Chapter 14
Raven wasn't sure what to think about what Clarke was telling her. She was a scientist and a mechanic. What Clarke telling her wasn't exactly farfetched as much as it was science fiction. She wanted to believe her, but she wasn't sure that she could. She could tell that both Octavia and Clarke believed what they were saying. Then there was the black blood. She didn't know what to do with that. She wanted to study it, but she knew that she didn't have anything to do that with on the ground.
"Okay, so let's say that I actually believe you," Raven started as she looked Clarke in the eye. "What is something that you know about me that you shouldn't know? Tell me something that I haven't said out loud. Tell me something that you would have found out about me from one of these past lives. Because, I got to tell you, Princess, this is a really good story your selling."
"You want to know something?"
"Yeah, lay it on me," Raven said.
"Okay, Rae, but just remember you asked for this."
"Clarke, I can honestly say that I knew your father, but I never met you until the other day. And, honestly, you run a tight ship down here like your mother does up there. You don't slack off, you do as much if not more than rest, save Octavia there, but you're you. You're a princess from Alpha and they all know it. They are just following you because no one wants to follow little Jaha. And, don't get me started on Bellamy. Some needs to turn down his ego a notch or two. He's just not that great," Raven told them.
"I know that you knew my father. I don't know if you ever worked with him, but I do know that Jacopo Sinclair is your mentor and father figure. I know that you are the youngest zero G mechanic the Ark ever trained. I also know that Finn took the fall for you so you didn't get floated. You're nineteen and would have been killed without care no matter your status and the fact that they needed you to help them conserve what little air the Ark had left. You don't like to talk about your mother because she was an alcoholic and abusive. You also came home from work, just before your eighteenth birthday, and found her dead in a pool of her own vomit. But, I known of that will convince you, because you'll say that I learned it all from Finn," Clarke replied.
"You're right."
"Okay, then, how about this?"
"I know that you have a scar on the back of your thigh from doing something real stupid so Nygel would give you some extra rations when you were a kid. She used you to help pay of your mother's debts and in turn, you created your own because she snuck you food. As you got older and Finn started helping you out, you began to pay off your debts, much to Nygel's surprise. Which is why she didn't hesitate to turn my own mother in when you couldn't procure the regulator that you need for the pod that you came down in. I also know, without having talked to the Ark since landing, and you know that is true because you've seen the extent of the drop ship and the lack of communication that we have, that my mother was arrested right after she sent you down. You look up to her, because you see the same fight that my father had in her. And, I get that, but she is also the reason that my father is dead," Clarke told her.
"Okay, you're getting warmer."
"Should we tell her about how she was the reason that your mother knew that we weren't dead, but acting like teenagers?" Octavia asked.
"She already knows that, O. She said something about it after she landed. But, she left early. Did Diana start her coup, yet?"
"Diana Sydney? She's rallying the farmers and mechanics against Jaha, yeah. She got your mother's seat on the council. She was voted out, but deemed too important to float because she was the head surgeon on the Ark. Jaha and even that jackass Kane kept her alive for keeping Jaha alive."
"Well, that's some good news to know that things are sort of on schedule up there," Octavia quipped.
"We knew things might change, O. We can only work with what we know and how things play out. Raven was early by hours, but we'd already changed enough down here. We still have most of us alive. It just seems that Pascal and Trina are doomed no matter what we do," Clarke lamented.
"They were missing?"
"Yeah and have been. We couldn't send anyone to go look for them because we had to get ready for the hurricane that is coming. We couldn't afford to lose anyone else. And, then the fog happened," Clarke started.
"Yeah, well, my leg is fine. Jasper didn't get a spear thrown into his chest. Finn didn't get poisoned. Bellamy didn't destroy the radio. Wells is still breathing even if he is babysitting our brother. Charlotte hasn't jumped off a cliff. And, Atom is still good. All in all, I would say that we are doing the best that we can. You're keeping us alive and keeping Anya and Lexa guessing on how much we know. Lincoln is willing to help, but then again he always does, so..."
"I know all that, O," Clarke stated, but then closed her eyes. "Damn it, I didn't get a full head count before I got down here. I think we're still missing some people. Jasper, Monty, Harper and Monroe are in the top with Fox and Roma and two others that I haven't gotten their names yet. Bellamy, Wells, and Dax have the middle. There were thirty with them. We came down with 101, lost two in the drop thanks to Finn's stupidity, gained Raven, so we're supposed to be at an even 100 at the moment. Pascal and Trina are missing, so there better be close to sixty people on our level or..."
Clarke didn't finish as she moved quickly under the ship and popped back up through the floor. She could see that Murphy had already started dinner service. Charlotte was missing, but Clarke knew that she had to be upstairs then as they traded out ten people at a time to eat. She glanced around the bottom layer of the drop ship. She recognized most of them, even if she didn't know all their names. She felt bad for it, but this was the first time that she had this many alive at this time. She'd make a note to try to put names with faces, so she could know them better, just in case she had to do this all again.
Lincoln had moved closer to the hole, but he didn't move to go down it. He saw how Murphy and Miller looked at him. They didn't trust him and he understood it. He was still observing them all, but he turned to face Clarke as soon as she came up. She was followed by Octavia and the one she called Raven. He'd even heard that Clarke acknowledged that the younger woman had a nickname based on her name in Trig. Lincoln was the first one to use it when he referred to her as Striksora. He wasn't sure where he heard that they called her "Little Bird," but her thought that it fit her. He wasn't as concerned with Raven and Octavia at the moment as he was with Clarke. She wasn't on a rampage, but she was definitely on a mission.
Clarke stared around the bottom chamber and realized that Atom was missing. She thought that she'd seen him when they got back from their talks, but now she wondered if she really had. She gave Octavia a look and then rushed up the ladder to the second level. She couldn't remember who all was up there. As soon as she started up, Octavia took a look around and realized that Atom was missing, too. She sighed and looked resigned, especially as Clarke came down the ladder and shook her head.
"He isn't here," Clarke said.
"I thought we stopped it this time."
"I did, too. I swore I saw him when we got back. I told Harper to make sure that he stayed in the camp while we were packing up the drop ship," Clarke replied.
"I know you did, Clarke. Maybe he is like Pascal and Trina. Short of locking him in the drop ship, maybe we can't save him," Octavia told her.
"But, I was trying. We saved Jasper, Finn, and Wells. I don't understand. Why can't we save him? Is he like the two floaters? Why can't we save those five? Why do we always lose them?" Clarke asked.
Octavia just shook her head and grabbed Clarke. She pulled her over to the small area that was still unpopulated because it was her "clinic" area. She was trying to comfort Clarke, but she knew it would only do so much. Raven followed them over. She didn't understand why Clarke was so upset. Octavia just gave her a look and Raven kept her thoughts to herself. Octavia helped Clarke down to the floor and near her pack. Raven sat with her.
"We'll find him after," Octavia told her.
"I know we will."
"I'll go with you," Octavia stated.
"I could go, too," Raven added.
They both turned to look at her. Clarke cocked an eyebrow and wondered why Raven was volunteering to go with her to see about Atom. Octavia just looked at her. Raven just eyed them both. She didn't understand why they were so wary of her, but she could tell that they were still unsure of how to treat her.
"Look, I get it. You don't know what to do with me. But, if what you've told me is true, there is nothing that you could have done to save him," Raven started to tell them. "But, honestly, that isn't why I want to go."
"Then why?" Octavia asked her heatedly.
"I want to see the boy. I might be able to come up with something to help us combat this acid fog that you've been talking about. I know that seems crass right now, but you both know that it is something that needs to be done. If I can get a sample, I might be able to see what the base of the fog is and see what I can invent to work against it or help us move through it," Raven stated.
Clarke nodded. She understood Raven's scientific mind and she approved of her reasoning. It did seem a little crass, but it was something that they hadn't really tried before. They always tried to just shut it down from inside. If there was something that they could do before they got inside the Mountain, she would be all for it. It would mean more lives could be saved. Clarke was all for the preservation of life.
"Okay," Clarke finally said after she thought about it.
"Clarke," Murphy said as he moved over to them.
Clarke turned from Raven and looked up into his eyes. She could tell that he was worried about her, but he would wait for her to tell him what was wrong. Clarke stood up to talk to him. Octavia and Raven followed her.
"It's your turn to eat," he told her as he handed her a bowl.
She reached out and took it. Looking down into the bowl, she sniffed deeply and was amazed at the creation that Murphy had once again been able to make so easily. She looked back up at him and smiled in thanks. Murphy just nodded and walked back over to the large pot to get more. Clarke watched as he dipped out more dishes. He called Lincoln over. The Trikru scout took two bowls as Murphy grabbed two more and utensils. Both men walked back over to where the women were. Lincoln handed Octavia a bowl and Murphy handed Raven one before giving out the spoons.
Clarke started eating. She knew that she couldn't dwell on the fact that Atom was missing and probably dead. She had others to save. There were still at least ninety-five that were still under her care and charge. She had to move on and make sure that she kept them alive. She also had to make sure that they were never taken by the Mountain without Clarke setting it up to end the Mountain first. She closed her eyes and pushed through her thoughts about what she couldn't change and to the food before her.
"What are we going to do as soon as you let us out of here, Princess?" Murphy asked her.
"We are going to start preparing for the storm. Water crews and hunters were go out first and do what they need to do. I need you to get the fires relit and start smoking whatever meat we have. Have Charlotte start separating the fruits and nuts that the crews bring back. We need to make small ration bags for everyone," Clarke told him.
"Sounds good."
"Do you have a smoke house?" Lincoln asked them.
"No, we haven't had time to build one," Octavia answered.
"If you have some strong and skills woodcutters, I could help them develop one," Lincoln offered.
"That would be good, but I am not sure that it would survive the storm," Clarke said.
"Maybe not, but we could start the layout. If the storm is as bad as you say it will be, you will be cleaning up the area for days. We need to make sure that we can get the camp back up and running as soon as possible. You also need to get the fence finished," Lincoln stated.
"I know. Bellamy and Wells will work on finishing it. For now, stay with Murphy Lincoln and help us get the interior set up until after the storm. Octavia will head out hunting with Monroe and Harper. Monty and Jasper are going to work on their still and get it secure as much as they can. We'll need the alcohol for both medicinal and recreational purposes," Clarke replied.
"I'll have Mbege and Roma working on weapons and some more tools," Murphy added.
"What do you want me to do?" Raven asked.
"Get the radio working. We need to talk to the Ark. They need to know not only is it survivable down here, but they need to know what they should pack to help them as soon as they land. We also need to talk to Jaha. He needs to know how much power he isn't going to have down here."
"Are you sure that this is the time to tell him that?" Octavia asked.
"I don't know, but I want them to be as prepared as they can considering. Also, we need to talk to Kane, Sinclair and my mother alone. There are things that they need to know before Unity Day," Clarke said.
"You're going to warn them?" Octavia questioned.
"I'm going to give them enough to make them understand what they need to do in order to survive the events to come. I am also going to make sure that they're doing some things that need to happen. I also need to make sure that Kane marks certain individuals to be watched and dealt with as soon as possible or before they actually leave the Ark," Clarke mused aloud.
"Um, Clarke, I know that you want to make sure that Jaha doesn't come down. But, we need to make that Diana dies in the crash of the next pod. And, honestly, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if Pike dies, too."
"Umm...guys," Raven interjected.
"Sorry, Rae. But there are some individuals that just don't need to come down if at all possible, but I know that some of them are going to be harder to deal with than others. Jaha being one of them. He's a loose cannon, but maybe he'll be more controllable since Wells is still alive. But, Pike needs to die as soon as possible. He does nothing for us and honestly causes more problems than he should be able to," Clarke said.
"Put him on the drop ship then. Convince Jaha or Sydney that he's needed ASAP. They'll make sure that Pike gets on the exodus ship," Octavia replied. "But, you need to remind Jaha that your Mom needs to stay behind."
"He won't do that. He'll plan on those that he knows are loyal to him and those that are going to be needed. Convincing him about Pike will be easy. I just need to make sure that Mom stays away from the Exodus ship on the day of its launch. The last few times she managed to fight her way off of it. I need to stay on Diana's radar but still be far enough away that she can get away as needed," Clarke said.
"So tell her the truth," Raven said.
"She won't believe me."
"Tell her things like you did to me. She doesn't know that you know that she set up your Dad. Tell her that you know. Tell her other things that she would have told you after she came down. Tell her things that she told you about your Dad that you shouldn't know. Find a way to make her believe you," Raven told her. "She doesn't know about your black blood or she would already know what to do, right?"
Clarke immediately turned and looked at Lincoln with Raven's words. His eyes went wide as he stared at Clarke. Octavia looked super antsy, too.
"Oh, shit, was I not supposed to say anything about that?" Raven questioned as she noticed the strange look on both Lincoln's and Clarke's faces.
"Yu laik Natblida, Skaiprisa kom skaikeryon?" Lincoln inquired, reverently. (You are a nightblood, Sky Princess of the Sky Spirits?)