The knowledge of certain principles easily compensates the lack of knowledge of certain facts.
― Claude Adrien Helvétius
***
"What's going on?" Azula all but ran into the governor's office.
"There's a disease outbreak in the streets. It's pentapox!" Governor Ukano was in a full-blown panic.
"Pentapox?" Azula repeated in confusion, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. The infected develop boils all over their bodies that form the rough outline of a five-pointed star," one of the governor's advisers explained. "Pentapox is extremely contagious and often proves fatal."
"General Iroh?" At my gesture, the Herald turned toward the general, who had just been torn away from his beloved tea.
Azula and Zuko—and then everyone else—also turned their attention to the Fire Lord's elder brother.
"Hmm... That's hard to say." Our valiant old-timer thoughtfully stroked his beard. "When I was campaigning in these lands, we did face the threat of epidemics on several occasions. Plague, cholera, typhoid fever... perhaps pentapox as well. I'm afraid I'm no physician, and my knowledge of such matters is rather limited."
"What should we do?" one of the advisers asked anxiously. He wasn't addressing anyone in particular, but it was obvious he was looking to someone of higher authority to take responsibility.
"We can't allow an epidemic!" Mai's father declared nervously. "Drive them out of the city!"
I shut my eyes and slowly shook my head. For a moment, I thought I'd imagined hearing that...
"What?" Iroh instantly shed every trace of drowsiness. His jaw dropped slightly as he stared at Ukano like the man had completely lost his mind.
No. Apparently I hadn't imagined it.
"Um... We can't let the sick infect the townspeople!" the official hurried to explain. Judging by the brief glance he cast toward his wife and daughter, however, he seemed far more concerned about those particular "townspeople" than the city as a whole.
"Oh, absolutely. Much better to have them infect the countryside and spread the disease even farther!" Azula approved of his proposal before shooting me a questioning look.
Nervous?.. Of course she was!
We were trapped in the middle of a city where an epidemic had broken out and, in just a few hours, had already infected at least several hundred people. When we'd entered the city, there hadn't been even the slightest sign of anything like this, and now even the governor himself was panicking. For all we knew, the number of infected might already be in the tens of thousands.
And we were, I repeat, right in the center of it all, with no idea where the disease had come from, how it spread, or how to treat it.
Disease wasn't an enemy you could defeat by knowing how to fight.
Damn it!
Both heirs to the throne. Their uncle. The Fire Herald… Suki and the girls. Toph! What if... One unlucky breath, and the Fire Nation would be plunged into the greatest crisis it had faced in centuries... and everything I'd worked for would turn to dust, along with everyone I cared about most?!
"Blast, organize a quarantine," I ordered, my voice gone cold.
There was no time for games of secrecy anymore. Every second counted.
"No person, animal, or bird is to leave the city walls until we know exactly what we're dealing with. If there are tanks available, move a couple of them into the square in front of the gates. Put archers on the walls. Their orders are to shoot anything that tries to leave the city. Equip every guard with the most fully enclosed armor available. Tuck strips of cloth soaked in vinegar beneath their helmet visors, and if possible, line them with slices of garlic. Better they sweat and stink than catch whatever this filth is."
The mercenary silently nodded, paying no attention whatsoever to the officials' stunned expressions.
"Next. Reequip the patrols. They'll need boar spears and long poles to keep back anyone who panics and tries to climb the walls. We also need people whose voices carry. Have them shout for everyone to return home, lock themselves inside, and not come out unless it's absolutely necessary. Divide the city into sectors and block the streets with barricades. We have to restrict movement as much as possible. Where's the commander of the occupation force?"
That last question was directed squarely at the governor.
"Feng should be in his office right now..." the designated halfwit mumbled.
"And what exactly is he doing in his office while the city is under a state of emergency?" Zuko asked pleasantly.
With the expression on his face, however, he somehow managed to sound even more threatening than his beloved sister had just moments before.
Whatever Mai's respected father was bleating in response, I no longer heard. I was already issuing orders to the Kyoshi Warriors.
"Isolate the members of the royal family. Don't let anyone who's been outside come into contact with them. Everyone is to wash their face and hands with vinegar, make cloth masks, and eat nothing that hasn't been boiled for at least ten minutes. At the first sign of infection, isolate the patient in a separate room. Understood?"
"Yes," Suki replied curtly.
"What if a confrontation becomes unavoidable?" the mercenary asked flatly as he stepped up beside me.
For a moment, I fell silent.
I couldn't remember exactly what had been so terrible about this epidemic, but I knew one thing for certain—it hadn't ended well for the Fire Nation. Then again, if this idiot had released the infected in the canon as well, that would certainly explain why.
Either way, we couldn't afford to take chances.
And the bodies on my conscience...
With as many as I already carried, another hundred more or less wouldn't make any difference. There was already a personal cauldron in Hell with my name on it.
"Use lethal force. Burn the bodies. Anyone trying to climb the walls—kill them too. This disease must not leave the city. At any cost."
"It will be done."
Blast bowed and left to deliver the will of the "dreaded Fire Herald" to the commander of the city guard.
(End of Chapter)
🙌Bonus chapter for 200 power stones!
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