Throne of Glass
Part Two: To Wage a War
Here we are after barely surviving a hell of a semester. I had to put this on the back burner in order to power through combined with difficult work has been on top of that. But I don't go to class in the summer so you'll be seeing more of this.
Chapter 21: Opening Move
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Vermillion Forbidden City; 2017 ATB
There was no lavish throne room to receive him, no grand court room to hold an audience. No, the empress did not need such things. The High Eunuchs held their discussions in exquisite dining halls surrounded by feasts and servants. Indulging in their own pleasures as they casually discussed matters that would decide the lives of millions. Xingke had the misfortune at one time to sit in upon one of these 'feasts' as the Eunuchs had attempted to butter him and sway his loyalty to their own pockets. It was a time where his own power and influence had become something that could not be ignored any longer. He was so disgusted at the way it was conducted, what was to be a polite refusal morphed into an outright rejection that further wedged the stake between himself and the rest of the Chinese political spectrum. His steadfast loyalty to her majesty was the one thing keeping his head upon his shoulders that day and every one afterwards. Should he at any point seem to waver, he would likely be executed at a faux accusation of treason. Not that he ever intended to, but as long as the military and politicians-and by extension the people-knew of his commitment, it was the only thing keeping him alive despite his steadfast opposition against the Eunuchs. Removing him now would cause significant descent as suspicions of the Eunuchs own loyalty to the empress would become apparent to the entire Chinese Federation. The 'refined upper class' may all dance to the tune given to them, but the common people played no such games. The empress was a figurehead after all, one that was used for that specific purpose. Contradicting that purpose would prove to dismantle the entire hierarchy the Eunuchs constructed for themselves. Anarchy would ensue; or so he liked to believe. There were times when he was unsure if the Eunuchs ever followed that line of logic or simply tolerated him for what skills he provided. They would often use their sway over the empress to bend his knee; though he never acknowledged their authority, he had no choice but to obey their orders given by her lips.
This time however, he would be the one to use her. He pled forgiveness to every deity their was for what he was to do, but in the end he justified his reasons as excuse enough to follow through. He was to be honest with her, plainly telling her what he was to do. No lies, no deceit. He would not manipulate her as they did, it was for her sake.
Shaking away any doubt, he opened the door leading to her Majesty's chamber. Unlocked and unguarded, it was apparent how much care went into her safety. Tianzi sat alone in a chair with a book, reading on her own tales of the outside world she longed to see. Tutorship was another aspect neglected, they did not need an intelligent puppet. So he would deliver to her books and other such items to her liking, with vague promises that he would take her to see the places she read about. How he longed to fulfill such oaths, if only he could.
The young empress looked up as his footsteps reached her, and her face lit up upon seeing him. "Oh Xingke, how wonderful that you're here! I was reading about this incredible place where they have giant pyramids people made a really really long time ago!" She described to him in simple detail her discovery. "Do you think you could take me there some time, when I leave the city?"
Xingke gave the empress a sad smile, he would truthfully like nothing more than to fulfill her every whimsical request. Perhaps in the future their days would be filled with such wonders without worry, which was why he was determined to see this through now. Steeling his nerves his shook his head. "I'm afraid I've come with bad news your majesty. We've just received news that one of our allied territories is trying to rebel. It's called India, do you remember it?"
"Rebel, you mean they don't want to be our friends anymore?" She asked with a worried look. "But why?"
"The High Eunuchs haven't treated them very well Your Majesty, they're very important to our Federation, and build everything for our military." He explained. "But the High Eunuchs take what they make without giving them anything in return."
"That's not very nice of them." She pouted. "Can't you ask them nicely to come back?"
Xingke shook his head gently. "I'm sorry, but I don't think that's an option Your Majesty. They have a lot of weapons and won't listen to any peaceful arguments."
"But they're our friends right? I don't want to fight them!" The young empress protested.
"You don't have to fight them, I will do it for you." He offered. "I'll defeat their resistance and make sure they return to us."
"You can't be mean to them Xingke that won't solve anything!"
He blinked, surprised by her young wisdom. "Yes, you're right. I will do whatever I can to treat them fairly, and come to an equal agreement. But I have to beat them first, or they won't listen to anything we have to say."
She gave a reluctant pout, seeing there was nothing else to do. "Okay, but you have to promise to be nice to them after. We shouldn't be mean to our friends."
"I will, but I need you to send me there under your authority. That way the Eunuchs won't be able to punish them after." He explained to her. "They're going to demand that you recall me, but you gave to refuse them. Do you think you can do that?"
The girl nodded vigorously. "I won't let them get away with it anymore!"
He smiled at her enthusiasm. In truth obtaining her authority meant the Eunuchs would be unable to intervene with his campaign. Doing so would be in direct opposition to the empress, going with his earlier line of thought. So long as she didn't cave to their demands he would be free to retake India and follow her wishes of granting them amnesty. Just as he said the Indian government was treated horribly, given no due justice as vital members of the federation. They took virtually everything produced by India with nothing in return, calling it their payment for protection, like some kind of common thugs. Without the knightmares produced by them, and they're personal connection to Ashford, the Chinese Federation would fall hopelessly behind in the arms race against Britannia and the EU. Something like this was only bound to happen, and he was fortunate enough to be able to make something out of it. He still harbored suspicions over Allen's motivations in giving him this information. There was without a doubt something he was leaving out, something that boy wanted out of this. Was he really just in it for the business? Certainly not but then what?
Those eyes belonged to someone who had seen death. The one and only thing he could glean from that boy was that he was far from innocent. Cunning, vicious and ruthless. He could easily say those words defined the boy he now allied himself with. He understood far too much for someone his age, threw around heavy words so casually, and altogether held the mantle of his position as if he was born to do it. He was an enigma to say the least, one that could prove fatal if left unchecked. He had a distinct feeling Allen would devour him if he let his guard down. He had to be extremely careful these coming months.
He departed the empress' room with a firm reassurance that she was above them, and was more than capable of standing up to them. One good thing was certain however, this was an opportunity unlike any other.
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HBN Battleship Artemis; 2017 ATB
The fleet of half a dozen carriers shipping hundreds of knightmares moved slowly across the Indian Ocean, where they would deploy along the border of the Indian peninsula. An official declaration of war would be made only minutes before the land ships touched down. That was standard procedure, the empire's method of swift and decisive victory.
Lelouch stood beside Cornelia as a high profile VTOL made its descent onto the ship's helipad. He was told beforehand who would be coming but he still had a hard time holding his composure as he nervously awaited seeing her once again. The doors of the small airship opened, and out stepped the pink haired beauty he had not seen since she held him tightly that night seven years ago. Nunnally died that day, and he lost yet another beloved girl he called his sister.
"This is my younger sister Euphemia." The older princess introduced her to him, as the young woman gave him a bright smile that came close to making him crack. He should have seen this coming, better prepared himself to meet her again.
She took his hand in a welcome gesture. "You must be Allen, Cornelia has told me all about you." She said cheerfully.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness." He replied tentatively, bowing his head slightly.
"Please, just call me Euphy." She told him with a teasing smile.
He nearly choked at the request, every ounce of his concentration focused on maintaining a perfect appearance. "Of course...Euphy." Memories flooded through his mind he had thought long removed. Peaceful, innocent times.
Cornelia noticed the rather odd way he responded, but chose to blame it on her unreasonable request. The pinkette smiled radiantly, bringing only an empty pain to the one she did it for. Desperately, he cleared his mind of any thoughts of the past, instead turning to Cornelia. "Why don't we show her the plan we've come up with then?"
"Right, this isn't a vacation after all." The general replied.
"I already told you I know all that. I'd like to help in any way I can sister." Euphy insisted.
"For now you will be observing, but still it will be a valuable experience for you." Cornelia told her, leading them back into the ship and toward the bridge.
"Are you helping plan the invasion here Allen? Euphy asked as the three walked.
"I am. Since I know the area and what we're lonely to expect from India well." He replied smoothly, having regained his composure.
"This is going to be an interesting war to say the least. Never before has there been knightmare exclusive combat on such a scale." Cornelia commented as they reached the war table positioned in the middle of the bridge.
"Indeed, up until now it was a monumental advantage held by the empire. But now the playing field is even. Caution as well as strategy will be needed to secure victory before the Federation does. This will likely turn into a race to claim the most territory." Allen agreed as they came to look at the holographic map of India.
"We'll be landing here, pressing in with the fleet bombarding any defenses they are likely to have on the shoreline. We'll be met with their knightmares almost as soon as we get a foothold into their territory, and we'll have to fight in urban areas which will give both sides an advantage there." Cornelia pointed toward the capital New Dehli. "Our primary objective will be to take the capital, collapsing their chain of command. The faster we can reach it the less resistance we'll meet when claiming the most territory."
"Won't it be difficult to avoid Chinese forces since we don't want to enter conflict with them?" Euphy asked.
"Both sides won't be eager to engage each other. As much as the Federation won't be pleased with us laying claim to what was once there's they no longer have any rights to it. We're declaring war against India, taking their territory as we go. Unfortunately we'll have to stop anywhere they get to first." Allen explained. "With both superpowers closing in they won't last long, even with a substantial force of knightmares to defend with. They simply don't have the resources to keep up."
"I understand their reasons for declaring independence but they had to have seen this result coming." Cornelia added, frowning." Without a doubt they would have to fight to maintain freedom from the federation, but there's no way we would have stayed out of an opportunity like this."
"That's probably why they attempted to take me hostage." Allen said. "An Ill conceived notion but theoretically a high profile target could hold off an invasion."
"Truly they don't understand anything about Britannian culture to think that would work with anyone, let alone a mere noble. Besides they had to know how popular you actually are." Cornelia pointed out.
"Well he's popular enough that I've just been dying to meet him."
Lelouch quickly turned to the source of a new voice, seeing a slender woman dressed in a regal white suit covered in a light purple cape. Immediately upon seeing her he felt immense panic, more so than he had just moments before.
"Nonette, what on earth are you doing here?" the older princess exclaimed with a welcoming gesture. "How did you even get here without me knowing?"
The knight waved her hand dismissively. "I brought my knightmare over directly without going through any channels. I felt like surprising you is all."
Oh surprise him she did. Keeping his quickly growing anger in check Lelouch smoothed his expression into a more suitable one.
"His Majesty ordered me to assist with the campaign in any way I can. It was rather sudden, I didn't really have time to prepare or even properly inform you I'd be coming."
Why. Why the hell was this woman here?! It was impossible, there was no way that man knew. Was he suspicious of the circumstances? No, there was no way he'd ever give a damn about that, all he ever cared about was the results of his conquests. So why?!
The next thing he noticed was the face of the older woman examining his own within an uncomfortably close proximity. "Well aren't you a handsome thing." The knight smiled at him, a gleam in her eyes. Taken aback, he opted to reply with as much composure as he could on the spot.
"You're Nonette Enneagram, the knight of nine." He spoke to her flatly. "What an honor to have caught the interest of his Majesty's personal knight."
"Oh, the pleasure's all mine. You've been the talk of the town among the inner circles." Nonette replied. "Tell me, you didn't bring any special toys along with you did you?"
With a coy smile Lelouch shook his head. "I see where the interest really lies. Will we be arranging a show and tell?"
"Please do, I promise I won't disappoint." The knight said.
"Then the rumors about the excalibur project were more than accurate. I'll admit I have an interest." it was disturbing to him to think that Camelot hadn't fallen behind in the arms race to achieve functioning seventh generation prototypes. In the least, he may be able to get an accurate reading on their capabilities, and gage the strength of his foe's strongest pieces.
"There will be plenty of time for competition later." Cornelia interjected. "For now, we should focus on securing a proper foothold in India before we start playing games."
"Of course. Please, tell me how I may be of use." Nonette gave a playful bow. "Use me however you see fit."
Before they could go over any plans Lelouch's phone began to ring. Glancing at the caller, he narrowed his eyes.
"Excuse me a moment." He muttered. Good news seemed quite unlikely.
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Ashford Tower; 2017 ATB
The headquarters for the Ashford enterprises was frighteningly massive structure. Positioned on the outskirts of the city, it towered above all else in the Tokyo settlement. A woman stood at the foot of this skyscraper, she ran a hand through her snowy hair that matched the suit beneath her black cape.
Her orders came to deploy to Area Eleven less than twenty four hours ago, to provide aid in defending the area from increasingly threatening attacks from this masked 'Zero'. The man had apparently sent prince Clovis running with his tail between his legs, and now the only military force left was whatever Ashford had stored in the Tokyo Settlement. It was prudent for her to first assess what exactly that was she would be working with. She had no intention of commandeering the position nor did she really want to. But she felt it important to determine their competence nonetheless.
Walking through the front doors, she entered the immaculate reception halls that presented a marble statue of the late lady Marianne. This didn't come as a surprise to her, recalling the moment the empress' name was engraved into the legacy of the knightmare frame she helped to create. It did however serve to support her curiosities regarding the infamous Allen Ashford. She assumed however, that would have to wait.
She was met with understandable surprise by the receptionist she approached, who nonetheless greeted her with apt professionalism. "What can I do for you today Milady?" The woman asked with Japanese accented English. She chose one of the Eleven receptionists to simply see how well they performed. Ashford was notorious for providing numbers equal opportunity among their employment. Throwing any notions of superiority out the window.
"I would like to speak with Lord Ashford if at all possible. I understand I have arrived unannounced, but the matter is an urgent one." She spoke with poise worthy her station.
"My apologies, I suppose you haven't yet heard. Lord Ashford is away with princess Cornelia in preparation for her next campaign." The Eleven woman explained. This was of course something she was aware of, she again was curious to see what the response may have been. If someone like her was made aware of the young Lord's wearabouts or what she would tell a knight of the round.
"In that case could you please get me in touch with whoever was left in command of the defenses Ashford has stationed here?" This was her original intent, knowing going directly to the viceroy was a pointless endeavor.
"That would be Lady Stadtfeld milady. Let me see if she is available at the moment." The secretary told her. That was a name she was unfamiliar with. She assumed beforehand there wasn't anyone employed under Ashford she would know. As with this eleven secretary those Ashford hires weren't individuals of noble birth or well known history. Nepotism was common place in the homeland and many positions of power were long held by more frequent names appearing throughout imperial history. That practice went through the same window as well, along with any arguement they might have posed to the enterprise.
"Lady Stadfeld, the knight of five, Lady Strauss would like to speak with you." She heard the woman speak over a phone. She was impressed this number knew exactly who she was, rather than merely recognizing the uniform she wore. There wasn't a soul in the empire who was not struck with in the least awe if not fear upon seeing the outfit belonging to the empire's strongest. Despite that many would be found to actually be unable to properly identify each of them save perhaps Bismarck Waldstein.
"Yes that's correct, shall I send her to to you milady?" Emelia wished she was able to see for herself this woman's reaction to her presence, as a means to properly gauge how she was going to be received here. Nobody liked someone looking over their shoulder, more so when they had something to hide. Indeed her mission was to ascertain the situation here and provide assistance where needed, but on top of that the knight of one himself told her to monitor their actions closely. It was no secret that many despised the outcast prodigal nobles but that alone wasn't enough to accuse them of such slanders like treason. That being said even the knight herself harbored curiosity as to the intentions behind the actions the young Allen took.
"Please follow me, Lady Strauss." The eleven woman led her to one of the elevators lining the exterior of the tower, it's glass exterior giving her a remarkable view of the settlement as they ascended up the building. Upon reaching their desired floor the doors opened into a long hall with a pleasant ding.
"Lady Stadtfeld is located in the room furthest down the hall. Please excuse me." Stepping out of the elevator, it's doors closed behind her leaving the knight alone. Silently, she took in the empty hallway with its various office doors. She stepped further down, noticing there was another Stadtfeld name belonging to one office next to her destination. The room at the end of the hall too bore the name she was looking for, promoting her to knock on the expensive wooden door. She heard muffled noises from the other side before a faint voice told her to enter. Emilia pushed the door open, showing no outward signs of surprise when she was greeted by a redhead teenager. She extended a gloved hand to the young woman. "I am Emilia Strauss, knight of five in service to his majesty."
The other woman took her hand in a firm grasp. "Kallen Stadtfeld. At the moment, I'm the one in command of Ashford Tower."
"Then allow me to provide you my service as offered by the homeland." The knight replied. "Regretfully, our empire is spread rather thin, as I'm sure you're aware princess Cornelia has been redirected from her intentions of coming here personally. However I promise you will find me adequate."
Kallen nodded to her offer. "Thank you, Lady Strauss. But wouldn't it have been more proper to seek out the viceroy?"
With a keen smile, the older woman answered. "Between you and I there is really no purpose in doing so. I understand you have knightmares in place across the settlement to make up the deficiency left by his highness'...blunder, in the ghettos."
"That's correct, we have a strong perimeter across Tokyo and are in the process of reclaiming key areas outside it's borders. The Black Knights have pressured us out of many areas, and even the Fuji mines have been under threat of attacks recently without their original defenses in place." Kallen explained.
"I see, it may be worse than I realized. Ashford has many facilities outside the settlement correct? Hiw have those fared throughout all this?" She asked.
"Zero seems to target government owned stations, and has largely left alone our assets. Allen assumes this is actually because of the eleven population present there. Places like the redevelopment areas are incredibly safe since he believes the Black Knights would lose significant face by 'reclaiming' them from us." The redhead continued. "The only concern we have is the safety of our own sakuradite mines. Fuji is built like a fortress, daunting in its own right without a garrison of knightmares stationed. But such protections are not in place there."
"Have you had any mentionable clashes with them in recent times? After the encounter in Shinjuku." She asked.
Kallen shook her head. "There have been a few reports of sightings, but they have been noticeably less aggressive since then. We believe They are trying to gauge our strength before making any moves at this point."
Emilia nodded in agreement. "That would seem plausible, I imagine you've taken this time to bolster that strength?"
"We've been working overtime fielding as many frames as possible, getting as many pilots ready as possible." The young woman's face suddenly lit. "Why don't I give you a tour of our hangars down below to give you an idea of what we have ready here?"
"That is an excellent idea." Moreso, she wanted to see for herself what kind of power Ashford possessed. And for what reasons they conserved such military might.
The white haired knight followed Kallen back the way she came, to the elevator where she swiped a key card that lit up more than half the previously locked floor buttons. "Many small businesses owned by Ashford have offices in the tower, so we need to keep civilian and military matters strictly separate." The redhead explained.
"I've heard you have an extensive hand in the economy here in Area Eleven." She commented.
"Yes, we have started up many small businesses to revitalize the eleven population, even outside hiring directly under the enterprise. Allen sees much unused potential in the numbers and hopes his success with demonstrate the capability to other areas."
There was some concern there to her, that not only was Ashford incredibly well armed but they had a powerful grip on the economic side of the area. Outside the other nobles and internal government they practically owned Area Eleven. In was obvious that Britannians were heavily outnumbered by the eleven population in the country. The fact that Ashford tapped into that resource and held what could only be called a monopoly on it was something to consider. No one really cared that much considering they called elevens worthless subhumans not worth the time of day. Which was why Ashford got away with it as they did. One man's trash was another's treasure, if you could call people as such. However, another thing the other woman said stuck out to her. "You seem rather close to Lord Ashford, Lady Stadtfeld."
With a barely noticeable tinge to her face the redhead looked away. "Well, I met him at the academy a couple years ago. I really only know him as Allen."
The knight gave a small smile. "And what about you? I mean no offense but you look quite young to be in charge here."
"Allen places responsibility in those he deems capable of producing the desired results. He doesn't care what kind of person they are or where they came from." Kallen defended herself. "I know I don't look it but I am quite capable."
Emilia chuckled. "I don't doubt it, given what I've seen." After a moment, she continued. "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of person would you say Lord Ashford is?"
Kallen tilted her head, appearing in thought. "I'd say his actions show pretty well what you can expect from him. Simply put, he wants to make life better for an many people as he can. That's why he puts such an effort into the restoration zones and the like."
Perhaps that was the reason for such actions. Rather, she wanted to believe it was that noble. But there were many dangerous flags that Warner her he wasn't all that innocent.
"He hasn't told me as much, but I think the reason he does all that is because he doesn't want anyone to go through what he did. No one except Ruben knows exactly what he went through in the past, though it's easy to guess he's probably a war orphan." Kallen continued.
That much made some sense. It was strange that someone who had reasons to despise war was so readily advocating it.
"He's doing what he believes is right, that much I can admire." The younger woman finished.
Once again the elevator gave a ding as they arrived at an expansive sub level hangar. Immediately Emilia was taken aback by what she saw: rows upon rows of neatly maintained Marianne frames.
"Impressive isn't it? We have just over two hundred Mariannes and half as many old Ganymedes. Although we only have enough pilots to field about a hundred total. We've been working to assimilate the remnants of the garrison units and get as many as we can through basic training." Kallen explained as they walked down the suspended walkway
Impressive indeed. To think Ashford possessed the equivalent of an entire military battalion that answered outside the imperial hierarchy. It was a frightening thought.
They then came across another more interesting looking machine. It's sleek red design unlike anything she had seen before. "And what's this one?" The knight asked.
"A seventh generation prototype: The Guren Mk II." Kallen answered proudly. "This one, is mine."
"You're its pilot?" She reacted, the meaning of that not lost to her. It took incredible skill and talent to be able to pilot such a prototype. This woman could very well have been another knight of the round had circumstances been different. She suddenly lost interest in the young Allen at the thought.
"I told you I'm quite capable, didn't I?" The redhead smirked.
"Yes, I suppose you did." Still, she had to admit the knightmare matched her exceptionally well. Her attention was drawn to the peculiar silver arm at its side, standing out from rest of the crimson frame. She had to wonder what this menacing looking weapon was capable of.
"Well, it appears my fears were unwarranted, it seems this area in in good hands." Emilia concluded, nodding in acknowledgment. "His majesty has no intention of forcing this danger upon you alone however; please allow me to serve as at least a deterrent to the enemies present here. Should it be necessary I too shall join the frontline. If needed I am also well versed in military tactics, so use me as you see fit."
"Thank you, I'm sure you'll be a great help." Kallen replied, this time offering her hand. "Oh, have you made any arrangements for your stay in Area Eleven?"
"No, I haven't. I only received orders to come here less than a day ago." She answered.
"In that case why not stay here in the tower? It was going to be a hotel initially, so there are plenty of rooms available. I myself stay at the mansion." The redhead offered.
She shook her head. "I appreciate that, but I wouldn't want to intrude-"
"Nonsense, like I said there's plenty of room here for you. Besides, you'll be close on hand if something comes up right?" She added.
"I guess that's true. If you insist than I shall." Emilia relented.
Kallen smiled. "Great, then I'll have miss Shinozaki here have you set up."
She felt urgently aware of another presence behind her, and with great effort prevented herself from shrieking in terror at the unnerving proximity of the eleven woman who had before then been nowhere in sight.
"That...is something you never get used to." Kallen commented apologetically.
The maid bowed deeply. "My apologies, Milady."
"No...that's quite remarkable I think." Getting over her initial shock at least, there appeared to be another talented individual to meet today. "Are you well trained in that art?"
"I am the last of the Shinozaki clan that was in service to the Kururugi family some years ago. I fell into service of Master Allen, its because of him my family dojo still exists. We practice Shinobi arts, what you might call stealth, or perhaps assassination might be more fitting."
An involuntary shudder ran down the knight's back. Well trained indeed.
"Why don't you come to the mansion tonight for dinner, and we can discuss more in detail then? I have some things I need to take care of before I can leave." Kallen offered to break the tension.
"That's an excellent idea, Lady Stadtfeld." Emilia agreed.
"Call me Kallen, I've never been a fan of formalities." She said with a smile.
"Very well, you may address me as Emilia if you please." The knight agreed. She had no issue relieving formal titles among equals. She found she would likely greatly respect this young woman as well.
"Come with me, Milady." The maid beckoned.
Kallen watched Sayoko guide the white haired knight away until they were out of sight. The moment they were she deflated like a balloon, letting out a long and shaky breath. Acting was hard, she did not give Lelouch enough credit. Still, this was hardly the time to pat herself on the back. Calming herself, Kallen pulled out her phone to contact Lelouch, he would need to know immediately. It rang for a while, she guessed he might need to slip away from whatever he was doing.
"Yes?" Came his voice.
"I just had a lengthy conversation with the knight of five." She told him.
Kallen could practically hear his anger at the news, though he remained silent. "So he sent one there to then? That can't be a coincidence."
"There's a knight there too?" She exclaimed. "She said she was ordered here to help protect the area."
"As was Nonette ordered here to aid in the campaign. I really don't like these two showing up at once." Lelouch added a sigh of frustration.
"I gave her a tour of the lower hangar with the Guren and all that, and convinced her to stay here at the tower." She added.
"That's good, you'll need to keep a strict eye on her at all times, probably personally. I hate to make you babysit this unwanted guest but we cannot have her snooping around where she doesn't belong. I don't know much about Strauss, she was appointed a couple years ago, long after I left the homeland. I can't really give you advice there on how to deal with her."
"I think I can manage." She answered confidently. "I think she brought her knightmare along with her. I think I'll have Lloyd or Rakshata take a look at it if we get the chance."
"It's alarming these prototypes popped up without me so much as hearing a word about their development progress. I have no idea how many of them are operational, though it's safe to say Bismarck has one at least but I doubt there's only three." He fell into thought for a moment. "Find out how powerful it is, maybe challenge her to a friendly bout if the opportunity presents itself, I plan to do the same thing here. These are likely the most dangerous opponents our enemies possess, in the least we can use this drawback as a means to gauge their aces, and very likely take them out early if possible."
"Right, I scheduled dinner with her later tonight, I'll see what more I can find out then." She confirmed.
"Good. I have to go now, I can't stay away for much longer. I know you can handle this Kallen, you have my complete trust."
"T-thank you." She replied. "Good luck over there."
"You as well." He finished, hanging up and leaving her in silence. She looked up at the magnificent red knightmare that she still stood in front of. He trusted her enough with this position, and this weapon as well. Kallen nodded to herself, she had her work cut out for her, but she was ready.
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Undisclosed Location, India; 2017 ATB
Kaguya watched with an expressionless face as the last of the large, unmarked storage units were loaded off a submarine and into the docking bay. A few of them were in the process of being opened, allowing her to to gaze upon the beautifully lethal design of the Templar knightmare frame. Engineers may argue the technicalities of the knightmare history stating otherwise, but this could certainly be called a sixth generation frame. A cut above anything else before it, the average devicer wa unable to handle it, yet it wasn't quite up to specs with the seventh generation frames. Whereas the Marianne was built to perform any and all tasks required of it, the Templar was designed with a singular purpose in mind: to annihilate other knightmare frames. Incredible maneuverability surpassing anything else, streamlined melee weaponry to swiftly eliminate in close quarters, and gefjun enhanced slash harkens to disable foes at a distance with well placed shots. Once Lelouch got ahold of the technology he went to town developing it anywhere he could. The initial disturber field to bullets, mines, and now the knightmare's core weapon. The Templar even abandoned standard armor that was initially in place to withstand AP shells from tanks and stationary weapons, as Britannia had before now only had such worries. Blaze Luminous shields brought about by Asplund were a far superior in defense, and were now powered by a separate energy filler system. These frames were much more expensive to produce, and only numbered a couple dozen, but they would soon prove to be worth more than their share of any other model. Their job here was to make Cornelia and Xingke's progress as slow and painful as possible. The first field test of the Templar was sure to be a slaughter.
One of her officers stopped beside her, bowing deeply. "Lady Kaguya, our patrol units have spotted the Chinese forces approaching."
She nodded in acknowledgment. "Right then, let's prepare to deploy immediately."
Lelouch had gone through the trouble to set this stage, and it was time to play her part.
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HBN Battleship Artemis; 2017 ATB
A satisfied smile found its way to Lelouch's lips as he watched from the safety of the ship's bridge. Hundreds of helicarriers flooded the skies in a scene similar to the one burned into his memory from years ago. How good it felt to be standing here instead. He had long awaited this day, and now the time had come to make the opening move. The board was set, every piece put meticulously in place. Even a few extra alien knights meant nothing to his play. Victory was already his, he made sure of it.
The words he was waiting to hear were finally spoken and all hell broke loose.
From beside him, Cornelia extended her arm. "All units, deploy!"
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So I watched Lelouch of the Resurrection. And I have to say i did enjoy it. To say the least it wasn't the dumpster fire of a cash grab people feared it would be two years ago. And thank od it didn't use the same awful cgi Akito did. In short, everything I found disappointing would have been resolved had it been longer than two hours. I wanted to see how the characters reacted and treated lelouch following the ending but it seemed that character development and actual dialogue between them took a backseat to advancing the plot of the movie. The actual plot itself wasn't bad either, and they did expand on the lore along with it, but most of it was glossed over and left to the imagination of the viewer because they simply didn't have enough time to really explain it. Whatever the hell Shamna was trying to do or exactly why she needed Nunnally was vague and left to interpretation. You can assume she and that other dude with geass whose name I didn't bother to remember obtained their geass from V.V. but only because there aren't any other options. But if so they had to have relations to the geass order but it sounded like it went back centuries which overshoots V.V.'s age.
I did like it, and hope that last scene does mean more in the future.