Ten years, I couldn't believe its already been ten years. It seems like only yesterday I was astride the mighty Toruk, leading thousands of Na'vi warriors into battle. Oh how my life had changed. Ten years ago, I was human, ten years ago I was ignorant, ten years ago I couldn't walk, or run, or fly. I'm infinitely proud of my children, Tom, the oldest, Tsu'tey, the second son, and Grace, our little girl. Neytiri and I, along with the whole Omaticaya clan, had helped the clans rebuild their homes as well as rebuilding ours. Since Tsu'tey's death there was no Olo'eyktan, I was voted unanimously to take his place.
My life is fantastic, I couldn't ask for better I keep waiting to wake up in the uncomfortable bed in the VA hospital, looking at the starch white room, only to be told that I would never walk again. But my previous life seems like a vague dream, but I miss it all the same. Some parts of it at least.
My hunting party was tracking an angtsik herd east and we stumbled across something peculiar. It was like a grey scar on the lush green and blue landscape. It was the old Tawtute outpost, Hells Gate. Many were repulsed and shrunk away from the place, but Norm, who had completed Iknimaya shortly after my body transfer, joined me as we walked toward it.
I was in some trance-like state, moving, but not telling my body to do so. We reached the personnel entrance gate, I wonder if the old combination will work. I punch in the 4 digit combination, 5455, it spells "kill", how accurate. The gate clicked and the hinges whined as we pushed it open. We stepped inside the compound and walked across the overgrown avatar rec. yard. It was ruins, the buildings were crumbling, the concrete was cracked, and most of the rec. yard had already been reclaimed by the forest.
We reached the entrance to the control room, I once again punched in the code. The door slid open smoothly with a mechanical hiss. The atmosphere change was unpleasant, but we managed. It had been 10 minutes and neither of us had said a word. Our eyes were drawn to a large holographic head floating on the holo-table in the center of the room. The man looked familiar, and angry, Colonel Quaritch.
The image was blinking steadily, as though it had just been paused, but it hadn't been touched for years. I blew off the dust on the control panel and carefully pressed play with my large finger.
"Hello Corporal, I recorded this before the battle, I felt like I should leave something for you, a bit of a parting gift, so to speak. You're an outlaw on earth now, and I expect you're here because you've been outcast from you're little freak tribe. Glad you've finally stopped playing video games son".
Was this a joke? The Colonel thought my people would betray me? I almost vowed for vengeance on him right then and there, until I remembered that my mate had killed him more than a decade ago.
He knew he wasn't coming back when he went to attack Avitraya Ramunong, he knew he made it personal the second he saw me on the bulldozer camera. And that I was coming for him personally. The message continued.
"You should know that your little escapades cost the company a mint to pay off, you've betrayed everyone who would have ever taken you in. and it looks like you've screwed yourself son. Before I go I think you should know something about your brother.
I wanted a marine in an avatar body, and I worked extra hard to make sure I got one. There was no mugger son. There's a pistol with one shot on that desk there, you know what to do with it," and sure enough there was a wasp pistol with a dim glowing 1 on it, "It's your only choice. Say hi to Dr. Augustine for me, Goodbye Corporal". And with that, the Image flickered off.
"Wow," I heard from behind me, "did he really…" Norm trailed off, his mouth was hanging open in a dumbstruck expression.
"Yeah, why do you think I was so eager to kill him?" I spoke in English that hadn't been used for years.
"I don't know, I thought it was just because he was just an asshole".
"He was much more than that. You were there when he killed Grace, and I knew he had something to do with Tommy. Seeing his last breath was one of the most relieving moments of my life".
"What is it my Jake?" Neytiri asked, making her presence known.
"The Tawtute in the metal suit you killed"
"yes, I recognize his disgusting face, but what does he want you to do with that machine?"
"He thinks the Omaticaya have betrayed me"
"But your people love you,"
"He wants me to kill myself" I plowed on
"Why would you do that?"
"He thinks I have nothing left to live for" still lost in my own rant.
"Please do not"
Finally, realizing what she thought I would do I answered her.
"I would not think of it," which calmed her down.
"kiyevame nìwotx krr, Colonel Quaritch" I said with disgust
("kiyevame niwotx krr" roughly translated means "goodbye forever")