On the first day of the second month, 175 AG, I began to serve my sentence of life imprisonment in Feicuì prison following the verdict of the United Republic court.
The decision, though very unwise, has given me the time to properly detail what my campaign was truly about and all the good that it achieved-- all the good that the court was very quick to overlook and dismiss entirely. This record I am writing is essentially a defense of the Earth Empire in this regard, as well as my justification for pleading not guilty.
It should be known that my childhood was much more prosperous than most others', and that my origins which will also be detailed in this record are purely background for perspective and are not an appeal for pity. Growing up in poor Ji Qiang, in rural Gaoling, and in Zaofu with Suyin Beifong, I learned that the idea of a royal family passing a title from one generation to the next was archaic, and that technology and innovation should be what drives a nation forward. It was the pathetic rule of kings and queens that caused the Earth Kingdom to descend into such incredible disarray. In light of my complicated upbringing, you will see why I dedicated three years to getting the Earth Kingdom back on track, and why there was no way that I was going to allow it to slip back into the Dark Ages that the monarchy had created.
I understand that many saw me as a tyrant while I served-- it is the natural desire of man to seek perfection, to seek indomitability, and to seek control, so my rapid rise to authority must have seemed like the sure results of crooked and ambitious dealings-- but I earned my station honorably, with full support and recognition fron the other world powers, and sought nothing but the great fulfillment of giving my people what they deserve. All I wanted was to restore balance to my home and to show peace to those who had never known it. You may see this as a tyrannical attempt to seize the position of Avatar in Korra's stead, or as a power grab for the Earth Kingdom's resources, but I assure you that that is not the case; I knew what had to be done, I knew that I could do it, and I knew that no one else would. It is that simple.
Finally, before I go forward with my explanation, I feel it only just to mention several important men and women who were also wrongly convicted and/or killed the day I surrendered because of their integral parts in the success of the Earth Empire:
Beifong, Baatar, Jr., Head Engineer and Sub-Command, born 150 AG
Delan, Xiao, Engineer, born 154 AG
Giao, Kivar, Chemist, born 141 AG
Huo, Shu, Chemist, born 152 AG
Peng, Qara, Physicist, born 145 AG
Xuefeng, Gi, General, born 139 AG
Xu, Fen, General, born 138 AG
Zhao, Ju, General, born 147 AG
The following, for one reason or another, do not have a family name:
Anju, General, born 147 AG
Bipin, Strategist, born 140 AG
Ela, Strategist, born 139 AG
Guan, General, born 139 AG
Jaya, Operations Chief, born 144 AG
Kanan, General, born 138 AG
Lau, Head of Camp Li Fei, born 154 AG
Nidhi, Head of Camp Gaoling, born 145 AG
The so-called just and impartial court of the United Republic allowed these good people no more a hearing than they allowed me. As such, and as their leader and consequent person responsible for their fates, I dedicate this first volume to them and their contributions to our goal.
Feicuì prison,
--, Kuvira
:A/N:
For the purposes of this story, the beginning will follow the canon comics for the most part and then branch away into my own creative genius (mwahaha).
Also, for those of you who are not yet aware, I am very much alluding the structure of Adolf Hitler's work, "Mein Kampf" while writing this. I saw a meme about Kuvira being a Fascist, and I was like, "IDEA!" and started this.
You're welcome.