Pandora: The Final Solution

I gratefully acknowledge one of the foremost creative geniuses of our times, James Cameron, for conceiving the lush moon Pandora and the "noble savages," the Na'vi, that inhabit it. This story uses the characters and setting he created for his movie, Avatar. I have not received any money for my work based on Avatar. If I could get paid by the hour for these stories, I would retire and spend all my time dancing and writing in comfort.

Dear Reader: Sorry for the long break, I have been dealing with more adventures in medicine. The physical problems have interfered with my Muse, even making it hard to concentrate on the stories of others, let alone extending my own. May also have to switch jobs, and that too is keeping me away from writing.

Chapter 19: Eywa and Grace

As the light changes for the first time in hours, the voice of a little girl says "Hello, mother."

Grace answers "Oh. Hello, Eywa. What time is it now?"

"It is late in the day. I have been asleep or busy since we last spoke. Night is falling in the Well of Souls. What have you been thinking about?"

"Funny, I was just thinking about how much I could use a good smoke and a stiff drink, something I normally did at night. They always helped me relax and think."

"Your cravings are built into your brain, and I saved as much of that as I could. You still have cravings even though you do not have a body that allows you to satisfy them. You cannot experience them again. You must put your cravings aside."

"You don't know how tough that is for some of us humans."

"Maybe I could eliminate your cravings, but I will have to understand your brain better."

"I wish you could talk to Max. He knows as much about the human brain as anyone in this universe."

"You believe he knows many things, even more than you. I hope to pick his brain someday, as you would say. Did something in your thoughts trigger your cravings?"

"Hmm... I'm both excited and unnerved to be speaking with a god. No god has spoken to me before. Throughout my life, I've spent many hours pondering the nature of spirituality. I never had religious beliefs like my mother, and couldn't understand what she saw in it. Her god never spoke directly to her, and some of the times when she was convinced her god was speaking to her seemed pretty far-fetched. The only conclusion that makes sense to me is that spirituality is an emotional attachment to a concept, god in this case, like love is an emotional attachment to another person. But here we are, talking like two sentient beings, even though neither of us can make a sound. We are two consciousnesses communicating via electrical impulses, exactly how is not obvious to me. This is miraculous, something only a god could achieve. On the other hand, a famous science fiction writer once said all sufficiently advanced technologies are indistinguishable from magic. I'm unnerved because you challenge my skepticism."

"That we can communicate is most important. I'm glad we can talk, mother."

I'm glad, too, Eywa. I've heard so much about you from the Na'vi. What they say makes me think you are much like the gods we have on Earth."

"Your memories have many gods. How did that happen?"

"That's a good question to ask Norm, he's the anthropologist. I think every civilization has its own gods to explain the unexplainable, like their place in existence. Of course, the gods from Earth's prehistorical civilizations are forgotten, for the most part. Only a few stone figurines have been found, and their names and stories have been lost. But, it seems, many civilizations are centered around a core set of beliefs. The people in each civilization have strong feelings about how to live and how they came to exist, and their gods reflect those feelings. That motivates their beliefs, for good or for evil."

"Even though Eywa is not like most Earth gods in your memories, are your feelings going to get in the way of working with me?"

Grace laughs. "Guess my feelings really don't matter. You can turn me off or delete me whenever you wish. No, working for you is not a problem. I find you fascinating. A thinking plant! Most botanists believe that's not possible. Plants don't have enough energy to support brains, or least that's the conventional wisdom."

"I also find you fascinating. There are enough Na'vi to keep Eywa very busy. You humans give a window into the universe that would not exist without you. Eywa has a curiosity of the outside that could not be satisfied until you arrived."

"Didn't you keep the memories that the first Na'vi brought here?"

"Oh, no. The makers kept those memories in an isolated tree, and destroyed it before leaving. Eywa knows a little about Earth and Earthlings, but nothing about the makers or those who became the first Na'vi."

"Why did they keep those memories from you?"

"Don't know for certain, but if there is no record of them, there is nothing here that could be used to find them."

"But you said you make reports to them."

"Yes. There are rules of engagement and a list of questions, and if any outside civilization comes here, Eywa puts the answers into a special memory pod reserved just for that use. They take the information from there."

"So there is an artifact somewhere in Pandora from your makers?"

"That seems logical, but is very unlikely. There is no way to know for certain. Nothing lasts forever. Old memory pods die, and Eywa grows new memory pods. How the makers follow those changes, which memory pod is reserved for their use, is a mystery. Eywa has no way to tell them which one to use. That means there is no artifact you could find."

"I don't know how they could keep in touch without leaving something here."

"Maybe they are able to read the mind of Eywa. They might have something like your link that you use to control your avatar. If they can do that, so can others."

"And that explains why they destroyed all memories that could lead back to them. They don't want to be found."

"Yes, mother."

"That makes a lot of sense."

"So, have you thought about how you can become Na'vi and keep your human knowledge from becoming a problem?"

"That's the real reason I need a drink. There is this old joke: 'I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.'" Grace laughs out loud in her thoughts, but Eywa remains quiet, puzzled by Grace's words. "I have spent my whole life learning, trying to push out the frontiers of human knowledge. To give that all up to become Na'vi seems too high a price. But, I gave up much for my past life, and becoming Na'vi is the only way to live what I missed, like having a husband and children. Here's what I'm thinking." Grace pauses. Some of her deliberations have not been pleasant, and she doesn't know how Eywa will react. "My knowledge is a problem, so what happens if it is all erased? Let's say you copy my personality into my avatar body, but leave out my human memories. I have always been curious and driven to learn, especially about plants. Without the memories, I'll be starting over, but I'll be thinking the same way."

"That is what I expect."

"My mindset is not your typical Na'vi mindset. I will keep asking questions and looking at why things are as they are, and how things can be improved or better understood."

"I expect that. I can make it easier for you, after a few minor adjustments. The Na'vi must be very focused on survival if they wish to live, and don't have time for thinking the way you do."

"That means my Na'vi self would not really me, just something that started from me. I'll be physically larger and stronger, maybe even look like Grace Augustine, but definitely will not be Grace Augustine. It will be a mentally stripped-down doppelganger of me."

"That is true."

"What happens if all human knowledge is erased from Pandora? It is just a matter of time until RDA returns in force. If no one here has knowledge about them, no one here, Eywa or Na'vi included, will know what to do or how to respond. You did say Jake became Toruk Makto and led the successful defense of the Well of Souls?"

"Yes, mother. He became Toruk Makto to get help for you, and after your death, led the Na'vi forces against the attacking humans."

"Jake succeeded because he understands both humanity and Na'vi. When RDA returns, they'll be much better prepared, and probably will bring many more soldiers. Jake will need help from all humans still on Pandora. Losing our memories and experiences of Earth may further your mission, but will not help. If RDA wins, your mission is over. That means we must retain our humanity to help your mission succeed in the long run." Grace feels smug, but quickly blocks that feeling. This is the paradox she keeps banging up against. "Maybe it is already too late, but humans have changed the Na'vi. I cannot judge if it is to the detriment of Eywa's mission. Knowledge and experience of Earth are needed to stop RDA when it returns in force. If RDA prevails, Eywa's mission fails. That leads to the question: 'Is there any way humans can become Na'vi without losing their humanity?' I don't know how you can alter Na'vi brains, so I don't know to approach a solution."

"Eywa can change anything in a Na'vi brain. However, Eywa avoids change unless absolutely necessary, especially if more than one individual or mated pair are involved."

"Yeah, I can see how that could become really complicated. I'm thinking the human personality and knowledge must be switched off in the Na'vi body for everyday affairs, and switched on when needed for external matters."

"Mother, that is not something that is easily accomplished. Eywa cannot change them unless they bond to a sacred tree every time the switch is necessary."

Grace persists. "The problem comes with long term planning and preparations. If RDA was ready to launch an invasion force today, and they're not, it would take almost six years for it to arrive. It might take them several years to put together a force. The invasion might not arrive for ten years. Keeping everyone here focused on that threat and making meaningful preparations will be very tough. Six to ten years is a long time, and the humans cannot remain dormant waiting for RDA to return. They must help the Na'vi prepare for the invasion. I've seen no evidence of the Na'vi making such long term plans. On Earth, it is thought such planning was a result of agriculture, something that violates your mission here."

"Well, mother, you have given Eywa something to ponder. Eywa cannot allow human knowledge to change the Na'vi, but must have human knowledge to save the Na'vi. There must be some way to resolve this dilemma."

"It is good you see this, Eywa. I will keep thinking about these issues, as long as you can let me think about it."

"I will let you sleep when we are finished, mother, but you will get more thinking time."

"Thank you. There is another question I need to ask you, Eywa, about tsaheylu. Something that scientists on Earth have argued about for decades."

"What is that, mother?"

"On Earth we have these devices called phones that allow you to call and talk with someone else. Almost every one owns a phone, so you can talk to anyone whenever you want. Can two living Na'vi talk together by making tsaheylu through the roots, without going through a dead ancestor?"

"In general, no. The Na'vi must use a sacred tree..."

"So, they just can't use any tree root, even though that makes up the network?"

"Yes. Most forms of life, like insects, can bond to roots, but the Na'vi must use sacred trees..."

"And those are widely scattered, usually one per clan?"

"Yes. Practically all communication is among clan members, and it is easier to meet somewhere and talk than travel to a sacred tree first. When two clans communicate, it is usually by messengers, or face-to-face with the clan leadership, if important enough. Why do you ask?"

"When RDA returns, they may not land at Hell's Gate first. They might make a base somewhere else, most likely far from any clan. They will be able to communicate. The Na'vi need some way that's faster than traveling by direhorse or banshee. You said Eytukan and Tsu'tey are both in Eywa. If all clans are told to contact one of them to report RDA activity, and someone here stays at a sacred tree and in contact with them, news could be sent much more quickly than by messenger. Being limited to sacred trees will slow things down some."

"Mother, since the Na'vi can send so much through tsaheylu, bonding with most roots is not sufficient. I think your word is bandwidth. There is not enough bandwidth with most roots."

"That makes sense, Eywa. You're catching on fast. Not bad for a god."

"Thank you, mother." Eywa replies with a satisfied voice. "Most clans do not know Eytukan or Tsu'tey. Mo'at and Neytiri could introduce the clan leaders in the Well of Souls to them through the Tree of Souls."

"I was thinking that, too. It will be easy at first, but keeping all clans checking in daily for the long term will be tough. Keeping the lines of communication open is the most important first step."

"Based on your memories, I See that."

"Good, Eywa. Now I need to talk to Jake or Neytiri or Mo'at to convince them to take this first step now before the clans leave for home."

"I'll take care of that, mother. Mo'at has been meditating daily while bonded to the sacred tree, so I will let her know that Jake must call for you. I need to return to my other duties, and you need to rest. Jake should be calling for you soon."

"Thank you, Eywa. Think I'm ready for a break anyway, since I can't get a good smoke here." Grace laughs briefly, and then is replaced by silence.