Wandering Firebender
Ninety One: The Captain
"Know the way. Walk the way. Show the way."
Elio's footsteps were slow and heavy as he made his way towards Fire Lord Zuko's throne room, walking down the main corridor. His eyes stayed targeted on the door, never glancing aside at the murals or the dragon-themed architecture.
He sighed to himself before opening the door and walking inside. Fire Lord Zuko himself along with members of his council were sitting at the meeting table waiting for him. Elio approached and stood up straight at the edge of the table with his hands behind his back.
He was not looking forward to this conversation at all.
"Captain Chinen, do you know why you are here?" One of the older men at the table asked him.
"Yes, sir. You wish to hear my direct report regarding the incident just south of Omashu." Elio answered.
"I'm sure that the families of those that were lost would appreciate a full understanding of what happened as well. That is why we are here." Another council member spoke.
Elio's eyes narrowed for a moment but he said nothing in response.
"Elio, please, speak freely. Tell us what happened in full detail." Zuko invited him to speak.
"Where would you like me to begin?" Elio asked slowly.
"We will need the full context." A council member answered. Elio sighed and nodded.
"...King Bumi's reassurance led us to believe that we were finally in a position to discuss peace options with the kingdom of Omashu. King Bumi, as the Fire Lord knows, is a friend to us both. We did not receive the same hostility as we did during our last visit some 6 months ago.
"Tensions in the Earth Kingdom have not fully dissipated but it has dwindled some as we have made regular, non-threatening appearances throughout the country. King Bumi stated himself that the people are getting more used to the idea of an honored alliance with us." Elio described.
"Would you say that your guard was down, captain? Since you had been given such a sterling reassurance by the king of Omashu?" Another older member of the council asked him.
"I...perhaps. I had no reason to doubt him. He helped both myself and Zuko just before the end of the war. I have no reason to believe that he was behind the attack or even aware of it." Elio answered.
"Still, you felt confident, did you not? While we cannot say for certain at this time what the king's intentions were, there is something to be said about your mindset at the time. You were not at all concerned?" The council continued to question him.
"I am always cautious on an expedition regardless of what the goal or mission is. But if that's not the answer you're looking for then yes, my trust put me at ease." Elio said in answer to the council member that had spoken to him this way.
"Let's backtrack just one step, captain," Zuko spoke up now. "Where did the attack happen?"
"Outside the walls of Omashu. It was late at night while we were making our way back to the ship." Elio answered factually.
"It wasn't within the walls?" A member of the council asked.
"No. King Bumi offered us rooms for the night but we were under strict orders to begin our return as soon as possible so I declined that offer. As we approached the ship-"
"Fire Lord Zuko, if I may interject for a moment, it is entirely possible that the king of Omashu was pulling the strings on this attack. Had the captain accepted his offer, the team might have all been killed in their sleep." Elio was interrupted by this point being brought out by an older council member.
"We're not here to speculate right now. Let's stick with the facts until we hear back from King Bumi," Zuko said before his gaze fell on Elio once again. "Please, captain, continue."
"Yes. Um...the attack happened outside of the city limits. On all expeditions, we've been asked to land our airships outside of city walls so that people don't think we're there to launch an attack. We honored that request this time as well as has become the custom." Elio explained.
"How far away was the airship?"
"Not far. There's an incline that goes down the front gate. We parked at the bottom just to the side. As we were coming around and making our way towards it, that's when the ambush happened." Elio described.
"How may men would you say there were?" Zuko asked.
"It's hard to say. It was dark. I counted about 6 to 8 men. There may have been more. Only a few of them were earthbenders," Elio recalled. "They came out of the ground and tried to surround us right away."
"It's my understanding that you didn't travel to Omashu with your normal ship and crew this time – do I have that right?" The council asked next.
"That is correct. S-Since this was meant to be a brief negotiation talk, I was sent there with a smaller crew on one of our smaller diplomat airships. I think it may be possible that they were originally there to sabotage the airship but didn't hesitate to engage when they realized we were there." Elio summarized.
"Including yourself, captain, how many were in your party?"
"7: myself, the two pilots, one engineer, two cooks, and Mila, a trusted member of my regular crew." He listed without any hesitation.
"And only 2 of you survived the ambush?" One council member asked.
"Yes...myself and Mila...um...with the two of us being firebenders, we were able to get the airship off the ground and avoid taking any major damage. We flew without stopping for a day and a half to make it back without further incident." Elio answered regretfully.
"Were you two the only firebenders on the ship?"
"No, the engineer, Leoro, was also a firebender. The three of us did our best to cover the other 4, but...it wasn't enough." Elio said slowly.
"What would you recommend should have been done to prevent this situation, captain?" Zuko asked.
"I...can't say. Perhaps repositioning the ship, not leaving the city when it was so dark, or maybe a bigger crew was needed." Elio threw a few answers out off the top of his head, but they were halfhearted at best. He shook his head and sighed again.
"Captain Elio, you would know better than most the long history of animosity that the Earth Kingdom holds against us. To be so lax in these circumstances seems like an unusual lapse in judgment coming from you." One council member commented.
Elio took in a deep breath, resisting the urge to reply immediately. He shifted his weight, closed his eyes, and exhaled slowly before speaking again.
"It is not something that I could have foreseen." He said.
"Of course not, but that is why we have protocols in place. Especially during the war, we thrived for 100 years in enemy territory because we always moved as a unit. If a small band of marauders can overtake a diplomatic
airship then, respectfully, we need to reconsider how we do business with the Earth Kingdom and its provinces." A council member argued, addressing the Fire Lord now.
"I can't say I completely disagree. This could have been avoided. My lord, we must find a better balance between extending our hand in peace while continuing to show our strength." Another council member chimed in.
"Working towards peace is a dangerous thing to pursue right now. The world simply isn't ready for it. It's hard to say if they ever will be." Yet another spoke.
"Settle down," Zuko ordered, gesturing for everyone else at the table to stop speaking. "The world will never be ready for peace unless we show it first that it is possible. With our power and influence, we should show that we can cause change for the better – our ancestors tipped the scales in the past and it falls on us to restore the balance.
"However, I do agree with General Yi's point – we must continue to show our strength so that our men do not get overtaken in our pursuit of said peace. If we are in agreement on that, we also cannot hold Captain Elio here at fault for what happened, since it was an oversight on our part for sending such a small party to negotiate with King Bumi.
"I've sent a letter to him and I expect to hear back soon. What happened in Omashu will be dealt with, and steps will be taken so that it does not happen again. I would suggest that all outreach missions regardless of location or importance be handled by full airship crews." Zuko recommended.
"I think that would be a viable first step, my lord." Several council members nodded their heads in agreement.
"And what of the captain here?" One asked.
"Captain Elio, I will be placing you on modified assignment for now until I decide when you are needed for the next mission outside of the Fire Nation." Fire Lord Zuko decided, speaking to him directly now.
"Are you benching me...?" Elio asked, tilting his head slightly. Zuko blinked a few times. He wasn't expecting this response from Elio.
"Elio, you've been working tirelessly for me for the past 9 months. 5 soldiers that were under your care were lost this time. I'm asking you to take a break so you can recover and be fresh for your next assignment. Do it while I am just asking you." Zuko said firmly but patiently.
Elio did not respond right away. He took a moment to swallow, his jaw jutting out as he pressed his lips together. Then he stood up straight and nodded his head respectfully, "Yes, sir. Is that all?" He inquired.
"Not yet. For now, I need you to keep this incident quiet. I have been invited by the Earth King to attend a formal event at his palace. You and your team will be joining me as honorary guests." Zuko informed him.
"That seems a little ill-timed, doesn't it?" One of his counsel members brought up, "Entering into the Earth King's palace so soon after an attack like this..."
"The situation will be dealt with to the right degree, and I will be sure to bring it to his attention. But we also have to look at the bigger picture here. This invitation would have never been extended just 6 months ago. We're making real progress." Zuko said.
"At what cost, my lord?"
"We all have to pay our dues, the Earth Kingdom included. I'm showing patience and restraint here, but we will make sure that the Earth Kingdom knows not to mistake these things for weakness."
"About time." Elio muttered in agreement.
"Do you have anything else that you want to add, captain?" Zuko inquired after hearing his aside comment.
"Nothing I haven't already said, sir. When are we scheduled to appear at the Earth King's palace?" He asked.
"Next week."
"Then I will inform my team and they'll be ready. I'm sure they will appreciate the break period. Thank you." Elio said, bowing quickly.
"You're welcome, Elio. You're dismissed."
With a quick nod, Elio turned and exited the throne room. He made his way back to his quarters and passed by Sri just in front of his door. Upon seeing him, she stopped him and gave him a quick hug.
"Hey, Elio. I heard about what happened. Are you doing okay?" She asked, looking at him with a concerned expression.
"I'm alright...frustrated. Zuko and his council members asked me to give them my official report on what happened."
"And how did that go?" She asked.
"About as well as you can expect. They think it was unwise to send a smaller party to Omashu – that it made us vulnerable and that's what brought on the attack." He explained.
"I...guess I could see why they would think that. But you know King Bumi, don't you? He wouldn't have ordered something like that, right?"
"I don't think it was him. I think the men who did it acted alone. But that's not even the point. The blame falls on me for not seeing it coming." Elio said with a sigh.
"Elio, there's know way you could have known tha-"
"They made it very clear that I should have anticipated it. As a captain, it's my job to ensure the safety of everyone in my crew no matter the size. I have to do better at thinking like one." Elio said.
"What does that mean?" Sri asked, unsure of what he meant.
"I wish I knew. But I need to hurry up and figure it out since I haven't already." Elio said with some sarcasm present in the undertones of his frustration. Sri could see that this was really bothering him.
"I'm sorry, Elio. I'll help you however I can, okay? But you gotta cut yourself some slack too. You can't beat yourself over every little mistake; it's not like you make that many." She pointed out.
"Well...I'm flattered you think that. If only it were that simple."
"It's not. But you'll figure it out. And we'll support you however you need. So don't let those guys tell you you're a bad captain. 'Cause you're definitely my favorite." Sri said, giving him a light punch on the arm. Elio couldn't help but scoff and smile a little.
"Thanks, Sri. I will do my best to hold the top spot." He said in reply.
"The competition is pretty stiff so don't get too comfy," She teased him lightly. "Oh hey, Alger wanted me to tell you that he left you some of his beard oil. It's in your room."
"Oh good. I've been needing some of that desperately." Elio said in relief. His face was starting to get itchy at just the thought of it.
"What made ya'll decide to grow your facial hair out? Because clearly this was coordinated." Sri pointed out with an amused chuckle.
"Heh, I don't fully remember honestly. I know we had a conversation about it but I can't remember why. Either way, it's finally more full now."
"Yeah, I think it looks nice. Between the hair with the white and now the beard, you look old, dude." Sri teased lightly, reaching up and shaking his hair around with her hand.
"I feel old these days. I've been very tired." He admitted.
"Yeah, I don't blame you. We haven't had a real break since Ember Island. I miss that place. Cindra and I were just talking about it the other day. I wanna go back so bad." She said with a sigh.
"Maybe one day we'll be able to do that again. But we will be getting a bit of a break soon. The Earth King has invited Zuko to his palace next week, and he's asked that we attend the event with him." Elio informed her.
"Oh really? Wow...the palace. What's the occasion?" Sri asked curiously.
"Some sort of formal event. That's all I was told. I'm sure the Fire Lord will tell me more later on. But I'm assuming you'll want to find something fancy to wear." He assumed.
"Oh great, no pressure or anything. I've never been to the Earth King's palace either. I've always wondered what it looks like inside." She expressed.
"It's really nice. Very grand. You'll love it." He said with a nod.
"...how is it that you got to go inside the palace before me?" Sri pouted and folded her arms.
"You can thank Azula for that one," Elio said before opening up the door to his room finally. "Thank you for the talk, Sri. You always know how to cheer me up." He said appreciatively.
"I'm a mood-bender. It's my thing," She smiled at him. "Let me know if you need anything else, okay, captain?" She playfully ruffled his hair again.
"Will do. Take care, Sri."
"You too."
Elio entered into his room and closed the door behind him. He sighed to himself as he removed some of his armor and placed it on top of his bed. Once he was more relaxed, he made his way to the bathroom where he found Alger's beard oil waiting for him.
Sri was right. With his hair growing out and his beard coming in, he did look older now. More tired too. Maybe a break would be good for him after all; give him a chance to get his bearings again before the inevitable next mission.
There was always the next mission.
After freshening up and applying the oil to his face, Elio felt a lot more relief. He moved his armor to the side and laid back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in silence. He had a chance to relax again, but lately he'd been having trouble getting rest and gaining peace.
Even his sleep didn't feel as satisfying lately...when he would get to sleep. It would take him some time since he for awhile he would just lay there thinking about past missions and things he could have or should have done better.
He decided that he would start getting back into the habit of training and mediation as soon as possible. Maybe that would help with how cloudy his mind felt...