Flying was the best thing to come out of this mess. Kallik were this not so dire would definitely be messing about with the reins. But they had a job to do. And do they would to the best of their abilities.
"Okay what do we know about that type of ship?" Sokka asked putting on his thinking face. "What are its weaknesses and where can we infiltrate it?"
"Near the bow?" Katara chipped in. "It had a hinge that I noticed when they came down and I can try to slice it open."
"Perfect that'd causing a flooding situation and then we can capitalize on that," Sokka said smacking his fist into his hand. "Then Kallik can take down the Firebenders and cover me while I search for Aang. Katara you make sure Appa stays still."
"Right but we need to work fast," Kallik signed. "I'll use my breath of fire to make sure that commander stays away."
"Speaking of which did you hesitate to strike him?" Katara asked raising an eyebrow. "You were the one who told us to strike without mercy."
"Because I saw his face. You saw his scar. Do you know what it looks like?"
"A fireball?"
"No Sokka, a hand. Someone superheated their hand, and put it up to his face right in to his eye," Kallik said her disgust and horror empathized by her hands flying through the signs.
"Thats...messed up," Sokka shook his head in shock while Katara looked sick at the mere thought. "Super messed up. Sounds like something your sire would think of. OK quick question does the Fire Nation just have a monopoly on bad dads?"
"Probably not but unfortunately, our tribe is big enough to say so because of well Azulon," Kallik replied back disgust in her face as she signed back.
"Getting away from that unpleasant conversation, let's keep a lookout for the ship, and as soon as we find it, we can put our plan into action," Katara said leaning over the saddle and searching the ocean for signs of the naval vessel. Sokka followed suit on the opposite side while Kallik kept an eye on the front. Appa flew smoothly forward with nary a bellow to announce his presence. It was almost like he could sense the fact that they needed to be quiet and swift.
It was then that Kallik spotted the ship on the horizon. She let out a whistle of alarm which called her sister and brother's attention forward. They scrambled forward and looked to see the ship.
"OK guys you know the plan," Sokka said pulling out his club readying himself. Katara's fingers twitched as she readied herself to cut through the steel. Kallik just stoked her inner fire letting her determination feel its flames. That was another thing that made her different than those Fire Nation scumbags. Her fire was powered by her determination. Once upon a time she would've probably use raged and hatred, but after the Incident she started fueling it by other means because she was not a monster, and she had no intention of becoming one.
Appa quickly and quietly flew to the bow of the ship near the anchor which allowed Sokka and Kallik to grab it. Katara jumped into the front grabbing the reins and flew closer to the bow. Sokka and Kallik hauled themselves up the chain taking care to make no noise. Kallik went up first to check on patrols. She cautiously raised her head up to see none on deck. Good that would mean that once Katara sliced the hinge then they'd have minimal contact with the crew at first.
A crunch was the only warning she got the ship abruptly stopped its tracks groaning as it leaned to one side...was that Katara? Ah well a distraction was a distraction. Kallik jumped on deck followed by Sokka. Together the two of them made it to the steel door that led to the lower decks. They went on either side of it and once Sokka gave the okay slowly opened it with Kallik leading her hands held in a ready position to unleash flames at soon as the first person came into view. The hallways were abandoned probably because everyone was being distracted by the lower decks issue. While she guarded Sokka quietly opened any doors they came across to see if he could find Aang. The first and second door was a storage locker. The third...Sokka squeezed her shoulder making her stop while he quietly checked the room. Once he was satisfied he gestured her to enter.
It was a big officer's room with the decoration and grandiose look that she would've expected. It was the decorative Dao swords that called her attention. Her...brother had expressed an interest in swordsmanship which she'd scoffed at the time but now she could see the usage in them. She wouldn't use a twin Dao but another blade would do. But beside them was of keen interest to the two of them. It was Aang's glider. Sokka quickly snatched it with a worried look in his eyes which Kallik was sure mirrored her own. He tied the glider to his back using some donated rope that Kallik liberated from the Dao swords scabbards.
"We'll find him," she said signing quickly. "They're not getting away from us."
Sokka nodded as they quickly walked out into the hallway. Sokka quickly shut the door and they made their way down the hallway with the glider. They turned the corner to nearly run into an engineer.
"He-" was the only thing he was able to say before Kallik tackled him so hard it knocked him out. Sokka dragged him to the other side of the corner. Okay there were more people coming around their side. This meant more stealth for them and it would slow things down. Not an insurmountable problem but it was definitely a pain. Sokka groaned softly as the implications dawned on him as well. Still Kallik and him walked down the hallway quietly checking for doorways to see if they could find Aang.
Suddenly they heard a commotion coming from an off corridor which made them stiffen. Were they going to have to fight a battle? Then a gust of wind blew several men into the wall with thud. From the commotion came Aang looking flustered and harried.
"Guys?" Aang looked confused and was about to say more until Kallik grabbed him and pulled him to Sokka and quickly ran to the front. Sokka and Aang ran behind with Sokka taking a back to cover Aang. Aang looked like he wanted to say something but instead wisely chose to be quiet. They back tracked through the halls and reached the outer door. Kallik flung it open and ran onto the deck. Kallik heard a loud splash and looked over starboard where Katara was frantically waving them down with Appa close enough for her to make a safe landing. Kallik nodded climbing over the railing and landed in the saddle with a slightly jarring thud. Seconds later Aang landed albeit more gracefully with Sokka following with another slight thud.
"Appa yip yip!" Katara said giving the reins pull back and up. Appa obliged and turned back away from the ship with nary a noise. Once behind he pulled up into the sky did the three siblings let out a sigh of relief.
"Well that went waaaay better than I thought it would," Sokka said with a slightly hysterical laugh of relief. "And here I was thinking we'd have to fight tooth and nail to get you out Aang."
"I honestly didn't think you'd come," Aang said with a happy smile. "I mean I didn't know..."
"What? What do think we Fire Nation? No way we'd come for you," Sokka said.
"Well back in my day the Fire Nation actually used to be pretty nice and friendly people," Aang said sadly.
"Speaking of back in your day Aang why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" Katara asked.
"Because I never wanted to be," Aang replied sadly.
"Well I never wanted to be born from a progenitor that gave up and left me with a monster but I was and that's how it was," Kallik said dismissively signing. "We all have burdens we don't want. You learn to deal with them."
"Well you'd think differently if your life were suddenly changed!" Aang snapped angrily.
"It was," Kallik said signing sadly. "But it changed for the best. Everyone that mattered got what they wanted."
"What?" Aang looked at her with a new expression. It looked like...shock as well as curiosity.
"Maybe I'll tell you sometime," Kallik said trying to divert attention from her. "But Aang being the Avatar means you're the only one to bring balance back."
"We can stop the Fire Nation and end so much suffering," Katara continued. "And you'll have us to help every step of the way."
"I...thank you," Aang smiled at the them looked grateful beyond measure. "Thanks you guys for coming for me."
"No problem," Sokka said with a smile. "We stick with our friends unlike some."
"I still don't know what I'm supposed to do," Aang sighed loudly. "I don't even know how to defeat the Fire Nation."
"Well I know the Avatar is supposed to master all four elements so we can start by going to the North Pole for the both of us learn Waterbending. Then move on from there until we can defeat the Fire Lord."
"Okay so Waterbending first then Earthbending and then-.." Aang ticking down his fingers.
"You've got Firebending for the most part," Kallik interrupted bending a small flame in her left hand at the end of her signing.
"Whoa!" Aang looked mightily impressed at the small flame. "You're a Firebender?!"
"I am but I'm hardly a master," Kallik said with a smile signing with one hand flicking her other to put the flame. "I'd need a teacher as well to master my element."
"Great! We can all get teachers!"
"No me, I'm a superior warrior so I don't need help."
"Ha!" Kallik snorted aloud.
"As if!" Katara laughed.
Aang laughed as well. "Well while we head there I know of some destinations we can go to. Like Kyoshi Island, Omashu and Rabbit Kangaroo Island. We'll have a great time! But first we're going to the Southern Air Temple."
"Um wait what?" Sokka looked stunned at the idea.
"Why?" Katara asked carefully while Kallik tensed up. What reason could he have for going there? Was there something special there that the Fire Nation missed on the day of the Comet?
"I...I just want to see it. It's been a hundred years and who knows maybe there are some Air Nomads that survived," Aang said jumping onto Appa's head. "Appa yip yip!"
While it was clear that Aang had a cautious optimism about the possibility of his people surviving Kallik just braced herself for seeing the worst that her people had done. Sokka and Katara looked grimly at each other bracing themselves for the worst.
Well great grandpa looks like we get to see your bloody handy work.