After the victories against Captain Shan and the siege of Taku, the companions return to Shimoni Dhato to convene next steps and plan against the Fire Nation. Toji calls a summit and desires to train more "Embers," freedom-fighter guerillas in the wilds. Jang Tae is willing to lead them and Toji suggests Dharma help train them.
Shizaku receives word that his supply chain from the Fire Nation is pretty much locked up by Okuru's forces' defensive line around Pohuai Depot. This causes Shizaku to get a little drunk and lament his situation.
Having acquired hawks, the camp is in need of a hawkmaster to properly train and utilize the messenger hawks (and avoid them returning to Fire Nation forces). There is also discussion of expanding the camp (possibly through the mountains into the southwestern bay), and it's deemed a surveyor would be necessary to begin expansions.
Shizaku and Layi return to Taku, where Shizaku can connect with the engineer Faohu and the two can look for a geologist and other earthbenders. Shizaku helps Layi move past her beating during the fight with Commander Bozan by explaining everyone fails and gets beaten - the important thing is getting back up. Layi reveals that she doesn't know who she is, and her parents' adoration of her brother Yoyo complicates her own self-image.
Shizaku meets with Faohu, who explains that perhaps the Fire Nation's individualistic emphases has blocked the architect, and Shizaku should instead look to the companions and community around him for support, much like the Earth Kingdom. Shizaku pleads for help, and Faohu suggests coordinating efforts.
Layi, meanwhile, returns home and sulks in the room of her brother. Her mother finds her and laments that Layi has virtually run away, but Layi comments she's still trying to find her own path, possibly returning to the soldier she was. This suggests to her to meet with Chuko. Layi and Chuko discuss their ways forward, and Layi convinces Chuko to tell her friends of the camps' efforts to stand up to the Fire Nation just like they did in Taku.
Shizaku connects with other minds in Taku, and meets Dao Sing, a land contractor, whom Shizaku talks into joining the camp. Layi finds a hawkmaster, Takashi, but he seems green and insecure, but is the best connection they have. They plan to return to camp.
To the south, in Harbor Town, Moshi and Toji investigate leads to help open shipments for Shizaku's supplies. They learn of a pirate named Gyara, whom they convince to bring into their navigation and supply network once it can be expanded. Gyara agrees on the condition that they don't run totally afoul of the Fire Nation, given the don't want to risk open conflict at this time.
They also learn of Lan Ho, a geologist that can help survey and expand their mountain territory. Lan Ho only agrees so long as Moshi can protect him and his family, as Okuru's defensive contraction is beginning to tighten its grip on the region.
Toji and Moshi return to camp, and the companions all collaborate at planning out the camp's next steps. Dharma begins training the Embers, and Shizaku begins to open up his company ideology to include Faohu and others....
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