65. Gratefulness between two Antithesis

Year 1, days 13.

Liam was currently looking at Gladius running after its bifurcated tail trying desperately to eat an iron truffle glued with sap to the left tip of its tail.

And while the great austrapede was in this less-than-optimal state Orien, Occiden, and Septen atop the Valkyrie wing were mimicking a laugh and the trio wasn't discreet while doing it.

"I know you want to help, go.", Liam said to Meri, the red tetrapteron was fidgeting over his armored shoulder, hesitating on what to do.

'They are literal children.', he thought amusedly before whistling, a few seconds later Daisy walked out of the Valkyrie ramp with nervousness in its steps. 

The slinger walked with its spindly legs over the dry grass and cracked dirt toward him. The strange creature was still the size of a golden retriever, if a rather large one, and was overall very shy. Shyness or not he was going to need the little guy for what he had in mind.

He currently was in the great plain and a few dozen meters away from the Sacred Hollow and he brought the entire group here aside from Aegis for obvious reasons.

He brought them here for them to have a little outing to let them exhaust themselves out and he knew Hell's Gate stressed them, it wasn't so much the technology and lack of vegetation even if the latter played a role in it but the number of people, from humans to Na'vi was the major player.

Something that he could feel through the links and affected him to a degree but for different reasons, he wasn't antisocial before and still isn't but to say the constant irrationality of everyone around wasn't getting to his nerves would be a lie, even Grace.

The fact he needed to micromanage most things didn't help, he already stopped several potential catastrophes from happening. 

It's not that others were incompetent it's just that nearly no one had the competence he had for what was needed. Plenty of scientists but nearly no one for what was actually needed.

And the fact that the threat that was the RDA and United Nations was understood by too few individuals and that within those it didn't seem to ring true how concrete it was. 

Many had decided to make children as if thinking about no more than two decades in the future was asking too much. They were short-sighted, too focused on the present, or played the ostriches by lying to themselves.

But it was understandable, they knew he was working on solutions, having proven multiple times his capabilities and as such thought everything was fine and in many aspects, they would be correct but that wasn't an excuse. He couldn't do everything.

They became dependent on him, Liam the magical solution to fix all, and he wasn't ignorant of the fact it was partly his fault it happened but he was new to this and didn't have many options. Things needed to be done fast and efficiently. 

He understood now why Eywa rarely if ever intervened directly even if the context was different in his case, she didn't want nor need little mortal worshippers doing nothing for themselves and hoping she would save them if calamities struck.

No good deed goes unpunished as the saying goes, it was a complex balance to set. He didn't need a general panic about how everyone was doomed, this would be the worst and he was in the end nitpicking. 

It wasn't that grave as of now, but nipping future problems in the bud was the best solution even if the method to do so was currently unclear. 

Laxity about the future was a problem to be corrected for everyone, a little space training that Jake spoke about wasn't going to cut it. He was their leader of the human faction at the end, and so it was his responsibility.

But he needed a place of peace, his own little sanctuary. He deemed that he deserved this much and he had several locations in mind thanks to the dozens of satellites he put in orbit around Pandora but talking with the true owner of the moon was a plus.

And it was but a fraction of why he was here.

His tames weren't mindless machines that just needed food to function, this was a bonus of coming here even if not the best since it was in the middle of the dry season but it's better than nothing. Water was at his tames' disposal in abandon anyway.

"Be careful as you play and do not eviscerate anything or anyone without reason.", he warned, his deep voice echoing loud and clear.

And as he pushed aside green thorny vines covering the cave entrance, caws of acknowledgment from the five birds reached his ears causing a smile to form.

The change from the struggling and dying plant to the vibrantly bioluminescent strikingly alive once was quite violent, he kept the vines aside for his slinger to walk through then he followed, his helmet folding back over his face giving full body protection. 

His armor didn't truly change aside from several upgrades such as an integrated cooling and heating system, a far more efficient energy system, better cameras, better under armor, etcetera, it just was better overall. 

It was an upgraded version from the precedent but nothing out of the world compared to before. It would be considered a masterpiece of engineering if not for it being heavy to the point no human trained or not would be able to wear it for an extended period without the risk of injury.

And that didn't take into consideration that many of its functions were commanded mentally needing higher and faster brain processing power or cybernetic augmentation. 

Components even if modified and treated in ways that will increase certain of their characteristics to their extremes for precise effect do not equal them suddenly becoming perfect and indestructible but it certainly helps in getting close to that.

As such Liam couldn't magically improve the performance of the armor to an impossible degree, the large round of an autocannon would still dig a hole through his head, helmet on or off, it wasn't a one-meter thick armor plate after all

Though most high-caliber bullets from handheld firearms would have great difficulty ever going through the outer shell. 

It was designed to protect the wearer against that, explosions, and more but it wasn't a perfect armor not that it was even possible to begin with. 

Even less currently but still as of now only a small fraction of Pandora's fauna and flora could actually harm him in any meaningful way but that wasn't a reason to be careless.

Four three-meter-long (~9ft8) mechanical tendrils grew from the upper back of his armor, two on each shoulder blade as he picked up Daisy under his right arm and began advancing within the cave.

The tendrils pushed blue jellyfish tentacle-like vines covered in a mucus capable of melting steel and flesh alike without getting any damage on themselves due to the alloy of metal and polymer they were made of. 

As was the same for most of his armor, he simply didn't want to damage the area where it wasn't the case and cause grievous chemical burns to his slinger. Armors for his tames was an ongoing side-project.

The travel downward went without complication, Daisy following behind jumping far and high to keep with him all the while it produced pheromone upon his command to keep critters such as the flashlight viperwolves at bays.

They weren't a danger but having to kill without reason was a no in his book and he cracked how the bones in their body collected hydrogen weeks ago. 

There was no point in fighting them aside from their meat and they didn't taste that great either unless marinated in something strong to the point that the meat had barely any of its soapy aftertaste and it held little to no nutritional value. 

To Na'vi it tasted great that he knew but he wasn't one of the tall blue folk so it tasted like soap. 

Standing in front of the rocky entrance covered up by pink fluorescent overgrowth he closed his eyes and entered to open them to the sight of a massive white weeping willow split in two from its middle bathing the cave ceiling it was growing from, its ethereal light bathing the area in its hue.

'I swear it only seems to get prettier and prettier each time I go down here.', Liam internally marveled at the sight, his metallic boots trudging carefully upon the root bridge he was advancing on. 

He didn't need to enter his order as the slinger was already taking in a guarding position where he entered from it was soon followed by hundreds of woodsprites blocking every other exit and entry creating a tapestry of light over the cave walls.

His heart rate increased slightly as he approached the throne of roots, the link with Eywa seemingly growing progressively stronger making it easier for both to understand the emotion of the others.

He was happy to be here and he could feel the same sentiment from the link, it wasn't one-sided, far from it. He wasn't oblivious or blind to what was beginning to happen but he didn't know how to rationalize it.

And he knew she was aware as well both were far too intelligent and not dense enough for this to not be noticed, love wasn't the right term, far from it at least for what it was but a sense of kinship with a budding affection developing toward this would be a more appropriate term.

It was positive if strange for the common mortal he supposed but as arrogant as it sounded he wasn't of the common mortal with his admittedly basic understanding of his biology he was the implant straight up, it was where his Engramic Matrix resided, his very Mind and Soul, his brain was used solely for computing power, automatic and somatic bodily function.

But the body was him, it wasn't a human-shaped meat puppet he was parasitizing, the nervous system of a human wasn't considered a parasite, and the logic was the same here, the implant was just more him than anything else. 

And this only he and Eywa knew, both understating the other more than any others on this moon.

In any case, it felt good and it was a good development for everyone, and at the end of the day, it was what mattered. And added that there was plenty of reason for him to avoid this type of development with others, humans or Na'vi.

Mentality between the two parties in both knowledge, way of seeing the world, and understanding of it were the most important of all, they needed to be both distinctively different and yet similar but those weren't the only factor.

Aside from the potential lifespan problem, he didn't need someone so inferior to him that they might as well be an accessory if a rather unfitting one that is here more likely to suck up to him than anything else. 

Elitist, insane, freaky, or an inhuman way of seeing things maybe but he didn't care if he wanted a partner it would be a partner, not a submissive plaything or a pretty parasite or an average person as it was a recipe for a disaster to happen. 

His way of thinking didn't do a full turn from before, changed yes but in essence, it was the same, it was just that the necessary requirements were pushed to his current level.

Liam cracked his neck and sat on the throne-like structure of roots, his armor then began to unfold from his body, the gauntlets were the first to go as metallic pieces until now unseen snapped open and moved backward taking the armor with them and revealing his arms.

His shoulder followed, then his helmet, and after this a thin line from his neck to his lower abdomen, and in a similar fashion the armor fragmented and slipped away to his back where the other pieces glided downward toward his thighs. The armor didn't disappear into nothingness.

A syringe materialized in his left hand and without much of a thought Liam stabbed it in the most prominent vein of his other arm then he injected himself with the slinger venom. 

He gritted his teeth for the first few seconds as the foreign substance almost felt like acid coursing through his vein but this feeling soon became overtaken by a slowly creeping numbness however it always was present in the background if ignorable. 

At the same time, he felt the furry tendrils growing and start covering his now bare upper body, it was from everywhere at once from his Adonis belt, abs, and pectoral muscles moving around the short and neatly trimmed patch of hair on them to his shoulder blades, arms and back. Some of those thin filaments even going over his armor.

It was everywhere except for his face and it wasn't the most unpleasant thing in the world, in fact, it felt like a hug because it was one as he realized from his link if a rather alien one.

And less than innocent one with where and how some of the tendril-like filament moved. This realization led to an amused smirk growing on his face and an eyebrow to be lifted.

This became even more obvious as only in specific areas where his nervous system concentrated such as his spine, nape, and implant did the prickling sensation of a connection being made was felt.

And it wasn't new if the two last connections were any indication as only those three points of interest were important for a connection of the ritual for Grace where those tendrils were only following the central nervous system and making a large 'net' over both bodies.

The difference was evident.

Eywa held the shared knowledge of an entire species from its creation, Na'vi in many cases weren't less inventive than humans. 

As such she wasn't an innocent being free of any knowledge about this aspect of the world, quite the extreme opposite in fact and he would have guessed even without his link that it was on purpose. 

In the end, it was just a hug if one that was very focused on every groove of his muscles. 

Though why she was so specifically interested in those he wasn't certain but he didn't complain it was like a pleasant massage that drove him to relax and let the venom take its full effect.

And so after a few minutes of this pleasant peace, his eyelids became too heavy to hold and his mind too foggy and unfocused to work properly he finally let himself fall into this half-asleep half awake state.

"Welcome back Liam it's a pleasure to see you again.", the soft multilayered voice of the All-Mother caused the man in question to turn and meet the multi-eyed gaze of the goddess.

"The sentiment is shared, Eywa.", Liam answered genuinely his body and its ever-shifting skin from an almost golden tan to a translucent blue showing nerve and vein turned in the metaphysical Tek structure, a thin smile forming as he faced her.

The link here was stronger than ever but it wasn't, couldn't overwhelm him. He was calm and collected, his very being focused on what words must be spoken and the being to which they must be spoken but he wasn't the first to speak.

"We must thank you for the actions you have accomplished… It is evident, clear, and apparent to all but without you, many more of my children would have died as We only acted when the time was deemed adequate.", she said with joy, anger, and sadness as she inched slightly closer.

"We do not possess the untold knowledge and influence over what is known as technology as you do and never will but as shown it is a necessity for survival, you have taught me a lesson. We cannot win and survive with the Ways and Laws directed for Peace. We will adapt with you toward our survival. And for what you did, doing, and are going to do, simple gratitude is not enough.", she continued earnestly both through words and emotions, her vine-like hair glowing a brighter shade of violet and bluish-white.

"I feel no different, I'm grateful for your assistance during the battle, without it… I would have had to continue participating in this senseless slaughter and spiraled downward. As for my knowledge… I hold a similar view of amazement about your own on what humans call biology and Psionic.", Liam said in a similar if colder tone of voice than her, the various rings of metal and small sparkling hexagon orbiting around him slowing down as he moved slightly out of their protection.

Paranoia was unneeded here and what a freeing feeling it was, all was but the truth of what the others thought with their intentions and raw emotions, it was exhilarating to not have this constant nihilism at the back of his head.

He trusted her and she trusted him plain and simple. No sophisticated and nefarious ulterior motive behind anything. Liam knew the him of the past would call him insane for thinking that about a more than million-year-old hive mind and that would be correct to a large degree but not for the same reason.

*

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