Zhao

It had been a good week. It felt like I was home again. Home. I wasn't sure if I meant the Patriot, or the people I was residing with in its bowels.

It was the most comfortable I'd felt in the near month I'd been with the Separatists, but now, just with people I felt I could actually consider family, it felt that way. How long had I been with them now? I was assigned to them in late Spring or early Summer. Hell, it was hard to even remember that time anymore. It was less than a year ago yet felt like a different life. I'd lost the one person I considered family there, but I guess I'd also gained a new one.

It still felt foreign in a way attaching my life to those around me. I'd done so with Hornets back in Citadel, and with the Fire Nation in a sense in the academy as well as Ba Sing Se, but for all my life before then, it'd been just me, one alleyway and pile of trash to the next. Now, it felt like their lives were becoming part of my own, for better or worse, though I was leaning on 'better.' At the very least, it was a clear and blatant improvement in regard to comedic value, whether it was Zadok and Kosah's bickering, making it quite clear to me that the two were in fact very different, or perhaps it was Gordez's insistence and blatant frustration at their squabbles, literally needing to tear them apart from one another in order to get them to work, or even more than that, Zek and Ka'lira's clear lack of shame when it came to their public displays of affection. I soon came to regret having been put on the same floor as Zek. Granted, it technically wasn't Zek's room anymore, his chivalry having handed it off to Ka'lira, but that wasn't to say it was any less his room now.

Needless to say, when nights would come around, I would find myself having a bit of a struggle getting any real sleep. I'd localized the times it was done. Lights would go out at 2300. From 2300 to 2400 more or less, sleep would evade me as my neighbors happened to be quite the busy bees. In those times, I'd made a schedule of going outside behind the Patriot, practicing forms and the like. I'd come back at around 2400, get to the showers first now that we finally had running steam and hot water again, and by the time I got back to my room at around 0030, judging by the lack of noise, I could only assume that Zek and Ka'lira had exhausted themselves about as much as I had.

I was improving, I wanted to think. Not only did the motions come easy to me, but the breathing flowed, better than it ever had before. I was calm, relaxed, my breaths were well-spaced and clear, not short and hurried. Firebending was all about the breath, after all. That's what Jeong Jeong had told me all those lives ago. The flames felt stronger, more concentrated, hotter, slight discolorations in the flames when I bent them, but it was hard to tell for sure. Yet as much as I believed myself to be improving, I knew progress was slowing. There was only so much that I could learn on my own. I had the base teachings of Jeong Jeong, but not much beyond that. I'd tried expanding on his forms, creating new ones, finding out new tricks and abilities I could practice with fire. Breaking my falls with it was among those, sending a short burst of fire to the ground before I hit it, the force of the push slowing my downfall, it worked. I'd tried learning ways of not just bending fire, but heat as well, something that I'd first tried learning when Winter began, but now found myself expanding upon, slightly improving, able to at least regulate my body temperature during the noticeably colder nights.

It just so happened I preferred the cold anyway, so I'd rarely put it to test, but I wanted to think that it would come in handy in all due time.

It had been a good week, needless to say. My firebending was improving, I was entertained by my friends, no, my family, and I finally felt at home. I just wish it could have lasted a bit longer.

We were gathered together, finishing up breakfast and engaging in conversation when the voice of our watchman, Zadok, resounded through the ship's PA system. "Separatists!" He yelled. "Separatists approaching! Lots of them! They're armed!"

My heart stopped. So this is it. There was a look of horror in Gordez's eyes, but only for a moment. He knew what had to be done. He looked towards us, we were all standing, I myself unconsciously, ready for orders. We all knew this day would come.

"Zek! Get to the gun! I'll join you in a moment! Luke, go with him and provide covering fire! Ka'lira, get to the observation deck with your bow! You're our best shot! Kosah, get down below and get the engines running. I'll send Zadok down to join you. Now everyone, go!"

I nodded. Zek was already running. This is it. My heart was pounding. It's happening now. How many did Kiu say there were of them? 200? And what about the others? What about Boss and Jadoh? I pushed the thought aside. I couldn't think of it right now. Besides, I'd lost friends before. I knew what had to be done. I didn't want to lose any more today. The last I heard of Gordez was him speaking into the nearest PA station, relaying orders to Zadok to get below decks.

Zek and I wasted no time climbing the stairs to get to the main deck. "They don't know you're a firebender?" Zek asked between pants.

"No," I managed to get out.

"Well they're going to know now."

I nodded. Good. I'm tired of hiding.

We were on the main deck, shooting out from below decks, rushing instantly to the winch to raise the gun. We'd had it covered and below decks, the dry season having ended and not wanting the artillery emplacement to rust. I rushed to the edge of the deck while Zek removed the tarp, wanting to see how far the Seppies were. They were emerging from the treeline, walking, not charging. Cocky. Good. That gave us time. They were too far away for me to fire on, but the gun could reach them. I rushed back to where Zek was, instantly getting to the winch as he removed the last corner of the tarp, him soon joining me, substantially speeding up the process, the metallic screeching of the lift now a surprisingly pleasant noise, it likely our only hope in getting out of this alive.

I was scanning the canopies of the treeline while the gun finally managed to start emerging for the Patriot's metallic depths. Longshot is out there somewhere, along with more of their snipers. I'll have to burn them. It's our only chance.

The gun was just about raised when Gordez shot out from below decks as well, instantly joining Zek at the winch, motioning for me to get to the edge of the deck. They were approaching. I had to be ready. I nodded, running to the deck. They were closer than I imagined. Over a hundred of them. I'll burn the treeline first. Stop their archers before anything else. I got into an attack position, ready, looking down at the crowd one more time, ready for it all, until, Boss?

I lowered my arms, turning around to see Zek and Gordez loading a shell. No. "Stop stop!" I yelled, turning towards them, approaching, hands waving in the air. "It's Boss!"

Even from where I was, I could see Gordez's face shift, a sudden realization in his eyes. He left go of his end of the shell, and Zek, unable to hold it on his own, dropped it, the volatile piece of explosive falling to the ground with a loud clang, luckily, the clang being the only loud noise that was heard. "Boss?" He asked.

I nodded. I had no idea what was happening, only that Boss was alive, and that was reason enough to not open fire. Gordez realized now the orders he had given, rushing immediately to the command superstructure and the PA system running up its walls, getting to it, screaming as loud as I've ever heard him yell, "Belay your orders! I repeat. Belay your orders!"

He turned to me where I was behind him, waiting to know what to do, and he whispered quietly, "You didn't bend yet, right?"

I shook my head. "No."

He breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good," he nodded.

We were walking towards the edge of the ship, the atmosphere around us beginning to calm. Zek seemed confused, and then again, I couldn't blame him. Seconds ago, we were on the precipice of a fight we'd all been expecting, fully ready to fight tooth and nail in a battle we had little chance of winning. And in a snap of a finger, it had all stopped.

Zek was slowly inching towards the edge of the ship. I looked above. Ka'lira was leaning over the railing her crossbow raised over her shoulders. She was in no position to fire, but it was clear that she wasn't completely at ease. I imagined none of us were. The engines hadn't fired up. Gordez had belayed that order in time. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? If we needed a quick escape, we'd be dead out of water. On the other hand, if this was real, them not knowing we were prepped to go would help. Then again, there was no way of knowing just what the hell was happening. We got to the edge again. They were closer, indeed under 100 as I could tell from a quick tally.

At the front of them, Kiu and Boss, next to one another. Behind them, among the crowd, Jet, Kai, even Longshot. No sign of Lei'fo. So maybe they hadn't come to kill us after all.

"Boss," I heard Gordez murmur next to me, as though needing to see the man himself to believe that he was in fact there. His shoulders dropped, as though all tension in his body, the immediate readiness to fight and die, suddenly lifted.

He left immediately, heading straight below decks. Zek, right behind where we'd been, gave me a shrug, one I returned before promptly following Gordez, albeit at not quite the same pace. Zek and I had no idea what was going on, but if something was going down, we wanted to be there.

Zek looked up at the observation deck, towards his girlfriend standing ready to take a shot at whoever threatened us, giving a prompt thumbs up before the two of us retreated below decks. This was going to be interesting.

When we were already shrouded within the decks of the immense vessel around us, concealed from sight of our visitors, I reached to my side for my sword, not finding it there. I'd left it behind in my rush. Damn. Makes no difference. If it comes to a fight, I won't hold back.

Zek seemed to know what I was saying as we walked down the stairway, the light of outside now shining through entrance left exposed by the extended boarding ram. "Let's hope it doesn't come to a fight."

"Don't like our odds if it does."

He nodded. It was obvious. A hundred of them and just 6 of us. Our chance of getting out of this alive in a fight was obvious. There wasn't one.

We walked down the boarding ram, stepping onto solid group once again, turning the corner of the ship to find them standing there, and just a few feet away from the army of men we were standing poised to fight for our lives against just moments ago, Gordez standing still, facing them head on. He was just coming to his stop. He hadn't been waiting for us. He came down to see things for himself, and so here he was, practically panting from the anxiety and effort of running straight down.

"Boss," he said, in a way that seemed to denote an odd mix of fear, confusion, but at the same time, relief and joy.

I could just barely see Boss's smile as me and Zek caught up to where they stood, facing off in the middle ground between what felt like what had been two opposing forces for the last week now. "Hey, Gordez," he said.

Seeing him here now, up close, right in front of me, it was far different than the disconnect of just seeing his outline from atop The Patriot. This was real. There was no hiding the smile that rose to my face, despite the company that stood behind him. At the moment, he was all that mattered, and that went for Gordez as well, who just had his eyes fixed on the man in what I believed to be disbelief and sheer unmatched relief.

It was going to happen at one point or another and had just been a waiting game until the two came together in a warm embrace, the two of them parting, their gazes lingering on one another for a while longer until Boss turned to Zek and I now, and the pleasantries continued, him embracing me first who had been closer, and Zek next. "How you doing, Boss?" Zek asked amidst his embrace.

"Good, all things considered."

Boss looked at me now, a smile still plastered on his face, saying, "You've grown."

I wasn't sure if that could be considered blushing, but nonetheless, I turned away, feeling a slight heat rising in my face, a part of me ashamed that I had vainly been keeping track of it myself, just waiting for my chance to finally not be the shortest among us, just finally reaching Ka'lira's height, still a number of inches below Gordez, Boss, and the rest.

"How are you all doing?"

"Doing well, Boss," Zek answered in a rather limited response, likely in part due to the 5 score Separatists just a few yards away.

Boss turned his head behind him, seemingly aware of the conversation limitation, and nodded his head with a sad sort of smile on his face. He knew something we didn't. I looked behind him. Of course something was missing.

"Where's Jadoh?" I asked.

Boss's attention turned to me at the question, answering, "He's alright." He shifted his focus to Gordez now, continuing with, "But we need to talk. As soon as possible."

Gordez, nodding, motioned for Boss to follow him, to which he nodded in turn, Kiu following close behind after turning behind and saying, "Jet, keep the others here", an action and statement that drew the attention of the three of us, whether we'd meant it or not, in a way that clearly connoted hesitation if not annoyance.

Boss noticed this as well despite not being one of the ones bearing said look, dispelling our antagonism though not our suspicions with a dismissive wave of the hand, saying, "This involves all of us. He needs to be a part of this."

Small looks were shared between us, thoughts, comments, and concerns dominating our minds, only deepening the haste to get to talking, because there was no shortage of answers that we were needing.

Gordez led the way through the ship, on the way towards what we assumed would be the bridge, a good a place as any to hold such a discussion, handing off the guiding duties to Zek midway through as he set off to do what I assumed was informing Zadok and Kosah of our present circumstances.

Zek took care to avoid anywhere remotely close to the engine room, instead taking us onto the main deck first before enterring the command structure, avoiding the bowels where intensive work on ship repairs were still being done.

We ascended the Patriot's winding stairway on our way up, myself occasionally turning to see Boss and Kiu behind me, my intention naturally focused more on Kiu, ensuring he was behaving himself properly.

Boss trusted Kiu. Maybe that was enough for some, but it still wasn't enough for me. At least not to convince me. It was enough for me to not want to put a knife through the side of his head, but trusting him was a separate matter-a milestone I was far from reaching with him.

We reached the bridge, Ka'lira immediately enterring from the observation deck, Zek answering before she could ask, "We need to have a talk. All of us," he finished, motioning to the rest of us, Kiu in particular who was observing his surroundings, myself wondering if this was his first time aboard the warship of the Nation he'd been waging war against for so long. Ka'lira nodded, a solemn look on her face as though the stakes of the matter at hand were becoming apparent for her, and I wondered if Gordez would be bringing along Kosah and Zadok, or that Zek simply wanted to include her. The latter seemed to be the case as Gordez arrived soon, no others in tow, closing the airtight steel door behind him, immediately claiming the initiative of the room in asking, "So what's going on?"

"Good to see you all too," he responded, more relaxed than Gordez clearly was. "Good to see you, Ka'lira."

"You too, Boss," she responded with a smile. Her face became less laxed though as she asked Gordez's original question, clearly wishing for answers as well. "What's happening?"

Boss breathed out, now realizing the pleasantries would be skipped. His face tightened and he closed his eyes, doing what I could only imagine to be seeking the proper words to say what he had on his mind.

"I'll cut straight to the chase. A week ago, as I'm sure you know, Lei'fo returned. Just yesterday, he betrayed us. He killed our hostage, Fennick, as well as Pho."

Pho. Boss must have seen my reaction, myself none too glad to hear about the death of the man who had practically saved my life from Lei'fo on that day. Or maybe it was Kiu's reaction he had noticed, the man's face shadowed both literally and metaphorically as he looked away, a grim darkness to him more than apparent even as he faced away trying to hide it.

"He injured Jadoh as well. Took a deep cut, but he'll be fine."

"We catch that asshole?" Zek asked.

"No. Lei'fo made it out."

"So," Ka'lira asked. "Was it revenge?"

"Wouldn't have killed the prisoner if it was for revenge," Gordez commented.

"Just seems coincidental that in a camp of 200, 2 of the 3 people he goes after were the ones directly involved with what happened." Ka'lira retorted.

"Possible that it was multiple motives combined. No other reason why he'd kill that prisoner." suggested Zek.

"Why does there have to be a motive?" I asked. "Asshole was ready to kill a dozen civilians just for looking at him funny. Does he need a reason to kill the prisoner too? Just a psycho out for blood."

"He's not a psycho!" It wasn't so much of a yell, but there was a very clear frustration behind Kiu's voice as he said it off from the side of the room. He said it again, the frustration gone, just something resembling pity left as he more quietly let out, "He's not a psychopath."

"Kiu," Boss said, ready to say more until Kiu spoke up again.

"I know that he's done bad things. He's always been one the harder ones to handle." There was an anxiety in his voice. Desperation, like he was pleading. "But he wouldn't kill Pho just for revenge. They were friends. He wouldn't. He wouldn't do that."

"Well," I said. "Hate to break it to you, but he kind of did."

"Luke!" Boss scolded. My heart leapt, scared, not for fear of repercussion, but there was a clear and present fear to hearing one who'd always talked a certain calm and friendly way to you suddenly shoot out in anger. It was enough to stop me there. Never been scolded by him before. I nodded, standing down.

"Sorry, Boss," I pathetically let out like a wounded pup.

He nodded, acknowledging, brow furrowed, clearly trying to keep things following a sense of order here. I understood my mistake. Would take it back if I could. "What happened happened. We aren't here to argue about what occurred."

"We know why it happened," Kiu just barely let out, his voice still overwhelmed in somberness. It was hard to imagine how he must have felt. The surface level emotions were apparent enough, but beneath that, having somebody he considered one of his own children, betraying him like this, I imagine it felt none too good. He continued, saying, "We found something he dropped on his way out. We tried tracking him down south. We didn't find him, but we found an abandoned campsite. Fire Nation."

That caught our attention quickly enough. The looks around the room said as much, all except for Kiu and Boss, the two of which had already known this. "So he was working for the Fire Nation?" Zek asked.

"We believe so," Boss answered, Kiu once again resuming his vow of silence. "We believe that he had been sent to extract either the prisoner, or any relevant information."

"He was just a college student."

"One who knew a thing or two about the desert," Ka'lira threw in.

"What would the Fire Nation want with the desert?"

"What was it that Fennick would talk about? The different tribes and civilizations there."

"So maybe they're trying to form alliances or agreements with the groups there? Get the Seppies fighting a war in their own backyard?"

"Whatever it is," Boss interjected. "It's not good for us."

Us. Not the Seppies. Not "them." Us. Damn it.

"So that's what this is about?" Gordez asked, a certain venom in his voice. The attention of most in the room were turned to him, Kiu included. "You're all about ready to kill us because good ol' Lei'fo is back? And now that that investment didn't turn out so well, you come here to apologize and beg us to come back so we can fight your war, coming with an army in case we say 'no'?"

"They came with an army in case the Fire Nation had found you and already begun their landing. We don't know how much time we have, but it's clear we need to do something."

Just from the look that Gordez gave him, I knew he had the same question I did. When did 'they' become 'we'? When did this become our war?

Boss didn't need to hear the words to understand the question. "Look. Whether we like it or not, we are a part of this conflict. The Nip Sea is blockaded by the Fire Nation, and there's no simple way out of this."

"So you'll have us fight and possibly die in their war?" He wasn't holding back now. The silence in the room aside from those currently involved was enough apparent that this was real now."

"We're mercenaries, Gordez. All we do is fight in other peoples' wars."

"So we're mercenaries now? Here I thought we were trying to protect those caught in wars, not catching more people in them."

Boss turned to Kiu. "Kiu, can you give us the room please?"

Kiu nodded, leaving.

"Ka'lira," Boss asked. "Keep an eye on him."

Ka'lira nodded, leaving to follow Kiu, likely ensuring he was nowhere near where I imagine some heavy talking was about to be done. He didn't direct me nor Zek out. I suppose that we're staying.

The door closed, locking, sealing in place. No noise would be enterring in nor exiting out. It was all here now.

"Gordez," Boss said.

"Don't-Don't bullshit me. Why are we doing this? This isn't fucking us! You really want to help a band of Earth Kingdom terrorists wage a war on the Fire Nation? Is that what you fucking want!"

"This isn't about what I want! This is about the hand we've been dealt, and I owe it to him!"

"Owe it to who?! Kiu?! Fuck he ever do for us?!"

"He kept us alive, damnit! When his two hundred men wanted to kill us, he held them back!"

"And now you want us going back to those two hundred men, and doing what? Getting in some big circle holding hands singing 'kumbaya?! Why do they want to kill us any less now than they did before!?"

"Because we were right about Lei'fo. As far as they're concerned, Lei'fo is a traitor deserving death who now Kiu needs to call his dogs off from mauling, and we're the heroes who knew before anybody else!"

"Well that's fucking dandy and all, but we don't have a great track record of playing along great with the Seppies! How long until we pick a fight with another one of them and we suddenly become public enemy number 1 again!?"

"I wouldn't have us be working with them! And we'd be doing exactly what we swore to do! Nothing has changed! We're not here to help terrorize the Fire Nation! I owe it to Kiu to help him, but our mission hasn't changed!" he put a hand to his forehead, frustrated, but also worn out. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night, had he? He continued, "The Fire Nation is going to be waging war against the Earth Kingdom south of the sea, and if last night is any indication, they're up to something. We've all been in the army long enough to know where this goes. If these attacks happen, thousands will die."

"Oh, because helping the Earth Kingdom attack the Fire Nation settlements north of the sea is so much better. Because our terrorists buddies will treat them humanely? Don't give me that shit, Boss. I'm smarter than that!"

"We won't help them attack the Fire Nation, Gordez! For Raava's sake! If either side gains the edge here, it'll mean the deaths of hundreds."

"So keep things at a stalemate? That's so much better?"

"Maybe it is! Maybe the only way things will come to a close is if both sides grow tired enough to call it quits."

"The world has been at war for 96 years, Boss. War exhaustion is out the window." Gordez sighed. "But I guess there's no other option, is there?"

Boss breathed out. "Unfortunately, none that I see."

"Then make me one promise. You won't turn us against those we swore to protect."

Boss's face stiffened, resolute. Even in times when I doubted where his loyalties lay, he never stopped being the man I knew. He would never stop believing in what he did. "I promise."

Gordez nodded, looking around the rest of the room at the faces of Zek and I. I was ready. We were ready. We had followed Boss this far. Why stop now?

Gordez turned back to Boss, and asked, "So what's the plan?"