Glad to be back!

Also, there is a new episode Andor today! For those who are planning to watch it!

Man, again another chapter that has proven to be longer than I expected.

So glad the last chapter went better and received better than I expected. And then there was revealed in the end. Now here, we get to see the aftermath and what will lead after.

Without further ado, enjoy!

Stage 20

Mao's Game

Lelouch was alone.

In front of him… was the entrance of a cave.

It was a murky-looking cave. Vines and moss of the sorts creeping around the entrance. The floor blanketed by a pale mist.

He felt compelled to enter.

It was only darkness that he saw at first.

The void echoed when a drop of water fell to the floor… before it caused a ripple that spread out to the endless reaches.

His environment became clearer. He was baffled when he noticed he was surrounded by many figures around him. All of them were hooded. And each of them… were holding a lightsaber.

Then came a distorted voice that echoed in the void.

Right ahead in front of them… shadows appeared from the darkness.

All of their eyes glowing. They stalked from the shadows.

Soon… one by one… the lightsaber wielders vanished. Leaving Lelouch alone. He turned to see one of the shadows emerging forward.

A shadow emerged from the darkness of the void. The shadow's dark armor glowed with a distorted moss coloring, while the emotionless eyes of his monstrous mask glowed red. The shadow unsheathed his blood crimson saber and stalked towards Lelouch.

The shadow's form looked ragged and tied with chains. It unsheathed a blood crimson saber… before stalking toward Lelouch.

The prince felt the urge of great fear and panic rushing through his core. He stilled himself, and he hardened his eyes at the shadow. He would not fall so easily to the likes of it.

By instinct… the boy raised a saber of his own. A saber that glowed of that akin to an azure flame.

Both their blades came in contact…

Lelouch's blade shattered into pieces.

The boy looked in complete horror as the pieces of his saber fell to the watery floor, all of them causing ripples.

The fight ended just as it had begun…

Why?

The shadow of the dark lord grabbed the boy in a chokehold. Lelouch then struggled as he felt the iron grip forced upon his neck.

The shadow then unhooded his face… to reveal the shining black metal mask… of Darth Vader.

At the sight of the mask, Lelouch struggled even more.

His struggling caused the dark mask… to alter.

The triangular mouth that was the respirator started to crack. The dark, empty eyes started to glow like a red eye burning with fire. The red eyes glowed more till they emanated like fire staring into Lelouch's amethyst eyes.

The mask's forming mouth cracked even more… forming what looked similar to that of a deepening grin. The rim of the cracks across… looked like chips of broken metal teeth.

The black mask of the dark lord had become akin to that similar of a Jack-o-Lantern turned alive.

And then…

"ERAAHHHHHH!"

The mask roared at Lelouch. Its cracked mouth opened wide to reveal two long fangs like those belonging to a cobra.

"AHHHHHH!" Lelouch screamed both at the sight and the shadow's roar blasting his ears. "STOOPPP ITTTT!"

"You are nothing…" The shadow growled. "Nothing more than a rat. And what better way to get rid of a rat… than by drowning it."

The shadow flipped Lelouch over and immersed him through the floor of the black water. Lelouch flipped and gargled as he felt his whole body go down and liquid being forced down his throat. Before long, he felt himself out of the dark lord's grasp… and felt himself drowning even further into the water.

He could only look to see the dark lord's fiery face jeering at him as he descended deeper.

And deeper.

And deeper.

"No… it can't end like this. Not… yet. Not when… I am this close…"

He stretched forth his hand towards the surface. Yet he still fell deeper and deeper…

His hand was still extended.

He fell deeper.

And deeper.

He felt another hand catch hold of his.

Lelouch's eyes widened.

He looked back at the surface… and it wasn't the shadow leering down at him. It was the figure of another.

The figure pulled Lelouch out from the dark water and back onto the surface.

The boy panted and coughed out water that had infiltrated his lungs.

When he got his bearings… he looked at the figure, who was garbed in a long cloak and hood, his back towards him.

"Who… Who are you?" Lelouch asked.

The figure neither spoke nor turned to face at first.

"Do you truly feel inferior in the face of the dark side, young Lelouch?" The figure questioned.

Lelouch widened his eyes. "That… voice… who… where did I hear it from?"

"There is no shame or flaw with being weak… that is if you decide to stay… or change it. You have only begun on what is to be a very long journey," The figure said. "For you… and for Luke."

"Luke?" Lelouch gaped. "For me? I… I don't understand!"

The cloaked figure turned a bit to glance at Lelouch. The face under the hood appeared to be that of a elderly man with white hair and small beard. His blue eyes humbly looking at Lelouch.

"Lelouch… these are but your first steps…"

Lelouch immediately woke and sat straight up, panting heavily, even feeling sweat on his neck and forehead.

"Lelouch, calm down," The exiled prince turned to see his green-haired contractor sitting on a stool next to the bed he was his in. She held his right hand, while she had one on his shoulder. "Take it easy."

"C.C.?"

"Take deep breaths," The girl went to take a glass of water and extended it to Lelouch. "Drink."

"Wait, I don't understand," Lelouch said, looking around the quiet room they were in. "Where am I? What the hell happened?"

Viceroy Palace

"I think it is safe to say… that last night's operation couldn't have been more than a disaster than it should never have been." Cornelia scowled as she sat on her throne, right next to the one her sister, Euphemia was sitting in. Standing before them were none other than Vader, Guilford, and Darlton.

"You have reason to be frustrated, Viceroy," Vader said. "However, there's…"

"However?" Cornelia twitched her eye at that. "Almost a hundred soldiers have been slaughtered. Shot, burned, or blown up." Euphemia cringed uncomfortably at that. "While the rebels have not only got away with saving Katase and his men… but they got away with barely any to no casualties at all! I'm surprised you yourself are not as livid as I am, considering many of your forces were destroyed as well… that as well that you were the one in charge of the operation."

"I have no excuse to give considering the operation I led went sour…" Vader crossed his arms. "However, rather than to wallow in this apparent defeat… there are things to have learned from this."

"Learned?!" Cornelia exclaimed.

"You recall when I forbade you from being part in this operation… and that I would take your place to act as the decoy, remember?"

"Lord Vader," Guilford said. "How did you know that Zero and Skywalker would know of our location? How would you have known they would have gunned the Viceroy's Gloucester as their target?"

"I thought it would have been obvious, Sir Guilford." Vader said, confusing the young knight. "Since the start… I had noticed a pattern. One that concerns you, Viceroy." Vader explained, gaining all their attention, especially Cornelia. "In all the battles… you have been the prime target for the Black Knights. Zero took your bait in Saitama in hopes of cornering you with the same methods he used on Prince Clovis. Then it happened again at Narita, where they strategically managed to corner you into a tight spot." The second princess almost scowled at being reminded of that. "They seemed very eager to subdue you."

"Eliminating the leader is an obvious strategy." Cornelia simply said.

"I think Lord Vader has a point, Viceroy," Darlton said, surprising almost everyone.

"What do you mean, Darlton?" Cornelia asked.

"This great crisis began when both Zero and Skywalker assassinated Prince Clovis, they even proclaimed it proudly and used it as a declaration against Britannia. And as Lord Vader stated… without a doubt they are fixated on taking you out next."

"What are you getting at?" Cornelia asked, becoming interested.

"Zero and Skywalker are not only fighting both Britannia and the Galactic Empire. They have deep hatred against the Britannian Royal Family." Darlton's eyes narrowed grimly. "And they want blood."

That caused both Cornelia and Euphemia to look surprised and with later with grimace.

"A sound theory, General, but unfortunately it has its flaws," Vader said.

"Why is that?" Guilford asked.

"If Zero and Skywalker, along with their Black Knights, truly desire to destroy the royal family… then how is it that they saw it to spare Princess Euphemia?" Vader gestured at the Sub-Viceroy, who gasped in shock.

"What are talking about?" Cornelia exclaimed.

"Do you not recall that the Sub-Viceroy Euphemia was among the citizens taken hostage at Lake Kawaguchi?" Vader explained. "Before we could move in to the detain the situation… the Black Knights struck first… and rescued all the hostages. Delivering all of them unharmed, including Euphemia, despite who she was." The dark lord looked at the Sub-Viceroy. "Isn't that correct, Sub-Viceroy."

Euphie was lost at words for that, and couldn't deny it, and so did everyone.

"To call them bloodthirsty may be far-fetched to their ears…" Vader explained. "I know Skywalker. He holds himself to be just like the Jedi Knights of old. The very same order that the Black Knights call their predecessors. Skywalker, along with many other rebels who have known the Jedi, have no doubt inspired their new comrades to follow the Jedi's code of honor, compassion, and duty. They do not see themselves as terrorists, but as heroes." Cornelia and her knights scowled at that, while Euphemia listened closely. "To that they don't seek to endanger innocent lives in their activities of vigilantism. Whether they be Elevens or Britannians. No doubt inspired by what Skywalker told them about what thinks of the Jedi Order."

"How much do you of know of Skywalker?" Cornelia narrowed her eyes. "You speak… as if know him… very personally."

Vader almost fell silent at that, before long he spoke again.

"Regretfully, the times we have met had been on the battlefield as enemies. For a fact… I knew his master."

"His master?" Guilford questioned surprised, along with everyone.

"Yes, all of you may have seen him or heard him before," Vader said.

"I fail to understand Lord Vader," Cornelia said.

Vader pulled out a commlink and popped up the image of a familiar man.

"For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire."

Euphemia blinked in surprise as she recognized the hologram.

"Wait. That… that recording…" Guilford stared at the hologram. "That was played at the Lake Kawaguchi incident."

"Yes," Vader nodded. "This was Obi-wan Kenobi. One of the last survivors of the Jedi Order."

"Was?" Cornelia said.

"Obi-wan Kenobi is no longer among the living," Vader said. "Because I was the one who killed him."

That caused a gasp among everyone.

"You… You killed him?" Euphemia stuttered.

"He was an enemy and traitor to the Empire that I had hunted down for many years," Vader explained. "It was until I finally destroyed him… that he had sought to take a student to teach in the ways of the Force… and in a meager attempt to restore the Jedi."

"And that student is Luke Skywalker?" Guilford asked.

"Yes." Vader nodded. "It was then when I had seen Skywalker for the first time… after I had killed Kenobi… right before his eyes."

"He witnessed you killing his master, then?" Cornelia said.

"So, it is blood that Skywalker seeks. Your blood." Darlton said, looking at the dark lord. "He seeks vengeance on you for the death of his master."

"That I will not deny," Vader said. "But I know he is still young. Young and misguided. Blind by what the Jedi truly were. He believes the Rebellion to be the true order that will bring prosperity to the galaxy… when he couldn't be more naïve.

"I cannot say much for Zero, however, I can tell from our rare encounters… that Zero is not much of a warrior, but more a commander. He remains an enigma I aim to solve. Who is to say there is more to him than meets the eye? I can tell that Skywalker is devoted to protecting him. Though who can say that will change? This man who hides behind the mask may have an agenda we are unaware of. Which can still be very dangerous.

"It is not only them we should be concerned about," Vader continued. "There are many other rebels within their ranks who posed just as dangerous and very skilled as well. Now that they have successfully saved the JLF from destruction, the moral of the Rebellion will be even stronger. Stronger enough to dare to go after you again, Viceroy."

"I like to see them try again on the battlefield," Cornelia said.

"Did I say only the battlefield?" Vader questioned. "Who didn't permit war to expand to places you least expect it? Or even where you may live?"

Darlton gasped. "You think… You think they would try to invade the palace?"

"It would be foolish if nobody even considers it." Vader sternly said.

"But…" Euphemia spoke out… almost shuddering at the possibility. "Why would they… that would mean…"

"It's alright, Euphie," Cornelia said as she stood up from throne and went to place a comforting hand under her sister's chin. "I won't let such a thing happen. I will not allow you to be in danger again. Not after what had happened with the hotel incident."

"Viceroy," Guilford said. "If I may suggest… why not assign to knight to Princess Euphemia." That caught everyone's attention

"What?" Vader questioned.

"A knight?" Euphemia said.

"Yes, if we assign one knight as a permanent sentinel, then we can build a complete royal guard unit around them." Guilford explained. "As Sub-Viceroy, Princess Euphemia has the right and accord to choose a personal champion."

"I take it you mean building a circle of protection for Her Highness?" Vader questioned. "Am I correct, Sir Guilford?"

"Indeed," Guilford nodded. "It is also a custom tradition for members of the Royal Family. We of the Glaston Knights are one of those examples."

"And then there is Princess Marrybell and her Glinda Knights," Darlton added.

"We can discuss this matter for another time." Cornelia said. "But we will greatly consider this. Very much."

Euphemia looked lost in thought at the possibility.

A knight of her own.

Hidden Base

Sometime later, Lelouch had got his bearings and was still sitting in bed when Luke, Leia, and Han came to the room. There they explained all that had happened during the rest of the battle at Port Yokosuka. Including the duel with Vader and the chase that had ensued with the Lancelot.

"We were still able to accomplish the mission with minimal to no casualties at least," Luke said, trying to bring up a positive note.

Leia smiled. "General Katase and his men are having an easier time settling in than we expected. They are hoping to meet with you.

All the while hearing this, Lelouch could only stare down as his hands grip the sheets of his blanket. He listened to what had happened the night before, but most importantly, he couldn't stop thinking to what ensued in that dream of his. Of what he had seen.

Of what the man had told him.

"Lelouch… these are but your first steps."

Everyone looked surprised when Lelouch snapped and hit his fist against the wall.

"Hey, easy there, kid…" Han said. "What's with that attitude again?"

"He was waiting for you," Leia finished, with grimace.

"OW!" Lelouch exclaimed when Han knocked on his head like knocking on a door.

"Hello? Anybody home?" Han asked, agitated. "Are you even listening to what we were telling you, kid?"

"What?" Lelocuh said. "Of course, I am listening!"

"Are you sure?" Luke said. "You look… concerned…"

"It's nothing, Luke," Lelouch said, rubbing his face. "Just… had a rough wake up…"

"Gee…" Han rolled his eyes. "Almost afraid if that knockout Vader gave when he tossed your pod our your Burai you would be worse."

At the mention of that… Lelouch almost scowled.

"You don't have to remind me of that."

Everyone noticed Lelouch's mood had turned sour, and they all knew why.

"It happened again…" Lelouch looked down. "I let it happen again. I played… right into his hands… again." Lelouch continued to stare down. "It's like… he anticipated my next move. I thought we had Cornelia right there and then… but…"

"He was waiting for you," Leia finished, with grimace. Lelouch could only scowl.

"It seems like… Vader figured we would go to strike at Cornelia again," Luke said. "He must have realized that when we tried to at Narita."

"Well, things just keep getting better and better…" Han didn't hide the sarcasm. "Guess from now we have to deal with the great and terrible gruesome we have been dealing with for the past three years."

"It won't happen again," Lelouch growled. "I'll…"

"Stop," Everyone turned to C.C. who stood and spoke.

"Lelouch…" She stared at him. "Every time you put yourself on the field of battle… you were on the verge of being captured… or… death."

"Isn't that the obvious risk of the battlefield?" Lelouch retorted.

"It's only a matter of time," C.C. said. "And when it does… you can't rely on me… or them…" she glanced at Luke and the others. "To keep saving you."

"Is that what I am to you? To all of you?" Lelouch exclaimed. "You think I'm weak? That I can't fight?"

"We don't think that all!" Luke said.

Chewie roared.

"It doesn't matter that you can fight. What matters is your life." C.C. said, almost looking sternly at Lelouch. "Remember… we made a contract, Lelouch. And if you die… it will be a contract left null and wasted."

"Don't forget what I was supposed to get in return for making that contract," Lelouch countered, almost walking up to her.

"Okay now, stop," Leia came in between the two of them. "Look… we can go on with this for the next hour or so… but right now is not the time."

"And why not?" Lelouch questioned.

"Because we have a problem," Luke said.

"What?"

Han sighed. "When we made the retreat, Chewie and I went to look for you and Kallen. We found the Guren… next to what remained… of an IFT tank. And then we found you… unmasked." Lelouch gasped. "And you were not alone… right next to you… unconscious… was Kallen… the white-haired boy we found the other day… and a Britannian soldier."

Imperial Base

"My lord… you… are you serious?" Piett stuttered a bit, with a look of growing disbelief, one that was shared by Ronnadam, after what Vader had instructed. Gesturing at a list on a tablet.

"Do I sense protest, Captain?" Vader questioned.

"I mean no offense, but…" Piett looked unsure. "When you agreed that we should call for special forces… I… we… you can't be serious!"

"Your point?"

"My point is… is that should reconsider what you are considering! These… people you wish to hire… they are scum!" Piett let his disgust take hold. "You're asking that I return to the Empire and gather for these… backwater cretins?"

"I have to agree with Captain Piett, Lord Vader," Ronnadam said. "We have other preferable options. We can call back the SCAR Squadron. Or perhaps we call for aid from the other admirals. I know Admiral Versio's daughter is part of that elite squad known as…"

"I am not asking for suggestions." Vader growled, silencing both men. "They may be scum… but it is the type of scum I need in our game against the Black Knights." He turned directly to Piett, slamming the tablet to his chest. "You will return to the galaxy and put out the call for them. And then you shall return to bring them to me. I do not care if you are able to gather all the ones on the list… as long as you return with him…" The dark lord pointed a particular person on the tablet for Piett to see. "Then I will be satisfied."

"But why him most of all…?" Piett glanced back at the person-of-interest on the tablet to Darth Vader's stare. "I… I understand, my lord. I will do the following as you have ordered."

"I hope so, Captain. For your sake."

Piett gulped at that, before leaving the room.

Hidden Base

"It's an honor to finally meet you face-to-face, Zero," Katase smiled as he shook Zero's hand.

"The honor is ours, General," Zero said.

"You and your comrades risked your lives to save ours from certain doom," Katase said. "Just as you did when you helped us greatly at Narita."

"We may be of the Rebellion, but the Black Knights will stand to heed the call to others in need," Zero said.

"Beg your pardon, sir," Katase looked away a bit shamefully. "But I believe we of the Japan Liberation Front are far from innocent of any crimes. These past several years… we have done things we regret even to this day. And most recently… when some of our own brethren endangered innocent lives."

"You refer to Colonel Kusukabe?" Zero said.

"Indeed," Katase closed his eyes. "For that… I take responsibility." That surprised several people around them.

"General…" Luke tried saying. "I mean no disrespect, but you had no hand in what happened at the hostage crisis. Kusukabe himself told us he went against your back."

"And that is partly my fault as well," Katase stated. "I was his superior, and I should have known firsthand what he had intended to do. Because of that many lives were put at risk."

"We understand your need to take responsibility, General," Leia said. "But we also see that you see that was Kusakabe did was wrong. You and your men have a choice to decide what you think best."

Katase looked at the people in front of him and smiled. "I would like very much to atone for our mistakes… and let what remains of the Japan Liberation join your rebellion." He brought up his sheathed katana up in front. "If you would have us."

"If you not only seek atonement, and very willing to adhere to the code we have as the Black Knights…" Zero said. "Then and your men are welcome, General Katase."

"I thank you… but unfortunately…" The general's face turned grim. "Not all of my men are accounted and present."

"You mean those guys of yours… called the Four Holy Swords?" Han asked.

"Yes, them as well. I hope that... we will be able to contact and find them. Most especially… since their leader… has been captured."

"Kyoshirou Tohdoh," Zero said.

"The one they call the Miracle Worker." Luke stated.

Chewie roared.

"I may sound brash… but I fear now for Tohdoh's sake," Katase looked with concern. "Since the start, Tohdoh has managed to avoid capture and has helped carried the spirit the Liberation Front needed during these dark years. He may not seem impressive at first glance… but I promise you he is one of most the magnificent warriors I have ever known. And for all the times he has saved us… I would be dishonored if I was not able in any capacity to do the same for him."

"It's alright, General," Leia said, comforting him. "We will help your comrade."

"We know very well of Tohdoh's skill and abilities. For whatever devious plan Britannia and the Empire has in store for him… we won't have it." Zero said. "You have our word… when the right time comes… we will liberate Kyoshirou Tohdoh."

In a separate complex, one under the authority of the Galactic Empire, Kysohirou Tohdoh sat cross-legged in a prison cell, now garbed in a white prisoner outfit. Now and then, different pairs of stormtroopers would guard his cell for hours before they changed shifts. Some of them would often try to goad him, considering that he barely… if not utter a single word since he had been incarcerated.

Though sometimes… the troopers would be called away… when a certain agent would come to visit. One that Tohdoh had come to be annoyed and suspicious of.

"I thought I would drop by to tell you a bit of news…" Agent Gideon said. "Good news… at least by your perspective."

Tohdoh barely offered any reaction, something to which Gideon rolled his eyes.

"As of last night… your general, Katase and his comrades have been rescued…"

Tohdoh's eyes opened.

"By none other than the Black Knights of the Rebellion…" Gideon finished, before glancing at Tohdoh. "It was quite a bigger spectacle than would have expected from a rescue operation. The rebels truly did leave a big mess behind."

The agent glanced at Tohdoh, who still didn't look in his direction.

"Oh, come now. I thought you would look relieved for comrades." Gideon shrugged. "Well, I think it's a pity. Had we detained them first, and if they had been cooperative, Lord Vader would have been able to show some leniency. Something… unlike Britannia would do… due to your heritage."

Tohdoh said nothing.

Hidden Base

"So, this is her?" Zero asked Ohgi, as he and the others gathered around one of the beds in the infirmary. Laying there in an unconscious state with her teal-silver spilled out was none other than Villetta Nu.

"Yes," Ohgi nodded. "We found her injured along with Kallen… and the other boy we found next to your unconscious self."

"And… this woman is of the Pureblood society," Leia said.

"And she was in Shinjuku that day the massacre took place," Luke said, remembering her very well.

Lelouch from behind his mask narrowed his eyes on who was the second person… besides that mud Britannian captain and his men that day. Why did they have to bring her to their base of all places. Now that he had already used his Geass on her… he wouldn't be able to command a second time if needed…

"I know it's dangerous," Ohgi said. "Bringing an enemy soldier here. But… she was injured… I… we didn't think it best if we left her there to bleed out…"

"It's alright, Ohgi," Leia said. "I think it best… if she wakes up… and starts a ruckus… then we move her somewhere else."

"What about the boy?" Zero said.

"Dank Farrik! What the hell were you doing out there?!" Sabine Wren roared at the white-haired boy sitting in the chair in front of her. She along with Zeb had brought Rai to this empty room to confront on what he had done.

"I saw you leaving in the vehicles… I didn't where you were going…" Rai simply said. "I was just… worried about you."

"Oh, that is just touching, kid," Zeb crossed his arms. "But if you knew Sabine at least a little bit, you should know she can take care of herself pretty well."

"I actually… concur…" Rai said, confusing both Zeb and Sabine. "I saw you..." He glanced at the latter. "When you were fighting that man in black."

"What?!" Sabine balked. "You… saw that?!"

He was there?! He witnessed her and Luke's duel with Vader?!

"Wait, wait, wait!" Zeb said, confused. "You… were there?! That's crazy!"

The door to the room opened, and everyone turned to see Zero and Luke entering.

"Zero!" Sabine said. "Luke."

"Sabine, Zeb," Zero greeted, before turning to Rai still sitting. "I apologize if we are interrupting, but we would like to speak to the boy ourselves."

"Don't worry, we're handling it," Sabine said.

"We just want to ask him a few questions, guys," Luke said. "It will only take a moment."

Though a bit reluctant, especially Sabine, the two Ghost crew members consented and left the room, leaving Luke and Zero with the white-haired boy.

"Uh…" Rai stuttered as he looked back at Luke and then at Zero. "What… do you want from me? Does this have to do with…"

"We're not going to hurt you," Luke said. "We don't mean any harm. We are just curious is to how… and why you were there at the port last night."

"Well, you see…" Rai stuttered again. "I…"

Zero shook his head. "Let's just get this over with."

"Huh?" Rai looked at the masked man. Then, the mask opened a slit which revealed a violet eye staring at him. The eye then flared with a sigil that surprised Rai.

"You will answer all my questions now," Zero commanded, and the Geass command flew into Rai's eyes.

"Of course," Rai said, now under control. "What is it you wish to ask?"

Upon seeing the boy's eyes ring with red, Luke felt bad that Lelouch had use his power on him and make him talk like a hollow droid. But if it meant learning who the boy was and whether he was a spy or not, then it was necessary. Once Lelouch was done, he would have the boy forget the conversation.

"Who are you?" Zero asked the first question to the boy.

"I do not know." Rai simply said, surprising Zero, and even Luke. "I have no memory of what my real name is. Nor do I have the faintest idea who I am and where I am from. Only that I have chosen to be called by the name: Rai."

"Do you know of a girl known as C.C.?" Zero asked, bringing the fact that Rai had been wearing the same kind of straitjacket C.C. wore when she had been held captive by the military.

"No, I do not."

Zero was silent for a moment, which Luke noticed. Apparently unsatisfied with that answer.

"What were you doing last night at the docks? How did you get there?"

"I left my room… and follow as people were hopping in the trucks. I was curious."

"That's it?" Zero questioned, almost skeptical of the boy's reasoning. "And what about… of what Ohgi and others said. That you were right next to me, Kallen, and the woman named Villetta?"

"As I was finding my way around the battle taking place, I stumbled upon you." Rai continued saying. "When both women were fighting… and your face was unmasked before them."

At that and what Rai revealed after, both Zero and Luke gasped in shock.

Somewhere in the settlement, Tamaki grumbled as he walked out of a drugstore with bags stored with bags of pills, aid, and other drugs in hand.

"Prescription, my *ss…" Tamaki muttered as he walked down the sidewalk. "Just for being some Eleven. Grr… who does that clerk think he is? Why the heck was it my turn to do errands like this?"

Unbeknownst to the hotheaded-Black Knight… he was being followed.

Viceroy Palace

Euphemia heard a knock at her door. The third princess opened and to her shock… it was the last person she had hoped to see…

Lord Vader.

"Uh! Lord Vader…" Euphemia barely composed her shock.

"Sub-Viceroy," Vader greeted.

"I… has something… happened?" She asked. "Something… I can help you with?"

"There is… and I would like to discuss it with you privately," The dark lord said.

"Uh… in… private?" Euphemia was startled at that. "But why?"

"I prefer that we would have less to no disturbances as we talk in my suite."

"A suite?"

"Yes, it's a room your sister had given me in another part of the palace." Vader explained. "I think it the best place where we can sit and have our discussion."

"And… what would this discussion be about?" Euphemia asked, having a suspenseful feeling around the dark lord.

"A topic that had been brought up today during our meeting," Vader said. "Of what you had witnessed… at Lake Kawaguchi."

Ashford Academy

"You guys want to meet with Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku asked.

"I just-I mean we…" Nina quickly corrected herself to gesture not only her but Rivalz as well, standing next to her. "We just want to thank her."

"When we were held hostage at the hotel-jacking, she risked her life to defend Nina and Rivalz," Milly said. "She stood up right and said, 'I'm Euphemia.'"

Nina smiled at that, her expression becoming hopeful as she held her hands together.

"She did?" Suzaku said, almost surprised. "You didn't tell me about that before."

"It was awesome!" Rivalz said with hands balled in excited fists. "Just when it looked like we were all at the bottom end of the barrel… she just popped out of nowhere and stood up to those jerks who were kicking my face in! I would never have thought in a million… well, okay that too much… or at least until I was rich and senile that I would meet a princess!"

"Hey, you know, I think I would like to thank her, too," Shirley suggested. "I was there too, you know."

"I would very much like to meet her, as well," Nunnally smiled, unaware of the odd looks Milly and Suzaku gave.

"Uh… well…" Suzaku rubbed his head. "We may have… run into each other a few times… but… it's not like I can meet up with her any time I want. Maybe…"

RING! RING!

Everyone paused when the telephone near Suzaku rang. The student took and put it to his ear.

"Hello? Student Council."

"Suzaku."

"Lelouch?" Suzaku said, catching everyone's attention.

"Lulu?" Shirley exclaimed.

"Hey, uh… has there been anything unusual in class?" Lelouch asked.

"Yeah, there is," Suzaku said, causing Lelouch to gasp on the phone. "You're not here." The honorary Britannian smiled, while Lelouch made a sound of relief on the phone. "Kallen didn't showed up either."

"Uh… Kallen's not there?"

"No, I guess she may have called in sick again."

"I see."

"You know Lelouch, you've been cutting classes lately," Suzaku said. "You need to take school more seriously."

"Right, sure, Mister Honor Student," Lelouch teased back. "Can you give Nunnally a message. Tell her I'll be late tonight."

"Oh, no, you don't!" Shirley took the phone from Suzaku.

"Shirley?"

"Just where have been Lulu?!" She exclaimed on the phone. "Nunna says you didn't come home last night, and now you're cutting class again?!"

"Well, I…"

"Are you gambling again?!"

"Huh?!" Rivalz exclaimed.

"No, of course not!" Lelouch sighed. "Look I explain later…"

"Oh, no!" Shirley exclaimed. "Don't you dare hang up again—"

MEOW!

Shirley was suddenly interrupted when Arthur the cat jumped from under the desk and grabbed at the wire.

Hidden Base

"Arthur, that's not a toy!" Shirley yelled from the phone, as Lelouch, Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, Artoo, and even C.C. listened in a private room.

"Arthur, wait, sto—" Suzaku screeched. "Wait, ow! Ow, ow!"

Soon, the phone hung up.

Chewie said something.

"Who's Arthur?" Han asked.

Lelouch sighed. "That was Arthur the Cat."

"The cat?" Leia said. "You mean… the very same one that…?"

Artoo whistled, apparently very remembering the feline he had chased a while ago.

"What matters is that we know… Kallen isn't at school," Luke said. "And if she's not… where could she be?"

"Even if you do find her…" C.C. leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. "The question is… what are you going to do with her?"

"What is that supposed to be mean?" Han said, narrowing his eyes.

"If only Lelouch hadn't used Geass on her before, this would have been the most convenient time to use it on her."

"I know that's not an option anymore," Lelouch stated.

Kallen, in her school attire, looked upon an open view of the settlement with a conflicted expression as she leaned against the rails. There was nobody around the area at this moment, and she preferred it that way.

She looked at the view which showed much of the settlement, and from afar you could see the mountains. The place had been one of her favorite spots as a kid. The place she, Naoto, and her mother would visit sometimes. The park she was at even had a railcar that would ascend tourists up to get a better view of the settlement.

It was one of the few places she could go to think.

How could things happen so quickly. Especially in one night.

The whole time… since Shinjuku… her classmate. The one she would see most days even when going to the Student Council.

"All this time… Lelouch. Since we were in class. In the Student Council. And you were Zero?" Kallen twitched an eye.

"Is there… a reason why he can't show his face… to the rest of us?"

"It's… complicated… but… yes. There is a real reason why many can't. Not yet."

Kallen remembered when Luke told her that.

Now it was starting to come together. Could it be because… of who Zero really was? Not only… because he was Lelouch… but because…

"Having a bad day, am I right?" The white-haired man clapped his hands. "You just happen to stumble upon a really big, fat secret, haven't you, Miss Stadtfeld? Or should I refer to the name you prefer: Kallen Kozuki?"

Viceroy Palace

Euphemia sat across from Lord Vader as they both sat in a room that looked refined and clean, though not as luxurious as many would put it. Although, they were not alone entirely…

"A drink, ma'am?"

Euphemia gasped when a silver-plated protocol droid offered a saucer with small cups of a green beverage she had never seen or drank before.

"Do not be afraid, Sub-Viceroy," Vader said as he sat. "She is only a protocol droid programed to serve beverages to any guests I invite. She is completely harmless, and so are the drinks."

Euphemia looked at Vader, and then back at the droid, who remained patiently waiting with the tray of drinks. The Sub-Viceroy graciously took one of the cups.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, ma'am." The droid nodded before walking over to offer a drink to Vader, who simply waved.

"Leave us."

The droid obediently obeyed and left the room, leaving the dark lord and the Sub-Viceroy alone.

Euphemia felt the air tense as she now sat alone with only the dark lord for company. She stared down at the drink in her hands. Although she was still puzzled by its look, she brought it up to her lips and drank the beverage. She widened her eyes a bit by its taste.

"Does the drink disturb you, Sub-Viceroy?" Vader asked.

"No, it's…" Euphie lowered the drink. "It's good." she admitted. "I… never tasted this… flavor before."

"Because it was made within the bounds of the galaxy it originated from, and not of your planet. It's one of the popular beverages in the Galactic Empire."

"Lord Vader…" Euphemia said as she placed the cup down on the table between her and the dark lord. "You wished to speak to me… regarding my experience at the hotel-jacking?"

"Indeed." Vader nodded.

"I have to ask… why talk to me about this now?" She asked. "It took place over many weeks ago."

"Indeed," Vader admitted. "I didn't see thought to question, especially since your sister would have preferred you had space since such an incident. I recalled your part in it today during our meeting. Which made me curious."

"You mean… regarding Zero… and Skywalker?" Euphemia said, almost narrowing her eyes.

"Yes," Vader folded his hands together. "I would like for you to recall your experience of what you witnessed during the crisis, Sub-Viceroy."

"WHAT?!" Kallen's eyes widened at what the man said. "That… what the hell are you talking about?!" What the hell was happening? Who the hell was this man? And… how did he know her? Let alone know her true surname?!

"What? How?" The man grinned. "I think the most interesting thing of today is… of what you think."

"Uh…" Kallen almost felt a pit hit her stomach. "I… I fail to understand what you mean… sir…" She had to compose herself. "I…"

"Oh, drop the sickly girl act," The man waved off, causing Kallen to pause. "It's pathetic… even you hate doing it. You feel sick in your stomach to act out your soft persona. Kallen Stadtfeld. Smart, but gentle and sensitive student and daughter of the noble Stadtfeld household. Treated to live at your father's luxurious estate and attend the illustrious Ashford Academy. A quiet, sickly girl who barely socializes with anyone due to her poor health. That is all you want anyone to notice and nothing more. You're sick of putting up the façade of a freaking invalid. Yet it is all a means to an end. All to hide who you really are.

"Behind that pretty, little barrier… you have a fire brewing inside you. A fire that had been sparked by anger. By hate. Hate for Britannia for ruining your beloved homeland. Hate for all Britannians looking down on your beloved Japanese. Hate… for your father."

Kallen gasped.

"Yes, you hate your father… enough to reject his name. You prefer your mother's name. Kozuki. Just as your brother did. Despite being half-Britannian… you can't bare the fact. You can't even bare the existence of them general. That thing you always say: Oh, how I hate Britannians."

Kallen's eyes widened.

"Since the day of the invasion… you hated the existence of every single one of them upon the face of this planet: whether they be soldiers or civilians. But now… a golden opportunity had dawned upon you. With a twist of fate… and irony that a leader you can look up to… turned out to be the very thing you hate."

Flashback

15 Hours Earlier

Port Yokosuka

Kallen stood frozen in place as she gazed at Zero who was both unconscious and unmasked before her.

"Hands up!"

Kallen froze when she felt a gun pointed to her head.

"Drop your weapon. Now." The woman demanded from behind her. A moment passed, and Kallen complied as she bent and set the blaster on the ground.

The perpetrator came in front of her to reveal herself as none other than… Villetta Nu.

Villetta Nu kicked the blaster away from Kallen's reach.

The Pureblood woman went over to the unmasked Zero and took a good look at the boy.

"So… all this time…" The woman took the unmasked Zero by the hair to get a better look at him. "One of the most dangerous criminals… to pose a threat to the Empire… is actually a schoolboy. One of our very own."

Kallen stood still, still in shock over the unexpected reveal that had felt like a bag of bricks that fell on her head.

"And not any Britannian boy." Villetta took a deep breath. "One of royal blood. One who we all thought had perished when this country was brought into the Empire. The son of not only the late Empress Marianne and our Emperor… but the 17th Heir of our Holy Empire: Lelouch vi Britannia."

Kallen felt time freeze like never before. At those words… she felt cold water splashing her before drowning her.

Lelouch?

Lelouch… vi Britannia… as in…?

Kallen's blue then widened as she remembered the hardened face of an imposing man dressed in garbs befitting that of the highest royalty. A man who raised his fist in the air and raised his voice loud.

"Inequality is not wrong, equality is!"

No…

No…

Zero was… Lelouch was…

All this time?

It couldn't be…?

It couldn't…

She then heard the Villetta woman staggard back to almost give a cracked laugh.

"Unbelievable! I just can't believe it!" The woman held her own face to compose herself. "This… changes… almost everything! If I were to… deliver him myself… to the Viceroy… at least alive… then—"

STAB!

"AH-HA!" Villetta screeched when Kallen stabbed the woman from behind with the blade hidden in her pink pouch. The red-head girl's mind was still in a daze. She didn't know what she was doing. Perhaps on instinct. But she took the chance to get the woman from behind.

"You little-!" Villetta backhanded Kallen back and attempted to point her gun at her. Kallen got back to point the gun towards her and…

BANG!

Present

Kallen froze stiff as she started recollecting the memory.

"You are now at a crossroads, Kallen." The man continued. "You are so conflicted and confused. You are afraid to doubt whether to trust those you've come to admire so much. Not just Zero. That includes… the aliens you call friends, hmm?"

"First Han Solo. Typically, first glance at him would make him out to be shrugging, swaggering guy… but it turns you hit off quite nicely. Giving you tips on how to be an expert gunslinger. Both your fancy with tools. And… oh, I see… he's filling the void Naoto left behind."

"Stop it!"

"Deep down you think of him as the big brother you lost." The man chuckled. "Geez, girl, don't get your hopes up. That small-time thief has a hard time thinking he has time for things like that besides his precious junk ship or his debts. He might as well disappoint you."

"Get out of my head!"

"Next is Skywalker." The man grinned almost mischievously. "He's the kind of guy you think wouldn't exist… at least not in this kind of world. Funny… he even isn't from this world." He made a cackling laugh as he clapped his hands, while Kallen gritted her teeth. "You really admire him, don't you? You admire his courage. His almost upbeat chivalry. You even think he trusts you. What an upbeat partner you have, huh?

"And now… back to Zero… or should I say: Lelouch vi Britannia." He sinisterly grinned at her. "You now know who he is now. The son of one of the very men you hate most in this world. Son of the Britannian Emperor himself. A man you haven't even met… yet you know as the one responsible for ordering his armies on your beloved country. That made you hate him with passion. Him and his all the rest of his children." The white-haired man continued. "That should include Lelouch… and his little sister."

"Wha…" Kallen shook. "You mean… Nunnally?"

"Wouldn't it be what people call it… karma? He deceived you. Lied to you. Both as Zero and as your classmate, Lelouch Lamperouge. You want to make him suffer for it. Make him feel the pain Britannia made you feel. Most especially when they took your brother away. He barely felt anything when he and Luke offed his big brother, Clovis. But just imagine the blood draining from his face when you… well… do the same to his beloved sister. That will be perfect karma."

"WHAT?! NO!" Kallen shook her head instantly, both horrified and appalled. "Why… why I do something horrible as that… Nunnally… she's just a child. She's… blind… and… in a wheelchair…"

"How do you know if she really is confined?" The man asked, causing Kallen to freeze. "Don't you do the same with that sickly façade of yours? To get people to think you are nothing but a harmless, little lamb? How do you know she isn't doing the same thing?"

"I… I still wouldn't!" Kallen shook her head. "I would… I would never harm a child!"

"Well, look at you. Contradicting your own hateful claims." The man remarked, confusing Kallen. "Face it, Kallen. You just can't face that the fact that you are a hypocrite." Mao declared. "You call yourself a righteous Japanese savior ready to fight off the fearsome Britannians who screwed up your perfect world… the truth is you couldn't be more different from them."

Kallen gasped.

"How many lives you took without hesitation? How many of them you murdered and backstabbed just to save yourself? How many times you prefer to go back to that comfy home of yours while your so-called comrades are forced to live those awful ghettos? How many days you spat on mommy even when she kept smiling while she kept getting her hands cut cleaning up the mess she made?"

Kallen cringed as she felt her blood run cold at that.

"You didn't bother to realize that she stayed for your sake, yet you thought her a hopeless cause the moment she enslaved herself to that puck-up stepmother of yours. And you didn't care to do a thing. You were just this close… to dropping her like the that dead weight you thought she was back at that warehouse…"

"SHUT UP!"

"You're no benevolent rebel. You're no hero. All your hideous deeds are just excuses you make to hide your sins. The truth you are so in denial of accepting… that you truly act and are a Britannian just like your father!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

"Oh, hey, hey, now," The man backed to get some distance from the now-infuriated redhead. "Before you pull up that secret switchblade of yours… don't try it… lest you want anything to happen to your friend."

Kallen gasped. "My… friend?"

Hidden Base

RING! RING!

A phone rang that caught the group's attention, and Zero went to open the phone from his pocket, and looked to see who was calling him.

"Kallen…" That caught everyone's attention. Zero opened the phone and put it to his ear. "Kallen?"

"Zero…" Kallen spoke… her voice almost soft.

"Where have you been?" He asked. "Everyone has been feeling concerned…"

"I'll just to the chase already…" Zero noticed that Kallen's tone sounded… off… as if distressed. "I… last night… I know…" The boy behind the mask widened his eyes. "I know… who you are."

The Falcon crew heard that as well.

So, it was true. The suspicion they had. Of what Rai had said.

Kallen… knew the truth. She had seen Zero's face.

Zero should've seen this coming. He was barely surprised… but still…

"Kallen…" He spoke… realizing he could no longer hide behind a façade. She now knew. She knew… that Zero and Lelouch Lamperouge were the same.

"We need to talk." That surprised Lelouch.

"Talk?"

"Yes. I need to hear it from you. From your mouth. Face to face."

"Alright, we can arrange that. Just come back to base…"

"No. Somewhere else. Come to where I am."

"And where is that?"

"The railcar park here in the settlement."

That surprised a few of them.

"But why there?"

"It doesn't matter. Just come alone. Then we can talk without any distractions. Okay?"

With that he heard the phone hang up.

"Wha?" Lelouch looked in disbelief at the phone. "Seriously, that's it?"

Han sighed. "I doubt she's taking it well."

Tamaki grumbled as he struggled with the binds tying his wrists and feet. All the while, he had been left alone after that shade-wearing jack*ss had ambushed him that alley and brought him here.

If only he wasn't bounded by these ropes, he would quickly tackle and kick the jerk's *ss hundred times over already. Although…

He glanced to see his pack a few feet away. Where he kept the new prescriptions of medicine… and his phone!

Tamaki glanced around to make sure he was entirely alone, and so he scooched like a caterpillar as quiet as he can towards his pack to pick up his phone.

"They left?" Ohgi asked Rex, with Sabine and Thane coming by.

"They didn't much say where they were heading, but I could tell by the looks on their faces, well except Zero's… that they looked kind of grim."

"First Kallen doesn't call back, and now Tamaki," Ohgi shook his head. "I'm not liking this—"

RING! RING!

"What is it?" Thane asked.

Ohgi opened his phone and answered. "Tamaki?"

"Ohgi! Please, you got to help me!"

Everyone looked startled by the panicking tone from Tamaki.

"Tamaki, what's wrong? Where are you?" Ohgi asked, now looking very worried.

"What do I sound like?! I've been kidnapped, dammit!" That caused everyone to look shocked. "This white-haired guy with glasses took me by surprise right after I left the drug store!"

"Where are you?!" Ohgi asked, with great worry.

"At railcar park! The one Naoto brought us…"

"Oh, no you don't!" Then came another voice on the phone. "I'll be taking that."

"No! No! NO—"

Soon the phone turned dead.

"Tamaki?!" Ohgi called out on the phone. "Tamaki?!"

"Who was that?!" Sabine questioned.

"The kidnapper no doubt," Rex said, with narrowed eyes.

"This isn't good," Ohgi grimaced. "Tamaki's in trouble."

"What did he mean by a railcar park?" Thane said.

"I have to go…" Ohgi, before turning to leave.

"And where do you think you're going?" Sabine stopped the man by taking hold of his shoulder. "You're not thinking going there alone, right?"

C.C. drove the van along the highway towards the destination Kallen told them. In the van consisted of her, Han, Leia, Luke, Lelouch, and Artoo. Chewie couldn't come out… due to obvious reasons. Yet, strange Artoo had insisted to come along.

It was risky enough for Luke, Leia, Han, and C.C. to come out in the open. Lelouch had given them causal clothing for them to wear. Luke wore a blue sweater with an orange vest on top, along with skinny jeans and sneakers. Leia wore a blue jacket and jeans, along with a pair of sunglasses. She even wore her hair in a ponytail as opposed to the style that was custom to her homeworld of Alderaan. Han wore a brown cardigan over a white shirt, along with sandy trousers. He even wore a brown Fedora style hat over his head. C.C.'s new look stood out the most. Her green hair was in high-up pigtails, and she what looked like wore a German white-red dress, even having a small hat on her head.

"Uh…" Luke muttered as pulled at his jeans. "These pants are tighter than even my old jumpsuit."

"Were the change of attire, really necessary?" Leia asked, she even fondling her ponytail. Not as much used to it as like her common style.

"Did all of you forget that all of you are wanted by both Britannia and the Empire. Even your faces are on the most wanted list. If you insisted on coming, at least try to blend in just in case."

"How are we supposed to blend in when we look like clowns?" Han exclaimed. "Especially her?" He gestured at C.C.'s new look.

"Is there something wrong with how I look?" C.C. questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Artoo whistled.

"Oh, c'mon, didn't take a look in the mirror?" Han said. "Even with that puny little hat?"

"My hat? And what about yours?" C.C. countered.

"What this?" Han pointed at his Fedora hat. "How funny does it make me look?"

"It looks kind of nice," Leia shrugged. "Though it adds more to that typical hotshot ego you have."

"Hotshot?!" Han exclaimed.

"Eh…" Luke sighed. "Were just going to find Kallen… and talk to her…"

"That is…" Lelouch looked grim. "If she is in a good mood."

"At which part?" Han asked. "That Zero is her classmate… or a Britannian Prince?"

Lelouch looked away. "Both."

"And if she intends to turn against you and plans to expose you?" C.C. inquired further. "Do you plan to kill her?"

"What?!" That caused almost everyone to be appalled.

Artoo beeped loudly.

"Why would we resort to that?" Leia questioned.

"Kallen's our friend!" Luke said. "I mean… even if she may be… upset… we wouldn't even consider doing something… like that…"

"Hey…" Han said. "I get it. I know that kind of feeling. You may be saying that to prepare us for… just in case." Everyone looked at Han. "But… for Kallen's case… I don't know. For her… she's… she may be not taking it well… that she was kept in the dark…"

"As it should be for her sake," C.C. said, causing everyone to glance at her.

"Why do think?" Lelouch asked.

"If there are people you care about… you should keep them at a distance."

"Who told you that?" Luke questioned.

C.C. glanced at Luke briefly, before her eyes went back on the road. "It's a way of life."

Meanwhile, driving on the same road towards the same destination, was another van holding another group of rebels.

"So, you're saying that you've been to this place before?" Rex asked Ohgi, who was driving.

"Yeah… it was one of those places we used to hang out at."

"You think Tamaki's being held for ransom?" Thane said.

"If so… either it could be they would learn about our hidden base and where we are…" Sabine said. "It could be a trap."

"So, what happens when get there?" Rai asked.

"When we get there, we'll…" Sabine then realized when she turned to see Rai sitting in the very back. "What… RAI?!"

"HUH?!" Ohgi, Rex, and Thane squealed. The shock almost caused Ohgi to lose and steer off the road. Thankfully he regained composure, allowing everyone to focus on the uninvited guest in the van.

"What the hell are you doing, Rai?!" Sabine exclaimed.

"How'd you even get in here?!" Rex demanded.

"I… uh…" Rai looked a bit nervous. "I… followed you… and… overheard your conversation."

"Oh, so you're some kind of stalker?" Thane exclaimed. "That's comforting to know!"

"Ohgi, turn this transport around!" Sabine said.

"What?!" Rai said.

"You're not supposed to be here!" Sabine exclaimed. "You're supposed to be back at the base!"

"You can't bring me back!" Rai protested. "Not when your friends are in danger!"

"That's our business." Rex stated. "You don't have to concern yourself with what we do?"

"And what is wrong… with helping your friend?" That caused everyone to pause.

"You… you don't even know what we do," Thane said.

"I do not… no…" Rai looked down. "I do not know who I am. But…" He looked up. "I do… want to help." He looked at Sabine. "You helped me, right?"

Sabine paused at that and couldn't deny it.

"You don't seem to understand, kid," Rex said. "We may be walking into something dangerous."

"If that is so…" Rai said. "Why do you have to do it alone?"

"Aw, man…" Ohgi hung his head, as he kept driving.

Viceroy Palace

"I had never been to this country before… and there were many places I wanted to see." Euphemia began. "And it became complicated when Cornelia announced that would act as Sub-Viceroy."

"You wanted to sightsee not as a princess, but as a common tourist," Vader assumed. "You wouldn't have to draw unneeded attention everywhere you go."

"Yes, that's right." Euphemia said. "Many times, I really find the media to be tedious and overbearing."

"And because of that… the rogue members of the Japan Liberation Front didn't identify you when you and citizens were taken hostage."

"No. My bodyguard and I blended with the group and kept my head down. Though I wouldn't say I wasn't terrified. Not for me… but more for the welfare of the people around me. The best case was that we would wait until help would arrive… only little I realize later the situation was growing worse…"

"Indeed," Vader agreed. "Apparently the terrorists resorted to extreme tactics by taking advantage of their hostages. One by one…"

"Yes… that…" Euphemia cringed as she remembered the man that had been dragged out… and never came back. "From that point on… the tension in the storage we were being held was raised even higher. Especially with the soldiers who were tasked with guarding us. That was when things took a turn."

"And what was that?"

"A young girl was frightened by one of the soldiers… and she uttered the term… 'Eleven.' Apparently, he had heard her… and he became livid. He aimed his rifle at her and demanded that she apologized. She looked so scared… she could barely speak. Her friends started defending her, and that was when the soldier got really angry. He grabbed the frightened girl and he… threatened her. One of her friends, a boy, rose up to defend her, but then the soldier started beating him. I couldn't stand it. Even when my bodyguard told me not to… I just couldn't!"

"So… you exposed yourself before the terrorists for the sake of hostages?" Vader deduced.

"Yes." Euphemia nodded. "I demanded that the soldiers stop harassing the hostages and that I would be taken to see their leader."

"A selfless action… but you might as well have put them and yourself in far greater danger."

"What?" Euphemia looked confused.

"Not only you had granted the terrorists a greater bargaining chip than they could have hoped for… but where did that leave the other hostages?" Vader questioned. "The terrorists would have used the opportunity for something more. They would have done away with the hostages and kept you alive."

Euphemia gasped. "Why would you think that?"

"Who would terrorists see more valuable as a hostage? A dozen commonfolk-citizens… or the Third Princess and one of those next in line to inherit the throne of the Britannian Empire?" Vader questioned.

"Uh… I…" Euphemia stuttered.

"Enemies… can be unpredictable, Sub-Viceroy," Vader said. "You could not expect them to follow the same code of rules you follow."

Euphemia paused at that.

"Can you continue?" Vader asked.

"Uh… yes." Euphemia continued. "I was escorted to meet with leader… but just my escort announced my presence to the other side of the door… something strange happened."

"Strange?"

"There came the sound of a man yelling. Then came the sound of gunshots. When we began to enter the room, it was dark. As the soldier and I walked in… Skywalker appeared. He jumped and kicked the soldier guarding me. He came to my side… as if to defend… and he pulled out his… laser sword at the other soldiers outside. Then Zero appeared and fired a warning shot at them. It was then… I saw what happened in the room. The terrorist leader, Colonel Kusukabe… and his fellow men… they were dead."

"The report was that they apparently expressed remorse for their actions… and committed suicide."

"It… appeared so."

"And what happened after… with Zero and Skywalker?"

"After the terrorist soldiers escorted out… I was alone with them." Euphie said. "And Zero was the first address me."

"What did he say?"

"He…" Euphie almost hesitated. "He noted… how I was willing to lay down my life for the sake of the commoners. And at that… he said… I haven't changed."

For a moment, Euphemia thought she saw Vader twitch his helmeted head at that.

"My lord?"

"It's nothing," The dark lord said. "Continue."

When the group arrived, it was decided that they would look for Kallen if they split up and covered the place. Han and Leia. C.C. and Artoo. Luke. And Lelouch.

Practically the whole place looked empty.

Luke was alone, looking around the place. Aiming to see a girl with vibrant red hair standing out.

"C'mon, Kallen…" Luke said. "Can we just sit all together and talk this over?"

Luke was then caught off guard, as he turned around too late to feel a taser tased him in the gut, and he fell the ground. The pain overtaking him. Before he lost consciousness, he could hear devious chuckle accompanied by a pair of hands clapping…

Ohgi's group hopped out of the van upon the empty tourist site. Coming out were Rex, Thane, Sabine, Rai, and Ohgi. The latter looked upon the familiar place… a wave of nostalgia hitting him.

"What's wrong?" Rex said.

"Nothing, it's just…" Ohgi rubbed his head. "Thinking of simpler times…"

"I thought we came because one of our comrades is in deep trouble," Thane said.

"Look!" Sabine said, as she saw two people not far ahead. It was until they caught up to them and they realized who they were.

Lelouch walked so more… before he came upon Luke's downed form not far ahead.

"Luke!" Lelouch ran and kneeled in front of him. The Skywalker barely getting back up and rubbing his stomach. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"I…" Luke winced, as he started to remember. "I was… ambushed. It was…" He then noticed something, as his hand went to his belt. "My lightsaber… MY LIGHTSABER!"

"You mean this lightsaber?"

Both Luke and Lelouch turned to see an entirely different person they have never seen before standing a few meters from them. He grinned as he pulled out from his coat Luke's lightsaber. Waving in front of them while sporting a mocking grin.

"What the hell?!" Lelouch questioned in shock.

The sight of his father's lightsabers in the hands of this cretin caused Luke's blood to boil. "Give that back! That doesn't belong to you!"

"I would rather call Finders Keepers, pal," The man said. "For someone whose avoided danger from stormtroopers and Knightmare Frames… it was a low-down for you to get dropped on by someone like me."

That caused both young men to look at the man in confusion.

"Who the hell are you?!" Lelouch demanded.

The man then pulled out what looked a like a key piece and tossed to the ground in front of Luke and Lelouch. Upon closer inspection, both realized it wasn't any key piece. It belonged to that of Knightmare Frame. It was a red Knightmare Ignition Key… shaped like a familiar white-red feather that belonged to…

"Kallen…" Lelouch said with horror, and he glanced at the white-haired man who grinned.

"You bastard!" Luke gritted his teeth, while glaring at the man. "What have you done with her?!"

"Oooh… I like it! The scary face!" The man started to clap. "The face of a man whose woman was stolen away!"

"Cut the crap and answer the damn question!" Lelouch growled. "What the hell have you done with her!"

"Relax, loverboys…" The man stopped clapping. "She's fine… well for now anyway. If you want her back so badly… you'll have to accept my challenge. But it will be…" He pointed at Lelouch. "Only you and you alone."

"Were not buying that," Luke growled.

"Eh… I figured you would…" The man shrugged. "Though… I doubt you and your friends will have time to assist Lelouch… when all of you will be busy trying to save your other friend."

"WHAT?!" Both Lelouch and Luke said at the same time.

The white-haired man held up what looked like a handheld recorder and played it for a familiar voice to play out.

"PLEASE! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU! I DON'T… DON'T DO THIS! AHHH!"

"Tamaki?!" Luke exclaimed.

"Surprised?" The man grinned. "I doubted you wouldn't have brought any of your friends along to figure some calculated strategy to interfere. So, I decided to bring in another player…" He glanced at Luke. "To keep your hands full while we conduct our challenge."

"We didn't come here for games!" Lelouch growled. "Where are you keeping both Kallen and Tamaki?!"

"Oh, Kallen is just right up ahead… and as for Tamaki…" The man shrugged as he pointed to the far-out area of lawn and dirt. "Let's just saying he's lying down… albeit one or two feet in the ground."

That caused both Luke and Lelouch to gasp.

"WHAT?!" Luke exclaimed.

"You… You…" Lelouch exclaimed with horror building up.

"Don't worry, he's still alive…" The man then glanced at his watch. "Although, I calculate he has now has about 28 minutes left of air left. Or probably make that far less… considering he may have not stopped panicking with horror when I closed the lid on top of him."

"You… You sick…" Luke glared at the man.

"Be a good boy and run along for now. He would be buried somewhere… at least 10 to 15 meters from where I am standing."

"Where exactly?!" Lelouch demanded.

"That's the point of Luke's game." The man said. "I won't spoil it by giving you the exact spot. Just that area ahead. I know it will take more time to scour… but it will give Lelouch and I more time guaranteed of no interference. And don't feel stressed that you will have to dig by yourself. I left plenty of shovels for you and the rest of your friends. Especially since more of your friends so happened to drop by."

"What?" Luke said, as both him and Lelouch were confused.

"Oh, right. Just arriving where you entered the place. Your friends Kaname Ohgi, Sabine Wren, Thane Kyrell, Rex, and even that weirdo, Rai, have just shown up." That shocked both Luke and Lelouch. "That Tamaki had enough time to slip and call for help."

"How could you possibly know all of that?!" Lelouch demanded.

The man chuckled. "Either you're thinking I have surveillance cameras all around this place, and my glasses here…" He tapped his black visor over his eyes. "Are secretly letting me see each monitor all at once. Or the other possibility that I have multiple accomplices around the place, all while relaying to me info through my earphones." He tapped the earphones around his ears. "And the burning question of how I exactly know the names of your rebel comrades, likely you suspect that there is mole within the Black Knights or whatever. The truth is… none of them are correct. You see… I just know it."

Both Luke and Lelouch were dumbfounded by what this crazed man said. They didn't understand truly who this guy was… or how he knew all these things. But…

"Go on ahead, Luke." Lelouch said to his partner.

"What?!"

"Gather Leia, Han, and the others and go find Tamaki." Lelouch turned to the white-haired man. "I'll take his challenge."

"Lelouch, you can't be serious. It's…"

"I know it's a trap. And I accept it." Lelouch said. "Trust me on this."

For that, and the clock was ticking… Luke couldn't argue further. He reluctantly decided to let Lelouch have at whatever this crazed man had planned, while he and the others go save Tamaki.

"One more thing…" The white-haired man said. "If you think of sending at least one or two of your friends to interfere with me and Lelouch… I will know right away. And it will be game over… for both of your friends."

Artoo made a whistle, and C.C. turned in the direction the droid indicated. They saw the railcar ascending up. Through the windows, they could see Lelouch inside it.

"Huh? What's Lelouch doing up there and…" She then noticed someone else with him. "That's not Luke…"

She looked closely before her eyes widened in shock at the sight of the white-haired man with glasses over his eyes.

She trembled. She could never have forgotten that face…

"It cannot be… Mao!"

Luke had made up to Han and Leia, who had been united with the appearance of Ohgi, Sabine, Rex, Thane, and even Rai. There was confusion for all of them. It was when Luke explained what had happened and about what the madman had done, that they became serious.

"He buried Tamaki alive?!" Ohgi exclaimed with horror.

"What about Kallen?!" Han exclaimed.

"Lelouch is taking care of that…" Luke looked in the direction of the moving railcar. "That man threatened that if we interfered with the challenge, he'll just kill both Tamaki and Kallen."

"Who's Lelouch?" Sabine questioned.

Luke cringed when he realized he brought up Lelouch's name. "Never mind that… we have to focus on finding Tamaki."

"Where exactly?!" Leia exclaimed. "Did that man gave you directions to where he buried him?"

Luke walked away with the group following, till they found a pile of shovels next to a tree. In front of them was a ground of fresh dirt… that would have been easy to dig in.

"This has gotta be the place." Luke said.

"But which spot?" Rex exclaimed. "There are practically several spots we can dig in!"

"Then it's about time we get started!" Sabine said as she took one shovel, and even handed one to Rai. "Start digging in different places till we find that coffin."

"It's only a matter of time before Tamaki runs out of air!" Ohgi said, as he quickly went dig in the dirt.

"Han…" Leia quickly handed Han a shovel.

"This is so wrong…" Han grimaced. "I smuggle… not shovel."

"You know… I really haven't played chess before. Not like this."

Both Lelouch and the white-haired man sat across one another as they played the challenge set: a chess game between them.

"What's his ulterior motive? Without doubt… he knows who I am. He knows… Luke and many of the rebels' identities. How can that be? A spy? An infiltrator?"

Lelouch moved one of his knights to take out one of the man's pawns.

"This chess game is just a ploy… to get me to a discreet location. And perhaps…"

"I'm not a spy if that's what you're thinking." The man said.

Lelouch gulped.

"I'm not with either Britannia or the Galactic Empire." Lelouch almost gasped at that. "C'mon… if I were a spy… why would I bother going through all this trouble?"

Lelouch kept his eyes trained on him.

"Maybe you should cut the questions and focus on the game a bit more? You could lose." He brought his one his white bishops back… giving it an opening to zig straight towards Lelouch's black king.

Lelouch gasped… at just how the man was able to deduce what his strategy. He had scanned the white pieces that could pose a potential threat. The white bishop he thought the next worst threat… and the man managed to maneuver it in a way to get opening to get to his black king?!

"Liar! You have played this game before." Lelouch accused as he pulled his king back.

Artoo beeped confused at what C.C. was telling him.

"You don't understand, Artoo! We have to help Lelouch ourselves! No matter how brilliant he is… Lelouch can't beat him! He can never beat Mao!"

Artoo beeped confused.

"I don't have time to explain now!" C.C. said, looking almost frantic. "We need to get up there and stop them!"

Artoo beeped.

"What?" C.C. asked. "You can get us up there quick?"

Artoo beeped as he rolled with his back behind her.

"Hop on? Why?"

Artoo beeped with insistence. C.C. didn't understand… but complied

"Alright… now what…"

Suddenly, Artoo popped his booster jets from each side of his legs. Before long, the astromech unit blasted into the air with a surprised C.C. clutching onto him. Before long, both Artoo and C.C. were flying up the slope in order to catch with the railcar.

Lelouch froze in horror at what he was seeing. After several moves… and with a strategy he calculated to corner the white king… the white-haired somehow managed to move his white bishop in position to take out his black king. The man even found a way to bring his white king to break in the black territory in a position to take the black king.

"Impossible?! He's got me trapped?!" Lelouch frantically thought.

The white-haired man grinned triumphantly.

"So? Can we just call it my game, hmm?"

Suddenly, the railcar finally stopped, having reach the top. The stop caused a vibration that made all the chess pieces collapse.

"He predicted every move I made. Who the hell is this guy?!"

"Didn't C.C. tell you and your friends about me?" The man asked.

Lelouch glanced back at the man… with realization…

"Well done!" The man clapped. "With my question… you came up with 14 possible identities for me! And one of them is precisely correct." He lowered his glasses down to reveal his eyes: to reveal both eyes each having a familiar glowing sigil…

"Ugh! He has Geass, too!" Lelouch balked back, and by instinct the Geass sigil in his left eye revealed itself.

"Let's see now…" The man put back his glasses on. "For your Geass you have to look directly into someone's eyes."

"Ugh… how did you…?" Lelouch's jaw dropped.

"Oh, I know all the rules for your little gift." The man chuckled. "It's interesting… though I guess for you it sucks how you can't use it against stormtroopers." Lelouch froze. "Or a certain scary man dressed in black… like you."

"You… you can read minds!" Lelouch concluded, the pieces now coming together.

"Yeah, that's about it. You can call my Geass mind-reading…"

"What the hell did you do with Kallen!" Lelouch demanded as he stood from his seat. "Tell me now!"

The man grinned, before he pointed back at the window behind him.

Lelouch looked at the window and looked to see Kallen. She was in her school attire. He realized she was her wrists were handcuff to the stair rod. The red-haired girl noticed Lelouch in the railcar and her eyes widened.

"Now then… let the vital punishment games begin." The man declared as he made a clap of his hands.

Meanwhile, Luke, Han, Leia, Ohgi, Sabine, Rex, Thane, and Rai were digging fruitlessly around the area. All of them still digging for Tamaki.

"How much longer till Tamaki runs out of air?" Ohig asked, concerned.

"That guy gave a count of 28 minutes when we started…" Luke said. "So that means…"

"Half that time has passed already!" Rex exclaimed.

"Damn it!" Han said angrily as stabbed the ground with his shovel. "By the time we're done we might as well be gravedigging!"

"We can't lose hope!" Leia said. "We still have time! We'll dig the whole place if we must!"

"I really wish we can, Princess…" Thane muttered. "But the odds are not looking in our favor!"

"And what about Kallen?" Sabine questioned. "You said she was in danger as well, right?"

Luke gritted his teeth at that, almost feeling helpless. Even started to regret leaving Lelouch to face that guy by himself.

Rai continued digging on his end, till he looked up and noticed something off. In front of him were a line of light poles starting to turn on, likely due to the evening approaching. He noticed one of them was off...

"Rai, what's wrong?" Rex said. "Keep digging!"

"That light," Rai pointed. "It's off."

"What the hell is important with a light pole?!" Thane exclaimed.

"All the other lights are on, so why isn't this one?" Rai questioned.

"So what?!" Han exclaimed. "It's just some old bulb or some bad wiring! Who cares?!"

"Wait!" Ohgi said, catching everyone's attention. "I think he is on to something."

That caused everyone to be surprised.

"What?!" Sabine, Luke, Leia, and Rex sputtered.

"You're kidding me, right?" Han said.

"Seriously?" Thane exclaimed.

Ohgi stepped forward. "Unless... if all the other light poles work… except this one…" He looked at the ground near the lightpole. "Due to an old bulb or the wiring was…"

"The wiring won't because…" Luke said, starting to realize.

"Unless someone cut it." Han said, realizing it.

"In order to…" Sabine said… before long the whole group realized.

"It's right here then!" Rex pointed at the spot.

"The kidnapper must have cut the wiring while digging!" Leia concluded.

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's move it!" Thane beckoned, and soon everyone started digging on the spot. Digging at the speed of a speeder in hopes they were not too late.

Viceroy Palace

At last, Euphemia had to a close after recollecting her experience of the hoteljacking with Darth Vader.

When Euphemia made ready to leave the suite before she stopped to address the dark lord.

"Lord Vader?" Euphemia asked.

"Yes, Sub-Viceroy?"

"I… I apologize if in any way my testimony didn't satisfy you."

"The opposite, apparently," Vader said, surprising Euphemia. "I am very pleased to have had this conversation and having to learn of your side in the events that had unfolded that night, Princess."

"Uh… well, I'm glad to know you are pleased as well, my lord."

"Indeed." Vader opened the door that exited out of the suite. "I will let you retire for the night, Sub-Viceroy."

"Thank you," Euphemia nodded as she took several feet outside the suite.

"One last thing, Sub-Viceroy…" Vader called… and Euphemia stopped to turn back at him.

"Yes?"

"Be careful with whom you choose to be your knight," Euphemia's eyes widened. "These are dire times. And it is precautious to have someone you can rely on. Let alone trust."

CLANK!

Han's shovel hit something hard as he dug. Not a rock. Wood.

"Over here!" He called out to everyone.

Everyone banded together to dig up the spot Han was at. Before long, they had found the coffin.

"Open it up! Quickly!" Rex yelled.

Using the shovel, they pulled apart the nailed top off the coffin… to reveal Tamaki looking unconscious.

"Tamaki!" Ohgi bent down to grip his friend's shoulders. "Wake up! Please, wake—"

"GAH!" Tamaki's eye flipped open and sat straight up from the coffin, panting.

"He's alright!" Luke cheered with relief, as did everyone.

"Ugh… ugh…" Tamaki panted. "I'm alive… I can breathe. I can breathe!"

"Tamaki, thank goodness!" Ohgi hugged his friend.

"Ohgi?" Tamaki asked with wonder.

"You okay, soldier?" Rex asked.

"Captain?" Tamaki broke from Ohgi's hug to look at everyone gathered around him. "Guys… you… you all saved my life…"

"Thank this guy in particular," Sabine patted Rai's shoulder.

"Yeah, it was thanks to him… he noticed about the spot." Thane smiled.

"Oh, no…" Luke said, realizing that now they had saved Tamaki… he looked in the direction… where Lelouch and the white-haired man had gone.

The man escorted Lelouch at gunpoint out of the railcar and unto the stairs. He went to uncuff Kallen from her cuffs. To Lelouch's confusion, the man handed Kallen a spare gun for her to hold. He descended the stairs passing Lelouch. He stopped and looked in their direction, pulling out his gun and a switch.

"All right, now." The man said. "Now that the three of us are together and alone, it's best we get started with the game."

"I'm tired of these games, already!" Lelouch exclaimed. "Just what do you want?!"

"Kallen…" The man spoke to Kallen. "You are going to use the gun I gave you… and you are going to shoot Lelouch."

Lelouch gasped, as he glanced back at Kallen, who was almost trembling the gun in her hands.

"If you refuse…" The white-haired man held up the switch in his left hand. "I will click this switch… and it will ignite a small bomb I put right next to Tamaki's coffin. And it will go… boom."

"You bastard…" Lelouch growled. "He's sick if he intends to kill me by blackmailing Kallen in order to save Tamaki. I can't use my Geass on him while he's wearing his glasses. But if my Geass has limits what are his? A time lag? A time limit?"

"Go ahead and keep thinking about it." The white-haired man said. "That's your strong point, right, Lelouch? Thoughts spinning round and round and…"

"SHUT UP!" Lelouch yelled.

"Just so you know, Kallen," The white-haired man eyed Kallen. "I will know if you either decide do shoot him or not to."

Lelouch's eyes widened.

"Of course! He can read minds! He can read not only my mind, but her mind as well. So, he can tell if she has thought about double-crossing him, he'll shoot both of us!"

The man grinned… knowing just what Lelouch thought.

"Although, Tamaki is overall an idiot and the least useful comrade there is… you still care for him like a brother, right, Kallen?" The white-haired man said. "Just as much you care about Ohgi and the rest. And you wouldn't want to lose another one of your old friends, right? Not so soon after what happened to Yoshida, am I wrong?"

Kallen tensed and shuddered.

"Besides, the man right in front of you is nothing more than a liar." The man gestured at Lelouch. "A fraud who has been using you and your friends for his own gain. Not only he is a Britannian… he is the worst of the worst of them."

"Lelouch…" Kallen spoke, almost softly. "Is it true?"

"What?" Lelouch asked.

"All this time…" She continued. "Even when we were in the Student Council… you are…"

"Zero?" Lelouch said.

"Not that identity!" Kallen said, almost irritated. "I mean… who you really are? Is it true… that instead of Lelouch Lamperouge… you… you are… your… your real name is… Lelouch vi Britannia?"

Lelouch almost gaped, but then narrowed his eyes. He already knew that she knew. The man behind him grinned.

"You're a member of the Royal Family." Kallen said. "The same as Cornelia. The same as Clovis." She gripped the gun in her hands tight with resentment rising. "Your father… is that monster. The Britannian Emperor." She spoke the title of the man as if it were a forbidden curse.

"Kallen…" Lelouch tried saying.

"What a golden opportunity it is for her. To kill a member of the family she deems responsible for all the suffering that has been done to her beloved Japan. Too bad you can't use your Geass on her to stop her," The man taunted again. "Oh, if only you hadn't then this would have been so much more fun!"

"Lelouch…" Kallen said, now aiming the gun at Lelouch. "Is it true? Did you… use your power on me?"

"Ugh…" Lelouch felt stiff in place. He could only behold her shaking face. "I… yes. I did indeed. The day we met at Ashford."

Kallen gasped at that, almost lowering the gun.

"So, you… admit it?" She stuttered. "You… used me…"

"No, Kallen," Lelouch said, keeping eye contact with her. "I used it on you… because I wanted to be sure."

"Sure? Sure of what?" The girl said, confused.

"I recognized you from that fateful day in Shinjuku," Lelouch said. "When you piloted that red Glasgow."

Kallen gasped.

"I wanted answers as to why the daughter of a Britannian nobleman would resort to terrorism," Lelouch said. "You told me you had a reason to fight. For Japan. For your brother."

At that last part, Kallen almost balked and she almost lost her grip on the gun.

"Oooh… using her dead brother." The man said. "That's pretty daring of you to say that right in front of her."

"And… what about… Luke?" Kallen uttered. "And Han? And the others? They know… your secret? This whole time?"

"I wanted my identity to be kept secret as much as possible. I implored them not to. And I haven't used Geass on any of them. Or any of the other rebels or the Black Knights."

"So… you don't…" Kallen stuttered. "You don't… trust anyone?"

Lelouch closed his eyes, before opening them. "For a long time. A very long time. I couldn't see to trust anyone else in this world. Not after seeing what it is, what it has become… or what is has done to my family. That is… until that day… in Shinjuku."

Kallen stared curiously at Lelouch at that, and what he meant by that.

"Oh, come on!" The white-haired man exclaimed. "Don't you see, Kallen? He's trying to use that silver-tongue of his to goad you into sparing him some of your precious sympathy. That's what he does, Kallen! He's done it ever since he was a child! And he'll keep doing it until he's satisfied! Hell, if it were the reverse: if he was the one with the gun, and you in point range, he'll pull the trigger on you just keep his secret safe—"

"Shut up!" Kallen growled.

The white-haired man held up the switch, causing Kallen to gasp.

"It's his life… or Tamaki's." The man warned, causing Kallen to shake the gun in her hand.

"Kallen…" Lelouch said.

"Why are you still dangling yourself at a crossroads, Kallen?" The white-haired man questioned. "You really want to spare Lelouch? What was that mantra you always repeated to yourself: Why I always hate Britannians? Was that all this just… a lie? Are you really willing to stain your hands with more blood? I guess I shouldn't be surprised." The white-haired man shook his head. "You already have your fair share. So, what's one more? Add Tamaki's blood… along with Yoshida's."

That caused Kallen to freeze.

"Just like with Nagata. And just like with Nao…"

"SHUT UP!"

BANG!

Both Lelouch and the white-haired man ducked when Kallen shot above and the bullet exploded a lightbulb above. They both looked to see her regain her composure, as she aimed the gun towards the white-haired man. A hateful look in her eyes.

"Screw you, you psycho!"

CLICK.

She gasped, and so did Lelouch. Kallen pulled the trigger again and again. But the gun no longer fired.

"One bullet." The white-haired man shook his head with disappointment. "One bullet was supposed to be enough… all for Lelouch. But it seems…" He pulled up the switch. "You're just as much of a sinner as he is…"

WHEEP!

"GAH!" The white-haired man cried out when the form of Artoo zipped through the air with his hover-boosters and sprang head-on to collide with the man's stomach.

"ARTOO!" Both Lelouch and Kallen cried out.

The white-haired man fell back to the ground, dropping both his gun and the switch. He groaned as he felt like a great-aching pain forming in his chest area. At least perhaps, the droid's hard metal head fractured at least one or two of his ribs.

"The… hell…" He groaned as he tried getting up.

"WHEEP!" Artoo beeped angrily causing the white-haired man to balk back.

"What the?! Where the heck did you come from?!" He exclaimed. "Why didn't I sense you?!"

Artoo growled, before he popped out his buzzer from one of his compartments and blasted an electric shock at the spot… between the man's legs.

"YEEARGGOOWWW!" The white-haired screamed like Tom the Cat as he crouched down while holding both hands to his groin in response to the great, unexpected burning pain. It didn't stop there, with his head crouched down, Artoo leaned back before smacking his metal chrome head against the white-haired man's face. Harder than a face slam from a door, the man fell back into the railcar.

"ARGH!" He held his face and nose in pain from the hit, even his visor cracked from the impact. "You… fre… little…" He glared back at Artoo, who looked ready to go at it again. "Screw you!" He pointed at the droid. "You're going to pay for that! I'm so going to enjoy ripping you apart you little…"

Before he could act on his threat, the doors to the railcar closed, and whole thing started moving again. The whole railcar started descending.

"What the… who did that?!" The man exclaimed, now very confused. "I couldn't sense them again… was it… another one of those robots?! Those droids?! Either that or…" He then realized with widened eyes. "It… It couldn't be!" He ran up to the rear window of the railcar… and that was when he saw her.

"C.C.!" Lelouch exclaimed as he saw his contractor having arrived with her gun aimed at the white-haired man.

"What?! What is she doing here?!" Kallen exclaimed upon seeing the green-haired girl, now dressed far differently than the last time she saw her at Narita.

"I knew it! We finally meet again!" The white-haired man's confused expression faded and was replaced with awe and joy as he pressed his hands at the window, keeping his eyes glued at C.C. "It's you! It's really you!"

He removed his headphones and they fell on the seat next to him. Instead of music playing out… it was the sound of a voice.

C.C.'s voice.

"Are you awake, Mao? Forgive me, Mao. That's the way! See, Mao! You can do it! Thank you, Mao."

The man's expression melted into that of undying devotion and cheer. "You look beautiful, C.C.! I love that new look!" The railcar was descending further away. "C.C., I'll come to see again as soon as I can! I promise! I PROMISE!"

C.C. just stood on the stairs, aiming her gun in the direction of the railcar, her stoic expression almost cracking. "Mao. I never thought you would come out among people."

"Kallen…" Lelouch went over to his redhead classmate, who panted hard after the close call.

"Lelouch… I…" Kallen almost shook, as she stared at her hands. "I… I… I almost…"

"It's alright," Lelouch took her by her shoulders. "It's over now."

"But he…" She stuttered. "He was going to kill… Tamaki. He swore that if I didn't comply… he would have killed him. I just… I just couldn't… lose another friend. I couldn't…"

"It's okay." Lelouch reassured. "You didn't want to be responsible for anything that would have happened to Tamaki. He tried to goad into something you didn't want to do…"

"Lelouch… is it really true then…?" Kallen looked at Lelouch. "You are…?"

Lelouch looked seriously at her for moment before speaking.

"Yes. I'm not just Lelouch Lamperouge. I am… the former prince… Lelouch vi Britannia. As well as your comrade: Zero."

"Zero?"

Both Lelouch and Kallen turned… to see everyone staring at them. All including Luke, Han, Leia, Ohgi, Sabine, Rex, Thane, Rai, and even Tamaki, who looked all safe and sound.

Apparently… having heard what they had both spoken to one another.

"Oh, no…" Luke thought.

"Crap…" Han grimaced.

"Tamaki!" Kallen cried out to see him safe and sound.

"Kallen… who the hell is this guy?" Tamaki gestured at Lelouch.

"And why did you call him… Zero?" Rex said, as the newcomers turned their eyes on Lelouch.

"Who the heck is she?" Sabine gestured at C.C., who simply stood by.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Thane demanded. "Explain now!"

"Everyone!" Leia said, as she got in between them. "Calm down."

"It's alright," Lelouch spoke out, catching everyone's attention. He shared glances with Luke and Kallen.

"Kid." Rex said to Lelouch. "Are we supposed to know you?"

Lelouch closed his eyes and sighed.

There was no point denying it now.

Pendragon

"So… everything is going on schedule, then?" Schneizel asked.

"Yes," Marrybell nodded. "Oldrin and the others we'll be ready with new run of training with the new models on the morrow."

"It won't be easy work," Ocho said. "That you should know."

The door to the room they were in slid open… to reveal a porty man entering.

"Ah, General Bartley," Schneizel greeted with a smile. "So glad you could join us."

"The honor is mine, Your Highness," Bartley bowed.

"Bartley?" Marrybell said. "You're General Asprius Bartley."

"I am, yes. I am honored to meet you, Princess Marrybell," Bartley bowed to the red-haired princess. "I heard from His Highness that…" The man paused when his eyes fell on Ocho, and the man almost balked at her appearance.

"Oh, General," Schneizel said. "Allow me to introduce you to Agent Ocho from Imperial Security Bureau."

"What…?!" Bartley looked confused.

"By the look you are giving her, allow me to clarify, General," Marrybell said. "Agent Ocho's appearance may look similar to that of an Eleven… but she is not. She is not even from this world… but from the Galactic Empire."

"The…" Bartley stuttered. "The Galactic Empire? You mean… the aliens?!"

Ocho almost narrowed her eyes.

"Now, now," Schneizel said. "We are all friends here. General, I understand if you are still having time getting accustomed to the changes that happened during your brief confinement."

"I apologize most sincerely, Your Highness," Bartley said. "It's still a rabble to me… especially when I first heard the rumors of what had been happening outside… and what His Majesty had announced... it almost sounded like madness."

"All in good time, my friend." Schneizel said.

"I remember now. You were the one who served my brother, Clovis," Marrybell narrowed her eyes. "When he was murdered."

"Your Highness…" Bartley's face fell to shame. "There's no question… I failed His Highness. I strove to serve and protect him during his time as Viceroy. Yet what happened… it was the worst night of my life. My failure to stop the terrorists from taking his life… is what led to my sentence. But I wish to atone for it. I wish to continue serving the royal family in any way I can and see that Prince Clovis' killers are brought to justice. I owe a debt I can never repay to Prince Schneizel… and if there is anything I can do for you… please name it."

"General Bartley is under my service and protection," Schneizel said. "His expertise and knowledge will greatly benefit our future projects. However, it is by your own heart if you wish to forgive him. I won't force that from you, dear sister."

Marrybell looked at the bald general who still bowed his head humbly at her. She had been greatly saddened by Clovis' death, and the heartache that came when she comforted Laila about it. It would have been easy to blame those in charge of Clovis' protection… but the princess knew who was to truly blame for the loss of her brother.

The terrorists who had murdered him in cold blood.

"I will accept your apology, General Bartley," Marrybell said, causing the General to look up at her in awe. "But first… I would like very much if would shake hands with Agent Ocho and start over."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness!" Bartley said and looked to see Ocho stepping forward with an extended hand, which Bartley nervously took.

"If the prince trusts you into his service, General, I will gladly forgive any transgression or misunderstanding you have had with because of my appearance." Ocho said. "I prefer that trust with one another benefits greater in service to both our empires."

"Uh… yes… that's very much preferable, my lady… uh… I mean…" Bartley corrected himself. "Agent or…"

"Agent is fine," Ocho nodded. "Now that we are getting started with the manufacturing and test runs. We'll be able to make results in time for the new arrivals."

"New arrivals?" Marrybell asked.

"Yes," Ocho nodded. "I received word from Agent Gideon that my mentor, Colonel Yularen and a client of his will be making the journey to Pendragon from Coruscant."

Lamperouge Residence

An hour had passed since then.

After the complicated reveal to Ohgi, Tamaki, Sabine, and Thane, Han and Leia assured that they would explain things the next morning. That… and then there was Rai.

For now, Lelouch brought Kallen, Luke, and C.C. into the clubhouse, after checking out Nunnally and Sayoko were absent, it was okay for now.

They were in kitchen, where Lelouch prepared something hot for all of them to drink, considering the rough day it turned out to be. Most especially for Kallen, who had hung up her yellow sweater over the chair as she took in a sip.

"This… is good," Kallen said. "Thanks, Lelouch."

"So… Kallen…" Luke asked nervously. "How are you… well…"

"Taking it?" She finished, before looking away, almost contemplating. "You mean… not just being held hostage by some… psycho… and…" She glanced at Lelouch. 'Well… it's… a lot. A lot for one day."

"Right…" Luke said. Kallen noticed his downfallen expression.

"Luke, what's wrong?"

"Nothing it's… well…" Luke looked away. "That bastard. He took my lightsaber."

"Your lightsaber?!" Kallen said, appalled. "He stole it from you?!"

"He easily got the drop on me…" Luke hung his head down. "I let my guard down… and now…"

"We'll get it back, Luke," Lelouch said, causing Luke to look at him. "We're not letting that guy go after what he pulled. We'll talk to C.C. about who—"

"Is anybody home?"

"Huh?" Everyone said.

"Is that…?" Kallen said.

"Threepio?" Luke said.

Before long, the golden protocol droid walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, hello everyone." The droid greeted.

"What are you doing here, Threepio?" Lelouch questioned.

"What? Oh, Master Lelouch. When Mistress Kallen left the Falcon, she had left behind her pouch." The golden droid held out Kallen's pink pouch. "I was worried that she would get home and wonder where she could have lost it. I hope I didn't mean to cause any bother, miss…"

"It's alright," Kallen smiled as she took the pouch from the droid's hands. "Thank you."

"Oh, it was a pleasure, milady," Threepio nodded.

"You know to be true… it's not really what it seems on the outside," Kallen admitted as she held the pink pouch.

"Oh?" Threepio said, curious.

"What do mean?" Luke asked, now curious.

"Well… it's actually a cover…" Kallen nervously said as she held up the pouch. "For this."

SLISH!

With a squeeze, a knife-blade popped out of the pouch, surprising almost everyone.

"Oh, my stars!" Threepio exclaimed loudly.

"Was that someone yelling?!"

Lelouch, Luke, Kallen, and Threepio paused when they heard another voice. At least somewhere in the clubhouse residence.

"Was that Lelouch?"

"Is he really here?"

"Wait is that…" Kallen started to recognize the voices.

"Crap!" Lelouch exclaimed. "It's the Student Council!" He turned worried at Luke and Threepio in the kitchen. This was bad. "Go out from the back door quick!"

"Right!" Luke nodded and turned to take the protocol droid. "C'mon, Threepio!"

"Oh, right away, sir!" Threepio complied.

"Is that big brother in the kitchen, Sayoko?"

The four of them froze when they heard a young girl's voice from the other door.

"Oh, no, not Nunnally, too!" Lelouch cried out.

"We're trapped now!" Kallen exclaimed.

"They can't see you guys!" Lelouch turned to Luke and Threepio. "Not at all. If they do… then it will be over!"

"But where can we go?!" Luke questioned, now worried.

Lelouch turned and looked at the pantry door.

"In the pantry, quick!" Lelouch beckoned.

Quickly, both Luke and Threepio huddled inside the cluttered space that was the pantry door.

"Master Luke," Threepio said. "I don't think there will be much room for—"

"Just squeeze in Threepio!" Luke exclaimed, just as Lelouch and Kallen closed the door on them.

And just in time for both doors to the kitchen opening.

Now entering were Shirley, Suzaku, Milly, Rivalz, Nina, and Arthur the cat, and on the other side, Nunnally, being wheeled in by Sayoko.

Lelouch and Kallen could only freeze in place.

"Uh…" Lelouch tensed.

"Hey… guys…" Kallen awkwardly waved.

"Kallen? You're here?" Nunnally said, upon hearing her voice.

"Huh?!" Shirley exclaimed. "Wha… what heck are you doing here Kallen?!"

"Uh-oh…" Milly gasped as she noticed Kallen's jacket was on the chair. She glanced back at both Lelouch and Kallen. And started to think… what this meant… and almost looked like. "Oh, dear…"

"Is this where you guys been the whole time?" Rivalz said.

"What are all of you guys doing here?" Lelouch questioned. "It's getting late?"

"Sorry we barged in here after school hours, Lelouch," Suzaku apologized. "But we tried calling you again… and…"

"You didn't seem to answer any of our calls or messages," Rivalz said.

"Everyone here was starting to get pretty worried… especially since you didn't come home the night before," Milly said.

"Seriously, Lulu!" Shirley exclaimed. "Where have both of you been?!"

Both Lelouch and Kallen tensed at that.

Meanwhile in the pantry…

"Master Luke…" Threepio said. "I feel like I'm going to suffocate."

"You're a droid, Threepio!" Luke stated in a whisper. "You don't breathe!"

"I feel we may be closed in this crevice forever." The droid tensed. "I'm so nervous. I fear I may risk exposing you."

"Just stay still… or if you can carefully move your leg from mine…"

"Oh, of course, sir." Threepio went to move a bit. "I shall… ohhh!"

Suddenly, the pantry flipped open and there was a collapse, catching everyone in the kitchen by surprise.

Luke pale and scooted back at the end of the pantry… as he saw Threepio having fallen out. The golden droid being the only one exposed.

Lelouch and Kallen balked and stared with their jaws open.

"Oh, dear…" Threepio got his bearings as he picked himself up. "I think I really done it now…" The droid turned… and beheld the Ashford Student Council and Sayoko staring at him with the most shocked and flabbergasted expressions. "Oh… hello everyone."

"Oh… dank ferrik…" Luke mentally squealed as he still hid in the pantry.

"Crap…" Both Lelouch and Kallen thought.

"WHAT THE?!" Suzaku and Shirley balked back in shock. Even Nina squealed as she hid behind Milly and Rivalz.

"Oh, dear…" Threepio noticed their apparently horrified expressions. "Have I done something to frighten you?! I'm terribly sorry if I have."

"It… It can… talk?!" Nina screeched.

"I don't understand?" Nunnally spoke out. "What's going on? Who is talking?"

"Oh, that would be me, my lady." Threepio turned to Nunnally in the wheelchair. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am C-3PO. Human Cyborg—"

"CYBORG?! You mean a robot?!" Rivalz said ecstatically as he approached the protocol droid.

"Rivalz, wait!" Lelouch tried to no avail.

"Rivalz, stop!" Shirley stopped her classmate. "You don't know if this is man in a costume?!"

"Costume?" Threepio said.

"Lulu?! Who the heck have you brought into your home? Is this some sort of prank?!" Shirley exclaimed.

"It's not a prank, Shirley!" Lelouch tried to explain.

"It isn't…" Suzaku said, catching everyone's attention. He turned towards Threepio and got a good look at him. "He… He's just like… one of those…" He had remembered seeing a protocol droid around the Imperials.

Suzaku stepped forward and looked at Threepio.

"Pardon me, sir?" The droid said confused.

Suzaku looked at golden plates on his figure. Then at the wires sticking from his chest. Then at the glowing eyes staring at him confused.

"It's…" Suzaku balked. "It's not a costume…"

"What?!" Shirley and Milly exclaimed.

"He… Holy Moly!" Rivalz exclaimed. "So, he is a real robot!"

"Huh?!" Milly exclaimed.

"Are you serious?!" Shirley exclaimed.

Lelouch and Kallen could only sigh.

"Please allow me to reintroduce myself," Threepio said. "My name is C-3PO. Human Cyborg Relations. At your service."

"Excuse… mister?" Nunnally said, only hearing his voice. "Are you… really a robot?"

"To be fair, I am referred to as a protocol droid, milady," Threepio said. "Though usually, my specialty is translating."

"Translate?" Milly said.

"Yes," Threepio nodded. "I am fluent in over six million languages."

"SIX MILLION?!" The student council roared in shock.

"Oh, so cool!" Rivalz said excitedly, as he marched up to Threepio. "You know that many? Do you know latin?"

"Now hold on!" Milly announced, gaining everyone's attention. "Before we continue…" She turned to Lelouch and Kallen. "Can you two explain… how the heck is a robot… a talking one… doing here in this house? Care to explain?"

"Uh…" Kallen tried saying. "Well… it's hard to explain… guys…"

"Lelouch…" Suzaku said. "Is this… Threepio… the reason why you haven't been at home and school lately? You as well, Kallen?"

Both Lelouch and Kallen briefly looked at one another… before they knew what to concoct to say.

"Yeah… that's right… you caught us…" Lelouch turned to face everyone. "You see… Kallen… was the one who found Threepio in the first place."

"Is that true, Kallen?" Shirley asked Kallen.

"Uh… yes, that's right," Kallen said. "You see… I found him…"

"Found him where?" Rivalz asked.

"Well… you'd be surprised…" Kallen said, before continuing the quickly fabricated story. "I was going home to check in… and somehow… this… droid…" He gestured at Threepio. "He was just wandering the park all dirty and lost."

"Lost?" Nunnally asked.

"Yeah," Kallen stood closer to Threepio. "He was very confused about where he was… I was kind of scared at first… since I didn't know… who he was."

"Did I really frighten you the first time we met, Miss Kallen?" Threepio asked.

"Wait a minute…" Suzaku faced Threepio. "Are you… are you from the Empire. The Galactic Empire?"

"The Empire?" Threepio then noticed Lelouch's look. The droid realized what he had to say. "Oh… well, you can so, sir. You see, well… I was separated from my unit when a battle occurred…"

"A battle?" Nina squeaked, sounding afraid.

"Yes, it was horrible. In the confusion I didn't know what else to do. I somehow wandered out… and found myself… a bit lost."

"You found yourself lost?" Shirley asked, almost confused by the story.

"Well, milady, I never been to this planet before…" Threepio continued. "And if I do say so… it is quite pleasant."

"If you are lost… do you think you it be best that we bring you back to where you belong?" Suzaku asked. The boy thought perhaps Gideon or Pershing could help.

"NO!" Lelouch, Kallen, and Luke (who was still hiding in the pantry) mentally thought.

"Oh, there's no need to, sir," Threepio said. "You see… I… don't wish to go back."

"You… don't?" Suzaku said.

"Well… you see… I never much enjoyed my old position…" Threepio hung his head in a somber way. "And… you could say… I wished to leave of my own will. Even if it was against my current programing."

"So… do you have any place to go?" Rivalz asked. "A place to stay?"

"Oh… well…" Threepio wondered. "Frankly… anywhere, but here… I unfortunately do not."

Both Kallen and Lelouch glanced at one another, and both knew what they had to do to settle this.

"Guys…" Kallen addressed. "I'm sorry… if this came all unexpected. I know Threepio may come as… abnormal. But in truth… he's actually very kind and decent."

"Oh!" Threepio said, surprised. "You really think that, Miss Kallen?!"

"And for that… I had asked Lelouch… if he could help me find a place for Threepio." Kallen gestured at Lelouch.

"Is that so?" Milly questioned.

"Is this what you have been hiding from us the whole time, Lulu?!" Shirley exclaimed. "You and Kallen were hiding a talking robot?"

"So… that's why you didn't come last night," Nunnally assumed, before smiling. "You were helping Kallen."

"Uh… yeah, that's right, Nunnally," Lelouch smiled, before looked to everyone. "I know this is all sudden… but I have agreed… that C-3PO the Protocol Droid… be granted asylum… here at our place."

"WHAT?!" Almost everyone exclaimed.

"Are you serious, Lelouch?!" Suzaku said.

"Well… I thought about bringing him to my place, but…" Kallen explained. "I doubted my stepmother would take it well."

"Oh, that's right… I remember her…" Milly remembered with distaste the tense visit she made to the Stadtfelt Residence… and what she had witnessed there…

"And if all of you… including Nunnally and Sayoko…" Lelouch said. "Are going to be the only ones who knows of Threepio's presence here… you can consider him… an honorary member of the Student Council."

"Wait… WHAT?!" Milly exclaimed.

Luke heard the rest of the conversation play out. He couldn't help but shake his head as he was still hiding in the pantry. "Oh, Threepio… what have you gotten yourself into?"

Camelot Division

"Lord Vader, are you really serious?" Cecile asked, surprised at what Lord Vader proposed.

Vader stood in the Camelot Division. Lloyd, Cecile, Pershing, and Gideon were present. Hanged in front of them was none other than the enemy 7th Generation Knightmare Frame that had been scavenged from the Battle for Narita: the one-armed Gekka Pre-Production Test Type.

"I want the Camelot Division to restore and upgrade this Knightmare Frame for the next time I ride into battle against the Black Knights."

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise, my lord," Lloyd said. "After the tragedy of losing our Club to the rebels, I thought you would want a brand-new model on the double."

"There is no time for that," Vader said.

"And at least this Knightmare is of 7th Generation," Gideon said. "This is a 7th Generation Knightmare, is it not, Lloyd?"

"Yes, it is," Lloyd said. "We went through much of the database it was installed. Still a wreck due to some damage it took in battle. But after putting a few modifications here and there, we will be able to get it stable again."

"You have already begun to work on the enemy Knightmare Frame?" Vader questioned the eccentric doctor.

"Oh, hehehe…" Lloyd chuckled nervously. "I guess… we let ourselves get carried away."

"He… well, we…" Cecile almost flustered nervously. "We couldn't resist it. And it… became some sort of a… hobby."

"From what we have gathered…" Pershing explained. "This Knightmare Frame… along with the remnants of the Burai Frames recovered… were all custom made by Elevens." The man adjusted his glasses. "It's very remarkable."

"The question I am asking you," Vader said. "Can you make this Knightmare suitable for combat again?"

"Why of course, Lord Vader!" Lloyd said, happily. "I'm more than happy to turn our little hobby into something you can get to play with."

"It may not be the Lancelot Club, but…" Cecile said.

"With a few major modifications and designs we have in mind," Pershing typed on the computer. "We can build this frame into something stronger and more powerful than it was before in rebel hands. Perhaps something at least on par with the Lancelot."

"What?!" Lloyd exclaimed. "On par with my dear Lancelot?! You're joking aren't you, Pershing?"

"From what I heard, this Knightmare was able to go up against Suzaku in the Lancelot." Gideon said.

"How soon can the development for the frame be finished?" Vader questioned.

"You mean the nearest soon as possible date, so to speak?" Lloyd said, almost nervous. "Uh… well…"

"I estimate it may take weeks at most to complete the adjustments." Cecile said.

"Then it is best you start immediately," Vader said. "I will be sure that you will be accommodated with anything else you need to complete."

"Very pleased to do so, my lord!" Lloyd smiled cheerfully. "I guess it seems you'll get to be one our little devicers again very soon!"

"I hope so very much, Doctor." The dark lord turned to Gideon. "Come now, Gideon."

"Yes, my lord." The agent nodded and started following the dark lord out of the room.

"One last thing," Vader stopped and turned once more to address the scientists.

"Yes, Lord Vader?" Cecile asked.

Vader turned to look at the Gekka. "I want the design and color of this Knightmare Frame to be altered as well."

"Ooooh, is that so?" Lloyd said, interested. "Blue not so much your color, my lord?"

"I would prefer… a look that would resonate with my very presence." Vader explained, an ominous tone growing in his voice. "A face. A symbol that will strike fear… and terror… and warning… to all those who carry the spark of rebellion."

Later, both Vader and Gideon returned to the private complex where Code-R was settled in secret.

"If I may ask, my lord," Gideon said. "I thought you weren't keen on piloting another knightmare frame anytime soon."

"I am more than capable of fighting without one… though I believe I will need

Vader held up a recording device to Gideon. The one that contained his entire interview with Princess Euphemia retelling her side of the Lake Kawaguchi Incident… as well as her meeting with Zero and Skywalker.

"I take it your talk with the princess was beneficial?" Gideon asked. "It must have been very nice to have been in the company of a beautiful lady such as her."

Vader held up the device keenly. "More importantly… I have learned… at least some insight… regarding Zero."

"What did Sub-Viceroy Euphemia say about him?" Gideon asked.

Before Vader could reply, the door to the room slid open.

"My lord," Pryde entered the room with a tablet in hand.

"Officer Pryde," Vader greeted.

"I have some news you may want to hear, my lord," Pryde said.

"What is it?"

"I had looked over the casualties of last night's battle with the rebels," Pryde typed on his tablet. "There was also a list report for those who have been confirmed missing in action."

"And who is it that is missing?" Gideon asked.

"The one we had been monitoring," Pryde said as he flipped the tablet to show the agent and the dark lord the picture of a woman. "Villetta Nu has been reported missing in action."

Hidden Base

Back in the infirmary, Villetta groaned as she started to regain consciousness. She sat up in bed, her eyes still sleepy, and her long silver-blue was in a mess.

"Huh…?"

"So, you're awake now, aren't you?"

Villetta turned to see another woman who was seated in a bed next to hers.

"Oh… uh… I… I am?" The pureblood woman said.

The woman smiled. "The doctor said they brought you in while you were hurt and unconscious."

"I was… hurt?" Villetta said, before she felt a wincing pain at her side. She felt the bandages along her side.

"How did you get hurt, my dear?" The woman asked. "Did you get into a fight?"

"A fight?" Villetta asked, genuinely confused. "I… I have no idea." She turned to the woman addressing her. "Who… Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "My name is Ami. Ami Kozuki. What is your name?"

"My name?" The pureblood woman wondered… to no clue. "I… I don't know."

Flashback

24 hours earlier

BANG!

Villetta made it in time to push the aim of Kallen's gun into the air where it gave off a loud round.

The Pureblood woman got the upper hand over the Black Knight. After several moves Kallen wasn't able to avoid, the Pureblood woman knocked her out to the ground.

Villetta panted as she felt her side bleeding with the stab wounds the redhead gave her. She then glanced at the unmasked Zero a few feet from her. She glanced back at the knocked-out redhead with a glare, and she aimed her gun at her.

"It's Lelouch I only need. As for you… you're done…"

"Stop."

Villetta paused and she quickly turned to aim at the new intruder.

She looked baffled at who was the source.

Coming out from the shadows… was a boy.

A young teen boy with spikey white hair and blue eyes. He wore nothing much than a white shirt and pants. He wasn't even wearing shoes or socks.

"The hell?" Villetta said. "What is a kid like you doing here of all places?! This is a warzone!"

"Put the gun down," The boy narrowed his eyes at her. "Now."

"Ugh?" Villetta looked baffled… before glaring at the boy. "Are you ordering me? Do you know who I am?!"

"Let them go," The boy said. "Do not harm them."

Villetta realized he was gesturing at Lelouch and the redhead on the ground.

"Aha!" Villetta aimed her gun again at the boy. "You're one of them! You're one of the rebels!"

"I'm asking you one more time," The boy said again. "Let them go… and leave now."

"The hell I take orders from rebel scum like you!" Villetta growled. "I'm taking the boy to the Viceroy alive. But not before I finish you and the girl off."

The boy closed his eyes, almost regretfully, before opened his eyes again.

"I can't let you do that. But nor will I kill you."

"What?!" Villetta questioned, greatly confused.

The boy closed his eyes again. When he opened them again… Villetta saw something she recognized… before…

"Villetta Nu… I command you…"

Present

Rai opened his eyes from his sleep, almost as though… he was remembering a bad dream. But he couldn't remember it now. Just as he couldn't remember what his real name was.

The boy lay back on the bed Sabine had lent him and got ready to go back to sleep.

It was when he fell back to sleep… his right eye opened… and it flashed red with the sigil of Geass.

THERE!

So much to unfold!

I get there will be a lot of questions and things that had happened in this chapter. Some events and flashbacks were portrayed out of order… but all to keep with the suspense.

First, that opening dream sequence Lelouch has. Yes, that was Obi-wan who made contact with Lelouch in the dream. Telling him that these are his first steps. First steps to what exactly? Plus, that Vader mask opening up like a living Jack-o-Lantern can be considered in honor of Halloween approaching!

Now, the biggest difference here that sets apart from the canon episode, is that it is Kallen taking Shirley's role. And her and Tamaki taken by Mao. Mao used Tamaki as leverage both to by burying to preoccupy Luke and the others while leaving Lelouch alone and his way of trying to manipulate Kallen into killing Lelouch. In the end, she decides better not to… and thankfully Artoo comes to buzz Mao! It was so LOL! Apparently, Mao cannot sense droids with his Geass. And yes… it seems now… other rebels caught in the fray… including Ohgi, Tamaki, Rex, Sabine, Thane, and Rai… have stumbled upon what Kallen had found out.

Another difference is that railcar place is not at Narita, but a place closer in the Settlement. Because in canon, Shirley went to Narita for the memorial, which in here doesn't happen since her father is still alive, and she doesn't lose her memory of Lelouch.

Bad news… Mao now has Luke's lightsaber. What will this mean?

You may have noticed the Fedora Hat Han wore… nice little nod to Harrison's Ford's iconic role next to that of Solo. ;)

Right after that… Threepio ends up being exposed to the Ashford Student Council, with Luke barely avoided being seen in the kitchen pantry. To help matters, Lelouch and Kallen quickly concoct the story that they stumbled upon Threepio, who is supposed to be an Imperial droid who wandered off and to explain why they have been missing classes. And so, the Ashford Student Council has a new honorary member! You'll see what big role and adventures our golden protocol droid will have at Ashford and with the Lamperouge Residence! Just know, the students will decide to keep Threepio's presence a secret from the rest of the school, and the droid may be present at least in private places like the Student Meeting House. And then there's the matter of explaining his need for generator charger.

A lot of other things have unfolded and foreshadowing events that will be happening soon!

Vader has a meeting with Euphie regarding her side of what happened to Lake Kawaguchi, with the purpose to know what went down between her and Zero and Skywalker.

And now, he has commissioned the Camelot Division to begin work on developing the Gekka Pre-Production Test Type into his new Knightmare Frame. Get ready for it!

The dark lord has also commissioned Piett to return to the galaxy… and gather a specific list of individuals… who can be regarded as scum. And one of them, Vader is keen on having escorted to Earth! Who could they be?

And, General Bartley has returned. And from what Ocho has mentioned… Wulf Yularen is coming to Earth! Yes, the admiral turned colonel of the ISB, who many of you may know him as having originated from The Clone Wars (2008), though had appeared in A New Hope. Also having been voiced by the legendary, now-retired Tom Kane! As of this AU, he is still alive and with the Empire!

And to address the Rai-Villetta plotline.

Villetta happened upon Zero exposed in Port Yokosuka, like in canon. Instead of Shirley shooting her, Kallen fights her and is knocked out. But not before the Pureblood woman, having gathered evidence, that she deduces Lelouch's true identity as the lost prince of Britannia, which really put Kallen on ropes.

Before Villetta could go any further, Rai appears. He had hopped secretly on one of the Black Knights' transports to follow Sabine and ended up witnessing much of the Port Yokosuka Skirmish while hiding in the shadows. He then makes his move to stop Villetta. And he unleashes his Geass on her…

To be clear, none of the rebels are aware of Rai's Geass yet, nor does he himself remember doing so. It's a sort of split-like thing that causes him to forget, which was why when Lelouch used his Geass on him… Rai couldn't reveal his secret Geass to Lelouch and Luke. I will delve more later into Rai's past and how he obtained his Geass.

I'm glad I could finally post this update after a lot of mishaps and time to juggle to get this. I know its not perfect, but I want to get this story along.

May be a while till next time, we'll see how the crew will tackle with Mao again.

Thank you for reading! Leave a review and I'll see you next time!