A New Earth: Chapter 2 : Introductions
"What's wrong?" Madi pressed as Clarke handed the child her clothes. "Just hurry and change Madi, you'll see soon enough," Clarke said almost unsure how to explain things.
"No" Madi persisted, "I saw the look on your face in the cryo chamber. Somethings wrong," she said "and why aren't we waking up all of our people?' she asked.
"Madi," Clarke snapped "It's too complicated. Everything will be explained to you on the bridge." She began to feel a throbbing in her temple.
Clarke glanced over to Echo, Emori and Raven. The three were separated away from Clarke and Madi as they changed into fresh clothes. Clarke felt like an outsider and she couldn't blame the three for keeping a slight distance. It seemed like only yesterday she was holding a gun on Raven and Echo. Clarke didn't feel comfortable around them anymore, they were like strangers now.
"What do you thinks going on?" Emori quietly asked Raven.
"I guess we'll find out when we get to the bridge," Raven said.
"Somethings wrong," Echo said "You saw Bellamy's mood…somethings got him messed up."
"And where's Harper? Do you think her chamber malfunctioned?" Emori asked with a sudden frightened expression flashing across her face.
"I didn't see Monty either," Raven said suddenly looking worried. She looked over to Clarke and quickly walked towards her. "Clarke, Bellamy woke us up, but what about Monty and Harper?" she pressed. "He wouldn't have woke us up and not them too," she said. "Are they okay?" she asked.
Clarke looked at Emori and Echo. She saw the struggle on their faces. She turned and saw Madi look with the same questioning stare.
"No, Raven they're not okay," she finally said as she looked from one face to the next. Confusion mixed with realization and a sudden sadness filling the room.
"What happened?" Raven pushed "Just tell us," her voice rising.
"When we went into cryo," she started
"They didn't, "Raven finished "They stayed awake, didn't they?"
"They didn't go into cryo," Clarke said confirming their fear.
"But it was only ten years," Emori said, "So they'd only be in their 30's"
"Just come to the bridge," Clarke said as she turned to go, "there's something you need to see."
Walking down the corridor felt exhausting to Clarke. She knew they would all be shocked and they fell into step with Murphy as he came from the room across the hall.
"So where's everyone else?" he asked "This place feels like the ring, it's too quiet."
"How do you feel?" Emori asked
"Like I slept for ten years," he said "but still looking like the day I closed my eyes; dashing," he drolled out sarcastically.
Emori didn't respond to his whit, she was worried about her friends and afraid of what she was going to find.
Bellamy stood with Jordan until the small group arrived.
"Who are you?" Murphy said the moment he laid eyes on Jordan.
Jordan's smile was warm and nervous at the same time.
"This is Jordan; Monty and Harpers son," Bellamy said. "Things didn't go as planned and we've been asleep for 125 years, not ten like we planned," Bellamy said without holding any punches.
"Wait. What?" Murphy said
"Bellamy what are you saying?" Raven asked as she looked at Jordan.
"Just watch," Bellamy said "Jordan…" he nodded to the boy.
Jordan turned on the video and the five stared at the screen.
Bellamy stepped out into the corridor and closed the door behind him. Clarke met his gaze. "I figure better just tell them flat out... kind of like ripping off a bandage."
"Yea, they were asking about Monty and Harper on the way here." She said.
"I still can't believe they're gone," Bellamy said with a solemn tone.
"Jordan," Clarke started, "Do you really think he can get the algae farm started?"
"He's Monty's kid. If Monty said he can, then I'm sure he'll be able to." Bellamy said.
Clarke noticed the worry on his face. "What is it?" she asked
Bellamy shook his head and looked down.
"Bellamy, I know we've been apart for a long time…but I still know that look," she said "something else is bothering you,"
"Yea Clarke, I lost two people I love," he said looking up at her in a frustrated hurtful tone. He leaned his back against the wall and folded his arms in front of him staring at the floor and let out a tired heavy breath.
Clarke stepped back, unsure of what to say.
"We have to make sure he stays safe," Bellamy said looking up and meeting her eyes with his sad ones "We have to but…" he trailed off
"But what?" Clarke asked. "Bellamy, I know you won't let anything happen to Jordan," Clarke reassured him.
"Clarke... this ship is full of criminals and people that have been locked away for years underground. People that wanted to kill each other the last time they met.
My record with my own sister," he paused and shook his head. "Clarke I poisoned her," he said with a pained expression. "Chipping Madi… I know you'll never forgive me for that." He paused. "I just feel like as much as I try…" he trailed off sounding defeated.
"Bellamy, you did what you felt like you had to do; there's never good choices" Clarke said looking into his pained filled eyes. She laid her hand on his forearm. "Harper and Monty trusted Jordan to your care because they know what kind of man you are," she said "You're a good man Bellamy and I know you'll do right by him...and you won't be alone. We'll all watch out for him, you don't have to do this alone."
Bellamy looked down as his eyes began to pool remembering his friends. "I can't believe they're gone," he said.
"Bellamy, they've been gone for a long time." Clarke said. "They lived a long and happy life. A peaceful life," she added.
"Not to me," he snapped, his mouth quivering. "To me it was yesterday. "He said. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."
"Bellamy they were happy," Clarke said. "They grew old together," she said
Bellamy shook his head. He knew she was right, but it didn't make the loss any less painful.
They heard a loud thud on the wall from the bridge. The door flew open and Murphy stormed out.
"John," Emori called after him and tried to follow. "Leave me alone." he yelled back as Emori followed after him.
Bellamy looked at Clarke briefly, both knowing the video message was over as they both turned together to go back into the bridge.
Bellamy immediatly looked over to Echo and could see the sadness in her eyes. He quickly walked to her and pulled her away from everyone. His eyes met hers and he wrapped her in his arms. They both needed that connection; to hold onto something real; someone that felt the same level of loss. He couldn't turn off the feelings he had. Monty and Harper were his family just like the others, and they were Echo's family too. They both were strong but they had learned over the years to lean on one another in the dark times.
"Well get through this together," he whispered as he held her close.
Clarke felt like an intruder on a private moment between lovers and it made her feel like an outsider more now than ever. She felt resentment over the closeness she had missed out on. She used to be the one he turned to. She used to be the one he took comfort in when he was hurting, and now she'd been replaced. The hard part was that no one even noticed or had any idea how she felt; not even Bellamy. She couldn't blame him; she never expressed her feelings to him. She never had the chance to. Now it was too late.
Bellamy and Echo were consoling each other and not even aware she was watching.
Clarke looked over and saw Jordan looking lost, all the sadness around him left him not sure what to do. "Clarke, is it true?" Madi asked, grabbing Clarke's attention. "A hundred and twenty five years?"
"Yes," Clarke said. "Come here," she said to the girl, motioning Madi to follow.
"Jordan," Clarke spoke up. "This is Madi. Madi, Jordan."
"Hi Jordan," Madi said. "I'm sorry about your parents."
"Thank you," Jordan nodded and looked down briefly.
Raven turned from the sight of the new planet; tears were streaming down her face. "They saved us," she said and looked at Clarke. Clarke nodded and couldn't keep the tears from falling. "Yes they did," she said, "they saved everyone."
Clarke put a reassuring hand on Jordans' back as she urged him forward. "Jordan Green," she said "I'd like you to meet Raven," Clarke said as she wiped away the wet under her eye and tried to smile.
Jordan smiled, nodding nervously. "I've heard...heard all about you," he stammered slightly.
"God, you look just like your mom," Raven said softly.
"And your father too," Emori said from the doorway.
"Emori, come…meet Jordan," Clarke said motioning for Emori.
Jordan smiled. "Mom and dad told me about you too. They said you were the one that flew the ship to Earth," he blurted out awkwardly.
Emori just smiled "Yea," she said proud of herself, "I did."
Bellamy pulled back from Echo and looked into her face "Come on, I want you to meet the kid," He said trying to pull them past their sadness. He turned and pulled her towards the others still keeping a firm grip on her hand.
"Jordan, this is…" Bellamy started but was interrupted.
"Echo," Jordan said as he stepped towards Echo, "The one that liked my dad's Algae," he said
"I was being polite," Echo said.
"Mom said that to dad that every time he bragged about it too," Jordan smiled
That made Echo smile.
Bellamy stepped towards Emori. "Murphy?" he asked her.
Emori just shook her head. She knew she couldn't deal with John when he was this upset.
"I'll find him," he reassured her.
Emori nodded and looked at Clarke.
He turned and left to fine Murphy.
"Raven...guys," Clarke said, getting everyone's attention. "We need to talk about our next move."
"Monty left instructions; as far as the ships supplies; he stockpiled a surplus that will get a minimal crew 12 weeks' worth of rations, or at least until Jordan can get the algae farm up and running. We need to decide who the most vital people are to wake. There's only enough supplies for a dozen or so people at first."
"Or until we can get to the ground," Emori said "Shouldn't that be the priority?"
"Yes but we don't know what levels of radiation we're dealing with. Solar radiation has to be higher, that's why Eligius 3 used Becca's night blood serum, or at least that what the records indicated," Raven said
"Agree,' Clarke said "We need to decide the key people that can help with determining that," Clarke said
"We should to wait for Bellamy," Echo said.
"Yes" Clarke said, "but we can still discuss it."
"Shaw," Raven said "He knows the ship, the ins and outs. We need Shaw."
"You mean you need Shaw," Echo said under her breath with a half smirk.
"But I think we'll need Jackson too. He can run the diagnostics on the atmosphere and monitor the planets condition," Clarke said. "And Jackson will want Miller," Clarke added.
"Miller can't be trusted," Echo said "We don't know where his loyalty is,"
"Miller's one of our people now," Madi spoke up. "He pledged loyalty to me and fought by our side."
"We still should wait for Bellamy and Murphy before we decide," Echo said
"Agree," said Clarke "We won't make any decisions until were all here."
Bellamy walked the corridor in the direction Murphy had gone and heard banging coming from just ahead. Turning the corner into what looked like a cafeteria he dodged a lightweight metal chair as it sailed past him.
"Murphy," he yelled.
"They're gone," Murphy yelled "Monty... All he had to do was get in the damn chamber. Why didn't they just go to sleep like the rest of us?" he yelled. "He could have at least told us...let us say..." Murphy pounded his fists against a table before flipping it over, finally slamming his back against the smooth steel walls and slid down elbows to knees holding his head in his hands.
"Say what?" Bellamy asked. "Try to convince them to sleep with us for ten years just to wake up to a dead planet?"
"He saved my life," Murphy said looking up to Bellamy as tears betrayed him. "He carried me to that ship, and God only knows how he did it, but he carried me on his back to that ship and I never got the chance to thank him for it. Everything happened so fast, I never got to thank him, and now he's just gone," He wiped away the tears in an angry move, pissed that Bellamy was there to see them.
Bellamy slid down next to Murphy, as Murphy kept talking.
"I called him a coward," Murphy said shaking his head. "I remember on this ship, before we went back home; I called him a coward for not wanting to go back to Earth."
"You didn't mean it Murphy," Bellamy said.
"No, I meant it;" Murphy said ..."Thing is...Monty was right. We never should have gone back. As much as I hated space, and that shitty Algae, he was right. We should have never gone back." He pounded his fist against the wall behind him.
"Monty saved us all," Bellamy said, "He saved me too, in the fighting pit. They stormed in, caring his plant." Bellamy smiled "You should have seen it. I thought for sure they were going to get killed for it, but he held that little plant up in the air... He saved me too." Bellamy said. "More times than one," he added thinking of the countless times Monty was there for him.
"But they were happy," Bellamy said "They lived how they wanted, in peace. They had a family… and they saved us all again, finding this planet."
Bellamy struggled to his feet, still stiff from his long sleep; a groan escaping his lips. He reached down for Murphy's hand. Murphy extended his and Bellamy hoisted his friend up. He looked at Murphy and they embraced each other in a rare brotherly hug. "I'm going to miss them," Murphy said.
"Come on we need to get back," said Bellamy as he slapped Murphy's back and urged him follow.
"I can't believe they had a kid," Murphy said as they both walked out of the room he had just trashed.
"I can't believe that you're his favorite," Bellamy added lightheartedly. "I should be the favorite" he said trying to lighten the mood
"I can," Murphy said "I'm everyone's favorite"
Bellamy smiled and shook his head.
Bellamy and Murphy walked into the bridge where everyone was still gathered. Emori turned when they entered and nodded a silent thanks to Bellamy for bringing Murphy back. He was always the only one that seemed to bring him around when he would shut everyone out.
Bellamy looked at Jordan who was watching everyone but standing slightly away. He saw both Harper and Monty in Jordan's face and it made him sad, but it also gave him the resolve to make sure he would keep Jordan safe at any cost.
"So you're Monty's kid," Murphy said. "I hope you're as smart as your parents say you are."
Jordan blinked and half tried to suppress a smile, but one slowly spread across his face. "I do too," he sheepishly said.
"Is it true, can you get the algae farm going enough to feel all my people when they wake up?" Madi asked.
"Oh hell no… not that green shit again," Murphy said "Can I just go back to cryo?" he asked with a sarcastic tone.
His remark was ignored.
"Were not really considering waking everyone up, not until we know it's safe to get to the ground are we?" Raven said as she walked towards Clarke.
Clarke looked at Raven and then to Madi. Her head began to pound again. Finally she shook it off and squeezed her eye out of frustration. "No," she said to Raven and then she looked at Madi "Madi, we can't wake them, not until it's safe to get to the ground. We won't have the resources for everyone here on the ship, even when the algae farm is producing."
"Okay then, we'll have to get to the ground," Madi said.
Clarke looked at Bellamy. "Who do we wake first?" she asked as everyone turned and looked at him as if it were his decision.