Responses to Reviews:
RonaldM40196867: Maybe in a different, better world.
Zigzagdoublezee: Don't worry, that's why I asked. I wouldn't want to do anything that made life harder for the readers. I also publish this on AO3, and Book 2 is going to be its own story there, so I was wondering if I should do the same here.
As Always, Please Review!
Zhao stood at the head of the table in the bridge of his flagship and looked down at his subordinates. A large map had been spread out across it, depicting the waters and coastline of the South Pole according to the most recent intelligence available to the Fire Navy.
He smirked.
"Gentlemen, the time has come."
On the table, spread out below them, were several figurines in red and blue, representing in red the full might of Zhao's fleet, the armoured fist of the Fire Lord, and their water tribe opponents in blue. Zhao was gratified to see how much the red counters outnumbered the blue ones.
"The North is down. Once we control the South, we shall be able to surround the Earth Kingdom, and strike with impunity from any coast. They can't be everywhere at once, while we don't have to be."
He looked down at the map.
"But do not expect this to be an easy fight. The North fell so easily because of surprise. We do not have that advantage this time. We outnumber them, but we are surrounded by water and ice. We are in their element, and so we must bear that in mind."
"So what do we do?" One of the officers asked.
"We attack," Zhao grinned. "What else can we do?"
There were general murmurings of assent. Satisfied that nobody was going to challenge him, he nodded.
"Wonderful," he said. "Remember, they may have an advantage because of their element, but so do we. Their ships are made of wood, and wood burns. So, too, will their city, if they haven't got the message already."
There was another pause.
"We recently suffered a great betrayal," Zhao continued. "Which is another reason we must act now; to make sure the traitor Jeong Jeong does not compromise our plans too much."
He gestured to the map.
"The main body of our fleet will come down from here..."
"Sir!"
"What?" Zhao turned around, irritated, to find a subordinate standing there.
"There's a fast ship approaching!"
"Is it one of ours?" Zhao raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! It's flying the personal insignia of fhe Royal Family!"
Zhao groaned. If the Royals were sticking their noses in at this stage, to the point of sending a fast ship after him, then who knew what they wanted.
"Alright, let them come next to us," he waved the man away, before turning back to the assembled group.
"We'll resume this discussion later."
Crewmen bowed nervously as he passed, descending several flights of steps until he emerged onto the deck, the fresh air hitting him like a slap to the face. It was overcast, but that was not the weather but the immense amount of smoke hanging in the air above him, generated by all the engines of the fleet working together.
He walked towards the rear of the flagship, away from the great golden prow and the catapults. Behind him, below a great black cloud of smoke, the imposing mass of the Fire Nation armada sailed in formation. That wasn't what attracted his attention though.
A smaller, sleeker, faster craft was approaching them from the side. It sat low in the water, and had two funnels churning out black smoke. It was not armed except for a single small catapult, which still looked huge in comparison to the size of the rest of the ship, which had been built for speed rather than combat. Red and yellow markings had been painted across the hull, as well as an identification number that marked it Just as the man had said, from the mast fluttered the Royal Ensign.
It got closer and closer, and as it approached the flagship Zhao saw a man wave to him from its deck. He waved back.
The craft shut off its engine as it manoeuvred alongside, and ropes were thrown across. They were followed, once they had been tied securely, by a ladder.
Zhao waited for the man to come aboard, urgently trying to marshal his men into a hasty welcome party. He had just about managed it when a face appeared by the railings. Zhao saw that the "man" was in fact a woman.
"Sir!" She saluted as he stepped over the railing. "I have the honour to be Lieutenant Juri!"
"The honour is mine," Zhao replied, bored.
The woman hesitated for a moment, recognising from his tone that the formalities were over.
"I've been told to give you this," she pulled out a scroll and passed it to him. "On the Authority of Prince Iroh himself."
"Iroh, eh?" Zhao opened it. "What does he want..."
He trailed off as he read the letter, his eyes going wide.
"What does he mean, negotiate?"
"The Prince is anxious to limit casualties wherever possible," Juri told him nervously.
"But we have them!" Zhao scowled. "We can't afford to wait!"
"At least honour the Prince by trying."
"With what? Why should they even listen to me? I came to fight, not to negotiate. I don't have the authority to offer them anything they might want apart from a promise not to burn anything. Does Iroh really think that will be enough?"
"Probably not," Juri shrugged. "Which is why he also sent you something."
More guards appeared, holding something- no, someone- between them, someone dressed in red prison robes, a big man with a long, unkempt beard and hair down past his shoulders. He was tossed unceremoniously to the deck, and groaned in pain. Zhao unsheathed his sword and used it to gingerly roll the man over so he was facing upwards. Then he cleaned it on his sleeve.
As he sheathed it again, he looked at the prisoner's face.
"Does the Fire Nation prison system not prioritise hygiene?"
"We got him attempting to sneak out of the North Pole a few days after it fell," Juri explained. "He's been in prison ever since, but Iroh believes you can make use of him to bring the South Pole to terms peacefully."
A small smile gradually spread across Zhao's face.
"Perhaps I was too hasty," he told Juri. "My apologies, Lieutenant. Iroh's plan does have its merits, after all. I think I can use this."
He knelt down next to the groaning prisoner, who stared back at him with defiant blue eyes which blazed through all the masses of hair.
"Hello, Chief Hakoda," he said. "I get the feeling that you and I are going to have a very productive partnership."