Chapter 2

John sat up and nearly jumped. he was laying in a rather large hammock high above the ground. He studied his surroundings. From where he sat he would guess they were in a giant tree. He saw a few humanoid creatures sleeping in the hammocks beside him. Their attire matched those the Mayans wore hundreds of years ago.

They had eyes, ears and tails like a cats. On each hand there were only four fingers. One of them yawned and her saw dual sets of sharp fangs. It opened it's eyes and sat up, watching him. He looked around, realizing that his helmet was missing.

"Where am I?" He stood and nearly fell from the bed. The one that had been laying moved with suprising speed and agility, catching him and hauling him up onto a nearby branch.

"I hope the balance of sky people is much better on solid ground."

"Yeah. It usually is." As he stood he noticed the lower gravity.

"You are most unusual. Are all sky people like you?"

"No. They're not." He looked around again. "Did you find the other one who was with me?"

"If you mean the blue one then yes." A thought crossed Johns mind. 'Why is the Arbiter in blue armor? I thought it was for the lower ranks.'

"And my helmet?"

"It is with Lella."

"Lella?" John sat for a moment. The creature sat up.

"She is the daughter of the leader."

"Can you show me where they are?" The creature nodded and stood. He had a long braid on his back. As did many of the other creatures. He stood at a height of ten foot at the least. John followed in silence, feeling very short in their presence. As they passed through a dark corridor he saw small dots covering the body of the creature. They seemed to glow.

"What are you?"

"We are called Omaticaya. Or Na'Vi."

"Nice."

"What are you?"

"The humans call me a Spartan. I'm a super-soldier of sorts."

"A super warrior?"

"Yeah. You could say that. But my name is Master Chief."

"Demon." John looked up.

"Or as the Elites call me, Demon." The Arbiter walked up with Cheifs helmet in hand. He was dressed in his usual attire.

"Here you are. Maybe now your construct will stop worrying."

"I was not worried!" Cortana appeared on the top of the helmet and the Na'Vi freaked out.

"Relax. She can't hurt you." John passed his hand through her figure. She glared at him and sent a pulse as he did that shut down his armor. "Very funny Cortana." She laughed and her figure flickered. As soon as John regained mobility he brought the helmet closer.

"What's wrong Cortana?"

"It's nothing important." She glanced away, flickering again.

"Tell me." She looked up at him. She thought she saw a minute trace of concern and continued on.

"It's the flux vortex that's messing with my electrical systems. If only I could find a way to block it."

"You'll work it out." She nodded.

"I sure hope so." Another Na'Vi walked in the room and everyone glanced up. He held an air of authority around him. Lella stepped up to him and touched her brow right above her eyes.

"Oie Ngati Kameie." He bowed his head and repeated the words.

"Sky people? I thought they had left long ago. And what is this?" He glanced towards the Arbiter.

"His name is Arbiter I believe. He says he is part of a race called Elites." Lella said.

"Actually if I may." Arbiter stepped up. "That is just a title. My name is Thel 'Vadam." He bowed his head.

"An unusual name. And you." He pointed at the Cheif. "What is your name?"

"Well. The other 'sky people' call me Master Cheif. The Elites call me Demon."

"And I am Cortana." The Na'Vi looked around.

"What was that?" John pulled the chip from his helmet.

"This is her. She's an A.I. Or Artificial Inteligence." Cortana appeared on the chip as she had done upon instalation 04-b.

"I am U.N.S.C. A.I. CTN-0452-9." She touched her hand to her brow. "Oie Ngati Kameie."

The Na'Vi clan leader repeated the greeting and nodded. "She learns quick then?"

"Quicker than any human can." She smiled before flickering and falling to her knees with her head in her hands.

"Cortana?" John brought her up to his eye level. She looked up at him, a feeling like pain flickering through her eyes.

"I'm alright. Just the after effects from the Gravemind and now the flux vortex." She stood and vanished again into the chip. John sighed softly and looked around, seeing Lella and noticing her hands. Unlike the other Na'Vi she had five fingers.

"If you don't mind me asking. Why are her hands different than the others?" The clan leader held up his hand, five fingers on his hand as well.

"Our grandmothers grandfather was the legeandary Dreamwalker. His soul was transferred from his body into his Na'Vi body."

"What was his name?" Cortana again appeared on the chip, this time sitting cross-legged.

"Jake Sully." Cortana looked distant and then nodded her head.

"He was reported missing. Now I see why." She froze for a moment. "What's this?"

"What's wrong Cortana?"

"Do you know why the sky people came to Pandora?"

"They came to destroy our forests and dig up the dirt. All for silver rocks."

"Onubtanium." She looked to John.

"The near industructable metal?" She nodded. "This is where it came from? I can't imagine anyone destroying something just for money."

"At the time it was worth twenty million dollars a kilo." John let out a soft whistle.

"Okay. I could see someone doing it for that much. But wait. If there were humans here than that means there must be a base left here."

"I think I may have found one. Not sure. The flux vortex seem to wind around it."

"Then we go there. Can anyone help us get there?"

"Only one is brave enough to travel to the old sky peoples home. And that is Lella." Everyone turned towards her. She nodded.

"I will take you there." Cortana vanished and John placed her back into his helmet before replacing it on his head.

"First things first. How do we get there?" Another Na'Vi walked in leading horse like creatures with noses like anteaters.

"We will take the Pa'li." John looked to the giant horse and took a step forwards.

"Alright. When do we leave?"