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| The Oval Office, Mount Weather |
| In sceneset |
| 62 Days After Landing |
The Oval Office of the Mountain is in shambles. Bullets have shredded priceless pieces of art, chipped holes in the desk, and shattered the glass. There are also several bloodstains on the floor, and some… less identifiable… stains. There are half a dozen Guard and Trikru warriors present, honor guards for Chancellor Marcus Kane, currently serving in his role as Guard Officer, and Heda Lexa kom Trikru, currently serving in her role as Commander. Kane lets a med-tech dab at a shrapnel wound on his left temple, rubbing idly at his growing scruff as he waits for the prognosis. The bullet-graze on his left shoulder and the bloody nose he got from the concussion have already been dealt with. A glance over to the healer seeing to Lexa's own wounds causes him to straighten up in surprise, patting Mac the med-tech on one shoulder, "Mac… check with the Heda. Commander, I don't believe that's normal…" 'that' would be the black blood oozing from Lexa's wounds.
At the age of twenty-one, Lexa kom Trikru has seen much in the ways of battle and war. The wounds she bares now are not the first, nor the last. The healer is carefully wrapping the wound of her right upper arm, the bandaging already black with her blood. She holds up a hand to Mac when Kane expresses his worry, shaking her head. "It is who I am… so it is quite normal for me," the Commander explains simply. "To be a Commander is to have blood as black as mine… we refer to it as Nightblood… only those who are Nightbloods can be Commander." She nods to her healer once her wound is wrapped, and she considers Kane with those steady, grey-green eyes, adding, "Only those who are Nightbloods can carry the Flame… the spirit of all Commanders."
That was… not what Kane was expecting, and his surprise shows. Mac looks even more surprised, obviously starting to go through the possible causes of 'black blood but still totally alive and hot.' There… aren't many. Or, really, any. Kane does not have the medical knowledge, and so he glances to the med-tech, takes in Mac's puzzled expression, then shrugs a little, "The idea of the spirits of all of the past Commanders is… fascinating." And definitely outside of his knowledge, understanding, and possibly belief. Mac opens his mouth to ask a question, but Kane cuts him off, "Another time, Mac." Looking back to Lexa, he goes on, "So we have Cage Wallace to judge and punish. A few other combatants, two or three dozen non-combatants my people are trying to save now, and the resources of the Mountain."
"If you wish to know more, you may ask my Flamekeeper… he is the one who will look after the Flame until the next Commander is chosen after I die." Lexa then lets the topic slip away, like sand through fingers, to be gathered up and examined another day. The Commander steps away from her healer, offering a slight nod of thanks, and then approaches the mighty wooden desk. Her fingers brush across it, and then her palms, and she is leaning on it. Her eyes narrow at the shreds of art, tilting her head slightly. Then she nods, straightening up once more. "Oxfor kom Trikru has informed me he is still awaiting the spoils of the supply depots your…" She fights for a term that satisfies. "The first Skaikru promised… I believe the Coesbur Trikru should lay claim to those promised spoils here." She glances to him, expression serious. "Coesbur will need rebuilding… and that means materials. The Mountain can provide that."
"As I understand it, that depends on whether we define this as a supply depot." Kane immediately holds up a hand to forestall an angry response, "Which I have absolutely no problem doing. It is, however, significantly larger and richer than the previous supply depot we discovered. I will speak to Oxfor, to see if he is willing to consider this all three supply depots in one, given what the resources of the Mountain would otherwise mean for my people and that I believe that both Camp Jaha and the Coalition have more important things to do than search out supply depots that may yield nothing of value." There is a momentary pause, and then he goes on, "And I believe that Coesbur may have assistance from Camp Jaha with that rebuilding. We are still building ourselves, but some of my people have formed close ties with the people of Coesbur, and will likely want to help them."
Lexa gestures off-handedly. "I see no issue in your proposal. Oxfor kom Trikru has made similar wishes… and I believe Indra has given him a choice to resettle Coesbur close to your camp to allow those… friendships to build." Her gaze cuts away from the Chancellor, observing the room once more with a hint of disdain. Her eyes narrow at the nearest bloodstain. When she looks back up to Kane, her expression is a touch remote. "I want Cage Wallace to be put through Trikru justice… Skaikru can participate, but the Trikru should take the blood of their leader. Thousands of Trikru lives have been lost to this place… and I want my people to see justice."
Kane's eyebrows lift slightly at the mention of the possible new location of Coesbur, hedging with, "I would be very interested in talking with the Steheda about the location. It does bring up larger issues, also, but…" he nods down to the bloodstain, "There are more immediate matters. If he is judged guilty, which I am certain, by the evidence we've seen, he will be, I have absolutely no problem with the Trikru taking primacy in punishment, and I appreciate the gesture to allow aggrieved Skaikru to participate." And then he's on to another subject entirely, "I've been most impressed with your warriors in general, Commander. Their discipline is impressive, as is their bravery."
Lexa arches a brow slightly at Kane's hedging, but she does not comment on it further. His acceptance to her terms — or his version of her terms — is given a slight nod. She has far other concerns, particularly when Kane so easily opens the conversation. She turns slightly to him as she moves around the desk, kicking out the chair that the Wallaces used as their throne. She does not, however, sit in it. Simply disposes of its presence behind the desk while she moves around it. Her gaze cuts back to Kane now. "That is all a Warrior knows, Chancellor… discipline, bravery… their achievement is the Clan's and the Coalition's achievement." Her expression darkens a touch. "I wish I could say the same for your warriors."
Kane watches her circle behind the desk and moves himself over to study one of the bullet-riddled works of art. When he looks back, the movement has neatly put him alongside the desk, rather than across it from the Commander. He knows physical politics as well, it seems. "You have reason to complain about the Guard? Or the people who have learned to fight in less than a month and who have voluntarily come into this horror-show in search of justice?"
Lexa remains behind the desk, arms now crossed and expression oblique. Her eyes follow Kane as he examines the artwork. "Not of the Guard… I have seen that your Guard are quite capable… but not all your warriors can be given that honor." She rests her fingertips now on the desk, leaning on them. "My agents have reports concerning your members of your militia… specifically those you call The 100… failure to follow orders, attempting to get into physical altercations with my warriors, demanding Skaikru justice overshadows Trikru justice in matters of the Mountain… squabbling with their leaders, temper tantrums when things do not go their way…" She grimaces now. "Are the Skaikru so desperate that they will conscript children into their armies before they are ready to be warriors?"
Kane nods his head in apparent agreement with Lexa's description of the militia, "Yes. They are learning discipline, but they are doing it slowly. And fitfully." Frustration flickers across his features, "Frustratingly so. Most of those children seem to think that thirty days on Earth without oversight means that they never have to listen to another order and can do what they want. I would have hoped that the experience would have helped them grow up. Instead, it seems to have set them back in many cases." The question about desperation, on the other hand, causes Kane to gestures generally 'out' although the motion loses some meaning seven levels below the surface, "There are six hundred and fifty Skaikru, including children and other noncombatants. You had over a thousand warriors here at the Mountain, while still defending your villages. So I suppose you have to tell me if we are desperate to get training and blooding for those who are willing to defend us." There's a pause, and then Kane adds, "Besides that, I don't think you would deny justice to those who are owed it, Commander, even if they are not owed it so deeply as your own people."
Lexa shakes her head. "That is why we do not allow Seconds onto the field of battle until they are ready, Chancellor… a Trikru Second knows his or her place, knows whose orders to follow, and does so without argument or complaint. If they disagree, they find a place after to speak with their First… and, even then, such disagreements are a chance to learn, not a chance to show-up their elders." The young Commander maintains her serious stare, barely moving her eyes when Kane gestures. "A lack of numbers does not mean that those who you choose as your warriors should not be held accountable to their chain of command… nor that their actions should go undisciplined." Then she leans back, arms crossing at her chest once more. "Your people can have their justice, but I should not continue to hear that your people offer reprimand to mine for taking the justice they are also owed."
Kane chuckles very dryly, "Do you think that they are any less argumentative with us?" He picks up the stand to the President's sword, bereft of its prize, and studies it for a moment idly as he responds further, "While I agree that they do need to learn discipline, and to be reminded that it will be required to be a further part of the militia, no matter our needs, with respect, Commander, they are my people. I will see to their discipline. Thank you for informing me of the issues your people have had with them. I will look into the situations and deal with them." Setting down the stand, he levels his dark gaze on her lighter one, "You wouldn't want to subvert the chain of command, would you?"
Lexa's mouth thins at Kane's words, but she ducks her head in a slight nod. "Very well… but do not be surprised when my Warriors become far more choosy about who they fight shoulder-to-shoulder with." Then she lets the topic drop, particularly at his question of chain of command. She is not his heda, after all. Not yet. She begins to step around the desk, aiming to depart the room to rejoin the clean-up efforts.
Kane nods his head at her words, "And if they continue to act like teens, rather than adults, then they will not be in the field for your warriors to avoid. We will come to Tondc to see Cage Wallace face justice, if you will let us know when it will happen."
Lexa turns slightly on her way out, stopping to regard Kane once more. "We will be in contact, Chancellor." Then, joined by her warriors, she steps from the room that had once been the seat of the Mountain.
Kane watches her leave, then looks back to the Guard remaining in the room, scratching the beginnings of his beard once more and shaking his head in slight bemusement.