A New Mission: Happiness is Simple

Assurance

Miles, Zu, Lyle, and Mansk: Day 5 (Continued)

While waiting for Parker to be woken from cryo sleep and for the radio tower to be repaired, the Marines and Zu decided to get some air. Staying inside for four or so hours breathing from rebreathers and getting judgmental stares from ungrateful humans who didn't appreciate their role in the RDA's eviction wasn't how the four of them wanted to spend this day. They already felt like they were losing precious time to search for their kids, but Norm said he was going to try to get the comms fixed so they could reach Spider. They had no choice but to take his word for it and they'd rather wait here for potential help than go aimlessly search in the vast forests again.

On the way outside, with the morning rolling on and the residents of Heaven's Ark becoming active, Miles was surprised to see children. They were playing about the relaxed, home-like corridors filled with color, fabrics, art, and other decorations. The kids were playing with fake bows and arrows, one had a stuffed palulukan toy, and a little boy had blue striped face paint on. Miles smiled kindly, the face-painted child reminding him of a young Spider. Zu was particularly fascinated, realizing that she had never seen human children in real life before. They were so small! And adorable. Seeing them made her miss her babies deeply, but she held strong. She felt her children were close. They had to be.

Zu sweetly said, "Kaltxì," to the children.

The five kids, ranging from what looked to be six to eleven, looked up moon-eyed and smiling at the three recoms and Ash Na'vi woman, garnering a wink from Lyle. The two older kids said, "Kaltxì," back in perfect Na'vi, a flare of Omatikayan accent, which made the recoms and Zu smile.

The kids were fascinated by the four's unique look compared to what they were used to. Children of this base were raised to see Na'vi as kind, benevolent beings who allowed their parents to stay on this paradise after the Great War fifteen years ago. And they were taught Na'vi as a second language. So the kids were all smiles as the four Na'vi in funny-looking human gear mixed with foreign Ash Na'vi clothing walked near. Zu's gemmed diadem and gold inlaid chest armor was especially strange to them and they thought Mansk and Lyle's Na'vi-sized sunglasses atop their heads were funny.

However, the kids' smiles disappeared when some of the adults saw the four Ash Na'vi and pulled the children away into a hallway-adjacent room, the kids' faces dropping in confusion at the defensive action.

Miles' face soured at this ignorant action. What the hell did they think they were gonna do??

Zu glanced over and saw his reaction, reaching for his hand and she said, "Their small minds are not our burden, My-ulls."

Miles let out a big breath from his nose, gave his beautiful wife a loving little smirk, and squeezed her hand back. He needed her future Tsahìk comments more than he realized.

Lyle then quietly and sarcastically remarked, "Well damn, there goes our lunch, I guess."

Miles and Mansk smirked and Zu looked back at him with a funny little eye of amused disappointment at such a messed-up statement. Lyle just bit his tongue at her.

As they continued on in the base, a strange experience for Miles, Lyle, and Mansk, they passed by the mess hall's open, wide doorway. Miles slowed for a moment and looked down the smooth-tiled center path of the large room. He peered at the large horizontal blinds that spanned the wall-sized window panels at the end. Some tapestries were hanging on the walls and many of the tables were replaced with wooden ones, but this space looked similar to what he remembered. The place where he'd given so many safety briefings to new Hell's Gate personnel, Miles' signature, "You're not in Kansas anymore," line being a staple of his presentation.