Chapter 10

The Abbot's Dining Hall was indeed a place of great wealth and luxury. Exquisite silk tapestries that showed scenes of the Spirit World in richly dyed threads were hung all around the walls. Lacquered wood furniture of imported teakwood and upholstered with high-quality silk cushions sat around a long, jade, table carved with stylized images of Sky Bison. The golden pillars were lined with literal gold, rather than the bronze or brass that was normally seen. It struck Bikki that for an Abbot of a monastic order that sought to eschew worldly tethers, his Dining Hall was actually quite luxurious. It must have cost a fortune to furnish like this, or possibly it cost nothing, depending on the relationship between the Temple and their non-bending vassals.

"This place doesn't look very monastic." Grunted Prince Zuko, giving voice to Bikki's thoughts.

"That's because the Dining Hall was mostly used to receive foreign dignitaries and important guests. They may have been Monks, but they also ruled a nation." Came an oily voice from one of three people sitting around the jade table.

The Owner of the Voice was a man with a mustache and goatee that was carefully oiled and perfumed. The man himself wore rich amber silks and had an ingratiating smile plastered over his face. This, Bikki surmised, must have been Mayor Han, the civilian administrator of this small Colony. He had an unctuousness about him like some sort of discount Komodo Rhino Trader. Like his obliging exterior hid a poison agenda.

By stark contrast, Major Toshi seated across from him, was an austere, taciturn, older man in an Old Style Fire Nation Army uniform. The Major's gray hair was pulled up into a short topknot and his face was shaved clean of any facial hair. He grunted at the pronouncement of this dining hall having been used for diplomatic functions, simply taking a sip from his porcelain tea cup instead.

"Major Toshi's a man of few words. He only really speaks when he has something important to say. There's definitely worse ways to live your life." Offered the third Man at the table.

This was a man in a simple green tunic and tan leather apron. His hairstyle however was anything but simple. The top of his head was shaved bald, but the hair on the sides of his head remained and was even spiked up into twin points, giving the impression of horns. His eyebrows were streaky, bare in places where they'd been singed clean from failed experiments, and he had a full beard and mustache covering the bottom of his lined face. This must be the Mechanist, meeting with them properly at last.

"It is better to say nothing and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt." Intoned General Iroh as he made his way back into the dining room with a steaming pot of tea.

"Uncle, where were you?" Questioned Prince Zuko.

"Mayor Han's staff ran out of Jasmine Tea recently. Since they won't be getting more till the next caravan comes through, I thought it might be a nice treat for our hosts if I made a pot from my own supply." Answered General Iroh.

"It also helps that Jasmine is your favorite as well, doesn't it General?" Smirked Bikki.

"Two things can be true at once, Lord Bikki." Chuckled General Iroh as he poured tea for everyone.

"Please, don't just stand there, come and sit." Offered Mayor Han.

Bikki needed no further prodding, though Prince Zuko hesitated briefly before his stomach growled loudly and made his decision for him, much to his consternation and the amusement of the adults at the table. Both of them took seats at the jade table just in time for the cooks to bring out the first course, Lotus Seed Congee with shredded chicken and mushrooms. It was quite good if a new taste for Bikki, but the mushrooms at least were a familiar ingredient for him. As they ate, the conversation drifted toward the Mechanist's flying machine.

"That lantern flyer was quite something." Remarked Bikki.

"Lantern? Oh, I suppose it does look a bit like a paper lantern! No, I call it a hot air balloon. The principle behind it is actually quite simple. Hot air seeks to rise, so I simply harness that to allow for lift. Really the difficult part is getting back down. You need to let the hot air out in controlled bursts to avoid crashing." Grinned the Mechanist.

"Sounds complicated." Frowned Prince Zuko.

"It is. Let out too much hot air at once, and you crash. Too little and you stay aloft and risk drifting from your landing site. Why do you think I added the tether?" Queried the Mechanist.

"The Fire Nation Army certainly sees the value in such an invention, though, does it not Major?" Mused Mayor Han.

"It does. If it can be made more practical, such an invention would allow better siting and positioning of artillery." Acknowledged Major Toshi.

"Indeed, the Mechanist would not have been given the funds to pursue such an invention if it were not useful. After all, there are consequences for wasting funds frivolously." Intoned Mayor Han. The Mechanist stiffened at that veiled jab.

"I am certain the Mechanist will be able to make his invention practical. He is a genius, after all. What of you, Prince Zuko? How went your search of the Archives?" Cut in General Iroh, as he could sense a change of topic was needed.

"We have a lead." Admitted Prince Zuko.

"Oh? After so long? Truly remarkable, though you are of Royal Blood, so it should hardly come as a surprise." Praised Mayor Han.

"We need to head to the Eastern Air Temple next. Apparently, the nuns there found the Avatar in a nearby village and took him there for confirmation. Unfortunately, the rest of the records were lost in the sack of the Northern Temple." Informed Bikki.

"Ah, another lead to travel to a far-off land. It sounds like quite the adventure." Mused Mayor Han.

"Not as romantic as you might think." Grunted Major Toshi.

As the congee dishes were cleared away, the main course was brought out. This was a Moo-Sow roast in a peanut sauce over stir-fried rice and bean sprouts. The peanut sauce was the spicy kind favored in parts of the Fire Nation and it singed Bikki's tongue as he ate. Thankfully, General Iroh's tea was able to quench the inferno rampaging on his tongue with every bite. Had the General realized that such fare would have been too much for a Yonbanjin like Bikki and prepared his tea accordingly? Bikki wouldn't put it past him. As they ate, the conversation continued.

"What do you mean about it not being a romantic adventure, Major?" Asked Mayor Han.

"The Eastern Ocean isn't under Fire Nation Control." Answered Major Toshi, simply.

"To elaborate, the Earth Kingdom still has a naval base at Chameleon Bay that has resisted all attempts to conquer it. Furthermore, there are a number of Pirate Groups active in the area, along with the fleet of the Southern Water Tribe. We will have to chart our course wide and carefully to avoid such enemies." Explained General Iroh.

"Better you than me. I'm retiring in two years, the last thing I need is a Major Engagement." Scoffed Major Toshi.

"That's coward talk." Scowled Prince Zuko.

"I don't think it is. I mean, Major Toshi's an old man in a job where men die young, right? Isn't there some proverb about that?" Pressed Bikki.

"Well said, Lord Bikki!" Flattered Mayor Han.

"Still." Frowned Prince Zuko.

"It sounds as if my Nephew is not convinced of your bonafides, Major. Care to share a tale?" Questioned General Iroh.

"How about the one you told me about the Battle of the Jinsha River? That one's actually pretty engaging." Suggested the Mechanist.

"Fine. So, we were campaigning out in the State of Jan, trying to seize territory along the Jinsha River to gain a supply line to our pocket at Kaiteng on the shore of the Western Lake after General Yiwen's Counterattack cut off the Sixth Army there from the Zhang Military District. We were about four days from the pocket, having captured the towns and villages along the river when we were hit by an ambush coming out of the woods to one side of the River. One moment we were marching, the next poisoned arrows were flying out of the woods and the river was dammed up by boulders." Began Major Toshi.

"So what happened?" Queried Bikki.

"At the time, I was just a Captain, but that was probably a good thing. The Major and Colonel of our regiment got hit by those poison arrows as a priority. With the river dammed, our supply barges couldn't move up to deliver anti-venom in time so they died. General Ookawa managed to dodge the arrow aimed at him and rally the surviving officers. We laid down fires to burn the enemy out of the woods, which worked, but that only made the attackers even more desperate." Continued Major Toshi.

As he told the story, the main course was cleared away and dessert was brought out, cold red bean mochi. The sweetness was delicious and above all, the coldness of the frozen treat helped get rid of any lingering flames from the spicy peanut sauce that the Moo-Sow had been slathered in. It proved an even better remedy for that than General Iroh's tea. As Bikki munched on the sweets, he listened to Major Toshi's story.

"Earthbenders put up mobile shields as the enemy advanced out of the woods. Those blocked most of the flames we sent their way and allowed the enemy to get into hand-to-hand. Swords, Spears, Cudgels, and other weapons were drawn. I took down an Earthbender with my Dao at a range where neither of us could bend effectively without also hitting our comrades. It was that close quarters a fight." Recited Major Toshi.

"So what happened?" Asked Prince Zuko.

"The Earth Kingdom Forces withdrew eventually, scurrying back to their holes, but the damage had been done. By taking out the majority of our higher officers and forcing a close-quarters battle, they slew the better part of two regiments in their ambush before we drove them off. General Ookawa ordered us to push ahead to Kaiteng after using blasting jelly to clear the boulders from the river. By the time we reached Kaitend, though, we didn't have the manpower needed to hold the Jinsha River Corridor against a second counterattack. Fortunately, the Earth Kingdom's attention was drawn elsewhere by Lord Hennauke's attack on Shu City. The Yonbanjin really saved our asses there, allowing General Ookawa to be reinforced by the thirty-fourth and Fifty-first regiments." Nodded Major Toshi at Bikki.

"Father's capture of Shu City was a pretty major achievement. Holding it against General Yiwen's Counterattack secured him the Lordship of our people over my Uncle." Admitted Bikki.

"It is a fairly well-known piece of strategy." Nodded General Iroh.

"Perhaps Lord Bikki might favor us with that tale?" Questioned Mayor Han.

"Another time. Allow the Major to finish his tale first." Insisted the Mechanist.

"There's not much more to tell. I received a brevet promotion to Major contingent on the next few years of campaign for lack of officers in the regiment. It was made official after I purged the Sons of Unagi, a group of Lake Pirates that laired in a hidden cove on the shore of the Western Lake, a few years later. I spent the next few years as a Major before being assigned to garrison duty here. The rest is history." Shrugged Major Toshi.

"Interesting tale. Maybe we could hear the one about your father and Shu City now?" Queried Prince Zuko.

"Unfortunately, it is getting quite late and we have an early start tomorrow." Refuted General Iroh.

"Yes, you've found what you needed in the Archive, didn't you?" Mused the Mechanist.

"It's likely a few weeks trip back to the ship, isn't it? I should think you would need your rest then." Confirmed Mayor Han.

"Fine. But you will be telling me that story when we get back to the ship." Grumbled Prince Zuko.

"I will." Agreed Bikki.

And with that, the dinner was over. All of the Royal Party had rooms prepared in the Abbot's Tower for the evening and they retired to them shortly afterward. Bikki was asleep soon after washing up and using the facilities. It was indeed going to be a long trip back to the ship. Two weeks from the Northern Air Temple back to Port Khyagpa in Tseng Colony where they were docked. After a month in Tseng Colony and the Northern Air Temple, they would finally be setting sail once more. Unbeknownst to anyone, in the time they were there, word of Bikki's showing of Steambending in a public manner had reached the Earth Kingdom Army and a bounty had been placed on Bikki's head.

The first that any of the Royal Party or the crew of the Dragonhawk knew of that would be when the Cruiser found itself assailed by pirates looking to claim the bounty as they sailed east toward the Eastern Ocean. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so this one was mostly a worldbuilding chapter. We get a little background on food, hints that the Mechanist's deal with the Fire Nation Army isn't quite as reciprocal as previously thought, and a bit about how the war has progressed. There's a little something worldbuildy for everyone in this one.

Of course, there are also hints of future events in here as well. Mayor Han is an unpleasant Bureaucrat who hides his nastiness under a veneer of false pleasantries. Meanwhile, Major Toshi is a more moderating influence, if a bit taciturn at times. Unfortunately, Major Toshi is due to retire soon, and it is unlikely his replacement will be as level-headed. Treatment of the Mechanist and the refugees is likely to get worse by the time canon starts. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happens from there.

At any rate, the next chapter will open with an attack by Pirates looking to cash in Bikki's bounty.

Stay tuned. . .