Nia watched as Echo and Raven fought one another. She watched their techniques closely but made no remark. Sometimes she wished to join but the fear of her nightmares held her back.
Her eyes shifted to her son who stood beside his father but Bellamy had yet to engage with him. But the boy paid no mind to it as he swung his play sword around. A gift from Echo on his birthday after he began to walk around. The thought of her innocent boy fighting scared her to death but with them in space, it would be awhile before it might become reality. She let out a sigh before focusing on the two again.
It wasn't long till Echo had Raven in a chokehold similar to how Nia beat Echo that one time. All Raven needed to do was two out and it'd be over.
"Soup's on." Monty called out walking toward their designated dining area.
This caught Echo's attention giving Raven the advantage. Nia smiled as Raven was quick to seize it and get out of the hold. After some quick movements Raven had the upper hand and it wasn't long till Echo tapped her leg.
A huge smile graced Raven's lips at the action and released her hold. "Ha ha! Yes! Finally!"
Nia shook her head at the antics before going to gather Atlas. She sat him in her lap taking a seat at the table. Eating time was always a challenge for Atlas especially when they tried to use Monty's algae.
"Oh, come on. I let you win so we could eat." Echo remarked trying to regard that Raven had bested her.
"This isn't eating. It's surviving." Harper announced taking a seat beside Nia and smiling brightly at Atlas.
The boy sent her a toothy grin back and babbled back to some words he had learned, trying his best to place full sentences together. For someone his age, he advanced rather quickly with movements but placing sentences together was difficult. But he understood what gestures were and complied when being told what to do.
"Hey, the new and improved triple G is better, and you know it." Monty commented filling their cups. Since they were trying to get Atlas comfortable with algae he had been trying his best to make it more appealing for the toddler.
"Triple G?" Nia questioned the name that Monty seem to constantly give their protein.
"He calls this one Green's green goop." Harper explained the abbreviated name.
"Better name, too." Monty noted.
"And if by better, you mean doesn't want to make your violently hurl, then, yeah, it's an improvement." Raven stated reminding them of all the horrid tastes that came with the goop.
"Speaking of green, how's Eden?" Monty asked Bellamy finally pulling him from his stand point.
"Still just a dot."He informed walking over before calling out to the other person in the room. "Emori, take a break."
"I don't know why you waste you're time. I told you, atmosphere radiation blocks radio signals. They're down there. We just can't hear them." Raven explained as they had constantly checked the radio signal hoping for a response.
"We waste out time so they know that there's a place to live." Bellamy stated taking a seat on Nia other side.
"Ground radiation has been survivable for a year. They can live everywhere." Raven informed back enveloping them in silence.
"I think we can all agree that green is good." Monty said pulling them back from it.
"Yes, he is." Harper smiled before giving Monty a kiss. "But this stuff still sucks."
Everyone picked up their cups and downed the goop quickly before they could have a chance to taste it. Nia tried her best to give some to Atlas but as soon as it came toward him, he turned his head and covered his mouth with his hands. A smile on his lips as he thought it was a game but shook his head whenever she tried again. Everyone watched the struggle before Nia let it go and drank it herself.
"I'm sorry." Monty said quietly wishing he could find another way to get him to eat.
"It's all right, Monty." Nia reassured. She would feed Atlas later with the milk that was still in her breasts. Her worry was that one day she might not have any, was her main concern and want to get him to get the algae but until he did she would have to feed him.
"Ok. Tomorrow I'll try again and boost the signal from the antenna." Raven changed the subject hoping to try and lift some spirits. Emori was quick to reply before Monty to get a chance to participate.
Nia had wondered about the spacewalk that they loved so much but the thought of being outside frightened her. She was just glad that Emori had found something among them while her and Echo stayed grounded.
"Or we could just figure out a way to get to the ground, and we could tell them about Eden ourselves." Bellamy responded making Nia shift uncomfortably at his request to go back. It was what he focused on and she didn't like it. Emori replied only for him to respond with the exact time that had gone by. "Six years and seven days."
Nia couldn't stand it anymore and stood. "I'm gonna go feed Atlas." She huffed but before she left she gestured for Monty to give her another scoop. If she had to produce food for her baby then her body needed the protein to be able too. Monty sent her sad smile while the rest of them simply watch her leave.
Bellamy let out a sigh as he watched her leave with their son. He knew she didn't quite like hearing about their time in space or the ground for that matter but he couldn't help it. He wanted to see the rest of his family.
It wasn't till awhile later that she found herself back on the bridge. This time everyone gathered around the window looking at another spaceship that had appeared. Atlas was taking a nap while they all seem to debate on what to do.
"It's been two and a half hours. Why, excatly, are we sitting here in the dark? We should light up the Ring, let them know we're here." Murphy input wanting to get down too for the freedom that he had.
"Quiet, Murphy. First, we find out who they are, and then we ask them for help." Bellamy responded making Nia grateful that he was thinking before acting.
They began to discuss the possible reason for no communication when Murphy decided to turn on the lights. Emori spoke out against him reminding him of what he had been missing out of between them all.
"Plus, we do have a baby on board. We need to take that into consideration." Nia reminded them of the small life that she would die protecting.
Murphy sighed at her words knowing she was right but he didn't want to be confinded anymore. They began to speak about more possibilities when Echo called to them.
"A second ship." Harper noted as they watched the ship descend.
Nia's body went ridged knowing what would happen next. Not a second later Raven and Emori went to work on trying to establish contact. And just like that their decision was final and there was nothing Nia could do about it.
They would go to the other ship and look for fuel. As soon as it was decided they all left to gather their belongings.
Nia stood in their room, Atlas still sleeping but all his belongings packed. She had everything ready also, everything except her sword. It sat in her hands as she glanced at it.
"Wouldn't it be easier just to step outside?" A voice called out to her making her glance up.
"You'd think." Nia retorted to Echo who leant against her doorway.
"You don't agree with this, do you?" Echo noted how reluctant she was by the whole idea.
"How can I agree, I have more to consider." She hinted to Atlas but she also had to consider those she had left behind on Earth.
"You don't have to do this. We can find another way down." Echo tried to comfort as she saw the anxiety on Nia's face.
"Yeah, how is a Trikru healer and an Azgeda spy keep a spaceship running or even conjure a way to get back to the ground? The only way is to go now, I just hope it isn't one we might live to regret." Nia stated still uncertain of the timing.
"Maybe staying might not be the worst thing." Echo wondered aloud worried about her status among the others. "I am still banished, remember. What if-"
"Nothing will happen to you, I swear it. Everything will be forgiven." Nia reassured placing a hand on her shoulder. "Bellamy was able to forgive you."
Echo shook her head at her optimism despite her not agreeing with the plan. But she was only looking out for her child. "After three years and with the help of Atlas."
"True, but he is the stubborn one of them both. Besides we were far worse than them combine and yet here we are." Nia commented before adding in the friendship they had formed over the years.
A throat cleared gaining their attention. Bellamy stood at the door, they had a time frame to keep and they needed to leave now.
"I'll take Atlas." Echo recommended before gathering the sleeping boy in her arms. He shifted a bit before settling. "Don't be long."
"I know you're concerned but you'll see that this will be the best thing for Atlas." Bellamy tried to tell her knowing how off-set she was.
"I'm not just concerned for Atlas." Nia replied her gaze shifting to her sword again. She was worried about what being on the ground would mean for her.
"Whatever happens, I'll be there every step of the way." He comforted rubbing her shoulder. "Whatever you decide, I'll support you 100%."
It was true, she did have a debate facing her. Being up in space with no wars and no fighting, she was able to put her weapons down and live a life she had only dreamed of. Now that they were going back down, there was a chance that she would have to pick up a weapon again. They had no clue what they were facing yet they thought it was their only option.
"Just think, soon Atlas will be able to meet the rest of his family. He'll be able to live a life without being confined. He can run around and play on the same Earth his mother is from." He spoke hoping to convince her.
Nia wanted nothing more than for his words to be true. For Atlas to have a different life than they both had lived. She wanted to bring Atlas back and stay were they were safe and sure. But that's not what everyone wanted and she had to face her fears once day. This time however, she had more to think about and more to consider than what she had before. This time she would set a different course.
"If we do this, we do it together. We do it for the sake of Atlas's life. We can't make rash decisions that would out him in danger. Promise me, Bellamy that you'll be there for me and for him." Nia responded back making her main concern known.
"Together." Bellamy vowed knowing that he would need to think about his actions, for the sake of his son.
She let out a sigh before grabbing her sword and holstering it. The two left the room and began to face whatever lies ahead.