Avatar: What if you were there?

2: Lucky

You were led to the link room. "Grace Augustine is a legend." Norm liked explaining things to Jake. It was cute to see him all excited and bubbling with interest. "She's the head of the Avatar Program."

"She wrote the book on Pandoran botany," you said. "I admire her for that."

"Well that's 'cause she likes plants better than people," said Max. Valid. "Here she is, Cinderella back from the ball." You focus on the red head in front of you with a cigarette in hand. "Grace I'd like you to meet Norm Spellman, Y/N Eastwood, and Jake Sully."

"Norm. I hear good things about you. How's your Na'vi?"

"May the All Mother smile upon our first meeting," he said in Na'vi.

"Not bad. You sound a little formal," replied Grace.

Norm chuckled lightly. "I studied for five years, but there is much to learn." Jake looked lost.

"And you?" Grace looked at you. "I have heard good things about you too."

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Yes, I've studied recently." You said with a smile. She nodded.

"Grace?" said Max. "this is Jake Sully."

Jake stuck his hand out. "Ma'am."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, without taking his hand. "I know who you are, and I don't need you. I need your brother. You know the PhD who trained for three years for this mission?"

"He's dead," intervened Jake. You started fidgeting uncomfortably with your sleeve. "I know it's a big inconvenience for everyone."

Grace thought for a second. "How much lab training have you had?"

"I dissected a frog once." You laughed to which Jake smiled. Norm repressed a smile. Grace, however, was not pleased.

"You see?" she looked at Max. "You see? I mean, they're just pissing on us without even the courtesy of calling it rain." She started walking away. "I'm going to Selfridge."

"No, Grace," Max said sternly. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"No, man, this is such bullshit." She kept walking. "I'm going to kick his corporate butt, He has no business sticking his nose in my department." You tossed Norm your notebook and followed her. Max tried to stop you but decided maybe it wasn't a bad idea.

"Grace!" you called. "Wait for me, two against one has better odds."

She looked at you with some approval and let you catch up. You walked into a large room with a hologram in the middle. You could hear a lot of chattering over the radio. You walked up to a man with hair and a white shirt playing some type of golf. "Parker," said Grace. "You know, I used to think it was benign neglect, but know I see that you're intentionally screwing me."

He didn't look up. "Grace, you know, I enjoy our little talks." He hit the golf ball and Grace kicked the cup away before it could enter.

"Oops," she said. You picked up a golf ball and pocketed it. "I need a researcher. Not some jarhead dropout."

"Well, one, we have her," he motioned to you. "She's one of our best finds." he winked at you. "And, actually, I thought we got lucky with him."

"Lucky?" asked Grace.

"Yeah." he said.

"How is this in any way lucky?"

"Well, we don't waste the avatar," you mumbled, without them hearing.

"Lucky your guy had a twin brother," replied Parker. "and lucky that brother wasn't some oral hygienist or something. A marine we can use. I'm assigning him to your team as security escort."

"The last thing I need is another trigger-happy moron out there."

"Look, look, you're supposed to be winning the hearts and the minds of the natives. Isn't that the whole point of your little puppet show? If you look like them and you talk like them, then they'll start trusting us. We built them a school," he was fidgeting with the hologram. "We teach them English, but after what, how many years?" He faced Grace. "Relations with the indegenous are only getting worse."

"Yeah that tends to happen when you use machine guns on them," snapped Grace

"They are very cautious," you added. "With every step forward, if you mess up, we take two steps back."

"Right," he said. "Come here." he led you both to his office. "This is why we're here," he held up a grey rock. "Unobtanium. Because this little gray rock sells for 20 million a kilo. That's the only reason. It's what pays for the whole party. It's what pays for your science. Comprendo?"

"No," you said. "You can mine elsewhere."

He sighed. "Those savages," the term angered you. "Are threatening our whole operation, we're on the brink of war-"

"Because of your aggressive morons," you snapped.

"Well you're supposed to be finding a diplomatic solution."

"Well you're not giving us the right resources and, like I said, your marines are what cause their distrust."

He looked at you coldly. "Use what you've got and get me some results."

You sighed and nodded, walking out of the room.