Philosophies

"Hi," a male voice was heard behind Grace, causing her to turn around quickly, the same time as she placed her hand on her hip as if she was going to take a dagger, apparently as an involuntary movement.

"They taught you well, that muscle reflex is not an easy thing to learn," the man told her, apparently he had seen where her hand went.

"Yes... they did" Grace replied, then turned her gaze back to the metal fence that protected the periphery of Hell's Gate, a place Grace looked at long ago, watching as the branches of the trees swayed in the breeze, along with the beautiful sunset over the jungle canopy, being lost in thought.

"You know, I'm the same as you too, feeling like I don't belong here" That made Grace look at the man again, noting his tired look, his conflicted gaze, and his peculiar wheelchair.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just learning from them, it's what I've always wanted, whatever else you're referring to, it's the ravings of a cripple" Grace replied in a scathing and cutting tone.

"Ouch" let Jake express, but from his face, it was clear that he was not affected by Grace's comment, "Even if you deny it, you, like me, know very well that our decisions from now on are in conflict, Pandora and Earth, what a difficult decision."

"Over there I heard that you are finally part of the clan, that you even have a Thanator for a mount," Jake said with the impression, and sure enough, from his first encounter with one, he knew they were creatures best left alone, and then when he found out how the Subaiya not only did not do so, but that their warriors rode Thanators on their own, but their warriors rode the fearsome beasts was a shock to him, still remembering that warrior who came to the Omaticaya clan on the beast, and how everyone revered him for it and, now, in front of Jake, was a woman, who had managed to tame one, and with that, gaining the support and respect of her tribe in the process.

Grace just nodded her head, as a small proud smile broke out on her lips; "Yes, I did, it was part of my initiation" she started to say, "you should have seen their faces, full of respect and brotherhood, it made me feel loved, protected, I felt like I had always been predetermined to belong to them" she said, and then continued to puff on her cigarette.

"Now that you are part of the Subaiya clan, Quaritch will want you to give him information about the clan, their organization, their troops, their power, everything, you are the first person to be accepted by the Subaiya clan, he will not pass up the opportunity to have information, information he could use to take them down if they turn on us"

"Let him try, and he will know a power he cannot face, if he knows what is good for him, he will know that a victory against the Subaiya is not possible" Grace replied, as she hardened her gaze.

"He may not achieve an outright victory but, one strike in a critical place, and it will all come crashing down" Jake stressed, making a very apt point.

"Subaiya exterminated the collectors, and they were more militarized than whatever Quaritch might have, so what makes you think Subaiya can't handle the RDA?" reminded Grace, as she puffed out her chest a little.

She was proud of that, even more so knowing the full story once she was able to talk to the young clan once they took her into their confidence, and what a great story it was, sure, Aleyx did get help after the tribe's warriors thanks to her father, who was Olo'eyktan at the time but, not to forget that practically the battle they had been fighting for what could have been over half an hour with only five hundred warriors willing to fight Aleyx when her father at first refused.

"I'm not saying they might not be able to against the RDA" Jake hastened to say, holding up his hands in surrender; "but" he went on to say; "you as well as I know that even if the Na'Vi drive the humans out of Pandora, the people of earth will not want to leave things like this, they will return, and yes, it may take several years, decades even, but they will, and maybe stronger, that alone will lead to an eternal war, in which there will be nothing left of Pandora once it is over."

Grace's frown could only deepen further, as she analyzed Jake's words, yes, it was true, humans were that petty and destructive, one only needed to see the base to realize how much smoke and toxic fumes billowed into the sky every day, or how on the grounds of the base the wonderful wildlife of Pandora refused to enter.

"I just know that when the time comes, I will be ready, I have come to love Pandora too much, Eywa... My CLAN, to not fight for HIM when my Olo'eyktan calls me" Grace said, as she looked at Jake with a determined and firm gaze, leaving Jake surprised, especially at how Grace had changed during all those months since she was accepted into the Subaiya clan.

"It's too early to tell, but I think I'll be the same, besides, in a few days I'm going to the Hallelujah mountains, my initiation will end that day, I don't know if you can, if you're allowed in your clan, but I would like you to be with me."

That surprised Grace, who stood for several seconds analyzing the proposal, sure, the Subaiya were very territorial, but they did not refuse contact with other tribes, unless the former wanted to, of course, so meeting Omaticaya members presented no problem for Grace, especially now that she could close very long distances in a short time with the help of her new friend.

"Count on it, I had to establish a bond with an Ikran anyway".