Lieutenant Zhao

It was a warmer day in the Nip sea. The winter, a mild one nonetheless, was beginning to subside, enabling the crew of the FNS Zodiac to enjoy the pleasantries of the midday ambience. As a firebender, we were taught a natural appreciation for days such as these, especially following the shorter and darker days that winter had thrown our way. Now, however, I was sure we could all feel the sun's energy flowing through our bodies and beings alike, granting us its power and raw over all else. If that's not a clear enough sign of our destiny to rule all that the sun touches, I don't know what is.

Jeong Jeong's words never ceased to run through my mind. "Fire brings destruction and pain unto our enemies. As wielders of this immense power, we are burdened with walking the razor's edge between the death of our enemies and ourselves. Only with immense willpower can we ensure we never fall to the undesirable side and meet our own demise." I wondered where he was now. Last I heard, his ship was sent to the Earth Kingdom's east coast, somewhere near Citadel, possibly searching for a new protégé. I couldn't blame him. He had a skill for spying talent, just as he'd done with me.

The sun was a key ally, vital to our survival as a people, but in the military, one had to be educating beyond the teachings of the Fire Sages and know how to seize the advantage even when the environment didn't favor us. Perhaps it was shroud of darkness to allow us to come upon our enemy unbeknownst to them, or maybe even a veil of rain and thunder to mute our advance. Today however, cutting off the settlements of the Nip sea from relief or reinforcements, a sunny day was the best we could ask for. It was just what allowed us to spot the derelict Fire Navy destroyer approaching from 3 miles away.

It, on normal occasion would have been a normal enough sight, but in this day and age of technological revolution, the same couldn't be said. "Is that one of ours?" Junior Lieutenant Izzo asked from my side.

"It's our make, but that model's supposed to be decommissioned."

"Should we get the Captain? You know, tell him about the ship?"

"It's likely he's already seen it. We'll let the command crew on the Ajax do their math and tell us who's set to engage it." In a case such as this, order had to be maintained, and a blockade was a puzzle that only worked with all pieces in the right place. A blockade couldn't function if all pieces decided to engage the same target all at once, so the logisticians aboard the Ajax would do their duty, look at the maps, decide who was in the best position to intercept, and relay orders to them.

The ship was still drawing closer and we were able to identify the banner it was flying: Southern Raiders. Not much of a surprise. These seas were their prowling ground. There was a stigma against them in the Navy, sure. To many, they were no more than privateers, hired to raid and steal from the enemy. I, however, was able to understand how the pieces fit together. The more they pillaged, stole, raided, destroyed, the more they diverted Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe away from the real Fire Nation. So at the end of the day, it was an arrangement I could live with. The banner explained why their ships weren't one of the newer models, but all the same, destroyers weren't their forte, but mostly interceptors. Perhaps a salvaged vessel? It's their type of thing to do. But no matter how much I justified it, something seemed off about it. I couldn't put it into words, but I wanted to think I wasn't the only one who observed it. Perhaps it was the missing nameplate, but even then, it felt wrong in so many ways.

A few minutes later, I heard the characteristic call of a messenger hawk as it flew overhead, perching on the command balcony, turning around to present it satchel like the good trained beast it was. Captain Zain's aid, Naizo, was the one to retrieve the message, and he disappeared from my sight as he entered the command bridge to relay the orders as the hawk flew away back towards the General's ship.

"Guess we're up." Izzo said.

"Looks like it," I responded, grabbing my helmet, and picking my spear off of the ground.

"So today's our day, I take it?"

"Yes. The least you could do is put some effort into remembering when you're up."

"You know how I am with days," he said, wiping off his helmet before placing it on his head. "I don't count in sevens; I count in how many days until I get shore leave."

A boarding party was routine in scenarios such as this when a suspicious vessel approached, which this supposed Southern Raider ship most definitely was. I was already ready when Zain emerged from the command tower. The expecting boarding party gathered in a single file line, 10 men, most of whom were equipped while some such as Izzo lagged behind. He was by no means your traditional soldier, and the frequency at which I talked to him was no indicator of friendship. He was my assigned patrol partner. My tolerance for those such as him wasn't high, but when the only person watching my back was him, I was better to ensure I was on his good side rather than the bad.

We stood at attention, awaiting orders. "At ease, men, it's one of ours."

Most of the men eased up while one, Zeera, judging by her voice, asked, "What are our orders, captain?"

"I said at ease, lieutenant. And do not speak out of term! The ship is one of ours." I pitied Zeera. She was trying to do her job and a loyalist to the end, much like myself in many ways, but speaking out of line was not the smartest of moves.

Zain resumed, "There won't be a boarding party. Just a routine interception."

What?

"Sir. The ship is unmarked and an outdated-"

"What did I say about speaking out of line!?"

I shot back to attention, instantly regretting what I'd just done. In my 7 months aboard this vessel, I'd never disobeyed orders, disrespected my captain, nor spoken out of line. One stupid move like this was the kind that blocked recommendations for promotions. A stupid move. I scolded myself quietly, allowing Zain to finish off by saying, "Return to your posts. If any of you have questions, you can ask me yourself."

On a normal occasion, I'd have backed down, not willing to test my luck, but watching as Zeera also moved in to intercept Zain before he could return to the bridge as the rest of the now defunct boarding party dispersed, I worked up the courage to make my way there as well, hoping that perhaps our two voices could speak some reason. That was, however, assuming we had the same petition to bring to Zain, but something told me we were of the same mind in that moment.

"Permission to speak, sir?" she asked

"Permission to speak, sir?" I asked at the exact same moment, our voices combining as one.

"Should I assume this is about your orders?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Then I'll say what I said before. The ship's southern raider, we're in southern raider assigned territory. What more needs to be said?"

I moved to speak first, not wasting a moment to present what I'd observed with the ship, "Sir. The ship is unmarked, not bearing a nameplate and is of an outdated make. All destroyer-class vessels have been decommissioned and replaced."

"You know how the raiders are with their ships. Besides, the decommissioning was just a few months ago. Our job is to defend this sea from hostiles, not hand out citations for derelict equipment. Did you have anything to add, Lieutenant Zeera?"

"I was, going to say sir, that the vessel was also sporting unauthorized equipment, a 105-millimeter howitzer. I spotted it with my scope. A howitzer gun. Those aren't supposed to be aboard navy vessels. And as they got closer, they lowered it into the cargo bay."

"Probably because they don't want their time wasted with rules and regulations. Look. We have more important business to be doing, so keep an eye out for an Earth Kingdom ships that may be trying to slip in behind us and return to your stations."

There was no sense in arguing. The orders had been given and were written in stone.

"Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, sir!"

We walked off, and before we split up to return to our positions, I said, "Keep your gear on. If they see us at the ready, the more nervous they'll be and likely to slip up."

"Got it." It was a long short, but worth the try if it worked out. Zain was making a mistake that he was to blind to realize the extent of. And so I returned to my post by Izzo's side as I felt the Zodiac roar to life as it left the blockade, moving westwards to intercept the incoming threat. Because a threat it was. A vessel of that size, for all we knew, could be housing a full regiment of Earth Kingdom soldiers within its decks. No risk was too small when it came to this. Izzo, who had taken off his helmet and laid his spear on the ground, watching the waves as he leaned over the ship's rail, turned to me, saying, "Geez, Zhao. How tight you got that bucket around your head? Lighten up. We got a free pass for now. For now, but if an Earth Kingdom arrow finds its way into your skull, you'll understand why there's no such thing as being overprepared. I looked a ways to my side to see Zeera's own patrol partner, Chaija, also giving her hell. I liked Zeera. Not in any form of familiar nor romantic way, but I appreciated the soldier in her. She left nothing to chance and had as firm a conviction to her Nation as anybody I've ever seen, with the exception of myself perhaps.

The vessel drew nearer, and I could now see it's poor excuse for a nameplate, the words, "The Patriot", painted onto its hull. Who do you think you're fooling?

Both of our vessels came to a stop, parallel to one another, the "Patriot" on our port side, right where I was. I peered over at the deck, nearly empty save 4 souls, one appearing to be a female. They were in Navy uniforms, but not Southern Raider outfits. This was so not right. I waited until Zain made his way down from the command deck once again, hardly in any formal fashion, walking to the edge of the deck and peering over, having to shout because of the distance between us, "State your name and business!"

The difference in size of our two vessels was some solace as I knew that no matter what occurred here, we wouldn't be needless casualties unless some lucky sniper got a good shot on us. With that thought in mind, I peered over to their command deck. The door to the interior from the balcony was closed, but I could see enough through the window, or rather, not see enough, to know that it was practically empty save the helmsman at the controls. I couldn't identify whether or not he was in uniform. The ship's undermanned at the very least. That, or they don't have enough uniforms to fit their full contingent. Always assume the worst. For all I know, they have hundreds of Earth Benders below decks, but only enough uniforms to fit 4.

"Name's Captain Raozo!" the voice replied. "Southern Raiders in case you can't read the flag! We got reason to believe that there's some water benders hiding in the swamps down past here! We'd like to have a word with them if you catch our meaning!"

"I know all too well!" Zain replied, trying so hard to appease the proverbial "bad boys" of the Fire Nation armed forces. Our ship was larger, stronger, better than theirs, hence the replacement of those vessels, but they could outrun us. In Zain's position, I'd have positioned myself perpendicular to them in front, blocking all means of escape. Still, I peered over the edge, eyeing the suspiciously still crew of "The Patriot", just waiting. There was some scattered training equipment along the decks. Some sparring swords, training dummies, and more. The crew was eyeing us, and I could've sworn that I noticed on the men, a younger one, more like a boy, fidgeting where he stood. "I know it's none of our business, but mind telling me about your ship? That's not the usual raider ship model, and an outdated one at that."

Of course he dismisses us in conversation but takes our advice. Typical Zain.

"You're right. It's none of your business, but if it really does concern you that much, some dumbass navy folk such as yourselves tried to defect and pawned off their ship to some water tribals. They got what they had coming."

They certainly do speak like raiders, or at the very least, he does. And the way he uses the word 'defector' to dismiss the presumption from himself…

"You're free to pass, then. Be on your way and take out a few waterbenders for us."

Running out of options, I peered at what Zeera had noticed, and the tarp covering the cargo elevator. It had been hurriedly put up and one could, if he paid attention, peer beneath it to not only see the aforementioned artillery gun, but the additional pairs of eyes that gazed on from beneath. They were hiding. They were the enemy, and they were passing through.

"Will do!"

Their engines came to life, and I could see my options disappearing before my eyes leaving me with just one. There would be no proof that would get Zain to heed my warning. My only option was to initiate. I could fire on their deck, at one of them, get a good blast of fire down there, and when they realized the jog was up, they'd return fire and they'd be finished. They would have the entire blockade in front of them and would have no time to turn around. They'd be ours, and I'd have been the one to do it.

And if I'm wrong? And if I'm wrong, and I fire on a friendly vessel, and kill a man on our side, I'd be arrested, court-martialed, executed at worst, and imprisoned at best, either way, I'd be kissing my career goodbye. So it all came down to how sure I was that the men in front of me, were in fact, the enemy.

To hell with it.