Battle of Astarte Valley: Aftermath

Chapter 4

Character Bios: See End of Chapter

Following the conclusion of the conflict at Astarte Valley, various people across Britannia had their own reactions…

Braunschweig Mansion, Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

In the mansion, both Baron Flegel and Duke Braunschweig were annoyed, as they sat in a dimmed room. Braunschweig sips a bit of his wine, and says "Why'd that brat have to survive…? It took a lot of bargaining to get that battlefield set up properly."

Flegel smiles and says "But at least he won't gain much from the fight. It's too insignificant to impact the broad situation…"

Braunschweig nods and says "That's true. But at the same time, it proved that the brat can get results, even when his trusted subordinates are removed from him. We'll need to plan more carefully..."

Prime Minister's Office, Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

Here, Prince Schneizel el Britannia discussed the battle with his right hand, Kanon Maldini, as well as General Muckenberger, via a communication link. Schneizel begins the discussion, saying "Well, it seems this is a Britannian victory. Are you satisfied with the results, general?"

Muckenberger nods and says "I can see now why you gave the brat that battle to head. If it turned out that your father chose the boy because of his sister, then we would be rid of a useless officer without incurring a dangerous loss. But if his skill was legitimate, then his victory would not catapult him too far ahead."

Kanon nods, and says "It is as the general says, Prince Schneizel. You truly understood the situation."

Schneizel laughs and says "You flatter me! But I believe that we should not make enemies out of that boy, as his potential seems to be great."

Muckenberger nods and says "And everything will be blamed on the nobles, correct?"

Schneizel says "Of course. It is well known, even by Reinhard himself that the nobles distrust and are jealous of his sister's favor with my father, as well as his own advancement."

Muckenberger nods and says "Well, I should get back to work. Thank you again for your support, Prince Schneizel."

General Muckenberger salutes, and ends the transmission, and then Schneizel says "I do wonder how well young Reinhard will do in the military. He has a good mind for strategy and tactics, as well as many other key skills."

Kanon nods and says "Yes, but what of Yang Wen-li? I've heard that his talent is vast well, as he saved the town of El Facil from destruction after a Chinese Federation attack near Area 16."

Schneizel smiles and says "Ah yes, the Hero of El Facil. We should keep a close eye on him as well. Those two rising stars could prove to be valuable assets, in the future…"

The Emperor's Throne Room, Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

In the royal palace, Charles zi Britannia was meeting with his Minister of State, Klaus von Lichtenlade, to discuss the results of the Battle of Astarte Valley. Emperor Charles laughs to himself, as he says "They're all fools. Do they really think I would promote someone simply because of their relation to one of my concubines? That Reinhard boy will obviously go far in the military."

Lichtenlade nods, but says "He obviously holds a grudge against you. Might it be safer to eliminate him earlier?"

Emperor Charles shakes his head, and says "Why should he? His sister has a much better life now. One day he'll realize how she might have suffered had I never intervened. His father was simply too poor to support them."

Wen-li Residence, Pendragon, Holy Britannian Empire

In the humble abode of Yang Wen-li, young Julian Minci was busy brewing tea, as Yang and Dusty Attenborough sat and chatted. Dusty laughs and says "You're a 'hero', but you can't even help Julian make tea?"

Before Yang can respond, Julian says "It's okay Dusty! Besides, Yang would probably mess up the tea. Or maybe even sneak his booze into it…"

Yang coughs and says "Tea tastes best with a bit of alcohol in it, anyway!"

As they chat, the door opens, and Wolfgang Mittermeyer and Oscar von Reuenthal enter, bringing with them a few bottles of wine.

Mittermeyer waves and says "It's been awhile! How have you all been?"

Julian happily waves and says "Mr. Mittermeyer! Mr. Reuenthal! I missed you guys!"

Reuenthal walks over and pats Julian's head, and says "Julian. You've grown… I hope you've been diligent with your studies. I expect you to surpass us when you become our age."

Julian nods and says "Yes, I've been studying hard!"

Then, the door opens again, as Alex Cazellnu enters; saying "Seems like the party almost started without me. Reuenthal! Mittermeyer! It's good to see you both. I hope you've both been well."

They both nod, as Mittermeyer says "We've been biding our time, after we were removed from Reinhard's command."

Cazellnu frowns and says "Damn. Are they still trying to mess with little Reinhard?"

Reuenthal nods and says "They are. But it isn't anything he cannot handle. And who knows, he might find a few new subordinates in the meantime?"

Cazellnu laughs and says "You're right about that. He really has an impressive military mind. And he's certainly more charismatic than our Hero of El Facil!"

Yang shakes his head, and says "Reinhard is incredibly talented. I'm sure he'll continue to find success."

Then, everyone sits down, as Julian serves the tea. Mittermeyer takes a sip and says "The tea tastes great, Julian." Then he turns to Yang and says "You sure have been busy Yang. How did you save that city, in the face of all those troops?"

Yang looks into his cup, and then takes a long sip, before saying "It wasn't as complicated as you might think. The top brass there wanted to sacrifice the citizens, as well as me and a few others, so they could flee. I simply let it slip to the enemy where the officers were fleeing, and as they were focused on capturing them, I was able to organize a safe retreat. And once we reached Area 16, the citizens were able to be evacuated further."

Dusty grabs the wine, and pours himself a glass, before saying "So you made your sacrifice before they could?"

Then Reuenthal adds "I assume that they left you to your own devices, Yang? I'm sure they never expected you to do something like that…"

Yang nods and says "They probably expected me to crack under pressure. If we all stayed put, then the officers would have surely gotten away as the enemy would have been too focused on us."

Then Mittermeyer adds, saying "If you hesitated even for an instant, it could have ended much differently."

Yang sips his tea again, and then says "That's true, but it wasn't a difficult decision for me. What is the purpose of a military?"

Reuenthal smiles and says "What an interesting question, Yang. For some, the answer might be conquest or expansion, but you think differently, correct?"

Yang nods and says "To me, the only purpose of a military is the protection of its citizens' lives and wellbeing."

But then Julian says "But Yang, couldn't expansion or conquest fall under that umbrella, depending on the circumstances?"

The other adults in the room smile, as Yang answers, saying "That is true Julian, but one must examine the affects of conquest or expansion, and determine who it might benefit more."

Julian nods, as Yang continues, saying "If the act of conquest truly improves the lives of a nation's citizens, then it might fall under that umbrella. But many times, the ones who receive those benefits are the rich and the influential, as the citizens remain the same. And of course, you should always keep in mind that whenever acts of conquest or expansion are performed, people will suffer and lose what they once held dear. Take Area 11 for example…"

Julian interjects, saying "That's what used to be Japan, right?"

Mittermeyer nods, but then says "Be careful though Julian. Some of the more zealous Britannians dislike designated areas being referred to by their original names."

Julian blinks, and then says "Wait, why? Doing that would only breed more tension in those areas…"

Reuenthal nods and says "You're exactly correct, Julian. But to the Holy Britannian Empire, and many citizens and officers within it, those native people's opinions aren't relevant. They would rather those native cultures be completely stamped out, rather than thinking about assimilating or acculturating at all."

Julian sighs and says "I can't believe that they do this… Yang, is this why you don't want me going to school yet?"

Yang nods, and says "That's right Julian. If you go to school, especially in this already tense age, I am sure that your head would be filled with Britannian propaganda. I'd rather teach you myself, at least until you're a bit older, so you won't be just some blank slate to be manipulated. Remember Julian, no matter what others might try to tell you, we Britannians are not superior to other cultures and races. All groups of people have their strengths and weaknesses, and it is my firm belief that we will only strive as a species if we all cooperate together."

As Julian processes Yang's point, Cazellnu claps and says "Well, Julian? How does it feel to have a radical revolutionary like Yang as your caretaker?"

But then Dusty adds, saying "But to be fair, you won't hear any disagreements from anyone sitting here…"

Everyone nods, as Julian says "Yes, I think I understand!"

The rest of the dinner carried on, as everyone chatted more about current events and generally took the chance to catch up, especially Mittermeyer and Reuenthal, who had been busy on their assignment lately. Julian made sure to remember the things said, as he was surrounded by incredibly experienced and gifted people...

Ashford Academy Student Council Room, Tokyo Settlement, Area 11

As the news of the recent victory reached the students' ears, the school was abuzz with excitement. Rivalz Cardemonde, the student council secretary, excitedly says "Hey Lelouch! Did'ja hear about the latest victory? I heard we won even though we were outnumbered almost 2 to 1!"

Lelouch Lamperouge, the vice president, replies, without even looking up from his book, saying "Who cares…"

Then, Milly Ashford, the president, says "Oh wow! Lelouch finding something boring… Who would have expected that…?"

Lelouch paid her no mind, as he always felt incredibly bored, as if he lived his life almost on auto-pilot. Deep down, he wanted revenge on Britannia and his father, the emperor, for abandoning him and his sister in Japan before invading it.

But he knew that it would be an impossible task for a simple student, so he resigned himself to just live his life, while challenging local nobles to chess to pass the time and free him somewhat from his boredom...

Reinhard's Office, Military Base, Area 10

After the battle, Reinhard and Kircheis chatted about what might come next...

Kircheis says "We were victorious, but I wonder if we will raise much in the ranks as a result…"

Reinhard smiles and says "I have my doubts. I'm sure there was a reason why we were assigned to such a minor battle. They probably wanted to avoid us gaining recognition, if we somehow earned a victory on a grander scale." But then Reinhard lightly laughs and says "But we have found two competent allies in Fahrenheit and Jeremiah. We should keep them in close contact, once we have a chance to move up."

Kircheis nods and says "Yes, I agree."

Then, Reinhard frowns and says "I wish we could visit my Annerose, Kircheis… But there isn't time to return to Pendragon to see her…"

Kircheis sadly nods, and says "We can at least make a video call with her…"

Reinhard smiles, and says "That is true. Can you prepare it?"

Kircheis smiles, and says "Gladly…"

After Kircheis is finished, he contacts the royal palace, as Reinhard grumbles, saying "Needing to go through the royals just to speak with my sister… The nerve…" But soon, Annerose appeared on the screen, as Reinhard's eyes light up as he says "Anne! I wish I could come visit you!"

Annerose warmly smiles, and says "Reinhard! Sieg! I'm happy that you both are well…"

Then Reinhard clenches his fist, and says "Anne! I don't care how long it takes, but I will change this empire for the better! I promise you, that one day you will be free from that detestable place, and no one else will need to feel what we felt!"

Annerose smiles, and says "I believe in you, Reinhard. Follow your dreams, and change the world…"

Reinhard nods, but before he can reply, a member of his staff enters, and says "Commander Reinhard! You have an urgent letter to sign, from high command!"

Reinhard turns to the man, and says "Thank you." But before he leaves the room, he grumbles, saying "Must those bastards keep me from my dear sister at every turn…?"

Once Reinhard leaves the room, Annerose says "Have you been well, Sieg?"

Kircheis smiles, and says "Yes, Annerose."

Annerose smiles, and says "I'm glad… Do you remember our promise?"

Kircheis nods, and says "I will always be a good friend for Reinhard, and look after him."

Annerose smiles again, and says "Good. You're a good person, Sieg."

Kircheis blushes, and says "Thank you, Annerose!"

Then, Reinhard returns, and the three continue to talk. About a half hour later, Annerose ends the call, saying "Please, be careful, you two. You both mean the world to me, and I wouldn't know what to do if either of you were hurt…"

They both nod, and smile, feeling good that they got to talk with Annerose a bit...

Following this event, time moved forward, as Reinhard continued to lead small skirmishes in this border area, with Fahrenheit and Jeremiah loyally serving under him. The months went by, until Jeremiah was reassigned to Area 11 to strengthen the Purist Faction's influence in the growing area.

Eventually a year goes by, as Reinhard and Yang are both assigned to Area 11 as well, as part of an initiative developed Prince Schneizel to bring younger officers to the unstable region. This time, both officers had free reign to bring their staff with them, and neither wasted the chance to bring their loyal subordinates along.

Soon, the rising stars of the era were all converging in the latest territory of Britannia. How will events unfold from here? And will this finally be the chance for Reinhard von Mussel to rise through the ranks, and achieve his goal of reforming the empire for the better? At this point in time, no one could predict what would happen next…

Character Bios

Yang Wen-li

(I forgot to include his bio)

He was the son of a merchant from the Chinese Federation, but he was born after they immigrated to Britannia, making him technically a Britannian citizen. His father died in a run in with thieves during a delivery, causing Yang to be forced to attend a The Holy Britannian Officer Academy of Terneuzen because he cannot afford school otherwise.

He wasn't as motivated in the war-centric courses, but he was highly skilled with the practical exercises. He was in the same class as Reuenthal and Mittermeyer, and met and befriended Reinhard and Kircheis through them, along with Dusty.

Yang had, and still has, a love for history, and has a strong distaste to how Britannians seem to frequently look down on non-Britannians.

After the Battle of El-Facil, his friend and senior at the officer academy, Alex Cazellnu, assigned a war orphan to Yang, with the hopes of making him a bit more responsible. That ward was Julian Minci.

Dusty Attemborough

(I forgot to include his bio)

Dusty was born in Britannia and attended The Holy Britannian Officer Academy of Terneuzen. While he went there, he befriended Yang, where they frequently shared stories of slacking off in class and avoiding having to do class work.

He also got to know Reinhard and Kircheis, due to knowing Yang, who in turn knew them through Reuenthal and Mittermeyer. Through that confusing web, those six remained close friends both at the academy and afterward, as they all were assigned to various locations.

He is a highly laid back person, and is almost as much of a fan of alcohol as his senior, Yang.

Notes:

· It's time for a timeskip! Now that the characters are all heading to Japan, we should start to see more Code Geass characters and events unfold.

· I hope you guys like the banter at Yang's place. I really wanted everyone to interact, including Julian. I have some interesting plans for him, actually.

· Now for review responses:

o Duked:

§ Your review (specifically the bit about the actual size of the battle) actually was a big influence on how I had everyone react to the battle. For the scales of battle, I was unsure on how to do it in the universe of Code Geass. I don't remember troop numbers and things like that being focused on in Code Geass, so I'll need to figure out reasonable battle figures as things go forward.

§ And I agree with you. I personally think that Yang and Reinhard are far superior to Lelouch, because I felt like his plans always relied too heavily on his fancy Geass powers. But I will make it fair and accurate to the source material. And I will definitely focus in on Yang's superiority on defense when compared to Reinhard.

§ And about Hildegard, I feel like I should include her. She was an important character herself, beyond being Reinhard's love interest, but I'll need to think of a good way of including her. It'll be fun to have her interact with Frederica Greenhill as well.

§ But the idea of Cornelia being a love interest for Reinhard sounds neat, but I probably won't do it.

§ Thanks for the review, and continued interest!

o HortensiA1412:

§ As you can see, while there were bits of the episode "Empire's Afterglow" referenced, it wasn't the focus. So the idea of the post-Astarte chapter was to just have other characters comment on the events.

§ Thanks for the review, and continued interest!