I felt the tank rumbling beneath me as I checked some of the basic gauges to make sure they were all looking good. I stepped back out and gave a thumbs up to Gan and Gi-Gu who approached to take their seats in the tank. I was a colder morning today. It would help with the march. We were handed our new patches today. The 5th Corps. Our patch was the image of a blazing tank riding into battle atop the corpses of fallen Earth Benders. It's not what I would have chosen, but for the most part, it would do.
I was preparing to get in the tank myself when I saw Danev approach from behind me. I greeted him with a head nod and said "You weren't in your quarters last night. Not very characteristic of a senior officer, private first class Danev."
"Apologies, Private." He said in a mocking tone. "Had some personal matters to deal with."
Personal matters, huh? "You say goodbye to Zaydi?"
He grinned. Of course. "Well." I said. "I hope the memory lasts on the way to Ba-Sing-Se. I heard it's going to be a long march. At least I'll be sitting. You my friend, are walking."
He shrugged, still smiling. I'm sure I'll be fine.
The commander started shouting out names, getting replies that were due, all until he got to the name before mines, Aden. There was no response.
I turned to Danev. "What were the options you gave him?"
"I said he could suck it up and come with us or go back to the slums."
"So you think he took the latter?"
"It sure looks that way."
The commander turned to one of the squires next to him and heard him whisper "Go find him." The boy ran off.
"The rest of you. Get in formation or get in your tanks. We leave now. The latecomer can catch up if he doesn't want to be court martialed."
Danev and I gave each other a half hug followed by a pat on the back and went our separate ways. I got into my gunner's seat on the tank, overhearing Gi Gu and Gan making the final checks on the tank. We started up the tanks and I closed the hatch above me, lowering my seat to keep me at eye level with the opening slit for me to look and shoot through. I got into a comfortable position and readied myself for the drive ahead. I heard the tanks start in unison and felt it move beneath me. We had only had some practice where we did our separate roles. Gan was the driver, Gi Gu the copilot, and me the gunner. It wasn't the worst tank crew, I'd say that. I reached into the small pack I was allowed to take with me and took out a small flask of water to take a drink out of. I would get some more later when we passed the next river.
I realized then I had forgot the journal. "Damn." I murmured to myself. I was planning on reading that on the way to Ba-Sing-Se. Oh well.
The tanks moved as a unit and I saw the tunnel growing ahead of us. We were near the front of the formation, but suddenly, everything stopped.
"The hell?" Gan called from his seat. "Luke!" he called. "What's going on?"
I opened my hatch and raised my seat to get a look. I saw two Fire Nation guards carrying something between them, but the view was blocked by one of the tanks. I unbuckled the belt holding me in place and leaned out of the tank to get a better look. They were passing through the tunnel, holding what looked like somebody between them. It was a corpse, muddied and bloodied. The face was practically beat to a pulp, but he was wearing a Fire Nation uniform, but something about him looked familiar. Was it?
I hopped out of the tank and ignored the yelling behind me coming from Gan and Gi Gu both. I approached the two guards who seemed surprised by the reality of a uniformed 12-year-old approaching them to investigate a mangled body.
"Who is that?" I asked but got no answer. "Who is it?!"
The soldiers set his body on the ground and the one closest to me said "We found him outside the outer wall. It looks like he fell from the wall. Do you recognize him?"
I did. Even past the mess that was his face, I could recognize him. When we were on the outer wall together and he learned what I had done, it was me I had expected to go over the edge, not him, but here he was. Aden. And he was dead.
"Kid." The guard asked again. "You recognize him?"
I nodded my head. "Yeah." I croaked. I do.
The guard looked as though he were about to say something, maybe apologize, but the yelling from Lieutenant Zand called me back to my tank. I crawled up the fuselage and sat myself in the gunner's seat and buckled in as I watched the guards carry the body away, my head spinning.
"Luke!" called Gan as I closed the hatch overhead and lowered my seat. "The fuck was that?! Who was he?!"
I didn't feel like answering. A wiped a tear I had reserved for the next Hornet to die from my cheek and settled into my seat, closing my eyes. Al of a sudden, I was tired again, and I just wanted to sleep. "Just drive." I said. And so we did. I didn't even see as we exited the city, I just saw the change in light coming through the gunner slit in front of me and I knew I was gone from Citadel forever. It wasn't the happy day I had imagined it to be. I was leaving a dead friend behind. I had done just that when I left the slums, and now, I was doing the exact same thing all over again.
I don't even think I managed to hide my crying.