Katara was angered at how the man who killed her husband could come to the Southern Water Tribe unchallenged, but she was all too aware of how he'd bought the goodwill of the Tribe's Chieftain and current Avatar, leaving her no grounds to challenge his Diplomatic Privilege. In addition, she'd learned enough about Darth Vader to know he couldn't be beaten in a fight, at least for the moment. For now, she and Toph had gone to catch up after so many years apart. As they sat close to the airfield, waiting for Zuko to arrive alongside other ambassadors, the two elderly masters started talking.
"It's good to see you again, Toph," Katara told the blind Earthbender. "And that you have resolved things with your girls."
"Yeah," Toph replied. "I just wish I came out sooner."
"What do you mean?" asked the Waterbending master.
"Before she made her public return, Korra came to that swamp where you said Aang had a vision of me," the first Metalbender answered. "I don't know what she was looking for, but she found me. She explained exactly what I had missed and what my girls had gone through in the time she knew them, such as how Lin was Bloodbent by Yakone's son. She thought it was my fault since I wasn't there to help, and she cared enough about Lin to demand I go out and give her some closure over my screwups."
"Yes, Korra has always been passionate about helping and defending the people she loves," Katara said.
"Too bad Vader is now one of those people," Toph stated, to Katara's surprise.
"She might appreciate what he did for her, but she doesn't love him," Katara rapidly stated. "She can't."
"She, and that husband of hers, have been with him for over a year, from what I know," Toph replied. "When Tenzin and Lin explained their side of the story, she dismissed every negative connotation about Vader, and accepted his justifications without question. She seems a little too forgiving and accepting for him to just be some ally of convenience. As for my grandchildren, Baatar Jr loves how he can now 'use the Force' as it's called, Kuvira looks to Vader as some sort of prophet, and Opal isn't sure to trust or fear him."
"I get what you mean," Katara replied. "Tenzin's children say they are giving Vader the benefit of the doubt. They say it's because he saved them but truthfully, I think they are afraid of what will happen if he is fought." Before they could continue, they heard a familiar sound in the distance. Looking to the sky, Katara saw Zuko atop his dragon Druk coming in for a landing. Toph smiled as well, and the three old friends hugged each other. After the three surviving members of Avatar Aang's team explained what they'd been through in the last several years since their last meeting, Toph asked the former Fire Lord why he was here now.
"Well, a representative of this 'Empire' that Avatar Korra has befriended demanded a meeting, alongside other world leaders," the scarred Firebender answered. "But the Fire Lord doesn't kowtow to demands from strangers, especially when there is a volcanic eruption happening."
"What?!" asked Katara.
"Yeah, some sort of eruption at the Boiling Rock," Zuko said. "Bumi is off at the Western Air Temple to help with evacuation, while Iroh is returning to his command. Izumi needs to be in the Fire Nation, so I'm here, to see what this means." All of the sudden, the ground underneath them shifted, and they went tumbling down below the surface. The three of them quickly got back on their feet and looked about. They were close to an underground river, heated by a geothermal vent, hot enough that Toph could take off her boots. Their thoughts were interrupted by the menacingly familiar sound of mechanical breathing. Turning to the sound, Zuko saw the silhouette of his son's murderer obscured by steam. Without waiting for the Sith to approach, he fired a lightning bolt, but Vader quickly sidestepped it, drawing his lightsaber. Katara turned the steam to ice, freezing him in place as Toph sent a boulder, knocking the sword out of Vader's hands, but he quickly shattered the ice with his own power, pulling the lightsaber back with his mind. Zuko fired another lightning bolt, which Vader absorbed with his energy sword. Toph Earthbent while the Sith was distracted, sending a flow of lava flying upward toward Vader, but he outstretched his left hand and the magma diverged around him, forcing Katara to jump out of the way.
"I was hoping you had learned your lesson," Vader stated, indifferent to how his cape's edge was now burning. "I will remind you." He charged forward, blocking one ice shard after another Katara sent his way, and leaping beyond the wave she'd tried to distract him from. He then propelled himself to the ground, sending a shockwave out that knocked Katara off her feet. Thankfully, Zuko managed to catch her while Toph shielded herself, but Vader moved swiftly and scraped his lightsaber across Toph's left leg, causing her to fall on her hands in pain. Vader then kicked the Earthbender, in her youth, Toph could have shrugged it off but now, it was enough to make her pass out. He jabbed his lightsaber forward, scratching Katara's left shoulder, causing her to drop in pain. Zuko erected a barrier of fire to protect himself and his two oldest living friends, but the lightsaber spun threw it, almost cutting off his right arm. Charging through, Vader punched Zuko in the stomach, knocking him backward. He then sliced through Zuko's left boot, destroying the prosthetic beneath. As Zuko fell, a loud roar came from above. It was Druk, Zuko's dragon.
"Handle my guests, I will handle their pet," Vader commanded into a commlink. He leapt upward, dodging a great flame directed toward him. He gripped a heavy boulder with the Force and sent it smashing into the dragon's side. Before it could recover, Vader stabbed his lightsaber through one of its wings. Dropping a heavy load on its back, he then leapt in front of it.
"Your mind is mine, beast," Vader commanded, stretching out with the Force, imposing his will upon it. The dragon was very resistant, such was its strength, so he stabbed his lightsaber through its second wing, inflicting further pain while he forced its mouth to stay closed with telekinesis. After that, the beast had a harder time defying his telepathy, at which point Vader commanded it to fly back to the Fire Nation. As the beast flew off, slower than before on account of its wounds, Vader was hit by a massive wall of fire. Zuko had managed to blast himself out of the hole and hit the Sith with a great wall of flame, completely engulfing him. Zuko didn't hear any of Vader's breathing, so he looked back down, wondering how he could get Katara and Toph out of the hole before Vader's minions got there. Zuko was then sent flying and pinned against the wall of a hanger by an invisible grip.
"You really thought you could defy our lord and master?" a smug woman's voice mockingly asked. It belonged to a woman in a whitish-grey uniform with a black cap. At that moment, Darth Vader walked into view, his right arm outstretched, his lightsaber hooked back onto his belt, and his entire armor smoldering. If anything, he looked even more terrifying than usual. The woman fired a blue wave from her weapon, and things went black for Zuko.
When Katara opened her eyes, she was now in a room where the air was too dry to Waterbend. Looking about, she saw Toph in a bizarre cell made of red energy, while Zuko was restrained in a glass box with a mask hooked to an oxygen hose. A woman in a white uniform and black cap strode into the room. "I am Oniye Namada, Lord Vader's personal adjutant to the Imperial Security Bureau," she introduced herself. "You've probably noticed that there is no water here to bend, and with that armed camera over there," Namada pointed to, "an operator can shoot you, should you attempt to Bloodbend anyone here. As for you, Toph Beifong, you cannot move at all in that force cage." Turning to Zuko, she continued. "As for you, that oxygen hose is the only air you have, so no Firebending. At best, you'll burn the other side of your face to match, but more likely, you'll scorch your insides and die a painful death. Now, without further ado, my master is here." She strolled out of the room with her two stormtroopers, inclining her head respectfully as Darth Vader walked past her.
"We were surrounded by your elements, and I emerge victorious," Vader stated to the three Master Benders before him.
"Is that why you dropped us into that cave?" demanded Toph, struggling to find some sort of metal she could bend but encased in energy and off her feet, she was as blind and powerless as the sightless Earthbender could be. "To prove how strong you were?"
"That was one reason," the Sith admitted. "The other was to test if you would pick a fight or not. Since that question is answered, do you acknowledge my superiority?"
"In this area," Katara stated through gritted teeth. "But you have failed in others. You miscalculated and shown your true colors to the Avatar and her family."
"Hardly," Vader stated. "Korra and her fellow apostles understood I would most likely come to blows with you and won't begrudge me for choosing the battleground. Their friends are so loyal, they will follow Korra and Kuvira wherever they go. Tonraq and Senna might complain, but they understand my friendship is important for this new era your world finds itself in. Besides, you will be returned home after our discussion, here, no worse for wear."
"And what does this say about you?" challenged Zuko. "I came to represent the Fire Nation at this summit your Empire announced."
"Which is not who we summoned," the Sith replied. "Korra understood you were unfit for something this important. Which is why she retrieved your daughter before coming here."
"What?!" Zuko exclaimed, shock all over his and the others' faces.
"Indeed," Vader replied. "Not to worry, Izumi will return to the Fire Nation with you, no worse for wear. But really, you shouldn't be surprised. After all, Grand Moff Tarkin specified the Avatar had called this summit and that only the sitting rulers of these nations were welcome. Or did you expect Korra to stand for this disrespect?" At that moment, he heard a beep coming from his commlink. "As much as I would enjoy continuing our talk, I am now needed at the summit. Still, I must thank you."
"Thank us?!" an indignant Katara replied.
"You, and others like you, trained Korra well, and at the same time left her inclined to embrace the ways of the Sith," Vader stated. "Suyin Beifong did the same with her own children, and Mako's experiences also laid the foundation for him following my path. So, I must thank you for ensuring they would become the perfect apprentices."
"Korra would never join you!" Katara angrily declared. "Somehow, you have tricked her and Mako!"
"You know nothing of what it means to be Sith, and how you prepared her for the role," Vader stated. He then stormed out of the room, leaving the three alone with their thoughts.
As the various airships, bearing an assortment of flags, arrived, Bolin looked to see where each of them was from. One had the Northern Water Tribe flag, still somewhat unwelcome in the South on account of Unalaq's actions, another had the URN flag, another had the White Lotus insignia, and the last was the same airship Lady Malina of Kyoshi Island had taken. Bolin witnessed the various dignitaries depart their vessels, including President Raiko, the White Lotus Grandmaster Darook, as well as the Northern Waterbender twins and their mother.
"So, you people have embraced the Obsidian Knight?" one of the Northern Water Tribals accused a ground crewman.
"Why not?" the crewman flippantly asked. "Darth Vader warned of Unalaq's true nature long before anyone else. Really, every problem the Northern Water Tribe has suffered for the last twenty-five years came from believing Unalaq. Now, our Avatar has returned to us thanks to Lord Vader, so I don't see much reason to question it."
"Aren't you forgetting what he did to my father, and Avatar Aang?" an angered Malina asked. "Two of the greatest heroes of the Southern Water Tribe?"
"Hello!" Bolin said, interrupting the confrontation. "Right this way, everyone! We don't want to keep our guests waiting!" The assorted dignitaries looked at Bolin, and reluctantly followed him.
"I'm surprised you are here now, Bolin," Eska stated flatly. "I would have expected you to be at Kuvira's base."
"I'd never miss my brother's wedding," Bolin declared. "Korra and Mako will join the meeting, after they handle their kids." At that moment, Tenzin and Lin walked up, as did Suyin, greeting the assorted dignitaries. Having led the party to the leaders already there, Bolin departed for his date with Opal.
"Mr. President, I apologize but I thought it was better I head straight here as opposed to detour to Republic City," the police chief said to Raiko.
"I suppose it's all I can expect, when my main advisors decide to hide crucial information from me," he stated, looking rather displeased with her and the Airbender leader. "Given how accepting the two of you appear to be of this revelation, I can only assume you already knew and, for some inexplicable reason, decided to hide it from me."
"We were just as much in the dark as you, Mr. President," Tenzin said unconvincingly. "We just realized there was nothing to be done about it and we had to move on. Also, it's hard to be angry at Korra given how she wound up in that position."
"This conference we have been summoned to awaits," Desna flatly stated. "Some of mine and Eska's advisors suggested we send an emissary instead of coming ourselves, but I suspect we'd be forced to attend regardless." As they moved into the building they'd been directed into, some sort of bunker, arriving in the conference room, all of them were surprised to see Fire Lord Izumi was already within. She looked rather tired and was busy nursing a headache.
"I didn't know you were here, Izzy," Tenzin said to his sister-in-law.
"Well, my father volunteered to come in my place, sometime later, Korra and her entourage showed up, making it clear my presence was mandatory," the Fire Lord explained.
"The message was clear enough," a familiar voice interrupted. Looking to the source, the assorted leaders saw Avatar Korra, with her new husband beside her. But unlike before, Korra and Mako were wearing a black version of the officer's uniform many Imperials outside Vader and the Stormtroopers wore. Neither of them was wearing the officer caps that Krennic and the others wore but Korra had a simliar officer's plaque: red and blue squares atop each other, four across. On each side of her shirt was a coat pocket with what looked like a metal pen. Mako had a plaque with three across and one pen on the right coat pocket. Both wore greyish-black gloves on their hands. Finally, while Mako had a single lightsaber at the left side of his belt, Korra had an elongated one on her right with an emitter on either side. "If you listened the first time, I wouldn't have needed to come."
"You need to learn respect for your elders, Korra," the White Lotus Grandmaster stated, talking down to her as if she was an unruly toddler.
"Oh, I've always had it, for the ones who deserve it," Korra casually stated. Kuvira and Baatar then strode into the room, taking seats at the center of one side of the table. Baatar had a lightsaber on his left, while Kuvira had one on either side.
"And what do you think you are doing?" the indignant Grandmaster asked.
"My rightful place as ruler of the Earth Nation," Kuvira stated. "Now that Wu is just another piece of garbage rotting away, none of you can deny the position I have earned."
"This goes against all laws and tra-""Water is the element of Change," Korra bluntly interrupted, cutting off Malina, who'd accompanied her children into the meeting despite only ruling Kyoshi Island. "And I am an Avatar of the Water Tribe. Now, I am changing the entire world."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Izumi said, as the various dignitaries took their seats.
"Change is inevitable, all you can do is embrace it," Baatar stated. Lin looked at Korra and Mako with displeasure, especially at Korra's arrogance and demanding attitude, but said nothing. Tenzin looked concerned as well, but also said nothing.
"Where is your father, Cousin Korra?" Eska asked, noticeably more agitated than she normally was, which her dark red hair made even more apparent. "I'd expect the Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe to be here, as well."
"The Southern Water Tribe has already made its agreement," Korra dismissively stated. "His friendship with Lord Vader has paid off again, so the South Pole will be among the first to benefit from an Imperial alliance."
"Have you considered that this 'Galactic Empire' isn't as powerful as it claims to be?" Darook asked, the White Lotus leader again demonstrating his ignorance. "That it is actually a rather small power in the scope of alien civilizations?"
"You have never been offworld and until three days ago, you insisted there was no life outside our planet," Mako bluntly stated. He'd come to hate the White Lotus, as they had done everything possible to undermine his relationship with Korra in the name of 'keeping the Avatar detached' and had almost succeeded. "We're the experts on the wider galaxy, you're not. And the Galactic Empire is just that, a gargantuan military and industrial powerhouse that dominates most of the known galaxy. Oh, and those guys who attacked Republic City? They were a crime syndicate on their last legs. If a few gangsters could do all that, how do you think incurring the Empire's wrath would turn out?" Before anyone could respond, the wall opened with a mechanical sound, revealing a door. Striding in were five humans, all in the same type of uniform as Korra, though two of the newcomers had grey outfits, one had a black uniform, and one was white. The fifth was Director Orson Krennic, who stalked in with his black-armored Stormtroopers. The one who seemed to be in charge was perhaps a decade older than Tenzin, with grey hair and a sharp face. He had a similar rank plaque to the other officers, but his was six rows across, a blue line on top, and on the bottom, three red blocks on the left and three gold on the right. He also had two pen-like metallic objects in each of his coat pockets.
"Greetings from the Emperor," he said. "I am Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Governor-General of the Empire's Outer Rim Territory."
"I am Arihnda Pryce, special liaison to the Senate diplomatic committee, and Deputy Governor of Lothal," the woman announced. She had piercing blue eyes, a long nose, and a round black haircut, wearing a grey uniform largely identical to Tarkin's, except only her right coat pocket had a pen and her plaque was five across, with two gold blocks in the bottom right hand corner.
"For those who haven't met me, I am Orson Callan Krennic, Director of Advanced Research Projects," the caped officer stated.
"Appo Namada, General of the 501st Stormtrooper Legion, ranking officer of the Imperial Expeditionary Force," the one wearing black stated. Lin focused on him, having heard the story of cloning from Bolin. Appo had light brown skin, black hair, hazel eyes, and on his uniform were two pens in the right pocket, one in the left. His officer plaque was five red across on top of five blue across.
"And I am Colonel Wulff Yularen," the third man answered. He was an older man with white hair, complete with a mustache, wearing a white uniform, with one pen in each of his coat pockets, and his plaque was one row, three red blocks on the left, three blue on the right. "Senior overseer for the Imperial Security Bureau's intelligence and analysis division."
"Now, let us begin," Tarkin said with a slight smile.
"I do have a request," Malina boldly stated, before any of the Imperials could say anything.
"A bit soon for that, but what would it be, Lady Malina, is it?" asked Yularen.
"Darth Vader killed many people over the course of his first visit," she began.
"Defending himself," Tarkin stated, before looking to Raiko. "And from what I understand, President Raiko pardoned him both in gratitude for saving Republic City and in recognition of the extenuating circumstances." Raiko said nothing as most of the other people looked to him in shock.
"There are still outstanding charges against him in the Fire Nation and Northern Water Tribe," Izumi pressed. "Our people want closure over this matter."
"Which they have, or will soon be getting," Yularen said. "The situation has been explained to them. And his main detractor has been utterly discredited, hasn't he?"
"To an extent," Izumi stated. "But most have only just heard this side of the story?"
"What exactly are you asking?" Pryce questioned, utterly baffled by this line of questioning.
"A trial," Desna explained, having realized what his mother was attempting. "Darth Vader will have his council, a jury, and a chance to explain how he is another victim of my father's lies and schemes." The various Imperials looked among each other in bafflement, as if this was a ridiculous request.
"The Empire doesn't extradite its citizens," Yularen stated, looking somewhat annoyed as he looked at Malina. "In addition, you seem less interested in making sure the truth is known than achieving some measure of vengeance, since Colonel Korra killed your ex-husband before you could punish him for all he'd done."
"Any vengeance I might desire, would be for my father and uncle," Malina said through gritted teeth, before relaxing. "But I am not the only one Vader hurt. Many others died, were injured, or lost loved ones because he decided to fight his way to what he wanted, rather than negotiate."
"This discussion is moot," an unimpressed Pryce stated. "The Empire doesn't extradite its citizens, especially not its soldiers."
"We didn't know about your Empire!" exclaimed Malina, angered by this. "We weren't a threat to you! We were barely a danger to Vader! And he killed almost a thousand people over three days just so he could get home earlier than otherwise!"
"It would be wise of you to remedy this policy," the White Lotus Grandmaster said, indignant at these outsiders.
"Disregard everything this fool says," Korra told Tarkin. "He has no power over any of the Elemental Nations. He's just a foolish old man in charge of a fraternity of scholars who were given the illusion of importance."
"You shouldn't discount them, Avatar Korra," Fire Lord Izumi said with anger on her face.
"They are a relic who have only existed this long out of nostalgia," Korra dismissed. "The world will lose nothing when they die out."
"We've gotten off track," Malina said, having regained her composure. "Darth Vader is, at the end of the day, just one of many mid-ranking officers. You will lose nothing by agreeing to an extradition and will make diplomacy far easier in the future." At that moment, Appo laughed in Malina's face.
"I'm sorry, you think this is funny?" the White Lotus leader asked in anger.
"Of course, for several reasons," the general answered. "First, this no extradition rule is not negotiable. Second, Lord Vader isn't some random commander you can find on any number of postings, he's the Executor."
"In practical matters, he and I are equals," Tarkin plainly stated, his hands clasped in front of his face. "My only superior in the official hierarchy is the Emperor himself."
"And I have already made my case to the Emperor," a menacingly familiar voice stated. Darth Vader emerged through the doorway, his mechanical breathing echoing throughout the room. All the Elemental leaders were stunned silent by his appearance. Malina's first instinct was to Waterbend an ice shard at his helmet, but then she remembered both her children were present and would be endangered, so she relented. "He decided I was justified."
"As did I," Korra boasted. "This matter is over." As the side with Elementia's leaders was still silent, Tarkin pressed on with why he was there. It quickly became clear the Imperials weren't there to negotiate but to outline what they were going to do on Elementia, as Tenzin heard their planet had been dubbed. Mostly, it involved establishing a massive presence in the Earth Nation, where their soldiers who Korra had empowered could learn Bending more efficiently. In exchange, they would bring advanced technology to the inhabitants of the Earth Nation and teach them how to use it, just as they were doing with the Southern Water Tribe. Also, any attack on either of these nations would be seen as an act of war against the Empire itself.
"General Kuvira, I believe this fulfills the agreement we made," the Grand Moff stated.
"Indeed it does," Kuvira smirked, to the shock of her adoptive mother.
"Do you think the world will stand for this invasion?!" asked the White Lotus Grandmaster.
"It's no invasion, I invited them," Korra bluntly stated. "And as Avatar, my decisions are absolute and there is nothing you can do about it."
"That's not the-""Except it is," Korra cut off Malina. "This is what our world needs. And I am done pretending that I must bow to rulers who refuse to listen to me." Even Lin gasped at this, Korra had always been stubborn, but she'd never been this defiant.
"Well, I think this meeting is adjourned," Tarkin smirked. "Lord Vader, Director Krennic, I would like to speak to you in private. You as well, Colonel Korra." After the Avatar and the others left, Kuvira stood up and was about to walk out when the White Lotus Grandmaster grabbed her wrist.
"You don't have the authority to make this deal," he stated.
"The Avatar recognizes me as ruler of the Earth Nation, so yes, I do," Kuvira smirked, slapping the old man's hand away, before turning to Fire Lord Izumi. "Lord Vader kept your father out of sight and out of mind during this meeting. But now that it's over, Zuko's been released. You can pick him up on your way to that airship your minions sent to bring you home after this."
"You mean, after you and Korra broke into my palace, knocked the various guards unconscious, stood by as Krennic threatened to kill my entire council if I didn't come with you here, and then summarily executed every inmate in the Special Prison for Terrorists and Traitors?" Izumi asked to the astonishment of the other leaders. "I also have a sneaking suspicion that you were involved in the eruption at the Boiling Rock."
"You were told to come here from the beginning," Baatar stated dismissively. "Krennic was just saying what was needed to get you to listen. Also, since anti-Imperial terrorists decided to recruit the degenerates at the Boiling Rock, which is why it's erupting now, Korra decided enough was enough, and sentenced these creeps to death."
"She doesn't have the authority to do that," President Raiko stated. "Capital Punishment has been outlawed everywhere."
"And now, it has been legalized, everywhere," Kuvira stated. "And given how much trouble has happened the last few years because some bigshot wasn't executed, I can't fault the logic."
"I see your frustrations, Colonel Korra," Tarkin said. "I've had to deal with no shortage of small-minded bureaucrats and petty kings who refused to see how the world had changed."
"For once, we agree on something, sir," Korra said to her nominal superior, remembering how he almost got Mako killed through his indifference.
"I concur with yours and the Director's argument," Tarkin said, looking to Krennic as well. "As soon as it is ready, the Death Star will be moved here for the final stages of its construction."
Vader has fought the Original Team Avatar, while Korra and her friends have demonstrated how deep their alliance with the Empire is. I had some of the delegates demand Vader's extradition to show how they weren't just willing to roll over. The fact that several assume that the Galactic Empire, or just Darth Vader, are Normal Fish In A Tiny Pond, as TVTropes calls it, hasn't done much to make them reconsider. Tarkin has decided that the people of Elementia must be reminded how powerful the Empire is, so he's bringing the Death Star into view.
Next chapter, the mentors get some unexpected advice from Bossk, and confront Korra over her actions. Korra makes a compromise with Tenzin, while Kuvira makes one with Suyin.