AN: Here ya go. Enjoy!
Arc III: The Positional Game
Part 4: Positional Play
"Positional Play: Play dominated by long-term maneuvering for advantage rather than by short-term attacks and threats, and requiring judgment more than extensive calculation of variations, as distinguished from tactics." –Great Games of the 21st Century, Glossary of Terms
"That's Alice Wunder's sister." someone whispered a few seats back.
Sancia kept her eyes steady on their history teacher even as her keen sense of hearing noticed the strings of conversation around her and more often than not, they were about her.
"Wunder?" the surname was spoken with a complete lack of recognition.
"She's that cute blonde frosh."
'Frosh', she had deduced, was slang for freshmen.
"Here, I've got a picture." Sancia's pen nearly snapped in half from the sudden force she gripped it with. The words were spoken with a hint of perversion that she did not approve of - especially when it was about her youngest sister!
"They don't look alike at all!" it came as a hushed exclamation. Without turning around, the Honorary Britannian could tell that the boy – for she sincerely doubted a girl's pitch could possibly be that low - was alternating his gaze between her back and the "picture" of her sister.
Sancia looked over her shoulder, meeting the eyes of the two gossips with a cocked brow. The message: "I know you're talking about me" was clear.
Immediately, they stopped their conversation, looking down at the table. The phone which had the picture dropped with a small thud onto the wooden table.
"You shouldn't let them get to you."
Her head snapped back as her critical gaze shifted between the blackboard's scribbles and their textbook. "Yes, Captain." she dutifully answered. A few seconds ticked by, and she asked, "How do you do it?"
A "Hmm?" came from Suzaku. "What do you mean?"
"It's just…how do you deal with it; all the whispers and murmurs when your back is turned?" she bit her lip, considering her words. "Forgive me, sir. I'm afraid I have offended you with my question."
"Oh, don't worry about that." he said, chuckling in a self-depreciating way. "There's little you can say that I haven't heard already. Have I ever told you about my reasons for fighting under Lelouch?"
Sancia shook her head, and prompted him to continue.
"He wants to change the world;" his statement, though simple, oozed with conviction, "a world more equal than the present, where people are judged by their actions and not their race or upbringing." Suzaku's lips quirk upwards, showing some teeth. "In a sense, I suppose you could say he is keeping true to the ideals of Social Darwinism by advancing a true meritocracy, though without such severe repercussions for the weaker members of society."
"That would call for an Empire-wide reformation." Sancia frowned, mulling over his words. Her eyes suddenly widened as her brain made the connection between the metaphorical dots. "The only person who could do that would be the Emperor."
"I wouldn't say it out loud if I were you. There are ears everywhere." said Suzaku in hushed warning. "I don't claim to know goes on in Lelouch's head. I barely understand half of his schemes. I do, however, understand his goal and I support it whole-heartedly. Bearing scornful words and harsh rumors is a small price to pay for that."
His eyes pierced hers in search of something.
"One day, all of us will have to decide what we're willing to die for."
"Our enemies are at the gates and we are to let them through."
"Stop being so dramatic, Clovis," said Lelouch. Mirth tugged at his lips and shone through his eyes.
The HMS Elizabeth was docked at port, easily dwarfing the other warships with its mammoth hull. The last elements of the 15th Army, its armored contingent, were disembarking from the 4th Pacific Fleet's flagship. Security was minimal, a stark contrast from a fortnight ago when armed soldiers would roam the streets in packs. Today, there were only a few policemen milling about.
"Viceroy, Major-General," Clovis' narrowed eyes watched Calares greet him with suspicion.
"I haven't actually been promoted yet." Lelouch pointed out.
Calares tilted his head. "Nonetheless, you've been promoted as head of a military branch and have been allowed to nearly double the men under you. I don't doubt a promotion is soon to follow."
"We'll see. You'll be heading north soon, I suppose?" Lelouch abruptly turned towards more serious matters.
"Now that you've dealt with the rebels, there's really no point in keeping any of my men here. Will your men be joining in the Hokkaido Campaign?"
It was Lelouch's turn to tilt his head. "I'm afraid the Viceroy needs me in the south."
"Is that so?" The general's eyes become sharp, frigid orbs with a hint of danger lurking behind them.
"It really can't be helped." He answered, shrugging. "Best of luck to you in the north, General Calares." Calares nodded perfunctorily to the two princes before leaving.
Once he was out of earshot, Clovis managed to find his voice again. "Are you certain the Federation will beat him off? Those were a lot of men just now."
"I'm fairly confident, brother. Really, you should read the briefs SIS is so kind to send us every once in a while."
Clovis gave him a blank look that spoke volumes of his ignorance. "The what now?"
Lelouch resisted the urge to hit something.
"Why are we stuck with this job?" Alice muttered, her inner rebel making yet another appearance. It was becoming a common sight these days, especially when the matter had anything to do with the People's Prince.
His family will be overjoyed to know he isn't universally loved. thought Ruben dryly. Better keep an eye on her.
"Unfortunately," he began, "the Church of Britannia has demanded we rename the Templar frame. Negotiations with them are ongoing, but Prince Lelouch has made it a policy to be prepared for other eventualities. To be frank, my people are too busy with the projects the prince has us doing to be bothered with such a task. Seeing as you children have plenty of free time right now, the Prince suggested I pass it off to more creative minds." He offered them a warm, parting smile. "Think of it as an opportunity for self expression."
A malicious glint gleamed in Dalque's eyes. "How about the War Machine?" She suggested as soon as the electric door slid shut.
"Too bland." Lucretia dismissed. "The Kingsguard?"
"Nah, we should name it Black Folly."
"That's not even catchy." Dalque said, crossing her arms, before her eyes lit up again. "Ooohhh how about the Terminator!"
"You're watching the Sarah Connor Chronicles again, aren't you?"
She pouted. "Name's badass."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the original reason why we had to rename it because of copyright issues?" To this, she had no response.
It kept them occupied for many, many hours.
If there was one defining trait about Shinichiro Tamaki, it was loyalty. He was loyal to Japan, to the JLF, but most of all, to his friends in the Shinjuku Cell. He would rather die than betray their secrets to the enemy. He found himself wishing that the Britannians would shoot him already because there were things worse than death, he knew.
He had just been introduced to one of those things.
They had dragged him into this odd looking chamber God knows how long ago where the walls had ridges on them. He had expected beatings and interrogations. He had expected gruesome torture devices or even psychological mind games – all the stuff one would see in those spy films.
Instead, he had been given darkness and silence; complete and total. That didn't seem like such a bad deal. After all, how could silence, of all things, get him to talk?
After two minutes, Tamaki was straining his ears to hear something, anything. Then, a rhythmic pounding reached his ears. "Lub-dub, lub-dub" went the haunting sound. He was hearing his own heart, the rebel realized.
A strange gushing sound was next. It sounded like flowing water alternating its speed. Tamaki's brows creased, and to his surprise, scrapping metal assaulted his hearing. His frown deepened and the unnerving sound appeared once more.
"I'm the sound." Tamaki realized. In the void the Britannians passed off as a room, it was hard to tell whether he spoke it or thought it. He was pretty sure that it wouldn't matter in any case, as you could probably hear your thoughts as loudly as words in an environment of -5.1 decibels.
This was becoming eerier by the moment and a tad bit scary if he was honest with himself.
His skin tingled, like a swarm of ants descending upon his body. Something blinding flashed before his eyes, sending his surprised form stumbling, hitting the hard wall behind him. Years later, he would swear those were the shinigami's hungry, crimson eyes he saw.
The longest a person had ever willingly lasted in the room was 45 minutes. They brought Shinichiro Tamaki out an hour later, unable to walk and half-mad.
"Are you ready to talk, Shinichiro Tamaki?" his interrogator after he had managed to get a hold of himself.
Tamaki glared at him, eyes becoming orbs that personified the Japanese Resistance.
The woman sighed. "Or do you need another session in the chamber?"
And like a dam breaking, his spirit left him. He sagged in his chair, looking down. "I'll…I'll talk. Just, p-please, don't send me back t-there."
Jasmine Arlington smirked as she eyed the broken man before her. "Tell me what you know about the pilot of the red Glasgow."
Tamaki talked, and as he did, salty rivulets soaked the denim jeans he wore.
Under the high ceilings of Eden-Royale's lavish bath, Guinevere su Britannia lowered herself into the warm embrace of her bath. The floating rose petals parted as water rippled from the contact. The refreshing aroma of sidr honey oil overpowered that of the petals, making their presence solely for the aesthetics. Many, even those among the royal family, would deem the practice wasteful.
Not so for the Marie Antoinette of Britannia.
"Catherine."
Her maidservant (who wasn't really named Catherine, Guinevere just liked to call her that) placed a slim glass of Bellini in her hand. As she did, she whispered, "Mistress, you have visitors."
"Oh?" A spark of curiosity danced between her emerald eyes. While not early, it was still a few hours before most visitors would usually show up.
"The rui Britannia twins, Mistress." Not-really-Catherine supplied. "They said it was a matter of urgency."
A finger twirled her gray locks as she contemplated what it might be about. "Send them in then. I'm not about to let them ruin my bath."
"Yes Mistress." She returned a few minutes later with the pair in tow.
They turned red at the sight of her naked form and averted their eyes respectfully, not that there was anything for them to see while she was neck deep in the pool of petals.
"Ah, sister, do you want us to come back later?" Castor managed to say while studying her ceiling's version of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel intently.
Her brow arched up in response. "You said it was urgent. Besides," she gave them a playful smile, "I won't tell if you boys don't."
"It's about vi Britannia." Pollux said. In contrast to his brother, he had focused on the smooth marble floor. He didn't even want to think of her sister like that. Incest may have been acceptable within the royal family officially, but still – it was his older, if hot half-sister.
There were just some lines he wasn't willing to cross.
"We have the blind cripple and the military dog. Which one is it?" Guinevere was fairly sure it would be about the boy, but the normally benign girl might turn out to have a dangerous side to her. One should always watch the quiet ones.
"It's about Lelouch. We're positive he was involved in Orion's death." Pollux replied.
"Altair told us himself." Pollux added. "But he also mentioned that there was talk among the men of a correspondence with the Prime Minister. It appears Schneizel and Lelouch are closer than we thought."
"They might even be friends." stressed Castor, with air quotes when he said friends.
Which, if their information was correct, meant a dangerous alliance was now in play on the board. Schneizel's greatest weakness had always been his lack of support within the military sector, while Lelouch's late arrival on the scene afforded him little actual political capital in Pendragon. It did not bode well for Guinevere's own bid for the throne if such was the case.
This led to what the brothers really wanted from her: justice for their brother. It just so happened the killer was a thorn in her side.
"That will be all." That was all she said. It was all she needed to say for them to understand.
"Alright team, gather 'round and shut your traps!" Wolfe winced at the sheer volume of his spec ops instructor. His instructor, a ranger who refused to divulge his name despite having been with them for a month now, stared down Wolfe's motley crew of six. "The Prince's special dispatch, Agent Kage, just finished scouting out warehouse 13 in Shinjuku. We've received confirmation that it's the local rebel's HQ, so we're going to storm it and apprehend anybody left inside."
"Kage" glided forward. Kage was a figure enshrouded in darkness with undistinguishable features. Wolfe couldn't even tell if it was a he or a she. Michael Rawlins, the team sniper and bookkeeper, was taking bets on its sex in the meantime.
"Good morning, gentlemen." came Kage's voices. Each word was spoken by a different person, Wolfe was sure. What the hell was this thing? Was it even human?
Despite his train of thought, Victor responded along with the rest of his men. A perfunctory "Sir, good morning sir!"
"As most of you know, Operation Purge was a grand success for the Prince and we've managed to apprehend an estimated 85% of enemy combatants, while another 7% are KIA. The Tokyo Resistance has never been weaker. Warehouse 13 is not only their largest stockpile, but also where the remaining leaders are likely to be hiding. We take this out, and the Resistance is finished."
The shadow stepped back, cueing their instructor to take charge. "Alright men, you heard Kage. We'll be entering from this point. Gear up, mission is in half an hour."
'Half an hour' passed quickly, with time being relative, and soon, team Obsidian found themselves in position to begin the operation. Kage had snuck in a few minutes beforehand for reasons it hadn't cared to share.
"Go, go, go!"
Boomer armed with a shotgun and breaching rounds, went in loud and bright. As his unimaginative nickname suggested, he was the team's heavyset demolitions expert and had a voice like thunder. Boomer was a giant of a man at nearly 7 inches and barely spoke English, being a Russian defector. His real name was something none of them could really pronounce without butchering it.
Bang! Bang! Clank!
"Door down!" bellowed Boomer
Wolfe, as squad leader, was the second to enter. He moved with economic precision, spending as little time blocking the doorway, which would be a kill zone for any intruders- in this case, him and his team. His MP5 submachine gun scanned the row upon rows of neatly stacked crates for targets. Thankfully, there were none- for now.
"Form up and move out!"
Alex Walls, the only female on their squad, carried her modified MP5 and moved to cover Boomer, who had gone ahead to buy them time and space.
"Can't be certain yet. Stay sharp team." Wolfe replied, maintaining a vigilant watch. "Rawlins, get into position and cover us. Wilson and Wilson, take left." The remaining two members of the crew were brothers.
"Rawlins in position. All clear." Rawlins' voice announced through his and everyone else's earpiece.
"Advance."
The team moved forward in a line from one end of the warehouse to the other, stopping every once in a while to check for enemies, of which there were suspiciously none alive.
"Dead as fuck." The elder Wilson cussed. "All of 'em."
"That Kage is some serious shit." whistled Alex, an impressed tone coloring her voice. "Bet the rebels are scared shitless now. Maybe the rest ran away?"
Wolfe kept his finger readily on the trigger, walking forward cautiously. "Takes a lot more than that to send these Elevens running. Country's been under the Empire for close 8 years now and they're still the largest resistance movement in the Areas."
"Eh, captain, hold up. We found someone." The younger Wilson interjected. "Suspect is unarmed and cooperative. Moving to detain."
"Copy that. Anybody else have anything to report?"
"Negative."
"Nada."
"Nothing but corpses on my end."
"No." Boomer answered gruffly.
"Negative." finished the elder Wilson.
"Obsidian, this is Command. Can you describe the suspect for us?"
"Roger that Command. Suspect has green hair, yellowish eyes and around 5'7" with a Caucasian complexion."
"Strange." It took all of Wolfe's control not to jump upon hearing Kage's modulated voice – this time in imitation of a small girl - behind him.
"What's strange, Kage?"
"They were dead before I got here." The voice was that of a middle-aged man and sounded a little worried, which made Wolfe a lot worried. "Looks like they did themselves in."
"You think its suicide?" It wasn't unheard of for Japanese soldiers at the verge of defeat to take their own lives than to face capture. More than a few had done so during the Purge, causing unnecessary casualties for the Legion.
"No. There are signs of battle all over the place. I think they killed each other off."
Curious. Very curious.
"In other news, Grandmaster Andrea Farnese of the Knights of St. Raphael has declared that they will be joining the hunt for the rogue paramilitary group known as the 'Wyverns'. His counterpart in the Knights of St. Michael, Michele Manfredi has routed them out of Tunis and is currently pursuing them across Area 17."
"Lelouch!"
The prince sighed, shutting off the TV, before turning towards the source of disturbance. "Clovis, what can I do for you?" He asked in his pleasant voice.
"You can begin by explaining to me this…this plan of yours! Releasing the rebels back to the JLF? Are you crazy?"
"I'm perfectly sane, Clovis. I don't see why this is an issue though. We've agreed that all matters regarding the JLF would be handled by me since Calares took my job and your own people proved woefully incompetent."
"And what am I supposed to tell the media? What am I supposed to tell father? They'll be calling for blood once they catch wind of it, and they will! Something this big would be impossible to hide!" the blonde ranted, pacing aggressively.
Lelouch considered him with an amused grin. "Father will be asking me, since it was my plan after all. As for the media, surely it isn't beyond your ability to silence them on the matter."
"Well, it isn't." Clovis admitted. "But I have to know the reason. The Viceroy can't seem to be unaware of what's going on in his own Area."
"The majority of the resistance group Jiyu, better known as the Tokyo Resistance to the Empire, has been broken. My people have been hard at work interrogating them and creating a wedge between their own members." Lelouch grabbed a manila folder from his desk and tossed it to his de jure boss.
"My intelligence officer is quite proud of herself. Fake interrogations within earshot of their comrades mixed with actual interrogations and most of the rebels distrust each other for 'selling out'. They'll be busier fighting each other than my men, all the while draining the JLF's already stretched resources. In addition, their core leadership isn't to be released with them to add difficulty to their incorporation and the little time we are giving them to begin with. These men will rout, and hopefully demoralize the JLF along the way."
"This sounds incredibly risky." Clovis crossed his arms, the folder remaining firmly shut in his right hand.
"All of war is a risk." Lelouch countered. His words didn't have the intended effect, so he decided to switch tactics. "My ideas have never backfired before, have they?"
The Viceroy remained silent, but he had to concede that point, Lelouch knew. "You were skeptical as well when I suggested we begin recruiting from the Japanese. That alone allowed us to crush the Tokyo Resistance with minimal casualties in two months. This 'crazy idea of mine' managed what your best officers couldn't and they had thrown away hundreds of our finest men. You trusted me then Clovis and we reaped the rewards for it. Trust me now."
Lelouch hid his smirk as he saw him falter. "Fine," grumbled Clovis. "Just make sure to win the war."
Lelouch scoffed arrogantly. "Haven't you heard yet? My men are invincible on the battlefield."
"Right." Clovis rolled his eyes at the touch of mockery. He had, in fact, heard of something like that being whispered by his own officers, which was disappointing in hindsight. How could he trust those men to make military decisions when they were superstitious enough to believe a rumor that ridiculous?
The blonde's lips thinned. "I'll leave it to you then, Advisor."
Lelouch stood to perform a textbook salute, hints of a mocking smile still on his lips. "Of course, Viceroy."
"Beautiful women are the most dangerous sort."
Cornelia's words echoed in his ears ominously. As Lelouch observed the angry redhead before him, he had to concur with that statement. He was certain she would have strangled him already, if not for the fact that she had been cuffed to her chair – and that he had guards outside ready to burst in and shoot her.
"Why don't you just kill me already." she spat out with a vehemence he never knew she possessed.
Briefly, he entertained the idea that Kallen Stadtfeld was suffering from dissociative identity disorder, and that Kallen Kozuki was the result. That would've saved him plenty of trouble. The mere fact that he had to come down to the interrogation center himself to deal with this spoke volumes for the sensitivity of this issue.
The Prince gave the Heiress a dazzling smile that only fed her fire. "You're a…special case; so special that I had to call in your father to discuss this." She visibly deflated at the mention of Count Stadtfeld. "Oh don't look so down. Think of it as a parent-teacher conference…of sorts."
"Your Highness, the Count is here." Arlington's clipped tone came through the room's intercom.
Lelouch leaned into his chair and steep his fingers. "Excellent, send him in." Finally, they could get some work done.
The door slid open. "Your Highness, I – Kallen? What are you doing here?"
Jeremiah was already in position behind Lelouch, ready to defend his Prince at any sign of hostility. "Please, take a seat Count Stadtfeld. The situation at hand is complicated, to say the least."
The Count, a plain looking man that could pass off as just another face in a crowd, went opposite of the typical attention-seeking attitude of nobility. It was a refreshing change for once. Throughout the lengthy explanation Lelouch gave, never once did he raise his voice or question his words. The evidence and case Lelouch had assembled was undeniable to a man dedicated to science. Instead, he took it all in with a calm, thoughtful expression.
Most nobles, under the same pressure, would have become extremely defensive. This man kept himself in check, and Lelouch could admire that, which made breaking the news to him all the more difficult.
"Forgive me for asking, but you're taking this quite well. Did you have prior knowledge of her extracurricular activities?" Lelouch refrained from using the word terrorism out of respect.
"Not the depth of her involvement, but…I've always known her to be sympathetic to the Japanese, Your Highness. After her brother's death, her feelings on the matter became more… pronounced. In hindsight, I should have seen this coming."
Kallen seemed surprised her father was taking this so well. Quite a few parents would've disowned their child for less.
"So, how do we proceed from here, Your Highness. I mean, as much as I'd like it to be, I don't think you'd released my daughter to me for nothing."
"You are correct on that account, Count Stadtfeld. Kallen is, I must admit, an exceptionally gifted Knightmare pilot. She could be on par with the Knights of the Round in a few years and with the right model. As of now, she's been attributed with eighty three unit takedowns. And I'm not talking about just the average pilot here, but squad leaders, officers, royal guardsmen and prototype units. I'm not comfortable letting her scot free just for her to join up with the rebels again."
His eyes flashed with concern. "Will you be pushing for execution?"
It would be a lie to say that Lelouch hadn't considered it. He had enough influence to pull that off, and the general rule of thumb was that a Prince's word was practically law, barring countermanding mandates from higher-ups. It was a rather poor way of handling the situation though, when taking into account the vast influence of the Stadtfeld family in Area 11. Besides, it was a shame to off someone as talented as her. She might even turn out to be useful.
"No. I'm not willing to pursue the extreme end of punishments. I can't afford to deal with it right now. I'm suggesting a form of house arrest."
The father tilted his head, signaling he was willing to listen to the compromise offer. "We'll keep her under house arrest, but with my men watching over her."
"Does anyone care what I think about this?" Kallen spoke up at last.
She was ignored.
"How long will we be keeping up with this arrangement?"
"At least until I've dealt with the JLF."
"And in return?"
"Your support for the Japanese regiments and any actions I might take in the coming war." The last thing he needed was for politics to tie him down.
A set of eyes appraised the prince with studious curiosity.
"We're in agreement."
Utterly screwed.
Those two words managed to sum up the complicated situation Leila Malkal and her Wyverns found themselves in.
Their raid into Britannian territory had started off without a hitch. Infiltration had been laughably easy and the settlement was lightly defended despite being the capital of Area 17. The military installations were little better and hardly challenging for the taskforce of exiles.
Then, the archangels showed up and ruined everything.
Under the leadership of their Grandmaster Manfredi, an esteemed veteran general by all accounts, the Wyverns were cut down with frightening efficiency time and again. The Knights of St. Michael proved why they were among the elites of the Britannian war machine. In the initial engagements, they had achieved, frustratingly enough, a kill-death ratio of 5:1. The fact that they outnumbered the Knights nearly 3 to 1 was just rubbing salt into their proverbial wounds.
Attempts to avoid battle ended up being worse as they were hounded every which way. Any time they let their guard down resulted in traps within traps within traps. Their horrendous failure finally convinced the EU leadership to issue orders for a temporary withdrawal to refit and restock on supplies before sending them back into the fray. Apparently, being butchered to death was better than starving to death.
The problem was that the Knights had found them halfway into boarding a freighter and promptly blew it up, along with several dozen of their brethren.
So to recap, they were completely and utterly screwed.
"Commander, I will buy time."
Leila knew who had spoken the moment she heard the voice. "I'm not leaving you behind, Hyuga."
Lt. Akito Hyuga was undeniably the most suicidal, emotionally unstable and reckless person she had ever had the misfortune of dealing with.
His modified Gardemare frame fired twice before surging forward, lancing through his opponent's chest. "Don't worry about me." Another swipe of his clawed appendages resulted in another frame being crushed.
Lt. Akito Hyuga was also undeniably the most skilled veteran under her with a kill count unsurpassed, to date. It was really impressive, considering his age.
"Remember, Commander, that for some people, violence is a necessity." A feral smile took hold of his lips. "But for one such as myself, it's a war of life."
If she hadn't shut off the link just then, she might have seen Akito's eyes turn a blood red color.
"Wyverns! Form up on me! We're moving!"
Systematically, the Wyverns disengaged from their own fights and raced after her knightmare, the sudden rush momentarily stunning their enemies. Any attempts to pursue were cut off by Hyuga's frame dashing across the battlefield in a blur of blue lightning.
Leila forced herself to ignore Akito for now. If anyone could survive the odds, it was him.
March 7, 2018
Kyoto, Area 11
Kyoto had been the ancient residence of the now extinct Japanese Emperor. Allowing it to fall into the JLF's hands would be nothing short of disastrous not only because of the huge boost in morale it would cause, but also for the thousands of Japanese that might join the rebel cause. As a result, Britannian forces stubbornly held onto the city despite the vast manpower such an undertaking required. Concurrently, the JLF was determined to seize the city instead of bypassing it altogether, transforming Kyoto into the bloodiest battlefield of the war.
A courier rushed into the command tent of the JLF, "Sir! Lt. Col. Kusakabe reports that Mt. Chorogatake and Mt. Takin have been seized!" One of the aides rushed to update the constantly changing map situated in the middle of the room.
General Akishino Taito, in command of the 30,000-strong Ashigaru Division, considered the situation with both hands behind his back. "Have our artillery set up on Chorogatake. Tell Kusakabe to ensure the mountains remain secure, but he is otherwise to continue with his mission."
"Sir!" the courier shot off a stiff salute, before rushing out.
It was only a matter of time now before the Britannian defense became untenable. Once Kusakabe crossed the Biwako-Ohashi Bridge that spanned Lake Biwa, they could begin a flanking maneuver on the Kyoto garrison.
"Sir! Urgent report from Himeji!" Taito frowned. That was a little over 60 kilometers from their front lines in Kobe. "Two enemy regiments have routed the garrison! Scouts indicate they are headed this way!"
Before he could gather his thoughts, a second courier barged in. "Sir! Our front in Kobe is collapsing! Lt. Col. Kirinaga requests immediate anti-air support!"
"What?" Taito could barely believe it. Kirinaga had over a third of their total force holding Kobe alone! It shouldn't have been possible for the Britannians to launch any sort of meaningful assault on their heavily entrenched forces. "Anti-air?" That was the part that confused Taito. Britannian bombers had been strafing the city for close to two weeks so why would their lines collapse all of a sudden?
The courier hesitated for a moment, before continuing. "Lt. Col. Kirinaga reports a giant, floating Britannian airship approached from the seaside and rammed into their lines. The technology is beyond anything we've seen before!"
That would've explained how the two regiments had outflanked them so deep into their lines. A weapon like that couldn't be dealt with without prior preparation. "Tell Kirinaga to begin a fighting withdrawal to the north!" He pointed to one messenger.
"Sir!" the messenger snapped off a salute before rushing to relay his message.
"All anti-air units are to begin massing in Sanda!" Another runner rushed off to do his bidding.
"Send a message to General Katase with this new development!" he commanded to a third.
This new ace in the hole would be a pain to deal with. Taito stalked over to the map and stared at it intently.
"General," one of his aides spoke up, "an EMP may work on this new weapon of the Britannians."
Taito needed only a few seconds to consider the proposition before he turned to a courier on standby. "Mount one of them on an anti-air unit and try to snipe that thing, but not while it's atop one of the cities. The last thing we need is for it to crash down on civilians."
An hour passed by quickly with the runners looking more haggard with each trip. Frustratingly, their EMP unit was unable to approach anywhere near the ship in order to take a shot as several regiments formed a protective net before it. Reports were coming in that the enemy vanguard had reached Sanda while a smaller force had taken Kato to the east, forcing any withdrawal that they wished to make northwards.
"Sir! Sanda has fallen!"
The assembled advisors and officers were stunned into a deathly silence at the pronouncement. The sound of fists hitting wood broke their trance. "How?" Taito asked forcefully.
"The EMP was completely ineffective against it and our anti-air weaponry was stopped by a projected force shield. It then fired a laser beam at our clustered anti-air, taking Lt. Col. Kirinaga out as well. The men broke afterwards." he said, eyes heavy with shame.
A floating airship, force shields and now laser beams made the situation more surreal by the minute for the aged commander. "Are any of those units pulling back to the east? If they are, divert them to the north, quickly! Kato is in Britannian hands and they'll just be taken prisoner. The rest of our units are not to engage this monstrosity and withdraw north if faced with it."
How do you stop an unstoppable force?
Kallen was utterly miserable.
That bastard had assigned his men to go with her everywhere – including her school. While not an unreasonable order given her nature as a confirmed traitor, their presence had ignited rumors that she was now the prince's bride-to-be. Milly, sticking true to her nature, spearheaded the gossip mill.
As a result of being considered pseudo-royalty, girls started to cozy up to her in the hopes of being friends with a member of the royal family, while boys, on the other hand, stopped asked her out all the time.
Alright, so it had some benefits to it after all.
She supposed she could escape from the guards if she tried hard enough, but that would just get her father, mother and stepmother killed – not that she cared much for the last one.
"You're Kallen, aren't you?" a voice disturbed her train of thought.
She could sense her guards tensing up, which surprised her since it was only two girls blocking their path. She'd seen them stare down worse.
"That's right."
"She's a pretty one!" remarked the blonde, despite the fact that her eyes remained shut. "I can tell from her voice. Brother has good taste."
Wait. Brother? This couldn't possibly be-
"Nunnally vi Britannia, a pleasure to meet you." The blonde bowed politely, instead of curtseying, given her disability. "I was so excited when I heard brother was engaged! We have so much catching up to do! Perhaps over high tea?"
Yet another reason to hate the prince. "It would be a pleasure, Your Highness." she accepted through gritted teeth. One does not simply turn down a request from a Princess after all.
"You're right, Lelouch does have good taste." remarked the other girl at last. "I'm Euphemia li Britannia, but since we're practically sister-in-laws, you can call me Euphie." she offered cheerily.
Oh great! High tea with TWO princesses. This day couldn't get any worse.
The sleek black limo parked by the main gate revealed just how premeditated this kidnapping was. Her two guards adamantly refused to leave her alone with the girls, making them draw the wrong conclusions about how serious the nonexistent love affair was.
Euphemia had gushed on and on about how "Sweet Lelouch was caring about her safety" even if he was being ridiculously overprotective.
"So Kallen, you don't mind if I call you Kallen do you? How did you and brother meet?" Nunnally asked with a charming smile.
"Err…" began Kallen eloquently, not sure how to begin. The blind girl urged her on, while Euphemia leaned in with candid interest. Honesty was the best policy…yet Kallen couldn't resist the opportunity to get some payback on Lelouch by messing with him. She could just make stuff up, but then she'd be caught if they were at said event themselves. "We met in the Ghettoes, during one of his recruitment drives among the locals. I was, um, doing some charity work for the Japanese."
Oh damn it. She wasn't supposed to refer to the Japanese as Japanese in front of government representatives. There was no way they were going to buy it now.
"Oh? Well no wonder brother was interested!"
On second thoughts…
"How come?" Euphemia asked, not following Nunnally's train of thought.
"Lelouch has great respect for the Japanese." Nunnally explained patiently. That bit got Kallen interested. "We spent a few months with the Kururugi Family just before the Second Pacific War. He gained a finer appreciation for Japanese culture during our stay. You could say he has a soft spot for them now."
Kallen had to restrain herself from snorting.
"It's only natural Lelouch would look for a woman who shared his sympathies."
The motorcade they were in chose just then to stop. "What's going on?" she asked one of her guards. Their puzzled faces indicated they were as clueless as she was about the unexpected proceedings.
"Apologies Your Highnesses and Lady Stadtfeld," someone from the front most car radioed. Kallen hated that address. It reminded her too much of her evil stepmother. "There's some sort of barricade up front."
An earsplitting explosion rocked the ground.
"Holy shit! They've got rockets!"
"Ambush! We're being ambushed!" squawked another guard unnecessarily.
"HQ, this is General Darlton of Princess Euphemia's escort! Code Black! I repeat, Code Bl-" A hail of gunfire erupted from both ends of the convoy, cutting off the message halfway.
The high-pitched screech of tires was heard as something rammed into the limo's side, rattling its inhabitants.
The only thing worse than having high tea with two princesses is getting kidnapped while going to high tea with two princesses.
"Things are proceeding as planned, Your Highness." Gottwald said.
Lelouch smirked at his Knight of Honor. "Don't they always, Jeremiah?"
"Cockiness is unbecoming of you, Your Highness."
"Fine then, ruin my fun."
Gottwald titled his head at the prince. "Some would argue that's what you hired me for, Your Highness."
"Bah, just get on with the report."
"As you wish, Your Highness. Kewell reports that Katase's advance has been halted a kilometer outside of Nagoya." Jeremiah stated dutifully, his voice clear despite the noise within the Glastonbury's command deck. "Tohdoh and his Holy Swords are currently in combat with the Zero Squad. Aegis is fully operational and is ready for use at a moment's notice. Taito continues his retreat north. He refuses to give com-"
"Your Highness!" The knight and his liege turned towards the source of interruption, the pale looking Captain of the Glastonbury.
"What is it, Captain Hawthorne?"
"Urgent report from Major Arlington! Your sisters have been abducted!"
"Turn this ship around now!" Gottwald bellowed.
"Ignore that order, Captain." Jeremiah turned towards Lelouch in shock.
"Sir?" Hawthorne shuffled uncertainly. Countermanding orders were rare between the Prince and his Knight.
"Stay the course, Captain." It killed Lelouch to say those words. It felt too much like abandoning his sister. "The Glastonbury is needed to keep our fronts from collapsing. Jeremiah, take the girls and investigate. Once you reach Tokyo, look for Wolfe and coordinate your search with his."
"At once, Your Highness." Gottwald answered obediently, though traces of surprise lingered in his voice.
"Jeremiah," Gottwald paused. The prince's tone took on a chilling note. "Whoever did this, make him go slowly and painfully."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Sancia, watch your left!" Alice called out, maneuvering her Gloucester to evade a swipe from the rotating chain blade of her challenger.
The comm. channel that connected them to the Prince sprang to life. "Zero Squad, this is Glastonbury. Activate the Aegis Contingency. Captains Kururugi and Maximillan are to maintain position while the rest fall back to the rendezvous point."
"WHAT!" Alice cried out. Those orders made no sense. They were winning here, damn it! "You can't just ask us to abandon the Captain!"
"Unit 05, this is not up for discussion. These orders come from the Prince himself. I repeat, activate the Aegis Contingency and withdraw. Additional units are en route to reinforce the Captains."
"Don't worry about us." she heard Eric say. "Suzaku alone is worth three of them with his shiny new toy."
"We can take them." Suzaku added. The Lancelot entered into a dizzying frenzy that ended with one of the enemy frames amputated.
Reluctantly, she pressed the button to activate her unit's aegis. The hum of electricity reached her ear. "Unit 05, Aegis Contingency active."
"Launching EMPs now!"
To: Lelouch vi Britannia (irockchess.a11)
Fr: Schneizel el Britannia ( )
Just heard about the kidnapping. Do you have any suspects? Their lack of demands that run along the typical nationalistic lines indicates this might be a job from within the court, most of which is in an uproar. Losing two of our own is a disaster.
P.S. Your account name doesn't seem very mature for your post.
To: Schneizel el Britannia ( )
Fr: Lelouch vi Britannia (irockchess.a11)
Suspected as much. Might be Clovis, but more likely someone in Pendragon. Have my best people in the settlement working on it. I know it's a disaster. Had to spend a few hours on the phone taking Cornelia's diatribe She's so pissed she's sending the Glaston Knights now that Darlton's been injured during the attack. Clovis is throwing his usual fit when something doesn't go his way and has demoted three of his officers. Was about to execute them before I intervened.
Japan is a bloody nightmare to deal with.
How are things looking up with the Federation? Any chance a ceasefire might be coming soon?
P.S. At least my account's secure from fan mail. Tell me, when was the last time you received an offer from your "soul mate" offering to carry your lovechild and elope?
To: Lelouch vi Britannia (irockchess.a11)
Fr: Schneizel el Britannia ( )
Clovis dotes on his sisters. He also doesn't have the guts to do something this bold. I do wonder what game our kidnapper is playing. And honestly, were you expecting any less from Cornelia?
I know Japan is a nightmare. It's why I chose the post of Prime Minister over Viceroy of Area 11. Give me the European parliament any day. .
The High Eunuchs seem pretty indifferent right now. They're planning something big. Keep alert.
P.S. Touché
To: Schneizel el Britannia ( )
Fr: Lelouch vi Britannia (irockchess.a11)
They're planning something big alright. You've got to give them credit for having the stones to invade both us and the EU simultaneously, especially since nothing's down there anymore. I suppose this means the family's going to have a little get together soon?
To: Lelouch vi Britannia (irockchess.a11)
Fr: Schneizel el Britannia ( )
Get together scheduled for the end of March. Better get your game plan ready.
To: Schneizel el Britannia ( )
Fr: Lelouch vi Britannia (irockchess.a11)
Got it covered.
"I take it we're ready to begin?" Odysseus addressed his half-siblings with his usual calm self.
"Not quite yet, brother." Schneizel's monitor sounded. He was currently aboard the HMAS Avalon to begin conducting negotiations with the Federation. Odysseus found himself, for the first time in a long time, glad that he was not in charge of foreign affairs. The department had never faced a crisis this bad, at least not that the Crown Prince could remember.
Cornelia was in a rage for some reason. "Lelouch and Clovis have yet to connect!" Ah, that's right! Her sister had been kidnapped along with Nunnally.
It had to be noted that Carline and Robert were particularly subdued today, probably because the Corporatist faction had been dealt a death blow with their defeat in Area 11. It was practically an end to the ne Britannias' imperial aspirations. That said they'd likely be attaching themselves to another contender soon. Odysseus' gaze went round the oval table once, before it landed on the amused smile of Guinevere. It was likely Carline would throw in with the First Princess, unofficially considered the "second" in running right behind Schneizel. Robert would follow where she went.
It took a few more minutes before the last two screens lit up. Clovis was dressed in his typically grandiose way, while Lelouch had settled for a more minimal, militaristic look.
"Clovis, Lelouch, good of you to join us. We can now begin."
A cacophony of sound erupted from every corner of the room, demanding explanations and calling for destruction on their enemies. Those members actually involved in the military rolled their eyes at the last bit, probably thinking it was easier said than done.
Odysseus banged his gavel, restoring a semblance of order to the room. "Brothers and Sisters, I know that tensions are running high, but we will not accomplish anything in this way. Wait your turn to be heard. First and foremost, we have the situation in Area 11. The Emperor is becoming increasingly displeased that the war has yet to be resolved."
Robert scoffed and began in his snobbish, disdainful manner. "With such incompetent military commanders in charge, how could we have hoped for anything to get done?"
"That's big talk coming from you." Altair retorted, rising to Lelouch's defense no doubt. The two shared some camaraderie after allying during the North Africa Campaign, no doubt. "And are we forgetting it was Calares' fault that Area 11 is at risk?"
"Personally, I'd like to know why Tokyo Settlement's security was so lax that two members of the royal family were kidnapped in it!" Cornelia growled out. If she was physically present, Odysseus was certain she'd have broken something by now. "It seems suspicious to me!"
Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "Are you insinuating I'm behind this?"
"I'm insinuating somebody in this room is!"
"Lelouch, Cornelia, peace." cut in Schneizel, playing adjudicator. "Now is not the time to be throwing around accusations. Our first priority will be to retrieve them safely. The culprit will be there at the end of this. Nunnally and Euphemia might not."
"Lelouch and my people are working closely on this case. The entire settlement is on lockdown." Clovis said. "No one in or out. We're scouring every building in the city. If they're still in Tokyo, we'll find them."
"That's all well and good." said Guinevere. "There's still the matter of the Federation's aggression."
"That's right. Reports indicate that they've committed crack troops for this operation, the so called 'Four Imperial Armies.' Area 13 was hit along with Area 11." Odysseus said.
"We're not the only ones they've hit. States with the EU are facing similar invasions, particularly Afghanistan and Eastern Russia." Schneizel added. "I'm in talks with the EU right now regarding a joint response."
"A joint response?" Robert repeated the words distastefully. "Are we to be friends with the Union now?" The antagonism between the EU and the Empire was legendary. The Empire had always considered itself the true successor to the Elizabethan Monarchy, while the EU was an offshoot of the Napoleonic Regime, the same government that had exiled them from their own home.
"The fact of the matter is we aren't prepared to deal with the Federation. Most of our soldiers are massed at the border of Europe, and it's true for them as well. We've been taken completely by surprise. A joint response might be the only way to ensure the areas don't become permanently annexed by the Chinese."
"The people won't like this." Odysseus commented. "What has the Emperor said?"
Schneizel's lips set into a grim line.
Huh. That bad?
"Enter."
Shin Hyuga Shing marched in with his St. Michael uniform in pristine condition and offered his Grandmaster a perfunctory salute.
"Sir, Akito Hyuga escaped our patrols again. I'd like to request permission to hunt him down."
Michele Manfredi, the former Knight of Two, eyed his second-in-command disapprovingly. "This feud of yours with your brother-"
"He is not my brother." hissed Shin, eyes narrowed in displeasure.
"He is your brother biologically and you are allowing him to distract us from our true objective! The Wyverns remain at large, Shin."
"Grandmaster Farnese is moving from the west to sandwich the rogues. They'll be dealt with in no time." answered the oriental man dismissively. "Akito is a far bigger danger without being shackled to the rest of his unit. My squad can take care of him in a week."
"No, we have bigger fish to fry. I'll need your team for the fight to defeat the Wyverns."
"Then I'll go alone." he insisted.
Michele denied him once more. "You will also be needed for the fight. Set aside your vengeance 'til our task is complete."
"If I wait that long he could be gone!"
The Grandmaster frowned at him. "The answer is still-"
A red crane lit up in Shin's eye, killing whatever he was about to say.
"Time to step down, sir." was the last thing Michele's mind registered, before he placed the cool steel of a pistol under his chin.
"I don't appreciate being called away like this, Arlington." Lelouch snapped irritably at his interrogation officer. "I'm busy enough as it is with the Federation about to invade and my sisters still missing."
"My apologies, Your Highness," she tilted her head respectfully before looking back up, "but this prisoner is a…peculiar case."
"How so?"
"She claims to have invaluable information that could win you the war."
"Oh?" Lelouch shifted his eyes towards the green-haired prisoner through the one-way mirror. "What is it?"
"We...we haven't been able to get anything out of her, sir." Arlington winced as his gaze snapped back to her dangerously. "She's proven completely immune to interrogation tactics and the last three interrogators we sent in came out temporarily insane. Nobody's wanted to have a go at her since. She also appears to be…immortal."
Lelouch scoffed disdainfully. "Immortal? Is this a joke?"
"We shot her, sir, in the head at point blank." Arlington said dryly. "She was up and running less than a minute later. I assure you that I am being completely serious."
The prince paused. That wasn't something you hear every day. "Did you check if her heart stopped?"
"She was confirmed KIA by the medics. We ran the test twice, just to be sure."
"Background check?"
"Nothing came up in any of the records."
"Does she have any demands?"
"Two of them. The first was unlimited pizza," Lelouch arched his brow at that, "and the second was an audience with you."
Lelouch frowned. "Pizza?"
"She nearly bankrupted us in the process." Arlington replied with a scowl. "Will you see her?"
"Might as well see what she has to say now that I'm here."
The prince entered the interrogation room and took a seat across the prisoner. Rap-tap-tap went his fingers as they began a rhythmic tap on the desk. "My people say that you've been asking for pizza and me, in that order."
"You're Lelouch?" the prisoner eyed him up and down with scrutiny. "I thought you'd be taller." she sighed wistfully.
"Do you have a name?"
"You can call me C.C." C.C. replied with an impish grin.
"Well, I'm here and I assume you've already gotten your pizza, so what's this information you've been promising?" he asked, cutting straight to the point.
"Children these days are so impatient." Lelouch's brow arched up at her. She barely looked a day over twenty and here she was remarking about his age. "Tell me, son of Marianne, do you want the power to change the world?"
Before he could answer, her hand struck out, locking his wrist in a surprisingly strong grip.
His world disappeared and in its place were scenes of war, famine and death. Slowly, softly, a haunting, inhuman tone began to sing:
"The Dead Man and Orphaned Child,
The Prince, but now a King reviled.
And his Queen, untethered, wild
His Servant, chained and domiciled.
Look on! The Twins are risen, riled.
At the Son he's reconciled."
"History is written by the victor, Lelouch vi Britannia." C.C.'s distinct voice echoed. "I can grant you victory. For the price of one wish, I will give you the Power of the King. I will give you a Geass."
"…By the spring of 2018, the JLF was faced with a difficult position. Most of their momentum had been wasted after their advance was stalled by the winter and their veterans had been reduced to 6,000 men, a tenth of their total force. In addition, a little under half of their army was composed of fresh recruits with minimal training and attached guerilla units unused to conventional combat (including elements of the Tokyo Resistance that had been released prior to the Spring Offensive). A majority of these were under General Taito when the People's Prince coincided his entrance with the HMAS Glastonbury's debut.
It was of no surprise that the sudden presence of a flanking airship, in conjunction with two regiments being landed behind enemy lines, forced a withdrawal which turned into a complete rout as the undisciplined troops lost heart. Under the command of Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, the 1st Legion advanced quickly and methodically, pushing the JLF further towards the north until 2nd of April when all Britannian advances stopped and began to entrench their positions..."
"…After the astounding success of Operation Purge, it was taken for granted that most serious threats to Britannia had been all but nullified within the Tokyo Settlement. This inadvertently caused security to lax which is attributed as the reason why the abduction of Princesses Nunnally vi Britannia and Euphemia li Britannia were successful…"
-excerpts from: The Japanese Insurrection by Lord High Admiral Martin Amos
AN: Another chapter out! A big thanks to my new beta, ajpa for his work! Leave your thoughts on the box below.