Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 7: Who's The Boss

"Hei, Anya," Lexa says, allowing her face to soften slightly.

Her old Fos reaches for her, clasping her in a quick embrace that Skaikru would probably consider brief and business-like. For a member of the Trikru, however, this is an affection shown only to the closest of family, and speaks volumes about Anya's feelings for her. "Hei, Lexa."

Anya refuses to use Lexa's given name with others, believing that would be an abuse of her past with Lexa, but between the two of them Lexa allows Anya to name her as the person she was before the Commander's spirit chose her. The girl she was when Anya cleaned her black-bleeding cuts and teased her about her youthful affection for Costia.

Anya moves several paces back. Her face is unmoving but her eyes are warm. "Why have you come, Heda?"

"A training mission," Lexa replies lightly. "To remove the bandits from the area."

Anya smirks. Since the quick hug, their companions have moved far away enough for them to talk without worry of being overheard, and she takes the opportunity to be informal. They both know Lexa has felt near-hero-worship for Anya since childhood and Anya can say what she wills, provided there are none to hear. "You lie, yongon. This is about the Skaikru, sha?"

Tris stares at Lexa from her position many metres away, drinking her in like wada. Lexa gives a slight, cold inclination of her head towards the girl, causing her to flush brightly. Anya's new sekon has always admired her previous one.

"Sha," Lexa admits, "Perhaps I should have waited, Anya, but the previous Commanders gave me no rest." It's another lie, but even if Anya can tell she will not comment on the Commander spirit, Lexa knows. She will wonder if Lexa has spies in this area, but that cannot be helped.

(Of course, she does have spies. You do what you must.)

"They have not attacked yet, or attempted to climb the Mountain." Anya says flatly.

"Why should they?" Lexa quirks an eyebrow, interested in Anya's opinion.

Anya shrugs. "They have at least one Maunon weapon, they speak gonasleng, they act as though the land is theirs and they are alone in it. They are not Trikru, nor any kru of which I know. They came from the skai in a blaze of light and now they do not care if they burn the land down." Anya gives a knife-edge of a smile. "I believe we should burn them first."

"Easy, Anya," Lexa cautions.

"What?" Anya blinks. Lexa has managed, for once, to surprise her. "They are invaders, Lexa, trying to take our land as if we have not earned it with the blood of our nomons and nontus, and our nomons' nomons and nontus' nontus. We have braved the Maunon and the pauna and the lions and the Azgeda... surely you do not intend to give this land to those who flew carelessly in the skai while we faced the Earth."

"I do not intend to give anything." Lexa gives a half-smirk, hiding her knowledge and her heart to the best of her ability. "But I believe they may be useful. Tell me all you know of them."

"They have no use," Anya says severely, but answers her anyway. "There are maybe a hundred of them, Linkon says. All just over the border between goufa and gona. But they cannot hunt, fish, fight... they have managed to survive on plants and luck. Their battles are minor skirmishes between themselves, over metal bracelets and burnt meat. I would have removed them already, but..." Anya hesitates.

"But?" Lexa prompts her, after waiting a few long moments.

"They seem helpless, Lexa. Weak," she meets Lexa's eyes. "I do not want to take my unit to wipe out those whose deaths will be easy. It is not honourable. Their fight will be no fight."