Pandora – Book One
New Beginning
Chapter 9
When Norm sat up in his pod he noticed that Buck and Abby were just getting up from their pods. Stretching high he tried to loosen his muscles that had stiffened during the long and emotionally strenuous link. The first thought that hit him was Karen wasn't standing next to his pod, looking down at him, checking him for signs of stress or excess fatigue. Pushing the grief that tried to crawl up his throat viscously aside, he swung out of the pod onto his feet. He didn't even make it to the end of the aisle before Abby was wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her face against his chest. He knew that he was not the only one grieving over Karen's death. Everyone had liked Karen, especially the avatar drivers. As there was little else he could do, he just returned Abby's embrace and tried to offer her some measure of comfort, taking hers in return.
Buck simply placed his hand on his shoulder. Words were not necessary for the common tragedy that they shared. The understanding that flowed between them helped each acknowledge the pain they were both feeling. No sooner had the first sob escaped from Abby when she pushed herself away from him and swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.
"I'm not going to start this again," she said as she looked up at him, her eyes streaked with red. "I've already cried enough today. This isn't helping me or any of the rest of you."
"Sometimes it's all we can do," he said gently as he placed his hands on her shoulders and brushed a light kiss over her forehead. "If we don't let the grief out somehow, we'll shatter into a million little pieces."
"I'm not sure I can eat, but I know I have to try." Abby looked at Buck, who was anything but his usual outgoing self.
"Yeah, same here," he answered soberly.
Gary walked over with Zoe at his side. The shock of Karen's death was a heavy weight hanging over all of their heads.
"You three need to log some down time," Gary began, addressing the drivers. "Roger has setup a buffet so that we can eat whenever we feel the need. Last I checked, Rocky was in the cafeteria nursing a beer. A little alcohol might be just the thing to help some food go down."
"And getting shit-faced drunk might be a lot more satisfying," Buck added, channeling his anguish into anger. "Sadly that's not an option as we need to relieve Kyle and Judy at midnight. So some food and a single beer are going to have to suffice."
"Let's get going," Abby suggested. "Midnight will be here before we know it and I need some sleep as well as food."
"Norm, get some food too. Probably better grab a shower while you're at it," Gary said as Buck and Abby headed for the door.
"I guess I am a bit ripe," Norm answered. "Think I'll eat first. Although I may not be allowed to sit next to anyone."
"Buck, Abby, wait up," Norm called out as he hurried after them.
"How are you holding up?" Gary asked Zoe once the others had left the bio lab.
"Mostly I'm feeling kind of dazed, as if this isn't real. I know that Karen's dead, but it doesn't feel real just yet."
"I know what you mean. It's going to take time not to expect to see her standing here next to the pods, worrying over the drivers."
"I don't know how we are going to get along without her. As insensitive and selfish as that sounds, it's true."
"There are so few of us left that the loss of any one of us is a real hardship," Gary replied trying not to think about what this was going to do to their mental outlook and chances for long term survival.
"I can pick up some of what Karen used to do," Zoe volunteered. "Ron or Susan can teach me what I need to know to perform the basic tasks."
"We'll figure it out. For the time being we will have to share the driver monitoring duties as it looks like, as a group, one or more of them is going to be linked continuously for the next few days."
"Why don't you go and get something to eat," Zoe suggested. "You look like you could use some food. When you come back you can tell me about Ralu. She seems quite fascinating."
"She is all of that, plus a good deal more. Just what that 'more' entails remains to be seen. But I'd bet my last pay voucher it's going to be pretty damn significant."
[xxxxx]
When Norm, Buck and Abby entered the cafeteria they found Rocky sitting by the windows, a single bottle of beer in front of him. Filling plates with food they didn't have any appetite for, they walked over and sat down beside Rocky.
"Long damn day." Rocky greeted them with a salute of his beer bottle.
"Yeah, and it's not over yet," Buck added.
"How are you holding up?" Rocky asked looking at Norm, but the question applied to all of them.
"About as well as can be expected. It still sneaks up on me every chance it gets, but I'm dealing with it."
"How are Kyle and Judy?" Rocky asked, glancing at Abby, then at Buck.
"Hanging in there, just like the rest of us," Abby answered. "They are taking first shift to keep an eye on the pump. Buck and I will take over at midnight."
"Pump doing its job?"
"Yes, thankfully. The Omaticaya are very relieved to see the water level going down."
"Need to make a run out there in the morning with fuel for the pump." Rocky's clipped sentences showed that he was feeling the same pain as everyone else.
"I need to go back with you," Norm said, which caused everyone to look at him.
"I want to ask Mo'at if we can bury Karen's body somewhere near Grace's. One of the things she confided in me was that she did not want to be cremated. She was afraid that it would hurt. I'd like to spare her that if possible."
"I think that's a good idea," Abby added. "I doubt if Mo'at would object. You could check with Neytiri first. Get her take on it."
"Good point. I'll do that when I go see her, Jake and Ralu after I've eaten and cleaned up."
"I'm sure they'll appreciate it, the cleaning up part," Buck added teasingly.
"At first, I didn't think I would be able to eat anything," Norm began. "Now that I've started I don't want to quit. Damn, this is good cobbler."
"Yeah, same here," Buck added as he shoveled in another mouthful.
Much quicker than he thought possible, Norm found that he had cleaned his plate. "I'm going to grab a quick shower and head back to the lab. If you need me I'll be there or in the prep room."
"Say hi to Jake and Neytiri for us," Abby added as Norm headed to the kitchen with his food tray.
"Sorry to eat and run Rocky," Buck said as he got to his feet when Abby rose. "We have to get some sleep before we link up again."
"Not a problem. I expect someone else will be along shortly. If not, I'll see you in the morning."
Walking out of the cafeteria after dropping the food trays in the kitchen Abby turned to Buck.
"I'd like to ask you a favor. I'll understand if you say no."
"Okay. What do you want?"
"I want to sleep with you but not for sex. I don't want to be alone. I'm afraid I'll lose it if I'm by myself. I know it's a lot to ask."
"Jesus, Abby, I'm not that big a moron. It's not a lot to ask. I don't feel much like being by myself either, if you want the truth. Grab a shower and meet me back at my room when you're ready."
"Thanks for understanding Buck. See you in about twenty minutes."
"Twenty minutes, I'll be ready. By the way, it means a lot that you trust me enough to want to sleep with me, without the sex."
"Buck, I could climb into bed bare-ass naked and you wouldn't touch me if I didn't want you to. That's just the way you're built."
"I'd just as soon you didn't try that trick tonight, if you don't mind."
"I'll save the bare-ass naked trick for another night. See you soon."
As Buck watched Abby hurry away he wasn't quite sure what to think about Abby's last statement. The look she had tossed at him when she said it spoke of a woman that saw him as something other than a big brother. Shaking his head, Buck hurried off to make sure he was showered by the time she got there. Besides he couldn't exactly remember what the state of his room was when he left it in the morning.
[xxxxx]
The instant Norm opened the door to his room he smelled Karen's scent. For several seconds he stood in the open doorway and just breathed slowly until the pain and panic subsided. Steeling his mind he entered the room and closed the door. He spotted her nightgown on the bed. It took all of his will power not to pick it up and just bury his face in it. If he did that he knew he would fall apart again. He had promised Ralu that he wouldn't do that. Peeling off his clothes he stepped into the shower, setting the water temperature as hot as he could stand.
Looking like a lobster ready to be served, Norm stepped out of the shower into a steam filled bathroom. Ruling out shaving—his hand wasn't steady enough—he quickly dressed in the bedroom. Knowing that at some point he would have to pick up her nightgown, he reached down and gathered it up. Folding it neatly he placed it in the drawer that held some of her other clothes she left in his room. The first night he spent alone in this room was going to be brutal. He wasn't sure he was up for it tonight. Killing the lights he left the room and headed for the bio lab.
Entering the lab he found Zoe at the main console talking with Kyle and Judy on the sat-comm-link. Standing behind her he listened in on the conversation.
"There is enough fuel to run the pump for sixteen hours," Kyle informed Zoe. "Everything is quiet here. Mo'at is making sure we are well cared for. She has assigned Tey'bar and Ell'a'u to watch over us. Seeing as they spend a lot of time watching each other I hope it stays quiet tonight. All of the clan members that have come to see what progress we have made have been very friendly. As most don't speak any English it's nice having Ell'a'u and Tey'bar around. With nothing else to do, we are making some progress with our Na'vi. I wish we had thought to bring a deck of cards. Have Rocky bring a couple, would you?"
"I'll pass that along to him as soon as I see him," Zoe answered.
"Does Neytiri still want to speak with her mother?" Judy asked.
"Yes she does. Can you find Mo'at and call back? I'll link you into the prep room console when you do."
"We can find her easily enough. When we first mentioned that Neytiri wanted to talk with her over the sat-link, Mo'at didn't look to happy about it. I got the impression she would rather pick up a viper wolf cub than the sat-link."
"Once she hears Neytiri's voice she might change her mind," Zoe replied. "It's worth a try."
"Right. Call you back in fifteen minutes, give or take."
"Where's Gary?" Norm asked after the com-link closed.
"He went up to get something to eat. I expect him back in half an hour."
"I will be in the prep room if anyone is looking for me. Let Jake know I'll be coming in shortly, would you please?"
"Will do," Zoe answered.
"By the way, what happened to the human clone? I didn't see it in the prep room." Norm asked when he suddenly remembered its absence.
"Max had Ron and Susan move it to the auxiliary staging area while we were waiting for you to arrive. He didn't want it in the room while they were performing surgery on Jake. Just a precaution."
"Probably a wise move, in more ways than one. See you later."
Giving Zoe time to inform Jake that he was coming, Norm hunted up an exopack. Even though he knew it was silly, he had butterflies in his stomach over meeting Ralu for the first time in his human body. Sighing to himself that it was a day of firsts he entered the airlock.
Stepping out of the airlock Norm almost rammed straight into Ralu. It was a tossup as to which was more surprised. Even though Ralu looked the same to Norm, it was totally different from this lower perspective. The close likeness between Norm's human and avatar faces left no doubt in Ralu's mind as to who he was. For an awkward moment they just looked at each other. A wide grin burst across Ralu's face an instant before she pulled Norm into a tight hug. The first thing that registered in Norm's mind was that this was one strong little girl.
"You look just as I imagined you would," Ralu said as she released him and stepped back.
"You look a lot taller." Norm answered soberly. It was a bit of a shock to be face to face with her.
"Actually, I think we are the same height." Ralu passed her hand from the top of her head to the top of Norm's. "Close enough that it doesn't matter."
Taking Norm's hand in hers without even thinking about it, she directed him to where Jake and Neytiri were lying on separate gurneys, facing each other.
"Norm has returned, just as he said he would."
"I see that. How are you feeling?" Neytiri asked.
"Pretty good actually; now that I've had something to eat and a shower."
"Good to see you again," Jake added. "Too bad it couldn't be under better circumstances."
"Yeah, like you not having an arrow sticking out of your chest for starters."
"Believe me, I wish that as much as you do." Jake replied, deciding to leave it up to Norm to bring up Karen's death if he wanted to.
"Did Zoe tell you that Kyle and Judy are looking for your mother so that you can speak with her," Norm asked Neytiri.
"Yes she did. This will be a first for mother. I'm interested to see how she does."
"I haven't seen much your mother can't do," Norm added. "Once she hears your voice she will be just fine."
"I hope so," Neytiri replied.
"Max give you any indication when he thinks you can go home?" Norm asked, turning his attention back to Jake.
"Two or three days. That's what he said earlier this afternoon."
"You still won't be able to do much, but it will be better than just sitting around here."
"That's very true."
"Not much to look at, is it?" Norm asked Ralu as she was gazing around the room with its high ceiling and pale green walls.
"No. I liked the avatar hut much better."
"So do I," Norm added. "You will most likely only need to spend one night in here; two at the most."
"Neytiri, do you think your mother, or any of your people, would be upset if I asked to have Karen buried near where Grace is buried?"
"No, I can't see why anyone would object."
"Would it be better if you asked, or should I?"
"I'll ask mother. When would you like to do this?"
"When you go back, I'll go with you and take her body with me. If that's all right."
"That should work. Leave the arrangements to me. It is something I would like to do. For you, and for Karen."
"Thanks. I would appreciate that," Norm replied, a little of the weight lifting from his heart.
"How about a game of tic-tak-toe?" Norm asked, turning his attention back to Ralu.
"What is that?" Ralu asked, her interest instantly perked.
Pulling a PVC from its docking station Norm sat down across from the end of Jake's gurney, motioning for Ralu to sit facing him.
After selecting the game from a list of oldies-but-goodies, Norm set the PVC between them and proceeded to explain the rules.
[xxxxx]
When Gary walked into the cafeteria he found the place empty. Grabbing a tray he placed a few haphazard selections on it without really thinking about what he was selecting. Sitting next to the window so he could gaze out at Polyphemus hanging in the western sky he began to eat without tasting what he put in his mouth. Many, many times he had cursed his special gift over the course of his life, but today wasn't one of them. Having helped Norm when he needed it had left a satisfying feeling in his gut. Once he rid himself of the pain that he had absorbed.
When Max walked in alone, Gary caught his eye. After getting food for himself, Max sat down across from Him.
"What is Jake's prognosis?" Gary asked.
"Excellent. He should make a full recovery. Damage to his lung was minimal. He'll be sore as hell for a few days. As long as he takes it easy he should not have any problems."
"Hopefully things will stay uneventful for a while. Give the Omaticaya a little peace and quiet. They sure deserve it."
"Yes they do."
"Neytiri and Jake are going to want to talk with you about them having children," Gary said, after Max had finished eating. He didn't want him to choke.
"I'm not surprised," Max answered, which surprised Gary.
"Really!"
"I take it Jake told her that he is currently sterile."
"Actually, I told her, earlier this afternoon. She was talking about a conversation she had with Karen this morning where Karen mentioned that all humans of Pandora were sterile. Karen didn't tell her the same was true with the avatars. From my response, Neytiri guessed that there was something I was not telling her. I felt it best to tell her the truth. Layout all the reasons the avatars are rendered sterile."
"What was her response?" Max asked.
"She was trying to understand everything I was telling her. She didn't get everything, but she got the basics. What was interesting, and started the whole discussion in the first place, was that Ralu told her of a vision she had in which Neytiri had a child of her own."
"That's interesting. Was it just wishful thinking on Ralu's part or does she have precognitive abilities?"
"I know for a fact that she has empathic abilities, so I don't discount the she may have other abilities as well. The gift of sight may well be one of them. She is a very special girl."
"As I said, interesting," Max mused. "I have given some thought to what I would do if Jake asked me to remove his implant. Ideally, I would like to harvest some of Neytiri's eggs and try fertilizing them with Jake's sperm. That would tell us a lot about the potential outcome of any pregnancy that might result. I don't think Neytiri would be comfortable with that option. It's not conclusive that even if I could create a viable embryo in the lab, she could conceive. If she did manage to conceive I would like to see her regularly just to make sure the fetus is developing properly. Jake might be able to talk her into that. She seems reasonable where someone's welfare is concerned."
"I think she might agree to that. Anyway, I just wanted to give you a heads up."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
[xxxxx]
"Think you're pretty cagey, don't you?" Norm asked Ralu when she humiliated him with a quadruple jump of his last four pieces in their tenth game for supreme domination in Pandora's first planet-wide tournament of checkers.
"I rule!" Ralu burst out as she shoved her closed fist in the air to signal yet another victory over her puny human contestant.
"You must have cheated," Norm grumbled.
Norm should never have lowered his eyes. Ralu was on him, shoving him over backwards, straddling his chest before he even saw it coming. Laughing like a lunatic, she pinned his arms and looked down at the softest eyes she had ever looked into. Physically there wasn't a single similarity between his human eyes and those of his avatar. The expression she read in them however was identical, Pure Love. Very much like the love in Neytiri and Jake's eyes when they looked at her, but with something extra.
"I see you," she said quietly, her voice catching on the boundless feeling she had for him. She had lost her father, for whom she would always grieve. Now she had a new father, and another that was something very special in her young girl's heart.
"I see you, and I see me through your eyes." Norm placed one of his hands, which she had freed, gently on the side of her face. "If I get through this ordeal without my heart breaking it is going to be because of you. I haven't the words, Na'vi or English, to tell you what you mean to me. If you were my own daughter, I couldn't be more proud of you, of who and what you are."
When her throat closed, making any answer impossible, Ralu lowered herself to lie beside Norm and rested her head on his chest. Listening to sound of his human heart she let his scent fill her, stored it away as a memory she would always be able to bring back.
"It's getting late," Norm began, knowing it was time to try and get some sleep, but fully realizing he probably wouldn't. "I need to go to bed if I'm going to be any kind of match on the basketball court tomorrow."
"I don't want you to go." If force would have worked she would have simply sat on him until he agreed to stay the whole night.
"I know, but I do need the sleep. I'll be alright." Norm began, sounding quite pitiful. "If I start feeling too sad, I'll think of you trying to sleep on that hard old gurney while I snuggle into my nice soft bed."
"Hey!"
Before Ralu could respond further, Norm rolled her over and began tickling her. Caught as off guard as Norm had been moments before, she shrieked with uncontrollable laughter.
"All right children. You're hurting my ears," Neytiri said as she stood over them, frowning at them.
Getting to his feet, Norm held out a hand and pulled Ralu to her feet when she placed her hand in his.
"I want to thank you again for getting permission to bury Karen with Grace. It means a lot to me. I know it's unnecessary, but I will thank your mother next time I see her."
"It is the least we can do," Neytiri answered.
"Jake, old man. Try and get some rest. Max will probably let you outside tomorrow if you look up to it."
"I'll be ready. Just make sure you are."
"Good night, sleep well. I'll see you all bright and early."
Giving Ralu one last hug, Norm hurried from the room before he changed his mind and just slept on the floor.
[xxxxx]
Entering the bio lab Norm found Gary and Zoe sitting at the master console. "Everything going okay?" he asked.
"Everything is under control, at least for the moment," Gary replied.
"Where is everyone?"
"Buck and Abby are sleeping. They should be here in about an hour. I think the rest are in the cafeteria or the game room." Zoe answered.
"I'm going to try and get some sleep," Norm began. "If I don't, I'm going to fall flat on my face."
"One of us will be here all night. Just call if you need anything," Gary added.
"Will do. See you in the morning."
Gary and Zoe watched as Norm walked away. "I hope he will be able to get some sleep," Zoe offered after Norm left the lab.
"I think he will. If for no other reason than sheer exhaustion," Gary added.
"I'm going to check on Kyle and Judy's pods," Zoe said as she got to her feet. "Susan should be here shortly to take the next shift."
"I've setup all of our rooms, and the cafeteria on quick-call, just in case whoever is on shift needs to get a hold of us. I'm not expecting any problems, but it pays to be prepared."
Fifteen minutes later, Susan and Max entered the lab.
"You are officially relieved," Susan told Gary when she came over to where he was sitting. "Anything I need to know?"
"Nope. All's quiet. Zoe logged the pod readings for Kyle and Judy. Haven't heard a peep from Jake or Neytiri. Ron relieves you at two, right?"
"Right. If he doesn't show, I'll send Rocky after him. That will get his skinny ass moving."
"You're all heart Susan," Gary said mockingly.
"No, I'm not. Now you two get. Max is going to stay awhile, check on some research he's been looking into."
"All our rooms are on quick-call," Gary pointed out. "See you tomorrow."
Waiting for Zoe, Gary headed for the lab's inner airlock to the rest of the complex.
"Hungry?" Gary asked Zoe once they were through the airlock. She seemed nervous to him. Unable to remember when the last time she had eaten, he figured it was probably just low sugar.
"No, not especially. Gary, I don't want…I want to sleep with you."
Well so much for being nervous from low blood sugar Gary thought to himself. "That's handy, as I want to sleep with you too. Just to be clear, are we talking about sleeping or sex?"
"Sex first, then sleep," Zoe answered looking directly into his eyes. She had debated with herself off and on all afternoon and evening about just out and out asking him to have sex with her. Now that she had asked and he had welcomed the idea the tightness in her throat eased, a little.
"My I ask why you want to have sex with me?"
"A number of reasons I suppose," Zoe began as he took her hands in his. The intimacy of the gesture further settled her nerves. "Top of the list is that life can be very, very short. That in itself is not a good enough reason to just jump into bed with anyone. I have a great deal of respect for you. For the load that you carry in worrying about all of us. The past few days my feelings for you have grown quite a lot. Part of the reason may also have to do with not wanting to be alone. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I need you. I think you need me as well. We can support each other on a personal level as well as a working level. As I have never been in love before, I don't know if my feelings for you will grow to that or not. If they do that would be nice. If not, I still think we can provide comfort and support to each other."
"That's quite a speech, from someone who doesn't talk a great deal." He was moved by all that she had said to him, both with words and with her eyes. Placing his hands gently on the sides of her face he bent down to run his lips gently across hers. "The only thing left to ask is…your room or mine?"
[xxxxx]
A strange buzzing sound roused Abby from a deep, dreamless sleep. As she surfaced, she felt disoriented, out of place. Rolling onto her side she bumped into a solid wall. Reaching out with a fumbling hand she realized that the solid wall behind her was human. Instantly her memory focused on where she was and why. When the alarm continued to buzz she gave Buck a jab in the back with her elbow.
"Turn that cursed thing off," she mumbled. Her vocal chords were still sleeping.
"Yeah, yeah," Buck grumbled as he rolled away to the far side of the bed. The buzzing ended abruptly after several failed attempts to find the off button in the dark.
"What time is it?" Abby asked as she could not see the clock and had taken off her watch before getting into bed.
"Eleven fifteen."
"I slept like the dead. Didn't have a single dream that I can remember," Abby commented as she sat up and swung her feet over the side of the bed.
"I had a couple that I can vaguely remember. Nothing like those that wake you up terrified half to death."
"Give me five minutes and I'll be ready," Abby said when she stood up and stretched. Heading for the bathroom she picked up the clothes she planned to change into.
As soon as Abby closed the door Buck dropped out of bed onto the floor and did twenty-five quick push-ups. Rolling onto his back he added twenty five sit-ups. After getting up and flipping on the overhead light, he slipped on clean sweat pants and shirt, stepped into his sandals while he waited for Abby to finish dressing.
As promised, Abby exited the bathroom fully dressed in under five minutes. While Buck was in the bathroom Abby used the time to throw the bed covers back into order. He had given her exactly what she needed and wanted during their short sleep. Comfort and someone to chase away any bad dreams that might have come her way. She would have to give some serious thought about taking their relationship to the next level. Their paring as avatars was working very well. The four of them—when you included Judy and Kyle—made for a great team. Kyle and Judy didn't seem to be having any issues balancing their intimate relationship with their professional one. Food for thought.
"You didn't have to do that," Buck commented when he saw that Abby had made up the bed. "But thanks anyway."
"I could use something to eat," Abby said as soon as they stepped into the hallway and Buck closed his door.
"Me too. Roger usually leaves something around to eat."
Wanting to be in the link room ready to go by eleven-forty-five made for a quick trip to the cafeteria where the found some left over apple cobbler. Opting for only half a cup of coffee they ate quickly.
The large digital clock read 23:40 when they entered the bio lab to find Susan writing notes in the log journal.
"Right on time," Susan said as she looked up when Buck and Abby reached her station.
"Everything quiet at the Well of Souls?" Buck asked.
"Haven't heard a peep from Kyle or Judy in the past two hours."
"We'll link up right away," Abby began as she headed for her usual pod. "I'm sure they are tired. It's been a long day for them."
"We will check in at two," Buck informed Susan as he headed for his pod.
"Ron will be taking over then for the rest of the night. One of us will be here to take your call."
Susan followed Buck and Abby to their pods. When the lids closed she checked the progress of their links on the local monitors. Satisfied that everything was working as it should be she returned to the master console.
[xxxxxxxxxx]
"Welcome back," Judy said to Abby as her avatar activated a few seconds before Buck's.
By the time she stood, Buck was back in control of his avatar.
"Where's Kyle?" Buck asked when he got quickly to his feet.
"He's with Tey'bar. They're checking on the intake. Making sure it's out far enough."
"Any problems since we left?" Abby asked as she looked around at all the bioluminescent light being given off by almost everything around them.
"Quiet as a grave yard—sorry, bad choice of words—make that quite as a mouse at a cat show."
"Not sure that analogy's any better. Especially if we are the mice," Abby added, chuckling lightly.
"If the people who attacked earlier and got away are still around they haven't done anything. Ell'a'u seemed to think that with ZaeZae and several others of their group dead we wouldn't be having any more trouble from them. Good in theory."
"But time will tell," Buck added just before his attention was drawn to Kyle and Tey'bar walking towards them.
"Good to see you," Kyle said when he reached the spot where Abby and Buck were talking with Judy. "The pump was been chugging right along. Water level is down a solid four feet."
"Anyone complaining about the noise from the pump?" Abby asked as it was a very foreign sound for the Omaticaya's most sacred place.
"No one has complained to us," Judy answered. "They may have said something to Mo'at."
"Can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs," Buck added. "As long as the water level is going down I doubt anyone will complain too strenuously."
"The biggest drawback to the noise is that it makes it damn difficult to hear anything else," Kyle said as his gaze swept the area.
"Is anyone else with you?" Buck asked Tey'bar.
"I have posted several other hunters at various places. We are keeping watch over those that are sleeping."
"That's probably a good idea," Buck replied. "I doubt we will have to worry about anything for tonight. If those against us are still out there and plan to attack again they will likely need a few days to regroup and plan a different tactic."
"You and Kyle should go and get some sleep," Abby said to Judy. "Buck and I will take it from here."
"I sure could use some," Judy replied. "I'm sure my human body is going to demand food before it will even think about sleeping."
"There is some food in the cafeteria. Pickings are a bit slim."
"I'll probably take just about anything. I know Kyle will. Here's the sat-link," Judy added, handing it to Abby.
"Ready there big guy?" Judy asked Kyle.
"Ready and waiting," Kyle replied easily.
"Waiting my ass," Judy retorted.
"And such a lovely ass it is," Kyle added without cracking a smile.
"Come on lover-boy. It's time to hit the road, and the sheets."
[xxxxx]
"What are you smirking about," Abby asked Buck as they covered Judy and Kyle's avatars with a light waterproof cover. The avatars didn't need to be covered. The gesture was more for their driver's benefit. It just seemed more…human.
"I was wondering why Judy didn't lay down under him. That would seem to be their more natural position."
"Perhaps we should have rolled her on top of him," Abby suggested. "She seems to like being in charge."
"I don't know what it is with these two," Buck began, scratching his head as if that would help to find an answer. "Don't get me wrong, I think sex is great—even though I'm not actually having any—but these two seem determined to set some kind of planetary record."
"Most likely they both have an overabundance of hormones."
"Yeah, and those hormones flowed right through into their avatars."
"It certainly does appear that way." Abby added, shaking her head.
"Since their preoccupation with sex hasn't affected their ability to work with us as a team, it's none of our business how they spend their time off."
"Very good point. It's just hard not to comment on them from time to time. One of these days I'm going to work up the nerve to ask Judy what it's like when they join queues. Supposedly it's a level of intimacy far beyond what we humans can experience."
"I'm not sure if that wouldn't take some of the mystery and romance out of sex. If you felt everything your partner felt, knew every thought they had; that just might be like losing yourself, your individualism."
"You do have a point," Abby replied thoughtfully.
"Looks like Ell'a'u is awake," Buck said as he gestured to where she was standing beside Tey'bar.
"As it's going to be a long night, perhaps they will help us pass the time."
"Never hurts to ask," Buck added as he led the way up the incline towards their Na'vi hosts.
Norm woke precisely at 6:00 AM. His dreams had been troubled, but not nightmarish. Something he was very thankful for. Karen's scent was still noticeable. I didn't seem as strong as it had when he came back to his room last night. He was sure in time it would fade altogether—a thought that depressed him. Getting up, he showered to wash off the night sweat and then dressed quickly. Leaving the room he headed straight for the cafeteria and a cup of strong black coffee.
As usual, Roger had the coffee out, along with assorted breakfast rolls, dry cereals and juice. Today's flavor looked just a little disgusting for so early in the day. Opting for a granola substitute, Norm took his cereal, coffee and a roll over by the window to eat. It was still mostly dark, but the light reflected off Polyphemus made it easy to see the surrounding valley's walls. Putting his anguish and considerable anger over Karen's death aside he tried to concentrate on all the good times they had together. He wanted to remember those, cherish those memories. He knew that in the long run the only way to survive emotionally was to cherish all that was good about her. By the time he finished eating his heart felt a little lighter. Depositing his food tray in the kitchen he headed for the bio lab.
Ron was sitting at the master console, his head leaning against the back of the chair, when Norm walked into the lab. Going straight to the pods he checked on Buck and Abby's monitors. As they appeared completely normal he made his way over to the prep room's observation window and looked down. Jake and Neytiri appeared to be sleeping. At first he did not see Ralu. The gurney she was supposed to sleep on was empty. A jolt of panic rose in his throat until it dawned on him that his avatar hadn't sprouted an extra arm during the night. A closer look revealed that Ralu was sleeping between his avatar and the wall. Walking back to the console he shook Ron's shoulder to wake him.
"What!" Ron exclaimed as he jolted awake.
"I'm going in," Norm told him. He didn't add that he had checked Buck's and Abby's monitors. Ron could get defensive. For all he knew Ron might have dozed off just minutes before he entered the lab. No use starting a pissing match.
"You sure are up early," Ron commented as he rose to follow Norm to his usual pod.
"It's going to be another long day. Need to get an early start. Give me a call when Gary or Max comes in, would you?"
"Sure, no problem," Ron answered as the lid to Norm's pod began to close.
Closing his eyes Norm waited for the accustomed rush of linking with his avatar.
[xxxxx]
An instant after his mind joined with his avatar Norm felt Ralu stir beside him.
"You're back," she said as she sat up facing him.
"Yes I am. Did you sleep here all night?"
"Mostly. I tried using the bed on wheels. It was not to my liking. Very hard. So I slept here instead. I felt closer to you, so I slept easier. Did you have trouble sleeping?"
"Only a little bit. Actually, I slept much better than I thought I would. I told myself that I had to be brave because that is what you expected me to be."
"That is good. When can we get out of this place? I feel…squeezed in."
"Soon. After there is light enough to see."
"How much longer will that be?"
"Not very long."
"How—"
"Ralu, I am going to get you a watch and teach you how to tell time," he answered, his frustration getting the better of him. "That way I can say it will be one hour and you can look at your watch and know how much time is still left to wait."
"What is a watch?"
"I should have had that second cup of coffee," he muttered, shaking his head.
"Coffee; that is something that you drink, right?"
"Yes. Sometimes I drink it in large volumes as it helps me get through the day."
"I do not understand." The expression on Ralu's face showed clearly that she didn't have a clue what he was getting at.
"Sorry, I must not have gotten as much rest as I thought I had."
"You are sorry that I do not understand or sorry that you drink coffee?"
"You might as well get used to this," Jake said, his head propped up on his elbow. "It will take you a lifetime to get your point across. Almost every explanation leads to another question."
"Yes, I can see that. It's something that I know. Sorry Ralu. I will try to be more patient with you. A lot of the words I use don't have any real meaning for you. That makes it hard to say what I want to say. Like right now. As to your first question, we should be able to go outside in about the same amount of time as it took us to fly here yesterday."
"That I understand," Ralu added, shaking her head affirmatively.
"Good. That's one mystery solved."
"How are you feeling?" he asked Jake before Ralu could ask about mysteries.
"Pretty good actually. Stiff and sore, but that is to be expected."
"Good morning, Neytiri." he added when she sat up and looked over at him. The frown that came and went quickly did not escape his notice.
"Good morning to you," she repeated. Jake had taught her several of the customary human greeting rituals. She applied them as best she could remember.
When he sat up, Ralu jumped down to race over and scramble up on her mother's gurney, where she gave her a huge hug. All he could think of was how natural they looked together. The bond between them was very strong. A small pang of regret passed through him that he would never have that kind of a bond now that Karen was gone. Rising he went to look in the basket of food he and Ralu had picked yesterday for something to eat.
[xxxxx]
"How's my patient doing this morning?" Max asked Jake as he and Susan entered the prep room.
"I feel I hell of lot better that I did yesterday, when I arrived."
"Hard to feel much worse, and still be here today."
"Did you manage to get any sleep?" Max asked Neytiri as he removed the dressing over Jake's wound so he could get a good look at it.
"More than I thought I would," she answered as she shifted to get a better look at the rapidly healing hole in Jake's chest.
"The synthetic regenerative tissue seems to be working very well," Max said as he looked closely at the wound using his penlight. "You will have a scar, but it should fade over time until it's barely noticeable."
"I already have several of those. One more isn't going to be any big deal."
"Where is Ralu?" Max asked after he finished inspecting the wound and directed Susan to apply a fresh dressing.
"She and Norm are outside in the training area. She was starting to climb the walls, so we sent them out. They're supposed to be gathering food for breakfast."
"You two should go outside as well. The air and light exercise will do you both good. Just don't get too active. The external sutures are self-dissolving. They will fall out on their own in a few days. So don't worry about them when they do."
"What are the chances of returning to the Well of Souls today? I can take it easy there just as easily as I can here."
"I would like to keep you for one more day just to be sure, but I understand your need to get back. The sooner the Omaticaya see you up and about the better. This is a very difficult time for them. Not having the both of you with them only makes it more so."
"Is that a yes?" Jake asked looking directly at Max.
"It is on the condition that you take care of yourself. No more stepping in front of arrows. Neytiri, I'm counting on you to make sure he doesn't over exert himself."
"I will see to it that he gets the rest he needs. For the next few days while the water is being emptied from the Well of Souls there will not be much to do. There are more than enough hunters to gather food, see to the gathering of firewood. It will be a good time to talk among ourselves about the trees that we visited just before the storm."
"In that case Jake, I'm releasing you into the care of your mate. Besides, it will give me a good excuse to get out of this place for a while. I will come and see you in a couple of days. If the wound starts seeping blood or appears to be infected, call me at once."
"I will do that."
"While I have you both here I would like to talk to you about having children of your own. I know this is something that has come up. Neytiri, Gary filled me in on the conversation you had with him yesterday. He tried to give you the facts as best he knew them. If you have other questions or concerns I would be happy to answer them."
"I think I understood most of what he was telling me, or at least the bad things that could happen." Neytiri was grateful that she had already told Jake about her talk with Gary. She had seen the surprise on his face when she told him about it. But his surprise quickly passed and they had talked about all their options late into the night once Ralu had fallen asleep.
"Neytiri and I discussed what Gary told her," Jake began. "There is a lot to consider, a lot that could go wrong. Or maybe nothing will. According to what Gary said, we don't even know if it will be possible for Neytiri to get pregnant. Avatars and Na'vi could be incompatible."
"Yes, that is true. We have no historical data to go by. You two would be the first to attempt to conceive a child."
"Life is a gamble," Jake began. "The fact that I'm here, still alive, is living proof of that. I could just as easily be dead—or not wounded at all. We would like to try to have a child. Ralu's vision played into our decision as we both have faith in such things. She had that vision for a reason. We like to think that she had it to help us make the decision that we made, to take the chance of having a child of our own."
"You are both mature enough to understand the risks. As the RDA's rules no longer apply here, I don't have an issue with shutting off your sterility device. Before I do that I would like to do an ultrasound on Neytiri, if both of you agree. It's just a precaution."
"What is it you wish to do?" Neytiri asked hesitantly.
"An ultrasound is a way of seeing inside your body. There isn't any pain. No scars or anything like that. I want to check your ovaries and uterus just to make sure everything is normal. It will only take a couple of minutes."
"How will checking inside me help us have a child?"
"It won't help you conceive. What it will tell us is that you might have a difficult time conceiving or carrying the baby to full term. It is just a precaution. The choice is completely up to you."
"This you may do," Neytiri answered after looking at Jake for his confirmation.
"Just lie on your back," Max ordered after Susan had wheeled the ultrasound equipment between the two gurneys.
"She is going to spread a special gel on your stomach that will make the ultrasound images clearer. It will feel cool on your skin. If you turn your head towards the monitor I will describe the images you will see."
"I'll warm the gel in my hands before I spread it over your belly," Susan said as she stood next to Neytiri's gurney, while max stood between Jake and Neytiri.
"It feels a bit weird," Susan added when Neytiri's breath caught as she started to apply the gel.
As Susan slowly moved the sensor back and forth over Neytiri's belly the image of her internal organs began to form. The highly sophisticated image processor generated a three dimensional model that made it easy to see each of the organs individually or in relation to each other. Max could rotate the view to any angle and zoom in to see the tiniest detail.
"The data from your scan is being combined with the data we have stored on Na'vi anatomy," Max began. "This is your uterus, your womb. It is where the baby will grow until it is time to be born."
When Max glanced at Neytiri to see if she understood what he was telling her, he wasn't surprised to see that her eyes were a little larger than normal. They were intently focused on the image being displayed on the screen, a look of wonder on her face.
"It looks completely normal. Your ovaries, here and here, look normal as well. I will study the recorded images in more detail later, but I don't see anything that would make it difficult for you to conceive."
"That is good," Neytiri answered, a little disturbed by the images, but deeply fascinated by them at the same time.
"Yes it is. Jake, lie back and I will deactivate the sterility device. I can stop it from injecting the inhibitor into you blood stream without removing it by subjecting it to a focused magnetic field that will seal the injection port. It will only take a few seconds."
In less than a minute Jake was sitting up on the side of the gurney after Max had deactivated the device. When his eyes met Neytiri's he didn't know if there was any appropriate thing to say at a time like this. When his stomach growled loudly, the moment passed.
"Sounds like you could use some food," Max commented.
"Feels like I could too. Ready?" he asked Neytiri after Susan finished wiping the gel off of Neytiri's abdomen.
"Yes. It will be good to get outside."
"I'll let you know when Rocky will be ready to head out," Max said as Jake and Neytiri prepared to leave the room.
"Thanks again for everything, that includes the use of the pump," Jake replied.
"Don't mention it, and don't stop any more arrows either."
"Top of my list of things to avoid," Jake added just before he followed Neytiri into the airlock.
[xxxxx]
"Max, is there something you didn't tell them?" Susan asked after Jake and Neytiri left the airlock.
"No, well nothing specific."
"It's just that you are frowning, which means something is on your mind."
"The frown is from worry. I'm almost hopping that she won't be able to conceive. If she does and the fetus is defective it could kill her, or she could miscarry, or possibly the child would be stillborn. The possibilities of serious birth defects also factor in. I wish I had better data on Na'vi births. About the only fact that we know is that Na'vi females ovulate about four times a year for a span of ten years. It's one of the factors that help with population control. I speculate that ovulation doesn't begin again for a much longer time after birth compared to human females. A census of family demographics would be quite helpful."
"If we can earn the Na'vi's trust perhaps that is something they would share with us."
"Perhaps." Max responded absently as he was already thinking about how to process Neytiri's ultrasound data.
"I saw Gary and Zoe in the observation window," Susan began. "I'll let them know that Jake will be heading back today."
"Thanks, Susan."
Susan found Gary at the master console in the bio lab. Zoe was busy helping Abby out of her pod.
"Max has cleared Jake to return to his people today. Would you let Rocky know so he can pick them up?"
"I thought he might. Norm made arrangements with Mo'at to have Karen buried near Grace. Rocky is seeing to her body. I'll let him know that he will have four passengers."
"Thanks Gary. I see Abby and Buck have returned."
"Yes, Kyle and Judy relieved them about half an hour ago."
"Anything I can do?" Susan asked.
"Give Buck and Abby a quick checkup. It looks like all the drivers are going to be spending more time than usual linked up. I don't want their human bodies getting run down."
"On it. I'll let you know the results as soon as I'm finished."
[xxxxx]
"I know it's silly to feel different, but I do," Jake told Neytiri as soon as they stepped outside.
"I'm excited, and I'm scared. I have felt so many things in my heart since Gary told me about what could happen, or not happen if we try to have a child."
"It's a bit overwhelming. All we can do now is wait and see."
"We must do a little more than that," Neytiri replied, a wicked little grin crossing her face.
"Well of course, that goes without saying," Jake answered, a matching grin on his face. "How long would you be pregnant if we can make a baby?"
"For almost a full year."
"Damn, that's a long time."
"It will go by quickly enough. For several days before the baby is born it is difficult for a woman to move about. Bonding with banshees and direhorses is usually avoided after her belly gets to a certain size."
"I have a lot of questions, but they are going to have to wait," Jake told her as Ralu raced up to them and wrapped an arm around each of their waists.
"Come, we have picked plenty of food. Norm is waiting for us on the steps to the hut."
"Feeling better now that you are outside?" Neytiri asked as she smiled down at her new daughter.
"Yes, much better. I hope we can sleep out here in the hut tonight."
"Actually we will be sleeping with our people tonight. Max said that Jake has healed enough for us to leave."
"Really?" The grin that crossed Ralu's face was just what Jake needed.
"Really, really, really," he replied as he stooped down to give her a firm hug.
"Is Norm coming with us?" Ralu asked after Jake released her.
"Yes, I assume he is."
"I will go and see." Ralu raced off with Jake and Neytiri wanking at a leisurely pace behind her.
Norm was standing at the bottom of the steps when Jake and Neytiri arrived. He had been watching them walk towards him for a couple of minutes. Jake's movements were a little stiff, but he didn't seem to be in any real pain.
"Good to see you up and about," he said when they reached him.
"It's good to be alive, that much I can tell you." Jake added giving Norm's shoulder a firm squeeze.
"Ralu tells me that Max said you can return to the Well of Souls today."
"As long as he doesn't try to do too much," Neytiri added. "We are all going to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't."
"I'm starting to feel henpecked already."
"What does that mean?" Ralu asked.
"It means he feels that too many females are going to be telling him what he can and can't do," Norm interjected before Jake could answer.
"But it will be for his own good," Ralu added, looking slightly confused.
"That's what they always say," Jake quipped.
"You need to eat something. Rocky should be here in about fifteen minutes."
"Let's see what you've got," Jake said to Ralu, pointing to the basket sitting on the steps.
[xxxxx]
"Thanks for helping me," Rocky told Gary when they finished loading Karen's body into the cargo hold of the Samson. "I was going to ask Buck, but he looked pretty tuckered out after that last link. Can't blame him, it's been one hell of a twenty four hours."
"Not a problem. This will be hard on all of us. I hope Norm will get some measure of comfort from having her body buried next to Grace, and Jake's human body."
"I think he will. Of all the avatar drivers, Norm is the closest to the Na'vi. This will mean a lot to him."
"Since you are going to have to make several more daily runs to refuel the pump I think it would be best if two avatars flew with you on each trip. If something takes an interest in the Samson they might be able to scare it off with the door guns."
"I was thinking about that myself," Rocky added, as he rubbed his chin.
"Norm and Jake can pitch hit today," Gary began. "I'll have Kyle and Judy ride back with you. After that we'll work out a schedule. I don't think it's smart for you to fly alone."
"Be a relief to me."
"Call me when you have Jake and the others onboard and are ready to takeoff."
"Roger that. Thanks again."
Gary waited until the Samson's rotors were spinning before he headed to the Ops Center. It was easier to see what was going on from there than it was from the bio lab.
[xxxxx]
"Looks like our ride's here," Jake said as the Samson arrowed in for a landing.
Once the wash from the rotors eased off, Jake and Norm led Neytiri and Ralu to the Samson. As Jake neared the pilot side door, Rocky opened it and motioned Jake to come closer.
"Appreciate it if you and Norm would be ready to use the door guns if necessary," Rocky began. "Karen's body is stored in the cargo hold. Gary and I placed her in a body bag thinking that might make it easier for Norm."
"We'll keep a lookout for anything that looks like it wants to take a bite out of us," Jake answered. "Just as soon as were strapped in I'll let you know."
When Jake turned his attention back to Neytiri he found her strapping herself into the harness on the forward bulkhead. Ralu was strapped in next to her on the opposite side of the Samson. Norm was buckling in at the door gun station. Giving a quick glance around Jake climbed in and buckled up. Signaling Rocky that they were ready he leaned back and locked eyes with Neytiri.
[xxxxxxxxxx]
"We will be landing in five minutes." Rocky announced over the intercom. He knew the announcement was unnecessary as Jake and Neytiri would have known the area better than he did. He was quite sure they flew here regularly. It was ingrained in his routine to let those onboard know when they would be landing.
Neytiri had said very little during the flight, while Ralu chatted continuously at Norm. The roar of the rotors made normal conversation almost impossible without using the headgear. Jake wondered what Neytiri was thinking. He was pretty sure it had to do with having a child. He couldn't read what she was feeling on her face. The one thing he hoped was that she wouldn't constantly be obsessed with all the things that might go wrong. The last twenty-four hours had been rougher—mentally and physically—on her than it had been for him. If he had to take it easy, he hoped to convince her to do the same. That would give them an opportunity to continue the discussion they had begun late last night.
Jake saw Kyle and Judy standing next to the pump as Rocky hovered the Samson just before landing smoothly. As soon as Rocky cut power to the rotors, Kyle started dragging the refueling hose towards the Samson.
"How long will it take to refuel the pump?" Jake asked Kyle after he and Neytiri had jumped out.
"About an hour, maybe less."
"How much has the water level dropped?"
"Go see for yourself. Our original estimates of three days look to be on target."
"We'll do that," Jake answered as he looked up to see where Neytiri had gone.
Not far he noted when he saw that she and Norm were talking with Rocky by the door of the cargo hold. Ralu was standing between them, uncharacteristically quiet. He was quite sure she sensed the burden that Norm and Neytiri carried. Late in the night, she had confided in him the guilt she felt over Karen's death at the hands of some of their people. When he had told her about feeling that same guilt, but a hundred times stronger she knew that he understood her.
"I will send for someone to fetch a litter," Jake overheard her tell Norm when he walked over to where they were standing. "I'm sure mother has made the necessary arrangements. Once I've had a chance to talk with her I'll let you know what they are."
"Thank you Neytiri," Norm replied. When he unexpectedly pulled Neytiri against him and hugged her, she didn't resist.
After returning the embrace she placed her hand—in a gesture of comfort—on his shoulder. "I'll be back as quick as I can. Ralu, why don't you come with me?" she added turning her attention to her daughter.
Jake saw Ralu stiffen and expected her to argue. When she simply placed her hand in Neytiri's and walked off with her, he was mildly surprised.
"This means a lot to me," Norm told him for the third or fourth time after Rocky had returned to the cockpit. Figuring Norm was under a lot of stress, Jake didn't mention it.
"I know it does. It means a lot to Neytiri and me as well. I try not to think about the fact that my human body is buried somewhere nearby as well. It's just a bit on the weird side."
"I'm sure it must be. Jake…I'd like to ask you a favor."
"Sure, go ahead."
"If something happens to me, human or avatar, would try to see to it that I get buried next to Karen. Knowing that would give me some peace of mind."
"I'll make every effort to make sure that happens. But I'd just as soon not have to fulfill that promise for many, many years."
"Same here. I've told you before I was an only child. I always wanted a brother. I'd be honored if you would be my brother. It's how I think of you most of the time."
For several seconds Jake was rendered speechless by Norm's outpouring of his feelings for him. "You are my brother, in spirit, in every possible way. We both bled to help free the Na'vi from the RDA. I don't see how we could be anything but brothers to each other after what we have been through."
This time it was Norm who was speechless. "Thanks…brother."
"You're welcome, brother."
"If this didn't mean so much to me I'd think we were starting to get maudlin."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Let's go see what the water level looks like."
"Lead the way." Norm replied.
[xxxxx]
Neytiri found her mother seated with a group of elders in the gathering area. All conversation stopped when she and Ralu walked up to the group.
"Jake is going to live. His wound is healing very quickly. The Sky People used some medicine of their making that has made the healing quicker. He returned with us to finish healing here, among his people. Right now he is with the other Sky People to see what progress has been made in draining the Well of Souls."
"Are you hungry?" Mo'at asked.
"No, we ate before we left the Sky People's home."
"Let's walk," Mo'at said after she rose and excused herself from the others.
"How are our people dealing with all that has happened since the Sky People came to help us?" Neytiri asked as the three of them began walking back towards the Well of Souls.
"Most are very hopeful that the Mother Tree will be saved. Some are not so sure. If anyone is against accepting the Sky People's help they are keeping it to themselves. Everyone here is feeling great sorrow and shame for what happened to Jake and the sky woman. The attack was cowardly, not the way of our people. Those who escaped into the forest will never be allowed to return."
"Do we know how many attacked us?"
"Eight that were killed. Six others that escaped."
"Blind hatred poisons the heart so that the eye does not see."
"Exactly," Mo'at confirmed.
"We need to start building a new home as quickly as possible. Our people need to have work that will focus on the future, not the past."
"On that we are in complete agreement. The question is, where do we build our new home."
"If the Sky People agree, I would like to go back to the trees that we visited before the storm. I would like you to come with us. To see for yourself if they would make a good home for our people. As I told you before, Ralu sensed something bad happened there a long time ago. I would like to see if you can sense what she was feeling."
"The only way I can describe what I felt was that it left me feeling cold and uneasy," Ralu added when Mo'at looked at her. "A shiver that came and was quickly gone."
"There have been a few stories of terrible tragedies befalling some of the Na'vi tribes near the times of the first songs," Mo'at began. "Most are like the mist, impossible to see through. Meanings are very difficult understand."
"I have never heard such stories," Neytiri said, wondering why she had not.
"They are not for the young. Elders pass them on to other elders so that they are not lost to us. Even the oldest and wisest cannot agree on their true meaning."
"Do they apply to what Ralu felt?"
"It is impossible to know. I only mention them because they tell of sad times that happened long ago. There may be a connection, and there may not be. Such is the nature of these things."
"Will you go with us if I can get the Sky People to take us there today?" Neytiri asked, getting back to the main point of the conversation.
"Yes. We should decide quickly if this place is suitable as a new home for our people. If it is, we can prepare to move. If it is not, then we must keep searching for a suitable new home tree."
When they crested the ring around the Well of Souls, Neytiri's heart felt lighter than it had in many days. The water level had dropped to the point where most of the Mother Tree was above the water line. A few of her tendrils still touched the water here and there, but nothing like it had been the day before. She spotted Jake and Norm talking with Judy part way down the incline, near the water's edge.
"Oh, mother. I can hardly believe the change from yesterday." The sight was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Caught up in her emotions she didn't resist when Ralu let go of her hand and raced down the incline to stand between Jake and Norm.
"It is a wonderful sight," Mo'at confirmed. The sky woman named Judy told me they expect to have all the water removed in two more days."
"I hope that this will start to build trust between our people and the Sky People that remained here. Perhaps this is Eywa's way of bringing us together for some purpose."
"You may be right. We will have to wait and see." Mo'at replied. "I see that Ralu is still very much taken with Norm."
"Yes she is. I'm a little worried that she might be a little possessive of him. It could be from everything that has happened and there is nothing to worry about. Norm adores her. She makes him feel happy when she is around him. Something that he needs now. Have you decided on the place where we will bury Karen's body?"
"Yes, I found a suitable place not far from where Grace and Jake's human body are buried. It will allow her to be close to Eywa."
"That is good. I will tell Norm so that we can see to her as soon as he is ready."
"I will wait for you at the place where we buried Grace."
Surprising both of them, Neytiri gave her mother a quick hug. Something she rarely did anymore. Following Ralu's path down the incline she quickly informed Norm and Jake of the plans for burying Karen's body.
[xxxxx]
When the not so tiny procession arrived at the place where Karen's body was to be buried, Norm looked around at all of the people who had followed. The site of so many clan members who had come to be part of Karen's burial lightened some of the heaviness in his heart. He had walked behind the two litter bearers; Ralu's hand firmly held in own. Jake and Neytiri along with Kyle and Judy were directly behind him. He had expected a few of the Omatikaya to come, but nothing like the number that actually came.
The two men who were carrying Karen's body stopped when they reached where Mo'at was standing. Setting the stretcher on the ground they stepped back as Kyle and Judy came forward to place Karen's body in her grave. Earlier Kyle had told Norm that he and Judy had arranged with Mo'at to be the ones to handle her body once it reached the gravesite. When Neytiri and Jake moved up to stand beside him, Neytiri took his free hand in hers.
Mo'at nodded at Kyle and Judy, Judy removed Karen's body from the black bag and passed it to Kyle who was standing in the grave. Once Kyle finished arranging Karen on a bed of fresh flowers so that she looked like a peacefully sleeping child, he climbed out to stand beside Judy.
Several wood sprites floated silently into the grave to dance their way over Karen's body. When all but one rose out of the grave Mo'at began to speak.
"Here us great mother. Take this woman's spirit so that she will be one with you for all time. Even though she was not from here, one of yours, she was kind and loving. She felt our pain and did as much as she could to help us. She, like so many of us, has died before her life was full. I am told that she had a large heart, just as Grace had a large heart for our people. Care and nourish her spirit so that it will be with us always."
Norm could feel the tears running down his cheeks but didn't let go of either Ralu or Neytiri. He knew that contact was what was holding him together. When the Omatikaya began to sing, he felt Jakes hands on his shoulders. Cocooned by love and friendship he let the words of the song wash over him, through him as he thought of all the things Karen had meant to him, been to him. Images of her smiling, scowling, laughing, crying, they filled his mind in a jumbled collage. He knew they would be with him for all of his life, just as he knew they were burying a large part of his heart with her today.
When the song ended he let go of Ralu and Neytiri's hands and stepped closer. "I loved you more than you knew," he began; his voice soft but mostly steady. "Or maybe not, as you seemed to know everything I was thinking, everything I was feeling. I'm sorry I didn't tell you more often just how much I loved you, how much you meant to me. You were the best part of my life. I will never forget you, never stop loving you. Eywa will keep you and comfort you until we are together again."
Norm turned to address all who had come. "I want to thank each of you for being here," he began, in fluent Na'vi. "Grace taught me to love the forest, the life in it, and all the people on Pandora. When she died I was able to accept that she was with Eywa and not lost to me, to all that knew her. Knowing that Karen is with Eywa and that I may be allowed to join her when my life is over brings me peace. It will sustain me through all the days of my life. Thank you again for coming."
"Mother will see to it that the grave is properly closed," Neytiri told Norm as people began to leave.
"Try to remember how she lived, not how she died. Remember her spirit. That is what I try to do with my father."
"Does it work?"
"Not always, but it gets easier with time."
"Thanks Neytiri. I wouldn't have gotten through this without you and Jake, and Ralu. Everyone else who helped in one way or another."
"Try to remember that you are not alone. Both here among the Omatikaya, as well as the Sky People."
"I'll try to do that."
"I have asked if Rocky could fly us, and mother, back to the trees we were shown the day the ground shook. After Rocky talked with Gary it was agreed that he would take us there today. Once mother is ready we will leave. I think you should come with us."
"Yes, I would like to. The more I keep busy the easier it will be for me."
"Kyle and Judy are going with us," Jake added. "We should be ready to leave within the hour."
"I'll be ready. I would like to spend some time alone with Karen if you don't mind."
"Take what time you need," Neytiri replied.