Bamboozled – but still Avatar Creaton
Festivities were over at the recently renamed Augustine Research Station. "Hell's Gate" was no more. Jake was officially, permanently and undoubtedly a na'vi now, and he was the chieftain of the Omatikaya clan too. Norm knew that he was going to have many a lesson with him about what that entailed, and so were others of the leading people of the clan. He had a lot to learn and knew it.

The eight month mark since the conquest of and subsequent renaming of Hell's Gate had gone by. Since The Great Battle had taken place, ending with human eviction save for those few who had made themselves deserve it, since Tsu'tey was mortally wounded while valiantly fighting aboard the Valkyrie space ferry. He had then been olo'eyktan for barely a week and with him gone there was just one qualified candidate left, Jake. So Jake took over this part with a heavy and throbbing heart. With such responsibility on his shoulders the permanent transfer to his Na'vi body was a foregone decision as soon as it was offered by Mo'at.

First of all a new home tree was to be located. Luckily they didn't have to search very far, they were able to hang on to their clan territory. Jake had gone through the classical Na'vi training in culture and jungle abilities, Neytiri and Mo'at gave him lessons in the art of "chieftaining" , and many an able master or mistress of crafts joined in too.

Jake soon set about seeing to that any new human intrusion was to be made as hard to succeed as possible. First of all he made sure to convince twelve of the thirteen clans that had taken part in the Great Battle alongside the Omatikaya that the wartime alliance against the tawtute had to be made into a permanent affair – he didn't succeed with the Western Islander clan. But on the other hand he had great success with attracting a good many other Namana mainlander clans to the Federation he was building up.

He spent much time with building up institutions to facilitate the defence. Schools for first warrior leaders, in time for other crafts too, and eventually the Royal Academy was founded for training coming ay'tsahik and ay'olo'eyktan. And along with Jeff he drilled the warrior school cadets relentlessly. Many clans who never came to be invited to the federation then asked to be admitted to it, wishing to arrange education for their teenagers – they understood the advantages to it. The Federation by and by became so big that it could be subdivided in tribes of between eight and sixteen clans each, as an intermediate level between the clan and the federation.

Norm and Max had their days crammed at Augustine too. They had thrown out all the leadership and most of the able people at the station, so to survive they would have to make do with what they had – and probably recruit a few from the ISVs due to come in the coming few years?

There was a very important affair to be handled, in the rather close future. About nine months after the Great Battle, i.e. in about a month's time, there would be an ISV arriving. That arrival was both a threat and a necessity. On the one hand it would carry precious spare parts for the appliances that kept the station and themselves alive, plus materials vital for spare parts they after all could make, not available at any known location at Pandora, like platinum metal. And there might be honest scientists who could be allowed to stay on for their research projects, if they were willing to abide with rules. On the other hand there was a danger that RDA soldiers could come bursting out of the cargo hold, guns ablaze and with reconquest of the base in their intentions. So they offered to buy spare parts and materials from the ISVs with unobtanium ore on stock, dug out before the Great battle in other words, on hand for use as barter merchandise.

Max had two pressing concerns for his own work. In the aftermath of the coup when they captured "Hell's Gate" Trudy had been brought in, barely hanging on to dear life – she had third degree burns on much of her legs and lower torso. Her concussion and broken ribs were not injuries to speak about in comparision with those burns. And Max had salvaged the avatar body of Norm, its life couldn't be saved but Max managed to extract its DNA. He implanted it into ten fertilized na'vi egg cells (zygotes) and one of them made it past the critical phase.

Well, Norm was removed from the equation. But Max knew well that if he couldn't somehow manage to create two avatars from scratch – for himself and for Trudy – they were doomed in six years or so, whether by asphyxiation at Pandora or execution at Earth. The problem nagged him insistingly.

Norm meanwhile lined the people left at Augustine up, noted their names, academic or practical abilities and their research projects, and had a discussion with them about tasks they were to take care of with the upkeep. Some tasks had to be a communal chore, everyone joining in. Like floor washing and garbage undertaking. Others could be left to specialists. He struck up a list at the mess wall, detailing tasks, duties, hobbies and responsibilities of everybody at the staff. Newcoming members arriving at coming ISVs would be appended at the bottom of the list as they came, one by one.

Comments were soon hand-scribbled on the poster presenting this list, like at Gill: "Don't you dare to call me 'The gill'!" and at Gumm: "aka. 'The gun'…", or at Nick: "Leisure passion: Women, how about a 'ten-some'?" That one was most certainly not written by himself…

In short, everyone had their jobs cut out for them. They all had busy times with keeping the station going, even if much of it was closed down. Hal often needed to build mechanical systems from scratch by cannibalizing gadgets from the machinery no longer needed. Apart from letting people finish their various scientific research projects, after all the reason for being at Pandora, everyone had to take their turns with various chores in the upkeep of the station. Everyone had their turn with unpleasant chores like ventilation shaft scrubbing, toilet cleaning, garbage incineration etc. Large parts of the complex was dismantled, the construction materials feeding the appetite of the stereolitographic plant, creating parts for keeping the remaining complex up and going.

Some of the staff were frequently absent from the station, Norm together with Jake planning the political and society reforms of Na'vi society to empower resistance to new RDA intrusions, Jeff together with Jake organizing and training warriors in how to tackle Sky People warriors and their war machines, Deke and Ernie were often absent on food gathering expeditions for long time on end – Bobbie had found out how to detoxify food by grinding it and then baking it with a special plant juice. Jake came visiting them from time to time and got a taste of this food, he declared that to the tongue he had acquired the untreated food was far superior, but if they thus could make the food from Ella's greenhouse last longer then why not. If they could use the unobtanium mineral they had on stock to barter for other essentials than food supply then all the better.

Trudy's recuperation took a long time, and an annoying itch in the scars lingered on. She had barely awakened from her coma when Jake moved the Omatikaya clan to a new home tree, fittingly named "New Hometree" as opposed to "Old Hometree". She sent to him her sorry for not being able to help out with the moving operation. She conducted much of the decision making she was brought into from her sick bed. But after some seven months she managed to take to the air again, for short trips.

So at the time when Trudy had fully recuperated and didn't need a cane anymore, preparations for the advent of the first ISV after the Great Battle were in full swing. Autocannon batteries were rigged around the landing pad. Anti-air rocket batteries were primed and made ready for action. Jake would be bringing a strong war party, a kumpongu, to beef up the defences – the warriors needed little encouragement to demonstrate vigilance and battle-readiness for this occasion, and Jake had a perfect opportunity to invite warriors from a good many clans to demonstrate for them what real Sky People were – i.e. hammering the federation he was assembling even harder together. Angie was asked to see if she could produce some cargo manifesto of the ISV, the day after she proudly read: "They are bringing some supplies yes they are. Some food yes, but now that our own food production is in balance we can put that down the list of priorities, Norm. Some drawings of spare parts, give that to Hal and he'll make handsprings, the exo-pack maintenance unit shouldn't be in danger of having to close down now. And others. Ten scientists, three of them are bringing avatars of their own."

"Who are they? And what are they into?"

"Ummm. William Enoch Gehrken, archaeologist. Celia Ann Gehrken, palaeontologist. Probably husband and wife – or brother and sister may be. And Wayne Stuart Bell, microbiologist." Suddenly she made huge eyes and her jaw dropped. "But look at that – Max will gag with joy!" She immediately rose up and ran out of the room, Norm could discern from the sound of her running feet where the running steps stopped and a sliding door opened, that she had run into Max' lab.

Soon after Max came into the control central, and he glowed. "Norm! This is phantasmagoric news for me and Trudy! They are sending us an XGSS–set with the arriving ISV! Well, not a complete one, it is a set meant for rearing the lab rats of new genetic make-ups we keep here, out of cell cultures they send us. But with some building work of Todd and some of the computer savvy of Shawn – presto! Now we won't have to go back to Earth and hope for a lenient verdict!"

"Marvellous news, Max!"

So about a week short of nine months after the Great Battle Angie heard the message. "Hello ExtraSolar Colony 1, do you copy? 'Speed of Light' here. Hell's Gate, come in please."

The message for arriving ISVs, the next years to become customary, had been mainly written by Norm with inserts by Jake, digitalized by Shawn and sent up by Angie. It read like this: ...

"As You may know if You picked up the declaration we broadcasted, Pandora is sovereign territory at which no ISV is allowed to call with intention to establish any mining operation. This means that no technical or military landing will be tolerated, only scientists bringing their own avatars will be allowed down, we will then interview them to see whether they will be able to work and thrive under the regimen the Namana Land Confederation will impose on them. Give reply if You intend to land in peace to disembark your payload and passengers, and not risk being shot down by our defence systems. We the staff at the Augustine Research Station – mark the new name, please – are willing to purchase spare parts and other supplies You have brought for running the station, we offer to pay for these supplies with refined unobtanium ore we have stored. Reply Your acceptance of these demands if You wish to unload Your cargo and recharge the fuel of Your ISV."

The reply from ISV captain Philip MacAllister, read like this:

"Who the (rough expletive deleted) are you? What has happened at Hell's Gate? Where is manager Selfridge? Or colonel Quaritch? OK, we received your message, the content couldn't be clearer. Your reasons for staging your rebellion are in direct contradiction to anything our company has ever solemnly declared at home at Earth, making your story rather hard to believe. If the company is right, you should understand that you face a verdict for theft, company damage, not to mention massive murder. Anyhow, expect a retribution coming for you on a massive scale! A force well able to handle you is probably soon to be underway! And a stone age people able to successfully resist a major punitive expedition with all modern warfare technology and leadership techniques – stop dreaming!

We at this ISV will, however, not be those who are to exact retribution for this. We have only one company worth of soldiers on board, not nearly enough to stage a full invasion against opposition, and our fuel tanks will not take us all the way back home. And we need provisions for food, water and oxygen, and nitrogen for keeping the people in hibernation staying down. So your demands will be complied with. All technical items and other supplies on board will be delivered down to you, as requested, to be paid for with refined unobtanium ore as offered. We also have three scientists with avatars of their own on board who have indicated willingness to be landed at Pandora – hope you will receive them courteously?"

So four days afterwards the Valkyrie space ferry landed, without making any antics. Loading door went up and staff space seamen starting the process of loading and unloading, under watchful eyes of distrustful na¨vi warriors. Technical gadgets were delivered mostly as detailed construction plans on disc for their construction, one part at the time, to the stereolitographic plant where Hal was the lord. Hal had busy days with checking the validity and readability of the transferred data, and bringing in the more special cargo – such as metals not readily available at Pandora, like noble metals etc.

The three leaders met the three newcomers. Bill Gehrken was a muscular and healthy looking fellow, he saw Trudy's gaze and commented with a little glee: "I can see what is in your mind right now, I have seen those gazes before when my sister had girl friends visiting. Yes, I sometimes posed as a model during my study days, thus I paid my study mortgages." Celia Gehrken wouldn't do anything bad to a magazine front page either, she deftly placed herself in front of her husband. With a big glee she declared: "I hereby declare this trophy piece of husband the property of Celia! So please Trudy and all the other women at the station, keep your eyes to yourself!" And there was Wayne Stuart Bell, a small and well matured guy with a flowing mane of white hair and a fat, white moustache, and a meek and bleating voice – he could have been taken for a resurrection of Albert Einstein himself, he made an impression like a shy and kind oldish man.

They were all brought into the station and they all walked to the main conference room. A movie was shown, presenting gruesome images of mindless vandalism, indiscriminate killing and on the whole revolting brutality. Trudy narrated and affirmed: "Sickening to watch as this has been, I assure you that you have seen but a small part of it and certainly not the worst crimes, only what we could document on movie! I saw horrid scenes in the Great Battle – I should know because I took part in it! For you benefit I can show you my personal memento of the battle…" And she pulled up the leg on her trouser and displayed a disfiguring scar on her leg from burning gasoline. "It always itches when I am to go to sleep!"

Max took over the word. "Now you have seen why human kind in general has been banished from this world. Quod erat demonstrandum. That we are allowed to stay here is because we took part in the battle and risked our lives in it, and with the benevolence of Jake Sully, the SecOps avatar operative took charge of the Na'vi forces. He is chieftain of the Omatikaya clan now and the first among equals of many other clans too. But the minute we are given message that we are unwanted here, we'll know that we are off with the first departing ISV. So we better abide with rules for living here, given us by the Omatikayas. We have prepared a manual about this, Norm is now handing it out to you. Read it with care, if you can't accept the rules listed in this manual – all of them – then Pandora very simply isn't the right research location for you."

The relay baton went to Norm: "An important item in the manual is a demand and an offer in return for it. We demand your complete loyalty against RDA or any other intruder from Earth. We present you a deadline for your research project, five years. Any ISV arriving after that will be arriving after the RDA leadership have had time to plan and send out some reconquering expedition, so all ISV arriving after that one should be regarded with utmost distrust. Then there will be no more spare parts arriving from Earth, and we'll probably be out of ore to pay for it too. That means that this base will after that date slowly but inexorably revert to the jungle, so this station will then necessarily be abandoned. And without life-sustaining technology humans can't survive in this environment.

However, it will then be possible to exchange your human body for your avatar body and live as na'vi for the rest of your natural life. This is a privilege graciously extended you by the Omatikaya clan, provided you behave with respect to nature and culture, and keep unquestionably loyal against the RDA or whoever. But if you decide to go for that instead of returning with some ISV before that, do realize that living a natural life, of the kind humans really were designed for by the Creator, isn't like present life at Earth. There are no shops among the na'vi, no salary for what you do, no groceries and few luxuries for sale and no entertainment like movies etc. If you feel like such a life then think twice, there will be no reconsidering after the last space ferry has taken off."

So Max gave them a parting greeting: "See you after breakfast at 8.00 tomorrow, then you can give me your acceptance of the rules. If you can't accept them then the space ferry is still out there by then and it will be able to bring you back to Earth. Now you can go and have a dinner and then some reading and pondering time. Bon apetite!"

After breakfast the next day the two trios reconvened in the meeting room. Max put them the central question: "Now what will it be? We take it alphabetically and start at B for Bell. Well Wayne?"

"I was a doctor for some years before I started a study in microbiological life in alien environments. The oath I gave when I passed my final medical exam is still heavy on my shoulders, good old Hippocrates really knew how to formulate a solemn declaration of responsibility! I promise to make my living according to those rules – but assist and advise me if I should unwittingly break some rule!"

"Yes you are in, Wayne. And you two, Gehrken?"

"Can't say I like the restrictions on digging around. How can we learn to know the past if we can't dig into remains from Pandora's prehistory?"

Celia inweighed: "I can see your point Bill and I sympathize with it but I can't just outright buy it either. We wouldn't be able to pull down a skyscraper or two just to study the history of New York either. Surely we'll be able to find at least some locations for some digs."

"OK, crossing my fingers. But if no digs are possible, or digging strictly forbidden at especially interesting locations, then I don't see any way I can do useful research here."

"Neither can I, but why so pessimistic Bill? Cross your fingers and hope for the best."

Max cleared his throat and asked the central question: "Well, we can give it a try. So you will try to make your project under rules presented you?"

Bill said "yes" – with a concerned expression in his face. Max thought to himself that there might be some clashes in the coming between those two and Pandoran realities. And he was going to see that in the future…

Days passed. The newcomers were settled in at the station, Wayne took on service as Max' laboratory assistant at the avatar lab, while Bill and Celia were assigned housekeeper Ewa for house maintenance. Essential materials were brought down from orbit and unobtanium was brought up. Technical design plans and user manuals for various equipment was delivered the crew at the station, this and nitrogen for the cryotank maintenance; oxygen for ISV crew breathing, food and water supplies for ISV crew consumption at the return trip was part of equation. Owen calculated that with all needs covered for both parts there would still be sufficient ore left for making business with the coming ISVs too. After bringing the goods into the warehouse the staff at the station started with checking the merchandise. Especially the technical designs were complicated affairs to check, with lots of calculations that had to be put into force, software needing to be installed, finetunings for the stereolitographic plant… So finalizing the merchandise check took time.

Only last day of ISV weeklong presence at the orbital of Pandora Hal made the startling discovery...

He opened up the main file in the design plans of the XGSS set and went through the implementation plan item by item with his simulating computer program. It was when he joined the medication modul with the nutrition modul it happened: A photograph from an XGSS lab flashed up on the monitor, with a text below the image reading: "UP YOURS, TRAITORS AGAINST HUMANITY!" And then the program aborted and the whole design plan self-destructed. Hal immediately ran to the mess hall, where captain MacAllister was just sitting and having a talk with Max. "Max! The design plans for the XGSS set is a hoax! Just a photograph of the real thing! And there must have been a worm or something in the plan document, it self-destroyed when I gave a special command given."

The jovial face of Max disappeared in a flash. "This so, captain? In so case, unload part of the cargo we have given you as payment for it! We won't pay one single dime for sabotaged merchandise! You have been given a specified payment list."

Captain MacAllister doffed his head and presented a sly little smirk. "We at ISV 'Light Speed' have decided that we won't abet criminals like you with giving you some gadget of your desire! So we'll unload that last consignment of ore since I guess that you won't let us keep it. I'll see you in some years may be, perhaps it will one day be me who'll bring you and your accomplices back to a trial at Earth? Bye, I better go and manage the unloading."

Max shook his head in disbelief and sat down at a table, and buried his face in his hands. "And I had so huge hopes… It is awfully painful to see so high hopes dashed this brutally!" But then he felt a hand on his shoulder and the meek, mild voice of kind, old Wayne: "Cheer up, Max! Yesterday I saw a paper on the scientific files of yours, a report on zygote cell division during very early na'vi pregnancy. The thought struck me that it might be possible to peel those starting cells apart, so that we can have a mass of cells for analyzing, to look for genetic abnormalities. May be we can circumvent the need for an XGSS set, we can so to say make our own set – rough and primitive yes but it will only need to work twice, for you and for Trudy… What about that?"

Max stood up with a rush and glared at Wayne with huge eyes. "Really?"

Wayne made a modest little smile and replied: "I can't guarantee a good result but why not try it out?"

Max sat down and sighed: "This is really good news. I ask you to go ahead with this research without slightest delay, it is personal for Trudy and me you see! But we better not make the ISV guys aware of it – why should they know what we are cooking?"

A white blood cell was drawn from a na'vi blood sample and one likewise from Max and Trudy each, the two DNA strands were spliced, over and over again. And those resulting cell globs were then tested for all known abnormalities, quite a few were detected but in the end two zygotes were located with no evident abnormality. These two were then injected into fertilized na'vi egg cells (i.e. zygotes) and put to growth. Max and Trudy could with great satisfaction about half a year after the departure of ISV "Light Speed" see the start to their new selves being put into the growing tank. All the rest of the staff at Augustine was present at the occasion too and congratulations came in thick. Congratulations came in from the New Home Tree too.

Max had most of his workdays in the avatar lab so he had occasion to watch his own avatar growing. So he was very often sitting and looking at it – and one day a couple months later he noticed something...

"Wayne, could you come in please and have a look at my avatar? I think I am seeing something about its anatomy. Take a look and tell me what you think – the same as me?"

"It sure looks like… I could check the hormone content in its blood." A couple of hours later he came out from the hormone analyzer and gave the stunning verdict: "Max, you were right in your hunch. Your avatar is a female na'vi! I must have confused the na'vi gender chromosomes – they look almost exactly the same! I am so very sorry Max!"

Max had to sit down in his shock before he even had heard Wayne out, and he muttered to himself: "I in high heels – dressed in a sari – married with a man and with many – many – many kids…" But then Trudy came to him and cheered him up. "Oh break it Max! Na'vi people don't walk in shoes at all and the females certainly don't wear voluminous saris – you are not in India now! And if you don't feel like having small ones then it most certainly isn't necessary. It is for you to decide and nobody else. You can start with getting used to being named Maxine… And as a female myself I can reassure you, life as a woman isn't too bad at all!"

Words soon got out and after a few smirks everyone accepted the news as a fact. Making it simpler for Max to come to terms with it too.