Turn XV: The Ties That Bind
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(Sarmizegetusa command ship, Lelouch's office)
" A week has passed since Prince Lelouch vi Brittannia was proclaimed the new Tsar of Russia, following his ascension his highness immediately routed out almost half of the Russian parliament after exposing their corruption, confiscated and distributed stocks from companies which confined their workers in conditions little above serfdom, examined the Russian army and improved the living conditions of its soldiers ….also his highness has drafted the new Russian constitution, in which the head of government will remain an elected official , but the head of the state and army will be the Tsar, the acceptance of a Brittannian as head of a European country has had two reactions this far: the Russian people have applauded his reforms and his popularity is now 70 %, the members of the E.U excluding those who are now joining the Empire have responded with accusations of treason on Russia's side….."
Lelouch and the other viewed the latest news footage.
"Well Lelouch I can calmly say that every letter that comes from the Ural's will have the following message: From Russia with Love!" Suzaku teased him.
"Thank you for the complement, but now we have more pressing matter to attend to" Lelouch said and he started briefing them.
"We in the short term future will have to face the U.F.N which is being organized now, that is why I have sent Odysseus and Kuribayashi to prepare the defense of Japan ...but before that we must make a commando raid on a enemy base deep within Chinese territory" he added.
"Well it's not like any of us has not been in black ops missions before, what's so special about this?" George asked.
At this Lelouch took out a soda can from his desk, opened it, took a sip, let out a breath of air which was of concern and said:
"I doubt that there is one human enemy that any of you fear…but what about those none human?" Lelouch asked and C.C who was standing behind him smiled curiously at what he was about to say.
(Ashford Academy)
"So when do you think they will arrive here?" Josephine asked Millie, they along with most of the student body where waiting to see the artillery units from the Black knights arrive, Lelouch had requested permission to turn the Academy into an artillery nest.
Part of the reason was that it was open ground, surrounded by tall building which made it one giant foxhole and the second reason was that he desired to keep the students safe.
In the army the artillery was the safest place to be.
The artillery was placed in the rear of the position and thus was the farthest away from the fighting, although the popular perception was that the supply convoy or the engineers and mechanics was the safest, they where the main targets of enemy airpower and raids by guerillas, since and army can have a million knightmares, but if those knightmares break down, they are nothing but rubbish.
Just then the transport pulled in and the student all looked awed at the massive guns, missile launchers both anti ground force and anti aerial force being unloaded and placed into position.
The commanding officer was in the Center of his man and was coordinating them.
Millie and some of the students went closer to get a better look at the equipment.
"Whoa! This is a 180 millimeter "Zmeu" anti armored cannon, and that over there is a Z 118 "Balaur" anti air missile launcher!" One of the two boys which had been in Shinjuku ghetto when Euphie and Suzaku where at the time.
"Hey, since there is going to be a battle soon why don't we offer our help…who knows maybe they will even let us man a cannon!" the other one of the two boys said and he with group of students went to one of the guards and asked to see the commander.
"You want to see the General to join the artillery! Pwah ha ha ha! Get lost kids, "Rainman" has better things to do than play babysitter to a bunch of brats!" one Brittannian Black Knight said.
"How dare you say that, we are personal friends of the Iron Prince! We are all children of nobles and high ranking officials and I demanded we be given commissions to man cannons!" one of the students present said.
The commander hearing that there was trouble brewing decided to intervene.
"Is there some problem?" he said and upon his coming over to where the students where they realized that the general was Odysseus.
"Your highness!" they said and got down on one knee.
"Oh I prefer to be addressed as General…so what's the problem here sergeant?" Odysseus asked him.
"Well sir they say they want to join the artillery and commander cannons, it old them their request was crazy and they wouldn't see reason sir, they said that they were the Field Marshall's friends sir." the sergeant replied, much to the spite of those present.
"I see" Odysseus said and he turned to the students who by now had got up from kneeling.
Odysseus remembered that there where students at Ashford who where only trouble and would demand commissions like that from what Lelouch told him.
Odysseus being a professional soldier knew that the greatest enemy an army has is not the opposing army…..but incompetent officers, those where more dangerous than the enemy.
"I am afraid that we do not have any openings on the artillery…..but if you wish to help we need people to help with the ammunition crew….bringing the ammunition to a cannon is more important than manning it!" Odysseus skillfully replied.
The other agreed to it and the group was taken to be given uniforms and when they returned Odysseus called for someone "Ito!"
"Sir!" Kuribayashi said and he came next to him, he was with only his shirt on and his jacket with his rank was being cleaned, so he to those who weren't part of his division and did not recognize him he looked like a private.
"These are our new recruits for the ammunition squadrons, se to them!" Odysseus ordered and left.
Kuribayashi immediately examined them with his eyes and said:
"Where's your helmets and neckties?" he asked.
"Helmets, neckties? There uncomfortable so we didn't put them on!" one of the two boys asked.
"we didn't put them on sir!" Kuribayashi replied much to the confusion of those present.
"Starting now you are in the army and you will address me as sir, and since you don't have all of your uniform on that's a 200 pounds fine" Kuribayashi replied.
"What! 200 pounds! I will not be ordered around by some stinking eleven private!" the second of the two boys barked back and pocket Kuribayashi in the chest
At this Kuribayashi with an authoritarian tone said: "I am Lt Colonel Ito Kuribayashi, second in command of the artillery corps and commander of this division" he said and the blood from the two boys face was drained from their faces at the realization, Kuribayashi was called the "Hornet" for his deadly command of artillery, second only to Odysseus himself.
Kuribayashi then leaned forward and whispered:" That's right boy, this stinking eleven is your commander and I could have you shot for sticking and officer "
Kuribayashi then leaned back and said to them:
"When General Odysseus told me to see to you, I was to test you to see if you have what it takes to be a Black Knights, and you don't, you broken the second rule: 'Camaraderie is sacred' and you broke it…any soldier who is caught breaking any three wow's is skinned alive!" Kuribayashi said with a menacing voice, the close proximity to Lelouch had payed off.
"You are all rejected, so get out of my sight" he said and left, it had been long since Kuribayashi had been called eleven again, but this time he could fight back, the Prince gave him orders to net let one insult go unreported to him and with his protection Kuribayashi was no longer forced to eat up everyone's shit once more, he was a man of power, of stature and authority.
"The only problem with the Prince was that he was not born sooner…..God bless you your highness and to hell with anyone who says differently.!" Kuribayashi thought to himself and with zeal continued with the defense preparations.
(Sarmizegetusa, Lelouch's office)
"So let me get this straight…there has been an ancient power called geass which is the origin behind fantasy stories, the one who receives it has some kind of magic powers, while the giver is immortal, and there are two sides of geass one who is good and one who is evil, and C.C here is the good side?" Kewell said.
"Something like that yes." Lelouch said to his lieutenants.
"Begging your pardon sir, but it seems really farfetched " Bradley replied with a chuckle.
"C.C would you mind if I gave them a demonstration?" Lelouch asked.
"Go right ahead, I don't mind" she replied unfazed.
Lelouch then took out his pistol pointed at her head and fired, the others jumped up from their seats in shock, but the where even more shocked when C.C got up from the floor with her wound healed a second later.
"My God!" George said astounded.
"As you can see this power is real, and it has plagued mankind for centuries, the crusades, the jihads, the inquisitions, the holocaust, the rise of communism and it's death camps all of them where efforts to rid mankind of the evil side of geass….but if you cut off the branches of a tree, they will simply grow back…you must cut off the roots and that is where we are going to destroy the Geass headquarters" Lelouch said and paused for a moment to let it sink in.
"Before I ask you, and not order you to join me I say to you this, there will be civilians, doctors and scientists which are unarmed, and the subjects they give geass too are little children, some no older that seven, I know of this since one of them has defected to my banner, they will all have to die also…..also I have in good information that the current leader of the cult is….my father, so if you go you will be breaking our code, committing a massacre and betraying the empire all in the same day…."
"So I won't order you to join me, I am requesting you to join, if not I will go by myself…." Lelouch said to them and waited with his eyes closed for their answer.
(Slayers headquarters, meeting room)
"So how is the progress of the Project Snare coming along?" Xingke asked.
"It has been completed two days ago, all we now have to do is use it." Laksharta replied.
"That is good news to hear, also I heard that Prince Lelouch is organizing his forces, I would like to know their commanders now" Kaguya said to those present.
"Understood! Since his ascension to the Russian throne Lelouch has organized the following army:" Ohgi said and he began his report.
"Out of the 3.000.000 troops within Russia he has divided them into the following:
1.000.000 troops have been organized into the Black Knights and 500.000 veterans have been transferred to Japan to bolster its defenses."
"1.000.000 have been reorganized into the Brittannian army and are stationed in Russia and 1.000.000 have been organized into the "Russian Legion".
"There have been also substantial a promotion among the rank and file, skillet officer have been promoted, a great deal of generals and colonel have been given honorable discharges and military pensions , those in charge of the Russian army are the following: 70% of generals and Colonels are of Brittannia origin, while the remaining 30 % are from commissioned officers with the ranks of Captains and majors mostly which are barely mid twenties old, also he has done the same with the Russian security service and the Government guard division is now composed entirely of soldiers who served under him in the Black Knights" Ohgi added.
"So he has consolidated his hold on Russia, what of his High Commanders?" Todoh asked.
"After his promotion to Grand Marshall he has given the following ranks: Jeremiah Gotwald, Viletta Nu, Kewell Soresi have all been given Field Marshall's Commissions, Odysseus, George Patton and Omar Bradley have been Given Lieutenant General's Commissions, Kururugi Suzaku has been promoted to Brigadier General"
"The Troops currently stationed in Japan are as following the original 250.000 Black Knights are under Lelouch's direct command; these troops are called the 1st army of the Black Knights"
"Lord Jeremiah commands the 2nd 250.000 man army which is stationed with the 1st in Tokyo,"
"Darlton and Cornelia's 8th army have been transferred and are stationed in Fukuoka"
"Kewell commands the 3rd army stationed in Kyushu along with Viletta who commands the 4th army also in Kyushu"
"Prince Odysseus and his second Brigadier Kuribayashi are in charge of the artillery and are stationed with Lelouch in Tokyo"
"George Patton and Omar Bradley are in command of the 5th army of the Black Knights which are stationed also in Tokyo"
"Kururugi Suzaku in now the brevet commander of the original 42nd Corps and is Lelouch's second in command in the 1st army" Ohgi added.
"What composition are those troops made out off?" Urabe asked.
"40% percent of them are Brittannian, 30% are Russian and the other 30% are Former numbers who have joined the Black Knights" Ohgi replied.
"So if the numbers or Russian's betray him, he has ample means to crush them" Senba said.
"But the same goes for the Brittannian forces if they do the same" Chiba said.
"The fact is this also guarantees his own survival in the Empire from assassinations" Asahina added.
"What do you mean?" Kallen asked.
"Well thanks to Lelouch there are half a million armed Russians and Half a million armed Japanese in The Empires most important province, regardless if he win or looses he is the only one who can control those troops, if he dies the Empire has to deal with one million angry soldiers which have lost their idol…the Brittannian's who enslave other nations are now being ordered around by their slaves, rather funny situation don't you agree?" Asahina added.
"He, what's even funnier is that a Brittannia Prince is the Symbol for Freedom which a part of the numbers embrace…..how fucked up is that!" Tamaki added.
"We are getting off track! The U.F.N is almost complete, only two major countries have not joined yet: Germany which has the finest army and economy in the E.U and Iran which bolts the greatest oil reserves from the Federation, we must ensure that these two countries join us, if they do then victory is ours through superior resources" Kaguya said.
"Xingke-san, Todoh Shogun, and Chiba-san I suggest the three of you go to Germany, Kallen-san with Myself will go to Iran to try to persuade them to join us"
"The rest of you should remain here and finish organizing our forces" Kaguya added and the meeting was adjourned.
After they left Kallen went to speak with Kaguya in private.
"Kaguya-sama I would like to accompany you, but my mother has recently recovered from refrain and I am worried about leaving her alone" Kallen said.
"The bring her with us" Kaguya said to Kallen.
"Eh?"
"The meeting will in the Kish Islands, that is a luxurious five star beach resort, your mother can relax there while we take care of business" Kaguya said to Kallen with a smile.
(Sarmizegetusa command ship)
"Your Highness, my loyalties are not to the Empire, but to you, so it is not a problem for me in that regard" Jeremiah replied.
"The same thing applies for me Lelouch, I don't like using violent means, but I've come to thrust your judgment" Suzaku added.
Viletta, Kewell, George and Omar agreed with them.
"That is good to hear, but may I remind you that if you agree to join this mission, you will have to kill innocent civilians, women and children….can you do something like that?" Lelouch asked.
At this Suzaku immediately stood up and said:
"Lelouch this power has no place in this world; it is evil plain and simple, eliminating it is necessary at all costs!" Suzaku said out loud in an uncharacteristic bloodlust, he still blamed geass from what happened to Lelouch and earlier today Lelouch told him about Mao so his hatred for geass only intensified.
Just then George stood up and said:
"In my opinion only God should be all powerful, like Suzaku said this is an unholy power and must be eliminated , I am with you all the way!"
George then got up from his seat, and saluted, the other did the same.
"Very well then, in two days we should arrive at our destination, everyone go and get some rest, for we go which hunting!" Lelouch said and they all complied.
(A day later, Kish Island)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Iranian President was having lunch Kaguya and Kallen was sitting next to Kaguya acting as her bodyguard.
"Your U.F.N seems like a good idea Lady Kaguya…but it would be unfair to me to say yes to your proposal without hearing the one from the Empire's representative" the president replied.
"Of course! It would be rude not too" Kaguya skillfully replied.
A moment the door to the balcony where they were having lunch was opened and the representative Lelouch sent to Iran walked in.
Kallen's eyes immediately went wide in shock at who the Empire's representative was.
"Oh! It is an honor to meet you, if I understand correctly you are one of the Iron Prince's men!" Mahmoud said to him.
"Yes your Excellency, I am the President of Black Corporation, I supervise my master's estate while he leads our armies" he replied.
"Well I t is an honor to meet you mister James…..beg your pardon I am a little rusty with names of European origin"
"Stadfelt your Excellency, James Stadfelt " he replied and looked at Kallen from the corner of his eye.
To Kallen this had become a very complicated situation.
(A day later, Berlin)
Ludwig Beck, the newly elected President of Germany was playing a game of chess with someone, Xingke and Todoh where both received in the office where he was doing so and Beck's chess opponent was obscured since his chair was positioned with the back to the two of them
"First of all congratulations on becoming the President Beck-san" Xingke said to him.
"I thank you graciously, if I am not mistaken you are here to try to convince me to have Germany join the U.F.N?" Ludwig asked.
"Yes, you're Excellency" Todoh replied.
"Well the U.F.N seems like a good idea and I will join on one condition, you see my friend here is the reason the other candidates backed down and let me be the party's candidate for presidency, I don't know how he did it but I am grateful, and my friend here desires a position in your new government" Beck replied.
"That could be arranged." Xingke replied.
"I will hold you to your promise Xingke" Beck's chess opponent said and immediately Xingke and Todoh both jumped at the voice which they both heard and recognized.
Beck's chest opponent got up from his seat and they're fears where confirmed.
"Kusakabe!" Todoh and Xingke both spat up in disgust at Kusakabe which was smiling deviously.
Author's note
Read and review, let me know if I should continue.