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Chapter 23: A Cold Dish
Date: May 14th, 2170
Location: Camp Augustine, Pandora, Alpha Centauri A System
"It's bad over there, Max." John was gulping water, sitting on the floor of Max's shack. Katrina was sitting on Max's cot, and Norm was sitting in a chair behind John.
"They've got some kind of barrier going on, except it's not a wall. It's a field of sharpened metal shards, barbed wire, razor wire, metal spears, you name it. Watched a yerik fleeing from some nantang blunder right into the area... tore itself apart trying to run through it. The pack hunting it didn't fare much better, none of them died, but they all got torn up real good before they managed to get back into the jungle."
"Son of a..." Max ran a hand through his hair before massaging his temples, "Doubtless its effective at keeping the wildlife at bay, but that's beyond needlessly brutal in its method of doing so."
"Yeah. And if that wasn't enough, I lost count of the number of Na'vi scouting patrols I ran into, they're really looking for a way into that place." John winced a bit here, "And they're looking really pissed at finding the local fauna all torn up and cut up from the metal and wire."
"I can imagine," Norm spoke up, "I was expecting a huge wall or something, or a line of sentry guns maybe. At least those kill outright, don't leave the animals to suffer."
Katrina shrugged, "Desperate times and desperate measures Norm. I'm sure a few of the humans there aren't real peachy on the idea either, but if they're low on resources.."
He sighed, "They'll do anything to survive, no matter how brutal."
His friend shrugged her shoulders, "It's who we are, one of the defining characteristics of our species really."
"Tell me about it." he muttered, "So. You and Norm weren't able to talk anyone out of anything, John's got nothing but even worse news, and Weigand's been real cagey about anything he says to me, not that I can really blame him."
"In short, we need a new plan." It was Norm who elected to state the obvious.
"Yeah."
They sat in silence, frowning at one another. At the floor. At the ceiling. At the windows. All trying to think of a way to stop what was happening.
After nearly an hour, they had nothing. Though Max had noticed several spots on the ceiling that he had never really noticed before. Thirty-seven of them, in fact.
"Screw this." Katrina stood up, "We can't think on empty stomachs. Let's get some food and sit around after."
Max and the other two males muttered their agreement, rising to help.
He peered into the fridge, "Looks like we still have yerik. Cooked or stew today?"
"Cooked. I'm sick of stew." Norm replied, turning on their small oven and finding a frying pan.
After a half hour of preparations, during which the small troupe were able to relax, if but for a while. Katrina hit Norm with a pan when he tried to cut the meat for her, and proceeded to berate him for sexism, whilst Max and John took turns carefully tossing vegetables into a pot. They were sitting down to a lunch of yerik and fruits in a much improved atmosphere when the computer started chiming.
Frowning, Max stood and made his way over, tapping a finger to activate the flashing comm system.
"Camp Augustine." he greeted genially, good mood not yet dissapated.
"Dr. Patel." a female voice he did not recognize responded. "This is Captain Maria Thomes of the Explorer's Dream."
"What can I do for you Captain?" he asked, trying to remain polite as everyone else frowned at him.
"As I'm sure you aren't aware, there was another blue-skin raid on our forces yesterday." he winced at the term 'blue-skin', "We lost several men, but annihilated the attacking force. We were, however, confused as to their tactics. They showed some of the training Sully apparently impressed upon his tribe, but were obviously not ready for combat."
He tried to pick up where she was going with this, "And you think we know why they fought anyway?"
"To be blunt, yes. Administrator Selfridge and your earlier report mentioned that there might be a creature behind this goddess of theirs, is it possible that it is convincing them to attack at any cost?"
"Well.." he frowned, "Give me a moment to confer with my compatriots." he muted the link and turned back to the table.
"Another attack," Norm was shaking his head, "And the humans think they weren't ready for combat?"
"They did say they slaughtered them," John put in, "Which doesn't make much sense to me. Jake seemed pretty adamant about not attacking until he had everyone trained up."
"Which argues that their new barrier system really pissed Eywa off with how it's maiming everything that tries to cross it." Katrina finished, "And that she showed her rage about it to the Na'vi, and they, being them, decided to start right away instead of waiting."
Norm let out a weak chuckle, "Bet Jake isn't happy, I mean, I know he believes in her now, but he's still pretty military on the inside."
He shook his head and reactivated the link, "It is possible." he admitted. "There is a biological truth behind Eywa, but it's also just as likely that the Na'vi were intensely angered by your new barrier system. If you remov-"
"Out of the question." the feminine voice snapped. "We know it's not perfect, but it's all we have the resources for, and it's working. We're not going to watch any more of our friends be maimed, killed, or eaten just for trying to do their jobs."
He winced. Shot down before I even started. Not the most auspicious beginning. "Captain, there isn't much I can say about this. We do have some research on the subject, but it is far from complete. The Na'vi are understandably wary about letting outsiders study their goddess, and in addition, that information is to be the payment once the reformation project is underway, we will not part with it before then."
A strangled, angered sound came over the comm. "Dr. Patel," she sounded like she wanted to throttle him, "Our people are dying here. Does being human mean anything to you?"
He winced, a low blow, even though her bitchy tone did much to alleviate the sting, "It means a great deal," he said quietly, "And that is why I'm still trying to find a way to keep the peace here."
"Tell that to the young man who died on the operating table this morning, or the others who died defending the civilian miners yesterday." she snapped.
Norm leaned forwards, "Captain, is there anyway you could, I don't know, evacuate to the ISV's? At least until we can calm the Na'vi down for you?"
"There are no ISV's up here."
He blinked. "But, what are you the captain of? And how did you get here?"
"The Dream was modified into a permanent space station upon arrival. We don't' have the fuel to return to Earth. We could sputter around the solar system, that's a bout it." she took an audible, apparently calming, breath, before resuming matter-of-factually, "The rest of the fleet departed after allowing their engines to cool. This is our species and our world's last hope, we could not afford to allow a moment of panic to undo it all."
The four of them stared slack jawed at the computer, "You mean," Max managed to get out, "You're trapped here?"
"Not the term I would use, but yes. We cannot retreat. If the Na'vi come for us, we fight to the death. If that is all the information you have, then good day. We will be in contact again." she cut the link.
Max let his head slowly fall forwards until it hit his desk with a soft thud.
Things.. just keep getting better and better don't they?
Date: May 14th, 2170
Location: Camp Augustine, Pandora, Alpha Centauri A System
They all sat around the table, eating mechanically. The soft sounds of forks and knives the only volume in the room.
He broke the silence first, "We need to tell Jake about this, if he'll listen to us."
"What good would it do?" Katrina countered.
"I don't know." he admitted. Telling Jake that the humans would fight to the death.. might accomplish nothing. Or it might accomplish something. "If it's between fighting a battle to the last man or negotiating.. maybe he'll choose negotiating."
"You hope." she shot back.
"I hope." he agreed. "I don't think that the UN will be pissed at us for telling them, but then again, they might be. You still with us?"
She sighed, but nodded, "I said I was Max. I'm not gonna back out on you."
"All right then, you and Norm head into the tribe's territory and tell the first patrol you run into that we need to talk to Jake. Try not get shot please." They chuckled weakly, not that he was really joking.
"John, I need you to man the radio, try and raise Miguel if you can. If you can't, I also need you to work on some of Norm's research into Eywa, see if there's anything you can add to it. Fact, rumor, ideas, anything." he continued.
The huge Avatar nodded, "Sure thing."
"All right. I'm going to go through the rest of our notes and see if there's anything we can try offering the UN in case we manage to get Jake to agree to sit down and talk. Once you two are back," he nodded to Norm and Katrina, "We'll head out hunting and swing by Hell's Gate, try one more time to chat up someone."
It's not much of a plan, or much hope really, but it's what we have.
And as long as they had any hope at all, he would keep trying. They couldn't let humanity destroy Pandora with war, couldn't let the Na'vi do the same, and neither could they sit back and watch as their species died.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place Max, he told himself, just need to find something to jam between them, to prevent them from colliding.
Far easier said then done.
Next up is Chapter 24: Burning Pyres
Come on guys and gals, tons of viewers but only one review? Please please please let me know if you like it, hate it, whatever, just so I know that there are people truly reading it.
Hope everyone enjoyed the latest foray into the mind of one Dr. Max Patel, even if this one was a bit short. His will get longer soon, they can't sit on the sidelines forever.
Also, if anyone is wondering why unobtanium is being held as the only hope of humanity, and why none of the humans are considering moving pandoran plants and stuff to Terra, that will be gone over in a few chapters, promise.
Once more,
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