Turn 4:
The Price of Check

October 20th, 2028 A.T.B.
New Britannian Empire
Capital City, Pendragon

Lelouch switched off the camera and turned to the two tactical maps. His gaze shifted from one to the other as he calculated his moves and counter-moves. He watched carefully as he watched both the Guren and the Lancelot danced about the screens. His Knight and Queen. He kept his expression neutral as he switched radio frequencies.

"Q1. Move to the southern block and assist there. Enemy forces are moving to flank the government buildings and cut off R1, 2, 8, and 12." He said as he watched a small column of Knightmares making their way towards the bureau buildings. "P1, 3, and 7 move to assist Q1."

A simultaneous, "Roger!" filled the speakers as the Black Knights moved in to intercept the incoming Knightmares. His gaze sat now upon the map of Pendragon. The enemy forces were in greater number here, but that didn't mean victory couldn't be achieved.

"K1. Link up with the Glaston Knights at point E7 and assume defensive positions. The enemy is going to come at you from all sides." He said as he watched multiple large triangles converging on a hospital zone. "The target is a Medical Center that has yet to be completely evacuated, you need to delay the enemy advance long enough for them to retreat to the Palace."

"Understood, Lancelot deploying to point E7." Suzaku replied over the radio and the single gold triangle began advancing. Lelouch nodded as he looked at the other sections of the map. So many different units were surrounded or simply on the verge of being destroyed. He glared at the map as he began to give more orders over the radio.

Suzaku raced forward with his new Lancelot towards the Medical Center. For their own people to simply turn against them...it wasn't possible. Not unless...no, he refused to think that way. That was simply something he wouldn't allow to fill his mind now, but it was something that he would be speaking to Lelouch about should they survive the day.

"My Lord! We've arrived at the Medical Center!" Cornelia called out over the radio. "However, several hundred patients are still awaiting transport."

Zero replied before Suzaku could, "K2, there is a transport convoy on the way, ETA 5 minutes. Ensure the remaining injured are evacuated before escorting them to the palace. All units, once your respective zones are completely evacuated, return to the Palace, we will regroup before sending out a counter attack."

Cornelia sat back in her pilot's seat, "A counter attack? He can't be serious..."

"K3, K4, take up observation positions on the buildings to the North and South, you should have a perfect vantage from there." Zero commented as Gilford and Antoine turned and fired their Slash Harkens and began ascending the side of the building. "Expect enemy contact in thirty seconds. They'll come at you from all sides, number unknown."

Suzaku gripped his controls tightly and took a single deep breath. He closed his eyes and prayed for a quick moment before opening them in time to watch five Knightmares tear through some building wreckage. He launched forward with the Lancelot, wielding his energy sword and slashed forward. The blade cut clean through the arm of one Knightmare. The Knightmare in question turning and firing it's arm cannon. Suzaku hit his shield control, bullets bounced harmlessly off of the shimmering gold field.

Catapulting into the air with his float system he returned the gesture by launching his wrist mounted Slash Harkens towards the Knightmare. The first missed completely the other however, buried itself deeply into the right upper leg. He pulled the controls back and brought the Lancelot forward on the line. Driving it's knee into the Factsphere head, severing it completely. As Lancelot's feet landed, he quickly flipped his sword behind him, driving the red blade through the power compartment. Sparks flew from the enemy Knightmare and the pilots section failed to eject as the Knightmare overloaded and exploded under the Lancelot.

Suzaku's gaze shifted as he watched two more Knightmares simply detonate under a barrage of weapons fire descending from the buildings Gilford and Antoine stood upon. He turned and caught his breath as he pulled back on his controls. Barely dodging several shots from another Knightmare. He intended to return fire but found that Cornelia had advanced forward, driving her lance through the legs of the Knightmare before promptly kicking the frame in the opposite direction. As the frame tumbled through the air, the pilot's pod detached and landed safely away from the smoking wreckage.

Suzaku couldn't help but rest uneasy, his eyes darted down to his radar monitor. Enemy IFF's were rapidly blinking out with each passing second. He frown as he adjusted the range on the radar. The entire capital, the same was happening across the board, not just locally. He looked up at his screens and frowned harder, muttering to himself, "This is too easy...even for Lelouch...it's too easy..."

United States of Japan
Tokyo, Government Bureau

Ohgi ducked his head rapidly downwards behind the jersey barrier he hid behind. The enemy wasn't making this easy. The Black Knights rapidly found themselves dwindling in numbers, even with Zero's Command. As far as the infantry that is. He watched as Kallen destroyed yet another Knightmare and reduced it to a bulbous pile of rubble.

"R1, I have dispatched an armored unit to your area. Q1 will escort you to the vehicles where you will move to point C3 and retrieve your Knightmare's." Zero's voice called out over the radio.

Ohgi couldn't help but chuckle at the use of his old callsign. Whereas Kallen scowled at hers. The Zero that had freed them from Lelouch ten years prior, never once called them, any of them by their old callsigns. It was always by their first names, so why all of a sudden did he start using their callsigns? Something was wrong, this was not the Zero they had fought with for the past 10 years.

She grunted as her thoughts caught her off-guard and an enemy unit smashed into her. She winced as she turned to face the unit, smashing her Guren's right hand into it's Factsphere head. Activating her Surger a moment later and reducing the unit to a molten pile of metal. She turned her Knightmare and released a rapid burst of Surger energy from her hand towards the sky, several Knightmares with float systems were struck and exploded instantly. She couldn't help but accept the irony of her situation. Not ten years ago, she was on the opposite side of this fight.

"Kallen, the transports have arrived! We need a few minutes to load the wounded. Keep us covered yeah?" Tamaki shouted over the radio. Kallen turned one of her cameras and trained it on the transport. Three armored vehicles with a single mounted cannon on the top stood surrounding the now defunct barriers that were used as cover. She turned to face the opposite direction of the transports. Sure enough, just as Zero said, several Knightmares rolled up.

Leaping into action, the Guren dispatched the first Knightmare easily. Using the carcass of the Knightmare itself as a weapon she threw the destroyed frame into the second Knightmare. The second Knightmare found itself being uncontrollable as it smashed into one of the nearby buildings. Kallen turned to face the third and fourth and found herself coming under fire. She quickly threw up on of her Surger shields and blocked the incoming fire. Taking to the air a moment later she unleashed a barrage of energy upon them, destroying them easily.

Kallen sat back in her seat and frowned. "Somethings not right...this is...almost too easy..."

"Q1, escort the transport convoy to their destination, destroy anything in your path." Zero ordered, his voice somewhat calming her nerves. Perhaps that's why this is suddenly so easy, because Zero is in charge.

"Roger that, Q1 on the move." She replied before turning to face the three trucks beginning to leave the Government Bureau. She quickly changed channels, "Ohgi are you there?"

"Go ahead Kallen."

"Is it me...or does this battle seem..."

"Off?"

Kallen kept her eyes glued to the screen as she followed the trucks, "Even for Zero, this seems like too much of a piece of cake. And I can't help but-"

A panicked loud voice cut her off, "New contacts! They came out of-!" static replaced the voice as Kallen looked at her Radar. Suddenly more and more friendly IFF's began shutting down.

"What the hell?!"

"Stop the trucks!" Ohgi shouted over the radio as Kallen looked up at her screens. Just in time to witness something she never thought possible.

New Britannian Empire
Capital City, Pendragon

Lelouch frowned beneath his mask as he watched the battle displays changing yet even more and more in his favor. The battle in Pendragon progressing slower than the one in Tokyo, but still leaning heavily in his favor. On one hand, he savored the taste of victory once again. On the other, it also felt like someone was simply handing him a win. There simply wasn't enough enemy forces even warranting a surprise attack, there's simply no way that anyone could win a battle with these numbers.

He then chuckled to himself. Remembering that he, himself had actually managed to start a rebellion with less. However, he had an ability that helped him greatly AND he understood battle tactics more than the average person. Able to calculate moves the enemy could make up to fifteen different choices.

"I don't think I've heard you chuckle like that in the last ten years." C.C. said as she stood next to him, watching the screens herself.

"I was remembering a time when I was the one doing what they were doing. I can't help but appreciate the irony of being on this side of the field." He responded as he crossed his arms, watching the Tokyo screen specifically, "I wonder if this is how they felt when I was destroying and attempting to free people from what couldn't be called anything less than slavery?"

C.C. turned her head to look at him, "The only difference is, is that you aren't a tyrant, you only pretended to be one. You truly had the people and your sister at heart. Wanting them all to live in a world where the Britannian Empire was controlling everything and treating others as sub-human."

Lelouch nodded in reply as he turned his attention briefly to the Pendragon screen. However, his gaze snapped back to Tokyo as he watched friendly IFF's beginning to blink as "LOST" and Kallen's voice filled the speakers.

Fear covering her voice as she spoke, "Q1 to all Black Knights, evasive action! New Enemy forces are...appearing out of thin air!"

Even C.C. looked worried now as she watched the Tokyo screen, "Out of thin air? What could she mean?"

Lelouch was about to respond when Suzaku this time spoke, "Zero! The hospital sector is overrun! Unknown enemy forces have begun appearing across Pendragon, we're losing too many forces!"

Lelouch inhaled sharply as he looked at Pendragon, and sure enough, more and more IFF's blinked to "LOST" and he froze. "But...how...this is impossible!" He reached for the radio and opened a broadcast. "All forces, break off your attacks and proceed to back up lines Bravo and Charlie! Consolidate your positions and dig in!"

"This is B4! Charlie Line is compromised! Bravo Line is non-responsive! Enemy forces converging on the Palace!"

Lelouch took several steps backward, "This is impossible! How!?" He quickly changed the display on the Pendragon map to an exterior camera. He watched as multiple Britannian Units exploded, seemingly being attacked from no where. He felt his jaw drop as he continue to watch. On the screen, multiple Black Knightmares began appearing all over. The air around them shimmering with brief flashes of blue as they faded in, seemingly out of nowhere. The Knightmares were certainly of original design.

The typically angular edges of the form were now rounded, more so than the Guren. The units sported not one but three Factsphere ports, capable of observing a battlefield from 360 degrees, two shoulder mounted and one on the head. The chest piece opened up with four panels and inside was a red glowing device, sending visible waves of energy outward. The right arm of the unit carried a VARIS Rifle, modified in it's own design, possibly able to fire on burst or even fully automatic modes unlike the Lancelots semi-automatic version. The left arm carried nothing, however Lelouch could clearly tell that it contained a barrier system to project a shield should it come under fire. And similar to a Sutherland, it's hips sported dual Slash Harkens.

Lelouch slammed his hands down on the command console, opening an open link to everyone under his command. "This is Zero, the enemy units are employing a new cloaking tech! Proceed with extreme caution! R's 1-5, and B's 1-10, regroup all units and proceed to evacuation points! I am sending coordinates now! P groups, delay the enemy units until all all other forces have evacuated civilians to safe zones. Q1, K1, your jobs are to evacuate the High Ranking Government Official's and get the out of the combat zone."

Lelouch was suddenly greeted with many negative remarks. Ranging from questions of his sanity to outright defiance of his orders. Continuing to fight to the death if needed. Lelouch scowled as he watched more and more units fall to the new Knightmares.

"Listen to me! We must fall back! We cannot-"

Lelouch found himself cut off as an open broadcast began to override his own commands. Pure shock filled his features as the new voice began to speak.

"People of the USJ and New Britannian Empire, I am Claude Demonaire." The voice called out as the visual screens activated and a young man, no older than Lelouch appeared. His eyes sporting those of Geass, Lelouch knew exactly what was happening. "You have been lulled into a false sense of peace and prosperity. Your leaders continue to support a man you all thought to be dead. A man we have ALL grown to hate and despise for the actions taken 10 years ago!"

"Dammit! Claude you fool!" Lelouch shouted at the screen as the image changed from himself to that of Zero.

"Zero! The butcher of the Japanese People, the Conqueror of the World, and the Demon King! Even he still follows the Leadership of this killer of women and children!" The image once again changed from that of Zero to Lelouch, "Lelouch Vi Britannia, Emperor of the Britannian Empire lives! And you still serve him! And for that, you must be saved from yourselves and this tyrant! Anyone who resists will be summarily destroyed! This is your ONLY warning!"

Lelouch clenched his fists as he slammed them down on the console in front of him. His anonymity shattered and the name of Zero tarnished in one blow. If anyone followed him now, it would be a miracle. As he looked up, his eyes went wide. The external camera views showed the enemy forces converging on the Palace, simply electing to remain uncloaked.

"Nunnally..." he muttered to himself, rapidly reaching down he opened the communications channel once again. "All forces retreat! K1, retrieve Empress Nunnally and her child and escort her to safety!" Lelouch stumbled as the enemy units began firing on the Palace, their VARIS weapons literally cleaving away sections of brick and stone.

"K1 on the move!" Suzaku replied, concern dripping off of his voice as the Lancelot surged forward.

Lelouch began to turn away from the console, ready to leave himself as the door to the large atrium opened behind him. Several guards, flanked closely by Nunnally, her crying child, and several hundred civilians began flooding the room. Lloyd immediately approached Lelouch, still clad as Zero.

"I don't know if what that man says is true, but we have no time to waste." Lloyd said as he moved past Lelouch and began typing on the nearest console. "If my access codes are still valid...ah-ha! They do! How wonderful!"

Zero stepped up beside him, "What are you doing?"

Cecile came up behind Lelouch a moment later, "In the event the Palace is overrun, this room is actually the Command Center for a hidden vessel, codenamed Excalibur." She tapped several buttons on the console and several more consoles began raising from the floor. "Only a small handful of us knew of Excalibur and prayed we'd never get to use it. But it seems that time has passed."

"I see...very well then." Zero said as he moved towards the tactical displays, "All units in Pendragon, rendezvous coordinates are being sent to your screens. Zero, out."

((Authors Note: Firstly, I am SO sorry this took so long to come out! I went through a brief period in which that I was lost and needed some time to find my way again! And here you are! The Dual Siege is now ending! Some folks pointed out that things seemed too easy for our heroes, well they were, so I decided to throw the proverbial monkey wrench into Lelouch and C.C.'s return.

Some additional information, what exactly does Excalibur look like? Well, I'm not saying here! You'll just have to read the next chapter to find out! I hope this chapter doesn't come off as campy or predictable! This is in fact my first attempt at a Code Geass Fic that wasn't blatantly pairing off couples and pulling the romance strings. C.C. said multiple times that, "The path of the King is a lonely one." IF any type of relationships form, it's going to take time, Kallen may have forgiven Lelouch at the end of R2, but that's simply because he was dead and she didn't have a choice, she couldn't exactly confront him. And that's even if Lelouch and Kallen have a face to face! Right now, it's undetermined! We'll have to see where the story takes us!

As always, please follow and share and favorite! Your reviews are also VERY welcome! Thank you all once again!))