Chapter 633: Destroyed Trust
"Not all... Sky People... wish for this," Rei Ayanami-kun attempted to explain, gesturing first to herself and then back toward the hollow of the cavern. "We... do not cut the trees. We... seek... a path to coexistence."
"Coexistence?" Tsu'tey reacted as if stung by the very word. A flicker of profound sorrow crossed her golden eyes, swiftly eclipsed by searing skepticism. "You Sky People... said you wanted coexistence once before!"
Her voice resonated with suppressed anguish, the neural queue behind her head trembling with agitation.
"Long ago, in Dr. Grace's school, they taught us your tongue and showed us images of your world. They called it 'understanding' and 'sharing.' Some among us, myself included, believed them!" Her hand pointed toward the silhouette of Hometree before sweeping sharply toward the general vector of the RDA compound, her motion heavy with grief.
"And what was the outcome?" Her voice shook. "Your machines came anyway. They leveled our Hometree, scattered the sacred beasts with fire and thunderous noise, and tore open the skin of the Great Mother! Those who pledged 'coexistence'—where are their voices now? Where are their promises?"
She locked eyes with Rei Ayanami-kun, searching her face for any distinction from the oath-breakers carved into her memories. "The trust was destroyed by your own hands! Eywa bore witness to all of it. She will no longer fall for honeyed words, and the blood shed by our clan's warriors forbids them from ever believing again!"
Just then, the shrill cries of Ikran and the resonant shouts of Na'vi warriors echoed in the distance. A patrol party was closing rapidly on the hollow.
Tsu'tey's expression shifted drastically; the emotional outburst was instantly swept away by immediate peril.
She stepped forward hurriedly, her voice dropping to a harsh, urgent whisper: "Leave! Right now! They will not listen to explanations. If they see you, there will only be slaughter!"
She glanced down at the small bundle on the earth, then met Rei Ayanami-kun's gaze once more. Her eyes were a storm of unresolved fury, the lingering pain of shattered promises, and an undeniable warning.
"Do not... come back again! If they find you... you will die, and I will..." Her voice trailed off, the unspoken reality obvious: she, too, would face severe retribution from her clan for contacting the Sky People.
Snatching the small bundle from the ground without hesitation, she turned and melted into the dense bioluminescent foliage, her silhouette instantly swallowed by the forest.
Debriefing the Fractures
The second contact concluded abruptly in a haze of tension. Though fraught with hazard, it had yielded critical intelligence.
Tsu'tey had accepted the gifts, and more crucially, disclosed vital historical context: the Na'vi were not innately hostile. They had once attempted engagement in good faith, only for RDA betrayal and deforestation to completely shatter that trust. Her personal dilemma was equally apparent: caught between past trauma and the unyielding militant stance of her clan.
Upon the team's safe return to the outpost, Ryo listened attentively to the debriefing.
"She accepted the gifts and referenced the collapse of past coexistence pledges," Rei Ayanami-kun concluded in her measured, factual tone. "This demonstrates she understood and once partially embraced Sky People culture, but RDA operations destroyed that trust. She is currently trapped between historical trauma and tribal pressures."
"It appears superficial gestures of goodwill and hollow promises merely stir bitter memories," Ryo mused, tapping his fingertips rhythmically against the rim of the console. "Once trust collapses, rebuilding it demands tangible, undeniable proof directly relevant to their lived experience. We must demonstrate concrete actions that prove we are fundamentally different."
His gaze shifted across Maine's report on the successful deployment of Hellfire Squad—representing hard power and field efficiency—before resting on Rei's analysis of Tsu'tey's internal conflict.
The overt and covert operational tracks were assembling a comprehensive picture:
RDA kinetic pressure secured operational margins while hardening native hostility.
The historical fractures and personal grief uncovered by Rei's team highlighted viable fault lines to exploit.
"Our next operational phase," Ryo began slowly, his gaze settling on the ecological data streams illuminating the primary display, "requires locating a critical node capable of bridging the past with the present."
He turned to Rei Ayanami-kun with focused intent.
"Dr. Grace Augustine." He stated the name deliberately. "According to intelligence secured by Maine from the RDA and your debriefing, she led the initial contact program and served as the cornerstone of the Avatar Program. She understands Na'vi culture, built the original bridges of trust, and watched firsthand as it all unraveled."
The New Vector
Stepping up to the console, Ryo brought up the limited dossiers available on the Avatar Program.
"Locate her. She is one of the rare individuals who possesses both an intimate understanding of the Na'vi and established standing within the RDA infrastructure. Her stance on native relations clearly diverges from current corporate leadership. That divergence is the exact fault line we will exploit."
"What are your core objectives regarding her?" Rei Ayanami-kun asked placidly.
"Several key vectors," Ryo broken down the strategy:
First: Through her, we can secure a comprehensive analysis of Na'vi social hierarchy, spiritual doctrine, and specifically the mechanics of their neural link with Eywa—far surpassing our piecemeal field observations.
Second: The Avatar technology itself. A system enabling human consciousness to fully synchronize with and pilot a genetically engineered Na'vi frame represents profound biological-neural interface principles. Deconstructing it holds extraordinary value for optimizing our own interface tech and consciousness architectures.
He addressed the members of Rei's detachment directly:
"Approaching her carries far more manageable operational risks than attempting to breach a fortified, hostile Na'vi clan. Gauge her assessment of the current crisis and her views on the feasibility of re-establishing dialogue. Secure detailed schematics of the Avatar Program if feasible. She may still hold onto the ideal of coexistence, serving as the bridge to remind individuals like Tsu'tey of a time not entirely defined by blood."
"Understood," Rei Ayanami-kun nodded, the ambient glow of the terminal reflected in her red eyes as she accepted the assignment.
Shinji-kun listened thoughtfully, sensing that reaching this historical bridge figure might genuinely shift the momentum of the conflict. Asuka arched an eyebrow, displaying a mixture of curiosity and critical evaluation toward the prospect of dealing with another Sky Person scientist.
Ryo tapped the interface, highlighting Dr. Grace's known operational sectors.
"This vector will run parallel to our direct engagement with the Na'vi. The data extracted from her will allow us to accurately measure the depth of the fractures within Na'vi society—and calibrate the true strategic value of the leverage we hold."
A new piece had been positioned on the board, aimed directly at the heart of broken promises and a technology capable of altering the entire theater.
Ryo's strategic design was advancing into a far deeper, foundational domain.