A New Mission: Ash to Fire

Distraction

An injured Jake and Neytiri were scouring the floating mountain for Kiri and Spider. Jake was limping and both were clutching their bleeding wounds from their devastating fights with Quaritch and his Ash Na'vi mate, which they still couldn't believe. Jake and Neytiri called out for Kiri but received silence under the remaining darkness of eclipse. Their hearts dropped further and further into the pits of their stomachs with each passing moment, each non-returned call, panic setting in.

They emerged at the other side of the mountain, at the clearing where their groggy Ikrans were, where Jake told Spider to stay, and to their dismay, they didn't see Spider there either. Suddenly overhead, they hear a screech. It was Kiri's Ikran, riderless and anxious. Jake and Neytiri looked at each other and their hearts cracked in two. They realized that Kiri and Spider had been taken. Neytiri looked at her mate and started to sob. Jake held her in his arms and they dropped to their knees on that floating mountain, pain in body, pain in soul. Embracing one another until eclipse lifted and their Ikrans were able to fly again.

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Miles and Mansk were mentally urging their mounts to fly with as much haste as Cupcake and Sundae could muster, the Ikrans feeling the desperation from their riders through their bonds. Miles was cradling Zu's body with his right arm, making panicked glances down at her, ensuring that she was still breathing. He could feel that the front of his pants was wet—cold from her blood against the wind of flight.

As eclipse lifted and Miles saw Zu's dull, pale skin in the sunlight he choked back more tears, looked out over the horizon, and uttered, "Please," utmost begging in his voice.

His ears were fallen through nearly the entire flight. Every time they lifted, they dropped again as soon as he looked or thought about her.

In what felt like an eternity, Miles and Mansk finally saw Bridgehead City on the horizon, its stark metal buildings standing out amongst the dead and exposed Kill Zone. Miles leaned back on Cupcake and let go of her reins to press his neck's comms to radio Bridgehead and signal their arrival—and their emergency.

"Bridgehead Command—" His voice cracked. He cleared his throat and steeled himself. "Bridgehead Command this is Blue One on approach, we need safe airspace and immediate, urgent medical assistance... one of our team is dying. Please."

A male voice emerged over the comms. "Roger that, Blue One, airspace is cleared for your arrival, medical assistance will be standing by."

Miles sighed with slight relief. He looked down at Zu. "Just hang on a little longer, princess."

The same male voice reappeared over the comms after a long moment. "And the mission status, Colonel? ...is Sully dead? Over." The man spoke as though he was being fed questions. Most likely by the General or Stringer.

Miles looked at Mansk who was flying ahead of him and turned his head to look at his Colonel, sunglasses on, having heard the question over his own comms. Miles twitching his mouth up in a frustrated frown, paused, and answered, "Negative."

No communication came through to follow up.

Miles and Mansk flew to their usual East Hangar location for their Ikrans' safety. To both of their mild relief, Lyle's Ikran, Rocket, was inside which means he did in fact make it back safely and with Kiri and Spider in tow. And just as when Miles first arrived at Bridgehead after surviving the Sea Dragon wreck, there was a medical team waiting with a Na'vi-sized stretcher on an electric emergency services cart and three breathers for them.

Miles quickly jumped off Cupcake holding Zu, his right arm wrapped around her body, her head braced by his bicep, ensuring that it wasn't limply hanging down, and his left arm was clutched under her knees. She was so cold. As he approached, the medical team saw the bloodstained gauze on her body and the blood on his pants and vest. They did not hide their looks of concern and worry.