Just throwing this one out there: do you think a clone would have a soul? I know that's a difficult question, but I would like an answer. Please? And think yeah. Maybe. What about ya'll?

Mining

9

Selfridge looked at Shimty's bruises and purple-spotted skin. "So, let me get this straight," the business man stated. "Quaritch kicked the crap out of you, over a Na'vi?"

"Yeah," Shimty stated, rubbing at one of his bruises tenderly. "He said I should never do that to another Na'vi again."

The business man placed his hands on his hips, turning to Dr. Wolfe, who was biting his fingernail in nervousness. Parker looked at the man in front of him. "Fine, I will talk to him about this," he grumbled. In reality, he was not even going to do so. "Get out."

Shimty nodded, walking out of the office with a slight limb. Dr. Wolfe's eyes followed the man, and the door gently closed. Parker placed his hand to his jaw, turning his chair to look at the scientist. The shorter man felt the seething disappointment.

"He knocked the crap out of Shimty over a Na'vi?" he growled.

"Well—"

"You said he would be just like the real Quaritch—a killer."

"Well, sir, he did beat up that man with no second thought," Dr. Wolfe defended.

Parker stood up from his seat, slamming his hands on his desk. "Damn it, Wolfe, he's already favoring the Na'vi!" he bellowed. "What the hell happened?"

Dr. Wolfe sighed. "Look, cloning cannot be completely perfect," he calmly stated. "You know that memories can be ruined or distorted, and the personality might be altered. He may become nicer or meaner, but . . ."

"He's siding with the Na'vi!" Parker screamed.

"Calm down," Dr. Wolfe hissed, glancing around at the windows. "We don't want anyone to hear about this."

Parker growled, jolting away from his desk, rubbing at his temples. "This is great, just great," he grumbled.

A man burst into the office, a clipboard in his hand, and he leaned against the door. "Sir," he called.

Selfridge glanced up. "What?" he snapped.

"Um, your order, sir?" he asked. "Should we move?"

Selfridge knew what he meant. Should they start mining? The business man waved his hand in dismissal. "Yes, go on," he stated.

The man nodded, and left the two men alone. Dr. Wolfe glanced up. "Look, Quaritch is my jewel," he stated. "He's the best clone I ever created. I made sure that everything would be close to the real Quaritch, but things happen. You must accept it."

Selfridge glared deeply at the man next to him. He did not want to accept that.

"They're mining already?" Rajian inquired, watching the AMPs leave the newly cleaned building.

The clone glanced over. Even though Hell's Gate was secure and cleaned, there were still fine-tuning crews. To the right of him several people were fixing the chipped paint on the walls. Quaritch grunted, lifting his weights again. He was trying to get stronger. Rajian was next to him, making sure that his arms would not give in on him.

"How do you feel about that, Miles?" Rajian asked gently.

"I don't," Quaritch growled.

He rested the weights on the stand next to him, sitting up, each leg on either side of the seat. "I really don't like it," he hissed.

Rajian walked over to look at the clone in his steel-blue eyes. "So, what are you going to do?" he asked. "I mean, your job is to help out."

"I know," Quaritch grumbled. He reached up and rubbed his neck. "How could I do this before? How could I do such a thing?"

Rajian wanted to spill the truth, but he kept his mouth closed. He could not tell him that he was a clone. The Indian man sighed, rubbing his hands. "You were a different person then, I guess," he whispered gently.

"I guess I was," Quaritch whispered. He stood up, rubbing his shoulders. He looked at the Indian man. "I don't like the old me."

Rajian glanced up, a little surprised. He then snapped out of his trace when the clone walked out of the room. "Wait! Where are you going?" he called.

Quaritch stopped at the threshold of the doorway. "I'm going to monitor the mining," he answered. "I want to make sure that no Na'vi get hurt."

Quaritch soon found himself at Hometree. He stood next to the trunk of the large tree, running the large robot hand across the bark. All memories of him ruining this beautiful tree filled his heads. The AMP suit creaked metallically. Vines grew over the trunk, and animals used the trunk for their homes. AMPs clawed at the soft earth, and digging machines tore through the ground, searching for that precious mineral. Quaritch pulled himself away from the trunk, watching his men mine for the minerals.

"Keep working!" Quaritch called.

Neytiri and Tu'sky watched from the background, hiding behind the foliage and leafs. The taller female Na'vi glanced at the smaller Na'vi. "Look at them," Neytiri growled. "They're defiling the forest again."

Tu'sky nodded, a scowl on her face. "I know," she hissed. "And the earth was healing, too." Tu'sky whimpered, her ears low. "Those Sky People."

Ma'ki popped from the plants, rushing to his sister. Tu'sky then glared at her brother. "Ma'ki! Why you here?" she demanded. "Kä!"

Jake then came from the bushes, resting a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "He's here with me," he stated. He glanced over the humans and their machines. "God," he breathed. He touched his mate's shoulder. "Come, they won't bother us if we don't bother them."

Neytiri cast one last glare to the humans, and then followed her mate back to the village. Ma'ki took Neytiri's hand, beaming innocently up at her. Tu'sky paused, allowing the others to walk ahead. She made a turn, and jumped on a tree, crawling up the bark, hiding in the foliage. Tu'sky watched, a hateful look on her face. Quaritch watched over his men, and the machines. Trees were being toppled over, and fell to the forest floor with a mighty thump. The colonel glanced around, and walked, making sure that the men were doing their jobs. The clone glanced at the forest, having the need to go and explore. He turned to his men.

"Continue with your jobs!" he ordered.

He gripped his gun with his robot hands, and walked. Tu'sky watched the AMP, leaning against the tree's crotch. She climbed up the limb, hiding behind the leaves. She kept silent, and trailed after the AMP. She so wished for their kind just to die. She hated them. She hated them so much. They killed everything in their way. And for what? A stupid rock. Quaritch was oblivious to the Na'vi that was stalking him. He stepped over a fallen dead log, glancing around. He listened to the sounds of animals, and the sounds of his metal robot feet crushing twigs and branches. Tu'sky sprung from her branch, and landed in another tree's branch. Quaritch turned around, listening to the rustling sounds. She froze, not wanting to be seen.

"It has to be one of those monkey-things," he told himself.

He shrugged it off and walked forward. Tu'sky sighed, happy that he had not seen her. The clone then stopped, catching something out of the corner of his eye. He whipped around, aiming at what he had seen. It was a very tiny creature. It floated, white in colour, and it bounced in the air. Quaritch lowered his gun, entranced by it. With his free robot hand, he reached for it. He cupped it, pulling it close to his windshield. He opened his metal hand, watching it bounce. Tu'sky watched, amazed by his gentleness. She hunched down, and watched. Quaritch fingered the Woodsprite, and then released it.

"Why would I ever hate this place?" he asked himself.

He turned, walking forward. Tu'sky poked her head gently from the foliage, still semi-covered by the trees. Quaritch looked at his rearview mirror, noticing a blue face covered by leaves. He stopped short, gripping his gun. Tu'sky gently ducked, staying still. The AMP walked to the right, pretending not to notice her. She ducked lower into the branches. Quaritch's AMP was gone behind some trees. She knew what he was doing. Tu'sky smirked. Let the cat and mouse game begin. She crawled up the tree limb, looking for the AMP. Woodsprites danced in the air above her. Quaritch then jumped, and Tu'sky reared up, surprised. He had his gun aimed at her, and he was smirking.

"Hey, I remember you," he stated, lowering his gun. "You're that Na'vi with the green eyes back at the village."

Tu'sky rolled her eyes, a half-smile tugging at her lips. "As you Sky People say, 'no shit,'" she stated.

Quaritch laughed, placing the gun to the side. "I like you," he stated, his robot hand pointing at her.

Tu'sky moved to sit on her bottom, her tail dangling, twitching. Her hands were gripping the tree limb, smirking at the human. "Cheif Jhake says you Qua'ritch," she stated.

"Quaritch," the clone stated. "Miles Quaritch."

"Quaritch," she repeated, trying the alien name on her tongue. "Miles Quaritch."

The colonel nodded. "Yeah," he stated.

Tu'sky then looked pointedly at him. "We don't want you Sky People here," she stated firmly. "Go. Kä. You cause enough trouble, Tawtute. Go home." She jumped down from the tree, waving her hands at him, snarling. "Go. You cause enough pain!"

The clone backed up, his hands out. "Calm down, calm down," he called, surprised by her sudden outburst. The colonel stopped his machine, placing his mask on, and popped the hood. He was risking her attacking him, but he was willing to risk it. He approached her. "Please, hear me out."

Tu'sky pushed him back. "Go, scar-face!" she cried. "You defile our forest, you kill our people, you mock our Goddess. Go, you scar-face midget!"

Quaritch laughed, though it was nervous. "That's hitting below the belt, sweetheart," he stated.

"No, this is."

Her foot reared up, wanting to kick him between the legs. The clone jumped back, laughing as he did. "You play dirty," he said, a coy smile on his lips.

Tu'sky glared, her green eyes hard on him. A Woodsprite then floated by him. The clone was briefly surprised, and waved his hand at it. When he realized what it was, he watched it, and opened his hands to it. It rested in his palm, and Tu'sky watched. This was the second time that he was kind with the Woodsprites. She watched, interested. What was Eywa planning? The clone then pushed it back into the air, then looked at her, inching to the AMP. Tu'sky moved back to the safety of the tree, and moved to the crotch. A serene smile formed on her face, and she looked at him.

"I'm staying in my AMP. It's safer." And he climbed back into it. Tu'sky then stated, after her trance faded:

"You don't belong here."

Quaritch sighed through his nose. His arms crossed over his chest, and his robot arms followed the same path (Tu'sky would never admit it—she was interested in their technology). "I know, I understand," he grumbled. "We're here without your damn permission, taking your precious metals like we own the god forsaken place. I'm sorry."

Tu'sky looked at him, her head cocked to the side. Her hair and beads brushed against her face. "You sorry?" she asked.

"Yeah," Quaritch stated. He felt like some damn teenager. "I mean, you were here first, right? This is your land. I don't want to do this, but this is my bloody damn job, not matter how horrible it is, I have to take whatever order my boss gives me. I'm a soldier, after all."

"Soldier?" Tu'sky asked, unfamiliar with the term. "What is that?"

"Um, what you would call a . . . a warrior," he stated, groping for a word she would understand.

"Oh, like Jhake is," Tu'sky stated. "He is a warrior from the Jarhead Clan."

Quaritch laughed deeply. "Jarhead Clan?" he boomed, laughing. "What crap!" His AMP bent forward, his body shaking with laughter.

Tu'sky only looked at him like he was mad. "You Sky People are odd. Skxawng," she muttered. But then she looked a him, smiling softly. "But I like you . . ."

Quaritch glanced up at her, a smirk making its way on his face. "Hey, sweetheart, didn't catch your name," he stated.

Tu'sky looked at him oddly. "Tu'sky," she stated.

"Too'skay?"

"Tu'sky."

"Tu'sky?"

"Yes," Tu'sky stated. "Miles'Quaritch."

As he listened on how she pronounced his name, it was just too fluid. It was like she was pronouncing it like a single name. "No, Miles is my first name," he explained. "Quaritch is my second name."

Tu'sky looked at him. "You Sky People have two names?" she inquired, slight confusion and child-like wonder on her face.

"Well, most people have a first, middle, and last name," Quaritch explained. "I have only two names."

Tu'sky looked at him. "You people are odd," she remarked.

Quaritch rolled his eyes, looking at her. "Mmmhmm," he hummed.

"Tu'sky!" cried a voice. "Where are you?"

The bushes rustled, and Ma'ki jumped out. The little boy was stunned and horrified to see the AMP. First thing that went through his head: Sky Person was trying to hurt his sister. The little boy jumped, attacking the AMP's leg. Quaritch placed his robot hand on the boy's head, holding him back. The little boy's hands were wild, trying to claw at the AMP.

"Stay away from my sister!" Ma'ki cried.

"Sister?" Quaritch echoed. He looked up at Tu'sky. "This your bro?"

Tu'sky rolled her eyes. "Yes," she grunted. She jumped onto the AMP, and scaled down the robot. She went to her brother. "Ma'ki, he's okay, he's a friend," she told him in their native tongue, a tiny grin on her face.

Ma'ki looked up at her, his ears alert. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes, he's not that bad. Odd, but good," she told him. She rotated her head around, and beamed.

Ma'ki glanced up at the stern, scared Quaritch. His ears lowered, but he offered a grin. Quaritch placed his hands to his hips, and his AMP followed. "Hey, kid," he greeted. "I'm Miles."

"Ma'ki," the boy greeted in return. He looked up at his sister, and spoke in Na'vi: "Is he nice?"

Tu'sky chuckled. "Surprisingly, yes, he was nice to the Atokirina'," she stated.

Ma'ki blinked, surprised. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then, can he come to the dance?"

She blinked, surprised by his question. "Um, I'll ask," she said. Tu'sky turned to Quaritch. "My brother wants to know if you would like to join us."

"For what?" the clone asked.

"We have dance for Eywa," she stated. "Do you want to come?"

She knew it was dangerous to ask a Sky Person to join the Na'vi celebrations. But a Woodsprite went to him, and he was kind to it. That was a good sign. He had a good soul, and Eywa liked him. She could sense it in her soul and heart. Quaritch turned to where the people were mining. It was better than being locked in the RDA complex . . . He smiled at her, his eyes smirking.

"What the hell? Why not!"

Kä—go

Tawtute—Sky Person

Skxawng—Moron