Chapter 17

Back on earth with the 100.

Clarke rises early before the sun has come up, all is quiet in the camp and the only people milling around are those who have been on watch. Clarke is surprised to see that they seem to be taking their duties quite seriously and are making regular trips around the perimeter of the camp. Clarke looks around at the progress they have made on their first day on earth. They found food, what remains of the near sits on a spit near the fire, and they found fresh water. Clarke prevented Jasper from getting taken and stopped the 100 from removing any more wristbands, she has also built a bond with Charlotte and is feeling hopeful that this time around Wells won't die by her hands. The wall around camp is beginning to take shape, it looks a lot sturdier than last time thanks to the notebook that she gave to Millar. Things are seeming more positive, especially since she has taken a more active role in the leadership of the camp this time around. Clarke is not going to shy away from leadership this time because any time she has things have taken a turn for the worst, she thinks about Lexa and how she would never ask anything of her people that she would not be willing to do herself. Clarke decides that she may need to implement a lot of Lexa's methods to help maintain control and help her people to survive.

Clarke considers her game plan for the day; they no longer must spend the day looking for Jasper but they do need more food and water. Clarke believes they could also do with more weapons, in her book she had designs for making tools and weapons some of which have already been created by Murphy to help in the creation of the wall. It surprises Clarke that Murphy got involved with something productive and decides that maybe this is something she can utilize. Clarke sees murphy sharpening a piece of metal on a rock and decides now would be a good time to approach him.

"Murphy, can I speak with you?" Clarke says in a tone that suggests this is not really a question.

"Looks like you're already doing that Princess, so not like I can stop you." Murphy snarks back true to character as always. Clarke takes a settling breath and thinks carefully about how to phrase her request. As she does Murphy stops what he is doing and looks at her,

"Well get on with it then? What do you want?" he asks defensively.

"It is not so much as what I want, but what I need. What we all need I guess... you see knowing now that we are not alone on earth poses the question of whether we will be met as friends or foes..."

"Judging by your face Princess I don't think they're exactly welcoming us with open arms and inviting us over for tea."

"Well yeah...I'm hoping that could change but in the meantime, we need weapons. I noticed that you seem to have a certain natural talent for them, Millar said you helped make the axes for the wall."

"Yeh well my parent couldn't exactly afford to buy me toys, so I had to do something with my spare time growing up," Murphy says this confidently but Clarke sees the underlying insecurity that his bravado is trying to cover up.

"Well, I was hoping you could be our weapons master of sorts, I have some designs in my book. You could have a few people help you gather the resources and then help you make them. It would help keep us a lot safer..." Murphy scoffs,

"What's in it for me Princess besides keeping this place safe?" Clarke understands where Murphy is coming from, in his social circle on the Arc nothing was done or given for free.

"Well responsibility over a group of people, you can help me in keeping order. If you can make me a better weapon, I will be able to get more food for us. If you are as handy with the weapons as you are at making them you can help train others, I was going to ask Bellamy because of his experience with the guard but I feel you could be a better choice and could act as his supervisor to train others. What do you say?" Murphy contemplates the offer and looks at Bellamy strutting around,

"Yeah, I think I like the idea of being in charge of Bell boy, I'm in! I am your weapons master, Princess. Next, we just need a castle and you are all set." He says sarcastically but with a hint of a smile. They talk for a while longer Clark tells him her plans for a target practice area and sparing area, which Murphy seems to enjoy the idea of because he will get to beat people up and call it training. Clarke warns him not to go too far because her medical resources are limited but she does believe they all need to learn to fight.

After her talk with Murphy, he seems more like the Murphy she grew to know and less like the jackass he was when he first came down, which Clarke is very glad of. Clarke leaves him to work on the weapons and but not before she makes suggestions on who would be good to help him, based on what she knows of them from the old future. Clarke then goes to find Monty whom she finds inside the dropship messing with Octavia's wristband when she walks in, they jump apart and Monty starts trying to explain,

"Clarke I wasn't trying to take it off I promise, I was thinking that maybe there might be a way to use the wristbands to help contact the Arc, the radio in the drop ship is down but if I could get it connected to a wrist band that does short we might be able to contact them once I fix the radio too that is," Clarke says nothing as he rambles at her, she just walks over to her seat on the dropship and once he's done she pulls out the long-range radio given to her by Sinclair.

"Would this help? A fully intact long-range radio?" Monty stares at her in wonder,

"Where on earth did you get that" Octavia butts in.

"My mom and Sinclair manage to sneak me a few things on board, this was one of them. I tried it but the signal is too weak, I think. Do you think you can boost it, Monty?" Monty jumps up and grabs the radio,

"Yes, I should definitely be able to do it now, I just need a wristband intact to act as a signal amplifier."

"Then do it, try Octavia's and then your own maybe Jaspers but whatever you do Bellamy can't find out, I'm sure even after my reveal last night that he would still try anything to stop us from contacting the Arc," Clarke says giving Octavia a pointed look.

"I won't tell him anything I'm not talking to that Jackass after he was acting like he was here to protect me when he's really here to protect himself!" Clarke nods and then leaves them to continue their work.

Clarke makes the rounds of the camp overseeing the various projects in progress and making sure to talk to as many of the 100 as possible, some of these people she knows well but others died before she got that chance. Clarke hopes she will be able to save more of them this time around. As she is working her way around camp Clarke knows that they are being watched, she doesn't know if it is by grounder or mountain men or both, but she can't afford for them to seem weak to either group. In the trees surrounding the camp grounders are perched in the trees watching the Skaikru and their natblida leader, they have been given strict instructions to observe and not attack. Their Heda is very interested in the Natblida Skai Hainofi.