As I Fall: LOK

Chapter Nine

Sitting with her hands in her lap, Haitana watched through her peripheral as Korra healed Iroh's arm.

"I was prepared to deal with Sato's mecha tanks, but not these new high-speed aircraft," the general says, in thought about the current circumstance. Running a hand through her hair, still damp from the water, Haitana let out a stressed sigh.

It seemed the Avatar was feeling the same way, as she moved the glowing water around Iroh's exposed, wounded skin. "I know," she agrees. "Every time we think we have an advantage, Amon outsmarts us."

"No matter what our plan is, he always has a better one," Bolin concurred, almost groaning as he pet Siso who had became his new best friend.

Sending a smile of pity at the boy, Haitana adjusted the strap of her bag around her shoulder. It was silent just a moment too long for her liking, and she observed everyone in melancholic thought. "Amon is winning so far, but we're not out of the fight yet," Iroh said certainly.

Haitana snapped out of her internal sad monologue, looking over to Iroh with a glimpse of admiration. Bolin appeared to be doing the same, and he suddenly pepped up. "I like this man's confidence!" He exclaimed, before looking confused. "So, how are we not out of the fight?"

"A second wave of reinforcements is on the way, but I need to warn them," Iroh informed, standing up while clutching at his healing wound. "Do you still have a way to get a message out?" He questioned Korra.

The Avatar shrugged, looking worriedly at all her friends. The group wasn't sure how to get a radio message out, at least until Haitana shot out of her seat with a beaming grin. "Yes!" She almost squeaked out, causing the array to look at her in confusion. "Um.. I mean," she tried again, before sighing at her own awkwardness. Digging into her large bag, she pulled out a telegraph machine with the chords wrapped around it in a neat bunch.

Mako's eyebrows rose as she held it out for them to see, crossing his arms. "You just carry around all this junk with you?" He asked, accusingly. "You're one strange girl."

"Hey!" Haitana scoffed. "I guess you don't need it then. I'll just put it back and you can find some other way—"

"No, wait," Mako corrected himself quickly. "I mean- uh- I—"

"That's what I thought."

After setting up the telegraph machine, and adjusting all the wiring, Team Avatar and General Iroh stood behind her in anticipation. Haitana toyed with some of the buttons, making sure everything was working properly, and the air was almost thick with the impatient stares she was receiving from  behind.

Jumping off of her hat, Pickett landed on the machine and started pushing a button up it's track, powering on the Telegraph with a gentle buzzing. "What is that thing?" Korra interrogated, glancing at the little green creature who was seemingly helping with the process.

"That's Pickett," Haitana said shortly, not providing  any further explanation.

Bolin pointed a finger in a questioning gesture, creasing his forehead in contemplation. "Why do you call him Pickett—"

"Got it!" Haitana cut off the earthbender before he could continue his asking. To be honest, she wasn't really paying much mind to what he was saying in the first place. "So.. who's the recipient of the message?" She looked over to Iroh.

Stepping next to her, he looked over the board with hesitation before letting out a baited breath. Though not the most promising, it seemed like this was his only option. "Commander Bumi. Second division of the United Forces."

Typing on the monitor, Haitana almost droned out the conversation happening within the room— but only almost. "Tenzin's brother?" Korra asked bluntly, with confusion laced in her very tone.

"Yes, bit of a wild man, but the bravest commander you'll ever meet," Iroh commented admirably.

Before anyone could continue on, Haitana looked back up with an assured smile. "Okay, I'm ready," she informed, waiting for the message.

Forcing back a tight lipped grin, Iroh nodded, turning his full attention to the girl. "Fleet ambushed and destroyed by Equalist aircraft. Retreat to Red Sand Island until my signal. Do not approach city until you receive the all clear," he stated as Haitana tapped out the telegram to match his every word with careful accuracy.

After delivering the message, she took in a sharp breath, leaning back into the chair. "Okay, it's sent," she started slowly, looking around at everyone's face with indecisiveness. "But... what do we do now?"

Haitana wished she had all the answers— in the same way she wished that moving to Republic City would give her a sense of normalcy. But, like most things seemed to be doing lately, that too went south quickly. She knew, deep inside, if her father were here, he would surely know what to do, how to act, what to say. Yet, Haitana found herself falling sadly short of greatness. She wondered if her father would be disappointed in her if he saw everything she had done up to this moment here.

It appeared as though, even if Haitana didn't have the answers, Iroh did. "Now comes the hard part," he stated with certainty. "We need to ground those aircrafts. Otherwise, Bumi's fleet would never be able to retake the city."

Wanting to slam her head on the table, Haitana settled for just making a tight fist in frustration. Another fight? She swore she could never catch a break. Maybe was Mako said was true, not the part about her being completely terrible of course, but maybe he was right about her bending. Of course she learned master firebending— all from her father who was a infamous bender in the Fire Nation— but she never felt the need to use it for fighting. Perhaps that was her downfall, her hesitancy.

Sprawling a map across the table, the group crowded around it. Pointing to the corner of the map, Mako spoke up. "They flew in from this direction. The airfield must be somewhere over this mountain range," the boy inferred.

All nodding in agreement, Iroh stood up straight with newfound enthusiasm. "Everyone get ready, we leave at dawn," he commands.

Haitana took Siso from Bolin, placing him in the burlap sack where he would be safe. Everyone started filing out of the room, but the girl recognized that Asami was still lingering behind. She had a bitter look on her face, and looked like she was about to be sick.

"You okay?" She questioned the taller girl, trying to dance around her boundary without pushing her too far. As much as she was worried about the girl, Haitana wasn't sure she could deal with a sudden out pour of emotion at the moment.

Nodding, Asami grabbed her arm, pulling her along to catch up with the array. "Yeah," she muttered under her breath. "It's time to take down my father."

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Haitana found herself sadly uniformed about the true nature of this group at all. She had no idea Asami's father was caught up in all this mess, and suddenly her heart felt heavy at her selfishness of not wanting to hear about the girl's problems. When they started trailing behind everyone, Haitana grabbed her arm in some form of comfort. "You know," she started softly. "I'm always here if you need someone. I know you don't know me to well, but I know what it's like for someone you love to... not be who you thought they were."

Peering at Haitana through her long, makeup coated eyelashes, she sent a sad smile, barely showing her teeth. "Thanks Ana," she whispered, pulling away and motioning with her head for the girl to come catch up with her.

Obliging, Haitana followed carefully, still walking on eggshells around the new group. As kind as they were, she had some issues with her trust. After Sufon turned out to be a total nightmare, it was hard to believe anyone's intentions were pure anymore.

But of course, to counter that. This was people that the Avatar and the General were aligning themselves with— surely that meant something good. So, why did Haitana feel so nervous around the group? It wasn't like this yesterday...