Korra broke through the burning door leading into Tenzin's home and grimaced at the scene. A canon ball had blasted through the main room leaving a burning mess behind. White Lotus and masked fighters battled throughout the room. Korra raised her pistol and shot one of the fighters in the leg before they could stab a White Lotus crewmate.
"Captain Korra!" He called out, running towards her and Asami.
"Where are they?" She called, deflecting an oncoming attack.
Asami stepped forward and disabled two other attackers before using the hilt of her sword to knock them out.
"Pema and the kids were taken through the escape chamber, but Tenzin stayed to help hold these bastards off."
"Go out to the yard and inform my crew. Tell them to go secure Pema and the kids. Asami and I will find Tenzin." Korra shoved him towards the door. "Try not to get killed on the way!"
The White Lotus member saluted and ran, safely, towards the yard.
"The escape chamber is in the master bedroom. It leads down through the walls, under the house, and out below the pier." Korra said. "Let's move!"
Asami followed Korra up the main staircase and down the hall. A masked fighter dropped down from the ceiling and landed on Korra, knocking her to the floor. Korra kicked them away and Asami raised her pistol, shooting them in the right shoulder.
The figure wailed in pain and Korra dove for it, wrapping her hands around their throat.
"Where is Tenzin?" She squeezed tightly. "Where is he, you bastard?"
Asami pulled Korra up. "Don't bother. I think I heard something down the hall. We need to move."
Korra turned and kicked the figure in the head, knocking them out. The women paused briefly to reload their pistols and continued down the hall.
They reached the door to the master bedroom and heard commotion from inside. Asami paused for three counts before they burst through.
"You won't get away with this, Amon." Tenzin seethed as he was forced to his knees, blood trickled down his face from the cut on his head.
Amon smirked and kicked him in the stomach. "Silence. Once, you and your family are taken care of, it will draw the Southern Water Tribe bitch out." The door burst open and Amon chuckled. "Sooner than expected."
Korra took in the scene in front of her and grit her teeth. A strange man wearing a mask and another one of their assassins stood menacingly over Tenzin. The masked fighter charged at Korra. She deflected the attack and used the hilt of her sword to bash their nose. She shot the other advancing fighter in the foot, causing them to fall.
"Let him go, you bastard." She raged, holstering her pistol and drawing her other sword.
"Not a chance, savage." Amon said holding a pistol to Tenzin's head. "Make one more move and I'll end his life."
Korra gripped her swords, but held her ground. Asami stepped forward, eyes wide.
"Noatak?" She whispered.
Amon turned his gaze to Asami in surprise. "Lady Sato, what is the meaning of this?"
"My father refused ransom. I joined forces with Captain Korra. What's going on here?" Asami said carefully. "Why are you doing this?"
"We were dispatched to draw out this savage," Amon said, his gaze flicking over to Korra. "To take her down and bring you home."
Asami's eyes widened and Korra was stunned.
"Korra, don't listen to him! They didn't even know Lady Sato was alive until just now." Tenzin sputtered out. "Korra, go! I'll be fine, protect my family!"
"Shut up, Tenzin! We're all leaving here alive." She pointed a sword at Amon. "Except you."
Asami froze, something wasn't right. 'Noatak always has his partner with him. His lieutenant…no, where is he?'
She heard a soft whistle in the air and shoved Korra out of the way in time for the dagger to strike her shoulder. Asami grunted in pain as her hand moved to the area of the shot.
"Korra, The Lieutenant!" She cried.
The captain turned her head in time to intercept the man charging her. She knocked him out of the way as he stumbled backwards.
Asami pulled the dagger from her shoulder and threw it at him, piercing his hand.
The Lieutenant growled and launched himself at Korra. Asami stepped in front and drove her sword deep into his shoulder. The Lieutenant groaned as Asami pulled her sword free and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backwards.
Korra jumped to her feet and charged at Amon. He held up his hand and stopped her in her tracks. She struggled but failed to move. Her blades fell from her hands and her body contorted.
Asami looked down at the blood on her sword and hands.
Amon began to close his hand and Korra's body crumpled. Her cry in pain prompted Asami to break from her trance, just as Tenzin managed to throw himself against Amon.
Korra fell to the floor and coughed. Asami rushed to her side and helped her struggle to her feet. Korra regained her footing and picked up her blades as Tenzin and Amon struggled on the floor.
"Korra! GO!" Tenzin cried.
Korra charged forward to attack when a shot rang out in the room. Asami and Korra froze. Tenzin slumped over and Amon pushed him off onto the floor.
Asami's hand covered her mouth and Korra fell to her knees when her eyes met Tenzin's lifeless ones.
"Tenzin…no…" Korra began to shake as Amon stood. "TENZIN!"
The former noble took a defensive stance as Amon looked down at Korra. His gaze briefly fell to The Lieutenant, writhing in pain, and frowned. He turned to Asami.
"You will pay for that, Lady Sato." He growled, tears forming in his eyes.
A smoke bomb erupted within the room. Asami took a defensive stance in front of Korra and waited intently. When the smoke finally cleared a few moments later, Amon and the Lieutenant were gone. Asami sighed and sheathed her weapons.
Korra crawled to Tenzin's body and touched his face tentatively.
"Tenzin!" She shook him. "No, Tenzin! No! Please Wake up! I can't lose you, too!"
Asami knelt down next to Korra and put a hand on her shoulder. "Korra…"
Korra gathered Tenzin's body in her arms and let out a pained scream. She pulled him close and wailed, slowly rocking back and forth.
She continued to sob uncontrollably as Asami took her in her arms.
"Korra, he's gone." She whispered into her hair.
"No!" Korra cried. "I can't lose him... He's all I have left!"
"He's gone, Korra. I'm sorry."
Korra cried out and shoved Asami back.
"Get the fuck away!" She screamed. "Just go!"
Asami's eyes widened when Korra's eyes went blank and glowed and her expression was as if lost in a trance. A large gust of wind swept through the room. Asami crouched down and crawled close to Korra. She put her hands on Korra's shoulders and pulled her close.
"You're not alone. I'm here." She whispered.
Korra looked up at Asami after her eyes finally reverted back to normal and became overwhelmed with tears again. She leaned into Asami's embrace and cried.
"I can't believe Tenzin is dead." Bolin whispered, running his hands through his hair.
Opal rested her head on his shoulder and took one of his hands in hers. Aya wrapped her arms around herself and Mako scowled.
The four cringed when Pema's sobs were heard through the walls. Opal wiped a tear away as they heard Pema plead with the Spirits to bring her husband back.
Mako clenched his fists and slammed one of the walls.
"This is all her fault." He growled.
"Who?" Opal asked.
"That Sato woman." Mako crossed his arms. "Asami. Every one of those other fighters I interrogated said she had something to do with this."
"Don't twist words." Aya snapped. "They all said she was the reason they tracked Tenzin down, to draw Korra out for kidnapping her. She, herself, had nothing to do with it."
"Why are you always defending her?" Mako shouted. "She's just another rotten noble!"
Aya held her hands out and they were engulfed in blue flame. "So am I." She said dangerously. "Even more so than she is."
"Aya…" Bolin mumbled. "I thought you were a nonbender."
"No. I am Aya, daughter of Rozu, only son of the Fire Princess Azula and Master Instructor Ty Lee. We are gifts from the Spirits themselves." The blue flames in Aya's hands extinguished when she balled them into fists. "I am not a nonbender and I am forth in line for the throne of The Fire Nation."
Mako's eyes widened. "What? Aya, all these years together and you never told me?"
"To protect my identity." She straightened her stance. "Only the Captain knew the truth."
"I don't understand. Does that mean we captured your cousin?" Bolin mumbled in a daze.
"Like I told Iroh, its just business." Aya said with a wave of her hand. "He could use being knocked down a peg or two."
She turned back to Mako.
"That's why I truly understand Asami." She stuck a finger in Mako's chest. "I will defend her against your fucking ramblings. So if you still want to be in this relationship, you best shut the fuck up. Being half Fire Nation yourself, consider that a command from your Princess."
Aya spun on her heel and walked back to her cabin. Mako attempted to form words and Bolin just shook his head.
"You may want to go talk to her later." Bolin said. "I can't believe it. She's not just a noble, she's a royal!"
"I never knew." Mako muttered. "I can't believe she never said anything."
"Do you blame her?" Opal said. "Look at the way you treat poor Asami. I know your parents had problems with your Royal Governor, but that's no reason to take it out on everyone."
Mako let his head drop. "I'll go after her. You guys keep an eye on Pema and the kids."
Asami leaned against the wall and shook her head as she attempted to process the conversation she had just overheard. Between Pema's deafening screams and Aya's sudden revelation, she didn't quite know what to believe. She shook her head; what did Bolin mean by 'nonbender' and what happened with Korra's eyes after the fight? She sighed, she had so many questions and she knew that it would be a long time before any of them were answered.
She sighed and quickly glanced around the corner to see Bolin and Opal embrace each other and Mako sulking down the hall.
'Now is probably not a good time to see if they know what the hell happened to Korra up there.' Asami thought. She turned the corner and walked towards Bolin and Opal.
"Asami!" Opal said as she looked up. "Glad to see you made it through ok. I heard about your shoulder wound."
"I'm alright. The medic from the clinic patched me up before we came back here." Asami said. "It hurts, but that's nothing compared to what Pema and the kids must be feeling."
"Or Korra." Bolin said with a sigh. "Tenzin was like a father to her."
"Has anyone gone to see her?" Asami asked, shifting nervously.
Opal shook her head. "No, she locked herself in her room."
Asami rubbed her the back of her neck. "Should someone?"
"You can try." Bolin said. "We knocked and rattled the door, but nothing. In a volatile state like this, Korra can be…dangerous."
"I think I may have gotten a taste of what you mean." Asami said quietly.
Asami approached Korra's door and pressed her ear against it. She heard muffled mumbling. She took a moment to compose herself and knocked.
"Captain? It's Asami." She said carefully.
The door swung open a few moments later and Korra leaned against the doorframe. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her hair was downed and messy. She had a bottle in her hand. She took a drink and swallowed.
"You…you have a lot of nerve." She slurred drunkenly. She grabbed Asami's wrist and pulled her into the room. "This is all your fault. You knew this would happen."
"No, I didn't!" Asami said quickly. "I was just as shocked as you."
"I remember that Noatak. He goes by Amon." Korra pointed accusingly at Asami. "He was one of the Northerners that attacked the South Pole. Now he works for your father. You knew him! You were in on all of this, weren't you?"
"That's nonsense! I always thought he was just one of my father's business partners!" Asami said defiantly. "You know my father refused my ransoms! You're the one who kidnapped me!"
"You're just another monster like them!" Korra drunkenly swung at Asami, who dodged it easily.
"Captain! You're drunk and in pain." Asami said grabbing Korra's wrist, when she swung again. She knocked the bottle from Korra's hand and pulled the shorter woman against her. "You're hurting and you feel alone, but you're not alone."
Korra buried her face into Asami's shoulder and slipped her arms around Asami's waist. "I'm sorry, Asami." She slurred. "I know you had nothing to do with it, but Tenzin was all I had."
"That's not true." Asami whispered. Korra pulled away just enough to look up to her. "You have your crew, your friends. They need you, count on you, care about you."
Korra locked eyes with Asami. "What about you?"
"You took me in when I had nothing." Asami brushed Korra's hair out of her face. "You held me when I cried, when I lost everything. Let me return the favor."
"You care?"
"I care."
Korra leaned up and captured Asami's lips with her own. Asami pulled away quickly.
"Korra…" She whispered, her gaze dropping to the other woman's lips.
"Please?" The captain pulled Asami against her. "Asami…"
Asami determined it was something about the way Korra said her name, which tugged at her heart. She dropped her head down and kissed Korra again. The kiss quickly grew hungry and passionate.
Korra was in pain and needed something to hold onto. At the same time, Asami needed to attend to her own heartache. Asami had lost her world and Korra had lost hers for the second time.
Korra shoved Asami's jacket off of her shoulders and moved her back towards the bed. Asami cupped Korra's face and slid her tongue past the captain's lips. She broke the kiss and winced when Korra tried to lift her shirt up.
"My shoulder." She whispered. "It still hurts."
"I remember, you took a dagger for me." Korra said tenderly. She helped Asami out of her shirt slowly and laid her down on the bed. "I'll be gentle."
She straddled Asami, who licked her lips as Korra shed her own shirt. Asami reached for Korra and pulled her back down into a kiss. Asami's hand cupped Korra's breast through her bindings and the younger woman moaned into the kiss. Korra slipped a brasserie strap off of Asami's injured shoulder. She kissed the bandaged wound softly.
"Thank you." Korra whispered as she traveled back to Asami's lips. "For everything, I need something to hold onto. I just need something."
Asami's hands cupped Korra's backside and squeezed, but after a few moments her lips stilled against Korra's. The younger woman pulled back and looked at her questioningly.
"Korra, I can't. We can't." Asami sat up as Korra moved away. "You're drunk."
"I need this, Asami."
She cupped Korra's face. "I do too, but you're drunk and not thinking clearly. I need it, too, but not like this."
She took Korra in her arms.
"Asami?"
"I think you just need to lose it. I don't think you should mask this or run from it. You need to let it out." Asami whispered. "Tell me about Tenzin."
Korra rested her head on Asami's shoulder. "After Mom and I were able to flee from the South we got stranded on a small island. We got picked up by Tenzin and his crew and he brought us back here to The Island." Korra tried to blink her tears away. "After Mom got sick and passed on, Tenzin took me in and cared for me. He was my mentor, my father figure, and my friend."
Asami stroked Korra's hair and kissed the top of her head.
"I've lost everything so many times." Korra sighed tearfully. "I'm scared, Asami."
"I know you are." Asami cooed. "But you're my captain and I'll stand behind you."
"Even if it means taking down your father?"
Asami grimaced. "Especially if we have to take down my father. He had an innocent man killed to draw you out when he had to opportunity to get me back. A woman is downstairs pleading with the Spirits to get her husband back and four children have been left without a father." Her arms tightened around Korra. "He needs to be taken down."
Korra pulled away and looked up at Asami. "You're insanely attractive when you're angry, you know that?"
"Tell me again when you're not drunk."
The captain managed a shaky smile. "I want you to stay on my crew, I need you to stay. I don't talk to my crew, but I'll talk to you."
"I have to stay. You'll need to me to be able to take down my father."
Korra nodded. "For the larger purpose, but I want you to stay for a more selfish purpose. I just…I feel like I can talk to you."
"I understand." She cupped Korra's face. "I feel the same. You took me in when I had nothing. Over the past several days, you've shown me more kindness than I think anyone ever has. Even in such a short time, you've been a true friend."
The captain nuzzled into Asami's shoulder. "You're being a true friend to me."
"I'd like to be one, if you'd let me." Asami smiled when Korra nodded. "Alright, let's put you to bed and let you sleep. Then, we'll lay Tenzin to rest and formulate a plan to bring my father down."
Korra took her place in front of the crowd and held up her hands. The crowd fell silent and she spoke.
"We are all here at this moment to say goodbye to a man who touched our lives." She spoke somberly. "Tenzin was a competent and talented strategist, a fair and caring captain, a loving husband, and an utterly devoted father."
Pema wiped the tears from her face and brought her children closer. Bolin placed a supportive hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.
"Tenzin died protecting his family. He gave his life so that those he cared so much about could live. Tenzin was many things to many people, but we can all agree that he was a man of his word, a teacher, a savior, a husband, a father, and most of all, a friend."
Korra took a lit torch from Mako and turned to the pyre that rested on a raft. "We ignite Tenzin's body so that he can be made whole in the Spirit World he desired so much as we let it drift on the seas so you may have one final voyage."
Korra walked to the raft and paused. She closed her eyes, in an attempt to fight back tears. She gripped the torch and lit the pyre.
Mako and Bolin moved to the raft and pushed it out to sea. Opal held Pema as she wailed. Aya knelt down and hugged Ikki and Meelo. Jinora clutched Rohan to her chest and sobbed silently.
Korra dropped the torch in the water and turned to join the crowd. She stopped to take Pema in her arms.
"I'm so sorry." She whispered. "It's all my fault."
Pema stroked Korra's hair. "Don't believe that. It's not your fault. Tenzin died protecting all of us." She pulled back to look Korra her eyes. "Just promise me you will not let this go unpunished."
"I won't. His death will be avenged." Korra said definitively. "Hiroshi Sato will definitely pay for this whether he wants to or not."
Asami stood towards the back of the crowd and watched Tenzin's body burn on the sea. She couldn't help but feel guilt. Noatak and his forces had been dispatched to draw out Korra because of her.
She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. A man was dead because of her. A woman lost a husband because of her. Four children were without a father because of her.
"Don't do this to yourself." Korra said as she approached Asami.
"He's dead because of me." Asami whispered.
Korra shook her head. "No, if it's anyone's fault it's mine."
"Korra…"
The captain held up her hand. "Stop doing this to yourself, that's an order."
Asami smiled softly. "It isn't your fault, either."
Korra sighed wistfully. "Truthfully, I know that, but I'll always blame myself. It's not your fault and it's not mine. Your father refused ransom so he could draw me out. Tenzin wrestled with Amon to save us. If anything, he sacrificed himself."
"If it's anyone's fault, it's my father's." Asami said, anger rising.
"Which is exactly why we're taking him down." Korra said while crossing her arms. "Does the Sato Family own land?"
"Most of the land in our province was granted to the Sato Family by the Fire Lord many years ago." Asami sighed. "Essentially, he's a provincial baron."
"Sounds like you disapprove."
"I do."
"I knew I liked you for a reason."
"That land belongs to the people." Asami crossed her arms as well. "He's a greedy bastard."
"We'll take him down, put you at the helm, and you give them their land." Korra said authoritatively. "We'll take down anyone who tries to stop us."
"We'll also dismantle the Sato Family Fortune and disperse it back to the people it was taken from." Asami continued.
Korra shifted. "And then?"
"Then I stay on as Captain Korra's engineer and personal confidant."
"Engineer, huh?"
Asami smirked. "I have plans for those flintlocks. I drew some up while we were waiting for the funeral."
"I'm interested to see them." Korra smiled. "Let's head down to Kwong's for a drink. In honor of Tenzin."
Asami stood on the upper deck of the ship and inhaled the crisp sea air. The past several months had gone by steadily. The crew had been slowly, but surely, cutting off Lord Sato's raw material suppliers. Be it by intimidation, extortion, or just find a peaceful way to shut down the operation.
Now, they were prepared to move on to phase two, disrupting cargo shipments. This would largely consist of operating in the seas around the Fire Nation, which was risky but they had managed to find a wealthy Southerner who believe in their cause. Varrick was an eccentric man, but he provided all the material and monetary support the crew would need.
With his support, Asami had finally finished the upgrades to the ship's cannons, so they were finally ready for those cargo ships.
She looked out over the deck and watched the crew at work. Mako and Aya were having their usual spat about whatever. Even after her lineage revelation, not much had really changed. She still had yet to explain her motives, but no one asked.
Opal and Bolin were fixing a few planks that had been broken during the last storm. Kai was leaning against the railing and re-reading his most recent letter from Jinora, blush firmly in place.
Asami chuckled and pushed off of the railing of the upper deck when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned and smiled.
"Captain."
"Engineer Sato." Korra nodded. "Those cannons are looking good."
"They should be able to pierce the haul of those cargo ships," Asami said, placing her hands on her hips. "While still causing the least amount of damage to the shipments."
Korra nodded and walked to the railing. She smiled and looked down on her crew. Asami joined her.
"I'm glad your designs worked so well."
"Me too." Asami adjusted her crimson jacket. "My father won't know what hit him."
"Good." Korra said. "So, we're docking on Kyoshi Island for repairs."
"Why are we going so far?"
Korra sighed. "Aya, said that there had been an increase in military naval traffic around Fire Nation borders. Kyoshi Island is the closest and friendliest port."
Asami crossed her arms. "Well that will give us a day or two to go over the plans before we try to take on our first cargo ship."
"We could get a drink or two as well." Korra said, shifting nervously.
"Going to try and talk some innocent barmaid into bed with you?" Asami said, shoving Korra playfully.
Korra rolled her eyes. "No, I was thinking maybe we could go get a drink or two together."
Asami's eyes widened and she blushed softly. Over the past several months, she and Korra had gotten closer. They confided in and supported each other. They often shared meals in Korra's cabin and, on clear nights, drinks on the deck, but nothing beyond that since the night of Tenzin's death.
The captain cleared her throat when she sensed Asami's trepidation. "Um, I was just hoping that we could…um…spend some time together…"
"We spend a lot of time together." Asami said, quickly regaining her composure. "Or does the captain have ulterior motives?"
"I may have ulterior motives." Korra said with an exaggerated wink. "What if I wanted to talk you into bed with me?"
"Then I guess you'll have to spend all your Yuans buying me a lot of rum." Asami said with a smirk. She flipped her hair for emphasis as she walked away. "Excuse me, Captain, I need to finish inspecting the cannons.
Korra sighed as she watched Asami walk away. She had long stopped denying the fact she was falling in love with Asami, but losing Tenzin was still too painful. She was feeling hesitant to let Asami get too close to her in fear of driving her away.
The emergency bells chimed and roused Korra from her trance. She looked up to the Crow's Nest to find the crewmate pointed to the eastern horizon.
"Ahoy! Smugglers!" He cried out. "On a direct course for us!"
"All hands, battle stations!" Korra cried out, running to the navigation room to sound the battle alarm.
Asami slipped off her jacket and inspected the casing on one of the cannons. She snapped her head up when the battle alarm sounded.
"Shit." She mumbled. "Alright! Everyone take position! This could get messy! Lao, load the cannons! Wei, get those fuses ready! Let's move!"
"They're coming in fast." Mako said anxiously.
"Straight for us." Opal said nervously. "Are those cannons battle ready?"
"They haven't been tested, but Asami thinks they are." Korra said, loading her flintlock.
Mako adjusted his sword. "I hope she's right. With the ship in its current condition, we can't afford to be attack."
"Has she ever been wrong?" Aya asked absently, while checking the map. She slapped her hands down on the table. "If we take too much damage, I don't think we could make it to Kyoshi Island. That storm knocked us around."
"Let's just hope Asami came through for us." Bolin said, crossing his arms.
"She always does." Korra mumbled eyes glued on the incoming ships.
"They're in striking distance!" Wei shouted to Asami.
Asami cursed and ran to the porthole. "Get cannons two and three ready to fire! Save one and four for a volley!"
"Aye, ma'am!" Lao cried as he readied the cannons. "No…they've fired, straight for us!"
"Brace for impact!" Asami yelled as a cannon ball ripped through their hull. "Shit, give me a roll!"
Lao and Wei called out their positions and Asami met them at the port cannon line.
"That ship is going in fast!" Asami shouted out. "It looks like a smuggling ship. We can't let them get within boarding distance!"
"Aye!" Lao and Wei affirmed.
The navigation room shook as the cannon ball ripped through the port side.
"Fuck!" Korra shouted as she slammed into the wall. "Where did it hit?"
"Port side cannons, they're trying to disable us!" Opal said, struggling to her feet. "Lao and Wei are the only ones down there."
Korra froze, Asami had gone down to inspect the cannons and a cannon ball had just ripped through that level. Asami could be hurt; her blood ran cold as she moved to the door.
"Aya! See if you can get us out of range!" She ordered. "Get us out of here! I'm heading down to the munitions deck. Opal, get up in the Crow's Nest and track them. Mako and Bolin, get on those damn harpoon guns!"
Korra didn't wait around for responses.
"I've got a lock!" Wei shouted to Asami. "We need authorization to engage from the captain!"
"Fuck the captain!" Asami shouted back. "If we take too much damage we're dead in the water! Fire!"
Lao and Wei fired two of them cannons and Asami used her spyglasses to watch the other ship. She saw the hull puncture twice, as the cannon balls made contact, and the small explosion that followed.
Asami looked to Wei and Lao. "We must have hit their gunpowder supply! Wei, get on four and I'll take one. Lao, reload two and three." She moved to the farthest cannon and held up her hand. "Fire!"
She and Wei lit the fuses and moments later the cannons fired. Asami moved back to the porthole quickly. She saw a much larger explosion and grinned. They had definitely hit their gunpowder supply.
"Asami!" Korra called out as she pushed her way into the damaged munitions room.
"Captain?" Asami turned from the porthole. Korra was visibly panicked, almost scared.
Korra heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Asami. The engineer was covered in soot and had been banged around when the cannon ball hit, but didn't appear severely injured. Wei and Lao looked at the captain questioningly.
"We knew that blast ripped through here, I wanted to make sure everyone was alright." Korra said quickly.
"We've nailed them four times, Captain." Lao said as she finished loading the second cannon. "But it doesn't look like their running."
"Are two and three ready to fire?" Asami asked and Lao nodded. She turned back to Korra. "We can sink them, but that's your call. I already broke the chain of command when I ordered them to fire."
"I've got Aya trying to get us out of here. If they follow, then we have no choice." Korra said. "You did the right thing by firing."
"Incoming!" Wei called.
An explosion of wood and metal knocked everyone back. A direct hit to cannon number two, which had caused it to unhinge and fly back.
Wei was able to struggle to cannon three and fire in response. Lao pushed himself up and worked to reload four. Korra sat up.
"Sink the bastards!" She cried out. "Asami, I'll help with that first cannon!"
There was no response.
Korra looked around frantically. "Asami!"
Her eyes raked over to where the cannon had been pushed to and saw Asami, semiconscious and bleeding, pinned between the barrel and a wooden support beam.
She scrambled to Asami. "Spirits, no." She lifted Asami's head. Her eyes were half shut and dull. "Asami, don't do this to me right now, please!"
She looked at the cannon that had Asami pinned. There was no way she could move it and if they lost that support beaming the ceiling could come crumbling down around them. Her eyes widened, the cannon was still loaded and if they took another hit, it would surely go off.
Asami coughed and tried to lift her head. "I can't breath." She gasped out.
Korra cupped her face. "Don't try to talk, you're pinned between a loaded cannon and a support beam. I'll get you out."
"Korra…" She wheezed.
"Don't give up on me." Korra said.
"You need to get out of here, this cannon could go off any time."
"I'm not leaving you to die!" Korra said anxiously.
Dull green eyes locked on frantic blue ones. Asami's vision was blurring, but she felt Korra's lips move to hers. Korra mumbled something to her she couldn't quite make out before she slipped out of consciousness.
Asami's head dropped and Korra pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I love you." She mumbled again. Korra turned to Lao and Wei who were continuing to load and fire. "Get out of here, both of you. This cannon could go off at any second and I need to get Asami out."
"Ma'am, they're taking massive damage and not running, if we stop firing they could board." Lao said frantically.
"I'll take care of it." Korra shouted. "Get up top, both of you. That's an order. Now!"
Lao and Wei hesitated, but ran out to the staircase. Wei stopped and looked at Asami pinned and cursed under his breath, before leaving.
Korra made sure they were gone before she spoke.
"I may not have been able to save Tenzin or my people, but I'm not letting you die." She said to Asami. "I'm sick of letting people die."
She closed her eyes and opened them. They were blank and glowing. She raised her hands and moved them in a fluid motion; water from the sea formed an elegant column and wrapped itself around the cannon.
She threw her hands toward the puncture in the hull and the water, acting as a proxy, threw the cannon towards the smuggling ship. Korra's right hand shot out toward Asami and a gust of air caught her and lowered her to the floor.
There was a large explosion when the cannon made impact and her eyes returned to normal. She looked and saw that the offending ship and been wretched in half and was beginning to sink.
She rushed over to the unconscious woman and scooped her up in her arms.
Mako froze when he saw the massive explosion. He turned to Bolin, who was equally shocked.
"That wasn't cannon fire."
Bolin shook his head. "No, I think that was Korra."
Asami slowly opened her eyes. Everything hurt, and she struggled to lift her head.
"Don't stress yourself." A voice said, a hand slowly lowering her back down to the pillow.
"Mako?" She whispered. She blinked until her eyes focused.
"Yeah." He said, appearing over her. "You took some pretty nasty damage."
Asami tried to adjust but couldn't. "Why are my legs so heavy?"
"Because Korra fell asleep on them." He said, with mild amusement. "She hasn't left your side since we got you up here."
Asami, with Mako's help, was able to sit up. He propped pillows behind her so she could lean. Her eyes fell on a sleeping Korra; even in her sleep she looked frantic.
"How did we get away?" She asked Mako, while she brushed some hair from Korra's face.
"That's something I really can't say." He noticed Asami's movements. "That's something to ask her."
"How much damage did we take?"
"A lot, but not enough to where we can't travel." He said. "We're about a day from Kyoshi Island. Just pray we aren't attacked again."
Asami nodded absently. She knew she should be alarmed, but something about having Korra so close made her feel safe. Had she really not left her side?
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
"A little." She turned to look at him. "Since when are you so nice to me?"
Mako sighed. "Since Aya put me in my place. I'm sorry for how I acted towards you."
Asami waved her hand. "Already forgotten."
He smiled appreciatively and made his way to the door. He slipped out quietly and Asami turned her attention back to Korra. Her thumb brushed across her cheek and she began to stir.
Her eyes snapped open and she shot up. "What?"
Asami smiled. "Hi."
"You're awake!" Korra said with wide eyes. "You're ok…"
"I'm in pain, but I feel alright."
Before she could finish, Korra's lip covered her own. Asami's eyes slid shut and she put her hands on either side of Korra's face and drew her in. They parted slightly and Asami spoke.
"I think there are a few things we need to talk about on Kyoshi Island."
Korra frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I have questions that need answers. I've let them go unanswered for months." Asami said, dropping her hands. "Also, I'm not going to play games with this Korra. I won't just be a body to warm your bed."
"I don't want that from you!" Korra said quickly. "Maybe when we first met, but not anymore."
"What does that mean?" Asami shot back angrily.
Korra clutched the sides of her head. "I just…I can't…"
Asami's anger subsided and she tilted Korra's head up. "Don't stress yourself."
"I…I want you, Asami, but I'm afraid."
"What are you afraid of?"
"If I let you in and lose you." Korra sighed. "I almost did."
"I'm still alive." Asami cupped Korra's face. "However, I'm not going to be another conquest for you."
"I feel like if I ever got to have you, I think that would be it." Korra whispered.
"What do you mean?"
"I wouldn't want anything or anyone else."
Asami heart raced. "Tell me." She commanded.
"I love you, Asami." Korra whispered softly.
She brought Korra to her and captured her lips. She pulled back slightly and rested her forehead on Korra's.
"I love you, too." She whispered. "However, either you want me or you don't. I'm not playing games and I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay on. After my father is taken care of, I don't know if this is my life or not. I… after this experience, Korra, I just don't know."
"I understand." Korra nodded somberly. "Just give me a little time. I need to get over myself. Will you wait?"
"I don't know." Asami said with a heavy sigh. "But, I need you to be honest with me."
The younger woman looked at Asami in confusion.
"Who are you and what is going on with this crew?"
Korra sighed. "I'll tell you everything."
Ok, good place to stop. I know a lot happened this chapter and I hope it all worked out. I know it advances quite a bit in the middle, but hey…whatever.
Anyway, shoot me a review and let me know what you think.