Common Ground ⇥ Bellamy Blake

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[edited: 2 January 2017]

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The drop ship shook violently as it was released, causing Raine to jolt awake in her seat. Blinking, she looked around, spotting countless others teenagers. Ninety-nine, to be exact, for the Council had decided that it would be a smart move to send one hundred teenage 'criminals' down to Earth, to test whether or not it was survivable.

Raine couldn't remember how exactly she had gotten where she was, or who had strapped her in, but she did remember managing to kick one of the guards in the stomach before something sharp was pressed into her lower back and she'd passed out. In all truth, she hadn't expected to wake up again, and especially not where she was now.

A few of the frightened teens cried out as the drop ship shook again, rattling loudly, and it was then she became aware of the dull pain through her wrist. Glancing down in curiosity, she saw a large, silver bracelet. Raine didn't remember wearing this before she passed out - a guard must have placed it on her wrist when she was unconscious. She wondered briefly what it was for.

Suddenly, bright light flooded the ship, and multiple televisions flickered on, revealing Chancellor Jaha. "Prisoners of the Ark, you've been given a second chance."

This caused Raine to snort loudly and rolled her eyes in disgust.

"And as 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 have sent down others. Quite frankly, we're sending you, because you're crimes have made you expendable."

Raine sneered at the screen, curling her hands into tight fists. She wasn't supposed to be here; she had done nothing wrong. From somewhere across the cabin, someone shouted, "You're dad's a dick, Wells!"

People nodded in agreement, some even laughed, including Raine. The ship rattled again, the lights flickering on and off, and the Chancellor continued, "The drop site has been chosen carefully. Before the last war, Mount Weather was a military base, built within a mountain. It was to be stocked with enough non-perishables to sustain three hundred people for two years–"

Looking away, she spotted a boy with long-ish brown hair floating around the ship. He was smirking as he floated, flipping through the air.

"Check it out," he said to Wells, crossing his arms, "Your dad floated me after all."

"Aye, dumbass." Raine barked, catching everyone's attention, "Get back in your seat, before the parachutes deploy."

He ignored her, and Raine watched as two more idiots unbuckled their seatbelts and began to float around the cabin.

"You must locate those supplies immediately." Chancellor Jaha spoke, but no-one was listening.

"You're the traitor who spent a year in solitary." The boy mused to a blonde girl, who looked annoyed.

"You're the idiot who wasted a month's worth of oxygen on a damn spacewalk." She retorted smoothly.

"It was fun." The boy defended himself. "I'm Finn."

"No, you're stupid." Raine snapped, refusing to give up. Without warning, the ship jerked sideways and the three boys flew across the cabin, slamming into the wall. Sparks rained down, and Raine heard a boy scream as he tried to kick them away.