The Origin of Roh-Shan

F: Battleship Bridge

Roh frantically scanned the slick sides of the battleship for any possible way back on. She tried a burst of air beneath her arms but already knew it wouldn't work. Nobody was in earshot. Maybe if she could find where the missile would launch from-- if there even was a missile--

Her panicked thoughts were interrupted by a solid clock on the head. She ducked away quickly and looked over.

"Sorry!" A voice above called.

A rope ladder had been tossed down from the main deck. Roh grabbed it quickly and scampered up before whoever it was could change their mind. She crested the side of the boat to come face-to-face with Iden.

"Consider that payback." Iden gestured to Roh's head. "Go! Use your Avatar powers and stop him or something! I'll try and shut the boat down!"

Roh didn't have time to process several things about that. She sprinted to the bridge and threw the door open, bounding down the steps. Suley had a Fire Navy sailor cornered, holding a piston to his head.

"Launch it now, or it's your head. Understand?"

The sailor looked nervous but stoic. "You said it would only be the warning shot."

"And now the piston is saying otherwise, isn't it? Launch the missile."

The sailor stood up straight, shoulders back, how he was trained to stand in the line of service. "Sir. If you think I value my life more than thousands of people on that ship, you're sorely mistaken."

"Oh? That's too bad." Suley's voice was almost soothing as he pressed the piston's barrel harder against his temple.

Just before Suley pulled the trigger, the sailor made eye contact with Roh. She blinked at the sound, like the last snapshot of the man's life, and when her eyes were open again, he was slumping to the ground, lifeless.

She'd just stood there and watched.

She didn't mentally process anything else until Suley was speaking again, "What a waste. He must've known that wouldn't stop me, right?" He started scanning the buttons and levers and switches on the dashboard, still quite a distance away. He read the markings on the board and started to flip some switches.

"Why are you doing this, Suley?"

He pretended to think. "Hmm... well, I guess if the Avatar would leave me and my society alone, I would consider sparing the ships."

"You know I would, but I don't believe you for one second."

"Smart. Oh, by the way, could you tell my guard at the top of the stairs to come down here, please?"

Roh looked up the stairwell to see one of Suley's guards holding Iden in a chokehold, another piston pressed to her head. "Oh, for fuck's sake..." Roh muttered. She could only step aside while the guard carefully descended the stairs, afraid any sudden movement would leave the young girl on the floor just like the sailor.

The guard carefully brought her to Suley.

"Okay, Navy Brat. You know what to do."

Iden's training kicked in, and she was tensed to fight despite her shaking hands. "I would never launch hostile fire at a passenger vessel. I took the same oath as him." She glanced down at the sailor on the floor. "So quit making a show of it and just kill me already."

Suley steamed and thrust out a fist, connecting squarely with her eye and nose.

Roh flinched, even from across the room.

Iden was unfazed. "Got any more?" She spat.

He punched her again, and the guard holding her looked conflicted.