The Officer and the Princess: The Flames Of War

Chapter 3

Zuko sat at his throne within the Royal palace surrounded by his war council. In this new Era of peace these type of meetings were few and far between. Most of the Meetings being to go over budgets, training exercises, and security reports. The last actual War meetings Zuko had was during the incident involving the status of the Fire Nation Colonies in the Earth Kingdom. That event almost sparked the war up again, but it was thanks to the Avatar that blood had not been spilt. Those Colonies now were in the midst of becoming their own independent nation, a sign of good things to come in the world. Or at least that was the though.

Over the years he had replaced many of his fathers battle hardened High Admirals and High Generals with more tame officers, in hindsight perhaps that was not the best move but he refused to have the monsters that had waged war with the world on Ozais behalf sitting around him. A few of those Generals had been sentenced for War Crimes to help appease the Earth Kingdom, an attempt of Zukos part to help see closed the rift that had long since been opened between the two countries.

Many junior Ranking Generals had been given the Rank of High General to replace them, Only a few of those who had served Ozais councilstill remained one of the most prominent was a man who had served on Azulon and Ozais council, that being General Kang. Kang had been a hero of sorts during the last decades of the Hundred year war, his men trusted and respected him to such an extent if he asked them to march off a cliff they would do it. During battle if the need arose Kang would be at the front of the attack.

In truth Zuko had thought of offering Sung  a position on his Council once upon a time. his experience would have been invaluable but after their relationship had been strained with his decision to help the Avatar take down Ozai Sung turned on him. "I will look the other way one last time Zuko, but mark my words if I see you again I swear to The Sun Goddess herself I will kill you." He had never seen his friend so cold as in that moment, murder was clear in his eyes. Sung had come close to making good on that promise after Zuko helped Sokka break his father out of the boiling rock prison. That memory was as clear as it had happened a fortnight ago.

But when Azula was chained like an animal crying her eyes out something broke in Sung that day, it was as if his will to fight was gone. Now it would seem as if that fire had returned, The House of Yang was somehow involved with the rescue of Ozai, and if Sung was directly involved then Zuko had no choice but to stop him before that began, he knew deep down that the warriors in that island castle would not just allow their Lord to fall, they would fight to the last and the casualties would be high on both sides "Domestic Forces Patrols have been informed of the prisoner on the loose." General Kang spoke up from his sitting position. "I have also took it upon myself to put the Army on alert."

"I do hope you haven't shouted this incident from the Roof tops General." Zuko spoke up folding his hands in front of him, trying to keep his composure even as the pressure was rising. "Many in the Military may still have loyalty to my Father, I do not want a Civil war on my hands."

Kang shook his head "The thought of a wedge had crossed my mind sir, I have only informed Field officers that I personally trusted. That brings the resources to sixteen divisions on the hunt"

"And thirty Battle groups" An Admiral spoke up from across from Kang. Admiral Chan to be exact, Chan was another hold over from Ozai's Council. But during the war Chan had gotten somewhat of a bad rep from his Peers in the Navy as well as his Counterparts in the Army for being a less than reliable informant. More often than not he sent his ships into other areas of operation without informing his Fellow Admirals ahead of time. Though what he lacked in common courtesy he made up for tenfold as a tactician. In his spare time Chan enjoyed tinkering with theories on Naval strategy and how the Ironclad Ships of the Navy may be better used.