Though she managed to keep her expression frozen in a mask of serene indifference, internally Kaguya Sumeragi was beaming with joy as Kirihara proceeded to inform the Houses of Kyoto of a change that she had been advocating for ever since her future husband debut.
"Due to the current state of the Japanese Liberation Front, and the resources it will take to restore them to their previous position as Japan's most powerful resistance movement, it is my decision that Kyoto immediately move to confer the Black Knights as our primary receiver for aid".
Inclining her head forward to show that she agreed with this decision, for it wouldn't do for one of her position to break out into cheers of victory, the 14 year old head of the Sumeragi Clan fought the urge to scowl when one of her fellow leaders decided to show his skepticism towards her mentor's decision.
"Forgive me for asking this Lord Kirihara, but what has caused this decision? While it is true that General Katase's forces are depleted, they are still sufficient enough to ensure a rapid recovery rate if we expend the resources to do so. Not to mention the fact that those that survived the catastrophe at Narita are all trained veterans. Does it not make more sense to waste our efforts on those who can make the best use of what we give them"?
Allowing a small frown to grace her features as she noticed how Kubouin's argument was being considered by the rest of the group, Kaguya let loose a small sigh of relief as Kirihara proceeded to explain the cause for his decision.
"While there is wisdom in your argument, I'm afraid that in this situation it is mistaken. While it is true that the JLF still possesses enough strength to perhaps one day rise again, I'm afraid that such a thing will fail to come to pass. Cornelia will waste no time or effort in hunting down the organization that held her sister hostage. And since Kusakabe's actions have poisoned the public's perception of those who represent the old Japan, it would be foolish to continue to support those who have lost not only the faith of the people, but also those who lack the strength to resist the ambitions of the Empire".
Allowing herself be more expressive in her agreement, for she believed full heartedly that the JLF had squandered its chance to free Japan from the yoke of Britannia, Kaguya's smiling nod was interrupted by yet another of the council skeptics.
"That may be true Lord Kirihara, but the JLF still has the skills of Todoh and his Holy Swords to call upon. Not to mention the knightmares that allowed them to devastate the forces of Britannia. Surely this counts for som..".
"It counts for nothing Lord Munakata. While skilled in the arts of war, Todoh and his men lack the numbers to significantly challenge the Britannian garrison. And while I do not doubt that they will prove themselves worthy of the name of Soldiers of Japan, the fact remains that they will eventually succumb to the weight of resources our enemy is able to bring to bear".
Eyes shinning with a certain degree of smugness as she watched Kirihara chastise the less prominent nobleman, Kaguya found herself smiling as her mentor continued.
"As to the decision of supporting the Black Knights, I can assure you that this was not a decision I took lightly. Before today, I had doubts that Zero, for all his tricks and victories, possessed the necessary will to continue fighting what many believe to be a hopeless battle. But those doubts were laid to rest upon my discovery this day. While I will not go into too much detail, I can safely say that the man behind the mask of Zero is a true enemy of the Empire, and is perhaps our best chance of finally being able to restore freedom to our country and people".
Pleased at this declaration, although she was a bit annoyed that Kirahara hadn't allowed her a chance to observe the meeting that would have allowed her to see her husband's face before their wedding day, the young noblewoman found her good mood disappearing as Kubounin reminded the council that Britannia was not the only foreign power trying to shatter Japan's dreams of independence.
"Speaking of true enemies of the Empire, have you considered how this decision will be viewed by our European allies? Our contact in Berlin has already informed us of Chancellor Krueger's less than favorable impression of Zero. Who's to say this decision won't cause them to stop supporting us"?
Seeing that her mentor was taken back by this question, for though distasteful it was a valid point, Kaguya ensured that her tone was even as she proceeded to answer her fellow council member.
"Then we will do without them. I do not deny that Europe has helped to enhance our peoples ability to resist the Empire, but that does not mean we will be defenceless should they choose to withdraw their support. Our contacts in India have continued to provide us with substantial quantities of equipment despite our decision to accept aid from the Reich. Which means that we will be able to sustain operations at a more...intensive level for a considerable length of time. And since Zero's popularity amongst the people continues to rise with each and every encounter with the Empire, its only a matter of time before he has the manpower to attempt what the JLF has proven unable to do".
Earning a mild look of disapproval from Kirihara, though she could tell it had little to do with her arguments and more with how she had gone about presenting them, the raven haired girl fought the very real urge to smile as her elderly mentor once again revealed how he had managed to maintain his position as head of Kyoto.
"Considering our actions help to tie down a substantial portion of the Empire's resources, I believe that the Reich will find it beneficial to keep supply us with the resources we need to maintain our continuing resistance. Even if Zero's more...indpendent nature makes it difficult to impose the same conditions we had imposed on the JLF".
Nodding in approval at the man's ability to force even his most critical opponents to accept his viewpoints, Kaguya's good mood began to sour as Kirihara proved that just because he was her role model, that didn't mean that everything he did met her approval.
"However, in order to ensure that Berlin continues to supply our efforts, we will have to offer them some concessions to convince them that we are grateful for their efforts in supplying our countrymen".
Frowning at the though of having to placate a tyrannical nation just to ensure her people could enjoy the hope of freeing themselves from another, the 14 year old head of the Sumeragi Clan had to admit that what Kirahara said made a lot of sense.
Even if she did find some aspects of his plan repulsive.
...
Though he would never dare voice his opinion about his current assignment, for his in basic had already revealed the dangers of questioning orders, especially when one's commanding officer was a member of the nobility, or worse part of the Royal Family, Lieutenant Henry Jackson thought that his task was as useless as it was tedious.
As the anchorage for the naval squadron that patrolled the northern stretch of water that separated Area 11 from the Chinese Federation, Port Fisher's, formerly Akita's, security was guaranteed by not only the dozens of warships and aircraft that patrolled the western shores of the North of Area 11, but also by the dozens of artillery emplacements and bunkers that served as a second line of defence should the Chinese somehow manage to defeat his Majesty's navy.
Which meant that there was little chance of passing the time besides walking in the dark or gambling his wages in games of poker with his equally bored subordinates.
And considering he had just lost a month's wages to his sergeant's royal flush, Jackson had chosen to spend the remainder of his shift walking amongst the nearly endless warrens that surrounded the docks.
Still he supposed it could be worse.
While the news did its best to cover the extent of the army's losses, the members of the military had their own unofficial way of gathering news, which meant that even the lowliest private had an idea of just how determined the JLF, and if rumors were to be believed the Black Knights, had been during Princess Cornelia's attempts to wipe them out.
And since bored and broke was loads better than bloody and dead, the young officer kept his opinions to himself.
Though that thought quickly disappeared as he came across something that managed to break up his usually boring routine.
Coming across one of his fellow sentries was a common enough occurrence in a facility that could serve as a jumping off point for a seaborne invasion of the northern Chinses coast. Coming across a squad's worth of men on the other hand was not.
Raising his weapon in front of him, the blond officer kept his finger close to the trigger as he addressed the suspicious group in what he hoped was a commanding tone.
"H..HALT. WHO GOES THERE"?
Though his words had the intended effect of causing the group to come to a standstill, the reply he received made him question that perhaps it would have been better to have stayed with the poker game.
"I am Major Johnathon Soren. Member of his Imperial Majesty's Office of Secret Intelligence. WHO are YOU"?
Gulping in fear as he realized that he may had just threatened a member of the Emperor's Secret Service, Lieutenant Jackson nevertheless managed to retain some of his suspicion as he addressed the obvious leader of this 7 man group.
"Will...will you please verify your identity? I want to believe you Major, but I can...".
"Can't be sure I am who I say I am before you see my identity card? You are diligent solider, which is perhaps the only reason why I will submit myself to the whims of a junior officer. Boys, keep your hands off your weapons while I go through this. I don't want to be gunned down because he believes you might be preparing to shoot him".
Relieved at how understanding the man was being, for if he was who he said he was he possessed the authority to kill him without suffering any repercussions, Jackson waited for the scarred officer to approach before accepting the authentic looking id card.
His eye's flicking between the photo and its owner, Jackson quickly handed the card back as he had now confirmed that he was in the presence of an officer whose rank and organization greatly outclassed his own, the young officer allowed himself to relax as the older man praised him for his diligence.
"My thanks Lieutenant. Take my word for it, few officers in your position would have the...inclination to resist the urge to shoot first, ask questions later. Your truly a credit to your service".
Accepting the scarred man's words with what he hoped was a humble nod, for it was never good to disagree with those who took their orders directly from the Emperor, Jackson was about to formulate an appropriate response to his praise when the scarred officer proved that there was a reason why he had reached his current rank.
For with reflexes that could only belong to an officer of a special operations organization, the Major was already in the process of wiping his nearly spotless blade on a cloth just as the unforntuate Britannia realized that he had lost the ability to draw air into his lungs.
Clutching his now gushing neck in a vain attempt to keep his blood from seeping out, the soon to be late Liuetanant Jackson could only gurgle a response as his scarred executioner began to give orders to his no longer frozen men.
"Kenzo, Hans, Wolfgang. The three of you are on clean up duty. Hizo, Jean, Boris. Go on ahead and make sure we don't have anymore company. 1 missing guard can easily be passed as an accident. 2 or more, not as much. Natasha. Radio our ride that we're safely ashore and are proceeding inland. And tell that bastard Prien that I want that bathtub of his to be ready once we've secured the package. You all have 5 minutes".
Nodding in satisfaction as his team moved to carry out his orders, Skorzeny spared the dying Britannian a look of disgust before mentally going over the details of his mission.
Step 1 and 2 had already been completed. Though the first step had more to do with taking advantage of the clandestine trade agreement between the Reich and the Federation instead of crafting a more exciting way to enter the imperial colony. But the second, successfully setting foot on Britannian soil, that had gone perfectly.
Minus the presence of a curious sentry of course.
But he also knew that once his subordinates were done, the only thing to mark their activities this night would be a minor column in the obituaries about how a drunken sentry lost his balance and fell into the darkened waters of the port. And should some over achieving official wish to back this claim with something more tangible than spilled whiskey, the lieutenant's blood, while problematic if it was discovered on land, served to attract the best clean up crew nature had to offer.
If only because the act of competing for food often resulted in a body being ripped to more manageable pieces.
Something that he had come to know during the course of his career.
And if this mission went south, it was likely that his fellow scarred officer, albeit one that was higher in rank and of a different nationality, would suffer the same fate as the unfortunate lieutenant.
...
Though she lacked the President's enthusiasm for discovering the latest gossip, especially those that had more to do with body measurements rather than relationship developments, Shirley nevertheless was one of the few people that could rival Milly when it came to silently following her target.
Usually, she only employed this skill when she wanted to observe the interactions of her crush during the rare times when she thought he'd be mad if anyone interrupted his alone time with his sister, but tonight was an exception that she hoped she wouldn't come to regret.
Even if she was already berating herself for spying on one of the few anchors of stability left in her life.
With her father's murder, and her mother unable to break herself out of her own grief to help her daughter deal with hers, the only ones left to make her believe that life was worth living was her friends on the Student Council, with Milly and the Lamperouge Siblings.
Though her faith in the latter's support had been somewhat shaken by the words of the women that had summoned the reduced Fenette family to identify the dirt covered body that had once been her father.
By itself, Officer Nu's warnings were largely harmless. Just a warning that she should keep an eye on her friends since they were associated with someone who had once been charged with murder. But it was only after angrily demanding what she should be on the look out for, caused by need to stand up for the man who had risked his life to save Lelouch, that Shirley began to believe that her crush was involved in something dangerous.
For instead of occasionally slipping off to gamble, the purple eyed Vice President was constantly absent from school activities, and always returned in a state of nearly total exhaustion.
These were the warning signs the dark skinned officer had told her to be on the watch for. And in her mind, there was only 2 possible reasons for this.
The first one being that the elder Lamperouge sibling was engaged in an illicit affair. This suspicion stemmed from the fact that her more curvaceous classmate was also absent more than she used to be, but since Kallen was in class more often than Lelouch, that led her to believe that another reason was to blame for the boy's absence.
He was being blackmailed by those he owed a debt to.
Shirley always knew that one day his gambling would get him in trouble, and thus had done her best to prevent him from pursuing this type of life style.
But since her attempts to set him on the straight and narrow had clearly failed, it was up to her to try and help him get out of this predicament.
If he was in debt to a crime lord, she would use her link Officer Nu to call in the proper authorities, hoping that her claims of Lelouch being an informant would be enough to ensure he didn't get punished for his illegal activities.
If however he was in debt to a noble, that would be harder to fix. But considering Princess Cornelia's desire to rid Area 11 of corruption, if only because it allowed terrorists to always find a source of support, she was certain that some form of royal clemency could be granted.
Cause while harsh to those who threated the integrity of the Empire, either internally or externally, the purple haired royal had a reputation of being kind towards those who selflessly played a part in making her job easier.
And considering Lelouch's rather astounding ability to convince others to see his point of view, a trait that she idly noticed had improved since just before Zero's appearance, Shirley was certain that he would be able to successfully contribute to her pleas to help lessen his punishment.
Though only if his actions had been relatively harmless in scope.
But considering Lelouch's aversion/near complete inability to perform any type of strenuous physical activity, the likelihood of him being personally involved in anything dangerous was slim to none.
…
"Your looking particularly pleased with yourself. I don't suppose the reason for that is because Tamaki finally managed to become less idiotic than usual"?
Failing to lose his good mood despite the mention of perhaps his most useless subordinate, Lelouch turned his attention to the green haired witch with a grin that she had seen on both the faces of his father and immortal uncle.
"Better. Kyoto has seen fit to inform me of what our…comrades have planned for the near future. And seeing as they have recognized the rising strength of the Black Knights, they have requested our helping in aiding the JLF with their plans".
Tilting her head as she considered this information, C.C. held her tounge as he current contractor proceeded to inform her of their future plans.
"Due to the losses they suffered at Narita, and the fact that Cornelia is determined to wipe out those who placed Euphie in harms way, the JLF leadership has decided on 3 courses of action. The first, under the command of General Katase, is to flee Japan, using large quantities of Sakuradite to bribe the Chinese Federation to accept their pleas for political asslyum, while a second smaller faction is to remain behind as a largely symbolic gesture to remind the Japanese people that the Black Knights are not the only organization fighting the Empire. But considering our growing strength, and the JLF's inability to completely remove the taint of the hotel from their name, I predict that its only a matter of time before their absorbed into my ranks. Espeically since Kyoto has requested our helping in aiding General Katase escape the country".
Correctly guessing that the exiled Royal would seek to usurp control of the remaining remnants of the JLF during this rescue operation, and growing tired of the boy's overconfidence, the green haired immortal took great delight in seeking clarification on something Lelouch had failed to expand upon.
"And what is the 3rd course of action they decided on"?
Frowning at the question, though she wasn't sure if it was because Lelouch hated to be questioned after his boasting or because he disliked the answer, C.C. allowed an eyebrow to raise in surprise as her contractor all but spat the answer.
"Apparently, due to the fact that China is not the only superpower to have a vested interest in Japan's future, a portion of the JLF's fleeing leadership has chosen to accept the Reich's secret offer of asylum. Which means that in the future, perhaps the near future, we will be forced to deal with the attentions of yet another hostile power".
Her features morphing back into the uninterested expression that she had perfected during the course of the past few centuries, and seeing that it was perhaps time to explain the facts of life to the embittered royal, C.C. stared at the ceiling as she voiced her opinion.
"What makes you think they are hostile? From my understanding, the Reich is always willing to support those who choose to stand against the Britannian Empire. And since your actions in this country prevent the Empire from solely concentrating on the one nation whose military might rivals its on, not to mention the fact that Area 11 is quite far from the nearest Eurpean controlled port, I'm sure that Berlin would be happy to continue their current levels of support. If only because they lack the resources to repeat what they did to the Middle Eastern Federation".
Pleased to see that Lelouch was at least considering the points of her argument, though she could tell by his glare that he was still unwilling to admit that her ideas were better than his own, C.C. was prevented from hearing his reply thanks to the interruption of the only member of the Black Knights whose antics were as amusing as her contractor.
"Zero. The others are here. We can begin the meeting as soon as your ready".
Waiting until they heard Kallen return back to the lower levels of their mobile command center, and seeing Lelouch was already in the process of concealing his features behind his helmet, C.C. decided that she would not revisit this conversation unless she had to.
For although her contractor had accepted he was far from unbeatable, at least with the current level of resources at his command, he was still largely unwilling to accept aid from those mindset was similar to his own.
For just as he used the Japanese people to help reach the goal of avenging his mother and securing his sister's future, Chancellor Krueger was more than willing to use those resistance movements to ensure that his forces did not have to deal with the full might of the Empire.
…..
Though I knew such an expression was unbecoming for a man of my position, I couldn't keep a blood thirsty grin from spreading across my face as I asked a question of the man whose words had filled my head with images of fire and death.
"And you are sure you are able to accomplish this professor? It would be a pity if your promises turned out to be hollow after wasting the time and resources I gave you to create these…miracles of warfare".
Of course if the man had managed to convince Speer to support this project, it was more than likely that there was a degree to credibility to Heisenberg's claims. But since my permission was needed to secure the necessary materials and manpower to make his dreams into realty, I needed to be sure of the man's conviction before giving my approval.
Luckily, it did not take long to get an answer.
"I assure you Chancellor that I am quite confident in my ability to deliver this weapon. That isnt to say that the project might experience delays and setbacks, especially since I know that the Reich cannot afford to spend all its efforts on a single project, but I am confident that I will be able to accomplish this task".
Accepting the answer with a nod, for only fools believed that their plans would proceed exactly as they envisioned, I turned my attention to my balding Minister of Armaments with an expression that clearly stated he was to obey my orders.
"Speer, do your best to supply Professor Heisenberg with what he needs. Men, material, facilities, everything. I also want the ISD to assume total security of this project. If Britannian discovers what we're up to, we might find ourselves at the mercy of the very weapons we tried to create".
Receiving a firm nod from the balding German, and dismissing the relieved looking professor with a wave of my hand, I allowed a brief moment of silence before I directed a question towards the industrial expert.
"Tell me Minister, considering the scale of our other secret project, and our current levels of military production, does the Reich possess enough resources to ensure the scheduled delivery of the professor's wonder weapon? Or will something have to be sacrificed in order to keep to my proposed schedule"?
Giving Speer a moment to consider the question, I kept my expression neutral as I listened to his answer.
"It will be difficult Chancellor, but not impossible. With the resources we gained from the annexation of the Middle Eastern Federation, and our continuing efforts to expand our industrial base in Northern Africa and Northern Russia, I foresee no issues in supporting Professor Heisenberg's efforts. Though I should mention that this calculation is based on my predictions regarding the upcoming war. I calculated that even if we increase production by 300 percent, the completion of the Gotterdamerung, and Heisenberg's creations will be finished by the projected date. A date will probably move forward when we once again possess what was taken from us".
Humming in approval of this prediction, though it meant that I had to wait at least a year before I employ the tools that would permanently ensure the Reich's superiority over Britannia, I allowed my mind to drift away from the idea of superweapons to the more mundane tools of modern warfare.
"Speaking of military production, I trust that you will be able to meet the demands of the upcoming campaign? Our quest to reclaim our lost territory will only succeed if we possess enough strength to shatter Britannia's Siberian and Africa armies before they can be reinforced from the homeland. And considering how loudly those Euro-Brits are gonna squeal once our troops are over the border, I want to ensure that we possess enough strength to resist the Empire's counterattack".
Receiving a nod from the balding German to show that he understood the unspoken implications of failure, I allowed myself to relax as Speer proceeded to reassure me of his prodigal skill set.
"Thanks to the industrial resources we gained with the annexation of the Federation, the Wehrmacht will possess greater amounts of resources than they initially requested. By my calculations, by the time you launch Operation Reclamation, the Eastern Front will possess an additional 20,000 trucks, 1500 artillery pieces, 200 Katushyas, 700 tanks, 300 knightmarers, 400 aircraft, and 8 aerial battleships. With similar increases of material to be seen in the African and Middle Eastern Theatres".
Most of which would remain in reserve to help maintain the frontline strength of my armies, but since Speer only concerned himself with maintaining and increasing current levels of production, I decided to keep that fact to myself until later.
"Very impressive Speer. It does the mind good to know that our soldiers will have the necessary tools to fight our enemies. You are to be commended for your efforts".
Earning a brief look of gratitude from the older German, and waiting for him to leave before I was certain I was alone, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair as I visualized the upcoming war.
The beginning would start with the Empire and their puppets fleeing before the mobilized might of Europe.
The middle would see oceans of Britannian blood being spilt as the Empire tried to regain control over lands that they had no right to seize in the first place.
And the ending, that image was the most delicious of all.
Dozens of cities, including their precious capital, destroyed through the combination of a revolutionary engine of war, and the weapon that Heisenberg predicted could bring a permanent end to the fragile balance of power between the world's strongest nations.
It was still somewhat unbelievable that a single weapon could product enough damage to raze an entire city to the ground. But considering that giant robots used to be a thing dreamt up by children or science fiction authors, one should always keep an open mind when it comes to the development of the next generation of weaponry.
….
Violently expelling another mouthful of blood, an act which caused a burning sensation of pain to spread through his crimson stained throat, Rolo barely mustered the energy to raise his head as his still living target proceed with her line of questioning.
"I must admit Rolo,, your resilience continues to astound me. Most people in your position would have been pleading to tell me what I want to know. Though I confess that few people have ever needed this level of…care. Still, I do believe we have made some progress in our little sessions. We know your name, the name of your boss, and the drawback to using that time stopping ability of yours. A rather obvious defect in an assassin. Don't you think"?
Knowing that answering would only result in further agony, though perhaps not as much as refusing to answer a direct question, the 15 year old assassin felt his eyes widen as his torturer picked up a tool that had undoubtedly been used on other prisoners Director Richter deemed…special.
Sticking the serrated blade above the exposed flame of the no active blow torch, the blond haired leader of the Reich's Internal Security Division flashed her captive a contemplative expression that he knew was a sign that she expected an answer.
"Makes me wonder if perhaps there are more of you. A waste of resources if you ask me considering that each agent runs the risk of dying every time they engage in strenuous physical activity. Which means that your little worm will forever remain untouched since you can't run the risk of stressing your already crippled heart".
Painfully gulping in understandable fear as the smirking woman removed her now glowing blade from the fire, and knowing that he only had one chance to save his already tortured groin from experiencing a more…unmanning punishment, Rolo croaked out a response.
"I…I'm the only one with this ability".
His answer earning a slight nod of approval from the sadistic blond, whose cruelty managed to surpass that of the one responsible for giving him this cursed power, the purple eyed assassin was denied any momentarily sense of relief as Richter proceeded to inform him that his answer had more than one meaning.
"You know Rolo, I believe you. Continuing to produce a defective produce over and over again is just a waste. However, it makes me wonder what kind of abilities your little comrades have. Clearly they must have something as useful as the ability to mess with a person's sense of time. Otherwise you wouldn't have given me that rather specific answer".
Panicking as he realized that he had accidentally disobeyed one of the commands V.V. had given him when he had completed his training, never to reveal even a hint of the Order's existence, Rolo watched his torturer motion to one of her assistants just as his heart began to experience the familiar signs of a heart attack.
"Knock him out. Its clear that we've learned all that we're going to for today".
And just before he slipped into the blissful escape of drugged induced sleep, the last thing he saw was the blond haired leader of the ISD giving him a look of false parental affection.
"Sweet dreams my dear. We'll have plenty of time to play tomorrow".
…..
Though having long gotten used to the constant headache that always occurred whenever he was forced to venture into a populated area, the lanky Chinaman still grit his teeth with understandable frustration as he heard each and every thought of these surrounding bores.
"I wonder what I should make for dinner tonight"?
"I can't believe she broke up with me".
"No more excuses. Tonight's the night I become a man".
"Oh god. I knew I should have told him to wear a condom".
All of these thoughts were spoken as if someone was speaking right next to his ear. And to make matters worse, since he had over used his Geass in an attempt to impress his beloved, he had no way of turning them off.
The only thing he could do to drown them out was turning up the volume on the gift his beloved C.C. had given him. But since the batteries would only last another 10 minutes, he had to be more selective when choosing when his loving angel would ease his pain.
But considering what he had discovered after entering this country, he would gladly endure such hardship since it would be he who got the chance to play hero to a loved one in need.
If he had more time, he would have loved to prolong the suffering of one of the men who had treated HIS C.C. like a laboratory animal. But since he had stupidly chosen to confront the man in a public place, albeit one that enjoyed easy access to the crumbling buildings of the ghetto, he had to settle with a bullet to the brain instead of something more….lingering.
Still, the infromation he had managed to receive was QUIET useful, even if it had only been part fact part suspison.
Fact: The Britannian's had C.C.'s capsule hijacked by 11 terrorists, and lost hundreds of troops in the attempt to recover it during the unplanned liquidation of the Ghetto.
Suspicion: Since Zero was the one to defeat the attacking Britannian Army, C.C. must have chosen to seek protection from the Empire by siding with him. And perhaps even granting him what she refused to give them.
Considering the rising publicity of the masked terrorist, there was probably some truth in this. Especially since these so called miracles happened during a period where the 11s were greatly outnumbered and outmatched by their imperial opponents.
With this in mind, Mao had spent a considerable amount of time listening for any piece of information that would either lead him to the location of the Black Knights' headquarters, or the location of Zero himself.
Sadly his efforts had so far proven to be unfruitful.
The closest he had gotten was a random though about how someone suspected a school boy to be the man behind the mask. But sadly, the person had escaped his mental hearing range before he could tell who it was.
Which meant each day, he was forced to wander into highly crowded areas, doing his best to block out the random thoughts of passersby as he tried to listen to anything that could help him.
"I hope he doesn't burn dinner again".
"I can't believe she said yes. My parents are going to flip".
"I wonder if this diet is actually working".
"Fucking Britannian Pigs. I can't wait til Krueger gives the order to wipe you out".
Halting his stride as his Geass picked up that last thought, for though lacking anything to do with C.C. or Zero it still possessed enough material to at least indicate he shared the latter's anti-Britannia beliefs, Mao concentrated his mind until he could pinpoint the direction of that rather…informative thought.
And to his happy surprise, not only was he able to find the woman who had rasised that mental flag, but he was able to discover that those surrounding her shared such thoughts.
"Wonder if the Standartenfuhrer will allow us to cause some…accidents while we're here".
"And to think they we're trying to turn Moscow into this".
"Britannian swine".
"Hopefully the JLF will give us what we want".
His mood brightening after confirming that he had more than one mind to peek in, if only because it lowered the chances of losing his first step to reclaiming the only person he cared about, Mao melted back into the crowds. Uncaring that his targets possessed a higher disregard for the lives of the surrounding civilians than he did.
...
ANNNNNNDDDDD that's enough for now XD.
Once again pleasantly surprised at how quickly I can write a chapter if it lacks any combat scenes XD. Nice to see that the vision I had when I started the first version of this story come to fruition XD.
And now to recap.
1st segement of the story of course details the meeting between the leaders of Kyoto. To clarify, this happens AFTER Lelouch reveals himself to Kirihara. Had the leaders determine the fate of the JLF, as well as how they are going to try and placate their European suppliers, with Kaguya of course doing her best to ensure that the Reich's influence is limited. Also touched on the fractured nature of the JLFs leadership that partially arose from the fact that it is stronger than cannon at this point, but still weaker than it was before Narita.
2nd segement deals with the fate of a Britannian sentry who was clearly at the wrong place at the wrong time. Think I did a fair job of introducing how the Reich's special commando team got into the country. First time I wrote a scene of this nature, so hopefully it was not toooo far fetched XD.
3rd segment sadly deals with the unfortunate fate of Shirley and her discovery of Lelouch's true identity. I fully intend to change her overall fate, (not just by removing Rolo from the equation XD) but before that happens, have to maintain the cannon beginings. Also, just a heads up, Villeta is gonna get hers since I truly hate her, perhaps even more than Suzauku. For its because in addition to manipulating Shirley, she causes the Black Knights to fail in the first attempt to take Toyko (or at least makes the situation worse), and then causes the Black Knights to turn against Lelouch. Thus...I intend her end as satisfying as possible :D
4th segement sees more interactions between Lelouch and C.C. And their reaction to the news that Kyoto wants their help in getting Katase out of the country. Still undetermined how the harbor battle will go, since the JLF isn't quite as shattered as it was, which means they can either field a stronger defence, or Lelouch doesn't feel confident enough to kill Katase since it will take longer to absorb the remmenants of the JLF. Also have more of their views on the Reich, and C.C. trying to get him to compromise some of his opinions in order to benfit him.
5th Segment, needed another scene between my OC and this universe's version of historical characters. To clarify to those who aren't versed in German personnel of the World War 2 era, Professor Heisenberg is the man responsible for leading Germany's thankfully underfunded atomic bomb program, wheres Albert Speer is the man responsible for increasing war production during the mid to late years of the war. In this story, like history, Speer's efforts are mainly directed towards increasing the efficiency of the Reich's Industry, and helping the research and development of new types of weapon systems. And Heisenberg...basically he's the tool I'm using to give the Reich something to counter the Fleya weapons. And as for the OTHER secret weapon I have in development...I will say only 2 things since I have been getting constant msgs about it. 1: It is not the V weapons. And 2: Gotterdammerung muss fliegen.
6th segmenet...felt the need for another torture session with Rolo.
And 7th...the intro of Mao.
Now to answer some question
Fortitude501
Q: When will your Europe start developing intercontinental long range ballistic missiles? As in ICBM or MIRV. Without the nuclear warheads of course, just using conventional payload. Kinda like WW2 Germany with its V2 rockets but better.
A: Plan to have them developed during the second season arc since aerial warfare is more developed.
Chancellor ZVE
Q: - Didn't Schneizel say so himself in Chapter 5 that though the Empire did deprive Europe of a Pacific port in the Great War, all the Empire really gained was, and I quote, "A scrap of coastline that was frozen 8 months of year", along with a quarter of Africa that is still plagued with conflict? Yes, I can understand the fact that the Reich doesn't have a Pacific port to further spread their influence in the Pacific Rim and Ocean, but doesn't the way he said it sound like an eloquent way of rubbing it in Layfette's face? If so, I thought that Princess Cornelia was bad enough.
A: Yup. You are right. However in a later chapter, I pushed the borders further west. Thus making Schenizel's comment more petty than truthful. Cause have to remember, the real prize is capturing the more developed/populous areas of Western Europe. And since he failed to do so, he's entitled to being in a pissy mood XD. And as for rubbing it in Layfette's face, think the turn smug snake fits quite nicely XD/
Q: How exactly will the news that Schneizel was unable to negotiate any sort of concessions from the Reich affect the morale of the Empire, namely Princess Cornelia and the Area 11 staff, as it was her forces that suffered directly from Reich equipment at the Battle of Narita? I certainly would not expect any sort of positive emotion at the very least, and I wonder how much her discipline can take before Cornelia starts "blowing a gasket", especially since she lost her trusted general at Narita due to Reich weapons and tactics. She can't even confirm if Darlton is alive or not and has to be designated with an MIA status which has the potential for the emotional turmoil of "not knowing". You get what I'm saying?
A: Was envisioning censorship. I.e. the Empire would only go public with the findings after the Reich admits wrong doing/doesn't have a reliable cover story. Think they already learned the lesson of making pre-emptive statements after having the tide of the Great War turned against them. Also, I intend for Cornelia to accept that Darlton is dead, which will help me to develop her attitudes towards the Reich, which I assure you I have a plan for.
Fuhrer of Europe
Q: Now let me finish this off with a two-part question concerning something that Ambassador Layfette brought up. He said that the Gross Europa Reich has a trade agreement with the Chinese Federation, which includes technology and equipment, especially limited amounts of military variety; therefore, do they firstly use such limited tech to provide any sort of upgrade or modification to their own Knightmare forces like their Gun-Ru's, and are India's "independently minded citizens" getting a little piece of the pie too?
A: Yes to the knightmare question, but no to India. Any European tech for the Chinese is to be a counter for any military rebellion against the Eunuchs. Still time to change it, but this idea stems from the fact that in cannon, the ONLY frame they create that isn't cannon fodder is the Shen Hu. And they can't use it due to the whole 'physical demands of piloting'. However, will state that some agreements between the Reich and Federation are more…PUBLIC..than others.
AZNMAGICMAN
A: To answer your question about the Reich's political party, I had never intended to give them one. Essential what I had envisioned was the E.U.'s democratically elected government being overthrown by a military coup. Still widely nationalist of course, but still unsure if I want to go the FULL Nazi/Soviet route with political parties. Always envisioned Krueger's government being a more…modern/regimented version of Caesar's government (without the backstabbers of course XP).
Anyway…that's enough for now. Hope you all enjoyed this.
Reviews welcome…flames not.
Heil Europa.