XVIII: Rosetta Stonewash (VII)

Jake was quick to track down the spunky mechanic; her team was working furiously to seal off the largest breach in Hell's Gate, a section of wall with a nasty tear the size of a man and all sharp edges. Whatever firepower had hit there tore the inches thick steel like tinfoil. Jake stood back only a moment to watch the avatars and Na'vi putting the patch in place while Sun herself and another used a torch to cut away the bent and rent metal. They worked seamlessly together, as well trained as any military response unit. Jake stepped forward adding his own strength to the moving of the wall patch. The Na'vi and one of the Avatars were surprised but didn't speak out of concentration. The other Avatars didn't seem to recognize Jake as they focused on the job at hand, something Jake was grateful for. As they slid the massive rectangle of steel across the room, Sun and her two other cutters just finished removing the last of the razor sharp wreckage, "Clear!" she called.

Jake and the other four hefting the plate shouldered it forward, two Avatars standing outside with a torch bearer, and two inside with the other two torch bearers. Once they got the plate in place, the Na'vi quickly said greetings to Jake, including his title. Jake returned the greeting and Sun lifted her head from her wielding to look at him. "Jake?"

Jake smiled, "Got a minute?" Sun brightened, and then nodded to the other wielder who took her place. She stepped to the side where Jake and she could talk and hear over the burning metal. "How goes it?"

Sun lifted her Exo-pact and wiped her forehead, then replaced it. Her face was darkened by wielding residue, but that only made her white teeth sparkle. "We're about ten minutes away from sealing, but it will take at least another five to make sure it's airtight. The filters need to be washed before we reintegrate though, I've already got a team working on that, but you know… so I'd say maybe an hour before we can take our masks off."

Jake frowned, "What hit us?"

Sun frowned as well, "Actually I'm not sure. Unless the RDA sent something out years before, with the intention of blasting the Na'vi to ash, I can't think of anything that would get here that fast. Maybe Quaritch sent for it as a back up plan and it got here too late, I don't know, but I didn't recognize its make- it came in silent, hit us hard, and got out just as fast. I do know it's still in orbit though."

Jake crossed his arms, "Waiting for another rotation to fire again?"

Sun shrugged, "That'd be my guess, but why would the RDA attack out of the blue? I know they aren't that untouchable and they couldn't take out our communications, word will get back to earth and then there will be hell to pay."

Jake narrowed his eyes, "Yeah, that doesn't seem to add up. Well, regardless, I'm leaving you in charge while I recon with the Na'vi, I'll be on my way there as soon as we've finished- like you need me to tell you." he grinned wide.

Sun shrugged, "It's the training."

Jake looked at their progress, "What's the damage?"

Sun turned and looked with him, "Compound sections 6-9 are practically dust, lab 4 and half the garden are ash, stores 1-6 were all hit… least remodeling for Na'vi height will be easier now." She laughed, half hearted and bowed her head, "Our weapons of any kind of ground defense are all but nil, I don't even have any AMP's that are anything but scrap worthy. We still have munitions scattered around, but nothing that can counter heavy ordinance of that level… they crippled us Jake, they really did."

Jake smiled grimly, "Lucky I know all about being crippled then."

Sun looked up to him, her expression switching from confusion to realization and then embarrassment, "Oh Jake I forgot, what with, the Avatar and…."

Jake waved her off, "The only offense I need is what I can use against the RDA."

Sun sighed, "I wish we had more in store, but… I never expected them to come back so soon, or fire without warning."

"Tell me about it." Jake agreed, "But I think we got a little ace in the hole; me and some of the other Na'vi found a smugglers grotto a few clicks from here. The stuff there is a bit overgrown, but it should be serviceable. AMPs, Swans, and some munitions crates. I can lay down the coordinates and you can send a team after you get done with plugging our holes."

Sun looked much heartened, "Well, at least it's something."

Jake nodded, then his face grew serious. "Sun, I have a comm. link with me, and I need you to get one too. Once I get back to the people, we're going to have one huge war council. I need your voice there to offer solutions to orbital defense. I know it isn't your field, and I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm low on options."

Sun looked daunted, her shoulders sagging, but she took a deep breath and nodded to Jake. "I'll… dig up what I can…" Jake smiled kindly to her and turned to go, "Jake." She reached out taking his arm. "…what about this, Stranger, what's going to happen to him?"

Jake shrugged, "I've left Yawne in charge of trying to get him to talk. If he's a part of this, we need to know, and who knows- from what Norm said he came here in something homemade, so he might know a bit about space travel and can help us out." Sun looked down deep in thought, Jake fell silent, waiting; Jake watched her expression carefully, her hand was still gripping his arm. The wielding torches sparking behind them, and the hiss of their flames filled the silence. "Sun." Jake finally prompted.

Sun seemed to realize she was holding Jake back and quickly let go, "Sorry Jake, this whole… thing has got me on edge… I mean; War." she said it simply, the idea and grand concept of it. Jake sympathized with her. It was a daunting task for all of them, something he honestly wasn't sure he could handle anymore. He did know it would take more than taming Toruk to get the job done this time.

Jake patted Sun gently on the shoulder, "I know what you mean… we'll make it." then he turned and trotted off down the hall on his way to Hometree and the rest of the Na'vi. Jake hoped he was right. Sun watched him go and set her jaw, slowly she brought the wielding torch up and clicked on the flame.

…

Entering the room was a bit odd for Yawne. For all his talk of selflessness, he was a bit afraid to face the Stranger again. He'd taken a face full of the white powder and never wanted to experience such mind numbing terror ever again. It was different from the natural uncontrollable emotions he use to experience when he was inhabited by part of Eywa, it was even different from the post traumatic episodes which had him relive some of the worst moments in his life over again as if he was actually there… no, that time was like… taking every terrible moment he'd ever experienced, having it happen again all at once, only it was happening to everyone he loved instead. Yawne had always feared, his greatest fear actually, was terrible things happening to others he couldn't prevent. Getting a face full of that was exactly what it felt like, only a hundred times worse because he had absolutely no say in the matter. He couldn't even register the thought it was only chemical induced, the reaction was so fast he hadn't even known he'd been hit.

Needless to say, he was not all too confident to be facing the slightly comatose three feet and hundred pounds slighter person lying helplessly covered in only a modesty cloth. It was a crazy idea, and not as in 'just crazy enough to work' but 'just crazy'. Yawne approached with slow movements, stalking but in a non-startling, non-threatening way. His brain fervently pounding due to a kind of hang-over he'd never experienced before, anticipation for a face full of powder, and on top of trying to recall the lyrics he'd heard so many years ago. He'd like the song well enough sure, but he never expected his mental stability would rely on a few dimly recalled lyrics form ages past. Yawne paused only once to wear a feral smile- this was just too stupidly awesome. Yawne restarted his approach, coming within two feet of the Stranger, all at once Yawne knew he was dimly aware of him- because his head stopped lulling and his eyes were now locked in Yawne's direction, thought his eyelids still had trouble staying up.

Yawne felt instinctively if this were a horror movie, there would a jump moment rig- suddenly the figure sprung up into a crouch and slammed his own back into the wall with a leap. Yawne checked himself from jumping out of his skin as the figure hit the floor and curled up into a ball, his long fleshy tail winding after him from in front of the table. Yawne released the air in his lungs slowly and then equally as slowly, leaned down to eye level with the Stranger. He was crouched as far back as possible in the very corner of the room, hugging his knees with his tail wrapping around his feet. Yawne felt a strong pang of pity, buried it, and carefully crept closer. Making no sudden moves even if the Stranger was no longer looking right at him, Yawen knew full well he was being tracked by his peripheral. Yawne was outright unsure of how to being talking to the Stranger. Lyrics were all well and good but one didn't just start singing at someone… well… maybe one did. Yawne pursed his lips in thought, considering. The room was entirely silent; smelling of hospital clean, and sweat.

Yawne tried to recall a lead in to the lyrics he knew, not wanting to pick the wrong song or really do anything that might upset the fragile Stranger. Yawne prevented himself from nervously licking his lips, and instead put a kind smile on his face. That's what had been his saving grace, Kindness. Maybe it would work just as well for the Stranger… or maybe humor would work… Yawne remembered back to some of the Jokes he use to pull on Grace and the others. Maybe humor would bring him out of his shell? No harm done, it's only a laugh. Yawne made an easier grin, a hopefully welcoming grin- forgetting of course he had fangs now and probably looked pretty frightening. Yawne slowly moved down to the now rocking figure, "Hey…" he said calmly in a whispering voice that was as gentle as a breeze that rocked the baby in the tree top. "Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey. "

Instantly the figure began a low intake of air, like an inverse scream that somehow swept through his four chambered lungs and rattled with a kind of echo effect in a steady hiss, building into something. Yawne's face fell immediately and he knew the very next second he would get another face full of terror dust, run screaming around the room, and exacerbate the situation to no end, suddenly the figure launched forward! "OVERWHELMED AS ONE WOULD BE, PLACED IN MY POSITION." Yawne checked himself as he fell backwards to his heels and the figure stared into him with unseeing eyes in a crouch, "SUCH A HEAVY BURDEN NOW TO BEEEEEEEEEE, THE ONE." He shut his teeth tightly, starring directly into Yawne with fangs bared.

There was half a beat where Yawne was too surprised by the sheer power of the Strangers voice to react, but he quickly regained his footing. "Born to bare and bring to all the, details of their ending, to write it down for all of them to see!" Yawne added nervously, not even sure he had to tune right, but stumbling over the lyrics he recalled from that long distance, it seemed to work however as the Stranger rolled back into a sitting position and clapped his hands to his head and sang equally as powerfully:

"BUT I. .MY PEN…" then shook his head slowly stilling as his elbows fell to rest on his knees, "…typical."

Yawne watched him, silence reigning. The Stranger was still, Yawne was still. Yawne turned to look back to through the glass where Norm and the others waited. Yawne gave them a 'what now' look and Norm returned it with a 'I dunno' shrug. It had been Yawne's idea after all. Of course the stranger wasn't trying to grab him and use the chemical contact poison stuff so it must have been going wel- "NNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" the Stranger screamed at the very top of his four lungs, the sound ringing and piercing through the glass easily, causing everyone to cover their ears. "…can't remember what they said, to meee." Yawne was on his back this time, hands over ears. "Can't remember what they, said to make, me out to, be a heeeeeeeeerrroooo!" The Stranger was in a kneeling position, reaching clawing fingers to the ceiling and still starring at nothing- "GAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Help meeeee~!" again the four chambered rattle vibrated the glass and Yawne had to dig his fingers into his sensitive ears at the top of his head.

The Stranger slowly settled back into a cross legged position, looking lost. "Can't remember what they said…" he began suddenly rocking his head side to side, fists clinching and pounding each word, "Don't know - won't know, don't know - won't know, don't know -won't know, don't know - won't know, don't know - won't know-" he continued to repeat the same words, eyes squeezed shut. Yawne got that at least this was nearing the end, a violent end if he recalled correctly- Yawne didn't want to risk that kind of reaction it would create, he needed something soothing, gentle, and forgivably mellow- and a strong idea hit him.

"Ignorant siblings in the congregation, Gather around spewing sympathy…" he began suddenly, out of nowhere and with the best he could recall following the low and slow beat. The stranger stopped dead, then slowly, lifted his head with focused eyes… they were tinted slightly red, but they looked upon Yawne and the world with intelligence and awareness.

"Spaaaare me…" he finished.

As the two inside the room continued to exchanging lyrics, Max turned to Norm, "Well, I don't know how that worked but: It worked?"

Norm looked back and shrugged, "You know, I don't know anymore, frankly I'm about as lost as… well yeah. I guess Yawne was right."

They both turned their heads again looking at the two crouching figures singing to each other, sometimes with Yawne searching for the words and the Stranger leaping upon the next line without missing a beat. "Please forgive this bold suggestion, but, should you see your maker's face tonight- look him in the eye, look him in the eye, and tell him:" Yawne said in a lower sing song voice. "I never lived a lie, never took a life, but surely saved one…"

"Hallelujah, it's time for you to bring me… home." The Stranger finished, then stilled as he looked at his own hands, closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Yawne let him have this moment, a soft kind of gift as the Stranger came face to face with the reality of his situation, grounded by a familiarity. Yawne knew well this kind of soul searching, a lot of people achieved it through music. Yawne found it through games. He'd experienced a thousand different lives and in that found his own better explained or at least explored- that was the benefit of stories, they allowed one to experience through the eyes of another and ultimately see one's self better. This poor fellow had simply been more inclined to lose himself in music, lyrics, and the emotion within them. Yawne found it easy to bridge that gap. Emotion was the universal language after all. Over the course of a few deep, rattling, breaths the Stranger visibly relaxed. Yawne took a more comfortable seat- cross legged at the Stranger was, just as the Stranger began to cry. Slow tears building at the edges and spilling down.

There was a kind of hoarse rattle in his throat, and he spoke so surprisingly softly even Yawne's sensitive hearing could barely pick it up. "You know… that was the last album I listened to before the mission; to psych myself up. Give me the courage for suicide by star trek."

Yawne sat with the stranger in the quiet room, letting him weep. A large part of him wanted to reach out and hold the man, but the larger was afraid of the mysterious skin contact poison or whatever it was. Yawne was no coward, perhaps the second bravest Na'vatar on Pandora- heh, Navatar- but even he wouldn't risk the fragile communication chance because the Stranger needed comforting. So Yawne waited as the Stranger gently wept, silent, and still. Yawne watched for any visible signs of excessive stress, hands shaking or shortness of breath, but the Stranger simply sat and cried silent tears; the slow patter of them hitting the floor sounding like a pin drop in the quiet of the room. Yawne decided then, the Stranger had made the first move, perhaps worried what the reaction would be and simply waited. It was now a matter of Yawne's inscrutable handling of social matters both human and Na'vi… which Yawne checked and decided to try what Peyral would do instead. "My name is Yawne. It means love in Na'vi."

The Stranger didn't look up, though Yawne knew he was still watching with his peripheral. Maybe it was a matter of being more scared of him, then he was of it? Again however, the Stranger whispered. "Odd name for an Avatar."

Yawne grinned, "I'm not an Avatar. I am a reborn Na'vi. Eywa placed me into this body for my humble service to her during the battle for Pandora. I am not in a link bed, I am right here now, with you."

The Stranger hissed slightly, "Liessss." the strange rattle making the hiss reverberate. The tears had slowed.

Yawne quickly leaped into the gap, "I know it's hard to believe, but so is someone surviving a suicide run through space and coming out as you have."

He must have said the wrong thing. The Stranger's eyes flicked up to Yawne, wide circles and piercing deep within him to scour his very soul. "Coming out?" Yawne had the distinct impression of being in the hunting gaze of a Thanator. "You cut me up, genetically alter me…" his voice began to rise in pitch and yet, at the same time the split second echo somehow caused by his chambered lungs made it sound deeper- as if he was speaking with two voices. Something Yawne had never heard before, but knew in a strange way, it meant trouble.

"What, is your name?" Yawne blurted suddenly, in a scraggily old man voice.

The Stranger seemed to recognize the tone and reference, for he stopped his accusation, but didn't go for it as he began again, "then drug me and expect…"

"What, is your quest?" Yawne repeated in the same voice.

This time the Stranger stopped and slowly deadpanned, "To wipe out the RDA and all non-chosen human life on Pandora with specifically designed virus that would spread without end via all mediums of contact physical, fluid, and airborne thus making Pandora unavailable for human contamination and mining by anyone other than the resistance for the next thousand years."

Yawne didn't miss a beat, "What, is your favorite color?"

The Stranger paused genuinely now, his earlier attempt at getting a rise from Yawne having failed he looked at Yawne with a juuuust slightly elevated eyebrow. "Blue." he said neutrally.

"No, yellllooooooo?" Yawne added. Now the stranger was silent as he again starred into Yawne's soul. He didn't seem to appreciate the joke however as his mouth set into a slight scowl.

"What have you done to me." he said simply.

Yawne sighed deeply and generally looked uncertain how to say what he was going to say, "Well… first off, pleased to meet you. Secondly, how can I tell you anything if you won't believe it no matter what I say? What if told you we didn't do anything- and by we I mean those left on Pandora after the Na'vi rose up and kicked the RDA off- and it was actually your Wildfire virus and a mix of Pandoran bacteria that changed you into the primordial goop that allowed a flash pan evolution into some kind of super being which you are now? Hmm? Would you then spit your fear cloud into my face? Maybe grab me and melt my brain with psychic mind bullets? Or would you use your super powers for good, Clark." The Stranger did not react. Yawne knew he was going out on a limb. Perhaps pushing where he had intended kindness to pull, but the Stranger wasn't giving him an inch of ground.

The Stranger was pure confrontation and absolutely unwilling to budge. He believed what he believed based on what he had seen and experienced and Yawne was in no position to change him mind sitting here on the floor wi- suddenly a wide grin spread across Yawne's face. "You think we cured you, cut you up, and experimented on you. You think we are the big bad evil RDA trying to wipe out the poor defenseless Na'vi. You think we are keeping you here against your will and drilling you for information about your mission… fine." Yawne then stood, his heart racing as the Stranger watched his rise and walked purposefully over to the door to the outside, and opened it. "Then get out."

The Stranger watched Yawne do this, expressionless, or at least closely guarding his emotional state. He looked at Yawne as if he knew full well the RDA would stop him or shoot him down, or retrieve him yet again before he got into the jungle. But Yawne simply shrugged. "No? Okay." Then turned and casually exited the room, leaving the door open. The Stranger watched him go, then turned back to look out the glass. Norm and the others were all watching with bug eyes and some flinched back from his stare, even through the glass. The Stranger watched this and then slowly, purposefully, stood. With measured steps he turned his back to them and headed for the door. Without hesitation he stepped outside where Yawne was standing in the grass with arms crossed. The Stranger fixed his stare upon Yawne who only smiled and motioned around him. "Here come the guards to take you back. See them on patrol?"

The Stranger's eyes scanned the vacant field, the garden slightly burned, and then his eyes landed on the wreckage. Without reaction he stared at the recently destroyed sections of Hell's Gate, and Yawne could tell even from this distance, he saw just how crippled they were. The Stranger took it all in - stoic sort of like Clint Eastwood, Yawne thought- and then looked back to Yawne asking in silence for explanation. "Yup. RDA just attacked its own base from orbit. Knocked the wind right out of us, took out pretty much half of it. They haven't contacted us with an ultimatum yet, but they are still in orbit, Jake- another Na'avatar like me- is heading back to the Na'vi as we speak to see if they were hit too." Yawne said distantly, "Still I figure we…" he paused as he saw the Stranger looking elsewhere. Yawne turned his head to follow and picked out a Na'vi woman racing across the field toward them. He knew Peyral from any distance.

"My love!" she called out to him and slowed as she neared him and the Stranger. "Are you well?" she said once she was by his side.

"Yes, I'm fine." Yawne smiled brightly.

They both turned to look at the Stranger who looked at them with the same scouring scanning stare. "What has he said?" she whispered in Na'vi.

Yawne sighed shortly, "Nothing except confirming what we figured already. He was sent, by the resistance I think, to wipe out all human life on Pandora and make it uninhabitable for the next thousand years except by a few chosen few." Peyral slowly touched Yawne's arm, asking him to be careful. Yawne smiled at her. The Stranger noted the touch with his all seeing stare and Yawne caught a most peculiar hint of an expression. In utter surprise, Yawne slowly turned his head to Peyral. "Hey… will you do me a favor?"

Peyral didn't raise her eyes off the starring man, "What is it my love?"

"I want you to approach him." he said in low Na'vi. Peyral again didn't take her eyes off the Stranger and she didn't even ask why, instead she slowly moved a few careful steps forward. Instantly the Stranger went a little more ridged. Peyral froze, as did Yawne, even though they were both at least twenty feet away. The Stranger didn't make any threatening gestures however, so without Yawne's prompting Peyral slowly stepped forward again. The Stranger remained absolutely still as Peyral approached him like a hunter trying to sooth a trapped wild animal. Yawne watched with razor sharp focus as she neared him. When Peyral crossed half the distance, the Stranger's unblinking stare wavered slightly- flicking down, away, and anywhere else but her; his tail became straighter, instead of hanging loosely behind him, it slowly leveled out and then began to curl around his midsection. Yawne guessed it was involuntary. Yawne was flat out surprised and he softly called out. "Pey, wait."

Peyral did so, coming to a stop within five feet of the Stranger. Again the Stranger met her gaze, once, twice, then his eyes flicked around and his hands slowly moved toward his only covering. He startled slightly when his fingers met his tail already wrapping around his waist to preserve his modesty, and his face burned. He then lifted his head and fixed his stare onto Peyral's eyes, locked firmly and not straying a millimeter. Yawne was dead certain he wasn't even using his peripheral. With a grin as large as a watermelon sliced in half, Yawne slowly came up behind Peyral. "Un-believable."

Peyral turned her head slightly, not taking her eyes off the Stranger. "What?"

Yawne moved up to her side and leaned back, "He's scared of girls."

Peyral had to look at Yawne this time, "What do you mean? I frighten him?"

Yawne grinned at her without moving his eyes, "No, as I was, before…" he silenced and looked at her once then smiled in remembrance. "…he finds the peoples' beautiful bodies distracting." Peyral knit her brow at Yawne and then returned her gaze to the Stranger, her eyes flew open just a bit wider and Yawne snapped his head forward as well. The Stranger was somehow ten feet away from both of them, blushing and adjusting his tail modestly. But. they hadn't seen or heard him move. They, possibly the greatest hunter and most stealthy Na'vi in the Omaticaya, had not seen nor heard the Stranger move ten feet from them from only five feet away.