Chapter Text
Tamtey joined So’lek in the gym early the next morning, working through their sets together as they offer tips and advice about improving form and targeting muscles more effectively.
‘Try to lean forward a little’, So’lek suggests as Tamtey works on her lateral raises, placing a hand lightly on her lower back. Definitely not causing Tamtey to completely loose focus and drop a dumbbell.
So’lek chuckles, a low and rich tone that vibrates through the air. ‘Are they too heavy for you Tamtey?’. Tamtey gapes dramatically as she swats at him with her towel. ‘I lost my grip is all’, she hides her smile.
‘I believe you’, he softly smiles, picking up the dumbbell and handing it back to her.
The pair work on a few more exercises until deciding to wrap it up for the morning, heading to the shower rooms.
‘You stink’, she pokes his side as she jogs ahead of him, rounding the corner to the wash room as So’lek tugs at her tail causing her to turn around and hiss playfully.
‘I’ve decided I’m getting the shower with the best water pressure because I lifted heavier than you today’, she goads, walking backwards into the tiled room as her tail sways behind her.
‘Be my quest, a hardened navi like myself does not require such meaningless things’, he goads right back, smirking as he strides into the shower next to Tamtey, laughing as his ears pick up an entertained scoff from her.
They spend the next 20 minutes basking under the warm water before Tamtey flicks the handle down, cutting away the down pour as she pulls her clothes onto her mostly dry body.
She slips out of the cubicle, heading over to the sink as So’lek’s shower turns off a little hastily. Tamtey checks her reflection as he saunters out of the shower, looking around suspiciously as he stops at a sink two spaces away from Tamtey.
She gasps as the realisation sets in. He was imitating their first interaction. ‘So’lek! I was not that obvious’, Tamtey exclaims between giggles as So’lek remains immersed in the bit.
‘I don’t follow’, So’lek repeats her past words as he mockingly checks his hair in the reflection, the same relaxed expression she wore that day.
Tamtey leans back as she cackles, collecting a small palmful of water, the sound of a splatter as she throws it at his head. So’lek lifts his arms to cover himself in a weak defence as his body becomes weak with laughter, deep and true.
Before Tamtey can gather another palmful, the morning announcement buzzes through the speakers.
Tamtey grabs his arm, dragging him out of the shower room. ‘Time to meet the others!’.
—
Tamtey sits next to Ri’nela, Nor and So’lek opposite them and Teylan and Na’tangu close by on the next table over. All of them scoffing down their much improved breakfast menu as Tamtey muses at Teylan’s timidness.
She nudges him lightly with her shoulder, ‘he’s not going to bite you Teylan’. Teylan fidgets. ‘I know I know. If you trust him I do to’. Their voices a whisper, luckily drowned out by the surrounding noise.
‘I like his hair’, Teylan adds after a beat of silence, causing Tamtey to chuckle. ‘Well maybe you can ask him about that’. She places a hand to his shoulder. ‘When you’re ready of course’. Teylan nods with a smile.
Na’tangu talks to So’lek about newly imported Pandoran foods as Nor pokes at his food, a troubled look on his face.
Ri’nela notices, placing a hand to his forearm. ‘Are you alright Nor?’.
He looks up slowly. ‘This new food, it’s good- it’s pandoran. But-‘, he struggles with his words.
‘it’s just a small part of all the different flavours we could have been exposed to if we were… out there’. Nor’s eyes cast down as his statement attracts the attention of the whole table.
‘It’s like they’re teasing us, hanging parts of our culture over our heads in controlled portions’, he snarls.
‘I understand what you say. He leaves us exposed to parts of ourselves, our language, our food, so he can control exactly how much we know’. Ri’nela’s voice growing in anger.
‘He knows that it is impossible to keep a navi from their heritage’, So’lek adds, fist clenched as he looks to Nor.
‘As long as we’re all aware of how he operates, he can’t control us’, Tamtey’s voice is quiet, aware of the amps stationed around the hall.
‘Then why do you strive to achieve as you do Tamtey? Why work harder to become what they try to make of us’. Nor’s voice steady but hardened.
Tamtey furrows her brow, eyes flicking to So’lek’s for a moment. ‘Because trust is our only weapon in this place Nor’.
He is surprised at her response. For once, counteracting him with calm instead of matching his fire.
‘I know it’s hard to do what they say, but if they don’t trust us then we’ll never make it out of here. We’ll never get put on that mission in six months’. Tamtey urges.
Nor looks at her, confused at her sudden change in strategy as he looks down, nodding.
The next morning announcement marks the start of their second training session with Harding. The group walks with caution in their steps, knowing the fate that awaits them down the corridor as Tamtey takes Teylan’s hand, squeezing it in a small comfort.
‘It’ll be over before you know it Teylan.
Then we’ve got a lesson after lunch with Alma, you like those’. Teylan looks at her as he nods, still nervous about the next hour they had to spend in under that demons rule.
Tamtey sighs as the automatic doors slide open, making way for the ugly sight of the fighting ring.
‘You’re all late’.
Harding.
The amps stationed by the door push the backs of the remaining navi towards the ring as they line up, as they did last time, in perfect rows. No one dares let out a sound.
Harding saunters in front of them, her metal exoskeleton emitting metallic noises as it extends and recoils. She fixes Tamtey with a cruel smile and So’lek with a warning glance before addressing the entire body.
‘Last session you were let off easy, I’m telling you now that you will not be granted that same leisure today’. The general practically spits as she points a finger at Kiset.
‘Kiset, you were robbed of your opportunity last time’, she flicks her head towards the ring. ‘Get in’.
Kiset practically skips as she turns to select her next victim. Tamtey’s heart begins to race, not for herself but for her family. She prays to be picked, even if out of spite.
‘Ri’nela’.
Harding butchers the pronunciation, pointing a backwards thumb towards the platform.
Tamtey freezes. She never had to deal with this when Bukowski ran these sessions, he would just accept that Ri’nela and Teylan were better suited to gadgets and background work, which he still saw immense value in.
Harding however…
‘I won’t repeat myself’, the General warns as Ri’nela stutters forward, climbing timidly into the ring.
‘Now, are we ok to fight or will it mess up your pretty little beads’. Tamtey’s tail lashes at that, So’lek’s hand coming to her shoulder before meeting her fearful eyes.
So’lek gives her fear straight back. He doesn’t sugar coat the situation, he doesn’t offer words of reassurance. He just feels with her.
Kiset starts towards Ri’nela, hands splayed out at his sides as he emits a toothy grin. Tamtey’s entire body shakes, eyes pricking slightly as she’s powerless to do anything.
Nor joins her side, ‘we have to do something Tamtey’. His voice is just as disturbed as she feels.
Her breath becomes an array of chocked heaves as she watches Kiset close in.
She doesn’t think, a small blink before Tamtey’s there. In front of Ri’nela, having scaled the borders in seconds before blocking Kiset- mid punch. His fist centre meters from her face.
Tamtey plants her feet before shoving him with as much force as she can muster, knocking him into the furthest corner as he groans in pain.
She steps forward with a snarl, ears pinned to her skull, watching as Kiset rises slowly.
Nor takes Ri’nela’s hand from outside the platform, seeking to provide some comfort as So’lek watches Kiset with a stone cold stare. Waiting for him to try something.
Harding lets out an unfeeling laugh as an amp stomps over, reaching for their taser before prodding Tamtey harshly in the back, causing her to cry out before collapsing in a mess of frizzy hair and uneven breaths.
‘Tamtey!’, So’lek’s worried shout barely registers to Tamtey’s shocked senses, her limbs weakened as she stays stationed on the floor.
Ri’nela attempts to go to her, before being pleaded to climb down by an extremely weary Nor.
Tamtey almost collapses as So’lek’s warm palms embrace her shoulders, whispering comforts and affirmations as he checks her over, smoothing out static hair before lifting her face by a hand to her cheek to meet his bright hues.
‘Well isn’t this interesting’. Harding smiles down on them from her watching platform, as if the last stage in her plan had just clicked into place.
‘Our most prized soldiers ending up in a ring together, why didn’t I think of that?’. Tamtey carefully rises on shaken legs, supported by So’lek.
She lets out a small hiss as left over pulses shoot up her spine, causing a slight convulsion before all the electricity finally dissipates from her body.
So’lek continues to support her, looking at nothing but Tamtey’s face even as Harding sneers at them.
‘Kiset, you’ll have to wait until next time. I think these two brats will make a-‘, she pauses at the sight of their joined hands as she lets out a rumbling laugh. ‘Good match’.
All eyes were on them.
She turns to look at So’lek, horrified expressions as they take one step, then another, before lowering their stances in a ready position.
He looks defeated. She looks deflated. They circle each other, Tamtey shaking her head when So’lek gestures for her to hit him first.
She can’t fight So’lek, but she can’t not fight him if they wanted to keep their titles as top soldiers.
They weren’t in it for the special treatment. They were in it for the information- the information Bukowski had them wrapped around his finger with, even if they were immune to his manipulation.
She couldn’t let that valuable key be wasted on navi like Kiset, who wouldn’t use it to help them escape but further nuzzle up to the humans.
She huffs out a breath, shaking out her arms before lunging.