A/N: After talking with Deathzealot about the flashbacks in the recent chapters, mixed in with current events of the chapter, I decided to redo the story with all of the flashback scenes/events coming first as their own stand-alone chapters. I probably won't spend too much time on them overall, but they will explain how Lelouch managed to rebuild the Black Knights and his first appearance as Zero before Cera's fall.
I have updated and redone chapters 2 and 3, so if you haven't read the new chapters yet I would go back and do so now before proceeding with this chapter because you'll be lost.
I decided to include a couple more Code Geass characters into this story, picking ones who could have possibly survived after so many years. I won't say who and why exactly, but I felt they would work out for the story and could be another member of the Black Knights for Lelouch.
This chapters will conclude the high school arc which was quite short, and next chapter will begin the "Return of Zero" Arc, which will be longer given some of the opposition he'll face that will determine if his new incarnation of the Black Knights will sink or swim.
Also special thanks to Deathzealot and GreatWolf4 who both helped me with information on aspects of Sunrider I was not aware of helping me make it a little more accurate.
This chapter happens eight years before the fall of Cera and the real beginning of the story.
Special Thanks to Greatkingrat88 for his work on the chapter.
Chapter 4
New Foundations
Months had passed since that fateful night, but as far as people outside Lelouch's little circle of conspirators were concerned- Garibaldi, C.C., and now Ava as well- nothing had changed. Yet for Lelouch, his mind was already active, and he felt refreshed in a sense. It was like waking up, in a sense. One the one hand, Lelouch was curious about Ava, and he couldn't help but wonder if she might wish to join the Black Knights once the reforming of the organization was underway.
However, a discussion between them one afternoon seemed to dismiss the idea. Their school duties were almost finished for the day, save a bit of paperwork, and so the two of them had decided to play a game of chess to wind down. It wasn't the first time; the two of them had taken to playing it as a social activity, something to do while talking. Ava hadn't taken a game off him yet, but she was getting closer every time.
"So you are joining the navy?" Lelouch asked casually, but deep down he wasn't too surprised. They had been discussing future career opportunities, and Ava, unsurprisingly, had told him about her intention to join the Ceran Starfleet.
"Your reaction is different from Kayto's."
"Well, it's hardly surprising, given your family's history. Even without knowing that, if I had to guess, the military or politics are the two fields I would have guessed you might choose. You have a knack for leadership."
"Politics?" Ava inquired raising an eyebrow as she moved a white rook. In response, Lelouch moved a black bishop up the board.
The two were sitting in the Student Council room, waiting for Kayto. It was unusual for him to be late, but Lelouch didn't mind the wait. To spend some time around others, to make friends, even temporary ones… it had its charm.
"Based on my observations, I think you would do exceptionally well in either field. You might perhaps be more suited for politics, although that's speculation on my part," said Lelouch, mostly thinking out loud.
"I see. Regardless, I will join the military as my father did before me."
"Fair enough," said Lelouch with a shrug, "like I said, I believe you could excel in either field."
This was one of their last days as students. Despite starting late, Lelouch had caught up, and thanks to the tutoring C.C. and Garibaldi had offered, his grades were good enough that he would graduate with top honors. The education the two had offered had made for an intense year, but somehow, he had managed it. Kayto, on the other hand, would only have one year left before he would graduate as well. He would be taking over Ava's position as Student Council President, thanks to Lelouch helping him during the student council elections. It helped that Kayto didn't have much in the way of competition, which all but guaranteed a landslide victory for him.
As if on cue, Kayto finally entered the room. He was short of breath, as if he'd run a marathon to get there.
"You're late, Kayto!" Ava's authoritative voice boomed.
"I am sorry. I got held back for some last minute exams, but I got it done. And I am free for the rest of the day," Kayto said rubbing the back of his head with a smile, which only served to annoy Ava further.
"I find that unlikely, but now that you are here, we can take care of this council's final duties for the year."
"Uh, you know they'll probably just stuff all this into a box and just toss it into a room in the basement with similar boxes, never to see the light of day…" Kayto said.
"Nonsense. We will complete our last day of duty as members of the Student Council, and while I am still president, the paperwork shall be finished along with anything else our duties demand of us." Ava declared, folding her arms across her chest.
"You are never going to win that battle, Kayto," Lelouch said lazily, knowing the outcome was already a foregone conclusion, although he didn't quite understand why Ava had insisted on waiting on Kayto before they began working. They could have finished it themselves by now.
"The only time you might win against Ava in such an argument is if you were to outrank her in a more official capacity."
"I highly doubt something like that will ever happen," Ava said confidently.
"I am not sure about that…times can always change," Kayto replied nervously, although he seemed to share Ava's doubt.
Yeah right. Kayto, you would never become Ava's superior at anything. The white-haired young man thought, laughing to himself.
Lelouch, on the other hand, was a little different.
It's too early to say, but there is no denying they work well together. It would be interesting to observe them in an environment that would be more preferable to Ava.
As partners, they might make for a balanced pair that could work in tandem, one making up for what the other lacked.
Their work took longer than expected, lasting well into the night. Around ten, with no end in sight, bad got to worse. The winter winds, which had been blowing briskly all day, turned into a blizzard. Within the hour, enough snow had stacked up that leaving the school would be all but impossible.
"Just great," Kayto muttered.
"We can sleep here if we must," said Ava calmly, "and the school kitchen has provisions just for emergencies like these. In the morning, a plowing drone will take care of it. We'll be just fine."
"Yeah, I guess…" Kayto muttered, "but even so… Ava, this is crazy. We are never going to finish all of this!" He slumped over the desk in front of him, with a look of exhaustion on his face.
"Unless we can have more people assist us, we are never going to get this done unless we spend the entire night doing this, and we have the graduation ceremony tomorrow…which I should also remind you that you have a speech to give, too," Lelouch added as he continued working.
Lelouch's own hands were sore from handling so much paperwork.
"Yes, I am keenly aware of that, but that doesn't change anything!" Ava answered stubbornly. "This work needs to get done, and we're going to do it."
Kayto and Lelouch exchanged looks. Their situation seemed hopeless, but with a blizzard raging, they had little choice. They looked out. If the winds subsided a little, and if the snow didn't pile up too much, there was a chance they might be able to make a break for it and return home. It was a slim hope, especially if they had to sit with these papers until the wee hours. This was no way to spend their last day as student council together.
Eventually, somebody had to break.
"THAT'S IT!" Kayto shouted in defeat, as he hurled the stack of paperwork he had been working on into the air, much to the Ava's shock.
"I, Kayto Shields, at this moment declare myself an enemy of paperwork for life. From this day on, Kayto Shields shall never touch another shred of paperwork as long as he lives!"
"I second that. For I, Lelouch Kingsley, at this moment declares paperwork an enemy of humanity!" Lelouch proclaimed, joining his friend as he hurled his own stack of paperwork into the air.
Ava looked at them as if both boys had lost their minds, but against all expectations, Ava began laughing.
Kayto and Lelouch looked at Ava with eyes wide in surprise feeling she had just observed what she considered to be a law of nature had been broken. Both of them had been expecting Ava to verbally demolish them for what they did, but a light-hearted laugh was something none of them would have ever expected. The two teenagers didn't dare say anything until Ava spoke.
"You're right. It's pointless… they'll just stuff all of this into that storage room in the basement. The administration doesn't even look at it, not even the budget reports for that matter." Ava said tossing her own stack of paperwork to the side much to Kayto's shock.
"I see. So it's true, then- the club budget is decided by the school, not the Student Council then?" Lelouch said.
"Yes, that is right. No matter how well we balance it and prepare it, the school administration always ignores it in favour of what the school has been using for years." Ava replied before asking. "When did you figure it out?"
"Within a few days of joining. It's different from my past school."
"Wait… then, all of those late evenings we spent trying to balance the budget was for nothing?" Kayto said in dismay.
"Yes, Kayto. The Student Council has no real power, and merely acts as something the students can direct their voices and complaints to without bothering the teachers. They do some planning and help coordinate events, but nothing else beyond that." Ava explained sagely.
"And you…knew about this?" An exasperated Kayto asked.
"I found out a few days after I became the new President yes."
"Then what chance do I have of petitioning for new holowear uniforms?" The white-haired student asked in dismay.
"I would say probably none at all," Ava replied flatly. "You are welcome to try. Maybe you might get lucky. I have heard that all other schools around Cera City have updated their uniforms to holowear."
"I wonder how many previous members of the student council were even aware of that?" Lelouch asked.
"I suppose it's not hard to imagine that some were aware of it, while others probably didn't care either way." The brown-haired teen replied with a dismissive hand gesture. "I had wanted my own term as Student Council President to be different though, but in the end, I did nothing meaningful, and no one was grateful towards my attempts for change at this school."
"Don't blame yourself..." Lelouch began with a bored expression on his face. "This is a school full of teenagers who are blissfully ignorant for the most part of what troubles adult life will bring, and they are trying to keep up the illusion their lives will be forever mind-numbingly ordinary, just trying to squeeze as much time out of it as their teenage years will give them."
"That's pretty harsh, Lelouch," Kayto said looking at him while cocking an eyebrow.
"I guess I wanted my own life at least to be… more interesting instead of the same old day-to-day routine most people go through like zombies," Lelouch said, but Ava knew his life before his death was indeed anything but ordinary.
"I see your point, but still…" Ava said as it was clear her lack of achieving any meaningful accomplishments during her term was hitting her pretty hard.
Was that the reason you were so harsh with me? Lelouch wondered to himself.
"Don't worry about it. When you are in the military, you'll be in a better position to make a difference than you could as an ordinary high-schooler. You could very well end up saving the lives of people about to be killed or taken to become slaves by pirates or stop a band of criminals. You may not have much right now, but in the future, you'll definitely have the opportunity to make a difference."
Lelouch said, trying to lift Ava's spirits, but despite her outburst moments ago, her expression had become more somber, which made it difficult to gauge her exact feelings.
Was she depressed, or was it something else?
Kayto, on the other hand, having personally known Ava for much longer, knew this wasn't doing much to help her. However, looking out the window, he did see at least one thing to lift their spirits.
"Hey, it stopped snowing outside. If we're going to go, then we better go now," Kayto suggested, grabbing his bag.
The trio wasted no time, hurrying out of the school before the heavy snowfall resumed. It might have passed, but then again, it might come back in a minute; you never knew. The three were walking down the street together, coming up to where the trio would part ways. But before they split, Lelouch- who was in deep thought- decided to say something.
"Let me tell you something a close friend and… another person I knew talked about when we were children."
Ava and Kayto stopped to listen to Lelouch.
"We wondered what happiness would look like if we could give it a physical form," Lelouch said before looking down at his hand for a moment imagining holding a beautifully crafted piece of glass. "If I'm not mistaken, I think it was my best friend at the time that said that the shape of happiness might resemble glass."
"Glass is pretty fragile…" Kayto began, but after giving it, some thought he reconsidered his answer. "Then again happiness can be fragile, so I guess that fits."
"Yes, his reasoning made sense after you think about it. He said that even though you don't usually notice it, it's still definitely there. You merely have to change your point of view slightly, and then that glass will sparkle when it reflects the light. I doubt that anything else could argue its own existence more eloquently."
"Not bad. But why tell us?"
"Even if our time together seems to be short, or your time as children to teenagers seemed short before leaving childhood behind forever... I imagine you had plenty of moments. Even if you feel like nothing significant happened, surely there had to have been good moments, and you just need to change your point of view to see those moments for something better." Lelouch said while Kayto realized it was more for Ava, but even Kayto had to admit for the times Ava has been cold, unyielding and extremely strict there were some good moments at times.
The incident with the anti-gravity generator was funny, and although he knew Ava had a different opinion, he saw Lelouch's point, and agreed with it.
Ava, on the other hand, remained silent and was in deep thought herself, but she cast a glance at Kayto, causing her ordinarily expressionless face to soften.
"Anyway, I'll see you two tomorrow for the graduation ceremony," Lelouch said, bidding Kayto and Ava good night.
"See you around, Lelouch," Kayto said, waving farewell to his friend.
I hope we'll all meet again in the future sometime after we graduate, Kayto thought as he watched Lelouch depart, before he followed Ava back to the apartment complex they both lived in.
The graduation ceremony came and went the following day. There was not much to say; Lelouch had spent only a year there, and besides Kayto and Ava, he had made no worthwhile connections. He couldn't help but wonder, though, what it had been like for his old companions. What thoughts had gone through the minds of Rivalz, Shirley and Kallen when they had graduated, their entire lives ahead of them?
Once the ceremony was over there was a party for the students. Lelouch wasn't particularly interested in it. The school had been thrust on him by others, and served only to catch him up on the history of this new world. To obtain some peace and quiet, Lelouch eventually slipped away from the party, and wandered out into the school courtyard.
I won't be missing that, Lelouch thought to himself.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, he wasn't the only one who had little interest in the graduation party.
"I had a feeling I might find you here," Ava said, walking up to him.
"Ava," Lelouch said, before Ava gestured for him to follow her.
The two of them entered the Student Council room, Ava locking the door behind them to ensure their privacy.
"I wanted to see you again, at least one more time," she said somberly, "we might not see each other again. You have great things to do. Who knows, we might even be enemies in the future."
"I certainly hope not," said Lelouch sincerely.
"Keep in touch, will you?" said Ava, "I'm sure you could use a friend, even at a distance."
"I will," Lelouch promised with a nod, "I can't be sure how regular our communication well be, but I'll see what I can do."
"Lelouch…" said Ava, sounding serious enough for the young man to perk up.
"Yes?"
"I just wanted to say… I admire you."
"Admire… me?"
"I read up about your exploits since that time, since the time you told me the truth. A lot of it was ugly, but beyond that… the kind of leadership I read about was impressive. I see it in you even now. That is the sort of person I would aspire to be. Somebody who inspires confidence in their subordinates. Somebody you could have faith in. A symbol of hope and passion."
"You're too kind," said Lelouch, a little surprised. He had always been unsure of what her opinion of him had become since that fateful evening; she hadn't said a word about it since, and Lelouch had been content to act as if it had never happened. He had sometimes wondered if she despised him for what he'd done. Was she afraid of him, the demon emperor?
The answer, it seemed, was no.
"I did many cruel things, you know," he said softly, "I might not be the best person to look up to."
"You'll make up for it," Ava said determinedly, "I've only known you for a year, but you're a good person. I'm sure of it."
"I… thank you," said Lelouch sincerely, "I'll aspire to be as good a man as you think I am."
Ava nodded.
"You better, or I'll be very disappointed. And you wouldn't want to let down your council president, would you?"
"I'd rather die," said Lelouch sardonically.
"Come on," said Ava, "let's get one last look at this school before we both get on with our lives."
They did, and in her company, the walls of the academy felt warmer than Lelouch had expected.
One week later, there was an important set of arrivals, as a transport vessel arrived into the nearby space through faster than light travel. Using the information provided by the mysterious being who had visited Lelouch months ago, C.C. had some friends and former Compact members Suzaku had helped smuggle out of PACT space. They were all disillusioned, Lelouch had been told, with how their leader and founder had changed. They had been vetted, screened, and deemed trustworthy as fellow members to this new cause. Alongside C.C. and Garibaldi, Lelouch had traveled through space in a small craft to meet them. The co-ordinates had set the rendezvous with these new initiates at the Nomodorn Corridor.
The Nomodorn Corridor was a vast and uncharted sector in the galaxy, with only one known habitable planet. No nation or organization besides the odd smuggling operation or pirate crew frequented the area. Even then pirate activity was reasonably low, except when they were on the run from the law in the sector.
The particular place they were going to was called the Mnemosyne Abyss.
According to what C.C. had told him, Lelouch had been led to understand that it was rumored among the inhabitants of the system's only inhabited planet, Tautenia, that the sector had been the site of a battle from a war set thousands of years ago. There were many legends about the place, and even more ghost stories. Local lore had plenty of tales of people who had attempted to explore the place, only to never return. The legends were apparently strong enough that Tautenian technology was still at pre-warp levels, the population apparently too superstitious to even attempt developing the technology. Hence it was known as a "dark planet", its progress held back by their own superstition.
"How much longer until we arrive?" Lelouch asked. He sat on a chair on the small bridge of the transport vessel, the Silverfly.
It was an indistinct ship, perfectly suited to their covert needs. It was a fairly standard transport vessel with a streamlined design, some forty metres in length that, despite having the bulk required for hauling cargo, still resembled a rocket more than the clumsy truck-like haulers used for interplanetary transport. Lelouch thought it looked similar to the early shuttles the Britannian Space Agency had used to launch people into space. Its interior design was quite different from such a rudimentary craft, though, with a storage area for cargo and passenger compartment to carry up to twenty passengers, not counting crew.
"Shouldn't be long now, but I think you are going to like what we found," Garibaldi said a smile.
"Is this something I should know already?" Lelouch demanded impatiently.
"I think it's better if you see it for yourself," C.C. replied, before the ship dropped out of warp, having reached its destination.
Their vessel exited warp. From inside the ship, realspace coming into view looked like coming out of a tunnel of blue light. The exact working of warp technology was beyond him, but the sight that greeted Lelouch was breath-taking. The vast emptiness of space, stars impossibly far in the distance…
It took Lelouch but a moment to take in the scene before him, but his eyes went wide in awe of what was before him, his mind going into overdrive. Outside the windows of the bridge, Lelouch could see a graveyard of ships. All around them, the area was filled with vessels of a dagger-shaped design, but their type was unlike any of the ships he had studied since his revival, meaning they were not Solar Alliance, PACT, or even Ceran ships.
"These ships, according to Lloyd… judging by their fairly light armament and size, they are Ryuvian battle cruisers," C.C. explained as Lelouch wondered about the name she mentioned.
"Lloyd, as in Lloyd Asplund?" Lelouch asked as he was shocked yet again, with no time to recover from seeing the ancient starship graveyard around them.
He couldn't even see an end of the derelict ships surrounding them, and he doubted he could have counted accurately even if they were all visible. Some of the ships were badly torn asunder, a few reduced to enormous chunks of rubble. If he had to make a rough guess, then he would safely estimate there had to be at least more than a hundred crafts. Looking at the immense graveyard in front of him, he was sure there had to be many more. The vessels, aside from the ravages of time, looked identical except for one, which appeared to be the center of the graveyard. There rested a vessel of three kilometers in length, with an odd design that didn't seem as streamlined as the others. It was a gargantuan thing, dwarfing the lesser craft around it. The vessels closest to it appeared to be more heavily damaged than the others, so Lelouch deduced it must've been some kind of battleship.
"Yes," continued C.C., appearing unaffected by the sight in front of them, "but unlike Milly and her accident, Lloyd converted his body over time from human to cyborg and cyborg into android to live well beyond his years to continue his pursuit of science." The green haired witch said, with an off-hand dismissive gesture.
"Why I do I get the feeling he probably got kicked out of four scientific institutions along the way?"
"Six, actually…" C.C. corrected in a matter-of-fact tone. "I am sure you can guess what factors saw him booted out. The one place he lasted the longest was at Diode before the disaster that destroyed it, but I guess even the one place in the galaxy where the Alliance and New Empire at the time had sent scientists deemed too dangerous found him too much to handle."
It might have worried someone else, but Lelouch didn't seem too bothered by it.
"So I take it he is very familiar with these ships," Lelouch said deciding to change the subject and return to the matter at hand of what was before them.
"Yes. Lloyd is certain they are Ryuvian Battle Cruisers, and dating analysis puts them at least around two thousand years old." C.C. began to explain, but this prompted Lelouch to ask.
"Considering the sheer number of ships here I am surprised no one has found this place," Lelouch remarked before correcting himself, "although I suppose the galaxy is a big place."
C.C. nodded in agreement, "True. This section of the galaxy has been left unexplored, and a lack of suitable planets for colonization has furthered discouraged exploration in this area."
"I see. Still, with such a battle… surely somebody would have come looking?" Asked Lelouch.
"Of course, but between the ghost stories about this place and the information you were given, I think we know another reason why this place has remained untouched for so long." The green-haired woman answered before Lelouch deduced what she probably meant going off of the information on hand.
Lelouch realized the answer as he said, "Those ships are functional, aren't they?"
"That is right. As it turns out, that gigantic ship in the center of this graveyard," C.C. said pointing at the hulking vessel at the centre, the derelict battleship. "Like some of the other ships it's still functional, but it's in a sort of sleep mode right now."
"But I take it if someone disturbs it, or does something to alert it to the presence of possible enemy vessels, a defensive measure is triggered."
"Correct. This is why Lloyd has been conducting a very delicate salvage operation. The information advises we leave the dreadnought alone and focus on the smaller ships to avoid triggering the remote reactivation of those ships. As part of another precaution, we remove the power cores and computer cores in reach ship as an additional safety measure."
"You mean the information that person gave me didn't just give us the location for this place, but some information about it as well?" Lelouch asked, remembering the small box the mysterious woman had given him.
"Yes, and it's really how we knew these ships were Ryuvian Battle Cruisers. We still had Lloyd conduct an investigation upon them to confirm it."
"Do we know anything else? Like, what the reason behind this battle was?"
"What you are seeing is the site of the final battle between Prince Crow Harbor and his Ebony Fleet facing the Ryuvian Royal Fleet," C.C. answered.
"So another one of Ryuvia's bloody succession wars?"
"Yes, but this was apparently one of the most destructive of those conflicts that nearly tore apart the Holy Ryuvian Empire. You won't find it mentioned in any history books, but the information tells that after the current Emperor and his heir the First Prince were assassinated the blame for their deaths was placed on Crow who was the bastard child of the Emperor, so he was unworthy for the throne."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed, "so was Crow the second or third prince?"
"The third, and as you probably guessed it is believed the Second Prince was behind it. Yet his plan to blame his half-brother backfired horribly."
"Clearly, but it seems Ryuvia got to survive for a while longer," Lelouch remarked, but as he studied the ships drifting in front of him he couldn't help but wonder something.
I know they were adrift for centuries, but the layout of these ships seem odd. They are all identical to one another, but yet I don't see anything that could make the opposing side's fleet stand out.
"Everything we know about that battle came from that strange woman who gave you that little box months ago, but we know the sacrifice of Princess Sola di Ryuvia allowed her to defeat Crow and his Ebony Fleet."
"Sacrifice?"
"They used their most powerful weapon, which required that a daughter of the Emperor sacrifice themselves."
Lelouch knew from his studies of the Holy Ryuvian Empire that during its founding days, the Emperors of that time feared their own immense technological prowess could lead to the destruction of the galaxy, so they avoided producing overly destructive weapons. Yet for those weapons capable of destruction, a fail-safe was installed to discourage their usage by forcing the Emperor to give up the life of his own daughter to activate them.
"I see," Lelouch said feeling sympathetic for Sola, who had likely been forced into sacrificing herself by her father.
He had no proof of that, but if the Second Prince of Ryuvia was willing to murder his own father and brother Lelouch saw little reason he would hesitate to throw away his own daughter to save his own skin.
Still…this has to be the biggest discovery of Lost Technology, and yet… how has it remained untouched for over two thousand years?
Lost Technology; it was a term given to ancient devices or vessels left behind by the Holy Ryuvian Empire. It vastly surpassed any existing technology, and finding even parts of it could introduce new revolutionary technological innovations. One noteworthy example of Lost Technology, Lelouch recalled from his studies, was the discovery of an old Ryder used by the Holy Ryuvian Empire almost a hundred years ago.
Given how much its discovery had drastically changed warfare, it was no exaggeration that Lost Technology could bring about dramatic change to the galaxy.
As such, whenever Lost Technology was found, it was a discovery capable of drastically changing the balance of power depending on what the technology was and how one made use of it.
Lelouch could barely suppress a laugh, but he regained his composure and resumed the conversation.
"So what are we doing with them?"
"The ship the group arrived in isn't specialized for towing those ships to location more ideal for what Lloyd has in mind, but for now they have been working with one of the cruisers to see if they can get it operational again," C.C. answered. "We'll likely need to obtain some specialized vessels to tow them to a safer location once we have such a place."
It wasn't a Ryuvian ship, but rather the ship looked much larger than the vessel Lelouch was aboard, designed to carry a large amount of passengers. There were some similarities in general design, but nothing extravagant. It was resting alongside one of the Ryuvian Cruisers, having managed to anchor itself to the vessel remaining close enough for those with EVA equipment to fly over to the derelict vessel.
"Isn't trying to reactivate a ship that could be remote-controlled by the larger vessel risky?"
"It is," Garibaldi answered. "However, if we disconnect the computer core and replace it with something that can handle at least basic navigation and warp its possible. I think I could help us secure the means to move these ships more easily, but it will take time. Lloyd picked one of the cruisers with the least amount of visible damage to work with, and to conduct his investigation upon."
"Should I be with you, since this is something we'll need to keep under wraps? If anyone realized this was here," Lelouch began.
"I know, which is why it will take time to get the right set up we'll need." Garibaldi pointed out. "I'll draw up some plans we can build from to create secure salvage operation. In the meantime, I know some black market traders we could sell any worthwhile trinkets those ships might have to help cover the needed costs."
Lelouch contemplated this for a moment, "Alright. We'll discuss it later."
This can give us the edge we need against PACT. They have numbers and heavily armed battleships and Ryders, but if Lloyd can really make us of this then the advantage we could gain could give us a real fighting chance.
When the time came to face PACT, the biggest challenge Lelouch recognized was the fact he was facing a galactic superpower. Although still young, it was unquestionably a force to be reckoned with. The resources, manpower and weapons they have would hopelessly trump anything Lelouch could muster, and the sheer numbers PACT has alone would make any effort to topple them staggering to say the least.
But the treasure trove they found could just give Lelouch the advantage he would need to have any hope of fighting PACT on equal footing.
A short time later, the transport ship docked with the much larger Dealt-class transport named the Kobayashi Maru. It was primarily blue and gray, but it was clear from the wear on the hull and paint that it had seen better days. Walking aboard the ship alongside C.C. and Michael, Lelouch was greeted by another familiar face, despite the white streaks at the edges of his blue hair.
He wore a black trench coat over a white dress shirt, and black pants and matching boots. He still had the gold metallic eyepiece around his left eye, and his tan skin had become a little wrinkled with age, but he looked mostly the same as Lelouch remembered him.
"Your majesty, it is good to see you returned to the world of the living again," said Jeremiah Gottwald, bowing crispy to his Emperor, despite Lelouch's actual lack of a title.
"It's good to see another familiar face," said Lelouch, a little shocked to see the cyborg still alive, and more than a little moved to see his loyalty still endured after all this time.
"To think you survived for that long, still loyal… Jeremiah, you are one of a kind."
"Thank you, sir… hearing those words made the years I have waited for your return worth it." Said the aging cyborg.
Lelouch nodded. "Very good. But let's not dwell on sentimentality. Bring me up to speed, please." Jeremiah nodded, and gestured for him to follow.
"Lloyd is busy overseeing the removal of another computer core from one of the almost intact vessels we have recovered so far, bringing the total up to four ships."
"How many have been completely dismantled so far?"
"Three of them, but most of the ships furthest away from the dreadnought at the center are the most intact and well-preserved of the vessels. Closer to the center, some of the vessels have taken quite extensive damage."
"So whatever devastated these ships came from that dreadnought at the heart of this graveyard?" Lelouch asked, prompting Jeremiah to nod his head in confirmation.
"Yes. We believe it was likely one of the forbidden weapons of the Holy Ryuvian Empire if what we learned about the battle from the data you obtained for us is true."
"I see…" Lelouch said before looking out at the graveyard through one of the viewport windows on the hull. The former Emperor tried to picture what the battle must have been like in the past. It was hard to even imagine. A battle of this scale had to have been both terrible and magnificent. He could see the great holes torn in the hulls of the ship around the dreadnought, some of them torn in half or ripped to shreds. The ship had to have had enormous firepower in its time.
Yet in the back of his mind, he wondered why Earth hadn't been part of the Holy Ryuvian Empire before it collapsed, considering it existed for thousands of years before its fall.
"Well, hello there…back from the dead, are we?" The voice was familiar, playful and almost mocking.
Despite his conversation from human to android, Lloyd looked much the same as Lelouch remembered him. Lloyd's lavender hair and blue eyes were exactly the same as before, but it was likely his skin was as artificial as his hair. Whoever had designed the android body had done an incredible job; Lloyd looked entirely lifelike. He even wore his trademark glasses still, which he undoubtedly no longer needed. A visual impairment, now a matter of aesthetic preference.
He was even wearing his trademark lab coat over his shirt, and Lloyd wore the same black pants and shoes as before too. Just like before, when Lelouch had gotten to know him better as Emperor of Britannia, the infamous Earl of Pudding was wearing a forced, false smile on his face.
"Well, Lloyd… it seems old, familiar faces are more plentiful than I thought they would be," Lelouch mused.
The android shrugged.
"Technology made great strides after your death, your majesty. This new body of mine can do so much more than my old shell of flesh and bone. If you were to shake my hand, you couldn't even tell it was fake," Lloyd said offering his hand which Lelouch shook.
I guess he is right, Lelouch thought. It really did feel like flesh and blood.
"I know why Jeremiah has joined me again, but why are you here?" asked Lelouch as he released Lloyd's hand.
"That is because working for you is a lot more interesting than anyone else I have worked for, and I'll have some excuses to branch out and do some new projects. Of course, I really must thank you for this information on finding this graveyard of ships. It is probably the biggest collection of Lost Technology in the galaxy. I don't know who that woman was who you met, but that little information packet she gave you was really something." Lloyd answered as he looked out at the graveyard, and despite the inhumanity of his new form, his eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement at the thought of rediscovering all this old technology.
Somehow, I seriously doubt we can restore every single ship, but if these ships are as capable as I am being told, even a handful of them would give me an edge over most pirate fleets and even some military vessels too, Lelouch thought, already going over the possibilities.
"Anyway, your majesty…" Jeremiah began, but Lelouch interrupted him.
"Jeremiah," said Lelouch, "you are aware I am no longer an Emperor, correct? You don't have to call me that."
"I know you lack the title, sire, but you will always be my emperor," insisted Jeremiah.
"I suppose that is fine," Lelouch said knowing he might win this argument, so he settled for a compromise. "Be mindful that you do not do it in public, away from people aware of my true identity."
"I shall do so if you command it," Jeremiah said with a quick bow.
"Alright…"
"I think it's time Lelouch should meet everyone else," C.C. said.
"Very well. I'll gather everyone for the meeting," Jeremiah said, reaching for a hidden communicator in the collar of his trench coat.
Lelouch felt a little apprehensive at the idea of it. Re-founding the Black Knights… it was no longer just an idea. He was sure Suzaku and C.C. had chosen carefully, but he had no idea what these people might be like, or what they might think of him.
It might be difficult to win their trust, he thought, but I must do it if I want the Black Knights to rise again.
There was much work to do, but looking out at the graveyard before them, at least he could be confident in knowing he had the right materials to build a strong foundation on. The money they could make selling whatever techno-relics found aboard those ships alone would net them a fortune with the right buyers.
"Before that," C.C. said, nodding to Jeremiah, who stepped aside to reveal a large metal suitcase sitting on the ground behind him, "You might want to change into something else before you met the others."
"Of course you would bring that," Lelouch commented, imagining he could take a good guess as to the case's contents.
"It wouldn't be right for you not to have it, especially now." Said C.C.
Lelouch took the case, before Jeremiah led him to a place where he could change.
His thoughts began to wander, as he finished putting on the lower half of the outfit while tapping the heel to ensure it was a proper fit.
Ever since I came back to life, I never wanted to wear that mask again, but…
Lelouch began putting on the long black gloves as he pulled them over his arms before proceeding to button up the white dress shirt, which was a new addition for his old outfit yet he wore it over the sleeveless black shirt with the pull-up collar to cover the lower half of his face with.
Ava was right. Death wasn't the end. If it is within my power to make a difference then I shall, especially with such a treasure trove of technology.
Once he was done adjusting and fitting the white cravat Lelouch put on the outer coat Lelouch followed by pulling up the zipper. Soon after that Lelouch draped the black and gold-trimmed cape cover his shoulders before locking it into place.
Lelouch smiled as he gazed into a nearby mirror hanging on the door behind him.
It's strange this feels more natural, somehow. Maybe it's because this suit feels more comfortable compared to the original?
Then lastly the mask was the final piece, and with one hand Lelouch seized it. He gazed upon its polished featureless surface in silent contemplation.
Without hesitation Lelouch placed the mask upon his head before he heard the familiar click of the plates behind his mask sliding into place and locking the mask onto his head.
This feels more like a second skin.
Fifteen minutes later, the assembled former members of PACT had gathered in the mess hall. It was barely large enough to accommodate everyone, but it was enough. There was some chattering among the former resistance members, but everyone was silent when they saw Lelouch enter the mess hall, dressed once more in the attire of Zero.
Lelouch was dressed in the last Zero attire he had once worn before becoming Emperor Lelouch, which included the two-piece dark purple bodysuit trimmed with gold based upon Victorian fashion, with a white cravat and the heeled boots were integrated into the lower half. It was virtually identical to Lelouch's original attire save for the addition of the white dress shirt he now wore underneath. His black cape, also trimmed in gold with its red interior, flowed behind him.
"Is that him?" one man among the gathered crowd asked, as some whispered conversation erupted among them.
"I am he, I am Zero," Lelouch declared behind the mask he was wearing once more. "I have returned from beyond the grave to correct the mistake that is PACT. They took inspiration from my legacy, but they have sullied all I stand for."
"Are you the real deal?" A member of the crowd demanded.
"Come on, man. He just led us to the biggest discovery of Lost Technology in history," another among the crowd argued.
Lelouch studied the group, trying to gauge the crowd. Although these men were loyal to Jeremiah, the former Emperor knew he would have to earn their loyalty like he had once did for Ohgi, Kallen and the others. Lelouch recognized it was easier said than done, but he had to make the effort and find a way to earn their trust.
I'll need to learn more about them, Lelouch contemplated.
"I'll prove I am the real deal not through words, but through actions," Lelouch declared boldly. "Just watch me!"
A/N: Well this is it…with Lelouch having now adapted just enough to his new surroundings he needs to get to work rebuilding the Black Knights.
On the plus side, no one can call him a high school dropout now.
Anyway, there will be a time skip of about three to four years into the future where Lelouch makes his first reappearance to the Neutral Zone at large as Zero and the Order of the Black Knights he has rebuilt with help.
Kayto and Ava will be back later in the story when Cera falls to PACT, but the next chapters will go into Lelouch's rise as Zero once more and the exploits of the Black Knights to set the scene. Then I won't have to do too many flashback scenes. Although Lelouch will not be able to use everything from that graveyard, the parts and ships he could salvage along with anything else he could sell will help him towards rebuilding his organization obtaining materials and funds.
It won't be a massive army at this point, but I would say he has enough for a good start to work with.
Now on my profile page is a new and updated pairing poll for Lelouch, the next one will feature Kayto which is for me to gauge to see what kind of pairings you guys would be interested in seeing. Final decision falls to me and how the story goes, but I am giving you guys a chance to offer suggestions for a pairing. I have given you guys a chance to pick up to five, so I can have some "reserve choices" to consider.
It won't be a harem, but I do have a lot of good ideas for most of them so deciding who is compatible is an issue, but instead picking the best and most interesting choice. But to know some of the characters, I strongly advise playing Liberation Day and its DLC [RE]Turn before casting your vote to know the other characters involved.
Keep in mind Maray while young when introduced will be in her early twenties by the time the story starts with Lelouch mid-twenties or so at that point, so no I am not doing that route. Of course, that is if I consider pairing them.
Also, I added Milly into the mix just to complicate things for Lelouch on a personal level especially when she becomes friends with a particular pink-haired nurse much later in the story just to cause Lelouch grief. How she survived after so many years without becoming an android or a cyborg will be explained much later as well.
Anyway, I hope you guys like all of the changes, and we'll be getting back to the "present" in due time in a few more chapters to tie up any loose ends.
I'll be looking forward to your reviews and feedback because they are very much appreciated and good for motivation.