Recombinant Bridgehead

Breach

It was the witching hour. Polyphemus had cloaked himself in gathering clouds, but his halo was still visible through the diffusing gauze. Many Na'vi collected on the outskirts of the kill zone. They stood like specks in their enemy's presence, but the dauntless warriors were unphased as they brooded over the city that never sleeps. The Sully family walked to the very edge of the scorched earth. All throughout the flight, Jake was wrestling with apprehension about sending his mate into the lion's den. Now, here they were, at the point of no return. |"You ready?"|

She lowered and raised her head.

Neteyam clasped his mother's arm. |"Eywa be with you, Mother."|

She could not keep her face as the stone; the mother pulled her last remaining child into her before her heart could tear any further. The father came in and set his arms around both, and the dwindling family embraced one another like tomorrow would never come. Whether a decade or a century, the three knew they were blessed to have even one second.

"Get our girl back, Sheila."

Neytiri had her infusion of courage. Ready, she mounted her ikran, lowered her visor, and shouted, "Sivako!"

"Sivako!" Jake and Neteyam rallied with fists in the air, and the accompanying party did the same.

The mother of unwavering spirit soared for the beast to pry out her young from its jaws. Though fate was uncertain, the Na'vi woman trusted in this: her family made against all odds was also strong enough to withstand them.

⊕

Secure in Bridgehead's control tower, a beep notified an employee of a mass, two and a quarter miles out, forming in the southwest section. Concerned, he waved over his superior and showed him the readings. They checked security cameras and zoomed in on the party of three hundred Na'vi warriors.

"Do we do something?" the subordinate asked.

"Oh, sure. Maximum threat. Set off the alarms. Code red. Code red," the boss laughed, slapping the chair rest.

"What are they doing?" chuckled another. "Holding a siege?"

Others joined in on the joke, but the man who first spotted them was not at ease. "But why would they gather unless they're planning something?"

"What are they going to do? Raid us? Great, the kill zone can deal with all of them at once."

"But we already had that attack a few hours ago. Shouldn't we at least be concerned?"

"Don't worry about it," he chuffed, then, turning irritable, looked to his left. "Hell, Claire, call the repair crew and get that thing fixed already."

"Sorry, sir. It's those stupid recom banshees. They keep flying around the wall and setting off the instruments."

"Thought those things were trained..." The boss switched back to his worried employee, patting the shoulder. "Keep us updated if the noble savages try getting through. That should be fun to watch."

"Yes, sir..."

⊕

Meanwhile, Neytiri landed on the gargantuan wall. Dark was that particular night as she eyed the glinting city beyond. For the first time in her life, the Na'vi princess had a full view of the kind of world her husband escaped from. The deadness, the false light, the miles and miles of spiritless terrain—it was truly a nightmare. She was distracted by a banshee shriek to her right and noted the restless flock of militarised ikrans only a few meters away.

"Neytiri, do you copy?"

|"I am here, Jake. I am on the wall. The demons' ikrans are also here. They are very agitated."|