Spirit of the Animals~ Tsu'Tey x OC

Chapter 4

I entered the linking lab with Norm, Jake and Max (who was the man I bumped into earlier), just as Grace slipped out of her link pod, looking pissed. "Where's my goddamn cigarette?! See what's wrong with his picture?" She ordered, just as a tech rushed up to her with it along with a white scientist's coat, which she shrugged on over her tank top. "And here she is, Cinderella back from the ball. Grace, I'd like you to meet Norm Spellman and Ja--" Max started, only to be interrupted by Grace. "Norm. I hear good things about you. How's your Na'vi?" She questioned. "May the All Mother smile upon our first meeting." He greeted. Grace nodded approvingly, taking a small drag on her cigarette before replying, "Not bad. You sound a little formal." She prompted. Norm smiled with hidden pride with how he managed to be complimented by the biologist. "I was in the program for 5 years... but there is still much to learn." He replied. Grace smiled. Max awkwardly motioned to Jake. "Uh, Grace, this is Jake S--" But Max was interrupted by Grace once more. "Yeah, yeah, I know who you are, and I don't need you. I need your brother." She said, turning to Max. "You know, the PhD who trained three years for this mission?" She asked, annoyed. "He's dead. I know it's a big inconvenience to everyone." Jake stated coldly. An uncomfortable silence enveloped us for a split second. "How much lab training have you had? Ever run a gas chromatograph?" Oh no. I thought. "No." Jake said. "Any actual lab work at all?" She got closer to him, growing even more pissed. Don't you dare say it, Jake. "I dissected a frog once," Jake replied wittily. I internally groaned. You're going to give me gray hairs at 22, Jake.

That just made Grace beyond pissed. "You see? YOU SEE?? They're pissing on us without even the courtesy of calling it rain." She turned towards the door, stalking off. "This is such BULLSHIT! I'm going to Selfridge." She grumbled. "Grace, that's not a good idea," Max tried to warn her, but she was already down the hall. "Going to kick his corporate butt," She grumbled. Max gave Jake a pained look. "Here, tomorrow, oh eight hundred. Try to use big words." Jake nodded. Max looked at me. "Rei, could you-" He started. "I'll go after her." I assured him before running off after Grace. Max breathed a sigh of relief just as I left. "God, when she's pissed, there's nothing stopping her." I said under my breath just as I caught up to her. "Oh, good, I'll need a bias." Grace grumbled just as we entered the control center. I sighed. Selfridge looked to be at least 35, maybe 36, as he took a golf ball from a freshly opened box and sets it down on a patch of artificial grass, aiming for the empty coffee mug at the end. "Parker, I used to think it was benign neglect, but now I see you're intentionally screwing us." Grace started, storming up to Selfridge. "Grace. You know I enjoy our little talks." Selfridge said casually, adjusting his grip on his putting stick. "I need a research assistant, not some jarhead dropout." Grace protested, as I let out a small noise of offence on behalf of poor Jake. Selfridge looked down and hit the ball towards the empty mug. Grace looked down at the rolling ball and the mug before kicking the mug aside to catch Selfridge's attention. "Oops," she said sarcastically. Selfridge looked up at Grace and sighed, obviously annoyed that she messed up his shot. Boo hoo. "Actually, we got lucky with him." He replied. "Lucky? How is this in any way lucky?" Grace cried, motioning towards the door to represent Jake. I sighed. "And also, who is she?" Selfridge peered curiously at me.

"Rei Willows, one of the newbies." Selfridge raised an eyebrow. "The girl who graduated with honors at the university?" He queried skeptically. I groaned. "Does everyone in this joint know who I am? God." I questioned, annoyed. Selfridge looked slightly taken aback at this. He sauntered over to pick up the ball again and to readjust the mug. "Well-- lucky your guy had a twin brother, and lucky the brother wasn't an oral hygienist or something. A marine we can use. I'm assigning him to your team as security escort." Grace groaned. "The last thing I need is another trigger happy moron out there!" She complained. "Look, you're supposed to be winning the hearts and minds of the natives. Isn't that the whole point of your little puppet show? If you look like them, if you talk like them, they'll trust you?" Oh no, he stepped on a nerve. Back away, Selfridge, if you don't want to die. Instead he crossed to the center of a room, where a circular table displayed a hologram of an underground scan under the HomeTree stood. And of course, Grace followed, forcing me to come along with. "Put up a school! Teach them English! But after-- how many years?-- relations with the indigenous are only getting worse." Selfridge pointed out. "Yeah, that tends to happen when you use machine guns on them." Grace growled, venom lacing her words. Say what now? Machine guns?! Selfridge strides into his office, and he grabs something of a magnetic suspending device on his desk, holding up in front of Grace. "This is why we're here. Unobtanium. Because this little gray rock sells for twenty million a kilo. No other reason. This is what pays for the party. And it's what pays for your science. Comprendo?" He said. I glared at his greediness. He must be one of Quaritch's lap dogs. "Those savages are threatening our whole operation. We're on the brink of war and you're supposed to be finding a diplomatic solution. So use what you've got and get me some results. And you," Selfridge pointed to me, making my glare harden, "You are only here because you were a nosy know-it-all." Oh, now you blame me? Hell no.

"Look, Selfridge," I growled heatedly, stalking towards him, causing him to nervously back away a few steps, "The only reason I'm here is because unlike you, I love Pandora and I'm not here for some bullshitty rock!! You disgust me." My voice was raised, and I had a finger pressed harshly against his chest. I was beyond pissed now. "R-Rei--" Selfridge stuttered, but I cut him off.  "DON'T YOU EVER TALK TO ME AGAIN!" I screamed. Selfridge looked as if he was going to cry. All attention was put on us from outside. I took my finger off his chest, striding to the door, taking deep, silent breaths in an attempt to cool my temper. "You coming, Grace?" Grace strode up to me, practically swelling with pride and satisfaction. And we both left together.