Wolves — Chapter XX
High Camp — Evening
"Blood pressure?" Norm's voice held a careful and quiet concern as walked into the room.
"Stable," Ilram replied, his gloved fingers tracing her pulse before noting the beats per minute on a notepad resting on his knee. He then leaned in to remove the blood pressure cuff from her arm. As he did, the warm light of the room highlighted the weariness etched into his features.
"Long day, huh?" Norm said, finding a stool and sitting beside Amanti.
Ilram managed a weary smile as he placed the cuff back on the desk beside the bed. "Yeah, you could say that."
Norm's smirk reflected his sentiments as he allowed his gaze to sweep across the room. He made casual comments along the way, like how Max cleverly transformed the holding room that initially held Rayan Asher's avatar from the rest of the Na'vi population into an improvised care space for Amanti. A fact that didn't go unnoticed when he let his attention drift momentarily to the cardiac heart monitor and the IV stand that were situated beside her bed. Both of which Norm insisted they leave behind in the evacuation from Hell's Gate. Arguing at the time that they could easily manufacture them using the 3D printer, not foreseeing that the printer itself would be tossed over due to exceeding the Samson's weight limit.
Admittedly, the damn thing was huge. But thankfully, it seemed smarter heads prevailed, and Max insisted on bringing the equipment with them. What did standout though was her bed. It was a makeshift foam mattress taken from an avatar bunk, cleaned, and then given white sheets to hide the red foam. It wasn't much but it will do for now.
"Your idea?"
"Oh, that? No. Jen's idea."
"That's nice of her," Norm said, "Does she have everything she needs?"
Ilram's concerning attention remained fixed on Amanti, watching beneath a careful silence at how her breath caused the mask on her face to fog up, and then, as though he never left, he looked across to Norm and nodded. "Yup. She does."
"That's good, and… where is her carbon dioxide levels at?" Norm asked, his attention shifting quickly to the cardiac monitor. She was sitting around fifty-five beats per minute. Good, he thought.
"Normal. And just to cover our bases, we gave her a nice blend of nitrogen and oxygen in there too," Ilram said.
"Good-good," Norm's tone bore a touch of gratitude, his gaze sweeping over Amanti. "Damn… poor lady."
"You know her?"
"No…" the word hung in the air for a moment, his thoughts trailing, searching to finish off his sentence when his lingering gaze caught sight of the laceration above her eyebrow. It seemed as though a fragment or an object of some kind had struck her head with enough force that not only did it cause the concussion but also tore into her scalp. Leaning in, he examined the injury more closely, tracing the path of the sewn flesh from her eyebrow to the center of her head. He recalled how complicated it was for Fmilam to stich the skin back and while Julian was complaining about the mess, the healer never once mentioned it as her fingers diligently worked to sow the rest of her scalp back. In the end, they both did a remarkable job.
I'm gonna need her to teach my people on how to do this kind of stich work, Norm amusingly thought.
As for the rest of her body, it was a patchwork of deep gashes and jagged wounds. Most of which required immediate attention by Fmilam to stitch up before Julian arrived to apply a layer of gauze and secure them with a bandage. There were other cuts too that crisscrossed her arms and legs, although these were relatively minor, Julian still applied a gauze over them to let her heal faster. When both of them were done, Amanti was lying on her bed, appearing to Norm as more of a mummy and less of a formidable Tipani leader.
"…I don't," Norm finished. "Okay, you got it from here?"
"Yup," Ilram said, removing his gloves.
"Excellent," Norm briefly glanced over his shoulder at Jake, who stood outside the room, observing the scene through the glass walls in silence. "I'm gonna let the big guy know everything is alright here."
"Go on ahead. I'm almost done here."
Walking out of the room and closing the door gently behind him, Norm looked up and said, "Alright, Jake, she's currently asleep with an IV bag full of pain killers. The good kind—my private stash. But when she wakes up, she's going to have a headache from hell. So, before she leaves here, we'll give her more. Just to take the edge off before Fmilam can take over."
"That means everything is okay? Nothing serious?" Jake asked.
Norm nodded. "Oh yeah. No issue. She received a concussion, but nothing serious according to Max."
The scientist who had been typing away at his computer station swiveled about and flashed a thumb's up from across the hall to Jake. "Yup! She's all good!"
Norm's grin broadened, and he gestured toward the man. "See? Nothing to worry about. But we're keeping her for the night… if that's all right with the Tipani. Y'know. Just for assurances. But hey! Good news is, she'll have a really badass scar!"
"Norm," Jake chided gently.
The scientist chuckled. "It's true! Okay-okay." Norm gestured for Jake to walk alongside him toward the central hub of the shack. "You can let her kids know that she is doing alright... or they could come in and visit her. We'll make arrangements for them if they do. We might even kick Ilram and Max out because they're ugly enough to scare them away. And it will do wonders for her and them. Mostly them."
Ilram grinned as he moved passed them to attend to other tasks. Max playfully retorted, "I heard that!"
"Yeah," Jake said, "I'll let them know." He then shifted his attention to Max, who stood by the computer as he busily typed away. The transparent screen was showing a highly-detailed 3D map of the area that the Gray Fox last flew over. A spectrum of colors indicated the forested regions, while other hues denoted the varying elevations and topographical features of the terrain.
"Anything yet?" Jake said, his tail swaying contemplatively to the thoughts running in his mind.
"Sorry, Jake…" Max responded.
"…that's my fault," Norm interjected, tapping his head. "Slipped my mind with all the commotion going on between you guys, and the downed Samson that I didn't really think about giving her a throat mike."
"What about Rayan's frequency?"
Norm's regretful expression deepened. "Nope. Forgot that too."
Jake crossed his arms and leaned against the shack's column, his expression a blend of contemplation and concern for both Kxeyìn and Rayan. Of course, he wasn't particularly worried about Rayan's avatar's, but given all that has happened so far with the RDA with the added bonus of Ardmore's ever adamant desire to see Jake crucified, he wasn't about to give her that kind of ammunition. At least not yet anyways.
"Okay," Jake finally said through the stilted silence. "We'll send out some riders tonight. Transfer the flight data to my computer station and keep me in touch if anything changes, alright?" Jake said as he started to head out from the science shack.
"Always do. Say hi to Neytiri for me, yeah?"
Jake laughed.
Shutting the door behind him, Jake turned and quickly descended the flight of stairs, eager to see Neytiri and share the latest news about Amanti when he noticed Tsmupxa and Srìlo talking to one another at the base of the stairs.
"Tsmupxa? Srìlo?"
They both looked up in unison to Jake.
"Olo'eyktan," Tsmupxa greeted. He motioned with a hand the typical Na'vi greeting while simultaneously gesturing with his eyes to the shack behind Jake. "Is our mother—?"
Jake smiled. "Yes, she's doing well."
Although Fmilam had likely conveyed the positive news just moments earlier, Jake could still sense the lingering worry in their eyes. Desperate to hear any further updates on their mother. And as a father himself, Jake could relate.
Srìlo bowed his head. "Irayo, Olo'eyktan."
"When can we see her?" Tsmupxa asked, his tail betraying his eagerness to see his mother again.
Jake thumbed towards the shack, "you can see her right now if you like."
Tsmupxa made a disagreeable noise with his mouth, disapproving of that idea. "We desire of the possibility that we could take her from that cursed place and bring her to our marui."
Cursed place, Jake repeated, finding it amusing that they still did not understand that 'cursed place' just saved their mom.
"That's going to be difficult," Jake countered. "She's resting at the moment."
"For how long?"
"Hopefully by sunrise tomorrow."
Tsmupxa blinked, his attention shifting to the ground, not expecting that answer. When he returned his gaze to the Olo'eyktan, he initially fell silent at first.
Then: "I will allow you, Olo'eyktan. But only for this night."
Jake immediately sensed Tsmupxa's hesitation and asked, "You don't want to see her?"
Tsmupxa did. He really wanted to. Deep down inside, that desire burned as hot as the surface of the sun. And yet, a haunting fear, woven from memories of violence, blood, and death, kept his mouth shut from answering. Because like all fears, this one gripped his tongue like a palulukan, making his words falter from his mind, and his spirit cold. It was an encounter with his own shame that left him reeling without an answer to Jake's question, concocted by the bitter taste of guilt. It was an emotion his mother would have chastised him for.
Because while he was a member of the Tipani, a clan whose most valued skill was battle and war, he couldn't even topple and defeat this worming poison of fear from taking over his mind.
The only thing he could see past Olo'eyktan Tsyeyk Suli in that moment was his father's death at the hands of the Sky People. And since then, he found foulness with the Sky People. From their architecture to their very existence. His blood boiled with wanton to kill them. Yet, a pause came. He couldn't bring himself to admit it. Either to Tsyeyk or his People. He could not admit that being around them made his chest heavy and his breathing liken to that of being underwater. The warrior part of him raged against that cowardice side of him. Because while he would do anything—and everything to help his People. He couldn't make himself climb the stairs and be in the same room as those Sky People.
He was afraid he might murder them. For the safety of Tsyeyk Suli's people, Tsmupxa replied with an answer that was barely audible to Jake's ears, "…No."
"Tsmupxa," Jake said, knowing precisely what was bothering him. "They are nice people. They helped your mother. And Fmilam was in there too."
"I know…" The young man struggled to find his words that would make sense to the Olo'eyktan's ears. He wanted to explain his apprehensions to Olo'eyktan Tsyeyk Suli, to lay bare his reasons, but he knew that by doing so would only invite scrutiny from the Olo'eyktan, and from his People.
With his mother absent and no other leader present, the People turned to Tsmupxa as their leader. He felt the weight of their expectations on his back, his neck, and shoulders even. He could feel their whispers of doubt clawing at his ears, their scrutinizing eyes probing his back for weaknesses when he wasn't looking.
His tail was flicking nervously again. He couldn't help it.
Instead, he justified his reasoning for not seeing his mother with the abhorrent and craven excuse of: "I have other duties to my People."
Jake's expression softened. He knew that look right away. Finding no reason to continue pushing the subject, Jake shifted to a more thoughtful approach. "Fmilam and Sänume can visit her whenever they want, if they desire."
Tsmupxa straightened up and nodded to the Olo'eyktan. "We can do that."
Suddenly, that fear went away. Yes, the excuse work but at what cost? He was beginning to worry about mother again, and the sweat of his palms betrayed that notion. Then, out of nowhere, his concentration was broken by Srìlo nudging him in the rib. Prompting a raised flesh-brow from Tsmupxa who detected impatience in his brother's gaze.
"Can I see her?" He whispered almost meekly.
Tsmupxa wanted to shake his head, but Srìlo was persuasive with his expression. Sighing, the eldest brother closed his eyes, a silent acknowledgment that he can.
"But you will behave yourself," Tsmupxa added sternly, his protective nature asserting itself. "Do not engage with the Sky People. Stay with mother."
"I can get one of my boys to be with you, Srìlo," Jake offered.
"I can help," voiced Kiri as she stepped out from behind the shacks.
"Kiri?" Jake said with an almost baffled tone as to what she was doing behind the shacks.
Samantha immediately popped out from behind the shack with Kiri, carrying a sheepish grin. "Oh sorry, Jake! Kiri and Spider were just helping me with some projects."
Spider waved at Jake with that annoying smile of his. "Hi, Mr. Sully!"
Jake tried to motion to Samantha to hide Spider, but it was too late. The two young men of Amanti turned around in time to see the teenage human kid walking alongside Kiri. Observing their close friendship was... unnatural to the Tipani.
"It is that child again," Tsmupxa whispered to Srìlo.
Srìlo remembered Spider. He was the human teen, likened to his age though unmatched with intelligence. He was also harmless to the Na'vi as far as Srìlo was concerned.
"Hey Sam, Kiri, and… Spider." Jake said, with the final name being met with a sort of exasperation that Spider could bring out from Kiri's dad.
"Sorry, Dad," Kiri apologized as she stepped around Tsmupxa and Srìlo, joining Jake's side. She quickly greeted the two young men before looking up to Jake. "I overheard what you guys were saying and thought I could assist Srìlo, if that's alright with you."
"Well…" Jake looked around for his sons. "I was going to ask Neteyam or Lo'ak to—"
Kiri playfully teased with a grin, "They're both busy helping mom."
"Okay, uh, hmh," Jake snapped his attention back to Amanti's sons. "Srìlo?"
The teenage boy took a step closer to Kiri and smiled. "Yes, that will be fine."
"Okay, then you two go ahead."
Kiri smiled and took Srìlo by the hand, leading him up the stairs to the shack entrance when—
"Wait up, Kiri!" Spider shouted as he ran after the girl. Immediately, Tsmupxa spun and grabbed Spider's dreadlocks, yanking him back and hissing at him.
"No!"
"Hey! What the hell is your problem?" Spider yelled, hitting Tsmupxa's hand away from his hair.
"Tsmupxa," Jake interjected.
"You are the hell my problem!" Tsmupxa angrily replied, using the very Sky People words right back at the teen. "You will not see my mother!"
"I'm not here to see your mother, idiot! I'm with Kiri!"
"Spider!" Jake chastised. That didn't stop him either.
"Then you will die here, demon!" Tsmupxa declared, unsheathing his blade in preparation to stab Spider.
Seeing this, Jake quickly intervened and grabbed the blade from Tsmupxa's hand.
"Whoa, hey. Not a good idea, Tsmupxa."
Tsmupxa's voice dripped with anger as he snapped back at Jake, earning a rather surprised look from everyone except Jake. "He's a demon, Olo'eyktan! And he insulted me!"
"He didn't insult you, Tsmupxa," Jake replied, presenting the blade's handle back to Tsmupxa in an attempt to show him no harm.
Watching him take the blade back, Jake easily discerned the tension in Tsmupxa's clenched teeth as the young man locked eyes with him. It was a challenge for battle, simmering against the raging anger of the old Tipani way of settling disputes. It might've worked where he came from, but among the Omatikaya, that was not how they dealt with things.
Thankfully for Tsmupxa, the smoldering embers of his anger seemed to subside just in time to prevent the spilling of words that could not be taken back. After several heartbeats and laborious breaths, the fiery indignation gradually gave way to a flood of embarrassment. And reluctantly, Tsmupxa conceded that the Olo'eyktan was right, and he was in the wrong. Still, this didn't change his stance about Spider being anywhere near Amanti.
"I will not allow Srìlo in there if that thing goes with him."
"I have a name!" Spider cried back. "It's Spider!"
Kiri reappeared just then, grabbing Spider's hand and leading him away from the escalating confrontation before he started a war.
"Kiri! What the hell?"
"Why don't you grow up, huh Spider?"
"What?" Spider said, confused by Kiri's tone.
"They are our friends."
"And so am I, right?"
Kiri let out a sigh of frustration. "You are but, I am trying to help mom and dad and you're making things worse for us."
"Oh?" Spider said, putting on a very human sarcastic expression. "I'm the problem now? Before, you told me you couldn't wait for the Tipani to leave. Now I am the problem?"
"I didn't mean it like that."
"It sure sounded like it. Y'know you sounded like your mom just now?"
Kiri looked away, her frustration mingling with a sense of helplessness as Spider continued his tirade. "I just wanted to help too; you know. Until that asshole grabbed my hair."
"Hush," Kiri said, taking him further away from the sensitive ears of the Tipani.
"So I'm the bad guy now? I didn't start that fight!"
"I know you didn't."
"Then why are you defending that prick?!"
Kiri finally met his gaze. "Because their mother is really hurt, Spider. Srìlo is not like the Omatikaya or me. They're not use to the Sky People."
"It doesn't give him the right to touch me."
"He was just doing it to protect his mother."
Spider snapped his finger and pointed up to Kiri. "So you are defending that prick!"
"I'm not defending anyone! I'm trying to explain to you—"
"No. I get it." Spider raised both hands in surrender. "I get it, Kiri." He started to walk off when Kiri called out, "Spider!" The teenage boy simply waved at her without looking back.
Tilting her head, Kiri watched as he disappeared into the shadows of the cave, wondering what she had done wrong. She told herself that she had done the right thing, but it felt wrong.
Turning back to Srìlo, she returned to him.
"Sorry about that," Kiri said to Srìlo. "My friend he is uh, well, he's from the sky."
"I know," he told her. "They killed my People."
Kiri paused and looked at him for a moment, studying his expression. "Oh. I didn't mean it like that. Spider is harmless."
"No," Srìlo objected.
With her tail swaying, Kiri didn't want to get into another argument so soon after the previous one. "Okay," she said with a cheerful tone, "ready to see your mom?"
He beamed, "yes. Very much."
"Alright, let's go."
Srìlo noted the odd grammar in her words. "You words, they sound like the Sky People."
Kiri smiled back at him as she led him up the stairs. She knew explaining wouldn't make sense to him, even if she tried.
With that out of the way, Jake breathed a sigh of relief. "So we're good, Tsmupxa? No hard feelings?"
"My feelings are not hard, Olo'eyktan. They are my own. I express them how I want."
Jake was about to explain to him the meaning when he stopped and smirked. "Sure. But a word of warning, Tsmupxa. Don't try to kill anyone here. Please."
Tsmupxa sheathed the blade back in and nodded. "You have my word, Olo'eyktan. And I thank you. I will return for Srìlo later. As for Kxeyìn, Olo'eyktan. I have instructed several of my riders to look for her."
"That's a good idea but—" Jake paused. "I thought your ikrans were sick?"
"Not all," Tsmupxa added.
"Ah. Well, I also asked several of my riders to look for her."
"Then they can help."
"Excellent. I will let them know."
"Yes, Olo'eyktan. They have not left yet. If they desire, please have your riders meet with ours at the plateau."
"I will do that."
"Good. Then I will let my riders know too expects yours. Until then, Olo'eyktan, be well." Tsmupxa said and departed, leaving behind Samantha and Jake alone.
"That. Was. Awkward." Sam said as soon as Tsmupxa was out of earshot.
"Kids." Jake said as though that was a bad thing. "Don't have any, Sam."
"At my age, Jake?" She said with laughter chasing after her words. "But seriously. Anything about Kxeyìn?"
"Max hasn't been able to locate them. He was hoping to locate them by triangulating their last known position from the bird."
"And anything?"
Jake shrugged, "No. Not yet. It also doesn't help that she doesn't have a throat mike. And Norm didn't take down Rayan's frequency before they left."
"That seems stupid." Sam said.
Jake shared an expression that it was rude. "He's trying, Sam."
"Oh I know, I just… I mean, c'mon Jake. That was stupid."
"Hey. He was under a lot of stress."
"Fair, you got me." She said as she looked up to the shack. "So what do you think the Srìlo kid is thinking about all that Sky People stuff?"
Jake followed her gaze to the shack and said, "don't know."
"Gotta admit one thing Jake."
"Yeah? What's that?" His tail swayed innocently.
"This job suits you." She said, smiling.
"Sam… I swear you're going to be the death of me."
"Ah lighten up grumpy Marine." She nudged him playfully.
The last thing Jake needed to do was lighten up. He had a Tipani woman lost in the woods. A clan leader injured. Another one trying to fill his mother's 'shoes', and the RDA breathing down his neck. What he really needed was a beer.
Somewhere on the Outskirts of Ayram Alusìng
After a certain point, the pain had dulled, losing its sharp, biting edge. Though maybe that spoke more to how she was handling herself than what the pain wanted her to feel. Nevertheless, she tried not to concentrate on the pain. Doing so only made her aware of how foolish she was to trade her life with that of a demon. A demon who was very likely dead by now. Equally futile was focusing on any hope that would see her saved.
Out here in the wilds, the only witnesses to her existence was the annoying insects feasting on her sweat and blood.
Absently swatting them away, she gazed upward at the treetops and listened to the wind's soothing hum. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting its final rays of the day, the air warmed, gently coaxing her toward sleep. Before long, Kxeyìn found herself slumped to one side, the fading rays tenderly caressing her face.
Basking in the sun's warmth, the evaporating sweat from her skin was transformed into a highly evocative and sweet vapor. It wafted through the air, carried northward by the easterly winds to the hilltop above her. There, the aroma of her blood was caught by the sensitive noses of nantang. Their skin, blending in with the twilight hour, made it difficult to discern their presence until they lifted their noses, detecting more of her wounds.
Both eyes blinked, and their elongated snouts turned in the direction of the suspected wounded creature. Following their instincts, like all of Pandora's predators, they pursued the scent down the hill. Their powerful legs guided them underneath vines, leaping over a fallen tree that was powerless to stop them, and moving with the slender sleekness of a slinth past the exotic plants that would have slowed a Na'vi down.
They ensured they weren't heard by shifting their body weight into their trunks with each joint motion. While not flawlessly executed, they maintained their rapid pace. By the time they were near her, they had become silent—too silent to be detected. To prevent themselves from being seen, they pressed their bodies against the ground and carefully maneuvered their way through the shadows to reach her. Their calculated movements remained concealed beneath the forest's shroud.
When they were sufficiently close, they breached the fading light, exposing their heads. It became apparent that these were not the normal nantang that the Na'vi were accustomed to. These creatures bore metallic headgear that wrapped around their skulls. Atop the headgear rested a military-grade camera, swiveling and turning enough for the lens to catch a glint of bioluminescent light. The white lettering beneath the camera spelled out:
SECURITY OPERATIONS
Quarry 3 "Red Stone" — 93 Miles Northeast of The Hallelujah Mountains
"Easy… easy now. I don't want to give away our positions just yet," the commander advised, her voice carrying an undercurrent of tension. She stood with gloved hands resting on her hips, her gaze fixed on the massive screens in front of her. The hum of technology created an atmosphere of controlled precision. This was not the same SEC-OPS as seen at Bridgehead or Hell's Gate, but rather an entirely new breed, exuding an aura of oppressive authority.
"Get me closer on her face," she directed the driver.
"Yes, ma'am," came the prompt and deferential response of the driver. Hovering above his head was a half-circular metal fork, divided into left and right sections. Below it, a skullcap with electronic ribbons snaking down his back and into a nearby console. He was using only his mind to control the viperwolf.
An intrigued arc of her brow lifted, perplexed that, of all the luck in the world, they happened to come across the one lonely Na'vi out in these damn wilds. This was good news, though. For several months, they had to fight to get their workers. Now, with the opportunity lying on the ground, they could get one without having to pick a fight with anyone. And without the need for violence translated to a tally of lives saved under her watch.
The woman grinned. This also meant a bonus pay for every captured Na'vi; for both her and her drivers, as well as the operators who fetched them. But she had to play it cool. If the Na'vi died, that was a sharp subtraction of pay. If the Na'vi was wounded, that was an additional subtraction for the cost of medical supplies. The best way to capture the Na'vi was to subdue them, tie them like hogs, and bring them back to Red Stone for processing.
Which she planned to do with this Na'vi as soon as she could see this woman's face.
"Nice and easy. I want to see who this blue skinny is before we take her."
"Yes ma'am," driver Alpha said.
She arched her back and stretched her arms, feeling the strain of her twelve-hour shift taking its toll. Atop her head, the light briefly illuminated her cap, which displayed the viperwolf insignia enclosed within a triangular frame, with three claw marks cutting across the emblem. The words 'Viperwolf Operations' were printed across the front of the cap. A similar design adorned the patch on her arm, this time with the motto inscribed beneath the insignia:
Eye Claw You
"Nice and easy. Like you're sneaking into your sister's room, and you don't want to get caught stealing her journal."
"Yes ma'am," driver Alpha said as he transmitted the thoughts to the viperwolf to get closer to the Tipani woman.
"Closer," she instructed, squinting at the viewscreen in front of her.
"Understood, ma'am," said of driver Gamma.
The pair of viperwolves leaned in, initially using their sense of smell to assess the woman before allowing the camera to capture her through various stereoscopic viewpoints. One from above, and another at eye level. A quick snapshot provided a 3D scan of her face, transmitting the data back to their servers and providing an instant update on the commander's ocular screen she had worn across her face.
"She's not an escapee… and… she's fresh. Good work gentlemen. Okay, I want to see if she's alive." She said, her voice tinging with excitement.
"Switching to thermals," driver Gamma reported. "Red across the spectrum. She's alive, ma'am."
"Alive but… wounded. Did anyone of our guys come across a recent fight with the Na'vi?"
"No ma'am," driver Alpha said.
"Must've slipped and fall. Truly a tragedy. Alright, gamma. Bite her and tag her. Let's see if she's worth it."
"Yes ma'am," Gamma said as he directed the viperwolf under his thoughts to do so.
The viperwolf drew closer to her, its eyes fixed on her forearm. It snarled and opened its jaws, leaning in to bite her. Embedded at the tip of one of its fangs was a transmitter that dislodged the instant it punctured her skin. The design also made it incredibly difficult to remove if the Na'vi knew what to look for.
Kxeyìn's scream pierced the air as a new wave of pain startled her from her sleep. Her immediate realization was that something had bitten her. Glancing across, she found them. Nantang. She started to shout at them, hoping to scare them away but it only made her fall onto her side. It didn't matter if there was a fracture in her right leg or not, right now, adrenaline was pouring through her system, blinding her to the pain as she scrambled across the forest floor.
"Let her go, gentlemen. Where she goes, we'll know," she said, turning around to give herself some privacy. She tapped the earpiece nestled in her ear, hoping to get in touch with...
"Sergeant Micah. We got a live one for ya. Signal of the location should be broadcasted on your watch right about now."
"Got it." Came the gruffy voice on the other end. Several seconds later, "Good catch. Female huh? Ooh boy. Boss is going to like this one."
"You know I always come through for you guys. Good huntin'."
Outside on the tarmac, the lights from the nearby towers flooded the scene as a pair of men and one women were seen running across the airstrip. They were kitted with anti-arrow armor, black BDU's, and had a rifle slung across their chest. Two more came up behind them in skel suits, fully geared and armed.
"Hey sergeant!" Yelled a woman in all black-gear. "What is it this time? 'Nother squirrel hunt?"
"Nope. We got ourselves a Na'vi woman." Micah grinned.
"No shit?" She said, wiping at her mask from the drizzling rain.
He nodded, smiling behind his mask as he stepped aboard the Kestrel. "One more to the pile!" He said, laughing as he extended a hand to her.
She took it and was brought aboard. Several more came aboard and before long, the Kestrel was airborne, heading to the location of this supposed lone Na'vi woman.
Sergeant Micah loved these kinds of hunts. Anytime they were allowed to capture a Na'vi meant one less worker needed to do the mines. Considering how grueling and terrible the conditions were to work those mines, those workers could be used for easier tasks, such as processing unobtanium. Though Micah preferred they join SEC-OPS in order to reinforce security on Pandora. Sadly, he wasn't the General in that department.
At least their boss, Sato, was going to be pleased to hear it.
Sato stood as the RDA's most trusted and hardest-working man for mining unobtainium on Pandora. He had been on the moon prior to Jake's rebellion, overseeing the processing of thousands upon thousands of tons of unobtainium in a single year. This earned him the title of Earth's hero, and his image graced numerous propaganda posters back home. However, he never saw himself in that light. Approaching retirement age, he knew he had little time to enjoy the sum of his work when he heard a little bird back at Bridgehead that they discovered some kind of whale juice that could extend his life. Except the suits were saying that it would cost an arm, a leg, a kidney, and enough brain cells to inject yourself with some strange orange juice. Despite the astronomical cost, the results seemed to be showing remarkable potential.
'Immortality,' was the buzz word being thrown around. He liked that. If he could buy himself some of that goo, then maybe his life's work wouldn't end on a whimper, but with the biggest haul the RDA had ever seen on this side of Pandora's green ferns.
"Red Stone to Saber Nine." Sato called in from his office at Red Stone. "Remember. No killing. I want her alive. If you bring her back alive, all of you will be handsomely rewarded."
"Check," Micah said over the radio. "Don't worry sir. We'll bring her back for you."
"That's what I like to hear."
"You hear that?" Micah addressed his squad. "Money, money, money!"
The squad howled with excitement.
Micah leaned out of the Kestrel, gripping a handrail above as the evening wind brushed against his back. Almost unconsciously, his fingers extended to feel the wind between them. The night was cool and promising, a good omen, as tonight would not be the night anyone met their end. But a night that will end with them drunk off their asses.
Tapping his earpiece, he needed to confirm one last detail. "Did you bring our boys?" he called out to his second-in-command, Corporal Ilika.
She grinned and pointed to the flooring beneath her boots. "They gave us two."
"Two?" He repeated, astonished that Ardmore was generous enough to spare them two. With that realization, he grinned even wider.
"Pilot. What is our ETA?" He asked over the radio.
"Forty-minutes."
"Check your watches," he instructed his squad. "Forty-minutes. Counting now. I want this to go smoothly. So, heads on a swivel. Fingers hot on the trigger. If you see something you don't like, don't hesitate to shoot it. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir!"
"Fantastic. Let's go get our girl."