I spent the next six weeks preparing at the territorial capital. I trained in an avatar simulator. I went through Augustine’s and Selfridge’s reports -- I could see why those two were like oil and water. I video interviewed Selfridge, but he didn’t want to talk unless it was part of some kind of deal. I sympathized. In addition to being naturally weaselly, he had a court date coming up, and some seriously unhappy investors looking for some explanations.
Some of the other base members were a lot more fruitful. They pointed out that all the scientists had died, so that whole side of the story was missing, but they knew there was a lot of bad blood between Augustine’s group and Selfridge and Quaritch. They also pointed out that the disaster raid was the second big one. They had shot up a native village tree just fine in the first raid a few days earlier, but things had gone down hill fast after that. The natives had learned things, like how to use Earth weaponry. And some of the base people had gotten real unhappy after the first raid -- they said it was like some old-time Indian massacre from Earth history. And the natives of the whole region had gotten up in arms. How they all found out about the first raid and responded so quickly was still a mystery to these base people. The second raid was Quaritch’s idea, and it was headed to blow up some native shrine to show those restless natives that Earth people meant business.
When I talked to the attackers, they talked of strange things happening. They said that some of the natives had guns, and that a lot of animals had attacked them, too. In fact, they were seriously freaked out about the whole affair. None wanted to go back, and they warned me in no uncertain terms that I was asking to see some serious strangeness if I went down there... bad serious strangeness.
I guess I’ve been warned.
Selfridge’s corporation has cut bait on him, and is cooperating with the governor by building me an avatar. As best I can tell from Augustine’s records, their avatars worked OK. I hope mine does, too.
There is one additional oddity worth noting. One of the avatar users was Jake Sully, a marine with paralyzed legs, not a scientist. He was down there because he was an identical twin to one of Augustine’s scientists who died of something before he could get to Pandora. Judging from his reports, Sully liked the experience, and he contributed a lot. But that’s about all there is to say about him. He was one of those who didn’t come back.
So, that’s the prep. The next you’ll hear from me. I’ll be orbiting Pandora.