August 31st, 2018. Pendragon. Imperial Palace, early evening.

Well, the meeting with Schneizel wound up going… places.

And wound up taking a damn while longer than expected. Turns out, we might just be able to make the roughly one-in-three odds he won't stab us in the back at some point.

At the very least, Suzaku replies from our mental passenger seat, we've certainly bought enough time to deal with more pressing matters before he'll be able to risk committing himself as our enemy.

Given what an uncooperative prick Lelouch has been, I'd rather not have to double-tap the Prime Minister if we can make use of him…

Past the immediate short-term, that's going to be more up to his decision than ours. We still haven't even had a chance to see what was on the paper Sir Luneberg put in our pocket, either.

Before I can put much thought to the matter, Monica rounds a corner like she'd been waiting for us, her arms crossed and with a stern look on her face. "I hope you weren't in there playing hooky for the last several hours, Sir Kururugi. Sir Weinberg said you'd been called away from your paperwork, but from his report I would have expected you to have long since returned…"

Suzaku glances around with our peripheral vision, and don't seem to see too many other people in the immediate area. "Well if you know I haven't left that room, then I'd assume you'd know better than to think the Prime Minister has such a lax schedule that he can entertain a truant for hours on end."

Monica glances to one side, a ghost of a sheepish smile on her face. "Not lax, per se, but I wouldn't put it past him to cancel or reschedule several other appointments on a whim for something that sufficiently piqued his interest…"

So in other words, the whole palace is just a giant Group of Weirdos?

And a chunk of Schneizel holding us back was trying to teach us not to call people out on that quite so openly…

In any case, just because Monica's apparently disarmed a little bit doesn't mean it's small talk o'clock. "So am I going back to my office to start catching up on paperwork, or have you decided to put me through some other kind of aptitude test first?"

The blonde beauty lights up a little, and nods. "The latter. As a Knight of the Round, there will be circumstances when you need to assume command – sometimes that could mean taking over a combat situation, while at other times it could be some kind of disaster management. I've got computer simulations and a questionnaire that can give me some basic insight on where you stand with certain related skills; based on how you do with those, we can identify any critical weaknesses that need to be managed or worked around."

In the limited time that I've known him, Monica thought, Suzaku tends to act impulsively and on instinct, with little apparent regard for his own well-being. If he behaves the same way when given subordinates and made actively responsible for them, then should will be a quick way to confirm that behavior and start breaking him of it.

"Oh, well that sounds easy enough," I muse with a wave. "I just have to delegate my authority to whoever's the most qualified or experienced individual on the scene."

"Hm… there might be occasions where you can do that, but for these tests that most qualified and experienced person on the scene is going to be you."

The Knight of Twelve suppressed a smile as she watched her new colleague's face cycle through a myriad of expressions.

First he opened his mouth to dismiss the idea out of hand, before shutting himself up in confusion as the words actually took hold. "Wait… but I'm not qualified for or experienced at leading more than three people on a camping trip. So for me to be the best person on site for taking charge…"

Confusion dispelled into understanding, and then quickly morphed into wide-eyed horror as Suzaku asked, "Just what kind of horror-show clusterfucks are you throwing me into?!"

Finally, Monica allowed herself to smile at being taken seriously. "You're a Knight of the Round, so… yes."

As Monica all but dragged him off to wherever she planned on running her aptitude tests, Suzaku couldn't help but sigh.

I at least hope Euphie's having an easier day than I am…

On the other side of the world, Euphemia could have screamed a pillow if not for the fact that so many people were looking to her for leadership.

As it was, she forced herself to take a deep breath and regained her calm.

"What do you mean, 'the Japan Liberation Front has actually taken control over the convention center we staged as a trap to catch them'?!" ...well, relative calm at least. "We secretly rescheduled the distribution conference elsewhere, replaced the normal tourists and dignitaries on site with planted agents…! Am I to understand there was some leak we didn't know about or account for?"

Of the command personnel in her palace, Margrave Jeremiah was the first to salute and report. "Your Highness, apparently there was a records failure during the rescheduling process. Ashford Academy's student council had previously been approved for a field trip to watch the conference, and… somehow, the school failed to receive notice of the cancellation. We're still investigating the security lapse that allowed three students to make it into the convention center premises, but our best current understanding of the situation is that it caused some confusion when they were finally noticed, and the JLF were somehow able to exploit that."

Euphemia grit her teeth, frustrated in equal parts that the situation had gone so catastrophically wrong and that she had no easily-visible remedy to correct it. "I'll set aside all those somehows and apparentlys for now, Margrave."

"Wasn't that filthy Eleven in charge of security planning?!" someone spoke up without being asked. "She must have made an opening for her comrades–!"

"She was operating under supervision from General li Britannia," Euphemia cut in, making the officer pale at the reminder. "If your only interest is to stand around throwing stones so you can gain some kind of advantage from this misfortune instead of assisting in its resolution, then get out."

The officer spared half a second to look around the office for support, only to be answered with a round of withering glares – if not for his disrespect for the crown, or for his crassness in immediately looking for someone to blame the crisis on, then for his impulsivity in running his mouth and potentially bringing the rest of them under further scrutiny.

Shamefaced, the officer snapped a stoic salute. "…Yes, Your Highness! Apologies, Your Highness!"

Euphemia offered a nod, but did not look at him again. "If you want forgiveness, then report to General li Britannia and ask what she can do with you." Raising her voice, she asked, "Is there anyone else here with an interest in wasting my time with their petty hatred while lives are at risk?!"

When no one answered, save for the chastised officer taking his leave, the princess swallowed and turned her attention back to the news broadcast, and to the hostages shown on the screen. "Have the terrorists issued any demands?"

"Not yet, Your Highness."

That time, Euphemia actually snapped.

"You mean they've pirated a broadcast to show the world they've got hostages, and they're not even issuing any demands for their safe release?!"

Behind her high-backed chair, Guilford cleared his throat. "Your Highness, if I may?"

From the instant he'd opened his mouth, the princess had a few guesses as to what her sister's Knight was going to say. "Speak."

She wasn't disappointed.

"It would be remiss of me not to state for the record that Imperial policy is not to negotiate with or otherwise humor terrorists," he began. "General Cornelia is already en route to the hotel and marshaling a response force to wipe them out on your command–"

"Not without an actionable rescue plan to save as many hostages as possible," Euphemia replied, turning just far enough to fix Guilford a look in her peripheral vision. "You aren't going to tell me that this is outside the Goddess of Victory's ability?"

Guilford stiffened, his halfhearted and protocol-based objection to risking capable soldiers on the rescue of people who let a disgraced former noble and her friends get them all captured dying in his throat now that the Viceroy had turned it into a slight toward his princess's prowess. "Of course not, Your Highness!"

Unimpressed with his lack of a more positive response, Euphemia pushed her chair out from her desk and stood up. "I'm going to oversee the situation at the hotel personally – Margrave Jeremiah, handle things here and be prepared to respond in case someone else tries to take advantage of the situation. You know what I expect from you."

Jeremiah saluted with an affirming shout and stepped up to take command from her desk, while Guilford frowned and followed after the Princess as she made for the door. "Begging your pardon, Viceroy, but where are you going?"

The Viceroy's eye flashed over her shoulder, and for a half-second the Knight of Honor couldn't help but be reminded of her older sister – of his sworn liege. "I'm going out to Lake Kawaguchi so I can directly take over negotiations and take every possible action to ensure as few people as possible die for my lapse of control in this situation – now come along if you're going to mother-hen me, but you'd best stay out of my way!"

"Lt. Colonel, the Britannian dogs have been gathered together in a pantry near the top floor of the hotel!"

"All secondary land access routes have been destroyed!"

"AA emplacement on the roof will be finished within five minutes!"

Josui Kusakabe stroked his beard in contemplation as the reports of his subordinates washed over him.

To be honest, getting to this point proved easier than I anticipated… hah! As I thought, the stupid little schoolgirl they sent to replace Clovis barely even knows what she's doing! While it may be true that I first rallied this force simply to put the name of the Japan Liberation Front back on the people's lips…

"Open a line of communication to the Britannians, and tell them to expect a list of demands for the hostages' safe return within an hour; we'll let those bastards sweat for the anguish they've caused our people! In the meantime, continue bolstering our security – and make sure the Raikou is ready to greet any curious spelunkers who go exploring the underwater access tunnel!"

A chorus of sadistic cheers met the order, and Kusakabe sighed in relief as the junior officers left his new office to carry out his orders.

It just might be a stroke of luck that these lads boast more bloodlust than sense – it will give me more than enough time to decide how I can squeeze the most benefit from this situation!

While one Japanese resistance fighter was scheming in projected bravado, another was fighting as much against her own indecision as against Britannia's occupation.

"Hey Zero," Kallen quietly called out, continuing to adjust her new uniform as she darted on up to the masked man in question. "I need to talk with you about something important, do you have a minute?"

Zero turned around to face the redhead, and in so doing revealed that she'd interrupted some discussion with Ohgi who was standing on his opposite side.

Damn it, I hadn't planned on this conversation involving anyone else but me and him…

"If it's so important that it needs to be addressed before the operation," Zero allowed with a nod, "then by all means let's address it quickly. I overheard you mention to yourself that you'd recognized some students being taken hostage by the Japan Liberation Front; will the knowledge that their lives could depend on you interfere with your ability to act?"

"Huh? What?! No! No, that's not it at all," Kallen insisted, briefly throwing up her arms for emphasis. "The truth is… I found out a little while ago that my stepmother's been arrested, and now I'm going to be responsible as the head of the household until my father comes back from Britannia's homeland – if he even comes back."

Wilting a little under Zero's impassive-seeming gaze, she admitted, "I'm going to be put under a lot more scrutiny because of this, and I… I don't know what I should do about it."

In the half-second it took Zero to move, Ohgi had already crossed his arms with a smile. "Sounds to me like a perfect chance to step back and take care of your mother – not to mention all the good you can do for the Japanese people with more direct control over your parents' resources."

Kallen scowled, already hearing his unspoken relief that it would reduce the risk of her going to reunite with her brother. "You're just saying that because you've never wanted me on the front lines, even though I'm the best pilot here by a mile–"

"He isn't wrong."

"Huh?"

Kallen turned back to Zero in surprise, her stubborn wall cracked enough that his words couldn't help but wash over her like an ocean wave.

"Invaluable combat asset though you may be, new pilots can be prepared with time and effort. Individuals with both the birthright to be accepted into Britannia's governing elite and the moral compass to use that power justly, however, are rarer still. With control over a duke's holdings, you can be our eyes and ears in the civilian side of the administration in the short term. With any luck, you can then quickly find or train someone to fulfill many of those new responsibilities and thereby remain available when you're most needed."

Zero half-turned back to Ohgi, as though inviting him to question that assessment, only for the ex-schoolteacher to nod in agreement. "See? After tonight, we should be able to get by without you for a while."

The smiling concessions hit Kallen like a knee to the gut, and only then did she fully realize that it wasn't what she'd wanted to hear.

She'd wanted permission to give up on the Britannian half of her life, to just be able to bring her mother into the group as a cook or something and pilot full-time.

"We should be able to get by without you for a while."

"You can be our eyes and ears…"

…but what Kallen wanted for herself and what the Japanese needed from her apparently weren't the same thing anymore.

Damn you for putting me in this spot, Suzaku Kururugi…!

Forcing herself not to mutter and not to cry, Kallen stood up straight and faced her two commanders head-on. "…I understand. I won't let you two down."

"We have utmost faith in your capabilities," Zero said with a nod, before he and Ohgi turned back to each other. "Regarding the situation at the hotel, I've prepared plans for multiple contingencies, for which the group will be briefed en route. Right now, we need to deploy and take an initiative before Britannia has a chance to do something stupid and put the hostages further at risk–"

"Give me one good reason not to shell the place with artillery and wipe these blackguards out like the vermin they are."

Nagisa Chiba, standing defiantly between General Cornelia and the exit of her temporary command truck, bit her tongue to keep from immediately responding that the infestation in the area would remain out of control for as long as the warrior princess herself drew breath. "Am I to interpret that as a literal order, Your Highness? Or as rhetorical language implying that I should get out of your way?"

Cornelia, hand on the pommel of her sword to cut the Eleven down where she stood, reflected briefly on what conversation her sister Euphemia must have been having at that very moment. If she continues to insist on her recent reckless impetuousness, then Guilford probably won't be able to keep her from coming here to personally supervise me… "If you can think of one that doesn't rely on the Viceroy's authority, I'll overlook this insubordination and permit you to live."

"Because it would be reinforcing to the public that Britannia is a heartless monster with no respect or care for human life," Chiba explained with just as condescending a tone as Cornelia had used on her. "That kind of PR blunder is exactly what the JLF are going to want, and almost certainly also what Zero wants too."

Cornelia narrowed her eyes, and Chiba saw that as a sign to continue. "Maybe I can't stop you from slaughtering your own people like animals, but I promise you that your enemies will be thrilled to tell everyone they can about it."

Tch. "You're just looking for an excuse to spare your terrorist comrades–"

Cornelia tossed out the accusation expecting a defensive reaction, something she could use as probable cause to sideline and detain the other woman for suspicion of being a double agent.

She certainly hadn't expected for Chiba to laugh in her face. "Kusakabe is a fanatic and a narcissist who cares more about putting his name in the history books as a martyr for the cause than he does about actually advancing the cause, and his followers are the kind of hotheaded idiots to get a taste of his promises for a glorious death and start drinking hard."

Cornelia drew her sword an inch from its sheath. "You expect me to believe you'd massacre your own former comrades so easily, even with such personality defects?"

Chiba spaced her feet to respond. "You wanted to massacre your own country's schoolchildren who might be innocent enough to think you're here to save them, for no real reason outside your own personal convenience. From where I stand, you're the one who's unbelievable."

The general scoffed. "Negotiating with the terrorists for their release will only legitimize their tactics and give others incentive to do the same. The best deterrence against the use of human shields is to show that human shields aren't an effective deterrence–"

"And we shall do that," Euphemia cut in with an arm sweep as she stormed through the door, "by rescuing the hostages! Not by sacrificing them! Civilians and personnel alike!"

Cornelia quietly allowed her blade to slip the rest of the way back into its sheath, equal parts pleased to see her sister in good health and displeased at the unnecessary complication she presented. "Viceroy Euphemia. I must admit you're here earlier than I expected."

A pale-faced Guilford staggered into view behind Euphemia at that moment, shakily adjusting his glasses. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I was ordered in no uncertain terms to stand aside while the most… enthusiastic driver the Viceroy could find on short notice, did their level worst."

Blink. "Don't you mean their best?" Chiba asked.

"No, I chose my words quite deliberately."

Euphemia coughed into a fist. "All that matters is that we arrived before the terrorists publicly killed anyone and before you two started killing each other, and that no one was hurt in the process."

"…Guilford! Make a point of introducing me to that driver once the current situation has been resolved."

"Yes! Your Highness!"

Seeing that the simple command had restored some of her Knight's decorum, Cornelia then turned her attention back to Euphemia. "If you've devised a plan to rescue the inept fools who let themselves be captured and taken hostage by a third-rate rebel force, then by all means let's hear it."

Chiba privately grumbled that the JLF had to have at least been second-rate before Kusakabe started gaining more influence and Katase started going off the deep end – had something gotten into high command's water? – but kept from vocalizing any of it. "I have an idea."

"Go on," Euphemia ordered.

"Knowing that Kusakabe and his men will underestimate the Viceroy on account of their arrogance and bigotry," Chiba began, "I could out my identity and walk over there with Euphemia by claiming to have successfully taken the Viceroy hostage. With the introduction of a bargaining chip that much more valuable, I can manipulate him into letting the other hostages go safely as a way of gathering sympathy from the public – then I kill him, and the rest of his men too. The Viceroy, of course, will have slipped into hiding during the confusion and will have a concealed weapon to defend herself with in case we get separated."

Cornelia opened her mouth –

"That's a promising start and I like the initiative, but it doesn't have a contingency for Kusakabe failing to release the hostages. And while I don't have a problem pretending to play damsel in distress as far as ego is concerned, there remains a secondary issue that it could put my position and make it harder to uphold my end of our agreement."

…and snapped it back shut in wide-eyed alarm at her sister's response, while Chiba crossed her arms with a sigh. "Your country's politics are disgusting in their baseness, but suggestion withdrawn."

"You might be one of the first people I've spoken with to agree with me so openly on the subject," Euphie said with a smile.

"Euphie, you can't be serious–!"

"I'll entertain anything that gets the hostages out alive and, preferably, can be used to silence the vipers back home crowing about my inexperience… although."

"Your Highness, I must protest yet again–!"

Euphemia sniffed. "You don't even know what I'm going to say, Sir Guilford."

"He doesn't need to know!" Cornelia snapped. "That smile on your face makes it more than obvious that whatever it is will be completely unacceptable!"

Euphemia looked at Chiba... and after a moment, Chiba looked back with a nod.

Inside the hotel building, Kusakabe had taken a moment to come before the assembled hostages and grace the Britannian dogs with his honorable presence.

In particular, he enjoyed the look of abject terror on that green-haired girl in the glasses. The one who'd dared to open her mouth and sully these brave warriors of the Japan Liberation Front with that loathsome word Eleven.

A student, perhaps? A mere child, unknowing of – or possibly even unable to comprehend the oceans of blood her people had spilled of his?

Even the way the brats next to her rallied in defense was contemptible. Failing to heed the situation they're in… talking back to their betters…! Daring to meet his eyes and stare back in defiance! Even as children these brats of Britannia bore no trace of shame or guilt for the sins of their nation, not even a single shred of human decency!

Truly, Britannia's evil was beyond excuse! Beyond defense! So deep and all-consuming that the only Britannian who could ever possibly be considered good must long since have been cut down and reduced to a stain on Japanese steel!

"Even though you may be civilians," he explained with a magnanimous touch more patience than any of them deserved, "you are still unwanted invaders on Japanese soil and are thus no more innocent than your scheming politicians and murderous soldiers. As such, you remain alive to serve as bargaining chips in our negotiations with Britannia. Do as my men tell you, without causing trouble, and there is every reasonable chance that you might be returned safely to your homes when all this is over."

He left hanging the implication of what they could expect to earn from disobedience, and certainly kept to himself the secret hope that Britannia would prove unreasonable and give him the excuse to slaughter these animals like they so richly deserved.

Enough of his men were certainly chomping at the bit for just such a chance to make these Britannians good…

…enough of them, in fact, that an example needed to be made before someone went off prematurely. "You, in the glasses!"

The reaction was nothing short of delightful.

The mass of other hostages recoiling and twitching in a third-rate impression of moral indignation, as if such vile creatures could ever truly be capable of such. Forcing each other to remain still and not act out for fear of bringing down the wrath of the JLF on their heads like a furious kami.

The big-chested blonde stiffening, eyes wide and calculating.

The redhead going slack as if she'd been struck, lip sticking out as if she were going to cry or complain.

And that ignorant girl in the glasses, staring up at him like a frozen deer in the headlights just waiting to be run over.

That, right there. That was the look that Kusakabe wanted on the face of worthless Britannian leech that ever so much as even thought about setting their disgusting feet on Japanese soil.

"Since you're so ignorant as to mistakenly call us by that false name, you'll be coming with me for education while we await a response from your government."

He didn't bother hiding the smile that came to his lips when the dog started its whimpering anew.

"There's no need for that," the blonde next to her called out with bravery that might have been commendable if she weren't Britannian.

"Y-yeah, it was just a mistake anyone could make – ah?!"

Without even being told to, one of the infantrymen who had been guarding the hostages stormed up and put the muzzle of his gun right in the redhead's face. "How dare you talk back to Lt. Kusakabe?! I'm gonna–!"

"SIR!" a JLF trooper called out, barging in through the door. "The Britannians are asking to negotiate with you directly!"

I wouldn't have expected anything of the sort from that so-called Goddess who rampaged across the Middle East… the smaller one must have taken charge instead.

"I'll be there in a moment," Kusakabe said with a nod before turning to the one who had stepped up to punish the student for speaking against him out of line. "As negotiations are about to begin, it's beneath our noble samurai blood to kill or permanently harm any of the hostages. I trust you all understand my meaning?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

Half of the troopers all snapped to a smart salute, while the rest kept their weapons firmly trained on the hostages.

As Kusakabe turned his back to leave, the one holding Shirley at gunpoint withdrew his weapon, allowing her just enough space to sigh in relief.

When the door clicked shut, he then slammed the butt of his rifle into her head with a laugh.

Screams and furious yells broke out among the hostages, only for the threatening presence of the troopers' firearms to neutralize their resistance within seconds.

"Looks like that… guy," Milly spat with a glance at the sneering men with guns, "cut up your forehead with that little stunt. Just sit still for a minute and let me bandage you up…"

As the blonde untied the bottom of her blouse and tore off a strip for use as a makeshift bandage, Nina Einstein was left rocking back in forth next to them. "I'm so scared I think I'm going crazy…"

"Nina? Hey! Nina!"

Nina yelped at the sudden calling of her name, only to turn and realize that her friends must have been able to catch her careless whisper.

"I don't know how, but we're gonna get through this."

"Yeah," Shirley agreed with a pained shadow of her usual carefree smile. "I was more surprised than anything, it doesn't hurt that much."

The tears welling up in the redhead's eyes outed the white lie immediately, and only made Nina's heart sink even further at the thought of how worthless she felt next to Milly and Shirley.

"You don't understand, I… I'm…!"

Nina's voice died with a squeak when Shirley patted her hand, while Milly nodded in the midst of continuing to apply what limited first aid she could.

She couldn't meet their looks. Instead, she screwed her eyes shut and cried.

It didn't matter what her friends said in this moment.

It didn't matter what the government did.

It barely even mattered if the terrorists kept their word or not, and all because –

…I'm hearing voices, Nina admitted in as much shame as terror.

It's not so bad, the hallucination replied to the girl's internal whisper that might as well have been an echoing scream. After all, there's just the one of me.

Suzaku was out of the country, and Lelouch was… Nina actually couldn't imagine what on Earth she might have expected him to do about this nightmare or why she'd even thought of him, but the way he'd been cutting class more aggressively of late suggested he might have had other priorities than the student council, especially since Nunnally wasn't around.

It takes a very smart girl to realize at a time like this that there are no heroes, the voice whispered with a careful cadence snaking its way into her brain. No noble knights riding in on their gallant white horses… or at least, none coming to save you. None coming to save your friends.

Nina sniffled and shook in her friends' embrace, while the adults around them sat about seething with bitter indignation at the terrorists holding them captive.

But we can save them, if you wish for it…

With a high-pitched keen, Nina threw her head back and wailed.

MY WHITE WITCH.