Though maintaining the rigid posture that his followers had come to expect from the man who had preserved the honor of the Japanese Army during 7 long years of foreign occupation, such an action was merely a front to conceal the aging general's shame at what he was about to do.
For 7 years he had led the remnants of the Japanese Army in an increasingly futile struggle against the defilers of his nation. Secure in the knowledge that he would either live to see his people freed from the rule of Britannia, or die while resisting the overwhelming might of the Empire.
Both of these fates, while different, nevertheless possessed a common factor that was only known to his most trusted subordinates.
The desire to never leave Japan's sacred soil while it was polluted by a foreign nation.
But while his honor demanded he obey this oath, common sense, and orders from Kyoto, made it clear that he would be unable to fulfil this obligation. For as the highest ranking member of Japan's military, it was his responsibility to do whatever he could to ensure that the embers of rebellion nation grew into the blazing inferno of victory.
Something which the Battle of Narita had proven to be impossible if he failed to gain the support of a friendly power.
In his heart, he still believed that the JLF would have performed as well as it did even if it hadn't been equipped with European weaponry, but he knew that such a thought was a fantasy. He also knew that his current situation, both the good and bad, was a direct result of the Reich's willingness to support Japan's continuing efforts to restore its independence.
Yes the JLF had managed to survive Cornelia's attempt to wipe them off the face of the earth. And yes it had done so while managing to maintain some of the strength it had possessed before the battle. But the nature of this survival had caused a division to spread throughout the surviving members of the Japanese Liberation Front.
Some wished to emulate the example of the former government by seeking refuge in China, which would inevitably result with them following the orders of those who cared more about their self interests than the plight of their people. Others wished to follow the example of their scattered countrymen, rationalizing that their efforts in helping the Reich would be rewarded with the liberation of their country.
The largest faction however, and the one which he fully heartedly agreed with, was the one that had chosen to continue fighting for Japan's freedom from inside the country itself. Even if it meant that the risk of being destroyed by their enemies, or absorbed by those who were technically their allies, was great.
But since his most decorated subordinate had reluctantly accepted the responsibility of leading the men and women who would remain behind, Katase was certain that no matter the final outcome of their struggle, the honor of Japan would be maintained.
"Forgive the intrusion General, but you asked to be informed as soon as the...delegation arrived".
Broken out of his less than cheerful musings by the man who best exemplified the noble spirit of their nation, Katase shot the ever serious colonel a look that betrayed his amusement.
"And forgive me for pointing this out Colonel, but isn't the role of messenger more suited for those who are below the rank of captain"?
His comment managing to cause a briefest flicker of what could almost be called a smile to pass the younger man's face, the grey haired officer found himself sighing as Todoh acted like his usual direct self.
"Apologises General. But since Lieutenant Hishoiri was busy with other more important tasks, I thought that with my current lack of duties, I thought I would deliver the message while I once again attempted to change your mind".
Steeling himself for what was certain to be a difficult conversation, if only because he truly wished he could fulfil Todoh's request, Katase gestured for his faithful subordinate to relax as he once again explained his decision.
"While I am touched by your loyalty Kyoshiro, I'm afraid that my decision is final. If the spirit of Japan is to rise again, it will need to be guided by a man who best exemplifies all that is honorable in our nation. Which means you will have to shoulder the burden of an independent command while I try and convince our Chinese based...politicians, to use their connections to bender fund our cause. Its a distasteful task, but since I am the highest ranking survivor of the Japanese Army, Kyoto has decided that my talents can be better be used in a more...political role".
Which was another way to say that they had lost faith in his ability to achieve a meaningful victory against the armed might of Britannia. And considering the track record of the JLF's activities during 7 years of occupation, he realized that they were right in supporting the elevation of an officer whose skill and integrity made him the type of hero his people needed.
But it was this integrity that prevented Todoh from accepting his new role.
For while he was dedicated to the goal of freeing their nation, and possessed the ability to inspire and lead those who shared that goal, the Hero of Itsukushima lacked the necessary ambition that made one desire an independent command.
A flaw that could be exploited by those who desired to be no ones subordinate.
A trait that he fully suspected to be a cornerstone of Zero's personality.
But since this same trait ensured that he would never have to worry about betrayal from the man he had mentored since their days at the Tokyo Military Academy, Katase was confident that such an eventuality would only happen once he was dead.
Which in part was one of the reasons why he had agreed with the controversial decision to give up the JLF's greatest prize to those who had enhanced the JLF's ability to resist the Empire. For if he failed to give into the demands of the Reich, he suffered no delusion that the team Berlin sent to recover their agent and prize could easily be used to accomplish what the Britannians had failed to do during 7 years of occupation.
But since he had long since gotten used to the act of putting the needs of his nation first, he had swallowed his pride, something that many of his remaining subordinates lacked the ability to do, and agreed to the Reich's request/demand to hand over the highest ranking prisoner ever taken by an enemy of Britannia since the end of the Great War.
If only because he was mindful of the fact that the Reich, suspecting that it's client might be unwilling to adhere to it's wishes, had sent one of its best agents to collect the scarred general. Which Katase knew was a sign that Berlin was fully prepared to seize what it could by force if more diplomatic measures failed.
A policy that was remarkably similar to that of the Britannian Empire.
But since his people lacked access to the same industrial resources that had turned Japan into the economic center of the Western Pacific, the aging General kept his feelings to himself lest they result in the final defeat of his beloved nation.
Sighing before turning his attention back towards his ever faithful subordinate, Katase ensured his expression betrayed none of his feelings as he enquired after his travel arrangements.
For while he detested the thought of abandoning his nation, even if it was only for what would hopefully be a short amount of time, the leader of the Japanese Liberation Front would carry out his duty to the best of his ability.
Which meant ensuring that the enemy could do little to interfere with his departure.
….
Though preferring to employ a more amicable working relationship with those who were lower in rank and prestige than himself, Standartenführer Otto Skorzeny found himself channeling some of his superior's temper as he addressed the glaring officer.
"Let me make this clear Captain. Since you and your comrades have chosen to accompany us back home, that places you under the command of the highest ranking European. Which in this case is my good self. And because of that, I say that you are to follow the Sturmbanfuhrer Akito's orders. So quit your bitching and help Hans carry our…luggage".
Brushing his hand close to his service pistol, which he idly noticed was a hell of a lot more reliable than the relic the incensed Captain was currently wearing, the scarred commando leader once again found himself cursing his earlier decision to accept this mission as the former JLF officer continued his disrespectful attitude.
"And I say again Colonel that just because my compatriots and I have agreed to seek sanctuary with the Reich, that does not mean that your men, especially one whose honor is severely lacking, posses the right to give orders to an officer of the sovereign nation of Japan".
Seeing the displeased expressions of his men, as well as the slight grins of approval that were currently being worn by their JLF compatriots, Skorzeny allowed the man one more chance to back down before he performed an action that, if discovered, would no doubt sour relations between the Reich and Japan's shadow government.
"Considering your blue haired countryman is a ranking officer of a nation that successfully defended its sovereignty, whereas you belong to the defeated remnants of a shattered army of a defeated nation, I say that he has every right to give you orders. So for the last time Captain, shut up, and obey your orders".
Enjoying the mixed look of embarrassment and outrage that was currently being worn by the lower ranked officer, whose anger seemed to increase when he noticed that his fellow Japanese wore the appropriate expressions one would expect from a solider that had failed to live up to the expectations of a respected superior, Skorzeny gave the prearranged signal as the Japanese Captain allowed his pride to overcome his common sense.
"I will not stand here and be insulted by barbaric fore...GRKK".
Falling to the ground as soon as he heard the unmistakable crack of a rifle, an act that was copied by both his team and the accompanying members of the JLF, the scarred Standartenführer didn't waste a second as he began to address the dangerous situation.
"Kenzo, Hans, flank to the left. Wolfgang, Hizo, to the right. Natasha, Boris, help me keep this bastard distracted while our comrades get into position. Lieutenant, I want you watching our prisoner and our rear while we deal with. I trust that unlike the late Captain, you have no issue taking orders from me"?
Receiving a firm nod from the young Japanese born officer, Skorzeny hid a smile as he returned his attention towards a situation he had successfully implemented numerous times during the course of his career.
Convincing his prideful allies, with the secret help of one of the Reich's most decorated snipers of course, that their lives were forfeit if they refused to follow the orders of an agent that served their new masters.
...
Though appreciating the level of concern that was currently being displayed by her bespectacled subordinate, who was perhaps the only person in this revolting country, apart from her beloved sister, who could get away with questioning her decisions, Cornelia nevertheless wore a frown of disapproval as she listened to Guilford's latest attempt to dissuade her from her current course.
"With all due respect your highness, I believe that we should wait for further confirmation before we proceed with the operation. While I have the highest confidence that our forces will triumph over the shattered remnants of the JLF, to launch our attack with incomplete intel is, to say the least unwise".
Allowing her frown to deepen at the validity of her knight's arguments, for she could not deny that everything he said was perfectly logical considering their previous underestimation of their enemy's strength, the purple haired royal double checked to make sure their line of communication was private before addressing Guilford's concerns.
"Which is why I've delegated primary responsibility for dealing with these fleeing cockroaches to our naval forces. While having proven regrettably competent on land, the JLF possesses only a single ship to challenge our blockade. And since they have no doubt equipped their vessel with much of their remaining weaponry, our troops will be able to overwhelm any rearguard they may have left behind".
Her explanation earning what passed for a grunt of approval from her competent subordinate, Cornelia found herself once again gritting her teeth as she was alerted to another potential complication.
"Forgive me for asking this your highness, but what of the possibility of outside interference? While there has been no confirmation that the Black Knights have formally allied with the Japanese Liberation Front, it would be wise to be cautious considering what happened last time we failed to anticipate being confronted with 2 separate organizations".
Tightening her grip on her controls as she remembered Zero's mocking tone as his forces, specifically that red knightmare, brought more suffering on her already depleted troops, Cornelia managed to keep her temper under control as she sought to bring an end to this discussion.
"Which is why I've taken the precautions of increasing our ground forces. Even if Zero chooses to help these Eleven rats flee the country, he will still have to contend with 30 Sutherlands, and 9 Gloucester's while 30 Portmans and an entire naval squadron deal with the fleeing cowards of the JLF. I trust that the scale of our preparations has managed to convince you to have a little more faith in our operation"?
Giving the man a minute to fully process that her question could very well turn into an order if he did not react with the expected response, the purple haired royal nodded her head in approval as Guilford fully understood what she wanted of him.
"Yes your highness".
Though she hated to treat her most loyal subordinate in a manner that was more reminiscent of her more…status conscious siblings, such a thing had to be done if she was to achieve satisfaction for the deaths her men had suffered during the Narita Campaign.
Of course part of the blame could be attributed to Zero, whose interference had ensured the JLF got the chance to live and fight another day, but that mattered little since the ones responsible for her mentor's death had been the surprisingly well equipment members of the former Japanese military.
Thoughts of the weaponry the JLF had used to slow down the Britannian advance still brought a scowl to her face since she had no doubt of their source. Sadly however, Schneizel had informed her that he lacked sufficient evidence to prove the Reich's guilt, which meant that she could only turn her justified anger on those who controlled the obviously European produced weaponry.
At least for the time being.
For through her own sources, ones that were sadly less developed than her prodigal half brother, Cornelia had been able to gain a better picture of what was happening behind the heavily patrolled borders that separated imperial territory from its highly militant adversary.
Of course her sources indicated that such efforts were far from complete, one of the benefits of having a border situated in some of the world's most desolate and empty terrain, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before that unfortunately capable despot in Berlin gave the order for the Reich's armies to advance eastward and southward.
And while she was confident in the Empire's ability to triumph over their European adversary, the purple haired princess knew that the cost of doing so would be unacceptably high.
Which was why she wanted to complete the pacification of Area 11 as quickly as possible.
For every solider and knightmare that was tied down in occupational duties weakened the Empire's ability to counter Europe's opening salvo. Which meant that it would cost the Empire dearly as it drove the Reich's armies back into the heart of their nation.
For unlike the Great War, Cornelia suspected that her father would not be satisfied until all of Europe remained crushed beneath Britannia's blood soaked heel.
...
(Here follows the account of Sir Anthony Johnson).
Though the boys and I were proud to participate in an operation that was personally being led by Princess Cornelia, we couldn't help but feel disappointed at the fact that most of the expected glory would go towards the navy.
Numbered scum they might have been, but the JLF had at least earned the right to be destroyed by the overwhelming might of His Majesty's Army. But since the Elevens had chosen to abandon their struggle for control of the country, the honor of ensuring their destruction fell to those who had already failed in keeping Area 11 safe from foreign interference.
Which meant that the losses they incurred were far heavier than they could have been had they managed to do their job.
Portmans are adequate knightmares when chasing down unarmed cargo ships. But when faced with machines that had been designed to combat the standard frame of the Empire, the only thing their good for is target practice.
Of the 30 Portman pilots that engaged the fleeing cargo ship, only 14 returned. For in addition to the 3 Panzer Hummels that the JLF had seen fit to bring aboard their vessel, their remaining infantry was equipped with generous amounts of armor piercing rockets which, having been designed to take out more heavily armored opponents, nevertheless proved to be more than adequate when used against the aquatically purposed knightmares.
However, I wasn't to know of the price of the navy's failure until well after land component of the Battle of Port Yokosuka had been brought to a close. For as her highness expected, the JLF had chosen to seek the help of those who shared their quest in destabilizing the Empire's control of Area 11.
Though outnumbered by a margin of 3 to 1, the Black Knights, aided by those elements of the JLF that had chosen to remain behind, managed to put up a good fight, if only because not all of their knightmares were refurbished Glasgows.
That being said, even without the use of more modern frames, it was clear that the Eleven pilots that followed the commands of Zero were largely of lesser quality when compared to those of the JLF.
While smaller in number, the JLF nevertheless displayed a higher degree of competence than the majority of the Black Knights, whose attention seemed to be divided between aiding their Eleven comrades and helping their masked leader in his latest attempt to kill yet another member of the Imperial Family.
Fortunately, our side had an effective counter to that insanely high spec knightmare of theirs, which allowed us to use our superior numbers to force Zero to disengage.
However, not before her highness managed to heavily damage the masked terrorist's knightmare with a well placed shot.
Sadly, my Sutherland had been too damaged by the battle to take part in the pursuit of the retreating enemy. Which meant I was there to not only endure Princess Cornelia's less than pleased reaction to this incomplete victory, but also the initial feeling of disgust that would be felt amongst the ranks upon discovering the scale of our failure.
For the price of destroying 7 Burais, 35 infantry, and heavily damaging 2 of the enemy's precious European designed knightmares, the Empire had lost 12 Sutherland, 59 soldiers, and 2 moderately damaged Gloucesters.
And to make matters worse, while the navy had succeeded in destroying the JLF controlled vessel, though there were rumors that some of the terrorists had managed to escape the battle by, after action reports suggested that this had been a deliberate move by the enemy to protect those whose support had enabled the Eleven terrorists to resist as long as they did.
Which meant that not only did the Empire have to waste more resources in defending Area 11 against a potential invasion from foreign backed Elevens, but also it had to deal with an insurgency that possessed not only a substantial amount of hardened veterans, but also a source of supply that was sadly still undiscovered by Imperial Intelligence.
At the time however, while ashamed at our inability to completely wipe out those who would dare challenge Britannia's supremacy, I was nevertheless confident that it would only be a matter of time before all resistance in Area 11 was crushed.
A mindset that would soon begin to change in the following months.
(Excerpt taken from the award winning novel Imperial Glory: The Personal Accounts of His Majesty's Soldiers)
…
Though he could tell that his subordinates were largely in good spirits following their latest confrontation with Britannia, the masked royal fought the very real urge to berate them for their premature and unprofessional celebrations.
For not only had they failed to help him achieve his goal of placing his half sister at the mercy of his Geass, but they had also failed to adequately impress the members of the Japanese Liberation Front of the immediate need to join forces.
Yes they would eventually recognize this need as the Black Knights continued to expand its influence.
But as long as Todoh continued to remain firm in his loyalty to a master that was rumored to have survived the destruction of his vessel, something that wouldn't have happened had he managed to get close enough to order the aging general to blow up his ship with him on it, the masked freedom fighter would have to rely on the services of those who lacked the benefits of military training.
"You know, I wonder what would happen if your followers knew that their leader was prone to childish tantrums just because he didn't get his way. Of course they might choose to give you the benfit of the doubt since even a masked revolutionary is entitled to having an 'off' day. But I suspect they may choose to question their decision to join you if they learned you were pouting because your plan to secure Todoh's loyalty didn't go as expected".
Taking off his helmet so the witch could see his less than pleased expression, Lelouch was prevented from offering a scathing comment to this insult by the equalling intense glare of the green haired immortal.
"It might surprise you to hear this boy, but the world does not bow to your whims just because you have a chip on your shoulder. Sometimes things don't according to plan, and when that happens, instead of blaming others for your incompetence, you take a deep breath and realize that you have an opportunity to try again. Or do you think your sister's career, or even your father's, was only filled with victory? No they were not. But like any rational being, they learned from their mistakes, and achieved the positions they now possess. So for the last time, quit acting like the spoiled brat you once were, and start acting like the man I know you have the potential to be".
Surprised at the amount of emotion the usually monotone woman had expressed while chastising him for his faults, though that emotion had briefly been surpassed by the anger he felt at being compared unfavorably to the man that had cast him aside, Lelouch had to admit that perhaps C.C. was right.
His career as Zero had already revealed the flaws in some of his earlier plans, the most prominent being the decision to use the same tactics he employed against Clovis against his more experienced sister, and thus had forced him to reconsider his overall methods in achieving the desired goal of punishing the regime that had treated his family like they were nothing.
And truth be told, while the Black Knights still lacked the power that would allow him to reach his final goal, their progress was still to be commended considering their humble origins as an individual resistance cell.
Though he would never admit it outside of his moral raising performances if only to avoid having a certain immortal gloat about how her lessons in humility seemed to have effected him.
As it was, Lelouch allowed a less irritated expression to cross his face as he turned towards the green haired woman. Only to have it return in full as his ace proceeded to bang on his door.
"Apologises for the interruption Zero. But we have a situation here".
Sighing in frustration as he put on his helmet, though knowing that Kallen wouldn't have disturbed him unless it was important, the former royal pushed the door open to meet the sight of an unusually upset red head.
Suspecting that this latest crisis had little to do with having the Britannian army know their exact location, for he sincerely doubted his sister was in any mood to give her enemies a chance to surrender considering what she had gone through this evening, Lelouch quickly sported a frown as his developing ace seemed hesitant to meet his hidden gaze.
"Well Q-1? What is the situation"?
And while suspecting numerous answers, ranging from the Black Knights discovering his unimplemented plan to blow up the JLF's leadership to Tamaki destroying an entire squad of knightmares in a drunken stupor, the former royal had to confess that he had not expected the answer Kallen gave him.
….
Though knowing that the Black Knights refused to follow the same sort of violent barbarism that was sadly displayed by the less…disciplined members of Area 11's terrorist groups, Shirley still shivered in understandable fear as she waited gagged and bound in what had been swiftly transformed into an interrogation room.
She knew that her captors were probably keeping an eye on her through the hard to miss security cameras, but considering she was hardly in a state to make a break for it, not to mention the fact that she lacked any kind of physical training that would let her take out trained men with guns, she thought such measures were unnesseary.
That being said however, she was surprised at how, dare she say, gentle the Black Knights were treating her.
For as a citizen of the nation that ruled what was once their homeland, she would have expected to treated far more harshly. Which had actually been advocated by one of the more loud mouthed members of the Black Knights.
Fortunately however, the calm and reasonable voice of a man who sounded more like a school teacher than a hardened solider had rebuked his comrade's viewpoints on hospital, though doing nothing to remove her restraints, and had instead ordered a clearly female member of the Black Knights to bring her to a secure room while they notified their leader of this development.
It was this piece of information that had caused her to experience a sensation that similar to what she had felt during that night at the hotel.
To be in the hands of someone who, while professing to follow a more chivalrous code of conduct, nevertheless had no hesitation in causing the deaths of countless innocents was enough to make the already excitable girl prepare for the worse.
Though she had been doing that ever since she realized on where her stalking had led her.
While never thinking much of Lelouch's less than energetic support for the Empire, she had never suspected that this mild form of rebellion would result in him joining an organization that proudly announced its goal of challenging the Britannian Empire.
It was a depressing situation.
One that was made all the more so by the unmistakable voice of the man who murdered her father.
"Thank you Q-1. Change shifts with C.C. I'm certain that you do not want to be around during this little…chat".
Flinching as her mind conjured all sorts of terrible things upon hearing that single word, Shirley barely managed to hear the low, but oddly familiar, muttering of yet another female Black Knight before Zero's voice sounded again.
"You needn't be concerned Q-1. You have my word that I mean no harm to the girl".
The faint sound of retreating footsteps the only sign that her captor's orders had been obeyed, Shirley narrowed her eyes in fearful anger as the man responsible for her father's death entered the room.
However, some of that anger disappeared as she experienced a feeling that she had not expected to feel while she was forced to play the part of prisoner.
Amusement.
Something in her posture or expression must have given her away, for Zero paused his movements to consider the carrot haired girl.
"Is there something you find funny about your current predicament? I confess that I did not peg you as the type of girl to enjoy the thrills of roleplay. Though I suppose appearances can be deceiving".
Glaring at the insinuation that she was one of THOSE types of girls, Shirley angrily spat out a reply. Only to hear what she assumed was a chuckle as Zero proceeded to reach out to her.
"Apologies. It had completely slipped my mind that you were unable to offer a more verbal reply. I trust that if I remove this, you will not make me regret my decision to ungag you"?
Maintaining her less than pleased expression as she nodded her head, the carrot haired girl fought down the very real urge to bite her captor's hand as he proceeded to repeat his question.
"Now that you can speak again, care to tell me what you found so amusing at my entrance"?
Her expression twisting into a slightly more malicious version of what Milly wore whenever she felt the need to be a little more…obvious with her teasing, Shirley enjoyed the unmistakable flinch of her captor as she answered his question.
"Was just surprised by the man beneath the cape Zero. Laying aside your rather questionable decision to wear body tight suit instead of something more…intimidating, I can tell you that I was expecting the leader of the Black Knights to have a more….filled out physique. Would have thought that the leader of a growing movement could afford more than 1 meal a day. But I guess I was wrong".
Failing in her attempts to control her amusement, for judging by Zero's body language it was apparent that her insult had the desired effect, Shirley was shocked that the masked man allowed her to enjoy the brief moment of levity before getting down to business.
"Now, if your quite finished in mocking my….unique body shape, perhaps we can move on to a more serious topic. Like why a Britannian school girl would be wandering around the docks this late at night"?
And just like that, the feelings of amusement were replaced with feelings of fearful depression.
….
Though he would normally refuse to take part in such displays of brutality, one of the several benefits that came with his position, Duke Augusta Highland fought down his desire to turn away as he addressed his distinguished guest.
"I trust all this…violence is necessary Lord Bradley. It is my experience that a prisoner, one who has just recently escaped his chains, will be quite willing to answer whatever is asked of him if he is treated well".
His observation earning a less than pleasant chuckle from the mullet wearing knight, the leader of Euro-Britannia fought the very real urge to grimace as the Knight of Ten revealed his own philosophy when it came to interrogation.
"Which is precisely why your lands continue to suffer from rebellion Duke Highland. Since this piece of Euro trash has already proven himself a traitor by failing to carry out his prison sentence, we mustn't assume that his words carry nothing but the truth. If his answers happen to change after an extended period of time during what I like to call 'aggressive interrogation', then we know that he was at least telling the truth. The trick is of course to know if the man has reached his breaking point. If he does it too soon, then it's clear that he's just a liar, and thus deservers everything that happens to him".
Seeing an obvious flaw to this line of thinking, the mustached duke was prevented from pointing it out thanks to a particularly loud yell of pain from the prisoner.
Something which served to annoy the Vampire of Britannia most severely.
"NO NO YOU STUPID BASTARDS! WHAT DID I SAY? YOU DON'T WHIP THE SAME AREA TWICE WHEN THERE'S STILL UNMARKED SKIN ON THE BACK. NOW WHIP HIM RIGHT, OR I'LL HAVE ALL OF YOU ENVYING THE FATE OF OUR GUEST HERE".
Frowning as HIS subordinates proceeded to hurry to correct their methods, Highland fought the very real urge to show his disgust as Bradley proceeded to continue his lecture.
"Now where was I? Oh yes. If the prisoner waits to long to change his answer, or provide additional pieces of Intel, then its clear that he's just being used to feed us false information. You would know this if you ever had the chance to trade in this Siberian winter for some African sun".
Scowling at the subtle jab at his position, the Duke recovered his composure as he turned his attention away from the continuing savagery and focused it towards some of the 'evidence' the prisoner had been carrying with him when the patrols at Salekhard had picked him up.
"Regardless, I think that we've managed to gain all the worthwhile information we need to know. Or has your time fighting rebels in Africa fogged your memory of European military insignia"?
Savoring the less than pleased expression that came over the Knight of Ten's face, Highland allowed such enjoyment to pass as the blood thirsty nobleman adopted an expression that showed he was taking the question seriously.
"Hardly. During those rare times when I desired a break from destroying the enemies of the empire, I took the time to study the intelligence we had on our European foes, which just so happens included information regarding all of their unit symbols. And if we are to trust our screaming friend, it appears that the Reich will soon be fielding a force of 45,000 men on your north western door step".
Having reached a similar conclusion himself, the mustached duke frowned in disgust as Bradley proceeded to react in a manner that not for the first time made him question if the 18th century Europeans had some ustifcation for rebelling against their societal betters.
"Such a shame that their regular Wehrmacht units instead of Waffen ISD. Would have loved to see that bitch's face when she got the news that the blood of her camo wearing troopers was forming a new lake system. Still I suppose I can accept the fact that tens of thousands of European families will be bawling their eyes out at the fact that their sons and daughters had been turned into fertiziler. Might make them regret their decision to back that fucking bastard Krueger".
Sharing similar feelings of disgust towards the man who continued to resist the Britannian dream of reclaiming the ancestral domains that they had been forced to flee, Highland nevertheless possessed a greater degree of respect, albeit secretly, towards the man who not only managed to stave off the might of the Britannian Empire, but was also one of the few European pilots to emerge victorious over the strongest warriors in the empire.
And while he would never dare utter it while Bradley was within earshot, lest he suffer the same accident that several lower ranked noblemen had experienced when voicing this opinion, the leader of Euro-Britannian believed that it was thanks to Bradley's failure that had helped lay the foundations for Krueger's rise to power.
For while the young German officer's efforts in commanding the lead brigade in the Battle of Kursk were worthy of recognition, it was his victory over the newly appointed Knight of Ten that had served to ensure his efforts were not only known in military circles, but civilian as well.
All of which greatly accelerated his already assured advancement through the ranks of the European army. Which meant that by the time the Second Prince implemented his diplomatic offensive to fracture the reviving EU, Krueger had already secured enough support and influence to not only thwart this attempt to peacefully knock his nation out of the war, but also to seize power over a nation that held him as their hero.
Which in turn ensured that Bradley had to put up with the occasionally expressed belief that he was the cause for the Empire's current dielma. Something which served to decrease the man's already questionable ability to restrain his blood lust.
Sadly though, since the Emperor had already refused his requests for additional supplies and troops from the homeland, the excuse being that they were needed to consolidate the Empire's control over it's more rebellious territory, Highland had no choice but to accept the aid of one of the Empire's strongest warriors.
For it was becoming increasingly clear that the so called Gross Europa Reich was actively planning to reclaim the land that it once ruled. And with the garrison constantly being forced to deal with terrorist activities that at times dwarfed what Princess Cornelia was dealing with in Area 11, he would need to have some weapon to combat the sadly substantial might of the new Europe.
Though he supposed it could be worse since Bradley was not the only Knight of Round with a declared…interest in those who controlled the former democracy.
And as bad as it was dealing with the Knight of Ten, he suspected that it was loads better than having to also deal with the Knight of Nine.
…
Cheerfully whistling one of the more palpable tunes that he had lifted from the minds of those sadly useless commandos, the white haired Geass user took a moment to ponder his currently unconscious prize.
One didn't have to have the ability to read minds in order to successfully determine the mindset of this silver haired woman. Though because of C.C.'s gift he was able to determine the specific causes for this woman's personality.
Jealousy of those who enjoyed the rights and privileges that her family have never expected to possess.
Fear that her actions would never be recognized by those who possessed the power to elevate her.
Hatred towards those who actively, if unknowingly, stood in the way of her quest for societal advancement.
And disgust towards those who she saw as her inferior.
Yes, this woman was much more amusing that the girl whose mind needed only the tiniest of pushes to become a emotional train wreck. But that wasn't why he chose to target this disgraced military officer instead of the orange haired school girl.
He chose her because within her ambitious little mind, she had provided him with a more substantial clue as to the whereabouts of his beloved C.C.
It still managed to surprise him how this woman had managed to not only narrow down Zero's identity, but also come to conclusion that this student may possess the ability to hypnotize people into doing his will.
And considering that her memories clearly showed that this school boy was still getting used to his power, for why else would he believe that he didn't need direct eye contact for it to properly work, it meant that he was getting closer.
Of course he would have to wait for the woman to wake up before he discovered who and where this school boy was, for his Geass only worked on a conscious mind, but he was certain he would get what he wanted.
And perhaps if he was feeling generous, Zero would also get what he wanted.
For he had no doubt that his fellow Geass user wore that mask in order to keep his loved ones safe from retaliation. Which meant that he would probably appreciate the permanent removal of anyone who managed to expose his civilian identity.
Fortunately however, he didn't care what snot nosed brat hid behind that fishbowl of a mask.
All he wanted was C.C.
And as long as he got her, he was quite willing to leave without further displays of violence. If however his rival chose to be selfish with his possession of C.C., then it didn't matter how many bodies he would have to step over, or how many pain filled cries he would listen to.
C.C. was his, and no others.
…
Annnd I think that's enough for now.
Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter since it sees more divergence from the cannon plot. But on the whole I'm quite pleased with it.
Just to clarify some things before I move on to answering some of the questions that have been asked of me.
Katase's fate has been left somewhat ambiguous since I am unsure if I want to kill him off just yet, or have him around for further ego reducing moments.
Shirley is NOT going to be manipulated by Mao. Still uncertain to how her meeting with Zero is going to go, but its gonna be less depressing that what happened in the show.
As for Mao, currently undecided about his final fate, but for right now, he's Vielleta's jailer. A fate that I think she deserves XD.
Anyways, that's enough for now.
Please review, no flames.
And Heil Europa
Ps.
Before I forget, felt I should warn you that next chapter, someone MIGHT be getting a bullet in the groin area. So…look forward to that XD.