Chapter 11 – Crossroads
A few months later
Caerus village was named for the ancient Greek personification of opportunity. Someone had thought of the name, though for his life, Ryan couldn't remember who it had been. With the village complete for the near term, only one task remained for the first batch of recruits. He knew the implications of it were grave, his human body would cease to function, his old life would cease to be. Like Earth, it would become a distant memory, a memory of a past existence sadly left behind. He would spend this final night in his human body, despite the annoyance of the exopack secured to his face and the embarrassing situation of allowing his mate to see him as such. Fortunately, she seemed to take it all in stride, seeking him out easily among the gathered humans.
As if they were still linked as one, Mo'rel sat next to him, silently watching the pre-transfer party taking place all around them. Firelight, music and dancing gave life to the nascent village, christening it with flair and grandeur. But the celebration paled in comparison to the wonder and love he felt for his mate. Even when in his human body, he could not help but appreciate her graceful beauty, the strength of mind and body that had attracted him in the first place. Still, the situation was awkward at best. It was she who finally broke the silence, speaking in that strange hybrid of English and Na'vi that had taken hold among the recruits.
"You do not join the others?" She inquired, her head tilting curiously.
"I will, later. Just thinking, is all." He answered.
"You think too much." She protested, regarding him curiously as she took in the sight of this different body.
"Yeah, probably true." He admitted, shifting about uncomfortably.
"Your people need their leader." She pointed out. "Tonight more than most. Tomorrow they will pass through the Eye of Eywa. They must be strong for this."
"Don't worry, babe," He began, watching her frown slightly at the human term of endearment. "I will go to them. But first, I must make peace with it myself."
"You do not wish to become one of us in body as well as mind?" She looked hurt, and Ryan knew he was treading on dangerous territory. She had forgiven him of his mistakes, yet she still remained wary, afraid he would leave her. It had taken a great deal of time to explain human mating customs to her, so foreign were they to a people like the Na'vi. Yet once she had understood them, she had mostly forgiven him. However that implanted a fear in her that perhaps Ryan still remained too attached to his old life, and that he would abandon her as many humans abandoned their mates.
"I want to. I never thought I would want to so much..." He reached for her hand, so much larger than his own, and squeezed it gently with reassurance. "Still, it's hard to say goodbye to the body I was born into, the life I once had, even if I no longer want it."
Mo'rel nodded at this. "I understand. Passing through the Eye of Eywa, it is no small thing." Her free hand traced the outside of his strangely foreign and yet familiar face.
"So there's a question I have for you." Nervousness crept up his spine as he worked to find the courage. "In uh... Sky People customs, mates live together with one another."
"It is the same for us." Mo'rel observed.
"Well... I must live here, among my people. There will be more to train, and Jake has done enough for us, we must start to do things on our own now." Ryan began.
"You wish to know if I would remain with the Omaticaya, or stay here with you, in this village." She replied, finishing his unspoken question.
"Yeah, exactly. Look, I want you with me, but I can't ask you to abandon your people either."
"I will stay here with you." She answered confidently. "I am Omaticaya, this will never change. Should I come to them, they will always know me as one of their People. But I am also of the Sky Clan now."
"We'll see them often, it's not like they are far away." He answered. Certainly, he was being selfish, and he knew it. But living without her near had become impossible. He needed her, it was beyond simple desire now. The link had told him that she felt the same, it was so amazing to know how your mate felt, it made things so much less complicated. He longed to return to that body now, to bond with her again. Ryan's heart was a jackhammer in his chest, a mass of raw emotion he could barely contain. Pandora had changed him so greatly, he never though he could experience such feeling.
"You are Olo'eytkan among your clan. This makes me Tsahik of the Sky Clan. I must help your people see Eywa, to hear her voice." She smiled. "Or did you not know this, either?"
"There's a lot I don't know." He admitted. "But as much as I like the Na'vi title, I'm just a Captain of a ship. I'm not really in charge here, I guess people just kind of look to me for orders out of habit."
"Cap'i'tan or Olo'eytkan, it doesn't matter. You led your people away from your dying world." She deliberately mispronounced his title, showing him just how similar the two positions really were.
"Yeah. I just wanted to fly ships though, never did want to lord over people like some tinpot dictator. I don't know the first thing about running a colony." He pointed out.
"Which is why I must stay here with you. Who else is to teach you and your people these things? After all, you sniff the ground like nantang, you will need a lot of help." She laughed at this, amused with her little joke.
Her beautiful golden eyes stared into his lovingly, despite the difference in form and body now. The purity of Na'vi emotions was truly overwhelming to him, they were a tough race, and yet so fragile in some ways. It was an innocence Ryan never wanted to harm again. Every time he linked with her, he felt the pureness of her spirit, the innocence of a race that barely even understood the concept of lying, of deliberately hiding yourself. The queues they possessed changed everything, the spots that indicated mood and thought told so much. God, the Na'vi would suck at poker, he thought, smiling. Yet soon he would be bound by the same rules, the same restrictions.
"I'm ready now, to join the others. I love you. I see you." He spoke both concepts, for he was pretty certain he loved her in both ways.
"You will dance with me?" She asked slyly.
"Tomorrow. This body bears many old wounds." As her smile morphed into an expression of sympathy, Ryan frowned. He could walk still, and stand on his own just fine, but it required assistance of a cane now. Yet even in the Fleet, he would have been kicked out were it not for the desperation of the war between Earth and Mars Colony. Having any kind of lameness was more or less a disqualification for space combat, where heavy g-forces could often be exerted. Yet experienced commanding officers were rare enough in Mars Fleet that they had allowed him to stay on for the last battle over Earth. The same problem prevented him from truly letting loose with his mate tonight, and the injury had only become worse with time.
"Tomorrow we will do much more than dance. Our people are few, we must help to grow their numbers." Mo'rel smiled teasingly. The way she said "our people" made him smile with anticipation. She took so much in stride, handling situations that might have driven a human rather insane. However, her implications caused his cheeks to redden and his eyes to turn away. Never, in his wildest dreams, had he ever considered such a thing before. Then again, as a sign of how much things had changed, here he was at such a massive party, and there wasn't even a bottle in his hand.
Sky People had always been a sort of contradiction for Neytiri, a strange duality of wonder and death. They had killed her father, destroyed her home and brought so much destruction upon her world. Yet they had brought her mate from across the stars, prepared this body for him that he might join her people. Humans had so much good in them and yet held the potential for such immense evils. It was an odd concept that threatened to drive her mad sometimes.
For now, the firelight flickered in the clearing of the village, Humans, Avatars and Omaticaya dancing, laughing and enjoying themselves. Sky People instruments produced hauntingly beautiful music, filling the spaces between their strange buildings. There were guitars and bongos, along with other devices she had never seen before. Even though the village was so new, already many Na'vi came from distant tribes to trade for the instruments. They struck a chord with her people, who had always held a special love for the beauty of sound. Already it helped to cover many of the gulfs between the two peoples.
Beside her, Jake stirred uncomfortably for a moment. Though he had trained these newcomers, they were not meant to live among the Omaticaya. Norm and Trudy had proven themselves worthy of her clan, but the rest would soon be responsible for looking out after themselves and their own tribe. It was obvious to her that Jake felt a measure of foreboding at this. As long as these avatars remained under his control, they could do no lasting harm. But cast out among their own, there was much mischief they could cause. They would not cause trouble out of malice, for Eywa would not allow such people to transfer, but rather, out of ignorance.
"You worry about them, that they will be true to our ways." Neytiri said simply.
"They don't have the benefit of experience." Jake answered, watching as the 'last night' party unfolded.
"They have us to guide them. Many have chosen mates." Neytiri pointed out. Ryan had been the first, albeit the most disastrous, but he certainly hadn't been the last. Of the original twenty-five, at least ten had chosen mates already. Of course, some of those choices had been among each other, but there were others who had chosen from among the Omaticaya. Jake frowned slightly at this, as it reduced the numbers of his own clan even as they tried to recover from the battles against the RDA. If this was a pattern, it was a disturbing one at best.
"There are less of us now." Jake spoke aloud.
"There will be one more soon." The bulge in Neytiri's belly spoke to that end. Their second child was due any day now. Her mate smiled at this, despite the difficulty of raising Grace. She knew how much he loved their daughter, Neytiri could feel it every time they bonded together.
"You're right. I can't be worrying about a few people leaving to join them. We have Norm and Trudy to welcome into our clan soon, too." Jake said.
"They will be great hunters. Trudy is a good flier. Norm is very wise." She replied. Truly, she was excited to have them join the Omaticaya. They deserved it, for all they had done to help the People, and the happiness it brought to them was undeniable. If truer, wiser Sky People existed, she had never met them.
"So, want to dance?" Jake smiled, taking her hand as they made their way together towards the bonfire. Even now, after so many years, it was obvious how much her mate enjoyed using his legs after living without their use in his human body. It was that appreciation for life that had originally attracted her, even the simplest things still amazed him, and she took great pleasure in sharing her world with him each day.
Humans in exopacks danced side-by-side with Avatars and Na'vi hunters, even some of the Plains People had joined them for this night. There was food, both for human and Na'vi, meat roasting over the fire and rations being passed around. Music was everywhere, laughing and dancing, even inside the off-site modules that had been airlifted nearby. Many of the humans had decided to leave the confines of Hell's Gate, and come live here, among the Sky Clan. It was obvious that a great deal of them were impatient for their own chance to join this world.
Jake stepped on her feet and she hissed distractedly. "You dance like a skxwang."
Her mate laughed at this. "Maybe. You're no ballerina yourself, though." He pointed out, dodging a human couple.
Circling around the flame, they passed Norm and Trudy, dancing in their human bodies for what was to be their last night as such. They would be enjoying sensations and feelings they would never experience quite the same way again. Neytiri couldn't imagine changing actual bodies like this and she admired their bravery for handling it so well. Norm glanced at her for a moment, smiling with anticipation and the love of his own mate. She nodded back at him as Jake twirled her around again and she nearly lost her balance.
Worry flooded her awareness in that moment, concern for all who would face the Eye of Eywa tomorrow. Such a thing was not meant to be taken lightly. Though she had never had to pass through herself, she knew the intensity of the event through her mate's thoughts. As if sensing the disturbance in her mind, or perhaps merely tiring, Jake held her hand and directed her away from the dancers.
"What is it, my Neytiri?"
"I am afraid, Jake. For them." She gestured towards Norm and Trudy, still laughing and enjoying themselves.
"You fear they may not pass through the Eye." He stated unnecessarily.
"Will Eywa know them as we do?" She asked.
"You're the Tsahik, how should I know?" He tried to lighten the mood, but it didn't work. "Look, passing through was hard. I'm not going to lie, it might have been the hardest thing I ever did. Eywa tests you, to ensure that you are loyal to this world, that you are loyal to yourself. You must be strong and true to yourself to pass through, she knows if you are false. I don't fear for Norm or Trudy, they are both strong people and smarter than I am. Even these other people, I don't fear for so much. If Ryan can survive Mo'rel, I'm sure he will do fine, so will the others."
The speech came suddenly, and it made him feel awkward. Jake wasn't really a man of many words, but sometimes it was important anyway. In this one thing, he held more knowledge of Eywa than his mate, Tsahik of the Omaticaya. He didn't want her to fear for those who would pass through the Eye, but truth be told, he was rather anxious about it himself. Part of him had never fully trusted these new recruits, yet if Eywa approved of them, he would have incontrovertible proof of their honesty. He would be forced to take them at their word.
"Tomorrow we face Eywa." Norm began, stroking Trudy's cheek in the relative privacy of the off-site module. Outside, the celebration was winding down, the echoes of music and conversation dwindling further with each passing moment.
"Yeah. I'm ready for her, let's just hope she can handle me." Trudy smiled slightly at her own joke.
"The real question is, do you really want this?" Norm asked.
"Besides taking off a good twenty-years... yeah. I mean I'm as sick of these damned exopacks, cramped quarters and nasty-ass rations as everyone else." Trudy pointed out.
"That's not what I mean. Eywa isn't just going to let you through because you want to remove a few wrinkles and ditch some bad grub. I mean do you really want to live among the Omaticaya, to give up all the creature comforts for hunting your own food, fetching your own water..." Norm asked pointedly.
"It's boring, sitting on your ass all day. At least out here, there's something to do. Besides, I like flying out here. So yeah, I want this. Maybe more than you do." Trudy explained, allowing herself to fall into his lap. It would be their last night together in their human bodies. She smiled knowingly at him, toying with her shirt, teasing him with the sight of her still-gorgeous body.
"You're as bad as any guy I've ever heard of." Norm laughed.
"Shuttup, Norm. You like it." And he did.
Sunlight as everywhere in the cloudless sky, reflecting off of the great floating mountains above the Tree of Souls. Everything Norm had come to love about Pandora was represented here, in this place. So much had happened here, so much happiness, so much sorrow. If the planet possessed a heart, it was here, and the Na'vi knew it. Many had come to help them make the transition, hundreds of Omaticaya were here to see him become one of The People in all ways.
Norm made many friends among them, and each had come to offer support. Jake stood next to Neytiri their gazes covered in concern and hope. As if in a dream, Norm lay next to his Avatar, feeling the tendrils of the world-spanning consciousness touching him within. There was nothing to compare it too. Others lay nearby, beyond those few was an entire line of waiting recruits, each to transfer one after another, each to face the Eye of Eywa, whatever that meant. He would be the first, the scientist had been waiting for this for most of his life.
"We are here to welcome our brothers and sisters, to the forms their souls desire, to become one with the People in flesh and soul." Neytiri announced, fulfilling her role as Tsahik.
"I know you can do it, Norm." Jake added.
"Mind if I say a word or two?" Ryan asked, approaching Jake respectfully, hands held out.
"Sure." Jake replied simply, making room for him to address his crewmen.
"You know I suck at speeches, so I'm keeping it short. We survived a lot of battles and traveled vast distances together, to reach this moment. Maybe we wouldn't be here if terrible things hadn't happened, but now that I'm here, I know this is where I want home to be. I know most of you feel the same. You're strong people, you had to be to make it this far and survive so much. We'll make it through this too, believe it and you'll be fine." The skipper gave his little speech and returned to his position in the line-up. Mo'rel watched him with a hint of pride.
Certainly most of that didn't apply to Norm, but it didn't matter. Everyone here believed in him, and he could not let them down. Chanting began to reach his ears, the rhythm a pulsating representation of life, of Eywa herself. Neytiri's voice was the loudest among them, her words echoing in is awareness with each pounding drumbeat. Blackness overcame his vision, his senses beginning to fade into the background. Norm felt himself floating away, drifting along the current like an aimless boat caught in the river's flow, bouncing about in the nothingness.
"Where am I?"
"Why the hell do all you people always ask that?" It was Grace Augustine's voice, Norm would recognize it anywhere. "Bad enough coming from Jake, but you should know better, Norm."
"Grace?" As if in reply, the cynical scientist suddenly appeared in his field of vision, clad in her white labcoat, her trademark cigarette caught between her fingers, smoke wafting lazily upward.
"Doctor Augustine to you, right now." Her voice was filled with amusement at his discomfort
"Does this mean I failed?" The thought of it was nauseating.
"It means you haven't succeeded yet. This isn't like copying a computer file, you know. It's a lot of work, and you people are asking me to do it many times." Her voice picked up a touch of annoyance.
"Are you Eywa or Grace?" As he asked, suddenly wondering just who was doing the transferring.
"Both." Came the simple reply. Grace flicked her cigarette away and it faded into the omnipresent blackness. "So why are you here, Norm? And don't tell me it's 'cause your jealous of that jarhead." The words might have been insulting, were it not for the endearing tone. Jake and Grace had never seen exactly eye-to-eye, yet they had become friends eventually, sharing that bond with the Na'vi.
"There's nothing else I could want. I studied for so many years to come here. In the back of my mind I always wondered what it was like, to live here among them. It's why I joined the program to begin with. You must know what it's like now, too, with Eywa." Norm answered.
"Dying at the foot of the Tree of Souls wasn't in my long-term planning... but I get the attraction." Grace replied. "Fortunately, Eywa kind of has a thing for you. You're transferring now, you know."
"Then why did you ask?" Norm wondered.
"It's been a long time, you know. When you wake up, remember me, okay? It's nice, being a part of this world, but I want to talk to my friends up there every once in awhile. You know where to find me." Grace answered wistfully. "I wish you and Trudy the best. Can't say I would have put money on your chances with her, but then I wouldn't have figured Jake would have picked up Neytiri either. Shows you how much I know."
"I'll come see you, I just never found you here." Norm protested innocently. "I mean, I kind of hoped you were around, but..."
"Don't worry about it. Eywa doesn't come with an instruction manual." Her tone grew darker for a moment before she continued.
"You take care of Jake, okay? He's going to need your help soon. There's some kind of trouble brewing out there in space, waiting for you. He needs your brain on his side, to make up for the one he's missing." Grace vanished, but her voice lingered for just a moment longer.
"Always figured I'd get a sample of the damned tree someday... never thought I'd become a part of it instead. Funny."
Norm's eyes opened gradually, his mind struggling to focus on the blurry world around him. Strong sensations of scent and sound came over him from everywhere, bombarding him. As strong as his senses had been linking to his avatar, they were stronger still now that he was a permanent part of it. As his eyes focused finally, he saw his blue-skinned hands and he marveled at them, smiling with excitement, ready to truly begin his life, the one he had always desired. Grace's words echoed in his mind, reminding him that he had a warning to deliver. It almost sapped away the pleasure he felt at finally achieving his dream. Almost.
Perhaps no one truly understood just what it was that Eywa did when she transferred a mind from one body to another. Certainly no one had been able to explain it to Ryan Larson, and that only increased his anxiety. Yet he had faced many challenges over the years, barely missing the outbreak of the plague on Mars Colony, surviving the orbital battle over Earth and even the planet's destruction itself. Probably more to the point of his mission today, he had survived his mate's deadly wrath. The thought of her brought a smile to his face, the anticipation of being with her outweighing the fear. As he drifted off, the last thing he saw was Mo'rel's beautiful face smiling down upon him.
The tendrils encircled him and he slipped away as if in a dream, his consciousness falling away in layers. Soon he felt as if he were floating in the void between world, the blackness interrupted only by the pinpricks of distant starlight. He knew space as a cold, silent place, there was a certain loneliness that always lay upon a warship captain. Space offered no comfort, and he had to keep his crew somewhat distant, knowing many of their lives would be snuffed out under his command. It was the ever-present curse of command.
"Why are you here?" Impossibly, a soft female voice echoed in the void. Sound wasn't supposed to exist here, yet in dreams, anything was possible.
"Who are you?" The question was stupid, who else could it be?
"I am Pandora." Came the simple reply. The beautiful emerald and cerulean globe of Pandora orbited around the great gas giant, Polyphemus, itself circling lazily Alpha Centauri A. It was as if the world itself spoke to him in sing-song tones.
"Then you know why I am here." He answered. Eywa would know him, know every memory every thought, as if it were her own. Ryan could hide nothing from her, so he didn't even bother to try. "I'm not perfect but I've come to love this world and everything on it. I'm not sure that makes me worthy, or whatever, but it's truth."
"I know." The world's voice answered him. "That's not why I granted your request."
"You did? Why?"
Mo'rel's visage wavered in his awareness. He drew in the sight of her hunting stealthily through the forest, the sound of her crying out with joy as they mated for the first time, the scent of her body close to his.
"If one of the People can love you, then so can I. Lead well the clan you serve. I will watch over you." The voice began. Ryan sighed in relief, afraid that Eywa would show him Earth, its destruction and the death of so many. It was a sight he simply couldn't bear to face again. The world-spanning consciousness had spared him that memory, knowing full well how much it tortured him. Whatever else the life-force might be, she was not needlessly cruel. Nonetheless he detected the subtle warning in her words. She would be watching them, wary that they should fall into the ways of Old Earth. Yet it was comforting to know that all life would guard against such a thing.
As his eyes opened, the the only image he faced was the ravishing, wild beauty of his mate, feeling the intense bond coursing through him once again. She smiled with obvious relief, stroking his face gently. He felt his tail, the strength of his powerful arms and legs, the sharpness of his senses. Ignoring the eyes of all those watching, he stood and embraced his mate, their tails curling together. He never expected to fall in love on this rock, but now that he had, he admitted to himself that little else truly compared to that all-consuming feeling, the concern for another surpassing all other thoughts.
One-by-one the transfers completed, some taking longer than others but all finishing successfully. Relief crossed the faces of those who waited, understanding that perhaps the procedure was not as deathly serious as had been thought. The last candidate stood confidently, smiling oddly. Neytiri was positively beaming, having confirmed for herself that the humans held her home no ill-will. She listened for Eywa's will as she led the chant, each time feeling the happiness of one who had seen the Eye of Eywa and come through alive.
Then came the terrible scream. Pain flooded through her awareness and the assembled Na'vi broke their link with Eywa violently. Some were physically thrown back with powerful force and mental anguish. Neytiri felt the will of Eywa almost immediately, as atokirina mobbed both of the candidate's bodies violently. Unlike the soft, loving way they had attached themselves to Jake, these seeds were shifting about with obvious distaste, looking like a cloud of angry insects.
"What happened?" Ryan asked immediately even as Jake ran to Neytiri's side with obvious concern.
"This man..." Neytiri began, blinking back the tears. "He... was of those who destroyed your world. He would have done the same, here."
"What?" Ryan screamed. "Willis was a fucking traitor?"
"He intended harm to Eywa. He tried to hide this, but Eywa knew." Neytiri answered. The memory of Earth's destruction some how made this terrible man feel a measure of satisfaction. It was a shock to her awareness that anyone could have such disregard for life. How he had even completed the trials was a mystery to her.
Jake soothed her gently, wrapping an arm around her lovingly. "My Neytiri..."
"Jake... he tried to send a message to others... I do not know how to explain. He knows others will come. Terrible Sky People with nothing but hate." She blinked away a tear, trying to banish the terrible images that had bombarded her through Eywa. Both bodies of the offending enemy breathed no more, but the memories of that terrible creature's hatred lingered.
"God, no, can't they just leave us the fuck alone?" Ryan's face looked ashen as he considered the implications. "If they are coming here, we have to be ready for them."
Neytiri had no answer for the Sky Clan leader. Part of her was still happy for them, that they might live among the People. Norm and Trudy, especially, had been great moments for her, seeing them complete their journey. But such things were outweighed by the terrible visions she had seen in that single moment. Silence descended over the assembled Na'vi and none spoke as they slowly headed back towards the forest. No one sought to bury the bodies of this dishonorable Sky Person left behind. The forest would attend to that matter in time.