Clarke slept in her mother's bed that night. She didn't sleep well. The Ark creaked and groaned. The small bed with a thin mattress over metal was cold and uncomfortable. Her dreams were vivid. She walked the blood saturated ground outside the Ark, picking her way through the bodies of the Trikru army and what was left of Skaikru after the battle. The Ark's halls were full of blood. The floor was slick with it; spatters, smears, and handprints filled the walls. She heard the fighting still going on behind closed doors, muted clangs, thuds, and screams.
She sat up, sweating and hyperventilating, after she found Bellamy's body, and knew she wouldn't sleep any more that night. She got out of bed and fumbled her way to the light switch. Clarke went to the bathroom and checked the sink for running water. She was delighted to find that not only was there water, there was hot water, as well. She stripped and showered.
When she was clean and dressed in clean clothes, she walked toward the holding cell, two guards trailing her.
Thelonious Jaha sat with his back to the far wall, speaking quietly. He looked up and saw her after almost two minutes, and came to the bars. "Clarke Griffin. It's been a long time."
"Tell me about A.L.I.E."
"You wish to join us in the City of Light?"
"Tell me about A.L.I.E."
"Do not trust her," A.L.I.E. said.
"Don't be ridiculous," Jaha told A.L.I.E. "I've known her since she was born."
"Who are you talking to?" Clarke asked.
He smiled at her. "A.L.I.E."
"What does she want?"
"Her updated source code. It was on the Ark."
"Why does she believe that?"
"It's where the Creator was."
"Tell me about A.L.I.E.," Clarke repeated.
"The City of Light," Jaha began.
Clarke cut him off. "A.L.I.E.," she repeated.
"She's here to take all of us to the City of Light."
"I don't care about the City of Light."
"It's so beautiful. All of us can live there in peace while Earth recovers."
Clarke suppressed the shiver that ran down her back. "It needs to recover because she tried to destroy it."
"Her target is people. That's why the City of Light exists."
"I want to talk to her."
"You have to take communion."
"You mean take one of those chips."
"Place it on your tongue," he agreed. "Join us in the City of Light."
100 – 100 – 100
Ontari was restless. Clarke's absence worried her. She understood Clarke's reasoning for returning to Arkadia alone, but didn't like that she went. The messengers she sent to the leaders of the warriors at both sections of the Ark and to TonDC were brief and specific: Protect Wanheda.
She tried to find things to do to fill the time. The first night, she joined Titus and Fair in Fair's evening lesson. After, she and Fair left together, and Fair followed her up the stairs. Ontari brought her into her suite and they sat on the couch together. Ontari waited for Fair to begin.
"Fleimkepa was different tonight."
"Oh?"
"I think it was because Wanheda was absent."
"Why would he do that?"
"He does not like her. He does not trust her, and he will not speak true while she is there."
"How do you know?"
"The things he said tonight, I do not think he would share with Wanheda."
"Will you?"
"Sha."
"Where is Wanheda?"
"She will return soon." 'I hope,' Ontari added silently. Klark is strong.
"Good. I like her."
"I like her, too."
"I must study," Fair said, and rose.
Ontari stood, too. "Thank you."
"Mochof, Heda. Os nat."
"I will see you tomorrow, Fair."
When Fair was gone, Ontari went to the table and sat down. She laboriously read the missives that arrived since her last check, and when she finished, went down to Clarke's suite. Raven sat at the table with a thick book, but closed it when Ontari sat across from her.
"Chess, Commander?"
"Sha."
"No cheating tonight."
"I do not cheat."
"I'm talking to Lexa."
Ontari's eyes flashed green. "I did not cheat."
Raven laughed. "Just checking."
Ontari's eyes returned to their usual color.
"Could you get the board?" Raven pointed to the cabinet holding it.
Ontari got up and retrieved it. While they set it up, Raven said, "I'm reading about chip design. I think I've got it figured out."
"So you will be able to do what Clarke wants?"
"I think so. It's gonna take some trial and error, but I'm working on it. Roger and Fay are building radios. They should have a pair ready to test tomorrow."
"That is good."
"You start tonight," Raven said, and the game got underway.
When they finished it, Ontari went to Clarke's room to sleep in her bed.
100 – 100 – 100
Ontari slept restlessly. She missed Clarke. Lexa missed Clarke. They both worried about the multitude of things that could go wrong. After hours of intermittent sleep, Ontari got up. She walked down the stairs to the deepest level of the tower. They ended in a hallway. Ontari knew the jail was to the right, so she went left.
She opened each door along the way. She recognized one room, where she had been bathed and tattooed after her Conclave, and kept going. The hall ended in a door, as it did at the other end. Ontari opened it and when she saw what it was, signaled her guards to stay back.
Ontari closed the door and went down the stairs. She slowly walked through the room, examining everything without touching. It was as the Skaiskat described it: altar, escape pod, murals.
She studied the murals before moving to the escape pod. It had two seats and more dials, buttons, and switches than she had seen in one place. The altar was her last stop. On it, she saw a book with a dirty orange cover. Curious, she picked it up. A patch was sewn to the front, but she didn't recognize the word. Ontari opened the book, and after a few seconds realized what she held.
She debated what to do, and decided to take it with her. Clarke would understand the contents. Sha, Klark needs to see this. You have done well. Ontari felt a surge of pride. Her Heda was pleased and Wanheda would be happy as well.
Ontari returned to Clarke's suite and wrote a message to her explaining what she found.