Chapter XXVII: Rest

Saltrall parked the TARDIS and went over and looked outside. He sighed in relief when he saw that they were in a tunnel and out of harm's way.

"Coast is clear," Saltrall said, turning around and looking at the others who all looked relieved. He held the door open and let Korra, Mako, bolin and Naga out, but he saw Asami get up more slowly than the others. She was looking down sadly so Saltrall walked over to her.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked her with gentle concern in his voice.

She looked surprised, not expecting anyone to notice, or care, about how she felt.

"Oh, I'm," She started before sighing, "I'm actually not very good at all," She finished with a sigh and she sat back down, putting her head in her hands.

Saltrall walked over to the door quickly, "Hey, I'll be out in a couple minutes, gotta check on something and I need Asami's help!" He shouted at the others who were down the tunnel a ways.

"Okay!" Mako shouted back as he wrapped an arm around Korra's shoulder and they started walking away. "It looks like a straight shot but do you want us to wait?" Bolin added.

"No, you go ahead, we'll catch up!" Saltrall replied. Bolin gave a thumbs up and he turned and they kept walking. Saltrall sighed and closed the door. He thought about Korra and Mako for a second before going back over to Asami.

"This is about Mako and Korra, isn't it?" Saltrall asked, sitting next to her and looking at her.

She nodded but didn't look at him. "I don't know what to do," She said sadly, "I feel like he doesn't even care about me any more."

Saltrall put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he cares about you," he said softly, "But it seems, to me anyways, that," He sighed, unable to find the right way to finish that sentence, so Asami finished it for him.

"That he loves her instead of me," She said, a hint of bitterness in her voice as she looked away from him, a small scowl on her face.

"Yeah, sure, let's, uh, go with that," Saltrall replied awkwardly, shifting a little away from her, "but if it's any consolation I'm right there with you."

She looked at him, confused, and furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?" She asked him, quizzically.

Saltrall blushed and looked away from her. "I may have feelings for Korra too," He muttered, barely above a whisper as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Asami was shocked, "Did you say what I think you said?" She asked.

"Well that depends, if you thought I said 'hoopity doopity dabble dow' no," He replied, "but if you thought I said 'I have feelings for Korra as well,'" He snapped his fingers and gave her a thumbs up, "bingo."

"Have you told her?" Asami asked, seemingly forgetting about her own issues and focusing on Saltrall's predicament.

"Kinda?" Saltrall said in a questioning tone, "see, I haven't said 'Korra, I love you,' but I feel like I've made it so obvious to her that she has to know by now, it's complicated"

Asami smiled softly and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well hopefully things work out for you," She said in a calm manner.

Saltrall smiled and nodded, "The same for you,"

Asami frowned a little, as if remembering her own romantic misfortunes and stood. "All we can do is hope."

Saltrall stood as well, "Amen to that," He chuckled, "come on, the others have to be waiting for us by now."

Asami nodded and they left the TARDIS. They walked quietly and for a good distance before they reached the others. They were in a large open area full of wooden storage crates, both covered and uncovered, and it was full of hobos.

They looked around and eventually found the were sitting with an older, rotund hobo with grey hair.

Mako looked over as we walked up. Asami scowled a little and Mako rolled his eyes.

"Finally made it, I see. Fix up what was broken?"

"Yeah," Saltrall replied, "Chameleon circuit blew a fuse, quick repair with the Sonic, no biggie. Who's our friend here?"

The hobo hopped up with more energy than Saltrall thought possible for a man of his age and stature.

"Gommu's the name, hoboing is the game, welcome to our home!" He said holding his arms out, motioning to all the other hobos living down there.

Saltrall nodded slowly. "Yes, hello, nice to uh, nice to meet you."

"He's a very wise hobo!" Bolin said with excitement.

Everyone looked at him with blank faces and he blushed before muttering under his breath and looking down.

Saltrall opened his mouth to say something but he closed it and squinted when he noticed a figure in the corner. His eyes widened when he saw it was an Equalist.

"Excuse me a minute," he said as he pushed past Mako and ran towards the Equalist, who tried to get away. He didn't get very far before being speared through a wooden crate by Saltrall.

Saltrall jumped up immediately, grinning, "WOOOO! I've always wanted to do that!" He said enthusiastically. The Equalist was knocked unconscious and the others ran over.

"What the heck was that?!" Korra asked, kind of surprised.

"Standard spear takedown, it's a simple move, really" Saltrall replied, still smiling as he tossed the intruder over his shoulder with a grunt.

Everyone either sighed and shook their heads or chuckled.

"Well, now what?" Korra asked, "Do we keep him or kill him."

"I don't see any tactical advantage of keeping him, as much as I hate to say it, I think we should kill him, keep his uniform, I don't like loose ends." Saltrall said forlornly.

The others didn't like the idea either, but they all agreed it was necessary. Saltrall pulled out his Sonic and killed the Equalist quickly and painlessly. They stripped his uniform off of him and tossed his body out into the bay.

Saltrall hung up the uniform. They had agreed that the guys could take turns wearing it and going up to the surface for reconnaissance and then try to secure a women's uniform at the same time. Saltrall asked Asami what happened to hers but she said she tossed it after learning about her father's involvement with everything.

It was later that night and Saltrall was standing outside of the tunnel the TARDIS landed in. It was disguised as a wooden box and he leaned against it with a frown as he watched Equalists desecrate the statue of Avatar Aang with banners and an Amon mask.

"You know it's funny," He said and turned to face a startled Korra.

"Jeez, you scared me Saltrall, I didn't know you heard me." She chuckled, "anyway, what's funny?"

"I'm not from here, I'm an alien for Christ's sake, and yet..." He stopped, trying to think of the proper wording, "I don't really want to leave."

"Really?" Korra asked with genuine curiosity, "you don't want to go back to your home, or dimension or wherever you're from?"

Saltrall shook his head, "It's weird, maybe it's because I've been here for a while now but I feel like this is my home now."

Korra smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "I understand," she said comfortingly.

Saltrall nodded and smiled back before sighing and turning away from here.

"But I know I have to leave eventually." He said.

"Why?" Korra asked, "If you think of this as your home, why don't you stay?"

"Because I don't belong here, I somehow ended here, on Earth, but it's the wrong Earth, and..." He shrugged, he couldn't really think of a good reason, "I just think I do."

Korra hugged him softly and after a few seconds he hugged back.

"It's okay, you're a genius, you'll figure it out, I know you will." She said, rubbing his back unconsciously.

He smiled and relaxed into her hug. He didn't say it out loud, but he knew that he was really home in Korra's arms. Whether that was right or not was a different debate.

After a few minutes he pulled away.

"You need to go to bed," He said with a soft smile.

Korra nodded and yawned, as if for emphasis. Saltrall chuckled and pushed her playfully.

"Off you go now," He said and smiled, "Goodnight Korra."

"Goodnight Saltrall," She replied, smiling warmly before turning and walking back down the hallway she came from.

Without another word Saltrall turned and looked at the statue one last time before walking into the TARDIS.