about what comes next." She said softly, her eyes asking for unity and support.
Bellamy pinched his lips together, giving her a short curt nod. They were going to get Indra back and support the T'Owvie, but have to accept the consequences that decision brought and he leaned in quickly giving her a soft kiss before leaving his forehead against hers. "Together."
Plans had been set and a timeline sorted for Raven and the crew on the ship to complete the shield for the drop ship so they could make the meeting with Krass, and the majority of the camp had been packed up already. It didn't take long and they were putting away the last of the crates in the ship and Echo had joined them in the final prep for take-off.
She had just finished filling them in on Karson's injuries when they told her of the jump ship plan and she was looking around at the grim faces as Bellamy finished explaining about the weapons, "This man needs to be taken out. I don't see why you had to take any kind of time to decide that."
Clarke scowled at her in frustration and resentment, knowing that she was right, "It's not that simple Echo and you know it." She said, trying not to have an edge to her words, but failing.
Her face darkened in response to Clarke's words and she clenched her jaw tight, "I am going to go strap in." She finally retorted tightly and stalked off, shooting Bellamy a last look of anger as she did.
Bellamy hung his head, shaking it slightly before looking up at Clarke, "You know she's just stating what we all decided." He said as the room remained silent with the heaviness of stress.
Clarke's anger deflated a little and she slumped in her seat at Shaw sat, starting the take-off sequence, "I know, but it doesn't mean I will take what we are about to do lightly, or decide to do it on a whim." She replied quietly.
Bellamy walked past her chair and stopped for a moment to put a hand on her shoulder, "Let focus on getting Indra back for now." He stated and moved to strap in.
It didn't take long until they were in the air, and as soon as they were clear of the shield, the computer alerted Shaw to a message from Raven. Clarke reached over and hit the switch, selecting it to play across the speakers.
"Emori is leaving now with Jordan. They are going to enter from the dark side to keep their approach hidden and the weapons are up and running. You guys need to sort things out soon. It's getting way to quiet and creepy up here and I am getting pretty tired of rations."
Her voice crackled off and Clarke noticed the slightly pained look that flashed across Shaw's face as he adjusted their course and her heart went out a little for him being away from Raven for this long.
It didn't take long for them to make it to the clearing that Krass had indicated and as Shaw brought the ship down, they could see Krass and his men gathered in the open space of the camp where they all first met. Clarke tensed as she thought she could make out about a half dozen of Krass's men waiting for them before they dipped below the tree line to land.
Once the ship was down, they secured everything and armed up with minimal weapons, hiding them as best as they could from sight. The tension was paramount as Clarke pulled the lever, and the ramp lowered. The weather had cleared, for the most part, but as they had landed Clarke had noticed an ominous cloud front moving its way in their direction and Clarke just hoped that as they were in a communications silence, that Emori and Jordan made it through the dense layer and oncoming storm in one piece.
As the group cleared the tree line and rounded the side of the structure the tension hit a new high. Krass was standing with six large men and two had Indra held up between them, seemingly lifeless to his left, a self-important smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Madi reached out and placed a hand on Octavia's arm, holding the woman back from doing something that could jeopardize them all as Krass sneered further at their approach. They stopped a little more than 20 feet away as if there was an invisible line drawn between the groups, facing off with harsh stares of intimidation.
"So nice of you to finally join us," Krass said, eventually turning his gaze from Octavia to Bellamy. "I am assuming you are Bellamy?" He added as more of a statement than a question.
"We're here as you requested Krass. Name your terms for peace and then release our person." Bellamy growled out eyeing Indra's beaten and still form between Krass's guards noticing with relief the rise and fall of her chest with her breathing.
"Ah yes, my terms. For starters," He began, his gaze returning to drift over to Octavia and Clarke with slow appraisal, "Why don't we talk about the women." He smiled, almost greedily at them both.
"Over my dead body." Octavia spat out, Madi's arm, holding her firmly rooted in place as she nearly vibrated with her anger.
Krass just smiled as Clarke grit her teeth, "What exactly are you wanting with women?" She asked feeling sick as her mind dreaded hearing what she figured he would say.
"I hate to be crude, but we need fresh brood stock. If we want to purify our genome of the alien DNA back to propagating as we are supposed to, we need strong females to propagate and fortify the blood lines." He said bluntly, letting his words fall on the group.
Clarke could see Bellamy out of the corner of her eye and saw the muscles in his jaw working as he tried to control his anger. "Is that the only term?" She asked through clenched teeth, unable to trust herself with any other statements.
Krass's smile crept up a little further as he regarded Clarke, "That is the main one yes, but you can throw in the exact location of Haven and access to the Eligis and all of its population and hethalodium." He said gesturing is hands to the sky.
"You want what?!" Clarke managed to squeak out as Bellamy reached out and grabbed her arm making her realize she had taken a menacingly toward Krass and his crew.
"I'm pretty sure you heard me clearly, Clarke." He said slowly, flipping back to the welcoming gentle smile he first had when they originally met, then added nodding his head towards Indra, "Agree to my terms and we will return her and allow you to join our community and finally thrive on our planet the way our ancestors were meant to."
"This planet was never yours to begin with, so what if we don't want to agree with your terms or have terms of our own?" Bellamy said carefully as he saw Octavia shoot him a look while he regarded Krass carefully.
Krass's face fell a little as he turned his attention slowly back to Bellamy, "I sense that you don't believe my conviction, and frankly, I have no patients left for this game of ours." He said with an exaggerated sigh, and leveled Bellamy and Clarke with a dark look. "In truth, we both know I don't actually need you to give in to my demands. I have the resources to take what I want from you and Haven. I was hoping you would agree reasonably, but that doesn't seem to be the case." And with that he turned away and nodded to his men as all hell broke loose.
"Bell...!" Octavia yelled in warning as time seemed to slow, but yet they weren't fast enough in all of the confusion and chaos that erupted.
The guard on the other side of Krass stepped over to where the others had Indra's limp body supported between them and grabbed her head from behind, twisting it with a sharp, sickening crack, to a chorus of screams "NO!" from everyone else. At the same time, while the guards raised their weapons to fire at Bellamy, there was a roar of engines over the trees and the ground between the groups exploded with loud pops, causing everyone to scatter for cover as Octavia ripped her arm from Madi's grasp and dashed forward towards where the guards had dropped Indra's body in a heap on the ground.
She cut down the only guard that hadn't dove for cover with a flash of her knife and collapsed on Indra's lifeless form with a heart crushing wail before lifting her head with a feral snarl to find Krass in the smoke and explosions.
She barely registered the sounds of Bellamy and Madi screaming her name, or the loud pops of small exploding patches of dirt and vegetation as shots rained down around her from the jump ship. "KRASS!" She yelled, standing in a protective stance over Indra's body, "YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!" She yelled pointing her knife at him as she stood headless to all the danger, shots, and dirt flying around her.
Krass looked over at her menacing form briefly and flashed her a sadistic smile before disappearing in the woods amidst a flurry of exploding trees and branches until the only sound in the clearing was the roar of the jump ship engines as it hovered to land.
Madi was the first to reach Octavia, who immediately lashed out in an attack in protection of the body at her feet. Clarke screamed as Madi countered with a snarl, dodging the strikes coming at her with a blind fury before Bellamy tackled Octavia to the ground.
She thrashed, and kicked, screaming curses at him to let her go until the fury gave way to an all-consuming grief and she went limp in her brothers' arms, and broke in to heart wrenching sobs. Clarke wrapped Madi in her arms as she started to cry as they stood watching Bellamy hold Octavia, rocking her slowly, eyes brimming with his own tears as he whispered softly in her ear.
The clearing was silent as Emori cut the engines and her and Jordan exited the jump ship in a rush to see the group huddled around a body on the ground and raced over as fast as they could. Clarke looked at the two as they approached with bitter-sweet relief and let go of Madi long enough to give Emori a hug and surprise Jordan with one as well.
"We should get out of here." Emori said quietly to Clarke as she scanned the woods warily.
Clarke nodded, turning to Madi, "Head back to the other ship with Jordan and Emori, and have Murphy come with a stretcher to give us a hand?" she asked seeing Emori's face lighten thankfully.
Madi nodded and Clarke turned back to Bellamy and Octavia on the ground. Her sobs had subsided and she was just sniffling slightly, while still allowing Bellamy to hold her lightly. He looked up, hurt plain across his face as Clarke approached carefully.
"We need to move. Murphy is going to be here in a sec with a stretcher to take Indra back to the ship." She said softly looking down at Indra's form, fresh tears stinging her eyes.
At her words, Octavia stirred in Bellamy's arms and rose in silence, removing her cloak and laying it over Indra's form. Kneeling, she leaned down touching her forehead against Indra's, "Yup gonplei ste odon Indra Kom Wonkru." She stated softly as the others murmured the same.
Octavia stood, tears drying on her face and her stare hard, "Krass dies by my hand. Jus drein jus draun." She growled and stalked off in the direction of the ship as Murphy came through the trees with a skid, Madi on one side, Jordan pushing and Emori walking solemnly beside him.