Please apply the usual disclaimers. I did not create the world of Avatar nor will I be able to come close to tickling the...well...you get the point.

Chapter 12

Sokka's nose started to twitch. It sensed the smell of burning wood and it was a good, scented smoke. His stomach started to grumble when his nose recognized the smell of a delicious rack of fish. He let out a sigh in anticipation of what would come. He opened his eyes and saw the colors of dusk dancing across the sky. This confused him for a moment. Then he tried to sit up and every bit of his body screamed for mercy.

"Easy there," he heard a deep voice warn him.

Sokka managed to rise up on his elbow. He looked around and saw a stranger sitting at the fire. It was a man. He was not old but older than Sokka. He wore green with his hair cut close to his head. There was nothing familiar about him but he did seem authentically kind. That was refreshing for what Sokka had been through since leaving the Fire Nation.

"You two took quite a beating the other night," the man continued.

The events of the night before were a bit hazy to Sokka. His mind ran through the recent events. He remembered the colony and the Rough Rhinos. Then his mind started to piece the fragments together of the cyclone, the attack on the Empress, and then the attack upon him and Inara. Irritably, he rubbed his head looking around for Inara. He saw her lying some distance away still asleep.

"She'll be alright," the man said when he noticed Sokka was looking at Inara. "I had to relocate her left shoulder and she took a nasty blow to the head. Well, both of you took a nasty blow to the head. I was afraid your left leg was broken against a rock but I think you'll only end up with a nasty bruise."

Sokka had to investigate this bit of information. He pulled up his pants and saw the familiar blue, purple, and black tint of the skin. Like a child, he poked it with his finger and winced in pain.

"I'll be fine," Sokka finally said to the stranger. "My name is Sokka and that's…"

"Captain Inara of the Empress," the stranger finished. "I know. I'm a colleague of hers. My name is Orso. I'm captain of the Serpent."

"Captain huh," Sokka muttered not one bit surprised to meet another of Inara's professional colleagues. "You seem to be without a ship."

Orso shrugged as he poked at the three fish that he was cooking. "I was attacked by a Fire Nation warship not too long ago. My crew and I managed to evade it but I suffered heavy damages. My first mate is overseeing repairs not far from here. During the down time, I had to come inland to check on an investment."

"So, you just happened to be nearby when a freak cyclone tore through the colony and the Empress was mysteriously attacked," Sokka said a bit harsher than he had wished.

Orso was large enough of a man that Sokka would not really want to make mad, especially in his present health. However, Orso's patience seemed to match his size. Sokka's words just rolled right over him and he seemed to not take notice.

"Coincidence," was all Orso had to offer.

Orso took the fish off from over the fire. He put the fish on flat pieces of bark. The captain stomped his right foot on the ground and three stone stools shot up from the ground. Orso settled down on one with the bark in one hand and a knife in the other. There was nothing refined about his table manners. He used only his knife and his teeth to tear at the fish. He even used the butt end of his knife to wipe away any mess from his lips.

"Come join me," Orso insisted and then spit out a bone.

Sokka was never one to turn down the offer of a meal. He hauled his aching body up and limped eagerly to the stone stool. Orso handed him the piece of fish on the bark. Sokka thought about retrieving his sword to one up the captain. It would be rather difficult as well as ridiculous to eat with the sword but it would be fun to try. His legs did not seem to want to go any further though. The bruise pulsed in pain and so he used just his teeth and fingers to tear at the flesh and pick out the bones.

The fish was not bad. It was quite bland but it had a good smoked flavor. Orso was able to produce some raw vegetables to go along with the fish and he shared his beer with Sokka. The meal was small and not really enough for Sokka but rarely was there ever enough for him. Katara and Suki both complained of his eating habits which was more reference to his habit of eating. What could he say? One burned a lot of calories to stay warm on the South Pole.

They ate together quietly while Inara was motionless on the ground. Sokka looked over at her every now and then to make sure that she was still breathing. He realized then it would take a lot more than fireballs being shot at them to take her down. Her breathing was not even weak but rather steady and she appeared to be strong. Sokka noticed that Orso had wrapped her left shoulder quite heavily. He hoped that she would be able to use it soon. They had to get to Azula before she could make her way to the Western Air Temple.

"So," Orso began after he spit out another fish gone. "How did you end up with Inara?"

"I'm tagging along," Sokka said blandly as he scraped the bark for a few more nutrients.

"Tagging along," Orso repeated with a bit of interest. "I tagged along with her once. To make a long story short it did not end as well as I would have hoped. I almost lost a leg during the little adventure. Why are you tagging along?"

Sokka paused over his bark and slowly looked up at Orso's completely innocent face. The man truly had no idea what was going on. If he did, he was oblivious to Inara's lucrative commission. It seemed like everyone else in the world knew about it except for this one captain. Perhaps that was some honor and dignity left out on the open water and that the dark depths had not swallowed it all up.

"Just to learn," Sokka lied. It was too easy for him. "I am Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. I am son of Chief Hakoda. I need a bit of worldly experience. And if you have ever met my sister, you'll understand my need to get away."

Orso started to nod his head as he put the pieces together. "You're the Avatar's friend," he said.

Sokka bit his tongue at the title. "Yes," he said curtly.

"I thought I recognized the name," Orso continued in good nature. "I've never met the Avatar. I would not mind meeting him but I don't think it would change my life if I did."

Sokka found the last bit of Orso's statement interesting. He could recall times when Aang was completely surrounded by people. It was almost like they believed he could heal the sick and raise the dead with a touch of his hand. Aang took it all in stride although he did become flustered and embarrassed at times. He never turned down an opportunity to show off though. That may have been why Sokka stopped traveling with Aang after a few years. He had to become his own man and that meant to become ready to inherit his father's position.

Sokka put the piece of bark down realizing there was nothing left to eat but the bark itself. He looked over Orso as he put some things in order. He was not like anyone else that Inara tended to associate herself with. He was truthful and forward. Orso did remind him a bit of Genji and Nayen but even they seemed to be weathered on the edges. Orso was refreshing to be around.

"So, how do you know Inara?" Sokka asked at the peek of his curiosity.

Orso smiled at the question and retired for a moment from his housekeeping. "We met right before the end of the war," he answered. "My ship was docked at Wei Yu when the most hideous steamer blocked us in. I knew it was Fire Nation and so there wasn't much I could do about it. I would have to just wait for it to leave. However, the most beautiful young woman leaned over the side of the ship. She yelled down 'Are we blocking you in?'"

"Let me guess, it was Inara," Sokka ventured.

"Unfortunately it was," Orso replied in good humor. "I yelled back up to her that she was and she yelled back 'Good.'"

"Good?" Sokka asked.

"I had just acquired the Serpent in a shrewd business move. I quickly put a crew together with my first mate and was intending to leave port as quickly as possible. But it seemed that her engineer was in need of medical attention and she knew my physician, Gonin, from a past incident."

"What happened to Genji?" Sokka asked wondering why he had not heard of this earlier.

"Genji?" Orso wondered out loud. "Oh yes, the engineer, I remember the name now. Well, apparently something had exploded in his face. It's been years and so I'm a bit hazy on the details. But she blocked me in so that Gonin could render his services upon her engineer. During that time, I invited her over for tea and let's just say we have gotten along ever since."

"Now when you say gotten along, what do you mean?"

"We do a lot of business together and aid each other whenever we can," Orso answered innocently.

Sokka smiled. "Is that it?"

Orso knew where he was going. He wore the same smile as Sokka. "Maybe, maybe not," he answered. "A gentleman never reveals a beautiful woman's secrets."

Sokka then glanced over at Inara. "I don't think anyone can live enough to unravel all of her secrets."

"What makes you think she has that many?" Orso asked.

"It seems like everyone knows her."

"A lot of people know me. The Merchants Guild does force you to network and become known. Just because you don't understand her yet doesn't mean she's a book of secrets."

Sokka's thoughts went back to everyone that they had met. Kaizen was his least favorite and he was never able to meet Asahi. There was not enough time to get to know Jing Ke and he already had his own opinion of Kenduk formed before the New Moon found the decimated ship.

The small pause in conversation seemed to not be enough to hold Orso's attention. Orso immediately started to put things away again. It looked like to Sokka that he was getting ready to make a quick getaway. In all honesty, Sokka did not blame him. The forest that they were resting in had the obvious signs of a battle. They were not even in an ideal strategic position in case of an attack. Sokka noticed several vantage points for an assailant to attack from. Once Inara did come to, he thought it would be best to move on.

As Orso put things in order, Sokka limped over and sat down next to Inara. He had no idea what to do in moments like this. Katara was always the one to tend to the wounded. All he could do was watch her sleep. He felt awkward and quite useless in this task. She was probably getting more achieved asleep while he saw motionlessly awake.

His mind then started to wander. He wondered what Aang was doing and where he might be. He wondered what was happening in the Fire Nation. Was everyone safe there? Suki then entered his mind. He knew that his father would do anything to keep her safe. She was like a member of the tribe now even though it wasn't official. But what if they cannot stop Azula?

The dislocated shoulder worried Sokka. Then again, there was also the lack of a ship. They would have to find away to find safe passage to wherever they needed to go. Unfortunately, Sokka had the sinking feeling that would mean commandeering a ship. Once again, he realized it would probably constitute as stealing in most people's minds. And then his mind circled back to the problem of a dislocated shoulder.

Sokka's circular thought was then interrupted by a sudden shaking of the ground. He looked over and saw Orso bending some temporary shelters. They were similar to the ones that Toph made for herself. It seemed to be the preferred model for Earthbenders. Sokka then realized that dusk was failing. The stars would soon come out and the moon would show her face.

"Do you mind seeing to the fire?" Orso asked.

"Yeah, I'll get it," Sokka answered.

He walked over to the fire. He found a small stack of firewood. He stoked the hissing fire and gradually added more wood.

"Should we set up watches during the night?" Sokka asked.

"I'll take the first watch," Orso said without hesistation.

"You," Sokka stated. "I've been asleep all day. I am well rested."

"That's why I am taking the first watch," Orso replied. "I'll keep watch and then I intend for you to stay awake until daybreak."

Sokka chuckled. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He would probably lie awake on the ground. If he did not sleep under one of the shelters created by Orso, then he would stare up at the stars. They would at least keep his mind occupied as he created shapes and stories in his mind.

"Should we move Inara?" Sokka then asked.

"I'll bend something over her in a minute. I'm hoping the cool evening air will wake her up."

"I don't think she's waking up."

"She has to sometime," Orso said. "I've never seen her sleep so long."

"You've seen her sleep?" Sokka questioned him with a grin.

Orso ignored him. Sokka stalked the large captain. He sized him up trying to gage how much he could push.

"And how much tea was actually consumed on that first meeting?" Sokka asked.

"Enough," Orso replied. His tone was not terse but it was steady.

Sokka opened his mouth to make a sarcastic remark but a twig's snap caught his ear. Both his and Orso's head jerked over and they caught a glimpse of a dark figure in the shadows of the trees. The figure sprang and ran full speed towards them before either of them could fully react. Sokka went for his sword and Orso bent a wall to prevent the stranger's attack but it was only shattered by a burst of fire.

Sokka unsheathed his sword but he stopped in his tracks. A flash of silver burned past his right eye. It was like the world had stood still and time was at a halt. Sokka's head turned to follow the silver lightening. It was heading right at the dark figure. The figure turned at something. Sokka didn't know what it was. Then time crashed over top of him as the figure flew back against a tree and screamed in pain.

Sokka's head snapped back. Inara was kneeling and holding her left shoulder but she looked pissed as hell. One would have never have known that she had survived an explosion of her own devising. She rose to her feet and walked into the growing shadows. Orso and Sokka stood still until she passed them and they followed. They said nothing as they reached the figure and they said nothing when Inara illuminated a flame in front of the stranger's face.

"Colonel Mongke," she said in an almost mocking tone. "Fancy seeing you here."

Sokka could not believe it. He imagined that the soldier had been killed in the cyclone. He saw the inn completely devoured and torn to shreds. There was no feasible way for anyone to have survived it.

However, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see that survival came at a cost. The colonel's face was mangled and bruised from flying debris. Sokka could make out a splint on the man's left arm and bandages wrapped around his chest. Mongke was more of a wounded animal than the villain that Sokka had once seen him as.

"Lady Inara, the Gold-Eyed Demon," Mongke coughed. "So, the rumors are true."

"I'm afraid so," she replied. "Did our last encounter not teach you anything though?"

"I don't learn as quickly as others," he stated. "I'm old. New tricks elude me."

Inara flashed an emotionless smile. "I understand."

"Yet I am not stupid," he continued as he looked at her and then at Sokka. "I recognize him. That's the peasant who traveled with the Avatar."

"Careful with your words," she warned him. "That's the future chief of the Southern Tribe you are insulting."

"A good spit shine doesn't make either of us respectable citizens either," he returned.

Sokka was a bit hurt by Mongke's insult. He was also running out of patience. He could see the light failing in the man's eyes. The end was coming near. The knife in his shoulder was not helping either.

"Where is Azula?" Sokka asked.

Mongke glared up at him. He looked insulted to not be properly addressed by a member of an inferior class. But he was too weak to react.

"I don't know," he answered.

Sokka shook his head. "That's hard to swallow. We heard you and the others in the inn. You were waiting for her."

"Hence we don't' know where she is or where she was coming from," Mongke added.

Inara then crouched in front of Mongke. She looked at him with a bit of curiosity. Sokka had always seen her as a mystery but now he could see a hint of warrior in her. Mongke was a fallen and broken warrior while she was fighting her own instinct.

"Why couldn't you have just followed?" Inara asked with a bit of pity in her voice.

"Follow who?" Mongke spat. "That traitorous pretender, I don't think so."

"He is hardly a pretender," Sokka reminded him. "He has a greater claim to the throne than that insane sister of his. He is the first born."

"There is no following for me in times of peace," Mongke continued with death creeping onto him. "People like us can't live happily in peace. What is there for us to do? We can't blissfully start over again. We can't have children and let them bounce ignorantly on our knees. Our life was war and to not die in glorious battle or to live as the victor. This life doesn't sit well on my stomach."

Inara pushed a stray piece of hair from his face. "So you would rather die here before an Earth Kingdom merchant, a Water Tribe peasant, and a disgraced Fire Nation lady. You would rather die like a beaten animal than to make a better name for yourself and for your honorable family."

"There is no honor in what the Fire Nation has become."

"I'm sorry you must die believing that," Inara whispered.

She pulled another knife from her boot and quickly drove it between his ribs and into his heart. The colonel let out a hoarse breath as his eyes faded and his body slumped.

Sokka turned to face her with wide eyes. He was speechless as she wiped Mongke's blood off on his own clothes and then sheathed the knife. He stared at her lack of respect for the dead and the suddenness of the murder.

Inara pulled the other knife out of his shoulder. "Bury him deep," she ordered Orso in a deep voice. "I don't want anyone finding him, ever."

Inara limped away as the earth swallowed the corpse. Sokka shook his head furiously and followed her.

"We need to pack up and leave now. We can't stay here even for the night," she said.

Sokka grabbed her by the right elbow and pulled her around to face him. "What was that?"

Inara narrowed her eyes at him. "What was what?"

"That! Murder!" he yelled.

"That wasn't murder. That was putting an animal out of its misery. He was dying."

"He did not deserve to die like that."

"No, he deserved to stand trial for the war crimes he committed," she growled. "He deserved to be shamed and humiliated before his peers and his betters. He deserved a public execution. This was merciful and private. His family should not be dishonored by how far he has fallen."

"Who are you to be judge, jury, and executioner?" Sokka demanded.

Inara violently ripped her arm from his grasp. "And who are you to judge me?"

Sokka was momentarily silenced by her words. She started to limp away to gather up her gear.

"You are working for Zuko," Sokka said to her back. "You represent the Fire Lord as well as Aang. I am here to make sure you do not do anything to dishonor them."

Inara turned on her heel and quickly marched towards Sokka. She stopped only inches away from him. He could feel her furious breath on his neck as she stared up at him with glaring, gold eyes.

"I am here to clean up a mess that neither of him had the stomach to deal with," she nearly spat. "I have been almost killed countless times and now I have no idea where my crew is at the moment. My ship could be sitting at the bottom of the ocean along with everyone I consider as family. So, if I seem a bit harsh or morally askew, please keep in mind that I have more at risk than you do at the moment."

"If you have forgotten, I am hated by that crazy princess," Sokka said through gritted teeth. "Everyone I care about is in her path."

Inara laughed at him. "Azula has one thing in mind and that is to steal the throne from her brother. She does not care about any of your family. They will immediately fall once her brother falls. Your sister might be in trouble but let's face it; she is in no more danger than Zuko. I think it was wise for her to stay with Zuko. It makes it easier for Azula to find everyone on her shit list."

Sokka could not restrain himself. He quickly snatched her neck in his right hand threatening to squeeze. "And you didn't find it pertinent to mention before we left the Fire Nation?"

"You are all intelligent people." Her tone was crisp and cynical. "I would have thought you would have considered this before since it was your sister who actually defeated Azula. And yet you never cease to surprise me."

Inara did not seem worried at all with her life in his right hand. She had good reason to. As much fury and relentless anger that Sokka felt, they both knew he could not bear to squeeze anyone's life out with his own hands. His fingers wanted to squeeze. They even dinted her skin with the intense fight between his rage and his conscience. As always predicted, his heart won. His fingers loosened and his hand fell harmlessly to his side.

"You couldn't do it," Inara surprisingly said in a disappointed tone. "I intentionally put your sister in harm's way just to make Azula that much more predictable and you could do nothing."

Sokka shrugged understanding every word. It was a humiliating experience. "Mercy I guess," was all he had in response.

"Mercy is a word that Azula does not know," Inara said.

"I know that," Sokka said in humiliation and looked coldly into Inara's eyes. "But I will not lose my humanity to that monster."

"Then I am afraid that you stand to lose everything else," Inara replied almost sadly.

In their argument, they had not noticed Orso's efficiency. Everything was packed and ready to go or hidden for him to collect on a later date. There was no sign of Mongke who had received a less than honorable burial. He would not be afforded the grand cremation that the Fire Nation traditionally donned upon its more famed citizens.

Orso now stood quietly at a distance from them. He did not pretend to not listen. No one could resist listening in. The spirits all leaned in towards them so they could hear. The stars seemed brighter since they inched closer to see.

"Are we ready to go?" Inara asked him as she pulled her eyes towards the ground.

"We are," he answered.

Inara briskly walked over and gathered her gear. Sokka let out a mournful sigh and gathered his own gear. He had always known that everything was at stake. War was his childhood. Everyone had miscalculated Azula and he miscalculated the captain.

"Where are we going?" Orso asked Inara.

"Where is the Serpent?" she asked.

"To the southwest," he answered.

"Then we should head that way," she replied. "Let's go Sokka. We're heading out."

Sokka kicked a rock with his toe before he trudged behind them. They walked quietly into the darkening woods. Orso dragged a sled with the gear behind him while Sokka and Inara carried their own belongings. Sokka still hurt from the night before but he refused to let them see it. He walked quietly. Conversation was scarce. It was not hard to keep his thoughts to himself.

One by one, he went through the names of everyone he loved again. He hypothesized how large of a target each person was to Azula as well as location and vulnerability. Katara had the entire Fire Nation army before her along with the strongest Masters standing at her side. He was even worried less about Toph. He was just thankful that Suki was at the South Pole. The more he thought about it, the safer he felt the Southern Tribe would be. That was as long as they were able to bring down the princess.

"So, I'm guessing that he's not just tagging along," Sokka heard Orso say to Inara.

"Nope," she replied.

Sokka had fallen behind them slightly. He pulled his eyes up from the ground and looked at the backs of their heads.

"And I guess that you two were in the eye of the cyclone."

"Close enough," she answered. "We were spying."

"Were all of the Rough Rhinos killed besides Mongke in the cyclone?"

"Yes, along with Jing Ke. He was my contact in the colony."

Sokka heard a quiet "humph" from Orso. "I never liked him. There was no class to the man. No passion for whatever he did."

"I am grateful for a lack of passion for his occupation," Sokka muttered.

Inara glanced over her shoulder at him. "Don't mind him," she said to Orso. "He's had quite an adventure ever since he decided to come along."

"And I once again assume that this little adventure of yours includes hunting down the princess," Orso continued.

"Yeah," Sokka groaned. "That's about right. Zuko couldn't do it himself and so here we are dragging our asses across the world on her account. When we catch her, she owes me a lot just in boots."

"Testy fellow isn't he," Orso commented lightly.

"How would you feel if you had to deal with the same woman twice in one lifetime?" Sokka grumbled.

"I'd recommend divorce," Orso joked.

Sokka rolled his eyes. He was tired of conversation at the moment. Even though he had slept all day, he was still exhausted. His body still needed rest from the attack and his soul was beginning to feel weary. About then, he began to miss his sister's undying optimism, Aang's youthfulness, and Toph's sound perception on life. His perception was becoming muted and dark.

What would they say when he came back? Would they believe him? Toph would of course. She always knew if he was lying. He had his doubts on Aang and Katara. Even if Katara did believe him, she would start a revolutionary movement of some kind to fix the world. Aang of course would be right with her even though his main concern is to keep the world from falling apart again. In their eyes, this would be a minor project compared to the large scope of the world.

"Your crew will be fine," was the next thing Sokka heard Orso say. "Kerak can take care of them and Taizo won't go down that easily."

"Wait," Sokka managed to say. "You said you were attacked a few days ago. Do you think it could have been the same people?"

"You were attacked?" Inara questioned Orso. "You haven't mentioned this to me yet."

"I didn't want you to worry."

"It was probably Edo," Inara muttered.

"Edo, you never explained exactly who he is," Sokka muttered still walking behind Orso and Inara.

"He is one of Zuko's richest nobles and is now a traitor," Inara said. "We have good reason to believe that he has allied with Azula. While we were on the Floating Lotus, Madame Asahi informed me that she entertained Edo and Mongke near the Boiling Rock. He has his own minor claim to the throne but he won't ever reach it by the natural course of nature."

"Those more zealous towards war probably would not object to Azula taking a husband from his family," Orso said.

"There is also a long standing animosity between Edo's family and Mai's."

"If this fails then she may beat the Fire Lord to the grave," Orso said without much concern. It was more of a statement than a warning.

"We are here to deal with Azula, not act as the body guard for the Fire Nation nobility."

"So if Mai is quietly killed during this then it is of no concern to us?" Sokka questioned.

"Zuko must stay on the throne. Mai is optional."

This enraged him. Sokka then reached out and grabbed Inara's left arm. He jerked it harder than he would have liked. For the first time, he saw unbearable pain flash across her face. It was excruciating for him to see a woman of such strength to look like she was about to die. Then he was frightened to see the murderous glare she was giving him.

"What, you want to be a chivalric knight now?" she spat in anger. "What happens there is of no concern to us here. If we worried about it, we would be paralyzed with fear. So I suggest that you forget your ideas of honor and self-worth. No one is coming out of this clean. If you are to survive you will wade in a river of blood so far and so deep that you feel that you will never return."

Sokka released her arm. It fell limply to her side but she did not notice. Her gaze was fixed on him and it did not move. Sokka was frozen too afraid to move. They stood still for an eternity until Orso finally cleared his throat.

"What's the plan?" he asked.

Inara gave Sokka another moment of her attention before she turned and walked away. She pulled all of the bandages from her arm and let them drop to the ground. She rubbed her shoulder heating the muscles and tendons.

"We find a ship and go after the bitch," Inara answered.