Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 50: Sparks

"What do you plan to do with the guns once they have been retrieved?" Lexa asks Clarke. "The gona should return with the barrels tomorrow, as ordered. Do you plan to just give them out among the population?"

"No, just the opposite, actually," Clarke says firmly. "I think we should remove the bullets from them. I mean, me, Octavia, Wells, and some Arkadia volunteers can do the actual removing – I'm not asking Trikru to touch the guns. We'll take the bullets out and store them here, then put nearly all of the guns back in the grease barrels they were in and send them to Polis – we can use the trip to escort any of the 100 who want to live in Arkadia back here as well. But anyway, if we make sure they're not loaded, no one in Polis will be able to use them since they won't have ammo, and a limited number of people here will be able to have guns. Specifically, I think only the people who volunteer against the Mountain, and even then we only let them have the guns for practice sessions and for the actual assault."

Lexa raises her eyebrows. "I see," she says.

"I want to keep track of every single gun and know where it is at every moment," Clarke continues fiercely. "Afterwards, we'll send those to Polis too, and in future we'll only receive extra guns by directly applying to you in times of warfare or if we need more protection. Once the Mountain falls, I don't want Arkadia to be armed to the teeth, that's just asking for trouble. Frankly, I'm debating whether I should get most of the guard's guns and send them to Polis as well."

"It would ease my mind to know your people are not so heavily armed," Lexa admits. "It is certainly a good idea to keep track of them. Unlike swords, knives, even bows, guns can kill too many too quickly for my people to be safe while yours have them – I think that was proved by both Finn and Pike in the other world." Of course, it was also proven by Titus that her people should not have guns either, so it is a good idea to keep the ammo separate. It's not surprising Clarke no longer wants guns to be so prevalent given so many terrible events they have experienced were caused by them. "What will your people make of this plan?"

"I'm thinking of telling them that it's to keep the guns from Mount Weather," Clarke says. "That could work. Alternatively, I guess I could say we're continuing on with the gun control we had on the Ark. Or if I have to, I'll tell them that the alliance doesn't allow guns, but I'd prefer not to make you the bad guy taking away their shiny new toys if I can help it."

A trip to Polis is not a bad idea. She can send Zion and his Azgeda gona with orders to speak to the ambassadors. If Indra goes as well, she is respected enough that they will definitely listen to Lexa's relayed commands not to attack the Azgeda yet. Taking out Nia will be a delicate operation – she would prefer something closer to assassination than outright war, as most of the Azgeda are blameless in this. Lexa is beginning to plan her attacks to better accommodate jus nou drein jus daun, she realises, surprised.

"How is Finn?" Lexa asks, after a moment's contemplation.

Clarke sighs. "Dealing. Putting on a brave face for Raven and Wells, I think. He jokes that he must look like a seer with the bandage around his head, pretends the injections for the pain are making him high, says now that he's a blind artist every girl in Arkadia will swoon when he walks by. So on the surface, he acts fine. But I know he's in pain and having real trouble with it all."

It is strange to Lexa to think that now she will never need to worry about Finn shooting her people. This is not how she wished for that risk to be removed. She does not consider Finn a friend as she does Wells or Raven, but because they and Clarke care about him she cares also.

She can see Arkadia growing, even in the few days they have been here. The clearing is increasing in size as trees are cut down and small hut-like homes are constructed, replacing the tents they dwell in now. The Skaikru have never really worked with wood before, but with aid from the gona gathered here, they are learning how to make functional (if unattractive) buildings. One of the first buildings created has been a sort of hospital – really just one large room presided over by Jackson – and Finn remains there for now.