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chapter seventeen, The Dark Year

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TWO YEARS IN THE BUNKER

"You said we had five years. We've only been down here for two" Nova argues looking to Kara who's telling her bad news. "I've done everything I could think of, short of eradicating the infected plants. For now, the fungus is contained to the soybean crop, but it won't be for long. I've salvaged a few of the healthy plants to use for seeds---" Kara explains and Nova sighs sitting down in her chair. "How long?" Indra asks looking to Kara who takes a breath.

"Sorry, One year. Less with some luck" She answers and Nova widens her eyes. "One year? One year without a protein source? We'll... die" Nova says leaning forward on her desk. "We all know what the answer is" Abby speaks up and Nova looks over at her. "Abby.." Kane warns. "If we don't get at least ten percent of our calories from protein, over that amount of time, we'll starve to death. I'm sorry, Marcus, but that's a fact. There is only one potential source" Abby suggests and Nova furrows her eyebrows.

"The fighting pits" Indra answers and Novas face drops into a shocked one and clears her throat. "Will it be enough? To last a year?" Octavia asks and Abby shrugs. "It should be once the crime rate starts to rise. And it will" Abby states and Nova sighs looking down at her desk seriously considering what Abby is thinking at this point.

"Are we seriously talking about this?" Kane questions and Nova stands to her feet. "Kane I don't know what else to do! Please, Give me another solution" Nova begs as a tear slides down her cheek. "Sadly, There is no other solution" Abby says looking unfazed by the whole conversation.

PRESENT DAY

Miller comes up behind Nova and Octavia while Wonkru is marching through the wasteland. "Bellamy and Indra want to talk. I don't know what it's about but we disarmed them" Miller states and Nova nods. "You're marching us into a massacre" Indra states and Nova rolls her eyes and continues walking. "We'll see about that" Nova says and Bellamy sighs. "Listen, Echo radioed. Your enemy knows you're coming. We don't need to worry about the missiles, but they're moving their weapons into position" Bellamy warns and Nova sighs.

"Good to know" Nova says stepping over some logs. "It's safe to assume that since there's only three realistic ways into the valley, that all three will be heavily defended" Indra warns and Nova looks over to her. "Then we'll be there to fight back" Nova answers. "Echo's scouting now, looking for the best way in. But since we can't go back because you burned the farm, and since we can't stop because we'll starve, we thought we should let you know that you've killed your people" Bellamy says in Nova's ear before Indra and him walk off.

Nova clears her throat and continues walking while Octavia looks over at her. "Hey, they're just trying to get us too stop" Octavia reassures and Nova nods her head slowly. "Yeah" Nova replies as she continues marching with Wonkru.

FLASHBACK TO THE BUNKER

All of Wonkru sat in the cafeteria ready to eat. The food wasn't there usual meal it was there own people laying on the plate but there was no other choice it was either this or Wonkru starves to death in the bunker. Nova, Octavia, Abby, Indra, Kara, Miller, and Jackson sat at the large table in front of the cafeteria. Nova looks down at her plate and sees a cube of human flesh and a bowl of vegetable broth. Nova lifts her head and sees other people hesitant to eat it also.

"They need to see us do this" Abby whispers and Nova clears her throat and stands to her feet. "Um- This is hard for all of us. I know that but this is how we survive. Some of you think it's a sin. But the sin is letting ourselves starve to death when we know we're all that's left of the human race" Nova states looking down at Octavia who holds the cube of human flesh in her hand ready to eat when she does. Nova sighs and lifts up the cube and looks at it. She then fights the fear and takes a small bite and chews it in front of her people before taking a seat.

"Wash it down with vegetable broth. It'll make it easier" Kara states and Nova drinks some vegetable broth and it sure made it easier. "It's one year. We can do this" Nova breathes out as she looks to Octavia who places a reassuring hand on her thigh under the table. "One year" Octavia says before she takes a bite herself and drinks the vegetable broth after. Soon after almost all of Wonkru was eating. Almost.

"I can't" Kane whispers but Nova could hear him. "I know it's hard, but we have to do--" Abby tries to reassure but Kane isn't going for it. "I said no" Kane answers before standing to his feet making everyone look to him. "We all need to make this choice for ourselves" Kane states and Nova locks eyes with Octavia who is also overhearing the conversation.

"There is no choice. If you don't eat, you starve" Abby states and Kane shakes his head. "There's always a choice, Abby. You know that" Kane states and looks down at his plate and doesn't eat.

PRESENT

Wonkru stopped and set up tents to discuss the plan again. Nova, Octavia, Miller and multiple Wonkru guards were in one tent having a discussion. "We're gonna take heavy fire, but as long as we stay together, we can still do this" Nova reassures and Octavia looks around at the group. "Does everybody understand?" Octavia questions as they hear Bellamy outside the tent. "We need to see her now" Bellamy argues and Nova groans.

"Jesus, let him in!" Nova shouts as the guards throw Bellamy inside. "You don't need that" Bellamy says referring to the map in Nova's hands. "Did Echo find us a way in?" Nova asks and Bellamy sighs, "Yes," Bellamy says as Miller steps towards him but he moves out of the way. "Everybody out" Bellamy orders and Nova widens her eyes and looks around at everyone before sending them nods to listen to his orders.

"Except Octavia" Nova says and Octavia stays in the tent. "Before I tell you this, we need to set some things straight" Bellamy says looking to Nova. "What do we need to set straight here Bellamy?" Nova asks crossing her arms over her chest. "This war that you're so anxious for is about to be fought on the last survivable land on Earth. That is monumentally stupid. But it's here, and in four days, when we march on that valley, we are gonna fight this the right way" Bellamy says and Nova let's out a few laughs.

"You poison me then try to give me orders. Ha! Unless the right way ends with us winning I don't wanna hear anything from you" Nova says. "It ends with us accepting the other side's surrender. Once they lay down their arms, we share the valley with them. No executions. No fighting pits. Real peace" Bellamy states and Nova rolls her eyes. "I thought I said Wonkru won't surrender. Believe me when I say this Bellamy, I want peace too-" Nova states. "I wish I believed it" Bellamy says and Nova looks Bellamy in the eyes before slowly shaking her head.

"Ugh. Fine. I accept your terms. Now, tell me how to win this war" Nova orders and Bellamy shrugs. "Indra has the details" Bellamy states and Nova scoffs as Bellamy is about to leave the tent.

"Bellamy... this is how it was meant to be. You and me. Fighting side by side" Octavia says making Bellamy stop in his tracks and turn around and look at his sister. "I'm not fighting for you or her. I'm fighting to get back to my family" Bellamy states making Octavia look at him with a deadly look before he leave for good. Nova walks next to Octavia and sees her eyes getting watery.

"We don't need him. You don't need him" Nova reassures as she places a hand on Octavia's cheek.

FLASHBACK TO THE BUNKER

Nova, Abby and Octavia are in Novas office trying to discuss other options for food but they've only come back to the fighting pits. "No way. I won't take away their choice. When they're hungry enough, they'll eat" Nova says looking to Abby who suggest Nova threaten them to eat. "Listen to me. Nobody wants to do this. But we can't let them starve. If they die from malnutrition, their muscles will atrophy, and there won't be enough meat on their bones" Abby says and Nova puts her hands on her head and shakes her head. "I can't hear this. I can't do this" Nova says as a tear slides down her cheek and she walks over and sits on top of her desk.

"You have to hear this. On the ark, the blight generation, they had a choice, and they never recovered from it. The people who ate had to watch the people who didn't eat die slowly, and their guilt...nearly destroyed them" Abby states and Nova scoffs. "You want me to make it a crime not to eat human flesh!" Nova shouts looking to Abby.

"That's one way to fill the freezer" Octavia says looking to Abby in disgust. "First we get...full compliance. And then we deal with supply" Abby states and Nova's jaw drops. "My people are not supply" Nova says and Abby shrugs. "They are now".

"What about Kane? Want me to make an exception for him?" Nova asks and Abby shakes her head. "Marcus is the key. You convince him, and the rest will follow" Abby states and Nova and Octavia lock eyes and they can't believe the words leaving Abby's mouth but at the same time... "It's the only way.. right?" Nova asks and Octavia sighs and nods.

"The only way" Octavia replies.

Now, All of Wonkru was in the cafeteria again ready to eat. Well most of them were ready to eat and some were still starving themselves. Kane walked in and saw guards with guns at the doorway and came to sit down. "What's with the guns?" Kane asks and Nova sighs looking back at her people of Wonkru and stands to her feet.

"We honor those who died...so we could live. I give all of myself to you. You know that. And so did they. Eat" Nova orders as she takes a bite of her food along with some other people and washes it down with the broth. She looks around the cafeteria and sees a group not eating. Nova scoffs and walks over to the people gathered at a table not eating the food on their plate. Nova wipes the sides of her mouth and takes a deep breath. "Hm, Maybe I wasn't being clear. This isn't a choice" Nova says looking down at the man who won't eat.

The man shakes his head, "For me it is. One of the men in the arena yesterday was my brother" The man states and a tear slides down Nova's cheek thinking of Fio when he said the word brother. Fio would understand right?

Nova places a reassuring hand on the man and looks down at him. "Your brother gave his life so you could live. So we all could. All of him for all of us" Nova says as another tear slides down her cheek but she quickly wipes it away. Nova grabs the cube of human flesh from the man's plate and puts it towards his mouth but the man backs away. "I mean no disrespect. But I would rather die with my brother than-" The man speaks and Octavia tosses the cube of human flesh on the guard and pulls a gun out of her holster and points it at the man feeling guilt was over her as she hears gasps around the room.

"Nova, what are you doing?" Kane asks as he stands to his feet. "Kane.." Octavia warns as she gets up from her seat and walks over to Nova. "You are Wonkru, or you are an enemy of Wonkru. Choose" Nova states and the man looks at the gun and leans forward so Nova shoots him right in the chest making people let out screams.

Kane ties to lunge at Nova but Octavia pulls out her gun and points it at him. "Don't make me shoot you" Octavia says and Kane puts his hands up in surrender as another guard points his gun at Kane. Octavia turns around and faces the table with her gun in hand. "You heard what Keket said. You eat or you die" Octavia says as her and Nova lock eyes. Octavia points her gun at women who shakes her head. "I won't eat" The women says and Octavia lets out a shaky breath and shoots the women in the head.

"I'm on your side Nova" Octavia whispers as tears slide down both Octavia's and Nova's cheeks. "Please put the gun down" Kane begs and Nova sniffles in her tears and shoots another man who stands to his feet and refuses to eat. "I don't get it! Just eat! Eat the food and you live!" Nova shouts shooting another women at the table along with Octavia. "You eat, or you die" Octavia repeats as Kane walks over to the table with the group of people and looks at what's left of the group an grabs a cube of flesh.

"I'll eat!" Kane says as he slowly but surely takes a bite and the people around him quickly take a bite not wanting to die. Nova wipes her tears and puts her gun away before going back and sitting at her seat.

PRESENT

Wonkru marches. Marches through the wasteland day and night. Stopping a few times but getting right back on there feet to go to war for their home. The Valley was there it had to be. The farm was gone and Nova can't go back in that bunker. Every-time she steps foot in the bunker now all she can think about is the lives she had to take. The faces she seen in the fighting pit as they looked up at her and saw her face as there soul slowly left there bodies. Nova was their leader and she let it go this far. Fio wouldn't understand why she is doing these monstrous things to survive. But she couldn't think about Fio not now. They had a war to fight and Fio shouldn't be on her mind.

All Nova can think about right now is the Valley. The last livable place on earth with be Wonkru's.