Hello everybody! It's been too long, I know, but I have more for you! Today, it's mostly a lot of dialogue, but I promise it will all lead somewhere. Until then, enjoy!

The Chawla family was long regarded as among India's elite. Despite that reputation, they commanded a great amount of respect among both the upper class and commoners, embracing various other aspects of life in service to the common good instead of living off their wealth at the expense of others, like too many of their peers did. Most recently, the current patriarch, Patteyah Chawla, successfully ran for Minister of the Indian Territory. Despite challenges both from political rivals and the ruling Chinese Council, he had ran the government successfully and helped make India an economic powerhouse. Shaurya, the 3rd child of the family, also took an interest in politics for the people and was championed by most. Their eldest daughter, Rakshata, was a prodigy among science and engineering. However, one day, she lost that respect…

"If you think our estranged daughter is a good bargaining chip for whatever you want, it seems you are not the man Britannia, or you, believes you to be." Mr. Chawla growled. Rakshata put on her best poker face; truth be told, hearing him say that stung hard/

"In all honesty, Minister, she was meant as an attention grabber. I was only hoping WE could talk about an alliance."

"We can." The minister said, holding his hands together. "And you didn't need to put on such a show."

"Haven't you read the papers?" Zero asked. "I'm all about theatrics." Zero spread his left arm, letting his cape flutter. "But the time for that has passed. It is time…to understand one another."

Guard duty was generally regarded as a crap job. Nine times out of ten, nothing happens when you were on guard. Just having someone present was enough to detract any would-be trouble makers. In case someone WAS stupid enough to try something, all it took was an armlock behind the back, a call to police, and it was over. The guards of Parliament certainly thought as much. Unfortunately for the guards here, that would not be the case today. Nothing in their training would have prepared them for dealing with Knights of the Round. Two guards at the outer perimeter of the back gate of the palace suddenly found themselves in rear-naked chokes. They struggled, but it didn't last; these chokes were designed to make a man pass out quickly, and their attackers were very strong. Within seconds, they passed out.

Suzaku and Gino gently laid them down at the side, zip tying them to anything available and gagging them for good measure. "Anya!" Suzaku whispered. "Go!"

Anya quickly sprinted inside, duffle bag in tow. The courtyard was mostly concrete, with very little vegetative cover. Anya was forced to take cover behind a stone pot as she scoped the place out. Guards were patrolling the area, armed with machine guns. Anya could have easily taken them, but that would botch the stealth part of the mission. Instead, she took a canister out of her bag, and threw it. To their credit, the guards were smarter than movies often portrayed; instead of aiming at the can, they pointed towards its point of origin. However, they weren't prepared for the gas that sprayed out of the can. The guards tried in vain to fan it away, but breathing in just a few fumes brought them down to their knees, and eventually they all passed out on the ground. Anya quickly brought a crude gas mask to her face so she wouldn't be affected.

Waving forward, she signaled for her fellow knights inside the courtyard and tossed them two other gas masks. As they made their way through the courtyard, they came to the lowest roof they could find. Gino held out his hands, allowing Suzaku to jump on them and be boosted up. Anya followed suit, light enough to flip and land on the roof. Finally, Gino jumped up as Suzaku grabbed his hand and helped him up. "We're done with the easy part." Suzaku said. "Now to find the minister's office."

Staying low as possible, they ran across. Gino took notice as they kept their torsos low and arms extended behind them. "This is called a 'ninja' run?" Gino asked.

"It is. Don't know how historically accurate this is." Suzaku admitted. "The Japanese mostly did this as kids; usually part of our games."

"But you didn't?"

It took a moment for Suzaku to respond. "My childhood…wasn't much of a childhood."

Finally, they found a tower in the middle. "This is it." Anya said, looking at a tour booklet. "Of course, visitors are not allowed inside."

"If we get close to the windows, someone is bound to spot us." Suzaku said.

Gino, meanwhile, began to assemble a small rifle. "Good thing we don't have to get anywhere near them." Gino pointed the barrel at the window, and pulled the trigger. What he fired wasn't a bullet; it was a small transmitter, sticking to the window like glue.

Gino handed the headphones to Suzaku as the three hid behind an outcropping on the roof. "Are you really here, Lelouch?" Suzaku thought. A part of him hoped he found no proof of his presence; because if he did, he would reign hell on this region just to kill him…

"You want an alliance." Pattehya stated plainly. "And not just financial. You want our army to join in the fight."

"Of course." Zero replied. "I understand you have much anxiety over the subject, and we should work it out before making a decision."

"I should throw you out." The minister replied.

Confidently, Zero strode towards him. "Yet you haven't." he said. "You could have done so much worse to us. Which means I interest you in some way..." A heavy silence loomed between them. "I have a theory: You fear Britannia."

"I believe they have a phrase in Britannia to describe what you just said." Pattehya shot back. "Something about a 'Captain Obvious'."

"Ah, but you especially fear them. The Federation IN THEORY protects you. However, given the Chinese feelings for non-nationals, they see you as an expendable race. For now, they feel you better serve their purposes alive…but that could change on a whim. And when they do, Britannia will also help them. The marriage of the Empress Tianzi and Prince Odysseus made sure of that

"That's one way to look at it." The minister conceded. "Here's another: now that their empress is linked to royalty, the two empires are at a truce. And therefore, so are we. If anything, we would be rewarded handsomely for turning you over. Or even executing you."

"Wouldn't do well for you." Zero responded. Holding out both hands, Zero explained "Although you tried to be involved as little as possible, you DID provide support for the Black Knights. Off the books, of course; my assistant keeps good records." Stealing a glance at CC, Zero then explained "Should anything happen to me…I made sure Britannia would be able to find out about our brief partnership."

The minister leaned back and gripped his forehead. "Damn…"

"Make no mistake; ratting you out is the last thing I want to do. I wish for not only an alliance, but a genuine friendship." Zero explained. "And you should not feel bad about allying yourself before the marriage; none of us could have known. But even if you have now decided to submit to Britannia, once they have that information, there will be no mercy for you or anyone involved."

Pattehya twiddled his fingers on his desk, carefully choosing his words. "Then you should have never gotten into politics." The minister replied. "We all act like we share the desire to lift our people and make the world a better place, despite our often conflicting ideologies. In my experience, more often than not our interests are intertwined. But when men in power such as ourselves have a chance, we will stab one another in the back. Some do it for power. Some are so obsessed with their altruistic goals they will resort to doing a little evil to achieve them." He sighed bitterly.

"I must confess, I do fall under the latter." Zero replied. "But I am careful about those who I betray. I gladly use those without honor, those who put themselves above the people they are supposed to serve and protect. But those WITH honor…those who truly put the people before themselves…I genuinely wish to make the world better for both of us by working together. And I feel you are one such individual I would be happy to consider a friend."

The minister was starting to look a bit uncertain. "You still haven't convinced me to risk everything and join you. Let's think about our situation: we are doing quite well for ourselves. Our economy is stable; Britannia has not attacked us and has shown little interest in doing so to our knowledge. Though officially we are a territory of the Chinese Federation, we have been allowed to keep our way of life and make our own laws. Should we ally ourselves with you, we have a lot to lose. Britannia reign all hell on us, and even if we somehow managed to push them back, the Federation would stage a complete takeover while we are pinned. We cannot protect ourselves on two fronts." Sitting back, he said smugly "As you can see, I've considered our options…and consequences…very carefully. Convince me otherwise, if you dare."

Lelouch smiled under his mask nervously. He never considered himself a negotiator back then…but despite all that was on the line, he felt quite exhilarated. He thought back to that fateful day at the casino that forever changed his life. Though many a night he regretted it, he remembered why he did it: he was bored. He needed to feel the thrill of outwitting his opponents. And to compare negotiating with chess was a fair comparison. In fact, if he was honest himself, this was MUCH more complex than chess. "Looks like I finally got my wish." "Indeed, your concerns are very valid." Zero conceded.

Zero began to approach him, but Shurya suddenly stepped forward, extending his arm. "Shaurya!" the minister shouted. "It's alright, son." He assured him. "Zero may be many things, but I doubt we have any reason to fear him here. If he wanted us dead, I fear he could have done so at any point."

Shaurya nodded. "Father." He withdrew his arm, not taking his eyes off him.

"As I was saying." Zero continued. "You feel that as long as you keep your proverbial tail between your legs, you will be spared. But this also puts you in a precarious situation. As it stands, Britannia is virtually unstoppable, and they will take whatever they want, no matter how irrational to the common politician. Right now, the emperor has his sights on the whole world. It may take years, but eventually he or one of his heirs will set sight on your home, and there will be no stopping them, no negotiation to save you. The Chinese WILL abandon you…and you will be left out in the cold. What then? Your military alone cannot stand up to Britannia. No one else will come to your aid."

"That's still a very big if." Patteyha countered. "We have no Sakuradite for their Knightmares, and nothing in our culture interests them. It's much like two animals that are not exclusively predator and prey. One doesn't bother the other, and both live."

"But you do have something they want." Lelouch countered. "Your weapons."

The minster balked. "What!?" He clenched his fists, staring at Rakshata. "Of course." He muttered. "But I'm afraid Rakshata's knowledge is a bit out of date." He said. "She no longer has a place among us, and took what she knew with her when she left."

"On the contrary. While it may be a whole generation before you achieve it, Rakshata DEFINITELY did not leave you with nothing. She left her notes for you all…whether it was an apology or because she had the foresight to see it come to this, she hasn't said…but she left you with the plans to build your own knightmare army. Knightmares that could rival even the Guren and the Lancelot." Zero declared.

Suzaku's eyes widened at what he heard. He half-expected to find his target; but he did not anticipate to learn something of dire consequence such as this! "Suzaku!" Gino whispered. "What's going on?"

"He's here." Suzaku growled, as he removed the headphones. "And we've got another problem: India's knightmares may become more of a threat then we realized. They may have the means to build something that rivals the Lancelot and all other knightmares in the Round's possession."

"That is serious." Anya said. "But we're in a partnership with the Federation; we can't attack without approval."

"His talks are not going well." Suzaku said. "He probably won't accomplish much today. But he's not the type to leave things without gaining something. Either India will become an ally of the Rebellion, or they will get more knightmares out of this talk. Either way, this is bad for us." Suzaku paused for a moment as he stashed their equipment back into the bag. "We found out all we needed to know for now. Let's get back to base. We will inform Prince Schneizel immediately."

"It's well after midnight there." Anya warned him.

"I am sure the prince will understand. He would want to be informed about this no matter the time of day."

"Just what do you know?" Patteyha growled.

"Nothing specific." Zero confessed. "I was told, however, that these notes were what allowed Rakshata to construct the Guren, our mightiest knightmare. If you have researched these notes…and no leader in their right mind would pass up such an opportunity…surely, you have made considerable advancements since then." Zero took a moment to let that sink in. "As I said, I am not leaking this to Britannia unless you absolutely force me. However, this is not just about the Black Knights. It's about the world."

"And the United States of Japan." Patteyha growled, remembering his speech from his return. "Assuming you accomplish this, where do you think that will leave us? If Britannia goes all out against you, the Federation will be dragged into this. And that includes us, which would make us enemies, however reluctantly. If you win, what becomes of your enemies?"

"You are NOT an enemy." Zero emphasized. "And you don't have to be." Zero sighed. "However, if in the event you DO side with the federation…all will be forgiven."

"Just like that?" the minister replied skeptically.

"If we were to seek out retribution against all who wronged us, we would only take Britannia's place. But if this new USJ is to become the beacon of hope in the world, we need to be an example of what every nation should aspire to be."

"And what should every nation be like?" Patteyha asked, part skeptical and part genuinely curious.

"To aspire to forgive, and be just." Zero said. "Should you choose not to join us in the great war to come, I cannot make promises about what we will or won't do against you. However, when we win…we will guarantee your independence, and forgive any grievances between us."

Patteyha sighed. "We really should shoot you." He then turned to his son. "Shaurya!"

"Yes, father."

"Escort them to the guest room, and place them under guard. I have a lot to think about." He sighed as he rubbed his temples

Shaurya nodded, and held out his arm. "This way." Zero and his partners followed him out.

Schneizel was not known to be a lazy prince. Quite the contrary, he was extraordinarily hard-working for one of his stature. Perhaps only his sisters Cornelia and the late Euphemia rivaled his work ethic. Still, even he needed to rest, as he lay in a king-sized bed made of the finest fabrics. Still, when his phone rang, he didn't mutter a load of curses or shout into the speaker like everyone else would at five in the morning. He got up as if he was expecting this call. Pressing the button, he answered "Schneizel here."

"Your highness." Suzaku replied on the other end. "My sincerest apologies, but we have made discoveries that require your urgent attention!"

"Of course, Suzaku. Fire away." Schniezel replied as he forced himself to sit up and stretch.

"First off, we have found Zero." Suzaku answered. "He was attempting to negotiate an alliance with the minister of India!"

"That is serious." Schneizel agreed. "Did they come to an agreement?"

"Not today." Suzaku answered. "But I fear that he will not give up. In addition, we have another concern: The Indian Military is developing their own Knightmare army."

Schneizel's eyes narrowed in surprise. "How did you find this out?"

"Zero bragged to them he knew. It seems Rakshata did some work for them in the past, and they have built upon her original theories. Unfortunately, we do not know much more than that."

"Still, it makes sense." Schneizel said. "The Indians have no love for us or the Chinese. It only makes sense for them to build an admirable defense in secret…if not initiate a revolution of their own. If Zero is seeking an alliance with them, such a thing is the only thing that makes sense. Even if they refuse to ally with Zero, this discovery could cause problems for the empire down the line."

"I agree." Suzaku said. "But our political position puts us in an awkward position."

"Do not worry about it." Schniezel answered. "You have my full permission to eliminate Zero by any means necessary. If we agitate the Indians, so be it. I shall take full responsibility for any fallout."

"Understood, your highness!"

Suzaku hung up the phone. As he looked over the slums with the sun setting behind him, he thought back to the day of the Black Rebellion. If he were to capture Zero, he would have to go all out. There would be much collateral damage. Then, he thought back to Euphemia. How Zero brainwashed her into killing hundreds of innocent people she had sworn to protect. Whatever the cost, he would not allow Lelouch to turn a good person into his puppet! "Never again." He swore.

"Well?" Anya asked as she approached him from the room.

"Contact the Eragon." Suzaku ordered his fellow knight. "We're bringing Zero in."

That's all for now! See you all next time!