Turn VII: With Fire and Sword part I.

(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)

"We landed on India yesterday and we were told that they were going to rise up and revolt against China by their Sahib, meaning their king or master, and we were jubilant to be helping other to fight for freedom."

"Wherever we went many people came and waved the flag of the Black knights, from what we heard from the local there were no Indian troops with the Chinese expedition a year ago and since the Prince gave the Chinese such a thrashing at Fukuoka and on the sea he had become very popular in India because of it."

"We were jubilant, but the Old man (his Highness Prince Lelouch as we in good gesture called him) was not, when marching and no battle appeared to be near he never wore his helmet and he always rode his horse Tempest when possible, he had an expression of concern on his face."

"We just thought that he was just being overprotective of us, little that we knew what was going to happen, the disaster which befell us, we would have to fight for our very survival and existence, we would have to cut our way back home to Japan with Fire and Sword"

Private First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights.

Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan

(Sarmizegetusa Bridge)

It had been January 7th 2019.

Diethard Reed had been documenting this Indian Expedition and was quite surprised of the warm reception they received.

"Amazing isn't it Mister Reed?" Lloyd came from behind and asked.

"We have marched almost 700 miles in just under 3 days, we have reports that the Chinese 13th army has been routed and is being pursued by the Indians and the 600.000 soldiers of the 7th army are in full retreat." Lloyd added.

"One could almost say that thing are going to smoothly for our side, the one thing that strikes me very odd is that the Indian government has not announced yet it's intention for Independence, they are just reporting insurrections and nothing more!" Diethard replied.

Just then the Sarmizegetusa came to a stop.

"Yes , yes sir I will see to it right away " Odysseus said on the radio as he received orders from Lelouch.

In addition to his duties as head of artillery Odysseus and Kuribayashi served as the First officer and targeting officer of the Sarmizegetusa and Captain and second in command when Lelouch was in the field.

Odysseus was hesitant to receive any other command except artillery, the Sarmizegetusa was basically one big troop's transport which could fly and had excellent armor, the dream vantage point for an artillery office.

"What's the matter General?" Diethard asked Odysseus, who like Lelouch preferred to be addressed by his military rank.

"The Field Marshall has ordered we stop here and fortify our army on that hill next to the city, also Professor Lloyd and Colonel Diethard you are ordered to perform the following:" Odysseus said and gave them their orders.

"General before we go I'd like to know our exact position for my documentary" Diethard replied.

Odysseus looked over a map and replied:

"Well the states name is Sikkim, the natives call this city place Chungthang, but it appears it also has and English name given to it from the time of the British Empire which stuck to it." Odysseus replied.

"Might I ask what's that name?" Diethard replied.

Odysseus zoomed in on the map since it was written in small characters and read it.

"Gettysburg" he replied.

"Then it's at Gettysburg where we will make our stand then" Diethard replied and went to fulfill h is task.

(Outside Gettysburg, the hills south of the town)

Jeremiah, Kewell and Viletta along with George and Omar were all following orders which Lelouch instructed them to do.

"Why did you think the Prince told us to stop here and fortify this position? And why did he ordered us to make that strange order with the gasoline fuel and the Lloyd to do something with the C4?" Kewell asked.

"Just look at the ground we are positioning the army, a mile and a half of open fields surround these beautiful and steeps slops, if this isn't the place to have an army I don't know what is!" Viletta replied.

"So we fortify, wait for allied Indian units to catch up and in the meantime we cut to pieces any army which tries to hit us…heh…got to like Lelouch's mindset!" George said with a chuckle.

"I don't think it's that." Suzaku said as he came up and joined the group.

"What do you mean Suzaku?" Bradley asked.

"I was with Lelouch when he ordered the army to stop and the look on his face….was the same look he had before Fukuoka a year ago." Suzaku said and this unsettled the others.

"I also thought that it seemed strange that he ordered us to form defensive circles on the hills tops instead of a line facing north, and with how smoothly the Campaign is going I can say that one thing I suspect may happen…" Jeremiah said to those assembled.

"You don't really suppose…." Bradley said concerned.

"…..Nothing is impossible in this world Brigadier Bradley, and if the Prince may suspect it then it's highly that's what will happen, and as his soldiers we must fulfill his orders." Suzaku said and the other agreed and went one with what Lelouch ordered them to do.

(Ashford Academy)

"Yes..yes brother is the one commanding the army sent to India" Nunnally said to those assembled.

She had a day off and decided to visit the school along with Sayoko as her escort.

"Hey Nunna-chan when does he get back?" Myra asked her.

"Well I don't know, that depends on how the war goes." Nunnally replied.

"Well when he gets back do you think he is free to watch a new movie at the theater?" Alexandra asked.

"What….that's cheap Alex, Lelouch would prefer to go for a picnic in the park, right Nunnally?" Eugenia asked.

And another girl and so on and so asked is her brother was free to go on a date, poor Nunnally was overwhelmed and now realized why her brother was such a playboy, the pressure was simply to great not to be one.

( Tibet, Xingke army ground)

"Lelouch has stopped his army and has ordered them to dig in?" Xingke replied to the messenger that brought the news.

"Yes, sir…they apparently are fortifying a hill within Sikkim." The officer replied.

"Show me the pictures our spies took." Xingke said.

The aid then put the pictures on the desk for the officers to see.

"So he smelled that something was wrong eh !" General Frederick said.

"It is to be expected of him, anyone with a brain would tell that things were going to smoothly." Todoh replied not surprised that Zero had sensed a trap.

"If that's the case it means he will be fighting on ground of his choosing and we must not let him do that!" Xingke replied.

"I agree. I say we go around him and position ourselves in West Bengal, to cut off his retreat in case of a victory from him" Todoh replied.

By now the Commanding officers Todoh, Xingke and Frederick all knew that Lelouch had a talent for pulling elephants out of his top hat and whole royal flushes from his sleeve, and no matter how trap he may seemed or hoe unlikely victory for him was they knew if you danced to his tune, then Lelouch would ultimately win the war dance.

(Tokyo settlement, Rollo's apartment)

Rollo was sitting in his room, relaxing when the postman delivered him a package at his door.

Rollo opened the package and his eyes went wide in surprise at what he saw in it, it was a birthday cake, a present and a letter.

He opened the letter and read it.

Rollo, how have you been, it's me Lelouch wishing you a happy birthday.

I know that by the time the postal service delivers the cake it will probably a few months past, but the cake is specially made to go long periods of time without rooting so don't worry about it.

I also placed some cologne and deodorant as a present, sooner or later the girls are going to start chasing you and you should get ready for that.

I was a bit disappointed that you didn't join me when I formed the Black Knight, but you serve my father and duty comes first.

I wish you a happy birthday and health and happiness.

Your brother in arms:

Lelouch

Rollo could not believe the letter and the present, he took the cake out of the box and cut out a slice of it and took a bite out of it.

It was a chocolate cake and Rollo didn't like chocolate very much, he preferred vanilla or strawberry, but he ate it with relish as tears of joy streamed down in his eyes.

Lelouch had not send the cake because he cared about him, but he sent it because it was good to make friends and allies with as many people as possible, especially when you were a prince.

No one had treated Rollo like this, no one had ever given him a gift or held a birthday for him, and eating that cake which he did not like, gently stoking the pendulant he received from Lelouch a year ago and admiring the cologne he gave him =, Rollo could not remember when he had more happy in his life.

(Geass cult headquarters)

Cornelia had just cut her way through the guards posted at the door and was proceeding further inside the Geass Complex.

…

"W…wait a minute if what his majesty is planning to do is what we believe to bet, then we will be responsible for the greatest crime in history!" Bartley said to his men startled.

"But what can we do about it?" one of Bartley subordinates asked as equally panicked and concerned as Bartley was.

Just then Cornelia jumped out of the air vent above, landed behind Bartley.

"Don't move!" she said.

"Is that Princess Cornelia?" Bartley said and he carefully turned his head to see.

"Thank God! Your highness you must help us, we must stop the emperor's insane plan!" Bartley said and the other vocally asked the same.

"Fathers insane plan? …..what do you mean?" she asked.

(Gettysburg January 10 2020)

Lelouch was on the deck of the Sarmizegetusa, in his hand was the king chest piece which he played with when he was under stress.

It had been three days since Lelouch ordered his 250.000 man army into a defensive ring around Gettysburg on top of the heights.

The Chinese Forces stopped their retreat and were a few hours away; the Indian Army was now also a few hours away.

"Everyone" he said through a private channel to Jeremiah, Viletta, Kewell, George, Patton, Odysseus was with him on the bridge and C.C was with him.

Lelouch decided that it would be too dangerous to leave her alone in Japan.

"Be prepared, the shows about to start" he continued.

"C.C I have always prided myself with being able to predict what the next move will be, but now….I pray to God that I am wrong" Lelouch whispered to her.

"That's understandable, sometimes ignorance is bliss" C.C replied and those words comforted him.

Just then a Global wide TV transmission was made by Manmohan.

"People of India, a few days ago a foreign army from Brittannia invaded the sacred soil of India, before this they have sponsored riots and disorder within our fair nation"

"These invaders are now in the state of Sikkim and with the assistance of the Chinese army, the armed forces of India will crush this Zero and his Black Knights!"

Manmohan said and the transmission ended.

(Council of Prince's chamber)

"The Indian's have betrayed us!" Guinevere said as she just watched the transmission.

"This is now a catastrophe for our side with that army now trapped in India….and brother Schneizell why are you so calm?" Castor asked.

"Under normal circumstances this would be a disaster for our side, but the field commander there is Lelouch so it is not a disaster" he replied.

"Even if Lelouch has proven himself as a great general, can you really say that his presence there alone will mean victory for our side?" Pollex replied very angry because of the high regard Lelouch and his skills were held for.

"Even if he is there, we estimate that there are 2 million enemy soldiers surrounding him, and this time there are no skyscrapers for him to bury them under, he now literally has more enemies that his soldiers have bullets for!" Guinevere.

"To those two statements, yes Pollex, Lelouch mere presence is enough to ensure victory and to you statement Guinevere if Lelouch has more enemy than he has bullets, then he will simply kill multiple enemies with one bullet and so on and so on." Schneizell replied calmly and took a sip of tee.

Needless to say that answer that answer shocked those present, all except for Carlyle who was bloodthirsty, and the thought of what Lelouch was about to do made her almost squeal with delight.

To her Lelouch was rapidly becoming her idol.

(European front, knight of rounds lounge)

"Well well, it looks like the Zero will become well….Zero " Luciano said in an attempt for humor.

"You shouldn't underestimate him." Monica Krustwesky replied.

"Oh please, you crazy if you think he actually has a shot to win here tell you what I'll bet you two million pounds that he loses" Luciano said and Monica accepted.

Unknown to her Luciano secretly wished for Lelouch to win since if he died Luciano would not manage to obtain volume two from him of the book he received last year.

(Gettysburg, Black knights position, Sarmizegetusa)

Lelouch watched the field radar as the army moved to encircle him.

The hills south of Gettysburg as stated before had a mile and a half of open field making it perfect for artillery, beyond that there was forests which encircled the clearings for dozens of miles.

"The situation is critical, once more you are out manned, outgunned and unlike Fukuoka you are outmaneuvered this time, yet you do not seem worried at all?" C.C said to Lelouch.

Lelouch only turned to her and with a broad smile said:

"Yes, there is no way to escape, we our outmatched in every aspect and the enemy's victory seems certain, and that is why….I win!"

Authors Note: Read and Review, let me know if I should continue