Incarnation || Call of Duty/Avatar ||

Book One, Chapter I

{Soap}

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

If John were to describe Pandora with one word, it would be alive. The moment he stepped off the aircraft he was met with the buzz of life that Earth no longer possessed. It felt... right, somehow, to hear all these creatures and see the amount of greenery around him. It felt normal, like Earth should have had that, too. But he'd never seen any of it, not that John was much of a nature man, but still.

John sighed, breathing in the air from his mask and pretending that he was free from it, from the hustle and bustle of life that he was given. Free from his duties as a Sergeant if only for a moment. Free from grief and heartache and pain and despair.

The moment was broken incredibly soon when Price shoved him in the back playfully, sending him scattering down the ramp. John turned and glared at the Captain, but the man only laughed, his eyes crinkling. Alejandro appeared behind him, shouldering his duffle bag and looking in awe at the world that surrounded them.

Pandora was a small moon that orbited Polyphemus, inhabited by the Na'vi whom John hadn't heard all too much about. He knew he'd been assigned an Avatar, but that was about it. He knew Pandora's indigenous people were much larger than Humans, which was... fine. Honestly. It was.

John was just... not that tall, and now he'd be even shorter compared to the Na'vi. He hoped his Avatar was a little taller or the same height as Alejandro or even Price. John would take either, really. As long as he was taller he would be absolutely fine.

"Come on," Price said, motioning them forward. "Laswell's waiting for us."

John rolled his eyes and followed Price. The Captain had gotten a virtual tour of the facility when they were in Cryosleep and John was grateful he knew the way. That way he could stare at everything around him while trailing behind his superior and not think about getting lost at Hell's Gate. The hustle and bustle would surely make him lose his way and his attention span wasn't all that great to begin with.

"Ye ken Laswell?" John asked after they entered one of the buildings.

Price nodded, "Yeah, we used to go to the same school. Met up again in the military."

"Sounds like fun," John said, but he didn't really care.

Price led them further into the building. John couldn't stop his head from swiveling every which way. He was too curious for his own good. Alejandro was doing about the same, eyes wide with curiosity. There were all sorts of rooms with scientists and people in big metallic suits. John had no idea what any of them were doing. Those things were far too sophisticated for him. He was but a simple Scotsman.

Eventually, they came into a large room with scientists running around. Buttons gleamed everywhere and lights blinked. Windows showed the outside world of Pandora in all its glory. In the middle of the room, at a console, stood a woman with short blonde hair and she grinned at them when they came in. Her arms spread wide as she made her way toward them.

"John!" she called excitedly.

For a moment, John thought she was talking about him, but then realized she was smiling at Price. Should've guessed, really. Laswell embraced Price tightly and smiled at him for a long moment, just taking him in for all he was. John and Alejandro patiently waited for them to catch up.