I let out a grunt as I swung my katana through the air. I had made a new one with some extra scrap metal we had lying around. It's been six years and seven days since we boarded the Ark. Every day for the last six years, I've trained myself, with Echo's help occasionally. Things have changed in that time; I eventually forgave Echo for trying to kill me, but it took longer for me to forgive than everyone else. After about four years, I could talk to her without wanting to strangle her or something. I still don't know if Clarke is alive...I'm hoping that the Nightblood worked and she's alive.
Murphy and Monty both got haircuts. Also, both Murphy and Bellamy have facial hair. Personally, I kind of like Bellamy with facial hair; makes him look like a real man. I also had Echo put a tattoo on my right shoulder with some supplies I had found.
"Hey," I heard Bellamy greet. I turned to him, a smile on my face as I wiped the bit of sweat trickling down my forehead.
"Hey."
"Just thought you'd like to know it's time to eat," he said as I sheathed my katana and placed it on the desk beside me. I gave him a nod before following him into the dining hall.
"Hey, the new and improved triple-g tastes better, and you know it," I heard Monty say when I walked into the room.
"Triple g? I asked as I sat beside Harper.
The girl smiled. "He calls this one Green's Green Goop."
"Better name, too."
I just shook my head as Harper passed out bowls for us.
"And if by better, you mean doesn't want to make you violently hurl, then, yeah, it's an improvement."
Monty sighed, "speaking of green. How's Eden?"
To the left, Bellamy was watching the small green patch on Earth. Or should I say, the only green patch on Earth. Bellamy walked toward us as he spoke. "Still just a dot... Emori, take a break."
Bellamy sat beside me as I glanced at Emori. She was in the control room.
"I don't know why you waste your time," Raven commented, shaking her head. "I told you, atmospheric radiation blocks radio signals. They're down there. We just can't hear them."
"We waste our time so they know there's a place they can live," Bellamy shot, crossing his arms over his chest.
Raven looked at him. "Ground radiation has been survivable for over a year. They can live everywhere."
I licked my lips slightly as the awkward tension grew until Monty broke it. "I think we can all agree that green... Is good."
Monty placed a bowl in front of me. In return, I smiled at him as Harper spoke. "Yes, he is." They kissed. When they pulled away, Harper continued. "But this stuff still sucks."
Simultaneously, we took a sip of our soup. As soon as the soup hit my tongue, I coughed with a look of disgust on my face. Sorry Monty, but I don't think this stuff will ever be good.
"Okay. Tomorrow, I'll try to boost the signal from the antenna," Raven blurted.
"Shotgun!" Emori shouted immediately. Monty opened his mouth, but he wasn't fast enough. "Haha! Spacewalk. Yes."
"I know the feeling, but I need an assistant who actually listens when I tell her to come in."
Emori leaned back in her chair, " I will do everything you say, I promise, no fun of any kind."
"Or we could just figure out a way to get to the ground, and we could tell them about Eden ourselves," Bellamy butted in. My lips formed a straight line and I placed a comforting hand on his thigh.
"Bellamy, she worked on the fuel problem all morning," Emori mumbled.
"Six years and seven days--"
"Hey, time violation," Harper interrupted. "Dishes, Latrine, or Murphy? You choose."
Bellamy sighed beside me as he looked at Raven. "I'm sorry. We said we wouldn't talk about it, and I know that you're doing everything that you can."
Raven nodded. Bellamy picked up the extra bowl and reached passed me toward Monty, who's face lit up. "Seconds?" He asked as he took the bowl and filled it with some soup.
"Yeah right. I choose Murphy."
"Have fun," I muttered sarcastically as the man stood and walked out of the room.
"I'd have gone with latrines," Emori joked, in an attempt to lighten the mood. I pursed my lips awkwardly when Raven stood and walked out of the room.
°°°
"It's been two and a half hours," Murphy stated. "Why exactly are we sitting here in the dark? We should light up the ring, let them know we're here."
When Bellamy had taken the soup to Murphy's side of the ring, he and Murphy had spotted a large ship hovering over Earth. We've been watching it for two and a half hours to see if any dropships or anything eject from it.
"Quiet Murphy," Bellamy spoke. "We should find out who they are, and then we ask for help... Raven?"
"Nothing," Raven said from the controls. Emori is beside her. "Radio sounds. Their comms might be disabled."
"Or the ship could be unmanned," emori added.
"Or it's manned by aliens who prefer anal probes to radios," Murphy muttered. "Doesn't really matter as long as they get us to the ground. I'm turning on the lights."
I rolled my eyes as I spun around, watching Murphy as he walked toward the control panel. Emori stopped him. "You know what? That's enough... We make decisions as a team here, even if we can't stand the sight of each other."
"Look. All I'm saying is, it wasn't there yesterday. Now it's in geosynchronous orbit, which means someone is piloting it, correct?"
I let out a light, breathy laugh. "That's a big word for such a small man."
Murphy sent a glare my way as Harper threw out a suggestion. "It could be an AI."
"I prefer the aliens," Monty muttered.
"Something's happening," echo blurted.
"A second ship." Everyone ran to the window. There was a second ship flying down to Earth.
"That must be a transport," Raven said. "It's headed for the ground. Emori, fire up the radio."
Emori and Raven ran to the control panel. "Now she wants to talk," Murphy mumbled.
Raven spoke, "Mayday, mayday. I'm hailing the dropship no on re-entry to Earth. We are stranded aboard the space station to your west. Please respond..." No answer.
"Great," Murphy commented. "Looks like we just lost our last chance to get back to the ground."
"Mayday, mayday. I am calling the dropship now in re-entry to Earth..."
°°°
I stuffed all my things into my bag when I heard Bellamy's familiar footsteps. I glanced back at him as he walked into our room. "Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you were already packed."
"Echo needs a bit of persuading," Bellamy stated. "I tried talking to her, but you're the only one that seems to get through to her."
I let out a breath, nodding. "Okay. Do you mind packing for me? Everything I'm taking is on the bed." Bellamy nodded. I smiled at him, pulling him by his shirt into a long kiss. When I pulled away, I spoke. "I'll meet you at the pod."
With that, I walked away, going to Echo's room. Her door was open and she was hovering over her sword.
"Bellamy said you need some persuading," I commented. The girl spun around, her lips pursed.
"What's going to happen now, Aiden?" The girl asked. My lips formed a straight line as I stepped into the room.
"Nothing is going to happen on the ground, Echo."
The girl shook her head. "I wish that were true."
"I know it is. We've all kept each other alive. You're family, and nothing can change that."
"I'm still banished. What if Octavia tries--"
I interrupted her, "No, she won't."
"You do remember I almost killed her, right?" Echo asked.
"You almost killed me, too," I stated. "Octavia will understand, you know. If I can, I think she can."
"Aiden, it took you four years to even be able to look at me. And it took everyone else three years," echo stated, rolling her eyes slightly.
I chuckled slightly. "Well, I'm more stubborn than everyone else, including Octavia. Trust me, Echo. Whatever we run into down there, Octavia will be the least of our worries. You're my best friend... Don't tell the others that."
Echo let out a quiet laugh, causing me to smile. I pulled her into a hug. After I pulled away, Echo turned and grabbed her bag before following me out of the room.
°°°
HELL YES BITCHES!!!!!!!!!! WE'RE BACK!!!!! HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! Six years and seven days later. I love that last scene between Echo and Aiden. It just tells you that even though one tried to kill the other, they became best friends in the end. Also, we got a Bellaiden kiss! I fucking LIVE for that shit. This wasn't a very interesting chapter, but trust me when I say it only gets better.
Also, I did a clever thing. I used gifs of Crystal Reed when she's older for this book since there's a six-year time skip. Hehehe.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one.
Buh-bye.
PS. This is what Aiden's tattoo looks like.