AN: Alright, here is the 2nd update for the week!
Just like the title, writing this ARC actually turned out to be more fun than I thought.
Ahahaha! Just doing the RDA and Earth's reaction to the difference in technology was gold.
I just hope I made it in a way that is believable or appropriate.
Anyways, I'll wait for your reaction in the comments.
Enjoy reading~
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Pandora, Star Rail Universe…
"...What is going on here?" The confused voice of RDA's colonization initiative Commander General Frances Ardmore spread through the command center of Bridgehead City, humanity's first colony on Pandora.
In front of her, the officials from the RDA and the Earth Council watched on the display screen showing RECOM 1's 'engagement' with the Astral Express crew. They all wore the same look: confusion, disbelief, and something close to denial.
"Can someone explain to me how a group of teenagers, with only a baseball bat, a spear, a bow, and a… freaking lightsaber, made a fully armed Special Operations team retreat?!"
Ardmore's eyes went around the room. The moment it landed on anyone, they immediately looked away.
"And there are also those two heaven-defying girls! One who can control space and another who can fly while firing energy beams! Without any equipment, at that!"
She pressed a hand to her temple.
"…Well," Quaritch said with a small shrug, "one of my guys thinks the kid with the lightsaber is a Jedi. You know... like from Star Wars."
Ardmore stared at him, unimpressed. "Colonel Quaritch… is this a joke to you?"
Quaritch returned the same look to her. "You weren't there, so you won't get it. But we saw it clearly. The moment he raised his hand, those missiles just… stopped. Froze in place. And he also did that trick, parrying bullets with that lightsaber like it was nothing."
"What if it's just some kind of advanced technology we don't know about?" one of the scientists suggested. "That could also explain why they don't need breathing equipment."
"Normally, I'd agree," Quaritch replied, his eyes narrowing as he turned his attention back on the screen. "But as the person who was actually there. Who saw it happen and felt that presence... my intuition tells me that it wasn't a product of any technology."
The room fell silent. Even Ardmore and the more skeptical scientists had nothing to say in response.
"…Reality really is stranger than fiction," Charles Stringer, the head administrator of RDA's Pandora operations, muttered.
He narrowed his eyes, fingers resting against his chin. "For now, we set aside those questions. It's safer to assume that that boy is… a Jedi and prepare our countermeasures based on that."
"Then we shouldn't limit our focus to the ground conflict," a commander from RDA's Security Operations division spoke up. "We should also prepare for a possible engagement in space."
"…You're suggesting…?" Ardmore's eyes narrowed.
The commander gave a sharp nod. "Those teens got here undetected. That alone means the technology they possess is far superior to ours."
He let that sink in before continuing. "And I don't believe they came alone."
A wave of unease spread through the room. Every person in the room looked towards one another.
"There's likely a group behind them," he added, scanning the faces around him. "Adults or supervisors. Maybe even a full support team monitoring their movements."
No one dismissed it; if anything, the idea was accepted easily.
As the heavy silence pressed down over the command center, the communication line rang, signaling an incoming call.
Charles Stringer, Frances Ardmore, the Sec-Ops commander, and Quaritch all tensed at once. Their eyes snapped to the main display as a new window showed up.
Unknown Caller.
A faint chill ran through the room as everyone saw the caller ID. They all shared the same thought—
…Just what's with this timing?
Charles and Ardmore exchanged a brief look, then gave a small nod. Ardmore reached out and accepted the call.
The screen came to life as a beautiful red-haired woman appeared, calmly sipping from a cup of coffee as if this wasn't a high-level military channel that they casually hacked.
[Greetings, people of the Resources Development Administration from Planet… Earth.]
There was a short, strange pause when she said the name of their planet, her eyes glancing off to the side before returning her attention towards them.
[My name is Himeko, Navigator of the Astral Express.]
She introduced herself politely.
[It seems our children had been 'taken care of' by your group.]
The atmosphere on the RDA side tightened in an instant.
Charles stepped forward, straightening his posture. "Hello, Ms. Himeko. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Charles Stringer, head of RDA operations here on Pandora."
He let out a small, unnoticeable exhale before speaking again.
"Forgive me for being ignorant, but… we have no record of any organization called the Astral Express."
[My, how polite.] Himeko's smile didn't change. [The 'pleasure' is mine as well, Mr. Stringer.]
She set her cup down lightly.
[As for our faction… it is only natural that you haven't heard of us.]
Her eyes and smile became a bit playful.
[Your civilization has only just begun to step beyond its home system. Compared to the wider universe… You are still at the early stages of cosmic travel. So it won't be strange for you not to recognize the established powers that already exist for eons.]
Hearing Himeko's words, everyone in the room straightened a little, some even jotting down notes. From what they understood from her words, there were already established forces spread across the universe, and Himeko, along with those teens, belonged to one of them.
And just like that, she also confirmed something else without saying it outright: everything they considered advanced… was still nothing more than a beginning compared to the wider universe.
"I see," Charles said. "Then, if you don't mind… could you tell the ignorant us more about it?"
[Hmm, I would love to. However, there is something more important for us to discuss than the power structure of the cosmos.]
Himeko's smile remained polite, but there was no warmth in it.
[But I can at least tell you this: we are a major faction. One that can change the balance, if we choose to.]
That sent a chill down everyone in the room.
Charles grimaced for a moment, then pulled himself together. "Then… for a group of such standing to contact us directly… what exactly is the reason for this call?"
Himeko tilted her head slightly, her eyes fixed on him.
[I'm calling to establish direct communication with your organization… regarding the ongoing conflict on this world, Pandora, or as the natives call it, Eywa'eveng.]
The tension in the command center became even heavier. Charles gave a small nod and straightened, buying himself a moment to settle his thoughts.
"With due respect, Ms. Himeko, Pandora is under the jurisdiction of the RDA. Everything that happens here falls under our authority."
He met Himeko's eyes and held them.
"Of course, if your faction has any concerns, we are willing to hear them. However… this is an internal matter between Earth and Pandora. It doesn't have any connection with your organization."
Himeko didn't react at all, not even the slightest change in her expression.
[My, how 'reassuring',] she said gently. [To hear such confidence from a civilization only just stepping beyond its home system.]
A soft, almost amused laugh left her.
[Unfortunately, Mr. Stringer… Pandora's situation is no longer something you can simply call an 'internal matter.']
Charles' eyes narrowed. "…And on what grounds are you making that claim?"
[Hmm… before I answer that, Mr. Stringer… have you ever looked at this world… and wondered why it resists your people so much?]
Himeko rested her cheek lightly against her hand, watching him as if this were nothing more than a simple conversation over coffee.
[I meant the world itself, not Na'vi nor other living beings in Eywa'eveng.]
Charles, Ardmore, Quaritch, and the Sec-Ops commander all frowned at her words, while the civil officers and scientists visibly reacted, some straightening, others exchanging uneasy looks. Because what Himeko said… wasn't wrong.
They had seen it themselves.
Scientific instruments are failing without warning. GPS and navigation systems are going off course. Excavation machines stalling mid-operation. Energy facilities are fluctuating for no clear reason. Communications are suddenly cutting out in stable zones. Drones losing control mid-flight as if something was interfering with them.
None of it ever made sense.
Himeko noticed the various reactions in the room, and her smile deepened just a little.
[You've probably dismissed it as an environmental difficulty. An inconvenient variable.]
Charles didn't respond immediately.
"…Pandora is a hostile environment. Some level of disruption is to be expected," he reasoned
[Hostile, is it?] Himeko tilted her head. [Then why are our children appearing to be doing just fine here?]
Several RDA personnel became interested in her words.
[Why does Eywa'eveng… seem to welcome them?]
As if to prove her point, Himeko opened another window and let it fill the screen for everyone to see. The scene that appeared… didn't look like a battlefield at all.
March 7th, laughing as she took pictures with the Na'vi children, crouching down to show them the photos while they gathered around her.
Up in the sky, Caelus, Noah, and Dan Heng were riding the massive aerial predators called Ikran or Mountain Banshees, as the humans called them, racing through the sky.
On the ground, Sirin, Hayate, and Reinforce sat among a field of Pandora's native flowers together with the Na'vi women, their hands brushing against the plants as they talked. Wherever their fingers passed, the flowers lit up in response—soft, glowing trails following their touch.
[My, my… it seems they're enjoying themselves.]
There was no way of hiding the pride in Himeko's voice.
"…How is that possible?"
"…Those creatures don't behave like that around humans."
"They should've been thrown off already…"
"…Did that flower just… light up?"
Charles clenched his fist before relaxing it, "Whatever it might be…We are here under legitimate authorization. This operation is within our rights."
His voice woke up every personnel of RDA. Ardmore, Quaritch, and various officers in the Sec-Ops straighten themselves.
[Ohh?] Himeko raised a brow at his words. [If I may ask… Who gave your civilization the authority to operate here?]
She set her cup down and looked straight at Charles.
[On what grounds do you claim the right to strip this world of its resources—]
Her tone didn't rise, but it grew sharper.
[—to hunt and kill its wildlife, to drive its own people from their home, to scar the land with unchecked extraction… and then colonize it, as if you own this world.]
The warmth in her expression was completely gone. She may have understood that the RDA's actions were meant to save their civilization from dying. But understanding was not the same as acceptance.
The way RDA dismissed the Na'vi and their way of life. The way they decided that strength alone gave them the right to take, to occupy, to conquer a world that was never theirs.
All of this was the reason Himeko and the Express crew could not accept. RDA and humanity of Earth had crossed and violated the moral line of the Nameless.
Silence settled over the command room. No one spoke. Not Charles, not Ardmore—no one on the RDA side had an answer.
Himeko let the silence stay for a moment, then lifted her cup again and took a small sip, unbothered by the lack of response.
"...It seems Ms. Himeko's organization, and we see things very differently."
After the long silence, Charles spoke again.
"Then we can safely assume your group—the Astral Express—is siding with the terrorists… correct?"
Outside, he stood his ground bravely. But inside, he was already preparing himself for the inevitable.
"So this call was about your declaration of hostilities against the RDA and by extension Earth?"
[Terrorist, huh?] Himeko said as she set her cup back onto the table. [That's a new one… being called that.]
There was a hint of amusement in her voice.
[If that is how you wish to interpret it… then so be it]
A confident smile came from her lips.
[The Astral Express does not recognize your claim over this world, and we will intervene in your operations on Eywa'eveng.]
There was no anger in her tone, no rise in her voice, just... finality.
The line cut off.
"...General Ardmore," Charles said after a moment of silence. "Prepare the troops. We have a war to win."
"Yes, sir!" Ardmore snapped into a salute before turning sharply toward the Sec-Ops commander.
"Mobilize all available units. Alert the entire Sec-Ops. I want full readiness over the Bridgehead City."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The command room snapped into motion.
"All ground units, this is command—move to combat readiness, level one!"
"AMP suits to deployment bays—repeat, all AMP suits to deployment bays!"
"Air wings, prep your gunships. Full armament authorization granted!"
"Secure all zones and establish perimeter lockdown!"
"Weapons check! Load live rounds!"
Across the base, sirens came to life as orders were sent from one station to another.
Troops moved at a run through the corridors to secure their gear. In the hangars, AMP suits came alive with heavy, grinding hums, one unit after another rising to full power. Gunships were manned and had taken to positions, ready to be deployed.
"Command to all ISV, stand by for engagement protocols."
Far above, the fleet in orbit received the signal.
"Targeting systems online."
"Awaiting further instructions."
From ground to orbit, the entire RDA rolled forward in sync—fast, coordinated, ready. And still… the unease in the room refused to fade.
Because this time, it wasn't just a war on the people of Pandora. They were preparing to face an interstellar faction that had already stepped into the stars long before them.
—-------
"Come on, Noah, stop sulking just because Himeko called the shots against the RDA and we didn't go with your surprise plan," Sirin said, leaning toward him as he sat curled up in the corner of the BioLab.
"That's right, Noah-kun. Just because Miss Himeko and Mr. Yang scolded you for that insane plan of yours… But that doesn't mean you won't get your fun," Hayate added, gently patting his head like she was soothing a stubborn child.
"They already gave you the 'okay' to take the lead once the battle starts, didn't they?"
Reinforce was… floating in small circles above Noah's head, clearly unsure what to do.
"I'm not sulking!" Noah shot back, raising his head towards them. "I'm just… well… yeah, I'm just a bit down! Miss Himeko was the one who contacted them and declared war first! That was supposed to be my moment! Really, I'm serious!"
"Yes, yes, yes."
"Sure, sure, sure."
Sirin and Hayate replied in the same flat tone.
Meanwhile, March 7th and Caelus were enjoying the scene far too much. March even pulled out her camera, snapping pictures of Noah like it was some rare event.
Dan Heng, on the other hand, looked like he had already given up on everything and simply scrolled through his phone.
Seeing them treat Noah like that, Jake, Neytiri, their children, Norm, Max, and the other humans and Na'vi could only stare, completely bewildered. The image of Noah—who stood against the Quaritch and his team—now sulking in a corner while being coaxed like a child… was not something they were prepared for.
"...Jake, didn't you say Noah is supposed to be a legendary warrior among humans…?" Neytiri asked, glancing at her husband.
"Eh? Oh… yeah, that's right," Jake scratched the back of his head, still staring at Noah with a confused look. "But… he's not exactly what I expected. Not like those Jedi from the movies, at least."
"…Then why is he acting like… that?" Neytiri asked quietly.
Jake had no answer.
"…So what's with our 'hero'?" Norm turned toward Dan Heng. "Why is he sulking like that?"
Dan Heng didn't even bother looking up. "He got scolded by Himeko and Mr. Yang for his plan to bait and trap the RDA forces. They decided it was too dangerous and told him to leave the planning to them and Hayate."
"Hey! I heard that! And I'm not sulking!" Noah snapped from the corner.
Dan Heng ignored him and continued without missing a beat.
"We'll be going with a direct approach instead. The Astral Express will lead the first strike and attack the RDA's main base—Bridgehead City. What happens after that will be decided during postwar talks."
Jake nodded. "All the clans we reached out to had answered the call. They'll be joining us along with the entire Resistance to push the RDA—no to defeat them once and for all."
"That's good," Dan Heng said with a small nod. "We may take the front lines for this battle, but in the end… this is your fight. Eywa'eveng's future belongs to your people. We're just lending a hand to this world."
Jake met his eyes and nodded firmly.
"Of course. We'll fight for it. This is our home."
For a moment, the Astral Express crew fell silent, starting from Noah, who was sulking, Sirin, Hayate, and Reinforce beside him, March, and Caelus listening with amused smiles to Dan Heng speaking to Jake and the others.
They could all feel the resolve behind his words.
"Then it would be our honor to fight alongside you," Dan Heng said, a smirk forming on his lips.
—-------
At the Bridgehead City, the defensive formations had already been activated since Himeko's call. Legions of power suits, automated weapons, and battalions of infantry stood ready, all equipped with the most advanced and powerful weapons the RDA could deploy.
Their air force held position, ready to launch at any given moment. Ships and cruisers waited near the sea, prepared to intercept and provide support in the coming battle. In orbit, fifteen RDA ISVs had already set their sights on the surface, ready to strike or reinforce at a moment's notice, while continuously scanning the surrounding space for any trace of ships under the Astral Express.
Back on the ground, inside the command center, every officer kept their eyes on the scanners and radar feeds, watching closely for any movement from the Resistance.
"...Anything to report?" Ardmore asked. "If you see anything—anything unusual—report it immediately. We don't know what the Astral Express is capable of, so we have to check every possibility."
"Perimeter sectors one through six are clear," a radar officer reported. "No movement detected from the surrounding area."
"Thermal scans negative," another added. "No large troop formations within expected range."
"Airspace is clear," a control tower pilot chimed in. "No aerial activity detected. No Ikran formations either."
"ISV Venture Star confirms no unidentified vessels within scanning range," a communications officer said. "All sectors clear."
"…This isn't right," Charles muttered, arms crossed as he stared at the main display.
Ardmore nodded, her eyes never leaving the map. "...Something's off. Very off."
The unease in Ardmore's chest refused to fade, and it showed in the way her eyes narrowed as she studied the map in the display screen.
"Re-run the scans," she ordered immediately. "Increase sensitivity. Expand the range as well. I want every inch of this area checked again."
"Yes, General!!"
The officers moved at once, hands flying over their consoles as they carried out the order.
"Recalibrating scanners—stand by!"
"Expanding sweep radius—"
"…Wait." A comm officer leaned closer to his console, frowning. "I'm… getting something."
"What is it?" Ardmore asked, her eyes sharpening as the entire command center grew tense.
"Well, there's a slight interfe—…?!"
He didn't get to finish his words as every radar and scanner in the room suddenly rang.
"What's going on?! Report!" Ardmore snapped.
"Perimeter sensors just triggered!"
"No—multiple triggers!"
"Auto-defense systems on the rail tracks are activating!"
"Targeting systems locking onto something—!"
"Visual feed! Now!" Ardmore shouted.
Charles stepped in beside her, and the two of them fixed their eyes on the main screen.
At the strip of bare land, around 3.2 km between the Bridgehead City wall and the forest, there had been nothing just a moment ago. Then, in the next instant, two teenage boys appeared right in the middle of the long train track that served as the only entrance base.
"…What the hell—?!" one of the officers blurted out.
"They just—appeared?!"
Then Noah and Caelus ran forward with casual smiles, sprinting along the rail track while dodging through the automatic defense systems like they were in an obstacle course.
Then, when the two were about 1 km away from the tall defensive walls, they slid to a stop. Noah raised his arms, and a low creaking sound spread through the base
"What was that?!" Ardmore asked sharply.
"T-the defense wall, ma'am!! I-it's cracking!!"
"WHAT?!"
On the screen, they saw the troops stationed along the walls begin to scatter, fleeing as the walls trembled, like something unseen was crushing them from above.
"U-un-unknown force detected! There is no physical source!" an officer reported.
"…I-is this is… the Force?!" Charles's eyes widened as he watched the impossible happen live on the screen.
"Stop them immediately! Open fire!" Ardmore ordered without hesitation.
"Yes, ma'am!" another officer replied, already inputting commands into the console.
"All units—engage! Full fire authorization!"
As the troops and the defensive weaponry locked onto Noah and opened fire, Caelus stepped forward and took out a flaming lance.
"Indestructible…" Caelus planted the lance in front of him as a fiery aura spread outward, covering both him and Noah. "...Will of Preservation!"
Hundreds of missiles flew along with thousands of bullets, but none of them reached their target. Every single shot was blocked by the orange-red shield that Caelus held in place.
"…What is that…?" Ardmore whispered, a chill running down her spine as the same thought crossed everyone's mind in the command center.
"Fall." Noah only spoke a single word.
And the world answered. Half of the proud fifty-meter defensive wall of Bridgehead City collapsed, ripped apart by an unseen force. In a single moment, the city's defenses were torn open, leaving it completely exposed.
On the ground, the troops could only stare as the wall they relied on was ripped apart before their eyes, a cold shiver running through them as they watched the walls that protected them disappear.
But what came next sent a colder chill through them.
"Lance ablaze…"
Caelus raised his flaming lance, fire surging along its length as he pointed it toward the troops ahead.
"...Flaming Lance! Forward!"
And then, he jumped forward. Leaving a streak of flaming trail across the battlefield, as RDA infantry were blasted aside the moment he passed. Machines, vehicles, even AMP suits—none of it could stop him.
Noah dropped down from above, landing lightly on the ground. His eyes moved across the now broken and disordered Sec-Ops formation.
The next moment, spatial rifts began to open around him. One after another. Dozens… then hundreds. From each spatial rift, the Resistance army, along with Sirin, Dan Heng, March 7th, Hayate, and Reinforce, came out joining the battlefield in an instant.
"…Where did they come from?!"
"They're inside the base… how are they inside the perimeter?!"
"No incoming signatures were detected—this is impossible!"
"We've been infiltrated—!"
What the RDA had prepared as a defensive battle… had already turned into their last stand.
"I'll admit… this turned out to be more fun than I expected," Noah muttered, the grin on his face refusing to fade.
"...We're in the middle of a battle that will decide Eywa'eveng's fate… can you at least take this seriously?" Sirin said as she floated down beside him, the last traces of Quantum energy fading around her.
"Geez, where's the trust, my lovely Sii?" Noah pouted. "You know I wouldn't mess around when it matters, right?"
Sirin raised a brow, studying him for a moment. "Noah, I do trust you. That's exactly why I can tell when you're serious… and when you're not."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "And right now… you're clearly in a playful mood."
Noah blinked, then looked away from her. "...Fair enough."
At the last portal, Jake Sully stepped through with Neytiri beside him, both of them fixing their eyes on the RDA forces ahead.
"For our home!" Jake raised his rifle, his voice cutting through the battlefield.
"Push them out!"
In the next instant, the Resistance marches forward, their war cry spreading across the battlefield.
The battle for the liberation of Pandora(Eywa'eveng) had entered the next stage.
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