Chapter 14: Repercussions

The mornings were always very busy when you were the ruler of an Empire. People thought you had more time because servants did most of the work, but that was incorrect.

Zuko woke up before dawn, and had a small breakfast with his uncle and one of his advisors, who went over much of his day's schedule. Meetings with nobles, governors, people who owed him money, tax collectors, trade officials… the list went on. Every spare minute of his day was filled by discussion with someone or other who needed his attention, and always urgently.

But he was good at it. This was what his uncle had trained him to do, from the moment he was born. He excelled at being the monarch of his country, unlike his father, and grandfather, and great-grandfather.

In fact, every single Fire Lord after the first Zuko had been total fools, slobs who didn't care or didn't want the responsibility of being king. Their duties were always shoved off to various advisors or generals who inevitably ended up abusing power. The queens hadn't been much better; drained women tired of dealing with their husbands and lived only long enough to bear the requisite male son as heir. Only the aides and truly helpful nobles of the court had kept the Empire from falling apart in those days.

People whispered rumors and tried to explain their lack of strong Fire Lords. Ever since that Water bender girl had borne a son to the first Zuko, the subsequent rulers had been stupid, incompetent. The true fire of the royal blood had been diluted; doused of its potency, they said. Mixing of the blood always proved to be disastrous. It was a curse, proved by the scar that marked the eldest son of every generation of the royal family.

However, while Zuko II's own mother had been pregnant, a prophecy had been made. This soon-to-be born son of the Fire Empire would be a great ruler, the one destined to fulfill his great ancestor's legacy and end the constant war against the rebels.

When Zuko had been born, Iroh had made it his life's work to educate his nephew, the Empire's last hope. Soon after the infant's birth, both father and mother had died of sickness. Iroh ruled as regent, relinquishing more and more power to Zuko as the boy grew and became more confident in his position as the Empire's next Fire Emperor.

Scraping his knife against his plate, the Emperor, powerful Fire bender, ruler of the world, possessor of extreme wealth, and resident teenage boy, tried to keep his attention on the droning voice of the advisor, who was updating him on the latest property taxes concerning the newly acquired land in the Earth kingdom, now the Earth province.

His uncle gave him a look, and Zuko sighed before putting his knife down.

"Blah blah blah, blabbity blabbity blah," said the advisor.

Zuko nodded.

"Blah babbity blah. And oh yes, blah blah blablibbity blah," the advisor continued.

Zuko made an agreeable noise.

"Blabbity blabbity blah blah blah," said the advisor. "And what do you suggest we do about the recent revolt of Earth bender slaves in the south?"

"Huh?"

Iroh gave him another look. Zuko sighed, leaned forward over his plate, and rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat the question again?"

The advisor, looking quite put out, repeated his question and Zuko sat back before answering. "Send another regiment of troops down there. Capture the Earth benders and put them back in their places. Punish a few to get the message across. The usual."

Iroh nodded, showing his agreement. This sort of thing was almost regulation, it happened so often. When he had first dealt with this kind of situation, Zuko had been worried about hurting people in the process of controlling them. However, as the years passed, he thought less of them as humans and more of them as a nuisance. There was always some young upstart in Earth bender quarters who wanted to break free from the tyrannical Fire Empire rule, but none of them made it as far as getting a few of their rash friends killed and thrown back in the slave camps.

Zuko wished they would stop with this freedom nonsense. It got so obnoxious after awhile. Were they just stupid? They had to know that rebellion would never work; hundreds before them had tried, and failed.

He rubbed his forehead again. Except for those Kyoshi Islanders. Somehow, that tiny lump of rock in the ocean had managed to stay free from Fire Empire rule. His ancestor, Zuko I, hadn't even bothered trying to subdue them. A mistake, surely. Just like his insane obsession for that Water tribe girl, Zuko II's own great-great-grandmother.

Now he had to deal with the consequences of those mistakes. Damn it all.

"You feeling alright, Zuko?" his uncle asked.

"Fine, fine," Zuko replied. "Please," he gestured towards the advisor, looking more annoyed than ever. "Please continue."

"Nothing more for today," the advisor said stiffly, before bowing himself out.

It was quiet as Iroh sipped his tea and Zuko sat at the table, trying to keep himself awake. It wasn't even light outside yet. He seemed to have less and less sleep every night. Too many things to do, not enough time in the day. Night hours were so wasted with sleep. He could be doing things, giving orders. He hadn't counted on the constant weariness and need for rest. Oh well. This was the life of the most powerful man in the world.

"Lt. Ensei's patrol is due back today," Iroh said calmly, setting his tea cup down on the table.

This caught Zuko's attention. "What?" he said. "I thought they were going to be gone longer than that." That Lt. Sakai was still flaming mad at Katara for Borr's injuries.

"Something came up," said Iroh. "A message arrived earlier."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I thought you needed your sleep."

Zuko sighed. "What did the message say?"

"Nothing important," mused Iroh. "Just a small note saying that they were heading back because something had happened, and Ensei would explain when he arrived."

Zuko brushed it from his mind. Probably Ensei and his patrol had taken care of those rebels quicker than usual. And Katara… how was Katara doing? He hadn't spoken to her since that night at Adia's banquet, when he had blown a fuse over the painting and the dress. He sort of regretted that now. His temper always went ahead of his common sense. She probably thought him a stupid, rash teenager unable to rule a country.

He stiffened. What did it matter to him what she thought he was? She was another soldier in his massive army; nothing more.

"I'm sure she'll be alright, Zuko," said his uncle.

"What?" he snapped.

"That Elite girl," said Iroh, a tranquil look on his face as he sipped his tea again.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Zuko said, sliding back his chair with more force than necessary, and standing up. "I have things to do. I'll see you later, uncle."

Iroh looked on as Zuko left the room, and there was a small smile on the old man's lips.

Zuko was in his study near the end of the afternoon, looking over documents and signing the ones he found legit and worth his time. Some concerned valid complaints or requests, others were preposterous and utterly foolish. Most of them were reports from various generals or commanders updating him on the status of keeping the borders safe and getting rid of those rebels. Rebel movement was increasing lately, and this was another worry to add to Zuko's already long list.

A knock on the door sounded throughout the silent room, and Zuko stopped shuffling the papers and said, "Come in."

A nervous-looking guard poked his head around the door, and made a quick head bob for a respectful bow. "There's Elites here to see you, your Majesty."

Probably Ensei back from the south come to report to him. Zuko nodded his head and told the soldier to show them in.

Lt. Ensei strode into the study purposefully, uncaring of decorum or tradition or any sort of formalities other people might have observed in the presence of the Emperor. However, Zuko was surprised when he saw who the second Elite was. Katara.

Her head was lowered, hands tight at her sides, following behind Ensei like a shadow.

Ensei's expression was one of controlled tension, while Zuko couldn't even see Katara's face.

Something had happened.

"What?" he said. Ensei would know how to answer.

Placing one hand on Katara's shoulder, the lieutenant pushed her forward. She almost stumbled, catching herself before impacting with Zuko's desk. He stared.

"Sit," said Zuko, motioning towards the chairs. He could tell by the looks on their faces that this was going to be one long discussion. Obviously something had gone wrong on this mission. They weren't back here because they'd finished off the rebels in record time. They were back here for something else.

Ensei wasted no time. "One of my patrol members is dead."

Zuko said nothing, and waited for Ensei to continue.

"Dead, because of her," said the lieutenant, a tight jerk of the head towards Katara. She was still looking down at her lap, refusing to make eye contact with anybody in the room.

Zuko stared at her. "Explain yourself."

"I didn't mean to do it," her voice was barely a whisper.

"Speak up," Zuko commanded.

"I said I didn't mean to do it," Katara said, voice harsh in its increasing volume.

"Didn't mean to kill your fellow soldier?" asked Zuko, his eyes sharpening on her bent figure. "What happened?"

"Glory went to her head," said Ensei, cutting in. "Decided she was big enough to take down a rebel on her own. She ran off, deliberately disobeying my orders to stay together, and Hiro tried to help her by following her. He got shot by a rebel instead."

So it was Hiro who was the dead soldier. Zuko could vaguely remember a smiling young man in Ensei's patrol. Had he and Katara been close?

Now Zuko wasn't sure what his reaction should be. Was he supposed to be mad? Stomp around the room, shout at Katara and scream at Ensei? What was he supposed to do in this situation? Obviously Ensei had brought Katara to him for a reason. He felt remorse for the fact that this Hiro man had died, and was curious as to how Katara was dealing with it.

"Disobeying your commanding officer," Zuko began, "and causing the death of a fellow soldier. That kind of thing gets you kicked out from the Elites."

Katara nodded, head shadowed and bent. He was quickly becoming annoyed at how he couldn't see her face, couldn't gauge her reaction. Shouldn't she be begging him to stay in the Elites?

"In fact, that may be the best thing I could do," said Zuko, eyes narrowing. "If you're a danger to your comrades, then I can't allow you to stay. You've already disobeyed Lt. Ensei, and indirectly killed somebody. You'll have to go."

"Please don't."

Finally. A reaction from her. "Then what do you propose I do? Let you off with a slap on the wrist and a little scolding?"

"Anything but kicking me out," she said, and raised her head to look him in the eye. He was a bit taken aback at the intensity of her expression. She wasn't crying or sniveling, although there were dark circles underneath her eyes. She just looked serious. "I don't care if you have to publicly humiliate me or make me clean out every barracks in the army complex, but I need to stay."

"You mean you want to stay."

"I need to."

They looked at each other over Zuko's messy, paper-strewn desk. Ensei had been silent during this exchange, but finally spoke up. "Zuko, don't kick her out. I've already lost one member of my team. What I don't need is two new recruits to fill up the empty spaces Katara and Hiro will leave behind. It's hard, getting recruits to adjust and fit with the original team."

Katara turned to look at Ensei, her face surprised at his sudden defense of her.

"That doesn't mean we're going to let you off easy, though," Ensei continued darkly. "Although the patrol still needs you, we are short one member because of you."

Katara flinched visibly, and Zuko was reminded of how well she had concealed her guilt and emotions before.

"What I still don't understand is why you ran after that rebel by yourself," Zuko said.

Katara shrugged, a slight lifting of her shoulders. "Like Lt. Ensei said. I got overconfident."

Her admission was so smooth, so grudge-free, so ready, that Zuko thought it strange. But he knew that no matter how hard he pressed, she probably wasn't going to give him any other reason.

"Ensei," said Zuko, turning to the other man. "I need to speak to you in private. Katara, you're dismissed."

Katara stood up, seemingly fine with this turn of events. Lt. Ensei turned to glare at her. "Wait outside. Don't go anywhere. We haven't finished deciding your punishment yet."

She left, closing the door behind her.

Ensei sighed, letting his previously angry mask drop from his face. He looked tired, very tired.

"What, Zuko?"

Katara leaned against the wall outside the Emperor's study room, and closed her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to go back to the army complex, take a hot shower, and fall into bed. There were too many things she didn't want to deal with.

"... I don't believe what she said about overconfidence..." Voices drifted through the doors, and Katara crept closer. They were talking about her. Eavesdropping was a necessity.

"... well what excuse would you have? That she went after the rebel to ask him to dinner?"

"You know her. Would she disobey you like that for something as little as a moment of glory?"

"Glory, Zuko. Men have died for less."

"She's not a man. Maybe she feels the need to prove herself because of that."

"You don't know her. And she's proved herself enough already with Borr."

"Do you trust her?"

A heartbeat of silence. And then, "I trust all the soldiers in my patrol. I need to, when I depend on them to watch out for me in the middle of a battle. I trust them to use their good judgment and follow my orders and keep an eye on each other."

"She obviously didn't use her judgment, and she obviously didn't follow your orders. How's that for trust?"

"What are you implying?"

Katara swallowed hard, ear pressed to the door. What was the Emperor implying about her?

"Nothing, Ensei. Nothing." She heard a rustle of movement and then a sigh. "I have no idea what I'm thinking. No time to think. What should we do with her?"

Ensei's voice was gentler now, more understanding. "Some kind of duty work I guess. Mandatory hours in the hospital? Cleaning the kitchens?"

"How does cleaning the kitchens make up for a man's death?"

Now Ensei sounded angry. "Why the hell are you asking me that, Zuko? I'm just trying to think of some suggestions here! Don't ask me what justifies Hiro's death. I don't fucking know."

"Sorry, sorry." Zuko's voice was tired, apologetic. "I didn't mean... I wasn't thinking, again."

"Alright. Hospital duty and kitchen cleaning for her it is." Katara heard something else. Ensei must have sat down heavily in his chair.

"People are gonna think you let her off easy, Zuko. Then they'll question why."

The Emperor's voice was frustrated; weary. "They can go to hell."

Ensei laughed, dryly. "And before that, they'll make your life a living hell."

Rising from the ground, Katara turned and left. She had heard enough. She didn't want to wait for Ensei anymore. She didn't want to hear them talking about her anymore. She wanted a good sleep. And she wasn't going to get that on the cold marble floor of the palace.

The next morning, Katara sleepily reported in to the head doctor in the hospital building.

"You that Elite I'm supposed to babysit?" The doctor looked skeptical and annoyed.

Katara nodded.

"What did you do? Drank too much and mouthed off to your superiors?"

"Something like that," mumbled Katara, unwilling to explain the real reason why she was here. Ensei had woken her up that morning, a blow to the shoulder, and told her she was going to be working the hospital until further notice. No time off with the rest of the patrol, no trips into the city. They both knew she had been let off easy. Whether Ensei had had a hand in that, Katara wasn't so sure.

The doctor sighed. "I know you gung-ho Elites. You're going to be more trouble than help around here."

"I'll try my best," Katara muttered.

The doctor rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll have Kaz show you around." Turning, he snapped his fingers at the back, where Kaz was bent over a patient. "Kaz! Come over here."

Kaz finished his work and slowly walked over, wiping his hands with a cloth stained pink with blood. Katara eyed it dubiously. "Yes, Doctor?"

The doctor jerked his head at Katara before moving off. "This is Katara. It's your job to teach her how to do the simple things and make sure she doesn't kill anybody."

"But Gian still needs his bandage changed-"

"She'll help you with that," the head doctor interrupted Kaz. "Just- just keep her out of the way."

"Fine," Kaz grumbled, then turned to Katara as the doctor left. "No offense to you. It's just that I'm the new guy, so I get all the worst jobs."

Katara smiled. "I understand."

Kaz sighed, then gestured for her to follow him. "I need to finish up with Gian. You can help. You do know how to change a bandage, right?"

"A little. Stuff I learned on missions."

Gian lay on a bed in the back of the main hospital room. He groaned as Kaz approached and gently slid an arm underneath his back, lifting him from the sheets. "Now, Katara, unwind his bandages. Quickly, but be gentle."

Bending over, Katara found the end of the long strip of cloth and began to unwind it from Gian's trembling torso. A putrid stench filled the air, and Katara tried to avoid touching the discoloring flesh and pus that seeped onto the bandage from Gian's body. Swallowing hard in an attempt to keep her breakfast down, she finally unwrappd the gross bandage and slipped it into the trash bag.

"Now you hold him while I clean him," said Kaz, and Katara moved to hold up Kian. The man was big, but weak and had lost a lot of weight from his injury. He was barely conscious.

"How long has he been here?" asked Katara as Kaz calmly took out a small jar of some kind of cleansing salve and a clean cloth. He began to gently wipe down the ugly, seeping gash that ran from Gian's shoulder to his lower abdomen.

"About two weeks," said Kaz, eyes intent on his job. "and his fever should have broken days ago. He's not healing as fast as I would like him to. The wound refuses to close, even if we try to sew it up. I think there might have been poison on the rebel's sword, the one who caused this," Kaz said, indicating the injury. "All we can really do now is try to keep it clean and hope Gian has the will to live."

Gian shook violently in Katara's arms, and she struggled to keep a firm hold on him as Kaz almost dropped his jar. The injured man cried out, mumbling incoherent things punctured by angry obscenities, and at the end, a woman's name in a pathetic, pleading tone of voice. His eyes flew open, and locked on Katara's face, whispering, "Inai, wait for me. Wait for me." Giving a final shudder, his head lolled to the side.

Katara gingerly kept him upright as Kaz sighed and continued sponging the wound. "He does that every once in awhile. A seizure, and hallucinations where he keeps talking to someone named Inai. His lover, maybe. A sweetheart."

"Maybe his daughter," Katara added, desperate to say something to add to the silence.

Kaz shook his head. "Gian is only seventeen."

Katara was surprised, but tried not to show it. With the pasty-yellow color on Gian's face, the cold sweat, the two month's growth of stubble on his face, it was hard to determine any sort of specific age. In fact, he looked decades older, the fever and sickness having taken away so much of his youth.

"Okay I'm done," Kaz said, and Katara tried to lower Gian as gently as she could back onto the bad, where she covered him with the hospital blanket.

This was how the rest of her day proceeded. Following Kaz around the hospital room, helping him take care of the patients. Occasionally some of the wounded were awake enough to carry on a small conversatoin, where Kaz introduced her to them.

It was incredibly tiring. By the end of the day, Katara's head was ringing with the pained moans and harsh screams of feverish men. How did Kaz stand it all day? He was the epitome of perfect calm, his first priority the health of every patient.

She stumbled back to the barracks of Patrol One, and ignored the drunken revelings of Qin and Faozu. She felt the incredible abscence of Hiro. He was supposed to be here, laughing and slapping her back and telling dirty jokes. He was supposed to be snoring his way to dreamland in the bunk across from her.

Leaning against the doorframe, the calm, serious eyes of Lt. Ensei watched her. Katara ignored him too, and managed to crawl onto her bunk and collapse into bed.

In the brief seconds before sleep, Katara wondered silently if Inai still loved Gian, and whether she was worried for him.

The next morning they had Hiro's funeral.

Katara stood in the silent crowd, filled with other Elites who'd known Hiro. Family members were at the front, next to the pyre where his body rested.

Speeches were made, great compliments paid to the family for having produced such a good, quality soldier to serve the Fire Empire. Katara could see Hiro's brother, an older, harsher version of the young man she'd known. He stood there with his wife, two small children who constantly fidgeted, and an old woman who's bent-over body was wracked with sobs. Hiro's mother, then.

Katara averted her eyes from the mother's weeping figure, and turned to the still body on the high stack of wood. Hiro's eyes were closed, and he was dressed in his uniform. Lt. Ensei stepped forward, said a few words Katara didn't catch, and presented some kind of medal to Hiro's family. Hiro's brother took it and nodded his head stiffly in thanks. His eyes were hard; so unlike his cheerful, enthusiastic younger brother.

Then the Emperor came forward, offered his respects to the grieving family, and with a beautifully controlled burst of fire, sent Hiro's body to the afterlife. The flames quickly crept up the wood, until the sickly smell of smoke mixed in with burning flesh drifted through the air. Katara was vividly reminded of the day Juiko had been executed; except that hadn't been a respected, proper funeral like Hiro's. Juiko had had a criminal's death; a death fitting for a traitor.

Cremation was the way of the Fire Empire. The ashes would be put in an urn and given to the family. Hiro's name would be noted in the Elite archives as having served and died protecting his country.

You died for a traitor.

For the rest of the week, Katara spent majority of her time in the hospital, leaving only to get herself and Kaz some food from the mess hall. While Kaz was away at training, or being taught a new medical technique by an older doctor, she took her meals alone, next to Gian's bed.

She wasn't sure when she'd started to do this, but while eating her lunch and keeping an eye on nearby patients, she began to talk to him. She took special care to change his bandages more than usual, in order to keep his injury as clean as possible. In his brief moments of consciousness, he was confused as to his location and who she was, and most importantly, where Inai was. Katara tried to answer as truthfully as she could, although when it came to Gian's mystery woman, she didn't know what to say.

On the fourth day of her work in the hospital, Katara slowly ate her food, taking a break from the usually hectic activity in the hospital. Majority of the healers and doctors were taking a break, and Kaz was gone, with another doctor to learn lessons. He was still in the midst of training to become a full-fledged healer.

A clatter against the bed next to her made Katara drop her plate, food splattering all over the floor. Gian was rigid on the bed, eyes fixated with an intensity on the ceiling, arms and legs trembling out of control. He began to thrash in the throes of a hallucination, screaming and waking other patients nearby.

Grimacing, Katara forgot her lunch and leapt up from her chair to restrain Gian. His seizures and feverish visions were almost routine to her now, but this one was a particularly violent one.

Trying to push down his shoulders, Katara forced Gian back onto the bed, and cursed vehemently when she spotted the tell-tale red stain as his wound reopened from his movements. "Damn it."

She held Gian down, pressing his neck and collarbones with one forearm, straining against his thrashing, and with the other arm tried to unwrap the bandages. Maybe if she cleaned his injury, got that healing salve of Kaz's into the wound, Gian would calm down. Gritting her teeth, Katara ripped the stained, old bandage off, and her ears teared at the stench. It wasn't getting any better. How much longer would Gian be able to survive?

His arm twitched, and he shouted out, "Inai! Inai! You promised me!" Gian's arm knocked over the pitcher of water Katara had been drinking from, and it broke against the bedpost, water spilling out over his body and the bedsheets.

"Oh no," Katara let go and tried with both hands to wipe up the water. Who knew what sort of impure things were in there? That water was contaminated; if it got in the wound, it might make Gian's injury much worse. "Shit. Kaz, where the hell are you when I need you?"

She could see the water seeping into the angry, pus-filled gash on Gian's torso. Desperate tears began to drop from her eyes. Damn. All her work would go to waste; she'd tried so hard keep Gian alive these last few days—if he died, it'd be her fault, just like Hiro's death had been her fault—and she couldn't forget Hiro, she couldn't forget him when every night in her sleep she relived his death and if Gian died no, NO—

Her trembling hands pressed down, wild, on Gian's water-drenched torso, and he bucked. Something caught hold inside Katara and her hands were stuck, the water drenching her skin and his skin and she was draining, draining everything away into Gian's tired body, so close to death. Her hands were almost gone, she couldn't see her own dark skin against the strange things happening to the water—

It drained away, the water, dissolving into Gian's skin and Katara raised her hands from his body.

New skin, pale and slightly pink, covered his torso. There was no trace of the ugly, disgusting sword-wound from before.

"Shit," said Katara.

Almost as if in answer to her cursing, Gian mumbled something incoherent, his arms relaxed and limp, before turning over to face the wall and began to snore. His breathing was deep and even. Katara felt his forehead. The fever was gone. The coolness of his skin under her hand was like heaven.

Impossible. She was hallucinating. She'd caught some form of rare disease from one of these patients and she was seeing things that couldn't happen. Not to her. Hand trembling, she reached out and lifted Gian's blanket, examining his body again. Perfectly healed, except for the slightest scarring from his shoulder to his stomach. She let go of the sheet; it drifted down to cover his calmly sleeping body.

Katara, on the other hand, was not in such a tranquil state. Her breath came faster, and all of a sudden she felt a sudden dizziness behind her eyes. Her hands felt sore; achy. Slumping to the ground next to Gian's bed, she leaned her head against the mattress and told herself she could rest for one second—just one quick second...

When Katara woke up, she was staring at the blank white ceiling of the hospital. There was a soft mattress underneath her; she was on a bed.

"Feeling better?" asked Kaz, scooting over on a chair next to her.

"What happened?"

Kaz shrugged. "I came in here after my lesson with Doctor Wei, and I found you out cold on the floor. Did you sleep enough last night?"

"Oh, I've just been feeling a little tired lately," she lied. "That must be why I passed out."

"Must be. You seem fine to me; just get more rest."

Katara sat up and swung her legs over the side. "I'm okay."

Kaz nodded. "Did you check on Gian yet today? I know you're worried about him."

"Uh—yeah, he seems to be doing a lot better. I haven't changed his bandage yet."

"Really? He's improving?"

Katara nodded nervously. "Yeah, I think his fever's gone down."

Interested, Kaz moved towards Gian's bed. "You know I haven't checked on him in awhile; you've been caring for him more than anyone else, Katara."

Lifting aside the sheet, Kaz gasped in surprise. "What the hell?"

Behind him, Katara swallowed. "What's wrong? Is he okay?" She hoped she sounded convincing.

Kaz shook his head in disbelief. "Better than okay—Katara, he's healed!"

"You're kidding me," Katara said, moving to his side. She widened her eyes and gasped, covering her mouth with one hand as she saw the new skin on Gian's torso. "Holy shit!"

"Holy shit is right," Kaz muttered. "When was the last time you changed his bandage? Didn't you notice anything?"

Katara stumbled. "Uh—I changed the bandage maybe two days ago, but when I did, I used a lot more of that salve you keep in the jar. I thought it might help."

Kaz turned to her, eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Yes! I made that cream myself! I knew it would work, when I finally got the right ingredients. I can't wait to tell Doctor Wei—oh all the other new healers will be so jealous of me."

Katara nodded quickly. "Congratulations, Kaz."

"It's great that Gian is better," Kaz said, eyes still filled with wonderment and the soldier's quick recovery. "This is amazing. I can't believe it."

"Me neither," Katara said, voice hoarse. She passed it off as a small cough, turning to take a drink of water. Kaz didn't notice, still caught up in his imagined success.

"Kaz—I'm still feeling a bit dizzy from earlier—if you don't mind, I'll be heading back now—" Katara said, and Kaz nodded, barely acknowledging her.

"Yes, yes. You go right ahead, tell your lieutenant I said you could go back early today—I gotta show Doctor Wei what's happened—"

Katara left the hospital in a hurry, and tried to banish the guilt of having given Kaz false hope.

"Zuko!" a voice called to him from the edge of the training arena inside the palace.

Slightly annoyed, Zuko turned from the advanced drills he had been practicing, leaving the fire to shoot off into nothingness. When he saw that it was his uncle, his angry retort faded. Iroh would interrupt his training only if there was something important.

"Yes, uncle?" said Zuko, hurrying to Iroh's side while trying to shrug on his vest.

Iroh handed him a crumpled piece of paper, eyes worried. "One of the servants cleaning out the officer's quarters in the army complex found this, and brought it to me."

Snatching the parchment away, Zuko studied it intently.

Admiral-

The messenger and information will be at Luxing Fort in three day's time. Meet him there, or forfeit this oppurtunity.

The Emperor will be taken care of. We already have an assassin in place for that, as you well know.

Remember our agreement. You keep the Fire throne, but leave Kyoshi alone. Otherwise, the deal is off.

Zuko noticed that his heart rate had increased significantly in the past thirty seconds. His hands clenched the paper, almost ripping it.

"Your life is in danger, Zuko," came the soft voice of his uncle.

"Don't think I don't know that!" Zuko snapped back, breath coming heavy. How dare this traitor. How dare a loyal citizen, an admiral of the Fire Empire navy consort with rebels? For certainly this letter was from one of those Kyoshi bastards, although it was unsigned. The last line had made that perfectly clear.

And an assassin. He felt a prickle on his neck, and he resisted the extreme urge to whip around and immediately check the entire room for signs of anybody else other than his uncle and himself. They were sending an assassin after him. What more could go wrong?

"They'll be at the Luxing Fort in three day's time, Zuko, this admiral and this rebel messenger," said Iroh calmly. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Who did this, uncle?" Zuko fisted the paper and waved it in Iroh's face. The tranquil eyes of his uncle stared back at him. "What kind of asshole would betray his own country? Would try to take my place as Emperor, my birthright?"

Iroh said nothing. He trusted Zuko to figure things out for himself.

Zuko's eyes widened as it hit him.

Iroh saw this too. "You can't prove anything without evidence—"

"Isn't this enough evidence?" Zuko uncrumpled the paper and read over it almost feverishly again. "How could this not condemn Admiral Zhao? All the information is here, everything I need to get him executed as a traitor!"

"There are more admirals than Zhao in the Fire navy, nephew. Anyone of them could have been the recipient of such a letter—"

"Who is more ambitious than Zhao? Who would try such a thing, who would stoop so low as to conspire with a rebel for my death?"

"No rash actions, Zuko," said Iroh. "I suggest you follow through with this letter, and figure things out before bringing it to the public. Make sure the information is correct."

"Yes," said Zuko, eyes already far away and mind planning ahead. "I'll go myself. I'll find this admiral, and make him pay for what he's done—"

"Zuko, be careful. Remember the assassin."

"I know, uncle," Zuko made a dismissive motion. "I won't go alone. I'll take one of the Elite patrols with me."

Iroh watched as his nephew, his almost-son, race out of the room, blood fired with a purpose and with a righteous anger. He sighed, and shuffled back to his room.

"I'm going to be needing a lot of tea tonight."

Katara was getting ready for bed, listening to the quiet murmurings and shufflings of her fellow Elites as everyone yawned and settled in. Nothing had changed in this whole week, except—

The bunk across from her was now occupied.

Lt. Ensei had moved quickly and made a request for another Elite to transfer into Patrol One. Oran had volunteered, that young man who Katara had known in the early days before they, along with Hiro and Borr, had been accepted into the Elites for good. He was as quiet as ever, a serious, somber presence in their room. He would never replace Hiro, Katara thought vehemently, but it was good that their Patrol had the requisite number again.

Just as she was about to lay her head down on her pillow, the door crashed open.

Katara sat upright in surprise, and Qin said, "What the hell—"

It was the Emperor standing in the doorway.

Lt. Ensei looked at him worriedly. "What's wrong?"

The Emperor held up a piece of paper. "I've found the traitor."

Katara froze.

A/N: Yes, I saw the newest episode, and yes, I decided to incorporate Katara's interesting new ability into this chapter. If you haven't seen the new episode, I'm sorry for sort of spoiling it.

Also, there's been a WHOLE bunch of new fanart that I recieved and remembered to post in my profile. Thank you to everybody who contributed.

One more thing: a lot of you reviewed and said that the whole Hiro-loving-Katara thing was unexpected and I agree. I should have put more hints or warning in earlier chapters, and it is completely my fault that I sort of sprung it on you like that. Kind of like how "The Fortuneteller" episode sprung all that crazy Kataang action on us. Again, I apologize. That was a bit of bad writing from myself. Will try not to do it again.

Where do you live? -kara
Seattle, WA, USA, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group of Galaxies, Universe, Fairy Land.

Oh, have you seen that new episode about Aang liking Katara? I seriously hope that it stays onesided or that Aang gives it up as a crush. -SnufflesWillRise
Yes I have seen it. And I'm not incredibly optimistic... Kataang seems to be shaping up as the canon ship for Avatar. Ah well. Zutara shipper are all dreamers, right? We are the hopeless and desperate. XD

Am I completely off base here, or did you say this would have a happier ending than The Hunter and the Prey? Cause right now it's hard to imagine. -Divine-Red-Crayon
I know it's hard, but have some faith in me! (although I probably destroyed any vestiges of faith you had in me with the ending of THATP... sorry)

Ah, the lotus tile...hidden in Hiro's sleeve until just the right time, no doubt. Though most consider it a useless piece, he finds it vitally important in his personal game strategy. -gladdecease
Man I loved that episode as well.

How did the existing Zuko receive a scar to match his ancestors? -khazia
Hopefully I answered your question this chapter! XD

it would take a month to complete the mission- only, we've only seen the fighting take place in like one day, i think. and the location of the rebels was FAR away... so did the rebels diliberatly run all the way back near the Fire Nation's army complex to ambush them? -Mew Kelcita
Um I think I mentioned in Chapter 13, in this sentence, "A week of traveling, and they were camping tonight in the south, near a deserted village that had been the victim of the latest rebel attacks." A week had passed. Maybe you accidentally missed that part.

W00t! I started a fad! All these LTE groupies! Follow me, my minions, so that we may glomp RedNovember! -Red Hawk K'sani
I is glomped.