Disclaimer: The usual. I don't own anything.
They reached the dropship without any trouble. Lincoln guided them from TonDc to the dropship and they travelled in silence, worried about what to expect in their trip. Their camp looked different from when they left it. Without care even after a few days, it looked like it has gone into ruins.
Raven and Monty went into the dropship to look for the radio equipment. Clarke went along to check on med bay for any supplies she can take. Lincoln and Octavia went to look at the bodies outside. Octavia wanted to search for her brother, while Lincoln wanted to pay his respects to the grounders who died. Jasper offered to check for any supplies they can still use around the camp.
Clarke found what little medical supplies that remained in the med bay and put it inside the backpack she found in the dropship. She went to check on Raven and Monty who were hovering over the radio.
"Any luck?" Clarke asked them as she approached.
"We haven't heard anything from any of the Ark stations. They must be broadcasting. We know there are survivors." Raven said, frustrated.
"What if the signal is being blocked somehow?" Monty suggested.
"Like a wide bandwidth spectrum blocking signals in all frequencies?" Raven confirmed. Monty nodded and she started playing with the radio.
They all listened to a buzzing noise through the radio come in.
"Wait. I think I hear something." Raven said to others. She pulled out some other equipment and connected it to the radio and started moving the dial slowly. The noise started to change.
"How did you do that?" Monty asked, surprised.
"I tweaked the resonator and got this." She answered him with a victory smile, proud of what she did. Seeing Clarke's confused face, Raven clarified.
"There's a pattern here. If it's just noise, there won't be a repeating pattern. I think Mount Weather is jamming us. They must have blocked us from communicating. They probably have our signal frequency from the station that crashed." Raven theorized.
"Can you work around it?" Clarke asked her. She needed a solution to reach the other stations.
"No. But I may be able to crack their encryption. If I can get close enough to the tower broadcasting the signal to block us, I can break in. We may be able to listen to what they are saying." Raven said. Clarke looked hopeful at that idea. If they can listen in, they can get to know what is happening and pass it to Lexa.
"Let's go find the tower." Clarke told them both. Raven and Monty packed up the radio and other equipment they needed.
They walked outside to find Octavia and Lincoln come inside the camp. Octavia looked around at the devastation for the first time.
"Did you find him?" Clarke asked Octavia, unsure if she would get an answer or if she even wanted to hear it. She didn't know which was worse. Octavia not telling her anything or telling her she found Bellamy's body, crushing the small hope she is still holding onto.
Instead, Octavia did the opposite. "I didn't find him." She answered.
Clarke asked before she could stop herself. "Are you sure?" The doubt in her voice clearly visible in anyone who heard it.
Octavia stared her with fire in her eyes. "I'm sure." She said, anger pouring in her reply. Clarke didn't say anything more.
Jasper came in with two backpacks in his hands.
"I found these tents. Thought it would help us back in the village." He said, excited at his discovery.
"Good work." Clarke said politely. "We are leaving towards Mount Weather. Raven needs to be closer to listen in." She told others.
Everyone started to move out of their camp towards the mountain.
- 100 -
It didn't take them long to get to the hill near the mountain. They came to a clear field once they passed the river crossing that was the boundary for Mount Weather.
Raven walked up and saw the mountain up ahead. She pulled out the binoculars from the backpack that contained the tent and looked up at the mountain. She knew the tower must be high up in the mountain. She could see the mist covering the top and she looked around in all angles to see if she can find it.
She caught a glimpse of the tower, reflecting in the sunlight. She zoomed closer and saw it.
"There. I can see it." She exclaimed, excited.
"Great. Let's unpack." Monty said and started to pull out the radio and the other equipment from the backpack he was carrying.
They started connecting the equipment as the rest kept a watch around them for any danger.
"Are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?" Jasper asked in general. Clarke moved quickly to him.
"What is it Jasper?" She asked him. He pointed up towards the mountain as a reply.
Clarke couldn't see anything at first. Then she saw it. It looked like the mist, but the way it was moving was wrong. And it was yellow in colour. She knew immediately what it was.
"Acid Fog." She yelled out to others.
Everyone sprung to action. They dropped the backpacks and pulled the tents out of it. They started to expand the tent and started to lock it to the ground. They worked as a group, in both tents. Raven, Monty and Jasper on one tent, while Clarke, Octavia and Lincoln worked on the other.
Once it was put up and safely anchored, they picked up all their belongings from the ground.
"Quick. Get in." Clarke shouted when she saw the fog close up on them. There was no time.
Everyone got inside the tents they were closer to. They closed the flap and zipped it up before the fog hit them.
Clarke was in a tent with Octavia and Lincoln. Raven, Monty and Jasper were on the other tent.
"Clarke. Can you hear us?" Raven's voice from Clarke's backpack. She pulled it open and found a walkie inside.
"Yes. Keep trying the radio." Clarke answered back once she had it on for two-way communication.
"I will." Raven replied back. Clarke heard the clicking sound of the walkie being disconnected.
Clarke settled inside the tent with nothing to do. She looked at the other companions in the tent. Octavia and Lincoln sat on the opposite side of the tent, Octavia snuggling close to Lincoln and Lincoln with his arm around her, comforting her.
They sat in silence for a while. The silence was uncomfortable, but Clarke didn't know what to say.
"I didn't have a choice." Clarke said in a barely audible voice. She wasn't sure she heard it, let alone Octavia. But from the way Octavia's head snapped toward her from Lincoln's shoulders, Clarke knew she heard it.
"Don't." Octavia threatened. Clarke felt the need to get it off her chest.
"I tried to wait for him to get inside." She needed to explain. Octavia looked like she was about to attack her, but Lincoln held her tight and whispered something in her ear. Clarke couldn't hear it all but she heard the words "listen" and "Bellamy" to understand that Lincoln was trying to convince Octavia to listen.
It must have worked because Octavia still shivering from her emotions moved closer to Lincoln, as if she will attack if she sat further away. But she was listening to Clarke by the way she was staring.
"When the grounders broke into the camp gate, Bellamy was getting everyone inside the dropship. We had a line of defence protecting people coming in. We already suffered injuries and we had very few people left who can fight." Clarke explained. "Bellamy, he was bringing the last people in when Harper got attacked by a grounder. He was on top of her. Jasper ran from the line to her, killing the grounder. He was bringing her back when they were about to be overrun."
Seeing Octavia still staring, Clarke continued. "Bellamy decided to cover for them. He killed the grounders chasing them so they will come at him. He saved both their lives."
"Why didn't any of you save his?" Octavia interrupted. The anger was still there, but less pronounced than before. Clarke was glad at that.
"We tried. We kept shooting for him to get free. By then, grounders have come into the camp. They were at the dropship and the defence line had to prevent them from coming in as well. There were a lot of grounders between us and Bellamy." She explained why they couldn't watch his back for him to escape.
"We would have kept fighting when Bellamy ordered me to close the door. I refused. I didn't want to do it. But Bellamy was adamant. And we were about to lose the dropship, risking everyone's lives. I had no choice. It was Bellamy's life against the rest of them. And you know what your brother would have chosen." Clarke finished. She wanted to tell Octavia what happened, and she did.
Octavia let a sad chuckle out. There were tears running from her eyes as Lincoln hugged her close.
"I wish I could have done something. I wish he was here with me. I don't know what I'm doing, without him. He was my anchor." Clarke told Octavia. Octavia gave a sad smile at that. "He was mine too." She replied back.
"I love him." Clarke whispered. It was the first time she said it out loud. She didn't know why; she felt the need for Octavia to know that her brother was loved by someone other than his sister.
Octavia looked at her with a knowing sad expression. "I know." She said quietly. Lincoln let her go and Octavia crawled to Clarke and hugged her. Clarke hugged back, with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry I blamed you." Octavia whispered in Clarke's ears.
"It's ok. I would have done the same." Clarke replied back. Octavia pulled back from the hug.
"Clarke, Come in." Raven's voice over the radio pulled them from their discussion. Clarke wiped away the tears quickly and picked up the radio.
"I'm listening." Clarke answered.
"I managed to decrypt their signal. They're using a type of audio modulation here like a feedback label. I just need to pinpoint the origin point then I can get the pure transmission. Just needed to find the right..." Raven was interrupted. "Yeah, yeah. You're a genius." Jasper's voice came through.
He must have pulled the radio from Raven because he was speaking.
"We are listening to them broadcasting. Hear this." He said and he must have put the walkie next to the radio's speakers because Clarke could hear the broadcast now.
"…We are located at 39degree North, 77degree West. Make your way to us and we will offer protection. Watch out for the grounder attacks. This is Mount Weather, calling all Ark stations…" The broadcast was repeating. Clarke realized that they were calling the survivors to the mountain.
"Did any of the ark stations respond?" Clarke asked over the walkie.
"We can't tell Clarke. They are broadcasting this in the channel the Ark used, so they must have our information." Raven answered.
"Listen to this now." Jasper spoke again over the walkie. Once again, Clarke heard sounds. This was different now.
"Report back, over." Someone said over the walkie. Clarke bristled when she realized what she was hearing.
She listened. "Has the veil lifted yet? Over." She heard someone ask.
"Negative sir. Coverage is still ninety percent. Over." Another person answered. It seemed that they managed to tap into the channel the Mountain Men were using to communicate.
"The veil. They must be referring to the fog. It's a weapon." Octavia exclaimed, realizing what they were talking about. Clarke looked at Lincoln who seem to be upset.
"Keep searching. When they pop above, hit them again. Over and out." The transmission stopped.
"They're attacking us." Clarke said over the walkie.
"Now we know to listen to their plans. We can anticipate their attacks." Raven said, excited that they had a way in.
"We need to share this with Lexa." Clarke said to both groups.
"Are you sure you want to trust Lexa?" Octavia seemed to be wary of the commander. Clarke couldn't blame her.
"We don't have a choice. Our people are in danger if we don't give her something. Whatever the Ark survivors did pissed off all the grounders." Clarke said and looked at Lincoln. He was tight lipped, watching Clarke as if he was trying to decide.
"Will Lexa kill the delinquents if we don't share this information with her?" Clarke asked him.
"Yes." He answered immediately, speaking for the first time.
"Is there nothing you can do to convince her that we are not the threat?" Clarke asked desperately.
"Commander won't listen to me. I am not equal to her. I am just a warrior of Trikru. She is the commander of the coalition." Lincoln told her, as if he was speaking to a child.
Clarke understood the hierarchy. She wanted to know how she can convince Lexa not to see the delinquents as a threat.
"What about Indra? Won't she help?" Clarke asked Lincoln.
"She won't." He told her. When Clarke didn't understand, he elaborated. "The village that was attacked was Trikru. People who died are my kin. If Indra helps you, she will be seen as a traitor of her own people."
Clarke realized the futility. They were at the mercy of the commander. She had no choice but to go through what she said she would.
Clarke didn't have any problem sharing the information they found with Lexa. It is beneficial for both to have that information. What she feared was that Lexa will see the rest of the Ark survivors as a threat and try to kill them. The delinquents have families in the Ark survivors and if Lexa attacks them, the delinquents will fight back. It may ruin whatever the peace she was able to create between the delinquents and the grounders.
"Will the radio receive the signal at TonDc?" Clarke asked over the walkie to Raven.
"Yes. I will boost the signal, now that I have it decrypted and locked. It should let us have long range communication." Raven assured her.
"Fine. Let's take the radio with us to TonDc. We will keep listening and inform the commander." Clarke decided. She needed to trust Lexa and she hoped Lexa trusted her as well.
"We need to wait for this fog to clear and we need to get back before sun goes down." Octavia pointed out. They had a deadline and if they don't go back before then, there will be a lot of unnecessary deaths.
"Everyone, pack up your stuff. Once the fog's lifted, we pick up the tent and go." Clarke ordered and switched off the walkie. She started packing her stuff into the backpack.
- 100 -
The fog cleared after a while, when the sun started to move towards west. Everyone sprinted to action, collapsing the tent and releasing the anchor points. They packed the tent back in the backpacks and lifted it up. They knew they will get hit by the fog anytime as they heard over the transmission.
Once ready, they sprinted towards the village. They ran until they reached the river and crossed it quickly. Running through the water refreshened them. Jasper was struggling with the tent backpack since Monty and Raven were carrying the equipment. Lincoln stepped in and picked up the backpack with ease and put it over his shoulder, letting Clarke and Octavia to carry the other one between them. Jasper picked up one of their backpacks instead.
The sun was setting by the time they reached TonDc. Unlike last time when they came, there were no music or laughs. The mood around the village were sombre. Clarke hoped that someone would inform Lexa that they had arrived as she made her way to her people. They were still there, hiding and keeping a watchful eye around them. When they saw the group arrived, they let out a visible sigh of relief collectively.
"Did you find anything?" Murphy asked Clarke when she unloaded her backpack.
"Yes. Mount Weather are bringing our people to their bunker." She told him briefly. Murphy looked conflicted.
"Should we go there as well? We will be safer there." He whispered in a lower voice.
Clarke was surprised. But she shouldn't be. Murphy suffered more than anyone at the hands of the grounders. He didn't trust them, even if they are different clan or faction. And he is a survivor. Technically, Mount Weather would have higher survival chances than being in a hostile camp, surrounded by people who can attack you at any time.
But Clarke couldn't find herself lead the delinquents to the mountain. Not after what their people have done based on what Bellamy said and the village massacre.
"Would you want to go there? They massacred a village of civilians." Clarke pointed out. She wanted to know what Murphy would do.
"We're at war. There's always casualties in war." Murphy said, dismissively.
"Not innocents." Clarke argued.
"Casualties are innocents Clarke." He pointed out to her.
"So what? We pack up and leave to the mountain? Knock on their door and hope they will let us in?" Clarke asked defiantly, trying to understand his argument.
"Can't hurt. We will be safe there." He shrugged.
"We will be safe here. I promise." Clarke told him, hoping she sounded convincing enough.
He nodded and didn't argue any further. He stepped back and mingled with the rest of them.
"Commander wants to speak with you." A rough voice behind her pulled her attention. She turned and saw the guard she met in front of the commander's tent stand in front of her.
"Lead the way." Clarke said and followed him to the commander's tent.
They didn't bother checking her for weapons this time. She was let in once she reached the tent. Lexa was sitting in her throne, dressed in the commander attire. Her face looked blank with no emotion as she stared at Clarke. Indra was standing by next to her.
"What information you have for us?" Lexa demanded, getting straight to the point.
Clarke took a deep breath before she revealed what she found out.
"We intercepted communication between the Mountain Men." She said, revealing what Lexa will find valuable.
"And?" Lexa said impatiently.
"We found out that the acid fog is a weapon of theirs. To keep grounders and enemies away from getting close to the mountain." She answered. She saw Lexa look at Indra and there was a non-verbal communication happen between them.
"We suspected as much." Lexa spoke after looking at Indra.
"Well, we now have a way to listen in on their communication. We can know what they are planning to do, beforehand." Clarke said, hoping Lexa will find the information valuable.
"I appreciate you coming to me with this information. We will put it to good use. But I sent you to find out about your people. Are Skaikru with the Mountain Men?" Lexa asked, not deterred by Clarke's attempt.
Clarke sighed. She had no choice but to tell Lexa.
"We heard the mountain men broadcast signal inviting the Ark survivors to come to them." She told her.
"There's something more." Lexa stated, being able to see Clarke's hesitation.
"They were broadcasting in our channel. They must have learned it from our people." Clarke revealed all she found.
Lexa nodded. "Then it's settled. Your people from the ship are with the mountain. They are enemy of my people." She declared.
"They may not know the whole story. Maybe if we reveal to them, they may switch sides." Clarke pleaded. She didn't want to let everyone from the Ark die including her mother at the hands of the grounders.
"Until you do that, the grounders will suffer at their hands. Their weapons and their soldiers will be against us. I need to put my people first." Lexa stated, as if that was the end of the argument.
"We can take actions to prevent that. You can send your army to surround the mountain, and keep away from the acid fog's reach. That will prevent anyone else from joining them and keep them within their boundaries." Clarke suggested.
"We can't keep doing that for long. If we can, we would have done it before." Lexa argued at the futility of the plan.
"We won't have to. We will find a way in. I just need some time. Then we will find a plan that will get us inside. We can end this without everyone dying." Clarke requested for time until she can find a way to save her people and not sacrifice the grounders.
Lexa and Indra shared another look. Indra nodded and Lexa looked back, convinced.
"Ok Clarke of the Sky people. Your request as the leader of the thirteenth clan has been granted. You will get one week to find a way into the mountain." Lexa ordered as the commander.
"Thank you." Clarke bowed her head in respect and appreciation. She had a week to come up with a plan.
"Make no mistake. Those who are guilty of the massacre will be punished. Do not expect me to show mercy." Lexa said in a voice that was threatening.
Clarke nodded in understanding. It was the best she could do in the current circumstances.
"I will order my army to surround the mountain. They will move at first light. Tell your people to be ready. I expect them to march with us." With that, Lexa got up and walked away. Clarke stepped out of the tent and went back to her people.
She found that they had setup the tents and made themselves comfortable around it. When she reached them, they asked about what happened with the commander. Clarke informed them about what was agreed with the commander.
Some of the delinquents objected at putting people they cared about at risk. Clarke assured them that she will do whatever it takes to make sure that the innocents won't be punished.
After dinner, Clarke hit the bed roll and fell asleep immediately, exhausted from the day's events.
A/N: I personally enjoyed writing Clarke and Octavia's conversation. I feel that in my story, because of the different circumstances and Octavia having room to grow, she has stronger relationship with Bellamy and Clarke than being hostile.