A/N: This was a hard chapter to do mostly because I was concerned with how it was starting in the beginning and (the fight scenes ahead too) but I have been convinced that's it's alright and it had an idea I was curious about. Now mind you I don't intend on following through with the idea, but I decided to use it for one scene only. Anyway on with the chapter.
Chapter 6
Gambits
(May 20th 2010 A.T.B.)
It was a gloomy day as rain was pouring down from the sky, but odd the mood of the scenery was fitting as taking refuge in a small cave near the beach was Vita in her Battle Jacket while asleep on her lap was Lelouch vi Britannia. Not too longer ago a group of armed men attempted to kill Lelouch and her as well, so the red haired girl deduced that they were assassins trying to kill him because of his ties to the Britannian Royal Family, but his death in Japan would be a convenient excuse for Britannia to invade and claim its Sakuradite mines.
In their attempt to flee as the rain was pouring Lelouch slipped and fell down a steep hill hitting his head on the ground causing the young man to loose consciousness. Vita picked up the fallen Lelouch and tried to wake up but her bunny plushie was shot through the head while it was poking out from the backpack she was wearing. Obviously the gunman had missed Vita's head, but her beloved bunny plushie had a hole in its head.
"Oh dear I missed, but we'll just finish you and then kill him," The assassin mocked, but as they fired their guns a barrier of magical energy composed of glowing runes blocked the bullets. "WHAT THE HELL?"
Vita took off her backpack and laid it under Lelouch's head as she stood up bringing out her mallet Graf Eisen before she transformed into her Knight's Armor which consisted of her signature red Gothic Lolita-style dress and hat.
"How dare you shoot my plushie and then," Vita said in a deep voice as she turned around facing the three armed men with a terrible fury burning in her blue eyes that would make even the devil wet his pants in fear as she said, "you threatened my friend."
The assassins didn't stand a chance and after making short work of them Vita took Lelouch and fled to a cave she found to hide out while she waited for Signum and Shamal to arrive. Fortunately she had learned that Nunnally and Suzaku were ok, but as she sat in the cave alone with Lelouch laying unconsciousness on her lap she was seemingly studying the young prince. Outwardly Lelouch was arrogant, selfish, sophisticated and self-righteous.
'Not to mention a jerk, but…'
Vita thought as she then noticed how he acted around Nunnally, his affection for his younger sister was over the top and he dotted on her. Nunnally was mistress's best friend because partly of their status as young girls who are wheelchair bound. Although Hayate had a chance of regaining her ability to walk, but Nunnally on the Earth while limited to Earth's medical science would be crippled for life. It was all because of their father, the man didn't give a damn about his own children quickly cast them to a foreign land likely hoping for them to die. She reprimanded Lelouch for being such a cold jerk at times, but looking at him now she felt pity for all he and especially his poor sister Nunnally had to endure.
"Why," Lelouch began starling Vita, but quickly realized Lelouch was still out cold as he was likely experiencing a dream. "Why did he not protect her, why did he throw us away?"
Vita slowly brought her hand up to his face and affectionately stoked his face. The eternal child looked at Lelouch quietly remaining silent for ten whole minutes before suddenly lowering her head before softly kissing the young ten year old boy on the lips. Unknown to the eternal child a pair of visitors were arriving at the cave at that very moment observing Vita kissing Lelouch.
"Are we interrupting something?"
Signum spoke as Vita quickly pulled away while her face turned red.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOCK?"
"There was no door," Shamal replied with a matter of fact tone.
"But don't you think you went overboard with those assassins," Signum asked with her arms folded across her chest.
"They got what they deserved."
"You made a ten foot crater out in the middle of the woods with the inside splattered with bits of human flesh and bone," Signum pointed out. "You know how Hayate-sama feels about us taking lives."
"So what, but…you better not tell anyone what I was doing?"
"Or what?" Signum replied smugly while Vita got upset.
(Following the Orange Incident)
With that in mind one could only expect her reaction when she discovered Lelouch taking up the mantle of Zero after receiving his Geass.
"Lamperouge…" Vita's eyes never left the screen as she witness Zero unmasking himself in Lelouch's room, revealing the person behind the mask as Nunnally's brother himself! She gritted her teeth, her mind comes up with endless thoughts why something like this can happen, how in the world did he get the stupid idea to be a terrorist and how can he kill all those people without even feeling remorse.
Right now, she's going to have a few words with him and then beat him up with Graf Eisen.
"Where are you going?" immediately, Signum catches hold of the red knight's shoulder.
"What do you think" Earth! Lamperouge has a lot to answer for this!" Vita herself may not realize this but her eyes shows righteous anger with tears lining her cheeks. The same boy from seven years ago has crossed the line than just claiming that he hates his father and is now retaliating like a child with tantrum with pure military force.
"And then what? Storm into his room and demand answers?" Signum retorted.
"Yes!"
(Present Day)
"Calm down Vita," Lelouch said before evading a hammer swing by ducking.
With a fierce battle cry Vita obliterated a tree Lelouch's back had been against reducing its trunk into splinters. Lelouch was using his newly learned flight abilities to flee and evade all of Vita's attacks while using some defensive magic Fate had shown him to protect himself. During the twenty minutes Lelouch had been on the run as the pissed-off red haired Ancient Belka Knight had wiped out thirty trees on the training ground.
At that moment Hayate, Signum, Nanoha and some trainees were arriving to restrain the vengeful Wolkenritter member.
However a blessing came in disguise for Lelouch as a chain of explosions tore through the city causing everyone to pause while Lelouch used this as a chance to put some distance between him and Vita.
"What was that?" Nanoha said seeing smoke in at least seven different locations rising up from the city.
"Those are too random and spread out to be an accident," Fate said fearing the worst, although on the plus side Vita did stop forgetting her anger for a moment. More explosions began tearing through the city as Nanoha quickly approached Lelouch. Ginga, Hayate, Signum, Teana, Subaru and a few other students joined the trio moments later.
"I think we better move you to a safe location."
"Do you know what is going on?" Lelouch inquired while Nanoha admitted she had no idea what was going on.
"I don't know, but we better," Nanoha began but she was suddenly interrupted when someone suddenly appeared in the skies above the city. A small airship of some kind, but it wasn't anything anyone had seen before, however Lelouch remembered seeing a design spec of the vessel's general shape but it was also somehow similar to the Avalon.
"That ship…it looks like the Avalon the flying battleship Britannia developed," Lelouch said as something about the explosions and then the sudden appearance of the ship prompted the former prince's mind to go into overtime as there was something clearly wrong.
The explosions stopped the moment that ship showed up, but if this is some kind of attack then it's a bad idea for them to send in one ship of such size unless there are two reasons for it. One the ship is armed with some kind of advance weapon, but the second and more likely reason is that its bait…a decoy.
"Nanoha I need to see a map of the city and I would like to see the pattern of which those explosions exploded."
Nanoha used her device to generate a holographic model of the city.
"Ok, but is there any chance you could include the explosions and the pattern they exploded in?"
"Yes, hold on." Nanoha replied before she was able to display the order and pattern those explosions took place on the screen before the young prince. Lelouch took a moment to study the pattern before noticing something about the pattern of the explosions.
"This pattern, a lot of the explosions was focused on public areas and some military controlled buildings and facilities. But considering the state of alert the city is now in and taking into account the raid that happened weeks ago from what you told me the military and police are already scrambling to deal with the unknown ship that had appeared, but that ship is merely a decoy." Lelouch explained thinking out loud.
"What are you saying Lelouch?" Fate inquired.
"Look to the pattern and the deployment of the bombs…they were set to spread the sent forces, and be around the area in that the Britannian ship would appear. These explosions are being set off in a specific pattern to diverted attention and the appearance of that ship is also a part of that, so what is this facility here? This place is the furthest facility away from the explosions and judging from its position and layout I assume it's important."
Hayate realized what Lelouch was getting at as she knew what the facility was in question as she said with cold awareness.
"The TSAB Lost Logia High Security Containment Facility."
"Didn't that facility get raided before?"Nanoha asked.
"No that was containment facility for Lost Logia of specific importance, but the Lost Logia that is unknown and deemed dangerous because of that classification are kept in a separate and more heavily guarded facility dedicated to containment rather than study and research. Not too many people outside the Bureau are aware of it, but its purpose is known to those like Fate who works as an Enforcer. Otherwise to most of the Bureau and public knowledge is a standard containment facility," Hayate explained.
"It's another raid," Fate began as she quickly pulled out a communication device to call her adopted mother Lindy and inform her of what was going on.
"Hayate, call your superiors and make them call the facility. Then let's go there at max speed. They likely have been raided already," Lelouch advised as Hayate wasted no time trying to contact them.
"But you are staying Lelouch," Signum declared.
"What?" Lelouch began, but Nanoha stepped in.
"You are still too inexperienced to follow us into battle so it's best you remain at the academy."
Lelouch wanted to dispute the fact, but ultimately he knew they were right. He wanted an opportunity to pay Orpheus back for what happened, but there was no telling what else to be expected at the facility especially if Orpheus wasn't the only possible danger. But in fact considering the possible dangerous Lelouch couldn't see himself just sitting around and doing nothing.
"I will go," Lelouch began before adding, "However I will stay in the background and not intervene, but I will remain in contact. This enemy has a predilection by guerrilla warfare and misdirection tactics, and it's likely to use tactics that I know. Would that be ok for you?"
Hayate and Nanoha were hesitant, but Fate stepped in.
"I'll guard him."
"Fate-chan," Nanoha began feeling concerned.
"The rest of you can secure the facility and I'll protect him."
"Right," Hayate began as she finished her call. "The navy is sending reinforcements from space to deal with a possible second vessel while current forces will monitor and surround the other vessel. They'll attempt to hail it to determine its intentions." Hayate turned and addressed Ginga, "Please tell the teachers and students to take shelter."
"Yes madam," Ginga replied before her younger sister and Teana hurried off with the young woman leading them.
Meanwhile at the facility in question Orpheus had arrived, but using his Geass power he appeared to the guards as someone who had visited the facility in the past. However a second team had already infiltrated the facility and was securing the security room, but there was still the matter of the guards posted at the various check points leading deep underground to the main containment wing itself. Once the young man got the signal that the security room was under their control Orpheus went ahead with his plan while four members from the terrorist-deployment organization known as Peace Mark were disguised as TSAB soldiers armed with weapons you would expect to find them carrying. Many of which compose the followers who work for the same superior Orpheus takes his orders from.
Arriving at the first check point Orpheus with his Geass power active approached the lead guard of the check point.
"Enforcer Harlaown we were not expecting you today," The guard said seeing Orpheus as Fate.
"We have a situation and the Bureau is concerned that an attempt will be made on this facility so I have been asked along with others to provide support to reinforce security as a precaution."
"Yes I heard about what happened at the other containment facility," The guard began before nodding to the guards behind the blast screens to allow them entry; the security office had contacted them to tell them of their coming. Unfortunately the guards had no idea that the security office had been taken over. "Alright we'll let you in."
"Thank you," Orpheus said as he and his escorts entered the check point upon which the men accompanying him brought out their weapons and ruthlessly gunned the containment facility guards down. "Onto the next one," The former noble said before he and his escort continued deeper into the facility while unknown to him Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, Signum, Vita and Lelouch were arriving at the facility.
On the outside it looked normal, but when they neared the main entrance they found the doors were wide open and lying on the ground were the dead bodies of two guards. The facility itself had a layout similar to a prison with a three story-rectangle shaped building with wide open grassy grounds between the buildings and the tall fortified walls surrounding the facility.
"You and Fate make your way to the Security Room and find out what is going on," Hayate ordered.
"It's likely they have taken it over," Lelouch commented.
"Just the same be careful both of you," Hayate said in response while Nanoha felt uneasy, but Lelouch had something else to say to them.
"Be wary…if you separate from the others and suddenly meet one of us, ask immediately something that only the other would know. Orpheus is an opportunist, and if you waver or doubt even a second, he will use that instant to backstab or harm any of you."
"Right, but you two just be careful ok," Nanoha said as Fate nodded and gave a smile assuring Nanoha that no harm will befall Lelouch.
Fate and Lelouch went for the Security Control Room while everyone else made for the containment wing which was five levels underground. As Hayate and Nanoha reached the first check point leading underground they found more dead bodies a clear sign that their quarry had been here. Signum and Vita were ready with their weapons in hand as were Nanoha and Hayate before the group proceeded deeper into the facility. A short time later seeing a dead guard outside the door Fate knew Lelouch was right about the security control room likely having been taken over so after readying her weapon the young woman burst into the room and began her assault.
Upon entry Peace Mark soldiers opened fire with their energy rifles, Fate attacked with Bardiche in Scythe Form. She easily got behind two of them to hit them across their heads to knock them out while using the energy blade to deflect the energy bullets. The men who went down were those closer to the door while three more were firing upon her. Utilizing Blitz Rush, Fate evaded all of the energy rounds fired at her before using quick strikes with the blunt side of Bardiche to incapacitate the enemy soldiers as the dropped to the ground. With her superior combat skills she quickly subdued the enemy soldiers and placed a bind spell on who Fate suspected to be the leader.
Once it was safe Lelouch entered as Fate pointed her weapon at the leader of the group she had disarmed and was now holding him captive. The man was about twenty years of age who appeared to be from the Chinese Federation judging by his attire which had a combat vest over his attire which consisted of form fitting black pants and a red and gold trimmed tunic-style shirt with long bell-shaped sleeves. He had short black hair that was touching his shoulders wearing thin-rimless glasses.
"You managed to defeat this many without killing a single solder," Lelouch complimented.
"I won't tell you people anything," Ze Dien snapped.
"I am sure they would use other methods or I could always help," The former prince shot back as Ze Dien recognized Lelouch.
"It's you; you're supposed to be dead."
"I get that a lot," Lelouch replied before going to the control panel stepping around the dead bodies of the security personnel that had previously operated the room before Orpheus's men led by Ze Dien got the drop on them. Judging from the bodies the men were caught completely unaware, but reexamining the bodies of the men Fate had subdued there was a TSAB officer among them who was armed with one of the advance energy rifles the Peace Mark Mercenaries were carrying. "I see so you had an inside man, a plant, which could explain how you pulled off the last raid so well."
The capture of Ze Dien who was possibly a high ranked member in Orpheus's group could provide some fruitful information.
"It looks like the lower levels of the facility have been cleared out already," Lelouch said examining the various areas of the facility being displayed on the security monitors. Thanks to the help of their inside man Orpheus's men were easily able to move freely throughout the facility after the security protocols in areas of the facility were activated to kill most of the guards such as automated defenses and poisonous gas. Lelouch was able to figure out the system and shut down the automated defenses so they wouldn't hinder Nanoha after realizing the friend and foe destinations program were altered. It was safer to just shut down the system since Lelouch had no idea of how to reprogram the system. Also like Nanoha and Hayate had discovered at one of the check points, Lelouch discovered that Orpheus and his men gunned down the other guards protecting the other checkpoints and they had passed all three checkpoints and were inside the containment wing.
Putting on a headset Lelouch tried to contact Hayate and Nanoha after being given their communication frequency by Fate.
"Hayate and Nanoha do you copy?"
"We hear you Lelouch what is the situation?" Hayate replied while Nanoha was listening as well.
"As I thought the security control room was taken over, but also it seems they had an insider helping them. Fate has captured the men responsible along with their leader who had seized the control room."
"Understood, but do you see Orpheus?"
"Not yet, but all of the check points leading into the containment wing on the fifth underground floor have been cleared so he is likely inside. I'll contact you if I find him, but be careful their men are armed with advance energy weapons. I think they might have some mages with them too."
"Roger that, keep us posted Lelouch," Nanoha said this time as she and Hayate accompanied by Signum and Vita hurried deeper into the facility.
Deep inside Orpheus now appearing in his normal form stepped inside a large containment vault containing the object he sought. It sat on a pedestal sealed inside a black armored container with an electronic lock on it. The former noble picked up the box by its hinges on the sides before preparing to leave the room with his prize.
All we need now is the facility itself and then Al-Hazard is ours.
As Orpheus began to leave he received a troubling call from one of his men he left to stand guard at the entrance to the containment wing.
"Sir we got trouble, we have those girls Hayate and Nanoha along with some of their allies coming."
"So they figured out our true aim a lot sooner than we anticipated, but this confirms that Lelouch is probably alive still. No matter defend your position we got the item and we're leaving. We'll leave through the emergency escape tunnel and follow Plan B," Orpheus ordered as he quickly left the room and proceeding to make his escape.
In the hallway leading to the containment wing just after arriving at the fifth underground level Nanoha and Vita took point while Hayate took the middle and Signum protected their rear. As they drew nearer to the last checkpoint they saw a number of men wearing Bureau uniforms armed with magical intelligence devices, but theirs were seemingly mass produced with simple blue gems encased in a silver ring on a matching metal staff.
The Peace Mark trained Mages opened fire on the oncoming group with Nanoha throwing up a barrier to shield them from the incoming beams while Vita leapt over the barrier with mallet in hand to dish out some punishment.
"Nanoha-chan, please go on ahead and find Orpheus quickly," Hayate asked before adding. "We'll deal with these people."
"Ok, but be careful."
"Don't worry about us, just capture that man."
Nanoha quickly left and flew over the men while Vita diverted the attention of their attackers allowing Nanoha to fly over them and proceeding deeper into the facility.
"Vita-chan, please be careful and avoid killing them," Hayate called out.
"Huh?"
"We need as many of them alive to interrogate them."
"That is going to be a pain," Vita commented while Signum joined her.
"It can't be help, but I think we can easily take them."
"Yeah I don't think these guys have seen a lot of battles against people like us," Vita remarked as the she along with Signum and Hayate engaged the enemy soldiers.
Nanoha hurried through hallway coming to an opened containment storage room, but it was empty. It wasn't long however before Nanoha found an opened underground passageway. It was an emergency tunnel used by personnel to escape as well as move Lost Logia in the event the facility came under attack. Entering the tunnel Nanoha quickly began making her way down through the tunnel. About mid way through the tunnel a recorded message left for her was triggered by a portable planted motion sensor causing a tape recorder to play.
"I didn't think the Bureau would discover our true aim so quickly, but I guess that confirms Lelouch must still be alive."
"Surrender Orpheus," Nanoha said while everyone was alert for a possible attack unaware of the recorded message.
"I would love to meet you all in person, but I am on a tight time frame. Speaking of time inside the Facility, there is an active Mass Warhead of 200 Mt of explosive power," Orpheus began as Nanoha was horrified by the news. "And you have exactly 28 minutes to find it before it detonates. Also, there are at least 20 unconscious and heavily sedated or wounded TSAB Officers. Also you will find that this tunnel it's layered with an alloy that absorbs magic in a level, preventing outside communications. So…if you fight me or pursue me, at best you will waste several minutes, but at worst the bomb will go off with both of you, and everyone, including Lelouch, in the immediate radius of the detonation. Decisions, Decisions, and the clock is ticking towards death or life...it's your call, White Devil."
Nanoha tracked down the sound of the voice and found the small tape recorder before shutting it off. Realizing the danger the young woman quickly turned around and flew back to Hayate and the others to warn them of the danger they were in. The battle was still going on with two of the men knocked out by the group while the rest of the Peace Mark Mages were surprisingly putting up a fight.
"Hayate-chan there is a bomb, Orpheus planted a powerful bomb."
"What," An alarmed Hayate declared.
"Damn him," Vita snapped.
"Lelouch do you copy me," Hayate began without wasting a moment.
"What has happened?"
"Orpheus has planted a bomb and there are some hostages locked up somewhere inside the facility."
"Damn it I should have expected this, but you should have pursued him Nanoha."
"I couldn't risk you and the others," Nanoha shot back.
"But he could remote detonate the bomb once he gets clear of the blast radius," Lelouch pointed out before focusing on the matter at hand. "Anyway I'll interrogate the man Fate captured and see if he knows where it is and how to shut it down. I am not sure how I'll get him to talk, but I'll figure out something."
"It's a little soon but," Hayate said before speaking a password for the visor on Lelouch's head. "Lelouch cannot fish."
The visor on Lelouch's head suddenly came on unveiling both of his eyes including the one possessing his Geass.
"What kind of password was that?"
"Forget it, but right now you can use your Geass on the subordinate you captured. On your left eye you'll notice a special lens the TSAB have made for you."
"A lens?"
"That Lens lets you see, but it filters anything emitted by your eye, and inhibits it. If for some reason were to happen a situation where it's needed your ability, you will be watched for your words, and if the order it's inside the valid rules, the lens will keep open until the order has been given, otherwise it will seal immediately," Hayate explained. "We were going to test it first before removing the visor we locked onto your head."
"I see…I'll use it on the man Fate captured and see what he knows."
Fate overhearing everything grabbed the man's head and forcibly held open his eyes while closing her own very tightly to avoid accidently being affected by Lelouch's Geass.
"No," The Chinese Federation man began, but Lelouch made eye contact.
"Lelouch commands you; you shall answer all of my questions!"
The phoenix symbol fluttered from Lelouch's eye and entered the eyes of the captured terrorist as he was quickly put under the influence of Lelouch's Geass.
"I shall answer your questions," Ze Dien said in a monotone voice.
"Tell me do you know where the bomb that has been planted here that Orpheus spoke of?"
"Yes sir I do…it has been hidden in the machine room on underground level four. It is hidden in the storage room disguised as a spare boiler."
"The hostages?"
"Some have been kept with the bomb while others are locked up in one of the offices on the second floor of the main building."
"I see anything about this bomb we need to know about, is it triggered with any traps and how do we disarm it?"
"It wasn't triggered with any traps, but Orpheus has a remote in which he can detonate the bomb. He intended to set it off once we escaped from the city. But he could deactivate the bomb with the same remote otherwise you must shut it down manually?"
"Damn I knew it, so how do we shut down the bomb manually?"
"There is a remote kill switch that will shut it down completely and render the remote detonator useless so not even Orpheus will be able to set it off without returning to the facility. When you open the panel on the left hand side you'll find the switch under the first row of wires against the outer plating on the inside."
"Nanoha and Hayate did you hear that," Lelouch asked.
"Yes, go Nanoha!"
"Right," Nanoha took off like a bullet heading for the bomb's location to shut it down before Orpheus can remotely detonate it.
"Now my next question, who is it…who is it that Orpheus works for. Who is the mastermind behind all of this?"
"His name is," Ze Dien began before much to the shock of Fate and Lelouch the Chinese man began struggling against the order cast upon him. "He is," Ze Dien said before managing to resist enough to bite down on something before the man fell over seconds later dead, an autopsy would reveal it was poisoning from a cyanide capsule concealed inside Ze Dien's mouth, although Lelouch already had a good idea what had happened.
Yet he was surprised he managed to resist long enough to commit suicide.
But what Lelouch didn't know that at that moment that due to a Cascade Switch implant within Ze Dien the other soldiers who had been fighting Hayate, Signum and Vita suddenly dropped dead seconds after Ze Dien died. Even the soldiers Fate and Hayate had subdued died suddenly. Even the insider who had helped them was wired in the same way before the mission suddenly died as well.
"Suicide pill, but…we better go find that bomb and disable it," Lelouch said as he hurried out of the room with Fate following him.
"Nanoha and the others might reach it before us."
"True, but we better not take any chances we don't know if there is anything else waiting down there to impede anyone attempt to stop that bomb."
But fortunately thanks to the information Lelouch was able to extract from Fate's prisoner the White Devil had reached the machine room ahead of Lelouch and Fate breaking down the door before frantically looking for the object in question which the bomb had been disguised as. She passed by the unconscious members of the guard and employees who were tied up as she found the bomb.
Finding the panel she heard the man describe and then quickly located the kill switch, which Nanoha managed to hit just in the nick of time as a second later Orpheus pushed the remote detonator. But when he saw no explosion he kept pressing the button.
"DAMN IT," Orpheus shouted before throwing the remote against the wall of the cockpit of the Knightmare Frame he was in. "Well played Lelouch, but it doesn't matter there is nothing you or the bureau can do to stop us."
Even if Orpheus couldn't erase the evidence of what they had taken which would have helped them, but even if they did figure out which relic they stole it wouldn't matter in the long run.
All we need now are the Relic Cores from the locations in this map, and power the Facility Portal towards the Gate.
The blonde haired man thought while looking at the sealed box on his lap as his Knightmare Frame the IFX-4DW1 Agravain. The 7.26 meter tall machine was created based from the data of the Gawain, but it was a prototype and future predecessor for the Gareth unit. The Knightmare Frame reached the small hanger of the cloaked ancient battleship, but at that moment TSAB warship seeing the Knightmare Frame began opening fire on the invisible warship.
Upon which the ship shut down its cloak before making a hasty retreat from the city leaving the Bureau and the whole city in frightened awe of the vessel. But with one situation over they were facing another potentially messy situation, the Grandberry had been completely surrounded and something of a Mexican standoff was happening between the two sides.
On the bridge of the Grandberry everyone was nervous as a military force unlike anything they had seen before had their ship completely surrounded. Maribelle was nervously sitting in her command chair as everyone else had itchy trigger fingers, but much to their shock they saw people actually floating in the air surrounding them and large cruises joining the TSAB VTOL gunships and Aerial Mages surrounding them. It didn't help the situation following the Grandberry's deployment of the Z-01/T Lancelot Grail piloted by Oldrin standing on the top deck of the ship.
The rest of its Knightmare Frames were ready to be launched at any moment, but so far the standoff lasted for fifteen more minutes until to the surprise of everyone a pair began to approach the ship seemingly flying through the air like the aerial mages.
"Attention Britannian ship, this is Lelouch vi Britannia," Lelouch declared across an open channel which the Grandberry picked up.
"Your highness we're picking up a broadcast on all channels," Cecile announced.
"What," Maribelle said as Cecile put it on the speakers.
"Attention Britannian ship, this is Lelouch vi Britannia," Lelouch repeated once more before adding. "I request an audience with whoever is in command please signal if you agree and allow me aboard along with my companion."
Lelouch's companion in this situation was Nanoha who after a quick discussion with Hayate decided to let the two go and defuse the situation before a one-sided slaughter happens. After repeating his message there seemed to be no signal from the ship until a female voice spoke on the loud speakers.
"Very well…we will allow you and your companion aboard…brother."
"Maribelle," Lelouch muttered recognizing the voice, but Nanoha and Lelouch proceeded towards the ship while Nanoha was hoping things would go well.
A/N: At this time I do want to apologize those who didn't exactly like the idea of me including Code Geass OZ of the Reflection in the story, but I didn't want to resort to using OCs for this story so it goes without saying I had a hard time picking characters who I could use. Also considering it was hard to script some of the battles since Fate, Nanoha and most of the cast won't take a life during a battle. Vita's actions in the beginning were a very radical exception, but I'll let you guys be the judge.