chapter five
Chapter Five
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The ride was awkward, Yates peppered you with questions, while Claire did the same to Felix. The armed guards were not anyone you recognized, a burly man with a dark buzz cut and small eyes, and a skinnier man with a neck tattoo that looked a little too trigger happy for your liking.
You suddenly fiercely missed Ava. You’d taken for granted her laid back and friendly nature and the close friendship you’d formed with her and Felix. Her respect for the tulkun and the calm manner she held herself felt very different compared to these men.
When you saw her again, you were giving her your dessert rations for a week while you begged her to never leave you alone with these people ever again.
By the time you reached the pod, you were itching to throw yourself into the water with Ame. It was only the company that held you back.
Her call came, and your heart hurts as you don’t respond. Sister!
Ame is quick on the uptake, her call growing more concerned as she surfaces. You are with strangers. Where is Ava?
You squatted down, reaching a hand out over the boat to touch her head. “Hey, girl,” you greeted, sparing a glance at a bewildered Yates.
“Yates, Claire, this is one of the tulkun,” you said simply. Claire was standing, mouth agape as she watched you.
“Okay, Claire, with me,” said Felix. “Yates, Hana will introduce you to the pod while she collects samples.”
As Felix and Claire suited up, you stripped down to your swimsuit, getting into the water with Ame. Quietly, you told her, “I haven’t said anything. As far as they know, I’m friendly with the pod and that’s it.”
Ame hummed her understanding.
Yates joined you quickly, her eyes bright and curious.
“Come on,” you said. “The Pod will be more accepting if you swim with us.”
Ame drifted through the water slowly, and you let your pace match Yates. She observed Ame in a way that made you nervous, her eyes tracing the tattoos on her belly, and when you got close enough to the pod, Ame swam ahead to join them. To warn them not to be too familiar right now.
Yates swam to the surface, and you followed. “I saw at least 3 calves,” she said. “They stay close to their mothers. I didn’t see any bulls.”
You laughed at that. “They are in the back, they protect the mothers.”
“I didn’t notice,” she admitted. “They let you get this close?”
You shrugged. “Sure. I’ve never been hostile to them. We mostly do our own thing. We do get the occasional tulkun who is extra curious,” hastily, you tack on. “Like the female this morning.”
Yates nodded thoughtfully, turning to swim back to the ship. “Come on, I want to observe them. Let’s get the camera.”
Like you said, long day.
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It was night by the time Yates decided to go back. Felix and Claire had returned after an hour, having placed all the seismographs near the fault. They were measuring the readings, but the best ones would come in back at the lab over time.
Theirs was a waiting game. Yates had taken photos of the tulkun, who had heard Ame’s warning and stayed away, causing most of the photos to be a little unclear with awkward angles. In the moments you had managed to steal with Ame, you’d learned of the plan to move on, to continue their migration.
It was time.
You’d known it was coming, that they’d only stayed in this area so long for you, for Ame. They’d circle back, and you’d see your friend again. It was time for them to move further south, to visit their sisters and brothers before continuing their journey to warmer waters. Their next stop wasn’t far, maybe only several nautical miles away at this point. They’d been drifting closer for a few weeks now, causing you to have to venture further and further from the Rig each day.
You’d hidden you’d tears, promising Ame you would wait for her, that you would see her again and catch her up on everything she missed. She promised to do the same.
The boat ride back, you were sullen and quiet, a stark contrast to Yates almost giddy behavior as she showed a curious Claire the photos of the tulkun she’d taken that day.
Felix was shooting you worried glances, familiar enough with you to know something was wrong. You’d tell him at the Rig, tell him about Ame and the tulkun migrating. Then you’d curl up in your bunk and cry until you fell asleep.
Or you would have, if the boat hadn’t flipped.
It was sudden enough you didn’t have time to brace yourself, or even be fully aware of what was happening before you were completely submerged in the water. Felix was floating next to you, eyes closed and bubbles escaping his mouth. Terror surged, and you propelled yourself forward to hoist him up, propping his head above the water
You screamed as a firm hand grabbed your arm, making you lose your grip on Felix. You turned, terrified as you locked eyes with a Na’vi male. The tattoo over his eye looked black in the dark, the bioluminescent dots on his face glowing brightly as he hissed at you.
You screamed, hitting him and trying to break away. You looked around, desperate as his grip only tightened around your arm. Then you saw it. On his chest, the pattern was shockingly familiar. You’d seen that before, you were certain of it. Ame had shown it to you when she introduced some of her friends—a young bull, by the name of Saza had the same markings on his chest.
He grabbed your neural queue, and you screamed, “Saza!”
His grip went slack, enough that you were able to rip yourself away and throw yourself back into the water. His gaze darkened, and he yanked you forward, onto his skimwing.
“How do you know that name?” he shouted, lips pulled downward and brow furrowed as he held the knife to your throat.
You started crying. It was unintentional, the tears spilled down your cheeks before you could stop them. You felt snotty, your face sticky from the tears and your throat felt tight as you managed to tell him, “My sister.”
It all happened very quickly after that. You didn’t know what happened to Felix or Yates, or the two guards—but the Na’vi who had you, once you had so much as mentioned Ame. had quickly decided that this situation was beyond him.
In other words, you were a prisoner. You sat in front of him on his skimwing, hands bound, only kept in place by the arm around you, knife held in his hand.
You’d been scared before. You were scared when you fell overboard and saw the boat leaving you, you were scared when you met Ame. You were scared when you’d left Earth—and you were scared when Yates took an interest in the tulkun.
The fear you felt now made those other moments feel pale in comparison.
The trip was fast on the skimwing, and you shivered as the warriors called to announce their arrival. The warrior you’d ridden with dismounted quickly, grabbing you as if you weight nothing and switch to lead you by your neural queue.
“What is this?” a woman appeared. Your heart nearly stopped. She wore a shawl over her shoulders, intricately beaded and weaved to create a beautiful pattern. Her face was covered in beautiful tattoos, the lines dark and crisp, and making her eyes look even larger then they already were. This woman was the Tsahìk.
“She spoke of the tulkun,” the warrior hissed. “She knew my spirit brother!”
The Tsahìk titled her head, coming forward to examine you curiously. “You know tulkun?”
“Yes,” you said simply. “My spirit sister. Her name is Ame.”
Her gaze flickered, darting to look at someone behind you. “Ame has no spirit sister.”
“She saved me from drowning. We became friends. Sisters.” you told her quietly.
The Tsahìk stared you down for a long moment, raising her hand and gesturing for the warrior to release you. “What is it you are called, sister of Ame?”
“Hana.”
“And why have you come here, Hana?” her voice was steady, and so was her gaze. You felt very small under her eyes.
“I came here to learn,” you said. “I wanted to learn the oceans.”
“Sky people have hurt Na’vi before,” she said. “Why should we trust you?”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” you said. “I just want to learn.”
She stared for a long moment, long enough that the gathered Metkayina began to chatter among themselves anxiously, stopping only when she raised a hand to silence them.
She turned from you, addressing the crowd, she called out, “This woman is spirit sister to tulkun—she wishes to learn our ways. Who among you will be responsible for her?”
For a horrible moment, there is silence only. Then, a woman steps forward.
“I will teach her,” she said. The Tsahìk stared for a moment, her eyes narrowed.
“Tsonu’e will teach this Sky Person our ways,” the Tsahìk announced. To you, she said, “Learn well, and do not disappoint.”
“I won’t,” you stuttered. Tsonu’e walked over, grabbing your arm and leading you away slowly. The crowd watched you with distrustful eyes, but Tsonu’e ignored them. She led you to a marui, and carefully picked up some clothes for you.
“I am Tsonu’e,” she said. “You are Hana, yes?”
You nodded, taking the clothes she offered you.
“Tonight, you will sleep here with me. Tomorrow, I will teach you to see.”
“Thank you,” you said. Tsonu’e turned, about to disappear further into the marui. “Wait, I’m sorry, do you know what happened to the people I was with?”
“No,” said Tsonu’e. “But warriors do not kill without reason. They may live still.”
You sighed with relief, and Tsonu’e disappeared in the back for a moment. You took that opportunity to change, carefully folding your clothes and slipping on the garments provided. The loin cloth was easy enough to slip on, securing the straps around your tail. The top was a nightmare and when Tsonu’e appeared, it was to the sight of you tangled in it. She laughed, and her face looked years younger in a single instant.
She reached out, carefully helping you detangle yourself from the garment.
“Uäloä must have seen something in you,” she said finally. At your confused look, she clarified, “The Tsahìk.”
“Oh,” you said quietly. “I thought the Tsahìk and the olo'eyktan were mated.”
She hummed, squatting down to smooth out a mat. You kneeled to assist her stretch it out. “Yes, traditionally. Tonowari has only recently become olo'eyktan, he and the tsakarem, Ronal, have not mated yet.”
“I see,” you said. Tsonu’e finished smoothing out the mat, patting it gently.
“You will sleep here,” she said, standing.
“Thank you, Tsonu’e.” you said, laying down on the mat.
You stared at the ceiling for a long moment, giving yourself a horrified little laugh. When the day had started, you had not imagined it ending this way.
You hoped Felix was okay.
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As soon as you unlinked, Yates was there.
“Is the Avatar okay?” she asked.
Straight to the point.
“Yes,” you said. “I was taken by the Metkayina.”
“And it’s still alive?” she demanded.
“Yes,” you repeated. “What about you guys? Felix?”
A sour look crossed Yates’ face. “Felix’s is still alive, but it’s pretty badly injured. Claire managed to get it out. Mine didn’t survive.”
You felt a stab of pity at that. “I’m sorry,” you said.
“Doesn’t matter,” she dismissed. “Tell me what happened with the Metkayina, don’t leave anything out.”
You told her, careful to avoid mentioning Ame—editing the narrative to make it seem like they’d been interested in you purely because you wanted to learn.
The lie worked on her, but you could tell from Felix’s intense gaze that he knew it wasn’t the full story. You made eye contact, silently telling him ‘Later.’
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