Interlude 12: The Road to Dawn
It's been a bit over a month since we arrived here. After living in Arizona for half my life, the dry heat of Saudi Arabia feels...nostalgic.
Sadly, it's another busy day, and given the current progress, it's going to be this way for a while. But at the very least, I have one beautiful surprise for Big Brother when he wakes up again.
I can finally walk again.
Granted, I can't walk very far yet – Miss Rakshata said I'll be recovering for at least another 6 months, to overcome years of muscle atrophy. Feeling the input of cybernetics in my legs and along my back. It's not painful, just...odd. The surgical scars on my back and my legs? Those are quite painful whenever they flare up. Enough that I'm still in a wheelchair, half the time. And parts of my legs go numb, or feel like pins and needles in odd places or excruciatingly painful at times. And I have to use braces for at least the next several months. The therapy is hard enough that I just want to cry at times, even with everyone helping me.
But that's a small price to pay for being able to walk, to jump, to run, to play again, even if it's only a little bit to start with. Alice was crying tears of joy. I just wish Big Brother was awake to see it….and that's why I keep pushing through the tears. Because I want to see him smile again, tears of happiness on his face as I walk to give him a hug.
Being at the head of the table for meetings, making sure things are running well, it just...it feels wrong. Big Brother should be the one here. I do my best to help, trying to make sure all of the paperwork and the organizing are done properly. Nobody expected it, least of all me, but I seem to have a knack for this.
"Your Highness?"
Blinking my eyes, my head returns back to reality from my navel-gazing. Miss Rakshata said she had big news for this meeting. Time to get back to work.
"Sorry. I was lost in thought. Thank you for all your hard work, everyone. We wouldn't be at this point without all of your help," I say, looking around the table.
Miss Rakshata. Mr. Ohgi. Mr. Tamaki. General Tohdoh. Big Sister Cornelia. Laila. And… CC.
All of the leadership of the Black Knights – and NOD, I suppose, since Laila is here. That's a question we've been putting off for a while. Mostly because we're here as guests of Laila. Sooner or later, we'll have to reorganize our respective groups to accommodate our new allies.
But like so many other things? That's a question to be settled if...no, when Big Brother comes back.
"We should be thanking you, Möbius. Your help with the administrative end has been invaluable," Tohdoh says with a brief nod of his head, which I respond to with an embarrassed smile.
"Yeah… umm… good job," Tamaki says whilst rubbing the back of his head, looking around awkwardly. "Feels weird making a little girl do all this admin shit though…" he grumbles under his breath. Under most circumstances? I'd be inclined to agree. But needs must, as the devil drives. And since CC is nowhere near her best, someone has to step up and do something.
"Ahem."
"Wahh!" yelps Tamaki as he falls out of his chair, startled by Laila's piping up from right next to him. Part of me wants to giggle at this, but seeing as how I'm running this meeting, I'll have to make do with a smile.
"You forgot Laila was here, didn't you?" Big Sister Cornelia says, chuckling to herself. Meanie.
Whirling to his feet, Tamaki points an accusatory finger at chest level...and then realizing his mistake, points it downward at the nonchalantly smirking Laila, "Don't fucking do that!"
"I was right here when you got here."
As much as I love Laila? She has a particular habit of getting under people's skin.
"Yeah… well… you're short!"
Judging by her eyes narrowing, Laila is undoubtedly plotting some form of revenge for that… low blow. Hehehehe.
"Major, please let us conduct the meeting first, before doing anything else," Tohdoh's rough voice intones as he gives my sister a flat stare, clearly not in the mood for her shenanigans.
Not that I blame her. We're all at loose ends lately.
I shuffle the stack of papers in front of me as I look around the table, "Ok… let's see… military operations?"
"Ever since Euphemia's speech, I… must admit, the Black Knights personnel are much more willing to work with my group," Big Sister says with a chagrined look on her face that says everything about how little she expected to be saying these words.
"I concede… that I greatly misjudged the Ele—" she stumbles over the last word, wincing as she forces herself to stop what she was about to say, "...the Japanese. They are more open-minded than I gave them credit for."
Laila raises an eyebrow at that declaration, which no doubt was difficult for Big Sister to say. "Well, that's all and good. But how is morale?"
"Vice-Commander Ohgi, your thoughts," Tohdoh says as he writes on a datapad.
"Morale is holding steady..." Ohgi whispers as he makes a motion to reach for something with his right arm… only to pause as he realizes he doesn't have a right arm anymore. I can't even imagine what that must be like. I knew my legs were useless for years, but to not even have them at all?
"But there have been increasing incidents of minor scuffles between rank-and-file Black Knights and Cornelia's troops. A lot of the arguments seem to boil down to blaming Britannians as a whole for Zero's incapacitated state. Though ever since Princess Euphemia's speech? The number of incidents has trended downward, albeit only to a more manageable level."
I'm not really surprised. We all wish that bygones could be bygones. But after so many years of being ground under Britannia's boot, to find ourselves allied with one of its greatest generals, who had herself been a staunch advocate of that oppression until only recently? It may be too much to ask to demand people forget the past, in this case.
A grunt from Tohdoh draws my ear as he sets the datapad down, massaging his forehead, "That is likely to be an ongoing problem for some time."
"I have instructed Guilford and the Glastons not to retaliate against any provocations. I suppose it's to be expected that your organization would not take kindly to my pledging allegiance to a leader who is no longer present…"
The cruel irony is, if they only knew why Big Sister was so zealous in persecuting the Japanese and other numbers, the rank-and-file would undoubtedly be more sympathetic. Maybe someday, Big Brother will take off his mask and tell them who he is.
"It's not like they can apologize for being Britannian, either." It's an absurd notion, apologizing for one's origins. But sadly, Laila has a point. It's one thing to be Britannian and join up with Zero. But to be the very enemy that until now we've all been fighting against?
A puff of smoke wisps across the table as Tamaki kicks back in his chair, a lit joint in his lips, "Fucking hell. You know Boss-man woulda settled that shit by now. All o' those dickheads starting shit woulda sat the fuck down once he got started."
Laila, in typical fashion, swipes the joint from his mouth, ignoring his protests as she takes a toke. "Unfortunately for us, he can't. So we have to. Which means putting the boot on idiots trying to start fights."
A cough interrupts the argument about to erupt. "Speaking of Lord Zero, I have good news on that front."
And like that, everyone's attention is focused on the person who has the best idea of my brother's condition.
"Do tell," Laila says, with a deadpan tone so flat, that only someone who knows her can tell it carries a hint of trepidation.
"Bartley and I have finished our research on Jeremiah Gottwald's enhancements. He is fully recovered and eager to return to duty, and to his expecting wife. We concur that we now have enough data and proof of concept to begin surgery on Lelouch himself," Rakshata pronounces, pausing only to smoke from her pipe as her sea-green eyes scan the table for reactions.
"Excellent news," Laila says, barely looking up from where she was staring at the table. It would be easy to dismiss her reaction as uncaring, if it weren't for the nervous grip of her hands on her chair's armrests.
"If you'll direct your attention to the table, I'll be happy to show you the fruits of my labors. Including something Vice-Commander Ohgi will be especially interested in."
Ohgi blinks at being addressed, but I have a feeling Rakshata has good news for him.
"My previous work in cybernetic prosthetics has been greatly advanced, thanks to my study of Code-R as well as Lord Jeremiah's enhancements. Within the next week, I will be able to manufacture a suitable cybernetic prosthetic arm for you," the Indian scientist pronounces with her usual haughty demeanor.
Her pipe twirls to point at me, "Nunnally here has regained the use of her legs thanks to said research, further proof of my scientific genius. With what I have learned following her operation, I will be able to provide suitable replacements for other members of the Black Knights, including perhaps, even a replacement eye for Senba."
Wow. It's hard to believe things out of science fiction are now a real possibility. Robot limbs, artificial eyes, I'd almost call it magical. Though CC might disagree, given how she hands out actual magical powers to people.
Judging by the astonished look on Ohgi's face, and the mirroring expression on Tohdoh's, neither of them was expecting this development. If I wasn't walking under my own power, I'm certain I'd be doing the same.
The lights dim as the display in the center of the table lights up, displaying a holographic representation of the human body, a web like structure branching out from the torso. The human nervous system.
"The central nervous system is a delicate and impressive piece of biological hardware. And one that has stymied countless efforts by medical professionals for centuries in how to repair or improve it."
I'd pipe up and say something, but it's rather superfluous at this point.
"Cybernetics have existed before, but there has always been some form of disconnect or drawback to making them functional. Phantom limb syndrome, nerve pains, rejection by the body, slowed reflexes, grafting, etc. For every problem we solved, several more always arose. And while Britannia has made great strides in the field of cybernetics, particularly for military application, there was always a hard limit to how much they could be incorporated into the human body."
Cornelia rolls her eyes at the pontificating – I wonder if she's just used to hearing this sort of thing in the military? ...Oh, lovely, now I made myself sad, thinking about how I haven't spent time with her.
"Thanks to Code-R and our efforts—" she says, nodding at CC, who gives the faintest gesture of acknowledgement before going back to looking downcast. She's practically my sister-in-law, but….I don't know how to help her. "—all of that may soon be a thing of the past."
The body on display shifts with the touch of a button, the nervous system rearranging itself like circuitry. Precise, ordered…...and quite frankly, eerie to behold in the abstract.
"Artificial nerve tissue. One of the greatest bottlenecks to cybernetics. Solved by Code R."
Rakshata blows smoke from her pipe, a gleam in her eyes as she gestures with her free hand, "Bartley confirmed that the cybernetics inside Jeremiah currently are comparable to what he recalls about Kewell Soresi's enhancements. Ladies and gentlemen? I am now confident that we have a fighting chance to save Zero and bring him back, if all goes well in the surgery."
Stifling a gulp, I slowly raise my hand to catch her attention, only for Big Sister Nelly to lean on the table and give her a tired, but firm look as she speaks, biting her lip.
"... how much of a chance? We have waited a month for this Doctor, you can be honest in this room."
"Coin flip? Lotto? Pachinko odds?" Tamaki mutters under his breath, thinking nobody can hear him. I don't need to see his face to know he's trying to hide a nervous sweat at the moment. It's taking a great deal of effort for me to do so on my end.
Oh, Big Brother… how did you ever handle this?
"Currently, 44.73% chance of total success," Dr. Chawla says, closing her eyes as her shoulders sag.
The sound of a chair suddenly pushing back causes everyone's head to turn towards the heretofore silent form of CC, who has stood up, a look of stark disbelief in her eyes as her plush toy slips from her grasp.
"That's it? That's the best you can do after all of this? After all Jeremiah did for you?" she says with a sinister hiss in her voice, her fingers clawing at the table. "You can't even give my husband a coin flip of surviving?!" her normally cool and collected voice rises to an calamitous shriek at the end as her hand grabs a pen, throwing it past Rakshata's head mere inches from hitting her as it hits the wall behind her, shattering into pieces.
"CC, plea—" my voice rings out, only to be cut off as the limette stalks her way around the table, slowly creeping closer to Miss Rakshata, a look of utter venomous hate on her face.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF HIS PHYSICIAN, DOCTOR CHAWLA!"
Before she can get any closer, Laila has her hand on her arm, gently but firmly dragging her back to her seat.
"CC. Enough. Calm yourself," my sister says with an unmistakable steel in her otherwise soft tone.
A silent sigh of relief is my only response. Thank god she can still be reasoned with. For all the fury in her eyes, the naked fear and agony is even more apparent.
"Scary shit, bro," Tamaki whispers to Ohgi, giving an audible gulp.
"Given Lelouch's chances two days ago, this is already a forty percent increase," Laila notes quietly but firmly as her hand on CC's shoulder tightens slightly, her other wrapping around in a gesture of comfort.
"This is an improvement. It doesn't seem like it right now, but believe me, we both know this better than it was before."
Judging by the choked sound I just heard, I think the point got across to her. Seeing her now with her head down, hair over her face, unable to look up… it's heartwrenching.
I fear the worst for her, the longer this goes on.
"It may be possible to improve the odds even further. But I cannot guarantee success. Not for this," the Indian woman says with a sharp look at CC.
"What more can you do?" I ask, causing Miss Rakshata to blink in surprise at my speaking up. Not surprising; I've been largely quiet in this meeting. But when I speak? People listen.
Another button tapped, and the display focuses on the left arm's circuit pattern as Miss Rakshata points to various points on the arm, "We can do the extremities first. Give ourselves a better idea of what we're working with."
"Ohgi, the arm I am designing for you is based on this research. Unlike traditional cybernetics? Your arm will have an experimental haptic interface. You will be able to feel sensations on a level that a normal prosthetic is simply incapable of generating," Rakshata segues into what feels like a sales pitch.
The idea of an artificial limb is rather unnerving, if you take the time to truly think about it. A machine grafted onto your body, taking the place of flesh, moving by a system many people wouldn't be able to understand easily. The amount of faith you would have to put into something like that...it's a reason why I was so hesitant to let Miss Rakshata do the surgeries on me at first, even if it would allow me to walk again. I just couldn't get over how much it made me fearful to go under the knife. And the pain makes me regret asking at times.
…In hindsight, I may have some suppressed trauma from what happened to me as a child. Lovely. I really should talk to someone about this.
"We have tested this extensively with Jeremiah. His cybernetics have not affected his proprioception or his senses in a negative fashion. And his level of modification is far beyond what anyone in our organization will require for prosthetics of any sort. Combined with hyperbaric oxygen treatment and other recovery methods, you should be fit for duty by the time we're ready to resume operations," she finishes, a cocky smirk on her lips, her eyes gaze around the table, no doubt seeking affirmation for what she has accomplished.
With a lost look on his face, Ohgi finally responds. "...really? I'm sorry. I really have no head for this science stuff. I'm an administrator and commander, so I'll have to take your word for it."
In some ways, it's easy to see the schoolteacher he used to be. He's a very easygoing person.
"It's as top of the line as it comes, Ohgi," Laila said, smiling slightly in a teasing tone. "All you need to do is thank her for her hard work."
Ohgi bows his head to Rakshata. "Thank you, Rakshata-san."
The dusky skinned woman nods before turning to General Tohdoh. "I apologize. Ryouga Senba's cybernetic eye will take longer than expected."
Tohdoh bows his head, "I am grateful you can even create one for him, Doctor."
Given how many injuries we had to deal with when we arrived, that we can address permanent disabilities at all is a sign of how far we've come.
"How much will taking this slowly help, Doctor? I do not doubt your skills, but how much longer can Lelouch hold on as he is now?" Cornelia grouses, her hand reaching for a cigar as she lights up.
Normally, I'd ask her not to do that indoors. But I'll let it go this time, given the circumstances. The smell is one I still can't stand after all these years… even if it is one I still associate with her.
"As you said, the key issue is time. We are battling the clock with every surgery and every minute. His nervous system has already effectively failed, and eventually even just keeping him alive on life support will risk permanent damage. And nothing short of completing the entire changeover will bring him out of danger."
"Our primary obstacle is this," she says, pointing her pipe at a point on the back of the figure, a red line going across the middle.
I barely stifle the urge to swallow at what she is obviously pointing at. The spinal cord.
"And how close are you to replicating that?" Laila says with a raised eyebrow.
"We already have. Some of the work that enabled Nunnally to walk again was done on her spine. That isn't the problem. The problem is his current condition. In order to complete this part of the surgery, we're going to have to do something even more radical."
More radical? I almost don't want to know, but… no. I have to ask. He wouldn't hesitate to put everything on the line for me, I can't back down now.
"What do you mean 'more radical', Rakshata?" CC's yellow topaz eyes show a hint of hesitation before she elaborates in a cool clinical tone.
"Complete replacement of his entire spinal column, including all associated nerves."
My god… That's… that's insane even for what I know about medicine.
"Fuuuuuck…" Tamaki whispers as his hand shakes, lighting up another joint.
Big Sister Nelly slowly turns to give Rakshata a piercing look, her jaw tight, "And you believe you can succeed in this mad science? That Lelouch will be whole again?"
"...Nothing is ever truly guaranteed with surgery. And this is the most radical surgery I will have ever performed. Just the time spent with him under the knife will take an entire day at minimum. But yes, I believe we have a fighting chance to save him."
I clasp my hands together in a gesture of prayer, biting my lip. It's not much, but even this is more than we believed possible.
Laila looks up, her eyes cold and determined, the eyes she gains when she's operating not as my cute and manic sister, but as an OSI major.
"And if you had volunteers?"
Her question is met with a scowl and an upturned nose from Rakshata, "I refuse to conduct more Code-R style butchery. This is why Jeremiah's services were volunteered. We cannot go any farther with other people. What we have to do with Lelouch will be an operation tailored exclusively to him."
My sister stands up, persisting even still in the face of a clear rebuttal, "But can you practice your technique on volunteers? To increase Lelouch's chances of survival?"
Cornelia gives her a stern look, "Laila, why are you argu—"
"You are failing to understand," Rakhsata interrupts. "Attempting this on anyone else will be a death sentence. Even Jeremiah did not have this procedure done to him. And he was certainly in far better condition than your brother is right now," she hisses out as she glares at Laila, annoyance visible on her face.
"I understand perfectly. I ask you again: Can you practice with volunteers?" Laila says, looking the other blonde dead in the eye, her sapphire gaze coldly determined.
She can't be suggesting…
Rakshata turns to face Laila fully, a look of utter incredulity on her face, "You want me to commit butchery on people for this?! That is a violation of my Hippocratic Oath!"
"Then give me your data, and I will find people who will practice on volunteers," Laila says, crossing her arms, raising her eyebrow at Rakshata's rejection.
A bluff. Laila knows full well that Rakshata is the only doctor who can perform the surgery on Big Brother. What is she playing at…?
"I will not! It is my duty as a doctor to prevent harm, not compound the evils of Code-R!"
Enough is enough. I'm going to make Laila answer why she's doing this. I'm not going to scourge the doctor who gave me back my legs when she's refusing to inflict undue suffering.
"Laila, you cannot be serious. You know what you are asking Miss Rakshata to do. You had to know how she would react to this. So why?"
Purple meets blue as my gaze pierces into her, and my sister flinches and backs down.
"I am deadly serious. As Doctor Chawla has said, she has no idea if the surgery will even be successful. I can help with that."
Tapping her phone on the table, Laila smiles sinisterly, "I already have the volunteers. Moreover, I have people perfectly willing to destroy their own humanity in order to save Lelouch."
"The only reason this is even possible is because Lelouch's nervous system is already so damaged and he's in a coma! The shock will kill anyone else I attempt it on! There is no point in tearing people apart for little to no gain, let alone the excessive cruelty!" Gesturing to me, Rakshata pounds the table with her fist, "What I did to give Möbius back her legs is child's play, compared to replacing the entire spinal cord and connecting it to the brain!"
My sister pounds the table back, her face white with outrage and fear as she roars back, "I KNOW!"
Taking a deep breath to calm down, Laila continues, "I have people who are already suffering spinal injuries for the rest of their lives, people who might not be in the same level of horror as Lelouch is, but would still give their lives for the science, if it meant saving another life."
Oh god…
Gritting her teeth, the little blonde continues, "I have committed crimes that should by all rights label me as shoot-on-sight in Britannia, Europe, and China ten times over. What's one more crime against humanity added to my tally, if it means Lelouch survives, hale and hearty, to lead us all to victory."
Laila… this is what you've been doing all these years since we disappeared, isn't it?
"...If Lelouch's surgery is successful, then they will be better off. But to have them volunteer now..." Rakshata allowed cautiously, an uneasy look on her tan face.
The attendees at the table start in surprise as CC speaks, so unused are we to this subdued and muffled version of her, "Then use me."
"Hm. That is a fair idea. Buuuut?" Laila says with a raised eyebrow.
A pained sigh escapes Rakshata's lips as she sits back down, "It won't work for CC. Her regeneration would activate and reject the cybernetics, before we've even finished implanting them. And Code-R already did the preliminary research for spinal operations on her. Yet another reason for me to refuse putting her through that kind of misery again."
The doctor turns a gimlet eye towards my sister, a tired look smoldering with anger in her gaze, "Do you think your brother would condone this butchering of science and medicine, even to save his own life?"
…I wish I could answer that. Part of me is afraid to even ask such a question. It would be hypocritical of me to ignore the monstrous nature that Big Brother adopts sometimes. But, I know there is still a core of kindness and gentleness in him. Even if he let this proceed, he would not be happy about it.
Maybe… maybe he and I are more alike in how steeped in darkness we are than I thought...
"Whether you like it or not, Doctor. I will ensure Lelouch's surgery is successful," Laila declares, matching Rakshata's look with her own steely gaze.
Because as kind and nice as everyone thinks I am? …I would not hesitate to sacrifice any number of people to bring him back if it came down to it. Big Brother was right, I am selfish.
But that doesn't mean I can't see that Laila isn't entirely like that. My little sister ruined her soul to protect us. I can't let her hurt herself anymore.
With a grunt and grimace of pain, one hand on the table, steadying myself, I slowly walk over and put my arm around Laila, pulling her into a hug, "Laila… please. You don't have to do this."
Seemingly ignoring me, Laila raises her eyebrow, "The question remains whether or not you will cooperate in the endeavor. If not, then I will have someone else who will."
"Doctor. If they are willing… isn't it better to take the responsibility yourself?" Cornelia asks with a weary tone.
Fingers tapping on the table calls our attention to the frustrated expression on General Tohdoh's face, "We are indeed the chosen of Naraku. And we will likely answer for this before Enma-ō in the end. Princess la Britannia. You can confirm these people are under no coercion or duress? They understand they will most likely die from these operations?"
With a put-upon sigh, the petite blonde responds, "Every last one of them are volunteers. They are the elderly, the infirm, the disabled. They no longer have the desire to live, not in the state they currently possess. But all of them still hold a deep love for their fellow man, and if their lives may save another, they would gladly give it. I know their names... I know their likes, their dislikes, their dreams..." her voice trailing off towards the end of her summation.
Just hearing her speak like this, it's cruel and vicious. And I cannot help but blame myself for it. If only we'd been there for her. If only Big Brother and I had been able to protect her. I'm such a horrible sister.
Cornelia rubs her chin as she meets Laila's purple eyes with her own, "They're Numbers, aren't they?"
"Why wouldn't they be? Because Britannia has done such a great job taking care of them, right General?" Laila replied, her voice bitter.
Nelly looks away, a grimace on her face, hands gripping the armrest tightly.
It may be true. It may even be what some would say Big Sister Nelly deserves. But I refuse to let Laila be so cruel to her. Not after all she's been through, and all she's done to help her of all people.
I slowly remove my mask, forcibly turning her slim shoulders towards our big sister.
"Laila. Apologize. Now."
"...I'm sorry. That was uncalled for," she mumbles out, looking chagrined and shamefaced for once.
My grip tightens as I struggle not to vent my indignation at her bratty behavior, "Nelly is our big sister. You have no right to scourge her like that. Not after everything she sacrificed to be here and help us, including the times she's helped you personally, Laila la Britannia."
Her only response is to look away.
Darwin damn her for making me have to play referee like this. I drag her by the ear over to where Nelly is sitting, choosing to ignore the people bearing witness to our family drama. Then again, most of this war IS our family's drama played on a grand stage.
I've become very bitter, haven't I? Hopefully it's just the pain and not my heart changing. I don't want to lose who I am, not after all this time.
"Laila, I don't have the heart for this. Not anymore. I can't fight with the few sisters I have left," Nelly says, her face pleading with Laila not to argue with her anymore.
With a muffled 'sorry' her only response, Cornelia holds her arms out and brings them around both of us in a hug.
"I'm sorry too, Pixie. I've been a stubborn fool for a long time. And I made you feel you had to take up this evil burden after Lelouch and Nunnally disappeared. Forgive your foolish big sister."
Now that's much better. It's little moments like this that let me know that my sisters are still the good people I believe them to be. And that I'm not so far gone as to be unmoved by it.
"You can cease pontificating about finding someone else. Bartley and I are the lead surgeons on this. You won't be able to find someone better than us. I'll conduct tests to see who might be feasible for the operation and whether this is worth it. It may only improve our chances by a few percentage points at best," Rakshata drawls out with a put-upon sigh.
Tamaki turns to Ohgi scratching his chin, "Bro-Ohgi… when did shit get so complicated?"
"Well, it all started when some masked guy by the name of Zero offered to help us beat the Britannians…" Ohgi says, trailing off with a shrug.
"Okay, I walked into that one," Tamaki snickers as he makes a fistbump with Ohgi.
"On a better front, the Air-Glide System is finished. We can begin mass production tomorrow. Radiant Wave shielding and Hadron weaponry are entering final testing and will be finished within days. You may resume praising my genius now," Rakshata proclaims as she blows out a smoke cloud from her pipe.
Laila turns to Tamaki and Ohgi, "How are we on supplies?"
With a lazy shrug as he kick his feet up on the table, Tamaki turns to her, "Took me a bit to figure out how the local dickheads negotiate. Once I drank a few under the table? They started offering better deals."
It's hard to believe sometimes that someone so crude is the man we depend on as the coordinator for our black market connections. Talent will out, I suppose.
"We're mostly well off on food and ammunition, but Frame parts…" Ohgi sighs as he rubs the place where his arm is missing.
"Oh! I got good news on that. Kaguya said she's got a line on some suppliers for Frame parts. So relax Bro-Ohgi, I got ya covered!"
"Speaking of supplies, the research data from W-0 proved to be exceedingly useful. You'll find its full contents in your lab, Doctor Chawlas. It includes all of their mechashifting technology, Shrotter Steel and improvements to the material, and their experimental Brain Raid System and associated dumb artificial intelligence designs. You may start praising me any time now," Laila said with a preening look on her face.
"Just a minute here. How in the bloody hell did you manage to poach W-0 out from under Europia's nose? Last I heard, they were the pride of European SpecOps," Cornelia exclaimed with an incredulous look on her face, one I find myself sharing. I didn't hear about any of this before this meeting.
My sister's face splits with a deviously impish smile as she curls a finger one of her twin tails, "Oh, that? It's because NOD is European Black Ops."
...In hindsight, I really should sit Pixie down and make her explain everything she does at some point. Big Brother's notes on… well, everything… are incomplete.
CC showed me most of it, but there are parts where I fear Big Brother is just ranting and raving like a lunatic. 'Destroy the Sword!' 'Deny That Bitch her prize.' 'Zero Requiem must be denied!'
I want so desperately to ask what all of this means. That my big brother isn't losing his mind, that there's a method to his madness.
I have to save him, for that reason, among so many others.
"Where W-0 is Special Operations, NOD effectively does not exist as far as the upper echelons of EU is concerned. If anything, NOD acts more like Pluton or OSI than actual Euros!" Laila says, sitting on the table, cackling wickedly to herself.
A gruff noise and a stern look from General Tohdoh akin to a strict instructor disciplining a student silences her, "Major, most of us are not familiar with the dark secrets of EU black operations. And there have been no reports about W-0 vanishing. Or any reports about the European front since the destruction of the Fleets. What exactly happened after the siege of Tokyo?"
The eyes of everyone on the table on her causes my sister to grimace and sit back in her seat.
"Fine. I suppose that's fair and I should show my work."
Lighting up a joint, she continues, "I'm not used to operating this kind of scale. Still... we've been consolidating power in Africa and Europe. Primarily against Euro Britannia. We've assassinated more than a few key figures of power, heirs, and potential problems; including Shin Hyuuga Shaing, heir presumptive to the Holy Order of Michael. With the loss of Manfredi and the next Grandmaster in line, they're in a state of organized panic. Which, given our circumstances, is good for us."
Cornelia ashes her cigar with a sigh, shaking her head slowly, "Manfredi was a dear friend of my Lady. His passing was a loss to us all."
Surprisingly, CC of all people responds, "I also knew him well. He will be missed.."
"Indeed. Another reason we had to kill Shing. Avenging Manfredi's assasination was a welcome bonus."
At that bomb being dropped, Cornelia coughs on her cigar and marches over to Laila in a flurry. "Assassinated?! By whom?!"
Pixie raises an eyebrow as she blows a puff of smoke out. "By Shin. Duh. I thought I made that obvious."
Tamaki raises a hand, "Umm, not to be an idiot, but why is this a big deal? The dickhead is dead, who cares?"
On the one hand, he has a point. This clearly happened a while ago. On the other hand? Laila clearly has not learned her lesson.
Before she can react, I pull on her ear, eliciting a yelp as she quails before me.
"Laila. Listen to me very carefully. I am in a fair amount of pain. So please take that into consideration for what I am about to say next."
With that warning out of the way, I glare at her, mustering some of the raw anger and pain I'm dealing with to manifest in my voice and features, a gesture that causes her to gulp in obvious discomfort.
"If you ever try to hide things like this again, or think that you don't have to explain yourself in the future when you do something clandestine, or presume that you're in command? I will tan your bratty hide myself until your back is bruised and bleeding. Am I clear, Laila?"
It's a testament to how frustrated I am that everyone in the room seems to shudder at that pronouncement. ...Perhaps I need to take more medication for my pain. I shouldn't be taking this out on her like this. But she really does need someone to bring her to heel. And since Big Brother can't do it?
"C-c-crystal, Nunnaly," she gulps.
A-a-anyway," she says, regaining her composure. "We've been retooling factories in the Middle East to begin producing war material to support Lelouch in his expansion into Asia and for the eventual push into the Homeland. However, with his incapacitation, that's up in the air. I've also taken to secretly importing propaganda into both the Middle East and Europia, respectively. Social engineering is still ongoing, however signs show that the public is receptive towards him. That may change, depending on how much longer he's out of action."
General Tohdoh hums in thought before responding, "My discussions with him were predicated on our taking Japan and smashing the inevitable counterattack. And using, as he put it, 'Japan's old standby' to our advantage to give ourselves time to expand."
"The fuck is a standby?" Tamaki exlaims.
"One moment Laila. Explain this 'standby'," Nelly interrupts with an unamused look.
"Sakuradite embargo, I'm guessing?"
"As he put it? 'Japan failed with economic warfare because they didn't know what they were doing. I do.' And no, not just that," Tohdoh says, shaking his head. "It was using a 'war chest', as he put it, composed of various economic assets, as a wrench into the Britannian economic engine to jam their war machine. In other words, a direct economic attack on Britannia."
I feel like pulling my hair, listening to this. He had all of these plans and he didn't think to plan for brother Schneizel or the Siegfried?
No, that's not fair. There's no way he could have seen that monster coming.
Sucking in her breath, Cornelia palms her face, "Damn that cunning fiend. We'd never have seen it coming."
Laila coughed to interject, "Besides, it's not like Britannia didn't just suffer a major setback in Europe or a major blow in Japan. Well, after a fashion."
"Indeed, it was meant to be part of a combination of events to give us all time to build up enough forces to take China, and then Britannia itself," Tohdoh continued, sipping his tea, eyes closed in thought. "As it is? Using it now would be a waste of time and energy. Particularly since Luciano Bradley is intent on bleeding Japan dry with no one to restrain his depravities," Tohdoh's voice grinds out, a white knuckled grip on the chair with his free hand.
I wish I could say something comforting to him at this moment. But anything I can think of would only sound hollow compared to what the Japanese people are going through.
Nevertheless, his face seems to lose some of its tension as I reach my hand over to his arm and give it a comforting squeeze.
"So what happened to this war chest?" Ohgi inquires, still rubbing his mained shoulder.
"Kaguya-sama and Taizo-sama have taken charge of it. It is safe, along with our remaining economic assets. The destruction of Tokyo, along with Bradley's executions of the other heads of Kyoto, have ironically covered our tracks well."
Kyoto House is no more, then. While I never met the other heads of the group, I knew of them and the role they played in keeping the public peace, and in cultivating the resistance. Given what I've heard of the 'Vampire', I hope they didn't suffer before the end.
A snort from Cornelia disrupts my train of thought, "Hpmh. Enough evidence to convict, but no money trail? Bradley is getting sloppy without MacArthur to pull on his choke chain."
"Ahem. Getting back to the earlier discussion topic, what is this Brain Raid System? I don't believe I know of this technology," Rakshata interrupts, earning a rude look from big sister Cornelia.
Laila shrugs as she responds, "As far as I can tell, it's derived from Geass somehow."
What?
"What?" CC whispers, unknowingly echoing my own thoughts on the matter. The EU has weaponized Geass?
"It's nowhere even close to mind-controlling people, diving into psyches, or anything like that," Laila says in a lackadaisical manner, twirling one of her twintails as she slouches in her chair.
"That does not set my mind at ease, pixie," Cornelia says, the unease plainly apparent in her voice.
"But? What it does do is pick up on emotions and trace thought patterns. According to their notes, they used this system on their pilots to increase their survivability in both piloted frames and drones."
Nelly puffs on her cigar, eyes showing her irritation at a topic that even I'm wondering why we're discussing, "I'm failing to understand how this is helpful to pilots."
"In layman's terms, it's a poor man's hivemind. Multiple sensors distributed across a network of minds, each additional mind enhancing the sum of all parts. And if one of those minds is especially effective, then that affects everyone else. Skills and reflexes increase dramatically, at the cost of susceptibility to sudden shocks crippling them."
The only sound heard is Big Sister coughing on cigar smoke as everyone in the room turns to look at Laila, who is preening at the attention.
This Brain Raid System sounds incredible, but it also sounds horrifying. Letting your mind be swallowed into a greater whole? What about individuality? What about retaining a sense of self?
And why does CC look like she's struggling not to say something hearing about it…?
"Wait a sec. Call me a dumbass—" Tamaki says, breaking the silence of the moment.
"You're a dumbass."
...And of course, Laila has to try and wind him up…hmm. Perhaps she's teasi—…no. I am going to stop thinking about this. I don't need to consider whatever strange perversions my sister is up to.
His middle finger flips out at her as he responds, "But wouldn't that mean that like...if Zero was part of this hive thing, that we'd all be able to hear his thoughts or something?"
Huh. Is that possible? It's an interesti—
"Nah. More like you'd know exactly what to do in a situation you'd otherwise die in."
Oh. Never mind. I suppose I had the wrong idea after all.
"What if, for example, myself or General Tohdoh were commanding on the ground?" Rakshata opines absently, her mind clearly elsewhere.
"Then you would be the most exceptional mind in a sea of averages. It'd be like being the most complex part of the brain. If we were to hook everyone up, we'd all go up a few IQ points thanks to Doctor Chawla, gain a dramatic increase to command qualities from Tohdoh, and exceptional piloting skills from Kallen. We would become more than the sum of our parts," she says, pausing a moment to take in some smoke from her lit spliff.
"But the system is flawed. If a sufficiently strong shock is delivered to a critical component of that network, it would paralyze everyone else. If Kallen were to be defeated or knocked out, for example, there would be a sudden loss in piloting skill."
Oh dear. That doesn't sound like it would be useful at all.
Laila shrugs as she looks at our expressions of disbelief, "Like I said, it seems to be based off of Geass, but it is quite literally in its infancy."
And that statement says everything about how Big Brother will feel about it.
"I am for tabling this, save only as a research instrument. It is far too risky to employ in an actual battle," Cornelia says, shaking her head in rejection of the idea.
"Agreed. This technology may be useful, but Geass is a weapon we should be exceptionally leery of. And anything based on it, is likely to have unacceptable risks attached. Not to mention, Zero himself would almost certainly reject it out of hand," Tohdoh declares, looking Laila in the eye, clearly expecting an argument.
Given Laila's personality, I would expect one as well.
"That's fair."
Or perhaps not? She was always impossible to predict when we were younger, it's somewhat reassuring to see that part of her hasn't changed. But speaking of change...
With a heavy sigh, I turn my face towards the reclining form of CC, "There is something else we need to discuss. CC."
Looking into her eyes as she turns her head towards me, as much as it pains me to do this? I know I have no choice in the matter. Please forgive me for this, sister-in-law.
"I am truly sorry. But? I must ask you to temporarily step down as leader of the Black Knights."
"What?" she replies, a hurt and betrayed look on her face. Please don't look at me like that, you know exactly why I'm doing this.
Laila gives out a grunt as she taps her fingers on the table. Please don't agitate her further, pixie. Help me make her see reason.
Rubbing my forehead as the headache from earlier comes back, I continue, "I didn't want to do this. But...you're in a dark place right now. And trying to keep the Black Knights together...it's putting too much stress on you."
A sinister hissing penetrates her voice as she sits up, "You're throwing me away? After everything I've done the last month?"
"CC, you are grieving, and your mood swings are starting to unnerve even the veterans who are used to Zero's erratic behavior. THAT is the extent to which you are acting," Tohdoh announces, shaking his head sadly, an act which only serves to inflame her already foul mood.
"CC. You're emotionally compromised. Can you honestly tell us to our face that you have the mindset to command the Black Knights right now? That you can put aside your worries and your emotions for Lelouch to take care of everything he has built so far?" Laila says to her, a rare look of pity in her eyes as she tries to reason with the immortal witch.
Unfortunately, CC is not in a conciliatory mood. Laila blankly looks up as CC stands over her, amber eyes glaring balefully, "Little girl, do not presume to lecture me on commanding. I have gone through things you can't imagine.
"I am the original Witch of Britannia. The Queen of Hell."
This is going as badly as I feared. She's just getting entrenched in her position and not listening to anyone.
"You are also a grieving woman who fears she may become a widow. I have seen more than enough to understand the depths of your loyalty and love for my brother," Big Sister Nelly declares as she meets her gaze, one commander to another.
"You can't begin to understand the depths of what I feel for him," CC's voice whispers in a sibilant and venomous tone as she lowers her head, her hair concealing her eyes from sight.
Enough.
Maybe it's because she knows me, maybe it's because she's desperate for someone she trusts to tell her it will be ok.
But whatever the reason is doesn't matter. What matters, is that as I get up and hug her around the waist, holding in my arms?
That I feel her relax, just a little bit from my touch.
"But I can."
And she knows it to be true. I may have seen only glimpses of the life she's lived and all she's been through, but it's more than enough to know what's in her heart.
"I know you can't live without him. Please, Big Sister CC. Don't make this harder than it has to be," I whisper to her as I sniffle a bit, rubbing her back with one of my hands.
Am I playing it up a bit? Less than one might think. It makes my heart ache, seeing her like this.
"We cannot afford a power struggle. No one need know of this change in the status quo. You are still the second in command of the Black Knights and the troops know full well how hard this is on you," Tohdoh says with a tired voice, the revelations of this meeting and stress clearly getting to him.
Cornelia rubs her forehead, she's probably feeling fatigued from this meeting as well, "You're taking time off to grieve and let your pent-up emotions out. None will dare judge you for such."
Laila gives her a look halfway between pity and sympathy, which would look condescending normally, but it currently lacks that impish edge to it.
"I don't deny that you've gone through things no mortal ever has. But you are too busy worrying about your husband to command. Let us help by easing the burden."
Perhaps I should have expected her response. Because instead of answering any of us?
She just holds me tighter and gives a morose laugh, shaking her head slowly, as though privy to some sort of gallows humor about this whole thing.
"When did it start? When did my heart start beating again? When did I start being human again?"
Rhetorical question, but the fact that she even said that means we probably got through to her.
Cornelia looks her in the eye, ashing her cigar on a tea saucer on the table, "I well remember you from those bygone days of yesteryear in Aries villa. And I know this much. Not once, in all the times I knew you then, did you show this much passion, this much care, even for Lady Marianne."
Big Sister Nelly sighs as she runs her finger through her hair, "So please, listen to your...sisters-in-law, and take some personal time while we're in this damned limbo."
…Of all the things she could have said, that was not something I expected.
"My husband has a way of bringing out the best, and the worst, in people," the Queen of Hell says as she takes a shuddering breath, trying to regain some of her composure.
Wiping her eyes, she continues, "Very well. I will take a leave of absence. And return when I feel able to command."
Praise Darwin. I let out a small sigh of relief as I let go and step back from her.
With the grace born of ages past, she takes the bow of a courtier to Rakshata, "I apologize for losing my temper, Doctor."
Of course given that Rakshata is in fact a mad scientist and not caring about any form of polite society, the gesture is appreciated but waved off as unnecessary. "Pshaw. You're not the first outraged wife I've had to face down. It's part of the medical profession. Think nothing of it."
Judging by the mournful and relieved sigh Laila let out, she was also expecting this to take a turn for the worst. Not that I blame her. CC's mood swings have been...erratic at the best of times lately.
The hug she's wrapping Pixie in at the moment says we don't have to worry this time however.
"Thank you for stopping me."
"I'm only doing what Lelouch would have done, I think. Worst role model ever," Laila replies with a shrug and a melancholy tone.
I swear she does this sort of thing far too often for my taste. But I'm not taking the bait this time.
With a teasing smile on my lips, I deftly sidestep the obvious bait, "He would. And really, Laila?"
"Still the same cheeky brat. You should be proud that Lelouch set such a good example for you and strive to emulate his admirable qualities," Big Sister Nelly replies with a laugh and a smile on her lips.
...What was that just now? That tightening of her expression, and looking away when big sister Nelly said that..I bet she's thinking something nasty again, probably about big brother. I don't exactly enjoy reprimanding her..
Alright, that's not true. I enjoy taking her down a few pegs at times when she's being a morose mess or a cheeky brat. Big sister Nelly doesn't want to bully her, probably because she feels guilty about leaving her alone in the middle east a while ago.
But someone has to do it. And since Big Brother can't chastise her for bad behavior at the moment? It falls to me.
"Finding you again was good for him," CC whispers as she ruffles Laila's hair, a wistful smile on her face. "Au revoir mes amis," she announces as she walks out of the room, Cheese-kun in her arms.
In the wake of the tension leaving the room, there is a pause of a few minutes before I voice the obvious question on everyone's minds.
"...Do you think she'll be okay?"
A question that sets Big Sister Nelly's expression to a pensive and concerned one. A gesture that does not fill me with confidence.
"If there is anything to remember about CC, it's that she's survived things no one else ever has. She'll survive this. And if I have anything to say about it, she'll survive it with a happy ending and lots of nieces and nephews for me to spoil rotten," Laila says, twirling her one of her twintails with one hand as she winks at me.
As much as she drives...well...everyone crazy? I still love my sister Laila dearly.
"I think we can table this meeting on that note. Big Sister Nelly, would you mind terribly if Laila and I went to go have tea with you and Euphie?"
"It would be my pleasure, Nunnally," she answers with a warm smile as she helps me to my feet.
Is it awkward to air our family drama in the middle of a command staff meeting like this? Ha. Is a Britannia a country prone to over-the-top gestures?
It's simply an inevitable consequence, and I thank whatever powers that be the Black Knights are holding together. And that men and women like General Tohdoh, Big Sister Nelly and Mr. Ohgi...and I suppose Mr. Tamaki, aren't judging us too harshly for it.
Please stay strong, Big Brother. We need you to come back soon. I miss you so much..
