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⁽ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ᵒⁿᵉ ⁻ ᵖⁱˡᵒᵗ⁾
𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐄 sun on my face. I see trees all around me, the scent of wildflowers on a breeze. It's so beautiful. In this moment, I'm not stranded in space.
Nova Martin has never known how it feels to be accepted. Not while living in this metal station located in space, at least.
It's been ninety-seven 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.
The Ark. Home to the "last of the human race". Where any crime is punishable by death, even the "crime" of being a second born child.
We're told the Earth needs another hundred 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.
A voice breaks Nova from her thoughts, "Prisoner 431, rise and face the wall." She lifts her gaze to see two guards before her, one clutching a box.
Confused by the sudden appearence of two guards in her cell, she complies quickly, catching them by surprise. She's not usually one to follow orders without a fight. Especially not after they locked her up, and tore her away from her brother.
The taller guard strides closer, his voice firm, "Hold out your right arm," he commands, pulling a metal wristband from the box.
Novas eyes widen as she realized what the guard was planning on doing, "No way am I letting you put that on me." She says quickly. She still has a week until she turns 18.
"You have no choice. Hold out your right arm." He repeats once more, this time speaking a lot louder than before. Holding much more authority in his tone. When she didn't respond, the second guard seized her arm, roughly fastening the metal bracelet onto her wrist, causing her to cry out dramatically.
"Dick." She mutters distastefully, rolling her eyes as the two guards grip her tightly, making their way to the cell door.
Novas breathing quickens as she realizes what must be going on. "They're floating me' She thinks, and is quick to blurt out "You know I'm not 18 yet, right? You can't float me yet. That's murder." The guards just ignore her and pull her through the door. "Actually it's murder either way, you guys are sick."
As the three of them exited the cell, she saw that not only was she being escorted out, but every other prisoner was aswell. "Holy shit," she scoffed before adding, "You guys can't actually be floating all of us." The guards continue to ignore her, making her roughly pull herself out of their tough grips.
