Chapter 13

Palla watched as Hrathgar, Ferre and the others cleaned out the barracks. Ferre was mostly in the front room that was being turned into a small mess area. Every building had one, but the command building. Palla was changing that. She was also turning the rooms across the breezeway into a medical clinic. The Healers would be out tomorrow to stock it. They were moving quickly enough that they would have rooms ready for the first landing party.

"It's looking well, Sor," Ferre stated.

"It is."

"Have you talked to her more?"

"Who?" Palla asked.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know who. Have you talked with her?"

"Yes," Pella answered.

"And?"

"She doesn't believe in reincarnation. The people that survived on Earth...the Grounders as they called do. But her people lived in space, had technology and science, they don't believe. She said that it is an amazing belief to have, but that she'd seen to much death, caused too much death, to believe that her soul would be granted another life."

"And, you agreed with her, didn't you?"

"After what I've done, yes, I did. I am owed no more life. When I die, I know it will be my soul's last. I have done nothing to warrant new life. Avenging Tamma, Ferre, it's tarnished me...deeply. Honestly I don't know how I've managed to raise Lex without her being a crazy soldier hellbent on destroying the Praha. No, my soul will rest. I've done my duty for Helios. Some other poor soul will have to be the Fio and rule."

Ferre didn't say anything more. She just nodded. She knew when to push and now wasn't the time. But, there was something between Palla and the person she called Clarke. She could see it in Palla's eyes and hear it in the way she talked about the girl from space. Madi was special, too, but it was more on a platonic level. It was like they understood each other and she wasn't surprised that Palla had the "little queen" teaching her their language. That was just what Palla did. She learned. She always had.

The peace was broken by a noise on her tablet. She watched as Palla pulled out the small comm device and hit a few buttons. The static broke through to a voice.

"Palla?"

"Clarke, you're early. Give me a moment to get inside and we can talk. Let me finish here quickly," Palla stated.

"Take your time," Clarke told her.

"Go," Ferre said as she turned to get back to work.

Palla felt bad, but she knew that Ferre meant well. She also knew that Clarke was trying to get to her better before they landed. A bigger and better report would cause things to be easier relations when they landed.

She ran up into her rooms and turned on the monitor to her comm. She moved over to the couch and dropped the hand held comm. Then, she realized she was thirsty, so she went into her kitchen and got a drink. With her glass, she went back to the comm and opened it. The monitor lit up and suddenly Clarke's face was there.

"Hello, Wanheda," Palla said as she got a little more situated.

"Just Clarke, please," Clarke replied.

"As you wish, Clarke. What is it that I can do for you today? Are you just checking in on our preparations?"

"No, I wish to speak to you...personally."

"About?"

"You've been speaking with Madi a lot more than me, lately," Clarke started.

"Does that bother you?"

"In a way it does, but it also doesn't. She is the Heda and the Commander of the Grounders. If I was in charge of anyone, it would only be a few. She affords me more power because I am her adoptive mother. I care for her and she knows that. She gives me more leeway than most, but I know it is also because she values my opinion on things. She doesn't have the experience that I have and she uses that plus the knowledge of the past Commanders," Clarke answered.

"But, that didn't really answer the question, Clarke. That was more like diplomacy than anything else. Does it bother you that I have a relationship with your daughter?" Palla inquired.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what you talk about with her. She doesn't tell me. I don't think that she is hiding it on purpose, but I don't like thinking that there is something that she isn't telling me."

"Have you asked her?" Palla questioned.

"No."

"Then, how do you know that she is keeping it from you?"

"She tells me everything about what is going on. Once we found common ground on Earth, she told me everything. Now, it is like she doesn't know what to tell me."

"Have you talked to her about that?"

"No."

"Then, don't ask me questions that you aren't willing to ask your own daughter," Palla told her.

Clarke nodded. She knew that Palla was right. She had been on so many different things. She needed to trust them both, but there was still that cynical part of her, a byproduct of their time on Earth, that wouldn't let her. She knew that it didn't always make sense, but logically, she couldn't stop herself. She looked down, properly ashamed of herself and made a mental note to talk to Madi later.

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Sure," Palla answered.

"Why are you doing this?" Clarke questioned.

"I've told you. You are part of the last of humanity. I can't let you die in space. That would be reckless. You need a place to start over and we've already been here. You made contact and asked for help. I am offering it. There is no ulterior motive, Clarke. I don't want to hurt you. I don't need your organs or blood or anything like that. I am simply trying to give you a place to live because you are the last refugees of Earth."

"But, why?"

"Would you give me quarter if I asked for it?" Palla inquired.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it is the right thing to do."

"Then you already have your answer, Clarke," Palla replied.

Clarke couldn't help but chuckle at her reasoning. She nodded and Palla could see the small smile starting to form on her lips. Clarke was finally beginning to believe that she meant them no harm.

"Is there something else?" Palla asked.

"I think that I'll just be happy to be on the ground again. After my time on Earth, space is tedious and infinite. I need something else."

"You've dreamed of being on the ground that when you got there it was nothing like you thought. You became disillusioned with it all. I understand that. But, that doesn't mean that you can't have what you wanted here on Terre Nova, Clarke. We are a peaceful people. We are just trying to live and survive here. There isn't really a war between the clans like Earth had. We just have the Praha, but even they stick to their own. You'll be safe and happy here, Clarke. There is no war to prepare for. There is no reason that you can't just settle down and have a life. Even Madi is playing the long game, not the short. She is the first Commander that isn't worried about about the next war and death. Don't take that from her," Palla stated.

"I don't want to. I never have. I just want her to be happy. I want to be happy."

"What do you need to be happy?"

Clarke didn't immediately answer, but Palla could see her mouth a word. It was short and the look in her eyes told her all she needed to know. Madi had told her about Clarke's lost lover, the former Commander. Palla couldn't give her that, but she could give her comforts in other ways.

"Clarke?"

"I don't know. A bath? In a real tub? That would be fabulous, but I've only ever had one."

"You've only ever had one bath in lifetime?" Palla asked her.

"Yes."

"How?"

"We didn't have bathtubs on the Ark. We only had showers. Once we landed, we only had streams, rivers, and lakes and we had to fight radiated and giant animals to bathe. So, needless to say, we didn't that often. Lexa gave the use of her bath once when I was in Polis. It was glorious. An old world deep, claw foot tub that she had hauled up to her rooms in the Commander's Tower. It was big enough for two, but..."

"You don't have to tell me all that, Clarke. I get it. You want a bath. I am sure that I can arrange that for you."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. I mean it won't be a giant, claw-foot tub, but it will be a deep enough tub for you to soak and bathe at your leisure. I am sure that will do for you, yes?"

"Absolutely," Clarke answered.

"Is there anything else that you can think of that you might want when you land?" Palla asked.

"I am sure that there is," Clarke replied.

"Anything that I can get for you, I will. I want you to be comfortable. So, just let me know."

"Meat!"

Palla wanted to laugh. She had never heard Clarke seem so excited before, but then again, she hadn't heard Madi that excited either. Clarke's blue eyes were vibrant and she had a childlike wonder on her face. She seemed to be so happy at the thought of having meat again, that Palla couldn't help but join into her excitement.

"Meat?"

"Yes, meat, is that a problem?" Clarke inquired.

"No, that isn't a problem. I just don't think that I've seen someone so happy about the thought of having meat before. It is quite...refreshing," Palla told her.

"Well, when you've been stuck in space and living on nothing by algae and ration bars, you would be excited about the thought of having real food, especially meat again, too."

"I guess you are right. I wouldn't know about that, though. I've never been to space. I've only lived here on Terre Nova. I only know about certain things through book and what you and Madi have told me. But, I can honestly say that I understand the want for real food, Clarke. I, too, have been on rations for extended periods of time. I know it isn't exactly the same thing, but I understand it. Being behind the lines during the troubles..."

"You don't have to tell me about that if you don't want, too. I know the horrors of war. I understand not wanting to talk about it. But, I am sure that we can arrange for you to have some meat. That is a very easy request. But, for some clarification, what kind of meat would you like? I don't know what kind of meat you like. We have an array of things here. What meats from Earth did you like?" Palla asked her with a large smile on her face.

"Honestly, anything would be more delicious than what I've been eating the last few days."

"What meats did you like?"

"Venison, beef and various game animals and mostly fish."

"I think you will be fine, then," Palla replied.

"I would love a giant hamburger or a big slice of pizza. I wonder if you have that. We didn't have much on the Ark in the way of food like that, but when we did, it was because Agro had a good harvest that month. Also, we have good food in Polis and amazingly enough in Mount Weather."

"The Mountain had good food?"

"Dooms day preppers had them set up. It was amazing. I didn't get into all the levels to see how deep their supplies and stores went, but they had chocolate cake."

"I am sure that wasn't enough to convince you to stay," Palla stated.

"Let's see, they give us chocolate cake and want our marrow...nope, that is so totally not a fair trade."

"Clarke, is there anything else?"

"Horses, do you have horses?"

"A similar creature, yes. We call them caballos, which is just Spanish for horse, but they are larger and sometimes very spirited, why?"

"The grounders would love that."

"I'll have Hrathgar select some for you to ride. Is there anything else that you can think of?"

"Let's see, a tub, meat, horses...clothes?"

"I will have something for you to wear."

"Then, we should be good. The only other thing that we want is shelter and a place to actually settle and call home. I know that you are already working on that, though, so, nope, I think we're good," Clarke answered.

"That sounds easy enough then, Wanheda."

"Until next time, Palla," Clarke replied.

"Until you're on the ground, Clarke. Mebi oso na hit choda op nodataim. Leidon, Klark kom Wonkru," Palla told her before cutting the comm.