Disclaimer

I am not the owner of the persons of this story met with in the movie and I never will be, I am not making any money whatsoever from this little story and I will never expect to do it either. If anyone feel like building further stories on persons, localities and events here created then they can feel free to do it – provided only that they try to stay in the given pre-histories, given personalities etc., and keep from turning their stories into adult stories. R&R are welcome.

Endgame

Cardoso Avellano had a busy day after the end of the bombardment. He had to arrange the mess hall into a makeshift barrack, the small repair workshop would have to do as a hangar and garage too. He noted with happiness that the defence towers and the anti-air rocket batteries were undamaged. Luckily in the evening a space ferry came down, unloading two gunships more and some specialists, and brought up the most injured soldiers, plus the ordinary load of unobtanium of course.

But even if he had fourteen gunships now plus two Big Dragons, offensive action was clearly out of the question. He would have to stay satisfied with defending the Gargoyle Fish Land base. Even worse, the mining engineer reported that among some of the clans at Gargoyle Fish Land there were some who had started wondering whether the Sky People were so invincibly strong after all. The engineer countered the grumblings by increasing the servings for his workers, from good to lavish. There were even some seniors among the clans who started wondering whether or not they were threatening Eywas balance of nature with regaling the workers to so sumptuous portions. But for the main part the clans at Gargoyle Fish Land still stayed loyal. It didn't hurt that Avellano Cardoso always tried his very utmost to keep on the best of terms with Ozotx, olo'eytkan of the Gargoyle Fish clan, the most powerful of the clans at the continent by the same name.

Jake and his councillors scratched their heads with trying to come up with a plan to capture this last base. The base was heavily defended with defence towers and air rocket batteries, they found that out the hard way when scouts tested the base. But they also found out that they didn't try to contest the waters any more – in other words it wouldn't be too problematic to put war parties ashore. Another factor was the local clans, they were known to be peaceful and not good raw material for warriors, they would likely cooperate with anyone strong.

Some aerial dogfights took place and the ikran riders regularily lost out to the gunships but the power of attrition was by now decidedly in favour of the Confederation. Half a year after the fall of Atoll Island base there was only one operational gunship left – a Big Dragon, plus one other Big Dragon awaiting the delivery of an essential part from the factory at Svarog moon, and a Scorpion and a Samson down for repair after taking damage in dogfights. Then one day a canoe waving a white flag came ashore, thus said the diplomat who waded ashore:

"I am Uzikiti, emissary from the Na'vi Confederation. We know that You have only a single kunsip left, it is big and strong but not unbeatable. So do You really think you can defend Gargoyle Fish Land until the next ISV arrives in three months? You better realize how rotten Your chances are and surrender. You will be given treatment as the Geneva Convention says, we know what it says. We can avoid a bloody battle and we should."

"Your demand for surrender is refused. We have powerful air and ground defences, our air defences have burnt your banshee riders on occasion so You should know."

Jake had actually not expected any else reply so the second part of the plan he had arranged for the endgame at Gargoyle Fish Land was now put into motion. He and his councillors had made headquarter at what had been Atoll Island base. His spies told him about flagging spirit among the marines and workers who had to be "bought" with ever sweeter "goodies" to stay loyal. The na'vi now owned the waters so it shouldn't be hard to put ashore a sizable war party. So perhaps Cardoso Avellano was more than a little foolhardy?

Jake sent canoe load after canoe load with infiltrators on to the Gargoyle Fish Land by night. Once strong enough to force a clan to hide them they started to ambush soldiers and miners walking in the forest, and to vandalize defence towers and anti air batteries around the base. The colonel forbade any venturing outside the base perimeters for the sake of security – bringing mining activity to a standstill and further alienating the clans.

Then up came the Na'vi diplomat again, about to put to action the third part of Jake's plan. "You now have only remnants left of your defences – and we destroy them faster than you can repair them. We will give you a last chance to surrender, don't waste it! We offer a full day ceasefire, from sunup to sundown tomorrow, so we can demonstrate our power if you agree."

"Agreed."

"We then ask you to march your soldiers to your parade ground tomorrow after morning signal and breakfast to receive our warriors visiting you."

The morning after all the 316 soldiers fit for duty were mustered and then marched from the mess hall to the parade ground. Outside the perimeter they saw some warriors coming together. Apprehension was high among the soldiers for what they now were going to behold.

Suddenly someone called out: "Kumpongu! Nekut si!" ("Unit! Make ranks!" – Line up!) One warrior marched out in front of them and called out: "Nari si!" ("Make eye" – Attention!) He then ordered: "Kä si!" ("Make walk!" – March!) and pointed at the RDA marines standing in ranks. In through the gate came about 250 na'vi warriors maching, in perfect order if very little garment. One of the warriors proudly bearing a broad brown armband with embroideries was named by the na'vi as Trutytsakon. Together with the one with the big white armband marched a muscular female warrior wearing a smaller white armband, carrying a pale blue banner with yellow embroideries. Arriving in front of the marines the leading warrior put up his hand and barked: "Ftang!" (Stop!) They stopped, the yellow armbanded male warrior gave command: "Wintxu tsko!" ("Show bow!" – Present arms!) and all the warriors took bows or guns off their shoulders and held them out. He then turned around and faced the colonel, he put his knife to his face with a rigid movement, Cardoso Avellano acknowledged his military salute with hand to his cap. The commanding warrior then turned back to his men and gave order: "Tsurokx si!" ("Do rest!" – At ease!) and the warriors took a more relaxed pose.

The commanding warrior then walked up to Cardoso Avellano with a very military gait, gave the na'vi equivalent of a formal handshake – a little bow forward and his fingers to his heart, with eyes fixed on his opponent – and then greeted with a handshake. Then he said in passable English: "Kumpongu eyktan Zingitar reports, sir! By rank equivalent I think You can call me colonel, sir! You can also greet my next-in-command, olo'kumpongu eyktan Anikitet (he pointed at the female warrior with the banner, she also gave a formal greeting), in your speaking she is major by rank. We hope our show of force has convinced You to surrender, we are primarily a peaceful people who dislike blood shed in vain. But please do realize that the force now seen is only a small part of what is present here at Gargoyle Fish Land (actually it was a big part of it but Cardoso Avellano didn't need to know that…) and more is readily available if we have to bring it in. We sincerely hope that You understand what is in Your best interest, colonel! Should You decide to surrender, You can send an emissary to any hometree at this continent, waving a white flag. Nothing bad will happen to You then, you will then shortly be contacted by our representative and then surrender negotiations will take place."

Zingitar then turned to his men and did the same procedure once again, and marched them out of the base. They marched into the forest and vanished.

That night was a night of much heartbreak and little sleep in the garrison. The discussion turned back and forth, the warriors in the forest were now out of their agreed ceasefire and made some token noisy night attacks to stress their power and weaken the resolve to withstand in the base. They discussed a lot with the people up at the moon of Svarog, and finally Cardoso Avellano took the word: "We have seen what they are able to in the field, we have seen that they are not merely wild warriors – when so is order of the day they can be highly disciplined SOLDIERS. And as colonel Zingitar said, they very likely have more force up their sleeve – figuratively speaking – if they need. I have talked with the main station at Svarog and what they say is that they have very little available for us down here. We still have months to wait for the next space ferry arrival, I can't understand how we can possibly hold out until then. I hope all of you agree with me."

Next morning a bed linen was given the task to work as a parley banner. The colonel and his staff walked with it flying in the wind to the closest clan's hometree, the Gargoyle Fish hometree, politely greeted Ozotx the local clan olo'eytkan, he answered in kind and then they sat down waiting. In something like an hour Uzikiti the diplomat and major Zingitar arrived. It was Uzikiti who took the word:

"Our surrender terms are simple.

Firstly, You must call down a space ferry to bring You and Your men up, leaving all Your hardware equipment here with us and make ready for departure in four days. If You prefer to wait until the big space ship arrives, we will demand to be left with that cargo too.

Secondly, we demand that You send this space ferry to the Kilvan clan hometree, that is where the prisoner-of-war camp is located if you don't know it already, to take them up. They have been well treated, there are about five hundred of them so you may have to go back and forth some times. We ask you to call your spies and agents otherwise at Pandora to join them there too, should they be discovered after You have left they will be promptly executed.

Thirdly and lastly, we demand an opportunity to broadcast to the leaders of the RDA company and the general public at Earth alike, for everyone to see and behold that is, the message that this second attempted conquest of Pandora has been a failure, so will the third be too, and the fourth and the fifth and the … And our emissary must be allowed to return to Pandora unharmed.

This today is the factual surrender, the ceremonial surrender will take place when your space ferry arrives to bring You up to the Space. Jake Sully will then arrive here to receive your formal surrender. So I presume that it will be an occasion for formal uniforms for you too."

"Sad to say, our gala uniforms went up in smoke when a rail gun shell struck the barrack building."

The colonel complied with all the other demands. A show made for television at Earth was agreed upon, and one of the councillors – Shawn O'Leary – was appointed to go up to Svarog to recite it. And a formal letter was drawm up, signed with big letters of Jake and others – including Neytiri and Mo'at with their very clumsy signatures – addressed to the Board of the Ressource Development Administration, he will ask to talk with them in person through your wormhole, it will be vital to avoid a repetition and a big epidemic. The space ferry came down and made ready for evacuation.

Then everything was ready for departure. The marines fell into ranks at the flagpole where the white RDA banner flew. The Kumpongu came marching out of the wood again and some ikran riding na'vi arrived at the parade ground of the base. Suddenly a big flock of flying creatures appeared over the tree tops, among others a huge red and orange one. One of the flyers already on the ground grabbed a drum he had brought along, drummed it to catch the attention of everyone present, and called out: "The sixth toruk makto, Jakesully the olo'eyktan of the Omatikaya clan and head of the Namana Land Confederation, is now landing!" Some other musicians took out their trumpets, lined up in ranks and blew a fanfare.

Colonel Cardoso Avellano commanded his men to present arms and Zingitar ordered: "Wintxu meuia!" (Show honour!) and pointed to the flagpole. The kumpongu lined up in two rows like an alley, leading from the landing zone the flagpole. Jake landed his toruk at the designated zone, with Neytiri and Norm shortly behind. They then dismounted, Jake was dressed in the formal decorated collar of an olo'eytkan, the golden and embroidered armband of a military commander and a black cape with an toruk embroidered on under the collar, fresh from the Omatikayan "big mother loom" for the occasion. Jake walked with slow, majestic steps towards Zingitar and faced him, Zingitar gave his military salute with his knife to his face and Jake did likewise in recognition of a job well done. Jake then walked slowly up to colonel who gave him his salute with hand to his cap, and Jake gave him his own salute in recognition of a worthy enemy. He then pronounced, slowly and loudly and in both languages: "Human presence at Pandora is now ending. Now lower the RDA banner please, mr. colonel!" Jake wasn't quite steady in English anymore.

The company banner was lowered and handed over to the colonel, it felt like a national flag even though it didn't have the status. Up went a sky blue sheet with a golden embroidered Tree of Souls. It had been created for the occasion with a design proposed by one of the female avatars. Zingitar then called out his "Wintxu meuia!" and pointed at the space ferry ramp. The kumpongu again made that alley, showing the way off Pandora. The civilians walked on board first and then the marines marched on in closed order. Shawn O'Leary and Sarasinithat boarded too, carrying the manuscript and a disc with footage to the show he was to create at Svarog, na'vi exopack mask firmly in place, he would soon arrive back. Finally Jake gave his military salute, na'vi style, with his knife and the colonel put his hand to his cap once again, and they shook hands.

"Let us hope that we never again need to meet in anger. Agree?" "I heartily do!"

Then the colonel boarded too and the ramp closed. Zingitar marched his kumpongu to the other side of the base and everyone went aside to give the space ferry room to take off. And then the space ferry took to the air and disappeared over the hills.

During the whole process most of the Gargoyle Fish clan stood at the outskirts gawping, afterwards Ozotx the olo'eytkan came to Jake and declared: "We can all clearly see that it will be a strong safety for us to be friends with the Namana Land Network!"

Norm came to Jake after the event, he chuckled: "I have seen you, Jeff and Trudy train them – you told us you wanted to arrange some 'military showmanship' and you don't need to eat your words! I saw utter astonishment in those human eyes… And that display when you arrived – how in the Universe did that occur to you?"

Jake smiled and answered: "Some of the display was just adaptations of the drill I remember from the drill ground at Parris Island. I saw some old videos of old rock'n roll icons, like Michael Jackson and The Sliders of more recent times, so I arranged a little. As I said after having taken over Hell's Gate, I intended to save lives by playing a psychological game."

Neytiri smiled as broadly as her mouth could manage and commented: "You obviously impressed not only tawtute eyes. I saw the eyes of the Gargoyle Fish clanspeople – they have never seen anything remotely similar during their whole lives. They joined our network at once after the show at the ceasefire day, no question asked. They may not be good warriors but they will contribute to the upkeep of the confederacy in other ways. As you know, my Jake: My father Eytukan is watching you and I can't imagine anything else than that he is EXTREMELY happy with you taking over his job!"