Holy smokes, I am sorry this took so long to get out. Hey, I warned you that some craziness was coming in my life! Now that things have settled down I hope to get back to writing more frequently. My goodness, it is certainly stress relieving to be able to spend some time with my own imagination.
I must admit, this has been perhaps the most difficult chapter for me to write of the entire story. I feel stuck between pivot points, so at least things should flow smoothly after this. If ever there was a time that I am open to positive reinforcement, it's now! If it makes you feel better, know that I stayed up over five hours past my bed time to get this out to you! Yes, I'm that lame - I go to sleep around 20:30 of my own free will on most normal nights. Now that this chapter is complete, I'm going to haul my sorry a$$ to bed and get some sleep.
Chapter 21
Jake was dreaming.
It was one of those flying dreams again. Oh, he loved the flying dreams. They had only gotten better, more vivid, after he had bonded with Tswayon...and with Toruk. It must have had something to do with the mental imprints that came with tsaheylu. Those creatures' very realistic impressions of flying mixed with his somewhat more fanciful impressions, and the end result was some of the most vibrant visions he had ever experienced.
He could feel the air beneath his wings, the gentle caresses of the breeze like some kind of atmospheric lover. Jake rarely ever dreamed about actually taking off; no, his subconscious seemed to derive some kind of sick amusement from the jolt it gave him by dumping him straight into the middle of the experience. The sudden feeling of openness all around him, of near infinity on all six sides, of pure freedom, was overwhelming. It was the most euphoric drug he had ever experienced. Better than some of the comparably mild incarnations of flight he had experienced lying there in the VA hospital. Better than some of the illicit drugs of his youth. This was real.
Jake was not soaring over the Pandoran landscape. No, he was far from his current home in this dream. This is where fantasy and reality collided, somewhere far above the Colorado Rockies. It was one of the few areas of North America left that had escaped urban sprawl. As "impressive" as human civilization had grown, it was still rather difficult to build a city over a mountain.
The unadulterated power of Toruk combined with Tswayon's giddy, childlike joy of flying. The best parts of both of them combined in Jake's dream as he soared over lush evergreen forests and jagged snow-capped mountains. In a strange twist of perspective, Jake could only gaze in awe at the now alien landscape below him. Jake stared hard at the vivid textures before him - he could see each and every individual pine needle, stone, and snow flake. None were lost against the endless sea of their brethren, and he struggled to commit every single one of them to memory.
He never experienced the same dream twice. Each one was a unique singularity, a special treasure to be cherished. They were like a sunrise or a sunset, an individual event that would only happen once in all of eternity.
Yes, he had been here before...but it was in a distant life. Another time, another star system, another body. Jake had no idea why his mind conjured up this scene - it was not like Pandora was short on stunning scenery or anything like that. Maybe he was homesick...odd, he had certainly not been feeling homesick. He was home, after all. This vision spoke to some unknown part of him, though, and Jake could only sigh as the most blissful revelation of peace cocooned itself around his mind.
For a brief moment seconds stretched into forever, and Jake did not have a care in the world.
Neytiri woke first that morning. It was rare, but it happened this way every now and then. More often than not she and Jake would awake within seconds of each other. Sometimes it was an instantaneous sort of wake where each of them were alert and eager, ready to take on the day together. Sometimes it was more of a lazy wake, with much cuddling that often lead to more...intimate things.
She felt Jake shifting and turning in their hammock as he curled away from her. It was a slightly odd feeling, Neytiri had to admit to herself, as she felt the sudden absence of his warmth. Normally she slept face-to-face with her mate, sharing the same breaths. Or Jake would be behind her, his front flush against her back as he wrapped his larger frame around her in a loving embrace. They hardly ever pulled apart like this, and at first Neytiri thought that something was wrong. Underneath Jake's easy going exterior was a growing storm, she knew. She could sense it through tsaheylu. It was not something he was trying to hide from her - no, they hid nothing from one another anymore. It was a growing, faceless unease concerning the conflict that they both knew was coming.
Jake had his back to her and his arms were curled up against his chest - Neytiri had woken when she felt his presence withdraw from her. His tail was wrapped possessively around his own waist, and a small whimper emerged from his throat. Jake did not often look as vulnerable as this and Neytiri felt her heart twist with anxiety within her. What troubled him so? He should not have to face it alone, even in his dreams!
"My Jake?" she whispered in a low early morning voice as she rested her hand against his shoulder. She shook him ever so gently, seeking to pull him out of whatever dastardly nightmare held him prisoner. Neytiri propped herself up on her elbow to better peer around Jake's bulk, and she froze in puzzlement as she finally saw the smile that had turned up his lips.
Jake twitched under her touch, one leg kicking slightly as he emitted another cute little whine. The tip of his tail, which was resting against her thigh, began to tickle her leg as it flicked back and forth with Jake's subconscious amusement. Though sleeping, his ears were up and alert as they tracked phantom sensations for their owner, and his eyes were darting back and forth beneath their closed lids. Neytiri could not stop her brief giggle when Jake let out a contented sigh and tried to pull away from her gentle touch.
She finally recognized his condition for what it was - oh yes, he was definitely dreaming, but this was a good dream for him. It was probably one of the flying dreams she knew he loved so much. Like a slightly petulant child he curled away from her disturbance, and this uncommon and strange display of selfishness made Neytiri flop back down behind him and laugh softly to herself.
Neytiri watched as the light filtering through Kelutral's leaves began to grow slowly brighter. The sounds of the clan waking up below them began to reach her ears, and she sighed with her own feelings of contentment. There really was no better way to wake up in the morning, she thought. A twist of arousal curled through her lower body as if in disagreement. Well, maybe there was one better way to wake up.
Neytiri turned her head and shot a little glare at Jake's back. She chuckled quietly again, though; there was no way she could hold this moment against him. Jake continued to emit little sounds of contentment, and every now and then he would twitch against her as he raced through whatever pleasures graced his mind during this morning. She knew her Jake would be positively mortified if anyone other than her saw him like this; for now she was more than happy to simply rest peacefully beside him and enjoy this rare side of his character.
At long last his breathing began to change and Neytiri felt the pleasant tenseness leave her mate's body as he started to waken. She rotated in the hammock to face his back and nuzzled aside his queue so that she could rest her nose against the base of his neck. An experimental kiss against the dark stripes of his skin was greeted with a pleased purr; quite happy with her progress thus far, Neytiri smiled as she gently nipped his neck and began to rub his side with her hand.
Jake sighed and (finally!) turned to face her. A sleepy, goofy grin adorned his face, and his golden eyes were glazed with euphoria. Neytiri smiled in greeting at him as she gently brushed some of his long black hair away from his face. "Wow..." he began in a thick voice.
"You must have been flying again," Neytiri smiled at him.
Jake nodded slowly as he blinked to reorient himself in the here and now. "You are so beautiful, you know that?" he said as he reached up and lovingly caressed her face with his hand. Jake's features grew thoughtful for a moment. "This has to be the best way ever to wake up."
Neytiri kissed his nose and let her hand glide down his flank to the inside of his hip. "Better than anything I could give you?" she asked.
Jake's breathing hitched and Neytiri watched as his eyes darkened in arousal. "Hmm, I don't know," he hedged as he kissed her. "You should prove it to me," he whispered into her ear.
Neytiri felt strangely displeased at the way his voice caused her body to respond. She was supposed to be seducing him! She choked back on her eager moan, but Jake still caught it and he rumbled softly in amusement as he continued to lavish his affections upon her. Neytiri nipped Jake's lower lip none too gently as they kissed, and he grunted in slight surprise. "You slept in too late," Neytiri chuckled softly. "Your...curiosity...will have to wait."
Jake buried his face in the crook of her neck and Neytiri had to smile as she heard a muttered "Damn," under his breath. Not to be outdone, Jake gave her a nip of his own on her collarbone. Neytiri gasped and arched as he began to lick away the spot of pleasant pain upon her skin. His attentions ceased much too soon in Neytiri's opinion, however, as he pulled back and gave her a cheeky grin. "You're right, it's much too late. Wouldn't want to get people talking."
Jake stretched, eliciting a few pleasant pops and creaks from his spine, before he easily pulled himself out of their hammock and began to ready himself for the day. Neytiri remained for a second behind him, frozen in contemplation. When had he ever learned that amount of self control? She felt unreasonably disturbed, for she could not figure out for the life of her who had emerged as the victor from their little early morning flirt-fight.
Jake moved quickly through his Olo'eyktan duties this morning. He needed to travel to Hell's Gate today, and he wanted to get moving sooner rather than later. One of his most important tasks was organizing the day's huntings. They needed to provide for the clan, after all, and it was also up to Jake to determine what lands where allowable to hunt on at any given time. Jake was almost a warden, as well as a chieftain - it would not be wise or responsible to overhunt a particular tract of land around Kelutral.
The four young people who were closest to crossing over into adulthood were in attendance as well. Rai'uk and Kyuna were each paired with a mentor of sorts. They would be returning from the hunt any day now with a kill of their own. Despite the fact that neither were a full-fledged hunter, Kyle and Tsaro made a perfect team, and Jake would have felt foolish for separating the two.
The meeting had adjourned and all were beginning to drift off to their assigned duties. Jake called out to Kyle before he got too far away, and the former dreamwalker turned back, a curious expression on his face. Kyle presented an impressive figure, though his kind personality would never let him take advantage of such a fact. The difficult Na'vi lifestyle had toughened him noticeably; physically he was practically the same size as Jake and Mal'ek; he was quickly gaining the skills necessary to properly wield his considerable strength. The distinctive marks adorning his back were an outward sign of his indomitable and inherently fierce nature. If his broad-shouldered stance was not enough of a clue, the three vivid scars down the length of his back served to make him instantly identifiable from behind. Kyle never flaunted these signs of his bravery, but of course they were rather difficult to hide.
He wore leather bracers on both of his forearms. The lack of a dominant eye could have been a handicap for him, as it provided no firm foundation to build his archery skills on. Kyle turned this disadvantage on its head, however, and through rigorous practice had become quite skilled at shooting with both his right and left hands. If his body gave him no predisposition to either form, Kyle resolved to simply become skilled in both, much to the amazement of all. Jake had quietly observed Kyle practice - his accuracy improved with each shot, and Jake suspected that he might well be the first of the trainees to bring down prey of his own, despite being the newest one.
"Olo'eyktan?" Kyle asked curiously as he drew up to Jake.
Jake chuckled and shook his head slightly. He would never be one of those officers who went off on a power trip by being addressed by their title. "I have been meaning to congratulate you on your training," Jake began with sincerity. "You and I may need to have a contest with the bow to see who is the most accurate."
Kyle remained politely silent, though he did allow a slight measure of pride to show through on his face, and his eyes twinkled at Jake's words.
"There is one thing I would admonish you to do better, though... I have not noticed you practicing with the bola, or with any of the training involved for your Iknimaya," Jake told him.
Kyle subtly tensed at this. "I figured I still have plenty of time to practice," he responded after a moment's hesitation. The Olo'eyktan took note of his discomfort.
Jake's eyes narrowed and he cocked his head curiously. "Come on, Kyle. I think you and I both know that you are almost ready for that. You will be making your first kill any day now."
Kyle looked almost stricken by this thought and made a negating motion with his hand. "It'll probably be a while. I... I get the shakes every time I try to take down an animal. I don't want to miss and only wound it."
Jake was nobody's fool - he could smell a smokescreen, especially when someone constructed one right before his very eyes. "Tsaro, we will be a moment," he said to the young hunter who had been waiting a polite distance away. Tsaro quickly nodded and stepped away. Turning back to Kyle, Jake said firmly, "Walk with me."
Crap, Kyle thought silently as he followed Jake back into Kelutral. They began to climb the spiral stairs, and once Jake bypassed all of the main levels and the two of them started to climb upwards on the tree's limbs Kyle suspected he knew of their destination. "I think both of us know that's a load of bullshit, you getting the shakes and all," he began bluntly. "Norm told me what you did to draw that palulukan away when he and you had been treed. Did you have the shakes then?"
"No, sir," Kyle replied meekly.
Jake harumphed. "I'll just assume, then, that you did not just tell me a lie of sorts." Jake paused his climbing long enough to give Kyle a pointed look, and to his credit Kyle looked properly horrified at Jake's words. "I trust that you know all of what awaits you upon your full initiation into the clan," Jake continued. "I'm telling you this not only as Olo'eyktan, but as someone who might also be your friend."
Kyle winced slightly, and Jake noticed. Kyle nodded wordlessly.
As the two resumed their climbing Jake asked with candid curiosity, "Why are you afraid of Iknimaya? I have to step on most youngster's tails to keep them from heading off on their own to tame their ikran." Jake spoke easily, despite the rigorous climbing he was doing. He realized that Kyle's delay in answering was not due to a shortness of breath on his part, either.
They reached the branches just below the ikran rookery and paused. "Jake... Do you know what the last straw was, what finally pushed me over the edge and made me, well, desperate enough to consider becoming Omaticaya?" Kyle asked. There was a nervous edge in his voice. Kyle felt like his motivations for wanting to become Na'vi were distinctly cowardly, and it still did not sit well with him.
Jake looked at Kyle and shook his head. It was a bit of an untruth; he knew full well about the difficulties Kyle had been going through back at Hell's Gate, with the flying and the nervous breakdowns. He was mostly curious to see if Kyle himself would admit as much to him.
Kyle was no one's fool, either. He narrowed his eyes slightly at Jake as he tried to get a read off of the other man. Jake realized that Kyle was onto him and he shrugged and smiled faintly. Kyle snorted and made a show of examining the bark of the wall he was resting his hand against. "I can't fly anymore," he admitted softly. Jake remained silent, waiting to see if Kyle had any more to say. He did, actually. "Every time I tried to pilot a Samson I would have a panic attack. Damn near killed Collins and myself the first time it happened." Kyle snorted again and looked down at his feet. "I've only made tsaheylu with a direhorse before. I know how important it is to have a calm mind when you're bonded with an animal like that." Kyle finally looked at Jake with sad eyes. "I'm anything but calm when I'm trying to fly. I wouldn't want to impart that kind of turmoil on anyone."
Jake simply nodded as he accepted Kyle's explanation. After a moment he said, "Follow me, I want you to see someone. Do not make any sudden moves, and do not look into his eyes. Only those closest to an ikran's rider can look him in the eye, and right now only Neytiri fits that bill."
Kyle smiled in faint humor as he followed Jake upwards the last little bit until both of them were standing on a large branch. Kyle could hear the sounds of innumerable unseen ikran, cooing and rustling contentedly like a flock of enormous, predatory pigeons. Jake did not even have to whistle - Tswayon knew his rider was there the moment Jake had stepped out onto the branch. Kyle tensed, crouching slightly behind the chieftain as Jake's brightly colored ikran burst downwards through the leaves and landed before him, squawking happily.
Tswayon bumped against Jake's waist, searching in vain for the treat that by smell he already knew was absent. "Sorry boy, no snacks this time," Jake apologized as he brought his braid forward. Tswayon extended one of his tswins, bending the antenna forward until the end met with Jake's queue. The bond was made, and rider and mount sighed in contentment. "We get to go out for a fly, though."
Kyle watched it all out of the corner of his eye. Nervous though he was, he was undeniably fascinated. Jake's ikran ignored him for the most part; the amount of affection that the creature and Jake shared with one another was obvious, and pretty much all consuming.
"He's amazing, you know that?" Jake said, his voice sounded awed. "Ikran will only bond with one hunter. They are undeniably loyal. Tswayon actually helped me when I bonded with Toruk. He probably saved my life in doing so; he no doubt risked his own in the process. It's nothing like having a pet. No, that is much too crude a word. Your ikran is like your partner. He knows you, and you him, and you work together in perfect harmony."
Kyle allowed himself a fleeting glimpse at Tswayon's face. The ikran never noticed his look, as his four eyes were closed in blissful reverie; Jake was rubbing his jaw crest, and Tswayon's tongue was practically lolling out of his mouth in contentment. It was slightly humorous...and somehow moving to see such a magnificent creature enjoy a person's company so much. There was clearly a strong friendship between Jake and Tswayon.
"Your first bond will quite possibly be the greatest experience of your life." Jake looked over his shoulder at Kyle and smiled. "Until you bond with your life mate, that is," he said by way of a disclaimer. Jake's expression fell slightly at this thought. "You must be a man, a full member of the clan before you may take a mate, Kyle. It is the only way. And claiming your ikran is a necessary step in this process. Do you see where I am going with this?"
Kyle pursed his lips and nodded. Jake was being crystal clear.
"I'm not trying to threaten you or anything like that," Jake said, and his tone made it sound like he was almost pleading with Kyle to understand this. "It is a rite of passage that you cannot avoid. No one is permitted to take a mate without completing the trials of their chosen path. I...will not allow it. I cannot make any exceptions to this."
"I know," Kyle admitted softly. "I've been thinking about that a lot, actually."
Jake nodded, and he suddenly looked a bit self conscious. "That's all I have to say, I guess. I just wanted to make sure that you understood things." After a pause, Jake said, "You are dismissed. I must go to Hell's Gate, and I know you have your hunting to attend to." Jake offered Kyle a genuinely warm smile. "I look forward to the day when you finally return from your hunt successful. Trust me, it's a big deal."
Kyle smiled thinly and nodded. "Thank you for your words, Olo'eyktan," he said.
Somehow Jake felt slightly stung being addressed in this way. He did not sense any disrespect in Kyle's voice, though, and there was no defiance in his stance as the other man made his way back towards the branch-steps.
"Kyle!" Jake called after him, drawing Kyle up short. "Remember, you've never really flown before," Jake said.
Kyle looked back and frowned, tilting his head in puzzlement. I beg to differ, he thought silently to himself.
Jake smiled cryptically as he swung himself up into Tswayon's saddle. "After all, you don't have wings of your own, do you?"
Before Kyle could respond, Jake and Tswayon dove off of the branch as a fierce and joyful cry rang out. Kyle could not tell which of them had made the noise, and he was left to ponder Jake's parting words alone.
Hell's Gate was comfortably quiet when Jake arrived. There were a couple of Samsons outside getting ready to go out or come in; Jake could not tell, and it really did not matter. The men and women working on the machines waved at him cheerfully, and he waved right back. Jake directed Tswayon to land on the grass by the cabin - Tswayon greatly preferred the natural surface over landing on the hard tarmac, and Jake could not blame him. His own feet were tough enough to walk on the hot pavement, but he still did not like it.
Go get some tapirus for yourself, Jake instructed fondly before breaking tsaheylu. Gotta keep the population in check, you know. Jake was suddenly struck by the semi-amusing idea of a tribble-like population bloom of tapirus, and he was inordinately grateful for Tswayon's efforts to prevent such a travesty.
Tswayon clacked his jaws in agreement before taking off again in pursuit of his solemn duty.
Hoshiro and Max were waiting outside of the airlock for him, and the three men warmly exchanged greetings as they began to make their way inside. "Any news?" Jake asked him. He did not mention it explicitly, but he was inquiring as to whether or not Dryers had provided any further information.
Hoshiro shook his head. "No, Olo'eyktan. I have questioned the prisoner...thoroughly. I am convinced that he has not withheld anything from us. It is obvious that he was a plant, as you had feared. He represented a significant security breach."
Jake nodded in agreement and breathed a relieved sigh that the man had been caught before he could do much harm. After he finished coughing from the atmosphere exchange within the airlock he asked Max, "What's the scoop on the next ship?"
Max gave him a significant look. "The ISV Commerce Star. If the last ship was for Grace, this next one is for Quaritch. All of the passengers are new Sec-Ops personnel. Cargo is mostly military hardware. Can you believe Quaritch actually got the go-ahead to bring a second Dragon to Pandora? Quaritch's replacement is also on board as well - he would have served for a year alongside the former colonel until formal command of the security forces would be handed over to him. This one might be trouble, Jake."
Jake sighed and closed his eyes as he tried to digest all of this. "Have you been in contact with them? The plan shouldn't be any different - don't bring the passengers out of cryo, refuel and return home."
An uncomfortable pause passed before Hoshiro answered tightly, "They have not responded to any of our hails."
"Jake, you do realize that we are still going to have to deal with humanity, right?" Max asked hesitantly as they entered the biolab.
Jake glanced over at the scientist with slightly narrowed eyes. "What the heck do you mean by that, Max?"
Max sighed. In an odd break from character, Hoshiro actually looked uncomfortable at Max's statement. "Well, for one, everyone on this base will eventually die, and sooner rather than later if we don't interact with Earth. There are certain pieces of equipment, certain things that we can't provide for ourselves that will eventually fail or run out. You know as well as anyone that humanity isn't exactly well suited to be here," Max said. "Logistics is really on our side with this one, but I think that Pandora is simply too valuable for the RDA to completely ignore."
Jake hissed softly to himself. He had realized this, of course. It was not from lack of brains that he had not advanced to a higher rank in the marines. He was...unruly. Not stupid, just unruly. Being Olo'eyktan was not exactly a fool's task, either. Jake was beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed with the burden of safeguarding an entire planet. Becoming Toruk Makto was a move born of desperation, not pride or ego.
His thoughts were interrupted when Max dug a small vial out of his lab coat pocket and tossed it towards Jake, who easily caught the minuscule item. Jake carefully held the tiny vial in his large hand, gazing curiously at the slightly pinkish liquid inside. "What's this?" Jake asked.
"The cure for Alzheimer's," Max answered easily.
Jake glanced quickly back at Max, his ears coming up to surprised attention. "What?" Not the most brilliant of responses, but it was the best he could come up with on the spot.
"No shit," Max confirmed. "We were able to develop it from trees similar to the willow at the Well of Souls." Jake's eyes settled back on the infinitely valuable object in his hand, and he swallowed nervously. "Grace was right," Max whispered after a moment in a reverent tone. "There is so much more here than Unobtanium. Jake, do you know how many lives we can save with that one medicine alone?"
Jake closed his eyes again; he knew right where Max was going with this one. And it was not in his heart to disagree.
"There's other medicines...cures and vaccines that some of the scientists are working on, too. But this was easy, it was almost right in the open for us to find. Jake, it was so incredibly simple to make that. Pandora has so many gifts to offer us, and they don't even involve picking up a shovel." The passion in Max's voice only increased as he spoke.
Max could tell that Jake was processing all of this. After a while Jake looked over at Max and said, "I agree with you. I cannot hold the kindness and generosity in your heart against you, Max. But right now, we're still going to be in the crosshairs for at least four or five more years. I'm only going to focus on that fact. You would do well to focus on that, too, because your science will be useless if we don't survive this." Jake carefully returned the vial to Max as he said this.
Hoshiro spoke up quietly. "Olo'eyktan, with your permission... I believe it would be wise to increase our armaments here. We may not need them, but it would be a poor choice to waste our defensive position."
Jake's jaw muscles twitched as he contemplated the idea. He gave Hoshiro a shrewd look and replied simply, "I trust you. Do it."
Norm had just finished "class" with the clan's children and was recording his notes on a data pad when his ears twitched as they detected the sound of foot steps approaching. Booted foot steps. He glanced up and saw that it was Amber, and his ears subconsciously lowered in apprehension. He felt them do so but was powerless to stop it - sometimes these bodies were too expressive, he thought silently to himself.
"I See you," Norm offered her cautiously.
Amber smiled; it appeared warm and genuinely friendly. "Oel ngati kameie, Dr. Spellman," she said. "Lessons going well?"
Norm nodded. "Yeah. They're bright kids. A real linguist will probably have to take over soon. They're really starting to outpace me." He strongly suspected that this was not the conversation she had in mind.
Amber offered a small chuckle of her own. "I know what you mean. I think humanity has really sold the Na'vi up short. I bet they're more intelligent than we are."
A distinctly awkward silence settled between them. "I just wanted to -" "Please don't think -" Both of them began speaking at once, then stopped in embarrassment when they realized they were overlapping. "After you -" "You first -"
Finally, despite his best efforts, Norm burst out laughing. He let the data pad drop to the ground beside him as he covered his face with his hands to muffle his amusement and embarrassment. Amber hid her own chuckling with a polite cough, and when Norm peeked between his fingers he found Amber grinning at him. She pantomimed zipping her mouth closed, then folded her arms across her chest as she waited for him to say something.
With a grunt Norm rose to his feet, dusting off the seat of his cargo pants as he did so. Norm looked down at his hands, fiddling with his own blue fingers as he formed his words. "Amber...I need to apologize. I did not behave like a gentleman that evening."
"Accepted," Amber replied quickly, much to Norm's relief. "I was not the most lady-like myself that night, either." Amber heaved a massive sigh, and Norm looked up in concern. She was staring down at her own hands now, the fingers of her right hand rubbing gentle circles around the fourth digit of her left hand. "Dr. Spellman, I just want to make sure we can maintain a professional relationship between one another," she began stiffly.
Norm felt unreasonably stung. He had noticed that Amber never referred to him as anything other than "Dr. Spellman," at least not after the fateful night of the Omaticaya's talioang celebration. Why did that bother him so much? His eyes were drawn to Amber's fiddling of a phantom wedding band; yeah, that made a whole lot of sense. Norm's mind went back to Trudy, and he felt a good deal of his blossoming feelings for Amber Ferris deflate like a ruptured balloon.
Norm finally realized that Amber had stopped talking and seemed to be waiting for a response from him. "Oh, yeah. Of course, Amber - Dr. Ferris. That's...logical..." Logical, Norm? Really?
Despite himself, Norm could not help but think that Amber looked completely adorable when her ears drooped upon hearing his words. Contrary to her body language, Amber managed a level sounding, "Alright then. I just felt like I needed to clear the air between us."
"Of course," Norm repeated.
"Right. Well, I've got some cataloging to do..." Amber trailed off and backpedaled a step.
With forced cheer Norm waved her away. "See you around, then," he said by way of farewell. "Back on base," he clarified quickly.
Amber opened her mouth as if to speak again, but froze. She settled for simply tilting her head in farewell as she turned to walk away. Amber struggled with her feelings with every step that she took, for she did not feel the sense of peace that she thought she would upon terminating her conversation with Dr. Norman Spellman.
Norm watched her go as he wrestled with his own thoughts. A dull pain bloomed within the left side of his chest, spreading down his left arm, and he rubbed it out absently. The phantom pains used to be a lot more intense, and frequent. Now they only made an appearance when his mind chose to dwell on...certain past events.
He plopped back down to the ground with a sigh and retrieved the data pad. Screw it, he decided as he let the device fall to the ground for a second time. Good thing they're built tough, he absently thought. His mind no longer possessed even a mild inkling to work on his scientific notes.
"Trudy, I really wish you were here," he moaned quietly. Norm would have traded his avatar for her in an instant if given the choice. In a way, that was the most frustrating thing. He never had a choice in the matter, and that really pissed him off.
They had been tracking this single hexapede all fricken day, and once they caught it Kyle could not decide whether or not to shake its hoof in congratulations or shoot the damn thing on the spot. Both Tsaro and he had pushed themselves near to the breaking point to track the stealthy and skittish creature. Neither man would have been able to do so alone, as they both discovered subtle clues with frustrating regularity that the other had missed.
"I think for once I would rather return home empty handed, brother," Tsaro groused.
Kyle smiled tightly. "I am beginning to agree. Perhaps we could find a nest to raid on the way back. Fkio eggs surely would not be as stealthy as this yerik." Kyle said this with equal parts sarcasm and seriousness; if Tsaro agreed with him, he did not think he could summon the willpower to continue their current chase.
Despite the need for stealth, Tsaro allowed a snicker to escape him. He glanced at Kyle, his tired eyes suddenly dancing with mirth. "Yes, I am sure that both of us would be welcomed as heros when we return with that which the children could have gathered. Perhaps we could save some face if we say that we risked our lives climbing to the highest nest?" he whispered.
Kyle rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant," he grumbled. Great. Now he had Tsaro all fired up to stay out here all night, if that is what it would take to find their prey.
Tsaro shoved him playfully. "Of course. I will try to forget your momentary lapse in strength."
Both hunters paused when they simultaneously noticed the freshest, clearest sign yet of the yerik's passage. Kyle and Tsaro were not alone in their flagging strength - the day-long chase was sapping the yerik's stamina as well, and it was starting to get sloppy. Their eyes met, each communicating silently. The humor that they had shared just moments ago was gone in an instant, and in wordless hunt-speak Kyle signed his intentions to split off to the side. Perhaps they could pincer the yerik if it was as worn out as this newest sign indicated.
Tsaro silently agreed and the two men separated. Kyle checked his windage - they were still approaching from a good angle, and unless the yerik suddenly developed psychic abilities (if it had not already done so) they might yet get the jump on it. The forest understory was rapidly thickening with plant growth, so Kyle decided to climb up into some of the lower branches in order to get above the cover. Kyle's tail moved automatically to balance him as he unslung his bow from his back and held the weapon horizontally before him, and arrow sliding easily into place for quick firing as soon as the opportunity presented itself. The soft breeze changed directions briefly and Kyle caught the barest whiff of an animal smell.
Kyle chirped out the acknowledgement of a definitive sign. An answering chirp returned to him seconds later from Tsaro, and Kyle felt a steadily quickening rush of adrenaline drive back his fatigue. They were close. Very close.
With newfound boldness Kyle padded silently along the branches. He could discern a break in the foliage up ahead, and all of a sudden the yerik was simply right there, grazing upon the ground, straight before him in plain sight. Kyle's ears flared forward in surprise, shocked as he was by his sudden discovery. He blinked a few times to clear his mind - the yerik was still unaware of his presence, so he silently rose up and began to draw his bow. Kyle's heart was pounding in his chest. He did not have the shakes at all - on the contrary, Kyle was stunned by how steady he was, by how his focus narrowed down so rapidly on his prey.
Some sixth sense told him that Tsaro was nearby in a similar position. He could barely make out the form of his friend in the dappled light on the opposite side of the tiny clearing. Kyle could see Tsaro freeze, his own bow not yet drawn as he registered Kyle's own readiness. Kyle knew he had the go-ahead - this was going to be his kill.
Kyle drew back upon his bow, his body settling smoothly into a form that would have made Mal'ek proud. The yerik was only 25 yards away or so - it would not be a difficult shot. Still, Kyle pursed his lips in a small frown as he contemplated the step he was about to take. After this was Iknimaya. Beyond that was Uniltaron, and then he would be a man, an Omaticaya.
The dual conflicts of facing his fears of flying and his yearning to be Tanhi's mate collided, and Kyle did not just freeze, he allowed his bow to relax slightly. How much more soul-searching do I have to do before I'm ready for this? he silently raged.
The atmosphere fairly crackled with silent frustration, from both Kyle and Tsaro. Kyle had the better position, but he almost imperceptibly shook his head, surrendering his shot to Tsaro. He would catch hell from his friend for his hesitation on this, he was quite sure.
Kyle watched as Tsaro impressively maneuvered his bow through the foliage that he was sheltering in. He did not strike a single leaf or branch as he positioned his bow before him, he did nothing to betray his position as he drew back on his arrow. The sounds of the forest continued uninterrupted. Come on, brother, Kyle silently encouraged. It would be a truly great accomplishment if Tsaro could pull this off.
Perhaps he sold his friend up short, because before Kyle thought it possible an arrow shot out of the forest cover and buried itself in the yerik's side. The animal was caught completely unawares, and the force of the impact took it off of its six feet and sent it skidding on its side across the ground. It kicked feebly and bleated once before it merely lay there panting. Tsaro sprang forward, his knife already drawn as he swiftly administered the blow of grace, setting the yerik's spirit free to soar with Eywa as he whispered the hunter's prayer.
Kyle hopped easily down from his branch and approached cautiously as Tsaro finished his duty. Kyle's own body trembled slightly as his adrenaline fell off. "Congratulations," he said sincerely. "It was a fine kill after a difficult chase. This speaks well of your ability."
Tsaro glanced up at Kyle after he withdrew his knife and cleaned the blade, his golden eyes flashing along with a sneer of fangs for a moment. "You had the better shot, so I know that it was not an act of sympathy on your part for you to give this to me," Tsaro stated bluntly.
Kyle swallowed nervously and glanced away as Tsaro yanked out his arrow. Kyle heard, rather than saw, as Tsaro swiftly applied a clotting agent to the two wounds on the yerik's body, stifling the bloody smell that might attract predators. They would haul the entire animal back to Kelutral so that all parts of its body might be put to use for the People.
Kyle quickly set about readying a carry-pole for Tsaro's kill. He worked with the dual intentions of helping his friend and avoiding further conversation. In a move that was very reminiscent of their first unpleasant dinner together, Tsaro kept speaking when Kyle really wished he would just stay silent.
"You cannot remain timid forever, 'evengan," Tsaro said bluntly, earning a wince from Kyle. "It is strange to me how you can face down palulukan, but a yerik proves to be your undoing."
Kyle was silent for a while as he worked with his knife to skin the small branches and twigs from their carry pole. "It is not the yerik that scares me, brother," he said softly after a while.
Tsaro knew Kyle well enough to read into what was unsaid. He finished binding the carcass's feet and sat back on his haunches with a sigh. "You already have everything that it takes to claim your ikran, Kyle," Tsaro said in a gentle tone. "Except perhaps a little less faith in Eywa than is healthy."
Kyle nodded simply, not wanting to press that train of thought. "Let us return home with your success. You have much to be proud of when you present the work of your hands to the Olo'eyktan."
Tsaro grunted noncommittally. "It was not I alone," he admitted honestly. "I would not have been able to do this without you."
Kyle nodded in silent acquiescence as he and Tsaro hoisted up the yerik carcass and began to make their way back home.
They did not talk much on the return trip, for which Kyle was grateful. He was mostly absorbed in his own mind, and he found himself plagued by thoughts of what-ifs and do-overs. There were few things in life that Kyle despised more than regret, and now he found himself sorely regretting his actions.
As if reading his mind, Tsaro broke their spell of silence and spoke from behind him. "You will have your chance again soon," he assured him softly.
They were hiking along a swiftly flowing river. The water tumbled and rushed over broken rocks, the sound of the stream just on the soft side of a roar. The gentle mist that would wash over Kyle every now and then was refreshing, serving to cool his frustrated thoughts. I will not fail again, he silently promised himself.
Kyle still did not entirely know what to think of the Na'vi's deity. Eywa had been a somewhat mysterious figure to his still very scientific, very human mind. Still, Kyle had never been one to believe in simple coincidence. Or luck, for that matter. There was definitely no such thing as luck in Kyle's opinion.
Afterwards, Kyle would marvel at the circumstances. He and Tsaro had not exactly been moving silently any more, what with several hundred pounds of yerik strung between them. It must have been the sound of the river they were walking along that masked the noise of their approach, for around a tight bend and just across the cataracts was a healthy, full grown male yerik that was just raising its head after drinking from a still pool. The two parties seemed equally surprised to run across the other, and the crest on the yerik's head flared in alarm as the creature spun and bolted into the forest, a flurry of disturbed fan lizards marking its passing.
The angle made necessary a left-handed shot in order to preserve Kyle's line-of-sight, and without hesitation Kyle lowered his end of the carry pole, unshipped his bow, drew, and shot, all in one quick motion. The yerik was already out of sight owing to the thickness of the brush on the other side of the rushing river. Kyle had pivoted smoothly as he tracked the fleeing creature by sound, and his target was in fact no longer visible as he let fire his arrow into the plant cover.
A quick, pained bleat and the sound of an ungraceful fall was confirmation of a hit, and for a second Kyle stood rooted in place, tail twitching in surprise behind him as he contemplated his success. Tsaro lowered the end of his own kill down to the ground and thwacked Kyle on the head as he dashed by. "Come on, skxawng!" he yelled as be bounded over the stream's rocks. Kyle was quickly on his tail, avatar knife already in hand as the two men pushed through the dense foliage on the other side of the rapids.
The fletching of Kyle's arrow stood up as a marker for the fallen yerik's position, displaying where it had crashed up against a tstxa'a plant. Kyle skidded to a stop on his knees beside the felled animal, arm drawn back to end its suffering. He paused, though, in surprise - the yerik was already dead. His arrow had speared it right between its forelegs, puncturing the heart and killing it with near-instancy.
Tsaro whooped joyfully as he hugged Kyle around the shoulders, who still remained frozen in shock where he knelt beside his kill. "You did it! TWO fine kills today! You skxawng," Tsaro repeated with an incredulous laugh. "Now we have twice the amount to carry back to Kelutral!"
The barest hint of a smile slowly turned up the corner of Kyle's mouth.
A flurry of activity down on the ground drew Jake's attention. "Perhaps Tsaro and Kyle have finally come back home," Neytiri told him as they exited the Tsahìk's alcove. "They are the last of the hunters to return this day."
Jake nodded. "I hope it is with success," he agreed with a sigh as he swiftly descended the spiral, Neytiri close by on his heels.
It was indeed Tsaro and Kyle. The cooks were practically fawning over not one, but two fine yerik specimens. Tsaro noticed Jake first, and his face broke into a proud grin. Kyle was otherwise distracted, wrapped in Tanhi's embrace as he was. Norm was beside him, the scientist happily bouncing on his feet and laughing as he congratulated his cousin.
Tsaro approached Jake and Neytiri, his head bowed respectfully. "I See you, Olo'eyktan. I present this, Eywa's blessing of the fruits of my labor, to you and to the People." It was customary to present your first kill to the Olo'eyktan, symbolically gifting it to all of the Omaticaya.
Jake offered a proud grin of his own as he placed both of his hands on Tsaro's shoulders. These were some of his favorite "duties," if they could be called that, as chieftain. "You honor the People with the work of your hands. I would gladly accept, but I would rather return this blessing back to you so that you may gift it to your loved ones this day. You may provide for the People tomorrow." It was also customary for the Olo'eyktan to politely refuse, to give this, the hunter's first kill, back to him so that it might be enjoyed by him and his family.
Tsaro tried his best to look dignified, but he was fairly twitching with excited joyfulness. "Thank you, Olo'eyktan!" he said before he dashed off to the congratulations of his proud parents.
Neytiri rose up and placed a kiss just below Jake's left ear. "You look as pleased as if they are your own sons returning from the hunt," she informed him with a warm smile.
Jake kissed the top of Neytiri's head in return. He lingered for a moment in her hair before drawing back and giving her soft smile. "I hope we can experience that in time," he said, his eyes twinkling.
"In time," Neytiri repeated confidently.
Someone softly cleared their throat before the couple and Jake turned back; Kyle was standing there, looking inordinately shy, his ears lowered slightly. Norm stood just behind him, his arms folded over his chest. He traded a knowing look with Jake as he grinned a wordless greeting. "Yes, brother?" Jake inquired to Kyle, doing his best to keep a knowing smirk off of his face.
Kyle met his eyes and smiled slightly. "I See you, Olo'eyktan. I present this, Eywa's blessing of the fruits of my labor, to you and to the People," Kyle said formally.
Jake schooled his features, but his eyes were still warm with pride as he set his hands on Kyle's shoulders. "You honor the People with the work of your hands. I would gladly accept, but I would rather return this blessing back to you so that you may gift it to your loved ones this day. You may provide for the People tomorrow."
Kyle bowed his head in acknowledgement. "My family is small, and there is much meat to go around," he said in English. "It would honor me to share with you, as my friend, that which Eywa has blessed me with."
Jake's eyes widened in surprise; this was most certainly unexpected. Neytiri hummed happily beside him and elbowed him in the ribs when he failed to respond quickly enough in her opinion. "Wow...thank you, Kyle. I accept. The honor would be mine."
Tanhi watched the formal exchange taking place between Kyle and Jake. She felt herself swell with pride as Kyle selflessly offered Jake a portion of his kill a second time. Tanhi had silently pondered how Kyle would handle such a situation. He was a rather unique case...only Norm fit the category of "official family." With a soft giggle Tanhi replayed Kyle's whispered promise in her ear of the best portion of meat in her mind. She had suspected he would do such a thing.
Her ears twitched back as she heard someone approach, and the special scent of her father reached her nose. She leaned back against him readily as Mal'ek gently rubbed her arms from behind. "Look at how well you have taught him," Tanhi whispered.
Tanhi could feel her father's chuckle deep in his chest. "While I will take full credit for teaching the skxawng how to shoot a bow and arrow, I could never teach him generosity and kindness. That was his to begin with." Mal'ek kissed the top of Tanhi's head and whispered for only her to hear, "I am happy for you, 'ite."
The clan's cooks immediately set out to prepare Kyle and Tsaro's yeriks for them in the tastiest way possible, and by dinnertime a fantastic private feast was set up in their honor. It was a service that the cooks were happy to provide, a "thank you" of their own as an acknowledgment of Kyle and Tsaro's new status as providers for the clan.
Kyle had never really met Tsaro's parents before. Perhaps it had something to do with his growing relationship with Tanhi; while Ateyo and Marali were generally polite, Kyle could still detect an unfortunate undercurrent of coldness. Tsaro sensed it too, much to his frustration. Still, Tsaro had insisted that he and Kyle share their meals together, if only to keep Kyle honest in front of the others concerning the means of his kill.
By way of silent agreement, Kyle and Tsaro remained mute regarding Kyle's initial hesitation to shoot. It was, however, Kyle's great pleasure to point out to all the way that Tsaro had readied his shot from a near impossible position without alerting the yerik. Kyle could see Ateyo swell with pride at his son's deeds, and Marali wore a look of great relief on her features. This is a big deal indeed for their family.
Not to be outdone, Tsaro was quick to highlight Kyle's own apparent skill. Not many hunters could pull off a snapshot on a moving non-visible target. Norm, Jake, and Mal'ek were quick to heap praise upon the embarrassed Kyle, thumping the younger man soundly upon his healed back with enough force that Kyle thought he might cough up a lung. Even Ateyo acknowledged all of this with a small smile of his own.
Meanwhile, Neytiri, Tanhi, and Marali simply traded subtle looks of mild feminine irritation. Men could be such boys.
"You mean you couldn't even see it?" Norm tried to clarify in an incredulous tone. Jake and Mal'ek waited with noticeably bated breath for Kyle's response.
Kyle shot Tsaro a dirty look, who sniggered softly behind his hand. He did not look sorry about putting Kyle in such a position in the least. "Well, technically, I guess," Kyle hedged. By way of disclaimer he clarified, "I mean, I saw it clearly before it bolted, though. I could hear it plain as day, and wasn't really that hard to make an accurate guess as to where it was behind the leaves. I could tell the yerik was running in a straight line."
Jake laughed and shook his head in amazement. "Why, yes, I often take shots at that which I can't see as well. Don't you too, Mal'ek?"
Mal'ek regarded Kyle with newfound respect as he offered his future son in law a faint grin. "I cannot say I am that bold, Olo'eyktan," he responded.
Tanhi chuckled and rubbed Kyle's back as his tanhi flared for a moment. "It was a lucky shot," he mumbled.
Norm snorted and coughed on his bite of dinner. As soon as he had swallowed he gave Kyle a pointed look. "I didn't think you believed in luck, cousin," he said.
Kyle's ears flicked back and forth as he realized he had been caught. "Er, you're right, Norm," he admitted.
Tanhi, bless her, finally intervened on his behalf. "I am very proud of your accomplishments," she told him honestly. And with a playful look added, "And I am also proud of your humility on the matter."
Kyle glanced up to meet her fond gaze and offered her a crooked grin. One could not very well admit that they were humble now, could they? "As you say," he replied diplomatically. Rightly sensing the correctness of his response, all present laughed at this.
Later that evening, after the meal had concluded and all involved began to drift their separate ways, Norm excused himself, begging everyone's pardon for retiring early. Mal'ek had teased him good naturedly, saying that he had not had nearly enough to drink to earn such an early retirement. Norm heaved an exasperated sigh. "I still have plenty to do, just not in this body."
Afterwards, Kyle was surprised when Ateyo came up to him. Like Tsaro, he always seemed to wear a stern, unreadable, seemingly perpetually pissed expression. Unlike Tsaro, Kyle did not have the benefit of knowing him well at all. "Oel ngati kameie, Ateyo," he said in a respectful tone, the greeting accompanied by the hand motion.
"And I See you, Kylefischer," the man said. Kyle had the fleeting thought that it was fortunate his grasp of Na'vi had improved much as of late, for he was sure that Ateyo would not offer him the benefit of speaking in English. "I offer you my congratulations on your successful hunt."
"Thank you," Kyle responded softly.
At first it looked like that might be all Ateyo had to say, and Kyle shifted uncomfortably on his feet, hoping that this would not turn into one of his more awkward conversations. Ateyo's fists clenched at his sides, and with great effort he forced himself to relax. "I should not hold the death of my son against you," he said stiffly. "I do owe you my gratitude, however. My mate and I both thank you...for ensuring that we did not lose another child."
Kyle nodded wordlessly, and with a motion of farewell Ateyo joined hands with his mate and walked slowly into Kelutral. Kyle felt a soft touch on his hand, and he knew without looking that it was Tanhi. She slipped her hand into his, her four fingers nestling perfectly between his five. "There is someone else who has something to say to you this night," she murmured as she gave his hand a little squeeze.
"Hmm?" Kyle responded as he turned in the direction she indicated. Kyle's expression brightened as he noticed Va'ru standing at a respectful distance away. "Va'ru! It is good to see you this evening."
Kel'rey's father motioned his greeting with one hand, for in his other he held a carefully folded bundle. He was one of the clan's leather workers - only Lompo was more skilled than he. "Congratulations, Taronyu, on your first successful hunt," he said. "Your gift is finished, and though it is perhaps early, Jakesully says that you are ready to receive it."
Kyle's eyes widened slightly as he remembered. Beside him, Tanhi chuckled softly.
With a flourish, Va'ru unfolded the bundle, revealing a finely crafted weapons harness made out of black leather. "Whoa," Kyle whispered in awe as he accepted the waist guard. The leather was thick and soft on both sides, but as he carefully rolled it between his fingers he could tell that there was a definite...firmness, for lack of a better term, at the material's core. "I do not recognize this... What animal did it come from?"
Va'ru laughed. "Are you sure you do not recognize it, Kylefischer? For better or worse, you were quite close to its former wearer."
Kyle gulped. No way... "Palulukan?" he gasped. How ironic, that it seemed he would get to wear the skin of the one who had quite nearly killed him.
Va'ru nodded and could not hide the pride that crept into his voice. "It was quite difficult to work with. It was fortunate that I had plenty of...material to practice on before constructing the final piece." Va'ru knelt on one knee before Kyle and Tanhi and reached behind him to withdraw a square patch of palulukan leather; he then spread open the piece upon the upper surface of his thigh. "May I see your knife, Kylefischer?"
With a curious look, Kyle complied, unsheathing his knife and handing it to Va'ru hilt first.
Va'ru accepted the blade, spinning it skillfully in his hand so that he could place the tip against the leather on his leg. Then, without warning he pressed down hard, earning a surprised gasp from Tanhi. "There is a definite reason that palulukan are difficult to kill," he explained as he withdrew the knife and flipped it, returning it to Kyle in the manner that it had been received. The ceramic blade had barely marred the leather and came nowhere close to piercing it. "None of Eywa's younger children have skin like that of palulukan. It has a unique texture, and it is very strong. There are not many things that can pierce it, not without exerting considerable strength."
"Thank you very much, Va'ru," Kyle said. "It is a great privilege indeed to be able to receive such a fine, and rare, piece of craftsmanship."
Va'ru nodded. "It was a privilege to work on such a project. And to give it as a gift, from one man to another, an item that will be of good use to its new owner."
Kyle unfolded the garment and held it out before him. The hide was pitch black and seemed to eat the light from nearby camp fires, just as it had done when it had been covering its prior owner. Kyle shot Tanhi a calculating look. "The straps are in the back and are difficult for me to reach. Do you think you could help me tie it?"
Tanhi's return look was admirably straight-faced as she replied, "Of course."
Kyle wrapped the harness around his stomach, and he was only mildly shocked when Va'ru winked at him once Tanhi turned her focus to fastening the guard behind him, her fingers lingering perhaps a little longer than needed upon the skin of his back. He dutifully held his arms away from his body as Tanhi finished, and he jumped slightly as Tanhi gently caressed the base of his tail. "Was that necessary?" he asked in a tone that was not entirely serious.
Tanhi stepped back beside him. "My apologies. I am not normally that clumsy," she excused, only barely containing her smirk.
Kyle regarded her coolly, his tail still twitching slightly and tingling from her brief touch. It was definitely a...unique sensation. He smiled, revealing the tip of one of his fangs. "I am sure," he replied dryly.
Va'ru chuckled softly as he observed Kyle's and Tanhi's exchange. "Does it fit well? I guessed the size as best as I could."
Kyle considered the question and gave a few experimental stretches. "It is perfect," he confirmed.
Va'ru nodded again, pleased with the assessment. He bowed slightly and after giving both Tanhi and Kyle a knowing look said, "Then my work is concluded, and I shall cease being a bother to you this evening. Txon lefpom."
Kyle and Tanhi bid Va'ru goodnight before finally turning their undivided attention to the other. They stepped close to one another, their hands almost automatically settling on the other's waist. "You are speaking the People's language well," Tanhi complimented him honestly.
"Just practice," Kyle replied softly. "Nothing good or worthwhile in life comes without practice, or a little hard work."
Tanhi leaned forward, making as if to kiss him on the lips. At the last second she diverted and gently pressed her lips against his chin. She withdrew, a faintly teasing smile gracing her expression. "And I am sure that you are properly motivated," she purred in a husky voice.
Kyle smiled as he brought one of his hands up to lovingly stroke the beautifully intricate lines of glowing spots on her face, the other lingering at her side to caress her waist. "I think I am. So, do you call me Taronyu now?" he asked in a playful voice.
"Perhaps," Tanhi agreed. "But I think I would rather call you Yawne," she said as she leaned forward again, this time placing a wonderfully firm kiss against his lips.
"I can get used to that," Kyle managed between breaths.
Hoshiro entered the stereolithography plant's airlock and finally lifted his exopack up over his head. The air inside the plant was not really all that fresh, but at least it was not exopack air. Hoshiro smiled wanly. In this land of abundant life, of wild beauty, humanity never really got to take a breath of actual fresh air.
The security door was just up ahead, and Hoshiro tapped in his unique 12 digit code. Upon this confirmation he spoke the next 12 character code, a mix of numerals and letters. An optical scan and then he finally gained access to the plant proper. Once within he navigated the maze of machinery by memory, as the dim evening illumination was hardly deserving of the title.
Hoshiro reached the closet sized control booth. The control booth struck some people as rather anticlimactic, for from this room one could instruct the vast machinery beyond to construct almost any object imaginable. Before opening the door Hoshiro turned to the maze of piping, ducting, and wiring on the wall behind him and reached up as high as he could. Hidden within the rat's nest of wires was a small holo-camera. It's 24 hour memory would expire in exactly 17 minutes; Hoshiro exchanged the camera with a fresh one, taking care to place the new one in a different location from the former and to readjust the wiring around the hiding place until the small camera was invisible. Ever since the Time of Great Sorrow, Hoshiro had never reused a hiding place.
Once this task was complete, Hoshiro entered the control booth and began to tab through pages of information and data on one of the dusty touch-screen computers. He already had a set manufacturing program saved. Truth be told, he had created it even before he had gained Jake's permission to update their armory. In fact, he had all kinds of contingency plans created that he had yet to tell anyone about.
Hoshiro finally found the program he wanted, selected it, and pressed "Execute." It was as simple as that.
"Let slip the dogs of war," he murmured in Japanese as beyond the control room windows the stereolithography plant began to stir to life.