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CHAPTER FOUR - STRUGGLES OF THE INTERIM CHAIRWOMAN
Air Temple Island wasn't suited to accommodate this many people at one time, at least not until the expansion project was complete.
It was the day of the Avatar's public funeral procession. The date of the private funeral had yet to be decided. Almost a quarter of the entire Air Nation flocked to Air Temple Island to attend a brief assembly shortly before the procession was to start, organized by Jinora's mother, who currently served as the Interim Chairwoman. The assembly had one purpose; to make clear to the entire Air Nation that no one, especially Bumi and Jinora, was to plan or join offenses against the Red Lotus, independently or by assisting the United Forces.
The Air Nation had grown considerably over the last few years. The relatives of airbenders and their relatives had grown to endorse the peaceful, spiritual way of life the Air Nation offered in contrast to the chaotic outside world. More and more defected from the Earth and Fire lands, recognizing the corruption of their leaders, favoring more virtuous ones. The Air Nation was attractive, after all. It was noble, it was respectable, it was a breath of fresh air. Not to mention that an individual's influence was multiplied in the less densely populated Air Temples.
Jinora wriggled her way through the yellow, red and orange colored sea. "When is my uncle scheduled to arrive?" Jinora asked the overwhelmed man. He frantically flipped through the sheets attached to his clipboard to find the Northern Air Temple section and scanned the page for any mention of Patriarch Bumi.
"He should be here already, Master Jinora." He looked around. "The head Northern Air Temple airship should bear the insignia."
"It that it over there?"
"Oh, yes. It is."
"Thank you."
. . .
"Uncle."
"Jinora." He hugged her. "I'm so sorry, Jinora. I can't imagine what you're going through right now. You okay?"
Of course she wasn't. She wouldn't have been sleeping nights or eating meals if she wasn't forcing herself to keep her strength and get stronger for the sole purpose of avenging Korra and raining justice down on all members of the Order of the Red Lotus.
"Yeah, I'm okay. You heard the news, right, Uncle Bumi?" she asked when they separated. "It was definitely Zaheer, he's not in his prison. He escaped."
"I heard." The Patriarch of the Northern Air Temple shook his head. "It had to be an inside job, they couldn't have done this alone."
"That might be the case," Jinora thought out-loud. "The two sentries posted outside were killed, but all the other guards were only knocked out."
"Like they wanted to minimize casualties," Bumi added.
"Yeah," Jinora nodded. "And Chief Beifong told me that when the guards were interrogated, all of them said the same thing. They were attacked by men in White Lotus Robes and face coverings."
"Well," Bumi said, starting to walk towards the building. "Let's hope we can convince your mother to let us dig further into it."
Jinora prepared to fight through the crowd again before realizing that the sea of Air Nation citizens had parted itself for the Patriarch of the Northern Air Temple. Jinora wondered why she, as the heir to the entire nation, didn't have that luxury, but didn't let it bother her too much.
"How's your dad, by the way?" Bumi asked while they walked.
"It's nothing serious, the doctors said that he'll be fine in a few days. Of course, I wish he could be fine in a few minutes. We'd have an easier time."
Bumi would laugh under different circumstances. "Against Tenzin. Against Pema. Our chances are slim either way."
THIRTEEN HOURS AGO
"You can't at least wait until the assembly tomorrow!?" yelled an enraged Pema.
"We have to do something now! The sooner the better!" Jinora tried to argue.
"The answer is 'No', Jinora! I will lock you up if I have to! You wouldn't just be putting yourself in danger, it'll be everyone!"
"Mom, we're not monks anymore we don't have to hide-"
"You will not disrespect the traditions of your ancestors! Times may change but peace is always the priority! There's nothing more important than keeping the Air Nation safe."
Jinora: "How can we feel safe if he's running around out there with who knows how many terrorists-"
Pema: "We must remain neutral!" Pema wouldn't let her daughter finish a sentence. "That's how we survive. And we do need to survive because I don't know if you've noticed how many of us there are – it's not many!"
Jinora: "So we just stay safe in our temples while he does whatever he wants? That's so selfish! You're acting like-like…"
"Like what?" Pema walked closer to her daughter.
Jinora: "You're acting like a coward!"
Pema slapped her. The stinging strike had left her daughter facing sideways. The mother leaned in a little closer and spoke into her ear. "Korra wouldn't want this."
Jinora turned her head to face forward again. The slap had caused some of her hair to come down over her face, obscuring the tattoo on her forehead somewhat. "You don't know anything about Korra," she said quietly through her teeth.
"Oh, of course not!" Pema scoffed. "What would I know? After all I didn't spend all my time with HER when I should have been spending it WITH MY FAMILY!"
Jinora's entire being clenched. But she had to remain calm. No matter who this person in front of her is right now, no matter who she was in the past, no matter if she was her mother or the source of all of her rage, as Tenzin was bedridden, Pema was the Interim Chairwoman, the highest authority of all the Air Nation.
Jinora left before she could escalate things further. She would try again the next day, with her like-minded uncle by her side.
PRESENT
Tenzin faded in and out of consciousness, there was no way he could attend the assembly. Ikki, Meelo and Rohan stayed by his side while the adults decided the future of the Air Nation.
Pema sat in the large chair at the front, facing the entrance, while everyone else would be sat or stood facing her. The last of them were pouring in. The small hall didn't have standing room, let alone seats for everyone. The Patriarch of the North and heir to the nation were already seated, waiting.
She knew that she would have to take over for Tenzin if he was unavailable for whatever reason. But this? How could she foresee these circumstances? She was present for almost all of the important Air Nation gatherings, but sitting on the chair itself was completely different.
But she knew what she had to do, Tenzin was very clear.
'You must hear all objections and respond appropriately,' she remembered him say. 'You must show that you have an understanding of the situation and have good reason to warrant your stance, but you also have to lay down the law. No matter who it is that defies you, you have to let them know that you're the one in charge, not them.'
Pema was more anxious than her stoic expression lead on. Lay down the law, she chanted in her head. Even against my first-born and brother-in-law? It was easy for Tenzin to talk. He had never battled against his own family.
The doors closed and the last of the crowd lined themselves by the walls. Silence. She stood up to address the room confidently after clearing her throat.
"You all know me as Pema, soon to be Matriarch of the Eastern Air Temple, but as you are aware, my husband, Chairman Tenzin has been unable to attend to his duties for the last few weeks and most likely will be unable to until further notice. Before his return I will be taking on the role of Interim Chairwoman. I believe there are no objections?"
Bumi, however displeased, nodded in agreement along with the other leaders. The Chairwoman cleared her throat.
"It is abundantly clear that we are going through some unexpected tribulations. We are on our way to be gathered in Republic City today to mourn the loss of Avatar Korra. But we are also here to celebrate the life of Avatar Korra. And life is what Avatar Korra fought to protect. Every day of her avatarhood. Every single day. She fought to protect the lives of all of us in this very room..."
She paused for a breath before subtly fixing her eyes to that girl that'd argued with her last night.
"It is of my understanding that my daughter, the heir to this chair on which I sit, Master Jinora, and also her uncle, Patriarch Bumi who represents the Northern Air Temple, wish to assist the United Forces in their search and neutralization of the extremely dangerous criminals at large. I believe they are willing to act independently should the rest of the Temples refuse to give aid."
The Interim Chairwoman began to panic internally as she began realizing that none of the audience reacted particularly opposed to the idea. They were respectful people, sure, but not even a slight change in expression from any of the leaders? She cleared her throat again.
"However, our predecessors were pacifists and avoided any globally offensive activities. I'd like for us to remember that no Air Nation citizens were injured in the recent incident. It would be suitable for us to continue our time-honored tradition and remain completely neutral in all world conflicts as it would ensure the safety of our growing nation during this critical era."
She took a deep breath. "With the power licensed to me by Chairman Tenzin, I order the North to stand down, along with anyone else who wishes to aid the United Forces. The entire Air Nation will remain idle until further instruction. Are there any objections?"
"Objection!" called Bumi, standing up. "You mentioned that no Air Nation citizens were harmed during the attack, but my brother, your husband, our esteemed Chairman Tenzin, was due to attend the summit, along with my niece, your heir, Master Jinora." He indicated her, sitting next to him. "If it wasn't for our incredible luck, we would have been severely hit."
Pema: "Tenzin- Chairman Tenzin himself advises against retaliation."
"Objection!" Jinora stood up, "I, on the other hand, don't."
"Objection!" called one of the leaders who worked under Bumi in the North. "I thought Chairman Tenzin was unable to carry out his duties? How was he able to advise anyone?"
"I-I'm his wife! He can speak to me while he's conscious."
"Objection!" called another Northerner. "It's of my understanding that Chairman Tenzin is in a delirious state – how do you know what he says is really what he means? How do you know that he is aware of the current situation?"
Pema: "I assure you that he's aware and responsive enough to advise me. A- and even if he wasn't, I'm the Chairwoman. The decision falls solely on me."
"Objection!" called the other man from before. "You're not the Chairwoman, you're the Interim Chairwoman."
"Wh- wh…" Pema was at a loss for words. Did Bumi arrange this-this mockery of the assembly?
"Objection!" called Bumi again. "You said that none of us were hurt. Does that mean that if one of us was hurt, that would warrant a retaliation?"
"Objection!" called another one of Bumi's lackeys. "Patriarch Bumi is right! Isn't the death of the Avatar reason enough? The Avatar is a citizen of all nations!"
"No, no, th- that's not-" Pema stuttered.
"Objection!" One of Bumi's men again. "Chairman Tenzin was part of the force which imprisoned Zaheer's group. He wasn't neutral then, why do we have to be neutral now?"
Pema: "The Air Nation didn't exist back then! And the Red Lotus is much larger now!"
"Objection!" said Jinora. "The air nomads believed that balance in the world was paramount, shouldn't we work to keep it?"
Pema: "But- but balance isn't what's at stake here!"
"Objection!" said someone else. "I think balance is at stake here, and I agree with Master Jinora! Zaheer threatens the balance of the world! He wants to introduce chaos!"
Pema: "Our priority should be to keep ourselves and our children safe!"
"Objection!" said Jinora. "So we should leave all the other children of the world to fend for themselves?"
Pema: "No, I- I didn't-"
"Objection!" called Bumi. "You said-"
"ENOUGH!" The Chairwoman had made it clear that she had had it. "This is not a debate!" She pointed to Bumi. "You are not the Acting Chairwoman here, Bumi, I am! And neither are you, Jinora!"
Jinora stood up again. "I am Chairman Tenzin's heir and I-"
"Right now," Pema interrupted her daughter as she had a habit of doing, "you are my heir, Jinora! You will do as I say! Not Bumi, not the northerners, not the United Forces, ME!" Jinora sat back down, but not without leering at her mother. "All of you will stand down! It that clear?" The Interim Chairwoman surveyed the room to make sure there weren't any more objections before calming herself once more. "Good. Once Chairman Tenzin returns you are free to take it up with him. Until then, the assembly is adjourned." The room watched her hustle across the hall and out the door.
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NEXT: CHAPTER FIVE – SUSPICIONS
"Jinora," rasped a bedridden Tenzin, "The security at the summit was tight. No explosives would have gotten through that detail. It had to be someone on the inside. I'm sure of it."
Jinora boomed out the window and through the air, blowing the door right off its hinges when she arrived.
"Master Jinora," he bowed.
"You know, the last time I visited you, you were… less hospitable… how long ago was it? Wow, more than ten years ago, now."
"Yes," he agreed, raising his head. "My sincerest apologies, Master Jinora. I assure you, I was not aware of the full extent of Unalaq's plans."
"Yet you sided with him. Against. The Avatar…"