Well, another chapter done. Hope you enjoy. Same disclaimer as before. If you don't recognise it, I designed it.

004
KYOSHI'S LEGACY

"He's not going to like this. I know he's not going to like this,"

Iroh ran a hand through his thinning hair as he hesitantly approached his nephew's quarters. In his military career, the old general had seen and survived countless battles, victories and defeats. Even so, bringing Zuko bad news was never the smartest of things to do.

Knocking twice on the large metal door, the old man brought back the latch with a click and a creak, peering into the gloom beyond.

Inside it was pitch black, save for pool of light from the desk mounted lamp, the Bismarck's captain leaning heavily over reports he'd received from the Front Line, his eyes never leaving the small print as Iroh stepped into the darkness.

"I believe I gave orders not to be disturbed unless you had word on the Avatar or the Courier," Zuko's voice was dangerously calm as he continued to read.

"Well…we have news, just not good news," Iroh winced as he approached the desk, "You're not going to like it,"

"As you have told me time and again Uncle, a level head is the sign of great leadership," the Captain's eyes darted down another line as the general came into the light, "So tell me, where has the Courier's transport vessel been sighted?"

"No where. That's the problem. We can't find him anywhere,"

"WHAT!?!"
Iroh jumped as Zuko's fist smacked against the desk hard with a thud, the Captain rising dangerously as he glared angrily down at his Uncle, "I thought you said you weren't going to get upset!"

"I said you told me a level head is the sign of great leadership, I never said I had a level head," Zuko's eye's narrowed to slits, "You're telling me it's been two weeks since we left New Gibraltar and there's still no sign of him? We were barely in port a few days, how could the trail go so cold so fast?"

"You must remember my nephew, that even before Courier awoke, his transport carried him out of our sight for more then a hundred years," Iroh patted his nephew gingerly on the shoulder until the younger man slowly returned to his seat, "Even if the Courier is not, it is clear that whatever intelligence that controls the transport is a master of evasion, and not wanting to be seen…"

"Do you have any idea where you're going?"

Forge scowled up at Sokka from her position atop her Monitor's 'eye', the ball like device currently plugged into the small depression in the top of the foreword console, her arms folded across her chest angrily as her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Look, I haven't been out of the base for over a hundred years," her voice was sulky as she turned to the holomap behind her, "just because you plug a girl into your transport system, doesn't mean to say she'll know her way around the world,"

"How hard could it be?" the Hawaiian shirt clad young man gawked down at the AI's back, "It's just a quick jump across the Pacific, a hop over eastern Eurasia, take a right at South Korea and you're there!"

"Well if your so smart, why don't you fly us there!?"

"Hey! Ladies!" Alistair stuck his head up the ladder as he hauled himself into the cockpit bulb, shoving Sokka out of the chair as he slumped into it, "There's no need to shout. It's not like your miles away from each other,"

"I'm just saying, that it shouldn't take us this long to get there," Sokka seemed unhappy that he had been wrenched from his seat, but didn't complain, "I guess it's true what they say: women can't read maps,"

"If that's true, then it's also true that men don't listen,"

Aang suppressed a small chuckle as Sokka glared at his smug sister as she continued to stitch a hole in her brother's combat trousers, a private smile on her face as she kept her eyes low.

"Hey, I can listen," the older sibling huffed angrily as Forge smothered a fit of giggles, "I'm a very good listener! And what do you think's so funny?" he suddenly scowled at the officer as his laughter managed to escape the hand, "Don't you agree with me? I mean you're from the 1940s! Back then women were barely allowed to vote!"

"Okay, first, woman had the vote years before the Day of Blood," Alistair regarded his friend as he hefted his boots onto the top of the console in front of him, his finger interlacing behind his head as he closed his eyes, "I'll admit though, the Black Core had no women within it's ranks, but that's only because there were no women in the English and American armed forces. Plenty of women in the civilian departments though. Professor Kyoshi for example. Smartest person I ever knew, and she was female. Forge can calculate numbers in their billions. Face facts Sokka, we're all the same species, it's just we have different…" his cheeks tinged a slight pink, "Equipment,"

"Peh, all this alien technology is making you soft!" the young man rolled his eyes as he sat rigidly down onto the top step of the cockpit ladder, "You find cosmic technology and suddenly your entire world is put into a different perspective," the sarcasm was practically dripping from his voice, "What happened to the good old days? When a man did manly stuff and a girl did girly stuff?"

"And what, prey tell," Katara looked up dangerously from her work, "Is the difference between manly and girly stuff?"

"You know, men would do all the real work: fighting, running the house, being in charge, that kind of thing, but women have to the menial tasks, like cooking, shopping, sewing, that kinda stuff. It's just the natural order of things. A bit screwed up recently, but it'll go back to the way it was soon enough,"

"All done with your pants!" Katara's exaggerated happiness echoed through the cab as she tossed the unfinished garment into her brother's face, "And look at what a great girly job I did!"

"Wait what?" Sokka gawped at his sibling through the hole in his trousers, "Wait Katara! I was just kidding!" He pulled his head through the opening desperately as his sister slid down the ladder, heading towards the kitchen with her nose high in the air, "I can't wear these! Katara please!!!"

A sudden rattling across Avat's hull brought the argument to a close as the four occupants froze uneasily at the sound.

"What was that?" Alistair sat up slowly, as though afraid his seat would come out from under him if rose to fast, "Forge?"

"I…I don't know," the AI frowned as she closed her eyes in concentration, "Wind variables okay. Ion thrust is at maximum…wait, "her eyes opened in alarm as she stared up at the officer in fear, "EMP CHARGE INCOMING!!!"
"WHAT!?!"

A violent jerk threw everyone to the ground as Forge's holographic avatar winked out with a squeak, the light and map coming dark a moment later, pitching the cab into darkness.

Alistair swallowed thickly as the sound of the Ion drives died, "I don't like the looks of this,"

"What's going on?" In a flash Katara had leapt back up the ladder as the feel of gravity began to pull on the transport, "Why'd we lose power?"

"Forge was wrong," Aang gave a console a good kick as his friend jump past her sibling into the cockpit, "Not a electro magnetic pulse, an electro magnetic shield. A bubble of energy that short circuits anything that passes through it. Right now the only thing keeping us in the air is inertia, but once that's gone…"

Sokka gulped, "We're gonna drop like a rock!"

"Not if I can help it," the officer scowled as he hopped out of his seat, "Katara take control. Try to keep the nose up for as long as you can,"

"But we have no power," the girl sat down helplessly in the chair, her hands shakily grasping the control stick as Alistair pulled Sokka to his feet, "And where are you going?"

"The launch bay is surrounded by a layer of lead in case of situations like this. I'm going to use Avatar to slow our decent. Sokka, I need you to manually open the doors. The stabilisers don't run off conventional power. Just keep the nose up until I get out there alright?," Katara nodded hesitantly as she set her view ahead, her heart trying to climb up her throat as horizon slowly dipped in Avat's main window.

"Hurry it up guys," she whispered frantically as she heard the clang of the launch bay hatch thrown open, "I don't know how like I can hold her up like this,"

"All systems read good," Alistair's eyes darted across the screen in front of him, the pit of his stomach churning as gravity's pull took it's hold on his transport, "Sokka, where are those doors?"

"Just…hold…on…a minute," Sokka's breath came out in short pants, the officer quirking a small smile as he realised the amount of work one man had too do to pump the manual override for the outer hatches, "Doing…job…of…two…people,"

"You said you could handle it,"

"Shut…it,"

Advanced

Vehicular

All

Terrain

Assault

Ranger

System: Active

The officer quirked a smile as Avatar's systems all blinked green, grabbing the control sticks tightly as he moved his Ranger up onto one knee as the doors upper doors finally opened.

"Not…doing…back…door," Sokka sounded like he was on the brink of collapse, "Going…night night….ugh,"

"I can take it from here Sokka," Alistair grinned as he charged the ion thrusters, his face turning solemn as his old training kicked in, "Alistair Aang, Avatar, heading out!"

With a roar, the ion thrusters ignited in a burst of bright blue, the entire Mech launching high into the air and out into the blue sky.

For a moment everything was silent. Alistair's eyes widened as he noticed a large blotch of land, disappearing in and out between the clouds up ahead.

Perfect.

Arching overhead, Avatar expertly flipped in mid air, it's thrusters pushing full thrust as the Avat began to fall like a brick.

Alistair's hands shook on the control sticks as he streamlined the Ranger as best he could, condensation fogging his cameras as he plummeted after his machine.

"I won't let you die guys," he gritted his teeth angrily, the grey form of the Avat standing out against the blue ocean below, "Just a little further…little further,"

He was above Avat, level with it, beyond it, below it.

"THERE!!!"

The entire cockpit jolted violently as Aang thrust the Ranger into a hovering position, it's front facing the oncoming transport, it's arms wide as it prepared for a fall.

Avat smashed into the Avatar with the force of a comet, the ranger's fingers digging in heavily amidst the ion thrusters and piping.

Within seconds the clouds had come and gone, the ocean suddenly replaced by the landmass below as Avatar's ion jets screamed in protest as it tried to hold up an object several times heavier then it was designed to carry.

"Come on," Alistair's teeth were clenched hard as he willed his machines to push harder, "Please, come on,"

The ground was practically swooping up to greet them as they plummeted faster and faster.

"Alistair?" Katara's strained voice echoed within patched static over his speakers, "Alistair, the power's coming back online. But our descent's way to fast!"

"Fire the ion thrusters,"

"But you'll be fried!"

"Just do it!" Aang scowled darkly as he willed the last of his energy into slowly his behemoth down, "We'll be fine! FIRE THRUSTERS!!!"

Katara never replied.

All around him, bright blue lights danced as the ion thrusters ignited.

It was only a few miles now he knew. Just a few minutes really.

"Katara, listen to me," sums and numbers began whizzing through Aang's head as he spoke, "When I give the signal, I need you to gun the accelerator pedal. We're gonna keep Avat up in the air for as long as possible. I'm going to give you a push as I leave okay?"

"O…okay,"

"Steady…" he could see a beach in his rear view camera, that would be soft enough, "Steady…" a few more seconds. That's all he had left, "NOW!!!"

Avat's rear ion jets burst to life as Avatar thrust the entire transport up and over it's head, the muscles in Alistair's back screaming in pain as the entire mech lurched forward, it's ten ton cargo suddenly missing.

Avat rocked and seemed to shiver as it came to barely a mile above the ground. The wings folded up automatically as it detected ground, the caterpillar treads rotating down as the distance was eaten up in a matter of moments.

Dirt and grit flew high into the air as the transport hit the sandy ground, the treads spinning wildly in reverse to slow the machine down. Finally at water's edge, the immense rig came to a halt, the large dirt track behind it quickly eaten up by the sea, smoke trailing from it's underbelly.

Alistair let loose a breath he hadn't been away he'd been holding as Avatar came to a rest beside it, his fingers automatically locking the system as he jumped free of the cockpit's confines, just as Katara stumbled out of the cab, a fairly green looking Sokka falling flat out moments later.

"You guys okay?"

"A little sick," she grinned unsteadily, "But I think we'll be alright,"

The pilot smiled as he placed a steady hand on her shaking shoulders as he turned his attention to her brother, "What about you Sokka? You alive?"

"Ugh…"

The tanned man looked up groggily from the sand, his hand held up as though to make a point.

"At this point, usually I'd say something out women drivers, but today…" the hand flopped pathetically onto the beach, followed swiftly by his head, "Ah, I can't be bothered,"

"I still don't understand how the power just left like that," Katara frowned up at Avat's curved form, "I thought you said this was Alien technology,"

"It is," Alistair smiled embarrassedly, "But just because it's alien doesn't mean to say it isn't effected by a EM shield," he turned his grey eyes to the sky as he fitted his hat to his head, "The Black Core was in the middle of developing EM shielding. It was supposed to be a fail safe for the light barriers we were working on,"

"Washington DC is covered by a energy shield, if that's what you mean," Katara shrugged as she helped Sokka groggily to his feet, "it looks like a giant umbrella when it's activated from what I've heard, but that…" she followed Aang's gaze to the blue sky above, I've never seen anything like that before. Where's it generated from? How does reach so high?"

"I don't know," Alistair shook his head, "But we're going to have to find a way to shut it down if we want to get out of here," he froze for the briefest of moments, before reaching slowly into the gloom of the cab, a sleek onyx that looked like the combination of a rifle and a pump action shotgun appearing in his hands moments later, his eyes set firmly on the wall of greenery not too far from the shore.

"What is it?" Katara followed his gaze curiously, "What do you see?"

"Something in the trees," the officer pumped the weapon once, a high pitched whine emitting from it's power core, "it was like a blur…like it wasn't really seeing things,"
"I think that landing screwed up your brain cells Al," Sokka smirked as he pushed his sister off, striding, albeit unsteadily, towards the foliage, "There's nothing here. See? All completely on hundred percent…whaa!!!"

"Sokka!" Katara could only gasp as a band of air seemed to contort around her brother's waist, dragging him into the darkness beyond in a matter of seconds.

"Bastards!" Alistair spat round after round from his weapon as he dragged the stunned girl behind him, the energised blue ammunition scorching trees and burning leaves. "I know your out there! Show yourself!"

Silence reigned as the rifle died with a hiss, it's power core temporarily overloaded as Aang's eyes darted around for any sign of movement, a part of his mind acutely aware of Katara's hand, clenched tightly to his tunic's shoulder, one hand twisting the barrel to produce a higher rate of fire as he made sure to keep his back to Avat.

"is it invisible?" Katara's voice was barely a whisper, "You know…like Avat's Mirage system?"

"It's possible," the officer tightened his grip on the trigger as the thought suddenly came to him, "Several of Black Core's mech designs did include a Mirage system for stealth attacks. Professor Kyoshi was one of the lead scientists developing the project so…there!"

Blue bursts of light belched from the rifle's barrel as a plume of sand reared out of nowhere to the right, the shadowed figure a a ten foot machine rippling into view as the energy bullets impacted along it's surface.

Fear now gripping Alistair's heart as he continued firing on the on coming assailant, the almost oid mech skimming across the sand as it flew to them at frightening speed.

The last thing the officer saw was a trio of blood red eyes before the three clawed hand came down on his head, pitching his world into darkness.

"Did you really have to hit them so hard?"

"It wasn't that bad. It just looks that way,"

"How many times do I have to tell you Suki? The mecha suits enhance your strength many times over. A simple tap for you will be like being hit by a brick wall to your target,"

"I know, I know,"

Aang's head ached, like someone had just cycled it through a blender. His senses returning, he could feel his back shoved roughly up against something hard and wooden, his arms bound to his sides by thick rope that attached him to what he presumed was a tree.

"Look, one of them is waking up!"

Alistair bit back a angry groan as his head was wrenched up by the chin by a trio of cold metallic claws. He smiled slightly as he gazed into the red eyes that gazed down upon him.

"Hey. How's it going?"

"You have trespassed through the EM Shield into our territory," The voice was sounded hollow and crisp, like the suit's pilot was talking through a straw, "You have a lot of explaining to do. Who are you?"

"I could ask you the same question," The officer glanced off to one side, taking in his friend's prone forms at his side, "Did you really have to us to a tree?"

"Suki! Enough!" An older man stepped in from behind the mecha suit's bulk; a broad Japanese gentleman wrapped in a tattered robe, a large bushy beard connecting seamlessly with his mop of grey hair, "Let him go. There's no point in capturing them if you're just going to crack his head off!"

"Yes Oyagi-san,"

With a hint of reluctance, the mecha suit released his chin with a snap, taking a few awkward steps back, allowing Alistair his first real view of his current surroundings.

His first impression was that Forge had accidentally sent them back to Australia. On first glance, many of the buildings that surrounded him seemed primitive and patched together, like Katara and Sokka's home town. Further inspection proved otherwise.

While the houses in Australia had been constructed out of whatever they could find in Sydney, these house had been finely crafted from the woods of the surrounding forests, their roofs made from yellow thatch, with a touch of oriental handiwork adorning the walls and doors.

Where the Australians had searched through abandoned houses and traded with passing ships for whatever clothing they could find , these people wore elegant, although some admittedly shoddy, robes of different colours and styles.

It was like he'd travelled back in time. There were no street lamps, no cars, no common technology of any kind. The only signs that he was still in the twenty first century was the ruined city that loomed ominously near the horizon, and the half dozen mecha suits that stood warily nearby.

Standing at roughly ten feet tall, mecha suits were the middle machines between full blown Rangers and the less powerful Exo-suits, designed to be a balanced combination of the two by Black Core's scientists.

The design wasn't completely alien to Alistair as he gazed at the nearest one; entirely bolt green, with short legs designed to glide over surfaces for fast attacks as opposed to actual running, with a large thick body and bulbous head at the top to house the mirage system, the ion thrusters and the pilot itself, those three clawed hands hanging loosely on either side of it's head, it's trio of blood red cameras staring out form it's centre.

Not exactly like the designs he remembered, but pretty close.

"Ugh…" Katara rolled her head up with fogged eyes as she tried to clear her mind, "What happened? Where am I?" she looked down at her bindings with confusion, "And why am I tied to a tree? Sokka?" she glanced at her brother, his head up against her shoulder as he snored peacefully, "Sokka? Sokka!"

"Hm? Ow!" Aang swore he heard a thick clung as Katara head butted the drowsy man into consciousness, "Wazzat!?"

"You could sleep through anything, even your own capture you know?" Katara rolled her eyes indignantly as Sokka stared around wildly, "Sometimes I can't believe I'm even related to you!"
"Captured?" Sokka's eyes narrowed as they finally landed on the closest mecha suit, (Suki, Alistair believed it had been named) "By these guys? Show your faces cowards! Lemmie at them! Sneak attacks don't count! Come on! Let's see how bad you without your giant robots! Come on! Come on!"

"Do you think he realises he's tied to a tree?" Alistair asked quietly.

"Sometimes, I don't even think he realises he's human," Katara shook her head in disbelief.

A pop and hiss caused the two to jump as the mecha suit's large head segmented into three, the top of it's head sliding up above while two more segments lowered diagonally away from each other.

As the steam from the pressure seals finally dissipated, Katara could barely contain a small smirk as Sokka's jaw dropped to the floor.

The pilot was female, a teenage girl.

Set into the hollow interior of the mecha suit, her lower arms, feet and the top of her head were encased in a shiny metallic armour, thick red wires connecting her to various ports that lined the cockpit's inner surface, a blood red visor embedded in the helmet.

A neurological interface.

With a snap, the armoured legs and arms split in two, the wires almost pulling them to the sides of the suit as the head piece rose to the ceiling, allowing the slender pilot to jump to the ground with minimal effort.

Unlike the other villagers, her dress style was far more modern, a simple white t-shirt and form fitting khaki trousers, with onyx knee high boots covering her feet (It would no doubt be a challenge to wear the mecha suit's equipment in some of the large ornamental robes the other villagers were wearing.)

Her face was pale, bright oceanic eye shining with intelligence as she smirked at her captives from beneath a forest of mid length brown locks.

"What? No way!" Sokka could only gawp as the other mecha suits all opened up to reveal the effeminate pilots, "Where are the men that ambushed us?"

"There were no men, only us," Suki smirked as she reached into her machine to pull out a olive tunic, pulling it on and zipping it up to her chest, "Now, do you want to explain what you're doing here? Or do we have to beat it out of you?"

"There's no way a bunch of girls took us down," Sokka laughed nervously, as though not completely sure of his own statement, "Not in a million years did I just get my ass handed to me by a bunch of girly, make up wearing, gossiping…"

"I suggest you think very carefully about finishing that sentence," the young pilot's voice was dark and threatening as she grabbed a handful of Sokka's shirt, bringing her face so close to his her eyes completely dominated his view, "Because you might live to regret it,"

"No, don't hurt him!" Katara's eyes widened in a panic, "He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes. Well…most of the time actually," she turned to Aang desperately, "Say something!"

"Leave him alone," Alistair's voice was as hard as steel, getting the girl's attention, "It's my fault we passed through the EM shield. Well, actually my AI's fault, but I told her to go this way…sort of. Actually, I'm not even sure where we are right now,"

He finished lamely as Suki turned to train her eyes on him quietly, deep blue staring into dark brown as she circled the tree until she was level with him.

"You look…familiar," she gently took the officer's chin with her thumb and fore finger, slowly pivoting his head from side to side, as though studying him, "I feel like I should no you. But I don't know from where,"

"I'm Flight Lieutenant Alistair Aang, of the Royal Air Force's Black Core," Alistair was starting to feel uncomfortable under the girl's gaze, "You wouldn't happen to know a Professor Kyoshi would you?"

"Professor Kyoshi?" Suki's suddenly sharpened, "The Black Core?"

"Impossible," All eyes turned to Oyagi, the old man glaring darkly at the officer and his comrades, "The Black Core had been dead for over a century. You're just G.U.N. spies aren't you?" he pointed an accusing finger at the trio, "Yes, sent here to goad us into attacking you, giving you a reason to attack us again. But it won't work you know. Honshu has remained neutral in this conflict, as has all the remains of Japan, and we intend to keep it that way,"

"Nami Kyoshi was my grandmother," Suki returned her gaze into Alistair's orbs, a thoughtful expression grazing her pert features as she scrutinised him, "She used to tell me stories about an officer named Alistair Aang. He was supposed to be the Courier of the Black Core's most powerful Ranger, but he never arrived at Pacific Base. At least, not before the Day of Blood,"

Alistair averted his eyes, "Don't remind me.

"But you can't be him," Suki's eyes narrowed as she dug her nails angrily into Aang's chin, causing him to wince slightly, "Even if he did survive, he'd be a hundred years old by now. You don't look any older then I am,"

"Would it help if I said I've been asleep for the past hundred years?" Alistair tried to smile half heartedly, only for it to disappear as Suki's eyes narrowed to slits, "Look, You said you're the granddaughter of Professor Kyoshi . Is she still alive? I have to see her. I've brought the Avatar!"

"Enough lies! Suki, away from the impostor!" The pilot finally released the officer with a hint of reluctance at her superior's command, "You will be held here until we decide what to do with you G.U.N. spies. In the mean time…"

"Alistair? Alistair! Oh Lt. Aang where you?"

"Char?" Aang looked up as the villagers looked around wildly for the new voice, "Forge is that you? Forge!"

"Lt. Aang!" Out of nowhere the green eyed monitor swooped in, a myriad of gasps and squeaks of fear arising from the crowd as the head shaped ball came to in front of the officer, "What are you doing tied to a tree?" A burst of green energy shot out of Forge's severing the thick rope in a matter of seconds, before turning threateningly on the assorted crowd before her, "I go offline for fifteen minutes and these people think it's funny to tie my commander up for no good reason!?"
"I…I…well," Oyagi seemed to have lost the ability to speak as he backed up in a vain attempt to avoid the angry monitor, the pilots standing defensively in front of him and the villagers, each too far away to effectively activate their machine's before Forge reached them.

"Alistair," the officer looked down at Katara as she nudged him urgently, "Summon Avatar. Show them who you are before Forge starts dissecting,"

"Alright," the watch came to his lips, "Avatar, I need you,"

From beyond the wall of trees, a metallic roar echoed from the shoreline, a blur of onyx flying clear up into the blue sky, the azure ion trail sparkling in the sunshine.

As fast as it had appeared, the blur screamed down to meet the ground at break neck speed. Houses quaked, and several of the villagers fell as the ground seemed to slip from beneath their feet as the giant Ranger landed on one knee bare metres from the tree where Alistair and his friend's stood, it's eyes glowing piercing yellow, ready for battle.

"The…the Avatar!!!" Oyagi's mouth hung agape as he pointed with a shaking finger towards the giant robot, "It's the Avatar!!!"

"So…that really does make you Alistair Aang," Suki flushed scarlet at the realisation, "Now I remember! Grandmother still has your picture from the Avatar's transfer orders! It is you!"

"Yep! Alistair Aang ladies," Sokka grinned wildly as he slung his arm around Aang's shoulder, the officer looking vaguely bemused while Katara tried to bury her head in her hand with embarrassment, "The Courier who had evade G.U.N. for over a hundred years! And thanks to the miracles of Cryo-stasis technology, he still looks young enough to date any of you!"

"SOKKA!!!"

The elder sibling grunted with pain as Katara's fist connected with the side of his face, blood spilling from his nose as he crumpled to the floor in a heap.

"Idiot," Alistair stood awkwardly as Katara shook her head in disgust, "perverted idiot,"

The officer cleared his throat to break the tense silence as Forge hovered over Sokka's prone form, smiling embarrassedly at Suki as she rose an eyebrow in amusement.

"You said you were Professor Kyoshi's granddaughter," she nodded in confirmation, "I know it's been a hundred years but…"

He cut himself off as she nodded sadly.

"She is still alive…barely," the young pilot rubbed her arm uncomfortably as she cast her gaze to the floor, "You're lucky you came. I don't know how much longer she's got," a small wry smile crossed her lips as she looked up to meet his gaze, "You know….it's almost like she's waiting for you,"

Although most of Japan is covered by the EM shield, it takes phenomenal power to keep such a device active at all times. As such, many of the outlying islands and providences to not come under it's protective embrace.

Despite this, Japan, although sparsely populated since the Day of Blood, is remarkably tight knit, with news spreading like wildfire thanks to various traders and wanderers that roam the islands.

As such, it was only a matter of time before the news that a man claiming to be the Courier of the Avatar had arrived in Kyoto came to the ears of the captain of a G.U.N. Light Ranger Sea Carrier named Bismarck, temporarily docked in a small town near the outskirts of the EM Shield

"The Courier's in Kyoto!?" Zuko stared in frustration at the cook as he came in hesitantly into his quarters, Iroh blinking in surprise at this sudden addition to his news, "How old is this information?"

"I…I don't know sir…A day maybe?"

"We have him," a small grin spread across the captain's face as he rose to his feet, "Uncle, ready the Endurance's and the Dominance.

We can't let him escape…not again,"

The inside of the hut was dark and humid, the air chocked with incense and healing herbs. Small candles dotted around the room provided the only light, the windows having been blocked up by their shutters, the door only allowed to open a crack to allow Suki and Alistair to squeeze in before it shut out the sunlight once more.

"Grandmother?" Suki's voice was quiet and nervous, as though she was afraid her relative had died while she had been away, "Grandmother, are you awake?"

The covers of the bed set in the centre of the room shifted as an aged groan came from the head of the bed.

As Alistair squinted through the dim light, he felt his heart break at the sight of the old woman that lay before him.

Nami Kyoshi had always seemed so full of life in the year that Aang had known her. Always strict and professional in all things related to her work of course, but in the off hours a true joy to be around. Examining his last mental image of the professor, he could now see the family resemblance. They both had the same face, the same shiny hair and strong spirit, but the lady that lay before him was nothing like that.

This woman was aged and close to death, her iron grey hair straggly and standing up in all directions. Her eyes were weak, her breathing was haggard, and the pale hands that gently lay on the thin sheets were bony and skeletal.

"Is that you…Suki?" Kyoshi's voice was weak, barely a whisper, "Is that you?"

"Yes…grandmother," the pilot made no effort to keep the pain of seeing her relative in this condition out of her voice, "I've brought someone here to see you. A friend,"

"Is it Adam?" the Professor tried to sit up slightly, only to fail and slump back against the sheets, "Has he come to visit? Adam?"

"No…No it's not Doctor Kroy," tears leaked from her eyes as she turned to Aang apologetically, lowering her voice, "She's slowly loosing her mind. Keeps thinking her old assistant comes to visit her. We just play along, because she gets angry when she thinks we think she's lying," she turned back to her grandmother, "No, Doctor Kroy couldn't come today. I've brought someone else to see you. Lieutenant Aang,"

"Aang?" Kyoshi's eyes squinted through the shadows, "Alistair Aang?"

Swallowing thickly, the officer slowly came into the candlelight as he tucked his hat under his arm, giving her a best a smile as he could.

"Hello Professor," he gave her a half hearted salute, "Flight Lieutenant Alistair Aang, reporting as ordered,"

"It…it is you," the old woman gave a toothless grin, "It really is you…"

"Um…Aang?" the officer turned to regard Suki as she wiped the tears form her face, "I…can I leave you alone for a while? It's just seeing her like this…"

"You don't need an excuse Suki," Alistair smiled reassuringly, "Go back outside. I won't be long,"

She smiled at him with a grateful nod, before heading back to the door, a shaft of light briefly illuminating the darkened room, before the remaining two were left alone in the darkness.

"He said you'd come…eventually," Alistair turned his attention back to his old colleague, "Said it was only a matter of time,"

"Who said?"

"Why…Adam of course,"

The officer smiled and nodded sadly, pulling up the nearby chair as he sat down at her bed side, "If you say so Professor,"

"I'm not on duty any more Alistair," Kyoshi tried to laugh, only for a dry strangled cough to erupt from her throat, "I thought I told you to call me Nami in off hours,"

"Old habits die hard I guess,"

"I suppose," another fit of coughs caused the officer to wince, "He visits every week you know. He told me the day you arrived would be the day I died. It's…refreshing to know the pain will be gone soon,"

"I'm sorry," Aang let his hat fall to the ground as he clenched his fists tightly in anguish, "I saw what happened at Pacific Base…I should have been there. If I'd left a few days earlier…"

"Then you would have died, just like most of the Black Core," a withered hand reached out and patted him gingerly on the knee, "And then…we would have no saviour to pull us free from this time of darkness,"

"Still…"

The old woman smiled "You mustn't keep thinking about the past Alistair. You must look to the future. Soon, everyone will know that the Courier and the Avatar are alive and well, even a hundred years after the German Unified Nation claimed of your death. You will stand as a beacon of hope for soldiers and citizens across the globe, but to defeat G.U.N., you must first find the Immortal Wanderer,"

Alistair's eyes widened, "How did you know about that?"

"Adam told me,"

The cogs in Aang's mind started to whirr as he tried to piece the mystery together. He of course had learned of the Wanderer through the mysterious woman dressed in light that had appeared to him moments after the pillar of light had wiped out the British Isles, but perhaps the creature that had given him his message had the ability to change it's appearance, in this case to that of Adam Kroy. But if that was the case, why was he, she or it visiting so regularly?"

Curious, Alistair leaned in slightly, "Nami…do you know who the Immortal Wanderer is?"

"I only know he has spent a lifetime hiding from the world until the time is right to show himself," a sudden urgency appeared in Kyoshi's faded eyes, "You must find him Alistair. Only he holds the key to destroying G.U.N.'s ultimate weapon. You must find him before Sozin's Comet fires again,"

"Sozin's…Comet?"

"For one hundred years it has been storing energy. It will be ready to fire soon," a aged hand reached out to grab his own, "You have to find him Alistair. Promise me you'll find him?"

"Nami…how can I find him, if I don't know where to look?"

"You just have to search," she smiled reassuringly, "He'll be found when he wants to be found, when he thinks you worthy to use his gift to you. Promise me?"

He smiled with nod, grasping her hand tightly with both of his own, "Alight, I promise. I'll keep searching until I find him, even if it takes me another hundred years,"

Kyoshi managed a small chuckle, "If only you had that much time my friend," she frowned as she focused on something beyond his shoulder, a relaxed grin crossing her face as realisation came to her eyes, "Oh…it's you. I gave him your message,"

Curiously, Alistair looked over his shoulder, only to see nothing but gloom. There was no one there.

"Time to go? Really? I can't even say goodbye? Well…can I at least say goodbye to Alistair? Alright," she turned her gaze back to the saddened officer, "Adam says it's time to go, I'm afraid,"

"You can't die," Aang felt a lump develop in his throat, "What about you're family? Can't you hold on…"

"Alistair…my time has come," Kyoshi sighed as she settled back in the sheets, "I've lived a good life. I've married, had children, even had grandchildren, once more, I've even had a hand…in saving the world," she smiled up at the officer, "But I've been in so much pain these last few months. I think…yes…I think Adam is right, it's time for me to go," she glanced up at the blocked window, "Would you be so kind as to open the shutters? I'd like to see the sun…one last time,"

Alistair could only nod as he rose wordlessly, crossing the room in only a few steps, before opening the shutters and pushing the panes open.

"That's better," Kyoshi sighed as fresh air and light poured into the stuffy room, Aang coming to sit back down as he closed his hands around her aged one, "It was…wonderful to see you again Alistair. Give my love to Suki, tell her I'm sorry I couldn't tell her in person,"

"I'll…give her your apologies," Aang's voice was harsh and cracked, tears streaming down his face as he tried to see her off with a smile, "Goodbye Nami…it was…great to see you again…and an honour to serve with you,"

The old woman smiled with acceptance as she nodded, before settling her head back on her pillow, her eyes cast to the ceiling.

"Oh my…is that…?" Her eyebrows hiked up slightly as she once more saw something Alistair couldn't. Her face creased back into an amused smile, "I can't say that I'm not a bit disappointed…I was hoping for something a little more…elaborate,"

Her hand fell slack in his hand as her last breath escaped her lips. Alistair swallowed hard as tears ran their course. He reached over gently and closed her eyes, before bowing his head in silent prayer.

His one consolation was that Nami Kyoshi had died with a smile on her face.

"He's been in there a while," Katara gazed worriedly across the courtyard to the hut Alistair had entered only few minutes ago. Suki had come out barely a moment after she'd entered, now sitting on the porch, her face lowered as she looked close to being sick, "I hope he's okay,"

"He'll be fine," Sokka rolled his eyes as he poked at the sushi on his plate with a chopstick, "He's a battle hardened RAF Black Core officer, a little old lady will be a walk in the park for him,"

"You can be such an insensitive jerk sometimes," Katara scowled at her brother angrily, "This isn't some random old lady, this is a fellow operative of the Black Core. You saw the state he was in after seeing what happened a Pacific Base," she turned her gaze back to the hut, "Just imagine what it's like to see someone old and dying, when they seemed so young the last time you met,"

Her head perked up as the door creaked open, a smile ready for her friend no matter what happened in there as she stood up to go greet him.

When Alistair stepped into the light however, her heart nearly stopped.

His face was pale and clammy, his eyes red from crying, his hat which he usually wore so proudly on his head now hung loosely in one hand.

"Oh man," Sokka came up beside her as the officer placed a hand on Suki's shoulder, the young pilot looking up in surprise as she quickly scrambled to her feet, "This doesn't look good,"

From across the yard, Katara couldn't hear Alistair's words as he spoke to Suki, his hands laying heavily on her shoulders, but even she could tell he wasn't saying her grandmother had suddenly made a miraculous recovery.

Tears ran their course along Suki's cheeks as he continued to speak, her eyes wide and disbelieving as she shook her head, trying her hardest to see a lie between his truthful words.

She didn't scream at him, she didn't shout he was a liar and that Kyoshi was still alive within the darkened hut beyond. By the time Alistair had finished talking, all she could do was cry, the officer circling his arms around her as she buried her head into his chest, the pair mutually mourning someone close to both of them.

"Maybe I should go over…"

"Katara…wait,"

She glanced down at Sokka as he grabbed her arm, his gaze solemn and grave, "Let them get used to the shock first, they'll both be feeling vulnerable right now.

Just give it time…then you can talk,"

It would be a few hours before the tears finally stopped running. Suki had never felt so venerable as she sat outside her comrade's specially built mecha suit training dojo, her knees up by her ears as she traced little patterns in the dirt.

Her grandmother was dead. She felt so empty inside, even with Alistair's comfort. They had decided to their separate ways after an hour or so. A small wry smile graced her lip as she remembered something Kyoshi had told her once; A pair of broken hearts together will probably lead to something you'll regret by the morning.

"Hey,"

The young pilot looked up with surprise at the voice interrupting her thoughts, only for a scowl to develop as she saw the Hawaiian shirt against the afternoon sun.

"Oh, it's you," she turned her head away from him, "Come to have your ass handed to you by a girl again?"

"Nope," the floorboards creaked as Sokka settled down beside her, leaning up against the Dojo's wall as he stared up into the blue sky, "Actually…I came to say I'm sorry. For the comments and…for your grandmother,"

She turned to regard him with surprise, "What changed your mind?"

"Something Alistair told me just before we dropped in for a visit," he smirked as he scooped up a couple of pebbles from the boards, tossing them into the dirt and watching the dust puff up into the air, "He said: we're all the same species, it's just we," he indicated to himself, "have different equipment,"

Despite her sadness, Suki felt a giggle bubble up her throat. Sokka joined in for a moment, before leaning back against the wall to grab a few more pebbles from the ground, "At first I just thought he was saying that because he didn't want to argue with Katara, but then I saw the way you and him were after Professor Kyoshi died, and I realised he was right. Generally speaking, men and women are exactly the same. We're both made of flesh and blood, we both know how to speak, laugh and love," he turned to lock his gaze with hers, "We both feel pain when we lose someone dear to us,"

Suki raised an eyebrow with mild amusement, "That's…very philosophical,"

"Thanks," Sokka grinned sheepishly as she rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm not usually good at this kinda stuff, so I'll take all the compliments I can get,"

"Even if it's from a girl?"

"Don't start that again," he chuckled darkly as he ran a hand over his face, "I swear, I'm not gonna make another sexist comment for as long as I live," he caught the non-convinced look she gave him out of the corner of his eye, "Well…I'm going to try at least,"

He was a lot easier to find then last time.

Seated quietly on the soft sand, using his jacket as a rug, he stared listlessly out to sea, his hands up on his knees as the sun dipped behind the trees.

"At least you don't have a gun this time,"

"Different circumstances," his voice was dead an hollow as Katara sat down beside him, "Nami wouldn't want me to kill myself over her. She was in pain anyway, it's good that she'd moved on,"

She leaned foreword slightly, trying to catch his gaze, "But?"

"But…" the officer sighed, his form visibly sagging, "I just thought…she'd be just like when I saw her last. Ever smiling, yet ever firm, willing to get the job done. Instead I find her at death's door, delusional, thinking her assistant visits her when he's obviously been dead for a century," he turned to meet her eyes, "It's not fair,"

"Who ever said life was fair Alistair?" Katara smiled reassuringly, "My mother was killed in a G.U.N. raid of our home some years back, my father's out fighting a war that seems so far away. He never visits, never writes and he left me to look after my idiot of a brother and rest of the village," she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Life isn't fair Alistair, but that doesn't stop us from going on. Those we've lost…they go on in our memories, and we have to focus on the good times we shared, instead of the bad ones. Do you understand,"

Aang nodded with a small smile, before turning his gaze back to the ocean.

Slowly, he leaned against Katara's shoulder, his head pillowed against her soft hair.

Feeling a tinge of embarrassment at their closeness, she none the less tugged at one arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, her shoulders pinking slightly at the warmth.

"I'm going to miss her,"

"I know," she smiled against his shoulder, "Life goes on though Alistair. We have to live in the here and now,"

"Gotcha,"

They sat in silence for half an hour, watching as the last of the sun's rays danced off the ocean, the darkness overcoming the surrounding land.

Katara sighed as she moved closer to her friend as the cold began to draw in. she felt so warm and content here, she just wished this moment would last forever…

"Hey…what's that?"

"Hm?" she looked up sleepily, frowning at Alistair worried features in the growing dark, "What's what?"

"That,"

Standing up slowly, Katara reluctantly pulled away from Aang's embrace as he ran towards the nearby Avat.

"I don't see anything,"

"Those lights on the horizon," the officer came back moments later, a pair of infrared binoculars in his hands, "the ones flashing red and white,"

Squinting into the darkness, the girl blinked as she noticed the lights, barely a flicker in the darkness, flashing quietly in the night.

"Could it be a fishing boat? Maybe a trader trying to find a port for the night?"

"It's not a trader," Alistair's face went pale as he lowered the binoculars, handing the device over to her as his face became set and hard, "not unless they're trying to sell Rangers to someone,"

A feeling of dread overcoming her mind, Katara hesitantly brought the glasses to her eyes, her orbs gradually adapting to the bright green that dominated her vision as she focused in on the lights.

A shape now took form within the array; a pointed prow, a flat launch deck, a island command centre, and several Endurance class Rangers lumbering towards the awaiting Fat Albert.

Even so far away, she could still make out the name painted proudly on her prow; BISMARCK.

Lowering the binoculars, she turned grimly to Alistair as he nodded in confirmation.

"Zuko,"

Bypassing the EM Shield had been easy enough. Zuko smirked at the simplicity of just turning everything electrical off and letting inertia pushing the Bismarck through to the other side. He was surprised no one had ever thought to try it before now. It was something he'd have to recommend to his father once he returned.

"Attention all pilots," he leaned over to activate Dominance's Comm. systems, "I want the Avatar intact. Bring me the Courier if you can, but if he resists, kill him,"

"What off the villagers? What should we do if they attack?"

"Take no prisoners," the Captain scowled as he tightened his grip on the control sticks, "Leave them be if they run, but if they attack…show no mercy,"

"What is it?" Suki frowned as Sokka's head perked up, his eyes seeing something in the dark.

"It's Forge,"

"Mr. Sokka! Mr. Sokka!" The monitor rushed out of the gloom into the nearby lamp light, Suki repressing a short gasp as she came out of no where, "Oh, there you are! I've been sent by Lieutenant Aang, it's urgent, the Bismarck's here! Off shore, and launching Rangers!"

"What's the Bismarck?"

"The ship of a very angry freak who keeps following us everywhere we go," Sokka's eyes narrowed as he stood up, offering his hand to Suki, "We have to alert the other pilots. Forge, what's Alistair and Katara doing?"

"Miss Katara has already launched in the Lumber and Lt. Aang is taking the Avat into the continues of the village, we still haven't loaded Avatar back into the launch bay," Forge's casing shook from side to side as though she was shaking her head, "This is terrible, just terrible,"

"Just go and wake the other pilots. You got that?"

"Yes…yes of course. I'll alert the village too, Lt. Aang suggested we try and get them into the ruins, a better place to hide then out here,"

"Right, go do that," he turned back to his friend as the monitor disappeared into the darkness, Suki showing obvious confusion as he bit his lip, "I want to help too. You don't have a spare Mecha suit around do you?"

Suki smiled with a nod, "It might take you a while to get used to the neurological interface but…we can use all the help we can get,"

It was quiet, too quiet.

Having landed not to far from the village, Zuko had expected some for of resistance as he and four other Endurances stepped between the houses

And yet…

Silence met him as he pivoted his camera around, the infrared vision casting everything in a hazy green as he gazed around the deserted settlement.

Feeling frustration taking control of his mind, the Captain activated his Ranger's external speakers.

"You can't hide forever Courier! I know you're out here! Give me the Avatar, and I may just let you live," he switched to his squad's channel, "Find him. I don't care if you have to tear down every building in this wretched hovel, I want the Avatar now!"

Slowly, the Endurances fanned out, their rifles ready as one smashed through the nearest hut, only to find it empty.

"This doesn't feel right," Sozin scowled darkly as he continued to search his cameras, "It's almost as though,"

"Hey…w-what's that? Agh!"

Zuko pivoted Dominance around just in time see a rifle explode as it's owner fell back in surprise, the green dot showing where it's camera was darting in multiple direction as it tried to find it's mystery attacker.

"you fools!" the Captain slammed his fist down in agitation, "They're using Mirage Systems!"

With a crunch something impacted against Dominance's chest, one pushing it back, alarm bells screaming in his ears as whatever it was clung to him with a fierce passion.

"Get OFF!!!"

With a roar, the Dominance's sword was out, the blade rammed directly where he thought the machine would be.

With a metallic shriek, a mecha suit shimmered into view, it's cockpit skewered by the sword.

"What a waste,"

With a single sweep, the remains of the suit were thrown high into the air, exploding moments later.

"You think a bunch of mecha suits are going to stop me!? Don't think you can hide behind these pathetic excuses for pilots Courier!"

"Whose hiding?"

A pair of bolt yellow eyes lit up ahead of him as yet another Endurance was taken down nearby, the glowing orbs slowly rising as Avatar rose to it's full height, it's rifle ready,

"You want me scar face? Come and get me!"

Zuko merely smiled as he activated his cannons.

"With pleasure,"

A burst of ion energy sent Avatar high into the air as the cannons exploded, the shells flying clear across the village into a skyscraper of the ruins behind.

Beams of white energy lanced from Avatar's rifle as it flew overhead, the Dominance shielding itself with it's arms as the onyx machine swooped by.

In one swift move the rifle was returned to it's holster on Avatar's back as the sword was pulled from it's sheath, the Ranger landing behind it's enemy in a ready position.

Before Zuko could react, the sword impacted with a heavy clang against Dominance's back, the crimson Ranger falling to the ground with a crash, a large gash puncturing it's side.

Satisfied the machine wouldn't be getting up any time soon, Avatar rose above the carnage, the village now in flames, before flying towards the ruins of Kyoto to make sure no one had been hurt by the Dominance's attack.

It had been relatively quiet along the outskirts of old Kyoto. With only four Endurances and the Dominance focusing on the first settlement they'd found, the ruins, and the survivors they held within their wrecked walls, and escaped unscathed.

But that didn't stop them all from watching as the flames rose up from their homes.

Katara sighed bitterly as she kept the Lumber's rifle high, it's barrel set towards the flaming horizon. Sokka and Aang were fighting back at the settlement along with the other pilots, leaving her to protect the villagers as they fled, forming their last line of defence, should they fall.

A shower of blue form above caused her to react quickly as she rose her rifle towards the oncoming mech, her hands relaxing as she recognised Avatar's form against it's own ion thrust.

"Look what I've brought here,"

"You mustn't blame yourself," she tried to comfort her friend as Alistair's saddened voice filled her cockpit, "It's not your fault,"

"Yes it is," the voice became bitter as Avatar landed soundly beside the Lumber, "The town's burning. These people's homes and lifestyle…it's all going to the dogs because they're trying to protect me,"

"Then let's get out of here," Katara's voice suddenly became urgent, "Zuko's looking for the Avatar, not to capture the last remains of Kyoto. If we leave, he'll follow us. I know you don't like the idea of running away…but in this case…"

She trailed off as silence overcame her speakers, Alistair clearly letting her words sink in.

"Forge, get Sokka back to the Avat and have the Kyoto pilots fall back. Set Avat for maximum burn and head for the EM shield.

We're…we're making a tactical retreat,"

"Retreat? Is he serious?"

"Quite serious. You have to get back to the Avat now Mr. Sokka. Please hurry!"

"Alright, I'll be right there," Sokka wished he wasn't bound into the neurological interface, so he could hit something in anguish. Retreating, definitely not his style but…if it helped Kyoto, with a sigh he mentally connected to his comrade's mecha suit, "Suki, you there?"

"I'm here," her voice filled his ears, "Alistair's given the order to retreat, looks like he's going to try and lure the Dominance away. Seems like there's no time to say goodbye eh?"

"How about time to say I'm sorry,"

"Haven't we already been through this?"

"I mean I'm sorry for the way I treated you when we first met. I realise now that guys and girls aren't that different, in fact you're a better pilot then I'll ever be, girl or not,"

"Well…that maybe true, but I am a girl as well as a pilot you know,"

"Huh?"

"Forget it. Just get going. Keep him safe Sokka, the world need Alistair now more then ever,"

"I promise. I hope we'll see each other again some day,"

He never allowed her to reply as he forced the cockpit hatch open with his mind, the neurological interface pulled to the sides of the machine as he hauled himself out of the apparatus, the Avat's open door ready for his arrival.

"Sir! He's getting away!"

"What!?" Zuko stared angrily to the skies as Avatar's form screamed overhead, a heavily armoured Lumber just behind him as it's transport took to the air, the three flying in formation towards the ocean, "Back to the Bismarck! We' can't let him escape! Not when we're so close!"

Silence dominated the three craft as the flew towards the edge of the EM shield, the only noise within Katara's cockpit coming from Forge as she guided her Lumber into the Launch Bay.

"Alistair…I know it's hard to leave them behind. But you did the right thing," static filled her speakers, "You know Zuko would have torn that place apart if he had too. They're gonna be alright now, you'll see,"

"Not yet,"

With a violent jerk, Avatar suddenly jerked backwards, turning it's yellow eyes to the burning village below.

"Alistair? What are you doing?" Katara's eyes widened as the Ranger suddenly nose dived for the ocean below, it's rifle ready, "ALISTAIR!!!"

With a giant splash, Avatar entered the ocean at breakneck speed, sending a plume high into the air, glistening in the moonlight. Seconds later it reappeared, creating another momentary pillar of liquid as it brought it's rifle to bare.

With a blast of white light, the water vaporised into the air, clouds starting to form as it condensed.

Another blast, this time to the water's surface, sent another wave high up into skies, the clouds getting thicker and thicker, contained by the EM shield.

Finally, after several more tries, rain suddenly poured from the heavens, covering the entire area with sweet soft rain, at the same time creating a small hole through the shield, allowing the Avat and Lumber to pass through unhindered, the Avatar following suit.

Zuko could only scowl as the village behind him was thoroughly drenched by the sudden storm, rain falling against Dominance's armour as he piloted the Ranger within the confines of the flight carrier.

"Very clever Courier," he muttered quietly as the giant aircraft took off, "Creating a storm to cover your tracks and save the village from total destruction. Very good. But I'll catch you Courier, you and the Avatar,"

You haven't won yet,"

Suki sighed as she watched the Fat Albert depart from the edge of her open cockpit, several of her comrades jumping about in the rain and mud as the flames around her were put out.

"That Mr. Aang," she looked off to one side as she say Oyagi stare after the Avat in gratitude as he and the rest of the survivors came back into the remains of the village, "He saved us all. He certainty is a piece of work,"

"Yes he is," Suki followed his gaze as the Avat disappeared amongst the clouds, "But…he's not the only one,"

"I know what you're gonna say," Alistair sighed as he stepped out of the cockpit, setting his eyes on a vaguely amused Katara and a stunned Sokka, "That was a full hardy and reckless move that could of got me killed," he smirked slightly, "Even though it saved the village from total destruction and gave us a way out of the EM shield,"

"Very true Lieutenant," Katara's smile broadened as she approached him, "On all accounts,"

The officer blinked in surprise as she suddenly hugged him around his waist, a pleased little sigh escaping his lips as he pulled her into his own arms.

And for the first time in a while, he felt happy to be alive.

I'm really having trouble writing fight scenes. I just feel they don't convey the tension I want, and they always seem to be incedibly short. If anyone has any opinions on how I could improve this, please don't hesitate to tell me.

Also, seeing as I've introduced the three kinds of mecha in this chapter, I think I better add a small section here just giving you a basic overview of what's what in this little Avatar off shot of mine.

Exo-Suit
Basically a powered suit of armour. Exo-suits are form fitting and designed to increase strength, add extra armour and shielding, and occasionally include weaponry like wrist mounted pistols and such. Although used fairly early on after the Day of Blood, they're now usually used in construction work and in hazardous areas, where the large mecha suits and rangers would either be too large or simply not equipped for such a task. Despite this, they are still fairly popular for civilian use as a home protection, as they are usually easy to activate and slip on in a snap.

Mecha Suit
A more common sight then the Exo-Suit, mecha suits can range form ten to sixty feet tall, and are usually used by the armed forces as light infantry. The biggest difference between a Ranger and Mecha Suit however is that Mecha Suits are equipped with Neurological interfaces, kind of like a Exo-Suit that senses your movements and brain waves, and then conveys it into the machinery to produce movement and such. While this may seem like an advancement on the Rangers, this can actually be a weakness, as mecha suit cockpits have to be larger in order to allow more space for arms and legs to move in combat (In order to save space, it was for this reason that Kyoshi's mecha suits had shorter legs and were designed to glide across the surface of land, rather then walk.). This also means less armour, and smaller power reserves (the Kyoshi mecha suits cannot store as much energy as in their solar cells as Katara's Lumber for example). As is often the case, Mecha Suit pilots will often stay close to home base on a battle field, for fear of their power supplies draining, leaving them stranded if they stray too far.

Ranger
A Ranger is the most powerful kind of robotic suit there is in this universe, and make up the bulk of each of the Three superpowers armed forces. Unlike the Exo-Suits and Mecha suits, which are always of the biped verity (Hence the suit term) Rangers are not given such restraint. The New Soviet Union's most recent Rangers for example are usually akin to that of chicken walkers (Ala AT-ST), while the U.S.A.C. have recently developed quadruped type machines (it should be noted that all superpowers have some form of Biped Ranger in their arsenal, such as the Lumber for the Union. It is only recently that the Union and the U.S.A.C. have been thinking outside these terms.) Rangers also, unlike their counterparts, are controlled through the use of control sticks and pedals, allowing for a smaller cockpit and thus more armour and armament.

Finally, a note to Sokka's fan/lawyer. I must admit, i am sorry I have not answered your questions, but to be fair I usually try to PM or email the answers to people, so as to avoid spoiling it for others. However, on this occasion, I will answer your questions here. to everone else, don't read in case of possible spoilers.

1. if Aang and Katara(and all the benders for that matter) are mechanics, what's Sokka gonna do for the group? Right now, I'm not sure what Sokka's role in the group is. for now he's just the handyman, Katara's occasional weapons distributer and gneral idea guy. I may give him a Mecha suit later on though (I don't want everyone to have Rangers you see)

2. Is Forge relplacing Toph? No. Toph will appear fully human in season 2. Up until this point, all characters you've seen here have appeared in the original Avatar in the same sort of role. So Aang is Alistair, Katara and Sokka are themselves (Sort of) Appa is the Avat, to that makes Forge...Momo!

I hope I have answered all your questions here, however if you have more questions that need answering, please include a e-mail adress, so I can stick to my personal policies.

I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, and I hope to have the next on (The Mayor of New York) out as soon as possible.

See you around

Dearing