Boss

There was nothing to hurt one's pride like watching from a distance as others fought your battles for you.

78 had been killed in the initial landing, another 43 of having died in scaling the wall. Many more were wounded. Even with every advantage at our backs, our casualties had been severe. Not nearly as severe as those of the Fire Nation, but the fact remained that they could afford the losses. We could not.

Little information had yet been brought to me on who the casualty count had included. Just how many had been Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe, Separatist, that facts eluded me.

As I walked across the beach however, towards the wall that had claimed so many, I somehow found myself unconcerned regarding the well being of my own. Perhaps it was the probability of them being among those dead rather in my favor, but I could not help but believe within me that most of my confidence emerged from my faith in their abilities.

They're alive, I know it.

Of course, I still did desire verification of their well-being more than anything else. It had been eating at my insides that I had been forced to hold back while the others fought, even being forced to hold back further until a forward operating base had been established.

I doubt Karnook is taking this same crap.

By now they would already have pushed further into the city perhaps. It was a long coastline and our invading forces had been split. It mattered little. We all knew the plan to the letter and so constant communication, while beneficial, was unnecessary, though I wanted to think we would be able to hold enough territory to still allow the running of messengers or the flying of birds across the front.

It was a miracle I had been allowed off the ship at all. Cholla was organizing a supply train to haul supplies to the camp that had been set up beyond the wall and our resident chieftain was providing protection. I wasn't sure about Cholla, but the chieftain almost seemed content to be hanging back.

Certainly not anything like Karnook, I pondered.

Walking the beach, it was made apparent how thankful we had to be for the moon that still reigned supreme above us all. I shuddered to think what would have happened had we attempted such an invasion without the strength it granted our water benders. I had my doubts we would have even made it to the bay.

But now, with the moon at their side, the Water Tribe caravels operated in the sea, hunting down Fire Nation battleships too terrified to approach for fear of the sea itself swallowing them whole.

My mind went back to my own days with the Southern Raiders. Then, full moons such as these had been horror stories. In hindsight, perhaps it was only just that one day a month, we felt the same fear we had subjected the Southern Water Tribe to for years on end.

Never before had there been a Water Tribe force as rallied as this. These Revanchists, they were no Southerners. They had the numbers, the unity, and now, the Fire Nation truly had cause to fear.

On the other side of the wall, however, the makings of a true conflict could be observed. Our Unified Front had established camp, erecting fortifications and even repurposing captured artillery emplacements to defend ourselves. We were rooted in, but all knew it would not last.

Nor should it. Such was just the aim of the plan.

The plan that had, for all intents and purposes, been followed so far exactly to specifications.

The last 2 weeks spent putting it all together—a plan born out of desperation and a lack of any other options.

The moment Cholla had gathered us all, stating his intent to have us and only us around, excluding even Kiu's most trusted among the Separatists save myself, we knew it was serious.

"I want them gone too," he had said later once we were already in the war room, referring to both Ka'lira and the new girl I had come to know to be named Zare.

No sooner had objection been raised in the room, most notably from Zek and even from myself, surprised that I was surprised. I suppose the desperation of the Nip Sea Separatists had made me forget of the Earth Kingdom's long-standing tradition of failing to reach equality between its sexes, a problem that, though it still plagued the Fire Nation, certainly did so to a lesser extent.

"The fuck, Cholla?!" Zek objected. "After all that shit in Jingping and Xiahu, really?"

"Zek," I reprimanded him, my own fervor now having faded, not at all disagreeing, but knowing we could not afford antagonizing our limited allies.

"We do things a certain way here. I'm sorry if you don't agree, but-"

"Oh come on," Luke interjected now. Damnit, not you too. "Those two have saved our asses more than enough times for you to put aside this bullshit."

"Luke," I chimed in again. "Zek! Both of you!"

"It's fine," Ka'lira spoke out now. "Come on, Zare. Let's let the boys play their war games."

A regretful look plastered Zek's face as Ka'lira passed, giving him an uncaring shrug alongside a slight smile, clearly not placing any anger, if even there was any, on him. The girl Zare simply seemed to have little care for the situation she found herself in, by no means disturbed by the social traditions she found herself now victim of. If anything, judging by her allocation of attention earlier, what disturbed her most was missing the discussion of the details of our coming invasion.

The door to the war room was promptly closed, leaving thus only us men within.

"My apologies," Cholla said, "but women do not belong in discussion such as this. I'm afraid that warfare is simply not what they were made for."

"Oh so they can fight but spirits forbid they get involved in something intellectual."

"They should not be fighting either, and they certainly won't be doing so on this day. We win by staying true to that which has guided us for so long. We won't stray now." Cholla turned to Kiu, "We'll talk about how your Separatists are organized at some point, but that will be another time. For now, we need to focus on what is really important. Shibi."

"So you've picked out your target," Kiu observed, seemingly not willing to enter into a meaningless argument of how his Separatists did not quite seem to adhere to Earth Kingdom standards of 'regimental purity'.

He knows how to pick his battles.

"Yes. Shibi. Fire Nation occupied town as I'm sure you're all aware. Major refueling site for their blockade. If we are going to divert all of our strength towards a single target, then it must be a target that will allow us to change the course of this campaign once and for all."

"That will mean it is more heavily defended. My men have gone to Shibi often and they talk about its strength as a fortress. Walls, turrets, artillery, a bay that will be a death trap for any ship that enters."

"I agree," said Cholla. "It would be suicide if we did not have the full moon to our backs, but that is when we will strike. A well-timed naval invasion with the full force of the moon assisting our water benders," he motioned to Karnook, "I believe we can pull this off."

"So you have been planning," said Kiu.

"Only the groundwork. Chief Karnook and I have begun working out a plan, but even between our two forces, we still fear it is not enough. Your Separatists and their familiarity with the terrain is what I believe will determine the difference between victory and defeat."

There had been no question that, the moment Cholla, Karnook, and their respective forces had arrived, this had been the only foreseeable future—them going to us for the support we knew we could provide.

And still, Kiu took the moment as though still considering. I was unsure if it truly was something he wished to think about, or if it was simply a way of turning the room to his favor. For some reason, the latter possibility did not strike me as the likely one. Kiu, while a decisive conversationalist, was not the kind to try and manipulate it in such a manner, especially not in a case such as this where total cooperation with one another was our only chance at success, much more, survival. Rather, I imagined it was the former, himself wondering just what it was that was in store.

"So tell me what you've planned so far."

An agreement of cooperation if ever there was one. His Separatists were hosting Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe forces, and now, he had agreed to hear their plans. All that was left was dedicating his force to whatever came, but we all knew in that moment it may as well have been set in stone.

Cholla nodded, turning his head towards the map on the table in the center of the war room as though asking permission to include it in his demonstration.

Kiu's nod indicated the affirmative, and so he closed the distance towards it, all of us prompted to gather around.

"As we all know," Cholla began, "We are not going into this with a numerical advantage. Our men are cut thin, and we need to use what resources we have in the most efficient way possible. While this would ordinarily be a prolonged campaign of guerilla warfare, we have lost nearly our entire base of support with the fall of Jingping, and our options are limited. Thus, I propose a full-frontal assault."

The term itself, 'full-frontal assault' had never in the history of warfare carried with it positive connotations. Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, it made little difference. A 'full-frontal assault' was the equivalent of a death sentence, when the commanding officer had run short of any other idea and decided to play a game of numbers, throwing his men at the enemy's men, and watching to see whose reached 0 first.

But we were all still listening. Perhaps it was on account of the fact that none of us had anything better. We were curious. Even Zek was silent, through his face displayed he certainly wished to make some objection clear.

Luckily, Cholla would speak before he could. I propose a V-formation, Water Tribe caravels forming a defensive perimeter for our 2 cruisers, with your commandeered Fire Navy destroyer taking up the rear."

He has only been here for just over an hour and he's already accounted for The Patriot?

"Your men here told us that it was undergoing repairs, but should be ready for combat."

And that it was, after so many months finally ready to hit the seas once again. Yet I had hoped that when it would, it would be away from war, not towards it.

Kiu turned towards me for an answer. This is your ship, your crew, your call. 'Does it work', 'does it not?', that is your choice. I won't interfere.

I swallowed. He was giving me an out should I choose to take it. But no. We had made our deal. We would help end this fight, whatever it took. We all knew that would mean putting our lives on the line. The Patriot was no different. "That is correct," I said.

"Hmm," Cholla responded. "Good. Our formation will allow us to utilize the full moon to the fullest potential. Chief Karnook?" he indicated towards the man, motioning for him to speak.

The man stood forward, pointing to the map. "We will advance through the bay. The Fire Navy will likely establish a defensive formation to protect the town. We estimate that ship numbers will likely range between 4 to 6. The bay is not wide enough to provide them space to fit much more without posing severe danger, and we do not believe they will layer their defense for fear of friendly fire. To protect ourselves for as long as possible, a fog cover will be created, only exited upon entering the bay at which point they'll probably try and lay into us with artillery fire. My waterbenders will protect the transports against shells, boulders, and possibly even mines."

"And taking on their ships?" Gordez asked, with a hint of annoyance that suggested the concern had been raised before with no satisfying answer having been given. Had there been one before that they'd refused to give, or had the silence been on account of not yet knowing? And if the latter, was the solution now present?

As Karnook continued to speak, however, a kind turn in the line of questioning was presented. "Over these next few weeks, my waterbenders will be preparing, but I believe them capable of creating a tidal wave large enough to demolish their defense fleet, carry our ships over their mines, and even destroy the wall. Hence the positioning of our caravels, positioned precisely to allow for a combined effort at such a feat."

"Once we make it to the beach," Luke interjected, "Assuming we do, we'll be away from the sea. We won't have the same advantage,"

"We considered that as well," Karnook added. "We can, of course, carry tanks of water beyond the walls, but that will prove sufficient for only so long. My benders will thus force a rainstorm that should provide enough resources for us to continue the fight into the town. From then on, it will be Cholla's expertise."

And the briefing changed hands once more. "Once beyond the walls, it will be a land war. Our front line will be divided into two forces split between our command. The fight forward will be grueling house to house fighting. The Fire Nation will have had time to prepare. We can expect artillery, traps, fortified positions, perhaps even civilian conscripts, but with the advantage of the full moon, I believe we can push through."

Ever the Earth Kingdom soldier. Standing their ground and moving forward one step at a time no matter the adversity ahead. It was admirable, but that made it no less worrying. The naval landing itself would take more than its fair share of lives. A pitched battle following that, against a numerically superior and fortified enemy, it was near suicide.

"Casualties will be high," Cholla continued. "Many will be lost, but by the end of the night, Shibi will be ours, as well as its fortifications. We can secure it and hold it against whatever the Fire Nation throws at us. Should they choose to simply bombard the town, then they will only be destroying their own fuel center, crippling themselves in the process. Many will be lost in the push forward, but-"

"What if it did not have to only be fought on one front," Kiu spoke up, the eyes of the room now turning to him.

I smiled. Kiu has something. Perhaps no pair of eyes in this room displayed as much recognition as mine had. The last few months at this man's right hand side, it was no easy thing to miss. I saw the look in his eyes, that of a man with an idea. So speak, good man.

"You said you wanted our men for our knowledge of the terrain. That will be wasted if you only wish to put us on your transports to take Fire Nation arrows. There is a better way to use them."

"What do you have in mind?" Cholla asked.

"Many will still supplement your forward assault, but I suggest a team of 50, supplemented by earth benders and water benders. While the battle is fought in the city, they will infiltrate the city."

"How?"

"The sewers. The Fire Nation loves their water works. My men know them well, use them constantly to sneak inside. Some can go through there, help the others scale the wall, and disrupt the Fire Nation from their flank."

"Disrupt them?" Cholla asked, curious.

"They can destroy their ammunition stockpiles, harass their flank, sabotage artillery."

"They can do much more than that," Cholla said, a growing smile on his face, his enthusiasm in the prospect clearly growing. "Crisis creation. Set the town ablaze, create chaos, sew terror, destroy that which they are trying to protect. Your men can wage an entire war on their flank, and allow us to push forward."

"Sew terror? Destroy what they're trying to protect? You would suggest incurring civilian casualties?"

Cholla's expression shifted. "We'll do what we have to," he said. "If it means taking attention off our troops, then-"

"No! These are Earth Kingdom civilians. Our people! The ones WE are trying to protect. Not the Fire Nation!"

"This is war. You've been fighting it long enough to know that. Your Separatists here are no saints themselves."

"Their targets are military."

"And so are ours! Shibi is an occupied town, and all those within are resources to our enemy. If this is what it takes to beat the Fire Nation, then so be it."

"They are not resources! They are Earth Kingdom! Like us!"

"Then you should know that they would gladly give their lives to free their homes rather than live under the yolk of foreign invaders!"

"Don't you see!?" Kiu exclaimed. "If we do this, set fire to their homes, kill their civilians, then WE are the foreign invaders, not the Fire Nation! How we fight is what determines who we are!"

A silence settled over the room, eyes tracing over one another, gauging where each and everybody stood. I did not need to look over my men to see that all agreed with the words of Kiu. See? I wanted to exclaim. This is the man I speak of. The man who cares.

Karnook as well seemed opposed to Cholla's suggestion. It did not take a genius to realize the room stood at the side of Kiu. And Cholla was by no means a dumb man.

"Very well," he said. "It's your plan, your men, we'll do things your way. But this second front, it will be a key to victory. Back to the main front, command will be split into halves. Chief Karnook has appointed Chieftain Korik to accompany me with the first team. You," he turned to me. "You will be there as well leading the contingent of Separatists including your soldiers here. With the second team, it will be you, Kiu, Karnook, and a man of my choosing, Captain Faoho.

"Team 1 will secure the fuel silos and the western edge of the town while Team 2 will move deeper into Shibi. Once the fuel center is secure, Team 1 will divide into thirds. 1 third will defend the positions, another will rendezvous with the infiltration team, and the other will secure a connection with Team 2. We will encircle the enemy, and defeat them here."

It wasn't a bad plan. The ground of his encirclement were clear. It was to be a lightning strike in a manner of speaking, moving so fast we couldn't be stopped. And how quickly Cholla had incorporated the infiltration team into the equation, it was impressive. This was a man who had been trained for war but had been given a meaningless position on the frontier. Now, now one could see what he truly was—a soldier and a commander. I prayed his abilities for war were not limited to a map, however.

"Any questions?"

There were none.

"Good. What comes next, it will be long and hard. We're being drawn into a new war in this region, but it will be one we will win. You can all count on that."

Over the next 2 weeks, the details would be ironed out, and everything that one could do to prepare had been performed precisely to the specifications needed. Drills were run, the water benders had practiced their moves, quite impressively at that, and the Separatists had scouted the terrain, finding the perfect entrance into Shibi.

All had been planned, and now, I could see it was it unfolded around me.

Camp had been pitched beyond the wall and men were taking what little time of relief they could before we pushed to the fuel silos.

Even if we could not hold Shibi, we would secure what we could of a pyrrhic victory, depriving the enemy of their most vital resource.

"Victory at any cost" had been the phrase of the last two weeks. Though it concerned me just what 'any cost' was. I remembered what Cholla had suggested, as had the others. They acknowledged what he had said as concerning, but vouched for his reliability.

I supposed after going through hell with the man, surviving against the Rough Rhinos twice, a certain battlefield bonds was formed. Concerning though the man was to me, I had to trust the others. They knew him better than I did. I trusted them.

And so I trusted that they lived yet, my faith in them rewarded upon returning to camp to see Zek, Gordez, Luke, Ka'lira, Zare, and Jadoh all gathered with one another, all seemingly uninjured and in good condition, a small not failing to rise to my face.

Over these last 2 weeks, between the chaos of preparing for war, they had grown ever closer to each other. Even Zare, as each day went by, seemed to become more and more one of them.

It didn't take long for them to notice me, and they quickly left where they were perched to join me as I passed through the camp.

"Ah there he is!" Zek exclaimed. "Mr. high and mighty watching the battle from the rear."

"Oh shut up," I answered in jest, knowing his comment had not been meant to offend. "If I knew I'd end up with a desk job I wouldn't have been so good at my job."

"Well then if you hate it so much, slip on a poncho and join us on the front with the rest of the plebians," Ka'lira suggested.

There was no malice in their words, I knew. They wished me by their sides, but understood why such wasn't possible. In that sense, they had accepted the situation more than I had. The suggestion to slip on a rain poncho, forego by role in this operation, and fight by their sides, it pleased me more than anything else, and I would be lying to say I did not consider doing it right then and there. There was no justice in it—them fighting as I watched, giving orders that determined who lives and who died.

Even in Ba Sing Se, Lu Ten, a man who possessed that same power, never refrained from putting himself in the same risk he ordered his men to face. He never ordered his men to do something he would not do himself, there by their sides until the very end.

And that end had come. And he had died, and the war had been lost.

So perhaps there was reason then not to follow his model. Still, it would never not strike me as wrong.

"All of you alright?" I asked once the laughter had settled down.

"We're good, Boss," Luke answered.

"Ready to head our at your word," stated Jadoh. Their third of Team 1, they would be joining the infiltration force, forming the combined rear flank that would see the Fire Nation in Shibi encircled, sealing their fates. They knew the danger they would be exposed to, and had volunteered for it anyway.

"Good to hear," I answered. "We move out in 10. Take some time to catch your breaths. All of you, remember what I taught you." My eyes turned to Gordez, and his returned to me. I knew what to say, and I wanted to make sure that while it meant it to all those present, there was more to my words than simple inspiration. "You are my family. We've been through this before, and we'll get through this again. Keep your heads low, don't be heroes, and I'll see you once this is all over."

Gordez nodded to me, a slight smile on his face. I'll see you again once this is all over, I knew. The others announced their affirmations of what I had said, and I knew my work was done.

I turned to leave for the forward command center that was being shared between Cholla and Korik, designed to be able to relay messages via messengers and hawk during the thick of battle. A war-changing battle occurring here, and I was relaying messages. The injustice of the assignment would never sit well with me, but I understood what had to be done.

I was on my way to what I knew was my fate before a voice stopped me from doing so. "Boss."

It had only been two weeks, but I had already grown accustomed to it. In a similar manner, I suppose, that I had grown used to Ka'lira and Jadoh's, as well as Zadok and Kosah. Granted, I had mostly heard her voice through conversation with the others, namely Luke. I believed this was perhaps the first time she had been addressing em directly, especially alone.

"What is it, Zare?" I asked, turning.

"There's something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Your-your tactics, the way you organized all of this. I knew it was familiar. You're Fire Nation, aren't you?"

No. A hand immediately moved to my side, pausing only part ways down. No. Don't do anything rash.

My hands were still, waiting for the slightest move from her, knowing what might be entailed in this encounter. Am I really so by the book? So much so that I imitate the very men that had likely taken her life away from her?

"I…I-"

"And then your accent, all of it. I know you're Fire Nation."

Colonial born, but Fire Nation raised and educated. Damnit. Did I stand out that much? How had she noticed what no others had?

"I was," I finally finished.

"And you left."

"They left me," I answered. "It was time to move on. Why-why are you asking this now?"

"Good a time as any," she shrugged. "I didn't know before, but…the way you ordered your men. It reminded me a lot of…the past."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She paused, her face blank. "Do the others know?"

So it's only me she knows of? None of the others even with names such as Gordez and Zek? Was it really only me who stuck out as the odd one out? It was a blow to my pride, to be sure. I supposed it made more sense to me now that Kiu had seen through it as well. How man others had, then? I wanted to believe none, but it was hard to say. Then again, had the Separatists known, I doubted I would have lived this long.

Do the others know? The words bounced in my mind. Was it a trick? Was this really a chance for me to vouch for them? No, she knew we had 'served' at Ba Sing Se, but under the opposite banner of that which we had. There was still an out for them. I could still safeguard them in her eyes. "No," I answered. "I defected before Ba Sing Se when they served under me. They never knew."

The girl nodded. "I saw the way you objected to Cholla wanting to destroy the town. You sympathize with the Fire Nation still?"

Of course I do, but that wasn't why I had done it.

"No," I answered, trying to safeguard as much as I could. Assure her I was not still loyal to those that had taken away everything from her as my country had from so many others. "I did it because it was the right thing to do. Because they're civilians, and already they are the ones who suffer most. It's the least we can do to protect those who can't protect themselves."

Her face still, looking into mine, she nodded. "Okay," she answered. "That's all I wanted to know."

And with that, the brief interaction had ended as she stalked off back towards the others, myself already wondering what excuse she would concoct as to why she had stayed behind.

She knows.

And I am a dead giveaway.

I shook my head.

If it's this easy, then-no, no. No more hiding. Not after today. After today, this ends. After today, we're no longer soldiers fighting the wars of another. Kiu is right. We need to find our own way. Find a way for us, not for any one Nation.

I looked behind me to where I knew the sea waited, only it was shrouded by the great sea wall of Shibi, blocking it from my view. But just beyond it, I knew it was there, and there it would always be.

And I'll be there soon.

Soon, the word run in my head. Soon this fight will be over. Soon we will live for ourselves again and finally be the people we were meant to be.

Soon, this will all be over.

As the rain still came down around me in droves, I turned my attention to where the command center waited not far off. In only a matter of minutes, the next stage of this battle would begin.

The infiltrators will already have infiltrated. And in the distance, I could see it—the sign that they had already begun—the smoke. Smoke. And lots of it. More than could have been expected. Were they meeting more resistance than expected? Had firebenders engaged them or-…

My mind trailed off. I could see the orange plumes beginning to dance into the night sky, the smoke leading the way beyond the clouds that sat not far above.

And I believed I knew just what it was.