A New Mission: Ash to Fire

New Spirit

Miles and Zu were relaxing in the hangar, both content, especially after what Zu did for him, waiting for Mansk and Lyle to return. They'd left plenty of time with their detour and that they weren't back yet suggested that Lyle and Mansk may have decided to meander about the base as well. After all, it was their first day back in a month too. Zu was just embracing the human world around her. She was out in the hangar, taking in the structure and engineering of this giant, metal-made building. She was walking around looking at less familiar aircraft like Seawasps, which were sleeker and smaller than the Kestrels she was used to. Zu noticed that the Seawasp she was walking around curiously had many small holes of damage holes in it. Were these bullet holes?

The workers who were repairing it were looking at her with wariness, reacting to the large teeth of her smile, which Zu noticed. She appeared different from the Na'vi that had been attacking them, the ones who caused the damage to this Seawasp, but she was still a Na'vi. Zu paid them no mind though, she understood their emotions. Zu also noticed a giant C-21 Dragon Assault Ship just outside the hangar and didn't realize it was a machine made for flying until she saw its rotors. How?? It was so big.

Miles was sitting on his cot starting to devise a mission plan in his head. Well, mission input to give to the General tomorrow at 1200. It was going to be quite a quick turnaround between their arrival and the planning of a new mission, but such was his life, especially given the threat that loomed over Bridgehead operations. He was reading through notes on his tablet, taking in all known information he could about the Forest and Ocean Na'vi, and all documentation related to Jake Sully. He was even reading through some of Grace Augustine's old notes and documents. He hated her, but that woman was damn thorough. He had some ideas and he knew whatever he planned for would require a tight, stealthy operation made up of himself, Lyle, Mansk... and Zu.

Miles fully realized that he would have to include her on his next mission and there was no way she would allow herself to not be included. Plus, he pitched her value as a mission asset to the General. This thought sent a shiver of fear through Miles. The promise he made to her parents, her entire people really, was that he would keep her safe. The way Sully and his wife had laid waste to his recoms.... He had to be sure to devise a mission where he would have the upper hand the entire time. Miles was an elite tactician though. He was going to devise an elite plan. One that the General would be foolish not to consider.

Mansk and Lyle finally returned to their hangar storage quarters and saw their Colonel sitting on his cot, deep in thought and research. Miles glanced up and saw them approaching, put his tablet to the side, and stood to greet them.

"Hope that went better for you than it went for me, Marines," he said.

Lyle and Mansk both returned an awkward tight-lipped face like, not really, no.

Lyle then asked, "Where's Zu?"

Miles replied, "Ah she's around here somewhere," looking around for her.

Zu, inspecting a Seawasp, heard the Marines speaking with her acute hearing and peered over to see them and glided over with a smile. When she got to the three she asked, "So that woman... She is the leader? The... jenral? This means something like your ker-nul, My-ulls?"

Miles pulled back his lip to grin and then said, "Yeah. She is ranked higher than me. I report to her. She tells me what to do."

"And Lyle and Devin? You are... korpruls ?" she asked inquisitively.

Miles chimed in, "Well, Lyle here is a Corporal, and Devin is a Lance Corporal," moving between the two from behind and putting his hands on each of his Marines' shoulders as he referred to them.