A New Mission: Ash to Fire

War: Cusp

The Omatikaya, Tayrangi, Metkayina, Ta'unui, and other clan forces were gathered in Oare Cove, a medium-sized, forested bay twenty miles North of Bridgehead City. It was a place that Bridgehead did not know about as a place for Na'vi to gather and Jake believed they would be concealed. Satellite and infrared could in theory detect them, but you have to tell this technology where to look—this was not a place that the RDA would. It was simply one of many places that Jake and Neytiri used to go on their date nights and even take their kids to on family 'vacations' and outings. They loved relaxing at this peaceful and beautiful place, but today it was their war camp and rallying point.

Tonowari had quickly amassed a large force of Ocean Na'vi warriors raring to get justice for the vicious and unprovoked Ash Na'vi attacks on their friends' innocent villages. Per Jake's pressing need, he and his warriors made haste on their tsurak to the bay as led by Lo'ak and Payakan, a large contingent of bull Tulkun moving with them. They arrived late yesterday evening, not resting once.

Jake now had nearly eight hundred Na'vi warriors and a pod of Tulkun ready to attack Bridgehead tomorrow morning. A fraction of the two thousand warriors of the Battle of the Hallelujah Mountains, but many were now armed with RDA weapons or were at the least familiar with RDA tactics and weaknesses. There was little time to wait as scouts had seen the Ash Na'vi flying in and around Bridgehead. Jake had waited long enough.

He had to get his baby girl back and demonstrate to the RDA that they were not welcome on Pandora—and that Na'vi who had experienced injustices at the hands of the RDA would continue to make that clear. And they would also get justice for the senseless attacks of these Ash People. Jake didn't want another war, but this war came to him and has taken so much from his family and these good people.

Norm, Max, and one of the scientists who was their best pilot would be flying in on their salvaged Kestrel shortly after Jake's forces attacked, taking advantage of the chaos to infiltrate the under-siege base and free Kiri and Spider, being in tight communication with Jake the entire time. To ensure there would be no friendly fire on their Kestrel, but that it wouldn't be openly identified as allied with Jake's forces, they had put simple blue paint on the rotors, which could only be seen from a high angle. Jake's forces knew not to attack this Kestrel.

Jake had discussed their plan at length with Neytiri, Lo'ak, Tarsem, Tonowari, Ikeyni, and the other leaders, each given a comms set so they could stay in close coordination. They would hit hard, and they would hit fast. They outnumbered the remaining gunships and the Ash Na'vi warriors based on their scouting. The Ash People had RDA weapons, but so did they.

Jake and Lo'ak were walking along the cove's beach at sunset, the sounds and sights of their war camp in the distance—war chants, sparring, and Ikrans flying overhead. The Ocean Na'vi were set up in the margins of the trees and beach, the Forest Na'vi feeling more comfortable a bit deeper inland. The Tulkun pods were spraying in the bay, many Ocean warriors on tsurak swimming among them, their brothers. Neytiri was in the forest with Mo'at and Tuk, the three being loving towards one another, but somber on War's Eve.

Jake asked Lo'ak how his life in Awa'atlu was going, and how things with Tsireya were to which Lo'ak replied that things were good, but that he was getting a little homesick. Missing the forest. He was happy to be back closer to home for the time being. Even if it was for War. Though he missed Tsireya who was deeply worried for him and her father. Lo'ak and Tonowari both worked to assure Tsireya and Ronal that they would be okay. Tonowari also put Aonung partially in charge of the village alongside Ronal before he left, a sign that he saw his son as a man—or that he would have to be if something happened to him.

"I miss Kiri and Spider, Dad," Lo'ak said, a sadness in his voice.

"I know, son. We're gonna get them. We're gonna get them back home safe," Jake said, putting his arm around his son as they walked. Jake then looked to a breaching Tulkun. He smiled and expressed great pride and thanks to Lo'ak for his special bond with these magnificent beings. Lo'ak and Payakan would lead the charge for the marine assault tomorrow.