Chapter 14
The Ark
Jaha were in his room, looking at his chessboard. Abby dashes in.
"Tell me it's not true." Abby says.
"Today there are so many things I wish weren't true." Jaha says.
"Oh, spare me the noble speech. You know what I'm talking about. You're joining section 17." Abby says.
"How could I asks anyone to mama a sacrifice that I'm not willing to make myself?" Jaha asks as he walks past Abby.
"So, you're going to die peacefully and leave humanity in the hands of Kane? 'Chancellor Kane'?" Abby asks. Jaha turns around.
"Yes. He won't hesitate to do what needs to be done." Jaha says as he puts on his Jacket.
"Thelonious, this is all happening too fast." Abby says.
"We've waited as long as possible." Jaha says.
"There are things that we can do to buy us time. We should reconsider an algae bloom to boost oxygen production." Abby says.
"You've read the studies. They would only contaminate the water supply." Jaha says.
"We can induce people into comas to reduce their resource consumption." Abby says.
"We've gone through all the possibilities. This is the only solution." Jaha says.
"No, it can't be this." Abby says. Jaha walks closer and slowly says, "I am doing what's right."
"You're running away. You think what you're doing is right but you're a coward." Abby says as she walks away but she stops and turns around.
"How are you gonna explain this to Wells? How are you going to tell you son that you let these people die without doing absolutely everything in you power to save them?" She asked. Jaha says nothing. Abby walks out the room. She walks in her room and opens a cabinet a sees a tablet. She turns it on and watches a recording of her husband, Jake.
The ground
Bellamy, Clarke, Finn, Raven, Wells and some other teens were in the lake looking for the radio. Finn walks up to Clarke.
"I should have told you about her." Finn says.
"It ok." Clarke says.
"I didn't think I'd see her again." Finn says.
"But you wouldn't take off your wristband. You had hope. It's ok I get it." Clarke says.
"Hey I found it." A teen says. Raven grabs the radio. They run over to her. Raven shakes her head.
"Can you fix it?" Wells asks.
"Maybe, but it'll take a half a day just to dry out the components to see what's broken." Raven says.
"Like I said. It's too late." Bellamy says. Clarke walks over to with disgust on her face.
"Do you have any damn idea what the hell you just did? Do you even give a shit?" Clarke asks.
"You asked me to help. I helped." Bellamy says.
"300 people are gonna die today because of you!" Clarke shouts.
"Hold up. We don't have to talk to the Ark. We just gotta let them know we're here." Raven says.
"Yeah but how are you gonna do that with no radio?" Finn asks. Raven smiles. "How do feel about some fireworks.
The Ark
A recording of Jake's face shows up on the screen everywhere on the Ark. People gather around and look.
"People of the Ark, today I need to talk to you about our future. The things that I need to tell you are important." The recording of Jake says. Shumway walks up to Kane.
"Sir have you been on the network?" Shumway asks.
"No." Kane says as Shumway shows him the recording of Jake.
"The Ark is dying. this city in space that has been sanctuary." The recording says.
"It's playing everywhere. Techs trying to shut it down." Shumway says. Kane gets up.
We should have never let her out of her cell." Kane says as walks away. Jaha looks at the recording in his room.
"Time is running out. This is an undeniable reality, but we have pledge our lives to make sure that humanity does not share that fate. Now, while there is still time, we must come together and face this crisis head on. I believe it will bring out the best in us. Our strength, our humanity, our faith. That we will come together in this time of uncertainty." The recording says as the recording cuts to Abby's face. The guards were running in the halls.
"My husband was killed for trying to warn us. In 12 hours, 300 people will be sacrificed to extend our oxygen supply unless we take action." Abby says in the control room as the guards were banging on the door Abby had locked.
"Dr. Abigail Griffin, open this door immediately." The guards says as they were forcefully trying to open the door. Abby continues speaking.
"The future doesn't belong to the Chancellor or the Council. It belongs to all of us." Abby says as she turns off the record. The guards opens the door. Kane walks in He glares at Abby.
The ground
The group were back at the pod.
"We need to launch those flares asap if we have any hope of saving those people. Finn, get that control panel to camp." Raven tells him, who nods. "You, pull out those firing circuits in one piece or they won't work." Raven tells a teen. Raven walks up to Wells. "Hey Wells, I'm gonna need a hand here." She says.
Wells nods as he walks up to her as she hands him a wrench. "Work these bolts gently. Rockets fuels like to go boom." She says. Wells nods as he grabs the wrench.
"We're gonna need to power the fire." Raven says.
"They're trying in the batteries on the dropship. Should be ready when we get there." Wells says.
"Great, so what's the problem? You seem to act so weird around Clarke" Raven Says.
"Hm, oh uh, nothing. I'm just looking out for her, you know? She's been through a lot." Wells says. Raven nods.
"You seem to care about her. I've never seen someone loves the way you and Abby loves her. You know that, right?" Raven asks. Wells chuckles.
"Yeah." Wells says, smiling softly. Raven smiles back.
The Ark
"You've taken an impossible situation and made it worse. This will cause a riot." Jaha tells Abby.
"Good, maybe we need one." Abby says. Kane walks up to him.
Guards are double are double strength and wide on alert station wide. I've posted riot teams in all public areas." Kane says.
"Any reports of unrest?" Jaha asks.
"Not yet, but people are gathering. There's a crowd of 400 strong right outside." Kane says as he looks at Abby. "That's what you've done." Kane says.
"All we can do know is determine our best option." Jaha says.
"Options? We have no options. We need time, or everyone on this station is going to die. Either in an uprising or by suffocation. Those are the options She's given us."Kane says as a man walks up to Jaha.
"Sir. They sent an emissary to speak with Abby." He whispers.
"All right." Jaha says as he looks at Abby. "The people outside are sending someone in to talk to you." Jaha says before a man walks in the room. Abby looks with recognition on her face.
"His daughter's a patient of mine." She says as she walks up to him.
"Hey doc, I saw your video thing. Crap news, it sounds like." The man says.
"I'm sorry you had to hear it like that." Abby apologized.
"No good way to hear it, right? Anyway...i'm here to volunteer, I guess you'd call it." The man says.
"Volunteer? For what?" Jaha asks.
"...Section 17, Sir. Anyway you do the math, some of us are gonna have to jump ship if everyone's gonna make it, so...I'm gonna jump." The man says.
"You'd leave your daughter, Reese without a father?" Abby asks.
"This morning, you told me my daughter was going blind and there was nothing I could do to help her. Turns out, there is. Count me in." The man says as he walks away. Another man walks in.
"Chancellor, Sir, I'll take a spot in section 17. Give my wife a little extra air." He says as he walks away. Soon many other adults come in and volunteered.
"Jake was right. It would bring out the rest of us." Jaha says. After all the adults had volunteered Kane walks Jaha's room. He closes the door behind him. He walks towards Jaha, who were at his desk. "Here's the final list of volunteers." Kane says as he hands Jaha the the tablet.
"They'll report to B deck in less than an hour." He says. Jaha stands up.
"This is more than enough." Jaha says.
"We rejected more than 100. Essential personnel and minors. Abby's announcement proved to be very convincing." Kane says. "I don't think that she or her husband convinced anyone. They spoked to someone that was already inside of them. The new Chancellor should remember that." Jaha says as he sets the tablet on the table. "I better get to 17. Don't wanna be late to my funeral." He says as he walks to the door.
"Sir." Kane says. Jaha turns around.
"You don't need to do this know." Kane says.
"I'm doing what's right for my people. They've inspired me. No, they volunteered because you inspired them." Kane says.
"Jake Griffin inspired them and I executed him. I executed my friend." Jaha says.
"One decision does not define a man. Jake Griffin is gone. You're here. Our survival depends on having a leader who can inspired people to self-sacrifice. You're that man. Not me." Kane says. Jaha nods. Kane walks out the room. He walks up to Abby in the hallway. "Have we heard from Raven?" She asks. Kane shakes his head. Abby looks at Jaha.
"What changed his mind?" She asked Kane.
"Just the truth. I reminded him that transitioning to a new Chancellor would be destabilizing. We can't afford any more upheaval." Kane says.
"No we can't." Abby says.
The ground
It was not night by the time the group got back. They were getting ready to shoot the rockets up.
The Ark
The 300 people were ready to go into section 17. They all gave each other hugs sat down, Sacrificing themselves to save oxygen. Jaha, Kane, Abby, Sinclair, and two more people were in the control room.
"Sir, all vents and gateways to section 17 are closed. We have a hard seal." Sinclair says. Jaha looks at the monitor.
"Sir, the order?" Sinclair asked. Jaha looks at him. He nods. Sinclair clicks the button.
They watch as they slowly start to fall asleep. Getting ready to float them.
"And we hereby commit these souls to the deep, who at there last gave all to the world of the living. May they be remembered forever, until there is no more pain, no more suffering, and the abyss itself shall give up itself shall give up her dead and returned them to us. May we meet again." Jaha speeched.
The camp
The delinquents shoot the rockets into into the sky. They gather to watch the flares, including Bellamy.
Wells politely pushes his way through the crowd before finally making it next to Clarke. He stands next to her and tucks his hands into his pockets, staring up at the night sky.
Clarke doesn't look at him, but she speaks softly in a tone clearly intended for him to hear. "Think they'll work?"
"They'll work." Wells says. After a long moment of gazing up at the flares shading the sky a brilliant red, he clears his throat. "Clarke?"
"Yeah?" She asks.
"I saw what happened between you and Finn. I'm sorry." Wells says.
"It's fine Wells." Clarke says.
"No, really, if there's anything I can do." Wells tries to comfort her.
"There's nothing you can do! Alright?" Clarke asked. She sighs.
"Look, I'm sorry. I get that you're trying to help, and I appreciate that. But what happened between me and Finn is between me and Finn. I can handle it. I'll be fine fine, okay?" Clarke asks. Wells looks at her for a moment before sighing and slowly nodding as he walks away. Bellamy walks over to Clarke.
"Can you wish on this kind of shooting star?" Clarke asked Bellamy.
"I don't even know what to wish for. What about you?" Bellamy asked Clarke. Clarke stays quiet. She look over at Raven, who had Finn's arm around her shoulder looking up at the sky.
With Octavia
Octavia open her eyes she grunts as she tries to get up. She looks and sees a grounder in front of her as the sky lights up red. She looks at him with fear.
The Ark
Abby were sitting next to her bed on the floor as Jaha walks in with moonshine.
"You should sleep." Jaha says.
"How?" Abby asks. Jaha sits down beside her and and takes a shot of the moonshine. He hands her the bottle. She grabs it and takes a drink.
"We make the best choices that we can. Then we put our faith in a forgiving God." Jaha says.
"Do you think we deserve to be forgiven?" Abby asks. Jaha stays quiet. He grabs the bottle.
"Did you see that?" Abby asks. Jaha and Abby looks out the window and sees 3 bright red flares shooting up the sky.
TO BE CONTINUED