XIX: Sunrise Sunset VIII
Jake's fears of the Omaticaya being attacked were eased when he smelled no smoke, fire or death as he neared the new Hometree. He guessed the RDA would still like to use the Na'vi as some sort of local work force, though he still found the prospect laughable as a 'back up plan' for the Avatar program. He knew Neytiri was calming the clan and telling them what had happened; he hoped they would stay put instead of massing near Hell's Gate where the RDA could attack again… to tell the truth, Jake had been running the entire thing through his head the entire trip back and it still made no sense. RDA, let alone military policy, was not wipe out all opposition and establish peaceful conquest; despite what many detractors believed. Jake had been a marine and he knew most if not all those who joined the forces were honest people trying to do right by some deep moral code, and that didn't include the whole sale slaughter of indigenous peoples.
It was possible the people of earth had gotten desperate enough to send the military back for more unobtanium, but they certainly wouldn't have condoned an outright attack. Jake quickly made his way through the outer clearing, his chest relaxing visibly as he saw for certain nothing was damaged. The people were already waiting for him in a massive group at the center of Hometree, some hanging from vines, some sitting upon the stairs, but most in a general standing circle. Jake was spotted on his approach and the word spread quietly, Jake knew why as he neared. Neytiri was still speaking to the people with Mo'at, explaining now the Stranger which seemed to disturb Mo'at greatly. Neytiri was speaking in Na'vi, recounting her experiences, Jake passé through the people to the center but did not interrupt. Neytiri smiled to him, and Mo'at greeted him. "I see you Toruk Makto, but tell me, is this true?"
Jake frowned and nodded, "As far as we know now the RDA have returned."
Mo'at remained ridged, "No, I do not speak of this, I talk of the Stranger."
Jake checked his slight confusion, "I do not know all that was said, but yes. The man known as the Stranger has been changed, very strongly but the process of 'evolution' but on a much faster scale then it is normally seen."
Mo'at looked slightly daunted, "What is this 'ev'o'loochun'?"
Jake was slightly surprised by the question, and again the thought that there were more important things to discuss nagged at him, but Jake respectfully checked that too. "Evolution is a theory on Earth proposed by a man who saw life cut off from a large portion of the world, specifically adapt to their living conditions, so to speak. I do not know all the details, it was not my interest, but as far as we know- the Stranger has adapted to Pandora with a mixture of Human and Na'vi traits."
"He is now a natural Avatar?" Mo'at said carefully.
Jake considered it a moment, "In a way; while the Avatars were predominantly Na'vi with human traits, he is predominantly human with Na'vi traits. But also more." Jake shrugged, "The human side of him has changed, greatly, so it is not just a blend as with the Avatars, but, a… I have not the words to explain it."
Mo'at looked down for a moment, contemplating Jake's words. Jake felt it was time they moved on to the more serious issue, but his respect for Mo'at was as great as his own mother. Jake stood silently, then glanced once to Neytiri and looked back at him with the same simple look. She would wait as well; they both knew Mo'at was wiser than they, if she decided this subject was so grave… Mo'at finally looked up. "You must bring him here, Jakesully."
Jake was surprised by the vehemence in her voice, "Tsahik Mo'at, I do not question your wisdom nor your order, I will bring the Stranger when I can- but the RDA have returned and they present a greater threat to the people. We do not know if they will attack the people from orbit, the far sky beyond sky, but I can not risk the people all being in one place in case they do. We must organize camps, separated out in at least five mile radiuses, and we will need signal fires to keep in contact. It will be different from anything the people have ever done, but it is necessary for our survival."
Mo'at listened calmly, unmoving. "Jakesully, for several years this 'Stranger' was buried in the body of Eywa, in the darkness of her womb he was changed by this Earth mothers' blessing. And only now he comes to us when we seem on the hour of our destruction… Eywa has shown us this sign, and we must learn what it means."
Jake was taken back, he had to admit, the coincidence was very strange indeed. "But, Tsahik, with respect, we may not have time to interpret the will of Eywa."
Mo'at shook her head once, "We can not face this with our eyes closed and our ears shut." She then turned to Neytiri, "We shall spread the people out as Jake has said, but the Stranger must be brought here as soon as possible. He is the key to this, I am certain."
Neytiri bowed without further word as did Jake. Mo'at nodded to them and turned, stepping away to consider what she had heard. Jake went to Neytiri, "Neytiri, make sure the people know not to gather in large groups- until I know for certain the time table for the sky gun to pass over our location, they are in constant danger." Neytiri nodded, but remained silent. Jake touched her elbow, "What is it?"
Neytiri looked deeply into Jake's eyes and shook her head once. "I do not know Jake, I am frightened and do not know why. There is something greater happening here, greater than the battle, greater than you and I. But I do not speak of the sky gun." Jake narrowed his brow, silently struck by everyone's concern for the Stranger. What had he missed that the Omaticaya apparently saw clearly?
"Testing one two, Jake come in. Over." Sun's voice said over the comm. link.
Jake touched his throat, "Yeah Sun, we copy. Report? Over."
"Well, not much I'm afraid. We sealed the breach and the filters are still being washed, I sent a scouting party out to the location you gave us, they haven't reported in as of yet. Over."
"Alright, how about trajectory? Over."
"Well, Radar isn't up to par for spatial orbit yet, they hit our signal tower hard too, but I'm pretty sure we have at least a ten hour grace period, maybe more. Over."
Jake nodded to Neytiri who stood listening, as the other Omitcaya slowly departed to begin the move or waited to overhear more. Jake then saw Neytiri's strong stare and finally set his jaw. "Sun, any progress from Yawne? Over."
"Checking. Over." Sun was silent for some moments. Jake and Neytiri stood together, listening closely, more of the Omaticaya slowly slipped away around them. Neytiri grew slightly nervous, Jake touched her arm. Finally, "Jake, yeah, I just heard."
"What is it?" Jake interrupted with a rise in his voice.
"Well, I've got some, odd stuff to tell you… you might want to sit down. Over."
…
"Invisible?" Yawne gasped.
"Only for a few seconds, and not entirely, here watch the playback again." Max said pointing at the screen which showed the recording from the camera which watched the three standing outside in the garden. "See here he stands up straight and you two talk a bit, he looks away and, bam!" On screen the form of the Stranger slowly faded from view as he turned away. Yawne watched himself and Peyral talking and on the corner of the screen a kind of bleary outline moved away from them, leaving hardly a trace in the grass. It came to rest ten feet away and then the outline wavered slightly and reappeared. Yawne felt the same surprise he saw the recorded version of him feel, Max paused the recording.
Norm sat back in his chair, face a set scowl, "Invisibility." he said flatly.
Yawne shook his head, "I just watched it and I still can't believe it; how is it possible?"
Max slightly shrugged, "No idea, maybe something to do with light refraction or something, but until he agrees to withstand some more tests we can't know for sure, but he hasn't come in since you let him out."
Yawne looked to the other screen showing the current video. Peyral crouched in the grass while the Stranger stood a few feet from her. They were apparently having a kind of awkward stop and start conversation of some kind. The Stranger looked odd with his tail wrapped around him like ever decreasing hoola-hoops on his waist, Peyral seemed unafraid, but her face was open as she spoke. Yawne shook his head. "I'm not going to ask him to come back in after telling him he was free, I think the only reason he hasn't made a break for it is because he thinks the Na'vi in the area are helping the RDA keep him here."
"Until he flies over the fence anyway." Norm said under his breath.
"Why do that when he can just walk out the front gate completely invisible?" Max said with a half smile. Yawne looked from one to the other.
"Yeah, you heard me right. Over." Sun said from behind them.
Yawne turned to her, "What's he say?"
Sun held up a hand, listening intently. Yawne and the other waited a moment then Sun nodded. "Rodger." She looked up to them, "Jake says we should bring him to the people as soon as possible."
Yawne pursed his lips, "Well, that would certainly show him we aren't RDA I suppose, but shouldn't the RDA return be the top priority?"
Sun shrugged, "I don't have an answer yet… Maybe Jake thinks this guy will have one."
Yawne exchanged looks with Max and Norm, then Norm huffed. "Of course!" All eyes looked to him, "Don't you see? Eywa has chosen him, in our time of desperate need she led everyone to the smuggler grotto to find him and let him save us."
Yawne grinned, "That would certainly be a huge load off my and Jake's shoulders."
"Saviors are popping up like daisies." Max grinned.
Sun wasn't having any of it. "So you guys are just going to truck him off to the people and tell him to save us from the RDA?" she said in a low voice, surprising Yawne, Norm and Max.
"Juu, we're just joking around." Max said softly.
"This isn't a time for jokes… and you weren't. You all seriously think he will come up with some kind of solution or new ability we could only dream of and it will stop the RDA from raining down fire. You don't even know his damn name!" she was actually hissing through her teeth in her fury.
All three were utterly surprised by this, and silent. Sun glared at them, and removed her mask once to wipe her face. The three looked to each other but Yawne was the one who spoke, "Sun, I know you're hard pressed because Jake set you with trying to come up with an orbital defense, but we can't walk around like Doom is hanging over our heads. Even if it is. No, especially if it is. And we aren't asking anything of this guy. We're trying to help him, and yeah it'd be great if he could actually help us, but we don't expect anything from him. In fact I'm pretty sure we're more worried he might be in league with the RDA."
Sun seemed to snap. "HE ISN'T A PART OF THE RDA!" she shouted. Now everyone was looking at them, and Yawne was speechless. Sun seemed to realize her mistake and again took off her mask to wipe tears that had come without warning.
Max leaned forward, "Juu… do you-"
"Yes I know him." Sun finished, speaking without her mask. "We're both a part of the Resistance. I'm a chosen human. And I'm the reason he was locked away beneath the ground for years." she all but snarled; at herself. Dead silence fell like a heavy stone, into a deep well. No one had a reaction, at least until the Hell's Gate warning lights again screeched to life. Max and Norm flew to the console.
"Guys, we got a ship coming at us!" Norm gasped.
"No, not us…" Max added.
…
Jake, Neytiri and a large number of the Omaticaya jumped into action as the small craft practically parked itself in their front yard. It had given them no warning, and its speed was incredible. The ship, like a cross between a Sampson and a speed boat, literally fell from the sky like a bullet and then slammed into a stop with a percussive boom of jets to halt it. The craft then landed with a billowing of fiery gusts. The Na'vi spread out into the surrounding jungle, Jake sped forward at the base, motioning for his people to take cover. A wall of arrows raised as the craft settled on the ground, a circle of dust flowing out from it. Jake had never seen the like of the craft, not in the hands of the RDA anyway. He didn't like the implications of it... with a pop and a hiss the hatch slowly slid back and lifted grandly. Jake bared his teeth, whoever was inside was going for shock and awe or rapid dominance as it was also called.
Slowly a figure stood, wearing a very advanced Exopack and oddly enough, a black business suit. He was around five feet or so with nearly orange tanned skin and brightly bleached blond hair. Sparkling rings on each finger and he smiled with bright white teeth. Slowly he climbed down the ladder of the craft, straightened his shirt, and then casually began walking toward the main group- heedless of the hundreds of four foot long arrows pointing at him. The man continued to smile as he came closer, hands behind his back. Jake was uncertain of what to do, wondering if it was some kind of trap, but others jumped before he could decide. With hisses of disgust several Na'vi flowed out with bows and arrows ready, unwilling to let the man get closer to Hometree. Jake hesitated no more and quickly went after them, calling out in Na'vi for them to wait. The man stopped in place, still smiling. He slowly held his hands up as the Na'vi neared, even as Jake shouted orders for them to stay back. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." the man barked loudly. The Na'vi not ten feet from him, growled, bow strings pulled back- he snapped his fingers.
A pillar of light split the sky, ozone burned, and stuck twenty feet away from him; to his left, behind the hand which had snapped. The beam was blinding and the roar incomparable. The wind created by the super heating of the atmosphere blew many Na'vi off their feet. It was faster than a lightening strike and fifty times as thick. The man was silhouetted by the blast, his white teeth shining from the black form of his outline. The Na'vi were shocked, fallen upon their backs and opened mouthed, not a single arrow remained pointed. Jake grit his teeth as the winds buffeted him, the man seemed unaffected by the blast and lowered his hands before him. Waiting. Neytiri was staring in opened mouthed despair and horror. A black smoldering crater the size of ten Na'vi hand in hand forming a circle, smoked where once fertile ground stood. The man continued to smile, confident in his armorless, weaponless state- they were no match for him.
The Omaticaya were frozen in terror, unable to move, all except Jake. Jake had seen this weapon before, and it brought to mind horror he had never wished to experience again. Slowly, Jake stepped forward. One by one he passed the stunned Na'vi, coming directly up to the man with no weapons. Jake moved slowly, careful not to provoke the man from further attacks. Sun had been wrong however, they didn't have a ten hour grace period, it was painfully obvious the satellite weapon was still in orbit, exactly where they wanted it. That meant it was a controlled system, probably a craft that remained in orbit as well, able to move anywhere and anytime it liked. They had no choice but to listen to whatever the man had to say… but Jake at least now knew one thing for certain… they were not the RDA.