Chapter 53: Boss
"Where'd you send the boy?"
"To see if she's injured."
"There is no permanent damage, but I apologize for what was done. My soldiers here are young and eager. They say innocence comes with youth, but so does passion and ferocity."
"Then you'll understand if I say the same about my own." I didn't know how he'd take it, but I meant it as a threat. If the blood of our own had been shed, then retribution would be demanded. But the whole reason I was talking was to avoid bloodshed. And so I continued. "You mentioned we had something in common. What's that?"
"We're fighting the Fire Nation." So that's what Luke and Ka'lira had said to save their skins, and I suppose, ours too in the process. Smart.
"What of it?"
"Well. It just so happens we're on the same side. The Fire Nation hasn't been kind to us in the past, and we intend to return the favor. We've been here for the last 3 and a half years now, trying to help the Earth Kingdom south of the Nip Sea reclaim their territory here in the north.
"You're revolutionaries then."
"Freedom fighters."
"I've seen your kind before in all different varieties. I've seen freedom fighters who've stolen from the rich to give to the poor, and I've seen freedom fighters who've burnt villages to the ground in the name of, saving them, I suppose." The truth was, I'd never met the former kind of freedom fighter. It always begins noble, but before you know it, whether it was their plan or not, hundreds of innocents are lying dead by their feet, all in the name of freedom, but I guess that was freedom in its own ironic way.
"And I can assure you that we are not the latter. The Fire Nation's interest may be in ruling over the ashes of the Earth Kingdom, but it's our goal, our dream to liberate them before ash is all that's left."
I heard the clanging of boots behind me as Gordez arrived, Zek's crossbow on his back, immediately standing to my side, saying, "Zek sent me. What's going on?"
"It's under control. For now."
"Who's this new man you've brought?" asked Kiu.
"This is Gordez. My second in command."
"Zek, Gordez, these are all pretty Fire Nation names you have. What am I to make of that?"
"That you won't find a freedom fighter's spirit anywhere like you will in the colonies." It almost hurt to spit that out. It wasn't a total lie nor truth. Depended on the colony in play. Outlier colonies such as the Gao Bay colonies still maintained a degree of fealty to the Earth Kingdom, but the ones such as in Yu Dao, they represented a sense of real patriotism. More real than that of the Fire Nation. While the mainland celebrated its Nation for all of its deeds and misdeeds, a terrifying mix of nationalism and religious zeal, the core colonies represented a mix of Earth Kingdom culture and Fire Nation loyalty. It represented what I wish more of the Fire Nation would be like: patriotic, but not blind.
"So where does this leave us, then?" He asked.
"At the part where we make a deal."
"Agreed. I'm coming up. With two of my men and your boy, Luke. You have two of yours and I have two of mine. Seems fair."
"One of ours is leaving." I turned to Jadoh. "Go. Just in case."
"You expecting a fight?"
"I don't think so, but I don't want to risk it."
"Then I'm staying too."
"Jadoh."
"You can't stop me."
I sighed. He was definitely changing. That much was apparent, for better or worse. I turned to Kiu. "Two of yours. Two of mine. Come on up."
And a few moments later, they had taken the ramp all the way up to the main deck, and our two sides stood, facing one another. Jadoh and Gordez by my side, Jet and Kai by Kiu's, with Luke trailing behind, bag still on his head.
"So what deal do you have in mind?" I asked.
"We've been contracted by the Earth Kingdom forces down south to launch subversive activities against the Fire Nation here and pave the way for an Earth Kingdom landing force, but my men have been taking heavy casualties, and we lack the numbers to efficiently continue our operations. It seems that you have the skill, discipline, and armaments that we lack. We would like to become partners with you."
"A partnership implies we get something out of this too. Unless you plan on saying that not killing us in compensation enough."
"No. I'm not like that. I'm sorry for taking your people captive, but it's not to hold them for ransom to you."
"Then before we make a deal, how about you let him go, as another show of good will."
Kiu turned his face to Kai, nodded, and the hood was removed, and Luke's scratched, bruised, and tired head was still on his shoulders, but he never lacked for the amusement in his face. He was prodded on his back and sent over to our side the moment the bindings on his hands were cut.
I put a hand on his chest, stopping him before he could pass us, asking, "You alright?" And I swear, if the word "no" had been spoken, I was more than ready in that moment to kill the 3 men I saw in front of me. But fortunately for both of us in retrospect, Luke said, "It's but a scratch," smiling, and walking back to our side, turning to stand between Jadoh and Gordez who asked similar question soon, thereafter, inquiring as to their buddy's wellbeing.
"So what do you propose?" I ask.
"For one, we'll fix your ship. You'll have permanent allies here in the Nip Sea, and we'll get you an audience with the Earth Kingdom governors here, and plenty of access to future contracts once this is over. As for the loot we obtain from hostile forces, and the Earth Kingdom's payment of course, you'll get 10%."
"10%? Your forces are in disarray and, as you said, are undisciplined. You plan on using us as the knife's edge, and we'll do that, for half."
"Half of the payment for 6 men in comparison to my 114? You'll get 20%"
"40."
"Quarter."
"A third."
"Deal."
We extended his hand, and I shook it. And that was the moment I made a deal with the devil.
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