Luke

"We're being assigned back to Squad 5 with the Iron Gauntlet." I read to Gan who was lying on his sleeping sack back in our own tent.

"Is squad 5 still a thing?" Gi Gu asked.

"1 tank was destroyed. Another was crippled. And 2 were executed."

"The crews were executed. Still have 2 working tanks to fill. Camp's set up. Zahckrael's probably just putting mechanics and engineers in tanks now."

"That's stupid." I said. "They're not trained."

"Yeah. Well." Said Gan, shifting his weight to accommodate for his leg. "Neither were we back in Citadel, but here we are. Still alive, no thanks to you, Luke. That minefield stunt. I'm still shaking."

"It worked, though." I said grinning, at ease away from the battlefield, not feeling the need to look over my shoulder at every moment.

Gi Gu spoke next. "So how long do you think until we're put on the field?"

"With Gan's leg? A week at least."

"I doubt that." Gan said. "We've only been back at camp for a day and we've already been assigned to a squad again. Odds are we'll be deployed either tonight or tomorrow."

"Where?" Gi Gu chuckled. We won the battle for the post. We pretty much control everything outside of the wall now."

"Not really." I interrupted. "Water Tribe still has control of the northern sea and fragments of Earth Kingdom forces will still be in the area for a week at most, not yet aware that their no longer have the advantage of intelligence. We could be sent out to find these remnants before they get back inside the walls."

"Why bother?" Gi Gu asked. "Let 'em fall back. They'll die all the same when we attack the city."

"Or he wants us dead." Gan offered.

"Why would he want that?" Gi Gu asked. "We won. We were promoted too."

"Yeah." I said. "By Lu Ten. I've seen the tension between officers before. Back in Citadel. I don't think Zahckrael appreciates 3 of Lu Ten's pets within his camp."

"So he'd just have us killed?"

"No." stated Gan. "But he'll try. Let's make sure we continue to disappoint him."

"They can't deploy you, though." I said. "Not like this. Zand wouldn't let you go out in the field and Zahckrael won't deploy us without you. He won't bother giving us another driver. If he can't kill all of us then one swing, then why bother?"

"Maybe you're right, but all the same, you two should get ready. I can still drive with one leg, but you should tend to your own wounds and get some training. I'm not excited by our odds and if we're deployed, I want to be ready for it.

"This is retarded." Gi Gu said. "I thought that after the shit we went through in the last 3 weeks, we'd finally get a break. Guess that was too much to ask for."

"It was." I said. "Let's go, Gu. Give Gan some rest.

We left the tent and I closed the flap behind me, adjusting it to let in as little light as possible. His left leg was in a splint. It was definitely broken from the rough passage through the mountains and the Battle of the Listening Post hadn't helped him. We had our old tank back though which was of some consolation. They had patched unit 350 back up nicely and even rearmed her. She was good to go. The same couldn't be said for her crew, however. We weren't exactly in peak physical condition at the moment. I myself hardly had the energy to move about today but knew I would have to. If the last few weeks had taught me anything, it was that I'd have to read ready for anything.

"Gu." I said. "Up for some sparring?"

"I'm not sure. Think I'm going to grab some breakfast first and take a nap. I'm beat."

"Alright." I said, somewhat disappointed in him. "Remember to practice your shooting though. We need our rear gunner. Not just stationary targets too. Use the balloons. Lot of wind today. They'll make for good practice.

"Yes sir, sergeant sir." He said mockingly as he walked backwards in the opposite direction towards the dining tent.

I myself wasn't particularly hungry. With the Fire Nation success at the listening post, I knew that the assault on Ba Sing Se would begin soon. And we had to be ready. I had to be ready. I walked to the training yard where the balloons were being stored and opened the first crate, releasing the first of a series of target balloons from the sky, buoyant enough to float, but not too much as to fly away. The wind was indeed strong, and they followed the flow of the wind, moving unpredictably. I chose my first target as more balloons raced into the sky and fired.