A New Mission: Ash to Fire

Tension

Miles doesn't remember the last time he was in love. Fifteen years on Pandora as Hell's Gate's Head of Security there was plenty of passion in his life, sure. Plenty of intimacy... a baby as the result of one of those intimate flings. But was there love? Not that he remembers and before his time on Pandora he doesn't recall much of the concept either. His tours in Nigeria during the war certainly didn't leave room for such, and in general, Miles was focused, career-oriented, and duty-bound for his entire life.

There was, however, one girl in the Naval Academy, Maria Beltrán, whom he had taken a great fondness for. Not sure that he would call it love though. She was a communications officer, intelligent, and tenacious. It was never able to get off the ground though because when they both graduated from the academy as second lieutenants they were subsequently deployed to different parts of the world, neither pressed to stay in touch with each other.

Time heals wounds of love, but he does remember being saddened by this. But to him that was twenty-six years ago. His transferred fifty-one-year-old mind and memories, though displaced twenty-one years forward in time, six for his cryo to Pandora and fifteen post-death, still remembered time as he experienced it. To recombinant Miles Quaritch, he graduated from the Naval Academy twenty-six years ago... and that was the last time he remembered romantically caring about someone.

So what the hell was this? Was it him being in a much younger, hot-blooded body? Was it the Na'vi in him? The heat and emotions of survival? Miles was angry. He couldn't believe what he just did. He was raging internally at himself.

Miles and Zu were climbing up out of the pit they used to escape the creature. Zu was above him hoisting herself up on some roots. Miles was looking up at her, but trying not to look at her. He kept averting his eyes from her body, but her flicking tail and extra long tuft were dangling in his face. Miles sighed, frustrated. Zu slowly poked her head out of the fissure and scanned the clearing and the tree line.

She looked down at Miles. "I do not see Kozolukan."

Miles figured that was the name of the animal.

She then said, "My-ulls, my Ikran is in Tìomumutral'ram."

Now that was certainly a word. Miles inferred this was the name of the volcano he followed her to. He took a moment to parse out the words. "Knowledge," "tree," "mountain", or something like that. But what he quickly realized was that Zu was saying that she didn't have her banshee for a quick escape. He would have to call Cupcake down, hoping that she would hear him, and rescue them both. But had no idea how far they'd run into the forest in trying to escape their attacker.

Miles looked up at Zu. "I'll call for mine."

They worked to switch places, Zu slowly sliding back down into the pit against Miles' body. His ears slanted and he held his breath at this. He then climbed up the roots, stuck his head out, and scanned the clearing. No sign of the Kozo-whatever, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. He worried about putting Cupcake at risk, but they couldn't stay in this pit all day. And Miles couldn't stand to. Who knows what would happen next?

Miles brought his hand to his mouth and whistled loudly for Cupcake. They waited. Miles whistled again. Suddenly, to their immense relief, Cupcake screeched overhead, flying high. But she wasn't descending, she was circling nervously. Shit. That damn creature must still be around, waiting in the dark forest. Miles whistled again, this time with more of his body out of the fissure. Cupcake finally started to descend, comforted and assured by seeing her companion.

Miles looked down at Zu to see her orange eyes staring up at him and he stressed, "We're gonna have to be fast."

He then reached his massive hand down to Zu and she grabbed it with both of hers, leaving the spear behind. With one impressive motion, Miles hoisted her straight up. Both quickly exited the pit as Cupcake landed and they jumped on her, Zu tightly holding onto Miles from behind, her knees on his mount's back. Zu noticed how smooth the skin of this Ikran was. It felt so weird from what she was used to on her cliff Ikran. She also observed the unique Sky People-made saddle and pack, their green fabric and compartments, noting how it wrapped around much of the head and neck of this Ikran.