Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here is chapter ten of "Take My Breath Away." I am glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter introduces Tswayon. I decided to have him as the first Na'vi to be delivered by C-section because I wanted to show how human culture has helped his people. Norm and Jake enter their avatars for the first time. I am glad to have finall done this. Stay tuned for chapter eleven.
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Chapter 10: To Greet Na'vi/Entering Avatars
The early morning sun beamed its rays on Paradise Gate the next day. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind. Twenty-two-year-old Tswayon, Sylwanin, Grace, and Selfridge stood on the tarmac close to the main building's entrance. They were waiting for Quaritch to bring the newcomers out to greet the Na'vi. The Na'vi's tails swung from side to side twice.
Tswayon put his bow over his shoulder. He was the same height as Tsu'tey was. He had a small knick in his left ear. The left side of his face was marked with scars, as were his left arm and right leg. His tail tuff was missing a few hairs. A ring could be seen at the base of his tail. He moved his body from side to side three times.
"I am looking forward to seeing the newcomers," Tswayon said warmly as he and Sylwanin looked down at Grace and Selfridge.
"Me too," Sylwanin agreed and took a deep breath. "I wonder how many will actually last here."
"Quaritch mentioned to me that some of the newcomers looked uncertain about being here. We believe they will not last more than a year," Selfridge responded.
"It astounds me how people brag about being tough, yet they run at the slightest hint of danger," Grace grumbled with a roll of her eyes.
"It is all about image. They have to present themselves as something greater than they really are. When their lies are exposed, they become angry. They seek revenge on those who 'wronged' them," Selfridge explained.
Sylwanin huffed in irritation. "Talk about crazy."
Tswayon snorted. "You said it."
Tswayon and Sylwanin looked ahead. They saw Quaritch coming toward them and the humans with the newcomers. Jake and Norm were at the front of the group. Quaritch came to a stop, as did the newcomers.
"Here are two of our Na'vi neighbors," Quaritch said, motioning toward Tswayon and Sylwanin.
"Hello," the newcomers greeted with some waving at the duo.
"Hello. My name is Sylwanin. I am the Omaticaya's future spiritual leader," Sylwanin said, warmth showing in her voice. "I am also a warrior and a hunter."
"My name is Tswayon. I am a warrior and hunter for my clan," Tswayon added.
Several men wolf-whistled, especially marines. Grace and Selfridge groaned in a bit of annoyance. Quaritch rolled his eyes, as did Sylwanin with hers. Jake and Norm looked toward the wolf-whistlers with raised eyebrows.
"That lady is hot!" a marine shouted.
"I would do her!" a computer technician added eagerly.
"Cut it out, guys!" Quaritch warned in a stern voice.
"Sylwanin is off-limits. She is married or mated as the Na'vi call it," Selfridge commented seriously.
"Who is her husband, or should we say mate?" a doctor asked curiously.
"Her mate's name is Tsu'tey, who is her clan's future leader. They have two children, Nova and Mawey. He is not receptive to strangers. He can lose his temper if he is pushed too far," Selfridge explained.
The wolf-whistlers groaned annoyingly and mumbled inaudible disappointed words. Jake and Norm turned their attention to each other. The former bit his lip before swallowing hard.
"Do human men always act like this toward the Na'vi women?" Jake asked.
"All the time. The Na'vi men have been catcalled by human women many times as well," Norm admitted. "They are…"
As Norm continued talking to Jake, Tswayon and Sylwanin took a closer look at them. They tilted their heads while swinging their tails from side to side. They pressed their lips together as they looked at each other.
"That one is definitely Norm. He looks quite nerdy from what Grace told us," Sylwanin whispered. "Of course, his dreamwalker body will contain muscles."
"The one in the wheelchair is Jake. He is Tom's twin brother. Tom was killed in a truck accident while coming home from a going-away party," Tswayon commented. "Jake was chosen to drive his dreamwalker due to his genome being identical to that of his brother."
"Jake appears to know nothing about Pandora. I dare say he is a moron," Sylwanin said.
"Oh, I agree," Tswayon said while nodding in a slow way.
"I admit he is handsome," Sylwanin responded and cleared her throat. "I have a feeling his dreamwalker body will be just as handsome."
"He is going to be thrilled to be able to walk in his dreamwalker body," Tswayon said, a chuckle leaving his mouth.
Sylwanin giggled softly. "Oh, yes. Still, he will likely take baby steps before he will be able to walk normally."
Tswayon twitched his ears. "You are so right."
The Na'vi shifted their attention back to the newcomers. Norm and Jake looked at them. Quaritch clapped three times and snapped his fingers. He pointed one at the main building.
"All right, let's get back inside!" Quaritch ordered and began walking toward the entrance. "Let's go on the double!"
The newcomers followed the colonel close behind. Some broke into quiet chatter. Selfridge looked at Sylwanin, his face full of sympathy and regret. Tswayon let out a soft snort.
"I am sorry the wolf-whistling happened again, Sylwanin," Selfridge apologized.
"It is all right. I am used to it. It's no less annoying, though," Sylwanin responded and blew a raspberry.
"I better go to the lab and get Norm and Jake ready," Grace said in some uncertainty. "Jake had better not screw up."
Grace headed into the building. Selfridge proceeded to talk with Tswayon and Sylwanin about possibly learning to use guns in combat.
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Two workers hosed down the amino tanks with a sanitizing agent in the lab two hours later. Six doctors tended to Jake and Norm's avatars that laid on gurneys. The former seemed to twitch a foot. They chatted with each other about the avatars as they connected wires to them. The wires were attached to machines that monitored their vitals.
Jake looked at the avatars through the window alongside Norm. He was even more impressed by them than he was before. He hoped to gain control of his quickly, though he had a feeling Norm would do that with his before he did. He snapped out of his thoughts when Norm cleared his throat. He looked at him, his eyebrows raising.
"Amazing, aren't they?" Norm asked.
"They sure are," Jake agreed with a chuckle. "I say they look even bigger now than they were in their tanks."
"I can't argue with that," Norm commented and scratched his ear. "If only—"
"All right, that's enough jibber-jabbering, boys," Seth said as he walked by along with Grace.
"We need to get you ready," Grace added seriously. "Time is wasting away."
Jake and Norm followed Grace and Seth close behind. The former went with her while the latter went with him. They headed toward the third and fourth link units.
"How much link time have you logged?" Seth asked.
"About five hundred hours," Norm answered truthfully.
Seth smiled warmly. "Good."
Norm stopped next to his unit, as did Seth. Seth proceeded to get it ready for him. Jake and Grace headed over to his. He brought his wheelchair to a stop next to it. She started to press buttons.
"How much link time have you logged?" Grace wondered.
"I haven't logged at all, but I did read a manual," Jake answered honestly.
She turned to him, looking annoyed. "Tell me you are joking."
He poked his finger into the gel-like cushioning. "This is really cool."
Jake moved his wheelchair sideways. He pushed himself out of it and onto the unit. He stopped Grace when she tried to help him with his legs. He narrowed his eyes at her.
"No, I got this," Jake said, taking hold of his legs. He pulled them onto the unit. He eyed her as she turned back to the computer. "Okay."
"So, you thought you could come out to the most hostile environment known to man without training of any kind and see how it went? What was going through your head?" Grace asked and pressed buttons.
"Maybe I was sick of people telling me I was a cripple who never amounted to anything," Jake answered bluntly and looked at her.
Grace eyed the former marine with a huff. She shifted her attention to the computer and finished getting the unit ready. Seth got done readying the other unit and stepped back. Norm laid on his back, laughing as Seth closed it. Jake laid down, but he kept his head up.
"Put your head down," Grace instructed and pushed the young man's head down. She did it again when he lifted it. "Keep it down. Just relax, and let your mind go blank." She pushed the top down. "It shouldn't be hard for you."
Jake laughed as the top closed. "Kiss the darkest part of my lily-white—"
Both units went into their rings. Scientists whispered inaudible words as they monitored Jake and Norm's vitals. They pressed buttons on the computers. Max grabbed a tablet and widened an image of Jake's brain. He headed over to the window, laughing in much excitement. Grace and Seth came up behind him. She placed her hands on her sides while clicking her tongue.
"That is a gorgeous brain. Nice activity," Max said with a smile.
"Hmm. Go figure," Grace retorted.
"Humanity may have changed its ways, but there are still some very stupid humans," Seth grumbled with a roll of his eyes.
"Teens are known for doing stupid things. It has nothing to do with intelligence. It has to do with their belief that nothing bad can happen to them," Grace explained in a low but firm voice.
"Most teens have that belief at one time or another," Seth pointed out while crossing his arms.
"Mm-hmm," Grace agreed. "Unfortunately, some adults…"
As Grace continued talking, Jake looked around inside his unit. He could barely hear her and other people talking. He felt as if he were about to be crushed any second. He knew people who were claustrophobic. He wasn't that way, but he didn't like being in enclosed spaces for great lengths of time. He was aware he would have to get used to that.
"That is why you do not see many stupid people breeding these days," Grace said and cleared her throat.
"It is a good thing your sister never had any kids. She would've made a terrible mother," Seth said, shuddering in fear.
"No denying that," Grace agreed.
Seth started heading for the first unit. "Okay. We are going in."
Grace cleared her throat as she went toward the second unit. "Let's get the ball rolling."
Jake looked both ways before closing his eyes. He could feel his consciousness going elsewhere.
00000
Jake opened his eyes in his avatar, but he found blurry vision. It became a bit clearer within three minutes. He could hear the hissing of a respirator as well as soft breathing from elsewhere. He had no doubt it was Norm. He found two doctors, one male and one female, standing over him. His breathing was slow yet steady.
"He's in. Jake, can you hear me?" the woman asked and licked her lips. "Can you hear me?"
The man shined a flashlight into Jake's eyes. The pupils became smaller. He took it away with a smile.
"His pupillary reflex appears to be good," the man commented.
The woman snapped her fingers next to Jake's right ear, causing it to twitch. She did the same with his left one, and it twitched twice.
"Pinna response is normal," the woman announced with a giggle. "How are you feeling, Jake?"
"Hey, guys," Jake greeted.
"Welcome to your new body, Jake," the man said, eagerness showing in his voice.
Jake lifted his arms and wiggled his fingers. Norm was already sitting up in his avatar. He had his legs swung over on the side of the gurney. Another doctor was with him.
"Just touch your fingers to the edge of your thumbs," the man instructed as he did that.
"Sure. No problem," Norm answered and did what he had been told. "I like this."
Jake sat up slowly yet surely. He placed his hands on the gurney, sighing with determination. He began to move his feet back and forth. He wiggled his toes, an amazed chuckle leaving his mouth.
"There is no truncal ataxia. That's good," the man murmured.
"Are you feeling dizzy or lightheaded?" the woman asked and took a deep breath.
The man laughed when he realized what Jake was doing. "You are wiggling your toes."
The woman squealed delightfully. "That's good!"
Jake increased the speed of wiggling his toes a little bit. He seemed to become more amazed by the second. He breathed deeply three times.
"Diastral motor control is looking good," the man said calmly.
"Are you feeling any numbness or pain?" the woman wondered. She watched Jake swing his legs over the side of the gurney and place his feet on the floor. "Whoa, whoa."
"That's great, Jake," the man said and held up his hand. "Take it easy. Do not get ahead of yourself. We need to run a few sensory motor reflex tests."
The man turned away and grabbed for an instrument on a nearby tray. Jake stood up a little too fast. He began stumbling once he was at his full height. His doctors gasped in shock.
"Jake," the man shouted.
"You should sit down, Jake," the woman commanded firmly.
The man hissed frustratingly. "Jake, you need to listen to me!"
Max looked up and saw what Jake was doing. He gasped in much shock. Jake moved his tail to one side. The woman jumped back, barely avoiding it. He started to walk, but the wires pulled him back.
"Buddy, listen to me," the man ordered.
Jake shook his head. "No way. I got this."
"Jake, you need to sit down right now!" the woman shouted while running to the front of him.
Max held up his hand. "Guys, get him back on the gurney now."
Jake stumbled off to the side, but he regained his balance. Norm looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. Jake felt the tip of his tail go over his arm.
"Listen to me. For your own safety, you need to sit down right now. You need time to adjust to the avatar," the man instructed. He gasped at Jake's turning around and swinging his tail. It knocked his tools off the tray. He jumped back when it nearly hit him. "Whoa! Watch your tail!"
"Heh, heh, heh," Jake said, swinging his tail from side to side. "Yeah!"
The man pointed his finger downward. "Sedate him! A thousand milligrams of supitocam! Stat!"
The woman raced over to another tray and grabbed a syringe filled with supitocam. Jake moved forward, bringing the machine with him. She ran out of the way. He pulled the wires off. He walked up to the window and placed his hand on it.
"By the numbers," Norm said as he turned toward Jake.
"Jake, come on!" the doctors shouted irritatingly.
"Jake, listen to me! You are not used to your avatar body!" Max blurted out while holding up his hand. "This is dangerous."
Jake shook his head. "No way. This is great!"
Norm huffed as Jake gazed at him. "Come on. They are going to put you out."
Jake laughed and walked to the door. He pushed the door open with a loud grunt and headed toward the exit. Norm pulled his wires off. His doctor tried to stop him, but the nerd pushed his hands away.
"No, I got this," Norm said, shaking his head rapidly as he stood up. "I got it."
Jake was nearly at the exit with the doctors and Norm on his tail. He pushed the door open while grunting loudly. He stepped outside, startling two scientists who had been chatting. They looked at him in annoyance. He turned toward two avatars, one male and one female, playing basketball. Norm and the doctors managed to make it outside.
"You ain't got no skills!" the female avatar said as she bounced the basketball and shot it at the hoop. It bounced off the backboard. "Damn it."
The male avatar got the basketball and proceeded to bounce it. The female avatar tried to get it, but she couldn't. They became still when Jake walked past them. He broke into a jog. Norm was right behind him. They went through the obstacle course. Jake increased his pace until he was at a full run. Norm upped his stride.
"Hey, you are not supposed to be running!" Norm yelled frantically. "Jake!"
Jake ran even faster while laughing in much joy. Norm was unable to keep up with him. An AMP suit came out of nowhere as Jake exited the course. He jumped aside, barely avoiding it.
"Oops," Jake said. "Sorry."
Jake raced through the garden, his face full of great excitement. He skidded to a halt once he reached the middle of it. He looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath. He turned his attention to the ground. He dug his toes through the soil. He chuckled in glee.
"Hey, marine!" a female voice said.
"Over here!" a male voice called.
Jake spotted two avatars that greatly resembled Grace and Seth coming toward him. He raised his eyebrows while moving his tail upward. They stopped close to him.
"Grace, Seth?" Jake yelled in surprise.
"Who did you expect, numb-nuts?" Grace yelled and grabbed a banana fruit. "Think fast!" She tossed it at him, giggling when he caught it. "Motor control is looking good."
"It sure is," Seth agreed.
Jake took a bite out of the fruit and chewed it quickly. He swallowed it with a loud gulp and laughed in delight. Grace and Seth formed big smiles on their faces. Just then, Norm came up to the group. Jake spun around to face him. Grace and Seth glanced toward him.
"Look at me," Norm growled fiercely. He showed off his muscles and flared his nostrils. "I am a living god." He emitted a soft chuckle and began to walk forward. "I think I will—"
Norm tripped over his feet and fell flat on his face. Jake and Seth couldn't help but snicker under their breaths. Norm stood up quickly, an embarrassed look forming on his face. He held his hand out in front of him.
"Don't worry," Norm said and breathed deeply. "I'm fine."
"All right, you two," Grace commented, waving her hand toward herself. "Come with us."
Grace and Seth turned around and walked away. Jake and Norm glanced at each other before following them. They caught up to them. They headed out of the garden.