Chapter 19: Putsch.
Lhasa, 2:00 am
Shinku was walking through the corridors of the Potala palace.
Damn, I can't sleep... I always fear that aliens will attack the city at any moment. If this happens, the only safe refuge would be the mountains ... Despite being an inhospitable place, due to the freezing climate and the risk of landslides and avalanches.
He think.
"Shinku ..." A voice called.
He turned, meeting his gaze with Zhou.
"Zhou ... Any news?"
"The great eunuchs have left Luoyang, headed for a secret location."
"What about the army?"
"For now he is keeping up with the invaders, but I don't know how long he can resist. The state of our armed forces is not the best, unfortunately. "
"I'm aware of it."
The Chinese Federation, as they both knew, was a colossus with clay feet, comparable to a poor old man. Poverty and inertia had deprived the Chinese people of their vitality, and corruption had caused serious damage to the national economy, as well as the armed forces of course. This made resistance to invaders difficult.
I seriously fear for my homeland ...
"The venerable Tianzi?"
"She's sleeping."
"I envy her ... I can't sleep."
"Well, me too dear Shinku ..."
"How about going for a ride in the city?"
"At this time of night?"
"Yes ... After all, there is street lighting."
"I don't want to have bad encounters ..."
"Afraid of the Mogwai?"
"I haven't believed in demon stories for a while."
"Then we go."
Tokyo, 3:15 am
Shirley could not sleep. The noises coming from outside prevented her: explosions, shootings, shouts…. At one point she got to her feet and went out into the corridor to take four steps.
In a few hours everything went down the drain ... Many of our friends died ... Including Nunnally.
She thought, embittered.
"Can not you sleep?" A voice asked.
She turned, crossing her gaze with Euphemia, who stared at her smiling.
"Viceroy…"
"Call me Euphemia. And then I'm just sub-viceroy, the viceroy is my sister Cornelia."
"Ok, Euphemia ... Anyway the answer is yes. I challenge anyone to sleep with this hellish din ... "
"You and your friends ran away from the Ashford institute, right?"
"Yes, upon the arrival of the aliens."
"By chance there were other people besides you?"
"Yes ... Suzaku, Lelouch and Nunnally."
"Where they am now?"
"The first two are missing. The third…"
"What happened to her?"
"Aliens killed her."
Oh my God…
The pink-haired thought, upset.
"I'm really sorry!"
"Me too…"
I can't tell her that I and the others abandoned it.
At that moment one of the doors in the corridor opened and Villetta appeared, with a sleepy look on her face.
"Could you go gossip somewhere else, that there are people here who want to rest?" She asked, irritated.
"Sorry!" Shirley exclaimed, then left with Euphy.
How does she sleep with all that fuss?
The student asked herself incredulously.
Paris, 7.30 pm
The council of forty (the European parliament) was in full swing: the deputies were arguing animatedly among themselves. However, when General Smilas entered the room, silence fell immediately, interrupted only by a few buzzes. The man positioned himself in the center of the room, staring intently at the audience.
"General Smilas, why are you here?" The president of parliament asked him.
"The reason is simple, gentlemen ... I want the supreme command of the European armed forces." He replied bluntly.
"The reason for this request?"
"If you haven't noticed, the nation is going through a very serious crisis, which has not been seen since the time of the revolutionary wars, if not that of the hundred years. If we want Europe to remain free from the invaders, the command of the entire army must pass into the hands of a capable man, that is, the undersigned. "
"Er, general ... We cannot accept such a request on the spot. We need a parliamentary vote and government approval ... And it takes time to get this done."
"Time is something we don't have. The aliens have already stolen some territories from us, and they are bombing our coastal cities. I demand an answer and immediately. "
"Again, we can't. We must follow the bureaucratic process. "
"Very well…"
Smilas snapped his fingers and at that moment a handful of soldiers armed with assault rifles entered the room, leaving those present stunned.
"What does this story mean?" One of the deputies asked, jumping to his feet.
"If you do not grant me the supreme command, I will take it alone ... And I will take command of this nation."
"You are crazy!"
"Better insane than incapable ... You idiots politicians have dragged this nation to disaster! You have done nothing to thwart the armies of Britannia, which were conquering us territory after territory, you are just greedy and corrupt leeches! But now let's change the music!"
"Bastard…"
"I inform you that from this moment you are under arrest. For your safety I advise you not to make jokes. " He warned them.
