The Plan of All Plans
25
Rajian sat on his bed, cradling his head in his hands. He turned on his own friend, and he was soon to be thrown away like a piece of crumpled paper. He felt so sick in his stomach, and there was nothing he could do. Rajian could not help Quaritch. How could he? Blackwood would strangle him if he would do so. The Indian man sighed deeply, rubbing at his head. But then his cell phone went off. He blinked, glancing over at the hand-held device that rested on the table. He blinked, just looking at the cellular device. After a few moments, he stood up, and walked over to his desk. He picked up the cell phone: "Hello?"
"Rajian?"
The Indian physical therapist dropped to the floor, never letting go of the phone. "Oh thank Allah, Miles," he gasped. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he breathed into the phone. On the other line, Tu'sky was tending to Quaritch's wounded wrist.
"Oh, Miles, oh Allah, I'm so sorry," Rajian groaned into the phone. "I'm so sorry."
"Look, that is in the past," Quaritch stated on the other line. "I forgive you, okay?"
Rajian sighed, looking at his black shoes. "Okay, I'm sorry," he stated again.
"I forgive you. But listen, I know Blackwood is going to attack us again."
"He attacked?"
"Yes."
"That bastard," snarled Rajian.
"I know. I know. But hear me out; I'm sticking with the Na'vi to the end."
"But, I know Blackwood will kill you."
"Then let that be," Quaritch hissed. Then he yelped over the other line, and Rajian took that in alarm:
"Are you okay?" the Indian man yelled over the phone.
"Ow, Tu'sky, that hurt," grumbled the clone.
"Don't be baby," snapped another voice on the other side of the phone. It was faint, like it was in the background.
The clone grumbled over the phone, and then stated: "Rajian? You there?"
"Yeah, I'm here, I'm here, buddy," Rajian stated, gripping the phone with both hands. "What can I do to make up for what happened?"
"Help me—help us."
"H-how?"
"Anything. Tamper with the machinery—anything that can help us. Please. We can't lose this battle. Wasn't there an old Dragon? Wait . . . I remember: age got to it, it started to rot, never mind. But, please," Quaritch urged.
Rajian grew silent, pulling the phone down away from his ear, looking at the wall in front of him. The Na'vi people were good people that did not deserve this. His face grew determined. He would not allow it.
"Rajian?" called Quaritch on the other line.
Rajian brought up his cell phone to his ear. "I'm in," he stated firmly.
Quaritch smirked on the other line. "Thank you, my friend," he said, and the line went dead.
The Indian man turned off his cell phone, and smirked.
It was a hassle—having to dodge the tall, extremely creepy General Blackwood that night, but he did it. He collected all the people he was close to—one-night-stands, friends, those he wanted to have a love affair with, and those who cared about the Na'vi. He had all twenty of them in a storage room, where cameras were not located in.
"Rajian, what is this?" Samantha inquired. "I have to go. I know Blackwood will bitch if I don't come back."
"Yeah, what is this?" asked a man.
"You all care for the Na'vi, right?" Rajian inquired.
All of them agreed.
"Good, Miles is out there with the Na'vi, and Blackwood is preparing for battle," Rajian stated, tapping his foot on the floor. "He's going to wipe out their existence. We don't want that, right?"
"No," whispered a female.
"Not at," another man said. "I just came here because the paycheck is good."
"Most of us did," piped a female soldier. "Good pay to come here."
Rajian nodded. "But, at one point or another, none of us want to do this to the Na'vi, right?" he asked. "No. They don't deserve this, and Quaritch is risking his life to help them."
"Well, he's just a clone," a soldier stated.
"It doesn't matter!" Rajian called. "He's still a person, and he's risking his life by protecting the Na'vi. If you love the Na'vi like you say you do, please, help us."
"How?" Samantha asked.
"Tamper with the machines when the soldiers are sleeping—anything," Rajian gushed. "We can't allow a total war to happen. Blackwood will destroy them all. I know he will. He'll kill children, he'll rape women, and he'll brutally kill men. I know he will. We all know it! That's why we fear him!"
The people scuffed their feet, looking at each other, or the walls, or the floor.
"We can't allow this to happen," Rajian said. "Now, who's with me?"
Others looked timidly at each other. Then they all stepped forward, agreeing. Samantha smirked: "Wow, Rajian, I like this new you."
Rajian blinked, smiling broadly at her, placing his hands on his hips. "Does this mean you'll go out with me?" he asked.
"No."
He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Okay!" a tall man cried. "Let's do this thing!"