Greetings Everyone.
And to all followers of Code Jedi, I welcome you what I have been waiting to show you for a long while.
And can't be excited more with the Code Geass' return to the animated screen with the international release of its latest entry: Roze of the Recapture!
Now I get some of you may have concerns regarding this separate update from the ongoing main storyline in Code Jedi - R1: Lelouch of the Re;bel Alliance. This will be a three-shot special story.
It's been two and half years since I updated with the original rendition of adapting the canon episode 'Cornelia Strikes' with Stage 12: Pride and Vengeance. For a long time, it didn't sit well with me the final product of my update and how story went regarding the conflict in Saitama Ghetto. There was a lot that I felt was convoluted and almost going too close to what happened in the canon tv show, especially in regards to the battle in the ghetto.
Say for example, with how Justice League (2017) turned out, being far deviated from the director's original vision and reshot to be condensed with a shorter runtime and more family friendly, gave us a product that felt bland and rushed. Fortunately, thanks to petitions and dedicated fans, Zack Snyder was given the opportunity to edit and release the cut of how he envisioned Justice League. The result being Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), not only keeping the material that had been cut, but also expanding the story and world with a better-suited pace.
Another example can be Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island (2022) which is a remake of one of the original Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) episodes which suffered due to several issues. Years later, it was turned into full-feature length film which expanded and fixed the story for the better.
It's what I'm doing with this special focusing on not only changing the original Stage 12 from Code Jedi, but also expanding on a lot of things that would take more than one chapter to delve into. I consider that this part of the Code Jedi timeline is vital in what is supposed to be rebels' first skirmish with Cornelia li Britannia. While she may not look initially as important an antagonist like Suzaku Kururugi, Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine, Cornelia is as capable of being as much a dangerous threat to both the Black Knights and the Rebel Alliance. And also one of the most complex.
This special is supposed to take a look into what will be the revised rewrite of Code Jedi's early chapters (something that I will get started in the near future at best, at least once I finish the 'Tohdoh Rescue/Bounty Hunters' arc). There are a lot of changes that I will plan on making, and they are set place during the duration of this special. Hope that makes things less confusing.
I also found I could push the whole story as one-shot, and I decided best to split in 3 chapters. 3 parts.
You can think of similar to an OVA or Word Drama.
May the Force Be With You.
I do NOT own Star Wars or Code Geass.
Code Jedi
Cornelia Strikes Back
PART I
Goddess of Victory
Cornelia li Britannia blinked for one moment, and then she remembered.
The room was dark, with only the table at the center emitting a holomap that gave an illuminating glow.
Cornelia as he looked at the map displaying Area 11, with the red areas marked as terrorist activity or least suspected. Also present in the room with them were a collection of their most trusted generals, knights, and officers overseeing the map.
"And all these marked areas are confirmed to be bases of rebel activity in Area 11?"
The princess stiffened and turned to glance at the man who spoke in an almost automated voice that seemed to echo throughout the dimly lit room.
The man in the mask.
Cornelia didn't like it. And it was not due to how his appearance reminded her of her brother's self-proclaimed murderer (granted she hadn't yet encountered him), it was something else.
The way he was dressed in black from helm to boot with dark armor, leather cloth, lower robes, gloves, flowing dark cape, and… the helmet he hasn't once shown to remove…
Each second, she was spending around him started to debunk her suspicions that what the man was wearing… was not at all for theatrics and looks like that Zero character.
The mask… or the helmet that encompassed his entire head wasn't like any other helm she had seen. Even the helm of her Gloucester looked tame compared to his. To her, the mask looked both bizarre… and unsettling. To her it resembled a human skull that had been charred black before it was dipped in burning tar and molten metal.
It was not only the sight that looked so intimidating. A small part of her, however, she would admit aloud, was unnerved every time she heard the cold echo of breathing being filtered through the mask's triangle mouthpiece.
She didn't she think she would care… or be the least bit interested… in what was behind that mask.
She was not closed to what he may be hiding. If perhaps, he was ashamed of showing it.
The scar on Darlton's face may look grisly, but he needed no mask or cover to hide it. He wore his scar with pride. Living proof of his strength and determination to have lived through that battle that took place years before she was born. She never even wavered when she met him for the first time since she was old enough to stand.
It would be something. Something more besides bearing a face of intimidation. A crack Cornelia could spot that would give the first thing to uncover regarding this man who acted like a walking and breathing enigma.
"And all these marked areas are confirmed to be bases of rebel activity in Area 11?"
Guilford answered the dark lord's question for her.
"Yes. In the past decade, Area 11 has had more insurgent activity than many other colonies in the Empire."
"There are particularly many surrounding the Tokyo Settlement," Darlton pointed to capital point on the map.
"There appears to be dozens of them," The Imperial captain under Vader commented. His name being Piett.
"There is a chance that one of the terrorist cells are holding our targets," Guilford said.
"And if they are not?" Darth Vader questioned.
"If that's not the case," Darlton added. "Then we might as well squash any chance of sanctuary they may have to offer."
"Reasonable strategy, indeed," Piett said.
"Perhaps, but pointless," Vader said, catching everyone's attention.
"Care to explain what is so pointless, Lord Vader?" Cornelia narrowed her eyes.
"If it is easy to know the location of these resistance cells, then I find it unlikely the rebels would take refuge with any of them." Vader said. "I know not of this Zero, but I know of his allies. Skywalker and his comrades are clever at hiding. They have been for years."
"It could be…" Gideon said. "They know that Lord Vader is here, and with your declaration on broadcast, Viceroy, to arrest them… I have a feeling the rebels now know the risk it will be in staying on this continent."
"The idea has crossed my mind, agent." Cornelia said. "The possibility that Zero and his allies may have fled the country to Elizabeth knows where."
"If the rebels have left Area 11… we must draw them back. And if they are still here… we must draw them out." Vader declared.
"Oh?" Cornelia raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you propose we set up a bait for them, is that it, Lord Vader?"
Vader only crossed his arms, his gaze drawing on the holomap before him.
"What was it… that caused Zero and the rebels to assassinate Prince Clovis?"
"What?" Cornelia said. "What are you saying?"
"Let me ask you a question, Viceroy."
"What is it?"
"What do you think is the reason for why the rebels attacked your empire?"
…
"What was it that provoked them to kill your brother, the prince?"
It took everything in her to not groan and bristle at that.
"What was it?" Cornelia stated. "It's because Zero claimed my brother was killing the Elevens in Shinjuku."
"Yes," Vader said. "And they intervened when this… Suzaku Kururugi was framed for the Prince's death."
"By now I can see that this Zero and his followers seem to have a soft spot for the Elevens." Cornelia narrowed her eyes.
"If that is the case…" Vader held his gaze over the map. "Tell me…"
"What is it, Lord Vader?" Cornelia asked.
"Are there any other locations… where a majority of the Elevens live in this settlement?"
"What?" Darlton questioned.
"The majority of the Eleven living in the Tokyo Settlement are stationed in the ghettos just south of our city." Guilford pointed at the map.
"Which one of them is the largest settlement?"
Guilford paused. "That would be the Saitama Ghetto here. Not far from Shinjuku."
"That ghetto is sight of one of the terrorist cells," Darlton stated. "The Yamato Alliance."
"I see."
"Why do ask?" Cornelia asked. "You believe that ghetto is the best place for where the rebels are hiding? That the terrorists are giving them sanctuary."
"No," Vader said. "But I want you to burn it."
…
At least half of those in the room felt their breath halt at that.
"What?" Darlton asked, looking almost… mortified.
…
"Zero and the rebels have sentiment to how the Elevens live under Britannia… and we will use it," Vader stated. "The compassion of the rebels is something we must exploit."
"Lord Vader, with all due respect," Guilford addressed with a narrowed gaze. "Whatever you have to suggest for what our next course of action shall be is up to…"
"I believe Lord Vader brings up a very valid point, Guilford."
"Princess?" Guilford turned to her, confused.
Cornelia felt herself curl her lips. "Have the royal guard ready. And have our garisson ready to deploy soon."
Millennium Falcon
"I don't know… it's been getting a lot hectic back here…" Leia and Luke heard Ohgi on the com. "Many of the guys here are feeling very hopeless. Especially… with what we are against now."
"I understand, Ohgi," Leia said.
"The best way for things to calm down is if you and Zero can come and tell us what to do next. Is he around? We haven't from him in a while."
"No, but we'll inform about this." Luke said.
"Were keeping low before we plan the next move." Leia said. "Just hang in there, Ohgi."
"All right. Good luck." With that Ohgi's line hung up.
"I can tell he is scared as well," Luke said.
"I wouldn't blame him," Han said, stepping in. "I mean c'mon. What chance do we have now?"
"Come again, Han?" Leia narrowed her eyes.
"What you don't see it, Leia?" Han said. "How is this going to play out? What do we have to fight? Us… and a ragtag group of… angry kids… against what? Not only does this place have a new person in the big seat… but it's apparent during that broadcast… she basically called out for all our heads! They even have all our faces on wanted posters now! And it's all thanks to… you-know-who."
"Han…" Luke sighed.
"Luke," Han said. "This won't work. Not with what we have now. We don't have the credits, the ships, the equipment, or the numbers! The army we do have… may be wondering by now if we are either dead or alive! The ones who are hiding across this galaxy and on a frozen block of ice!"
"You should know by now, Han…" Leia said. "That many in the Rebellion have faced the same odds."
"This is way different, Princess!" Han exclaimed. "Not only are these rabid dogs after us, but Vader is here! They may not see it or know it, but it's only a matter of time before he brings his star destroyers hovering over the sky and start raining hellfire on the whole place just to drag us out!
"The Britannians… they blood. Our blood! And Vader… he's here because he wants us! Alive! Alive for him to skin and carve up himself! Both are going to squeeze this place dry before they find us! And with the Falcon temporarily out of commission… we won't be able to fly out when they do!"
Chewie roared.
"So, what do you have in mind, Han?" Luke questioned, not liking what the smuggler may have in mind.
Han shook his head, feeling pained to find the right words. "We… we have no choice. We will have to… focus on repairing the engines. With the Empire here it will be easy to find the right parts to get the ship running again."
"And leave everyone here to rot under the Empire's rule?" Leia said. "Lelouch. C.C…."
"Ugh…" Han sighed. "Look… it's not like I don't care about them…"
"And what about the others, Han?" Leia said. "Ohgi? The other rebels? Were just going to abandon them?"
"We can't help all these people like we are now." Han closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Much less if we either get captured or shot. So…"
"So…" Leia said. "The best course… would be to return to Hoth?"
"Are you kidding me?!" Luke exclaimed. "If we leave now… by the time we come back… the Empire may already…"
Luke stopped when he heard his comm ringing. Everyone paused as he pulled it out and answered it.
"Yeah? What is it?" Luke called before listening. "What?!"
Saitama Ghetto
The G1 Base that once belonged to her late brother rolled to the front of the entire ghetto, while multiple Sutherlands and squadrons spread out to secure the perimeter of the place.
Inside the G1 Mobile room was Cornelia herself seated on her throne. The very same seat where Clovis had sat and commanded his forces during the Shinjuku incident. The very same seat where he was murdered in.
She would be sitting in this very same seat when she would avenge him.
In the same room, Guilford, her personal knight, stood not so far from her throne, and Darlton stood overlooking the map accompanied by Captain Piett and Agent Gideon.
And not far to right… stood Lord Vader.
"The Saitama Ghetto is completely surrounded," Darlton said. "The Yamato Alliance's base is located here somewhere."
"Good," Cornelia turned to the trio of Clovis's former officers. "Lord Vader," She addressed the dark lord standing near her throne. "Three of these officers served under my brother and were present during the incident in Shinjuku."
"Are they now?" Vader questioned, giving what could be an unimpressed gaze to the three officers. For a second, Cornelia spot the shaking in the trio's posture when the dark lord's gaze fell on them. Whatever reaction they had in their eyes they hid it when they bowed their heads directly at her, trying to ignore Vader.
"We… we are forever thankful for your mercy, Viceroy," The first of the officers said.
"That's not what we are interested in hearing, officer," Cornelia said. "We want to know… what you see."
"Uh… see?" The officers looked even more confused.
"Are the conditions similar…" Cornelia's lips curled into a smile. "…to those in Shinjuku?"
Millennium Falcon
"What is going on?" Threepio said, as everyone gathered to see the holo video Artoo put up, showing a newswoman speaking:
"Military authorities reported they have surrounded the Saitama Ghetto, a known hiding place for terrorists. Viceroy Cornelia and officers of the Galactic Empire are on the scene as well. Entry into the area has been restricted."
Area 11 Media Center
The news woman continued her outlet as the tv crew broadcasted her.
"It appears that full-scale assault will be launched in two hours…"
"News is one thing," A script man said with uncertainty. "But why are we announcing the start time?"
"Because…" Diethard said, with a knowing look. "They are trying to provoke Zero… to take the bait."
Millennium Falcon
"They can't be serious…" Luke said as he and the others watched the holo Artoo was displaying of Cornelia's troops surrounding Saitama.
Chewie roared.
"Oh, I don't like the look of this as well, Chewbacca," Threepio said.
"Why would they announce it to the public?" Leia questioned. "I thought when Clovis decimated Shinjuku…"
"It's a trap…" Han glared. "They were stupid enough to waltz on their invitation."
"But what about the rebels there?" Luke said. "And the people there… they would be…"
"Oh, dear, Master Luke…" Threepio said. "You don't think…"
"They would and they will," Lelouch said as he appeared in the room.
"Lelouch…" Leia said.
"Not unless…" Lelouch gave them a look. "We intervene… now."
G1 Base
"A question, Viceroy?" Piett asked. "Why does this plan of yours have need for the conditions to be like that of the incident in Shinjuku?"
"Because that is the idea. We need the conditions the same as it was when Zero made his debut."
"You mean terminate all of those living the ghetto, then?" Agent Gideon questioned.
Cornelia twitched her eye in response to that.
"From what we have learned from them…" The Viceroy began. "The rebel criminals seem to have a soft spot for the Elevens. They are the bait to draw them out. I'm not ignorant that it may go two ways. If Zero and his rebel friends are wise enough to see through this… they may keep hiding in whatever hole they dug themselves in and risk the lives everyone in the ghetto. However, if they are foolish and impulsive… they'll feel obligated to come and make any miniscule effort to protect them."
"You think they'll dare to come and challenge us?" An officer said. "For the sake of Elevens…"
"Time and time again… the rebels have risked defiance against the Empire for the sake of those… too weak to fight themselves…" Lord Vader spoke, catching the Britannian officers off guard. "Their compassion… is something that will work for our advantage."
"And that is not the only factor," Cornelia said. "There is the matter with Zero."
"Zero?"
"Yes," The princess nodded. "When I first saw his entrance on the broadcast… I could tell right away what kind of man he was: He is not only a criminal, but an egotistical one at best. He has a flair for theatrical, and he enjoys being in the limelight. No doubt, his past success in escaping the law has only built up his arrogance. He'll see this as another opportunity to prove himself the same way he did with Clovis… and attempt to get the drop on me."
"Your Highness!" One of the officers protested. "You mean to put your own life in danger…?"
"What you need to understand is that war is a struggle between pride and life." Cornelia stated.
"You would be surprised to learn there is far more to war than either of those virtues," Vader said.
"I don't need to tutored on such things, Lord Vader," Cornelia gave a glance to the dark lord addressing her. "My brother was no soldier, and I have survived situations no different."
…
"Prince Schneizel and many others at the capitol spoke highly of you, not of your rank, but of your skills as a warrior. I wish to see for myself here and now whether you live up to your name." He crossed his arms.
She could see several of her officers bristling with glaring eyes towards Lord Vader.
Cornelia smiled.
"I don't need to show, Lord Vader, I'm here to do. I intend to make results."
Lamperouge Residence
C.C. stepped into Lelouch's room, finding the young man packing up his soldier's uniform he had obtained from Shinjuku in a suitcase
"You're not really falling for the enemy's provocation, are you?" C.C. questioned.
"More like an invitation," Lelouch smirked. "We're already set to get going. Besides… there's something I want to ask Cornelia."
"Oh?" C.C. raised an eyebrow. "So, you're not participating for the sake of the civilians, but just to pay your sister a visit.?"
"The lives at stake I will oversee to help," Lelouch narrowed his eyes. "But Cornelia is my priority. I'm seeing it through today."
"You know she won't be alone," C.C. reminded. "You have a new enemy, Lelouch. And that enemy is now Cornelia's ally."
Lelouch grimaced a bit, almost pausing… before he closed the suitcase.
"I'm fully aware of that. I'll find a way."
*CLICK!
Lelouch gasped as he looked to see C.C. standing, aiming a gun at him.
"You can't go, Lelouch," C.C. said. "You need to fulfill your part of our bargain, so I can't have you dying before then, not with what you are about to do is very reckless."
"Notice what you're saying and what you're doing are contradicting."
"Oh, I won't kill you, I'm merely going to shoot you in the leg to quiet you down."
Lelouch smirked. "Now I get it. You are unable use Geass yourself, can't you?"
C.C.'s eyes flickered at that.
"I'm surprised though… that why haven't you formed contract with Luke." That caused C.C.'s eyes to widen. "Or Leia. Or Han. Why me? Is it because of the terms of your contract? Your wish?" That made C.C.'s eyes narrow. "I see. There's more to it. I'm the only one you need to make it happen. Unless…" He pulled from his shirt a gun of his own and aimed at her.
C.C. looked on amused. "Do you honestly think you can threaten me with a gun?"
"Yes, I do." Lelouch aimed the gun at his head, causing C.C. to frown. Lelouch had put her at a disadvantage.
"Before I met both you… and Luke… on that day… I was dead." Lelouch said, unaffected by the nose of the gun next to his temporal lobe. "An impotent corpse existing behind a false guise of life. A life in which I did nothing real. Day to day, I merely went through the motions of living, as if I were a zombie, and I always had the feeling that I was gradually dying. If I'm condemned to go back to that, then I'd rather…"
"Stop it!" C.C. exclaimed as she lowered her gun.
Lelouch lowered his, before smirking triumphantly.
"I see now… it's a life without meaning. And… a life like that…" The immortal looked down, her hands almost shaking.
Saitama Ghetto
A rapid fire of shots fell on a line of several men outside of a well-kept building, while many citizens watched in horror.
"Why the hell did you do that?!" One of the citizens cried out. "Even children are here! We haven't done anything!"
"Suppression of area 4, complete. Eight and Eleventh infantries are sweeping north and south in a pincer movement."
Atop a ruined building, Lelouch now suited in his Britannian soldier disguise, could hear the start of the conflict. "Always the same. Cornelia replaces Clovis… yet Britannia never changes."
"It's only going to get worse now that the Empire is here." Luke said on the comm.
"We need to move fast," Leia said. "If we can't make contact with the Yamato Alliance and bring in Knightmares for them it will be Shinjuku all over again."
"Don't worry," Lelouch said. "I'm on it."
"Well, whatever you're doing make it quick, Your Highness…" Han said, much Lelouch's annoyance.
The young man turned instantly at the sight of a slash harken zapping on the side of the building near him.
"Right on time…" Lelouch smirked.
A Sutherland ziplined up the building and pounced in front of Lelouch. "What unit are you from? Your unit name and I.D., soldier!"
"Private Dario Torres, sir!" Lelouch lied. "With the third reconnaissance company. I obtained this item from one of the terrorists." He pulled out a disc. "Could I ask you to please transmit it to headquarters for me, sir?"
As he hoped, the pilot opened his cockpit and revealed his face to him. "Very well, then, but I would still need to verify your I.D. first."
"Right, understood, but before we do that, sir," Lelouch smiled and turned the power in his eye. "I'd like to borrow your Sutherland, so hand it over."
Somewhere in the ruins, the Yamato Alliance gathered as they hid from the ongoing carnage outside.
"I got a call from Tsu! They already gunned down the mayor and his whole administration!"
"What?!" Izumi, the leader of the group exclaimed in horror.
"They're already setting the administration building on fire!"
"You know what this means, right?!"
"They had been helping us in secret since the get-go, but it seems like the Britannians caught wind of this and decided.."
"It's just like what they said happened in Shinjuku!"
"They're going to start burning what's left this city to the ground!"
"And what about all the families still up there? What happens to them?!"
"This is bad! Really, really bad!"
"That's enough!" Izumi yelled.
"Izumi!" A rebel came with a walkie.
"Any word from the Toda or Kawaguchi districts?" Izumi asked.
"Forget that, listen!" The rebel held out the walkie.
"This… is Zero."
"Zero!" Izumi exclaimed in surprise, and so was everyone.
"Zero? You mean…"
"I assume you heard about what happened at Shinjuku…" Zero said. "Follow both my compatriots and my instructions, and we can save as many people as possible from the slaughter."
G1 Base
"It's nearly time to set our plan into motion." Cornelia said. "So, shall we begin?"
"Right!" Darlton accessed the coms. "Attention, all forces! Commence eradication of the Saitama ghetto! All forces, assume level one battle stations!"
While the main forces were deployed into the ghetto, there were a handful of Sutherlands just standing still behind the G1 Base.
"I don't understand," Jeremiah exclaimed from atop his Sutherland. "Why won't Princess Cornelia order us to attack as well? Why are we hanging back here along with these armored snowmen?!"
"Because she is not stupid to let Orange out of her sight." Kewell growled venomously next to Jeremiah. "You were more fortunate to not have been disposed of. The whole of us have become a laughingstock. Our careers are tarnished…" He slammed a fist in his cockpit. "And so is my family's name. All thanks to you, Jeremiah!"
"I am not the one to blame here, Kewell!" Jeremiah protested. "It was Zero…!"
"Suppression of area 4, complete. Eight and Eleventh infantries are sweeping north and south in a pincer movement."
"B-12, suppression complete."
"F-7, no sign of the enemy."
"D-24, 87%, complete."
"Powadon team, change course to 5-1-6."
"Hurry, hurry!"
"We have to get to the shelter now!"
"They're coming up from around the corner!"
A group of family and friends made it to an alleyway… till a Sutherland rounded to the corner
"Run, run, as fast you can!" Powadon leader mocked as he pointed his target on the fleeing stampede of citizens in front of him. "You are all going to get…"
He didn't get to finish when…
*CLASH!
"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU—ARGH!" Powadon leader cried out when his Sutherland was slugged by the fist of another Sutherland.
The Elevens froze in confusion when the Britannian Sutherland decked their oppressor to the ground before unloading its rifle on it. The group cried out when the rogue Sutherland turned towards them.
"Get out here!" The voice of their apparent savior said. "Make for the North Side! We're with the Yamato Alliance!"
*BOOM!
*BOOM!
Two rockets blasted the Sutherlands to pieces, instantly killing both members of the Powadon Squad.
"They came! They really came!" Izumi exclaimed in wonder as he and the Yamato Alliance hid, having just shot down the Sutherlands.
"Just like Zero said they would!" Another rebel said.
"You can't hide in there forever!" A Sutherland pilot yelled as he along with several ground soldiers shot at a ruined building, where its front entrance was crudely barricaded.
"Come out now or we'll smoke all of you out!" The pilot yelled. "We'll… ARGH!"
*BOOM!
"What the…?!" One of the Britannian soldiers glanced in shock when the Sutherland's back was smoking up in flames. They turned and looked to see an approaching Sutherland… that held up a bazooka launcher. "Terrorists!" He yelled as he aimed his rifle, while his comrades did the same. "Get the gre—ARGH!"
*BANG!
The Britannian soldiers looked in shock when a sudden bang was heard, and at the same time their ringleader had a smoking hole through his helmet, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
The next sound came a roar.
A roar befitting an animal.
The remaining troops turned and froze at the sight of a fur-covered… thing… that pulled up a crossbow that sent a crimson bolt that ricocheted another soldier into the air. They didn't have the chance to shoot the monstrous thing when another crimson bolt another of their own… all coming from a brown-haired man in blue coat… coming in front of the sasquatch-like monster as if he was Sir Clint Eastwood in his glory days.
Coming right behind the pair, were a pack of ragged-wearing Elevens, armed with guns they couldn't possibly get ahold of. They thought it impossible when both the Eleven terrorists… and the weirdo-duo went guns-blazing on the rest of them… and wiped them from the face of the street.
"I guess Han has some expertise in a fight after all."
From afar in the Sutherland he had taken, Lelouch looked at the progress with a smug grin. "Now then, shall I drag Cornelia out or should I make an opening?" He pulled up the com to Yamato Alliance. "R-1, R-2, maintain distance. Draw them back to the area where N-2 is. B-7, open fire towards two o'clock."
"P-5's team will commence its barrage."
G1 Base
"Gester team, contact lost!"
"Enemy spotted in district G-4-7!"
"Kaczinski team engaging. They were ambushed!"
"The enemy is using Sutherlands captured from our own forces."
"The tide is turning then?" Piett said as he observed.
"It's exactly the same as Shinjuku." One of Clovis's officers said with a disturbed frown.
"They are here," Vader said.
"They actually came then," Darlton said. "It has to be Zero."
As this was happening, Cornelia continued sitting on her throne, barely moving a muscle, only for lips to curl up in a small smirk.
"Zero!" Leia called on her comm as she was stationed in her stolen Sutherland. "We are getting the citizens into the larger group heading towards the underground like you instructed."
"Keep watch over them." Lelouch ordered, before he turned to his other comm. "N-2, continue towards the upper-right. R-4, fire. N-1, take the man on the left. Right. P-3, take out the bridge and close down the route now! Make sure the Britannians won't make to the evacuees!"
G1 Base
"What was that?" Captain Piett asked, as they looked to see what looked like the bridge full of Britannian artillery blink red, meaning terminated.
"It's the bridge! Point 1-7 has fallen!" A staff officer exclaimed. "We lost contact with Halley team!"
"Even when the Rebellion managed to elude us," Piett said. "They were never… this is so… precise. And so… fast…"
"It is Zero," Vader said, catching everyone's attention. "Skywalker may be indeed a clever commander… but he could not be strategic as this. Nor I believe it to be Princess Organa."
"Then it is reasonable why the rebels would ally with follow Zero," Gideon said. "He is proving to be quite the player. He is starting to remind of someone else…"
"If this keeps up our garrison will be exhausted!" Darlton said, concerned.
"We can send in a garrison of our stormtroopers to reinforce them!" Piett offered.
"No," Cornelia finally spoke, catching everyone's attention. "There's no need for reinforcements. Further damage and casualties serve no point."
"But Your Highness, we can still fight them!" One of the officers exclaimed.
"We can… but not like this," Cornelia said.
"All forces! Fall back behind ghetto perimeter at once! Formation doesn't matter! Fall back behind ghetto perimeter at once!" Lelouch grinned as he heard Darlton on the com.
"What, no stomach for it?" Lelouch looked at the GPS. "If I blend in with the retreating units that'll put me right next to Cornelia. Have I cleared the task at hand already?" His face turned serious. "Though then again… she's not alonge… he could be there."
He shuddered when he pictured the sight of the black mask… from before.
"If so… I'll have to devise another tactic when I blend myself in. Just to get Cornelia by herself."
Ashford Academy
"So, Lulu lived here before this became Area 11, huh?" Shirley asked Suzaku, who used a cattail to play with the cat, who was now on a cat tree of his own. "Was he a neighbor?"
"Um… well, yeah, he was…" Suzaku said awkwardly. "But anyway..." The student quickly wanting to change the subject. "How about yourself?"
"Myself?" Shirley said. "I guess we're a lot alike in that respect. Honestly, I didn't like Lulu at the beginning when I first met him. He gave me the impression that he was flippant, and that the only thing he worked hard at was avoid hard work."
"You don't say..." Suzaku listened curiously.
"But back when we were freshmen…" Shirley reminisced. "I happened to see him come upon a traffic accident. A driver rear-ended another car and was clearly at fault, but he tried to blame it on the elderly owners of the other car. Nobody tried to help them. And then…"
Shirley started to smile.
"Lulu got out and walked, and he went to a tow truck nearby. He then attached its hook to the driver's car, and when the tow truck started driving away… it pulled the driver's car with it."
"What?!" Suzaku looked at her with surprise. "Lelouch? He really did that?"
Shirley giggled a bit, remembering how the angry man flipped out and how he chased the tow truck dragging his car away. "What's even more... Lulu didn't do it so he could boast about it to his buddies or laugh about it later. He did it with the same bored expression he always wears. That's when I wondered 'What's up with this guy? What goes on in his mind? What does he wanna do?'" She clasped her hands together. "That the moment I realized... I really wanted to know. To know more about him. And in the process of trying find out…"
"You fell in love with him," Suzaku deduced with a smile.
That instantly caused Shirley's cheeks to go red. "Umm…" She almost sulked in embarrassment. "You think that's what this is? Maybe… well... maybe you're right."
Unbeknownst to them, eavesdropping at the door, was the madame president.
"How dreamy it is to be in love…" Milly Ashford said with a smile, before it turned into a pining frown. "Oh, how I wish…"
Saitama Ghetto
"Lelouch, what are you doing?!" Luke called out.
"Cornelia called for a retreat," Lelouch answered. "I'm blending in with the retreating soldiers!"
"What?!"
"What the hell are you doing, kid?!" Han exclaimed. "This wasn't part of the plan!"
"Of course it was, I just saw no reason to disclose it." He heard a pause. "The plan did involve helping the Yamato Alliance fight off the Britannians while getting them to help protect the civilians," Lelouch said. "And at the same time, Cornelia ordering the retreat I needed. You focus on getting the survivors to the underground, I'll catch you up later."
"Lelouch, it's dangerous!" Leia called out. "Don't go near the enemy base! You'll be captured!"
"Not the first time I face those odds," Lelouch shrugged off.
"Lelouch, listen to me!" Luke exclaimed. "You don't know what you're doing going alone! It's dangerous!"
"Don't distract me, Red-5," Lelouch said. "It'll be easier for me to slip in by myself. Then I'll get to Cornelia."
"You think it's just her?!" Luke now yelled. "There are stormtroopers stationed near that base, Lelouch! Stomtroopers! He's there, Lelouch! VADER IS THERE!"
"I'm aware of that."
"No you don't! If you did, you would realize who's waiting for you there!" Leia exclaimed.
"This isn't like Clovis, Lelouch!" Luke cried out. "It's worse! You have to get out now!"
"That is an order, Lelouch!" Leia demanded, causing Lelouch's face to twist. "That is an…"
"Who are you to order me?!"
…
There came a pause, right after a low gasp coming on the line.
"I'm the one who came with the plan for all of this," Lelouch's face hardened. "I'm the one controlling the board. Don't go and think you know what's best for me. You're only going compromise everything!"
"Oh, kid, you are so in for a major check-up…" He could hear Han's voice fuming. "Because you going to be so in for it…"
He even heard Chewie roar, almost with disapproval.
"This is something I have to do." Lelouch stated, with his eyes set on the monitor. "And I will see it through."
"We'll figure it out later, but just get out of there before it's too late, Lelouch!" The raven-haired boy's face twisted with anger. "Just… please…! Will you…"
"Sorry, Red-5…" Lelouch flipped down several switches before going for a button on the comm. "Your signal's breaking up."
Before it did, Han, however…
"When we find you… I AM GOING TO WHIP YOUR—!"
The private line to his rebel compatriots finally ended, allowing Lelouch to sigh.
He had his Sutherland smoothly blend in with the retreating forces and was now with them in front of Cornelia's G1 Base. However, his grin turned to a frown at the sight of stormtroopers and their artillery. "No doubt on standby. My Geass won't be good on them, due to their helmet, so I will have to be careful. I need to get Cornelia all alone if I am to get to her. I need to draw both her royal guard and those troopers away from her. I will have to create an opening like I did with Clovis."
"DAMN IT!" Luke cursed as he punched the side of his cockpit. "What the hell is he thinking?!"
G1 Base
"Are ready, Guilford, my knight?" Cornelia looked at her knight.
"My duty is to serve you," Sir Gilbert G.P. Guilford saluted her.
Saitama Ghetto
Lelouch could already see on the monitor, the Gloucesters moving from the G1 Base area towards the heart of the ghetto.
"You're getting desperate, Cornelia," Lelouch grinned. "Using your royal guard… I wonder if you'll be desperate to swallow your pride… and beg your new friends to assist you." He couldn't help but chuckle. "And that is when I'll get you." He pulled up the phone to contact the Yamoto Alliance. "This is Zero. N-1 will re-engage their IFF signal. Operate as a Britannian unit."
"Understood."
"As my decoy." Lelouch smiled as he put the comm down. "Cornelia… you're no match."
G1 Base
"One knightmare left transmitting an IFF signal within the city area." Darlton said.
"I thought all the Knightmare units were given orders to retreat?" Piett said.
"Maybe he was left behind?" An officer suggested.
"We should scramble a rescue team!" Another officer suggested.
"No." Cornelia said, catching everyone's attention. "Destroy it."
"What?!"
"He could be a captive of the enemy!"
"As Captain Piett noted, I ordered all troops to fall back," Cornelia explained. "I have no use for soldiers who don't follow orders."
"But, what if…" An officer tried protesting.
"You heard the Princess," Darlton said. "Do it."
"I see what you are devising, Viceroy," Vader said. "Will your knights be up to the task?"
"They will do their duty, even if it costs them their life." Cornelia said. "My subordinates follow that code without question, Lord Vader."
"At your command, Your Highness," Guilford confirmed dutifully, as he drove in his Gloucester, along with two others. With the Sutherland in their sights, they aimed their lances at him as they drove towards him at full speed.
"Hey! What are you guys doing?!" The rebel in the decoy Sutherland exclaimed in shock. "Can't you read the IFF signal?! I'm on your side!" His lies were no good as the Gloucester trio kept heading his way without question. He grunted in frustration. "Dammit!" He decided the hell with Zero's plan and shot his Knightmare rifle at the Guilford and the two others, but unfortunately his Sutherland couldn't keep for the agility of the Gloucester's as they jumped high in the air to avoid the fire. Guilford's Gloucester landed behind the rebel, and without hesitation drove his lance through the Sutherland's chest and into the cockpit. The two other Gloucester's did the same as they all jab their lances into the cockpit where the pilot was. That was the end of that fellow rebel.
"No confirmation?" Lelouch looked baffled at the lost contact of his decoy.
"Oh, no…" Luke looked with dread on his monitor, where one of their friendly units was surrounded… before it was snuffed out.
Meanwhile… Han from his newly acquired Sutherland…
"I got a bad feeling about this."
"Well, then," Lelouch turned back his comm. "N-2, send signal, then fall back to the hospital ruins. R-1, R-2, hold your positions. Fire only if attacked."
G1 Base
"They've transmitted another signal, which means one thing. They've set an ambush!" Cornelia said. "Send in more Gloucesters and surround them!"
"They're not following?" Lelouch frowned, and then realized. "No, dammit! R-1, R-2, abort the ambush and fall back at once! Abort!"
G1 Base
"Gloucesters have arrived at indicated area. No sign of the enemy."
"He anticipated my move," Cornelia started to smirk. "It seems we really are dealing with Zero himself."
"And now it seems he is realizing his blunder," Vader said.
"More than his blunder, Lord Vader," Cornelia allowed herself to smirk. "He has yet to realize he is already doomed."
"P-2! N-3! Circle around behind the enemy!" Lelouch frantically ordered through the com, yet there came no answer. "What's wrong?! Come in! P2! N3! Dammit! B-1! B-5! Move in!"
"Toru, where are you?!" Izumi yelled. "Zero says he needs you to move in!"
"Like hell!" The one called Toru exclaimed in the stolen Sutherland he was piloting. "There's no way we can beat Cornelia's royal guard! That's a death sentence! I'm out!" He went to pull the ejection lever, and his pod ejected from the Sutherland.
"TORU!"
"This isn't good," Leia said, realizing. "We might as well have lost the Yamato Alliance's trust, and if that is true then…"
"We surrender!" Several rebels of the Yamato Alliance dropped their guns and exited out their stolen Sutherlands, raising their hands up towards the royal guard. "We won't resist! Spare us!"
G1 Base
Vader looked to see Cornelia having a combined look of apathy and eyes that would turn blood cold.
"Kill them."
Attached to the plastron of the Gloucester, the nose of a machine gun turned… to aim at the surrendering rebels before it.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" The first one cried out, his eyes in a panic. "WE SAID WE SURRENDER! WE GIVE…"
The sound of bullets blocked out the sounds of his pleas. There were only the feint sounds of agonizing screaming, as burning metal tore both muscle and bone to shreds.
"NO!" Luke cried out, getting ahold of his controls and ready to…
"LUKE, STOP!" Han yelled on the comm. "It's too late!"
"But Han…" Luke looked with fury. "They… they just…"
"There's nothing you can do for them now! Stay out of sight from those things!"
"P-6! P-8! What's happening?! Argh!" Lelouch exclaimed again at the com. "B-7! Circle around and cover N-4!"
"This is B-7! I gotta prime target here! I'll take him out first!" B-7 said.
"No, hold your fire! That's a decoy!" Lelouch exclaimed. "B-7, that's an order!"
"What do you mean? I've got his bastard right in my sights!"
"Fall back! They'll strike from above! B-7, fall back!"
"AHH!" And just Lelouch predicted, B-7 met a grisly end… just like the rest of his brethren.
"Idiot!" Lelouch growled. "B-8, this is Zero. I want a status report, now."
"Screw your status report—AGH!"
"B-8! Damn…" Lelouch said, frustrated. "Anyone's who's left, report in from the P-Group, now!"
…
"Damn it!" Lelouch gritted his teeth, before he pulled up the comm he had turned off. "Red-5! Do you copy! I need you to…"
"Mission Complete."
Lelouch halted as he heard a female voice speak from the G1 Base.
"What?!"
"All forces, take formation number 4."
"No… no, no, no!" Lelouch shook his head, almost erratically. "It can't be over... not yet!" He hung his head in disbelief. "I barely got started! This isn't how the game is supposed to go!"
"The battle is won… already?" Jeremiah froze in awe while sitting in his cockpit. "Could it be…?" His shaking lips formed into a smile of hope. "The princess has… done it?"
G1 Base
"I see now," Vader said. "You wanted to test the rebels… if they would fall for the same trick."
"Indeed," Cornelia smiled satisfied. "That is because they are arrogant, as all rebels are. They think I am like my brother. I am a far worse nightmare than they could ever dreamed of."
"And… you saw through them when they used your Sutherlands against you." Gideon commented. "I see how they were able to do so before."
"Well, Viceroy," Piett smiled, impressed. "You have clearly surprised us… all for the better. I can see now why you are regarded so highly in the capitol."
"That is indeed why she is called the 'Goddess of Victory.'" Darlton smirked with pride.
Cornelia turned to Lord Vader, who seemed to begrudgingly glance at her, knowing she was expecting him to speak. "A ruthless and clever tactic indeed. Though, you seemed very certain the rebels would have fallen for it. It would have been clear to some of them that this was a trap."
"I am fully aware of that, and I prepared a countermeasure in cast of that." Cornelia said.
"Do you truly believe the battle is won?" Vader questioned.
"Of course not," Cornelia said. "I learned from my brother's mistake. I'm not stupid to fall for it… that's why I used it to our advantage."
"This…" Lelouch growled. "This is what real organization can do…"
"Attention all knightmare pilots!" Cornelia's voice said on the coms. "Open your hatches and reveal your faces!"
"What?!" Luke exclaimed, realizing.
"So, that was it, huh?" Han narrowed his eyes. "She let the kid play into her hands! So, that she could…"
"I repeat all knightmare pilots, open your hatches and reveal your faces."
Lelouch gasped in shock, before it turned to frustration. "Cornelia!"
G1 Base
"Ha…" Cornelia smiled amused. "Now if either Zero or any other of the rebel criminals indeed tried to worm their way into my ranks… they'll be standing right front of me in a few minutes time… on their knees."
"Captain…" Vader turned to Piett. "Call on our troops and have them guard every Knightmare. Make sure they check every pilot and find out."
"Right away, my lord," Piett nodded.
"What do I do?" Lelouch thought frantically, as all the other Sutherland's opened their cockpits and their pilots showing their faces one by one. "If they get me in a line-up… without my mask, my identity will be exposed! That mustn't happen! If they do, then it will be all over! For a time like this… at a time like this… I really need… I need backup. I just had to come here alone. Can I… blast my way through and run for it? No… there are too many knightmares around me. I doubt they'll let me get far at all. And then there are…"
"Open your hatch, soldier," Lelouch woke from his thoughts, when he looked at his monitor… to see a stromtrooper addressing him.
Luke's Sutherland rolled up at the ledge of a half-ruined building that allowed him to overlook the sight of the G1 Base and the multitude of Sutherlands parked in front. He winced as he could see stormtroopers gathering around every knightmare, watching as the pilots opened their cockpit and stood out.
"If I don't act now… Lelouch will be exposed!" Luke gritted his teeth, his hands almost sweating while holding the controls. "It would be far-fetched if I made opening and hope Lelouch can make a run for it. But… if I can get their attention… just long enough… for him to get out…"
He adjusted as the Sutherland heaved up a bazooka launcher… aiming towards the base.
"Hello? Are you dead in there? I said open your hatch!"
"Uh…" Lelouch stopped cold at the white-helmet soldier addressing his Sutherland. "Uh… I'm sorry! My hatch was damaged earlier in battle."
"Alright, then. Then we'll open it for you." The stormtrooper made a wave to a nearby group of troopers. "I need a hand over here!"
"NO!" Lelouch widened his eyes, as he felt sweat dripping from his forehead. "It's Empire's soldiers. I can't use my Geass on them, not when they are wearing masks! I am trapped! This can't be happening! NUNNALLY!"
G1 Base
"Viceroy! Look to the left!" Guliford exclaimed on the com.
"What is it, Guilford?" Cornelia asked.
"It's Zero!"
"WHAT?!" Everyone in the G1 base and the military outside looked in another direction… to see a caped figure wearing a very familiar mask, standing on a decaying building.
"What?!" Lelouch exclaimed. "What the hell is going on?!"
G1 Base
"It…" Piett paused. "It is…"
"ZERO!" Jeremiah's eyes instantly glared with hate upon seeing the masked figure. "It's him!" His Sutherland turned. "I am going to…"
"STOP!" Kewell's Sutherland blocked him. "You want to get us into more trouble than you already have?!"
"That's him?" Gideon questioned.
Then without warning, to their shock, 'Zero' stepped back and fell from the roof of the building.
"SHOOT HIM!" Guilford exclaimed, and several Sutherlands shot their guns at 'Zero's' figure, but none of their bullets hit his figure.
"What?!" Darlton roared. "What just happened?"
"Where'd he go?!" Piett exclaimed.
"Viceroy!" Guilford's voice came up. "There's something else at Point 56!"
The room turned once again to see on another ledge of a ruined building… a single Sutherland…
Luke instantly turned cold, and his eyes froze.
He realized too late…
The Sutherland instantly backed away from the ledge.
"HALT, STOP!" Guilford ordered to no avail. "FIRE!"
The Gloucesters now aimed their rifle and fired at the ledge the unidentified Sutherland was on. Bullets broke through the old stone and structure till it crumbled to dust.
"Find and capture that unit! NOW!" Guilford ordered just as he and the royal guard zoomed towards the rabble.
"Urgh…" Luke grunted after his Sutherland practically slid down with the falling debris of the stone rabble he was on.
He didn't have a second longer to rest when…
Luke froze when his Sutherland stumbled onto the next street behind the ruined building… he looked to see the sight of enemy knightmares speeding towards him.
They were not Sutherlands.
No. They were a new type of Knightmare.
They looked to have a thicker, yet finer build than the other types. While he had seen the Glasgow and Sutherland types being bulky… the new knightmares looked more refined. Their designs resembled that of the Stormtrooper armor build. Even their helmets looked similar to that of knights.
Whereas the Sutherlands were blue, the new knightmares had a vibrant purple scheme. There was also matter of each of them holding a cape fluttering behind their backs.
The next thing that alarmed Luke… was the sight of the large gold lances in their hands... now aimed towards his Sutherland.
"Karabast…"
Lelouch quickly but discreetly pull his Sutherland out, and started to turn it away from the site of the G1 Base.
"This is my chance. My opening!" He felt sweat trailing down his neck. "If I can go unnoticed while they're all distracted…"
*BEEP! *BEEP!
Lelouch froze… at the familiar sound of his phone ringing.
Ashford Academy
"On your behalf, I can ask him how he feels about you." Suzaku picked up the telephone after typing in Lelouch's number.
"What?!" Shirley exclaimed with her cheeks now red. Was Suzaku really serious? "You would really do that?!"
"Just relax, it'll be fine."
"YOU'RE NUTS!" Shirley dashed and with incredible speed swiped the phone from Suzaku and slammed it back.
The beeping turned off a moment later…
But unfortunately…
"Hold it right there!"
Lelouch froze instantly.
The boy felt his blood turned cold… when a familiar voice called out towards him.
"Where do you think you're going, soldier?!"
"HALT IN THE NAME OF BRITANNIA!"
Luke ignored as he desperately kept speeding his Sutherland down the next street, avidly trying to avoid the gunfire coming from the two Gloucesters on his tail.
He was already frustrated in pushing the Sutherland's speed to the limit, even with how the energy filler was already halfway low. He already realized the speed of his Knightmare was slow… compared to the speed of the Gloucesters still coming behind him.
He cried out when he felt the shoulder of the Sutherland take a hit from one of his pursuers behind.
It caused him to slow a bit.
That was all the other pursuer needed to zoom past and corner him with his lance.
Both purple-themed Knightmares turned their weapons towards him.
"What's going on here?!" A stormtrooper came up and caught sight of Lelouch's Sutherland. "Hey! Where are you going?!"
The Sutherland's landspinners were turned on and with a screech, the KMF dashed from the area.
"HEY!" Jeremiah Gottwald growled. "Where are you going!" He turned his Sutherland's landspinners towards the fleeing knightmare. "I demand you stop and identify yourself at once!"
"Hold it!" The stormtrooper called but to no avail.
Ashford Academy
"Aw, come on." Suzaku insisted as he took back the telephone. "I'll handle this for you—"
"I don't want your help, okay?!" Shirley exclaimed.
"It'll be fine!"
The struggle for the phone caused both to fall to the floor with a thud. The vibration of it not only woke up the cat from his peaceful slumber, but it also rumbled the cat tree he was on…
G1 Base
"What is going on out there?!" Cornelia demanded.
"There's been a situation," Darlton exclaimed. "It's the Purebloods!"
"I gave orders that they will only participate when I order them to!" Cornelia growled. "What is Gottwald doing now?!"
"Wait, what is he pulling out?"
"What… pull back!" The royal guard exclaimed. "He's pulling a chaos mine!"
"Scatter!"
Both Gloucesters jumped back when the rogue Sutherland quickly threw the mine in the air, where it started to unfurl…
And started raining a hellfire of shrapnel upon the street.
Ashford Academy
"Uh, sorry…" Suzaku apologized, and both he and Shirley widened their eyes as he was now on top of her, with his face just inches from her.
Both of their cheeks turned instantly pink…
Then Suzaku cried out due to a very familiar pain.
A certain feline biting on his hand.
"Uh, oh…" Shirley looked in worry. "Does that hurt much?"
"Urgh…" Suzaku groaned. "Greatly…"
Of all the times…
Of all the people…
Just when everything he had built started falling apart, it's one aberration behind another. He got distracted one phone call at the worst time… and then suddenly he was caught…
By him!
After that fiasco he had put him through… how the hell Jeremiah Gottwald was still in the military?!
Lelouch grunted when he turned to avoid a rabble of fire coming his way.
"You're not getting away from me!" Gottwald's declaration could be heard. "I'll tear you out of that cockpit and then…"
A fiery blast erupted between them… causing them to stop the chase.
"What?!" Jeremiah cried out.
Lelouch gasped, and he turned to see two Sutherland's head his way…
But they were…
His comm turned back on.
"You okay, kid?" Han Solo's voice came on.
Luke's Sutherland backed away as rolled under the stone canopy of another abandoned building. The dust cloud made from the shrapnel rain had just bought him an apparent slip-out from his two pursuers. Luke couldn't be sure if that trick was enough. He was only playing desperate to get away.
He was already juggling with the choice whether to keep moving with his Sutherland or abandon it… and continue on foot.
The latter seemed to be the wiser option…
He didn't get the time consider it when…
Luke felt a pang flicker near his forehead.
He turned in time for when another gold lance pierce towards his screen… and he felt the ground gave out under him.
G1 Base
"VICEROY!"
"Guilford?!" Cornelia answered. "Where are you?"
"I found…" Everyone became baffled by the static in the message. "I-I've… engaged the enemy…" Guilford's voice sounded like it was stuttering. "I'm taking it down now!"
It was too good that he would be out of danger too quickly.
Luke grunted when the gold lance swiped away the machine rifle from his Sutherland's hands, before he could pull the trigger.
He desperately pulled back to make a fair amount of distance, yet the purple-themed knightmare wasn't merciful to give him a second. The speed it possessed made Luke's Sutherland like that of an outdated podbike compared to a chrome speeder.
The Sutherland pulled out its stun tonfa to brace for the gold lance's blow. Luke jumbled in his cockpit when he felt the Gloucester swing with a force that crumpled the block of the wrist-guarded tonfas. He felt his KMF staggard before he had to pull off the defensive again to brace for another strike.
After another (but heavy) block, Luke pushed out a slash harken to flew towards enemy's side, only for the lance to not only swipe it, but in the next swing, the lance made aim…
The speed of it was too fast when the pointy end of the spear impaled through the Sutherland's head.
…
Luke turned pale. One of the monitors instantly turned pure static, and sparks started short-circuiting in one part of the cockpit over his head.
…
The gold spear tore through the bulky blue head of machine, causing the enemy KMF's body to come close… for when now headless Sutherland swung its right fist to finally connect with its chest.
It did little to push the Gloucester away, even as it swung its other damaged tonfa only for the enemy block and used its lance to slam the Sutherland to the ground.
"Sir Guilford!"
"I've pinned down one of the fleeing enemies, Your Highness! I'm going to put out of commission now!"
Gilbert G.P. Guilford didn't show mercy when tore off the Sutherland's left arm after pinning it to the ground. The Sutheland tried to lift itself up with its remaining arm, only for Guilford to use his gold lance to crush and pin it in place.
"Surrender now!" Guilford yelled at his enemy-now but his prisoner. "Submit and admit defeat. You're not only disarmed but you're pinned down without any hope of rescue! Submit now, and I will be lenient to take you in without further harm! Understand?!"
No response.
That or Guilford may have damaged the Sutherland's audio speakers.
"You've lost this." Guilford stated with narrowed eyes. "I have no need to kill you if you stop resisting."
Still no response.
"If you are unable to reply, you start by opening your hatch now!" Guilford ordered. "I guess I'll have to do it for…"
Guilford didn't finish it.
The bespectacled knight felt his senses turn on at something sudden. Like some sort of fire exploding in front of him. Instead, it felt like another Knightmare Frame materialized between him and the damaged Sutherland, yet there was no such thing in front of him.
Even so, Guilford felt it impossible when his Gloucester was blasted away from the damaged Sutherland and was flying the air…
Before his Gloucester slammed back to the ground, causing his head to whiplash…
And he saw no more.
Luke blinked twice.
He panted and breathed hard as he felt the sweat accumulating from his forehead down to his neck. Either it was the sparks from the damaged inside of the cockpit he was still in, or it was the rush of stress he felt that led to…
He paused… and he realize he no longer felt the intolerable weight bearing down on both him and knightmare.
He turned on the command to open his hatch, only for nothing to happen. He gritted his teeth. That because the system was damaged beyond repair, or the hatch had been dented from golden lance that had pinned him down.
He frowned, before pulling up his father's weapon from his belt.
Instantly, a glowing sapphire blade was emitted and cut through the metal hatch in way a burning match would do if it made contact with a slab of butter. He trailed it before he formed a circle which he kicked and caused an opening for him to exit out of the Sutherland.
He looked to see that the Sutherland he had acquired thanks to Zero, may have seen better days. However, his attention came upon something else right across from his now piece-of-junk knightmare frame…
The purple-themed… yet advanced knightmare that had been his enemy… was now lying on the ruined ground.
Motionless.
Luke drew his lightsaber, lest it rise again and attack him.
Unfortunately, it did move.
Luke was about to react… till he saw the cockpit of the enemy knightmare open.
The pilot had yet to exit.
Luke slowly crept towards the open cockpit with his sapphire blade on guard. He paused… when he caught sight of a Britannian soldier… in the pilot seat.
Unconscious.
The man looked to several years older than Luke. Taller, with long black hair tied in a ponytail, and the younger man noticed something on his crimson uniform with gold accents. He winced at the sight of a pair of spectacles looking worse for wear. He cringed when he noticed the bleeding cut on his forehead… no doubt the result of what caused Luke to…
…
It had been sudden. Luke felt the feeling of being trapped. Barely able to move any of the mechanical muscles of the Knightmare while being pinned, all the while hearing the man's voice telling him… ordering him… to submit.
To admit defeat.
To be taken into custody.
To be jailed.
He felt helpless. He felt weak. And yet at the same time, he felt he still had more energy to fight back. To claw out.
And he had felt the stress swelling up, before he felt something beyond irritation and frustration.
It was some sort of combination that caused something in Luke to burst… and an invisible wave was shot out that caused everything outside the Sutherland to fly back.
And that was what caused the gnarly wound on the man's forehead.
Luke then started to feel regret… and something of… pity?
Pity for an enemy who had nearly taken him down? And what would he have done if it was Luke lying knocked out instead of him?
The rebel turned off his lightsaber and quickly took hold of the man by the shoulders, pulling him out of the cockpit. He dragged the man towards a flat space devoid of any rubble. He had no pillow or blanket, so Luke unclipped the man's crimson coat, before folding it and putting it under his head.
Skywalker tore a piece of spare bandage from his pocket, before quickly going over to wrap around the man's forehead. He wrapped it well enough to make sure it stopped the bleeding.
He paused and reminded himself again… on who this man was.
And he made sure to carry him out and make sure the bleeding was stopped.
He barely had time dwell when he heard a static sound coming from…
"G… Grrr…"
Luke turned towards the still open knightmare, dashing towards it to find the source of the static sound. He came to the cockpit to hear the comm inside speaking out words.
"Guilford!" A man's voice called out. "Why aren't you responding? Have you taken the enemy yet? The other knights are already on their way to corner the fleeing enemy five clicks west!"
…
Oh… Karabast.
…
Luke frowned knowing what that meant.
And worst of all.
He glanced back at his Sutherland. He was no longer in a position to intervene. Not when he no longer had…
…
Luke glanced at the cockpit. The open, and now vacant cockpit before him. He glanced back at the still-unconscious man still lying a safe distance away. He glanced back at the cockpit of the Gloucester before him.
He noticed something shiny at the console. Luke hopped in the seat and pulled out the object.
Moments later, the Gloucester rose and stood straight, with some dust and rubble falling from its cape.
Luke glanced at the cockpit before, and it looked… a bit more refined and open than the Sutherland he was used to.
"Huh…" Luke couldn't help but comment. "Would you look at this."
He turned the control to see on the monitor how the purple-themed flexed and stretched out the fingers.
The knightmare looked a bit bigger and even more heavily armored than the Sutherland. There was even a new assortment of features and lists on the monitor. More so than what was equipped and stored in a Sutherland.
"Hmph… don't know why the cape in the back is necessary." The tarp-like cloth behind the Knightmare looked clearly for show.
"Though I guess this thing's not too shabby." He admitted. "Not too shabby at all."
…
"The purple is a bit much, though."
…
Luke frowned. It was back to business.
He glanced at the fallen lance several meters away through his monitor. He rolled up before using the control to extend an appendage to grab and pull it up. It proved to a deadly weapon, even when it was nearly used to skewer him. This new kind of KMF could be one of the reasons they were able to push back against Lelouch's offensive earlier.
Skywalker turned to glance once more on the still unconscious enemy soldier, whose knightmare was now in his possession.
"Sorry about this," Luke apologized. "Hope by the time you wake up… you'll get help. But right now… my friends need me."
"Well, this is fitting…" Leia made note as she along with Han and Lelouch in their Sutherlands stood across three opposing Sutherlands.
"Three against three?" Han smirked. "Add Chewie and we got the odds."
"You!" The lead Sutherland with the red pauldrons pointed his gun towards them. "The three of you are with the terrorists! You are the ones in league with Zero!"
"That voice…" Leia said. "Why does he sound so… familiar?"
"Because it's Jeremiah Gottwald."
"What?" Leia turned at the comm coming from Lelouch.
"Yeah, yeah…" Han said from his knightmare. "Look… we are really not…"
"ENOUGH!" Jeremiah interrupted. "If you impudent scum value your lives here and now, then you will bring me to Zero! I demand justice for what he committed against me!"
"Heh…" Lelouch chuckled, even when keeping his speaker silent to prevent them from hearing his voice. "Still bothered by that, I see."
"Leave out of this!" Another voice cut in, coming from the other Sutherland with the same colors as Gottwald's. "You think I'm going to let you lead before you screw like you did before! Over my dead body!"
"Kewell, this not the time…"
"You're not the time for anything anymore, Orange Boy!"
…
Han spluttered his mouth upon hearing that.
Even Lelouch from his cockpit could barely stop it. "Orange Boy…?"
Leia sighed. "Now is hardly the time…"
"HALT!"
Everyone paused, and coming upon from the other end of the street was…
"The royal guard!" A female voice coming from the last Pureblood Sutherland exclaimed.
"This isn't good…" Luke grimaced as he could see the IFF signals surrounding the signals that belonged to Lelouch, Han, and Leia's Sutherlands.
They were being surrounded.
"C'mon…" Luke seethed as he tapped through a keyboard that popped an x-ray of the Gloucester on a round screen to his right. "How fast can this get me there…?"
He paused when he glanced at the monitor showing a pair of armaments at the feet of the Gloucester.
"Sand Panels."
Luke quickly put three switches to have the armaments turn green, and pulled the joystick that would max the KMF's speed.
"Whoa!" Luke exclaimed as he felt the Gloucester dash across the ruined street at a speed faster than before.
"Viceroy! This is Sir Tyrell!" The mustached knight said on the comm. "We found the Purebloods and we have encountered the remaining terrorists in three of our Gloucesters. We will take them in now."
"Sir Tyrell, is Sir Guilford with you?" The Viceroy asked on the comm.
"Sir Tyrell, look!" The knight heard his fellow knight speak.
"Huh?"
All eyes turned to what was standing at end of the ruined street:
Another Gloucester, armed with gold lance.
"Speak of the devil!" Tyrell looked with relief. "You arrived just in time, Sir Guilford!"
There came no response.
"We found the perpetrators, now all we need to do is…"
The last anyone expected… was when 'Sir Guilford's" Gloucester dashed forward, but not towards the rebel Sutherlands… but towards.
"What…?" Tyrell paused before realizing. "Sir Guilford, what are…"
Tyrell didn't have time to react when 'Guilford's' gold lance was extended… and he saw it crash right through his Gloucester's plastron… before it tore through his cockpit… and impaled him right into his stomach.
"WHAT?!" Lelouch exclaimed.
"THE HELL?!" Han cried out.
"SIR GUILFORD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Jeremiah cried out.
Guilford's Gloucester twisted the spear's end from the chest of Tyrell's Gloucester, before he turned towards the Pureblood Sutherlands and the other remaining Gloucester.
G1 Base
"VICEROY!"
"What is it, Bancroft?" Cornelia heard the desperate tone in her knight's voice, making her feel some concern.
"We need reinforcements… Sir Guil…" His messaged paused, confusing everyone in the room. "He's… argh!"
"Speak up, Sir Bancroft!" Darlton roared. "What is going on down there?!"
"We… we had just tracked down the terrorists trying to escape! Then Sir Guilford appeared! Then suddenly, he… HE KILLED SIR TYRELL!"
…
"WHAT?!" Cornelia yelled as she finally rose from her throne, her face completely alarmed.
"SIR GUILFORD, PLEASE STOP!"
Guilford's Gloucester ignored the plead as it dashed and slashed his long lance at Villetta's Sutherland, causing it to fall back and a scream was heard.
"Sir Guilford…" Kewell's voice screeched. "You dare turn traitor against the Princess?!"
"NO!" Jeremiah wailed, even as his eyes shook as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "It's impossible! That cannot be Sir Guilford! It can't…"
"Who cares!" Kewell lifted his rifle towards the rogue Gloucester. Before he could fire a slash harken blasted the rifle from the Sutherland's hands. The harken recoiled back to the sender of one of the rebel Sutherlands.
"So, what the story about this?" Han said on his private comm. "One of your doing, Your Highness?"
"I have no idea on what this is…" Lelouch said, glancing back on his monitor in observing the one of the Cornelia's royal guards attacking his own.
"GUILFORD!"
Bancroft's Gloucester dashed and lifted the golden lance in its hands to slash it vertically at his opponent.
Luke barely reacted to having his Gloucester lift the gold lance to stop the enemy's own. He had to admit, even while using the controls, holding the golden lance with the Gloucester's own hands felt almost heavy.
The metal spears scratched against one another, and there could be the sound of static sparks coming from the friction they created. Before long, the spears broke apart, and Luke quickly swerved to bring his lance back to make an upper cut that pushed the enemy Gloucester back.
"What is this...?"
"Huh?" Luke looked confused.
"Who are you?! You're not Sir Guilford! You're an imposter!"
G1 Base
"I don't understand! This doesn't make any sense!" Darlton roared.
"Why would Sir Guilford attack one of our own?!"
"He's betrayed us for the rebels?!"
"Bancroft confirmed that someone has taken his Knightmare!"
"That's absurd! How did that happen?!"
"Is Sir Guilford dead?"
"Cut that nonsense at once!" Darlton slammed his fist down on the map, and the look of fury on his face was enough to silence the bickering of the officers in the room. "We don't fully what's going on, but if any of you spout out more concerning Sir Guilford's survival, then I swear I…"
"ENOUGH, DARLTON!"
Every officer and knight in the room, be they Britannian or Imperial paused and looked to see rising from her throne, Princess Cornelia, with her very hardened look forming on her face and her eyes darkening into a hard glare.
"Prepare my Gloucester!" Cornelia ordered. "At once!"
"Your Highness," Darlton protested. "We can't afford to rush…"
"RUSH?!" Cornelia questioned with a growl. "Do not question if I am intending to act rashly, but I have had enough of whatever games Zero and his little band want pull when they have already been defeated."
Vader looked undeterred as the violet-haired woman fumed from the burning anger forming in her matching violet eyes to her gloved hands forming into tight fits.
She stomped heel on the floor.
"I am going out there… and I am going to finish this myself!"
(X)
Another clang came and an opening was made… just for when the gold lance launched and impaled through the Gloucester's neck
"Darghh!" Bancroft screamed inside.
Luke didn't stop as he lifted the Gloucester a few inches off the ground while he still impaled it. With a shove, he threw the Gloucester and rolled before it crashed against a ruined building.
"Damn it! Fall back!" Jeremiah growled as he zoomed his Sutherland back to avoid fire from the rebels Sutherlands spraying gunfire towards him.
"Hey…" The three Sutherlands paused when the Gloucester came up to them… and greeted them. "Everyone okay?"
"Luke?!" Han exclaimed.
"What?!" Lelouch almost leapt out of his seat.
"Luke, is that… you in there?" Leia called out, clearly shocked.
"You hear my voice, can't you?" Luke responded.
"What's going on?!" Lelouch said. "Luke, how… how… how in the hell did you manage to get ahold of Gloucester?!"
It was impossible! It should be… because Lelouch couldn't see the chances of Luke… by himself acquiring a higher-ranked Knightmare Frame… let alone what appeared to be… one from Cornelia's royal guard. Even Lelouch with his Geass… couldn't hope to…
Just how Luke alone… when he only had an ordinary Sutherland… managed to acquire… that?
Then came the sound of Luke giving a sigh. "It's… It's a long story…"
"You mind telling me, kid?" Han quipped. "I could go for one of those…"
Solo's talk was interrupted… when the four of them heard a crash of rubble.
"What is it? Reinforcements?" Luke said.
Lelouch turned Sutherland's gaze up, and he froze instantly the moment his sensors zoomed in… on the trace of origin.
"Lelouch, what is it?" Leia asked.
Lelouch couldn't respond… as his eyes widened… and could only look petrified upon what he was seeing.
"Wait… what is that?" Han's Sutherland's pointed its rifle in a direction upward.
Luke glanced in the direction… and he froze upon what he was seeing.
A block away from them. Standing on the top of collapsed building…
"It's another Knightmare!" Leia exclaimed.
"It looks far different than the ones we've seen so far!" Han said.
Luke could see the new Knightmare Frame clearly with his Gloucester's specs.
It was a Gloucester… the same type he had taken, yet its appearance was twinked with several differences.
It had the same shade of purple, yet it looked more vibrant. Its most notable feature was its head. Two long horns pointed outward on both sides. The chest plate had the golden sigil of Britannia, while the cape at its back was white instead of black. In its hand was another golden lance that was pointed to the ground.
"Cornelia…"
…
All three of the rebels paused when they heard that name escape Lelouch's lip on their line.
…
The new Gloucester suddenly moved.
The princess pounced from her position, before her knightmare jumped a short distance in the air before it descended and started scaling down the flat of the collapsed building; her knightmare's white cape blowing back violently.
She turned her screen to scan the four KMF targets in front of her. Three of them Sutherlands… but what her full attention was on… was the sight of Guilford's Gloucester.
Guilford's knightmare… which had been taken control… by them.
She felt an unsettling sound echo from her throat and she felt the adrenaline coming with the momentum rapidly building from the speed her Gloucester was building as it scaled down the ruined building…
…
Before it would jump to slam on the ground in front of the rebel knightmares… she pulled out her machine rifle in her Knightmare's left… pointed it towards the enemy Gloucester.
"I'VE FOUND YOU VERMIN!" The bullets repeatedly fired as Princess Cornelia li Britannia roared with all the fury and wrath a Goddess would bring about upon the battlefield.
And soon onward… to victory.
"NOW DIE!"
End of PART I
Alright, there is lot to unpack. There are some that remain similar from the previous, but it couldn't be more different, especially when deviated halfway through.
1. First, the scene with Cornelia, Vader, and their command discussing their next move which led to their attention on Saitama Ghetto. In here, Vader is the one deduce on the rebels' care for the Elevens/Japanese population due to their past actions, and goes to propose burning it. It's no different than how he dealt with targeting the innocent to draw out the Ghost Crew during his time on Lothal. He allows Cornelia to take control of the plan and only observes to test her... for now.
2. A big change was unlike the original chapter, Lelouch and the Millennium Falcon crew come together to go to Saitama Ghetto. The majority agreeing for the sake of collaborating with the Yamato Alliance to protect as many citizens as they can to prevent another one-sided massacre. However, Lelouch has his own agenda he would rather pursue himself.
3. The next big change was not having Luke act as a second distraction besides 'Zero' to get Cornelia's attention to allow Lelouch to secretly escape. Lelouch's act to disobey his comrade's pleads to break formation to go after Cornelia brings about consequences that affect the rest of this special. One where Luke still in his Sutherland was ready to attempt to give an opening for Lelouch, only to be spotted and chased by the Royal Guard.
4. Suzaku's call to Lelouch (just like in canon) I thought it served no other purpose other than just comedy between Suzaku, Shirley and Arthur, and it had no affect on what Lelouch was doing while he was going on with his reckless move against Cornelia. In here, Suzaku's call comes not during Lelouch blending in with Cornelia's retreat... but rather at the worst possible second... when he tries to quietly escape after his plan falls apart and when the Imperial Alliance becomes distracted. It was what caused Lelouch to be distracted for one moment for when Jeremiah and the stormtrooper spotted him trying to leave.
5. Luke's fight with Guilford. Yes, Luke unleashed a wave of the Force that caused Guilford's Gloucester to blow back and hit the ground, the force of the impact was enough to knock Guilford out in his cockpit. Even at this point, Luke still doesn't have complete control over the Force, and what he did was the accumulation of his stress and anger at being beaten by Guilford's Gloucester being superior to his ordinary Sutherland. Despite that, it doesn't stop Luke from carefully helping an unconscious Guilford safely, before taking his Gloucester. His first time using one, but far more effective and stronger than a Sutherland.
6. And it all leads to Goddess of Victory herself... especially with the compromise of her royal guard... to enter battlefield at last.
On the short side, you may have noticed that I omitted Ronnadam and Enric Pryde's roles in here.
You can say that last scene brings vibes from when Akito Hyuga was ambushed by Ashley Asura in Code Geass: Akito the Exiled.
It remains to be seen whether I may update Part II or Code Jedi Stage 26, you'll see.
Part II is set to be engaging... as it will be brutal and chaotic... far unlike before.
Thank you for reading, please review, and most of all...
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.