OhioGuy: Glad you're enjoying it. Haven't really gotten too into the constitution planning yet, but I do have something in mind. I actually attempted to introduce government in this chapter. The governors are appointed when this chapter happens, but eventually they will become elected leaders. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

Disclaimer: Shockingly enough, I still don't own any of it.


Chapter 4

Two weeks had passed since they were basically thrown out of the royal palace. Azulon had made record time getting back to North Island, pulling back into her berth late the night before.
Lee and Yuan stood in the main lobby of the North Island governor's office. The Five Island council had called a meeting, and they had been requested to attend. He wondered what they would have to say.

Both he and the captain had read the message to the Fire Lord. They had been shocked at the boldness of the words, and Lee was concerned now. If the council was serious, he knew that his ship and his crew were about to be caught up in a conflict between the Fire Nation and his home.

A door opened behind them, and Lee heard someone clear their throat. They seemed nervous, as if they too were beginning to understand the gravity of the shifting winds.

"Captain Yuan and Lieutenant Lee," the young man, a steward if Lee remembered correctly, said, "the council is ready for you."

The two officers turned in unison and walked through the double doors, into the council's meeting room. It was spacious, yet simply constructed. The floors were marble, cut from a quarry on Gold Island. In the center was a large circular table made of a beautiful black wood, polished so it almost seemed to shine. A map of the North Sea Islands was painted in a large square of blue in the center.

Lee looked around the table, silently ticking off the people that he recognized. Directly across from the door sat the governor of North Island, Nishi. She had inherited the role from her father after his death a few years before, but was doing a remarkable job so far.

To her left sat the governor of Gold Island, the lush land to the southwest that was responsible for most of the food production for the colonies. Known for extravagant living and beautiful women, even during the war, it was no surprise to see that the man had grown fat with indulgence.

On the other side of him was a man that looked to be his polar opposite. Governor Jian, overseer of Black Rock Island, was a hard and thin man. His island possessed several coal mines, and served as a testing ground for army technology.

To the right of Nishi sat governor Qiao, the leader of Blackwood Island. The ambitious young woman had a lot on her plate, as Blackwood was known to have the most crime out of any of the islands.

Finally, to Qiao's right, the governor of the Rift sat. The wild looking man was a perfect match to the rough, untamed wild of the northern most island in the chain. The only waterbender on the council, Mako wasn't known for being a very talkative man.

"Greetings Captain Yuan," Nishi said, rising from her seat, "and greetings to you Lieutenant Lee. Please, come and have a seat with us."

Yuan and Lee took their seats opposite from Nishi. As soon as she saw that they were as comfortable as they could be on the hard marble floor, she began addressing the room.

"Now that our esteemed representatives from the Navy have arrived, let's get down to business."

Esteemed representatives from the Navy, Lee thought to himself, when did we suddenly have a say in how these colonies were run?

"As you all know, about a month ago we sent Captain Yuan to the Fire Lord with a message. Since that time, you all have seen the executive order, stating that an additional twenty ships have been pledged to the support of the Captain, for the purpose of enforcing our removal from our homes."

Everyone nodded in silence. Lee knew the real purpose behind the Navy's thinking. It was insurance, in case Yuan decided to back the islands.

"I have spoken with the men in charge of the research complex. They have cast their lot with us, meaning we have the technological prowess of the War Ministry on our side."

"With all due respect," Jian spoke up, "technology alone isn't going to be enough. We're talking about rebelling against the Fire Lord here."

"I agree," Qiao said, "the Defense Force alone isn't going to be enough to stand against the full fury of the Fire Nation military."

Yuan cleared his throat.

"If I may?" he said. Nishi nodded in response.

"Of course, Captain."

"Thank you, ma'am. The Fire Lord's resources are stretched way too thin by the Harmony Restoration Movement. The twenty ships he's sending my way represent the majority of the remaining vessels necessary to protect the home islands. Were it not for the current situation, we would have an entire fleet to contend with."

We?

"I notice that you said 'we' in there, Captain," Jian said, raising an eyebrow, "are you saying you're willing to back us?"

"My fleet's duty is to defend the North Island research complex from external threats, as well as protecting the colonies from invaders."

Lee was stunned speechless. He looked over at Yuan, hoping to see some hint of a joke in the older man's eyes. He was disappointed to see that Yuan looked more serious than he ever had. The rest of the room seemed to be in a similar state of disbelief.

"Well," Nishi finally said, seemingly hesitant to speak, "I can honestly say that none of us were really expecting you to get on board so easily. How many of the men and women under your command are going to share your willingness, Captain?"

Yuan looked over at Lee for a moment, staring at him as if trying to read his mind.

"I don't know for sure," he said, "Lieutenant, how do you think the sailors will react to being asked to join in this rebellion?"

Lee felt the attention of the entire meeting shift onto him. For the second time in two weeks, he'd been put in the spotlight in front of very important people.

"Sir," he said, nodding to the captain, "ma'am. In my opinion, you can count on the majority of the colonists joining up with your plan. Everyone I've spoken to about it has no desire to go back to the home islands, but I'm sure there will be some that don't want to betray the Fire Lord. The problem will be anyone from the home islands. They're going to be the ones that don't have a stake in the fight, and won't want to try to fight for the freedom of the islands."

"Could any of them be swayed to our side?" Qiao asked. As he thought about it, Lee became uncomfortably aware of how intently the young governor had been watching him for the past several minutes.

"A few probably could. They're going to be the ones that have become disillusioned with the rule of the Royal Family. Most of them, however, are so heavily indoctrinated that they won't even think to step away from their duties."

"Could they be convinced that their duty is to you?"

"I think what Qiao is trying to say," the governor of the Rift said, his voice so soft that it was almost a whisper, "is would it be possible to convince the sailors under your command that their duty is to the ship they serve on, to the brothers and sisters that they serve with, over some national idea, some royalty that they most likely have never even seen for themselves. Royalty that doesn't even know they exist."

"A hearts and minds campaign," Yuan said, more to himself than anyone else.

"With some work," Lee continued, realization beginning to dawn on him, "I'm sure that we would be able to convince several to join our cause. But there are still going to be men and women that, no matter what, aren't going to throw in with us."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Nishi said with a respectful nod, "I propose that we adjourn for a week, so that the Captain and Lieutenant can get a feel for where their men stand on this matter. Meanwhile, I urge each of you to return to your islands and start probing your citizens as well, to see how many of them are willing to separate from the Fire Nation to keep their homes. In one week's time, we will meet again to finalize our future."


Lee waited until he was back out in the lobby with the captain to speak up.

"With all due respect, sir," he said, throwing as much anger into his voice as he thought would be appropriate when addressing his commander, "are you out of your mind?"

"I'm afraid I don't follow, Lieutenant," Yuan replied, turning to face him.

"You just pledged the betrayal of your men. You're counting on them agreeing to something that has never been done before."

"The men will do what their hearts feel is right, Lieutenant."

"And how do we know that this rebellion is what's right?"

"We don't. I don't. However, Lieutenant, what I do know is that men, women, and children are being removed from their homes all over the world. They're being pulled out of the lives that they've created to be sent back to a land that, for some reason or another, they left voluntarily in the first place. And why is that, Lieutenant? Because two people that wear crowns decided it would be a good idea. Because a twelve year old kid with an arrow on his head wants it to be that way.

"People fighting to keep their homes, the lives that they've created for themselves and are happy to be living? Doesn't sound like it could be any more of the right thing to do than it already is, Lieutenant. Besides, I have a feeling that you've already made your choice."

Lee looked away, ears beginning to burn with shame. Yuan was right. He'd made his choice the second it had been put before him.

"Now, Lieutenant, I know you think this is going to be hard. But you're a man born of hard circumstances. You've fought to establish your position in this world, and you've fought to keep it. Now, your home, your islands, are calling you to establish their position, to fight to keep them. The road isn't going to be easy, but you've never chosen to walk the easy road in your life. You were born for the hard road."

"Yes sir."

"We have a lot of work ahead of us Lieutenant. Two weeks to get the men's minds right for rebellion."

Yuan looked over Lee's shoulder and smiled slightly.

"But, it looks like you have company. I'll be in my quarters on the ship, Lieutenant. We can continue this discussion later, if you would like."

Yuan turned around and walked away. Lee's hands started to hurt, and he realized that they'd been clenched into fists the entire time he'd been talking to the captain. He shook them out before turning around to see who the captain had been talking about.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything," governor Qiao said with a smile, "I know how you military types can get."

"Governor Qiao," Lee said, saluting and bowing. She waved the gesture off.

"Please, just call me Qiao. Listen, Lieutenant Lee, right?"

"Yes ma'am."

"May I call you Lee?"

"If you prefer."

She laughed. The sound was much more pleasing than it should have been, and for a brief moment Lee allowed the wall that separated pleasure from work, the wall that maintained his professionalism, to fall. The young woman standing before him was beautiful. Her black hair shone in the light of the lobby, the light seeming to accent the shining pair of golden eyes she had perfectly. Although her smile was shy, he still noticed that it must come out a lot more often than he thought.

"Stop being so stiff and formal, Lee," she said, lightly touching his shoulder, "I understand that the Navy makes you do it, but still. Lighten up. Look, I have a ferry waiting down at the docks to take me back to my island. Would you do me the honor of escorting me there?"

Lee nodded and even allowed himself to smile.

"It would be my pleasure, ma'am."


The day outside was bright and sunny, but nowhere near as brutal as the days in the home islands had been. Lee breathed in the afternoon air, his nose picking out the variety of scents that he'd been smelling all his life. Burning coal from the shipyards, smells of fish, fresh fruit, and burning amber leaves from the market close by, and the ever present tang of salt in the air drifting in from the ocean.

He looked over at the beautiful young woman that was accompanying him, and wondered for a second what he was doing. Everything about Qiao had the look of Fire Nation nobility, while he was just a colonist that had risen far above his station in life. The only way that she could have been any farther beyond his league was if she was the Fire Lord's sister.

"So, where are you from Lee?" she asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Here on North Island, actually. I grew up near the shipyard."

"Really? What a life this must have been."

"What do you mean?"

"I grew up in Fire Fountain City. My parents were rich, I got everything I wanted. You know, the works with us nobles."

"Sounds like you must have had a much better life than I did."

"Depends on your definition of better. Everything was so boring. I wanted to know what it was like to have to struggle for everything. To have to fight to survive."

"Well, I've done plenty of that. My father was a metalworker over at the shipyard, while my mother served in the CDF. She was killed repelling an Earth Kingdom raid. Dad died a few months later in an accident at the shipyard."

Qiao laid her hand on his arm, looking at him with a mix of pity and sadness.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"No need to be. The wounds of their passing have long since healed. I grew up an orphan, but rather than letting my life fall apart like most of the others I knew, I decided to do something with it."

"That's very admirable. If only everyone on my island had the same mindset as you. Oh! We're coming up on the docks now. Hold on a second."

The two of them stopped, and Lee turned to face his companion. She straightened up her appearance before smiling at Lee.

"Tell me, Lieutenant, would you be willing to do a pretty young woman a favor?"

Lee nodded, inwardly wondering what she was up to.

"Good. Unfortunately my personal ferry was damaged in a recent storm, and is still undergoing repairs. A rich merchant from my island offered to give me a ride over here, and I had no choice but to accept. The problem is that he's one of those annoying suitors that seems to think that all I am is a pretty face and a ticket to higher ambitions."

"So where do I come in?"

"Simple. You're going to be the handsome, intrepid young naval officer that doubles as my current love interest. You up for it?"

"I don't know-"

"Oh, come on. Surely the great Lieutenant Lee isn't too scared to take a governor by the arm just to make her suitor angry?"

"Are you listening to what you're saying?"

Qiao laughed again, and Lee sighed. As much as he didn't want to draw the ire of some rich man who was very likely a criminal, he couldn't say no to her.

"All right. Let's do it."

She smiled and almost immediately thrust her arm through his. They rounded the corner together and started walking towards a small cargo ferry.

"Now," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder slightly to make herself more easily heard, "when we get closer, act like you're telling me some funny war story."

Lee thought hard for a moment, settling for the time on one of his earlier cruises when his ship had engaged a small squadron of Earth Kingdom ships in the waters near Ba Sing Se. As they approached the ramp he was telling her about how they had attacked just before daybreak, throwing the Earth Kingdom captains into such confusion that one had come up on deck in his underwear, shouting orders to his crew until another one of the vessels ran into his own, casting him overboard. Qiao laughed the entire time, so convincingly that he wondered whether she thought the tale was genuinely funny.

A big man was standing out on the deck when they stopped. He didn't look at all pleased, and Lee had to wonder whether this was the wealthy merchant that she had been referring to.

"Thank you Lieutenant," she said, a bit louder than was really necessary, "for being such a gentleman and escorting me back here. I'll be sure to write you as soon as I can."

She mouthed a quick thank you to him before turning away and beginning the climb up the ramp to the ferry. He watched her as she went, stopping only to return the heavy scowl that the merchant sent his way. The other man was much larger and more intimidating, but years of war and training made sure that Lee wasn't the first to look away.

As soon as the two were out of sight, Lee turned and began the long walk back to the Fire Navy piers by himself, smiling the entire way home.