Still Breathing

Chapter 4. Getting Older

"Next week, I hope I'm somewhere laughing." ~ Billie Eilish

Erica awoke to a bright blue light beaming on her face. She was in a small box strapped to the bottom of it and she started to panic. She couldn't remember where she was or what was happening but as she slowly ascended from her box, she remembered.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." It was Sierra. She was floating over top of Erica as she undid her straps. She had been in cryo sleep for the last six years, and since she was awake that meant... "Are we here?"

Sierra chuckled lightly as she grabbed Erica's wrist and helped her grab hold of the wall. "No, we just decided to wake you up early." Her voice was sarcastic and Erica couldn't help but laugh at the response. She followed the doctor who was leading her towards the lockers.

And there was hers, labeled E. Lambton. "Grab your stuff and then come with me. You've already got your first assignment." Erica nodded at Sierra as she opened her locker and pulled out a few pieces of clothing, some shoes, and a necklace she found in the box that her father got her for her as a parting gift before he left Earth (that her mother never let her have).

-

After Erica got changed into her new pair of clothes and was given a brief summary of her mission, she was brought to where her new commanding officer would be. 

"Do we have a mission yet?" She heard someone ask. Right on time, she thought to herself as she stood in the doorway of the room they were in. 

"Indeed we do." The man, no sorry, Avatar standing at the front spoke. And Erica could've sworn she'd seen his face somewhere before. "Our mission is to hunt down and kill the leader of the Na'vi insurgency."

Sierra patted Erica's back, motioning with her head for her to take a step inside the room. Erica sighed as she took a few more steps in, Sierra following shortly behind as the Avatar at the front continued talking.

"The one they call Toruk Makto, Jake Sully." Erica felt her eyes widen but she pushed her expression away as she tried to keep calm. Welp, guess she would be seeing her dear old dad sooner than later. Hopefully she wouldn't have to kill him, cause that would really suck.

All the other Avatars in the room started cheering and Erica couldn't help but roll her eyes. Yippie, more genocide. She suddenly felt a hand wrap around her wrist as she was dragged by Sierra towards the man at the front.

"Colonel." The Avatar turned to look at the Doctor and the girl and smiled.

"Doctor Chacon." He nodded his head at her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"This is Erica Lambton. She's been assigned to your crew." Sierra patted Erica's back while looking over at her. The Colonel looked at Erica with a raised eyebrow, probably because of how young she was compared to everyone else.

But none the less he greeted her with a smile and stuck his hand out to her. "Nice to meet you Miss Lambton, I'm Colonel Quaritch." 

And that's when she realized why he looked so familiar. She'd read a few articles about him and how he was connected to her father. He and her father had fought, but in the end he was killed. So how he was standing here in front of her was confusing as all hell.

After realizing that he'd been standing there, waiting for her to return the handshake, she shook her head and brought her hand to his. "Sorry. Nice to meet you, Sir."

"So, what type of experience do you have?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned into his hip, looking down at her. She rubbed the back of her neck anxiously as she avoided his gaze. She was scared that he would somehow find out she was Jake Sully's daughter if she kept looking at him.