Chapter 614: The Na'vi
The Na'vi leader spoke once more, emitting a sequence of complex, musical syllables while gesturing toward the exploration team's gear, pointing up at the sky, and finally gesturing deep into the forest.
"He is asking about our origins and purpose," Ryo (the second avatar) deduced, analyzing the creature's body language and context. "He is also likely warning us that this forest is their home, protected by 'Eywa'."
Although Maine could not understand the spoken language, he grasped the general intent through his vast field experience. He pointed to himself and his teammates, then gestured toward the sky with a downward motion to signify they came from off-world, before shaking his head and spreading his hands again to show no malice.
The Na'vi leader tilted his head, seemingly in thought.
A younger Na'vi behind him grew impatient, letting out a low growl and raising his bow slightly. The leader turned immediately, stopping him with a stern glare and a rapid series of reprimanding words.
"There is internal disagreement," Ryo (the second avatar) analyzed. "The elders or higher-ranking individuals lean toward observation and communication, while the younger ones are more aggressive."
Just then, at the rear of the camp, Rei Ayanami—who had been quietly recording the "forest whispers"—suddenly stood up.
Her movement caught the Na'vi's attention, and several arrows were immediately trained on her.
"Rei! Don't move!" Shinji called out nervously in a low voice.
Rei seemed not to hear. Her red eyes fixed upon the Na'vi leader as she slowly raised a hand, touching her temple lightly with her fingertips. Then, she turned her palm toward the Na'vi and opened it slowly.
It was not a known form of communication, but an instinctive gesture based on her perception of the bio-consciousness field—an attempt to establish a connection.
The Na'vi leader froze. His golden eyes locked onto Rei, seemingly sensing something extraordinary.
He could feel that this slender creature with unusual hair and eyes emitted a faint, subtle resonance with the forest and Eywa. It was starkly different from the other intruders who bore the scent of metal and alien energy.
He hesitated for a moment, then made a move that surprised the entire exploration team.
He signaled his companions to lower their weapons, then stepped forward alone, slowly approaching Rei. His stride was steady, and the neural queue behind his head swayed gently, as if actively broadcasting a signal.
Maine and Dorio watched tensely, their fingers resting beside their triggers, ready for any sudden shift.
Ryo (the second avatar) issued a quiet command: "Everyone remain still. Observe."
The Na'vi leader halted about five meters away from Rei.
He examined her carefully, then slowly raised the neural queue behind his head. The end of the queue—resembling a living organism—emitted a soft bioluminescence, extending toward Rei.
He was inviting her to connect.
Everyone held their breath. A direct biological neural connection carried unknown risks: Who could say what would happen—an exchange of information, or an erosion of consciousness?
Rei looked at the glowing tendril approaching her, her face remaining entirely impassive. She merely tilted her head slightly, as if sensing a clearer wave of consciousness from him—one containing curiosity, probing, and a trace of... grief?
Ryo (the second avatar) rapidly assessed the risk: Rei's mental state was stable, and her sensitivity to consciousness fields was exceptionally high. This connection could yield valuable first-hand data regarding the planet and Na'vi society. The risk was manageable.
"Pilot Rei Ayanami," his voice reached her ears via the encrypted channel, "you may decide for yourself whether to accept the connection. Mission priority: gather information. Disconnect immediately if you feel any discomfort or threat."
Rei was silent for a moment. Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, she slowly raised her hand toward the glowing neural queue.
There was no physical contact required.
The moment her fingertips were about to brush the queue, the glowing end wrapped itself around her wrist as if endowed with life. A soft, electric-like glow flashed across the point of contact.
Rei's body shuddered slightly, and her red eyes lost their focus, as though her consciousness had been pulled away.
A massive, chaotic flood of information poured into her mind: lush forests, soaring Ikran, bounding Viperwolves, tribal bonfires, the sacred Tree of Souls...
Alongside those images came memories of massive, roaring machinery knocking down ancient trees, fire consuming homelands, and tribe members falling in explosions—overwhelming grief, anger, love for their home, hatred toward intruders, and a devout faith in Eywa. These memories and emotions, which did not belong to her, surged violently.
She saw the Na'vi leader—his name was Eytukan, leader of the Omaticaya clan. She felt his responsibility to his tribe, his pain over lost loved ones, and his unyielding conviction to preserve the balance of the forest.
The connection lasted less than ten seconds.
Eytukan broke the link first, his eyes filled with shock and confusion. He had never successfully established such a clear connection with a non-Na'vi, especially a creature so visually different.
Within this frail creature's consciousness, he felt an indescribable purity, an emptiness, and a deeply buried sorrow starkly different from the cold intruders in his memories.
Rei stumbled back slightly, her face pale. Shinji instinctively stepped forward to support her, but she stabilized herself.
She blinked, her red eyes refocusing, a subtle shift appearing in her gaze as she looked at Eytukan.
"He... is Eytukan," Rei said into the communication channel in her usual flat tone. "They... lost a part of their home. Because of... the machines of the Sky People."
She pointed to the aircraft wreckage on the opposite bank of the stream. "Those... were earlier Sky People."
Though fragmented, the information was of immense significance. It confirmed the existence and intelligence of the Na'vi, revealed a history of conflict between them and previously arrived humans (Sky People), and underscored the central role of the planetary consciousness, Eywa, in their culture and faith.
Eytukan took a long look at Rei, then swept his gaze across the rest of the exploration team. He uttered a few short syllables and gestured to his companions.
The Na'vi party slowly began to retreat, merging into the dense forest until they vanished without a trace.
First contact had come to a temporary close in an unexpected manner—without conflict, yet securing vital intelligence.
The successful neural connection between Rei and the Na'vi opened a new door for subsequent exploration, while simultaneously raising a new question: What long-term effects would such a connection have on the pilot herself?