Chapter 688: Capturing the Predators
At this moment, the mature warrior was in a desperate situation.
Electronic jamming severely affected his targeting and cloaking, Maine and Dorio's suppressive fire prevented him from shooting steadily, and Valerie's Iron Guard mech was closing in with heavy steps, its massive mechanical hand reaching for him.
Realizing that his companions had been captured and he might not be able to escape, the mature warrior let out a furious roar. He suddenly changed his strategy, no longer attempting to attack the Iron Guard, but aiming his shoulder caster at the Na'vi hunters assisting in the blockade nearby!
"Stop him!" Maine instantly realized his intent.
An ice-blue beam of light arrived faster than Maine's voice.
It was Jake, hidden on a high fungal platform, who piloted another Iron Guard and used a precise concussion round to hit the mature warrior's shoulder caster, causing it to deflect slightly.
The plasma beam grazed the top of the Na'vi hunters' heads and shattered a giant mushroom behind them into pieces.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the massive mechanical hand of Valerie's Iron Guard finally grabbed the mature warrior firmly. The tremendous pressure immobilized him, and subsequently, a large dose of tranquilizer was injected through the gaps in his armor.
The battle ended within minutes.
Two Predator Young Bloods and one mature warrior were successfully captured and fell into a deep coma.
Maine's squad quickly moved forward, using energy-suppression cuffs and specially made restraint bags to properly secure the three captives, and administered a continuous drip of tranquilizers.
Sutai and the Na'vi hunters on the perimeter witnessed the entire process. Watching Maine's squad resolve the enemy—an enemy that had caused them heavy casualties and left them helpless—with extremely high efficiency and near-zero casualties, their hearts were filled with shock and complex emotions.
There was relief and gratitude, but also an indescribable awe.
"Targets captured, mission accomplished," Maine reported to Ryo. "No casualties on our side, zero casualties for the Na'vi auxiliary defense forces. The captives are stable and are being transported to the temporary holding area."
"Excellent," Ryo's response came through. "Bring the specimens back. Maintain strict secrecy. Let the Na'vi know that cooperation holds value, but the threat of the Predators is far from over."
The three Predators were secretly transported to a specially modified isolation cabin on the lower levels of the Trailblazer, a room lined with energy-suppression fields.
Apothecary Gaius and Techmarine Cassius immediately began their preliminary examinations and sampling procedures.
The glowing green blood, skin flakes carrying unique pheromones, and active cellular tissue were carefully extracted, categorized, and stored.
Every step was conducted strictly in accordance with the highest biological safety standards.
Ryo looked at the Predators in forced hibernation within the isolation cabin, the light of scientific inquiry gleaming in his eyes.
"Perfect biological specimens... containing the secret to longevity. Ensure they survive, Gaius; their value far exceeds your imagination."
"Vitals are stable, but their metabolic rate is extremely high. The tranquilizers are being metabolized rapidly; they require continuous monitoring and dosage adjustments," Gaius replied while recording data. "Preliminary genetic analysis shows their telomere structures are exceptionally stable, and their cellular division limit vastly exceeds that of humans, even surpassing Astartes brethren. This 'Yautja Prime'... is truly miraculous."
Meanwhile, news of Maine's squad successfully capturing three Predators spread within a limited circle.
Upon learning this, Sutai and Chief Eytukan breathed a massive sigh of relief, their trust and reliance on the Seekers significantly increasing.
They believed that with this powerful and friendly external aid, the Na'vi finally saw a glimmer of hope for survival.
However, the effects of Ryo's deliberately controlled "limited" support also began to manifest.
Despite losing a patrol squad (which the Predator mothership marked as missing in action and presumed compromised), the Predator Elder's fury was not quelled; rather, it burned even brighter due to this unexplained loss.
He deduced that the Na'vi had acquired more effective assistance, but this assistance did not seem to entirely halt their hunts.
The Predator attacks continued.
They avoided areas with obvious traces of Seeker activity, instead launching more frequent attacks on the RDA's supply lines and fringe outposts, while simultaneously targeting relatively weakly defended Na'vi settlements and field hunting parties.
On the RDA side, although Colonel Quaritch was displeased by the Seekers covertly cooperating with the Na'vi, he was currently overwhelmed himself.
The elusive attacks of the Predators left his soldiers exhausted and demoralized.
He had also attempted to organize several targeted purge operations, but they yielded minimal results, instead costing him several more AMP suits and personnel.
The Predator threat acted like a rasp, continuously grinding away at the RDA's resources and patience.
On the Na'vi side, although major clans like the Land of Chants saw a slight reduction in pressure due to the occasional support from Maine's squad, bad news continued to pour in from other regions.
A small gathering camp was bathed in blood; a supply transport group was ambushed...
The Predator Elder and his core warriors continued to prowl the jungles of Pandora like ghosts, searching for prey and opportunities for vengeance.
While recovering from his injuries, Tsu'tey learned of the process by which Maine's squad captured the Predators from his clansmen, and his mood was complex.
He was both grateful for the Seekers' help and suspicious of this capture-but-do-not-kill behavior, which seemed to harbor ulterior motives.
"Why don't they just wipe out those monsters? What are they waiting for?" he privately expressed his confusion to Sutai.
Sutai could not fully answer either; she could only offer consolation: "Regardless, they helped us. Without them, our losses right now would be even greater. Perhaps... they have their own plans."
Through various channels, Ryo coldly observed all of this.
The RDA and the Na'vi remained firmly pinned down by the Predators, both sides continuously bleeding out.
And he, amidst this chaotic vortex, steadily collected the most precious trophies.
"Three... is far from enough," Ryo muttered to himself, looking at the surveillance feed of the isolation cabin. "I need more samples, of different ages and different ranks... especially that Elder."
He knew that capturing a Predator Elder alive would be extremely difficult and would require mobilizing the stronger forces at his disposal, but it was not yet time.
He turned and instructed Cassius: "Analyze the cloaking technology and weapon systems equipped on the captives. See if they can be reverse-engineered, or if we can find more effective countermeasures. For the next operation, I want the capture process to be even more efficient. The target... can tentatively be set as a squad composed of two mature warriors."
"Understood, Commander," Cassius bowed as he accepted the order.
Under Ryo's precise manipulation, the situation on Pandora maintained a fragile, bloody equilibrium.
The Predator threat persisted, constant as background noise, forcing the RDA and the Na'vi to continuously pour in resources.