Chapter 701: The Cooperation Ryo Desires
Quaritch's heart sank.
The South Wing refinery and the gas pipeline were the main arteries connecting several major mining sectors to Hell's Gate. If they were destroyed, the losses would be incalculable.
"How do you know this?" Quaritch stared at Ryo, attempting to find a flaw in the other man's face.
"We have our own monitoring methods," Ryo answered flawlessly. "Colonel, forgive my bluntness, but your current defensive strategy is ineffective. Your sensors cannot effectively capture these units, and your patrols are simply taking a beating passively. If this continues, your losses will only grow."
Quaritch's fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white. He hated being lectured, and he hated even more that the other party was speaking the truth.
"Dr. Ryo, what do you want?" Quaritch asked directly, dropping the pointless pleasantries.
"An opportunity for cooperation," Ryo said, his tone steady. "We can provide targeted detection support and deploy jamming devices in critical areas to significantly reduce the effectiveness of the cloaked units. Simultaneously, we can dispatch tactical squads to assist your forces in defending key nodes or to eliminate locked-on threats. In exchange, we require shared access to site data from some of the attacks, as well as permission to conduct scientific research activities in specific areas."
The terms did not sound excessive; they even seemed somewhat lenient. But Quaritch knew that once he let the tentacles of these "Seekers" slip into the RDA's defensive lines, getting them to leave would be difficult.
But did he have a choice?
Quaritch's gaze swept over the other officers in the command center, seeing exhaustion, anxiety, and faint anticipation on their faces. Morale could not withstand another major blow.
After a long silence, Quaritch took a deep breath and made the difficult decision.
"Dr. Ryo, we can discuss a specific cooperation plan. But I need to see actual proof of your capabilities."
"Acceptable," Ryo nodded. "In four hours, we will send you an analysis of the defensive vulnerabilities in the South Wing refinery sector, along with recommendations for reinforcement. At the same time, one of our tactical squads will head to the perimeter of that area for a preventative deployment. If an attack occurs, they will intervene. You may send personnel to supervise."
"I will evaluate it personally," Quaritch said, closing the communication.
He turned around and looked out at the pitch-black jungle through the window, experiencing a complex mix of emotions. Seeking help from this group of mysterious people was undoubtedly a compromise, perhaps even a defeat. But to protect the RDA's fundamental interests on Pandora, he had to do it.
What he did not know was that at the exact moment he ended the call, Ryo was issuing new orders to the Eldar warriors hiding in the shadows: "Suspend attack preparations for the RDA's South Wing sector. Shift the target to the Seventh Transport Convoy heading northwest. Keep the attack intensity medium, ensuring there are survivors who can bring back the news of encountering an 'invisible attack.' Make Colonel Quaritch's 'preventative deployment' look highly effective."
Over the next seventy-two hours, the situation on Pandora underwent subtle changes.
On the Na'vi side, Tsu'tey's crushing defeat and severe injuries acted as a death knell, announcing the total bankruptcy of the radical faction's path. During the clan council, no one loudly advocated for "lone vengeance" or "rejecting all Sky People" anymore. Instead, a pragmatic, even pessimistic mood began to spread.
Chief Eytukan and Tsahik Mo'at took the opportunity to push forward a resolution to deepen cooperation with the Seekers. Sutai was officially authorized to conduct specific negotiations with Ryo's faction regarding joint defense, intelligence sharing, and even a certain degree of personnel training.
Sutai contacted Rei Ayanami immediately.
This time, her attitude was much more earnest, and the scope of cooperation she proposed was much broader.
"We need more than just sporadic early warnings or post-incident searches," Sutai said to Rei Ayanami, and by extension, to Ryo on the other end of the communicator. "We need to learn how to detect these invisible enemies, and how to effectively defend and even counterattack when encountered. We hope the Seekers can send experienced warriors to guide our hunters. We are also willing to share our knowledge of the jungle and the Eywa network to help you better understand this land."
Ryo's reply, relayed through Rei Ayanami, was prompt and specific: "Acceptable. We will dispatch a three-member advisory team to the Land of Chants for a period of two weeks. They will be responsible for basic reconnaissance and anti-stealth tactical guidance. In exchange, we require three Na'vi hunters to act as guides, assisting us in surveying the potential activity zones of the 'Rift Talon clan' in northern Pandora. Additionally, the Omaticaya clan must guarantee the safety and freedom of movement for our personnel within a fifty-kilometer radius of the Land of Chants."
The terms were clear and even somewhat harsh, but after a brief discussion with Eytukan and the others, Sutai gritted her teeth and accepted. They did not have much bargaining capital right now.
Meanwhile, on the RDA side, after receiving the "South Wing Refinery Defense Analysis" provided by Ryo, Quaritch felt a chill when he saw several defensive loopholes pointed out that even he had not noticed. However, what he felt more was the discomfort of being thoroughly seen through.
Nevertheless, he followed the recommendations and adjusted the patrol routes and sensor deployments in the area.
Forty-eight hours passed, and the South Wing sector remained perfectly calm. Conversely, a transport convoy to the northwest was attacked, losing some cargo but suffering only light casualties. Quaritch attributed this to the enemy choosing to strike a weaker link after the defensive focus had shifted; to some extent, this actually verified the value of the Seekers' intelligence.
Therefore, when Ryo's side proposed that they could "assist in repairing damaged stations and deploy experimental anti-stealth monitoring devices," Quaritch reluctantly agreed after an intense internal struggle and a remote consultation with Parker Selfridge. But he strictly limited the areas and times where the Seekers' personnel could operate, insisting that RDA technicians must accompany them at all times.
Ryo raised no objections.
Thus, over the next few days, a small engineering team from the Seekers entered several destroyed mining stations under the vigilant gaze of RDA soldiers. The speed at which they repaired the damage was staggering, and the tools and technology they used were completely different from the RDA's conventional equipment.
More importantly, they deployed inconspicuous, metallic mushroom-like devices around the perimeter of the stations. These devices were said to emit jamming waves on specific frequencies to disrupt cloaking fields.
At the same time, Pilar and another technical expert from Maine's squad entered the Land of Chants, accompanied by two veteran Omaticaya hunters. They brought modified portable detectors and some simulation equipment for training.
The training took place in a specially designated area on the edge of the clan's settlement. The content primarily focused on how to utilize indirect signs, such as environmental sounds, changes in airflow, and abnormal biological reactions, to judge the potential presence and movements of cloaked units. It also covered basic countermeasures upon encountering them, such as how to rapidly form defensive formations and use specific signal flares to call for help.