9/17/10: Changed a few things, minor stuff.

Why Him?

That was the question that would be nagging at Parker Selfridge's mind for the rest of his life. Why had he been assigned to head up the Pandoran mining division? He remembered when it was first explained to him many years ago; how the people would live for a six year trip out to a far off moon to get an obscenely expensive rock from the ground; How the natives of the planet were not the most friendly of types along with the many ideas and theories around it. At first he wanted nothing to do with them until his scans found a deposit the size of the old state of Rhode Island under a large tree of theirs.

Yep, just another tree to trample over and destroy; Good for business and all that.

Until he heard the tree was inhabited. That just made things worse. With Augustine bitching at him about 'native populations' and 'interconnectivity' every moment as well as the several press agents on base, every move he made was watched and monitored.

And he was the one 'In charge'. Yeah right.

But his goal was at the end of this mess. Once Pandora had been drained of its minerals he would return to earth and live off his guaranteed three percent. Oh yes, three percent gross. Life would have been sweet; twenty mil a kilo, thousands upon thousands of kilos getting shipped to earth weekly.

Life would have been so, so sweet.

And then he got stupid.

Not by letting a crippled marine join the Avatar program, not even by starting the program originally. He got stupid when he let those damned scientists talk him into diplomacy.

These were savages. Couldn't be reasoned with. A deal couldn't be made. They could never co-exist and he should have just kept the machines rolling.

Right?

Parker knew his downfall had started as soon as he ordered the attack on that giant damn tree. They could have moved, they could have stayed and died, they could have done anything except what actually happened and it all would have been fine. But of course, he destroyed something else that had been precious to them and it was the last straw broke the Sturmbeest's back.

But of course there was Sully. That little bastard who he had brought in so millions didn't go to waste with a wasted Avatar. He thought it was a good idea, having a military guy in the Avatar program. Have the guy slip him information every so often to make his job and all the jobs of the people on the base just a little easier.

Until it all went to hell. Literally. The battle was finally at Hell's gate just before it ended for good.

Of course, it didn't help those science nerds rebelled against him as just the right time. Bastards.

He even cracked slightly at the end of it all. After hearing the base was breached, he locked the door of his office, scrambling to find the bulletproof jacket he received several years ago as a base-warming gift. Yes, it was a very warming gift indeed, a nice reminder he could be dead at anytime. He jerked around when the door's lock was shot open and tensed slightly when he saw the traitorous marine and one of his scrawny scientist friends show up. After a moment, he finally spoke.

"Well gentlemen" he said quickly in his slimy tone, adjusting himself to seem more confident. "What can I do for you two?"

Jake slowly rolled into his office followed by Norm who seemed to get his hands on a gun, it's barrel pointed directly at Parker. "For starters?" He looked into the corporate jerk's eyes long and hard. "You can pack up your shit and leave."

Parker stared blankly for several moments before laughing in small segments, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the marine and the man with the gun. "Oh wait, you're serious?" he finally said with a smirk, not receiving anything from the two men. "Well that's just not gonna happen." Again, no response. "Ya see, I was sent her-"

"We don't give a damn why you were sent here," Norm finally said with a flare of anger in his voice. "We want you out."

Parker paused once more and then just smiled. "Or what? You'll shoot me?" he taunted, stepping out from behind his desk and walking toward Norm. "Fill me full of holes and leave my body to rot?"

"No" Jake said calmly, putting a hand between Parker and Norm. "We are giving you a chance to leave."

"Oh, a chance?" the administrator said with a weak chuckle. "Kinda like that chance we gave your little blue ape friends?" He paused and laughed. "I guess that doesn't really make you any better than us, now does it…"

Jake wanted to ring the guy's neck. He wanted him to die a slow and painful death for the Genocide he had committed. He wanted to torture the guy for the rest of his life, but he knew he couldn't. "No," Jake finally said. "It doesn't." He wheeled himself a bit closer. "You invaded their planet…You destroyed their land…You sacrificed ten's of humans and hundreds of Na'vi so you could turn a profit…And you think they are the same as you?" He paused. "Believe me when I say they are much, much worse." To this Parker raised an eyebrow. "Every Na'vi out there right now would just as well kill the humans responsible for almost destroying one of their most holy places, so be gald Parker; be glad I convinced them to show some mercy for committing Genocide!"

Selfridge stood silent for several moments before finally opening his mouth. "It was to save ear-"

"BULLSHIT!" Jake yelled, not keeping his temper anymore. "It this mission was only for saving earth then you wouldn't have pushed the mining so hard and maybe have listened to Grace so you didn't get involved in a fuckin' war!"

Parker looked at Jake then at Norm. "Where is Augustine?" he asked slowly, Norm closing his eyes in anger.

"Died." That was all Jake said while looking directly into Selfridges eyes.

The man stood silent for a few seconds thinking. "Wow…" he finally said. "I never thought that bitch would ever kick it…"

Norm's head shot up and he nearly lunged at Selfridge but got stopped by Jake's arm. "You can't say that about her!" Norm yelled. "You'll never know how great a person she was!"

"Oh really? She was a bit old for you, nerd boy. I figured you'd try after that Samson pilot." Norm pushed through Jake's arm and nailed Parker to the wall, the barrel of the gun under his head.

"Take that back…" Norm said sternly. "Take it back!"

"Norm! Enough!" Jake yelled at the scientist and pulled him off Parker. "We have things to take care of…"

Norm let the man go, pausing to stare in his eyes. Without a word, he walked briskly out leaving the two alone. "Wow…a bit testy…" Parker added venomously.

"You have an hour." Jake turned without looking at the man and began to roll out. "Then I turn you and your people over to the Na'vi. Good luck trying to talk your way out of that." He started to roll off.

"You are like them" Parker said, sitting in his chair. "Can't be reasoned with no matter what."

Jake paused and smiled. "Yeah. I guess I am." He turned once more. "I can't reason with a guy who has the blood of hundreds of my people on his hands." With that, he rolled away. For the life of him, Parker couldn't tell if Jake had meant humans or the Na'vi. And for one brief flash, part of him knew it didn't matter.

- ÐѓдҜΘИΪ§