"Did you hear that? They wear the Geass symbol!"

"It proves nothing. While it is rather unlikely it's a coincidence, we have no proof."

"Proof be damned! It's THEM."

"We don't know that! It could be a trick to lure us out."

There is silence, except for a low panting. He had gotten a tad overexcited.

"You are correct. We shouldn't tip our hand yet."

o-o-o-o

As the debates come to a close, a final vote is called. Those in favor of forming a large strike team, and those not in favor. The final vote was almost unanimous in favor of forming a permanent strike team to counter this threat. There were only ten votes for not forming the standing army.

The new strike force will be controlled by the UFN by means of vote. If the vote to send the force in succeeds, the country that the force is in will have partial control. The force cannot attack civilians or another country without approval of the council.

This worries Suzaku.

If, say, everyone wanted to gang up on India, then by majority vote, India could be wiped off of the map. This can be done as long as there three or more counties. Suzaku, Le Xingke, Kaguya Sumeragi, and the seven others who voted against the proposition see this, but it seems the rest of the UFN believes protection is more important than the possibility of another war.

Those who participated and lost greatly during the last war felt this resolution as a blow.

o-o-o-o

"OK, they voted in favor. Can't say I'm surprised but..."

"You thought they'd come to their senses. That was the purpose of the last war."

"You really thought that had worked as a permanent solution? What did you think would happen when Lelouch died? Or any of the other countries decided it didn't like our policies? We got twelve years out of that war, and society has improved greatly."

"I guess I did think peace would last."

"You are too young and idealistic."

A piggish snort resounds of the largely empty room. "I guess I am."

A bag of crisps is opened.

"Even though, what do we do when the war comes?"

"If a war comes, It is our duty to fix what has been broken."

"I think I'd like that."

o-o-o-o

"Nothing to report." Kallen sagged onto the couch beside Zero. During the times when she was "off duty" she could relax her guard, talk with the one man she cared about anymore. "I did manage to steal some cookies from the kitchen."

"Excellent. Save some for me."

"First come, first serve."

Zero grabs a cookie and shoves it into his visor, smearing chocolate across the main section.

"Did you honestly think that would work?" Kallen giggled behind her hand.

"I'm saving it for later. I'll just lick it off." Zero's voice was full of amusement.

"Not if I get to it first!"

"Hey! Gettoff!"

"Never!"

"Help! I need my guards to rescues me from my guard!"

The door slams open and three guards burst in, guns at the ready.

Kallen straightens up and blushes. Zero sits up straight in his chair and looks directly at the guards.

"False alarm. Thank you for the quick response time though. You may save my life one day." Zero stands up and wipes his mask off with a handkerchief.

After the guards leave, Kallen moves up next to Zero. "You know, When Lelouch was Zero, I was the only one who knew his identity, aside from C2. Do you know who C2 is?"

"I am aware of her. She had a connection with Geass. Am I correct?"

Kallen's eyes widen. Zero NEVER talked about Geass. any attempt to bring it up resulted in him locking himself inside the Shinkirō or his room.

"Yes. That's correct. She's the one that gave Lelouch his Geass. We were the only ones to know who he was until Oghi's Betrayal. I hid that knowledge through everything. Will I ever learn your true name?"

Zero pauses for a moment. "It wouldn't be wise. If they enemy tries to use refrain on you, you would have no choice. Lelouch is lucky they didn't use it on you. Also," Zero turns and walks toward she door. "You may not like who I am under the mask."

Before the door closes, the TV switches on of it's own accord. Zero halts and turns to watch. Onscreen is a tan haired woman, bound with rope, Gagged, eyes pleading.

"Nunnally is currently unharmed, if a little uncomfortable." A man wearing purple and orange, with red tips peeking over his shoulder, steps into the frame. "We will contact you with demands once we find out who you are, Zero. Fortunately for us, you gave Nunnally your identity. We will be seeing you soon. Until then, goodbye."

The TV shut itself off again.

Kallen's face is starting to turn red "Please tell me she doesn't actually know your identity. Please. Please."

"She told me that she had known from the day I killed Lelouch. I don't know how, but she knew."

"And you still won't tell me?"

"After we rescue Nunnally, I'll tell you. But I'll have conditions you'll have to agree to."

Kallen screws up her face, puts her hand over her heart and says "I do so solemnly swear to never tell another soul about your identity."

"Thanks, but that wasn't quite what I had in mind."

"What is it then?"

"Something you won't agree to easily."

"So what now?"

"Let's go save Nunnally."

"Agreed."

o-o-o-o

"Nunnally has been Kidnapped? When?" Cornelia strides up and down the control room, occasionally looking at the masked man on the main screen. "I was talking to her not three hours ago."

"Kallen has been sent to get a detachment of black knights as well as an investigation unit."

"Are these people really of the same cult C2 and V2 used to rule? I thought you- I mean, Lelouch- wiped them all out."

"He did? That's news to me. When was this?"

"Right before he became Emperor. Ohgi told me."

"Ah."

"Do you have a plan?"

"I'm trying to think of one."

"You've gotten soft, Zero. There was a time when you would have already had a plan in place."

"Need I remind you that I am not, in fact, Lelouch? I use a voice modulator to fool the masses, but I was never a mastermind." A heavily modified sigh comes through the speakers. "That is the one flaw."

"The one flaw in what?"

"A plan. A plan that Involved me taking Lelouch's place."

Cornelia fell silent at this.

"Tell me one thing, Zero. Why can't those who know that Zero used to be Lelouch know who you are now?"

"I am getting sick of answering that question today. All I can tell you is that If I revealed my face, riots would break out. This fragile peace that is already threatened by this new order would collapse completely."

"Nice try. I asked why our inner circles cannot be informed."

"Same reason. Lelouch kept his identity secret so that he wouldn't be prosecuted for his heritage. I have a similar problem, even within my so called inner circle."

"There will be a time where I lose my trust in you Zero. At that time, I will know who you are or I will no longer acknowledge your authority."

"Understood."

o-o-o-o

Suzaku takes off his helmet, back inside of his command center. It's been a hell of a day, and he needs to come up with a plan.

A comm channel opens up of its own accord on the screen behind him.

"So, Suzaku, how do you plan to get Nunnally back?"

The voice is condecending, male, and almost familiar.

Suzaku spins around to confront the man on the screen.

Dressed in white robes, with a hood over his head, the figure sits hands clasped in front of him. He has a Geass symbol etched in a bright red scar across the back of his hand.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"I... I am not important, nor is how I know your name. What is important is Nunnally. Do yuo have a plan?"

"No. I'm trying to come up with one."

"Well it just so happens that I have a plan. I'm sending you the data now."

"I don't know who you are. It's not likely that I will accept your plan."

The hooded figure laughs. "If you come up with your own, use that. Ill be watching."

"So what should I call you?"

"you can call me... Elliot."

o-o-o-o

"What do you want with me? I'm nobody special."

Nunnally, tied to a chair. It brings back some Horrible memories of her past.

Especially memories of Mao.

"We want to know who Zero is, and you are the only one who can tell us."

"I can't! Nobody knows his identity!"

The man's left eye flashes. "You're lying."

"No I'm not!"

"My Geass allows me to see lies. You are not exempt from this power."

"Well why don't you just pull the information from my lie then?"

"I would if I could. but harsher methods are apparently neccessary."

"I won't give in to you, no matter what!"

"Tsk. You really ought to stop lying."

His cruel grin and Geass afflicted eyes will replay over and over in Nunnally's mind for the next few weeks.