The Officer and the Princess: The Flames Of War

Chapter 43

It had been eight months and twelve days since what many called the "Phoenix Rebellion" or as some simply called it "The Fire Nation Civil War", had begun. Sung in the end had been wrong about Yanobe, on that day at least peace had prevailed. Zuko and Avatar Aang had been able to talk the Lord of House Sei'naka into surrendering the city. Over two thousand Rebel soldiers had surrendered on that day, many of them being taken to the Boiling Rock and the Capital city Prison. That however had seemed to be a one time event. A small false hope in what would be disaster.

Kurn had went on the offensive quickly. His forces spreading out across the Fire Nation like wild fire. Loyalist forces are stretched thin. Ember Island had fallen quickly the once lush paradise now under occupation. Hing Wa Island fell not long before, the last any one heard from the Domestic Forces Garrison there, was that they intended to hold out for as long as possible. Since then Silence.

General Kang was busy fighting on Ma'inka, his Army Group had taken control of the port but lack of supplies and over all morale of his forces meant that his advances had been slow going, every time he made land gains the Rebels pushed him back to the Port and the areas surrounding it, what had quickly been referred to as the Ma'inka Front had turned into a stalemate, neither side being able to take complete control.

Admiral Chans fleet had taken a toll on the Rebels in a series of Naval Battles off the coast of the Fire Nation , so far the Navy seemed to be the only Branch able to claim victories but what the Rebels lacked in Capital Ships that could match the Loyalist Navy they made up for in swift, fast, Maneuvering boats that the crews for aim in the General direction of a Loyalist ship and bail out just before impact, the resulting explosions either crippling or outright destroy the targeted ship. Twenty two Fire Nation cruisers called the bottom of the ocean home now, their crews along with them.

The Avatar and his companions attempted to calm the storms but with so many happening at once he too was stretched thin, and tensions between the United Republic Council and the Earth Kingdom Forces sent to protect the infant country constantly threaten to spark an incident. So far the Avatar has had better success in the Earth Kingdom and Republic keeping the peace than he has in the Fire Nation, the situation is quickly growing out of control.

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After Yanobe Sungs twelfth Army had been sent to Ember Island to attempt to break through the occupation. They had taken fire with such a ferocity that Sungs entire line had been pushed back to the Eastern coast within three months of landing. For a time he had held that position, not because he intended to hold out, he had known that the Island would fall, he had held that position to set up a corridor to allow civilians to board ships to escape the Rebel advance...Sung knew he couldn't save everyone but he held out until the last second. As the Rebels deployed their massive armada of tanks Sung gave the order to retreat, he stepping onto the last ship to leave the resort Island. He watched with Shame as Civilians gathered on the beach and begged them to come back, some people even attempted to swim out to the evacuation ships, parents holding up their children begging Sung to take them, thinking so long as their children were safe what happened to them after didn't matter.

Zuko had been furious Sung had abandoned his position, telling Sung he should have held his position. It was easy for a man who had never been on the wrong side of an encirclement to tell a General to hold. Sung refused to have a repeat of Kretin if he could help it. He had told Zuko exactly that he had also added that it was better to lose a resort Island with no real strategic value than one of the coal producing Islands. That had seemed to calm the Fire Lords anger somewhat.

After Sungs defeat on Ember Island his Forces were redeployed to the east on the Island of Funarano. A mid sized Island, before the Rebellion nobody batted an eye in its direction the most interesting thing about the Island being it's vast array of flowers that attracted nature enthusiasts every spring but now the Island sat at a vital crossroads, it's location allowed for an attack on the Capital Island Southern coast. Sung set up his headquarters in the Island's Capital City of Yokohoro, Here Sung and his forces hold off a hoard. For three weeks they have been under almost constant assault...this was one such assault.