Yun Song
Age: 47
Gender: female
Earth/Metal benderPhysical description
Statuesque - that's the word one often hears when talking about Yun Song. Standing taller than most men, with an elegant bone structure and a prominent gaze, she is one of those who can draw up their height and bring it to bear in any conversation. With sheer presence alone, she has dominated numerous political maneuvering. Her eyes are a deep green and copious silver strands are beginning to show in her black hair.
But the first thing anyone ever notices upon meeting Yun Song is her metal arm. During the Transformation process that changed the authoritarian monarchical Earth nation into a union of autonomous states under a parliament, several towns revolted. There were too many skirmishes to call it a mere revolt, but none of the revolting states found a common leader to unite under, considering King Wu himself gave his blessings for the Transformation. But they went on for so long that even King Wu's successor has to still deal with them. Yun Song proved her worth first in these never-ending battles, and also lost her left arm to a Lava bender. She later used her metal bending to construct an arm for herself, one that was far more versatile than what nature had given her. She spent years training to bend with her metal arm. The arm can extend to longer than its normal length, and has a couple of nasty surprises.
Backstory
Yun Song was the only daughter of a wealthy merchant couple in Zaofu. She was quite the spoiled brat growing up, and her parents would only rush to please her, no matter the outrageous nature of her childish demands. While not exactly the lap of luxury, she had had a comfortable upbringing. As soon as it was discovered that she could metal bend, she enrolled in the Beifong Academy and was a middling student.
But all that changed when her father lost the shares to his company on a stupid Probending bet. Rather than renege on a bet and save his family, her father chose to save his honour. Right up to the point when he took his own life. The board was not cruel. Mother and daughter were given a modest stipend and a house to stay in. But Yun's demands were no longer being fulfilled. She grew adamant. She wanted more from life than a simple peasant's existence. Her thirst for finer things shaped her into a competitive and fierce young woman. She wanted a life untouched by the random vagaries of existence - one where her comfort was guaranteed.
She pushed herself to excel. She knew Bending would get her to the life she desired. She worked at it like a woman possessed. She became the youngest cadet in the Earth Union's prestigious Commando unit. During the Transformation, when the Union was beginning to consolidate rebel states, she lost her arm and gained a reputation. She was decorated as a War hero and was given a choice. A generous early retirement package owing to her injury, or a desk job in the fledgling Committee for Union Security. But Yun had not had enough. She needed more. She was 30, single, and did not like the prospect of settling down in a farm somewhere.
One-armed and ambitious, Yun chose the desk job. In retrospective, it turned out to be the right move. The Committee was woefully understaffed, and anyone with half a brain could get promoted. Within a couple of years, she found herself advising the Prime Minister on security matters. She single-handedly (literally) formed the Secret Service, a group of elite Lava and Metal benders who are responsible for the Prime Minister's security. Along the way, she also built herself a metal arm, with parts intricate enough to put a Futuron satomobile to shame.
She is now, officially, the Chief of Security - a position created for her, as the bureaucrats were finding it difficult to assign her a salary. Unofficially, she is called the Enforcer. No one dare call her that to her face, of course. But everyone knows she is the Prime Minister's muscle.
As the official protector of the man who led the Earth Union, which currently happened to be the detestable Lee Beifong, it was her job to make sure nothing happened to threaten that man. Recent reports, however, were beginning to trouble her. Korra's death put all plans out of whack. The White Lotus seemed to have gone underground, with no word as to whether they have any clue about the next Avatar's location. Considering Korra was a Water bender first, it made sense that the next Avatar would have already born somewhere in the vast Earth Union. And considering the White Lotus were there when Korra died, it was quite possible they knew exactly where. She had to find them, and figure out a way to use this to the Union's benefit. Surely, having the Avatar grow up under the watchful and protective eye of the Earth Union wouldn't be a bad thing!
It was because of this little side mission of hers that she found herself in Republic City, chasing down a very important lead. She had friends in high places here, making it easier for her to run this down rather than some underling. Staying at the fashionable Four Elements hotel, she now awaits her meeting with the Chief of Police of Republic City.
Khyron Shadowfang