64Mt. Weather, Day 2 of Arrival
Jake stood waiting with Anya and Tris for the others to return, scouts having been sent ahead to inform them of his daughter's return while others had been sent to Heda Lexa to inform her of the split between those who had arrived.
Since the drop he and several others had begun working on a radio that would be powerful enough to reach the Ark and discover who they had sent and more importantly create terms to prevent war from breaking out. Unfortunately, it seemed as though they had changed radio frequencies earlier then usual. He just hoped that it meant that bitch Sydney that had tried to float Isis and him wasn't still Chancellor, after all it was upon new appointments that the change was made.
A Mile Out
"How many have come with us?" Isis asked Horus.
"53 have proven to have common sense and a sense for self-preservation, your ward not being included in that count. We also carry the bodies of the two which passed from their foolishness during their journey from the sky and the bodies of the 9 who attempted to attack in the night."
"So 37 chose to . . . do whatever the hell they want. Hopefully, they'll be smart enough not to do anything that get them killed." She said doubtfully and Horus responded with a scoff.
"I doubt they will survive long." Isis looks back at those that had come with them, before speaking lowly.
"So do I." She shook her head. "They have not been here 3 days and already their numbers are split nearly in half." It was only minutes later that the dark haired girl Octavia quickened her pace to speak with her.
"Hey um, I'm "
"Octavia, I know. You're friends were quite loud back at the river." She glanced down from her horse. Octavia blushed remembering how she panicked in front of this warrior queen. Her hero.
"You grew in the skybox, right?"
"Yes, and if gossip is to be believed you were raised beneath the floor before going to it yourself."
"How did you . . . you know?"
"Get to where I am now? A queen? Leader to my people?" Isis tried to remember what Octavia was like in the show but after so many years she didn't remember much other than that she had become quite formidable herself and rather brutal after experiencing a tragic loss. She was basing her questions on those that Clarke kept asking.
"A fighter." She smiled at Octavia.
"I was always a fighter, a survivor. I had to be. You're the same in that."
"What do you mean?"
"Did you not realize that you're one of the only ones that have approached me. Even Bellamy hasn't done that though he's watching us carefully even now."
"What?" Octavia turns her head and finds Bellamy staring at them from nearby. "He's so overprotective." she groans.
"Yea, I get that." Octavia looks at her confused before remembering.
"Your dad came with you. Do you guys get along? I think someone mentioned he's getting married?"
"Yea, he's pretty awesome. I don't think I've ever seen him as happy as he is here. Anya's the love of his life."
"What about your mom?"
"Dr. Griffin?" Isis scoffed. "That woman was the reason I was put in the skybox. I don't think Dad even realizes it but the way he talks about her, . . . " Isis' eyes looked as though she was gazing at something far off. "it's like he's never seen or heard of anything more disturbing. As much as he says he's forgiven her for lying about me and then having Clarke and putting her at risk when they had me I don't think he ever really did. I can't remember ever once seeing him truly smile when talking about her. Even when he visited with Clarke and she would bring her up it was like he was smiling but it was never real. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, it does. So do you like this Anya lady?"
"God yes. Anya's incredible and I'm not just saying that because my dad loves her or that she's making me a big sister yet again."
"Again?" Octavia's eyes widen. "Tha-that's ok? You can have siblings here?"
"Octavia, this isn't the Ark. There are still laws and punishments for those who break them but having a family, being part of a family of more than 3 isn't wrong. It's actually encouraged." She says and Octavia looks down a small smile forming on her lips.
Ark, Council Room
"Data indicates that the violent criminals in the group are 8 times more likely to have terminated signals. We believe that the kids are and it will follow that others will be taking off the wristbands in rebellion. The children need more time and that time will allow us further information." Abby tells the council hoping to gain more time before action is taken.
"Time? We don't have time. Engineering needs 6 months to fix life support and we'll be out of air in 4." Kane says leaning forward before look around the table before returning his eyes to her. "Nobody wants to do this, but the inescapable fact is that for every day we delay, 10 more people will need to be sacrificed. So today it's 209, tomorrow it's 219. The day after that is 229. We're the ones who need more time. I move that we vote now."
"I second that." An older council woman spoke.
"Very well." Said a man. "The matter before us requires a 4-vote majority to pass. A vote in favor is to vote to cull 209 citizens of the Ark from the supply grid in order to extend life support for those who remain by 6 months. All those in favor?" Three ayes were heard. "All those opposed?" Three nays were announced. "3 votes to 3. The chancellor will break the tie." They all turned to Thelonious Jaha who sighed.
"We didn't ask for this. Ours was to be a transitional generation, ensuring that 3 generations from now mankind could go home. But everything has changed and we will now either be the generation that sees the human race return to Earth . . . or upon whose watch . . . it finally ends." Jaha pauses in though and looks down at the table before continuing. "My son is already down there. I sent him, and the truth is I don't know if he will survive. But I have hope."
"How does the chancellor vote?"
"I don't."
"Sir, if you abstain the vote ends in a tie to be automatically taken up again in 10 days."
"that's 10 more dead for every day." Kane says frustrated.
"I ask again, how does the chancellor vote?"
"The chancellor abstains." Kane's hands slam down on the metal table before he walks out. "You have 10 days." Jaha tells Abby.
