Turn 5.2
I leave CC to go handle something I've been putting off.
Perhaps I should do this with help, but given that I'm batting a thousand on defragging people's issues, I'm feeling confident about my approach.
Then again? If I botch this, I potentially have a mad scientist with reason to suspect me of terrorist sympathies and willing to hand over research on her doomsday weapon to Britannia.
Nina. Nina Nina Nina. It's almost comical how a mousey girl like you is the heir to your grandfather Albert's theories.
From what I gathered doing a bit of history reading, Albert Einstein didn't get as far as he did in the other world. But he left his notes and theoretical papers to his family.
And what do you know? Little Nina turns out to be a genius and cracks the secret of the atom.
Unfortunately, like most scientists, she didn't consider the practical aspect of her discovery.
A standard nuclear bomb is caused by a reaction with the fissionable material creating an implosion. This energy contracts and then reacts with an explosion and shockwave. Accompanied by the slow lingering death of toxic radiation.
But...Nina did something impossible. She found a way to isolate the radioactivity and contain it with sakuradite, thereby solving the problem of nuclear radiation.
I wasn't nearly as well versed in science as I could have been before. But between my conceptual understanding and Lelouch's intelligence, I've realized firsthand that the implications of her research are astonishing.
And all the more tragic.
Because Britannia, and the EU and CF too for that matter, will not care about the science.
There is only one reason governments would fund her research in this world.
To weaponize it.
A bomb capable of obliterating 3000 meters of area minimum, and far more when perfected and with no limiter.
Whosoever controls the demon known as FREIJA, controls the world.
Thus, I find myself at the computer lab. Hoping that I do not need to use my greatest weapon to destroy a young girl's dreams or steal them for myself.
I clear my throat gently. "Hey Nina. Manage to get some fresh air between your research?" I say with a casual smile.
"Ahhh!" She squeaks as her chair tips over, sending her sprawling.
Did I do that deliberately? Yes and no. I was expecting it, but part of me was hoping I would have to tap her on the shoulder and THEN scare her by saying hi.
Why yes, I am a troll. Shocking, I know.
"V-v-v-vice president?!" She squeaks as she tries to pick up her scattered papers.
I bend down and hand her the papers, pausing to look one over. "It's Lelouch, Nina. You know you don't have to be formal with me."
As I thought. It's the theoretical physics and concept of what will become FREIJA.
"Fascinating..." I say quietly.
Nina adjusts her glasses with a blush. "You...you understand that?"
"Not completely. But enough to be in awe of what this is if your research is proven."
I turn to her, holding out the paper. "Using sakuradite as a shield against radiation and as an amplifier for nuclear reactions? This is astounding."
The trap is set.
She's simply adorable when she's being bashful. Not my type, but now I understand why Milly likes teasing her.
"You're the first person I've ever shown it to. Nobody else here has any interest or zones out if I try to explain it." She says quietly, still looking down.
I put my hand on her shoulder. She looks up at my violet eyes.
"The trick with teaching, is to make your subject fun. You don't have to do a giant info dump. Just the highlights, with analogies people can relate to."
Nina takes her glasses to clean them as her nose scrunches trying to parse out my words.
"But...doesn't that lead people to misunderstandings?"
I shake my head. "Not necessarily. You make it clear that it's an analogy and not a complete explanation. For instance: If I said the knight in chess was like a horse because it could jump pieces, is that wrong, or just a decent way to introduce the game?"
Nina taps her cheek as she considers what I've said. "So by giving people something they can easily grasp conceptually, they're more open to the in-depth answer?"
I nod and smile as I lean against a desk. "Nina, you're smart enough to know this. You're just not confident in yourself."
Aw man, now she's looking down like I kicked her puppy.
"I'm not very good with people. And I'm not very attractive..."
I shake my head. Time to gamble. And hope the dice are in my favor.
"Actually, you're quite wrong." She looks up, surprised at how bluntly I said that.
"You're actually very cute. And you're probably the smartest student here. If you're more outgoing, you'll realize that the only one holding you back," I say as I wink at her.
"Is your own fear. And if people don't like you?"
I shrug. "Fuck em."
Nina gasps at my vulgarity. "Vice pres...err, Lelouch! You can't say that!"
I give a lazy turn of the head towards her. "Why not? We're almost adults. Why can't we swear?"
The logic is sound. But a lifetime of conditioning to be polite, unobtrusive and quiet isn't going down that easily.
"But swearing is vulgar..."
I rub my chin. Oh hey, stubble! Lelouch actually CAN grow facial hair. Probably won't do so, but nice to have the option.
"Swearing is a means of self-expression. For example, haven't you ever hated someone or something enough to swear?"
Playing with fire here.
She closes her eyes and her small fist shakes. "Yes..."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She shakes her head.
I sigh. "Nina. I want you to try something for me."
She tilts her head quizzically.
"Think about anyone who's mean to you and looks down on you."
She looks downcast at the ground.
"Now get mad. And say 'Fuck em'." I grin maliciously.
"I don't know..."
"You'll feel better. Trust me."
She sighs and whispers something I can't hear.
"What was that?"
She fiddles with her skirt. "...Fuck em..."
"One more time."
She drops her hand to her side. "Fuck em." She says with a clearer voice.
"Once more with feeling. Put your diaphragm into it." I stand up, holding a fist up.
She looks up. "Fuck em."
I hold out my arms out wide. "Say it loud! Say it proud!" I proclaim.
She takes a deep breathe. "FUCK EM!" She yells, then covers her mouth with her face blushing red.
I give her a thumbs up. "Good job! How did that feel?"
She blinks at the question.
"Well...I guess...good?"
It's not much. But if I can make her more self-assertive, it will pave the way for turning her later.
"So Nina? If someone is mean to you?" I nod my head at her, beckoning her to answer with my hand.
"...Fuck em." She says with a small smile.
I give her a hug, which makes her squeak before relaxing.
"It's ok to stand up for yourself. But don't be afraid to ask for help."
She looks at me in surprise. "...What happened to you? You've changed, Lelouch."
I let go and sit down in one of the chairs. Closing my eyes while assuming the thinker pose.
"I came face to face with my own mortality. It led me to re-evaluate my life."
She sits down, fidgeting with her skirt. "When?"
"Shinjuku." I say coldly.
She gasps. "The elevens hurt you?!"
I laugh and shake my head. "Heh. No. On the contrary..."
I open my eyes, violet orbs blazing. "It was Britannia who almost killed me." I say with a hiss.
She shakes her head violently. "No! No! You have to be mistaken!"
"Nina, you saw the G-1 footage Zero released, yes?"
She flinches and nods.
"Did Clovis say why Shinjuku was attacked?"
She furrows her brow. "Something called Code-R."
I pull out a folder. "Zero posted this on the dark web awhile ago. The hosting site is gone, but I printed out a copy before the link expired." I say, handing her the file.
She looks at it curiously then opens it to start reading.
"AHHHH!" She screams after a moment.
She puts it down, gasping for air.
"This...can't be real! It has to be an eleven trick!"
She's shivering. Moment of truth.
"Nina, look at the monogram seal in the corner. And the document classification warning."
She gingerly handles a piece of paper, looking at the corners. And then goes white.
"No. Nononono! That can't be! Prince Clovis would never-"
"Didn't you watch the broadcast? 'Urban renewal', Nina." I say with a raised eyebrow.
She collapses into her chair, weeping.
"I just can't believe it..."
I pat her on the shoulder as she takes her glasses off.
"I was here, you know."
She looks at me questioningly.
"Before the war. Back when this country was called Japan."
I reach into my uniform for my cigarette case.
Like hell I'm talking about this sober.
"Nina, do you mind if I smoke?"
Her eyes go wide.
"You smoke?"
I flick the lighter in my hand, trying to get the flint started.
"After almost dying, again, I decided I wanted to live a little, be more adventurous."
Fucking cheap piece of shit. I look at the maker's mark on it.
Of course. Made in Chinese Federation. Why am I not surprised?
I smack it against my palm, trying to jostle the lighter fluid.
Nina puts her glasses back on. "Lelouch...may I?" She extends her hand gingerly.
I hand it off with a grumble. "That's the last time I buy Chinese knockoffs." I murmur.
Nina, meanwhile, has taken out...huh...I think that's the Britannian equivalent of a Leatherman?
And...she's readjusting the valve? That's it, I'm getting Rakshata here ASAP.
Sure, she's a technophile and obsessed with her creations like Lloyd. But the Earl of pudding, hilarious as he is, is not someone I'd inflict on an innocent soul like Nina.
Plus, I haven't figured out how to get him to switch sides yet.
Sure, I could offer him an unlimited budget. But right now I can't afford to try and match bank notes against Schneizel and the bank of Britannia.
Not to mention he and Rakshata will likely try to kill each other.
But I digress. Rakshata is a moderately more nurturing presence, and the kind of person who actually would understand what Nina has created and be able to talk to her as a scientist.
Nina puts away her tool and hands it back to me.
"It was a faulty fuel valve. Probably used because it was cheaper than using one made of better alloys. The metal expanded from the heat and jammed the opening."
She shakes her head and looks me in the eyes. "You're lucky it didn't have a pressure buildup and spray lit lighter fluid on you." She says with a look that's trying to be stern, but ends up looking like a kitten glaring.
I chuckle to myself as I light up, enjoying the taste of burning marijuana.
"So, buy domestic?" I say jokingly.
Oh wow, she actually took that seriously. She's thinking it over.
"Well, my grandfather and father both smoked and they used matches because they didn't like the taste of..."
She trails off as she smells the herbal scent of my J.
"Wait, what is THAT?"
I puff out a cloud of smoke as I sit back. "Gangja."
I sigh at the lack of comprehension. Right. This particular vice isn't very popular in Britannia. It's more a European thing.
"Also known as Cannabis, Sativa, Indica, Marijuana."
I tap out the ash into a trash can. Which conveniently has an ashtray on it.
Seems Reuben never gave up his smoking habit.
Interesting. I was expecting a moral lesson, or outrage. Instead she's analyzing me.
"So you use recreational drugs for stress relief?"
I blink in surprise. Huh. Ok, let's see where this goes.
"It's pretty helpful honestly." I say with a shrug. "Not to mention Marijuana doesn't have an LD-50."
She blinks at me. "What is an LD-50?"
"Lethal dose 50. It's basically how much you need to use to kill 50% of all test animals in an experiment."
True story. Weed cannot kill you by ingesting it. You'll pass out long before it does any damage. There is no lethal dose.
I smile with the J on my lips. "I did a little research before I decided to indulge in anything."
I hold it out. "Care to try?"
Nina reaches a hand out halfheartedly, then pulls it back.
"No... Thank you though." She looks me in the eye.
"Tell me about Area 11 before the war." She says quietly.
I pause and ash the J.
"Nina, it's clear you had something bad happen to you. And I saw how you flinched at Suzaku. Do you really want to hear about this or are you just being polite?" I say seriously.
I am not having this discussion if I can help it.
She fidgets and looks down.
"I just don't know what to believe any more..." She whispers.
I pocket the J into a tissue and start walking to the door.
"Then make your own beliefs. Judge people by their actions, not by their country. And Nina?" I turn my head back to her.
"Suzaku is perhaps the finest man I know. Ask him about Japan if you want to know. It's not a wound I feel like opening sober." I say as I walk out the door.
Abit cold. But I've lost my appetite for this. She's confused enough. Telling her about what Japan was like, and the hell of war?
Pshhh. No fucking way I can do that with a straight face. And I know how terrifying my rage about that is.
Besides, if I can save Euphie, I may be able to head the problem off.
And just in case? I snapped a photo or two discretely. I'm sure Rakshata will be interested. Given her work with the Guren's nuclear pulse emitter, I'm sure she has enough background in nuclear physics.
Radiant Wave Surger my ass. It's a fucking melee nuke weapon.
I wonder what CC is doing?
