Chapter Text
Dr. Ryland Grace sat beside Rocky and Houston in Mission Control. His stomach clenched with nerves as he watched the texture screen. Erid was attempting its first space expedition since the astrophage crisis, endeavoring to land a small crew on Twoworld. Grace could see the light-camera footage transmitting directly from the lander. They were hovering precariously above Twoworld’s rocky plain.
[♩Mission Control, we are 200 meters above the planet’s surface.♩]
♩Heard. You are clear to land at the best opportunity.♩ Houston replied.
Grace crossed his fingers and his toes. His heart pounded in his chest. The Eridian people couldn’t afford another disaster in space. They needed a win.
[♩100 meters… 50 meters…♩]
Grace squeezed Rocky’s hand.
It was as if Rocky read his mind. ♬They will not crash. They are well-trained.♬
“Yeah, Rock. I hope—“
♩Houston, we have a problem.♩ Someone off to the side spoke up, urgency in her voice.
♩What is it, question? The lander sounds fine from over here.♩
Sally, one of the communications officers, tapped her fists together. ♩Not with them. I am getting a signal from Procyon.♩
♩Record it. We will listen to it after the crew begins returning home. Or at least as soon as they are settled.♩
♩Yes, sir.♩
♩Could it be humans, question?♩ A different person asked.
The collective “gaze” of the Eridians shifted to Grace, who cleared his throat.
♫Do I sound like a human communication expert, question?♫ He whistled.
Houston tilted his carapace in the Eridian equivalent of a Look.
♫I do not think it is humans. Humans travel not that far from Earth. If it is humans, they did not tell me they are going to Procyon. It is very far for them.♫ He had graduated to producing two tones at a time by vocalizing and whistling simultaneously, but he still sounded like a tiny pebble. Thankfully, the vast majority of Eridian languages could be spoken perfectly well with a shorthand version using just two or three tones to allow for multiple simultaneous conversations, as was common.
♩Fair point.♩ The person conceded.
[♩Twoworld to Erid. We have landed successfully! Permission to prepare for EVA, question?♩]
♩Yes. Permission granted.♩ Houston replied a little too quickly.
[♩Problems on the ground, question?♩]
♩No. Nothing that affects your mission. We have Grace-savior handling it.♩
“We do…?” Grace sat up awkwardly, not expecting to be put on the spot. “I thought we were waiting.”
♩We need to understand what it is before the crew begins to worry. Please go listen to the message.♩
Grace stood with complaining knees and shuffled over to Sally’s station. He’d gotten xenonite knee replacements a few years ago but he still had some soreness. He hunkered down by the Eridian.
♫Alright, show me.♫
Sally obliged and played the recording.
It was a familiar voice speaking in accented English.
“This is Akha Susutek. When you receive this message, I will probably be dead and gone. At the time of recording, we are in Procyon’s orbit. We will probably be completely out of your stellar neighborhood when you listen to this. Unfortunately, we have a favor to ask of you. Three explorers have gone missing during an expedition in Rigil Kentaurus. They were exploring one of the moons of the fourth planet in the system. The local peoples call it Eywa’eveng. I have included all of our data about the moon with this recording. Please telegraph us as soon as you can. Leyol’s father was one of the explorers. I hope you will help, but my people understand if you don’t.”
Grace stared at the texture screen when the message ended. “Rock… We’re going to Alpha Centauri.”
♬We are not going!♬
Grace watched as Rocky paced and stomped around his living room.
“We should. It’s the right thing to do.”
♬I do not care! They hurt you! They hurt both of us! I should have vaporized them.♬
“I’m sure glad you didn’t. Sometimes people do bad things. We need to rise above that. You need to stop threatening people. You almost hurt out chances of diplomacy by threatening the Galen’s delegation.”
♬They scared you!♬
“Yeah, because I hadn’t seen another real human in decades! It wasn’t their fault.”
♬Nobody gets away with hurting ot scaring my Grace! Not even Erid!♬
Grace could see literal steam come out of Rocky’s vents. “What are you talking about? Those crazy people who tried to kidnap me? I’m still not okay with you killing them, but I get why you did.”
Rocky stilled, wringing two hands. ♬No… Something else…♬
“What happened?”
♬Forget it.♬
“No. Tell me what you’re talking about.”
Rocky sighed, producing more steam. ♬Do you remember when we first arrived to Erid, question?♬
“Not really… I remember seeing the planet but everything else is fuzzy. I’m pretty sure half of my memories from that time are starvation dreams.”
♬When I contacted Erid and told them about you and what happened, they hesitated to help you.♬
“I mean, fair enough. Taking care of a dying alien is a big task.”
♬You are not an alien! Not to me! Not to Erid!♬
“I literally am, but it’s fine.”
♬It is not fine! They did not want to help you even though you saved them! They wanted the taumoeba first.♬
“We already seeded Threeworld on the way though.”
♬They did not know that. I said they needed to help you first, THEN I will give them the taumoeba.♬
“You threatened Erid?! Oh my god!” Grace slumped his head into his hands. “I can’t… Why do they like us?? You threatened them!”
Rocky waved a dismissive hand at him. ♬It was a miscommunication. They were always going to help you, but they wanted the taumoeba first. When I explained about Threeworld, all was resolved.♬
“You need to stop threatening people! One of these days, your temper is gonna bite you in the ass!”
♬I do not have an ass to be bitten!♬ He sassed.
♬What are you arguing about, question?♬ Adrian stepped into the room, carrying a box. ♬I brought gifts from the Xenobotany Hive. The potatoes are doing really well. I have coconuts, mangoes, potatoes, chives, and lettuce. I think I will make you something nice.♬
“Thanks, Adrian. Umm… We have something to ask you…”
♬Grace! We are not going!♬ Rocky hissed.
“We probably are. If Adrian lets us.”
♬Going where, question?♬ Adrian asked, putting the food away. Her xenonite suit glinted in the light.
“Alpha Centauri, specifically an inhabited moon orbiting Alpha Centauri A. It’s a long trip, about twenty years planetside.”
Adrian stiffened and slammed two fists together. ♬Absolutely not!♬
“But—“
♬You are not going anywhere without me!♬ She insisted.
“Are you sure? You’re not trained. It…”
♬I will learn. I am coming with you or you are not going.♬
“Okay.”
Rocky raised his hands and danced. ♬Adrian is coming! Family road trip!♬
‘Ängktsik te Ruka Ka’sem’ite clung to her father’s waist, the wind whipping her sparse hair. She leaned her cheek against his painted back, the comforting scent of his ashy paint filling her nose.
“Tsahìk Varang won’t know, right?”
“Of course not, my spark.”
She wrapped her arms tighter as his ikran descended towards the lush forest canopy. The ground was illuminated with glowing patterns of color. Chief among them were the pink tendrils of Eywa’s speaking trees. The ikran landed softly, twigs and leaf litter crunching under its claws. ‘Ängktsik slid down its wing, marveling at the beauty of the tree. Her ear twitched as her father came to stand beside her.
“We need to hurry.”
“Right, sorry.” She broke her gaze away from the tree and approached it. She remembered doing this only once before, when she was little. She trailed her hand along her rough braid until she reached its end. She lifted it and allowed the tendrils of her kuru to wrap around a pink vine.
She stood in the middle of the forest, sunlight through the leaves and bathing the ground in dappled light. A woman stepped out from behind a tree. She appeared to be carrying something.
“Mom!” ‘Ängktsik ran and hugged her.
The woman, Kataru, smiled and embraced her child. She crouched down and cupped ‘Ängktsik’s cheek with a hand. “You’ve gotten so big. How old are you now?”
‘Ängktsik held up all of her fingers. “This much! I’m getting my first piercings soon. Right here!” She pointed to a spot on her shoulder.
“Are you now? I’m so proud of you.” She glanced at Ka’sem with an expression ‘Ängktsik didn’t understand. “Oh, look, you have a little sister.” She caressed the baby in her arms. “Her name is Aha’ri.”
“Will she come live with the Mangkwan too? It’d be so cool to have a little sister around!”
“Ah, no. I’m sorry. She’ll be with me and the other Sarentu.”
Ka’sem spoke up. “Which clan are you staying with?”
Kataru shook her head. “You know I won’t be telling you that, Ka’sem.”
‘Ängktsik glanced between them. “We can’t come visit? Remind me why I don’t live with the Sarentu again.”
Ka’sem sighed. “You’ve heard this story. Varang knew your strength at first sight. The flames told her you would be a powerful warrior, so she instructed that you stay with us. It is her will. She even opted to overlook your mark.”
Kataru hissed. “That’s not the full story and you know it, Ka’sem! I was going to raise you with the Sarentu. When you were as old as Aha’ri is now, we were caught in the middle of a Mangkwan attack on the Tlalim. They spared us because Ka’sem is your father, but only on the condition that you live with him and that we never speak again...”
“Or else I’ll have to kill you…” ‘Ängktsik finished. “But I don’t want to kill you. But…” Her tail flicked and she squirmed.
“You won’t have to. Not if we only meet through Eywa like this. She will protect us.”
“Eywa isn’t alive, mom. It’s not a person. It’s just plants.”
Kataru sighed, resigned. “Of course, my little fire-seed. Be safe. Please.” She turned to look up at Ka’sem again. “Do not let any harm come to her. I don’t care if she must become one of your clan’s metal crafters, just keep her safe.”
“All Mangkwan are warriors, ma Kataru. Even our crafters must provide meat and resources for the clan. But I will make sure she is well-prepared.”
“Mom… Why are you crying?” ‘Ängktsik touched the tears pooling under Kataru’s eyes.
“I’m just… so proud of you, baby. Be good, okay?”
“Okay.”
‘Ängktsik pulled her kuru off of the tree’s tendril. She watched as her father did the same. “Is mother angry with me?”
“No, she is just… Her people tell her to hate our ways, but she loves you.”
“Do you love me?”
“Of course I do, my little ember. Now we must bring home dinner, or else the clan will wonder why we left.”
“Can we have yerik?”
“If we can find one. Got your bow?”
“Always.”
“Then you will do the hunting. I will watch.”
“Okay!” She ran off into the forest, heart pumping in her ears. She was going to hunt! ‘Ängktsik climbed up into a tree and stalked along the branches, taking her bow from its position around her torso. It was a smaller version of the adults’ Y-shaped bows. It was decorated with paint and shards of crude metal and obsidian.
Ka’sem joined her in the tree shortly after. “We’re taking it home, so aim for the stomach to slow it down. We don’t want it dead until we get back to the clan.”
“Right.” She pricked her ears and strained for any sounds of yerik. Her ear twitched and she nocked an arrow. There! She pulled back and let the arrow fly, striking a wandering yerik in its flank. It fell with an anguished cry.
“Good job, my spark! Now let’s take it back home and show everyone what a skilled hunter you are.”