Chapter 7
Clarke walked out into the hallway and fell into a wall. Lexa was quickly at her side. She didn't realize how much that was going to take out of her. She didn't like being flippant and obtuse, but she could. She knew that it was necessary, and she knew that she would piss Cage off. She just wanted to help people and make sure that they survived. Cage was just a roadblock in that survival path. He was also draining, and Lexa knew why.
"Don't let it get to you, niron. He is the same man but not. Just like I am Lexa, but I am not your Lexa," she stated.
Clarke looked up and into her green eyes. She knew that Lexa meant well, but it wasn't going to make it any easier. She had too much knowledge in her head to deal with and to fight through every day. She used that knowledge to help them survive. She used it to make sure that they didn't make the same mistakes again and again. Lexa was still a balm for her, though. She was a shining light that helped push her towards the future.
"You need a break," Lexa told her.
"We can't afford one, Alex," Clarke countered. "There is too much at stake. I have to save everyone that I can from him and the Mountain. I can't let them all become his collateral damage again. I just can't."
"I understand that, Clarke, probably better than anyone else. I also know what it is like to have so much information in your head that you don't know what to do with it all. You are playing by your rules and only letting us know what we need to know as we need to know. I know that things have changed. And, while I am not the same Lexa that you fell in love with, I am still her for you. We still come together and love each other. I am here to help you, Niron. Let me."
Clarke just nodded. She knew that Lexa meant well, but at the same time, she didn't completely understand. She hadn't lost the love her life in this timeline. She didn't have that pain inside her, guiding her and protecting her from doing certain things. Instead, she changed so much that they were facing unknowns. Clarke didn't like the unknowns. It wasn't something that she could plan for or use in her favor. No, she was just going to have to ride out this life and hope for the best. But, for now, she had to deal with the Mountain.
"We need to get ready to speak to the Vies," Clarke finally stated as she moved down the corridor and outside for some much needed fresh air.
"We do? Or, you do?" Lexa asked her. "I'm not sure that I would be a good person to talk to them. I'm not officially Skaikru and I might be a little biased when it comes to what they've done to survive. I think Raven would be a better fit for Vincent, yes? Or, even Sinclair? They are both tekgona, sha?"
Clarke just nodded, but continued on her way outside. She needed the air, desperately. She'd forgotten how claustrophobic the Ark really was for her after living on the ground for so long...or so many times. Clarke stopped just outside the structure and looked up at the sky. She thought about Lexa's words and how true they were. She knew enough about engineering to ask questions, but she didn't know enough for practicality. That was what Raven was for, or Wells.
Thinking about Wells made her remember how much her parents and his parents thought that they were going to get married and rule the Ark when it was their time. Jaha had once been the head of engineering before he'd let politics take over his life. And, while her mother was on the Council, Abby was also the head of the medical staff, the lead surgeon, and the main medical teacher. She was a little more pragmatic. Clarke believed that if Jaha hadn't turned on her father, like she knew he would but Abby didn't want to see it, then Jake would have somehow joined the Council and helped to oust Jaha. He had the old regime thinking and Abby thought about survival. She was a doctor. Their families being friends made sense in a degree. It was why she was called Princess, and Wells was considered the Prince. Unfortunately for their parents, they loved each other like brother and sister and could never get past being platonic. Abby realized this early on and knew that there would be no offspring, so she quit pushing the match. Jaha hadn't been so...keen on losing Clarke as an ally, until he did. Killing Jake, ordering it, and other issues, kept Clarke from ever being able to align herself with the Jahas, Wells aside. Loving her friend and caring for him was never going to be enough for a marriage, let alone children, and to become the Chancellor and Councilors on the Ark Council. It just wouldn't. Wells was her friend, her dear friend, and her engineer.
"It would be better if it was Wells," Clarke stated as she looked around the camp and surveyed their progress in their little village.
"You sent him with Echo and the rest to get the Azgeda survivors," Lexa reminded her.
"I know. It was a good decision, but he is mostly a passivist. He would do good talking with Vincent," Clarke mused. "And, while I trust Raven to do it, she would some how convince him to make something go boom. It should frighten me, but it doesn't. I am just afraid that she would make it Cage. If she did that, then you wouldn't be able to give evil a face for your people. I worry that those that I give you won't be enough blood to avenge those already lost."
"Don't worry about the numbers, Clarke. That is my problem for when I propose it to the Kongeda. For now, your plan is sound. We will follow it."
"Now who's being pragmatic?" Clarke inquired rhetorically.
Lexa just smiled and then nodded over to Jacov. The young man approached them slowly. He nodded to them both and looked around before he said anything. Clarke realized that he was waiting for her to say something.
"Sorry, Jacov, what is it?"
"I was told to let you know that the prisoners are ready to talk," Jacov relayed.
"Guests, Jacov. They are our guests. These five are not prisoners," Clarke stated.
"Sha, Wanheda."
"The one who talks a lot and speaks ill about our beloved Wanheda will pay for his crimes, Jacov. Until then, they are guests and will be treated with respect. The loud one, you can be rough with. He is a bad man and he will pay. Jus drein jus daun."
"Jus drein jus daun, Heda," Jacov replied and ran off to make sure that he was in place.
"Lexa, they have to watch their language," Clarke stated.
"I will speak with them again, Niron," Lexa told her.
Clarke just nodded and continued on her way. Her heart was heavy, but she knew what needed to be done. She had to send Maya and her father back inside in order to weed out the rest of those that could be "saved." She was going to save the children regardless. Anyone under the age of eighteen would be spared. Even Lexa had come to terms with that, agreeing that they shouldn't be punished for the sins of their forbears.
She looked around a few moments. It was like she was trying to gather her bearings again. When she finally took a deep breath, she saw that Sinclair and Raven were outside and pointing to the structure. She moved to get closer to them.
Her mind had been going over what she wanted to say to Maya. Lexa had been right. She needed to talk to Raven. She wanted Raven in there with her, now. Vincent could get into their engineering and make sure that Cage didn't fuck anything up and still give Raven more control. She needed to get ahead of even more and stay there. She wasn't stupid. She knew that while Cage was here, he had others trying to break back into their system. And, she couldn't doubt that Tsing was moving up timelines and trying to extinguish and cover up as much as she could before Clarke just took them all out. Plans upon plans were being made, but she didn't have any concrete proof that they were working. She needed Maya on her side and quickly.
Raven must have sensed her coming. She looked up and met Clarke's eyes. Her dark eyes missed nothing as they looked Clarke over. She could see how this was eating at her. She knew that Clarke thought that all human life, even the evil ones, deserved a chance.
"Hey there, Clarkey," Raven called out to her.
"Rae," she replied.
"Come talk to me about this reactor thingy that Sinclair and I have an idea for," Raven told her.
Clarke cocked her eyebrow. This was a new idea or topic, but one that Clarke immediately thought that she should have thought about before. She had no doubt that Raven would come up with a solution, but she wasn't sure that it was going to be enough and in time to stop Praimfaya. She'd hear it though. It couldn't hurt to try. If they died, she could always get it started sooner from the Ark in space, maybe.
And, that was one of the things that bothered her the most about her thought processes, now. The more she knew about things on the ground, the more she planned on changing them in the future. She had no doubt that she was going to die. Death was, fortunately and unfortunately, inevitable. But, she always wanted to be ready for what might possibly come in her future lives. No matter how much she wanted to believe that they were going to beat it this time, there was always lingering doubt in the back of her head. How could there not when she'd lived as many lives as she had? However, she'd listen to Raven and process it all. Hoping against all hope that she would never have to use it or expand on the ideas in another life.
"Listen, I know that you need something else to focus on while we deal with these Mountain bastards, so I asked Sinclair to look into the reactors."
"Yeah?" Clarke questioned.
"There isn't much we can do to stop it. But, he found a few that we could hit with some of the missiles from the Mountain. If we could destroy a few of them, make them implode, they would cover the radioactive material and slow down the wave. Doing this we might be able to save a little more land. It would be what was once called a 'Hail Mary!' We've run a few computer simulations. Shallow Valley is still skipped, but there would be a little bit more land for us to use once we regained the ground. More land will make it easier for us to regain the world."
"And Monty?" Clarke inquired.
"I am sure that he would agree with me when he is back from Sangeda."
"That sounds good. Prepare some of the simulations and the outcomes. I'll want to look over them later. And, don't worry, I'll need your help to decipher them as well. If it will do as you say, we'll do it. Anything to help us in the end," Clarke replied as she nodded along.
Clarke turned back and looked at Lexa. She looked at her soulmate, her greatest lover, and her heda. If there was any way that they could save more of the Earth, Clarke was willing to do it. She knew that it might cost lives, but it would be worth it in the end. The more that they could save, the more they saved.
"I need to go," Clarke stated. "Keep up the good work. And keep prepping for anything and everything. We need to take the Mountain quickly. I want you to assemble teams to do what has to be done. You know what we need, Raven. I need for you to make it happen."
"I will, Clarkey. You know that. I am doing everything that I can to make sure that we survive past the coming Death Wave," Raven answered.
"I know, Raven. I know," Clarke replied. "Keep me informed."
Clarke didn't wait for another reply. She turned and headed back for the Ark. She knew what she had to do. She always knew. She knew that it had to be done. She knew that it would be something that many would disagree with, but it would things that needed to be done for them to survive not only Praimfaya and what comes after. She knew that she had to keep on her path.
Lexa joined her side again. She felt the strength and the love coming from her. Clarke soaked it up. She knew that she needed it.
First things first, Maya and her father. She needed to get the Vies on her side. She needed to make sure that she could save as many of the Mountain as she could. She would start with Maya and her father and then work on the rest of the Mountain. She breathed in and then out. She was ready.
"Its time," Clarke said.
Lexa reached for her hand and took it. Clarke felt herself bolstered. Nodding, she dropped Lexa's hand and moved with purpose towards the airlocks that contained the Vies. She cracked her neck as she entered the room with the airlocks. She stepped over to the clean room, hoping beyond hope that Maya would take her side quickly. She moved to the two airlocks that held those that she would speak with. Maya and her father were still eating the food that they were given. Clarke took another breath and entered the room with them.
She smiled as she sat down. She knew that Maya didn't know who she was in this life, but that wasn't going to matter. Maya looked up and met her blue eyes.
"Hello, Maya, Vincent. I am glad that you are both doing well. Are you still hungry? Do you want more? Do you need anything to make you more comfortable?" Clarke asked. "If we can get it for you, we will."
"No, we are fine," Vincent answered quickly.
"I know that it might not be what you are used to in the Mountain, but we are doing what we can to keep your comfortable."
"We are," Vincent replied.
"I am glad for that. I really am. I have a few questions for you both. Do you think that you might answer them?"
"Why us?" Vincent asked.
"A smart man, you are. I understand that you are a part of the maintenance team for the Mountain. I appreciate that. I can understand that you have questions and I have the answers for you. But, I only have one question that I need for you to answer first. Once you answer that, I will answer any and all questions that you have for me," Clarke told them.
"That seems fair," Maya said, finally speaking.
Clarke nodded.
"What is your question?" Vincent asked her, almost demandingly.
"Do you support the reign of the Wallaces and what they are doing to the Savages so that you might survive?" Clarke inquired.
She watched them closely. Her eyes took in everything as they moved. Vincent backed off the table they were sat at. Maya studied Clarke. It was then, Clarke realized, that they were scared. They had right to be. She'd pulled them from their homes for a fate that was unsure.
"No," Maya said softly.
"And, you, Vincent, do you approve of them bleeding the men of the Ground so that you might still survive in the Mountain?"
"No," he answered and looked away.
"Good," Clarke replied. "I want to end that. I want to give you something that will help with the ending on of that. Cage and Dante don't know that I know what is going on, but eventually, they will find out. One of those I ask to come here for treatment will tell him. Dante is a smart man, but Cage is a..."
"A psychotic man bent on the destruction of those who can walk the Earth," Vincent supplied.
"Well, that is a good way of putting that, yes, Vincent. He is a psychopath. And, I am going to stop him. The only thing you have to ask yourself is: are you going to let me?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Good. Then, ask your questions. I will answer them all," Clarke stated as she reached over and snagged an apple from the table and took a bite.
She was waiting to see what their questions were going to be. She wanted to them to understand that she meant them no harm. Giving them the serum and helping them grow to be able to live on the ground was basically a double edge sword. She was giving them life outside of the bunker in the Mountain, but it would only be for a few months. And, in those few months, they would have to do much to earn their way into one of the bunkers to survive the Death Wave. She hoped that Maya and Vincent would be on the forefront of those that wanted to survive and see the new world as they rose up again.
"Why are you willing to help us?" Vincent finally asked breaking their silence.
"Because I want you to be able to leave the Mountain and see all that the world can give you and I need your help. Dante would possibly follow me and allow me to do what I need to do, but we both know that Cage will not. He will go back and demand that Dante try to slaughter us and take the serum that I offer. He'll demand to know everything that they you all found out while you are in my camp and getting the serum. You will be here for a few days, maybe a week or two, in order for us to give you the serum and for us to make sure that it works. Once you are free of the Mountain, you will have to decide. Do you stay with me or do you go back to the Mountain and serve Cage's psychopathy?" Clarke explained and took another bite of the apple.
