Chapter 646: Transplantation
At the same time, Ryo also reinforced his "constructive" influence over the RDA's military capabilities.
Through Maine, he submitted a series of defensive enhancement proposals to Colonel Quaritch, including:
Establishing an upgraded energetic sensor perimeter covering critical areas surrounding the base to prevent mass charges by large fauna clusters.
Stockpiling wide-area saturation ordnance—such as fuel-air explosives and sonic pulse generators—against potential stampedes and swarms.
Expanding the aerial patrol radius and reaction speed of air wings to guarantee air superiority and enable preemptive strikes against large biological gathering grounds in the event of an ecological counter-offensive.
Colonel Quaritch readily accepted most of these recommendations, as they aligned perfectly with his military doctrine of eliminating threats once and for all.
What he didn't realize was that these precise proposals were designed specifically to counter the planetary ecological backlash Eywa might launch in the future under Jake Sully's instigation.
Standing before the primary console, Ryo looked at the markers denoting Jake Sully's operational radius and the streamlined sociopolitical breakdown of the Omaticaya clan.
The Catalyst at Work
Just as Ryo anticipated, beneath the chaotic surface, the board was advancing steadily along his calculated trajectory.
Jake Sully, a complete traitor to his own kind in Ryo's eyes, was working for him with astonishing efficiency, completely oblivious to his role.
Jake's integration into Na'vi society deepened by the day. He not only learned their language and mastered their hunting techniques, but under Neytiri's guidance, began attempting to bond with the apex predator of the Pandora skies—the Ikran.
The process was fraught with danger, yet it was precisely this trial that earned Jake the respect of a portion of the Na'vi, especially the younger generation.
When he finally succeeded in bonding with his own vibrant, banded Ikran and became a respected "Banshee Rider," his status within the Omaticaya clan underwent a qualitative shift.
He was no longer merely a "Dreamwalker" to be watched and tested; he was gradually being accepted as one of their own. In the eyes of certain young Na'vi, he brought a fresh perspective and new possibilities.
However, this recognition and trust acted like a catalyst, widening the pre-existing fissures within the tribe.
The militant faction led by Tsu'tey was deeply infuriated that a Sky Person could become an Ikran rider, considering it a desecration of their sacred traditions.
Friction escalated between them, Eytukan's traditionalist faction, and the spiritual faction represented by Neytiri and Mo'at following the guidance of Eywa.
Meanwhile, Tsu'tey's splinter group—facing this mounting polarization—leaned even more decisively toward cooperating with the "distinct Sky People," desperately searching for a path to avert total annihilation.
The Inevitable Ultimatum
Concurrently, the RDA's expansion showed no signs of slowing down.
Driven by Colonel Quaritch's iron-fisted doctrine and bolstered by the expedition team's technological support, new mining sectors were continuously carved out. Massive excavators roared day and night like insatiable beasts, tearing into the soil of Pandora.
The extraction perimeter inevitably closed in on the core territory of the Omaticaya clan once more—the towering Hometree suspended aloft by the powerful magnetic fields generated by the rich superconducting ore deposits beneath it.
Reviewing the latest geological surveys, Parker Selfridge wore an expression mingling naked greed and mounting anxiety.
"Unbelievable ore grade... right beneath that big tree of the blue monkeys. We have to have it, Miles."
Colonel Quaritch was far more blunt and ruthless: "Then we drive them out. If they refuse to move, we roll right over them. That tree is their spiritual backbone; destroy it, and we break their spine."
Hell's Gate Command quickly drew up the battle plan.
A strike force composed of Hellfire Squad and heavy AMP suits would establish a forward staging base near Hometree, demonstrate overwhelming force, and deliver an ultimatum demanding the Omaticaya clan evacuate within a strict timeframe.
Everyone understood that this was effectively a declaration of war.
Through Tsu'tey's covert channel and Dr. Grace's monitoring of internal RDA traffic, the intelligence arrived swiftly at the Trailblazer.
"Conflict is now unavoidable," Rei Ayanami-kun stated during her debriefing. "The RDA intends to seize the deposit beneath Hometree. On the Na'vi side, the war faction led by Tsu'tey is whipped into a frenzy, Eytukan is wavering, and Tsu'tey's faction is consumed by despair."
Ryo listened with absolute composure; this moment had finally arrived.
In the original timeline, the destruction of Hometree was the exact catalyst that drove Jake Sully entirely into the Na'vi camp and ultimately provoked Eywa into launching an all-out global counter-attack.
This time, he would not allow the tree to be casually reduced to splinters. The colossus itself, along with the superconducting geological structure anchoring it, held immense research value; more importantly, it would serve as prime leverage for future "cooperation" with the Na'vi.
He immediately issued his command: "Maine, coordinate with Rei Ayanami-kun to negotiate directly with Colonel Quaritch. Emphasize that Hometree and its unique floating biome hold irreplaceable scientific value for our 'ecological and consciousness field research.' Propose that the specimen be preserved as intact as possible during military operations, rather than completely obliterated."
An Impossible Condition
When the RDA vanguard established their staging perimeter outside Hometree—with colossal bulldozers and AMP suits drawn up in an imposing battle line—Maine and Rei Ayanami-kun (liaising via encrypted comms as scientific consultants) approached Colonel Quaritch.
"Colonel," Maine began in his deep, level tone, "we recognize the necessity of your military operation. However, the colossal flora in the target zone—its unique magnetic suspension phenomenon and its latent link to the local bio-consciousness—constitutes a critical specimen for our research into Pandora's neural networks. Completely destroying it will inflict irreversible scientific losses."
Colonel Quaritch frowned, having little patience for academic hand-wringing: "That tree is the spiritual pillar of the Na'vi. Leaving it standing gives them a reason to keep resisting. My mission is to resolve this problem permanently, not build you a botanical garden."
Rei Ayanami-kun's cold, detached voice came through the comm unit: "Preserving the specimen does not hinder your strategic objectives. Once the Na'vi are dispersed, we will take custody of the specimen for research. Total annihilation yields zero practical return beyond venting frustration, while potentially provoking unpredictable ecological backlash."
Quaritch looked at Maine, recalling the tremendous operational advantages provided by their gear and combat doctrine, and hesitated briefly.
He genuinely needed their ongoing partnership, and he was curious to see what these mysterious "Seekers" were truly capable of.
"Fine," Quaritch finally conceded with a trace of mockery. "I'll give you a shot. If you can haul that several-hundred-meter-tall giant tree and the bedrock beneath it out of the way before those blue monkeys and my boys start shooting, I'll spare it. Otherwise, to clear the operational corridor and mine the ore, I'm blowing it straight to hell."
To him, moving an object of that magnitude was physically impossible—nothing more than an empty, unfulfillable promise.
"We appreciate your accommodation. We will handle the logistics," Maine replied evenly, treating the impossible feat like a routine engineering challenge.
The Pocket Dimension
When the report reached the Trailblazer, Ryo showed not the slightest surprise.
He had long prepared the ultimate solution.
A specialized device—transferred directly from his main body on Necromunda via hyper-dimensional conduits—rested on the table: a metallic cube no larger than a briefcase, its surface inscribed with intricate geometric energy circuits.
It was a simplified replica of the Dimensional Tesseract technology mastered by the main body, stabilizing a miniature pocket dimension within its chassis, fully capable of housing Hometree and the colossal bedrock anchoring its root system.
"Execute the 'Transplantation' protocol," Ryo commanded.