Chapter Text
Quaritch was a bit impressed. He would openly admit he didn’t know much about science aside from the bare minimum he needed to perform his job properly. But even he couldn’t have guessed how many tests they’d subjugate the kids to.
Most of them the two were knocked out for. Or strapped down.
Upon waking little Tuktirey had grabbed a small glass vial and used it to kill two of the scientists in the room with her. That had been with one arm chained to the bed but with some wriggle room. Lynx… Jesus she’d taken out three scientists, a nurse, and two guards before she’d been taken down with a stun baton. Injuring one more security guard before being knocked out with a tranq. Her bloodied right hand had revealed she’d broken her thumb and pulled her hand free. How she got her left one out even he couldn’t guess.
From what he gathered the two were very uncooperative to say the least and were mainly fed with IVs. The higher ups wanted answers and figured they wouldn’t get them if the girls were seriously harmed or dead.
He sipped a cup of coffee as he stood observing two screens to separate rooms. The girls both strapped down to chairs facing someone holding up screens.
“Can you tell me what’s on the screen?” The woman gently asked Tuktirey. Her screen remained blank while an apple appeared on Lynx’s. “Tuktirey? Can you tell me what Lynx is seeing?” The girl stopped rolling her eyes long enough to finally focus on the scientist speaking to her. Sticking her tongue out mockingly.
Lynx barely blinked and continued to glare at the man in front of her. If he wasn’t paying attention Miles was certain he would’ve missed the way one side of her face twitched. Just slightly. Like she was fighting not to smile.
“A few of us wouldn’t be opposed to trying the neuroscanner on them,” Ardmore came up beside him. “The techs say it’s too risky. Don’t want to risk damaging their special brain chemistry.”
“That so? Even for a minute or two?”
She half shrugged. “None of our other conventional methods have had much success as you can see.”
He noted the way she glanced at him. “You think something else might?”
“Perhaps a more… Personal angle. I understand the oldest Sully isn’t your child.”
“But a friendly face couldn’t hurt,” he nodded. “Hm.” His eyes focused solely on Lynx. “You might be on to somethin’.” It might also work to flush the rest of the family out of hiding if they thought they had an opportunity to retrieve them.
They didn’t say anything. Instead choosing to sit on the lone table in the room with their backs to one another. Ignoring the chairs and offered cups of water. Keeping their senses on alert. This was the first time their captors had kept the two of them in the same room. Let alone allowed them to roam free.
Wisely, they didn’t trust it.
When the door opened two pairs of eyes swirled toward it. Narrowing at the large familiar figure stepping cautiously through the door. Miles had to duck to step inside and took a hit off his mask. Only when the door closed behind him did he speak.
“Not gonna come at me?”
“We’re not stupid,” Tuk addressed him. “This is some sort of trick or plan. You wouldn’t come in here with us normally.”
“At least not without being armed or a failsafe,” Lynx eyed him over. “You know what we’re capable of.”
“You’re not that dumb.”
“Or cocky.”
He lightly shook his head. It was odd hearing them easily be able to finish the other’s thoughts. Like they were twins.
“Clever. Those science pukes leaned on you two pretty hard. But you gave ‘em nothin’. I respect that.”
“Why are you talking to us?” Tuk flicked her ears.
“Mind if I sit?”
“Yes,” Lynx hissed as he slowly sat on the edge of the table. Picking her side over her little sisters. Something tells him she would’ve pounced on him for that. Tuk joins her sister and pulls her back away from him but they don’t flee.
“You know I’m not Colonel Miles Quartich. Hell you buried him. But I do have his memories. So technically Lynx, I’m not your father. Far as I'm concerned the three of us? Nothin’ to each other. But, I can help you.”
They don’t react so he continues.
“I can get you both outta here. I’m not gonna ask you to betray your family. I know you wouldn’t do that. You’re loyal. Got plenty of camera footage of you and your siblings takin’ out our men. I admire loyalty.”
“Sounds too good to be true,” Lynx points out. “What’s the catch?”
“I just need you two to ride along. Help me and my men get a better feel for the land.” He’s a bit surprised that gets a reaction out of them as they shift to face one another. Almost as if he’s not in the room.
Neither say a word but he knows they have a full conversation. Eyes wide with a few nods and hisses. Lynx stares openly at the far wall as if it personally offends her. Her younger sister groans before leaning her head on Lynx’s shoulder.
“Yeah yeah,” the older Sully finally speaks.
Tuk is the one to give him a reply. All sharp glinting fangs. “Deal.”
“You two stay within fifty feet of me,” he tells them the next day before they ship out. “Those trackers on your ankles will give you a hell of a shock if you leave that perimeter. The farther you go the worse it gets.”
“Anything else?” Lynx sounds bored but he spots her eyes taking in his squad as they ready up.
“Yeah. We’ll have weapons. The two of you will not. Try to take ours and I’ll be forced to give you right back to the lab coats. Got it?” Tuk seems focused on playing with her own tail as Lynx analyzes her nails. “I said ladies,” he leans in and puts a hand on their shoulders. Not gripping tightly but the act gets their attention as they both bare their teeth at him. “Am I clear?”
“Clear, sir,” they reply in unison.
“Good. When we get on the ship you two find some seats and stay out of the way.” This time they nod without needing prompting.
Turns out their version of ‘out of the way’ involves the youngest Sully casually playing with the mounted gun but she doesn’t fight when Lyle shoos her off. Instead, sitting next to her sister as the older one closes her eyes.
Miles knows its not from boredom. Maybe a mind game of her own.
They fly a good bit out. Making sure to stay clear of the girls' home territory. The Omatikaya are still very much active and it wouldn’t surprise him if they’d come to the Sully’s defense if need be.
“She good?” Z-Dog nods at Lynx after thirty minutes. She does look a bit green.
“Lynx doesn’t do well in ships,” Tuk pats her sister’s back. “She gets sick.”
“Far cry from Paz,” Mansk mutters.
“Keep talking like I’m not sitting right here and I’ll aim for you first when I hurl.”
“Same attitude,” Lyle smirks.
When they do land Lynx only takes a few minutes before she noticeably begins looking better and thankfully no incidents happened. The two girls crouch on a log behind him when his team gathers around.
“Alright, listen up. Jake Sully’s gone to ground. Doesn’t matter, wherever he is we’ll find him. His batshit crazy wife too.” A few of his men laugh.
“Watch how you speak about our mother Colonel,” Lynx warns even as her tone remains oddly calm.
“He’s totally scared of Mom,” Tuk giggles.
“He should be.”
“As I was saying,” Miles pointedly continues. “We go Na’vi. Full tilt, all the way. That means we eat Na’vi. We ride Na’vi. Think Na’vi.” He pointed to his own head. “And that starts with speaking the language,” he slowly says.
Tuk doesn’t bother to hold in her scoffing laugh as Lynx grins and shakes her head. “You call that speaking the language?” The younger sister taunts. “You sound like a baby!”
“Even babies are better than them,” Lynx adds to her sister’s amusement.
“All right,” Miles faces them. “You just went from being our guides to interpreters.”
“Eywa knows you need us,” Tuk announces jumping down from the log and half skipping right into the center of them. “I’m hungry.”
“Too bad kid,” Prager informs her. “We eat when the Colonel says we do.”
“She’s seven,” Lynx doesn’t make a sound when she leaps. The movement unsettling a few of them.
“Yeah, I’m growing and need all the nutrients I can get.”
“You wouldn’t want your two show ponies to starve to death out here now would you?” Lynx walks over and leaned her shoulder into her sister. “Be a bad look back at base I’m wagering.”
“You got some nerve,” Ja starts but stops when Miles waves his hand. Letting out a slight chuckle. He reaches into one of his many leg pockets and pulls out a protein bar.
“Eat up,” he tossing it at them.
Lynx catches it before her sister can and throws it right back at his head. With force. If it weren’t for his instincts he’s fairly certain it wouldn’t found his left eye.
“What the hell?” Lyle demands.
“That shit’s worse than cardboard,” the older girl informs them. “You all know it.” With a dramatic wave of her arms she indicates their surroundings. “You’re in the forest. Basically a free buffet if you know what to look for. Way better than some freeze-dried barf.”
“You want to live Na’vi?” Tuk approaches him. Stopping only inches away and not letting their size difference matter one bit as she gives him a tired look. One a teacher would give to an exhausting student. “Then start with food. We’ll show you. Babies.” With a snicker she turns and half jogs past her sister. Not before pulling on Lynx’s hair.
In return Lynx hisses at her and moves to pursue. “Tuk-Tuk.”
“Don’t go past the perimeter!” Miles called to their backs. “Move out,” he orders as they move to follow the Sullys.