LOK Stateless Man 5

Foad U'Pad

I don't own LOK & don't earn anything from this fiction

Rated M for possible adult language, violence, sexual situations

Reproductive tech transfer, which was my target when I started Displaced Person

30 minutes later ad hoc working lunch has been convened with Master Tenzin, President Bei Fong, Fire Lord Izumi, Avatar Korra, Master Jinora, Foreign Minister U'Pad, Secretary of Defese Iroh, Press Secretary Bolin, Sifu Kya, Air Acolyte Opal and Pema. Foad begins to speak.

"I like to explain why I asked you to this meeting to discuss several issues that will have an effect on Global stability and peace. The first is my Bending skill of Time Bending, the second being the discovery of another living Lava Bender."

At this Bolin isn't able to contain him self exclaiming "No, who is it? Where is...Who is it?" "Relax, Bolin, I'll get to that. It's part of why I asked you, Opal and Kya to be here. The general topic will be firstly, what do we do with these new types of Bending. That will depend on knowledge I brought from my world and how well that...interacts with your world's technology. In order to determine this I have questions for Sifu Kya which will help clarify the issues at hand. How we deal with them is what I want to start to get to at here."

As I look around the alcove, I see curious looks, as they are not sure were I intend to take this meeting. "Let me explain why I have asked for you to be here, some of you are fairly obvious, two of the five nations, the Avatar, advisors for leaders, but why the Sifu, Pema and Opal."

"Opal is here for two reasons. The first, which will be in the press release, is that as a person of importance from the Earth Nation, she will be an unofficial voice for their views. The second and I think more important is she is Bolin's significant other."

"Pema I have asked to be here as the Wife of Master Tenzin, Mother of Master Jinora, as well as the Mother and heart of the Air Nation."

"Sifu Kya have asked to be here to provide technical information on the Healing and Medical arts, which is what the official record will show, but to provide a ethical point of view to her younger brother, Master Tenzin and to her childhood friend, President Pro Tem Bei Fong, among others present."

"Before we continue, Pema is the tea ready?"

"Yes, Foad," as she gestures to the servers, "its jasmine."

"Thank you, Lady Pema." Responds Fire Lord Izumi.

As I wait for the tea to be served and the staff to withdraw, Lin cock's an eyebrow at me quizzically and I smile and wink in response, leaving her clueless as to my intent. "I wish to apologize in advance if my questions seem too clinical, but this how I deal with what is to most a personal and private topic." My statement earns me a look of confusion from the group as they begin to sip at the hot tea.

"Sifu Kya are you familiar with the term "artificial insemination"?"

"Yes, Minister U'Pad, it has been recently been used to assist couples in having children."

"And was a "full" male sample used to fertilize the egg?"

"Umm, no. The procedure was adapted from animal husbandry, so only a small portion of the husbands "sample" was needed to Inseminate his wife's egg."

"Do you know how small the portion is, a rough percentage is fine."

"With the husband only 10 percent was used, but some of the animal husbandry reproductive specialist's claim to be successful with 1 percent."

"So it could be possible for one full sample to inseminate 100 eggs?"

"Yes, but I don't mean to imply that the man would just be a source of...reproductive material!"

"As opposed to the traditional method where the male would have to provide a "full" sample to a female until fertilization is confirmed? I for one would prefer to provide a " full" sample to my significant other and have it "disseminated" to willing recipient's with out physical contact, which traditionally requires a violation of trust. That would be something that can be avoided with this and allow the birth of a great many children with a new Bending ability."

"Cccould I be excused for a moment, I need to gather my thoughts?"

"Master Tenzin, if we could have a short recess? "

"Of course Foad, this is something I think we all need to ponder on."

At this Kya bolts from the alcove, I turn to Lin asking, "Madame President could I have a moment?, gesturing after Kya. Lin starts after Kya, with me in tow.

We find Kya outside the cafeteria, gazing across Yue Bay at the ruins of downtown Republic City, weeping silently. As we approach Kya turns towards us and the three of us hug. "I'm sorry Kya, I should not have asked for this meeting until I had gone over my thoughts with you and Lin first."

"It's not your fault Foad. I have been denying that I wanted a child for years and to hear you offer to do it sight unseen...it just hurts."

"Kya, what if I told you that you might be able to...sire a child?"

"But, Foad I'm to old! I went through menopause over 15 years ago!"

"I knew I should have spoken to you and Lin before this meeting, I sorry that I can be so short sighted. Kya I think that there is a way we can do this, please just listen to me, ok?

"Do...do what, Foad?"

"I need to ask you some questions to see if we can do what I have in mind, ok?"

Kya looks at Foad, her eye's brimming and nods, while Lin scowls at me.

"Can you sense the genetic material in a woman's egg?"

"Yes, that's how we tell if she can have children or not, but my eggs won't come out on their own any more. Even if they did I don't think that I could carry them to term!"

"Kya, trust me, I am going some were with this. Can you move the egg?"

"Nnnot my own. I could move Lin's."

"So another Healer could move your eggs?"

"Yes, any competent Healer can."

"Good, that's good. Can you move the generic material in the egg around?"

"That's something only a few Healers can do, I'm one of them."

Eagerly I ask, "Can you move it from one egg to another?"

"Yes, but what would that do?"

"With the application of a small electrical charge the egg will begin mitosis and become a zygote!"

"Wai...what! That...but who would carry the daughter of two bisexual women beyond child bearing age?"

"Umm, I think I can find a volunteer."

"What, you! That's not poss...but something tells me it's happened in your world!"

"Not quite, but close enough that I believe its possible. Some 40 odd years ago I read a short article about a study that was trying to understand how pregnancies avoided being rejected by the body as foreign tissue. The think that stayed with me is some of the test animals, baboons, were male. Since the purpose of the experiment was focused the immune system and how it suppressed the rejection of the fetus none of the pregnancies went to term. The study went long enough that the researchers suggested a follow on study to see if a fetus could be brought to term and birthed via surgical procedure. Unfortunately there was a rise in the political power of Social Conservatives, most of which ignored knowledge that questioned or disputed their belief in a morality system that was based on a society of Bronze Age farmers and herders, some 3 to 5,000 years prior to my urban, post industrial society. So, yes I'm willing to be a surrogate for your daughters."

"Bbut why? Why do this?", Kya asks, as Lin stands stoically silent behind her, as a lone tear runs down her cheek.

"Because when it is all said and done your world, especially the two of you, have accepted me. I...I have fallen in love with the two of you! That the two of you are in a long term stable relationship and are willing to let me be apart of it. ...lets say I will do a lot to bring joy to your lives. I think that helping to give you a daughter that will be made from just the two of you can do that. And besides, it will help me to understand what no man has ever experienced, feeling a new life grow inside of me!"

These two beacons of joy step into me, hugging as the love flows between the 3 of us for an unmeasurable amount of time.

"Ummm, Guys?", Korra says, embarrassed for interrupting this important moment, her hand rubbing the back of her head. "We have questions about what your proposing for Bolin and your self."

As we reenter the alcove, Tenzin begins speaking, "Foad, I not comfortable in turning young women into breeding stock just so we can increase the number of Time and Lava Benders."

"This is a valid concern, but I'm also not comfortable choosing a mate based on her youth and ability to bear children. I'm not suggesting that we coerce any one into this. What I suggest is we ask for volunteers that are non bending couples unable to bear children of their own. For those women that are infertile I suggest using Qiang's eggs fertilized via artificial insemination with there husband's sperm, then implanting the zygote it to the wife. Where the man is infertile we would use either Bolin's or my sperm and duplicate the procured using the wife's egg. Either way the three of would have little interaction the couples."

Izumi asks "Once the couples are pregnant would we let them return to their respective nations?"

"That's an excellent question, Fire Lord. What I suggest is we create a village centered around these families. I recommend that the village be as self sufficient as possible, but the goal is to focus on training these new Benders on ethical use of their skills. I think using aspects of the four Bending philosophies centered around what the Spirit of Avatar Aang told me, at least for the Time Benders"

At this Izumi, Iroh and Bolin look confused, as the Fire Lord asks "How did you meet the previous Avatar and what did he tell you?"

"As Raiko started to become unbalanced after Kurvia's defeat he tried to arrest Team Avatar and I used my Time Bending to help stop him. Since I didn't know my limits I put myself in a near death state.", at this Lin rubs my forearm and Kya puts her hand on my opposite bicep, leaning her head into that shoulder, "While I was unconscious Avatar Aang appeared and gave me the following poem;

Grasp your Earthly Tether Enter the Tempest Fill and become Life.

I believe that this means that we should train the Time Benders to protect what is close to them, family, friends with a focus on following the Avatar's goals of peace and balance. I'm recommending that the school use instructors from the 5 nations to get a feel for the culture of those nations, to help foster a global focus."

"But Foad," asks Tenzin, "who would be in charge of this international school? How would it be administered? Where would the funds to paid for it come from?"

"I would suggest that it be run directly by the Chief Executive of each of the 5 Nations and the Avatar, administered by the White Lotus. As far as what's required to set this up and run this Bending school that will focus on conflict resolution and peaceful political solutions."

"Ah, Foad," Korra begins, "that sounds something like the White Lotus Academy, a 3 year school that teaches advanced Bending skills, international affairs, various martial arts and law enforcement skills."

"That's great," I reply, "we don't have to reinvent the wheel then! Are there any type of preparatory schools for the White Lotus Academy?

Izumi says "There are two, one in the Fire Nation capital that takes students at 15 for 3 years, the other is in the Ba Sing Se middle ring that takes students that show Bending skills as young as 10. The Earth Nation school has a better reputation than the one in my Capital."

"Even better," says Foad, "so we would need to set up schooling to prepare for the prep schools for those that show Time Bending as well as for interested Lava and non-Benders."

"Umm," begins Tenzin, "the White Lotus only accept Benders."

"Excusse Meee," utters Foad, "haven't the Equalists taught you any thing? Korra, Bolin how many times has Asami pulled your asses out of the fire. Korra, she took me down after I broke both your legs! I think its time the White Lotus expand on who they will accept. By the way who runs them?"

Every one else in room looks at Korra, who looks a bit sheepish and says, "Hey its been a rough 3 years for me, ok! I'll put it on my to do list.

"Ok, so I'll need an assistant to help me pull up the budget numbers, but if you would forward any questions and concerns on these plans to expand on Time and Lava Benders get them to me in the next week. It will give me time to review before we meet in 2 weeks." Foad gets nods from around the alcove.

Zhu Lin, running laps around Air Islands to try and clear her head after Iknik's telling her that he had known she was Dai Li agent for so long. "How could I have missed that? How did I miss the clues at Harmonic Convergence? Why was I so blind to this?" Suddenly realizing that I am not alone on my run when I hear a man's voice saying "Is that a...", startled I pivot and dropping on one foot aim a sweeping kick to his ankles, he leaps over my kick, spinning as he passes me and slides to a stop about a meter and a half away, facing me and finishing his sentence "...rhetorical question or did you want an answer?"

He looks familiar, but I can't place where I've seen him. "Who are you and how did you get so close to me!", keeping a defensive stance towards him.

"Ah, that's right you had been preoccupied when we had met previously. Ms. Moon, I am Foad U'Pad. We "met" for the first time when you dispatched Raiko, the second time when you were with Sifu Kya. I hope you are in better spirits now?"

As I recognize him, I relax my stance, but am still concerned on how he got so close to me, "A bit, but what did you do to get so close to me?"

"I seem to have this knack of coming up on people while they are distracted with a personal issues. I've been pacing you for about a minute and thought you were talking to me."

"Damn that Iknik, he's turning into the biggest distraction in my life!"

"Love will do that Ms. Moon."

"Spirits! How do you do that?", I ask in frustration that this man can read me so easily.

"The quickest way to explain it...just think of me as a senior Dai Li agent." He replies. At this I realize that this new comer to our world has pierced my cover...

As I watch the blood drain from Zhu Li's face, I realize that she's about to bolt, "One who can keep you safe." I offer in assurance.

"Whaaa, how?" I exclaim in confusion.

"Well in the aftermath of what has happened to the United Republic of Nations in the last week I have been made aware of a new position in the Foreign Ministry, "Director of Foreign Intelligence". I think you might be an excellent candidate for it."

"Foad, you've been here less than a 7 day and claim to know the inner workings of the Foreign Ministry! Next you'll tell me your sleeping with the Avatar!"

Chuckling he replies, "No, not the Avatar. That would piss off several people that I can't afford to and maintain my health. But I do go way back with the Foreign Minister though."

Listening to what Foad is telling me I realize he's the Foreign Minister, "So your offering me a job?"

"Yes," he replies, "since the United Republic hasn't had an Intelligence agency we need to get one started. I want you to focus on anyone trying to recreate Verrick's research into the Spirit vines. You know how important it is to keep that information out of use. Since you worked on the basic and weaponized versions, you know the types of equipment that are needed to track to help prevent it from happening.

"I understand why you would want me, but I'm not sure that I'm ready. I need to figure out what to do with something Iknik told men before I can decide anything."

"If I may be blunt Zhu Li, I'm getting the sense that your fiance is slow when it comes to your feelings?"

I nod as Foad continues.

"Unfortunately this is a common problem that we men seem to have. It took many years before my late wife trained me out of that short coming. I understand that Verrick is something of a genius, so it maybe easier to motivate him into noticing your feelings. You may want to mention some of your skill set if he is hesitant in acknowledging your feelings. That might remind him of why he proposed to you in the first place. Remember relationships are like a tree, slow growing, but when they flower and give fruit they are wondrous indeed. I'll leave you to ponder my offer of employment for now." At this Foad begins to run at a pace faster than an Air Bison can fly back towards the temple complex.

TBC