Author Gab: Still distracted...I think I'm gonna put on some JIBUN WOOOOO~ to offset it.

"Knight Two, fall back to point six, use the rocks for ample cover."

Taptaptap...

"Bishop One, intercept the packs converging on point three, maximum range."

Tap...

"Rook One and Rook Two, when over 50% of the enemy occupy point five, begin bombardment."

Lelouch watched as the the black Glasgows moved into their exact positions as ordered. In truth, there was no need for him to issue verbal instructions, as the broad, complicated keyboard before him was the one responsible for issuing orders. After inputting the commands, it then became the function of the "Siege Perilous" system to transmit the orders electronically to the fielded Knightmares, signaling the on-board AI to act. In this particular simulation, Lelouch was now the literal commander of a troop of a dozen Knightmares.

Lelouch had, at first glance, deduced the system for what it was: an ambitious one that would trivialize modern warfare into a mere strategic and tactical struggle between two minds. All the nuances of commanding soldiers (or in this case Knightmare pilots), would be eliminated in favor of AI that would perform orders unquestioningly at the operator's command.

These AIs, crucial to the system's operation were, Lelouch had been told, specialized programs patterned on the battle data of his future partner, whoever he was. The boy saw the skill his partner supposedly had in the Knightmares on the field themselves, performing maneuvers on the field that the boy could only dream of doing. Each of the Knightmares had their specific roles, from tactical carbine-toting units to heavy-duty Knightmares specialized in artillery support. In order for the AIs to reach their full potential in their specific roles, Lelouch had to constantly perform rapid calculations and battlefield analysis based on data streamed real-time from on-field reconnaissance.

Drawing up the tactical field, Lelouch saw his aggressive battle plan, the one he had formulated at the start of the simulation, reach all the conditions smoothly without any alterations. The Knightmares responded swiftly to his instructions, covering much ground in minutes and whittling away the white-colored enemies piece by bloody piece.

Finally, only the lone King was left: a blurry white piece which was supposed to resemble his own - the enemy "Siege Perilous". With its destruction, the success message played, signaling the end. The images faded to black, allowing the former prince to remove the virtual imaging device from his head with a sigh.

"At least it was easy this time," the boy muttered as he took off the device from his head.

What met his eyes first upon seeing the real world again would utterly shock him to the core, reviving an old feeling from deep inside him. For towering over him was none other than the massive figure that owned the voice. That infernal voice - haunting his dreams, giving birth to his nightmares, hateful yet fear-inspiring to the boy. If there's one thing I shall despise for eternity aside from the Emperor, it is this man....

"What's with that pathetic look? Are you that scared of me boy?" The man's belly visibly shook as he chortled.

The boy hesitated where he was, sitting inside the simulator, carefully forming a response. "That's not true...", the boy said, averting his eyes from the man.

The man snorted, suddenly leaning down to clamp his huge hand on the boy's throat. "That fear...that uncertainty...that is good to have. It accords respect to one's superior, it acknowledges your own powerlessness. But against others, boy, as I have trained you to do," the man's grasp tightened, choking Lelouch. "You will show no fear. No hesitation. You will sweep away the enemy - the enemy of my choosing, like a relentless tide. You will make them bow before you," the man's voice raised, at the same time he pulled down his hand to forcing the boy's head to lower, "as you bow to ME."

The boy was freed, leaving the boy choking for air, head hanging in an awkward position. Lelouch fought to stifle a roar of outrage as he kept his eyes on the ground.

"Be sure to remember the lesson I have given you." The man walked past the boy to the auxiliary computer that monitored the simulation device. With a few clicks, the data from the latest simulation flashed on the screen.

"Commendable results, boy. It seems that your skills are highly suited for this area. It must have been an oversight on our part to assume your malleability as a pilot. Sometimes first impressions really are the right ones." The man nodded to himself. He turned his head to look at the boy. "Face me boy. I have something important to announce."

The boy kept his head bowed, as the man went on: "Due to the increase in your accountability for all the things we have taught you, I have deemed it necessary increase safety checks. We have begun to administer malignant nanomachines into your sister's system."

At this, Lelouch started jerkily, turning his exceedingly shocked face at the man. "What did you say?"

The man, nonplussed, continued, "It's a pain to go into detail, but suffice it to say, we have been including the machines in her every meal. Should you ever have the need to betray us, betray ME, I will be forced to activate those machines, and they will, slowly but surely, eat your sister from the inside."

Lelouch gasped, hardly believing what he was hearing. His breaths came in labored wheezes as his mind fought to manage his reaction. The lengths this man, these PEOPLE would go to!! To harm Nunnally, Nunnally whom he had not spoken to, nor touched nor comforted all through this time, to harm his most precious thing! After all those hard, nerve-shattering "challenges", all that determination to succeed, and still he could not keep her safe! The boy started to rise, glaring venomous murder at the man who stood there, seemingly unaffected by the former Britannian prince's anger.

"Oh? That is a good face, boy. Anger most righteous. That's right. You are free to hate, to despise me boy! Fix your eyes on this loathsome figure before you!"

The boy now spoke utterly unrecognizable profanities, his body visibly shaking, fist raised in protest. "You bastards! I...I will...!"

"But remember this fact, boy." The man pulled a device from his pocket, a cylindrical object with a green button at the top. When he pressed it, soldiers came in through the door to restrain the shaking boy. "I have the ace, and you do not. As you already fully well know, disobedience leads to destruction, a destruction that will not be granted to you, but to one whom you treasure most. " He gestured at the soldiers. "Take him to his room. Soon you shall meet your partner, boy."

Lelouch, former prince, struggled in their hands, his face indescribably contorted in apoplectic fury. Strangely, he could not even utter a single threat from his constricted throat at the figure gloating triumphantly over him as he was borne away from the simulation room.

Dr. Aiyme left the simulation room, leaving Duran with Subject N. as the latter broke down after hearing something apparently recorded for the girl by Portland. She did not know what the recording that she had delivered said, but she had an inkling that it was another one of Portland's clever traps, meant to force and cow into submission.

For her part, Dr. Aiyme was more concerned with the way that Subject N. had so easily mastered the Morgana. Through the simulations, the esteemed engineer had discovered certain flaws in the model, necessitating corrections; at the same time smoothing out the rough-edged sections of the model. This revolutionary sixth-generation Knightmare Frame, a machine she originally thought could be mastered only by the most elite of pilots, was now inexplicably being driven like a well-trained horse by its first Devicer.

And I suppose we have to thank the Mind's Eye for that, Aiyme thought. Without Duran's invention, there would have been no way for Subject N. to prove her ability, which might have possibly caused her to be the first candidate to be disposed of the two.

In a way, ever since co-supervising Subject N. in the simulations with Duran, she had developed a certain aggravating attachment for the subject, to this poor slip of a girl who, despite appearances, effortlessly breezed through the simulations for the sake of a brother she could not even confirm was alive. There was faith in that, or maybe ignorance. I wonder what would happen if she heard that -

"Dr Aiyme?"

She was broken from her thoughts by the sudden appearance of the head of General. That man's hunched frame unsettled to her, and even now as he hobbled over to her, she could not resist a wave of apprehension pass through her.

The man held up a datapad. Aiyme took it with curiosity and her immediately her eyes widened at the thing that was prominently displayed on screen. The datapad shook from the trembling that was apparent in her hands then.

"What is the meaning of this-"

"Fresh from intel. Britannian secret project. Just started up. Rest classified, unable to obtain more. Need more time to infiltrate."

"How could this...", she was even more shocked at the name she saw. "That pudding maniac is heading this? But this...this is too...pretty! For someone like him to propose this design..." She returned her gaze to the man, who was now walking away. "Any idea on the status of the project? Do we have any word on this model's features?"

"Nothing much. A few conjectures. No proof. But confirmed," the man looked back. "To be seventh generation. Skipping sixth entirely."

"Seventh generation? That means it would be higher spec-wise than the Morgana!" She approached the man, bringing her face close. "You have to know more about this project, or we risk failing ours by a wide margin! The Sutherland was easier to manage with a few tweaks but this!," she gestured at the datapad. "This thing could very well trash our own without any effort!"

"Finding doubt in own work?", the man smirked, he SMIRKED.

"Even my model has its limits. It was designed to be revolutionary against current models; we have to have data on them beforehand before we can create countermeasures!"

"Then find countermeasure. Innovate. Modify. Excel. Exactly like the little girl does. Excel, excel, excel. Isn't that what you do best?"

Dr. Aiyme said nothing more as the man took his leave, so engrossed was she at the design displayed on the datapad. "The Z-01..." It's beautiful...

"WHAT THE HELL!!!???"

Dr. Roderick Valdez, looking very much like a comical cartoon character at the moment, literally exploded (in the only way a man could explode) as he stared in shock at the data that was delivered to him by the head from General. On the datapad he held he had seen something which, in a word "blew his mind".

After this initial outburst of shock (by which time the head had already disappeared without a word), the crazed arms fanatic started pacing around his shop, shooting looks akin to an inebriated madman everywhere. It frightened his assistants, who all proceeded to excuse themselves for break.

Valdez was oblivious to it all, so intent was he on something within his private thoughts. He stopped near one of his creations, a "failure" to this genius, and paused to gaze upon it with contempt. He then proceeded to remove all the wires plugged into this creation, muttering obscenely all the while, removing the screws and bolts and virtually dismembering it.

After he was through, he stared for a while at the mess he had made, by which time he had fixed his eyes on another "failure" and then proceeded to destroy that too.

"Useless, useless, useless!"

"All of you are useless! All this time something like this was made, created, forged! The lights, the brilliant lights!", he was roaring now, the image of a madman bent on destruction would now best describe Valdez as he razed his creations to the ground."

"That light! I must have them, I must create them! I alone must be the creator of the weapon that will destroy everything!!!"

Hours later, the man sat cross-legged on the floor, amidst piles of scrap and parts that now littered the shop. It would be a mess to clean up, and the man didn't mind the fact that he had just destroyed almost two years' worth of finished products.

A profound silence settled on the shop, broken only by the occasional tinkle of bolts clashing together. The man, who had been staring at the information on the datapad all this time, now ran his hands repeatedly through his wildly unkempt hair, vigorously rubbing the scalp in the process.

"Such a thing...if it had already been developed but...", abruptly, the man fell face forward, planting his face on the datapad's screen. "I...must be happy..." The man was inexplicably falling asleep, his eyes taking on a glazed look. "This...Ha-ha-haaaadron...", the man yawned, an obvious precursor to his gradual descent into the land of dreams.

That night, the siblings could hardly sleep in their respective quarters. Nunnally had taken it harder, concerned not with the fact that they had dared to do these kinds of things with her brother, but with the knowledge that she had not achieved anything at all.

Lelouch was more concerned with his feelings towards the man, this facility, everything which kept him and his sister imprisoned: powerless to act for themselves. Deep within the boy's inner recesses, that old feeling of vengeance crept in, sparked by the outrage he felt at the mistreating they had both suffered. The boy had been willing to pay the price, to become a dog of this project, in order to safeguard Nunnally. But now that he knew that he was undoubtedly being played, that all those challenges had been for naught...

The boy realized, in hindsight, that he had not touched his sister ever since that fateful day, that he had only glimpsed her through electronic screen or glass. He was saddened at this fact, and now redoubled his resolve, his mind unwittingly sharpened by the many challenges that he had faced. Must plan...must save us both...must save Nunnally...The boy's dreams that night would be scenes of triumphant retribution.

Nunnally cried again that night, yearning for her brother's touch. She did not know what they could possibly have done with her brother; all she had to go on were the voice's assurances; assurances which she now started to doubt. All I want...is peace...a gentle place...for nii-sama and myself...

Nunnally gripped her sheets, tightly hugging herself. That night, she wanted peace, and she was given peace. A peace of mind given by her inner self. In an instant she sees, with a clarity more apparent than any Mind's Eye, the images of a peaceful time...When everything and everyone around her was happy...playing with her brother...Euphie...at the fragrant, colorful garden where they all played...Happy voices...voices of love....

The next morning, the speaker installed in each of the sibling's rooms came alive as the familiar voice boomed, "Prepare yourself! Today is the day you will meet your partner. You will be..."

Personal Log:

...left to ponder yet again the purpose of this project as I see the empty inbox of my electronic database.
It has been almost two years since the unnamed benefactor has contacted me, and although the resources
keep on trickling in, I can almost fathom a disinterest the outside has towards this project. Perhaps-