There were no loud gunshots, only the low, distinct hissing sound of plasma cutting through the air.
Several blinding white energy beams shot out precisely from different directions. A Na'vi hunter had just raised an explosive when a plasma beam struck his chest. The intense energy instantly burned through his leather armor and muscle; he let out a short shriek and tumbled down from the tree.
Another hunter tried to dodge, but a burst from another angle severed his arm, sending his bone-and-stone weapons clattering away.
The Na'vi clearly had not expected such a precise and fierce ambush, and their formation was instantly shattered. The remaining hunters let out angry roars, quickly seeking cover, and began retaliating with bone bows, arrows, and spears.
Their arrows hit with staggering force, pinning deeply into the tree trunks, but they posed a limited threat to the Hellfire Squad, who were spread out in cover and held the terrain advantage.
"Two trying to flank on the left!" Dorio's voice rang in the comm channel. She moved like a ghost, firing suppressive bursts with her custom rifle to pin the two Na'vi down.
Maine focused on a Na'vi who appeared to be the leader, hiding behind a giant boulder and shouting loudly in Na'vi, seemingly directing his companions. Instead of rushing to kill him, Maine observed his actions and shouts, analyzing the Na'vi's emergency command patterns when ambushed.
The battle lasted less than five minutes.
After losing three members, with the rest wounded, the remaining Na'vi hunters retreated quickly through the complex terrain at their leader's whistle, vanishing into the dense forest. They did not choose to fight to the death, displaying considerable tactical flexibility.
"Cease pursuit. Check the battlefield, recover enemy weapons and equipment, and confirm the kill count," Sergeant Reynolds ordered, a hint of post-mission relief in his tone.
In this engagement, the Hellfire Squad suffered no casualties, with only two men grazed by stray arrows. They killed three Na'vi, wounded several more, successfully protected the pipeline, and salvaged some Na'vi weapons and unused explosives.
Upon returning to base, Colonel Quaritch welcomed them in person.
"Beautifully done! That's the efficiency I want to see!" He clapped Reynolds hard on the shoulder, then looked at Maine. "Your training and gear are worth every penny."
Maine nodded slightly. "They learn fast. But the Na'vi are also highly adaptable. Next time they might change their tactics. We can't let our guard down."
The success of this first joint operation vastly increased the RDA's trust and reliance on the exploration team. Through Maine's report, Osiris saw clearly the impact of a reinforced RDA force—they could indeed pin down the Na'vi more effectively, minimizing harassment of the core sectors.
However, inside the Pathfinder, Osiris felt no ease as he watched the battle footage, noting the hatred and defiance in the Na'vi leader's eyes, and their organized retreat even in defeat. He knew this was only the beginning. Increased pressure might drive the Na'vi to adopt more extreme or unified measures.
This made the infiltration and communication line of Rei's team even more important and urgent. The "blade" of the RDA was useful, but they had to be careful not to strike too hard, lest they trigger an uncontrollable backlash.
While Maine and the others helped the RDA sharpen their blades, Rei's team began their second infiltration into the Omaticaya territory.
This time, they were much better prepared. Lucy optimized the portable communications to maintain intermittent contact with the outpost, while David mapped out precise paths and safe meeting points based on the previous scouting data.
Their objective was clear: establish contact with Sutai once more.
They carefully bypassed the Na'vi's regular patrol routes and reached the dark woods near Sutai's mourning site. They set up a concealed temporary hideout inside a natural cave formed by massive fungi and buttress roots.
The wait was long. A day passed with no sign. On the afternoon of the second day, just as they considered releasing a gentle signal, Lucy's sensors picked up a solitary life signature heading their way.
Through high-powered binoculars, they confirmed it was Sutai. She was alone, holding fresh flowers, her face marred by sorrow.
"Opportunity's here," Asuka whispered, her eyes sharp with focus.
Rei nodded, closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, and released a gentle wave of emotional resonance—slightly stronger than last time but still soft, like a pebble dropped in a calm lake.
Sutai stopped in her tracks. She looked around warily, her neural queue swaying slightly. She felt that peculiar ripple again. This time, instead of showing immediate hostility, she hesitated and took a few tentative steps toward the cave.
Rei stepped out slowly, hands open to show she was unarmed, while Shinji, Asuka, and the others stayed hidden in the cave, ready to back her up.
Sutai stopped about ten meters away, her eyes complex. She asked in broken English, "Why... you... come back? Here... dangerous."
"We... want to know more," Rei said softly, as if afraid to startle her. "About... your loss. About... how to... prevent more... sorrow."
Sutai was silent, her eyes drifting to a small bundle Rei had placed on the ground. Inside were small, synthetic stone ornaments made from base materials that glowed with a warm luster, and some non-irritant, high-energy nutritional paste shaped like Pandora fruits—small gifts of goodwill prepared on Osiris's instructions.
"More sorrow..." Sutai repeated, pain flashing across her face. "Sky People's machines... every day... make sorrow. Forest shrinking, animals fleeing, children... cannot sleep." Her voice was thick with suppressed rage and deep helplessness.