Chapter 27; In the Shadow of the Hive
Kadaeux
Delta Imperator
- Location
- Vortice between realities
Chapter 27;
In the Shadow of the Hive
Eywa was changing. That was the word that had been spreading like a wildfire since the landing of the Kraken. From one tribe to the next the Na'vi we being changed and Jake was not really certain how he felt about that. Forced to flee from the Omatikaya by the resurrected Quartich's pursuit, now with the Metkayina he had only learned that the Tulkun spoke of a new predator in the oceans of Pandora.
Neytiri seemed disinclined to share in his paranoia and that fact worried him greatly. He stopped suddenly and looked up. The vast edifice of the hive ships overhead, the many many kilometres of tubes reaching down into the atmosphere to plunge into the taken zone where they fed greedily off of Pandora's bounty. There was a sense of expectation in the air, waiting for something to happen. And that expectation was not without reason. A flight of Toruk's flew close. A dozen of the majestic solitary creatures. And behind them, the skies spread into vast beats of wings and Jake felt a moments terror that they were fleeing something. Several creatures larger than a Toruk with a terrible countenance began beating low towards the Metkayina tents and....
People dropped from them casually where wings snapped out from their backs. The wings snapped and they came low towards the Metkayina village, the Na'vi responding in a panic, bringing spears and crossbows to bear. Jake raised his assault rifle and sighted the nearest of the strange creatures. They were humanoid in basic planform only with the wings folded behind them, they looked like something Giger might have masturbated to. But they moved like something else, as soon as Jake raised his rifle he found three of the figures aimed at him with organic looking weapons. "Lower your weapon Jake Sully. I would prefer not to fire this at you."
The words came in english, they had not responded to the defensive preparation of the other Na'vi except a casual wariness. And he realised why, more creatures fell from the wings of the massive creatures they had arrived in, and they beat wings in the air, holding a weapon clutched in their limbs aimed low. Neytiri came out and tried to calm down the Metkayina.
Jake lifted the barrel to the heavens and held it in a manner showing at the very least that he was listening. The leader of the strangers changed, her head peeling away from... a seemingly human head beneath.
"What do you want?" He asked as another massive flier came in, and this time it dropped off a number of objects directly on the beach itself, each of them floating in the shallow waters or leaving divots in the sand. They looked like wet eggs.
Another of the figures stepped forwards, living helmet receding. "We have been sent by Kraken and Eywa. The RDA have been issued ultimatums to leave in return for assistance correcting Earth's biosphere and even aiding them in development of faster than light, but they are dragging their feet waiting for a response from Earth. As such, we have been contracted, for lack of better word, to provide your insurgency with tools that will aid your actions."
One of the eggs, dragged over, split and ... Jake had no concept of what he was looking at. His expression must have carried that impression as well, for the man continued to speak.
"Second-Generation Combat Skin designed for Na'vi physiology, and rather than synapse cells for connecting to its wearer it is designed with the neural queue in mind." They stretched out the suit and Jake looked at it with a frown. "It's quite effective with the carapace sections able to withstand multiple .50 strikes as well as regenerative properties, wings for flight, muscular enhancements and even improved sensory awareness, though it does take some time to get used to having 360 degree vision.... which reminds me, you will want the faceplate open the first time you use 360 vision.. throwing up in a skinsuit is..." Behind them, one of the other skinsuited figures made a pre-vomiting sound just at the thought. "Let's just say, puke in your eyes."
Jake shuddered at the thought. "Frankly, I am not sure I believe you, or trust this gift."
"I don't give a shit." Harper said. "I'm here as a delivery man. Connect with Eywa, she has the operating instructions for the suits and weapons."
In the Shadow of the Hive
Eywa was changing. That was the word that had been spreading like a wildfire since the landing of the Kraken. From one tribe to the next the Na'vi we being changed and Jake was not really certain how he felt about that. Forced to flee from the Omatikaya by the resurrected Quartich's pursuit, now with the Metkayina he had only learned that the Tulkun spoke of a new predator in the oceans of Pandora.
Neytiri seemed disinclined to share in his paranoia and that fact worried him greatly. He stopped suddenly and looked up. The vast edifice of the hive ships overhead, the many many kilometres of tubes reaching down into the atmosphere to plunge into the taken zone where they fed greedily off of Pandora's bounty. There was a sense of expectation in the air, waiting for something to happen. And that expectation was not without reason. A flight of Toruk's flew close. A dozen of the majestic solitary creatures. And behind them, the skies spread into vast beats of wings and Jake felt a moments terror that they were fleeing something. Several creatures larger than a Toruk with a terrible countenance began beating low towards the Metkayina tents and....
People dropped from them casually where wings snapped out from their backs. The wings snapped and they came low towards the Metkayina village, the Na'vi responding in a panic, bringing spears and crossbows to bear. Jake raised his assault rifle and sighted the nearest of the strange creatures. They were humanoid in basic planform only with the wings folded behind them, they looked like something Giger might have masturbated to. But they moved like something else, as soon as Jake raised his rifle he found three of the figures aimed at him with organic looking weapons. "Lower your weapon Jake Sully. I would prefer not to fire this at you."
The words came in english, they had not responded to the defensive preparation of the other Na'vi except a casual wariness. And he realised why, more creatures fell from the wings of the massive creatures they had arrived in, and they beat wings in the air, holding a weapon clutched in their limbs aimed low. Neytiri came out and tried to calm down the Metkayina.
Jake lifted the barrel to the heavens and held it in a manner showing at the very least that he was listening. The leader of the strangers changed, her head peeling away from... a seemingly human head beneath.
"What do you want?" He asked as another massive flier came in, and this time it dropped off a number of objects directly on the beach itself, each of them floating in the shallow waters or leaving divots in the sand. They looked like wet eggs.
Another of the figures stepped forwards, living helmet receding. "We have been sent by Kraken and Eywa. The RDA have been issued ultimatums to leave in return for assistance correcting Earth's biosphere and even aiding them in development of faster than light, but they are dragging their feet waiting for a response from Earth. As such, we have been contracted, for lack of better word, to provide your insurgency with tools that will aid your actions."
One of the eggs, dragged over, split and ... Jake had no concept of what he was looking at. His expression must have carried that impression as well, for the man continued to speak.
"Second-Generation Combat Skin designed for Na'vi physiology, and rather than synapse cells for connecting to its wearer it is designed with the neural queue in mind." They stretched out the suit and Jake looked at it with a frown. "It's quite effective with the carapace sections able to withstand multiple .50 strikes as well as regenerative properties, wings for flight, muscular enhancements and even improved sensory awareness, though it does take some time to get used to having 360 degree vision.... which reminds me, you will want the faceplate open the first time you use 360 vision.. throwing up in a skinsuit is..." Behind them, one of the other skinsuited figures made a pre-vomiting sound just at the thought. "Let's just say, puke in your eyes."
Jake shuddered at the thought. "Frankly, I am not sure I believe you, or trust this gift."
"I don't give a shit." Harper said. "I'm here as a delivery man. Connect with Eywa, she has the operating instructions for the suits and weapons."
