Chapter Text
Grace couldn't help but beam as the children continued to talk in full, English sentences, reading off her board with her. Writing was not a used tool for the Na’vi to use, ideograms mostly were what the Na’vi used if they had to carve it into something but…everything that they knew was oral. From stories, play to even the songcords they had tucked into their loincloths.
Yet, they picked up not only English but its written language as well. They had wondered why humans wrote stuff down and while it was easy to explain the practical use, she knew it wasn’t a skill they’d use in their own lives but, she hoped it would be useful later on with their interactions with Sky people.
She had given them a notebook and pencil, showing them how to sharpen the end to keep the graphite going, to write down a story or fragment of their day that they were happy or proud of, or in some cases; sad about. They never really took them back to Hometree; the books were too unfamiliar for the parents to like, nor did they seem to like the ‘alien scriptures’ that they produced. But she had always enjoyed letting them spend time scribbling away as they talked as it gave her an opening to each of their lives.
One book still lay on the shelf, gathering dust at this point.
A week had gone by, Grace had noticed Sylwanin hadn’t shown up. A growing concern but she had hoped the girl would come down soon so they could at least talk. The fact that Neytiri was still in the crowd of the seven faces of today was a good sign.
“Wonderful, you’re such good readers. At this rate, I’ll run out of material to teach you” She praised, earning a few happy giggles. “Neytiri, is there a book of interest you would like to read out to the class?” She gestured to the few books set out on the table by another child’s feet. Anuk happily sat on the desk although Grace didn’t try to ask him to sit in a chair; he was comfortable and would no doubt move when he wanted to. He was fiddling with the book closest to him with some fondness; loving the bright colors of The Lorax.
Neytiri’s head turned to her, her eyes wide though clearly distracted by the blankness that came with her glance at her and then down to the books. “<What did you say>?” She asked, not trying for English.
Grace’s smile dimmed a little, a little disheartened at the girl’s demeanor. “Would you like to choose a book to read out?” She asked, “Or should I ask another?”
The sixteen-year-olds eyes flickered to the books set out for a moment in a moment of debate before answering. “<Someone else, please.>”
Grace nodded though she could see Tsu’tey in the corner of her eye also watching Neytiri with some concern. Which meant this wasn’t new. She gently pulled a book to seven-year-old Nekawn and started her off to read out loud to the rest of the class. Once most were occupied, Grace made her move and gestured for Neytiri to follow.
Neytiri sighed though rose to her feet, followed with her to the corner, and took a seat. Neytiri sat as well, her tail swishing against the floorboards quietly but didn’t quite meet her eye.
“<Is everything alright?>” Grace asked.
Neytiri’s eyes flickered at the window again, her ears twitching with unease. “<I’m sorry. I’m distracted.>”
“<Is it something you can talk to me about?>,” Grace asked with a lean forward, “<I would like to help if I can.>”
Neytiri’s eyes flicked between her and the door, “<I don’t know… you’re with them, after all,>” Her tone turned a little bitter, her lips tightly pursed.
Grace’s ears lowered in response, her tail pausing a moment though she felt a personal bite there that she hadn’t expected from Neytiri of all people. She couldn’t deny; she was impressed by both Neytiri and Sylwanin’s brightness and aptitude to learn and the latter was eager to share her knowledge. Neytiri hadn’t tried to see her as a sky person anymore in the ten years she had worked with her here. They called her Sa’nok, a title she wore with pride. This disregard…
It hurt.
Her ears straightened up as she took a heavy sigh. “<You’re angry>.” She stated. “<but that does not mean I will accept any disrespect, Neytiri. You don’t have to talk to me about what’s bothering you but don’t make judgments upon me on the basis of my origins>” Grace spoke, turning a little firm though Neytiri’s ears flickered down a little under her hard look.
“<I’m sorry, Sa’nok. I’m…just so angry. There’s so much damage your people are doing to our world.>”
Grace nodded, allowing herself to loosen up, and gently put her hand on Neytiri’s shoulder. “<The clear cutting>”
Neytiri nodded, “<Why must your people do this to our world?>” She met her eyes again, yellow eyes brimming with tears.
Grace pondered her question carefully, sitting back and resting her hands on her knees, a little more aware that the other children were listening in.
“Sky people’s own world no longer has… a way to support self. Our… distant ancestors didn’t care for the world that…impacted what the sky people have today. It forced them to rely on non-renewable minerals like metals to simply survive. Without our planet to support their needs, they look for it elsewhere. For a time, they settled to other moons and asteroids that were close but… then that ran out.”
Grace rose to her feet, well aware of the attention to this turn of the topic that she could see interested most of the older ones, Tsu’tey especially. She moved to the model solar system, gently pushing it around to spin lightly. “your world is the next habitual planet the sky people could reach safely. For them, it was a world of salvation; a glimmer of hope that they could find a way to bring resources back to keep surviving.”
“<How much more must they take?>” Neytiri asked, wide-eyed, “<They cannot keep taking>”
Grace sighed though nodded, “<I know it’s harsh but the cruel nature of the sky people’s world is that…our ancestors killed our natural world long before my own grandmother was born. It’s to a point that…humans on earth cannot survive without our technology; our reliance is survival. Like the masks, we have to breathe here.>”
“<They are desperate>” Tsu’tey spoke, “<taking and taking like a starving palulukan that is never satisfied>” He wasn’t pleased but he made a good analogy for it.
“<That’s one way to put it, yes>” Grace sighed. “<it’s…complicated in some ways but… I think it’s best I leave that for another day.>”
“<Sylwanin’s been tracking the machines cutting the forest this last week, should we worry about that?>” Neytiri asked.
Grace looked to Neytiri for a moment though nodded, “<Sky people will not tolerate the destruction of their technology. It’s…hard to get here and they will protect it with their weapons and pursue anyone with a hand in its destruction.” That was a real warning that Grace gave, feeling unnerved to even say it but… if Sylwanin was getting upset; she had to make sure the girl didn’t think to try and tackle this herself.
Neytiri’s eyes flickered to the window again, “<I will talk to Sylwanin later. She will need to know.”
With that, Grace lumbered back to the desks, giving Nekawn a big smile, and took the book off her. “You read very well, Nekawn.” She praised, the girl lighting up happily with her words. “You know, you’re getting better than even a sky-person child at your age too.”
A few giggles echoed around, “Really?”
“Really.” Grace nodded, “Which is why… I think it’ll be soon enough time for us to perhaps move onto more complex reading material for you” She knew Neytiri and Sylwanin were already onto the more adult-book type reading level but a good portion of these children weren’t. They loved the pictures much which was understandable.
“More reading?” Anuk asked, “How many stories are there?”
Grace laughed softly, “Billions.”
A few gasps echoed at the huge number that the younger ones couldn’t count, but they knew it was big.
Neytep said, “That’s so many, Sa’nok!” with a light tone, almost amazed.
“Indeed, but the stories we sky people tell can be…fact. Like our environment; information to pass on or completely made up in our minds, like the Lorax, for entertainment.” She gestured to the book Anuk had, “Some more made-up stuff has a lot more cultural and human mythology that… I can explain. Or, I could leave more books for you to read while I’m not here if you want to know. There might be pictures.”
The children looked to each other in excitement. Grace reached for her data pad to make an order for the team to make the print-outs from the digital versions like they had last time, but her attention lifted as she heard distant metallic whirls before she could touch the pad. Her ears twitched towards the sound with a frown.
But within a moment, everything changed as Sylwanin seem to burst through the doorway, and for a moment, all Grace could see was her painted-up face, eyes wide and terrified before there was a spurt of red that suddenly spurted out from her chest.
Grace gasped, her mind suddenly putting together the sounds of AMP suits before the rain of metal began to splinter through the wooden walls.
“Out! OUT!” She dove forwards, catching Neytiri before she could go to her sister, grabbing Tsu’tey by the arm as he too made a dive at her. “<No, help me get the children out!>”
“<She’s hurt—>“
“<She’s dead. You’re not.>” Grace didn’t allow either of them to argue, tossing Nekwan into Tsu’ety’s arms and caving after a heartbeat as the children screamed as more wood shattered around them, he grabbed Marali and dove from the building’s window and out.
Anuk was on the floor, gone too but Grace couldn’t bare the dead much thought as she pulled the remaining children with her, trying to aid in their escape. Some jumped willingly out with a few scrapes but Grace only counted two dead. Too many.
“<NO!>” Neytiri fought but Grace hissed out, forcing her out the window with a push despite the girl’s enraged sounds that masked her grief and terror but Grace wasn’t an idiot to let her try; not when there was so much gunfire without mercy. She would not lose another bright soul to whatever bullshit was happening.
Not on her watch.
Neytep was the last as she grabbed the girl as the soldiers reached the doorframe, stepping over Sylwanin before the click of the gun echoed again before she jumped as the horrible echo of bullets helped to pulverize the wooden frame. Feeling the sharp splinters in the backs of her legs as she dove.
Neytep cried out before a white-hot shot of pain raged through her back and through, but the solid ground speared away her thought of that, pushing the air out of her lungs and her legs immediately ached but her body was built to take the brunt, rolling naturally though Neytep struggled in her arms but Grace felt the strength beyond the pain to push up off the ground, the girl under one arm and grabbed Neytiri’s arm as she made an attempt back, pulling her with her into the treeline
“<We can’t leave her!>”
“<If you go in, you’ll join her with Eywa. She’ll be recovered by the clan but there’s too many of them now.>”
“<I hate you!>” Neytiri hissed but Grace was glad the girl stopped fighting her, pulling her arm free but began to lead the way onward at a brisk pace. It wasn’t until Neytep whimpered again that Grace tried to speed up—she had to get the girl to Mo’at. She didn’t know how knowledgeable she was about bullet wounds but she hoped the girl would be saved.
“<I will take her.>” Neytiri’s arms snaked around the girl, pulling the eleven-year-old from her arms, and more or less vanished into the treeline without a backward glance.
Grace hissed out at the loss of the weight, staggering even as now, she felt the growing rise of dizziness, the pain flaring up through her middle without the weight pressing against her middle. Her hands were left free to press against the pain but, to her growing horror, she could feel the warmth of blood seemingly seep through but didn’t dare glance down.
An exit wound.
“Fuck.” Grace sucked in a shallow breath, now tasting the rise of iron in her throat as she struggled to follow… the world becoming hazy with greens and by gut instinct, she knew that without an Omatikaya child to guide her, she couldn’t make it to Hometree.
Her foot slid, sending her catering to the floor with a heavy, winding grunt of pain that seemed to seize through her entire body…. Engulfing her world in white agony and leaving her breathless. White and black dots swirled through her vision before the fires raged down.
Grace coughed, gagging up a wash of red past her lips, idly feeling its heat seep down her chin as her vision clouded with tears, as the pain sharpened up like a twist of hot metal in her gut but she blinked them away as she sucked in another painful breath. Her eyes hazily noticed the white tendrils above her.
Her eyes traveled further, more tendrils that seemed to go as far as her eye could see…
Utral Aymokriyä
Tree of Voices.
Another cough, another rise of red down her chin but Grace found it harder to breathe, sucking in lighter breaths now. Her head rested back against the near root of the tree, not even aware of how close her queue was to a white tendril that drifted close towards her; the tree's favoring towards body heat.
Her fingers slacked from the wound, idly watching the moving motions of the tree's tendrils. Why wasn’t she unlinking from her avatar?
“<Graceaugustine?>” Mo’at’s voice was sudden, distant but alarmed nonetheless.
Grace didn’t have the strength to jump, groaning out as her body tensed instead, her eyes pricking with tears but she felt her ears twitch as Mo’at seemed to appear beside her; her hand much warmer than she expected as she grasped her placid wrist to examine the wound.
“<You’re shot>” Her voice was careful but Grace was sure there was a deeper emotion in the woman’s voice…but she could barely hang onto her words.
Grace struggled to answer, her breath already soft pants, “<can’….catch my breath..>” she complained…”<…RDA….fired through walls… I tried …tried to…get them out…>” Her voice slurred, coughing again but she couldn’t feel anything shift as she wheezed in for air.
“<Grace?>”
“<C-can’t breath…>” Grace could feel her head spin, gasping like a fish as she felt the rise of panic build as she tried to draw in breath. “Can’t…can’t…”. The white tree tendril caught the end of her queue which naturally wrapped around the white tendril, her mind filling with soft whispers but that didn’t douse the pain or the panic. Her eyes hazily focused onto Mo’at in confusion at the sounds but her form seemed to fizzle away into a bright white tunnel that seemed to flicker with color…
Her body went slack, and the bleeding from her wounds came to a stop as the avatar succumbed to her injuries.
“<Grace!”>
Back at Hell's Gate, Grace’s human body jolted, arching up with a heavy thump against the coffin-like lid before her body seized up. The heart monitors changing from a calm sleeping beat of fourth-six BPM to a sudden hundred and ticking higher.
The sudden change rang an alarm, kicking the near link technicians into action to the link bed.
“She’s seizing.” The first male technician spoke, lifting the lid quickly.
“No shit,” The woman spoke, hurriedly lifting the second frame before Grace could get tangled in it. “Don’t hold her down; just keep her from rolling. Someone call a med-team!”
It took a few minutes before Grace’s seizure tapered off, the medical team speeding in just as the heart monitor began to rapidly drop.
“Shit, she’s coding.”
Thankfully, the medical team went straight into action, waving away the unnecessary people to create space as they began to perform CPR as a defibrillator began to warm up…
Max Patel watched in fear as Grace was shocked, the only relief was the rising beeps that followed the second shock before the teams loaded her onto the gurney and out.
“Bridges, Send word for all avatars to return to their bed and unlink and run an entire systems check” he ordered, taking control of the shaken silence. “Someone, download all of Link 4’s data and send it straight to my monitor. Jenks, get someone to clean out Link 4’s padding and someone, find out where Grace’s avatar was last seen.”
Only something terrible could have happened to gage that response but he hoped that they had an answer for this sudden and unexpected mess and that Grace would be up on her feet soon enough.