"Welcome Li, Xingke. This, here, is the location of our base hosting the Black Knights. We also have a small alliance with India; our weapons R&D scientist, Rakshata is from the Indian resistance. I am planning to assemble more bases, but one is fine for the time being." Lelouch, in his pompous 'Zero attire,' greeted his Chinese Federation ally. They passed by control rooms, engine areas and storage rooms "Just note this is not a very good place to find a relaxation when every room has a reminder of why we fight…Also, how is Miss. Tianzi-sama?" He led the way down the complex corridors and halls of the headquarters.
A twinge of pain fell over Xingke's heart. 'This is not the time for emotions to rule over duty…'
"Tianzi-sama has the Federation under good control. It was strongly requested that the alliance between Area 11 and the Chinese Federation stayed confidential and not known to the public." Xingke did not want to add the part where Jiang had demoted him and exiled him from the Federation. Covering up with a formidable lie would be beneficial if Zero ever requested further assistance and supplies from the Federation.
"Yes, that is what would give us the upper hand against the Holy Britannian Empire."
Xingke was ushered into a small elevator. As it descended to the basement level, Lelouch continued, "I have checked your records and your fighting ability is extraordinarily remarkable. You would make a very formidable foe in battle. But I must say, sword fighting is not the same at all as controlling a Knightmare."
Xingke stared at the tinted helmet and simply nodded. It wasn't a flattering compliment when someone commented on his fighting tactics. In fact, he wished his past was kept more private. Not many good factors came from it, since he was occasionally nicknamed the 'Modern Day Hitokiri*.'
The elevator stopped with an abrupt movement, making Xingke unbalanced and having to stance his feet once more. Zero had remained unaffected.
"One of my best operators, Kallen, will be your instructor on Knightmares and teach you all the basics and tutorials on them." The elevator door slide open and there the glorious machinery stood.
Li Xingke POV:
It was more astounding than I had ever imagined. In the spacious, dimly lit storage area held a metal combat machine with blue primer paint. It reminded me of one of those high-tech Gundam robots I use to watch on T.V. in the olden days. But face to face with an actual one was an incomparable feeling. I noticed someone in a turntable ladder was wiping some clear liquid on the machine's colorful head piece. The person's head was turned but I guessed he would be my teacher.
Zero raised his voice, "Kallen, your apprentice has arrived."
"Please Zero, I am not that experienced on Knightmares to be referred as a teacher…" Were my ears deceiving me? Was this man's voice a permanent falsetto? Turns out my ears were perfectly find and I became face to face with the person who was cleaning the blue Knightmare.
"Kōzuki Kallen, pleasure to meet you, Xinke. I have heard many things about you." A young girl (possibly in her late teens) with pink hair, side-spiked, stood before me wiping her fingers on an oily towel. I would've guessed she was at least 13 or 14 if it wasn't for her mature looking face. Other than that, she seemed two or three heads shorter than me. She finished wiping her greased hands for a brief moment and gave me a good, firm handshake.
"Kallen, is it? What an interesting name. So what is the substance you were putting gon that blue Knightmare?"
"It was a protective coat of gloss to make the figure minimally malleable under extreme pressure; whether it is heat or metal fracturing."
"Now it seems you two are getting well acquainted. I will leave you both for I have other matters to discuss. Don't worry Xingke, you are in good hands." Lelouch waved and walked away.
"….Umm…wait." I muttered, how could I say I didn't want to be stuck babysitting a teenager? I was too late since he had already left the basement back on the elevator.
"So you're surprised a young girl like me can operate a Knightmare?" Total change of personality from the girl I had just met earlier.
I felt the hairs in my neck stand up. How did she know I was thinking that. "No, not exactly…more like a refreshing feeling." This girl is now acting like a conceited person ever since that Zero left. Still showing my political status I wanted to get to know my 'teacher' more. "I am curious to why you decided to join the Black Knights. Wouldn't a girl like you rather care what options are ahead in life rather than knowing you could die any second?"
She walked back to the Knightmare and sneered, "What is the point if I do that? Then if I do nothing, the world will end in more blood from being a coward and having no action to change it."
Touche.
"Plus, I do not agree on Britannia's way of uniting the world into one. That is why I joined this resistance in the first place, to take those damn pigs down one and for all." Kallen tossed some mechanical tool at me and I caught it in my right hand at the last second.
"I understand your viewpoint, but I honestly don't think you look Japanese, so why do you fight with Area 11?"
I found her laughter a bit sarcastic, "Yeah…I guess you can tell I am not Japanese. I am actually only half. My father was a Britannian and my mother was Japanese. My Britannian last name is Stadtfeld, but I do not believe I am not a Britannian at all. My heart, soul and pride only belongs to my true home country, Japan."
"Nicely put there, Kallen…" I helped her tune some gears in the Knightmare and I was beginning to agree with Zero that she was the perfect person to teach me. "Do you have a Knightmare assigned to you?"
"Yup, every person who uses a Knightmare has their own designated Knightmare. It's not really a bias thing where best fighters get the best Knightmares…more like this one looks most suited for you." That was good to hear Zero wasn't a prejudice sort of commander.
"Kallen, one more thing…have you ever seen Zero without his mark?" I must've hit a wrong cord. There was a pregnant pause of silent and Kallen remained stoic for five to ten minutes.
"No…no I never have." She took a deep breath and stretched her arms out in either direction. "I always had fantasies and wonder to what Zero looked like. I mean, with an extremely intelligent and military set mind, who wouldn't want to know? At the same time, I felt…if I saw his face…how would I react? Is he someone I know? Like? Hate? Not knowing is sometimes better than finding the answer to incessant thoughts."
Even when she said all this, I knew her curiosity was eating her alive. I too could not let this question out of my head. It stayed near the back of my mind, but it was always there. Teasing. Tormenting. Why should I even trust someone who doesn't even trust his own fellow resistance fighters to view his face? No, I must not let this one question get the better of me.
I think Kallen had the same thought as me, "Anyway, controlling Knightmares are somewhat difficult for one thing. You have to brainstorm military strategies quickly in any setting. It is possible to fight on water and sky as well as land with our improved Knightmares. So be prepared for any environmental terrain. Have you had any experience with any interactive software?"
"Not that I have known of…"
She sighed, "This is fine…I guess, since you will probably just catch on. Some practice and you would probably be set. What I mean is really, that any movements you make is what automatically sets your Knightmare's action. And having excellent reflexes is a definite plus. But the main thing is something you must learn on your own. It's your drive that lets you survive in this hell of a world against other combat Knightmares. We are not the only ones who have these warfare machines. Britannia was the one who created these evil things in the first place. The only way to fight back is to use their own medicine."
"Excuse me, but what do you mean as in a drive?"
"You need the will, motivation and determination to be able to fight with these things." She knocked on the outer shell of the weapon. If you don't have the persistence to fight for what you believe is right, then I will guarantee you will lose your life in less than a nanosecond on the battlefield. Fighting with a Knightmare is all about having your life dangling on a single thread. The impossible are born and created within these machines and only one's self can find the true potential within their own Knightmare." She started to sound like more like a poet rather than a Knightmare operator....This girl left me so speechless with her brimming intellect.
I took her words into account and kept them in a safe place in my head. I knew they were going to be probably the best pieces of advice in my lifetime under Zero. "Not to be hasty…but which Knightmare will I be using in the fight against Britannia?"
Kallen stared back at me in astonishment, "You mean you haven't realized already? Why you're staring right at it. Li Xingke meet your partner on the field, Guren Mk-II."
A/N: *Hitokiri- in the Meiji Era, there were many sword fighters known as Hitokiri, manslayers. These men were notorious killers with extraordinary swordsmanship