Chaos in Area 11: Prologue

Chapter 5

Character Bios: See End of Chapter

A year has passed since Reinhard von Musel partook in the Battle of Astarte Valley, as he and his old friend, Yang Wen-li, were soon to be reassigned to the chaotic location that was Area 11. This was part of an initiative by Prince Schneizel, who believed that sending young and talented officers to Area 11 could help with restoring order and keep the new territory safe and calm. Prince Schneizel made sure to hide his involvement, and simply made it seem like a coincidence for the two young officers.

The prince wanted both officers to be as effective as they could, so he gave them free reign to bring along their own trusted subordinates. Reinhard requested Siegfried Kircheis, Wolfgang Mittermeyer, Oskar von Reuenthal, and Fritz Joseph Bittenfeld. Yang requested Dusty Attemborough, Alex Cazellnu, Walter von Schenkopp, and Frederica Greenhill. Both officers would work under the Viceroy of the area, Prince Clovis.

No one, at this time, realized that this was the start of the legend of two heroic figures in Britannian, and even world, history…

Viceroy's Palace, Tokyo Settlement, Area 11

Reinhard and Yang enter the large building, needing to fill out some dull but required paperwork, so their subordinates and information was all in order. Once they meet the worker at the front desk, they get to work. Yang sighs to himself, and says "It's too early for government bureaucracy. I'll need a strong tea when this is all over…"

Reinhard smiles, and says "Come now… This is a great opportunity for the both of us."

Yang nods, and says "That is true. Areas of greater instability are perfect for officers to move up in the ranks. But all I need is a good retirement package."

After a bit more banter, to pass the time, they finished with their paperwork and handed it in to the front desk. Then, they waited for the adjunct to the Viceroy to introduce himself to them. As they wait, Yang says "I heard he is a Margrave, and is fairly efficient as well, although he's a member of the purist faction too."

Reinhard turns, and says "The purist faction, huh? They've been getting bolder and bolder as of late, probably because of the ramp up in the Honorary Britannian program."

Yang shakes his head, and says "They're just afraid of losing power. If more people come to view non-Britannians in the same light as Britannians, then their faction loses a lot of their relevance."

And a few more minutes pass, until the Margrave walks in. He is a tall man, with a serious demeanor, as well as bright teal hair and piercing orange eyes. He approaches the two, and salutes, while saying "It's been a long time, Commander Reinhard! Or should I say 'Lieutenant colonel' now…? I look forward to working with you here in Area 11."

Reinhard smiles, and says "So you were the Margrave here. You've done well for yourself, Jeremiah…"

Yang blinks, and says "You're friends with one of the superior officers here? You've lucked out."

Reinhard smiles, and explains his prior history with Jeremiah Gottwald, as Jeremiah then says "After I left from your command, I decided to use my rank and status as a purist faction member to do some good in Area 11."

Then, he turns to Yang, and says "I don't believe I've had a chance to meet you yet though…" So Yang awkwardly salutes, and says "Sorry… I'm Yang Wen-li, a just promoted Lieutenant colonel in the Britannian Military."

Jeremiah's eyes widen, as he says "Wait, you're the Hero of El-Facil, aren't you? It will be an honor working with the both of you!"

Yang simply smiles, and says "I was just lucky, and applied a bit of quick thinking."

Then, Jeremiah leads the two down the hallway, in order to meet the Viceroy himself. As they walk, Reinhard says "So, how is the general situation here in Area 11? I've heard it's been heavily unstable."

Jeremiah frowns, and says "That's putting it lightly… We have multiple terrorist groups scattered around the country, a sharp divide between the 11's and the Britannians, and a military that is a bit too quick to show off its power."

Yang nods, and says "Those all sound troubling. But I assume that the presence of the purist faction isn't helping that divide?"

Yang expected the Margrave to brush off his statement, but Jeremiah simply looks down, and says "I wish I could refute you, Lieutenant colonel Wen-li, but I cannot. I've tried to rein in some of the more fanatical members, but it is an uphill battle." He pauses for a moment, and then says, in a hushed tone "And our Viceroy does not make things any easier…" Reinhard and Yang both looked at each other, fully understanding that nobility does not necessarily equate to efficacy.

Once the three entered the main room, Yang and Reinhard saw just how much time and effort went into the room's layout. There were many massive portraits with golden frames, large chandeliers, tall ornate columns, and incredibly fancy looking furnishings. And sitting down painting, was the Viceroy, Prince Clovis la Britannia. When he sees his guests, he stands and gives an extravagant bow, prompting both officers to kneel.

Prince Clovis laughs, and says "Please, there is no need to bow before me. I am simply happy to meet two of my new officers! I hope the two of you serve wonderfully, so we may one day make Area 11 a place that His Majesty can be proud of." Then, he smiles, and says "Jeremiah, can you escort them out now? I simply must return to my painting!" Jeremiah nods, as Yang and Reinhard bow, before being lead out of Clovis' chambers.

After they walked a bit more, Jeremiah sighs, and says "Do you both see what we are faced with? I do hope that you will both be of help in the future. Area 11 needs more young competent officers like yourselves."

Reinhard nods, and says "Of course. We will do what is expected of us, as officers of the Britannian military."

Yang nods as well, and says "I'll make sure to work as hard as I can, so I can feel like I've earned my paycheck."

Jeremiah laughs, and says "I've never met a soldier like you, Lieutenant colonel Wen-li…"

Yang smiles, and says "Please, Yang is fine with me, sir."

Jeremiah nods, and says "If you insist. And you may call me by my first name as well, as any friend of Lieutenant colonel Reinhard's is a friend of mine."

And with that, Reinhard and Yang left the Viceroy's Palace, and went to greet their subordinates, who have just arrived in Area 11…

Airport, Tokyo Settlement, Area 11

Yang and Reinhard both arrive at the Tokyo airport, waiting for their comrades to arrive. The first people to arrive were Alex Cazellnu, a logistics officer, and Julian Minci, Yang's adoptive ward. When they arrive, Julian runs up to Yang, and says "I'm so glad I could come with you to Ja- I mean… Area 11!"

Yang smiles and pats his head, while Reinhard says "I'm sure you will learn a lot while here, Julian."

Yang adds, saying "Seeing the oppression first hand will be invaluable for you, Julian. Do not avert your eyes, when you come in contact with it."

Julian nods, and says "Of course!"

Cazellnu walks over, bringing the luggage, and says "I'm surprised you didn't start talking about getting Japanese booze, Yang. Maybe hanging around little Reinhard has allowed you to mature a bit?"

Yang rolls his eyes, and says "Alcohol is a vital part of life! You never outgrow a love for alcohol. And I probably should get myself some sake..."

Then, Cazellnu says "Anyway, it seems like this will be an interesting assignment…"

Yang nods, as the next person comes into view…

Siegfried Kircheis walks over, and happily greets everyone, and then turns to Reinhard, and says "I'm glad I can serve alongside you, Reinhard!"

Reinhard nods, and says "Likewise! I don't know how I would manage, without my right hand…"

Then, Wolfgang Mittermeyer and Oskar von Reuenthal came into view, and greeted the rest. Mittermeyer laughs and says "Seems like the whole gang will be present!"

Reuenthal nods, and says "It will be nice to see how well the famous Hero of El-Facil does in person…"

Yang laughs, and says "I guess we've never served together, huh? It'll definitely be great for me to see the Twin Stars in action as well."

Mittermeyer nervously laughs, and says "Let's stop with the epitaph stuff for now…"

Both Yang and Reuenthal nod, as the next group comes into view…

Dusty Attemborough and Walter von Schenkopp approached next, with Dusty looking a bit flustered. As they get closer, he yells, saying "Why do you need to hit on any woman that comes near you, you middle aged lecher?"

Schenkopp merely laughs, and says "They were all too beautiful to ignore. And I'm not middle aged. You could learn a thing or two about acting young, yourself…"

Dusty folds his arms, and says "I'm plenty young!"

Then Yang approaches Dusty, and says "Being older has its perks as well, like drinking…"

So Dusty smirks, and says "Well, I'm not that young…"

Then, the next person comes into view...

After that, Frederica Greenhill walks over, and says "I'm looking forward to working with all of you." Then, she smiles and turns to Yang, and says "I'll try to not serve you coffee from now on…"

Mittermeyer looks over, a bit confused, and says "What's that all about?"

Yang nervously laughs; as Frederica explains, saying "When Yang was stationed in El-Facil, I was also stationed as an adjunct to the leading staff. After Yang had to argue with his superior officer, about the coming Chinese Federation assault, I tried to cheer him up with some coffee and lunch. Do you remember what you said, Yang?"

Yang sighs, and says "I said 'I hate coffee'…"

Schenkopp and Dusty laugh, as Cazellnu says "So unprofessional, Yang…"

Yang simply says "I was stressed out. And I've apologized numerous times already…"

Mittermeyer pats Yang's back, and says "Don't worry, Yang. I'll help you out a bit later." Then, he whispers, saying "I can't count how many times I've upset my wife, so I know how to properly apologize to people…"

After that, the final person came into view…

Fritz Joseph Bittenfeld walks over, visibly annoyed, as he says "My flight was awful! There were multiple crying babies, and someone even got sick mid-flight…" Then, he sighs and grins, saying "But it's good to see some familiar faces, and it'll be fun getting to know everyone!"

Dusty looks surprised, and says "You got over that fast…"

Bittenfeld laughs, and says "That's the Bittenfeld way! Get mad and shout to your heart's content, and then don't dwell on it any longer!"

Schenkopp laughs next, and says "That's a pretty good mantra!"

Now that everyone arrived, the group walked through the airport, and introductions were made as they were needed, until the group separated so they could go to their respective apartments. Once everyone finished unpacking, they all met at a local bar for dinner. Even though Julian was too young, Yang snuck him a bit of booze now and again, much to the chagrin of Frederica, who wanted to be at least somewhat responsible…

As they ate, Reinhard explained the situation saying "Area 11, formerly known as Japan, is in a tumultuous period. There are terrorist groups, and a large amount of dissatisfaction, as the Viceroy does whatever he can to keep the divide between Britannians and Elevens distinct and wide. We will all have our work cut out for us, although we do have a friend in the adjunct to the Viceroy, Jeremiah Gottwald."

Reinhard pauses, as Yang continues from where Reinhard left off, saying "We wanted to take this chance to allow anyone who didn't feel comfortable with this assignment to tell us now. We're all working so we can retire comfortably someday, but being miserable in the present isn't something we want in our officers."

The room went silent, as it became clear that no one had any desire to back out, so Reinhard smiles, and says "I was hoping you would all stick with us…" Then, he raises his glass, and says "For a prosperous assignment. Cheers!"

Everyone followed suit, clanging glasses and having a generally relaxing dinner. It was a great chance for friends to catch up, and for acquaintances and friends of friends to get to know each other better…

And soon, the first day for Reinhard and Yang, as well as their subordinates, ended. But they would not be able to rest for long, as news would soon spread of an assassination, one which would shake the whole of Area 11…

Character Military Ranks as of this point

Reinhard von Musel - Lieutenant colonel

Yang Wen-li - Lieutenant colonel

Siegfried Kircheis - Major

Dusty Attemborough - Major

Wolfgang Mittermeyer - Major

Oskar von Reuenthal - Major

Walter von Schenkopp - Major

Frederica Greenhill - First Lieutenant

Fritz Josef Bittenfeld - Major

Alex Cazellnu - Major

Character Bios

Walter von Schenkopp

Schenkopp is an officer in the Britannian military, who leads a small infantry group known as the Rosen Ritter. They are all experts in close quarters combat, although most officers have trouble keeping them under control, as they only truly follow the orders of a commander that they respect.

He and Yang crossed paths during a typical skirmish, and Yang devised a plan that relied on the skills of the Rosen Ritter. Schenkopp found Yang interesting, and much different from the typical Britannian officers that were obsessed with status and glory, so he followed Yang's instructions carefully. After the skirmish was over, Schenkopp chose to follow Yang, and was eventually asked to join him in Area 11.

Frederica Greenhill

Frederica was an adjunct in the El-Facil military base, serving the commanding officer. She was stationed there a year before Yang arrived, so when the chaos broke out following the attack by the Chinese Federation, he relied on Frederica's knowledge of the area to devise his evacuation plan. After that, he requested that she be assigned as his adjunct for his stint in Area 11, acknowledging her skill and value as a fellow officer.

Fritz Joseph Bittenfeld

Bittenfeld comes from a long line of military members, and he frequently recites sayings and mantras that were passed down his family tree. He was well known, maybe even a bit infamously, as an officer who made lightning fast decisions, which sometimes lead to disaster. But his passion filled his soldiers with pride, which Reinhard saw as an asset and sought to take him under his wing.

He leads an armored unit, who call themselves the Black Lancers, for their black painted tanks and equipment.

Notes

1) It's been awhile! I've sort of left this story be for a bit, as I wanted to make sure that I planned out a bit more, since this would be the start of the next main story arc. I've been distracted by other things, like video games (Trails of Cold Steel is so good, and I'm happy it's on PC now [I've got some ideas for a story about that one, but I'm still sorting out the details there]) and getting more done with my Your Name/JoJo story. This chapter mainly sets the stage for the rest, but this arc will deal with the early Code Geass stuff, with the assassination stuff and all that.

2) I'm not too sure if I've specified the all the ages of the characters, but they're not too different from the LOGH canon. Some characters, like Yang and Dusty, are somewhat younger, so most of the characters that went to the officer's academy could be closer in age. I'm keeping characters like Bittenfeld and Schenkopp a bit older, so not everyone just happened to go to the same academy. And after thinking about it a bit more, I realized that what I did made them all a bit similar to the 730 Mafia from the Spiral Labyrinth Gaiden OVA, so that's pretty neat.

3) Soon, we'll see some more Code Geass characters get introduced, and I have some cool ideas for some of them.

4) I wanted to make some changes to Jeremiah's character. I replaced his Britannia focused and racist early self with his already love for loyalty. And I think it'll be more fun to have Jeremiah struggle under somebody like Clovis, while still trying to rein in his own purist faction. But with Jeremiah being much mellower in general, I will introduce some things so that the original storyline, with Suzaku (he's gonna have some cool moments coming soon) becoming a scapegoat, will still go on normally.

5) Now for review feedback:

1) undead3: I've already privately responded to your review, but I found everything you said to be accurate, and I will do what I can to improve future battle events when they occur. And I'm glad you thought that the character interactions were solid, because I really try to keep the essence of the characters intact when I write.

2) HortensiA1412: I'm glad you liked the previous chapter!

3) duked: I have some ideas on how to introduce Hildegard Mariendorf, so I hope you like them whenever I get to that point. It'll probably be after the current story arc, so it could take awhile. And you're right that Emperor Charles is a lot more cunning than Kaiser Friedrich, so I'll try to keep him relevant.