Guardian
A short silence passed before Alex said "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what I said Alex." The woman, or the scientist had said. "Right now you are connected into a wireless neural network that connects human beings to each other. This is basically our version of the Pandoran Worldmind."
Alex spent a moment trying to digest the words that he had heard. He then spent another moment trying to form a new question. Before he could say it though, the Scientist continued.
"Look, I know this all very disorientating for a jarhead like you, but you need to listen to me very carefully." She began. "When you and your people set foot here on Pandora, you were all affected by the land in both very subtle ways and very… unsubtle ways. This started to change how the brain functions and unlocks certain, uh… attributes."
"Explain." Alex said in a rather blunt fashion. "I don't really follow." His eyes had not left the woman in front of her.
"Okay… Did you know that human beings only use a portion of their brains potential processing power at any given moment?" the scientist continued. "The Worldmind has started to unlock ALL of that processing power. This is in particular, most evident in you." She pointed at Alex.
The man briefly looked at himself, patting his head in the process, as if to check if he grew anything like horns.
"I take it you've experienced blackouts? Hallucinations? Bleeding from nose and ears?"
Alex froze. His eyes said all.
"I'll take that as a yes." The scientist nodded. "That is a result of your brain developing at an exponentially faster rate and larger scale, to the point that it is causing your brain to haemorrhage blood. Thankfully, any damage caused should temporary, because if I understand it correctly, your brain might actually be regenerating brain cells." Her voice had taken a very slight tone of awe. "Just imagine the possibilities in-"
"So let me get this straight." Alex interrupted. "All of those blackouts and bleeding… all of this stuff about being in these Darklands-"
"The what?"
"Darklands… It's just what I call this place… Anyways all of this crazy, fucked up shit that has been happening to me since ever since I set foot on this rock… It's my brain becoming, what, supercharged or something?"
The scientist thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Yep. That about covers it."
"But that's… that's…." Alex stammered for a moment before pointing at the woman in front of her and saying "If that's the case, then why the hell is this just happening now? People have visiting Pandora for decades now, what makes this time any different?"
"Good question." The woman nodded. "What is so different about these colonists that have shown up on Pandora? Hmm?" She crossed her arms.
Alex thought for a moment. The answer didn't take as long as he thought it would.
"Genetics." It came to him. "We all took shots that allowed us to breathe the Pandoran air without needing a mask." Alex flicked his fingers in realization. "That must have… It had to have affected us as well… Shit…" his eyes flared up. "You think RDA had a hand in this!"
"Interesting question, but I wouldn't bet on it." The woman answered thoughtfully. "My guess is that they didn't see it coming."
"Right…" Alex muttered. He wasn't convinced. The fact that there were bodies back in the colony who had died from gunshot wounds to the back of the head was a factor.
"Regardless of how it came into being," The woman continued. "Your brain now allows you to phase into this neural network, or… Darklands as you call them."
"So this is what, like the na'vi Worldmind?" Alex said, glancing around the fog.
"Similar, but there are some major differences." The woman conceded. "Unlike the Pandoran Worldmind, this place isn't physically connected into the land. It runs off of the connections humans make between each other. It's more like a collective consciousness or a network, rather than a hive mind. "
"You mean this network is wireless or something?"
"Something like that. This network is more based off the past experiences, memories and emotions of humans. As a result, you can't influence, or be influenced by any of the flora or fauna on Pandora, including the na'vi."
Alex frowned. "What do you mean, influence?"
The scientist rubbed the back of her neck. "Well…"
"Something I should know?"
"Okay, you noticed anything about your comrades? Anything out of the ordinary?"
Alex sighed. "You mean about the fact that I can see weird halo thingy's around people's heads? Yeah, I noticed."
"Right, well, that's you seeing a bit of those people's emotional state. Their aura if you will." The scientist nodded. "From this you can tell how they are feeling and affect them how you want. So, if you see a guy down on his luck, you can give him a pep talk or something. That's one example of you manipulating other humans through your new-found ability."
"There's something else to it though, isn't there?"
"Yeah. I haven't confirmed this, but if you try hard enough, you could be a bit more… overt in how you manipulate someone through the network."
"What, are you saying I could have, what, mind control?"
"Nothing that powerful. I don't think." The scientist muttered. "But listen, we're going off track. You want to know how all this talk of neural networks and brain development connects to what is happening out there? In reality?"
"Yes, YES, please."
"Alright then…" The scientist took a breath. "You are aware that whenever something occurs that sends you into this state, it is usually associated with uh… unnatural Pandoran phenomena?"
"You mean like crazy wildlife, total darkness and just plain-old-crazy?"
"Yes. That Alex, is in my professional opinion, are by-products of both the Pandoran Worldmind and the Darklands interacting with each other."
"Interacting?"
The woman nodded. "It is difficult for me to explain it, but it is as if interference from both networks are interfering each other, like ships crashing into each other in a storm. This is causing both the unnatural phenomena in the wildlife and na'vi, and the various blackouts and hallucinations that you have been experiencing."
"So… I take it that having two different networks in the same place is… bad?"
"Indeed, and in normal circumstances, I would advise anyone that affected humans would need to leave Pandora immediately, lest massive neurological and physiological damage begin to occur to both humans and na'vi." The woman then let out a small sigh. "Of course, the current circumstances certainly don't allow for that. And ultimately, I don't think it is even required at all."
"What do you mean?"
"Because there is someone stabilizing both networks. Hell, not just stabilizing, outright bringing them together. Far from breaking apart from interaction with each other, they both seem to be bleeding into each other. It's… remarkable."
"And what is that something?"
"Not something. Someone."
The woman walked right up to Alex and looked right into his eyes.
"There is a person out there who is both the catalyst to what is occurring and at the same time is serving as the stabilizing factor. Although this person was the one who triggered all of this, the said person is now the only thing preventing massive damage from occurring to both networks."
Alex became distinctly aware that the woman in front of him was very carefully avoiding gender signifiers.
"So is this a he or a she we are referring to?"
The woman looked as if someone killed a joke she was telling. For all Alex knew, that could well have been what had happened. "A she."
"Oh Lord, don't tell me that Eywa is the only thing holding this mess together." Alex groaned while rubbing his face.
"Nothing that simple." The woman replied, giving a small, sad smile. "Or melodramatic. No…" she took on her serious tone again. "I am talking about someone who can interact successfully with both networks."
She paused, giving Alex a signal that he should try and figure the rest out.
"Are you talking about an avatar?" he answered.
"No."
Alex scratched his head. "Why not? Aren't they na'vi with significant amounts of human DNA in them? If that is the case, then shouldn't they be capable of being around here?"
"They can interact with the Darklands, certainly. But due to their test-tube nature, their ability to do so is only partly matured." The woman answered. "No, what I am talking about, is a young na'vi child with some human DNA running inside her."
Alex froze. His eyes slowly began to widen as the cold feeling in his gut started to get worse, as he realised that there was only one person on Pandora who this woman could be referring to.
"Miri…" Alex whispered. "You're talking about Miri aren't you?"
The woman nodded, approving of the fact that the man in front of her was starting to finally get things. "That na'vi child, with some human blood running through her veins has the capacity to walk in both neural networks. Right now, she is connected with both the Worldmind and the Darklands, and is acting as a bridge between both networks. A bridge that I was able to cross incidentally."
"So are you saying that kid is the girl who started this mess?" Alex said.
"Do you think she wanted to create this mess?" the woman muttered harshly.
"No, I… wait a second…" he frowned. "What did you mean about crossing the-"
But before Alex could continue, something started to echo from out in the fog. Voices.
At first he thought that they were whispers, but when he listened carefully, they didn't sound like the same kind that he heard before when he had first showed up in the Darklands. It was strangely more organized, less like whispers and more like something utterly monstrous and gigantic was having a conversation with something that was also utterly monstrous and gigantic.
"Alex, listen to me." The woman interrupted. "We really don't have the time to keep debating. Right now, I need to tell you that while Miri is physically connected to the Worldmind, but since she can also connect with the Darklands, she becomes many, many more times powerful, capable of influencing the flora and fauna of this world."
Alex tried to say something, but the woman shushed him quickly.
"She is not doing any of this out of her own free will, so I have reason to believe that she is being controlled by someone else. The only way to stop her from accidentally breaking both of our worlds down, would be to go to her, and try and disconnect her."
The voices started to get quieter, clearer than before. They were talking about something close by. Something about getting the pads out.
"I have no idea in hell where she is, but the more she is connected with both sides, the more likely you will know where she is just by instinct. Okay?" the woman said, grabbing Alex by the arms and nodding in an 'I'm just going to nod and smile because I really don't know if you got any of that' look. "You save her, you end this nightmare. Got that? Good, I'll be with you in spirit."
Alex nodded weakly. The woman let go. And before he could ask the woman for her name, a great thunderous "CLEAR!" roared around him
And then Alex was struck by lightning.
Alex woke up in a shock, the light blinding him and his heart suddenly racing inside his chest. Every bit of him wanted to get on his feet and start running, but strong arms held him down.
"Easy there tiger." A voice close by said. "Just lay down and relax."
Alex briefly attempted to wriggle out of the arms grip. But he relaxed after a few seconds when he realised that no harm was going to come to him. The two militia holding him down let go of his arms. He then realised that the chest plate on his suit had been partially taken off, his shirt had been torn open and some shock pads had been attached to his bare chest.
"You still with us?" one of the men asked him.
Alex nodded. The energy buzz that the pads gave him started to wear off, but his mind was starting to clear up now. He took a look around his surroundings, trying to see past the two men that were crouching above him.
To his left, were what remained of the Haast chopper. The aircraft had gone into a full roll when its landing gear had failed, tearing off its rotors, splitting its fuselage open and resulting in the crumpled heap that was resting on its side. A part of the craft had been cut open by blowtorch, and there were several men gathered around it, who were still trying to pull something out of the wreckage.
To Alex's right were the other occupants of the Haast. They were in a similar state to what he was in: battered, and in need of medical attention. A bunch of militia were standing around the na'vi Mu'kala, trying to apply a splint to his arm. A few of the other passengers that he rode with were either sitting on the ground getting some help, or on stretchers and being carried to the main colony.
"Yeah… yeah I'm fine…" he finally said. He started to get up, but drew a sharp breath as pain erupted in his abdomen and in his right leg. A hand pushed him back down.
"Officer, I'm sorry, but you really are not fine." The medic said. "Where do you feel pain?"
"…Everywhere." Alex coughed. "Mostly my stomach… and leg."
"Probably some fractures. Don't worry, we can get you back on your feet." One of the medics said as he took the shock pads off of Alex's chest and fastened the chest plate of his exo-suit back on. They then went and lifted Alex on to his feet, and then helped him to onto one of the nearby trucks that had been converted into makeshift ambulances. It was already loaded with a few stretchers and a few of the people he flew with. A few of the humans were just sitting in the truck, trying to rest a little. If any of them did have any broken bones then their exo-suit could lock a particular limb and act as a makeshift splint and cast, like one of the medics did to Alex's. They then set him down at the back, and went back to help the others.
From where he was at, Alex could see the rest of the colony in full view, largely thanks to the fact the sun was setting right behind himself and the truck. He could see even from out here the pock marked walls, and burned out wrecks of vehicles. Towards the hangar bays, he could see activity going on, what he guessed were engineers and mechanics working overtime to replace the hardware that they lost when RDA stabbed them all in the back. And in the other direction, he could see, the smouldering wreck of an RDA Valkyrie shuttle that was destroyed trying to leave the colony. Judging from the state it was in, he wondered if there had been any survivors. He then found himself wondering whether or any survivors would have stayed alive for long afterwards. And everywhere, Alex could smell something burning. The evening sky had turned a lot hazier than usual. He couldn't really see the VTOL pads that the Samson's and such had landed at. They must have been behind where he was facing. He could hear sounds of vehicles and machinery at work coming from that direction though.
Beside him another stretcher was being lifted onto the truck, this one carrying a familiar and somewhat battered pilot sash spy.
"Sorry about the rough landing." Wikus said in a somewhat apologetic fashion. "Landing gear must have taken more damage than I had hoped." He smiled in an 'I'll be right', fashion.
Alex was too tired to say anything. He just nodded back at Wikus, while he was being lifted inside. A shadow came around, signalling the arrival of Mu'kala. He went and sat down in the truck beside Alex, his legs having to hang out the back as he took up almost all the room at the back. His arm had been broken, and a somewhat makeshift splint had been applied to it. It was made out of bandages, and rifle barrels that had been stripped out of their guns. His head hung down, looking like he could fall apart any minute. Alex took realised it wasn't the pain of his broken arm that Mu'kala was quiet.
The na'vi said something in its language. It wasn't to anyone in particular. Alex found his own spirits dropping a bit. A hand tapped Alex from behind, its human owner asking what he had said.
As he was being asked, a na'vi was being dragged out of the wreckage. It was the same hunter who had been wounded earlier while they were escaping from the Hometree. Alex didn't really need much to know he was dead.
"'Not all of us made it.'" Alex answered the guy behind him.
Shortly afterward, the truck started up, heading towards the main colony. As it turned, the sun briefly got into Alex and Mu'kala's eyes before it disappeared behind the treeline. No glow came from the dark.
"It's going to get worse isn't it?" Alex muttered. Mu'kala turned down towards him. Alex was still staring out to the horizon. "We've lost a lot. We almost lost everything. And the worst is still to come. What else do we have to lose?"
Mu'kala looked at the human for a moment. Then in the calmest fashion he could muster, said "We've still got tomorrow. That has to be worth something."