Chapter 5

Rhada stared in shock at the mayhem erupting around her. All the creatures of the forest seemed to be in a panic, running or flying wildly, without direction or purpose. This is my fault… If I'd just left it alone…

"Everyone get inside the shelter!" shouted Jake suddenly. "Move!" Ivan grabbed her arm, rousing her from her shocked stupor and they ran to the entrance. She looked behind her for Max, but he had already beaten them inside. They huddled near the door, no one knowing what to do.

"What's happening?" asked several people at once.

"I think Eywa's having a nervous breakdown," said Ivan. Several people snorted as if they thought the joke was in bad taste, but Rhada knew it was no joke. And it might very well be true!

"Why the hasty retreat, Jake?" asked Norm. "You think the animals will really attack us?"

"I don't know, but I don't think we should be standing outside waiting to find out." Jake took an inventory of weapons and found that they had a couple of assault rifles, three bows and everyone had a knife.

"Do you think I should contact Heaven's Gate and have them send some choppers to evacuate us, Jake?" asked Max.

"Give them a call," said Jake, "but hold off on asking for an evac until we see what the situation is."

Max nodded and called the base, but very quickly they learned that the disruption with the animals was happening over a wide area. "Radar is picking up large numbers of flying animals, banshees probably, moving in random patterns over the forest," reported Max's wife, Cynthia. "A little while ago a sturmbeest came out of the forest and butted the perimeter fence and then ran off again. Max, what's going on?"

"We're not sure, Love. But you better get everyone inside and batten down the hatches," replied Max.

"But what are you going to do?"

"We're okay for now. Hopefully, this will settle down after a while. I'll call you back in a bit." Max looked at Jake and shrugged.

"Okay, so much for the choppers. No way we can risk them under these circumstances," said Jake. He peered out the entrance for a moment. "It looks calmer at the moment. Let's grab what supplies we can from camp and get them in here—just in case." He led the way back out into the open. Rhada peered around anxiously, but there didn't appear to be any immediate threat. They quickly returned to their tents and began scooping up food, water and any other items they didn't think they could get along without. They carried them inside and piled them in the corridor and then went back for more.

Rhada was debating whether the computers were more important than another case of water when a loud bellow rang through the campground. She looked outside the tent in time to see a hammerhead charging out of the trees.

"Run!" shouted Jake. "Go! Go! Go!"

A few frantic seconds later Rhada was back in the shelter without computers or water. She looked back with wide eyes as the enormous beast smashed right through the main tent and trampled a number of the smaller ones. It came back twice more before thundering away into the forest.

"Everyone here?" asked Jake. A quick head-count confirmed that no one had been left behind.

"But why?" demanded Silwanin. "Why would Eywa attack us?" The girl was close to tears.

"It's not deliberate," said Grace. The woman was sitting on the stone floor and leaning against the wall with her eyes closed.

"Grace, are you all right?" said Jake.

" No. My head feels like it's going to explode."

"Where's the medikit?" he demanded, but Grace just waved it away.

"Believe me, I've tried every painkiller in the inventory," she said. "They won't help this."

"What is going on, Grace?" said Jake. "And don't tell me you don't know! You know something, now give!"

Grace nodded slightly and winced even from that tiny movement. "It's been building for over a week. I could give you a lot of theories, but I'll get right to the bottom line: Eywa is in pain and I'm catching the overflow—just like all the animals out there. She's in pain, confused, and afraid."

"Afraid?" cried Neytiri, looking surprised and a bit insulted.

"Yes, afraid. Don't try and tell me you haven't felt it, too, Neytiri. You're not the tsahik yet, but you've got the sensitivity."

"I've felt… something," admitted the Na'vi woman.

"And the animals are feeling it a lot more strongly. So am I, probably because of… because of what I've been through. At least I have some clue as to why. The animals don't. They're just reacting like any animal filled with pain and fear. They're not coming after us specifically."

"But why is this happening? And why now? Are you saying she was listening in on Rhada's talk?"

"I… I think the timing may just be a coincidence. As I said: this had been building for a few weeks. You need to understand what Eywa is—and what she isn't. She isn't a goddess, at least not the way humans think of a goddess. There's nothing supernatural about her. She's a phenomenon—an amazing phenomenon to be sure—of the Pandoran ecology. She didn't make the world, the world made her. As we've discovered, all the life on Pandora is linked with each other to some degree. Either directly through the tsahaylu, or remotely. I'm not sure how the remote link is achieved, but I imagine it's similar to how an avatar-driver connects with his avatar. Probably on some wavelength in the EM spectrum we just haven't noticed." Grace paused and massaged her temples. There was a strong green tinge to her blue complexion.

"All these connections have created a vast network. But a really slow network. Max, you're our computer guru, what's the main factor restricting the speed of a computer's CPU?"

"Uh, the most critical one is the physical distance between circuits," replied Max. "The speed of light is constant, so the closer you can place the circuits the faster it will work. They've tried a number of ways to reduce the distance but…"

"Thank you," said Grace interrupting. "So if you had a computer where the distance between circuits was measured in meters or kilometers instead of angstroms , what would the speed be like?"

"Really slow, just like you said."

"Yes. Eywa has vast resources, but she's slow. My time with her didn't seem like nearly twenty years, so perhaps time passes more slowly in the Eye. Jake, I've heard you wondering about why Eywa didn't intervene in the big battle until after so many of the Na'vi had been killed. She probably made what was for her a lightning decision to help—it just took a while to pass along the orders." Jake frowned but nodded. "And she's probably been absorbing all this new information about the past civilization for quite a while. It has just now sunk in."

"How long do you think this will go on?" asked Jake.

Grace shrugged. "How the hell should I know?"

"But what's wrong with her?" demanded Ivan. "Is she acting like someone who's just discovered they were adopted or something?"

"It's a lot more than that," replied Grace. "Ever read 'Flowers for Algernon'?"

"Uh, no… I must have skipped school that day."

"It's a work of fiction about a human who is mentally retarded, a clinical moron. He's given an experimental treatment that turns him into a towering genius. But it doesn't last. Step-by-step he slowly returns to being a moron. It's pretty damn traumatic for him. Sad story."

"And you think Eywa is reacting like that?"

"Yes. Rhada, I think your theory about Eywa dying and being reborn is wrong. I think this is the same Eywa who's always been here. But the crisis with the asteroid lobotomized her, destroyed most of her stored knowledge and badly degraded her CPU. Year by year she's been slowly rebuilding herself as life spreads and she accumulates knowledge, but she's still got a long way to go to get back to where she was before. But I also think that she did hang onto some small memories of what she was before. They were forgotten or just mislaid, but they were there. She's found them again and it's terrifying her. Keep in mind that her knowledge is limited to what comes in from the world around her. She's the sum of her parts. Present day Na'vi know little about astronomy or mathematics and nothing about the effects of an asteroid impact. Eywa can't really understand what's happened to her. When you started to make these discoveries I was afraid that something like this might happen. Some of you noticed I wasn't being much help with the exploration of the shelter or analyzing the data. I was trying not to even think about what was going on. I was hoping Eywa might not notice or might not recognize the significance. But obviously it didn't work. She's frightened and confused. How long it will take for her to recover—or if she'll recover at all—I just don't know."

"'If'? What do you mean if?"

Grace just shrugged and closed her eyes.

"This is all my fault," said Rhada. She looked at Neytiri and Silwanin. "I am so sorry! I should have never started this!"

"There's no way you could have known," said Jake. "And we gave you permission to dig. We're all just as much to blame."

"But what are we going to do?"

"There's nothing we can do but wait," said Jake. He turned away from Grace and directed that some of the piles of cut stone be used to build a barricade at the entrance. A hammerhead or a sturmbeast couldn't fit inside anyway, but a Thanator or viperwolves could. They left an opening large enough for a human or Na'vi to squeeze through, but anything bigger would have a tough time. After that they just sat around or organized the supplies. Jake had two people keep watch on the other side of the barricade in shifts. From time to time they'd hear animal cries that came close, but nothing actually attacked.

Toward evening one of the sentries suddenly shouted. "Hey! Someone's coming! People, I mean!" Everyone crowded through the opening in the barricade and peered out into the darkening forest.

"A rescue party from Hometree do you think?" asked Norm.

"Without horses or ikrans there's no way they could get here so soon," replied Jake. Suddenly he stiffened. "Look! It's Harri Kim! Harri! Over here!" he stepped forward and waved.

As Rhada stared, a human figure emerged from the trees and started forward, moving cautiously from cover to cover as she came closer. Rhada hadn't seen much of Harriet Kim, former captain of RDA security forces, but she was a legend around Heaven's Gate. Inadvertently left behind over twenty years ago during an abortive attempt by the RDA to reestablish a mine on Pandora, Kim had thrown in her lot with the Na'vi and human expatriates. Since then she had spent as much time seeing as much of Pandora as she possibly could. Any time there was an expedition sent out to some new region, Kim went along to handle security. The last Rhada had heard, Harri had gone with Mo'at to visit the Lutapawni clan.

Harri approached to a hundred meters away and then sprinted the rest of the way to the entrance. "Jake!" she exclaimed. "Boy am I glad to see you! What the hell is going on?" Rhada stared at the woman: She was wearing nothing at all except a pair of shorts, an equipment belt, a knapsack and her exo-pack. Well, she had some Na'vi jewelry that protected a bit of her modesty, but not much. She didn't even have boots. Her pale blond hair was pulled back in a braided ponytail that hung to her waist. She had a pistol in a holster on her belt, but her only other weapon was a miniature Na'vi-style bow.

"Where's Mo'at?" asked Jake. Neytiri and Silwanin were crowding forward, demanding to know as well.

"She's back in the woods a few hundred meters," said Harri. "We were heading back to Hometree but a couple of days ago Mo'at suddenly said we needed to come here. Then a few hours ago the horses went crazy—along with all the other animals!—and we had to let them go. Mo'at had been feeling poorly for the last few days but after that she collapsed. I don't think she hit her head or anything when the horses threw us, but she's in a lot of pain. I wanted to call the base for evac, but she insisted I bring her here. Said it was important. We made a litter for her and the rest of the party is carrying her. We've been attacked a couple of times getting here, but not by anything big enough to do much harm. I came ahead to scout and saw what's left of your camp. Everyone okay here?"

"Yeah, no casualties so far. But let's get the rest of your party in here."

"Okay, just set yourselves to give us some cover if we need it. I'll bring them in." A moment later she was gone, moving silently down the hill. Jake put those with weapons in position as Kim had asked. A few minutes later Kim reemerged leading a small band of Na'vi. They were carrying Mo'at on a crude stretcher but they came quickly up the hill and were brought inside, Mo'at being awkwardly passed through the opening in the barricade. Neytiri was at her side.

"Daughter, what have you done?" asked the tsahik weakly.

"It is a long story, Mother. But I will try to explain." She knelt down next to Mo'at and spoke quietly with her. Rhada wasn't sure if she should join in or just get lost. She felt so damn helpless!

"Oh," said Kim suddenly. "Silwanin, there's someone here you ought to meet." Kim spoke nearly perfect Na'vi and she beckoned the girl over, who came reluctantly, looking back at her grandmother. Kim then pulled forward a young Na'vi male who had been with her party. "Silwanin? I want you to meet Pallar of the Lutapawni."

[Scene Break]

Silwanin stared in surprise at the boy who might someday become her mate. She'd known that Grandmother might bring him back with her if she felt it could be a good match, but somehow she never actually imagined it happening! Pallar was a fine-looking young man, not quite grown to his full height, but she could see he'd be quite tall. His eyes were sharp and inquisitive. They were staring right at her. Remembering her manners she touched her forehead and said: "I see you, Pallar of the Lutapawni."

He replied in kind: "I see you, Silwanin of the Omaticaya." He looked a little nervous—just the way she felt.

"Please forgive this poor welcome. We have a… situation."

"So it would seem! Do you know what is happening? What is this place?" he waved at the rock walls and ceiling.

"I can try to explain. Come, let's find a spot to ourselves." She led him deeper into the shelter and he marveled at the Sky People lights that were spaced along the corridor. She had only intended that they get far enough from the others so that they could speak privately, but she ended up giving Pallar a tour of the whole immense structure. She tried to describe it as Rhada had done, but she feared her words were hopelessly muddled. Pallar asked endless questions and she could only answer a small number of them. They ended up standing before the wall with all the carvings.

"So you are telling me that once, long, long ago, that the People, with Eywa's aid, had achieved a… a… greatness that we never suspected?" asked Pallar. "That they—and Eywa—were laid low by a disaster from the sky? Do I understand you correctly, Silwanin?"

"As well as I understand it myself," she said. "Which isn't very well, I'm afraid."

"And that Eywa has been… hurt by the discovery of all this?"

"So it seems. It is a great shock, apparently."

Pallar shook his head. "I always thought that Eywa knew everything. To learn that She doesn't is just… just…"

"I know what you mean," she said, nodding. "It… it… makes me feel like…" she paused as a thought struck her. "It makes me feel confused and afraid—just the way Eywa is probably feeling! It's like stepping onto a branch that has always been there but now it's gone. Suddenly you are falling with no warning at all."

"What is going to happen?"

"I don't know. And I don't think the elders know either."

"That… that's almost as great a shock as Eywa not knowing," said Pallar with a tiny smile.

"Yes," said Silwanin with a snort of laughter. "Another branch missing! But come, you must be hungry and thirsty after such a journey. At least we have food and water here." They went back to where the others were. Mother was still tending to Grandmother, who seemed to be recovering somewhat. She was talking with Graceaugustine, but too quietly to overhear. Silwanin found enough for their meals and then squatted down with Pallar off to the side.

"It is far to your Hometree," said Silwanin as they ate. "How was your journey?"

"Uneventful—until today! Well, that isn't true, either, we sighted the Thundering Rocks a few days earlier and that was certainly special! My mother had described them to me a hundred times, but no words are enough! I think I'd still be standing there with my mouth open if your grandmother hadn't dragged me along!"

"I've lived near them my whole life, but you can never take them for granted."

"They have not done any thundering so far."

"No, it takes a very powerful wind or a storm to make them crash together. But when they do all must flee from underneath! Sometimes huge pieces break off and will come crashing down—although just as often, the piece will float away instead. I've only seen that happen once."

"Do you… do you ever see Toruk?" Silwanin noticed that Pallar's eyes were on her father and she smiled. She had to remind herself that while he might be Father to her, he was Toruk Macto to almost everyone else. A legend.

"I see him from time to time—but only from a distance! He cannot be approached carelessly! He is not like an ikran: when my father's task was done, he released Toruk back to the wild, and wild he remains." Pallar nodded and they ate silently for a while and then Silwanin said: "I… I hope that Grandmother didn't put too much pressure on you to come here. Duty is everything to her and sometimes she doesn't think as much about what other people want as she should."

Pallar seemed embarrassed. "I wanted to come. It is a great honor to be chosen as another clan's future Olo'eyktan—not that I've been chosen yet, of course! But to even be considered is an honor. And my mother had so much to say about the Omaticaya and the Tree of Souls and the Thundering Rocks and Toruk Macto and your mother—they met during the war, you know."

"Yes."

"Well, it sounded like it would be a great adventure."

Silwanin looked around and cocked her head. "Be careful when you wish for an adventure—you might just get one."

Pallar laughed. "My mother said almost exactly the same thing!" Pallar's smile faltered and he looked almost shy. "But no one said anything about you being so beautiful."

Now it was Silwanin's turn to be embarrassed. "I… I'm glad that you are pleased. I think that we could become friends, Pallar of the Lutapawni." She reached over and briefly squeezed his hand. "Assuming we make it through this adventure."

He smiled at her. "I'm sure we will."

After the meal, all the Dreamwalkers went to sleep so that their human selves at Heaven's Gate could also rest and eat. Silwanin had to work hard to explain to Pallar what that was all about! Father set up a rotating watch at the barricade for the night with the people who were left. He scarcely even hesitated when Silwanin asked to be paired with Pallar for their turn. She had never quite been able to discover how Father really felt about this arrangement for finding her a mate...

When it was time for their watch, they climbed over the barricade and sat near the entrance to the shelter, looking out into the cool night. The animals were still stirred up and the usual nightly noises were a confused mix of sounds. Even the normal glow of the plants was disturbed with strange waves of color rippling along the branches and leaves. "Eywa is still in pain," said Pallar, shaking his head sadly. "Your grandmother and that other woman, Graceaugustine, they can both feel it as well? You will be tsahik someday, can you feel it, too?"

"I have not yet walked the Path of the Spirit as a tsahik must, so my connection to Eywa is not as strong. I can feel… something. But I'm not sure if I'm really feeling Eywa's pain or if it's just my own fear combined with my imagination."

"Are you afraid?"

"Yes." She looked straight at him.

"It takes courage to admit when you are afraid," he said. "Many people won't." They both stiffened when the roar of a talioang came from close by. After a few moments they heard it moving away and relaxed slightly. "I think…" continued Pallar, "I think I would be very much more afraid than I am if you and the others were not with me. It is a great comfort."

"Yes."

"It is a shame that we cannot comfort Eywa as we do each other."

Silwanin twitched. Mother and Grandmother have told me every day that my duty is to Eywa. Before anything else! We always look to Eywa for help, but now it is Eywa who needs help! She stood up and grasped Pallar's hand.

"Perhaps we can. Come with me!"

To Be Continued