The fight with Sambat continues as Shizaku and Moshi, having gathered items from the captured relics below Fort Daoten, join Toji and Dharma in fighting the commander.
Shizaku first comes in and tries to get Dharma to slow down and think through the fight, he fails and Dharma becomes more aggressive. Toji seizes the opportunity to intimidate Sambat into backing down, citing the rising Embers' rebelliona nd clear push against the Fire Nation. Sambat gives in, reluctantly positing that the Earth Kingdom should prevent further losses and accept the Fire Nation's might as it rolls into the western reaches. Toji chides him, saying the Fire Nation's grasp isn't as tight as their propaganda machine would have others believe.
Moshi steps in, pressing his role as a seeker for the Misty Library as an advocate for the peoples of the Earth Kingdom, protecting its culture and citizens. He pries Sambat into admitting they could protect the Earth Kingdom more by preventing the Fire Nation to further tighten its hold anywhere. Smbat gives in to this, admitting it would do more good to stymie the Fire Nation's advances.
Moshi presses his luck to get Sambat to show them any other treasures hidden here, and the former Earth Kingdom comnmander takes them to a small room where General Yama left stuff after his fight with the dragon on Mount Makapu: journals and his original military armor.
In this anteroom Shizaku becomes more curious to discover other blueprints, but gets angry when he only finds intrticate Air Nomad sketches and nothing he deems valuable.
Moshi pleas with Sambat to join the cause at Shimoni Dhato, but Sambat rejects the call for now, wantingh more evidence it's a viable play. He's willing to accept his loss for the Fire Nation and see what happens, but Moshi tells him to keep his ears open for the resistance's successes, such as the capture of Shan.
The battle over, the group discusses next steps. Jyoti pushes to return to the Misty Library with Moshi and investigate what they have collected at Daoten. The group as a whole returns to the Merchants' Pier, amidst a long GOT/GRRM detour. It's really amazing the group didn't get lost in that, but, no, they sneak past some Fire Nation patrols without incident.
Toji finds a place for everyone to lie low and they bring Gyara in to discuss the goings-on at sea - most notably the Earth Kingdom privateer Mara. Discussion about how to get Mara off the camp's back ensures for the night, witht he gang hoping to leverage Gyara's shipping/pirate/sailor expertise in understanding him.
Toji decides to push for real results and, with Shizaku's help, discuss with Mara a conract of allowing the camp passage and trade without hindrance. In exchange, Shizaku would give Mara a basic FIT ship engine with the possibility of future upgrades.
Aboard Gyara's ship, the gang then returns to Shimoni Dhato before getting ready to move forward.Toji comforts Shizaku's insecurity by admitting that the technician is helping rebuild the camp to show the greatness of the nations, not just the poisoned version fo the Fire Nation.
Toji also begins to look more to Bhaga for guidance as his lodestar, shifting from Dharma's growing pull to his Air Nomad heritage.
Shizaku, Moshi, and Jyoti prepare to head out to the Misty Library. Shizaku wishes to use the Librarians' help to build plans for the defenses of Shimoni Dhato. Moshi goes to return artifacts taken from Daoten and seek Togai's guidance.
Dharma and Toji stay in camp, and Toji looks to Bhaga for steps forward for the resistance.
