~Part 8~
Shattered Plans
Mike slept, he wanted to stay in bed all day. He could hear people walking and talking, but he couldn't open his eyes. He was so tired. The past few months had drained him mentally and physically. His brain hurt from everything he had learned and today would be the reward. He was going to be accepted into the Eastern Sea clan. He finally opened his eyes to a dark room, he had left the lights on, but he guessed someone turned them off. He jumped up, got a shower and got dressed. He walked threw the steel hallways towards the Avatar Labs. He got linked. He got up, and walked to the weight area of the base. The place were he thought he was going to die from all of the crap RAAM and Meloney had him do. He found a bar a few feet above the ground, he jumped up and did chin ups till his muscles burned. He continued past the pain. He let go and walked up to a group of spartan avatar drivers. He asked them if they wanted to spar. They agreed, Mike told them not to hold back. He wouldn't either. The voice over the loud speakers said "Ok boys, girls and things I'm not entirely sure about.. this next song is called 'Till I collapse'. Oh and RDA are inbound in a few hours." Mike stopped and thought, "What? Oh shit... I forgot!" A fist connected with his face and brought it out of his nightmare. "Finally! Got you!" Mike's sparing partner yelled out, thinking he did something good. Mike wiped the small amount of blood from his lip. "It's all fun and games till I kick your ass." Mike said as he stood up and began his assault. Every punch connected with his partner's face. The man back up, Mike kicked the man in front of him in the chest knocking him to the ground. His partner was on all fours, Mike used his foot to put the man on his back. He raised his foot to finish the man off. The guy's face turned pale white. Mike laughed and helped the guy up. "You really thought I would do it didn't you? I won, I don't need to finish it off. Your not an enemy." Mike said as RAAM walked up. "Mike, You heard that the RDA are inbound right? We have about three hours." Mike didn't want to deal with those bastards. "Well good for them. I got something better to do then baby sit the RDA." RAAM stared at him and said "Sir, your going to have to cancel your plans for now. The RDA are coming and if they see that your either not here or that the Na'vi aren't gone.. Then we're screwed. You wanted to bring them into a trap, think that they are safe, then kill them. You can't do that without dealing with them right now!" Mike nodded, RAAM was right.

Mike didn't have a clue how to tell the Eastern Sea people that he had to miss his acceptance into their clan. They were doing him a favor, and yet he didn't show up? "Dick head move Mike.." He thought as he got a shower, he wanted to have his Avatar look good. He walked out of the Showers. He grabbed his Lancer and walked around. Thinking of what to do and what to say. Mike heard someone say "Na'vi Inbound!" Mike looked around, trying to find where the Na'vi were coming from. They shouldn't be here, not now. He finally saw a few Ikrans flying towards the base. They landed not far from him. A few spartans ran up to tell them to leave. Mike ran up and told the spartans to go prepare for the RDA. "Mike, what do you mean by 'get ready for the RDA'?" Krystal had gotten off of Soze and walked up to him. "The people I mentioned before are coming to.. interfere.." She looked at him, wanting to ask more. She shook her head and said "This morning, I went to wake you up, but you weren't there. So I went looking and found a few of your.. oh what do you call them.. Spartans thats it.. They were carrying your body. When I asked them were they were taking you they told me that you smelled bad." Mike laughed, "Well I was wondering how I got here. But you and the others have to get out of here.. if they see you they will.." Krystal cut him off "They can do what they want. You will become part of the clan. We will stand by your side." Mike wanted to argue. But had a differnet plan. "I have an idea. If the RDA want the Na'vi dead, they we can show them that we choose to imprison them." She looked at him confused. "What?" Mike told her that he would bind her and the others. But wouldn't keep them like that. She smiled and replied "You are smarter then you let on." Mike smiled back, "Gotta keep them guessing." RAAM walked up next to Mike and nodded towards Krystal, she returned the notion. "Sir, ETA twenty minutes."

Mike, RAAM and Krystal waited for the RDA to drop down. Krystal had been binded. Mike jokingly said to Krystal "I think I like that position of yours." She looked up at him and replied, "Don't get your hopes up.." The two laughed. RAAM nudged Mike and pointed to a large drop ship. About fifty spartans ran up next to Mike, lancers in the hands. Mike crossed his arms, waiting for the drop ship doors to open. When they finally did, marines ran out and point their guns towards Mike. Mike laughed at them and said "Hold your fire, bullet sponges! It's Mike!" The Marines before him listened, but they weren't happy to hear what he called them. A high ranking looking guy walked out, "Ahh commander Mike! Good to see you. I see you have a little slave Ha Ha Ha! Mind if I take her for a 'spin'?" Mike didn't like this guy, he replied "No, she is leverage. We hold her captive and the Na'vi will listen to us without question." The man before him didn't like Krystal, He kicked her to her back. Mike grabbed the man's throat. "You are on a Spartan colony! You respect EVERYONE!" Mike let the man go, when he saw the marines aiming at him again. "Tell your men that if they want to get off of this rock alive, they are to hold their fire." The man told his men to do as Mike said. "Sorry for the bad start. I am Lieutenant General Falco. I am here to prepare the area for RDA Mining." Mike helped Krystal back to a sitting position. "Fine. But your men listen to my spartans and you will follow my orders while you are here. The old hometree of the Na'vi that Quaritch destoyed has been cleared and ready for mining. My spartans will watch your back." Falco smiled "Good work Commander. Parker told me that you did good work." Mike, RAAM, and Falco walked to the command center of the base. Mike hadn't been here for a long time. "Ah good to see you again commander! I presume that everything is well?" said LEGION in a monotone voice. "Hey Legion, Yea everything is good. Can you bring up the hometree that colonel Quaritch took out?" An image appeared in front of them, on a table. "Look at all of that rock..." said Falco, amazed at what he saw. Mike, carrying Krystal, put her into a chair. He walked over to the table and also looked at the image. "Why did you bring her here?" Falco asked Mike. Mike wasn't looking at him, but the surrounding areas of the old hometree of Jake's clan. "It's a habit, I keep her close incase the Na'vi grow some nades." Falco burst out laughing. "Good plan. Now may we begin mining?" Mike gave the man the green light to begin mining. He told Falco to stay at Hell's Gate and the mining area. Saying that the Na'vi would kill anyone who weren't in those areas. Falco agreed. Falco walked out of the room to get settled in. When the man was out of the room, Mike waited a few minutes, then cut Krystal loose. "You are very convincing." Krystal said as she rubbed her wrists. "It's a gift Ha Ha Ha!" Mike told Krystal to return to hometree, he would be there tomorrow. She agreed and took off away from Hell's Gate.

For the rest of the day, Mike talked to RAAM about Falco, and how to get rid of him. Mike, RAAM and Falco talked at dinner. "So Mike, I did some research on you. Your record is nothing but amazing. What you did on Ichor is something no one could ever imagine to do! I'm glad your on our side." Mike smiled, he had to keep up this false sense of safety till the time was right. "I'm going on a scouting mission tomorrow. You, Falco, are to stay at Hell's Gate and the mining areas. We don't need another dead officer." The two men laughed. Falco agreed. Mike finished his meal, and told RAAM to help Falco the next day. RAAM looked at him, knowing what he meant. Mike walked to the Avatar Racks and laid down. Once back in his Human body, he went to get even more food. Falco caught him walking to his room. "Commander, I'm thinking that you like your Avatar?" Mike nodded. "Yea, it's pretty nice. It's like having a body to get dirty, but your real body won't be effected." Mike told Falco that he might see him tomorrow, If not then he will catch up eventually. Once Falco was out of sight, Mike got to his room and fell asleep. This Lieutenant General Falco guy is going to screw up his plans. But not for long..

~End of Part 8~