As the spaceship roared through hyperspace, Zaheer couldn't help but stare at the abyss, just like the other liberated prisoners. As they emerged from hyperspace, he saw another world in the distance. It was green, so he thought it was inhabited. Getting closer, he saw that the green wasn't land but swirling clouds of some type of gas. Then, he saw a bizarre object above the gas giant. As they approached, he could see it clearer: it was a building of some sort as opposed to a moon or some other celestial object. As they got closer, he saw their ship fly inside an opening the building had. This kept getting more and more amazing, he and the other liberated captives thought. As they were led out of the ship, Enfys Nest stood in front of them. Several of the Equalist and Red Lotus members were shocked to see the alien with a strange helmet with spikes covering the entire face was a human woman so young she still retained her freckles.
"Well, since you have kidnapped us, what exactly are you going to do now?" asked Lao, the Equalist Lieutenant.
"We rescued you," said Enfys Nest. "You were about to be killed by the Galactic Empire, for being the only significant threat to their conquest of your world. I understand some of you are familiar with the evils of the Empire."
"How could we be?" Lao asked suspicious of her intent. "We've never met them before."
"Perhaps this will jog your memory," one of Nest's allies said, pressing a button. Appearing in front of them, from some sort of film projector, was what looked like a propaganda poster. Everyone except Zaheer was shocked at the sight of the Obsidian Knight and his Army In White on the poster.
"I knew it!" one of the Equalists shouted. "I knew they had to be aliens!" With that, Nest proceeded to explain more about the Empire and Darth Vader. Everyone except Zaheer was shocked to see a picture of Vader decorating Avatar Korra at some sort of Imperial ceremony.
"The 'Avatar' as you call her, has joined Vader and is teaching the Empire your 'Bending' and more about your world," Nest continued. "She has joined forces with the warlord Kuvira Beifong to help establish an Imperial presence on your world."
"Thanks a lot, Zaheer," one of the Equalists jeered. "Out of a spoiled brat flaunting her bending, you created a monster beyond comprehension."
"As opposed to you, who was going to start a perpetual war with no less than half the planet?" Zaheer retorted. At that, the Equalists stood up, to which the Red Lotus rose to the challenge. They were then startled by a weird bang, Nest having fired her weapon.
"You are the only revolutionaries on your planet, having fought the Avatar before," she said. "Now, you are the only hope to save your people from the Empire. If you listen to us, you will learn what is necessary to work in this galaxy. Whatever differences you have, must be put aside until after the Empire has been toppled. I've had to do the same thing, and so will you." Pausing for a moment, looking rather frustrated at how the two sides had let their past rivalry almost spark a fight, she asked if there were any questions.
"When can we return home?" Zaheer asked. "There are others who would join us, and many who've been imprisoned for fighting the good fight."
"The Empire has severely restricted traffic to the system," Nest answered. "As for any supporters you have, either they will soon be under surveillance, or dead. The Empire destroyed the prison we rescued you from, so they will kill any of your comrades imprisoned elsewhere. Sadly, we only had the opportunity to rescue you." With that, the assorted revolutionaries and terrorists were stunned silent, as none of the elemental nations would have done such a thing to their knowledge under the current leadership. And with that, the majority agreed to join Enfys Nest's group, with the remainder quickly following suit. It would be a long road ahead, in this new galaxy with people that could barely trust each other.
Fire Lord Izumi was listening to her various advisors talking about how they were readying the armed forces. Similarly, her husband Bumi had just reported that he'd lost contact with the closest United Forces base. Their son, Iroh, was about to head for the airfield when their daughter Mizuki charged in.
"A radio signal is coming out of Republic City," she said. "It has Avatar Korra on it." With that, the Fire Lord, her husband, and their son listened to the broadcast. All of them sighed in resignation when they heard Vader enter the conversation.
"Uh, I'm not sure what to say, folks," Shinobi said, slower and more serious than he usually was. "Kuvira's lieutenant can lightningbend, and the Obs-I mean Darth Vader is talking to the alien leader and-oh Spirits! Vader's smashed an oil drum onto the alien!" At that, Izumi looked into her daughter's eyes and commanded Mizuki not to listen to anything but the sound of her voice, even as the sounds of muffled screams came through.
As the radio broadcast continued, including the bombardment of the remaining 'Besadi' forces, Bumi listened in horror as Avatar Korra intimidated President Raiko into pardoning Darth Vader for all he had done. As the broadcast ended, a messenger ran into the room.
"Fire Lord, the Boiling Rock has erupted!" he reported to Izumi.
"What!?" a shocked Bumi exclaimed. "I need to get to the Western Air Temple and begin evacuations from the islands that'll be hit by the cloud."
"I'll head to the closest base, Dad," Iroh added. "The military needs to get ready." Before either of them could get to their plane and sky bison, a giant, unnatural hum came from the sky. Running into Izumi's parents, everyone ran outside the palace to look at the sight.
In the sky was a giant, grey construction, flanked by two smaller vessels of the same color. Each of the smaller ships looked somewhat like a spade, with a gap split down the middle. The larger vessel, however, was shaped like an arrowhead or dagger, with one large square gap in the middle and a bulb-like protrusion further back. All the ships were so massive, that it seemed impossible they could stay in the air, let alone so high. Swarming around the three vessels were smaller, black craft that sounded like they were constantly screaming. Then, a giant blue image appeared in front of them. It was of a somewhat older man with a reserved face wearing a uniform and insignia no one on their world had ever seen before. Everyone on the capitol island couldn't help but stare in a mixture of fear and awe.
"Good evening," the image stated, in a strangely classy accent. "I am Wilhuff Tarkin, and I am the Grand Moff of the Galactic Empire. The dominant civilization in the known galaxy. This world remembers my colleague, Darth Vader, who you have dubbed the Obsidian Knight. The lies told of him have caused no shortage of misery for the people of this world. I therefore make the following proposition: Avatar Korra invites your leadership to meet with her and my fellow Imperials in the Southern Water Tribe. If we want to avoid future unpleasantness, your leaders will come. And I do mean leaders, not tired old ambassadors that used to wear the crown." And with that, the image disappeared, and the ships above flew to the east rapidly.
"It doesn't sound like a request," Bumi noted, picking up on how demanding Tarkin was under apparent politeness.
"Well, then they will be disappointed," Izumi stated. "The Fire Lord doesn't bow to threats." She then turned to her father and asked if he would go in her place.
"I will see what they want, and make clear we won't be intimidated," Zuko informed his daughter. "As well as reach out to Katara. We need to see how far Vader has tricked the Avatar, as well." And with that, the Fire Lord's father headed for his dragon, while her husband headed for his sky bison to supervise the evacuations, and her son for his airplane, to get to the closest military base to begin preparations should war break out. Little did they know how things would unfold.
As Tenzin and the Beifongs came into the other room, they saw Mako talking with Pema about Rohan's condition, and Ikki rapidly asking questions of Korra. To her father's frustration, it was mostly about the two boys who had rescued her.
"A very long time ago, a group of humans landed on a planet called Zeltros," Korra answered the Airbending girl. "There was a strange thing in the water that gradually changed the settlers' children and grandchildren. The most obvious change was how their skin became either red or pink, and their hair blue or white. As such, they were called Zeltrons, and Ezra and Jonah both had one as a grandparent."
"So that's why their hair is like that," Ikki realized. "Where are they from? What's their family like?"
"Ezra and Jonah only met fairly recently," Korra answered. "As for their past...Ezra was born on Lothal and Jonah on Qree. Everything else is something you would need to ask them." Noticing her husband was there, Pema ran up to Tenzin, trying to hold her tears back. Rohan's eardrum had been shattered, he'd grow up deaf in his left ear. Tenzin hugged his wife as she cried on his shoulder, sniffing in anguish as well.
"There is a way to help Rohan," Mako said, handing the toddler over to his mother. "He won't have to go through life handicapped."
"Oh, so we should trust some procedure from outer space that we've never heard of before?" asked Toph. "Is that what you are saying?"
"We can explain it to you-""Thank you Mako," interrupted Tenzin. "But for now, I would like to speak to you and Korra about the Galactic Empire before any discussions regarding my son's future." As that was going on, Su and Toph went up to Kuvira and Baatar, who were standing by a window.
"I can't help but be amazed when I look at it," Baatar said to his mother and grandmother, pointing out to the gargantuan Imperial warship that took up the entire airfield outside. "An Imperial-class Star Destroyer. That's 'destroyer that flies amidst the stars' not 'weapon that destroys stars.' A few people got confused. It can carry almost a hundred smaller spacecraft, fighters, troopships, and officer shuttles, dozens of ground vehicles, up to five hundred speeder bikes, and a combined crew and ground force of almost forty-seven thousand people."
"And then you find out, that there are tens of thousands of such vessels flying the spaceways in the wider galaxy," Kuvira added. "Along with all the other warships and support vessels, and the various garrisons across Imperial space. All told, the Imperial Military has perhaps forty times as many people, as the elemental nations have combined." Su understood what her son and daughter were doing, but Toph just scowled.
"Plenty of fools thought that numbers were enough to win whatever war was being fought," the elder Earthbender stated. "They were frequently baffled when territory they took refused to accept subjugation."
"Yes, well, most people weren't outnumbered to such a degree," Baatar continued, unimpressed with his grandmother's attitude. "Even if they were willing, they never faced a threat like this: up in the sky, even outside the atmosphere, the Star Destroyer can rain cannon fire down upon them. So powerful, it would turn all of Ba Sing Se into a glass crater in only an hour."
"And if there was a large fleet, the whole planet in that time," Kuvira continued. "In fact, a space faring nation doesn't need such a vessel to destroy a planet's population. They can just bomb it with poison gas or with a deadly virus, perhaps modified in a laboratory to be more effective as a weapon. Or use the material to make a ship that size into a bomb that would burn and poison the entire planet. Thankfully, the Empire isn't interested in bloody conquest. They came with their hands open in friendship, offering security in exchange for some trade deals."
"Is there a reason you are talking in circles?" Toph asked impatiently.
"I don't know what you mean," an annoyed Kuvira replied. "Many people won't know what you mean if they overhear our conversation. And perhaps Darth Vader's self-styled rivals would record you and twist your words into sounding rather threatening against the Empire in the hopes of undermining him, even if it led to you being imprisoned or killed."
"Okay, Kuvira, you proved your point," Suyin said. "I suppose this technology that shielded the Earth Nation is also too complicated for anyone on this world to understand, or replicate."
"It's a learning curve I'm mastering," Baatar said proudly. "Unfortunately, most of the components are made from things too scarce on this planet to be sufficient, if they are here at all. Let alone an industry capable of harvesting and refining them into what's needed. In addition, no rocket built here has yet to reach even the stratosphere, and there are numerous difficulties both myself and Varrick have realized regarding even the most primitive of space travel, which our world would be lucky to achieve on its own in thirty-five years. Outside help would be needed to go to those sources, as they have been traveling through space for thousands of years. The Empire is here, and there is nothing any of us can do about it."
"I understand," Suyin told her son. "You should also explain this to Prince Wu before he is crowned Earth King." Toph noticed Kuvira's displeasure at that.
"Unwilling to give up your power?" Toph asked her adoptive granddaughter.
"Unwilling hand everything I have achieved to some spoiled brat who doesn't know or care enough to help our people," Kuvira retorted. "Much less hold everything I've done together."
"You had to know the monarchy would be restored when you set out to do this," Suyin sternly told her.
"By who?" Kuvira asked undeterred. "The Dai Li, who blew themselves up along with half of Ba Sing Se through their own stupidity? Brainwashed old ladies like Bolin and Mako's grandmother? A decrepit old fraternity that hates progress? Or some collection of foreign rulers because they know what they are getting: some lounge singer whose great-aunt was last in charge and will be easily swayed to their liking." Looking Suyin in the eye, she continued. "I knew the others would want that. I never expected you would, given how much you talked about how terrible the monarchy was when you were raising me." Realizing the fault was hers, Suyin's face softened and calmly replied.
"If you thought I was in favor of democratic change, you were right," she answered. "I wanted a parliament established, akin to the one in the Fire Nation and Water Tribes and to liberalize the country from there. It is the most peaceful way to achieve positive change in a society. And King Kuei II was beginning to create that."
"Then your friend Vader crashed our party and killed him for looking at him wrong," Toph added. "That's when Hou-Ting declared herself queen, usurped his rightful heirs, and forced Prince Wu into exile."
"Actually, Kuei and his heirs were already doomed," an unimpressed Baatar added. "We found a little something in the queen's vault but that's a story for another day. So, you think that Wu will be this great reformer like his grandpa?"
"Maybe not at first," his mother conceded. "But he will have me, representatives from the other nations, and the two of you to help guide him into what he needs to be. Both of you have earned a place in his government after all your accomplishments."
"In other words, he would be a puppet," a bored Kuvira stated. "Also, the other nations have resented how I, a peasant who lived as a servant most of her life in their eyes, rose to the top of her own army before the age of twenty. They will do everything they can to remove me from the picture."
"So, you are denying the rightful ruler by all laws of the Earth Kingdom the throne and placing yourself atop it?" challenged Toph.
"Oh, I'm not denying anyone anything," Kuvira said folding her arms. "You see, I just talked to Mako. He rescued Wu and the other VIPs hiding in the Republic City capital building. But Wu was too stupid to stick by Mako's side, and a Besadi sharpshooter disintegrated him."
"What!?" Suyin exclaimed.
"Yeah, we just wanted to know why you were suddenly so supportive of Wu after opposing the monarchy our entire lives," Baatar said. "I like some of your ideas, Mom, and they certainly deserve a look. The Earth Nation should definitely have a formal parliament. But the monarchy ends with Wu-The-Never-Was, who's now just a pile of ash to be swept away with the rest of the trash as Republic City is rebuilt." Suyin scolded her son for such disrespect to a murdered man, while Toph wondered if there was more to the story than they were saying.
"If you have questions about what the Empire's presence means, there will soon be a conference in the South Pole, where Imperial dignitaries will be meeting the various rulers of the world," Kuvira added. Suyin agreed to come to the conference.
"Do you really think Vader and his Empire are a good thing?" Tenzin asked Korra.
"So far, yes," Korra said.
"And what about Emperor Palpatine?" Lin asked. "What I heard of him sounded a lot like Tarlock." Noticing Tenzin's surprise, she explained what she heard from Dr. Rylen regarding the Empire's foundation.
"I noticed that, too," Korra admitted. "When you're looking after your kids in a strange new world, you try not to judge some accommodating ruler who you've only met two or three times." Pausing to let the reminder of her predicament sink in, the young Avatar continued. "From what I can tell, Palpatine's approach is to select whoever he thinks is most qualified for the position and let them do whatever they think is right for it. Honestly, my life would be a lot easier if the rulers of our world did the same thing. If I had to, I could make a joke about how ugly he is under the hologram projected over him in public, but that's because of several assassination attempts."
"And what of Vader?" asked Lin. "Despite being the Emperor's second in command, more or less, he is a complete enigma even among his own people. He just showed up one day after the Empire was founded, and the Emperor gave him limitless authority."
"From what little he's said of his past, it's filled with hardship and pain," Korra said. "I doubt he wants to revisit it. Why he decides to keep his secrets, I don't know. And neither do you, so don't speculate on why."
"Perhaps," Tenzin conceded. "But there is more than one side to any story. Have you heard the side of those at odds with the Empire? Is it even legal for such people to speak their minds?"
"The loser's account of history is filled with lies and revisions to make the loser look better," Mako dismissed. "As is the case with Sozin's Sons whenever they say the Air Nomads died from plague or were a murder cult that slaughtered their own children as opposed to being incinerated by a bloodthirsty warlord after your father."
"There are liars when it comes to history," the Airbending master conceded, frowning at the reminder of how there were people who denied the genocide of his ancestors. "On both sides, as during the Hundred-Year War, the Fire Nation said various things to their people to justify their conquests. But it's hard to tell the truth when one side is banned, as you are implying."
"Such denial is illegal in the Fire Nation," Korra noted. "I believe the justification is 'it has been proven and people who deny it are trying to make horrible things more acceptable.' And then there's stuff like the Equalists before I came to the city. They were allowed to speak their horrible views uncontested, and they grew to be much larger and bolder than the majority would have been. Your attempts to placate them with negotiation and understanding didn't stop them from cheering as Amon was about to Debend you and your children. So no, I don't believe that Free Speech should come without limits. And neither does the Empire." Before Tenzin or Lin could think of a response to that, Ikki ran up to her father.
"Have you seen it, Daddy?" she excitedly asked him, pointing to the necklace Korra was wearing. "Mako and Korra are getting married!" Realizing it was there, Tenzin congratulated them.
"Thank you," Korra smiled back. "It's going to happen before the conference."
"What conference?" Tenzin asked.
"A collection of Imperial dignitaries will be coming to the South Pole to meet with the various rulers of the world," Mako explained. "They've all been informed and will be headed there, soon. You could come down first, for our wedding." After a moment, Tenzin agreed, and while Lin was more hesitant, she relented. After sending a message to Republic City, clarifying that she would be there, Lin headed for the hanger. Seeing that Oogi was better, Ikki asked her father if Ezra and Jonah could ride with them to the South Pole.
"It's the least we could do," Pema said to her husband, remembering how the two young boys had saved their daughter's life. Bolin and Opal had boarded the same airship with her mother, grandmother, and aunt. On the way, they would listen to a recording that Baatar had given them, while Toph grumbled about how it would be good to see Katara again, even if she did have to wear snow boots. Korra and the others would be joining them on Krennic's shuttle.
As the shuttle took off, Korra and Mako learned that, while the message had been delivered, the Fire Lord hadn't headed to the South Pole.
"Perhaps she will listen if the Avatar herself comes and delivers the summons," Mako said to that.
"And if Izumi still refuses?" Kuvira asked.
"Orson, can you come up with a way to stun her and all her guards so we can fly her down to the South Pole?" Korra asked the director.
"Easily," he smiled. "I have just the equipment necessary for a solution."
"Great," Korra stated. "If the Avatar commands something, a ruler should do it, not the other way around."
"Here's to the chance of reminding everyone," Kuvira smirked. As they made their way to the Fire Nation Palace, Korra came up with a plan and upon reaching their destination, leapt out of the shuttle. Slowing her descent with her Air and Firebending, Korra dodged an airship, and quickly landed on the roof. Reaching out with the Force, the Avatar knew where to go. Heading to the throne room, Korra saw the Fire Lord, with her daughter observing in the corner, listening to an assortment of advisers and generals over their options.
"Your highness, we need to invest more into the airplane industry, soon," one of them explained. "Airships are outdated, hopelessly outclassed by the spaceships of this 'Empire.' Truth be told, we should have expanded and updated the armed forces long ago."
"And I told you, General Zhang, we needed to avoid past mistakes," an annoyed Fire Lord said, reiterating the limitation of Fire Nation Forces after the Hundred Year War.
"We would never betray the Fire Lord," the general said. "Moreover, the war is long over and what we face now is a threat to the entire world. But to do so, we need to expand our military. A revival of Sozin's Sins is no longer our greatest concern." After a moment's hesitation, the Fire Lord agreed.
"You forgot something," Korra announced, dropping to the floor in front of everyone. "The conference to which you have been summoned."
"Avatar Korra, it is a pleasure to see you here," the Fire Lord said calmly, even as many of the others in the throne room were shocked. "Still, I would have expected at least an announcement of your arrival. It is normal to request a meeting."
"The Avatar doesn't need permission for anything," Korra bluntly stated. "It's time people like you realized that."
"How dare you?" one of the advisors exclaimed, rising to his feet. "You will show the proper respect, and you will remember your place or so help me-" he was cut off with an Earthbent cuff around his mouth.
"My place is at the top," Korra retorted. "You and Izumi must follow my orders or suffer for it."
"That is not how your predecessor felt," Izumi stated, her expression hardening.
"Doesn't matter what Aang felt, I am Avatar now, and you have a choice: come with me to this conference or I drag you there with a black eye," Korra threatened. At that, the royal guards readied themselves for battle...and were immediately hit by a series of stun blasts. Four Death Troopers emerged from the shadows from both sides of the room. Director Krennic tossed the main door to the throne room open, proudly striding in with two Death Troopers behind him.
"Your city's garrison is taking a nap, now, your highness, thanks to a stun bomb I crafted, and your radio operators have also been handled," the caped Imperial boasted, holding his pistol in two hands behind his back. "No one is coming to save you. Also, Captain Avarik, we don't need any of these replaceable advisors, so set blasters to kill." The Death Trooper commander affirmed it in his garbled voice, further intimidating the people within the room. Izumi rose to her feet in a fighting stance, standing in front of her daughter, whose grandmother held her hand.
"You certainly are a different Avatar," Izumi stated with an edge to her voice.
"I realized that most rulers would rather ignore me than listen, so I'm forced to resort to threats," Korra stated. "Now, you could flee like a coward or try to fight us off, but then all your minions here would die, I'd smash your glasses before knocking you unconscious, and then drag you down there anyway. Or you could come with me, meet with my new friends, and then return here, no worse for wear." Izumi hesitated but after a few moments, agreed despite the protest of her mother Jin as well as her advisors.
"A wise decision," Krennic smirked. "You don't want to incur the Empire's wrath. Your brother did, which is why he isn't Fire Lord." The various Fire Nationals were angered at his remark, but Izumi didn't rise to the bait, instead telling her court to contact the Western Air Temple and her son's command as soon as possible. She followed Korra and her entourage onto the shuttle, noticing the similarity between it and the ship Vader used the day he killed her brother. After taking off, they briefly stopped as Mako rocketed up with his Firebending. It was right outside the Special Prison for Traitors and Terrorists.
"Don't worry your highness," Mako said to the Fire Lord. "All the guards in there are alive. But I've ensured all the Red Lotus and other degenerates within will never escape."
"What?!" Izumi exclaimed.
"Oh, don't be surprised," Baatar stated. "You failed to keep the Red Lotus confined before, and the reason for the eruption at the Boiling Rock is because other terrorists decided to rescue Zaheer and the others present. Execution is the only way to solve this problem."
"Which is why I am now ordering the execution of every Red Lotus, Equalist, and similar terrorist in custody within my domain," Kuvira added.
"You know, that's a great idea," Korra concluded. "We'll make a list of the various prisons around the world with such inmates. As Avatar of Raava and Protector of Elementia, I hereby sentence them all to death." Before Izumi could say anything, Krennic hit her with a stun blast and ordered his men to keep her confined until the conference was ready.
"Well, now that's out of the way, let's go to my wedding," Korra said to her friends with a warm smile.
So, Zaheer and the other terrorists have escaped but now they must learn to work together with each other and aliens they barely know. I was always bothered by why Suyin opposed the Earth Monarchy when it was in power but was vocally supporting its restoration. This is how I reconcile the inconsistency. I wholeheartedly agree with Mako and Korra's skepticism regarding the loser's history. The ATLA episode Avatar Day was a perfect example of this happening. Given the laws of Germany and Austria, I can see the Fire Nation doing something similar. After several different rulers have lied to or opposed her for flimsy reasons, Korra's having none of it with Izumi. And since she's never met the Fire Lord before, Korra has no respect for her at all. The Special Prison for Traitors and Terrorists is where Iroh and later Ozai were put in the original series.
Next chapter, Ikki gets to know Ezra and Jonah, Korra's Imperial friends attend her wedding, and the meeting begins.