The Balance of Life
Part One - Discovery
Chapter 3 - Part 5--- Aftermath
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In a phenomenon that was now very familiar, Norm let his mind rush through the multi-colored, twisting tunnel of light as his consciousness flowed into his Na'vi body. His avatar awoke with a jolt as the lights in his mind flared to intense blinding white, and abruptly vanished. The closest he could describe the sensation in human terms was bolting out a sound sleep to find yourself wide awake with no recollection of having awoken. Sitting up, Norm stretched is arms while rolling his shoulders and neck to loosen the customary kinks and knots that formed from complete inactivity.
Glancing around he instantly became aware of the quiet that hung in the air. He could see dozens of clan members huddled in small groups. They were quiet, almost lifeless. Normally at mid-day the clan would be a beehive of activity. Voices would be loud; songs would float on the air along with the laughter of children. Even the forest seemed eerily quiet to Norm's ears which were finely tuned to such sounds. When the smell of cooking meat registered in his mind, Norm followed its scent and saw Jake gathered with a few other clan members around a fire pit.
After getting to his feet and stretching his legs Norm started to make his way through the small groups of clan members sprinkled throughout the gathering area. He felt mildly uncomfortable as everyone seemed to be watching him with less than friendly eyes. Looking closer he realized that those eyes were filled with pain and misery, and something else he had never seen in them before, despair. Unable to look at their faces, he quickened his pace as he moved towards Jake.
"Hello." A young girl stood directly in front of Norm. Her use of the English word brought him up short as he all but ran over her. He had been looking at Jake, not expecting a child to cross his path.
"Hello to you too," Norm replied in English. As he had a fondness for children Norm squatted down so that they were face to face.
"I am Ralu, daughter of Jakesully and Neytiri," she announced, switching back to Na'vi.
At first Norm thought the child was playing a joke on him. The expression of curiosity on her face as she studied him made Norm realize she was serious. Knowing for certain that she wasn't their biological daughter, Norm assumed she must have been referring to some sort of honorary title.
"I see you, Ralu, daughter of Jakesully and Neytiri," Norm answered formally, adding small flourishes with his hands. "I was just going to talk with Jake…your father. Is your mother around?"
"Yes, she went to fetch more meat for cooking. There she comes now," Ralu added pointing to Neytiri as she headed towards the fire pit from the opposite direction.
When Norm stood Ralu slipped her small hand in his as though it belonged there. A little startled by the gesture, Norm glanced down to see her bight face smiling back up at him. Smiling back at her, he set off to add to the misery that hung in the air.
"Jake, do you have a minute?" Norm asked in English when he came up behind him.
The unexpected sound of Norm's voice had Jake bobbling the piece of meat he was cooking. His quick reflexes saved the meat from ending up in the fire. Jake handed the stick he was roasting the meat on to a woman standing beside him. Turning to embrace Norm, which had become their custom, Jake noticed Ralu standing beside Norm, her hand firmly gripping his.
"What you got there?" Jake asked Norm, pretending he didn't know.
"Your daughter, or so she says."
"Oh yeah, I thought she looked familiar," Jake answered, faking sudden recognition as he reached out to pinch her nose.
"Daddy thinks he's being funny, but I love him anyway." Letting go of Norm, Ralu grabbed Jakes arm and swung gracefully up to cling to his chest, her arm loosely wrapped around his neck.
"I can see that," Norm answered, a little pang of envy pushing its way into his heart. Norm had mostly gotten past the jealousy he had felt when Jake had been taken in by the Omatikaya, but the envy was still very much there. When Neytiri walked over to stand beside Jake the pang became an ache. Sighing internally Norm pushed the ache aside. There would be more than enough ache to go around.
"I see you," Neytiri said to Norm, when she noticed the light go out of his eyes. Norm had always preferred to greet in the traditional Na'vi way. She had developed a great deal of respect and fondness for Norm when she discovered his love for her people and all Na'vi in general.
"I see you," Norm replied, his Na'vi as fluent as if he had been born among them.
"You are well?" Neytiri asked. She could tell from the expression on his face that Norm was trying very hard to hide what was troubling him.
"About as well as could be expected," Norm answered Neytiri, but his eyes had switched to Jake. She felt something unspoken pass between them.
"Ralu, run and get some of the other children to pass out food for those who cannot get it for themselves," Neytiri said as she reached out for her new daughter.
"That's a lame, but effective, excuse to get rid of me," Ralu added when she went to Neytiri.
"Yes it is. We will tell you all that you need to know. Now go. Gather up the other children. After you have seen to the injured, be sure and feed yourselves."
"Remember, I need to know everything, just everything," Ralu called out just before she scampered off.
"She's…something," Norm added as he watched her bound away.
"Yes, that she is," Jake answered. "Since I assume you're not just here for our fine cuisine we should find some place where we can talk."
"Take some food with you," Neytiri suggested. "Both your bodies need nourishment."
"Neytiri, you need to listen to what I have to say. It affects all of us."
Consenting to Norm's request, Neytiri began to fix a leaf plate for herself as the men did likewise. Motioning to a large section of fallen arch Jake led Norm and Neytiri over so that he and Neytiri sat with their backs to the stone with Norm facing them.
"How many clan members did you lose?" Norm asked once he was seated.
"Fourteen known dead. Some are partially buried beneath the stones," Jake answered somberly. "Others that we do not yet know about may be buried completely. Another twenty have injuries of varying degrees."
"After everything the people have suffered through this was the last thing they needed." Neytiri sensed the conflicting emotions of sadness and anger in Norm. They very much mirrored her own.
"My brothers and sisters appreciate your concern," Neytiri added, placing a hand gently on Norm's knee for a few seconds.
"I'm assuming that the arches collapsed during the earthquake?"
"Yes they did," Jake answered. "Neytiri and I took some children and young hunters to a lake close by. We were at the lake when the quake hit. We lost one of the hunters when the water in the lake quickly disappeared into an opening at the bottom of the lake."
While Jake filled Norm in on the details of what they had experienced at the lake and when they returned to find many of their brothers and sisters dead or injured, Neytiri slipped her hand into his. Comfort for both, as was the custom of life-mates.
"What happened wasn't an earthquake, at least not in the sense of quakes back on Earth," Norm began. "What actually happened was our continent split into three separate pieces."
From the puzzled look on Neytiri's face, Norm knew that this was going to take some time to explain. Looking around Norm spotted a thin flat piece of stone about a foot in diameter. Quickly retrieving it he sat back down and set the stone on the ground between them.
"Assume this stone is where all the Na'vi live," Norm began. "This side here is the eastern sea, this area down here the plains. Up here are the Hallelujah Mountains. Right here in the center is where the Sky People mined for unobtanium."
With a smaller pointed stone, which Norm had retrieved with the flat stone, he began to chip away at the spot which represented the mine. After six good solid hits the flat stone broke apart into two pieces.
"This is essentially what has happened, except our land was broken into three pieces. The base the Sky People built is in the eastern piece. We are in the north western piece. There is also a separate piece to the south of us where most of the plains tribes live. The eastern piece is the smallest. The piece we are in is the largest. The piece to the south is in between. The pieces are separated by a two mile wide canyon filled with sea water."
"Are you telling us that the mining of unobtanium caused this to happen?" Jake asked after he had tried to absorb the enormity what Norm had just told them.
"That is our best guess. We can't be one hundred percent positive, but as all three sections had the mine as a point in common, it's pretty conclusive."
"The only way to reach the other clans it to fly?" Neytiri asked as she looked to Norm for confirmation.
"Yes, that is true. You can no longer get to them by direhorse or on foot. The site where Hometree stood is very close to where the western land was split in half."
"I can tell by your voice that is not all you came here to say," Jake added when Neytiri didn't question Norm further.
Norm did his best to relay all the details that Zoe had given them such a short time before. Jake and Neytiri interrupted several times trying to get a fuller understanding of what had happened and what would most likely happen in the future. Weary, and more than a little sick, Norm finished, telling them about everything but the deadly vortexes. He just didn't have the heart to bring it up when they both looked so devastated.
"Our immediate problem is finding shelter for the people to protect them against the storms you say are likely to come."
"Yes, Jake. That's correct. We don't know how soon these storms will begin, or how strong they may get. Zoe estimates that they will be bigger and stronger than anything in the past."
"Once when I was Ralu's age a storm lasted for ten days. It knocked down many trees, caused much flooding. It was impossible to do anything but stay in Hometree and wait for the storm to pass. We had to take care with food so that all would have a small amount each day."
"Flooding could be serious, Jake added thoughtfully. "If we get days and days of torrential rain there are going to be flash floods. We need to find someplace where that won't be a problem. Assuming these storms will be as strong, or stronger, than what Neytiri experienced, a new home, in a tree, may not be the best idea either."
"Neytiri, have the people ever lived in caves? Are there any caves to live in for that matter?"
"Some of the old songs tell of a time when our ancestors lived in mountain caves. Where those caves might be located I have no idea."
"Maybe someone knows or has possibly heard of them."
"Mother may know. We should ask her first."
"Yes, that's a good idea," Jake agreed. "The next question is what do we tell the people? They are already devastated. We need to get them motivated and back on their feet."
"Fighting for your life is good motivator. This might be just what the people need. The clan has always pulled together, become as strong as they need to be, in times of great crisis and sorrow."
"From what Norm has told us, it sounds as though that strength is about to be put to the test," Jake answered as he got to his feet, holding out a hand for his life-mate.
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"What should I do with these Geo-Packs?" Zoe asked when she maneuvered the motorized parts carrier over to where Rocky was running his preflight checks on the Sampson.
She could hardly believe she was going out into the wilds of Pandora. All her training, except for some very basic survival techniques, had been for administrative jobs inside the complex. She was panicked and thrilled in equal parts. She wanted desperately to succeed in the field, but was terrified that she might fail.
"Zoe, you can do this," she told herself. "It was a replay of the pep talks she used to give herself in the mirror when she was training to come to Pandora in the first place.
"Did you say something?" Rocky asked from inside the cockpit.
"Just talking to myself, that's all. This will be the first time that I have been outside the complex since I arrived."
"Zoe, relax. Give yourself a break you will do just fine."
"I'm afraid I'll disgrace myself by being airsick."
"Here, take two of these now. Just chew them," Rocky added a moment after retrieving the pills from the medical kit. "They should keep your tummy settled. I'll remember it's your first flight and smooth out the bumps as much as possible."
"Thanks, Rocky. I appreciate this."
"Don't mention it."
Before the sweet taste from the pills was gone, the four avatars entered the hanger bay and quickly closed the distance to where the Sampson sat ready for flight. Kyle and Judy were each carrying an MBS-90 Hydra door gun.
"Buck, you and Abby get another pair of those Hydra's from the armory, just in case we run it trouble," Rocky ordered as he jumped down from the cockpit. "Kyle, after you and Judy mount your weapons on the door swivels store the Geo-Packs in the cargo hold. As soon as everyone's ready we will lift off."
"You got it, Roger," Kyle called out, giving him a mock salute.
"Zoe, is all your test equipment stowed?"
"Yes. Strapped down just like you showed me."
"Ok, up you go," Roger added as he bodily lifted her into the open area behind the cockpit. "Strap yourself into the co-pilot's seat."
Buck and Abby returned just after Kyle finished storing the Geo-Packs and latching the cargo hatch door. Buck and Abby looked like a couple of banditos with bandoliers of ammo crisscrossed across their chests.
"Expecting another war?" Rocky asked as he shook his head looking at them.
"What good are guns without ammo?" Buck asked.
"Not much. Get aboard and well see if this bucket of bolts can still fly."
As the turbines started to whine and the seat she was sitting in begin to vibrate Zoe wondered just what the hell she had gotten herself into. She sure hopped those air-sickness pills were going to work.
"Gary, this is Rocky in Sampson One. Open the hangar bay door number two."
"Roger that," Gary's voice replied in the headsets they were wearing. "Keep in constant radio contact. Have a safe flight."
Rocky kept the Sampson hovering just off the hanger bay floor while the big doors slowly opened.
"Keep your eyes peeled for any critters trying to sneak in while the doors are open," Rocky informed the avatars through their headsets.
As soon as the doors where open wide enough to let the Sampson through, Rocky inched the bird out onto the tarmac.
"Gary, close the hanger bay doors. We'll wait here to make sure nothing gets inside."
"Sampson One lifting," Rocky informed Gary once the doors were closed and sealed. "See you in three hours."
"Roger that."
Zoe felt her stomach sink to the bottoms of her feet as the Samson lifted quickly above the tree line and continued to climb. The sound from the rotors made all but impossible to hear anything that did not come through the headsets. By the time Rocky had leveled off and headed westward her stomach was mostly back in place. As per their agreed on flight plan Rocky headed directly for what used to be the open pit mine.
When the Sampson passed out over what now looked like a large lake everyone was silent. The divisions between the sections of the continent were impossible to miss as they were more than two miles wide. From their position directly above the middle of the central body of water it was easy to see the adjoining boundaries of the newly formed continental sections.
"This has got to be ten miles across," Buck said into his headset. "I've flown over the mine a few times. This just blows my mind."
"Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it?" Kyle asked.
"Where to first, Zoe?" Rocky asked.
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Neytiri found her mother on the dais in the Well of Souls. She had seen her walking in that direction when she and Jake were talking with Norm. Not having seen her come back she decided that was the best place to look for her.
"Mother, I need to speak with you again."
"Twice in such a short time is quite unlike us. Usually you are so busy living your life we barely talk at all."
"I know. I'm sorry if I have hurt you."
"No, you haven't hurt me. I'm just missing your father. One of the things that we did constantly was talk with each other. If it wasn't something to do with the clan, then it was about you or Sylwanin. I hope that you and Jake will always take the time to talk with each other. It strengthens the bond between life-mates. It will sustain your relationship for as long as you live."
"What did you wish to speak with me about?"
"Some of the old songs mention a time when the clan lived in caves. You know the ones I mean."
"Yes, you are referring to 'Swotu Hawnu', the sacred shelter. Why do you ask?"
"Does anyone know the location of this 'sacred shelter'?"
"I doubt it very much. Most of my elders that mentioned it thought that it was located somewhere near the Sacred Mountains. It could just as easily be mythical instead of factual. Why this sudden interest in a place that may or may not exist?"
"Norm told Jake and me that the Sky People who remained behind believe that we are going to have storms that are much stronger and last much longer than those that we are used to. It is for the same reason that the ground shook and the sacred arches collapsed. For all their knowledge the Sky People did not realize the consequences of digging such a large, deep hole in the ground. Maybe they did know, but didn't care. At this point it does not matter as the outcome is the same. Our land has been divided into three pieces. According to the humans we allowed to stay we need to find shelter as soon as possible. That was why I thought of the caves mentioned in the old songs. They might provide a suitable shelter should the storms come to pass."
"If I knew where they were located I would tell you. I'm not sure if our people would choose to live there as we have lived in trees for as long as anyone can remember."
"Right now I don't care where we live, as long as we keep on living. I'm frightened, for my people, for you, for myself and my new family."
"You believe Norm and the other humans are telling the truth?"
"Yes…yes I do. They have nothing to gain by lying to us. You have studied Norm. He and Grace have always tried to help the Omatikaya. They helped Jake escape from the other Sky People so that he could lead us to victory against them. Even if they are wrong, which I hope they are, we should do everything to see that our people are safe."
"Then that is what we will do. Come let us talk with some of the elders. Perhaps they will remember something that I do not."
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Author's Note:
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