Hey guys! Just one more paper to go! Thanks guys for the support. That luck really came in handy. So far all the other papers went well, save for Core History paper 1 but then Humanities for this year was hard for everyone so nothing wrong with that. Anyway, Chapter 6 is up. I had to separate this chapter into two so I'll upload the other half later.

Two Days later

County of Iowa

"What is the meaning of this?" Lord James Lambert demanded at the soldiers who broke into his room. Clad in grey-black armour and visored helmets, they proved to be an intimidating sight even without their assault rifles.

Now 49 years of age, James Lambert was formerly the 23rd Margrave of his line, now elected as the new Duke of Iowa by the people when the aristocracy was abolished.

When no one answered, Lambert shouted again.

"You there, Sergeant!" He asked the most senior in rank. "I say again. What is the meaning of this intrusion?"

"They're with me." A voice replied, though not from the soldiers. Lambert's brows furrowed. He recognised the voice but couldn't place.

A man dressed in a richly decorated grey uniform came in. He had a neatly trimmed moustache and auburn hair with green eyes. He was followed by a group of similarly uniformed men.

"Robert?"

The Duke could not believe his eyes. His own cousin along with his entire lesion of vessels whom he had served with for years had their weapons trained at him.

"Hello, cousin. It's been a while." Robert smiled though there was no humour behind it.

"What is going on here? This better not be what it looks like?"

"It is exactly what it looks like, James." Robert's smile twisted into a snarl. "You have shamed our family long enough."

"Shame! What are you talking about? I have done nothing but served the Imperial family!"

"Exactly the point." The Duke could only gasp as his cousin continued. "After that demon of an Emperor took our lands and titles, our family had nothing left but to share wealth with these beggars and yet you still serve them! It was bad enough to marry that Eighteen tainting our bloodline. Now you abandoned your own blood for these peasants!"

"It was for the people!" James protested. "Whatever faults he had, Emperor Lelouch did at least one good thing, give freedom to our people. The aristocracy had to be destroyed. We were abusing our power on our people! Power that we were given to serve them!"

"You have mingled with these commoners for far too long. Have you forgotten what our Emperor said? 'Only the strong will survive. People struggle and fight to become even stronger!' It's not too late, cousin. Abandon that queen of a bitch and come back to us and together we'll remake Britannia back to what it was."

But James wasn't listening. He was considering his chances. The soldiers had blocked his every exit in the room, even the secret passage. The windows behind his desk were too far away from his reach now and his pistol was inside his desk. There was no choice.

"That is treason." He said the words slowly making sure every word is heard. "And I'd rather die than betray Britannia."

Robert's smile broke into a frown and turned away. He cast one last glance.

"So be it." The nobleman walked away, leaving his cousin at the mercy of the soldiers. A deafening volley of concentrated fire was heard followed by a scream.

Robert Lambert took no notice of it and opened his com-link.

"Lord Oxbridge. It is done. We have taken Iowa. All Imperial loyalists have been eliminated."

"Excellent! Your support for our cause is greatly appreciated."

"Save the pleasantries, old man." Lambert snapped. "I just want my lands back."

"Don't worry, my friend. You will. And you will get your share as well."

Robert nodded even though his companion could not see. "Then my House will be apart of your alliance…"

Back in New England, Number 12 Refugee Camp

Kallen had always thought of the aftermath of Shinjuku was horrible. Too many people had been killed with countless numbers of innocents wounded and so many became homeless. She had thought the Britannians as demons who only cared about themselves. Until now…

The refugee camps were overcrowded with people. Many had left their homes with little more than their clothes more with almost nothing at all. Kallen smirked. It wasn't surprising.

The battles here were completely different from those back in the Great War. Here weapons were in great numbers. Knightmares were almost unlimited here since Britannia was the first nation to develop them. It takes only a small amount of time to assemble a unit of Sutherland or Vincents. Britannia after all, was rich in resources save for the Sakuradite. It was the main reason why Japan was even attacked. 80% of the extremely dangerous and unstable mineral was in that island nation. Despite Britannia's past crimes, she could feel nothing but pity for these people. When Kallen had cursed all Britannians to suffer the same fate the Japanese had after her mother was sent to jail for 20 years after the refrain addict, she was referring those racist noble-born idiots not these innocents. She felt guilty for even having such thoughts.

A small figure crouched by herself seized the new Knight of Two's attention. A young dark skinned girl with dark blue hair about 7 or 8 years of age sat in miserable silence, staring at nothing. Her clothes were ragged and her face was bruised in several places.

Kneeling by her side, Kallen touched her shoulder. The girl started, turning to glare at her like a wild beast.

"It's alright." Kallen said soothingly, handling the girl her water bottle. She waited until the girl had finished, then added, "I'm from the palace. What is your name?"

After a moment's hesitation, the child answered, "Ca-Calia Moonflower."

"Where is your family?"

"I don't know."

"Are you from Southfield?" Kallen remembered the town she had passed during the Battle of New England which was evacuated.

"No…Lakota."

Kallen tried to hide her concern. Calia was one of the refugees from town the Purists Raiders attacked. Those raiders have been chasing them all this time until an Imperial recon unit had drove them off. From what she had heard from Guilford, the raiders slaughtered many before allowing the rest to escape. The child's family might still live…but then again might not.

"When did you last see them?"

Calia's brown eyes grew huge. "I was with my brother…when the Knightmares came in shooting at everyone. I tried to run home but big brother grabbed me…told me I had to run the other way. He said he will come find me later. So I did." She put her hands to her face, the tears spilling over them. "I should have gone home! I should have gone home! Brother…Mama…"

The tragic tale was not what Kallen wanted to hear. The tale reminded her of her own brother where he had sacrificed himself to save her. Fighting her own tears, Kallen asked again.

"Has anyone taken care of you since your escape?"

"No."

The refugees had been on the run for two days before meeting with the Imperial forces. It was an ethic cleansing a soldier had reported. From Calia's surname of Moonflower, Kallen deduced that she was a Britannian of aborigine origin. Britannians, despite what they claim about how pure their blood was they were technically divided into many ethics, including those of British origin and those of the natives of this land.

She was glad she had not been ignorant of what was happening in the Homelands during the Great War. Though they were treated better than numbers, it was still worst than the Honourary Britannians. But there were many extremist groups and now that the Purists had gained control of the Britannian Army, they had started the genocide. They had been chasing them to no end, determined to slaughter every one of them. Kallen was angry that the Recon unit had destroyed them. No, she wanted them for herself. But right now, she had to consider how to help this girl.

It was remarkable to think Calia had survived on her own even for that period. Many older men, including soldiers had fallen to the side; Britannians were not, in general, up to such strife. While hardly weak, they were very ill-prepared for life outside their cushioned world-a failing only now becoming evident. It would have been an irony if those suffering were the racist bastards then considering what they had done in the Great War.

There were so many in the same situation Calia had suffered, but something about the child especially touched Kallen. Perhaps it was because of the way her brother had died to save his sister. The Knight of Two would make inquiries wherever she could, but she was near-certain that no one in Calia's immediate family had survived and that the girl was now all by herself in the world.

"Come on. You're coming with me." Kallen took the girl by her hands and headed to the nearest counter. Nunnally's Royal Guard and the Black Knights have spread out to do what they could for the people. The young Empress herself was going around the refugees with Guilford. Kallen wondered if Nunnally knew that her presence alone was giving the people the courage to go on. Kallen caught a glimpse of the Empress talking to an elderly man.

"Where are we going?" the child asked. The girl blushed as her stomach suddenly grumbled.

"Well, right now we're going to find you something to eat." Kallen said with a smile. She had seen Hikari, one of her lieutenants at the head of a stall somewhere, giving Japanese food to the people. On the way, Calia kept talking about how nice her brother had been to her and how he had cheered her up dressing up as a clown. Kallen felt a tear flowing from her eyes as she listened to the tale. It reminded her too much of the two men she had loved.

"He must be a good man." She commented as they reached the stall headed by a auburn haired woman.

"Hikari. Something for this girl if you please." She called to her friend and subordinate. And as Hikari turned to get a container, a grey-haired man of European descendent in the Black knight uniform marched to her.

"Madam," The soldier greeted with a thick French accent. "Her Majesty wishes to see you."

"Alright, Jean." Kallen nodded as she turned to Calia. "I will be right back. Stay here with Hikari."

Calia gave Kallen a longing look as she ate her food, not wanting to part her with her just yet.

"Don't worry. I promise." Kallen gave her a confident smile and followed Jean. As she did, Kallen caught a glimpse of a young man with dark hair amongst the refugee. She suddenly stopped to stare at the direction. But the man was gone.

"Mademoiselle?" The Frenchman turned. "Are you alright?"

Kallen look around hoping to see him again but there was no one around matching his description.

Jean misread her expression and his hand reached for his pistol at his side.

"It's nothing." She assured him. "I thought I saw someone I know."

Frenchman nodded. "Understandable, Madam. This way."

Kallen gave one last look before turning back.

And from across the refugee camp, a figure watched the young woman walking away. His violet eyes showed no signs of emotions.

"Sir," A soldier walked up to him. "We need to go now."

Nodding the man cast one last glance and walked away as well.

Meanwhile in East Britannia, Virginia

Purist Stronghold of Richmond

It was one of the finest fortifications in Britannia almost rivalling the Capital itself and a base for the assaults on Imperial holdings in the east.

Under orders of Zero the 96th Home Guard to along with 3rd Army with all auxiliaries available laid siege to it. Despite the superior numbers, the Imperial forces were unable to enter the city, having repulsed each time.

"My lord, I regret to report that our latest attack on the rebel lines have been repulsed…" The soldier hesitated with the last part. "…with heavy losses."

"Damn, what are our losses?" General Torion was angry. Damn them! Damn these bloody bastards. "Spit it out, man!" He snapped when the soldier hesitated again.

He coughed. "Seven hundred men and two hundred Knightmares, sir."

"Bloody hell." Torion cursed. "Bloody Bloody hell!" He passed around the room. The screen behind him showed dozens of red circles away from a line of blue disappearing one by one.

"If this keeps going on, those noble bastards will just wait us out until their reinforcements from New York arrive." He gritted his teeth. "By then we'll only have sticks and stones to use against them." His retinue, senior officers and liaisons could do nothing but stare back.

"Perhaps, milord, we can try to use our artillery to blast that shield with concentrated fire?" One of the red caped officers offered. But the General shook his head.

"It'll take too long and we'll need support fire for the attack itself. Even without that blasted shield, the attack on the trenches and wall will still take its toll." Torion put a hand through his blue hair.

"Perhaps there is another way, gentlemen." A smooth voice announced itself. A slim but well built man in his late 30s a cobalt tunic and black pants entered. He wore a dark blue cape over his uniform and had a simple arming sword on his left hip. Strangely though, the man's hair was pale grey despite his youth.

"And who are you?" Torion asked sharply. "I don't recognise your uniform."

"My name is Sir Bernard of Bedford. I am here on my own accord to fight for Queen and Country." The man answered calmly. Many of the officers present scoffed.

"Paramilitary? Like we need anymore of them." One officer muttered to his companion quietly but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Silence." The General glared at them, turning to grey haired man. "What are you suggesting, knight?"

"Well, my lord, my men have found a way to break in the shield though only for a short time, I believe we can use the advantage to fight through the Keep and deactivate both the shield and the missile turrets."

"Tell me about it." Torian considered the tactic. It's risky but it was their only chance. Without their main defences, the rebels could only use their standing forces.

The knight explained. Unknown to the rebels, the nearby town of Westmarch had its water supply connected to the city through the use of pipes during the Great Droughts. When the crisis was over, the pipes were abandoned and the knowledge was lost.

"How many men will you need?" Torian asked.

"About threescore who can fight outside of their Knightmares as well as in them. I have my own unit ready to lead them."

"How can you fight off an entire army with only a few?" One officer demanded.

"Numbers do not win a battle."

"Aye they don't. But since we have very little choice, you may try your gambit, knight. Colonel Nathanial, please give him sixty men of such calibre."

"My lord?" One of the soldiers protested but the General wouldn't let him.

"We have very little time now so we'll need all the help we can get. Now any more questions?" When no one answered, Tirion nodded.

"Right then. I want our forces to arrange themselves into three lines. The 2nd and 12th Battalions will take the first line. The 9th and 16th will take the second. The Black knights' Panzer Division will hold the last with the Grenadier Guard. The rest of the division will follow behind. Artillery will provide cover. While we occupy the buggers, our friend here will lead his troops into Richmond and take out the main keep. Is that clear?"

"Yes, My Lord!" shouted the soldiers, placing their fists on their hearts.

Well, how is this chapter? I wanted to try to show how horrible the war was especially considering how advanced the weapons the Britannian army wielded. I'll accept any critics just please be polite with it. Yeah and I noticed it too, now that I watch the Star Wars again, the story looks very similar to it. Haha. Never intended it to be that way though. Well read and review!