A model of Republic City had been earthbent out of the ground. While it wasn't perfectly to scale, it had all the important landmarks and streets. Red Flags marked Red Lotus hold outs and blue flags represented areas where there were New Equalists who'd refused to join either side. Green flags were placed where there were other people who refused to work with the Equalists, and yellow marked all the forces Republic City had left, including the police forces, partisan defenders and a small contingent of United Forces soldiers that had been in town for an event. Most of those soldiers had been dealt out to separate groups to help coordinate and train people to fight.

Little balloons represented the airships and there were chopsticks positioned where the radio jammers had been discovered by Jinora's scouting team. They'd been unable to engage.

Korra looked at her handiwork, pacing around it and trying to get a sense of what they needed to do. While she wasn't a general, she had a good head for strategy and had only gotten better at it as she'd gotten older. Her eyes kept going to the blue and green flags. If they could convince them to join the fight then the Red Lotus could be surrounded. An attack from the rear would drive them right into the rest of the defenders and the battle would be over. But the jammers were a high priority too. Without them they had to use scouts and runners to pass information and orders between the various groups.

But it wasn't just that or the tensions that kept people out of the fight. The Red Lotus cannons were a major concern. Kya and Lin weren't the only people to have faced them and Korra had treated several people with worse injuries, only one of which she'd been able to save. Worse had been a sobering report of casualties in the dozens from the miniature cannons alone, and even more from air to ground shelling. Korra worried for her friends and the people she'd sworn to protect, and her city was on the verge of collapge. She trusted her wife. But she was still going to worry about Asami going up to take one of those airships. She should have gone with her.

With the radios down, they'd sent a team outside of the city to try to radio the other nations. They had been unable to raise anyone in Ba Sing Se, but they had reached Mako. They'd promised him that they'd radio if they figured out an easy way to take down the tanks and airships. He'd joked that they might try the patented Sato Maneuver if all else failed.

"Any word from Bolin?" She glanced at Opal. Opal was holding up under the pressure, and knowing Bolin had been safe had lifted her spirits, but he was putting himself back in danger to help people.

But then, that was one thing she loved about him. His tenacity and his gigantic heart. "Nothing yet. Still no news from the Earth Republic. And before you ask, we did manage to make contact with the Northern Water Tribe. Eska is still alive and they've driven off most of the attackers but they're not going to be able to offer anyone any help."

"Harbor City?"

"Nothing."

"Damn." Korra sighed. There was another way to get in contact with people in the South, but it would mean sending someone into possible danger. "Opal, I'd like to ask a favor of you, but it's going to be dangerous."

"You want me to take some people through the Spirit Portal to the Southern Water Tribe."

Korra smiled, nodding her head. "Yeah. That's exactly what I want. We need to know what's going on down there, and what kind of help they'll need."

"Have hope. Maybe the Red Lotus just destroyed their radios."

"You'd think they'd have sent someone through." They had people watching the portal to see if any Red Lotus reinforcements were coming, but there'd been nothing but spirits. It was a risky proposition, sending a team. They'd be that much less prepared against the Red Lotus.

"I'll find out, I promise." Opal squeezed Korra's arm, then glanced towards the makeshift hospital. "If it's safe, I'll send some healers through to help with Kya and the other wounded."

"Unless they're overwhelmed," Korra cautioned. "I don't want to take people away from there when they might still be needed. And Kya wouldn't want that either. She'd sooner die than let someone else suffer."

"Okay." Opal leaned in, giving Korra a hug. "I'll bring some equipment and one of the radio techs, too. Just in case there's enough there to bring everything back online."

Korra watched Opal rush off. That should keep her mind off of Bolin and it would help ease her own worries about her parents. She regarded the miniature city again. Before they could move against the Red Lotus they needed to control the airwaves, and they needed to get help from people who stubbornly refused to work together. It wasn't as though most of their grievances were invalid, but Korra hoped she could get them working together long enough to get to a point where those issues could be addressed. And who knew, maybe that would be the first needed step. People trying to kill you tended to make it easier to put aside differences and then at the end it would be harder to turn to the person who'd risked their life with you and find a reason to hate them. That didn't always stop people, but she could hope.

Because Republic City was their city. All of theirs.. And Korra knew she could get them to understand that, if they were willing to listen. She just needed to be able to reach them all at once. Her eyes fell to one of the chopsticks. She could reach the whole city by broadcast if those were taken out.

"Okay then. Five jammers. Five teams. Take those out, and then see if I can get everyone on the same side."

"Korra!" Meelo swept in through the window, skidding along the ground. He would have crashed into Korra's battle plan, but was saved by a quick burst of wind from the Avatar. "Thanks." He brushed himself off. "We got the airship! But we tapped into the Red Lotus communications and you won't believe what they did!"

"Try me," she replied, relief washing over her. Asami was safe, and they'd done it! But at this point she wouldn't be surprised at just about anything the Red Lotus did. They could have dug up a spirit cannon and she wouldn't be surprised.

"They broke Kuvira out."

Or they could actually manage to surprise her. Korra lifted her hand to her face and lowered her head for several seconds. "Of all the people to break out, they choose her? We have enough problems as it is!"

Meelo grinned. "From the sound of it she was kind of kicking their asses." He didn't have to like Kuvira, but he could respect someone who got the job done. And punched people.

"Sounds about right." Korra picked up her glider staff and pointed it at Meelo. "Okay Meelo. I have to take care of this before it gets out of hand or she disappears. But I have an important mission for you. I mean it, the fate of this entire operation rests on your shoulders. Republic City needs you."

Meelo stiffened to attention. "Yes Ma'am! What do you need?"

She pointed at the chopsticks on her city. " We need to take those jammers out and we can't wait for Varrick to figure out a way to counter them. You'll need five teams, one for each jammer. I don't care what you do, blow them up if you have to, but destroy them."

With a grin that could put grey hairs on Korra's head, Meelo snapped a salute. "I won't let you down. I'll put together the best teams Republic City has ever seen!"

"Good work, Commander. I'll put a good word in with Jinora and your dad about your tattoos." She winked at him, then lept out the window, deploying her staff about halfway to the ground and sweeping up into the sky.

Getting to the prison wasn't an easy task. Not with mecha tanks and Red Lotus between her and her destination. Going by air was only slightly safer than taking the ground. There were several close calls and she nearly lost her glider at one point when an airship spotted her, but she landed at the prison in one piece.

While Korra had made it in one piece, those words were not any way to describe the prison. The ground was torn up, and all the metal in the vicinity had been twisted and melted into spinning, spikey balls of death and potential dismemberment that whirled around the battlefield, forcing the Red Lotus to take cover or be splattered across the ground. Korra caught one with her bending and reformed it into a flat sheet, using it as a shield as she approached Kuvira.

The former dictator was standing atop the remains of the administration building, wearing a yellow prison jumpsuit and soft-toed shoes. Her hair hung loosely down her back and flowed in the wind. She sensed Korra's approach without turning. Her voice didn't sound much different from the last time Korra had heard it years before. "I expected you sooner."

All of the metal in the area dropped to the ground as Kuvira turned to face her old enemy. The hair around her temples had greyed prematurely and the lines on her face showed that her time in prison had not been easy on her. There was a new scar on her chin and Korra wondered what kind of life she'd been leading since she was sentenced.

Slinging her glider onto her back, Korra held her hands out and to the side, palms towards Kuvira. "I don't want to fight you. We both know you can't win and it would just be wasted effort for both of us."

"I've no score to settle with you." Kuvira strode down the rubble like she was queen of the mountain. "The Red Lotus thought I'd be willing to work with them in exchange for parts of the Earth Republic. As though I could be bribed. Their methods and their ideology is anathema to me. I'd sooner work with King Wu." She nearly spat the name out, and folded her arms. "Nor do I wish for this break out attempt to reflect negatively on me. I'll help you fight them. But only if you convince the United Republic to reduce my sentence."

"It's not them I need to convince," Korra replied. "It's the Earth Republic. You're only kept here because this was the only facility capable of holding you." She ignored the slight smirk that appeared on Kuvira's face. Was was the operative word. Korra glanced around again. Wondering who in the Red Lotus had been inexperienced enough to bring metal.

Kuvira unfolded her arms, her expression becoming contemplative. "I never thanked you. When you spoke for me at my trial. No one else did."

"People were calling for your head. They wanted to see you hanged." Korra shook her head. "We were better than that. We still are better than that."

"You could have taken my bending."

"Never." She was vehement about that. Taking away someone's bending wasn't just a last resort, it was a never resort for Korra. The situation would have to be dire indeed for her to even think of that as an option.

The situation was pretty dire, but there were other options. She held out her hand. Kuvira had been a model prisoner by all accounts, and while Korra wasn't entirely sure that Kuvira was completely repetent, she didn't think she had much choice. "Su will probably kill me and this doesn't make us friends. And I'll still speak for you, but actions mean more than words."

Kuvira took Korra's hand firmly. "Agreed. But don't worry about Suyin. We've been.. talking lately."

"Maybe there's hope for both of you after all."

"I like the hair," Kuvira added. She'd always been fond of braids. "So what's the plan?" She called some of the metal around them to her, forming armor around her torso, legs, arms and feet. It wasn't a proper uniform, but it would do.

"We have people taking out their radio jammers. Once the airwaves are free, I'm going to appeal to the New Equalists and the anti-equalist hold outs. We're going to need them if we hope to crush the Red Lotus."

Looking around, Kuvira took stock of the situation. The Red Lotus who'd busted her out had retreated - likely to report to their superiors that she was working with the Avatar. But that didn't mean they weren't keeping tabs on them. "Take me somewhere out of sight and show me your plan. I might have some suggestions."

A smirk passed its way over Korra's face. "I guess a second opinion never hurts."

The attack plan met most of Kuvira's standards, but she had a few suggestions anyway. In addition to the forces that would pincer from behind, she thought a small force coming from the direction of the ocean would be the key to keeping any of the Red Lotus from escaping. They could also create a path to the ocean so that captured Red Lotus earthbenders could be transported to a ship for temporary holding. Similarly, a small force near the Spirit Portal would prevent a retreat through it and also handle any reinforcements.

Korra had agreed to the changes, then returned to her home to pick up a few things she'd thought she'd need - including a very upset Naga, who nearly took a bite out of Kuvira. There'd been no way she'd leave the woman out of her sight.

Returning to the headquarters with a Polar Bear dog and her pups in tow, Korra thought that maybe riding into battle on Naga's back might make the Red Lotus that much quicker to surrender. It would be a fearsome sight. She left the puppies with Pema and the children. Tenzin had returned to his wife's side, along with a small contingent of defenders. He glanced at Korra when he saw Kuvira. She just nodded at him, and he nodded back. She hoped they'd be okay, but with his arm in a sling this was one fight that Tenzin would have to sit out.

Kuvira's reception was colder at HQ. People had long memories and trust would not come easily but they didn't have a choice. Korra spent a full ten minutes explaining what she was doing and that she had turned down the Red Lotus and wanted to help. She was suddenly glad that Opal had gone to the Southern Water-Tribe. No matter how many times Su and Kuvira talked, she didn't think Opal had ever forgiven her.

"Okay everyone listen up. While I was gone, it looks like Meelo brought down the jammers. We need to make contact with the Earth Republic and the Fire Nation, to better coordinate against the enemy. But we still need help here. There are hundreds of people we can turn to our side if we're all willing to set aside our differences."

"Korra." Jia held out a radio. "We've got it tuned to broadcast across all channels and some of the airbenders have spent the past hour running wires to areas without power. The Red Lotus will hear it, but so will everyone else."

"Guess this is my moment, huh." Korra picked it up, staring at it as she thought about what she wanted to say. She knew she had to appeal to the New Equalists and to the hardline benders, while not alienating the majority of the people between them who were still in the city. She also wanted to get a few digs in at the Red Lotus. Maybe there'd be defectors.

Finally, she cleared her throat, then flicked it on.

"Attention Republic City. This is Avatar Korra. We're in trouble again, aren't we? We've got wolfbats at our gates. But we've been through worse, and we've gone through it all together and come out the stronger for it." People looked up at the sound of her voice. They knew their Avatar, they'd heard her voice on the radio or in the movers. When Korra spoke, the people of Republic City listened.

"I know we've all got some differences, that there are still problems we need to work through. But this is our city, this is our home. Benders and non-benders alike. And while it's not perfect, we can make it better. But not while the Red Lotus holds us hostage. And what do they want? They want to destroy us. Destroy the government that we built, that you built! They claim they want to give you power, but they're taking away your voice! Our voice! What happens if we let them win? What will we have to fight next?"

Korra's fist tightened around her microphone. "Another Ozai? Another Amon? Those are the kind of people that will step in to fill the vacuum the Red Lotus wants to create. That's the kind of world the Red Lotus wants to build. One where our voices no longer matter. Where there's nothing but chaos, a world of orphans and grief and war and warlords and profiteers." Korra took a breath. Throughout the city, people were listening. In a bombed out building a mother pulled on a jacket, and kissed her son good bye. In a shelter near the train station, a man picked up a baton and tested the charge. A group of New Equalists left their hide-out, and marched alongside benders and police.

"I can't fight them alone. The other nations aren't coming, the Red Lotus is besieging them too. It's just us against them, us against the Red Lotus and their technology. So I need your help. Republic City needs your help. We need to come together and stand as one, so we can show the world what the United Republic is all about. Rise up, Republic City. Stand with me. Stand with your neighbors, stand with your city. Together, we will show them that we will not have our voices silenced! Avatar Korra, out."

She clicked the radio off. Someone started clapping, and then more people clapped. Korra smiled at everyone and stood taller, raising her hands to get everyone to quiet down. "All right. We need to get this plan moving."

"What if they don't come?" Kuvira asked.

"They have to come," Korra replied. She rested her hand on Naga's head. "This whole plan falls apart without them."

"Then I pray you were convincing enough."

She stepped away from Kuvira, taking stock of the people around her. "Jia!" She waved the woman over. "I need you to handle the logistics of moving the injured out of here. Chances are the Red Lotus are going to retaliate and once they figure out where we are…"

"Lucky for you I've been working on a plan." She pulled a pen and some folded paper from inside her tunic and then unfolded it. "We have a clear shot to the docks if we take this route. There are still some ships of ours and Varrick's. We can get the injured and the kids away from the city entirely as long as you've got the Red Lotus distracted by the battle."

"Perfect." She squeezed Jia's shoulder. "Get on that. Focus on that. Have Ikki check on her mom and pass the word to them. See if you can save a ship to hold prisoners, though."

Jia nodded. She stuffed the plan back down her shirt, then took a moment to fix her bun while she spoke. "We'll be ready to move when the fighting begins."

"Good plan." Ty Lee's voice drew Korra's attention. The old woman was dressed in her Kyoshi armor, her wrinkled face painted up like the warriors of old. Her fans hung at her side, and she'd used discarded cloth and rope to cinch up some of the armor. It was a little big on her ancient frame, so the cinching was necessary. But she looked good.

"Ty Lee, I don't think this is a good idea."

Ty Lee smiled, taking Korra's hands. "I can fight. I never stopped training. Don't count me out. And maybe, maybe I'll die today. But if I do, I'll die knowing it was worth it. You're worth it, Asami is worth it. This city and the whole world. Besides…" The weight of the years suddenly seemed heavy on Ty Lee's shoulders. "Most of my friends are waiting for me, Korra. I'm tired. I'm so tired." She let go of the Avatar's hands, and squared her shoulders. "You just take care of Asami."

Korra listened, her eyes steady on Ty Lee's. Then she nodded. "I'll take care of her."

It was one of the longest nights of Korra's life. But people started to pour in. People who'd been moved by her speech, people willing to set aside their differences for something greater than each of them individually. Their home, their city, their families. It didn't matter what their motivation was, they were here and they were ready to fight.

Everyone was in position by the time the sun started to rise. Korra's team consisted of herself, Kuvira, Meelo and a dozen airbenders, as well as another twenty people of assorted abilities and skills. She led the charge through the city streets on Naga's back, while the airbenders dropped explosives ahead of them to soften the Red Lotus up. She winced a little - Aang wouldn't be happy about any of this, but she'd at least instructed them to avoid most of the direct fighting and just provide support. But this was the Red Lotus, and for the airbenders this was personal. Maybe this was something planes could be used for in the future.

Kuvira rode atop metal sled, weaving around Korra and creating rock columns as both shields and projectiles. Being on the same side as Kuvira was surreal, and Korra could tell that while she was clearly a little rusty she hadn't let her bending atrophy too much. She was as skilled as ever. Korra filed that knowledge away as something to worry about later.

Fire burst out of the ground in front of them and Naga lept over a sudden chasm in the street. She landed on the other side, snarling and barreling towards a group of Red Lotus soldiers. They scattered as the Polar Bear Dog slammed into their line. Korra lept off the back of her best friend, rolling as she landed and catching the whole group of soldiers in an earthen cage. A blast of wind knocked three more men back.

A yelp from Naga drew her attention to the left. A metal shaft stuck out of her fur, and a Red Lotus soldier that Korra had missed was pushing at it as Naga growled, trying to drive it deeper. With a single powerful bite, Naga snapped the shaft in two. Korra saw red. A rock smashed into the man's head, a gust of wind threw him into the wall. She shot forward, punching him in the face, then grabbing him by his shirt and yanking him into her fist. She drew her hand back for another punch, but someone grabbed it. She looked back to see Kuvira.

"Korra. It's not worth it. Naga is fine."

Tossing him aside, Korra ran back to Naga. "Hey girl, hey I'm here." She knelt next to her companion, inspecting the wound. It didn't look like anything vital had been hit, but there was a lot of blood. "Easy girl. It's not as bad as it looks. You're getting too old for this, I'm so sorry."

Naga whined, and Korra rubbed her snout, then reached for her water pouch. She looked up at Kuvira. "Can you bend the metal out while I heal her?"

Kuvira nodded, and shifted into a metalbending stance. She didn't understand, but she figured she didn't need to. Korra's compassion had been one of the things that had defeated her. "When you're ready."

"Now!" Korra pulled water out of the pouch, holding it to Naga's wound as Kuvira drew the rest of the staff from her flank. "I just need to… just need to stop the bleeding, then we can have someone get her out of here." Her voice was less steady than she would have liked. Naga had been with her forever and it was painful to realize she was mortal.

"We need to go." Kuvira folded her arms, looking around them. "We can send her back with two of the airbenders."

Setting her jaw, Korra nodded and stood. "She's stable enough to travel." It took four airbenders and an earthbender to carry Naga - but once Korra was sure Naga was safe, she was ready to rejoin the fight.

Just in time, too.

Above them, the airships were moving into a position over one of the market districts. They were pushing the Red Lotus into that area, which meant the fight was going to be that much harder with the airships providing cover. Explosions rocked the streets nearby as the air support pounded the city. Meelo moved like a dervish, but even with him, Korra and Kuvira they found their advance brought to a standstill as they had to seek cover from the aerial onslaught.

"Asami needs to hurry." Korra peered out. "I'm starting to hate airships."

"I think she was listening." Meelo pointed up. "Look! They're shooting at each other!"

He was right. Korra watched as one of the airships was ripped apart by the sudden attack. That was a surprise, but a welcome one. She looked at the others. "Okay. I guess that's our cue, one last push and this is all over. I'll send up the signal."

She jumped out of cover and shot a burst of fire, water, air and earth into the sky. Kuvira watched her silently.

"This is our home," Meelo muttered to himself, psyching him up. The fight was different than the one against Kuvira. This was bloodier, and he was discovering he didn't really have an appetite for it. But despite that, he bounced in place, ready to go go go. Patience wasn't his strong suit and he didn't have his sister's spiritual connection. But he was good at what he did, and observant when he needed to be. This would all be over soon.

A round object skidded along the ground towards Korra. Meelo saw it and darted forward, pushing Korra away and throwing a gust of air at the ball to deflect it away. It suddenly exploded.

The airbender was knocked back, landing on his side. The left side of his flight suit was singed and shredded and the skin on his arm and part of his jaw was burned. Dazed, ears ringing, he tried to push himself up. Blood dripped into his eyes, and all he could hear was ringing.

Another ball rolled their way. Korra grabbed it and lobbed it back the way it came. "Kuvira, take Meelo and go! Get back here as soon as you can, but..."

Korra glanced back at them as Kuvira picked Meelo up, his arm around her shoulder. The Avatar's eyes glowed and the muscles in her arms flexed as her whole body tensed up. "I'm going to finish this before anyone else who's not the Red Lotus gets hurt."