The Breaking Point for Selfridge

21

Tu'sky poked her head over the ledge of the ditch that she was in. The humans were gone. She let out a calming sigh, sliding down the mud, and to the human that she was tending to. "Okay, I bring you back to your camp," she stated.

But as she bent down to pick him up, she noticed that he was not breathing. Tu'sky looked at him, her eyes searching his body. His chest was not moving up and down. He was as still as a rock. She sighed, bowing her head. "Eywa ngahu," she murmured, touching the top of his forehead.

She scooped up the little body, looking around. It was almost night, she noticed. She rushed to the village, feeling horrible that she killed this man. Tu'sky sighed, looking at the smaller being in her arms. The lights of the plants led the way to her tribe. Trees were toppled over, earth was damaged and everything about the area was in disarray. Ma'ki glanced up, so relieved to see his sister.

"Tu'sky!" he cried, rushing to his sister. He then looked at her bleeding thigh. "You hurt!"

He paused, looking at the human in her arms. Jake approached the woman, looking at the human in her arms. "Who is this?" he asked.

"I do not know," Tu'sky answered, looking at the dead man in her arms. "He say he did not want to hurt us. He good person, and I kill him." Her ears drooped, looking at the man in her arms. "He good man, and I kill him."

Jake looked at the man in her arms. He had a calm expression on his face. He was peaceful. The chief sighed, taking the body into his own arms. "We'll burry him," he stated.

Neytiri looked at the body, her brows furrowed in sadness. Mo'at then approached her daughter's mate, staring at the man, and then at Tu'sky. "It not your fault," she breathed, placing her hands on the shoulders of the smaller Na'vi. "You were trying to protect yourself."

Tu'sky nodded her head solemnly, bending down to pick up her little brother. "Eywa ngahu," she whispered to the body.

Jake took the body, and several Na'vi men dug a cave-hole, and the once-Marine placed the body in the ground, patting his shoulder. He was becoming cold. Tu'sky was kneeling next to the body, whispering how sorry she was and for forgiveness. Ma'ki held his sister from behind, trying his best to comfort her. Mo'at came to the hole, holding a tiny white Woodsprite. The Na'vi muttered a prayer, and Mo'at placed the tiny creature next to the human. After long moments of silence, the Na'vi left the grave, and went back to the ruined village. Huts were toppled over, and destroyed. Ma'ki looked up at Jake.

"Why didn't Miles help us?" he asked.

Jake glanced down at the boy, his ears low. "He must not have known," he breathed, patting the top of the boy's head.

"He must've," Tu'sky stated firmly. "He could not have known."

Jake looked at the smaller Na'vi. "I don't think that he did," he said.

Norm approached, his ears low, his face stiff. "What if he did know, and allowed this to happen?" he asked. "What if he was playing us all this time?"

Jake shook his head. Those where his thoughts at first too, but they why would Quaritch help them? He did not know. "No, I know he was not," he said firmly. "He is not the real Quaritch. He is completely different. He is not the Quaritch we remember. I have a feeling that Selfridge did something."

Norm blinked, allowing his friend's words to settle in. "I hope you are right," he whispered, picking up an injured child, and carried her to her mother.

Tu'sky looked onward, her ears low. She looked to the direction of Hell's Gate. She had to get the answers for herself.

Quaritch kicked over a stool, it clanked against the floor and hit the wall. He growled, his hands to his head. He could not believe it. How could Selfridge do such a thing? Quaritch sat on his bed, hunching forward, gripping his head in his hands. What happened to Jake and Neytiri? Ma'ki? Tu'sky? The clone growled, worrying about the Na'vi. His right hand went up his sore left arm, rubbing where an eagle tattoo was imprinted on his skin. He could not go and kill Selfridge, even though he wanted to.

No. He was.

He reached over, grabbing his handgun, and was about to leave his room, until he heard some knocking on his window. Tu'sky was there, looking in. Quaritch looked at her, surprised to see her . . . to see her alive. He dropped his gun and rushed to the window. "Tu'sky," he breathed, his hand pressed to the glass. He paused, looking at her. "How did you get in?"

Tu'sky smirked, shrugging her shoulders. "Some Sky People don't stand watch all time," she stated. "One stupid enough to leave door open."

He laughed, so happy to see her. He pressed his hand to the glass, right over her hand. "You are such a stalker. And you found my room?" he chuckled.

"I be here before."

He laughed. Then he paused. "Tu'sky, you must leave," Quaritch grunted. "The cameras will see you."

Tu'sky blinked, unsure of what to think. "Camroens?" she echoed.

Quaritch tapped at the window. "Go, now, go, before the others see you," he stated. "Go. Go."

"Did you order attack?"

The clone narrowed his eyes, and firmly shook his head. "No, no, I never did," he said.

"Then why you never help us?"

"I never knew. It is hard to explain," Quaritch breathed, pressing his forehead to the window. "I could not do anything, and I am so sorry." He looked up at her blue skin with glowing white dots. "I am so sorry."

She placed her other hand to the glass. "Okay, okay," she whispered. "Pray to Eywa. Eywa protect you and our people."

She rushed from the window, and then there was a strong light on her. Tu'sky jumped, covering her eyes with her arms. "How did you get in here?" screamed a voice over an intercom.

Tu'sky jumped onto the fence, climbing up it, and jumped over it. She rushed back into the forest, dodging bullets. That was when Quaritch noticed that she was limping. He felt a wave of anger fill his heart. One of his troops shot her. The strong spot lights then turned on, aiming at the sky. A ship ascended from the sky, landing on a stretch of land. Quaritch snarled, grabbing his gun, placing it into his vest, and left his room. Rajian, meanwhile, opened his room door, looking out at his cloned friend.

"Oh," he breathed, going back into his room to change out of his pajamas, and into his brown pants, red shirt, white lab coat, and black shoes. He rushed from the room, heading towards the clone. "Miles!"

Quaritch turned, his face stern. He did not answer, but then walked off, pushing by the people. He ignored Rajian's cries, and proceeded to Selfridge's office. But when he entered, he saw a man. He was tall, muscular, both of his arms covered in red tattooing, his head bald. His eyebrows as red as his tattoos, and his eyes were a bright green. Tiny scratching was on his head, and arm. They were so tiny—the size of fingernail markings. Brute tough men were also there, all of them smirking. Quaritch glanced up. The new man turned, smirking rather madly at the clone. He knew who he was.

This was General Blackwood.

The one he had been fearing for months, and now he was here.