An assistant helped Dotty to climb into the capsule. She sat on the cold metal and looked around the hibernation chamber of the Hermes. There were around twenty similar capsules arranged in a circle. In the centre there were screens projecting details of the ship's progress over the three years of its journey. There were also safety videos: don't enter a cryopod if you have eaten in the past 24hrs, No jewelry or implants of any kind. The passengers had stripped off beforehand and now all wore the same white uniform with an identification number printed on the arm and chest.
"Your friend didn't come to see you off?" asked Uncle Henry from the capsule beside her. Due to his sheer size, two assistants had to help him up the short stairs into his pod.
Dotty didn't reply. She was still furious and hadn't said a word to her aunt and uncle since they had come to find her at the house.
She flopped down face up and glared at the roof of the ship. The uneven surface of cables and gadgets was covered in nooks and crannies and blinking lights.
"Relax. It's all going to be fine." She heard Aunt Emma's voice from the capsule on her other side. "When we wake up, it'll be a fresh start."
"Stretch out your arms and legs," ordered the automatic voice of the assistant. "The capsule will close now."
"Safe travels, girl," said her uncle. He disobeyed the assistants that fussed around his capsule to raise a hand to her.
Dotty nodded, forcing down her feelings. She wanted to cry, but her father had taught her that wasn't acceptable behaviour. She wanted to stay on Earth. She didn't want to go anywhere.
A prick in her arm made her jump and she tried to sit up to inspect it, but the assistant pushed her back down.
"Relax. The injection is a part of the procedure. We are introducing a solution into your bloodstream. Keep breathing. I will close the capsule now. You will feel tired and in a few minutes you will be asleep. Don't fight against the urge to sleep."
"Don't fight?" she replied. "How do I stop fighting? I've been fighting every day since Mum died. I don't know how to do anything else." Although, she reflected as she said this, maybe that was what she needed to do. It would be best for her and for everyone around her if she could just accept things.
She closed her eyes and listened to all the other pods whispering closed. When she opened them again, she saw that she was surrounded by a white vapour, but surprisingly she could still breathe normally. She saw the assistant waving her off through the glass lid… and then nothing. The lights of the room dimmed almost to darkness and then a small screen sprang to light right in front of her eyes.
She recognised the man that appeared from the adverts around her campus, the billboards, and TV slots.
"Your greatest adventure is about to begin! Congratulations on becoming a citizen of Eidolon. You deserve it.
"The Hermes is just about to begin its interstellar run to the Novus system. Meanwhile, you'll be sleeping in comfort and security in your cryopod. It's basically time travel! When you next open your eyes, you'll see those twin suns with Eidolon basking in their glow. You'll have arrived at your new home."
The man in the video lay down in a capsule identical to her own.
"We wish you a pleasant journey. We're sure you'll love all the facilities that await you in paradise."
His capsule closed itself and, as his face was covered with white vapor, the screen switched off. Dotty felt a vibration rise through her body that was followed by the roar of the engines.
She shut her eyes tight and wished she could be back home.