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Disclaimer: Blah, Blah, Blah. I don't own Avatar; James Cameron does. All the Avatar stuff belongs to him. However, my Na'vi character, myself, the Dragon Weyr and its technologies, and the Pandoran animals of my menagerie are all mine. The Protoss - apart from my characters - all belong to Blizzard Entertainment.

Pandora's Templar

A Work-In-Progress Story by Coranth Dehanae

Chapter 7

(Continued from Chapter 6...)

I, Txe'lan and the Dragon Weyr, took Clan Tawkami under our collective wings and did our very best to teach the Na'vi everything we could. Never did we patronize the Na'vi or treat them like children; we treated them as the equals to us that they were and educated them not by putting them in a classroom all day, but by orating wondrous stories and songs, and by showing and doing the lessons we were teaching, with them! Via the Dragon Weyr's incredible Psiodeck I instructed the warriors and hunters of Tawkami in both Human and Protoss martial arts. Even the most standoffish of Clan Tawkami's warriors could not help but be awed when they were being instructed within the quiet serenity of a Japanese Dojo or Protoss Citadel, not only by me, but also by many of the best Teachers from human and protoss history and present!

'Hard' Psionic Energy they might have been, but their personalities - drawn from real times and given life through the matrices of the Psiodeck - were very, very real--more than one warrior was given the shock of his life as he was taught a rather hard lesson for scoffing at Sun Tzu, General Hong Hi Choi, In Shik Hwang, Ralph Castro, my Father Ar'Adun Teth, Fenix, Benares and other figures. These lessons I taught to the Warriors, they in turn taught to the Healers. Martial arts weren't the only thing I taught, however. During the days when I wasn't teaching the warriors, I took the Healers and Healer Apprentices of Clan Tawkami into the Clinic, where I taught them about the Dragon Weyr's Autodoc and how they might assist the Dragon Weyr with its use, or use it manually when the great Nexus couldn't.

I also tutored the Clan's Healers and Apprentices in the use of 'modern' healing and medicinal practices. Additionally, I often took them on 'walkabout' throughout the clearing in which the Dragon Weyr resided and the surrounding lands, where I would teach them battlefield and Pandoran veterinary medicine. These lessons I taught to the Healers, were in turn taught by them to the Warriors. Soon, almost every Na'vi within the Clan gained an animal companion for life through use of these techniques, and said animals varied greatly! Orphaned Ikran Chicks and Nantang Cubs, Pa'li and Yerik both young and old, Fkio, Prolemuris... even Palulukan Cubs and a baby Hammerhead Titanothere swelled the ranks of the Menagerie!

As the Menagerie grew, so too did the Dragon Weyr; the Nexus and its many simple pens and nests evolved into a great Homestead for I, my Clan, and our animal friends. There had been some objection to the creation of the Homestead, of course, because the Na'vi didn't believe in holding animals captive. One could argue that the bond of Tsaheylu was a form of captivity but in fairness, no Pa'li or Ikran was ever fenced in or restrained by traditional Na'vi. Free to come and go as they chose; their relationship with their humanoid keepers was more of a familial one than a master and pet dynamic. This, I explained to my Clan, was how it would be at the Homestead.

Its various buildings were not meant for holding animals 'captive'; rather, they were places where animals might find shelter from the elements, protection from threats, and the best medical care that could be given. Many of the animals there were ones that Falkor, I, and members of the Clan, had brought to the Homestead for healing. During their medical treatment, the Dragon Weyr had influenced them such that they would not attack or prey upon each other, and after said treatment they had chosen to stay, having found that living at the Homestead was a much better life than living 'in the wild.' Of course, there were other animals there who - perhaps influenced by Eywa herself - had actually sought us out; Mothers of every species whom were nearing labor and wished to birth and raise their young in a safe place, and those wild animals whom were sick, elderly, or simply curious.

No matter their circumstances, no animal was ever turned aside; on the contrary, the Dragon Weyr welcomed them all. Filled with life - and able to serve its function as home and fortress like never before - the great Nexus thrived and its influence and sheer happiness could be felt everywhere, throughout it, and the lands over which it surveyed. Of course, as the Dragon Weyr evolved, Txe'lan too was kept busy as she taught the Weavers and Craftsmen of Tawkami about the great Nexus, the beauty and terror of Science, and the wonders and pitfalls of Technology. Those she educated were taught how to use the Dragon Weyr's great Psi-Forge, and upon it they made woven psi-steel 'cloth', jewelry, weapons, and even minor cybernetic enhancements that would assist with their everyday lives.

Items made by the Weavers and Craftsmen were gifted to their new Olo'eyktan, Tsa'hiks San'eya and Txe'lan, and their Clan Brothers and Sisters. As their old wood, stone, and leather works began to wear, said items were gradually replaced, and soon, nearly every Na'vi sported a taparrabo of psi-steel weave as well as a mighty psi-steel bow, spear, club, or axe! Additionally, those whom opted to have the correct cybernetics installed were amazed and viewed the Dragon Weyr with ever more awe and reverence when they made Tsaheylu with the great construct and discovered that it was a living thing! The children, too, came to adore the Dragon Weyr, and everyone especially loved its Psiodeck; the Clan called it swotu unil - the sacred place of dreams - for when lessons were ended for the day, it was within the Psiodeck that we all would sit at night with our animal companions, around a Mreki u'lito, a Fire Pit, in the Australian Outback.

There, by light of star and flame, we all would bring stories from Tawtute, Pro'tx'oss, and Na'vi legend to life! Although we educated the Clan we held steadfast to our Oaths; we never forced our ways and knowledge upon those who did not desire to learn, and did not ever try to 'modernize' them or interfere with their way of life at all. The Na'vi of Clan Tawkami lived as they always had - they retained their unity, simplicity, and their strong connection to Eywa and the land - and yet... They now had a connection with and revered Txra'kon We'er, too, and they readily embraced things such as hot showers at the end of a long day of hunting, new knowledge of how Eywa made things the way they were, and of course, 'modern' versions of their traditional tools and weapons.

As Txe'lan and I educated our Clan, in turn, they educated - and in Txe'lan's case reeducated - us; they taught us of the land and Eywa, of hunting and crafting techniques, of ancient healing and medicinal arts, of weaving, leatherworking, and so much more... Even the Dragon Weyr was educated - it learned through us - and its archives and computer processes became filled with a wealth of knowledge and data the likes of which the great construct had never known before! During our education by the Na'vi of Clan Tawkami, one thing I noticed - and greatly appreciated - was the fact that didn't try to make us 'go native'; they didn't, for example, force me to stop wearing my human clothing or try to lure Txe'lan away from technology.

Instead, they simply accepted that their new Olo'eyktan... was Tawtute... and had taught his ways and methods to one of the people. Their honesty and acceptance of how Txe'lan and I chose to live - even if they might have found our ways somewhat strange at times - almost brought tears to my eyes on occasion. My reign as the new Olo'eyktan of Clan Tawkami wasn't perfect, however; nothing ever is. Sometimes my people didn't always agree with some of the decisions I made, and sometimes I didn't always agree with theirs. Sometimes beliefs, ideas and ideologies clashed, especially when Txe'lan - Tsa'hik of the Dragon Weyr - and San'eya - Tsa'hik of Eywa - would enter debates that sometimes turned argumentative, before becoming verbal assaults.

When this happened, and the abuse became too much for either Tsa'hik to bear, Txe'lan would retreat deep into her haven within the Dragon Weyr's crystalline computer core to commune with the great Nexus, whilst San'eya would leave the Weyr and retreat into the surrounding forest in order to commune with Eywa. Soon afterwards, however, both Tsa'hiks would usually return to the Weyrheart to resume such debates with clearer heads, and they would often include me in them such that I could mediate between them to avoid things once more getting out of hand. The worst time of my reign, was when Elder Ekevu - the man whom had first protested against my offer to the Clan of building materials - chose to leave us. Ekevu was a stoic traditionalist; he and I had debated and clashed over many things, and he felt unable to walk the new path his old Clan had set foot on.

Therefore, along with twenty four other Na'vi who supported him, he chose to leave in order to found, or join, another Clan. During the time I had known him, he and I had grown to respect each other as brothers; I respected him for his near-endless knowledge and wisdom of Eywa, Na'vi culture and Clan politics, and he respected me for the things I had done for all the children of Eywa, and my knowledge of advanced science, technology, and medicine. Thus, his leaving was not fuelled with hatred, or violence; instead, we embraced each other, shedding tears of mourning as those who stood with him embraced their kin. "You... you know that Txra'kon We'er is always open to you, ma tsmukan, should you ever choose to return. You and those who stand with you will always be welcome, here!" I choked through my tears.

"I... I know, ma Olo'eyktan. Irayo." he replied, his own golden eyes misty. And then, that was that; Ekevu and his followers left the Dragon Weyr upon a herd of wild Pa'li. As they left, however, I raced out of the Weyr, and raised my hands to cup my mouth. "EKEVU," I cried, "EYWA NGAHU, MA TSMUKAN!" As the herd raced away into the surrounding forests, just before I lost sight of them, I heard Ekevu shout, "WE'ER NGAHU!" Then, my brother in all but blood was gone. Overcome with loss, I collapsed to my knees and wept softly, my tears staining the earth. I'm not sure how long I stayed there - it might have been minutes, or it might have been hours - but eventually, I felt a hand touch my shoulder.

Raising my head, I turned to see the great warrior Lompor crouched beside me, his Prolemuris companion, as always, perched atop his shoulder. Behind him, looking on in sorrow stood the rest of the Clan and their animals, along with Falkor, Miracle, and the Pack. Blinking, Lompor heaved a weary sigh. "Ekevu was a good man, ma tsmukan," he said. "He was," I replied. "Although he and I clashed on many occasions, I always thought of him as a brother, and no matter what the situation, I always listened to his advice and wisdom... even if I sometimes didn't agree with it. He was a valued member of this Clan." At that, Lompor nodded. "He will be missed by all of us," he responded. With those words, we all returned to the sanctuary of the Dragon Weyr. That night we held a celebration in honor of Ekevu and what he had contributed to the Clan; as Sa'nok looked on, we told stories of his deeds as a great hunter, we sang of his deeds as a warrior, and we danced, and feasted to honor him. After that... well, our lives continued, my Clan and I working together to gradually weave a balance between the old, and the new.