Chapter 1:
Colonel Jeong-Jeong. It sounded so strange in his ears. Suddenly, those who had used him as their slave, bowed to him and executed whatever he demanded. They were ready to do the most annoying tasks for him, only to get noticed. He couldn't understand how low people were ready to go, only to get an unmerited favor and thus he didn't accept such behavior coming from his men. He hated people that would crawl before every high graded officer, even if he (or she) was a total jerk. Jeong-Jeong was a man of honer, justice and honesty. And soldiers without those qualities, weren't worth to be called warriors in his eyes. They would be merely dirt on the perfect reputation the Fire Nation tried to give itself. Wasn't it after all to create the perfect nation that his people tried to create?
The new uniform was still itchy, needing to get used and worn out to fit the body of it's new owner and the new boots were squeezing his toes and hurt a little at it's ankles. His tent, at least 5 times bigger then his first one, was almost luxurious; the deep red and golden tissue that was used to decorate the front of it and the black that covered the rest, gave a royal appearance to it. He rejoiced especially to have the right to be present at the war meetings on the front and to have his own squadrons, his own men...Jeong-Jeong didn't really believe all that was happening to him. But he quickly got used to it. He was still kind with the lower ranked, helpful with his peers and didn't expect too much of his men. He was loved by his quarters, respected by the higher ranked. Everything was going smoothly for the new ranked man.
But it couldn't last for long. All good things had an end, and this one had one too by the force of how the system kept going on. The war was still on, and the people of the Earth Kingdom were proud and strong. They would endure anything as long as they had hope. And their hope was Ba Sing Se and the Avatar. The Avatar was the world's hope. The only hope for a supposedly freedom from the fire that was spreading over it.
The Fire Nation rejoiced when the news of the broken Avatar Cycle spread, but the young man wasn't so easily convinced that something that existed for centuries and started in the darkness of times, would disappear by the hands of men. After all, the army for which he served, never could check if really all air benders had been killed, since the monks had been smart enough to burn all the registers. The chance of a survivor was minimal, but it was still there and the most respected man, the Fire Lord overlooked it so easily, resting on it's laurels like the real danger was gone for good.
"Sir?"
Jeong-Jeong looked up at the soldier that bowed to him and the sudden violent sunlight that entered, breaking the half dark created by the few candles that lightened the place up. He stood up and made a gesture to the man to come closer.
"What can I do for you, Baojia?" he asked with a warm smile on his lips.
The man rubbed the back of his head, intimidated probably and feeling somewhat uncomfortable by the unusual kindness a superior showed to him.
"Well..."
"Yes?"
"My wife is sick and she needs my help. I wonder if I can go back to the home land for a while..." he blurted out.
Jeong-Jeong smiled. He loved stories about united families; his weak spot you could say. And Baojia was a good soldier who deserved a vacation. Jeong-Jeong settled down at his writing table and wrote a letter for the soldier. It wasn't in his habits to give such gifts around, but he let his heart take the decision for once instead of his head.
He handed him the parchment, after he sealed it.
"You have a permission of a month. Is it long enough?"
"More than necessary, Sir! Thank you very much!"
He bowed and ran out of the tent. Jeong-Jeong shook his head and began to think. Baojia was a lucky guy. In two days, they would attack Bao Yu, the city of the jade mines.
The great Bao Yu, ruled by the great queen Ishi. She was admired as a clever woman and as a great Pai Sho player. If they had not been enemies, he would ask her to play a game... A crazy idea came in his head. And why would he not ask to play a game? With at stake, Bao Yu itself...
That evening, Jeong-Jeong and the other flag officers had a war meeting. They were all middle and old aged persons. They were very diversified. Colonel Ryoku and Jeong-Jeong were the youngest of them all and didn't have much experience in war strategies.
Colonel Ryoku was a respectful and honorable man who had a calm mind. But he wasn't very clever and sometimes not really tactful. He was some 30 years old and had a small mustache and a Fire Nation knot. His hair was black as raven feathers and his eyes gray as a rainy day.
Jeong-Jeong had white hair, with brown almond shaped eyes. He had a beautiful smile and was good mannered. He was wise, quick thinking, smart, bright and helpful. He didn't speak much and when he said a word, it was always for a good reason. Because of that, he was appreciated by a lot of persons in the army. Also he was one of the best fire benders of the Fire Nation. Though, all those qualities were clouded by stubbornness, an aggressive or defensive attitude towards unknown people or higher graded. And he had gathered quite a few enemies already at the court.
He was the youngest of the twenty officer but was as worthy as the other high graded. He worked hard to be appointed as colonel. He didn't think about a so high ranked status, but it was his friend Iroh, son of Fire Lord Azulon, who gave him the place of colonel. And you can't refuse such an offer...
"What do you have as strategy to attack and conquer Bao Yu?" asked the oldest general.
Nobody answered.
"But Bao Yu is unreachable by a whole army. There is only one road that can take you there, but Earth Kingdom soldiers are everywhere to stop us."
Nobody answered. Colonel Ryoku was right, they wouldn't make it.
Suddenly a young voice broke the silence.
"I propose a Pai Sho game."
"Who said that?"
Everybody turned to the young colonel. Jeong-Jeong looked fiercely to them one by one. The general looked at him severely, his eyebrows furrowed. The young man noticed a small dark spot right above his right eye. An annoying detail that ruined the perfect color of the old man's skin.
"Approach colonel."
Jeong-Jeong obeyed and bowed.
"You're the one who proposed that we should play a Pai Sho game?"
"Yes."
"But that's crazy!" exclaimed Ryoku.
"Why would you play a game when we have a city to conquer? That is unacceptable.", said another officer.
"Except that the game I propose is to conquer the city, Sir." replied Jeong-Jeong fiercly.
The general sat on a seat and crossed his legs. It was the first time that Jeong-Jeong saw him so close. He was very old. Amber eyes that pierced to the most remote parts of your soul, a lot of wrinkles. No scars on his hands or on his face. That man had never fought on the battle field. It was the kind of person who was always behind the lines, in a tent, talking about strategy. Jeong-Jeong could tell it at a glance. He had been there the day that the Air Nomads were wiped from the world's map. Jeong-Jeong didn't really know what he thought about his past actions, but the general didn't like to talk about it.
He seemed to think while he was observing the young man. But there was nothing to see, except a straight face.
"Explain yourself colonel Jeong-Jeong."
He cleared his throat and began to explain.
"Bao Yu is a fortified city, with no doors that we, as fire benders, can open. And instead of sending thousands of men to battle, trying to climb and destroy the walls, of which only half will come back, we can play Pai Sho with the queen of the city. I'm sure she wants to keep all her soldiers alive. She can't refuse, she's known for never refusing any challenge. If we win, Bao Yu will be ours and we will win the city without having to rebuild it. If we loose, we promise to leave camp."
"And we can come back later when the let their guard down", added a captain.
"Well, I wouldn't have done that..." tried to stop the young man without any success.
"Brilliant" cut the general him off. "Just brilliant! And who do you recommend to play with the queen?"
"Myself, Sir."
"You have my permission to send a message to the queen of Bao Yu...Just brilliant!"
As continued to talk to the other officers, Jeong-Jeong didn't listen anymore. He felt guilty. He knew that if he lost the game, his fellow fire nation people wouldn't keep their word. They would ambush the city like they had done with the air nomads. An attack without honor and justice.
Quote of the day
Fire Lord Ozaï: Hmm…Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth Kingdom commoners. Do you think that adding more troops will stop these rebellions?