A/N: Any time the Trikru are talking to each other it's in 'sleng.


The recent shaking of the earth had revealed a hidden bunker the Trikru had heretofore missed. According to the scout who informed Lexa of this, there was also something of great interest within. What, he couldn't say. Intrigued, she decided to investigate further with her closest allies, Anya and Gustus. For nearly two hours they travelled by horseback through dense forest to their destination. Gustus cautioned against descending right away but she disregarded his concerns.

"If Ravi deemed it safe, so do I."

Being her sworn protector, Gustus insisted on going ahead of her into the dark pit, and in this one respect, Lexa wavered. Ravi handed off his torch to the hulking warrior who dropped it down the shaft. It fell for what she estimated to be thirty feet before bouncing off something metallic and almost rolling into a smaller hole off to the side. Down the knotted rope they went.

Closed off from the elements for decades, if not hundreds of years, this vertical passage was relatively intact. The only real sign of time passing were the remnants of the massive spiderwebs clinging to the walls where Ravi had dislodged them during his initial foray. They hopped onto the metal floor and then lowered themselves into a cage of some sort. Thankfully the front had been pried open by Ravi previously. Ever since she was a child, small spaces had made her uneasy. She picked up the torch, walked through the opening and all at once the tightness in her chest vanished.

In the centre of this large, high domed room was the unknown object in question. Standing on a raised platform, was a semi-circular structure of about fifteen feet high and ten feet wide. From this distance it appeared to be constructed of metal similar to their own weapons. Surprisingly, there were no pieces of stone debris from the earth shake scattered around, and everything was perfectly intact, albeit dusty.

Wary of all forms of technology, they were hesitant to approach at first. The commander could not be seen as a coward, so with the torch held high she marched up to the arch determinedly, her heavy boots echoing loudly in the open space. She swiped her partially gloved hand across a dusty contraption off to the side of the arch. Once she did so, a faint hum began to emanate and permeate the space.

"Commander, do you think it wise to meddle with this?" said Gustus uneasily as she began running a hand along the sides of the riveted outer bar.

"We are here to investigate," she countered, not bothering to look at them or inform them of the fact that the metal was vibrating slightly, "so let us investigate."

"I agree with Gustus," said Anya. "I do not think you should touch that, Lexa. It is not natural."

"Your concern is noted," she said as she stepped directly in front of the opening and observed the hint of a shimmering something. Curiousity getting the better of her, she stuck the edge of the torch through it. Nothing bad happened so she stuck her hand through as well.

"Commander!" exclaimed Gustus from the other side. "Your hand! It has disappeared!"

"Do not be foolish, Gustus," replied Lexa, pulling her intact hand out.

He came over to her side to see for himself. Stupefied, "I swear to you, it was not there a moment ago." He stood before Lexa, blocking her path. "As your guard, I must insist we leave now. For your own safety."

"Stand aside," she ordered, standing tall and regal. "I am not finished examining it yet."

They faced off for a time but then he relented and did as she bade.

She knew she was being obstinate and foolish herself when she stepped through the arch just to lay their fears to rest.

"Lexa, don't!" warned Anya, attempting to grab her by the arm.

"You see, it is-" she began mid step, words immediately cut off when her head passed through the shimmering something and she found herself in another place. Or at least, it was the same place, but a different time. There was an overly bright artificial light source half blinding her from above and causing her to drop the torch. All around were the tables and technical apparatus that had previously been coated in large amounts of dust, now shiny and new. A lone, weak looking man sat at one of these, staring open mouthed at her, immobilized by the same terror she was currently experiencing. He was dressed in a strange garb, the like of which she had only seen on a dead Maunon.

She whirled around and stepped back through the arch, but nothing happened. She swiped her hand over the contraption she believed to have activated the arch. No shimmer was produced. Panicking, she jumped down from the platform and ran over to the dark haired man, retrieving her dagger as she neared. Before he could flee, she grabbed him by the collar and pressed the tip of the blade to his throat.

"What new devilry is this, mountain man? Why does it not work?"

The weakling made a strange sound, one she had only heard frightened children make before.

She drew a drop of blood. "Answer me or die."

"I- I- It's not finished yet," he squeaked out, eyes transfixed on her war paint facade. "Y-you can't be here."

He is an imbecile.

"Clearly I am here, so it must work."

"W-well, maybe it does on your side...but we're still in the t-testing stages here. It's not f-f-functional from this side."

Her stomach dropped at this pronouncement but she pushed this unease aside. "Take me to your commander. Perhaps they will know what is to be done."

As she said this, both Gustus and Anya tumbled through the arch, locked in a furious struggle, just about burning themselves on the torch. They were oblivious to their surroundings, and her.

"Enough!" she called to them.

Immediately her companions stilled and locked eyes with her from the floor of the platform.

"Lexa! You're alive!" cried Anya, struggling to her feet. All emotion was quenched in the next instant. "I am glad."

Gustus' eyes widened as he took in the view. "What is this place?"

"I do not know," she replied. "I believe it may be another mountain man stronghold."

"If you are right, then we must leave." Anya was by her side now. "Kill that weakling. Let us return with an army so that we may kill them all."

Lexa fixed them with a vaguely apologetic stare. "We cannot go back."

"What?!" Gustus jumped through the arch. "Oh my Gods! What is to be done?" He raised a hand to the bright glare of the light. "This infernal light blinds me so! Would that I could strike it down!"

"Shut up, Gustus," said Anya, with more contempt than usual. "The commanders guard does not behave like a wounded doe."

"This is why I told you to stay there," he said angrily approaching the trio. "Now there is no one to know what has happened to us!"

"You know I would never leave Lexa behind. To ask anything less of me was unfair. Ravi will return to Tondc and bring reinforcements. You worry for nothing."

If he were to do that, many more of her people would be trapped, possibly killed here. She cursed her curiousity.

Gustus scowled down at the cowering man. "He must have disabled the structure. I will make him fix it."

She raised a hand to him and then directed her attention back at the Maunon. "If I discover you were not truthful with me, I will not hesitate to end your life. Do you understand?"

The young man nodded dumbly, in a dazed manner. She released her hold on his collar and pushed him forward. "Now take me to your commander."

They moved towards two polished, metallic doors without handles. She understood them to be at the mouth of the vertical tunnel they had descended earlier. The man pressed an arrowhead that pointed upwards. It began to glow. The doors parted before them without any human aid. The Trikru were momentarily surprised by this and somewhat hesitant to enter the metal box.

They had no choice. There was no way out of this place other than the nonfunctional machine. So in they went, Lexa willing herself to remain calm. The man pressed another circle on the wall, this time it said G. The doors closed, her claustrophobia returning as the box ascended.

Before too long it came to a smooth halt. The scene now was that of five Maunon arranged in such a way as to block escape, weapons aimed at their chests. Moonlight was streaming in through the large clear apertures in the ceiling. If nothing else, they could flee this building and the Maunon could not follow. Instinctively, she grabbed the man by the shoulder and raised the edge of her dagger to his neck as she edged out of the difficult to breath in box.

"Bring me your commander, or he dies."

The men moved aside as a tall black man came into view. "I am in charge here," he said calmly as he placed his hands behind his back. This mountain man was clothed differently than the others, wearing a dark pair of pants and coat, white shirt and thin strip of blue fabric hanging down from his neck. "My name is Theo Jaha. Who are you?" He smiled slightly, his teeth exceedingly brilliant. "Or should I say when?"

Apparently this was amusing to one of the men with guns because they chuckled.

Lexa tilted her head towards her hostage. "He tells me that the machine does not work here. Is this true?"

Jaha looked to the man and said, "Are you okay, Monty?"

"Uh huh."

"Yes," he said firmly, fixing her with an intense stare. "We have not succeeded in activating the window yet. I'm afraid you're stuck here for the foreseeable future."

Another sound of amusement from the same man. If it came to it, she would kill him first.

"I do not wish to harm you, or your people, but I also can't allow you to leave this facility."

"This Mountain Man is humorous," muttered Anya, rolling her eyes. "He must think you a fool."

I am though. I am the one who brought us here.

"I will not be caged," Lexa said dangerously, grip tightening on the handle. Monty trembled silently against her.

She became very aware of Anya and Gustus inching forward, their swords drawn.

"Please understand," he said placatingly, "it's a matter of national security."

"Let us fight them then, and be done with it," said Anya. "Kill as many as we can."

"Agreed," rumbled Gustus. "Defend the commander at all costs."

The thought of watching them die made her change her mind. They were the only family she knew. Losing them both would break the last thread of feeling in her heart. And though she claimed to abhor all form of sentiment, in the end, hope of a better life for her people was the only thing that kept her going.

"No one is dying," she snapped at them. "We will surrender."

"Commander-

"Lexa-"

"You said it yourself Anya. Others will come for us. They will save us in time."

Or we will save ourselves.

"Sometimes we must concede a battle to win a war."

Her mentor gave her an unconvinced look. "Do not toss my own words back at me. Mountain Men are not to be trusted. The moment you lower your weapon, they will surely kill us all. I say kill the boy and take our chances."

Lexa focused her attention back on Jaha. "What assurance do we have that you will not harm us upon our surrender?"

"We just want to talk to you, nothing more." Jaha gestured with his hand and the men lowered their weapons. "Now if you would be so kind as to do the same, I'm sure we could-"

Two swords sailed passed on either side of her head and into two men's chests, piercing through whatever protective armour they were wearing in a way a dagger probably would not have. Anya and Gustus charged at the remaining three shooters as they raised their guns. Cursing them under her breath, she shoved the boy into a startled Jaha's path and hurled her dagger at a third man's hand as he took aim at Gustus' back. Shots were fired before the remaining Maunon could be disarmed. If they hit her companions, there was no indication as the men soon crumpled beneath punches and dagger slashes. While they were being dispatched, Lexa had run at the screaming man with the dagger embedded in his hand, knocked his legs out from under him and thrust her sword into his chest. As she retrieved her weapons from the dead man, she looked over to find Jaha and Monty fleeing the area, the former speaking into a small black device, calling for 'backup'.

Lexa debated chasing after them but then she glanced over at her friends and was dismayed to find that they had not remained completely unscathed. Gustus had been shot in the lower abdomen and shoulder. Anya was limping from a wound to the calf. Both were unsteady on their feet.

"We need to leave this place while there is still breath left in our bodies."

For once they did not disagree and they hurried over as fast as they could to the only door in sight at the far side of this level, Lexa supporting some of Anya's weight. Once more there was no handle or expected means to open it. However, in place of an arrowhead, there was a rectangular square with numbers on it. She hit a few of these at random, eliciting a beeping sound, and then kicked at the door to no effect.

"Allow me, commander," said Gustus, ramming his considerable body mass at the white metal door. It bent ever so slightly so he hit it again and again with his good shoulder. Before he could do too much damage he staggered and partially collapsed against the wall beside it, directly into the numbers.

"Gustus!" she cried in alarm and euphoria as the door slid out of view. Much to her disappointment, it did not lead outside but into a narrow corridor, many doors lining the walls. "On your feet, Gustus."

"I'm sorry, commander, but I cannot," he panted from his slouched position. "Leave me."

There was no way she could support their combined weight. There was no way she would willingly leave him either. More shots pierced the air and the wall beside them and with one last look of despair that quickly gave rise to determination, she continued on without him, abandoning the man who was like a father to her.

Anya's own strength was clearly fading as evidenced by the decreased amount of pressure against her waist and the increased amount of ragged breathing in her ear. Lexa pulled Anya as best she could along this deserted corridor, wondering if she should try one of these doors. The corridor ended and they came out into another hall, similar to the first room but different. There were also vertical wall apertures here that showed her they were nearly free. Only one more door remained. Once there, their pursuers took more shots. She felt the sting of a bullet grazing her arm. However, Anya fell, pulling Lexa with her.

"You're okay," she said, after scrambling to her feet and turning her over. Anya looked up at her and smiled as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.

"Go," she said softly, touching her face. "Save yourself."

Lexa wanted to argue, wanted to drag her by the arm, but knew there wasn't time. The Maunon were closing in fast, taking aim.

Teary eyed, she pushed through the door and into the night.


Yeah so this came out darker than I was intending, but uh, I think it'll lighten up considerably pretty soon. So please bear with me as I set this story up. I have a funny feeling we'll be running into a certain someone next chap. :)