Through the glowing valleys, a Kestrel Gunship, KG for short, thundered. Two pilots, a lieutenant named Alexa and a sergeant named Mal were piloting the easily maneuverable multirole rotorwing stationed on Pandora. It had superior sensor equipment compared to its cousin, the SAMSON, and had more devastating firepower and doors that open to reveal catastrophic armaments controlled by dangerous soldiers. Looming behind the pilots was Lieutenant Allan, his hand holding a coffee cup. Now and then he would sip the bitter liquid that had gone cold hours ago. The superiors were going to give him an earful when they arrive back at Hell's Gate.
Alexa's eyes were supposed to be trained on her instruments that were freaking out in the Flux Vortex, but she couldn't. The valley they thundered through was beautiful, the nearly dark cockpit lit up by galaxies of blue, teal, and cyan. It was a shame it was going to be destroyed soon. After a quick flash of her instruments, Alexa's eyes flashed up on the screen. Suddenly, through the darkness, she could see a huge shape up ahead.
"Wait, I see something," She leaned forward, gaining Sergeant Mal and Lieutenant Allan's attention. "Looks like one of those big...winged...dragon things and one of the natives."
"Huh, well, pursue them," Allan commanded, taking a big swing of his coffee. There wasn't an ounce of doubt in his voice and while it excited Alexa, it worried Mal.
"But, sir," The sergeant stuttered. They aren't doing anything. They're just...flying. I don't think our orders are to kill any of the indigenous that aren't doing anything-"
"Son," His superior interrupted. "Apply this to them. Imagine they saw us first. We aren't doing anything to them, but I'm sure if they had the opportunity, they'd do something to us. And, you don't want to be dragon food or back on the next transport to Earth again, right?" Mal shook his head, making Lieutenant Allan smirk. "So, son," He patted him on the shoulder. "Just do what I say and no human gets hurt. You ready boys?" His voice was raised and in the dark cargo hold, a bunch of cheerful soldiers replied with, "Yup-Yup!"
"Ready pilots?" Allan eyed Mal.
"...Yes, sir." Mal and Alexa put their hands on the steering stick and started to bank to the left, Allan holding onto their seats. They aligned themselves with the dragon creature and the Pandoran alien's path.
Ao'teya clicked hearing the strong thunder that wasn't like anything she had heard before. Well, anything she had heard recently. It wasn't long before In'at did as well. "Oeya tsmuke, (My sister,)" The ikran said through their tsaheylu. "Kem si tsa'u stawm? (Do you hear that?)" In'at whipped around and her eyes widened and pupils dilated seeing the strange vehicle thundering toward them. "Tsaw peut? (What is it?)"
In'at grabbed her bow, taking it from its dormant position. Pinning it against Ao'teya, she grabbed one of her arrows and loaded it into the weapon. The mountain banshee's worry grew as In'at went into 'battle formation,' where her body was raised and perched on the strong bones joining the ikran's neck to her wings, a strong natural ledge that held up the rider. "Sawtuteya. (Sky People.)" Ao'teya chirped worriedly, but In'at shushed her assuringly. "Mawey. Tswayoneya niyey yeyti, oeya tireatsmuke. (Calm. Just fly straight, my spirit sister.)" In'at didn't have to ask twice for her mount to speed up, the ikran obeying without question or protest.
In'at yells, "HOOWAH!" Ao'teya banked right, the perched driver stooped low and her body moved to the left. Together, they passed by a floating mountain spotted by glowing flora they couldn't take the time to admire now. If she wasn't being chased by this demon machine, she would have steered Ao'teya to it to explore. She knew her ikran was fast and capable, but so was the machine, as it started to grow bigger and bigger and steered past the suspended ecosystem with ease.
"Speed up, pilots," Allan said, and without warning, tipped the driving stick between Mal's knees, further accelerating the vehicle. "We have a blue monkey to catch. Either alive and kicking or burnt to a crisp." Alexa laughed at his 'joke,' but Mal stayed silent.
YOU ARE READING
Avatar: Feathers and Flowers
Science FictionIt had been years since the Sky People came to Eywa'eveng and ever since they arrived, they brought war and bloodshed with them. The Omatikaya had to be on guard at all times, a moment of weakness could result in their elimination. Swaylu, one of th...
