Pandora: The Final Solution

I gratefully acknowledge one of the foremost creative geniuses of our times, James Cameron, for conceiving the lush moon Pandora and the "noble savages," the Na'vi, that inhabit it. This story uses the characters and setting he created for his movie, Avatar. I have not received any money for my work based on Avatar. If I could get paid by the hour for these stories, I would retire and spend all my time dancing and writing in comfort.

Chapter 6: Jake & Neytiri – Part 1

Jake didn't think it was possible, but his admiration for his mother-in-law Mo'at has increased even more after last night. She Saw that he and Neytiri needed this time together, and now that they did as she commanded, they realize she was more correct than they could have imagined. Jake couldn't tell if it was Eywa working through her or simply that she was the best psychiatrist he has ever encountered. No doubt she would attribute everything to Eywa, so asking her is pointless. Like everything else, psychology and psychiatry were invented by humans a long time ago, but have not been discovered by the Na'vi yet. Certainly, Mo'at is far better than any of the Veterans Administration mental health professionals assigned to him after his spinal injury.

Jake and Neytiri eat an early supper and retire to the cave assigned to Mo'at long before the evening begins for most everyone else. Neither of them feel emotionally distanced from the other, but go along with the wishes of their Tsahìk because she will be able to tell if they did as she commanded. Mo'at is not allowing anyone to interrupt their time together. The eight fully-armed sentinels are in place when they arrive, with several sporting leaf bandages on their limbs. With the battle over, the warriors welcome this assignment of protecting the sixth Toruk Makto and his mate, the first and only Palulukan Makto. After thanking the sentinels, they enter the cave, take off their clothes, lay down in the pile of skins and furs that serve as bedding, make tsaheylu, and snuggle together face to face in the dark.

Jake asks "What do I have to do?"

Very clearly, he hears Neytiri say "I See you, ma Jake," but he sees that her mouth is closed and her lips did not move. He realizes his ears picked up only their breathing.

Jake replies "I See you, ma lovely Neytiri. Now that's an impressive ventriloquist act."

The corners of her mouth raise up to a smile, but her mouth remains closed as he hears her silently say "Thank you, I think. I do not know what that means. All bodily senses and emotional feelings can flow through the bond. They are also recorded in your brain during every waking moment, but not everything can be remembered afterward."

"Uh-huh."

"With your human brain, I'm not certain how well this will work. My mother thought you would not survive your dream hunt, but you did. I knew you would, you always succeed when you make up your mind to do so. If only I could get you to decide to master pa'li skills."

"Sorry. I've got an ikran and a toruk and a beautiful mate to satisfy, and that doesn't leave much time for pa'li. Not to mention running a clan without a home, organizing the humans at Hell's Gate, and planning to handle the next ISV that arrives. I was never much of a horse or pa'li rider, anyway."

"Please decide to heal our hearts, for us and for the clan."

Then a warm, delicious feeling washes over him. He can't remember a time in his life when he has felt so warm and comfortable and loved as he does at this instant. The dank smell of the cave freshens up, and becomes the ancient but clean smell he remembered from the Tree of Voices, with just a hint of their lovemaking from that first mating. He sighs, and after a little pause, whispers "I feel so good! Are you doing that?"

"We both are. This is how I felt after we mated in the Tree of Voices, before we fell asleep. You made me feel this way, and now I am remembering it and sending it back to you. That makes you remember how you felt and reinforces my memory."

This feeling is very different from those he previously experienced with her through the bond. The first time, when they mated in the Tree of Voices, was pure driving passion, the animalistic lust of two lost souls suddenly finding their intended mates and becoming one. At least, that is how Jake remembers it. He must have fallen asleep very quickly, he does not remember this feeling she is sending him. Since that night, circumstances have interfered with their lives, and they have mated only twice since then. Neither time had the power of the first. The night before the battle for the Well of Souls, just after Neytiri found Jake asking for Eywa's help, they mated quickly, like most couples there. They were pressed for time and distracted, not knowing whether they would survive the battle. They mated again the following night, tired but elated that both survived with only minor injuries, but saddened by the great cost of the battle, especially the death of Tsu'tey. He is looking forward to a better occasion, when they have the time and energy to enjoy themselves, like tonight. Jake opens his mouth to speak, and soundlessly hears Neytiri once more.

"Do not speak again. Think the words, direct them to the bond, and I will hear them. Relax and breathe normally. Speaking interferes with your concentration."

"If I get too relaxed, I'll fall asleep."

"I won't let that happen. You need to relax so you can concentrate on the bond. When you are remembering something for me, try to remember everything about that moment you can remember. Your brain should hold not just the sights and sounds, but all your senses and emotions from that time. I will help you with getting everything out, but you have to lead me by remembering. When I am remembering something for you, you simply have to concentrate on the bond and let in all of the senses and feelings. Of course, you can limit what I am sending you, but that lessens the experience. Can you remember to do these things?"

"Yes, but how does this heal our hearts?"

"By experiencing what the other has gone through will make us understand each other better."

"Do all mated pairs do this?"

"Yes, to some extent. Like everything else, some couples are better than others. All tsahìks are trained to do this, so we should be better than most. Sometimes it is necessary for a tsahìk to make tsaheylu with another, so my mother has taught me more than what most Na'vi know."

"Has she done this often, bonding with others?"

"Only rarely. Last year, a hunter fell off a pa'li and couldn't move. His mate made tsaheylu with him, but could not communicate with him. My mother made tsaheylu with him to determine the extent of his injuries, and to ease his suffering. He was mentally frantic, and she helped him get calm. Once he calmed down, his mate was able to make tsaheylu and communicate. After several days, he died of his injuries. My mother hasn't told me what she did, she said I had to be mated first with a very strong bond before she can teach me what to do. She has been waiting for me to become mated before I can progress much further with tsaheylu skills. I think there is much about controlling the bond she hasn't told me yet, but that must wait until we are whole, individually and together."

"Outstanding! No pressure at all!" Jake pauses while his breathing and heart rates race together, his mind roiling, and then settles down. "I've decided, I will do this, for you, for your mother, for me, and for the clan. Just tell me what to do."

"I think you should start by remembering what you can about something special to you but commonplace. Norm mentioned working with your brother?"

"Yes, my twin brother Tommy. Or Tom, as Norm knew him. His full name is Thomas, like mine is Jacob. I think I was the only one who still called him Tommy."

"Start with your childhood memories of Tommy. Remember what you can, and what you want me to know about him. Direct your memories to the bond, to me. I will help when I can. This is a good way for you to learn what must be done, before you move on to more unsettling memories."

Jake starts showing her memories from his childhood. They may have been born identical twins, but Thomas was always cerebral and cautious, and Jacob was always physical and impulsive. Together, they could do anything, but as they got older, they had less patience for each other, and went their separate ways. After some typical boyhood memories of playing together, he remembers Tommy's first favorite cartoon series, a cheesy animated series that was created shortly after the first human explorers returned from Pandora and touched off the first world-wide Na'vi craze. This cartoon has very young Na'vi boys and girls, usually playing with their pet viperwolves and sometimes flying young banshees or riding young direhorses, getting into situations where they are saved by older siblings or parents. In several episodes, they are seen by wood sprites, called Eywa's scouts, and are saved by Eywa stirring up a storm and hurling wind gusts or flinging lightning bolts at thanators or great leonopteryxes to scare them away. In other episodes, the children would fire several arrows and chase off a predator, always without making any direct hits. No blood was ever seen and no arrows ever hit anything except trees or dirt to keep from violating child anti-violence laws.

Neytiri silently exclaims "Jake! There is so much of this, it could take all night to review. And you have very little emotional response with it."

Jake thinks "Don't bother, just wanted to give you a taste of it. I hated this cartoon, because the children act stupid and make their own problems. Now that I have seen how Na'vi children live in real life, I know this cartoon is wrong in so many ways."

"I am very unhappy with this portrayal of Na'vi children. Any clan with such undisciplined children would be near collapse."

"Well, these children may look Na'vi, but they are behaving human, and are behaving very badly even for human children. Today's human children wouldn't find realistic Na'vi children interesting, so the cartoon creators use 'artistic license' to tell stories that would be watched. I just wanted you to see this cartoon because Tommy often said he wanted to go to Pandora and see these children for himself. Maybe that's why I'm in your arms now."

"Maybe Eywa created this cartoon to bring you here, and eventually cause humanity to leave us alone. It makes us look so weak."

"The only thing I liked about this cartoon is that all children can carry knives and spears and bows and arrows, things I wanted to do but couldn't because of the zero tolerance rule against weapons in the schools I went to."

"I don't understand this rule, but now you always have weapons nearby, like all Na'vi except babies. Let's go on with something else."

The next memories he shares with her starts the day his parents died in an accident. He and Tom were teenagers, and were taken in by their aunt, the older sister of their mother, and her family. He shows Neytiri some of the interviews with investigators and the court hearing where the aunt and her husband win custody of the twins after much paperwork and talks with lawyers. Tommy withdrew into his studies, and emerged the class valedictorian of his new high school with a better than perfect GPA. Jake coasted through school doing the minimum to pass, and kept one step ahead of trouble the whole way. He was not the biggest or most threatening boy in school, but even the thugs kept their distance because he could thrash them all. He was always ready to prove he could beat all comers, and that made the adults keep an eye on him. His adoptive parents found him combative and difficult, the opposite of his twin, and were grateful when he announced he was joining the Marines right after graduation. Of course, Tommy had his pick of free rides to the most prestigious universities around the world, and couldn't wait to get started on an academic career. The twins left their adoptive home almost as abruptly as they arrived.

"You were such a troublemaker. I am glad you have become more cooperative. To survive, everyone in the clan must work together."

"Yeah, I was a troublemaker back then, but I got over it. The Corps straightened me out, helped me grow up. Not all troublemakers are bad. Some in the clan must think differently than everyone else to find the best way to survive."

"I agree, my love, but they must cooperate with everyone else, and it is the leader's job to encourage their cooperation and participation."

"Yep, I promise I'll do that. I'm sure you'll let me know if I forget." He smiles at her and she nods and smiles back.

He remembers several noteworthy events while he was a Marine, old buddies and old battles. Most of that time is just a blur now. He remembers the day in the Venezuelan jungle when he was hit and had his spinal cord severed. His memories after that are also a blur, med evacs, hospitals, "pain and torture" sessions more properly called physical therapy, and incessant paperwork. Most striking was the number of times the healers asked the same questions, especially name, birth date, and serial number, over and over, with little warmth or compassion.

"They treated you like that after you were badly injured for them. That's awful! Why do they ask the same questions so many times?"

"One nurse finally told me they had to ask those questions to make sure I was the right patient matching their records. They see so many each shift, and no patient stays long enough to become familiar, they lose track. They have to ask those questions all the time. But it's damn annoying before they tell you why."

"Human ways seem so strange."

"Yeah, things are much different when you know everybody in the clan. There are so many humans, these strange ways are needed just to keep everyone straight. You have to learn to do what must be done. They call it being a good soldier."

"They could be nicer to you. We know that treating the sick and wounded with respect and good nature makes everyone heal faster, and makes bad situations better. They act like your injury was hurting them."

"Yeah, it was a lot of bother, for me and for them."

"I don't like the way you were treated, and I don't see your healer friends like Maxpatel behaving this way."

"Maybe they would, but they don't know your language. If you see them behaving badly, let me know, and I'll see what I can do. They know very little about the Na'vi ways, and we have to teach them."

His next memories begin the day Tommy died, first fighting on behalf of the battered but ungrateful woman, and later being found by the suits from RDA in the mud puddles behind the bar. That week is a blur of paperwork and unexpected responsibilities. He spends the day after Tommy's cremation in the Human Resources office of RDA, filling out the paperwork necessary to become an employee and going off-planet for about seventeen years. He spends the next day in the VA offices also doing paperwork. As a highly-compensated RDA employee, he no longer qualifies for his meager unemployment and disability checks. He was wait-listed for spinal surgery, and is moved to the inactive list because his job is taking him off-planet. He will be moved back to the active wait-list when he returns. After seventeen years, he will be close to the top of the list, if the laws don't change in the meantime. He has to break the lease on his tiny apartment. RDA will deal with the paperwork and penalties, but he has to clean it out, get it inspected, and return the keys. His belongings are junk, but he gives everything away, except the few clothes he is taking to Pandora, to his disabled vet friends.

He also has to empty and clean Tom's apartment in another city. Tom was already packed and ready to travel, but still has furniture and some other belongings to handle. Jake keeps the family pictures and a paper picture book that his parents used for bedtime story reading from his early childhood. He finds a bulk storage device provided by RDA that Tom was using to take his personal e-collection to Pandora. Jake doesn't have the time or patience to deal with it, so he just does a complete backup to the RDA drive. He is relieved when everything fits because Tommy was always a pack rat when it came to computer files. He'll have plenty of time on Pandora to sort out what Tom has collected over the years. Jake knows most of it will be useless and incomprehensible to him, except some pictures, movies, and tunes. Jake hopes Tom's taste in music and movies has improved over the years, because he doesn't have the time or the money to buy what he likes to put on the drive. No personal electronics are allowed on Pandora and the ISVs for safety reasons, so he stuffs all of Tom's devices into a box. Jake donates them and everything else, including Tom's furniture, clothing, and paper books, to a local vet organization, who is glad to receive the lot. Tom knew when he was leaving, so the lease is already handled. No paperwork hassles remain for Jake concerning Tom's apartment. RDA does take over the legal paperwork for Tom's probate. Since Tom has been a student for his whole adult life before joining RDA, he has no real assets, so signing everything over to RDA to handle is the easiest way. If any money is left at the end, it will be deposited into Jake's account, but he isn't expecting much.

With everything wrapped up on the East coast, he travels to the RDA operations offices in New Mexico. Here, he hands over the bulk storage drive and his personal possessions going to Pandora in exchange for a standard issue hospital gown. He has more paperwork to complete, and undergoes medical preparations for cryo at a special facility RDA runs just for personnel traveling to Pandora. It sits at the end of a long taxiway into the New Mexico Spaceport, so personnel weakened by the preparations can walk or wheel themselves a short distance directly into space planes. The dormitory is spartan and has no privacy, and is packed with fellow RDA employees headed to Pandora. It reminds Jake of his quarters during basic training, except the genders are segregated here. The man in charge is very much like his original drill instructor, but much smoother, using persuasion instead of intimidation to motivate the new RDA employees. Early on, he sees his baby avatar floating in a huge amnio tank. It is just a tiny blue blob hanging in the middle and doesn't look like anything. He is handed a manual on how to drive it. Reading this manual is the only training he receives for his new job. He asks if there are any other avatar drivers in the facility, and is told there is one other driver going on the Venture Star, and he is already in cryo. He is told Tom's avatar was held here until Jake was located and hired, and he and the avatar are in the last shipments to Venture Star before departure. Once his preparations are complete, he and the rest of the RDA employees change into their cryo uniforms and are herded into a reserved space plane, flown to the RDA space station in low Earth orbit, and then quickly sent out to the ISV Venture Star on a specially designed personnel shuttle craft. He is immediately put into a cryo vault on the Venture Star, and is unconscious less than an hour after arrival.

"I do not understand most of these memories, Jake. That's why I didn't stop you. Your brother died and there was no ceremony?"

"Nothing except signing the paperwork. At least I got to see him, the suits got me there in time before he was cremated."

"How sad. Injury and death on Earth seems to cause unending suffering and troubles, with this 'paperwork' replacing loving treatment and true concern."

"Yes, the Na'vi have not developed a legal system like humans. That's something I won't encourage. You need writing first, anyway. Guess it's necessary on Earth, and it should stay there."

Next, Jake remembers his first day in Hell's Gate. From the start, he is not treated well. The loadmaster, AMP suit driver, and SecOps guards all make Jake feel unwelcome. Colonel Quaritch gives Jake a hard look when he arrives late for the safety briefing, but doesn't harass him for interrupting. Norm is the friendliest, introducing himself to Jake. He takes Jake to the Bio lab, and Max is also friendly. Max takes Norm and Jake to introduce to Grace. She welcomes Norm, but rebuffs Jake, and storms off to complain about him. Then, Max turns on Jake.

"Jake! I can't believe Grace did that to you. She was always so nice to everyone in the school. And Max was so angry with you. I don't understand."

"Yeah, well, Grace was none too happy with me. That made me say things I shouldn't have said. And that got Max mad at me, because I made her upset. But, that's not all."

He remembers Trudy introducing herself at breakfast, and then taking him to Quaritch. He recruits Jake to provide intelligence on the Omatikaya. Since it was clear to Jake that Grace saw no use in him, Quaritch's offer gave him a role and a place in the organization he knew how to satisfy.

"So you worked for that evil man?"

"Yes. He knew my skills and abilities from reading my military records, and offered me a place that I could succeed in."

"And your reward is being cured, something they should have done for you anyway?"

"That's right, even though it didn't seem that way at the time. I forgot to show you my first time in my avatar. Some drivers can't do it, some lose their minds, even a few have died. Guess I was better than most drivers, even though I didn't follow their orders and escaped outside before doing their tests. Quaritch waited until I proved myself as an avatar driver, and then called me in to talk. He thought having Trudy fetch me would keep Grace from knowing."

"I didn't get to know Trudy, but she reminds me of my sister Silwanin. Both had strong warrior spirits."

"Yes. Trudy was a great warrior. Wish she was still alive." Neytiri can feel the loss that Jake feels while remembering Trudy. "That's something else you should know about."

He remembers the trip out to Site 26. Once inside the shack, Grace tells Norm that he has to operate Jake's link, and Norm explodes. By Jake taking his place as the cultural ambassador to the Omatikaya, that left Norm with a much reduced role, and Norm resented it.

"Norm is the friendliest human I have met. I didn't know he was that unhappy with you. Did you do something to make him happier?"

Jake doesn't answer, but shows the fleeting memory of Norm and Trudy mating, catching them in Norm's bunk when he came out of link sooner than planned.

Jake laughs out loud, as she realizes it was Trudy's influence that turned Norm around.

"I didn't do anything, but I think Trudy convinced him to help me. I'm worried about Norm, though. He lost his avatar and his love, Trudy, both in the same day."

"I will watch him, and ask others to watch also. I don't know about losing an avatar, but I do know about losing loved ones."

"We need Norm, so let me know if he gets too depressed. There is more I want to remember for you."

Jake begins remembering his time with Neytiri and the Omatikaya. He hid his feelings towards Neytiri in the beginning, because it was love at first sight when she bounded out of the darkness and saved him from the pack of nantang. She was beautiful, smart, fast, strong, and could kick ass better than most, woman or man, human or Na'vi. He tried his best to hide his feelings, but they became obvious to the entire clan after Tsu'tey got him drunk at the hunt festival. He did not press the issue, letting Neytiri decide. He told her he had already chosen a woman, but that woman must also choose him. He gave her an easy way out, if she wanted it. He was certain she would follow her duty and stay betrothed to Tsu'tey, and was shocked and delighted when she chose him instead. He really had no intention of mating with anyone until Neytiri raised the subject, because he knew his time with the clan was running out. He did have regrets after they mated, because he was dependent on his avatar body and knew there would be a day of reckoning with Colonel Quaritch. That is no longer an issue, with Quaritch dead and most humans banished. Now, the major threat to his relationship with Neytiri is the health of his human body, which is failing because of the stress of being in the link so much. He loves her completely, in spite of what was said, and strongly hopes that he can transfer his soul into his avatar, leaving his human body behind. That way, he can spend all day, every day, with her, and can wake up when she needs to awaken him. Neytiri smiles and kisses him.

"Thank you, my mate, for showing me your brother and your time with me. Now, I will show you my sister. All that you must do is stay opened up and see what I am remembering for you."

She starts in Hometree with her older sister Silwanin. Her earliest memories are mainly playing with her sister and other little boys and girls, and learning how to survive in the forest. When clan duties required both parents, often she was left in the care of Silwanin. Usually, her big sister used those times to teach Neytiri new survival and hunting skills. Silwanin was an excellent hunter and warrior, and liked to teach Neytiri those skills she just learned from others. Neytiri was smart and capable enough to keep up, putting her well ahead of her peers.

Silwanin is the always dutiful eldest child, ever mindful that her parents run the Omatikaya Clan. Her parents hoped that Eywa would bless her with the talents needed for a tsahìk, and to their delight, Silwanin received a strong spirit with innate skills as a tsahìk, hunter, and warrior. She is more like her father, an excellent hunter and very strong warrior, but more reckless and impulsive. She is always very respectful in public, and supports her parents in all possible ways with their duties. She saves her disagreements for private arguments. She often clashes with her father in private, their personalities are so similar, and Mo'at usually must mediate their disagreements. Neytiri is more like her mother, an excellent hunter, and is even more strongly blessed with the skills of a tsahìk than her older sister. Much to her parent's dismay, she often disagrees with them publicly, as Jake witnessed during his introduction to the clan. She often clashes with her mother, and Eykutan is the mediator in those arguments. Her parents hoped that some other clan will accept her to become their tsahìk. The two sisters were always close, mainly because Silwanin spent so much time caring for Neytiri.

As they grew older, it became clear that the best young warrior, besides Silwanin, was Tsu'tey. After much discussion among the elders, the decision was made to train Tsu'tey and Silwanin as the next clan leader and tsahìk. Not only were they both strongly blessed with the talents for these jobs, they were well suited for each other. Long before they were old enough to mate, it was clear that they liked each other's company, and spent many days together in warrior and hunter training. Their personal competition pushed both well ahead of their age group, and seemed to make them closer. Neytiri, on the other hand, did not like Tsu'tey very much. She realizes now that part of it was just her childish desire to have more time with her older sister, who was separating from her family to take on her leadership role with him. Tsu'tey was always riding around on the largest male pa'li to keep an eye on everything around Hometree, day and night. Neytiri felt sad for his ikran, whom she thought he was neglecting because Tsu'tey could not be seen as well flying in the air as riding on the ground. Neytiri also has warrior and hunting training, but she prefers the solitude of flying, especially after capturing her beloved Seze. She remembers that day in Iknimaya as the best day in her life, before she mated with Jake. Now it is Jake's turn to smile and kiss her.

Then she remembers that last day in the schoolhouse. The class was interrupted by shouts and gunfire. Silwanin and two other adolescents run towards the building, with a squad of human troopers on their heels. Those inside barely had time to react when Silwanin stopped in the doorway, shot in the back and head from behind. Neytiri made eye contact with Silwanin, and then sees the life goes out of her eyes. She watches her sister flop forward face first, dead before she hits the floor. Neytiri freezes, and feels hands dragging her from her chair and out the building through the rear. Tsu'tey grabbed her hand and drags her away from the schoolhouse, bleeding profusely from his right ear where a bullet nicked its edge. That same bullet hit a classmate behind Tsu'tey in the face, killing him. She is numb as she is pulled down the path, escaping back to Hometree. The adult warriors and hunters run to the schoolhouse, only to find the bodies of the three young hunters and three other children lying where they fell. Another pool of blood is found on the floor, thought left behind by Graceaugustine, who must have been taken away by the human warriors.

Silwanin often argued that the tawtute machines must be stopped, but many said that attacking the machines would only lead to death. No Na'vi understood the human technologies, like radar that detects motion through vegetation and thermal sensors that sees heat, even making visible recent footsteps on the ground. Silwanin and her adolescent warrior friends thought they could attack and escape through the forest. However, the others were right, and the human technologies led to their deaths, and the deaths of three innocent children.

Tsu'tey was shattered, and wanted to attack Hell's Gate immediately. Despite their grief, Eytukan and Mo'at ordered no retaliation, other than banning all contact with the tawtute. This means that no children were allowed near Grace's school anymore. There was no discussion, because of the grief of losing so many children hurt the clan so deeply, but everyone assumed Neytiri would take Silwanin's place as the next tsahìk and mate with Tsu'tey. Neytiri was too upset with the deaths and being forbidden to make contact with Grace to discuss it, but in time she resented that no one seemed concerned enough about her feelings to discuss the situation. Her parents always put the clan first, and couldn't understand her complaints. Tsu'tey continued to treat her the same as always, like her big brother, and that really bothered Neytiri. He never tried to get closer to her, the way he did with Silwanin. That made her feel inferior to her dead sister, and dislike Tsu'tey even more. To make things worse, everyone in the clan knew that she and Tsu'tey were destined to become mated. No male dared to flirt with her, or show any interest in her at all, to avoid any possibility of getting her parents or Tsu'tey upset with them. Everyone treated her with the respect due to a tsahìk, but that simply made her more isolated and lonely.

Jake can feel the pain gushing up inside Neytiri. This memory of Silwanin at the moment of her death and its aftermath is still very raw after all this time. Neytiri begins to wail, much in the same way she wailed over the body of her father. This time, though, she holds Jake tightly against her, instead of pushing him away, and he reciprocates by holding her body against his. He realizes that he has never let himself feel the death of Tom. His brother died over six years ago, but he was frozen in cryo for all but three months of that time. When he was awake, all of his time was filled with replacing Tom as an avatar driver. He has never made the time to face his emotions over the loss of Tom. His pain wells up in him, and he also begins to cry, but in a more subdued manner. His self-restraint against crying is overcome by Neytiri's wailing, both physically and through the bond, and soon they are sobbing together. They hold each other and cry themselves out, and continue to lie silently against each other. Soon their breathing becomes synchronized through the link, and they both relax.

In his mind, Jake thinks "Guess we needed that, my love."

Neytiri thinks in reply "Yes, we did, but we have not touched on why we are here."