Turn 05: Passive Agressive.
"War is an inescapable fate of humans. That much has become clear with even my paltry experience of a little more than a hundred years. Conquest, destruction and domination, these all appear every now and then, in every culture, no matter how civilized it calls itself. I told those who received a code before me that I would stop it. But they laughed at me, every single one of them, but one day I will show them, I will cover the earth with my justice. After all, I have all the time in the world, for those who live for eternity, the impossible becomes possible." Excerpt of a diary found in a Brotherhood's old location.
Z.Z. disliked overseeing military operations, but there was no choice as Felipe had just left on a diplomatic and "reconnaissance" mission. How irresponsible could he be? But Z.Z. had no choice but admitting that the young man was a brilliant politician, and he knew how to put his Geass to good use. His musing was interrupted as a soldier stepped in the command room.
"High Advisor, report for you sir!" Z.Z. nodded and signaled for the man to speak. "The intelligence that we have received matches with the recon data. They are really attacking us at three points. The southern plains, border with Argentina. The Andes, border with Bolivia. The Amazon, border with Venezuela." Z.Z. wasn't surprised in the least, the informants knew that if they weren't spot on there would be much to lose for them, and that even without the information Brazil had something that their countries didn't have, and defeat was only a matter of time. He gave the order as he looked at the three different maps that were displayed in the monitors. "Tell General Morikawa, General Alves Herkenhoff and The Duke of Caxias that they are authorized to engage the enemies. Their outdated machines don't matter, but they are to minimize deaths and capture as many devicers and officials as possible." Now all he could do was watch. "Let me see how you fight war."
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"The command has been given Princess, we can launch the Jaci." Fernanda looked cheery as she turned on the huge Knightmare. "How exciting, don't you think so my love? Our first battle together." A sigh escaped from the masked Duke. "Princess, I have already asked you to refrain from calling me that, as much as I respect you and your prowess as a devicer, I am not romantically interested." Fernanda only pouted as the Jaci left the bay. "Well, as unrequited as it is all of my love is yours. And your love shall be mine… Without Geass."
Having just left the mobile base, the Jaci stood in front of an army of many modified Vincent models and a few of the Brazilian Fila four legged Knightmare Frames.
A few miles away from them, at the Argentinean side of the border, an army of the "Bolivarian Alliance" stood at the ready, using mostly old Sutherlands.
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"This is absurd, are you telling us to betray a pact?" In the room, the representatives of the United States of Japan, the Chinese Federation and the Empire of Britannia talked with the recently arrived Emperor of Brasilis Lusitania, who requested a private audience with them.
"I only wish to stop a conflict between my nation and the UFN, if you cancel the order of sending them to South America your troops will not have to do battle with mine and we can avoid this meaningless conflict." Li Xingke didn't look like he believed a single word. "It seems that you plan to conquer your neighbor nations then? The problem is that the UFN will not stand such actions." The emperor just smiled. "I'm just getting rid of troublesome neighbors; my nation was not the first to attack." Sumeragi Kaguya had a dangerous look in her eyes. "And you intend to use this as an excuse to conquer the entirety of South America, the mission of the UFN troops sent there is to preserve the borders there, and they shall do so." Odysseus had a tired look. "I'm sorry, but I am quite sure my sister, the Empress, would not endorse such a course of action. Despite not being involved in the operation of defending these countries, Britannia endorses it."
The emperor started laughing, as if extremely amused. "I guess I couldn't expect any other answer, but fortunately for me, I have an Ace up my sleeve. This room is not being monitored in any way as I requested right?" The other three were quizzed by his attitude, but nodded. "Good, for I am about to say a few things that I believe none of us want to become public knowledge." Then the Geass sigil flashed in his right eye, Kaguya and Xingke could only mutter and try to avoid eye contact. "Geass." For a few moments time seemed to have stopped as the four of them stood still. Then the sigil disappeared from the Emperor's eyes and he resumed laughing.
The other three were on the verge of panicking. "How? Do you know C.C.? What is the meaning of this?" A big smile adorned the Emperor's face. "Sorry to disappoint you three, my power is not mind control, but I think it is almost as interesting. So Kururugi Suzaku really is Zero, how amusing." Silence descended on the room and all the color drained from Kaguya's Xingke's and Odysseus' faces. Kaguya was the first to recover. "I have no idea what you are talking about, the Knight of Zero died during the battle for Damocles." The emperor looked crestfallen. "Really?" His smile returned. "How about this, the Zero before this, was the now-famous Demon Emperor of Britannia, Lelouch." At this, Odysseus looked ready to faint and Xingke started coughing blood due to the shock, Kaguya was trembling. "What reason do you have to go around spouting such nonsense?" The emperor merely sighed.
"To put you off-balance, since everyone in this room knows it to be true." Xingke had stopped coughing and looked up, with a look in his eyes as if deciding whether or not to kill someone. "What was that Geass you just used? Mind Reading?" Kaguya looked at him troubled, asking such a question was the same as admitting what he had just said to be true. "No, sorry, I won't become insane like that idiot Mao." The other three were confused. "What Lelouch or C.C. never told you about him? No matter. My Geass is not mind, but memory reading. What I just did was discover about the most important memories of the three of you."
At this, Xingke lost control and lunged at the Emperor, Kaguya and Odysseus tried to stop him, but he was beyond that. However as he approached the Emperor he was met with a swift kick to the chest and was thrown back to the floor, were he coughed even more blood. The emperor looked grim. "Fool! I am Felipe de Bourbon e Bragança Lusitania. Do you believe me unable to defend against assassins, besides it would hardly do for me to be killed by the Chinese representative inside the UFN, no?"
Xingke had recovered his composure. "I must admit you are right, I apologize about my impulsiveness. Still, how can you be so sure of your victory over the Bolivarian Alliance that intends to dethrone you?" In response, the Emperor grinned and closed his eyes, as if remembering something pleasant. "You see, humans are fundamentally depraved animals, all of us have our secrets, secrets that some would give their lives to preserve, or sell their countries." The other couldn't believe in what they were hearing. "More than ten years ago I started this network of blackmailing, of course at the beginning most tried to simply assassinate me, but as they learned that I was not exactly easy to kill and that they gain much by standing with me, while opposing me could result in even the execution by proper authorities, I gained control over them. Local politicians, rebels, Britannian nobles. They were all the same. Before long, I was able to embezzle not only raw materials, but also finished and then the latest Knightmare Frame models. Though I guess it wouldn't have worked if the Royal Family looked my way, but the Emperor Charles seemed to not care, if he indeed knew about it, while the rest of the royal family seemed too occupied with conquest or rebellions. If you think that the ragtag Sutherlands that these Bolivarians took from the old Britannian occupation army can defeat my Vincents, well then we could make a bet, my country for a yen of yours."
"And what is the reason for you to tell us all of this?" The Emperor looked surprised. "I just thought I should tell you all. Would you not consider not sending troops?" The three shook their heads at the same time. He just shrugged in response. "Oh well, that's it then, I guess I will just leave now." He turned one more time before leaving. "Oh, and don't let the Russians know about it, I believe they are dangerous." Kaguya muttered to herself. "Oh, the irony." He then gave a know-it-all smile. "Please look forward to the news of my troops crushing the Bolivarian fools."
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Suzaku was quite disturbed at the news he received from his cousin. Such news was the last thing he needed as he headed to Peru in the Ikaruga. "Are you quite sure about this Kaguya?" The girl nodded in the screen. "But there is still something that doesn't feel quite right."
"What?"
"Even if he can read somebody's memories and discover their weakness, it isn't really enough to blackmail someone unless he has proof." Suzaku thought he was following. "So you think that there is someone with a Geass that allows him or her to procure such a proof?" Kaguya nodded. "This is really problematic, so we are up against someone that dangerous and we are still mobilizing… Still six days until we arrive in Peru. I wonder what will have happened by then." Kaguya looked worried. "Take care, Zero."
"Yes, I will."
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"That is such a shame; I was looking forward to the finals." Cornelia could hardly hide her disappointment as she bid farewell to Tohdoh. "Aye, but it really took me by surprise that Bolkonsky was recalled to Russia and I must head to Peru to prepare for the arrival of the UFN army."
"Well, I was also looking forward to fighting you in the teams' tournament but I guess not everything goes as we would like it to. I wish we could send some troops to assist you, but I guess most of the UFN council is cautious of Britannia. Even though Nunnally tries so hard."
"Worry not, it will eventually pass. Oh, and tell the Empress that she made a good choice on her knight." Cornelia nodded and smiled. "Oh yes, the announcement is later today, don't go around telling everyone about it please."
"Hah, I am an honorable man, why would I gossip?"
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"Sir, we have a display of the enemy on the radar map." General Alvarez gritted his teeth. "So there really was a leak on information, that mysterious old man was right. Do you have visual? Models? Numbers?" The soldier manning the information display swallowed. "Sir, the enemy seems to be comprised of Vincents, a few unknown models and a custom model that resembles the Gawain. They also have a mobile base, though it is not very big and doesn't seem to have use outside transport and information relay." The general was surprised.
"Vincents? How did they get their hands on those?" He sighed. "No matter, it seems we have the upper hand number-wise. All troops advance!"
"Sir, it seems the custom Knightmare took the front, it is floating in the air. It seems to be doing something."
"It doesn't matter; just tell the troops to shoot it out of the air."
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"My love, the heat calibration of the Hadron Tubes is done." The masked duke sighed in resignation, for now he gave up convincing the princess to not call him so. "Fine, these are the orders: We will cut a path in the middle with the Jaci's cannons. The first squadron will use that to advance through the enemy, the second squadron will flank the enemy through the right and the third through the left, and we will cover whoever needs help."
"Eh? You sure such a simple tactic will work?" She heard the sound of a chess piece being tapped against metal. "Of course, Alvarez is a fool, the reason him being in command because he is the Argentinean General, therefore more influential than the Uruguayan or Paraguayan generals, one of them in particular I've heard about. Besides, we have a big advantage in terms of mobility and firepower, even if they have greater numbers. Now, since all troops are in position, let us play the Waning Moon's Dirge."
As the Bolivarian troops advanced a series of strange glowing purple surfaces, like glasses, appeared in front of the shoulder Hadron Cannons of the Jaci, and at some distance to it. "Arc of fire determined, you can start firing the hadrons now."
"Roger that, love."
The Hadron Cannon started heating up, and instead of the famous continuous stream, many little beams of energy were released, seemingly at random, however, each and every one of them were bent by the purple surfaces. The result was a rain of death in a small arc in the middle of the Bolivarian troops.
"Love, they are in range to fire at us with auto cannons, also, I will shut down sections 1 and 2 for cooling, I'm turning 5 on, there will be less bolts to work with."
"Don't worry Princess. I'm already setting a net around us since our main task is done." A series of surfaces appeared at different angles in front of the Jaci, however, instead of bending the Hadron it reflected it, creating a net shield of different bolts of Hadron energy bouncing back and forth. Any shots directed at the Jaci were quickly disintegrated by the bolts.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the Sutherlands were quickly and methodically cut down by the Vincents. Those Sutherlands who tried to dodge or fight the Vincents were quickly shot down by the rain of bolts from the Jaci, which seemed to simply not touch the Vincents.
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"Sir we have lost more than 20% of our troops, what shall we do? Their custom Knightmare Frame seems to even have turned off its strange shield, since we can't even touch them now." Alvarez was sweating profusely. "Damn it, I didn't think we would have to use it so soon. Fire this base's Hadron at that Knightmare, if we take it out it is our victory!"
"Sir, understood Sir."
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"Oh? It seems there is a hatch opening in their mobile base. And it is a Hadron! How convenient, isn't it love?" A chortle came from the upper seat. "Convenient indeed Princess." He turned on the Communicator to transmit orders to the troops; his voice was calm and composed, without a hint of excitement. "All troops are to retreat orderly in a line less than three hundred meters away from the Jaci." He turned it off again. "Now if you will princess, please shoot the Harkens."
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Sir, there is something strange, the Knightmare is not moving from the line of fire, should we fire anyway? Their Vincents are retreating." The general was visibly shaken. "Fire it! Quickly, it's probably going to do something strange again."
"Sir, it has made a strange shield a few meters away from itself."
"Just shoot!"
A few moments after, General Alvarez would deeply regret his choice. He could only stare slack jawed at the monitor with the visual of the battle as the scene unfolded in front of him. Contrary to all of their expectations, the strange shield made at the points of the Jaci's Harkens reflected the Hadron Beam, even going as far as turning and destroying much of his troops in an arc. General Alvarez didn't need to look at the digital map to know that all of the beeps coming from it signaled the destruction of many of his troops. The communications operator tentatively broke the silence. "Hmm, sir, there is an incoming message for you from that Knightmare; I think it's the enemy commander." The status operator also said shyly. "We are down to less than 50% of our original troops."
"Put him through."
The screen was divided in two. A young woman and a masked man were being shown. "Hail to you, General. I am the Duke of Caxias, and general of the Brasilis Lusitania Empire. The lady next to me is the Princess Fernanda." General Alvarez practically spat as he spoke with such venom, that if words could poison, the Duke would be dead. "And why exactly would you be establishing communication with me? Duke?" The masked man chortled, and spoke as if with a dumb child that needs an explanation. "Why? Of course to negotiate your surrender general, why else?" The general seemed on the verge of a heart stroke.
Turn 05 End.