[VIDEO LOG NO. 8]
[DATE: 16.3.2160]
[AUTHOR: WO GARNETT, A.]
[RECORD]
[GARNETT]: "Well, yesterday was one hell of a job. I, Alex Garnett, pretty much stopped this here colony from going to war with the Omaticaya tribe. It wasn't easy. Between miscommunication and people getting in the way of my job, it could have ended pretty nastily.
The official report contains most of what you'd need to know. Mind you, what it doesn't go on about is what happened after I got back to base. The higher ups called me to the command centre in order for me to explain my actions. Specifically, my idea to shoot the foreman with paint-tranq.
Turned out, as I was coming home that the asshole in question had come to, radioed command and made various furious complaints, slurs and vows-for-revenge. He was not pleased. The higher ups in question, The General, Director Selfridge, Major Halverson and Dr. Carnegie wanted a full report on what happened at the mines, an explanation of my actions, and my thoughts about what will happen next.
I told it straight. I told them that a crisis with the Na'vi was about to occur, and that I was doing everything in my power to defuse the situation with diplomacy and talking, rather than bombardment and shooting. I told them that when Rueben had attempted to undermine my authority, I had to use emergency action to prevent him from screwing the situation up worse. I was clear that it was my job to prevent bloodshed, not start it.
Well... I guess it went okay with them. The Director warned me that Rueben was trying to press assault charges against me, but in the current light, they will probably be overturned. Hellboy and Carnegie were full of praise. 'That's why I put you in charge' he said. General Carson... I don't know... He seemed almost... disappointed. I don't know if that was the right word. He was agreeing with the others on my actions and I think he was actually giving me some real respect, but... I don't know... It was like he was cheated out of something. If he was looking forward to all out war, then I should be worried.
Well, in any case, I got off the assault charge without any real problems. Then Hellboy slipped me a sweetener: promotion to Warrant Officer.
My life's on a roll."
[END LOG]

[VIDEO LOG NO. 10]
[DATE: 25.3.2160]
[AUTHOR: WO GARNETT, A.]
[RECORD]
[GARNETT]: "Hey, I'm making more of these, Carnegie's orders. He says that it's for the best or something like that.
I think I've made another interesting friend today. I've talked about him before; Norm Spellman, one of the Avatar scientists who stayed behind in their avatars. He came back a few days ago with word from Jake that everything's okay now after that accident. Me and Noh were tasked with managing him whenever he's in town. We try not to talk shop, but we always come around personal stuff. He seems like a nice guy. He got busted out along with Jake and the old Science leader, Augustine by this pilot woman, Trudy. He even fought with the Na'vi at the Hallelujah mountains.
After talking with him... I think he's a good man. He looked and sounds like he's a person who would always try to do the right thing, no matter what. A rare quality indeed.
I asked him once on what it's like to be a Na'vi for the rest of your life. He said he and the others didn't take the idea lightly. He said that it was because they all wanted to be able to live on Pandora without having to worry about their human bodies getting trashed while they were out and about. They made their choice and they stuck by it.
He mentioned a wife at one point. Another scientist, goes by the name of Ellen Madison. They'd got together a year or two ago, good friends that became lovers at one point. I met her myself when she visited a while back. Nice woman. She and the others sometimes visit to assist the science team with any of their findings. And some of these findings are... unbelievable.
The most amazing thing was this: The Tree of Souls that the Na'vi holds as sacred, as well as all of the other similar Trees, aren't just sacred sites. Apparently, according to research garnered by the late Grace Augustine, as well as various other scientists, each of these trees is linked together by these strange roots, all over Pandora. These roots not just connect the Trees of Souls or whatever, but are also sub connected to various plants and trees and whatnot. The theory is this: due to the high levels of Magnium, these are not just some roots that grow rampant. They fill the same function as nerves in a body. One of the things Na'vi always go on about was how the Trees in question are capable of communicating with Eywa; the Mother Goddess of Pandora. The white-coats theorise that this is actually the memories of various other Na'vi that had imprinted on the Tree. A sort of memory database if you will. Now, all of these Trees are connected by the nerve roots right? And all of these roots are also partially connected to various other floras. The idea is, is that these Trees, hell, this entire WORLD, is one great big brain. A Neural Network. Everything is interconnected on this planet; the plants the animals even the Na'vi. And there's evidence to suggest that these connections can somehow communicate with each other. This whole world DOES in fact have a literal Worldmind.
[Pauses]
I cannot believe how absolutely ridiculous it all sounded when I first heard it. I thought the scientists were pulling my leg about this one, but they were so deadly serious about it. Then you hear all of the weird stories about the Hallelujah Battle. Weird stuff, like how random animals started to fight WITH the Na'vi. Now... I'm not sure what to think.
I later broached the idea to the old Hellboy. When he heard it he started grumbling moodily. I did a double take, I kind of expected him to be all 'That's such bullshit'.
I asked him 'why so grumpy?'
And then he said "How come the Na'vi get a Neural Network on their home world, total harmony with nature and its surroundings, while we humans never got any such thing EVER back on our own planet? Does that mean we're inferior or something?"
I didn't know what to say. I still don't.
Mind you, it reminds me a bit of...
[Garnett stops mid sentence. He is silent for a minute.]
Well, I don't know... Maybe he was just a little worried about things in the colony. His wife and child are coming over in the next transport.
Oh shit, right I nearly forgot, The Magellan is coming back in a few days. It's going to be a big thing, with unloading supplies, loading on the Magnium, Lumber and the other stuff back on, and getting the new arrivals acquainted on Pandora. Thing is, we've actually made the decision to bring the families of all of the colonists to us, rather than let them wait for months on end for their loved ones to come back to Earth. This is a full colony program remember. We have to be accommodating for our own families to live here with us. It's going to be a busy week up ahead."
[END LOG]

[VIDEO LOG NO. 11]
[DATE: 1.4.2160]
[AUTHOR: WO GARNETT, A.]
[RECORD]
[GARNETT]:"Man what a day. The Magellan just arrived last night, so we spent the better half of the day supervising the colonists offloading supplies and whatnot from the transports. It's hectic work. Watching the whole thing from the Battlements, or an observation tower is like watching armies of ants swarming over the place. It's just... yeah.
We've also had our new arrivals come in. Basically all of the colonists are here now, as well as their families. They've all had their Gene-modding, so we don't have to worry about them needing Exo-Masks or anything, they can live here normally.
It's strange seeing kids here again. They come down off the transports with their mothers or fathers in total awe of their surroundings. They get to see their dad or mom again which always leads to some tender moments. They all view Pandora as a great big adventure. I'm not sure what to think about that. Part of me thinks they should stay in the colony for their entire stay. The wildlife would eat them for brunch. The other part of me thinks that they should get to see the world. I'm not sure... maybe this is a good place to start a new family.
As well as the new arrivals, we also got some new stuff to play around with. Most of it is mining and logging equipment, with some military stuff as well. We also got to play around with the new Revenant AMP's. They make our old ones look like they're from some crappy puppet show. Then the craziest thing happened. Noh and some of the other mech pilots organized a soccer match out on one of the fields. The thing was, all of the players were using mech suits, kicking around a vacuum packed bag of woodchips as a ball. It was insane. The guys in the new mechs were way faster than the ones who weren't. I think they had to call a dozer in to flatten the ground afterwards for all of the pock marks they made.
I got to meet some of my friends' relatives. Emile's dad got to be here, as well as Jade's husband and kids and Mac's wife Joan. I also met Halverson's family. He's got a nice wife; Victoria, I think her name is, and this nice little girl, Lauryl. She was so ecstatic when she saw her dad; I swear we were going to need a crowbar to get her off her dad's leg. Some of them ask me on what the Na'vi are like. I tell them that they're different from us, but at the same time, so alike.
Oh, and the best part is, is that dumbass Netanyahu is leaving when the Magellan goes with the Magnium. Says that the Pandoran air isn't good for his rheumatism. Yeah. Sure it is you loser...
I also met our new priest. Father Byron has come to Pandora to give spiritual guidance to all of the ahem 'Christian' colonists. I talked to him for a while. He was asking all lot about the Na'vi, more so than the other new comers. I asked him why he was so interested in them. That's when he revealed that the reason he came to Pandora was so he could spread the Gospel of Light to the heathens.
He's in for a rude surprise, that's for sure.
[Silence]
[Sighs] I wish Michelle was here.
[Silence]
Well, we still got a few days or so to offload all of the other stuff. It's going to be busy."
[END RECORD]

[VIDEO LOG NO. 13]
[DATE: 10.4.2160]
[AUTHOR: WO GARNETT, A.]
[RECORD]
[GARNETT]:"Well, it's been a while, but I had a chance to talk to Jake on the radio. He seemed good, he just called to say that everything was cool at his end. He and Carnegie talked for a while, when Carnegie made a request. He wanted to visit the tribe at the Hometree.
We had a big discussion over the radio about it. Jake was hesitant to have us so close to home. Still doesn't trust us. We had to promise that only three choppers of scientists and their escorts would come over. Jake agreed only reluctantly. Guess who gets to tag along with the scientists?
Noh's coming as well, he says he needs more time with the Na'vi. I'm bringing in my own team as well as other recruits in as well.
[Pauses]
I don't know why I'm saying this, but I heard something weird as I was waiting to brief General Carson about was going down.
I was just waiting outside his office, sitting in the chairs that were so thoughtfully provided while one of the mercenary officers was talking with the General. I couldn't hear much to begin with, but then my ears started to prick up when I heard them talking about us militia.
The officer... Manderley, I think his name was, was complaining about us Militia getting more and more power over their mercenary teachers. "Why do we have to put up with these fucking dickwads when this entire op could have been done by just us?"
That's when Carson said: "Since you can't get anything into that thick skull of yours the first time, let me repeat myself. There are three reasons why you and I have to put up with them. Firstly, is that we lost a lot of manpower thanks to that cowboy fuckup Quaritch. We needed to subcontract, if you will, to hire people who could fire a gun, questionable morals being less important nowadays. Second, is that the U.N's Department of Extra-terrestrial Affairs have been on our asses ever since the Hallelujah fuckup, so for the time being, we have to play nice."
"And thirdly?"
"And thirdly my good man; when everything goes to hell, they're the ones who carry the can."
I didn't really know what they were talking about, but I didn't like it.
Anyway, wheels up tomorrow at dawn. It'll be great, I'm sure."
[END RECORD]