"THEN FINE! LEAVE!" The imposing figure threw his arm out and pointed to the door, "YOU WANT TO LEAVE SO BADLY, WHAT'S KEEPING YOU HERE?" He raged as his face turned red and fitted suit he wore was stressing at the seams. His erratic, heavy breathing shook his frame. In every motion, I could see the years of stress and unclean air working against him. 

"Dad, I-" 

"No! Just-just go!" he rasped. In his eyes, I saw nothing but a frost. A person who once was. He was my dad. 

I turned away from him. I grabbed my things, and I left for the station. 

I was going to Pandora, and I was going to forget this dying planet. 

--------------------

This voyage was one I did alone. No welcome faces, no smiles to see. I felt so alone. And only for a moment, I thought about going back to him. Going back to my dad. 

Never. 

In cryo, you aren't supposed to dream. I know I dreamt. I dreamt of clean air, and a warmth in my heart. A feeling of belonging, and my mother. My beautiful, dead mother. I miss her even now. Even though it's been years since I've thought about her. 

I think I felt myself cry. 

--------------------

When the dream ended, I woke up. It was silent for a few moments... and then I felt hot. So hot, I thought I would burn. I had become used to the cold. 

The only noise I could emit, a groan, a weary, dry moan of discomfort. 

"It's alright sweetheart," The casket of ice jerked open and lurched to a stop. Its weary hinges groaned, "I'm Doctor Gene Johnson, I just need you to answer some questions before we let you get your things." His friendly face and kind brown eyes gave me brief comfort before the questions. 

"What year is it?" He began undoing my straps.

"Twenty-one fifty-two now I think." I answered hoarsely.

"How old are you?" He took out my IV.

"Legally, I am twenty-six now..." It was dawning on me, how old I'll be when I get back to Earth. Thirty-eight.

"What is your name?" He checked my vitals over twice.

"Eyohi Iona Bailey." I answered confidently.

"Okay one last question." He smiled reassuringly, "Did you see anything while you were under?"

"No." I lied. 

"Good, you're all free to go." He directed me to the lockers and storage with a toothy smile which made the comfort I once felt turn into unease. I was itching to leave. 

I scooped my things from the locker. Personal belongings. A collection of polaroid photos, A ring too big for my fingers or toes, a bag of dice from my high school years, several sketchbooks and art supplies, and a necklace with a ring on it. My clothes were in three suitcases, all vacuumed down to fit more belongings and memories. 

The suit cases would be delivered to my dorm room with company supplied items. 

I stuffed my things into the company provided duffle bag and fluttered over to ship port to board the Valkyrie. I feel the hot cargo bay fill with pressure and humidity as everyone nervously awaits the launching of the ship. We're all handed Exo-packs to aid us while we stay on Pandora. 

The deep rumble in my chest grew and grew until the whole ship was turbulent and shaking. The hardened marines and soldiers seemed unphased and relaxed, half-asleep even. However, I was not. I grumbled a curse and strapped myself in and braced for the lunging start of the ship. 

--------------------

After a motion-sick induced sleep, I woke up to an alarm and a man shouting. 

"Exo-packs on!" I flinched, "Exo-packs on! Once these doors open, go straight inside! Wait for my command! If any of you chuckle-fucks forget your mask you'll be unconscious in seconds and dead in minutes!" He paused to put his on and turn it on. 

More turbulence shook the Valkyrie and it all stopped. 

"Harnesses off! Gather you bags and buckle your boots, lets go!" He shouted from the ramp. The hatch began to open and we all streamed out of there. 

I entered the cafeteria and found myself seated with fellow scientists.

"You may think this is some sort of vacation you all won a ticket to be on. This is Pandora. Keep that in your mind." A grey well-kept man strolled into the lane with full control over his every move, "If hell exists, this is it, ladies and gentlemen. Outside these walls, everything that crawls, walks, flies, or swims wants to kill you and eat your liver with a chianti" He misquoted, "There's an indigenous population of savage humanoids called the Na'vi. They use arrows dipped in a neurotoxin that can stop your heart in a minute. And their bones contain carbon fiber. They're very hard to kill." 

Any respect I had for this Colonel was lost the moment he misquoted The Silence of the Lambs. That and he called the Na'vi savages. I already knew he was untrustworthy from the way he speaks. 

--------------------

I found my way to the common area which splits off into several science departments. The Avatar department, the flora department, the fauna department, and resources. 

"Eyo!" I heard a familiar clear but deep voice call me before I was swept into the air, "It's been so long! I missed you!" 

"Kip! I missed you too!" I dropped my things and returned the hug to my brother. 

"It's so good to see you, how's mom and dad?" Oh Kip, you always ask the hard questions.

"Well... Kip." I sucked in a deep breath, "Mom and dad have separated." He'll overreact if I tell him the whole truth. It's eating me from the inside out. What I said isn't incorrect, mom left before the accident. 

"That's really unfortunate, but they weren't happy together anyway." He took it well before picking up my things and walking with me to the avatar department which linked into both the dorms and the office to the head of the RDA base here. 

"I suppose, but anyway, you never told me what you do here." I said with some semblance of anger.

"Oh! I completely forgot!" He stood up a little straighter and puffed out his chest proudly, "I'm in the fauna department, not only that but I drive an Avatar!" he exclaimed. 

"That's really cool Chip." I often called him chip due to his love of Disney movies and my younger selves inability to speak. 

"Not as cool what you're going to do! You get to meet the Na'vi, I'm so jealous."

"No need to be Dr. Bailey. You are being reassigned to my team." a stern and strong feminine voice added. I turned suddenly and was met by renowned botanist and author pandoran xeno-botany, Doctor Grace Augustine.

"Dr. Augustine!" I gasped, "It's a pleasure to meet you!" I collected myself and she smiled at me.

"Heya kid, just call me Grace. You're the one who'll be teaching with me right?" She shook my hand.

"Uh, yeah, yes." I nodded.

"Good, follow me. You too, Kip." She called while walking into a corridor which met the bio-lab.