After a short hiatus where I dealt with some personal stuff, here a new chapter. I want to thank SaoirseParisa and Wildstar93 for their reviews in the last chapter. Things are picking up this chapter, after 6 chapters of relatively slow pacing. There will be more characters in play and Korra is about to get into something deeper. This is going to be a wild ride.
Before we start, I want to give special shout-outs to Wildstar93 and Kelev in this chapter. They are celebrating birthdays this week, and Kelev's first daughter Hannah is also celebrating her birthday next week. As such, there will be cameo appearances for them in this story. Wildstar93 will appear in cat form, while Kelev's daughter will be mentioned on behalf of both mother and daughter. I hope your birthday celebrations are wonderful and you will enjoy yourselves greatly. Without further ado, let's start this chapter!
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.
"Hey everyone, how's it going?" Korra greeted the warehouse gang as she strolled into her office. Despite the whirlwind that was in the past week or so, things finally calmed down for Korra. The water bender resolved to set things right for her friends after Varrick's mistake, and tried to make this a brand new start for everyone. Given her chipper attitude and a newfound openness, everyone felt Korra was off to a great start.
"Hey, Korra," Bolin called back, trotting into the office with her. The earth bender had a clipboard in his hands and a wide smile on his face. And seeing the way Opal, who followed him closely into the office, smiled back, Korra knew they must have been on a date the night before.
Taking the clipboard, Korra scanned the items on the list over. "Come on, guys. Spill it or I'll dig," Korra stated with a lopsided grin of her own, "Where did you guys go last night?"
Bolin and Opal glanced shyly at each other, red tints appearing on their cheeks. "Dinner and a mover, nothing big," Bolin responded, "There were a couple of new movers that came on this weekend, and Opal and I thought we should go catch one of them. After that, we went out for dinner. But did you know that Opal is into historical dramas?"
"They're just so fascinating, you know? I love reading when I was little, and during my time in Zaofu, Mom got me so many books," Opal explained, her hands clasping at her waist while her bright green eyes twinkled in excitement, "I just find how modern interpretations of history gives it a different feel, you know?"
Korra chuckled as well, her eyes more focused on the clipboard than the conversation. Flipping a page, she scrolled through the lines while continuing, "Maybe that's how you get along with Jinora, who shares your enthusiasm for reading historical works. Have you ever discussed with her? I swear, she can go on for days if she finds an interesting book," Korra pointed out, signing off on the form before handing the clipboard back.
Opal nodded before handing Korra another stack of papers. "Jinora and I did talk about books when I was training in air bending, although I haven't talked to her recently. The last time was when she dropped by and almost got hit by that forklift," Opal described, "I think Kai said they have something planned for tonight, so maybe Kai can update us when he sees her."
"Aw, is the little bro growing up now? I can't believe he's got a date already!" Bolin exclaimed, his eyes darting outside the office in an attempt to search for the younger air bender, "Maybe he should take Jinora to a mover just like I did with Opal!"
Korra chuckled again. Before she and Bolin got used to each other, she would flinch every time Bolin's loud excited voice was heard. But now, Bolin learned to tone down his volume, which made life easier for Korra. "Speaking of movers, did you go to the pro-bending arena to watch your show?" she asked, glancing up and handing the papers back to Opal, "I was working there over the weekend, but I didn't see you guys."
"Well, we didn't even know you were working last weekend," Opal responded, tucking the papers away, "If we knew, we would have dropped by for sure."
Korra nodded. Just then, Kai stepped into the office, his backpack still slung over his shoulder. "Hey guys, I have to meet Jinora in about half an hour," he announced, "I can't find Yung, but Toza said I can leave my bag with you. Is it okay if I keep it in the office?"
Korra did not object, allowing the younger air bender to slip in. But the presence of Kai reminded Korra of another thing that she came across over the weekend. "Kai, do you remember when we were at Kwong's Cuisine, we saw a lady walk past our table?" she asked, "She was dressed in blue and had bright red hair. She came by just when I showed you Jinora's number."
Kai glanced up, a confused look plastered over his face. But surprisingly, Bolin was able to shed some light on the situation. "Yes, I recall seeing her," he pointed out, "I was going to the bathroom when I passed her by. She looks familiar, but I can't figure out who she is."
Korra nodded again. "I still remember what happened. You wanted to use the bathroom and asked us to not order dessert until you came back. While you went to the bathroom, Kai asked me for Jinora's phone number. He said Jinora told him to get it from me, so I showed him my phone contact list," the water bender described in amazingly precise detail, "The lady went past our table while Kai was looking at my phone, and that's when I saw her."
"Maybe that's why I didn't see her," Kai stated, leaning a hand against Korra's desk, "My head was down typing on my phone, and by the time I was done she was probably gone. Who is that mysterious lady, Korra? Is she someone you know?"
"Believe it or not, she's now working for Varrick," Korra replied, to the surprise of the entire group. She then went on to explain the interaction in the elevator, where Varrick made the introduction to her. While Korra was lost in thought, Asami greeted the redhead, who she later on found out to be Varrick's hire for a new marketing campaign. "When Varrick told me that her name was Ginger, I had some hint about her identity. But when I met up with Shiro for my weekend shift and asked him, that's when I confirmed who she is."
Korra pulled out her phone and typed in some words. Kai, Opal, and Bolin all crowded around her, trying to see what Korra was doing. A few seconds later, the same mysterious red-haired woman appeared on Korra's phone, this time on a mover poster. "Ginger used to be some small-time actress," Korra announced, pointing out the picture on her phone screen, "She did two movers, one from five years ago and the other a year after that. But she only had a minor role in each one and neither mover was on screen at the arena for more than two months. I heard she did a third this year, but that was never shown at all."
Bolin snapped his fingers. "That's why she seems familiar, because her first work was some parody of a disaster story. She had a minor role and was killed off in the middle of the show," Bolin recalled, "I have to say, that story wasn't really that good. I thought it was worth a few laughs, but when I left the cinema I didn't find it that funny at all."
"But that's not all," Korra added, scrolling through the page on her phone, "Ginger may not have a successful acting career, but she's quite a socialite. Rumour has it that she's got a lot of connections, particularly in her native home, the Southern Water Tribe. She has experience with fashion and modelling, and last year got into cosmetics as well. I can see why Varrick wants to hire her, since she can do a bit of everything, but I'm not sure if he should befriend her."
The group listened on intently as Korra explained Ginger's unsavoury side. "Since she's so well connected, she has these upstart celebrities and businesspeople surrounding her. While the evidence against her is always circumstantial, rumour has it that she'll manipulate them into doing whatever she wants, only to leave at the right time after getting a good amount of money or some advantage. There was even one who almost committed suicide, and rumour was that it was after his relationship with Ginger fell apart," Korra concluded, her eyes lifting up in worry, "I don't know about you guys, but I sure hope Varrick can keep her at arm's length."
The entire group paused in silence, not quite sure what to believe. Was Ginger indeed this manipulative control freak who could ruin Future Industries? If Ginger was now directly hired by Varrick, would that affect Korra or their warehouse? What was truly going on here?
Not long after Kai left the warehouse to meet up with Jinora, another set of visitors dropped by. Korra could spot a limousine followed by a series of dark-coloured vehicles pull into the pier, and a wide grin spread across her face when the chauffeur of the first limousine opened the back door. Out stepped her long-time friend Asami Sato, who waited patiently for the passengers of the following vehicles to join her. Delighted at the surprise visit, Korra bounded out of the warehouse and into the open area. "Asami, it's great to see you," she greeted the engineer, "You didn't tell me you were dropping by today. Who are the guests?"
"Hey, Korra," Asami returned the greeting, slowly stepping to the next vehicle. The doors have already opened, but Korra could not see the people inside. "We have some people from the Department of National Defence here. It's not a big deal, so just go about as normal."
Korra was about to grimace, fearing that it was Tarrlok again. However, when the first passenger stepped out of the SUV, it was not the arrogant Minister of National Defence. Instead, it was a man with a burgundy coat that had various medals hanging on both sides. His hair was neatly combed, while his golden eyes sparked with authority. "Korra, I'm sure you remember General Iroh Sozin," Asami introduced the man, "He's next in line for the throne in the Fire Nation, the current general of the United Republic's military, and an old friend of my dad's." Turning to the general, Asami brought Iroh over to Korra. "General, I'm sure you also remember Korra, who is now helping my father's company manage the pier and warehouse."
"Korra, nice to see you again," Iroh spoke in a clear and confident tone. He offered his hand for Korra to shake, to which the water bender did so reluctantly. While Korra did have some memories of Iroh, she was often overwhelmed by the way this military man appeared to her. Something about the air of authority just made Korra uneasy, even though Iroh never treated Korra with disrespect. Even so, Iroh's job came with that appearance, and Korra had to accept it.
"I'm just dropping by your warehouse because the military may be exchanging some of our equipment with newer models," Iroh explained, slowly marching into the warehouse with Korra and Asami in tow, "We're just hoping to import and store those goods at this pier and warehouse in the short-term, so I'm just scouting out the area myself before the move is made."
Korra glanced at Asami in confusion. Wasn't the United Republic's military barracks closer to the downtown core, where Future Industries headquarters was? Would it not make more sense to choose a more central location to exchange sensitive goods like military equipment? "So why did you choose us to do the unloading and storing?" Korra queried.
"For the same reason as Asami when she imported her goods here," a female voice answered. Korra turned around and saw a petite, middle-aged woman standing behind her. She looked very unassuming, but the smile on her face mirrored Korra's own. "I'm glad to see you doing so well in your job, Korra. It's been a while since I last visited you."
"Senna, I'm so glad to see you again," Korra stated, throwing her arms around the smaller woman. Senna was a long-time family friend of hers, having known Varrick and Zhu Li since before Korra was born. "Is Tonraq not coming? Or are you helping him out with this?"
"I am," Senna responded. Releasing from Korra's embrace, the twosome marched into the warehouse with Iroh. "Tonraq is busy with meetings with the president, and some of his assistants are here. But since I know you're working here now, and Tonraq and I haven't seen you for a while, I thought I'd drop by for us both. Tonraq was thrilled at your job, you know."
"I'm glad to hear that. Thank you for everything you've done for me since I came here," Korra replied, her voice softening and her eyes shifting to a side of the warehouse with no one around. Tonraq and Senna stayed in the Southern Water Tribe when Korra moved to Republic City, and Korra did not see them again for years after that. When they reconnected, Korra was already settled in with Varrick and Zhu Li. But Tonraq and Senna always supported Korra, visiting as often as possible and giving her all sorts of presents throughout the years. It almost felt like they were another set of parental figures to her, aside from Varrick and Zhu Li. "So are things busy with Tonraq right now?" Korra asked, tilting her eyes back.
Senna nodded. "Tonraq is thinking of running for president next year, since President Raiko's term limit is up and Vice President Anil doesn't want to run," Senna described, "This will be the first time someone with ties to the Southern Water Tribe will contest for that post, so a lot of people are paying attention to this. What do you think about that, Korra?"
Korra's eyes tilted away from Senna, Asami, and Iroh. The general now focused on his staff and Tonraq's assistants, who spread around the warehouse to do inspections. Even though Toza and Yung already came out, and Asami pitched her proposal for Iroh's plan to them, at least four sets of eyes were tentatively on Korra. The water bender glanced around the area, both curious and intimidated by the people marching through the warehouse. The government staff felt more like an army to Korra, which chilled her to the core. Even though Korra was a fan of action like pro-bending, having a real-life military force was something out of her league.
"Korra, is it alright if you look at me for a moment?" Senna's gentle voice called to her. Korra slowly turned her head back, making quick eye contact with Senna. Staring into Senna's blue eyes made Korra feel like she was staring into a mirror, and despite her usual dislike of eye contact, Korra had trouble looking away. "Your, uh, I mean Tonraq and I would love it if you can support his presidential campaign. Are you willing to help us when it does proceed?"
Korra nodded absentmindedly before shifting her eyes away again. "When you said you wanted me to look at you, it reminded me of our interactions when I was a kid," Korra muttered, rubbing her arms up and down. It was something that Varrick and Zhu Li did to train her social interaction skills, where they would ask Korra to try keeping eye contact and learning to speak properly to people, such as greeting them appropriately. Tonraq and Senna, given their closeness with Varrick and Zhu Li, also tried that with Korra whenever they visited her. "I just remember all the good times we had and all the fun things we did, you know?" Korra commented shyly.
Upon hearing that, Senna and Asami could not help by smile at each other. Given Asami grew up with Korra, she was aware of Korra's trouble with interactions, so any positive moment they could bring up of that was a plus for them. Seeing Korra treat Senna and her husband like close friends was something Asami was very happy about, as they did so much to help Korra's growth. "So that's why I will support Tonraq if he does go for the presidency," Korra declared, turning her head back to them, "Just let me know when it'll start, and I'll do what I can."
Senna and Asami both turn their smiles to Korra, who returned the expression. Even Toza and Yung, who were occupied with showing Iroh around, could not help but feel positive. They only knew Korra for a short time, and while there were quirks about Korra's routine, they found her to be a pleasant individual who always went above and beyond to help those in need. She was a truly kind-hearted and considerate person, and they were very happy to know her. Now, to know that she had so much more company outside the warehouse, it was truly delightful.
Shaking her head a few times, Korra headed back to work, bringing Asami and Senna into her office. Yung and Toza continued to assist Iroh, while Tonraq's staff carried on with their inspections. Everything was as expected for the group, who carried about their business as usual. But little did they know that outside of the warehouse, two unauthorized individuals lurked past the walls. They heard every word that was said, and with a glimmer in their eyes, slinked into the background and hurried out of the pier area.
"I never asked you to pity me, Jinora. Just because I'm not living in the vice presidential mansion doesn't mean I can't afford to buy a coffee," Kai snapped, frowning the entire way from the barista's station to the table at the far corner. As expected, Kai and Jinora met up for the first time since Jinora interrupted Kai's fight with Skoochy. Kai originally looked forward to this, but things took a negative turn when Jinora paid for both their drinks. Despite Kai's insistence that he paid for his own, Jinora made it out of the question. It left the male air bender fuming a bit at the way he was treated. "Well, what do you want to talk about?" Kai asked.
Jinora pursed her lips. This was not the way she wanted their first meeting to start. She truly just wanted to know Kai better, and thought it was a good way to start by buying him a coffee. "I didn't pay for our drinks out of pity, you know," she pointed out, trying to stay calm in the midst of Kai's hostility, "I just wanted to do that for a friend, which is what I consider you as. Can't you see that I'm just trying to know you better?"
Kai inhaled and exhaled deeply, glancing to the side instead of looking at Jinora. Kai could see various people around this café, most of whom are only slightly older than him and Jinora. He heard that this café was frequented by university students and young professionals, two things that Kai hoped to be very soon. But thanks to his current condition, he was lucky to make it just another day. Part of him truly wondered if Jinora was doing this to show him up.
Turning back to his companion, Kai took a deep gaze into Jinora's face. The caring brown eyes, the neatly combed shoulder-length hair, and the blue arrow tattoo all indicated an exemplary individual, one who really had her mind set on the world. Kai wondered if he could ever reach her level, and by getting to know her better he could learn more about himself. Was he too harsh by refusing a coffee? "Alright, let's start again," Kai murmured.
Jinora took a sip of her green tea before returning her attention to Kai. "Maybe we should just start by telling each other a bit about ourselves," she suggested. When Kai did not object, Jinora began her story. "As you probably already know, my father is Tenzin Anil, the current vice president. He was a professor at the university for a long time, specializing in Air Nomad culture and history. My mother has a social work background and still has an active license, even though she hasn't practiced in it since Dad's election. I have three younger siblings named Ikki, Meelo, and Rohan. I have an uncle named Bumi who is also an air bender and was in the military for the longest time, and an aunt named Kya who is a water bender and a physician."
Jinora paused, giving Kai a thoughtful glance. The young man avoided eye contact, and shifted his attention elsewhere, making Jinora feel that he was avoiding the question. "If you aren't comfortable, you don't have to tell everything at once," she gently encouraged Kai.
Inhaling and exhaling deeply again, Kai turned back to Jinora. "Let's just say I wish my personal life history is half as peaceful as yours. Unlike what most people think, excitement in a person's life isn't as good as it sounds," Kai commented, which only got Jinora furrowing her brows in curiosity, "I never know my father and my mother's been dead since I was three. I've been in the system since, bouncing around foster homes like crazy. Some of my foster parents are people who are downright psychotic. How it is that they allow people who won't hesitate to abandon a kid at home alone for days to become foster parents is beyond me."
Jinora's eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed several times. No words could exit her mouth, and even the sounds of the other guests of the café were nothing but slurs. "I know during my mom's social work practice, she said there were problems with the system," she stated, "That was one of the mandates my father and President Raiko operated under, which is to improve the treatment of kids in the system. I just didn't expect it to be that bad."
Kai tiled his head back and forth a few times. "Well, I did see some improvement by the time I left the system for good, so I can't say your dad and the president didn't do anything. But by the time they were elected almost eight years ago, I was ready to quit the system," Kai added, chugging down another gulp of coffee, "I ended up living on the streets for a few months before my twelfth birthday, but my luck changed when I sneaked into an empty apartment during a rainstorm. At least, I thought it was empty, but then I was caught when the owner appeared."
"Would that be Yung, your current guardian?" Jinora queried. From what Korra told her, Jinora knew that Yung and Kai had been living together for several years now, with the older man taking in Kai as his ward. "I know you both have the same heritage, being of mixed earth and air descent. I guess it doesn't hurt that you're both air benders too."
Kai nodded, suddenly feeling a bit more confident. "Yung was about to call the police and send me back, but then I basically pleaded with him. He spent the next few days just getting to know me better, and I opened up to him," Kai described, his body steeling with resolve, "By the time Yung did call, it wasn't to the police, but to child and family services. He told them that he would officially make an application to be my foster parent, and I've been with him ever since. He really did everything for me, and I really owe him my life."
Jinora nodded glumly, fully realizing the hardships in Kai's life. She knew there were always those less fortunate than herself, but to hear a story like this firsthand was surreal. "That's very different from my life," she remarked, her hands shifting the teacup back and forth, "I've pretty much grown up completely immersed in Air Nomad culture, with my father being the main teacher of both the theoretical parts and the air bending. Mom's a non-bender, but she clearly enjoys it too. I got the best training in the world, since my grandfather Aang is one of the most skilled air benders of all time. It's also why I got my tattoos when I was eleven, a year younger than Grandpa Aang. But I guess that isn't the case for everyone."
Kai moistened his lips, struggling to find the right words. While he did not want to chide Jinora for feeling sorry for him, he also felt that Jinora was truly trying to help. "You shouldn't feel guilty just because you have something that I don't," Kai pointed out, "In fact, just coming here and talking to you, I already feel a lot better. At least I know you're really trying to be a friend and not judging me. And yeah, I realize I shouldn't have lost my temper on you on that day when you told me not to beat Skoochy up. Maybe learning Air Nomad culture from you isn't so bad after all, since you do have your tattoos and all."
For the first time since they met up, Jinora managed to crack a genuine smile. "And you know how much I want to do that, given the way Air Nomad culture has gone. I was telling my father that Air Nomad culture is becoming stagnant, and there has to be new ways to spread its culture. Dad agreed that this is something worth pursuing, and if you can be part of the new wave of Air Nomad culture, then I think you can go far," Jinora stated with conviction, "I don't want to give up on you, Kai. So no matter what, you can't give up on yourself."
Kai could only smile back at this comment. For once in a long while, he felt he could fully trust another person outside of those in his circle. "Thanks, Jinora," he replied. He raised his cup to salute his new friend, who responded in kind. Taking a long sip, he turned to a lighter subject. "So how was growing up with three siblings, and how did you train in air bending?"
Jinora chuckled. "It can stressful, but also fun," she responded, "Ikki's my only sister, but she's a ball of energy. She sometimes reminds me of an old family friend who is a tri-racial air bender. Her name is Hana and my grandpa used to babysit her when she was young. She's very close with our family, and her best friend Kiyi is a distant relative of the current Fire Lord. Hana is half water, one-quarter earth, and one-quarter air, and both her parents are biracial. It gave her the most unique way to view the world, and she really inspired me to think differently about Air Nomad culture. Do you want to hear a bit more about that?"
A dark vehicle with its windows rolled up pulled into a back alley, away from the bustling streets and throngs of people. It slowed creaked to a halt beside an unassuming side door, its engines going silent and its occupants stepping out. They were one man and one woman, but should they stand in the crowd, they would surely stick out. "Well, Ming Hua, are we ready to report?" the man asked, shifting his neck to straighten out the kinks, and in the process his long black hair draping over part of his face.
The woman smirked. Compared to her companion, whose long hair and thin moustache were the defining traits, she was even more unique in that she had no arms. Leaning her right shoulder to a water pipe, she pressed against a leaky part and grew a water tendril from it. "Let's just get this over with, Ghazan," Ming Hua responded, switching her body around and repeating the same process with her left shoulder, "The sooner we let Zaheer know, the better."
Ghazan nodded. Knocking on the side door, he waited for a response. The whole alleyway was dark and damp, which probably suited Ming Hua just fine. Given her lack of arms, water bending was the only way she could grab anything, and that meant requiring moisture to build herself some limbs. For Ghazan, his specialty required a bit more space than in an alley, meaning this was probably not the best place to catch him in.
A small slit slid open, where a set of gold eyes peeked out. Ghazan whispered through the slit their password, which caused the slit to close and the locks to be undone. By the time the door was thrown open, Ghazan and Ming Hua were greeted by a giant of a woman. "We were wondering when you will come back," the woman greeted them, stepping out of the way so they could go in, "Zaheer just got off the phone with our contact, so we're ready to get started."
Ghazan and Ming Hua entered the dark hallways, lit but single lights scattered randomly through the ceiling. Given the gigantic woman was over two metres tall, they were surprised that she adapted to this place as their headquarters so well. "Thank you, P'Li," Ming Hua stated, her water tendrils splashing against the walls, "Did Zaheer tell you what updates he has?"
P'Li rubbed her forehead, which had a strange tattoo of what resembled an eye on it. "I only heard bits and pieces, so I'm not entirely sure," she replied, "All he said was that both the contact and the goods we're relying on will fund us for the bigger operation."
P'Li, Ghazan, and Ming Hua were led into a far office at the end of the hall. Seated at a desk was a bald man with a scar in his left eyebrow. He showed no emotion on his face, all the while his fingers tapped away at the laptop. But before P'Li could even announce the group's arrival, Zaheer glanced up. "Oh, you finally came back," he stated, taking his eyes off the laptop screen and turning them towards the group, "I assume you scouted out the pier already?"
Ghazan and Ming Hua nodded, with the earth bender taking the initiative. "That pier is, like you said, one of the most isolated piers in the entire Republic. It's directly facing the ocean to the south, it's surrounded by rock ledges and hills, and just driving to it requires going into some pretty winding roads," Ghazan explained, "While there is a security post there for random checks into the cargo being loaded, there isn't much manpower to do anything more than that. In other words, security is definitely not as tight as the major ports closer to the business district."
Zaheer nodded, typing at his laptop again. He did not tell or show his team anything he put into the laptop, and none of the three individuals saw it fit to inquire. Their leader always had a calm look on his face, and most of his plans were executed well. Moreover, they had laid low for all these years, but now it seemed like it was their chance to shine. "What about the staff at the pier? Do you know who works there and if they will be a threat?" Zaheer asked.
"Future Industries got together with Boar-Q-Pine Logistics, the owner of the largest warehouse there, and together they have control of most of the goods," Ming Hua described, "I know we saw Asami Sato, the daughter of the owner of Future Industries, there with some VIP's. I think it was General Iroh Sozin, but there was one other lady who was a water bender. They met with a younger woman named Korra, who seemed like she was working with the warehouse owners, two middle-aged guys named Yung and Toza."
Zaheer nodded again. "It sounds like everything you have is to our advantage, except we might want to watch for the people instead of the location," he replied. His eyes tilted to the side while his right hand tapped his chin, letting the sounds of the boilers and water running in the pipes echo through the room. To the threesome, silence like this was at best awkward and at worst eerie. But for Zaheer, a highly-trained air bender, it made for a perfect atmosphere for his meditation. Sometimes Zaheer could stay in this position for hours at a time, only asking his team to take care of any distractions around him while he stewed in his thoughts.
Just then, Zaheer turned back to the team, this time also turning his laptop around. "Our contact from the Northern Water Tribe, Unalaq Arnook, is asking us to assist him delivering some old treasures he had in his collection," Zaheer announced, pointing and clicking on various files, "They're not all just from the Northern Water Tribe, but also from various other historical areas. One of which is the Northern Air Temple, a place I hold high respect for, given it was the home of Guru Laghima. He wants these in the black market, where our sleeper cells will sell them to fund our operations. He knows that his ally, Minister Tarrlok Yakone, plans to store some military equipment there in the short term, and figures that it's the best way to smuggle some goods in. The profits will be split, and we will have enough to launch our biggest attack."
"Won't storing this with military equipment be suspicious?" P'Li queried, leaning her head down for a closer look at the computer screen, "I assume additional security will be there when the military does their thing, and if they are they might search us. What will happen then?"
Zaheer shook his head. "The safest spot is often closest to the enemy. The military won't let others go near their stuff, meaning they will guard it with their lives. We can put in ours in the process, and be guarded by the military as well," Zaheer pointed out, "Besides, I heard Unalaq is planning to shift some of his exports to the Republic to that pier as well, so all we have to do is smuggle our goods in with his. We'll sort out how to get them out from the main Northern Water Tribe goods later on, but for now this plan is foolproof."
"I think we can even do that by sneaking into the warehouse in the middle of the night," Ming Hua stated, waving her water tendrils around, "Don't forget that these aren't just weapons, but also climbing tools. I don't think it's hard to climb the walls with my water arms."
"And I doubt those middle-aged guys are a match for us," Ghazan added, crossing his arms and smirking arrogantly, "They probably have to protect their own staff, which gives us the advantage. I can't imagine how that Korra girl can be a threat, given she can't even look her own guests in the eyes. I doubt she can do much to harm us that way."
Zaheer glanced up at the earth bender, his impression unreadable but his tone clearly not impressed. "I suggest you check up on the word autism the next time you say that," the leader warned, "Korra has that condition, but it doesn't mean she's a weakling. If you underestimate her, you do so at this project's, as well as your own peril."
"Hiroshi, why are you holding a cat in your office?" Ginger asked, her eyes and tone both condescending as she and Varrick entered the heavyset man's room. What was supposed to be a busy day for Hiroshi only became more unexpected when Varrick insisted on this meeting with Hiroshi. Claiming he had ideas that could resuscitate the whole company, he very forcefully pushed himself onto Hiroshi's agenda, causing the millionaire to give him his attention.
"Because I'm pet-sitting for a friend," Hiroshi replied, petting the dark brown tabby tom cat, "His name is Goldblaze, and he belongs to a budding writer that Asami knows well. This writer recently got his first book published, a novel on, you guessed it, cats. He's doing a quick promotional tour and didn't want to leave Goldblaze alone. Since the usual sitters are busy, he called Asami, who then called me. Nothing wrong with that, right?"
Ginger looked sceptical, which made Hiroshi frown. Even Goldblaze, who seemed content with just sitting on Hiroshi's desk while the man petted him, glared at the redhead with an aggressive expression. Sensing the tension, Varrick chose to intervene. "Ginger, relax. The cat won't disturb our meeting. Besides, it's not the first time you've seen animals in our offices. Did you happen to forget that I have a platypus bear suit in mine?" Varrick suggested, his silly grin plastered all over his face, "Why don't we go back to the topic in question first?"
Ginger stared at the cat with an unimpressed look. Sensing the distraction, Hiroshi picked up Goldblaze and placed him on the ground, to which the tabby tom trotted off into the corner. The cat sat patiently and licked his paw, all the while glaring back at Ginger. Clearing his throat, Hiroshi proceeded with the meeting. "So why did you call this impromptu meeting, Varrick? I barely heard what you said over the phone, other than the fact that you were really excited about a new project or product," Hiroshi inquired, clasping his hands on the desk before him.
Varrick rubbed his hands together in glee. "Alright, so I looked back at the last thing I was involved in, which was that whole recall thing. We got in trouble with that slime ball Tarrlok, who tried but failed to charge us with importing counterfeit goods. The counterfeit goods were just defective goods that should have been fixed, but somehow didn't. So I said to myself, what if we just take what's defective and redesign it into something more? So I had a plate of hot peppers, hung myself upside down, and presto! I got us a whole new idea that can turn this thing around!" Varrick declared, waving his arms like a child who just won a prize.
Hiroshi pinched the bridge of his nose. He was really not in the mood for impractical ideas, especially those involving the defective goods. While he knew Varrick's eccentricities had helped the company many times in the past, Hiroshi was always concerned about the times when Varrick's imagination ran too wild. The whole defective goods debacle was one such example, and it clearly led to disaster. "Whatever idea you have, Varrick, please tell me it won't lead us to another investigation," Hiroshi warned his colleague, now rubbing his temples in stress, "We're having enough problems restoring our reputation right now, and I don't want it to get worse."
"Don't worry, it won't get worse, because all we're doing is reusing some of our older products and improving upon them," Varrick declared. He placed his notebook in front of Hiroshi, who could only lift an eyebrow in response. "So I looked through some old projects Future Industries did when you first combined with my Varrick Industries. It was during the time when the Water Tribe started their civil war, and I know we traded information in helping the Southern Water Tribe develop some of their machinery. You recall that, right?"
Hiroshi nodded. It was not something that was broadcast too much, but Future Industries did play a role in supplying the Southern Water Tribe with materials. Even though they had not done so for a long time, Hiroshi was still moderately aware of what they supplied. "So are you trying to remarket some of these goods for non-war purposes?" Hiroshi queried.
"Exactly right, and I found so many new ways we can adapt them into our technologies," Varrick pointed out, flipping a few pages over. Hiroshi could see that they were designs of their automobile lines, but with significant upgrades pointed out here and there. "For example, we made imaging systems for the Southern Water Tribe, so that they have the ability to fight the Northern Water Tribe during their winters, where it's pretty much pitch-black all day. But what if we included that in our vehicles, which will make it easier for night driving?"
Hiroshi listened on with interest as Varrick flipped another page. "Another example is the use of image intensifiers in the cameras for our vehicles, particularly the rear-view cameras that we use for reverse driving. I know for a fact that this can be a good sell, especially for bigger cars that have trouble navigating narrow parking lots. You won't find a better use for these than in a reverse camera for a driver backing up," Varrick suggested.
Hiroshi nodded. Even though he had yet to put these military goods into civilian use, he could see the potential they might have. "But do you have any of the prototypes available to you for conversion? Where did we even put the goods in the first place? If it's not on any of the sites here in the Republic, then we'll have to ship them in. The last thing I want it to be accused of importing military goods without proper authorization," Hiroshi highlighted.
Varrick waved his hands in the air in assurance. "Everything is fine, Hiroshi, because I heard that the military plans to shift some of their storage around. Korra told me that General Iroh Sozin visited our warehouse at Firewood Bay the other day, and it seems like they want to use our pier and warehouse to exchange some equipment for newer models," he reported, "I called up the international trade department and got me some information on how to get our goods through without them being labelled as military goods. If we just follow the military's lead, doing whatever they're doing to a tee, we should be fine!"
Hiroshi rubbed his cheeks again, trying to piece in his mind the logistics of it all. The room was completely silent, while the sunlight seeping in from the window behind him casting a spotlight onto him. Even Goldblaze paused his licking and glanced over, like he understood the discussion. Despite the brightness in the room, the atmosphere was anything but warm.
Finally, the owner of Future Industries made his decision. "I do think this project has merits, and I am willing to look it over," he decided, his sharp eyes staring strongly back at Varrick behind his thick glasses, "Why don't we start small first, by just bringing back some of the models we shipped to the Southern Water Tribe, and research into how to incorporate them into our vehicles? Once we have more concrete results, then we'll market en masse."
Varrick clapped his hands together. "Great, and this is where Ginger will come in handy," he announced, waving at the former actress, "Ginger will look over our goods and come up with a great marketing campaign. She has complete control over the design, execution, and even starring in our ads. There's no way this will fail, you can be assured of that!"
"And where will these goods be imported through? Is it the same pier and warehouse that you talked about earlier? I'm not sure if we should let Korra handle these. I didn't get like the way she didn't greet me when you first introduced me to her," Ginger smugly pointed out, her downward gazing eyes now keying in on Varrick with respect to his foster daughter.
"Hey, don't worry about it. Just because Korra is autistic doesn't mean she can't handle importing goods. If anything, it's because she's good that she's working there," Varrick replied, his tone neither angry nor impressed. While Varrick tried to be easygoing with everyone, he did have a sore spot at those disparaging Korra. He knew Ginger was probably put off by Korra's refusal of eye contact when they first met at the elevator, but that was no way for Ginger to speak of her. Deep down, he hoped there would not be further friction between them in the future.
"Is there a reason why that guy is here?" Korra leaned her head closer to Opal's ear and murmured. A peaceful afternoon at the warehouse was completely shattered when none other than Tarrlok Yakone dropped by unannounced. Korra really did not want anything to do with him, given the condescending way he treated her at the arena. Add to the fact that he acted like Korra's autism was a disease or something, and Korra really wanted him gone.
But here was Tarrlok, his arrogant and bombastic self, marching around the pier like he owned the place. Whether it was him barking orders at his staff, or pointing a long finger in various directions, or even shooting unimpressed glances at Korra and Opal, Tarrlok surely made himself visible. Luckily, Mako and Lin were amongst the local police force members who were with him, which made life a bit easier for Korra and Lin. "Aunt Lin, why is he really here? If he wants to know about how the warehouse will store the army goods, shouldn't a couple of his staff members suffice?" Opal asked meekly, her eyes alternating between Lin and Tarrlok.
"I don't like it either, but knowing Tarrlok, this is another attempt for him to look good. Don't forget the election is next year, and he's in the running for a presidential nomination," Lin pointed out, muttering most of those words under her breath and out of Tarrlok's earshot, "And since he's in charge of the military, it's no surprise that he'll want to be here anyway."
"Yeah, but Iroh came less than a week ago, and he was nothing like this," Korra stated, recalling how polite Iroh was compared to the authoritative way Tarrlok ordered his staff, "If he gets elected, then I'm seriously considering moving somewhere else."
"Don't worry, Korra. I got your back when we were in the arena, and I'll have your back now," Mako reassured her. Even though Korra had always found Mako hard to read due to his usual lack of emotions and facial expressions, Korra was aware that Mako had a caring side. She saw that front and centre at the restaurant when him and Bolin released their grievances, and that really changed her viewpoint of him. "Besides, do you seriously think Bolin and Kai will let Tarrlok off the hook after how they were treated back in the arena?"
Korra tilted her head back and forth, knowing that Bolin and Kai would want to chew Tarrlok out. That said, would Tarrlok even care what Bolin and Kai thought of him? Given how he practically thumbed his nose at them at the arena, Korra would not put it past Tarrlok to throw even more putdowns at Bolin and Kai. Rubbing her face a few times, Korra glanced over at Tarrlok again, who was slowly marching towards her. "Oh boy, here he comes," she eked out with dragonfly bunny spirits churning in her stomach, "Let's see what he wants from us."
Tarrlok stopped about a metre before Korra, crossing his arms and casting a downward gaze at Korra. "I never thought you would be in charge of this warehouse, considering the mess you made at the arena," he critiqued, "Had a terrorist entered while you were talking with your two incompetent friends, the nephew of the United Earth States ambassador would be dead."
"Or, you can think of it as Wu taking home some very good memories, telling his aunt how hospitable the United Republic is, and potentially getting good ties for foreign affairs and trade," Korra retorted, standing her ground rather than flinching or turning away. Even though she still struggled with keeping eye contact with Tarrlok, she was sure to hit back against him for all his rudeness. "And since you're running to succeed Raiko as president, maybe you should think about making other national leaders happy instead of insulting them like you did to us!"
Tarrlok frowned, all the while Opal tried to hide her giggles. "Well, I won't be lectured to by the likes of you. You'll be the last person in the entire United Republic that I'll name to my cabinet when I get in," Tarrlok snapped, not happy at being talked back at like that.
"Don't worry, because I won't be supporting you, either as a member of your cabinet, or as a voter. You won't find a cross next to your name for as long as I can vote," Korra retorted, this time getting Opal to chuckle aloud. Even Mako and Lin, who were so good at controlling their emotions, could not help but emit some chortles of their own. While Tarrlok was the ever charismatic politician, there was no way he could win this war of wits with Korra. If Korra ever heckled Tarrlok's stumping speeches, they doubted Tarrlok would get a single vote!
Before things got more heated, Lin got herself involved. Taking a deep breath to cut down on her chuckles, she insisted they stuck to the task at hand. "Minister Yakone, you had a chance to see the entire pier," she described, waving her arm behind the tan-skinned man, "Do you feel this location is acceptable for the military's storage grounds for the next little while?"
Tarrlok lifted his hand to stop the police chief. "Outside is fine, and I think we can have both military personnel and members of your own force here for security," he explained, "But I want to see the inside of the warehouse first. I appreciate Iroh's insight into this matter, given he did scout out the area before reporting back to me. But ultimately I make the final call, and I want to see where Korra and her friends will hold our equipment before proceeding with it."
Korra lifted an eyebrow, not sure if Tarrlok was being precise or difficult. Iroh and his team did go through the whole warehouse, and Korra was sure Yung and Toza led them through it. What more did Tarrlok want out of them? Sighing deeply, Korra lifted an arm and gestured at the warehouse. "If you please, follow me," she uttered, dragging her feet all the way to the door.
Korra brought Tarrlok into the warehouse, immediately pointing out the different sections and security measures. Tarrlok stayed silent, only making subtle nods and clacks of his tongue. Korra's familiarity with this warehouse allowed her photographic memory to describe each part even without her notebook. "For extra security for your military materials, this section is the best one," she concluded, leaning next to a metal fence-like section with a lock in the front.
Tarrlok glanced at the sign on top, which indicated Section A. It was spacious enough to store crate upon crate of military equipment, although they most likely had to be stacked on top of one another rather than in individual slots on a shelf. He tilted his head back, seeing that it was the most isolated section, furthest from the front door, with two similar sections, Sections B and C, in front of it, before they got back to the open area. "This seems pretty safe, but I won't take any chances," Tarrlok decided, "I want military and police presence during the unloading and storage times, and double the security for the entire pier. Chief Bei Fong, I want your officers to assist the military in guarding the entrance, even if it means a twenty-four hour presence."
Tarrlok strode out as swiftly as he came in, nearly bowling over Bolin and Kai, who were making their way over. Neither one wasted any time in making faces at the Minister of National Defence, who barked more orders at his team. Sensing everyone's nervousness, Opal leaned over and asked, "Do you think we can handle this, with him breathing down our necks?"
"Don't be afraid to ask for help, Korra," Lin reminded the water bender, her usually sharp tone becoming gentler, "I'm sure Asami or your foster parents are more than willing to offer some assistance. And since Varrick knows Suyin well, maybe my sister can help out too."
Korra said nothing, her body swaying slightly while her eyes focused onto the empty section before her. This was going to be a big test, and she could not afford to make the same mistake as before. The memory of Mako arresting Toza was still branded into her mind, and she could not let her friends down. Even though she wanted to do this on her own, Korra knew it was in her best interests to get all the help she could get.
Just a quick list of my inspirations, as per usual, for things I used in this chapter:
1.) Korra's interaction with Asami, Senna, and Iroh is based on another fictional autistic character, Simon Lynch from Mercury Rising. Simon is a little boy who is lower functioning than Korra, but shares Korra's trait of having a superior memory. Simon's parents work on his interaction skills with cue cards or practicing eye contact. In fact, Senna's request that Korra looks at her is directly pulled from that movie. Again, Korra is much more high functioning, but this at least highlights how Korra addresses her problems with social interaction.
2.) Jinora mentioned Hana, who is the Avatar Universe's version of Kelev's daughter Hannah. In the Avatar Universe, Kelev is a biracial air bender of Air Nomad and Water Tribe descent, while her husband is a non-bender of Water Tribe and United Earth States descent. Hana is an air bender, but she is tri-racial (half Water, quarter Earth, quarter Air). That gives her a totally different outlook at life than most people can ever imagine in either the original series or the Korra series. Kelev, I hope you enjoy your daughter having another appearance (the third time) in my stories!
3.) The cat Hiroshi held, Goldblaze, is the cat version of Wildstar93. The budding novelist who owns Goldblaze is, if you haven't guessed already, Wildstar93 in real life. He is trying to publish a novel on cats, and while it hasn't hit the bookstores yet, I do hope to see it in the near future. But for the purpose of this story, Wildstar93 in human form is the owner of Wildstar93 in cat form. Confusing, but that's the way it works here.
4.) Varrick's proposal of using military equipment for civilian use actually exists in real life. It is called dual-use technology, where the same piece of equipment or the same concept is used for both military and civilian purposes. There are special licensing and classification required to import and export these goods, due to laws on weapons trafficking, but dual-use technology is more common than most people believe.
5.) Korra's comment about putting a cross next to Tarrlok's name is based on the Canadian election system. In Canada, election ballots have the names of all candidates on the same sheet. Each name has a blank circle next to it, and the voter will mark an X or a cross in the blank circle to indicate their choice. I know different countries have different ballot styles, but I am importing the Canadian ballot into this story. So when Korra says there won't be a cross next to Tarrlok's name, it basically means Korra will not vote for Tarrlok.
6.) Zaheer and Unalaq having an alliance within the Red Lotus is from Book 3, where Zaheer suggested that Unalaq was aligned with them prior to the latter's betrayal. Hiroshi and Varrick using military imports and exports to rescue the company's business is from Book 2, where Asami tried to export military goods to the Southern Water Tribe to rescue Future Industries. And Mako telling Korra that he has her back is from the finale, where he said something identical to Korra.
And that's it for this chapter. Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you enjoyed it. I hope to see you all again in a month with the next chapter!
