The Search Continues:
Water rushed in over Tsireya's messy hair. Her eyes saw little light as she pushed herself up from her bed of kelp leaves. She found herself inside a small cave on her bed of long seaweed on warm golden sand. But she was alone. "Sylwa!" she cried out. "Lo'ak! Atu!" She was completely alone. She began to cry but splash! Her heart jumped and she saw a head popping out of the water with yellow eyes. The face was long and a mane dangled down his neck. "Tsu'tey," she breathed. Tsu'tey dumped some fruit at her feet and she devoured it. "Thank you," she stroked his face. "You saved me,".
I found you adrift at sea struggling to keep afloat. Tsu'tey snorted.
"It's good to see you again. Was there anyone else? Bob your head if 'yes'. Shake if 'no',".
Tsu'tey sadly shook his head. He became scared and so did she. Tell me. He neighed frantically.
"Lo'ak tried to stick up for you but my people and his father rejected him. Then they said the most awful things about him and Sylwa and we all chose to leave. But a storm separated us. They're out there somewhere and we need to find them before they get hurt,".
I can't. Tsu'tey shrivelled and pondered over a cave wall. He was crying silently clearly blaming himself for what happened that night. Tsireya wouldn't have it. She stood up and walked over to him.
"Tsu'tey, what happened that night was not your fault. Lo'ak doesn't blame you for one moment. He says it's his father's fault. He's the one who attacked you. You were just defending yourself,".
Tsu'tey's ears flickered up and his face met her truthful gaze. He doesn't?
"He doesn't blame you one bit. He misses you. And right now, he needs you. All of them need us,"
Then we must find them. And I will never leave Lo'ak again. Climb on my back. Tsu'tey genuflected and Tsireya gently mounted him,
"Thank you. Now, let's go find our friends," she patted his neck and he neighed and galloped across the water and out of the cave into the open air.
Sylwa woke up like lightning. "Tsireya," she breathed, rubbing her temple. "Not nice to sleep on solid rock,". She stood up and stretched her arms and legs but as she rubbed her eyes, she noticed that Peter wasn't sleeping in his spot. He was sitting at the edge again holding something out.
Peter's golden locket twinkled in the early sunbeams. It clicked open showing its owner with a dark man and two small boys with cheesy smiles, one black-haired, one ginger-haired. His nose shrivelled and he couldn't stop his eyes watering.
"Are you okay?" Sylwa's voice forced him out of his misery and he hid the locket and dried his eyes.
"Sylwa, you're awake," Peter said calmly. "Sleep well?".
"Mostly. I heard you crying. You don't have to hide it. But if you don't wanna talk about it...".
"It's fine. Really?" Peter showed her his locket picture.
Inside the picture, she saw a joyful version of the man she was sitting next to with three male loved ones. "Is that your…"
"Family? Yeah," Peter wiped his eyes. "This is my husband: Arthur. And our boys: Reggie and Tommy. They were everything to me,".
"I'm so sorry,". She cried a little.
"My husband Arthur used to work for the RDA back on Earth. He was a brilliant scientist and inventor. Once he realised the RDA's true purpose, he left the organisation and wanted to make a new start with my family and me. He wanted to use his intelligence to fix the damage humanity had done to our world rather than use it to help humanity conquer Pandora. But he paid the price for it. Along with our boys,". He closed his locket and tucked it behind his shirt again.
Sylwa pursed her lips. He sounded very much like her father, betraying the RDA because they threatened her mother's people and killed her grandfather. "He was a good man. You can't blame yourself. It is the bad Sky people who did this and them alone,".
"That's not how it feels. All that time locked up, I never for once got a single chance to properly mourn them. And it wasn't just me alone," he twisted his head to his brother who was helping Lo'ak up onto his cranky feet. "Erik lost his wife and son too. Everyone we knew was gone. We worked for an organisation that opposed the RDA. The RPS: the Resource Protection Society. Our father Scott Jones founded it. He was desperate to fix the damage humanity had done to our planet. He wanted to bring greenery back, and he wanted to find greener solutions but he was always opposed by the RDA and the governments who financed them. When the RDA began planning to colonise Pandora and we refused to stop opposing them…" he didn't need to finish. "Humanity will never learn the lessons of the past. They choose to be ignorant of the consequences their actions have for others. Sometimes no matter how hard you try you can't make them…"
"See through your point of view?" Sylwa finished for him. Peter could a similar understanding in her eye. He nodded.
"Guys!" their brothers called. "Come look!".
Erik and Lo'ak had been on the lookout, the hybrid teen holding binoculars. "It's the daemon ship,".
"The what?" Peter still couldn't understand Lo'ak idioms.
"An RDA ship heading straight for us," Erik pointed outwards. Sylwa snatched the binoculars from her twin and looked out. More than a mile away, she saw a gigantic ship powered by four, fanned designed engines. Her stomach twisted. Was this ship that killed her Spirit Sister's mother?
"We've got to leave now," Erik pressed frantically. "If we can get as far away as we can, we just might be able to lose them,".
"Don't be so sure Erik," Peter warned. "They must have found a way to track us down,".
"Whatever, we have to go now!" Lo'ak said impatiently. There was no time to waste. Quickly they strapped all their supplies to the Ikran and once they were mounted, their wings fanned and they rocketed into the sky, using the cloud cover. They hoped they would lose them quickly.
The morning had arrived and Neytiri would not leave the hut. Jake knew he needed to talk to her. "Babe.." she wouldn't turn. He sighed. "I know I've made a lot of mistakes with Lo'ak and Sylwa. But it doesn't mean I don't try to understand them or I was trying to make them feel so alone,".
"I know Jake," his mate answered. "I know…it's just…I'm worried about them. I feel like maybe I should have done more for them,".
"Hey, hey babe, don't you dare say that," he knelt beside her. "I'm the one who should have done so many things differently,".
"I don't blame you for how you acted with them," she was finally talking to him again much to his delight. "It's just they've always been different and I hate them being different makes them unhappy a lot. And I feel as a mother I have failed to help them realise that,".
"No. It's I who failed. I expected too much out of them and I wanted them to be 'perfect' like Neteyam but I drove them apart that way. It's no wonder Lo'ak accused me of favouring their brother. Babe…" he cupped his mate's face. "I promise the twins will be found and returned safe and well. I will do all I can to that end and I will try better to understand and See them,".
She tearfully smiled and allowed herself to fall into his warm arms. "I know,". He cried a little into her braids and patted her hair. Three heads poked inside and they expressed tearful smiles. Neteyam led his sisters away but when they walked along the platform, Tonowari walked up to them with a serious expression.
"Have you found our siblings?" Tuk asked.
"I need to speak to your parents," Tonowari requested. Neteyam nodded and gestured for his sisters to go find their friends. He didn't want them to hear what the chief needed to tell their parents. He guided the chief to the family hut and Jake and Neytiri were stunned by his presence.
"We have received word from our brothers and sisters. There's been a casualty out at sea," Tonowari said grimly. The parents became scared. "Don't lose hope. It is not either of the twins. It is a Tulkun who has been killed. We need to find out what has happened,".
Kiri and Tuk were with Aonung and Roxto. "I'm glad to hear your parents are talking again," Aonung smiled.
"My dad won't talk to me at all," Roxto said glumly. "It's like I don't exist anymore. Not that it hasn't mattered to him at all since my mother's death,".
"I'm sorry," Kiri patted his back. "We're sorry Atu left,".
Roxto's face was greener. "Why do I feel replaced?".
"Don't say that," Tuk begged.
"But it feels that way. Atu chose to leave for Lo'ak,".
"And Sylwa," Kiri said. "He didn't want them to be alone. And it doesn't mean he's forgotten you". Roxto wasn't feeling less neglected much to her disappointment. Neteyam came to them.
"What has happened?" Kiri asked.
"Did they find the twins?" Tuk asked again.
Neteyam shook his head. "A Tulkun has been killed,". The four were shocked, especially the Metkayina prince. "Our parents are heading out as we speak to investigate it. Mum and Dad are hoping they'll still find a clue to where Lo'ak and Sylwa could be,".
"I really hope it's not Payaka. If it is, Sylwa will be so heartbroken," Kiri prayed.
Betze and Skeera landed on a small set of islands with rivers flowing through them. "I think we've lost them for now," Sylwa panted.
"Don't be so sure," Peter advised, dismounting next.
"We're gonna get some fresh water," Lo'ak got some waterskins and a bowl. "You stay here with the Ikran,".
The twins jogged off into the jungle to find a source of fresh water. Peter gave Skeera a gentle scratch and she purred like a reptilic pussy cat. She had grown so used to him that she started to like him which was unusual for a creature from Pandora. "I would give anything for my boys to have a ride on you,". Growing up and hearing the stories of Pandora, Peter always imagined taking his child and seeing such natural beauty. With all the flights they had taken across the sea and over islands, he wished more than anything to have his family experience its wonders. Skeera licked his face with her long tongue, he felt saliva through his lips. "Thanks. For that," he awkwardly scratched her face again and she chirped.
He turned to his brother but his back was turned. He was lost in thought. "Erik, what is it?". He didn't answer. He circled to see his face. "Erik? I know when you're in that state, you're thinking something,".
"Lo'ak said their last name was Sully,".
"Wait. You're saying…" Peter paused to his brother's nodding head. "Back home, the RDA did mention humans had betrayed them to help the Navi drive them away. You think Jake Sully was been one of them?".
A bobbing head confirmed the answer. "What concerns me is why they're out here. All alone?"
"Maybe their parents are…"
"I don't think so,"
"What makes you say that?"
Erik twisted his head to make sure Lo'ak and Sylwa were still busy collecting some island fruit. "When I asked Lo'ak what their surname was and he said it was 'Sully', he said it didn't matter to them. It was as if he was speaking of his father with such hatred. They ran away,".
"Whatever it is, it is not our business,".
"It is our business if they're out here all alone, running away from their own people who we could be seeking help from, people who we could aid if the twins would take us to them. I know it may sound nosey but we need to know why they're out here alone,".
Peter sighed. "Okay. But we only ask when the time is right. Right now, we need to focus on finding their friends and losing our enemies,". His brother agreed these were more important matters at hand.
"We've got water!" Lo'ak swung his water flask in the air and Sylwa passed him a bowl. He poured the fresh cool water and held it up to Betze's mouth. He lapped up the cool water and Skeera enjoyed her bowl of cold water down her throat.
Sylwa noticed the men were a little quiet. "Are you two okay? You look like you've both had a serious conversation,".
"We have. But it's nothing really," Erik lied. "We just have to keep going as far as we can,".
"I just hope we can still find our friends. They're probably scared to death. They're so far away from home because they chose to come with us,".
"Don't give up," Peter encouraged. "Whilst the Ikran rest, we need to keep an eye out at all times,".
"We promise you guys, you are both not going back in a lab or a cell," Lo'ak said.
"That's a big promise for you two to make," Erik said wearily. "And no offence and all, but you're both still teens. You shouldn't have to put your lives on the line like that for us,".
"We mean it. We're stuck together. It's what you do in a team. We have each other backs,". Sylwa's compassion touched their hearts. "Besides you two are the first people aside from our friends who have been good to us in days,".
A band of Tulkun led Tonowari, Ronal, Jake, Neytiri and Soxato to the fatality that was floating on the surface of the sea. The sky cried with rain and Ronal became overwhelmed with horror as she saw who it was. She swam off her Skimwing and pushed herself up onto the lifeless fin. She cried with grief and pain and sorrow.
"Her name…is Roa," said Tonowari despondently.
"She was my spirit sister," mourned Ronal. Neytiri looked at her with deep sympathy. For years she had missed her beloved Ikran Seze. Her new one could never replace her in her heart; she thought of her every day. "She was a composer of songs. We would sing together," she looked desperately for her calf but saw nothing. "Her baby….," she struggled to breathe. Was it dead? Or alive and alone? What is this Tonowari? WHAT IS THIS?!"
Tonowari struggled to hold himself together.
"What are these?" Soxato pointed his spear towards three giant bags of orange that kept Roa's corpse floating above the water. Jake and Neytiri investigated further but to their shock, they saw a giant beeping device pinned into the thick hide of the dead Tulkun mother. And it could only mean one thing.
"Lo'ak! Sylwa!" Atu cried out louder each time but it was no use. The sky cried with him as he wiped his eyes. Papuya whined, trying to console him.
They have to be out there somewhere. I only hope they haven't run into the daemon ship. Payaka prayed. Wait. Look out there.
Atu climbed onto her back and stared out. She saw something blurry running at a rapid speed.
Tsu'tey was galloping the fastest he could, Tsireya keeping a sharp eye out. "Come on guys," she prayed. "Where are you?".
Tsu'tey's ears twitched and he stopped running. Tsireya braced herself as his body splashed under the sea. He kept her afloat. "Was it boy?".
I hear something about a mile away. Tsu'tey jerked his head left and Tsireya stared out. And just over the horizon, she could see a kid waving his hands and he was standing on the surface. "Over there, boy!"
Absolutely! Tsu'tey obeyed and propelled across the water until he leapt and galloped across the water again, getting closer and closer towards the figure waving them over. The voice came again, louder and clearer and calling out Tsireya's name and her heart jumped for joy.
"Atu!" she cried.
Payaka! Tsu'tey splashed water playfully in Payaka's eye as he sank and she laughed. It's so good to see you. He nuzzled her face.
An overjoyed Atuiko pulled Tsireya up onto the Tulkun's back. They hugged. "You're safe!" she embraced him as he cried for joy.
"And you found Tsu'tey!"
"More like he found me," Tsireya knelt and stroked the Taquamare's head. "He saved me,".
"It's so good to see you boy," Atuiko stroked his face. "Lo'ak's missed you so much,".
Where is he, kid?
"I was hoping the twins would be with you,".
"Tsu'tey and I have galloped to every possible island but there's no sign of them anywhere," Tsireya worried. Papuya poked his head out of the water but hid behind Payaka's fin.
It's okay Papuya. She comforted. This is my friend, Tsu'tey.
I won't hurt. He purred. The Tulkun calf came closer and Tsu'tey licked his face, calming him.
"Is that…" Tsireya drifted off.
"It is. Your mother's spirit sister was killed by the Sky People. Payaka saved him after they refused to listen to her,".
Tsireya started crying. "How could they kill Roa?" she mourned.
"I don't know. But we need to find the twins before the Daemon ship does,".
We will. Tsu'tey promised. Payaka, you should get yourself and this calf somewhere safe.
No. I am not afraid of the Sky People. I want to find my Spirit Sister and I will help you find your Spirit Brother. We stick together. Hold on tight, kids. She propelled forward with her tail and Tsu'tey and Papuya swam beside her. They prayed they would find the twins very soon.
On the island, the council was gathered to discuss the horrifying tragedy that had befallen the Tulkun people. "My spirit sister has been murdered by the Sky people!" cried out Ronal, desperate for vengeance. "Her baby, probably lost to the sea as well!"
The Metkayina warriors roared with rage, desperate for vengeance.
"This war has come to us! We knew about this hunting of our Tulkun people!" announced Tonowari, a hunger for blood burning in his heart. "But was far away! It was over the horizon! And now it is here!". All the males snarled with their tongues.
Jake rose to speak. "You gotta understand how the Sky People think! They don't care about the Great Balance! And this is only the beginning! You gotta tell your Tulkun to leave! You gotta tell them to go far away!"
"You live among us! And you learn nothing!" shouted Soxato. "We will fight to protect our brothers and sisters!" All the warriors roar-cried in agreement.
"Chief!" cried a soldier running up to them.
"What is it?" the chief demanded.
"I've received word from the Ta'unui clans and another pod of our Tulkun brothers and sisters. They've seen the daemon ship,".
The warriors roared. "We strike the daemon ship whilst we have a chance!".
"Tell us more," Tonowari ordered his soldier.
"They reported that they've heading further and further away from the Archipelago, away from our islands,". The soldier's reports befuddled the warriors, especially their leaders. The Sky People had come to their oceans searching for Jake Sully.
"Why would they choose to leave our oceans?" Soxato demanded. "They came here searching for these forest Navi we gave Uturu to. And now they choose to leave after killing one of our brothers and sisters?"
"Unless…" Jake drifted off. "There's only one reason Quaritch would head out there. We haven't found our kids for over a week now. We searched every possible island and we found nothing. They must have headed further out to sea and he's following them,".
Neytiri became scared. "Ma Jake…". Her mate hugged her tightly. Everyone became afraid. Neteyam and Kiri were frightened too.
"If what you say is true, we must head for the outer seas at once," Tonowari announced.
The team sat on the sand, chewing on fruit and sipping fresh water. Lo'ak picked up a net and prepared to go fishing.
"Mind if I join you?" Erik asked pulling off his top.
"Best you don't. You'll need to hold your breath for a long while,".
"I'll take my chances. I'd like a good swim anyway,".
"Be my guest," Lo'ak invited him to follow. They walked into the sea until it was deep enough to dive in. With his head underwater, Erik watched as the young teen dived more than twenty metres underwater and killed and caught some little fish. He admired Pandora's marine life, both floral and faunal. Lo'ak looked up and saw how captivated he was. He swam up to the surface and their heads bobbed above the surface.
"How do you do that?"
"Our friend Tsireya is a wonderful free-diving teacher. But it takes loads of practice,".
"Care to give me a lesson?".
"It would be a pleasure," Lo'ak led him to the rocks and they went over some breathing exercises. Meanwhile, Peter and Sylwa remained on shore, her sketchbook wide open on her lap.
"And this is the Tree of Sous," Sylwa flipped to the page of the Spirit Tree where she remembered playing about as a child with her siblings. Peter admired her unique etches of the willow tree with long roots that crawled under the deep earth in the valley it stood in. "Our forest clan's most sacred site. It is said that when our queues connect to roots, you are with Eywa, and you can share memories with her,".
"It's beautiful," he touched it tenderly. "And those stone arches, they protect it,".
"Not from Sky People ships. Years ago, they intended to destroy it. But they failed, thanks to Toruk Makto, a mighty war hero in our cultural legends. That's in the past now. The Sky people are not more powerful than ever,".
Peter flipped another page revealing a sea princess with long wavy hair and a braided scalp like his friend. "One of your friends we're looking for?".
"That's Tsireya,".
"She did a good look on you," he admired her hairstyle, making Sylwa chuckle.
"You have no idea. She taught us everything about the ocean and how to free-dive,".
"Then you are so lucky to have a friend like her. And if she's an Ocean Navi, she's alive out there,". He turned to the next page and this time there were eighteen people. The two middle-sized children looked very similar. "Is that your family?".
Holding back her tears, she nodded: "Yes. That's Tuk, Kiri and Neteyam," she pointed to her siblings. "And these are our parents,". Peter knew at once the father was Jake Sully, the human who had betrayed humanity to save the Navi people over 15 years ago.
"And who's this human?" he pointed at Spider's picture.
"That's Spider. He was born on Pandora but he couldn't be taken or transported back. He's our brother in all but blood,".
"Looks like one big happy family,". He smiled. His gaze saw Sylwa's wet tears. "You don't have to be afraid to talk about them, you know,". A tear left her eye. "Whatever it is that's hurting you…".
"You can't fix this," she rejected softly, closing the book. "There are some things you can't make better,". She walked off to pack her book in her bags and Peter sighed sadly, reflecting on his conversation with his brother about the twins' true identity.
The team ate a good meal of fish again whilst Erik ate the last of the protein bars from their human supplies. They prepared to leave again when the ship once again appeared into view just across the sea.
"Are you kidding me?!" Erik complained.
"How could they possibly have caught up to us?" Lo'ak said.
"Time to move! We don't stop until nightfall!" Sylwa pulled Peter behind her and the Ikran shot off again to the sky.
On the ship's deck, Quaritch looked through his telescope and saw the Ikran disappearing into the air. "We're closing in on them. It's time to take the catch to the sky,". He announced to Wainfleet and Zdinarsik.
"Hell yeah!" she approved.
"Scoresby, keep following us from behind," he ordered the captain. "We're going to take the air,". He called for his teammates and they all marched out at once. "Now remember, we need them alive. So only tranquiliser kit and nets,".
Spider bounded after them. "What are you going to do to them?". He demanded. "Are you going to hurt them?".
Quaritch turned to his human son who was held back by men. "They won't be harmed so long as they don't fight back. Not yet," he said darkly, sparking Spider's hatred even more. "And those humans will be delivered back to where they belong. Keep him in the wheelhouse,".
Spier was hauled into the wheelhouse. He peered anxiously through the windows and watched as the Recoms team took off on their Ikran. "Come on guys," he prayed for the twins. "Just don't get caught,".
Oh dear, Quaritch is closing in on the team. That doesn't sound good. At least Tsireya and Atuiko have found each other. Now they need to find the twins. Perhaps they'll rescue them if they get caught. And now the other Sullys and the Metkyina are going to be tracking the ship down too. How will this turn out? We'll have to wait and see. Also thank you to those who suggested the idea of an organisation opposing the RDA. By the way, (spoiler alert, only read if you want to), we might see this organisation soon. See you either next week or the week after. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
