Luke

And so I embarked on my final mission with Squad Iron Fire. I had already pocketed my reassignment notice and Boss had already gotten the orders. Damn shame I still had nothing to call him but Boss. I was sure he loved that. Being referred to me by that title even when he very well knew I wasn't one of his anymore. Not by this time tomorrow at least.

I was in the gunner's seat of Shanzi, a fine vehicle I was going to miss. She hadn't led me astray yet and she was a damn good tank. It was one thing about this squad I was going to miss. The people, I didn't worry about. They were just soldiers. We were just soldiers. We were all going to die eventually. The sooner I accepted that and stopped trying to make friends with everyone, the better.

We were headed to a rather large farm due 3 klicks East. I had no idea what in fuck's name a klick was, but I'm sure I'd have plenty of time to learn in my new squad. More boring name. Squad 17. It was no iron Fire, but names made no difference on the field. From what the Division Commander had told me, they were tough. Young, but tough. He said they'd like me. I didn't care. So long as I got to fight. And from the way the Lieutenant-General had phrased it, there'd be plenty of that where I was headed.

We got to the farm then. There was a small wooden fence surrounding it. I had expected our tanks to trample over the pathetic wooden fortifications as though they were nothing above the blades of grass crushed beneath us and surround the enemy farm, but Boss rose out of his tank before we got close enough and ordered us to halt.

Stop? We have the advantage. We can surround the farm this second and scare them out. I wanted to voice myself but made no move to do so. I had read the orders. "Hearts and Minds", Boss had called it. Gaining civilian support. Like there were any of those left. It was friend and foe out here. I remembered how it was in Citadel. There was no neutral party. Anyone gets close enough to you, you shove them out of your way. If you don't, you can see a friendly bystander one second, and an enemy with a knife in your throat the next. And the next second, well, you aren't seeing much that next second

And so the tanks stopped at Boss's command and he rose out of his tank, hands still raised. The Farmhouse was directly in front of us. It was a two-story home built of kindling. Poor quality wool. Pine by the looks of it. I could bank two rocks together and the sparks would set this place ablaze. It was a fire read to happen. I imagined it would come to that if they didn't comply.

There was a farm due north of the farmhouse, also pine. Great place to hide Earth Kingdom soldiers. Keep some soldiers in the tanks. If there are soldiers inside, block the doors with the tanks and set the place ablaze. Kill anyone inside all together.

I saw motion inside as we walked towards the house and readied myself to blast it to bits when I saw it was merely livestock. Hippo Cows maybe. Or Moo-sows. The spots meant it could be either or.

We were stopped in front of the house now. The entirety of our squad. Entirely dismounted. Stupid. Leave drivers in the tanks in case we need to run the people down in case they try to run.

I was fingering the hilt of my sword with my left hand, ready to bring it up if it came to close quarters. If it came to fighting in the house, I wouldn't dare use fire. I had no love for Boss, but I had no desire to burn my own allies alive in there.

Boss noticed what I was doing and motioned a hand for me to abandon my grip on my sword. What?

He must have noticed my look, because his response was "We don't want to spook them."

Spook them. I wanted to laugh. They were spooked when they saw 5 steel landships come over the horizon straight towards them. We walk in that house, they're in the cellars, a line of blasting jelly leading through a crack outside, ready to set us up the moment we walk into their house.

"Lower your weapons, men. We're not here to fight."

And his squad followed his orders. They lowered their weapons, even going so far as to sheathe and holster them. Was Boss trying to get us killed?

I followed suit, however, and released my grip on my sword, allowing it to slide gently into its resting spot on my hip.

Boss then advanced beyond his squad, nearing the house, still not having crossed the fence, and announced "We know you're in there. We saw the shifting of the light in your house. Don't worry. We're not here to hurt you."

Talk all you want. This is the enemy. They'd sooner but an arrow in between your eyes than deal with you. And just so, there was no response.

"We mean you no ill will. We're not here to hurt you or your family. We simply desire to encamp some of our men near your farm without the fear you'll kill us in our sleep."

I saw the edge of a joking smile on his face as though he were talking to their faced and that a friendly smile would win them over. And of course, there was no response.

"Look. We know what you've heard about us. We know you're scared. Hell. I can't blame you. You've been told your whole lives about us and how we're killers and monsters and now, we're at your front door. I'd also be scared."

How the hell is this helping. He's just delaying the inevitable. This end when that house fulfills its destiny as kindling and ends up a pile of ash on the ground. And it would be its occupants that bring us to that point. I readied myself, letting the chi flow through my body into my left arm as I readied myself to set that bonfire ablaze at the first sign of danger.

"But you don't have to be afraid of us. We're here to help you. We have food and supplies." He was approaching the house. He opened the front gate. "We can be friends."

And the front door of the house opened. A man rushed outside with a crossbow aimed directly at Boss's face and my arms were raised to send a killing blow right at him until Boss raised an arm in my general direction, still approaching the house.

"Go Away!" The man yelled. "We don't want you here!"

Boss walked closer, and the man's grip on the bow tightened. I had my arms raised at the first sign of a move to kill my current commander.

"Put the bow down. We can work this out." Oss continued both in negotiations and steps toward the house

"I Said Go AWAY!"

At that a cry erupted from the house and another figure holding something in her hands appeared at the doorway and I motioned to fire until I realized Boss was too close. He'd get killed too. He was blocking my shot!

I expected the new figure, a woman, to also be carrying a weapon, ready to put a bolt in between Boss's eyes until the cry came again and I realized she was holding a child in her arms. An infant. I almost shot a baby.

Boss's arms came up again in my direction, only making sure I wouldn't fire. My arms were still raised. I'd seen people use kids as distractions. Reek once told me a story about an Earth Kingdom partisan who strapped a time bomb to a baby and gave it to passing Fire Nation soldiers who took the baby and were promptly blown up. I had no idea if it was true, but I was taking no chances. If only Boss wasn't in my fucking way!

"What's her name?" Boss asked.

"What!?" yelled the man.

The baby cried again. "What's the little girl's name?" he asked again, this time looking towards the mother.

"J-June."

"That's a beautiful name. He reached into his belt, the father clenched his hands around the crossbow, but relaxed when Boss pulled out a small ration bar, handing it towards the mother who took it eagerly, taking a bite and giving more to her child.

"She seems hungry." Boss said as he took off his helmet and set it on the ground. "Many people are. Ever since this War began and your nation abandoned you."

"The war you started." The man said, resolved as ever.

"Yes, but he we are. Your entire family must be hungry, and that ration bar will only do so much. We can help you."

"We don't need your help. We were doing just fine before you showed up."

"Your stocks say otherwise. I saw between the boards of your barn. Only calves. Half-starved too, poor things. We understand. Our own poor beasts of burden are dying as well. Our men too are running low on provisions."

"If you're looking for a handout, you've come to the wrong place. You're lucky I don't send you back with a new arrow in your skull."

"We're not here for a handout. As I said, we're here to help."

"In what way? Give us food and supplies. Shit you just said you're almost out of. How stupid do you think I am!"

The infant, despite having been quiet for the last few seconds, resumed his crying at the sound of his father's shouts as the mother attempted to quiet her.

"Consider it an investment." Boss said. "We have manpower, supplies, seeds, irrigation supplies. We can both benefit. All you have to do is lower your crossbow. We can give you farmhands and whatever you need to restore your land to what it once was. All we ask for in return in a portion of your crops to feed our own men. You're not alone. Other towns and farms are supporting us. Your kingdom's abandoned you, but we're here to stay. We're here to help."

"Your just invaders. I've heard about you! And if you think for one minute, I'll- "

He was cut off by the touch of his wife's hand on his shoulder, turning his attention to her and his child. Even from a distance, even despite their inaudible whisper, it was easy to know what she was saying to him. And Boss took that opportunity. "Think about your family."

And so, the man lowered his bow. And it took me a full minute to lower my own arms as the atmosphere of the world around me dissipated from one of an upcoming bloodbath to one of acceptance. Reluctant, but acceptance all the same.

And Boss approached us again and signaled for his men to unload the supplies for the family. Just a small quantity of food and medical supplies. Enough to earn their loyalty. He walked in my general direction and stopped around a foot to my right, saying "Being a soldier isn't about killing or following orders. Being a soldier is about defending those who are unable to defend themselves."

I transferred the next morning. The orders had already gone through. I had already moved to Squad 17's camp by that night, but it wasn't the feeling I had expected. I expected to feel a new sense of purpose and being. A silent thrill at the upcoming opportunity to fight. To be the soldier I was meant to be, but now, I wasn't sure what that even meant.

And so as I settled into my new position in my new squad, I wondered for the first time in 11 months, "What the hell am I doing?"