The Officer and the Princess: The Flames Of War

Chapter 44

Sung scratched his chin. He knew that Zuko had sent spies out, but he hadn't been made aware that any spies had been able to infiltrate the Rebellion. Whoever had sent out the messenger hawk had to be either high up, or close to someone high up. But why would a rebel all of a sudden decide to start feeding information to the Loyalists? They got passed over for a promotion and they are taking it out on their competitors? "That certainly is a turn of events." Sung mumbled. "Now if only we had a weapon that could stand up to the rebels tanks without having to charge them, we might actually get somewhere."

"I'm afraid I can't help sir." Togoshi said. "I apologize for being the bringer of bad news, please don't shoot the messenger." She finished with a light chuckle.

"Don't be sorry Captain, it isn't your fault." Sung said with a nod his annoyance subsiding, he had just been on edge like almost everyone else in this circle of hell, it wasn't an excuse to go around yelling at people though, he certainly had gotten snippy as he got older. He looked at Mikan. "Lieutenant I want those supplies secured, all medical items are to be transported to the town hall immediately." Town hall was one of the biggest buildings in the city besides the Governors Mansion, Sung had turned it into a field hospital.

Togoshi stepped forward suddenly. "You wouldn't happen to be Lieutenant Mikan would you?" She asked hopefully.

"I'm Mikan." The Lieutenant said with a raised eyebrow.

Togoshi smiled brightly as she reached around her back. "I have a letter here for you." She said as she withdrew a envelope. "Miss Ty Lee told me to send her regards."

Mikan brightened up upon hearing the name as he took the envelope and actually smelled it. Smiling even wider. Sung didn't need to ask why he had done that, he could smell a flowery perfume wafting through the air from here. Since that chance meeting on Shozan some eight months ago Mikan and Ty Lee had begun sending letters back and forth quite regularly. Ty Lee always spritzing the letters with some kind of perfume no doubt knowing it would drive Mikan wild. Sung had seen first hand how excited Mikan got when he got a letter from her, he clearly enjoyed their correspondence, always grinning from ear to ear as he read them. In Sung's mind he was happy for the two of them, at least something good had come out of all of this.

"Good luck to you General, hopefully next time we meet I'll have some people to bring with me." Captain Togoshi said. She clicked her heels together and bowed.

"Before you go." Sung said. "Do you have any room for evacuees?" He asked. "I've got quite a few people that are wounded and may not survive if they don't get to a actual hospital."

"I'll make room." Togoshi said.

Now it was Sung's turn to bow. "Captain I will be in your debt."

For over an hour the crew of the Airship went back and forth between the Town hall and their craft loading Sung's seriously wounded, ranging from those who had gotten severe burns, deep cuts, to heavy blunt force trauma, thought in then end they could only carry a total of one hundred in the ships bomb bay and cargo hold and Sung still had hundreds more that should be getting moved. But he was at least grateful that some of his wounded were getting out. He watched as the Airship took off and sailed off to the east, soon vanishing as he drifted off over the horizon.

The day however was not finished as through the open gates of the mansion Grounds Sung could see Colonel June and a man holding a soldier by his arms, his hands tied together. It was a Soldier that Sung knew all too well. "Hey there Duru." Sung said with a scowl though he spoke in a chipper tone like he was happy to see an old friend. "What's the matter, did you get scared in the woods all by yourself?"

Duru had a sly smile on his face as he held his bound hands up. "I always intended to come back General, I became aware of something that I needed to see for myself."