Chapter 618: First Contact with the RDA
Outside Hell's Gate, along the edge of the dense jungle, an RDA Samson assault transport helicopter hovered at low altitude. The downdraft from its rotors whipped the bioluminescent flora below.
Suddenly, onboard sensors picked up an anomalous signal—an unidentified, stable power source accompanied by a clear, repeating radio broadcast in Standard Earth Commonwealth English.
"Calling unknown human outpost. Repeat, calling unknown human outpost. This is the vanguard of the independent research vessel 'Seeker'. We have observed your facility and request non-hostile contact. Repeat, requesting non-hostile contact."
The helicopter pilot immediately relayed the situation to Base Command. Shortly after, orders came through: Maintain alert, approach the signal source, confirm identity and intent, but refrain from opening fire first.
Following the signal, the Samson hovered carefully over a clearing in the forest. There, they spotted the transmitter. It was a massive, heavily armored vehicle with a hard-edged design—the Trailblazer—looking distinctly different from anything belonging to the RDA or any known human faction. The vehicle sat motionless, its roof-mounted sensor mast retracted, while the drone modified by the Adeptus Mechanicus rested quietly on its deck, serving as the signal beacon.
Three individuals stood beside the vehicle:
The lead figure was a towering, heavily cyberized man (Maine). Though he carried no visible weapons, his steady demeanor and augmented physique radiated an intense, innate presence.
Beside him stood a sharp-eyed, powerfully built woman (Dorio).
Completing the trio was a man wearing goggles and fiddling with a data pad, looking very much like a technician (Pilar).
The Samson hovered over the clearing, its door-mounted machine gun trained on the three below. A voice crackled through the external loudspeaker: "This is an RDA Security patrol unit. State your identity and purpose. The 'Seeker' is not a registered vessel on any known registry."
Maine stepped forward, looking up at the helicopter. His voice resonated clearly through his implanted vocal synthesizer, cutting above the rotor wash: "We are survivors from the 'Seeker'. Our mother ship encountered a deep-space anomaly, forcing a long-range jump that ultimately resulted in a crash landing in an uncharted sector of this planet. It took us a considerable time to repair a portion of our gear and detect your signal. We seek dialogue—and potential mutual assistance."
He intentionally obscured the concept of "dimensional teleportation," opting for the far more relatable narrative of a "deep-space jump anomaly." His use of "mutual assistance" was an open, intriguing proposition.
The RDA crew aboard the helicopter were visibly skeptical. An unknown human faction? Survivors?
"Remain where you are. Ground personnel are en route," the helicopter pilot commanded.
A short while later, an open-top off-road vehicle arrived carrying four RDA Security personnel and a middle-aged man in administrative attire. The soldiers held assault rifles, warily eyeing Maine's team and the exotic Trailblazer behind them.
The administrator stepped forward, his name badge reading: Carter Bryce, External Affairs Coordinator. He scrutinized Maine, his eyes sharp with evaluation. "I'm Bryce. You claim to be survivors? What proof do you have? And what do you mean by 'mutual assistance'?"
Maine didn't answer directly with verbal proof; instead, he nodded to Pilar. Pilar raised his data pad, displaying processed, high-speed drone footage—crisp imaging of the RDA mining sectors, refineries, and perimeter defensive layouts scouted earlier, though key core zones were intentionally omitted.
"This is telemetry gathered by our restored reconnaissance equipment," Maine said calmly. "We believe our technological capabilities in certain domains could prove beneficial to your... operations here. For instance, high-efficiency long-range scouting, environmental monitoring, or a deeper analytical breakdown of the local biosphere and indigenous population."
He placed subtle emphasis on "indigenous population."
Bryce looked at the astonishingly clear footage on the data pad—particularly details covering blind spots that base surveillance struggled to monitor—and his expression shifted slightly. The reconnaissance capability displayed by these strangers far surpassed the RDA's current local assets. This was either exceptionally advanced technology or proof they had been lurking in the area for a long time.
"What do you want?" Bryce asked directly; trade and transactional value were the universal language of the RDA.
"Information, resources, and a relatively secure cooperative environment," Maine replied. "We need to understand this planet, require specific mineral samples for research, and seek a stable staging point to establish contact with our mother ship—should there be other survivors. In exchange, we can offer technical consultation and limited equipment support."
He refrained from mentioning Unobtanium or Amrita right out of the gate, using baseline "mineral samples" and "technical support" as his entry points.
Bryce fell silent in thought for a moment. This group of "survivors" had an unknown origin, but their demonstrated technology was undeniably attractive—especially their mention of the Na'vi. Tensions between Base Command and the Omaticaya clan had been escalating rapidly, and Colonel Miles Quaritch, that brute, knew only iron-fisted suppression. If there was a more "efficient" way to deal with the natives—or at least an early warning system for their raids—it would cut corporate losses and operational costs significantly.
"I need to report this to the Administrator, Mr. Parker Selfridge," Bryce finally said. "One representative may accompany us back to base for further discussions. However, your vehicle and remaining crew must stay here under our surveillance."
"Agreed," Maine accepted the terms. He motioned back to Dorio and Pilar, then boarded the RDA vehicle alone.
Inside the Trailblazer, Ryo (the second avatar) observed the entire exchange via the encrypted channel and the drone's hidden surveillance feed.
Maine's performance aligned perfectly with expectations. First contact was complete; next came the actual negotiation of interests.
Ryo watched the off-road vehicle drive off toward the towering perimeter walls of Hell's Gate. The framework for cooperation with the RDA was being built, and the systematic acquisition of Pandora's strategic resources would soon follow.