Storm over Pandora

Started by Lehrrap Uniltìranyu, December 31, 2009, 08:10:08 PM

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Tanhìyärina'

Tireamokri, bow and knife slung casually across her chest, watched the flying transport land.  Despite the misunderstanding last time, she refused to go unarmed.  But at least she knew not to show anyone her bow.  Quickly and quietly, she slipped from the trees and walked towards the clearing where the school building stood.  She watched the Uniltìranyu leave the craft, along with their Sawtute companions.  They were so small, those Sawtute bodies!  <<I wonder how they feel being as tall as Na'vi,>> she thought.  <<Perhaps that is why they are so clumsy.>>

She looked for the short Uniltìranyu woman.  She had brought a fruit for her, one of the golden striped ones with juicy purple flesh and a shiny oval black seed in the middle.  It was too much to hope that they had brought oranges-- from some of the other Na'vi she learned that the Sawtute came in large ships that carried supplies, but not many, and things were strictly rationed-- but at least she could show the woman that she meant no harm.

Once she spotted her-- Ariel, was it?-- she walked slowly over, smiling with closed lips.  Some of the other Na'vi had also told her that Sawtute bodies did not have sharp teeth, and they were scared of them.  Even the Uniltìranyu.

Tireamokri wasn't sure how much she should trust what she heard.  She was certain that the Sawtute had all sorts of strange ideas about Na'vi that were not true.  She would simply have to learn for herself.

But she could practice her 'ìnglìsì, what little bit she had learned.

Approaching Ariel, she held out the fruit and said, in a thick accent, "Hello.  You?  You for."  <<It is my favorite fruit, and just as good as oranges, I think.  Maybe you will like it.>>  Her eyes darted quickly to the other Uniltìranyu and the Sawtute, but quickly found their way back to the short woman, looking at her hopefully.
Fitseng lu oe, tìftia kìfkeyä seri.

Coyote

#81
Tribal School
1130 hrs.









Arik was glad to see the school again, and equally glad to see the collection of Na'vi gathering. He feared that, after the incident a few days ago, there'd be a tense standoff. But the Na'vi were open to them, if also openly wary, and some of the more powerfully-built males stayed nearby, watching them with keen eyes. It was evident that they watched the human security crew primarily, but also himself.

We are allowed here because of Grace, Arik thought. For that reason alone, they give us the benefit of the doubt. He frowned slightly.

"Y'allright?" Alex asked.
"Do they strike you as stupid people, Alex?" Arik asked. The question seemed to surprise him.
"Uh.. no," he said. "No, they do not. They are obviously quite intelligent."

"Yes," Arik said. "Yes, they are. Which makes me wonder."
"What do you mean?"
"They're not stupid; they know our weapons outclass theirs."
"Yeah," Alex said, wondering where Arik was going.

"Yet they attack a gunship with a bow and arrow," he said. The tall blue Avatar body leaned against the helo and the big yellow eyes fixed on Alex. "What motivates someone to do that?" he asked. "How much anger and frustration and desperation is needed for someone to attack a tiger with a stick?"

Alex gazed at the Na'vi for some time. "I dunno," he said. "But it must be a lot."

"Yeah," Arik said. "What has been going on around here that things are as they are?" he asked.
"I couldn't say," Alex replied, "But whatever it is, I won't contribute to it, not if I can help it."

Arik nodded, feeling the same sentiment, and hoping it wasn't already too late. He spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

"Aniuket," he said, and waved. The female Na'vi smiled and waved back at him, smiling shyly. Arik got up to walk towards her. "Let's be careful," he said to Alex, who nodded in silent agreement.

"Ah'reek," Aniuket said as she approached. "Kaltxi," she said.
"Kaltxi," he responded, "Oe-l  nga-ti  kame"
Aniuket grinned, and they clasped hands as they approached. "Ah zee yoo, too," she said.

"I brought you a gift," Arik said as he shrugged off his backpack. They kneeled down and he opened the top, producing a tablet of plain white paper and several pencils. "Paper," he said, "To draw on-- to si tseo," he said. He put the tablet on his lap and opened it to the front page, where he made a quick cartoon sketch of his Avatar self.  

"Ah!" she exclaimed, <<They are like leaves!>> she exclaimed, <<Art leaves!>> She riffled through them: 100 pages of pristine art paper. He gave her the pencils and showed her how to draw with the point, and also how to make thicker lines by angling the pencil on the side. "Ah like!" she said, looking at him, her face lit with amazement.

"I figured there wasn't much of a paper industry here," Arik said.
"Pah-per?" Aniuket asked.
Arik nodded, and rubbed a single sheet between his thumb and forefinger. "Paper," he said. "For you."
"Irayo," she said. She picked up the tablet and the pencil, automatically holding the pencil at an extreme angle rather than with the tip pointed towards the page. She began making gentle, brushing motions, which Arik took to mean that she was more used to working with a brush. Damn, I should have thought of that, he realized. But there were no real art stores at Hell's Gate; the tablet and pencils were ordinary office supplies from the RDA's perspective.

Soon, she'd worked up a very loose, interpretive form that Arik recognized as a representation of herself.
"Wow," Arik said, "Dang, how do I say 'expressionism' in Na'vi..?"
"Ni-na-vi, she said. "Na'vi, it is the people," she said, and waved her hand towards the crowd of curious watchers who had gathered around them. Arik suddenly felt very self-conscious. "Nina'vi," she said, making a motion of something coming from her mouth, "It is the telling, the speaking."

"You know more than you speak?" Arik asked, "Aynga tslam 'ìnglìsì nìltsan... but do not speak so well?"
"Yes," she replied, "I... hear well, understand better, do not build the words so well, to speak," she said.
"It's alright," Arik said. "You do fine."

"Yoo too," she said.
<<Aniuket,>> a male Na'vi voice said, <<Do not enjoy too much company with these alien things. They would not be here now if I had my say.>>
<<I have heard what you said about the Sawtute,>> she shot back in rapid nina'vi, <<Believe me, I get to hear it every day, two, three, twelve times. Not all of them are evil.>>

<<Evil or ignorant, it is the saame,>> the gruff male said back, giving Arik a contemptuous glare. <<Destruction, death, that is all they bring. And then they try to make it all better by giving us toys and tricks,>> he added, poking his chin towards the art tablet.

<<At the scar-in-ground they think we are all stupid, vicious,>> Aniuket said back, <<That is how they think. You have much in common with those you claim to hate.>>
<<Maybe this kunsip will fall from the sky, too,>> the male said with a growl, waving towards the SA-2 that Arik had flown in on.
<<You will not,>> she said.
<<It is for Eywa to know,>> the male said, <<Don't get too comfortable, little sister.>>

Arik stood next to Aniuket, waiting for her to speak. A million questions flooded his head, but he did not want her to become more upset than she was. Finally, he spoke. "Should I go?" he asked.
"No," she said, "He is Sek'mut, my tsmukan, my brother. He hates Sky People. Wants them all go. Even Grace and her friends."

"I do not want to make trouble for you," Arik said. He started to steap away, but Aniuket siezed his hand.
"He is one to make tsap'alute, no yoo," she said. "I make decision; you go, you 'make trouble', not if you stay. He is being... how is it said?" She made pushing motions with her hands, "He does this. Push-around person."
"A... a bully?"
"Booly," she said. "He is booly. Stay, do not do what booly say."

"Don't do what bullies say," he repeated. "Aniuket, that is very good advice. For all of us."











Results:
Arik meets Aniuket again, gives her a gift of an art tablet and pencils.
Reunion interrupted by her brother, Sek'mut, who hates Skypeople.

***
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around!


VIDEO LOG DAY 8:
Attempted to pee on Viperwolf to test reaction. Please see attached medical file.
WARNING: Attached medical file exceeds gigabyte limit. System failure.

Brainiac

For the very first time in his life, Oscar had no Idea how to approach someone new. He was usually pretty good in casual conversation, and he'd been studying Na'vi for a while now. So why couldn't he step forward and talk to them?
Was it his new body? He felt... different, in it. He didn't know whether he felt better or not. It was as if he was dreaming all the time, but he couldn't decide whether it was a nightmare or not.
The bugs didn't bother him as much anymore, but his entire body felt... well... not wrong, as such, but it was off. Most people in the company seemed to have grasped their new body fairly well, made peace with it, or even preferred it over their own body. That motion would've been ridiculous if he didn't hate his human body already. Asthma (which was a blast on a planet like pandora), a defective metabolism leading to a short and broad physique and a generally unattractive face had made sure he had always wanted to have another body. And his avatar answered perfectly to those demands. The face was beautiful, like it had been sculpted, the muscles well-toned and the tail was just plain cool.
He feared it was the early awakening. Perhaps the ego-centre of the brain had problems connecting with the avatar. He didn't know.
He just knew he didn't know what to do. He caught himself grinning stupidly while thinking of the ancient philosopher Descartes.

He started to make his way to the rest of the group, but noticed something on the way there. It was like there was a tiny jellyfish, swimming in the air, not far from him. It had several tendons and was pure white. He'd read about these. Atokirina, was it? It drifted by his head, and just kept going. Oscar stared at it, long after it had disappeared into the underbrush.
Speed is a ppoor sbubstitue fo accurancy

Check out my blogif my presence on this board isn't weird enough for you.

Mako

Grace's School
1120 Hours


Ralph followed Chris's gaze. "You already missing those blue kids, Chris?"

Chris laughed. "She's not a kid, Ralph."

"Wait? You mean this chick that was trying to cut your throat, don't you?" Chris remembered that Ralph wasn't near the incident with Eanataw last time. He must have heard some gossip at Pandora's box.

"Yeah. Funny situation, isn't it?"

"But what exactly happened there? You stepped on her tail or something? And what do you expect? Last time she was trying to kill you! You think she would go to date with you?"

Chris spotted Eanataw in one of the trees back behind the school complex. She smiled when he saw him, giving him reassurance.

"Yeah, something like that..." Chris muttered to Ralph.

He got a running start, and jumped. Grunting from the effort, he swung up and on to a low hanging branch. Keeping his momentum, he leapt off and grabbed branch slightly higher up. Eventually he made it up to the branch that Eanataw was on. She let out a laugh as he landed, breathless.

"Kaltxì ma Chreeshun," she said, smiling. He returned the smile, chuckling at her pronunciation of his name.

"Kaltxì ma Eanataw. Oel ngatì kameìe."

"Oel ngatì kameìe. Ngaru lu fpom srak?" "Na'vi grammar is a pain," Chris though to himself. He had to struggle to remember all his language studies.

"Uhhh, srane? I think...um, ulte sì?" Speaking a new language with a native speaker always made him a little nervous.

"Srane. Sìltsan, ma Chreeshun. Ngati plltxe anìltsan."

"Haha, good. Sìltsan. And my name is pronounced Chris-tian, Christian." Eanataw struggled with the name. "If it makes it easier, you can call me Chris." She let out a playful laugh and hopped a huge gap between two tree limbs. "Wait! Where are you going? Um, peseng lu ngatì kìyä?"

She laughed. "Za'u ma Chris."

He stepped unsteadily to the edge of the limb. "Woah," he breathed to himself. He turned gaze back to Eanataw, who was watching impatiently from the other branch.

"Za'u ma Chris! Za'u!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he muttered under his breath. He took a few steps back to give himself some room and made the leap. He came down hard on the other side, but safe. Eanataw was laughing. She noticed his hands. Interested, she picked up his left one.

"Ngayä ayzekwä."

"Yeah, what about them?" Chris was as curious as she was. She seemed confused about something. Just then, he noticed that she only had 4 fingers on each hand. That must be what was so interesting.

"Lumpe tsìng?" Sure enough. He had to think of how to explain it simply.

"I'm an Avatar driver. Oel lu uniltìranyu. We have five fingers." She still seemed confused.

"Slä lumpe?"

"It's really complex. Has to do with DNA. But the sawtute have 5, so..." He hoped that explanation would work.

"Ke tslam...be there any different?"

"Kehe. Oe ke tsat tsavme'a." She murmured under her breath. Chris didn't catch what she said. She stood up, her eyes sparkling, then proceded to start laughing again.

"Za'u." She said. Turning and moving further on.

Chris followed.

Nume fpi sänume

Hells Gate
Hells Gate firing range


Alex knew that the days were going to drag, but he didn't expect anything like this. The Wyvern and the Raven obviously weren't on the regular maintenance list. Either that or the mechanic previous just didn't care as long as they flew. Alex finished the work and repairs on them, but not without back to back fourteen hour shifts. Meanwhile, Brokensword still needed repairs, but Alex was able to get all three birds moved to the same area so he could help Jax with some of the repairs. It also made things more bearable, since Flores was "too important to work on his own Bird". a******.

Today was different though. Today was Alex's first official day off, and he planned on taking it. He spent some time talking with Jax and Esme, learning how to correctly fire a weapon from them, and any helpful tips they may have had. Today, he was getting his sidearm certifications. When he first signed up, they offered to certify Alex in side arms and small caliber semi-auto rifles, and when Alex turned them down they were nearly dumbstruck. What use would a mechanic have for a weapon? If only he knew... But time was wasting. Alex loaded another clip into the handgun; the metal against metal sound was almost symphonic. Alex enjoyed mechanics, and even something so small as a handgun had so many moving, working parts that all came together to create something so smooth and operational. He loaded the chamber in a swift motion, yelling out "Weapons hot!", as he had done many times before in the past two days, flicked the safety, and took aim. Human mechanics came into play, his arm and finger steadied, his sight zeroing in on his intended target. He exhaled squeezed the trigger smoothly, and a cascade of reactions followed. The hammer snapped forward, hitting the fuse, igniting the powder and causing a small contained explosion. The resulting explosion sent the bullet downrange, striking the target slightly off from where Alex had aimed. The cartridge ejected, spiraling off to the side with the telltale metal ringing of casing, the chamber slammed back shut, the firing hammer ready to go again, and another round in the chamber. All before Alex had reoriented from the recoil of his first shot. Mechanical beauty.

"Decent shot tecchie," a voice from behind said. It was a voice no one on the base ever mistook for another, and the Colonel stepped forward from where he was watching.

"Your muscles are too tense when your firing though, gotta loosen up a bit, its pulling off your aim." With that he unstrapped his sidearm, took aim and let a trio of rounds fly downrange, all hitting millimeters apart from each other.

"Thank you, Sir." Alex replied, stepping back into the firing box, readjusting himself and listening carefully to the Colonel and what he said. He walked out of the range that day with his sidearm certs in hand, as well as a weapon, a holster, and the Colonel at his side, congratulating him and proposing he get certified for larger weapons. Alex beamed with new confidence, while the personnel working the firing range pulled down the paper printed with the silhouette of a Na'vi, riddled with bullet holes from Alex's test.

Hells Gate
Dormitories
Day 5 on Pandora


The sun was just cresting the tree line as Alex woke up. He was lucky to have a decent view, and in the morning light he could see a decent ways out as the haze of night was burned away. Today was going to be a good day, the no-fly was being lifted, and all that Alex had to work on was one remaining AMP suit that had a slightly sticking torso mount. Nothing a bearing replacement and a little grease wouldn't fix. His hand hurt today, it was like a warning system his body developed to tell him when he was getting too lax. It had kept him out of the fire a couple of times, so he had gotten used to trusting his instinct and gut. Regardless, the first thing Alex needed this morning was a shower.

---

"Piece of S***!!!" Alex yelled, drawing attention from the deck chief working this morning.

"Anything I can help you with?" The man asked.

"Not unless you can tell me why this AMP suit was running with critically low hydraulic fluid levels. Most of the gears in here are shot and stripped to hell. How the hell did they F*** it up this badly?!" Alex had about enough of shoddy repair work that seemed to be the norm; at least in the machines he was given. Brokensword was a nice exception, but also about the only one.

"The company only recently started bringing in mechanics who knew what they were doing to work on the equipment. Before that, the best we had here were military motor pool guys, and even those were scarce." The chief said with a sad tone. It was understandable, the company didn't want to spend money it didn't think it had to, and until there was enough of a complaint from Pandora about the shape of the equipment, they didn't have to.

"Names Thad, short for Thaddeus, but the nicknames Gramps. Your Alex right? The supposed mechanical genius? Well, you have a workload that's about the same as any normal three man team all to yourself, and I gotta say that it's impressive what you've done with your birds. Real inspiration, kid," the old man beamed to him, flashing a toothy grin.

"Thanks, I think, Thad. Yeah, that's me, but I don't think I'm much of anything special really, I just understand machines, and how they should work, and can usually figure out what's wrong with em. They speak to me, I know it sounds crazy but, that's just how it's always been." Alex said, standing to shake the large man's hand.

"Nah, not crazy, we call that the Machine Spirit, the heart of the machine. They don't choose to talk with just anyone, and you're lucky. You got a real talent kid, glad to have you with us." Thad said, returning a firm handshake.

"Howed ya lose that?" asked Thad, pointing to Alex's missing finger.

"I'll tell ya, but only if you agree to help me with these repairs. Kinda bored here without Jax to talk with."

"You drive a hard bargain, but I like getting to know my new prodigies."Thad said with a laugh.

Speaking of Jax, where were he and Brokensword at this morning? He must have left early Alex thought to himself as Thad was talking about something or other.

Alex finished up his AMP suit repairs that morning with Thad, exchanging stories back and forth. Alex liked this guy, he was an old motor pool crew chief, twenty five years in the Army before he left to come to Pandora. He was easily one of the oldest people here, and it was easy to see why he had the nickname Gramps. Still, the guy was built like a brick s***, and from the sounds of it still holds his own out here after seven years.

Not long after the repairs were done, the orders came down for flight prep, and Alex radioed in to Jax.
"Hey, Jax! You need to get back to the landing pad, we need to fuel up so that we can get Dr. Augustine and the crew over to the school." The delay on the other end worried Alex for a bit, but soon enough Jax replied.

"Rodger that Alex, Brokensword is coming in for refuel, mechanical flight states all clear."

Today was going to be a good day indeed.

Sngä'i Tìrey-yä

#85

Grace's School
1100 HRS


Ariel hopped out of the chopper, clutching her beating heart. She still hated flying, but this time Grace suggested she trying listening to music during the ride. So she grabbed her little player and tried drowning out the chopper sounds with a heavy dance beat, but all it really did was give her a headache because those stupid little ear pieces didn't fit in her big blue head. Oh well.

As she stretched the kinks out of her back and neck, Ariel looked around and saw Tireamokri, the Na'vi woman from before, standing by the trees. Tireamokri started towards her, and Ariel had to do her best to prevent herself from stepping back. Ariel could tell the Na'vi woman meant no harm, but it was hard not to fear a ten foot Amazonian woman with fangs and a bow.

Ariel watched as the woman walked towards her, and held out something. She was proud of herself; she didn't flinch. Instead, Ariel leaned forward in curiosity. "Hello. You? You for" and then a plethora of Na'vi washed over Ariel as she took a moment and realized that it was a gift. "Oh my gosh, thanks so much! That was so sweet of you... uh, what is it? Um, uh, fi'u peu? I think... god what is thanks... I can't remember. Thanks, thanks... um..."

Tireamokri smiled as Ariel gushed at her in English.  She only caught a couple words, but the end she recognized.  "Thank? Irayo," she said.  She pointed to the fruit in the woman's hands.  "Kì'ong," she said slowly.  "Pxasul lu.  Nìsìltsan yom si."  [Fruit.  It is fresh.  Eat well.]  She raised her gathered fingers to her lips to pantomime eating.  Then she grinned and shook her head, saying, "Orange no."

"Orange? Oh! So that's why you were asking about oranges, because you wanted one. Look, I think Grace might have brought one... oh right, irayo, thanks doll, hey Grace?" Ariel yelled, turning and looking for the taller woman. She was immersed in a conversation with some of the kids. Ariel could probably go find someone else to ask... or she could just yell louder. "GRACE" She screamed across the clearing, watching in silent satisfaction as the others covered their ears, looking around in alarm.

"What are you screaming about? Not another centipede, is it?" Grace replied, exasperated.

"Did we bring any oranges with us?" Ariel replied as innocently as possible.

"Oranges? What? Wait, no, I don't want to know, there's two in the bag by my seat" She called back to Ariel, and turned back to her kids.

"Great thanks!" Ariel called back and turned to Tireamokri in excitement, "wait, pey" she told the Na'vi woman and ran off to the helicopter.

Tireamokri watched Ariel run back towards the aircraft.  She saw some Sawtute in their Sawtute bodies standing there, with their strange metal weapons.  She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow, studying them.  I wonder if they speak nìNa'vi, she thought.  She took a couple steps closer to the craft.

Ariel rustled through the bags until she came across the round, orange objects. She turned around to run back to Tireamokri, but stopped and stared for a moment. Gone was the welcoming smile and friendly understanding gestures. The Na'vi that she saw in front of her now was the kind that she feared. Narrowed eyes, furrowed brow, it looked quite intimidating really. Of course, she never admitted to any of the others with her that she was afraid of the Na'vi. It would just be another thing to tease her about on top of flying. But honestly, what kind of person wouldn't be fearful in this situation? Here they were in a war zone playing school... and while the others were trained in military she spent most of her adult life in the library. She pushed the thought out of her mind. "Hey! Tireamokri! I have a gift for you." She said bounding over to the tall Na'vi woman, "Here, have some oranges." She said, presenting the two fruits with open palms.

Tireamokri's face brightened at the sight of the fruit. She brought me oranges?  That's not what I meant... but oh!  They look so delicious, she thought.  "Irayo, Ariel," she said softly, taking one orange and reaching out to curl the woman's fingers around the other.  "You," she said gently but insistently.  <<Please, you keep the other one.>>   Then she cupped her orange in both hands and lifted it to her face, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the rind.

"You don't want the other one? You can have it, we have more back at the camp. Besides, you gave me this... fruit thing." Ariel said, smiling brightly. "Uh, nga munge, oe have? What is have... hmm, oe pxay oranges."

Tireamokri's eyes widened, and her arms went a little slack, dropping the orange away from her face.  "Pxay?" she boggled.  "Ngal oeti mayunge?  Lumpe?" she asked, confused.  Many?  You will bring (some) to me?  Why?  She tipped her head to the side, her ears wavering slightly, her face wearing a puzzled expression.

"Oh shoot, no... let me think for a bit." Ariel paused and tried thinking. She felt her ears move and was weirded out by the feeling. Reaching up to hold them still, she figured out her sentence pattern and lowered her hands to start making gestures, "Oeya kelku, pxay oranges. Nga munge" She said, pointing at the chopper and father along the horizon towards Hell's Gate. "Pxay pxay!" Ariel insisted, making big round motions with her arms, "Tslam?" She asked hopefully.

"Ngal orange-ti kemayunge srak?" You won't bring oranges? Tireamokri asked.  She, too, thought for a while.  "Orange," she said slowly, pointing at the fruit in her hands.  "Mì ngayä kelku, pxaya orange?" In your home, there are many oranges? She sat down on the ground, motioning for Ariel to sit too.  She placed the orange in front of her.  "Orange," she pronounced carefully, pointing at it.  Then she traced an outline of the other fruit in the dirt.  "Kì'ong," she said.  "Tslam?"

Ariel stood for a minute trying to digest everything before sitting down with a thump. "No, no tslam." She started to crack up laughing, how many years of school had never prepared her for this kind of situation. "Ok, pe kemayunga?" She asked, looking at the drawing in the dirt, "Ki'ong?"

Tireamokri traced a large tree next to the sketch of the fruit.  "Kelutrel," she said, as if by explanation.  "Kì'ong," she tapped the outline of the other fruit, then looked around Ariel's body to see if she still carried it, or if she'd left it in the aircraft.  "Kelutrel, pxay kì'ong," she tried, using only the most basic words.  Then she traced a square next to the orange.  "Nga kelku," she said, pointing at the square.  "Pxay orange?" she asked, as if seeking confirmation.

"Oh! You're asking if we have an orange tree? No, not on this planet. Um, alim uniltìranyu tseng orange kelutrel. Pandora, kehe." She drew an outline of Pandora and put a big X through the middle. Nearby, she drew a picture of earth with a little rocketship zooming happily away... and on top of earth she drew a very disproportional tree with little oranges. Ariel hoped she had figured out Tireamokri's intensions. She figured the Na'vi woman was asking if they had an orange tree back at Hell's Gate. Sadly all the fruit was frozen for the six year trip and thawed upon arrival, so it didn't last long back at the base. "Sorry" She said, smiling.

Tireamokri frowned, concentrating, as she watched Ariel draw.  She nodded slowly, absorbing the pictures.  "Fì'u orange, ftu ngayä kelutrel?"  She paused, craning just her head forward curiously.  <<You have a hometree?  I thought you lived in those metal boxes>>.  She slowed her speech deliberately.  "You kelutrel.  Orange utral?"  I knew they were from the stars, and they came on those sky ships, but... they come from an orange tree? she wondered.  Without pausing, she continued, struggling to use the most basic words, "Fìtseng, kelutrel tok?  Oe ketse'a."

"Ok cool" Ariel said, glad to have finally reached an understanding with the Na'vi woman. "Oe kelku alim..." She said, pointing at Earth on the ground, "oeya kelku, sa'nok, sempu...  fi'u Earth." Ariel finished, suddenly feeling really homesick. Do avatars cry? She wondered, and felt herself tearing up a bit. "Alim... six zisit" She continued, not remembering the number, instead holding up six fingers.

<<That far?>> Tireamokri asked, her eyes even wider than before.  "Ngayä kelku, Rrts," she began, the strange word feeling funny on her tongue, "Sa'nok sì sempu, Rrts-hu kelku si srak?  Ulte nga, you, tswayon," she made a motion with her hands like a bird flying, "fìtseng?" She tapped the ground, away from all of the drawings.

Ariel blinked, she couldn't believe she actually understood all of that. "Yes" She told the Na'vi woman with a small smile, "oe tswayon fitseng" Ariel replied, but instead of making flapping gestures she made her hand fly through the air like a rocket ship, making the children's sound effect for space flight. "Oe neu ka kelku..." She muttered under her breath, feeling for the first time to true distance between her and Earth. "Sla tsatseng kehe sevin, Pandora sevin." Ariel said, gesturing to the trees and plants around them. The other moons and the large green/blue planet were shadowed in the sky, it really was breathtaking. "Earth has no green left."

"Rrts kehe sevin lu srak?" Tireamokri asked, astounded that she could be more astounded than she was before.  "Lumpe?  Ulte... Pxandora," she said slowly, sounding out the other new word, "Pxandora pe'u?"  She tipped her head again, and her ears sank.  "Ngati kemawey lu," she said with tenderness.  "Keftue, alim alim Kelutrel lu.  Alim alim Rrts lu.  Tsaheylu ketsun."  Her eyes welled with tears at the thought.  "Tsaheylu, tslam?" she asked, picking up the end of her braid and showing it to Ariel.  She had never before thought about how the Sawtute made Tsaheylu.  They must hide it somewhere under all those things they wear, she thought.  "Ketsun Tsaheylu, <<it is so sad!>>"  Her eyes filled with pity.

"Tsa'u Pandora" Ariel said, pointing to the ground and all around her. She pointed at the drawing of Earth again, "Tsa'u Earth" She then pointed at the other planet that had been drawn, "Tsa'u Pandora." She paused, "Tsaheylu?" She asked, grabbing her long black braid and bringing it around to her front like Tireamokri had. "Peu Tsayeylu?" She twisted the braid around until the hair fell away from those little tentacle things. "Ew" Ariel said simply, dropping the braid and suppressing a shudder.

Fìtseng Pxandora?" Tireamokri asked.  Is that what they called this place?  What a strange name, she thought.  "Fìtseng Eywa," she said.  "Nìwotx Eywa.  Na'rìng, Kelutrel, kilvan, pa'li, ikran, seze, Na'vi.  Nìwotx Eywa.  Ulte Tsaheylu, tìng mikyun Eywa.  Tslam?"

"Woah, woah, slow down there" Ariel said, putting her hands up, "Ok, nga syaw Eywa, oe syaw Pandora... Tsuheylu peu? Fi'u?" She asked, pulling at her braid. Ariel didn't understand the significance of hair and the octopus thing.

She doesn't understand.  And I don't know the English word for Tsaheylu, Tireamokri thought.  She began simply.  "Tìng mikyun, tslam?  Plltxe, tslam?"

"Tslam" Ariel responded, listening intently. This seemed like it would be really important for some reason...

"Sìltsan," she said with a smile.  "Eywa," she continued, tapping first the ground, then spreading her arms wide to indicate the whole area.  "Tsaheylu, Eywa tìng mikyun.  Eywa plltxe."  Tireamokri tried to keep it as simple as possible, and desperately hoped that Ariel would understand.

Ariel still wasn't sure she understood, but figured it was something really culturally Na'vi related. It would probably be best just to ask Grace later in the day. She sat and thought of a good way to change the topic, and was annoyed to feel her ears flick again. "Stop it" She commanded them, knowing it wouldn't work but somehow it made her feel better anyways. "Oh! Hey, nga omum um... music, like..." She broke off and started humming part of a song, hoping that the Na'vi woman would figure out that she was talking about music; Ariel was dying to see what Tireamokri thought of her human pop music.

Tireamokri listened intently to Ariel's humming.  "Pamtseo?" she asked.  "Tsa'u Rrts-yä pamtseo lu srak?"

"Pamtseo? Ok, music, yes" Ariel said before dashing off to her bag, digging for the little music thing. It really was tiny, especially when held in hands so large. She rushed back to sit back down next to Tireamokri, and enthusiastically handed the Na'vi woman one side of the ear speakers. Gesturing for her to hold the speak up to her ear, Ariel turned on the player and went to one of her favorite generic pop songs, something about love going wrong that was super popular on the radio... six years ago. Holding the other side of the speaker up to one of her big blue Na'vi ears, she pressed play.

Tireamokri watched Ariel curiously.  "Musìk?" she asked when the woman returned, and held the speaker to her ear after looking at it quizzically.  When Ariel pressed play, she startled, catching her breath and pulling the speaker away for a moment to look at it, then holding it back to her ear.  It had a rather catchy rhythm, but sounded nothing like the music of the Na'vi.  And of course she had no idea what the words were, except she could pick out "you."  Is this a hunting song?  It is too... too loud, not inspiring enough.  It is too fast for a weaving song.  Perhaps it is a dancing song.  She began to grin broadly.  "Fpi sreu?" she asked.  As the song continued, and came to an end, she once again pulled the speaker away to look at it.  It was a tiny thing, on a cord, connected to a box... with wide eyes, she looked at Ariel and said, "Fìkem Tsaheylu si?"

"Fpi sreu?" she asked, shifting her weight and moving her arms in a seated dance.

Ariel laughed and started dancing too, different than the Na'vi's style, but at least it was something that, regardless of differences, both cultures seemed to share and enjoy.
Avatar is a movie about a guy with blue balls running through the forest chasing tail.

Lehrrap Uniltìranyu

#86
Grace's School
1200 HRS


Jax walked across the field that lead from the landing pad to the school, suddenly feeling a bit naked without even a small sidearm on his person. He had stripped himself of all weapons, from his Knife to his WASP revolver, and left them locked away in Brokensword.

Frankly, he was scared. He felt even smaller then he had days ago. When He was hanging out with the Avatar Pilots when they were in their Avatar bodies, he didn't feel small or tiny, because he knew them and knew how they would act.

But here, outside of his safe little world in the sky, he was alone, with nothing to protect himself to combat experience and training, as much good as it seemed to be doing him anyway.

He made sure to walk and act nonaggressive. He kept a eye on the treeline, and was suprised and a bit pleased that he was able to pick out about three diffrent Hunters, two males and a female from what he could tell from the shadows. He was less pleased to see that they had their Bows drawn and arrows nocked, though not drawn. They were ready to strike and to kill, and he knew that the first one they would aim for would be him or Alex, the only two Humans on the flight.

He tried to ignore the unplesent thought as he made his way into the school, and walked into the back corner of the classroom, makeing his presence known but trying his best not to intrupt Grace while he was there.

He sighed slightly as he took a breath from his Exopack. He wished that he could talk with someone, anyone. He wanted to learn more about the Na'vi, but this was about as close as he was ever going to get, minus a curious child here and there.

He shrugged and took another breath. Who knew? Maybe one would walk up and say hello at random and start asking him questions about Brokensword or even start talking about the weather. He chuckled at the last thought. He couldn't really see a Na'vi engageing in Small Talk.



-----------
"Ta'em 'eko!!!"
-----------
"Better to have fought and died then never to have fought at all"
-----------
Bionic Arms and Pandora, The most read FanFic on Learnnavi.org! Read it here! -Shameless self promotion-

Hawnu UnilTxep

Grace's school
Mid-morning


Eanataw knew her tsmukan was not happy with her coming back.  She had not accepted her tsko swizaw like last time.  He had told her to be careful, to mind her feelings.  These sawtute in false bodies were not to be trusted.  She had left in anger, her heart already torn.  Her people, or the only male who had ever caught her eye?

She looks up through the tallest vul of the utral now, her feet carefully placed on the large vul.  She was near enough to the school that she could observe what was happening... but now her eyes were trained on the animals moving in the canopy.  So free.  So... uncaring.  They sought food, a mate, a safe place to rest.  What else could someone ask for?  The thought sent a million buzzes around her head, so fast that she could barely comprehend them.  Did she actually just think that?

She shook the vile thoughts from her head, with a light chuckle.  She was being ridiculous.  He was a tawtute.  He had another body.  He wasn't a Na'vi... no matter how much she wished he was.  Their brief yet intense meeting had left her with nothing in her mind but him-- the way his awkward Na'vi had calmed her.  The way their eyes had locked.  She shook her head again, breaking from the animals at the sound of the Sawtute approaching.  She jumped forward a few trees in her anxiousness to see him again.  Her eyes searched for his aboard the kunsìp, and as they flew closer, she saw him, and she knew that he saw her.  She gave him a reassuring smile, her face relaxing, relieved that he had come at all.

She watched as he approached quickly, menari chasing to follow his ean form.  He scaled the tree rather clumsily, but she smiled slightly despite his effort.  It was entertaining to watch.  He landed on the same vul as herself, shaking the utral with his still yet-un-mastered lightness of feet.  She laughed happily, her eyes never leaving him.

"Kaltxì, ma Ch-ree-shan," she said, smiling in that pure happiness of the moment.  He chuckled softly, a deep sound in his Na'vi voice.

"Kaltxì ma Eanataw.  Oel ngati kameie."

The words caught her off guard, and her eyebrows raised slightly, but only took a few seconds before she responded.  "Oel ngati kameie.  Ngaru lu fpom srak?"

"Uhhh, srane? I think...um, ulte sì?" His voice was hesitant, and she didn't know if it was because he was nervous and worried about offending her, or just about the language.

"Srane. Sìltsan, ma Ch-ree-shan. Ngati plltxe anìltsan."

"Haha, good. Sìltsan. And my name is pronounced Chris-tian, Christian."

She tried again, with the name on her tongue, but she couldn't get the sound down.  She frowned, frustrated, trying again under her breath.  Nothing had meant more than all that time she had practiced saying his name, and now she learned that she had been saying it wrong.

"If it makes it easier, you can call me Chris." She smiled, said it quietly under her breath, then laughed loudly, liking the new shorter version of the strange tawtute name.  She saw the others at the school watching, always watchful for her, the quiet one.  She smiled again, and jumped easily to the next utral over, trusting her body.

"Wait! Where are you going? Um, peseng lu ngatì kìyä?"

She laughed. "Za'u ma Chris."

She watched as he attempted to ready himself for the simple jump.  He would need much work.  "Woah," she heard him say softly, and she smiled, watching, but impatient all the same.  She wanted to be away from the Na'vi, and their prying aynari.

"Za'u ma Chris! Za'u!"  She said urgently, but still playfully.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he said, and she turned her head slightly to the side, trying to understand.  It took her a second to remember, but she did.  He took a few steps back, then jumped and landed with her.  He stood up straight again, the sawtute clothing making him noisy and bulky.  It covered too much of him.  Her eyes grazed down his clothing, but stopped at his hands.  She didn't notice it last time.  She didn't even think about it.  She reached out and took his hand into hers, bringing it closer to her face, peering at the odd number of ayzekwä.

"Ngayä ayzekwä."

"Yeah, what about them?" He asked roughly, and she looked up at him for a second, intrigued, then back down at his aysekwä.

"Lumpe tsìng?" It was so... odd to her.  Unseen.  She hadn't thought of Grace like this... never observed her that closely.

"I'm an Avatar driver. Oel lu uniltìranyu. We have five fingers."

"Slä lumpe?"

"It's really complex. Has to do with DNA. But the sawtute have 5, so..."

"Ke tslam...be there any different?"

"Kehe. Oe ke tsat tsavme'a."

<<I'd like to see that for myself>> she whispered softly, before turning his hand over in her other, not really wanting to let their first touch to end so soon.  Then she gave him back his hand, smiling, her eyes brighter than she ever remembered, because she was happy to have him all to herself... for the moment at least.

"Za'u," she said, turning from him slightly and peering into the deeper reaches of the na'ring, then hopping to the next branch over.

He followed.


Please PM me if you are still interested in the real Na'vi tribe.

Coyote

Hell's Gate, Pandora
Science Labs, Drivepod Room
1200 hrs.










"Hello, Warren," Blake said as Dr. Childs came in.
"Blake," the senior scientist said, "How's it going?"
"Pretty well, actually," he said. "What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering how you were getting along with the new guy, umm, Arik Shaham."
"Pretty well," Blake said.
"He wouldn't happen to be around, would he?" Dr. Childs asked.
"Well, he is, but..." he motioned towards the row of driver pods that were active. "They're logged in."

"Ah," Dr. Childs replied, his eyes narrowing. "I've been noticing that he puts in a lot of time in the Avatar, but when I talk to Flight Ops about where they're going, I see all flight plans are logged to go to the tribal school."
"Yeah," Blake said, "They're out with Grace a lot. You know, getting familiar with the Na'vi and all."

"Well, it makes sense for the anthropology team," Dr. Childs said, "But I don't see the sense in paying for a qualified geologist to come out here just to make social calls on the neighbors. Does it makes sense to you? I mean, he's your eventual replacement, but if he's not doing the job, we'll have to involuntarily extend your contract."

"I understand, sir," Blake said, "But Dr. Augustine feels that with the incidents that have taken place with the locals, Arik needs to be on a good footing with them before cutting him loose in a small team. Those Avatar bodies are expensive, after all."

"Well, there's a good point to that, but there's also a point to bringing a geologist to Pandora, too. And the point to bringing a geologist to Pandora is so we can look for places where we can expand our mining operations. I don't need to tell you that if we expand our mining operations, we can expand our profitability, and then there'll be all kinds of funds for science."

"I'll... I'll, um, pass that on to Dr. Augustine, sir," Blake said.
"Please do so, Goodson," Dr. Childs replied.




In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around!


VIDEO LOG DAY 8:
Attempted to pee on Viperwolf to test reaction. Please see attached medical file.
WARNING: Attached medical file exceeds gigabyte limit. System failure.

Lehrrap Uniltìranyu

#89
Grace's School
1600 HRS


Jax sighed. It had been quiet and boring, as he predicted. He had learned a few new words in Na'vi, but he still didn't have too much to do and found himself instead monetring the com unit when suddenly, Blake popped up on screen.

Jax sat up and cleared out a large scale game of mindsweeper he had been playing seconds before, focusing in on Blake. "Blake, what's up?" Jax said with a smile.

Blake looked around. "Jax, is Dr. Augustine there?!? Hurry, it's a emergency!"

The urgent tone in Blake's voice kicked Jax into soldier mode right away. "Hang on!" He turned and yelled out. "GRACE! Emergency! Get your blue ass overhere, NOW!"

Grace dropped what she had been doing, scanning a few small plants with a little scanner and dashed over to the com. "What the hell is it Marine, I don't have time for..."

Blake cut out Grace and said, "You've got to get out of there, now! Like, right now! They're... mobilizing... for something. I don't know what. Dr. Childs, he..."

A large slamming sound filled the com unit. Blake looked around and said, "Damn it! They figured it out already." Jax yelled out, "Who figured out what?!? What the hell is happening Blake??!"

Blake shook his head. "The RDA Security force. Dr. Childs must have provoced them, or something. They're trying to storm the Link room! They are going to pull everyone out of link and exicute them on the spot!"

Grace swore, which make Jax look at her in suprise. "What?!? How could they?!?"

Blake shook his head. "I wish I knew. The link tech's and I locked down the entire linkroom triple security, so we'll be fine or a while, but you need to get back to Hell's Gate, pronot. The whole world is collapsing around our ears and..."

Jax held up a hand as he heard it. The whine that only a Scoprtion Gunship made, the dangerous, highpitched squeeling of a Scorpion being pushed to it's limits. "We'll talk later Blake, keep the Link Pods protected. I'll get everyone back in one peice."

Blake and Grace now had their turn to look at Jax in suprise as he he got up and dashed away. "Alex!" He said, talking into his Aviators Watch before thinking again and setting it to the universal channel that the Avatar com's worked on. "All team, doubletime it back to Brokensword! We have to get out of here, NOW!"

Alex came back in over the com, "Jax, what's going on?!?"

Jax replyed, "No time Gears! Get Brokensword started up!"

Grace dashed out of the school, followed by a large group of Na'vi children. They headed towards the trees, yelling out warnings in Na'vi. Grace quickly caught up to Jax.

"You better know what you're doing Marine." She hissed at him. Jax growled back, "We don't have the time for this Grace, come on."

Jax dashed onto the landing pad, where Gears had already gotten Brokensword thought the power-up cycle.

The rest of the team came flying out of nowhere, quickly gathering around the Brokensword, though for some reason, Chris seemed to have vanished and Arik seemed to have made a friend. "Damn it Arik, we don't have time for this..." Jax said with a exasperated sigh Arik looked at him with a pleeding looking in his eye.

"Alright, listen up! We've got RDA gunships enroute, and we've got to take to the sky. It's the only way we'll be able to avoid them, if we get lucky. If we stay on the ground, we'll get mulched, and they'll know something's up. The Na'vi should be fine, but we're not going to be if we don't MOVE!"

Ariel looked at Jax in confusion, "What do you mean?!? What's going on?"

Jax looked away. "Blake let us know... someone is performing a Coup De Eate, and is overturning the power of the RDA. The com cut off before he could tell us, but I think it's Dr. Childs. And whoever it is is planning on blaming it on us, specificly me."

Esme and Arik looked at him and nodded. Arik muttered something to the Na'vi girl and helped her into the gunship after some persuasion and got in himself, moving to the door gun and prepping it right away, along with Esme. Gears looked over at Jax and said, "Weapons hot?"

Jax frowned and took a deep breath before looking at Gears. "Weapons hot. We may have a fight on our hands."
------------------------

Hell's Gate
1615 HRS


"Well well Colonel, I'm glad you knew which side to join. The winning team, anyway."

Dr. Childs smiled coldy at the once proud standing Marine, who glared at him.

"Damn it Childs, these are MY men you're ordering around..."

"And I'm the one ordering you around, which makes them my men to order. Now that that coperate fool is out of the way, we have compleate and total control over Hell's Gate. All that's left is to kill Dr. Augstine and her Team and blame it upon a faulty missle fired from their pilots Samson SA-2, and I'll be the most powerful man on Pandora... second to you of course, Colonel."

Colonel Quatrich didn't like this. He had a bad feeling that things were about to get real bloody, real fast. But his men where under Dr. Childs thumb, if he killed Dr. Childs, his men would turn on him.

For now... he would wait.



-----------
"Ta'em 'eko!!!"
-----------
"Better to have fought and died then never to have fought at all"
-----------
Bionic Arms and Pandora, The most read FanFic on Learnnavi.org! Read it here! -Shameless self promotion-

Nume fpi sänume

#90
Pandora Airspace
SA-2 Brokensword
1108 HRS


Alex tinkered with his new Data Pad, a creation he worked on with Gramps last night. The old man had some great ideas on different tools he would need, and saved him at least a few weeks of trial and error. It also wirelessly interfaced with not just Brokensword but also with any other machine he had the computer access codes for, and thanks to Thad, he had quite a few. The old man knew how to take care of the guys that did their job, and Alex enjoyed being in the presence of someone that knew their machines, and Thad probably knew even more. He had recounted stories of old SA-1's, and even the prototypes that were before them. Refocusing on his task at hand, Alex pulled up the detailed diagnostic screen which now held all the information Alex wanted, and then some, about the flight. Whether patterns, airspeeds, pitch and yaw norms, pressure both inside and outside, atmospheric stats, fuel, ammunition, fluid levels; hell it even had each recording device on a separate channel and recorded an overlapping hour of each so he could go back and review things. The new battery life helped as well, and with a protected solar charging array built into the back, as long as Alex had light, he could charge. Coupled with his new Data Pad and handgun strapped to his thigh, he was on cloud nine. The flight itself was uneventful, everyone seemed calmed and relaxed. Even Ariel, who probably hated sleeping on the top rack for fear of falling out, seemed more relaxed, but that wasn't saying much. The school came up on the screen, now a much better small green building for an icon instead of the old blue square, and Alex knew the flight was coming to an end.

Grace's School
School Landing Pad
1130 HRS


"I'm gonna say here and finish going over the flight data, then I think I'm going to have a look around"

Jax turned to Alex, almost surprised "Wow, not lock yourself in here? Remember last time you stepped ousi.."

"Shut up," Alex cut Jax off before he could finish. "Before I was almost killed, I was rather enjoying seeing the forest area and had a brief chat with the natives." Alex said, Jax chuckling.

"Just don't get yourself killed, it's nice not working on my own bird, ya know, cause I'm too good for that." Jax said, imitating Flores as best he could which sent the both of them laughing.

"But really Gears, after the last incident here, leave the hand cannon in here" Pointing to Alex's thigh where his new sidearm now sat holstered. "I know you were kinda freaked out, and I would be too, but let's not give them a reason to watch us any more closely. If they kill the Avatars, they still got a physical body that will be more or less alright. Us on the other hand, this is all we got." Thudding his balled fist on his chest.

"Alright, that's fair enough."

With that he undid the straps securing the weapon as Jax went through shutdown procedure. Alex didn't want to be locked away in here all day. Oddly, he actually wanted to be out there, even if he was forced to wear the mask he hated so much. It was a new feeling to be so attracted to the forest. It didn't have mechanical parts, or pieces that fit together just right. Instead it was chaos, everything trying to find its place in a shifting pattern that was never the same moment to moment. He didn't understand it, but for some reason he just felt drawn to it. He slid his mask on and checked the seals, setting his pad down to let it finish. Jax depressurized the cabin, and a few moments later, Alex was alone. He looked outside, Jax was walking around taking in the scenery, Oscar seemed to be daydreaming and gazing into the jungle. Chris was meeting up with...huh. Well meeting up with the one who tried to kill him. Ralph was talking with some of the natives already, Gracie was doing her thing, and Ariel looked to be talking with the same Na'vi woman from the other day. Even Esme was out and about. Perhaps he could go and find the Na'vi that he was talking with the other day; he seemed interesting, even borderline friendly. The pad flashed complete a few times, and Alex picked it up, turning it off and putting it in his backpack. He considered his sidearm for a moment, but decided to listen to Jax and left it there.

"Well, time to go mingle." He said to no one in particular.

Alex looked around, trying to take it all in. There was so much here; the people, the jungle, even the annoying insects that flew around were almost interesting. He decided to keep going from where he left off the other day, and made his way to the fallen tree he had met the Na'vi male at; slightly disappointed that he wasn't there. A fluttering of wings caught his attention as a small birdlike creature flew off deeper into the forest. Plants of all shapes, colors, and sizes were scattered around. Here and there he could hear but not see all the different creatures moving around. It was like the clearing of trees was an area none of them wanted to be in. They would be out of their element, exposed, and vulnerable outside of their dense jungle. Alex understood how they felt; it was how he felt out of the Bay most of the time. What was it about being here that made him question his role? Maybe it was being homesick; knowing that by the time he went back at least Eighteen years will have passed. That was just under a quarter of the average human lifespan back on Earth. How many of his old friends would still be alive when he got back? Would his parents still be there? Alex had never thought of these things when he signed up, he just wanted to get away from everything at first. He wanted to come to Pandora and make a difference, but it was only now that he was thinking about the life that he left behind. Alex looked around, noticing for the first time that his internal thoughts and physical wanderings had led him about ten yards into the brush. Alex panicked for a moment; he really couldn't tell which way he had come from. The forest seemed to close in around him, and the strange noises of unseen life were now sounding more like hungry creatures just waiting for their chance. Alex now missed his sidearm. This was exactly the reason he had gotten one in the first place. Alex was about to radio in for help, knowing full well that he would have to live with being that guy who got lost thirty feet into the jungle, but he was mercifully rescued by Ariel and her high pitched yell for Gracie. Just a moment later, he saw the clearing, and the forest that loomed over him moments ago now seemed to be guiding him out.

Grace's School
1530 Hrs


Alex hated feeling useless. Brokensword had been refueled, checked, rechecked, and then combed over by the time Jax told him to leave it alone. None of the Na'vi seemed too interested in him today, which was fine, but it made for a pretty boring day. He had already gotten lost once in the forest today, and wasn't feeling very adventurous after that. In all honesty he just wanted to be back in the Bay right now. He had found a new friend, and had gotten to know Quaritch a bit. He wasn't so bad really; he was just very protective of his men, which was understandable. Alex wasn't too sure what to do with himself, so he figured he would go into the school and try to learn some Na'vi.

About twenty minutes into it, he couldn't stand it. Sure, the language was interesting, but he didn't feel attached to it. He walked outside, and the first thing he noticed was Ariel doing some kind of dance with the native woman, which made him chuckle a bit. That was gonna be a story for the Box.With his lack of anything useful to do, he did the only thing an overworked mechanic stuck in the field could do; he went to Brokensword, and decided to get some shuteye.

Alex was back in the bay, hearing the normal sounds of work; boots of pilots hitting the floor as they walked around, the sounds of air guns at work, the laughter of the teams joking around. Even the sounds of Scorpions starting up, the sound of their engines echoed in the bay. Much more high pitched than an SA-2.

He was enjoying this dream of his when he was rudely woken up by the com, and a very panicked Jax on the other end.

"...bletime it back to Brokensword! We have to get out of here, NOW!"

He didn't catch it all, but he understood the GTFO part. "Jax, what's going on?!?"

"No time Gears! Get Brokensword started up!"

He didn't need to be told twice. He brought out the pad and hit the link button, tying him into Brokenswords systems, and hit the Emergency Startup. This was so bad for the helo, but sometimes you just had to move.

The rotors sprang to life, scattering Na'vi children who were curious as to what was going on, while Alex monitored the startup, he could hear Jax yelling over the roar of engines to the passengers. He didn't really listen, he was more worried about not blowing a hose out and making their quick getaway an even faster death.

Startup was complete, and Jax jumped into the seat. They didn't bother pressurizing the cabin, they needed to move.Alex noticed the look on Jax's face, and could only ask "Weapons hot?"

Jax visibly frowned and took a moment before looking at him. "Weapons hot. We may have a fight on our hands."

Lehrrap Uniltìranyu

#91
Grace's School Airspace
1620 HRS
Aboard Brokensword


Jax cranked the engines up to full, and the SA-2 hit full tilt, roaring though the sky as fast as he could push her to go. "Come on baby, I need you to really push it for me." Jax said with a soft tone. He wanted to apologise to Gears for pushing Brokensword this hard, but it was a emergency, and that required a bit more power then he would normally ask from his SA-2.

The com suddenly lit up with chatter. "All Un'ts! Th's is da Wyvren! I' gotz us some shoo'in prac's!"

Jax swore under his breath. Some how, he knew that his plan to try to lance around the attack team wouldn't work. He saw them, four Scorpion Gunships, fully loaded to the gills with air-to-air heatseeker BRK-R missles. Jax switched on the com and said, "Well well, if it isn't the dumbass Ork! What the hell do you want, Flores? I've got a team to transport back to Hell's Gate!"

Jax could almost hear the smug smile from the bastard as Flores replied, "Woots that? I don' see no team, all I see is n' Banshee wannin to attack my boyz!"

The other pilots, more dumbass knuckle heads like Flores, howled in laughter. Jax quickly switched off the com and yelled back, "Get the jump packs on! I want everyone ready to jump and clear immeditly!"

Ariel looked at him in panic. "JUMP?!? You're asking us to JUMP?!?"

Jax growled at her, "Unless you want to end up with a missle in your gut, yes!"

Ariel started to panic, and Grace tried to restrain her long enough to get a Jumppack on while Jax make sure he had his Exopack strapped on. Gears looked at him and pulled on his own Exopack, patting his arm again to check his spair with a nod. A unspoken agreement passed between him and Gears. Gears was going to lead the way out, and Jax's knew that he was going to only leave one way: In a fireball.

At least he could hold them off and maybe take a few of the basterd with him.

Jax flicked on the Com again while Gears yelled orders back to the others. He knew what Gears was saying, to Jump on his mark and to clear as fast as possible, pulling the line on the jump pack immedetly after they jumped.

The jumppacks had thrusters that would last long enough to move them away from the damage zone that was going to be Brokensword. Jax would try to hold the Ork and his buddies attention long enough for everyone to get away and to activate the parashute that would take them to the ground.

Jax glared at the four Scoprions. He switched the Door-gunner turrets to auto and brought them both swiviled forwards, the nasty Modified GAU-19/A's glaring at the four scorpions as well as he was.

Jax took a deep breath, his thumb flipping the fireing controls cover pad up very slowly. Time seemed to freeze as he brought his thumb over the safety, locking onto the Wyvren and the three other Scorpions. "You don't know what you're doing Flores... I'll give you once chance. Fly away now or you and your buddies are going to regret it."

"Don' thank so, Jax. You n' da wrench turna' are going to be SCRAP META'!"

"Thats what I thought you would say." Jax said.

He flipped the safty off of Brokensword's weapon systems and opened fired, the GAU-19/A's roaring to life as they unleased lead at Wyvren, and Gears screamed to jump.

The Jumppacks roared to life, Grace and the rest of the team leaping out of the way. At the last second, Jax wondered what Arik was going to do with his Na'vi friend, but he had to cover the escape.

Jax took one last glance out the window as he watched the jump packs fly away. Gears popped the emergency hatch and Jax pulled his mask on.

Gears took one look back and said something that Jax couldn't hear before he leaped out and blasted away.

Jax bowed his head for a moment. It was time.



-----------
"Ta'em 'eko!!!"
-----------
"Better to have fought and died then never to have fought at all"
-----------
Bionic Arms and Pandora, The most read FanFic on Learnnavi.org! Read it here! -Shameless self promotion-

Sngä'i Tìrey-yä

Grace's School
1600 HRS


Ariel was enjoying her miniature dance party with Tireamokri when she heard Jax shouting in alarm. "All team, doubletime it back to Brokensword! We have to get out of here, NOW!"

"What on earth?" She wondered, but when Ariel saw the panicked face of the man she stood up without question and quickly bade the Na'vi woman goodbye. "Eywa Ngahu!" She called behind her, as the blades from the chopper stirred up the dust, erasing the little pictures and words they had scratched in the dirt all afternoon. Ariel got closer to the group and tried to hear what was happening to create such an emergency "...It's the only way we'll be able to avoid them, if we get lucky. If we stay on the ground, we'll get mulched, and they'll know something's up. The Na'vi should be fine, but we're not going to be if we don't MOVE!"

Ariel looked at Jax in confusion, "What do you mean?!? What's going on?" Who are we trying to avoid? She asked herself silently.

Jax looked away. "Blake let us know... someone is performing a Coup De Eate, and is overturning the power of the RDA. The com cut off before he could tell us, but I think it's Dr. Childs. And whoever it is is planning on blaming it on us, specificly me."

Ariel just stood there in shock. This couldn't be right. She knew there was some danger when she signed up to come to Pandora, but it was supposed to be from the vicious natives. Yet now here she was, after spending an afternoon drawing pictures in the dirt with one of the so-called savages, and they were being attacked by the humans? This didn't make any sense, why would they want to hurt her? Hurt them? What had they done?

She managed to recover from her shock just in time to hear Jax say, "Weapons hot. We may have a fight on our hands." Ariel went to school to avoid the wars at home, and apparently she just wasted six years of her life to die on another planet, in another war she didn't sign up for.

This sucked.

----------

Once zooming above the clouds, Ariel tried her very best to maintain a calm disposition and not worry about the incredible speed they were flying. Instead of panicking, she spent their air time arguing frantically with the other passengers about what was happening, although since nobody was actually responding she was basically talking to herself.

"I can't believe it, they have absolutely no legal precedence to preform an act like this! There were some cases back in the last African uprisings where the government was able to destroy teams of security personnel because they had been sneaking ammunitions into guerilla groups, but a company would never have that power... as it is Malawi is facing charges in the ICJ - that's the International Court of Justice - for doing that although lord knows they'll get off. But this is a corporation, and its clearly stated in article four section three of the Fair Labor Standards Act that was last revised in 2142 specifically outlined the policy that a company can no longer be responsible for an individuals death, although that really only outlines those cases that had been ignored as accidental deaths and were given a different insurance payout, you know, things like chemical spills, faulty equipment... but I'm fairly certain that any intentional death would also fall under that rule, wouldn't it? Or maybe it would be categorized under ruling of the Barnum vs. State of Arizona, god what was the ruling on that case? Anybody remember what..." she said most of this in a single breath, continually wringing her hands until she was interrupted by Jax yelling something at them.

"...I want everyone ready to jump and clear immeditly!"

Ariel looked at him in panic. "JUMP?!? You're asking us to JUMP?!?"

Jax growled at her, "Unless you want to end up with a missle in your gut, yes!"

Ariel started to panic, flailing her arms and legs trying desperately to hold onto any strap or piece of metal that would keep her firmly attached to the helicopter. Jumping was not part of the plan. Remember your plan?, Ariel thought to herself, graduate law school early, spend six years here making millions and millions of dollars, go home, have a baby, and live in fabulous wealth until I die. Jumping is NOT part of the plan!

As Ariel struggled with becoming one with the helicopter, Grace did her very best to restrain the small woman long enough to get a jump pack on. "C'mon Ariel, we need to jump now!"

"Nooooo noooooooo nooooooooooo," Ariel moaned, crying, as Grace and one of the other Avatars struggled to push her out the open door. Despite the adrenilene-induced strength, Ariel was unable to hold on forever, and suddenly found herself plummeting to the ground, the relative safety of the chopper zooming farther and farther above her head.

Once in the air, her hysteria vanished almost immediately. Instead she induced a wonderful zen-like feeling, as though this was all in a very far away place that she'd wake up from sooner or later. She limply fell through the air, a dreamy smile on her face. This really was quite pleasant, no wonder birds liked it so much.

Unfortunately, some annoying noise was piercing through her happy feeling, it sounded like someone was calling her name.

Above her in the air, Grace was desperately calling to Ariel, who was falling faster and faster,rushing towards the ground. The doctor was praying with all her might that the poor girl hadn't fainted. If that were the case, her avatar would surely be killed immediately upon impact. Grace tried yelling harder, screaming until her throat felt dry and bloody. She had seen the other avatars take to the sky well enough, and Grace knew that the other passengers should have been trained to make emergency jumps. She didn't think though, that anyone had bothered running the little lawyer through basic training, and it was obvious now that that mistake could cost Ariel her Avatar's life. Grace screamed louder.

"PULL THE BLUE TAB" Ariel finally could make sense of the annoying words. How awful, someone wanted her to do something? To... pull? Ok, I can pull something, Ariel thought calmly to herself, if it'll make that person stop yelling... Ariel grabbed the blue tab and tugged on it once, twice. Ugh, it was really hard to pull. Her arms were so heavy, the effort it took was enormous. But Ariel couldn't quit, the screaming kept going on and on... so she finally summoned enough energy to yank the blue pull tab across her body, and was jerked to a sudden stop by the unfurling of her parachute.

She dangled loosely, like a ragdoll in a child's grasp, as she slowly filtered through the thick canopy. Leaves and small branches broke against the weight as the parachute slid from one surface to another, always almost catching but slipping loose at the last moment. Ariel was tired of all that crap falling in her face, in her hair. She was relieved when she neared the bottom and really started slowing. As the strings connecting her to the billowing fabric became taut, her head jerked most uncomfortably. "Ouch" was all she said. Before her world went dark, a cracking noise sputtered out of the radio still on her neck... "Broken-1 going in".
Avatar is a movie about a guy with blue balls running through the forest chasing tail.

Mako

#93
Somewhere Behind Grace's School
1600 Hours


The sputter of machine gun fire filled the air. Chris ducked instinctively and turned to where the sound came from. From his position in the tree, he could see the Brokensword lifting off from the school.

"What the heck are they doing?! Chris thought to himself.

Suddenly he spotted four scorpion gunships. They opened fire on the Brokensword, the deadly storm of bullets narrowly missing the craft. Chris knew that only Jax's skillful flying had prevented them from being hit.

"Everything seems to be getting flipped on us." Chris was aware of Eanataw watching from slightly behind him. He turned and shot her a worried glance. Jax opened fire, lacing one of the Scorpions with GAU-9 rounds, and leaving another no more than a smouldering heap with a well fired missile. But it couldn't last forever. Time seemed to slow as the remaining Scorpion fired it's death wish. He could see the other Avatar pilots and marine personel jumping clear of the Brokensword. Chris knew that if Jax was still on the craft, wasn't going to be able to avoid this one. Not this time. His com on his neck crackled. He could hear Jax's voice.

"This is BROKEN-1... I'm going in hot, and I'm not sure I'm coming back out. It's been a honor."

"Jax!" He yelled. His teeth barred as the missile hit the rotor with a brief flare of fire and a loud explosion. He turned his face from the blast. When he looked back, the Brokensword fell from the sky into the forest below, black smoke pouring from it's cargo bay. It hit the ground with a resounding explosion, throwing debris high into the air. The Brokensword was no more.

Coyote

#94
Tribal School
+ Helo Attack: 1600 Hrs.







Arik was shocked, but his training --and survival instinct-- kicked in automatically. He helped secure a harness to Ariel and Grace, visually checked and saw that everyone else was secured as well, and they began abandoning the doomed helo as Jax made heroic efforts to keep it aloft long enough for them to escape.

Arik realized he'd made a serious error of judgement in bringing Aniuket with them. Of course, my first thought was that the gunships were coming to attack the village, he told himself, Not coming to attack us! He'd hoped to shuttle Aniuket to safety, not put her in the very nexus of danger itself.

And to make matters worse, they didn't have an extra jumppack for an additional passenger.

"Aniuket," he said to the terrified girl, "Hang on to me!" he said. He put her arms around his neck and wrapped his own arms around her body, and before she had time to assimilate what was happening, he leapt from the open door.

A roar of machinegun fire erupted behind them, and Arik heard the screech of terror from Aniuket in his ears as she watched over his shoulder. The guns, the screaming, and the suddenly steady, suddenly distinct whup-whup-whup of the twin contra-rotating props seemed faint in Arik's mind compared to the frantic beating of his own heart.

The crossfire from the four Scorpions stitched a pattern of cruel holes across Brokensword, and a vicious cherry blossom of fire rippled across the right rotor. Jax's own defiant roar was added to the din as he fired off a missile, taking down one of the attacking Scorpions. The Wyvren let out one of it's own, and it blasted into the right rotor of the Brokensword.

A crackle came over all the com units. "... This is BROKEN-1... I'm going in hot, and I'm not sure I'm coming back out. It's been a honor."

Brokensword twisted, black smoke lurching out of it as it pitched and yawed stright down into the trees. A shockwave of detonation ringed outwards from the impact site; of any further sign of Jax, or a jumppack, there was none.

Brokensword was no more.


Arik's own jumppack struggled with the weight of two Na'vi bodies, but it was a battle that the overtaxed machine was losing. Aniuket looked over her shoulder, and then looked back up at Arik and their yellow eyes locked.
"Ahreek," she said, "Ah jump!" she said, and before he could react, she let go.
"Aniuket!" he hollered as she plummeted towards the thick canopy of jungle below them. However, instead of plummeting to her death, she impacted a huge jungle leaf the size of a mattress, which absorbed her blow before buckling, and depositing her onto another massive leaf. She rode the buffeting leaves down like a pinball.

Arik would have watched, but a flash of tracer fire whipped past him, and the roar of helos approached. He refocused away from Aniuket, who appeared to have saved herself, and back towards the approaching gunships.

"Crap," he growled, and began setting the jumppack down. He scanned the sky and didn't see any more jumppacks; he also noted two distinct columns of smoke curling up from the jungle. One would be the wreckage of Brokensword, one would be the Scorpion that Jax managed to shoot down. Which is which? he wondered, realizing he hadn't been able to tell the positions of the wreckage relative to one another in the confusion.  

Arik hit the ground hard and collapsed, his paratrooper training allowing him to absorb the blow as he kept his legs together and flexed, using his whole body as a piston to mitigate the impact. He unbuckled the now-useless pack and dropped it, taking off at a dead run towards the nearest column of smoke.

"Jax!" he hollered, "Jax, where you at, bro?" He charged through brush and ducked under leaves, feeling confident that Aniuket was safe and that Jax was the one in immediate danger. Rainwater from the leaves and branches coated him in spray as he charged through the multicolored flora towards the smoke. As he appraoched, he heard voices and slowed.

"Ahhhh, f***sticks!" someone cursed in English, then let of a flowery chain of invectives in what sounded like Spanish.
Definitely not Jax, Arik thought. He looked around and picked up a branch, and approached quietly. He found one man in Security fatigues stumbling around the wreckage, and pulling another man out of the wreckage of their downed Scorpion gunship.

Arik burst out of the treeline, sending the branch flying horizontally, twirling through the air like a helicopter blade. The standing man barely had time to register the sound and motion when the branch impacted him sidelong on the ribcage, sending him reeling with a painful shout.

The man on the ground struggled to his feet, his right hand scrabbling at his thigh holster to pull out his WASP sidearm. Arik covered the distance in two quick, Avatar-length strides and swept his foot up, kicking the man in the jaw. His mask flew away with a spray of blood and teeth, and Arik grabbed the man's pistol as he made gasping, gurgling sounds.

"Suck ozone, a******," he growled as he leveled the WASP at the other man, and immediately realized another problem: his Avatar fingers were too big to fit in the trigger guard of the pistol, a problem he didn't have with the larger machinegun from Brokensword. The Hispanic man grasped his own pistol amd fired wildly at Arik's general direction, missing wildly.

Arik threw his captured pistol at the man, forcing him to duck, and in that moment Arik dove for the M-60 door gun in the wreckage. As the Spanish-speaking man ducked and rolled, coming up with the pistol aimed at him, Arik had already aligned the sights on the man's center of mass and squeezed off a quick burst, covering the security man's chest with red boils and sending him slumping to the ground.

For a moment, the jungle was silent, as Arik listened for anything or anyone else around him. There was none.

He quickly checked the body of the man laying in the wreckage: he was dead from exposure to the Pandoran atmosphere. His mask was several feet away, the hose broken and the facepiece shattered from Arik's powerful kick. The rebreather cartridge, however, was in perfect shape, with only some burn marks on the outside canvas case.

The Spanish man was also dead, but his rebreather cartridge was shattered by the machinegun fire. His mask, however, was undamaged. Together, Arik had the components for one functioning rebreather, which he figured would be needed by the human survivors... assuming there are any, he thought grimly.

Arik gathered up two rifles, two pistols, and the one M-60 machinegun. He stuffed the smaller weapons and the breather mask parts into a backpack that belonged to one of the men, and adjusted the pack's straps to maximum capacity to fit his Avatar frame. He stuffed in their throat microphones, replacement ammunition for all the weapons, and the mens' two canteens. On top of it all went the helo's trauma kit.

Within minutes, he was crashing through the jungle again, headed for the other column of smoke, and hopefully more survivors.









Results:
Arik ejects from Brokensword; seperated from Aniuket.
Finds attacking gunship first, kills crew, takes the following:
components for 1 rebreather pack.
2 rifles
2 pistols
1 M60 machinegun
Ammo for all of the above
1 field trauma kit
2 canteens
2 throat microphone/radios

***   ***   ***

Jungle, 200 meters away








Aniuket pulled herself up from where she landed on the jungle floor, coated in mud. Her initial impact with the first big leaf had been from a height and angle she'd never had to dive from before, and she'd hit with greater impact than she'd expected. Her left arm was broken, and waves of pain radiated from it. She clutched her arm, hunched over in agony.

She could feel, with her fingers, where the break was, and she examined her skin through tears of pain. No bone protruded through her skin, which she was grateful for, and she gently pushed the bone back into place, clenching her teeth to keep from screaming.

She sat on the jungle floor for a long time, letting the throb of pain wash through her, coming to grips with the sensation and finding room for it in her mind as she sought options. She put a stick next to her arm, and wrapped up one of the immature leaves around her arm and the stick, coating it with thick gooey sap from one of the nearby trees. It was a poor splint, but it was all she could think of, not being a healer.

She stood, and tried to take in her surroundings. She knew she couldn't be too far from Kelutrel, but couldn't see the home-tree through the thick foliage. If she started walking in the wrong direction, she'd be lost --and vulnerable-- in short order.

Aniuket felt hopeless. She was a tseosiyu, not a scout, and was only 'passable' as a hunter. The most daring thing she'd done in her life was to climb Iknimaya and bond with her Ikran, Shuki. She whistled for Shuki, but her faithful Ikran did not appear. Whether Shuki was too far away, or killed by marauding Sawtute, was unknown, and that lack of surety made her feel more despair.

She was taking her first hesitant step towards where she though was home when she heard it: the unmistakeable Pop, pop! of Sawtute weapons, followed by the vicious ripping bark of a larger weapon, the one they called 'masheenkun'.

Scared, she ran away from the harsh sounds of the Skypeople weapons, putting as much range between herself and their attackers as possible.








Results:
Aniuket survives, but wounded, and disoriented.
Hears the brief firefight between Arik and the Spanish security guard, runs away from gunfight noises.

***
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around!


VIDEO LOG DAY 8:
Attempted to pee on Viperwolf to test reaction. Please see attached medical file.
WARNING: Attached medical file exceeds gigabyte limit. System failure.

Coyote

#95
Hell's Gate
Research Library
1900 hrs.









Na'ama Shaham wasn't on duty that day, taking a test on her comprehension of Na'vi culture and language. Unlike her brother, she was part of the xeno-anthropology team and was responsible for learning as much as she could before getting certified to lead expeditions. Ironically, that meant that every few days she was pulled from the field and given a series of tests to make sure she was assimilating her knowledge.

"Hey, Liz," she said as her friend came by, "You seen Julia?"
"No, not today," Liz said, "I think she was down at the cafeteria earlier. She was picking up a bunch of to-go trays, it looked like."
"Huh," Na'ama said. "She's doing the stuff on the Na'vi social structure, right? I need to go find her."
"I'll watch your stuff for you," Liz volunteered as she pulled out her own books and datapad.
"Thanks."

Na'ama walked out of the library and towards the science labs, but the labs themselves were deserted. "What th--?" she muttered. "That's not right. They shouldn't run off and leave stuff..." she trailed off as she heard what sounded like shouting. That's towards the drivepod room, she realized. She quietly picked her way towards the archway that led towards the drivepod room, and stopped when she saw the bulky armor and camouflage of the Security team. She ducked back behind the archway, hoping she hadn't been seen.

"What the hell is going on here?" she whispered.

She walked back to the library, trying to be nonchalant. "Hey, Liz," she said, "Do you know anything about a security problem near the drivepod room?"
"A Security problem?" Liz asked. "Um,no. Why?"
"Well... there's a bunch of Security guys gathered around the room," Na'ama said.

"Why don't you ask them what's up?" Liz said.
Na'ama frowned. "I dunno," she said, "It just doesn't feel like that would be the best move on my part."
"Blake's in there," Liz said, "Maybe he called them."
"But for what?" Na'ama said.

"Ask Colonel Quaritch," Liz said. "Or Director Selfridge."
"I think I'll ask Blake," Na'ama said. "He's got a radio in there to talk to the helicopter pilot."

"How you gonna get a radio?" Liz asked. "They're stored down in the hangar area. In locked cages. Whatever it is, the Security guys will handle it. Don't worry! You're getting worked up over nothing."

Na'ama thought about it. Liz went back to her studying, apparantly unconcerned, and under the impression that whatever minor problem had cropped up it would be dealt with and things would go back to normal. Na'ama hoped she was right, but something about the situation didn't "sit" right with her.

"I'll be right back," she said, and went down the opposite hall.
"Mm-hmm," Liz said, not looking up.

Na'ama made her way to the Pandora's Box, where the lumberjack-looking bartender was just setting up. He smiled at her as she approached.
"Hey," she said, smiling brilliantly at him. "You know, my brother and his friend Jax are probably off doing that tough-guy Army bonding thing, butting heads over at the military bar," she said. "I'm trying to catch up to them, but I don't know where it is. Could you point me towards it?" She leaned over the bar, looking up at him with what she hoped were soulful brown eyes.

"Certainly, miss," he said with a smile --and a flicker of a glance towards the conveniently lowered neckline of her flourescent pink "Hello Kitty" t-shirt. "Out here, down the hall the way past Admin is the Operations section. Turn left there like you're headed towards Armor Bay but at the last minute there's a little corridor that branches right. Looks like there's nothing there, but head down it and you'll see it. Right behind the Supply depot."

"Thank you!" she said with an almost girlish giggle added. She swished off through the doors, but instead of heading where the barman had said she stopped off at her room first.

If I'm going to a military bar, I need to look the part, she thought to herself. She still had her olive drab military fatigues from her brief stint in the Israeli Army that she'd been forced to endure after graduating High School. Her pants fit tight, which could only help, and her shirt draped over her t-shirt, unbuttoned like a jacket. She kept her pink t-shirt on, but put her dogtags on and let them dangle outside the shirt.

"Depressingly military," she said, looking at herself in her mirror. She made her way through the myriad twisted corridors of Hell's Gate until she found herself back on track, past Admin and through Ops, and finally standing outside the door to Hell's Gate's military bar.

Kansas, it was called, and she strolled in, her nose immediately overwhelmed by the smell of smoke, beer, and sweaty bodies. Loud country music played, and people were louder and more raucous than in Pandora's Box.
"New face!" the barman yelled, a grizzled veteran-type who looked at her and smiled a crinkly, weatherbeaten grin.
"WooHoo!" someone nearby shouted. A burly Marine type reached over and grabbed a hat of a type that Na'ama recognized-- Arik had one. It was a 1st Cavarly Division Stetson, a cowboy type hat worn by the members of the Army's 1st Cav.

"Um, hi," she said.
"Where'd you serve, honey?" a middle-aged woman asked. She herself wore a camouflage vest and spoke with an American Southern accent. "Vet's only, sweetheart. I was US Navy, and I had to sing for my meal too."
"Sing?" Na'ama asked, "Um, I was in the Israeli Army," she said. It had been the worst time of her life, but she didn't mention it out loud.

The 1st Cav Stetson came back, but soaking wet and filled with frothy beer. "Drink! Drink! Drink!" the crowd gathered around, chanting and pumping their fists. Na'ama's eyes were wide and she took the hat in both hands. She looked at the woman who was in the Navy.

"What--?" she asked.
"You drink the beer," the Navy woman said, "Then you sing a song from your service. A cadence, a war song, anything. Then you're 'in'."

"I can't drink all this," Na'ama said helplessly.
"Do what you can, sweetheart," the Navy woman said, "I had to, we all did. Look at it this way, honey-- the hat has to be empty, if you know what I mean, and most of it has to be in your gullet."
"Gotcha," Na'ama said, and tipped the hat to her face and began to drink, wincing as the beer rushed around the sides of her mouth and ran freely, like a river, down the front of her shirt and jacket. She could tell that the cold beer was having the expected physiological effect on her anatomy when the hall erupted in male hoots and calls.

Finally, she gasped as the hat was emptied, easily two-thirds of the liquid on herself or the floor. Foam lined the brim of the hat and her mouth, and the big Marine that had given the hat to her picked the hat from her hands and in a flick of motion, placed in squarely on her head, droplets of beer running through her hair, down her face and neck and back.

They had better be in god-awful danger, she thought to herself, Because if Blake called Security because of a mouse, I'm going to make him drink beer out of every goddamn hat on Pandora.

And she burst into song, the English version of an Israeli Army favorite called "Flowers in the Gun Barrel":


When the spring goes to sleep, the pallor is aroused
On the fields of fire the last battle will end
And a wonderful morning from the valley to the hill
Then will rise in music and joy

The sun will stand still between Gaza and Rafah
The moon will whiten the peak of the Hermon [mountain]
Flowers in the barrel and girls in the turret
Will return to the city the soldiers in mass

A single little girl with laurels in her hand
To the white city will set out in songs
And on a flattered soldier will put a yellow-weed in the lapel
And the skies are so clear

The sun will stand still between Gaza and Rafah
The moon will whiten the peak of the Hermon
Flowers in the barrel and girls in the turret
Will return to the city the soldiers in mass

The soldiers to the city will arrive as a large crowd
With young girls and song, with golden flowers
And all which knew grief and mourning
Will no longer know fall and battle

The sun will stand still between Gaza and Rafah
The moon will whiten the peak of the Hermon
Flowers in the barrel and girls in the turret
Will return to the city the soldiers in mass


The bar crowed and whooped and applauded, which sounded like it was underwater as beer-high overcame Na'ama. She grinned, and waved the hat over her head triumphantly, and let out a "Woo-Hoo!" of her own. Suddenly, in the staggering liquid dreamland, country music wasn't so bad and her time in the Army wasn't such a trauma after all; these were good folks, and fun, and she danced as they clapped before she got dizzy. The Navy woman placed her gently on a bar stool.

"Don't drink much, do you, honey?" she asked. "Don't worry, I'll look out for you."
"Ah'm gonna barf up," Na'ama said. The Navy woman pointed her towards the women's latrine and gave her a gentle shove on the back to propel her.

Na'ama staggered towards the toilet, barely grabbing her hair in time before she hurled, spewing up beer and some of dinner, and hurled two more times before hitting rock bottom with dry heaves.

"Goddamn it," she moaned. She went to the sink and washed, swished water in her mouth, and tried to get her bearings. She staggered back out to the bar.

The bar was dark, and her eyes darted from chair to chair, searching for what had to be around: a jacket or set of equipment suspenders with a radio on them. Unfortunately, being an attractive girl worked against her-- she wasn't able to move around much without a great deal of male, and a few female, eyes on her.

She was, however, drunk, and that gave her an excuse to tumble from chair to chair, using the chair backs to steady herself. She made her way back to bar where the friendly Navy woman was, managing to palm a radio that was clipped to a jacket pocket on the way, and slide it into her own jacket pocket.

"Something to wash it down, hon?" the Navy woman asked.
"Oghay," Na'ama said. The Navy woman motioned to the bartender who provided a plate of pretzels and some ginger ale. Na'ama stuffed herself, welcoming the counter-intuitive feeling of salt and soda fizz calming her stomach.

"Thanks," she said.
"No prob," the Navy woman said. "Name's Lisette. Welcome to Kansas."
"Cool," Na'ama said.

"Most of the guys here are pretty okay," Lisette said, "A few of them have testosterone poisoning; I think their secret plan is to build up a resistance to pepper-spray. If any of 'em give you trouble, you let me know."
"Thanks, Lisette," Na'ama said. Her stomach was still queasy, but she felt if she left now, it'd seem odd-- but she also didn't want the person who owned the radio to discover her theft, either. She stayed and dared to have another beer, forcing it down as she listened to twangy honky-tonk and conversed with Lisette.

Finally, after about 40 minutes, she felt she could leave without raising eyebrows, especially since she'd been sick.

"Lisette, I think I'm sick now," she said. "I haven't drank that much since uni. I gotta go lay down."
"Okay, kid," Lisette said with a knowing smile. "Don't worry, now you're in the club, so you won't have to do the beer hat any more."
"I don't think I could," Na'ama admitted. "'Night."
"'Night," Lisette said as Na'ama walked unsteadily out the door and headed towards the science lab storage room, where she hoped to be able to use the radio uninterrupted.

"Blake," she said as she entered the room and locked the door, "Blake Goodson, are you there?" She switched channels, listening, hoping, and wondering.







Results:
Blake trapped in the drivepod room, but Na'ama outside.
Na'ama secures a radio and has open access to the military bar, which may be handy.

***
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around!


VIDEO LOG DAY 8:
Attempted to pee on Viperwolf to test reaction. Please see attached medical file.
WARNING: Attached medical file exceeds gigabyte limit. System failure.

Brainiac

#96
Oscar, didn't know what was going on. It felt better than he thought it would.
The weirdness didn't come from within this time. He'd gotten used to his human body's faults, but his na'vi ones were psychological, different. The unknown was to him what it was to so many others: scary.
But this, this wasn't different. He didn't know what was going on, but he also knew that, when he did, he might get in control. That was a consolation. No, not a consolation. It was joy. It was adrenaline. For the first time in his avatar body, he felt alive again. He could think straight.
He looked around, saw his environment. The insides of the gunship became clear. He felt as if he could see every detail. He wished his whole life had been like this. So... clear. People were jumping out, though, he didn't understand why. He heard gunfire, and figured most of it out. Someone wanted them dead. Someone with bullets. He wasn't a fighter, not by a long shot, but his adrenaline made him feel like he could take on the world. Clear thoughts got in the way of him doing something stupid.

I have to get out of here. This ship won't hold its own against several gunships for long.

He ran over to the parachute racks, and grasped the last one, carefully packed, and slung it over his shoulders.
Everyone else had already evacuated. He walked over to the edge of the ship. The right rotor exploded in a sea of fire, and the inside of the ship was sprayed with something liquid. Adrenaline surged through his veins. He took a few steps backwards to jump, when he heard his comm activate.

"... This is BROKEN-1... I'm going in hot, and I'm not sure I'm coming back out. It's been a honor."

Oscar realized what was going to happen. Behind him, the ship started to explode, heat blowing him forward and out of the gunship. The fuel that had sprayed him on the arms and chest ignited, setting him on fire. The pain was unbearable. His arms were ablaze, and he felt as though his heart was on fire. He screamed, but couldn't hear himself, deafened by the explosion just moments before. The heat crept up his arms and to his shoulders. He tried to move his arms, and grabbed the blue chord. He started pulling. He was a falling star now.
He aimed for a blue patch in the green, and fainted. His parachute burned up in seconds.

Results:
Oscar escapes the explosion with second to third-degree burns on his arms and chest, first degree on shoulders, neck and face.
Unconscious in a small lake, not far from the others. Heavy bruising and a few broken ribs from the fall in the lake.
Speed is a ppoor sbubstitue fo accurancy

Check out my blogif my presence on this board isn't weird enough for you.

Lehrrap Uniltìranyu

#97

Pandora Airspace
1612 HRS


He could feel it.

Rising though him, corsing though every vein in his body, putting every nerve he had on end.

It was Nigeraia all over again, and Jax felt time slow as he watched every round he fired and was fired at him.

Suddenly, he wasn't on Pandora anymore, he was in the cockpit of his last SA-2, Scythe, the medical SA-2 squeeling as it tried to stay in the air. He struggled to keep the wounded gunship in the air, dodging RPG-11s and tracer missles by hairs withs.

He screamed back to his passangers to jump, to leave him and to get out, get the wounded somewhere safe.

But in the end, it didn't matter.

A rocket hit Scythe's tail, and the SA-2 learched for the ground, the enterior of the gunship lighting up into a unstoppable inferno. He could hear the last ringing plea, the final cry of pain as those he had been told to protect were cooked alive before the world vanished around him, the last sound of the memory that final, everlasting cry that had haunted his dreams for so long.

The world pulled back in around him, Jax was back in Brokensword, franticly dodging bullets and missles, trying to buy the jumpers as much time as he could, trying to give the people who belonged a chance to survive.

He already had used up his get-out-of-death free card, a long time ago, back in Nygeria when he was dragged out of the wrecked remains of his SA-2 by a Force Recon Marine who swore to leave no one behind.

Jax roared as he unleased hell upon the Scorpions. Bullets cut though one of the three that had followed the Wyvren, causing it to smoke up. Bullets lanced past Jax's face as he carefully dodged death by just a little bit. A hair's breath.

But it would end eventually.

Jax heard it over the com unit, the orders to open fire on the Jumpers. He needed to draw their attention, so he let loose his last BRK-R missle, the missle howling like a Ikran as it slammed into one of the Scorpions and sent it burning to the ground, where it went up in a fireball.

The com lit up, orders barked out by the Ork to kill Jax. The Wyvren Unleashed a set of missles at Jax, and he yanked on the yoke as hard as he could to try to save himself, in one final, last ditch attempt.

But he knew that he had failed.

The first one streaked by, and the second one slammed into the Right Rotor. Jax was rocked in his seat as Brokensword spun and cried out in a dying sort of way.

Jax wanted to scream out a maday, to try to save himself, but he knew that he would never make it out in time. "This is BROKEN-1..."

Jax could feel his voice tremble as he tried to calmly say his goodbye, to finally let go of all the blood and death that he carried on his hands, soul, and back for all these years.

"... I'm going in hot, and I'm not sure I'm coming back out. It's been a honor."

Jax closed his eyes. Part of him wanted to take off the Exopack mask he was wearing, to take one deep breath of non-recycled air before he died, no matter what kind of poison remained to kill him.

He never got the chance.

The world exploaded around him as Brokensword dived into the trees. A heavy hit against a large tree sent him flying out of the dying aircraft, and he felt himself start to fade out as he was sent hurling though the air.

He smiled softly to himself as he felt the world start to fade away. He was flying... without need for someone elses wings, without propellers, without something else to help him up. He was flying, and he was free...

He hit the first branch and blacked out, and the world faded away to nothingness.
-------------
Pandoran Jungles, close to Brokensword crashsite
Unknown HRS


A lone figure watched the battle above as the kinsips attacked eachother, the Tawtutes opening fire upon one another in a war in the sky. One was being ganged up by four, and it was fighting with great honor. Several figures leaped and escaped from the One that was fighting the four.

The One was fighting a losing battle. The figure watched as the One suddenly burst into flame with a Kxangangang, and started to fall to the Earth.

The figure watched as a lone Tawtute was thrown from the dying kinsip, hitting a brantch and several leaves before hitting the ground.

The kinsip died in the way all kinsip did, with a powerful kxangangang, and lay still.

The figure approatched the Tawtute who had fallen to the ground. The tawtute was still breathing, though it appereared greatly wounded. The figure kept it's distance, looking at it to see if it would stand back up or stay on the ground to return to Eywa when it turned it's head, suprised to see three atokirina' softly floating down towards the injured Tawtute. They danced above it's head, gently touching it one time each, before leaving as if the wind had picked up, though there was no wind at all.

The figure quietly left the cover of the trees and walked over to the injured one and knelt down beside it and muttered softly, "<<It is not yet your Time... Eywa hasn't called for you yet.>>"



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"Ta'em 'eko!!!"
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"Better to have fought and died then never to have fought at all"
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Bionic Arms and Pandora, The most read FanFic on Learnnavi.org! Read it here! -Shameless self promotion-

Nume fpi sänume

SA-2 Brokensword
Moments later


It was all a blur, the chaos of everything going on all at once. Alex felt his mortality again for the second time in less than a week. He was never crawling back out of the Bay again. Wait, could he even return to the Bay? These were RDA gunships trying to kill them. There were some serious conflicts of interest here. He reattached his sidearm, and smacked his exopack double checking to make sure his mask was secure, and tapping his reserve. He looked at Jax, and understood what he had to do. Stuffing his pad into his backpack, he rose from his seat, the chaos around him no longer seeming as chaotic. Alex was now responsible for getting these people out alive. Going to the back, he began shouting to the people in there over the sound of turbines and wind

"Jump when I say to, and clear the SA-2 ASAP. Were close to the ground, but if your hanging around in the air, they might try to shoot at you too."

As he was speaking, the mounted turrets swiveled around to face the oncoming Scorpions, locking into position and he heard the safety disengage.

"Be ready to jump! Once you are clear, pull the blue tab to activate the system."

Before he even finished, the barrels began spinning, and a moment later began spewing rounds, shell casings falling like water.

"Go! Go! Go!" Alex shouted, the first batch of people jumping out one side door while on the other side another pair of bodies jumped. It looked like Ariel and Gracie, but right now he just wanted everyone out. Alex would be ok dying here if he had to.

He turned back to Jax, who was completely focused on the situation at hand. Alex hit the emergency hatch release, and the canopy side panels of the SA-2 blew of as they were designed to do

"I'll see you on the ground bro." Was the last thing Alex said to Jax as he jumped out the side, engaging his own jump pack.

Five seconds later into his freefall, his com activated.

"... This is BROKEN-1... I'm going in hot, and I'm not sure I'm coming back out. It's been a honor."

Alex couldn't turn to see if he made it out or not, but he did hear another failing power plant, and the sounds of another helo headed to the ground.

Alex didn't have much time, and he activated his jump pack, slowing his descent as he headed towards the jungle canopy.

"s***, s***, vines, vines!" Alex said to himself trying to maneuver away, but it was no use. He ran into the virtual web of vines, and hung on for dear life. He undid his jump pack, now useless, and let it fall to the ground below. Looking around, he wasn't that high up, and he could reach the ground if he could just get over to that fallen tree.

Alex tried to swing his way over, but the tangle wouldn't budge. Sighing, Alex decided to climb his way over. It was going great till he grabbed the tail of a sleeping forest banshee, which screamed in his face and nipped his hand, drawing both blood and curses. Alex let go of the creature, and in the process lost his balance. The ground apparently was further than he thought, because the next thing he knew he was falling towards it. He more or less bounced off a large mushroom shaped plant, injuring his side, and fell another seven or so feet, his new pad breaking his fall.

Hawnu UnilTxep

Somewhere Behind Grace's School
Late Afternoon


They were getting deeper into the forest, Eanataw and Chris.  He had almost fallen from the utral a few times, but she had saved him.  Their eyes locked often, and she was not always so quick to look away.  There was certainly something about him that made her heart race.  She spoke some Na'vi to him, but also tried to speak his language; to speak inglìsì like he did.

She was showing him some fruit high in a tree, when she heard the gun fire the Na'vi had come to hate.  She ducked and hissed, looking for the source.  She looked and saw that Chris had ducked as well, and was looking towards the sound.  Towards the school.  She spoke curses quickly in Na'vi, subconsciously and quietly, so he couldn't hear.  She came closer to him, but he seemed almost oblivious, watching the kunsìp take off without him on it.  Even Eanataw was instantly worried, if ever so slightly relieved. Whatever was going on, they were not a part of it.

But then he turned to her, a worried look in his big golden eyes.  Those were his aytsmukan ulte aytsmuke, she realised, laying a hand on his shoulder.  There was nothing else she could do.

A crackling sound filled that stunned silence, coming from Chris's neck.  She jumped when she heard a tawtute voice as well.  "This is BROKEN-1... I'm going in hot, and I'm not sure I'm coming back out. It's been a honor."

"What--" she started to say, thoroughly confused.  He yelled out though, and she fell silent, watching with him, even if she didn't understand.  She saw that the other sawtute had jumped from the thing, but obviously not one.  He was too deep into tsaheylu she reasoned.  He was doing something noble for the others.

Just a moment later, and the kunsìp was in the ayutral.  Smoke from the txep billowed up, and she tightened her hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly, an idea came to her.
She took a deep breath, and stepped away from him, to climb a little up the tree.  She called to her ikran, Txep.  A minute or two passed before he answered, coming in fast to land in the tree next to hers.  She pulled and tugged at Chris's hand, willing him to move.  She got him to follow her, and thanked Eywa that her ikran was larger than the others.  Not too much, just enough so that he could hope the too Na'vi bodies in flight.

She made tsaheylu quickly, explaining in a thought that the other Na'vi was joining her, and that they needed to find any survivors.  Txep understood.  It shook its red-striped head back and forth as she called to Chris.  "Ma Chris, za'u. Moe tswayon."


Please PM me if you are still interested in the real Na'vi tribe.