I'm sorry for not updating sooner.
After arriving in the South Pole with Kya, Katara headed to the home that Tonraq and Senna lived in. It had once been the White Lotus compound but after Korra's disappearance, the group had left at Tonraq and Senna's request. Tonraq went so far as to say that confining Korra was the worst thing he ever did. "By hiding her from the world, I left her unprepared for the world," he said in his last meeting with Katara. He hadn't explained why things had soured between him and Tenzin and Katara hadn't asked. Now, she knew why, and had to reason with him and Senna before their desperation led them to do something they'd regret.
As they approached, Kya thought she could hear babies crying. Senna opened the door, looking tired but much happier than she'd been for the last year since Korra's disappearance.
"Master Katara, it has been some time," she said to her old teacher, before noticing Kya. "What are you doing here?"
"We haven't talked in almost a year," Katara said. "I think it's time that we do."
"This really isn't a good time, Katara," Senna replied, and then an alarm started blaring across the streets. As everyone started rushing for cover, Katara was puzzled. It sounded like a storm warning but there was no bad weather in sight. Then, a strange beam of energy went into the sky and a bubble appeared, quickly covering the Southern Water Tribe.
"What's going on?" Katara asked, bewildered by what she was seeing.
"I'm sorry about this," a strange voice said from behind, at which point a blue light hit them from behind and both Katara and Kya were knocked unconscious. When they awoke, they were in a strange room that was unusually hot with dry air. Looking around, it appeared to be underground, dug into a cave.
"I'm sorry that Kay-Bee did that," a familiar voice said. Katara and her daughter looked to see Tonraq, who neither had seen since the day Korra had disappeared.
"Where...where are we?" a puzzled Kya asked. "Who is Kay-Bee? Why did he knock us unconscious?!"
"Kay-Bee is one of the friends Korra has made in her absence," Tonraq answered, surprising both Kya and her mother. "This is a power plant her other friends have built upon her and Mako's return."
"Wait, Korra is back?" asked both in surprise.
"She and the others are currently offworld with the Executor, but on account of our new friendship, we have come to augment the defenses of this planet," a new voice stated. It belonged to a man in a black uniform, a black cap, and a strange insignia of several blue blocks in a row on the left side of his shirt. "We would have revealed ourselves outright but given how our last encounter went, they agreed it was best done in secret."
"I've never seen you before," Katara said.
"Nor have I," Kya added, though she was getting increasingly nervous.
"I was dressed differently, in the carbon freezing chamber," the officer stated, at which point he was flanked by four new figures, at which point Katara, and her daughter's eyes flashed open in alarm. The 'Army in White', as the Obsidian Knight's minions with frowning helmets were called, hadn't made as big an impression on the world as their master. But they had still killed massive numbers of Metalbender Police in Republic City and Kya remembered them freezing her, her siblings, and nephew after their ill-fated attempt to use the crystal they had.
"Lord Vader returned Korra, Mako, and their children home, exactly as I hoped," Tonraq said.
"So, that's who Senna is looking after in your house," Katara said in realization. "And I suppose this room is about denying us water to bend."
"Given how your family seems determined to pick every unwinnable fight they can, it seemed prudent," the officer stated. "After all, we are here to help Colonel Korra protect her world from threats you can barely imagine. Besides, you should be thanking us."
"Thanking you?!" an angered Katara retorted, incensed at the attitude of this man. He was acting as if he and his master had done nothing wrong when they killed her husband and so many others twenty years ago.
"Yes," the officer replied. "Korra knew that one day, your son and his Airbending school would run into a threat out of their league and that the White Lotus couldn't protect them from it, yet again. So, she made sure we had eyes and ears there, along with a detachment of Stormtroopers ready to rescue them. In fact, they have just reached safety and are now awaiting your call from the communications center. Korra and her friends will be helping Lord Vader handle the Hutts throwing a tantrum on your world." After a moment, the two looked at Tonraq in disbelief.
"What do you expect me to do?" he asked. "Darth Vader has done more for me than anyone else in my life. My own daughter is telling me how this is necessary. I have every reason to trust Vader." Pausing for a moment, he gestured down the hallway, pointing to the communication room. After some reluctance, Kya and Katara followed the 'Stormtroopers' as the white-armored soldiers were called. After arriving at the communications room, they were led into an open chamber with a large screen. It turned on and an image of Tenzin appeared.
"Tenzin, are you alright?" Kya asked her brother who was sitting down with a cast over his right knee.
"My right leg is hurt, Meelo has a broken foot, Rohan's left ear was injured, and the Southern Temple is gone, along with many of our students," he said rather distressed. "Otaku had been murdered and impersonated by an alien, but one of my new students was placed by Korra to help us in case something happened. Also, it seems the reason Kuvira has been dressing her soldiers like Vader is because she's joined him."
"At Colonel Korra's recommendation," an armored officer with golden hair said next to Tenzin. "And since Lord Vader is such a benevolent but stern man, he also rescued her and her friends from the Hutts. All while Korra and the rest of us wrecked their little operation."
"Yes, I heard how you ingratiated yourselves with Kuvira and her followers," Tenzin replied, rather annoyed. "If it's all the same, I would like to hear Korra and Mako's opinion of their time with your 'Empire.'"
"You will have that chance," the officer stated. "Provided you remember Lord Vader is as welcome as you are." At that moment, he heard something in his earpiece, and looked surprised. "Well, it seems that the Hutts have attacked Republic City," he stated, to the shock of Tenzin and his family. "Korra and Mako will be handling that, while Kuvira and Lord Vader will deal with the ships above. The Empire is about to make its grand debut on this world."
As Korra and Mako got ready, they were joined by Director Krennic and his Death Trooper squad, the Firebender having decided to join them while Vader and Kuvira boarded the enemy flagship. "I enjoyed our last mission together, Master Mako," Krennic stated to his teacher. "I will be joining you and Master Korra on the ground."
"Sir, we will be going into this blind, I must recommend-""I've been in unexpected battles before, Captain Avarik," Krennic interrupted his head of security. "Besides, we are just securing the VIP Asami Sato."
"Thank you for that," Mako stated as he and Korra got onto the shuttle. Kuvira had just gotten into her pilot suit and was headed for her fighter. Korra thought it would be better if people recognized her and Mako in Republic City, so they weren't wearing their armor. As Baatar headed over to his shuttle that would fly him to the EUA, he looked over at Korra and Mako.
"There is a chance that Prince Wu will be there," he told them, showing them a picture of the Earth Kingdom's heir apparent. All the information that Korra and Mako had seen indicated that he was selfish, stupid, and overall unfit to rule the Earth Nation. "It would be best if he doesn't survive."
"He's a fool with no army or real backing," Mako noted. "Without Korra, he's just a dumb singer who's lived most of his life in the URN."
"But he's the accepted puppet of traditionalists who want to steal what Kuvira and I have built," Baatar persisted. "As well as the foreigners who think they can depose Kuvira. They will try even harder to put him on the throne after learning of our alliance with Lord Vader. Their efforts will be stopped before they even begin if Wu is no longer with us. Besides, for all anyone else knows, he would have been killed by the Besadis in the thick of this battle. It's not like anything of value will be lost if he dies."
"We got to get going, now," Krennic stated before Mako or Korra could respond. As their shuttle took off, Mako considered what Baatar had said, while Korra listened to the mission briefing.
"The Hutt ships have hit two of the closest military bases to Republic City," Captain Avarik stated. The Death Trooper commander pointed to the holographic display of the city. "The Hutts are sending in dropships to deploy their troops to begin sacking the city. They have close air support in the form of a few snub fighters and corvettes for heavier firepower."
"First thing we need to do is take out the corvettes," Mako noted. After formulating a plan on how to handle the Besadis, he asked about his family in Republic City along with Asami.
"Your grandmother and her family are here," Avarik pointed to a dot on the map. "Sato is visiting her father before he's sent to that island prison."
"What?" Korra said in surprise. "Hiroshi tried to kill us and her when she wouldn't join him. Why would Asami go to her father?"
"Perhaps he's claiming to have turned over a new leaf," concluded Krennic. "Either way, we have our orders. Captain, follow Colonel Korra onto the ground while I help Major Mako with the corvette."
"Understood, sir," Avarik affirmed. His superior would be safe with one of Lord Vader's apostles and the Director had become a fine Firebender in his own right. Each of the six Death Troopers had become Benders but they were still early in their training, limited to defensive use and enhanced mobility, so they would be joining Korra on the ground as her backup.
Asami was led through the prison by Officers Lu and Gang to the room where her father was.
"It's good to see you again, Asami, even if it is the last time," Hiroshi started.
"I'll come visit you-""Thats sweet, beautiful, but that's not happening," Gang cut her off, smirking obnoxiously. "When he goes to the Boiling Rock, he'll be denied contact with the outside world as well as visitors. In a couple years, he'll be as dead as that boyfriend of yours and the Avatar he left you for." Asami scowled at the unpleasant policeman, who'd never missed an opportunity to throw his weight around. But before she could respond, a massive explosion sounded close by, knocking her and Hiroshi onto the floor. Asami looked up from her overturned chair to the locked door where Lu was standing outside. All of the sudden, a series of noises that sounded vaguely familiar started coming from the hallway.
"Lu, are you alright?!" Gang exclaimed as he heard a smash come from outside. Rushing forward, he ignored Asami's warning not to open the door. Immediately, Gang was shot in the chest by what Asami knew was a blaster bolt. As the creature that Darth Vader had called an Aqualish came through the door, Asami smashed her chair into its head, and she rapidly grabbed its blaster to shoot the Gammorean outside in the face.
"Wha-what's going on? What are they?" a shocked Hiroshi asked as Asami rifled through Lu and Gang's pockets, finding the keys to her father's cuffs.
"Aliens," she said while unlocking his cuffs.
"Now is not the time for jokes, Asami," he stated. Like most people, Hiroshi didn't believe there was life on other planets.
"I'm not joking," Asami reiterated as they rushed out of the wreckage of the prison. "Space Aliens are attacking the city. I know they are aliens, because my friends and I met them while looking for Mako and Korra."
"OH," her dad said in realization with a look of worry. "I see." As they made it onto the street, they saw sheer chaos in front of them. Flying machines of bizarre shapes fired on the buildings with red and green bolts that exploded on impact. Larger ships landed and unleashed beings of human size and shape, if bizarre in appearance, as well as great beasts they herded into battle. The police force and those trying to help them were overwhelmed, as they had no idea what they were facing. Asami saw a mech fire its cables at one of the larger creatures. It was pulled off the ground by the brown monster, which smashed it to pieces before grasping one of the Metalbender policemen. With a roar, it ate the man in its hand in two bites. As a Klatooinian spotted her, she shot him in the chest before he could fire himself. Hiroshi started her car and Asami jumped into the driver's seat, as her father didn't understand everything about the new model.
"Who are they?" a baffled Hiroshi asked his daughter. Hearing a sonic boom, he looked up and saw several of the smaller craft heading into the sky before vanishing. "What do they want? How did you meet them?"
"When they couldn't kill her, the Red Lotus settled for using a magic crystal on Korra," Asami said as she weaved around the various debris on the road. "They broke it and a month ago, Tenzin and the rest of us put it back together. It went wrong and scattered our party to three different planets." All of the sudden, a tire on their car burst and Asami narrowly managed to avoid crashing. Hearing a screaming dive, leapt out of the car, running into a corner before the car was blown up. The best option seemed to be going to that underground homeless enclave that she and her friends had, ironically, used to hide from the Equalists.
"Where did it send you?" her dad asked as they caught their breath, hiding in an alley.
"It sent me and most of the Airbender kids to a castle on top of a volcano, owned by a very angry-looking man named Darth Vader," she answered. "After some tension, he saved the oldest of the kids from alien gangsters. Then, he sent us home and promised to come here with Korra and Mako."
"A castle...on top of a volcano?" Hiroshi asked in amazement.
"Yeah, I was a bit surprised as well," his daughter stated. "Vader said he built the castle there so he could reflect on a past mistake. Tenzin didn't trust him but Vader sent us home and kept the crystal, promising to return Korra and Mako in his starship."
"Do you recognize the aliens attacking us now?" he asked as they heard another explosion.
"Some of these aliens are the same as some of the thugs Vader saved Jinora and her boyfriend from," Asami answered. "I don't know if these are the same gangsters, Black Sun he called them, or if they are something else." As they made their way to the homeless enclave, they were confronted by many blaster-wielding thugs, with one of the giant animals they'd brought snarling at the Satos', a strange metal plate implanted into its forehead. But at that very moment, their salvation was on the way.
As Mako and Krennic prepared for their boarding of the enemy corvette, Korra saw a large number of enemy troopships heading for Republic city. Avarik, looking at his datapad, saw that Asami's car had stopped moving. One of their agents had planted a tracking device on all Asami's personal cars, allowing the Imperials and Korra to track her whereabouts.
"Where is she?" Korra asked, worried about her friend.
"She's just gotten out of the prison," Avarik said. Thanks to the earpieces Krennic had given Korra and Mako, they could understand the Death Troopers even when their helmets were encrypted. Deciding to get there as fast as possible, Korra leapt out of the shuttle, using her Firebending to fly toward the ground. One the way, jumped onto one of the starfighters, and blasted the cockpit with her Firebending, sending it crashing into another fighter. Using her lightsaber, she jumped onto a transport and slashed one of the engines, jumping off before it exploded. She heard in her earpiece that Asami was cornered, so she jumped onto another fighter. Looking at the terrified pilot inside, Korra stabbed him with one of her lightsabers before using the Force to guide the fighter's descent down.
Before the Besadi thugs could advance on Asami and her father, Korra sent the fighter smashing into the Rancor's face. The explosion blew the monster's head apart and before the assorted thugs could react, Korra slammed into the ground, unleashing an Earthbending wave that knocked them off their feet. Before they could get back up, Korra Waterbent a storm of spikes, skewering most of them. Charging forward with her Airbending, she coated the remainder with water, freezing them in place before Earthbending a huge wall and crushing them under it. Walking through the dust and smoke, Korra saw a familiar face.
"Korra?" asked Asami Sato. Korra smiled back and her friend rushed up and hugged her. Korra returned the smile, and then she saw Hiroshi, frowning at him.
"Hello, Avatar Korra," he said politely. After noticing Korra's displeasure, Asami said that if she could give Darth Vader the benefit of the doubt, she could give her father a chance to atone.
"Well, he better not disappoint," Korra said in a somewhat threatening tone while looking at Hiroshi. Seeking to change the subject, Asami asked about Mako. "He and one of our friends are handling the biggest ships up there. Come, follow me, we'll rendezvous with my backup."
As Korra charged down to help their friends, Mako and Krennic jumped out of the shuttle themselves, flying toward one of the two CR90 corvettes that were providing close fire support for the Besadis on the ground. When they landed on the roof of the ship, Mako used his lightsaber to cut a hole into it.
"Follow me, I know the way!" Krennic ordered, shooting a pair of Klatooinians with his pistol as he dropped in. Mako quickly followed, deflecting a blaster shot from one of the other crewmembers back into him before hitting another with a fireblast. Mako and Krennic both blasted themselves through the ship's corridors, Mako chopping the occasional thug with his lightsaber while Krennic shot several of them. They quickly made it to the bridge, sliding in before the doors closed. Mako and Krennic quickly dispatched the bridge crew with their Firebending, Krennic shooting several with his pistol before they could get back up while Mako beheaded the captain. Rushing forward to an astromech interface, Krennic inserted a computer spike, breaking the various automated restraints. Mako shut power off to the guns while Krennic took the helm. Sending the ship on a collision course with another ship, they quickly made their way to an escape pod, jettisoning shortly before the ships collided and exploded.
"Well, that was something," Mako said after their escape pod landed. The two of them had barely managed to fasten their harnesses before jettisoning from the ship. This, along with how short the ride down was, left both him and Krennic rattled.
"We're lucky we weren't pasted," the director replied as they got up. "Most impacts like this would shatter the pod into a million pieces."
"Major, Director, we are headed to you now," Captain Avarik said through their earpieces. As Mako looked at the city around them, he realized that his grandmother and the rest of his family were living close by.
"Change of plan, Captain," Mako ordered. "Rendezvous with us on the corner of Jade Street and Kyoshi Avenue."
"Acknowledged, sir, I'll inform Colonel Korra," the Death Trooper commander answered. As Mako and Krennic advanced, Mako saw a Rancor on the street, clawing at the building where his grandmother and cousins were living. Tu and his father were trying to guide the younger family members, Yin, and their neighbors before being cornered by five Weaquays, stopping them. There was a Nikto riding the Rancor, with a control panel implanted on the forehead. As it snarled, reaching for Mako's family, he fired a lightning bolt at the rider, sending the rider flying off and the Rancor whimpering in pain as it fell backward. Charging forward, Mako used the force to lift some debris in the path of the blasters fired his way. He blasted one of the shooters with a telekinetic strike, while Krennic shot one with his blaster and burnt another with his bending. Launching himself into the air with his Firebending, Mako got on top of the Rancor's head and stabbed his lightsaber into its brain.
"Mako, is that you?!" his Uncle Chow exclaimed. Yin looked and saw her grandson, who'd been missing for roughly a year, fighting a frightening animal she'd never seen before. She was still wearing the scarf Mako had given her in Ba Sing Se. Jumping down, he blasted one Weaquay in the face with his Firebending and shot another two with the Weaquay's pistol. As Krennic killed the last of the Besadi thugs in the area, Mako looked at his family. After a moment, his grandmother ran forward and hugged him, his Uncle Chow and Cousin Tu following close behind, along with the others.
"I'm so glad you're safe," his grandmother said. "I was afraid I had lost you like your father."
"I almost was," he said softly. "But Korra and I met Orson and others willing to help us." Mako introduced his family to the Imperial research director, who gratefully thanked him.
"Well, Mako and Korra introduced me to Firebending, and others to Bending as a whole," he politely stated. "Most people in the wider galaxy had never heard of Bending."
"Wait, 'Galaxy'?" one of the other apartment building residents asked.
"Yes, I'm a space alien, as are those people," Krennic stated in a completely straight face. Yin was shocked, she'd heard her whole life that there was no life on other planets and that the palace of Ba Sing Se was the center of the universe. Unable to process this, she decided to change the subject.
"It's wonderful that you are back, Mako," she said. "Your brother has made a terrible mistake and fallen under a bad influence, trying to destroy all the good the monarchy did. He needs to leave before he makes the terrible mistake of fighting the new king." Before Mako could explain that he didn't agree with the monarchy at all, he heard Asami calling him. Turning around, he saw her, Korra, and a grey-haired, thinner Hiroshi Sato. He ran over to her, and hugged her along with Korra, all three of them smiling, but when Mako looked up, he frowned at Asami's father.
"Hello, Mako," Hiroshi said with contrition, understanding the Firebender's mistrust. Yin walked up and asked if Mako and Korra had married yet.
"Uh, not yet, we've been a bit too busy finding our way across the stars to do so," Mako said embarrassingly. Deciding to rescue his teacher from his predicament, Krennic spoke up.
"Mako, Captain Avarik and the others will be here, soon," he reminded his Firebending teacher. At that, Mako and Korra explained the two of them alongside Krennic would handle the other attackers and that the 'Senior Officer Protective Detail' would be safeguarding them from attack. Asami wanted to go with her friends but relented when they explained she didn't know enough to help in this situation. At that moment, the shuttle flew above and quickly disgorged the Death Trooper squad before flying off again. Everyone was rather intimidated by the appearance of the tall, black-armored soldiers with green lights on their helmets. They were further frightened by how the troopers spoke in what sounded like radio static.
"Turn off your scramblers, Captain Avarik," Krennic ordered.
"Yes, sir," the squad commander said after pushing a button on his helmet while his subordinates did the same.
"We met Avarik and his squad the same time we met Orson," Korra addressed the assorted citizens in front of her. "You can trust them. They will keep you safe, but they can't do that if you don't do as they say."
"Can't you stay here?" one of the people asked.
"We need to help the other people being attacked by the Besadi Kajidic, as these jerks are called," the Avatar answered. "I suppose that means we'll have to save Raiko, as well. Hopefully, he'll learn his lesson and do as I say from now on."
"What about those ships they came in?" Mako's cousin Tu asked.
"Lord Vader is handling them as we speak," Avarik stated. At that, Asami's eyes flashed open.
"Darth Vader is here?" she asked rather nervously.
"Of course, Asami," Korra told her friend. "We'll talk more about this later, we have go." At that, Korra, Mako, and Krennic jetted off to find more Besadis to fight. All while Asami dreaded the moment Darth Vader would return to Republic City, even as none of the others had any idea what was coming.
Next chapter, we'll follow Vader and Kuvira handling the Hutt fleet above, the Cloud-Riders rescuing the prisoners of the Boiling Rock, and Vader returning to Republic City.