Chapter Text
You grew up hearing stories about Pandora. Everyone did. You just never imagined you would be able to go there. You were always fascinated by the ocean, and the life that it held. So it was no surprise you were equally fascinated by Pandora and all its Flora and Fauna. You studied everything you could find, read every book. You even took Na’vi courses. You excelled at foreign languages, and you were happy to learn that it was no different with Na’vi. Which is what lead to you getting offered a dream job.
You were just a Marine Biologist. Which is why you never dreamed of getting an offer to go to Pandora. Yet shortly after your college finals, you received the offer to join a team of biologists as the team Marine Biologist and Xenolinguistic specialist. It was an offer you jumped on with little hesitation. You were even offered your own Avatar. Within a week of graduation, you were logging Avatar training and preparing to fly off world on a six year trip. It wasn’t until you arrived in orbit of Pandora, six years later, that you wish you had read the fine details within the contract you signed.
You expected to wake up like everyone else, the way the debriefing said you would. Inside a cryopod, just like when you went in. Instead, you woke up in a glass chamber. You were on a bed within a glass cylinder, not much larger than your body. You couldn’t even sit up. You still wore the white medical uniform they put everyone in when they boarded the ship, but wires were attached to your body at various points, and several IVs were poking from your skin. You reached out your hand, hitting the glass around you.
“Good. You are awake. You had us worried for a minute there.” You turned your head to view where the voice came from. Several people floated into view, all clearly the scientists who ran the vessel. “Only eight of the twenty of you survived the procedure. And you are the only one who has woken up so far.” The dark haired man closest to you spoke.
“What procedure?” You asked, still trying to get a bearing of your current situation. You only recalled going into cryo sleep. They already got your DNA for your avatar. There shouldn’t have been any procedure.
“The genetic modification. It surprises me how many of you don’t read the entire contract before signing.” A voice to your left spoke. You turned to look at the new man. Despite floating within the ship and wearing the standard white uniform, he also wore a lab coat with his name and the word Doctor on it. “Your Avatar… developed a few of your distinctive genetic traits. More so than any of our previous Avatars. More than it was supposed to have. So we weren’t entirely sure it would be a viable Avatar. As a precaution you were transferred to the Delta Science Unit. Each member gets genetically modified to withstand Pandora’s atmosphere. It is listed in your contract as a possibility, though it almost never happens.” As he spoke he went to the control panel attached to your tube.
“Genetically modified to withstand Pandora’s atmosphere. What does that mean?” You ask, hoping it didn’t mean what you thought it did.
“It means, you will be able to breathe on the planets surface, no breathing apparatus needed. You will only need one when in buildings on the base.” He explained. “Your vitals look good. You are stable. It’s very promising.”
“Very promising? Will I ever be able to breathe on Earth?” You asked, horror filling you.
“I’m afraid not, my dear. This became a one way trip for you. Delta Science Unit is part of the colonization initiative. On top of your normal duties, you will be establishing a village for future human to come inhabit. Once we get the genetic modification process to higher than a ten percent success rate.”
“Ten percent?! You put us through a producer without our knowledge that only has a ten percent success rate?” Dread was heavy in your gut as you spoke. You always wanted to see and work on Pandora, but you never expected it to be your new permanent home.
“It was all in the contract each and every one of you signed. For any who didn’t survive, their families will receive a nice pay out. For those that do, your families or emergency contact will still receive the pay out, seeing as you will have no use for the money on Pandora. At least not yet.” The doctor explained, hitting a few buttons on the screen on your pod. “We are landing soon. The room will be opened to the outside, and we will release you from your pod. Dr. Ryker will be there to debrief you and walk you through the base to your new quarters. Welcome to Pandora.”
With that, the Doctor and his science team left, and you were left to lay in your pod until the room was opened to the air of Pandora, and a new doctor walked in. He was taller than the last, and though the air was toxic to humans, he was breathing without a respirator. He was tall, with short dark hair and dark scruff on his face. He wore a black shirt and cargo pants, with a doctors coat over top. The coat read Dr. Ryker. He walked up to your pod and glanced at you with a smile that didn’t reach his green eyes. He read off your name from the screen on your pod.
“I have heard a lot about you. Your Avatar caused quite the stir, though now it has been deemed viable. If they had just been patient they wouldn’t have had to do this to you. But in the end they are more concerned with money than any of us.” He said, as he hit a few buttons on the screen and your pod hissed open, the glass top above you lifting away. You went to sit up quickly, but his hand on your shoulder prevented that.
“Easy. With everything they have done to you, your body needs time to adjust now that you are awake. Yes, you can breathe Pandora’s air, but if you don’t take it slow, you will get dizzy and pass out. So just ease on up, nice and slow.” You nodded in response to his words, and slowly sat up.
“What do you mean they didn’t have to do this to me?” You asked, your eyes meeting his.
“Most of us on the DSU agreed to the procedure. They knew what they were signing up for. A one way ticket with no way home. But some of us didn’t. They snuck it into a thousand page contract no one reads completely. You wake up almost six years later with no way home and no chance of ever seeing your family again. They give reasons, but none ever sound quite right to me. Like you for example. They thought your avatar might not be viable, so put your through the procedure almost as soon as you were in cryo. Within a year they knew your Avatar was viable, but it was too late and the procedure was done. The procedure takes less than a year to complete. They could have waited. Instead they wanted more lab rats.” He explained, grabbing your arm and helping you stand.
“My Avatar is viable?” You asked, stretching briefly. It felt like your body hadn’t moved in years. It probably hadn’t.
“Indeed. It looks a little different than the rest, but you will see that later. For now, lets get you across the base to the science unit.” Dr. Ryker said, turning and heading towards the ramp off the ship. You followed behind him, taking in the sight. The immediate area was highly disappointing. Concrete covered the ground, the area seemed great from the fumes, and high walls surrounded the base full of machinery. Beyond those walls you could catch a glimpse of the true pandora. Green trees and mountains filled the distance. That is what you are here for, not the bullshit the military called a base.
“Lookie here boys, a new settler. Fresh meat for the blue monkeys. I’m sure they would love to get their hands on you.” You glanced to your right at the voice who spoke. Four military men in full gear and breathing apparatuses stood not far from you, one making lewd gestures with his hands while the others laughed.
“Ignore them. The DSU settlement is just outside the walls, separate from the rest of the base. We still have walls to protect us, but its much more natural than here. Most of the men on this base are idiots who think with nothing but their dicks. Ignore them.” Dr. Ryker explained, guiding you away from them gently with a light grip on your elbow. “They all have return tickets home if they don’t die here. They like to pick at those of us that don’t have that luxury waiting.”
“Why are they genetically modifying people to breathe here? I have heard nothing about colonization.” You asked, following him through the busy base.
“They tell us it is so we can research the planet easier. In reality, they want to develop a settlement that they can auction off membership for to the highest bidder. ‘Come live in Pandora’s Paradise’. In the end its all about money to them. Those of us that volunteered for this saw it as a way to get in without being rich. Those of us that didn’t know what we signed up for… well they like to tell us we practically won the lottery.” The doctor said as you neared the edge of the base.
“I take it you don’t feel that way.” You said, judging by his tone of voice.
“I had a family back on Earth. A wife and two sons. This was supposed to be a way for them to be set for life, but I was always supposed to go back home. Instead I woke up to a body that could no longer breathe the air my family could. So no. I don’t feel like I won the lottery being able to breathe on a planet with natives twice our size and almost every species on it being capable of tearing me apart in seconds.” He opened a door on the wall you approached, gesturing you forward. Through the door was almost an entire different world.
Instead of concrete, the ground was covered in grass and dirt. Strange plants grew in rows of tilled soil to the side. Some scientists walked around with respirators on, while some didn’t. Several Avatars were walking around also, dwarfing the scientists around them.
“This is the area where the Avatars sleep and where we have our agricultural research. The buildings on the far end are for the Avatars. The DSU settlement is through the door on the far left wall.” Dr. Ryker explained, leading you through the rows of crops, most of which you recognize. Once through the fields, he walked you up to the door that read ‘ D.S.U. Delta Science Unit.’ He swiped his keycard, and the door clicked open. You walked through the open door and gasped.
While there was still the large metal wall surronding the settlement, it was unlike any other part of the bases. The ground was kept natural, dirt paths winding though the settlement, surronded by different types of grass and moss, with roots intertwining and spreading throughout the area. Native trees filled the space seemingly randomly, which let you know they were there naturally, and hadn’t been bulldozed and replaced. The buildings, though human in design, were made of wood, and you could almost guarantee it was wood from the native trees. One large structure filled the space directly in front of you, and many smaller buildings were scattered throughout the settlement.
“In front of us is the lab. Inside is mostly human, as it allows us to continue our studies. The other buildings are a mess hall and our sleeping quarters. They are mostly more natural, designed to blend in with Pandora. You will have your own cottage in the back. For now, let's get into the lab and introduce you to the team.” Dr. Ryker led you into the lab, where you were greeted by about a dozen or so scientists. They each took turns introducing themselves, and you introduced yourself in turn.
“I am so glad you survived the procedure. Your avatar is incredibly interesting, and I would have hated to see it go to waste.” The blonde scientist, Shelby, said.
“Yes Shelby, because you are only happy she didn’t die to sate your curiousity.” Dr. Ryker responded, annoyance in his voice.
“You know what I meant, Nick. It’s not that I am not also happy she didn’t die in general, but we all sign the same contract. We knew what we were signing up for.” The blonde responded, an air of arrogance in her voice.
“I wasn’t told about any procedure that would mean I couldn’t go home.” You stated. The blonde rolled her eyes.
“Maybe you should learn to read what-“ Shelby began, but was cut of by Dr. Ryker.
“Not everyone agreed to this, Shelby. You know this. Only the first were told about it. The rest of us had it hidden in the contract. So knock it off or you will find yourself on latriene duty with the military grunts.” Dr. Ryker said, his voice full of anger. Shelby scoffed before turning and walking away.
“Sorry about that. Shelby forgets not everyone agreed to this. She sees it as a blessing and hates anyone that doesn’t agree with that.” Dr. Ryker explained.
“It’s okay, Dr. I don’t see why you are the one apologizing.” You said.
“It’s Nick, Please. Titles here seem pointless after a while. I hope you don’t mind us using your first name as well.” Nick said. You nodded.
“I don’t mind at all.” You said with a small smile.
“If you want, I can take you to see your Avatar now.” Nick suggested.
“Sure. Care to explain what makes it so different?” You ask as he starts leading you through the lab.
“The doctor in charge of making your Avatar messed up, something he tried to hide at first. He put too much of your Human DNA in when making it. So it has some…. More human traits than the others.” He explained as he led you into a room that held a large tank. Inside was an Avatar that looked a great deal like you, almost scarily so.
“Unlike the normal Avatars, yours retained your exact hair color. The eye color matches as well. As you can see, the facial features are a bit more human than Na’vi. It also gained your….. more womanly figure is the polite way I can put it.” His words were true. The avatar had your hair color. It’s eyes were closed so you couldn’t see them, but you would take his word for it. Most female Na’vi were thin and long, but your Avatar had more shape, with larger breasts, hips and buttocks. The rest of the body was also more curvy than a standard Na’vi.
“Your Avatar is also smaller than most. While yes, it is definitely larger than us, it stands about a foot shorter than most other Avatars and Na’vi. And while still blue, it’s skin tone is similar to yours in shade versus that standard Na’vi blue.” Everything he spoke was true. Your Avatar was certainly different from any you had seen. And while it had some similar features and all the right markings, you would stick out like a sore thumb among the Na’Vi.