Chapter 649: Weyland-Yutani
Inside the main control room of the Trailblazer, Ryo listened to Grace's request via the real-time comm link.
He instantly saw through the female scientist's underlying motive beneath the veneer of cooperation: supervision and protection.
If Jake Sully had made a similar request, Ryo would have rejected it without hesitation and likely implemented far harsher countermeasures.
However, his stance toward Dr. Grace was different.
Grace fundamentally differed from Jake.
She was not a traitor to humanity; she was merely an idealistic scientist whose core objective was averting conflict and seeking peaceful coexistence, even willing to sacrifice her own life for that cause.
Her obstinacy stemmed from a profound respect for knowledge and life, not from personal greed or a betrayal of her own species.
While this ideological stance contradicted Ryo's core tenets of prioritizing extreme efficiency and the overarching interests of humanity, it did not harbor malicious treason. Her motives were, to some extent, comprehensible.
Consequently, Ryo held no deep-seated disgust toward Grace—only a dismissal of her idealism, tempered by a sliver of measured respect for her professional competence.
Permitting her to join the research effort offered more advantages than drawbacks.
Her specialized knowledge would undeniably accelerate their analysis of Hometree and the Eywa consciousness field. Simultaneously, placing her under direct supervision allowed him to better control this variable, preventing her from taking rogue actions in the field that might interfere with his overarching design.
"Approved," Ryo's voice transmitted over the encrypted link into Rei's earpiece. "Permit Dr. Grace to join the non-core phases of the research as a consultant. Grant her access to select external telemetry that does not compromise our proprietary technology. Ensure all her activities remain under strict surveillance."
Receiving the directive, Rei gave a slight nod to Grace, who was anxiously awaiting a response: "Approved, Dr. Grace. We welcome your expertise. You may join as a research consultant, and we will share select observational data."
Grace let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was, at the very least, a beginning—a crucial first step toward personally guarding Hometree.
"Thank you," she replied. The wariness in her eyes had not entirely vanished, but it was now joined by the resolute determination to fulfill her duty.
Thus, a delicate research alliance was forged.
Within the secure perimeter strictly controlled by the expedition team, the non-destructive analysis of Hometree formally commenced.
Dr. Grace Augustine participated with the mindset of a guardian, while Ryo coldly exploited her knowledge, ensuring every variable remained firmly within his grasp as he advanced steadily toward entirely deciphering Pandora's mysteries and reshaping its future according to his will.
Unlocking the Specimen
Though Hometree had been successfully contained within the dimensional cube replica, Ryo did not extract it for research.
While this technological marvel from his main body possessed staggering capabilities, it had strict limitations: the stabilized pocket dimension was rated for a single containment cycle and could not sustain active biological life long-term.
However, this did not impede his ability to conduct an exhaustive analysis of the sacred tree.
Inside a highly secure, specialized laboratory aboard the Trailblazer, Ryo shed his iconic Tartaros-pattern Terminator armor.
Utilizing his psychic mastery, he subtly compressed and altered his massive Astartes physique. Outwardly, he assumed the appearance of a clean-featured Asian youth, roughly twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with black hair and dark eyes. Dressed in a streamlined, dark research uniform, he introduced himself simply as "Dr. Chen."
This persona allowed him to blend seamlessly into academic exchanges, minimizing unnecessary intimidation.
The dimensional cube, pulsing with its eerie glow, was placed upon an isolation plinth in the center of the lab.
Rather than opening a dimensional aperture, Ryo deftly connected several gossamer-thin cables woven from exotic alloys to specific energetic nodes on the cube's exterior.
The other ends of these cables fed into a dizzyingly complex array of analytical hardware.
Dr. Grace Augustine was permitted to enter the lab to observe. She watched Ryo's operations, her eyes filled with profound curiosity and intense scrutiny.
She noted that this "Dr. Chen's" movements were executed with clinical precision and efficiency, entirely devoid of wasted motion, as if he possessed bone-deep familiarity with hardware that far exceeded her own comprehension.
"We do not need to physically enter the containment field," Ryo explained without looking up, seemingly sensing Grace's unvoiced question. His voice was even and composed, entirely distinct from the deep, imposing rumble he projected while armored. "By establishing a resonance interface across the dimensional threshold, we can indirectly scan every detail of the internal structure—from its macro-morphology down to molecular arrangements."
As he engaged the primary systems, a tidal wave of telemetry flooded the main displays, rapidly rendering a three-dimensional model of Hometree of mind-numbing complexity and resolution.
It wasn't merely mapping the geometry of the trunk and branches; the venation of individual leaves, the micro-fungal colonies nestled within the bark fissures, and the deeper material composition of the root network and the suspended bedrock were all being decoded and modeled at staggering speed.
Watching the digital projection of Hometree being virtually "dissected" yet perfectly reconstructed, Grace couldn't hold back a low gasp of awe: "My God... this is nothing short of a miracle. I have never seen—never even imagined—non-invasive scanning technology capable of this resolution and speed! This eclipses any known quantum imaging or deep-penetrating resonance tech we have!"
She looked at Ryo, her eyes burning with awe and intense probing: "Dr. Chen, who... who exactly do you people work for? Are you affiliated with Weyland-Yutani? Or perhaps the black-ops R&D division of Titan Mining? Technological supremacy on this level simply does not remain anonymous!"
A Dissonant Note
When the name Weyland-Yutani passed Grace's lips, Ryo's fingers—which were gliding across the console—paused for an imperceptible fraction of a microsecond.
That name pierced his consciousness like a screeching dissonance.
Within the memory fragments transmitted from his main body regarding countless distinct realities, that particular corporation existed within a cosmic quadrant infamous for extreme xenos threats and brutal, dark-universe horror. It had absolutely no business intersecting with the relatively "mild" universe of Pandora.
Yet his expression remained entirely undisturbed. He raised his head, looked at Grace, and issued a placid denial: "We are not affiliated with any Earth-based corporation you mentioned, Dr. Grace. The 'Seekers' operate as an independent scientific entity."
He deftly sidestepped a direct answer, steering the conversation toward the critical keyword he had just caught. "However, regarding this Weyland-Yutani you mentioned... do they maintain an operational presence on this planet?"
Grace shook her head, her attention successfully diverted: "Weyland? No, their primary focus seems to be deep-space exploration and advanced biotechnology. They show little interest in worlds harboring indigenous sapient life like Pandora. Or rather, their interests tend to lean toward the more... extreme. At least, as far as I know, the RDA has had no dealings with them. Though I will admit, the quality of their synthetics is undeniably top-tier."