A New Mission: Ash to Fire

Return

In leaving in the late afternoon from Bridgehead, they would be arriving at Dragon's Tail in the early morning of the next day with the sun starting to rise. It was going to be a full day for the village... to be shocked and grieved over the death of their Olo'eyktan. Miles dreaded so much of what was to come.

In his past life's time as a commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Corps on Earth, Miles had signed his name to many a letter for the families of his deceased Marines. Noting their bravery in the face of death. But the reality was that many of those Marines died due to bad luck. The wrong place at the wrong time when some shell would go off, or a missile would hit, some stray bullet... Not at all dissimilar from Zek'arayo's death, the only difference was that Miles didn't necessarily control the precise causes of his killed-in-action Marines back on Earth. However, Zek'arayo's death could have been avoided had certain actions been taken—actions Miles failed. Across both of his lives.

It was never easy, signing his name to those letters. Attempts at hollow assurances for the Marines' grieving families, but over time it became easier. The return of Zek'arayo's body to these people, however, was not going to be easy. Miles felt the vibration from the gunship, the wind on his body, and dread in his chest. This was going to be one of the hardest things he'd ever have to experience, in no small part due to the peripheral issues that were associated with it—his potential succession as Olo'eyktan, and Zu's seeming indifference, potentially even mild resentment of him at the moment.

Zu and Miles didn't speak a word for the entire flight back to Dragon's Tail. As soon as the sun fell while they were flying, she and her mother slept through the night. Lyle and Mansk got some rack too, overwhelmed by the day. Miles didn't shut his eyes once.

As the Kestrel approached Dragon's Tail, Alpha Centauri B on the horizon, Miles, even through his emotional turmoil couldn't help but feel comforted at seeing this beautiful place again. Though, like last time in returning to give grave news of Zu's devastating injury to her people, he was again returning under devastating circumstances.

Zu and her mother, the brightness of the morning sun shining on their faces in the gunship's cabin, awoke. Miles from his post watched Zu wake, noting the cute way she crinkled her nose in reaction to the sunlight, but he quickly looked away as her eyes started to open. Zu and her mother looked out the right side of the cabin to see they were approaching their home, deriving solace from its familiarity and both looked immensely relieved, Zu squeezing her mother's hand tightly. Zu moved from the right side of the cabin back to her father's coffin and placed her hand on top of it, saying nothing, but giving an assured, faint smile. One that said, we're home Sempu.

The Kestrel navigated to the interior of the big island and landed in their typical radio tower clearing atop the plateau next to the village canyon. The Marines were quick to jump off, the engines still on, the three realizing at that moment how much they missed grass and dirt at their bare feet. Miles closed his eyes for a moment and dug his big blue feet into the dark, volcanic soil, the blades of grass between his toes. Here he was, abjectly miserable at this moment, yet he derived very real comfort from this—the feeling, smells, and sounds of Pandora's nature all around him; a stark contrast from Bridgehead City.

Miles found himself recalling a memory from his time with his recoms and Spider.

[Flashback to the recoms and Spider, a good few weeks after they had gotten their Ikrans]

Though they had their banshees, the recoms still spent a great deal of time on the forest floor. Resting, sleeping, hunting, and foraging. It was the early evening, eclipse had just ended and today the recoms were looking around for some fruits to snack on. The seven recombinants found a small grove that had these large bushes where extra sweet, little orange berries grew, ones that the recoms had come to genuinely enjoy whenever they found them. So they were, for the moment, getting their fill and being sure to pack some extras for the road.