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Keeping Calm and Carrying on.
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After lunch Zuko took Rei and Aang into the temple and the rest of us chilled out and admired the view. Well the rest of us, except Toph and Rozin; who (tragically, embarrassingly, unfortunately) went to try out Toph's "sonic wave" on unsuspecting passer-bys. (why oh why!) Rozin really wanted to see how it 'worked' and Toph was delighted to wander about, making loud noises, startling people and generally making a spectacle of herself.
What's that?
AAAAAAHHHHHH- it's a palm tree
awesome! Okay, what's over to your right
AAAAAAAAAAAHHH – a frightened and perplexed lady and some stairs.
Zuko's departure also seemed to coincide with a veritable swarming of trinket merchants. Zuko had been giving them the stink eye throughout lunch and this had managed to keep them at bay. But as soon as he left, they all came and zeroed in on my brother. Some people just attract trinket merchants. Sokka is one of those people. It didn't hurt that the trinket merchants were all cute kids who had practised their 'sad face' very well. Sokka ended up buy something from nearly every kid there. He haggled happily and enthusiastically and bought many a useless item. Many postcards (who does Sokka think he is going to send these to exactly?) a guide to the temple's history, some gimmicky inks that apparently have something volcanic in them and will make whatever Sokka writes glitter. (I suspect they are just regular ink with glitter inside) a pipe in the shape of a dragon (sokka and I have had an argument over whether this pipe is for smoking or for playing music, it is kind of hard to tell) a few pumice stones for getting the dead skin off his feet (eewww), two packets of a special flavour of fireflakes that is only sold on ember island as well as many bracelets for me and Suki that we didn't really want (because a few of the kids were only selling bracelets and how could we say no to their cute little faces?) Sokka loves the fact that here, the shopping comes to him.
Rena ended up buying a bracelet as well. But when she handed over her money, the bracelet selling boy looked at the coins shed given him like she'd just handed him a dead elephant rat instead. Do you have any real money ma'am? The kid said and Rena got a bit stroppy and said it was real money, it was just colonial money, but it had Ozai's head on the back and that meant it was valid currency here. In the face of her snappy tirade, the kid retreated and pocketed the money and wandered off. Honestly, using colonial money in the firenation – there is nothing more tense in life! Rena said with a laugh as she slipped her new bangle over her wrists. It's the exact same currency you know, we just have a picture of a bunch of grapes on one side instead of the sun symbol, she explained with a shrug.
Conversation turned to financial woes when travelling and how hard and confusing it was to have to keep converting things. Rena told us that even though it was the exact same money used in both the colonies and the firenation, she would constantly come across other colonials who would say – it's a pretty good exchange rate that- it's one gold florin... to a florin. There was more hilarity an jokes and the four of us just soaked up the atmosphere, the sun and the view.
There was a small lull in conversation which Rena broke saying It's nice here on this island. It seems peaceful. There's no curfew or anything. We were all a bit intrigued by this curfew concept because neither Sokka or Suki or I have ever come across one. Rena was once again astonished at how new we were to the firenation and said that we really must have come straight to Ember Island and missed out on all the "fun." she said fun most sarcastically.
Apparently in most of the big cities there was a curfew now. Something had the poffs all jumpy, probably this bloody comet of theirs and there was a lot of fights and shenanigans breaking out. So the firelord had decreed that everyone who lived in the big industrial cities had to be home by half an hour after sundown. No excuses. It had started when they were all in harbour city. He called it a crackdown on misbehaviour. But the small islands, like Ember Island were exempt from curfew and crackdowns etc so far. probably because they were relaxing holiday islands and weren't prone to random outbreaks of trouble. Rena said something was up, but she just hadn't been able to figure out what it was yet, consiprationally.
Rena thought the most hilarious part of the whole crackdown on misbehaviour was the posters that had sprung up, seemingly over night, when they were staying in harbour city. Harbour city was prone to misbehaviour and as part of the crackdown, heaps of posters trying to portray Nice, Friendly, but Strong Uncle Ozai had popped up over night. See these posters are trying to portray him as a nice guy and a good leader right and the all say things like keep calm and carry on etc, but even in the posters Ozai looks scary as all get out. He just has one of those faces. You know when someone is so rude so many times that their face just...contorts into being constantly unpleasant? It was this kind of face... this point Rena made a hilarious growly angry face. Honestly, she continued, I took one look at those posters and I thought to myself, that is not a nice man! Nothing good can come from that face. Even when they try to make him look friendly, they can't quite manage it.
She seemed to shake herself for a second and said lets talk about something else, Ozai gives me the willies. The conversation stalled, as it tends to do when someone announces let's talk about something else. That phrase is pretty much a conversation killer, right there. I think you have to allow a few moments for everybody to think up another topic but the silence seemed to make Rena uncomfortable and she broke it first by asking Hey are you guys free tomorrow arvo? We gave her confused faces and she said afternoon for clarification. Because if you are free, My grandpa is having a huge party and I'd like you guys to come.
Umm why?
Rena explained her grandpa had been really on at them to make friends here and he had said she and Rei could invite any new friends they made. Rozin couldn't because he was too young for the party and was being left with an auntie for the evening (poor auntie), so we might have to leave our younguns at home too. But we older kids should definitely come. We seemed like a lot of fun and the party would need more fun people because it was mostly going to be lots of firenation military people and snotty poffs on holidays from the caldera, from the sounds of it...oooh but we shouldn't let that put us off because Rena and Rei would be there and there would be heaps of free plonk and it would be great.
Suki asked what we were all thinking. What's plonk? Plonk is wine. So there's heaps of free wine at this party? Suki said and looked a little more intrigued. Sokka was also looking intrigued and asked her if she thought there would be lots of poff military people there. Oh loads, Rena said. I mean my grandfather and like heaps of his buddies all resigned or retired or whatever it is you do here and this is like a big 'Yay, we are out of the militray party' so there is going to be heaps of the old blighters. Rena was most insistent that we shouldn't let that put us off. Rena was sure we'd all be able to find a nice corner to enjoy the plonk- away from the poffs. Sokka readily accepted before we'd had any chance to discuss it and I shot him a warning look, which he waved off. Rena looked delighted that we could come and pulled an invite from her bag. I brought one along, just in case we met any groovy people today, oh I'm so glad you guys can come. It'll be at our house and it starts from three. She started giving Sokka detailed directions about how to get to the house from the main square in town and then turned to me and Suki and said that we should dress classy but a little slutty, because most of the poffs were bringing their older kids and her mum had told her there would be some really cute boys in the bunch. She said this with a cheeky wink.
The wink was wasted on me because there was only one boy I was interested in and at this point he showed up. Zuko and Aang and Rei had came back from the other side of the temple. They were all ridiculously sweaty. I will admit I may have been a bit entranced by the sight of sweaty Zuko. His hair all plastered to his face, his shirt sticking to his well toned muscles. Mmmmhhhh. I realised that I wasn't looking at him in a very cousinly manner and so I tried to school my expression and look elsewhere (I may have failed in this attempt to look elsewhere, but at least I tried). Aang declared that he was going to go dunk himself in the nearest fountain and never come out. Rei agreed with this plan. Zuko told them there was a big fountain in the atrium of the temple, but they would both have to learn to get used to the heat if they wanted to bend better. Neither of them heard this because as soon as Zuko said there's a fountain in the main atrium, they both took off in that direction.
-?-
Don't you want a too get cleaned off too? Sokka said to Zuko cheekily. Nah I'm good, Zuko said it a shrug. Sokka kept making the cheeky face. What? Zuko asked crossly. Well, you are a bit of a sweaty bastard at the moment Sokka said. In a fit of maturity Zuko got Sokka in a headlock and started giving him a sweaty noogie and said who's a sweaty bastard now. Sokka got up and tried to get Zuko in a retaliatory headlock. Inelegant struggling ensued.
While the inelegant struggling was in progress, I started clearing away all the crap Sokka bought from Zuko's seat (next to me of course). Sokka had bought so much crap and in Zuko's absence, in naturally gravitated to his chair. When the boys had finish being boys. They came back to sit down and Zuko gave me a big smile as he sat down. But then the great pile of trinkets on the table caught his eye. He stared a bit dumbfounded at the pile of useless trinkets and said What is all this stuff? with a great deal of bafflement as he picked up the dragon pipe. Sokka bought a lot of crap I said by way of explanation.
Sokka got defensive and said it wasn't crap, it was just some stuff the kids were selling. And how could he say no to them? Easy... no. Zuko said in a deadpan tone. I knew you'd get like this, which is why I got you some fireflakes Sokka said as he pulled a bag of fireflakes from the pile and tossed it at Zuko. Zuko caught the bag and looked really happy and said Really! Hey thanks. He opened the bag and took and handful happily, but then seemed to realise that he;'d just been fobbed off with a bag of fireflakes. He looked at the pile again and said Really now, how much crap did you buy?
Sokka shrugged innocently and said I think I just got caught up in the novelty of it all. How cool is it. Here the shopping comes to you, by way of explanation. Zuko was persistent. How much did you spend? Sokka did the innocent face again. Don't worry the kids said they'd make me a good price. Zuko made a frustrated noise and said at least tell me you didn't pay the asking price. Sokka seemed offended by this and said No, I'm not a moron. I'm a good haggler. Zuko just said Sokka in a- it must be said- a very dad-ish tone of voice. Okay fine, it was only ten silver crowns, but isn't that a good price for all of this! Sokka said and he gestured at the pile of junk with a flourish and gave Zuko an eager grin. Because I was sitting next to him, I noticed the momentary look of horror that passed over his face when Sokka said ten silver crowns, but he schooled his features and said with only the tiniest pinch of sarcasm. oh, um yeah that's a good price there buddy.
-?-
Later, when we were on the ferry, Zuko told me that Sokka had in fact been disgustingly and incredibly overcharged, but he's seemed so happy with his pile of touristy junk that Zuko hadn't wanted to kill the dream. I said that the bright side was that we got to make the acquaintance of some very nice trinket selling children. Zuko smiled at me and said he loved what an optimist I was, but I didn't need to find a bright side to everything.
-?-
We collected Toph and Rozin from their favourite past time of scandalising all about them. Toph was trying to 'teach' Rozin to do a sonic wave. (Why oh why?) Toph has found someone just as boisterous and noisy and she is and she is delighted. Toph can't actually do a sonic wave, this salient fact cannot be overlooked, so all Toph was really doing was encouraging him to scream at the top of his lungs and make lots of noise. I had stifled the urge to be all motherly and point out that Toph was being ridiculous and very noisy! We collected Aang and Rei from the fountain and put them in the sun for a bit to help them dry off and then we started the long trek home.
-?-
We waited in line for the tickets for the cable car, then waited for the cable car. Remember the last time we were on one of these? Suki said to the boys quietly and they had a little -we've all been to prison together- bondy moment about the boiling rock and I felt a little left out. I mean I am not saying that I want to go to prison or anything ridiculous like that. But the boiling rock is this whole big thing for the three of them and I didn't get to have any part in it.
Toph hated the cable car and alternated between clinging to Sokka and throwing up. Halfway down Sokka realised that she was actually throwing up in the little bag he put all his stupid trinkets in. Go Toph! Sokka is most displeased.
-?-
We waited in line for tickets for the ferry, which we had to catch because all train services were cancelled for the rest of the week. The coal was needed more for the war effort that it was for public transport, ostensibly. This reason did not seem to calm the irate firenation holiday markers who had already bough their tickets. The line for the ferry was disgusting long and the wait for the next ferry was even longer and the queue for the ladies bathroom was even longer still. (I decided to hold it until the ferry). During the long wait there were many more complaints from our colonial friends about how much better things were in the colonies and how much the firenation sucked. I could see Zuko fighting the urge to snap, Well if things are so great in the colonies, why don't you go back there. Eventually the ferry came and we all clambered aboard. The ferry was big and sturdy and so Toph felt a little better and didn't throw up for the duration of the journey.
-?-
I came back from the loo and found our little group all sitting on the lower deck, the first thing I noticed was that Zuko wasn't there and so I explored the ship a little bit looking for him. I found him on the top deck leaning over the rails and looking back at the island and watching the sunset. Sunset already! This day had just flown by!
I went and leaned of the railing next to him and gave him a little nudge. What are you doing up here all by yourself? I asked softly and Zuko said grumpily I've hit my daily limit of how many times I can hear 'the firenation sucks arse' without losing my temper, so I thought some fresh air was in order. A wise decision I commended. We watched the sunset for a little while. I know that the colonial kids had annoyed the hell out of Zuko, but they were lots of fun really. I didn't mind them on the whole. I didn't want him to sulk up here being all anti-social. I know they can complain a lot, but Rena and Rei and Rozin are all okay really. They mean well. I ended up saying quietly. Zuko sighed and his shoulders slumped and he said I know...they're fine, really... he looked at the ocean for a bit and then turned to me. I'm just not good at meeting new people. He confessed quietly.
This did not surprise me. Zuko hadn't hung out with kids his own age much before he join us (unless you count his crazy sister, which I don't). He hadn't had much of a chance to meet new people and make new friends. Perhaps more days like today, meeting people like the colonials would be good for him. He'd been very patient with them actually and hadn't gotten all shouty once I remembered a time when he would get all shouty over the smallest thing. He really was making an effort at being more patient and I guess I didn't realise till right then, how far he'd come. I put an arm over his shoulder and said Well, for what it's worth, I think you did really well today. You were very patient with them. I said happily. Zuko seemed a bit surprised by the quick hug but he smiled back and said Thanks quietly. And that Rei has a crush on you, I added somewhat grumpily. Zuko scoffed and said, oh now you're just teasing me, I said I wasn't and she did and Zuko said She does not dismissively.
I am pleased that he dismissed Rei's crush. (I will admit that every time she made goo-goo eyes at him, I felt a little cross.) Mostly I know being jealous is a bit silly. I mean Zuko doesn't belong to me or anything, so it's not like I can go all crazy and chuck an Aang and say hands off, he's mine! Or anything like that. Other girls can crush on him and it shouldn't make me as mad as it does. It doesn't really matter anyway because I think Zuko's a bit oblivious when girls fancy him.
We stayed on the top deck and just chatted for the rest of the boat trip and watched the sunset. It was nice.
-?-
After the sunset we went back downstairs and joined the others. The ferry was getting close to Port Ember. Rena smiled at us when we sat back down and said there you guys are! I was just telling Sokka and Suki directions for tomorrow night. Ooh I'm so excited! Rei perked up a bit and looked at Zuko and said are you coming tomorrow night?brightly and then she smiled at him adoringly. I felt the strange urge to just splash her all over with water, but thankfully I didn't act on this (because it would be inappropriate to waterbend at harmless colonial girls, juts because they make adoring faces at Zuko). Zuko himself looked a bit perplexed at the whole thing and asked what's tomorrow night? Oh, I forgot he hadn't been there for the party discussion. Rena's invited us to her house for a party. I said by way of explanation. Zuko shot me a quick look that said oh hell no!
Yeah, it's going to be a huge garden party! My grandpa is a top general in the army and he and five of his buddies are celebrating their retirement. I will say one thing for the poffs, when it's time for a party -you guys go all out! Granpda's hired performance benders and there's a tonne of free plonk and now you guys are coming and I'm so excited. Rena said in one long smush of excitement.
Zuko picked up on the only point that stuck out to him from her long yay-party jabbering. Wait six generals are retiring at once? That's really unusual! Zuko said with some disbelief. I know, that's why they are having a big party to celebrate! Rena said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. But will the firelord be there? Zuko asked and my stomach fell, I hadn't even considered the possibility that Ozai would come, that Ozai would be here on this island. I know we have to fight him soon, but I didn't expect we would have the opportunity to fight him tomorrow night.
Oh no, don't worry. Firelord Ozai turned grandpa down flat when grandpa invited him and it was a big TO DO. Rena said in her breezy tone. Really? Zuko asked with some disbelief.
Yeah, and he was rude about it too and now all grandpa's friends scandalized and are like that's sooooo rude! (here she held her hand up to her mouth in a mock scandalised pose) As if rudeness is Ozai's biggest fault! So we will not have any of the royal family grace us with their presence and ruin our fun tomorrow night. She said happily. Zuko was looking a little uncertain and said that he didn't know if we could make it. Sokka already said you guys were coming, Rena said and then Zuko shot Sokka a look that said we will talk about this later! But out loud he said did he now?
So that's settled then! Here, I'll give you all directions to our house so you don't get lost. Rena said and proceeded to give directions while the ferry docked. We disembarked and there was much ado at the docks while we all said goodbye. Well all us older kids would see each other tomorrow, but Toph and Rozin seemed especially sad to part because neither of them could come to the party. The colonial kids walked off in a opposite direction and we waved at them and then set out for home.
Less than thirty seconds later we heard the sound of swift running feet and Rozin was back. He tapped Toph on the shoulder and she turned around in surprise. Rozin proceeded to blither at her and his blithering went something like this: Hey Toph... I was just...really...um...oh bugger it. Then, in what appeared to be an act of insurmountable bravery, he leaned forward and gave her a gentle peck on her cheek. I really like you he said and then he blushed. Toph blushed an impossible red shade and appeared stunned speechless. Me and Suki both said aaaawwwww in unison. He looked up and realised we were all there and watching eagerly and then his small face flushed with embarrassment. He said, okay, bye then and ran away like a whirling dervish while Aang glared knives at his retreating form.
Toph is all aglow.
It is most adorable.
-?-
Sokka teased Toph most affectionately about her new 'boyfriend' for the duration of the walk back, but she was not as rude or standoffish about it as I thought she would be. She kept smiling this private little smile to herself. Aang would periodically say that Rozin wasn't so cool and was kind of annoying and he talked way too much (etc) in a very disgruntled tone that went ignored by Toph.
-?-
When we got back home, Toph and Aang went for an earthbending session while the four older kids gathered in the kitchen 'making dinner'. We were actually discussing the logistics of the party as a group, while I made dinner. Sokka was very keen to go, Zuko was not. Out side, Aang seemed to be earthbending with much more vigour and this impressed Toph and every now and then we'd hear a tumultuous crash and well done twinkletoes!
The main argument of Sokka's pro-party stance is that we could find out a lot of extremely useful information for his attack plans. A party with heaps of recently retired top level generals and heaps of free wine! This was a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the inner workings of the firenation military and what was going on now. Zuko said that he'd already told Sokka all he knew about the inner workings of the firenation military. Sokka said more information was always good and all of Zuko's information was months old now and who knew what army had gotten up to in the meantime? Recently retired drunk generals, that's who.
Zuko still thought the party was a very bad idea. He said that it wouldn't just be colonials who didn't mind our less polished manners (we all bristled with indignation – much like we did when Toph said we had no manners back in Ba Sing Se). Zuko back tracked and said he wasn't trying to insult us or anything, but the firenation had a really complicated etiquette system and manners were a huge deal. There was a system of etiquette for nearly every situation. While the colonial kids today disregarded it, people like those generals would not, they would expect a certain standard of behaviour, especially if we wanted to get information out of them. Sokka said that Zuko could teach us, after all Toph could teach me to pass for a fancy earth kingdom lady and manners couldn't be that hard anyway and Zuko would be with us to make sure we didn't accidentally offend anyone.
Zuko said he wasn't coming with us quietly. Those people would recognise him in an instant and someone had to stay and look after Toph and Aang, because if we leave Toph and Aang alone in the house, the house might not still be standing when we get back. Oh. I felt a bit sad, I had kind of wanted him to come, but I could see the sense in what he was saying. Leaving Toph and Aang alone was a bad idea. Sokka said if he wasn't coming, then he'd just have to give us very rigorous manners lessons and then we'd be sweet. Zuko crossed his arms and looked grumpy but said Okay , fine. But I still think this is a bad idea. Sokka clapped him on the back and said Well that's settled then, tomorrow manners lessons... then shopping (Sokka said this with a great deal of excitement).... then party! Zuko groaned melodramatically and said why do I get the feeling your more excited about shopping for the party than the actual party!
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Lovely readers! Thank you for reading Keeping Calm and Carrying On! Or part 2 of the day at the volcano. Huge giant thank you to all my reviewers! You guys are awesome! Thanks for sticking with me while we have a short wander through OCland. Also big thanks for Lux Aureus for her really interesting review with lots of handy information about the roman empire and Caesar, I will admit that I know nothing of roman history so I found it all very fascinating! And her suggestion of using some sort of martial law to illustrate a crackdown! I used the idea of curfew and propaganda posters in the big cities of the firenation. The idea of "Uncle Ozai" and some poor media and communications boffin trying to make him look like a friendly but good and strong leader makes me chuckle (because the man is crazy and hides from 12 year olds and how can you put a positive PR spin on that?). I think these posters were done pretty quickly (the colonial kids arrive a week after the invasion) and it shows just a little.
So in this chapter we have a re-introduction of Sokka's shopping love. Because he loves it so. And also because I, like Sokka, attrack trinket sellers wherever I go. The shopping love and trinket buying frustrates Zuko. Well this whole day really frustrates Zuko actually – but look he's growing as a person! I think that Zuko really did evolve from the shouty spoiled brat he was in season 1, to the more mature and patient guy he was at the end of season 3. and I thought that a nice way to illustrate it would be to confront him with some really annoying people (like Rena) and have him NOT get shouty at her and chuck a tantrum. (if you found her a little bit annoying last chapter, don't worry, it's because she's meant to come off that way). See season 1 Zuko would have told her where to shove it, but late season three Zuko tries to be polite and patient and not totally lose his temper with her, because they are stuck with the colonials for a day and he doesn't want to make shit awkward. And Katara notices that he really has come along way and they bond!
They get invited to the party because I've always found that when I was travelling, I got invited to heaps of things from people I randomly met. When travelling, I'd meet fun people and we'd all be in the same town for a while and it would just make sense to do things together. The Gaang are the first fun people the colonials have met and so it makes sense that they would want to hang out with them some more. I think their mother and grandpa, who both know the kids wont be going home, have been not so subtly trying to get them to make friends with the firenation kids around them. The kids will have to start new lives in the firenation, and that is always helped by making new friends. So their grandpa has allowed them to invite people to his shindig. For those of you who are wondering the colonials' ages are comparable to the gaang. Rena is 16, Rei is 15-14 and Rozin is 12.
Toph gets a sweet little kiss from Rozin because she's the only one in the series who doesn't get a little kiss and I really want her to get a bit of love. Rozin, like Aang, just gets amongst it and puts his face in there when he fancies a girl. However, unlike Aang, he goes for the cheek and not the lips for the first kiss. He and Toph have hung out together all day and he is crushing on her hard core and he knows he may not see her again and so he goes for it. Toph is quietly delighted and Aang is exceptionally jealous. (but jealousy helps him earthbend, which will get him some Toph praise and that'll cheer him up).
So this party is a bit unusual. It is a big retirement bash for what in the firneation would be like a mass exodus from the upper eschelons (6 generals at once, the scandal!). Don't worry, I am going somewhere with this! So in the firenation I think there are very few ways of getting out of the military. Death and retirement. Jeong Jeong is the only successful deserter in a 100 year war for goodness sake. He's famous for it. So obviously, just quitting isn't an option.
But Iroh and I presume Piandao retired with (varying) degress of gracefulness. I think one of the many reasons was because they didn't want to be a part of the firenation war machine any longer. Well neither do these generals. It's only six of them so it is not the whole war cabinet by any means, but I think having six generals opting for early retirement all at once would be a blow. It's a small minority of dudes who have just had enough and are close enough to retirement anyway and have decided to throw in the towel rather than be a part of such senseless destruction.
These guys aren't part of the white lotus, but everyone has their line in the sand and I think Ozai cross it big time with his crazy plan. While I think most of the generals in the war cabinet now would have been cultivated by Ozai (and thus probably quite similar to him in terms of personality and outlook). These Arse-kissers are going down with the ship. Ozai's elevated him and they were always going to go along with what ever he came up with. Men like General Bujing, who's plan Zuko spoke out against (thanks Kimberly T for the name!) and men like Zhao, I see as being more part of Ozai's inner circle. But there has to be other sorts of men in there as well. Some of the old guard who served under Azulon and probably fully expected to serve under Iroh. In that scene in the war meeting when Ozai decides to burn all the earth kingdom to the ground, I don't know if it just my imagination, but not all the faces in that room look as enthusiastic about the plan as Ozai is.
These men are loyal to their country, but everybody reaches their limit of how much they are willing to let slide. I think that the retiring generals, aside from knowing people or having families who live in the colonies and worrying for their safety, there would be some good old economic common sense driving their actions. The main point of colonisation/invading the earth kingdom is to reap its riches and natural resources. Previous colonisation hasn't completely destroyed the surrounding enviroment/industry because that is what the push for colonisation was about. Trying to get more resources. If Ozai wants to burn all the earth kingdom, he's going to be burning the very reason to invade the earth kingdom in the first place. It is just moronic as well as insane. It really is mindless slaughter and I think certain men, like the colonial's grandpa, while not being a member of the white lotus, still wouldn't want to stand for something like that.
The generals would have hung out for a bit out of etiquette and optimism and trying to be good citizens. They would have tried to talk Ozai down from the crazy ledge and reason with him. What about the colonies, it economically doesn't make sense etc. But Ozai doesn't respond well to reason (neither does Azula really). So the generals who aren't on board with the plan are in a tough spot and I think the ones old enough for retirement would have opted to take early retirement before the comet rather than be a part of such mindless violence.
But the firenation being the firenation, there must be rules and manners and protocol for this. I think previously, long serving generals retired in dribs and drabs, rather than all at once, and normally when they did so the firelord of the time would send them off with honours. This is why Zuko is surprised that so many are retiring at once and that his father refused to go to the party. Ozai's refusal to attend the retirement bash would have been a grave insult and the height of rudeness. But that is the sort of firelord Ozai is.
The party I think is there was of celebrating a little and enjoying the resources of the earthkingdom while they still can. Because they all know that soon it will be gone and there is nothing they can do to stop it and so they may as well get drunk! (see previous long and rambly Authors note about subtle alcoholism in the firenation). So Grandpa gets his winemaking daughter to bring an arse tonne of the booze and much fun will be had by all. Some people, when they know the end of the world is coming, and feel like there nothing they can do to stop with, will invariably, just want to party. They may as well.
The party will be a great opportunity for the Gaang to learn some more info from all the drunk and disgruntled generals there, Sokka is right about that. But there is still no way Zuko can go. Colonials didn't know who he was, but the firenation snobs at that party will recognise him in a heartbeat. So he'll stay home like a good team dad and take care of the kiddy-winks while Katara goes off to have a bit of fun. Katara will look awesome, but more importantly she will learn some surprising things at the party and there will be shenanigans.
Til then my lovelies...