I do not own Code Geass
II Chapter.
The meeting
"Ms. Cecille, do you know why`re we going here?" Suzaku asked, looking into the window. The weather was calm. In fact, it was too calm and looked like an omen for a storm ahead. Of course, it`s a destroyer, specially designed for the Pacific weather, so there`s nothing to be so worried about, but the atmosphere was still strange. The trip was announced so unexpectedly.
"I don`t"
"Not that I know either" Lloyd said, casually readjusting his glasses, utterly confusing Suzaku. The man seemed never serious enough in any situation, only showing interest if it was related to science.
"You still shouldn`t have said anything. The route was already leaked to the net" Cecille said, with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"That girl was so charming I couldn`t resist not to" Earl said, without much care for the situation. Had Suzaku been new to this, he would react with either disappointment or anger, but now he got used to this. 'How exactly he`s tolerated by Prince Schneizel is beyond me'.
10th of September, 10:00 AM
Inside the submarine, 40km from Shikine Island, Area 11
"We`re closing in. Rakshata, is everything ready?" Zero asked her. The hangar bay had little to no personnel around. Now they need to prepare to set up Gefjun disturbers for their main part of the plan.
"Yeah, the location is chosen, we`ll be ready in time. Remember, you should bring him to it for trap to work, and your knightmare will be not operational as well"
"Thanks for the reminder. You will soon get Lloyd`s toy for yourself", Zero said, leaving the room, leaving a happy scientist behind. His mind was planning how to approach Suzaku when plan succeeds. Using Geass is the thing any sane person would try to avoid. After all, they are friends.
10th of September, 10:00 AM
Shikine Island, Area 11
"Sadly, Prince Schneizel won`t be arriving today due to unforeseen changes in E.U. However, it seems that the Knight of Six has appeared to be going to the base. She asked to speak with Your Highness on behalf of Prime Minister. She will be accompanied by some member of the Royal Family, but we haven`t gotten anything about that. Change in the schedule was too unexpected" the officer at the base told, "Her arrival will be in the same time as the cancelled visit", the officer began, "We`ve prepared a waiting room for you at the HQ. What do you like to do?"
"Am I correct that the ship will be stopping here?" Euphemia asked.
"Yes, that hasn`t changed"
"Then let`s wait here" the princess said, with some excitement in her voice. In the end, the weather is nice, and why would she drag her guest that far from port? Free time is a true treasure in such times, especially for a royal, spending it with friends is the best.
Anya Alstreim was a nice person, or so she heard. Quiet, but not shy, simply introverted and always seems to be in deep thoughts. Especially her age made her very approachable by Euphemia. Speaking with adults is harder than with a teenager. Cornelia, Schneizel, Darlton – everyone from her circle who was elder, always seemed so serious and rarely show up without loads of work on their shoulders.
"Very well, we`ll arrange an escort for you…" officer responded, suddenly receiving a message from the base. "Wait, the base is attacked? How did they get here?"
In the meantime, the Zero Squad has been clearing the airbase from Sutherlands.
"1 Squad, continue the advance! Zero Squad, give support fire from the flanks" Tohdoh commanded to the units. With several transport planes destroyed and up to 10 Sutherlands destroyed, the garrison was almost crushed.
"Impressive as always, Tohdoh," Zero observed the battle from a hill, comfortably sitting in his Burai. "You defeated the Britannians without any knightmares once before. Now we wait for news to get to Euphemia".
"Headquarters seem to be attacked by someone" officer said, while behind him a dark cloud of smoke was rising higher and higher.
"So, we need to withdraw from the island to the settlement. Can you arrange an escort for her?" Cecille suggested.
"I`m afraid we cannot. It`s too dangerous. Their wide-range jamming systems are working on full power"
"Don`t worry. I shall protect Princess Euphemia myself", Suzaku said.
"No, please. You will go to the base to destroy the attackers" Euphemia ordered, remembering the power of Lancelot and not hoping for a strong enemy resistance.
"But, Sub-Viceroy, he`s an Honorary Britannian, couldn`t he defect to the enemy? if they are the Black Knights..." officer started, but was quickly stopped by Lloyd, who raised a brow on the discussion, "You do realize that you`re disobeying a direct order from the royalty?"
That was enough to stop any attempts to stop her. "Kururugi Suzaku, you will show to everyone that you deserve your post. As well as stop these stupid rumors"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Another Britannian knightmare fell to the ground after Guren punched it into factosphere.
"Hey, Kallen, let me finish hi…" his speech, full of pride, was quckly stopped by a harken, launched in his back, forcing Tamaki to eject.
'So, here you are,' Zero thought to himself. "Zero Squad, withdraw. Let the target come close to my position".
After destroying a lone enemy knightmare, something got into Suzaku`s field of view. Zero, standing from his cockpit, overseeing the island.
"I expected as much. Zero"
"So come and get me, Suzaku!"
"Target confirmed. Continue the withdraw, keep the formation, let him pass closer" Tohdoh continued to command his units. 'Suzaku, even if you are now my opponent, I`m quite disappointed in how easily you fell into such obvious trap'. Going from the scene with the use of his sword, Tohdoh observed Suzaku jumping to Zero`s location. "Do not fire on the target! I repeat, do not fire!"
Zero`s Burai fell back, continuing to draw Lancelot closer and closer to his trap. Lancelot caught up with him as soon as he possibly could, drawing out the MVS`s.
'He doesn`t have sandboards, nor he is properly equipped for this sand. Could it be that he draws me out to somewhere?' Suzaku thought, then turned on his speakers – "Zero, now I get you…"
"…where I…"
"…want you to," Rakshata said, launching the trap with a push of a button by her pipe. It revealed all the disturbers and powerlines connecting them from the sand.
Suddenly, power supply of the Lancelot went off, making knightmare nothing more than a standing statue, filling the interior with red emergency light. After trying all possible combinations for restart of the machine, Suzaku was in disarray, what should he do.
"I want to speak to you, Kururugi Suzaku! Will you please come out?" Zero proclaimed, while the two knightmares were quickly surrounded by the Zero Squad. "Everything, except combat system and movement should work. You will be considered a POW and with regards to international law. Or do you want to be gunned down from all directions?"
Whilst in the port there were discussions over the matter of interference with Sakuradite, a certain conversation was ending in the HQ…
10th of September, 14:10 AM
Military base, Shikine Island, Area 11
Lt. Col. Fayer, the commander of the base, was still visibly shook from sudden raid. Just to think about it, everything went so fast and he got almost no possibility to repel. Lancelot is now dealing with them, and will caught up with Zero any moment not.
The phone near the command panel rang. Officer picked it.
"Yes, I`m listening"
"Your Majesty?...Ye…yes, the A.S.E.E.C. managed to repel the attack…"
"…Sir Waldstein?...Of course, we`ll clear up the airstrip and will ready any forces we still have to support…"
"The pilots are in position, we will strike when ordered…Yes, the order will be carried out immediately, Your Majesty!"
The phone call abruptly ended, and never before did the officer had an urge to fall on his chair and lean back. "Order an airstrike on the Zero`s location immediately! Use the air squadrons from neighboring islands. Launch every missile, bomb we`ve got! Clear out the airstrip, prepare the remnants of knightmare forces near the base. We will have high-ranking visitors in three minutes from now on!".
"Even during the Second Pacific War I didn`t have so much pressure on me. Had I known better – I`d choose Area 8 for deployment. At least there would be quieter. Is it too much for old me to ask?" he grunted, whilst observing the execution of these orders from his window.
10th of September, 14:15 AM
On the hill, Shikine Island, Area 11
Suzaku, as well as Zero, both got out from their knightmares.
"Kururugi Suzaku, I`ll get straight to the point. I want you to join me" said Zero, still pointing his pistol at enemy pilot.
"Is that a threat?", said Suzaku, while being in a full encirclement of 8 knightmares with their assault rifles in place. "Even so, I refuse. I refuse to acknowledge your methods. They make all of your gains meaningless"
"Is this peace we have is also meaningless?". It strike Suzaku in the most painful place possible. "What if Japan kept of fighting, as it did? On the course of do-or-die resistance seven years ago? The E.U., Chinese Federation would have intervened, splitting the Japan in three parts. Resistance would still be present, with no hope on the horizon"
"In short, this peace was the most beneficial to Japan"
"Yes, and I`ve been fighting to protect the peace my father wanted", said Suzaku and got immediately cut off by Zero, "No, you`re wrong. It wasn`t the choice of the PM to capitulate to Britannia, but the selfish decision of a person who killed him. Government chaos ensued, which made surrender the only option left to make. The will of the people was stolen! Do you understand? By a lone criminal, who broke the rules, the law for his selfish reasons!"
Suzaku was shocked by this, taking a step back in defeat. "…How do you know this?"
"There`s only one way to atone for that. Present the Japanese people with the choice they weren`t able to do back then. The path of fighting Britannia which was robbed from them seven years ago" Zero kept on trying to sway him, seemingly effortless telling the darkest secret Suzaku kept for his life. He was accurately striking him in the most important areas.
"Fighting? That again?" Suzaku tried to make a verbal counterattack of his own, failing to cause proper damage.
"It`s a choice to consider. Do you intent to forever drive the masses towards a future dictated by your own egoism?! You call that peace?!"
As his words were landing closer and closer to Suzaku, a radio signal broke through. "Do you read me, Maj. Kururugi? Respond!" a voice from a base officer commanded. "May I?" Suzaku said, readjusting the communicator, "As you wish", Zero said. Showing respect and freedom could be beneficial to sway him.
"This is Lt. Colonel Fayer, commander of the Britannian base here on Shikine Island. We`re launching surface-to-surface missiles against the terrorists! Maj. Kururugi, your job is to keep Zero there!"
"He`s ordering his subordinate to die?!" Zero said to himself, completely confused by such ridiculous demand. However, he wasn`t able to repel Suzaku`s strike, losing his firearm to him.
"Kururugi, what are you doing?"
"I cannot approve of your methods, all I can do is this!"
At the other side of a trap, Kallen was unnerved, almost charging impulsively into the Lancelot. "Stay out of this! It will affect you as well." Tohdoh said, trying not to lose an ace to such mistake.
In the port, Shikine Island, Area 11
Euphemia was shocked when she learned about the order. She lost her brother, or rather, two brothers and a sister in this Area, though she had some doubts about the latter two dying in the Second Pacific War, as it was officially reported.
A knightmare approached her. Fully operational Portman, with a pilot leaving the vehicle.
"We`ve assigned it to escort you. As a Sub-Viceroy, you should escape for…"
Both of her escorts – Lloyd and Cecille – were unhappy about the order, but for different reasons.
"You`re going to destroy my Lancelot!"
"This is a historical chance. Kururugi is holding Zero there. Kill Zero – and the biggest enemy of Britannia shall perish, and the Black Knights will be doomed"
"Who came up with this plan?! Suzaku Kururugi is my personal knight!"
"It`s the command of the highest level. It cannot be countermanded, except only if conditions change and the order is impossible to be carried out. Not even the Viceroy can challenge it."
'The highest level… They won`t stop the attack even for my dear Lancelot…' Lloyd began to fall into depression, and mentally had already accepted that he won`t see his machine again.
"Then who issued the order?! Get me a line to them at once!"
"It`s the command of the highest level."
"Out of my way!" Euphemia stopped listening and ran to the Portman, which was still working. 'How dare they use MY knight for a suicidal mission?! I won`t allow this to whoever thought this was the way to go'.
"Tell the base that I will be in danger should the attack proceed. Or are they still going to launch it?"
Officer muttered a few curses and tried to stop her. Behind him Lloyd and Cecille went to discuss the possibility of her plan working.
"You think it`ll stop them, Lloyd?"
"I`m afraid not even for her they`ll stop".
In the trap, Shikine Island, Area 11
"Incoming missiles, confirmed!" one of the pilots communicated through the radio.
Tohdoh was angry, both at Suzaku`s loyalty to such undeserving power and the decision of Britannian military. 'To give such order simply to try to kill Zero? Absolutely barbaric.'
"Shoot down everything! Empty all your munitions if needed!". The Zero Squad started to fire an extensive barrage to counter incoming missiles.
Kallen, in the rush of a moment, completely forgot about Gefjun Disturber and jumped into the trap.
"Zero, I`ll save you!" she screamed, but shortly after her battery died, drawing a list of curses out of her. She opened the hatch, with intent just to get close to Suzaku. If only she can convince him. If only she can try to. To save Zero.
In the cockpit, Zero was pressed with his back to the controls. Suzaku was sitting in the pilot`s chait, while continuing to keep the masked vigilante on line of fire from attacking him.
Zero violently punched the radio, through which the "lieutenant" was trying to praise Suzaku for his sacrifice.
Kallen tried to call Suzaku to simply ignore the order. To recognize her – a friend from the Student Council. There should be something to convince him to stop. Unfortunately, she was still far away.
And then it came.
Most of the rockets were already shot down, but the last remaining ones crushed into its shields.
The Flagship of the Emperor of Britannia itself has arrived. In all its magnificent beauty, with all its power and gigantic size.
Launching an extensive barrage of his own, it targeted both Zero and First Squad, located around the pit. From the flanks of it were flying one distinctive Gloucester, painted Knights of the Round signs, along with small group of knightmares in escort. All were transported by air by another vehicles. They dropped from them to fight with the Black Knights on the ground.
On the ship, in the skies of Shikine Island, Area 11
"Continue the barrage! Concentrate all fire on the enemy units! Zero must be captured alive! I repeat, capture Zero alive!"
The Knight of the Six was transmitting the last orders to the troops and batteries. Not that Sir Bismarck needed it – he has been instructed by His Majesty to bring a quick defeat to the Black Knights, to take Lelouch as a prisoner and he knew all the possible details of the plan by heart.
Charles was observing the attack from his throne. The shields of the Flagship were still not powerful enough and did not cover everything, but overwhelming firepower of its batteries made this insignificant.
"So, my insolent child, it`s time for you to return" Charles muttered, as the batteries sent another barrage on the sandy hill.
On the ground
Kallen quickly turned around to get to the Gurren, as the Gefjun Disturbers were beginning to be hit by ship`s batteries. To both face the Knights of the Round and to protect Zero, Kozuki was in need of a working knightmare. "Rakshata", she told through the radio, "get ready to deactivate the trap!"
Euphemia, in the meantime, was shocked by the situation. 'Was it him I should`ve met today? But why? It couldn`t possibly be about Suzaku, could it?' Getting the landspinners to the maximum speed, she was closing in to the trap. 'I should save him. I ordered him to go there, after all.'
The scene in a Lancelot was very strange from the first glance. Suzaku had to keep a firearm in the open, pointing it at Zero, while the screen in the knightmare lit up with a transmission from the Flagship. Zero was unnerved, and neither did Suzaku keep his attention on surroundings. "Kururugi!" in a sharp, though childish voice, the Knight of the Six said, "I want you to bring him to the Emperor, without removing his mask".
'With his/my mask on? But why?' was circulating in both Suzaku and Lelouch`s minds, but for the first there was no room for Kururugi to respond with something other than "As you wish!"
Completely surprised by this sudden imperial visit, Tohdoh tries to reorganize the defense of the encirclement, gathering units and slowly retreating out of the open field. 'We`re being shot at like in a shooting range! It is this close from becoming a disaster!'
Bismarck wasn`t sparing any damage he could inflict on his opponents, slashing one Burai with his sword. 'At least, the Galahad will be completed soon. The technological difference is great enough to be a factor, but Earth hasn`t given me worthy of opponent after the death of Lady Marianne!'.
The appearance of the Knight of the Round is stressful and is painful to whoever is unlucky enough to get himself in his way. Even if the knights frame is less advanced, he is the most formidable foe you could ever imagine facing in a battle against Britannia.
Out of sheer luck, or whatever had influenced the hands of a gunner to slip for a few millimeters, one of the shells fell near the Lancelot, throwing Suzaku out of the frame.
Zero quickly got himself up and jumped off a hatch. Luckily, Suzaku was thrown out far enough from Lelouch, so he could be driven off the field by any of his subordinates.
"Rakshata, now!" Kallen screamed, and Gefjun disturbers fell quiet. The Gurren was able to quickly get up, take Zero before Suzaku could caught up with him and went to a course out of a ditch.
At the same time, Portman had arrived and retrieved Suzaku, who was somewhat shocked by the previous explosion. Due to the disturbance field being inactive, the frame tries to run away from the ditch as well, going in the direction of the Knight of One.
The Khight was running quickly, destroying frame after frame, as his escorts kept on engaging the Zero Squad. After coming close to Tohdoh, Bismark failed to immediately kick him out of the fight, as the battle turned into 1v1 of Bismark against Tohdoh. The latter drew enemy`s attention to himself, while the rest of the Black Knights were withdrawing, fighting against pursuing Britannian forces.
In a mere minute, the winning side was almost decided.
At one moment, everything stopped. For one, almost incomprehensible second, before it went back to normal. The battle raged on, with everyone in the ditch disappearing. Only empty frames, with noone in them.
Undisclosed location, somewhere in Asia
The hall, which size could be equal, if not being bigger than the one in the Imperial Palace, was empty. One boy, dressed almost regally, was sitting in front of the massive stone, shaped like a gigantic door, all engraved in ancient writings and symbols. "Sorry Charles, but it was quite naïve of you to try to reach to Zero before me. I shall put on a test myself first" V.V. was speaking to himself. "Still, it came to me as a surprise. Why would you try to reach out to him? He`s uncontrollable and will undoubtedly be against the plan. I will send him to the C`s world myself if you will fall to the same mistake as you did with Marianne" said V.V., almost with a devilish grin himself, remembering fondly of how naïve that poor woman was and how he cleared any effects he had on his dear brother.
From one of the columns in the hall, a sole man went to the boy, holding a stash of papers. He was dressed similarly to the priest, with a long headcloth, which revealed only his eyes to the outside world. Then, he got close and spoke in a very low tone.
"…So that`s the project Schneizel got interested with? Interesting. I will take control over it"
"…Our resources will help to speed up the project significantly"
"…Oh, and don`t forget to take that general with the project. What was his name?"
The man responded a bit louder, but still quietly, "Bartley, Director V.V."
"Very well. I entrust you with this. Don`t fail the trust I put in you" the boy said, signaling for the man to leave.
V.V. then went back to the gate, sitting in the front of it. His own plans were near completion. 'Charles, I hope you won`t be so stupid anymore. I`m doing this for both of our sakes. We are still abiding by our oath, no matter what again shall Marianne`s blood will try to break it'.
Damn, I hate repeating original dialogues, but sometimes it cannot be avoided.
So how`s this one?
I expect your reviews and will be continuing Q/A section.
The chapter will be redacted, but maybe not that much. (Surprisingly, I didn`t have to rewrite everything, so it was true)
And now to Q/A
To Bunnybunny:
I don`t want to reveal much, but I will spoil only that he won`t join Charles because of Geass or willingly.
V.V. will get what he deserves. I haven`t decided yet on how exactly he could be dealt with, but he could be a part of the reason for Lelouch to ally with Charles.
About non-question part of your comment: I always thought that the Season 2 had failed Charles as a proper antagonist. The emperor was ruthless and wouldn`t stop before anything, and he was as talented as both Schneizel and Lelouch. However, he has less screentime and by the end is perceived as less of a threat than Schneizel.
From what I can tell, both Marianne and Charles loved Lelouch and Nunnally, though their perception of love was extremely wicked. From his humble intentions (simply to get the two of their children out of danger in court), the emperor caused his and Lelouch`s downfall. He disconnected himself from reality. I want them to be shown as better characters than they were shown in canon, but I`m not planning them to leave the Ragnarok Connection.