Chapter 50: An Unexpected Offer

Jiazin spun and kicked in the center of the boat's deck, sending blasts of fire shooting into the sky with every blow; firebending serving as a means by which she could let out some of her inner conflict, if only for a short time. Finally she stilled, took a breath and a bow, and then raised her head to see Kanoda come walking towards her. There was a strange expression in his eyes- it seemed at once haunted and confused, and yet at the same time it didn't quite seem dreading or afraid. If she didn't know better, she might almost have said it was hope. "You look almost like you've seen a ghost," she observed.

"Maybe I have," Kanoda told her, and it was clear from his tone that he wasn't joking. "Listen- something happened to me last night, and I'm not sure what to make of it, but… you need to know. It could change everything." He paused for a moment and then, hesitantly at first, as if he wasn't sure whether or not he believed it himself, he began to describe his encounter with the Avatar the previous night.

When he was through, Jiazin shook her head. "Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?" she asked. "I mean, the Avatar was captured a century ago, and disappeared shortly after that. How could he still be alive?"

"I think that when we freed the spirits, we did something more important than we realized," Kanoda said thoughtfully. "Yue told me that while the spirits were trapped, the world was knocked out of balance. Now that their free, the Balance is starting to correct itself. Maybe that was enough to bring the Avatar back."

Jiazin turned away and looked back out over the waters. "I should be happy about this," she said quietly. "The Avatar is supposed to be the guardian of the balance, but my people have done… horrible things. I saw that at the North Pole- what Zhao did to the Water Tribe was just… evil. The Avatar's people suffered the same fate. What's to stop him from just wiping us all out, in revenge or to make sure it never happens again? Even worse, I can't help but think he'd be right to do it."

Kanoda put his hand on her shoulder. "Trust me," he said, "he didn't seem the type. Besides, you're trying to make up for it. That's got to count for something, right?"

"Yeah," she murmured, and Kanoda looked at her closely, as if he was certain that there was something she wasn't telling. Before he could ask, however, the sound of running feet echoed across the deck and they both turned to see Song hurrying towards them.

"Come quickly, both of you," she said. "Hu wants you up on the bridge right away- there's something you need to see." Without even pausing she turned and began to hurry back the way she came, Jiazin and Kanoda running to keep up- there was no possible way this could be something good, and Jiazin could feel dread building in the pit of her stomach. Quickly they followed the rebel up the ladder to the stolen ship's small bridge. Hu was waiting for them there, glass in hand.

"You need to see this," he said without preamble, handing the glass to Kanoda, who was slightly closer. The Water Tribe youth raised it to his eye and looked out the window, and then his skin went a slightly paler shade of brown.

"Didn't we just get away from this?" he muttered, and then handed the glass to Jiazin. Raising it to her own eye, she looked- and saw a line of Imperial warships coming from the west at top speed, with the columns of smoke behind them indicating that there were more following behind. No, she realized, not warships- troop transports. The massed might of the Imperial Army was on the move.

"They must be moving to crush the rebellion at Long Du Shi," Hu said as Jiazin lowered the glass. "And we're directly in their path."

"That's not good at all," was all that the firebender managed to say.

/

High General Xia lowered his glass and turned to the captain of his personal transport. "You're right," he said, "it appears to be one of ours- a lightly armed scout, from the looks of it. Do you know of any that are currently in this area?"

"I do not, sir," the captain replied. "However, it appears to be of the same make as a ship that High Admiral Yuan reported before we lost contact with him- he didn't go into specifics, but maintained that the vessel was to be captured at all costs." He cleared his throat. "If I may offer a recommendation, sir, I think we should take it in for questioning. If the crew are loyal, they may have information for us. If not…"

"If not, then we will have apprehended potentially dangerous fugitives," Xia finished. "Yes, I agree. Signal the ship to stand down. If it refuses- have some of our own prepared to capture and board it."

"Aye, sir!" the captain said, snapping to a salute before turning to carry out his commander's orders. Xia remained behind, raising his glass again to watch the scout ship intently, curious as to what it would do.

/

Song lowered her own glass and handed it back to Hu. "We're being hailed," she said. "You were slave to a naval officer- do you know what that signal means?"

Hu took the glass and watched the flags the nearest Imperial ship was running up closely. "We're to stand down and prepare for boarding," he said darkly. "Apparently their commander wants words with us, though they must think there's a possibility we're still loyal, or they wouldn't be trying it and would just attack."

"Do you think we should try and play the part?" Kanoda asked.

"I might be a problem there," Jiazin said. "If they insist on looking at us without helmets, there's a chance that someone over there might recognize me. Considering the size of that fleet, odds are the commander is a high noble, maybe someone I've met. With Yuan gone, it might even be High General Xia- he's the highest officer left in the military, unless they've appointed a new High Admiral already. Do you think we can outrun them?"

"We're still damaged from where Yuan's ships got us," Hu said. "If we were in top condition, maybe, but as it is, we're practically sitting turtleducks. We can run, but they'll catch us quickly enough that it won't make much difference." He hung his head and growled quietly. "I think our best hope is to bluff them. Song, bring us to a stop. Lady- you might want to find a helmet and mask. It's not a good plan, but it's the best we have."

/

"They're stopping, sir," the captain informed Xia. "Maybe it is just a scout vessel that we didn't know was in these waters."

"Maybe you're right," Xia mused, "but there's something about this that doesn't sit right with me. Look at that ship- it's obviously taken heavy damage from somewhere, and it showed no inclination of moving towards us until we flagged it, despite being part of our navy and in need of repair." He paused, considering. "Bring the crew to me- alive. In any case, I want to debrief them personally."

/

Jiazin was sweating heavily beneath her mask- how did rank-and-file firebenders wear these things comfortably, anyway?- while one of the transports pulled up beside them and extended a ramp. The ship's captain came marching across it, hands clasped behind his back and posture military-straight, with several of his soldiers following close behind. He stopped in front of Hu, who appeared to be his equal in rank, and they exchanged formal bows.

"Quite a mess you have here, Captain," the Imperial officer said, looking around. "You're in luck that you found us- we're putting down a rebellion and need all the men and vessels we can have, and we'll get yours repaired for you. Now then, there must be quite a story behind how you came to be in the middle of the ocean in such a condition!" His tone was light, but his eyes were cold; Jiazin realized that he knew, or at least suspected, that all was not well.

"Indeed there is," Hu said noncommittally; his gaze was darting from one soldier to the next, sizing them up.

"Then I am certain the High General will wish to hear it," the captain said. Jiazin drew in a sharp breath- Xia was here, and he knew who she was, and likely what Azula and Qing Xi had planned for her. If he saw her, the entire game would be up. Her heart sank further as she heard the captain's next words. "In fact, the High Genral requests that you join him personally aboard his flagship- he would like to hear your story for himself."

"I'm afraid I have to decline," Hu said. "The Governor of Long Du Shi is expecting my report- I have to bring it to him as quickly as possible."

The captain's smile became something much nastier. "It escaped your notice, then, that Long Du Shi is currently in a state of open revolt? Whatever you are, I don't believe you are a loyal soldier of the Fire Empire. And, as you have just disobeyed a direct order, I am fully authorized to take you into custody. Seize them!"

Jiazin exploded into motion before he finished speaking. In an instant the mask was torn away- it didn't matter anymore, and it was much easier to see without the blasted thing on anyway- and she held a sword in one hand and a ball of flames in the other. At her side her companions were also drawing their own weapons and preparing to fight, but the captain only laughed. "What exactly are you expecting to accomplish, anyway?" he asked. "There are five of you, and one damaged ship, against thousands of soldiers in dozens of heavy warships. You'll only delay the inevitable. Surrender now, and you'll all live. High General Xia is a reasonable man. Fight, and it's very likely you'll force us to kill you. It's your choice."

Hu let his sword fall. "He's right, curse him," he growled. "If we go with them, we might be able to get into a better position to get out of this, but if we fight now, we'll gain nothing."

"That's the spirit," the captain said, laughing; Jiazin glared daggers of flame at him as his men took their weapons and then led them onto the Imperial transport, which slowly turned and began to sail back towards the heart of the formation.

/

Jiazin and her companions were herded into a richly appointed stateroom aboard the fleet's flagship. It's center was dominated by a table on which was laid a large unrolled map of the former Earth Kingdom continent, and above the map stood a man of dignified middle years whom she recognized immediately- Xia. He looked up and smiled as the prisoners were brought before him, his gaze falling on each in turn, until he came to Jiazin and his eyes widened.

"Lady Jiazin," he breathed. "I'd heard you'd fallen in with traitors, but I wasn't certain I believed it. It seemed such a waste- or rather, it used to…" his voice trailed off and he didn't finish that thought. "Now then," he continued, "I believe we should discuss how exactly you came to be aboard that vessel, and what you did to rile Yuan before he disappeared, because I find it safe to assume that there aren't two vessels of that precise type sailing Imperial waters with rebel crews."

"And why exactly should I discuss any of this with the highest officer of the Imperial army?" Jiazin asked coldly.

Xia raised an eyebrow. "I certainly see your outlook has changed since your stay at the Capital, my lady. Well, if you won't talk, allow me to fill you in on some details you may have missed. Long Du Shi has been seized by the rebellion, your father is said to be aiding them, and we have been sent to crush them. High Admiral Yuan and much of his navy have simply disappeared without warning, and we have heard nothing yet from them but rumor. The Empress is in a worse rage than I've ever seen her, and somehow I can't help but think that you have something to do with at least some of this."

Jiazin's mind was reeling from the magnitude of what he'd just said- her father, helping the rebellion? It seemed impossible- but she worked to maintain her outward calm. "And why exactly are you giving me this information? How does it profit you?" she asked.

The High General leaned forward, and looking into his eyes, Jiazin saw something she had most certainly not expected- desperation and fear. "Because," he said in a quietly intense voice, "I think you and I might be able to help one another."

/

Another "getting characters into position" chapter here. Jiazin practicing at the beginning was a new addition – originally she was just standing and watching the ocean, but I decided it was more interesting if she was doing something, and since bending is a skill that must be practiced extensively, it seemed the logical choice.

Thanks to QX, Xia now knows what Azula is up to. We still haven't seen what he plans to do about it yet, but it's probably pretty obvious at this point that "keep following the Empress's orders" isn't one of them; though he can be ruthless if he feels the need, he remains a basically decent man who wouldn't voluntarily be party to a plan to, essentially, destroy the world. Exactly what he wants Jiazin to help him with and how the rebels will end up fitting into things remains for next time.

-MasterGhandalf