Jim was awake now.

He felt dizzy and weak, like he had just gotten off the G Force at a carnival after eating too many elephant ears. The hologram that greeted him when he woke up told him that it was normal to feel confused and ill after hibernation. He sort of remembered the doctors telling him about the sickness before being put under. He couldn't remember much. It WAS 120 years ago after all.

The dirty blonde still didn't expect to be so screwed up though. His vision and mind were blurry and spinning. The hologram had kept talking despite 'knowing' that it was normal to be confused and ill after waking up. Information flew over his head, he tried desperately to keep up. But there was just a little too much. It was just like high school when he had to try to explain the symbolism of the color red in Of Mice and Men. He just didn't get it. But he was going to try!

"You will have a class about how to live on a colony, you are in group two since you are an engineer," the lady in the hologram said as the hibernation pod drove out of the chamber. "We will allow you and the others to get ready in your rooms before the class in thirty minutes."

"Oh... Okay," said Jim simply. What else was there to do?

The pod took him down a hallway then into an elevator. When the doors closed, he heard and felt the pod make a loud THUNK noise, as if it was bolting itself to the floor somehow. Probably with magnets? He thought, trying to put his engineering knowledge to use. The elevator dinged and suddenly the pod made a SHINK noise before rolling out the door and into another hallway.

"On this floor and down the hall you will find your room, I will light up the door for you." The hologram said as the pod's straps let go of Jim and a small ramp appeared so he could get out.

Jim nodded and got off the pod. His legs felt wobbly and heavy as he walked. He tried not to fall and was doing really well if he had to say so himself! He was glad that no one else was around to see him struggling. He looked down the hall, which was painted all white and looked really bright thanks to the lighting, then a door glowed blue. That must've been his room.

Once he got to the door, the hologram's voice came out of his bracelet and told him to hold it against the door to open it. He did and nearly fell backwards at the sound of the door sliding open. The room was small and tiny but the engineer knew that it would have everything he needed for four months. Homestead did thing of everything after all!

The hologram popped up once again on the wall, telling him to hold up his bracelet to the scanner to verify his luggage. It took him a minute despite just doing that to get to the room, but his mind was still foggy from hibernation. With that, the hologram smiled then disappeared.

Jim figured he should get ready for his class. He put on a light blue button up shirt with long sleeves, regular old dark blue jeans with a brown belt and black Doc Martens that he would wear all the time back on Earth. He also put on a leather jacket, or was deciding if he should wear it... Then he wondered how he should wear it. He hung it over his shoulder like a male model then slid it back on then went back to throwing it over his shoulder, trying to figure out what would make him look the most cool. He only had one chance for a first impression after all! He decided to go with simply wearing it normally.

On his way to the classroom, after the hologram popped out of his bracelet and told him where it was when he walked out of his room, Jim noticed that there wasn't any people around. Shit! Everyone must've been in their classes already or not awake quite yet. He started to run in the direction he was told.

There was no one in the classroom when he got there. It was absolutely empty, save for some uncomfortable looking white benches in a half circle and a little stand for the hologram lady again.

"Everyone please sit down now."

Jim looked around. There wasn't anyone. Part of him wondered if the hologram was simply programmed to say that at a certain time, regardless if the room was full... Or just had one person. Hesitantly, the blonde sat down in the second row of benches.

"Where is everyone?"

"Save questions for the end, please." The hologram said before the room went dark and more holograms showed up behind her, though they were pictures of Homestead 2 rather than other versions of her this time.

Jim closed his mouth but couldn't help but try to speak out as the hologram tried to talk. It kind of sounded like a commercial anyway, one he saw at least a dozen times before deciding to buy a discounted ticket for the colony.

The thought that maybe he was just early came to mind. But something deep inside him was telling him that something was up...

Once the class was over, the blond man ran out of the room and started calling out for someone. Anyone. He kept this up until he took the elevator to the main concord, floating up in the elevator due to lack of gravity for a second.

"Hello! Hello! Anyone?!"

But no one replied.

He found a help machine and went to it. Surely this could help him!

"What do I do if I woke up from my hibernation pod?" He asked once he touched the screen.

The machine went on explaining stuff that didn't really help the man. Jim sighed and started searching for information on the hibernation pods.

"My pod malfunctioned and I woke up before anyone else. What do I do?"

"That's not possible!" The mechanical voice said, a hollow smile appearing on the screen. "Our pods were designed to think if everything! They are flawless."

"Well if it's not possible, then how am I awake when no one else is?"

The machine just continued to praise Homestead technology. Jim wanted to tear his hair out or destroy the machine. But he knew that that wouldn't help. Maybe he should just look around for someone. Someone human.

He remembered that the crew was supposed to wake up a month before the rest of the passengers. Maybe he woke up a day earlier than everyone else? Part of him was yelling that something was up, but he didn't want to listen. He went back to the machine and asked where the captain and crew were. It told him which floor but that it was only for specially permitted people or for emergencies.

"This is an emergency!" He screamed before running to the elevator.

The door to the captain's quarters was locked. Jim scanned his bracelet countless times only for the ship computer to tell him this was special access only. Furiously, he slammed his hand onto the reinforced metal. Pain shot through his hand, arm then body. He grit his teeth and bared it. There were more important things to do. And it didn't seem like his hand was smashed into pieces either.

The man headed into the ship's storage facility to get his tools. He knew he needed to get into that room at any cost. He was back at the captain's door an hour later and got to work. He broke into the door hatch, hot wiring it to open the door... Only to reveal another door behind it. He peeked into the window, only seeing darkness.

Jim knew he couldn't give up!

He used every tool in his arsenal. His sledge hammer, his various buzz saws, and his blow torch when trying to hot wire the door open didn't work. Hours passed and he gave up. He was too exhausted to try to do anything else for now. He'd get back to it the next day, if no one woke up while he was gone anyway. After a hot shower and breakfast...

On his way back through the main concord, he passed by the help machine again. The man let out a sigh, remembering how unhelpful it was. He shook his head and kept going.

He passed by a bar and didn't pay it any mind.

But he saw something in the corner of his eye. He stopped to do a double the triple take. A person!

There was a man with dark hair and a red cost behind the bar!

Him dashed to the bar, nearly tripping over himself. "Oh my god! I'm so glad to see another person here..." He said, wiping his face with the back of his hand. He felt sweat and grime slide off his face. Gross. He wish he showered before he saw this guy. Or wish that he looked less gross.

The man smiled as he wiped a glass. "What can I get you, Mister..."

"J-Jim! James Preston... But call me Jim." He said, trying not to cry. "What's your name?"

"My name is Arthur... You seem like a whiskey man, Jim."

Jim blinked. "Uh. I guess." Was all he could muster as he started to sit down. As he sat, he noticed the man didn't have legs. Just a metal rod with a wheel.

All his hope and relief came crashing down. This guy was just a robot.

Arthur placed a glass of whiskey in front of him. "What seems to be the problem, Jim?"

"Well... You're a robot."

Arthur laughed. "Android technically. But yes."

"I was just hoping you'd be a person... I haven't seen anyone. At all. I think I woke up early..." He muttered before taking a sip. "I wish I knew how far we were... Wait. Have you seen anyone besides me?" He said hopefully.

Arthur shook his head. "No, you're the first human I've seen in..."

Jim got up out of his seat before the android could finish. "Shit. Well do you know where I can find out how far we are?"

"I believe the observatory can help."

Jim nodded and dashed into the main concord again and once again went to the help machine. "Observatory!"

He dashed to the room once he got the directions. It was an empty room but he knew it wouldn't show anything until he spoke. "Hello? How far is Homestead 2 from earth?"

The computer started up and showed Jim his home planet then a long white line appeared. It zoomed past Jim and just kept going. The "camera" moved towards another planet at the edge of the room, showing that earth was quite a ways a way from the new colony. "Homestead 2 is a 120 year long journey. It is 60 light years away from earth."

Jim nodded to himself. "How far along are we right now?"

"The Avalon is thirty years into its journey. We will reach Homestead 2 in 90 years."

Jim's blood ran cold. Fear and panic exploded inside him like a volcano full of fireworks. He dashed out of the room, gasping for air while trying not to throw up. 90 years.

That was why no one was on board! That was why the captain's door was closed! That was why Arthur said he was the only human he'd seen!

Jim collapsed on the ground of the main concord. Somehow, he sort of always knew. But he had just hoped! He felt like crying. Part of him told him to suck it up, but he knew there wasn't any point. There wouldn't be anyone around to call him names or less of a man for crying. And who wouldn't cry in this situation?

It was hopeless. There was no one to help on board. Everyone was asleep- but what if he sent a distress call?! Hope swelled inside him again as he dashed for what must've been the 60th time to the help machine. "I need to send a message to earth!"

"There's a machine that will allow video calls in this room." A map popped up and showed where the booth was. "But it is very expensive-"

"I don't care."

Jim's legs and chest were hurting and tired from running, but he kept running anyway. The sooner he sent that call, the sooner people would be here to help!

The man hit the button on the message desk, bringing up a window where he could record himself. "To Homestead Headquarters... My name is James Preston and I'm a passenger on a The Avalon headed to Homestead 2. It's been 30 years since the ship left and I woke up too early. 90 years too early. My hibernation pod malfunctioned and nothing seems to help me. So someone please help!"

He hit end call and the message sent.

"We are 19 light years from earth. The message will get to earth when we are thirty five light years away. That will be $9000!" The machine said.

Jim simply got up and left. He was doomed.