When a seemingly lifeless boy is saved by a girl.
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Ma'vona was once a beloved member of the Kame'tire clan, known for their profound understanding of Pandora's flora and unparalleled healing skills. Their expertise was so great that they could heal...
♪ Remembrance by Pinar Toprak, Ashley Jarmack ♪ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Chapter Thirty-Eight: Mapping the Risk
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Just as Richard set up his solar panels and powered his system, the dim glow of the screens lit up the room. He leaned back into his chair, his fingers poised over the keyboard, ready to dive into the task. Meanwhile, I exchanged a look with Txä'vo, unease knotting in my stomach.
Txä'vo's expression mirrored my own. We both knew the secret we carried—the real scope of this mission. It wasn’t just about Neteyam, though that alone was vital. There was more at stake, and Richard was still in the dark about it. How would he react when we told him? I swallowed hard, steeling myself.
"Rich," I began cautiously, my voice breaking the tense silence. His eyes flicked to me briefly before returning to the screen, but he didn’t stop typing.
"Haven’t told me everything yet, have you?" Richard said, his tone sharp but not unkind.
"No," Txä'vo answered for me, his voice steady. "We haven’t."
Richard stopped typing, turning fully to face us. His brows furrowed, confusion shadowing his face. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.
I hesitated, but Txä'vo pressed forward, glancing briefly at me before speaking. "Neteyam isn’t the only one we’re trying to rescue."
That single statement was enough to shift the entire atmosphere in the room. Richard leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes in frustration as the weight of our words sank in. When he opened them again, they were filled with a mix of disbelief and anger.
"No," he said firmly, standing abruptly from his chair. He took a step back, his movements sharp, the tension in his shoulders unmistakable. Tso'lek and Eyko, standing near the doorway, exchanged uncertain glances.
"Richard, listen," I began, stepping toward him, but he held up a hand, cutting me off before I could continue.
"I’ve been through this before, Ma’vona," he said, his tone stern. "You must’ve learned something from what happened. Don’t tell me you’re about to repeat their mistakes."
My heart clenched at his words. Memories of my parents, their unwavering determination and tragic failure, came rushing back. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.
"Our plan isn’t the same as theirs," I said quickly, my voice shaking but resolute. "We don’t intend to—"
"Stop," Richard interrupted, his voice rising slightly. He pointed a finger at me, frustration evident in his every word. "We’ve got to get past this, Ma’vona. Those Sarentu kids were trapped, and we failed to get them back. We paid the price, and so did your parents. It’s been years now. They’re all probably grown up, brainwashed into following orders—even if it means dying for the RDA. You can’t save them. Not now."
