Chapter Thirty Five: Impermissible

Arc Nine: Shining City On A Hill

Opening: "Heart Of Steel" - Takahashi Hiroki

"Kozūki report, answer me at once."

Curious, but concerned, Lelouch placed the phone down onto his desk, only to pick it up ten minutes later with great, yet sudden urgency.

"Where are you?"

Growing heavily concerned, Lelouch made it fifteen minutes before picking up the phone again to contact the leader of the Black Knights.

"Kozūki, this is Akira, what are you playing at?"

Now seriously frustrated, the Minister only made it another five minutes before picking the mobile back up a fourth time in anger, now seriously worried what had happened to his operative.

"KOZŪKI!"

By now, Lelouch was in between the horseshoe ends of rage and panic, rushing to his laptop and booting up his maps application. Naturally enough, he had made sure to implement a tracking system into Kallen's helmet to prevent her doing anything unfortunate, however it did not take long for the results to confuse him; Kallen was in the Tokyo Bay. Not next to the bay, or at its perimeter - in it.

Wondering what in the world she could possibly be doing there, he eventually elected to take the risk, put on his coat and take a walk to Koto.

Hopefully, he would be able to scout out what was happening without making it obvious he was involved. The harbour in Koto wasn't that far away from Parliament to begin with; he could just say he felt like stretching his legs. After dialling the details into his phone, Lelouch left his office and began to walk down the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

What made this instance so bizarre to Lelouch was how reliable Kallen had been up to this point. With the exception of her adventure with his father, she had consistently returned his calls within five minutes, obviously recognising the importance of pleasing your largest benefactor. The location was bizarre too, as the Black Knights headquarters were far more inland, almost out of the city and towards the northern mountain ranges compared to Koto.

However, he was forced to bury these thoughts as he arrived at the port and a sudden realisation; the docking station where Kallen was meant to be had no boat present.

Lelouch stood still at the stations edge for some time, looking down into the grey waters for some clue as to why his phone told him Kallen was here. It was not until several minutes later, when he saw a pair of fishermen pass him by that he had a productive thought.

"Would you mind awfully if I borrow your rod?"

They did not, and after five minutes of angling the hook came across something heavy. Testing the waters, Lelouch pulled back the rope which freed whatever was lodged in the bottom of the harbour, and weighed the object as it floated to the surface, where Lelouch saw what it was, and suddenly felt his innards freeze.

It was Zero's mask.

He pulled it in as fast as his his pathetic muscles could manage, and hauled it up into the light to examine, holding it opposite his face like Yorick's skull staring back at him. His first thought was that Kallen had double crossed him, Lelouch being a very suspicious character. However, holding the mask closer revealed that the base of the mask was splattered in blood that had dried before it had been dumped in the harbour.

Quickly realising what must have happened, Lelouch called Jeremiah in a panic, asking "Where is Kyoshiro Tohdoh?"

"He's long gone, went off in a rage after meeting in private with someone. I can't emphasise how furious he was."

Lelouch, as Kallen had before him, only now realised the full extent of the disaster he now found himself in the centre of. He figured out very rapidly that someone may have seen Kallen and him together, or perhaps C.C and him from in China, but either way they had told this to Tohdoh. He could only thank Tohdoh's desire for immediate physical vengeance for the fact he still had a job. He had to move quickly, and prevent Tohdoh from blathering to his comrades before word of Lelouch's illicit activities got out to the wider public.

Fortunately, Tohdoh wasn't the only one with dirt on his political opponent, and unlike him, Lelouch had the Prime Minister's ear.

"Jeremiah, get Ohgi to my office immediately, we have a serious problem on our hands."

It is generally agreed that the four day period referred to as "The Tosa Crisis" began on the afternoon of the 12th of June, 2024, though reports differ as to the time at which events happened. Some make the argument that it began when, after three exasperated sessions with the Prime Minister, Minister for Finance Lelouch Lamperouge successfully lobbied for the application of military action against the Black Knights in a series of back to back closed door meetings that ran into the late afternoon. He came with evidence that he claimed to have obtained through his personal security apparatus that Kyoshiro Tohdoh was a leading member of the Black Knights, presenting to Ohgi an internal Black Knights document that implicated the Revanchist Leader, as well as other Representatives.

Ohgi's secretary has since mentioned that the document's signer went simply by "C.C".

Nonetheless, Marshal Guilford supervised a small force of two Infantry Companies with an attached Knightmare support section in a scouting mission to a Black Knights base in Tosa, whose existence had been rumoured before they had been confirmed by Lelouch's documents. Once at the site, a set of grey, molted pillboxes buried among the woods, the team engaged in some speculative searches before being engaged from inside the pillboxes by small arms fire.

As soon as the Japanese Government forces recognised they were being fired upon, their training, which had been paid for and overseen by Britannian military officials, kicked into action, as they rapidly entrenched and responded with precise rifle fire at the brick windows to suppress the Black Knights as they called for reinforcements.

At the same time, six of the Knights, who had not anticipated a fight, attempted to hold down the attackers with spurts of machine gun fire while the others proceeded to burn all documents in the forts and facilitated the retreat of the Knights who were then engaged in increasingly one sided combat as the Government's Knightmare support brought heavy ordinance to the equation. A set of old concrete bunkers were not good defensive positions, particularly from a material disadvantage. By sunset fighting had mostly subsided but for some exchanges of sniper fire in the localities surrounding Tosa, where Black Knights who had been taken in by sympathisers attempted to strike back at the withdrawing Republican forces.

In all, the bodies of twelve Knights were recovered, and three Government soldiers were reported dead, as well as one civilian killed by a stray grenade.

While the first phase of hard combat in Tosa had subsided, the continued attacks in the area, as well as a large illegal shipment of towed anti-Knightmare guns being intercepted in the Britannian leased port of Nagoya made some within the Cabinet lean towards implementing Martial Law, an effort led by Lelouch Lamperouge. While the Prime Minister, with whom the final authority lay, leaned towards a peaceful solution, those hopes were dashed when an attempt to survey a second Black Knights posting, this time near Hiroshima also ended in combat, with ten Knights and two Government soldiers succumbing to gunshot wounds. The bulk of the Black Knights forces escaped into the nearby towns where they began to seek revenge on the dispersing military forces, who could only take cover. Twelve soldiers died before the morning of the 13th, when Ohgi finally caved, and gave Marshal Guilford authority to pursue the suspects as enemy combatants.

As the sun rose, the citizens of Japan awoke to no rail services, no telephone, and no internet, all seized by their respective Departments, as the Tosa Incident went into full swing. While it did not get anywhere near the oxygen it likely hoped for, Kyoshiro Tohdoh gave a speech to a small crowd of Knights in Kyoto. The details are lost, as those attendees were drawn into combat shortly after. No records survive of what was said. It is very likely he intended to broadcast this speech, but was unable to.

After this, he rallied all the support he could with his limited communications, and, with forces amounting to roughly 3 Divisions, moved out from Kyoto, claiming the Ameliorate Government was not legitimate, and that they had engaged in spying on their citizens unconstitutionally. Evidence to this effect has not been found In light of this, but nevertheless he proclaimed a new Government and state, with the Black Knights as its sanctioned Army. Tohdoh moved rapidly, quickly gaining control of the southern half of Honshu Island, which itself constituted about half of Japan's total land mass.

The Government forces met the Rebels for the first time since Martial Law had been declared in Komono, in the swampy flatlands to the East of Mt Gozaisho, and it was far bigger than any of the battles before it; four Government divisions, facing off against two Rebel ones. Using Kameyama, the narrowest point in the centre of Honshu island, as a choke point, the Black Knights entrenched in the slopes below the mountain and allowed the Government Knightmares to approach from the north into the path of their heavy guns.

The battle, while not decisive, ended in a Black Knights victory, with over 50 Government casualties, and 120 soldiers taken prisoner, compared to 23 and 6 respectively, after a hasty scuffle where the armoured Government forces advanced into howitzer fire, forcing their organic support back, before the Guilford's Knightmares were set upon by enemy infantry, forcing the main force to retreat with heavy losses in men, but especially in equipment, with most of what was lost being seized.

That Battle, known colloquially of the Battle of Shiga, demonstrated the importance of an unencumbered, mobile force, as while the Government forces possessed a significant advantage in equipment, particularly Knightmares, it was hindered by a large supply chain which could not be reliably hooked up on the battlefield.

The second aspect of that, mobility, was able to be proved again, as during the Government's retreat to Nagoya the Black Knights, not bothered with heavy logistical challenges, were able to nip at their heels all the way up to the city, where the Government forces dug in and second major battle of the Tosa Incident began.

With the Republic's forces in a state of disorganisation, it seemed apparent that the Black Knights could push through the attempt to halt their momentum and initially this seemed to be the case, as the Black Knights pressed the advance to prevent the Government troops from being able to stop and reorganise. After using a reserve cordon to delay the advancing Black Knights, the Government forces were able to establish a defensive line in the city centre, however they were stretched thin attempting to evacuate civilians and establish a supply chain.

The situation looked dire, as it seemed as if the line would fail which would leave the Black Knights knocking on the door of Tokyo. Indeed, once the reserve cordon fell back to behind the defensive line, a reportedly fatalistic attitude fell over the troops.

However, what they had no way of knowing was that they were about to be blessed with the most bizarre miracle in Japanese military history since the Mongolian invaders were sunk twice in a row by tornadoes in the 13th century.

As if summoned from the ether, Zero stepped onto the battlefield.

He approached from behind the Government side, beckoned by a sudden quieting of the shouts demanding reinforcements and ground support, to the point that you could nearly hear the masked man's boots as he approached the front lines. As he did, shots subsided in shock of the sight, and once he reached the point at which the Black Knights could see him across the street, all action stopped in Nagoya.

He stepped out past the hasty trenches to about ten meters in front of the Government line, where he drew from his waist a large, one armed sword to waist level, and, connecting to the cities PA system, proceeded to deliver a passionate defence of the Republic. The tapes have been recovered, and we play them for you now.

"Black Knights! Hear me now! You stand opposed to what you have sworn to me, all of you, to seek and defend, a free Japan with justice and good governance at its core! And yet here you stand, taking up arms against the elected Government, against the very Japan you swore to uphold! They are not Britannia, they are not the enemy! They are your brothers and sisters, and you are the ones hampering and holding back Japan in her moment of glory! Hear me now, and if you have ever been a follower of mine, I would ask you follow me now!"

Once Zero had finished his speech, he lifted his sword high above his head before dropping it and charging the Black Knights' front line by himself.

The effect, according to Republican soldiers who were there, was immediate. They had been spurred on by Zero, what with his rhetorical flourishes and support and confidence in them, restoring morale immediately.

As soon as he charged forward, they followed.

He had had the opposite effect on the Black Knights, who were shell shocked to see their idol, their hero, stand and give a scathing speech against them. When he charged, they could barely believe it enough to raise their rifles.

Zero fell behind towards the latter half of the charge in a moment of self preservation, however the bulk of the Government forces reached the Black Knights in what proved to be a slaughter, with 416 Knights killed to 72 Republicans, with an untold amount of Knights either changing sides or being taken prisoner.

Nagoya was saved, and with it the road to Tokyo was closed to the Black Knights, though this victory, while significant, did not have the same domino effect the loss in Shiga had. The Black Knights remained at the gates of the city until the morning of the 14th.

Once the sun rose on June the 14th however the jig was up. The Government had been able to finally bring heavy artillery down bases from Hokkaido and Nara due to the lull in action, and proceeded to pave the way back to Kyoto in High Explosive 162mm shells. With fresh reserves and Zero walking the front to motivate the Republicans and Black Defectors, the Second Battle of Nagayo began on 10 am sharp, supervised together by Marshal Guilford from the rear, and Zero from the front. Using Knightmares as infantry support, the Republican forces pushed, at admittedly a slower pace than they themselves had been pushed the day before, back towards the Knights' stronghold in Kyoto.

The Second Battle of Nagayo was pretty poorly named actually, as it was in fact a series of several battles over two days, only one of which actually took place in Nagayo itself. After pressing home the material advantage out towards Yokkaichi, where a brief clash of street fighting took place at about 4 o'clock, and lasted until dusk, at which point the Republican upper hand had grown more apparent, but they were forced to resupply, allowing the Black Knights to resupply in turn.

However, it should have been obvious to any onlooker that the Republican Government would clearly have the upper hand in this sort of battle, as they simply had deeper pockets. Kyoshiro Tohdoh seemed to understand this too, launching an attack into Yokkaichi at one in the morning of the 15th however it was not successful, beyond forcing the Republicans to delay their offensive until 8 o'clock, at which point, now within sight of Kyoto, blasted through the defensive lines with an uncharacteristically aggressive attack, reportedly influenced by Zero's more aggressive combat doctrines.

In all, the Republicans sustained a little over twenty losses by the time they reached Kyoto. We unfortunately don't have numbers for the amount of Black Knights dead beyond this point, but 47 were confirmed captured.

At this point, a little intrigue emerged among the Republicans. Guilford, the head of the Japanese military, wanted to wait out the rebels and capture them, particularly the ringleader Tohdoh, and prosecute him for treason. Zero was vehemently opposed to this idea, and insisted they press the attack, and slaughter the rebel leaders.

This conflict went on for some time, with Guilford, being top dog, having final say. However, after several hours of not getting his way, Zero, in a… simply outrageous move, went outside the chain of command, rallied together about two Battalions of Black Defectors, seized the artillery themselves and began to fire on the rebel headquarters without authorisation.

Guilford now had a crisis on his hands. Ought he to reprimand Zero in accordance with military code, or follow him into battle? He wasn't a member of the military though. But martial law was in place! Zero had created a mess, and perhaps intentionally so, as his gambit worked; Guilford, who likely didn't want to make an enemy of someone who had such a visible influence over his troops, followed up Zero's assault and provided fire support, while Zero led the troops into the compound.

The ensuing firefight lasted until twilight, during which time Zero actually took a bullet to the gut himself, though he survived, with fierce resistance felt throughout Kyoto well into the night, however an official surrender was issued after Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords were killed defending Nijō Castle. They themselves were reportedly not given an opportunity to surrender, however once news had circulated of their passing, the already poor morale of the Black Knights collapsed, and the bulk of their forces either capitulated or dispersed.

In total, the death toll for both sides and civilians amounted to at least 3,800 people dead or missing, more than even in the Boshin Wars.

The material losses were not insignificant either. Large amounts of the Shiga and Mie Prefectures suffered extensive damages to farmland and infrastructure, amounting to tens of billions of Yen in cost borne by Ohgi's Government.

This conflict, though brief, set in motion several key events that would define Japanese policy for months to come, and the return of Zero as a pro Government entity marked a pivoting point for the administration, as they faced ruined landscape and thousands of deaths with only one question.

Why?

Excerpt taken from Part One of Dean Needell's award winning internet Documentary, The Road To War. Credit for footage goes to Britannian Pathe.

Trying out some new tricks with the more documentary style of writing. Combined with dramatic irony, things the readers know that the narrator does not, you can do some really fun stuff, like reintroduce a dead character that isn't actually the same character. Let me know if you like it as a style, as there is content coming up in Arc 11 that could really do well with this style, as my more traditional, 'in the moment' attempts at writing combat are hit and miss. If you want a little spoiler, note that that was only Part One of a documentary titled "The Road to War."

It will get worse before it gets better.

Hopefully that will not be the case for my writing however, which continues in Chapter 36, Knives and Ambitions. Stay safe, don't take up arms against your elected officials, and rate and review. I'll see you again soon.

~Eth0