Chapter Text
Rzeka patted Vulture's head as they soared over the tree tops. It'd been a day or so since she'd left the hideout, and yet she couldn't help but linger on what'd happened the morning of.
Miles had been insistent that he did her paint, despite having no idea of the patterning. It was strange since he'd spent the past few months being grumbly. But his hands had been gentle, soft as they'd traced the contours of her body and left the bright paint streaked over her skin. He'd gotten the pattern all but spot on from just photos, except for his addon, handprints over her chest. But the white admittedly looked good; it popped against the oranges and blues.
He'd been less enthusiastic about painting Vulture, leaving that to Rzeka whilst he went back to sulking in the dark of the cave.
The memory clouded her thoughts, fogging the journey and cutting into her quiet rehearsal of her speech. It infuriated her; she was supposed to be doing a job here. Going to talk to the Kekunan clan as The Dreamwalker, and yet she spent the flight over… obsessing over his hands? Rzeka felt a bit weak.
She sighed as Vulture squawked, the sudden sound snapping her from her mind.
"Vulture, what are we looking a-"
Her stomach dropped. Eyes flaring as her breathing stopped.
The village below was in ruins. An acrid scent of smoke and death burned her nostrils, Rzeka's ears pinned back from the deafening silence.
"No… no, no-" Her eyes rapidly searched the ground as Vulture dipped lower and lower with every circle.
Tracks. AMPs too damaged to return. Dead stuck under rubble, human and na'vi-
Vulture landed with a soft bump, Rzeka jumping off and rushing to look around. For survivors. For signs. Stepping around felled ikran and pa'li, bowing her head at their sacrifice. Eywa would welcome them with open skies and lush fields.
As her eyes scanned the scene of tragedy, she spotted the wreckage of a scorpion. Hollowed out from flames, the killing arrow still proudly stood out from the cockpit. It sat strangely in the scorched dirt, like it'd been dragged, and when she drew near, she could see the scraps of rope still remaining on the fractured tail. Ducking down, her constricted pupils widened. In the dark, hidden by the scorpion, were prints.
Pa'li, Na'vi, survivors. Covering their mark so if the sky-people returned, they wouldn't think to follow. Relief choked Rzeka up, a hand coming to wipe her eyes before she turned to Vulture.
"We ride." She said firmly.
Vulture was silent for the duration of the journey, only screeching to announce their arrival to the Tawkami. Rzeka lept from her back the moment the ikran made contact with the ground, ignoring her dramatic rear to step forward.
Black and white paint graced the faces of those she'd failed, and Rzeka's tail lashed around her shins. She could hardly look at the Na'vi, but she refused to bow to her shame. Instead, her gaze turned to the woman approaching her.
"Ni'vera." She said solemnly, raising her hand to her head in greeting. Ni'vera repeated the gesture, bowing her head back.
"Dreamwalker. I am glad to see you. Come." She beckoned a graceful hand, and Rzeka immediately fell into step beside her.
"I wish we could've met in brighter circumstances." Rzeka sighed. A loud, distraught wail merely accentuated her words.
"Would if Eywa could grant such wishes," Ni'vera responded with a shake of her head, the purple and yellow flowers in her hair rustling softly. She gently pushed the flap of a tent aside, and Rzeka walked into the dim space within.
She breathed deeply, the smoky scent of herbs and ointments clearing the scent of death from her nostrils, replacing it with almost the same feeling as nicotine. Her eyes fluttered closed for a second, and she could almost detect the smell of cigarettes and alien flowers. Comfort settled over her heart.
"You come as an ambassador to Toruk Makto, yes?" Ni'vera beckoned her to sit, and Rzeka lowered herself onto the woven mat. Rzeka nodded. One hand came up to smear the paint on her face.
"I did. And I will continue to do so." Rzeka lifted her head, nodding her chin to the outside world. "But, no speech this time. It is not the right moment, not for the Kekunan. If I could just speak to their olo'eyktan or their tsahík-"
"Eywa has taken them back into her arms," Ni'vera shook her head. "The Kekunan will be guided by Tsokol and I until they are ready."
"I'm so sorry. I should've left earlier-"
"And die in the carnage? It was not Eywa's plan, Dreamwalker-"
"Then what is her plan?" Rzeka cut in, her hands reaching out to clasp Ni'vera's. "Tell me, Ni'vera. Guide me."
She blinked, three fingers curling around Reka's wrist for a millisecond before slipping free from her grip.
"I do not know. But, perhaps it is time for you to do what you do best."
Rzeka opened her mouth to retort about the usefulness of animal behaviour, before snapping it shut with a click of her teeth. That was not what The Dreamwalker was known for.
"I suppose it is."
Rzeka sat alone in the tent, breathing deeply as the incense swirled and danced around her. The cigarettes and flowers had faded and had since turned to some iron-stained cologne.
A prickle ran down her back, over her tail and vanished with a flick of the fuzzy tip. He was not who she needed right now.. yet she still yearned for the warmth as the smell left.
Once again, it changed, twisting into more and more as the fog lightened her mind.
Metal and moss, blood and fresh water. Smells of sky-people and Na'vi combined into one, memories of a jarhead and a hunter blurred into view in her mind's eye, and Rzeka saw them. Accepted their knowledge, their anger, their guidance.
Finally, she reached out and plucked a quill from beside her. Filled with neurotoxins, a prick could kill a palulukan. As delicately as she could manage, Rzeka brought it to her hair and gently braided it beside her face. Decorating the strands with beads and a feather, before repeating the actions on the other side of her head.
Quiet. Tranquil. Allowing herself to bathe in the calm before the storm.
The entrance to the tent flung open, and a few young Kekunan warriors came rushing in and surrounded her. Dressed in mourning, a few still carrying injuries from the attack.
"Dreamwalker," The closest spoke first, his eyes hardened with the pain of grief. "You have a plan for the demons, yes?" A hand reached out, pointing at Rzeka. Putting her more on the spot, as if that were possible.
"Yes." She said simply. Not standing, nor even moving to adjust her seat. She stayed relaxed, sitting comfortably in the fog.
"And yet you sit here?! Instead of raising your bow? You came here in the morning, it is almost night-"
"Shiala." The first reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Do not 'Shiala' me, Eyaye. Our people are dead, and this 'great warrior' is sitting."
"I am sitting because I cannot do anything, yet." Finally, Rzeka rose to her feet, towering over the group of Kekunan warriors. "I am waiting for my people's arrival."
"Send your people away. No demon will step foot near our dead." Another cut in from where she stood beside Shiala. Her twists were tied back and out of her face, the bold white stripe down her nose telling Rzeka exactly what she needed to know, that she, too, had lost someone close to her heart.
"Na'vi. Not sky-people. Mansu is leading a band of Zeswa. Sasoon and her Anuri warriors will accompany them, along with the Dog Tag Warrior."
The group relaxed a little, glancing around at each other.
The first spoke up, though. "You plan to storm the demon camp? Are you foolish? The metal birds will tear you apart!"
"Shiala!" Eyaye snapped again, his grip on her shoulder tightening. "Have some respect, the Dreamwalker has a plan. She has destroyed more demon camps than would appear in our nightmares."
"I do." Rzeka nodded, a soft sigh leaving her lips. "I plan to be captured and brought inside."
The warriors surrounding her froze.
Vulture crooned softly as Rzeka secured her armour. The metal plates clinked and shifted as the great beast shook. Hide was the only thing between her and the scavenged metal, and yet Vulture couldn't seem to care less. Her blood was pumping, her mind switched from calm to yearning for blood on her tongue.
"Hungry girl," Rzeka mumbled gently, petting Vulture's crest. The ikran snorted, leaning into her bonded's touch. No matter how bloodlusted she got, Vulture was a sucker for a good scratch.
"Rzeka."
The sound made her jump; she'd never quite gotten used to someone properly saying her name. She turned on her heel, glancing to the approaching Na'vi.
"So'lek! It is good to see you again, brother." Rzeka stuck out her hand, gripping So'lek's forearm as he copied the motion back to her. They shook once and then let go. "I'm so sorry to drag you from the Kinglor forest on such short notice-"
"Do not be. I am happy to tear down another human encampment." So'lek smiled slightly, dropping the expression immediately as he looked around. "And the Kekunan deserve to find solace in the fact that the sky people are driven away."
"The Kekunan will be joining the fight."
"I expect nothing less."
"So, you flew in with Mansu?" She changed the subject after a silent second, looking around at the new arrivals. Zeswa petting their ikran, a few who'd already said goodbye were greeting the local pa'li.
"She gave me a lift. I am not yet ready for a new bonded."
"Of course, ma 'eylan. It's a heavy thing to make a new bond. I'm sure the pa'li charge will appreciate you amongst its ranks."
So'lek nodded, bringing a worn hand up to Rzeka's shoulder.
"Stay safe, Rzeka." He said with a small squeeze.
"Thank you." Her voice softened, just a fraction. "Keep yourself in one piece too. I have a dance fighting bone to pick with you when all this is done."
His hand dropped from her shoulder, and with an old, unwanted bow in her hand, Rzeka mounted Vulture, and the two took off.
The air was quiet as she approached not the base, but a common patrol route around it. The flight was nerve-racking, Rzeka steeling herself for what came next as she lifted a small canteen to her lips. A knockout drink, concocted by Ni'vera to make her crash look more believable.
It hit fast, her heart skipping beats as the world started to twist and turn and fade, right before Vulture dived into the thick mass of trees and Rzeka tumbled off her back.
—
Cold was the first thing she felt as she stirred. She felt lighter, her spare knife and handgun missing. Reka groaned as her eyes blinked open, and all she saw was a bright, white light. Her head twisted away, towards a door. Sealed shut, glass, with a man standing on the other side.
A pair of beady, weasely eyes greeted her, and the first thing Rzeka thought of was Parker. But then she spotted the sandy hair tucked under a military cap, a pinched face, a kind of pink skin. Smiling with whitened teeth at her through the door.
"Oh my god, it's a nonce-" Rzeka sputtered out, blinking off the effects of that drink like a bad hangover.
The man lost the smile. Glancing off to the side to where Rzeka was sure a grunt was stifling giggles. She pulled herself to sit up, rubbing her hands over her head.
"Y'know you've cost Ardmore a pretty penny, traitor," he finally spoke, "and yet, she wants you alive."
"Of course she does." Rzeka gave him a sickly sweet smile, swinging her legs around to sit facing the glass. "And let me guess, if it were up to you, I'd be dead, and my head would be on a pike."
"Maybe less of the head on a pike part." Colton shrugged. "But there is little reason to keep you around besides getting you to divulge whatever knowledge you have kept inside that ugly blue head. A shame, really."
"Shame?"
"I would've liked to do the job myself, but Ardmore says she's got better plans at Bridgehead. You'll get a nice little boat trip in a couple of days. Can keep an eye on those precious Kekunan artefacts."
"Trophies." The smile dropped from her face. "You stole trophies?"
"We want to make our money's worth, traitor. It's useless otherwise."
Rzeka paused for a moment, ears flicking as she thought. Then her expression relaxed, and she sat back with a nonchalant flick of her tail.
"You don't know what you've done.." Her voice trailed off as she looked at his uniform. "...Colton."
"I think I've got a pretty good idea-"
"You know nothing. No clue about the hell you've just created for yourself."
"What? You think their stupid little goddess can do a thing? The hell have you been snorting, Doctor?" Colton was almost laughing, the smile on his face uncomfortable to witness.
"I'm not talking about Eywa, I'm talking about the Na'vi. All the local clans have seen what you've done. You've just pushed a whole lotta people to join the Resistance, and kill every human on sight. Got a big fat "shoot me" target on your back now, Colton."
"Well then. We've got enough arsenal to flatten every single one of their hometrees. If they want to fight, there can be consequences. Shame we can't use you as a message for that."
"Just you wait. You're gonna love what happens next."
Colton snickered, stepping back with a cruel grin. "Yes. I will."
Rzeka watched him go, biting back her fury. She had to save it for later.
—
It'd been a day. And quite frankly, Rzeka had grown bored. There were only so many times she could pace back and forth in this tiny room, or complain loudly to whoever was guarding her that the lights were too bright and then too dim, the room was too hot or too cold, and just how badly the bench hurt her back.
She kicked her legs in the air, tray spinning once, twice, almost three times before it bounced off the ball of her foot and clattered to the ground. She groaned, sitting up and stretching her still-bound hands in front of her.
The current guard was quiet. Didn't like speaking and didn't like hearing from Rzeka, which was fine with her. She'd used the last of her words with the guy before. Trying to make him talk about scuttlebutt or the base had bitten her in the ass, and she'd spent basically half an hour listening to him talk about the bracelet his sister had made him. Quite frankly, Rzeka couldn't be fucked to remember much; she didn't exactly want to humanise him if she ran into the guy again. What was his name? Jack? Jay? Jeff?
She huffed. Nevermind. He didn't need a name. He didn't need to be a person. Though he did have nice eyes. Pretty, a softness in his gaze. Didn't have the soul for blood, the fool.
After a second, Rzeka picked the tray back up. Tossing it into the air a few times, before flinging it backwards with as much strength as she could. She heard the fizz of electricity from the camera behind her and let out a loud groan.
"Oh, shit, my bad. Hope that wasn't expensive." She looked over her shoulder before looking back to the door. The grunt off to the side let out a loud huff, stepping to stand in front of the door.
"You damn well did that on purpose," the woman snarled.
"Oh, don't be stupid, why'd I lose my tray on purpose, it was the only thing I had!"
"I don't know, to irritate me? That's all you do, whinge and moan and break things!" The grunt turned to face away from the glass.
"Well, you fucked up pretty badly if you didn't want me to break things."
"Really? How so?"
Rzeka slammed her wrists down onto her knee, snapping the plastic cuffs as she pulled her arms apart.
"You left my gauntlets on."
She rushed forward, not hesitating as her hand shattered through the glass. She ignored the sting of impact to instead grab the face of the grunt, her grip slightly snapping the plastic of her exopack as she rammed her hand back again and again, smashing the woman's head into the glass until smears of red appeared and the yell cut off. Two more slams, then Rzeka dropped the body.
She reached around, pressing the screen beside the door. It slid open smoothly, causing Rzeka to sigh as she stepped out of the room.
"Shitty security," she grumbled, crouching to adjust the body into a more comfortable position. "Sleep."
Quietly, Rzeka crept down the hallway.
Her heart pounded as she made her way through the base, keeping low and quiet as she snuck past the more populated areas. Maintenance vents were her main go-to, softly thudding through the human-sized boxes as she made her way to control. Rzeka had timed it well; she'd heard snippets of people talking about chow. Defence control should be a bit emptier at the very least. Empty enough for her to handle it with a grunt-sized knife.
The hiss of maintenance doors sliding open felt almost too loud as she crawled into the hallway. One person. Swaggering down the hall, back to her. She swallowed, closing her eyes for a second. Opening them, The Dreamwalker swiftly crept forwards, ramming the small knife into the back of their neck. She caught them the second they collapsed, and tucked their body into a curled-up position behind a few boxes.
She kept moving forward.
Defence control had been mostly empty, just two guys who were swiftly taken care of. The venom came in handy, although the bloodied bile was disgusting to step over. The quills were gone; they should've had more uses, but she didn't have time to pry them from the thick necks of the officers.
Instead, Rzeka took their keys, letting herself into the system and doing whatever it took to shut down the turrets and flak cannons. She heard a screech outside and let out a small chuckle. The songs of war, headed by none other than Vulture.
She looked up, catching sight of a sniper being hauled off by the beast, his legs dropping to the ground below.
Rzeka opened as many doors and gates as she could next, before grabbing a chair and slamming it into the consoles. Screens shattering, electrics sparking, unrepairable.
She glanced to the window once more, watching as the comms radio right next to the glass exploded. Sassoon's ikran soared past soon after.
She turned on her heel and bolted out the door.
—
"GRAHH!"
Her hand pierced the glass of an AMP suit's cockpit, wrist stinging at the shock, but she drew back and punched again, hearing something of the pilot's crack under her knuckles.
She was panting, paint slightly smudged from the sweat of battle. Her ears twitched at the sound of footsteps, but she took too long to register it before something burned in her left leg. She yelled again, launching herself off the AMP suit and towards the offender. It took two lopsided steps to reach the grunt, and struck them once in the exopack at their hip. The metal crushed, they started to gasp, but Rzeka couldn't care. She limped on, furiously fighting her way to control.
She dug one daphophet out of her recovered pack, juice spilling down her chin as she hurried to eat it. The pain dulled, and Rzeka continued her war path.
Na’vi warriors had breached the building. Those brave enough to fight in metal traps would find their way to the motorpool, to the pile of their artefacts waiting to go home. But recovery was not her goal.
Doors let her to hallways, twisting and turning as she moved on. Rzeka would tear this place to pieces and add Colton's teeth to her collection. At the very least, she'd already defanged his second in command, so today was not without her marker.
Another door opened, and she could see command ahead. But Rzeka stopped in her tracks.
A man lay on the floor, clutching his side, barely up enough to hold his arms up in surrender.
"Dreamwalker- don't-" he said in broken Na'vi, his voice strained with pain.
"Don't bother. I speak English." Her voice was cold, and she stuck her pinkie up as she moved over to him.
"I know, but-"
"Then why bother with the Na'vi?" Her ear flicked, golden eyes focused more on his wound than the terror written all over him. "You.. Pretty eyes. Callon."
Rzeka rolled her eyes at the astonishment on his face, grabbing his hand and lifting it. Shot . . . and by a bullet. No, this wasn't right. Why had he been shot? He was one of them. Yet, no Na'vi had breached here yet, and only one of them had a gun. Rzeka knew that So'lek wouldn't aim here.
"Strange.." She murmured. She looked back at Jace's face. His skin slowly paled as his eyes locked onto her. Rzeka rose to her feet, her decision sealed before she'd made her mind up. She grabbed the nearest med pack, bringing it over and hurriedly attending to the wound.
"Stop fighting." She hissed as he tensed up and groaned in pain.
"Couldn't you be nicer with that- AURGH-" He yelled as she packed the bullet hole.
"I could, yes." Rzeka didn't change.
She tied the bandages around his chest tightly, practically restricting his breathing, before she scooped him up in her arms like a child. Rzeka was about to begin stumbling to control before she was stopped by a shout.
"Dreamwalker!"
She turned on her heels, glancing back at the two Kekunan warriors catching up to her. Shiala and her friend.
"What are you doing!" the friend said quickly, her eyes narrowing in fury at the sight of the human in her arms.
"There's something wrong with this one-" Rzeka started as Jace looked over at the Na’vi.
"Clearly, it is still alive!" she retorted.
"Zau'we, wait- I know this one," Shiala suddenly and unexpectedly cut in, putting her arm out before hurriedly stepping forwards. "The one I spared when I was scouting. I know his strange eyes . . . only his."
Rzeka nodded. "He was shot.. by a sky-person."
"They don't even spare the blood of their own kind." Zau'we spat, and Rzeka nodded in agreement. Shiala frowned, looking him over.
"This happened for a reason. I want to know why," Rzeka looked down at Jace, with his wide eyes locked onto Shiala. "But, his fate is yours to determine."
Zau'we slowly drew her knife, but Shiala's face told of a different intent.
"We should keep him," her voice was measured, an angry bitterness restrained behind a cautious curiosity. "He may help us get the rest of those who defiled our home."
After a long moment, Zau'we sheathed her knife. Her eyes lingered on Shiala, the fury still in her gaze. "Fine."
Rzeka held him out to the two after a second. "Take him. Warn the others. I shall burn this place down to the ground."
Shiala slung her bow over her shoulder, taking Jace into her arms and, with a curt nod, the two ran from Rzeka's sight.
Rzeka turned and limped into the control room. It was empty, but she didn't need keys for this.
—
The aircon was off, everywhere. The ventilation was completely shut down and funnelling heat to where there was some very sensitive machinery still remaining. Rzeka stepped back, watching as the system started to fail, red popping up on every screen in the room. The alarm rang in her ears, automatic PA ordering an evacuation, for everyone to abandon their posts.
And then it went dark. It'd grown too hot for the generators. The power was off, and Rzeka's face dropped. She rushed to the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"No- no NO! OPEN, OPEN THE DOOR!" She screamed, fingers digging into the seam where the two doors met. But nothing.
Over her panic, she was greeted by a strong smell. Blood and metal. A hint of moss. In the corner of her eye, she caught an RDA uniform, Hell's Gate issue. A man clutching the desks like he was bracing for impact.
Rzeka chose to trust him, the vision vanishing the second he left her peripheral, but it didn't matter. She ran to the desks, clutched the sides, and heard the first few explosions. A loud, long screech of metal giving up broke through the bangs, and the control tower started to lean.
Another explosion rocked the tower as it creaked over, breaking most of the panes on the large window to her side. She could taste the smoke outside, feel her death coming closer by the second.
Before she could close her eyes and accept it, something broke through the glass.
Talons tore at the consoles, a loud squark almost bursting her eardrums as Vulture struggled for purchase. Rzeka didn't hesitate, letting go of a console and catching herself on Vulture's saddle. The second she had a secure grip, the ikran took off, back through the glass, rising through the smoke and to the clear skies above.
Rzeka pulled herself to sit on Vulture properly, one hand clutching the beast's leg and the other waving in the air in victory. She screamed, a laugh bursting through her chest. Vulture let out a song in response and then whacked Rzeka's side with a kuru. Ah, right, the bond.
—
Whoops and hollers came from outside, music cutting through the night as the clans partied. Rzeka sat inside, having made herself quite comfortable with a newly bandaged thigh. She'd just come back from dance fighting, losing quite sorely to So'lek once more. Rzeka crunched quietly through some sweet candied berries, eyes locked on the human sitting opposite her.
"...You doing that to make me uncomfortable?" He asked after a second, a little nervously.
"No. I'm hungry. You want some? Shellfruit is human safe." Rzeka held out the bowl, giving it a small shake.
"I'll uh, I'll pass." Jace looked around, glancing outside. His right hand seemed to permanently rest on his bandages. Almost guarding his wound.
"Alright. There'll be food for you tomorrow then." She shrugged, quickly stuffing a few more into her mouth.
"What's happening to me tomorrow?"
"You're coming back with me."
Rzeka watched his worried expression, sighing softly.
"Ease up, Jake."
"Jace."
"Sorry. Just ease up, Jace. You'll come back with me. Answer a few questions."
Jace reached up to scratch at his head, still watching outside. His eyes almost locked onto the Na'vi dance fighters.
"Those Na'vi, are they coming?"
"Shiala and Zau'we? Yeah, they demanded to come with. So did Eyaye."
"Eyaye?"
"You'll meet him later."
Quiet settled between the two for a long moment before Rzeka got up and left for some water.
Upon returning, she found him asleep, passed out where he sat. Rzeka limped over, adjusted him to lie down with a pillow under his head, and patted his side. He needed his strength for the interrogations.
Rzeka left the tent, instead shuffling outside to go and talk to her friends again.