Chapter 20
Dark Prince
Helltanz's notes: Dudley ain't pretty but it does the job, as Lelouch's enemies will learn later on down the road.
Feedback has been good, so here is the next chapter, even if its rather short.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.
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Chapter begin
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The gray witch pirouetted, to face the prince as he walked forward, mask tucked under his arm. "I said that I would protect you," CC stated, "Didn't I?"
"Aren't you over doing it?" The teen commented ceasing his walking forward. This risked complicating things, things he didn't need any more complicated considering that Cornelia would likely be bringing a whole regiment and a regimental command company along with it, not to mention the size of the JLF force. One way or another the plan was to destroy the JLF and do extensive damage to Britannia as a secondary objective.
"I've been wondering about something, Lelouch," She announced, "Why are you Lelouch?" CC asked.
Lelouch frowned at the question, "I don't have time to discuss philosophy with you," He responded annoyed at the distraction there was too much work to do.
"You changed your family surname to Lamperouge," The gray witch continued unimpeded by his annoyance, "yet you keep the name given to you at birth, Lelouch, how sentimental, you can't let go of the past."
He stared at her for a moment, a bit more than annoyance rising within him. "Do you understand what would happen if I used my true surname, they would send me back to the homeland," The Prince spat, "Besides as for letting go of the past CC swings to the other extreme, doesn't it."
She abruptly turned around and looked at him, the same time the wind blew, of course Lelouch wasn't superstitious even if the girl was able to survive…. Never mind not going to go finishing that sentence, he thought.
"Lelouch do you know why snow is white?" She inquired in a more serious tone, never mind her question was inane. When Lelouch elected not to answer the gray witch did, "Snow is white because it forgot what color its supposed to be," CC stated,
The Dark Prince didn't make a comment, he had more import things to do than deal with rather than… yet another strange immortal.
After all he was going to neuter Britannia's offensive ability in Area eleven while eliminating the JLF before they could interfere with his plans. Yes the JLF had to be dealt with they were a nuisance. It was true that he was moving forward ahead of schedule, but because of that very fact and the JLF's actions he couldn't simply wait and hope they faded into obscurity.
What was bad was the fact both Britannian operational Seventh Generation Frames were present, not that the eleventh prince knew this just yet. Two factions were being mobilized for this operation the 'Puritans and the Radicals'. 'Zero's Istavanians' and 'Lelouch vi Britannia's Thorians' were both preparing for the coming battle.
The Black Knights were an international organization drawing recruits for years from all three superpowers and the smaller regional blocs. Lelouch's organization was growing, but its intelligence and economic armed vastly dwarfed the military arm. That was a fact which would change as time progressed as it had been planned. The Black Knights were a socio, political, economic and military body with a clear and charismatic agenda.
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Lelouch walked away from his Knightmare and towards Ogi, who was waiting at the outcropping over looking Narita.
The excavators were already beginning to do their job. "Are you sure about this?" The freedom fighter inquired.
"Our opponent is Cornelia whose forces are amongst the best Britannia has to offer," He answered, of course considering most of these are just regular Britannian solders only her royal guard are the elite, she was however a capable commander. Even so she had at least a Britannian Battalion that was just here elite troops, at least forty Knightmare Frames… not something he liked in the least.
"Then why don't we cooperate with the Japan Liberation Front," The man murmured more than a little meek,
He smirked, "Ogi don't you believe in me any more," The prince commented partially amused at the inquiry, work with the JLF how ridiculous that notion was. While not as bad as some groups the JLF were a serious threat to the Black Knights Operations in Japan, and beyond that a thorn in the side of future stability.
"What do you mean," He responded, "I was the one who asked you to be our leader?" the former head of Kallen's group asked a tad startled sounding.
"Then there's only one answer to give," Lelouch responded,
"Right," agreed the Japanese man wispily standing beside his machine.
"So you chose to take a Burai,"
"It's a matter of pride Zero the Burai is Japanese," The man stated taking a minor step back, properly expecting the leader to be offended.
Right the Burai was Japanese, Lelouch mused, it was a modified Glasgow design, "Don't get killed because of your pride Ogi," The Dark Prince advised. "If you are so keen on piloting a Japanese KMF the Hokkaido AG pilots Sutherland derivatives in contrast to Glasgow developed machines." Lelouch smirked behind his mask, so Cornelia had launched her attack. "It's begun," he remarked,
"Huh," Tamaki muttered before gawking at the sheer number of Britannian forces that were being deployed. "What the hell? You've got to be kidding Zero! There are enough troops coming in have this whole area totally surrounded, there is no way out!"
"We've already been cut off our only chance of surviving now is to fight." He declared in reply to the man
"What we can't fight the Britannians," Protested Inoue.
He really wanted to call her on the stupidity of her statement what were they expecting to do have tea with Cornelia.
"Let me get this straight we're surrounded, and you want us to fight them head on?" Tamaki demanded.
"We're fighting against Cornelia," Remarked the blue haired man next to him, "Her forces are far stronger than any we've encountered."
"Correct," He replied, "It will be a miracle if we win this," The prince left out that their victory was quite certain, they just didn't realize it.
"Zero. What are you saying," Ogi questioned, as he turned around in surprise.
"Even Messiahs need to perform miracles if they are to be acknowledged." He stated not moving in the slightest, "therefore we have to produce our own miracle if we are to be acknowledged, don't we?"
"Now wait just a minute. Pulling this off isn't going to be cheap. The price could be our lives," Tamaki protested. "I knew it was insane to make you our leader, it should have been me," He unslung his assault rifle.
Lelouch was quicker the red dot appeared on the whiner's heart in an instant. Everyone froze, the prince inverted his grip on the pistol, "Our path of retreat has been cut off, if you think you can win without me then shoot me, some one, any one." He challenged enunciating the words.
No one responded to his challenge,
'Keh how pathetic, he reaches for a gun but now doesn't seem to want to use it,' Lelouch thought, "Since you have joined the Black Knights you have only two choices. You may either live with me or you may perish with me," The prince declared stonily to the silenced people around him. "What's wrong challenge me and try and take me down," He demanded.
"All right fine do what you want," Tamaki stated at last in defeat, as he admitted it he lowered his assault rifle.
"We acknowledge you as our leader." Inoue said.
"Thank you very much," The masked teen replied returning the bow. "Now we are not completely without hope our withdrawal isn't cut off if we need it the Puritans have promised support."
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Lelouch smirked as the MMI 101 Cardoc completed its activation sequence, the dark prince was feeling a little trigger happy to say the least.
The four Hadron cannons were now fixed and ready for complete usage, the machine gun and Linear Cannons were loaded, so were the seventy millimeter rocket pods affixed to the massive machine's back.
The Seventh Generation assault machine rose ominously, eyes glowing. Lelouch glanced at the display showing the arms of the Cardoc. Both of his hand carried weapons were securely fastened.
The Dark Prince laughed as Cornelia made her challenge to the Japanese Liberation Front over the radio, she was so confident then again she expected the JLF and not them. Surely she didn't hope to match Cardoc if she expected the Black Knights, Kallen and Ogi perhaps she could defeat in her Gloucester even if they had used their bequeathed Edinburghs but Kallen now had her own seventh generation frame, the Guren Mark II.
A few minutes later a flare was spotted over the lodge.
"As impressive as always Cornelia, a very logical deployment but far too predictable," He commented, "So easy to read, as is your location."
The prince activated the Hadrons of the assault type seventh generation frame, "Time for the Black Knights to make their appearance," Four Beams of energy devastated Cornelia's rear Guard. The teen tossed back his and laughed, "Thank you Rakshata," He declared before activating the hover system.
He turned on his radio for the first time in the day. The Cardoc was a heavy machine but its electronics were amongst the best.
"Right all preparations have now been completed," The Dark Prince announced, "Black Knights prepare to move out, we the Black Knights are going to launch a surprise attack on the Britannians from the summit of the mountain."
The MMI and its Burai escorts moved into their position, he really would have to see about supplementing his forces with more advanced equipment.
"Per my instructions you will charge en masse down toward point three, and" He ordered over the radio, "The intent of this operation is to capture Cornelia, Second Princess of Britannia. Our breakthrough route will be opened by the Guren Nishiki."
He switched to other Seventh generations personal frequency.
"Kallen use penetrating electrode number three." The prince commanded, "Settle things with one blow,"
"Got it," She responded, "Output confirmed, wave surger levels ready and holding." The metallic claw that was the Guren's arm began to discharge a field of energy, Kallen took a deep breadth, "Activating Gauntlet now," She declared.
A cartridge was expended from the device, and the discharge from the gauntlet surged beneath the earth.
It took almost forty five seconds for the effect to begin.
A massive avalanche came careening down the mountain and began wiping out the JLF and Britannian forces that were engaged in battle. Over a hundred Knightmare frames were wiped out by the veritable wall of rushing mud.
"Its even more destructive than I anticipated," Lelouch smirked after the landslide had run its course, devastating all in its path, "we did succeed in isolating Cornelia's unit but we could have been a bit more accurate. Perhaps I should have consulted a physics teacher… or asked Nina to tutor me in probability." He muttered to himself. Lelouch was good in science and math yes but he was very renaissance in education, the closest thing he had to specialize in was electronics.
The Black Knights first wave, the main part of the force began their descent down the hill to engage the forces deployed by Britannia and Cornelia to hunt the Japanese Liberation Front.
Whatever the case of the land slide the raw destructive force was exceptionally impressive. It was a pity the Radiation surger was such a short range weapon if it could be used as a cannon well it would certainly be a fearful weapon to be hold, and use against his enemies.
The Cardoc rumbled across the mountain's side, there was little point in wasting ammunition, at least until the G-1 mobile base was sent in. None the less the Dark Prince fired mauling a Sutherland with the left fire linked 23 millimeter cannon mounted on the arm of the seventh generation frame.
According to reports all but twenty percent of the Britannians forces had been wiped out by the avalanche, something Cornelia would catch hell for later, of course that still left a number of Knightmares in tact since the majority of Cornelia's forces had been tanks and such, even if she had brought over one hundred Knightmares.
Ogi and the other Burai escorts were proving as effective against the shell shocked Britannians.
"Cornelia has only limited reinforcements headed her way," He announced "smash right through them," The prince ordered
The Black Knights loudly voiced their agreement with the order.
Now all they had to do was finish encircling Cornelia with Bartley's replacement dead, more than likely that was, and Darlton in a similar status it meant Cornelia would have limited reinforcements and a veritably gutted chain of command.
Meanwhile Inoue and her group were dealing with the approaching Britannians tanks, probably one of the last of the groups on the battlefield, which were approaching.
'Burn the bridges behind you and keep you back to the wall, classical strategies remain effective even on the modern battlefield now don't they'
A warning blared through his head set, a scream, Lelouch frowned. Cornelia must have brought the Club since given her dislike for numbers it was unlikely to be Suzaku piloting the Lancelot.
Well then if the Club was here they'd just have to fix that, once they captured the second princess they would force the Britannians to surrender which would add yet another seventh generation to their arsenal of Knightmares, of course they didn't really have a pilot but it would still deprive it from Britannia. There was also the fact there were other uses for the machine.
Lelouch smirked spotting another group of Sutherlands heading towards Cornelia's position. They hadn't noticed him yet, he activated the first two Hadron cannons and fired. For not seeing him first they would pay the price.
Success. They worked. The Gefjun disturbers were proving to be very useful devices, especially given they shielded the Cardoc from radar beyond the radar absorbing materials in the composite armor.
The Dark Prince advanced descending the slope a Sutherland armed with a lance charged only to be struck down by a flurry of seventy millimeter unguided rockets, there really was no point in using the VARIS in this battlefield, there were few enemies to snipe and the G-1 or so went the plan, course that might not survive contact with the enemy.
Of course Lelouch had yet to use the hand carried weapons. He fired his Blonde knives and hurled the destroyed fifth generation frame away and into another Sutherland apart of the squad.
Lelouch chuckled merrily advancing on the crashed frame his cannons firing, "And there you have it problem solved," he remarked as the machine exploded his escorts having surged forward and dealt with the rest of the enemy squad.
The prince pressed a button and the VARIS swiveled into position locking onto a bazooka armed Sutherland, his MSV shields absorbed the rocket. "Is that it?" He demanded loudly in disgust, would they even have been able to beat the JLF as they were? He declared to the unhearing Britannians as the VARIS fired.
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"Kallen be advised," Lelouch remarked over the radio, "It would seem that Cornelia has rolled a Seventh Generation Frame out of their own."
"Understood," She responded. "I won't loose not with this the Guren Nishiki." The half Britannian declared.
"All the tasks at hand have been cleared, the pieces are in position all that is left to do is check my opponents stronghold." He remarked to himself looking over the enemy lay out, for some reason though the G-1 mobile base hadn't be en deployed yet, which was worrying Lelouch, and it didn't seem to be because the Japanese Liberation Front were holding it up either.
Though it would seem that Cornelia was too isolated from the Mobile Base for it to be of any use especially with the terrain in the state that it was in that problem was compounded.
Of course that blasted, which ever one they had sent in, seventh generation frame was heading straight for them. That could be a problem if they failed to beat him to the Second Princess, after all if Cornelia surrendered or was in undeniable danger the Britannians would surrender immediately in order to keep her alive. Since she was a member of the royal family they wouldn't risk her life.
"Huh it would appear that the Japanese Liberation Front is beginning to regroup," He commented noting what appeared to be a formation of non Black Knight Burais moving against the remnants of the Land Slide caught forces. That could be a problem, though he hadn't informed anyone, here, he wanted the JLF dead or at least rendered impotent they would be nothing but trouble. Besides their method would only bring trouble down upon the rest of the elevens, more importantly they wouldn't easily assimilate where they would be under his control as they were and skill did suit him better than numbers recruiting Todo in that regard was a priority.
Besides according to intelligence the Knight of the Divine Wind wasn't even at Narita, probably just luck on Cornelia's part, since he and the Four Holy Swords were fetching an enhanced Burai model from Kyoto.
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Chapter conclusion
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Helltanz's notes: the Battle for Narita has begun it'll be similar but different towards the end, you'll see but obviously the purist faction isn't at the battle, they got stuck guarding the settlement.
Looks like this will indeed be a harem, I'll post the members next chapter probably, however I don't anything major will happen in the immediate future.
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