Chapter 8: Know Your Enemy – Mobilization
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Code Geass and GATE: Jieitai Kare no Chi nite, Kaku Tatakeri franchises. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been doing this now, would I?! Both franchises belong to their respective creators; I am writing this because of my hobby and passion only, not for profit.
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Terran Calendar: September 30, 2135
Kallen desperately tried to restart her damaged Sutherland Mark II model Knightmare Frame but it was to no avail. The Sutherland was hit by anti-tank missiles and its missile armament was depleted. Even its shoulder-mounted rotary cannon went silent a few seconds ago.
"Vicker Two-One, this is Vicker Actual, do you copy?" Kallen's Commander – Captain Kane Hauser – spoke through her earpiece.
"This is Vicker Two-One, I copy!" Kallen replied as she ran diagnostics on her Knightmare Frame.
"We saw your Knightmare Frame took quite a beating there. Can you restart it?" The Captain asked.
After running a full-system diagnostics, she sighed in defeat as the Knightmare Frame was effectively disabled. It couldn't be helped since it took four Stinger anti-tank missiles head-on after all. Thanks to the Knightmare's Trophy system, it was able to keep the pilot safe despite the severe damage it suffered.
"No, Vicker Actual! My Knightmare Frame is dead!" She responded. "Permission for a 'Bail Out'!"
"Granted," the Captain answered through the comms channel. In the background, she could hear the sound of intense firefights. "Retrieve the Data Core and 'Bail Out'! The code is Lima Ghost Hotel Zero-Nine-Two. We will retrieve you at Extraction Point Alpha. Be advised, we detect over two dozen enemy foot-mobiles heading your way. We'll do what we can from here but you're on your own until you reach the extraction point. Maintain radio silence until then. Vicker Actual, out!"
"Copy that, Vicker Actual!" Kallen replied. She then launched the Sherman drones from her Sutherland to perform recon and overwatch. Once they came online, the drones detected multiple enemy contacts and vehicles in the surrounding areas but there weren't any in her area yet.
Feeling satisfied that she was alone for now, she entered the code to retrieve her Sutherland's data core and initiate the Bail Out sequence, all the while keeping an eye on her HUD for enemy contacts. She detached herself from the pilot seat's harness, then grabbed her weapons and equipment before exiting the downed war machine.
A Knightmare Frame pilot's standard loadout consists of one M-40E Carbine or Submachine Gun with four plus one magazines, one Springfield Defender plus five pistol magazines, four frag grenades, three multi-role grenades, and one combat knife.
With a loud hiss, the Knightmare Frame's cockpit opened and extended a rope for her to descend. After touching the ground, she scanned the area with her M-40E Carbine and checked her drones one last time. Remembering her training, she refrained from using her flashlight to avoid attracting the enemy's attention.
Thanks to her company's fire support, the hostiles were kept away from her position long enough for her to disembark from her Sutherland safely. Judging from the sound of the gunfight, they were still engaging the enemy. The night-time environment gave her some cover and her helmet had a night vision mode on. Even from this distance, she could hear the sound of explosions and machine gunfights going off.
Amidst the thundering sound of the battle afar, she could hear the sound of their vehicles coming toward her position. After checking the drone feed for their approach vector, she quickly moved into the shadows of the nearby trees and houses while trying to keep a low profile. As soon as she entered an abandoned house, two enemy vehicles emerged from the nearby street corner. The hostiles disembarked and approached her broken Knightmare Frame.
Despite her fear, Kallen controlled her breath to calm herself and avoid detection as best as she could. Examining the drone feed, she could see that there were eight hostiles and they were talking to each other. They stopped around ten meters away from her Knightmare Frame as if they were waiting for something.
She contemplated taking these guys out with her Carbine but decided against it, seeing that more of them were coming. Plus, she needed to save ammo for later encounters. Upon examining their positions, Kallen came up with an idea.
When another squad of enemies showed up to reinforce the current squad, they examined the wreckage together. There were fifteen of them now. Once they were close enough, she pushed the button on her wristpad.
The downed Sutherland's core went into a quick meltdown and exploded violently. The explosion rocked several houses in the vicinity, killing most of the enemy combatants around the Sutherland.
Unfortunately, one of her drones was a little too close to the explosion so she lost it. She didn't have time to ponder it because she started running like hell towards the extraction point.
However, several bullets whizzed past her when she crossed three blocks of houses. Kallen ran as fast as she could while firing blindly behind her with her carbine.
After jumping into cover behind a car, dozens of bullets began to impact the car and several punched through it. Using it as a cover, she ducked into a nearby convenience store. Once she made sure that the wall was strong enough to stop the bullets, she inspected her drone feed to locate the hostiles.
Through her remaining drone, she could see two damaged enemy vehicles and ten hostiles near the burning Knightmare Frame. It looked like they had arrived shortly after she detonated the Sutherland. She brought up the map on her HUD to check her route to the extraction point. To make matters worse, she still had to cover a distance of over 200 meters to reach the extraction point.
"That's just great!" She thought to herself as more and more bullets tore into the building she was hiding in.
Kallen quickly examined the map to find the safest route. She then inspected her gear, checked her ammunition, took out a multi-role grenade from her belt, and turned on its smoke setting. She glanced at the spot where the bullets impacted to time and aim her throw properly. She lost count of how many times her drill instructor had yelled at her for failing a simple grenade toss.
When the enemies stopped firing to reload their weapons, she threw the smoke grenade outside. The grenade landed next to the car she had just hidden behind. Once the smokescreen was thick enough, she started running again. Some of the enemies resumed firing but their aim was much less accurate, allowing her to cover half the journey safely.
After making two turns in a narrow alley, she took a group of enemies by surprise and gunned them down with her carbine. Although her aim wasn't entirely accurate, it wasn't an issue given the distance between her and them. She also gave them headshots to make sure they were dead before moving on.
However, she stopped at a tight corner when her HUD showed that there were five enemies between her and the extraction point. The green lights on the map and the sound of gunfire indicated that her comrades were also nearby and engaging the enemies.
She peered out of the alley to see them. Their uniforms and armor made her boil with rage as they reminded her of the ones who murdered her father and brother. Suppressing her anger, Kallen analyzed the situation to determine the best course of action.
One of them was chanting a spell while the other four were firing their weapons at her comrades. Their aim sucked but they at least knew how to handle the weapons and caused enough trouble for the Britannians. She also noticed that the mage managed to cast an energy shield to protect himself and his comrades, hindering the Britannians' advance.
Since she was close enough to the extraction team, she decided to break radio silence and contact them. "This is Vicker Two-One, I'm roughly eighty meters from the extraction point. Does anyone copy?"
"This is Sergeant Hemsworth of Third Platoon, Bravo Company," a rough voice replied through the radio. "We're here to pick you up, Vicker Two-One, but we got stuck here a little. These fuckers got a Mage with them."
"I can take them from behind, Sir," Kallen said after analyzing the situation. "Once I took out the mage, can you guys take out the rest?"
"Of course we can," the Sergeant replied after two seconds of silence. "Keep your head down after that fucker is dead. We don't want to risk friendly fire here. We'll fire on your mark."
"Roger," Kallen said.
Once she was sure that no enemy would take her from behind, she set up a firing position and aligned her iron sight with the target's head.
Since the mage had to continuously chant the spell to maintain the barriers, she waited for when he paused to catch his breath. As soon as the mage stopped chanting, the barrier dropped for a few seconds. That window was all she needed. Remembering the words of her drill instructor, she steadied her breath and pulled the trigger.
A portion of the mage's head exploded and his body went limp behind his cover. Moments after she took out the biggest threat, the remaining hostiles turned and aimed their weapons at her. She managed to put six bullets into the one with the machine gun but couldn't make it in time for the other three.
Luckily, Sergeant Hemsworth's squad tore the enemies apart with their machine guns. Without the mage's shields, they might as well have been paper to the Britannians' "hot knives".
Kallen breathed a sigh of relief and joined up with the Sergeant and his men. "Thank you for coming, Sir!"
"Don't thank me yet, rookie," Sergeant Hemsworth replied in an urgent tone. "We're still on hostile grounds. Get your ass in the vehicle! We're getting the hell out of here."
As they approached the platoon's Abrams JLTVs, Kallen saw that the RCWSs (Remote Controlled Weapon Systems) on the vehicles were firing in different directions. The 12.8mm remote-controlled cannons were tearing the houses with hostiles inside apart with ease.
"INCOMING!" One of the Marines nearby suddenly shouted. There was a whistling sound just as Kallen and several Marines were getting into the Abrams.
"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!" Sergeant Hemsworth shouted and the Marines scattered behind the armored vehicles. The house near the second vehicle exploded into thousands of splinter, showering the Marines with debris. The shockwave was powerful enough to knock down several Marines who didn't get behind the Abrams in time.
"Shit, they've got fucking mortars!" Sergeant Hemsworth cursed after recovering from the first shot. "Vickers Two-Three and Two-Four, give us some covering fire!"
"Copy that, Sergeant!" two voices came over the radio.
As more shells landed on the area around them, Kallen and the Marines quickly got into their vehicles just when the RCWS turrets turned and started firing in the direction of the mortar fire. This time, the firing rate was more intense as the gunners tried to suppress enemy vehicles and mortars. The light armored vehicles sped away as mortar shells landed closer and closer to their position.
Once the convoy got into the main road, the remaining Sutherland Mark II model Knightmare Frames of their platoon met up with the Marines. Vicker Two-Three covered the convoy's retreat whereas Vicker Two-Four protected them from the front.
Vicker Two-Three's APS (Active Protection System) began deploying flares and chaffs to prevent anti-tank missiles from hitting both itself and the convoy. The triple-barreled rotary cannon on the Sutherland's shoulder also began firing at unseen targets. Given the explosions from afar, Kallen surmised that it was firing at the incoming mortar shells and missiles.
"Keep driving to the rendezvous! Don't stop for anything!" Sergeant Hemsworth told both his driver and the other Abrams' drivers through the radio.
Kallen who was sitting behind him looked out of the window just in time to see two anti-tank missiles being intercepted by Vicker Two-Three's chaffs. She also saw Vicker Two-Four fire its Type-35 Mass Accelerated Rifle at unseen targets in one direction while its shoulder-mounted rotary machine gun was firing in another. She surmised that there must be quite a number of enemy armored vehicles nearby given the amount of firepower it was pouring in those directions.
The JLTVs rocked again when a mortar round landed a little too close for the Marines' liking. The Marines around her cursed loudly as she analyzed the situation.
Although mortars were considered antiquated relics from World War II, they were still formidable weapons of war. Even a heavily armored Knightmare Frame couldn't escape completely unscathed if one or two mortar shells hit them, especially when the enemy used high-explosives and armor-piercing shells. Not to mention, their versatility allowed enemy insurgents to easily produce and transport them in considerably larger quantities than the more sophisticated anti-tank missiles and drones. Kallen continued to watch with bated breath as the platoon sped away from the warzone like a bat out of hell.
Suddenly, the vehicle behind hers was struck by a mortar shell. The engine compartment exploded but the vehicle's armor managed to protect the occupants inside. The explosion was considerably smaller than the previous ones but it was enough to disable the lightly-armored Abrams.
"Carlos's hit," one of the Marines shouted through the radio. "Daniel and Sheila are down."
"Fuck! Thomas, stop the truck," Sergeant Hemsworth told his driver. "All gunners, give us some covering fire. We're going to get our boys back. Vickers Two-Three and Two-Four, set up a perimeter."
The convoy stopped moving and the Marines exited the first and second JLTVs to extract wounded Marines from the burning Abrams. Kallen and the other Marines established a perimeter around the downed JLTV while the two Knightmare Frames continued taking down any mortar shells their guns could lock onto. As the battle continued to rage on around them, the wounded Marines were placed into the intact vehicles and the platoon immediately sped away.
After the convoy drove past the town's perimeter, there was a loud siren ringing across the entirety of the town.
"Simulations complete! All training bots deactivated! All personnel, please exit the premises for cleanup duties!" A synthetic voice sounded all around the town.
A few seconds later, the whole town was bathed in bright light as the floodlights were turned on. The "bodies" and "enemies" returned to being training bots as their holograms were deactivated. Cleaning robots began entering the fake town to clean up the aftermath of the simulated battle whereas the damaged Sutherlands and vehicles were towed away for repairs and recycling.
The convoy stopped a short distance away from the town's entryway and the Marines began exiting their vehicles. The wounded Marines were tended to by the base's medical personnel. Since it was only for training, the Marines were intended to have some minor injuries. The pilots of her company also exited their Sutherlands.
Captain Hauser and the company's drill instructors approached the new recruits to give their evaluations on their performance. Although they pointed out some of their flaws in a harsh tone, they acknowledged the recruits' efforts and commended them for their hard work and efforts in coming this far.
"You did good out there, Private Stadtfeld!" Captain Hauser said. "Not many recruits of this batch did as well as you did. You've got guts for going through with that idea. Detonating the Knightmare Frame to kill a bunch of enemies. I haven't seen a new recruit doing that since my time."
"Thank you, Sir!" Kallen said excitedly.
"Don't get cocky yet!" He continued. "Your aim may have improved but I can't say you're a crack shot yet. You also have some stamina issues so better keep working on that front. Until the results come out, I expect you to keep up your training. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sir," Kallen said. Despite the exhaustion, she felt rejuvenated for coming closer to her goal than ever before.
After weeks of gruesome training, she and every other recruit had to take their final exams before being officially accepted into the Britannian Armed Forces. Since she applied as a Knightmare Frame pilot, she had to take more exams than those applying for other roles. Although her scores weren't exactly perfect compared to others, her will and resolve were enough to prove herself on the training grounds. If she passed this final exam, she would become an official soldier of the Britannian Army and be assigned to the invasion force.
"Before you go to the rest area, someone wants to see you," the Captain turned and addressed someone behind him. "Colonel, she's all yours."
"Thank you, Captain Hauser," the man said and Kallen almost couldn't recognize him due to his looks and uniform.
"Colonel Henriksen, Sir!" Kallen saluted Lelouch.
Despite being part of the imperial family, Lelouch was here today as a soldier so he made sure that every soldier under his command understood that and treated him not as an Imperial Prince, but as their commanding officer instead. It was the reason why he used his mother's family name instead of his father's to sign up.
After having his paperwork approved by Imperial High Command, Lelouch was given command of the Second Brigade of the First Division commanded by Major General Nonette Enneagram. Under the recommendation of General Michele Manfredi and Princess Cornelia, General Enneagram's Division would be a part of the 25th Field Army, the primary force that would lead the expedition of Planet Falmarius and the invasion of the Saderan Empire.
For his part, Lelouch wasn't too surprised that Kallen has managed to come this far in her training. While she lacked experience and skills as a soldier, her flexibility and resolve in piloting Knightmare Frames made up for her flaws. Given her personality, however, he knew that she would stop at nothing to get her revenge on the barbaric invaders.
"At ease, Private Stadtfeld," Lelouch said and turned to the Captain. "I'll take it from here, Captain."
The Captain nodded and resumed his duties in evaluating and training the new recruits while Lelouch discussed certain issues with Kallen.
"Come with me, Private! I have something to discuss with you." Lelouch said with a professional tone in his voice.
Fort Bradshaw, Arizona
Fort Bradshaw was one of the main bases the Britannian Army used to train their new recruits for the upcoming invasion. After extracting useful intel from the enemies, Imperial Strategic Command decided to incorporate difficult enemies like the Saderan mages into simulations and combine them with simulated insurgents in different types of battlefields. The aim of these combat simulations was to help the armed forces filter out recruits unsuited for battle more effectively. It also helped the new recruits better prepare for the upcoming campaigns on the alien planet.
"Here," Lelouch said as he handed Kallen a bottle of water after they walked a fair distance away from the training grounds.
"T-Thanks… Lelouch… I mean… Colonel," Kallen stuttered a little as she took the bottle from him.
She still wasn't used to the idea of having one of her closest friends be her commanding officer. As if it wasn't awkward enough, said friend was skilled enough to be recognized as a Colonel and lead a regiment of his own.
"I'm not like some of the spoiled noble kids with a superiority complex," Lelouch stated. "You only have. Just act like you usually do when we're alone, okay?."
"Okay… it's just… I'm still adjusting to all of this." Kallen said after drinking the water. "How is Shirley's family?"
"Milly and the gang are helping them cope with the situation," Lelouch replied with a somber voice. "Her mother still has panic attacks sometimes so they take turns helping them out."
"I see," Kallen said as she contemplated what happened to her friend. She couldn't imagine what kind of terrible things Shirley was going through right now. She could only hope that Shirley would be spared from the gruesome fates befalling many Terrans captured by the Saderans.
As if he could read her mind, Lelouch placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get her back, Kallen. Her and everyone who was taken. We'll turn that whole planet upside down if we have to."
Looking into his eyes, Kallen had no doubt that Lelouch wasn't making some empty promises to make her feel better.
"We will," Kallen said with clear resolve in her voice. "And I will slaughter every Saderan if necessary to achieve that goal."
"So, how does it feel like? Combat simulations and life in the military, I mean." Lelouch asked her as they continued walking.
"It feels… chaotic and intense," Kallen remarked. "Back then, I thought that being a Knightmare Frame pilot would be a lot easier and less stressful than being a regular infantry. Oh how wrong and naive I was! If these are what new recruits like me have to go through to be qualified for being on the frontline, I couldn't imagine what kind of hell officers like you have to go through to lead so many people into battle."
"Well, it's actually not that different," Lelouch shrugged. "For reference, you can imagine the obstacles you went through, dial it up by twenty, throw in a shit-ton of theoretical lessons and training courses, put it into a blender once you're deployed, add in unexpected surprises here and there, and you will get the picture."
Kallen looked at him with a confused look, expecting that he was joking. He wasn't.
"Eh… I don't think I want to." Her comment made him laugh a little. "By the way, how did they manage to simulate the mages' abilities like that? I watched the footage but I still couldn't believe that our enemies beyond the Gate could actually use magic."
"It's not that difficult actually!" Lelouch said. "We used a combination of high-end holographic tech and small-scale Blaze Luminous tech to create those effects. Although it can't exactly block all bullets due to low energy, it serves well to simulate the Saderan mages' to an extent. Of course, there are still many unknowns about them so our simulations are limited to only what they have shown us so far."
As they continued their walk, Lelouch was greeted by more soldiers and personnel with lower ranks. Most of them didn't recognize him as the prince since Lelouch and his aunt made sure his face stayed hidden from public view as much as possible. Instead, they saw him as a high-ranking commander and treated him as such.
After Lelouch finished checking up on another group of new recruits, Kallen finally mustered up the courage to ask him the question she has always wanted to ask. "How did you do it, Lelouch?"
"Did what?" Lelouch asked her just when two maintenance vehicles drove past their position.
"Get over the death of your mother," Kallen said after a few seconds of hesitation. The air seemed to be heavier just as the conversation reached this topic.
She continued. "I know you don't want to talk about it… but… I just couldn't let it go. Even now, my mind is clouded by the thoughts of revenge and it is the only thing driving me forward. So much so that it scares me… Once I get my revenge, what then? I have no family left. Although I still have my uncle and some relatives, I… never know them very well and… I have no one…"
"That's enough, Kallen!" Lelouch said with a stern voice. Even though his voice was calm, Kallen could sense the seriousness in his tone. He placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her down, making her to look at him in the eyes.
Lelouch could see that there were tears in her eyes again. She turned away to avoid letting him see her embarrassing side again but he stopped her by wiping away her tears. He felt as if he was looking at his own reflection. Everything she was going through right now, he understood it very well.
After calming her down, he finally said. "I don't know if I actually got over my mother's death even after so many years. Sometimes, I still have nightmares about that day. The screaming, the gunfight, the explosions, the panicked crowds, her soft and gentle voice talking to us, her gentle hands guiding us toward the shuttle, her voice over the radio, the mushroom cloud, and the silence."
Lelouch closed his eyes for a moment, trying to prevent the memories from overwhelming his emotions. Thanks to the help and support he has received, he has been able to control his emotions and move on with his life. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, let go of her shoulders, and said. "Kallen, you have something that I didn't have back then. Do you know what it is?"
Confused by his words, she asked him. "What is it?"
"The opportunity to get your revenge on those who took everything from you," he said affirmatively. "I was too young to understand what was happening. By the time I did, the war was already over and the Koslovians were wiped out. You, however, are different. You can sign up for the military and participate in the invasion of that wretched empire. More importantly, you can pilot your Knightmare Frame to crush and destroy them with extreme prejudice."
Kallen was so surprised by his words that she could only say. "Y-You're… right! I can get my revenge on those bastards."
Lelouch nodded and continued. "That's right! And we are not fighting a technologically advanced enemy here. We are fighting a backward empire on a backward planet, a nation that hasn't even reached industrial revolution. Our victory is already assured. The only question is when."
Once his words sunk in for her, he finished by saying. "After you have your revenge, you can live your life however you want. Also, you are not completely alone. You have me, Nunnally, Milly, Suzaku, Euphie, Rivalz, and everyone else here with you, remember? We will do everything we can to help you. So, don't you dare think that you are all alone in this world. Am I clear?"
Kallen wiped away the last drop of her tears and snapped up in a salute by reflex. "Sir, Yes Sir!"
Her awkward salute made them both laugh out loud for a few moments. The two college students recently turned soldiers continued to banter until they reached the rest area. However, they were greeted by a surprising sight. Instead of being full of the base's personnel, the building was currently empty and reserved for a group of people. Lelouch recognized some of them immediately.
"Rear Admiral Cornelia, I didn't expect to see you here as well," Lelouch said after they were close enough to his sister. Kallen also saluted the Princess to show her respect. She and two other individuals wearing lab coats were guarded by a group of Royal Guards and knights under Cornelia's command.
"At ease, soldiers," Cornelia said. "I have seen your performance during the test and the exams, Stadtfeld. Keep it up for a few more years and you might give me and the veterans a run for the money!"
"Thank you, Your High… Ma'am!" Kallen was somewhat confused as she didn't know whether to address her as the Princess or as a high-ranking admiral of the ISN. Since Lelouch just treated her as a high-ranking officer of the military, she decided to follow his lead.
Cornelia nodded and examined her for a moment before turning to the two individuals next to them. "Doctor Asplund, Doctor Chawla, now that you have seen the performance of both her and my brother in training, do you think they could pilot your new Knightmare Frame models."
Upon hearing their last names, Lelouch realized that these two were two of the most renowned scientists in Knightmare Frame R&D in the world. He has heard about the development of more advanced and powerful Knightmare Frame models. Some rumors even said that they were developing models advanced enough to combine space, air, and ground combat but all of that stuff was still classified. If his sister was here with them, there could only be one reason why.
"His Highness, Lelouch, is already as talented strategist and pilot as he is," Doctor Benedict Asplund said cheerfully. "Your recruitment test presents a valuable opportunity for us to test out our new Knightmare Frame models. These combat simulations help us filter out the most suitable candidates."
"What are the new models?" Lelouch asked. This time, even Kallen was interested in the subject.
Benedict smiled and answered. "Currently, there are three new models we have developed. First is the Gawain which was developed as a joint project by Ashford Industries and Zevon Family. Second is the Lancelot which was developed by yours truly. And third is the Guren Type I developed by my dear rival, Miss Rakshata. We already found a pilot for the Lancelot but not for the other two. Until now, that is."
As the conversation dragged on, Lelouch had only one thing in mind: Things were becoming more interesting.
Fort Stanley, Los Angeles
Terran Calendar: October 3, 2135
While Lelouch appreciated the thrill of destroying the enemies with a Knightmare Frame, he preferred making battle & logistics plans, and strategies as thoroughly as possible. That was why he was here with his sister to attend an important meeting between high-ranking officers of the Britannian Army and other militaries of the Coalition.
Over a month has passed since the Battle of Los Angeles, the entirety of Mount Lee and the surrounding areas were turned into a massive military fortress capable of housing several Divisions of the Britannian Armed Forces. Aside from the Army and Air Force, Fort Stanley also included many facilities to unload cargo from shuttles and transport ships of the Space Navy. There was also a small spaceport to dock warships from the space navies of different nations. Since the port's facilities were either brought here or still under construction, they weren't designed for ships larger than Destroyers and above. As a result, the larger ships had to dock at proper spaceports around and above the West Coast. Nevertheless, the sky above Fort Stanley was crowded with dozens of warships belonging to the Britannian Space Navy.
Inside one of the buildings commandeered by the military, Knight of Two Michele Manfredi and Princess Cornelia li Britannia were having a meeting with other high-ranking commanders of the Coalition Army to discuss various matters using the intelligence about the Saderan Empire that the BSIA agents and Special Forces teams have gathered so far.
While Cornelia was discussing various topics with Michele and other commanders of the army, Lelouch browsed through the data regarding his unit. Because he was too focused on reading the personnel files and his unit's assets, he failed to notice two individuals approaching him, one of whom was about to surprise him.
"Long time no see, Lu Boy!" The person slammed their hand on his shoulder, slightly startling him.
No matter how many years have passed, he could never forget the owner of that voice, especially when the person still referred to him by that nickname to this day. He turned and was greeted by the familiar figure of Knight of Nine.
"A long time, indeed, Lady Enneagram!" Lelouch greeted her with the usual friendly smile. Nonette is a carefree, upbeat and frank lady who enjoys teasing her juniors and friends. She went to the same military academy as Cornelia and was considered a senior by the Imperial Princess. Although the details were fuzzy, he heard that she was one of the few people whom Cornelia both feared and respected. Given his sister's personality and reputation, that was certainly saying something.
"Oh, drop the honorifics here, Lu Boy!" Nonette said with a mischievous grin. "You can call me General but I would appreciate it more if you just call me 'Big Sis Nonette' like you used to."
"Please don't tease me, Nonette!" Lelouch said. "We're on a military base and it wouldn't give us the best impressions if we behave like that in front of our men."
Nonette pouted for a second before changing the subject. "Gosh! What did Cornelia and Theresa feed you? You've grown… so much since the last time I saw you." She commented as she measured his height with her hand. "Anyway, how are Nunnally and Theresa doing?"
"Nunnally is fine," Lelouch answered. "She has recovered from her injuries but she was still a little traumatized by what happened in Los Angeles. As for Theresa, since the army and royal marines are preparing for the invasion of the Saderan Empire, her company and other major corporations are quite busy with government contracts."
"I heard that you guys were caught in the thick of it all," Nonette said. Her voice had a tinge of concern and her smirk from earlier faded. "And you even led a counter-offensive against those alien savages and defense of thousands of civilians. Not bad for your first actual combat experience, huh?" Her tone suggested that she was genuinely impressed by Lelouch's skills in military leadership.
"To be fair, the Saderans were only using primitive weaponry and tactics so it was very easy to predict their movements and plan my tactics accordingly," Lelouch remarked. "I wouldn't have been so bold had they used modern firearms or something of that caliber."
"Give yourself some credit, would ya?" She gave him a light slap in the back. "You might have gotten top scores in an officer academy but there's a big difference between war games and actual combat. Anyway, this is Colonel Gino Weinberg, Commander of the First Brigade. You and Gino would lead the vanguard forces through the Gate." She gestured at the young man behind her.
The man stepped forward and introduced himself to Lelouch with his hand out. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness! Or should I call you Colonel Henriksen instead?"
"Just 'Colonel Henriksen' or 'Lelouch' is fine," Lelouch said and shook his hand. "Your reputation precedes you, Colonel Weinberg. It's also an honor to meet the Knight of Eight, the Pirate Hunter of Phobos."
Hailing from the Britannian Colony on Phobos, Gino Weinberg was recently promoted to Knight of Eight thanks to his achievements in pirate-hunting across the Martian and Belter colonies.
Following the Koslovia War or the Interplanetary War, remnants of the FSK fled deep into the asteroid belt to evade the relentless onslaught of the Earth nations. Needless to say, they formed an alliance with the pirates lurking there. Rather than alliance, however, it was more like a necessary means to survive because pirates and the Koslovians betraying each other was very common. In recent years, the pirates became bolder as they raided remote Belter colonies more often and were too slippery for the UEDF Navy to catch.
Along with a few other brilliant officers, Gino was able to prove himself in the field through his incredible feats of hunting pirates in the Belter regions. In fact, he hunted so many of them that the criminals and pirates there have come to call him the "Pirate Hunter of Phobos". Tristan – his signature Knightmare Frame heavily modified for EVA combat – was the last thing many pirates and criminals saw before their inevitable demises at its formidable armaments.
Because he was originally part of Nonette's division stationed in Northern Mars, Gino was transferred to the Falmarius Expeditionary Force and his position was filled by a recently promoted commander from New Texas. Like every Britannian officer, he was eager to exact vengeance on the Saderans for their heinous crimes against his people.
"I was just doing my job, Colonel Henriksen!" Gino said. "The Belter pirates have plagued the Martian and Belter colonies for too long. It's about time someone put an end to them."
After exchanging pleasantries, Nonette said. "Now that we're done getting to know each other, I believe we should get ready for the meeting to begin." She gestured at the group of foreign officers entering the debate chamber.
Lelouch and Gino could see that there were many commanders from the national militaries participating in the Falmarius Expeditionary Force. Aside from the high-ranking generals from Russia, United Europe, India, Australia, Japan, Korea, and China, there were civilian advisors and contractors from around the world as well. Eventually, the number of people in attendance increased to almost sixty people.
It has been agreed that the Britannian Armed Forces would lead the vanguard forces of the UEDF in Falmarius while the other national militaries would serve support, defense, and logistical roles. Although some Britannian commanders weren't entirely happy with the Imperial Government's decision to allow foreign armies to join their planetary expedition, they understood that it had to be done given the scale of the Los Angeles Incident. They understood that the other nations had also suffered in that battle so it wasn't right to deny them the opportunity to exact their vengeance on the savage aliens. The Interplanetary War has taught them that international support was essential and could help alleviate the stress of logistics and supply lines when it comes to large-scale planetary campaigns.
This meeting served to provide the commanders with crucial intel about the Saderans and the alien planet at large using everything the Britannians have gathered so far. The focal point of the meeting was about magic and the most troublesome enemy amongst the Saderan ranks – the imperial mages or battle mages for short. The meeting also covered certain points of interest that might require insights and knowledge of experts in certain fields, hence the presence of civilian advisors and experts in the chamber.
When the scientists walked in, Lelouch was surprised to see a familiar face among them: Nina Einstein. She was briefly a member of the Student Council but she had to quit due to her work. Apparently, she has started working as an intern at the Ganymede Institute – one of the most renowned scientific research centers in Britannia. After spotting him among the group of commanders, Nina flustered a little since she didn't expect to see someone from her school here. Eventually, she simply gave him a light nod, which he returned, and resumed with her work.
Once everyone was seated, the lead scientist began the meeting.
"Good morning and thank you for attending this meeting, ladies and gentlemen!" The scientist greeted everyone in the conference room. "I am Doctor Edward Pearlman, the lead scientist in charge of the study and research on the Falmarians' mysterious abilities that are generalized as 'Magic'. This is Nina Einstein, my intern assistant. The other two are my colleagues, Doctor Emile Jonah and Doctor Peter Leonard. The two men beside them are Agent Thomas and Agent Locke, representing the BSIA who has assisted us greatly in helping us uncover and study the Saderans' secrets."
The scientists and agents greeted the high-ranking generals within the room. The attendees also returned in kind. Doctor Pearlman continued speaking. "In case there is anyone who hasn't been informed, we have confirmed that special Falmarian individuals called 'Mages' are truly capable of using actual magic, not cheap tricks that involve deception of the senses. Thanks to the BSIA's assistance, we've managed to gain a general picture of how exactly their magic works and how it can affect our military operations on the other side of the Gate. After this subject is fully covered, we will move on to other crucial aspects regarding the Saderan Empire and their allies in general."
The Doctor turned to Nina. "Nina, the datapad please!"
"Yes Doctor," Nina said and gave him a datapad.
He then began the explanation. "First and foremost, you must understand the basic principles behind their magic. In essence, 'Magic' is a mysterious energy that flows within all living organisms on the alien planet. This energy saturates the surrounding environments, physical objects and other organisms in ways that we cannot fully understand due to the lack of direct observations and proper research. We may discuss this issue further once our militaries establish a base with proper facilities on the other side of the Gate. From what we could gather, it is somewhat similar to our science. Despite its unpredictable nature, Magic still abides by a particular set of laws. The major difference between magic and science is the amount of laws magic abides by. In this regard, the Falmarians' magic is less restricted than our science and allows them to do many incredible things without the need for or the assistance of technology. To better understand this, please take a look at this experiment!"
Doctor Pearlman typed something into his datapad and the projector lit up the wall behind him and his colleagues. The footage was that of a captured Falmarian mage who was placed inside a secure containment chamber. The mage was apparently a man in his twenties and was holding a strange staff in his right hand. It was only then that everyone in the room finally had a good look at the mage staff. As expected, it looked as if someone had plucked the generic magic staffs from fantasy games and movies and given them to the mages of another world.
At closer inspection, they noticed that the mage also had a special collar around his neck. Almost instantly, the officers who worked with BSIA or were familiar with their operations knew what the collar was and its purpose. The chamber was a large white room normally used for scientific experiments. Around ten meters from the mage, there was a large glass wall separating the chamber in two. On the other side, there were several scientists whereas armed sentry drones were placed at the chamber's corners. Their weapons were focused on the mage at the center of the room.
The mage raised his staff and mumbled something under his breath. After a few seconds, the intricate-looking top of the staff was surrounded by a complicated magic circle of alien runes. The circle seemed to be made of light and hovering in front of the staff. A fireball then shot out from the magic circle and hit the practice target thirty meters away. The target was engulfed in flames shortly after the fireball struck it. Several more experiments followed with the same mage conjuring up projectiles made of different properties like ice and water.
It was quite an impressive demonstration since the people of Earth were looking at actual magic in display here. An army of these mages would certainly be a force to be reckoned with, in the Age of Sails at least. However, in spite of the impressive show of magic, Lelouch, Gino, Nonette, Cornelia, and several other military officers within the chamber quickly recognized that the speed of these attacks was very slow compared to modern firearms. It took the mage ten seconds to finish casting the spell and striking the target. During that time, the mage was completely vulnerable to attacks. For any modern soldier, mere seconds of inaction could mean certain death.
Doctor Pearlman paused the footage to begin his explanation. "As you can see here, the mage can conjure up magical projectiles like this to attack his enemy. The types of projectiles vary but they can be made of fire, lighting, ice, or water, depending on the mage's compatibility with the elements and the mana gems he has access to. Some mages of higher levels can even control the ground and weather conditions for offensive or defensive roles to a limited degree but we haven't been able to verify this claim due to lack of evidence and sufficient data. Most of the time, they simply use fire, lighting, and ice to attack or defend themselves. In this experiment, the mage's attack violates the laws of thermodynamics because he conjured the fireball out of thin air. Once he releases the fireball, however, it must adhere to scientific laws, including those of thermodynamics and basic physics. As for the energy shields, the mages use their abilities to manipulate air particles, electromagnetic waves, plasma, or whatever elements available in the environments and their staffs to create a sturdy invisible wall to protect themselves. Given the strain this puts on their bodies, the mages can only create walls that cover one or two sides around them, not all directions like we had previously assumed. The more attacks they sustain, the faster these walls crumble. Powerful mages can create a partially spherical shield to defend against attacks of most angles but this hasn't been tested due to the lack of test subjects. These abilities are powered by 'Mana' or magical energy within the mage's body. Mana can be siphoned from or enhanced by the mana gem contained within the staff. This is an example of mana gems."
The Doctor then held up a stone given to him by Nina. The stone fit perfectly in his hand and had a beautiful ruby color. It seemed to glisten under artificial light within the room. He then gave the stone to one of the agents so he could pass it on to everyone to inspect the gem more closely.
"Can they use magic without these gems?" Michele asked as the others examined the stone.
"Yes, they can," Doctor Pearlman replied. "Magic already exists within the Falmarians so the mages can use it even without mana gems. However, the magic they use without them isn't as effective or powerful as when they have the gems. Here is an example!" He gestured at the screen again and typed something on his datapad.
The screen changed to another footage of the same mage but in a different experiment. This time, he didn't have the staff and was ordered by the observing scientists to use his magic. The mage looked drained but did as he was told. He held up his hand, and mumbled a spell, and a fireball appeared on his hand. However, the fireball was smaller and when the mage tried to throw it at the target, the fireball only flew a few meters before fading into nothingness.
Doctor Pearlman paused the footage. "The mage needed his staff to channel and use his magic effectively. Since magic doesn't exist in our world, the mage had to channel magic directly from his own body. As you can see, it was a very straining task since it was essentially his life force. And yes, I did mean it in a literal sense. If the mage exerts too much magic on Earth, he will be drained of his life force and die. Since the content of this experiment is a little disturbing, we will send the files to anyone who is interested later. We have compiled data on the different types of magic that the Falmarian mages could use and their effectiveness in combat. So far, there are seven known types:
1) Element Magic;
2) Creation Magic;
3) Manipulation Magic;
4) Healing Magic;
5) Enhance Magic;
6) Telekinesis Magic;
7) Mind Magic;
Each type has dozens of sub-categories and spells depending on the mage's abilities and compatibility with the magic type. For instance, the magic that mage you just saw used is categorized as 'Element Magic' in the sub-category of 'Fire'. Given the complexity and vastness of this topic, we will delve further into it later on. Interestingly, they use a clear ranking system to measure how powerful a mage is in terms of magical power. The first and weakest level is 'Beginner'; the second is 'Apprentice'; the third is 'Master'; the fourth is 'Sage'; and the fifth is 'Grand Mage'. As the name implies, the higher the mages' levels, the more powerful they are. The mage you saw was only at Level Apprentice. Most of the Beginner Mages are basically students at the Mage City of Rondallis so they are not allowed to accompany the Saderans in their military campaigns. Therefore, all of the mages we captured or killed are at the levels of Apprentice and Master. If anyone wants to ask whether or not we Terrans can use magic, we still need to conduct more experiments to test our theories. For now, the safest answer is 'No, we cannot use magic even if we have these mana gems' for obvious reasons."
Doctor Pearlman continued to explain the myriad of spells that the mages of each level could use, the spells' functions, and how effective they were in combat and daily life. Most commanders in the room eventually tuned out of the prolonged lecture since they strongly believed that their superior firepower was more than enough to take care of such troublesome enemies. Although the civilian contractors were intrigued by the existence of magic and its sheer complexity, they were somewhat disappointed to learn that Terrans or all living organisms not originating from Falmarius couldn't use magic.
Higher-ranking commanders like Lelouch, Cornelia, Gino, Michele, and several of the foreign generals were a different story as they listened attentively to the Doctor's explanation. One thing, however, did pique their interest when they noticed that many of the mages were actually women. This point was noticed and brought up by Lieutenant General Nathan Eckhart of the Australian Army.
"We noticed that there were quite of number of women amongst the mages' ranks," the Australian General said as he reviewed the reports on his assistant's datapad. "We thought the Saderans forbid women to participate in combat given their culture and society."
Doctor Pearlman grinned as if he had been waiting for someone to ask this exact question. "I'm glad that someone finally noticed. These women are perhaps some of the most important individuals within the Saderan Army or rather, their society in general even when they don't know it themselves." He then brought up images of dozens of women dressed in mage robes. However, their robes were different from those of their male counterparts since they had an overall white color and a few lines of blue, purple, and green. Moreover, their robes were decorated with prominent ornate markings. For some reason, these women reminded most people in the room of Priestess type characters in fantasy media.
"You see, these women are part of Healer and Farmer Guilds," Doctor Pearlman began his explanation. "As the names imply, Healer Guilds are responsible for healing the Saderans and their livestock and steed whereas Farmer Guilds are tasked with maintaining and growing food for their army and society. Of course, the Saderans have ordinary farmers but these women can use their specialized magics to speed the process and make the plants grow faster and heal the animals faster, thereby increasing their food production by a large margin compared to our historical counterpart. Using their magical abilities, they can make plants grow faster, heal their domesticated animals' wounds, and more importantly, help the Saderan soldiers recover physically to return to the battlefield as soon as possible. Although they are loyal to the empire for obvious reasons, they don't hold the same level of fanatical loyalty as the soldiers due to their faith. In fact, the information we have gathered from them is the most valuable so far. According to their testimonies, there are many other guild categories like Alchemy Guild, Commerce Guild, Miner Guild, Pharmacist Guild, Beast Tamer Guild, Cleaner Guild, Craftsman Guild, Forge Guild, Construction Guild, Shipbuilding Guild, Weaponsmith Guild, and some others. Each of them has dozens of guilds scattered across the empire's territory. We already included the specific details regarding each guild category and each mage type's abilities inside our reports so you can read about them later. If you want a simpler definition, think of these guilds as the Saderan equivalences of private companies. My point is, Healer and Farmer Guilds came first and they are the two foremost organizations that help shape the Saderan civilization the way it is today. The important question is, why is that?"
Most of the people in the room still haven't caught on why the scientist had made the previous statement. He was about to reveal it until Nonette spoke up. "Healer Guilds help the Saderans increase their life expectancy while Farmer Guilds help increase their food production rate and the quality of their sustenance. Combined with other factors that make a civilization prosper, the quality of life in the Saderan Empire is improved considerably so the Saderans are free to develop and expand their empire in more creative ways than a conventional medieval society, leading to a more robust economy and powerful military. Their expansionism led to the creation of more specialized guilds needed to maintain their economy and campaigns across their home continent. Did that answer your question, Doctor?"
"Bingo!" The Doctor said excitedly. "Triple A for Lady Nonette Enneagram please!" His comment made Nonette grin in satisfaction while everyone else admired her keen observations. Even Cornelia was impressed by her answers. "As you can see, these guilds allow the Saderans to develop their society in a more positive way and thus, leading to a more economically developed nation. The more territories they conquer, the more resources they gain and the more powerful they become."
As everyone else contemplated this intriguing aspect of the Saderan civilization, some didn't share the same level of interest in such topics and wanted to focus more on their military aspects instead. One of them was Colonel General Feliks Aslanov, Commander of the 27th Army Corps of the Russian Army as he spoke up. "Apologies for interrupting your lecture, Doctor Pearlman! But can you can focus more on how exactly these mages and their abilities will affect our military operations on the alien planet? We still have a lot to discuss here."
Although the middle-aged scientist was slightly annoyed that he didn't get to continue his explanation on the interesting aspects of the Saderan civilization, he didn't dwell on it much. Adjusting his smart glasses, Doctor Pearlman straightened himself and returned to the military aspects of the Falmarians' magic. "Right, apologies for my prolonged but necessary ramblings!" He said sarcastically, something that wasn't lost on most Britannians in the room.
Aside from invisible shield walls and the ability to conjure up elemental projectiles out of nothing, the mages were capable of other troublesome abilities such as the ability to manipulate weather within a small area, short ranged telekinesis and pyrokinesis, and many more.
In addition, the Saderans made extensive use of the myriad of ferocious animal species native to Falmarius. One of the most successful and obvious examples was the Wyvern which was essentially the Air Force of the Saderan Imperial Army. Based on the data gathered from the Battle of Los Angeles, the wyvern's maximum speed is around 250 km/h and has a ceiling height of around four kilometers. They are omnivores, have an average lifespan of twenty-five to thirty years, and possess hide & scales thick enough to stop bullets fired from World War I era rifles. Most of the wyverns used by the Saderans belong to the Hunter Wyvern category whereas the Flame Wyvern is a sub-species with a smaller population.
Flame Wyverns produce fire breath via chemicals produced in two glands in the back of their mouths and on either side of their tongues. This mix of chemicals is highly combustible and can be pushed forward by the wyvern's powerful lungs, capable of destroying wooden structures and other living organisms. Due to their difficulty to tame and breed, the Saderans couldn't maintain a large number of flame wyverns so they opted for the primary wyvern breeds as the mainstay of their Air Force instead. This fire breath is nearly as powerful as napalm in the 21st century but it puts a strain on the animal's body. As a result, most flame wyverns have an interval of around ten to fifteen minutes depending on the animals' physical conditions.
Furthermore, the Saderans also made use of Wyvern Lord – a bigger and more powerful version of the ordinary flame wyvern – but the number of Wyvern Lords was low due to the resources needed to breed, tame, train, and maintain them for military purposes. The scientists of BSIA have confirmed that the Britannian Air Force killed a few specimens of Wyvern Lord with their air-to-air missiles during the initial stage of the Battle of Los Angeles. While they could prove troublesome for lightly armed infantry, they were no match against anti-tank missiles and heavy machine guns.
The Terrans found it fascinating that the Saderans also made use of airships that were radically different from their historical counterparts. Since they didn't have any visual of such vessels, the scientists and BSIA agents had to draw them with AIs based on the prisoners' testimonies. Apparently, the Saderan airships were basically naval ships with large balloons on top, pulled by wyverns and dragons. The ships' flight was also supplemented by the mages onboard, allowing them to stay afloat in the atmosphere for extended periods of time. Though slow, they could use these airships to deploy troops and drop supplies across large distances compared to calvary. Combined with their fast attack flame wyverns, the Saderans could decimate enemies of equal and lower levels of civilization with ease and hold captured territories for extended periods of time.
As for the war beasts, the Tarrasque was the most powerful asset in the Saderans' arsenal, second only to their flame dragons. According to their intel, the Wyvern Lords were powerful but they were no match against the Tarrasques and the Flame Dragons. According to the Saderans' testimonies, the Tarrasque was the biggest rival to the Flame Dragon as these two often clashed with each other for territorial disputes and the protection of their young. Fortunately, these two creatures were incredibly rare and the Saderans controlled only several specimens of each. At least, that was what they could gather so far.
The conference covered many other aspects, such as politics, society, different species inhabiting the alien empire, religion, social hierarchy, military, and some others. Each topic took over an hour to cover but the scientists focused mainly on 'Magic' and military aspects as per the request of the generals within the room.
The Terrans breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that only the mages of Sage and Grand Mage levels were capable of teleportation magic and that such mages were extremely rare. If the captured mages' testimonies were taken at face value, there were very few Sages and only two Grand Mages in the Saderan Empire. Since teleportation magic was extremely difficult and consumed great amount of mana, very few mages were even close to using such a magic effectively. A mage who could teleport in the middle of their enemy's ranks and wreak havoc on their formations. Even for modern military commanders, the idea of facing such an enemy didn't sound pleasant in the slightest.
Another problem was that the mages' magic would be more powerful and effective on the other side of the Gate due to the abundance of mana on Planet Falmarius. Depending on the mages' combat experience and abilities, they could be very unpredictable during combat. To put it simply, the mages' abilities they have seen on Earth were the weaker versions of what the mages were capable of on Falmarius. As a result, the Terran commanders made a mental note to designate these mages as priority targets for capture and elimination.
In spite of their obvious technological superiority over the Saderans, the Terran generals and commanders in the room remained vigilant and tried to come up with contingency plans in case they encountered mages with troublesome or unpredictable abilities. Lelouch was the one who paid the most attention throughout the meeting as he noted down every little detail on his datapad. As the meeting went on, the gears inside his head began to turn and come up effective countermeasures against the mages regardless of their abilities.
UEDF Deployment Day
Terran Calendar: October 12, 2135
The Koslovia War, more commonly known as the Interplanetary War, was the first major conflict in which all nations on Earth were united against one common foe. The united military organization that all nations established during that war was the United Earth Defense Force (UEDF).
However, since the war was in fact a series of prolonged military campaigns on different celestial bodies across Sol, there was no true unified command for the UEDF at the time. Instead, the chain of command often fell on the nations with the most assets, personnel, and resources at different celestial bodies. As a result, the command of the UEDF forces was exchanged between the four major powers in space colonization – Britannia, United Europe, Russia, and India.
It was the first time that the militaries of the most powerful nations on Earth were marching together to another planet against another common enemy. This time, however, the enemy didn't come from space but from an interdimensional passageway that connected two planets across unknown distances. They had expected the people of Earth to simply cower and accept their dominion over Humanity. Within less than a day, the brave men and women of the Britannian Armed Forces have made them think otherwise and drive them all the way back to the hole they came from.
Since the base was still expanding to accommodate other national militaries, the Russian, United European, Japanese, and Australian armies had to be stationed at the other bases outside Los Angeles for the time being. Nevertheless, they would still be able to watch the live broadcast of the Britannian forces' deployment to the other side of the Gate.
For every Britannian assembled here today, it was the day that they have all been waiting for.
In the vast field of Fort Stanley, an army of over fifty thousand Britannian soldiers was waiting for the order to deploy through the Gate and into an alien world. They would be the first wave of the Falmarius Expeditionary Army and conduct Operation Harbinger in crushing the Saderan army stationed below Alneuz Hill. They would represent the UEDF's spearhead in the invasion of Planet Falmarius and its local superpower – the Saderan Empire.
The second wave which consisted of additional forces that consisted of different armies of the Empire's allies. Most notably, this wave would consist of a sizable army of respective nations such as Russia, United Europe, Australia, India, Japan, China, and Korea. These forces would serve as the defense forces for the contractors and construction crews while they build a major ground base for the UEDF on the other side of the Gate. Additionally, the second wave would supplement the first wave in combating the harmful fauna in the area and defending the supply lines between Earth and Falmarius. They may have come from different nations with different cultures and ethnicities but they all shared one thing in common: The burning desire for Vengeance and Justice.
Before the Britannians marched through the Gate's dark maw and into the unknown, they were waiting for a speech from the Britannian Emperor himself. As the Emperor's armored transport drove past one security checkpoint after another, Charles and his wives could see the true scope of the UEDF in this conflict.
Mount Lee and its surrounding area have been completely transformed, from an ordinary tourist attraction to one of the most militarized regions on Earth. The surrounding civilian facilities in the area were demolished or modified to make way for the barracks, motor pools, repair stations, storage areas, and spaceports. The green forest that once covered the area was also replaced by everything useful to the nations' militaries. The sky above was also crowded with unmanned drones, fighter craft, dropships, and vessels of the Imperial Space Navy. And that wasn't mentioning the orbital traffic above the West Coast.
He had chosen to come in a ground vehicle just to witness all of this and appreciate the sheer scale and efforts of his proud nation and their allies. He continued to watch through the vehicle's tinted window as they passed by soldiers, base personnel, armored vehicles, drones, and Knightmare Frames.
"You know, I used to dream of exploring other worlds when I was little," Queen Elizabeth said while her gaze was fixed on the impressive display of military hardware outside. "Life on another planet is a fascinating subject that captivates the mind regardless of generations. Not once could I have ever imagined that there would be a world inhabited by primitive civilizations, let alone the fact that we would come to that world with mighty weapons of war and a massive army like this."
"Couldn't agree more," Gabrielle la Britannia – Charles's third wife – said. "Then again, who could have thought that an inter-dimensional portal would appear out of nowhere and lead an army of primitives to invade our world, let alone our nation."
"Out of all the worlds in the universe, they chose to invade this one," Queen Elizabeth remarked. "Whoever was behind the opening of the Gate made a colossal mistake. I just hope that it wouldn't suddenly close and trap our people on that primitive planet."
"At this point, I don't think that should be a concern," Gabrielle said. "If they could control the Gate, they would have closed it by now. Why even leave a doorway to the enemies that effortlessly destroyed your armies open for so long?"
"As miniscule as it may be, the possibility of the Gate suddenly closing remains. What do you think we should do when it happens, Charles?" Elizabeth asked her husband.
"We'll worry about it when the time comes," Charles answered after pondering the question for a few seconds. "We've prepared for every possible scenario and even as we speak, our military and administration are establishing contingency plans to the best of our abilities. Besides, the Gate and the nations on Falmarius are not the only things we have to deal with. We still have other important matters to attend to on this side."
His eyes returned to the scenery outside. "That said, I believe this Gate could solve some of our problems. Right now, our top priority is to make this wretched empire pay for its crimes against humanity. Allowing them to continue their barbaric ways unpunished is something that I and every Human with conscience on Earth cannot and should never do."
Both Elizabeth and Gabrielle were satisfied with their husband's resolve and statement. When his transport pulled up to the podium, he finally could see the scale of the Gate and the efforts to contain it up close. Despite having seen it so many times on his datapad, he could never imagine the true scale of the Gate, let alone the newly built structure designed to contain it.
A giant dome that was surrounded by a myriad of automated defense turrets, missile launchers, tanks, and Knightmare Frames completely enshrouded the Gate. Inside the dome, there were dozens of loudspeakers constantly blasting eerie sounds of humans moaning and screaming in pain and agony, as well as warnings in Falmarian Common in the direction of the Gate, serving as a form of psychological warfare to any Saderan stupid enough to cross.
It was truly an awe-inspiring display of the Britannian army and subsequently, the united military of Earth. The same military that would soon meet the enemies of another world. He sought the deepest corners of his conscience to find pity and mercy for the poor bastards who had chosen to invade this world. He found none when he remembered what they had done to the innocent people of Los Angeles.
As his transport stopped and the door slid open, Charles and his wives were greeted by the gazes of tens of thousands of soldiers. Flanked on both sides by the Royal Guards, the Britannian Emperor took the podium. Behind him were his wives, Bismarck, Clovis, Schneizel, along with government and military officials of member nations of the UEDF. His speech and the Britannians' initial deployment would be broadcast live to the public and the other bases where other national armies were currently stationed at. Although the Assembly's General Secretary was present, it was decided that the Britannian Empire would make the speech to address the Coalition Army. There was some discussion regarding this issue at first but the Assembly members agreed to let Charles do it given that it was well within the Britannians' jurisdiction.
After receiving the microphone set from his secretary, Charles turned to the podium and addressed the crowds.
"Good morning to everyone who has gathered here today," He took a deep breath and began his speech. "Today, there are militaries from many nations across the world, forces that would be deployed to Planet Falmarius. Nations who have also suffered great losses during the Saderan invasion of Los Angeles one and half a month ago. As the Emperor of the United Empire of Britannia, I welcome you all to our great nation, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your hard work and cooperation with our people."
After pausing for a moment to let his words sink in, he continued. "I remember the time when our nations fought and bickered with each other over many differences; The time when we temporarily put aside those differences and pushed our civilization into a whole new age of peace, prosperity, and technological advancement with the invention of energy shielding, genetically engineered algae and mushrooms, advanced materials for orbital infrastructure, and so many more; The time when we reached out to the stars and colonized the celestial bodies within our solar system; and the time when one common enemy from Mars united us almost twenty years ago. However, we might have put aside our differences for some time but they are undoubtedly still there and continue to divide us in many ways."
He paused for a moment to gauge the crowd's reactions. His face became somber when he was close to the main reason why armies of so many nations were here today. "But all of that changed on August 25, 2135. We found out that we are not alone in the universe in the worst way possible. Despite everything we have done to ensure the safety of our people and our world, a new enemy has found their way here through a rift in time and space. An army from another world invaded the city of Los Angeles with one singular goal in mind: Total domination of our civilized world. They marched on our lands, desecrated our way of life, and slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children indiscriminately, all the while believing that everyone and everything here is theirs for the taking. The enemy has been unopposed for so long that they truly believe they could still conquer our world despite such devastating defeats. Therefore, it is our duty to teach these savages a lesson in humility. A lesson that you will teach them."
Charles paused once more to gauge the reaction from the crowd of soldiers. They shifted lightly and from what his agents could tell (through his earpiece), the foreign soldiers also reacted positively to his words.
Feeling satisfied with their reaction, he continued. "But make no mistake for this will not be an easy task. This is an unprecedented operation in Human history. You will be taking part in the invasion of an alien planet. The road ahead remains unknown. It is clear that the enemy is over a millennia less advanced than us but that doesn't mean they should be underestimated. From the Battle of Los Angeles, we know that they possess certain capabilities we do not understand. Remember that we are invading their homeland. They know the land and the creatures living in it. We don't. We only possess the most basic knowledge of the lands beyond the Gate. We do not know if the Gate will ever close and thus, strand all of you on the other side, on an alien planet. But DO NOT let that discourage you, brave sons and daughters of Earth! If you ever have fear or doubt about your mission, know that there are thousands of innocent people taken to the other side. Thousands of innocent lives were torn apart and thrown into the chains of slavery all because of some savage aliens' unsatiated desires for conquest. We know that the enemy doesn't treat their prisoners of war kindly. The longer we wait, the more our people will suffer. You are their only hope of salvation and repatriation. You are their only hope of coming home and reuniting with their families. Not to mention, there are tens of billions counting on you back home. They rely on you to live peacefully and sleep soundly at night, to be their best line of defense against the enemies of Humanity. YOU are the Shield that protects the innocent and the Sword that strikes down the wicked. Members of the United Earth Defense Force. Your families need you. Your nations need you. And most of all, Earth needs you. So fight with the flames of justice and vengeance like never before! We expect nothing less from you."
"For Britannia! For all Mankind of Earth!" Thousands of Britannian soldiers shouted at once, their voices seemed to shake the earth itself. Even the foreign soldiers in other bases across the West Coast felt energized and excited by the Britannian Emperor's speech as tens of thousands of them applauded. The same goes for the billions of people watching the news at home.
After the speech was over, Charles left the podium and gave way to Michele Manfredi.
"A wonderful speech you did there, dear," Elizabeth said as Charles took a seat between her and Gabrielle. Even Bismarck and Schneizel had to give him the credit for that speech.
Charles smiled and held her hand before giving her a light kiss. He sat down and watched the Knight of Two address the Coalition forces. Michele cleared his throat and began. "Good morning, everyone! I am General Michele Manfredi, one of the Knights of the Round. I may be the highest-ranking commander of the Coalition but I will be working closely with the commanders of your nations to coordinate our operations on the alien planet. As many of you know, our Special Forces have conducted numerous scout missions on the other side and engaged the Saderans using hit-and-run tactics numerous times. Thanks to those engagements, we have learned a great deal about our enemy.
He paused to let the troops process the information before continuing. "Given the size of the Saderan Imperial Army and their fanatical nature, however, those attacks could only do so far in damaging the enemy's morale. Therefore, the real work of crushing the Saderan army ultimately falls upon you. Our most recent intel suggested that the Saderans have organized a sizable army to welcome us. So, BE READY for a fight as soon as you cross the Gate. Anything that isn't Terran is assumed to be hostile until proven otherwise. We are moving out in the next hour so your commanders will receive their respective orders soon enough. That is all!"
With that, the United Earth Defense Force began the unprecedented operation in Human history: the Invasion of an Alien Planet. Since Lelouch's and Gino's Brigades would be the first to cross, they got ready to board their vehicles and lead their units forward.
As Lelouch got into his Castle-class Mobile Command Center, he took one last look at the massive structure covering the Gate. He did his best to reassure everyone and especially Nunnally that it would be fine and they (the military) would do everything to bring back Shirley. However, he knew better than to underestimate the enemy and the Terran armies would face many challenges on the other side of the Gate. As Helmuth von Moltke – a Field Marshal and brilliant war strategist of the Prussian Army in the 19th century – once said: No plan survives first contact with the enemy.
Even so, he swore to Shirley's family, to Milly's gang, and most of all, to himself that he would do everything to bring her and everyone who was taken to that planet home safe. He failed to save his mother and be there for his little sister. This time, he would not fail.
Belter: Belter is a short name that generally refers to the numerous colonies in the Asteroid Belt. Because of the vast distance between the Asteroid Belt and Mars, the United Assembly of Terra often struggles to maintain law and order in the Belter colonies. As a result, these colonies could become lawless regions and areas of operation for criminals and pirates. Most of the time, it is the Space Navies of the Britannian Empire, the European Navy, and the Russian Federation that are responsible for hunting pirates and maintaining order in the Belter colonies.
Colonel General: The rank Colonel General is a high rank within the Russian Armed Forces. The Britannian equivalence is rank Lieutenant General. A Russian Colonel General commands a Corps-sized army (two whole Divisions) which is around 25,000 to 45,000 soldiers.