神靈
Chapter 66
A Safe Harbor
"You can't be serious."
True to form, Korra was the first to offer her opinion on the situation before anyone else could have a chance to react, slipping in between the guards and the brothers to protect them. Noatak and Tarrlok had risked everything to free her from their father's prison as well as orchestrate the entire rescue attempt that freed all of her people, and the chief's first reaction was to arrest them? Eyes around the dock stared at the whole exchange in equal disbelief as refugees and soldiers stopped in their tracks to see the whole drama play out, many wondering if the Avatar herself going to oppose the orders of the Water Tribe Chief.
"Do I look like I'm joking avatar?" Commander Hahn replied with just as hard an edge in his voice. Another gesture towards his men sent the Water Tribe warriors into a combat stance, with tendrils of water conjured from their flasks and spears aimed directly at the Avatar.
Korra crossed her arms defiantly, refusing to budge. It took every measure of self control that she had learned from her assorted masters to not muster up a flame blast into the man's face right then and there.
"Hahn, What's the meaning of this?" Sokka demanded, stepping in front of the brothers beside Korra as well. He took the opportunity to assert himself into the scene, hoping to quell any potential violence before it started.
"They broke the law Councilman, specifically the one concerning the lockdown." Hahn turned to Sokka gruffly, pointing accusingly at the two brothers. "My orders are to arrest them."
The two brothers were just as puzzled, yes they had technically broken the rules of the lockdown by leaving the city without permission, but how can they argue with the results? They also managed to free the Avatar's family and thus remove an important bargaining chip that the Fire Nation had over her (if unwittingly).
Besides, they hardly abducted her! More like rescued her from their overzealous father.
"There must be some mistake." Tarrlok protested meekly, as if not believing his own people would abandon him and his brother.
"We were helping the Avatar save her parents." Noatak answered back as well, in a more assured, level headed tone.
"Besides, you can ask Korra herself. We hardly abducted her, she came with us willingly." The Wolf Tail Warrior said this as tactfully as he could. In actual fact, he had no doubt that his father had kidnapped Korra for his own purposes, but with Water Tribe politics as delicate as they were now, he didn't want to full on accuse the head of his family and faction for no good reason or without concrete proof of his intentions.
"That's right" Korra crossed her arms assuredly. "You can ask Commander Yakone instead. He was the one who abducted me. You have no right to arrest them!"
Noatak groaned inwardly. So much for that. He would have to remind himself to educate Korra on just how things worked in the tribes when he had time.
Hahn however, didn't seem to care. "From my reports, it was because you were trying to break the rules of the lock down as well, Avatar." He gave Korra an accusing glare. "Luckily for you, Chief Unalaq was willing to look past your transgressions and let you off with a warning, but an example must still be made."
"Wait!"
All eyes focused back onto Councilman Sokka, who wasn't about to let this scene play out any further. With a quiet authority that could only come from a seasoned veteran of the Wolf Tail Raiders, Sokka stepped up to Hahn, staring him directly in the eye.
"The boys were operating under my direct command." Sokka let the little white lie slip through without a hint of hesitation. "If Unalaq has any issue with this, he can take it up with me, but you're not taking them in."
Hahn, frustratingly to his stubborn credit, just smiled in the face of one of the most powerful people in the Water Tribes, which probably spoke volumes about how confident he was in his position. Was Unalaq really that determined to strike at Sokka through them?
"That wasn't what Chief Unalaq said, you can take it up with him." Hahn said, uncaring. "I don't have the luxury of making these rules Commander, I merely enforce them."
Before Sokka could respond, Korra shocked everyone by assuming an aggressive stance, conjuring flames in her palms. The killing intent was so evident that even Hahn took a step back, along with the ring of guards around them.
"And you're not taking them." Korra stated angrily, two flame daggers pointing menacingly at Hahn. "Not without a fight."
The Water Tribe warriors, after they got over their initial shock, responded in kind, taking battle stances beside Hahn and hardening their tendrils of water into shards of ice suspended in the air. Before anyone could do anything however, a single voice cut through the air.
"Stop! All of you!"
Noatak stepped foward, placing a hand on Korra's shoulder and gently pushing her back behind him. He turned to Commander Hahn, hands raised in surrender. The gesture was so sudden that Korra blinked in astonishment, her flame daggers already gone.
"For the safety of the tribes..." Noatak said, looking back at his brother with a nod. "And the avatar, we'll come along. Won't we?"
"Yes...We will." Tarrlok responded gloomily in defeat, though appearing slightly relieved, following his brother's example and raising his hands to the guards.
"Wait-" Korra pleaded, her brain frantically working to find a solution to this situation. She wanted to do something to convince the brothers to at least fight this injustice, but a firm, almost pleading look from Noatak made her back off. Now was not the time.
Hahn nodded, couldn't help resisting giving a smug look at this little victory, and nodded towards his guards. "Detain them, the Chief will decide their fate with their trial."
The guards obeyed, producing a pair of handcuffs and proceeded to shackle the two brothers by their hands. To Noatak and Tarrlok's credit, they surrendered without another word, walking into the guards who formed a cordon around them, taking them away.
"You'll be hearing from us soon Hahn." Sokka promised, and the avatar gave a fierce glare towards the commander in response as well.
"I doubt it." Hahn smirked. "Now, why don't you let me do my job? Besides, don't you have some other refugees to attend to?" He pointed towards Korra's parents. "Or do I need to have the chief weigh in on what to do with them too?"
The implied threat made, Tonraq found himself pulling Senna closer to him for protection, but that as enough to make Korra and Sokka back off as the two brothers were led unceremoniously away from their friends.
"Sokka," Korra turned to the councilman, pleadingly. "They risked everything to save me and my family. We can't let anything happen to them."
"Trust me Korra, I'll make sure they come out of this alright." Sokka glaring intently at Hahn as he followed his men back.
It took only a moment for the shock of the brothers' arrest to pass over the dock as more refugees poured in and the crowd settled back into their business. Shouts for food, water and medicine once again filled the air as the dock hands and soldiers attended to the refugees. With the scattering of the fleet in the wake of the pursuing Fire Navy ships, Sokka was relieved to see that more and more of his ships were trickling in to the harbor. As family members reunited with their long lost loved ones, and soldiers began processing the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation prisoners, Councilman Sokka found himself turning back to Korra and her family, frustrated at his own helplessness.
"I'm sorry Korra, this was all my fault." The Commander of the Wolf Tails smiled wearily. "I expected Unalaq to be displeased with our little expedition, but I didn't think he would arrest those two."
"No Sokka," Korra shook her head. "I dragged them into this mess. It's up to me to get them out."
"Us." The older commander reminded her gently. "But that's for another time, for now, at least we're all safe at home."
At that, Tonraq stepped forward. "I'll have a talk with Unalaq. We may have our differences, but I'm sure he can see reason." He offered.
"I appreciate the offer Tonraq." Sokka smiled, a bit of the old energy coming back, "But Water Tribe politics have changed since you've been gone. Don't worry, this old Wolf Tail still has a few tricks. I'll use my pull with the council to make sure justice is done. For now, shall we show you your home?"
"Our...home?" Senna said, as if the words had been foreign to her.
"Well...yeah about that." Sokka rubbed the back of his head. "Normally we'd have refugee camps set up, but I can hardly let the Avatar's family stay in them, especially with a former chief. You guys can stay with me until all this is settled!"
Unbeknownst to the crowd at the docks, a pair of former Fire Nation refugees watched the whole scene from a nearby warehouse rooftop that overlooked the harbour. They had taken advantage of the confusion and flood of refugees to disembark, not willing to let the mercies of the Water Tribe Chief decide on the fate of the former prisoner. Judging by what had just happened at the docks, Zuko mused, it was a good idea to slip away unnoticed before they remembered his presence.
"Uncle." Zuko watched warily as the two water tribe brother were led away in chains. "What just happened?"
"The same old story that plays out in every land I'm afraid," Iroh shook his head sadly. "Politics of the lowest sort, and those two are caught in the middle of it.". It was a scene he had seen too many times. People in positions of authority and power using it to their own ends when they should be uniting against a common enemy.
He would have to have a chat with Unalaq in the future, he reminded himself, as a fellow Grand Lotus of the order to remind him of their common goals and cause, but for now, he was grateful for the respite his nephew received.
There was still much to be done.
Chief Unalaq meanwhile, watched with detached interest as the scene at the docks played out below his vantage point on one of the overlooking towers at the docks. It went more or less according to plan, with the two Wolf Tail brothers hauled away in chains, a fuming avatar and her family behind them (An annoying detail that he would have to deal with that later). It was a rather conflicting sight. As chieftain, he was relieved that Sokka had returned with the majority of his ships from their little expedition down south, not to mention the potential boon the prisoners could bring to their fighting force. But at the same time, he did not like the fact that the councilman had effectively usurped his authority, defying his order for the lockdown, all the while risking a good portion of the fleet and playing havoc with the delicate balance of power he had strived to maintain between the Northern and Southern tribes in the council.
Not to mention the fact that he brought back his brother with him.
The injection of Tonraq into the politics of the Water Tribes was something he had to carefully weigh into his future calculations. And while his presence alone wasn't enough to effectively counter the authority he had quietly built up over the last few years, it was certainly a distraction that he didn't need at the moment.
He found himself frowning. A slight variable in his plans, but it was annoying nonetheless.
"Are you sure about this Unalaq?"
The Chieftain turned to his side to see the stern figure of Commander Yakone standing beside him. Yakone was adorned in his usual fur trimmed armor of the Wolf Tails, and he watched the whole scene play out rather uneasily.
"I had no choice, you forced my hand when you detained Korra without consulting me." Unalaq remarked dispassionately, his icy demeanor a stark contrast to the fiery attitude of his partner. "Besides, I can't let it be known that our authority on the lockdown can be so openly defied. I can't touch Sokka right now, your sons will have to do."
"It would have been easier," The commander replied tersely. "Had you let me train her in the first place. None of this would have happened!"
"Considering your reckless and dangerous reaction to her escape attempt, I was correct in my choice of Master Katara." Unalaq said calmly, ignoring the low growl that emitted from the man at this accusation. "What were you thinking locking her up like that?"
"I was doing what I thought was best for our people! Yakone grunted, not willing to concede an inch. Still, Unalaq had a point, he admitted begrudgingly.
"She'll move against us now, you know."
"Let her try." Unalaq replied, this time more confidently with a sly smile. "Events are proceeding beyond even her control. Not even the Avatar can avoid her fate. Whether of her own volition or not, she will be made to see things our way. The Avatar will be the key to purifying this world and destroying the Fire Nation."
Before he could say anything more however, a curious sight at the docks caught his attention and stopped his musings in its tracks. He had to check twice to make sure he was seeing things right, his eyes settling amongst the throng of refugees that gathered at the warehouse of the harbour. Was it for real?
"I'll let you handle the processing of the refugees in any case. Fow now, I have other matters to attend to." Unalaq muttered cryptically, with a tone of finality that told Yakone the meeting was over. And to the confusion of the Wolf Tail Commander, before he could say anything more, the Water Tribe Chief simply made his way to the docks, gesturing at his men to follow.
Back at the docks, amidst the chaos and crowds, two very weary and ragged refugees were trying their best to navigate their way through.
"Where are we going?" Ming Hua said weakly, even as Ghazan was literally almost pushing her through the crowd in an effort to get through.
"Anywhere but here, we have to make ourselves scarce." The Earthbender whispered forcefully. Though it had been years since they had stepped foot inside Yue City, there was no telling who might recognize them. He had seen what had happened to Noatak and Tarrlok right as they left the ship and he had no intention of following in their footsteps. However grateful he was to Noatak, there was nothing he could do for them if he risked getting arrested with them. As far as he was concerned, he wasn't about to spend another minute in a cell!
Any hope of remaining incognito disappeared however, as he spotted a platoon of Water Tribe Guards making a bee line straight towards them through the distance. Probably half a dozen of them armed with spears and water pouches, all led by an officer.
Ghazan cursed inwardly. How the heck did they find him in the crowd of Earth Kingdom Refugees? Well, aside from the fact that he was almost a head taller than everyone around him, he had taken the extra precaution of covering his head and tattooed arms with a makeshift rag.
He had been hoping to sneak his way into the Capital, lay low for a while and maybe charter a ship back to the mainland, away from all this. The War and everything. But he supposed he wasn't conspicuous enough.
He gave Ming Hua a gentle nudge forward through the crowd, eyeing one of the many exits that led to the city refugee camp. If they could reach it, he could easily escape in a multitude of directions within the city.
"What's the hurry Ghazan?" Ming Hua muttered, her eyes barely open, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm her as she swayed on her feet, struggling to stay standing alongside Ghazan. The voyage over to the North was not easy on her, and he suspected she was coming down with a fever as well, if the heat coming from her forehead and the sweat dripping down her cheeks was any indication. He had to get her to a healer soon, and he had no intention of spending any more time in a jail cell. Not if he could help it.
"We've been spotted." Ghazan hissed, trying to duck his head amongst the sea of humanity. Occasionally he peeked out to see where the blue armored Wolf Tails were stationed, each warrior trying to find him within the crowd.
Just as he was about to lead Ming Hua to the nearest exit however, the crowd seemingly parted from them. Two Platoons of Water Bending Warriors were already there, their flasks open and tendrils of water bent into the air, ready to strike at them, while the rest blocked any escape route with their spears.
"Going somewhere?" An all too familiar voice shouted.
Ghazan's first reaction was all too typical.
"Ah Crap."
A/N: A short breather chapter, so you know i'm still here. Happy new...decade!
Sorry guys & gals, it's been i know...two years since the last update. This update in particular has been sitting in my docs for over a year. A lot has happened in real life that has made things difficult, let's say. I'll continue to write as this story is still on my mind, in fact, little has changed in it since i started writing this in 2012. I'll grind away. I apologize as well for any decline in quality, it's been a while since I've felt inspired. This is just to show that yes, i am alive :) Thanks again all for reading and sorry for those who have waited so long.
To those who've left the story. I understand and i apologize. I can only do what i can haha. But i think i'd like to at least finish one project. So i'll keep going.
I can at least say this story is over half done. There's a few more arcs I had in mind :) and for those wondering, I had three more books left in my mind after Spirit. (Change, Air, Balance) (yes my order is weird!)
Again, For better or for worse, no matter how much my writing has degraded. I'll aim to finish this. It's tough to jump back into the mindset of characters when the show ended so long ago, so again i'll do my best!