He spread his arms wide as he looked over the landscape just as the lowering ramp made an echoing thud. He took in a deep breath through the exo pack before placing his hands on his hips and shooting a smile at his 'welcoming party'.

"Feels good to be back," he stated but Trudy could see the way the human took cautious yet confident steps towards them. "No place like home is what I always say."

"This isn't your home Parker," Jake barked looking just a tad more venomous at the arrival.

"Oh right silly me, forgot we left on," -his tone suggested otherwise- he took the remaining steps toward the party making sure to keep ample room between him and the still Na'vi ex marine, "on bad terms." Parker glanced at the humans. He noticed Max first. "Dr. Patel." Max nodded, unable to do more as he was wary along with the others as to why it was Parker sent back to them. "I recognize you. You were on Augustine's team as well."

"Rachel," she supplied quickly.

"Well I can see Sully and… you're the kid that punched the officers."

"Norm. Spellman." Trudy felt proud how he kept his tone even and clipped.

"And I guess this is Neytiri." Trudy watched her mother's human face contort as she failed to hide her surprise at Parker pointing a finger at her and correctly identifying her. "Believe me, if you'd been someone we left behind I would have never forgot your face." Jake huffed.

"Real smooth Selfridge. Tryna put the moves on a mated woman.' Trudy noticed Jake's fist clench tighter.

"Relax Sully, I know she's spoken for," Parker said easily in an attempt to hide his rising anxiety behind a curtain of collectedness. Trudy knew the tension wasn't going to dissipate for a while, if ever, especially while the RDA admin was acting so calm with unknown motivations. Parker glanced at the rest of the group, his eyes lingering on the sisters. In human form they looked nothing alike. Grace was a pale skinned, red head. Trudy was a tanned brunette. Her mother's avatar was a few shades darker than she, with long dark hair. Mo'at had brown skin and short curly hair. They all looked so different. Max made sure it was not clear they were related in any way. "So are these the other clan leaders?"

"Something like that," was all Jake gave as an answer and shockingly Parker accepted it.

"Well are we going to move this inside or am I going to freeze my boots off out here?" He even threw in an uneasy chuckle which caused everyone else to glance at each other questioningly. When Parker made a move to step through them Jake stopped him.

"Not so fast," Parker instantly stopped. "Why did they only send you?" The human male sighed.

"Technically I'm not alone," and all eyes instantly went back towards the ship. "The others will join us soon."

"Why not now?" Jake said wanting to clear any hidden agenda that could be lost in Parker's words.

"They have to settle the ship. Don't worry they're just crew." Parker said with a placating gesture. "We can stay out here and wait but you and I know how long it takes to dock those ships. And I'm sure the good doc here doesn't want to waste resources by standing out here with these exopacks."

It wasn't as if everyone comfortable just standing around watching Parker. He was one human male, his combat skills if he had any were probably minimal at best. They shouldn't be intimidated at all but Trudy couldn't pinpoint the reason for the anxiety or rather she knew that the reason was that no one really knew why he was sent here and that needed to be out in the open.

"We'll move into the main lab. Make sure your crew joins us there unarmed." Jake commanded.

"'Fraid I can't do that Sully," Parker said just as Jake was ready to turn his back on him and lead the group inside the base. Jake quickly turned to face Parker full on again this time aggravation clear in his expression and his voice.

"And why's that?"

"The crew doesn't take orders from me. I'm not exactly an administrator for this trip…more like civilian ambassador." Trudy watched as Jake gritted his teeth.

"Then who's their commanding officer?"

"Whichever colonel is leading the base in Graveston."

"Satellite captain?" Jake murmured in disbelief. "The RDA is that ignorant to not send an officer with a military group?"

"Let's just say they're very self-run." Trudy tried not to focus on whatever double meaning was behind those words as they led Parker into the compound. Max and Rachel entered first. Parker went next followed by those in the human avatars-Mo'at, Neytiri, Grace, and Trudy- then the rest of the men followed inside, Tsu'tey being the last to enter after Norm.

The Patels and Parker removed their exo packs once inside. Trudy took a quick glance around. She was glad that Brian hadn't put up such a fuss and hid deeper in the compound with his brothers.

Parker took a moment to take in the place he had been expelled from so many years ago. If Trudy didn't know any better she would have thought she saw a brief look of longing in his eyes. It disappeared when he turned around with a clap of his hands.

"So, let's get right down to it?" The group just stared at him. He moved to one of the central computers with holographic images. He looked up to Max. "This monster still works right?" Max confirmed it did. In a few moments a holographic picture of their solar system was on display.

The group moved in close as Parker switched controls. He pointed to the small blue object.

"This is your home. Pandora." He moved the scene to zoom in on a larger planet that had a black and reddish surface. "This is Omega-3. The surface is un-liveable for most life forms but it shares one special aspect with Pandora."

"What's that? Not conquered by humans?" Jake snapped but it was Max that responded.

"Unobtanium." He looked between Jake and Norm. "The reason Earth wanted Pandora so much."

"So you're mining there?"

"We're going to start. But, it has a smaller concentration of unobtanium than this moon. It is also a very hostile environment for not only life but our technologies. Most of all research back home is directed towards using our limited resources to drill Omega-3."

"And then what?" Max asked. "Even if you acquire the massive amounts of unobtanium you need, where are you going to go? This was for a massive exodus of Earth's population after the Mars missions failed over a century ago."

Parker dropped his head at Max's interrogation.

"You know the Na'vi aren't going to let you return." Max didn't even need to look at the others behind him to know this was true.

Parker moved a controller on the computer.

"Maybe not to this moon but there's always Omega-2." Norm moved closer at that.

"Omega-2 was considered a failure-"

"That was because Pandora was considered a better match. Pandora had the mineral and a habitable environment. Omega-2 was just as habitable it just did not have unobtanium traces-"

"Habitable?" Norm spat. "Omega-2 had a 32% anticipated survival rate. You're telling me the RDA has become so desperate that they're willing to risk two-thirds of Earth's population-"

"Saving a third of humans is better than us going extinct!" Parker slammed down on the computer panel causing the image to skew before resituating itself. Trudy had felt Tsu'tey switch into a defensive posture but Parker did nothing else as everyone fell quiet. "We're out of options and almost out of time. You have no idea how it is back home. No idea."

Parker turned away from the group and ran a hand through his hair.

"What do the humans want with us?" Mo'at finally asked. Parker didn't turn back around causing the Na'vi in the room to raise hackles over the disrespect.

"Begging for a show of good will. The disaster from 2147 caused the biggest public outcry we've ever seen. Suicide rates are up, rioting…humanity as a whole has given up the will to live. All these years we were thinking Pandora was it, Pandora was going to be our salvation and we squandered it."

Parker finally turned back around to face the group.

"We need someone to return with me. Someone to convince the public that we haven't lost our connections with the Na'vi and that our new plan isn't going to be a complete and total disaster."

"No." Jake was already shaking his head. "How do I know whoever goes isn't going to be killed or paraded around like some martyr?"

"You don't."

"These are my people now, Parker. I can't watch over them on Earth. And I don't trust you. Any of you."

"What," Neytiri began hesitated then continued, "What happens if we refuse you?" Parker grimaced just as the compound door opened.

The armed man that stepped through reached for a weapon when the round of gasps occurred.

He never got a chance to pull his sidearm before Trudy pulled her pistol and shot him in the head.

Her chest heaved as she watched Quartich fall to the ground, dead.

"What…" Jake was stuck somewhere between rage and shock as he looked at his former superior. "How…"

"He's a clone," Parker explained without looking up. "And there are about forty fully armed versions of him on the ship, not to mention enough materials for them to create about a hundred more copies."

"They cloned the colonel?" Jake asked in a shocked whisper. Then his rage returned. "He's the reason you lost Pandora!"

"That's how the public sees it. But the RDA knows his skill set. It's why he got this job in the first place. Those units are practically taking over major cities. Security detail, military personnel. And it's not like anyone cares. No one wants to join the military anymore. They all want to form militia bands like a bunch of 18th century revolutionaries."

"So, what? You unleash all these clone on us if we don't cooperate?" Parker only shrugged. That motion angered Tsu'tey who chose to remain silent. He pulled his bow and readied his arrow.

"I would like to see those petty humans try." Parker, for his part didn't look the least bit intimidated. Trudy found that odd. Even she tensed with how smoothly Tsu'tey pulled his weapon. "I'll kill you where you stand."

"Do it," Parker challenged. "Just know that no transmission from me is an order for home base to release the clones. If you thought Quartich was evil, I promise you each and everyone of those clones are just as powerful and ruthless as our late colonel. They're perfect killing machines."

"Can't be too perfect," Trudy began," If I shot that one dead." Parker looked at her with a hint of mirth.

"They're learning clones. You may have killed that one but it transmitted to the other 39 on the ship how fast you can draw your weapon down to the millisecond. They'll all be faster."

"This is your show of good will? We hand over one of our own or you kill us all?"

"Jake Jake Jake," Parker tsked with a shake of his head. "You still have it in your head that I'm doing this. I'm following orders."

"Orders," Jake scoffed. "I've seen what following orders does. You act as if they're holding you at gun point." Parker's eyes flickered to Tsu'tey who still had the arrow aimed at his head then back to Jake.

"You'd be surprised." Parker muttered but Trudy heard him.

She tuned the others out as they continued to argue. Parker's eyes were hiding something. She looked around the room at her family and friends. She looked at the dead clone on the floor in the doorway and thought on Parker's words about their abilities.

She frowned. Someone would have to go. Not only would the Omaticaya be at risk but so would the other clans.

But something tugged at her heart. Parker's eyes looked so…dead…how he wasn't afraid to ask Tsu'tey to kill him…

The humans were dying. And that didn't sit right with her either.

Her father had disowned that race. Norm had followed his lead.

But she had been human too. She still had some human to her. And she hadn't given up on them.

"I'll do it," Grace turned to look at her sister with wide eyes. "I'll go to Earth."

They had argued. All of them yelling and pleading with her. The only ones that had stayed silent was her grandmother who just continued to stare at her with a look of genuine respect. Even Max had objected, not nearly as much as her father and Norm but still.

"You're not serious, Trudy!"

"It's suicide!"

"I won't allow it!" Grace looked near to tears and her mother had an expression that Trudy would have guessed was the same as if her daughter had announced she was going to cut down the Tree of Souls.

But for some, rather annoying reason, the only reaction that penetrated Trudy was Tsu'tey's. He gave one long look of shock at her, lowered his bow that had still been aimed at Parker.

And walked out.

She beat down the need to follow him. She was sure he was disappointed but he was the only one who knew she couldn't be talked out of this. Grace knew too, that's why she was giving her sister the "It's like you're already dead," look. Again.

"You can't stop me. I'm an adult," Trudy said once she finally pulled her eyes from the door Tsu'tey had just slammed shut.

"I'm your father and your clan leader!" Jake pointed at her nearly growling in outrage. "If I forbid you-"

"I'm the only one that can do it!" Trudy had had enough. "Stop and think! About the clan and the situations right now." She glanced at Parker before switching into na'vi. "We don't have our allies! We can't afford to fight with the Sky People and with the other clans! I'm the only viable one here that can go and ensure that at least one of our enemies don't unleash their fury on us. We're in a nasty predicament and…" Trudy paused.

"I can't let you do this." Jake said with a shake of his head but in a depressed tone. "I can't."

"You have to. It's my duty. It's what I'm meant to do."

"Be a martyr?" It was Grace that questioned her. Her sister's eyes were watery but Trudy was surprised the girl hadn't let the tears fall. "You've already done that once! Why do you have to do it again?"

"Why do you automatically believe I'm going to die?" Trudy roared at the group. "What if they're telling the truth? What if I come back? Did you stop to think about that? Or are all Sky People evil and can't keep any promises?"

Parker was looking at their group curiously.

"What are they talking about?" He asked Max. The neurologist hesitated.

"Judicial discussion."

"They threatened to let loose an army of clones on us!" Grace nearly screamed.

"Because they think we hate them!"

"We do!"

"They can't just come here and think we were going to listen to their arguments. Tsu'tey was ready to take off the guy's head. I just shot one of the clones in the head!"

"Trudy…"

"Enough." The group fell silent. Mo'at's human hair fell over her shoulder. She stood then moved towards her two grand daughters. She placed a hand over, Trudy' heart. "You feel this conviction, here?" The brown eyes that stared back at her were just as soulful as the yellow ones that could see into her.

"Yes," Trudy said breathily. "I need to do this."

Mo'at held Trudy's gaze for a long while. She tenderly patted her granddaughter's false body with her own false hands.

"You have always been so self assured. Strong." It was at that moment that Trudy realized there was sincere sadness in her grandmother's voice.

"Grandmo-"

"You have my blessing." Trudy's eyes were wide as Mo'at stepped back.

"Irayo," slipped out just as Grace nearly tackled Trudy wrapping her twin in her arms. She was mumbling incoherent words and Trudy didn't know what to say to her. Grace hated being on opposite sides with Trudy even though they seemed to always find themselves here but this time it was different. And Grace couldn't help but to lose her calm. She dissolved into a blubbering mess in her sister's arms because all these years she had feared, feared that everything her sister went through was leading up to this point.

Grace feared an end. She didn't want her sister to be a sacrifice and she didn't want her to do so willingly because she had already done that once. She didn't deserve this. For a moment Grace found herself angry. Truly and deeply angry and she wanted to scream at Eywa for allowing this to happen. She ignored the guilt and shame that immediately followed.

Grace gripped Trudy tighter.

"I don't want you to go," she mumbled into Trudy's shoulder. "I don't want you to go."

"I know," Trudy replied as she rubbed her sister's back in a superficial show of comfort. Even Trudy was starting to feel numb. She was still sound in her decision but the realization of what she agreed to was settling in fast

She was going to Earth.

She was going back to Earth.

When her mother's arms were around her she couldn't help the old dreams-memories- of her human brothers from coming to mind again. She thought of her old sickly father and her mother who died much too soon. She thought of Jake in his wheelchair.

She thought of that time she had nearly kissed Norm in the Hallelujah Mountains but they broke apart when Dr. Augustine had come into the room to check on Jake's chamber.

She looked over at Parker.

He was staring off to the side pretending they weren't there. She wondered if they should be showing this much reaction and emotion in front of their enemy. She sent a significant glance to Max.

"So uh Selfridge," Max pushed away from the desk he had been leaning on. "I can show you a room. We haven't kept the entire compound filtrated for energy sake..." Parker took the bait and followed Max out of the room.

"You don't need to do this, Trudy. If we have to fight we can fight. We've done it before. A hundred clones are nothing-"

"Do you really think they'll stop at one hundred? They get smarter with each attack we land. The RDA will just send more and more and they'll be harder and harder to stop. Not everything has to be solved with a fight. Send me so I can humor them and then be on my way." Jake didn't have words to counter those, it was evident in his shocked expression.

Trudy wanted to alienate herself from the situation. She didn't want to be wrapped up in the arms of her crying mother and sister. Part of her wished she had followed Tsu'tey out the door, at least then she wouldn't have to be around for this scene.

And then another part of her, the part that was winning was gripping her sister and mother terribly hard and not wanting to let go. She had made a choice as a warrior but the daughter, the child still within her was screaming.

Trudy was the first to wake up, she quickly pushed the chamber open and slid out of it despite her wobbly knees. She was happy to be back in her own body at least. She could hear the whirring in her sister's chamber start to slow down and Norm was moving to open it and help her being her mother and grandmother's first time, probably left them disoriented so their wake up was slower. Trudy grabbed up her bow and left the room ignoring Max and Norm's calls of her name.

Her father was standing just outside the door. He opened his mouth to question her but she only spared him a glance before she slunk past him headed for the door to the outside. She was grateful he didn't call her back though in her current state of mind she probably wouldn't have listened.

She burst through the doors and broke into a jog. She stopped just inside the forest line. If Tsu'tey had gone she would not be able to catch him but if he was lurking around…

"Tsu'tey?" She called cupping her hand around her mouth as she did so. "Tsu'tey?" She called louder but she got no response. She huffed. "Why do I even bother?" She turned around to head back to the compound and ended up nearly smacking into the blue na'vi body. She glanced up. "You could have answered."

She was only eye level with his chest. She watched as it breathed in and out.

"When do you leave?" His chest shuddered somewhat after he spoke those words. Trudy recognized the barely suppressed anger.

"Parker says that the ship has two day turnaround time," she explained slowly ignoring his hiss at the human's name. "They want to put me in cyro the day after tomorrow."

She tentatively placed a hand on his heaving chest.

"Please don't be angry," her words came out no louder than a whisper. "This is already hard enough-"

"Then why?" He barked taking a step back. Trudy had seen his anger but she had never been on the receiving end of it at least not in this magnitude. His eyes were practically murderous. "Why Trudy?"

"You know why!" She countered with her own anger. He of everyone had to understand from a warrior's perspective. "We can't fight two wars!" Tsu'tey's eyes looked away from her and over her head as if he were searching the skies for something. They were wild and unfocused. She didn't understand why he was taking her leaving as if it were a personal affront to him.

"Ride with me tonight." Trudy shook her head in confusion.

"Ride with…" she considered his words. "Ride to where? For what?" He still wasn't looking at her so she grabbed up at his head and pulled it down to face hers. "What is happening tonight?"

"I've put together a group. We're…doing reconnaissance. On Tipani."

"Tonight?" Trudy asked not believing. Where had this plan come from? And why had she not been informed? "Since when?"

"Tomorrow night. The clan will want to see you off tonight. We will ride. Tomorrow night." The way Tsu'tey was speaking, it was as if he were making the plans up in his head as he went along.

"Since when, Tsu'tey?" She asked again. He wasn't focusing and frankly his behavior was worrying her.

"Our brothers."Brothers, Trudy thought. Not sisters. He had discussed with his friends only. "We spoke about it some nights ago. We think this is best."

"We? You spoke to your friends. Well I'm sure your friends will love to support you in this-" He grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away.

"I need you, Trudy." His fingers uncurled from around her wrist slowly. "You're my second."

"Rawal is your ground second."

"I need you, Trudy." Their hands fell apart to their sides. Trudy didn't understand. Why would he make her leader without even discussing the plan with her? But something, she wasn't sure if it was her heart or an engrained sense of duty wouldn't let her deny the male in front of her.

"I'll ride with you."

"You never said Trudy was coming with us." Rawal's voice had been quiet but Trudy still heard him as she and Tsu'tey joined the others on their Pa'li. Tsu'tey gave some incoherent reply.

Trudy took a brief overlook and realized that it was most if not all the males in their age range, warriors and hunters alike. She didn't understand why they would need so many for a recon mission. What surprised her most was that instead of discussing plans, Tsu'tey simply ordered them to go and they disembarked as a group.

She was supposedly his second but she didn't have a clue what was happening.

Trudy narrowed her eyes and directed her Pa'li to follow at a trot.

It wouldn't be for hours before Tsu'tey would finally speak directly again.

"Koo Tsura Village." Trudy frowned before nearly yanking on her reigns to slow the direhorse.

"Why are we going there?" He didn't answer. "Tsu'tey!" He remained silent. Trudy fell back to ride next to Rawal. "Tell me what is going on."

"He said there was something we had to do. A way to warn Tipani from us."

"He told me we were doing reconnaissance!" she hissed. "What could we possibly learn in Koo Tsura?" At the village's name Rawal looked surprised but then he schooled his expression before shrugging. Apparently no one really knew what was going on. She wondered if Tsu'tey even knew what he was doing.

It was the early hours of the next day when they finally arrived outside of the Tipani village. It wasn't close to the Tipani main lands and she knew that it was more of a habitable place for families and elderly.

They weren't going to learn anything here. Tsu'tey had to know that.

Then he pulled a long torch from the side satchel on his horse.

"What are you doing with that?" Trudy's eyes were wide and she didn't bother lowering her voice when she asked. Tsu'tey didn't look at her though.

"Tipani has made a choice. They choose to declare war on us. They are a warrior nation and they believe that we will not fight back. That we will simply fall in line. They expect me to usurp our olo'eyktan. I will not allow that. I will not allow them to control us. They have made their stance. We will make ours."

Tsu'tey took a smaller stick and struck it across the torch. It sparked a fire on the small stick.

"They are responsible for our brother's death, Amhul. They are responsible for the lives lost in the lake because of the landsharks. They have angered Eywa and have caused the storms of her wrath. Tipani will learn what it means to anger the Omaticaya today."

"Tsu'tey-!"

"As we have grieved over our lost ones at their hands, their evil, mischievous hands, they will grieve as well." He lit his torch. Trudy stared at the fire feeling the strange sense of déjà vu overwhelm her.

"Tsu- you can't do this! Those are innocents down there!" Trudy couldn't believe this. She was convinced Tsu'tey had lost his very mind. "They don't deserve this!"

"Amhul was innocent!" He screamed. "Those children were innocent that swam in the lake! They hadn't even lived yet. Tipani did not care! And now they want to turn the other clans against us and control us!" Trudy's horse shuddered beneath her.

"This is not the way we do things. If you want to attack Tipani then fine! But at least have the gall to face their eyktan head on."

"They have been trying to destroy us for years. They will not walk over us."

"I'm not doing this!" The others had been watching the scene between the two silently. "I will not help you burn down a village." Tsu'tey turned his head to look at her. His eyes practically glowed with anger. Trudy could see no happiness in them, only pain, distrust, and sorrow. All buried underneath the wild anger.

"Rawal," Tsu'tey called without breaking gaze with the female at his side. "Relieve Trudy of her station." Trudy wanted to backhand the man in front of her.

Rawal hesitated looking between the two but neither looked at him. Trudy felt his gaze and tried to warn him against it. Rawal was slightly miffed that Trudy had been able to take his position but at the same time he wasn't sure he wanted to do what Tsu'tey was demanding either.

"Rawal!" Tsu'tey barked. "Relieve her." Rawal silently panicked. Tsu'tey sensed this. "You're my brother. You said you would be my second when we were children. Please don't desert me now."

Rawal couldn't handle it because Tsu'tey's words were sincere. Long ago before there was Trudy and Grace, they were closer than blood brothers. Now there was also that gnawing guilt. And they had always known Rawal would be Tsu'tey's right hand. Just as Tsu'tey had pledged to follow Jakesully into the flames, so would Rawal to Tsu'tey.

He pulled his horse forward to come between the two feuding leaders. Trudy was forced to pull her Pa'li to the side. She looked at Rawal with disgust but he did not have the courage to look her in the eye. He knew it was wrong but he could not for the life of him deny the man beside him.

He wondered if it was terrible that he could not go against Tsu'tey. Would that make him a bad second in the future? Would Tsu'tey as olo'eyktan be able to lead them to their demise without protest? It terrified him yet made him proud at the same time. His obedience was strong but he couldn't help but look to Trudy and wonder on how she could so callously go against their leader.

Tsu'tey raised his torch.

Rawal lit his using Tsu'tey's fire and the others followed suit.

Trudy could only sit and watch as they stormed off circling the village. Soon people were crying out and pouring from their homes to see the engulfing flames. Just as Trudy had suspected, the village was full with mainly families and elderly. The few able bodied men were silenced quickly by spears and knives.

Trudy felt like she was sitting in her Samson again awaiting Quartich's orders to fire on hometree. Her throat dried up and she wondered if the taste of bile was real or only in her mind.

She froze, she couldn't pull the trigger then but this time she couldn't run away either.

She silently gave the command for the horse to ride into the fray. When she burst through the flames she could barely make out her brothers fighting. Bodies were already lying around. Some men. Lots of women and a few children. Shelters burned and crackled before they fell. Trudy wasn't sure what she was going to do. Tsu'tey was not himself and she was sure she would be able to stop him. Her voice no longer reached his ears. She had sensed hesitance in Rawal though, so maybe- maybe his still would. And he could stop their future leader before he made things worse.

Trudy passed by a still standing yet burning home when she heard a cry. A baby's cry.

She didn't pause to consider before she burst inside. The child fortunately was lying on a make shift bed wrapped up in leaves, brush, and cloth. His queue was tucked safely under his back. The tendrils at the end were sensitive and she was even growing uncomfortable by hers being singed in the heat. He couldn't be older than some months old. Trudy grabbed him up and exited before the fire got worse.

She looked around. The group was interrogating some unfortunate soul that happened to survive. Rawal and Ati held him at spear point. He would be turned into a messenger. Delivering Tsu'tey's message to his Tipani brethren.

Trudy hopped onto her Pa'li with the child in her arms and as she rode she hoped against all hope that the humans kept to their word. Because she was sure the unavoidable battle with Tipani would be bloody.

"Pa'li incoming!" Trudy ran all night, pushing her direhorse to the max. She was sure the creature was exhausted. The child would alternate between sleeping and crying in her arms. She had stopped at one point and was sure she heard her brothers in the distance. She didn't want to give them a chance to gain on her. Who knows what state of mind they were in and what they would do if they discovered she had rescued a child from the massacre.

She was glad to hear one of the older males on patrol alert the clan to her presence.

"Trudy-"

"Not now!" She barked keeping her head low as she rode swiftly by him. She couldn't stop until she was within the borders. The group gathered confused her and she was forced to yank on the reigns and force the direhorse to a sudden stop.

"Trudy?" She glanced up hearing Peyral's voice. "Where is my son? And where are the others? Where have you-" She stopped when the child still hidden in Trudy's arms cried out. Peyral frowned. "What is the meaning of this?"

Trudy looked to Ky'ran.

"Did you order Tsu'tey on a recon mission to Tipani?" Ky'ran for his part looked surprised. He shook his head in the negative. Trudy turned back to Peyral. "He has guaranteed us a war. He has destroyed Koo Tsura."

Peyral's eyes went wide as many of the others gasped.

"If you want to know more you will have to ask your son yourself." Trudy could hear the others coming. She knew Tsu'tey was trying hard to catch up to her. She dismounted. Her eyes caught Ninat's. She ran to the elder female "Please watch over him. He's the only one I could save from the village. I do not know what Tsu'tey will do or what my father will do."

Ninat nodded minutely taking the small infant into her arms. Trudy looked panicked. Others tried to question her but she could hear the pa'li and she felt afraid. Afraid because she didn't know the eyes of the male that had just done what he had. She needed to be gone before he got there.

She whistled as she looked to the skies.

"Darn you, Samson," she hissed as she tried to spot her ikran. She ran through the trees keeping her eyes on the skies. She eventually heard the chaos in the clan. The young adult males had returned. She could hear yelling and was sure Peyral was arguing with her son. Eventually her father's voice was heard as well.

She couldn't find Samson.

Then she heard footsteps. Someone was following her. She stopped and turned around. She couldn't see them in the dark but whoever it was, was coming fast. She resumed her hasty search for Samson this time quickly climbing the trees. She wasn't sure who it was until she heard the voice.

"Trudy!"

She felt like her heart stopped when she heard Tsu'tey's voice. She couldn't believe that there was a spark of fear with it. Would he kill her next? It didn't stop him from killing helpless na'vi. She had accepted her fate in going to Earth. She couldn't handle him being the one to strike her down. To end her life so fruitlessly.

"Trudy please!" The sheer desperation in his voice surprised her so much that she actually stopped. It was enough for him grab for her and whip her around to face him. "I-I can't-I'm-"

"Spit it out!" Her voice shook with anger and fear.

"I disgust you."

"You think?" She screamed at him. It annoyed her that she was getting riled up as he was calming down. "You just killed those people-"

"I can't lose you, Trudy."

"You already have." She turned away but something stopped her so she turned back to him. "I get it. You're angry because they propositioned you. They were playing off the fact you're young and they think you're weak. You're not weak and you had nothing to prove to them! But now they know they can push your buttons and crawl under your skin and make you act rash-"

"I regret taking lives but I cannot apologize for what I did this night," Trudy held back her retort because that actually sounded like the Tsu'tey she had always known. She couldn't reconcile him with the man that had just slaughtered dozens of people. "That is why I know you will not forgive me. Not yet."

"Why did you follow me, then?" Tsu'tey looked to the ground. "Why did you make me ride with you tonight?"

They stood across from each other. Both run down by the events of that night. Soot and sweat covered both their bodies. Tsu'tey's loose hair was matted to his face neck and back. Trudy's braids were frizzy.

"I will not see you for years. You will be gone from us. I can't…" She wanted to scream. He couldn't what? "Take this." He had reached into his satchel and pulled a brightly glowing atokorina into his palm. He folded it into her hands. "A pure spirit to watch over you in your journey-"

"Tsu'tey-"

"-When I cannot," he pulled his hands slowly from hers. "I am only sorry for causing the faith you had in me to shatter."

Trudy had nothing to say to that. His words had been troubling her for so long. There was so much she wanted to say, to ask.

I would die for you, Trudy.

I can't imagine leading this clan without you.

"Oel ngati kame," he reached for the back of her head and pulled her close before he could stop him, "always, because you are part of my soul." His lips moved over her forehead and she was lulled into a sense of…something. Her eyes flittered closed as tiny puffs of his breath fell over her. She started to move closer into his body heat. He dwarfed her and she could be enveloped in his tall frame…

She heard the screaming from the Tipani villagers at the same time she heard the Omaticaya screaming as hometree fell in her mind.

She pushed away.

"Don't do this, Tsu'tey." He didn't try to stop her when she backed away from him even though the tension in his muscles told her he wanted to do just that. "You're confused."

"I was confused," he tried to argue. "I'm not anymore. Not about this." Trudy forced her eyes shut she couldn't look at his eyes, his sincere pleading eyes. Eyes that weren't wild with anger and hate.

"Go back to the clan, Tsu'tey." She put out a hand when he tried to step toward her. "Go back and…try to make this right." She turned away from him just as Samson landed behind her. She climbed on, made the bond and flew towards Hell's Gate without a look back.

"Trudy?" Max was startled by the banging on the compound door. "What are you-?"

"I had to come. I'm sorry for barging in but-" She paused seeing Rachel enter with Bobby in her arms. She had obviously woken them up. "Something terrible has happened. I couldn't stay."

Max ushered her in. She made her way to Brian's room. He was still asleep as was Brent. She assumed Bobby had been sleeping with his parents as to why he was awake. She smiled looking over the two boys. She thought about the fact that she would be leaving in the next few hours. She wouldn't see them for years. She wouldn't see her family for years. And that's if she wasn't killed herself on Earth or on the trip there. She would be completely helpless anyway, being in cyro.

She could go to sleep never to wake up.

Brian turned in his sleep. A few moments later his eyes blinked open. He shot up noticing someone in the doorway. He rubbed his eyes.

"Trudy? Is that you?" His voice was heavy with sleep. She smiled before stepping inside and shutting the door.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Is it time already?" His voice was sad even with the grogginess.

"Not yet. I came a little early." She move to his bed and sat next to him. They didn't turn on the light not wanting to disturb Brent. The pair was silent for a moment.

"By the time you come back I'll be at least 25." Trudy frowned. "I'll be a man." Trudy laughed then wrapped an arm around Brian.

"Yeah, you will." It was funny and sad at the same time. She would miss his awkward teen years. She would miss him growing into a steady young man.

"I don't want you to leave." His voice still had its youth.

"I don't want to leave," Trudy admitted thinking back to having a similar moment with her sister. "But I have to." Her hand had found its way to the back of his head and her fingers threaded through his curly hair, massaging his scalp as if to comfort him. Brian leaned back into her hand, sad, upset confused, he wasn't sure. Her words didn't make him feel any better. This was something he knew he didn't want to happen, at all, but he had no way to stop it.

Trudy woke not remembering when she and Brian had fallen asleep. Brian had simply fallen backwards on the bed where he sat and Trudy had leaned so that her head rested on his abdomen. She smiled when she noticed he was snoring lightly with a hand over his closed eyes. She looked over and saw that Brent too was still asleep. Silently she left the boys to their slumber.

It was early morning. When she made it towards the main part of the compound she saw the flood of light from the viewing room window. Parker was standing there looking out towards the Pandoran forest expanse drinking from a thermos. Coffee from what Trudy could smell.

"I still have nightmares of this place…" Trudy's ears perked when she heard him speak under his breath. He must not have known she was there and could hear his words. He sighed and turned around, only mildly surprised by her presence. "Good morning." He didn't smile and only held her gaze for a few seconds. "I didn't hear when you got here."

"I arrived very early." Trudy didn't take her eyes off him as he moved away from the window. He took another long sip from his thermos before setting it down with a hum of contentment.

"Nothing like a good cup of home when visiting an alien planet. Excited for the trip?"

"Excited to miss out on at least ten years of my family's life? Hardly." She kept her tone even but her eyes gave away all emotion. Parker didn't react outside of a non-commital nod. "How do you do it? Forget about home for decades at a time."

Parker met her gaze again and the superficial look was gone, replaced by that dreadful, dead gaze he had the first night he was there.

"It's easier," he began in a dry tone, "when there's nothing for you back home." Trudy's tense shoulders slumped and she was about to ask him to clarify what he meant-even though on some level she could sympathize- when she heard Samson begin squawking outside. She looked to see that her family had arrived.

Surprisingly no one was speaking about the chaos she was sure happened last night. She could see the weariness in their faces though, it had been a long night and she felt a little guilty that she had gotten rest. She probably shouldn't have skipped out without giving her side of the story but she hadn't wanted to handle it. She couldn't. Tsu'tey was clouding her mind when it needed to be clear. She had a job to do.

"She will be welcome for as long as she likes," Parker explained the last minute details to the gathered group. "She will be returned here if she decides to return."

"If?" Jake started in. "What do you mean, if?"

"He means when," Trudy cut in before her father could become too irate. "Go on."

"RDA has decided that compliance with their terms means a full pullout of the atmosphere. We can leave a satellite at Dr. Patel's leisure but other than that you won't see anymore transports from Earth."

"You're pulling out. Just like that?" Jake asked doubtfully. "I'll believe it when I see it." Parker gave a shrug of indifference.

"I'm just the messenger." Trudy couldn't help but notice how much Parker was hammering on the fact that he had no control over any of this. It was as if he were nothing more than a pawn. Trudy didn't know what to make of it yet. "You can believe what you want."

The clones, which surprisingly had remained scarce since Parker's arrival were readying the ship. Trudy had only a few more hours on the planet. She found herself breathing deeper, trying to remember all the distinct smells of home. She tried to commit every color and sound to memory. She didn't want to lose any of it.

She rifled through her satchel to inventory the few possessions she would take with her. Some cloths though she was sure she would spend time in a human avatar. Her hunting knife. Her bow was strapped to her back. Then she saw the ominous glowing at the bottom of her satchel. She was tempted to set it free but she stopped herself. Tsu'tey had given her the atokirina for a reason unknown to both of them and for some reason it hadn't escaped her. She let it be. She caught a glimpse of the stone Mo'at had given her years ago before she was allowed to go on her iknimaya. She flipped the satchel closed again.

"You will stay safe," Neytiri commanded grasping onto Trudy's shoulders and patting them affectionately. Trudy nodded, the scene felt oddly familiar to the times when her human father would see her brothers off to boot camp. "Make sure to eat." Again Trudy nodded then backed away when Mo'at stepped forward.

"Eywa will watch over you even when you are not with her."

"I know, Sa'nok."

"We will all pray for your safe return."

"Irayo." Just as Trudy thought Mo'at was going to back away for Grace, her hand shot out and latched onto Trudy's wrist. The gesture was oddly sentimental and Trudy wondered why she had this saddening feeling rush over her. It lasted for only a moment but it was already branded in Trudy's mind. Grace finally came forward.

The twins just stared at each other for a time. It was clear Grace was doing all she could to hold back tears and sobs. Trudy was simply trying to commit everything about her sister to memory. Even if they were twins, she wanted to remember the differences they had.

"Don't do anything to my hammock while I am gone." Grace choked out a laugh then pulled Trudy into her roughly. Her sister was getting stronger and it brought a pleased smile to Trudy's face. They pulled away. Norm came to her and gave her a quaint goodbye. Max the same. Brian and his brothers were awake and ready for the day. Brian didn't say anything. He just hugged her, his grip was tight and she knew he didn't want to let her go. Her father was last.

"Watch your back," he whispered almost inaudibly into her ear when he leaned to give her a parting hug. When he pulled back they were both smiling but she could see the tension in his just as he could see the fakeness in hers.

Even once they were ready to embark on the ship, Trudy kept looking towards the forest. She didn't know his fate from the night before, she shouldn't have been surprised that he hadn't showed to see her off. She didn't want to admit it pained her but she knew it was there.

Parker entered the ship first, walking up the ramp and waving her inside. She followed him until she was at the top, just inside the ship. She turned around again, saw her family standing at the bottom. She felt the sharp pang of guilt. She was abandoning them when they needed her most. She may never see them again.

Who knew what could happen in ten years.

She didn't suppress the shudder that went through her body. She felt lost even as the ramp began to rise. She had to grab onto the ship just to stop herself from bolting back outside. The ramp rose, Brian was the first to disappear, then Max, Grace, Mo'at, Neytiri, Norm….the last person's eyes she could see were her fathers and the warning was still lingering in them. Soon all she could see was the Pandora horizon. She watched when Samson took flight into the sky and she hoped that wouldn't be the last she would see of her ikran.

The ramp shut with a hiss and locked her inside.

"You'll want to get settled," Parker said dully. He was already changing into his cyro suit. One of the Quartich clones was pushing buttons on the chamber designated for Parker. "It's best if you're unconscious by the time we exit the atmosphere. IF you aren't, it can really mess up the sleep cycle. Imagine having dull headaches for the next five years."

Five years.

Trudy's stomach churned uneasily. She was going to be trapped in here, asleep for five years at the mercy of clones of the man that killed her the first time around. Clones that knew exactly how fast she could draw a pistol from her holster. Clones that could now draw their guns faster.

"Yoo hoo," Parker called, he was staring at her as she was zoning out. The clones hardly paid her any mind. She wondered if it was because they didn't see her as a threat or they were just programmed that way. Were they clones or robots? "There's a larger cyro chamber for you right there." He pointed to the wall opposite where his chamber was. A clone was waiting with a suit for her.

She panicked briefly. She wondered if cyro would even work on her as a Na'vi. She feared she would be stuck awake in this chamber for five years and she would have the headaches Parker warned her of. She easily slipped into the suit that was made for an average adult Na'vi in mind, not one of her small stature. She was drowning in it.

Just like she felt she was drowning as she unwillingly slid into the cyro chamber. The clone pushed it close and she could hear the hiss as the lights dimmed and the chemicals began pumping.

What was she thinking?

Her eyes opened wide and a sharp knock followed by a chastising "Keep your heart rate down!" made her hurry to get resettled. Her panic was quickly subdued. As her vision swam she kept imagining her family anything to anchor her. She hummed a prayer song that Mo'at used to sing to her and Grace when they were young children. Her brain became muffled and soon she couldn't remember the words, only the melody then nothing at all. Her family's faces blurred.

There was a sinking in her gut again and then she saw only black.

A/N: Updated 3/10/2012 Didn't I say I was updating in February? *smacks own hand as punishment* This is a HUGE chapter…16 pages in word. A whole bunch happens though.(I rushed through it I'm sorry but it hasn't changed in like 2 weeks) I realized the story is finally winding down. It's what happens after this that was giving me a lot of trouble way back in like….early 2011. Trudy is on her way to Earth while everyone else is still on Pandora. I wasn't sure if I was going to just follow Trudy or switch back and forth between POVs. Also the whole travelling through space and stuff really hurts my head to think about so lets just go with time passes at same rate on both planets but it takes 5 years to get from one to the other. That's totally legal logic…yeah…I don't like physics…

Also in case you missed it/forgot-because-i-update-so-slowly Tsu'tey is on the verge of a breakdown. He has been struggling with "something" for like half the story (maybe more? When did I first start dropping hints?). What that something(s) is you may figure out but you have to wait and see for sure.