AN: Here ya go. Enjoy!

Arc III: The Positional Game
Part 3: Counterplay

"Counterplay: In chess, it is the active maneuvering by the player in an inferior or defensive position." – Great Games of the 21st Century, Glossary of Terms

December 28, 2017
Adachi Ghetto, Tokyo Settlement, Area 11

Be-Beep Beep!

"…Mm…"

Be-Beep Beep! Be-Beep Beep!

Weary eyes opened blearily and a hand shot out to quiet the mechanical menace, before tilting the clock to afford the woman a better view.

7:00

A sigh escaped her lips as she begrudgingly dragger herself from the comfort of her bed. Thirty minutes later, Fujito Emiko finished her morning rituals and was headed out the door to go to work. She instantly wished she was back in bed when she stepped out her door. A long shadow loomed ominously over the entire ghetto, blocking out the light and warmth of the sun almost in its entirety.

Hovering over Adachi was something out of an alien invasion movie.

"What the fuck?"

"Japanese residents of Adachi Ghetto, assemble in the central square immediately! By order of His Royal Highness, the Eleventh Prince!" blared the giant, floating steel construct. Any thoughts of sleep fled as those words were repeated over and over above the Britannian-decreed Eleven enclave.

Emiko was one of the first to arrive at the plaza, which was really just a central, relatively flat, bombed out lot. A steel dais had been set up on one end of the clearing, with a few personnel setting up what appeared to be some sort of sound system. The flagpole, normally adorned with a Britannian flag, remained suspiciously bare today, especially since the government's unofficial policy was to have one raised at all times to remind their subjects who was in charge.

Emiko shivered as a chilly breeze swooped past, her flimsy jacket offering scant protection against the dry, frigid morning weather of December Tokyo. A cigarette soon appeared between her lips and a lighter between her fingers, the vice managing to bring a measure of comfort.

"'Sup, Emiko," a man dressed in patchy clothes with a skateboard tucked under his arm greeted.

"Hello," Emiko answered, offering him a roll, which the man accepted gladly.

He inhaled the nicotine greedily and let out a steady stream of smoke, earning him disapproving glares from some nearby parents. "These Gaijin up to no good again, eh?"

"They're always up to no good, Shinja." She glanced tentatively at her watch. "I'm going to be late for work 'cuz of this."

"Relax, Emiko. Everyone's going to be late. Britannians have a talent for ruining people's mornings. On the bright side, at least it's Lelouch addressing us."

"Lelouch vi Britannia? Isn't he the one that Suzaku Kururugi works for?"

"Right in one." Shinja's eyes darted side to side, checking his surroundings, before leaning in closer. "They say he's a friend to us Japanese." He shared in hushed Nippon.

"Really?" A wry grin tugged at Emiko's lips. She took a moment to quash her discarded cigarette butt with her heel, before continuing. "That's certainly interesting. What makes them say so?"

"Kururugi's easily the highest ranking Japanese in the army, all thanks to the good prince's patronage. Also, if you listen to his speeches he calls us Japanese and he lived in our country for years before being restored to the Royal Family."

"You sound like a conspiracy theorist."

Shinja gave her a half hearted glare. "At the very least he's someone to keep an eye on. Oh, it's starting."

Lelouch vi Britannia was donned in his signature black uniform which could be described in one word: minimalistic. It's design followed standard military protocol with his rank stitched above the breast and his rank displayed on the epaulettes, but otherwise had no other adornments – a sharp contrast with his brother, Clovis', extravagant style. There was a surprising lack of guards in the vicinity.

"Good morning, people of Adachi." Gasps were heard from the older people in the crowd as a dark purple flag rose in the air; a white orb was circled by a hollow ring of the same color while 6 rays, evenly spaced branched out from the ring.

"Tokyo-to-ki," Emiko heard a graying man that appeared to be in his sixties, murmur with equal parts of disbelief, shock and awe.

'Til her dying day, Emiko would swear that the prince was smirking at them as he announced that: "The 1st Tokyo Regiment is now recruiting."

For the second time in a little over a week, Lelouch found himself beneath the crystal chandeliers of the Viceroy's Grand Ballroom.

"That's the Duke and Duchess of Cebu, Area 12, Jonas and Margaret Warwick. They made their fortune buying up prime real estate from Areas undergoing postwar recovery. Two children aged 16 and 18. The elder just got accepted into Oxford, while the younger, whom they came to visit, is studying at Ashford Academy." Eric, undoubtedly the socialite of his posse, informed him cheerily.

Lelouch acknowledged his words with a tilt of his head, downed the last of his champagne and marched off to court some more nobles.

Suzaku watched from a distance, tugging at his collar and evidently uncomfortable in his surroundings. He was here, forced nearly at gunpoint, for what Lelouch claimed to be social training. He was never one for parties, finding them wasteful at best and wearisome at worst. His sight shifted to the side briefly, eyeing the equally out of place recruits of the Zero Squad.

Suzaku sighed. At least he didn't have to endure this alone.

"Captain, with all due respect, this is a waste of time." Suzaku agreed with Dalque, the most battle hungry among the girls, but orders were orders.

"We go where the prince commands." He frowned. "Best we get this over with so we can get back to the real work."

"Ah and here is my Captain right now!"

Suzaku nearly drew his gun, reflexes honed by long hours engaged in life or death combat. He chastised himself for allowing someone to sneak up on him, and forced a smile onto his face.

Lelouch's gaze pierced through him, and his look made it clear he had seen the near slip up. "Get a hold of yourself," they conveyed without words.

He turned to the thankfully unaware couple with him. "Lord Jonas, Lady Margaret," he began, and Suzaku couldn't help but be impressed how easily he had transitioned into a first name basis with the pair. "I promised you a meeting with the troops, and here they are!" Lelouch said with a flourish.

"My, they certainly are young!" Jonas exclaimed. "It seems the military is pushing the age restrictions for service these days." There was a hint of disapproval in his tone. Possibly he was emphatic because he had children close to their own age.

"Suzaku and the girls are all volunteers, I assure you." Lelouch said, beginning the damage control. The Britannian military had come under criticism by the more humanitarian nobles over their exploitation of young adolescents. "I've been looking into schooling for them while not in active combat. I'm hoping the brass will see the importance of nurturing the younger members in the service and initiate a plan throughout the entire force."

His words were getting him approving nods from the two. "That's very noble of you, my Prince."

Lelouch gave them a dazzling smile. "Please, Lord Jonas. You've given me the honor of calling you by your first name. It is only right I offer you the same courtesy."

Here, the Duke of Cebu smiled. "Very well, Prince Lelouch." He didn't seem all that ready to abandon all sense of formality, though even Suzaku could see the barriers that separated the royals from the world were breaking down here. "If it should ever come to a vote, rest assured I will lend you my support."

"That's most generous of you, Your Grace. I hope you didn't mind me keeping you." He shifted his attention to the Duchess, brushing his lips on the back of her hand in a traditional farewell. "Lady Margaret, all the best to your family. I'm sure your eldest will do marvelously in Oxford."

The woman seemed to brim with pleasure that the Prince knew of her children. "Thank you, Prince Lelouch." she paused, and Suzaku could feel her scrutiny pass over him.

Finally, she smiled at them, as if judging the Zero Squad worthy. "If you have trouble looking for a good school for the boy and the girls, you should consider Ashford Academy. The superintendent, the Baron Ashford, is your old friend, isn't he? I'm sure he'll be more than happy to take in these bright children."

"What a marvelous idea!" Lelouch was a good actor. Suzaku, having known him for years, could tell it was fake praise. In all likelihood, Ashford Academy was where he planned to send them all along. "I hadn't thought of it myself, to be honest. You have my gratitude, milady."

The nobles nodded one last time before leaving. Lelouch watched them walk away then turned to the squad, his courtly demeanor fading into a more serious one.

"Ashford Academy, Prince Lelouch?" Sancia, the de facto leader of the girls, asked.

Lelouch took a moment to gauge their reactions. Lucretia was the bookish type and seemed pleased. Dalque, predictable enough, found the idea repulsive, but would come around if ordered. Sancia kept her face neutral, a trait that serve her well as mediator. And, of course, Alice remained her naturally indifferent self.

"We don't need no schooling." Dalque muttered.

Lelouch raised a brow at her. "That's a double negative, which shows exactly why you need schooling." At her confused look, he let out an exasperated sigh. "Grammar rule…you know what, never mind. They'll cover it in class. There's also the matter of rehabilitation."

"Rehabilitation?" an edge crept into Alice's voice. "Are you saying something's wrong with us?"

"Yes," replied Lelouch, unabashed and unfazed by the dangerous glint in her eyes. "three of you almost drew your arms when I introduced the Duke and Duchess." his eyes darted between Alice and Suzaku; the accusation was there.

Suzaku briefly wondered who the third might be, before concluding it was likely Dalque, given her violent tendencies. "That makes all of you potential dangers to civilians if you don't learn to control your battle instincts."

There was truth in his words, Suzaku had to concede. It might be for the best in the long run if they started while it wasn't nearly as bad.

"Well said, Prince Lelouch."

Lelouch turned around, recognizing the voice. "General Darlton!" he exclaimed, "Euphie," he greeted his pink haired half-sister, who was standing beside the general, more evenly. "I thought you were with Princess Cornelia pacifying rebels in North Africa?" he asked, addressing Darlton once more.

"I was." Darlton said with a nod, "but due to the…situation here, Princess Cornelia thought it prudent to have someone guard her siblings."

Really, it meant she wanted someone keeping an eye on Euphemia. The Second Princess' protectiveness over the Third was well known even among the rank and file.

Euphemia scowled, probably realizing the same. In recent times, she had become assertive when it came to her personal freedom. She was entering her "rebellious teen stage" as Lelouch liked to call it.

"We're at a party." Euphemia stated matter-of-factly. "We should dance!" She glanced at Lelouch, who was busy discussing business with General Darlton, and looked slightly dejected.

Suzaku looked around and realized there were no other men, only elderly noblemen with their wives, nearby. Euphemia's eyes lighted up as she locked gazes with him.

Oh shi-

"Come!" she grabbed him by the arm and, quite literally, dragged him away. "You're Suzaku right?"

"Um, yes Princess." Suzaku was keenly aware of the stares they were getting. After all, a Princess of Britannia consorting with a Number! It was positively scandalous!

"Euphie."

"Sorry?"

She flashed a dazzling smile at him and, despite being kidnapped; Suzaku found himself admiring her beauty. "You can call me Euphie. Any friend of brother Lelouch's is a friend of mine."

A cheery little song started playing from the live orchestra. "Oh this song!" clearly, she recognized the music, whereas Suzaku could merely identify its genre as classical, "Do you know how to waltz?"

He shook his head and hoped she would let him go.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you. It's easy enough." No such luck. She took his right hand with her left and instructed him to place his other hand on her waist. He obeyed, making sure to be as respectful as possible.

In other words, his hand was barely making contact.

Superior enemy frames? Not a problem. Overwhelming odds? That only made things more interesting. Dealing with an angry, overprotective brother that answered to the name Lelouch? Hell that was something Suzaku – and any man who wished to live longer than a year – didn't want to face…ever.

Suzaku spotted a hint of annoyance grace Euphie's face, before she gave him another of her breathtaking smiles. She grabbed a handful of the fabric covering his shoulder and pulled hard, causing Suzaku to jerk forward and struggle to maintain his balance.

Fortunately, he was gifted with a natural grace and managed to right himself before they toppled over. Unfortunately, his automatic reaction was to grab her tighter for support, causing the hand that was on her side to be repositioned to her back. Suzaku's hand came into contact with something soft, smooth and warm. The sensation felt oddly like...skin.

Suzaku gulped, realizing how the scene now looked.

"That's better." Euphie whispered mischievously. She was giving the paparazzi enough scandal for a week with the distance between their bodies. If Lelouch didn't kill him, Cornelia would.

Suzaku Kururugi was a dead man walking.

Japan was facing a brutal winter this year.

Kallen shivered as a breeze passed, drawing the winter jacket closer around her lithe form. She watched the car that brought her to school drive off, before heading through the Academy gates. According to the news, it was one of the worst their country had ever faced.

And for the rebels, it came at a most unfortunate time. The momentum of the "Tokyo Drive", Commander Tohdoh's campaign to liberate the capital, had been grinded to a snail's pace by the bitter cold and stiffening Britannian positions. Advancing a hundred meters became the new benchmark of success.

Kallen couldn't help but see the irony. Their moment of triumph taken from them by the very land they fought for. Fate was a bitch sometimes.

Even if they could somehow revive their assault in spring, the Britannians would've already been entrenched in the lands they still had. The situation was steadily worsening. Just the other day, Prince Lelouch's personal brigade had paraded down the streets brazenly to the cheers of Britannian and Japanese loyalists.

What was most troubling was news of the Japanese regiment being formed under the Prince's watch. He had acted so quickly their cell only found out yesterday, with already half the regiment recruited. It was snowballing out of their hands. The best they could do was infiltrate the regiment, but their guerilla campaign had to be stopped. The regiment, needing to be training quickly, had been assigned to guard the juiciest targets – sakuradite stores, military facilities and public utilities - in the relatively undermanned settlement.

That Prince Lelouch was a crafty bastard. Without firing a shot, he had managed to bring them to heel with nothing but their own fears. No doubt killing their own countrymen would not sit well with the Japanese, even if these were technically traitors.

Kin was kin, after all.

So these days, Kallen was mostly busy solidifying her cover and whipping the recruits into shape. Her Glasgow was now missing both its arms after a series of particularly nasty traps they walked into while conducting missions a month prior. It was part of the reason they were unable to continue operations.

Commander Tohdoh had promised that more supplies, including a new weapon, were en route to us, but the smugglers were having a hard time due to increased security.

She growled under her breath, drawing curious looks she didn't see from the students around her.

All this damned waiting was frustrating!

"Something the matter, Kallen?"

Kallen's eyes widened and she spun on the spot so fast her neck almost snapped. "Uh, Milly. It's just…I don't like the cold." she let out a feeble smile, keeping in line with her sick girl persona.

"Well," the blonde sounded…husky, "if the cold is letting you down, I could always make you feel better." she leaned in close…far too close for Kallen's comfort, and whispered in her ear sensually. "you know, sharing body heat is the best way to keep warm in this winter."

Kallen's face matched her hair and she took several uncertain steps back.

"That's quite enough, Madame President. You're traumatizing the poor girl." Kallen let out a grateful sigh. The president's perverted sexual tendencies were really starting to get out of hand.

She turned her head to thank her savior, except no words came out. Her throat became dry and a sudden chill gripped her, though strangely no wind was blowing.

She could hear Milly's "frown" as she continued to stare at the newcomer, as if struck by the stony gaze of medusa. "You're always ruining my fun, Lelouch."

Lelouch snorted. "And you should be thankful for it, or the police would have come up with sexual harassment charges against you."

"Against an innocent thing like me? Surely you jest."

"Innocent?" Lelouch repeated the word with a wry smirk.

"Besides," Milly continued, ignoring him it seemed, "I've got a friend high up in the food chain now. You wouldn't let them take me away would you, Lulu?"

Lelouch winced at the effeminate nickname his friend insisted on. "If you never call me that again, I'll make sure of it."

Meanwhile, one of the girls behind Lelouch mouthed "Lulu" questioningly to a face Kallen identified as Suzaku Kururugi, who merely shrugged in response. Kallen wondered briefly who his posse was, as all of them looked around her age if not younger.

Suzaku she recognized as the Prince's cohort, and was likely there on protection detail. Eric Maximillan, his royal guardsman, was also present. Even the face of the blond Alice girl, whom she remembered from a few months prior, was familiar. The three other girls, however, were not.

Perhaps they were his consorts? They were certainly pretty enough. Kallen filed this thought away, marking them as potential future hostages if the need arose.

Milly had just finished rejecting Lelouch's offer of immunity. "By the way, Lelouch, this is Kallen Stadtfeld." The mischievous grin on her face was unnerving. "She's the one you were so interested in."

Kallen gawked and Lelouch slapped his forehead in annoyed manner. Oh, no…it'll be a cold day in hell before I join a Britannian prince's harem! Kallen thought furiously, mouth becoming dysfunctional in her time of need.

"I apologize for the behavior of Milly, Miss Stadtfeld. Tact, it seems, is one of the social graces she has yet to learn." he said, shooting the girl a glare.

"But tact is so boring."

Her words went ignored. "I assure you, she exaggerates the situation. Blowing things out of proportion with rumor mongering is her life calling, you see. I merely expressed curiosity in you since it is quite rare for her to admit people into the Student Council. As the former Vice President, It was my duty to keep her in check. I am sure you are a capable student and an asset to the council."

The latter half of his explanation never even processed in her mind. The Prince was expressing curiosity in her? That sent alarm bells ringing. That was bad news all around. Either she had been made, which was unlikely, or he was thinking of making her a consort.

"I believe I met your parents the other day. Quite the charming couple."

Oh God! He was definitely thinking of making her a consort. Her bitch of a mother would just jump at the idea! Kallen had to activate her Geass momentarily to compose herself.

"Miss Stadtfeld? Are you alright?" Lelouch asked, worried at the unresponsiveness of the girl. He saw a strange flash of red over her eyes that appeared then disappeared in a split second. Frowning, he chalked it up to a trick of the light, and repeated his question.

"I….yes, I'm quite well. Thank you for asking." Kallen muttered.

"It's just her condition acting up, Lelouch. Geez, I know the limits of people. Give me some credit." Milly said.

Again, he continued to ignore her. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Stadtfeld." he brought the back of her hand to his lips, planting a soft kiss that burned her skin. "Allow me to introduce my companions. These are Suzaku Kururugi and Eric Maximillan, my captains and trusted subordinates from the North African Campaign. The lovely ladies behind me are Alice, Sancia, Dalque and Lucretia, the newest members of the Zero Squad."

That calmed Kallen down somewhat. So they weren't his lovers. Somehow, being the only mate of the Prince made Kallen feel a bit better about the situation, even If she found the entire thing repulsive.

"So what brought this on, Lulu? I doubt you came down for a social visit?" Milly asked.

"You're right. I'm here to speak with your Grandfather about enrolling them in the Academy. Their education is still quite lacking and due to their military duties, it makes conventional schooling difficult. I was hoping he'd be more accommodating."

"Well this way then. I'm sure we can work something out." Milly said, sounding confident. She probably was, considering her grandfather was wrapped around her pinky. "Maybe we can grab lunch with the council afterwards?"

Lelouch took out his phone and consulted his calendar. "Sounds like a plan."

Milly grinned like Christmas had come again. "Kallen, you'll join us, I hope." she said, before skipping away.

"Ms. Stadtfeld, it was a pleasure." Lelouch said, tilting his head, before following after the blonde.

Kallen nodded mutely. She waited for them to move out of earshot then whipped out her phone and pressed number two on her speed dial.

"Ohgi, we have a situation."

"Your Highness."

Lelouch sighed exasperatedly. "Please Ruben, no need for such formality. You, if no one else, deserves to call me Lelouch."

"So what's this about?" asked Ruben, leaning into his chair with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, his second this morning, in hand.

"Schooling," Lelouch said, gesturing to the assembled soldiers behind him with his thumb. "and business after that's taken care of."

Ruben studied his newest students for a moment. "I take it they're safe around children?" He was all too aware of the PTSD most soldiers experienced after participating in active combat.

"They'll be unarmed while attending. At the very least, they won't permanently injure anybody."

Ruben nodded acceptingly. "Milly, please bring them to Kristin to fill out the forms."

"Afterwards, you could show them around the grounds." Lelouch added, aware that the president treated classes as an optional activity. Being the granddaughter of the man who owned and ran the school gave you certain privileges. "We'll meet at the main gate at noon."

Once they were along, Lelouch clapped to get the aging principal's attention. "First order of business, I need my graduation papers processed."

"Alright, that's simple enough." It should be. Lelouch had earned enough units to graduate twice over. The only reason he hadn't moved on to college was to remain under the radar while he was in hiding. That was no longer an issue. "Next?"

"The Church is asking us to stop using 'Templar' as our Knightmare's name. How is the repair by the way?"

"Repairs are at 40 percent. It took a while to drag the pieces you left me to the new facility." commented Ruben dryly. "Can't we negotiate with the Church about the name?"

"I suppose we could." Lelouch rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'll write to the Patriarch and see if we can't arrive at some sort of agreement. How's the Foundation faring?"

"Stock prices are now being traded at 230 pounds. Our investors are so pleased that they've offered us substantial loans at low interests." That would bring the company some much needed capital.

"How low?"

"One percent."

"Take it." Lelouch said. It was lower than even the bank's rates. "Is our staffing complete?"

"Mostly, but we've had some difficulty finding talent for our R&D."

"Expand our search to the other Areas, but keep it within the Empire. I want to minimize the chances of the Union or the Federation getting a hold of this tech." Ruben wrote it down on his notepad. "Ongoing projects?"

"Aside from the Templar's repair, we have the Argyll retrofit. We've had to the Glasgow's software in order to work out all the kinks you've noted. It should be finished in a week's time. One of the teams recently finished the proposal for the Lancaster frame. The Yorkshire, on the other, is already being built. Latest report had it a thirty percent completion." Ruben said, consulting with his notes every so often.

"What of the Longbow and Project Aegis?"

Here, Ruben shook his head. "Like I said, R&D isn't fully staffed yet. We don't have the manpower to start on the Longbow while running all these projects."

Lelouch frowned, but accepted it nonetheless. It wasn't like skilled knightmare mechanics and inventors were common. "How about small arms?"

His words took Ruben by surprise. "Small arms?"

"Yeah, EDC and KTC have a division working on it. So should we." EDC and KTC, the abbreviations of the Eisenheim Development Corporation and the Krum Technology Company, were the biggest players in the flourishing weapons development industry.

"They've got larger budgets." pointed out Ruben. "We shouldn't overreach."

"Their gear is disappointing. I've got several reports from the front of guns jamming in the middle of battles. It's gotten plenty of my men killed." Lelouch growled. He hated unnecessary losses. "Besides, we've been so phenomenally successful that the brass will buy just about anything we make."

"I'll put it on the list." Ruben conceded. "Anything else?"

"Get another secretary to help you out." Lelouch said, noticing the dark bags circling underneath his eyes. "You're no good to me dead Ruben."

Ruben chuckled. "It'll be the first thing I do."

"One last thing. When does our production line become operational? My brigade's suffering from supply issues and it's only getting worse with the additional regiments I'm recruiting for the Legion."

"The ribbon cutting ceremony for the factory is on Wednesday, but I can call in the workers early if it's urgent."

"I'd appreciate it. 8-3-1, when the retrofit's ready." The numbers were a production ratio for Sutherlands, Argylls and Gloucesters respectively. "Now, this is what we'll do for the HQ's security…"

Lunch proved to be an interesting affair for Lelouch. The Zero Squad, the Ashford Student Council and the guards Wolfe had brought along made for a grand total of fifteen. The mixed group headed out to a nearby restaurant that serve Japanese food – which was likely the only part of Japanese culture that the Empire hadn't tried to stamp out given its popularity among the nobility.

Lelouch chewed on the strip of sashimi, letting out an appreciative sound. "I haven't had any Japanese food since I left."

"It's been what, six months? Amazing how time flies." Shirley smiled flirtatiously. "It's good to see you again Lelouch."

Rivalz nodded enthusiastically in agreement, while Nina remained silent.

Kallen leaned forward, resting her head on an elegant hand propped up by an elbow. "So Lelouch, why did you enroll them in the Academy?"

"The Ashfords are a close family friend making the Academy a logical sense." He called the waiter over with a wave of his hand. Lelouch studied the man's face, which looked distinctly Japanese to him. His nameplate, however, revealed his name to be "Bob" – something which Lelouch very much doubted.

His staring had left the waiter fidgeting uncomfortably at the attention. Lelouch knew why of course. If a prince was displeased with a number, that person was lucky to escape with his head still attached to the rest of the body. He weighted his choices in his mind before coming to a decision.

"Another order of sashimi, please." Jaws dropped all around him, with Suzaku and Milly being the sole exceptions. Speaking a language you weren't expected to know had that strange effect on people.

"You speak Eleven?" Shirley asked.

"Of course," Lelouch said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "you can't move to a country for seven years without learning the local tongue." By now, the waiter looked like he would be going into an epileptic shock soon. This made the prince feel a little guilty. He hadn't intended to kill the man with his words alone…though that was certainly something he could use against the JLF. Perhaps some research was in order?

"Do you not speak Japanese?" Lelouch asked him politely. "I apologize if that is the case."

"N-no, honorable sir, I was surprised is all. It will be an honor to serve." The man bowed from his waist, before stepping away.

"You should have used Japanese during recruitment." Suzaku pointed out, breaking the silence. "Would've netted you far more recruits."

"Good idea." Lelouch said. "Remind me the next time we go the ghettoes."

"You've been to the ghettoes!" This Shirley shrieked, eliciting a wince from Lelouch who was less than two seats away.

"Jeez, no need to shout Shirley." Lelouch said. "Yes, I've been there, many times in fact. It's a rather interesting place to be in actually."

"You're just full of surprises today, Prince Lelouch." Kallen said.

Lelouch gave her a look. "You mean I'm not always full of surprises?"

Knights of St. Michael Mobile Base, Tunis, Area 17

A gentle sea breezed by and a banner fluttered in the sky. The Archangel, wings stretched and sword ready to strike, stared defiantly at his Lord's enemy. St. Michael's white robes were stained with a bright crimson and a golden glow exuded from his body, giving his form an ethereal quality.

Beneath the heavenly figure were his worldly followers, his Knights. They wore a uniform following his motif of red with white and gold. Like the Archangel, their metaphorical wings were stretched and their literal swords ready to strike. Before them was a military base, engulfed in fire, provided illumination in the moonless desert night. Figures, bulky and mechanical, dashed around furtively and the song of clashing steel drifted.

Grandmaster General Michele Manfredi brought his the point of his sword down in a single, sweeping arc.

"FORWARD!" they charged like an unstoppable stampede in their Gloucesters. The enemy though caught unaware, refused to yield so easily.

In the desert, the archangel and the wyvern clashed.

"Quite an impressive vessel, Brigadier General."

Lelouch titled his head at the address. You could tell a lot about a person's intentions by how they called you. In particular, people who stressed his military rank were often trying to assert their authority as higher up in the hierarchy. Usually, this was preceded by orders they weren't allowed to give to him as he belonged to a separate chain of command.

"The Prime Minister has outdone himself." Lelouch admitted. "HMAS Glastonbury will be our anvil in the south."

"I think it will be more useful in the north, against the Federation. They are, after all, the real threat."

Ah, so that was what Calares wanted. Well, he'd be disappointed. "These are orders from the Viceroy, General. I'm afraid you'll have to take it up with him."

"The Viceroy," he snorted, "is hardly a military man. He'll just about agree to anything we say."

Lelouch paused. That was true. Clovis, while not completely spineless, would hardly stand against the decision of two experienced commanders when it meant he'd have to take the fall if his plan failed whereas agreeing would give him some buffer against the reprisals.

"Think on my offer, Prince vi Britannia." Calares parted with these words.

Interesting. It seemed the ne Britannias would ally with him just to take down Clovis. The question, of course, was who to side with in this internal struggle. Calares was the clear winner as a seasoned veteran with nearly double Clovis' men at his disposal. If Calares won against the Federation, it would give him enough clout to oust Clovis at court and secure the Area for himself.

The question was who to side with.

Decisions, decisions.

He adjusted his cap and straightened out his all black uniform, before walking up the ramp to his flagship. Lelouch had to admit: having a floating ship was just pure awesome. There was just something so naturally exhilarating about being on the aerial behemoth.

It felt empowering.

His Knight of Honor was waiting. No words needed to be exchanged as he acknowledged him silently. Jeremiah waited for him to pass by, before falling in step behind him. "How's the training going?"

"My Prince, the 2nd Quebec has finished basic paratrooper training. The 1st Ontario will begin tomorrow and will finish in time for the spring campaign."

"And the Japanese regiments?"

"The 1st Tokyo has been assigned patrol duty. As you predicted, the rebels refuse to move against their own people and incidents are at an all time low. Recruitment for the 2nd Tokyo begins in a week." Jeremiah answered dutifully.

"Good. How are our men faring with the workload?"

"Well enough, sir. Morale is dropping a little with all the changes being undergone. They're starting to ask questions."

This gave Lelouch pause. "The officer's too?"

"The officer's are not as vocal about it, but there have been subtle inquiries. We'll have to tell them something soon."

"No."

"No?" Gottwald, not for the first time, found himself questioning his prince's choices. Then again, the prince always had a plan before.

"No. Let them continue to doubt. But you may tell the officers I will be giving a speech to all the men by the spring thaw. That should tide them over."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Jeremiah?"

"Your Highness?"

"Will you ever call me by my name?"

"When knightmare's learn to fly, Your Highness." Jeremiah joked.

Lelouch smiled one of his "I know something you don't" ones. "Wolfe and his men are to undergo AUCOT training."

"I'd have to talk to the Elite Operations Brigade for that."

"It shouldn't be a problem. General Monroe is a friend of ours."

"A friend of ours" was a phrase his prince had been using more and more frequently. Jeremiah had to wonder where all these allies were suddenly coming from. "I shall see to it, my Prince."

"Salvador, Haywood, Hawthorne, Wood, Arlington," recited the Prince, each name obviously of some significance, "command meeting tomorrow at the nerve center."

"For what, sire?"

"We're beginning planning for the Spring Campaign." Lelouch said offhandedly, as if mentioning the weather. "I just received confirmation of General Calares' plans for the north."

"He told you?" Jeremiah was impressed, to say the least.

Lelouch snorted. "He didn't have to tell me anything." Ah…his powers of inductive reasoning at work then. "Haven't I told you I always have a plan, Jeremiah?"

"Many times, sir," Jeremiah confessed, "but I still continue to question you anyway."

"…and he speaks Japanese." Kallen finished reporting her experience with the Eleventh Prince.

Ohgi groaned and slammed his head on the table repeatedly. "Is there anything this guy doesn't do?"

"Doesn't seem like it." Tamaki grudgingly said. "He's a modern Renaissance man."

"General Tohdoh won't like this." Inoue, the recently appointed chief of intelligence, muttered.

"General?"

"He was promoted last week." Inoue shared. "It was more for morale than anything else. With the offensive stalling, Command needed something to keep spirits up. In terms of power or command structure, nothing's changed."

"To be fair," Sugiyama said, "he probably already knows. The General and the Prince have history together, don't they? Good news is that a supply group managed to get past the city defenses." The quartermaster said to the cheers of the core members.

"Finally, they were taking forever." Kallen said dourly. "What do they have for us?"

"Energy fillers, Burai ammo, some spare parts for repairs and the new weapon we were promised." Kent said the last part with a wide grin. "You'll love it."

Kallen looked skeptical, but followed them to an underground stash, one of many placed strategically around the ghettoes. As he had said, there were boxes on boxes of neatly stacked ammo crates and batteries waiting for them. A black arm or leg would occasionally be spotted in there too. It made sense that these were what they'd be sent. Food or conventional weaponry they could easily steal from the Britannians, but knightmare equipment was a rare haul for a resistance group.

Kent tossed something at Kallen, who caught it instinctively. It was a rather thick book with a picture of a red flower on the cover. There was also something bulky jutting out from it. Kallen arched her brow at Kent, who was standing in front of a steel, roll-up door.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced as if they were watching a spectator sport, "it is my great pleasure to present to you," Kent kicked the door, sending it rolling up noisily. A sleek frame stood behind him, coated in crimson with a claw for its right hand.

"The Guren Mark 2!"

Kallen turned the page of her book, and sure enough the name was there in beautiful script. Beneath it was the knightmare's key.

"Ha!" Tamaki wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Look at our little Kallen making her way up in the world. Even the higher ups are noticing."

"Congratulation Captain Kozuki," Ohgi said formally, a wide grin showing how he really felt, "your first order is to give the Britannians hell."

"What's my target?"

"The Fourth Princess and what her arrival entails
by Diethard Reid

Yesterday, the Fourth Princess of the Empire, Nunnally vi Britannia arrived at the Tokyo Airport. This makes the Fourth Princess the Fourth Royal to be in the area indefinitely. A word with the young royal revealed that she was here to visit her family. Those she named included, naturally, the famed Eleventh Prince, Lelouch vi Britannia, whom she had not seen since he left for Area 11 3 months ago, the Third Prince, Viceroy Clovis la Britannia, and the Third Princess, Sub Viceroy Euphemia li Britannia.

Aside from these surface reasons, it also shows an increasing commitment from the Royal Family to maintaining the Area as part of the Empire. With four prominent members of the Royal family here, it signals that their willingness to fight for dominion over the island state. Accompanying the Princess were Gino Weinberg and Anya Alstreim, the Knights of Three and Six respectively.

The implications of their presence are two-fold. First, it reasserts the importance of Area 11 to the Empire and the deployment of two high caliber Knights to its defense shows even the Emperor is taking interest in what is usually considered a domestic affair. Second, the vi Britannias are held in high regard by the Emperor still if he deemed the Princess important enough to protect with his own Knights.

In the coming months, conflict between the Federation and Empire is likely to escalate as history shows neither of the two super states usually back down. Given Area 11 is the source of 70% of the world's current sakuradite supply, it will be a world changing event. Britannia's dominance is ensured if it wins. On the other, a Federation victory will mark the beginning of rapid knightmare development programs, but will not cripple Britannia as several untapped reserves reside within the Empire (Area 2, 3 and 8 in particular).

The Office of the Viceroy has refused to offer an official statement regarding the current situation, but the actions they are taking has made one for them clearly enough. The Empire is here to stay."

Lelouch stopped dead in his tracks.

Outside his sister's room was Sayoko, kneeling with head bowed down shamefully.

"What the fuck?" his eloquent use of English stirred the ninja maid into raising her head just so she could meet his eyes, before she let it fall again, this time lower.

"I've displeased Mistress Nunnally." her voice quivered. "She's sent me away."

Lelouch frowned. That didn't sound like her sister at all. Nunnally loved Sayoko. She probably didn't hold anyone in higher esteem with the exception of himself. And Sayoko was one of the most competent people he knew. There wasn't anything she did that wasn't done perfectly. "When did this happen?"

"Just this morning, Your Highness."

"Let's talk to her."

Sayoko stood, uncertainly, and followed him into the room.

"Nunnally," Lelouch began with a worried tone, "what this all about."

The crippled girl tilted her head. "You need her more than I do now, brother. So take her, and don't worry about me."

"What?"

"Your information network is lacking. If you had one of any worth, the rebels in the city wouldn't even be here anymore." She sounded very sure of her words.

Lelouch couldn't exactly argue with her. No one knew him better. "Sayoko is here for your protection. That is her job."

"Sayoko is here for our protection." Nunnally corrected. "And she can do that best serving as your eyes and ears again. Besides, I'll be perfectly safe here."

"You're a target." Lelouch stressed, unwilling to leave his sister defenseless. "No one can protect you better."

"She won't be of much help if you go down!" Lelouch had a feeling that if she wasn't confined to her wheelchair, she would have jumped up. "Personal skill can only go so far before some political power is required."

Lelouch did the only thing he could do in that situation. He laughed.

"What happened to my innocent little sister?" he asked, sounding amused. "What happened to the girl who thought posturing was unnecessary in our world?"

"She went to court with the vipers." Nunnally gave him a half smile that had a hard edge to it. "Then, she grew up."

Lelouch nodded. He always knew his sister possessed remarkable intelligence - while not on par with his own – was nothing to scoff at. "That still leaves you remarkably vulnerable. The Knights of the Round can be withdrawn at any time. We need something more permanent for you."

"Then I'll select a Knight of Honor."

Diethard Reid, renowned journalist and media mastermind, found himself staring into the cold, calculating orbs that Lelouch vi Britannia passed off for eyes. That wasn't what freaked him out though.

It was the supernatural being in the room with them.

He hadn't seen it yet, but he could just…sense its presence. It was there, in the shadows. Watching. Waiting.

"Your article the other day was spot on." Lelouch finally said.

Reid nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness." He tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice. Tried and failed.

"I want you to work for me."

"Work for you?" Diethard repeated questioningly.

"Yes. Or rather, for her." Reid's eyes followed his finger and, for a moment, the shadowy presence revealed her constantly morphing face to him, before melding into the dark once more.

"I'm honored, sir, but I don't exactly find summoning demons and sacrificing babies as a worthy pastime." he joked dryly, but couldn't help but half believe his own words. Seriously, what was this thing the Prince was working with? It was just freaky.

"Demons? Babies? We do nothing of the sort, Mr. Reid. In fact, I think you'll rather enjoy this."

"Oh? Do tell." Reid leaned forward. This might prove to be interesting.

"What we do, Mr. Reid," Lelouch's smile turned feral, like a predator catching a prey in its jaws, "is make history."

Incoming Transmission.

Establishing Secure Line.

To: Overlord
Fr: Stopwatch

Li Xing Ke. Azure Dragon. Lesser Dragon.
Lin Tai Xin. Vermillion Bird. Winter Giant.
Zhou Xianglin. Black Turtle. Sandy Tomb.
Wei Hong Gu White Tiger. Million Islands.

All witnesses neutralized.

"This is Kozuki. Convoy sighted." Kallen gripped the Guren's controls excitedly. This would be her first time on the field in months. She was aching to go.

Last night, Commander Tohdoh had called up every rebel in the city to get ready for their largest operation to date. An informant had managed to send them vital information regarding the routes of every military supply truck today. This would be a crippling blow to the army that they could not afford, especially with the spring thaws beginning. The war would begin with renewed vigor in a week's time.

"Kozuki, you are clear to engage." She slammed her lever forward, sending the Guren accelerating at speeds she hadn't thought possible for a knightmare. Her men followed behind her at a considerably slower pace.

The red machine hit the Britannian convoy like a high caliber bullet going through a watermelon, shattering any semblance of formation on impact. Ah, how she missed crushing these Britannian pricks!

"Secure the package, I'll take care of the Britannians." Kallen ordered, taking pleasure in grabbing a Gloucester frame bearing officer markings with her clawed hand. "See ya!" The Guren's radiation wave surger activated, triggering a chain reaction in the various highly volatile liquids within the knightmare. In exactly half a second, the machine had exploded from the internal pressure as its parts kept expanding at an unsustainable rate.

"EMP!" the shout spurned an instinctive response from Kallen as she set her knightmare to reverse instantly. Despite the perfect reaction, she was, inevitably too close to the device. Her radiation claw was hit by the electronically disruptive wave, turning the glorious weapon into a useless hunk of steel. She went through the emergency protocols and rebooted the system. Hopefully, that would get the arm working again. If not, she was screwed anyway.

Eyes still glowing red, she took stock of the situation.

The convoy had been a trap! All around them, Sutherlands started dropping in from the skies, disabling the few Burais still active and taking into custody those that weren't. Their infantry, those that hadn't surrendered, were being cut down with precise sniper fire.

But this didn't make any sense! The convoy held equipment worth millions of pounds. Why would a commander so callously sacrifice men and material by placing a bomb with it?

"Ah, looks like our mysterious Glasgow pilot got an upgrade."

That voice belonged to Eric Maximillan. Sure enough, a black Gloucester with the Prince's markings barred her path.

"You sure it's the same one?" Suzaku Kururugi asked from behind her.

They were mocking her, communicating through an open channel like this. They were saying she couldn't stop them even if she knew what they were thinking.

"No one else uses a ridiculously red knightmare." pointed out Maximillan. "I'm pretty sure."

"I don't see how this managed to beat you and the Prince." Ah shit. It was the full package today with Jeremiah Gottwald completing the triumvirate.

"He's tougher than he looks." Eric defended, more to save his own pride at being defeated than out of respected for a fallen adversary. "Besides, just 'cuz he got hit by the EMP doesn't mean he's no good."

"Just take him in. No one is to escape the purge."

Just then, the Guren beeped, signaling that power had been restored. Kallen prepared herself for the fight of her life. "I'm not going down that easily." she muttered.

Gottwald noticed her movements. "He's not down just yet! Make sure he doesn't escape."

Her opponents seemed content in encircling her, so she decided to take the initiative. Suzaku was piloting a strange white knightmare with a glowing sword in hand. That was likely a prototype frame of some sort, making him even more dangerous. She'd deal with him last. Maximillan, while young and brash, had faced her before and knew some of his tricks.

That left Jeremiah Gottwald. His overconfidence would be his death. Her machine moved with terrifying speed worthy of her nickname – Kaisoku. In English, it was roughly translated as celerity – swift movement.

One instant she was standing still. In the next, her claw was already taking a swipe at Gottwald. If she could grab a hold of his frame, the fight would be over.

For all his skill and years of service, Jeremiah was outclassed. Kallen feinted with a grab on his right shoulder, and when he exposed left arm to deflect it, she withdrew the arm and struck again, latching onto that appendage.

Kallen blinked. The frame had just disappeared from sight. She looked at the claw and saw that the arm was still there, frayed wires sparking but the body it was supposed to be attached to was now a couple meters in front of her.

She had to give him some credit. It took some brain cells to shoot off your own knighmare's arms just to escape a death grip.

Her instincts screamed at her to duck, and she did, in time to avoid a blazing sword pass through the space she formerly occupied. The white frame jumped back to gain some space for his humming broadsword. Maximillan's black Gloucester moved to flank her from the right, while another Gloucester of a royal blue came up on her left.

"I wonder what this lone rebel hopes to achieve." A voice said condescendingly. You could practically hear the person's leer.

"Now, General Darlton, you must at least credit her devotion to their cause, no matter how misguided."

So Andreas Darlton was her fourth opponent? This day just kept getting better and better.

"Still, I suppose you're right. One rebel against an army? What could she possibly do with all her friends in prison?"

That – that couldn't be right. Kallen slumped against her seat dejectedly. The entire thing was a trap?

"You see, Darlton," the voice she finally recognized as belonging to Lelouch vi Britannia, "it was too easy really, forcing them into a position they felt they had to act. At that point, they'd believe just about anything to regain momentum such as, say, a mysterious informant with the army's routes for the day." He said mockingly. "They wanted to believe so much they didn't even bother checking with Tohdoh twice before acting. They just charged onwards, believing things would work out like always."

"The overconfident enemy is always the easiest one to beat." Gottwald's voice weighted in.

"And now, I declare checkmate with this move."

Something roared in the distance. It was a powerful, thundering sound that could shake a man by just listening to it.

It came as a deep, implacable burning sensation. The pain spiking felt like molten fire spreading every which way in her brain, wreaking havoc on her thoughts. Instinctively, Kallen turned off her Geass. Her throat felt parched and dry and she realized she had been screaming. She struggled to bring her shaking hands to heel and pilot her frame.

The first round hit like a bullet train, causing the mecha to stagger a few feet back from the force of the impact. Kallen stared dumbly at the Guren's claw-arm, dismembered on the ground.

Three more roars tore through the air one after the other, warning her of the imminent danger. This time, she was far more successful in dodging, managing to move her frame out of the way as three mini-craters appeared where she had been a second ago.

Her maneuver, however, left her dangerously close to the White Knightmare. A downward sweep from its menacing sword forced her back into the kill zone where the projectiles were all aimed, it seemed. Another blast nicked her side but didn't cause too much harm from the looks of it.

The roars stopped as all four knightmares, piloted by men of skill, charged her as one.

Maximillan was the first to reach her, taking a swing at her head which she blocked with her remaining good hand. Just then, eight slash haarkens assaulted her from all sides, chaining her appendages. Maximillan punched the Guren's head, sending the frame sprawling to the ground.

The last words she heard before blacking out were "The Purge is complete."

The First Air Legion assembled beneath Lelouch. The most important members of the body stood next to the prince in a show of unity, though this speech was for them as much as it was for the men. His Zero Squad, dressed in a minimalist, all-black uniform stood three steps behind. Two steps behind Lelouch were the command staff.

There was Col. Simon Haywood, a noble and comrade Lelouch had served with personally during the North African campaign. He was the CO of Lelouch's core regiment, the 2nd Quebec Regiment, which was Lelouch's former unit before his ascendance to generalship. He was elected for the post for political reasons, for his father was a general ranked even higher than Lelouch, as much as his own talent for command.

There was Lt. Col. Alan Wood, Haywood's second-in-command, and again, another veteran of North Africa despite his youth. His foresight when conducting defensive operations were a nightmare to deal with. Haywood might be his superior in skill, but in the right conditions, he could drag out a battle in an indefinite stalemate.

There was Col. Vera Salvador in charge of the 1st Ontario regiment. She was one of the first, coincidentally enough, females on Lelouch's command staff. A Euro-Britannian with Spanish ancestry, she was passionate about her work. She was well balanced as an officer, capable of conducting war from the front and rear. She graduated with top marks from the Royal Officer's Academy at West Point.

There was Lt. Col. Alejandra Guzman, Vera's 2nd, and again, another Euro-Britannian female with Spanish ancestry. She had been with Vera since the start and, at this point, was practically her sister. They came as a package. While not as skilled or even tempered, she did have something else warranting her placement. Her father was a respected Knight of St. Uriel, one of the Euro-Britannian chivalric knight orders, and a potential candidate for grandmaster once the current one stepped down.

There was Admiral Alexis Hawthorne, nominal captain of the HMAS Glastonbury – the beautiful work of military art that changed everything for them. It was the central piece of their organization. Currently, there were only two operational airships in the world. There was only one operational military airship though. The Avalon was designed with diplomacy in mind, more a tool of psychological dominance than actual war. Glastonbury, on the other hand, was made to kill as many people as quickly as possible, hence the twin, independently aimed, Hadron cannons which was its main armament. This was, of course, not taking into account the multiple missiles, weapon batteries and the assortment of Tempest fighter-bombers it had.

There was Suzaku Kururugi and Jeremiah Gottwald, who needed no more introductions. They were famous enough in their own right. The White Knight and the Knight of Honor stood in place of where the Tokyo regiments' COs should have been. The reason was two-fold. The auxiliary regiments weren't trusted yet to have enough experience to lead themselves and the political situation might've accepted their existence as necessity, but the need for self-autonomy was a long ways to go.

"Nothing cripples an army faster than doubt." Lelouch began simply, unperturbed that twelve thousand eyes were on him. "This is what separates us from others. This is what makes us different." He stated with conviction.

"Even our brothers in the Army, or the Navy, or the Air Force face this doubt. They fear each other. This factionalism which has plagued our Empire's glorious military has made trust all but impossible in the other branches. This will not happen here." His words were both promise and order.

"On the battlefield, trust in your brothers and sisters in arms is the only thing you can rely on. Not on weapons which can jam, not in our strategies which are imperfect, not even in the fear our enemies hold for us which can easily change to hatred. If you doubt the person to your left, how can you trust him to hold his post? How can you trust him to fight like you? You would think to desert then."

"But what if everyone thought like this? We'd be fighting ourselves more than our enemies!" He stated firmly, a clenched fist rising. "Just as you must trust your brethren, I ask that you trust in your officers. I ask that you trust in me."

"I am aware of the doubts held against me." A few heads bowed in shame at his accusation, for it was true. "I am aware how many, bordering insubordination, questioned just what exactly we were training for. 'There is a war to be fought and our commander asks us to hide? Does he think us cowards?'" Lelouch mimicked.

"I tell you now I think there are no braver men to serve with." A gruff roar of approval answered in return. "I tell you now I think there are no finer men to command. I tell you now there are no worthier men to be part of what I had planned!"

"Who are we? We are not army, for the army does not have ships. We are not the navy, for the navy's ships do not fly. We are not with the air force, for the air force does not have regiments on standby."

The Glastonbury rose into the sky, the regimental standards unfurling across its sleek hull.

"Who are we? We. Are. The LEGION!" Each stop was punctuated by fist pounding the wooden podium. Fanatical cheers swept the crowd away. "And today, we turn the tide!"

"Much of the Eleventh Prince's success in his later years could be attributed to his superior intelligence network known simply as the Second Shadows. Mysterious, elusive and professional, these assassin spies did for him behind the scenes what he couldn't for himself. It has often been said that the Second Shadows possessed a sort of supernatural or otherworldly abilities. More realistic interpretations of eyewitness accounts have them pegged as highly trained individuals specializing in CQC and infiltration. Unfortunately, there is very little information to go on. The Prince's office has, to this day, continued to deny their existence and no records exist with the Elite Operations Brigade that confirm their existence."

-excerpt from: Breaking down the Prince's success by Lin Tai Xin

"The Air Legions were typically composed of four regiments, following the example of Lelouch vi Britannia and his iconic First Legion. Traditionally, a Legion would have ten thousand soldiers. Each regiment, though having around three thousand soldiers, would always assign a fifth of their number as support personnel. Thus, four regiments would average at 9,600 active, frontline troops…"

"The Air Legions was a separate military entity from the Army, Navy and Air Force. From its inception, it reported directly to the JCOS and not one branch in particular, giving them a degree of autonomy in the formative years that led to the establishment of its traditions and hierarchy. Most of this was directly or indirectly guided by Lelouch vi Britannia himself, which explains the efficiency and elitism associated with the Legions…"

-excerpt from: The Air Legions by Lin Tai Xin