Chapter 40
Bellamy and Indra were outside the station and watched as the drop ship landed on the pad. They waited, armed with rifles, to see who came off first. They wouldn't be able to take them all on, but they could take out a good many of them if they were hostile before Abby and Palla came out of the station to help. Bellamy surveyed the ship and prayed that it would be Clarke and Echo off first. Thankfully, he wasn't disappointed.
Indra and he covered their heads as the ship landed. It was loud and hot, but he knew that they were far enough away from the landing pad that they wouldn't be burned. It didn't make it any easier for them, though. They both held their ground until they heard the door open. Indra had her sword ready and Bellamy his rifle as they both waited for them to disembark.
Clarke, Raven, and Echo were the first off. They slowly walked from the landing pad towards the Processing Station. Bellamy and Indra stood their ground, but couldn't help but smile at them. Behind Clarke, there was a tall man with long hair, braided up on one side. He wore Azgeda furs, but he didn't have any facial scarring. Bellamy noticed that there were other Azgeda with them and they were armed. He shifted his rifle and his stance, but he didn't take aim.
"Clarke, we good?" he asked.
"We're good. Let's go. We have things to do," Clarke said as she lead her little entourage into the Processing Station.
As they passed, Bellamy counted four other Azgeda. He saw Miller and Jackson followed by Diyoza and robust woman in grounder gear he didn't know. Indra nodded to each of them. To say that she was surprised but the first group off would have been a lie. She knew that guards for Heda and Wanheda had been a priority. They would be followed by warriors and hunters. Everyone else would have followed. To see the Colonel walking with Clarke, holding her head up like they were equal, may have rankled Indra some, but she knew that Clarke had a plan.
Bellamy watched as some more of the Trikru and Skaikru guards came off. They were lead by Niylah and young Trikru artisan named Helena. The guards had everyone set up into lines. They weren't broken down by clan, but the prisoners that were following Diyoza were in their own lane. As Niylah and Helena approached, Bellamy saw her meet his eyes.
"These warriors will guard the door while others are processed, Indra. Wanheda wants her general inside to help keep the order. They will report to Bellamy if they find anything," Niylah told them as the twenty or so warriors drew weapons and started to secure the area around the door.
The eldest among them moved to where Indra was. They spoke quickly in Trigedasleng and then Indra nodded to him. She sheathed her sword and gave Bellamy a pointed look. He looked at all the warriors and then back to Indra. He gave her a quick, small smile and then nodded. He watched them walk into the Processing Station.
When they came in, they saw the Processing Station proper for the first time. Abby and Palla were standing by some equipment. They could hear the low mumbles from the Grounders as they saw all the tech. She knew that it would be a problem, but she hoped that she could quell their fears.
Clarke, Raven and Echo were the in the front. Aeolus went to follow but was stopped by Echo. Clarke took the tablet from Raven's hands and turned to face the growing crowd in from of them. Abby understood what she was about to do and joined her. Palla just stood back and waited.
"I'm going to say this once in Gonasleng. And, then I will say something in Trigedasleng. This is our new world. This is our new home. Now, before anyone has anything to say about that, Earth is dead. We had to leave. This place is a healer outpost," she told them using words that she knew they would understand. "Yes, it has a lot tech in it, but it is to make sure that we are healthy and going to survive here. The first few people that will be going through the station will be Eric Jackson, Lanca, and half of the Fisakru. Once they are processed, we will split you up in to lines to be processed."
Most of the people agreed with what she said. She knew that those that didn't understand, Gonasleng (English) were looking to those that did. She waited for the murmurs to die down before she started up again.
"For those of you are warriors, Heda requires a guard unit. Trials will begin soon, but first we have to go over some things. Once you are processed, you will move to the left there," she pointed to a large open room with bunks in it. "There you will meet with Gonaheda Indra and Azripa Eko. They will assign you quarters at our temporary housing barracks. There is room for everyone. If you are a family unit, regardless of station, former kru or skills, stay together so you will be placed together. If you don't know where you are supposed to be, find either Azripa Eko or Graunripa Eeohlus. They are part of the Heda's guard and they will make sure you get where you need to be. This won't take long. Bear with me. I know that some of you are afraid of the Tek, but this is Fisatek. Once, we are all finished there will be a feast. Rest while you can. Tomorrow, we start building New Polis!"
She was met with a chorus of "Sha, Wanheda's" and salutes from some of the warriors. Diyoza just cocked an eyebrow and rested her hand on her stomach. Clarke gave her a nod and then moved over to where she was standing.
"Diyoza," she greeted again.
"Yeah?"
"Your people will go through Abby's line. She knows the most about your medical histories and such. Plus, I think that your men will trust her more since she found a way to deal with your lung issues," Clarke told her.
"I agree."
"Good."
"Clarke?"
"Yeah?" she replied.
"Abby is taking medical histories?"
"All of us will. It is so Abby can have a database set up to help in the hospital once it is built. For now, the records will only be there in the clinic at the barracks. She is going to have a true hospital. It might be a little premitive to what you are used to, but we can make it work. She has learned and is continuing to use a mix of medicine and healer potions. Trust me. She just wants to save lives," Clarke told her.
"Oh, I have no doubt about that. But, I think that this is a good thing. This way she can track things better and see if something might be genetic."
"You're thinking more about Hope, aren't you?"
"How can I not? I've been five months pregnant for two hundred years. I want her to test everything that she can as soon as she can. I want to make sure that Hope has a chance...a good chance."
"Will you love her regardless?" Clarke asked her, but she didn't miss the wince in her eyes.
"I will because she is mine and I will do whatever I have to do to protect her," Diyoza answered.
"A mother's prerogative," Clarke added.
"Yes."
"Get your men, Diyoza. As soon as she's done with the fisas, she start with you. Keep them all together and find bunks together. I know that the clans are going to split in there. Keep to yourself for now and we'll work on working together."
"Sha, Wanheda," Diyoza replied.
Clarke stared at her. Blue eyes met blue eyes. Clarke just smiled.
"You're learning Trigedasleng?" Clarke asked.
"Seemed like it might be a good idea considering were outnumbered."
"We aren't going to attack you, Diyoza."
"I know that, but it would make me feel better if I knew what they were saying."
"You know that we really only use it now when we don't want everyone to know what we are saying, but there are still small portions of Wonkru that have never learned Gonasleng and they aren't going to, either," Clarke told her.
"Why not?"
"Because Gonasleng is the language of the warrior and the Mountain Men. It is out of fear, Diyoza. The warriors maintained their knowledge of English so they could understand the Mountain Men and they were told that tech would end them. They fear us. They fear you. They fear this place. You can take someone out of their world and ask them to adapt, but it is going to take time. They realized in the bunker that tech could help them and save them, but they haven't forgotten their history. And, they shouldn't. Tech destroyed the Earth...twice."
"And, how do you feel about it?" Diyoza asked her.
"I think that we need a good blend of it. We were starting to learn how to live like grounders before Praimfaya. But, medicine and other things are a good thing. I won't fault them for their beliefs and neither is Palla. We are going to have our own place in this world."
She nodded to Clarke's answer. She didn't know what this world would be like, but she knew that Clarke was right. They would have blend together to survive. She knew they could. If she could turn a bunch of murdering, thieving psychos into an army, then Clarke could get them to adapt together.
Hours later, Clarke was leaning against a bed and looking over at Palla. She looked tired, but she hadn't stopped. She didn't know what it was about Palla that drew her in, but it was something beneath the surface.
Echo hadn't left her side Clarke, Palla, and her mother got the initial group through. She knew that it was out of a since of honor and duty and she was thankful for that, but Clarke could recognize the tiredness in her eyes. Echo hadn't slept either. She'd been up as long as Clarke, which was now bordering somewhere around forty-eight hours, she thought. She rubbed her face and looked out at all the sleeping bodies.
These were now her people. She was responsible for everyone in that room. Indra and Raven had already started to pair them off for the barracks. She knew that they would start travelling back to the barracks as soon as the suns started to rise. It was too dark to try anything with this many people. She was glad that they were fed. She didn't know how they got the feast ready in time and she didn't care. Palla had kept her word. They were going to be safe. Clarke was going to make sure of that.
Niylah moved around in between the bunks and saw Clarke. She moved to be nearer to her. Clarke felt Echo move from behind her as the darker blonde got closer. She could see something in Niylah's eyes, but she wasn't going to turn her away. She knew that they never really talked about what happened before everything went to shit and she knew that she owed it to Niylah. They had been close once, closer than she thought she could be with someone after everything that happened with Lexa. They never got the chance to explore it further because of Praimfaya. And, after everyone was rescued from the bunker, Niylah had sided with Octavia about the war for Eden. It hurt both of them, but they both admitted that the time apart changed them both.
"Clarke," she said as she approached.
"Hey, Niylah," Clarke replied as she moved over to let Niylah sit down if she wanted.
"She'd be proud of you for all of this," Niylah told her.
"You've said that before."
"But, she would, Clarke. Lexa never gave up on you. No matter what happened, she knew that you were going to find a way to save as many people as you could and you would find a way to survive. And, you have. We're here because of you," Niylah told her as she reached out to touch her hand.
Echo didn't miss the movement. She watched it, unsure if she say something or do something. Instead, she backed up a little more to give them some more privacy. She knew that something had happened between them before and after Lexa, but it wasn't her place to do anything. It was Clarke's.
"Mochof," Clarke replied.
"Why are you thanking me?"
"Because no matter how bad things get, you still look for the silver lining," Clarke answered.
"I don't understand."
"Do you remember when Raven had A.L.I.E. in her head and we came to the trading post?"
"Yeah, I was mad. I didn't want you there. I was so angry because of what Skaikru did to my father that I couldn't see reason. I knew it wasn't you and I knew that Octavia wanted to kill whoever it was, but I could tell that you were hurt by it too. But, I'd lost everything that day when he died. I had no one else to love me," Niylah told her.
"I love you, Niylah," Clarke replied.
"No, you don't, Clarke. You never did...not like that. We were good together. I won't doubt what we had, but I don't know that we could ever go back to that. We both deserve better. You deserve better."
"And, you don't? I'll admit that at first it wasn't ideal. I was thankful for your help those three months I was in the wilderness. You helped me survive, but you did more than that, Niylah. You gave me something to believe in again. That night...before I was captured...you made me feel. You reawakened something that was dead and gave me a reason to move forward. If Roan hadn't..."
"Taken you, you would have come back? I doubt that Clarke. You loved Lexa then."
"And, I still do. But, then...I didn't know that I would get a second chance with her. I hurt you because I chose her over you, but I really didn't. I never got back to you. Life moved forward, but that didn't mean I ever stopped caring or thinking about you."
"Is that why you asked me to stay at Arkadia?"
"Yes and no. I wanted to know that you were safe. I wanted to make sure that you would get the Nightblood if we made it. I wanted to make sure that you would be taken care of if something happened. I didn't want you to burn," Clarke explained.
"Is that the only reason, Clarke?"
"No."
"I know that I'll never be able to compare to Lexa and I don't want to try. I didn't then. I definitely don't now. We had something. It wasn't big and it didn't burn bright like it did for you and Lexa, but I thought that we could be happy together. I mourned you in the bunker. I mourned for you and the rest with Octavia and Abby. We didn't know if you made it, but we hoped that you had. But, that hope died when we realized that we weren't going to get out of the bunker without some outside help. We had no way of contacting you. We had no way to know that you were alone on the surface. Abby thought you were, but we had no proof, Clarke. So we cried. We mourned and our hearts broke. I know that you came to me because I helped you feel. I gave you something that no one else you knew could. And, I am not ashamed of that, Clarke, I never was. I enjoyed what we had."
"And, in time, it could have been something more," Clarke told her.
"We don't know that and we won't. We've changed too much. I still care for you, but I don't know that we can get passed what happened outside the bunker. And, strangely enough, I am okay with that. But, that doesn't explain why you've got me rooming with you and Octavia in the guards quarters."
"Because I still want you close to me," Clarke answered.
"Why?"
"Because I haven't forgotten what we had, Niylah. It might not be ideal, but we both need to move on. We need to build our lives here. And, I don't want to lose you, again. We were friends once before we were lovers. Do you think that we can have that again?"
"I would like that," Niylah stated.
"And, Octavia?"
"What about her?"
"She is going to need your, Niylah. She is broken like I was. She is going to need friends in her corner. We owe her," Clarke told her.
"We do."