Hello everybody. Until now I'm happy, that I had somehow managed to stay in my rhythm to publish new chapters. I hope this fact won't change.
I'm happy to see, that my story got more fans, so I'm really glad to give a new update sooner as I had expected.
This chapter, the Fire Lord his consultants and the experts will have their meeting. I hope everyone will enjoy this new one.
Between +...+ Zuko's thoughts
Experts
The Fire Lord stood at the front of the table in the conference room. At his right side was Iroh and Toph was standing left from him. Zuko recognized the confusion, her appearance had caused by the three men, that have entered the room. Of cause she couldn't see any of them, but he knew she must had heard them whispering about her. He still wasn't sure, if she liked his decision or not.
+ She can handle this, I'm sure. +
"Gentlemen, Before we'll start with the conference, let me introduce you my new Left Hand in this case, Lady Toph BeiFong."
Zuko's voice caught everyones attention. He heard the surprised gasps of two of the men, only the third one, a skinny tall man, seemed to stay cool. He didn't show any sign of emotion, but he had recognized, that Toph had a satisfied smile on her lips, as Zuko had introduced her and her position.
+ Well that's the kind of reaction, she likes. +
He continued with the introduction. "She is equipped with all powers of a Left Hand, so I expect a full cooperation with her in this case. All of you will share any information, any hint and any advice with her as you would share it with me."
"Yes my Lord!"
All men answered at the same time and bowed before Zuko and his Right and Left Hand. The Fire Lord turned to Toph.
"Lady BeiFong, let me introduce you to Chief Sung, lead investigator of the police of the Capital."
"Lady BeiFong."
The man bowed again and Toph nodded at him. He was about 45 to 50 with grey hair and a mustache. He looked still confused at Toph and the Fire Lord.
"Then Major Shimasu, the military investigator in this case."
The man took a step forward. He was about 30 years of age and according to his eyebrows he had be a ginger, but he had a perfectly shaved bald head. In his uniform he had a impressive physical presence.
"Lady BeiFong."
The young man also bowed before Toph and she nodded back. He seemed to have arranged with the new situation.
"And finally Professor Kokaso, leader of the Royal Psychological Academy."
Zuko wasn't sure, but Toph seemed to be more focused on him, than on the other experts. Kokaso was a tall man but also a little skinny. He must be about 40 years of age with brown short hair. He wore round glasses and everything on this man seemed to be placed and chosen with a careful perfection.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Lady BeiFong. And it is also an honor to welcome a member of such a noble family from the Earthkingdom."
Toph nodded the man. Zuko noticed, that Kokaso had drawn her attention most. Her almost hidden smile confused him.
+ No surprise, she was most excited about him, but why this smile? +
The Fire Lord gave a sign and everyone took his seat at the table and Zuko started the meeting.
"Then let's start discussing the situation. Chief Sung, why did your message stayed so vague? Why didn't you mentioned that illegal actions were suspected?"
The Chief cleaned his throat.
"At your absence Lord Iroh had given me free hand to decide how to handle this case. We were both worried about the circumstances, so I informed major Shimasu directly, because I knew him and trust him completely. The Major and I decided to inform you, but to keep most information about the ambush out of the message, because we didn't knew, who else might have been reading it."
Zuko raised an eyebrow.
+ That's a lot of precaution. +
Toph interrupted the man.
"So you both think, that there might be an information leak and someone could be warned, if all details were send with the message?"
The chief and the major looked at each other. Then the Shimasu nodded.
"Yes Lady BeiFong, that's what we feared."
Now Toph seemed to be confused. Zuko didn't miss her surprised look.
"But why was this important? As far as I know, all equipment, especially wagons, airships, tanks or other great vehicles got symbols, which can identify the commander or company, who is responsible for the equipment. Didn't you have started to interrogate the responsible officer, who had ordered this transport?"
The men stayed silence, but Iroh turned to Toph.
"We would have done so, when we would have known, who had ordered this transport or at least, when we would know, which company the wagon belongs to."
Zuko and Toph were stunned.
"All symbols on the wagon were removed or carved out, so we couldn't identify a company, the wagon belongs to."
It was the Chief, who was speaking again.
"We think, that some high officer used this transport for illegal actions, so we couldn't exclude, that he might have been warned, if we send too much informations in this message."
The Major turned to Zuko, who was still in his thoughts.
"Of cause he will be warned sooner or later, but we hoped to get more time for our investigations, so we might find some hints, before our suspect could get a chance to wipe out more evidence."
+ Well maybe the traveler knew more. +
"What about doctor Hong? If the transport was linked with some illegal actions, do you think, he was involved in a way or another, or was it just an accident, that he was in this wagon?"
Zuko faced the Chief and the Major.
"And did the doctor said something, where he has been and how he got in this wagon?"
Toph had also turned to them, but Zuko could see, that she had closed her eyes, as she did, when she wanted to be most focused. Sung turned to her.
"All he said was, that he had visited some units of the Army at the borders of the Earthkingdom. He wants to start some studies about the changes for the soldiers at the borders after the war. He wants to find out, how they deal with the new situation. He said to us, that after he was finished he had asked a low rank officer about a transport back to the capital, he could join and he was offered to go with the wagon, which was attacked by Azula."
Toph was still not satisfied.
"But you couldn't exclude a link to our suggestion, that the transport was used for illegal actions and that doctor Hong was part of it?"
The Major was about to response, when Kokaso interrupted him, by clearing his throat.
"Major. Lady BeiFong. Forgive me my interruption, but I know doctor Hong for a long time. He is a talented and passionate psychiatrist. But he is often too focused on his work and not on the side effects, his researches might cause. His explanation for his trip to the borders sounds plausible for me. We had discussed such researches about half a year ago and I encouraged him, to start with them. His weakness in such action are often his planing. I bet, that he was so focused on his work, that he did not had thought about how to get there and how he could get back. Taking the first opportunity for a travel, he get offered, sounds like him. The mistake, not to pay attention about the suspicious circumstances, is typical for him."
Toph turned to Kokaso. She had put her thumb and index finger on her chin.
"Just like a distracted Professor. A master in his subject but unstructured and with a lack in planning?"
Kokaso gave her a smile.
"As I see Lady BeiFong, you have got the point of my explanations."
Toph gave him a satisfied smile.
"Thank you Professor, I will keep that in mind."
Zuko saw the satisfaction in her face. He wasn't sure, but it seemed to him that Kokaso had jerked a bit.
+ Yeah, she definitely doesn't like him. +
She turned back to the Chief.
"Chief Sung, I'd like to take a closer look at the wagon. Maybe I can find some hints at it, that may be hidden to normal eyes. You will show me it right after this meeting."
The man nodded.
"As you wish, Lady BeiFong."
Then she turned to Zuko. She gave him a devilish smile, and he was sure that she did everything, that Kokaso could also see it.
"And Fire Lord Zuko. I also wish to visit the place of the ambush, tomorrow. I think Azula's track is cold already, but maybe I'll also find some hidden hints. And finally I want to interrogate doctor Hong. Maybe the hints, that I may find, could dig out some more informations, that might be buried in his mind."
Zuko nodded at her with great approval. He didn't missed, that she enjoyed this little game, she had started with Kokaso.
"That is a good idea, Lady BeiFong. I will join you for this interrogation."
+ She can detect lies. This would be most helpful. I will send for Hong after this meeting immediately. +
He turned back to the Major.
"But let's return to the transport. Who are the mercenaries? I don't think they have told you, who payed them for the escort, but at least I want to know, who was involved in this action."
"The mercenaries are the Black Hawks. A group, who have taken many jobs for a great among of officers in the army for many years."
The major took out some lists.
"The BlackHawks are related to a long and dark list of illegal actions during the war, but none of them could have been proven."
Zuko nodded grimly and Shimasu continued his explanation.
"We had to let them go after the interrogation. Due to their leader they were hired to escort the wagon to the gates of the Capital. It was not their task to ask questions about what or who were inside the wagon."
Zuko heard the explanation with closed eyes, pressing his fingertips together in front of his chin.
"And of cause it's not a crime to escort a wagon and being payed for it, by someone you don't know."
Toph started to giggle a bit.
"Or being beaten to a pulp, by a group of young women."
Zuko gave her a serious look, just only to realize again, that she couldn't see it.
"But you shouldn't forget, that one of the young women is my sister. And by knowing this fact, these men could be happy, that none of them had taken serious injuries. So before I'll end this meeting I'd like to have your expertise Professor Kokaso. Why had my sister attacked this wagon? What might be her intention?"
+ I hope his answer will hold up a hint for me, how I can handle her to bring her back. +
Kokaso waited a second before he answered. He seemed to like the attention.
"Thank you Fire Lord, for your trust in my abilities. But before I will give my expertise, may I dare to ask you about the conclusions, that might be possible for yourself. I have no doubt, that you and your consultants had spoken about some possible intentions from Azula."
Zuko nodded.
"Until now, I have found three possibilities:
First, Azula wants to weaken my position again, by attacking transports of high members of the army. She might hope, that the trouble, she could cause with such actions, would weaken our army and also weaken my position as Fire Lord.
Second, Azula was aware of illegal actions in the army and she had chosen her very own special way, to give me a hint. In this case, she doesn't want to weaken me, but she want to strengthen myself and the Nation.
And third, Azula got a hint, that doctor Hong was in the wagon. As far as I know she wasn't very lucky about being send to the sanatorium. And a good intention had never hold her back of being resentful. So maybe it was only a sort of revenge."
Kokaso smiled, during Zukos explanations.
"It is an honor to see, that the Fire Lord has read my rapports carefully. The more I dislike my next words, but I fear, that I could not give a precise expertise yet. I could not exclude one of your given aspects. To her mental standing, all of these are possible."
+Damn it. +
Zuko looked at his uncle with resignation.
"I might predict her next steps better, when she will have made her next move. But it is my duty to give a warning about what might happen next."
Kokaso took another dramatic break. Zuko could see, that Toph was trying to roll her eyes.
"As I have heard from doctor Hong, he was injured after he was captured. This is concerning to me. Even when revenge was her first intention, it has now become a part of her plans. And doing physical harm to an already beaten enemy may shown a deep desire to give the pain back, she had taken. I hope, that my prediction will be wrong, but this desire could escalate. And if this will happen, she might do even worse things to everyone she blames for her suffering."
+ This would be worst of all. +
An awful silence hung in the room. Toph turned to Kokaso first.
"So you think, the Fire Lord, his friends and his family might be in danger?"
Kokaso nodded.
"The Fire Lord, his family, his friends, especially the young waterbender, who had helped Lord Zuko at the Agni Kai, but also doctor Hong and myself. Everyone that might be responsible for her situation, in her opinion."
Zuko waited a moment, until he stood up. Everyone did the same.
"Then we'll have to wait for her next step. Lady BeiFong, start with your investigations at the wagon. Next morning, you'll have a look at the place, where the wagon was attacked. Maybe we can also have the interrogation with doctor Hong. I hope we'll know more, tomorrow. Chief Sung, please place some guards at doctor Hong's house. I don't think, that my sister would let escalate the situation further, but we have to be careful. Professor Kokaso, for your own safety you'll get a quarter here in the Palace. The meeting is closed."
The three men bowed and left the room. Toph turned to Zuko, but he cut her off again.
"Later Lady BeiFong, after you have checked the wagon."
He left the room through another exit.
+ This is so frustrating. I still don't know, what her next steps might be. And I don't know, how I could convince her to come back. And now Kokaso warned me, that she might searching for an opportunity to get revenge. She might do harm to the ones I love. But I don't want to believe that. Not after our last meeting. But I couldn't deny the facts. Damn, my father did an awful job to her. +
He suddenly stopped in the corridor and punched the wall at his right side with his fist in frustration. Two servants stopped and looked worried at the Fire Lord. As Zuko noticed their looks he turned his head to the wall.
+ Well, a perfect hit. +
Zuko bit his bottom lip. He could see, that he had not only punched a blanc wall. He had hit a big painting of his father.
Right between the legs.
Iroh an Toph remained in the room.
"So what do you think about Ozais old friend, Lady B… Toph?"
Toph had given the old man a little punch in the stomach, as he started to stay at her title.
"I'm not sure. But I think he likes to hold all strings in his hands. He reminds me of my manner teacher, when I was six. And I hated this old big-headed lady with passion. And worst of all, I can't blame him for his conclusions in this situation."
Toph made a fist in anger, but then she gave Iroh a mischievous smile.
"And by the way, if Zuko or you will ever call me Lady BeiFong again, when it's not necessary, then none of you'll ever have to fear Azula again."
Iroh started laughing.
"I'll warn Zuko about this. See you later Toph, I think Chief Sung is waiting for you."
Toph hugged the old man and left the room. On her way to the wagon with the Chief, she planed for herself how to go on with the investigation. Maybe being the Left Hand of the Fire Lord wasn't a bad job at all.