Author's Notes: Here's another chapter. As we continue, we will learn more about the villains the red-shade Na'vi, but I can imagine them hoping to advance their motives misguided as it may appear. In this update, we reveal the leaders of the uprising and what impact will be going forward. Read on and I hope you enjoy it.

~o~o~

Chapter 3: Tears of Hope

The Sully dwelling:

Neytiri wanted to be working if the men were on a mission, and reluctantly, the women had been left alone. Several hours ago, Norm had contacted them with grave news. The Bridgehead complex had been attacked by hostiles and taken control, but most of the warriors had been killed.

During that time, the head Na'vi warrior along with five red-shade Na'vi followers had taken Neytiri, Kiri, Tuk, and Reya. Neytiri tried to use her bow, but it didn't stop them from taking them hostage. Neytiri remembered the spy who had moved among them for weeks, she must have known the timing would work, with no alerts and no men to stop them, and she also knew this would draw Jake to the base faster.

Before the attack, the ladies had decided to stay together to keep each other safe, but they were attacked minutes after the men had left. There were too many hostiles to fight them off, and they were tied up, kidnapped, and taken to Bridgehead. The ride felt terrifying, but they managed to contact the men to tell them where they were headed. They spoke in Na'vi and the ash people didn't understand the language.

After the men received the urgent messages, Jake, Spider, and Lo'ak, then realized their search to find the spy had been futile. They returned home to gather weapons, and as many men as they could find on short notice. They agreed to help and made their way to Beachhead. Before the word of the kidnapping arrived, Jake had made the decision to contact Toruk Makto, who would distract and terrify them; that's when they would take back control.

~o~o~

Now inside the base, the women were separated as Neytiri had her own cell while her daughters are inside another cell. The head warrior of the ash people a Na'vi warrior herself, named Varang, is on her way to visit Neytiri. No longer shackled, Neytiri paced back and forth, looked out the window and waited, anxious and worried for her daughters, but she knew her mate would come for them.

Meanwhile, her daughters and Reya sat in a cell waiting. They felt frightened, threatened with death if they made a sound or tried to escape. No longer shackled, Kiri walked over to the window. Their communicators were removed after their arrival.

"We need to get out of here," Kiri whispered terrified and worried. She ignored the warnings and tried to break the door-lock to escape; but it failed.

"They're on their way, don't worry," Reya said as she watched the sky.

Kiri sat down next to Tuk. "Are you Okay?"

"I'm okay, but why are we here? I want to go home," Tuk replied terrified.

"I have no idea, but it won't be for too much longer," Kiri replied.

"I see them; take a look," Reya said. They all rushed over to the window. "No, it's the ash people and our men will need to fight them to reach us. Wait, is that the flying bird I heard about? Is that your Dad riding him?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes, that's my Dad and he's riding Toruk Makto," Kiri replied smiling. She had heard stories about the war but to see him, she knew Eywa was with them. "It's truly him."

~o~o~

Meanwhile, Neytiri stood up as the cell door opened. "Where are my daughters?" She asked her jailer firmly. "I know who you are; you're a spy." She shook her head unable to believe it. "You betrayed your own kind; how can you live with yourself?"

She ignored her dig at her integrity; she had none. "Your daughters are in another cell and they're fine for now," Varang replied.

"What do you hope to accomplish by keeping us here?" Neytiri asked.

"Oh, you know very well what I want. You and his daughters are bait and he will come," Varang replied.

"Where are you taking me?" Neytiri asked worried for her daughters.

"My superior has expressed an interest in meeting the former esteemed mate of the great warrior Toruk Makto of Pandora and now a warrior leader," she replied feeling jealous and shoved Neytiri forward to start walking.

~o~o~

The Fire Na'vi head warrior, a recom soldier formerly under Quaritch command, General Frances Ardmore, stood outside overseeing the RDA base thrilled at what she could see. During the battle to take control, many were killed but enough had survived. She thought of the ash people, meeting them through Quaritch several years ago before he died. He had explained that in order to recruit them, they had a lot to learn not only to fight against the sky people, but peaceful Na'vi who could turn against their motives, specifically Jake Sully.

They needed to accept humans, stop fighting because they're not leaving this planet, but the ash people believed that humans were evil and wanted them to leave Pandora. They knew of the war and believed that Jake Sully could help them, but time has passed and Jake now lives in peace and couldn't help them fight against humans.

The ash people were stubborn in their training but it continued that first year. It was difficult; they were not only hard-headed, but amateurish, uninformed, and knew one language. Frances is now transformed and managed to communicate, but it did take more time.

She turned at the door opening. "Oh Varang, I see you brought our guest to see what this powerful base can accomplish."

Neytiri scowled baring her teeth at the evil Na'vi recom before her. It was well known that General Ardmore was one of the evilest women on the planet. Many considered her equal to Quaritch in her cruelty and tyranny. She had no connection to Eywa, nor knowledge of her or what she could conduct for them.

"You must be his mate; I've heard a lot about you, for you have been a thorn in the RDA's side for many years," the General commented.

"My name is Neytiri Sully, a name that I'm sure you won't soon forget," Neytiri said.

"Ah yes, the mate of Na'vi warrior Jake Sully. I look forward to meeting him. Once he arrives here begging for your life, Varang has informed me that you will no longer be useful and that you will be executed. She wishes to be the one to do it. I'll make sure they bring your daughters to see it," General Ardmore said with a cruel smile.

Neytiri scowled again in defiance, showing her that she would not cower to her threat. She knew that Jake would come for her and their daughters and they would escape. "Your arrogance will be your downfall someday," Neytiri said.

"And your confidence in your mate will be yours." She stepped closer and touched her shoulder. Neytiri defiantly shrugged her hand away.

"Such a pity for such a beautiful woman. Sully is a lucky man, or at least he was." General Ardmore gave her an evil smile, then one of his red-shade charges walked in.

"It's an urgent matter, Sir, we are detecting Na'vi riders approaching us, a lot of them," the lackey said. "You should know we spotted a huge, winged bird and Jake Sully is riding him."

"Well, well, your mate has arrived. Send out a greeting party; we shall at least make them work for entrance onto this base," General Ardmore ordered. She pulled Neytiri to the outdoor bridge that overlooked the vastness of the ocean. She held her there, as they watched her red-shade Na'vi riders leave the base in pursuit of the Na'vi ready for battle.

~o~o~

Jake's family as well as the many Na'vi riders all communicating in the Na'vi language, approached the occupied base not sure what to expect. Then he saw ash people riding banshees ready to fight their own kind. He felt dismayed and disappointed. He shook his head confused and wondered why this was happening.

"Whoa, what are those?" Lo'ak asked his father. Spider, now an excellent rider is also there close by. Using their communicators, Jake is riding Toruk Makto. There are also riders from the Metkayina clan wanting to join in this fight not only to bring their daughter home but to help and Jake accepted them with heartfelt thanks.

"According to Norm, it's their base now: the Fire Na'vi Base or the FNB, and its red-shade warriors," Jake replied disgusted.

"Yes, the ash people, now the FNB," Lo'ak called out and he could see their faces, tinged in red. "They're not wasting any time staking their claim, huh?" He asked.

"No, they haven't. It looks like they've come to greet us. Everyone, follow me!" Jake called as they at once followed orders. Jake is riding his beautiful and powerful bird. They will cower in fear only to see his powerful Toruk Makto. "This is where we catch them off-guard."

Lo'ak agreed, as his father began their weaving spiral and Lo'ak started taking the fire Na'vi fighters out with their guns. It didn't take long, only minutes. They did appear untrained and awkward in their rides, many had guns, but they were bad riders and their arrows and guns missed their targets.

Spider then glanced at Jake's powerful ride impressed he could ride such a beast, fire a gun and hit his targets as well.

"Dad, is that the terrible RDA my mom was talking about?" Lo'ak asked from his ride behind his father.

Jake shook his head to think the base is no longer controlled by humans. "Yes, I'm afraid so. It's prior name was Bridgehead," Jake replied then he heard something and touched his communicator.

"Father, there's an open bay on this side of the base," Spider said and listened to other riders with updates about the base. "I've been here before and I know the layout."

"After we make it inside, but for now, we need to push through; hurry now and shoot with accuracy," Jake said and listened to updates.

"They seem awkward and untrained, but they know we're coming," Lo'ak said.

"Well, don't you think barging in there will be playing right into her hands?" Spider asked worried.

"They have Neytiri and my daughters; she knows I'm coming. There's not much else we can do but to kill them and get in there NOW!" Jake commanded and turned his ride toward the side entrance.

"After we make it inside, we should separate and begin the search." Lo'ak suggested. The flying red-shade Na'vi were now all dead, then they approached and took in their quiet surroundings.

"I saw your mother on the look-out bridge, but the girls aren't with her," Jake said. He then instructed the other Na'vi riders to look out for more ash people if more of them arrive. They agreed and returned to the sky on the lookout.

"Spider, you and Lo'ak find the ladies. I'll find your mother and meet you back here. Go now and hurry!" Jake commanded. Now further inside, he hurried one way while his sons moved through another corridor quiet and alert.

"I don't see anyone," Lo'ak said. "It could take hours before we find them; we don't have that much time. This place is huge, but where do you think they're keeping them?"

"They must be inside the military detention area; follow me; I know where it is," Spider replied.

~o~o~

Meanwhile, Jake moved through one area where he had seen his mate. He listened and he heard voices. Gun in hand, he opened the main huge double door, where he saw Neytiri and her jailer, Varang, and the General watching them. He noted that his mate was in shackles tied up in front of her and he wondered about it.

"Welcome Jake, it's so nice that you have finally joined us," Varang purred excited to meet him. She looked at him up and down. Impressive, she thought.

"Jake!" Neytiri tried to run to him, but Varang's grip on her shoulder held her in place.

"It would be wise for you to take your hands off my mate!" Jake said furiously, as his eyes bore into Varang.

"I'm afraid that your mate will be charged with treason against the RDA, which is a crime that is punishable by execution," Varang said.

Neytiri could not believe it; she must be insane, she thought.

"Oh, I don't think so." Jake pulled the trigger and realized he was out of bullets.

Varang is prepared. "I'm afraid so Jake. The only reason you're here is to watch her execution by my hand," Varang said, as she pulled out several knives one in each hand, ready to plunge them through his mate.

Neytiri had never seen her mate move that fast, she ducked and moved away as not a second later, his knives nearly hit Varang's shoulder, but one missed; the other one sliced through her arm injured. Varang grabbed her arm, now bleeding but not a lot.

"I've told you before and I'll tell you again, I'll die before I let you harm her!" Jake shouted, as he parried and blocked her knife blows. Varang turned her knife aside and made a kick for his chest. Jake moved aside, blocked her and knocked her down.

General Ardmore pulled Neytiri away from the fight. "Come my dear, it's time to get you out of here," she said then pulled her toward the door, intending to have one of his followers take her back to her cell. She had no doubt that Varang would defeat Jake and she's not worried about the other Na'vi in the least.

Now out in the hall, Neytiri struggled to be free then turned and swung her arms up, hitting the General in the jaw. Frances fell over but rose up again. Astounded by the fierceness from the tall woman, Neytiri turned to look at the evil one with a cruel snarl, she jumped to wrap her arms around her neck and squeezed ready to kill her.

Suddenly, the shouting of her to stop came into her hearing. One more squeeze and she fell to the floor barely able to breathe. Neytiri finally released her and removed her arms.

Lo'ak and Spider are there with her daughters behind them watching the fight.

On the floor, the General chuckled evilly, but she managed to speak. "Very brave… of young men, but you won't… kill me. You don't have… the guts little ones," she said with a cruel smile trying to breathe.

"Release her shackles and this will end. We won't ask again," Lo'ak threatened. The General chuckled, clearly amused by the young man.

"I suggest you listen to him; he has the guts to do it," Neytiri said.

Defeated, she reached inside a shirt pocket and handed Lo'ak the key and released his mother's shackles. Neytiri then watched Jake defeat Varang, now on the floor bleeding with a knife injury to her shoulder and arm, but she will survive.

Everyone followed Jake as her mate entered the bridge, with Kiri, Reya and Tuk. Jake then ushered his sons and the girls off to the side entrance to wait for him, while he returned to the two women only to find out why this uprising happened. Neytiri appeared confused but everyone moved to wait for him.

The women were still there nursing a bleeding wound. Jake approached them with a question. "Exactly what's the deal with the ash people and why are they fighting their own kind?"

Varang answered him. "I'll tell you why, but it's a long story." She paused and tried to sit up, holding a bandage on her shoulder. "Several years ago, when we first approached them, they were innocent of humans only that they're here to live, not fight, but then the war happened and they heard of it but did not want to be involved with any of it."

Taking a breath, she continued. "Quaritch had come to them as a recom. He's the one who placed that hatred of you and they wanted to hurt you Jake only you. He told them that you hated humans because of what happened during the war." She paused. "You have lived long enough to realize humans have nowhere else to go and they're not leaving, which means they need to co-exist. They believed the sky people can leave Pandora back to their own planet and fix Earth's problems. They wanted you to convince them to leave Pandora again. After I left your village, I realized the truth, humans are here and the ash people need to accept it and move on."

Jake thought of her words and they were true. "You're right, Quaritch' involvement in their lives changed everything. They believed him and they thought I would convince the humans to leave. You need to make them understand that humans are here to stay. They also need to help us make sure humans won't destroy our home the way they destroyed theirs." He paused. "Thank you for helping me understand, and even though their skin shade is different, Na'vi are the same inside where it matters. They will understand the truth one day."

He turned and left to return to his family waiting for him.

~o~o~

Meanwhile, outside near to their banshees, ready to leave, hugs around happy to be found and ready to go home. Turok Makto is also waiting.

"I missed you mommy," Tuk said.

"I missed you too baby," Neytiri said, holding her close to her side, watching and waiting for her mate.

"Let's go; we need to leave before more warriors arrive," Lo'ak said.

"What about Jake; we can't leave him?" Neytiri asked.

"He'll be right behind us Neytiri," Spider assured her. Kiri is with him waiting.

Neytiri looked hesitant to leave him behind, then decided Tuk will ride with Lo'ak, behind Reya. She would ride with Spider and Kiri.

Then a minute later, Jake was running, waving and hollering. "I'm coming; wait for me!"

She felt relieved and hollered back "It's about time!" She smiled happy to see him.

Now flying home, Spider with Kiri, Lo'ak with Reya, while Jake, Neytiri and Tuk are riding Turok Makto.

TBC!

~o~o~

Song Inspiration: Against All Odds, Mariah Carey.

A/N: This chapter had a lot to cover, but I enjoyed writing this update, although it did give me fits. The fight scenes were difficult to move through, but it's done. Come back next week for the update. Don't forget to comment or a kudo would be nice too. We have more of the pairings and it may surprise you as Lo'ak and Reya continue their relationship. How's that for a teaser? Thanks for reading.