| Log: Dr. Rhett Williams | Date: April 9, 2144 | Time: 23:35 | Location: Mobile Lab 6 |
While I have not encountered the Na’vi clan native to this region I have finally seen signs of them with my own eyes. At 09:30 this morning 5 kilometers away from the lab I found Direhorse footprints heading towards the forest, and an old camp. The ash in the fire was still warm, it is my belief someone camped overnight there. I also observed gigantic boot prints that must have belonged to the hunter camping. I have enclosed photos of the campsite in my report. I am currently preparing to go into the Boreal Woods in the direction the direhorse tracks led. I hope to encounter the rider or observe more signs of the Boreal Na’vi.
Rhett sighed and closed his eyes, he had come all the way to Pandora to study the Na’vi people. When he saw drone footage of the Boreal Forests and the images of a Na’vi rider on a direhorse he had known he was meant to learn about these people. He went over what he knew about them in his head. The Na’vi here had darker blue skin, they were larger than their southern counterparts, they were a large clan, they lived in the Boreal woods somewhere, they destroyed any drones that got close to them, and they completely disappeared during deep winter. He was preparing himself to go into the woods to try to meet them, maybe he could build a friendship with the people. They were incredibly elusive and he hadn’t actually been into the woods, at sunrise tomorrow he would finally go. Rhett clicked his pen nervously, suddenly going into the woods felt very daunting. “Calm down Williams.” Val, the other avatar driver, laughed and threw a paper at him. Dr. Valentina ‘Val’ Garcia specialized in Pandoran flora, she worshipped Dr. Grace Augustine, together Ana and Rhett were the perfect avatar team. To complete the trio Dr. Owain Abbot, who wasn’t an avatar driver, wrote papers and made sure the links were safe. Owain, Val, and Rhett had become their own little family these past few months. “If you are so worried about going to the woods let me come with you.” Val smiled. Rhett shook his head, he wanted his first contact with the Boreal Na’vi to be alone. “Rhett, if you want to be up by dawn you need to go to sleep now.” Owain groaned from his bunk. The lab had two bunk beds, one on each wall. Rhett slept above Owain on one of the beds and Val slept on the top of the other bunk bed. Owain was right, Rhett really should have gone to bed earlier but he had been going over all of his supplies again. He could not afford his avatar getting hypothermia in the woods during the expedition, having an avatar was a privilege. Val had a cup of freshly made tea and Dr. Augustine’s book on Pandoran Botany, she read it almost every night. She also hated early mornings, preferring to start her work around 13:00. Rhett pulled off his clothes, replacing them with a tank top and sweat pants. Then he climbed the ladder to get into bed, The sooner I go to sleep the sooner the morning comes, he thought to himself.
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Rhett smacked his lips and opened his eyes, why was an alarm going off so early? Right. Today was the day he would pursue the Boreal Na’vi, he sat up so fast he smacked his head on the ceiling. “Shit.” he swore as quietly as possible. Rhett climbed down the ladder and grabbed some clean clothes. His avatar was in the other mobile building along with all the gear he would need, they had avatar sized snowmobiles but the engine would be too loud and wouldn’t help him endear himself to the Boreal Na’vi. So instead Rhett would make the trek to the forest where he believed they lived. He would go to the coordinates of locations his drones had taken photos of them and hope for the best. He optimistically believed that they would be too curious about him to kill him on sight, as far as Rhett could tell they had never had contact with the RDA. “You need to eat before you link in.” Owain ordered as he sat up. Rhett groaned but he knew that Owain was right, as cool as using an avatar is you can’t forget about taking care of yourself. He would make everyone some powdered eggs and coffee, they could all eat together. The Boreal Forest and its secrets could wait a few hours.
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The cold air stung Rhett’s face. He wished for not for the first time, but he'd been able to form a better map of the boreal forests from the drone footage. Rhett also wished he knew where he was going. He didn't like that his plan was to go into the woods and traipse around with the hope he would encounter the Boreal Na’vi, and that they would not kill him on sight. He shouldered his pack and checked the GPS. He still had so many kilometers to go, and snow had begun falling. Every time he came outside, he marveled at the beauty of Pandora. He hoped that since the Na’vi here had not had contact with humans before that maybe they would be receptive towards humans and more interested in learning about them. He also hoped that they would allow him to go to their home, learn their ways, Rhett had no idea how they survived out there. Drone footage wasn’t enough.
Rhett worried about a Language barrier, all the Na’vi clans humans had encountered spoke the same language. But the Boreal clan was so much further north than the other known Na’vi clans, it was enough of a possibility for him to worry. Rhett went a few meters in the treeline before sitting on a fallen log. He unzipped the pocket in his right forearm and grabbed an energy ration. It tasted artificially sweet, way too sweet. All of Rhett’s senses were heightened in his avatar, he could hear something moving in the trees, he could smell what must have been the Boreal Na’vi scent, and the ration was becoming more disgusting with every bite. A small bit of him hoped that he could make friends, the contract Rhett had signed said he had to go home eventually but he had no intention of ever going back to Earth. After his fathers death there was nothing for him to go back to. Val would love it if he managed to get some clippings of the forest fauna for her, maybe he could talk them into teaching Val what they knew about the flora here, she would love that. Rhett looked around, there was a part of the snow that was more packed down, he hoped it was a path. If he followed it he was more likely to encounter someone.
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Rhett had been walking along the path for half an hour when he heard it. A woman singing in a low voice, he couldn’t make out all the words but it sounded like she was thanking the Great Mother for her harvest. Rhett followed the sound off of the beaten path. There in a clearing was the singer, she was smaller than Rhett thought the Boreal Na’vi were. Based on measurements from the drone footage and the footprints he was seeing they should have been gigantic. Either she was juvenile and still growing or there was some serious sexual dimorphism. Rhett let out a slow shaky breath, he wasn’t sure what to say. The woman’s parka had intricate and colorful details, and her hair was up in a bun. She seemed to be digging in the roots of a tree while she sang. Suddenly she turned, dropping her digging tool and unsheathing a knife. She stood and came closer, she hissed at him but she was shaking. “Oel ngati kamiei,” Rhett pulled his hand down from his forehead “I am Rhett.” She squinted at him. The woman had leopard like spots instead of stripes like the southern Na’vi, she was a little shorter than him but far more solid looking. “What do you want?” She asked finally, her voice was very low and regal sounding. Her thick accent was different from the southern Na’vi. “I came here to learn about your people.” Rhett answered trying not to look at the very large knife in her hand. “Why?” She stepped closer. Rhett swallowed “Learning is what my people do.” He answered simply. The woman, who seemed to be in her early twenties, wrinkled her forehead and looked him up and down. “I am Ikir Te Vikxep Niapxaw’ite.” She said finally.
Thank you for reading!! Chapter two is on AO3. Chapter three is in the works. I have Rhett and Ikir’s full life planned out, I’m so excited to share their journey.
Image 2: by me on Procreate
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