The remaining months passed. The RDA grew closer to Hometree while the Spartans continued trekking the planet. Jake has grown closer to Neytiri and her people, but his loyalty to his own people, as well as the past experiences with the Covenant have torn him between the two parties. The Covenant have scanned every square mile for relics. Finding nothing. With each visit between Eytukan and Leka bringing more tension. While Leka was true to his word, Eytukan felt the familiar words and promises of the Sky People drip from the alien's mouth.
Now. Two different events would finally detonate the powder keg.
Pandoran wilderness.
John was accompanying Ryder and his squad in the Needle Hills to search for a missing survey team. They came here about three days ago and reported their arrival. They never reported since.
"Here we are." Ryder said. They found one of the caves filled with unobtanium slated to be mined when the survey team was finished. Only it's being postponed.
"Keep an eye out for the team." John said. The SecOps forces followed the Spartans into the cave, guns at the ready.
"So, this is where you found your first shard huh?" Asked Linda.
"Sure was." Said Ryder.
"Why did you go to three separate locations instead of grabbing three here?" Asked Fred.
"I asked the same thing. It didn't work that way. Each shard was unique in its tune. Imagine notes in a song." Ryder explained. The Spartans had a good idea now.
"Sir?" It was Dalton. "I found them!"
The soldiers rushed to his location and saw what he was seeing. It was the survey team.
All dead.
"Aw shit." Batista said.
"Guess we knew why the team didn't report in." Said Winslow.
"Kendra?" Ryder said. Kendra was one of Ryder's friends here on Pandora, an officer at that. But now he's at a higher rank. She came around the base every so often a few weeks back and spoke with the group. And while Chief didn't say so out loud, he speculated there was something going on between Kendra and Ryder..
"What's up Ryder?" She said.
"We found the survey team… All are dead. Repeat. Survey team is KIA." There was a silence before Kendra said.
"Roger that. I'll inform Quaritch."
"Already heard ma'am." Quaritch had tuned in just in time.
"Dalton here sir. Activating my hat camera. You need to see this."
John saw he was right, there was blood almost everywhere. But the strange thing was the bodies showed no signs of blunt force trauma associated with Na'vi clubs, and there were no arrows anywhere. The Na'vi were never this violent, not even Ferals. "Why the hell aren't there any arrows?" Quaritch asked.
"Linda, can you confirm any signs of Na'vi aggression in the area?" John asked his sniper, who was, as usual someplace high.
"Negative. Nothing at all." Fred turned a body over and found his armor melted at the torso, the skin showing fourth degree burns on his chest.
"Oh shit. You better see this!" He said. Everyone saw the carnage. "It's a plasma burn. Plasma means…" Fred began.
"NO. No nonono please God no not them. Not here. Not now!" Quaritch said.
"It's no mistake sir!" Ryder began. "It's them!
"Blue team, Able team, report to the mining complex now and get your asses back to Hell's Gate to prepare for further orders-"
"Mayday! Mayday mayday! This is Panther 2-6, we are under attack by Covenant forces. THE COVENANT IS ON PANDORA! I REPEAT, THE COVENANT IS ON PANDORA!" The radio squawked.
"Scratch that, find that squad and get them out of there!" Quaritch ordered.
"Yes sir. Let's move Able Team!" Ryder shouted. The two teams ran as fast as they could, the Spartans going slower to allow Able to keep up.
…
Leka and his fellow Sangheili were in the jungles of a region the Humans know as the Hanging Gardens. They searched the planet for more Human encampments to find, as well as possible relics. "Remember warriors. The time to eliminate the Humans will come, we only hunt down individual squads now. But otherwise, we simply watch." Leka said. His soldiers acknowledged with simple 'hmms.'
This area was regarded by the Humans as being stubborn. Apparently, they tried to make a bigger base here, but instead had to make a simple outpost, for the forest continued to grow back. The Covenant need not another base. All they needed was to observe and find. So far their efforts yielded several Human bases, but no relics of the Gods. "Fleetmaster, do you believe we will ever find the gift of the Gods here?" Asked a younger Sangheili.
"I do youngblood. Patience is a great trait. Those who are patient will be rewarded in ways that few can possibly imagine." Leka replied.
Despite high hopes, the group had been through several areas here already, and come up empty handed in relics. Although destroying the Humans would bring great prestige to them, especially on a world that held great resources for them, finding relics would bring such greater and more honorable gratitude upon them. "Leka. I am receiving a transmission from another of our search parties." One of the Sangheili said.
"What do they have to report?" Leka asked.
"They are telling me… Gods… are you certain?" The warrior said, his face filled with amazement and awe.
"What is it?" Leka asked.
"They have found holy relics!"
"… Gifts of the Gods? Finally?" Leka asked breathlessly.
"They have merely scratched the surface, but there is an entire underground structure made by the Forerunners, who knows what secrets it holds?" Leka immediately called for a Phantom to bring them to the location.
"Get me a connection to the Hierarchs! We have found sacred relics!"
…
Jake was off with Tsu'tey and other young hunters to choose an Ikran. The rest of the village carried out their usual activities. Eytukan had been spending days and nights contemplating the fate of Tsu'tey, it was a wonder he was able to get up and lead the hunters to the Ikran. It has been much time since the fight, but Tsu'tey was still bruised and bloodied. "Eytukan!" An aged hunter came before him with urgency in his eyes.
"Speak brother."
"Eytukan. The aliens. The Covenant. Many are gathered at the Trees of Voices."
Eytukan's heart stopped. Even the Sky People never went there, it was a sacred site. What could the Covenant possibly want with them? He immediately got up and made way to the Direhorses.
…
The trees surrounding the Sangheili and his fellow warriors were strange indeed. They had no leaves, but long pink strands of silk-looking, but organic-feeling material. But as beautiful and fascinating as these trees were, they were not the goal.
For here lay something buried under them. Far greater.
"It is here Fleetmaster." Bapat said. "The gifts of the Gods rest beneath our very feet."
"The Gods have truly blessed our patience." Leka replied. Along with him, the other Sangheili, and other Unggoy, were Jiralhanae. This was likely a bad move. Sangheili and Jiralhanae were on bad terms with one another. Both calling the others unable to be proper soldiers. Leka however, was one of the few Sangheili to recognize the potential as warriors the Jiralhanae had. That and their sense of smell, even with masks supplying breathable air, was acute.
He knelt down to where two other Unggoy were digging, he ushered them to move aside and began to dig himself. After about a few scoops of dirt. He found it. That same familiar bright sheen of metal the Gods used in their relics. "We have FOUND IT!" He claimed victoriously. The Sangheili yelled in triumph while the Unggoy danced around, with the Jiralhanae howling.
"Today is the day we have found more holy relics the Forerunners have left for us!" A Jiralhanae yelled.
Suddenly, he stopped and smelled the air. "Fleetmaster," He said, "we have visitors." From the forest came Na'vi. With them was Eytukan. He didn't look very happy. In fact, he seemed extremely upset. He dismounted his horse and came forward to Leka.
"Eytukan." He said. Over time, Bapat has taught the Fleetmaster the Na'vi language, so a translator has been unnecessary for a while. But Bapat still accompanied the Fleetmaster to give him any updates on Human communications.
"What are you doing here?" Eytukan asked.
"We have found something worth dying for." Leka said with awe. Eytukan was confused, surely as great as they were, the trees were not something the Covenant would see worth dying for.
He gestured Eytukan to follow him, and showed him the small hole he dug. He showed Eytukan the gleaming metal inside. "What is this?" He asked.
"A Forerunner structure. Underground. Don't you see? The Gods lived here long ago. On your planet. Your people are truly blessed." Leka said with awe in his voice.
"What do you mean?" Eytukan asked.
"Don't you get it? There are Forerunner relics here. The Hierarchs will be most pleased, and since it is your planet, you will be offered a choice of reward for this." Leka said.
"Like what?" Eytukan asked, knowing where this was going.
"WHATEVER you want. Even a place in our holy Covenant." Leka said.
"You talk the same talk as the Sky People." Eytukan said.
"No. They take your land and leave you nothing. We are truly willing to negotiate." Leka said.
"For how long? How long until you go back on your word?" Eytukan said in an accusing tone.
"Eytukan please." Leka said, remaining calm and civil.
"It was not long ago that we fought the Sky People, only to lose more. What of you, how will you react when we refuse?!" Eytukan demanded.
"Choose your words carefully Eytukan, I am allowing you to ponder this, and that is pushing it." Leka warned.
"For months you have come to me telling me it is my choice. Telling me it is my decision. Whatever choice I make would have no effect on my people. And having considerable time to ponder the events, I have made my choice!"
"That was before we found relics! We have scanned the rest of this planet. This is the only relic. And it is grand. Too grand to ignore. These are but trees around it. They may be sacred to you, but the thing about trees is they grow back. Perhaps even a new location. You merely need to take the seeds and find new land."
"ENOUGH! You will NOT be mining for this relic. You will be harming our land, or Eywa. That is final." The Jiralhanae growled while the Sangheili reached for their swords. But Leka placed his arm up, telling them to hold off.
"I shall relay your, decision, to the Hierarchs." Said Leka. Who proceeded to leave.
"Inform the strike teams. It is time to hit the Humans… harass them if you must."
Needle Hills.
'MEDIIIIIIIC!"
The call was answered by the sound of a sniper rifle. That took the head off of an Elite. Followed by the detonation of a launched grenade.
Ryder and his team had already ran ahead and taken cover behind the rocks the other squad was taking cover behind. While the Spartans attacked the Covenant head on. A blast from the M90 shotgun tore through an Elite's shields and ignored the armor. A nearby Phantom bringing in reinforcements was brought crashing after a Spartan Laser shot brought it down. Fred utilized the BANISHER machine gun he had and mowed down any Grunts dumb enough to step into clear view. Winslow tended to the hit SecOps soldiers while Dalton, Ryder, and Batista focused fire on Covenant forces. "The hell are the Covenant doing here?" Ryder shouted.
"The real question is when they got here!" Batista said.
A shot from the sniper rifle blew the arm off of a Jackal, who proceeded to lose his head. Literally. The Grunts eventually broke ranks and ran after realizing Demons were present. The remaining Elite was about to order them to regroup when he felt a Human pistol get shoved into his mandibles. The last thing he ever saw was a Demon.
"Jeez. You Panther 2-6?" Ryder asked.
"Yes sir." The squad leader said shaken and afraid.
"He's not doing too well. We gotta get back to Hell's Gate." Winslow said regarding the hit soldiers. "Quaritch, this is Ryder. We found the squad. Hurry and send transport, I got the feeling more are gonna show up." Ryder said into the radio.
"Already sent. When you and the Spartans get back, I want you in the Command Center for a debriefing. Pandora's about to become a battlefield."
Shack.
Halsey and Grace had calmed down by now, Robert and Norm were busy with the little chess game they were playing, and Jake was looking out of the window. His thoughts occupying him. He was torn.
There was the side that stuck with the RDA. His Human side. To tell Quaritch about the Covenant being here. To coerce the Na'vi into helping them. Jake was in the war for at least nine years and has seen a lot. He's seen terrible things. Cities glassed as Covenant ships orbited in the sky and brought their burning death down upon the metropolises. He's killed a number of Covenant and fought on many planets under many leaders. He's watched friends die and civilians lose their lives. With the thought of Humanity losing everything, had it not been for the Spartans.
Then there was the side that stuck to the Na'vi. His Avatar side. To keep quiet, for surely opening his mouth would accelerate the schedule Selfridge and Quaritch had planned. Leading to the destruction of Hometree, whether the Na'vi were there or not. Then what? Another Tipani Conflict? It would be bad enough that the Covenant were here, the fact that the Na'vi could assist them would just add to the fire.
He put his face into his hands and sighed, wondering what was to happen. "God dammit. GOD dammit. Just why? Why here?" He whispered to himself.
"Have you noticed Jake's been acting a little down lately?" Norm asked moving a knight.
"Now that you mention it, he has been acting questionable lately." Robert replied. Moving a bishop to take out a pawn.
"Whenever I ask him what's up when he looks upset, he gives me a quick look of a fake carefree face and says 'I'm fine.' He's hiding something." Said Norm.
"You think he may be having a relationship with a Na'vi?" Robert asked.
"No no no. This is something else. Something terrifying by his behavior. At least that's the vibe I'm getting." Norm replied. Sliding a rook to put the king in check. To which Robert responded to my moving a pawn to block the rook.
"Anyway, how about those unidentified contacts? They show up rather quickly more often, then disappear. Now it's like they never existed." He said.
"I know… I don't like it." Norm agreed.
The scientists, while not bickering, were not exactly socializing. "So… fifteen years?" Halsey asked.
"Yep." Grace replied.
"Hmm. I imagine most would want to go home by five. Guess you're at home here." Halsey said.
"Ugh. Am I ever." Grace replied. The sound of an incoming Samson reached their ears. "Looks like Trudy's back." Robert said, putting Norm in checkmate.
"Thank God. I need a damn cigarette." Trudy almost immediately came rushing into the shack, face filled with fear. "Trudy. Jesus you look like you've seen a ghost. What-"
"We're needed back at Hell's Gate now!" She said.
"Why what's going on?" Halsey asked.
"We're mobilizing for war."
"Goddamn Quaritch and his trigger happy-" Grace began.
"It's not the Na'vi. The Covenant are here."
Silence followed.
Jake inwardly cursed at himself.
Hell's Gate.
The base was on full alert with soldiers running everywhere. Scorpions soaring every 5 seconds, and AMPs manning the perimeter. Inside, the mobilization was just as frantic. John and Ryder's teams went straight for the elevator to the Command Center. Up there they found the center even more busy than usual.
The officers were all around the HALO station.
"Damn if you aren't a sight for sore eyes." Quaritch said as the teams entered. "No sooner did you get to the outside of the fence did we get reports from nearly every other base we got. Needle Hills, Tantalus, Blue Lagoon, they're all are being hammered." He said. John noticed Selfridge in his office. His head down and in his arms. But went back to listening to Quaritch. "This many attacks there's no way in hell that the Na'vi didn't know the Covenant were here. Fucking blues." Did that mean it was possible that the Na'vi purposely didn't tell them? But why?
"What's our strategy sir?" John asked.
"Well the good news is also the bad news. The attacks are small and manageable at best. But that just means the calm before the storm. I've already sent word to Earth, they're sending a small fleet to assist, but we gotta hold out until then. As for the Na'vi, we're accelerating the schedule and will be hitting Hometree tomorrow. We can't wait anymore. The best we can do is hold them at multiple fronts while we mine as much unobtanium as possible."
"Where's their fleet?" Linda asked.
"That's just it. We can't find it. But we did find this." Quaritch began. "Some ways away from the Omaticaya tree. Where a cliff overlooks the sea." The projection changed to a very familiar shape. A Covenant citadel. With several structures around it.
"There's no way in hell there's no fleet nearby. Even a small one is bad news. Likely out of range of satellites." Fred said.
"That would explain why we didn't see anything." Said Ryder.
"Obviously we won't be hitting here. Casualties would be too high. So until the fleet arrives, we fight a defensive war. Several commanders are already building up defenses to beat back any further attacks. But until the fleet comes, I don't think we'll be able to really hold out. I'm telling Jake to come in." Quaritch said. Hearing this, John figured it would be best to follow and check up on Jake too. Especially with everything going on.
Before leaving, John noticed Selfridge again. He was looking at a picture frame, although he couldn't see the picture itself, he could see Selfridge's face clearly. It was stained by tears, and his expression matched that of someone who just lost someone close to him. Selfridge was shifting from trying to contain his sobs, before breaking down and putting his head back on the desk. "Thank goodness for soundproofing." Quaritch said somberly.
In the mess hall, Jake sat at a table all alone. In fact the hall was empty. He sat there beating himself up for not saying something sooner. "Haven't gotten lost in the woods, have you?" Jake looked up to see Quaritch and John coming towards him, Quaritch grabbing a chair while the Chief stood at parade rest. "Your last report was more than two weeks ago. That's not the issue though. What is the issue is the Covenant being here. Way I see it, it's time to terminate the mission."
"No, I can do this." Jake said.
"You already have. You give me good, usable intel. This Tree of Souls place. We knew about it before, but now it's clear how important the Na'vi hold it. In case these blues get any funny ideas and try to help the Covies out, we can have em by the balls with that if it turns to a fight. Now it's time to come in." Quaritch said placing a hand on Jake's shoulder.
"By the way, you're gonna get your legs back." Jake looked up at him with disbelief on his face.
"Yeah. I got your corporate approval. It's a done deal. Gonna have you out on a shuttle tonight. This won't be a place for a crippled marine."
Jake sighed in relief. "I gotta finish this. There's one more thing. Ceremony. It's the final stage of becoming a man. I do that, I'm one of them, and we can talk about relocation, no need for it to be all stick. Who knows? Maybe THEY'LL help US." Jake said. Quaritch seemed to ponder the idea. Then looked back to John. Who nodded.
"Ok… but you better get it done, Corporal. The Covenant aren't waiting." Quaritch said.
Jake had gone back to Hometree for the ceremony. While John and Ryder were deployed to various hotspots on Pandora. All RDA personnel knew it was happening now. Soon all Na'vi knew about the Covenant too. They stayed away from both sides, too afraid to get involved. The last war nearly wiped out a dominant clan. So there was good reason.
Jake's ceremony was complete, both Norm and Grace were personally there to witness it. That night, Neytiri took Jake to a very special place. They certainly acted livelier on their way there. There were trees all over the place. Glowing a distinct pink. "I remember these. Ryder… oh god." He said, remembering how Ryder held a dark place in Na'vi history.
"It is ok." She replied. "… he told me about these trees." Jake finished. "This is a place for prayers to be heard. And sometimes answered." Neytiri said, bringing her neural braid to the branches she held. The organic parts wrapped around the branches and created a brilliant glow. "We call these trees Utraya Mokri. The Tree of Voices." Jake was curious, and used his own braid to interact with branches. "The voices of our ancestors." Neytiri added. Jake placed the braid into contact with the branches and felt something unlike any other sensation he ever felt. He heard talking, singing, laughing. From adults and children alike.
"I can hear them." He said.
"They live, Jake, within Eywa."
"You are Omaticaya now. You may make your bow from the wood of Hometree. And you may choose a woman. We have any fine woman. Ninat is our best singer." She said.
"But I don't want Ninat." Jake said.
"Peyral is a good hunter."
"Yeah. She is a good hunter. But I've already chosen."
Neytiri could feel what was happening.
"But this woman must also choose me."
…
"She already has."
Plains of Goliath.
"Suppressive fire!" Shouted John. The assault the Covenant had started here was picking up in intensity, the good news was the RDA was suffering few casualties while the Covenant hurled themselves at their defenses, the bad news was that the Covenant showed no signs of stopping. Linda was on one of the air control towers, taking shots at infantry, while Kelly and Fred were closer to the action. Outside the fence that is. John was in the middle of them and the RDA forces. Able team was on the other side.
"This is rhino 8-6, we have Wraiths inbound with additional Ghosts in backup." "This is Striker 5, I'm inbound with some friends to put the hurt on those suckers." "Squad 7 needs ammo, someone get some backup to squad 12, and where the hell is squad 15?" "There's bodies all over the damn place!"
The Spartans had a plan in place, however. When the Wraiths came range, the mountains suddenly shook as fiery explosions sent rocks raining down upon the tanks. They were crushed while others were effectively blocked. "Thank god. That blockade stopped them."
It was the plan all along. Without direct vehicle access to the base. The attack was pointless. As for the other side, two Dragon gunships appeared and began putting the hurt on. Sending Covenant forces running.
The teams met up at the landing pad. "Jesus. It's been at least 25 hours since we got here, these bastards don't let up!" Winslow said.
"Well the good news is they've stopped. The rest of our bases have already taken care of their assaults." John said. The Spartans were split into individuals with Able doing the same, going to stop various attacks, ending with the Plains.
"Time to go back to Hell's Gate."
…
On the Samson ride, Able squad was still relieved to be alive while the Spartans were rather calm. Why wouldn't they be? They've done this all the time. "I got- fifty!" Dalton said, shaken yet excited.
"We all got fifty there's hundreds of them." Batista said.
"Hey… you see that?" Linda asked. Down in the jungle they found two large insectoids walking and firing yellow beams.
"Holy shit, those are Covenant Harvesters." Fred said. Linda grabbed her scope while the pilot carefully lowered his altitude.
"Hey… is that… Jake?" She asked.
Trees of Voices.
Jake and Neytiri were in a slumber at the site of the trees. When she heard faint sounds filled her ears. She woke to hear the sounds of furious pulsating. She looked in the direction to find yellow beams cutting through the trees in the background. Getting closer to the Trees of Souls… and them.
"Ma Jake."
"Don't forget your phase integration. No, no the middle button." Norm said.
"Jake. You gotta eat something." Grace said.
The two giant mechanical beasts grew closer, with the beams getting closer.
"Jake! Jake. Wake up! Jake, please!"
"Don't make me force feed a cripple." Said Grace. Jake simple chuckled.
"Grace, I don't want… Hey!" He said as she disabled the link bed.
Branches fell as Neytiri began to panic. She had to hurry, but Jake would not wake, forcing her to drag him. "Jake!"
Jake ate as fast as he could, not wanting to waste a single moment. "Okay." Grace chuckled.
"Here. I'm done. Let's go." Jake said.
"And when was the last time you took a shower?" Grace asked.
"I don't need a shower."
"Jesus marine."
Jake closed his eyes and repeated the process of linking to his Avatar.
"Jake! Wake up! Jake! Wake up!"
He found Neytiri panicking while seeing the Harvesters in the background. He ran in front of the machinations and tried to stop them. "HEY! STOP! STOP! Go back STOP!" The machines slowed down and looked upon Jake.
"Liko." An Unggoy spoke.
"What is it Unggoy?" Asked the Fleetmaster's brother.
"A male Na'vi has blocked our path, he seems to be trying to stop us." Liko chuckled.
"Keep digging, he'll move. It is time these people have learned we do not take 'no' for an answer regarding to Forerunner relics." Liko said.
The Harvester then continued to go. "No! Stop! STOP! Run! RUN!" Jake then did something crazy he went up to the front of the Harvester, climbed, and slammed a rock upon the front. The sound of plasma fire, a sound he knows well, stopped him and forced him to run, for there were Covenant soldiers there too.
In the rear, Tsu'tey and a small party rode in on Direhorses and looked upon the destruction caused. They watched as the massive machines dug into the dirt where their sacred trees once stood, revealing the 'relic' beneath. The Covenant soldiers cheered in victory. Neytiri sobbed as she watched, and Tsu'tey felt anger rise in him.
Hell's Gate.
"Ok. Freeze." Quaritch, the Spartans, and Able team were reviewing the footage from Linda on a major screen for all to see. It showed a male Na'vi who stood in front of the Harvesters. "Scale up. Enhance." It was Jake.
"Jake was there." Ryder said. "But why would he try to stop the Covenant like a concerned pedestrian instead of run?"
"It doesn't make sense for even the Na'vi to wait unless…." John said before stopping.
Realization dawned on them all.
"Son of a bitch. Unbelievable" Selfridge said running back to his office. Quaritch was upset. Ryder was upset, but worst of all.
John was upset.
"Chief. Ryder. With me. You. Get me a pilot." Quaritch said. "Yes sir!"
Hometree.
The warriors chanted while awaiting for Eytukan to speak to them.
"Tsu'tey will lead the war party!" An overwhelming approval was the response.
"Wait. Stop please!" Grace said, drawing attention. "This will only make things worse." She said.
"You do NOT speak here!" Tsu'tey replied. "We will strike them in the heart!" He yelled, receiving more cries of approval.
"Tsu'tey! Don't do this!" It was Jake, accompanied by Neytiri.
"YOU."
"Listen. Brother-" Before he could speak, Jake was shoved by Tsu'tey, who was stopped by Neytiri.
"You mated with this woman?" He demanded.
"Oh shit." Grace said.
"Is this true?" Mo'at asked sternly. Neytiri hesitated before saying,
"We are mated before Eywa. It is done." Tsu'tey couldn't believe it. Now Jake took his mate away. He was on the verge of crying.
"Tsu'tey please. Do not attack the Covenant. Many Omaticaya will die if you do."
"You are NOT my BROTHER!" Tsu'tey said, grabbing a knife and swiping at Jake, who dodged and evaded.
"And I am NOT your ENEMY! And neither are the Sky People!" He yelled grabbing his own, then throwing it down. "The enemy is the Covenant! And they are VERY POWERFUL!"
At the shack, two Samsons appeared with the Spartans, Able team, and Quaritch himself with extra soldiers. "Norm saw the commotion while Halsey and Robert were confused.
"We need to talk to the Sky People." Jake said
"No more talk!" Tsu'tey said. He got a good hit on Jake's chest, although barely. While Jake countered and gave him quick punches, bringing him down.
"I am Omaticaya. I am one of you. And I have the right, to speak." Tsy'tey stopped, wiped blood from his face, and listened "I have something to say to all of you… the words are like stones in my heart.
Quaritch entered with Able team behind him. The Spartans being outside the shack. "Sir, I'm sorry. No, no, no! Hold on!" Norm began, but ended up being shoved by Quaritch. "You can't interrupt a link in progress! It's very dangerous!" Quaritch ignored him and disabled Grace's pod first.
Grace fell over unconscious. "Grace! Neytiri said.
"Oh no…" Jake said, realizing what was happening. "Look. I was sent here to negotiate-" Was all he said before succumbing like Grace.
"You see? It is a demon in a false body!" Tsu'tey yelled. Before he could finish Jake, Neytiri threw him off, grabbing her own knife in defense. Finally, Tsu'tey gave up.
Jake woke seeing Quaritch and Ryder looking at him. "Are you out of your damn mind?!" He shouted.
"You crossed the line." Quaritch said, before sucker punching Jake, knocking him out. "Wheel this meat outta here."
"Gotcha sir." Winston said.
Hell's Gate.
Quaritch showed them the footage. "You let me down, son. You let Ryder down. You let John down." Jake looked around the room at the three men with angry stares, guilt running in his veins. "You knew the Covenant were here all along, and you said nothing. So… let me get this straight. You find yourself some local tail and forget what side you're on? You forget what the Covenant have done to your brothers and sisters?"
"Parker, there is still time to salvage the situa-"
"Shut your pie hole!" Quaritch ordered, interrupting Grace.
"Or what? Ranger Rick, you gonna shoot me?" Grace challenged.
"I could do that."
"Easy, easy." Ryder said.
"Parker. You need to understand that the trees the Covenant destroyed were sacred to the Omaticaya-"
"You know what?!" Parker yelled. "You throw a twig anywhere it's gonna land on some goddamn sacred fern!"
"I'm not talking about some pagan voodoo here Selfridge, I'm talking about something real. Something measurable in the biology of the forest." Grace said
"Which is was exactly?" Parker asked. "What we think we know is that there is some kind of electrochemical communication between the roots of the trees, like the synapses between neurons. And each tree has ten-to-the-fourth connections to the trees around it. And there are ten-to-the-twelfth trees on Pandora." Grace explained.
"Which is a lot, I'm guessing." Parker said.
"It's more connections than the Human brain. Get it? It's a network. It's a global network, and the Na'vi can access it. They can upload and download data. Memories. At sites like the on the Covenant destroyed." Grace finished.
"I can confirm her story." Ryder said. "Being a signals specialist and having worked with these trees in my missions, I know what I'm talking about. You DID read the reports right?"
"After the reports I read, as much as I loathe to admit it. I agree with Grace too." Halsey said.
Parker sighed. "Fine. But how does THAT help us stop the Covenant? Unless we can somehow apply that to our own military or something this is a waste of time."
"The wealth of this world isn't in the ground. It's all around us." Grace said.
"But I agree with Parker here. Unless we can destroy Covenant capital ships with this, it's pointless." Halsey said.
"Besides. As far as the Na'vi are concerned, I believe we have to enemies. And here's the proof. Take a look doc." Quaritch said.
"They're never gonna leave Hometree. For what? Lite beer? And blue jeans? We have nothing that they want. Sad to say, but now it's clear everything they sent me to do is a waste of time."
It was Jake's recording. "So… since a deal can't be made. And the Na'vi, let alone you, didn't warn us, I guess things get real simple. Thanks Jake. I'm getting all emotional."
…
Citadel
"A warrior at birth. A warrior in death."
The Unggoy deacons spoke the Sangheili burial prayer. It was a sad day for the Covenant. But none more so than Leka. In the coffins being sent back to a ship were many warriors, all from the Harvesters sent to dig up the relics.
And in the last coffin… his brother, Liko.
"Brother… I am sorry I was not there to aid you… I am sorry I was not there to at least seen you die with honor… Liko 'Tgumee… when you see our father and mother in paradise… tell him…. I will join you someday…"
Tears rolled down the eyes of the Fleermaster as he held the lifeless hand of his brother. Who was donned in his full battle armor with his sword in his right hand. Deactivated of course.
He was attacked, along with his warriors by a large Na'vi war party sent by the Omaticaya, proof lay in the bodies there. No Covenant warrior made it. "May the Great Journey await you, may your enemies writhe in hell, and your line continue forward, and gain honor. May your scattered body go, beyond the limits of your mind, beyond the limits of our worlds, to the places our ancestors dream and sang of, and the Prophets speak of." With that, Leka let the hand of his beloved brother back onto his lifeless body, and the coffin was closed to be taken back to the ship. Leka watched with tears continuing to roll down his face. "Goodbye my brother… save a spot right next to you for me on the Great Journey."
As the ship left his sight. He bowed his head and let his tears fall. Albeit in his helmet.
"Warriors… the Na'vi have denied us our rightful gifts. And now they go as far as to take the blood of our brothers."
The warriors began to grumble in agreement.
"They deny us our means of returning to High Charity with gifts for the Hierarchs to discern."
The grumbles began to turn to shouts.
"They believe they have broken and beaten us!"
The shouts became roars.
"THEY. ARE. GRAVELY. MISTAKEN. Ready a large force. My Lich! Phantoms! Banshees! Vampires! We will destroy their tree and show them how high the price of their heresy is!"
The warriors cheered and began preparations. Leka turned towards the sea as they rushed about, readying their war machines.
"And we begin to rid the planet of Humanity. Then glass it to ensure they never get their precious resources."