p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sas and Brook were waiting at Raven's workshop when she arrived. "Did you have breakfast?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha." /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good. Two things before we start our day. First is, if you're gonna be minions, you need tools, so here you go." She gave each of them a small satchel holding regular and long nosed pliers, a mix of screwdrivers, and an adjustable wrench. "You'll get more tools as we work," Raven promised./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Second is, you have to talk to me. If you're hungry or tired or need something, tell me. Interrupt me if you need to. We're gonna be together a lot, and I want all of us to be happy about it. We good?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha," Brook answered first this time./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha," Sas echoed./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good. Grab some crates and when the rover's full, we'll head out."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"It didn't take long to fill the vehicle, and they were soon on their way. Sas asked for music and the three of them spent the ride singing along. When they got to the Ark, Sas and Brook were all business. They emptied the rover and started filling crates from the piles in the hallway, putting the same kinds of things together in the crates so they could be emptied quicker./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"When they got back to Polis, Raven asked the guards to empty the vehicle while she and the kids went to the market to get lunch. They went to the workshop to eat, and between bites, Raven explained why stuff was where it was and a little about it. When they finished, they gathered crates again and did it all again./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"When they got back that afternoon, Raven told them they were done for the day, but they stayed with her until all the crates were in the workshop. She tried again after that, and remembered what Lexa said about play. She was near the door, took two quick steps and tapped Roger's shoulder. "Tag, you're it," she told him and sprinted out the door, Brook and Sas behind her. The five of them chased each other around the workshop, dodging other pedestrians. Raven thought the kids would be loud, but they practiced stealth moves to tag Skaikru and speed away. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"After half an hour, everyone was sweaty and breathless. Raven called an end to their day and took everyone to the market to find a drink, a sweet snack, and a shady spot to sit in. A guard found them there and passed Clarke's message to Raven that the meetings would start the next afternoon./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="center"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy really, really wanted to be drunk. His face felt like he had been punched out repeatedly then pushed into a fire. Alcohol wasn't allowed because of the risk of bleeding. At least he had company for the first day. Trea stayed with him and Murphy did what she said, mostly just stay on his back to help with the swelling. He could barely talk, and Trea repeatedly admonished him for trying. Boredom was the order of the day. He could only look at Trea for so long before they both became self conscious. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He was relieved when she left to get lunch. She brought him soup and while it cooled, propped him up enough that he wouldn't choke. She fed him and he couldn't decide whether he liked it or was embarrassed. To Trea, used to helping patients at the hospital, this was no big deal. She was glad to help Murphy, and this was all routine. Many warriors were tended by their partners for the first two days. After that, Murphy was supposed to get back to work unless he got an infection. He wasn't sure what work he was supposed to do. Clarke wouldn't want him guarding her like this, and they were allegedly returning to Azgeda as soon as the meeting was finished. Roan selected an ambassador who was traveling to Polis. He would introduce Amos as he had Clarke. Clarke would keep an eye out until he was settled, and Roan would return to Azgeda, where more work waited./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Since Murphy was coming back with his marks, Roan was mulling finding a position in court for him, if he wanted it. Murphy could be a consultant or advisor or fill whatever job Roan needed. There were few warriors educated as well as Murphy. Roan saw no reason not to take advantage of it./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="center"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke was awake early but stayed in bed. She alternated between watching Lexa and what she could see of the sky./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She'd been careful to control her anger around Lexa. Clark was still furious about the entire affair and worked hard to keep that separate from her feelings for Lexa. Clarke recognized that Lexa wasn't happy about things either, but she had what she came back for: Clarke, the Natblida, the Coalition./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa rolled toward her and Clarke settled her against her side and smiled. Things might not be perfect, but they were together. Clarke was thankful every day for Lexa's presence, and the more time the passed, the more certain Clarke was that there would never be anyone else. They still worked well together, made each other laugh, and neither forgot the pain of their separation. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Why are you awake?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke shrugged. "You?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Same. Are you getting up?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Not yet."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good." Lexa snuggled even closer. "I do not like waking up alone. "/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'll try to remember." Clarke bent her head for a kiss and Lexa obliged. One kiss became a dozen and they weren't ready to get up until an hour after their regular time./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Still, they didn't hurry. Clarke deliberately scheduled the meeting for early afternoon. The Natblida had the morning off but were expected to attend./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa sent Kler away and did Clarke's hair herself. It relaxed both of them and Lexa preferred knowing that Clarke's hair gave the exact message they needed to convey. This was Clarke's first official meeting with all the kru leaders and Lexa wanted to subtly remind them that Clarke was still Wanheda as well as Heda. Her first public actions told them all they needed to know. Clarke's justice was not like theirs. She offered mercy when it was called for, but there was none for her true enemies. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Finished, Lexa kissed Clarke again, and told her, "I'll send a guard when it's time," before going to prepare./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="center"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The throne room was as full as Clarke had ever seen it. All the benches were crowded and the Natblida squeezed in beside the guards along the walls./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She remembered what Lexa told her about presence and raised her head a bit higher before walking to her seat. Clarke looked around and saw Raven sitting with Marcus, Sas and Brook on the wall behind her. Roan was there alone but the others were accompanied by their ambassadors. The rituals they expected took time so Clarke was patient and did what Lexa told her to do. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Finally, it was her time to speak. Clarke didn't start talking immediately. She looked around wondering exactly how much push back there would be. "The point of the coalition is that we help each other. Every one of you knows you can receive aid here if you have a poor growing season or a disease spreads unexpectedly or raiders cross your borders. We need to do better, though./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Nomads fought for Heda Ontari at the battle of Polis. Heda did not send for them. They came of their own accord. Fleimkepa tells me this is not the first time this has happened./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Most of the Nomads aren't criminals. Many live in the Wasteland only because they had the misfortune to be born with a genetic mutation. Many of you incorrectly believe this happens because their blood is bad. When it happens more than once in a family, you say their bloodline is cursed. You are wrong. What happened to the Nomads could just as easily have happened to you, or to your children."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"There was some uneasy muttering in the audience in response to Clarke's last statement, but she ignored it and continued. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"That's going to change today. Riders went into the Wasteland and will continue to go give the message that any who come to Polis and swear loyalty will be welcomed back into society."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The room erupted and Clarke let them get it out of their systems before starting again./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Fisa Abi and the other healers will examine those willing. It is possible that some can be helped, and our healers will do what they can. As Commander of the Blood, I say that all blood is good as long as it is inside you where it belongs."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They started again, shaking their heads and saying they would not accept the Frikdreina in their lands. Clarke sat back in her throne. Lexa looked at her uneasily. Clarke's seeming lack of concern for their defiance had her wondering what Clarke had planned. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The chatter continued as they consulted those sitting around them. Still, Clarke waited, and the room finally settled into quiet grumbling. "So you think you can refuse?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa got a chill. The ice in Clarke's tone silenced the room. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You sure you want to do that? Tell you what, go think about it. We'll meet again tomorrow, same time. You're dismissed."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke got up and left the throne room so fast that most of them didn't stand up. She went down to the messenger office to see who had come back and when the next riders would go out. The first group was all back with nothing to report except that one had rocks thrown at him. The second group was out now. "Good, good job," she told them./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Outside, she wanted to avoid being buttonholed by anyone, and set off for the stables. If they couldn't find her, they couldn't complain to her. Clarke knew she'd have to apologize to Lexa for leaving her to face them. Clarke hoped that giving them time to reflect on what she said would change their minds. She waved the groom away and gave her horse a carrot before preparing to ride. She was about to put the saddle on the horse when she saw Raven. "Hey," she yelled and hurried from the stable./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Hey," Raven grinned back./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Going somewhere?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Yeah, there's time for us to get another load before supper. The kids are waiting at the rover," she added before Clarke could ask./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Give me one minute and I'll come with you."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sure."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke went back to the stable and apologized to the groom, then speed walked out the gate. She got in the passenger seat of the rover. Sas and Brook were buckled in the back. Raven started it while Clarke fastened the harness. Before she was quite ready, Raven took off. Gleeful noises came from the back seat. When they were on the road, Raven turned on the music./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The trip wasn't too long, and the little ones went right back to work while Clarke followed Raven around. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good meeting," Raven said when they were alone./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Yeah?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Yeah. I thought Lexa was gonna pass out when you just walked out. The whole place went off after that. Thanks for letting me come. Just be aware that they will rat you out to Lexa."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They won't have to. Did Roan say anything?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He looked sorta sick. Luna looked super smug, and the rest were freaked out." Raven tugged on wires, pulling as much as would come out of the wall before cutting it and dropping it on the floor. "This reminds me, can I get a couple scrappers?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I don't care."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"No, Clarke, you don't understand. Ontari paid for everything. I can't hire anybody unless I know they'll be compensated." She stopped to smile at Clarke. "Good scrappers make a lot but it's kinda streaky. I'm hoping regular pay will make up for that."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Again, Raven, I don't care. It'll be cheaper to pay them to work for you than to buy stuff in the market."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Probably true." Raven moved and started on the next fixture. "I have somebody in mind. If they agree, they'll be working while I'm gone. The minions are gonna work on radios unless you need something else." Raven looked over her shoulder. "Don't need something else right now. Radios, lights, simple stuff. They're getting better but there are limits."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Gotcha."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Heda, someone is asking for you."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven turned around and she and Clarke looked at each other. "Let's go see who it is," Clarke said to Raven and they both followed the guard to the gate./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Did you get a name?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Linkon kom Trikru."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Let him in, please," Clarke instructed. She and Raven waited to the side while the gate was opened. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lincoln came in. He went to one knee in front of Clarke. "Heda."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Get up, Lincoln," Clarke told him, and when he did asked, "Is everything OK?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha. I was coming to ask Raven to give you a message."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What's the message?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"We have a son. He has Octeivia's eyes."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Congratulations," Clarke smiled. "I'm happy for both of you. Tell Octavia if she'll listen."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She will not," he sighed. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven smothered a giggle and they both looked at her. "She must've had a fit when she heard Clarke's the Commander."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What Octavia had done was ask Lincoln to move as far from Polis as they could get, someplace that never heard of Skaikru. He refused. He wanted his son to be brought up the same way he'd been, in the same places. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Not quite."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sorry," Clarke said. "But if you need anything, send a message or come to Polis. I'll make time."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Mochof, Heda."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I know you can't stay, Lincoln."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"No."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"It's OK. Thanks for letting me know. Congratulations again, nontu."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He smiled at Clarke for that, bowed, and went out the open gate. Guards closed it behind him./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sas and Brook came out carrying crates. They put them in the rover and reported to Raven that it was full./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You guys are too fast," she grinned at them. "We'll head back as soon as I gather my tools."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"True to her word, they were on the way back to Polis within five minutes. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Heda," Brook asked, "were you outside in space like Raven?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke shifted in her seat so she could see them. "No, only a few people were trained to go outside. Raven was the youngest in many years."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What did you do?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I was training to be a healer."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Why did you stop?" Sas asked./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"My nomon sent my friends and I to Earth."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Why?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They thought we were expendable."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Expendable means disposable, temporary, able to be set aside without loss," Raven explained. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"People are not expendable."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke smiled, hearing Lexa in Brook's indignation. "I know. That's what I tried to explain to everyone today. Maybe you should explain tomorrow," Clarke told her. She looked at Raven for a minute. "Why do they get it and the adults don't?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven shrugged. Clarke turned back to the kids. "Any more questions now?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They shook their heads. Clarke turned to face forward and switched on the music./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha." /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good. Two things before we start our day. First is, if you're gonna be minions, you need tools, so here you go." She gave each of them a small satchel holding regular and long nosed pliers, a mix of screwdrivers, and an adjustable wrench. "You'll get more tools as we work," Raven promised./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Second is, you have to talk to me. If you're hungry or tired or need something, tell me. Interrupt me if you need to. We're gonna be together a lot, and I want all of us to be happy about it. We good?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha," Brook answered first this time./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha," Sas echoed./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good. Grab some crates and when the rover's full, we'll head out."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"It didn't take long to fill the vehicle, and they were soon on their way. Sas asked for music and the three of them spent the ride singing along. When they got to the Ark, Sas and Brook were all business. They emptied the rover and started filling crates from the piles in the hallway, putting the same kinds of things together in the crates so they could be emptied quicker./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"When they got back to Polis, Raven asked the guards to empty the vehicle while she and the kids went to the market to get lunch. They went to the workshop to eat, and between bites, Raven explained why stuff was where it was and a little about it. When they finished, they gathered crates again and did it all again./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"When they got back that afternoon, Raven told them they were done for the day, but they stayed with her until all the crates were in the workshop. She tried again after that, and remembered what Lexa said about play. She was near the door, took two quick steps and tapped Roger's shoulder. "Tag, you're it," she told him and sprinted out the door, Brook and Sas behind her. The five of them chased each other around the workshop, dodging other pedestrians. Raven thought the kids would be loud, but they practiced stealth moves to tag Skaikru and speed away. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"After half an hour, everyone was sweaty and breathless. Raven called an end to their day and took everyone to the market to find a drink, a sweet snack, and a shady spot to sit in. A guard found them there and passed Clarke's message to Raven that the meetings would start the next afternoon./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="center"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy really, really wanted to be drunk. His face felt like he had been punched out repeatedly then pushed into a fire. Alcohol wasn't allowed because of the risk of bleeding. At least he had company for the first day. Trea stayed with him and Murphy did what she said, mostly just stay on his back to help with the swelling. He could barely talk, and Trea repeatedly admonished him for trying. Boredom was the order of the day. He could only look at Trea for so long before they both became self conscious. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He was relieved when she left to get lunch. She brought him soup and while it cooled, propped him up enough that he wouldn't choke. She fed him and he couldn't decide whether he liked it or was embarrassed. To Trea, used to helping patients at the hospital, this was no big deal. She was glad to help Murphy, and this was all routine. Many warriors were tended by their partners for the first two days. After that, Murphy was supposed to get back to work unless he got an infection. He wasn't sure what work he was supposed to do. Clarke wouldn't want him guarding her like this, and they were allegedly returning to Azgeda as soon as the meeting was finished. Roan selected an ambassador who was traveling to Polis. He would introduce Amos as he had Clarke. Clarke would keep an eye out until he was settled, and Roan would return to Azgeda, where more work waited./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Since Murphy was coming back with his marks, Roan was mulling finding a position in court for him, if he wanted it. Murphy could be a consultant or advisor or fill whatever job Roan needed. There were few warriors educated as well as Murphy. Roan saw no reason not to take advantage of it./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="center"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke was awake early but stayed in bed. She alternated between watching Lexa and what she could see of the sky./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She'd been careful to control her anger around Lexa. Clark was still furious about the entire affair and worked hard to keep that separate from her feelings for Lexa. Clarke recognized that Lexa wasn't happy about things either, but she had what she came back for: Clarke, the Natblida, the Coalition./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa rolled toward her and Clarke settled her against her side and smiled. Things might not be perfect, but they were together. Clarke was thankful every day for Lexa's presence, and the more time the passed, the more certain Clarke was that there would never be anyone else. They still worked well together, made each other laugh, and neither forgot the pain of their separation. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Why are you awake?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke shrugged. "You?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Same. Are you getting up?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Not yet."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good." Lexa snuggled even closer. "I do not like waking up alone. "/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'll try to remember." Clarke bent her head for a kiss and Lexa obliged. One kiss became a dozen and they weren't ready to get up until an hour after their regular time./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Still, they didn't hurry. Clarke deliberately scheduled the meeting for early afternoon. The Natblida had the morning off but were expected to attend./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa sent Kler away and did Clarke's hair herself. It relaxed both of them and Lexa preferred knowing that Clarke's hair gave the exact message they needed to convey. This was Clarke's first official meeting with all the kru leaders and Lexa wanted to subtly remind them that Clarke was still Wanheda as well as Heda. Her first public actions told them all they needed to know. Clarke's justice was not like theirs. She offered mercy when it was called for, but there was none for her true enemies. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Finished, Lexa kissed Clarke again, and told her, "I'll send a guard when it's time," before going to prepare./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="center"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The throne room was as full as Clarke had ever seen it. All the benches were crowded and the Natblida squeezed in beside the guards along the walls./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She remembered what Lexa told her about presence and raised her head a bit higher before walking to her seat. Clarke looked around and saw Raven sitting with Marcus, Sas and Brook on the wall behind her. Roan was there alone but the others were accompanied by their ambassadors. The rituals they expected took time so Clarke was patient and did what Lexa told her to do. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Finally, it was her time to speak. Clarke didn't start talking immediately. She looked around wondering exactly how much push back there would be. "The point of the coalition is that we help each other. Every one of you knows you can receive aid here if you have a poor growing season or a disease spreads unexpectedly or raiders cross your borders. We need to do better, though./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Nomads fought for Heda Ontari at the battle of Polis. Heda did not send for them. They came of their own accord. Fleimkepa tells me this is not the first time this has happened./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Most of the Nomads aren't criminals. Many live in the Wasteland only because they had the misfortune to be born with a genetic mutation. Many of you incorrectly believe this happens because their blood is bad. When it happens more than once in a family, you say their bloodline is cursed. You are wrong. What happened to the Nomads could just as easily have happened to you, or to your children."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"There was some uneasy muttering in the audience in response to Clarke's last statement, but she ignored it and continued. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"That's going to change today. Riders went into the Wasteland and will continue to go give the message that any who come to Polis and swear loyalty will be welcomed back into society."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The room erupted and Clarke let them get it out of their systems before starting again./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Fisa Abi and the other healers will examine those willing. It is possible that some can be helped, and our healers will do what they can. As Commander of the Blood, I say that all blood is good as long as it is inside you where it belongs."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They started again, shaking their heads and saying they would not accept the Frikdreina in their lands. Clarke sat back in her throne. Lexa looked at her uneasily. Clarke's seeming lack of concern for their defiance had her wondering what Clarke had planned. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The chatter continued as they consulted those sitting around them. Still, Clarke waited, and the room finally settled into quiet grumbling. "So you think you can refuse?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa got a chill. The ice in Clarke's tone silenced the room. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You sure you want to do that? Tell you what, go think about it. We'll meet again tomorrow, same time. You're dismissed."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke got up and left the throne room so fast that most of them didn't stand up. She went down to the messenger office to see who had come back and when the next riders would go out. The first group was all back with nothing to report except that one had rocks thrown at him. The second group was out now. "Good, good job," she told them./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Outside, she wanted to avoid being buttonholed by anyone, and set off for the stables. If they couldn't find her, they couldn't complain to her. Clarke knew she'd have to apologize to Lexa for leaving her to face them. Clarke hoped that giving them time to reflect on what she said would change their minds. She waved the groom away and gave her horse a carrot before preparing to ride. She was about to put the saddle on the horse when she saw Raven. "Hey," she yelled and hurried from the stable./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Hey," Raven grinned back./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Going somewhere?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Yeah, there's time for us to get another load before supper. The kids are waiting at the rover," she added before Clarke could ask./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Give me one minute and I'll come with you."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sure."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke went back to the stable and apologized to the groom, then speed walked out the gate. She got in the passenger seat of the rover. Sas and Brook were buckled in the back. Raven started it while Clarke fastened the harness. Before she was quite ready, Raven took off. Gleeful noises came from the back seat. When they were on the road, Raven turned on the music./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The trip wasn't too long, and the little ones went right back to work while Clarke followed Raven around. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Good meeting," Raven said when they were alone./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Yeah?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Yeah. I thought Lexa was gonna pass out when you just walked out. The whole place went off after that. Thanks for letting me come. Just be aware that they will rat you out to Lexa."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They won't have to. Did Roan say anything?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He looked sorta sick. Luna looked super smug, and the rest were freaked out." Raven tugged on wires, pulling as much as would come out of the wall before cutting it and dropping it on the floor. "This reminds me, can I get a couple scrappers?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I don't care."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"No, Clarke, you don't understand. Ontari paid for everything. I can't hire anybody unless I know they'll be compensated." She stopped to smile at Clarke. "Good scrappers make a lot but it's kinda streaky. I'm hoping regular pay will make up for that."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Again, Raven, I don't care. It'll be cheaper to pay them to work for you than to buy stuff in the market."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Probably true." Raven moved and started on the next fixture. "I have somebody in mind. If they agree, they'll be working while I'm gone. The minions are gonna work on radios unless you need something else." Raven looked over her shoulder. "Don't need something else right now. Radios, lights, simple stuff. They're getting better but there are limits."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Gotcha."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Heda, someone is asking for you."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven turned around and she and Clarke looked at each other. "Let's go see who it is," Clarke said to Raven and they both followed the guard to the gate./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Did you get a name?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Linkon kom Trikru."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Let him in, please," Clarke instructed. She and Raven waited to the side while the gate was opened. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lincoln came in. He went to one knee in front of Clarke. "Heda."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Get up, Lincoln," Clarke told him, and when he did asked, "Is everything OK?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha. I was coming to ask Raven to give you a message."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What's the message?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"We have a son. He has Octeivia's eyes."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Congratulations," Clarke smiled. "I'm happy for both of you. Tell Octavia if she'll listen."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She will not," he sighed. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven smothered a giggle and they both looked at her. "She must've had a fit when she heard Clarke's the Commander."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What Octavia had done was ask Lincoln to move as far from Polis as they could get, someplace that never heard of Skaikru. He refused. He wanted his son to be brought up the same way he'd been, in the same places. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Not quite."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sorry," Clarke said. "But if you need anything, send a message or come to Polis. I'll make time."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Mochof, Heda."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I know you can't stay, Lincoln."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"No."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"It's OK. Thanks for letting me know. Congratulations again, nontu."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He smiled at Clarke for that, bowed, and went out the open gate. Guards closed it behind him./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sas and Brook came out carrying crates. They put them in the rover and reported to Raven that it was full./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You guys are too fast," she grinned at them. "We'll head back as soon as I gather my tools."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"True to her word, they were on the way back to Polis within five minutes. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Heda," Brook asked, "were you outside in space like Raven?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke shifted in her seat so she could see them. "No, only a few people were trained to go outside. Raven was the youngest in many years."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What did you do?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I was training to be a healer."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Why did you stop?" Sas asked./span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"My nomon sent my friends and I to Earth."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Why?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They thought we were expendable."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Expendable means disposable, temporary, able to be set aside without loss," Raven explained. /span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;""span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"People are not expendable."/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke smiled, hearing Lexa in Brook's indignation. "I know. That's what I tried to explain to everyone today. Maybe you should explain tomorrow," Clarke told her. She looked at Raven for a minute. "Why do they get it and the adults don't?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven shrugged. Clarke turned back to the kids. "Any more questions now?"/span/span/span/p
p style="font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in; text-decoration: none;" align="left"span style="color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They shook their heads. Clarke turned to face forward and switched on the music./span/span/span/p