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timepiececlock"There have been thirty-seven Joo Dees in the time since Long Feng took power. Every woman--every single woman--that takes the name Joo Dee was once a political prisoner, who was captured and tortured for dissidence, insurrection, and speaking the truth in the face of tyrrany. Nineteen of those women are alive at this moment. Eleven still serve the Dai Li, their minds suppressed and their willpower subverted to serve the government that enslaved them. Of the remaining eight, two escaped on their own and six were rescued by our campaign. We have cells spread across the city, and most of our number are benders."
"You're all women."
The woman with the tattoed palms smiled, a sickly twist of her features that evoked no happiness. "The Dai Li, of course, are all men. Surely you noticed, in your meetings with the king? When they hunt us, they either absorb our men into their number or they kill them. Most of the time, actually, they kill them, as men are not as receptive to the mental conditioning. They make...unreliable vessels. Women the Dai Li capture get what is perhaps a worse fate, but that hasn't hindered our actions as much as they'd like to hope. The women of Ba Sing Se are harder to hunt and harder to kidnap than the men, as we move in community circles they cannot touch. Our network grows every day, from weaver to school teacher to the child selling pastries on the street. They believe they can silence us; they believe they can kidnap, torture, rape, murder, and brainwash us, but we are stronger than they. The day will soon arrive when Dai Li will be disbanded or detroyed, and I will have Long Feng's head in a box on my desk. When that day comes, Avatar--and it will come soon--you must decide who you believe deserves to hold power over this city."
"I will not help you n a coup against the Earth King."
"No one is asking for your help, little Avatar. Just stay out of our way when the time comes. Those poor women with the dead smiles need to be saved, and Long Feng's corruption of our great city must end. This is about justice, Avatar."
"You're all women."
The woman with the tattoed palms smiled, a sickly twist of her features that evoked no happiness. "The Dai Li, of course, are all men. Surely you noticed, in your meetings with the king? When they hunt us, they either absorb our men into their number or they kill them. Most of the time, actually, they kill them, as men are not as receptive to the mental conditioning. They make...unreliable vessels. Women the Dai Li capture get what is perhaps a worse fate, but that hasn't hindered our actions as much as they'd like to hope. The women of Ba Sing Se are harder to hunt and harder to kidnap than the men, as we move in community circles they cannot touch. Our network grows every day, from weaver to school teacher to the child selling pastries on the street. They believe they can silence us; they believe they can kidnap, torture, rape, murder, and brainwash us, but we are stronger than they. The day will soon arrive when Dai Li will be disbanded or detroyed, and I will have Long Feng's head in a box on my desk. When that day comes, Avatar--and it will come soon--you must decide who you believe deserves to hold power over this city."
"I will not help you n a coup against the Earth King."
"No one is asking for your help, little Avatar. Just stay out of our way when the time comes. Those poor women with the dead smiles need to be saved, and Long Feng's corruption of our great city must end. This is about justice, Avatar."
