DR. RUTH CARSON grew up hearing about Pandora as a kid, hearing of the alien moon that promised beauty and awe.
Coming from the lower class in the States, she fought tooth and nail to provide any opportunity to distance herself from the hard life s...
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THE Omaticaya believe that if something is done right the first time, there will never be a need to do it again. A clan that celebrates and hones its artistry and songs. This philosophy was relevant in their textiles and weaving skills, particularly the giant 'mother loom' that was given a place of honor in the common area of Hometree. Along with the totem of Toruk Makto, the giant skull of the Great Leonoptryx loomed in the dancing light of a torch's flame, ominously watching over the clan.
It was early morning, shortly before the Omaticaya that did not have predetermined duties or plans would be rising for the day to make the clan's home buzz with activity, mostly children and elderly Ruth had to guess. Tsu'tey had quietly woken her to follow him down the column of the tree to the common area to begin her first day. She'd been sluggish and remained bleary eyed the entire time, but eventually found her wakefulness.
Ruth looked up at the loom as she waited for Tsu'tey, the future Olo'eyktan having gone off to fetch a training bow for her, something she would likely be lugging around for the duration of her training. She marveled at the attention to detail of the weaving, the tightness of the craftsmanship.
For a moment, she wasn't a doctor analyzing an object to learn more and build theories for a scientific thesis. Instead, she was able to appreciate something for what it was and nothing more. Something she'd perhaps rarely had in her life and was heavily lacking. Humans could benefit from such a belief, she thought. There was much to be learned from the Na'vi. Much of humankind would likely struggle with.
Tsu'tey eventually appeared from his search, a simple bow in his hand that would become Ruth's during the duration of her training. A fact she was still trying to grasp. Unlike the weapons of the rest of those in the clan that had earned their place among the people, the one he'd brought for her was as plain as could be; little more than a child's bow. Reasonable, considering she had a long way to go to earn her place among them.
He handed it to her, the object feeling quite foreign in her grip, the wood smooth and light. She'd never had much at all to do with weapons. This would be an interesting experience, especially for a scientist. Jake had the advantage of being a marine prior to his Pandoran adventures. Ruth would be learning from the very basics.
"I have not the slightest idea how to use this correctly," she told him as she began to follow him away from the loom. She didn't mean the most basic function of a bow that anyone knew: pull back the string and let loose. No, Na'vi skills were unparalleled.
She wasn't sure she'd ever find herself rivaling such a technique that was entirely fantastic in itself. Shooting on horseback could be learned, considering the historic humans of earth had done as such on the plains that used to fill much of the continental US. She had a hard time imagining learning to shoot from the back of an ikran and be accurate. Or having an ikran of her own in the first place. Perhaps a dire horse would be more suitable, but the doctor still had her doubts despite the desire to fly.
