Zero, Leader of The Revolution
As I walked through the hallways Kallen followed me right beside me as my faithful bodyguard. It was odd how I had come to trust her with my life so easily, it was unlike me. I rarely trusted someone, I couldn't afford it.
Yet Kallen's next to me was oddly comforting. My gaze flickered to her concealed face. She had begun to fully emulate Weaver with her visor and new face mask. I thought it fitting, it associated her more with me and granted her even more authority among the other Black Knights.
Though there was one disadvantage to her new mask, namely that I couldn't get a bearing on her emotions. Though going from how she was when we visited Miss Hebert, she couldn't be doing too well. I grimaced as I remembered why she was like this now.
Tamaki… He had died for me. He had thrown himself in front of me to save me from my own incompetence. The shock of seeing his mangled and twisted KMF on the ground came back in full force every time I was reminded of it.
I simply didn't understand. Why did he do it? He doubted me constantly, was brash, aggressive, and arrogant yet he gave his life to protect me without hesitation. What did I even mean to my followers? Had I become the symbol I had intended Zero be?
But a symbol… No matter how grand couldn't convince another person to give up their life when the mask could simply be placed on another head. Trust? Was that it? Did they trust me to be the only one that could fulfil their dream of a Japan where the Japanese people could live proudly?
I remembered an old argument between myself and Nunnally. I can't even remember the reason for it, most likely about Miss Hebert. She had always been a topic of debate between myself and my little sister, who idolised her. No matter the reason Nunnally had told me something that day.
"Brother, you view the world through bars made of doubt and hate. It blinds you such that you can never see the world as others do. You can never trust because you think all others also incapable of doing so."
I had dismissed her words back then; I had trusted someone before. Even now I trusted Suzaku. If anything were to happen to me, he would care for Nunnally. But maybe some parts were true.
I was broken and I refused to get help because I thought all others also broken. Though I couldn't say I had changed much, but now I realised there were those that trusted me and those I could trust in return.
Glance at the lithe but firm form of my Bodyguard reinforced that idea. So long as I kept her close, I would be safe. I could trust Kallen… so long as she didn't know my identity. If she ever learned I couldn't guess what her reaction would be.
Yet I still couldn't come to trust the person, who Nunnally so vehemently defended. Miss Hebert.
Nunnally didn't see what I saw when I looked at her. Her every step every action was deliberate in a way that was off putting. The way she sat down in a corner of the room still as death as the Student Council bickered around her projecting authority that screamed less "Highschool teacher" and more "Crime boss". The way she spoke to people with painfully realistic yet false cheer and sarcasm.
Her actions were fake but backed with just enough truthful emotion to hide just how fake they were. I knew it well, I had learned how to craft my Lelouch Lamperouge from her actions. I had emulated her, though I liked to imagine my actions were backed with more genuine emotion then hers.
We both wore masks that were just fake enough to hide the thing beneath but just real enough to not give away the masquerade. But sometimes it felt like "Taylor Hebert" the mask was a bit too eager to come off. I didn't like it, it reminded me of myself in a way that concerned me. Had I been like that before I became Zero? Had anyone noticed it? Those questions echoed around inside my head whenever I thought of her.
Though she had mellowed out recently it still bothered me. Miss Hebert was someone to admire, certainly, she was strong in a way that wasn't disruptive to those around her. But to trust her?
I couldn't do that. So long as I couldn't figure her out, I couldn't let myself trust her.
A gentle hand shook my shoulder, and I was brought back to reality.
I turned to see Kallen's visor turned to me, and her hand laid on my shoulder. Oddly I didn't shrug it off.
"Zero, is something wrong?" She asked with concern.
"No, just lost in thought." I replied.
Somehow, I got the feeling my words annoyed her. "You don't have to hide what you're thinking from me." She said.
I almost laughed. I didn't need to hide what I thought, true. But I would, even from my little sister. It made everything easier. But I could indulge a little.
"I am just now realising just how many people trust me. It has been a reality check that so many people trust me with their lives and dreams." I said with a subdued voice as we continued walking.
"Because of Tamaki?" Her words almost made me stop but I continued.
"Yes, his sacrifice has forced me to see the Black Knights for what they are. An army of people who trust me to deliver them to a better future. I was… aware of the responsibility but now that it struck me right over the head like this it has become so much more concreate."
I heard the footsteps next to me stop. I turned around to see Kallen remove her visor. I stared into her eyes, and she stared into my mask.
There was grief in her eyes, but a glint of resolve overshadowed it. "Zero, no matter what happens… I will make sure we can both see that better future we are all dreaming of. I know for sure you will deliver it to us, so too does everyone else. We trust you because you are the only one, who has ever been able to stand up to Britannia like this." The sheer certainty in her voice hurt.
Would I really be able to? I had begun this revolution so certain that I could destroy Britannia consumed by hatred as I was, but now that I had gotten beaten a few times that anger had cooled. Destroying Britannia by bathing the world in blood and getting those who trusted me killed recklessly wouldn't create the kinder world Nunnally wanted. It would just be my revenge and nothing else.
Merely destroying Britannia shouldn't be my objective, mere destruction won't fulfil the Black Knights' wishes, nor will it create the kinder world I seek. It would just plunge the world into chaos.
What I needed was to build something in place of the things I destroyed so that the sacrifices we made along the way could be worthwhile.
"I will try to live up to your expectations." I said instead of pouring out my thoughts.
Kallen smiled, I couldn't tell what kind of smile it was because of her mask but the way her eyes shone was enough for me. "I know you will, Zero." She said.
I nodded at her and watched as she placed her visor back on. I continued walking, perhaps with a firmer purpose. Now I had a speech to make and Chinese puppets to kick out of Japan.
Breathe in, a breathe out. With a calm mind I walked the last few metres remaining with Kallen by my side. I opened the door and stepped out. The mess of noises that had filled the large hall moments before cut off abruptly as I arrived. And seconds later came back as chanting. "ZERO! ZERO! ZERO!" They chanted as if I was some ancient roman general coming back from conquest.
I silently walked to the slightly raised platform in front of the crowd. Only once I was right in the middle of the platform and Kallen was standing to my right slightly behind me I nodded at Ohgi, who was standing to the right of the crowd and began my performance.
I roamed my gaze over the hundreds gathered in the hall, almost a quarter of our fighting force. "Those, who have dedicated themselves to our cause. I thank you; we have grown strong and bled Britannia over and over again." I began saying and parted my cape slightly to reveal my hands.
Remember Lelouch. Absolute authority. Absolute certainty. And absolute calm. Just like Miss Hebert, if applied in a different circumstance.
"Now before us lies opportunity. The Chinese Eunuchs have once again fallen precan ny to their own relentless greed and sent puppets clad in the icons of Japan. This may seem like a gift from them. Do not fall prey to such foolishness! These relics they have sent are the rotting remains of the Japanese Government that not only dared to fail Japan but also to abandon it." I raised my voice as I went on and in the crux of it threw my cape wide by opening my arms and raising my hands towards the crowd.
I could see their anger, their frustration at the Chinese and their puppets. Good.
"Now they come back with the puppet strings of the Eunuchs sewn into their backs! We cannot fight with them for any victory that comes from their hands would merely replace one oppressor with another. And any such victory is unlikely to say the least.
Make no mistake my Order, we have bled the Britannians dry, and they continue to bleed themselves dry as the situation in their homeland worsens day by day. Yet they remain powerful. You have seen the true face of Princess Euphemia li Britannia as I have, she is not merely a stateswoman but also a skilled tactician.
She will defeat this force the Eunuchs have sent, and it will be bloody. It will not be the type of speedy warfare Britannia has become used to. No; it will be trenches, artillery, battalions of wrecked Knightmares and naval battles that last from morning to evening." I lowered my hands and slightly lowered my voice.
"It will be hell in the truest sense. Civilians, Japanese and Britannian alike will die by their hundreds as the two forces get more and more desperate and bomb the cities until nought, but dust remains. I was here when Britannia invaded, as they pillaged cities and shrines alike, as soldiers massacred civilians by the hundreds. This time it will be worse." I stopped for a second and took in the terrified faces among the crowd.
Weaver caught my eye, still as ever with the remaining members of the Yatsukahagi faction. I couldn't read their expressions clearly but unlike their 'leader' they were most likely also terrified of the possible future I foretold.
As the second past and the fear began to set in, I spoke again. "We cannot allow this to happen, Japan has already been scarred too deeply. It will take decades to fully heal. So no matter how antithesis to our goals it may seem, we must strike against the Chinese and their puppets. Even if we have to swallow our pride and support the Britannians against the Chinese until we can ensure the new invaders are repelled." I finished and let what I just said sink in.
Cries of dissent and shock came from the crowd. Far less than what would've emerged had I not mongered fear against the new invaders coming in but still many. There were a lot of extremists in the Black Knights, who desired only to fight Britannia.
I understood them well, but I had people I cared about. I couldn't let them become sacrifices for my own revenge. I wouldn't counter their dissent; it would make me look weak in front of the Black Knights.
Thankfully someone else did it for me, and not Ohgi or Minami like I had expected. Instead it was Weaver, around whom most of said extremists were gathered.
"If convenience were so easily bound with success the Black Knights wouldn't be necessary in the first place. The moment you donned your uniforms you agreed to kill and be killed for your goals, compared to that a brief period where we work with our enemies is so little." Her voice permeated through the hall with the droning of insects silencing most of the dissidents and drowning out the rest.
She didn't look like she was going to be speaking any longer so I stepped up instead. "As Weaver has put it, the Order of Black Knights has never been an organisation for personal revenge." An absolute lie, while I did always aim to bring Nunnally's dream into reality I initially created the Black Knights as a tool for my revenge.
But… I could have my due later, now Nunnally's wish and the dreams of those devoted to this cause came first. What an odd thought. Would it have even crossed my mind to delay my revenge for these people before? It probably would, I just wouldn't have let myself act on it.
"We do not kill for the sake of killing, I will not let the Black Knights be consumed by the kind of radicalism that would drag us into the mud where countless other revolutions drowned!" I shouted with all the authority I could put into my voice.
A cacophony of assent rose from those watching. One Black Knight shouted something and many followed along, it took me a moment to realise what it was since it sounded so absurd. 'Knights Way', sounded more like a pun than an actual code of conduct. Heh, 'Kishidō'. I almost couldn't hold back my laughter as the Black Knights within the hall echoed the word over and over again.
Very well, if they wanted to organise themselves around a code based on my words, who was I to judge? Though I suppose this proves that the legend around the samurai has yet to fade. Perhaps it never will, after all Britannia still loves their Knights and I haven't seen the French stop displaying their fleur-de-lis despite killing all their monarchs.
I suppose there is some part of every culture that wants to romanticize their past. I saw little harm in letting them indulge like this. With a flair of my cape I left with the sounds of cheering and chanting Black Knights at my back. Kallen followed dutifully after me. Tomorrow we would make our move.
Weaver A Woman Determined to Change the World
The day after Lelouch's speech I came back to a gathering even more active than before. Seems he had decided on our course of action quickly. With measured steps I ducked into an empty corridor and began making my way towards Rakshata, both to check up on my Knightmare and to learn whatever it was that we were going to be doing now.
My bugs spotted another group of those weird Black Knights with spider patches, who annoyingly saw me as a sort of icon, and I immediately turned to a different corridor as I moved to avoid them. I didn't really have anything against them but I didn't want that kind of responsibility with the Black Knights. I was perfectly comfortable where I was for now.
Saying that having to avoid them every time was starting to get annoying. Maybe I should do something about it? No, talking to them might just encourage them. Best keep my distance.
I kept going through the base towards the hangers where I knew Rakshata would be through a wide variety of corridors and got a fairly good look at how the morale was. For the most part it was surprisingly good. Though Zero's decision was controversial he had gained to much trust among the rank and file to immediately be doubted over a rational choice.
Though, that might change if he kept making such choices. Speaking of controversial choices I happened to just wander near one in my efforts to avoid human contact. Princess Cornelia, was still in a fairly comfortable 'cell'. I imagined most Black Knights really were wondering just why he still kept her instead of killing or ransoming her.
To be fair, I did too. He had killed his brother Clovis after all. So why did he keep Cornelia alive? A bargaining chip? Or maybe he still felt some familiar bond with that woman. I couldn't really guess but since he kept her relatively comfortable, I imagined it was the latter.
I idly flashed the new power I had gotten as I walked past the Princess's cell. A ping came from close to me, near enough that there should've been bugs in the area for me to spot whatever the ping was pointing at. Yet there were none, whoever was there had somehow managed to evade my passive detection. I move more bugs that way, not enough to rouse suspicion but enough to get a grasp of what was going on.
I felt a door, and whenever I tried to squeeze bugs underneath the door they would die too quickly to get through. Some kind of pesticide along the edges then. I tried the ventilation system, but that place was considered as well. How odd, who could be hiding there?
I would talk to Rakshata later, this had gotten my attention. I began moving there taking care to avoid any Black Knights I came across. Just as I was about to reach the door I felt Zero begin moving here.
Hmm, now I'm really curious if he's coming for this room or not. Regardless I opened the door. I saw a handgun pointing at me and my instincts kicked in before anything else. I threw a kick at the gun and slammed into the figure holding it with another kick knocking a bundle of green hair and what looked like a straight jacket down onto the floor.
I grabbed the gun as it fell without taking my eyes off the figure, who had begun trying to get up. I shot the green haired woman in the knee. She didn't even flinch, I knew that kind of reaction. My suspicions were confirmed as before my very eyes the bullet began to get pushed out and her wound began to heal. The ping pointing at her had become painfully obvious.
A few Black Knights had heard the gunshot and had begun to head towards here, the closest of them were Zero and Lotus. I should at least learn what was going on with this woman before they come here.
I stared at the baleful amber eyes of the woman on the ground, who stared at me with a blank expression. She stared back just the same. There was something familiar about her.
"Would you like to explain who you are and why you're here or should I shoot again?" I asked the regenerator, who was most likely the same one from Code R. I felt like I shouldn't bring that up, but that connection did tell me something. Lelouch was somehow involved with Code R, most likely working against them together with this woman.
Perhaps they both had powers and that was what the pings were pointing to. Was the reason why they felt connected that they both had regeneration powers? Maybe. Something to investigate in the future.
Regardless the Woman stayed silent. I gave her a kick in the stomach. "Look, I don't like needless violence but if you stay suspiciously silent like that, I am going to have to use force." I said as professionally as I could.
The woman snorted in response. "Whatever you can do is nothing compared to what I've experienced girl. I'd like to see you try." She said with the sort of amusement that felt like belittlement, but I could see through her facade. She was afraid, not afraid of my threat of violence but afraid of something to do with me.
I made the insects around us flare up and had a few of the more painful sorts sting her. She winced.
"I am trying to be perfectly reasonable Miss. I just want to know, who you are and why you're here." I tried again.
"Oh I don't know little puppet, why don't you ask your wirepuller who I am?" She said smugly. The puppet comment felt a bit out of place, I had no clue what it was referring to. As I was trying to remember what she could be referring to I heard Lisa's voice coming from the wall next to me.
"Isn't she the stalker from back when you and Kallen had that little talk?" She said and the memories came surging back. I got another look at her and yeah, it was her alright. She had escaped from me back then.
So she was supposed to be some kind of ally of Zero's. Then that confirmed it, Lelouch definitely had something to do with Code R. Maybe I should just ask him, he and Kallen were just about to turn the corner.
I didn't avert my eyes from the stalker as I lowered my gun, she looked at me oddly for a second then her eyes flicked to the corner as Kallen and Zero came into view. The moment she saw them she started looking really smug.
I heard Kallen utter something. "The Woman from Kyoto?" She uttered with mild surprise.
The bugs on Zero's mask shifted as he turned to look at the green haired woman with what I guessed was frustration.
"Weaver, could you please not shoot my adviser again?" He said with exasperation. I glanced at his slightly tired posture and decided not to overcomplicate things. I ejected the magazine and cleared the chamber then tossed the gun back at its owner who caught it with an unimpressed look. I stung her with a bee as a warning and turned my back on her as she hissed in pain.
Zero made a gesture for me to elaborate. "I felt the lack of bugs in the room and decided to check it out, when I opened the door, she was pointing a gun at me. So I defended myself." I said to Zero and Kallen.
Zero promptly sighed. "Damn it woman, can't you stay out of trouble for a second?" He spoke in a tone that was closer to the younger Lelouch I remembered, the one from back when his Lelouch Lamperouge persona hadn't been perfected yet. He was breaking character, how odd.
"Oh as if you're one to talk. If it hadn't been for me you would've been exposed thrice over by now boy." The stalker said. They had somehow begun bickering in this situation.
"I gave you a room to stay in and everything you requested just to stop you from getting in trouble, yet you still managed it!" As Zero said that I took another glance at the room. There was a couch two empty pizza boxes and A copy of "The Count of Monte Cristo" I was sure I had gotten Lelouch for his fifteenth birthday on the couch.
It really was just a room for someone to stay in away from the eyes of others. Really just why was this woman so important that Lelouch went out of his way to keep her close but out of sight?
The green haired woman opened her mouth to reply but thankfully Kallen intervened before I had to keep awkwardly listening to their bickering.
"Shut up, please. I don't want to hear it." She said with a voice much more tired than I had expected.
She continued before anyone else could get a word in. "I really don't care why you are here… whoever you are." As she finished her sentence the woman cut in as she stood up. "My name is C.C, please just use that." She said as she brushed herself off.
An awkward moment of silence passed and with everyone other than… C.C much more uncomfortable than before Kallen continued. "Alright, now I would love to know just why C.C was stalking me in my school and why she pointed a gun at Weaver, but we also have an operation in two hours to prepare for. So please keep it quick and if possible, without the bickering."
C.C huffed in response; this girl really had an attitude problem. Zero sighed and began speaking. "C.C is a partner of mine, who as Kallen mentioned helps me run the Black Knights behind the scenes and offers cervices others can't." I suppose that made sense, having a regenerator that could resist what Code R had done to her would be useful.
Though Zero didn't go into much detail what he said did align C.C and he seemed to somewhat trust C.C. Something which I didn't really think was possible for anyone other than Nunnally. "Moreover, there is nothing you have to be worried about her being a threat, Weaver." Zero said to reassure me.
I hummed in accent, despite not being convinced at all. This woman oozed confidence and was from what was mentioned in the research notes literally immortal, she was beyond a doubt dangerous. Not to Zero, but to me. I could see it hidden in her body language, she wanted to be as far away from me as possible.
It wasn't something I was unused to, even if the context was a little different, I could deal with a 'teammate' not being too fond of me. With a nod I turned to leave but made sure to hide a bug to track the green haired woman. Never could be too careful against someone I didn't know how to kill.
I left without a word, let Lelouch think I had left the matter alone. It would make it all that much easier to find out just what he and C.C knew about Code R. Though as I walked off I couldn't help but notice the annoyed look Kallen was giving Zero. Seems she's annoyed with whatever he's not telling.
Good luck Kallen, Lelouch can be one annoying little brat when he has a secret to keep.
I filed this incident away for later, I couldn't afford to be distracted now. In a few hours I would be piloting a tin box on roller skates rushing at whatever other idiot was piloting his Chinese knockoff tin box. An immortal regenerator and the unethical experiments of a bunch of morally corrupt scientists could wait until I was done dealing with this group of idiots causing unnecessary suffering.
I was saying that a lot wasn't I? That something could wait until later. It was starting to annoy me how things kept popping up that forced me to postpone important things constantly. I clenched my fists. I'll force a confrontation with C.C and Zero and find out just what was going on once this shit is done.
I didn't let my frustration show on my body language as I walked into the bay that kept my KMF in. Rakshata herself was also in that bay shouting orders at technicians around her. I walked up to her and let her shout her last few orders as she saw me approach.
"Alright people, have everything ready to go and run the last checks without me. You should be able to do that much without me!" She shouted to the maintenance crew one last time and turned to address me.
"Good to see you're here, I made some changes to the Akashita. I'll run you through them real quick and then you can head off to whatever briefing Zero organized." She had already begun hurrying along to a corner of the bay with her heels clacking on the clean concrete floor as she was saying that.
With an amused huff I followed after Rakshata as we neared the deserted black maintenance scaffolding around my Knightmare. I ran my gaze over it, it looked… better than I had left it though there were quite a lot of spots where the paint had been damaged by what looked like welding torches. A bit of a rush job then?
A more through look showed that both the forearms and knees had been reinforced. They looked thicker and some of the plating around them was totally unpainted. The silverish grey petal plates stood in stark contrast to the rest of the black and red parts around them, it was odd I had missed them in my first pass.
"Did the paint catch your attention?" Rakshata drawled from next to me.
"It's unlike you to leave even paint unfinished, usually you're quite the perfectionist." I spoke without thinking and immediately regretted it.
The Indian scientist huffed. "Not even keeping up with your own game? I expected better of you." She said with condescending amusement.
"Laugh it up, no one here will believe you if you rat me out." Though I said that there was a specific person that I definitely didn't want knowing and he was the only one Rakshata was likely to spread this information to.
"What do you take me for? I'm not telling anyone Weaver, I don't rat out my friends." She said with indignation.
"There was that one time with Lloyd and Baron Marfont." I said simply and greatly enjoyed Rakshata's accompanying flinch. She turned and pointed at me accusingly.
"First of, The Early of Pudding isn't a friend. Second of he totally deserved it for spilling his coffee over my notebook." She said.
"The same notebook that had your 'predicted pairings', right?" I drawled.
"It was just scientific curiosity that made me compile that!" She claimed.
I gave her an unimpressed look.
She rubbed her temples and took another look around us. "Ugh, I forgot how insufferable you could be. We'll catch up later, deserted as this part is it's not the best place to talk and I still have to give you a talking to for completing our project with the Earl of Pudding of all people." She finished with distaste.
"Not going to mention Cecile?" I asked as I put as much cheeky sarcasm as I could put into it. I knew for a fact it annoyed Rakshata.
She clicked her tongue. "She's practically a done deal when both you and the Earl of Pudding are in the same room that girl also must be there. She's like you two's minder."
Well, she wasn't wrong.
"More importantly, your Knightmare. The one I made for you. The one that you had apparently wrecked so thoroughly while piloting." She listed as dangerous smile bloomed on her face.
"How bad could it have been?" I threw gasoline into the fire.
Rakshata's smile began twitching. "Not counting the tear into the shoulder Core Luminous, which I had to reinforce because of the way you drive, there were five different stress cracks. Two in the knees, which was arguably a design failure as it couldn't handle what the frame itself was made to do. That was fixed easily enough, still a waste of time.
Two in the casings of the pile bunkers, which is your fault. You're supposed to bring them close and let the pile bunkers go off and spear into the enemy, instead of just punching them and then triggering the pile bunkers. I've taken your fighting style into consideration and reinforced that as well.
Oh and the most annoying of all! An entire hand ruined because you dragged it through concrete! I just thought they were clogged when you brought it in, but no, they had a bunch of cracks on the inside. My Babies are machines of war, not construction equipment! Do you realise how intricate those hands are? I barely had time to fix it after making the chassis airtight!" She finished her angry rant.
"Right, sorry about that I was fighting for my life." I deadpanned. Rakshata didn't look impressed. I switched topics.
"So… Why did you make the chassis airtight?" I asked to distract her from her semi-justified anger with me.
"Ugh, so that you can carry your bugs inside the frame, there are empty spaces all over the Akashita and a bunch of small access hatches I built that can be opened from the inside with a button. I noticed that you had problems carrying your swarm around, you should be able to fit a bunch inside the legs, arms and a fair bit of the torso and hips."
I felt my eyebrow raising. That was really useful, essentially my pockets on the costume but on the KMF. It would also serve as protection against the gas for my bugs and maybe also serve as a way to help keep my sense of balance against that gas.
"Hey, Rakshata." I began.
"Yes?" She replied curiosity colouring her tone.
"Thank you." I finished. Rakshata gave me a flabbergasted look.
"You can thank people?" She asked with shock. I gave her a look.
Predictably she didn't shy away. I sighed.
"Thank you very much." I repeated my thanks.
Rakshata looked at me like I was some rare specimen.
"Right… I also added a feature to link up with other Black Knights KMF's to slave their targeting systems to yours. It should make coordinating with others through your swarm easier."
She really did put in the work didn't she?
I was about to thank her for that too but she stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
"Alright, that's enough. You're throwing me off my game and I still have a lot to do. Go attend the briefing or whatever." She said as she turned me around and began pushing me out.
With one last look at her I began moving on my own. I waved at her as I exited the bay, and she waved her pipe at me hesitantly.
Hmm… It was good to catch up a bit with her.
I stepped into the brightly lit meeting room with a large map of Kyushu posted on the far wall. Zero wasn't in yet and Kallen was similarly missing. I roamed my gaze over the metal folding chairs arrayed in a semi-circle. There were a few people already inside. A Britannian man with a ponytail, a few of the newer 'higher ups' of the Black Knights and most importantly most of the 'original crew' I gave Ohgi a nod as I entered, who had raised his head up from a laptop he was reading something on.
It looked like a CV was displayed on it. Was he going through the roster? I thought the expansion of the Black Knights had slowed down, maybe he was going over candidates for officers or something.
I sat down a few seats over towards the side of the room and waited. More people filed in and finally Zero along with Kallen, or rather Lotus, entered the room. He walked right up to the map and Lotus followed after him and positioned herself to his right with her back to the wall and gaze to the brightly lit map.
"Good, everyone seems to be here. I'll begin without delaying any further then." He began and took out a red marker from within his coat. He marked five different points near the western coast with crosses and then drew a bunch of arrows at what looked like ports.
"The Chinese have engaged in total naval warfare against the remaining Britannian navy, this has naturally slowed down their landings but already nine different beachheads have been established through sheer amount of landing craft they have sent. Due to resource shortages the Britannian fleet can only hold of the disposable assets of the Chinese for so long, specifically their Carrier Battleship the Lucius Verus is quickly running out of ammunition.
Eventually the disposable fleet will overwhelm the Britannian surface fleet and force them to retreat to the safety of their eastern ports and island fortresses." He said and ran his gaze over the twenty or so men and woman in the room.
"I trust that you understand why we cannot allow this, if the current puppets do establish a proper beachhead it may be a luscious enough bounty for the main Chinese army to divert forces from suppressing their Indochinese and Mongol revolts.
Neither we nor the Britannians can overcome such and brutal foe, thus we will make the situation as miserable for the invading forces as we possibly can. Let them starve, run out of ammunition, and warm clothes for the coming winter. These five points I've marked on the map are established logistics hubs with connections to rail lines all along Kyushu, we will burn them to the ground along with the supplies contained inside." He finished his words.
The plan sounded simple and effective yet the way he said it made it clearly apparent that there was more, specifically a much more complicated part. I braced myself for the incoming complication that was most likely going to be my job to deal with.
"Though I would love to only have this to take care of there is something else as well, the current Chinese advance is likely to burst through the weakened defences around Fukuoka." He said as he marked another spot along the western coast of Kyushu. A city to be specific.
"I would guess that they plan to burst through these defences and encircle Britannian forces defending the railroads and tunnels that go through the mountains halting their main push. We could theoretically blunt this advance ourselves, but it would be far too costly, instead we will let the Chinese begin the attack I am sure they are gearing up for so that we could force the Britannians into committing forces there, forces which we will support.
Most of our forces will be deployed by our submarine behind enemy lines and destroy the depots I've marked. Yoshitaka, your orders will be to destroy any major supply ships docked in their ports or attacking the Chinese fleet at discretion, I trust you will do well."
At Zero's words I glanced at the Black Knight he mentioned, he was one of the original ones. Well-built with dark purplish hair and glasses he looked more like an accountant, but since Zero of all people trusted him to do well this supposed captain of the Black Knights submarine must've been competent.
Though… How the hell did the Black Knights get a submarine? It just seems kind of like a step up from modified Glasgows and a few prototype frames, aren't they supposed to cost some real money? I suppose the Black Knights have a larger support base than I had thought. Zero's started speaking again and my attention turned towards him once more.
"Lotus, Weaver, and I along with Zero and Yatsukahagi squadrons will be both communicating and supporting the Britannian defence against the expected Chinese push. The rest of our available forces such as infantry and the few Tank companies we have will subtly reinforce Britannian lines according to the battle plan I have given to Ohgi." Zero concluded his speech.
Though just as he was about to conclude the meeting, he held himself. "Any questions?" He asked, it felt a bit forced but sincere.
A moment of silence passed as everyone in the room tried to figure out what to do. Ohgi was the first one to break the silence. "How exactly are you planning on convincing the Britannian side?"
Zero answered without missing a beat. "Though Britannians are scraping the barrel when it comes to conventional armed forces their more specialised Knightmare battalions are either on standby or currently protecting the Acting Viceroy in her command vehicle, that is dangerously close to the frontlines.
I plan on funnelling the pushing Chinese forces that direction through probing strikes so that those battalions, specifically the white advanced frame are pushed to action. From there on, I can easily open a line of dialogue with either those forces or the princes herself. Princess Euphemia is a bleeding heart and a soft handed pragmatist despite that. She would rather cooperate with us than waste lives fighting us." He spoke earnestly and with detail I knew he rarely explained when telling us our objectives.
Unusual, had something changed? Maybe the death of Tamaki had caused this. Possible, I knew how Lelouch acted but his internal thoughts had always been hidden from me, I could only grasp surface depth emotions thanks to my experience dealing with him, so I couldn't exactly tell his reasoning behind this sudden openness.
Zero roamed his gaze once more over us, checking to see if there were any more questions. He oddly mimicked my own demeanour from my lessons. I felt kind of flattered.
"I expect the Chinese to begin their assault five hours from now, near night as it is a full moon, and their night vision is subpar and Britannian defenders will be even more exhausted due to the days fighting. I have sent those of you who will be commanding without me my plans and possible contingencies I've prepared for certain conditions, read them thoroughly.
And finally, you are dismissed. We will leave to take our positions and hour from now." With those final few words he left the room which subsequently descended into chaos as everyone tried to exit to do whatever they needed to do. I sat a little longer wondering what the Yatsukahagi squadron was. I knew the Zero squadron, so who were they?
I couldn't get my question properly answered until we headed out to complete our mission against the Chinese and only managed to get something of an answer out of Kallen through a private channel as we were waiting hidden amongst a valley.
"Oh, them? I thought you had met them already; they were grouping around you during Zero's speech." She said it casually, but a spike of dread went through my spine.
No… They're the weird groupies with spider emblems. I panned my Knightmares head to get a good look at the twenty or so Burais, that were positioned to my side with their Slash Harkens stabbed into the mountainside so that they could cross the peak quickly the time came. That same spider emblem I had seen before glared at me from the sides of their cockpits.
How… how did so many people just become my groupies? They're Knightmare pilots too? Who, knows how many other Black Knights are also groupies like them. I want to be separate from the Black Knights, not some kind of icon for them!
Shit what do I even do? I can't just ignore them, can I? "No, not really. Especially since from what you've seen they're the more extreme sort." I flicked my eyes at the display Lisa's ghost was on.
Right, an extreme reputation attracts the extremist sorts. So if I don't collar them, they might just go off on civilians, though that 'Kishidō' thing they were talking about might stimmy that. In any case, Zero wouldn't allow them to go wild. He had made that clear with his speech. And despite his many flaws, I trusted him to not allow the Black Knights to recreate the hell he had lived through back when Britannia invaded, just like I wouldn't.
"They're coming, exactly as you predicted Zero." One of the Zero squadron, who was peeking through some trees passively scanning the other side of the peak, reported.
"The forward positions of the Britannian defence line had eroded too much to keep them any longer, it is only natural they penetrated so quickly. Regardless get ready to move, Weaver please ready your swarm to cover our escape once we draw their attention." Zero ordered.
"Understood." I replied and began subtly moving my swarm through the grass, I would raise them like a curtain once time came. My thumb flicked over the ignition and with the whirr of the Ygdrasil drive my machine came alive just like all those near me also did. I checked my own imbedded Harkens all four of them and my middle finger gently touched on the trigger to winch myself in.
Zero's voice crackled from the radio once again. "On my mark climb the hill and unleash all you can towards the middle of the column, do not target the front we want them to chase us, not be stuck shifting through the wrecks of their allies." He uttered. I could feel the anticipation in his voice and also feel my own resonating with the atmosphere.
"Mark." He announced calmly and the air was filled with the industrial whirring of dozens of winches pulling seven-ton machines forward as Landspinners kicked up enough dirt behind us to cause dust storm. Our machines didn't just accelerate, they flew over the edge.
As I went over the peak, I finally got my first look at the Chinese force. And what a force it was, frog-like Chinese Knightmares accompanied by hundreds of tanks and IFVs drove through the road below. I raised up my KMF's 20mm coil gun and aimed for the grouping of Chinese KMF's nearest to my exit point. I didn't bother aiming for the Tanks, there was no way I was penetrating their armour from this far away regardless of the thinness of their top armour.
I pulled the trigger along with all the others near me and a salvo of 20mm shells, guided missiles, rockets and rifle grenades shot down the mountainside at the unsuspecting Chinese vehicles. They perished in great numbers and the sudden shock of so many of their numbers dying as explosions wreaked havoc among their lines threw the remaining men into panic.
Their Knightmares tried to move into squad like formations to fire back but were gunned down before they could, yet I could already see them recovering and their Tanks' cannons pivoting towards us despite the charred remains of their accompanying support all around them. And with the sheer amount of Chinese Soldiers down there the amount we had killed was barely a dent in their numbers.
"Phase two, blow the charges. We're retreating to point A." Zero spoke through the radio as if he had read my thoughts and almost all gunfire ceased. Two explosions shook the ground, and a minor landslide began flowing down. There were too many trees, and the explosions were too small for it to be large and destructive enough, but it would serve to give us a head start.
I didn't bother to observe the effects of the landslide, I could already picture the dust it would kick up and vehicles it would topple. Instead I raised the curtain of bugs I had prepared beforehand around our force.
The dark curtain of chittering insects shielded our forms and our speed as we descended the hill towards where we would disappear soon after. And repeat until the Chinese forces were weak enough that the Britannians could feasibly take them on.
I let my Knightmare slide down the hill after the Burais in front of me slaving their connecting to some of their fire control systems as I did so. I pointed targets on their displays and my… fans shot at the squad of Knightmares following behind us through the swarm. My own coil gun rarely remained silent for long popping off shots whenever our pursuers got too close.
Yet eventually we threw them off and with Zero's guidance disappeared into the hills. I forcefully relaxed my shoulders once my Knightmare was hidden in a forest. Time to do this another five times.
Lieutenant General Zhuan Ruogang
Here I was thinking that for once in my thirty years of service I would get to fight a proper war, not the tedious and painful suppression operations against the damn rebels. I trade the jungles and swamps to come fight the Britannians and then have to deal with these damned ungrateful Japanese brigands hiding in their hills.
I took another puff of my cigar and tried to not smash the delicate equipment in my fairly sizable command vehicle. The normally decently comfortable interior had become suffocating as we were forced to keep all the hatches buttoned down just in case the damned 'Black Knights' decided to come down the hills and rain fire on us for a third time.
This was supposed to be a simple operation, the Britannians were already weakened by their homelands infighting and the constant attacks of the same terrorists that were now assailing my forces had drained their local forces even further. Conquering Kyushu and then 'liberating' the rest of Japan should've been easy. But it's been setback after setback ever since we've arrived here!
Thanks to the storm we arrived safely but now that we're on here the Britannians fought like savage dogs! Even the locals bite at our ankles and those Black Knights keep popping up everywhere! Damn this island and damn its Sakuradite!
The creaking noise of metal reminded me of the coffee can in my hands. I had crushed the damned thing and spilled its contents all over my uniform. I sighed and threw the can into a bin near to me. I walked around the map thinking on what to do.
The southern objectives had become practically unattainable, most of the Black Knights attacks have been coming from that direction as such if we were to head further that way we would bleed constantly unless we could find where they kept resupplying from.
And that would delay us too much, it would be safer and have a much higher chance of success to simply turn all our forces north and clear those routes. I simply didn't trust my men to be able to fight back effectively against an elite guerilla fighting force equipped not with basic infantry weapons but rather with cutting edge Knightmares.
Yes, this was the only course of action if we are to salvage anything from this push, the northern tunnels and rail networks must be captured. The south can be dealt with once more experienced units from the Mainland arrive.
I turned to my aide for him to relay my orders, just as I had begun speaking an explosion shook the command vehicle and I was thrown of my feet. I landed roughly on my shoulder and my cigar flew out of my hand onto the ground. I rose to my feet quickly.
"Lieutenant General! It's the Black Knights, they're attacking from behind!" An officer shouted in panic.
"Order the Gun-Ru squadrons into defensive formation and order our tanks to blanket them with incendiary shells! Do not let them close and make sure that if the cloud of bugs rises again the Gun-Ru squads don't chase them inside!" I ordered and returned to the front of the map glaring at the red dots signifying the Black Knights Knightmares.
Why the hell do the Terrorists get access to proper Knightmares, whereas we an actual damned Superpower must contend with these shitty turrets on stilts? Are those damned Indians ripping us off again? Agh, who am I kidding? They are, of course they are because they can't accept being under the Mandate of Heaven!
Another shell binged of the command vehicles armour and the entire hull rang like a bell. The sloped heavy carapace would hold against those guns, yet I still felt terrified seeing the Black Knights units get bolder and bolder with each attack. We had to hurry!
Princess Euphemia a Frustrated Woman
Back when I was young, I had always annoyed Nelly about her drinking the sludge like black coffee she favoured. But now the curtains of youth that had hidden the truth from have been pealed back, I feel the sheer power coursing through my veins. The bitter nectar squeezed from the blackest of grounds fills my tired body with energy.
Now I understand you, sister, it wasn't about the taste -which was quite horrid- but rather the stimulating effect. I set my mug down as I continued monitoring the Chinese advance force's movements. From the reports we were getting they were being hounded quite heavily by the Black Knights.
Not necessarily a surprise, the Chinese weren't the Black Knights allies regardless of their poorly made excuse as 'liberators' of Japan, and Zero wasn't foolish enough to take believe such a poor lie. But the fact that they had intervened so early and so decisively as well was surprising.
I had been getting constant reports of Black Knights forces showing up out of nowhere to shore up our defences when they buckled under the weight of the Chinese assaults and whispers of them raiding Chinese supply depots. They were already throwing their full weight behind us, though not necessarily bearing the brunt of the Chinese invasion.
Still here and now I could easily see what Zero was doing, he was forcing the pushing assault column towards me so that Suzaku and the other Knights I kept around myself along with other entrenched defences could annihilate them once the time came. I suspected that the force that had pierced through originally had the objectives to flank my forces along the mountains and clear tunnels for their use to the south and the north.
Now the Chinese had been forced to abandon their southern goals and instead focus fully to the north, where I was. Naturally they didn't know of where I was, yet Zero somehow knew. He somehow had access to quite a lot of information.
I could ponder that later, the Chinese forces where currently on their way about three hours or so away from this position, maybe more if Zero kept hounding them like this. And since the other Chinese forces were busy dealing with Black Knights in their midst, I had time to visit Suzaku!
With soft steps and only minimal bodyguards accosting me I descended into the Knightmare bay of my sister's G1. The sound of heavy machinery greeted me even before I opened the doors there and once, I did the sheer noise as Knightmares were repaired from their recent sorties.
Normally the Lancelot wouldn't have been here instead being serviced inside the Camelot Research Division's transport. But since I had been sending him constantly to shore up defences and eliminate Chinese commanders, his Lancelot had needed more technicians to keep it repairing it than the Camelot Research Division had in Area 11.
Earl Asplund had certainly made a fuss about it. I could see where he was coming from though, I also wanted Suzaku to have only the best he could have as he went into battle and the current repairs certainly wasn't it. If only that float system Miss Cecile was talking about was finished, then Suzaku could deploy and get out while minimising damage.
Well, no use crying over spilled milk. I started walking towards where I could see Suzaku was talking with Miss Cecile. My steps got faster and faster as I approached and I barely remembered to smile and wave at the staff around me, it was such a little thing but raised their morale so easily furthermore I somewhat enjoyed their smiles as I did so. It reminded me just what I was to these people, not merely a leader but also an icon of their country.
Still even that duty of mine couldn't keep me away from Suzaku for long. The moment I stepped within five metres of him Suzaku turned his head around despite all the noise.
A wide smile bloomed on his tired face; I imagined mine mirrored his. "Princess Euphemia!" He said.
"Suzaku, good to finally see you again." I said as I forcefully held my instinct to close in and hug him back. This wasn't a private setting, right now we both had to be the professional kind of knight and his princess before our observers. From the way his hands twitched I guessed he was in a similar situation.
It had become so natural for us to be in constant contact in private that the lack of each other's touch and warmth had become irritating. "Likewise your Highness. May I know when I will need to head out once more." He spoke with a submissive tone that grated on my nerves, the fact that he needed to act like that to keep us both out of trouble was so terribly crude.
Through my irritation I still noticed the subtext in his words, he had asked me whether we had time to be alone or not. "I doubt there is anything in the foreseeable future that would need your capable hands, Suzaku. Though I would like to discuss something with you, your first-hand experience is sure to come in handy." I invited him discreetly and tried to ignore the look on Miss Cecile's face.
She looked like sister Lydia when her little brother had gotten engaged to that duke's daughter. As in, disturbingly happy with a teasing edge. Suzaku responded to my invite by first checking to see if it was okay for him to leave, which got answered by a thumbs up by Miss Cecile, and then he bowed his head to me.
"I would be honoured your Highness." He said.
I brought my hands together in front of my chest. "Wonderful, then-" I began saying but I was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. My enthusiasm deflated.
"A moment please." I told Suzaku and flipped open the phone.
"Yes?" I spoke softly.
The voice of one of the Colonels in the command centre came through. "There has been a complication, your Highness." He said hesitantly.
I felt irritation bubble up from inside. "What kind of complication." I said neutrally.
"It's Zero, your Highness. He has somehow acquired the communication codes necessary and has called you directly. He is currently waiting to speak to you." He said and I felt like bashing my head in.
Of all the times he could've pulled something like this, he does it now?! Couldn't he have waited half an hour!? Seriously, what bad luck! Ugh…
"I'll be right up." I said with displeasure clear in my voice.
I turned to Suzaku with apologetic eyes, but he was smiling reassuringly. "Duty calls, your Highness?" He asked.
"Sadly yes, we'll have to have our discussion at a later time." I replied.
He kept smiling in a way that made my heart want to rip out of my ribcage. "Then I'll look forward to it." He spoke softly.
I couldn't help the small giggle that escaped. "Please do." With those final words I stomped back to the command centre with haste and a lot of frustration. I can't believe I got thwarted by Zero, it wasn't even Nelly or another of my siblings!
Damn it. Fine I'll talk to him, this better be worth it.
An: Hello again, I am once again back. Sory for the sudden one week delay, my family kidnapped me for new years and I couldn't write jack shit when I was with them. Oh and I also got my hands onto Starsector which also fucked my writing schedule. Anyways, I just wanted to say sorry.
Other than that, I had some trouble writing this chapter since I struggle with writing Lelouch, who is both unnecessarily paranoid and even more of a control freak than Taylor is. So him slowly coming to trust the Black Knights more and more is hard to write. Also trying to properly explain his reason for maintaining his distance from Taylor is also a bit difficult, especially when I'm running on 10% brain power.