atomic man, john murphy.

Acceptable Losses

"Like each of us, somehow this valley survived," Diyoza gestured to the green landscape around her. "It's the last sanctuary on Earth, and we are its keepers. To build a life here, we all have responsibilities. You will too."

"All of us left Polis for a better way and all of us must do our part to get it," Kane added.

"I'll be sitting down with each of you to learn your stories, to hear what skills you can bring to the community, how you can be helpful, and to see if you can be trusted," She stopped in front of the church. "Until you've been cleared, your pulse collars have been geotagged to this building. Welcome home." 

Kane and Diyoza left, leaving a few other random prisoners to get all the defectors into the church. Clove eyed Echo as she approached Raven, the two nonchalantly heading towards the cots to chat. Clove found a spot on a wall facing Echo and sat on the floor against it with her knees to her chest. She casually glanced at the spy every so often and when her and Raven moved towards the water, Clove got up and went to the food table. She picked up a chunk of bread and sat on one of the cots closer to the two girls to hear their conversation. 

"What about Kane? Maybe he-" 

Raven shook her head. "You saw him. He's with Diyoza. I don't know what happened to him in that bunker, but he's different."

"You haven't seen them, Raven. They're all different." Raven and Clove made eye contact as she munched on her bread. Clove quickly tore her eyes away. "Murphy said you had someone inside their camp. Can we trust him?"

Raven looked away as well and sighed, "I hope so. He's our only shot." She then walked away from Echo and walked towards one of Diyoza's people that was imprisoned with the defectors. 

Clove glanced back to Echo, only to be met with an intense stare. Clove considered getting up and talking to her, but Kane came into the room before she made a decision. "I have some unfortunate news. Karina's dead. She was Louwoda Kliron Kru, so the rites will be performed this afternoon. Together, we can make sure that her death will not be in vain," Kane's voice was barely loud enough to reach the back of the church. "We will be talking to a few of you before the funeral. Clove, you're up first." 

Clove nodded and shoved the last bite of bread into her mouth before she met Kane in the front of the room. Once she had, Kane led them both outside and to a gazebo covered in vines and vibrant purple flowers. Diyoza was already sitting in one of the three chairs and gestured to the chair directly across from her. "Sit," Diyoza offered and Clove obliged. "So, I'm told that you were one of Octavia's most loyal soldiers and one of her closest confidants." 

"I was," Clove shrugged.

"Was?" Diyoza questioned. "Tell me, Clove. You don't think Octavia would be stupid enough to send one of her loyal subjects to me?" 

"I'm gonna be honest with you, Colonel," Clove sat forward in her chair and leaned her elbows on the table. "I'm grateful that Octavia kept us alive. I don't think anybody else would have been able to do what she did," Clove glanced at Kane who eyed her curiously. "But she's a monster. I see that now." 

"What changed?" Kane inquired. 

Clove gulped and looked away, staring at the prisoners who were hard at work. By the time she turned her head back to Kane and Diyoza, tears were threatening to spill from her eyes. "She killed my father." 

Kane bowed his head. "I'm sorry to hear that but..."

"But he was already supposed to fight in the pits? You're wondering why I was ready to let him die then but now I hate Octavia for it?" Clove let out an audibly shaky breath. "I convinced her to let him live... or, I thought I did. She said he would be spared until the war was over. I thought I was going to have enough time to convince him to fight for his freedom," Clove was silent for a moment, allowing suspense to build. "Octavia didn't send him to the pits. She executed him in the middle of Polis. Right in front of me."