Post by Neytiri on Jun 24, 2010 21:08:12 GMT -5
The camera winks on, focusing on a large Na'vi face. In the harsh glare of the medical bay lights, the bruise high on her left cheekbone is sullen and purple. The welts below it and across her chin are an angry red, stippled with dirty smudges. Her hair is disheveled, a small yellow leaf clinging to a knotted wisp. She is breathing shallowly, somewhat rapidly, her pupils wide and dark from the shock of adrenaline careening through her veins.
In the background, white-coated medics and doctors wearing exo-masks swarm over several mostly inert blue bodies. An occasional low moan can be heard through the noisy triage.
A gulp, a sharp intake of shallow breath. "We never heard it. We never even saw it. Flying over sector 17, I had a clear view of the forest. There were seven of us including the Doc. She wanted us to land in a clearing close to the border of the forest and the Hallelujah Mountains. Best place to see and compare forest and mountain ikrans."
Katja closes her eyes and takes a deep shuddering breath. Her heart hammering, shoulders quivering.
A slow tear trickles down her wounded cheek as she opens her eyes. "One minute we were hovering, the Doc pointing out a herd of sturmbeest who'd preempted our landing spot, and the next....BAM! We were spinning, out of control..." She swallows an involuntary sob, gripping the lab table hard, fighting for emotional stability.
"It was a Leonopterykx, probably thought we were after its lunch. It was like being hit by a rocket; took out the port tilt rotor. I maintained enough control to soften the crash, but it didn't help much, we hit the ground hard. Carlos had been leaning out the starboard bay door, binoculars on the sturmbeests. He was thrown - never hit the ground. That bitch ATE him, grabbed him in mid-air. Jeezus." Tears flowing now.
"We hit the ground, Garrick bounced out and flopped like a rag doll. The sturmbeest....the beests.....rushed my Samson. You'd THINK the damned things would turn tail and RUN, but NO. Too stupid for that. Thought we were a territorial threat. Three of those things slammed into my Samson like rhinos and rolled us four times, my bird is a total loss. Garrick...the Doc and I managed to get him back aboard the wreckage to wait for rescue, but not before one of those things gored him good.... "
She turns and looks for a long moment at one of the still blue figures on the foremost gurney, barely visible through the crush of white coats. Looking back at the camera, she says in an angry tone, "Radioed base for assistance, took them long enough to get there and evac us. Like if they waited long enough, they'd have a couple less avatars to deal with. They might just get their wish."
"I don't know. Don't think he's gonna make it. We don't have much avatar blood stockpiled." She wipes the tears from her bruised cheek with the back of her blue hand. "I know Carlos and Garrick - the REAL Carlos and Garrick - are alive. Probably not well, but alive. But we're down at least two avatars and one Samson. The RDA is probably gonna find a way to make these permanent reductions for the AVTR program. Bastards."
Glaring now, Katja has found a target for her rage. Her expression hardens, her control exerts itself. Her mouth a tight blue line, she stares at the camera for a few seconds before the screen slips to black.
LOG ENTRY: 0011
LOCATION: AVTR Medical Bay
RESEARCHER: CONNORS, K.____ID# 325 ZGB 002 ____ LST: 17:27:22
P.I.: AUGUSTINE, G.__________ ID# 013 SGQ 023 ____ DATE: 01/03/2149
In the background, white-coated medics and doctors wearing exo-masks swarm over several mostly inert blue bodies. An occasional low moan can be heard through the noisy triage.
A gulp, a sharp intake of shallow breath. "We never heard it. We never even saw it. Flying over sector 17, I had a clear view of the forest. There were seven of us including the Doc. She wanted us to land in a clearing close to the border of the forest and the Hallelujah Mountains. Best place to see and compare forest and mountain ikrans."
Katja closes her eyes and takes a deep shuddering breath. Her heart hammering, shoulders quivering.
A slow tear trickles down her wounded cheek as she opens her eyes. "One minute we were hovering, the Doc pointing out a herd of sturmbeest who'd preempted our landing spot, and the next....BAM! We were spinning, out of control..." She swallows an involuntary sob, gripping the lab table hard, fighting for emotional stability.
"It was a Leonopterykx, probably thought we were after its lunch. It was like being hit by a rocket; took out the port tilt rotor. I maintained enough control to soften the crash, but it didn't help much, we hit the ground hard. Carlos had been leaning out the starboard bay door, binoculars on the sturmbeests. He was thrown - never hit the ground. That bitch ATE him, grabbed him in mid-air. Jeezus." Tears flowing now.
"We hit the ground, Garrick bounced out and flopped like a rag doll. The sturmbeest....the beests.....rushed my Samson. You'd THINK the damned things would turn tail and RUN, but NO. Too stupid for that. Thought we were a territorial threat. Three of those things slammed into my Samson like rhinos and rolled us four times, my bird is a total loss. Garrick...the Doc and I managed to get him back aboard the wreckage to wait for rescue, but not before one of those things gored him good.... "
She turns and looks for a long moment at one of the still blue figures on the foremost gurney, barely visible through the crush of white coats. Looking back at the camera, she says in an angry tone, "Radioed base for assistance, took them long enough to get there and evac us. Like if they waited long enough, they'd have a couple less avatars to deal with. They might just get their wish."
"I don't know. Don't think he's gonna make it. We don't have much avatar blood stockpiled." She wipes the tears from her bruised cheek with the back of her blue hand. "I know Carlos and Garrick - the REAL Carlos and Garrick - are alive. Probably not well, but alive. But we're down at least two avatars and one Samson. The RDA is probably gonna find a way to make these permanent reductions for the AVTR program. Bastards."
Glaring now, Katja has found a target for her rage. Her expression hardens, her control exerts itself. Her mouth a tight blue line, she stares at the camera for a few seconds before the screen slips to black.
LOG ENTRY: 0011
LOCATION: AVTR Medical Bay
RESEARCHER: CONNORS, K.____ID# 325 ZGB 002 ____ LST: 17:27:22
P.I.: AUGUSTINE, G.__________ ID# 013 SGQ 023 ____ DATE: 01/03/2149