Surviving earthbenders, dozen odd, given to the Dai Li for 'treatment and rehabilitation'... Check. Progressing well.
Surviving waterbenders, half dozen, sent to Royal interrogators for information on odd techniques and whereabouts of origin... Check. Note: difficulty motivating subjects. Additional note: Progressing well.
Surviving non-benders, two score odd, scattered amongst war prisons and work gangs... Check.
Subleaders and trouble makers sent to high security prisons... Check.
Leader 'Hakoda' sent to the Boiling Rock... Pending next shipment.
Mechanist, inventor of war balloons and submersible boats, sent to secure laboratory and encouraged to be creative... Check. Note: difficulty motivating subject.
Hmm. Well, she'd already had such success with the swampbenders, one more difficult prisoner shouldn't be too hard. Might even be interesting. The man who gave the Fire Nation self-righting tanks, war balloons and submersible boats, was now her prisoner. What to ask for next?
oOo
So this was the daughter of Fire Lord Ozai. Strange how even though he knew logically that she was about Teo's age, he just couldn't see her as a child. It was difficult to consider her even human. What sort of childhood must she have had to turn into this?
Still, no matter how utterly terrifying she was, no matter the pain, he would never create more weapons. It was bad enough that he had been forced into giving them so many new inventions back at the Northern Air Temple, but now they had the concept and rough design from the remains of his submarines. And the tanks too, now that he considered it. He didn't put it past them to find some way to make use of the design, even without earthbending.
He watched warily as the final barrier, the steel grating, opened and Azula stepped in. They eyed each other silently, before the princess waved off her guards and took a seat against the wall; the perfect picture of casual ease. As if he wasn't a threat at all. Which given her skill and power, he wasn't. Even had they not discovered the missing amounts of black powder, he doubted his makeshift bomb would have worked against her.
As her golden eyes stayed locked on him, he began to regret the rebellion that drew her attention.
"So you are the mechanist, famous inventor and genius of our time. I suppose I should thank you for the war balloons." Her words were soft and quiet, forcing him to pay attention to catch them. He became determined to wipe that smirk off her face.
"Actually, your highness," no sense aggravating her in too much, "Sokka from the Southern Water Tribe was the one who thought up the lid as a method to maintain altitude. They would not exist without his genius."
oOo
Her eyes narrowed. That idiot, a genius? She moved on.
"Indeed. Perhaps if he starts behaving he could be brought here to assist you." Let him think about that for a while.
Azula had to give him some small credit; the man barely reacted and stayed silent. Time to go for the kill.
"Do you know how Fire Lord Sozin defeated the air nomads in one day? He used the power granted every firebender by the Great Comet, which comes every hundred years. The power of a hundred suns, it is said. You have seen for yourself how strong we are even without our bending, so let me ask you this: how long do you think your people at the northern air temple will last when we have Sozin's Comet and airships? I will spare you the details, but know this: it is coming soon."
She watched the mechanist pale as fear and despair took root. And then she smiled.
"Of course, were your little group of refugees to become a Fire Nation settlement voluntarily, you would retain almost complete autonomy and there would be no need for unpleasantness. Why, you would be supplied everything you needed to live your happy little lives up there in the clouds. Food, clothing, medicine, and everything needed for civilised life, every material you need for your tinkering. And any citizens of your settlement would be given all aid possible." We would spare your son.
"We might even send our brightest sparks to work alongside you; the New Northern Air Temple, home of the greatest minds from all over the world. All working together to invent a brighter future for the world...
"But if you are not interested, we'll just have to manage without you. We do have the best engineers in the world. We'd get there eventually, regardless. And if you and your people insist on helping rebels invade our country, well. Do you know why the air temples are in such good condition? The air nomads flew. Most of the fighting took place in the air, well away from their homes. Where one giant fireball couldn't kill them all. We won't even need to invade. One little airship with Sozin's Comet and one average firebender could do it in minutes. A decent firebender in seconds. An Imperial Firebender in one shot."
Azula flicked her hand and conjured up her blue fire. How quickly do you think I could do it?
oOo
The mechanist couldn't keep his shivers in check anymore. His stomach felt like it had disappeared, leaving a gaping hole that somehow weighed liked frozen lead. He had to warn them. They didn't know about the war balloons or the airships. Or the comet. He had failed them all. He should never have led them to that cursed temple. What could he do? Make more weapons for the very people that would slaughter them all?
...But they wouldn't. Not if he did as they wanted. They had kept their bargain before; years of peace and supplies given in exchange for the odd invention. And it didn't matter anymore. The Earth Kingdom had fallen with Ba Sing Se, and the Avatar hadn't beaten the firelord even with the eclipse. The war was all but over, it was time to look to the future.
And the vision the princess painted was beautiful. His home, safe and secure and provided for. His son safe and free to fly and tinker to his hearts content. His people alive and fed and able to devote themselves to repairing and building, instead of scraping by for food during the winter months and surviving by trading scavenged artifacts. All the time and material he needed to invent. And other bright minds to share ideas with, to spread progress across the world.
Slowly, he slid off his chair and knelt before the princess, head bowed.
"What do I have to do?"
oOo
Excellent. A big enough stick and a big enough carrot together can accomplish many things.
"You will sign a treaty pledging allegiance to the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord on behalf of your people. Then you will think up something special to prove your loyalty and help make up for betraying your old contract. You will naturally have access to all the help and material you need. After a while, we will arrange transport to take you, some supplies and some engineers to your home. Your son will be sent to you when convenient." When we catch him.
"I trust the terms are agreeable?"
The defeated man nodded.
oOo
...Mechanist, inventor of war balloons and submersible boats, sent to secure laboratory and encouraged to be creative... Check. Note: difficulty motivating subject. Additional note: Progressing well.