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Asami

The motorboat skimmed through the water of Yue Bay, as Asami skilfully piloted it away from Republic City. Behind her, Mako and Korra held their seatbelts tightly as the small craft was buffeted by the waves.

"Where are we going?" Korra called.

"And why is it in such an inconvenient place?" Mako added.

Asami just laughed. "We couldn't just put it in plain view of the entire city! Anyone could be watching. And you'll see in a minute."

As she spoke, the little boat approached a rocky outcrop that jutted out on the far side of Yue Bay, isolating a small body of water from the rest of the city. A particularly big wave buffeted the craft, and a spray of water hit Mako in the face.

"This had better be good!" He called, spluttering. just as Asami reached the end of the outcrop and turned in. The boat sped around the corner to reveal a pair of grey ships sat behind it, several smaller tenders swarming around them. The ships had the twin-hulled catamaran designs of Battleships of the United Republic Navy, but something was off about their appearance. Their bridge and masts had been removed, and their funnels jutted out diagonally from their starboard side instead of up out of the top like a regular battleship. Instead, the tops of their hulls were entirely flat.

"So you brought us here to look at warships?" Korra asked.

"Not just any warships," Asami replied proudly. "These ones are mine. As in Sato Industries helped design and build them. That one on the left is the Taka, and the other one is the Washi."

"Impressive," Mako stated drily. "Why are you building warships? Isn't this like what Varrick was doing?"

Asami sighed. "No. For a start, I'm not doing this to profit off a war. I'm doing it to help maintain peace."

"Is that how it works?" Mako raised an eyebrow.

"It shouldn't be, but it is," Asami pointed out. "Sometimes the only way to maintain peace is through superior firepower. If the moral belief that war is wrong isn't enough on its own to deter an aggressor like Firelord Sozin, the knowledge that they'll lose the war often is. I would be very happy if these two were never used in anger, but we can't be too careful."

Korra seemed to accept this reasoning. "So why have you brought us here then?"

Asami rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" She asked. "I'm going to take you in a flying machine."

As she said this, she pulled back on the throttle and drew the boat up against the hull of the Washi. A ladder was extended, and she grabbed it and began the climb up towards the deck. Mako and Korra exchanged looks and followed her. They were met at the top of the ladder by General Iroh II.

"Iroh!" Asami greeted him happily.

"Asami!" He replied. "It's good to see you again. If I may say so, that was quite a show you put on in Ba Sing Se."

Asami realized that he had seen her electrocute Kuvira in full view of hundreds of people.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have done that but she was attacking Korra."

Iroh shook his head.

"Oh, I'd have done the same in your shoes," he replied. "She had it coming, but I don't think I'm supposed to say that."

"I'll keep the secret if you will?" Asami offered.

"Done," Iroh accepted, before looking over her shoulder.

"Speaking of secrets, who gave clearance for these two to find out about our project?"

"I did," Asami stated. "Just now."

Iroh raised one eyebrow.

"Oh come on! This is the Avatar, for Spirits' sake!" Asami pointed out.

"Oh alright then," Iroh relaxed. "But if Kuvira finds out, I'll know who to blame." He addressed Korra and Mako. "Welcome aboard! Are you here for the full tour or just the quick one?"

"Actually, we were hoping to have a go in one of the flying machines," Asami told him. Iroh nodded.

"You do know we've only managed six successful landings?" He asked.

"How many have you attempted?" Mako inquired.

"Don't worry about that," Iroh waved his hands dismissively. "Everyone survived, at least."

" Don't worry, he's joking," Asami told him. "Nobody has crashed for months."

"That's not much better," Mako grumbled. "

They had moved away from the ladder and towards the rear of the ship, where several flying machines indeed stood. There were two distinct types; one longer one and one shorter, stubbier one. They looked very similar to the machines that the Equalists had used to attack Iroh's United Republic Fleet when Korra had saved his life, but while those machines had used several smaller propellers on the wings to drive them along, these ones only had the big propeller on the front of the fuselage. They only needed the one engine now.

Iroh barked some orders at some nearby crewmen, and they sprang into action. A group of them ran towards one of the longer machines with canisters of fuel, and a hook was attached to the front of the craft, which was attached with metal wires to runners either side of the runway.

"The longer ones are torpedo bombers, the shorter ones are interceptors," Iroh explained as Asami picked up a helmet. Mako and Korra nodded seriously. "We've developed light glass canopies to make it more comfortable to fly in bad weather, but it's a beautiful day. You won't need them."

A ladder was wheeled up to the side of their aircraft and Asami clambered into the pilot's seat. Korra got into the navigator's seat just behind her and Mako climbed into the last seat at the back. Given that that seat was always reserved for lightningbenders to allow them to fire at pursuing aircraft, Asami supposed that was appropriate. There was a large metal box built into the side of the fuselage next to he middle seat where Korra was.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Mako called. "This runway seems rather short."

"It'll be fine!" Asami signalled for the crewmen to stand clear, and then pressed a button on the dash. With a jolt, the engine roared to life and the propeller began to spin. Asami let it tick over for a minute before giving another signal. She was met with a thumbs up from one of the crewmen before a red flag was raised. Asami glanced to her left and saw a metalbender take position and assume a bending stance focussed on one of the runners.

"Are you ready?" She shouted behind her.

"No!" Korra replied.

Then the green flag was raised, the metalbenders fired the runners forward, Asami opened the throttle, and the plane was thrust forward with incredible acceleration. She pulled back on the control stick as they ran out of runway and plunged alarmingly off the front of the carrier. Korra yelled behind her as the water rushed up to meet them, but then the plane got enough speed and lift and began to gain altitude. Asami breathed a sigh of relief as she began to gain altitude, and Republic City appeared in the distance. Asami glanced behind her to find Korra holding on for dear life. She couldn't see Mako's face because he was facing backwards but he looked tense.

Asami leaned back in her seat and allowed herself to relax, pushing the stick back as the torpedo bomber soared up, high above Yue Bay, leaving her worries far below. She felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Korra shouted into her ear. Asami gave her a thumbs up.

"It's just you seemed in a huge rush to get us into the air just then," Korra continued. "And I know you said you just went to see your father-"

"My father's fine!" Asami shouted, accidentally moving the stick and sending the aircraft into a slow roll that she corrected immediately.

"I know that," Korra continued. "But are you? You do have a tendency to seek adrenaline rushes when you worry."

Asami thought for a moment. Then she shook her head.

"I've tried so hard," she said. "But he still thinks Amon was right!"

"He'll come around."

"That's what I've been telling myself for three years!" Asami exploded. "I've tried and tried and tried some more, come at him with facts, emotional appeals, pleas from his daughter, but he refuses to give up his attachment to that man! What more can I do?"

Korra just shrugged. "I don't know," she said.

"And because of it, he won't even help me!" Asami finished loudly.

"Surely you don't need his help?" Korra asked. "You are a genius."

Asami smiled at that, but her mood soured again. "We do need it; we've got a good aircraft but we haven't got a good torpedo," she said. "My father developed the ones that were used in the attack on Iroh's fleet the first time, but he refuses to share his experiences. Meanwhile the ones we have explode when they hit the water if it's going too fast."

Korra put her hand on Asami's shoulder.

"Come on, you're Asami Sato! You're a brilliant engineer, just like your father! I know you'll sort this out."

Asami moved her hand backwards to grip Korra's hand in her own.

"Thanks," she shouted into Korra's ear. "I hope so too."

"It is a nice view up here," Korra said. "I like this thing. It's like a noisy sky-bison."

Just then, a strange noise began coming from the box next to Korra's seat. Asami twisted her head to try to look at it,

"That's the radio!" She said. "Someone wants to talk to us!"

Korra eyed it nervously.

"How do I operate it?" She asked.

"open the top, there should be a headset," Asami replied. Korra did so, put it on her head, and listened for a few seconds. Her eyes went wide.

"Asami!" She shouted. Mako twisted his head around too, hearing the noise.

"What?"

"We need to go and land now!"

"Are we about to be attacked?" Asami asked worriedly.

"No," Korra replied, the worry evident in her voice. "Apparently there's just been word from Suyin! An enormous Earth Empire army has just surrounded Xaofu!"