Though European propaganda often lampooned the Britannian Royal Family as nothing more than a fractious clan of inbred sociopaths, born from the Emperor's inability to keep IT in his pants, in truth the nature of the relationship between the princes and princesses of the empire was more complicated.
While factions amongst the Imperial family were a common occurrence, for it was the only way for someone who was low in the line of succession to advance in both power and importance, the Emperor, possibly still haunted by the period of vicious infighting that propelled him to the throne, had him strictly forbidden his children from raising their hands in violence against each other.
Due to this law, which could be broken so long as there was no evidence to suggest that one royal had killed another, the royal children tended to use weapons of finance and political influence to achieve what they wanted, rather than the methods which had ensured that they possessed neither aunts, uncles, or cousins.
Such methods had ensured the not only the meteoric rise of 2nd Prince Scnheziel to the position of favorite for the throne, whose genius intellect and political skills had already made him a strong contender, but had also shielded him from the worst effects of his failure to defeat the EU through political dealings.
But despite the beneficial relationships that could develop between the half siblings of the Imperial family, it remained a fact of life that the only person an imperial prince or princess could fully trust was there full blooded sibling.
That wasn't to say that strong relationships did not develop between half siblings, as was the case between the 1st prince and princess, as well as the Vi Britannian line and those who did not look down on them for their commoner heritage, but that bond could easily break if political considerations were forced between them.
Such was not the case for the Li Britannian family.
Despite the 11 year gap between them, as well as the fact that both siblings chose to follow different philosophies when it came to the governorship of the empire, Cornelia and Euphemia Li Britannian enjoyed a strong loving relationship that unfortunately was exploited from time to time both enemy and ally alike.
In the case of the latter, such exploitation was usually childish in nature, and largely resulted in convincing the militant royal to partake in a more relaxing, or at the very least mischievous activity that could humanize one of Britannia's most competent, and ruthless field commanders.
Their enemies on the on the other hand, whether they be foreign powers or the more petty members of the Imperial Family, tended to paint the 2 sisters relationship in less flattering terms. Of course Cornelia took great delight in punishing those who dared to criticise her in this way, but those who enjoyed the credentials of living outside the jurisdiction of the Empire were safely beyond her reach.
However, despite the occasional teasing and mockery the siblings had to endure, though those of lower rank soon learned not to make such comments within ear shot of not only the 2nd princess, but also her subordinates as well, one thing was recognized by both ally and enemy alike.
Cornelia would unleash hell on earth if her beloved Euphemia was placed in harm's way.
A lesson that she was all quite willing to teach to the members of the Japanese Liberation Front.
…..
Though her outward appearance was that of a stereotypical nobleman who had been forced to deal with an unsavory problem, internally Cornelia Li Britannia was experiencing the same mixture of emotions that she had experienced nearly 8 years before.
However, they were at the same time both more and less intense than the previous occasion where she had to deal with this.
For on one hand, those barbaric Elevens had yet to discover that one of their hostages carried the same noble blood that coursed through her veins. Which meant that unlike her sorely missed half siblings, the chances of them deliberately targeting Euphie was non existent as long as her precious baby sister kept her mouth shut.
But on the other hand, while Nunally had fortunately been too young and crippled to encourage the typical behavior practised by monstrous degenerates before her death, her full blooded sister did not possess such luck. She was well aware that like her, Euphie attracted her fair share of admirers due to her physical appearance, but thankfully that had never been an issue due to not only the friendly support of her more amicable siblings, but also due to the not so subtle warning that she had no issue fileting anyone who dared to cast their eyes on the younger Li Britannia in a less than respectful way.
But now, Cornelia's protection was all but useless thanks to the fanaticism of a terrorist group that had all but signed its own extinction.
If the JLF had chosen Todoh to lead this mission, then things may have been different.
She of course would have still promised to hunt down each and every member of the former Japanese Military for their audacity to bargain with the lives of innocent Britannian, including her sister, but she would have considered giving them a swift death since she wouldn't have to worry about Euphie's virtue.
But since this operation was being led by one of the more delusional officers of the JLF, a man infamous for his less than honorable conduct during the 2nd Pacific War, not only did she have to worry about her sister being tossed out of a window, she also had to worry about her purity being defiled by a bunch of lowly numbers.
"Your Highness. The 4th squad is ready. We need only your word to begin".
Broken out of her troubled musings by Guildford's competent professionalism, the purple haired princess narrowed her eyes as she turned her attention away from her knight and focused it on the terrorist controlled hotel.
"Then begin Guilford. The sooner we send these worms to their graves, the sooner we can….".
Cursing herself for not even having the strength to verbally acknowledge what she wanted to do, Cornelia was grateful that neither of her subordinates drew attention to her momentary show of weakness.
"Understood your Highness. 4th squad, you may begin your attack".
"Yes My Lord"
…..
Having received the order to advance, as well as giving the proper acknowledgment that was due to any superior officer, Lt. Arthur Somersby confidently piloted his Sutherland into the avenue of approach that had not been destroyed by the Eleven monkeys.
While he had no doubt that these terrorists would fail in their rather pitiful objective of convincing the world of their continued relevance, the question that ran through his head was whether or not he would complete his mission before those squalid numbers fulfilled their rather useless ultimatum.
This concern wasn't borne out of concern for the personal feelings of the hostages and their families, but caused by the belief that his chances of promotion would be much improved for every Britannian civilian that he saved.
He could already picture it now.
After fighting his way through whatever feeble resistance the Elevens could offer, he would not only rescure the hostages, but capture the deluded leader who dared to raise his hand against his betters. And considering Princess Cornelia was in the habit of rewarding individuals who could competently deliver results, he could very well end up being promoted to the nobility.
But as lovely as this day dream was, he first had to traverse the rather long service tunnel that extended below the lake and into the bowels of the hotel.
He was sure that like the idiots they were, the JLF would station their strongest weapon, probably an outdated Glasgow, at the very end of the tunnel, which meant that any ambush team he would meet before that time would be feeble at best.
Cause after all, the Elevens weren't exactly known for their tactical expertise, let alone their technological knowhow.
Which meant that the only danger to him was scuffing his knightmare's paint.
…..
Lounging in the comfortable, yet largely decadent suite that he had claimed for his temporary headquarters, Lt. Colonel Josui Kusakabe listened in amusement as his men made him aware of the rather predictable move of their imperial foe.
"Lt. Colonel, our sensors have detected the Britannian's have entered the tunnel. Do you wish for us to engage now, or wait til we get a clear shot with the weapon"?
Chuckling in approval at the way his men deferred to his judgement, the JLF leader allowed his voice to adopt a slightly chiding tone as he responded to his subordinate.
"I approve of your willingness to strike now lieutenant, however at this point in time it will be wiser to use our more expendable weaponry before we reveal the presence of the Raiko".
Smirking as he received the standard 'Understood Sir', Kusakabe poured himself a drink from the room's rather extensive selection of liquor as he contemplated what the Britannian's would do once they learned that they would actually have to bleed in order to get what they wanted.
He had no intention of giving it to them of course, for the Empire's crimes against Japan ensured that it had to pay in blood, but for the moment it would be prudent to ensure that they thought he was a reasonable man.
Perhaps after he announced their failure, he would double the amount of hostages tossed out the window, and maybe enact a little bit of revenge on the more visibly appealing hostages.
He already had 2 girls in mind, though he was uncertain of which one he would take for himself and which would he would give his most trusted subordinates.
The blond school girl was rather gifted when it came to the realm of womanly charms, but that pink haired student possessed an air of innocence that would be fun to break.
Decisions, decisions.
…..
Smiling in triumph as his sensors revealed that he was half way to the target, Lt. Somersby was pulled from his lovely fantasy about his awaiting life as a nobleman by the rather amusing sight of 3 Elevens rushing to confront him.
While he could have easily cut them down with a blast from his frame's rifle, the knightmare pilot believed that such a death was too simple for these monkeys.
No. Far better to literally crush them under his heel and save the bullets for a more worthwhile target.
For in the modern age of warfare, infantry combat was now seen as obsolete when compared to the powerful machines that had supplanted the tank as the dominant player of the battlefield.
However, it was precisely this sort of attitude that had influenced the most powerful of Britannia's enemies to invest considerable resources into prolonging the usefulness of the common infantryman. And while the Panzerfaust was less impressive in appearance than say a Hummel, let alone a Viking, it was still more than capable of taking out all but the most heavily armored Britannian vehicle.
But since Somersby had spent the last 3 years reminding the Eleven population that they were now owned by a superior race, he lacked the same reflexes that many veterans of the Middle Eastern campaign had learned to develop.
If he had experienced first hand the efforts of an enemy that was both numerous and well equipment, then perhaps he would have known to start maneuvering his Sutherland in a zig zag pattern as soon as the JLF made its appearance.
However, such was not the case.
And the last thing Lt. Kevin Somersby ever saw was the enemy projectile heading straight towards the torso of his knightmare.
…..
Though her outward appearance was one that was to be suspected of an officer of Europe's Internal Security Division, the blond haired Standartenfuhrer was experiencing the twin emotions of fear and disgust as she was forced to watch the developing broadcast.
"We have just received confirmation that 3 Sutherlands, who had been tasked with the important mission of rescuing the hostages taken by the Japanese Liberation Front, have been destroyed. Because of this, the terrorist leader colonel Kusakabe has decided to execute 2 hostages by pushing them off the roof of the Lake Kawaguchi Hotel. So far, Prin…".
Muting the Britannian newswoman with a press of a button, Karina turned towards her silent subordinate with a look of disappointment.
"I don't think I need to tell you that this situation in Area 11 is precisely what we didn't want to happen. In addition to instructing his former countrymen on how to properly use the arms we so generously provided, Sturmbanfuhrer Hyūga was supposed to give us some prior warning if the JLF was to adopt a more public campaign. Judging by what the Brit news is reporting, I think its safe to say that your Jap boy toy has managed to complete only one aspect of his mission. Wouldn't you agree"?
Promptly nodding her head in a manner that hopefully didn't come across as frantic, Lelia found her composure cracking as her superior continued to muse on the developing situation.
"Safe to say that the Chancellor isn't too happy about this setback. His intent was to slowly but surely increase the power of Area 11's largest resistance movement until it was strong enough to stand a chance of overthrowing their Britannian overlords, who would hopefully be preoccupied with a more substantial threat to their interest. However, those plans are unlikely to come to pass now that the JLF has lost the propaganda war".
Knowing that she had to speak up before the sadistic German passed sentence on the man she harbored feelings for, the former Britannian did her best to keep her emotions in check as she listed the various reasons why Akito should be spared the fate of those who had displeased the blond haired leader of the ISD.
"Forgive me for saying this Madam Director, but I do not think the situation is as bad as it sounds. Yes these terrorists appear to be part of the Japanese Liberation Front, but judging by their methods, it is highly likely that these are members of a specific faction of the organization. And since these men are acting out of some misguided sense of nationalism, it is more than likely that they kept Sturmbahfuhrer Hyuga in the dark about their intentions".
While she had been confident in her explanation, Karina's snort of amusement was more than enough to convince her that perhaps she should have put more thought into it.
"If the Britannian garrison was still being led by that foppish peacock, then I would agree with you. However, the 2nd Princess is a rather different military animal than Clovis. Once you've attracted her notice, especially in this manner, your days are numbered unless you have the strength to bloody her enough to make her pull back. And since the Reich has only shipped enough resources to give the JLF a chance to bloody the Empire in a manner that is similar to what Arabs did, albeit much smaller in scale, the JLF will be finished as soon as Cornelia decides to deal with them. Which wont be long I assure you".
Knowing full well the reputation of Britannia's most successful field commander, Lelia was about to concede this point when her superior spoke out again.
"Though I must admit, you have convinced me to rethink my punishment for our unlucky field agent. I suppose that in light of his otherwise spotless record, I may be able to convince the Chancellor to merely have him demoted to the rank of Untersturmführer, maybe Hauptsturmführer if he's lucky. I trust that you have no objection in dating a man who is 4 or 5 levels below you in rank"?
Her face turning slightly red at the older woman's teasing, the former Britannian only managed to shake her head before her superior's attention was directed elsewhere.
Turning her face in the direction of the muted T.V., which currently bore the image of a shocked newswoman, Lelia didn't have to wait long to find out why she was acting this way as her superior turned the volume back on.
"For those who are just tuning in, we have an unexpected situation developing here at Lake Kawaguchi. For it appears that Zero, the masked terrorist responsible for murdering Prince Clovis, has somehow breached the perimeter, and is now negotiating directly with Princess Cornelia".
…
Though it had been some years since he last had the opportunity to be in the presence of his half-sister, his failure in Saitama Ghetto non withstanding, Lelouch was still able to accurately guess Cornelia's response when faced with the prospect of removing a thorn in her side.
Arrogance that was readily backed up with over whelming firepower.
However, since he had a suspicion as to why she was holding off on using it on the JLF, the banished prince had to act fast in order to convince the purple haired royal not to take out her frustrations on him.
"Greetings your highness. It appears that you may be in need of some assistance this evening".
Smiling beneath his mask as his sister reacted in the manner he had predicted, which was a narrowing of her eyes followed by a scoff, Lelouch patiently waited for Cornelia to deliver a more verbal response to his offer. One that he was sure would include its fair share of insults.
He was not disappointed.
"And why would I accept the assistance of a cowardly terrorist in rescuing innocent civilians? Your failure at Saitama, and your murderous actions at Shinjuku haven't exactly convinced me of your intentions Zero. So please tell me, why should I accept your offer when I can avenge my late brother here and now"?
Ignoring the faint stab of regret that always occurred when someone mentioned his foppish half sibling, though it was a feeling that was becoming less noticeable as time wore on, Lelouch was grateful for his mask's voice modulator for he was uncertain if he could keep his tone devoid of emotion as he proceeded to act on his supscion.
"Which would you prefer your highness? To avenge the fate of a sibling who is no longer with us, or to spare a sister from suffering a similar fate at the hands of those who are less merciful than I"?
Smirking as he saw Cornelia's expression whiten, the masked leader was wholly unsurprised by her next words to her subordinates.
"Let them through".
…..
Despite the fact that he had yet to order his men to procure for him some personal entertainment, Kusakabe nevertheless felt a sensation of satisfaction that if possible surpassed any momentary pleasure he could get from forcing himself onto a Britannian whore.
His men had successfully managed to prove that the Japanese solider, if given the right tools could triumph over any adversary despite their so called technological superiority. Though he much would have preferred this victory to have been achieved with the Raiko
He had successfully managed to intimidate a woman, whose bloodthirst was well known throughout the world, into curbing her desire to charge in guns blazing.
And perhaps the most delicious of all, he had that masked upstart coming to negotiate with him.
Oh the prestige he would gain if he played this properly.
On one hand, he could execute Zero for daring to inspire the oppressed masses of Japan to think that they could place their trust in someone other than the rightful protectors of Japanese culture.
But on the other, he could capitalize on the masked man's popularity by offering him a place in the JLF.
Of course, any position Zero would gain would be largely ceremonial, but the mere mention of the masked man's new allegiance would serve to rally countless others to join Japan's saviors. And if he played this right, he could use the surge in recruits to form a powerbase that would allow him to eventually get rid of Katase and his loyal following.
For the old general, as well as that sanctimonious bastard Todoh, were constant reminders as to why Japan lost the Second Pacific War. And if the island nation was ever to claim its rightful place in the world, it would need a leader who wasn't weighed down by the outdated notion of mercy.
Instead, the new Japan would be led by those who not only realized that the only mercy an enemy deserved was a quick death, but that victory could only be achieved if one was willing to do whatever it took to achieve it.
And if that meant a few dozen, or even a few thousand civilians had to be sacrificed, then so be it.
….
Having already phoned Karina to inform her of my less than pleased reaction to her agent's less than stellar performance with the JLF, and lacking any pressing responsibilities at the moment, I decided to pour myself a well earned glass of schnapps, and watch the developing performance.
Though my attitude towards the JLF was currently soured by this ill-advised publicity stunt, I had to admit that their continuing success justified my decision to clandestinely supply them with up to date armaments.
Despite the fact that they couldn't have had more than a week of training, these over eager remnants of Japanese military had managed to destroy 3 Sutherlands within a relatively short time span.
However, while I was pleased to see the weaponry of the Reich successfully triumph over Britannian technology, even if it was in the hands of those who probably possessed ambitions of betraying us once they feel that their position is secure, I was nevertheless confused by the almost timid nature that was currently being shown by the Britannian garrison.
If the Britannian forces had been led by a less competent commander, then they would have used all resources at their disposal to wipe out those who dared to embarrass the Empire. Of course the number of dead hostages and collateral damage would have been unacceptably high, but they could easily blame the JLF for 'acts of barbarity'.
But while Cornelia was known to show a level of concern for her troops that was uncommon for imperial military commanders, she also wasn't above expending their lives if she believed that their sacrifice could accomplish something worthwhile. But since the purple haired princess had stopped sending her men to their deaths after that idiot Kusakabe threatened to speed up the execution of his hostages, it was rather obvious that something about this incident was causing the 2nd princess to act unlike her usual gun ho self.
The only plausible explanation was that the JLF had captured someone relatively close to her, and was threatening to kill them should she fail to agree to their rather ridiculous demands.
However, if they did manage to capture a Britannian of significantly high rank, those prideful relics wouldn't hesitate to broadcast their success before they subjected the unfortunate Brit to very public display of how little their conquered subjects appreciated being a part of the Holy Britannian Empire.
Since that hadn't happened, and the fact that the only move Cornelia had made was to come to some sort of arrangement with that masked failure Zero, I had to infer that the identity of the mysterious Britannian had gone undiscovered.
I still had trouble figuring out who it could be.
The only person capable of causing Cornelia to adopt a more cautious approach was that naïve little pacifist she called her sister.
And from what the latest intelligence reports suggested, the pink haired royal was never allowed to leave the confines of their castle shaped headquarters unless she was accompanied by either the Witch of Britannia herself, or the equivalent of an entire armored battalion.
However as I recall, the 3rd princess had the tendency to rebel against her older sister's influence, which I suppose is only natural given that one sibling is a war monger, albeit a competent one, while the other practises a set of beliefs that by all accounts should have resulted in her exile and execution.
Which I suppose would explain why the purple haired royal acted the part of a loyal bootlicker. For a loyal and competent servant can successfully cover for the less than savory actions of those who would otherwise be punished for their disagreeable nature.
That being said, with the resources at her command, it was entirely possible that Cornelia could continue to protect her sister while she was allowing her the illusion of rebellion. It wouldn't be that big of a surprise to learn that each and every escape of attempt was carefully choreographed to ensure that the 3rd princess was never aware of her sister's continued inability to let her have her own independence.
And that in turn would explain why her sister was being unusually cautious during this hostage situation.
If the JLF somehow discovered that they had in their clutches a princess of the empire, and a fairly high ranking one at that, it was suffice to say that one way or another, Cornelia would be faced with a situation that could only exist in her worst nightmares.
And while I would hardly shed a tear for the death of a member of the ever expanding imperial family, I was fully aware that there were fates that were far worse than death.
Not sure if the 'corruption' the 3rd princess would be enough for me to terminate my designs for the Japanese Liberation Front, but it would probably be enough to order Karina to conduct a much needed purge of its ranks.
Murderers and egotistical idiots I can deal with.
Rapists…..well lets just say that there's always a special place for these kind of people in the gulag.
And if they happened to be too highly ranked to just simply ship them up north, I suppose a sniper's bullet to the groin, preferably one with a time delayed bomb in it, would be punishment enough.
…..
As Zero's henchwoman proceeded to escort her to where the rest of the rescued hostages were now being held, Euphemia couldn't help but reflect on the traumatic, and confusing experience she had just gone through.
While she had expected to have some sort of adventure after securing her sister's permission to temporarily break free from her sister's watchful gaze, being held hostage by an armed group of terrorists, for there was no other word to describe these people, had not been something she could have predicted.
At first she had listened to the hushed, yet frantic advice of her body guard, even if the act of doing so went against everything she believed in, to stay quiet and ensure she didn't do anything that would attract unwanted attention.
However, after one of the other hostages managed to accidentally draw attention to herself, she knew that she could no longer stand idly by while she had the power to intervene. And while she knew that Cornelia would be highly annoyed by her decision to risk her life for the sake of a commoner, Euphie would nevertheless do it again.
Following the discovery of her true identity, the JLF soldiers had eagerly escorted her to their commander.
But instead of the cold hearted monster who willingly used innocent lives to further his cause, the person waiting for her had been the one responsible for killing her half brother.
Originally, she had been quite prepared to adopt both her sister's and Suzuaku's viewpoint when it came to the masked revolutionary, though she had to admit that the Empire's treatment of its colonial subjects was a valid excuse for continued resistance.
However, after Zero had learned of her willingness to exchange her life for that of an innocent hostage, the masked man had simply laughed in a manner that suggested that he should have expected such a thing from her.
The barely noticeable fondness in his tone after commenting on her nature had managed to not only confuse her, but also for the first time in years, kindle a hope that she and her sister had long since buried.
There wasn't enough time to act on her suspicions, nor would she tell Cornelia that there was a possibility that Lelouch, and hopefully Nunally, were still alive, but it was enough to make her to begin to understand Zero's motives if in fact he was indeed her beloved half brother.
Hatred towards a society that did nothing for those who were truly innocent.
….
Despite the deadly seriousness of the situation, which had already resulted in the loss of 3 pilots and there soon to be obsolete frames, along with the death of at least 2 hostages, he could only feel a growing sense of boredom as he waited to receive permission to launch his beloved toy.
Of course considering the ethnicity of the person piloting his beloved Lancelot, the bespectacled earl should have suspected that his royal overseer would be unwilling to send his cherished creation into action, even if it would have been the more intelligent thing to do.
With its increased agility, not to mention the revolutionary feature of an energy shield and maser weaponry, the Lancelot could have easily put an end to this rather tedious stand off.
But nooooooo.
Because of Cornelia's entrenched racism, which amusingly enough had not prevented that intriguing man Zero from being given a chance to solve this little crisis, he was being denied the chance to not only gather more data for the future of knightmare development, but also proving that his genius deserved better funding.
In retrospect, the decision to base his operations in Area 11 might have been a mistake, even if it did speed up the actual construction of the Lancelot. But since the 2nd Prince wanted his project to be completed as fast as possible, and had refused to increase his budget to cover the cost of shipping the necessary amounts of Sakuradite to the mainland, Lloyd was unable to extend his search for a pilot beyond the confines of Area 11.
As far as pilots went, Suzaku was not a bad one per say.
He could pilot his beloved creation in the manner in which he always envisioned. He obeyed his orders. And he ensured that he did not have to suffer alone whenever Cecile was in one of her more creative culinary moods.
But if he had his way, the eccentric earl would have chosen someone who possessed a more realistic outlook on life.
A combat soldier's duty wasn't to save lives, it was to take them. This was a philosophy that was well understood by both the Empire, and those who possessed the strength and will to resist its expansionistic goals. Chancellor Krueger, though a great enemy of the empire, nevertheless inspired a great deal of grudging respect from the members of the Britannian military by ensuring that each and every solider of the Wehrmacht understood this key concept.
'Wars are not won by dying for one's country. They are won by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his'.
But despite controlling the most powerful weapon every seen in modern warfare, as well serving a nation that cared little for the lives of those that were deemed inferior, Suzaku continued to act in a manner that was, dare he say it, honorably chivalrous.
And if he still had a conscience, he would probably feel sorry for the Japanese teenager.
For if there was one thing that he had learned during the course of his scientific career, it was that a subject would either be destroyed by the harshness of its environment, or it would adapt and prove itself superior.
And since the latter option involved Suzaku becoming the very thing he hated, Llyod was prepared to accept that he may very well need to accept a more mediocre pilot at the controls of his precious Lancelot.
"Lloyd we just got word from her highness. We have permission to launch",
Broken out of his musings by the slightly concerned tone of his assistant, the bespectacled earl grinned in a manner that was nearly identical to a child that had just been told he could pick anything he wanted from a toy store.
"Excellent. I've been dying to see what kind of data we can get from fighting the more organized terrorist groups. While I'm sure that my precious Lancelot will triumph regardless of the odds, it never hurts to expose it too the odd bit of danger to help ensure everything is working properly. And considering how easily the JLF took out those Sutherlands, I can predict that the experience will be worthwhile".
Happily imagining all the improvements he would soon be making to his master piece, for he had long accepted that designs could always be tweaked with the right know how, Lloyd's enthusiasm was slightly lowered as he noticed Cecile's less than amused expression.
However, luck appeared to be on his side, for just as his blue haired assistant was about to lecture him for failing to show concern for the one safely sequestered in Lancelot's cockpit, the voice of his Japanese born devicer came to his rescue.
"I just got the order to advance, so I will be launching the Lancelot now".
Relieved at the brilliant timing of his creation's pilot, Lloyd quickly positioned himself at one of the numerous computer screens that cluttered his work space.
And as expected, the data he received was more than enough to chuckle in excitement.
However, as always, his assistant had to put a damper on his good mood by being sentimental.
"Do you think Suzaku will be all right? I know that the Lancelot is more advanced than a Sutherland, but considering the nature of this assignment, it is possible that he will be in great danger".
While keeping his eyes focused on the monitors, the eccentric scientist casually dismissed Cecile's concerns with a wave of his hand.
"I'm sure Suzaku will be able to handle it. After all, the Lancelot was built to take on the most advanced weaponry currently deployed by the Empire's enemies. So all we have to worry about is maybe some light scratching. But only if our pilot is less than his usual brilliant self".
Hearing the exasperated sigh of his blue haired assistant, Lloyd quickly tuned out what he liked to call the 'background chatter' and focused on the incoming data.
For the most part he was not only pleased, but surprised as well. Though the second part had more to do with the abilities of the enemy rather than with the Lancelot performance.
Carefully placed teams of soldiers equipped with modern anti knightmare rockets.
Cunningly hidden booby traps designed to either slow down or incapacitate anyone that managed to make it through the JLF's first line of defense.
And perhaps the most surprising of all, a weapon that by all rights should never have existed.
Not because it was a powerful weapon in the hands of murdering terrorist, but because the design was embarrassing to the point of insanity. The concept of an oversized rail gun had enormous potential, for not only could it be used to increase the range of a projectile, it could also increase its speed to the point where current shielding technology would be useless.
But the members of the JLF seemed to have had other ideas with their knightmare propelled weapon. For instead of using it as an incredibly long ranged sniper, they had simply turned it into a glorified shot gun.
Yes it was useful in this type of engagement, but a true genius devised creations that could be used for every type of situation they might face. It was why the Lancelot had been designed with such overwhelming abilities, for he knew that in warfare, nothing was ever static.
But while he dismissed the practicality of the Raiko, which had been quickly destroyed after Suzaku managed to successfully navigate the preceding defences, Lloyd couldn't help but mentally compose a list on how he would have improved the overall design of the JLF's secret weapon.
'Lets see. First thing to do would be to do away with the whole shot gun concept, though I suppose it does need something to deal with multiple enemy's, so it can keep that function as long as its primary purpose was more accurate. And as for its platform, it has to be completely redone. Tanks would probably be a better bet than using Glasgow's since their lower to the ground, but the agility might suffer a bit. But I suppose that's not tooo much of an impediment since the damn thing's only value is as a mobile siege cannon. Although, if it had aerial capabilities….".
Lost in his largely impractical thoughts of flying weapons, Lloyd was able to ignore the suddenly frantic actions of his staff until Cecile decided to smack him on the back of his head.
"Ouch Cecile. What on earth is wrong with yo…ah. Well not to worry. The Lancelot's structural integrity is strong enough to survive the most extreme pressure. So I'm certain that it will be fine once we dig it out of the rub….OUCH ".
Doing his best to protect his head as his assistant continued to use her clipboard to abuse him, the eccentric creator of the Lancelot missed not only his precious creation emerging from the wreckage of the formerly pristine hotel, but also the man responsible for said hotel's destruction.
….
"We, the Black Knights, shall be the ones who stand in judgment of this world".
Snorting at the amusing proclamation of a man whose track record was far from praise worthy, I nevertheless allowed myself to consider the implication's of Zero's announcement.
With the JLF's image tarnished by this ill advised publicity stunt, the Black Knight's did have the potential to become a viable threat to the Britannian garrison. And considering that Cornelia didn't open fire on them as soon as the hostages were cleared, I think it's safe to say that my early suspicion of her beloved sister being placed in harms way was correct.
Which means that as long as Zero doesn't do anything too overt during his Robin Hood themed recruitment drive, something that should have been done before revealing his organization, he'll be left alone for as long as Cornelia has other targets to extinguish.
Which means that the Reich's efforts in increasing the combat potential of the JLF have now been wasted thanks to the arrogance of a man whose pride was only matched by his idiocy.
Still, I suppose some good has come out of this debacle.
With the destruction of the hotel, the Brit's will be unable to discover proof that the JLF was fielding weapons that had been supplied by the Reich. Suspicions yes, but without hard evidence, they can do nothing but grumble.
And thanks to rather impressive technical skills of that Japanese born hacker, forget his name but I recall he was one of the more useful subordinates to the exiled Brit who led the Waffen ISD's Nippon Regiment, the Reich had finally managed to gain useful intel regarding the knightmare that had been named after a key figure in the Arthurian legends.
Typical Brit design.
Overpowered, expensive to make, and impossible for all but the most gifted pilot to operate.
Sadly, it seems that the Britannian's are keeping the identity of the pilot a secret. Which means that they'll be able to get some use out of them before Karina's agent's can properly dispose of him.
Still I suppose it could be worse.
If I hadn't possessed the foresight to order the construction of the Loki and Brumhilde, I would have nothing to counter the Empire's first 7th generation knightmare. And considering Speer's rather useful ability to ensure that all military hardware is standardized, the Reich possesses the potential to be the first nation to mass produce knightmares of the 7th generation.
Which could very well prove decisive during the operation that has long since been a dream of mine since the onset of the Great War.
Operation Humpback.
…..
Hope you all enjoyed this rather long chapter.
Plz review. No flames.
Finally got to the creation of the Black Knights XD. Now I have to set up the Battle of Narita. Since we all know what happens in the interm, wont really focus on Lelouch. Rather will give the spot light to the Britannian's of Area 11.
Had the JLF, with some Reich supplied weaponry, act in a more competent manner during the Hotel situation. Which means that once Cornelia goes after them, not going to be such a walk in the park. Which can also mean that the Black Knights might face some internal issues when it comes to absorbing, or even coming to an agreement, the surviving members of the JLF.
As for Kusakabe, good riddance. While the series tended to portray most of the Japanese characters as honorable/likeable…Suzaku's dick moments/Tamaki's idiocy/Oghi's poontang influenced treachery non withstanding, Kusakabe, at least in my mind, represented the type of Japanese officer that would be common during WW2.
And to that end, portrayed him as such.
Now, to cover the questions/thoughts that have been asked/posed of me.
Chancellor ZVE
Q: If I remember correctly, whatever remnants of the JLF that escape the Battle of Narita, barring Tohdoh and his honor guard, try to escape to the Chinese Federation in the canon timeline. If that's the case, then will those same JLF remnants, outside of Tohdoh and the 4 Swords, consider trying to get to the Gross Europa Reich instead of the Chinese Federation? I think this can be possible IF the Reich can manage to get some coastal presence near the Pacific in time before the JLF have to flee, perhaps by seeing if this 'Operation Barbarossa-esqe' campaign actually succeeds or not
Answer: You raise an excellent point. However, can't say much about that because the story hasn't reached that point. All depends on the outcome of the battle. Which could very well effect the decision by the Reich to launch their ' Operation Barbarossa-esqe' campgain.
Q: Something in Akito's scene, the part where the JLF liked the idea of a single soldier being able to destroy a Knightmare, made me wonder: is the Reich purely focused on the more technological aspects of their military, Knightmares and air fleets, or are they also giving some special attention to the capabilities of the individual soldier too?
A: Due to the fact that the Reich is currently unable to match Britannia's ability to field a purely knightmare military, much investment has gone into modernizing their military. With less sakuradite, they have to rely more on the traditional aspects of modern warfare, with knightmares being more for elite units (think Tiger tanks in the WW2 German Army)
Q: Why is the Chinese Federation showing signs of reconsidering their neutrality and possibly shifting for a stance against Britannia? It can't be because of the Great War since that was already years ago relative to the time in this chapter, and I don't recall the Chinese threatening to rock the status quo and balance of national superpowers this early in canon. Of course, I may be forgetting some detail from the actual show, but I hope you are willing to provide an answer, except if it's going to spoil some of the plot.
Answer: The Reich has recently annexed the Middle Eastern Federation. Which means that the Reich now shares a border with India, one of the more…independently minded members of the Federation. And, they share the Eurasian continent with a Superpower that is far more militant than canon. Won't say more since my 'vision' has yet to solidify, but rest assured, it will be fun XD.
Q: To follow-up on your answer to my question concerning the integration of foreigners and their degrees of autonomy, except for those who get purged, do these new citizens get to keep their native culture and be given the freedom to practice their religion, if any, provided that they still provide for the Reich and make sure their practices don't interfere or incite any trouble for the Reich? Just want to clarify if these rights are within the degrees of autonomy you mentioned because that sounds magnitudes better than complete cultural suppression in Britannia's Area system.
A: Pretty much. The way I envision the Reich, there are 3 official languages (English, German, and Russian) that have to be known if one wishes to enter the upper rings of society/the military. But as far as cultural/religions go, the Reich's take is "I'm a European/Citizen of the Reich first, a French/Englis/German/Jew/Lutheran/Catholic second'. Envision some policies that keep religion and state firmly separated, which laws punishing those that fail to keep religious doctrine from escaping their private lives. (i.e. I don't care what you do at home, in public, EVERYONE is the same). The middle east escapes this to an extent (i.e. Arabic is the official language of the region, and religion is still a main force in society) but is still expected to follow certain laws. (i.e. they can refuse to do business with someone based on religious grounds, but if they harm said person, full penalty".
Fuhrer of Europe
Q: Moving on to the subject of this world's own version of Operation Barbarossa, the Reich is going to at least make sure not to attack during the winter season as well as secure their other borders right? Real-World Napoleon made that mistake and Real-World Nazi Germany made that mistake too, and Nazi Germany made it worse when they decided to launch a war against the Soviet Union while they were STILL at war with the Western Allies which basically trapped them between two great powers.
A: I believe that the factors surrounding this worlds version of Operation Barbarossa would be quite different. The Reich is fully aware of the weather conditions, since almost all of European Russia is under their control/ plus the fact that they had only lost Siberia less than 10 years ago. You can already see that I have taken precautions to increase the infrastructure/gain support of the populace. Also, unlike real world (where the Germans idiotically declared war on the USA while their struggling in Russia) the Reich really has no other nation to worry about. Multiple theatres yes, but the China of that world is like the Italy of WW2. Perhaps there are some good officers, but the training of the rank and file sucks, as well as their equipment.
Comment: Lastly, while some may also argue that Zero and his Black Knights could become to Japan what Krueger is to the EU-turned-Reich, I sincerely doubt they will ever achieve that ultimate victory on their own, if at all, and I'm not just saying that because of the canon timeline.
Answer: That is my take. History tends to show that most revolutions/insurgencies will only succeed if they have support of a nation that can give them the tools they need to fight on. Vietnam, American Revolution, the partisan campaigns of WW2 tend to support this view point. Zero's bid for power that could rival the Empire only comes about after he succeeds in worming his way into the Federation. And since the series showed that Schneizel was being sent with a fleet to reinforce Cornelia during the Black Rebellion, its clear that Lelouch needs the resources of a nation to achieve his goals.