Chapter 2 : Actions and Reaction

A lone air ship glided through the cool night air on its way to its destination. The craft, named " The Redeemer" was one of the very last air ships that were still in service with the Fire Nation Military. At the end of the war, Fire Lord Zuko chose to disband the newly formed Fire Nation Air Force that was founded under is father's regime, as a part of his new money saving programs that he had en acted. But Zuko still saw the value of having air ships and decided to keep 3 of them in service but under his direct control. His plan was to show that airships could be used in the future as a viable mode of transportation and other non militaristic uses. Normally, the Redeemer would be used to Transport Zuko to meetings, gatherings and other engagements around the Fire Nation. But today that was not the case and even though Zuko was on board, this would be far different that any engagements that he had gone to since his rise to the throne as Fire Lord.

It was only a few day ago that the news of the tragedy at Wu Tong Village reached him via messenger hawk. To say that Zuko was stunned and horrified by the news he got would have been correct. In the letter, he was given a brief summery of what had happened and within hours, Zuko had ordered his personal air ship to be loaded up with aid and supplies, as well as other items and be ready for launch. He had also allowed news of the disaster to be known to the public and almost immediately, people bean to hold small memorial services to morn the dead. The very next day, Zuko along with a small contingent of Solders left on board the Redeemer and now they were just an hour away from touching down. But nothing could prepare Zuko or any of his men for the carnage that awaited them...

It was a clear night as the Redeemer approached Wu Tong. From his vantage point on the bridge, Zuko could see the bright amber glows of the many fires that still raged in the distance. Proof that what was said in the letters were very much true. If that were the case, then the supplies that Zuko had brought with him would do little to aid his fellow country men on the ground. He could only hope that the 4 navy vessels that were already en route from the capital with even more aid and supplies would arrive sooner than the 2 days that it would normally take them to reach from the capital. As he looked on, one of the men on the bridge yelled... " White Bison off port bow!". The announcement got Zuko's attention and as he looked, he saw the very familiar shape of a large white Bison with 6 legs, a large flat round tail and a large arrow on it's furry head. Then, Zuko saw some one jump off of it's back, deploy a small glider and fly towards his ship. "I see that Aang got my message." Zuko muttered to himself, as he then excused himself and made his way to greet his friend. Just before Zuko left the capital, he had sent a message to Aang who was in the Earth Kingdom at the time. In the message, Zuko informed Aang about the incedent and asked if her could do any thing to help in the rescue effort that was now taking place on the island. Within moments, Aang was on board the Redeemer and he was warmly greeted by Zuko.

Aang had not really changed all that much since the end of the war. He still wore the the same garb as he did back during the war when he traveled around the world with Sokka and his girlfriend Katara. The only real change that any one could notice was that Aang had gotten a bit taller and was almost the same height as Zuko. Ever since the end of the war, Aang soon became the main driving force behind a number of projects, both political and social, that were intended to help the world recover from the the war that is was so trying to forget. That was why he was in the Earth Kingdom when he he got Zuko's message...

"Aang, I am glad to see that you could make it my friend." Zuko said, as he went up and shook Aang's hand.

" Good to see you too Zuko. Though I wish that the circumstances were a bit better.? Aang said with a bit of remorse in his voice. The 2 young men made their way to Zuko's private quarters and began to discuss the situation at hand... "So what happened? You said that there was some kind of accident?"

"Sorry Aang," Zuko said with a sigh, " But I was in a hurry to leave when I got the news. A few days ago, a naval vessel, The Northern Path, was heading in to Wu Tong for repairs when some how it rammed into the dry dock. There was a massive explosion and it caused a domino effect as it were. The report came to me from the Admiral that was in charge of the base."

" So what do you think cause the vessel to ram the dock?" Aang asked his friend. " The Northern Path was one of the older vessels still in service in the Navy. I think that there was some kind of mechanical failure on board the vessel and the crew lost control of the ship. There was a similar incident last month when another vessel's boiler exploded because of lack of maintenance."

"So this could be just another case of mechanical failure?" Aang asked. Zuko just nodded. " But what I am really afraid of that this incident would be just what some ministers back in the capital need to prove their point that the cuts I had made to the military budget were a mistake and that the military should be left alone."

"Don't they realize that your cuts is what preventing the economy from caving in?"

" I am afraid that they do not see it like that." Zuko replied, " As for as they see it, they believe that still having a strong military is the key for a strong nation and maintaining"

"Even though that it is the same military that is crippling he economy?" Aang asked, " don't they know that if they keep all they are doing is hurting there own people?"

" I guess not. Many of them are still strong supporters of my father. They only reason that I have still kept them on as advisers is because they all have pull in the political arena and they have experience." Zuko replied. " I do have my supporters though but they have little pull and are not as seasoned as the others . Their only saving grace is that they do have many supporters in the population compared to the others."

All Aang could do was let what Zuko had said sink in. Even though the world was at peace, there were still many out there that still did not believe that true peace could be achieved through peaceful co-existence and understanding. But for the Fire Nation, it would be far worse. Aang was very much well aware that the Fire Nation was still very much untrusted in the world and if the Fire Nation was to prove that they were truly committed to peace, there would have to be sacrifices made. But building up a military during peace time was not the way to go at all. Even in the Earth Kingdom, Aang had heard a number of persons in both the Earth Kingdom government and the military that still considered the Fire Nation as a threat to their nation and there were even rumors that some of them even wanted to invade the Fire Nation on grounds that it was to prevent them from ever being a threat to the world again. Now there was no way that Aang could confirm if any of those rumors were true, but it was a harsh reminder that he had a long way to go before he could bring back balance to the world's 3 remaining nations. Within an hour, the Redeemer along with the Avatar's flying Bison, Appa, touched down in what was left of the village of Wu Tong.

To say that they were all taken aback by the destruction there would have been a gross understatement. The brunt out shells of buildings still smoldered , while the air was thick with smoke and the sent of burnt flesh. Evidence that the structures there were not the only thing that was destroyed in the fire storm that had taken place just days before. Yet in the distance, the dark of the night was illuminated with the amber glow of the fires that still raged on the outskirts of the town. Quickly, Zuko ordered his men to begin to off load the supplies from the the Redeemer and Appa , while Aang went of to assist in the fire fighting operations that were still going on. As this was going on, Zuko along with a small escort, went off to meet with the Admiral that had sent him the message about the incident. Within minutes, Zuko had arrived at the made shift office and command center that had been set up and was now in meeting with the commander of the Naval Base...

"It is a complete disaster." Admiral Xin told the Fire Lord, as he stood over a table which had a map of the village and the naval base on it. " The entire dock area has been completely destroyed. Over 80 % of the village has been destroyed. We are still battling fires in the southern districts of the town. I swear if that explosion had not most likely killed that blasted crew... I would of !"

"What about the casualties.?" Zuko asked the Admiral, as he too looked at the map. Xin just sighed heavily and said... "Getting accurate information has been difficult. But early reports suggest that the death toll has reached over 1500 in the dock area alone. The civilian population fled into the mountains as soon as the fire began to spreed. We not sure just how many made it though."

" I see." Zuko said. Even though the admiral tried hi best to keep a stern face for the Fire Lord, Zuko could still sense the anger and regret in his words. This disaster happened on his watch and he was helpless to stop it. Zuko then ordered some of his men to head into the mountains with the aid that they had brought . He knew that it was not much, but it was all he could do until the other ships came. He just hope it would be soon.

For the next 2 days, Zuko and his men, along with the Aang assisted where they could. Rescue and recovery operations continued non stop, sometimes they would find some one that survived while other times... the person was not so lucky. Aang managed to put out the remaining fires and soon joined in the recovery effort. Soon the 4 vessels that were also carrying aid arrived and the survivors were soon getting the treatments that they so needed. And there were many in need. Soon , they were able to tally up the the cost of the disaster and what they came up with was grim indeed...

The Dry dock and the naval base was completely destroyed, as well as 80% of the village that lined the out skirts of it. The infostructure was completely destroyed and the town was left uninhabitable . But most of the, the human cost was the most horrific. Out of a population of 15000, over 4500 were dead with another 6000 suffering major injuries such as smoke inhalation and severe burns through other their bodies. After surveying the extend of the destruction, as well as having discussions with both Xin and the surviving villagers, Zuko came to the grim conclusion that the Village of Wu Tong, as well as the naval base and dry dock, would not be rebuilt. The cost to do was just too great and it would have just be a lot more cost effective just to relocate the villagers and close the base. At first the surviving villagers were opposed to this plan to relocate them, but soon they all realized that it was all for the best. The planned evacuation would take place as soon as possible, while Zuko decided that he would the injured back with him to the capital on board the Redeemer. It was a small comfort for the victims, as they already knew that as soon as they left the island, they would never return. Return to a place they at one time... called home.

As news of the "Disaster of Wu Tong"began to spread across the world, many people shocked at just the scale of the incident. But soon the shock faded and was replace with something one would not expect from such news. Jubilation. The news that an entire Fire Nation Village had been destroyed and that the reason for it happening was because of one of there own ships, lifted the spirits of many a Earth Kingdom citizen and water tribes men. Many even began to think that it was the spirit world punishing the Fire Nation for the crimes they had committed , a sort of divine justice if you would. There were even small celebrations in some Earth Kingdom towns and villages, thanking the spirits for such a tragedy to occur in the Fire Nation. But to a few persons in the world, the spirit world had nothing to do with such an act and that they themselves, were responsible for such an "Divine" act of justice...

(Some where in the Earth Kingdom...)

A lone hooded figure sat at the table inside the tavern. In front of him , a single candle lit up the area where he sat in a soft amber glow. Just one of many similar candles that lit up each table in the tavern. Normally , the place would be packed with numerous person that were either be enjoying the drinks that flowed freely at the bar for the right price. Or just enjoy the company of either their friends, or that certain some on in their life. But now it was late in the night and most of the taverns costumers had gone home. The only ones there were the bar keep, who was now wiping down the counter top, and the lone figure at the table. Who was just sitting there and periodically taking a sip from the cup of cactus juice that he had. Soon, his attention was turned to the sound of some one entering the tavern and when he looked, she saw 2 more figures and that they to were dressed in dark brown hoods like him. The man motioned to the bar keep, who saw him and went into a back room. When he was gone, the 2 new figures went over to the first man and sat with him as they began to talk...

" Our operation with the Fire Navy vessel was a undeniable success." the first one said as he continued sip his drink."

"Indeed, "the second man said, " the capture of the vessel went smoothly and the crew never knew what hit the until it was too late."

"Excellent." the first one said, " and did you 'Deal' with them as planned?"

"Yes... they have been... dealt with." he said with a slight grin. " and the destruction of the dock went well. But the destroyed town was just a bonus. They won't soon forget that."

"Neither will the world." the third man added , " the people celebrate with us on our success as well."

"I know... there was a small celebration in here just a few hours ago." the first one replied. "And soon, they will have more to celebrate. This my friends was just the beginning. There are still many in the Fire Nation that believe that the war was their country's 'Golden era'. They believe that what they did was all for the glory for their nation. And when the war ended, they got off easy and went back to their lives. Meanwhile the rest of the world is still struggling to rebuild. They don't know the horrors of war. But we my friends will make sure that they never forget the crimes that they did. And by the time we are done... the Fire Nation will know pain and suffering like we do."

The other 2 men cheered at the first man's statement, as they sat there in the tavern. They stayed there for an hour or so discussing a number of other topics both personal and other wise. But soon, all 3 men got up and left the tavern, each leaving a small bag of gold for the bar keep, before exiting the Tavern and heading off into the night...

A/N: And that is the second chapter for you. I ask every one to please review and feel free to give me any ideas on what you would like to see in this story. Positive reviews are very much welcomed.