Turn 12: Lines of Communication
After penning a letter agreeing to meet with Kyoto and sending it back, I relax in my office.
Things are improving. The Refrain trade is drying up. The money and arms go to us, the supplies to affected areas. It's good PR, and we honestly don't need all of it.
The Refrain itself, however, is either destroyed, or left out as implicating evidence. At least, that's what we did at first.
While Cornelia did go after some of the nobility involved, it was halfhearted at best. She honestly doesn't care about the Numbers, only that the cartels are stealing from the Empire.
As a result, I've since taken to executing some of the gangs. Usually only the worst of the lot, those involved with slave trading, Refrain, etc.
One of them, however, I personally beheaded for stealing medical supplies bound for the ghettos.
The Black Knights were somewhat perturbed by that. I gave them a tongue lashing afterwards for their squeamishness.
This is war. These people are stealing from the weakest, the most helpless. The system will not punish them. Therefore it falls to us to mete out justice.
Which is why I'm also consolidating control of local resistance groups. Join Zero, or die by Britannia's hands. Because I'm DONE working with morons. Either they side with me, or they get left behind. No middle ground.
But in some cases...a message needs to be sent.
It's one thing to steal from Britannia or horde military supplies. It's another to steal from the people or target civilians.
So...I did the unthinkable. I shot their leader in the head and as many of the guilty members as civilians were willing to point out.
Naturally, this went over less well.
*flashback*
"Zero, you can't just go around killing other resistance groups! We're all in this together! All you're doing is giving them an excuse to turn on us!"
Okay, that fucking does it. I've had enough of Ohgi's self-righteous stupidity. I brought him into my office so that I could talk with him privately, but I'll be damned if MY second in command is going to undermine MY command structure.
I sit up and loom over the desk at Ohgi.
"Are you saying that targeting...that murdering innocent civilians is justified, Ohgi?" I whisper.
Ohgi blanches, but shakes his head and returns to staring me down.
"Of course not! But we can't be the executioners! We're just doing Britannia's dirty work for them!"
Must not shoot him. Must not shoot him.
"You know what, Ohgi? No. We can and WILL be the executioners if necessary. Do you know why?"
I steeple my fingers as I await his answer.
He shakes his head, "Even if the other groups are acting abominably, it's not our place to chastise them yet."
I shake my head, grinding my teeth inside my mask. What. Does it TAKE. To get THROUGH to morons like Ohgi?!
"On the contrary, Kaname Ohgi, it is exactly our place to chastise them."
I stand up, moving to look out the window. "I don't give a damn about any of the other groups. The Black Knights are currently the only organization capable of defeating Britannia. The JLF are dead men walking; if Kyoto doesn't cut them off, then Cornelia will finish the job herself. The other groups can either join with us, and so profit from this truth, or else they can get out of our way.
"But to deliberately target civilians or abuse them for their own profit or pleasure... to steal from them and deprive them of the things that they need just to survive from day to day... makes these scum just as bad as Britannia itself. And so deserving of death, just as the Yamato Alliance was," I say sharply, walking over from the window and loom over the afro-ed man.
"And for the record, Ohgi? Had you actually condoned attacking civilians for no reason? I'd have either court-martialed you, followed by firing you from the Black Knights... or I'd have shot you myself.
"Naraka does not care about your creed, nationality, or whatever god you follow. Only that evil is paid unto evil.
"We do the Devil's handiwork in order to protect the innocent. We fight, so that those who cannot do so, no longer have to suffer in silence. There is glory in this, yes, but remember the essential truth of war:
"War is hell. And if you can't stomach that, I'll find someone else to be in charge. So man the fuck up, Commander."
I take a deep breath as I try to calm down, turning and sitting back down.
"Reflect on what I've said before our next mission. You do not serve Japan. You serve ME. I see a lot of potential in you, Ohgi. You need only find the courage in yourself to do what is right, what is needed."
Ohgi takes a deep breath and nods.
Is this overkill? Perhaps. He may resent me for how I conduct this war. But I'm not going to coddle him the way Lelouch did. Either he'll grow into the role and I can use him, or else he proves himself unsuitable for the position and I demote him. Or possibly kill him.
But I'm giving him a fair chance to show me something.
I sigh as I sit back in my chair, "I made you second-in-command, not just because you used to lead the Kōzuki group. But because you have potential to be an excellent commander."
Ohgi shakes his head sadly, "I never wanted to be a soldier. I was a teacher before the Second Pacific War. I wish I was back in the classroom."
I chuckle, "Ohgi, not everyone is a born soldier. And in a better world, I'd be happy to have been your student. But we must make do with the reality we have, not the reality we wish."
I lean forward, "You know I'm right. You just feel it's wrong to accept that any of your fellow Japanese could be as bad as Britannia."
He grimaces. It's a cruel thing to tell someone that those who might have been considered comrades or allies in the past, are now expendable.
I wave him off, "We'll talk later. You're dismissed. Just remember that Britannians aren't our only opponents. We fight for an ideal, not any single nation."
"...Yes, sir."
*flashback end*
I doubt we'll ever be cordial. He's merely too naive, too short-sighted to ever understand the big picture.
In fact, I even put a few rounds into the wall after he left the room just out of frustration.
I would love to put Kallen in as commander. But she's too good a pilot to waste on administrative duties. And Ohgi is capable of delegating and handling the lower level problems.
One last meeting before we set out for Kyoto. CC was furious at me for pulling that trick on her. Nunnally playing the video for the rest of the group didn't do me any favors, either.
Surprisingly enough, Jerry actually remembered seeing her and mother arguing once. He was both moved to tears by my appearance, and hysterical laughter at the joke. I myself fell over laughing watching her hit the wall. I didn't think she could flush red like that.
Getting kicked in the stomach for it? That part was unpleasant. I've been crashing in a guest room or on a couch for the last several days, ever since.
Milly, of course, was happy to nurse my broken heart. Waking up with a nice pair of breasts in my face was refreshing.
But, duty calls. My last meeting for the day.
"Have a seat, Tamaki."
The redhead sits down, nervous. Understandable. I'm a tough boss.
"Relax, Tamaki. You're not in trouble."
He lets out a relaxed sigh and collapses into the chair.
"Oh man. I thought you were going to chew me out for using part of the budget for that fancy dinner two nights ago."
...Foot in mouth? Meet Shin'ichiro Tamaki.
I sigh as I wave a hand, "What dinner, and how much did it cost you?"
He rubs his chin, "Meet-and-greet for the new recruits. I wanted to make them feel like part of the team. Only cost like five thousand pounds."
Five thousand? "Where the hell did you go that cost five thousand pounds for one meal?" I ask incredulously.
He holds up a V sign with a grin, "Traditional Japanese place. Kinda pricey, but the drinks were great!"
"How many people did you take?"
"I dunno, 35, maybe 50 at most?" he shrugs as he answers.
On the one hand, I'm kinda mad he wasted that much cash. Most of it probably on drinks.
But on the other... something doesn't smell right.
"First of all, you're a fucking idiot. Next time you want to take people out, ask for a recommendation."
He blinks, "Huh? Why? It was a nice place. Everyone had a good time."
I nod. The man has a talent for handling the rank and file. Something I can use.
"Yes, but I'm guessing the management was Britannian?"
He nods, confused at the question.
Goddammit, I fucking knew it, "Tamaki, that place was a tourist trap. They probably thought you were a gangster and decided to bilk you for as much as they could. Did they add a lot of service charges to your bill?"
His eyes widen. "Oh man, I got fucking played, didn't I?"
I step out from behind the desk, nodding.
"Like it or not, a lot of Britannians only see you as an idiot Number. Which means, they'll try to screw you over by overcharging you, among other things. How good is your English?" I say as I lean back against the desk.
Tamaki rubs the back of his head in embarrassment, "Mai ingurishu izu o-Kay."
...Fuck, that's pretty bad. I facepalm the front of my mask.
"やれやれだぜ。" (Give me a fucking break.)
I nod, "Okay, first things first. You are going to take time to get some tutoring from Ohgi or anyone else who speaks good English. Second, I'm making you our morale officer and special supplier."
He blinks, and then smiles brightly.
"Holy shit! Really?! Thanks, Boss!"
I chuckle at his enthusiasm. He's ignorant, but he's got one thing that sets him above most of the other Black Knights.
Loyalty.
Tamaki was one of the few members not to betray Zero, or at least think it was wrong and have any regret.
I lean back in the chair, "Now your position has a few caveats. If you want to throw an event, party, team-building exercise, whatever, make sure you consult someone first to make sure it's in-budget or that there're no conflicts. As for 'special supplier'?"
I pull out a joint from my coat pocket. "Do you know what this is?"
He blinks and looks over the joint, sniffing it.
"No way! Is that weed? You smoke, Boss?"
I nod, "Indeed I do. And I'm rather... disappointed in the quality I'm finding in the Tokyo area. Try some, see what I mean."
I hand him a lighter and watch as he takes a hit, giving a small cough, then passing back.
"Ugh, *cough* damn, that tastes like shit. Seems okay, but I've definitely had better. Huge pain in the ass to get good stuff in the Settlement."
I hit a switch on my helmet, causing a small straw to extend from under the chin, inserting the joint into the opening.
I take a deep toke, breathing out, smoke exiting from the opening after I remove the joint.
Tamaki blinks in surprise and then claps in amazement.
"You seriously put a smoking straw on your helmet? That's awesome!"
I shrug, "Technically, it's an emergency induction port. I could use it as a booze straw too, if I wanted. It just happens to also be good enough for smoking."
Tamaki takes another hit and then winces, "This weed seriously is garbage, Boss. I'm pretty sure I can find better. How much do you need?"
Hmm, good question. I'd rather have a dedicated growing operation, but that'd be too labor intensive. Maybe something for the future.
"Enough for myself and a few other people. In the future, maybe we can hire someone to supply us. For now, just try not to get gouged."
He salutes and lies back in the chair.
"And Tamaki?"
"Hmm?"
I shove the boots he had put on my desk back onto the floor, "Get your feet off my fucking desk."
Tamaki blushes as he rubs the back of his head, "Sorry, Boss. Oh, please tell your mistress I'm sorry for calling her a bimbo."
Mistress...? Well, he's not exactly wrong. That isn't all she does, but we are sleeping together.
He ashes the J as he sits up and stretches, "I mean, wearing a prison outfit in public like that, posing on a couch? Everyone probably thought she was a hooker, they just didn't want to say it."
I blink behind my mask. It strikes me that Tamaki may not be as dumb as I thought. He may just be very blunt.
"What did you do in high school, just out of curiosity?"
He shrugs, "Student Council. I was the guy who asked people what they wanted and wrote down their answers. Also dealt pot and bartended some nights for cash."
...How the fuck did Lelouch not realize this? This guy is a fucking gold mine.
Nobody suspects the bartender or the pot dealer.
I pull out a notepad and pen from my desk and hand them to him, "Tamaki, how many bartenders, pot dealers, and other black market types do you know?"
Tamaki shrugs, "Quite a few. Some of them died during the war, but I try to keep in touch with as many as I can. Professional pride, yo."
I grin maniacally under my mask. Jackpot.
"I need you to write down contact information for every bartender, pot dealer, and black market type you know ASAP. Do you even realize what this is, Tamaki?"
He shakes his head.
"Tamaki, how many of these guys would you say would be sympathetic to our cause and willing to pass on information?"
Tamaki goes rigid. I swear, I could see the light bulb go on behind his eyes. He whistles, "Holy fuck, these guys go everywhere. And we can throw money at them just to tell us news from the underground. You're a genius, Boss!"
I shake his hand as I walk him to the door, "That's why I'm in charge. I expect this list finished and mostly vetted by the time I get back from Kyoto."
He turns to me with a sad expression, "I ain't going with ya?"
I open the door and shake my head, "You'd be bored out of your mind, anyway. It's mostly going to be me discussing politics and future strategy with the Six Houses. No, Tamaki, what you're doing right now is far more important."
He salutes as he leaves, "You got it, Boss!"
I take off my helmet after shutting the door.
...Right. Alice. Let's see what the hell is going on.
I sit down and start digging into the school records and what parts of Britannia's military networks I have access to via Orange.
Huh. Apparently, the Irregulars don't exist in this universe. No Colonel Madd, no Lucretia, no Dalque, no Sancia. Just Alice.
That's a good sign, but it's not nearly enough to relax.
Charles could still have Wired Geass: The Dead Rise.
I have no choice. Time to start eating crow. I dial up someone with no reason to help me right now.
I slap my hand to my forehead and rub the bridge of my nose slowly as I hit speed dial.
"You've got some nerve calling me, Lelouch."
I sigh, sitting back in my chair, "Like you wouldn't have done the same thing to me."
"I'm an immortal, I'm allowed to be hypocritical on occasion. And you got your little sister to record it. So you can kiss my French ass, Lelouch."
I grumble as I pinch my nose, "CC, I really, really, don't have time for this. I need you to get to the hideout. We're leaving for Kyoto tonight. Orange is keeping an eye on things here."
"And I told you what you can do, you little—"
"What is Charles' Geass?" I interrupt her.
"Oh please, like C's World didn't tell you."
I slam my fist on the desk as I stand up, "CC! I am in no mood for games! C's World just threw me a major curveball, and I need to know just how FUBAR things actually are. WHAT – IS – HIS – GEASS?!" I roar at her.
"...The Seal of Absolute Consciousness. Memory manipulation."
I sigh in relief. Thank fucking God. Worst case scenario averted.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you. That girl...Alice...she's not supposed to exist."
I can already picture her giving me an incredulous look for that one.
" *sigh* Did Clovis extract some of your DNA for creation of an artificial Geass lifeform?"
"...What."
I chuckle to myself, "I'll take that as a no. When C's World showed me that possible future path I mentioned, I also happened to see glimpses of other, variant realities as well. The Alice I know came from an alternate timeline where Clovis somehow managed to use your DNA to create unstable artificial Geass users. Charles had a very different Geass there."
"...What Geass?"
I close my eyes, "In that world, certain people could somehow develop Geass, independent of a contractor. This was called Wired Geass."
I pick up the discarded joint as I look for my lighter.
"Charles' Geass there was Wired Geass: The Dead Rise. It gave him limitless regeneration and resurrection abilities for himself, anyone he chose, and their Knightmares. He used it to resurrect the first Knights of the Round as an unstoppable army."
"...Merde," she whispers, horrified.
"Luckily, this is not a problem we have to deal with. I will make restitution for the trolling. Now, please... come to base. I need you to be there when I bring Kyoto to heel," I finish quietly as I light up.
"You still owe me for your impersonation."
I hit my head on the desk.
"What do you want?" I say exasperatedly.
Oh, I can just tell she's getting that shit-eating grin on her face right now.
"I want video of you and Suzaku's first time. And your cute little ass on my strap-on, 'Lelucia'."
I throw my head back in laughter. Should have known it would be something like that.
"And five handmade pizzas, with NONE OF YOUR TOPPINGS!"
Someone is clearly holding a grudge. Should have asked before trying a pizza I put Carolina Reapers on. It was very amusing to watch her go bright red and run around screaming for water, though.
"Deal. Now get that unbeatably sexy ass of yours over here. It's time to for a road trip to Kyoto."
She laughs at that. It's an almost musical sound.
"Hohohoho! I'm going to enjoy making you ride me when we get back to Ashford."
I close my eyes, smiling, "See you soon, witch."
I hang up and start going over details and infrastructure reports. Can't guarantee it will be Kirihara this time, but odds are it will be. If he or Kaguya aren't there? I'll either Geass whatever stupid bastard they send, or just walk out telling them to call me when they're serious.
I don't need Kyoto. They need me. The Black Knights are better funded and organized, compared to last time. Sure, Tamaki might end up wasting some money getting his network on-board, but the information potential cannot be understated.
And as much as Shirley bitches about my gambling? I have sooooo many fucking markers to call in. Some I'll use for Geassed intelligence gathering, some for cash, some for supplies. Unlike Lelouch, I'm not going to stop gambling. Not only is it fun, but I'm also making more money than some of the nobility. Hell, I might even make it a team-building exercise. Well, maybe just my family. Still don't trust all the rest of these guys yet.
So many plans, so many things to do, so little time.
