Chapter 4

Four weeks later

Cortana sat on the counter, looking at the fully grown body in the tank. She was so glad that she had a small trace of DNA within her. She was also able to speed up the growing process. Though in order to do both she had required a small trace of Lellas blood. Now the half human, half Na'Vi body was ready for her to transfer herself into it. John walked into the room.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She stood.

"Of course. I'm already this far. And I've went to all the trouble of placing the slot in the back of her neck just for me." He looked at her, his helmet covering his face. He looked to the body and she followed his gaze. It looked almost exactly like her. The hair was the color of her holographic avatar but the skin and figure followed along the Na'Vi curves. The only thing human about her was the height and functions. She did still have the tsaheylu though. She noticed that she would be almost as tall as John. At that she smiled.

"I'm ready." She drained the tank and then used a mechanical system to move the slab of metal so that the body was now outside of the tank. John held out his hand containing the chip and she placed her hand upon it. She vanished and John walked to the figure and leaned her up, plugging Cortana into the base of it's neck. He glanced towards the door and walked off, returning with a set of clothes that Lella had provided the day before.

He made sure to keep his eyes diverted as Cortana grabbed the clothes and put them on. "You can turn towards me now." He did as told and smiled slightly under his visor. "How do I look?"

"Not bad." She looked better as a half Na'Vi than she had as a human A.I. She took a step forwards and fell. John moved quickly and caught her.

"Still learning the basic movement. I'll be fine in a moment. She stood again and hit John with her tail. She laughed as he jumped slightly, looking at the tail. She flicked it and smiled before walking forwards a few steps.

"Okay. So you can walk pretty good. But how about running?" She looked at him and smiled.

"You're on." They both began to run through the corridors and towards the door, Cortana easily keeping pace with John. He breaths were steady and she stopped as she stepped into the sunlight, feeling it's warmth against her skin. She felt the grass and took a deep breath of the sweet air. John turned to her and was watching her reactions.

Lella and the Arbiter each came up on a Pa'li, two extras following them. John shook his head and Cortana walked to one of them petting it's side. She threw herself up onto it's back and grabbed her braid, connecting it with the antenae of the horse. The Pa'li reacted with suprise but Cortana quickly soothed him. She slowly urged the horse forwards and noticed the one that seemed a bit stronger than the others. John carefully leapt up onto it's back and turned it towards the path they had gone on the first day.

"Coming Cortana?" She smiled and followed him as he took off down the path. Lella and Arbiter took off after them. They reached the home tree before the sun went down and allowed the Pa'li to go back to their grazing area.

"Welcome back Spartan." John looked up at the clan leader and touched the top of his visor.

"Oie Ngati Kameie." The clan leader returned the gesture and turned to Cortana, who also touched her forhead and spoke the words.

"So you are, Cortana? Was it?" She nodded. "You look more like a Na'Vi than a human." She smiled and John walked up to her, his helmet now in his hand.

"She looks amazing in my opinion." Cortana blushed at this. She looked at him and looked at his pale skin and short hair.

"Thanks John." She smiled and turned to see Lella walking towards her. A bow slung over her shoulder. She had one in her hand that looked slightly smaller and with two arrows tied onto the front of it. "Oie Ngati Kameie."

Lella returned the greeting and handed Cortana the bow. "I have been asked to teach you and your two friends the ways of the Omitacya." Cortana turned to look at John but saw that he had vanished. She turned back and looked around.

After a couple of hours John walked back out without his armor. His weapons all replaced by a bow like Cortanas. The Arbiter followed him, also carrying a bow.

"This is going to be interesting." John examined the bow in hand. "So when do we begin?"

"Come with me." She walked out and grabbed a nearby Pa'li. Cortana followed and threw herself up onto the one she had before. John and the Arbiter followed. They set off and Cortana ran as quick as the Pa'li would go. She passed Lella and sat straight on the steed. She reached back and grabbed her bow, steadying herself and raising her bow. Suddenly the Pa'li stopped and Cortana was thrown forwards.

She hit a tree and fell to the gtound, listening as her Pa'li took off. She tried to stand but winced as she felt her side. She felt some broken ribs. At least two of them were broken and three were cracked. She saw a shadow in front of her just before everything went black.


The Palulukan stood over the small Na'Vi. Her scent was different from the rest. But she was hurt and seemed very young. She carefully pulled the girl onto her back and stood, heading back to her cave. She watched as the sun went down and heard the Nantangs laughter. She ran quicker and saw the entrance to her den.

The Nantang began to draw closer as she neared the caverns. One of them leapt at her and she lashed out, growling and snarling. She sped up and soon made it to the doorway. She slipped through and stopped to catch her breath. The Na'Vi rolled off of her back and groaned. She layed down and curled around her, listening for the Nantang.


John was pacing outside of the home tree, waiting for any word from the search party. A group of Ikran landed in front of him and the hunters climbed off, shaking their heads.

"I am sorry sanseyu. But we could not find her." He slammed his fist into the side of the tree.

"Dammit!" He looked away and heard someone walk up behind him. He turned to see the Arbiter.

"I am so sorry Spartan." John shook his head.

"It's not your fault." He looked around and grabbed the Pa'li he'd had before. "I'm going to go look for her." He took off despite the dark, gun in hand.

"Where is he going Thel?" The Arbiter turned to Lella.

"He's gone to look for her." She shook her head and stepped up beside him.

"I hope his search is successful." She lowered her head and looked away. "One does not deserve to lose the one they love."

"Is that why you are often found in a secluded area away from everyone else?" She nodded. "If I may. What happened?"

"One of our own turned against us. She tried to kill me but he took the arrow instead." A tear rolled down her cheek and she looked up. "I can only hope that Eywa has him with her."

He walked to her and looked at her. "I also know how it feels to lose someone." She looked up at him.

"You have?" He nodded.

"The Sangheili were once part of a race known as the Covenant. They were comprised of many different species. But the Hierarchs turned against the Sangheili. And we were slaughtered. Less than half of us made it out of High Charity."

"That is horrible. But now you are seperated from the remainder of your kind?" He nodded. "I hope you will be reunited agan soon."

"Thank you." He bowed his head.

"Soon I hope I shall be." He sat in the grass outside of the doorway and Lella turned to walk off. "Wait." She turned back.

"Yes?"

"Care to join me?" He gestured to a spot of grass beside him. She smiled and walked over to sit beside him.

"Thanks." He glanced to her.

"For what?"

"For being so kind to me. Whereas everyone else shows me pity." He shook his head.

"You have been kind to me. I am returning the favor." She smiled and noticed the mark mostly hidden by his armor.

"What is this?" He carefully removed the chest plate and she fully looked at the mark.

"It was where I was branded a heretic." He placed a hand over the mark and Lella looked up at him. "Where I was shamed." He lowered his head.

"Was this when you were with the Covenant?" He nodded. "Then it should mean nothing now."

"No. It means I was blind when it came to the prophets lies. I beleived them." She moved his hand away and traced the mark with her hand.

"But when we make mistakes they show us a brighter path to the future." He looked up at her. "And the brighter the path, the better the future."

He smiled slightly and she returned it. "I guess you are right." She moved forwards a bit but a voice pulled her away.

"Lella?! Where are you?" She turned towards her fathers voice and stood, running off towards him. The Arbiter leaned against the bark of the tree and soon fell asleep, listening to the creatures within the forset. That was how Lella found him an hour later. Fast asleep with his head tilted to the side. She chuckled softly and sat beside him, resting her head against the tree and looking up at the stars. She looked back down to see the Arbiter following her gaze.

"These stars are so much different from our own. And we aren't travelling around a giant planet such as that one." He pointed up at the planet. "This is beautiful."

She nodded and looked up, closing her eyes and taking in a breath of night air. "I never got to thank you for helping me on the night that we were attacked by the Nantang. For that I owe you my thanks." He smiled.

"I didn't want to see anyone getting hurt." He hesitated for a moment. "Especially not one whom is so high ranking as you."

She shook her head. "I am simply the cheiftans daughter. Nothing more at the time. If my love were still alive then he would become cheiftan and I would become the next Tsahiek." She lowered her head and kept her eyes closed.

"So what are you to do now?" She shrugged.

"I guess I just wait to see if a man will ask me to be his mate." She looked up, small traces of tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"And if none do?" He watched her reactions.

"Then I do not know what I will do." She blinked and felt his hand under her chin, carefully lifting her head so that she looked into his amber eyes. He looked back into her green eyes and smiled slightly.

"You'll figure it out in due time. A friend of mine once said the stars withold our fate until they see it fit to show us the correct path." She smiled and laughed softly.

"We have a saying similar to that of yours. The one who judges the stars choice in fate shall have fate herself turn against him." The Arbiter nodded at this and stood. Lella stood with him and they both turned to the entrance of the home tree. "I must be getting to sleep. And you should as well. There is training in the morning."

"I don't think Sangheili need as much sleep as some other species need." She laughed lightly.

"Then our races have much in common." He smiled and then took a step forwards, moving closer to her. She turned her head and watched a small snake-like creature slither down the path. "Tell me one thing though." She looked up at him as he patiently awaited her answer. "Do you have...A mate waiting for your return?"

He looked shocked. Never had he expected that question! But soon sorrow filled his eyes. "No. Sadly I do not." This time she moved his head to where their eyes met. Her every movement invited him to wrap his arms around her and never let her go. 'No!' He yelled at himself. 'I cannot! But I wish for it to be so.' He threw the thoughs aside and she glanced down, a blush crawling across her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to cause you such sorrow." He smiled slightly and she looked up again.

"It is alright. You did not cause much sorrow. I was just thinking about my homeworld." He kept his eyes locked with hers. They both moved slightly towards one another as their eyes closed. She gently gave him a kiss on his mandable as he gave her the Sangheili equivalent of a kiss. It was a very gentle nip to her lower lip. As they both stepped back and smiled a low growl came from the tree entrance. Lella leapt back slightly and Arbiter carefully wrapped his arms around her.

Her father stood there a look of anger and confusion crossing his face. "What are you doing Lella?!" She looked down with her ears folded back and frowned slightly.

"I am sorry father." He sighed lightly and she looked up, shock in her face.

"No. It is I who should be sorry. I have not seen you this happy since the day that Rukoto died." She turned away at the name and burried her face in the Arbiters chest. Her father looked to the Sangheili and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You take care of her. Or else you will suffer the consequences."

"You have my word sir that nothing will happen to her." Lellas father smiled and walked back into the home tree. Lella looked up at the Arbiter and smiled again.

"Thank you Thel. For bringing happiness to me once again." He smiled and they both walking inside the home tree, awaiting the return of John.


John urged the Pa'li to run as fast as it could, a few tears rolling down his cheeks. He couldn't loose Cortana! Not after she finally became human! And he hadn't even gotten the chance to tell her how he felt.

His Pa'li stopped suddenly and he barely avoided being thrown off. He surveyed the area. 'This was where she went missing. I have to start here.' He leapt from the Pa'li and tethered it to a nearby tree. Looking down a slightly worn path he began to listen for any cries of help. None reached his ears.

He sighed and set off down the path, yelling out loud. "Cortana! Cortana where are you?!" He stumbled over a log and stood quickly. Rain had started to pour down and he looked around. Cover. He needed to find cover.

A large rock setting in the perfect spot provided enough cover for him. He leaned back and closed his eyes, waiting for the rain to stop. Every thought directed him towards finding Cortana. Not to far from where he sat, she was beginning to wake up.