Where the wild things are (OC x OC)

Am I conspiring with the devil...?

The next day at breakfast in the RDA base, Grace is telling Jake's story from her perspective.

"The last thing we see is this Marine's ass disappearing into the brush with this angry Thanator coming after him." Grace says and everyone listens closely, amusement clear.

"Hey, it's not something you can teach." Jake says, mouth full of food.

Louise grimaces and looks away, disgusted by the sight of Jake talking with his mouth full of food.

Louise  pokes at her breakfast, her appetite suddenly diminished as she tries to ignore the sight of Jake eating like a slob.

"That's awesome." Max says, clearly amused at the Jake's adventure from yesterday.

"You know, for reasons I cannot fathom, the Omatikaya have chosen you. God help us all." Grace says, looking at Jake.
___________________________
After breakfast, Jake meets up with Quaritch and the others in the OPS Centre and Jake tells the Colonel what he told the others.

"'Jarhead clan'?" Quaritch asks, amused once Jake's done.

"Mhm." Jake hums in confirmation.

Quaritch laughs.

"And it worked?" Quaritch asks in disbelief.

"Hey, I'm practically family." Jake says, exaggerating it a bit.

Quaritch shakes his head in disbelief and amusement, a smirk on his face as he crosses his arms.

"They're going to study me. I have to learn how to be one of them." Jake adds.

"That's called taking the initiative, son." Quaritch says.

"I wish I had ten more like you." Quaritch adds.

Parker who was listening from the other side of the table which has the hologram, watches as Quaritch walks off from Jake slightly.

"Look, Sully, Sully." Parker says, gaining the former Marine's attention.

"Just find out what the blue monkeys want. You know, I mean, we try to give them medicine, education, roads." Parker says, listening off all the stuff they've tried to give the Na'vi.

"But no, no, no. They like mud. And that wouldn't brother me, it's just that they're.." Parker trails off and tries to work the hologram map of Pandora.

"Hey can you.. can somebody just.. Sector twelve." Parker says to one of the technicians next to him, giving up on trying to work the hologram.

Parker moves out of the way and the technician, Rick, takes his place, moving the hologram map to follow a golden line in Sector twelve.

"Okay, go, go, go, stop. Stop." Parker instructs the technician.

"Rick, stop! That's.. Jesus!" Parker says, agitation slipping through but he calms down when the hologram shows the Hometree.

Jake looks at Hometree hologram that doesn't come near to bringing the real thing justice.

"Their damn village happens to be resting in the richest Unobtanium deposit within two hundred klicks in any direction." Parker explains.

"I mean, look at all that cheddar!" Parker adds and gestures to the glowing highlights on the hologram that represents the Unobtanium.

Jake looks at the hologram, taking in the sight of the glowing highlights representing the Unobtanium deposit beneath the Hometree.

It's clear that the value of this mineral is driving the RDA's actions, despite the impact it will have on the Na'vi and their home.

"Well, who gets them to move?" Jake asks.

"Guess." Quaritch says simply, gaze trained on him.

Jake looks at Quaritch, understanding what he's implying. Jake  lets out a deep sigh, knowing that he's going to be the one forced to convince the Na'vi to relocate.

Jake scoffs and shakes his head in disbelief.

"What if they don't go?" Jake asks.

"I'm betting that they will." Quaritch says, his voice holding some kind of threat.

Jake feels dread fill his stomach as he processes Quaritch's words.

"And if they don't?" Jake asks, trying to remain unfazed by this news.

"If they don't." Quaritch pauses as he thinks of what to say next.

"Then we force them out." Quaritch says matter of factly and there's a tense silence as everyone processes his statement.

"Are you telling me, that if they don't willingly move themselves out, their village will be forcefully torn away from them?" Jake asks, desperately trying to hide his anger at the thought of the Na'vi  being forcefully taken away from their home.

"Yes, Jake." Quaritch replies, not even seeming affected at all by the concept as he's probably done it plenty of times before.

"Okay, okay, okay, hey. Look. Look." Parker says as he makes his way over to the duo, trying to take the tension out of the conversation.

"Killing the indigenous looks bad, but there's one thing that shareholders hate more than bad press, and that's a bad quarterly statement." Parker adds, leaning against the table and looking down at Jake.

Jake looks at Parker with an uneasy expression, not liking the direction the conversation is going.

"I didn't make up the rules, so just find me a carrot that'll get them to move, otherwise it's going to have to be all stick, okay?" Parker adds, gesturing to Quaritch briefly.

"You've got three months. That's when the 'dozers get there." Quaritch adds, looking at Jake.

"Well, we're wasting time." Jake states, trying to hide his unease as he knows this is all wrong.

Parker and Quaritch glance at each other before Parker pats Jake's shoulder, walking off.

"I like this guy." Parker calls over his shoulder as he walks off.

Jake smiles but it's a fake one, his stomach twisted into knots as he watches Parker walk away.

Jake knows that it's not wrong to try finding new resources, that's how the human race thrives but the fact they have to tear down the Na'vi's homes to get those resources is beyond him.

Jake takes a deep breath and tries to ignore the fact the Na'vi will to face something horrible if he doesn't convince them to move.

But as the same time, Jake really wants his legs back to being usable... and if he resists too much, he'll be yanked out and there's no chance he'll be able to help the Na'vi or have working legs again.
___________________________
A/N: Editing is done! Thank you all for your patience. Unfortunately because school is back and it takes half an hour to walk home on a good day, I'll probably only be able to do this on weekends, but I do have a few other drafts waiting.

Also Vitxyillì and Räi's relationship will unfortunately be rushed to fit in with the timelines as Mä'zu's a couple months older then Neteyam 😔