Chapter 675: Xenophobic Extremists
Maine ignored Asuka's complaints; his gaze met Rei's.
Both were highly experienced combatants. Although their domains differed, they shared a razor-sharp intuition for danger.
"Pressing forward poses too high a risk," Maine said in a low voice. "We don't know the exact identity, scale, or motives of the attackers. There may be a schism within the Omaticaya, or we might be dealing with an unknown hostile clan. Until the situation is clear, we cannot recklessly advance into more complex terrain."
Rei nodded slightly, concurring with Maine's assessment. "Trust must be built upon a foundation of security. Regarding this ambush, the Omaticaya bear the responsibility of providing a secure corridor. They must be informed and required to respond."
"Contact them," Maine made the decision. "Falco, attempt to raise the Omaticaya on the low-frequency channel we agreed upon with Sutai. Report the ambush and our current coordinates. Demand they dispatch a reliable escort to rendezvous with us and provide an explanation."
"Copy that, Boss," Falco immediately returned to the transport's comms station and began working the controls.
Pilar began adjusting his equipment. "I'll try to extract more information from these captives. Maybe we can figure out exactly who they are and why they attacked us."
Rebecca and Dorio took charge of guarding the captives and maintaining the perimeter.
Valerie's Iron Guard moved to a vantage point, expanding its surveillance radius.
The wait was agonizingly slow.
Following the brief uproar, the Pandoran jungle returned to silence, but it was a silence thick with unease.
Bioluminescent flora swayed in the deepening twilight, resembling countless prying eyes.
Approximately one hour later, Falco received a reply.
"Contact established. It's Sutai. She sounds extremely shocked and furious," Falco relayed. "She extends her deepest apologies on behalf of Chief Eytukan and Tsahik Mo'at. They claim absolute ignorance regarding this incident and strongly condemn this act of sabotaging our peace agreement. They have already dispatched a detachment composed of their most trusted warriors, led personally by Sutai, to escort us. ETA is three hours."
The Aftermath and the Waiting
The scent of gunpowder smoke had not completely dissipated from the valley, mingling with the unique, earthy sweetness of Pandoran soil and a faint metallic tang of blood.
The members of Maine's squad, utilizing their hastily constructed cover and the silent Iron Guard mech, maintained a 360-degree defensive perimeter. Their sharp eyes pierced the deepening gloom, sweeping across every shadow cast by the swaying bioluminescent plants.
Rei had already stowed the dimensional cube safely away. Standing beside Maine, she was not resting her eyes; instead, her brow was slightly furrowed. Her red eyes, appearing exceptionally deep in the dim light, seemed to be striving to capture invisible information permeating the air.
Maine looked at Rei. "What's your take?"
"I sense strong residual hostility," her cool voice broke the silence, addressing Maine directly. "Chaos, fanaticism... but the consciousness fluctuations are entirely distinct from the Omaticaya warriors we've previously encountered. The source... cannot be precisely identified."
This indicated she perceived a difference but could not immediately confirm the attackers' exact identities.
"Their operational style is different too," Maine crouched down, using the tip of his combat knife to prod a crude bone arrow deeply embedded in the transport's armor. "Their weapons are rudimentary, but they attack with a desperate fervor, like brainwashed zealots."
He stood up and dusted off his hands. "They knew our route. This was not a random encounter."
Returning from a flank reconnaissance sweep, Dorio spoke in a low voice: "The ambush points were chosen hastily, and they didn't do a good job covering their tracks, but they didn't lack for resolve."
Bored, Asuka kicked a pebble at her feet. Walking over to a fidgety Shinji, she nudged him with her shoulder. "Hey, Shinji, do you think those big blue guys coming to pick us up might be in cahoots with the gang from earlier? Maybe they're putting on an act to lure us into a trap?"
Shinji instinctively shrank back, his voice laced with uncertainty. "N-no way, right? Miss Sutai... hasn't she helped us before? And... didn't Miss Ayanami say they felt different...?"
"Felt different? Is 'feeling' gonna feed you or stop an arrow?" Asuka scoffed, though she unconsciously checked the stun pistol and signal flares strapped to her waist. "Whatever, I don't trust them."
Rei did not participate in their discussion. Her attention remained largely focused on the vast consciousness network of the jungle extending into the distance. She could sense several benevolent, relatively familiar fluctuations approaching rapidly. Yet the "imprint" of twisted hatred left behind by the attackers lingered on the edge of her perception like a foul stain, serving as a constant reminder of latent danger.
The three-hour wait made every minute feel agonizingly long.
When the distinct, clear calls of Ikrans and the rustling of leaves caused by Na'vi warriors moving rapidly through the canopy finally echoed from the distance, everyone tensed. Returning to a combat-ready state, fingers quietly rested on their weapons.
Sutai's Arrival
Sutai was the first to burst from the jungle. Her face was etched with anxiety and fury. Her gaze swept rapidly across the battlefield, turning completely livid the moment she spotted the restrained, ferociously painted captives.
"Rei! Maine!" She practically rushed forward, her voice slightly hoarse from agitation. "I swear on the breath of Eywa, this was not the work of the Omaticaya!"
She abruptly spun toward one of the captives, closely examining his bone ornaments and unique clan tattoos, the fury in her eyes burning even brighter. "The Split-Claws! Those lunatics who have abandoned the path of Balance! They dwell in the putrid swamps to the east, hostile to any kin who make contact with the outside world!"
She took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her rage. Turning to Rei and Maine, she placed her right hand over her heart and offered a solemn Na'vi gesture of respect, her tone heavy with sorrow and resolve. "For honored guests to be attacked on our land due to our internal strife is an undeniable disgrace to the Omaticaya. I, Sutai, along with Chief Eytukan and Tsahik Mo'at, extend our deepest apologies. We will pursue this to the very end and severely punish these sinners who have sabotaged the peace!"
Her gaze swept over every member of the "Seekers" present, finally settling on Rei's face. "Now, please allow us to escort you to the Land of Chants. The Chief and Tsahik have prepared pure water and food, eagerly awaiting the return of the sacred tree. I pledge my life and my honor that no danger will come anywhere near you for the remainder of this journey!"
Maine exchanged another look with Rei.
Sutai's emotions were genuine, her identification of the attackers provided critical intelligence, and the escort detachment she brought consisted of their absolute elites, demonstrating sufficient sincerity.
"We accept your explanation and your escort, Sutai," Maine spoke with steady composure.
Rei also offered a slight nod, adding, "We hope the threat of the 'Split-Claws' will not impact our mutual agreement." She had not completely lowered her guard, but chose to base her judgment on the current reality.
"It absolutely will not!" Sutai responded with ironclad certainty.
Under the tight guard of over twenty of the Omaticaya's most elite warriors, the convoy set out once more, venturing deeper into the river valley leading to the Land of Chants.
However, the shadow of the ambush had not completely dispersed. The hostility of the "Split-Claw Clan" lurked in the shadows like a venomous snake, and the journey to return Hometree was now drawn into the deeper, swirling vortex of internal Na'vi conflict.