Slow Burn

1 ~ Pilot

"I feel the sun slightly on my face because of the shade of the trees that are all around me as I float in the water. It's so peaceful. In this moment, I'm not stranded in space," Derek thinks as he imagines what Earth would be like while attempting to take a nap. Derek sighs as he rolls onto his side because not even the thought of Earth can help him sleep.

"It's been 97 years since a nuclear apocalypse killed everyone on Earth, leaving the planet simmering in radiation. Fortunately, there were survivors. Twelve nations had operational space stations at the time of the bombs. There is now only The Ark, one station forged from the many. We're told the Earth needs another 100 years to become survivable again. Four more space-locked generations and man can go home, back to the ground. The ground, that's the dream. This is reality."

An alarm goes off as the cell door is opened before two guards walk inside.

"Prisoner 3-2-4, face the wall," A guard orders before Derek stands up to face the wall with a smirk on his face.

"Reality sucks."

"To what do I owe the pleasure, boys?" Derek asks as he glances back at the guards.

"Quiet," The guard from before orders Derek as he walks closer to him while the other guard opens a box that is containing wristbands. "Hold out your right arm."

"Sorry, boys. But, It's not my time," Derek says as he turns to look at them. "I don't turn 18 for like another month." Derek watches as the guard opens the wristband to reveal four metal prongs on the inside of it, causing Derek to look at the wristband confused.

"Hold out your arm," The first guard orders once again as he takes out his shock baton.

"On The Ark, every crime, no matter how small, is punishable by death. Unless you're under 18."

Derek holds out his arm, since he knew by looking at the wristband that he wouldn't be floated, especially with something that high tech on him. Derek lets out a slight hiss as the guard clamps the wristband around his wrist. Derek could tell by how the four metal prongs of the wristband were digging into his arm, that the wristband had to be for monitoring his vitals. Derek looks around confused as the guards lead him out of his cell to see all of the other prisoners being taken from their cells.

"Juvenile offenders get put here lockup. We call it the sky box."

Derek notices a girl hugging, one of the doctors of The Ark, before the girl is shot in the back. Judging by the way she falls, it was a knock out dart. Derek follows the guards, not wanting to be shot as well. Derek is led into a drop ship before being told to strap into one of the seats. About 30 minutes later, the drop ship is launched from The Ark.

"Finn, my man," Derek says with a smirk as he sees his best friend next to him. "Back together for another adventure."

"You got that right, Der," Finn says as they high-five before Finn starts messing with his straps. The dropship starts to shake violently while the lights flicker, causing people to scream.

"What was that?" Clarke Griffin, the girl who was shot, asks as she holds onto to her straps.
"That was the atmosphere," Wells Jaha answers her as he looks up before screens along the walls come on.

"Prisoners of The Ark, hear me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable." Chancellor Jaha explains as he appears on the screen.