And we're back! This chapter is called "The Sentry's Absolution." Remember the young watch who screwed up on the boat? The one who didn't see the lighthouse until it was too late? Well there was more to his failure than it seemed…
…
A short while earlier…
The lighthouse at Youkai's Point, though blessed with a commanding view and a full stock of unperishables, was not a pleasant place to be. Two sacks of silver coins lay unopened on a table. Two chairs were propped up against a wall, one occupied, the other empty. A young man, about eighteen, paced the floor, gripping a collapsible telescope tightly. His aimlessmarch occasionally halted for a glance through said telescope, or a worried appraisal of the dead fire to his side. An older man, face irreversibly set in a frightening scowl, watched his progress with growing agitation.
"It's not getting any wetter out there," he snapped, watch the boy take another look through the rain-splattered windows, "so you can stop checking!"
The younger man ignored him, squinting anxiously through the scope. "Oh, god, I think I see a fisherman out there! He's crashed!"
The old man's scowl tightened. "You're losing your nerve, boy," he said. His voice was low, dangerous. "You can't back out of a deal with Enforcement."
The lad snapped the scope shut, running worried fingers through his hair. "It's totaled. It's been completely totaled…"
"And what do you suggest we do about it!" the old man barked. They'd been through this before; he was tired of making the same, tough decision over and over again.
"What do you think, you old fag!" snapped the other, glaring at him. "Light the damn fire!"
The 'old fag' thumped his palm against one of the coin sacks, making it jingle, reminding his cohort of their motivation. "We made an agreement, boy! Lighting it now won't help that fellow anyway!"
"How can you even talk like that?" exclaimed the other, his young conscience appalled. "At least it would warn any others to stay away!"
"How can I talk like that? Why, how can I talk like that!" he mimicked scornfully. "Yes, and you're a real saint yourself."
"I shouldn't have let you talk me into this, I admit it. But it's not too late to stop this before anyone else gets hurt!"
"Easy for you to say, kid! You're young—you've got nothing to lose! No property, no debts, no attachments… I've got a family to take care of." He grabbed his share of the loot, feeling the weight of it in his hand, trying to quell the sickly feeling in his stomach. I've been working in this lighthouse since I was your age, he brooded, and what do I have to show for it! My children are too thin… my wife dresses like a damned beggar…
"What about his family!" said the younger, jabbing a finger at the window. Some nameless fisherman was floundering out there, probably wondering why the lighthouse hadn't warned him of the danger. "That ship was his livelihood—"
"Oh, shut up!"the old man interupted,guilt paining him. "If you care about him so damned much, why don't you go save him!"
"I think I will!"
They exchanged more angry words as the young man stormed to the closet, pulled on his coat, and exited in a righteous huff. "And I don't want that fucking money!" he hollered from the bottom of the stairs. He slammed the door with a gusto atainable onlyby those afflicted with the dreaded 'Teen Angst.'
The old man twitched at the noise. "Stupid child…" he muttered. "More silver for me, I guess." He sat back in his chair, arms folded squarely across his chest. He was no coward, he wouldn't back down. He had sworn to follow through—not only to those Enforcement agents, but also to his family. We'll eat like kings for a year, he thought, or finally buy a bigger hut for the baby. These thoughts, however happily he had entertained them the night before, brought him little solace now. What about his family? the boy's words echoed in his mind. …Goddamnit.
"Darn you, kid!" he shouted, jumping up. He grabbed a torch from the wall and flung it into the embers, setting the signal ablaze. He'd broken his contract, but saved many lives. "Enforcement will have my ass for this…" he groaned. Living in Fire Nation territory could be so difficult, especially in a province under martial law. Enforcement, those faceless policemen who kept this township loyal, would not be pleased with him.
He hurried to the coat closet, still muttering profanities on the boy's life, name, and extended family. It was all nonsense, of course. He was off to help the kid with his idiotic heroics right now.
Hesnatched the collapsible telescope from the floor to gauge his position. He could just barely see the wreck, a shabby, wooden boat twenty meters offshore. The boy hadn't quite reached the water's edge—What was that? The man's eyes widened in amazement as abright, fiery explosion blossomed on the horizon. .Is that—was that the Prince's cruiser?! I don't believe it—it worked!
….
PEOPLE: What! There weren't even any known characters in this one!
ME: Well…
PEOPLE: And we STILL don't know what happened to Zuko!
ME: (twiddles fingers, pretending not to be the sadistic bastard I really am)
…
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