Here we are again … I'm embarking on a new journey of a fanfiction story. This time, we're going with a post-apocalyptic vibe. I recently watched The 100 on Netflix. I'd been intrigued to write a story based off that show/series of novels. I decided to write it for NaNoWriMo. I'm starting almost halfway through the month, but I'm determined to, at least, get something going. But, here I am in October and I'm still working on it.
To be honest, I struggled with getting the previous chapter, but after doing some illegal planning (meaning, I worked on this at my job … in a notebook), I got over the hump. I know who the big bad will be and the climax of the story, but the issue is getting there. You know?
Chapter Twelve: On the Ark …
Renee
"According to Sinclair, the outer most parts of the Ark will most likely be where it breaks apart," I said, reading off the tablet. "Take everything from these storage containers and bring them down to the promenade. These are medical supplies. They need to be tacked down to protect the contents inside."
"Yes, Dr. Swan," said Angela Weber. She held her baby in a sling, picking up a smaller container.
In the madness, I gave her baby a booster of its pain shot, along with the medications Bella had promised her. I was sitting on the floor, taking inventory of what we needed to take as opposed to what we wanted to take.
"Dr. Swan, we have some bins of extra clothing," said a male voice. "Keep?"
"Yes, keep. We don't know when or if we can make new clothes. Those can be brought to the dining hall," I explained. "Thank you."
"No problem, Dr. Swan," he said, grabbing a few guys to carry the bins to the dining hall.
I worked for another hour until my communicator chimed from my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw a message from Charlie to meet him in the command center. I handed off my task to Alec, who had just come from a shift in medical and went to the command center. The surviving members of the council were already there, gathered around the center console with Sinclair. I walked over to the console, giving my husband a kiss on the cheek and nodding to the rest of the council. "When are we going to begin our descent?"
"We need one more orbit to line everything up. We'll be landing about five miles from Mount Weather. At least, that's where we project where we'll land," Sinclair explained, pointing on a map.
"And the Ark?" Charlie asked.
"After we disengage from the center ring, we'll use thrusters to push us into the atmosphere. I'm not going to lie … it's going to be a bumpy ride, but we'll have control. I've linked the command center and the thrusters to a console in medical to allow me to pilot the Ark down to the ground. My main concern is, of course, where the Ark will break apart," Sinclair frowned.
"That's a given, right?" Eleazar asked. "Not every part of the Ark will make it down to the ground."
"Correct," Sinclair said, swiping away the map and pulling up a schematic of the Ark. With some typing, the intact photo of the Ark changed to what it looked like at the moment. "D and E block were completely destroyed when Aro took the Exodus ship. It also caused microfractures along the hull where the stations were joined. Since we can't exactly go out to inspect every inch of what remains, I had to extrapolate where those microfractures were located and which parts of the Ark will break away."
"I don't care about the Ark. I just want everyone remaining up here to survive," Esme sniffled. "We've lost so many because of Aro's arrogance and … Where do we need to be that ensure that?"
"Main promenade, medical, dining hall and council chambers are the places least likely to break apart," Sinclair explained. "We can also put some of us in the habitat ring in A block, but not in the residential apartments. With those locations, along with all of our gear, it's going to be a tight fit."
"I can handle an hour of being squished," Eleazar shrugged. "Most of us can. Our lives have been spent being squished in this tin can that's dying."
"Regardless, it needs to be done by the next orbit. After that, the air will become toxic," Sinclair said. He pressed his lips into a thin line.
"What is it?" Charlie pressed.
"With the damage to the Ark, I'm fairly certain we can remote separate from the central ring," Sinclair explained.
"Give me a number for 'fairly certain,'" Charlie huffed.
"Sixty-seven percent?" Sinclair replied. "It's not like I can test my hypothesis. Once we're good to go, that's it. I can run simulations, but the sensors were damaged with the departure of the Exodus ship."
"Okay, so if we can't remote separate, we need to leave someone in the command center to …" Carlisle trailed off. "That's suicide. How will they get down to the planet's surface?"
"They won't," I muttered. "They would suffocate to death within a month of the Ark leaving, dying from hypoxia."
Charlie shifted in his seat. He was still recovering and looked ashen. "I volunteer … if that's the case. I'm the 'captain' of this ship and the captain goes down with the ship," Charlie murmured.
"Charlie, no," Esme breathed.
"Esme, I have to. I have to atone for my sins. If that means that I die up here, then I'll gladly take that. It means that my wife and child are safe on the ground. You want to talk about someone who is arrogant? It's me. My arrogance got us into this mess. My pride and fear of the optics forced us to send those kids to the ground, which in turn made Aro completely lose his marbles, crippling us up here," Charlie sneered. "This is my burden and I have to weather it alone." Carefully, he stood up and walked to the office in the command center. The doors clicked shut, indicating that only he could allow people in or out of his office.
His decision was final.
"Sinclair, we can't have Charlie condemn himself to a death sentence. We spent too many hours, elbow deep in his gut to allow that to happen. Are you certain about those numbers?" Carlisle pressed.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Cullen, but without doing an extensive spacewalk, which we can't do because our suits were in Mechanics, which is long-gone, I cannot be more certain. I've used the cameras, but when zooming in, the images become pixelated. I can't tell what's damage or what's not," Sinclair explained.
"Renee? Can you talk some sense into him?" Carlisle pleaded.
"You know Charlie as well as I do. Once he gets an idea, he won't let go of it," I frowned. "Case in point … floating our daughter? The only reason that didn't happen was because of your son." I gave Carlisle a sympathetic smile, which he returned. "Charlie is as stubborn as the day is long."
"Regardless, we need to finish our preparations. We've got twelve hours before we can make our attempt. It's not a lot of time," Carlisle sighed, scrubbing his face.
We all separated, heading to continue our preparations, but I had to try to talk some sense into my husband. I walked to his office, using his command codes to let myself in.
"God damn it, Renee," he huffed, looking up at me with a scowl on his face. "Can't you leave me in peace?"
"May we meet again?" I snapped. "Charlie, what you're proposing is a suicide mission. You have to think this through. Don't you want to make amends with your daughter?"
"I've accepted that Bella abhors me, and she has every right to. I was going to float her for a non-violent crime," Charlie muttered miserably. "I only looked at what she did when Edward told us about Pike and Halsted."
"Who got floated for their crimes," I sighed, sitting down on the desk. "In the long run, you atoned for your sins. Bella is on the ground, safe."
"But, do we truly know that? We've been communicating with Mount Weather via Morse Code. We're not even sure if they're getting our messages," Charlie huffed, standing up. He paced his office.
"Alec spoke with Rosalie, informing us that they were all okay," I soothed, capturing his hand, forcing him to stop his pacing. "I trust Bella and Edward to make smart decisions. Just like I trust you …"
"You don't hate me anymore?" Charlie asked, cupping my face with a wry grin.
"I'm still pissed at your actions, but you've made up for them, Charlie. Don't sacrifice yourself just to prove a point. I trust Sinclair that the firing thrusters will work, and we'll break free from the outer ring without any problems," I said, trying to give him a shot of optimism. I loved my husband, but he was such a glass half empty guy.
"I'll try to … to think positively. But, recent events really dampened my outlook on all of this," he sighed, pressing his forehead to mine. "However, if things don't go as planned, we have my plan B."
Pursing my lips, I squinted at my husband. "Things will be okay, Charlie." I pressed a kiss to his mouth. "I love you and I have to believe that."
"I love you, too, Ren," Charlie breathed, sliding his arms around my waist. "Let's get this tin can ready to land." I nodded, tugging on his hands and out of the command center. We went to the main promenade, working with the rest of the Ark to ready it for its return to Earth.
xx MWMA xx
Bella ~ At Mount Weather
"Well, I've got good news and bad news," I said to Charlotte.
"Bad news first," Charlotte grimaced.
"You need stitches in your palm, but the good news is that you didn't do any nerve damage. You'll have to do some minor physical therapy, but you'll make a full recovery," I answered, turning back to my patient. "What did you learn today?"
"Let the guys handle the thick vines and for me to stay in the med bay," Charlotte deadpanned. "Will this impact my training?"
"You can observe, but until the stitches are out, you can't treat patients," I said, reading the anesthetic and suture kit. "Tiny pinch."
"Compared to the bowie knife that sliced my hand, that's nothing," Charlotte huffed, turning her face away from the gnarly gash on her palm. "I'm an idiot."
"No, you're not an idiot. You were helping and that vine was too thick to be cut with anything but an axe," I said, numbing as I spoke. "This should go without saying, keep this clean and dry. Wear a sterile glove when you bathe to keep the sutures dry. I'll give you a two-weeks supply."
"Thanks, Dr. Swan," Charlotte breathed.
"I'm not a doctor yet," I snickered.
"For all intents and purposes, you are," Charlotte argued. "Own it, Dr. Swan. Or, would you rather I call you President Swan?"
"Bella will suffice," I sighed, making quick work of her sutures. Picking up a gauze pad, I gently pressed it to her palm and wrapped her hand with a roll of gauze. Taping the bandage, I inspected my work. "Wiggle your fingers."
"Not too tight," Charlotte chuckled.
"If it hurts or you start running a fever, call me any time," I said. "It should be numb for a couple of hours. Use some ice if it starts to itch. Do not scratch it."
"Got it, Bella. Thank you," Charlotte said.
"Take the rest of the afternoon off. I think you deserve it," I teased.
"Mallory to Swan," the intercom chirped.
"Duty calls," I quipped. "I'll see you at dinner, Charlotte." She left and I walked to the intercom. "Swan here. What's up, Lauren?"
"The Exodus expedition is back," she said. "They got a number of kills and some salvageable tech."
"Are they back in the garage?" I asked.
"Unloading now. Edward asked for you to come to the garage," she relayed.
"Thanks, Lauren. Swan out," I said, ending the call. I picked up my lanyard with my ID and swipe card along with my radio. "Swan to all radios … please contact me on radio if there's a medical emergency. The Exodus expedition just got back."
A chorus of acknowledgments filtered through my radio as I rode up the elevator to the garage level. Stepping off the lift, I made my way to the garage and smiled when I saw everyone made it back safely. Mike, Tyler, and Emmett were unloading the kills from the Rovers. Austin and Mike were speaking with Edward and Rosalie regarding the tech they pilfered from the wreckage.
"I'm glad that everyone is back safely," I said. "We're going to be eating well for a couple of weeks. Jasper and Peter managed to get three boars today."
"I wonder what boar tastes like?" Austin asked, his hands on his hips.
"I don't know, but we're all going to try it at some point," I shrugged. "Did you find any survivors?"
"No. The bodies I found all died before impact. Their bones were shattered from the spin of the ship," Austin explained. "I tried to find their microchips to identify the dead, but the few I was able to extract were too charred to be linked up to the computer."
"Though, Mike did say he saw footprints leading away from the Exodus ship that were fresh. We're not certain if the footprints were from a survivor or from the drop ship, doing the same thing that we were doing in salvaging the technology they can," Edward explained.
"No on survived this crash, Edward," Austin said, shaking his head. "Imagine an egg in glass container. You shake it and the egg is sloppy, gooey mess. That's what happened to these humans. Their bodies were shaken to death with the combination of the descent and Earth's gravity." He turned to me. "I'm sorry I don't have better news."
"It's okay, Austin. Thank you for today," I murmured, holding out my hand.
"I'm going to shower because … gross," Austin shuddered. "I'll be in medical after I scrub myself raw. You want me to take the radio?"
"I'm good," I said. "Thanks, though."
"I'm going to unload this tech and Emmett and I are going to see if it's compatible with Mount Weather," Rose informed us. "I want to go to the next expedition. I know what to look for when it comes to all of this."
"We're planning on going in a couple of days," Edward said. "With winter coming, we need to put in some more hunting, finding food and preparing for that." He blinked to me, reaching for my hand. He tugged me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Hi, Princess."
"Edward," I smiled against his chest.
"Come with me for a spell. I want to tell you something …" he trailed off, guiding me out of the cooling late afternoon air. He slid off his jacket, putting it over my body. "It's about what Austin said about the bodies."
"Do you think someone survived?" I asked. "You saw the wreckage, Edward. No one could …"
"The footsteps leading away from the wreckage to the drop ship," he pressed. "And, I felt like someone was watching me as we were loading up the Rovers. I checked to see if there was someone in the trees, but I didn't see anyone. I trust my instincts, Bella. If there was someone there, someone was there. You know?"
"I trust you and there might have been someone watching you from the drop ship. They just managed to stay hidden," I suggested. "We'll keep our eyes peeled for any drop ship survivors. We should be mindful of them since they're more impulsive than us. We're planning for the winter. They're probably not even registering that winter is on its way, you know?" The radio chirped from my pocket, making me jump. "Swan here."
"I think you and Edward need to come up to the command center," Lauren hissed. "I've heard from the Ark."
xx MWMA xx
Edward
Bella and I rode down to the command center, which was partially staffed due to the work being done in the fields. Lauren's fingers were flying over the keyboard as Eric Yorkie listened to and translated the dots and dashes that made up Morse Code.
"What are they saying?" Bella asked, sitting down next to Lauren.
"They're saying that they're using the Ark as a drop ship," Lauren replied, reading the message that Eric had translated. "By this time tomorrow, the Ark is going to begin its descent to the ground."
"Can we respond to them? Let them know that we got their message?" I asked.
"I don't think their communications array is working to receive messages. The Morse Code is being created by disrupting the signal," Eric said from his spot at his computer. "They did say that approximately a thousand survivors are on the Ark. More than half died because of Aro's stunt with the Exodus ship."
"This place is designed for five hundred people. We can't fit all of them into Mount Weather," Bella muttered.
"Until we build a settlement, they can stay in the Ark, depending on how damaged it is," I suggested. "There are also a few buildings that can be converted into living spaces around the mountain. They were designed for the military, but we can try to make them homey."
"Good idea," Bella said, giving me a relieved smile. "We can check those out tomorrow, doing a recon mission."
"Now, I'm going to head into shower after I help with bringing in the food. Like Austin … gross," I laughed, giving my body a shake. Bella giggled, walking back with me to get reports from the rest of our expedition. I hefted the elk with Emmett's help, riding down to the kitchen. The other kills had already been brought down, stored in the freezer with the rest of the food.
An hour later, the Rovers were empty, and we left them outside to charge. I went to my suite, stripping out of my clothes and tossing them into the hamper. I made mental note to bring down our clothes to be laundered. Bella had been handling it, but she mentioned she wanted me to learn as well. The first time the clothes were washed, it was like magic. The dirty clothes disappeared and returned all clean, smelling fresh. Though the clothes we wore when we landed had to be destroyed since we'd spent almost two weeks in them.
I was getting dressed when Bella came breezing in. "Dinner is almost ready," she said. "We're having a savory stew and sauteed root veggies. For a treat, they made lemonade. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
"I had a protein bar while I was out, but that sounds delicious," I said, offering her a hand. "Come on, Princess."
She sighed, threading our fingers together. We left our suite, heading to the dining room. We sat down at the table, waiting until everyone got their meals before we got our own. We wanted our people to know that they came first, not the elite first as many believed.
We got in line last, taking a bowl of the stew and vegetables. Sitting down at our table with Rose and Emmett, I got us glasses of lemonade. "The last glass of lemonade I had was on Unity Day," Rose said, taking a sip.
Bella went to take a sip, but she put the glass down harshly. With jerky movements, she got up and asked for a glass of water.
"Shit," I spat. I got up and walked over to Bella. "Princess …"
"I need a moment," she whispered. "I don't know if I can drink lemonade ever again." She stared, unseeingly, into the kitchen. "That was the last meal I really ate, that I really remember."
"Do you want me to take our meals to go?" I asked.
"No. I have to be seen," she said, tears streaking down her face. "I'm not like my father where I hole up in my work, away from my people. I just need …" Blinking to me, she took my hand. "Can you take the lemonade away?"
"Of course, Bella," I whispered, guilt surrounding me.
"Don't …" she pushed, pressing her hand to my cheek. "No guilt, Edward. I can see you beating yourself up. It's a trigger for me. Please?"
"Can I kiss you?" I asked.
"You never have to ask, Edward," she replied, giving me a watery smile. I leaned down, pressing my lips to hers. She scratched my back as she whispered. "I love you. That won't change."
"I love you more, Princess," I whispered back. "We'll talk more back in our room?"
"I promise," she vowed.
With that, I walked back to our table and gave the lemonades to Rose and Emmett. Rose gave me an understanding smile while Emmett just happily took the citrusy beverage. I tucked into my meal, watching as Bella took a few calming breaths. She finished her water, filling it up again and walked back to our table. Without saying anything, she dug into her stew and kept quiet for the rest of the meal.
Thankfully, Emmett, who was oblivious to Bella's angst, prattled on about the events of the day. Rose also piped in, sharing that our finds from the wreckage would really help out the tech in the mountain.
After helping with the dishes, Bella and I went back to our suite. Once inside, Bella kissed my jaw. "I'm going to shower; I need to disconnect from my feelings for a moment," she said. "I'm okay, Edward. Truly, I am."
"But, you'll talk to me, right?" I asked, sitting down on the couch.
"I will," she murmured, ducking into the bathroom.
I waited for her to come out, watching some nonsense off the database. It was a superhero movie with some pretty cool special effects where the main character was pretending to be a bat, but I wasn't really watching it. I just wanted to know if Bella was okay. My mind was spinning, concerned for her.
She came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of shorts and one of my t-shirts. Her hair was braided down her shoulder. Her face was puffy, clearly from crying. I paused the movie, holding open my arms to her. She sat down on my lap, sliding her arms around my neck. "I can still see that guilt on your face, Cullen," she said, pressing her thumb between my brows. "No guilt."
"It's hard when you were crying and that in part, it was my fault that you were crying," I frowned.
"No, my fault," she said. "It was my fault. I made the choices. You did your job. What I was crying about was my father's asshole reaction to you doing your job. Suffice it to say, lemonade is a trigger for me. I'll know to avoid it, at least until I don't have that type of reaction again. Besides, I'm partial to the apple cider." She moved to snuggle on top of me. "What are we watching?"
"The Batman? But, I can change it," I said. "Or, restart it."
"Restart it, please?" she asked, tucking her head against my shoulder. "And can you just hold me? Don't let go."
"Never, Bella. I'll hold you forever, Princess," I vowed, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
xx MWMA xx
Charlie … On the Ark
I was staring out of the large window in my quarters. Earth was glittering down below. We were flying over Europe at the moment and would be making our departure soon. Lightly, I ran my finger over the Chancellor's crest pinned to my jacket.
I'd grown to resent that crest, that job.
It cost me everything.
First, it cost me my integrity. I'd bent on so many backdoor deals just to keep things afloat.
Then, it cost me my relationship with my daughter. What the fuck was I thinking in wanting to float her for a nonviolent crime? Oh, I wasn't. I was more interested in how the residents of the Ark saw me. That I didn't show favoritism toward my own daughter.
Even if she did forgive me, I'd never forgive myself.
Because of my choices, it almost cost me my wife. The months after Bella was put in the prison ward, Renee barely spoke to me. She slept in Bella's room, and I heard her cry herself to sleep every night. I wanted to comfort her, but she wouldn't even acknowledge me.
And now? We've lost the Ark.
Or, we will lose the Ark. With its descent, most of the Ark will disintegrate as we reenter the atmosphere. What doesn't disintegrate would burn up.
The door chimed in my quarters. I beckoned the door to open. "Chancellor, we're gathering in the promenade, medical and council chambers," Eleazar said. "We've got a twenty-minute window and that window will open in about ten minutes."
"I'll be right there," I murmured, walking to grab a photo of Bella and Renee. It was taken when Bella was accepted to the medical training program, following in her mother's footsteps. I trailed my finger down my two girls' faces. Both of them were smiling, happy. I remembered that day, feeling the pride for my daughter. I loved her so much. I still do and I'd failed her.
I took the photo out of the frame and tucked it into my jacket. I removed the Chancellor's pin, leaving it the desk. Turning, I took one more look at the Earth. "This is for you, Bella." I walked out of my quarters and bypassed the exit to the main promenade. I took the lift to the command center, checking to see if Sinclair's plan would work.
"Swan to Chancellor Swan," Renee's voice filled the command center. "I sent Eleazar to get you. Where are you?"
"Ren, I love you. I love you so much," I whispered. I pressed the button to reply. "I'm in the command center. This is my penance."
"Charlie, you still have time to come down here. Please, come to the promenade. I can't do this without you," Renee sobbed. "We need you."
"No, I have to do this. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," I said, a wry smile on my face.
"Did you just quote Spock?" she asked.
"I did, but it's the truth," I said, pulling out the photo. "Sinclair, when does the window open?"
"A minute, Chancellor," Sinclair replied. "And, sir? In peace may you leave the shore …"
"In love may you find the next," added Esme.
"Safe passage on your travels," said Alec.
"Until our final journey to the ground," cried Carlisle. "I shall miss you, brother."
"May we meet again," Renee sniffled. "And, we will meet again, Charlie. I love you."
"I love you, too, Ren," I choked out, pressing the buttons to release the Ark. "May we meet again." I disconnected the call and released the Ark from the central ring. The station vibrated with the power of the thrusters. I fell onto my ass, groaning as my injury barked. I monitored its departure, breathing deeply as it cleared the central ring. Scrambling up, I walked to the window as I watched what remained of the Ark descended into the atmosphere. Pressing my hand to the window, I repeated brokenly, "May we meet again."
"Dad?"
A/N: So, I did some combining of chapters. And … we're going to start with Charlie in the next chapter so this cliffie will be explained.
Pictures for this chapter are on my blog. You can access that through a link in my profile. I'm also on FB: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. I'm also on Twitter, Spoutible and Hive, as well: tufano79.
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