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Post by aden on Apr 11, 2007 12:34:51 GMT -5
Aden made swift work of his remaining crab and tossed the shells into a pile that had been accumulating on the edge of the camp. Perhaps they were being collected in order be ground down. Aden was not terribly familiar with the healing practices, but he recalled that crushed crab shells were often applied to cuts in order to return some strength to the damaged tissue and reduce scarring. He also heard it also made a good dietary supplement for those with old bones. However, as the young waterbender brushed of his hands, wiping them on his pants to dry, he noticed that Ryota had found himself a new toy.
The hefty Southerner held a war club in his hands and gave it a test swing as he spoke with another warrior. At first Aden thought nothing of it, but he suddenly noticed something about that particular weapon. The small chips out of its back edge and the fact that it had no current owner made Aden realize that it was most likely the same club he'd found on the battlefield a week previously. The same club he'd used to beat a Fire Nation soldier into a bloody pulp...
Aden tore his gaze away from the scene for a moment, suddenly looking at his hands and shirt as if he expected the blood from that night to still stain him. There was still the hole in his shirt from that fight, given a halfway decent patch job on the trip across the Earth Kingdom, but it was devoid of anything so incriminating as that dead soldier's gore. The young warrior swallowed a lump that was starting to rise in his throat and forced down the sudden surge of memories from that night. As much as he hated the Fire Nation, he really didn't like the place his bloodlust had brought him to.
The blare of a horn suddenly reverberated over the campsite. Aden turned his attention up swiftly, spotting the source of the noise. A scout positioned up on the top of the cliff face was holding some massive seashell, letting the camp stop what it was doing for a moment before he shouted, "Fire Nation! A destroyer coming from the South, Fast! They'll pass us by mid-day!" Aden looked away from the man on the ledge for a moment, gazing down the coastline as far as he could see for some sign of the enemy, but he couldn't spot a ship. That's why the lookout is so high, he assumed.
Around the camp, men seemed to have come to a stall. Aden was new to the operation, as were most of his Northern kin, so about of the assemblerd warriors couldn't do much more than wait for orders. In the next moment, however, the voice of the Southern commander Hakoda rose out over the silence. "You know the drill,'' he called out, seemingly addressing his men. "Finish those tangle mines and load up the ships. Prepare three of the dhows for travel and prepare yourselves for combat!" A battle-cry went up among the Southerners and they immedioately set into motion. Aden was impressed to see how cohesively this group of men worked together, but he was unsure of what to do himself. That was, of course, until Hissun spoke up as well.
"Warriors!" he called loudly, speaking to the Northern Tribesman over the sound of the Southerner's beginning their battle preparations, "Ready the longboats, three benders to a ship. Prepare grapple hooks and melee gear and assemble in your squads to await further briefing." With that, another battle-cry was issued, this time from the Northerners. Aden himself pumped his fist in the air and made a guttural noise like a barking alpha sea lion.
Within the span of a minute, the camp suddenly turned from a sluggishly moving collection of men into a buzzing hive of activity.
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Post by dian on Apr 11, 2007 18:41:08 GMT -5
Atop his docked ship Dian saluted the passing destroyer and her crew.
"Savages were quick in getting started," he heard next to him.
Dian agreeingly nodded at the disgusted voice. Watching, from the corners of his eyes, War Minister Quing's jaw tighten. It had not been long since the debacle at the North Pole, yet already they had quickly moved into the Earth Kingdom. Capitalizing on their Avatar aided victory. And of all places to install themselves, in Chameleon Bay, the closest water route to the walls of Ba Sing Sei.
"Then I take it these new contraptions will be used to rectify the matter, minister?"
"Yes and no," Quing replied. "Your contemporary, Admiral Ashuku seems to be making a upon move on Ba Sing Sei," gripping the ship's railing, "before me...
"Unfortunately," Quing continued. "I will not be able to have all of my resources in order, nor my project ready to... aid him before his arrival."
"And what of the war balloons transported, sir? Dian's gaze going over his shoulder an skyward at the aerial training taking place. A duo of the war balloons manuevering about one another as they dropped objects upon a target area.
"I had intentions for more to be brought here, if the Admiral was not so swifter than my preperations," lips pursing together at the coming arrival of a swifter opportunist. "But given the current circumstances it may be best to resend you northward to rectify one of them. As well as finish a loose end sooner than anticipated."
Intrigued, Dian followed the war minister who held up an open palm to his aide. "The savages are not only ones working with expedient celerity," taking the aide's offered scroll before handing it to Dian.
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Post by chamir on Apr 11, 2007 18:43:25 GMT -5
"That is because they are uppity, father," Chamir laughingly hustled from his tent, quickly lashing on boots then belts containing the sheaths for his machete and boomerang onto his person while his head cloth flew about his neck. "They've 'harshly' endured a comfortable lifestyle compared to us and despite the war."
"And even after repelling an invasion you would think they would look a bit fazed," rushing beside his son, kicking up sand as they went.
"Yeah, instead they still have a stiff upper lip, much like I remember, rather than show some registering of shock or humility."
"Aye, pretty much. Guess we'll have to show them up then. Can't have them getting too uppity on us now while they're here with us. Especially you," clasping a hand on his son's shoulder. "since you'll be fighting with them."
"I'll make certain to give a good accounting of us again," the two slowed to a stop as they neared the shoreline. Most of the Southern tribesmen already loading onto the dhows or installing the last of the tangle mines while the Northern tribesmen were arranging into their squads. "I'm not just another handsome Southerner," grinning, "I'm another handsome Southern warrior," he loudly boasted.
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Post by ryota on Apr 11, 2007 19:28:12 GMT -5
It was to happen again.Yet another naval skirmish with the Fire Navy was going to take place. As the men, including Ryota, gave out their war-cry, Ryota felt that same excited feeling he had before each battle. He knew that, through the military genius of Hakoda, and even more so with the Northern waterbenders on their side, they would emerge victorius, though not without a possible immense amount of effort on their part.
As they all ran around, fixing to prepare themselves for battle, Ryota ran to his tent and grabbed his belongings, strapping on the scabbards for his weapons, then he inserted his weapons into their respective sheaths. He knew there would be no time to don the ceremonial war paint at this point in time, but he didn't much mind. He was too bent on the battle ahead.
He ran to the dhow on which he was usually assigned, not stumbling or tripping because he kept his mind focused. The men still ashore were continuing to fill the tangle mines but were just now finishing up, as they had previously done with many other mines, which some warriors had picked up and dragged onto their dhows. Ryota himself grabbed a completed tangle mine, not bothered by the smell since the mines emitted only a faint foul odor when sealed, and dragged it onto the dhow. The battle would soon commence.
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Post by kavik on Apr 11, 2007 19:52:00 GMT -5
Kavik heard the announcement and groaned. "Oh for the love of-" With the sounds of barking men pumped with adrienaline for battle and testerone echoing on the beach. Kavik ran back to shore and fished out his spear that he took with him. It was mainly for fishing but it can still be used in battle. Kavik steeled himself setting his mind for battle and joining the men with a war-cry of his own "ARRROOOOAHHH!" He ran down to dhows and looked around for he could board. Then a voice called to him it was soldier. "Hey Fisherman, Kavik right? You're a waterbender right? Come over here make it fast you're gonna help freeze the destroyer." With speed Kavik ran for the dhows and hop in one.
"Well might as join the fray, though I'm scared shi*less and I think I might die...and I don't want that." The soldier sighed, "Oh don't be such a wuss you won't die just bend damn it." Kavik rolled his eyes and prayed to Twi "Oh Father Ocean protect your son as you do when I fish on your mighty waters...just make sure I still have all my limbs." Kavik sighed and head out with other waterbenders.
Denali on the other hand saw the commotion when he was sunning on the bluff, with a bugle he galloped down hoping to join his master.
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Post by aden on Apr 11, 2007 21:13:49 GMT -5
A few hours later, not long into the afternoon, the ships of the conjoined Water Tribes set out of the mouth of Chameleon Bay. The dhows and longboats floated side by side, staggered Northern, then Southern warriors in their line. One of the spare benders of the longboats gave the larger ships an extra boots in order to increase the speed with which they closed on the Fire Nation ship. It was close now and they be within firing range in a matter of minutes.
Aden sat at the rear of one of the longboats, wafting his hand back behind the ship to propel it forward every other second. One of Hissun's two lieutenants, the one most often leading their squad of slingthrowers, sat at the center of the vessel and was looking ahead with determination. Two other benders and about five other warriors also were fitted into the narrow boat with one of those benders helping to power the dhow on their right.
Aden looked to his sides every now and then. Chamir and Ryota were onboard one of those ships, preparing to unleash those foul-smelling tangle mines. When the time came and the ships broke their current formation, Aden's longboat and would flank their ship and provide a boost of speed as well as protection from any catapult projectiles.
Surprisingly, the young waterbender felt little of the anxiety he'd had before his last battle. Perhaps it was the fact that they didn't expect to directly engage in close combat. If everything went according to plan, the Fire Nation sailors would be left to abandon ship on their own and all they'd have to do would be to chase away the survivors. On the water, at least, it wouldn't even be considered a fight.
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Post by dian on Apr 11, 2007 21:33:21 GMT -5
"The savages are not only ones working with expedient celerity, indeed" Dian reiterated the War Minister's words whilst in his personal quarters. Despite the debacle of a seige at the Northern Pole it seems that the War Minister had been collecting as much further information as possible on the Northern Water Tribe's captial city after the failure. All that collecting resulting in what was now splayed on the table before him.
A hand gently tracing over the detailed map scroll with numerous notes scribbled here and there on its edges and within it. Rampart towers, canal locks, canal ways among other things that could be noted. And amongst them especial were those amidst the center/rear of the city. Not just barns and civilain housing but more. Notes written about the detail of these dwellings, more than likely belong to nobles and leaders. And most obviously there was the city's main palace.
Thus was part of his newest mission. Not another invasion technically but merely using the Fire Nation's newest invention to pummel the Northern Water Tribe into submission thus far. Reducing much of their most important objects of infrastructure to melted rubble followed by further bombardments of the citizenry and their dwellings.
With the hot air balloons there was little chance of them retaliating effectively save for their sailors destorying the task force in open water as they neared the city.
Dian continued again and again, burning the map into memory before furling it closed.
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Post by chamir on Apr 11, 2007 22:11:41 GMT -5
Sailing aboard one of the dhows with his natal kin, Chamir rubbed at his jaw again. Becoming clenched, tightened as a bald fist from anxiety as this dual arctic pole, Water Tribe fleet surged within fire range of the enemy destroyer. Though he could not help but feel a little bit excited as they quickly closed in upon the Fire Nation vessel. Briefly wondering what was going on within their mind and upon deck at the wooden and hide fleet that was meeting them head on.
Abesentmindedly speaking to Ryota to keep his jaw from clenching and even going over the whole procedure of dumping the tangle mines. Using them encompass and ensnare the ship, though the end result may be accomplished more quickly with waterbenders pushing the mines towards the ship outright. Rather than have the ship try and manuevar about them only to drag one towards its propeller.
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Post by ryota on Apr 12, 2007 1:07:01 GMT -5
Chamir was jabbering on and on, and Ryota let his mind drift in and out of what words were being said, thinking about what the battle would bring. He knew the overall idea of what Chamir was saying and would answer Chamir's questions due to the necessity of knowing the procedure, but a strange pensive look was on his face, for his mind was elsewhere.
Would he be prepared? Who knows? Past battles brought their share of horrors, no doubt, and the one today would be no different indeed.
He looked over the railing, switching is sight between the oncoming Fire Nation ships and the entire fleet of dhows and longboats of which he was part. They were blessed with a favorable wind that day, one that blew through Ryota's already-messy and frizzy hair, as well as everyone else's hair, as he stood on the dhow.
He snapped back into focus, hearing the call take place where they were to ready themselves to throw the mines into the waters of the bay. He procured two tangle mines and carried them over to the edge, ready to drop them when ordered.
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Post by kavik on Apr 12, 2007 9:16:42 GMT -5
The boats bobbed and floated as Kavik and the other soldiers waterbended the dhows to the destroyer. Kavik was feeling uneasy and nervous. Most likey the will just dump the mines and that will be the end of it. Though if it fails, Kavik and the other waterbenders would have to freeze the ship. Either way Kavik was very jittery.
Kavik looked behind him and groaned. "Noooo, Denali! Go home, Go home! Bad! Swim home!" Apparently Denali did not want his master to fight without. Not put off by the water, the buffalo-deer swam to the longboats and dhows. When a waterwhip finally discouraged Denali and he swam back only to bugle longly at Kavik at shore. The laughter that issue, made Kavik roll his eyes. Still now, he was feeling less axnious, and more excite.
"Yeah this isn't so bad.." Kavik noted as worked with the other men. The he heard a command.
"PREPARE THE MINES DROP AT MY SIGNAL!"
"Here we go..."
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Post by aden on Apr 12, 2007 16:32:52 GMT -5
Flashes of orage suddenly rose from the deck of the destroyer, smokestreams trailing behind the burning balls of fire. Aden tensed suddenly as his eyes tracked the projectiles through the sky. Ahe pair of projectiles arced toward the approaching fleet as orders to hold steady were shouted and echoed across the line. However, after a few troubling seconds it became clear to all that the incoming shots would fall well short of their target. With two great splashes about 30 paces ahead of ships, the fireballs struck the water with a suffocated "boom!"
The artillerymen were finding their range...
"Break the formation!" came a shouted order, repeating itself among the ships in a sort of dominoe affect. The dhows suddenly veered on their course, splitting up to flank the destroyer on either side. Aden pushed his own longboat a little faster on its course as another man worked the rudder to keep the boat in the right direction. They peeled off to the right, staying on the flank of the dhow beside them as they swung around to face the incoming Fire Nation ship on its right side. The destoryer had slowed down cosdierably in order to make the task of hitting the incoming ships a bit easier.
A few more seconds passed in relative quiet save for the occasional order being barked by the Southern captains who were telling their men to adjust the sails or something of that nature. Then came the second barrage. This time three fireballs rose out from the deck of the destroyer. Two came toward the right side while the other was aimed to the left.
"Intercept!" came the call of the lieutenant in Aden's boat. Immediately, Aden stopped focussing on moving the ship and he stood up on the longboat. The two other benders with him did likewise and as a unit, they reached beside their ship and lifted up their arms. The longboat lurched, as did the dhow, as the water level suddenly dropped nearby to feed the bending. The waterbenders pulled up a massive arc of water that loomed over the bulk of the two ships. One of the fireballs landed off its mark and hit the water past both ship, but the other smacked into the offered shield of moisture. Water exploded into a shower of steam and mist, but the fire was exinguished and the projectile's momentum was robbed. It dropped out of the bottom of the defensive shield and fell harmlessly into the sea.
With a quick three-count and a joint motion, the three Northern benders guided the water back into the sea so it didn't fall back onto the ships and then resumed their watch. Aden was aware of a cheer going up among some of the Southern sailors beside them, but he largely ignored it. The battle had just begun. He resumed pushing the longboat with his bending, always on alert to defend against another attack. They were getting closer to the ship's propellers where the Southerners could put their tangle mines to use.
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Post by dian on Apr 12, 2007 17:55:15 GMT -5
"That still does not answer my question," Commodore Dian Tun's voice lowered. Brow beginning to furrow. "Would this be anywhere near the maxium height for ice shrapnel, captain?"
Outside of the observation deck's windows of the taskforce flagship two more of the war balloons could be seen taking off. The ship's bridge itself was crowded by Dian and most of his senior officers, gathered about a table going over the aforementioned map of the Northern Water Tribes capitol city.
"...I'm honestly uncertain sir", stated the captain of the taskforce's firebenders, being question as to the maxium height, distance and firing arc of a waterbender's ability by placing it in comparison to a firebender's. "Sir, maybe we should add to the distance to be on the safe side. After all they are more like projectiles in a sense and will not dissapate as a result."
"That's good enough, captain" wanting to add, you could have simply told me that from the start.
It was easy enough to move the war balloons out of range as far as ground level and the highest buildings save for the main palace. But what was first and foremost important for the war balloons was moving out of range from the rampart towers whose height measured slightly higher than draught, or draft of even the somewhat rare battleship class ships of the Fire Nation's naval vessels. Which themselves had a draught of almost forty feet, being the distance from the waterline to the ship's highest point, being the lookout tower or crow's nest. The war balloons and their crews would not only have to scale that height, which they could easily do, but also the added height to be out of range of the waterbenders.
Dian turned to commanding officers of the company of crossbowmen. Hopefully he would at least provide a better answer.
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Post by tsumao on Apr 12, 2007 18:44:56 GMT -5
Mao was pleasantly surprised to be able to work on a naval ship, and such an important one at that. His recent promotion to captain of an elite team of engineers surprised him. Had he really stuck out that much in the war minister's eyes?
Mao and his men were nearly finished preparing the ship, twenty or so barrels of coal would suffice for the journey. The engine room was a deep crimson red and the two engineers capable of firebending were hunched over it heating it up.
"Alright boys! We just gotta few more trips upstairs to get some barrels and we are all set!" Mao said enthusiastically."I am going to go check on the balloon maintenance and report to the commodore and I should be back in time to help with the last load of barrels." he yelled over the sound of the engine, which was puttering loudly.
"Yes Sir." All the engineers answered, a little to low for Mao's approval.
"What was that men?" he asked with a small frown on his face.
"Yes sir!" they yelled at a volume Mao deemed to be fine.
Mao flung open the door to the engine room and walked up the steel staircase, his boots made a clanking sound with each step he took. As he walked up the stairs he nonchalantly scratched his metal glove against the wall, he approached the door at the top of the stair case and kicked it open.
He saw that the deck engineers had been busy, they had managed to get two more balloons going, but one was not working correctly and wouldn't stay airborne. Mao decided he would address the problem himself. He approached the war balloon and the young man he left in charge of him saluted him.
"Sir, this balloon still isn't working... we can't figure out what is wrong with it." the young engineer said.
"I'll have a look at it then, begin blowing it back up..." Mao told the boy and motioned a fire bender over to come light the initial flame. Mao saw the problem immediately when the flame flickered on the burner."Stop heating it. It's just the burner, the inside is to narrow... go get a spare one and install it immediately!" Mao barked and left the boy to his work.\
"Now all I need to do is report." Mao thought to himself. He walked hastily to the bridge, he lifted his mask up onto his forehead as he approached a guard blocking the door.
"No entry at this time." The guard said.
"Whaddya mean!? I have a report I need to deliver to him now!" Mao barked at the guard.
"No entry." The guard repeated...
A vein poped out of Mao's head....
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Post by chamir on Apr 12, 2007 19:59:26 GMT -5
Chamir managed to keep himself from flinching as the first volley was fired at them. Though the smell of the burning debris that were launched at them, probably composed of refuse and waste among other things, caused his nose to involuntarily crinkle in disgust. Upon the suffocated landing of the garbage based artillery just mere paces ahead of the Water Tribe fleet, Chamir began unwrapping lengths of cloth about his head function as a turban and began wounding it about his mouth and nose.
Immediately following the artillery's splashdown, the entire Water Tribe fleet was ordered to break formation and begin their flanking movements of the enemy vessel. As the ships manuevared into position, Chamir and the other assigned minelayers hustling to the tangle mines as ordered. The mines, lashed four each between two poles; Chamir grabbed an end while his partner grabbed another and began carting the set of mines towards the ships side much like the other minelayers. His mind was steadily becoming clear, focused, and his jaw less tense now that he had something to do rather than stand around a wait. He began unlashing the mines from the poles, his attention from the task torn by the sudden bellows of "Incoming!" and "Intercept!" as another volley was launched from the destoryer.
Chamir's attention was unswerving at the firey projecticles hunted for their ships. Under cloth, a smarmy smirk creased acrossed Chamir's face at the sight of the Northern tribesmen providing a waterbended shield for defense. Extinguishing the firey refuse ball in midflight an letting if fall harmless between the two ships. Still unflinching after all of what transpired, a tingle crawled up Chamir's spine, forcing him to shudder as the other Southern tribesmen around him began to cheer before being barked back to position and work.
He thus grappled with one of the tangle mines hefted it onto the railing. Waiting for the signal.
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Post by ryota on Apr 13, 2007 0:39:44 GMT -5
The nauseating burnt smell of the launched fireballs barely phased Ryota for one reason and one alone. The feat of waterbending he saw before the Water Tribe flotilla was like nothing he had seen before in his life. Lifting the water off the surface of the bay as if by a pair of giant celestial hands, they stopped the Fire Navy's attack splendidly. He had only previously heard stories of waterbenders from the South Pole from ages past, and the only one he had ever known was Katara, who could barely bend with any amount of finesse when he knew her.
This spectacle caught Ryota's attention just long enough to lower his guard and distract him totally from the task to which he was assigned, as well as causing him not to notice the other volley of fowl-smelling fiery orbs shearing through the air. In a split-second, he glanced over at Chamir, who had his scarf draped about his face, probably covering his nose from the bad smell that didn't much bother Ryota since was reasonably accustomed to it. Briefly catching sight of the other fireballs, he snapped out of his awe-induced daze and scrambled to ready himself to deploy the tangle mines, which would be any second now.
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