Ontari finished with Abby's tour, and Abby suggested she check on the Natblida. She wanted to talk to Raven, and knew Ontari would end the conversation if Raven was upset. Abby found Raven in the Ark's largest storage area surrounded by boxes.
"Raven."
"Hey. You need something?"
"We need to talk."
Raven sighed.
"I made mistakes. I know that. I was trying to do what I thought best."
"Best for you, not best for everyone. Clarke did all the hard work. She made mistakes, too, but she owned up to them right away and didn't make the same ones again. You, Abby, kept doing the same thing and expecting it to turn out different. That's one definition of madness, you know."
"I'm not going to apologize."
"Didn't think you would."
"This isn't the life any of us were supposed to have."
"You're wrong again," Raven said.
"Why are we here?"
"I need some stuff to do what I have to do."
"What, exactly, is that?"
"If Clarke wants you to know, she'll tell you."
"Clarke's different."
"Aren't we all?" Raven pulled out another box, glanced at the contents, and set it aside. She reached further into the shelf and pulled out a small machine. She looked it over, then grinned victoriously. "Finally," she said to herself, and stood up. She shook off Abby's arm when she tried to help. "Don't," Raven snapped.
"I don't understand," Abby admitted.
"Have you tried?"
"Yes. I've watched all of you and tried to understand what you're doing and why. I don't. Frankly, Clarke sounds delusional and the rest of you encourage it."
"Clarke's kept us alive. We're safer than we've been since leaving the Ark, Abby, and if only for that reason, you should encourage her, too. We all know you won't, though. You'd rather complain because things aren't to your liking."
"Clarke is my daughter, and I am worried about her," Abby growled.
"You should be. She's in danger every minute. People want to kill her because they think it will give them some mystical power, and at the same time, they're afraid of her because what she did in Mount Weather. Clarke committed genocide to save us. If she wants to be a little crazy, good on her."
"No, not good on her. What happens when whatever plan you're hatching falls apart? Do you think the Commander will defy her people to humor Clarke? Do you think she'll be able to hold them back when they come for us?"
"They will obey or pay the price," Ontari answered from the doorway.
Raven gave her a slight nod and a slighter smile.
Abby's dander was up and she turned her attention to Ontari. "You're going to protect us?" she asked skeptically.
"Have I not done that? Have you been threatened?"
"Not by any grounders," Abby admitted.
"Who has threatened you?" Ontari asked. She looked past Abby to Raven, who used the shelves to get back on her feet.
"Clarke threatens all of us with her big secrets and ridiculous schemes."
"You will not speak of Klark," Lexa answered icily. "You have undermined her at every turn. She leads Skaikru."
"Clarke is out of control," Abby began to answer.
"You will not speak of Klark," Lexa repeated while entering the room. Raven saw her eyes and knew Lexa spoke, although Abby hadn't yet realized it. "That is an order from your heda. If you are not able to follow it, you will bear the consequences."
Abby was silenced by Lexa's tone and the unstated threat of violence. She valued her life enough to hold her tongue.
"We will deal with you when we return to Polis. Do what you must, but do not interfere with Raven's work. Are we clear?"
"Yes," Abby ground out.
"You are dismissed," Ontari told her. "Leave us." She turned her body sideways so Abby could pass. When she was gone, Ontari looked at Raven. "Do you require assistance?"
"Can you carry that?" Raven pointed to a box and Ontari moved to get it. "That was quite the display, Commander."
"We must protect Clarke," Ontari answered while she picked up the box.
Raven bent over and picked up the small machine. "I'm trying."
"Put that in the box."
"I have it. I want to show you something," Raven said, and walked past Ontari.
Ontari followed her through the maze of corridors. She opened a door and carefully entered the dark room. Raven used her elbow to flip on the light switch.
"What is that?"
"That is a rover. It's a vehicle. It can carry people and things and I'm going to stuff it full and drive it to Polis."
"It does not look safe."
"It's safe. I'll take you for a ride. There's a clear path to the gate, right?"
"No."
"We'll clear it, then," Raven answered cheerfully. She put her burden on a workbench and opened the rear hatch. "You can put that in there, if you would."
Ontari thought about it for a few seconds before doing as Raven asked.
"Thanks."
"You are sure this is safe?"
"I'm sure. And it'll keep me from falling off the horse all the time."
"Are you in pain?" Ontari asked with a frown.
"We covered that earlier," Raven answered with a smile. "You could kiss it and make it better."
Ontari blushed furiously.
"All right, too fast," Raven said, still smiling. "Like my driving, I've been told."
"How does it work?"
"Do you want the long technical explanation or will you settle for Skaikru magic? Because the long explanation is really long."
"Something in between, perhaps?"
"The engine generates torque to turn the wheels."
Raven saw Ontari's lack of understanding. "The engine has two power sources. There are solar panels on the roof and it can burn biofuels. Alcohol." Raven opened the driver's door and freed the hood. She walked around to open it and waited for Ontari to join her. "The engine transfers the power it makes to the transmission. If you look underneath, there's a drive shaft. That's what spins to run power to the wheels." Raven dropped the hood. "It's a lot more fun to do than explain." She returned to the driver's door and climbed in. Raven pointed at the passenger door. "Get in."
Ontari did as instructed. Raven started the rover and pushed the button to open the garage door. She slowly and carefully moved it into the compound, maneuvering around tents until they reached the gate. Raven leaned out the window and yelled for it to be opened.
Once they were outside, Raven sped up considerably. She hit the power button for the music system, adjusted the volume, and looked at Ontari. "Having fun?"
"Sha," Ontari grinned. The speed was a bit faster than her horse at a full gallop, and there was no worry that the machine would become winded.
"So I can fill it up and run stuff back to Polis?"
"Sha."
"Awesome!" Raven spun the wheel and slammed on the brakes, then quickly accelerated. She glanced at Ontari, whose grin was as large as Raven's.
When they got back to Arkadia, the Natblida were clustered outside the gate.
"Will you let them experience this?" Ontari asked.
"You bet, but if any of them puke in here, I'm not cleaning it up."
Ontari finally laughed.
"I'm serious," Raven protested before hanging out the window. "C'mon junior hedas, get in."
100 – 100 – 100
Titus seethed in his chambers. He saw Ontari lead the Natblida out of Polis and saw the two Skaikru with them. That could only mean that she was under their sway. Although he hadn't seen Clarke's departure, the messages smuggled in with his meals let him know that she, too, left Polis, but in a different direction.
In the meantime, he could do nothing. The guards on his door were loyal to Ontari and let no one enter. He certainly wouldn't be allowed to leave his rooms, and his spies were not privy to discussions in the suite occupied by Clarke or in Ontari's quarters. He had no idea why both Clarke and Ontari would leave Polis without leaving someone in charge. That was his job, to maintain order in Heda's absence, but as with his other duties, Wanheda convinced Heda that Titus was unfit to perform them.
He tried to meditate but spent much more time pacing. He worried about what Wanheda was planning, the lies she told Heda, her influence over Fair, who was supposed to be his apprentice. Skaikru walked freely through Polis. The coalition that Lexa worked so hard to create still held together. Nothing made sense, and he was blind without access to the world. Everything wrong in his life was Wanheda's fault, and he swore that she would someday pay, regardless of the oath he swore to Lexa.
100 – 100 – 100
Miller went with his Skaikru charges to shops and businesses to ask for training. He didn't anticipate much success, and was pleasantly surprised. Everyone was happy to get free labor. Unlike official apprentices, there was no duty of care. As long as Skaikru remained under Heda's protection in Polis, she provided food, clothing, and shelter. The only outright refusals came from Trikru merchants, who refused to trade with Skaikru and sent them packing whenever they approached their businesses.
Despite that, and as if they discussed it, Skaikru went to work in a variety of professions. Miller kept track of who was where, so he could pass the information to Clarke when she returned. If Skaikru ever got a home of their own, they would have people ready with the basic skills they needed to thrive.