Kea Am'a

1-2:Tìftia Kifkeyä

We walked through the halls to the link-room.

"Grace Augustine is a legend. She wrote the book- I mean literally wrote the book on Pandoran botany." Norm elated.

"That's because she likes plants better than people. Here she is, Cinderella back from the ball. Grace, I'd like you to meet Norm Spellman, Jake Sully, and Mele "Sanuìti" Reed.

Grace is a stern, red headed scientist who takes her job seriously and seems jaded. She puts out her cigarette and assesses us.

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

Norm struggles to find a suitable greeting.

"'Awvea ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi."

Grace looks satisfied.

"Tsun tivam. Aylì'u ngian nì'it skepek lu."

I watch Jake grow impatient.

"Uh Grace, this is Jake Sully." He puts out his hand to shake.

"Yeah, 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." Jake demanded her attention, "I know it's a big inconvenience for everybody." He grimaced.

She shook her head and looked at me.

"And you. I haven't read your file but I know your parents. Your mother is a wonderful scientist. But you aren't a princess in my department."

"No of course not."

"Tell me you at least speak Na'vi." She said exhausted.

"Oel fpìl plltxe fìlì'fyat nìltsan."(I think (I) speak this language well.)

"Sìltsan, now back to you." She pointed down at Jake, "do you speak it?"

"No, bu-"

"Do you have any lab training?"

"I dissected a frog once."

Grace looked in disbelief at Max.

"You see?" She scowled, "you see? I mean they're just pissing on us without even the courtesy of calling it rain." She turned away and headed toward the exit, "I'm going to Selfridge."

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

"I'm gonna kick his corporate butt, he has no business sticking his nose in my department."

She stormed off.

"I should- I should get to my bunk. I haven't seen it yet."

"Oh uh, sure." Norm waved me off.
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I watched Jake and Norm look at their new bodies with curiosity. Jake especially. I know the feeling of nervousness and excitement that brews in the stomach.

"Let's go guys, we're burning daylight." Grace got us to our link beds.

"How much link time have you logged?" She asked us.

"About 520 hours." Norm said.

"Ah- not you, I read your file, it's too many."

"What it's only 6,248-ish."

"Just get in there." She shook her head with a smile.

I slipped into her link-bed effortlessly and as I woke up, I realized I wasn't back home.

"Jeez! I thought you were a native for a second!" An avatar driver said.

"Yeah no, this is my body." I grinned. I normally dress in just shorts and a t-shirt. I don't care about shoes.

"We're you born with symbrachydactylyism?" He looked at my hands.

"Oh, no, this body was made with the intention of looking closer to the Na'vi."

"C'mon kid, no more questions for my medic please." Grace pulled me up with a grin.

"Let's go greet those knuckleheads."

Speaking of one of the devils, Jake ran down and slid to a stop. He looks so happy.

"Hey Marine!" Grace grinned at him.

"Grace? Ess?" He grinned.

"Who'd you think we were?" I smirked.

"Think fast." Grace tosses a yovo fruit at him. It tastes like a strawberry without the tartness. Kind of like pomegranate too.

He chuckled in appreciation after trying the fruit.

"Alright, let's get some clothes on you boys." She said as Norm caught up.

We gave them their privacy but Grace wanted to know what I could do since she'd run this obstacle course for years now.

"Let's see what you got."

"Alright but it looks more impressive in the forest."

I jumped over the low wall easily. Low gravity and good leg strength means a higher jump. Stepping stones are a given and it's like hopping from branch to branch. Over and under the "rubble". Little harder, not great cardio. Rope climbing. Don't even need the rope, the way they made the wall makes it easier just to use the open gaps in the wood. Balancing bridge is easy with a tail.

"See, not so hard." I panted. It's not so warm in the forest. Shade.

"Mm," she looked up from her watch, "you beat my record. What's your story?"

"Story?"

"I want to hear about your life here."

"Oh... that's a long story."

"Longer than my six years here?"

"No, but I've been here since I was 16-17. Let me start with the Meitayolo' clan. I met them when I was young and without an avatar. When I got an avatar, they trained me, taught me how to live like them. But I never made it to the end because of the incident two years ago. And then my sister... I don't want to talk about it much more."

"You're here to find her right? Two years ago we got a broadcast from your father to keep an eye out for her. We're still looking too." She holds my hand with a sympathetic look.
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The day ended silently. I sat in bed just staring at the wall.

"Something eating at you?" Trudy flipped over from the top bunk and peeked down at me.

"Just a tiring and eventful day." I wasn't ready to pour my heart out to another person.

"You sure? I've only seen soldiers have that look after leaving this place."

"What look?"

"Haunting, blank stare. Somethings going on in that brain of yours." She lent her hand to me.

"You're right. It's not something I want to talk about."

"Alright, but I'm here for you." Trudy grinned and pulled her hand back and turned back over.
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In breakfast I saw Trudy wave to me but she pulled Jake aside. Looks like Quaritch has a bone to pick with him too. He came back shortly and began making his pack just as I finished mine.

"You want help?" I asked.

"No, why?" He didn't look up at me.

"I'm done with mine and I've got nothing to do."

"I'll give you something to do," Grace handed me an aloe plant, "water it, put it on my desk. So, what did Attila want?" She asked Jake.

I watered it well, it looks like it hadn't been watered in a month. It's an easy plant to take care of.

I followed them through the hallway into the link room, tuning out their conversation.

"We have a new face, two actually. They're fluent, versed in the culture, approachable." She glanced at Norm and I, "the closest clan to us now, the Omatikaya clan, may give you a chance."