Chapter 17: Declaration of war.

Noon came, and Ayano's group reached the base canteen; it was located in a large room, dotted with tables where diners sat, chatting and eating. The room was packed. On the back wall was a large-screen TV, which broadcast an entertainment program, Those of Wednesday.

"Okay, we're in the canteen. But where do we sit now?" Kate asked.

Sophie looked around for a free table, until she saw one, where Oscar and Shizuka were. The latter saw them and invited them to sit down.

"We are lucky, here is one!" She exclaimed, pointing with her finger.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's sit down." Yukiya said.

The four reached the table and sat down on it.

"Take a seat, friends. I'm going to get lunch for everyone."

That said Oscar got up from the table and went to the counter.

"I was convinced he was having lunch in his study." Sophie said.

"A true commander must be in contact with his soldiers if he does not want dangerous barriers to be created." Shizuka explained.

"Wise words. Can I ask you a curiosity?"

"Go ahead, doctor."

"How come your hair is blonde?"

"I took them from my father, a European."

"So you're a half-breed?"

"Exact. Half Japanese and half European."

"How old are you?"

"27."

"A 1993."

"Exact."

"Tell me about you."

"I am the daughter of Jacques Sarkozy, a European diplomat residing in Japan, and Kaede Marikawa, who worked as a maid in his residence. When she found out she was pregnant, she fired her."

"Why?"

"Because he was a married man, and if the matter had leaked, a scandal would have broken out that would have ruined his marriage and his political career."

"And then?"

"My mother tried to find another job, but in the conditions she was in, nobody was willing to hire her. So he decided to remarry with a childhood friend of her, a certain Sanzo Aoyama, whose family was wealthy. In this way we would have lived in well-being. "

"Then?"

"Unfortunately, I have few memories of my childhood left… And if I try to go beyond 1999, it is total darkness. A visit to the zoo, A trip to Nara, a school play. These and a few other memories remain in my mind. "

"Didn't your foster family look at you with hostility?"

"No ... They found me simply bizarre, with that blond hair. But I was well liked."

"Go on." The scientist urged her.

"My life continued normally until August 2010, when Britannia invaded and annexed Japan, renaming it Area 11. Then the trouble started, and it was very big trouble: my family was deprived of everything and locked up in the Shinjuku ghetto. We stayed there for 7 years, living in misery. then my family members were killed by Clovis' troops, and I was forced to flee first to Hamada, from where I embarked for Busan, in the Chinese Federation; from there, after a long journey through Manchuria, Mongolia, Siberia and Russia I came to Europe. "

"And once there they interned you in a ghetto."

Shizuka nodded.

"I traveled halfway around the world to find myself at another ghetto ... Destiny does not lack a sense of irony."

Meanwhile Ayano looked at her in surprise.

I misjudged her ...

She think.

She thought her one of those frivolous all tits and no brains, instead she is a strong and courageous girl.

"When did you join the Revolutionary Brigades?"

"Shortly after Leila's accession to the throne. You know, that girl disappointed me: I was one of those who heard her speech, while Europe was on the brink of the abyss, due to the British advance and insurrections that broke out everywhere. I thought she was a hero, however when she established an absolute monarchy, discriminating against us Japanese ... I was disappointed."

"I understand you ..." Kate said.

"Here is lunch, my dear guests!" Oscar announced, approaching the table with a tray on which there were plates of pasta and bacon, which he placed on the table.

"To you!"

"Thanks, commander!"

"Please, Shizu."

"We connect live with the Great Pyramid." A female voice announced from the screen.

Everyone turned in that direction and saw an inscription that read:

SPEECH IN EUROVISION OF HER MAJESTY LEILA BREISGAU

After a short initial, the figure of Leila appeared, in uniform, sitting on her throne, looking straight ahead with a proud expression.

"Citizens of Europia! I introduce myself to you with humility. Every time I look at these immense lands, I see each of you suffer. Yes, suffer! And fight for a better life, a better future, a better Europe. Each of you sacrifices yourself, sacrifices itself for this great nation, for freedom! Therefore I humbly tell you: your sacrifice gives me strength. And do not suffer in vain!"

She paused and then resumed:

"I know that life is difficult: war ravages, famines, crimes. Burdens imposed by Oscar Hammel's seditious followers! But we, we have a great purpose that unites us and elevates us above all these difficulties. For us the repression of these rebels is nothing but the taste of the banquet to come! Citizens! Here in front of you, I feel the two billion European hearts beating in my chest. This is why I want to announce a new, big project. We are gathering huge armies. We are training powerful armies. We will soon wage war against our real enemy: Britannia!"

She took another pause. Everyone in the room was silent and listened carefully.

"We will invade their lands and irrigate them with their blood. We will use the British arms to cultivate our fields, work in our factories, on our construction sites; we will make those people our slaves. You will all profit from the sweat of their foreheads! Our nation will rise to its role. The most important role. We are the strongest empire, we are the Europia empire!"

"Damned bitch!" Yukiya shouted, while those around him erupted in louder and louder curses and curses.

"Do she really want to invade Britannia? But is she out of her mind?" Shizuka wondered.

"She can do it, she've already defeated it once." Oscar reminded her.

"Yes, but then she was supported by the United Federation of Nations, now she is alone! And then you forgot when the British tore us vast territories, reducing us to impotence?"

"In any case, her objectives are clear, at least for me: she wants to kill the empress Nunnally and unite in her person the crowns of Britannia and Europia, so as to give life to the Empire of Euro-Britannia and extend her dominion over half of the world. And it won't stop there, it won't stop ... It won't stop until it conquers the entire globe." Sophie explained.

Oscar Hammel took off his glasses and, dark in the face, said:

"We have to act quickly ... Yukiya and Sophie, after lunch you two will go to the computer room. You will have to disseminate the evidence contained on this CD on the web." He said, showing them the object in question.

"Once the riot breaks out, you Sophie will have to turn off the pyramid current. Once this is defeated by Ayano soldiers, she will enter the building and kill Leila. Am I clear?"

Everyone nodded.

"Well, now we can eat."