Code Geass: Retribution
DISCLAIMER
Code Geass is owned by Bandai Entertainment and Sunrise.
Warhammer 40,000 is owned by Games Workshop.
Prologue
The date was August 10th in the year 2010 on the Imperial calendar. The Holy Britannian Empire had just declared war on Japan. The far-east island had held fast to its neutrality and now Britannia looms as the world's only superpower. Rights to Japan's underground resources became a highly disputed issue, straining the already deep-rooted diplomatic tensions between the two sides. In the deciding battle for the mainland, the Britannian forces introduced into combat the humanoid autonomous armored knight, known as the Knightmare Frame. The enemies forces were far greater than anticipated and the knightmares obliterated the Japanese line of defense on the mainland with little effort. Japan became a dominion of the empire; the country was stripped of its freedom, its rights, and its name. Area Eleven, the defeated and once proud nation of Japan was rechristened with a mere number.
It was in the 41st millennium. In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. The Emperor of Mankind wages a constant battle to protect humanity from the horrors of space. On the fringes of the Imperium, alien races lurk and plot and Chaos Daemons leak into our reality from the torment of the warp. All that stands in their way is the mighty space marines. They are more than mortal, they are steel and they are doom; they are the champions of mankind. An old name, rechristened in name of the Emperor, has come to seek redemption from their past...they are the Luna Wolves.
Prologue: Dawn of War
On the planet of Aarus III, the Luna Wolves are about to go into combat once again to serve the Emperor of Mankind. It was at this time that Captain Matthew Angelos of the thirteenth company ran into a legendary space marine, Captain Titus of the Ultramarines second company. "To what do I owe this visit brother Titus?" Matthew asked his mentor as they shook hands and went outside of the chapter house to the imperial garden. "I heard that your company has been selected by the Emperor to undertake a great campaign Matthew." Titus replied to Matthew as they took a stroll through the memorial of the chapter's Primarch, Caito Leonidas, the man who lead a seven year campaign to reclaim the planet from a reign of darkness under the rule of Prince Lotor. "My days as a novice are long gone brother Titus, and yet still I look to you as a mentor and a father figure." Matthew said as he took a seat near the statue of the Primarch slaying the Daemon prince as a tribute to his fight for freedom of Aarus III. "Do you still interpret the Codex Astartes narrowly as Leandros did?" Titus asked has he sat next to Matthew. "No brother Titus. I, as well as my battle brothers, have understood how to live our lives while holding the Codex sacred above all as a space marine." Matthew told to Titus as they looked at the face of Caito Leonidas and recall events of the war seven years ago. "Your days as a novice are far behind you...yet still you come to me for guidance." Titus said, recalling events to where he first met Matthew when he was a young space marine. "As do we all brother Titus..." Matthew said as he paused to reflect on his career as a space marine. "Yet we can't dwell on the learning from our past if we can't put it into practice on the field of battle." Matthew finished his previous statement. A servoskull came to inform the captain that it was time for the mission to commence. "Just remember this Matthew; there are always benefits for the choices you make on the battlefield, but we must always look forward to the result of the choices that you make on the field of battle." Titus said as he walked off from the garden and left back to be with his Ultramarine battle brothers.
As Matthew let the words of Captain Titus sink in, he knew that it was time for the mission that was sent in by the Emperor. As Matthew walked into the reclusium, on board the Fortress of the Wolves, he was greeted by his battle brothers as they proceeded to prepare for some words from the Captain. "Close in…no more drills, no more practice. You're all about to receive the honor of going into combat for the first time, as Luna Wolves." Matthew said to the young band of space marines who would be experiencing combat for the first time. "Brother Argo…" Matthew said as he looked to his right to a Veteran named Argo, who served alongside the Primarch during the battle for Aarus III. "Captain Matthew…" Argo said as he kneeled down before the sacred reliquary which housed the chapter's prized possession, a warhammer in which their Primarch slayed the daemon to liberate Aarus III. The warhammer came to the Veteran as he took the weapon from the reliquary. "You shall make your battle pledges upon this sacred warhammer. This hallowed weapon has fought in the hands of our greatest veterans. It has slain alien beasts and daemons alike. One day, you may be worthy enough to wield it…until then, you may kneel before it." Argo said as the young space marines kneeled down before the warhammer. Argo then handed the warhammer to Captain Matthew to finish up with their warcry before they enter combat. "For we fight for redemption!" Matthew said which prompted the response for the young space marines. "And we shall know no fear!"
What was to be a peaceful day in the Tokyo settlement in the minds of the Britannian public; as they go about their daily routines, it was only smoke and mirrors to what was really going on in Area Eleven since Britannia conquered Japan. Terrorist attacks became common place in these times from the former Japanese citizens, renamed 'Elevens' by the Britannians, which stemmed from unrest from how the Britannian government built their settlements on top of the ruins of the former cities. The cities that the government didn't bother to plan for became ghettos which housed the citizens that were drove out of their cities and was the melting pot of terrorist groups. The public that lived in the settlements learned to deal with what is going on; but to those that found themselves unlucky enough to be in the crossfire, well that was just shear bad luck.
"This is Alpha Three; target is traveling from Delta Twelve toward Delta Fourteen at a speed of 80 kmh." Came from a pilot of a police helicopter that was tracking down a truck that was on route to deliver something of great importance to the viceroy, until a band of terrorists hijacked it and hope to use it for their own ends. Whatever it was, the military sought to retrieve it before the terrorists have a chance to use it. "C.C.P. to all mobile units, declaring a Code Three from Floor Five to Floor Two; all units take the 2-8-8, I want the target intact." A noise that came from the radio inside the chopper as a relay for any units that were in the area.
Inside the truck, the occupants now know that they were being trailed by the police. "Perfect…after we finally steal the damned thing, it's all because Tamaki couldn't stick to Naoto's plan and now we've got a problem." The male driver said as he looked from the rear-view mirror inside the cabin of the truck. The driver was accompanied by a female terrorist who remained silent as the police trailed their progress.
As this was all going down, two high school students just left one of the many buildings in the settlement after a chess match with Ruben K. Ashford, a pious Britannian royal who had all of the confidence in the world, had just been utterly humiliated. "I love playing against the nobility. When they lose, they always pay out of pride." Rivalz said to his colleague Lelouch as they walked out of the building. "By the way, eight minutes thirty-two seconds is a new record." Rivalz finished who had a sort of pep in his step. "He also didn't have much time to move either." Lelouch said as he recalled events of the chess match where a liaison of Lelouch was in the pits against Ruben. "As far as opponents go they're just tepid, over-privileged parasites that's all." Lelouch finished as they walked out the door and prepared to head back to Ashford Academy, the school in question that they attend. "Well, why don't you challenge one of the Elevens? They're nothing compared to us Britannians." Rivalz curiously asked his friend as they got on his bike and headed back for the academy.
It was at this time, the Luna Wolves arrived into the system in question that was right above Area Eleven in space from their flying fortress the Fortress of the Wolves. The young space marines were in the armory to get their weapons checked and their blessings from the tech-priests and the Emperor. "Private Syrus." The tech-priest said to the young space marine who was about to get his first purity seal onto his shoulder pad. "Look to your battle gear, and it will protect you." The priest said as he was preparing to apply the seal onto the shoulder pad. "We guard it with our lives." Syrus said as he was prepared to accept the seal from the priest. "As your armor guards your life." The priest said as he finished his preparation to apply the seal. "As it has, my fallen brethren." Syrus responded as the seal was applied to his power armor. "Honor the craft of death." The priest said as he finished his job on the purity seal. "We serve only the Emperor." Syrus said as he was reflecting on the work he done to get that seal. "Honor the battle gear of the dead." The priest finished as he moved on to another battle brother. "We ask only…to serve." Syrus said as he had a moment of prayer towards the Emperor. Just as the battle brothers finished their prayers and their routines, an alarm sounded as it was time for them to enter combat for the first time. "Luna Wolves Thirteenth Company, report to thunderhawk 'Sword of Retribution' for combat insertion. May the Emperor protect you." A voice came from the radio within the armory to inform the squad to report to the transport ship that will take them down to the surface of Area Eleven.
"Well Syrus…looks like your prayers of a battle came to fruition." Argo said as he gave a pat on the back of Syrus. "How many of us are going to be descending upon this Area Eleven veteran?" Syrus asked has he got his bolter ready for the drop. "The captain has said only a dozen of us are going to make planetfall Syrus, due to the nearest fighting regiment being eight weeks away from this system." Argo said as he was the first to receive information from the captain on how many battle brothers would be descending to purge the unclean from Area Eleven.
"Chaos breaks men's souls…Chaos brings the pestilence of daemons." Matthew said as he gathered his battle brothers to the thunderhawk for their mission. "Every time we march from our fortress home on Aarus III…we march to face down Chaos and banish it." Matthew continued as he looked at his battle brothers as they were listening to his words wisely. "Do you think you are ready for this great task that comes before us brothers?" Matthew asked his battle brothers before they stepped aboard the thunderhawk. "What must we be captain?" they responded to Matthew's question with one of their own. "You must be steel, you must be doom, you must use everything you got. Chaos has no honor." Matthew answered them as they all boarded the Sword of Retribution and got into positions to prepare for planetfall. "Brothers…we are about to write our names into this world's history, be prepared to face whatever comes your way once this is all over." Matthew said to his battle brothers as they pondered the possibilities of why the chapter master would send them this far out from Terra.
"That first move you made, why did you start with the king?" Rivalz asked his friend as he was reading a book on philosophy for a big project he was working on. "If the king doesn't lead, how does he expect his subordinates to follow?" Lelouch answered him while flipping through the section he was most curious about. "What's with that?" Rivalz curiously asked. "With what?" Lelouch asked back. "Do you fantasize about running a major corporation?" Rivalz asked him as he pulled into a gas station, due to the bike being nearly out of gas. "No way, ambitions like that will ruin your health." Lelouch answered him as he closed his book and got out from the sidecar of Rivalz's bike. It was at this time he noticed something coming down from the sky; something that everyone else had just assumed was another terrorist attack on a commercial airliner. "What's got your interest Lelouch?" Rivalz asked him as he looked to the sky to see what Lelouch was interested in. "You've ever seen something like that Rivalz?" Lelouch asked him as he got Rivalz's Camera out to take a photograph of the object in question. "No way man…probably just some terrorist attack again, that's all." Rivalz said as he poured the gas into his bike and proceeded to call Shirley to inform them that they were on their way back. "Whatever that thing is…I doubt that they can take on viceroy Clovis and the royal guard." Lelouch said as he took a glance at the falling object.
Lelouch wasn't the only one to notice the falling object in question, the Britannian military even saw the object appear on their radars. "Viceroy, we have detected an unknown airborne unit that's in Britannian airspace." One of the soldiers said to the viceroy, who had little interest in that matter. "No need to make a big deal out of it, we have more important matters to deal with here; don't we General Bartley?" The viceroy said to the officer in question. "Of course my lord, that thing or whatever it is can end up in a ghetto for all I care." Bartley said in agreement to the viceroy's statement on the falling object not being that big of an issue. The unknown object that caught the officer's attention was now in stable flight and on its way to the Shinjuku ghetto, the same location in which the terrorists plan to stash the truck they stole from them. This worried the young officer; but in order to remain in their good graces, he kept his mouth shut.
"The terrorists are hiding out in the subway system. Your mission is to locate the weapon they have stolen from us." The captain of Clovis' royal guard informed to a group of foot soldiers who were deploying in the Shinjuku ghetto. "Investigate the old subway system that runs through the Eleven residential district in the Shinjuku ghetto. Report the moment you spot them; recovery of the target will be handled by us, the royal guard. You people bear the honorary title of Britannians, but you were born Elevens; therefore the stench of these monkeys should be a familiar one." The captain continued on as the people of the ghetto noticed the soldiers dropping down, disrupting their routines. "If you want to earn the right to bear arms then show some results…this is your chance to show your loyalty to Britannia!" The captain concluded as the following response came from the foot soldiers. "Yes my lord!" Little did both the royal guard and the 'terrorists' know that an outside force is about to tip the balance of battle to their favor.
The thunderhawk Sword of Retribution was circling the area that they would be inserted in for their first mission, trying to find a proper place to land their troops onto what was once a great city. "Throne of Terra…who would be this tyrannical to allow this to occur in this period?" Syrus asked as the rest of the group looked at satellite images of the Shinjuku ghetto and to where they would be inserted. "The times may very well be different Syrus, but the enemies of mankind, as well as their motives still remain." Zerus, a devastator space marine, said to Syrus as he noticed the destruction the Britannian Empire had caused in Area Eleven. "Though the Emperor has blessed us by not having to deal with Orks or Chaos Space Marines, we still have to deal with even mortals who try to test the will of the Imperium." Argo said as he took a survey of the area to determine what they were after from the view they were given. "What information did the chapter master give us to use in this mission Captain Matthew?" Argo asked to gain Matthew's attention.
"Our chapter master has told us that what the freedom fighters of Area Eleven and the Britannian military don't realize that the target in question is not a weapon, but a very powerful witch." Matthew answered to his fellow battle brother. "The military had to fabricate that what the freedom fighters stole from them is a chemical weapon, most likely to get a fearful reaction out of the people of the settlements. This information was more or less a cover-up to protect viceroy Clovis La Britannia and the rest of his royal guard from what they are really planning to do…" Matthew said to his fellow battle brothers which caused some unrest within the group. "I know that there is unrest with you all brothers; for I can feel it myself, but we cannot allow this miserable excuse of a self-righteous, arrogant, pious viceroy to have his way." Matthew continued on which calmed a few of the battle brothers down, but Syrus grew curious as to what it is that they need to recover. "Captain, who is this person of interest the chapter master has ordered us to extract from this hell pit?" Syrus asked Matthew. "The person in question brother Syrus, is known only as C.C. no one knows what she could be used for; but we cannot allow her to fall into the Britannian's hands." Matthew said as the pilot of the thunderhawk found a patch of earth for the group to set down and begin their mission. "For we fight for redemption!" Matthew said to his battle brothers as he got his helmet on. "And we shall know no fear!" the battle brothers responded as they did the same.
The Sword of Retribution landed not far off from where the eventual battle was going to take place in what was an old stadium that had seen better days. The gates of the thunderhawk opened up to a scene that was all too familiar to the chapter. "All units deploy at once!" Matthew ordered the squad as they left from the thunderhawk and formed a 'U' formation around the landing site. "Full-scale…the Emperor protects, but it does no harm to double check." Matthew said as he stepped out of the thunderhawk to lead his men on the frontlines of war. "The beacon is active captain, 300 kilometers due west-northwest." Zerus said as he scanned to see where the beacon of the item in the truck was at.
"Tis bad omen for what these people are about to witness." Argo said as he looked around the area they were at and from the reactions people were getting from the foot soldiers marching around the ghetto. "Zero squadron form up! Pilot, extraction here in three hours." Matthew said as he gave out the orders to his fellow battle brothers and the pilot of the thunderhawk to leave the area before they get caught in the cross-fire.
"4-0-4 has sighted the target." A voice came from the communicator which was transmitted to the royal guard. "Roger, prepare for recovery." The captain said as he took a dozen subjects with him to retrieve the stolen item in question. "Damn it…they found it." The driver of the truck said as they came to realization that all of their hard work was for naught. "Kallen does the Glasgow still function?" another male voice over the radio to the pilot of a red Knightmare known as a Glasgow, a first generation Knightmare frame, who was a not far off from the site of the abandoned truck. "Yep…still working, I'd bet its poison gas like intelligence said." Kallen responded back to the voice on the radio, who was her superior. "Nagata, did you get a chance to see who found it out?" the voice soon asked the driver of the truck who was with Kallen at the time. "Yeah…just some sell-out who sold his soul to the empire…wait a…" Nagata said to the voice on the radio who at first was giving a report back, until something caught his attention on one of the old cameras they got working. "What is it?" Kallen asked as she took a peek as what got Nagata all worked up. "What the hell are those things that are at the truck?" Kallen asked as she noticed an armored giant come to retrieve what they had acquired. "Are they mental, or are they just that eager to die?" Nagata asked Kallen as they observed the giant easily ripping the door off of the truck and proceeded to the capsule, which they believed to store poison gas.