LOG-033.There were…significantly more stares this time around, at least when compared to the last time I’d landed near the anchor points of the Tlalim fleet. Whereas before I’d gotten a fair few looks for my complexion, or the occasional muttered word at my distinctly alien companions, now I found myself surrounded by several outriders, most of them staring incredulously at the pair of significantly less subtle neural links sticking out of my head, seeing as they were currently hooped up to the twinmoon beneath me.“Tsahìk Opal!”It was somewhat amusing, watching Lyle and Davids try to keep up with me as I smoothly switched to speaking Na’vi, waving a hand at the bald wind trader moving towards us from where he’d dismounted his ikran.“Trader Johann. It is nice to see you again!”The older man stared up at me for a long moment, planting his hands at either side of his waist. Then he let out a long breath, gesturing at me with his hand and turning around.“Come, I will lead you to the holding ship. Many will be curious as to how exactly you’re doing…that.”Smiling, I watched the Na’vi mount back up, before petting my hand between the point where Olan and Olana’s bodies bridged together, encouraging them to lift off and follow.—“So, allow me to try and understand everything you’ve just told me.”Seated atop something resembling a woven bench, I tilted my head for a second before nodding, tail idly rising to swat at Lyle’s hand as he tried to reach for one of the fascinating shells littering the space that seemed to serve as Johann’s ‘office.’“Ow!”“Be polite you bloody jarhead.”“Yeah yeah.”The airship we were on, like all of the others belonging to the Tlalim, was a large platform sourced from natural materials, and lashed beneath an immense creature that carried it to and from. Unlike the others, it was significantly larger, and seemed to serve the purpose of acting as a mobile roost for the various smaller fliers that served the fleet.I’d gotten more than a few bewildered look from the three couples I’d parked my own twinmoon next to, all of them visibly trying to see where exactly my counterpart was, only for their eyes to bug out as they finally realised that I was alone. Nonetheless, we were mostly alone now, with Davids standing near the ‘doorway’ of the space with his arms crossed while Johann stared down at his knees from where he was sat atop his own bench, tongue occasionally flicking out past his lips, until he finally chose to look up.“You…believe you have two souls. In one body.”At my affirming nod, he sucked in a breath, visibly paying more attention to the pair of kuru that he must have previously assumed to simply be a part of my hair, his hands rising until his fingertips were pressing against each other.“That is…well, certainly something, I suppose. Congratulations on your success.”Leaning back, the trader lifted one hand to rub at the back of his head, the contemplative expression that had dominated his expression making way for one of curiosity.“Though I find myself questioning why you have come here. It does not feel as if you seek to gloat at my being proven wrong.”Clapping my own hands together, I smiled at that and leaned forward, tail once more moving over and smacking at Lyle’s extended arm, earning a grunt from the marine.“Ah, well I figured it was only appropriate that I come and give you a helpful warning, seeing as you helped me with my goal!”This time it was Johann’s turn to tilt his head, face turning concerned.“A warning? Of what, precisely?”—I watched the fleet of airships floating off as fast as their funny gasbag balloons could carry them, my hands clasped behind my back and my tail swaying back and forth slightly in the less than gentle winds of the cliff face I’d settled Olan and Olana on.“They really didn’t wait in getting the hell out of dodge, huh?”Turning to glance at the soldier beside me, I regarded Lyle with a small, amused smirk, even as Davids made a show of trying to get back up on the landed twinmoon’s back.“The wind traders know I have no reason to lie, and they’ve suffered from more than a few raids orchestrated by the Mangkwan as of late. It’s just common sense, really.”My human counterpart pursed his lips at that, before shrugging his shoulders and turning around, the rifle strapped to his back shifting back and forth with each movement.“Well, good for them then. I assume our next stop is either the fob or volcano land then?”Twisting on the ball of my foot and easily catching up to him, I reached down, grabbed a hold of his uniform, and hefted him up onto my mount’s back, earning a yelp from the soldier in the process.“We’ll be heading to the ash lands. I want to see just how well we can see things from as high up as we’re gonna be flying.”Blinking at the sensation of being watched, I turned to look at Davids, who had seemingly given up on trying to climb up Olan’s side on his own, and was shooting me an expectant look.Holding back a giggle, I reached over and lifted him up as well, earning an appreciative huff from the merc, then topped it all off by pulling myself atop the enormous saddle as well, crawling over towards the pair of extended kuru waiting for me at the other end of the platform.I’d gotten my new ride, paid back my debt, and had no other standing issues to deal with, which meant it was finally time to indulge in a bit of business related sightseeing.…Hopefully the exo packs worked as the tech that had modified them advertised. I still didn’t fancy the thought of potentially falling to my death.