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"Kallen"-Speech
'Lelouch'-Thought/mental communication
"{Die}"-Geass Command
"Halt!"-Loudspeaker
"Roger."-Radio/Walkie-Talkie
Chapter 22: The Deadly Dance of the Crimson Lotus
Black Knights Mobile Command Centre
With a groan, Yūko Kōzuki opened her eyes. The raging thirst in her throat told her that, once again, she had been weak enough to succumb to the allure of Refrain. She knew her daughter…no, the Young Miss would highly disapprove, but it was what she needed to get through another day of drudgery and verbal abuse.
'Wh-what? Where am I?' she thought in a panic once she had a good look at her surroundings. This wasn't the Warehouse that she had gone to for the Refrain…
'Oh Kami…don't tell me those criminals sold me?!' Yūko thought worriedly. It wouldn't be the first time a 'frainer vanished without a trace and she was worried she'd be the next statistic.
"Ms. Kōzuki." a synthesised voice spoke as a familiar helmeted head appeared next to her, "I am glad to see you have awoken."
"Z…Zero…!" Yūko whispered in a mixture of fear and confusion. Why would the Regicide and outlaw be here?
Zero inclined his helmet-covered head at her politely. "Indeed. You are lucky that my troops and I were raiding that Refrain den; the police were due to raid it the next day. As it is, they arrived just as we were leaving and by now, they have a full list of Refrain users supplied by that gang…including yourself, I am afraid."
"Oh no…!" Yūko whispered in horror. She'd lose her job. She'd be sent to prison. She would never see her daughter ever again…NO!
Evidently recognising the rising panic in her eyes, Zero looked over his shoulder and called out, "Kallen, your mother's awake."
"Wha…Kallen?" Yūko muttered in shock as her beautiful daughter appeared, dressed in the uniform of the Black Knights. Not only that, she was looking at Yūko with love for the first time in years.
"Okaa-san!" Kallen exclaimed as she hurried to the side of a dumbfounded Yūko.
"K-Kallen…Young Miss…" she started to speak, but was cut off by her daughter.
"None of that Young Miss nonsense now." she said, tears forming in her eyes, "Why didn't you tell me you stayed for my sake? Why?!"
"I…what? How?" Yūko was confused, to say the least.
"You were…vocal…while under the influence of Refrain." Zero interjected, "You pretty much stated your motives for staying at the Stadtfeld Estate. I erased the Knightmare's audio/visual logs before we blew it up to prevent the Britannians from identifying you or Kallen being present. I had no time to deal with the criminal's files, unfortunately. Apparently they had backups, which the police will no doubt have acquired"
"I…thank you…" the elder Kōzuki woman was somewhat punch drunk from the revelations here. First, she was in the company of the one man who dared to declare rebellion against the Holy Britannian Empire. Then she finds out that her daughter is working for Zero and finally that she was almost certainly a wanted criminal, as taking Refrain was a criminal offence.
"Answer my questions!" Kallen begged her mother, "Why did you do it?!"
"Because I'm your mother." Yūko replied simply, "And it is a mother's duty to ensure that her children have the best quality of life possible, regardless of what happens to me. As a Britannian, you have the world at your fingertips. There is almost nothing beyond your reach…you would have been safe…so why are you a terrorist?"
"I'll take that question." Zero interrupted them again. Yūko was a bit nervous at facing a man who killed a Prince of the Realm, but as this was for her daughter, she forced herself to stare into the faceless helmet and await answers.
"Kallen chose to be Japanese rather than Britannian." Zero informed her, "While I acknowledge your point about what mother's must do to aid their children, you neglected to factor Kallen's own wishes into the matter. She was a member of the resistance before I recruited her Cell into my Black Knights, and she is currently my third in command. Also the best Knightmare Pilot we have."
Kallen was blushing prettily at this praise, which didn't go unmissed by her sharp-eyed mother.
"That doesn't tell me why." Yūko said stiffly.
"Because I want to make Onii-chan's dream of a free Japan come true." Kallen said with a hitch in her voice as she spoke of Naoto.
"Oh Kallen…" Yūko said sadly.
"B-But that's not all!" the redhead said firmly, "I am Japanese, not Britannian. It makes me sick to be among most of them. I can't be happy as a Britannian, Okaa-san. I just can't."
"It would be akin to merely existing as opposed to truly living." Zero put in disdainfully, "A false, half-life full of sadness and frustrations."
"That…that's it exactly!" Kallen stammered, "How…?"
"I am somewhat familiar with masks, Kallen." the man said sweeping a hand down himself, gesturing at the whole ensemble he wore, "And I don't wear this physical mask all the time. When I don't, I fool those around me with a mask of a different sort. And it is unpleasant to have to wear one all the time, of either sort."
A pang of pity shook Kallen. In costume or out of it, Zero had to wear a mask. At least she had the Black Knights to be who she really was.
"Anyway, this leaves a problem, Ms. Kōzuki." Zero turned his attention back to Yōko, "I find myself unable to let you wander off, as you will either be caught by the authorities or go find a Refrain den. The only solution…is to house you where people I trust will keep an eye on you."
"Am I to be a prisoner?" Yūko asked softly.
"Until you are cured of your addiction to Refrain…yes, to a point." Zero conceded, "In between operations, Kallen would be able to visit you and I would arrange for a hypnotist acquaintance of mine to come and treat you for your addiction to Refrain."
"Would hypnosis even work?" Kallen asked somewhat sceptically.
"My acquaintance has never failed to hypnotise someone." he assured her, "It would take a month, I would say, then your mother will be totally free of any desire to have that foul drug in her veins. He could even program a violent reaction to someone attempting to inject it in, if you like."
"I…that is…" Yūko stammered, "Kallen…what do you think?"
"I…want to be able to see you without seeing the other maids bully you." Kallen said quietly, "I haven't been understanding of you and why you took Naoto-nii and I to our father…I want us to be family again, Okaa-san."
Mother and daughter locked eyes for a moment before Yūko nodded in acquiescence, making Kallen smile.
"Zero-sama, we have arrived." Aegis said as she appeared behind him suddenly, making Yūko jump in fright at the other woman's Han'nya mask.
"Thank you, Aegis." Zero said easily, utterly unshaken by the sudden appearance of his subordinate, "Where is Augur, by the way?"
"She has already disembarked and is organising temporary living quarters for Ms. Kōzuki until you arrange alternate accommodations for her." Aegis replied with a small bow, "She is also requisitioning some spare clothes and undergarments as I doubt Ms. Kōzuki or Kallen-san will have a chance to retrieve her belongings."
"Agreed." Kallen said sourly. She could imagine the other maids gleefully burning all of her mother's clothes and other items in an act of spite.
"Th-thank you…" Yūko said with a surprised look on her face.
"Think nothing of it." Aegis replied, "Do you think you can stand?"
With a frown, Yūko pulled the blanket covering her off and sat up, wincing as her head started to throb. She waved off an anxious Kallen and swung her feet around to place them on the floor. She waited a moment before pushing herself to her feet.
"Oh dear…" she said as he legs wouldn't hold her and she started to collapse to the ground. Kallen caught her quickly.
"It appears that you cannot." Zero observed, "Aegis."
"Hai, Zero-sama." the masked woman said. She scooped Yūko up into a bridal carry and proceeded down the stairs. The Japanese woman was mildly mortified at being carried, but there was no helping it as she couldn't even stand.
"Yūko-san?!" Ohgi's voice called as Aegis stepped out of the mobile home carrying the woman.
"Ohgi-kun?" Yūko perked her head up at that. When she saw Ohgi jogging towards her, she smiled, "It is Ohgi-kun! What are you doing here?"
"That's my line." the former resistance leader retorted, "How are you, Yūko-san?"
"She is currently unable to walk." Aegis replied, "That should fade in the next day or so. Augur is preparing some quarters for Ms. Kōzuki until Zero-sama arranges a safe house for her."
"I see." Ohgi nodded, "Let me take her. You're Zero's bodyguard, so stick by him."
"Very well." Aegis nodded. She passed Yūko to Ohgi's waiting arms and strode back to Zero, who has just stepped down from the van, swiftly followed by Kallen.
"Kallen, you have no duties for the rest of the day." the masked man told the redhead, "Get your mother settled in her room and assign guards outside it. Chose from your former group for that. I don't know how many of the Yamato Alliance is still using Refrain themselves."
"Right." Kallen nodded determinedly. She headed off, beckoning Ohgi to follow her, which he did.
"That was very nice of you, Goshujin-sama." Aegis muttered over the radio built into her helmet.
"I can admire a mother who was willing to go through that kind of daily abuse for the sake of her children." Zero replied the same way.
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The Next Day
Meeting Room, Six Houses of Kyoto Base, Unknown Location
"Why have you sent the Guren to Zero?!" one man barked.
Taizō Kirihara, sat cross-legged and sipping his tea, ignored Tousai Munakata's outburst. He left it to his younger counterpart to ease ruffled feathers.
"Do you not recall when I proposed sending the Guren to Zero-sama?" Kaguya asked with a barely repressed smile, "Taizō-sama stated that one more achievement by Zero-sama, in addition to assassinating a Britannian Prince and toppling the Goddess of Victory from her perch, was required to do so. I daresay stopping that incompetent fool Kusakabe from going on a killing spree across Japan counts, wouldn't you say?"
"Kindly elaborate, Kaguya." Tatsunori Osakabe requested.
"As you all know, I was a playmate of Prince Lelouch and Princess Nunnally before the Invasion." she said, receiving nods of comprehension from the other House Heads, "One thing I gleaned from Lelouch was that his older sister Cornelia is very, very protective of her only full blooded sister, Euphemia. I also have it on good authority that one Sub-Viceroy Euphemia was present inside the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Centre and a hostage of Kusakabe's renegades. Cornelia would have torn Japan to pieces if so much as a hair on Euphemia's head had been harmed."
"We certainly dodged a bullet there!" Akira Yoshida said with a worried look. The young man was the replacement for Hiroyosi Yoshida, who had been forced to step down due to his rash behaviour in making a bet with Kaguya. He was eighteen years old, with short brown hair and dressed in a hakama and haori.
"Indeed we did." Taizō spoke up for the first time, "Zero has earned the Guren twice over. Once for fulfilling the conditions I set him and twice for sparing the denizens of the Ghetto from Cornelia's wrath. This is leaving the numerous Refrain dens he has eliminated to one side."
"Fine." Tousai grumbled, "But what are we going to do about the JLF? Cornelia has made it clear by her troop movements that she is going to do something big soon. What if she knows where the JLF main base is?!"
"We have informed Tatewaki Katase of Cornelia's likely intentions." Kaguya pointed out, "He has no intentions of retreating."
"How many Burai-Kai can we ship to the JLF before Cornelia descends upon them?" Hidenobu Kubouin asked.
"As few as possible." Taizō replied, "The JLF is all but finished. Throwing good Knightmares at them will only delay their destruction by an insignificant margin."
"But…but they are the last remnants of Japan!" Kubouin spluttered, "Aside from us that is."
"Well unless you know of a way to shift General Katase from his stubborn stance that he can hold the Narita Base…" Kaguya said leadingly.
"Grrr…fine. If we give a unanimous suggestion to the JLF that they evacuate, will you continue to supply them with Knightmares?" Tousai asked angrily.
"If Katase moves, then yes." Taizō replied.
"A mere suggestion will not be heeded." Kaguya demurred, "Make it an ultimatum. Either Katase begins to evacuate the Narita Base or we cut off all funding and support to the JLF."
"That is a dishonourable suggestion!" Osakabe protested.
"We are in desperate times, Osakabe-san." Kaguya retorted, "As such, desperate measures are required. We are at a crossroads here; either we lose the JLF for good, or we save some of them at a price. Which will you choose, fellow Clan Heads?"
There was silence for a moment before Akira spoke up.
"Kaguya has a point." he sighed, "I dislike the choice as well, Osakabe-san, but she is in the right here. At all costs, we must save some of the JLF."
There were some grumbles from around the circle, but the other members of the Six Houses eventually agreed with Kaguya's proposal. They had a scribe write it out onto a scroll and pressed all of their House Seals in a row at the bottom, marking it as being supported by all members of the Six Houses of Kyoto.
"It will be sent to the Narita Base tomorrow, post-haste." Taizō informed his fellows, "Now, is there any more business we should discuss?"
"What is to be done with those…traitors that Zero handed over into our custody?" Tousai asked, a sneer of disgust for the Japanese criminals who had been manufacturing Refrain.
"Treason is usually punished by either life imprisonment or death." Kaguya pointed out coldly, "We cannot afford to let them leave this base now they have seen it and probably guessed the location."
A few eyebrows were raised at such a cold-blooded response coming from a girl of fifteen, but then, she was a mature fifteen, mentally if not physically.
"I agree." Taizō said firmly, "We must set an example to the Japanese people to show that making that abhorrent drug is not permissible."
This earned nods of approval from the other Clan Heads. They may be plutocrats, but they were also responsible for their citizens, albeit unofficially. Since the Britannians could care less about the 'Numbers' as long as they weren't shooting at their soldiers or whatever, it was up to the Six Houses to do what they could to feed and protect the Ghetto residents.
The Honorary Britannians could look after themselves.
"I'll organise a firing squad." Osakabe said gruffly, "We'll give the prisoners a chance to write to their loved ones -if they have any- before we execute them. That is the honourable thing to do."
"Agreed." Kaguya nodded. She really rather doubted they had anyone to write to; criminals of that sort rarely had anyone they cared for other than themselves. They saw the world as being full of cardboard cutouts, not people. They were things to abuse and torment, not living people.
Still, on the off chance that they did have loved ones, it was best to have a last message sent out. It was, as Osakabe said, the honourable thing to do.
"Any other business?" Taizō asked as he looked around the room, "Well then, we stand adjourned."
Later
Ashford Academy
Kallen stared at the unusually despondent Milly Ashford. The blond prankster was merely writing out the new budget proposal, but her red-rimmed eyes and the bags underneath them showed she had been crying and hadn't slept much.
She also noticed that Nina was keeping her distance and hadn't once spoken to anyone in the Student Council. In fact, the attitude of Shirley towards Nina was more…disappointed…than anything else.
Lelouch was downright frosty…as in icy tundra frosty.
Rivalz was more confused and dazed than anything else, while Celesta looked contemptfully at Nina. Suzaku was elsewhere and Kallen didn't really care about him.
When Lelouch stood up and asked if anyone wanted tea, she volunteered to help him with carrying them. Once they were in the kitchen, she started asking what the heck was going on.
"Milly and Nina were dating." Lelouch informed her, "Nina just broke it off with Milly and so I'm slightly irked at Nina for doing so."
"Wait…why'd Nina break up with Milly?" Kallen asked. She had nothing against lesbians, aside from Milly and Celesta's irritating habit of copping a feel of her boobs every now and again. She swore they did it in the most…arousing way possible deliberately.
"Lake Kawaguchi." Lelouch replied, "It was Milly's idea to go there and Nina's blaming her for them getting caught up in the JLF's hotel jacking."
"That's just stupid." Kallen said with a shake of her head, "Milly's a lot of things but she's not omniscient. No way could she have predicted that happening."
"Very similar to what Shirley said." Lelouch observed as he made the tea, "As I told Shirley when I told her about all this, I know that, you know that and I am very certain Nina knows that too. Regrettably, emotion and logic rarely agree with one another. Nina's xenophobia was sent into overdrive and she's trying to distance herself from the one she perceives as being responsible for that. Not smart, but somewhat understandable."
"Idiot girl." Kallen muttered.
"I agree, but then I am somewhat biased as Milly was my friend long before I knew Nina." Lelouch replied with a smirk, "Ah well. Celesta will be happy at least."
"Why?" Kallen asked with a bit of trepidation.
"I banned her from making a move on Nina or Milly while they were going out." he explained as he placed the teapot on the tray, along with the cups, "Now they've separated, she can pursue them…starting with Nina. This means she'll have less time to go after you."
"Thank god." Kallen muttered, before something occurred to her, "And why didn't you ban her from feeling me up, Lelouch?"
"Celesta is very much like a cat; making rules only goes so far with her." Lelouch grimaced, "Banning her from breaking up an existing couple works. Asking her to not flirt with a heterosexual girl works. Not so much if she's targeting a bi-curious girl who is single."
Kallen spluttered. "I am not…!"
"Oh yes you are." Celesta purred as she sauntered into the room, "You like the attention, you don't try to throw me off even although you know you could easily and I distinctly heard you moaning when I tweaked your -"
"Shut up!" Kallen growled, her face flaming red in a mixture of anger and embarrassment, "I did not!"
"Careful; you're breaking character." Celesta teased her.
Stiffening, Kallen whirled to face Lelouch, a question in her eyes.
"No, I didn't tell her." Lelouch replied, "Celesta is very good at reading body language and such things. She figured it out a week after she joined the Student Council."
Kallen was really getting fed up of being found out by overly perceptive Britannian Highschool students. What was it with some members of the nobility anyway?
"Anyone else who I should be told about?" Kallen asked icily.
"Sayoko. She's the same as Celesta, except less likely to drag you into a linen closet." Lelouch deadpanned, making Kallen flush at the thought.
"Don't worry, Red." Celesta drawled, "I'm going after Nina. She needs a little bit of…discipline."
With that, she sashayed out of the room, an extra say in her hips that Kallen found she had a hard time ignoring. She did manage though.
"IS she serious?" Kallen asked Lelouch.
"As a bullet to the skull." the raven-haired boy replied drolly, "Yet I somehow can't feel sorry for Nina."
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The Next Day
Hanger, Black Knights Temporary Base
Kallen Kōzuki had never believed in love at first sight. She dismissed it as a fanciful ideal used by writers of romantic fiction. To fall in love at first sight was something that would never happen to her, the redhead knew.
Until now.
She stood in front of the most unique Knightmare she had ever seen. Standing hunched over, it was comparatively lean and deadly looking. It was painted a glorious crimson red with yellow highlights, except for the right arm, which was pure silver.
It was the first Japanese Seventh Generation Knightmare Frame, the Guren Nishiki (Crimson Lotus Type Two) and it was a glorious sight.
"Hot damn." Tamaki whistled, "Looks like the boss really impressed Kyoto House."
"I'll say." Suginami breathed, "This is an incredible show of favour. By all rights the JLF should have first dibs at all new equipment from the Six Houses."
"Just goes to show that Zero was right." Inoue said, "We are supplanting the JLF, aren't we?"
"Yeah." Ohgi nodded, "It still feels weird, you know? Not long ago, we were barely able to maintain that junk heap of a Glasgow, and now we have a whole army of Burai, Burai-Kai, Sutherlands and now this."
"And it's only the beginning." Zero announced as he led Augur and Aegis towards the small crowd.
"Only the beginning?" Ohgi asked as he made way for the masked man.
"The person who designed this Knightmare is the rival of the person who designed the White Knightmare known as the Lancelot." Zero replied, "Once she finds she had a chance to beat his best creation with her own, she'll be here faster than you can say 'Guren.'"
"If we had the scientist that designed this Knightmare on our side…" Kallen muttered, "Who is she?"
"Rakshata Chawla." Zero stated as he hefted a thick book, "A certified genius who is as eccentric as she is brilliant. In this manual for the Guren, she refers to it as her child and threatens a dire fate on a pilot who doesn't take good care of it."
"Weird." Tamaki muttered.
"Weird is as weird does, Tamaki-san." Zero said with a shrug, "Now, the arrival of the Guren means I must choose a pilot for it. After consultation with Mamoru-san, we agree that the pilot should be…Kallen."
The girl in question blinked in shock, but before she caught something that Zero tossed at her. It was a Knightmare Start-Up Key, made to resemble a white feather of some kind.
"The Guren is the only Seventh Generation Knightmare Frame we have." Zero informer her, "And thus it is the only Knightmare that stands a chance against the Lancelot. But only with a skilled pilot behind the controls. And who better than the best we have to offer."
"But…the Guren's defences should be used to protect you!" Kallen protested half-heartedly.
Zero shook his head. "I'll be fine in the other special Knightmare they sent."
He pointed at a Knightmare that had just been unloaded. Painted pure black, it resembled a Burai-Kai, except with slimmer limbs. The headpiece that concealed the Factsphere Sensor System was decorated with a red and gold samurai-style mask.
"That's a…." Ohgi looked at it in bewilderment, "What is it?"
"It's a new Knightmare using the Burai-Kai as a base and improving it further with the modifications used in Victoria-type Sutherlands." Zero replied, "It's the first off the production line, apparently. Kyoto House R&D has dubbed it the Jinrai, a Sixth Generation Knightmare Frame."
"A…Sixth Generation?" Tamaki said in confusion.
"The Sixth Generation is known as the 'Missing Generation' because no giant leaps in technology have appeared, just minor improvements on what already exists." Zero informed him, "Which is exactly what the Jinrai is; a culmination of various technologies of Kyoto House and Britannia, all amalgamated into one Knightmare. In pure capabilities, it could put up quite a fight against an unarmed Lancelot. Against those MVS blades though, it would be futile. That's why on any operation, Kallen shall either hold off or defeat the Lancelot once any primary objectives have been made."
He handed the Guren's Manual to Kallen and turned away, "By the way Ohgi…what's this I hear of supplies going missing?"
As Zero walked away, Ohgi trotted after him to explain what had been happening. The rest of the group split up, leaving Kallen in front of her new machine, clutching the book and key tightly.
"Guren Nishiki…" she whispered with a smile, "Pleased to meet you…partner."
Later
Zero's Office
"Diethard Reid.." Lelouch muttered as he gazed at one sheet of paper on the desk in front of him. It was a recruitment application from the man who was the person to go to for propaganda in Area 11.
"What troubles you, Goshujin-sama?" Sayoko asked. She had her helmet off and was making tea for him.
"This man has just corroborated Jeremiah's information about Cornelia's intentions of invading Narita and wiping out the JLF." he replied absently as he read the profile before him, "It'll happen in one week."
"It's a good thing that the Six Houses put their foot down about evacuating Narita, then." the kunoichi stated.
"Hmm…I wonder if they really are though." Lelouch mused as he shifted in his seat, "Katase is a hidebound idiot from what I recall. A good leader, but very much a go-down-with-my-ship kind of leader. Hopefully, Todoh-sensei will talk some sense into him."
"Is that likely?" his maid/kunoichi asked as she served him tea.
"Katase is smart enough to know that, while he is the official leader of the JLF, the face of the organisation is Todoh-sensei." Lelouch replied before taking a sip of his tea, "Even he has to recognise that to go against Todoh-sensei's advice would be…foolhardy, if not fatal."
"Yet he did so when Katase insisted on trying to recruit you." Sayoko pointed out.
"Recruiting me wasn't truly critical to the survival of the JLF. The expansion of the JLF, perhaps, but this? Definitely survival." Lelouch replied, "Hmm…this information is truly good for a civilian. Once we commence a counterattack at Narita, I shall have to induct Mr Reid personally. Such an intelligent man has to be assessed properly."
"Do you think he is a plant?" Sayoko asked.
"No…but he does likely have his own agenda." Lelouch corrected her, "Cornelia has almost no patience for subtle tactics like plants or spies. Her own loyal nature means she mistrusts spies and turncoats on principle."
"Quite the weakness for a member of the Royal family." Sayoko observed.
"Yes, one she is more than aware of." Lelouch nodded, "It's why she would never, ever wish to be Empress; she'd have to deal with cloak and dagger aspect of the position, which would kill her inside over time. No, being a general is where she thrives and it's where she will try to stay until she's old and grey."
"Indeed. So, what are your plans for Princess Cornelia?" Sayoko asked knowingly.
Lelouch gave her a feral grin. "Since we know not only where and when she will be in a week's time, but the exact number of forces she has available, as well as her rough plan, I believe temporarily capturing her and extracting everything she knows about my mother's murder, not to mention all the secret codes she knows…anything of possible intelligence value she has in her mind, really."
"But Goshujin-sama, the Black Knights are only four hundred strong, and two-hundred of them are fresh recruits." Sayoko protested.
"True, and we only have sixty Knightmares, although I'm hoping that number will increase to eighty with this latest shipment of Burai and Burai-Kai." Lelouch admitted, "But let us not forget tactics and strategy, Sayoko. A bullet can kill a man; tactics can kill a regiment, while strategy can defeat a nation."
He held up a copy of the Guren Nishiki's manual, opened at the page of its main weapon, the Radiant Wave Surger. "Using this weapon, combined with my knowledge of Cornelia's plan of attack, all of the conditions for victory will be cleared."
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Six Days Later
Narita JLF Base
"General, you must evacuate." Todoh said sternly.
The colonel was standing next to General Katase as they oversaw the evacuation of the Narita Base, which had been the Central HQ of the JLF for the seven years of occupation by the Britannians. Men, materials and paperwork were being shipped out via the hidden underground tunnels that connected the Narita Base to the two nearest bases.
"I cannot, Colonel." Katase replied tersely, "I am still the commanding officer here and must keep the men's morale up."
"The current morale will mean nothing if Cornelia gets her hands on you!" Todoh growled, "Our scouts are showing that the net is closing fast. Soon we will have to stop evacuating and seal the tunnels to prevent the other bases from being discovered! Sir, you have to go now!"
"Enough, Todoh." Katase sighed tiredly, "I will not be evacuating. Follow me."
The old general led Todoh to his private office and sat down behind his desk. Todoh stood in a very rigid at ease stance in front of it.
"Zero assassinating Clovis." Katase spoke after a moment, "Rescuing Suzaku Kururugi. Defending Saitama. Defeating Cornelia. Killing Kusakabe and stopping that idiot from further shaming the name of the JLF. Each of these incidents has resulted in hope for the Japanese people…and a diminished amount of support for the JLF."
Todoh merely nodded.
"I am an old man." the general sighed tiredly, "I am also well aware that I am viewed as something of an anachronism by most of the younger troops. My training was based on infantry, tanks and planes, not Knightmares. I have been trying, but I am not adapting fast enough, if I am adapting at all."
"Sir, the JLF has resisted Britannia for far longer than any other resistance group in recent history." Todoh pointed out.
"Yes, because, as Zero stated in his refusal, we rarely leave our bases." Katase snorted, "We send out propaganda broadcasts that are jammed as soon as they are put up, make half-hearted raids that more often than not fail and let idiots like Kusakabe rise too high in the ranks. No, the JLF is a dying beast with me at its head…that's why I'm making you my replacement."
"Beg pardon sir?!" Todoh, usually unflappable, started in surprise at this announcement.
"You heard me." Katase growled, "I, and enough soldiers to man a skeleton crew on the base guns, plus Kusakabe's fanatics manning the Burai, shall engage Cornelia tomorrow. You must be the one to leave, Todoh. The spirit of Japan must not die."
"Sir, I am only a Colonel!" Todoh protested.
"You are hardly 'just' a colonel." Katase said with a bark of laughter, "But, if it makes you feel any better, I'll be promoting you up to General before you leave. Listen to me Todoh. It has to be this way. I have kept it classified, but we've been haemorrhaging personnel since the Lake Kawaguchi Incident. Some have abandon the JLF and fled to the Ghettos while some have defected to the Black Knights. If this trend continues, the JLF will be at less than Battalion strength inside of two months."
"Surely not…" Todoh trailed off as he saw the dead serious expression on General Katase's wrinkled face, "…you are serious…aren't you."
"As a sword to the gut." Katase replied, "I can do nothing to stop it…but you can. You are more respected than I am, you are a better soldier than I am, you understand Knightmare tactics better than me and you are not nearly as hidebound as I am. You've been pushing for reorganisation for a few years now, well this is your chance. Do as you will…reorganise it or even accept Zero's invitation if you feel you must, but Japan must be liberated at all costs."
"Sir…" Todoh was feeling a bit punch-drunk at this information overload, but he valiantly strode to reassert his usual level of control, "Sir…you do realise that the likelihood of you surviving the attack with the tunnels sealed is-"
"Nonexistent." Katase finished darkly, "Yes Todoh, I am aware of that. It is the price I am willing to pay for dealing a blow to the enemy."
Katase opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out a set of epaulets with the symbols indicating the rank of general on them. Standing up, he walked towards Todoh, solemnly removed the younger man's boards as a colonel and replaced them with the general ones.
"By the power invested in me as the senior surviving general of the Imperial Japanese Army, I officially promote you to the rank of General." Katase announced solemnly, "May you serve your country with honour."
"Sir!" Todoh saluted him.
"None of that." Katase chuckled sadly, "We're the same rank now, Kyoshiro."
"Indeed…Tatewaki." Todoh nodded.
"Now, get you and what you can salvage from this base out of here." the old general told the newly minted general, "For Japan."
"For Japan." Todoh saluted the man again, "It was an honour to serve under you."
"The honour was all mine." Katase returned the salute solemnly.
Dropping the salute, Todoh turned about face and left the room, leaving his commanding officer for the last time.
Early The Next Day
Narita Mountain Summit, Abandoned JLF Lookout Post
"Hmmm…obviously the good general decided that discretion is indeed the better part of valour." Lelouch observed as he walked into the empty wooden hut. It was Spartan, with only a set of chairs, a table, beds and some outdated radio equipment taking up room inside the cabin.
"Try the radio." C.C. suggested, "That'll tell you if the JLF are still fighting or not."
The immortal, dressed in her Augur costume, had entered after him and closed the door behind her. Currently, she was closing the blinds to allow them to take their helmets off.
"Right." Lelouch nodded. He went over to the radio and started fiddling with it. "This thing is pre-invasion. Don't the Six Houses provide up to date radios tech to the JLF? This is just embarrassing."
"The JLF is a big organisation." the immortal pointed out as she secured the last window and then started to sweep for bugs, "And this is the outermost outpost of the most unlikely vector to come at the JLF base. It could be that there just weren't enough resources to go around."
"True." Lelouch conceded, "Hmm…ah-ha! There you are."
A song was being broadcast over the airwaves, one that both Lelouch and C.C. recognised.
Kimigayo wa
Chiyo ni yachiyo ni
Sazare-ishi no
Iwao to narite
Koke no musu made
(May your reign
Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles
Grow into boulders
Lush with moss)
"Kimigayo?" C.C. said in surprise as it started to repeat itself, "Why would they be playing the old Japanese National Anthem?"
"Because they don't intend to survive past today." Lelouch replied grimly, "This changes things. I'll have to adjust my plans for the JLF performing kamikaze attacks on the Britannians."
"I fail to see why you should." the verdette stated, "If they're so anxious to die, let them."
"It wouldn't fit the image of Zero to cause unnecessary casualties." Lelouch disagreed, "I'd prefer to keep from having to break that streak until a big battle comes up."
"And this doesn't count?" C.C. asked with a raised eyebrow as she removed her helmet.
"Hardly." Lelouch snorted dismissively, "This is more of an ambush combined with a trial by fire for the Black Knights. If they truly wish to stand against Britannia, then the courage to take up their weapons in battle will be absolutely vital."
"Tamaki has a lot of courage, but he's absolute rubbish with a Knightmare." C.C. pointed out.
"True, but he is getting rather good with small arms. Not to mention his skill at maintaining machines." Lelouch countered.
"So he won't be piloting a Burai?" C.C. challenged him archly.
"During this battle, he will." Lelouch replied coolly, "If he does better than I expect him to, he will continue to be allowed to pilot Knightmares. If not, he will be transferred to the Maintenance section as Chief Technician."
"So…he basically has to not get ejected from his Knightmare." the immortal guessed.
"Pretty much." the masked man replied, "Or, if he does, he has to have performed well before that happening."
"It will be interesting to see how that turns out." the immortal mused, "How long before we are ready to strike, do you think?"
"Cornelia has to get into position first." Lelouch pointed out, "It's early still. The Britannians won't attack until midday at least. Cornelia wants to make a point to the JLF; she wants them to see her coming and know they are going to die. She just hasn't taken into account the possibility of the JLF not caring whether they live or die."
"She has never felt suicidal or such diehard loyalty as the JLF has." C.C. replied, "The things one has never experienced are the hardest to comprehend, especially for those born to a royal family."
"Those who are raised by a royal family." Lelouch corrected her sourly, "I have felt suicidal in the past, such as when I saw Nunnally and Mother lying bleeding on the stairs at the age of ten. And I am very loyal to my troops…and my lovers."
C.C. smiled with genuine happiness. "And we feel the same for you, Lelouch."
"Speaking of lovers, do tell when you plan to pull something with Nina?" the raven-haired boy enquired.
A wicked grin spread over the girl's face that sent a shiver down Lelouch's spine.
"Next week." the woman purred in satisfaction, "Oh yes…the little mouse will turn her belly up and submit to me very soon. From what I've seen, a few…lessons…and she'll be eating out of the palm of my hand."
"She has a core of steel, despite her xenophobia." Lelouch cautioned, "If you really think it'll be that easy, you might be in for a surprise."
"I can assure you, it will." C.C. looked like the cat that ate the canary as she spoke, "I have several hundred years of experience in reading people to draw upon. Sometimes I have been tortured, other times I have watched others be tortured. Breaking her shouldn't take longer than a couple of sessions, tops."
"Let me know if you need me to Geass her." Lelouch replied laconically.
"Speaking of, how was Yūko Kōzuki's session with the 'hypnotist'?" the immortal asked.
"She will, over the next month, report to Kallen that she has been feeling better and eventually stop wanting Refrain." Lelouch replied, "The progress will be erratic at first, but will even out as the month goes on. Once the month is over, she will be cured of any cravings or desire for Refrain. The versatility of this power you have granted me is truly amazing."
"The initial strength and versatility of a person's Geass is determined by the strength of their will and complexity of their mind." C.C. stated, "This is reflected by the number of rules and restrictions that the Geass is bound by. Yours has by far the most restrictions that I have ever come across."
"More than my father's Geass?" Lelouch asked intently.
"Yes." C.C. replied, "Charles has the range and line-of-sight restrictions you have, and he can alter or suppress as many memories as he wishes any number of times. He has to trawl through each memory to get to the one he wishes though, which is draining for him. I remember he complained one time after rewriting the memory of a duke that the man was a colossal pervert and deviant. He couldn't eat anything that night."
The exiled prince shivered. Anything that could make Charles zi Britannia nauseous was hardcore stuff. He made a note to ask C.C. exactly who it was his father had Geassed so he could steer clear of the man.
C.C. cocked her head. "Sounds like the troops have arrived."
Indeed, there was a lot of mechanical noises and shouting going on outside, especially from a certain redheaded loudmouth who should know better by now.
"Tamaki…" Lelouch felt like facepalming, "Helmet on, C.C., and prepare to tell off Tamaki-san…again."
Later
Bridge, Command G-1, Secondary Britannian Camp, Narita Mountain Range
Euphemia li Britannia sat on the command throne and silently cursed herself for not piling more paperwork on her sister. This operation was an obvious move to wipe out the JLF in retaliation for her being held hostage, despite the fact she hadn't even been touched.
"Princess Euphemia, the evacuation of the nearby town is completed." Jeremiah Gottwald reported to her. That had been one of her orders for the few soldiers Euphie had at her command.
"Thank you, Lord Jeremiah." Euphie smiled, "At least there is no chance of civilian casualties should the battle spread this far. What is the status of our forces?"
"The Viceroy, Sir Dalton and General Alex will be spearheading the three main prongs of the assault, Your Highness, while regular forces maintain encirclement around the mountains." Villetta Nu replied, "Preparations are currently 90% completed."
Euphie nodded as she scanned the main screen that showed the layout of her sister's forces. She was deployed in the rear 'to provide logistical support', or so Cornelia had told her. Just more cotton wool wrapping on her sister's part.
An odd dot on the screen made her point at it. "What is that unit? It isn't one of the standard designations."
Jeremiah looked for a moment. "Ah. That's the Camelot trailer, your Highness. The Viceroy does not wish for the Lancelot to be used in this battle. She is still wary of trusting native soldiery."
"It is doubtful that the Lancelot will even be required." Villetta remarked, "The JLF only has those…what is their name? Burai? Those Glasgow knockoffs at their disposal, plus the base defences. With the exception of the Burai, this will be no different than the other resistance outposts the Viceroy has crushed since her arrival."
"Except for Saitama." Euphie pointed out.
"Yes, but it is…doubtful that Zero will show himself here." Jeremiah countered, "Unlike every other instance of Zero appearing, there is no 'injustice' happening from his perspective. We're storming a heavily armed base with enemies armed to the teeth. No strong against the weak nonsense. No civilians in danger, nothing."
Reluctantly, Euphie had to agree with him.
'Zero…just who are you?' she thought as she sat back and waited for the inevitable battle to begin.
She had been pondering exactly why Zero had seemed…familiar, somehow. The eloquent way he had spoken, the poise with which he had held himself, the charisma he extruded…it was all so very familiar to her.
It was so frustrating! The answer was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't place it!
"Princess…it has begun." Jeremiah stated sombrely.
Shaking herself out of her thoughts about Zero, Euphie sat straight and observed the dots indicating friendly forces start moving towards the Narita Mountains, where the operation briefing (Operation Rat Hunter) has suggested the most logical entrance to the JLF HQ would be.
"Hostiles confirmed; Japan Liberation Front Knightmares, Burai, appearing from hidden elevators in the ground." One staff officer called, "The JLF has turned the mountain and its surroundings into a fortress."
The ground shuddered as the JLF started opening fire at the Knightmares with their heavy weaponry mounted in the base. On the screen, numerous red dots to indicate hostiles appeared to indicate enemy units. The ones in front of the special dot that indicated her sister's Gloucester rarely remained for more than a moment.
Abruptly, several friendly dots either acquired yellow rings, indicating damage, or put up a red [LOST] sign.
"Update!" another staffer called, "The JLF Knightmares are equipped with dead man's switches that detonate explosives a minute or so after being defeated!"
"Fanatics!" Villetta spat in disgust.
"Update!" the staffer yelled again, "There appear to be some customised Burai that appear to be on par with Gloucesters! Secondary line of ingress has been stalled!"
"They upgraded their equipment." Jeremiah mused, "Why reveal them now though?"
"The best way to use new equipment is in surprise, Lord Jeremiah." Euphie replied with a frown, "Had they revealed it before now, we would have been expecting it and taken measures against it."
"An excellent point, your Highness." Jeremiah agreed.
The battle raged on, with more casualties on both sides rising. The disregard for their own lives that the pilots of the Burai showed was somewhat frightening to Euphemia. Was Britannia really so terrible to these people that they would sacrifice their lives in suicide attacks?
It wasn't something she could comprehend, even more so than regular warfare. As long as you were alive, there were other chances, other ways you could achieve your goals. Suicide was, in her own opinion, cowardly.
The screen turned blurry, making the Princess frown.
"Enemy ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) activated!" a staffer reported.
"Initiate ECCM (Electronic Counter-Counter Measures) procedures!" Jeremiah ordered.
The screen flickered before restoring itself to something similar to normal, albeit somewhat blurry.
"Sir Dalton reports that the enemy fire is particularly fierce in his area." the staffer reported, "He believes that the enemy fortress entrance is ahead of him."
"Confirmed by analysis of the attack patterns." another staffer added, "Sir Dalton has sent up a flare to indicate the location of the entrance…Viceroy Cornelia and General Alex are indicating they will hold their positions. The Viceroy also orders the reserve forces to back up Sir Dalton."
Unseen by the crew, Jeremiah changed the frequency of his radio and clicked it three times before changing it back.
"The JLF are doing better than expected." he commented, "They are up against over a hundred Knightmares and over ten have been destroyed or forced to retreat already."
"Their tactics are unconventional, dishonourable and unexpected, Lord Jeremiah." Villetta pointed out, "There was no way we could have accounted for suicidal behaviour such as this. Besides, over twenty Burai have been destroyed in return. That's not including fixed gun emplacements also destroyed."
"A cornered mouse will turn and bare its fangs at the pursuing cat, Lady Villetta." Euphie stated softly, "They are fighting for their beliefs and country; could you say you would not do the same if the situation was reversed?"
The two Knights exchanged looks. "A point well made, Your Highness." Jeremiah said.
A minute later, a loud rumble was heard as the ground started to shake. Euphie clutched the armrests of her command throne as even the G-1 was rocked by the tremors.
"What's going on?" she demanded.
"An avalanche!" one staffer reported in disbelief, "A large avalanche has just occurred! Casualties to the JLF seem minimal, but Sir Dalton and General Alex's forces are being wiped out!"
As the dots indicating the mentioned forces turned from blue friendly to red [LOST] symbols, one dot flickered before becoming [LOST] as well.
"General Alex is down! No response from his emergency beacon!" the same staffer reported.
"New enemy forces charging down from the summit!" another reported, "It…it's the Black Knights!"
"What?!" Euphie jerked up from her throne in shock, "Confirm that report!"
"Confirmed! A wave of black Burai, customised black Burai, stolen Sutherlands and two unknown units are charging down the mountain!" another staffer reported, "They're…they're heading straight for the Viceroy!"
A cold wave washed across Euphemia. "Send reinforcements to my sister at once!"
"We can't! The Viceroy's unit has been isolated and cut off from the other two prongs of the assault by the landslide." the staffer replied frantically, "Nearest units will take ten minutes to reach her, while the Black Knights will intercept her in less than five!"
"Sir Carius' unit will intercepting the Black Knights in thirty seconds." another staffer reported.
'Why?' Euphie thought numbly, 'Why are you here…Zero?'
With Kallen
Aboard the Guren Nishiki
"All units!" Zero called over the radio, "The objective of this operation is to capture Viceroy Cornelia. Charge down to Point E3 before taking up your predetermined positions. Q1, you are to break through the enemy lines and engage Cornelia directly. Do not kill her."
"Roger that!" Kallen replied with a savage grin. With the Guren on her side, she would not lose to any ordinary Britannian Knight.
Seeing Inoue's squad blast a squad of tanks into scrap metal with Anti-Knightmare bazookas was heartening, but Kallen wasn't looking for such opponents. The Guren's first true opponent had to be a Knightmare.
"Eleven scum!" a Sutherland charged at her with guns blazing.
'Prey found…' Kallen purred to herself.
She counter-charged the Sutherland and dodged all of the bullets with acrobatic ease. The Guren seemed to move as if it were her body, smoothly and with no hesitation.
Lasing out with the Fork Knife that was the close-combat weapon for the left arm, she cut the Sutherland's Assault Rifle in half. The pilot was smart enough to disengage and retreat before firing his Slash Harkens at her, but she had planned for that.
Dodging to the side she fired the sole Slash Harken that the Guren had, a Hien Sōga-type mounted in the chest. It slammed into the chest of the Sutherland and latched on, allowing Kallen to drag the enemy close even as she advanced, reaching out with the silver arm of the Guren to deal the final blow.
"Take this, Britannian!" she snarled as the sliver-clawed hand grabbed the head of the Sutherland and she retracted the Hien, "This is where Japan's counterattack begins!"
With that, she triggered the Radiant Wave Surger. Black-edged red energy appeared from the emitter on the Guren's right arm and surged into the Sutherland, making its frame bulge and expand from within, spreading to the arms and legs.
As the pilot wisely ejected, Kallen ripped the head of the Sutherland off and threw it away. With an explosion, the Sutherland detonated, creating a plume of flames and smoke to signal its defeat.
"This is it! We can win!" Kallen crowed in victory, "Next up…Cornelia!"
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Next Chapter: First Clash: Black King vs. White Knight
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