Chapter 63

Adara was in Tondc with Raven and Monty, working with Anya, Indra and the Commander checking hunting areas and where others could come to trade. Maybe they could have a trading post near their village. Now that the mountain was no longer a threat, more and more clans were visiting each other for trade and partnerships over boundaries. With the bay less than a mile away, Luna's people could also come to trade with them. In fact, if Luna's boats were small enough, she could navigate all the way to the part of the river nearest Tondc.

They were checking the hunting grounds. Tondc's hunting grounds didn't go all the way down to the old village of Lorton which was just to the north of the new Skaikru village, but in lean winters, they would go that far looking for food. Adara decided to only hunt south and east of their village so that they didn't accidentally hunt in Tondc's area. This was accepted by Anya and Lexa, with Indra nodding her head, reluctantly.

Last week they had been in Polis being introduced to the leaders of the 12 clans. Commander Lexa had made it clear that the Skaikru would be invited to join as the 13th clan soon. There was a lot of clamour about that with Azgeda being the loudest. Queen Nia had attended this time, usually she sent her ambassador to these things as she thought these meetings were beneath her. This time, however, she seemed to make an exception. She was glad she did now as she could now gauge her newest enemy. Lexa was a fool for accepting the invaders! They should have been killed the moment they knew about them! Nia left to go back home, making plans to take over the 12 clans and replace a weak Commander with a strong one - herself!

The rest of the clans were divided about the newcomers. Some clans, like Luna's were in favour of including them, but others, like Azgeda, wanted them declared enemies and slaughtered. Lexa wasn't sure if they would actually get what she was trying to do. She was tired of killing but she was not going to let small minded people interfere with her plans. She would not only unite the clans, but she wanted to make sure that the future was secured by eventually interbreeding the clans so that they were all family. No-one would start something with another clan if a family member was a part of it. She was sure of that.

Now that everyone had gone home, Lexa and Clarke had ridden to Tondc to see how the Skaikru were doing. They were surprised that a site had been chosen already and building was starting. They listened to both Adara and Anya as they outlined the plans for the village and maybe a trading post. They still had to build some literal bridges across the rivers, but with some of the stone bridges still good, people could get to them fairly easily from Tondc.

Adara had shown them both the images from the site before the bombs and both were delighted that it was so near the ocean. Luna would be a frequent visitor, they were sure and Raven could hardly keep her face straight at the news. More chances to get to know Luna. Raven was excited.

They were just going over the available farming areas and what they should be growing when one of Anya's warriors brought news that the Azgeda queen had been seen trying to get the neighbouring clans to rebel against the Commander by declaring a vote of no confidence. She was trying to usurp the Commander's power. Adara reacted before anyone else could.

"For fuck's sake! Can that woman not take no for an answer?!" Lexa was stunned, but she also smirked.

"No, she can't," the Commander said. Adara looked around her.

"Can I see some maps of Azgeda, please?" requested Adara.

"Why?" asked Anya, as she picked up the maps for her.

"I want to see what she has," Adara replied.

"Okay," said Anya and gave her the maps. Adara studied them. She saw high cliffs that she was sure weren't there before the bombs.

"Is this a volcano?" Adara asked, pointing to the map.

"What's a volcano?" asked Indra.

"Fire mountain," explained Clarke.

"Yes, it happened when the bombs dropped," Anya explained. Adara nodded and went back to studying the maps. After a while she stood up.

"Permission to do something about the Azgeda Queen?" Adara asked, looking at Lexa.

"What do you propose?" Lexa asked.

"This vol- fire mountain, it looks like it rings the main part of where the Azgeda live. Do all of them live inside the caldera - the bit in the middle?"

"Yes," said Lexa. Adara nodded.

"I think I may have a plan. These two breaks in the cliff walls are the only ways in and out of it, correct?"

"Yes."

"Raven, do you think you can make a bomb or explosives to bring down this path?" Adara asked, pointing to the break in the cliff that was part of Trikru lands. Raven moved to her shoulder.

"It would depend on what they're made of. If it's porous volcanic rock, it'll be easy to do, but if it's made of that hard stuff - basalt - then it'll be doable, but it would be hard, I'd need a lot more explosives. There's also a type of volcanic glass called obsidian. We need to know what it's made of before we try to blow it up."

"Who's good with geology?"

"Well, Eva went with Luna to check that stuff out on the islands, she could do it again." Adara looked at Lexa.

"Who owns that part of the cliffs? It seems to be right on the border."

"Actually it comes across into Trikru lands. Those cliffs are actually on my territory."

"So you can go right up to them if you want?"

"Not really, the previous Commanders never bothered to make sure Azgeda stayed on their side of the border. They have lookout posts all along the tops of the cliffs - even those in my territory. Any attempt to reach the cliffs and they start firing arrows at us."

"Arrogant pricks, aren't they?" said Raven.

"What about at night?"

"You can sneak up on the cliffs, but you can't get through. They have guards posted at the other end of the passage," explained the Commander.

"Hmmm," said Adara.

"I want some people to see if they can get an example of that rock. We need to know what we need to blow it up." The Commander's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"You want to blow it up?"

"Yes. If this pass is blocked, they cannot get to you this way. If you want to expel them from the Kongeda, then you can. If they cannot get out of the volcano, then they have to live there. They have the resources to live there, prey animals, foods they can forage, farmed foods and animals, furs for warmth, trees for building and fires. According to this map, there's even a river running through it. There's nothing they need to live, outside of the volcano. It's all in there. Blocking that pass would give you peace of mind AND it's on your land so you can legally do anything you want with it. Azgeda doesn't have a leg to stand on in that regard," explained Adara. Anya couldn't help it and burst out laughing.

"I like it! Serve them right for taking part of our territory without permission."

"I can't just expel them without reason!" exclaimed Lexa.

"Yes, you can, they've trespassed on our land, they kill any of our people who approach the cliffs - even though they are on our land, she has threatened to take your Command, threatened to call a vote of no confidence, killed anyone they wish and on top of that, she killed Costia. I think you've plenty of reason to expel them. They've shown time and again that they are willing to flaunt your rules," said Indra.

"But I need a reason the clans will accept."

"Do the other clans have full autonomy? Are they allowed to use their land in any way they choose? Can they bring down a mountain on their lands if they want to?" asked Adara.

"Well, yes. I'm their leader but all the clans have autonomy. I do not tell them how their culture should be and what to do. The Kongeda has ambassadors from every clan in Polis, but they govern themselves and their lands."

"So you would be well within your authority as a Trikru member to blast the pass closed. It's on Trikru land. Trikru answers to no-one but you. Therefore you will not have done anything they can complain about. There is another pass out of the volcano on the other side, so they can't complain that you've trapped them inside it." Adara stated.

"She's right, Commander. The cliffs are part of our lands. We have the right to do with them what we want. If we close the pass, they will not be able to attack us through our own lands," said Anya. Lexa thought about it.

"If I give you permission…"

"No, Commander. We have a saying up on the Ark. 'It's easier to seek forgiveness than ask for permission.' We used it when we knew the authorities would take a lot of time giving us permission for work or repairs that was needed and they would have given their permission eventually. Problem was that by delaying the work, any materials needed could be diverted for the privileged to use for their projects. The ordinary workers got the dregs. To get around that, we used the saying and just did the job and then said it needed doing. By the time they gave their permission, we'd moved onto the next job."

"So you are saying that I pretend I know nothing about this. Tondc gets Skaikru help with the pass and you close it with explosives, then when you come and tell me what you did, it would be too late."

"Yes, Commander. Also when Anya tells you about it, it will seem as if Trikru were only doing something on their own land. The ambassadors will not be able to prove otherwise." The Commander thought about it some more. She nodded.

"Very well, I will return with Clarke to Polis. You will consult with Skaikru after we've gone. What you consult about, I will not know. You can tell me when the pass has been dealt with. I will be surprised at what you tell me." Anya, Indra and Adara nodded. This would work and Nia would no longer be a major threat.

xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx

In the dead of night, Eva, Monty, Raven, Murphy and a group of Trikru warriors, snuck to the cliffs and looked for loose rock. When they had gathered some, they snuck back to Tondc. They could have gone to Polis, but for this to work, they had to bypass the city, so they continued to Tondc. Eva looked at them the next day and consulted with Raven on how much explosives they needed. Monty and Raven decided to go to the dropship and see if there was any hydrazine left. There should be some as the ship's engines fired late. Raven remembered how to make the bomb and remade it once they were nearer the cliff because of its instability. Again, in the dead of night, Raven and three warriors snuck close to the pass and placed the bomb in the best place to bring the pass down. They snuck away and when they were a safe distance away and heading towards Polis, Murphy shot the bomb and blew it up.

The explosion not only filled the pass, it also blasted enough rocks into the air to be dangerous. The remaining Skaikru and Trikru were running for their lives from both rocks and possible retribution from the Azgeda. The effect was devastating, the mountain was brought down enough to completely fill the pass. The only way to get to the other side, was to use the other pass on the opposite side of the volcano, a good fifty mile trek through rough land to get there. Both Skaikru and Trikru were awed at the sight of the blocked pass. When they were far enough away, they turned and looked at the cliff, now significantly altered. They grinned at each other and moved off to Polis. Anya was on the way there to explain and they would meet up there before they explained their action to the Commander.

In Polis, the explosion was heard even there. The Commander and Clarke bolted upright from their bed, surprised at the sound of it. It was miles away! Clarke wondered how much explosives Raven had used. Raven always said that the bigger the bang the better. She was glad that Adara would be the one to tell her off for using more than was needed. They got up, no doubt the rest of Polis was awake too.

"I think we need to be seen to be concerned and probably attempt to go find out what happened. The Azgeda ambassador will more than likely attempt it himself," said Lexa. Clarke agreed. They got dressed and went down to the throne room.

"What happened?" barked the Commander, as she walked into the throne room to be met with Titus.

"I don't know, Commander. I've sent warriors to find out." Lexa nodded.

"Good. Inform me when you know something," she said, dismissing him. Titus bowed and left.

"Wish I could be like that with him. Pompous ass still thinks I'm a passing fancy in your life," grumbled Clarke.

"You are not. You ARE my life. Without you, life has no meaning for me," said Lexa. Clarke melted inside at that. She knew she felt the same way about Lexa. Life without Lexa wasn't worth living. She knew that first hand.