This coming from an admiral of the nation that had attacked the rest of the world without provocation one hundred years ago. Sokka couldn't catch the derisive snort that slipped out of his mouth in time, and paled as Tanya looked at him with the first hints of suspicion in her eyes.
"You disagree?" She asked curiously, as if she found the fact surprising.
...
Uh oh. No taking back his mistake now. The only option left was to lean into it. "It's just that, out here in the colonies, it never really seems like balance in the f-… our nation's dream when we're constantly marching forward to conquer new bits of land."
"Hmm… I see your point." To his relief Tanya's suspicious look turned pensive instead. "I had never considered that soldiers from the colonies would be unfamiliar with the philosophy behind this war, though in hindsight I suppose there would be nowhere to pick it up from. It's a topic usually covered in schools back in the homeland."
"They teach war philosophy in schools?" That made an unfortunate amount of sense. What better way to indoctrinate the next generation of nasty little fire slingers for military service?
Tanya nodded. "Moreso in schools for the upper class, but yes. It uses the example of a set of weighing scales with four arms rather than the standard two as an allegory for the balance of the elemental nations before the war.
In the past the world was balanced, and therefore at peace, as long as all four nations were equally prosperous and powerful. Teachers would show this by placing equal weights within each of the scale's four arms, causing it to be balanced."
Sokka could understand that. As long as all nations were equally powerful, none of them could afford to be overly aggressive with each other. If they did, the other three nations would unite to put them back in their place. It forced all four nations to play nice with each other.
"However, that system is deeply flawed." Tanya continued. "Each of the nations have their own distinct cultures, resources and technology. This causes their respective power, the weight on their arm of the scale, to wax and wane wildly out of conjunction with each other.
Teachers would emphasise this point by randomly adding and removing weights of different sizes to each of the arms, causing the scales to rock and sway. The world cannot stay perfectly balanced because each of the nations cannot cooperate with each other.
There are endless examples throughout history of this occurring: The Platinum Affair, The War of Secrets and Daggers, The Fifth Nation War, The Yellowneck Rebellion, The War of Chin the Conqueror. Each of these events threw off the balance of the world, causing misery and pain."
Sokka did not know what any of those events were beside Chin the Conqueror. The Southern Water Tribe wasn't exactly regarded as a bastion of historical knowledge. Still he got the gist of the point she was making. "Okay, but how is becoming another balance-breaking event going to change anything?"
"The answer to that is the reason why The Fire Nation is the one in a position to conquer the entire world: unity." Tanya answered.
"The Water Tribes are divided into North and South. The Earth Kingdom is split into many smaller kingdoms. Even the Air Nomads had the north, south, east and west temples. Only the Fire Nation has remained united together throughout history since the crowning of the first Firelord. This has been our advantage.
Our unity has allowed our technology and resources to spread throughout our lands, thus allowing us to advance faster than the other nations, until we became so strong that an outright war with the rest of the world became feasible.
Imagine if that unity encompassed the whole world? With no more imbalance in resources and technology, with the whole world sharing openly with each other under one government, then each side of the scale grows in tandem with each other. The world is not only balanced, but stays balanced."
It was weird to hear that the Fire Nation, or at least some of its people, genuinely believed that they were good guys. In a way it made Sokka uncomfortable to see the demonic Moonslayer, a figure of ultimate evil in so many of his recent nightmares, explain the reasoning behind her motives in such an understandable way.
He did not agree with her philosophy, but it was easy to see why she and so many who grew up in her nation believed in it. With the right wording, there was a logic to it he'd never considered before.
However he could also see a flaw in it.
"But what about the forms of balance beside from the four nations?" He argued. It was easy to look at the current state of world and assume that balance only applied to them, but his travels with Aang had opened his eyes to the fact that there was more to it than that.
Hei Bei had taught them to respect the balance between the material world and the spirit world. The Great Divide had shown him the need for balance between clans and families. Jet had unintentionally taught him the follies of not balancing the passion to fight with the wisdom to have mercy.
"While world conquest may balance the disparity between the nations, it will throw other forms of balance into chaos. Just because the Fire Nation controls everything doesn't guarantee that they'll treat everywhere same as the homeland. There's already discrimination against earthbenders in Earth Kingdom colonies."
To his surprise Tanya came to a stop, and he had to catch himself before he walked right into her. "I… have wondered that myself. For a while now." She admitted.
"Not long ago I had the opportunity to… converse… with The Avatar." She had? Back at Pohuai Stronghold no doubt. Why hadn't Aang told them? "He raised the point that, in a world united beneath the Fire Nation, there would be no counterbalance to the authority of the Firelord." She seemed to squirm in place uncomfortably.
"Do not mistake me: I know both Firelord Ozai and Princess Azula personally, and have no doubt that they will be fair and wise rulers. Yet it is a simple fact of business that, in the absence of proper competition, any organisation inevitably becomes lazy.
Without pressure to improve or be defeated, they become stagnant and inefficient. I have considered that, without other nations to contend with, future Firelord's may become less concerned with the welfare of their people, and more concerned with their own comfort and pleasure.
If they have no fear of their citizens deserting them for other nations, there is less imperative to address their concerns. There is a possibility that the balance between the nations will be offset by a disbalance between the rich and the poor. A possibility that, despite my best efforts, I cannot think of a solution to."
A flash of annoyance shot through Sokka. "If you know that the nation's philosophy is flawed, why continue to support it?"
"It may not be perfect, but it's better than a future plagued by endless repetitions of conflict and conspiracy between nations. And I will not allow fear that the future may be filled with rebellions to make me hesitate. With enough work and effort there will be a way to restore the balance in other areas of life too.
I am aware that the influence I possess means that my actions will have a notable effect on shaping the future, and even when the war is won I will use that influence to help solve these problems." Tanya replied, the iron tone of her voice reflecting nothing but sincere determination.
How many other people in a position of power took the time to consider the ramifications their actions would have a hundred years in the future? How many realised the responsibility that needed to come with wielding influence? And of those that did, how many had yet to even reach adulthood? Tanya was exceptionally mature for her age.
She really was unnervingly similar to Aang: a child far too young to bear the responsibilities they did, fighting for the cause they believed would bring balance to the world.
Yet she had imprisoned Yue. She had crushed the Northern Tribe. Sokka could not forgive her for that, nor deny that he still hated her for it. Whatever her motives, her methods were too brutal, too extreme, for him to accept as necessary.
"Admiral Tanya!"
Sokka's thoughts were cut off as another soldier hurriedly approached, snapping a crisp salute at Tanya as he came to a stop. "I bring news from the quarantine zone! The diggers have broken through to the rebel's tunnel system! They're widening it now, and estimate that it'll be large enough to bring the extermination squad through within the hour!"
What?! They'd discovered and reopened the secret tunnel opened after the failure of his fake plague plan! He had to get back to the rebel HQ and warn them, otherwise they'd all be caught by a surprise attack!
"Excellent!" Tanya was back in full military mode now, her every movement the picture perfect image of an authoritative leader. "Send word for the extermination squad to mobile and meet me at the tunnel. I will lead the attack that eradicates this rebellion myself!"
"Yes ma'am!" The soldier replied, rushing away again to fulfil her orders. Tanya turned back to Sokka.
"It's been a pleasure to talk with you, Private Fire. I don't often get the chance to talk philosophy with someone who's willing to question our nation's doctrine. It feels good to voice some of my concerns for once." She nodded at him in an oddly respectful gesture.
"Farewell for now, private. Keep that good head on your shoulders and I'm sure you'll be promoted above latrine duty before long."
With that she turned and quickly marched away in the direction of the quarantine zone. Sokka waited until she was out of sight, then turned and began walking as quickly as he could without drawing attention to himself to the meeting point he'd arranged to reconvene with the Blue Spirit at.
There would be time to consider what to think about his unexpected insight into the admiral's mind later; for now he had to get news back to the rebels in time.
...
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