Turn 7

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, no dice.

Unknown.


Noble six Stared at the bright pulsing orb of light that hovered in place of Phillips regular avatar. It was a standard function of AIs when their focus was directed inward to the digital realm. The levels of brightness and repetition of the pulses represented how much activity the AI was performing, at the moment the Spartan had the polarization on his helmet turned up to Max to avoid going blind from the rather impressive strobe light effect that was being created.

"So how's the new network." he asked.

The ball of light began shifting and collapsing in on itself until the brightest flash yet revealed Phillips avatar in a explosion of digital windows that zipped and flew around him like a flock of birds. "It. Is. Beautiful! Now I think I understand how a normal people feel when they finally get out of those cryo pods."

"Okay, and what have you been doing for the past seven hours?"

Phillips then dispelled the images and articles before bringing up a list of diagrams, blueprints, and 3D renders with exploded views. Two machines he recognized right off the bat, the Britannian Sutherland and it's predecessor the Kallen girl was piloting, the glasgow. "Collecting information on Britannia's favorite toy, and it would seem we have only scratched the surface of their arsenal. " Then came the one Six hadn't seen in Shinjuku, the Gloucester. A knightmare specifically designed to fight other knightmares.

All the others were the random scraps of public data: earlier models, unclassified prototypes, canceled designs, and proof of concept models. However Noble Six noticed one mech was missing from the list.

"Where's the white one"

"Ah that one," Phillips said as he brought up a picture from the Spartan's battle recorder, "is actually the newest model. Everything is top of the line and state of the art. I've combed over every network and database and only found the machine's designation and it's inventor's name. Knightmare frame Lancelot created by Lloyd Asplund, Earl of California." Six then saw the AI's avatar smile.

"What?"

"According to this file, he's nuts. If it makes his invention work better, he'll jump into a viper pit for it."

Noble Six started to smile as well, working under colonal Ackerson had introduced him to all sorts of people. several were the types of scientist Phillips was talking about, And while 90% of the time that meant smash an grab or assassinations that mostly look like accidents, there were one or two rare missions that included an abduction or a rescue. Six really hated these missions because most of the time it made him feel like an errand boy, but it was necessary for the war effort. At least that's what the col told him to keep him quiet.

One of the most common factors in these abductions or acquisition of assets as the brass called it was the delivery of a message. Work for the office of Naval intelligence and be granted access to nearly unlimited funds resources and otherwise rare material. It was during that 90% of the time that most of the egg heads would turn the offer down, and the acquisition would suddenly become assassination, then there was that rare 10% where Six would watch the person's eyes light up like it was Christmas morning for the first time.

"So we hand him a piece of UNSC tech and we'll get our copy of the white machine's specs. Sounds... interesting."


The next day in the knightmare hanger, Cornelia was listening to Loyd Asplund, the chef of the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps. Her brother's, second prince Schneizel, personal field research and development team was explaining their new toy.

"It's a seventh generation knightmare frame, making it's abilities far greater then normal."

She had already read the files and dossiers her own people had gathered on it. Were it not for the pilot, she would have been impressed. "I under stand the Lancelot's pilot is an eleven."

"That's correct an honorary Britannian. However-"

The viceroy cut Lloyd off before he could justify the most crucial part of his creation. She already knew she had no say in the boy's job now, but even she couldn't argue with the ASEEC's results. "I'm promoting this man from private to warrant officer, that should satisfy him. I'm trying to win without relying too much on the numbers."

The promotion meant little to the scientist. Not because it had nothing to do with him, which was a factor. Lloyds mind was somewhere else. Last night he had received an email with a coded block of text and a photo. It was a set up for a meeting.


"Do you think he got the message?" Six asked as he left the tunnels for the empty war-torn remains of Shinjuku. The Spartan would wait until reaching the edge of the settlement before bringing up the active camouflage. With the massacre still fresh in everyone's mind it was still be some time before people would return to the ghetto. The AI's new eye in the sky would alert him to any pedestrians or vehicles that might cross his path. Something to ease the strain on the armor's reactor.

"I've been looking at the guys file. He's a certifiable... everything, he'd catch it even if we left it blank." Phillips said with great enthusiasm, the email that he had sent contained a picture of his white knightmare, taken from the spartan's battle recorder, just before the laser hit. "Making him the foremost expert on these machines in all Britannia."

"Britannia, and not the world?" Then Six suddenly stopped as something clicked in his mind. "Phillips, the knightmare frame has been in active service for over seven years. What have the other nations of the world been doing in response to the development of this weapon?"

"Well they're..." the AI suddenly paused as the answer refused to come forth. "Uh. I was sure...D'OH!" It then dawned on Phillips that he had completely forgotten to expand his data search.

"Just give me the book report later." Six said as he resumed his pace. "And tell me if there's anyone else equally or more intelligent then our professor. Despite what these big brains like to tell everyone, there is always someone out there that's smarter than them."


Cecile Croomy couldn't help but smile at the young devicer sitting next to her hard at work. He was dedicated, strong , resourceful, a little naive at times, eager to help, and he soaked up information like a sponge. Plus being an amazing pilot and really cute didn't hurt either.

"Sorry you have to sit here watching me do my homework." Suzaku said as he read his history book while writing down the seven sentence answers required for the sixteen questions for his assignment. It was one in a long list of homework assignments that his teachers had given him, under protest, to allow him to catch up to the rest of the classmates. It wasn't really that much trouble, in fact this was last one he needed to do before he was all caught up.

Of course any feelings she had for him were like those of an older sister, something that was seen as an oddity by the vast majority of her peers. Lloyd had almost started a roomer that she was holding romantic interest in the young pilot. She had easily quelled it with the regular brand of tact when it came to reminding him of his manners.

Well... maybe if the age difference between them was a few years shorter, she might consider pursuing a more two way relationship. His firm build, those Strong arm, his sad eyes...

Suddenly the feeling of a bubble popping slipped through her mind as she realized where her thoughts were taking her. "Oh don't worry about it. You've never attended a regular school before, so it can't be avoided." She said trying to remind herself he was too young, at this moment.

"The guys on the student council are helping me too, but it's still hard."

This news brought a smile to the female scientist. "To be perfectly honest with you I was a bit worried. It's supposed to be a liberal school but I was afraid you weren't fitting in too well."

"Me too, I was expecting that but I happened to run into an old friend and he smoothed everything out for me."

Which was mostly true, there were still some kids that went out of their way to avoid him. But things like bullies and acts of vandalism had stopped completely.

"Be sure you never take that friend for granted. If your friendship continues your reunion it won't have been a coincidence, it will have been predestined."

Her remark sounded a little out there to him, but Suzaku liked the meaning that was behind it anyway. The idea that he was meant to find Lelouch and Nunnally brought a warmth to his heart that was as rare as a snowflake in july.

"Anyway please try one of these." Cecile said motioning to a plate of rice balls that the young man had been secretly eying since he sat down to work. It was a hobby of hers every place she went, she would learn something about the local recipes, make it on her own, then share it with everyone she knew. With her own little added twist thrown in.

"Uh thank you I will." he said as he picked one up and bit into it. Suzaku was shocked when instead of the regular salted fish or pickled plumb, his tongue was greeted with something sweeter.

"I'd like your opinion about them." She said as he took a closer look at the rice ball.

"There's jam."

"Yes I just happened to get some lovely blue berries." the smile she gave was just too kind. So the new warrant officer did the only thing he could. Grin and bear eating the rest of it. It wasn't all that bad, just not what he was used to.

Then the boss decided to change the topic for everyone.

"Alright everyone, pack it up, pack it up. We're done for today, don't do anymore, hip hip hooray! That's all folks." the strange little man ended his speech with a large bow like he was ending a play.

Since Suzaku was still relatively new he didn't really know all of Lloyd's cues just yet. A confused look from him was just the excuse Miss Croomy needed to let the boy go and be himself.

"Go to school, classes may be over for the day but it's important to meet your friends and have a social life too."

Once everyone had left Cecil finally packed up her own papers, research materials, and her special treat to share. However she noticed Lloyd standing in front of the Lancelot, staring at it. It wouldn't really have bothered her, but the look on his face was troubling. Normally he'd stair at his creation with great pride or excitement, but now it was sober, almost depressed. "Lloyd is something wrong?"

He practically jumped at her question. Not only had he thought he was alone, but he didn't even notice her walk up to him.

"Cecil! what are you still doing here? I thought you already left." his voice actually shaking.

"I just finished packing up. So why do you look like we've just got a budget cut?"

"I'm expecting... a guest to show up. I was hopping to keep it-"

"Clandestine?"

Cecil's breath hitched as a new voice from behind her finished the earl's sentence. It was so close she thought she could feel a hot breath on her neck.

She turned around expecting to see their guest and saw... Nothing. There was nobody there.

"Over here actually." the invisible voice said as one of her rice balls flew off the tray and hovered in the air in front of them.

"Are you the demon of-"

"Shinjuku? Yes, yes I am. So are you ready to make a deal?" Noble Six said, finishing Ms Croomy's sentence.

Since the Shinjuku incident, roomers had spread like wild fire of a large armored figure that tore through an entire squad. During the former margrave's brief administration, Jeremiah had kept a lid on the squads unexplained death up until his arrest. After that the roomer mill seemed to explode over night. One of the most common was a picture of the sean, on the wall above its one survivor, written in blood, was a message 'the demon wakes.'

Then out of nowhere a huge figure appeared, eight feet high and shrouded in a large, black hooded coat. With it's back turned to them and a light smacking of lips, the rice ball was eaten. "that was actually quite good. Where did you purchase it."

Some of the fear Cecil felt in her core started to melt at that complement. "I made it actually?"

The figure turned to look strait at her. Four lights glinting within the black void of the hood. Boring into her like soulless eyes.

"Really we must trade recipes some time." the smile she gave was so bright it could have glowed. So many had either criticized or said nothing at all about her cooking for so long she considered giving it up on several occasions.

The idea that Cecil's list of crazy cuisine might suddenly grow, turned Lloyds stomach. But more than that, this enigma didn't come here to discuss food. "What do you want?"

"Really, world peace. However I'll settle for the blueprints to the Lancelot."

Lloyd was outraged. "How Dare You! Do you think I'd let you-" before he could finish their guest shoved an open folder with several papers into his hands.

"Do you understand these?"

For a second Lloyd was about to toss them aside. But he then did a double take as he realized what he was holding. His trademark smile was back on his face, bigger than ever. "Are these real?"

"Designs for a working neural up link. This, for a complete copy of the Lancelot's blueprints."

"Done." he immediately pulled a cd out of his pocket and slapped it strait into the demon's hand. The man's mind was practically swimming with applications for this technology, but only half really pertained to knightmares other than his.

"Lloyd!" Cecil started, then he handed her several pages. One look and she immediately went silent.

Cybernetics were still a experimental technology. adapting circuitry to a nervous system was tricky, too much heat would build up in the mechanical components and damage the human tissue. That was just one of the problems whit this technology, If these designs was correct then those problem could- no! Would be solved over night.

"If you patent this, it should also solve any future funding problems."

Cecil could barely believe all this. She finally looked up from the paper only to realize the demon was already gone.


Back at the school everyone was going about their regular business.

In the club house Shirley and Kallen were assembling a kitty castle for what was becoming the student councils new mascot. The cat that Milly had the entire school chase for half the day, was now going by the name Arthur.

What to name the cat had been a hot debate topic for the members of the student council. Names like panda, schrodinger, Tama, JC Maxwell, Doppler, and even Michelle had been tossed around until the majority had decided on Lelouch the second. Of course the original Lelouch voted to remove the cat from the academy grounds entirely, after the trouble he'd caused the vice president it was understandable. However the council's majority decision, over ruled his standing on the case. Just before the final vote was made however, Nunnally came in, and spoke directly with the feline. After what sounded like a short but intense discussion between the young girl and the cat. Nunnally turned to the rest of the student council and said, "His name is Arthur." Which came as somewhat of a surprise to Suzaku because just before the party started, and after he caught the cat, Euphy had done the exact same thing and even said the exact same thing. One thing that had started to bug him about it though was it seemed like the name was actually the cat's idea.

However the real reason Shirley had volunteered to help with the assemble the overly complicated scratching post, as Lelouch called it, was that she wanted some alone time to talk with Kallen.

However for the first three quarters of the project, both girls worked in total silence. The young swimmer wasn't really good when it came to conflicts and had only just worked up the nerve to speak. "Say can I ask you something important?"

"Sure what is it?" the maroon head answered.

"Kallen, are you hiding something from us?"

"Hm?" Kallen asked after she picked up Arthur before he could start messing with the parts of the kitty castle that hadn't been installed yet.

"If it's nothing too personal."

"What are you talking about?" She said as she wrapped her fingers around the small pink bag in her coat pocket. Kallen had many secrets, many very personal. But nearly every one of them lead back to her team mates in Shinjuku.

"You can tell me. I promise not to be shocked or upset, but the thing is... I happened to see you before."

Kallen's grip on her hidden knife quietly tightened until the blade popped out, startling the cat. If Shirley had seen anything that could compromise her cover, then she would need to be dealt with. Quickly.

Shirley couldn't help but let out a light groan. Part of her wanted to do nothing, pretend like it hadn't happened and let things continue on as they were. But not knowing was eating her up inside... so how could she say this? "Your going out with Lulu right!" She asked looking Kallen right in the eye.

"Lulu?" Kallen had heard the name before but wasn't really sure who she was talking about.

"The other day I saw you outside."

Then it suddenly hit Kallen that Shirley was referring to that time outside when she had approached Lelouch in order to ask him about the person that had called her while in the shower. Then for some reason, out of no where, he had grabbed her and held her real close as if to kiss her.

The whole thing was so embarrising that she had almost blocked out the entire event. "Oh! No no no that was all his doing."

"His doing?!" Shirley looked ready to freak out, like a wife who found her husband in bed with another woman.

"No wait it wasn't like that!" Kallen said, trying to think of something to say that would defuse the situation. Unfortunately the truth wasn't really an option.

"I don't get it, you were trying so hard to catch the cat before."

"No that wasn't it! Besides It's not like we kissed or any thing."

This seemed to only just make the situation worse as Shirley sounded more panicked as her vivid imagination went into overdrive.

"Or anything!?" She said as the image of Kallen and Lulu's lips hovering a hairs breath away from each other slipped through her mind. "Then you stopped short of doing it?"

"Will you quit imagining things. You don't under stand the circumstances one bit!" Kallen shouted since things were clearly going astray way to fast.

No matter what Kallen said, it seemed Shirley couldn't help but see it as the boy she loves was slipping away from her.


Under Shinjuku Noble Six was digging through ammunition and explosives.

After leaving the mech hangar the Spartan had stopped at a cybercafe in order to provide the ship bound AI with a means of reading the contents of the disc that he had acquired. While Phillips was taking the time to copy the information down, six decided to do some intelligence gathering on the viceroys palace with the stratellite's optical observation package.

However all it really did was reconfirm all the reports Phillips had given him about the building's defenses, guard movements and schedules. Dozens of hidden heavy cannon turrets lined outer walls of the building, multiple underground knightmare hangers, and a whole legion of permemtly stationed troops on top of the regular forces that rotated in and out regularly. But Of course these facts didn't bother the Spartan one bit. He was well aware that any security detail had its own set of holes, or points of interest that could be made into holes.

"If you're looking to do some real damage the C12 satchel charges are over by the frag grenades." Phillips said as noble six opening closed his 10th container, having only found a collection of tripods for heavy machine guns. "You'll have to forgive the crew that did the cargo loading, they were in a little bit of a rush and weren't paying that close attention to where what box went next to what crate."

"What I'm actually looking for is the C7 foam."

C7 foaming explosive, another one of the UNSC's unconventional weapons. In effect each individual canister carries the same weight and volume of a large can of shaving cream. With an adjustable nozzle head, allowing the applicator to reach in between small cracks or a wide spout for distributing large amounts in an instant. Of course there were several critics that complained about how each individual can is shipped with both trigger and detonators built-in. However the manufactures were able to ignore these concerns with the proven fact that C7 is nonvolatile in it's condensed form. Safe, reliable, and easier to transport in larg quantities than the more powerful C12 charges.

"I see, going for quantity over quality in collateral damage. It's the crate on your right. Why do you need it any… Wait! You saw that news report didn't you."

"Yes," Six said as he began filling a back pack with the canisters. "And I wouldn't have thought to watch the news if I hadn't seen those troop movements at the viceroys palace yesterday. She has put the Yamato alliance in her cross-hairs, with the ghetto's citizens caught between them. it's going to happen again."

"You don't know that!"

"Can I take that risk?"

Phillips then projected his image right in front of the Spartans face. "Can you? Even if you leave right now, you wont make it in time to save every one. What do you think you can do to change the situation?"

"What every Spartan does, the best they can."


"The Saitama ghetto is now completely surrounded. the Yamato's alliance is located somewhere in here," general Andreas Darlton said as he pointed to the screen showing the real time tactical display, "half the people in this neighborhood are cooperating with them so if we proceed now-"

The princess raised he hand for silence. She was already quite aware of the situation, it was the main reason she chose this particular ghetto to be made an example of. "What will be the affect on production."

The production, was the local industrial sector's sakuradite processing factories. It was the only real factor that had guided Cornelia's choice in which minor terrorist faction to purge. Darlton was quick to answer, "Primary sector output should decrease by 0.2%" he said.

"Within expectations you mean?" The second princess then turned to a short line of men who weren't part of her inner circle. "Alright, all of you here participated in the Shinjuku disaster is that correct?"

These three men were all that was left of the late viceroy's military advisers. The rest that couldn't handle the disgrace after their lords death had followed him by taken the cowards way out. Their leader Bartley was still back in the home land trying to explain what had happened, and why he shouldn't be executed for it.

The current senior officer thanked her for her generous act of including them in this sortie. "Yes and we're indebted to you princess Cornelia. For you mercy-"

"That's not what I'm asking!" She said, cutting him off. "Do you think the conditions are similar, to those in Shinjuku."


"Why are you choosing to still working with zero and these terrorists anyway." Phillips said as the Spartan put the last can of foaming explosive into his bag. "The network is up and running at full speed now, anything you want to know in this world I can tell you, anything in this world you need I can get, and anyone who gets in your way will fall like wheat to a –"

Phillips flinched at the sound of the super soldier's new stress reliever popping, a baseball Six had come across during one of his treks through the ghetto. Other various items around the field had led him to believe that there was a game in progress when the previous viceroy had given the order to attack. Right now his grip was so tight on that ball that it had split the leather cover and compromised all four yarn layers, even the cork center had been crushed. "You don't think I know that. It would be easy to remove the Britannian royal family from power, one properly placed explosive, a box of bullets, even a well placed knife is all I would need to take care of the Royals and their supporters. But then what?" Six looked at the twisted remains of the ball before gently putting it down with some reverence to the memory he just destroyed. "I am the tip of the spear, a living weapon, the true soldier. Once a government is toppled something needs to be there to take its place. Otherwise you're left with a power vacuum that will only make the situation worse as people crawl out of the woodwork to either take control, take advantage, take revenge, or just take whatever they want. The only solution I can think of is to just keep killing, I need an alternative."

"And you think working with this guy is your best option at this point?"

Six turned to face the wall monitor that the AI was using to manifest himself. "In many of the missions I have taken part in, missions, that resulted in entire militia groups disappearing. Col. Ackerson charged me with the responsibility of removing the heads of these organizations. Men, and sometimes women, who had the charisma, skills, and a very powerful drive to see things change. "

"And you see these qualities in Zero?" Phillips asked.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't see them in him ." The Spartan then moved to the racks of guns and other projectile weapons. "And he's no idiot... Okay, he hasn't proven he's that smart either. I just have this feeling I can't shake. I need to keep an eye on him, to support him if he's an asset, or kill him if he's a hindrance."

"Zero is a criminal with a flair for the theatrical. I've recreated the same conditions that existed in Shinjuku in order to draw him out. If he's the over confidant type I predict he'll come here to try to kill me." princess Cornelia said as she explained the concept behind her plan.

The advisers gasped, because they were scared. If what happened in Shinjuku was really going to be repeated. Then the death of another member of the royal family would cost them way more then their ranks this time.

"Viceroy! You'd really risk your own life like this."

Such a risk was one that the second princess had chosen to live with ever since she had become a warrior leader. "What you fail to understand is that wars' a struggle between pride and life."

A struggle she had all but mastered.


At the Ashford school, CC was trying to stop her partner from doing something stupid. So far she was failing miserably.

"Your not falling for the enemies provocation?"

Lelouch just shrugged her off. "They went to such trouble to invite me though. Besides there's something I'd like to ask Cornelia personally." CC could see the drive on Lelouch's face from a mile away, he wanted, he needed, he just had to go.

But it was the last thing he should do. "Destroying Britannia or discovering who murdered your mother, which is more important to you?"

"The two are of equal importance. The royal family members are competing with each other to see who will claim the throne and become the next ruler. Or rather, were being forced to fight. By that man." his father, the man holding the power over all.

"But the thing you hate is the very same thing that makes Britannia strong. The heir that is best fit to be the next ruler of Britannia is the one left standing."

"Exactly." Lelouch knew that was true, all too well, when his father cast him and his sister out. "The weak ones lose and are cast aside. Britannia is that kind of nation, that kind of world."

"Survival of the fittest is the most basic rule of all." and CC words touched what a nerve with Lelouch. One that had been rubbed raw for eight years.

And it was that rule he hated the most.

"If That's True Then What Happens To Nunnally?!" he shouted. "Should I simply give up on my sister because she is frail? I refuse to accept that! I'll wipe out that sort of world myself."

Lelouch then finished collecting his soldier disguise, just before CC Pulled out a side arm and Pointed it strait at his heart. "You can't go, Lelouch. You need to fulfill your part of our bargain so I won't have you dying before that."

The gun she had pulled out was the one Lelouch had recovered when he stripped the uniform off a soldier's fresh corps. He'd hidden it in his room, just in case he'd lost the one that knightmare pilot had given him. He'd need to find a better hiding place for it later.

"Notice that what you're saying and what you're doing are contradictory." Lelouch said.

CC just sighed "Oh, I won't kill you; I'm merely going to shoot you in the leg to quiet you down."

A small smile then graced Lelouch's face, something that had been bugging about her finally made sense. "Now I get it; you're unable to use Geass yourself, aren't you? I'm not surprised, I suspected as much. You obviously wouldn't have asked me to do it if you could've done it yourself." He then Pulled out a gun of his own and pointed it at C.C.

"Do you honestly think you can threaten me with a gun?"

Lelouch continued to smirk. "Yes I do." the student then pointed the gun to his head. "Until I met you, I was dead. An impotent corpse existing behind a false guise of life. A life in which I did nothing real. Day to day, I merely went through the motions of living as if I were a zombie. And I always had the feeling that I was gradually dying. If I'm condemned to go back to that, then I'd rather..." his grip started to tighten.

"Stop it! I see now; it's life without meaning, and a life like that..." CC then finally gave in, and stepped aside.

Once Lelouch was out of his room and five steps down the hall he finally started breathing again. Bluffing was not a habit the schoolboy regularly indulged in. He meant everything that he said to the green haired girl, but dying was the last thing he was willing to do.


Phillips sighed in resignation. "If you're right, then the whole situation screams trap. You know that right?"

"I do, but this is a trap meant for zero. It would be best to make sure he's the last thing it shuts on."

"You make it sound like he's and idiot or something, just a few minutes ago you were calling him a genius. Sure he's young, physically challenged, has a love of theatrical... Your right better safe than sorry, but the target designator stays. The wombat and tiger drones are not ready to perform in any combat runs."

The Spartan didn't utter a single complaint as he took the pistol shaped camera from it's hiding spot under his coat. Yet he had a hard time putting it down. Without an artillery battery or a active bomber wing, this piece of equipment was pretty much useless.

Except when it came to the F99 wombat, and the Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle and Perceptor Integration System, code named, Tiger. Both unmanned weapon systems could have their targeting sensors slaved to the target designator. To quote a colorfull officer, where's an air strike when you need one?


General Andreas Darlton was a model soldier: loyal to his commander, dedicated in his service to the mission, and at his core, different from his fellow officers. Unlike most Britannians general Darlton maintained a moral fiber that his countrymen had all but abandoned, and right now it was starting to tear him apart from the inside out.

The general never questioned his princess, he may disagree but never question. Right now Cornelia's decision to wipe out the Yamato alliance by destroying the Sitama ghetto the same way her brother Clovis had with Shinjuku, wasn't sitting right with him.

Then came the call from the infantry, the first objective had been cleared. "We're done sweeping away those in charge." He said.

This was it, the last chance to call it off. The full weight of the hammer, known as Britannian military, was about to drop on the ghetto with lethal force.

The princess smiled... "It's nearly time to set our plans in motion. So shall we begin?"

There was no sigh, no groan, no external signs of the general's displeasure at the fresh blood he was putting on his hands. He was a soldier, a good soldier, an honorable soldier, he would follow her orders to the letter. "Right, attention all forces, commence the eradication of the Saitama ghetto. All forces assume level one battle stations." There will be blood on his hands but it wouldn't be for nothing. There was a plan and a purpose to this mission and he would see it through.

All at once, knightmare frames began pouring out of their hiding spots and clandestine transports around the ghetto. Then in an almost literal repeat of Shinjuku, began gunning down anything, and any one, that moved. All around the ghetto people could be heard crying out: in terror as the giant machines tore through everything in their path, for mercy before being gunned down without a second thought, or anger and fury


Behind the G1 base, at the lines farthest from the fighting, the former margrave sat in his Sutherland, flanked by the now former members of the now and forever defunct pure blood faction.

"I don't understand," he said as the battles explosions sounded like cheap fire works from their position "why won't princess Cornelia order us to attack as well?"

Lord, now private, Kewell answered him for the umpteenth time. "She won't because orange is here. Just be thankful you haven't been disposed of. You're to blame for this. It's because of you our careers are over!"

"Your wrong, Zero's the one who did it."

"That again. ha!" really it no longer mattered to Kewell or the others if he did or did not any more.

Everyone had begun noticing more and more abstract behavior from the former margrave. He'd snap at anyone that would mention or even eat an orange in front of him. He'd taken to looking over his shoulder while on the base when no one was there. The worst was when he'd barged in on a private conversation when he heard one man merely say the word zero.

Jeremiah's sanity was in a tale spin.


After leaving the school, Lelouch used his influence on a Taxi driver, only to conceal his identity from the driver, once he had changed into his military disguise and arrived at his destination he paid the fare and left a good tip for the honorary Britannia. After that it was only a matter of using his power to make the soldiers in the encirclement line ignore him and then join the main infantry as they entered the ghetto. Then slip away as they started to split off into teams.

Eventually Lelouch found a abandoned building he could temporarily hideout in and watch the slaughter from. When he looked back on that day, some months later, he came to realize that there were emotions he should've been feeling at that time. Anger that his older half sister would go to such extremes in order to draw him out, sadness at the death and distraction that was being repeated here, but instead it was excitement. Viceroy Cornelia had placed herself out in the open just like Clovis had, a silver platter with her head resting nicely on it, the name of his mother's killer, possibly, on her lips.

Her side of the board was now set up, he just need to collect the pieces so he could do the same before he could really get this game rolling. As Lelouch watched from his perch, the carnage continued to unfold, a passing Sutherland then spotted him and approached.

"What unit are you from? State your name and ID soldier." The pilot immediately demanded.

This was too perfect.

"Private Dario Torres sir,"Lelouch said as he recited his story he had rehearsed to convince the pilot to come out." with third reconnaissance company. I obtained this item from one of the terrorists. Could I please ask you to transmit it to headquarters for me sir?" he held up a blank computer disk for the pilot to see.

"A disk huh? I still need to verify your ID first." and just like that the knightmare pilot exposed himself to get a better look.

"Right, understood." Lelouch then started to smile as the sigil in his left eye appeared before giving his order."But before we do that sir... I'd like to borrow your Sutherland. So hand it over."

"Sure, no problem. Just take good care of it." He said like he was handing over his car to a old friend.

"Thank you I really appreciate it." Lelouch couldn't help but keep smiling as the pilot dismounted to hand over his ignition key. This was too easy.


In the tunnels at the edge of the ghetto, under the G1 base, Noble Six emptied another can of C7 foaming explosive.

He'd arrived too late to prevent the majority of the killing. Any Japanese still alive in the ghetto now were in the local terrorist chapter, the Yamato alliance. Fighting to stay alive.

"I'm starting to think you should get out of there." Phillips said as Six brought out a fresh can and moved to a different section of wall. "There's no one left to give aid to. Well, no one that won't try to shoot you first."

"You're right, but not before I leave a little surprise for the new viceroy."

Noble Six then finished placing the last dollop of foam before inserting the detonator.

Since his arrival in Saitama Noble Six had been lining the ceiling and walls of every subway and sewer tunnel with the explosive substance. An action Phillips didn't quite get.

"What exactly are you..." The AI's proverbial eyes widened as six picked up a large silver dish. "Oh you have got to be kidding me."

"Nice isn't it? The label on the container called it a build your own shaped charge kit.

"The Pyro Geiser are you crazy! that has not been field tested yet!"

"And will never get a better chance than this."

Ever since blue team's mission on Sigma Octanus IV UNSC engineers and military commanders have been trying to find a way to create a high-level explosion within a localized area. As great as tactical nuclear explosion was, high command wanted to scale down the collateral damage. So far the Pyro Geiser was looking to be the best possible solution, the lab reports were promising. It made use of an unintentional design quirk in the C7 despencer.

When the first C7 complete demo kits rolled off the shelves it had three distinct features: the main caster which housed the foaming explosive itself, a recessed dispenser in its base holding a series of detonators that could be removed by hand or directly inserted into the foam, and a small handle attached to the nozzle which doubled as the trigger for the detonators. One thing a lot of the demo teams did after placing the foam and arming the detonators was removed the handle from the canister. However the trigger was not meant to be removed, and every time the handle was pried off the seal contain the compressed form was compromised. Not enough for the contents to escape mind you, just enough so that if you dropped it whatever was left inside the canister would come spilling out in great quantities and at high-speed. A fact a low-level private discovered after mishandling one of the canisters during basic training, he would later be given the callsign frosty due to the fact that the whole incident had given him the appearance of a snowman. Despite what many called a obvious design flaw, was quickly labeled a new function. With the ability to immediately empty its contents at a moments notice the C7 compound became infamous as a weapon that could be used in both small and large-scale demolition and new ways to maximize this potential were quickly explored.

Enter the Pyro Geiser a collapsible metal housing for a extremely large shaped charge that is just the few inches short of becoming the new record holder. It's designed to be assembled under, over, or near a prospective target when the risk of collateral damage was too high or unacceptable.

"Alright, just make sure to make it count."

"I'm directly under the Britannian's mobile base." Six said. "Once I'm clear of the blast zone the tunnels will blow and that rolling fortress will be sitting on the big-"

The spartan was interrupted as his communicator let out an alert of a voice recognition. Six immediately stopped and tuned into the terrorist's communication network. Then he heard a familiar voice speak three words.

"This... is Zero."

Six could feel the bottom of his stomach drop. "I assume you've all heard about the Shinjuku incident. Do what I say and you will be saved." Zero said before Six muted the link.

"Okay You were right, he did show up." Phillips said as noble six began picking up the pace of arming all the C7 charges he'd placed.

As the Spartan worked he watched as the friend or foe tags of the viceroys forces wink off one by one. Just like clockwork, in fact the Yamato alliance were moving even faster than the group back in Shinjuku. But if that was their doing or Zero's remains to be seen.

And for just one brief moment, Noble six started to think that maybe just maybe this kid could handle it. Right before the Spartan took his right hand, held up next to his head, and slapped some sense into himself. He looking at the file Phillips had compiled about the second princess. She was nowhere near this stupid, this battle, those soldiers that were dying out there, this was all one giant bait ball and Zero is digging into it like a starved shark. It was going to go sideways, it was too obvious not to. Six knew that he need to be there to throw that monkey wrench into Cornelia's plan at just the right moment.

"Okay what's wrong?" Phillips asked as another can of C7 foaming explosive was hooked into the pyro geiser. "the battles been going on overhead for over an hour and all you've done is just fill that untested fire cracker with foam."

"the point of this whole battle is to trap zero going up above at this stage is pointless and if zero manages to pull off a win than everything I've done up to this point will have been a major waste of explosives."

"But you know that won't be the case do you six. but that doesn't explain why you're using so much of the C7. I mean you've already put in six cans... and are you pulling out a seventh?"

"The tunnel networks under Saitama are not as cavernous or extensive as Shinjuku so in order to-" Noble six came to a sudden stop. the Spartan's eyes had traveled to his motion tracker, after a silent curse six spun around 180 degrees and pulled out his M6 magnum with his free hand. Somehow during his work he'd all but forgotten about it, a rookie mistake! The second he had locked eyes on it, it had registered a single moving unknown assailant behind him.

His gun was up, round chambered, hammer cocked, and his sights lined up with... nothing. the space behind him had been empty, until the Spartan took a tentative look down. it was a eight-year-old child, maybe younger given the boy's low height, with a stuffed animal held very tightly in his arms. Six's actions had startled the kid.

Slowly and calmly putting the pistol back on it's mag plate, the Spartan asked the kid four simple words. "where are your parents?"

Immediately the young one turned on his heel and took off running like a spooked jackrabbit.

"Six you idiot, you haven't reset the audio settings on your armor since your first meeting with Zero! You sound like the Grim Reaper and with that long coat on you practically look like him too."

"I'll fix it but that's more irrelevant at this point since there's a kid down here! That means there could be others, more civilian survivors or soldiers that might've chased this kid down here."

After a few seemingly random turns the kid slipped through a large crack in the wall. On the other side Six's motion tracker registered at least half a dozen other points of movement trying to fit through the crack was definitely not an option but the Spartans refused to be stopped, sticking one hand into the crevice he began to pull. At first nothing was happening then the stone and rebar began to groan then scream in protest as a Spartan sized opening was made.

What he found on the other side of the wall shocked him. It was a small basement that had been converted into a dugout bunker filled with over two dozen people: men, women, and children each one a noncombatant. They all backed away from the hole in the wall that Noble Six had made, unsure of his intentions. luckily none of them made for the exit, knowing full well what awaited them up there.

Eventually a man was brought before the Spartan. His arm and chest were heavily bandaged with large patches of red. he was being supported by another kid in his late teens, probably one of the resistance fighters that been injured during the beginning of the purge. It seemed that they elected him the leader of the group. "Who or what are you, and what do you want?" he said showing no fear of death or pain

Six double checked the voice settings of his helmet once he was sure the audio filter was shut off before he calmly answered in a normal voice. "I'm with zero and I'm here to help go straight down that tunnel until you reach a T intersection take a right and continue forward for half an hour and you will be clear of the ghetto and the encirclement line. Its unguarded because the brits think those tunnels are collapsed, you will be safe."

The injured man would have fallen over in shock if the teen wasn't supporting him. "How can we be sure you're telling the truth?" He asked.

Noble Six's helmet hid his look of disbelief. "I just pulled a half ton chunk out of the wall with my bare hands. If I was working with the Britannians I wouldn't be talking."

"...Fair enough." the injured man said before waving the others on through the makeshift opening.

everyone seemed to want the other to be the first to go through. However once the first family had walked out and nothing happened, the flood gates were opened. As the last family departed, whatever form of luck that had protected the hiding place up till now ran out.

"Well, what have we here? A barrel of monkeys?" A Britannian soldier said as he opened the door that divided the hidden bunker from its basement entrance.

"Try tomb for Britannians." Was all the soldier heard before the Spartans hands clapped together on his head. Ending with the same sound and mess you'd find when crushing a watermelon, wrapped in tinfoil, between a pair of cinderblocks.

As the dead soldier fell back into the other room one of the others quickly grabbed the door and slammed it shut shouting. "It's him! It's the demon!"

The door was little more than a cheap aluminum panel, the Spartan could easily rip it apart to get to the soldiers on the other side. Nor did it stop the soldiers from emptying their clips into the door in a attempt to slow him down. Of course the bullets bounced harmlessly off of his shield, but once they stopped firing one of the soldiers pushed the front end of a short tube through the door.

"Fire in the hole!" Was all the warning six got as the soldier fired his grenade launcher right into the Spartans chest plate.

There was a bright flash accompanied by an earsplitting bang as the cybernetic super soldier was thrown off his feet. The next thing he knew he was on his back, out of breath, with the warning of the depleted shields blaring in his ear. "And I thought only a brute chieftain could hit that hard."

But as much as noble six would've like to lie there a little bit longer to catch his breath, but thanks to that grenade, the dirt ceiling had developed a very large crack in it. Plus a chunk of earth the size of a basketball crashing next to his head was all the incentive he needed to get back into the sewer system before he was buried alive.


For Lelouch, things were rolling along like clockwork. He told the Saitama terrorists where to shoot, a knightmare would fall. Warn them of a troop deployment, a platoon of knightmares were captured. it was working so well that Lelouch was caught off guard, after destroying the bridge that held 90% of his half sister's reserve forces, when an all points command hit the battle net.

"All forces! Fall back behind ghetto perimeter at once. Your position doesn't matter, fall back behind the ghetto perimeter at once."

"What, no stomach for it?" He said out loud despite the fact no one could hear him. Then he realized this presented him a perfect opportunity. "If I blend in with the retreating units that'll put me right next to Cornelia. Have I cleared the task at hand already?"

While brushing off any stray dirt Noble six watched the reteating knightmare formations by their IFF tags through his HUD with a pirated signal.


"Zeros been beaten." He said as the last knightmare crossed the encirclement line.

"Really? so soon? how do you know?"

"This is supposed to be a repeat of Shinjuku." The spartan said as he picked up the lid to the mother of all shaped charges. "only an idiot would actually repeat everything without it being a trap. This is the first deviation, so I say again, Zeros been beaten. he just doesn't know it yet."

"Okay so what are you going to do about it?" Phillips asked "because we've both realized we need him. he has resources, information, and above all the ability to lead; something we lack, greatly."

"That may be true," Noble Six walked over to the bombs collapsible base. "but I am not going to just hand over my services that easily. I'll bail him out but I'm going to peel away that mask and find out who and just what his plan is."

Six then slammed the lid down on the base, locking it into place while simultaniously releasing the foam from the seven canisters he had installed. As the foam expanded the bomb's Metal casing begin to shift and slide as the shell expanded to contain the ever-expanding C7 until it reached it's maximum size.

It was an impressive site, it's compact form was the size of a small trashcan, when fully expanded the Pyro Geiser was a head taller than the Spartan and twice the length of his arms around it center. Six would make sure that Phillips would make a recording of the detonation with their eye in the sky, because there was no way he was going to miss this thing going off.


Back at Ashford Suzaku was talking with Shirley. When he had first arrived at the clubhouse to help put together arthur's new play area. He arrived just in time to watch the maroon redhead burst out of the room shouting there's nothing going on between me and Lelouch! Venturing a look into the room he saw Shirley standing alone on the verge of tears. Suzaku's own mind swam with a few ideas of what his old friend could've done to cause such duress between these two teenage girls, but knowing the student council vice president it was probably something he was indirectly responsible for.

After a change of topic, accompanied by a nip at the young man's heels by Arthur, the two teens began getting to know each other while the worked. It started with Shirley telling the story of how her family moved out to area 11 when her father's work brought them here. And eventually moved on to the details behind Suzaku's friendship with Lelouch.

"So Lulu lived here before this became area eleven. Was he a neighbor?" Shirley asked as she tried to taunt the feline with the cat wand Suzaku had brought a a peace offering.

Arthur took a few swipes at its bristled tip, but then got this look that said what am I doing before turning around to take a nap.

As for Shirley's question, that had hit upon a rather confidential topic, one that Suzaku knew he needed to change quick. "Um, what about your self?"

"My self? I guess we're a lot a like in that respect."

"Oh?" This young, athletic, outgoing, and attractive, girl has something in common with a cool, distant, and calculating boy that could be mistaken for an ice King. There had to be a story behind this, and Suzaku was quite eager to hear it.

"Honestly, I didn't like Lulu at the beginning when I first met him. He gave the impression that he was flippant, and the only thing he worked hard at was avoiding hard work. But back when we were both freshmen, I happened to see him come upon a traffic accident. A driver rear-ended another car and was clearly at fault, but he tried to blame it on the elderly owners of the other car. Nobody tried to help them. And then... He quietly hooked a tow-truck to the back of the offending guy's car. Then when the light turned green the jerks vehicle was carried away. Lulu didn't do it so he could boast to his buddies or laugh about it later. He did it with the same bored expression he always wears. That's when I wondered, what's up with this guy? What goes on in his mind? What does he want to do? I really wanted to know, and in the process of finding out..."

"You fell in love with him." Now it all made perfect sense to him. She had a chance to see past the smoke, mirrors, and masks that the vice president wore so well. Suzaku sometimes wondered if his old friend had forgotten how to be himself. Regardless she was aware of the real Lelouch, and the idea that a girl was finally interested in his Best friend for who he really is made him happy.

Although, judging by the girl's suddenly reddening complexion, she had yet to reveal these feelings to Lelouch. Suzaku decided to throw caution to the wind, and give this potential pairing a little push. As he picked up the decorative phone on the table.


From his hiding place in the crowed of Sutherlands Lelouch was smiling like the battle was already over. He had been right, by joining the other retreating knightmares he had placed himself right in front of the G1 mobile base, right where he wanted to be.

"Cornelia your no match you'll lose."

However this was a withdrawal from the field not a retreat. Cornelia was too proud to give up like that, she had more skill in combat than Clovis.

"Even with my geass the normal security makes it too risky to just simply stroll in. I guess I'll just have to make an opening as I did with Clovis." he then noticed he had an incoming call on his cell. "Student council room? But I thought the cat festival meeting was scheduled for tomorrow."

One of Milly's costume parties. Something he'd regret later he was sure, especially after seeing the list of costumes the Prez had picked out for the counsel. But if the call wasn't for that then what?


Just because Shirley knew about Lelouch's softer side didn't tell her what kind of girl he liked. Plus considering the fact that the girl he spent the most time with was his sister didn't help in the least. "I know Kallen said I had it all wrong but it seemed like she was getting upset in order to fool me." She said as she tried to clear up the confusion her talk with Said girl had stirred up. Because no matter what, the dark-redhead wouldn't give her a straight answer.

"Which is why in this case it's best to simply ask him directly. On your behalf I can ask him about how he feels about you."

"What? You'd really do That!" Shirley had actually been a little distracted by Arthur, before she realized Suzaku already had gone ahead and called Lelouch.

"Just relax it'll be fine."

"Are you nuts! no way!" she screamed as she grabbed the phone out of the boy's hands and slammed it back down on the receiver in one fluid motion.


The alert on Lelouch's phone winked out, meaning the caller had hung up before he could answer it. "Hm? Oh what ever." he's said as he slipped back into he's zero persona.

Looking back to the troop formations, three purple Gloucester knightmares re-entered the ghetto. To Zero it couldn't be a better turn of events. "You're desperate Cornelia. For using your royal guard in such a manor."

With the viceroy's personal guard now on the field, this was a perfect opportunity for Lelouch to remove two obstacles that would be very troublesome later on."This is Zero. N1 will reengage their IFF signal. Operate as a Britannian unit."

"Under stood." N1 responded.

Once the princesses personal guard move in to assist. Lelouch would use his Zero persona to direct the other nearby units to encircle and attack.

The main screen in Lelouch's Sutherland displayed the locations for each knightmare on the field. The three Gloucesters closed in on the lone unit, and then suddenly the decoy blinked off the screen, replaced with the word lost.

"No conformation?"


Phillips gave a light whistle, "Clear the field of b-Listers used to draw out the c-class then send in the a-team. Nice."

"I said it. Only an idiot would think he could pull off the same trick twice." Nobel Six said as he sprayed some c7 foam along the cracks of the sewers under the Britannian's mobile base.

"So which Sutherland do you think zero is hiding in?"

"Don't know, but once the fireworks start we just watch for the first pilot to ditch and run."

Six then activated his Assisted Tactical Assault System, or ATLAS for short, and watched as the Britannians tore through the last of the terrorists.


To Lelouch's regret the rest of the battle was much the same. Any feint or decoy he setup was quickly seen through. Soon even the terrorists began to surrender, thinking maybe the Britannians might be merciful. However they did not realize the scope of Cornelia's wrath and were immediately gunned down on her orders.

Despite his resounding losses, Lelouch continued to give orders.

"Anyone who's left report in from the P group now!" nothing but static was the response.

Then he heard it, the all clear signal, it was already too late.

"Mission complete all forces take position number four."

The boy was beside himself, "Beaten this easily... But that's not how this game is supposed to go! This... This is what real organization can do..."

Like a boy too acustomed to winning. defeat was not something that Lelouch could easily accept, despite the fact it was staring him in the face. The flimsy terrorists were crushed by the Britannian war machine.

"Attention all knightmare pilots. Open your hatchs and reveal your faces." the second princess commanded. Forcing Lelouch to realize just how far he'd backed himself into a corner.

"Cornelia!" the fallen prince shouted, as it was the only thing he could do now.

"I repeat. All pilots open your hatches and reveal your faces."

"What do I do? If she gets me in a lineup... Without my mask my identity will be exposed. That musn't happen. Use my geass? No, impossible, it won't work unless I look directly at them. The enemy is protected in their knightmares. That leaves the infantry and other pilots... No forget it, there's too many of them." the more he tried to think of a way out, the more the fact sunk in that he was trapped, and the more frantically the boy tried to find a way out.

"Open your hatch. It's your turn."

Those words brought Lelouch back to reality like a splash of ice water. Guilford's Gloucester was right in front of him. He was out of time, back to the wall. No way out.

"What's wrong? Hurry and open your hatch."

"My hatch was damaged earlier in battle." it was the only thing that came to his mind that would make any sense. It was a desperate play to buy time, with little success.

"I see, then we'll open it for you. Turn around."

"Yes under stood. At once sir."

Now it would be the time to do something bold and stupid.

"Zero's been sighted!" Another soldier shouted over an open channel.

Then again maybe not.

The call had come in from a guard unit two blocks away and everything that was once in order for the inspection flew back into chaos.


In the sewers under the mobile base, Six was surprised by this shift in the military's attention. "Zeros been sighted? Where?" he asked.

"According to the footage portrayed over the battle net. On top of a partly destroyed building just a few hundred yards outside the Britannian's forward base. Out of range, but in plain sight."

"Show me." an image popped up in Six's HUD, despite the overwhelming evidence six caught on almost instantly. "That's not Zero."

"You can tell too?"

"The tells are small, but noticeable. The suit is lose around the waist and the shoulders are narrower. If I had to guess I' d say that's a girl. But that's besides the point, Zero's plan is FUBAR, and anyone not with Britannia is running like rats off a sinking ship.

Up above there was a mad scramble as every one of the brit soldiers moved to capture, kill, or just go after the zero impersonator.

And in the middle of all the chaos, no one notice a sutherland duck behind a wall of rubble.

By the time anyone would think to check, the pilot, and any chance of catching Zero was long gone.


Down in the sewers Lelouch was running like the devil was on his heals. While his head was ablaze with anger at this total failure.

'That's how Cornelia is, she's nothing at all like Clovis.' the boys thoughts and pace were halted as the fake zero appeared in his path. A list of people who could be under the mask crossed his mind, but only one knew enough to actually pull it off.

"Why did you rescue me?"

"I told you already," a female voice addressed him as the fake zero removed the mask. The long green hair tumbling out from under it's helmet design. "I can't have you dying."

Lelouch Lamperouge was seriously ticked. C.C. was rubbing his face in the fact that he failed. "I wouldn't have lost if the conditions were equal!"

"You sore loser." C.C. Said, somehow making the fact sting even more. "If you're really that good, you should be able to set up conditions the way you want."

"That's what I'll do then, I'll set them up. I'll raise an army that can't lose to Britannia. A people; a nation!" the anger at his loss continued to bubble within himself.

A deep, voice from behind him then spoke. "You have got to be kidding me!"

Lelouch felt his heart stop and his blood run colder then ice for just a moment, someone had found them out. He turned around to look at pair of crossed arms and up into a familiar helmet where he couldn't help but suspected a very cross looking person was staring down at him.

'I shouldn't be surprised about his age, but why does his face look so familiar?' noble six thought before pushing for answers. "I have a lot of questions. However, I figure this will be the fastest way to get some answers." six took out the giant kukri knife strapped to his shoulder. "Now spill your guts," he made several slashes at the boy's Kevlar jacket, a second later it fell to the ground in several pieces, "or I will spill them for you?"

C.C. Suddenly appeared between them. "Reclaimer no." she said as she reached out, as if to touch his helmet. Six pulled back just an inch, then drove the knife forward into her shoulder using the momentum to pin her to the wall.

"How The Hell You Know About That WORD!" However his question would go unanswered as the Spartan's sudden attack had left her unconsious. It wouldn't matter, Six had made sure not to hit anything vital, he'd pick up the interragation later. "Now," Six said as he looked Lelouch in the eye, "just exactly who are you, and what is it you're planing?"

The speed of his movements had removed any ideas of shooting his way out. If Lelouch even moved for his gun he'd be cut down in seconds. He was trapped again, and this time he knew there could be no escape, Unless.

"I am -" Lelouch was cut of by snap of six's fingers.

"Now I remember, Your Lelouch Lamperouge, you attend Ashford Academy with your little sister... Nunnally right?" Lelouch was white as a sheet and felt like he was about to have a brain anyurisum. "By your expression that means yes. You're vice president of the student council and a rabid gambler in the game of chess. Shall I continue?"

"How could you know about that?" Lelouch had never felt more exposed in all his life.

"The same way I found out about Kallen, I go to your school..."

Phillips then interrupted Six on his internal speakers. "Do you think you could take this conversation elsewhere? The mobil base is in the process of packing up."

Six switched to internal com. "Alright, give me a clean path back to Tokyo. We'll finish this there. Detonate the charges once we're clear."

"all nightmare frames have been loaded and accounted for. The G1 base is ready to depart at your discretion viceroy ."

"Very good, send word to the relief aid units now. Regardless of how efficient our troops are, there will still be survivors-"

Then with a great roar, the likes of which had never been heard before, everything was literally turns on its side. From under the mobile base a geyser of fire and destruction sprang forth cutting through the superstructure that held the fortress up right, and tossing aside whatever wasn't destroyed.

On the G1's bridge: crew, soldiers, royalty, everyone was tossed around like pebbles in a tumbler. When the dust finally settled the once great land carrier laid on its side, the nightmare hanger and the two support legs had been blown clear off.

"Report!" Cornelia shouted as she struggled to stay upright with a line of blood trailing down her face and stinging her eyes.

With little surprise all that answered her were various groans and moans and at least one my lady from Guilford.

Then the radio started clicking and buzzing with static as an unknown signal force it's way onto the comms. "Viceroy Cornelia Li Britannia. If you wanted some attention all you had to do was ask. So please remember this, if you ever do this again I will personally show you the same hospitality that was visited upon Clovis. But unlike him who only suffered a simple bullet to the head, yours will not be nearly so merciful or quick."

the soldiers that didn't get the sense knocked out of them, immediately started cursing Zero's name and adding any other obscenities they could think of. But not Cornelia, this move was not made by Zero. Zero was flashy, egocentric, and strategic. This was a tactically direct strike and she knew it.


Merry Christmas everybody! Although technically by the time this will be up those that will read it are in totally different hemisphere.

As for those who might have any questions about my inactivity over the last couple of months, I would just like to say that the holiday season can be stressful and time-consuming. So anybody that has concerns don't worry I am not stopping my work just yet.

One final note, I am considering taking on a beta reader. Even though I'm not really sure how that is supposed to work. Either way if I can get one they will be going over the next chapter.