Praise be to God Almighty, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Like I said, I'm just trying to get these out here fast. If there are any mistakes that you see that I did not, please let me know. Oh, and AscendedHumanity?

Close guess XD

I do not own Code Geass

…...

The Sword of Akasha

The light shown brightly, even through the thick clouds that stretched as far as the eye could see. The temple was Romano-Celtic in its construction, consisting of large ivory columns topped by flat roofs arranged in an ovular ring, and towering diagonal half-arch pillars that framed the approach to the temple's main worship hall. The approach to the temple was negotiated by way of a pair of stairways separated in the middle by a rectangular platform, upon which rested a pair of braziers lit by eternal burning flames at either end. The entire temple was suspended in the air, with no rational means to explain its stationary flight.

This was a place built for gods.

Charles stood in the main worship area, staring out into the horizon. All of the artifacts they had found, the braziers, the ceremonial daggers, the basins, had been removed, melted down into scrap to build more Knightmare Frames. There were no ornaments to speak, no accouterments, not even so much as a chair to sit in. This was not a place for Charles to relax, or reflect.

This was a place where he fueled his hate.

They were not thousands of miles above the ground. The clouds were not real. The light from the sun was artificial. Even the stonework was suspect. The Sword of Akasha was a lie.

Charles hated lies.

Lies distorted reality. Lies twisted consciousness itself. Lies warped the human will to grow and prosper.

Lies killed his mother, and stole his childhood.

What a great irony it was, that this great lie, built to worship the fathers of lies, would be used to strike down the false gods and bring to the world an age of unrivaled Truth. No more would man lie. Man would be incapable of lying. The false doctrines of Justice and Equality would become the truth, for in Truth, all men would be equal, and all men would have justice.

And he, Marianne, and his children, would stand atop this world.

"Your son has become a nuisance." Charles ground his teeth in silent fury. V-Two approached him, his short strides unhurried, long hair trailing behind him like a bridal gown. "Thousands dead, an entire Area destabilized, even your Witch daughter brought low, over and over again." He came to a stop beside Charles, his burning violet eyes concentrated on him. "The situation is becoming tenuous."

Charles grunted. "You speak as if I were unaware," Charles said, not deigning to look down at him. "Rest assured, I am well aware of the situation and observing it with great care."

"That is precisely the problem, Charles," V-Two retorted. "You are observing, rather than acting. Had we brought the full might of the Empire down on the Elevens' heads just a month ago, this war would be over, and we could concentrate on more important pursuits. Instead, you have allowed the brat to gain a foothold. It will be much more difficult to root him out."

"Difficult, but not impossible," Charles countered. "And what should we care if he does perform the impossible? Our researchers have discovered three more Thought Elevators in addition to the one we found in Area Eleven. Even if we were to lose access to the Thought Elevator on Kamine Island, we would still have enough to perform the Connection."

"Have you forgotten that those three Elevators were found in eastern Germany?" V-Two asked. "I recall there being a rather large army between our own forces in Euro Britannia and the Elevators in Prussia."

Charles snorted. "The Europeans are on borrowed time, and we both know it," he retorted. "Their recruitment numbers have plummeted since the fall of North Africa. Our spies are even reporting they've resorted to drafting Elevens to fill their ranks. A single sharp push will send them toppling like a house of cards."

"That push will need fuel, and our fuel is Sakuradite. Or have you forgotten the casus belli for the war entirely?"

"You know fully well I have not," Charles said, finally turning to face his older brother. Disgust welled up within him at the sight of his face. "However, I am not nearly as concerned about it as you seem to be. Assume he does manage to take the country. So, what? He lacks the necessary infrastructure to keep it running. He'll be facing an economic crisis inside of a month, starvation in two, riots in three. His rule wouldn't last long."

V-Two frowned disappointedly. "And the Chinese?"

Charles laughed at that. "They'd sell their own mothers to appease us! Their spines were pulled from them a long time ago."

"Why are you so blasé about this, Charles?" V-Two finally asked, pouting.

Charles smiled, the first genuine smile in this farce. "Because Lelouch is performing a vital function," he said. "He is keeping C-Two in place."

V-Two inhaled. "Then you have confirmed her location?" he asked excitedly.

"Not precisely," Charles admitted. "But I am certain she has not left his side. Wherever Zero goes, we can expect to find her nearby."

A vicious smile curled across V-Two's face. "Excellent," he chortled, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Most excellent."

Changing topics, Charles asked, "How goes development of the Siegfried?"

Much of V-Two's excitement vanished. "Slowly," he answered, his tone thick with annoyance. "Fenette is not nearly the man Asperius or any of the other scientists were, and it shows. The same Sakuradite consumption problems plaguing the Gawain and Lancelot are affecting it. And to top it off, the machine still has no pilot."

"The machine-human interface is still not functioning?" Charles asked.

"If your aim is to drive good pilots insane, then it's working as intended," V-Two replied lightly. "Somehow, though, I suspect that was not what the designers had in mind. As it stands, it's an expensive, revolutionary, groundbreaking, piece of junk. Frankly, your plans with that brat have a greater success rate at present."

"Then do I have your approval to continue?" Charles asked, amusement coloring his tone.

"No. Send Enneagram."

Charles blinked with genuine surprise. "Does a Knight of the Round not seem a tad overkill, brother?" he asked.

"Overkill? I'm worried it may not be enough. He's ruining everything, Charles." V-Two glared up at him, a feral look in his eyes. "I will not let him destroy what has taken a lifetime to accomplish."

Charles studied him silently. Do you truly fear him so much, Victor? he wondered. Or does your hatred of my dear Marianne burn strong still?

It hardly mattered. The feeling was more than mutual, and Charles had long since chosen his side. You should never have lied to me, brother.

"Very well, Big Brother," Charles allowed. "I will send Enneagram. We will see if she can succeed where Cornelia has failed."

"Good," V-Two said simply, but Charles could feel the satisfaction coming off of him in waves. He went back to bouncing on his toes. "Three more Thought Elevators, Charles," he murmured. "Three more."

"Yes," Charles agreed, smiling at the false horizon. "Nothing can stop us now."

…

Kirihara Compound, Kyoto, Area Eleven, 2017

The journey to the Kirihara Compound was quiet, tense. Ryogo Senba and Shogo Asahina rode with Katase as his personal bodyguard, a role he did not desire for them but for which Colonel Tohdoh had insisted. Tohdoh himself could not leave the base with Katase; to do so would have drawn too much attention in an operation that required the height of discretion. The general had declared that he was going to perform an impromptu inspection of the forces they had in Kyoto, to which Commander Ohgi had readily agreed.

"It will certainly cheer the troops up to meet with a man of your stature," the young man had said, a bright smile on his face. Katase almost felt bad about misleading him.

The general did inspect the troops there, in a visit that lasted just over fifteen minutes. He had singed out for three hours, however, plenty of time to stop by Lord Kirihara's mansion. The building was classical, resembling that of the Emperor's in the days when Japan was still a monarchy. Guards in black uniforms wielding machine pistols walked the walls and patrolled the exterior gate. There were cameras at every corner and entrance. The general flashed an identification card at the gate guard; not his real one, of course, but rather that of a business associate Lord Kirihara had had in the past. Strangely, the guard didn't even bother looking at the card, instead waving him in. The camera on the wall tracked the general inside. Senba and Asahina were shuttled off to the side, their faces carefully hidden beneath fedoras.

Katase pulled his own black fedora low over his forehead to disguise as much of his appearance as possible, but none of the guards seemed concerned with his identity. When he finally arrived at the sliding door to Lord Kirihara's main office, a guard announced his presence to the old man inside.

"Ah, Kanegawa!" Lord Kirihara cheerfully crowed. "Come in! Come in!"

The room was in the traditional Japanese style, its decorations consisting of dragon statues and old paintings from the Sengoku Period. Kirihara sat behind a lacquered desk, a happy smile on his face.

Katase removed his shoes and approached his old friend, bowing before him. "It is good to see you again, Taizo," he said honestly, a smile brightening his expression. "It has been far too long. These last few months have been kind to you."

"As they have been to you," Kirihara said approvingly, gesturing to his black business suit. "Your tastes are expensive, but I think they suit you."

Katase pulled on the collar as he seated himself across from his old friend. "Truth be told, I'm much more comfortable in my old worker's uniform," he admitted, crinkling is eyebrows. "This is a tad stuffy."

"Yes, that old uniform did always look good on you. Ah! But, where are my manors? Himiko!" A young woman wearing a dark kimono stepped forward. "Bring us something!" he ordered. "I feel tea, freshly brewed, would be appropriate. What say you?"

We'll be alone for a good while, Katase thought. "That sounds splendid," he approved.

"Excellent!" Kirihara said. He smiled to the lovely young woman. "If you please?"

Himiko bowed and left the room.

"She's a spy, isn't she?" Katase asked a moment later.

"Of course," Kirihara replied, dropping any pretense of joviality. "You needn't worry about her, though. I took over her mother's medical bills. When anything sensitive comes up, she simply leaves the room. That way, she doesn't have to report on anything I'm doing." He sighed in bemusement. "Granted, those 'sensitive' topics only involve a few businesses that I've been running from behind the scenes. Zero doesn't know anything about them."

"And the guards?" Katase asked. "They didn't seem very concerned about my identity."

"They wouldn't be. Zero picked all of them, but discovering people's weaknesses is what I do best. Debts paid, hospital bills covered, a few indecent pictures." Kirihara shrugged. "Humans are incredibly weak. It makes them easy to control."

"And have you swept for bugs?"

Kirihara laughed. "You know, that's the damnedest thing," he said. "Zero surrounds me with his own carefully chosen agents, but he doesn't bug the place." He snorted. "It's a strange place to draw a line for privacy, but I must say, it certainly makes things simpler."

"I spoke with Sawisaki last night," Katase said, deciding the threat was sufficiently minimized.

An intrigued gleam entered Kirihara's eyes. "Did you now?" he asked.

"He said he hadn't been able to contact you in months," Katase continued. "And that the rest of Kyoto has gone silent." The old man gripped his cane tightly, his eyes downcast. "What is going on, Kirihara?" Katase asked. "Where is the rest of Kyoto?"

Kirihara's jaw worked as he mulled over his words. "There is no Kyoto, General," he said at last, sighing heavily. "They're all gone."

Katase choked on a feeling of mounting horror. "Y-You, you can't mean..."

Kirihara nodded solemnly. "They're dead, Tatewaki," he confirmed. He wouldn't look him in the eye. "Aside from the Lady Sumeragi and myself, the Six Houses of Kyoto have been exterminated."

Katase's jaw dropped. "How-why-but-" he stammered. "What the Hell is going on?"

Kirihara adjusted his grip on his cane. "He came to me several months ago," the old man said. It sounded like a confession. "We had made plans to invite him to work with us after Narita, but there were concerns over whether we could control him. It was decided that a show of force was necessary, to bring him into line." He chuckled humorlessly. "We were such fools. When he came before me, he already knew who the other Heads of House were, and he systematically targeted their staffs, cycling out their guards with his own men. When he introduced himself, he only did so after he had taken effective control." He scowled. "He had the Six Houses held hostage, and we didn't even know it."

Himiko returned at that moment, bringing a steaming fresh pot of tea. Katase was certain the scent was lovely, but he seemed to have lost his sense of smell. After she poured their drinks, Kirihara asked that she get a status report from the head of security.

Once she left, he continued. "He told me a new era was coming, that the old world was coming to an end, and that if I wanted to survive, I needed to look to the future." He took a sip of the tea, though he didn't seem to taste it. "For betraying my friends, he offered me a place in his inner circle, so long as I retired from the Kyoto Group and hand it over to Lady Sumeragi." He gestured to the room around him. "You can see for yourself how much weight his promises hold."

Katase felt outraged. "Why the Hell didn't you stand up to him!" Katase demanded.

Kirihara raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you?" he returned. Katase flinched as if struck. "Zero had me cornered. If I didn't cooperate, he would have killed me along with the others. Of that, I have no doubt." He chuckled. "I might have refused him, even then, but Kaguya is in love with him, and he holds her life over my head."

"He threatened her life directly?" Katase asked, stunned.

Kirihara shrugged. "Not in so many words," he admitted. "But why else make her the ambassador to China rather than me? I have far more experience than she does in international politics. I could have dealt with the Eunuchs with a much more efficient hand. I'm certain that by this point I would have their full support." He shook his head. "Humans," he chuckled derisively, "are incredibly weak. It makes them easy to control." He sighed.

"Why haven't you tried to get in touch with Sawisaki?" Katase asked.

"Are you mad?" Kirihara asked incredulously. "Calls can be traced, mine especially given my circumstances. I won't do anything to put myself or Kaguya in danger."

"But you took over this entire building!" Katase said.

Kirihara narrowed his eyes. "Do you think I did that to take on Zero?" he asked him. "Take a good look. I have no freedom here. I cannot travel anywhere without seeking approval from Zero. I am constantly being watched, even by these fools I've paid off. I have to watch every word I say because there are some things they can't ignore. This is not retirement, it's a prison. I've been isolated, Tatewaki, and I don't like it." He calmed back down. "I wanted some measure of control left to me, at least."

They sat in silence for some time. In that time, Himiko returned, bringing dumplings and other assorted snacks to eat. Katase was reeling from the revelations of his visit. An idea was beginning to crystallize in his mind, one awesome and terrible in its conception.

"We have to eliminate him," Katase murmured.

"What was that?" Kirihara asked, looking up from the tea he was sipping. Himiko also looked at him curiously.

Coughing, Katase turned to the young woman. "Would you kindly bring us a bottle of sake, my dear?" he asked her.

Himiko narrowed her dark eyes suspiciously, but when Lord Kirihara seconded the request, she merely bowed her head and left.

Once she was gone, Katase said, "We need to remove Zero, by any means necessary."

Kirihara exploded into laughter, the kind of laughter that comes straight from the gut. He slapped his knee, doubling over. There were tears in his eyes that he rubbed away as he sat back up. "Thank you for that, Tatewaki," he said. "I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time." When Katase only glowered at him, Kirihara sobered up. "My God, you're serious aren't you?"

Snarling, Katase barked, "Of course I'm serious! If we don't move, and soon, Zero will destroy this nation!"

Kirihara pointed an accusing finger at him. "You are the one who will destroy this nation, Tatewaki!" He huffed. "What madness is this? Turn on him? At our moment of triumph?" He spat onto the floor. "You would split the rebellion clear in two!"

Katase leaned forward desperately. "That maniac wants global revolution, Taizo!" he countered. "Japan will drown in waves of blood and steel! We would be ground into dust!"

"Simple rhetoric!" Kirihara dismissed. "At the absolute most, he'd be a tinpot dictator, a new Emperor. He isn't so foolish as to think he can take on the entire Empire."

"It's not foolishness, it's madness!" Katase implored him. "Why can't you see that?"

Kirihara scowled. "I see things much more clearly than you," he retorted. "Like the Imperial troops in our streets, and their damn Knightmare prowling around our sacred nation, and that accursed flag atop the Viceroy's Palace." He grunted angrily. "I have no desire to see the Union Jack waving so arrogantly over our nation forever! I mean to see the flag of the Rising Sun waving proudly once more over the streets of Tokyo." His eyes were shining passionately. "I will not pursue a course of action that will lead to our nation's destruction!" he declared.

Desperate, Katase asked, "Not even to save the life of Lady Sumeragi?"

Kirihara's eyes narrowed. "Do you dare to threaten me, General?" he asked, his tone cold. A deadly aura arose around him.

Katase swallowed. "I make no threat to the Lady Sumeragi's life old friend," he denied, "but she's in over her head."

Kirihara snorted. "Oh, please. Kaguya is young and inexperienced, but she has a sharp head on her shoulders," he said smugly. "So long as she keeps a cool disposition, she should do just fine in her negotiations with the Eunuchs."

Katase finally saw his opening. "She's not negotiating with the Eunuchs, Taizo!" he told him. "She's negotiating with the Empress!"

Kirihara's eyes bulged in shock. "She's...She's what?"

"From the moment she arrived in the Federation, Lady Sumeragi has done nothing but thumb her nose at the Eunuchs," Katase explained. "She's thrown her lot in completely with the Empress, at what must be Zero's urging."

"But-But," Kirihara spluttered, "that doesn't make any sense! The Empress has no power! There is nothing she can do for us! The Eunuchs are the real power in China, everyone knows that!"

Katase rested his hands on his knees. "Nevertheless, that is who Lady Sumeragi has been negotiating with, and the Eunuchs are not happy about it. They've been trying to contain the Empress's moves, but there's only so much the Empress can push before the Eunuchs strike back." Katase leaned forward. "Woe be to anyone that gets in their way."

Kirihara dropped his cane. In open disbelief, he wiped his brow. "It's madness," he muttered. "Utter madness."

"It's Zero," Katase corrected him. "Zero is the madness. He's driving this entire country off the rails. We're the only ones who can put a stop to it." He licked his lips. "We're the only ones who can save Kaguya."

Silence descended on the room. Kirihara stared at the floor, sweat dripping down his forehead. Himiko returned with the sake. Neither man touched it.

Finally, after a long time, he nodded.

Katase breathed an internal sigh of relief. It was as Kirihara said.

Humans are incredibly weak. It makes them easy to control.

…

Viceroy's Palace Infirmary, Viceroy's Palace, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

Suzaku sat on his cot, staring at his father's pocket watch. The cover of it was warped out of shape from the bullet that Britannian captain had tried to kill him with. The ticking hands were broken, frozen forever at 1:38. Suzaku was unsure of the actual time, but every so often he would check his father's broken watch, and twice a day it would be right.

Maybe we should have resisted to the last breath, he mused. Then, I would have been killed with him. I could have died with my honor, rather than live with the disgrace.

He flipped the watch shut, holding it out before him, and shut his eyes.

What am I doing here? What's the point of all this?

He had raised up his sword against his own people to protect others, and to forge a better path than the hopeless road of terrorism that had sucked his nation dry. He wanted to change things, to leave the world at least a little better than he found it, to atone for his crime and restore his honor.

But how can I do that when I hurt the innocent?

Cecile was just trying to help him, and he'd nearly murdered her for it.

Is this what life is, father? Am I meant to destroy lives, no matter what I do?

He ground his teeth.

"Why couldn't she have just killed me?" Suzaku whispered. "Why did her aim have to be off that day?"

"Whose aim?"

Suzaku started. Cecile was standing in the doorway, a determined look on her face. Her blouse was pulled up extra high to hide the bruises.

Guilt coursed through Suzaku.

"Miss Cecile!" he said, leaping off of his cot. He knelt as low as he could, in the old Japanese style, his forehead against the cold floor. "Words cannot begin to describe how sorry I am!" he proclaimed, tears falling onto the tile floor. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I beg you, do to me what you will! I can never atone-"

Suzaku's head was wrenched up by the hair, and before he could process it, Cecile delivered an uppercut to the bottom of his chin. There was an astonishing amount of power behind the blow, and as Suzaku reeled from the impact, she followed it up with a hard jab in his gut. As the breath went out of him in a whoosh, she sent a right hook into his left cheek, and finished up with a hard punch to his jaw.

As Suzaku collapsed to the floor, wheezing in pain, Cecile said, "If you ever lay your hands on me like that again, you'll get a Hell of a lot worse, Kururugi!"

Suzaku looked up at her, and was stunned to see tears falling down her cheeks. "And if I ever hear you wish for death again," she continued, her lips trembling, "I will never, ever, ever forgive you!" She dashed away some of the tears with the back of her hand. "Am I understood?"

Suzaku nodded. "Y-" he coughed, clutching his belly in pain. "Y-Yes, m-ma'am," he finally whimpered.

Cecile nodded. "Good," she declared, "because I'm not done yet. You struck a superior officer, and there are consequences for that."

Suzaku bowed his head. "I'll accept whatever punishment you deem fit," he whispered. He shut his eyes.

"Take off the bandages," Major Croomy ordered.

Suzaku's eyes snapped open. He looked back up at her, panic filling him. "No, Miss Cecile! Please, I-"

"Take them off, Warrant Officer!" Major Croomy repeated. "This is your punishment! I will not have you shirk it!"

Duty warred with the fire ants biting his face. "But I can't, I-"

Major Croomy jerked her service pistol from her holster and pointed it at his head. "If you disobey my orders, I will blow your head off!" she promised, the hammer giving a click as she cocked it. "I was the top marksman in my class! Don't think for a second I'll miss!"

Top marksman? What a joke. Your wrist is pointing slightly to the right, which means I only have to dodge to escape the bullet's trajectory. You're standing too close to me. In three moves I'll have my fist in your belly, the gun on the floor, and my hand wrapped around your-

NO!

I will not do it! I will never harm Cecile again!

Suzaku ground his fist into the floor, and with the other hand, grasped the outer edge of the bandages. Chainsaws ripped across his cheek as he began to pull. He bit down hard against the pain, the taste of copper filling his mouth. He was sobbing as he pulled, great big fat tears that reflected his maddened face.

He scrunched his eyes shut. His strength was leaving him. I can't do it! Suzaku despaired. I can't, it hurt, it hurts too-

"Pull it off, Suzaku!" Major Croomy ordered. "Or you will never see Princess Euphemia again!"

Euphie!

Her bright pink curls filled his vision, her blue-violet eyes filled with joy and love, her soft body curled against his as they danced the night away.

Suzaku's teeth ground together. With a groan he pulled sharply against the bandages, the wrapping ripping away from his face with force of an earthquake. The bandages fell in tatters to the floor, and Suzaku's cheek burned like a hot iron was being pressed against it. He heaved great big gulps of breath.

As he shivered, Cecile's hands were suddenly there, cupping his cheeks and pulling his head into her lap, her warm hands somehow soothing the pain away. She held him through the worst of the shakes, gently rubbing her hand against his cheek, until the fire had soothed down to hot embers.

His mind once again his own, Suzaku mumbled, "Would you really have shot me, Miss Cecile?"

There was silence for a moment. Cecile's hand left his face, and a moment later, produced her pistol. She hit the ejection button on the handle, and the magazine slipped out.

It was empty.

"I could never point a loaded gun at you," she whispered.

For some reason, that made him sad.

…...

Gawain Research Base, Kamine Island, Area Eleven

There were a hundred guards stationed around the Gawain testing site, supported by mobile artillery, a half-dozen Sutherlands, and multiple machine gun posts. They would have been formidable defenses, had the Black Knights not deployed Gefjun Disturbers. Rakshata Chawla's latest invention, or rediscovery from Zero's perspective, had rendered the enemy hardware useless, and their stolen Sutherlands annihilated the ground forces from a leisurely distance. Black Knight infantry swarmed over the area, surrounding the disabled armor and forcing the pilots out at gunpoint. There were a dozen survivors in total, all lined up nice and pretty inside the cave, their hands bound behind their backs with zip tie cuffs. They stared hatefully at the Black Knights that held them under arms.

The Gawain's science team was lined before Zero, eight men and three women, the leader of which couldn't have been older than forty. His once pristine white lab coat was covered in dirt from having been forced to the ground, his glasses were cracked, and his hair disheveled. His expression was one of utter terror.

"What do you mean 'It isn't working'?" Zero asked cooly, his robotic voice echoing in the chamber. His temples throbbed at another headache. Three hours was not enough time for sleep, and he'd already taken migraine medicine. It wasn't helping.

The scientist wrung his hands. "I-I mean precisely that!" the terrified man spluttered. "The Hadron Cannons are offline, and we can't fix the power consumption problems! It's a worthless device for you to take!"

Zero chuckled. "I'll be the judge of that," he assured him. "What exactly is wrong with the power consumption?"

The scientist looked hesitant to answer, so Zero brought up his pistol and pointed it at him. He gulped. "Kn-Knightmare Frames already r-require a large quantity of power to function," he explained. "When active in the field, the maximum amount of time Knightmares have been able to operate effectively has been four hours. Bu-But the Gawain has a new, st-st-state of the art Float system," he pointed to indicate the machine in question, "a-and w-w-will have the destructive power of the Hadr-Hadr-"

"-Hadron Cannons?" Zero finished for him.

The scientist nodded. "Individually, these mechanisms already draw a great deal of power. When put to-together, they only give the Gawain an effective time limit of forty-five minutes."

Zero scowled. "The Gawain never had these problems before," he mused aloud.

"Be-Before?" the scientist asked, baffled.

"Never mind," Zero said, waving him off. He stared long and hard at the kneeling Knightmare, its right hand brought across its chest, and cupped the chin of his mask. "Some assembly required, hmmm?" He brought his hands behind his back. "Well, it can't be helped, I suppose. We'll just have to finish it ourselves." Without looking at the scientists, he addressed them: "From now on, you work for me. Every hour of your waking life will be spent finishing the construction of the Gawain. You will, of course, be richly compensated for your services once your work is complete." He could already imagine feeling the power of the Gawain thrumming through him.

"I-I respectfully decline."

Zero's attention snapped back to the scientist in an instant. The man's face was pale with fear, and a dark patch had appeared on his khaki pants.

"Come again?" Zero asked coldly. "Did I just hear you say you 'decline'?"

Despite his apparent terror, the scientist nodded.

Zero approached until he stood across from him, separated only by a few feet. "I don't recall giving you the option."

The scientist swallowed, before declaring defiantly, "I am a loyal subject of the Empire! My loyalty is to His Royal Majesty, Emperor Charles zi Britannia, and the-"

Zero raised his pistol and fired a single round through the scientist's head. Blood, bone, and brain exploded in a shower behind his skull. The other scientists screamed in terror, backing away as the Black Knights around them trained their rifles on them. The scientist stood for an agonizing pair of moments, blood leaking from the hole in his forehead, before collapsing in a heap. A pool of blood formed beneath his head.

"He said the 'C'-word," C-Two mused from the side. "He shouldn't have done that."

Zero raised his gun at the remaining scientists. "Understand this!" he barked. "None of you are indispensable! None of you are fully safe from my wrath! I have scientists, researchers, testing facilities!" He paced up and down the group, pistol still aimed at them. "I have no true need for any of you! I am employing you only because it will make development easier to accomplish! I can," he trained his gun on an older woman, "do," his gun flitted over a pimply faced man, "without!"

Turning around, he walked over to the line of soldiers, who were hurling curses and epithets against him, and shot the nearest one in his head. The man next to him was covered in a spray of gore, and the dead man collapsed, blood spewing like a park fountain from his temple.

"Any attempt at sabotage," he bellowed, "any attempt to undermine what it is I am trying to accomplish, and the deaths of these men will be on your hands! Am I understood?"

The scientists, faces covered in tears and snot, nodded. Zero gestured to a fat, curly haired man, who squeaked when Tamaki shoved him forward with the butt of his gun.

"What's your name?" Zero asked him, his gun gripped at his side.

"D-Doctor Jeremy Wilkes!" he answered, the jowls of his cheeks shaking.

"Who do you work for?"

"Th-The man with the gun!" he replied.

Zero laughed, and the other Black Knights laughed with him. "Good answer!" he said, sliding his gun back into his holster. "You're the project lead now. You'll report directly to Rakshata Chawla, once we have you ready. And remember," he gestured to the bodies of the lead scientist and the dead soldier, "the cost of defiance."

Zero paid no more attention to the man after that. He climbed the platform to inspect the runes marking the Thought Elevator. C-Two followed him, coming to a rest next to him, staring at the runes as well.

"That was rash and stupid," she said, quietly enough that the others couldn't hear them. "They are not disposable, Lelouch. We need every able hand we can get. If you were going to target someone, it should have been the soldiers alone."

"I know," Zero acknowledged. "My head is killing me, the Gawain is currently a piece of gaudy furniture, and that fool boasting about his loyalty to-" he clenched his fist against the sudden fury. "It set me off," he finished lamely.

"All you had to do was geass him, and you wouldn't have anything to worry about."

Zero shook his head. "Given how close I am to Rampancy, I have to use my geass more sparingly. It's the only way to make it last long enough."

"The sooner it goes Rampant," C-Two replied, "the sooner the pain stops, and incidents like this don't happen."

"And the sooner I have to say goodbye to the others," Lelouch countered. "Which is what you want."

C-Two's fingers tentatively linked with his. "I want you to win," she said softly.

Lelouch shifted away from her. "I know," he admitted, his own tone soft. He looked up at the door. "I don't suppose it would do us any good to blow this thing to pieces would it?" he asked.

C-Two shook her head. "Not a chance," she agreed. "Marianne and I had no problem gaining access to the Thought Elevator, even after you reduced it to rubble."

Zero brought his hand up to run his finger over the glass of his helmet. "Could we perhaps use it as a backdoor into the Imperial Palace?" he wondered aloud.

"Maybe," C-Two allowed. "But, you would have to know where it was precisely you were going. The World of C is a maze, and even when we used this particular door to reach the Sword, we still only came out through this door. Unless you intend to camp out at the Sword of Akasha and wait for the Emperor or V-Two to arrive, the safest bet is to leave this place as is."

"Why not destroy this cave and inhibit access?" Zero asked.

"Too risky," C-Two told him. "As yet, the Emperor isn't aware of your knowledge of the plan. Destroying this place could cause him to suspect you. If he thinks for even a moment that you stand in active opposition to the Ragnarok Connection, he will move against you, and no amount of time travel hi jinks will stop him."

Zero turned to her. "So you're saying he's been holding back?" he asked.

C-Two nodded. "Without a doubt. Despite everything you've done, he doesn't truly see you as a threat. His restraint is the only reason you haven't been put down yet."

White hot fury coursed through Zero's body. "What arrogance, father," he spat, glaring back at the geass runes on the door. "I'll make you choke on it when I rip this world from your feeble grasp."

He slammed his fist into the wall and-

His eye, his eye, his thrice-damned eye!

Pain beyond imagining burned in his head like a volcanic eruption. Stars exploded in a black field across the cosmos. A woman with pale skin and pink tipped-black hair mumbled words he couldn't understand. The Sword of Akasha struck through Jupiter, and Lelouch heard the roar of a dragon-

"Are you alright?" C-Two barked, holding him by the arm.

"What?" Lelouch asked stupidly.

"Are you alright?" C-Two repeated.

"Y-Yeah," he answered sluggishly, "I-" He brought his hand up against his mask, only to find the glass cracked beneath his fingers. He looked up in shock to find glass fragments embedded in the stone door. "I struck my head?" he asked more than said.

The runes were glowing a vibrant red that grew fainter with every passing moment.

"What was-"

"Zero! Are you alright?"

Lelouch turned to see Kallen rushing up the steps to the platform, her expression panicked. Some of the other Black Knights were yelling as well.

C-Two stepped in front of him, saying, "He's fine, as you can clearly see."

Kallen scowled. "Oh, yeah, he's real fine!" she said scornfully. "His mask is only broken!" She turned back to Lelouch. "Are you alright, Zero?"

C-Two opened her mouth to speak, but Lelouch stepped in front of her. "Yes, I'm fine Kallen, thank you," he assured her. His head still throbbed, but it wasn't nearly as bad as before. He kicked away a loose rock. "I seem to have stumbled over a pebble. Pay it not mind."

Kallen didn't look convinced. "What was that weird light?" she asked.

Zero turned back to the door. "I don't know," he said honestly. Flickers of images went through his head, but whatever it was he had seen was already fleeing from his memory. An attempt to remember only brought on a sharp jab of pain.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kallen asked again, attempting to maneuver around C-Two, who blocked her path.

"He said he's fine, Kozuki," C-Two said sharply. "Perhaps you should return to your job."

"Protecting Zero is my job," Kallen retorted. "Last time I checked, I was the head of his bodyguard unit. It's my duty to keep him safe."

"Whenever he's with me, he's safe," C-Two replied coldly. "You can rest assured of that."

Kallen scowled. "He-"

"-Enough, both of you," Zero interjected, mindful of the undue attention they were receiving. "Get the prisoners ready for transport," he ordered Kallen. "I want to be gone before the next half hour is up."

Kallen snapped off a smart salute. "Yes, sir!"

As Kallen departed, Zero turned to C-Two. "When we get back on the ship," he told her quietly, "we need to talk."

C-Two nodded her agreement.

…

Outside the Viceroy's Palace, Tokyo Settlement, Area Eleven

The sun was setting when Suzaku left the Palace Infirmary. Cecile had discharged him personally, and given him a stack of papers.

"You're on medical leave, effective immediately," she told him. Her tone brooked no argument. "You'll be returned to active duty pending a comprehensive psychological evaluation."

Lloyd's signature was at the bottom, meaning Suzaku wouldn't be able to convince him to put a stop to this.

I suppose it's to be expected, he mused, and far less than what I deserve.

"What about the Lancelot?" he asked, looking back up at her.

"We'll still be developing it, don't worry about that," Cecile assured him. "Once you're back in tip-top shape, we'll run some more test runs. Have no fear," she smiled, "you're the only one we'll ever let pilot the Lancelot."

Suzaku wasn't sure that he'd ever be in 'tip-top shape' again, but he appreciated her confidence.

"What should I do when I'm not going to therapy?" he asked.

"Why not spend time with your friends?" Cecile suggested. "It's been a long time since you last saw them, hasn't it?"

That was true. Between deployment for testing and his time in the hospital, Suzaku hadn't seen his friends in a couple of weeks. He missed them dearly.

"Maybe even prepare for Lloyd's wedding."

"Lloyd's wedding?" Suzaku asked, flabbergasted.

Realization dawned on her. "That's right, you haven't heard." A bright smile lit up her face. "Lloyd is getting married to your friend, Lady Milly. They signed the documents only yesterday."

Suzaku's jaw dropped. "I had no idea," he admitted.

"They haven't spent much time together," Cecile continued. "Lloyd wants to look at the Ashford's Ganymede right away, and Lady Milly is focusing all of her attention on the Festival coming up."

Suzaku grinned, the first time all day. She did it! She got the Festival ready!

"Miss Cecile," Suzaku asked, "is it alright if I go and help out with the Festival preparations when I get done with my therapy?"

Cecile smiled. "Of course, Suzaku. Far be it from me to prevent you from seeing your friends."

Joy filled Suzaku's heart. Unconsciously, he reached up to scratch at the itching he'd been trying to ignore.

Cecile's hand came up, surprising him as she cupped his scarred cheek. The scar was a pukish gray, splitting the right half of his face in craggy broken lines that looked like the aftermath of an earthquake. The itching subsided somewhat under Cecile's hand.

"I'll never forgive her," Cecile whispered. "I'll never forgive that bitch for what she did to you."

Gently, Suzaku brushed her hand away. "I'm not that concerned about it," he lied, the itching already starting to return. A thought occurred to him. "It may in fact be a blessing in disguise."

Cecile cocked her head, curious. "What do you mean?"

Suzaku grinned. Bright pink hair waved in his memory. "Chicks dig scars."

He found it rather odd when Cecile blushed.

….

SS Cranston, Sagami-Nada Sea, Area Eleven

"I'm sorry to report that of the fifteen men who were appointed, only five refused to take bribes," Kaguya told Zero.

"That's perfectly alright," Zero reassured her. "If they could be bought, there was no use in having them. Where were the Loyalists sent?"

"Maintenance, Transportation, Interstate Commerce," Kaguya answered, listing them off. "Three of them were given mid-level appointments. The other two are office clerks, for all the good they're able to do."

"How disappointing," Zero said. "I certainly hope none of them get sent to Sanitation." They were using a scrambler to keep their conversation hidden, but there was no point in being careless.

"What a disgusting appointment that would be," Kaguya agreed.

Kaguya didn't need to ask why Zero would be pleased. The more of their own people they stuffed into these government offices, the more control they would have over the nation's infrastructure. The Eunuchs only saw dead-end jobs that would provide little in the way of civil honor, like the Ministry of the Navy or the Ministry of War.

Zero saw them as the perfect tool to cripple the army's ability to rapidly deploy.

Zero was no fool; there was no chance the Eunuchs were going to go without a fight. That was why he needed three months; three months to run the Occupation ragged; and three months to plan a coup d'etat.

If all goes well, I'll have the industrial might of the Chinese Federation on my side.

"You have done well, Lady Sumeragi," Zero said aloud. "I am pleased with your progress." To anyone listening, he would sound like he was merely reassuring her.

"You honor me, My Lord," Kaguya replied serenly.

Zero rolled his eyes. "There is no need for you to call me 'Lord', Lady Sumeragi," he told her. I get that enough here as is.

"But, Lord Zero," Kaguya objected, "it is only appropriate that a woman call her future husband Lord."

Lelouch sat up straight. "I'm sorry, what?" he said incredulously. "Did you say future husband?"

"But of course, My Lord," Kaguya confirmed. "A union between myself and you would be the perfect means to bind our nation together. And a clear line of succession will assure the people of a long and stable reign."

Reign? Succession? What?

"Of course," she continued, "I understand that a man of your status cannot possibly be satisfied with only one wife. Therefore, should you wish to bring Lady C-Two and Lady Kallen into our bed, I will most certainly oblige-"

"That is quite enough, Lady Sumeragi," Lelouch interrupted, his face tomato red. "I look forward to your next report."

"Farewell, then, beloved."

Lelouch snapped his phone shut, heart pounding madly.

"My," C-Two said, "that girl is as liberal as I remember." She stood in underwear that left little to the imagination, her breasts straining against the bra. Lelouch steadfastly rejected the image. "Would you be interested in taking on a concubine, Lulu?" she asked, a sly smile on her face.

"Oh, shut up," he mumbled, turning away from her.

Their conversation upon returning had been short and to the point; no, his geass wasn't rampant; yes, it was strange that it reacted in such a way to the gate; no, he couldn't remember what it was that he had seen. The frustration had mounted until Kaguya had made her appointed call. The fact that things seemed to be going according to plan mollified his concerns.

Three more months. Just three more.

His phone rang in his hand, the caller ID popping up with 'Himiko.' What's this, then? He flipped the phone open. "Yes, what is it?"

"Master Kirihara spoke with a man today. An unexpected visitor."

Lelouch checked his nails. This was nothing new; Lelouch had thought it hilarious when his agents informed him that Kirihara was buying them off. Each of the agents had been giving a subconscious geass command to take Lelouch's word as law. When Kirihara made the first bribe, Lelouch had been informed immediately, but he allowed the old man to do it. Cycling them out was unnecessary, and more to the point, he understood why Kirihara would do it.

Lelouch cared deeply for Taizo Kirihara. The man could have lynched Lelouch and Nunnally, or sold them to increase their standing in the Occupation. Instead, he had protected and sheltered them, at least until it was no longer possible to do so. He had taught him everything he knew about human nature, and how easy it was to control. There was a debt there, a debt that must be repaid.

His own foolishness had cost the old man his life in the last timeline. If everything went tits up, he wanted to be sure that he could get Taizo out of harm's way quickly and safely. Once the new government was set up, Lelouch would make good on his promise to bring the man into his inner circle. For now, the least he could do was give the old man the appearance of control.

"Who was it?" Lelouch asked a little boredly. He'd gotten this message he didn't know how many times.

"He said the man's name was Kanegawa-"

"-Then don't worry about it," Lelouch interrupted, rapidly losing interest. Kanegawa had been one of Kirihara's old associates before the invasion. Lelouch had met the man several times when he was a child. If Kanegawa was getting in touch with him, it was probably to procure a better position in the post-Occupation Japan. "Inform me of any new developments," he ordered. After she acknowledged his order, he shut the phone.

"Will you be going to bed soon, Lelouch?" C-Two asked coyly, already seated on the bed. She was leaning over so that he had an eyeful of her cleavage. "It's rather cold, you know, sleeping all alone."

"Then find a blanket," Lelouch retorted.

"Oh, I didn't mean I was cold, Lelouch," she replied, smirking. "After all, when a man spurns a woman, he tends to sleep on the couch."

Lelouch gaped at her as she slid underneath the covers. "Th-There's no couch here!" he protested absurdly.

"There is back at Ashford," she retorted, turning away from him. "Sleep on it once you get back. You should have a few free days for it."

Of course she's still mad about that, he fumed. "Well, what am I supposed to do, then?" he asked petulantly.

C-Two turned back to him, an eyebrow raised. "You know the answer to that, Lelouch," she reminded him. "Boys sleep-"

"-on the floor."