Hey Guys!
I haven't forgotten about you. Sorry it is taking me so long to update, but rest assured I will continue this epic adventure! :) Thank you for the favorites and the reviews. I love you all! Hopefully this chapter isn't too.. mushy. ;)
~T
Max's POV
Max, somewhat relieved at the lack of personnel in his way, sat back in his office chair and stared at the ceiling. The ISV Venture Star was on her way back to Earth, filled with their first load of plants, seeds, unobtanium enriched fertilizer and of course, DA infiltrators. He had been a bundle of nerves up until that valkyrie hauled the final load to the waiting star ship. However, now it was done, and all they could do, is wait.
By the time the ISV Venture Star departed, most of the remaining people, civilians and soldiers had come to embrace the idea of RDA's destruction. DA had already started strategically placing themselves in key positions within the RDA organization on Earth, but the more interesting part would be converting the new arrivals. Max nosed around in the incoming ship logs for the first time and noticed one was supposed to be here within a few months. The ISV Atlantis carried a fresh batch of scientists, troops, weapons, and more amino tanks. Max tapped his fingers on the desk excitedly. Technically amino tanks shouldn't be used more than two times due to wear and tear and the fear of damaging the developing embryo if something went wrong. Keeping the tanks functional the past two years had been a challenge, but a fresh set of tanks would ensure he had at least extra parts and the opportunity to grow more avatars.
Glancing over at his current crop, he noticed that Parker's avatar's eyes were halfway open and still brown as they were last year. An oddity for the Na'vi but surprisingly refreshing as it meant human DNA has a wider influence than previously expected. The avatar had grown considerably through its "puberty" and was beginning to look less like a tiny blue human and more like a mature native, a tall one at that, despite Parker's short human status. Just a few more weeks and Max would feel comfortable decanting it, but his attention diverted to two mature avatars in a secure lab area, hidden from visitors. These guys have got to be decanted today, he mumbled, examining the quickly maturing features and finally hitting the intercom link.
"Norm, I'm going to need you, Speedy and Greggory in the Lab around 1100 to help with decantments please."
Various confirming responses followed and Max settled back into his computer screen, reading vitals and tracking DNA sequences.
Parker's POV
The mechanical and metallic sounds of Hell's Gate kept Parker up all night as usual. Unnatural, sharp, creaking, and whining noises of the metal contracting without the sun's heat echoed throughout the LED lit halls. Finally he resorted to stuffing the ear buds of a music player in his ears. Sleeping in his quarters just one night made him feel claustrophobic and anxious. Hell's Gate was business while Pandora's vast landscape was adventure and pleasure despite the hard work of survival. His corporate duties were done for the moment so he anxiously awaited Se'nari's early morning return. Max blasted something over the intercom about needing help decanting avatars but Parker's name wasn't called. Sighing in relief he gathered a few items and trotted towards the avatar compound, I am getting out of here just as soon as I can.
Se'nari returned to Hell's Gate as promised that morning exactly on time despite the lack of modern time tracking devices. He silently wondered how they could tell time and if it were by the sun or just an internal timer in their heads. Her precision and attention to detail and routine amazed him. Today was different, however, as Se'nari brought two pa'li instead of one. She dismounted and her feet landed lightly on the grass of the compound. Her soft hands touched his masked face briefly as she recited the familiar gesture, I See You, and knelt to his perspective.
"So why the second pa'li?" Parker asked in perfect Na'vi dialect.
"Today, you will ride alone," Se'nari smiled.
"What if I want to ride with you?" Parker grinned back and winked.
"You learn today only," Se'nari examined him closer, "what is wrong with your eye?"
"Ah.. nothing," Parker shrugged. He diverted his thoughts to the extra pa'li and stroked her muscular neck and shoulder, "Hey Fnu, how's it going girl?"
"I picked her because she is gentle, now let me help you mount," Se'nari gave Parker a leg up onto the quiet mare and then mounted her own, Fnu's lead in hand, "Today you learn to ride without me and without tsahaylu."
"How am I supposed to do that? Fnu does not understand."
"Same as tawtute ride small furry pa'li. Tawtute ride small pa'li without tsahaylu. When I went to Grace's school, she show us image of human riding pa'li on Earth. If you can ride small and furry pa'li without tsahaylu, then you can ride big pa'li." Se'nari handed Parker a picture, torn and frayed around the edges of what appeared to be a cowboy of the old west. The paper was thin and the colors faded but the image was clear. It was a cowboy sitting on a horse, fully rigged out and ready to work the cattle that sat in the background of the photograph.
"Where did you find this Se'nari?"
"Eywa brought it to me carried on the wind. Then I remembered."
"Well, if Eywa says I ride without tsahaylu then I guess that's what I'll do," Parker settled in on his mount and listened to Se'nari's instructions. The thought of an alien teaching him to ride a horse in the old west style was slightly amusing to him. However, he didn't have a clue how to ride anyway, never even touched a horse before on Earth.
"We will learn to ride here, first. There are two leads for you to direct Fnu where to go. I believe tawtute call them reins."
Parker gripped the reins, one in each hand as she instructed. Fnu shifted underneath him, the large operculi on her neck opening wide, breathing heavily, as if she was already confused about what was going on. The mare started side stepping nervously when the pressure of the reins reached her snout. Se'nari quickly dismounted her own and reached for Fnu's queue.
"She must understand first. She is smart but she does not understand."
As soon as the tendrils joined Fnu instantly calmed and relaxed, she nudged Se'nari affectionately and her breathing slowed. Parker watched as Se'nari stroked Fnu's leathery hide as she projected her thoughts through the connection.
"She understands now," Se'nari's queue released from the pa'li antenna and Fnu remained calm and still.
"So that's it? You just tell her what to do and she does it? Okay, so how do I tell her to go?"
"How would I tell her to go?" Se'nari quizzed.
"Say go?" Parker asked and looked at Se'nari.
"Yes, and I believe you squeeze your legs also."
Parker leaned into the beast's ear and quietly asked her to go while simultaneously squeezing his bare feet into her sides. Fnu slowly, cautiously took a step forward then stopped and looked at Se'nari as if she was looking for some sort of confirmation this was what was asked of her. Se'nari smiled and nodded as she stood next to her own mount.
"Yeah! Alright good girl!" Parker patted Fnu's striped neck and Fnu shook her head playfully, "That's it! Go!"
With the added enthusiasm in his voice, Fnu took off at a full gallop promptly dumping Parker on the ground masked-face first, "Okay okay.. ouch, yeah I'm not ready for a full out run yet." Laughing nervously he dusted the grass and dust off his exomask then adjusted his loincloth.
Se'nari giggled and gathered Fnu who had ambled back in their direction, "Try again, but this time ask slower!"
He remounted with Se'nari's help and shifted around regaining his balance. His bare toes and feet gripped her massive sides timidly. With both hands on the reins, he squeezed his legs and whispered, "Go."
The two walked slowly away from Se'nari and Parker looked ahead wide-eyed with amusement. After a few steps he asked her to stop, lightly pulling on the reins, "Whoa there." Fnu shook her head against the pressure of the reins but eventually stopped and turned her head once again looking for approval.
"Very good," Se'nari stated, "You will learn the rest on the way to Hometree. We go now."
Casey's POV
Much to her surprise Parker was back at Hometree tending to the pa'li with buckets of nectar and sponging their hides with cool water. Casey waved at him and started walking in his direction, leaving Tsu'tey behind to tend to the carcasses. She didn't exactly want to engage in any more awkward conversations with him at the moment.
"Hey Parker, I thought you were at base?"
"I came in with Se'nari. Hey I rode by myself today!"
"Wait, by yourself? Not on the back?"
"Yeah, it was great. Se'nari came to pick me up early this morning and brought an extra pa'li. She gave me a few lessons according to what she about cowboys at Grace's school. Before too long I had the hang of it. It's pretty cool!" Parker grinned ear to ear.
"Wow, that's impressive Parker! I'm excited for you!"
"Even with no tsahaylu I felt like I was communicating with her!" he stroked the giant horse's shoulder, "I bet this is better than the old world westerns!"
"What does he speak of so excitedly?" Tsu'tey asked out of nowhere. He always had a way of sneaking up on her.
"I thought you were tending to the meat?" Casey asked dryly.
"That is a woman's job. I left it with the cooks as I always do."
"Uh, okay whatever," Casey rolled her eyes, he's such a GUY she thought to herself then turned to Tsu'tey matter-of-factly, "Parker rode a pa'li today."
"Alone?" Tsu'tey looked at Parker with disbelief.
"Yep, all by my little lonesome. Now if I could only figure out how to get on this thing without help," he looked up at Fnu who stood well over eight feet at her shoulder. The mare dwarfed him easily by over two feet. She noisily slurped her nectar and ignored Parker studying the saddle riggings.
Casey left Parker to his imagination with a simple have fun, see you later and motioned for Tsu'tey to follow. This is going to be awkward, she thought as she glanced at the pa'li herd in her path. The only way for them to get on base was via pa'li and no way in hell she was riding one by herself.
"How does he ride the pa'li without the bond Casey?" Tsu'tey inquired as he lightly jogged to her side, easily overtaking Casey's determined pace.
"Several seasons ago, back on Earth," she started, "we had horses. Horses are a smaller version of the pa'li. They do not have antennae to make the bond so humans had to improvise. They had to use equipment to communicate with the horses."
"Equipment? I do not understand."
"Yeah, like the head gear thing you put on the pa'li to lead them. We used them for horses to ride them and direct them where to go, but I've only seen pictures and read stories."
"You have no more hoa-ses at home?"
"I have never seen a horse. Horses are very rare on Earth now," Casey stopped walking, faced the ground and finally turned to Tsu'tey, carefully avoiding his eyes. "Cowboys of the old days used to ride them a lot. We used to have hundreds of thousands roaming free, but they are mostly gone now. I'm sure a few remain in protective biospheres or something."
Tsu'tey nodded, appearing deep in thought though it was likely he had no idea what she was talking about. Taking the initiative as usual, he moved to the herd directly in front of them and selected a fresh pa'li for the trip to Hell's Gate. Casey watched, envious of the physical and mental bond between horse and rider, as he mounted and steered the beast in her direction.
"Let us go. I am sure we are late," he outstretched his hand and without thinking she raised her own and swung up behind him. It was instinctive, she assumed, as she really didn't understand why she felt uncomfortable in such close quarters with him. So much had changed in the last few years and it had only just began.
It seemed so automatic now; everything had a fit, a purpose, and a function. The humans who worked alongside the Na'vi were treated as equals even though by the planet's standards they were sub par. Humans were meant to ride behind the Na'vi because they were physically inadequate. Then you have Parker who is trying to be a cowboy and screw up the whole system. Maybe it was jealousy; maybe it was a final plea to just belong somewhere, not in between. Her arms found their way around the strong torso of the young Na'vi warrior in front of her and for a second his human-like hand touched her arm. A sigh escaped her mouth fogging up the mask, but for the moment she really didn't care.
Tsu'tey's POV
Her small tanned arms gripped his waist lightly as if afraid he would be offended. His alien hands seemed to take on a mind of their own, and his right brushed her arm gently, reassuring the delicate connection between them. Her chest fell exhaling in relief and he smiled and willed the pa'li into a ground-covering gait. Something was happening and he didn't exactly understand what or why. Why would Eywa put these strange emotions within him? This tawtute was different, he thought to himself. Graceful, beautiful, and respectful, his thoughts pulled his attention away from the rhythmic six-beat footfall of the pa'li loping over the forest floor and diverted to the warm body sitting behind him.
Her body pressed against his, arms still wrapped around his waist, silent since they left Hometree. All too often he saw women throw themselves at his feet showering him with gifts and admiration. However, as flattering it may be it was only on the surface. His feelings toward these women, even the honorable hunters and warriors, were simply hollow. They did nothing to simulate his mind or attract his attention longer than it took to thank them for their trinkets. It seemed obvious now there was something within the female tawtute he craved and needed.
The pa'li slowed to a stop at a river cleft, Hell's Gate in sight in the valley below.
"We will rest the pa'li here briefly to drink," he motioned to her and helped her off the large beast.
The concrete palace contrasted heavily with the lush forest surrounding it. It felt like years since he had laid eyes on the facility though he knows his body was there a little over a week ago. He studied Casey adjusting her mask, holding her breath for a bit while she cleaned the interior lens with a cloth. Such an interesting sight these masked humans. So fragile they couldn't survive without their masks, yet so powerful they could destroy the planet with their flying machines and fire weapons.
For a brief second she glanced in his direction and their eyes met. With a half-smile she looked away and focused her attention to the mask once again. The smile wasn't forced, but he knew she was slightly uncomfortable with his stares. The sun reflected off her golden hair and the feather adornments fluttered slightly from the hilltop breeze. Nothing could divert his attention from the human's alien yet natural beauty. With the confidence of the Na'vi warrior he was and still is, his youthful frame moved in close to face her. Shocked and somewhat uneasy, Casey avoided eye contact though didn't move away. His large humanoid hands cupped the back of her neck and pulled her close, her weight almost suspended by his grip.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, uncertainty filling her voice.
"Take this off," he ordered, pulling the mask from her face only after she took a deep breath. Dwarfed by his size and overpowered by his strength, she fell into his grasp as he pressed his lips against hers for a brief second. It was too brief however, as she pulled away and placed the annoying breathing device back on her face.
"I can't do this. You know it isn't right."
"Then get a body and make it right," he demanded.
"It's not that easy. I can't just throw my human life away like that. I'm sorry; I'm not like Jake. I can't.. I just can't."
For the first time, Tsu'tey saw vulnerability in the tawtute he had never seen before. Always steadfast, stubborn, and strong, the human hunter he saw now sat trembling in tears. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close as the tears ran down her cheeks, filling the bottom of the exomask. Glancing down as he held her tight, he imagined a beautiful golden queue falling down the center of her back. If she could only feel what I feel then she would not second-guess Eywa, he thought to himself as his hands ran through the tiny braids of her Na'vi decorated hair.
"I'm sorry," she sighed as she pulled away and attempted to wipe the tears from under her mask seal.
"No need to be sorry. Let us now go to see how my body was made," he mounted the rested pa'li and immediately pulled her up behind him. Once again arms secured themselves around his waist.