Summary :
Nevez reports to Ardmore but someone is listening...
The Way of the Angel
Chapter 27, Loving Mortals
a) Last report:
Nevez had left the Smocking Lake alone, going up the mountain. After having climbed 1000 meters of altitude, in the heart of a rocky and desolate landscape, she arrived in front of a large lava lake. She sat cross-legged on a rock, her stick resting on her legs.
She closed her eyes and seemed to meditate.
- General Ardmore, can you hear me?
- Yes Doctor Nevez. I have received your report. We now know a lot more!
It was Subject #1-618 who took control of the Core. A clone from a certain Michael Shephard who officially died in 1979. Luckily he was a bigot with a big heart, otherwise we would have had serious problems.
- We can always have serious problems.
- Too bad that the Constitution's logbook stops when the savages attack. What follows is confusing. I don't really understand how the 16 clones present could have been defeated too.
- That still remains a mystery, General.
- How do you explain that your original incarnation, Nova, persisted in wanting to possess this clone? He kept her alive more than necessary.
- I think he was tricked by love. His will to understand has changed into desire. It was a risk.
- And why did this clone resist him, tell me Nevez?
- Apparently there was just a little time to submit her. It didn't come to anything.
I think Michaela acquired a great mastery of bonding by playing with Gabriella. She saw things in Nova that prevented her from having the necessary confidence. Hence the resistance.
- Now let's talk about the present and the future. As the commander-in-chief of the humans on this planet, I have to know what I'm dealing with.
- Well it's simple General, Michaela or what she has become, is more than 100 years ahead of us technically. This entity controls animals, Na'vis but also probably humans and human machines. Including on Earth.
Even though she erased all the useful remains that were still there 200 years ago, like the wreckage of Sky City, the gravitational catapults or the Core itself, she built other facilities like this Wandering Island. There are surely others elsewhere in the Universe, carefully camouflaged.
I wouldn't be surprised if she got involved in the Doomsday War last century. She had to consider that the intelligent machines from Earth posed a great threat to her.
- This last point is pure speculation Nevez! What can we do?
- As she anticipates everything we do, she can break all our codes, enter all our systems; we can only do what she authorizes us to do.
- You exaggerate?!
- No General. She smuggled agents into our home—those two fake Recoms—but we couldn't see anything with our scanners. She mounted an attack on me by deceiving the instruments of my stick. I did not see anything coming. She manipulated Eywa and the natives admittedly a little naive.
In fact, she staged this whole operation to remind us that she was still there. We needed a warning. Because I think you're trying to mount a big operation, right?
- Hmmm. I think we have covered the question. Your mission is complete.
- General, may I share my experience with my earth original?
- Sorry, I don't think so. All this must remain secret. Farewell.
…
- General you should look out your window. Look at the great spot of Polyphemus.
Nevez had seen a strange formation appear next to the great spot of the giant planet. Clouds had taken the form of a naive drawing… A drawing of an angel. Small in the scale of the gas giant but enormous for the size of Pandora. The formation persisted for some time before disappearing.
"She listens to us! She's taunting us General!"
But Ardmore did not answer. Nevez had finished her work. She got up, moved closer to the edge of the lava lake. And jumped in. Shortly after, an explosion took place which threw lava into the air before returning to calm.
b) The Angel:
At the same time, on the shore of the Smocking Lake:
- My tuté, here is a beautiful drawing! You know how to paint the clouds of the Mother planet!
- I had wanted to use this little whim for a long time.
Ardmore liked it a lot, if you saw her face! She's not stupid but she's a good little soldier. Chances are she's following her orders even though she now knows I'm going to stop her. But she will try to camouflage her nasty operation better so that her failure is as invisible as possible. Especially for her men. The admission of my existence will sow panic.
- Wouldn't it be easier to cut the way to Earth?
- Yrr, I don't have to prevent things from happening, I'm just there to make sure that a certain balance is kept. That's what Eywa does, that's what I have to do.
- I praise your wisdom Demon Bless. If Nova had taken the Core, he would have eradicated Eywa and conquered Earth. But you still protected him by ignoring the fact that he had betrayed the humans.
- His ultimate incarnation that he left on Earth would have paid the price. As well as his companions who already live badly. I don't do gratuitous revenge.
- Yet this character is a real demon. He can still harm.
- Wouldn't you be a little jealous my beautiful savage?
- Especially upset that I couldn't kill him myself.
- Achikyay looks hungry. Can you give it to me?
- But of course. I counted our 78th child and our 37th daughter. And each time the same wonder. I remember each of them. With your twins that you had from Nova, you are at your 80th child!
- Well, she's fine with her mother, my loved child! Nothing better than breast milk!
I was made a good breeder, I don't try to go against my nature.
- Your tender heart has again led you to perform miracles. Are they going to arouse suspicion a little too much among the Na'vis and Eywa?
- I was sad for Neteyam but it was not my fault. For Tsireya it was because I left a few Singing Stones on purpose, just like the wrecks of Earth vessels from the 20th century. If out of this world, I erased all the vestiges, they had to be kept here so as not to disturb the order of things.
- There are sad deaths in this world every day. Why them?
- The Sully family is of particular importance. I am very intrigued by little Kiri. Eywa is trying to do some interesting things. Now Eywa knows me better and knows that I am not a danger.
…
In fact, it's also for me that I do this. I must feel feelings through my darling children, through you my love and through the happiness of others. The Gods of Olympus fed on the prayers of mortals to maintain themselves, it's a bit the same for me.
Because bonding with the Core has a price. The world becomes like a diamond, pure and clear but hard and cold. Everything becomes mechanical, logical, explainable even if I am still looking for the presence of God in the depths of the Universe.
I struggle every day to avoid ending up like the old ones. When they gave up flesh for iron, they lost interest in the things that matter to beings of flesh. Love, children, animals, nature, all of these were limited and outdated mechanisms. And they left without looking back… Who knows where they are today!
Ironically this is also what Nova fought. From that side, I am his daughter.
- I will do everything so that you don't lose your feelings, my Blessed Demon!
- I know it. You are my pillar, my beautiful savage, son of Eywa!
