Ch18
Central Earth Kingdom, South of the Tai Hua Mountains
The diesel engine of the Tiger tank revved as Yasuho and Hanako practiced some very specific emergency drills. These weren't in the tankers' manual and were definitely not part of the academy's training curriculum. They were drills that Yasuho had come up with.
Which was why, while the rest of the supporting crews and soldiers from the 2nd Armored Division were resting, she and her crew were a solid mile away from the others training in the late evening. Maho, Eunji, and Junko were largely unnecessary as they weren't shooting anything or using the radio, but they were there as a unit. It was mainly between commander and driver this time.
Hanako's fingers drummed on the shifter and her left foot was ready on the clutch.
"We're going to simulate taking a hit to our starboard side track," Yasuho briefed. "The goal is to recover and repair the track without stopping…which is, pretty much…my job. Your job, Hana-chan is to keep the engine running and to not stop."
Hanako leaned her head back over her seat, glancing back at her commander without turning around. "Heyyyy, you're sure you got it this time?" she groaned. "Changing out a bent roadwheel sucks! Swapping out the drive sprocket is equally mendokusai! Especially if it's one of the inner ones!"
"And it'd be the third time tonight," Junko quietly harped.
"I am sure I got it this time," Yasuho croaked, rubbing the back of her neck in guilt. There was a pile of worn or dented road wheels and track links gathering beside their starting point. She wasn't off the hook either. Sure, she could metal bend, but that meant she was to straighten-out and mend the damaged parts as best as she could back into serviceable condition. If not, it wouldn't be the first time the captain would be reprimanded by supply and maintenance chiefs for needless damage or replacement of vehicle parts.
"Is this really necessary?" Eunji sighed, leaning on the main gun assembly. She was bored out of her mind, and exhausted.
"Of course!" their commander emphasized. "It may seem freakishly situational, but one day it could keep us alive in the most dire of situations. Now, enough whining! Ready?"
"Ready."
Yasuho shut her eyes for a moment, focusing, and from the commander's position without as much as opening the cupola to look outside, partially pulled out several track-link pins with her bending. Now, at some random time, the track would come apart after a hard enough maneuver or a rough enough bump. "Driver, advance!"
The heavy thud of gears being shifted rang, the engine roared, and the heavy armored and armed box lurched forward, immediately diving into a depression in the road.
"Gunner at the ready," she ordered.
"Roger," Eunji acknowledged. Junko had her hand on the next shell, just to go through the movements.
"Target, enemy tank, right side, two o'clock!" Yasuho called out. With a thrust of her hands, a one-to-one stone carving of a Metal Clan tank shot up from the ground.
Hanako grunted, jerking the steering wheel and tiller to the left. The engine sputtered, but the 65-ton tank shifted immediately to her inputs. All the while its main gun and turret swung the opposite direction.
Yasuho clenched her fist tightly and pulled her hand sharply towards her. A large stone boulder flew from where the represented enemy tank was, straight at them!
The large stone banged against the dense side armor, bouncing off and ricocheting off. An acceptable deflection angle and reaction.
"Firing!" Eunji hit the floor trigger. From the coaxial machine gun, a bright tracer round, one that mimicked the ballistic characteristics of the 88mm canon shot at the target, hitting the turret ring, a small narrow vulnerable target of a tang where the turret met the chassis.
"Good shot," Yasuho praised. She punched forth once again, satisfied with her crew's performance. The enemy tank erupted in an earthbending stimulated explosion! "Though try not to let them get a shot off next time. We may be good at it, but every shell we bounce off the armor is a risky gamble. There's no guarantee it'll bounce or react preferably."
"Our simulated enemy has the jumpiest gunners and the most accurate guns, ya know," Eunji complained, still maneuvering the main gun back to its standby position. "We are basically shooting at you, who is a ride along with us."
"So imagine how easy it'll be when we face an actual enemy that isn't as fast or as accurate then." She immediately switched tones. "Hanako, prepare to dive the ship!"
The driver straightened out the wheel. Maho rolled her eyes slightly and sighed. With all the naval terminology you picked up and use, shouldn't you have become a warship commander, she thought.
The commander drove her open palmed hand straight down, and the ground ahead of them immediately depressed significantly, complete with a descent ramp. The tank dove beneath the surface level enough so only its turret was exposed, completely hiding its more vulnerable hull armor to any ground opponents. The frontal turret armor and gun mantlet were some of the thickest pieces of metal of the entire tank. Hanako brought the tank to a halt. This was the point in the course where she could take a breather. The turret traversed to the right. A tracer shot forth. A stone tank exploded. Then to the left. Another tracer shot. And another explosion.
"Hana-chan, take us up!"
"Aye, cap'n," she acknowledged. An ascent ramp erected ahead and the steel box sharply began the climb out of the trench.
"Hard starboard turn!" Yasuho ordered.
More shuffling of metal controls and sharp crank as Hanako yanked the right-side tiller. The tank pivoted on the right corner of the ramp and quickly made a 90-degree turn to the right before lurching again and accelerating forward.
I don't like how the right track feels, Hanako thought. She could hear and feel a very very slight difference.
Snap! A sudden sharp cracking sound of metal getting sheared was heard.
"Right side hit!" Yasuho shouted. "Right side! Right side hit! We're tracked!"
The heavy metal links came apart where the thick pins had broken away, the links forward the breakage continued to drive forward, being pulled over the drive sprocket and falling to the ground. There was a noticeable drop in speed on the right side, and the tank began to veer to the right. Hanako kept her foot on the gas, per orders.
Yasuho began her movements. She had to keep her bending movements, precise and quick, and all in a very cramped space. The spare track links hanging on the side of the tank flew from their mountings. The sound of the mounts breaking open could be heard inside. They were still moving. She had to move fast. Forcefully, the new links jammed themselves beneath the leading roadwheels. A pin followed and flew into its slot. One connection. Hanako could see the other end of the spare links come up and wrap over the drive sprocket. There was a terrible grinding sound, then a sudden jolt! They began moving forward at speed! Quickly Hanako refocused on driving, immediately needing to snap out of her awe at the feat.
"Leftward correction!" As smoothly as she could, the driver turned the wheel to the left to adjust for the slight drift right. She managed to avoid hitting the coming tree.
Yasuho struggled. The last linking pin was still floating just outside the turret. She was holding the severed track link in place with her bending, but now with the vehicle at full speed ahead, the slot now raced around the outer track assembly at 32 miles per hour!
Find it, she thought to herself, find it! Don't fail this now. She would restart the course if she did. Seconds had gone by. Seconds, where in an actual fight she was not actively directing her crew and calling out targets and maneuvers. They were vulnerable.
Maho watched her close friend in disbelief and awe. She did not think this was actually viable, and would have been a pointless dead end for training. This is Beifong-level stuff, the radio operator thought to herself, she can't actually see the track assembly; it's all feeling and senses.
"Gotcha!" Captain Aoshima pulled her fist inward and clenched tightly as she did. The heavy and thick linking pin zipped into its slot in the moving tread. Another ear-ringing screech was heard as it found its groove. Timidly and slightly unsure she relaxed her bending, hoping she nailed it. She did.
"GOT IT!" Eunji shouted. More pleased that they would soon call it a night and could soon rest…like they should have been doing originally. Junko shared the same feeling, slumping in her chair and sighing long relief.
Yasuho was quite pleased with herself and felt very accomplished. "Let's call it," she ordered. "Maneuver checks."
"Roger," Hanako acknowledged. She maneuvered right. Then, a sharp turn left at speed. Finally she hit the breaks and pulled the right tiller. They came to a sudden halt and the tank started a stationary 180-degree turn to the right to finish out the run.
"Toph be damned, I did not think that was actually viable," Maho chuckled.
"We're going to be the top performing crew at Zaofu!" Eunji exclaimed. "They'll have a hard time hitting what they can't stop! Hell, we're invincible! Republic City beware! They'll put us in 1st Division once we shock the brass! Tip of the spear! Best equipped! The 'Long 88' of the Tiger 2 I heard from my friend is a dream to shoot!" She clapped once, satisfied. "Now, can we rest? Captain?"
Yasuho, maintaining a calm demeanor as best as she could, nodded. "Yeah, let's call it. Good work today."
Her gunner's words echoed in her mind, however. "Republic City beware," she repeated under her breath. "Yeah…that too." She felt very uneasy and conflicted when it came to that rumor.
Yasuho looked over the topography charts and the terrain leading up into the Tai Hua mountains. They were indeed treacherous, with narrow passes and steep inclines. Deep gorges and powerful rivers also swept through the terrain. A conventional army would have a hard time fighting in such a setting with infantry, tanks would usually be more trouble than they were worth, if not totally out of the question in certain areas. But they weren't an ordinary army. The Earth Kingdom…and currently the Earth Empire, were by nature capable land fighters. Things like inclines and narrow roads didn't hinder them. Narrow roads? They'd make a Tiger II fit on a road that was only wide enough to accommodate a golf cart. Incline? They'd boost a tank up serious grades, like an elevator. Sheer cliff faces? No tunnel? They would make a tunnel!
Even so, most tank commanders and mechanized units did not like the idea of fighting in the Tai Hua Ranges. Yasuho and the detachment of tanks and mechanized units from the 2nd Armored Division wouldn't even need to really fight in the actual treacherous areas. It was the 1st Armored that would be dealing the striking blow on the hold out Daofei clan. They would just be there for the initial assault through the first city of Shanguchi, then would be rerouted to ready for the push into Zaofu. Tiger II's fighting in the treacherous mountain terrain sounded daunting to the captain though. Not something she would back down from, but not a situation she wanted to be in. Though of course, it would likely go over quickly. Once the tanks made it past the initial defenses from the castle, the town would capitulate faster than straw set on fire. She had some slight aching reservations though.
"Yasu?" she heard a voice call from outside.
"Hai?" she responded abruptly, sitting up and hitting her forehead head on a lever.
She poked her head out the top of the cupola, rubbing her reddening forehead. Her long raven hair took flight in the breeze. "Maho?" she asked, identifying her close friend and radio operator. "What's up? You're up for watch?"
"No, not me," her confidant replied. "Some of the crew from other tanks are on watch right now. Next is technically Eunji…"
"That lady loves her sleep too…" Yasuho nervously chuckled.
The two of them shared a laugh, knowing that when the previous watch members were to wake their gunner up, it would not be pleasant for anyone involved.
"Rather, I was just up and wanted to check in with you," Maho revealed. "Can I join? Are you busy?"
"Not at all," the commander replied, "Please, by all means." She gestured for her friend to join her.
Sergeant Koizumi clambered up onto the hull of the tank. "I'll meet you inside," she said, opening her position's hatch. "It's breezy out here anyway."
Yasuho didn't complain and ducked back into the belly of the steel beast, closing the hatch above her. With two heavy clunks, the two were isolated in silence from the outside world's eyes and ears. Maho retrieved her half-drunk bottle of Ito-En green tea from earlier in the day; still in the holder beside her seat.
"You uhh…doing okay?" Maho asked.
"Of course," Yasuho perked up. "Never better."
Maho could tell Yasuho was hiding something. Her friend had unease and uncertainty and she could see it. She was the only one who could see it. Out of everyone on this crew, these two had the longest time together. Maho knew Yasuho ever since she was simply a driver, from well before in the old Earth Kingdom Army; from before she was a loader, and a gunner, and from before she was eventually taken into the tank academy and promoted to an officer. She had been her friend's confidant, and definitely knew the Captain the best. The others knew that the two were close, but the degree of how close was not known. "No you aren't," Maho simply replied. "What's going on? You seem rather distant."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Yasuho huffed, being stubborn.
"Maybe you're not depressed or sad, maybe you aren't losing sleep over it either. But something is bothering you." Maho pressed. "It's the middle of the night, and it's just the two of us. Seventy to over a hundred millimeters of armor is also pretty hard to eavesdrop on a level-toned conversation through, as well you know." She looked at her friend. "Is it the recent daofei? The ones you had ordered to be disposed of?"
Yasuho had taken Eunji's K98K rifle from its mounting and was fidgeting with it's bolt action. She sighed. "No, definitely not." Her response was short and concise, Maho could even see her friend puff her cheeks out and purse her lips. So stubborn it's like dealing with a child sometimes, she thought. You really want me to up and say it, don't you?
"Of course not. I don't imagine you'd lose any sleep over some traffickers." She paused, feigning defeat. "But I'd imagine you'd be bothered about getting into a war against the UNR. Particularly if it entailed you having to literally fight against, Junichiro."
Yasuho's head snapped up, you could see her ears perk up like a cat's. From slouching lazily, she straightened up rather quickly. You'd think a superior officer had walked in, and she was coming to attention. "I umm.."
"So what are you going to do?" Maho pressed on.
"I errrrr," Yasuho stammered. "Well obviously orders are orders. He has a job to do, and so do I. Simple."
Maho raised an eyebrow, skeptically. "So, assuming he doesn't gun you down first, you would totally be okay firing a high explosive shell at him?"
"Maybe not that extreme," Yasuho's answer came out like a whimper. "At any rate! Us 'going to war' against each other is not likely to happen!"
"You sure? There are rumors circulating, you know. About going after the UNR after Zaofu." Maho turned to look over her radio equipment. She heard everything, even banter among other crews while their unit was in transit. "Hell, it's likely you would be fighting each other before that. Probably in Zaofu. Knowing the Great Uniter thought I wouldn't write off a war against the United Republic. It is in the former Earth Kingdom. It is very likely that she will want that land, especially after Zaofu."
"You don't know that," Yasuho replied. "Kuvira's goal is to restore order to the Earth Empire. Not start international- No- Inter-worldly War!"
"You are absolutely sure about that?"
"That's enough! What you're saying? Questioning the high command's morality? That'd be grounds for corporal punishment," Yasuho stressed. "It calls into question your oath and loyalty to the Great Uniter, you know."
Clack. Maho returned the hand piece for her radio to its receiver firmly. "And what? You going to report me to the MP's? Going to court martial me? Have me sent to a labor camp?"
Yasuho fiddled with her cap, slouched back in her seat and crossed her arms. "No…" she sighed quietly.
"I know it's bothering you, because, just like today, you especially like to be prepared for anything. Even the most unlikely or bizarre situations. And, let's face it, being in a relationship with literally the head of the intelligence agency for what very well may become an enemy of the Empire in the future, is not exactly ideal."
"So what?" Yasuho questioned, her voice raising a bit.
"And, I know you guys had a bit of a heated moment when the news from that train crash came in."
"And? Is it not normal for a couple to have their disagreements from time to time?" The metal butt-plate of the rifle banged as it was firmly set against the metal floor beside Yasuho's position.
"But you can see how this complicates things," Maho further pushed. "Especially the more that tensions will inevitably rise. I'm sure you can see that too."
"And so what?" Yasuho sharply questioned, her voice now more confrontational from the heat of the moment. "What am I supposed to do? Shoot him? Fulfill my unquestioning duty to the Empire and remove a big player for the opposing team by using my unique position to get close to him?"
"You said it, not me," Maho closed. She rested her case. Yasuho's eyes widened as she realized what she had said. Captain Aoshima had revealed what had been bugging her. A question of conflict of interest. Her close friend was merely trying to elicit it. It was there all along.
Sighing and calming down, Yasuho returned her gunner's rifle to it's mount. "I won't do that," she quietly said. "And what Kuvira doesn't know won't hurt her."
"That's the most 'questioning and undermining the authority of the high command' I have heard you say. And it does slip from you every now and then," Maho praised.
"I don't question as much as you do though," Yasuho chuckled.
"I don't resist orders," Maho corrected, "But I also think rationally. Orders are orders, yes, but that doesn't mean I'll just blindly follow them. I will be aware when carrying them out. That's all I'm making sure you are doing too."
"Of course, I think about what I am doing when I'm told to do so. Sometimes, it bothers me too," her friend quietly replied. Yasuho crossed her arms, thinking of Jun. "Who's to say I can't have my cake and eat it too? Whatever I want, I will work for, take, and protect."
Maho sighed, reluctant to press her friend on. She admired Yasuho's conviction though, it was one of her strong traits. And in that way, Yasuho actually wasn't too different from Kuvira, herself.
"Chief Stevenson isn't the only person in this," Maho slightly veered to a nearby target. "There is someone else. Someone you don't see romantically, per se, but also value well."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, how about your close friend in with the Liu's?" Maho asked.
Yasuho closed the distance with her friend. "How do you know about that?" The captain was wide eyed and now spoke at a concerned whisper.
"You.. are…something else.. on the rare occasions you've had several too many to drink," Maho admitted. "Luckily it was just the two of us that time." Maho slouched in her chair, looking out her view port at the cool calm evening outside. "Before Zaofu, and before any rumored acts of war against the UNR, we will be closing in on that remaining hold out. And the Liu Clan will fall, guaranteed."
"I…know…" Her friend was noticeably crushed. "Why did he have to join them? Why did he have to develop romantic feelings for Mei Liu of all people?! Stupid Xiao…"
"Same could be said by literally anybody about you, you know…"
"I do…"
Maho was getting tired of just sitting there. She clambered over to the gunner's seat and looked over all the turret controls and the firing triggers. So many buttons, levers, and pedals. "So this is what it looks like," Maho commented, peering through the main gun sight. Dead center in the crosshairs, about twenty meters out was the broadside of one of their tanks; a Panther.
"Don't hit any buttons," Yasuho cautioned. "That would be a quick way for the both of us to possibly end up in front of a firing squad."
"I'm careful, don't worry," she said, pulling away from the eye piece. "What are you going to do? You know, I've heard it's Colonel- No- General, now. General Guan that is overseeing the fall of Liu's castle stronghold and town. He's not exactly known to be as merciful as you. Your own prodigy, Major Choi would also be in that military push. To tell you the truth, he also kinda scares me."
"He does? I've known him to be a great soldier with tenacity and efficiency," Yasuho said, recalling when he was under her wing and when she was his superior. He had broken through the barrier from being a line officer into being a field officer; before her!
"Exactly," Maho commented. "He's like you, but…without the compassionate side."
"He's not that bad!" Yasuho shrugged off. "At any rate…what would I do, you say…"
"Would you kill him?"
"Of course not. He's actually a childhood friend. He may be associated with criminals, but he isn't one himself."
"I'm trying to make a point here," Maho indicated. "I'm not going to tell you what it is, but I'm making a point here."
Yasuho paid no attention to her friend's cryptic saying. "I'd look the other way and let him run."
"And if he was in front of us? Literally in the crosshairs?"
"I'd 'miss', and also fire something harmless 'by accident', like smoke instead of high explosive," she chuckled. "I'm not Azula. I make mistakes every now and then, you know."
I really don't think you should be comparing yourself to the former Princess of the Fire Nation, Maho thought to herself…
"Oi…Oooiiiiiii~~" an exhausted voice could be heard outside.
Yasuho propped herself out and peaked out the viewports of her cupola. It was the two men of the watch. And it was time for the shift change.
"Corporal Jang!" the young man with a submachine gun slung over his shoulder called. He patted and shook the tent fabric with increasing intensity. "Corporal Jang of Tiger 118! Wake uppppp! It's your turn for watch!"
"Go away!" they could hear Eunji snap, still obviously asleep. "It's not time yet!"
"It is! Wake up! I want to get some sleep too! And it's your duty to take watch!"
Both Yasuho and Maho were stifling their laughter now.
"Gerrrrrrrr!" There was angered thrashing coming from the tent. It sounded like someone angrily pulling their trousers on, blousing their boots, and fumbling for their weapons and equipment belt. The tent opening tore open. "You wanna sleep so much? I should let you sleep eternally!"
"Go ahead!" the soldier replied back, sharply. His partner was also starting to chuckle. "At least you get to ride along all day! Try marching for miles!"
Her MP40 bounced and rattled off her back as she violently slung the weapon over her shoulder. "Junko!" she called, irritadely shaking the stout woman. "Junko! Wake up! It's time for watch!"
"They are two halves of the same coin, aren't they," Maho chuckled.
"They are indeed," Yasuho replied.
"Did you ever watch CatDog growing up?" Maho asked.
Yasuho shook her head. "Don't think I have."
"It's a Nickelodeon cartoon, literally of a cat and a dog that share the same body…somehow. They're kind of like that…Or maybe like Spongebob and Squidward…"
"Ah..Now I get what you mean," Yasuho nodded.
Junko finally sat up from her cot, not a hint of urgency on her still sleeping face. She rubbed her eyes slowly. "Is it war?" she drowsily asked. "Are we being attacked?"
"Yes! Now get up and get armed!"
"We're not in the tank," Junko said, "I'm good as dead anyway…goodnight," she airily said plopping back down in her bed.
"No you don't!" Eunji forcefully pulled her loader from the cot by her ankles. The force of her back hitting the dirt flat-on definitely shook Junko up. "If I gotta be up for watch, so do you! Now get your boots on and pick up your gun!"
The shortest crew member grumbled and muttered non-stop to herself as she got ready. For being a submachine gun, it looked somewhat large in her hands. And her helmet was also somewhat comically oversized looking as she clunked it down on her head. The rest of the camp seemed to be woken up from that fiery exchange. Several heads peeked out from the other tents to see what was going on, before the watchers quietly retreated back into their bunks.
"Oh, you guys are precious to me too," Yasuho said while quietly laughing at the events unfolding before her. "Don't let my romantic and long time associations screen that from you, Maho. My precious crew members are equally irreplaceable...If not more!"
Maho glanced over at her friend and superior. Yeah, she thought, but we are also soldiers in a coming war. One where the fighting capabilities wouldn't be heavily geared to one side, but rather equal. The rational voice of reason and confidant, suppressed the realistic terms of the risks and what that meant; saying no more. Maybe I'm overthinking this, Maho thought. "Ahhh," she sighed, "Everything will probably turn out fine."
The Swamp
Central Earth Kingdom
"CAN YOU TWO DUNDERHEADS PUT YOUR BACKS INTO IT?!" Toph yelled, "OR DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT MY HELP AT ALL?"
"I'm trying!" Jun shot back, restraining both Korra's arms. "Not the way I would normally hold someone down."
"At least you're not getting kicked in the face," John grumbled, his neck still red and bruised.
Toph dropped both arms, defeated. "Ugh! I've lost it again!" She looked at the two men. "It's near impossible to get the remaining poison out, if she is squirming around and thrashing. This is liquid metal we're talking about here!"
Korra settled back onto the stone altar, catching her breath from writhing around and squirming.
"Okay," Toph prefaced, "Here we." She cracked her knuckles and neck. "Brace!"
Jun pushed down on both the avatar's arms, and John did the same with her ankles.
The Blind Bandit made attempt #40 at extracting the remaining mercury in Korra's system. The metal surged and moved within her body. Korra shrieked! "AHHH!" Her body convulsed and spasmed. It was shocking, and very very uncomfortable!
"HOLD HER STILL!" Toph's voice, the two men fighting to hold the avatar down, and Korra's cries thundered through the otherwise silent and still swamp.
"Can you, maybe, hold still?!" Jun shouted at Korra.
John grunted, getting kicked in straight in his diaphragm. "We're…trying to help you!"
Korra, through gritted teeth, managed to groan, "Maybe..you could-...be..a little..more..gentle!" Sweat streamed from her head, and poured out from all over her. She closed her eyes, enduring the pain. Every time she did though, she was haunted by visions of scenes of her trauma. Images of Zaheer, and the feeling of the air being taken from her lungs. Images of a hellbent version of herself in the Avatar state. She said nothing of these visions, though.
"I am being gentle!" Toph clapped back. "This is the most gentle you'll ever get!"
"We could knock her out!" John suggested, getting kicked again.
"Suyin was more gentle!"
"Su was moving a mass! This is the finer stuff she couldn't get!" Toph challenged. "You could ask Kuvira or Lin to get this out! Then you would really know what 'rough' is! Now hold still! You want your veins being torn open by mercury!?"
Jun, getting exhausted and rapidly losing his patience, interjected. "Come on avatar! We're not doing a combat amputation here! JUST BITE THE BULLET AND HOLD STILL DAMMIT!"
Korra tried to bear with it.
"Just a bit more. I almost got it," Toph struggled. The mercury just had to pass through the skin! She snapped her wrists sharply away from Korra.
The avatar yelped. Her hands clenched to tight fists. Jun was struck away from the altar by a sudden pillar of earth. Her leg shot down and her heels hit the table as well. Agent Masaoka was similarly tossed from the den they occupied. He went down the outside embankment. Toph simply dodged a suddenly launched rock, which smashed into the wall at the back of the room.
"That's it!" Toph submitted. "This isn't working!"
Korra was gasping for air, winded from the experience. "I-..I can..I can try again. I can take it."
"No," Toph said. "No you can't."
"There has to be another way," Jun commented, helping his partner clamber back up. "That metal in you, it needs to come out. What if we try not being so gentle? Like, ripping off a bandaid?"
"Do you hear yourself," Toph questioned. "I'm no corpsman, but if I did that, it would likely rip her veins and muscles out!"
After all these years Toph calls them corpsmen, Jun thought. She must have picked up that term from hanging around the marines and sailors in her youth.
John finally came to his feet. "There's a railroad scrap yard not too far from here. They break apart old cars and locomotives there. We could try using that gigantic magnet they got. Like the Breaking Bad episode where they fried that laptop's hard drive…and then some!"
"I feel like that could potentially be worse," Jun said, genuinely pondering the suggestion. "A defunct avatar with no avatar state is better than a newborn earth bending avatar at this time."
"We could try surgically getting it out," John suggested again.
"Recovery would be too long," Jun answered. The Earth Empire would be rolling Blitzkrieg on Republic City, and we'd have an Avatar suspended in a hospital bed."
"It's obvious!" Toph shouted. "She needs to get it out herself! It's obvious ripping it out of her isn't working! But she's being held back!"
"By what?" the two men glanced at Toph.
Toph paused. She knew what Korra was dealing with, but wasn't going to blurt it out for the world to hear. "You," she pointed at Korra, "Come with me."
Without a word, she led the Avatar to a compartment she had opened at the back of the den, then suddenly shut the opening with her earthbending. The two men were left outside, dumbfounded. "Yasuho could probably get that out of her, right boss?" John asked with a whisper.
"Yeah…but for reasons you and I know," Jun groaned, "That might as well be an impossible ask right now." He snapped his fingers and clicked his teeth. "Wait a minute, you yourself are an earth and metal bender! Why don't you do it?"
John pondered it for a minute. "Hm. No…you're right. A defunct avatar is better than a dead one…"
"What is your problem?" Toph had a very blunt way of asking questions.
"Me?" Korra questioned. "I'm the one with the problem, here?"
"In more ways than you are leading on to believe, actually," Toph flatly replied. "There may be mercury in you. But there are a whole lotta other issues in there that are hindering you."
Korra was silent.
"You're still hung up on something that happened six years ago, that's why you are the way you are, right now!"
"That's-"
"Don't deny it! Running doesn't help!" Toph accused. Her voice returned to a softer tone once Korra was silenced. "You need to accept that what's done is done. Everything that haunts you from the past, what is still scaring you, that's all gone. That, atleast, cannot harm you anymore. And you need to come to terms with it." The earth bending master crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "Really, it seems you need to come to terms with a lot of things. Everyone does really, from what I can see."
"What do you mean?"
"The world right now," Toph began, "Seems to have become very polarized. Things are being taken to extremes. There is no middle ground anymore..or atleast the middle ground is shriniking and shrinking. And that applies to everyone, not just who we would consider 'enemies.' Though…I guess..to a degree, it's always been like that."
"Oh?"
"Rewind seventy years ago. There were four nations engaged in a one hundred year war. That was already extreme enough, but then two more literally splashed into this world from the depths of nothing…also on a mission to crush the other into a fiery pulp over their own warring baggage. The Empire of Japan, as they were back then, wanted to be recognized as a world power! Propel her people and socieities to match where the modern world in the West had accomplished, especially after the First World War! But no one gave her that recognition, and the method that they chose to achieve that…that was the major problem. The Americans joined the fight to bring down these extreme dictatorships, and bring the world into a state of peace. But in doing so, at the end, they annihilated two major cities, and razed many more before the eventual surrender. And then they brought about the ongoing issue of atomic weapons.
The Fire Nation wanted to spread its knowledge and wealth to the world, and in certain regards growing up in the Fire Nation would have been better than growing up in the Earth Kingdom for non-benders, women, and other groups that would have been marginalized or faded into the background of unimportance in other nations …but they went the route of colonization and coercion. Not sharing, but paving over. And to counter the Avatar, who would inevitably stand against their methods, committed mass genocide.
What did Amon want? Equality! Right? Sounds good on paper, but how did he try for it? Inciting civil war, and acts of domestic terrorism.
Unalaq wanted to strengthen the Water Tribe's spiritual identity, in the face of industrialism and modernism. He brought back the spirits! But in his methods, he moved to annex the Southern Water Tribe, nearly began an inter-worldly war, and threatened the safety of Republic City.
Zaheer wanted freedom! The ultimate goal that anyone could get behind, right? He, and the Red Lotus, fought to break people away from the controlling grasp of any and all regulatory and corrupted forces - particularly monarchs and government. But he murdered several foreign dignitaries and even heads of state. And he brought about an extreme sense of lawlessness and chaos. Of which, innocent people, many of them the very same people he was trying to protect were harmed and even killed in the coming riots."
Which brings us to now, Korra," Toph paused. "What does Kuvira want? She wants stability. A direct response to the lawlessness, that existed for thousands of years, that was enhanced by Zaheer's masqurade."
"But she's going about getting it through coercion..with a smoking gun to back up each peace offer. The states and towns don't really have a choice in all this!"
"No they don't..and in reality, in certain cases it's been worse than being threatened to submit," Toph revealed, grimly. "On the other side of the coin, what does President Raiko want?"
Korra, although generally indifferent about Raiko, was losing favor of the UNR's president; particularly after the ordeal with Unalaq and the Southern Water Tribe. "A peaceful and pleasant United Republic?"
"Law and order," Toph corrected. "Even though the triads and the gangs in Republic City used to have prominence long ago, in recent years it's been very peaceful on the day to day - leaving out all the major criminals and world events - wouldn't you agree?"
"I guess I would," Korra stated. For the average person and the millions of international and inter-worldly tourists and travelers, for all intents and purposes, Republic City is a utopia, rivals Tokyo and Singapore when it comes to safety.
"Those two men out there represent the cream of the crop when it comes to the UNR's long arm of the law. Especially Captain Stevenson. Lin has a bone to pick with that man, particularly his methods and blatant overreach of jurisdiction. Can you tell me for certain that those two are perfect and ethical in how they deal with crime? Granted, everyone that they severely dealt with was some troublemaker, but to make it simple…definitely not. And Junichiro has his reasons for being so tough on anyone who is a criminal in even the slightest sense of the word."
"He lost his first partner to an Equalist attack," Korra recalled.
"He lost who he considered to be a close friend in that explosion," Toph recalled. "In addition to the other fifty people on that street car in that explosion."
"I'm willing to bet, his current confidant, the one in the Earth Empire Army, has something similar for her reasons..but I don't know much about her."
"So what should I do?" Korra refocused. "How will I confront my fears? Talking with the man himself? He's been dead for half a decade!"
Toph sighed. "Unfortunately…in that sense, I don't really have solid advice for you. That's something you'll have to determine on your own."
Great, Korra thought. Right back to square one.
John hung up his phone. "Reception is freakin' terrible out here," he grumbled. "You'd think they'd extend 4G coverage out here by now."
"Was that headquarters?" Jun asked.
"Yeah. New findings. Pretty much confirms our suspicions," Agent Masoka reported, taking a seat on the altar that they had tried to assist Korra on.
"What's the word?"
"You remember Sakari Chang? The poor Water Tribe girl shot dead by her boyfriend?"
"Yeah, the waste of oxygen; Dang Zhen," Jun recalled.
"Yeah, her, and him. Anyways, computer forensics finally were able to dig deep enough for a shipping manifest. Turns out, Sakari was witness to a mass shipment of guns moving into the city. Just came off a train car and was to be sorted into the container yard. She wasn't supposed to be on that work crew, but ended up there by mistake. Dang Zhen was delegated to move this container then receive the contraband. What's done is done, but basically..the container is now traceable to have originated from Ba Sing Se. Specifically a wearhouse which, on paper, has no affiliation…but sources have observed recognized Earth Empire affiliates and even uniformed personnel going in and out of. It's a Dai Li lock up!"
"Which allows us to charge the Earth Empire with trying to destabilize the UNR by arming its criminals and gangs," Jun surmised. "But in the current state of the world, it will be difficult for that kind of accusation to stick."
"Yeah. And there's something else, regarding the Empire Soldier that we detained for blowing up the railroad bridge," John reported.
"What about him?"
"Sung Teishi doesn't remember anything! Apparently he's been screaming bloody murder in the cells, wondering how he got there and why he was arrested in the UNR."
"He trying to feign insanity or something?"
"We questioned that. But on all the polygraphs, and despite even bringing in a psych analyst, he believes himself to be innocent and telling the truth. He confirmed being part of the 1st Armored Division under Colonel Guan-"
"I Believe it's Brigadier General Guan now," Jun corrected.
"...But beyond that, he doesn't remember anything. Nothing about posing as Daofei, and nothing about blowing up that major train line. Last thing he recalls, is being assigned to a bunker in the Tai Hua Ranges."
Jun squinted. If it is exactly as reported, that was strange indeed. "Tell the officers we have on Mr. Teishi, to press him on that topic. There may be something more we are not getting."
"Aye, sir," John acknowledged dialing his phone to contact the penitentiary.
Junichiro dismissed himself to make a phone call of his own.
Seated within the inner breast pocket of her tunic, Yasuho's phone buzzed. An incoming call. Technically, her unit was in operation and was deployed. So, she was not supposed to answer the phone for casual chats. Not supposed to…but often did.
'Jun', the caller ID read. The tank officer placed her phone beside her and peaked out the top of the turret. Camp was quiet, others back asleep, and Eunji and Junko continued to grumble about having to man the watch patrol. Gently and silently she closed the hatch on top of her and latched the lock. A sharp turn of her hand also through the small locking bolts on the driver's, radioman's, escape, and second turret hatch doors as well. Only once the vehicle was secured and she was certain she was alone did her thumb hit the green phone icon to receive the call.
"Hello?" she quietly asked, with a plain and indifferent tone.
Thousands of kilometers away in The Swamp, Jun had wandered off from the group and was perched up against a large stump by the creekside; an oversized horned bull frog, one the size of a medium sized boulder, was quietly perched next to him. Looking at it, he imagined it would weigh around fifty pounds. "Hey, how is everything?"
"Doing fine," Yasuho replied. Not a word more.
"You guys…errr..forward deployed right now?"
"You know, I can't reveal things like that," Captain Aoshima answered.
"I know. My bad, just slipped my mind," Jun replied. It was an honest mistake.
She sighed. After days of thought, she was coming around to realize that she was being unreasonably disappointed at him. After all, in the end he was just following orders. No different than her. "You're taking care of yourself too. Right, Captain Stevenson?"
"Bringing up the sudden formalities," Jun chuckled. "You know I haven't been a captain for over nearly a decade now."
"I know." She was not one to beat around the bush. "You know who was responsible for trying to tamper with that vote, don't you."
"You know I can't say," Jun replied.
"But it wasn't you. That wasn't your order."
"Can't confirm or deny that either," he persisted. "The investigation is ongoing," he sighed. He really sighed.
"And it will be one that will go on until people forget about it, won't it."
"Afraid so," he relented.
"Just following orders?"
"Just following orders," he repeated.
"Then," Yasuho inquired, "What if, one day, we meet..on the battlefield. What then? Would you…would you pull the trigger?"
Jun looked around the darkness of the swamp. It was still and quiet. Not even the frog croaked. "Pretty sure, in a fight between the two of us, you'd wipe the floor with me."
"Hypothetically," Yasuho persisted.
"Of course not." He said this with full conviction.
She felt reassured. "You have an inherent bias, Jun."
"I'm working on it. Avatar's been giving me a mouthful about justice and mercy and stuff. Non-stop bantering about how I'm too forceful and absolute in judgment," he complained. "It's impossible to ignore."
"The Avatar?" Yasuho perked up. "She was, still, highly reverent of the Avatar. How is she coming along?"
"Korra?" Jun scoffed. "Korra is fine. Being a bit dramatic is all. Something about metal in her system. You told her that."
"I knew it. I did sense something that day," Yasuho recalled.
"Yeah…you think you could come over and get this mercury out of her?"
"It's…a bit difficult," Yasuho answered. "And I feel like given the current circumstances, command would not approve of that…"
"Understandable," Jun replied. He was now fearfully attempting to pet the frog that still sat quietly beside him. "She is a WMD after all."
"You shouldn't think so negatively of her," the tank officer said. "She isn't simply a nuclear bomb. Fat Man and Little Boy couldn't talk. Couldn't think. Couldn't walk. And the Avatar does more than just those basic motor functions too."
"I think you think too highly of her."
"She's just…well-...okay, she's not a kid anymore. But unlike boot camp and OCS, which taught us how to be soldiers, or school or any other institution…there is nothing that teaches an avatar how to be an avatar. And historically, they were all different people. That's the beauty of it, as the spirits intended."
Jun couldn't help but roll his eyes. Atleast she couldn't see that.
"I know you're rolling your eyes at this. But give her a chance. Ease off of her. If it helps, especially in her current situation, don't think of her as this divine all powerful being..think of her as just an ordinary 24 year old. It may not be Hundred Year War stuff, but even at that she has been through a lot. Remember, six years ago she thought she was unbeatable and near-invincible when she first arrived in Republic City."
"I suppose. Though I didn't think I'd be here babysitting her," Jun grumbled. "Shouldn't you be concerned about this? Where things are going, you know she is also going to take a stance against the Empire."
"I'll cross that bridge when I get there," Yasuho simply replied.
"Take care of yourself, Yasuho," Jun quietly said, concerned. "I can't put my finger on it yet. But things are…not as straightforward as they seem."
"I'll keep that in mind," she replied.