A/N: Special thanks to to Jameyofthemegacosmos, Icysnowsage, Darklord331, and our Gundam consultant and designer Redrat8. Greatkingrat88, and Seerking have also contributed to the development of this story. I had begun in-between projects since early last year.
For this chapter a REALLY big special thanks to Greatkingrat88 and Silkdreamweaver for their double beta work on this chapter to polish what I feel is probably one of my best character interaction chapters I've made. And I owe it to them for really polishing and enhancing it, since my biggest worry with this chapter it be too dull and I worried some might find Lelouch and some of the characters out of character, so I took no chances and went the extra with the double beta work. So this character should see some interesting developments for Lelouch and Yui.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, left a favorite and a couple follows, they are greatly appreciated and always encouraging.
Now on with the chapter, with anonymous reviews replies at the very end of the chapter, after this chapter's specs and author notes.
Chapter 13
Beached
It was September 19th, two days after Lelouch and his newly formed squadron had successfully passed their Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. Following this, Lelouch had been informed of a tradition regarding the successful passing of the exam, and it had him wishing he was still on that island.
"Come on Lelouch, everyone is waiting for you," Aki said, knocking on the door to the wooden hut Lelouch was inside of. "No need to be shy. Most guys would kill to be in your position, you know."
"Maybe, but…"
"No buts. You are changed, right?"
"Yes. I am," Lelouch said, taking a deep breath. There was just no hiding from it. With a sigh of resignation, Lelouch stepped out with a blue towel draped over his shoulder. He used one hand to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight. Before him was a clear blue sky, water and sand. As it turned out, when a training class completed their exam successfully, they celebrated with a day at the beach.
The beach was located on Hachijo Island, south of the island they were on for the exam. Yui and her friends had been brought to the island to take part in the celebration, taking a break from training with their Gundams and aiding the Japanese Effort to keep the BETA in check.
"About time he joined," Tsukiko said as she watched her superior emerge from the changing hut. She sat under an umbrella, wearing a white two-piece swimsuit. "What is it, sir? Do we ladies make you nervous?"
"Well, he is the only guy, so maybe he is just feeling like the odd man out," Yuzuka said. She herself was wearing a two-piece swimsuit with black straps and reflective colors. Aki grinned, seemingly enjoying his nervousness as he could feel the eyes of the women surrounding him. Lelouch was just thankful that Milly Ashford wasn't around. She would never have allowed Lelouch to live it down, no doubt delighting in his misery. All these women, teasing him…
For her swimsuit, Aki was wearing a simple black swimming bra with matching swim shorts.
"Come on Lelouch, let's race. This is a good chance to see how much tougher you've become since basic training." Aki took Lelouch's hands and tried to drag him towards the water.
"May I join you?" Kazusa asked, approaching them in a dark blue one-piece swimsuit.
"Sure, the more the merrier," Aki replied, still dragging an unwilling Lelouch. Yuzuka followed, her expression a mixture of worry and annoyance.
Marimo watched Lelouch be pulled into a swimming contest. She was wearing a light green two-piece swimsuit. Next to her was Michiru Isumi, who wore her own black two-piece swimsuit, which like her former instructor didn't leave much to the imagination.
"These celebrations never get old," Marimo commented. She was smiling, quietly enjoying Lelouch's awkwardness.
"At least this one is likely to be more tame than ours," Michiru remarked.
"Oh, yes, I recall Tsukiko being more of a handful back then," Marimo said. "It seems she still has a bit of that aggressive streak in her, but she has mellowed out more."
"Yes. In a strange way, I am glad she came back. I know the loss of Sonoko hit her pretty hard, given how close they were," Michru said, recalling when Tsukiko dropped out of the military.
Tsukiko and Sonoko had been close; in fact Michiru had noticed the two spent a fair number of nights together. One night, she thought that she had caught the two in a very intimate moment with one another, but it wasn't what she thought it was to her embarrassment. Instead she had caught them with smuggled rations. The two played it off as nothing more was happening between them, but their closeness was obvious. Michiru, for a while, suspected something was happening behind closed doors. Such things were hardly uncommon among TSF pilots, given the stress and trauma they endured. Seeking comfort in one another was one of many coping mechanisms, something their superiors would turn a blind eye to as long as they were still fit to fight. Given how strongly Tsukiko grieved when Sonoko passed, it became clear to Michiru that the two had been romantically involved.
I guess that makes these traditional celebrations more precious, she thought. Haruka, Asagi, Yuzuka and Haruko will be going into real combat soon. I just hope Lelouch and their new machines will break the cycle of new squadrons never surviving their first sortie, Michiru hoped that the new pilots in Lelouch's squad wouldn't suffer through the same sorrows.
This gave the exam completion celebrations a dark undercurrent: congratulations on passing and becoming true pilots as your first battle could be your last.
Unaware of the pessimistic thoughts swirling in the mind of Michiru, Lelouch, Yuzuka, Aki and Kazusa finished their race. Lelouch had actually managed to finish ahead of Aki, while Kazusa had beaten both of them. Yuzuka had been following Lelouch, beating Aki as well, leaving the girl in shock.
"Kazusa I could understand, but how did I lose to Lelouch? He was so skinny," Aki pouted before turning to the man in question. "No offense."
"None taken," Lelouch replied.
"You can probably thank the Major for the improvement," Yuzuka said matter-of-factly. "A woman who can knock you flat on your face with one punch and threatens you with an electric cattle prod would motivate anyone to be the very best they can be during training."
"Her efforts do show," Kazusa said, placing her hand on her chin as she eyed Lelouch.
Lelouch was still relatively lean and scrawny, but now bore more visible muscular definition as he had filled out. He no longer looked quite like a human noodle. Claude's concoctions and Marimo's intense and hellish training had clearly worked.
"I suppose you can't really tell when he is wearing clothes," Aki replied, suddenly feeling better about losing to Lelouch and Yuzuka.
Yui sat off to the side on a towel, watching Lelouch, Yuzuka, Aki, and Kazusa. She wore a two piece yellow swimsuit. Izumi sat next to her, reading a book as she wore a white one-piece swimsuit.
"If you are worried about Lelouch, why not join them?" Izumi did not even look up from her book, but noticed Yui's concern.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Yui said, caught off guard.
"Don't think I didn't notice." Izumi finally looked up from her book, giving Yui an exasperated look.
"I-" Yui stuttered, surprised. "What are you implying!?"
"Stop lying. It's obvious that you have a crush on Lelouch. Can't blame you for it, though. He's a nice enough guy."
Yui opened her mouth to protest, but had no words. She closed it again, embarrassed.
"I don't know if it's because you are afraid of your own feelings, but if you are bothered by him being with other girls, then you need to speak up. If you don't do anything, he might slip away," Izumi explained as she shrugged.
Kasuza, standing a couple yards off, noticed their conversation and wondered what they were talking about. She had her suspicions, especially given Yui's expression, and she wondered if she shouldn't go speak with her.
"Hey Kazusa, how about a new race?" It was Aki, interrupting her train of thought.
"Uh sure," Kazusa replied, noticing a reluctant Lelouch once again being dragged into it.
As Michiru went over to check on the preparation of the grill for lunch, Michiru noticed that Marimo, her former instructor, had the beginnings of bags forming under her eyes.
"Are you sure that you're getting enough sleep?" Michiru asked worriedly. "It looks like you've been doing all nighters."
"I appreciate the concern," Marimo assured. "Whatever sludge that woman stuffed in me sure works its magic so there's nothing for you to worry about."
"Sludge?" Michiru questioned. Knowing her former instructor won't divulge anything, she decided to let it slide. She faced the parasol topwise once more. "Just don't blame me if you end up in the infirmary due to insomnia. Speaking of which, I understand that there is a new ship waiting for Lelouch when he sets off with our fellow Eishi to other worlds."
"That's a problem," Marimo sighed, closing her eyes.
"What is? Is it about our people leaving our world?"
"Perhaps. If they are needed at a critical time we can easily report them as being assigned abroad until that becomes a concern. Like all ships and military units, Lelouch will need personnel who can cover various roles. Maintenance crews for the TSFs, navigators, engineers, doctors."
"Doctors, that's going to be the difficult one to fill," Michiru agreed, which didn't surprise Marimo. "So far, we haven't found anyone available- or rather, no one is willing to volunteer. The invasion and the damage it has done to Japan has left hospitals overwhelmed. Any doctor we could ask has had their hands full."
"That busty woman of a time traveler claims she has a medical license," Marimo muttered grudgingly. "Though I hope we can find someone more… compatible with the crew's tastes."
An unexpected, ear-splitting shout came from above everyone.
"BIG, FANSERVICEY, TIME-TRAVELLING GODDESS COMING THROUGH!"
Falling from the sky was Claude. She seemed naked at first, but as she neared the ground she slowed down before she gracefully landed on her feet in the water near the shore. With the water only coming up to her thighs everyone could now see the swimsuit she was wearing. Everyone internally groaned from Claude's arrival and the swimsuit she chose to wear, if it could even be called one. It was a two piece swimsuit that was a size too small, as the straps looked on the verge of snapping and the fabric barely covered anything.
That woman has no modesty or any sense of shame, does she? Marimo sighed, unphased by her attempt at a theatrical entry.
"Speak of the devil."
"Uuuuh…" Claude rose from the water. "That was quite anticlimactic. I thought I'd scare at least one or two of you."
"I… think your presence is becoming more of a common occurrence here," Yui looked at some of her friends. She found Shamiko shaking, Kasuza facepalming herself, and Aki throwing her arms up.
You just killed the festive mood everyone had, Lelouch thought.
"Perhaps we should go elsewhere for now," Haruka suggested approaching Lelouch and his group with Yuzuka and Haruko behind her.
Haruka wore a white, flirrely, two piece swimsuit. It stood in contrast to Haruko's strapless, blue, two piece.
"I get the feeling this is going to get messy," Haruko commented, something that everyone within earshot silently agreed with.
"Right, let's go before-" Lelouch began before Claude appeared behind him and threw an arm over his shoulder. Inwardly, he cursed her supernatural speed.
"Well, well, congratulations are indeed in order," Claude said pridefully. "You know, I was worried you weren't going to make it through training even with my support. When I first picked you up, you couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag, but you not only pulled it off, you even overcame the heightened difficulty thrown at you."
"No need to compliment me," Lelouch looked to the side.
"Oh, you should be happier than that. Especially since you are the only guy on a beach with beautiful girls all around you," Claude patted Lelouch's shoulder. "If you were a couple years older, I would do something special for you, but instead I suppose I got some good news… along with some bad news to share with you."
"What's the good news?" Lelouch asked hesitantly.
"Good news is, the Shogun and I have solved the crew problem for your new ship," Claude replied cheerfully. "There was a problem finding people to fill the necessary positions for running it. With the invasion and the heavy casualties, the Empire has been very short handed on people they can spare."
"Understandable," Lelouch said.
"We had to outsource a chief engineer from another country to complete the staffing of the ship. Thankfully the Shogun has reached an agreement with Australia, who is sending a prodigy engineer from the Australian Defence Forces. It's part of a united defense deal," Claude explained.
"Okay, so what's the bad news?"
"Bad news, you will have to take a different ship!"
"What?" Lelouch blinked with surprise.
"Yup, I am afraid I had to give your ship for Yui's cousin Kyoko to use. You see, there was a BETA invasion happening at the Suez Canal, and if they invade Africa then the vast majority of the food supplied for Earth is at serious risk," Claude answered.
"Why Africa? She's still needed in Japan," Kazusa stated, shocked by the news.
"Because the United States has been planning to pull their forces out," Claude started to explain. "They've been influenced by their worries about the loss of Africia to the BETA, which currently is still home to millions of refugees from across Europe and Asia. Losing Africa would be seen as a far bigger blow than losing Japan would. Fortunately, the Shogun has proven to be quite sly. Given how effective the Gundams have been against the BETA, Kyoko was sent with her own forces using the new Minamoto units and the Takarabune; she has already slain a few of the BETA's formations since arriving," Claude said with a big grin. "I think the crew really love using the Positron Blaster Cannon against the BETA. The armor combined with its shields have reduced damage from the Laser-class BETA so much, they might as well be throwing ping-pong balls at it."
"Just how much of a kill count are we talking about?" Aki asked, listening in awe.
"Hundreds at least. I don't have an update to date on the kill count of what Lady Kyoko and her group has racked up, but I will say it stunned everyone on the international stage and guilt tripped the Americans. Their continued help per the treaty is ensured and they were being… convinced to be nicer to Japan since they got so many nice new weapons, thanks to me," Claude replied with a smug grin.
"The Shogun is taking full advantage of the situation," Lelouch deduced with one hand on his chin.
"You bet she is. The Shogun has other countries throwing themselves at her feet, completely ignoring the Prime Minister who is supposed to be the official leader of Japan. In fact, I'd say the Shogun is no longer a figurehead. She now has political influence on par with the Prime Minister since he was originally against developing the Gundams. Boy is he feeling ashamed right now," Claude laughed.
Lelouch sighed. This would complicate things.
"Come, Lelouch," Kazusa said, taking hold of his right arm. "Perhaps we should move away from Claude."
"Yes please," Lelouch accepted Kazusa's offer.
"Man, how did Lelouch and Yui survive months in some space alone with that woman?" Aki said, watching Claude as she was lost in her own world.
Moving further down the beach, Kazusa and Lelouch stopped when they were far enough away from Claude, where the two could talk in peace.
"I hope you don't mind, but I wanted to take this chance to speak to you more privately," said Kazusa.
"Not at all. What is on your mind?" Lelouch asked as Kazusa led him under the shade of a palm tree. She took a seat on the ground and leaned her back against its trunk. Lelouch sat to Kazusa's right, both facing towards the sea.
"I wanted to apologize about what happened in Kyoto. I helped you perform a mercy kill for our commanding officer," Kazusa said with a saddened expression.
"There's nothing to apologize for. If anything, I should apologize for being unable to do it myself," Lelouch admitted.
"There is nothing wrong with that. Taking the life of an ally, even to spare them from suffering, is not something easily done." Kazusa placed a hand on Lelouch's shoulder. "My father once told me how he had to kill his best friend to prevent him from being eaten alive. It simply wasn't possible to save him. It was the best thing he could have done for him, but it still haunts his nightmares. To hesitate on pulling the trigger… it only makes you human, Lelouch."
"Is that why he was so strict with preparing you for life as a pilot?"
"Yes. It was a good decision," Kazusa said with a smile. "He prayed I would never be faced with something that horrible, so he made me take my training seriously and ensured I would demand the same from my fellow teammates."
"I take it that doesn't happen a lot?"
"Thankfully, no, as far as I am aware," Kazusa admitted. "I can't even imagine Yui being able to do it, especially if she lost everyone else before my own death came for me."
"There is simply no way she could've done it. She sees you as her best friend."
"I suppose," Kazusa commented, deep in thought.
"What do you mean, 'I suppose'?"
"Yui told you we became friends after she bested me, right?"
"She did mention that, yes."
"What else did she say?"
"Not much, but she holds you in very high regard. She admires you."
Kazusa smiled, "Is that so? I guess I had viewed her with a level of disdain when we first met. How much did she tell you about her own House?"
"Very little," Lelouch admitted.
"Are you aware of how ranks among the Samurai Families were chosen?"
"Not too much?"
"Well," Kazusa began, speaking with confidence of a teacher, "First, I should explain that the ranks of the Royal Guard belonging to the households that make it up are decided by those who sided with Tokugawa before and during the Battle of Sekigahara. Those families who didn't join, but were spared by Tokugawa afterwards, became Tozama ranked families, the lowest ranked. Others who joined Tokugawa and were related to him would become Fudai ranked households, below the Regent Families with only the Shogun, chosen among the five regent families above them."
"I see. So you, Aki, Izumi, and Shimako's families are from Tozama Families?"
Nobility. Hierarchy. Positioning. It's all too familiar, isn't it? Lelouch thought. Something must have shown on Lelouch's face, as she replied, "Correct. You take issue with this?"
"You could say that. Is it safe for me to assume that the ranks are fixed with no way of advancement, over something your ancestors did a long time ago?" Lelouch asked. Kazusa nodded in confirmation. "It is… outdated. Medieval. At least in Britannia you could strive for a higher rank, but in this system? It's a waste of talent. It's unfair and ineffective."
Kazusa shrugged, and sighed. "I guess it is. I mean- yes, of course it is. It's just… it is what it is, you know? I can't change it. I can only make the best of what I've got. Besides, it's not all that bad. There was a system for advancement in place until the end of the Second World War. Although, only a few families had the opportunity to advance their rank. One of them was the Takamura Family. They were a family of skilled swordsmiths who in generations since became engineers developing weapons. Japan was losing such talented families frustrated by being restrained by such rules left to strike out on their own, so to prevent the loss of any more of them, the Takamura Family was elevated to a Fudai house," Kazusa explained.
"I see, so it had nothing to do with the work of Yui's father," Lelouch commented. He remembered that Yui's father was the main developer behind the Zuikaku and is implied to have been one of the creators of the Type-74 PB Blade.
"No, but his work certainly improved the family's standing. This rise did cause some discontent among the lower-classed samurai families, which persisted until Takamura Masatada became the new head of the family. Even then, some unpleasant rumors and slander continued, which worsened when Yui was made the next heir to the family name," Kazusa said.
"Because males are usually successors instead of women. Barring a few obvious exceptions," Lelouch deduced, thinking of Kyoko and Yuuhi.
"That's right. Lady Takatsukasa was first to defy tradition by becoming the new head of the Takatsukasa Family. She faced a lot of hardship for it, but she has managed to keep defying everyone's expectations," Kazusa said, admiration filling her voice.
"I can't even begin to imagine what she endured. It only makes her accomplishments all the more impressive. I can see why both you and Yui look up to her." Lelouch nodded. "My own mother was born a commoner and she would be the first of non-noble birth to obtain the rank of the Knight of the Round and then she would become Empress, all before she was eighteen."
"I take it she too faced slander, resentment and envy?"
"Naturally. Even my sister and I weren't exempt from it. I remember one of the Emperor's other consorts harassed my sister, breaking a new doll our mother gave her." Lelouch began smiling. "Of course, our mother showed up and threatened that consort with violence in the sweetest way possible, while carrying a sword at her hip. The woman quickly folded and ran away like a coward."
Kazusa couldn't help but chuckle. "It seems like she handled it well," Kazusa complimented.
"Yes, she did," Lelouch said wistfully, but suddenly he looked down at the ground.
"I suppose it just means Yui and I can relate," Kazusa commented, gazing out to sea. "Now that you know more about the households and their rankings, I can explain our houses and why Yui admired me as much as she did. As I told you, House Takamura faced slander and accusations from the lower houses because of their ascension in rank."
"I would expect no less."
"My house also faced similar slander," Kazusa began. "We have a very dedicated military background. Every member has served in the Royal Guard in one form or another. We also enjoyed wealth from our family businesses, both the manufacture of TSF parts and the mining of the raw materials to make them. This also Includes weapons, from pistols to assault rifles used by the army. Our long generations of military experience, as you can imagine, has made my family distinguished as pilots and consultants."
"Why was this a problem?"
"My family was not the most wealthy by noble standards. Not any more. The mines we drew from have long run dry and the weapons we produce have been surpassed by other competing families. We lacked the resources to pivot to other means and most of the known mineral veins have already been claimed by other families. Most now earn whatever little wealth they can from military service for the Royal Guard in one shape or another. Their living conditions were no different from your traditional middle class family."
"That isn't the only problem, is it? I recall hearing about there being trouble between the Royal Guard and the local populace," Lelouch said, thinking back to Yuzuka's animosity towards the Royal Guard.
Kazusa nodded. "Correct. Relations between the people of Japan and much of the regular military have become strained. Many of the people see us as remnants of an outdated system and look upon us with contempt."
"Compared to the higher ranked houses, you would be more exposed to the public's abuse. You would have to endure it, while putting up a front to protect the image of your house." Lelouch couldn't keep the frown off his face.
She gave him a sad smile. "For families such as mine and Yui's, it has been an unpleasant experience, even when we attended academies that allowed students from outside of the noble households like mine. We always had to be kind and dutiful girls. Always putting up the most polite front," Kazusa explained. Lelouch could relate.
"It must've been torture. Having to be something you aren't, all to meet some arbitrary expectation set by someone else…"
"I know you've also been wearing a mask. In the end, we're not so different."
While Kazusa and Yui had endured slander and unpleasant remarks while having to present an ideal image of themselves to the public, Lelouch had been living in fear that should his true identity ever be discovered, he and his sister would most likely be put to death by their own royal court.
You were worse off than us, Kazusa thought.
"There you two are," Aki called out as she approached the pair. "Come on. We're playing a game of volleyball, and we need one more for our team!" She grabbed each of their arms and started dragging them behind her before either could protest.
"What are the teams?" Lelouch asked, noticing Kazusa's annoyance at their interruption. "I don't think there are enough of us for full teams. Unless Michiru and Marimo take part, both teams are one short."
"Lelouch, as leader of our squad you should be on our team," Yuzuka said, as soon as they drew near.
Yuzuka was joined by Haruko and Asagi who had a pair of sunglasses on her head."But who will be on the other team to even them out?" Haruko asked before she pointed to the other team. "It's not fair the way it is right now." "Then just go with five person teams. The people in the back will have to pull double duty. This will be a fun test of teamwork," Marimo said, stepping in with both hands on her hips. "That should keep things fair, and that way you don't have to worry about Lelouch giving one side an unfair advantage, regardless of which side he joins."
"In that case we'll show them as his new squad, that Lelouch will be in good hands," Haruko said, cracking her knuckles.
"Is that some kind of challenge," Aki asked, one eyebrow twitching.
"Maybe. Worried you girls might lose to us in front of Lelouch?"
"Bring it," Aki challenged, raising a fist in defiance.
Shimako could only sigh, "Please Aki, this is just a game. No need to make a war out of it."
"Yes, please try to be more mature about this," Izumi added.
"Oh come on, this is a matter of honor for the Royal Guard," Aki proclaimed, pumping her clenched fist into the air dramatically.
"I apologize for her overzealousness," Kazusa sighed to Lelouch.
"Oh it's fine, I wouldn't worry," Tsukiko said with a dismissive hand wave.
Free to sit out the game, Lelouch sat down in one of the unoccupied beach chairs, with Michiru joining him, while Marimo acted as a referee, with Claude keeping score. Following a coin toss, Yui's side started with Kazusa serving the ball. With a powerful strike she sent the ball into the air, flying over the net where Haruko intercepted it, passing it to Tsukiko who spiked it back over. Aki tried to intercept it, but Tsukiko's spiking of the ball was too fast, giving Lelouch's squad a point.
"Score for Lelouch's squadmates," Claude announced, flipping the cards on the scoreboard to reflect where the teams stood on points.
Now Asagi was serving the ball, sending it flying over the net.
"I got it!" Shimako intercepted it, passing it to Yui who sent it to Izumi to spike it.
Unfortunately Haruko was there to intercept it. "Haruka!" she called out as she passed it. Haruka managed to send it back over the net.
Shimako dived in and prevented it from hitting the ground.
"Someone, catch it," Shimako called out.
"I got it." Yui caught it and sent it back over.
However Tsukiko was ready and spiked it back towards Aki.
"Look out!"
Caught off guard, Aki barely intercepted the ball. Her interception was sloppy and forced Asagi out of place to try and spike it back. . This time, Kazusa was waiting to intercept it and spiked it over and into the ground, scoring her team a point.
"Nice one," Haruko complimented.
"You might have gotten the first score, but we're not letting you win without a fight," Kazusa said, clearly taking this game seriously.
Asagi served the ball for the third time, but Izumi intercepted it and bounced it to Shimako, who quickly spiked it before anyone on the other side could react.
"Point!" Claude called out.
Watching from the sidelines, Lelouch found his mind unfocused and a growing annoyance taking root. Throughout the game he couldn't help but notice the way swimsuits fitted onto the forms of his friends, the way their bodies moved, the way certain things bounced… it both annoyed and distressed him. It wasn't like him. He hadn't paid that much attention to girls before. It wasn't that he wasn't aware of girls, or rather their sexuality, but it was something he didn't really bother, busy with all his planning for the future. But it was natural, wasn't it?
Don't be a creep, he reminded himself. Even so, he couldn't help, but look. He tried to think of something else, but he kept finding himself in the same loop of thoughts, his eyes drawn to the girls… especially Yui. No matter how hard he tried his best to not focus, he couldn't help but give Shimako, Kazusa, Yuzuka, Haruko, and the other girls an appreciative glance or two, before he would avert his gaze.
To his horror, Lelouch felt a stirring in his groin. Shit, shit, shit! He grit his teeth, crossing his legs in embarrassment to hide his growing arousal.
"Hormones causing you trouble?" Michiru said with a smirk, sitting next to him.
"It's nothing," Lelouch said, trying his best to keep a solid poker face.
"It's nothing, eh? Your face says otherwise," Michiru chuckled. Lelouch's cheeks started to fill with red, a look of flustered annoyance on his face. Lelouch was mortified. Had she noticed his… condition? Clearly she did, but, thankfully, didn't seem to judge him for it. Luckily the girls were too caught up in their game to notice Lelouch's trouble or overhear his conversation with Michiru.
"It's nothing to be ashamed about," Michiru tried to reassure. "You're a teenager. Being interested in the opposite sex is extremely normal for guys your age. It's something that happens to everyone as you get older."
"I know," Lelouch said awkwardly. He desperately wanted not to have the talk about the birds and the bees. He knew about that… sort of. "It's just I shouldn't be looking at them like some creep, but…"
"But you can't help it. Especially with what is happening in front of you. It's not really fair, huh. You are the only guy here. You mustn't be used to being surrounded by so many women. And if I recall correctly, you always had to hide who you really were, so you couldn't have had too many people you were close to, right?"
"I…I suppose that is true," Lelouch admitted.
"Well, it's different here. You don't have to hide. You're free to… try things. It's not wrong to have these feelings. Maybe try talking to one of the girls; see if they're interested. You might not have thought about it, but here you can be sort of… liberated? You can be you, and these girls you've become friends with know who you are. You don't have to pretend to be something you're not. Wearing whatever mask you wore back in your world must've been suffocating."
Lelouch went silent in reflection. In a way, she's right. I… can do all of that. But… how? I don't know the first thing about talking to girls…Can I even afford such a distraction?
"Not just liberated, but strangely more alive," Lelouch began hesitantly. "Having to hide my real self behind a mask was suffocating. I was always worried that the Ashford Family who sheltered us would decide to sell us out. We had no real value besides liability insurance. And of course there was also the fear of our identities being revealed. I always had to be mindful of what I said to others. I couldn't trust anyone with my secret."
"But you don't have to worry about that here," Michiru said reassuringly.
"Yeah, here it's different," Lelouch said before smiling. "It's ironic. Despite the danger the BETA poses to humanity, I actually feel safer here."
"The life you must have led to feel like that…" Michiru sighed as she shook her head.
"I suppose it's all a matter of perspective."
"You've gone through a lot. And the thing is, you're still young. You're very capable, but…"
"But?"
"You're not very experienced in a leadership role. You may be tactically brilliant, but leading people requires a certain skill set that only time can give you."
"You're afraid I will let them down?"
Michiru shook her head. "Failure is always a possibility. But think of this more as a… concern. A warning."
"I'm all ears," Lelouch said curiously.
"It'll sound very simple, but it's not. These girls will trust you with their very lives. Your decisions could get them all killed. To be given that trust is an immense responsibility. The burden of leadership means you will do everything in your power not to let them down, and even so, sometimes you will still fail despite all your efforts. But you must do your utmost not to. Never betray them, never let them down, even in a small way. If you can do that, if you can get them to trust your judgment, you could move mountains."
Lelouch nodded. "I… yes. I know that. Sometimes… It's easy to think of units on a display board as just numbers, a calculation for me to solve, like a game of chess. It makes winning easier, but I know they're not. I hope… no, I won't let them down."
Michiru smiled. "That's the right attitude. Chin up, will you?"
"Hard to after hearing something that serious," Lelouch muttered.
"Sorry about that. Today was supposed to be all leisure and fun, after all, but some things need to be said."
"Just save the world from an alien invasion and never let your troops down. No pressure," Lelouch said dryly.
"That's the spirit," Michiru laughed.
Later that same night, Lelouch decided to slip away for some time alone with his thoughts. They'd had a barbecue for dinner and everyone was chatting it up, while Claude was being a nuisance. While no one was looking, Lelouch managed to quietly slip away, taking a stroll down the beach by himself, but it wasn't long before he realized he was followed.
"That seemed to be a little much for you, huh?"
Lelouch looked over his shoulder to see Yui, wearing a black jacket over her swimsuit, a contrast to his white jacket.
"I should ask you," Lelouch replied, prompting a smile from Yui. "How have you been holding up?"
"I've been fine. If there is anyone who should worry, it was me. You know, I was observing you and your friends on that island when that UAV went out of control," Yui explained..
"What about it?"
"You sound awfully casual about that, don't you think?"
Lelouch shrugged. "It wasn't exactly a fun situation, but… I've been in combat situations. You get used to having to deal with dangerous things and how to keep your nerve. Compared to some other things I've been through, it wasn't all that bad."
"I wish I had your calm," she sighed. "When I had to take my Combat Skill Evaluation, my nerves were completely shot.
"Was the test that difficult for you and your friends?" Lelouch asked as they walked along the beach together.
"Ours was easy compared to yours. It was just a four on four battle in a maze of shipping containers. We fought one another using Armored Fencing until either time ran out or one team was defeated. Beyond that, we never attempted any kind of survival training like the UN and the Army does," Yui explained.
"They must have gone the extra mile then."
"They did for sure, but even then I doubt it's going to silence all of the naysayers against you," Yui commented, disappointed.
"I can't say that would surprise me," Lelouch said knowingly. Even though he had accomplished a lot, he wasn't stupid enough to think the Japanese would easily accept him, even after Kyoto. No matter what he accomplished, he would have to deal with such fools while working with the Empire of Japan. "All because I am not Japanese."
"Yes, as stupid as I think that is."
"Agreed. But that is just human nature. I have seen similar mindsets from both the Japanese of my world and the Britannians especially." Lelouch said with open disgust.
"It sounds like you can't wait to put that country to the sword." Yui nodded along.
"Yes, although this isn't how I had planned for it to happen. This way will, no doubt, accelerate my plans by decades compared to if I had tried to do this on my own. I have no doubt I would have eventually been successful. It just would've taken much longer to gather the necessary manpower and resources to make the first move," Lelouch stated. Yui couldn't help, but be impressed by his confidence.
There might be a hint of arrogance to that, but he has given it serious thought, She thought. Suddenly a chill wind passed by. The two shivered, but neither wanted to return to the chaos unfolding at the main cabin. The pair noticed an empty, smaller cabin, a short distance ahead.
"Let's head over there. At the very least the building will break the wind," Lelouch suggested.
"Sounds good to me."
The pair made their way to the unused cabin. The door was locked, but they noticed an open window allowing the two to slip inside. It was deserted, sparsely furnished, and looked like it had gone unused for some time. There was some old firewood left behind and a used box of matches by the fireplace.
"We're out of the wind, but it's still pretty cold," Yui commented.
"Well, we're in luck then," Lelouch said, shaking the box of matches, the sound of a few, leftover matchsticks bouncing around.. Once they had a fire going, Lelouch managed to locate some blankets, grabbing one for himself and one for Yui.
"Thank you." Yui accepted the white blanket handed to her.
"I didn't think it would get this cold this quickly."
"Well, October is just a few weeks away. Summer is finally giving way to fall, and winter won't be far off. The nights are only going to get colder," Yui said, sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace.
"It's still quite the drop compared to earlier."
"I know," Yui said as Lelouch joined her on the couch, wrapping another blanket around himself.
"At least it's a lot quieter here," Lelouch commented, earning a chuckle from Yui.
"Yes, and best of all, no Claude."
"I completely agree." Lelouch chuckled back in return.
"There was one thing I was wondering about. The whole exiled prince thing… if it's not too sensitive."
"Go ahead," Lelouch replied.
"What are you going to do when you get what you want? When your mother is avenged and your father is overthrown?"
Lelouch was momentarily taken aback. He'd made many plans to make that happen, to reach his goals, but as for what came after… it seemed so distant, so impossible. What would a future where he won even look like?
"That is hard to say. Too much is unknown," Lelouch admitted. "But I suppose depending on how things play out, I would like to slip away into quiet obscurity with Nunnally. Maybe we could find her a nurse, let her live independently from me. Have our own lives…"
Lelouch sighed.
"Nunnally may be my first priority, but I am no fool. My duties would keep me from seeing her more and more. That's why I know she'll need someone she can trust by her side."
"Sounds to me like you want to set her up with a boy," Yui said jokingly.
Lelouch laughed, "Not really, but as long as this person has Nunnally's complete trust, protection and happiness in mind then that's enough for me."
"The aspiring general, slinking back into a quiet life? That's hard to imagine," Yui smiled, teasingly.
"I suppose, but I'll figure something out. What about you?"
"Me?" Yui hesitated. It was fair for him to ask, she supposed. "I'll likely follow my father and become a TSF developer, and take over the Takamura Household. I am in no hurry to succeed him, but I know sooner or later he'll step down and pass it to me," Yui replied.
"You sound… worried. Or is that my imagination?"
"I suppose no harm in telling you. My father's decision to make me successor to our house was met with a lot of controversy," Yui answered. "Seeing all my father had to endure, I wonder if I can do it. I think part of the reason he buries himself in work is as an escape to put the stress of it behind him."
"Women don't typically get to be the head of a samurai household," Lelouch stated. Yui nodded.
"My mother nearly died giving birth to me, and the strain of it all has ruined her health. She cannot bear a second child, so my relatives tried to push my father towards adopting a son to be the next heir to House Takamura, which is why I became a surface pilot to prove I am up for it."
"Some people can't let go of traditions, I suppose," Lelouch commented with some disdain in his voice.
"I suppose that is why Kazusa and I got along as well as we did, once we understood we shared similar burdens," Yui admitted.
"I see," Lelouch replied.
"Yeah. It's… a lot. Life can be pretty unfair, huh?"
Lelouch felt a pang of sympathy. Demanding parents, an outdated and judgmental nobility, forcing your children to be something they didn't want… They weren't so different from each other. Without thinking, he placed a hand on Yui's shoulder, to comfort her. Yui moved closer; leaning her head close to his.
"Proving your worth through deeds and accomplishments is a worthy goal," Lelouch praised, feeling awkward. He admired her. Just like him, she was of noble birth and just like him, she was willing to prove her worth by action, not by superiority of birth.
"Thank you," she said, smiling. "My friends, I guess because of the families they come from always seemed to walk on eggshells around me, but with you, status and history doesn't seem to matter," Yui said leaning even closer to Lelouch. "You treat me like an equal. I feel very comfortable around you."
Yui edged closer to Lelouch, until her thigh rubbed up against his through the blankets. Their faces were so close to each other now. She hadn't thought about it; it just seemed natural. Neither of them seemed to notice it, think about it.
"You two seem to be enjoying your time together," a voice said, catching the two by surprise before the lights came on.
Turning, the pair looked to the stairs where they caught sight of Marimo wearing a green jacket over her swimsuit. She smiled amusedly as Yui's face turned beet red.
"M-Major Jinguuji!?" Yui jumped.
"This is your cabin, isn't it," Lelouch asked calmly. He was surprised, but not flustered like Yui.
"It is. You have your own cabin after all, and so do I. I am surprised you two didn't go to his," Marimo suggested with a bemused smile.
"We're sort of hiding from Claude," Lelouch replied.
"Ah. Understandable," Marimo conceded with a nod before joining them by the fire, sitting on the cushioned bed next to the sofa. "Since you two are here, there is something I've been meaning to talk to you about."
"What do you mean?" Yui asked.
"Well, there's a problem I want to discuss," Marimo confessed. "As you know, the CCSE is a mandatory requirement of the course. But even after that, trainees are still not fully graduated. While you are an exception, the rest of your team will still have to undergo TSF training, which normally will last until December before they are ready for military service."
"Something that will change, I take it," Lelouch realized. Marimo nodded in confirmation.
"They've spent plenty of time in the simulators, but they still need actual training in their intended machines," Yui exclaimed. "The mock battle they did earlier was part of it, but they still need practice in many more mock battles and training missions."
"Exactly," Marimo said.
"The needs are greater, since they are also dealing with brand new machines," Lelouch deduced sagely. "Right now, Japan has a limited production capacity, and will want to use them conservatively. Japan has much riding on them, both for their clashes against the BETA and politically with other countries, so they must perform beyond expectations in combat."
"I am glad you both understand." Marimo said.
"There is something else, isn't there?" Yui asked. Marimo nodded.
"Yes. These new technologies have become very effective in combating the BETA, including the airborne warship Lady Kyoko has been using to deal with the Laser-class BETA. I am sure Claude told you of how effective it has been against them. However, as you've no doubt heard, they're not going to give you one so easily."
"It's the problem of trust, isn't it? I also know finding sufficient people to crew them is an issue, which was another factor for my intended ship being given to Lady Kyoko," Lelouch said.
To his surprise, Marimo shook her head. "No, it's the problem of rank. The government and IJA agreed that the authority over such vessels will be established similar to that of the old Imperial Japanese Navy. So even if you were to receive a new vessel to replace the one Lady Kyoko has commandeered, you will need the appropriate rank to command it."
"Meaning I still have a long way to go before it's rightfully mine," Lelouch said irritably. He wasn't too surprised, but it didn't make it less annoying.
"I'm afraid so. As you believe, it will be very much the same kind of command that you likely have back in your world. You'd have to be a Major, the equivalent of a Lieutenant Commander, for you to have the slightest chance to make it yours as early as possible. Otherwise, you'll have to be at least one rank above that, a Lieutenant Colonel, or a Commander in Navy terms."
"But the coming battles should give him plenty of opportunities, right?" Yui asked. In her eyes, Lelouch deserved the promotion for what he had already accomplished.
"Yes. I trust you've heard about what the Shogun has been trying to do following our losses to the BETA invasion?" Marimo asked. Lelouch nodded.
"The merging of the Royal Guard and the Imperial Army has been far from a smooth transition. Aside from trying to rebuild our command structure and place the right people in the best positions to restore order and stability to our forces, there have been some commanders acting independently, causing problems," Marimo explained, her face a mix of anger and annoyance. "The most common issue we've seen is officers and soldiers taking issue with the Royal Guard and the privileges they have. Others believe with their superiors dead or having left the army out of shame, they have command and want to prioritize taking back Japan from the BETA."
"But we lost so many during the last invasion. If we try to take it back now, we would stretch ourselves dangerously thin," Yui protested.
Marimo smiled at Yui. From what she had heard about Yui, she was a nationalist, but thankfully not as radical as many hardliners. Clearly her time with Lelouch had been good for her, or perhaps it was something she got from him while using the Coupling System.
"That is exactly the problem and why the Shogun has made it a priority to rebuild our command structure to put those fools in line before they do something stupid that jeopardizes our efforts to keep the BETA at bay. Even now Lord Ikaruga has been struggling against the enemy and against those who would defy his orders and pull men from the defensive line for their own foolhardy efforts to retake lost lands," Marimo said grimly. "We had actually known that another BETA invasion force would hit Sadogashima and it was planned for Lord Ikaruga to oversee the defense, but with all of the problems we've been facing, he's been forced to remain and secure the defensive line to keep the enemy back. These unfortunate setbacks have forced us to change our original plans."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed as he realized something. "I assume that someone managed to pull men away from a key place."
"As you deduced, a foolish general managed to convince the garrisons at Sadogashima to join his efforts," Marimo admitted. "We tried to stop this by sending orders for the base commander to stop it, but unfortunately the man meant to deliver those orders was sympathetic to the fool's cause and ensured the base's commander didn't receive them. He was forced to concede due to the fool's higher rank."
"Didn't anyone try to stop them and get them to return to base?"
Marimo had a grim expression, "Sadly by the time we realized what had happened that idiot had taken those Garrisons into occupied BETA land. They were initially successful, but once they were far enough away from the defensive line, they were overwhelmed. They idiotically walked into a valley pass which had Laser-class BETA lying in ambush. It was a slaughter followed by a hidden regiment of BETA surrounding them, cutting off any escape."
Yui looked horrified, while Lelouch was angered by the stupidity of the general.
"The only good thing that came out of it was that it exposed a large gathering of BETA for our long range artillery to wipe out. They were likely intended to strike at points in our defensive lines away from Kyoto to probe for a weakness to exploit," Marimo said before looking towards the ground sadly. "It's just a damn shame those poor men who got dragged along had to die for it."
"What about Sadogashima? This would mean that it has been left undefended," Lelouch stated.
"Yes," Marimo admitted, frowning. "Only two squads of TSFs remain to defend it, and we've confirmed the BETA are massing a new invasion force in Asia. According to our tracking, they will hit Sadogashima in six days."
"Six days? We barely have the men to spare!" Yui exclaimed with growing alarm, knowing what the loss of Sadogashima would mean for Japan.
"If Sadogashima falls, we could lose much of Central Japan, especially with most of our men tied up trying to hold the line against them at Kyoto. That is why we're going to send you two, along with Kazusa, Izumi, Aki and Shimako in your Gundams, to defend Sadogashima. We're hoping their advanced capabilities and firepower can hold back the tide."
"Just us?" Yui asked.
"No. Cadet Tsukiko Fujisawa will join you. She is fully trained, but needs the experience. Lieutenant Mariko Amemiya has volunteered to join you as well. Apparently, she was impressed by how you led the cadets in the mock battle against her and expressed her willingness to work with you. Furthermore, since the leaders of the reserve squad of TSFs that remained at Sadogashima are seasoned pilots, we are arranging for them to be given Minamoto units. We're trying to produce more for the rest of their squads, but we don't know if they will be finished in time. But we have already begun replacing the tanks there with railgun batteries and linear tanks while updating the rest of the defenses as best as we can," Marimo informed. Although she tried to sound hopeful, the seriousness of the situation was written on her face.
"That means just a small battle group against an invasion force similar in size to the one that overran Kyushu, right?" Lelouch asked, remaining calm.
"Yes, unfortunately. But the new ship Claude had arranged for you will be joining the fight, captained by one of the Shogun's retainers. It should make it easier for Lelouch to issue tactical instructions and strategies as the battlefield changes. With his Gundam's tactical computer linked to both the ship and the island's base to keep all three updated on the battlefield," Marimo revealed.
"So it'll be like what we did at Kyoto," Lelouch said, already understanding that the arrangement was to minimize any grumbling or issues brought about from a foreigner taking command. "Yui will officially be in command, but I'll direct the battle."
"Correct. I am grateful you are understanding of the situation. Unity will be critical for this battle, and you'll have the support of the Americans. They are sending a few battleships with a cruiser escort to provide support, along with a few squads of their own TSFs," Marimo said.
"No doubt enticed by the fact the Gundams will be involved in the battle," Lelouch said with a knowing smile.
"Yes, that certainly helped convince them," Marimo replied with a grin. "Which makes this battle even more important for us to win. Do this, Lelouch, and you are sure to be promoted high enough to captain your own ship."
"And all we have to do is pull off a miracle, huh?"
"More or less. I'm hoping the advanced capabilities and firepower of your Gundams can even the odds," Marimo shrugged.
"Very well," Lelouch said.
I suppose even messiahs need to perform miracles if they are to be acknowledged. We have to produce our own miracle, don't we? Lelouch thought. This would be key for him. If he played his cards right, it would be a major step forward for his long term goals.
Meanwhile, in a secure location in Tokyo, Yuuhi was seated at a table with Mana standing behind her. Men in black suits stood present as bodyguards. Sitting across from Yuuhi was a man in his late thirties with brown hair and glasses over green eyes. He wore a light brown suit with a red tie, and had a serious expression. Between them sitting to Yuuhi's right was an older Japanese man with short white hair and a mustache, dressed in a gray business suit with a red tie.
"I have to say you have proven far more adept at politics than I would've imagined, going behind my back," The old man grumbled, both impressed and irate at the same time.
"Thank you, Prime Minister Sakaki," Yuuhi replied.
"Even I have to admit you have proven to be the most capable Shogun we've seen in a decade. For someone meant to be only a ceremonial figurehead, pardon my saying, your handling of the situation has been key to the survival of our nation," said the other man.
"Thank you for your compliments, Under-Secretary-General Tamase," Yuuhi said. The Under-Secretary of the United Nations had arrived only a short time ago via an emergency flight from UN headquarters.
"I see now it was you that allowed the Shogun to strike her deals with Australia and other countries," Sakaki said. "Quite the power play."
"Hardly. While your administration has been grappling with the fallout of the loss of Kyoto, thirty percent of our population, and the resulting refugee crisis, I've been doing all I can to save our country. The new technologies and weapons we were offered have proven highly effective beyond our expectations," Yuuhi said sternly.
"Indeed they have," Sakaki said, reluctantly. "I just distrusted that woman."
"I think we can all agree on that one, but given our situation we can't be picky. Things could've been far worse," Tamase said, trying to ease tensions between the Shogun and the Prime Minister. "We've lost most of southern Japan and Kyoto is a battleground. Right now, we need to do what we can to stabilize and bring the army back under control."
Sakaki sighed, not so much in defeat, but frustration as he had to agree that they had bigger problems to contend with.
"Yes and since the Shogun did well with damage control, we'll elevate her to acting military Commander-in-Chief of the whole Imperial Army and the Navy." Sakaki said, "Your time as a figurehead is done. Hopefully the Royal Guard and the other families can restore some stability and order to the army so we can maintain our defense against the BETA until we are ready to mount a counterattack."
"I agree. But there are those in the army who harbor ill-will and suspicion towards the Royal Guard. We need to elevate capable men and women to the necessary posts as soon as possible," Yuuhi suggested.
"We are already screening potential candidates, but given the chaos following the rapid collapse of our defenses during the invasion, we're having a hard time determining if the candidates in question are still alive. We can't bring them in to promote them to their new roles until we confirm otherwise, but my cabinet and I are working as fast as we can."
"Lady Kyoko's actions in the Suez Canal has stopped the BETA advance there. The performance of her and the men under her command along with the new ship Japan has launched has stopped the BETA in their tracks," Genjyousai praised. "Most importantly it has ensured America will honor their treaty obligations. We'll need their support until we can get the army back in order."
"Well, thanks to that idiot, General Tojo, we don't have enough men to defend Sadogashima," Korechika complained, shaking his head angrily. "As if we didn't have enough problems already. I would have shot him myself, if he hadn't gotten himself killed"
"All the more reason we need to bring the army back under control before it happens again," Yuuhi said with a sense of urgency. "We can't afford these kinds of mistakes."
"I know," Sakaki said, his expression grim. "But what of Sadogashima? We don't have the forces to spare to reinforce it."
"I've reallocated some new resources there. New gundams, new pilots, along with some promising prototypes."
"You think that will be enough?" Tamase asked.
"It will have to be. We've done what we can, gentlemen. The rest will be up to our soldiers. Let's not forget that just two of them, with a few TSFs, halted the enemy advance in Kyoto long enough that we could form a new defense line. Sadogashima is getting six of them. The situation is dire, I won't deny that, but we are far from finished."
"Then for all of our sakes, we better hope you're right," Sakaki said grimly. "Because right now, more than anything, we need a miracle."
By the following morning, everyone had been given the news about the situation with Sadogashima, with Marimo and Michiru taking a very reluctant Yuzuka, Haruka, Asagi, and Haruko back for further training. Marimo had reassured Lelouch she had found someone to assist her and Michiru and put them on a more accelerated learning track so they could be ready sooner.
Both knew the time the rest of Lelouch's squad had for training would be short, so it was best for them to make the most of it while they could.
Meanwhile Lelouch, Yui, Kazusa, Izumi, Shimako, and Aki were met by one of Yuuhi's retainers in the underground depths of the Fukushima Military Base. She wore the same red uniform Mana did, looking nearly identical to the retainer, having the same turquoise hair and green eyes. The only difference between them was their facial features, seemingly younger and looking less stern, wearing glasses with egg-shaped lenses.
"So that must be the ship we're taking?" Aki remarked, whispering to Shimako.
"Yes it seems…smaller than the Takarabune."
Their new ship was three-hundred and sixty meters in length, with a dark blue hull. It was thinner than the Takarabune. It had a launch and landing ramp upon the bow of the ship leading to the hangar where it could carry sixteen machines. On the sides were a trio of dual Automatic Multi-barrel turrets, with an extra set on the underside of the ship. It hovered in the air, thanks to the same propulsion systems it shared with the Takarabune. Along the sides of the ship, near its large engines, were dual barrel energy cannons on rotating turrets for a wider range of fire. Alongside the bridge were another pair of 75mm defensive turrets. A single powerful energy cannon stood on the bow. Along the main body of the ship were retractable, dual-linked 110cm Linear Cannons. Sleek and futuristic, the ship towered over them in its enormity. It was a terrifying weapon of war, that when looked at, made one feel small while awed by its size. They couldn't help, but to marvel at its guns… it made the war feel winnable.
Upon approaching Yuuhi's retainer, everyone saluted. The woman returned the gesture.
"At ease. I am Major Maya Tsukuyomi, primary retainer of Lady Yuuhi. I have been entrusted with command of this vessel. If you follow me, I'll give you a tour of the vessel," Maya said, beckoning for everyone to follow.
She wears the same red uniform as Mana did. Aside from being clearly related, she must be an elite soldier and bodyguard as well, Lelouch noted.
Maya took them around the ship, first making a stop to where their cabins would be. Lelouch and Yui were given officer quarters. Yui was the squad leader, so it made sense for her. For Lelouch's case he was the only male pilot aboard; he obviously couldn't sleep with the other pilots, who were all female. Once their belongings had been dropped off, they continued the tour.
"We'll skip the hangar for the time being. Let's start with the engine room before heading to the bridge," Maya said. They passed through a door taking them to the engine room, which doubled as the ship's engineering section for the rest of the ship.
"First allow me to introduce you all to the ship's chief engineer, loaned to us from the Royal Australian Naval Academy: Cadet Melvina Vidya Advani."
"Where is she?" Aki asked, before a voice spoke up from behind her.
"Right here. Hi ladies… and guy."
Everyone spun around to see a young girl of sixteen with cyan eyes and long purple hair, wearing a Japanese Imperial Army uniform. She offered a friendly wave, amused by their expressions.
"Is she some kind of ninja?" Shimako asked aloud.
"No, I just happen to be very talented in engineering. My parents had me learning it since I was a kid," Melvina explained, tilting her head to one side in confusion.
"She intuitively grasped many of the new technologies much faster than our own engineers could, so it was quickly decided to make her chief engineer of the ship," Maya explained. "We hope in time she could teach others."
"She must be really good then," Kazusa commented, surprised. Sixteen years old- not even old enough to drink, but already chief engineer?
"I do what I can. It's no big deal," Melvina said, shrugging her shoulders.
"She'll also oversee maintenance work on your machines, so I believed it was best for you all to be familiar with her," Maya explained.
"Makes sense," Lelouch replied.
"Just pay me a visit if something isn't working. The engineering crew and I will take care of you," Melvina replied.
"Quite. As you were Melvina. I'll see you later," Maya said.
"Sure thing, Major. I'll see the rest of you around. I need to complete these final system checks before we leave," Melvina said, bidding everyone farewell.
"She isn't a ninja, right?" Aki asked.
"No, she just has a habit of doing that," Maya shrugged.
The next destination closest to them was the medical bay, which was spacious with several beds and two cylinder capsules filled with a nanomachine solution reserved for critically injured pilots. Inside was a woman with black hair and blue eyes wearing a lab coat over a Japanese military uniform. Unlike Melvina hers had a skirt, black leggings and black heel shoes.
She stood up as she noticed Maya and the group entering the sick bay.
"Everyone this is Dr. Hikari Megumi, the ship's doctor," Maya said, providing introductions.
"Greetings, everyone. Although the technology I am surrounded with is impressive, rest assured I am just as capable of a doctor without it," Hikari stated, reassuringly to everyone. "That being said, I hope I won't have to see you here too often beyond required check ups."
"She was appointed by the Shogun herself. Rest assured, you will be in good hands with her," Maya explained.
"Thank you kindly for those words," Hikari replied.
"Not at all. We'll leave you to your duties now. I still have much of the ship to show them."
"Of course. Farewell, everyone."
Moving the tour headed for the mess hall. It looked like something from a submarine, only more spacious. It looked able to house over twenty people. There were plenty of tables and chairs, along with a cafeteria-style counter.
"Master Chief Petty Officer Azuma, are you back there?" Maya called out from the counter.
Within moments, a man in his late twenties stepped out from the kitchen. He had some fuzz growing on his chin, wearing military attire, with a white shirt and matching apron over.
"Sorry Major, I was just doing a final inventory check on our supplies," Azuma said.
"It's fine, I just thought it was best that our pilots should be familiar with the head of our mess hall and chef," Maya replied.
"Oh I see. Well, welcome to the mess hall, pilots. We are usually open most of the time except for during the overnight hours where the mess hall will be closed for cleaning. Otherwise outside of breakfast, lunch and dinner hours, you can come back and grab a snack. Me and my kitchen crew always make sure to have some food and drinks at the ready, including coffee and tea," Azuma said quite friendly.
"Sounds good," Aki said before smelling something. "And it smells good too."
"We'll have dinner ready later, but we are double checking our supplies. So far everything looks good."
"Excellent. Inform me once you are finished. I should be done with the tour by then," Maya replied.
"Of course," Azuma said before turning to the pilots. "I'll see you all at dinner."
Leaving the mess hall, everyone headed to the hangar, where they saw their Gundams already loaded onto the ship. Also on the ship were Minamoto units, filling the last four spots. One unit belonged to Tsukiko, while the other two were unowned for the moment, but the last one was notably yellow painted.
"Ah I see you have all arrived. It's nice to see you again," Mariko said, approaching the group.
"Lieutenant Amemiya," Yui greeted, as she and some of the others recognized her.
"At ease, everyone. I am just glad to be able to help you all with this."
"Even if the odds are stiff?" Aki chimed in, but a glare from Maya caused her to back away and silence herself.
"They are, but I do have high hopes your new impressive machines can turn the tide, given what Lelouch and Yui accomplished during Kyoto. I am looking forward to working with you Lieutenant Lamperouge," Mariko said, offering her hand to Lelouch, who shook it.
"Likewise. You did give us quite the trouble taking you down during the mock battle," Lelouch replied.
Tsukiko noticed Yui's expression as she watched the two. Although the girl tried to hide it, her feelings slipped through and caused Tsukiko to smile in amusement.
Oh, is someone feeling jealous?
"Anyway you seem busy right now, I am sure we can all talk more during dinner, I'll see you all later tonight," Mariko said, deciding not to impede the tour any longer than needed.
"Now then, let's continue our tour. Sadogashima awaits us, soldiers!"
A/N: So I can safely say that things between Lelouch and Yui are gradually progressing, slow, but progressing nevertheless.
I was a little worried about Lelouch's taking note of women in this chapter, worried it might seem out of character if not handled right. His eyes are firmly on Yui, but considering the other women I imagine it be hard for him to ignore the others as he experiences attraction to the opposite sex due to his growing feelings for Yui.
This is has led him to become much more aware of the fact he is the only guy in the group, but part of this is due to the fact that unlike in canon Code Geass, Lelouch is able to be "himself", no mask needed, which is also a factor in being more comfortable around Yui and the others thus more open and trusting to them, thanks to all they've been through so far, especially with Lelouch's new squad given the trust that has been built between them too.
Although I will say an actual relationship will take time, partly because I feel they are a tad too young at the moment and I don't want to rush it.
Of course aside from Lelouch and company getting time in the spotlight, was Yuuhi as more politics and deal making are happening behind the scenes. But we are shown Lelouch's replacement ship which has no name (yet, it is named in chapter sixteen), since Kyoko needed to use his to handle things in Suez so America wouldn't have a reason to pull out of Japan.
Next chapter shall be the Battle for Sadogashima, coming in two weeks and I have to say with all of the work done for it, it is a 14,000-word chapter easily with also a short battle showing Kyoko and her group are doing at Suez with the Demon Princess fighting in her own Gundam, one of the prototypes built and intended for Regent House leaders like her.
Thanks for checking out the chapter, and any feedback as always is welcomed.
Next are the specs for Lelouch's ship, its twin drive system is a Lost Technology from the Sunrider games using fusion cores rather than GN Drives, which I used only because traveling between galaxies needs a lot of power for its warp drive. And the torpedoes listed, beyond your generic torpedoes the ship will be carrying, it does have any of those potent ones yet, but its merely an example of what it could carry.
Class: N/A
Name: Unnamed (until chapter sixteen)
Unit type: Combat Carrier
Captain: Maya Tsukuyomi
Manufacturer: Empire of Japan
Operator: Empire of Japan, Order of the Black Knights
First deployment: September 20tht 2016 A.T.B./1998
Dimensions: overall length 360 meters
Powerplant: Gemini Fusion Reactor (Twin fusion reactors, a Lost Technology from Ancient Ryuvia in which two fusion cores could resonate with each other to theoretically produce a reactor output equivalent to four cores, making intergalactic travel possible.)
Wingspan: unknown
Weight: unknown
Propulsion: Sunlight Engines
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; ablative armor; Artificial Gravity, and an Anti-Gravity Craft System, Warp Drive, FTL Communications array, Shield Generator, and Sensor Buoys (deployable from the ship to expand sensor and observation ranges),
Fixed armaments:
14 x Dual 75mm Automatic Multi-barrel CIWS, three mounted on the sides of the ship, and a third set below the ship, and two near the bridge
4 x Dual barrel energy cannons on rotating turrets, one mounted on each side of the main engines, one behind the bridge, and one below it on the underside of the ship
1 x High-powered mulit-phase beam cannon mounted below the launching ramp for mobile suits
2 x Dual-linked 150mm Linear Cannons, mounted along the sides of the hanger, which could be retracted when not in use and could be used on a rotating base
18 x Missile launchers, six on the sides of the ship near the engines, and six more below the ship, can use a variety of missiles types
2 x Torpedo launchers, could be used in space or underwater, mounted on the front of the ship above the mobile suit hanger launch platform, torpedo types include (Quantum torpedoes (for use in space), Tactical Thermonuclear Torpedoes, Graviton Torpedo (for use in space only), Heat Seeking Torpedo and High Explosive Torpedoes (for both use in space and in the ocean))
Mobile suits: (max carry capacity 16)
Mobile Weapons: TMP-01X Izanami, TMP-02X Izanagi, TMP-03X Tsuna, TMP-04X Suetake, TMP-05X Sadamitsu, TMP-06X Kintoki, and HXM-01A Minamoto
Technical and Historical Notes
Originally created as a training ship with much of the technology and resources necessary provided by Claude Triello, especially the power source to ensure that travel between galaxies could be possible as most warp drives even from modern Ryuvian Galaxy lacked sufficient power for such a journey that would require the warp drive to be in operational for more than a week. It is well armed, possessing ablative armor and a shield generator giving it potent defense against energy-based weapons and its thick armor gives it decent protection against kinetic weapons as well.
It also has submersible capabilities in conjunction with the Anti-Gravity Craft System to easily move around on a planet surface and able to move back into space combined with its powerful sunlight engines.
The Empire of Japan would use their experience and time studying the unnamed training ship to design the Takarabune-class of ship while training the future crews for the ship. However, when the first ship of the class had to be used by Lady Kyoko Takatsukasa to assist UN and allied forces at Suez Canal to keep the BETA from invading Aricia, its loss would've been catastrophic for humanity and it would ensure America would honor its treaty obligations.
Instead, the training vessel is repurposed for Lelouch's use while officially it's under the command of Major Maya Tsukuyomi with a crew which was also supplemented by volunteers from Australia recommended by the Shogun of Japan, ensuring the ship was properly crewed.
Anonymous Review Answers:
Samurai Seven: Thank you and yes Lelouch does have a right to feel proud of himself, but keep in mind it will be some time before Lelouch sees them, and he'll likely have a few more achievements under his belt by then too.
Guest: I agree with that and its unlikely what trust issues will be a problem for him this time, although he'll have some tough characters who will be joining later he'll have to deal with through. His next challenge once he is ready for it, will be recruiting others to his side.
Anonymous: No worries and yeah it was getting out of hand through. But after putting my foot down everything has calmed down.
Thank and yeah Chifuyu and Lelouch are better off as friends, nothing more, but as older siblings likely very understanding of one another. And the offer of technology on IS could make for a useful bargain for Lelouch and company to take on in exchange for taking Ichika somewhere safe.
Yeah I will since you last reviewed me and my betas have talked about candidates from the IS side for Lelouch, and we did narrow it down to Tatenashi Sarashiki who is by far the strongest contender among the IS candidates with Maya Yamada, but Charlotte her position is very rocky right now because she is similar to many characters with that kind of personality with little else to offer compared to other similar characters.
Haruka Suzumiya, Nika Nanaura, Inko Amifumi, Tae Tsukiji, Sakura Usuki and Shimako Kai who have personalities similar to both Shirley and Charolette, which makes it problematic for her as we are trying to avoid adding candidates whose personalities could offer lap with another member, so we are questioning on what could such characters offer as a deciding factor over the others?
So, what could Charlotte bring to the table that other character like her in personality can't? But I suppose another question is how open Charlotte would be to sharing Lelouch is an important one, given how she can be jealous herself?
Outside of Laura which one of the betas suggest I keep her as candidate because of how blunt she can be could be something she could bring that none of the other candidates be, but I have also mentioned her issues to the other betas, so her position is rocky at most.
The rest we've ruled out for reasons you have pointed out, so they are out of the running.