I scowled when I opened the bag the RDA had given me. Can an organization be pretentious? I stared at the logo, the four circles staring back at me. I wrinkled my nose. I never did like yellow. The contents were what must have been the Resource Development Administration's idea of a carry-on bag for the ISV Venture Star. RDA toothbrush, RDA clothes. I'm surprised they hadn't started a clothing line. Heck, they already sold jewelry. I picked up the RDA brand razor and grumbled at it a bit. I had a good mind to swap it with my own. I dropped it back in the bag. The man beside me was looking bemused as he shoved his bag into the locker.
'You ready to go into cryo?' He beamed as if he was a toddler at Christmas. I frowned. Why do these people insist on small-talk? I'd had to suffer through whole minutes of conversation with fresh-faced 'scientists' already. Talking to them was like pulling teeth, they were full of boundless joy and stupid questions and bright futures. It sickened me. I frowned again before saying:
'Do you know how many things can go wrong with cryostasis? We could be frozen too much and lapse into a coma, or slowly die without ever knowing. There's around a thousand different processes the machine, computer, whatever you want to call it- has to go through to keep you sleeping soundly, and you don't so much as dream and certainly won't notice when the systems fail and we all are unable to get out of cryostasis.' I smiled at him, displaying a row of teeth. 'So no, sir. I am not ready to go into Cryo.' He stared furiously at my chin for a few seconds before shaking his head and walking off, presumably muttering 'nutter' or something to that effect.
To tell you the truth I was terri- Oh wait, I haven't told you my name yet. How callous of me. I am Anthony Dowell. That's not my birth name, I changed it because my real name didn't suit me. Maybe because I'm half Asian, half Spanish. All British, brought up in sunny old England. My Birth name doesn't matter. To you, I'm Anthony and always will be. Not Tony. Never Tony, thank you very much. My name is Anthony. Right. Good.
To tell you the truth I was terrified of going into Cryosleep. I was afraid of Pandora, afraid of the aliens, and afraid of travelling 6 light-years through space. But I had to eat, and the RDA had offered me quite the pretty penny to go over to Pandora. Did I mention? I'm a private investigator. Sometimes the police bring me in as a consultant, sometimes I'll be tasked to find a missing person. This was the first time I'd been hired by the RDA, and I was still wondering if there was a catch.
Oh, that's right, they didn't tell me what they needed me for. That's why I was scared the most. I took the job because I was desperate, but now I was actually on the ship, getting ready to take off, I was having second thoughts. Maybe I'd be fed to the natives…
Sorry, sorry, that's a bit racist I know. The Na'vi are an intelligent race with no more interest in cannibalism than us, et cetera, et cetera. I was still scared. It's not every day you get hired by one of the most powerful companies on Earth and Pandora. I slammed my locker door shut, A. Dowell written on the front. I sniffed and walked slowly over to the cryostasis unit, grumbling at what could happen if a fly got in there with me, or something. I sighed. I'd have to do it anyway, may as well get it over with.
I was told that it's impossible to dream in Cryostasis. I was also told that we'd released the RDA for any liability or injury caused by cryostasis and/or other circumstances as a condition of their employment. Is it possible to worry in Cryostasis?
And just like that, I was there.
Chapters won't be this short in future, guys. I hope you enjoy this story :)