Turn 14.2: Sharpening Damocles' Sword
"So everything went all right, then?"
"Like clockwork, Milord. Her Highness Cornelia does not suspect a thing. The expendable units are in place?"
I smirk at that remark. A squad of provably corrupt Knight Police stationed by a military communications relay, with orders to destroy it and fire on any Britannian military units if they're discovered. All to give Orange credibility and keep Cornelia's forces focused on the wrong avenue.
Geass is so insidiously useful, sometimes.
"The pieces were moved into position before the foxes were loosed. I expect to hear good news from Kallen shortly."
Pregnant pause...uh-oh. I fucking knew it.
I palm the front of my mask, sighing, "Okay, what went wrong? I've been out of communication with Kallen and her team since before we hit the prison."
I hear Jeremiah audibly grimace as he responds, "Unfortunately, the operation encountered difficulties. Based on what I know from our end, the Black Knights were discovered in the middle of the operation and a firefight ensued. The battle ended with an unknown portion of the Black Knights fleeing an exploding Akihabara."
My eyes bulge out as I gag on my tongue. What the fuck?! Exploding?! We didn't have anywhere near enough ordinance for that!
"What happened?" I say with the most serious tone I can muster.
"Colonel Elkschtein, upon being defeated by Ms. Kōzuki-Stadtfeld, ordered the base detonated in order to deny the asset and kill the rebels in its death throes," Orange delivers in the most deadpan delivery possible.
...Un-fucking-believable. I knew the operation was high risk, but this?! This is spectacular. There's no way the army can move in force until they get their supply infrastructure rebuilt.
"Orange, I am going to kiss that woman when we get back to base," I say giddily. This changes all my strategic projections for the near future. Once we Gundam-jack the Gawain, I'll finally have a reasonable estimate for when I can kick off the Black Rebellion.
"Milord, I should warn you, there is talk that General Darlton is investigating the Six Houses. I believe you may need to accelerate your consolidation of the group," he adds cautiously, as if unsure whether to tell me how to do my job.
"Jeremiah, don't ever feel like you CAN'T talk to me. If you have questions, just fucking ask. You are my Knight of Honor, along with Sayoko. You are in my highest confidence, and I am proud to have you in my service," I finish with a regal tone.
I hear some sniffles on the line along with a cough. Guy's just a big softie; he really didn't need to get driven crazy like in the original timeline.
He was already insane to begin with.
"Thank you, Master Lelouch. Oh, and one last thing, your sister Euphemia has named Sir Kururugi as her Knight of Honor. Possibly with the support of General Darlton."
I blink in surprise. Darlton? That was unexpected. Then again, he's never bought into the whole Britannian racial supremacy ideal. Pity I can't plant a few bugs in Nelly's office; I'd love to be a fly on the wall there.
"Euphie picking Suzaku is exactly the kind of well-intentioned naive idealism that makes her so hard to predict. Darlton, though?" I muse thoughtfully. "That, I did not foresee. I'll congratulate Suzu when I see him later. Have a good evening, Orange."
"And to you as well, Milord. Please forward my respects to Sir Kururugi on his appointment."
I shut off the comms unit as we drive back to base, pondering what I should do next. Yuki-Onna should have gotten there first. I may need her to hold off the two idiots, not to mention a victory speech for the Akihabara raid team.
My eyes widen in alarm as we pull in, and suddenly I'm cursing the orders for radio silence I issued for secrecy.
There are far fewer of the raid team than I expected. And what's left is hushed and forlorn. And Kallen...?
I quietly gasp seeing her on a bench, looking utterly miserable. What the fuck happened?!
"OHGI! KALLEN! MY OFFICE, NOW!"
Q-1 jerks as though startled before getting up, and Ohgi quickly hands off the paperwork he was working on to Tamaki before walking over to my office.
I plant myself in my chair as they both sit down after closing the door.
"What the hell went wrong? I need a sit-rep NOW."
Ohgi gives a pained look at Kallen before turning to me.
"Two Britannian officers walked into the warehouse unscheduled, due to one of them apparently hiding money in there and needing to cover an IOU from Poker Night," he says with a tone that states he can't believe it either.
...何だと?! (...the fuck?!) This is ludicrous. How the hell do I have Lelouch's snake-bit fucking luck?!
I slowly pull out a J and start puffing, eye twitching under my mask.
"FUBAR right from the start, huh," I murmur.
"Sir?"
I shake my head, "It's an old military acronym from before both our times. It's short for 'Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition', which sounds like a pretty apt description of your evening. Please continue."
"After the alarm was raised, Kallen decided that we needed to attack before we were surrounded and fired the new blind eye grenades into the enemy formation. I was holding the line while our transport units evacuated."
I nod, tapping out ash from my smoke. So far, so good. Attacking when the enemy doesn't expect it is a good plan sometimes.
"You couldn't retreat?"
He shakes his head, "The opening we used to enter would not allow us to evacuate quickly, not without abandoning what we came for."
I was afraid that would happen. I pass him the joint, earning a quizzical look from the older man.
"Ohgi, take a goddamn hit. Kallen," I say turning to my red queen. "Your turn. What happened after you engaged?"
"I should have just killed him..." she says in a ragged and thin voice.
Him? "Who? Whom should you have killed?"
She looks up with red puffy eyes, "Elkschtein. After I had beaten him, he said he'd never let us take Akibahara and he ordered 'scorched earth' before trying a suicidal attack on me."
Scorched earth?! Shit. No wonder the base went up in smoke. Something still doesn't fit, though.
"What happened after that, how did you escape?"
Her lip quivers as she responds, "They...they blocked our exit, set up a kill zone. There was no other way to get out in time with our pillage. So..."
So...?
"I ordered a full charge ahead. With orders to give priority to protect the supplies..." she chokes out as her body shudders.
I take a deep breath as it all falls into place. I had hoped that she wouldn't be put in such a position. But this was always a possibility at some point.
"And you succeeded, did you not?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
She gives me a venomous and incredulous glare, "Succeeded...? I LOST A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF OUR MISSION ROSTER! I SENT THOSE PEOPLE TO DIE!"
She gets to her feet, breathing hard as she shivers with emotion, "I only survived because a young guy named Yamaguchi Jiro took part of the blast for me! How can you call this a success?!" she screams in my face. Her face flushed with anger, tears pouring down her face as she sobs openly.
"Because you saved the lives of your subordinates and completed your mission, above and beyond the stated objectives," I whisper solemnly, my voice carrying.
"But I ordered them to die! I had them charge because I wasn't smart enough to think of something better! I could have saved those men and women! It's my fault they're dead!" she whimpers as she unsteadily tries to remain on her feet.
I shake my head, "NO. You took the best available option that could save the highest numbers of your troops. Sometimes there is no good solution readily available."
She slaps a palm on my desk before pointing a finger at me shakily, "BUT YOU DO IT ALL THE TIME!" she all but shrieks at me. "You trusted me with their lives and I failed miserably..." she blubbers as she finally falls to her knees, crying.
"Ohgi," I say, turning to my grimacing XO as he watches the scene mournfully.
"Could Kallen have done better, in your opinion?" I ask softly after I'm sure I have his attention.
The afro-ed man pauses to consider, before shaking his head and kneeling besides Kallen, ruffling her messy hair.
"Kallen, even Naoto couldn't have done better. That was a bad situation, all around. And you got us back safely when we all could have died. You're a heroine, Kallen," he says at smiling at her.
I kneel and look approximately where her blue eyes are as I put a hand on her shoulder, "Yes, I might have been able to do better. But? That wasn't the point. I HAD to be at Gifu. You could not have provided the distraction and bait to create the opportunity for 'Operation Foxhunt'. I didn't want a second Zero."
I give a firm nod as I pat her shoulder gently, "I wanted Kallen Kōzuki-Stadtfeld. Because I believed in her ability to do what needed to be done. I warned you this mission would be risky. And instead of freezing up and getting everyone killed?"
I pull her and Ohgi into a hug to their surprise, "You saved a lot of your team from a deathtrap, and made the base commander panic and self-destruct a critical point of their infrastructure. That is worthy of praise, Q-1," I finish with a flourish as she finally lets go and cries her heart out.
It's a hard lesson to learn. And one likely to be repeated. But she did well. Even Ohgi, who was uncertain about the idea, believes I made the right call.
After a few minutes, Kallen is merely sniffling as opposed to sobbing.
"Alright, I think it's time I did my post-fight rally. Do you need more time, or are you ready to face the troops, Q-1?"
She wipes her eyes slowly and nods, her eyes lit up with determination and renewed vigor.
"Yes, Sir. I'm ready. And Zero, Ohgi...thank you," she whispers softly.
I smile and nod, "We'll be out there in a moment."
After she leaves, I turn to Ohgi, "I think she's ready."
The man shakes his head, "I admit you were right about her doing well under pressure. But even so...that was a cruel thing to do, sir."
I sigh loudly, "Despite what you might think of me, Ohgi, I don't enjoy being cruel. And though I am pleased at the strategic outcome, it came at a higher cost than I'd like. Operations will need to be scaled back while we rebuild our numbers."
I pat Ohgi's shoulder firmly, "This is war, Commander. And it's an inherently cruel thing by its very nature. What I did was to warn her, prepare her for the possibility. And because of that, we can have this discussion and recriminations instead of funerals," I say opening the door to walk out.
"War is hell. Perhaps now you and Q-1 understand what I'm dealing with a bit better now."
He gives me a haunted look at that remark. Something indecipherable in his gaze.
"Sir...do you ever feel like she does right now?" he says quietly, causing me to pause.
"Sometimes. But then I remember why I'm fighting. What I see as a result of all the bloodshed. And that? That, I believe, is a goal worth living for."
Ohgi doesn't respond as I march out to a raised platform. Seems he's actually manned the fuck up after all. I smirk at the thought. Looks like I won't have to get rid of him, after all. The situation with Kallen was unfortunate, but? That's life. You use the fewest units possible to achieve the greatest results.
The idea of chess pawns isn't entirely incorrect. It's just that idiots tend to think of pawns as expendable. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The pawn is potentiality encapsulated. It's the raw ore that, when forged in the crucible of stress and pressure? Creates the alloy known as greatness.
I stamp my foot loudly as I flare my cape out, letting the full volume of my voice fill the hangar.
"BLACK KNIGHTS! ATTEN-SHUN!"
The entire area turns towards me, even the holy swords inclining their heads in my direction. Ah, I see two familiar faces in the back. Kirihara Taizō and Sumeragi Kaguya, both wearing straw hats and robes to conceal their features.
"Tonight has been a great victory for us. Not only have we liberated Gifu prison's denizens, including Colonel Tohdoh Kyoshiro!" I gesture to the legendary soldier as applause fills the hanger.
"But!" I pronounce, wagging my finger, "Thanks to our distraction, Q-1 and Commander Kaname not only managed to raid the Akihabara base, but raze it to the ground!"
The cheering is appreciated, but I need to temper it a bit.
"However!" And at this, the crowd appears confused.
"It was not without cost," I say hanging my head. "Colonel Walter Elkschtein, upon being defeated, ordered the base destroyed to spite our forces," I say, pacing across the stage.
Strategically it was a boneheaded maneuver. Had he actually gotten our team caught in the blast, though? I'd have called it an unmitigated defeat. Kallen is worth more than the entire team put together.
"It was a raid party's worst case scenario. Trapped behind enemy lines, unable to evacuate quickly, faced with the possibility of total annihilation."
I gesture in a flash motion to one side, "But did Q-1 falter? Did she quail before the challenge?! OF COURSE NOT! She took command as a leader, and broke the enemy lines, carving a path to safety."
I place my fingers to my forehead, lowering my mask in a gesture of grief, "The cost in lives was great. The toll being half or just a bit more of the entire roster. Including a rookie named Yamaguchi Jiro, who heroically gave his own life to save hers."
I slowly make a fist, raising it along with my gaze, "But half...is better than none. And were it not for her leadership, her will under such pressure, none of them would be here now. We should all be grateful that Q-1 proved her mettle today. And we shall ensure that none of these brave heroes died in vain today."
I make an x salute with my arms, "天下布武!!!" (Tenka Fubu!)
"天下布武!!!"
"ZERO万歳!" (Long live Zero!)
"赤の女王万歳!" (Long live the Red Queen!)
I descend, walking through the crowd as they cheer. Let the Swords and JLF glare. This is how the victorious handle unexpected circumstances. How true heroes react.
I bow briefly to our guests, "A pleasure to see you two again. If you'll follow me, we shall discuss the changing circumstances with the Colonel."
We begin walking to the meeting room, when I realize there's too many people.
"Not you. You will wait outside," I say pointed to the Swords, dismissing them with a gesture.
Asahina steps forward in protest, only to freeze in place.
The reason? A ghost-white figure with a pale blue-white Noh female mask has a kodachi touching against his neck. Dressed in form-fitting body armor and completely silent. It's a testament to her skills that she could drop in so suddenly.
I sigh, "雪女、止めろ。" (Snow Woman, stop.)
The figure retracts her blade slowly, keeping the dead eyes of her mask on Asahina as she moves to stand protectively in front of me.
"Allow me to introduce Yuki-Onna, one of my two knights. And the sniper who stopped you idiots from trying to kill Suzaku," I say with a stage bow, hands open mockingly.
Kallen comes up on my other side with a rifle and a grim countenance, "Just give me a reason," she growls.
I sigh theatrically, "It's unfortunate that I must use such blunt threats against you. However, you have forced my hand and I am no longer content to play boke to your tsukkomi. Don't test my patience further," I address the Holy Swords with a dead, irritated voice.
As we enter into the conference room, I distinctly hear someone trying to suppress a laugh. Turning around, it's clear the smaller figure, who is almost certainly Kaguya, is having trouble containing herself.
I let a breath loose, "Go ahead, Princess, laugh it up."
She doffs her hat, giggling, "Hehehe. Master Zero has such a way with words. But, I think you brought us here for something more important. ね、 許嫁さま?" (Right, my fiancé?)
I can tell Tohdoh isn't happy about my verbal abuse of his men. Maybe they should learn their place, then.
"Zero, I was promised the truth. I trusted your judgment on Suzaku. Now I would like some answers. Beginning with who the stranger that Lord Kirihara and Lady Sumeragi have aligned themselves with is," he says, standing at military attention, pointedly refusing a seat.
Military etiquette. Have to break that habit ASAP, we'll move faster if we aren't standing on ceremony.
"Funny you should say that," I say with a small chuckle as I undo the lock on my mask.
I flip my head back, ebony locks floating momentarily as I slowly lower my chin to meet the veteran soldier's eyes with my own.
"This is not our first meeting by any means. 久しぶりだよ、鏡志朗さん。" (It's been a long time, Kyoshiro-san.)
Whomever he thought I was, this person he's seeing wasn't it.
Kaguya titters as she hides her face with a fan, "Allow me to properly introduce my fiancé, Lelouch vi Britannia, exiled Eleventh prince, also known as Zero, 大六天魔王。"
Kirihara smirks as he steeples his fingers, "You seem to have acquired your fiance's penchant for dramatics, Lady Sumeragi."
Tohdoh is blinking, his hands twitching. I can FEEL his mind warring with itself about what to do or say.
I can't have that, not yet.
"How else could I know so much about how to fight Britannia, but by being privy to the heart of its corruption and depravity? How could I know how to needle and manipulate Cornelia, but by being her family?"
I stand, collar framing my imperious gaze as I address him with the full power of my station, "Now then, I believe you were to pledge your loyalty, 奇跡の藤堂。" (Tohdoh of Miracles)
He shakes his head briefly as his eyes narrow, "What is your aim, Lelouch? Revenge? Do you intend to use Japan as a—?"
"Japan IS dead," I say, interrupting his tirade. "I come not to praise Japan, but to bury it. I have grander and loftier ambitions I will see accomplished."
I slam my fist on the table, "THE OBLITERATION OF BRITANNIA AND RESTORATION OF JUSTICE TO THIS SHATTERED WORLD!"
I slowly sit down, smoldering orbs meeting his judging ones.
"Do you imagine you have a choice? That Kyoto would support the remnants of the JLF? Or that you have any hope of success on your own? Come now, show some intellectual honesty."
He closes his eyes, "What of my people? You are correct. Japan and the JLF are both rotting in the ground. But what of the Japanese people? What does the Demon King intend for them?"
Kirihara gives out a rasping laugh at that, "Ha. Ha. Ha. It's exactly as he told you. This is not an alliance of mere pragmatism, though Lelouch would still be our best course even by such consideration."
He leans forward, a toothy grin on his leathery lips, "It's that he's entirely correct. You're stuck in the past. As was I. As was Katase. The difference is? When Lelouch came and made his case, I judged it fairly and found ours wanting in return."
Kaguya snaps her fan shut with a loud click, taking up where Taizo left off, "In the time he's been active, Zero has achieved more in less than a year than the JLF achieved in seven. And this despite having to clean up messes like Kawaguchi. AND being actively betrayed by those whom he should have counted as allies," she says archly, pointedly glaring at the older man.
Telling blow. Katase fucking us over at Narita was unforeseen. But in hindsight, it's given me the cudgel I needed to ensure the JLF does not rise again. And to cement the Black Knights to me and circumvent betrayal in the ranks.
I nod as I let loose a sigh, "You are angry that I treat your Swords so badly. That is the heart of this animosity, is it not?"
"Yes. I agree you have cause to be wary. But they raised an excellent point. Why DO you protect Suzaku? Even now he is named as a Knight of Britannia. As much as I have liked him in the past as both a student and a friend of his family, will you not have to face him regardless?" Tohdoh says, raising an eyebrow and openly daring me to contradict him.
Checkmate da. I give a cheeky smile as I lean back in the chair, "That would imply my boyfriend was actually on Britannia's side to begin with," I say nonchalantly.
At that, Tohdoh Kyoshiro finally does a double take with his jaw dropping slightly before he regains his composure.
"Suzaku...is your pawn?" he says in utter disbelief.
I light up a J and breath a smoke cloud up before answering, "No. He is my lover. One of several, and my best friend. He has seen the virtue and righteousness of my cause ever since I saved him from execution after the death of Clovis. And I shall permit no harm to come to him."
I tap out the ash as I offer the joint to Kirihara and Kaguya who both demur. Undeterred, I offer it to Kyoshiro, who gives the rolled paper a hard stare.
"I do not indulge in marijuana. No thank you."
I pull it back with a shrug, "Suit yourself. But you can see why I had to have a sniper with us on our last mission."
And now he decides he needs to sit down. Though I'm not sure which part of this was the biggest shock to him. My identity, our ultimate aims, or Suzaku's true allegiance/sexual preference.
"I see now that you have clearly been busy. I still don't trust that your aims are entirely altruistic, Lelouch."
I chuckle malevolently at that remark. Well well. Seems someone still has their backbone.
"Nor should you. The earlier implication you made is indeed accurate. Revenge is absolutely part of my agenda. I have but two targets in mind. The man responsible for the assassination of my mother. And..."
I ash the joint as my violet eyes burn with bloodlust, "My father, Emperor Charles zi Britannia."
He purses his lips in thought at my declaration. Blunt honesty has a way of throwing people off guard.
But then, that's the whole idea behind refuge in audacity.
I respect Charles as much as I hate him. His ambition isn't one that I agree with in the slightest. But I can appreciate the dedication, the zeal of a work of over fifty years.
It will make causing it to crash and burn all the sweeter.
"You said I should finish what I began, back at Gifu. What role am I to have in this play you are writing?"
I stand, cape swirling around me. Exactly the question I wanted.
"You do not trust me entirely. That's fine. I don't expect you to, not yet anyway. But will you at least acknowledge that we have a mutual need for each other? And I speak not of the role of Colonel Tohdoh of Miracles."
I place my hand on his shoulder as I smile beatifically, "But of General Tohdoh Kyoshiro, chief of staff for the Black Knights and a force to ensure I stay on the righteous path."
He meets my gaze as we look into each others eyes, trying to read the depths of our souls.
After a moment, he cracks a small smile and stands, holding out his hand.
"Very well. I acknowledge your authority, Demon King. And I shall watch to see that your course is just. Tohdoh Kyoshiro agrees to your terms."
I grasp his hand firmly. Finally. A military mind of level near my own to bounce ideas off of. Now I can finish unifying the underground. And bring the Holy Swords to heel.
"Welcome to the Black Knights, General," I pronounce triumphantly.
Castling complete. Now to acquire my own warbeast.
End of turn.
