NIRI TE 'S FANFIC "LAST FLIGHT OUT "

Started by Niri Te, January 10, 2013, 08:37:46 PM

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Niri Te




     CHAPTER 168

   Pamela dangled a piece of fire roasted Yerik tsngan in each hand, in front of Sharon, and said, "Still Hungry?" Sharon took one of them, leaving the other for Pamela to munch.
Colonel Schrader walked by, with his right forearm vertical, and it's index finger cutting a circle in the air, saying, "Ikxeru wants us ready to be airborne in fifteen minutes!"
"Time to finally fly home," exclaimed John, as the renegades all swung into "march order" mode, packing up, and then pre-flighting the two dragons. Ten minutes later, both flight crews were relaxing in their cockpits, harnesses unbuckled. Within a few minutes, Jake walked up to Colonel Schrader's bird, had a brief conversation with him, and then retreated the way that he came, back to where the ayikran were now waiting impatiently.
"Dragon two, dragon one, how copy?" Sharon keyed her mike, and replied, "Five by five."
Colonel Schrader broke squelch again, "Fire up, Ikxeru want's us airborne as soon as possible. We are to fly direct to the Eastern Sea Clan, at ninety, for five miles, then slow to, and maintain sixty so as to not run off and leave the ayikran."
Sharon turned on the autoigniters, moved the throttles to engine start, flipped the boost pumps on, and hit the engine start switches, while John replied, "Roger sir, dragon two starting engines".

   Twenty minutes later, Pamela was up in the jump seat, and everyone was flying enroute the Eastern Sea Clan, with five miles separating the aircraft from the ayikran.

   Pamela looked over at her muntxate, and said, "I am glad that everything is getting back to normal.  It will do us all good, to pick up our normal duties again.  Some of the aysahik NEED to start being responsible for their olo's to snap them out of their shellshock over Mo'at's return to Eywa."
   Sharon tapped the pitch trim down, just a tad, and replied, "Are a few of the young ones taking it pretty hard?"
   Pamela looked pensively out the side window of the cockpit, and returned,
   "Yeah.  There are Two, but I think that as soon as they return to their duties, they will snap out of it."
   "Well, I hope that you are right.  There is One young woman that looks like she is lost in a cloud any time that I see her, " remarked Sharon.  "I don't know if she is depressed, or just mentally lost. She just looks bewildered half the time when I see her.  I saw her several times when Mo'at was still alive, and she looked much more in charge of herself, then."
   Pamela looked at her muntxate and smiled.  "She is called Alekxsi.  She is a young tsahik that spent a lot of time with Mo'at.  I think she just REALLY misses her." 
   Sharon nodded, and John offered, "If ANYONE can bring her out of her depressed state, it would be Ateyo.  THAT Na'vi is a train-wreck of smiles and happy laughter." 
   Two hours later, the Eastern Sea came into view, and half an hour after that, the two Samson's touched down on the landing field, amid many well wishers.
   The two Dragons shut down and after the blades came to a stop, the Flight Crews disembarked in time to see the ayikran landing.  Sharon and John performed the external post-operational checks, and then walked to where the ayikran were sitting, to greet Ikxeru and the other ayswayonyu.
   On the way there, everyone, both the recently arrived, and the Eastern Sea Clan members, that had not gone on this latest trip, gathered together in a fairly tight group.  When the Renegades were fifty feet from the outer periphery of the group, two Na'vi noticed them, ran out, and grabbed the hands of Sharon, and Pamela, saying, "Za'u! ---Za'u!" (Come!---Come!)  And dragged them into the crowd.
   From the crowd, Sharon noticed Ateyo inciting the entire assembly to a group chant.  Everyone had their hands on People that were next to, or in front of them, and the Renegades all followed suit. 
   After several minutes of this, the "Ceremony" ended, with the group opening up, somewhat.  This allowed the Renegades to follow Sharon, Pamela, John, and Wendy, to ease their way to its center.  When they arrived in the center, they saw Atumopin, Ikxeru, Tai, Taifa', Ateyo, and several taronyu of the Eastern Sea Clan, trying to iron out the logistics of feeding everyone that had just arrived.

   Sharon stepped forward a bit, and after offering the traditional greeting to those speaking, decided to try out her slowly growing skill with the Na'vi language.
   "Ma Nawma Eyktan Atumopin! I could take your hunters in a Metal Ikran to a hunting ground farther away from the usual hunting grounds, which are probably depleted by now, from feeding so many people!" Ateyo and Tai were on hand to help with the translation. And Atumopin brightened at the idea.
  "Fmok akosman!" (Wonderful suggestion.) "Rey'engìri sngolum oe." (About the Balance of Life I have been worried.) Goot ey-di-a!" (Sharon realized that Atomupin was saying Good Idea and missed a beat, before responding.)
"Lu nìswey fwa sop nemfa Samson, lefgapa ikran ahì'ì."  (It is best that we travel within a Samson, small Metal Ikran.) 
  Eyktan Atumopin nodded, and grinned her approval of Sharon's use of the language in a full sentence , and replied.
  "Ma Lamu'ite sì oe silyuneiu ngahu." (Lamu'ite and I would love to hunt with you.) "Polpxay tsamsiyu ziva'u?" (How many hunters can come?)
"Pukapa taronyu nì'aw." (Six hunters only) Atumopin turned and appointed one more hunter, with instructions to return to camp and bring to her Tsko Swisaw (Bow and arrow) for herself and Lamu'ite, and one for Pamela.
Tai and Taifa were standing close at hand, so she chose them.
  "Oe nìteng, Oe nìteng!" (me too, me too!) shouted Ateyo, jumping up and down with excitement.
  When the toronyu returned with the bows and arrows, introductions were made, and though Sharon was bad at remembering names, the hunter's name was easy to remember.  He introduced himself as Lu-ke Pen, which translates as Without Clothes, in Na'vi.  He grinned when Pamela turned purple with embarrassment as she translated his name in her head.
  "Luke! My name is Luke Penn, slä ayfo nìwotx syaw Lu-ke Penn oer!" (but they all call me Lu-ke Penn) Sharon was laughing when she was interrupted.
"Oel omum tsengit alu swey taron," (I know a place which is best to hunt), mentioned Eyktan Atumopin, anxious to get hunting.
  "Srane, Ma Eyktan. Zene nari sivi oeyä kunsìp lesngä'i ." (Yes my leader, but I must look at my gunship first.)Sharon did a walk-around inspection of the Samson, and was surprised at how well maintained it was.  This gave Tai a moment to explain about her Hidden Base near Olo'Zongsteng Alor, and the chopper crew who had deserted the RDA with Trudy Chacon.
   Pamela pulled the red intake covers from the chopper, stowed them, and took her place in the jump seat, behind Sharon and John.   Sharon turned on the Auto Igniters, moved the throttles to Engine Start position, started the Boost Pumps, and hit the start switches.  John read off the checklist and Sharon responded when each item was accomplished.  The other Na'vi exchanged glances of approval at the methodical process.  The engines spooled up with a whine of turbines.  The huge machine lifted gently off the ground, swirling dust and sand up and away.
  "YAWO!" (air launch!) shouted Pamela, forgetting to mute her microphone.
  "YAWO!" shouted the others, excited to be flying.  They all remained standing by the open cargo door, poised as if riding an ikran, bows in hand.  Eyktan Atumopin directed Sharon towards the hunting grounds which she had previously explored.  Although it was suggested that they all hunt from the sky, Sharon explained that the rotor wash would scare off the animals before they could get close enough for a shot.  Before long, Atumopin pointed out a watering hole with many yerik at the edge.  Sharon nodded and circled around, careful not to spook the creatures.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



       CHAPTER 169

There was a 200 foot tall rock ridge, half a mile from the watering hole, with a meadow on the side of the ridge that was shielded from the eyes and ears of the ayyerik.
   Sharon set the ship down there, and everyone headed for the watering hole as soon as the ship was on the ground, engines off. 
   "If we all had ayikran, we could just have landed them on the ridge, without scaring the ayyerik," thought Sharon aloud.
   Tai, who was walking two steps behind, and between both Sharon and Pamela, quickened her pace just a bit, put a hand on each of their shoulders and said,
   "When you are ready."
   This caused Atumopin, who was immediately in front of the two mipa Na'vi, to think,
   "Yer'ìn fya'oìri taronyur ayoengil ayNa'vit amip zene sngä'ì kerar!"  (Soon concerning the Path of Hunter, we, to the new Na'vi must begin to teach!)

   Up on the left flank, Tai saw something and signaled for everyone to take cover. 
   The ayyerik had left the watering hole, and were headed for a path that ran along the base of the rock ridge that the aytaronyu were halfway down.  They would have to stay out of sight until the animals got to the path, and turned left or right, before a plan of attack could be chosen.   
   The ayyerik chose to turn to their right, which would bring them past Tao, on the left flank of the aytaronyyu.  As the last of them made the turn, the right flank of the hunters collapsed to be behind the last yerik by 50 meters.  Holding her place at the middle of the now, slowly descending line, Atumopin raised her right hand, and all the hunters stopped and drew their bows.  When, moments later, she dropped her arm, seven arrows were loosed, and seven ayyerik fell.

   As the animals fell dead, the aytaronyu ran down the rocky ridge to the path, and then up to the ayyerik, each hunter to the animal they felled, to recite the Hunter's Prayer over them.
Pamela quelled the moment of elation when the arrow had found its mark.  Taking a life was not a thing to be celebrated.  Solemnly, she walked down the pathway toward the ayyerik.  Their companions had been startled  and moved away to watch in astonishment.  It made Pamela even more conscious of the sacrifice of these animals, to have the rest of the herd lingering nearby.  She knelt by her target, and couldn't help the tears that dripped off her nose when she recited the words of Thanks.
  " Oel ngati kameie ma tsmukan" (I see you brother)
  "Ulte ngaru seiyi irayo!"(and thank you!)
  "Ngari hu Eywa saleu tire" (Your spirit goes with Eywa)
  "Tokx `i`awn slu Na'viyä hapxi!" (your body stays behind to become part of the people!)
   She felt a hand upon her shoulder and knew that Atumopin had heard.
"Nga lu alakxsi, Ma Tsmuke." (You are ready, Sister) Atumopin didn't wait for a response but had crossed to where Sharon and John were retrieving their arrows.  She had them recite the words again, as a matter of formality.  She was very pleased with their accuracy and sincerity.  Atumopin began to think of the ceremony which would officially recognize these people into her clan. Well, sort of her clan. But now she had to plan on getting these ayyerik back to the clan.  Sharon was quick to offer suggestions.
"Ma Eyktan Atumopin!  Oe tìving tìfmok.  Oel tsun zamivunge lefngapa ikran oeyä kllkem. Tsakrr ayoeng tsun kur nìwotx fo äo lefngapa ikran oeyä, fa sä'o letäftxu." (I give suggestion. I can bring my metal ikran down to the ground Then we can hang them from below my metal ikran by means of a woven-tool{net})
Atumopin considered her words, which were spoken in that awkward sentence structure of the Star People, and nodded her head.  She couldn't quite understand the entire concept but had confidence in Sharon as a problem solver.
"Kosmana tìmok! Sleyku fìu!"  (Wonderful suggestion! Cause it to become!)
  Pamela watched Sharon and John retreat up ridgeline, holding their me- Sko Twizaw.  Atumopin gathered the hunters to her and explained, as best she could, what was going to happen.  Luckily, Tai and Taifa' knew exactly what would occur and were not surprised when Sharon brought the Samson into a low hover in the clearing.  She suspended the aircraft with the heavy cargo net touching the ground.  Tai and Taifa' were well familiar with the drill and released half the net to the ground.  Tai, Taifa' and Atumopin loaded the carcasses onto the net, with Pamela and Ateyo helping as much as possible.  The cargo net was reattached, and Tai gave Sharon a thumbs-up, so that Sharon could secure the Release Lock switch from inside the cockpit.  Ateyo joyfully imitated the Thumb's-Up gesture. Sharon then eased the Samson just in front of the cargo net full of yerik, hovering a foot above the ground. 
  Pamela and Ateyo were given a leg up.  It caused Pamela to wonder why Ateyo was of such small stature.  They sat next to each other and Ateyo began to chatter good naturedly when Pamela remarked about her compound bow.  Pamela wanted dearly, to ask Ateyo about her stature, but decided against it, not wanting to appear offensive.  She doubted if she could have gotten a word in edgewise, and gave the conversation, or monologue, her full attention.
But Ateyo stopped chattering when Atumopin spoke.
  "Sä'o letäftxu atxur." (Strong net) Eyktan Atumopin said admiringly. She was at first skeptical of the capability of the net to carry seven full yerik carcasses.  She did not protest for fear of being perceived as backwards and unsophisticated.  These Star People had many fine things to share.  She was glad that they were not greedy and self-serving, as were the Sky-People before them.
  The  air above the tree canopy was warm and moist, but fresher than upon the ground.  Pamela took in a big lungful and realized that doing so would have likely killed her in her other tokx. She glanced at Ateyo and slapped her ribs to demonstrate her pleasure at breathing.  Ateyo only laughed and imitated her gesture. Then she offered her hand and helped Pamela to her feet.  Their ayikran were flying beside them, as Sharon slowly flew back to the Eastern Sea.  Atanvi screeched in joy when he recognized his rider within.  Ateyo had heard of the famous leap of Jake Sully from his ikran to the Toruk.  She wondered if she dared to imitate him.  But Atanvi never got into position, so the temptation was dismissed.
  The rest of the trip was short enough that she didn't have time to explain her mischievous desire to Pamlala. All she said was,
  "Oe rangel tsnì oe tsun swivayon ikranfa!" (I wish that I could fly in the manner of ikran!) Pamlala nodded enthusiastically.
  "Nìteng oe!" (The same, me!)
  The Two exchanged wide grins, but Pamela's brain was spinning as she brewed an idea. 
  Sharon maneuvered the Samson so that the net was touching the ground at the edge of the landing field.  The tide was high and a spray of water was shooting up the crevasse, where Na'vi were lined up on the bridge.  Atumopin noted with satisfaction that the Na'vi could also construct an object that could support the weight of Many.  Triumphantly, she leapt to the ground from the cargo door, before the Samson had touched ground.
The Na'vi came forward, eager to claim the yerik in preparation for the daytime meal.  Tai and Taifa' were disconnecting the cargo net and directing the removal of the yerik.
  Pamela saw the young hunter who had loaned her his bow and arrow.
"Tìsarìri sko swizaw ngayä oe irayo seiyi." (For the use of your  bow and arrow, I thank you very much.)
  "Kehe.  Rä'ä  plltxe, san: NGAYA, :sìk.  Plltxe san: Ngeyä :sìk. (No. Don't say, quote: NGAYA :unquote. Say; quote: Ngeyä :unquote.
  "San: Ngeyä :sìk."
  "Eyawr! Ngeyä sko swizaw. Oel ngati tìng fìstxeli. (Correct! Your bow and arrow. I give to you this gift.)
  Pamela, still processing the sentence, again pro-offered the Bow and Arrow, saying,
  "Ngeyä sko swizaw?" (Your bow and arrow)
The man was enjoying this too much.  "Kehe. Ngeyä sko swizaw. Stxeli."
  Ateyo noticed her puzzlement.  "Stxeli ral GIFT. Means GIFT.  But you must say Ngeyä, not Ngaya!"
Pamela, understanding the lesson and the gift, began to thank the hunter profusely.  Quickly, she removed something from her bag, opened it and demonstrated its use by cutting a sliver from the leather of her tewng, loincloth.
  "Stxeli. Ngeyä tstal! YOUR knife!"
  The hunter was dumbfounded.  Everyone had seen the lefngapa tstal that the Star People carried.  Ateyo had even envied the one which she had seen used by Tael Karbaki, when he was prying shells from the seashore rocks.  And this one was easily given away!  She tried to tuck away her jealousy and congratulate the recipient.  She realized, though, that her own bow was a matter of some jealousy.  She tapped Pamela's elbow and guided her to the place where the yerik were laid to be skinned.
  "Set, ngar zene mun'i yer'ik luke tstal lefngapa.  Ngar zene sar tstal letskxe!" (Now you must cut without metal knife.  Now you must use stone knife!)  She found two likely stones and banged off a good spawl with a sharp edge.  And quickly made a second to be used as knives, and began to demonstrate the adequacy of a non-sophisticated implement.  She was satisfied that Pamela seemed duly impressed.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




       CHAPTER 170
   Sharon picked up a piece of roasted yerik, as Atumopin walked up to the Sampson where she and Pamela were sitting in the open cargo door. The couple separated, giving Atumopin a space to sit, which she accepted.
Sharon heard John laugh heartily at something that Wendy said, and looked John's way. About 100 yards past John and Wendy, Sharon noticed some movement on the footbridge.
   "Here comes Pandora's travelling three ring Circus," Sharon announced with a smile. Pamela looked at the bridge, and also smiled, while Atumopin touched Sharon on the shoulder, and said, " What means three ring circus"? 

   Sharon thought to herself, "What have I gotten myself into NOW"? Pamela, noticing the look on Sharon's face, eased her muntxate's mind a little, when she produced her touchscreen from a wide belt that was part of her tewng.
   "This will be a lifesaver for me, to be able to explain to Atumopin, what I just said," commented a much relieved Sharon, as she hopped to the ground, faced Atumopin, and with occasional prompting from Pamela's touchscreen, said.
"Pxe ko'on circus lamu slä kelku tsenga pxe ko'on mìfa." (Three ring circus was cloth house where three circles are inside). Sharon's spirits were lifted, when Atumopin nodded, so she continued. "Mì pxe ko'on lu aytute si ayìoang tskxekeng soli var kem si 'ipu ayu eyerk aytute hangham." (In three rings are people and animals trained to do funny things, causing people to laugh).
Atumopin looked at Sharon, smiled and said," SRANE, Ateyo lu nitxan 'ipuyu." 
"Ngati amslam oel !" (I understood you!) exclaimed Sharon, with a big smile.
Atumopin nodded, and said, "Nìtram lu oe ayngatìri zola'u fìtsenge 'awsìteng.  Ayuìri ayoengur lawk zene." (Happy am I that you came here together. Of many things we must confer.)
She took a bite of meat and chewed thoughtfully. 
  "Ma Srron.  Nga lu eyktan atam, 'uìri, am'aluke oer. Slä, nga lu eyktan Mipa Na'viru, nì'aw. Txo nga new sleyku nìNa'vi, ulte spaw oe fwa fì'u lu eyawr, to aynga zene sleyku Iknìmaya.  Fte slu Na'vi, zene nga ftey ikran, ulte nìteng, pumil zene ftey ngat.  Nìftxan, oel ayngati kivar."   (Sharon.  You are a sufficient leader.  Of this thing, I have no doubt. But, you are a leader of New Na'vi, only.  If you want  to become Na'vi more and more, and I believe that this is true, then you must achieve Iknìmaya.  To that extent, I will teach you.) 
  "Yer'ìn, 'ärìp ngeyä olo'.  Kivä oe ngahu fte srung sivi ngati sko eyktan Na'viyä. 
Tsakrr ayoengit tskxekeng sivi Iknìmayaru, ngar ulte ngeyä olo' 'awsìteng."
(Soon you must move your new clan.  I will go with you to help you in your role as leader of Na'vi.  Then we will begin to train for Iknimaya, you and your clan together).
  With that, she tore off a chunk of meat with her teeth and nodded emphatically.
   Ateyo and a number of young Na'vi trotted up with more yerikä tsngan alu ol'em, (yerik meat which has been cooked) gathering all of the Undersea Renegades to the area around the door of the Sampson.
Ateyo walked up to Sharon, and after customary greetings were offered to all present, asked Sharon,
   "Ma S'rron!  You from me need help with words?"
   Almost simultaneously, both Sharon and Eyktan Atumopin, responded.  Sharon saying,
   "Ma Nawma Ateyo!  Srung sivi, rutxe!"  (O Great Ateyo, Help please!)
   However, Eyktan Atumopin gave a slight smile, and said,
   "Ma Ateyotsyip!  Ma S'rron lu nerume nìno.  Oel slivam nìwotx poeti. Slä srung sivi tsaker srung new moer!" (My Little Ateyo, Sharon is learning thoroughly. I can understand her completely.  But help us when we need help!) 
   Ateyo was pleased to be of service, and listened attentively.
Sharon looked at Ateyo, and just as Tai, and Taifa walked up, said, " Ma Ateyo, trray ayoeng 'ayärìp ne ayoeyä mipa kelku". ( Ateyo, tomorrow we will move to our new home). "Atumopin mimok fìtrr, ayoeng syor ulte trray ayoeng tìkangkem, ulte ftia". ( Atumopin has just suggested today we relax, and tomorrow we work, and study ).
   Tai then asked Sharon, " Does this mean that we get to share the slotted cave with the undersea renegades"?
Sharon nibbled on a piece of fruit offered to her by a young Na'vi, and said with a grin, " At least until we either grow gills, or build and deploy another undersea research station".
   Taifa asked, " Do we have the materials, and equipment here to do that? You people must really love to study, and be with, the marine animals to spend all of your time down there."
   John was quick to clarify how these Marine Biologists did what they did. " Oh we didn't spend all of our time on the research station, all of us taught at the University of Hawai'i. We were only under the water for Spring, Summer, and Winter breaks, the rest of the time, we had apartments on dry land, and taught at the University."
   Pamela jumped in with, " We could do the same thing here. We could spend perhaps a month on station, under water, about twice a year. The rest of the time, we would be up on dry land."
Sharon looked at Atumopin, and said, " Fpi 'awa tìpawm. 'awlo ayoe kolä ne iknimaya,  slivu ayoengä ayikran lekye'ung krra ayoe lu mìso 'awa vospxì "? ( For the sake of a question. Once we have gone to iknìmaya, is it possible our ikrans will become crazy when we are away a month?). 
   Atumopin thought for a minute and said, "Ke omum fì'u  'eykefu ayoe fyape.  Ngian fpìl oe tsnì suteo sanhìsìpä lu ikranä aymaktoyu.  Ngal zene pxivam ayoet."  (I don't know that thing will cause them to feel in which manner.  However, I think that there are some people from the Starship who are ikran riders.   You must ask them.)
  While Sharon was translating in her head, Eyktan Atumopin and Ateyo exchanged glances.  Ateyo then gave a nod to Pxepxi's friend, named 'Evan, giving him permission to speak with the Elders.  Unfortunately, he had just taken a big bite of meat and needed to finish chewing before he could speak.  He managed to murmer,
  "'Awa swawtsyìp. Oel yerom. Kxukx oel tivung ngar!" (Just a tiny moment. I am eating. Allow me to swallow!)
   They all laughed as tried to assure him to take his time as he chewed frantically.  Ateyo offered him a drink of water from the gourd canteen which she was carrying.
   "Oeru lu ikran, ulte po lu lefpom akrrä  tamätxaw oe.  Ngian, pol lu keftxko ulte txopu seri fwa oel tserwa' poti. (I have an ikran and he was joyous when I returned.  However, he is upset and is afraid that I will forget him!)
    "I guess that would be the same for any pet that you might have had on Earth, be it Horse, Dog, or Cockatoo." Commented John.

Everyone chuckled at that report, and Sharon said, " I guess that I would have to let my Ikran know that I would be gone for a while before I broke tsaheylu for the last time before going underwater for a month".
Tai slapped Sharon on the shoulder, and said, " Remember, FIRST you have to win the ikran".
Sharon replied, " It will happen, when I am ready," winking at Atumopin.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




        CHAPTER 171

    "There is the first sounding of the shell," voiced Pamela, and everyone started making their way to the ceremonial spit of land, that jutted out into the sea.
Sharon remarked,   "After the Txon 'ong ceremony, we will no doubt find out what the senior aysakix are planning for us", while she looked slyly at Pamela, who replied, Don't look at me folks, I'm the lowest Tsahik on the training totem pole. If they have anything planned, I will learn of the specifics with you folks. All that I know, is that Ateyo is planning for to go down to the lagoon to bond with the laughing sea creatures after the ceremony."

At the edge of the clearing, Ateyo stood with two young Na'vi, handing out leaves that did a great job of wiping up greasy fingers, and asked Pamela to join her just for a moment, before rejoining her clan at the Txon 'Ong ceremony. Sharon nodded to Pamela that she should attend to her duties with the other Aysahik, and led the Renegades off to the place of Ceremony. Twenty paces later, everyone piled the soiled leaves in a piled to be burned later.  Sharon looked at Pamela knowing that she knew more than she was letting on, and suggested, " Well after we are finished at the lagoon, I suggest that ALL of us turn in, and get a good night's sleep. The first day of training will probably start early, and the day will be long, and difficult."

       After handing out all of the leaves, and before crossing the footbridge, Ateyo spoke with Pxepxi, Pamlala, Syulang and Alekxsi.
  "Ma aysmuke.  Fpìl oer fwa ayoengil mivok ayeyktanit txo ayforu sivunu 'awstengyem frapo alu Olo'Samoana kllza'u ne pay amawey.  Tsatseng, ayoe tsun lawk 'erärìpìri olo'ayngeyä. (My sisters.  I think that we should should suggest to the leaders that they should join everyone which is Clan Samoa down to the Calm Water. There, we can all discuss about moving our clan.)
  "Tìmok akosman!" exclaimed Tsahik Lamu'ite.  "Moel pivawm poeti!" (Wonderful idea!  You and I will ask them!)
  Ateyo's sanhì (bioluminescent freckles) sparkled as her skin heated with embarrassment.  She had forgotten to include the Tsahik who was training her!  Lamu'ite smiled at Ateyo's embarrassment, and to emphasize her inclusion in this transition, she took Ateyo by the hand and had her lead the Farewell to the Sun Ceremony.

     Every one of the Renegades except for Pamela, made their way to the spot by the cliff, that had been unofficially given to the Renegades, as their place of meeting for the ceremonies.
"Miss me?", asked Pamela of Sharon, as she walked up, and stood by Sharon's right side.
"No, I figured that you would show up, once you were released by Ateyo to join your Olo'," replied Sharon.

      Once the sun had set, Tsahik Lamu'ite grinned slyly at Ateyo.  The younger tsahik was squirming with anxiety, and Lamu'ite was enjoying her discomfort.
  "For not including you earlier, I am truly sorry," murmured Ateyo apologetically.
  "Kea tìkin, Ma Ateyotsyìp.  Oel omum fwa nga kolan pawm oer. Sunu oer nari seiyi slu nga 'ompin nì'ul'ul!" (It's nothing, my little Ateyo.  I know that you had intended to ask me. I just like to see you become purple [embarrassed] more and more!)
Ateyo knew that she had just received a gentle reprimand from her elder, and accepted it graciously.
  "We have a lot to do in the future, kefyak?"
  "Yes WE do, Ateyo.  Yes we do.  Slä S'rronur sì Pamlalar run ko. But let's find Sharon and Pamela!" 
  That wasn't hard to do, because Sharon and Pamela had taken to shadowing Tai and Ateyo, and Atumopin and Lamu'ite. 
  Within half an hour, (the Star People had kept their timepieces) a procession had begun down the path to the lagoon.
Sharon, and the other renegades were impatiently slowing their pace, to keep from bunching up on Ateyo, who was officially leading the procession. This was driving the renegades crazy, because they knew that they would get the chance to bond with the aytolphin, something that they could NEVER do on Earth.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




          CHAPTER 172

    Because of her newly appointed position as teacher of the undersea renegades, and a mentor of their tsahik Pamela, Ateyo ceremoniously led first, the Undersea Clan, and then all the other clans, and finally, the members of S'rralta's ISV, that were going to live in the Slotted Cave, down to the lagoon.
   Once at the lagoon, Ateyo briefed everyone to let the aytolfìn choose THEM, not the other way around.  She also informed them, that those who had already Bonded with a tolfìn, would be sought out by the same one tonight, and every other time, from now on, that they were like the ayikran in that way.  To the Newcomers from S'rralta's ISV, she explained how the creatures would choose them, and to not be afraid of Tsaheylu.  Tsaheylu would be very new at first, but they would love it. 
   Ateyo was only half way through her comments, when the Renegades headed straight for the water, and the ayswirä ahushangham.  They were led by Sharon, who walked by Ateyo, pointed to the lagoon with a look that conveyed to Ateyo the question of, "Can we meet our friends, now?"
   Knowing that THESE mipa ayNa'vi had already Bonded with some of the creatures, and knew how to act around them, Ateyo smiled and nodded, while continuing her introductory lesson.

   Sharon scanned the water in the lagoon to see if there were any aytolfìn that were cruising near to her, or Pamela, who was about five feet to her right.  Both of them were in waist deep water. 
   Suddenly, metolfìn exploded out of the water behind, and between them, chattering as they flew between the couple, re-entering the water about ten feet in front of the Mipa MeNa'vi.
   The meswirä ahushangham swam slowly back to the couple, and each offered their Na'vi a tswìn for the Bond, which was immediately accepted by each of the two women.  Sharon was greeted with several minutes of images of the area where her Team had recently widened the crack on the ocean floor, releasing the pressure on the Volcano of the Island.
   The creature added feelings of wonder that the Mìpa Na'vi could do this thing safely, happiness that they cared enough to do it, and a desire to teach the Mìpa Na'vi about the early beginnings of the ayswirä ahushangham, and the Na'vi.  Sharon sent her thanks, and curiosity about the workings of the deep waters of the Pandoran Oceans, and the creatures which lived there.
   The Tolfìn expressed surprise that THIS ONE wanted to experience this first-hand, which was impossible for a Na'vi to do, without dying!
   Sharon sent the Tolfìn memories, and images of their living on the bottom of a trench between Oahu and Kauai, 10,890 feet below the surface of the water. 
   To calm the Tolfìn's shock that such a thing could be done by the Land Walkers, Sharon showed images of how the ayhumon of 'Rrta could make devices that made up for the weaknesses that they, ayhumon, were born with.  She then explained that before very long, she and the other Renegades would spend some time on the bottom of the oceans of Pandora, but FIRST, they had to learn how to be Na'vi, at the

Slotted Cave. The Tolfin informed Sharon that he could take her there, wiggled between her knees and started taking her out to the open sea, towards the Slotted Cave, with Pamela's Tolfìn, and several others, following.

   Not long after entering the open ocean, the aytolfìn were contacted by Ateyo and her tolfìn to return the Mipa Na'vi, and wait until after the next Trr'ong, to swim them to their new home at the Slotted Cave. 
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




       Chapter 173
    Just after the first of the three morning shell horn blasts was sounded, Sharon awoke with Pamela lightly dragging the end of her tswìn across the features of Sharon's face. 
   "You know, Sweetheart, if you tried this in a more private setting, we wouldn't be getting up to have rewon wutzo anytime soon," admonished Sharon.
   Pamela looked at her mate, and said with a grin,
   "Power-down your drives, Skipper.  We have company!"  as she pointed to Wendy, John, Steve, and three other Na'vi, standing ten feet away.  They were all waiting for the Two of them to get up.  The three young Na'vi were holding wet and dry cloths, and a pair of tsnal, full of a hot beverage.
   "The first sounding of the horn was several minutes ago, so you Two Lovebirds need to get a move-on!" informed John.
   "We're up," said Sharon, as she sprang to an upright position, grabbed a wet and a dry cloth, washed and dried her face and hands, and handed the cloths back to the Na'vi.  She then took one of the mesngal (two cups) from Pamela and quickly drained it.  Just as she and Pamela finished their morning drink, Ateyo and Tai entered the opening of the structure, and the second sounding of the horn was heard.
     The Four of them approached the tent of sea-monster skin just as the Horn started sounding again.  Giggling was also heard as they approached the doorway of the tent.
  "Rewon lefpom!" called out Tai. (Good morning)
  "Pom lefpom!"   (Good Kiss) called out Ateyo, happy to share her grammatic fakery.
  "The horn is calling us to Greet the Sun.  Alakxsi?  Are you ready?" urged Tai.
  "Srane!" called out Pamela and Sharon simultaneously.  Soon, their smiling, sleepy faces emerged from the tent, pearly white teeth reflecting the glow of the bioluminescent lanterns which the others carried.  The party began their walk toward the tiny peninsula.  Ateyo noticed that the group was smaller, consisting of aysahik and ayeyktan and a handful of others.
    Sharon turned to Pamela, and asked, "Do you think that Colonel Schroeder will fly a few of us back down here after the aytolfin take us to our new home?"
"I would think so, I don't think that he want's the pilots to walk back here to pick up the ships", responded Pamela. She continued with, "You excited to be RIDING a Pandoran dolphin all the way to our new home?"
"Oh HELL YES. I couldn't have even DREAMED of getting to know one of them as well as we already have THESE creatures," exclaimed Sharon.
"You know, I was thinking the other day," mentioned John, " Once we each finally bond with an Ikran, that will give a whole knew meaning to the phrase fly by wire."

      Alekxsi trotted up to Ateyo and got a quick sideways hug as they walked.
"Alakxsi Alekxsi?" It was an old joke begun by Mo'at herself when Alexandra introduced herself as Alex, to Mo'at.  The greeting imparted sweet sorrow as Alekxsi was reminded of her dear mentor.
  "Srane!  Oeru nìhol ayu fwa oe new zamunge nì'aw ne kelku amip." (I have only a few things which I want to bring to our new home.) She was of, course, wearing her prized possession, the beaded shawl, 'are, which Ateyo had created for her.
  "Rewon lefpom, Ma Oeyä Tsmuk!"  the familiar voice of Twiti called out.  She never failed to gravitate toward Ateyo.  "Blood is thicker than water!" she would exclaim.  Ateyo was happy with that phrase, knowing that Twiti was part of her own blood.  (That was easier for her to understand than DNA, which seemed quite mysterious.)
Tai allowed herself to be replaced as the two taller women flanked Ateyo.  She understood the magnetic draw that Ateyo had upon people, but she still felt the sting of her absence when other people took her place next to Ateyo.
  That was Ateyo's gift; her healing presence.  Sometimes, just a hand squeeze  was enough to set her heart at ease.  People were drawn to this energy.  Tai's challenge was to share it gracefully.  Sometimes, that was, indeed, a challenge.

As they gathered on the peninsula,  Tsahik Lamu'ite raised her hands as, seemingly, the sun pressed upward from the ocean's surface.  Lamu'ite called out. 
"Rewon lefpom Ma Tsawke!  Ayoeng irayo seiyi fì'ur alu tìyätxaw ngeyä."  (Good morning Sun!  We thank you for this thing which is Your Return.)  In a flash of thought, she remembered how Dr. Grace had taught them all that the Sun sat far in the sky, and Eywa'eveng, all other moons and planets spun around it.  And yet they watched every morning as the Sun emerged from the water, glowing as though it had never been doused.  However it occurred, she was grateful for the Sun.
  "Ewyal lrrtok sivi ayoengmì akrrka ayoengil hueylanit sop ne ayoeä kelku amip!"  (May Eywa smile on/in us as we travel with our friends to their new home.)

     Once the ceremony was over, everyone filtered back to the ylltxep, the communal fire, and took places in anticipation of rewonä wutzo, morning's meal.  Little packets of food wrapped in utu mauti leaves (similar to banana or plantain) were passed around.  They were stuffed with fish, fkxen (various vegetables), mauti (fruit), and/or spxam (mushrooms).
Ateyo hit the chow line, as if she had not eaten in a week, and seemed to sample as many different things that were available, as she could.
  "Whoa, slow down, Champ!  I've made plenty of extras to eat later, after the journey!" laughed Georgia Barnes, whom Ateyo had named Kxuki.  "I'm not sure how I will carry all my kitchen gear, though.  I'm going to need help with that!"
"Rä'ä tsnugam, Ma Kxuki!" said Sharon assuredly. (mispronounced, though)
"Rä'ä sngum si!"  corrected Ateyo.  And interrupted the flow of the conversation to drill Sharon with the pronunciation.
  "Rä'ä sngum si, Don't worry, Kxuki. We will have one or two dragons available for transport. I'll make sure that all your pots and pans come aboard."   
  It pleased Sharon to see the feast come to an end. She was anxious for the Move to get underway.  She learned, though, that dealing with Na'vi, as with Hawaiians, required her to put her expectations of military precision on hold.  Like "Island Time" there would be lots of dawdling and lingering and poking about, that she would have to contend with.  Tai  had an easier time of it. Tai and Taifa' were from a clan of Hawaiian and Samoan Islanders.  They were not stressing, at all.
  "It's a shame for hurry through life.  We aren't fighting war. Or volcano!  Relax, Cuz!  It will all happen in da kinna time!"  laughed Tai.
  Sharon smiled to herself each time she heard this, and she heard it a lot this morning!
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




           CHAPTER 174

   In what was becoming usual for instances where Ateyo was instructing the Mipa Na'vi, Ateyo led the way. The procession wound it's way down the trail from the Ikran Riders of the Eastern Sea community location on the top of the promontory, to the semi sheltered lagoon.
On the way down, Ateyo was having an animated conversation with a young Tsahik named Alekxi.  Immediately behind Ateyo, was Tai.  Beside Tai was Taifa'ana'e, and behind him was Ka'alani.  Alongside Ka'alani was the tsahik of the Ikran Riders of the Eastern Sea Clan, Lamu'ite.
   Because this procession was semi-formal, strict order by rank was followed.  In the next row, were the Eyktan and Tsahik of the Undersea Renegades, Sharon and her muntxate, Pamela.  Behind them were John and his wife, Wendy.
   Behind them were the rest of the members of the Undersea Renegades, and the Crew of the Old Dawg Mining Transport, that had brought them to rendezvous the newest, and last ISV to ever arrive at Pandora.  After the Undersea Renegade Entourage, was all of the others that would be taking up residence at the Slotted Cave.  Many of those in the group would not be riding the aytolfìn, but would be tswerayon (flying) with either ayikran, or the two lefngapa ayikran.
   Once at the lagoon, Tsahik Lamu'ite motioned Ateyo to come to her, to translate the well Wishes that she wanted to convey to this new clan, on their journey. 
   "Ma Frapo!  Fìtrr aynga kiya kelku amip. Slä omum fì'u:  Aynga lu soaia moeyä relpay!" Tsahik Lamu'ite spoke for a lomg while and then nodded to Ateyo.
   "Tsahik Lamu'ite say, Quote.  Today you all are going new home.  But know this thing: You are all family of We Two.  Same blood.  Always this place is home for you as well.  Come visit any time.  Atumopin and I will come visit you all soon for help with life as Na'vi. Unquote."
 
   In the lagoon were thirty canoes that were used by the members of the Ikran Riders of the Eastern Sea, to fish with.  After Tsahik Lamu'ite had finished giving her blessing to the Mipa Na'vi, who were forming the new clans, she waded into the water where the canoes waited, and was lifted into one of them by two young paddlers. 
   John leaned toward Sharon and said, "I guess they will paddle with us at the start of our journey, to wish us well."
   "We need to share that with our aytolfìn, so that the Na'vi can keep up with us!"  replied Sharon.
 
   After all of the interpersonal FareWells had been exchanged, the UnderSea Renegades, and those who had bonded with the aytolfìn, waded out into the water of the lagoon.  Once they had entered the waist-deep water, the aytolfìn entered the lagoon from the sea, squeaking, squealing, and cavorting in the air.  Their making no effort to restrain their joy at the coming event, was contagius to all the assembles Na'vi.  In the center of everyone awaiting their Bonded Tolfìn, stood Ateyo, upon whom the water rose to her shoulders.
   "She looks like she is going Tolfìn Riding with us," mentioned Steve.
   "Oh yes!" answered Pamela, "She was one of the first to Bond with One!"
   "It ought to be interesting  to see how Atanvi takes to THIS development," offered Pamela.
   "Well, he will have company," informed Sharon, "because Tai Tae Ao, Taifa'ana'e, and Ka'alani are in the water waiting for THEIR aytolfìn also."
   "There will be several ayikran commiserating," postulated Chip.
   Sharon's 'Ocean Friend', as she liked to call dolphins on Earth, swam up in a very tight circle around her, keeping body contact with her, as he swam those two circles.  Sharon then floated her body on the surface, slid over the top of him, make The Bond, and assumed a normal riding position.

   The canoes, with the One that Lamu'ite was inside, lead the way, and formed a Gate of Honor for the aytolfìn and their Mipa Na'vi to exist through.  Once he last tolfìn was clear of the 'Gate', the paddlers closed ranks into a pair of parallel lines that followed the aytolfìn.
   After three hours of hard work, keeping up with the aytolfìn that were only swimming at half speed, the paddlers were getting tired.  The aytolfìn noticed this, and turned into a beach for the Na'vi to rest.
   The ayswayonyu landed their ayikran on one end of the group of resting paddlers, and brought fruits and fish that had been packed for just that purpose.
   
   On the other side of the paddlers, the Mipa Na'vi  were sitting in several inches of water, while the aytolfìn headed out to sea to feed.
   "Well, what do you think of THAT ride?" asked Wendy of John.
   "I am in sensory overload!" John replied, "We spent several decades trying to decipher the language of Earth's Dolphins.  And NOW we can speak with their Pandoran brothers and sisters. Thanks to Eywa."
   "I have learned more about the way that dolphins interact and think, than I did in twenty years of research in Hawai'i," added Chip.
   Sharon smiled, as she rubbed the shoulders of her muntxate.  "
"I think that what we learn from, and about, the marine creatures on this moon, will so far eclipse ANYTHING that we thought we knew about them on Earth.  There we tried to share what we learned with other humans, in order to stop the greedy, power-chasing madness, of most of the Human Species.  Here, we will learn to understand the breadth and depth of what Eywa put together on her Child."
   Pamela turned ninety-degrees to her left in the shallow water, looked a Sharon and said, "I think all the study that we did on Earth was just to prepare our minds to accept what we will learn here."
   Steve was motioning for the Couple to come ashore and grab a bite of fish, before everyone left to complete their journey to their new home.    Once everyone had refreshed themselves, and the aytolfìn had returned, everyone climbed atop their Mounts and continued the journey.
   One of the things that removed any possible monotony from the second half of the trip, was the way that the ayikran and some of the aytolfìn  were playing with each other; the ayikran wheeling around in the air, and diving on the aytolfìn at the front of the sea group, with the aytolfìn leaping out of the water, and hitting the legs of tails of the ayikran with their heads.  This show of playfulness between the two sets of creatures was so mesmerizing to the aytolfìn riders, that it was a shock to some of them, when their Mounts 'told' them to hold on tight, they were going to surf the waves into their home's lagoon.

   After everyone was ashore, and the aytolfìn  went to deep water to feed, Lamu'ite stood up on a rock, and once she had everyone's attention, nodded to the young tsahik Alekxsi.
   "Ma Nawma Eywa, Sopìri akxuke, awngal irayo seiyi!" (O Great Eywa, for our safe journey we thank you!)
   The voices of all Na'vi resounded, "Eywaru lu irayo seiyi." (To Eywa is Thanks)
   Then, Ka'alani's voice rang out,
  "Aytolfìnur, a srung sivi ayoenga, ayoeng irayo seiyi."  (To the dolphins which helped us, we thank very much.)
   After the ceremony, everyone sat on the beach as the moons rose and the phosphorescence of the breaking waves lit up the shore, until all the Mipa Na'vi fell asleep in the sand.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te

   


       Chapter 175

  Sharon was awakened by the smell of freshly caught fish roasting on a fire. She opened her eyes, and looked upon the still sleeping form of her muntxate, beside her. Pamela sensed that Sharon was no longer snuggled tightly against her, opened her eyes, and remarked,
  "Cooking Fish?"
  "Yes it is my love," replied Sharon, "but not at our olo'ä txep, it looks like Tsahik Ateyo and others have started the fire from which the different ones for the families will be lit.  Come, lets go over and sample some rewonä wutso."
As they approached the communal fire, Ateyo raised her arms, and spoke in a voice that the couple could plainly hear from 50 feet away,   "Ma Nawma Eywa, txepìri kelkur amìp ayoeyä, ayoe irayo seiyi!" she cried with delight and not a little pride. (Great Eywa, as for the fire-of-our-new-house, we thank you joyfully!)  This was the first instance of a blessing ceremony that Ateyo performed for her new clan, olo'Samoana.

    Just as Sharon and Pamela reached the group surrounding the fire, up on the crest of the mountain cliff that formed the face of the slotted cave, was a female paddler, blowing on the shell horn.
  Tsahik Alekxsi was standing between Tsahik Syulang Aean and Tsahik Ateyo, and said aloud,
  "Kefpìl oe fwa frapo nìwotx tsivun kllkem 'awsìteng fäpa tsatsenge." (I don't think that all the people can stand together upon that place.)
  "Tsatseng lu nìhì'i!"  (That place is too small.) Everyone commented in agreement.  They were gathered at the ylltxep, communal fire, below and to the the east of the Slotted Cave.  The rising sun illuminated the conch shell horn blower, who raised her shell horn above her head in salute to the tsawke.
  Everyone turned automatically to the East and raised their hands where they stood.  The sun sprang into the sky, and as it cleared a group of trees on the east end of the beach,  it dazzled upon the sand as the shadows dissipated.  As the sunbeams kissed the upturned faces, Ateyo said aloud,
  "Tsawkviyìri mihelku amip, awngal irayo seiyi Eywati." (For this sunbeam on our new home, we thank Eywa!)
With a sense of triumph and excitement, almost simultaneously, the people gave up an ìley, a war cry, and filled the air with their joy.

     Georgia Barnes, who was known as Kukxi, had prepared prawns, like seylu, on skewers.
"Fìsyuveìri, Oe irayo seiyi, Ma Kukxi!" exclaimed Pamela as she accepted a skewer of tasty morsels.  She turned to her wife, saying,
"Nari si, Ma S'rron!  Tsrimp!  (Look Sharon! Shrimp!)  I thought we would have to say good-bye to shrimp when we left the Shrimp Farm inside the ISV! But we have something similar, right here on Pandora!"
  The fishermen from The Ikran Clan of the Eastern Sea exchanged glances.  They had thoroughly enjoyed eating aysrimp 'Rrtayä which the Star People had presented.  It was a great gift, but not much different than the shrimp which they enjoyed from the waters here.  They each nodded Thanks to words of appreciation which spilled forth in Inglìsì and broken Na'vi.
"Rutxe, kar oer fya'o stä'ni aysrimp, Ma Tsmukan!" (Please show me the way to catch shrimp, My Brother!) begged Pamela.
"Aysrimpil", (he corrected) "Nìlun! Ma tsmuke."  He turned toward Sharon and inclined his head politely. 
"Ma Eyktan S'rron sì Ma Eyktan Atumopin.  Sivunu oer set kar fayeylan stä'ni aysrimpil tsenge asìm." (I would like now to teach these friends to catch shrimp near this place.)
The pxeyktan agreed, explaining that they would be conferring inside the cave. They kissed their spouses and watched as the fishing parties dragged the heavy canoes into the water.  As they bobbed on the surface of the lagoon, Pamela watched as Tai, Atumopin and her Sharon entered the Slotted Cave. 

  "This place is pretty large inside", voiced Sharon, as she scanned the inside of the cavernous cave in the face of the mountain.
  "Yes it is", agreed Tai. 
Sharon looked at Atumopin, and once she caught the senior eyktan's attention, and was recognized, said,  "Nawma eyktan Atumopin tìupe fpìl nga, teri tsun ayohe pxeolo' nemfa fìtsenge?"  (Noble leader Atumopin, do you think, we can put the three clans in here)? 
Atmopin looked at Sharon, smiled, and said, "Ma S'rron. Fpil oel futa frapot nìwotx  tsun rey awsìteng nemfa fìspono.
Aynga tsun pximun'ì mipaya soaia sì fongu. Fìtsengìri lu  aysnomo,
Fìmo asawl lu tsenge fpi ayultxati."
(Sharon. I think that everyone entirely can live inside this cave.
You all can divide into many families and parties.  As for this place, it has many rooms.
This big room can be for large meetings.)
Ulta nari sì!  Ayuran tsun za'u nemfa spono nìteng!
(And look! Boats can come inside the cave as well!)
Sharon took a few moments to process the Na'vi back to English, and then smiled, and replied,"Ma nawma Eyktan Atumopin, irayo fpi ngeyä mowar teri oeyä tìpawm."  (My noble leader Atumopin, thank you for the sake of your advice about my question).
With that, Atumopin announced, "Set, pxoe zene 'awstengyem frapo lahe wrrpa," ( Now we three must join everyone else outside), as she gestured with her arm in a sweeping motion toward the lagoon outside.
The three of them made their way to the shoreline just in time to observe the shrimp fishing lesson.

     A fisherman, known simply as Payoang, (Fish) took them into the center of the lagoon and demonstrated the skill of tossing a round, weighted net into the sea.  He pulled it up by the retrieval cord and came up with a net filled with minnows, crab-like creatures and shrimp-like creatures.  He laughed when the young women made exclamations.
   "Srane nePitsza!" 
   He had no idea what pizza was or to what they were referring, but they had made signs of recognition.  He gave each of them turns at throwing the net, as did the fellows in the other canoes.  He shouted to them;
  "Awnga zene 'ì'awn sivi fìtsenge ro fpi forut kerar, fu ayfo tiverkup fa 'ohakx!"  (We should stay at this place for the sake of teaching these people, or they will die of hunger!)
Much laughter. And a reply.
"Awnga zene kar ayfot txula uranit nìayoengru." (We must teach them to build a boat such as we do.)
  There was some other conversation about how the New Na'vi probably had a machine for catching fish.  Ateyo reminded them, in Na'vi, that they should show them also, how to make nets.
"Nìlun, Ma Tsulfätu!  We will teach you, especially!" The fishermen exchanged embarrassed glances now, seeing that Ateyo had been listening to their conversation, quietly. Payoang nodded his apology.
  "Tatlam, ma aynga tswa' futa Taifa'ane'a stolä'ni payoang aysre' atsawl fa metsyokx nì'aw." (Apparently, you all forget that Taifa'ana'e has caught a fish with large teeth by means of two hands only.)
  The expressions on their faces was satisfaction enough for Ateyo.  Everyone from the Eastern Sea had remembered the fearless capture of the shark-like sea creature in their own lagoon by Eyktan Tai's 'Cuz'.
  Shadows of wings played over the bodies in all of the canoes.  The ayikran were wheeling above and calling out. 
"Tätxaw ko!" (Let's return.) called out Payoang, with a grin at Ateyo.
  They paddled in towards shore.  Children and others were playing in the lagoon with the aytolfìn.  As they were pulling the canoes ashore, the ayeyktan greeted them at the shoreline as they motioned for All to join them near the ylltxep.
  Obxiously, there was something to discuss!
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



          CHAPTER 176


Sharon and Pamela sat immediately behind Tai and Ateyo in the large canoe, which floated in the waist deep, high tide water on the sandy floor of the cave. The main chamber of the Slotted Cave was spacious. Due to her College training as a Geologist, as well as Engineer, Sharon recognized that this cave was once a huge lava bubble.  A first glance it seemed to have smooth walls, but once her eyes had adjusted to the dim light, she could see that the rock wall was definitely Igneous in nature, and not Metamorphic. Over the course of many millennia, the high tides, which were once much higher than they are now, by a hundred feet, carved what could now be used as shelves or natural benches upon which to sit or lay.  The people had banded together in "family" groups and filed in from the various openings.  The largest opening was the Slot itself. 
Ateyo was standing next to Tai in the canoe which they were in. She had agreed to help Atumopin with translations. But her eyes swept the vast interior.
The two halves of the cave seemed to Ateyo, to resemble two hands with the fingertips touching, and the heels of the hands, almost touching.  She also remembered the impolite snickering of the young men in Kofi's group, at the mildly suggestive form of female anatomy.  She felt her face redden, or purpled, in embarrassment and annoyance at the memory. She dismissed the memory and turned her attention towards Eyktan Atumopin, whose red body paint glimmered in the shaft of sunlight which descended from the opening at the top.
Atumopin's voice reverberated throughout the cave. 

"Ma Oeyä Frapo. Oel ayngati kameie. " (My everybody. I SEE you all.)
"Fìtrr ayoeng kame ngeyä kelku amip. (Today we all SEE your new home.)
"Fìsläru aymo apxey ayngeyä snä'o rivey a mì 'awsiteng.  (This cave has many spaces/rooms/chambers in which your groups may live together.)                                                                                                                                                                                                     "Eyktan S'rronur keomum fya'o Na'viä.  Tafral Po mllte fwa Eyktan Tai lu nawma Eyktan ayngaru nìwotx.  (Eyktan Sharon doesn't know the Way of the Na'vi.  For his reason she agrees this thing which Eyktan Tai is Great Leader of all of you.)
"Nìteng Ma Pamlala mivllte fwa mesahik, Ma Alekxsi sì Ma Syulang Aean kivar Fya'o Na'viä.  (The same, Pamela agrees this thing which Two Tsahiks, Alekxsi and Syulang Aean, will teach the Way of Na'vi.)
  "Nìteng Ma Tsahik Lamu'ite sì Oetsyip ìvi'awn ayngaru trr pxeya nìsrunga' fya'o. (The same Tsahik Lamu'ite and Little Me will stay for many days in a helpful manner.)
  "Fayu livu. Oe polltxe." (These things will be. I have spoken.) Eyktan Atumopin clapped her hands in finality and helped her spouse to her feet in the canoe. During this short time span, people turned to each other, commenting.  They politely desisted when Tsahik Lamu'ite raised her hands.
  "Oel slärit akosman kameie! a Eywal ngolop ulte ayngaru rolun."  (I SEE a wonderful cave which Eywa has created and which you have found.)
  "Tì'efumi oeyä fi'u livu kelku atxantsan." (In my feeling it will be an excellent home.)
  "Sämok oeyä lu futa 'aw mo sar ayhrrur azey ulte aysahikur tìkirvar." (My suggestion is that one area be used for special/distinct times and for the teaching of aysahik.)
  "Nìprrte oer fwa Ma Ateyo sngolä'i Rewonä Kaltxì si tsaxkeri!"  (I am pleased that Ateyo has begun Morning Greetings to the Sun.)
  "Law lu oer fwa fa pxeya aysahik ayoeng tsun ngop sä'eoio fìtsengru.  (It is clear to me, that with this many aysahik, we can create a ceremony for this place.)
  "Efu 'o'!" (I feel excitement!)  Beaming with joy, she reseated herself next to Atumopin, who did not stand, but raised her voice and said,
"Ma Tai!  Nga lu oeyä ftxuli'uyu nìhay!" (Tai you are the next speaker.)


Tai looked at Atumopin, smiled her gratitude, and said, "Ma nauma Eyktan Atumopin. Fpi kerar ayoengä mipa Na'vi,  Skxomìri oe irayo seiyi." (Great leader Atumopin, for this opportunity for the sake of teaching our new Na'vi,   I thank you very much). Tai quickly glanced around the cavern, and noticed than she had everyone's attention, so she went on.
" Ayfo wolem fpi txampayä ayswirä slä txanewa aytute mì 'Rrta tspolang feyä sa'nok."  (These people fought for the sake of Ocean creatures, but greedy people on Earth killed their mother).  Tai took a brief moment, and concluded with,    "Ayfo wamintxu ayoe eana te'lan nìsngä'i ayfol stamawm ayoeti.  Ayoe set nume nìprrte' ayfo f'yao nì Na'vi."  (They showed us blue hearts at first we heard them, we now teach them pleasurably the path of the Na'vi).
From the the entire assemblage came many shouts of "Mllte oe !".

   Eyktan Atumopin and Tsahik Lamu'ite exchanged glances and tried to swallow their smiles.  But it was Tsahik Lamu'ite who spoke. She motioned for Ateyo to translate.
  "Ma Tai ulte mipa Na'vi nìwotx!"
    (Tai and all new Na'vi.")
  "Ayoel stawm fì'u Sawtuteru tspamang feyä Sa'nok."               
    ("We hear this thing which Sky People killed their Mother.")
   "Slä rä'ä fpìl futa Sawtute ahì'i tsun tsivpang Nawma Tirea."
("But don't think that little SkyPeople can kill the Great Spirit.") 
  " 'Rrta lamu 'eveng Nawma Sa'nokä. Fo tspolang sängop peyä. Ke ngopyu!"
    ("'Rrta was child of Great Mother.  They have killed her creation. Not the creator!")
  "Fi'ul lu wawey kame ayngati."
("This is important for you all to SEE.")
"Tìtspang sängop lamu fi'u kawnglan. Slä kxawtu ketsun tsapang Ngopyu."
  ("Killing creation was bad-hearted. But no one can kill the Creator.")
  "Law lu oer fwa Eywal Kame Ayngati nìwotx.  Ayoeng ayngati zene kar fya'o nìNa'vi fte aynga sleyku Na'vi nìno!"
   ("Apparent to me that Eywa SEES You all.  We must teach to you the manner of Na'vi in order that you become Na'vi thoroughly.)
  "Futa lu wawey kame ayngal.      (This thing is important for you all to SEE.)
  "Tìtspang sängop lamu fi'u kawnglan. Slä kxawtu ketsun tsapang Ngopyu."
     (Killing creation was bad-hearted. But no one can kill the Creator.)
  "Law lu oer fwa Eywal Kame Ayngati nìwotx.  Ayoeng ayngati zene kar fya'o nìNa'vi fte aynga sleyku Na'vi nìno!  Ma Tai, sì Ma Ateyo, ulte Ma Alekxsi sì Ma Syulang Aean, fyowintxtu ayngar nìwotx."
     (Apparent to me that Eywa SEES You all.  We must teach to you the manner of Na'vi in order that you become Na'vi thoroughly. Tai and Ateyo and Alekxsi and Syulang Aean will guide you all.")

Sharon leaned forward between Tai and Ateyo, and whispered to Tai, "Pretty good speech, now she just needs a big Drill instructor finish to make me feel right at home."
As if she was in the boat hearing what was said, Atumopin scanned the Na'vi in the cave, and with a military type smile on her face, called out,
  "Srake. Mllte ayngar?" (Yes/No, do you all agree?)
She appeared to the ex-military in the canoe to be slightly disappointed, when she only heard murmurs of assent and nodding of heads.  Atumopin, in her enthusiastic manner, stood and shouted,
"Kestawm oeti!" (I can't hear you!)
  The crowd, being mostly military in training replied in near unison,
  "MLLTE OE!"
Satisfied, Eyktan Atumopin looked at Tai, and announced,
  "Txantsan! Set Ma Tai sì Ma S'rron wivintxu ayngati aymo mìslärur!" (Wonderful. Now Tai and Sharon will show rooms in the cave!).
Tai turned around in the canoe, and remarked to Sharron, "Happy Now?"
Sharon's smile spoke volumes.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



       CHAPTER 178

             In the week since the Slärur Fpxakim Tseng Asnep, (Slotted Cave) was dedicated, and the members of its clans were blessed by the pxesahik, much was accomplished.  The private clan areas, as well as the communal meeting and teaching areas, were laid out and prepared, and the mipa ayekytan, mipa aysahik, mipa aysamsiyu, and mipa aysulfätu, all began their training in earnest.
   For the last week, the only time that Sharon and Pamela spent much time together, was when they fell into their hahawrìk together and slept.
   "Srake nga hamahaw sìltsan, Honey?" (Did you sleep well, Honey?) asked Pamela of Sharon, as she handed her yawnetu a bowl of hot coffee, from the last of the supply from their ISV.
   "I think 'Pass Out from Exhaustion',  is more descriptive than 'Sleep'.  But YES, I am refreshed for the tests of the coming day, Ma Yawnetu."
   Pamela perked up, smiled, and said,
   "Tse  fìtrr  ayoe fmivetok mitìomum ewlleri a zo(Well, today we will be tested on our knowledge of plants which heal) informed Pamela, "Their identification, the safe harvesting of their medicinal crops, and how they are administered."
   Sharon smiled at her muntxate, and replied, "That is a good thing you are learning.  We have been getting in even better shape than we have EVER been in, for the entire time any of us were in the Army."
   "Is Eyktan Atumopin working you people harder?" Pamela queried.
   "We are going on five mile runs, by running up in the second and third canopies of the trees.  So it is not just the speed and endurance, but also the balance of playing as Monkeys, by running across the branches, and leaping from tree to tree," explained Sharon.
   Pamela sighed with exaggeration, "I can hardly wait for my turn at Iknìmaya!"

   Tai, and Taifa'anae, walked up to the couple with fifteen aysamsiyu candidates and several aysahik in tow. 
   "Rewon lefpom, Ma Eyktan S'rron," said Tai.  "Fìtrr nga kem si 'uo mip!" (Today you do something new.)  "Fìtrr nga nume tìtsyìl." (Today you learn climbing.)
   Sharon looked at Pamela and said, "Well, let's see if I can keep from getting tossed off a mountain."
   Tai smiled and said, "I think that you will do just fine!"
   Pamela had sensed some moderate level of social discord in the group that Tai had brought up with her.  When Pamela made her perception known to Tai and Taifa', Tsahik Alekxsi said,
   "THIS One is very perceptive!" and volunteered some information.  "Srane, Ma Tsmuke, there is tension among some of our group members. Eywa has shown you this.  Ateyo is somewhat disappointed that Pxepxi would not be joining Olo'Samoanä, but that is the way of mothers regarding their daughters.  Their clans are situated in adjoining chambers of the Slotted Cave, so parting will be no sorrow.    Yet, what made the point of pride for Kofi's father and mother, was that Kofi had been appointed Eyktanay, a minor chief of his party of five, and soon to be six, as Tsahik Pxepxi will be delivering her baby in a few weeks."
  "Hey Cuz." Taifa' asked of Tai. "Shouldn't there be some kind of ceremony for Kofi?  Like a tattooing ceremony from back home?"
  "Aw. Come on, Cuz!  You know the Na'vi don't tattoo!" 
"Srane. Oel omum. Slä Pxepxiru lamu tìlen azey tsakrr po sleyku tute." (Yes I know. But to Pxepxi was special event at time she became a woman.)
  "Ulte ikranu kawtur kipayoeng." (And no one among us has an ikran!) "Iknimayìri ayoeng zene kem. (As to Iknimaya, we must do,) stated Sharon.
  Eyktan Tai replied.  "Iknimayìri oel ätxäle siyi Eyktan Atumopin. Poel ivomum tìlen Iknimayeri." (As to Iknimaya I will request of Eyktan Atumopin.  She will know about the Iknimaya event.)  This had been a major concern of Tai's for a long time.  But she knew that she could rely upon Atumopin for this important matter.
  Pamela joined the conversation.  "But shouldn't we have a ceremony where we are inducted as part of the People?  We read about Jake's ceremony in the archives.  We should do something like that, kefyak? Painting each other and making an interconnecting snowflake-like structure?" 
  Sharon responded with enthusiasm; "Mllte oe!  Ayoeru lamu zene tìlen azey!"  (I agree!  To us should be a special event.)
  "Srane. Slä ayoel zene kivar ayngar fya'o leNa'vi. Ulte 'uo zene a nivume ayoer lu pefya txula ayuran." (Yes but we must teach you all the way of the Na'vi.  And one of those things which we must learn, is the manner to build boats," added Taifa'anae, who was anxious to learn this craft.
"Kosman!  Ayoe tsun sngä'i pxiset!"  (Wonderful! We can begin right now!) exclaimed Payoang.  He looked back and forth at Tai and Sharon.
"Txo menga mllte!" (If you two agree.) he demurred.
"Kosmana fmok." (Wonderful suggestion,) blurted Tai. "Srake, aynga lu hasey set?" (Yes/ no? Are we done?)
"Srane! Wintxu fya'o, ko!" (Yes! Show us the way!) exclaimed Taifa'.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



       CHAPTER 179

         Sharon, and Pamela, with the rest of the new students in tow. followed Payoang, Ateyo, Taifa, and Tai Away from the ocean, and across a field that was about half a mile wide, to the beginning of the Na'ring, where there stood some trees that had tall, and straight trunks.
As they were walking there, Sharon thought to herself, "This is going to be tough, cutting down the two suitable trees from which to form the Canoes with stone axes, and THEN, drag them back over to our 'olo". Just as quickly, she thought, "Wait a minute, we can use rollers placed beneath the logs, to roll them to where they will be hollowed out. This won't be easy, but it won't be that back breaking either". About half way across the field, Payoang looked over his shoulder at the aynumeyu, and said,

"Srake. Nari si sameutral?" (Yes/No. You see those two trees?)  said Payoang to Taifa'ana'e "Sameutral lu kerusey stum. Ayoel mefoti tsun sar." (Those two trees are without life almost. We can use those two.)
Sharon, and Pamela were close enough to Taifa' to hear the conversation, and Sharon was pleasantly surprised to realize that she understood 90% of what Payoang said, at a normal rate of speech. The fact that, when she wasn't talking only to the members of her 'olo, she was surrounded by Na'vi speakers, was helping her vocabulary a lot, but her grammer still lagged, which was evident when she spoke.
  "Srake ayoel mefot pximivun nekllte faya sä'o. Kefyak?" (Yes/No, we will cut to the ground by means of these tools, isn't that right?) asked Sharon, though the tone of her voice implied doubt.
  Payoang threw back his head and laughed.
  "Kehe! Tsakem ketam! (No! That would not suffice!)   "Srung sivi oer ne starsìm rìn."  (Help me to collect wood.) He bent down a grabbed a branch and leaned it against the trunk of one of the trees. Sharon caught on pretty quick, that Payoang was going to burn the bottom several feet of the two trees that he had selected, saving the construction party the arduous task of hand chopping them down with stone axes. The other members of the undersea renegades followed her lead, and they were soon joined by the members of the ISV crew, that were members of the clans living in the slotted cave, until both trees had skirts of broken branches arranged around them.  As he worked he sang a song and taught all of the mipa Na'vi to sing it as well.
  Ma Nawma utral (Oh Great tree)
  Nga kllkxolem fìtseng (you have stood in this place)
  Eywa nì'aw omum pe txana krr. (Eywa only knows how much time.)
  Ma Nawma utral (Oh Great tree)
  Nga kìte'e soli atxansan. (You have served well)
  Ulte set ayoe ätxäle si ngaru (And now we request of you)
  'Awe kìte'e ator (One final service)
  Ma Nawma utral (Oh Great tree)
  Kemìri ayoe livu (For this action we will commit)
  Ayoe ätxäle si txoa slivu ayoer (we request forgiveness become to us)
Ma Nawma Utral (Oh Great Tree)
Nga roley fa ngeyä ayvenu nekllte (You have lived with your feet in the ground)
Ma Nawma Utral (Oh Great Tree)
Ngeyä tirea salew Eywahu (You spirit will go with Eywa)
Slä nga rayey mìtampxay (But you will live in the Great Water)
Ngal nari sayeiyi kosmana ayuti (You will see wonderful things)
Ayoe panutìng seiyi ngar (We promise to you)
Leykatem ngat (You will become changed)
Ngal kìte'e sivi Na'ri (You will serve the People)
Ulte ayoe irayo seiyi tì'ìevay krra! (And we will thank you until the end of time.)

  It seemed to Taifa' that the song would be hard to learn until he realized that these were the same words he would have said as an explanation.  It seemed that Payoang was making up the lines as he went along.  He would sing each line and everyone would repeat it.  It was more like a chant than a melody.
  At some point, the fires were actually lit.  Payoang kept chanting about the strength of the tree for enduring the pain of being burned down. In between verses, or whenever he deemed necessary, he would stop chanting and explain to Taifa' and the others the manner of tending the fires.  The fire had to be concentrated to form the pointed shape of the canoe.  Payoang informed those that he was teaching,  that this process would take the rest of the day and the better part of the night.
     Sharon divided the groups into fire watches.  Ateyo and Pamela fashioned mops of seaweed mounted to long sticks, for the purpose of dousing wayward sparks.  Soon the aysahik were making and applying salves to blistered and toasted toes.  (For instance; Ateyo had stomped on an ember without weighing the consequences.)
  Kxuki, Georgia Barnes, kept the kitchen fires going.  The steady line of "customers" reminded her of the chow lines she once managed aboard the ISV.  Everyone took turns tending the tree fires, so eventually, she and her crew were relieved of kitchen duty for a chance to rest and/or tend the tree-fires.  The boys who turned the spits were fascinated by the larger fires, and barely could be restrained.  Kofi was instrumental in helping her Kxuki rotate the youngsters among the chores of fishing, gathering, hunting, and of food prep.  Pxepxi was not content to be left out of the activities, though she was large with child.  She preferred fishing with the small nets and had become quite proficient. Even Kofi's  Mother was large with child, and she was fishing as well.
  Ateyo created a small party of foot-protect creators, hawnven ayngopyu.  This was only necessary because so many people were closely involved with fire.  Large patches of leather were wrapped around a person's foot and held in place with lacing.  She directed a mud pit to be maintained (by the boys of Narate Shepherd) so that the shoes, such as they were, could be coated with clay or cooled with damp sand.
  A festive air was felt around the camp and as the day wore on, few were willing to leave the area where the trees stood burning.  The chanting was continuous with new singers adding new lines and verses.  Gathering firewood was a constant chore.  At sun down, the horn was sounded.  Everyone paused what they were doing and faced the setting sun.  They raised their hands in salute as the sun melted away.  Sunlight gave way to torchlight and the trees continued to burn.  Those in their turn retired to the cave for sleeping.  Some simply collapsed on the beach for a nap. 
  Sometime during the chill morning hours, the trees began to sway. And sway violently.  The entire camp got to their feet.  With a loud groaning and fierce crackling, the two trees came crashing to the ground.  Even Pxepxi recoiled at the sound which stirred an old memory.  The falling of the Omatikaya Hometree.
  All stood in stunned silence.
  The strong voice of Payoang pierced the air.
"Ma Nawma Utral, reyìri ngeyä ayoe irayo seiyi." (Oh Great Tree, for your life, we thank you so much)  He had not been present at the falling of Omatikaya Kelutral, so at first he was puzzled when no one responded.  He had to repeat it again before the others caught on and chanted their response in unison.  Usually, he felt elation at felling trees for canoes.  This time he sensed the sadness and even the memories of terror.
"Meutral lu set ne kllte." (The two trees are on the ground now.)he said.
"Slä oel fpìl fwa ayoe zene ftivang fte' aysahik tsun zeyko." Ateyo sensed his puzzlement and concern. (But I think that we will stop in order that the tsahiks can cause healing.")  He nodded his agreement and gratitude.
Before the party lay down to rest until Trr ong, (Sunrise), water was placed on the fires, which were stirred, and then were doused again, ensuring that the fires were out. With that done, everyone drifted off to sleep under the Pandoran skies.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




          CHAPTER 180


     The area around where the trees were felled, was devoid of anyone but the original Undersea Renegades, and some of the crew of the "Old Dawg" mining transport.
Everyone else had left immediately after Ateyo, and Alexi held a quiet, and abbreviated Trr Ong ceremony, in deference to the Renegades, and their close friends, who were all passed out cold, due to exhaustion.

   Sharon and Pamela were the first to awaken, followed within moments, by John and Wendy.  And then by Steve, Jim, Chip, and both Transport Jim, and Dan.  Everyone sort of stumbled over to the log, where Sharon, Pamela, John and Wendy were sitting.
   "Well, Boss Lady,"  chuckled Steve, "you are the fearless leader.  When do we march to the Home Cave, and get something to eat?"
   Sharon looked at the ragged crew that she lead, and replied, "We don't."  She gave that several seconds to sink in, and then continued, "If we follow our little stream back towards its head waters, we will come across prime fwampop territory.  We will shoot a big one, and cook it for breakfast and lunch. 
   "Those are some pretty big pigs, just HOW are we supposed to kill one. With rocks?!" quipped Chip.
   Sharon reached over by where she and Pamela had been sleeping, and produced her bow.  "Don't leave home without one!" she said.
   "We will have YOU guys circle around the game and drive one Toward us," added John.
   "Just remember," cautioned Transport Dan.  You will be shooting in OUR general direction!"
   "Remember, Dan," reassured Pamela, "Sharon and John are VERY good bow shots.  They will be aiming directly AT an animal, NOT just fuselade firing in the distance."
   "I'm hungry," informed Chip, "Let's DO this!" as he started in the direction of the stream.

   Near the waterfall that drained a small lake, was a low area, where there was soft ground, and different flora than that which was in the na'ring.  The waist-high, broad leafed plants offered both food and cover to the ayfwampop.  The soft ground quieted their footsteps, but they were noisy eaters. so as long as the Mipa ayNa'vi were silent, there would be no problem in locating the ayfwampop. 
   Chip, who had been a bowhunter in his younger days on Earth, lead the flushing party along a thirty foot tall rock wall to swing the group around, behind their prey.  The sound of the waterfall offered auditory masking, and the greater humidity of the mist, covered the scent of the aytaronyu, as they swung into position. 
   "Ftxey kip aynga pesu yomtìng, Na'vi." (Choose among you who will feed the People), whispered Chip under his breath, as the flushing party assumed a semi-circular line behind the grazing ayfwampop.
   Once all of the flushing team was in position, about a hundred yards from the animals, Pamela, who was at the Eastern flank of the line, whistled loudly.  As soon as she did this, all of the grazing ayfwampop looked in her direction, and started moving to the northwest, at about a five-mile-an-hour pace.  As soon as they started doing that, Dan, who was on the Western flank of the line, returned Pamela's whistle.  THIS steered the animals back in a northeastern direction, but at a seven-mile-an-hour trot.  Chip, Transport Jim, Steve, and Jim, who held the middle positions of the line, started speaking to each other in English, in a moderate volume.  As a result, the creatures changed their direction of movement to the north, straight at Sharon and John. 
   John pointed at the movement of vegetation, directly in front of him and Sharon, eighty yards distant, and five seconds later, pxefwampop crashed into a small clearing, directly in front of the metaronyu, fifty yards distant.  Sharon and John, both of whom were partially hidden by a large dead treetrunk, drew their meswisaw to full stack.  Sharon said,
  "Left one." and the meswisaw found their marks in the animal's heart."
   The remaining twelve animals split east and west at a dead run.
   "We got a large one." John called to the driving team. Just as the seven mipa Na'vi gathered up the dead animal's body.  Once the Hunters' Prayer was recited, and the fwampop was field stripped, his carcass was slid out to the main clearing where Wendy had a cooking fire already built, and ready.

   Three hours later, Ateyo, Alekxsi, and all the rest of their party entered the clearing from the east and spied the Undersea Renegades sitting in a circle, around a low fire, eating their rewon wutso.  Ateyo walked up the the ylltxep and accepted the piece of meat offered to her by Chip. 
   "Where you getting fwampop?" she inquired of Chip.
   "In the marsh by the waterfall," was his satisfied reply.
   "You all do well.  Woke up feel hunger. You hunt food and cook. You will make good aytaronyu. Yes/No? you make thank words for animal?"
   Seven heads nodded vigorously and Sharon responded with "Srane" and recited the words for Ateyo to hear.
  Ateyo nodded and smiled, as she motioned for a new person in the crowd to join her.
   "This person is from you sanhisìp.  Alekxsi and I will teach to her healing in Na'vi way."
   Sharon, Pamela, John and Wendy, had walked over to Ateyo as she sampled the tsngan (meat).  They greeted the newcomer, and John said,
   "I recognize you from the ship! Fyape syaw fko ngar?" (How does One call you?)
   "Tatyanan Kryzhanouskaya, but you can call me Tatyana, until we figure out a Na'vi name for me.  I am visiting from the Olo'Zongtseng Alor to study under Ateyo and Aleksi."
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



       CHAPTER 181

Ateyo and her students were back at the Slärur Fpxakim Tseng Asnep, (Slotted Cave), when members of Olo' Zongsteng alor flew in by ayikran.
  "Eywa Ngahu ulte Kaltxì,  Ma Ikxi sì Ma Meykir!" Ateyo abandoned formality and referred to her cousin by his nickname. Formality was also abandoned in favor of copious hugs which were exchanged between old family members.  Ateyo was in full swing, hugging even those whom she did not recognize. She was in the midst of a big hug when she heard Ikxi explain,
  "Fìzimau'yu syaw lu Tatyana. (This newcomer is called Tatyana.)  Ayuìri ayoengur zene lawk.  (About many things we must discuss.)
  "Nìlun, Ma Ikxi!  Srake, aynga 'efu 'ohakx?  Nga solop txankrr.  ULTE, Oel hefi fwa uot onlor."   (Of course, Ikxi.  Yes/no, you all feel hunger? You have travelled for a long time! AND I smell something good!)
  "Nga lu tìyawr, Ma Tsmuk! (You are right, sibling/relation) Oeru lu fahewit afwang hefi. (To me a smell which is savory to smell.)  Everyone followed the tantalizing scent toward the area where the two trees had been felled.   

     At daybreak, the UnderSea Renegades had been left sleeping.  But now there was a fire pit with a Fwampop slowly roasting over the coals on a spit.  All of the Undersea Renegades had eaten their fill of the fwampop that they had felled on their hunting expedition, earlier in the morning. They had spent the last hour discussing how to best preserve the remaining tsngan, when Ateyo, her students, and a group of the Olo' Zongsteng Alor walked up on them. Enthusiastic hugs were shared all around and the new group was invited to sit down.
Ateyo accepted the piece of meat offered to her by Chip. 
  "Where you getting fwampop?" she inquired of Chip.
  "In the marsh by the waterfall," was his satisfied reply.
  "You all do well.  Woke up feel hunger. You hunt food and cook. You will make good aytaronyu. Yes/No? you make thank words for animal?"
  Seven heads nodded vigorously and Sharon responded with "Srane" and recited , the Hunter's words of thanks.
Oel ngati kameie ma tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi irayo!   
Ngari hu Eywa saleu tire  tokx `i`awn slu Na´viyä hapxi! 
(I see you brother, and thank you!  Your spirit goes with Eywa your body stays behind to become part of the people!).
Ateyo nodded and smiled, as she motioned for a new person in the crowd to join her.
  "This person is from you sanhisìp.  Alekxsi and I teach to her healing in Na'vi way."
  Sharon, Pamela, John and Wendy, had walked over to Ateyo as she sampled the tsngan (meat).  They greeted the newcomer, and John said,
  "I recognize you from the ship! Fyape syaw fko ngar?" (How does One call you?)
  "Tatyanan Kryzhanouskaya, but you can call me Tatyana, until we figure out a Na'vi name for me.  I am visiting from the Olo'Zongtseng Alor to study under Ateyo and Alekxsi."
"Tatyaru lu reypay Ikxeruä, ulte Ikxeru lu tsmukan oeyä Sa'nok, a nìkeftxo, oe kame kawkrr. (To Tatya is blood of Ikxeru, the brother of my mother, whom unfortunately I never knew.)
  Ateyo continued her explanation.  "Slä peyä muntxate, Tsahik Meykir, kampi seiyi oer, lesoaia nìteng. (But his wife, Tsahik Meykir, treated me as family the same)
  "Ulte, Oeyä muntxate, TaiTaeAo, lu Tsmuk pum Ikxeruä! (And my wife, TaiTaeAo is sibling also of Ikxeru!) Looking around, Ateyo realized that her muntxate was not present. "Poe pivähem ye'rin!" (She will arrive soon.)      Tatyana had been well versed in the relations of everyone in her new soaia while she had lived in Olo'Zongtseng Alor.  It didn't startle her to know that she was related to Ateyo and Tai through DNA used in the Avatar program.  She was, however, pleased to observe how thoroughly delighted was Ateyo to include her in her family. Tatyana was also pleased to be introduced by Ateyo as Tatya.  Or Kuz Tatya. (She later learned that Kuz, was short for cousin was a borrowed English word.) She had already been dubbed with a nickname! Tatya.
   In this manner she was seated next to Pxepxi, Ateyo's adopted daughter, who was obviously with child.  She watched the young husband gifting his wife with marrow bones.  It pleased and startled her when both Kofi and Pxepxi invited her to come to the lagoon when Pxepxi was to give birth.  As a family member, her presence was important!
  "You will be Auntie Tatya to the prrnen!" laughed a woman who was introduced as Kofi's mother, Ka'alani.
At that point, a call was heard from the trees above.  The LookOut pointed upward.  "MEIKRAN ZA'U"  (Two Ikrans Come!) Within moments, the huge ikrans of both Taifa'an'ae and TaiTaeAo alighted in the sand not far from the group.  Ateyo and Ka'alani ran to meet their memuntxate, (two spouses) and soon the ayeyktan and aysahik were conferring.  Tai and Taifa' were excited to see Eyktan Ikxeru and were briefly introduced to Tatyana.
  However, Tatyana was not able to sit and visit with Tai.  Not at this moment.  Tai was busy dividing the group into two learning groups. Some to learn hunting skills, some to learn healing skills.   She was disappointed that she wasn't able to spend time with Tai.  But found herself drawn into the group with Ateyo.  Tai turned to her and said,
  "Ma Tatyana, We will have more time to get acquainted when we eat txonä wutzo. (evening meal) Slä, set nga zene ka 'awsìteng Ateyohu kar zeyko fyaoNa'vi." (But now you must go with Ateyo to learn to cause healing in the manner of the Na'vi.)
Sharon asked about the canoe building task.  Tai assured Eyktan S'rron, that the wood needed a few days to dry. Sharon answered in the Na'vi that she was learning, "Irayo, ma meuianga Eyktan". Tai smiled and replied, "Kea tikin, SET, ayoenga ka ne ayawkx fpi nerume spä."
Sharon and John had each been given two introductory lessons on jumping, by Ateyo from heights of 80, and 300 feet.
"Is he trying to KILL us?" wondered Steve aloud.
"No I am  not." Assured Tai, "I have personally jumped from 300 feet six times. Jake Sully, and a badly wounded Tsu'teyjumped from 500 feetduring the battle for the Well of Souls. You are a lot bigger than you were as ayhumon, and the atmosphere here, is three times more dense than the one back on Earth, you will all do FINE."
Sharon stood up next to Tai, and said, "If it will make you folks feel any better, John and I will BOTH be the FIRST to jump from ANY altitude."
Taifa'ana'e poked Tai in the ribs, with his elbow, and whispered, "Spoken like a true Eyktan."
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



       CHAPTER 182

     It the better part of two hours to get to the practise cliffs, by running across the limbs of trees, that kept everyone off the ground level, for the entire trip. They were at the first practise jump, of only 60 feet. This height was usually reserved for the first jumps of the young Na'vi, who were just beginning on their path to the calling of a Tsamsiyu. The neophytes to this new skill, slowly crept up to the edge of the cliff, and peered over to the ground below.

Sharon looked at the other clan members, that were frightened out of their blue skins, turned to John and said, "Follow and copy". With that, she ran off the cliff, and did a full flip and full twist from an open position, something that she used to do off diving platforms in high school, while on the swimming teams.
The significantly denser atmosphere of Pandora, and her Na'vi anatomywhich was not only stronger, but also lighter per cubic inch of body than her former human body, caused her to lose less altitude than if she tried the same maneuver when on Earth.
As she fell, because of her spread eagle body positioning while she fell, Sharon's body was generating a lot of drag, as she fell through the thick Pandoran air.
Her forward motion, that she achieved by running off the cilff, propelled her to a tree vine. When she reached it, she momentarily grabbed it, and flung it to her left, spinning her body 90 degrees to the right. This repositioning of her body as she was falling, placed her directly above the huge leaves of the Tìhawnuwll (Protection) plant. The leaves of the plant each slowed her descent by 20 percent, so that by the time that she was three feet off the ground, her vertical rate of descent was cut to what it would be, if she jumped off a five foot high rock.
Once on the ground, Sharon looked up at the rock ledge, to see her friend John, running off the small cliff, doing what on Earth used to be called a "Reverse Gainer", (a full reverse flip). On his way down, he mimicked Sharon's moves exactly, resulting in the same type of soft landing.

   The looks on the faces of the remaining aynumeyu, (students), had Tai Tae Ao, and  Taifa'ana'e working as hard as they could, to keep from laughing, out of surprise at how well Sharon and John did, when they didn't have much distance to work with.
  "We aren't going to do those kind of take-offs, ARE we"? asked an understandably nervous Steve.
"No you will not", replied Tai, in as much of a reassuring tone as she could muster, given the fact that it was all that she could do to keep from "High Fiving" her cousin, and laughing so hard, that she would have to sit down.
By mid-day, in spite of their trepidation, all of the other Undersea Renegades handled the required jumps well enough to pass their jump training. As a matter of fact, ALL of them looked far better than Jake Sully did, the first few times that Neytiri made him try it.

  "I'm getting hungry", groused Chip, "Did anyone pack anything to eat?"
Sharon patted her Skxo and said, "We are ALL warriors and Hunters. We were all that when we were on Earth, and each of us carries with us, the tools to GET something to eat, should we need to. To become more self reliant in any situation, we need to have Ateyo teach us what kind of PLANTS we can eat, if we need to travel, and camp cold, NOT using any fires".
Having heard Sharon's reply, Taifa'ana'e said, "Tai Tae Ao and I have been at this lifestyle for decades now. We may not know as much as Ateyo about the medicinal, properties of plants, but we DO know what we can eat that WON'T make us sick. Do you want to learn this"?
"That would be a WISE thing to learn", replied John.
"WELL then, let the lesson begin", announced Tai Tae Ao.

"Man, THAT looks cool", Blurted Dan, "Is THAT edible"?
Tai smiled and said, "not unless you want to glow in the dark so well, that you can be seen from half a mile away. That is a Samtìlor, a hot beauty. Hot literally and figuratively.  The reason that it glows all those cool colors is that they affix the Xenon isotopes that are present in the soil into specialized cells that they have in their stalks. They are fairly radioactive, and have no real food value ".
"Well, I guess that we ought to give THOSE a wide berth", replied Dan.
"Now THOSE look like the Sunflowers of Earth", noted Steve, as he spied a stand of huge flowers that were ten feet across, sitting atop stalks that were eight to ten feet tall.
"Those are called Kllpxiwll, or Lionberry, to those that don't know their Na'vi name", instructed Taifa. "They are an EXCELLENT source of Protein, go help yourselves".
All of the aynumeyu (students), spent five minutes sampling the great tasting seeds.

At the next lesson site, Tai showed everyone the Pxiwll, (sharp plant), that the humans used to call the Hermit Bud. 
This plant is also like a Sunflower plant, except that it has heavy thorns on it", instructed Taifa. He continued with "The seeds don't quite have the high Protein content of the Kllpkìwll, and it is tougher to get the seeds, they coil up quickly it you get close. We use the petals for body paint. Follow me, and I'll show you something that you might find interesting".
Everyone walked about 100 yards, to a stand of strange looking plants, that were growing clusters of Artichoke looking fruits on stalks supported by many leaves.
"These are called Fkxakewll, or itch plants," lectured Taifa. " if you touch the leaves, you will itch very badly for many days. The thing that these are best used for if you are alone, or in a small group, is as bait for other animals that love the large seeds.
  Slä,the Tsawke (sun), is past its zenith, and we need to start back now, if we want to make the Txon Wutso (Evening Meal), on time.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




         CHAPTER 183

    "I smell something GOOD!" exclaimed Transport Dan, while everyone was still half a mile away from the clearing, but the sea breezes wafted the aroma of fire grilled fish though the Na'ring.
As they walked out of the treeline, they saw about ten members of the of the Eastern Sea Clan, that had accompanied the Mipa Na'vi to their Mipa Kelku, to teach them how to make their own Canoe's, and then be able to catch fish to feed the people.
"MAN, I can't wait to sink my teeth into some of that fish", said Sharon, as the group was halfway across the field.
"LOOK, there is Ateyo, and her student's!", alerted John, as he pointed to Ateyo and her group, each member carrying a burden basket, emerging from the Na'ring.

Once the two groups that had spent the day, each in their classrooms in nature sat down to eat their Txon Wutso,that was cooked on the slash wood around the ylltxep, they immediately started sharing with each other, what each group had learned.
"We learned a lot about what plants we could, and could not eat", explained Chip.
"And Dan was stopped by Tai Tae Ao from glowing in the dark by eating the Samtìlor, or hot beauty", shared Sharon with a giggle.
"Glowing in the dark"? asked Tatyana, the former Medical specialist on the ISV, who was now a member of 'Olo Zongsteng Alor, said.
"It is a radioactive plant", explained John, "that is why it glows with so many different colors, even in the daytime".
We did not see anything like that", replied Tatyana.
"Them plants grow only some places, in soil which is poison. I will show all my students tomorrow", promised Ateyo to her group.
Payoang looked at Ateyo, and asked, " "Ma Ateyo!  Srake ngal kolar aysahikit fya'o tìhawl ayu azeyko?" (Yes/No, You have taught the aysahik the way to prepare things which cause healing?)
  "Srane, ma Payoang. Rä'ä txopu! Ayoeru lu txana ayu fa aytìsraw nìwotx aziveyko!  (Yes, Fish. Don't fear. To us is many things for the sake of all pains, with which to cause healing.)
Payoang then made an announcement to the members of the class of Aysamsiyu. "Tomorrow we will show you how to finish building the canoe, and then we will watch you practise catching fish for the sake of feeding the people".
"That will give us a one day break from running through the treetops", surmised Sharon.
"Oh, I guess that Payoang will still work up a sweat on us, replied Steve.

"Ma S'rron!" said Pamala.  "Ayoel rolun fkxenit fa yom. Srake, new fì'ut?" (We found some vegetables to eat.  Yes/no, you want some?) "Srane!" Pamela filled Sharon's outstretched palms with the fruits she had found.
"My thinking!"announced Ateyo.  "We finding Awaiei plant!  Make good food but we all must hunt. Slä sngä'i ayoe zene ngop hawntokx. (But first, we must create body-protect!) We have to draw fire so others can sneak behind and harvest the fruit!"
       Ateyo then launched into her animated description of what was needed to hunt and harvest the seeds from this plant.  Ateyo was explaining how to construct body shields.  She didn't understand why the mipa Na'vi all laughed when someone said "Riot Shields!
"What is Riot Shields"? asked a puzzled Ateyo.
Tatyana replied, " they are clear shields, that are bulletproof".
Sharon stood, and said in English, " If I may, We can build as many as you would like on the Tanhisip in a short time", showing with her hands, how far the main sun would traverse in the sky, for them to build the shields. "We could do this right after we bless the new Canoe".
Her offer was met with unanimous approval from all at the gathering, including Payoang.

Payoang had noticed that Pxepxi, and Ka'alani were both  quite pregnant. "Srake, Ngaru lu prrnen piyähem?!" (Yes/No to you is baby arrive soon?!)
"Srane! Slä Pxepxiru lu prrnen lisre prrnen oeyä!"  (Yes, but to Pxepxi is baby before my baby!)
Payoang was caught up in the excitement of the new community.       
"KOSMAN! Ayngaru liyu zami'uyu nìpxay! (To you all will be newcomers many. "Ayoe zene sä'eio sayi fpì meprrnen, mipa Na'vi, ulte mipa uran!"  (We must have a ceremony for the sake of two babies, new Na'vi and new boat!)
Sharon's ears twitched when she heard the word for boat.
"Mipa uran, ma Payoang?  Ayoel fpamìl fwa pum layu 'olo ayngeyä." (New boat, Ma Payoang? We thought that that one will be for your clan.)
"Yes", replied Pamela, "we will learn how to make our first Canoe, by doing this".
"The canoe that you are building, will BE your first Canoe", responded Payoang. "When you finish it, we will take it to the water, and place it in the water, and have a ceremony asking Eywa to bless it's use".
"Ayoer lu meuia ma Nawma Payoang", (To us is honor, great Payoang.), Announced Sharon, in her best Na'vi. "Ayoe fpamìl ayoe lamu txerula fìpo fpi ngeya 'Olo." (We thought that we were building this for the sake of your "olo").
"Kehe ma Tsmuke, ayoe sar ayfo ayoe tìkin, fì'u fpi ngeya 'Olo". (No sister, we use all we need, this is for the sake of your "olo).
Payoang announced, "Why don't we build the canoes, and the riot shields the day after we  put the canoe in the water".
  "Zene aoel nekx kamtseng fayutralit." (We need to start burn the center of those trees.)
Payoeng was pleased  to learn that the Awaiei hunt could be delayed until the canoes were built.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




             CHAPTER 184

     Three days after the botanical classes for the two different groups of students, everyone was back under the tutelage of Payoang to learn how to finish constructing a Na'vi canoe. They watched as their teacher showed everyone how to limit where the small fires that would help hollow out the hull would burn, by using wet mud.
   "What did Payoang say when you told him that you used to build canoes the same way in Samoa?" Sharon inquired of Tai Tae Ao.
Tai thought for a moment and said, "When Payoang learned that not long after the Palagi discovered the Samoan Islands, they tried to introduce our ancestors to the white European ways of doing things, and their God, and that by the early 1900's our ancestors were starting to forget our ways. When I went on, and told him that by the start of the 21st century, the great, great grandchildren of the Samoans who had navigated the Western half of the Pacific Ocean, no longer knew how to sail, and many did not even know how to swim, he shook his head, and started to cry. I put my arm around his shoulders, and told him that it was O.K., a very few of us learned how to navigate between the stars, and he smiled." 
Sharon touched Tai's shoulder with one hand and said, "What they have stolen from you, is now being restored, oeyä eylan." Tai placed her hand on Sharon's free shoulder, and replied, " Ulte fpi ayoenga ayolo nìteng oeyä tsmuke".
Sharon pointed at two Children trotting back and forth between the canoe under construction, and the edge of the water, carrying shells.
"Oh these are Narate Shepard's two boys. She was the long range sniper that took out that crazed RDA Colonel who ran the hidden RDA base in the battle where we removed the last presence of RDA vrrtxep  from Pandora, and Eywa removed the life force from all of their evil siblings on that other moon base that you discovered. She sure seems delighted to find a task appropriate for her twins,   packing mud into large seashells and trotting them over to everyone working on the canoe.
Tai and Sharon walked over to the Canoe, and gave Chip, and Tifa'anae a break from helping Payoang hollow out the interior segment of the canoe.  After about an hour or so, Tai stood up from within, to stretch out her sore muscles, and was confused by the ensuing laughter. Tweety Castillo, Ateyo's half-sister among the Avatars, was exclaiming;
  "Ma Tai luke fìl! Peyä tokx lu alayonopin!" (Tai is without stripes.  Her body is painted black!)
  "Pe'uteri lu plltxe, Ma Tsmuke? Lu fìl oer, tse'a?" (What thing are you talking about, My Sister? To me is stripes, see?)  Tai vaulted out of the canoe and proceded to hug her half-sister-in-law, effectively transferring large portions of carbon onto Twiti's skin.
The laugh was on Twiti and so was the soot.  Arm in arm, they both approached the area of the beach where all the aysahik had lain out their blankets, or skins rather.  Tai could see that Ateyo was just finishing the application of burn ointment to the bottoms of someone's feet.
  "Ma 'Teyo!" pleaded Tai as she approached.  "New ngeyä mesokx azeyko." (I need your two healing hands.)
  "Nìlun, ngeyä hona tsamsiyu alor!" (Of course, my adorable warrior, which is beautiful!)  She got up and spun around towards Tai, too late to realize that her muntxate was covered in black ash.  She was enveloped in the taller woman's arms and was surprised to receive a VERY demonstrative hug. Everyone was roaring with laughter. Tweety explained,
"Set ngaru le mesokx alayno mìtxìm ngeyä!" (Now you have two black hands on your butt!)
Ateyo made a pantomome of trying to crane her neck around to see her own behind, thus disguising her embarrassment with comedy.  She gave up and motioned Tai to lay down, to which she complied while laughing.  Ateyo was not one to hold a grudge.  Lovingly she applied the ointment in circles on her muntxate's sore shoulders and back.  Of course, people generally had rinsed off in the lagoon before getting a massage. And of course, the massage ointment was created using animal fat as an emollient.  And of course, that caused the black soot to become somewhat waterproof.  Ateyo signed her masterpiece by applying her own handprints to Taiyä txìm! It was quite a while later that Ateyo presented Tai with a soap that would effectively remove her oily tattoos!
Just before sundown, Syulang Aean climbed to the top of Slotted Cave and sounded the conch shell horn.  The tools were all laid aside and people who had just finished working, rinsed themselves off in the lagoon.  When the horn sounded once more, all turned to the West and raised their arms in salute to the Tsawke (sun) as it slipped quietly into the sea.  Everyone then trooped over to the ylltxep to share the evening meal. Afterwards, they returned to the lagoon, just to sit or float and relax in the warm water.  The Laughing Sea Creatures were happy to see their friends each night and welcomed them to climb upon their backs.
  There was something magical about the warm water and sparkling sea weeds and twinkling sea shells.  Couples languidly embraced, floating and drifting in the water.
Ka'alani was giggling.
  "Pe'uleri herangham ngati, Ma Sanu?" (What are you laughing about, Mom?) asked Kofi.
  "There was a place in Hawai'i called Alomowana Bay. I think this lagoon should be called Alu Mowana Bay, nìteng!"   Taifa' and Tai and the technician by name of James Kalewai caught the play on words.  All the amorous couples were too engrossed in each other to care. The mention of the bay that was on the south eastern edge of Honolulu did not escape the attention of the UnderSea Renegades were once residents of/and under the waters of, Hawai'i.

Sharon was lying alongside her muntxate and quietly said to her, "I just HAVE to. While Pamela giggled, Sharon spoke up with a voice loud enough to be heard by anyone on the beach, who spoke English, "You know, there is ALSO a place on the south shore of Oahu, out past the Samoan village of Makaha, that is called
Keawa'ufa in Hawaiian".
Kofi looked at his grinning dad, and then at Sharon, and asked, "What does that mean?"
Taifa'anae rolled his eyes, and Chip said to Sharon in a stage whisper, "Don't go there." Sharon demurely replied to Chip, "Since when have we, as educators, EVER denied a student an answer to an honest question?"
Steve sighed, "Oh Lord," and Sharon said, "since you asked, It means Pray for sex Beach."
Most of the members of the Undersea Rennegades laughed riotously, Tai Tae Ao snickered, Kofi laughed, and Taifa'anae replied, "We can't take you ANYWHERE," while he was doing all that he could to keep from breaking out in uncontrollable laughter.

     Ateyo tried to demonstrate the difficulty for Na'vi bodies to swim through the water, catching fish in their teeth.   Ateyo's images made all creatures laugh.  The aytolfìn tried to project sympathy toward the Na'vi, the Na'vi tried to project a sense of satisfaction at their ability to overcome their lack of biological marine propulsion.  Aytolfìn seemed to accept their different-ness and simply projected loving, healing energy.  All creatures relaxed in the lagoon, with many of the Pandoran moons visible overhead, with glimmering stars above and below.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




            Chapter 185
The next morning was fresh,and comfortable,neither too hot,or cold, and immediately after Reywon Wutso, the two teams of builders and paddlers were trundling their new creations down from the slope that came to the edge of the beach. UnderSea Renegades who had come to be known as Olo' äoTxampay (Clan Under the Ocean) and  also Olo'Samoana, the Clan of which Tai and Ateyo belonged, proudly brought their canoes to the edge of the beach from the surrounding forest. On the trip to the beach, the two were side by side, being slowly and carefully brought to the shore. 
  Rolling the canoes on tree trunks upon the trampled path was not too difficult.  High tide and gravity assisted in getting the canoes off the slope and onto the beach.  But once the canoes had entered the water of the lagoon, a great cheer went up.  PXAY WO!  (water launch)
Festivity was in the air. Pxepxi and Ka'alani  had festooned everyone with colorful leis, in the Hawai'ian tradition.  Even the boats were draped in garlands of exotic color.   All those who were not launching the two new canoes had waded into the warm lagoon, singing of Eywa and the Txampay, singing of prosperity and future, and singing in anticipation of great feasts.
  During the previous days, singers invented songs with simple melodies, which were echoed by the clans.   



Za'ärìp!\(Pull!)
  KO!\ (LET'S)
Za'ärìp!\(Pull!)
  KO! \ (LET'S)
'Awsìteng Za'ärìp\(Altogether pull!)
  KO! \ (LET'S)
This became a repetitive refrain.  It surprised everyone else to hear Syulang Aean sing a strong melody in counterpoint.  She was simply remembering the song of paddlers from her own, recently destroyed island.
'Awsìteng nìwotx\ All together 


Txura aypun\Strong arms 
Tsawsngema pun\Muscular arms
Pamsteo seiyi 'ekong\Playing the rhythm
'Ekong txampayur\The rhythm of the ocean 
'Ekong tìreyä\ The rhythm of life


Ka'alani was thinking that the song and the occasion were very much like the re-enactments she had seen and heard at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawai'i.  In those days, everyone seemed to be desperately aware that 

their lives were being quickly erased by climate going out of control.  She still had her recordings on her Flash Drive Cube.  She hadn't been able to hear them once she had left her quarters at Blue Heart Gate.  She wondered if the Playback Machine was still functioning and whether anyone still used it.  These thoughts flashed in her mind in an instant.  Meanwhile, she was brought nearly to tears to hear the harmonies which sprung with seeming spontaneity from the voices of the the Na'vi who had flown in from the Ikran Clan of the Eastern Sea.  She almost dismissed her tears as a result of her pregnancy, and the wildly fluctuating hormones.  But truthfully, she was swept into the realization that her past was her past.   
  But this new culture was somewhat Polynesian and very Navi.  Her baby would be raised in a dual-culture.  She hoped it didn't offend the Na'vi, themselves.  She was hoping that Living in the Balance, Rey'eng, would suffice to cause their acceptance. She allowed the voices to envelop her in joyfulness and hope.
Aytolfìn joined in the fun, leaping and twirling and chattering in voices much like Earth Dolphins once had. 
 



The joy and excitement of the aytolfin was contagious, and almost instantly, the Na'vi with the boats felt the same way,asif they were in Tsaheylu, each with their own tolfin.
Aytolfìn joined in the fun, leaping and twirling and chattering in voices much like Earth Dolphins once had.   
     It was then that she heard a sharp gasp from Pxepxi.
Kofi had heard her gasp as well and had vaulted from the canoe with such suddenness, that he rocked the heavy boat violently.
"Srake set za'u prrnen mengä? (Yes/No, now comes our baby?) 
"Srane!" came a chorus of voices echoed by the excited voices of the aytolfin.   
  "AIIIIIIIII!" cried Pxepxi as Ka'alani and Kofi flanked her in the chest-deep water.  The aysahik gathered around and the women from the other clans came closer.  Encircling them all swam the Laughing Sea Creatures , but the One who had befriended Pxepxi swam to the inner circle.  Vaguely, Pxepxi was aware of the humming and chanting of the aysahik, sending messages soothing and supportive.  Pxepxi gave ashout as the infant within turned suddenly.  Reflexively she drew up her knees and in that instant the infant emerged in a gush, moving from one warm, liquid environment to another.
Tsahik Alekxsi was there to catch the infant and bring it to the surface for its first breath of Pandoran air.  She had caught a number of infants in the waters of her Old Island.  This was the first such event in their new clan and new home.  It didn't surprise her when a tolfìn emerged from the crowd.
  The old female tolfìn, Pxepxi's friend, nudged her way past all the women and swam directly to the infant.  She performed the honor of snipping the umbilical cord which Alekxsi had presented.  Alekxsi wiped away the bloody tracery which had remained clinging to the infant and presented the infant to Pxepxi. Kofi crowded in as well.
"Vola zekwa ulte vola venzek! (Eight fingers and Eight toes!)  Pum 'eve!  Oeyä prrnen lu 'eve!"  (It's a GIRL! My baby is a GIRL!)
  "Moeyä Prrnen, Ma Kofi! laughed Pxepxi!  (Our Baby!) 
  A spontaneous cheer went up, aytolfìn danced on the water and leapt for joy, sixty voices proclaimed her beauty and asked what she would be named.  The mipa Na'vi exclaimed at the lack of labor time, the Na'vi women were puzzled by the word and the entire concept. 
  "Fyape fko syaw poer?" (How will she be called?) the voices all asked.
  "Moel ke pole'un."  We have not decided.  "Kxawm moel tìng tstxoti poer krra mipa Na'vi  ulte prrnen Ka'alani layu syaw. (Perhaps we will give name to her at time which New Na'vi and Ka'alani's child will be named.)
    "Sä'eoio a mipa olo'!" exclaimed Taifa. (A ritual for our new clan!)
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




                 CHAPTER 186
   Morning came quickly for everyone at the 'olo äo txampay sute (Clan Undersea People). This was because the previous evening, had a dual ceremony, for the birth of Pxepxi and Kofi's daughter, and the launching of the two new canoes.
No one had a hangover from the celebratory drinks, because there were not many of the alcoholic variety available. For the most part, the festivities consisted of limited alcohol consumption, most of the drinks were fresh squeezed fruit juices, accompanied by much eating, and storytelling, until everyone went to sleep six hours before Trr 'Ong.

    Sharon wiggled her nose, much like an Earth Rabbit of days gone by, and one eye suddenly sprang open.
"SHELLFISH"?, she muttered, while sitting up, " THIS I HAVE to see.
Sharon walked up to the ylltxep, that had eight of the toronyu from the eastern sea clan sitting around it. Payoang noticed Sharon watching the fire, and took a ladle, fished a fist sized clam appearing object out of the water, and brought it to her.
"Fpi ngaru ohakx" ( For the sake of your hunger), he said as he pulled the bivalve apart, and handed her a fist sized piece of meat.
"MMmmm, txantsana tsngan, ma 'eylan" ( MMmmm, excellent meat, my friend), Sharon said, savoring the flavor of the Clam.
Payoang smiled at Sharon, and said, "Mawkrra trr 'ong ayoe wintxu ayngar peaeng run fayuti." ( After sunrise, we will show you where discover these).
"Irayo, karyu", replied Sharon.
Payoang held his hands palms up and replied, "Kea tìkin, ayoe kerä tsa fya'o."
( It's nothing, we are going that way).
Both of them looked up at the sounding of the first shell horn to announce the coming sunrise.
Payoang pointed to the ylltxep, and said, " Austengyem ayoe, aylapo za'u ye'rìn fpi rewon wutso." ( Join us, others come soon for the sake of morning meal).
Sharon nodded, and joined the others on the first ring around the ylltxep.

   "Were you ou utral," (Behind the tree), "when the horn sounded, oeyä muntxate?" Pamela asked, as she sat on the log, beside Sharon.
"Kehe, oeyä yawnetu," (No, my beloved), I woke up an hour ago, when I smelled Clams cooking, and oe niyong oeyä ontu," ( I followed my nose ), " here to the fire. Payoang, and the others will show us later this morning, where to find these
Pandoran Clams, on their way back to the Eastern Sea Clan".
"Then the two clans will get to USE their new canoes to hunt for food on the morning after their hulls first tasted salt water-----TXANTSAN !" exclaimed Pamela.

    By the time that the second sounding of the shell horn occurred, everyone was around the ylltxep, sampling the mesum ayswirä, ( two shelled creatures).  It was but a short walk to the shore, for the greeting of the Tsawke, and everyone left for the place of ceremony, at the third sounding of the shell horn.

     After the Trr 'Ong ceremony, everyone returned to the ylltxep, for more of the seafood breakfast. It was a good two hours before everyone ate their fill, at a relaxed, leisurely pace, and the leftover food was packed in the canoes for snacks while underway. As the canoers from the two new clans were wading to the shore together, Taifa'ana'e put his arm around Sharon's shoulders, and said, " You know, Samoa has a long history of paddling their canoes great distances, and at a respectable speed".
Sharon smiled at Taifa, and replied, " I am aware of your proud maritime history, but I think that the Eastern Sea Clan will set the pace on the way to the Clam Beds. We will need to stay with them, if we are to learn where they are, and how to harvest the bounty."
Tai looked at her Cousin, and remarked, "She's GOT you THERE, Cuz."
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te




          Chapter 187
    Once on the shore, the crews for the two canoes were announced. The crew for 'Olo äo txampay sute, (clan undersea people). would be, Pamela in seat one, Steve Hobbs in seat two, Sharon in seat three, (one of the two power seats in an outrigger canoe), John Williams in seat four, (The other power seat), Jim Hansen in seat five, and Chip Higens in seat six.
    The canoe of 'Olo Samoana, (Clan Samoa), was Janet Henderson in seat one, Kofi in seat two, Tai Tae Ao in seat three, Taifa'ana'e in seat four, Bruce Wade in seat five, and Steve Williams in seat six.
There was some doubt if it would be proper for Kofi to go on the run, with his muntxate having just given birth to their daughter the night before, but she shoo'd him off, telling him that he would be back before Txon 'ong, and the BEST way that he could care for his new family, was to help get food for them.

     Twenty minutes later, two fresh water skins were placed in each boat, Eywa ngahu's were said, and the three canoes left the lagoon, and entered the Eastern Sea, paralleling the the coast, remaining about a mile offshore.
It was very easy for Sharon to "catch the water" from Pamela's paddle, as the two of them moved as one for two reasons. First, they were so used to each other's rhythms, and second, something that no one on the 'Olo Samoana canoe was aware of, the entire crew of the Undersea Renegades canoe, used to compete in outrigger canoe racing as a team while they were carrying out their research, and teaching in Hawaii.
Payoang set a pace that was the best for covering distance efficiently, and at a good speed. After they had gone about fifteen miles, John, in the other power seat behind Sharon, leaned forward and said, " I heard that big Samoan relative of Tai Tae Ao try to get us to race them, do you want to do it?"
Sharon smiled, and said in a voice that could be heard by Steve in the number two seat, and John in the number four seat, but no one else, " The Samoans are strong, and it HAS been awhile since we have been in an outrigger as a team, but I think that we will give a FINE account of ourselves in a little friendly competition. On the way back, we will see just what they are made of."
"when are you going to accept the challenge?" asked John.
Sharon predicted, " Once we clear the breakwaters on the way home, they will not speed up their stroke rhythm, but rather just start pulling harder, in an attempt to make us believe that we are getting tired. We will do the same thing, and just look as if this is a normal thing, but not a race. We will continue to match their speed increases, and their stroke beat until we are about three miles from the utral. Do you remember E ala e ?"
Steve piped up from the number two seat, "Hell yeah, we would sing that a lot on the early morning races".
"Well," Sharon smiled, That is what we are going to sing as we surf down the breakers, and start across the lagoon. We will also go huki huki from there to the beach."
"Oh that is WICKED, we are going to win this ISLAND STYLE, I like it", replied John.
"OK," counseled Sharon, "but not a WORD of this until we we spring the trap.

   John and Steve both beamed.  Everyone on the uran, had raced outriggers for six years together, while they lived and taught in Hawai'i.  Not only that, but they all crewed the same outrigger together, INCLUDING the 42 mile Molokai Hoe outrigger canoe race across open water between the islands of Molokai and Oahu, that was held every year.  They had not allowed themselves to get soft by spending the five years that the trip to the Alpha Centuri System took by being in suspended animation.  They were awake, and made full use of the exercise equipment on both the "Old Dawg", and the ISV. 
   "I know that those Two are big, but you can't run the entire boat off the two power seats," observed Sharon. 
   "Do you think that we will walk-off and leave the other canoe?"  asked Steve.
   "No," replied Sharon, "and we should not even try.  We will stay with them, until the last three miles, THEN we will pull on them.  It will NOT be easy, they will try as hard as they can to the very end.  If we run a smart race, we WILL win."
   "And this is because?" asked Jim. 
   "This is because EVERYONE on our boat has worked together as a team racing outriggers.  We ALL pull together in unison, which translates more of our expended power into speed.  They will be fighting each other, and by the time that we open-it-up, they will be more tired,"  explained Sharon.
   "Payoang's boat is beginning to turn into that bay," announced Pamela.
   "OK, not a WORD, and don't act cocky.  THAT would put them at their guard,"  Sharon reminded the others in the canoe.

Several hours were spent learning how to tell the clams ready for harvest from the younger ones, how to safely separate them, from the rocks that they each anchored to, how to recognize their guard creatures, who looked like the sea urchins on 'Rrta but had a much more potent poison.  Payoang told the students that the best way to protect themselves from harm, was to NOT harvest the Kläms that had guard creatures near them.  ONce he watched the students harvest enough Kläms for a good Ftxozä, he bid them Farewell and headed back to the Eastern Sea Clan.

   "Tse, Ma Tai!" said Sharon.  "We have our harvest in our uran and will be ready to return home whenever you are."
   "We are ready as well," assured Tai, and the meuran (two boats) left the bay for home.  Once the meuran were clear of the breakers, they pulled alongside each other.  After they had gone about a mile, the Samoan boat started pulling slightly ahead. As soon as that happened, everyone on the Hawaiian canoe knew what was up, but played along.  They would not appear to the others to know what was up until Chip, as the steersman, would give the word to turn the game into an all out race.
   The Samoan uran held a faster pace on the trip back, than the one set by Payoang from the kelku (home) to the Kläm Beds, but no where near a race pace.
   About ten miles out, the Samoans dug a little deeper, trying to slowly distance themselves from the Renegades, but the meuran (two boats) were locked together, as if they were tied together with ropes. 
   Three miles out, there was a gap in the breakers, and the meuran used it to enter the calmer waters of a bay that lead to the lagoon.  At that time, the poor conditioning of the non-Samoan members of the other uran, was beginning to show itself.  The paddlers other than the Two Samoans, were getting sloppy with their form, and timing.  All the members of the meuran could now see the beach of their kelku, three miles away. Exactly at that moment, Chip, the steersman, and therefore the team coach shouted,
   "Ho 'Omakaukau!" (Get ready!)  He then smacked the hull of the boat three times at his desired race pace, shouting, "HUKI! HUKI! HUKI!" with the same rhythm and all of his paddlers of the Hawaiian uran copied the stroke count with their paddling, pulled as if they were in a sprint and STARTED SINGING.


E ALA E
E ALA E
KA LAI I KA HIKINA

I KA MOANA
KA MOANA HOU HONU

PI`I KA LEWA
KA LEWA NU`U

I KA HIKINA

(Awake, the sun is in the east

At the ocean, the deep ocean

Climb to the heavens, highest heaven

In the east, there is the sun, arise, awake).


   The two Samoans seemed to be trying to carry the entire load of the uran on their shoulders, as if they could make up any weakness of their other four teammates, by their efforts alone.  This tactic was doomed to fail, even though they DID make up some of the distance lost by their very wills alone.  The race to the shore, which was filled by cheering Na'vi, was decided by half the length of an uran.  With the UnderSea Renegades from Hawai'i as the victors.

   After a short time to recover, the two teams congratulated each other for a race well run.
Taifa' walked over to Sharon and asked, " How you fella make so fast with the paddles ? ! " in her best attempt at "Pidgen Hawaiian".
Sharon smiled and said, "Don't feel too bad ! What you didn't know, is that our research group was also an outrigger canoe team, when we weren't undersea, in the trench in Hawall".
Taifa' smiled, turned to the Na'vi on the shore, and shouted, "Ayoengil ayklämit rolun!" (We have found clams!) "Kllkulat umut ayoengil ko!" (Let's dig a pit oven!) This idea pleased everyone, and soon everyone turned toward the ylltxep.  Wooden shovels were procured and immediately a pit was produced.  Some gathered seawood, some gathered rocks, and some gathered driftwood and scraps from the place which canoes were built.  Ateyo and Tsahik Alexsi reverently brought embers from the sacred fire of the ylltxep.
  "Ayoengil Eywati irayo seiyi txepur aswok." (We give thanks to Eywa for sacred fire.) Tsahik Alekxsi had a reverentia awe inspired look on her face.
  "Ulte irayo seiyi ayklämit nìteng!" (And thank you for the clams as well!)
The reverential mood was disrupted, but many added their thanks for the uranyu (boaters) and their muscles.




Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te



          Chapter 188

   After the canoes were secured on the beach, and everyone walked up to  the cooking fire, there was time to relax and get shoulder and back massages while the fire was stoked and the bed of coals was prepared.  Each tsahik laid out her woven mat, and each paddler chose a tsahik to care for their aching muscles.  Tatyana also produced a first aid kit and applied salve and bandages to the blistered hands.  While she had brought her skin replication device with her, she was concerned about using it with all the sand around. She was worried that any wind that arose, might cause sand to become impinged under the "new" skin, and perhaps cause an infection.  Apparently, blisters from building the canoes - chopping hard wood with stone tools - had not quite healed when the race was declared.  There was need to replicate much tissue because most everyone had paddled hard enough to peel the skin away.  Only a small skin sample was needed, though.  The device was handheld and only produced small patches, which sufficed for blister treatments.  She was pleased with herself for rigging up the solar panel with which to charge the battery.  She was glad that she had carried these items with her from the ISV.  With her scalpel she gently removed skin from the open edge of Kofi's blister, under the watchful eyes of his family, with Tai, Sharon, and Taifa' blocking any possible wind from Tatyana's "operating theater".
  "Auwe, you fella was huki the paddle some kine!" exclaimed his mother Ka'alani. "What means huki, ma Ka'alani?" asked Ateyo. 
"Huki ral za'ärìp, pull, tafral fkol payit za'ärìp fa paddle." (Because One pulls the water by means of paddle." Ka'alani pantomimed the paddling gesture, and didn't remember the word Ateyo tried to teach her for paddle, which was, sä'o za'ärìp payiti, tool which pulls water.  There was no way she could explain the expression, Kine, kind of, which meant genuine, among the Hawaiian's, when they spoke pidgin between themselves.
"Auwe! Pe'u fì'u."  (What thing is this thing?) asked Kofi in his pidgen Hawaiian-Na'vi.  "Oel tsat sär sämunge fpi rikx aykläm!" (I can use that to move clams!)
"Kehe! Ma muntxatan ayaymak! (No, my foolish husband) Fì'u lu nga' fpi munge mengeyä prrnen!" (That thing is a container for the sake of carrying our baby!) protested Pxepxi.
"Kosman!  Tìfmetok." (Wonderful! a trial!)
CRACK ! went Ateyo's wooden spoon, on the top of Kofi's head.
Pxepxi had delivered him a playful blow to his noggin with the spoon that Ateyo had ceremoniously presented her.  Mocking injury, he rubbed his head. 
  "Fyape fkol tìkanghem si hu metsyokx leskxir ulte re'o leskxir?!!" (How can One work with two wounded hands and a wounded head!?)  This was delivered with mock indignation, but everyone had their laugh.   
  Unloading the clams from the canoes was quite a task.  They were heavy and had thick shells.  They had to be hugged with two arms.  But a chain was formed and quickly they were handed one to the other, and laid upon the coals of the fire which had burned down to the proper whiteness.   It had been oddly amusing to watch the paddlers move the huge clams from person to person using their arms, but not their hands.
The clams were laid on a bed of seaweed which had been heaped on the bed of coals.  Fish wrapped in palm leaves, and various fkxen (vegetables) were added.  Another layer of seaweed was added before the pit oven, umu, in Hawaiian, was covered over.  Nothing was left to be done but to wait.  So almost everyone walked down to the lagoon and waded in.
The Aytolfin were in the lagoon, and each sought ought "their" Na'vi with which to bond.
Sharon and Pamela each found the tolfin that they had previously bonded with, the links were made, and the experiences of the gathering trip/canoe race, were shared.
Pamela's tolfin impressed upon her mind an image of a large tidal flat where there were very many creatures that resembled the shrimp of 'Rrtä to be harvested. She replied that she would tell the others of her 'olo, and asked if the tolfin would show the Na'vi where these creatures were, and was assured her that they would be shown soon.
Sharon received the same images from the tolfin that she was linked to, and she asked her friend if there were any other place where the shrimp like creatures lived, and was told one other place, but it was far away. Sharon then asked if the aytolfin went to either place to feed, and was told that the water was too shallow, and it was too difficult for them to scoop them off the sand. An image of one of the shrimp was transferred to Sharon, and she saw another problem, these critters were like very large, about the length of the distance between the outstretched thumb and small finger of a Na'vi, a little over a foot.
"These are are like Mantis Shrimp the size of a Lobster !" Sharon thought. "They must be handled carefully, or they can easily break the fingers of a Na'vi," she continued.

Once the bonding between the Na'vi, and the tolfin was completed, the tolfin swam to the open water to feed, and the Na'vi went to the umu to do likewise.
When everyone was at the tseng leyom, (eating place), Sharon stood up, and because of her position as one of the Pxeyktan that were present, everyone stopped speaking, and listened.
"I was shown something today, a creature that can be added to our food supply, but only rarely, as there are only two locations anywhere near here at all, where it lives, and we don't want to over harvest them. They look like what we called Mantis Shrimp on 'Rrta, but are the size of the lobsters that were on 'Rrta, which would require us to use care in collecting them, lest we get broken fingers for our troubles."
Sharon continued, by offering a suggestion for the over harvesting of the shrimp.
"With the size that these shrimp are, we could only have them for special occasions, and then, because of their size, only collect enough for two shrimp per Na'vi, what do we think about that?"
By closing her statement with the question, Sharon opened the discussion for public comment, of which there were several questions.
Georgia Barnes, the official chef of the 'olo Sanhìä tute, raised her hand, and said, "The thing that I think that we should do, is kill these creatures humanely as possible, so I suggest that we place them into already rapidly boiling water, the way that we did with lobsters on 'Rrta."
Tai, Taifa', Sharon, Pamela, and Dale, all nodded their approval, and so that technique of food preparation, was quickly decided, but not without much discussion among the assembled Na'vi.
Dale Garbacki, Eyktan of the 'Olo Sanhìä tute, brought a concern to the attention of the others at the gathering.
"Now that the other two clans have their canoes with which to fish, we would like to build one as well, that some of us that wish to serve the Na'vi of our clan by fishing, may do so.  Can we have the aid of the other two clans, to build a canoe?"
Unanimous approval was immediate, and a date for the start of construction was set for the day after the naming ceremony for Pxepxi and kofi's daughter.  Moments later, several of the cooking staff brought the first piles of shelled clam meat to the gathering, and all sat to eat together, after Ateyo offered thanks to Eywa for a bountiful harvest of seafood.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi