A/N - Possibly a one-shot deal. Not sure as I really do not have the time to write. Warning for some sexual content towards the end. Avatar n'stuff belongs to other folks.

Asymmetrical

Descension

"Don't be so coy about it. Y'know they've given us permission to walk around and film everything at our own pleasure." Yeah, that was the idea and the idea was not to pretend they were stalking around the place and filming military secrets. Yet, Lorne couldn't shake that feeling. This was after all the first Human interstellar colony in mankind's history and here they were, in the belly of the beast of it.

At least for him that was what it felt like when you looked around. One look around and the metallic gray walls, colored pipes snaking along the ceilings and people filling in the corridors as they went about their business obviously sent that message well. Not to mention the cautionary labels that graffitied numerous pipes, warning of the chemicals that were channeled through them. Strangely, no one seemed to care. They didn't have a look of amazement or starry eyed at the prospect that they were on an alien world, far from home and their families. Most of them, as it turned out as they went about filming, were quite complacent with it all. There was no ill-will or even disagreement of why they were here. For the two-team from National Geographic, these were historic days to be walking around in Hell's Gate.

"I know, but it feels... weird. I can't explain it." Lorne surreptitiously explained under his breath to his co-worker, Isabel who was more than enjoying the idea of walking through the inner-guts of Hell's Gate. It was also known under a more official and less brutal name as Extra-Solar Colony Zero One. It didn't have a nice ring to it, which was probably why it was christened 'Hell's Gate' for obvious reasons.

Moving through, they were coming upon the Operations Center, the brain and the hub of all activity that went about through Pandora. Before they had arrived, entering the facility required special permission and a key card. Now, the door was about as open as a saloon. It was not strange for Isabel or even Lorne, as they were the newcomers, having arrived just a month ago aboard the ISV Altair Borealis that was at the moment orbiting above their heads. When they arrived, they were expecting to be greeted by a hell storm of arrows flung through the sky by the alien inhabitants. Instead, they were only greeted by a thirty minute instruction and repeat instruction of how to put your mask on and seal it. Nothing quite got your blood pumping about those masks. Though of course all of that fell away when those massive cargo doors of the Valkyrie exposed the thick atmosphere of the world and the brilliant sunlight that drenched you. Your life was nearly zapped of all energy but your mind was flooding with curiosity. All around you was the impossible. They called it 'Asymmetrical Descension'. A euphoric state of mind upon arriving on Pandora. You were simply overwhelmed by the environment, exposed to an air that pushed against you and gravity that was lighter than the one you were familiar with. It was, by its definition a descent into the asymmetrical formula. It was a green and vibrant world, filled with secrets that Lorne himself wanted to uncover just as much as Isabel did when she combed through her hair, hoping to untangle some of the tangles. As bad as a metaphor that it was, Lorne was equally as curious as he peered through the hatch door to the Ops Center. Men and women in RDA uniforms walked in and out, their minds pacing faster than their fingers striking the keys on their computers.

Suddenly, an air of silence overcame the hamster typist, as it was called of the Ops workers when they were notified that the first Samson liftoff was about to take place on the airfield. Isabel motioned for Lorne to follow as the two made their way to the observational windows. Focusing the camera to the north of the Ops building, Lorne quietly zoomed in on the airfield as four Avatar drivers walked aboard a Samson and lifted off a minute later. It was going to be the first scientific sortie since the incident involving a blackmailing head manager four months ago that threatened the peace with the Na'vi. It was also six years ago this day when the war between the RDA and the Na'vi was over. A lot has changed since then but as the camera looked on, the mission was still the same.

While the RDA sought out the unobtanium since colonization, it was and still is about scientific understanding of Pandora and its inhabitants. Gazing on with fixated fascinations, the crowd around them cheered on the Samson as the vehicle hovered above the tarmac and gave a little wave with its rotors before banking and flying off into the forest. The valley that Hell's Gate was situated in gave a natural barrier from the Na'vi who were situated hundreds of miles away, but it was still accessed by the 'ambassadors' from the surrounding clans. That was, when they wanted to come. More often than not, they were fly-bys from those flying creatures. They would circle the colony, yelling out these wicked chants that almost sounded warlike before disappearing back into the endless sea of trees and mountains.

Since the war, it had been a rather hectic ride to maintain fragile peace between the RDA and the native species to this world; the Na'vi. Fractured lines riddled the peace agreement that was established six years ago, with pushback resulting in a change of administration on the RDA side. An Avatar Program psychologist by the name of Catherine Harrison was chosen to lead the colony in an effort to strengthen the relationships between the two peoples; yet to this day, it continues to erode.

It was nothing superficial from the surface however. Nothing traumatic or serious but it was a well known and documented case that Humans weren't too keen in trusting the Na'vi as was the Na'vi not too keen in trusting the aliens to their world. A man and former Human if one could go that far tried to keep the peace at bay. Jake was the one who was once wheeled-chaired bound wasn't completely welcomed by the Omaticaya after the war. The sudden change of order and the breakdown of the clan as a result of the war caused much strife internally. For some who looked in through the look glass could almost feel that the clan was about to break down as a result of the war.

It was known that at least six hundred and sixty three Na'vi died at the hands of the RDA forces that day, resulting one clan being forced to assimilate with another as they had lost most of their warriors to the war. The Omaticaya did not fare well despite having greater numbers than any other clan. When the clan leader, Tsu'tey had given his reins of power to Jake, many felt that that he was ready to take it but soon came to the realization that Jake himself did not want it. He never felt or even believed he found himself to be in such a position and as a result, weakened his relationship with the Omaticaya. Despite his own best efforts to bridge and repair his already tattered trust by flying the Great Leonopteryx to war, his own doubts in leading the clan nearly caused a collapse.

That was, until one day where he had finally came into his own by helping the Omaticaya seek out a new home that was in the Akat region. A densely populated region filled with massive mountain trees that were similar in scope to the Hometree that the Omaticaya had formerly inhabited.

After that, his growing exceptional leadership skills continued to sharpen, especially under difficult circumstances that brought the Omaticaya, including the Tipani to their knees. One such problem was that of a deadly pathological prion disease that affected the neural system of living organisms on Pandora. Jake had set out to get aid from the RDA, at which point, Hell's Gate accepted to aid the Na'vi before the clever operation manager by the name of Owen Mahina considered black mailing the Na'vi in exchange for mining rights. This led to a five day siege on Hell's Gate by both Tipani and Omaticaya forces. Eventually, Owen was take out of power by those within and the Na'vi were finally given aid through a vaccine that simply stopped the prion from spreading, but couldn't help those already affected.

With their numbers dwindling, the next years were spent in isolation from the RDA. Jake had only kept an earful listen from a distance thanks through his colleagues within the program. The clans of the forest maintained that they would watch Hell's Gate but were unsure if they could ever keep the RDA from actually breaking the treaty established after the war. At which point, Jake himself requested that a member from the Program take Owens' place in lead operation manager of Hell's Gate.

"It is a wonder we are even allowed to have those damn things fly now." Lorne whispered as he controlled the panning of the camera on the Samson. "Yeah. Crazy huh?" His co-worker obliged in a simple acknowledgement. For the two of them, having just got off the last known ISV sent to Pandora a month ago, this was a dream come true no matter what the situation was. Well... as long as it didn't involve spears pointing at them.

It was not as clear cut as the RDA had told them though. Six years ago, the RDA PR campaign established the idea that Hell's Gate was a well oiled machined, managed and operated like a beast working without a need for pause. They told them of the former operations manager, Parker Selfridge and great he was at his job. Providing for the Na'vi and providing for Earth. There were event posters plastered across Earth cities of this man looking proudly at nothing with the backdrop of Pandora situated behind him; with the words 'Pandora is Life'. But by the time they got here, they were expecting to greet him. Only to be told he and several others were booted off the world around the same time they left Earth.

A whole war broke out because Parker and his goons wanted that metal found beneath the Na'vi home. Of course, several members close to Parker's administration believed the man himself did not wholeheartedly agree with this but rather it was the pushing of the stockholders back on Earth who demanded their immense supply of Unobtanium.

Whatever the case was, the people here now wanted them to two to document everything because it would possibly be the only thing that would keep those who refused to play along from going to prison. Even worse, being labeled traitors to humanity.

Unobtanium was a strange thing that people had fought the Na'vi over with. Much of the headlines reported that the key mineral was used to build machinery that was vastly superior than something built from rare earth minerals. The truth was, Earth was becoming more dependent on a source of metal that was literally keeping the world from dying.

The Earth of a hundred years ago was struck with a century of warnings that the ocean conveyer would flux and possibly cause ecological harm. The Sahara desert also suddenly stopped supplying the Amazon rainforest with much needed phosphorous dust. With this, a massive over turn of the Earth with the combined technological dependency caused a worldwide ecological disaster no one believed could happen. What no one was saying was that unobtanium was the only thing keeping the Earth alive. When refined, it created a similar key ingredient that the phosphorous dust form the Sahara desert produced; only this time in a stronger form. Studies had shown that unobtanium or Element-00 or 'ghost element' reinvigorated the Amazon rainforest. The problem was, it also destroyed several species in the process.

Biospheres cropped up and began studies on how to use Element-00 in an effort to see how it could be used without killing living organisms. To this day, nothing has completely worked and the exhaustive efforts produced by Hell's Gate ceases. It was a conundrum that even Jake himself knew but for a better word, could not go with it against his good consciousness.

What was required to jumpstart Earth's biosphere would require massive amounts of the ghost element, refined and process to began seeding across the globe. This also mean much of the floating mountains had to be striped mined and so did the land. In the beginning, such a thing was okay with the Na'vi as long as the land was respected. Apparently the RDA could have cared less to the respects of the inhabitants. Now Humanity was on the break of losing if nothing could be figured out how to mine the element safely.

This was one of the reasons why the Samson was out on a scientific sortie with a group of five Avatar drivers. This was also why Isabel was now motioning with her hand and a smirk that was more than eager to get an interview with Catherine Harrison. Except, the brunette woman was waving them off.

Noticing the pair of young kids moving towards her, the Administrator raised a hand and waved them a no. "Not right now." Harrison stated with the rough raspy voice hinging in her throat. She was ill with a sore throat and her head was pounding like a pair of bongo drums. Today was not exactly perfect in seeking out to talk to them. She would have been more than happy to oblige but the tablet that was cradled inconsiderately in her hand requested her thoughts elsewhere.

Isabel read Catherine's expression and happily understood her feelings of not wishing to talk right now. Suggesting another area to explore, questionnaire she set about by pointing with her fingers to the exit, she figured it was best to proceed by seeking out interviewees in the mess hall, leaving Miss Harrison to her work. Which was a considerable amount of work. Walking into her transparent office, her desk was quite literally littered with papers and tablets flooding the wooden metal hybrid of a desk. She removed the shoes from her feet and flexed her toes in the open air, enjoying the sensation of the pressure being relieved from the sides. She then looked upwards towards her desk and felt the need to clean it. However, such a need was relinquished when her eyes caught the words 'URGENT' on the tablet screen.

Touching it, the message was open.

From: J. Santiago

To: Catherine Harrison

We located the island of the last location of the recon mission thirty years ago. The RDA REALLY did not want anyone listening in. Only way we found it? The code was bouncing off Pandoran atmosphere, the radiation from Polyphemus was scrambling it. We had to dial into a certain frequency before we could uncover the direct audio tone beeps from the ISV habitat modules that landed on the island. Looks like they didn't want anyone to hear it without knowing the correct frequency. I give props to Daniels, your assistant. Seemed the guy took schooling in radio or something. No one on base uses this kind of radio signals. Whatever this 'Star Tree' that the RDA was looking for, had found it because we also uncovered a audio message from the recon team that went missing that spoke of it. I'll send it to you later once we clear it up as best we can. I'll also make sure Dominic Temple doesn't get this message.

Thank you,

Jennifer Santiago

Blinking, the psychologist and administrator of Hell's Gate grew pale at the idea of them finally uncovering the truth behind Operation Lodestar. It wasn't a sickening thought that made her pale, instead it was that they were possibly coming close to unraveling clues behind the mythological tree that the Na'vi had worship in their only and one song. A mysterious object of great interest that the RDA had secretly sought the Star Tree through means that were criminal. Whatever the RDA wanted with this tree or whatever it was, they were not going to use it for peaceful means.

Typing up a reply to Jennifer, who was now the current Security Operations leader, Catherine wanted to hear that audio message as soon as they were done cleaning it up. It would also mean now that Catherine would have to establish a meeting with the reclusive Jake Sully in an effort to bring the Na'vi into Human affairs. An attempt that she hoped would show the Na'vi some effort of transparency. Of course, getting Jake's attention was something of an affair itself. He rarely came when called upon but never hesitated to when asked with the intention of sharing information with the Na'vi. For the first time since this morning, Catherine's headache was already fading away as her fingers hungrily typed away on the tablet.

A rolling bead of sweat trickled slowly, curbing with exhaustion over a rolling hill of a cheek as a singular ray of light gleamed inconsistently. The humidity in the air was thick, vaporizing every single action and thought that a person could have while the sweat finally made its way down to the chin. It dangled there, helplessly in the air before breaking from the skin and falling down to become nothing with the earth.

The voices and words danced in the air, carelessly grinding against the leonine ears of the Omaticayan leader as he sat still in the midst of a debate that raged in what felt like a near infinity of time. His eyes, once wide with pride and vigor were now dull and exhausted. A pair of females before him were sharing with him on the matters of mating with several males without the need of being mates for life with males who had not passed their rites. However, the mothers of those males did not want it to happen. Take into consideration that those males had not passed any form of rite of passage, so by it they were not seen by the Omaticaya as adults. Not that they needed to pass a rite of passage to mate, but in recent months there was an immense need for children within the clan. Several females had offered their bodies to the males who had not passed their rites but as per usual, the mothers disagreed. Though the males would've said otherwise.

Though the irony in all of it was that they were asking Jake to overrule the mothers' decision for their male children. The problem lied in the fact that Jake himself had failed to even impregnate Neytiri. It seemed that the Avatar body that he existed in simply refused to give anything for Neytiri. Not that the Avatars weren't sterile, as it was known years prior that the RDA wanted the Avatars to begin impregnating several of the Na'vi females in an effort to study what it was like for a pool of genetic manipulation to create a new life.

As they talked, all he could think of in a distant gaze of almost uncaring attitude was Neytiri's expression when they knew they could not have a child of their own. Followed by the relentless pursuit of one.

"M'ha Jhake!" She would scream into his ear as he plunged deeper into her womanhood, his mind yelling just as frantically to not fail her while systemically enjoying the pleasure that shot between them like two atoms colliding at the speed of light. "Gi-give me your seed!" Neytiri choked out her struggling of words as she felt the clash of her orgasm striking. Jake's face clenched in the last push of their mating as he felt his entire jaw lock in and teeth grinding in unison. Every fiber of his being became solid as stone while Neytiri notoriously dug into the blades of his shoulders, her nails desperately of her mate's flesh as they both cried out their names in a frantic need for air. The couple were so desperate for a child that they remained in one another as their release grew weaker in each passing wave. He never left the inside of his mate, even when they would fall asleep. A belief that he manufactured himself, believing if he remained within Neytiri, that their chances of a child would be greater as a result. Unfortunately for the both of them, each time that they would mate, weeks would pass without any bodily changes from the future Tsahik. Now for every time they would mate, Jake had the habit of sharing with his mate an apology.

He would always begin by stroking her hair slowly, a finger here or there would stay behind to tickled the flesh of her nape. His eyes locked onto the beauty of her features, counting every dot and tracing every stripe. She was more than beautiful, she was pure wonder for him to gaze upon. Finally, his lips began to formulate the words and he would seek out an apology with his mate. Except, she would never take it. Believing such apologies were never warranted for they had each other and each other was enough for her.

"Do not apologize to me, M'ha Jhake." She would say in her native tongue, her accent flourishing his name that always made the tip of his tail flicker in delight. "I will always love you, no matter if you give me a child or not." Her lips would seek out his forehead each time and kiss it. Reminding him that it was okay. "We should be thankful to Eywa that we are still alive and together. Not many are as blessed."

But he did not feel as blessed. Not for him.

Burrowing his head down to his fingers, he kneaded helplessly into his strained eyes before looking back up to the females that sat before him in his private quarters of their new Hometree.

"I cannot do it." He stated in an almost apologetic tone that shared a similarity when he would apologize to Neytiri. One that was only matched further by the burrowing of his eyebrows that sought their forgiveness. "I cannot force the mothers to give up their sons. Their fathers I know already agree with this but their mothers say otherwise. Until both parents agree, the males of the families cannot participate in this."

There was no love involved in trying to bring the numbers of the clan up. These females were only providing for the clan, just as equally as they were if it was hunting or weaving. To say no to them was having them to forgo an act that was beneficial to the entire clan.

As for the females that sat across Jake, they looked upon one another and frowned faintly. It was always that soft frown, never one filled with anger but just disappointment that etched into their faces. Their own families oddly enough agreed for them to become impregnated but they themselves had already pass their trials. It was just that some of the males did not and they were in a perfect age of virility. Other males however who still have not chosen a mate, simply refuse. That was a matter entirely out of his control and he was not about to step up to be some two-stepping dictator.

With some sighs, the females gave their thanks to the Olo'eyktan and parted ways. Leaving Jake to sit in his quarters to reflect what had just happened. When he was somewhat satisfied with the meek answers he gave them, he would rise to his feet, stretch and make his way pass the leather coverings that made up the entrance of his quarters.

Situated high above the ground, the new Hometree was still be worked on. It was barely hollow with years of work still ahead of them and the Na'vi instead lived on the fringes of the Hometree. Climbing rather than going up a fleet of stretched out branches and boughs. Stretching out his back, he looked around and figured it was best to seek out Neytiri. He had to discuss with her what her opinions were in the concern of overruling the mothers best wishes.

After all, the Omaticaya needed their numbers again. The RDA was not always going to just sit around and wait. In time, he feared there would be another war. Their isolation from the Humans only brought them a peace that was about as invisible as the scars that continued to deepen into the fractured minds of the Na'vi.