Ch 17

Earth Empire Ministry of the Armed Forces (MAF)

Ba Sing Se - Upper Ring

Outside the powerful-appearing fortress of a building that was the Ministry of the Armed Forces, Ba Sing Se continued to bustle; indicative of the nation's continuing prosperity. There were crowds of businessmen and women dressed in formal and sharp suits, students in smart school uniforms, uniformed service members of each branch hustling from duty station to operations rooms, and buses of foreign and domestic travelers to Ba Sing Se. The area around the MAF tended to have dense traffic in nearby establishments as a mixture of soldiers, ministry officials, as well as civilians, were all concentrated in that area.

Standing in wait amid a small grouping of army line officers assigned to the ministry, Kuvira waited for her order at the local Starbucks establishment. The people and crowds were always warm and receptive, in the recent past there would be crowds everywhere she went to the point that a small detail of soldiers were needed to help aid flow of travel, but they finally simmered down since the Great Uniter was often easily found around official buildings like the MAF and the Earth Empire Parliament. The cafe's customer crowd were all well dressed and blended together in a way, but they're backgrounds could be easily inferred if one knew what to look for. There were sharply dressed men in impeccable tailored suits of Italian and British wools, and their counterparts, the noble and elegant ladies donning elegant and proper pant and skirt suits or dresses made of structured wool or flowing silks. These would be the the barons of industry, the high parliament officials, the trade tycoons and CEOs, and the distinguished experts and ministers of Ba Sing Se; people that can move the world with the stroke of a pen. Then you had the younger men and women, also professionally attired, with half of them donning well tailored garments and the other half wearing a crisp civilian military-like uniform. These were the office workers, the clerks, officials, representatives, and white collared members. Certain duties and jobs at this level had a uniform which closely replicated the look of the military: silver buttons, box-pleat chest and hip pockets on the jacket, perhaps a badge or other metal markers or devices pinned here and there, and polished pumps or oxfords; these were ranking members in the public service such as transit, engineering, power and energy, aviation, immigration, and even education. Then came the more functional uniforms: heavier woolen or cotton trousers or skirts, and shorter cropped Ike-jackets with coordinated ties or ribbons; trolley and bus operators, traffic officers, logistics personnel, among other more active trades. The majority of the people in this cafe, as with anywhere else in either world the Seattle-originated cafe chain operated, were the youth; mainly teenagers. Here in the Earth Empire capital, smartly attired in their designated school uniforms which were similar in design to each other with differences in color scheming and slight design elements which varied by school. The boys wore either a high collared tunics, or a more modern coat and necktie styled top. Both were cinched at the waist by a sam-browne style belt that lacked the over-the-shoulder strap, and also had a choice of either a garrison cap or a peaked service cap; with the latter being required for ceremonies. Girls usually had the blazer and ribbon jacket top, but lacked the belt that the men had to wear; the boys often complained about the belt's discomfort for a month before getting used to it. The skirt was knife pleated, as opposed to the box pleating that the actual army's skirts were. Occasionally schools' would opt for a sailor-style jumper top instead, but these were less common as the Earth Empire was an army-centered nation, as opposed to the navy-centered Water Tribe schools and those in Republic City.

Beyond the always sharp and clean attire, the people at all echelons acted exactly as one would expect them to in the twenty-first century: all engaged in conversations or buried in their smartphones. Though, particularly the students, all sat up straight.

Kuvira herself, didn't usually frequent this establishment. She preferred to patronize more local or Earth Empire originating establishments, but today she was accompanying a group of first and second lieutenants and a pair of captains, all women, that were assigned to the MAF. Starbucks was, of course, popular with them; recent, young, academy graduates. They were assigned mainly as adjutant, supervising, points of contact, organizing, record keeping, and intelligence officers. Definitely were not the 'fighting' type, despite a decent number of them being capable earth benders as Kuvira could quietly see from the green and white striped ribbon that appeared on some of their ribbon racks on their uniforms. Two of them had red-white striped ribbons: fire benders; and one of them even had a blue-white striped one: a water bender. The captains were more experienced and venerable, one of them had some time in the field, but both were also not combative types.

"Pardon me," one of the second lieutenants approached her, "Ms. Great Uniter?-"

Her peer jabbed her shoulder. "'Ms. Great Uniter?' It's just Great Uniter!"

"Please," Kuvira smiled and raised a hand, assuredly, "You can simply call me Kuvira."

"Kuvira," the young officer corrected and re-approached her question, like an enthusiastic school girl. "If you don't mind me asking…how did you and Bataar Jr. meet?"

Ah. It was going to be this kind of talk. People were often curious. The media certainly was.

"You can't just blatantly ask the Great Uniter that," her peer again muttered to herself quietly.

Kuvira knew that in the academy, they were instilled to refer to her as the Great Uniter. Now she could see just how well they had done just that.

"Well," Kuvira began, dryly and awkwardly. "As you know we both originally came from Zaofu. From the Metal Clan six years ago when this city was in the midst of the hardest civil unrest and crime wave in modern history."

"When you lead the stabilization force and rallied the original Kingdom Army's holding out armored divisions to retake the city!" another, third, joining, lieutenant chimed in.

"I heard, Captain Yasuho was in that group…"

"Yes. That time," Kuvira confirmed. "Well, in those…admittedly..uncertain times. Bataar stood by me when everyone else rather that I look away and stand down. He was…the rock that I could base my courage on…of sorts…in a way," she awkwardly said. The Great Uniter was admittedly awkward when it came to expressing her emotional appreciation and praise.

"Zaofu…"

"Suyin, specifically. What a spineless traitor." one of the girls remarked, shaking her head. "All that 'courage' during the threat of Zaheer, only to do nothing when it comes time to tend to the damage he left in his wake."

"I was in my second year of high school at that time in the Upper Ring. It was scary. I lost some friends."

"We were both in Zaofu at the time," Kuvira continued to explain, "having just aided in overcoming the reign of terror caused by Zaheer. And..well, after that inter-worldly manhunt in cooperation with…pretty much every service organization that has claim in the Bending World…we saw the destruction and the terror in Ba Sing Se, well, everywhere in the Kingdom really, and had to do something."

"Americano for Kuvira," a barista announced. The young man had just clocked on for his shift before her order was prepared. The seemingly endless times someone had told the cashier to put their order under 'Kuvira' made him numb to the name; thinking it was just another ordinary person. He was startled and surprised at seeing the Uniter herself come to receive the order and sharply came to attention behind the counter, apologizing profusely. She chuckled and waved him off, telling him to be at ease.

"So me and a large chunk of officers and soldiers of the Metal Clan's guard set off to restore peace and order in Ba Sing Se," Kuvira continued, "Since no one else was going to do anything anytime soon, I had to do something. The United Forces weren't going to step in, the Earth Kingdom Army was in pieces as always, no avatar since she disappeared into the void, it was chaotic. I was confident, but somewhat uneasy about abandoning my post; after all I was, at that point, disobeying a direct order."

"Disobeying an order indeed…"

"But Suyin would rather Ba Sing Se burn to the ground for the full economic superiority of Zaofu, I'm sure of it! That's an order that should be disobeyed!"

"Bataar was…the only person who stood by me and offered to help." Kuvira finished her summary. "Before that, and even before Zaheer during our admittedly ignorant state of bliss as to what the rest of the Earth Kingdom was enduring, we had began talking on and off and here and there. At times he felt like he was living in the shadow of his father and not really recognized…so he took comfort in being able to confide in me. And then together we restored order…and grew the most powerful empire of the Bending World since the Imperialist Era of the Fire Nation…and soon we were engaged." Nervously and awkwardly, she grew a faint uncomfortable grin and fiddled with the tightly secured knots and bun of her long hair."

"Such an inspiring tale!"

"Romantic too!"

Kuvira glanced out the window at a passing trolley, bound for the wall of the upper ring. It was loaded beyond capacity. The ringing of its bell could be faintly heard through the windows and above the roar of the crowd. "You guys flatter me too much," she commented.

"Tell us," one of the young officers of her immediate 'fan club' inquired. "What is the dating advice of the Great Uniter?"

The fawning immediately fell to intent silence, as the group leaned in to what their leader would say.

Kuvira's tone shifted. "Well," she began with a more certain and powerful voice. "As with anything military, strategic, or economic, I'd say if you are interested in -someone- you need to go on the offensive." The leader of the empire briefly recalled telling Prince Wu at one point that she 'always get what she wants.' She turned to face her crowd. "There are, of course, multiple ways to approach this kind of thing, and traditionally it involved waiting on our part. But I don't like waiting. Waiting for..something to happen, or..waiting for him to say something. Because you could be waiting for essentially an eternity. If you have a goal in mind, you should actively work towards it, I said."

"As expected of our Great Uniter!"

"It's thrilling."

"You've tried this way?"

"The 'thrill of the chase' the men call it. It is thrilling. And, in my case, it worked!"

"Iya..wait..you of all people, Sawako, would be able to attract anybody regardless of if you chase or get chased."

"That's beside the point, Jin!"

One of the Captains shuffled through the crowd of lieutenants to approach Kuvira. "Kuvira, your upcoming operations meeting at the MAF is coming up in fifteen minutes," she informed, double checking and then closing her folder.

"Thank you for the update, Captain." Kuvira took a sip of her coffee before firmly reattaching the lid. "Well then," she announced, "Ladies, I will be taking leave ahead."

The group came to attention sharply and rendered a uniform salute as she stepped out the front door.

Back in the controlled chaos of the public streets around the ministry building, the air was filled with the sound of car horns, trolley bells, overhead military jets, and a slurry of thousands of individual conversations from the crowded sidewalks. Between the market area where the coffee shops and other establishments were, was a wide main street with the width and tenacity of a powerful river. Eight lanes of traffic, four in each direction, flanked four streetcar tracks in the middle. Even the most venerable player of any vintage 'cross-the-street' type of arcade game would have a difficult time here. The crosswalk timer was long, but as a trade off it took a long time between green lights. And Kuvira had just missed the green light to cross.

She was more than willing to wait, but across the street deploying from the gates of the ministry building was a squad of uniformed traffic officers; red flag pennants in hand and whistle screeching. With nerves of steel they stepped out into the path of oncoming traffic, waving their flags, holding a white-gloved hand high over their head, and chirping their whistles as loud as they could, in quick succession without hesitation. Cars, trucks, and buses all came to quick and sudden screeching stops, the heavier steel streetcars and trolleys ground to a halt, but not a single frustrated honk of a horn or rapid chiming of a bell. The last officer of the line, the one closest to Kuvira after they had halted twelve paths of travel in a matter of seconds, waved her through to cross, rendering a salute as she stepped off. As she passed each lane, the officer holding that lane would then immediately break off and follow in file, allowing flow of the lane to resume, until all lines were back and running and Kuvira had crossed the street. The two armed soldiers at the gate saluted with their rifles as she passed; with the third and fourth members, two metalbending NCOs, came out from the twin guard shacks to also render an unarmed salute.

"The general staff officers are ready, Kuvira," Bataar Jr. greeted jogging to meet her as she passed through the operations department entrance. All around were enlisted soldiers and civilian staff tasked with tracking the operations of all units of the armed forces. Winding through the large room, full of desks, maps, phones, and live displays, were highways of uniformed and suited personnel bustling about the room with their arms full of papers and handheld devices.

Darted across the continental Earth Empire on the main map display screen that looked down above the entire warehouse-sized room were numerous green and yellow markers; mechanized units and infantry battalions respectively. Blue markers were air bases, with the main airfield for bomber operations and bomber command being based in the outer ring of Ba Sing Se, in the opposite quadrant from the airport. There were individual blue markers, shaped as a top profile of an airplane, which marked the live location of individual aircraft in flight; large dots were used when it was a squadron or large formation of planes. Usually it were transports, gunships, and heavy bombers that flew alone at this time of peace. The main fighter jet for the Earth Empire was still 2nd generation, with major modifications. They flew domestically produced F-86 Sabre fighters that could be equipped to carry a variety of different weapons, including basic air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. Primitive by modern standards, and no match against the 4th and 5th generation fighter jets of the Mechanized World, particularly of the US Navy and Air Force; however within the Bending World the Earth Empire operated the largest air force, with technological and operational capabilities second only to the Fire Nation. Like the Tiger tanks of its army, the F86 has been retooled and upgraded to its limits, carrying weapons and systems its original Korean War era predecessor never was able to, but it was showing its age; aside from a small battery of missiles and rockets, pilots still relied primarily on the plane's machine guns.

Red markers on the seas and oceans denoted naval groups or individual ships. The Empire's navy, like it's army and air forces, was inherited from the old Kingdom Navy. They had progressed far from using wood and stone sailing ships to land soldiers on Kyoshi Island and blocking Fire Nation access to the central inlet using stone battleships, but compared to the Fire Nation and Water Tribes, their naval forces were still smaller and less advanced. The Earth Empire, primarily being a land force, operated a moderate force of heavy cruisers and destroyers, still of 20th century design with some modern upgrades like guided torpedoes and cruise missile batteries. However most ships still relied on heavy guns as their main means of fighting; not too dissimilar from the Water Tribe and Fire Nation, but definitely behind compared to the fleets and warships of the Mechanized World. They had an aircraft carrier, but it was in the same state of neglect and spent most of its time anchored in Chameleon Bay. With the brunt of the Earth Empire's eastern fleet stationed in the waters around Ba Sing Se, their main means of projecting naval force abroad were their submarine force, which consisted of a number of medium sized, nimble, diesel powered attack submarines. The Type 2 submarine, the primary and only class used by the Earth Empire and a fully domestic design, carried single-barreled 10-inch guns mounted forward and aft of the conning tower; primarily to shell land based target, unarmed or crippled surface ships, and additionally fire flak shells at aircraft and helicopters. The vessel had eight torpedo tubes at the bow and three at the stern, and was crewed by one hundred and fifty sailors per boat. The boat, although not ballistic missile capable, could carry a small battery of cruise missiles for targets further away or inland. A formidable warship - taking everything into account about the army-leaning nation - however it was not the best at extreme stealth, and with all the weapons and supplies it carried was also known to be slow.

"What's on the agenda for today," Kuvira asked, taking files and briefing papers from several secretaries that approached the pair during their procession through the operations room, "if you don't mind."

"Right." Bataar flipped through his memos. "Today, the generals and division commanders are discussing further strategy for the final two big offenses within the Earth Empire's sovereign territory: the Liu Clan's occupied area and Zaofu."

"That small castle city and holdout is hardly a major op in my book," Kuvira remarked. "Push that to the back burner. We can hand that to Colonel Guan to take care of. He'll have them in line in one unrelenting thrust."

"Will do."

"Zaofu is the main target that I will focus on." Kuvira paused, bringing the heels of her boots together and stopping before the doors to the war room; her posture, still as straight and authoritatively firm as ever. "You understand that that scenario is almost unavoidable, right?" Her voice softened, considering her partner's familiar ties.

He paused, gulped, and sighed. "Yes," Bataar replied firmly, "I understand. There will almost inevitably be a battle for Zaofu."

"It's not what I want," Kuvira added. "Truly."

"I know. But I know my mother and those people. They are prideful," he said, "Too prideful to realize. And there will be consequences. I hope they will quickly learn to fall in line."

Kuvira quickly spun around, taking his hand. "They will," she assured. "It would be over quickly and with few casualties." She was hopeful, for his sake.

Having gotten that off of her chest, she once more faced the door and prepared to make her entrance. "Speaking of Colonel Guan," she moved on, "after your report on his work with the 1st Armored Division, his progress in settling his assigned regions, quashing remaining daofei groups, and the progress he has been able to push since being entrusted with the development and fielding of special weapons…I believe he is due for some recognition."

"Indeed," Bataar agreed.

"He'll be trading his eagles for stars today, I intend a promotion to Brigadier General for him."

"Zaofu offensive, a promotion, and potentially convening on the topic of Republic City," Bataar repeated for Kuvira to mentally review, "with brief mention about falling the Liu-occupied state."

"Oh yes! Thank you for reminding me! Republic City!" Kuvira snapped her fingers, remembering that big agenda.

"You'll do great," Bataar smiled.

"Because of you," she replied. The Great Uniter took a deep breath and pushed the twin doors open with her bending, the heavy metal booming as it rebounded off the walls.

All the officers and staff snapped to look at the elevated door and podium. Beneath where Kuvira and Bataar were, in a dimmed room was a horizontal table, a large digital map, now featuring large thrusting green and silver arrows that bore the Empire's insignia. Adjutant officers and sergeants clutched additional unit markers, miniature pieces of tiger tanks and 747 jumbo jets, made of iron and steel which they slid across the board with metal bending.

"ROOM! A-TEN-CHUN!", a voice boomed, cueing everyone to snap to the position of attention as their superior had entered. The loud clacking sound of dozens of leather soled shoes and boots clicking together on the tile floor was the final drum note that silenced a symphony of conversation just prior.

"Be seated," Kuvira announced. "Ladies, gentlemen, we have a continent to unify!"

The heavy doors shut and the light from the outside was snuffed as the planning began.

Metal Clan Headquarters

Zaofu

Suyin twiddled her fingers anxiously, seated behind her desk back in Zaofu. Lin and Tenzin had accompanied her on the trip back. Her attempt to thwart the Earth Empire's ascension of a dictator with paper had failed, and had certainly back fired on her. To their credit, Raiko and the UFDI had done an amicable job at burying most of the links that pointed to her as the perpetrator; but most had their unchanging suspicions.

"They're going to come for Zaofu," Suyin announced, "I know they will. I'm sure of it."

"It's only a matter of time. We need to start preparing, militarily and mentally for the oncoming of a majority of the Earth Empire's armed forces," Lin backed. The two Beifong sisters looked to Tenzin, usually he was always the opposing voice. Lin was the first to think aggressively, with Suyin taking time to sway, but Tenzin inherited his father's idealogy.

"I'm thinking the same," he said, immediately, surprisingly. "We need to start considering the safety of the people here in Zaofu."

"We have our backs to the mountains," Suyin noted, looking out the large glass windows to the world outside. "That at least shields us on one complete side to ground forces."

"But the Earth Empire knows that," Lin countered, "Which means they must be amassing a massive assault force to attack the city head on. Tanks, half tracks, probably fifty-percent of their standing infantry, mecha suits…the whole nine yards, with air support."

"We have a squadron of fighter jets. Not enough to hold off their air forces for long at all, but they are 3rd generation fighters. F4s we acquired from the United States. We can fly faster and have more advanced weapons than their F86s," Suyin noted.

"The ground will be an issue though," we don't have the adequate forces to stop their tanks and infantry from overwhelming the city's defenses. Once they clear the outer walls and the defending forces, there won't be anyone left to effectively protect the citizens in the streets." Tenzin spoke up. "They are of a similar background so they know how to fight a mechanized ground war, against earth and metal benders as well. And they are masters of combined arms warfare."

"And they're likely mobilized and ready now, we need to start bolstering the city's defenses ourselves." Lin spoke with a tenacious conviction.

"We may," Tenzin said, in a low tone, "also need to consider our exit strategy…"

"Excuse me?"

"The metal bending guard of Zaofu is tenacious and effective. Their aid in the dimension-wide manhunt for Zaheer was invaluable. But they are a small elite team. This is an entire army coming down for Zaofu."

"Tenzin, I'm not going to surrender the city," Suyin adamantly announced. "It would be a shame on the hard stance against Kuvira's reign that I-..we have firmly stood for. It has to be victory."

"That victory does not necessarily have to be tomorrow," Tenzin spoke up. "This is similar to what happened when my father and the Day of Black Sun's invasion forces had to come to terms with after the eclipse. Kuvira wants the city, and wants the metal clan, or specifically its flags and command structures toppled. The people however…they're not here to massacre them."

"You're already talking about giving up Zaofu. About surrendering," Suyin reiterated. She leaned against the window sill, looking out at her people. Down below, the people of Zaofu were still carrying about as if nothing was wrong. Her sons were still sparring, or making metal sculptures. People were still casually strolling to work and home, and the city's bohemian lifestyle continued to carry on. And suddenly it was to be flipped into a wartime setting?

Lin was the one to speak up. "Su, no one is saying we are going to fold to the Empire. But Tenzin is right, we need to consider the safety of the civilians. Not everyone is going to take up arms and fight. In this situation, it is important to think of the worst possible scenario and how it should play out if it happens. And I think that is going to look like, figuring out how to get those that want to evacuate and escape out of Zaofu and either to Republic City or Kyoshi Island."

"Republic City would be ideal," Tenzin advised. "Republic City International Airport, the United Forces Air Base, and the US-Japan Joint Naval Base could handle that kind of sudden emergency traffic. I'm sure we could work something out with the Americans and Japanese to let us use their runways."

Lin looked at the clock. For her, always on alert, trouble was always just a minute away. "We need to start moving. I'll start trying to contact President Raiko and get the idea in my metalbenders' heads to prepare for a possible emergency aid operation in Republic City."

"I'll get on the line with the United States Department of State. My father, being who he was, was able to secure a line for airbender use directly to the Americans. Maybe I can get some help from them, even just a little." Tenzin immediately barged out of the room and headed for the radio rooms.

"I'll relay a message to the guards. Tell them to begin preparing for a potential assault-"

Suyin was interrupted. Air raid siren! The chilling cry of the warning siren echoed through the utopian city. People below screamed in fear, not knowing what exactly to do or how to react. Some ran for cover, or tried to get below ground, but most seemed to freeze in place; out in the open completely exposed.

Suyin took one side of the room, and Lin the other. Simultaneously, the large glass windows were immediately shut; closed with heavy steel shutters. The previously well-lit room went dark. Suyin peeled one shutter open and looked outside. Was it starting now, she thought.

The heavy shriek of a four-engined jet screamed overhead. And a large imposing shadow glided across the city scape. An eagle soaring over its prey. It was a 747-400 jumbo jet, painted in the forest green and silver livery of the Earth Empire military. From its modified bomb bay doors dropped hundreds of thousands of paper leaflets that blanketed the city.

"What are they doing?!" Suyin yelled, outraged at the audacity of this brazen maneuver.

Two loud booms followed; two of Zaofu's F-4 Phantom fighter jets that had moved to intercept the lumbering military jumbo. As the 747 completed it's banking overhead pass of the city, the two interceptors broke off pursuit after the intruder was now making clear of the airspace. Just as soon as it had gone off, the air raid sirens wound down and the 'emergency' was over.

The two sisters immediately reopened the windows and shutters, and the bright afternoon sun once again lit the space. It was once again sunny and light, but everyone below was very shaken. The leaflets fluttered down from their drop altitude of ten thousand feet; it took a while for them to approach the street level, falling like leaves in the summer breeze. From the office window Suyin launched a steel ballpoint pen from her desk, out to meet a falling page. The pen speared two pages, and with metalbending she rapidly drew both pages into her office. Her face felt hot with rage as she read it.

"Citizens of Zaofu. Your leader, Suyin Beifong, has turned her back on the rest of the Earth Kingdom and its people during its time of need. She has allowed crime to proliferate and has opposed the establishment of peace and order in the country's most neglected regions, allowing hundreds of thousands of the lesser acknowledged to suffer and die at the hands of criminals.

Your city's leadership, the Beifongs, has attempted to return the Empire into a state of chaos and disorder by trying to illegally sway the results of the country's first democratic election. AN ACT OF WAR.

Suyin will not rest until her aggressive and subversive acts of personal retribution are completed, and SHE WILL MARCH YOU OFF TO WAR with only care for her flawed agenda. We call for her capture and transfer to the Earth Empire's Army.

Peace, stability, and prosperity await you with the Empire."

The Swamp

Central Earth Kingdom

"Hot." Splash. "Humid." Splash. "Full of bugs!" Splash. "And on top of that! Something straight out of Evil Dead!" John loudly complained as the three of them waded in the wet and muddy lands of the swamp. "You'd think by now, it'd be like Muir Woods! Or Yosemite! Or something! With walkways! And lamps! But no, 'to preserve the natural and spiritual properties of this important site, it will be left in it's natural state of existence!' Baloney!" John Masaoka hated getting down and dirty. He mockingly quoted Aang's exact words that were played on any documentary about the wretched location simply known as 'The Swamp.' He looked at his trouser cuffs, which were a good six to seven inches beneath murky water. "Dry cleaning is gonna suck!"

"Quit your complaining!" Jun barked from the lead, "You're not the only one hating the dirt and gunk! I got dry cleaning bills too!"

"If this were my utilities from back in the service, that'd be fine. Hell, I'd even take the patrol uniform. But no, we had to impulsively come here and wade through Vietnam, essentially, in our plain clothes."

"T'is what it is, partner," Jun replied. He shined a flashlight into the depths of the woods looking for something, anything really.

"Just to be clear," Korra asked, "We are looking for someone?" She looked around. "Out here?" Korra looked out into the dark distant areas of the swamp. It was indeed as eerie as it is often made out to be. People often say they see things out here. It scares away ordinary tourists, and tends to draw seekers of spirits, those interested in the paranormal, and people that are just full-on horror movie fans. In between the trees, in the distance, standing eerily still and staring back at her with glowing white eyes, Korra swore she saw a vision of herself! Shackled at the wrists and angles, broken chains dangling from her restraints, dressed in her tattered water tribe attire. It was as she looked during her traumatic encounter with Zaheer, when she was almost killed. But she was perpetually in the Avatar State! Her vision of herself just stood there, in the distance amid the tall trees and vines….menacingly. It's in my mind, she thought. It's just in my mind, she thought. Being with the two men helped Korra remain grounded in reality. She shivered at her vision, but the image disappeared once another tree came between her and it. When the tree had passed, it was gone. Agent Masaoka's complaining and bantering, although never ending, helped bring her back to reality.

"Indeed." Jun stepped up and over a log. Suspenders exposed, Junichiro had shed his coat and left it in the car hours ago. His holster for his .45 hung below his right armpit. With rolled white dress shirt sleeves and a metal flashlight in hand, Jun fought the coming darkness searching for, whom many considered universally to be a living legend.

"We've been walking for hours though," Korra grumbled, starting to grow tired herself.

"You're more than welcome to air scooter around and find this lady too, you know. Don't pretend that you are some mere mortal just for us," Jun mocked.

"Who are we looking for?"

"A lady, probably in her late eighties, or early nineties. Probably about five-foot three or so. Would still beat your ass in a brawl, probably."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard what I said. And actually, she already has. Technically…In a past life."

"No way," Korra gasped. "Could it be…you're talking about-"

"Yes," Jun affirmed. "I am."

"She's notorious for being ridiculously hard to fi-IIIIINNNNNDDD!" John shouted as he suddenly felt the ground lock around his ankles and stick him to a nearby boulder, several yards away. Agent Masaoka hung upside down several feet in the air pinned to the boulder by his ankles.

Jun drew his .45, jumping quickly to avoid a late boulder that shot up from the swamp floor. He was also soon captured. A half-circle flew from beneath the water and pinned him to a tree stump. He rested his elbows on the stone that held him against the large tree stump. Found her, he thought.

The chief watched as Korra launched herself to the air above in an effort to evade this sudden ambush. It was entertaining to watch her struggle, particularly in futility. Stones shot out from the ground at Korra's general area, the precision and accuracy was noticeably less when she was airborne.

"Where are they?!" she shouted at Jun and John below.

"I don't know!" the two men returned. "Why don't you tell us?!"

Korra dodged another attack. "You know, you guys are abnormally accepting and lax about this!"

Jun simply shrugged. Korra lightly touched down by a tree, thinking she was out of sight. But before she could move another step, there was a cone of earth arresting her up to her neck. Just as quickly as the swamp starting fighting, everything was once again still and quiet.

"You okay up there, John?" Jun called.

"Yeah," he sputtered, turning red in the face. His arms dangled, technically beneath his head, as he looked down on the avatar and his superior. "Did my hat fall in the water?"

"Just a little dirt on it," Jun observed. "Didn't hit the water."

"Thank God." He looked to Junichiro, "You alright?"

"Winded. No broken ribs."

"Seriously!" Korra yelled, frustrated. "Knowing you two, you guys are being abnormally accepting! What gives! You'd be guns blazing by now!"

"Well, its because this means we don't need to look anymore," John sulked.

"Huh?"

A hole suddenly opened in the earth below, revealing a small compartment beneath them. Out came a snappy and grumpy hot headed voice. "What do you two feds want now?!"

Korra's eyes opened wide, she couldn't believe it.

"We've been trying to contact you regarding your car's warranty!" John called from above.

"And the thousands of dollars in income tax you have failed to pay the United Republic Treasury Department," Jun added.

"CAN IT! BOTH OF YOU! WHY IS TWINKLE TOES HERE?!"

Korra craned her neck forward. "I don't believe it-...Toph?"

The Blind Bandit shot up from the ambush position, hands on her hips. "Something serious is up, isn't it?"

Jun stumbled as Toph suddenly retracted his restraints, being returned to the ground. "Something indeed, and to the point where it can become very very serious."

"You familiar with Kuvira?" John asked as he was gently let down from altitude. He also stumbled around as he went to retrieve his hat.

"I am," Toph answered. "Kuvira is one thing. Her army is another."

"How have you heard?" Korra asked, finally getting let go. "You've been involved in the resistance?"

"Me? No. Of course not. I'm too old for that," Toph answered.

"Where have you been? It's been ages since anyone has seen any of you. You practically disappeared."

"No I haven't!" Toph pointed at the two UFDI men. "These two dunderheads know where I am at all times! They brought you here, didn't they?"

"We know where you generally are, at all times," Jun corrected, dusting the brim of his hat off. "Did we hit the nail on the head when we found you this time?"

"Let's get something straight here, Stevenson! I found you, not the other way around! I saw you coming since you turned off the main highway from Republic City. The closer you got, the more I knew you were miles off the dot. Basically the complete other side from where I was at the time!"

"Lady, your address is not exactly well indicated in the Department of Records," John antagonized, "and there isn't exactly a proper demarcation system in play for 'under the third big ole rock on the right after you turn past the scary looking tree and over the disgusting stream.'"

Oh I miss the sass of these government and military types, Toph thought to herself. "Just the way I want it! At my age, peace and quiet is what I want most now." Toph turned back to Korra, clutching her hands behind her back. "To answer your original question, I can see everything. Everywhere, all at once!"

Jun and John glanced at each other. She can see?

"Aang, used to have this saying he would repeat over and over," Toph explained, "I thought it was utter nonsense at the time, but now it makes complete sense. He'd say, everything, everywhere, is all connected by the same spiritual energy. The same way this swamp is all part of one central tree. If only I could have understood that back then. It's actually crazy amazing."

"My grandfather, mentions that a lot," Jun mouthed to his partner. "Another one of Aang's odd sayings."

"Your grandfather learned too!" Toph suddenly flung around to Jun's direction. She had heard him, even though he was speaking quieter than a whisper. "He was just like you actually, when we first met. Who could blame him too? And stubbornly for many years following too even after travel between our worlds became normal. He eventually learned to understand and respect the nuances, even the unexplainable spiritual ones, of this Bending World. Course, he was also, just like you, Chief Stevenson, very hard headed. The typical American soldier."

"Marine," Jun snappily corrected.

"Same difference!" Toph blurted back. "Is he still running that rifle range in Republic City? At his age?"

"He still is," Jun confirmed.

"Yeah, I saw some officers and enlisted from the Kyoshi Warriors stopped by a few months back for training with their rifles. He's still teaching them, even after all these years." Toph had a slight smile on her face. "He's got commitment, even for an old timer!"

"Yeah…They did. But..how did you know that?"

"Like I said, everything is connected!" Toph revealed. "I don't need to see anything, to see what is going on in the world." The Blind Bandit returned to Korra. "And yeah, I can see the Bending World is in a little bit of a pinch right now isn't it?"

"It is," the Avatar replied. "And we need your help."

The two agents crossed their arms in silence. We?

"No can do," Toph sighed. "I'm afraid my fighting days are behind me. I'm far too old to again go around defeating entire armies. Not that, I couldn't still probably do that, but sadly and unfortunately I'll have to say that is behind me."

"But you're an Earth Bending legend! They wouldn't stand a chance! Kuvira wouldn't stand a chance!" Korra exclaimed.

"Bringing balance to the world is your duty, Avatar," Toph lectured and reminded. "And, especially now, it's time you own up to it. Particularly after running off to fight clubs in Hawaii and the West Coast of America for six years."

Her sense of where everyone went and when is scary, Korra thought to herself. She was guilty as charged.

"And while it's true, opponents wouldn't stand a chance against me in a one on one fight," Toph boasted, "I have to remind you. I'm in my eighties! I'm old! And that's an entire army! The largest military in the entire Bending World! Zipping around the world and fighting a modernized army with modern weapons is not gonna be like it was when the US and Japan first arrived in this world…seventy five years ago. I'm afraid, I can't."

Korra was defeated. Her hopes of seeing Toph fight in the oncoming struggle against the Earth Empire were crushed in an instant.

"It should be easy for you, though," Toph assured. "If all else fails, you are the avatar afterall. It wouldn't be the first time the avatar made guns go quiet in one powerful instant."

"That's actually something else, though," Jun said, pushing himself upright and away from the tree he leaned on. "We had actually come here to talk about that with you."

"How do you mean?"

Jun looked at the avatar. His gaze clearly said, "You want to tell her, or do you want me to?"

"I-" Korra stammed, "I…uhhh…"

"The avatar seems to be having some issues when it comes to accessing the Avatar State," Jun blurted out plainly. "According to her, something seems to be blocking her 'spiritual connection.' We were hoping, maybe there was something you could do about it?"

Both of Toph's hands shot well over her head. "What do you expect me to do about it? For all intents and purposes, I'm at the same level as you two dunderheads at this point."

"Not entirely," Korra interjected. "Recently I was told, by his Earth Empire girlfriend nonetheless, that there is still a bit of the "poison" in me.

"Mercury, Miss Beifong," Jun added on to that. "There is likely still traces of mercury in her system. It's amazing it hasn't killed her."

"Ah I see. Yeah I can sense that, even from all the way over here," Toph added.

"Suyin was able to get most of it out. I thought she had gotten all of it, but I guess there is still a small amount left," Korra pleaded.

"And you want me to surgically get it out, I figure."

"Precisely," the two agents confirmed.

Toph sighed. Jun was exactly like his grandfather. As stubborn and as black-and-white, results driven, as ever. This was no different than fishing out a wrench that had fallen into an engine block and jammed a gear, or clearing a jam in a rifle. "Well, I suppose I have no choice. But it's best not to do it here, might as well get some shelter. Follow me, we'll hunker down at the den where I lay my head at night. I can remove that remaining mercury in a more comfortable setting there."