Chapter 2: Infiltration?

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Kanna gently squeezed Pakku's hand, responding with a smile. Pakku sighed, turning to Sokka, "Take care of her. I'll be back tonight in time for your shift."

"Ten hours past midday," Sokka reminded, "Sharp."

"I know, I know."

The old waterbending master planted a quick kiss on Kanna's forehead before reluctantly stepping out. Kanna sighed, watching him leave. The old man, who was known among the tribefolk for his bitterness, had been in love with Kanna ever since she came to the South with baby Hakoda at her hip. Pakku had warmed up to the new mother, who had then been abandoned by her rich former fiance. Over the years, Pakku insisted that he would wait for her and fill the void in her heart. He had loved Hakoda as his own, stood in as a father figure during Hakoda's wedding, held Sokka and Katara when they were born. He grieved for Hakoda as he would over his own son. If anything, the man's bitter and radical attitude reared back at full force ever since Hakoda's demise. Nevertheless, he bore within him a sweltering hope that one day, Kanna would be free of her heartaches and familial duties and marry him.

At least, if I'm not taken by the Spirits. Her attention flew to her grandson, who was working diligently to pour some bitter-kelp soup into a bowl.

"That's enough, Sokka," Kanna held her hand up before her grandson poured too much.

"Auntie Yugoda said you need to eat a lot of bitter kelp," he insisted, handing her the soup. "It's good for the body."

Kanna sighed, "There's no flavor in this."

The tribesman couldn't help a small grin. Usually, it was Gran Gran who shoved healthy dishes down his throat and he was the one yapping on about flavor. "Fine, I'll add a bit of honey to it."

"Don't waste your energy, wolf pup," she placed the bowl aside, "Besides, no amount of kelp can stop the inevitable. Everyone must surrender their breath to the sila sooner or later."

"Gran, stop that. Auntie Yugoda said you're perfectly healthy. You just need to rest up a bit, that's all!"

Eyeing him, "What did she really say, Sokka?"

"She told us to take good care of you," he sat next to her, offering her a cup of water, "She also said you gotta be nicer to your grandson and appreciate him more often. Apparently bossing people around too much can cause stress."

Kanna chuckled, ruffling his wolf tail, "My rowdy little wolf pup."

"Look, Katara and I will do all the work around the house," he said. "You just need to sit back and relax. I got the night shift, so I'll do the chores during the day. She'll take care of the evening chores…"

"And what do I get to do? Sit around and be bored all day?"

He thought for a moment before, "How about I get you a husky puppy?"

Kanna shook her head, "I'm at the age where I should be playing with great grandchildren, Sokka."

"You will, you just gotta be patient. Katara's getting married. Give 'em a year or two." Leaning forward, "Though between you and me, by the looks of it, they'll probably make me an uncle sooner than expected. All those oogies, ugh…!"

Kanna lay against the pillows, lost in thought as she listened to her grandson's rambling. A moment later, she stopped him with a hand to his shoulder. "Can you do something for me?"

Blinking, "Yeah. Anything."

"I want to see Katara's marriage, Sokka."

"You will—"

"I need to see it before anything happens to me," she clarified, looking at him in earnestness.

Sokka softened his eyes, "Nothing's gonna happen to you, Gran Gran—"

"I know what it means financially to expedite a wedding. I know we asked many people, and we are still indebted to many people. But I want to see Katara's marriage before I go."

"You're not going anywhere. Stop talking like that."

But she only shook her head, "I don't know if I can believe that."

Exasperated but worried, "Gran Gran—"

"Just hear me out, Sokka. I already talked to Katara and Aang about having the ceremony earlier, and they agreed to it. Aang said he will convince the monks and his friends to come down here and hold both ceremonies here for my sake. That boy is truly a gem. He says he's more than willing to cover our expenses. But it would not be good on our part to make him responsible for everything."

"Come on, Gran, Aang and Katara have been in love since they were kids. There's no need to be formal with this. Aang gets it, he really does—"

"He has done so much already," she emphasized. "And Monk Gyatso has also helped us out from time to time, but this isn't just a big day for Aang. It's a big day for Katara, too. The groom's side should only be responsible for the Air Nomad ceremony; we need to do our part to host the Water Tribe ceremony. Tradition demands that much, at least." Holding her grandson's hand, "Please, wolf pup. I know I'm being selfish, but just in case…"

"Gran Gran, please. If you want to see the wedding earlier, then just say it. I'll figure everything out. But don't say something's gonna happen to you. I'm not letting anything happen to you, okay?"

Kanna smiled, smoothing her grandson's hair, "We want you to pick a good day for the wedding. Once we have what we need."

"Me?" he blinked, "But Pakku's obviously older."

"Pakku said he will do his part as a guardian," Kanna said, "Piandao will be right there with him. But I'm counting on you to take Hakoda's place. You are connected to Katara by blood; you are most important right now."

Sokka thought for a long moment before giving in, worn by the day's anxiety, "Give me two months. Two months, and I'll try to get everything situated."

Kanna nodded, her smile widening, flickers of life glimmering in her tired eyes. "I trust you'll make it happen."

"I literally cannot give you any more money, Sokka."

Sokka rubbed his head wearily, "Come on, Sangok, I'm not asking to give me yours. Look, you can take it all out of my salary again. Give me six months' worth like last time—"

"This is the first month you're getting your salary back," the tribesman said. "And I know you don't wanna go another six months without a salary. Katara won't be here to look after the family. She'll be moving in with Aang, remember?"

Sokka sighed, realizing Sangok was right.

"Besides, I can't keep letting you do this. Arnook Industries policy. You can only do this three times. So far, you've done it twice."

"I told you I'll work overtime. You said you had an opening for night security. I can do both. I'll keep watch, and I'll run the machines—"

"I gave someone that job this morning, and he needs it more than you do."

"Fine, but can't you just give me a personal loan?"

"That's not happening," Sangok shook his head, "There is just no way I can expect you to pay it back when you've got a lot of other debts—"

"You can cut ten percent of my salary every month until it's paid off. You have access to the vault, don't you?"

"I'm sorry, man, but I don't want to have to be last in line if you go bankrupt. If you need money that bad, ask someone else."

"No one else is gonna help me out. I've asked everybody in the village three times over."

"Then here's an idea. Why not get married? Your bride can bring you lots of dowry."

"What the hell are you saying?" Sokka frowned. "That's the dumbest tradition to ever exist on the planet."

Shrugging, "Well maybe not dowry or anything, but gifts? I mean, if only your Gran Gran wasn't so adamant about making sure you don't marry a girl from a rich family. It would've been easier for you."

"Well I'm no opportunist," the young warrior huffed.

"Beggars can't be choosers, man."

"Thanks for the tip," Sokka stood up, displeased, "But I'm not stooping that low."

Sangok watched as the warrior brushed the dust off of his tunic and walked off. Shaking his head, "You and your morals."

"Brothers and sisters! Wake up to the truth behind our factory walls!"

As he approached Piandao's hut, Sokka slowed his gait, recognizing the booming voice to be Pakku's. He was surprised to see that so many workers had assembled there, glued to another one the old waterbender's fiery speeches. Pakku's face was flushed with fury.

"The toiling worker is nothing but a puppet to Zhao and his minions!" he thundered as he paced the hallway, "And the suffering tribesman is but a joke. What does that make of a working tribesman? A slugworm in the mud! A sewer-rat unworthy of basic rights!"

Sokka took a deep breath, lingering cautiously by the doorstep and remaining at an angle where only Piandao could notice him. The swordsman took note of him and gave a subtle nod before stepping out.

"I heard about Mother Kanna. How is she?"

"She's better now, but she's gotta take it easy. Katara's with her," Sokka said, gesturing to Pakku, "What's with him now? He was fine earlier."

"You know how it is with him."

But Sokka could notice that Piandao was hiding the troubled look in his eyes. "Did you meet with the supervisors at Whaletail Island? Did you ask them about the money? What did they say?"

Piandao crossed his arms, "They're refusing to give compensation. Apparently we are peasant stock and undeserving of even a single copper piece."

Glaring, "They can't do that! This is against our contract!"

"I told Zhao I was going to proceed legally, but I'm not sure how successful that would be."

"What exactly are you going to do, Piandao? What can you do?"

"I will have them all fired for all I care. I'm not the one in desperate need of a job, and I'm certainly not in desperate need of workers."

"There are millions of capable men from the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom who are willing to travel across the world to feed their families under whatever terms I issue them. It won't take long for me to coax them here and replace these barbarians."

"Barbarians—?"

"We are nothing but machines!" Pakku boomed, startling Sokka out of his wits. "Eating like fat boarcu-swine and making us starve! Making our families starve! Think of the children! Think of the elderly! Think of your pregnant women! All of them left to starve in the streets!"

"Our folks earned that money by hustling in those metal hellholes!" an impassioned tribesman roared back. "In sickness and disability! Through weakness and pain!"

"And even more shameful, Arnook is a tribesman!" shouted another, "And yet! WE are the savages?!"

"The balls those bastards have to spit on our careers!" came another, "Our futures!"

"And are we just going to stand there and let that happen?!" Pakku roared.

"NO!"

"Never!"

"We need to get back what's rightfully ours!" Pakku kept yelling, riling up the crowd. "No matter what Arnook and his ashmaking assistant think! If they insist that we be savages, then let's be the savages that tear down his walls!"

Despite their share of anger, Piandao and Sokka shared alarmed looks. Where is he headed with this?

"There's no way we can force them to hand over the money," someone from the crowd stated.

"They have legal resources, too. What can we possibly do to get them to surrender the funds?" asked another.

"Yeah, what exactly are you saying, Master Pakku?" came a third.

Pakku, harboring a fierce resolution in his eyes, "I'm saying we should infiltrate."

More translations:

Sila - "ether"