Chapter 22
Dark Prince
Helltanz's notes: Major canons disparagements will begin during the Mao arc, and as well during the Kyushu segment, but during Mao especially there will be quite a bit of filler parts.
Kyushu will still occur as will Mao but the basis for Part I's conclusion will begin almost as soon as Kyushu is finished.
-
-
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.
-
-
Chapter begin
-
-
His evacuation team would be here shortly, however the dark prince was more concerned about the green haired woman, true she had survived a bullet to the head, and if indeed like Nemo was immortal then she should be fine, of course this was the first time the dark prince had ever watched the occurrence, and the gray witch didn't look well.
'Well it would seem she's not human, she recovers from wounds in ways that are beyond normal,' He thought applying the cloth to her forehead. 'She was shot in the head at Shinjuku and yet Clovis confined her for his own private experiments, so she's not connected with Britannia.'
The Prince checked her temperature she was still running a fever, even so her vital signs were at human levels, better have a blood sample analyzed later, he decided, and photograph the wounds he amended to himself.
She twitched and muttered something, he leaned forward… the green haired witch repeated herself was that her name he wondered.
Her response confirmed it, though something was off her voice was less… bitter, it even had a hint of innocence to it.
"I removed the shrapnel and cleaned the wound," He commented after she woke up, it would be a few minutes until his force arrived to retrieve him, the JLF and Cornelia, who was now dug in at the city at the base of the mountain, were still fighting.
"That wasn't necessary," The girl responded sitting up.
He frowned, "Apparently not," The prince acknowledged.
"So there was no point in protecting me at all," She remarked… was it bitterness. The witch came back quick enough, "Your pride always gets in the way at the most ridiculous of moments."
He smirked turning towards her, "But then I learned something from it," The prince remarked, he paused before continuing... Her eyes widened. "That's your name isn't it?" Lelouch questioned smugly.
"You have a bad habit of eavesdropping," She said chastising him.
"Well it's a good name, it's a lot more human than CC." He remarked.
She snorted distastefully. "That's a joke as if I want to be more human." Lelouch glanced at her she was looking down, "After all I've, I've," She began to break down into stammering. "been through, I've forgotten everything, every single thing so what the use of it, a name," She was rubbing the scar underneath her left breast. "But why?"
Lelouch turned around, "It's a good time to say this." He began. "You saved me, when you gave me Geass, and today you were there to help." The prince turned away hearing foot steps at the edge of the cave "That's why I'll only say this once. Thank you."
She smiled, and she seemed surprised "no ones ever thanked me before." The gray witch responded. "Well then can you show you appreciation?" the woman asked. "Say it again, like you did before,"
"Oh you mean the name?" He responded.
"Just this once, with tenderness, like you treasure it in your heart."
"Very well them," The prince declared. "How was that?"
"It was bad, it was completely bad, it wasn't tender there was no honesty or sympathy in it, you spoke it oddly, and worst of all it was cold,"
"You're a picky girl," he remarked.
"Exactly," She responded, "That's why I go by the name CC."
"They've arrived," Lelouch stated as two black knights arrived. Both of them were dressed with the same crest on the opposite side of their Black Knight Symbol Lapel pin, a stylized Hammer.
Both men wore modified combat fatigues, though neither had helmets on. "Three sent his regards my lord," Greeted one of the knights "battle outside hasn't subsided, the Second Princess of the Empire has called for reinforcements it seemed the JLF had more fight in."
He nodded, "I see," The Dark Prince commented. Reports that he had during the battle indicated the second division was effectively lost. He nodded, that was good he'd had way too many complaints regarding that group of Britannian thugs.
-
-
Lelouch smirked his retrieval had gone well enough. It appeared the JLF had split their forces one of the groups were sacrificing themselves so their general could get away, perhaps even trying to capture or kill Cornelia, and the Britannians were hold up in the city and impaired enough that the second princess had little choice but to call in reinforcements.
"Going back into battle?" Inquired the green haired woman.
The Dark Prince smirked in answer to the question. "What is our status?" He inquired, the JLF and terrorists weren't the only ones who used the railways that ran underneath the surface of Japan, as he smoothed out his newly donned shirt.
"Eighty eight units," Or two battalions of Knightmares, "mixed between the old Manchester and the Edinburghs are currently enroute. They will arrival will be sometime within fifteen minutes." He announced.
The Black Knights used a variation of Britannia's organization when it came to Knightmare Frames. A battalion in the Empire was thirty six Knightmare Frames, generally with a four KMF command unit. Black Knight Battalions would be called over strength as they added an extra company to a battalion.
-
"You got in over you're head," Lelouch remarked as the rail transport deposited the Knightmares who would be 'reinforcing' Cornelia.
"Le-" Cornelia was thankfully cut off.
"Bloody hell woman don't go using his name over an open frequency like that," Edmund shouted from his Edinburgh commander frame.
"He's right," Lelouch admitted as the 'proper' Black Knights reinforced the flank. After all he did not want his identity going public yet but beyond that if Euphemia was indeed here well then that was a issue he'd like to avoid for as long as possible.
The Burais of the Japanese Liberation who continued to battle were pressing their advantage. The advantage they had been given by the Black Knight's use of the Radiant Wave Surger which caused the land flow which wiped out the majority, the great majority of the Britannian attacking force.
Of course as Lelouch said repeatedly; "Classical strategies were still valid."
Magnetically accelerated ball bearings perforated the incoming pseudo Glasgows without fail. The machines known as the Manchesters were older than the Edinburgh, though not by much. Manchesters had been in production since late 2014. They were the first unique mass production type, and sixth generation frames in their own right. Built for agility and rapid attack the frames were quite effective.
Unfortunately they paid a price for this they lacked the Sutherland's more prevalent heavier armor in exchange for mobility.
Of course the machines possessed Blonde Knives and another tool, which was useful, if short ranged in its active mode.
Lelouch and the majority of the relief force however were in RPI 999 models, mostly Block II units, as opposed to RPI 603. The city was definitely going to need to be rebuilt, well the Black Knights could handle that.
He ducked, or rather his Edinburgh did the Burai found it missing its knee caps as it lurched forward.
The Commander variant Edinburgh smashed the Burai with a callous disregard. "All Black Knights engage in Phalanx formation attack now," He announced, the enemy which had been drawn in found themselves faced on three sides.
It was necessary to take pressure off the beleaguered Cornelia and her royal guard and remaining troops, the dark prince did wonder why Suzaku hadn't been launched again, but then again the machine was severely damaged in the earlier portion of the battle so that was probably the reason but considering the situation wouldn't it be best to…
Ah the Britannian air force had arrived and was mopping up the last of the enemy as planned.
The teen leaned back truthfully he had expected more, it almost seemed the enemy was holding back-
A explosion rocked the earth, 'Those thieving bastards,' Lelouch thought furiously as the mountain literally collapsed and with its collapse it sent tons of earth and rocks hurtling at the town below.
"Good thing I brought this then isn't it my lord," Remarked a voice smugly as two hadron cannons fired, sitting on either side of the G1 base were two RAI 01 Dudleys, thank god in heaven for high speed trains.
Lelouch agreed, as five Knightmares armed with Hadron Blasters all fired as well, the dark prince flinched… realizing that he had forgotten to test the Cardoc's hand carried weapons earlier.
"We've diverted most of the land flow that was approaching the G1 mobile base," Stated a hoarse voice, "all units should move toward that section." One of the pilots for the Dudley's advised.
The Britannians and Black Knights did so, just as Lelouch realized what a colossal bad idea it was, they were being corralled. "Cornelia we need to fall back," He roared over the radio.
"Why?" She shot back it seemed the Burais were still attacking in her area.
"Because A the ground beneath us will collapse or they'll use artillery fire to hit our now greatly congregated forces." He responded.
"Princess Cornelia," One of the officers at the G1 base called, "We're detecting unusual movement at the summit of the mountain.
The eleventh prince flashed a 'I told you so' expression, over the closed, private, line video communication.
"More of those pesky Linear Cannons." Remarked Jeremiah's 'Rival', at least the one amongst the Black Knights. "I count at least three of them," The Black Knight remarked transferring the data to the other frames.
"We need to get to open ground." Some one stated over the radio.
"Edinburghs defensive formation deploy"
Indeed the Black Knights Mass Production Frontline Main Purpose Frame, largely incorporating technology retrieved from the Lancelot project of the Second Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire accelerated their MSV shields flaring into existence. A barrage of suppressing fire streaked out in some cases.
"Euphie,"
Lelouch, in his commander model frame brought both MSV Particle shields up to shield Cornelia from the blast meant for the G1 mobile base.
"Dudleys return fire." Spat the prince in a tone dripping with utter malevolence. The machines in tank form glowed to life, their pilots complying instantly with the traditional 'Yes my lord.' The missile pods and cannons on the slow and bulky, strangely shaped frames, fired on the enemy as well at the proclamation from the Puritan faction pilots.
"I suppose it was a good thing we were testing these today milord," Remarked one of the pilots as his machine rose up returning to Knightmare form easily it was taller than the Sutherlands and wider as well.
I really look forward to getting the float system finished soon so the Birminghams will cease being a paper design, Lelouch thought silently as adrenaline pumped through his veins.
Beside him was a partially damaged Gloucester.
Something tells me he doesn't like me so much, the prince thought assuming that was indeed Guilford who was about to take a direct shot from an EM Shot Cannon. Lelouch grumbled to himself for a moment as more Knightmares, what appeared to be the rest of the Japanese force charged down the mountain, almost fifty more or less totally intact frames, that is just wonderful, he thought bitterly. 'But once they die the JLF will be destroyed, they will be nothing but a memory. Though I don't envy those who have to clear up all this debris.'
"My lord additional reinforcements have arrived." Announced different officers to different lords. Lelouch smirked well that was good news now wasn't it.
-
-
Lelouch settled onto a couch, thoroughly exhausted by the day admittedly taking the high speed tram to the settlement had meant he was home early.
"Ah the conquering hero returns," Cheered Clovis, carrying a pair of drinks, which were, yes alcoholic most probably.
"Don't say it too loud brother," He responded gravely as he went accepting the offered fruity drink, the dark haired prince shifted his position at little.
"Schneziel has made some headway, but it doesn't look like we'll be seeing any large numbers of replacement Knightmares anytime soon from outside the region."
"Then Cornelia will likely catch hell-" He froze in mid somber sentence, "You might as well come in," The prince remarked loudly glancing at the door.
The second princess entered.
'Well this is a mess,' Lelouch thought, "Clovis sit down," He snapped before the blonde could escape the room.
"Thank you for coming to help Lelouch," She remarked sitting down on the couch beside him.
"Well at least the JLF is crippled," Clovis remarked, "Isn't that right Lelouch?" He asked suddenly afraid he might be wrong.
"Yes that's the case." Lelouch confirmed, "they've been defeated, though its true Britannia's military power is all the weaker because of it and though the JLF has lost its base a good deal of their military strength may have survived." He reached into his pocket and with drew a devicer key. "Cornelia I didn't intend to give you this in the presence of others but," He dropped the key in her lap, "You're Gloucester is irreparable. That being so I went ahead and had an Edinburgh Command Type be optimized for close combat."
"Lelouch?"
"What," He responded, "I won't mince the facts that can't even be considered a pyrhic victory."
She clenched her fists in anger at the battle of Narita.
The eleventh prince sipped his beverage, feeling the burn of what the prince surmised was rum. "The JLF is beaten forced to scatter to the winds, but the loss of so many Knightmares certainly implies the possible rise of more resistance. They are no longer our advantage."
"The Hokaido region Lelouch?" She pressed, "Could you take Euphie there?"
"Are you sure that's wise," The prince countered, "Might fill her head with ridiculous ideas about numbers," It was obvious from his tone what he thought of such racist policies which were ingrained in Britannian society.
"OH brother's got you there," Declared Clovis toying with a chess piece. Lelouch had originally arrived for another pick up chess game but that didn't appear to be going to happen.
"Buts its safe, if the terrorists attack the settlement in those stolen frames," She paused,"Hokkaido is somewhere you could defend those…"
The dark prince didn't respond immediately. Yes any attack against Hokkaido was suicide the HAG alone would be sufficient to deal with any stupid enough to attack, to say nothing of those units in training. "I see you haven't changed," He laughed. "Yes Hokkaido is my fortress in Japan," the prince admitted. "For three years no terrorism, this is the work of my idealism. It is open to Euphemia if that is what is needed." Lelouch paused, "Please do not mention my forces if you don't have to, should it come to that,"
"You don't want your deeds to be known?"
"I would rather be thought of as dead," He spat, at least when it comes to those of Britannia. "You can leave defending the settlement to me, if that is your wish, in two months time we will begin the final test procedure stage of the RPI 999, and when it is finished we will spend time developing that which we learn to develop the RPI 1000 Millennial Series Edinburgh so long as chaos does not reign over the land that accomplishment should mean stability, even if it is through force of arms." He stood from the couch, "I've gone and ruined it further talking of yet another killing machine I'll bring into the world," He remarked, this was his task after all his chosen path, "I need to return my scientists will kill me if I'm any later,"
The door swung open and the dark prince departed. Clovis stared, as did Cornelia two completely different trains of thought going through their minds.
"I'm going to see Nunnally later," Clovis remarked, "Cornelia, should I pass long your regards," The blond prince asked, "Cornelia," He repeated more insistently.
'The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to die.' Was it Lelouch's fault he had coalesced his sayings and philosophy into a little black book.
-
-
Chapter conclusion
-
-
Helltanz's notes: A loss is a bitter thing, especially the beating Britannia took. Lelouch's teachings at their finest.
Mao's Little Red Book reference, Lelouch has basically done the same.
-
-