Creative Works

[Kodai_Okuda]

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anime_goddess05 wrote:

I've finally read all three chapters.  This is well-written.  I tip the hat I'm not wearing to you. 

The goddess totally freaks me out.  "...functions that only a woman is capable of providing." also made me LOL to the point of falling from my chair.

And snap!  Everyone's plotting to take over the world in this one. 

Also, EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S SUZAKU!!!  He might as well streak during one of Milly's global interviews.

I will never look at eggs and sausage the same way. 

You have inspired me! I will go finish my fanfic now!   Keep up the good work!

Message Edited by anime_goddess05 on 06-30-2009 07:13 PM

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Thank you for the compliment.

I have finished the text of Turn Four and will hopefully have the images done by this Saturday or Sunday (however I have plans for the 4th of July so it may be a more like monday or tuesday. )

NEXT CHAPTER: Turn Four: Competition

[HellZKinG]

these written episodes ae nice but to be honest i only joined adult swim to ask when are new eps suppose to air and what is the title suppose to be ??? is some one could please tell me

[Kodai_Okuda]

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HellZKinG wrote:
these written episodes ae nice but to be honest i only joined adult swim to ask when are new eps suppose to air and what is the title suppose to be ??? is some one could please tell me

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These written "episodes" are my creation, they're a fanfiction.

The[as] schedual is the place to find out when Geass airs...I believe episode four (His Name is Zero) will air at 2:00 am EST Tomorrow night or you can watch the episodes on [as] online in the video section.

[HellZKinG]

Yea thanks I have been watching them online I was just hoping someone new when a new season or series would air but i must say that i am very impressed with what you have written you have a real talent and thanks for taking the time time to try yo help

[Kodai_Okuda]

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS 

Turn Four: Competition (Part 1)

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          "For as long as man has had civilization there have been contests between warriors.  Tests of strength, endurance, and skill in battle for the purpose of proving the immeasurable value of veterans while at the same time sharpening the abilities of the next generation in preparation for the constant specter of war.  The International KnightMare Competition was no different.  It was a true test of a Devicer's abilities as a KnightMare pilot, but what made the 4th Annual Competition so special was that it was the Olympiad of its day and the gods of Olympus took notice."-Excerpt from an interview with Major Rivaltz Ashford of the Order of the Black Knights (Japan division) in the International Political Forecaster Magazine dated November 14th, 2024 a.t.b.

---

 

             The roar of the crowd in the massive Sidney stadium thundered into the depths of the KnightMare hangars below it.  Valletta Nu and her team of Japan Jaguars walked towards their designated hangar bay where fifteen Akatsuki model KnightMare Frames (of various types) sat in their respective gantries awaiting their Devicers.

            Valletta stopped the troupe in the center of the bay.

            "Alright listen up, all of you have made me proud these past three days, but these are the last two days of the competition and the final matches.  All Japan is counting on all of you and rooting for you, especially Captain Chiba whose watched your progress with admiration as you beat the Russian Cossacks yesterday in the float racing course, and whipped the German Panzer team in the KnightMare wrestling the day before, and trumped the Australian Outlanders in the underwater match on your first day here; but that was just a warm up for these last two crucial days.  Today we begin the combat portion of the competition.  This is where fully armed KnightMares go head to head against each other until only one team is left standing.  Those of you who will compete today will need to pull together everything all of you have learned from the last three days and use it to beat not one, but every single other team here that you're going up against.  On this final stretch of the competition each team is broken up into four assault groups by their respective coach for a game of capture the flag in four different battlegrounds. Each member of an assault group is able to move onto the next match if his KnightMare survives each course.  The object is for each assault group to survive with as many KnightMares as possible to gain the advantage in numbers and thus strength in subsequent matches; in other words if say three of our KnightMares from the first match survive, then we'll have eight KnightMares in the second match.  If any one team losses all of the KnightMares of their assault group in any one match then their whole team is out of the competition, so none of you can afford to fail in this. Are you all ready?"

            The Jaguars nodded in unison.

            "Good," Valletta Nu smiled, "then let's get this show started."

             "Toshiro, Kanada, Yumi, Maya, and Bron; I'm calling your assault group the Edo group." Valletta eyed the members of her varsity team who excelled in built-up area operations. "You're going to make up our first line of defense against Britannia's Templar Knights in the urban combat course match.  I want you to use standard Akatsuki types against them, so get into the number 14 through 18 machines and arm them with one autocannon and one MVS each."

            "Yes Ma'am," They said in unison as the five pilots headed for their machines.

            "Ichiro, Yoshiro, Reiji, Matsuda, and Hikaru; you'll make up the Grenadier assault group." Valletta Nu said to the five Devicers, "You're in the long range competition course match where we're supposed to go up against the French Falchon Team; assuming their first team survives the urban course; if not we'll be matched to another team. I want the five of you to pilot Akatsuki numbers 1 to 5 and arm them with one grenade launcher, one bazooka launcher, and a pair of eight-shot missile packs each."

            "Yes coach," the five of them said together as they raced off for their machines.

            "Collin, Henry, Yuki, Bella, and Cera; you'll comprise the Dueler assault group for the close-quarters combat match." Valletta told them as she seemed to ponder the weapon selection. "Each of you will arm your KnightMares with two MVS and one Lance."

            The five members of the Dueler team nodded and took off towards their machines.

            Lena looked around the bay, "Mrs. Nu, there aren't any other KnightMare frames."

            "Yah, what happened to our machines?" Gregor inquired.

            Valletta addressed the five remaining pilots, "You five are the best Devicers on this team so I've saved you for the Decisive Battle match tomorrow.  That match is between two or more assault groups of flight capable KnightMare Frames launched from aerial warships.  The object of the match is for at least one of your KnightMares to board your opponent's aerial warship and remain on it for sixty seconds without being knocked off.  After the time has elapsed your opponent's airship is considered destroyed and thus their team loses. 

            Over the last three International Competitions there have only been at most two teams that have survived this match in a tie victory. However, it is possible for three or even four of the twenty assault groups competing in this final contest to win this match together and share a victory.  In any event, your main objective should be to take down your opponents' KnightMare Frames first, then proceed to their ship or ships.  Watch out for assault groups which try to gang up on other individual groups just to eliminate them first.  The European teams are notorious for this which is how two teams won last year; it was France and Germany who shared the victory by mutually conceding to each other after knocking out all of the other teams.  And don't worry about the airships themselves, they won't fire on you; all you have to do to score a victory is land on the ship and remain there for the one full minute without getting knocked off by an enemy KnightMare from one of the other teams, then you can take off for your next target." 

            "That seems pretty hard Mrs. Nu," Mika lamented. "If we loose even a few members of our team we'll be overwhelmed by the other teams."

            "That's the idea," Valletta smirked. "It's supposed to force you to react both as a group and individually to simulate real aerial combat."

            Gregor smirked, "So that's why it's so important for the teams in the matches before this one to survive, I take it that their ranks can be added to the last assault group's for this final match."

            "Yes," Valletta replied with a serious expression, "But keep in mind that most if not all of the KnightMares which make it through to join you in the last stage will be damaged from today's contests, we are NOT allowed to repair them for tomorrow's match except to allow for flight; and since the sensitivity of the ejection units has been raised to the maximum, your ejection system will activate with far less damage than you'd incur in real combat.  Thus the KnightMares damaged today will likely be knocked out of tomorrows match very quickly."

            "Is that why the bullets and missiles of our projectile weapons have been reduced in power?" Tetsuo, the fifth member of the assault group, asked; referring to the sensitivity of the KnightMares.

            "Precisely," Valletta smirked. "The lethality of the projectile weapons is nil, they won't penetrate the armor of any KnightMare here. However they do contain a signal-warhead which will tell the computer of your KnightMare Frame that its energy has been drained by a certain percentage.  The energy filler of your machines are thus technically drained with each hit so avoid getting shot or else you could find yourself out of energy really quick."             

            "So what KnightMares are we flying Mrs. Nu?" Akira inquired.

            Valletta gave him a warm smile, "Captain Chiba has requested that since this is the fourth International Competition to take place and the first Decisive Battle match that the newly re-commissioned Ikaruga is taking part in," She blushed, "which all of you know was once the home of the original Black Knights, Nagisa thought that you five should pilot the Zangetsu and the Type-3f Gekkas of the Four Holy Swords."

            Gregor hung his broad shoulders low, "Oh yah, no pressure!"

            Mika was stunned, "What?"

            Lena jumped, "Yah! We're going to be the new Four Holy Swords!"

            "Great Lena," Tetsuo lamented. "Can you imagine the shame we'll suffer if we fail?"

            Akira raised his chin, "We won't"

---

 

             "Anybody see anything on their long range sensors?" Kallen inquired as their KnightMares flew over the southern tip of South America in Fighter-mode at moderate speed to conserve energy. They had flown for a full day and night and stopped for another day and a half in Cape Horn to rest and replenish themselves with fresh water and rations that were stored in the emergency kits of their fighters.  Now they were in the air again and headed for the nearest place that could refuel their machines.

            "Just fishing boats, and small villages Captain," Tamaki replied with a sigh as they flew over the eastern coastline of Argentina at dangerously low altitude.

            "What's our energy filler status look like?" Gino asked.

            "We should have about four, maybe five, minutes of power left," Anya stated in her monotone as she kept watch on the output of each of the Type-21s via one of her small monitors in the cockpit.

            "The closest major city to us is Buenos Ares; that's about 2200 Kilometers." Kallen told them, "At our current heading and speed we should be able to just barely make it there in about three and a half minutes."

            "That's cutting it pretty close Captain," Tamaki grumbled.

            "Yah, but we don't have any choice." Gino told him. "If we don't acquire new energy fillers soon, we'll be out of power and stuck in Cornelia's neck of the woods."

            "Literally by the looks of the forest areas down there," Kallen said as she visually scanned the treetop canopy below them for any signs of anti-KnightMare weapons.

            "Enemy units at four O'clock!" Anya called out over the radio.

            "Looks like six Vincent Ward types equipped with flight-packs and autocannon gunpods," Gino read off the data from his attack computer.

            "We should try to avoid them if we..." Kallen started to say before a salvo of autocannon fire zipped past her Type-21S.  **BLEEP** it! We don't have enough power for a confrontation.

            "There's only one way we can avoid them Captain!" Gino barked. "We have to go supersonic NOW!"

            "But that will drain our energy fillers almost completely and we won't be able to fight." Tamaki whined.

            "We won't last long anyway and we might be captured or killed if we stay and fight with our energy so low," Anya explained.

            "Alright, go to supersonic speed NOW!" Kallen ordered them as she squeezed her graviton-impeller's super-cruise button on the control stick.

            The four Type-21s boosted forward with sonic booms trailing them; the sudden acceleration causing the four Devicers to be pushed back into the seats of their cockpits as the G-forces kicked in.

            Their graviton-impellers hummed at full throttle for two minutes then went dead.

            "We don't have enough power left to maintain supersonic speed," Anya announced as the four Type-21s started to fall from the sky. "In fact, it would seem we have less than a minute of energy left each."

            "Transform into KnightMare mode if you can and glide down towards the trees, and try to avoid coming down to close to that town up ahead." Kallen told them as her 'Shogun' transformed into KnightMare mode.

            The other three members of the Yamato no Orochi were able to do likewise and guided their machines down with Kallen's towards a thick mesh of strong trees that jutted out above the forest.

            The four Type-21 KnightMares crashed through the thick jungle; smashing branches and tearing through vines as they plummeted to the floor of the woods below.  Within a few seconds the four machines came to a crashing halt on the soft earth of the forest.

            "Where the heck are we?" Tamaki asked as he joined up with his three companions who had disembarked from their KnightMares.

            "About 225 Kilometers from Buenos Ares, near the small city of Azul." Anya told him nonchalantly.

            "How far are we from Azul?" Gino asked the pink-haired girl.

            "About 20 Kilometers to the South-west of the city," She replied looking down at the digital compass on her wrist.

            "Which means if we start out now we should reach the city by nightfall," Kallen said as she unpacked the emergency gear from her 'Shogun' KnightMare's left leg compartment.  The survival equipment consisted of a small backpack with seven (now five and a half) day supply of food, a survival knife with a fourteen inch blade and blade sharpening sheath, a 1 liter plastic water canteen with purification tablets for four bottles worth, an automatic pistol with two extra magazines, a first aid kit, basic camp gear (all weather matches, eating utensils, a small flashlight, and a two-way short range radio), and an all weather sleeping bag.

            "Man it's hot and humid here," Tamaki blurt out as he donned his pack. "It must be like thirty-seven degrees out here."

            Gino gave Tamaki a puzzled look, "Thirty-seven degrees?  I thought you said it was hot?"

            Kallen laughed, "He means Celsius, Gino."

            Gino put his hand on the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Oh yah...guess he would you two being from Japan."

            Tamaki just shook his head as he passed Gino, "And they say I'm not so smart."

            "You aren't," Kallen giggled. "But you've got guts and guts are enough old man."

            "OLD MAN!" Tamaki gave her a hurt expression. "After all we've been through."

            "Well, you are older than I am," Kallen snickered.

            Tamaki defended himself. "By what?  Like a couple a years?"

            "I think it's more than a couple," Kallen taunted him with a wink.

            "We may want to get going," Anya said.  "There are bound to be patrols looking for us out here.  If we remain here we may be discovered."

            "She's right, we should get moving," Gino concurred.

            "What about our KnightMares?" Tamaki asked.

            "We'll just have to hope no one finds them until we make it back here." Kallen said; she didn't like leaving them anymore than he did, but they had no choice at the moment.

            With that, the four Black Knights walked off into the depths of the jungles of Argentina towards the city of Azul and whatever awaited them there.

---

            "Where exactly is the Black Knight task force now General Tohdoh," Li Xingke's image inquired on the laptop computer Kyoshiro had in the back seat of his personal Limousine.

            His driver stopped the conveyance at a red-light before Tohdoh replied, "The combined aerial and ocean South African and Australian Black Knight Corps are nearing the Coast of Kerguelen Island in the South Indian Ocean.  We plan on using Kerguelen Island as our primary base of operations to ensure that if Schneizel does have anything planned for us, he won't be able to inflict damage to all our forces at once."

            "You seem like you're already acting upon the assumption that Schneizel is lying," Xingke was cautious. "What if he's not?"

            "Then I'll apologize to him later." Tohdoh's tone was sarcastic.

            "How did the UFN council react when you first informed them of this situation," Li raised an eyebrow as he asked.

            "With total panic," Kyoshiro replied in disgust.

            "None of them even questioned me when I told them that I had sent out the South African and Australian Corps to Kerguelen Island.  In fact I was complimented on my quick thinking." Tohdoh's expression was stone cold.  "The council has become so inundated with schemers and cutthroats that the very thought of someone else getting the proverbial jump on their personal interests frightens them to death."

            "And you think this situation will help clear out the corrupt elements of the UFN?" Xingke inquired.

            "If we can maneuver the situation to our advantage, we can split up the UFN government into a Tri-Lateral system of three major regions; The Asian-Pacific Alliance, the Britannian-Atlantic Alliance, and the Euro-African Alliance.  In this way we'll have three councils or houses of government instead of just one."

            "I see," Li said with a thin smile. "So this new system you're proposing will impose a series of checks and balances within a three-tier government system...like a parliamentary system."

            "No...not a parliamentary system, a World Constitutional Republic." Tohdoh told him with conviction in his voice. "If we are to have a world peace that is not this simplistic state of a lack of all resistance to the power of government...if we are to have real peace in which all peoples can coexist without being persecuted by others through government... then we must balance the practice of the redistribution of wealth and resources with a redistribution of power back to the people from government not the other way around.  We must craft a system by which all peoples have the right to be masters of their own destinies with inalienable human rights that cannot be stripped from them with the stroke of a political pen or the whim of a single council."

            "Who would have thought you'd become an idealist?" Xingke chortled.

            "I've lived long enough to have seen Emperors, Prime Ministers, and now the UFN council all speak of freedom and of peace, yet all they've ever wrought is self-aggrandizement of their own power and wealth while our peoples have suffered because of it.  It's not idealism that drives me to this conclusion Xingke; it is the experience of a life as a warrior.  I now understand what Zero, no Lelouch vi Britannia, tried to teach us.  That democracy was only the beginning of a road to peace, not the end.  I believe that he meant for us to go beyond this and to strip down and crush Tyranny no matter where it existed or in what form; be it Scientific-Socialism, Corporatism, Fascism, Feudalism, Theocracy, or otherwise.  Lelouch understood that states with absolute power become absolutely corrupt."

            "I agree," Li told him flatly. "But how do you plan to force such a change?"

            A harsh grin crossed Tohdoh's face, "I plan on using the symbol that people look to for hope...the Knight of Justice."

            "Zero?" Li was shocked. "Do you expect him to agree to your plan?"

            "Not at first." Kyoshiro said. "But if he's the kind of man I think he is, then he'll see that the next war has already begun and the Britannians will soon go back to their old ways.  The only real way to secure the peace he chose to defend when he took the life of the real Zero is to push for a diminished power of government and an increase in the power of the people."

            "What can I do to assist you in this endeavor General?" Xingke asked.

            Tohdoh smiled devilishly, "All you have to do is listen my friend."

---

End Part 1

[Kodai_Okuda]

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS

TURN FOUR: Competition (Part 2)

---

            "They're almost here," Heracles said over the communicator of his Automatos; the Helios.

            The large machine stood atop Cape D'Estaing overlooking Christmas Harbour of Kerguelen Island.  Its form was that of a giant bronze-colored battlerobot in a facsimile of Greek armor complete with a Greco-Roman style helm that covered a mirrored silver colored faceplate.  Large mechanical angelic wings jutted out from the back of the mecha and flanked each side of the machine.  In its left hand it held a massive bronze-colored mechanized club and in the other a round bronze-colored shield.    

            "I know," Jason replied to him in their native Greek tongue, "I can see them."  Jason sat within the cockpit of Talos, the twin Automatos of Helios.  The primary difference between the two was in their weapons.  Talos did not carry a club nor shield, instead it had an adamantine sword in its right hand and a clawed gauntlet over its left arm.

            Both machines stood atop the peak as the snow rained down upon them.

            "This doesn't seem right Jason," Heracles said.  "We should go out and face them man-to-man in honorable combat, not just sit here and wait for Scylla to devour them with Charybdis and pick up the survivors afterwards."

            Jason thought for a moment before answering his friend and comrade, "I know Heracles, but for now we must heed Sthenno's wishes.  I know not why she confides in that Prince of hers so heavily, but I do know this, I will not tolerate her insolent disregard for our code of honor for long.  Hephaestus told me that once we've conquered the lower regions of the world that he is going to wake Athena and the others."

            "Let us hope for our sakes that he does," Heracles lamented. "I doubt we can thrust the three sisters for long.  After what happened with Medusa back in Tartarus the other day..."

            "You mean when Euryale resurrected her because the fools who thawed her ice-cloak scorched her to death." Jason let out a sarcastic laugh, "As much as I hate Medusa I don't think that a sorceress of her stature deserved to be roasted like a frozen pig."

            "What of the poor man who was responsible?" Heracles asked sadly. "What was his name again?"

            "I believe it was Professor Cornwallis...or it was before Euryale beheaded him on the spot." Jason replied in disgust. 

            "You'd think that Euryale would have spared the man considering she is a goddess with the power to resurrect Champions and Sorcerers." Heracles mused.

            "I think she killed the man first in one of her emotional outbursts, and then she resurrected Medusa." Jason corrected him.

            Heracles tittered, "How many times has she raised her sister from the dead?"

            "I have no idea," Jason snickered. "But one thing is for sure, Charon must be getting quite irate by now."

            "Indeed!" Heracles chuckled. "You'd think Medusa would learn not to get killed."

            "Or Euryale would just leave her dead..." Jason stopped speaking and looked out at the sea.  A white flash of brilliant light lit up the horizon.

            Heracles' mood became serious, "Looks like it's begun."

            "Yes, it has." Jason said as his machine turned to face the legion of Spartan-class Automatos below him.  He touched a holographic button on the display panel of his pilot's seat. "Attention men, Scylla has begun her assault on the enemy, prepare your Automatos for flight, and remember we want as many captives as possible once she's finished, so try to disable their machines not destroy them...we move out at once."

 

---

            The fleet of UFN warships drew close to the coastline of the Isle of Kerguelen.

            "Admiral Wagner, we're nearing our destination now.  There's still no reply from our outpost base there sir." A young male sailor said as the Australian Black Knight ocean warship rode through the turbulent waters of the South Indian Ocean.

            The Admiral looked out towards the increasingly visible edge of the Island coast. "Very well then, inform Air-Marshal Mobatu of the African Aerial-Navy that we shall commence landing operations at once to secure our base here, and that he has permission to launch his Vincent Wards and Gareth KnightMare units to secure the airspace around the Island."

            "Aye sir," the young man replied.

            Within moments flights of KnightMares began pouring out of the airships above the armada of surface warships.

            "Captain, I have a large underwater object that just appeared on my scope," The SONAR officer said frantically. 

            "What is it?" The Admiral asked.

            The man spoke quickly, "Judging by its size and speed I'd say it's some kind of submarine sir."

            "Launch depth charges..." The Admiral never finished his sentence.

            In an instant the waters below his fleet gave way to a maelstrom of massive proportions which drew down the fleet of Black Knight ships within seconds; causing the ships to collide with one another as they were pulled down.

---

            

            "Air-Marshal Mobatu," an airman called out in a panic. "Admiral Wagner's fleet has been caught in a huge whirlpool."

            The man's aged features wrinkled in a frown, "How? There's no current in this area that can produce that kind of vortex."

            "I know sir, but they're gone." The man replied in fear.

            "Air-Marshal, our ventral RADAR is detecting a large metallic object at the center of the maelstrom." Another airman blurt out.

            "Destroy it! Fire all Hadron cannons at its position at once!" The Air-Marshal ordered.

            The massive fleet of aerial ships showered the center of the whirlpool with a rain of Hadron beams from the main cannon of their vessels.  The force of the converging beams exploded in a brilliant white light which was **BLEEP** into the vortex.

            "Did we hit it?" The Air-Marshal inquired.

            "Aye sir," the RADAR operator confirmed. "Direct hit to the...wait...there's something coming out of the...."

            A large, wide-angle, beam of silvery-white energy spewed up out of the maelstrom at the fleet of air-warships; disintegrating the lot of them in one fell swoop.

---

            "The operation is a success Prince Schneizel," Kannon smiled. "The entire Black Knight armada has been destroyed and Kerguelen Island is ours.  Nearly two-hundred KnightMares and their pilots have been captured by Jason and his forces."

            Schneizel looked out at the Island ahead of them though the bridge viewports of the Thor. "Very good Kannon, have the prisoners rounded up and brought to our landing zone without their KnightMares.  I wish to address them all directly."

            "Your plan seems to have started quite well my Prince," Sthenno said as she waltzed onto the bridge and came over to stand next to where Schneizel sat.

            Schneizel stood up and bowed to her, "Thank you milady.  Would you care to join me as I start the next phase of this operation?"

            Sthenno put her hand over her mouth as she let out a wicked laugh, "I would love to my Prince." 

            Schneizel took hold of her hand gently as Kannon looked on with an angry expression. "Prince Schneizel, shouldn't we focus on the consolidation of our control of this Island first?" Kannon pressed.

            Schneizel smiled at him, "That is precisely what I plan on doing Kannon."

            "Through Geass?" The Yeoman inquired.

            "If necessary," Schneizel said.

            "It will take some time for Jason and his men to herd the prisoners into the landing zone.  Perhaps you should remain on the bridge until then?" Kannon stated with concern.

            "Oh?" Sthenno tittered, "Did you hear that my Prince?  We have some time before your new servants arrive.  Let us retire to your chambers until they do so that I may reward you for your victory here."  Sthenno rubbed her lithe voluptuous form onto Schneizel's body.

            Schneizel blushed, "You are to kind milady. I do not deserve such pleasures."

            "Perhaps not, but you are a handsome Prince whom I find exciting in ways that the men of my people cannot cause to well up within me." Sthenno cooed.

            Kannon burned with inner fury, but kept his jealous hatred of this woman in check, "I'll inform you when Jason has finished rounding them up."

            Sthenno gave Kannon a victorious look, "See that you do not disturb us before that boy, lest you suffer my wrath."

            Schneizel smiled at her as he took her arm, "Come now my Goddess Sthenno, let us all be friends here and not enemies.  Perhaps you could invite Kannon to join us?"

            "Another time maybe," Sthenno stared up into his eyes.  "But right now I want you all to myself."

---

            "Empress Nunnally an aerial shuttle has arrived from Japan which demanded to land on the authority of the UFN."  The Captain of the Emerald Queen said in a flustered tone as he spoke from the threshold of the ship's study to the three women that sat within.

            "What do they want Captain McGovern?" Nunnally inquired.

            "The three of you," Zhou Xianglin said as she pushed past Captain McGovern.  Zhou wore the traditional dress of a warrior of the Chinese Federation with only one exception, the blue armband of an International Marshal of the UFN rested upon her left arm. 

            "What is the meaning of this Zhou Xianglin?" Empress Jiang Reika demanded.

            "There has been...an incident which requires the immediate attention of all of the UFN council members.  The three of you must come with me to the council headquarters in Kyoto Japan immediately.  We've no time to lose."

            "What is going on here?" Zero asked as he walked into the room.

            "A dreadful thing," Zhou said with a strained expression. "I'm happy to see you Zero.  Please get whatever things you feel you need and prepare to depart for Japan.  You have been summoned by General Kyoshiro Tohdoh for an audience with him."

            "Why Zero?" Nunnally started to protest.

            Xianglin held a stern expression as she answered, "Because we need the Knight of Justice to declare to the people of the world exactly why we need to go to war."

            "WAR?" Kaguya spouted out in disbelief. "With who?"

            "It's Cornelia isn't it?" Zero asked Zhou.

            Xianglin looked down at Nunnally with sadness in her eyes, "I'm sorry for you."

            "I understand," Nunnally reassured her. "We should depart at once."

            Zhou Xianglin bowed, "Thank you Empress Nunnally vi Britannia."

---

Cannot exceed 40,000 characters.    Part 3 of Turn Four will be up in a minute.

[Kodai_Okuda]

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS

TURN FOUR: Competition (Part 3)

---

            "Now we're on guard detail?" Heracles grumbled as their force of Automatos guarded the group of two-hundred Black Knight Devicers that sat in a large circle on the parade grounds of their former outpost base. "What's next, cleaning the kitchens?"

            "I doubt we'll be here much longer my friend," Jason chuckled. "Have patience."

            "Patience?" Heracles boomed. "It's been nearly two hours since we got this motley lot together down here.  They may be the enemy but they'll freeze to death if we don't get them inside soon.  The heat from our Icarus-wing flight units will only keep them warm for as long as the day lasts, in a short while it will be twilight Jason and even the warmth from our engine exhausts will not shield these people from the frigid temperature."                       

            "I know Heracles...look if Sthenno and her Prince delay any longer then I'll take responsibility for these men and have them moved to the..." Jason was distracted by the arrival of an aerial shuttle from the Thor.  The small craft landed on a raised platform at the far end of the mass of prisoners. "Looks like they're here."

            The side door of the small Britannian-built conveyance opened up to allow the egress of Prince Schneizel with Sthenno at his side; both of them gleaming.  The Prince walked out onto the podium of the raised platform so that he could look into the eyes of the shivering men and women before him.

            "Greetings members of the Black Knights," He outstretched his left hand towards them in a gesture of sympathy. "I regret the conditions that you have been forced to endure here during your wait for my arrival, but other more strenuous matters required my personal attention."

            "You're a traitor!" One of the prisoners yelled.

            "Oh come now my good man," Schneizel regarded him with a look of pity. "You yourself saw the FLEIJA mine that destroyed your fleet.  That unfortunate act of terrorism was done by the hand of my sister, Cornelia.  Had my forces not arrived in time to save all of you; all of you would be dead now."

            "Now I know why Sthenno has taken such a shine to this man," Heracles joked to Jason over their communications.

            Jason snickered, "Be still my friend lest we incur his pleasantries on us."

            "Indeed!" Heracles laughed.

            A female prisoner shouted out at Schneizel, "How do we know you're not lying?  Explain to us where you got all of these strange KnightMare Frames?"     

            "I'm sorry but they are a military secret and I'm not in a position to tell you about them.  Be that as it may my dear, I assure you that I would never lie to my people," Schneizel raised his chin.  "I have always been a Prince of Peace, a person whose goal is to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of my subjects and to punish only those who would disturb this peace."

            Another of the Black Knights spoke up, "Your people?  We will never be your people Schneizel.  Zero defeated you and for him we will die here and now before we ever serve the likes of you!"

            The crowd cheered the man in defiance of Schneizel.

            Schneizel put on a sad face, "How unfortunate for you all that you feel this way.  You leave me with no choice."  The Prince called forth the power of Geass into his right eye; the orange sigil formed and in an instant its glow filled the circle of prisoners.

            Schneizel outstretched his arms, "I Prince Schneizel vi Britannia hereby command you to be my willing subjects and obey my every order."

            The crowd stood up in unison, the faint orange glow of Geass around the iris of their eyes, as they spoke in one voice. "YES MY LORD!"

---

            "How did our Dueler assault group do?" Akira inquired of Valletta from the open cockpit hatch of the Zangetsu as she walked onto the KnightMare launch deck of the Ikaruga.

            "Collin's whole team made it," Mrs. Nu smiled. "That means you'll have sixteen KnightMares under your command out there tomorrow Team-Captain Nobunaga.  Think you can handle it?"

            "Of course," he winked at her as he made the last of his pre-flight checks for the Decisive Battle contest that would commence at the crack of dawn the next day.

            "Don't get cocky Akira," Valletta warned. "It's a lot tougher out there then you may think even though our team has a greater number of KnightMare pilots than the other two teams which have made it up to this point.  You can still loose your advantage very quickly if you don't keep your head."

             "He knows Mrs. Valletta; he's just psyched about actually making it to the final match when some of the other teams that lost are already leaving to go home." Gregor laughed as he started up his Gekka to test its power output.

            "Where all pretty excited," Valletta said with a smirk, "but that's no excuse to blow it just because you're giddy."

            "Don't worry coach, Akira is a natural leader.  He'll do fine." Lena said.

            "He'd better." Tetsuo snickered as he worked on his Type-3f Gekka, "Or else Mika will kick the crap out of him."

            "Speaking of Mika, where is she?" Valletta asked looking around for the girl. "Why isn't she getting her KnightMare prepped?"

            "Mika said she had to do some last minute software upgrades to our KnightMares for some reason." Gregor told her with a puzzled look, "Something about them needing to be made legal for the match."

            "That's odd," Valletta replied a bit confused. "I thought Captain Chiba's technicians already did that."

            "I wouldn't worry about Mika," Akira said. "She's nitpicky about everything.  I'm sure whatever it is she's doing it's no big deal."

            "I hope you're right Akira," Valletta sounded disturbed. "Tomorrow's contest is a big deal, and I would hate for you all to lose because of cheating after you've come so far."

            "Mika maybe a pain in the butt sometimes but she's no cheater Mrs. Nu," Lena protested. "You know that."

            Valletta smiled, "I know that under normal circumstances she would never do that, and I'm not saying she'd do it now...call it an intuition but I think that under the kind of pressure you are all going through some of you may do things you wouldn't normally do."

            "Mrs. Nu, there is no way Mika would do something like that," Gregor was genuinely angry.

            "I understand how you all feel," Valletta tried to relate to them. "But I'm still going to have to ask the deck-chief to do an Operating System check on all of your KnightMares tonight so that everything is within regulations for tomorrow.  I'm sorry."

            Gregor started to say something before Akira cut him off, "Thank you Mrs. Nu, I'm confident that you'll discover that Mika is no cheater and that she did nothing to tarnish our image."

            "I hope your right Akira," Valletta said with a tired look. "It's getting late.  I need to go and request the OS diagnostic for your machines now.  You kids finish up here ASAP and get some sleep; I don't want my whole team getting wiped out from fatigue."

            "Yes ma'am, we will." Lena said to Valletta as she left the hangar.        

  

---

            "According to our technicians nearly all 200 of the KnightMares of the Black Knights we recovered here at Kerguelen Island are useable Prince Schneizel and their Devicers have recovered from their mild exposure to the arctic air," Kannon told him on the bridge of the Thor.  "Also, Jason reports that the Argo has not encountered any UFN airships during their six hour flight towards Australia.  It appears the Black Knights have not yet taken any action after the loss of their fleet."

            "Excellent," Schneizel smiled. "And have the commanders of our new found allies made their report to the UFN?"

            "Yes my lord, as per your orders, Major Dundee spoke to General Tohdoh directly and informed Kyoshiro that a FLEIJA weapon destroyed the Australian and South African armada."  The Yeoman was used to his Prince employing elaborate plans but this one seemed to escape him, "Was it wise to inform them of the destruction of the Black Knight combined fleet?"

            "Yes Kannon," Schneizel laughed.  "We need to deflect the attention of the UFN away from us and onto Cornelia as quickly and effectively as we can.  It's common knowledge among the UFN bureaucrats that Nina Einstein is working for Cornelia in Brazil.  No doubt the whole UFN military is preparing for an all out assault on South America as we speak, but they are allowing themselves to be held back by a frustrated fear of venturing out onto the now perilous oceans."

            "Won't the UFN send another fleet to Antarctica and discover we've gone from there?" Kannon asked, still not following his master's line of thinking.

            "Not with what they have been told is a new weapon of Cornelia's prowling the seas of the Southern Hemisphere; a FLEIJA Ballistic-Missile Submarine.  The threat of such a weapon of terror will force them to cry out for the Britannian military to come to their aide and launch a first strike against Cornelia directly; using the Britannian Central American forces." Schneizel continued, obviously pleased with his strategy. "And Nunnally will stand in their way and call for talks and negotiations before ever ordering an attack on her dear sister.  Her tepid political tactics will irritate the UFN into sending aerial ships from every corner of the globe instead, and while the Black Knights fight Cornelia we will have all the time we need to secure the world's major Sakuradite deposits."

            "Sounds like a brilliant strategy," Sthenno told him as she entered the bridge with two other women who looked identical to her in all physical aspects save for the clothing they wore.  One of them wore a red jumpsuit with gold colored Greek robes while her younger twin wore the royal-blue uniform of an Automatos pilot.

            "So this is the Prince you told us about Sthenno," the one in the red jumpsuit said in a melodic voice.

            "He is attractive," the other added. "Perhaps I should add him to my collection."

            "He is my champion," Sthenno glared at the young girl before she turned to Schneizel and caressed his cheek, "This is my twin sister Euryale, and my younger sister Medusa."

            Schneizel stepped to the side of Sthenno and bowed to both of the women; kissing each of their right hands in turn.

            "Such manners," Medusa cooed. "I do like him Sthenno."

            "Do you now," She replied with a sly smile. "And you Euryale."

            "He is charming," Euryale smiled. "But do you think he could handle the three of us?"

            Sthenno let loose a wicked laugh, "Would you like to find out?"

            "I would," Medusa gave Schneizel a seductive smile.

            "Very well then, you shall have him," Sthenno giggled as she turned to Schneizel, "What say you my Prince?  Are you not tired from our earlier endeavors of today?"

            "Not remotely my goddess," Schneizel said in a daze that reminded him of a more pleasant version of the Geass Lelouch had put upon him. Am I willingly doing this or is she controlling me? He wondered to himself as she took hold of his right arm and Medusa slid up upon his left side; taking hold of his other arm in hers.

            "Then let us retire to your bed-chambers my Prince," Euryale said to him as she led the way.

            Schneizel turned to his Yeoman, "Kannon, please leave the ship in the care of Major Draconic and get some sleep.  You've been up for over twenty-four hours and need your rest.  I'm afraid you'll have to find sleeping quarters for this evening." The two sisters impatiently tugged Schneizel towards the door.  "Feel free to use Captain Kouzuki's old quarters if you like, it was a full size stateroom equal to my own."

            "Yes Prince Schneizel," Kannon said solemnly as he watched the three sisters drag his master off towards what he was certain would involve all manner of debauchery.

 

---

            Kannon made his way down towards the cabin that was once Kallen Kouzuki's room less than a week before the awful events that took his Prince from him.  The Yeoman opened up the door to the darkened chamber and turned on the lights.

            For a woman's room it was annoyingly masculine yet it still held the elements of feminine charm that distinguished it from the male Devicers that were once on the ship; such was the manner of a female Devicer pilot and elite-warrior of the Black Knights.

            The young man scanned over the sparsely filled bookcases; pictures of Kallen and her classmates adorned most of the shelving. 

            One picture caught his attention; it was of Lelouch vi Britannia dressed as Zero and two other people standing on what must surely have been the hangar deck of the Ikaruga.  One of the two people standing next to Zero was a teenage Kallen in her Black Knights uniform, the other was a woman in a black outfit with long green-colored hair that once surrounded a face that had since been scratched out of the picture by someone.

            "Green hair?" Kannon mused to himself. "I wonder if she was C.C.?  Could she and Kallen have been rivals for Lelouch?"  Suddenly Kannon felt bad for Captain Kouzuki.  Kannon knew the pain of losing a person you love to a romantic rival or to circumstances beyond a person's control.  Oddly he found that this ache in his heart was not for Schneizel, it was for someone who had touched his soul in a way no one else had or perhaps even could.

            He put the photo back onto the shelf from which he had taken it and looked over the small stack of books that were hastily assembled on one of the shelves. He removed a volume from near the bottom of the stack entitled Ashford Academy Yearbook 2017 a.t.b.

            Kannon flipped through the pages of the book lovingly as he glanced over every photo of Kallen, Lelouch, Milley Ashford, Major Rivaltz, even Euphemia li Britannia at Milley Ashford's failed school fair. 

            Then he came upon the photo of the person he yearned to see, a young girl whose humble appearance and innocent way had stole his heart the first time he had laid eyes upon her. 

            "There you are Nina," Kannon caressed the image lovingly as he lay back on Kallen's bed.  His eyes were heavy from lack of sleep.  "I miss you so much," he said before drifting off into a deep slumber.

[anime_goddess05]

Woot!  First to comment on the new chapter!    

Sthenno is a bad, dirty lady!!    >.<

Poor Kannon.  He's like the dog that gets kicked and cursed in the morning for now reason.  But he misses Nina!  Awww.....

[Kodai_Okuda]

---

anime_goddess05 wrote:

Woot!  First to comment on the new chapter!    

Sthenno is a bad, dirty lady!!    >.<

Poor Kannon.  He's like the dog that gets kicked and cursed in the morning for now reason.  But he misses Nina!  Awww.....

---

Thank you anime_goddess05

Can't wait for your next chapter of CG: Remixed.

I'm happy you liked Turn Four of my Fanfiction.

And Sthenno and her sisters are a bit on the licentious side, but hey they're ancient-Greeks after all.

The Kannon-Nina thing will become important later on....

I try to put a lot of effort into these chapters for all of you guys/gals here in Fanfiction so you can get a full picture of the story I'm trying to share with you.

Next Turn: Champions.

[Kodai_Okuda]

 

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS 

Turn Five: Champions (Part 1)

---

            "The power of Geass, a power which turned a simple boy into a Dark-Champion among men whose sole desire was to build a better world for his sister Nunnally, a power which cost him his life in the endeavor to do so. The tragedy of his sacrifice was that the world he built came and went like the rare and delicate snowflake that it was; pure, clean, and gone as soon as it touched the ground of the harsh reality of the dark-desires that burn within the souls of men. The Power of the King was a power sent from heaven to try and bring some semblance of good into the depths of this world of hell."-excerpt of a letter to Cornelia Caesaro Britannia from C.C. dated November 25th 2025 a.t.b.

---

            "Are you sure they landed someplace around here Cecile?" Lloyd Asplundh remarked in a bored tone as he looked out over the treetop canopy of the forest surrounding the city of Azul. Lloyd stood on the foredeck of the bridge of the rebuilt airship Avalon looking out through the main viewports of the craft with a pair of binoculars.

            "The ship's sensors are better than those things Lloyd," Cecile Croomy tittered.

            "Oh?" Lloyd looked at her with a snobbish expression. "I fancied they gave me that Dr. Livingston sort of look."

            Cecile laughed, "No, actually they make you look more like Baron Münchausen."

            "Oh dear," Lloyd said as he placed the binoculars on the console next to Cecile. "Well? Any luck yet?"

            "I think I may have them," She said as she brought up a digital representation of the forest floor.  "Looks like four KnightMares of some type crashed into the jungle about there." Cecile pointed to a yellow circle on the screen.

            "Good thing we got out here as soon as the Cape Horn Outpost radioed to Buenos Ares. Otherwise we may not have gotten this chance to acquire them." Nina Einstein remarked as she walked over to Cecile and Lloyd with three mugs of coffee on a tray.

            "Thank you Nina," Cecile smiled as she took one of the cups.

            "Yes it is fortunate that Cornelia allowed us to come fetch these four machines," Lloyd adjusted his glasses. "Pity about the pilots though."

            "What do you mean? It's not like she told us kill them if we find them.  We're only supposed to capture and hold them until she arrives," Cecile scolded him, "and aren't you forgetting something?"

            Lloyd put his hand on his chin, "Hmmm, no I think Cornelia's orders were pretty clear."

            Cecile held up her mug and scowled at him.

            "Oh...heh...yes that." Lloyd said embarrassed. "Where are my manners? Thank you Nina for the coffee."

            Nina chuckled, "That's alright Lloyd, I know your mind is never in the same place for more than a few moments."

            He said with a boyish grin, "Well I must admit I'm ecstatic at the chance of getting four of Rakshata's Type-21s to play with."

            Both women laughed.

            "Oh I don't think I've seen you this happy since Cornelia let you start the Paladin KnightMare project." Nina giggled.

            "No kidding." Cecile agreed. "It's nice to see you acting like your old self again Lloyd...no matter how odd that may sound."

            A male voice called over the radio of the Avalon, "Attention Avalon, this is Azul Search and Rescue team eight; we've found the four KnightMare Frames and they appear to be intact."

            "Oh Excellent commander," Lloyd said in a giddy tone. "Be sure to clear all the brush and whatnot away so we can take them onboard immediately."

            "Uh...yes sir...but shouldn't we check them for booby-traps first?" The man inquired.

            Lloyd looked at Cecile confused and shrugged his shoulders.

            Cecile rolled her eyes, "Yes Commander, please be sure and move them to a safe location so that they can be properly checked for whatever self-destruct mechanisms they have that may be active.  We want them in as perfect a condition as possible."

            "That could take a few hours," The man replied.

            "Hours?" Lloyd whined.

            "That's okay Dr. Asplundh," Nina giggled. "We should be able to do our initial external analysis of the Type-21s in the Azul holding areas without getting in their way."

            "Or getting ourselves blown up," Cecil added with a huff.  "It's not like these machines are going anywhere."

            "I suppose you're right Cecile." Lloyd conceded. "I'm just anxious to try out Nina's new Field Organized Radial Graviton Engine."

            "I still can't believe you managed to harness the power of FLEIJA," Cecile smiled at Nina. "You really are a genius."

            Nina's cheeks burned red, "It was the least I could do after what that dreadful weapon was used for.  I needed to change FLEIJA into something that could help mankind, a source of hope for a better future not destruction.  And while my FORGE system will be used in KnightMares and Aerial Warships and thus ultimately war, it is still better than a weapon of mass destruction."

            "Yes," Lloyd smirked as he spun in place with glee. "And it will completely do away with energy fillers as well.  That's the part that is so incredible.  Think of it. A KnightMare that can operate for twenty-years instead of only a few short hours!  It's incredi..."

            Cecile slapped him across the face and thus back to reality as Nina turned away, "She just said it was better then the FLEIJA, not that she liked the idea of it being used for war.  Try to show a little more compassion would you Lloyd."

            He readjusted his glasses and shrugged his shoulders like a boy, "Sorry, I'm just excited that's all."

            "We can see that," Cecile growled.

            "It's okay Cecile," Nina said. "If we didn't apply the FORGE to war I'm sure someone else would have."

            "See," Lloyd said holding his cheek. "You didn't need to hit me."

            Cecile chuckled, "Yes I did, or you would have kept spinning until you were dizzy."

            "Uh...I guess that's true," He laughed.

---

            "How many of them are there?" Akira asked Valletta as the five ace cadets of the Japan Jaguars headed for the KnightMares of the Four Holy Swords and Zangetsu.

            "Six teams," She replied. "Not including ours."

            "And the next team with the highest number of KnightMare Frames?" He inquired.

            "The Red Dragons," She answered him with concern.

            "I'm not surprised." Gregor said as he joined up with them at the head of the team.

            Valletta turned to face him as he came up next to her and Akira, "They've got fourteen KnightMares to your Sixteen.  That's too many in an aerial dogfight."

            "And against Li Jang Fong's team no less." Gregor let out a short whistle. "This is gonna be a tough fight."

            "Stop whining Gregor," Mika scolded him. "We can whip the Red Dragons blindfolded."

            "It will still be a challenge Mika," Tetsuo said.

            "Yes it should be," Valletta said. "But I have confidence you can beat them."

            "So did our KnightMares check out okay?" Akira asked Valletta.

            "You mean did Mika tamper with them?" Valletta asked with a frown. "No, she didn't.  So I guess you were correct Captain Nobunaga."

            "Thank you coach," He gave her a stoic look. "I'm glad that you checked to see if she did so that you have the piece of mind knowing that we'll win this with honor."

            Valletta gave him a warm smile.

            Lena was silent, she was concerned about Akira.  He wasn't himself right now.  Lena knew something was bothering him and he hadn't told her what.

---

 

            "What do you mean there's no pizza left?" C.C. asked the vendor in the Sidney stadium food market.

            "Sorry little lady, but we sold out yesterday." The rotund Italian baker bellowed in his thick accent as he brushed off flour from his white apron and listed off the menu he still had available.  "We've got calzones, spaghetti and meat-balls, egg-plant parmigiana, eight-cheese lasagna, and chicken cacciatore...and that's a bout it."     

             "Aw," C.C. sighed. "But I heard you got the best pizza in the world."

            "No," he laughed. "Not a me.  You're looking for Antonio's Pizzeria on the Ikaruga."

            C.C. looked up at the fleet of airships that were gathering around the outskirts of the Coliseum, "The Ikaruga?" She loathed the idea of going back to that ship, but...she had no choice.  "Thank you sir." C.C. said as she raced back towards her bicycle and sped off towards the boarding terminal for VIP patrons.

            "You can't come in here ma'am.  All the airship tickets are sold out." The guard told C.C. as he stood his ground in front of her. 

            "But I used to be apart of her crew." C.C. protested.

            "Sure you were." His fellow sentry snickered.  "You're like what?  Seventeen years old?"

            C.C. knew there was no point in even trying to explain her "condition" to them. "I'm a HUGE fan of the Japan Jaguars," she cooed at them. "Can't you just let me through this once?"

            The first guard scoffed, "If we did that we'd have to let every ditzy groupie who wanted to get in a free pass. Sorry Miss, but no way."

            "Unless of course you want to give us something of real value," the other guard said as he eyed her body.

            "Ewww," She recoiled from him. "No thanks." C.C. stormed off away from the boarding booth and zipped around a corner past another pair of guards standing in front of the gateway to the cargo shuttle bay.  She passed by a shuttle that was being loaded on the other side of the chain link, barbed-wired fence she was walking along.

            C.C. briskly made her way towards a series of Quonset-huts that were obviously the lockers where the pilots and stewardesses of the ships were undoubtedly getting prepared for the continuous flow of transport shuttles to launch. 

            C.C. slipped past a pair of guards at the main gate of the tent-city.  The men were engrossed in placing bets on the final match of the KnightMare Competition via their cellphones and didn't notice her skulk by them. 

            "Let's see...which one do I want?" C.C. asked herself as she scanned each of the hastily crafted signs in front of each of the large military-tents.  "That one!" She blurt out with excitement as she entered a stewardess dressing room.

            Within a few moments C.C. emerged from the tent dressed in the short skirt, tight blouse, and cap of a shuttle flight-attendant. 

            "Are we getting any in-flight cuties on this trip?" A pilot said to his fellow airmen as the pair passed by C.C..

            "Excuse me," She said to the two men.

            "Yes?" The older of the two inquired.

            "I'm kinda lost," She said with a meek smile. "Could you direct me to the next shuttle flight to the Ikaruga? I'm supposed to be the attendant on that flight."

            "You're in luck," The younger man said to her with a wide grin. "We're the pilots of that flight."

            "Really?  That's wonderful." She told them in the ditziest voice she could muster.

---

            The morning light shone gold on the flight of bronze colored mecha that flew over the western coastline of Australia at less than twenty feet from the surface.  The gust of their winged machines overturned sailboats and beach umbrellas as they zipped towards their intended destination unopposed.

            "We've just past over a place called Cape Howe according to the information Sthenno's prince gave us." Heracles said as his Helios flew next to the Talos along the edge of the beach.

            "How far are we from this City of Sidney?" Jason inquired of his lieutenant.

            "About sixty leagues." Heracles responded as their legion of 80 Automatos flew in formation behind them. "At our current speed we should be there in about twenty-five minutes."

            Jason tuned his communicator to their general frequency, "Spartans, we are almost to the city we intend to conquer.  I want to make this clear now that in no way are you here to plunder or pillage.  We are here to liberate this city from the tyranny of Zero and his followers; the Black Knights.  Therefore, you are to engage enemy warmachines only and try and minimize damage to the city and the death of innocent citizens.  Do I make myself clear?"

            "Yes Captain!" The voices of the Spartans said in unison over his radio.

            "Very good." Jason replied to them knowing they would not break their word.

            "Jason," Heracles voice came back over their private signal.

            "Yes Heracles?" Jason asked his friend and comrade.

            "Do you believe this Prince Schneizel is telling the truth about the one called Zero?" His baritone voice sounded troubled.

            "Honestly my friend...No, but we have no proof he is lying to us so for now we will play Sthenno's game and do as she and her new found pet wish." Jason's voice held an edge of venom as he uttered the word pet.

            "I'm glad to hear it Captain," Heracles chuckled. "I was beginning to worry that you might have changed your mind about this man."

            "What made you think that?" Jason asked.

            Heracles paused for a moment before going on, "Well you didn't argue with him or even inquire as to why he wanted us to attack this city.  That's not like you Jason."

            Jason humphed, "I wanted to get as far from their ogling and lechery towards each other as the Argo could take us, especially now that Euryale and Medusa are with them."

            "Come now Jason," Heracles laughed. "Where's your sense of hospitality.  All the sisters are doing is sharing the customs of their brood with this Prince and his people."

            Jason snickered, "I'm sure orgies aren't exclusive to our culture Heracles."

            "I wouldn't know," Heracles chortled, "I've never been to one."

            Jason sniggered, "Sure you haven't."

            "Jason," one of the Spartans called over the general channel.

            "Yes Orpheus?" He asked.

            Orpheus' tone was grave, "There are one-hundred and twenty enemy units coming towards us from the North."

            "Someone on one of those boats we flipped must have gotten a message out." Heracles suggested.

            "What types are they Orpheus?" Jason inquired.

            "Let's see," The man said as he flipped through the data files given him by the boy Kannon before their departure. "There are forty Vincent-Ward, and eighty Gloucester machines."

            "Very well," Jason turned Talos in the direction of the incoming KnightMares. "To all Automatos, ATTACK!"

            The Talos sped towards the oncoming Australian Defense Forces with frighteningly high speed.  Talos cut through the led Vincent-Wards with impunity as the KnightMare pilots desperately tried to shoot down Jason's Automatos.

            The bullets from the Gloucester autocannon gunpods bounced harmlessly off of the Adamantine skin of the Automatos.

            "Their weapons are pathetic," Heracles said as he spun his Helios into a flight of six Gloucesters; the Adamantine blades of his cut the KnightMares in half in one swift stroke.

            The Spartans tore into the mass of KnightMares slowly as the Australian forces switched to their MVS weapons and engaged them more cautiously.

            "This is costing us precious time Jason." Orpheus said over the communicator.

            "Oh?  What do you suggest we do?" Jason asked him, although he already knew what his friend would answer.

            "We should incinerate them with our Chaos Guns." Orpheus replied.

            "That's against our code of honor Orpheus," Heracles reminded his comrade. "Jason would not use such a weapon unless they use one first."

            "I know but we're losing our momentum." Orpheus said well aware that if they were to take the City without a long protracted conflict they'd have to act quickly.

            Jason knew Orpheus was right, but, "No Orpheus we will fight them with melee weapons only unless they use a weapon that merits the use of our Chaos Guns."

            "Besides," Heracles remarked as he smashed through two Vincent-Wards with the mace of Helios. "We should be clear of these sentries soon enough."

---

            

End Part 1.

[Kodai_Okuda]

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS 

Turn Five: Champions (Part 2) 

  

---

            "Are you guys ready for this?" Valletta asked her team from the bridge of the Ikaruga.

            "Ready as we'll ever be Mrs. Nu." Akira said.

            "Good, cause this is it!  Jaguars launch!" Valletta commanded over the radio.

            The hangar doors of the Ikaruga opened up in front of the Zangetsu and the Four Holy Swords.  Before them was the clear blue sky and the international fleet of airships that represented each nation whose team had made it to this final decisive battle for the championship.

            "Let's do this," Akira said over the radio as he launched Zangetsu off the Ikaruga towards the rapidly forming swarms of KnightMare Frames in front of each of the six aerial battleships.

            The remnants of the other three Japan Jaguar assault teams joined up with them after launching from other bays on the Ikaruga.

            Akira turned his radio to the Jaguar's main frequency, "Edo and Grenadier groups, intersperse your six KnightMares in a Chain-Lightening defense formation along the inner perimeter of the Ikaruga. Dueler group, your five KnightMares are to act as our Interceptor assault group and patrol the outer perimeter of the battlespace of our airship and stop any incoming KnightMares.  Four Holy Swords, we are going on the offensive.  We'll start with the Spanish Conquistadors first as they have only eight KnightMares left. Understood?"

            "Yes sir," the three other assault group leaders responded.

            The Japan Jaguars flew into their respective positions as the first general announcement came over their cockpit radios. "All teams are in position. Captains, you may commence your attacks."

            The Four Holy Swords flew towards the Spanish warship and her flight of eight KnightMares who stayed within the general area of their aerial warship.

            ‘They're using a Strong defense pattern Akira," Lena said as they approached the other team's ship.

            "We'll stay loose until we get to within thirty meters, then we'll form up into a line pattern and slice through their Vincent-Wards with a Stiletto attack thrust through their middle.  Afterwards we will then cut them down with our swords while in flight." Akira said as a hail of cannon fire streamed towards them from the eight KnightMares on the deck of the Spanish ship.

            "And try not to get shot down in the process," Mika lamented as a hail of rounds zipped past her Gekka.

            The Zangetsu led the four Type-3fs down through the hail of bullets, missiles and cannon fire towards the Conquistadors; the Spanish team was in a dual diamond formation of two groups of four KnightMares each, standing next to one another at about a KnightMare-Frame's arms length.

            "Hit them hard and fast!" Akira commanded his assault group as he swooped in with the Seidotou brake blade of Zangetsu and slashed through two of the Vincent-Wards of the Conquistadors.  The pair of Spanish KnightMares was to slow as they tried to unsheathe their MVS weapons so as not to hit one another with their gunpods in a crossfire. 

            "That's half of them!" Gregor exclaimed as he chopped his second Vincent-Ward in half at the waste; the ejection module boosted the pilot of the machine to safety.

            Lena landed her Gekka and cut the arms and legs off of another of the Conquistador machines. "Three left."

            The three remaining Spanish machines fired on her Type-3f as she used the wheeled drive of her KnightMare to zigzag backwards away from the cannon-fire.

            Mika and Tetsuo landed behind them and cut all three of them down (chopping off the leg and float units of the Vincent-Wards rendering them useless.

            "That's one team down!" Mika exclaimed as they waited the full minute on the Spanish ship.

            The competition announcer's voice came over their radios as they waited on the Spanish airship, "The Japan Jaguars have taken the Spanish Conquistadors out of the match while at the same time the Red Dragon team has defeated the Italian Centurion team in only two short minutes.  Making that the third team they've taken down from the start of the contest.  Only China, Japan, and the German Panzer teams are left.  Who will claim the title of Champions this year?"

            "You're clear to launch Akira!" Valletta's voice boomed over the radio. "Don't worry about the Germans, the Red Dragons have already decimated their KnightMare team and in a few minutes they'll beat them, however Li Jang Fong only has five KnightMares left in his team, you'll still got your sixteen. You have the advantage."

            "Understood Ma'am." Nobunaga said coolly.

            "Hey Akira, how do you think the Chinese have been able to beat so many other teams so fast?" Gregor asked as they flew back to the Ikaruga.

            "I dunno," He said with concern in his voice. "But they seem to be doing almost too well."

            "What do you mean?" Tetsuo asked. "They've lost over half of their KnightMare team. I doubt they're cheating."

            "Don't be so sure Tetsuo," Lena replied. "Li Jang Fong's cheated before."

            "And gotten away with it." Mika added as the Four Holy Swords landed on the Ikaruga.

            "How?" Tetsuo asked. "We've met with them in matches all year and I've never seen them cheat."

            "It was before you joined the team dude," Gregor said.  "When we were all juniors there was a meet in Singapore where Li Jang Fong's Red Dragon's used augmented Burai type KnightMares during the match.  Their machines had faster reflexes than the standard KnightMares thus they were able to beat us."

            "How do you know they were augmented?" Tetsuo inquired in a nervous tone as the Red Dragons engaged the Dueler assault group of the Japan Jaguars.

            "I ran a computer model after the meet which compared the fastest reflex speed allowed by the KnightMare Competition Commission with the video footage of the meet and saw that the Chinese teams machines were a full 1.5 seconds faster."

            "We showed this information to the Commission but the match was to minor for them and the investigation was miniscule." Lena added as she prepared to meet the Chinese group that had now cut through the Duelers.

            "So they cheated?" Tetsuo was shocked. "Do you think they're cheating now?"

            "Yep!  The Red Dragon Vincent-Wards and the Shen-Hu MKII are operating at full ability." Mika said. "And Li Jang Fong isn't hiding it which means this is meant to happen."

            "What do you mean?" Tetsuo asked in confusion.

            "She means that the match has been bought and paid for by the Chinese Federation.  No doubt an inside deal within the UFN."  Valletta's irritated voice interjected.  "Mika, use the strategy we discussed earlier."

            "Yes Mrs. Nu." Mika answered with a sly smile.

            "Care to let me in on this strategy?" Akira inquired.

            "Type ZERO into your attack computer input window." Mika told him with a giggle.

            The five members of the Four Holy Swords assault group typed the word into the computers of their machines and instantly a whole plethora of applications came to life on the computer screens then went blank as the Operating Systems of the KnightMares rebooted rapidly. 

            "Holy crap we're at full power!" Lena remarked.

            "Isn't this dangerous?" Gregor protested.

            "It's not any more of a risk then what Li Jang Fong is doing." Mika scolded Gregor. "Besides, don't you want to face them in a fair and equal fight?"

            "She has a point old buddy," Akira conceded. "I'd hate to loose this fight because we played fair and the Chinese cheated.  At least if we loose to them in a fair fight we can do so with honor."

            "I hear yah," Gregor said with new found vigor. "Oh man, this is going to BE real combat."

            "Here they come!" Lena said.

            "Edo and Grenadier groups try and keep their KnightMares off of the Ikaruga.  Holy Swords, let's go out and say hi to Li Jang!"

---

            "No...no really I have to go...honestly." C.C. said to the young pilot whose name had already slipped her mind.  She headed for the elevator at the far end of the hangar bay of the Ikaruga.  "I'd love to have dinner with you sometime, but I doubt my father would let me." She lied.

            "Who's your father?" The man said walking after her. "I'll ask him if I can take you out."

            "I doubt you could," She told him as she slipped into the elevator cabin. "Because my father is Zero." 

            The pilot stopped in his tracks with a befuddled look on his face.

            "Whew!" C.C. said to herself out loud as the door to the elevator closed. "That shook him off. Poor guy, he was kinda cute." C.C. checked her wristwatch, "but I don't have much time before the match is over and the restaurants close, it's already noon."

            C.C. tapped her foot impatiently as the elevator descended to the auxiliary hangar deck.  It was shorter than taking the ride down to the bottom of the ship and then having to go through the turnstiles of the security detail there.  This way she could slip through the hangar bay and down the cargo elevator and straight into the middle of the food bar and next to ANTONIO'S PIZZARIA!!!

            She nearly jumped for joy at her own cleverness.  It paid to know the internal layout of the Ikaruga in desperate situations like these.

            The elevator doors opened and C.C. dashed out straight into a wall. "What the..?" She exclaimed.

            "C2?" A familiar voice emanated from the wall.

            "Jeremiah Gottwald?" C.C. remarked in surprise.

            He smiled at her, "What brings you to this place?"

            "Probably Pizza if my memory serves correctly," A woman's voice snickered from behind Jeremiah.

            "Sayoko!" C.C. was jovial at seeing them both. "What are you two doing here?"
            Sayoko took hold of Jeremiah's arm, "Well not that it's anybody's business but we're here on vacation together."

            "Really?" C.C. smiled. "So are you two here as friends or..."

            Jeremiah blushed, "I have the honor of escorting this fair lady to this momentous event."

            Sayoko giggled, "What he's saying is that we're a thing."

            "And perhaps more if she'd let me." Jeremiah said.

            C.C. slapped her hands together, "That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you two."

            There was an uneasy silence as the couple looked at C.C. knowing how lonely she must feel without...him.

            "Hey, do you want to see something interesting?" Sayoko asked her.

            "Sure," C.C. replied eager to break the silence as she followed Jeremiah and Sayoko down the hangar towards a whole set of Akatsuki KnightMare Frames.

            "It's a complete reproduction of the Black Knights." Jeremiah told her.

            "Minus Zangetsu and the Four Holy Swords right now," Sayoko added. "Captain Chiba insisted that the Japan Jaguars use them in this year's competition because it's the Olympiad.  It's also why all these other Black Knight KnightMares are being powered up, armed and prepared for a KnightMare air-show during the final ceremony today."

             "Amazing," C.C. said as she scanned down the row of machines that were being tended by the ship's KnightMare technicians. "Even the Guerin is here, and the..." She stopped in front of Shinkirou.

            "His KnightMare is here too," C.C. said with watery eyes. "That was very nice of them."

            "Yes," Jeremiah laid his hand on her shoulder. "They built it to honor the memory of master Lelouch."

            "Speaking of him," Sayoko ventured to ask a very touchy question. "Have you gone to see him lately?"

            "Do you mean his tomb in Kyoto?" C.C. asked as she looked over the whole form of Shinkirou.

            "Yes." Sayoko said in a somber tone. "Jeremiah and I are thinking of going to see him there to pay our respects.  We've not been there before, and I understand his tomb is a small one and difficult to find within the mausoleum there, so I thought maybe you could help us find it."

            "I went to see him...a few years back," C.C. gave her a sad smile. "I'll gladly go with you two and show you where it is; as it really is a bit difficult to find in there.  Besides, it's been long enough, I should go back and say hi."

            "Thank you C2," Jeremiah told her with a warm smile, "So how about that pizza?"

            "PIZZA! Oh crap! I totally forgot!" C.C. started to head for the door that led to the cargo elevator when Captain Chiba's voice came over the ship's comm.

            "Attention all civilian passengers, please report to the main auditorium at once!  This is not a request, IT IS AN ORDER!"

            Jeremiah looked at C.C., "I wonder why they want us to go there?"

            "Nagisa sounds nervous about something," Sayoko said.

            C.C. stared back at the two of them bewildered, "The only reason I can think of for her to ask us all to go there is if we're under attack."

---

            "It's been a long time Akira!" Li Jang Fong said over the radio as his Shen-Hu MKII lashed out with its pair of Maser Vibration Swords.

            Nobunaga dodged the dual sword attack with Zangetsu and slashed at the side of Li Fong's KnightMare with the Seidotou brake blade.

            Fong dodged and whipped his long tail of black hair out of his face.  "Oh, still a bit testy I see."

            "You got a handle on him Akira?" Tetsuo asked.

            "Never mind him Tetsuo," Gregor said as he parried a Vincent-Ward before it would have slashed off the left arm of Tetsuo's Gekka with an MVS. "We need to deal with our own dance partners."

            Tetsuo whipped his Type-3f around to block another Vincent-Ward which tried to stab at Gregor's machine. "I see what you mean." He said as he saw Lena and Mika engaged in dogfights of their own with two other Vincent-Wards.  

            "Looks like Mr. Honor is actually cheating eh?" Li Jang smiled as he launched both of the slash-harkens of the Shen-Hu at Zangetsu.

            "Only because I had too in order to make this a fair fight you bastard," Akira spat at him as he deflected the two spindles with his machine's sword.  "How could you cheat here of all places!"

            "Still the immature naïve little child I see," Li Jang Fong performed a flip with Shen-Hu and slashed at Akira with a spinning double MVS attack. "I thought you would have learned your lesson after Singapore."

            Akira deflected the first blade and ducked under the second MVS allowing Zangetsu to turn and kick the backside of the Shen-Hu; knocking it off balance.

            Fong spun his own machine around and recovered just in time to parry the thrust that Nobunaga had already launched at him. "Wow, who would have thought you'd ever get better at fighting as a Devicer." Li Jang taunted him. "I bet you and your little band spent years training for it. Too bad this match was decided before you even landed in Australia." Li Jang laughed

            "Not if we defeat you here and now!" Akira said as he swung his Seidotou Brake Blade towards the Shen-Hu.

            Li Jang dodged the blow easily, "What was that supposed to be?" He laughed.

            "A feint!" Nobunaga growled as he fired the slash harken from the hilt of his machine's sword.

            The bladed pummel cut off the left shoulder shield-armor of Shen-Hu as Li Jang barely saved his mecha's left arm.

            "That fight looks pretty viscous over there," Tetsuo said as he cut off the arm of the Vincent-Ward he was fighting.  "What's with those two anyway?" He asked as he finished it off with a second blow; the cockpit ejection system flew away from the doomed machine, saving the pilot.

            "They used to be friends," Gregor told Tetsuo as he dodged the slash-harken from the Vincent-Ward that was attacking him. "But something happened."

            "What happened?" Tetsuo pressed Gregor as he flew in to help him; Tetsuo's Gekka cut through the right arm of the Vincent-Ward as Gregor finished it off with a combination sword thrust and slash-harken attack; causing the ejection module to shoot out the rear of the machine before it exploded in mid-air.

            "I happened," Lena grumbled as her machine locked swords with her attacker.

            "Huh?" Tetsuo said confused as he and Gregor sped over to help Lena and Mika.

            "Two guys, one girl, you can figure that one out right Tetsuo? Mika asked sarcastically as she slipped in along side the forward thrust of her attacker and launched an upper slash with the Katen Yaibatou revolving blade sword of her Gekka; cutting off the sword arm of her opponent.  Mika followed up with a gut-shot that cut the KnightMare in half at the waist.

            "Yah I got it," Tetsuo said as he and Gregor came up on the last of the Red Dragon Vincent-Wards.

            The pilot ejected from the KnightMare after Lena cut off its left leg and arm and followed up by cutting off its sensor head.

            "That only leaves Fong's unit." Tetsuo said.

            "Better let Akira deal with him." Gregor told him.

            The Zangetsu dodged the pair of slash-harkens that grazed the torso armor of the machine.  

            "How much longer are you going to keep this up?" Li Jang asked him. "Even if you defeat me the International KnightMare Commission will disqualify your team for cheating.  Face it Akira you're wasting you're time here."

            "Maybe this whole thing is rigged as you say, but even so I'm going to take you down fair and square." Nobunaga maneuvered Zangetsu around the side of the Shen-Hu and fired the chest slash-harken of his mecha; forcing Li Jang to block the attack with his unit's left arm. 

            "I won't fall for that twice!" Fong sneered as he fired his pair of slash-harkens at Akira.

            "I didn't think you would," Nobunaga retorted as he cut the cables of the slash-harkens of the Shen-Hu; sending the pair of gold colored spindles to the ground of the coliseum below.

            "**BLEEP** You!" Li Jang spat as his machine lunged at the Zangetsu. "You will not beat me."

            Akira waited until Fong was practically on top of him before flipping over the top of the Shen-Hu with Zangetsu.  Nobunaga fired the pummel slash-harken of his machine's sword and cut off the left arm of Fong's mecha.  Li Jang swung his machine around and opened up the Tian-e Ba Wang baryon cannon to fire, point blank, directly at Zangetsu.

            "STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!" Lena screamed over the radio. "It's over Li Jang. You're whole team is defeated, you've lost. What will you gain now by killing Akira?"

            "My honor," He said as he prepared to squeeze the trigger of the baryon cannon-a salvo of heavy cannon and beam weapon fire from the seven airships around them caused him to hesitate.

            "What the hell?" Gregor blurt out over the radio.

            The voice of the announcer came over their radio frequencies. "Attention Red Dragon and Japan Jaguar units, you are to retreat to the Ikaruga at once.  There are enemy units inbound.  I repeat you are to retreat to the Ikaruga at once!"

            "What should we do?" Mika asked.

            "Stand and fight of course," Li Jang told her. "I'm no coward."

            "Nor am I." Akira said.

            "It's settled then," Fong told Akira. "I propose a truce between us until we've dealt with these interlopers. After that we'll finish things between us. Agreed?"

            "Agreed." Nobunaga replied in a cold tone as he watched the swarm of golden dots come ever closer towards Sidney.

[Kodai_Okuda]

NEXT CHAPTER: Turn Six: Code of Honor.

I should have it for all of you next Friday or Saturday.

[anime_goddess05]

So it's nice to see that the Greek men are [kinda] more honorable than the Greek women.  LOL.

C.C. got to be a sneaky, flirty one.  "Who's your daddy?"  "Ummm....Zero."  

Sayoko + Jeremiah?????  Ninja maid and a pure blood, eh?  The new world is crazy indeed! 

And those darn interlopers.  They better handle that.  I also wanna know more about this little love triangle between the Jaguars and the Red Dragons.

I'm still reading!!

[Bleach117x]

OH god, my eye's they bleed with how much reading I've done (Read from turn one to turn five in one L-O-N-G reading session)

[Kodai_Okuda]

 CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS 

Turn Six: Code of Honor (Part 1)

---

            "War is a perpetual condition of mankind.  The lack of war creates a decadence which in and of itself becomes the catalyst for revolution and thus war. One of the most basic products of war is the warrior.  Such was this class of men and women whose talent lay not in the mundane domestic affairs of civil society but in the hard and harsh bloody battlegrounds of the conflicts of the world where skill in fighting was the difference between life and death.  With these warriors came a culture all their own.  A culture where was born a code of honor that all such warriors lived and died by."- General Kyoshiro Tohdoh in his speech to the first graduating class of the New-Order of the Black Knights dated June 15th 2020 a.t.b.

 

---

            "How many of them are there?" Captain Chiba asked her navigator.

            "Looks like about eighty unidentified KnightMare Frames of an unknown type closing in on the city fast." The girl replied.

            "Have the Jaguars and Red Dragons returned yet?" Valletta asked from where she stood at the back of the bridge.

            "No Mrs. Nu they haven't," Chiba said with a stern look.  "It appears your team and the Chinese Captain are preparing to engage the enemy."

            "What!" Valletta blurt out. "Captain I need a KnightMare now!"

            "I can't let you do that Valletta," Nagisa protested. "We need to try and get our passengers to safety.  You're not a military pilot anymore Valletta and I can't let you go out there and become another liability."

            "Liability!" Valletta spat at Chiba. "How dare you!"

            "Captain!" the tactical officer of the Ikaruga interrupted. "Enemy units have shot down the German airship Hindenburg and are proceeding towards the Shanghai."

            "Give them some cover fire with the Hadron cannons!" Chiba said as Valletta stormed off of the bridge.

 

---

            "Looks like there are six of their aerial ships left Jason," Orpheus said over the comm.

            "Any sign of their Automatos yet?" Jason asked him.

            "There are six units inbound and closing fast," Orpheus told him.

            "Just six?" Heracles inquired.

            "Orpheus, you take the Spartans and attack the city." Jason paused for a moment. "Heracles and I can deal with these airships and their Automatos."

            "As you wish Captain, but be careful." Orpheus told him as he led the legion of Spartans towards the central section of Sidney.

             "It would appear these craft are stationed over a Coliseum." Heracles remarked a bit surprised. "Perhaps these are not combatants after all Jason."

            "That's why I sent Orpheus to deal with the city's defenders.  I'm not sure these are soldiers we are dealing with here." Jason sounded angry. "I wonder if Sthenno's prince knew anything of this before sending us here."

            "Perhaps it slipped his mind," Heracles joked.

            Jason was not amused, "If it did I'll slip his head from his shoulders."

            Heracles let out a chuckle, "That might improve his demeanor; though I think Sthenno might protest."

            "Do you think I care if she disapproves," Jason pointed out. "Should these six prove to be no more than mere athletes trying to defend the honor of their sport I shall be quite put out with Schneizel for not telling us such an event was present."

            "Simple Olympians or not, it would seem they intend to challenge us nonetheless." Heracles told Jason as the six KnightMares approached them.

 

---

            Valletta rushed down to the auxiliary hangar deck of the Ikaruga where she knew the four Glide-Unit equipped Akatsuki KnightMares were fully armed and charged; ready for the air-show that was supposed to end this day.  She ran into the hangar deck as soon as the elevator doors opened and was startled to find three figures standing around at the base of the KnightMare Frames.

            "Jeremiah?" Valletta asked.

            "Oh Valletta!" He said in a jovial tone happy to see his former lover and comrade in arms. "What's going on?"

            "We're under attack," Valletta told him bluntly.

            "By who?" Sayoko asked as she came to stand by Jeremiah.

            "We don't know," Mrs. Nu replied. "All we do know is that the members of the Japan Jaguars and the Captain of the Red Dragons have gone out to intercept these enemies and I need to get out there and bring them back.  If I don't they could be killed."

            "What can we do to help Valletta?" Jeremiah inquired in a soft voice.

            Valletta smiled at both them, "I need you to fly out there with me to save these kids.  I was going to go out there by myself, and I will if I must, but your help could make all the difference in this battle Jeremiah."

            "Of course we will help Mrs. Nu," Sayoko said as she looked around. "Hey what happened to C2?"

            Valletta gave them a blank look, "C2 is here?"

            C.C. had slinked away from the trio while Valletta explained the situation.  Seven years ago she wouldn't have cared what happened to these children, but after her experience with Lelouch her whole view of life and its value had changed.  Now C.C. felt compelled to do something to help; she made her way to the machine she knew would have the best chance against an unknown enemy; she boarded Shinkirou.

 

---

             "Yeeeeeeeaahhhhhhhh!" Gregor yelled over the comm. as he and Tetsuo attacked the large bronze KnightMare equipped with the club and large shield.  Gregor's blade bounced when it hit the Adamantine Shield but left a deep gash in the metal's surface. 

            Tetsuo followed up with a swing at the machine's left wing, but the oversized KnightMare swiftly moved out of the way. "I missed!" Tetsuo blurt out in disbelief.

            "But you set him up for me," Li Jiang said as his KnightMare swung the MVS in its right hand down upon the chest of the bronze giant; the blade only scratched the amethyst colored crystal dome in the center of the beast's torso.

            The Bronze giant swung its great Adamantine Club at the Shen-Hu, catching it in the left-leg which was smashed off completely by the blow.

            "This guy's tough," Fong told his two wingmen.

            "No kidding," Gregor said as he dodged a blow from the club.

            The Bronze KnightMare flew towards them and spun in the air; flaring the tips of its wings out as it did so.  The Adamantine blades of the wings sliced the right arm and leg off of Tetsuo's Gekka as he tried to dodge them while Gregor's KnightMare was cut in half at the waist.

 

---

            "I've got this bozo Akira!" Mika said as her Gekka came up under the Talos and swung its sword at the Bronze machine.

            The Automatos grabbed the blade of the Type-3f with its clawed gauntlet and crushed the blade.  The Talos followed up with a swing of its Adamantine Sword.

            The blade of Talos was stopped by the Seidotou Brake Blade of Zangetsu. "Back off!" Akira yelled over the general international radio frequency.

            "That wasn't half bad," A voice with a heavy Greek accent spoke in English. "Though three on one isn't very honorable." The man said as he dodged Lena's attack and blasted the arms and legs of her machine off with the Hades-Cannon in Talos' left forearm.

            "Lena!" Akira called out in a panic as her machine fell towards the earth.

            "I've got her Akira," Mika reassured him as her Gekka caught what was left of Lena's KnightMare Frame.

            Nobunaga dodged a hail of Hades-Cannon fire that Jason's Automatos shot at him.

            "You fly that machine well." Jason said over the comm. "What say you to a duel of swords rather than all this shooting?" He asked Akira.

            "Why should I agree to anything you ask?" Nobunaga spat over the radio as he fired the chest slash-harken of Zangetsu at the Talos; the weapon only scratched the surface of the machine's chest armor before bouncing off.

             "Because if you don't wish to fight me in honorable combat I can always just blow you out of the sky," Jason pointed the Hades-Cannon at the Zangetsu.

            "I see your point.  But what if I win this duel?  What's to stop you from just blowing me away anyway?" Akira told him.

            "If you win I give you my word as a warrior that I will let you and your fleet of airships go, but what will you do in return should you be defeated?" Jason inquired.

            "If I loose to you then we'll surrender to you." Akira said.

            "Are you insane Akira," Lena yelled at him over the radio. "You don't have the authority to do that."

            "No," Nobunaga conceded. "But I don't think this man cares."

            "You are correct," Jason said. "And I agree to your terms.  If you win, I'll let you and your ships go free.  If you loose, I expect you all to surrender to me unconditionally.  You have my word as a warrior that you and your people will be unharmed if you surrender."

            "Very well then," Akira said. "But first I want to know the name of the man I am fighting."

            "I am Jason...Jason son of Aeson and Champion of Hera." He told Akira proudly.

            "I am Akira Nobunaga of Japan," Akira said in a stoic voice.

            Jason had the Talos lift its sword in front of the mirrored facemask in a salute, "Let the best warrior win."

            Akira mimicked the salute with Zangetsu, "Whenever you're ready Jason."

            "Respect? I didn't expect that, thank you Akira." Talos lunged forward with a thrust of its sword.

            Zangetsu deflected the attack with the brake blade, reversed, and spun around with a backward thrust of the pummel of the sword.

            "Excellent move!" Jason laughed. "But you need to aim more carefully." The Champion of Hera said as he parried the blow with his machine's gauntlet.  The Talos moved back from Zangetsu and swooped in for another attack.

            Akira deflected three swipes of the Adamantine Sword of his opponent and counter thrust at the right arm of the Automatos; the tip of the Seidotou Brake Blade dug deep into the armored plating.

            "Very good," Jason told Akira as a teacher does to his pupil. "I knew you had the gift." He said pleased with himself. "Few men can match my skill Akira Nobunaga of Japan, but I believe you are a worthy opponent."

            "Glad you think so Jason," Nobunaga sent Zangetsu into a double spin then shot his KnightMare above Talos in a feint; bringing down the Seidotou Brake Blade at the head of Talos.

            Jason dove downwards to gain distance between them and flipped his Automatos out of the way just in time as Zangetsu's blade shaved a bit of the helmet plume of Talos off.

            "You are magnificent," Jason tittered as he flew back towards the Zangetsu in a thrust which Akira tried to dodge but at the last moment Jason cut inwards at the head of Nobunaga's KnightMare; chopping the red plume of the mecha off completely.

            "You're not so bad yourself," Akira retorted as he blocked four more sword attacks by Jason.

 

---

            "This is incredible!" Milley said from the top deck of the Ikaruga. "Are you getting all this Seiji?" She asked her camera man.

            The man held the large TV camera on his right shoulder with a tight grip in the turbulent wind outside the airship. "Yes Ma'am I'm getting it.  Boy those Bronze KnightMares are big." He remarked.

            "Yah, and I bet they're some new type my old friend Lloyd Asplundh came up with." Milley said with a smirk.

            "I dunno Mrs. Ashford," Seiji said in a sheepish tone. "They look kinda Roman or Greek, maybe they're from the EU?"

            "What? No you ninny, they're obviously too advanced to be some terrorist group's and way to stylish for anybody but Cornelia." She giggled. "I mean look at those colors on those things...they've got bling!"

            "I think that's because they're made of a bronze colored metal." Seiji said.

            "Whatever," She replied nonchalantly as she stood in front of the camera. "You ready?"

            "Yah, but I don't think we can send a signal.  These guys are jamming all communications." Seiji informed her.

            "Don't worry about it, just record it." She told him.

            Seiji gave her a-thumbs-up as he pointed the camera at her with the battle raging behind her in the distance.

            "This is Milley Ashford reporting to you from high above the Sidney Coliseum where the International KnightMare Competition had been disrupted by a force of as of yet unknown KnightMares.  What was to be the first Olympiad had been rudely interrupted by these invaders who even now are engaging the Japan Jaguars and the Captain of the Red Dragons."

 

---

            Milley's transmission came over the cockpit communication system of the Helios. "Olympiad?" Heracles remarked (in English) with his deep Greek-accent over the comm. as he blocked another attack by Li Jiang.  "And you didn't invite us?"

            "No!" Li Jiang said as he unleashed a combination MVS and slash-harken attack that did only minor damage to the Helios as Heracles deflected the attacks with its shield.

            "Oh now there's no need to be that way about all this," Heracles scolded him. "Under different circumstances we may have been comrades."

            "NEVER!" Li Jiang had had enough; he fired the Tian-e Ba Wang baryon cannon at Helios.

            "Oh no you don't," Heracles said as he activated the Golden Fleece Veil of his Aegis shield.  Immediately a globe of sparkling gold energy engulfed the Helios deflecting the baryon beam in numerous directions.

            "Damn," Li Jiang said in awe of the shield.

            "My turn," Heracles said as he fired his Chaos-Gun at the Shen-Hu.  The violet-white beam shot forth from the crystal in the center of the Helios directly at the Shen-Hu.

            "MOVE YOU IDIOT!" Gregor yelled at Li Jiang over the radio as he smashed what was left of his Type-3f into Li Jiang's machine while ejecting from the doomed KnightMare.  The Chaos-Gun disintegrated the Gekka but only caught the right half of Li Jiang Fong's Shen-Hu; melting the torso and glide unit of the machine.

            The Shen-Hu fell towards the earth like a rock.

            "Li Jiang eject!" Tetsuo barked at him. "EJECT!"

            "I can't," He said in frustration. "The ejection unit is fused."

            "I can help with that," Heracles said as he flew the Helios down parallel with the Shen-Hu.

            "Why the hell would you help us after trying to kill him?" Tetsuo asked.

            "Because I'm a warrior not a butcher, and a warrior should die in combat with honor, not crash into the earth like a stone.  To be honest I've no real interest in killing a bunch of Olympian athletes anyway.  I only wanted to beat you in a fair fight." Heracles laughed. "I admit I may have overreacted in firing my Chaos-Gun; it was an instinctual response to the attack your comrade made upon me.  Allow me to make up for it now and let me see if I can help get him out of that wreck."  Helios flipped its club around with the handle facing the center torso of the Shen-Hu.  "Try your ejection system again."

            "How do I know this isn't a trick?" Fong scowled.

            "Because if you don't allow me to help you now then you're as good as dead," Heracles told him. "The ground is coming up on us quickly."

            "Whoever you are in the Bronze KnightMare, don't listen to Fong, just get him out of that thing." Gregor yelled over the radio.

            "As you wish," Heracles said as Helios pushed the handle of its club through the center of the Shen-Hu slowly; knocking the pilot's compartment out the back of the machine where an Akatsuki caught it.

 

---

End part 1

Message Edited by Kodai_Okuda on 07-15-2009 05:48 PM

Message Edited by Kodai_Okuda on 07-15-2009 05:49 PM

[Kodai_Okuda]

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS

Turn Six: Code of Honor (Part 2) 

---

            Akira dodged another swing from the Talos and cut into one of the wings of the Automatos splitting it down the middle but not cutting it off.

            "You're still not placing your attacks with precision," Jason said as he cut off the pair of spike-shoulder armor on the left side of Zangetsu.

            "You're just playing with me aren't you?" Akira scowled.

            "Nonsense," Jason told him, "You've been holding your own quite well against me Akira Nobunaga, but I fear you lack the conviction to actually attack me in earnest."

            "I see no point in taking the life of someone I know nothing about simply to win a battle.  I'll defeat you, but I've no intent on killing you." Akira said.

            "Nor I you Akira," Jason said in a stern tone.

            "Unfortunately for you I don't have the same convictions!" Valletta let out as she slashed at the left arm of the Talos from above; cutting deep into hand of the clawed gauntlet with the Katen Yaibatou revolving blade sword of her Jikisan-type Akatsuki.

            "No Mrs. Nu! Don't get in the way!" Zangetsu body checked the Jikisan away from Talos.

            "What the hell are you doing Akira?" Valletta yelled at him. "Have you gone crazy?"

            "No," Jason said as he fired a barrage of Hades-Cannon bolts at her Akatsuki. "He's fighting with honor." The blasts blew off the right arm and leg of Valletta's KnightMare sending it into a spin.

            "COACH!" Akira called out as he started to fly Zangetsu towards her falling machine.

            "Stick to the task at hand and don't get distracted Akira!" Jason berated him as he slashed at Zangetsu with his Adamantine Sword.

            Akira barely dodged the swing; the edge of the blade sheered off the knee spike of the left leg of Zangetsu.

            Nobunaga countered with a spinning blade maneuver that caught Jason by surprise.  The Seidotou Brake Blade sliced the clawed-gauntleted hand of Talos off completely.

            "Now you're putting your heart into it!" Jason told him.

 

---

            "You alright?" Sayoko asked Li Jiang as her Akatsuki held the pilot's compartment of the Shen-Hu in its arms.

            "I'm alive," He grumbled.

            "Who are these intruders?" Jeremiah asked as his fully armed Jikisan Akatsuki flew up carrying the escape capsule of Gregor's Gekka.

            "No idea," Tetsuo said as he came up between the Helios and the others.

            "I," Heracles declared, "am Heracles of Thebes, Champion of Zeus."

            "Champion of Zeus?" Jeremiah asked in a befuddled tone.

            "Are the gods of Olympus forgotten in this land?" Heracles inquired in response.

            "Not forgotten Heracles," Jeremiah explained, "They are honored in our histories and legends, but I find it hard to believe that you're actually the Heracles of Greek legend."

            "I see," Heracles remarked unmoved by Jeremiah's disbelief. "Much time must indeed have passed for the feats of the Olympians to have passed into legend."

            "If you somehow really are the Olympian heroes of Greek myth then why are you attacking us?" Sayoko asked the question of immediate concern.

            "Because Lady, we are conquering this land." Heracles stated in a less than enthusiastic manner.

            "I can see that," Sayoko stated. "But why?"

            "Because we have come to unseat the cripple Empress Nunnally and find the one who usurped her brother, Prince Schneizel, the rightful heir to the throne of the kingdom called Britannia...we have come to flush out and kill Zero." Heracles said.

            "Not if I have anything to say about it!" Jeremiah exclaimed as his Jikisan handed Gregor's escape module to Tetsuo's Gekka and unsheathed its Katen Yaibatou revolving blade sword.

            "Say all you want about it, but words will not avail you against me," Heracles told him over the radio.

            "Such arrogance!" Jeremiah scoffed as his Jikisan flew in a zigzag pattern towards the Helios.

            Heracles watched the Commander-type Akatsuki weave its way towards him.

            The Jikisan came straight at the Helios then dove down below it.

            "What the..." Heracles was taken aback by the move.

            Jeremiah fired the chest slash-harken at the club in the hand of Helios and knocked it free.

            "Nice move!" Heracles said as he fired the Adamantine-discus from his Aegis shield.  The disc homed in on the Jikisan and nearly cut off its legs, but Jeremiah rolled his KnightMare into a crouched-ball position and flipped the Akatsuki in a mid-air summersault; thus avoiding the attack.

            The Jikisan spun out of the flip and its blade landed hard onto the Chaos-Gun of the Automatos; shattering the amethyst crystal dome.

            "You are a warrior worthy of me," Heracles remarked. "Too bad you underestimated my discus." 

            Jeremiah caught the returning discus out of the corner of his eye just in time to save himself but not the bottom of his KnightMare. The disc cut through the backside of the legs of the Jikisan, severing them completely before returning to the top of the Aegis shield.

            Heracles flew quickly downwards and retrieved the club of Helios from the Coliseum field.

            Jeremiah's Jikisan fired its arm mounted Bazooka and double-barrel cannon at the Bronze Kolossos; the gold shimmer of the mecha's veil simply deflected the projectiles.

            "Do you actually think you can defeat a Champion of the Gods of Olympus?" Heracles scoffed as he flew up at the Jikisan with his club. 

            The Helios was too fast, Jeremiah could not evade the Bronze giant as it swung its club down at his Jikisan.

            "Gods of Olympus huh," C.C.'s sarcastic voice cut in over the channel. "Let's see how invincible you are without that shield." She said as she fired the Zero-Beam of Shinkirou at the elbow joint of Helios' left arm; severing the limb completely.

            "Ahhhhhhh!" Heracles yelled as bolts of electrical energy arced all over the cockpit of his Automatos.

 

---

            "Heracles!" Jason exclaimed in fear for his best friend and comrade.

            "What was that about being distracted?" Akira said as he brought the Seidotou Brake Blade up into the gray metal belly of Talos, directly under the Chaos-Gun.  The sword sunk deep into the gray metal of the machine.

            Red warning windows began popping up all over Jason's console.

            "Not bad boy," Jason laughed. "You're right I let my guard down. And to think I meant to school you in the way of the warrior." He sighed, "This has gone on long enough Akira Nobunaga.  I concede that you have defeated me, your fleet is free to leave."

            The Talos began falling out of the sky as the machine lost power.

            "Jason!" Akira said in concern for the honorable man. "What's wrong?"

            "You pierced Talos' main power cell with your sword." Jason told him.  "Now I can no longer control him and will undoubtedly crash and perish."

            "No!" Akira said as he flew Zangetsu up under Talos.  The glider system of the KnightMare Frame slowed the decent significantly but didn't stop it.

            "I'll guide you down to the surface," Nobunaga told Jason.

            "Thank you Akira." He said.

            "What about your friend?" Akira asked looking over to where the Helios dodged another of Shinkirou's Zero Beams.

            Jason opened a channel to the Helios, "Heracles, this battle is over, let the fleet leave without harm and retreat to the Coliseum below immediately."

            "Are you alright Jason?" Heracles inquired. "I've contacted Orpheus and asked for help over here."

            "You needing help?" Jason taunted him. "That's new."

            "Yes well, they have more powerful Automatos here then we expected." He dodged another Zero Beam.  "That black and gold one is a real daemon."

            "How soon will Orpheus arrive?" Jason inquired.

            "Any moment now," Heracles said.

            "Be sure and tell him to let the enemy fleet leave here without incident," Jason was firm. "I gave the warrior who defeated me my word of honor that I would allow them to go if he won in single combat."

            "Understood Captain," Heracles said. "Are you sure you're alright Jason, I see that Black Automatos you were fighting clinging to the side of Talos."

            "Yes my old friend." Jason smiled. "Don't worry about me, I'm in good hands."

 

---

            "I can't believe their letting us leave," Captain Chiba said to Jeremiah Gottwald on the bridge of the Ikaruga.

            "We still lost Australia," He said in a grave tone. "I doubt allowing us to go free will hinder their objectives."

            "At least we're alive," Sayoko told him with a smile.

            "How soon until we reach Japan?" Valletta asked Nagisa.

            "Since your student Akira claims that his new found friend, the one called Jason, told him we should fly as high as we can to avoid this new enemy's underwater weapons....at least five days at our current altitude."

            "Can't we contact UFN headquarters yet?" Valletta inquired.

            "No," Chiba told her. "All communications satellites have gone dead.  I can only surmise that what the other pilot told Jeremiah is true, and Schneizel is using the Thor to block all of our transmissions via its advanced ECM suite."

            "But how could Schneizel defy Zero?" CC said out loud; more to herself than the others on the bridge.

            "Why couldn't he defy Zero?" Akira asked as he and the other Japan Jaguars gathered around her with curious expressions on their faces.

            C.C. blushed, "Well...uh...Zero spared his life, he owes him." She stammered.

            "You think Schneizel has somehow broken a Geass that Zero put upon him don't you C2?" Valletta asked in an accusatory tone.

            C.C. turned away from Valletta's penetrating gaze.

            "What makes you ask that Mrs. Nu?" Mika asked seeing C.C.'s reaction to her question.  "Zero doesn't have the power of Geass does he?"

            Chiba pursed her lips and looked at the lot of them, "I think we'd better come clean with them C2.  They deserve to know the truth, and only you know the whole story."

            "I can't tell you," C.C. looked at her ashamed. "It's what he wanted.  I promised him."

            Captain Nagisa Chiba eyed her sternly, "If by HE you mean Lelouch, then you had better consider the fact that his sacrifice was in vain.  We've a new enemy out here that isn't going to be swayed by grandiose speeches of Justice and Liberty.  We don't have a prince among their ranks with the power to bend the will of others to help us.  They, on the other hand, are at the very least being aided by Lelouch's brother Schneizel who knows the strengths and weaknesses of our forces and no doubt has his own scheme in all of this. For all we know Cornelia might be involved with them as well.  I think it's high time you told us who the new Zero is because all of us who served the real Zero know that he's dead.  We need to know if the new Zero has the power of Geass and if he can help us against this new threat."

            The Japan Jaguars stood in shock at the words that were coming out of Nagisa's mouth.

            C.C. met Chiba's glare, "The new Zero does not have the power of Geass, of that I am sure.  As to who he is...I think you already know Captain Chiba."

            Chiba humpfed, "Suzaku Kururugi isn't dead is he?"

            C.C. said nothing.

            "Tohdoh thought as much," Nagisa spat the words at C.C., "so now we have to face this enemy without knowing if they possess Geass."

            "They do," C.C. told her turning her head away. "The Geass Order knew of the Great Society of the Gods that existed before the flood that ended their civilization and killed them, or so we thought.  Apparently we were wrong."

            "Yah I'd say you were wrong!" Mika blurt out.

            "Who cares if they have Geass? These people are honorable," Akira protested. "We can reason with them and negotiate a peaceful resolution to all of this."

            "That might be true of their warriors Mr. Nobunaga, but not necessarily of their leaders," Jeremiah told him with a frown. "Their leaders are the ones that sent them here to conquer Australia and if they've conspired with Schneizel to kill Zero and perhaps even Empress Nunnally, then we must consider them a great threat."

            "Which means we have to have Geass users on our side," Sayoko pointed out. "That way we can at least try and even up the odds."

            "Well C2?" Valletta said with a narrow eyed look. "You're the one who gave Lelouch his Geass power, so I assume you could give it to us as well."

            "It's not that easy!" C.C. shouted. "When I give someone the power of Geass part of their consciousness merges with my own and thus we each gain a part of each other's mind.  It's not like I can hand out the power to just anyone."

            "Well who can you give the power of Geass too?" Gregor inquired.

            "Only someone I make a contract with." C.C.'s voice trembled as the others gathered around her; she felt trapped, cornered.

            "So make a contract with one of us." Tetsuo growled.

            "I can't..." C.C. said with tension rising in her voice. "It isn't that easy.  You don't understand.  For me to grant Geass to someone they have to be special."  She held back her frustration at the feelings that threatened to break her countenance. "They have to be someone I...." She hung her head.

            "Someone you what?" Jeremiah inquired.

            "SOMEONE SHE LOVES YOU BLOCKHEADS!" Milley Ashford's voice rang out through the bridge from the Captain's mezzanine.

            "Mrs. Ashford the bridge is off limits to unauthorized personnel!" Captain Chiba barked at her.

            "I have authorization," Milley giggled. "From your boyfriend no less," She held up the special badge that Tohdoh had issued to the Tokyo Broadcasting Station as a public-relations gesture for the International KnightMare Competition.

            Smiles cracked across the faces of everyone present; everyone except for Nagisa that is; whose face had gone beet red.

            "My relationship to General Tohdoh is no one's business but my own," Chiba tried to sound firm but a grin threatened to break her resolve.

            Milley threw up her arms haphazardly, "Whatever.  That still doesn't change the fact that the only way C2 is going to give someone a Geass is if she's in love with them.  And I highly doubt any of us can compare to Lulu.  He certainly had my heart for a time and several other women too."

            C.C. blushed at Milley's comments.

            "I've always wondered why Lelouch never pursued any of us." Milley's demeanor became sad. "Especially Shirley...guess I know why now."  Milley clasped her hands together, "You we're his secret love." She sighed.

            "Are you finished Milley?" Valletta said with her hands on her hips as her left eyebrow twitched in irritation at Milley Ashford's interruption.

            "For now," Milley snickered as she smiled at Valletta.

 

---

            "What do you mean a fleet of airships has escaped Australia?" Sthenno inquired of Schneizel on the bridge of the Thor.  The Goddess stood looking out at the partially uncovered city of Tartarus as Doctor Viviane's crew continued to unearth the ancient metropolis from the ice of Antarctica.

            "The global surveillance satellite over the Pacific has detected a flotilla of six airships, at maximum altitude for their types, heading towards Japan." Schneizel told her smoothly. "Apparently your man Jason has made a critical error."

            "Perhaps I should go to find out why he allowed this fleet to escape." Euryale said from the place she stood in the center of the bridge.

            "Yes," Sthenno grimaced. "go with Medusa in the Gorgon and take a legion of Harpy-Automatos with you.  I want that fleet of airships destroyed before it reaches Japan."

            "As you wish my sister," Euryale bowed and went to fetch Medusa.

 

---

            Kannon sat on Captain Kouzuki's bed looking through her personal diary and learning much about the fiery red head.

            "Kallen you poor thing," He said to himself as he read the pages of her mixed feelings for Lelouch. "You're still in love with him even now."

            The door to the cabin opened up and a raven haired young woman in the jumpsuit of an Automatos pilot entered.

            "So this is where you've gone," Medusa cooed at Kannon.

            "Excuse me?" He said confused. "Am I needed on the bridge?"

            "No," the girl giggled as she unzipped her jumpsuit to expose the tops of her breasts; down just to the edge of the pink of her nipples. "You're needed here.  I've had my eye on you Kannon since I first saw you."

            "I'm sorry Medusa," Kannon said, unnerved by her unexpected advance. "But my heart belongs to someone else, and I don't know you."

            Medusa walked over to him and took the book from his hands.  She let it drop to the floor as she pushed Kannon down on the bed, "I don't want your heart my beauty," She laughed wickedly, "and you'll know me soon enough."

            "No, I don't want..." Kannon started to protest but Medusa pinned him to the bed and kissed him passionately on the lips; her chest rubbed up against his body as she did so. 

            The woman tore his shirt open.

            "MEDUSA!" Euryale's voice called out from behind her.

            Medusa's face contorted into a vicious scowl. "What do you want?" she sneered.

            "I want you to leave that boy alone, and prepare to depart for Japan immediately." Euryale told her with a firm voice.

            Medusa leaned in next to Kannon's left ear and put the lobe of it in her mouth, she **BLEEP**kled it briefly and said, "Don't worry my sweet boy, I shall have you when I return."

            Kannon didn't say anything as Medusa slid off of his body and zipped up her jumpsuit.  She smiled and blew him a kiss before departing with Euryale.

            "This madness must end," His voice shook uncontrollably.  "I've got to warn the world." He cried to himself. "I've got to tell someone....but who?" He contemplated the myriad of possible people that would listen to him and only one name came to mind.

            "Nina," he said her name to comfort himself.  "I've got to escape from here and find Nina."  Kannon got up from the bed and closed his shirt as he headed out the door for the main hangar of the Thor.  A plan of action began brewing in his head as he made his way down to the flight deck.       

---

    

[Thank you all for reading]

[anime_goddess05]

Yay new chapter!!

I love Milly's lines in this:

"What? No you ninny, they're obviously too advanced to be some terrorist group's and way too stylish for anybody but Cornelia." She giggled. "I mean look at those colors on those things...they've got bling!"

And then there was this one:

"SOMEONE SHE LOVES YOU BLOCKHEADS!"

I think it's kind of ironic that the Greek men are always spouting their ideals about honor, yet they openly declare they're going to attack a crippled empress!!  Hypocrites! (Greek word I think, LOL).

And Kannon      Why can I totally see him jumping from the Thor onto an "enemy" Knightmare in the next chapter?  

[DeaconPhenix]

I finished up Turn Four. Schneizel's quite the pimp, eh?

Hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon. I don't want to get too far behind.

[Kodai_Okuda]

---

anime_goddess05 wrote:

Yay new chapter!!

I love Milly's lines in this:

"What? No you ninny, they're obviously too advanced to be some terrorist group's and way too stylish for anybody but Cornelia." She giggled. "I mean look at those colors on those things...they've got bling!"

And then there was this one:

"SOMEONE SHE LOVES YOU BLOCKHEADS!"

I think it's kind of ironic that the Greek men are always spouting their ideals about honor, yet they openly declare they're going to attack a crippled empress!!  Hypocrites! (Greek word I think, LOL).

And Kannon      Why can I totally see him jumping from the Thor onto an "enemy" Knightmare in the next chapter?  

---

I'm very happy you liked Turn six anime_goddess.

The Greek sense of honor is a bit odd, but reminded me of the Britannians as they are portrayed in the real CG TV show so I thought I'd use them as the model for my story's antagonists.

And Kannon will have an important role no doubt.

But the Turn I can't wait to write is Turn 13....that's the one I think most of you will really like (I hope).

Thank you again for reading my fanfic.

[Kodai_Okuda]

---

DeaconPhenix wrote:

I finished up Turn Four. Schneizel's quite the pimp, eh?

Hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon. I don't want to get too far behind.

---

I'm sorry this fanfiction is turning into a small novel.

I wanted Schneizel to be someone else's beyotch for a change of pace...preferably a woman and Sthenno and her sisters fit the bill nicely. 

Take your time, I've got a long way to go in writing and drawing this fanfiction and I'll leave it in my user-signature so anyone can link to it if it gets buried in the depths of the [asmb] after awhile.

Thank you DeaconPhenix for reading my fanfic.

BTW, I'm on Chapter 13 of your "Eternal Tomorrow" arc, it's excellent. I'll post on your thread this week when I finish Chapter 15.

[Kodai_Okuda]

I nearly forgot....Next Chapter: TURN SEVEN: DECISIONS

I should have it done by Friday...maybe sooner.

[anime_goddess05]

---

Kodai_Okuda wrote:

I nearly forgot....Next Chapter: TURN SEVEN: DECISIONS

I should have it done by Friday...maybe sooner.

---

Looking forward to it. 

Also the article on the Greek sense of honor was interesting.  I was thinking of the western society view, apparently. 

[JQuest15]

LOL

That was quite the read, finally caught up.

Nice work Kodai looking forward to the next chap =)

[Kodai_Okuda]

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS 

Turn Seven: Decisions (Part 1)

---

            "How many years had Lelouch thought over his grand scheme of a new world?  Had it been upon our first arrival in Japan?  Or perhaps it was when we met Suzaku? I guess I may never know what went through his mind when Charles berated him that day before the court of Britannian nobles.  It changed something inside him and solidified his decision to bring down Britannia and change the world. I wish he would have spoke to me about it. Maybe I could have changed his mind and lessened his burden...maybe I could've helped him come to a different decision."-Excerpt from the personal diary of Empress Nunnally vi Britannia dated August 8th, 2025 a.t.b.

---

 

            Zero walked down the hall of the top floor of the UFN Headquarters.  A bank of large windows flanked his left side as he trod down the corridor in the dim light of the ceiling fixtures that illuminated the path in front of him.  Outside the windows he could see the lights of the city of Kyoto as they lit up the twilight of sky of Japan.

            Suzaku thought of the urgency of the whole situation that was now the buzz of the entire UFN delegation and the reason Zhou Xianglin had brought Nunnally, Kaguya, and the Tianzi here so quickly.  It had already been a few hours since his arriving at the UFN headquarters building and he was beginning to worry about Nunnally. Zhou had ushered Nunnally off to the UFN council chambers almost as soon as their aerial shuttle had landed on the grounds of the UFN building and practically ordered Zero to report here; the personal office of General Kyoshiro Tohdoh.  

            Suzaku came to the door at the end of the long hallway and knocked.

            "Come in," the hardened voice of Tohdoh said from the other side of the egress.

            Zero entered the room, "You wished to see me general?" Standing in front of his former sensei Suzaku's modulated voice sounded tacky to his ears; he contemplated turning off the device but changed his mind.

            "Do you know why I've asked you here Zero?" Tohdoh stared directly at him.

            "I assume it is due to the terrorist attacks on our expedition to Antarctica." Zero said flatly.

            "Terrorist attack?" Kyoshiro laughed. "The ghost of Imperial Britannia is hardly a terrorist attack."

            Ghost of Imperial Britannia? What does he mean? "I don't follow you General." Zero said.

            Tohdoh raised his chin, "Schneizel is a traitor, and is conspiring with his sister Cornelia." It was a lie, but Kyoshiro intended to flush out whatever information that Zero might already know of the situation.

            "That is impossible," Zero said bluntly. "Schneizel would never betray Britannia and we would never betray the UFN."

            "Don't you mean Schneizel would never betray you?" Tohdoh gambled that Lelouch had ensured his older brother would be subservient to Zero via his power of Geass. 

            What? Suzaku was taken off guard. Could he have learned what really happened? Does Tohdoh know what the Zero Requiem really was? "No, I meant that Schneizel pledged his allegiance to Empress Nunnally and to me Zero..."

            Tohdoh cut him short, "Do you take me for a fool?  Schneizel would never give up on his dream of world domination over a simple oath or pledge." Kyoshiro frowned, "The Britannian rulers have no sense of honor.  Charles Britannia didn't, Clovis did not, Lelouch had no honor, Cornelia held her own twisted sense of it, and Schneizel used it as a tool to manipulate others for his own ambitions...even poor Euphemia lacked any sense of it, which is why she fell victim to her own naiveté."

            How dare he? Suzaku clenched his fists as he fumed under the mask. "Euphemia was only a pawn in Lelouch's plans, she was innocent."

            Tohdoh smiled, he had gotten the answer he wanted.  Only one person would be so quick to single out and protect Euphemia's honor from the list of names he had given.  "Is that so?" He waited a moment for any reaction from Zero before continuing, "None of them can be described as innocent.  Especially Euphemia, she corrupted my greatest student and a person I once thought of as a friend, into her personal Knight of Britannia causing him to abandon his own people; undoubtedly for her own childish whims.  His name was Suzaku Kururugi, have you ever heard of him Zero?"

            Tohdoh you bastard! Rage burned in Suzaku's head clouding his judgment. "Is this why you've called me here, to discuss the problems of the dead?"

            "Schneizel and Cornelia are quite alive and a very grave threat, I was simply pointing out that your supposition about Schneizel remaining loyal to you due to some sense of honorable fealty was ludicrous." Kyoshiro was pleased with himself.  He had unnerved Zero and thrown him off balance which was all the proof Tohdoh needed to be convinced that he was right about this man; this Zero was Suzaku.

            Emotion seized Suzaku, "There is NO possible way Schneizel would betray me!"

            "Don't you mean Britannia?" Tohdoh eyed him. "Or are you certain that your friend and conspirator Lelouch li Britannia used his Geass on him."

            "I have no idea what you're talking about." Suzaku stated defensively. "Empress Nunnally would never betray the peace her brother gave his life to create and you know it!"

            "Then if you didn't order Schneizel to commit this act of aggression against the UFN, who did?"  Tohdoh activated the wall-screen at the far end of his office,  "This was the last transmission we received before our communications satellites went dead fourteen hours ago; a video started showing the last recording of the African Black Knight forces near Port Elizabeth being attacked by an army of Gloucester and Vincent-Ward KnightMare Frames. 

            "Cape Town was completely destroyed by a tidal wave ten minutes before Port Elizabeth was attacked," Kyoshiro told him.

            Zero stared at the images in total silence.

            "We think the tidal wave was caused by an underwater FLEIJA explosion," Tohdoh said calmly.  "We both know who the only person is that could develop a FLEIJA weapon of this type, don't we?"

            "Nina," Zero whispered.

            "Precisely," Kyoshiro said. "That is why I need your help."

            "My help?  What is it you wish me to do?" Suzaku was stunned by the information that Tohdoh had shown him.

            "You are the man the people trust...the Knight of Justice," Tohdoh gave him a narrow eyed look, "You must convince the people of Britannia, and the world, that we must go to war with Schneizel and Cornelia so that we can restore peace.  You must also convince them that this whole mess is due to the weakness and obfuscation of polices and ambitions of the UFN."

          "You're asking me to betray the UFN and Empress Nunnally," Zero said in disbelief at Tohdoh's words. "I cannot do that General and you know it."

            "Not even for Japan?" Kyoshiro asked. "Do you care so much for Britannia and the UFN that its 99th Emperor created that you would turn your back on us again?"

            Suzaku's rage got the better of him and the emotional wounds of six years ago reopened, "AGAIN! It wasn't me that betrayed Japan. I tried to save it!  I tried to stop the bloodshed, the death of innocent people. It was you and the fools in Kyoto House! If you hadn't continued the war with Britannia there would never have been a rebellion, never been an Order of the Black Knights, never been a UFN, Lelouch would never have gotten involved with you; and Euphie would still be...." He caught himself before he went too far, but it was too late.

            "Alive?" Tohdoh's expression was stone. "Don't you think it's time to put these demons to rest...Suzaku?"  Kyoshiro walked up to Zero and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You've done enough Kururugi; you needn't continue to pretend to be something you're not?  Lelouch was Zero, not you.  You are a soldier, a warrior, the way I trained you to be, not some dog of Britannia, the UFN, or the Black Knights.  You are Japanese and you are Samurai, the way I made you!"

            Tohdoh's words cut deep into Suzaku's psyche.  Images of he and Kyoshiro training together, Tohdoh instructing him, and his father and mother smiling at his progress under Kyoshiro's tutorship all flashed through his mind.  

            "I can't just turn my back on her Kyoshiro," Zero said.  "Empress Nunnally is all alone out there, and I swore an oath to protect her.  What good is the honor you speak of if I can't even keep the promise I made to do that?"

            Tohdoh frowned, "Are you ignoring what's going on here?"  Kyoshiro leaned in close to the mask, "We're talking about Britannia rebuilding itself!  You may have been able to keep the former lords from overthrowing you and your precious Nunnally before but not now Suzaku!  As soon as word leaks out that Schneizel and Cornelia have joined forces to unseat her and reform Imperial Britannia there is NOTHING you will be able to do to stop them; and then what will you do?  They have FLEIJA! We do not!  We have to act now while we still have the advantage."

            Suzaku knew that if Tohdoh was right, and Schneizel had somehow broken Lelouch's Geass command on him, then he had to act...and fast. "Very well," he said. "I will recommend we apprehend and bring Schneizel to justice, but I demand that Nunnally have a chance to speak to both Cornelia and Schneizel before I am willing to entertain a call to arms against them."

            Kyoshiro removed his hand from Zero's shoulder and walked back behind his desk.  He turned his back to Suzaku and looked out the large picture-window of his office to streets of the city below, "You may have your communiqué with Cornelia and Schneizel if we can arrange it.  However, if your precious Nunnally cannot convince them to lay down their arms and surrender, I will recommend a full scale invasion of South America."

            "I hope it doesn't come to that General," Zero said.

            "Are you really going to continue to deny who you are?" Tohdoh asked in a cool tone.

            "Suzaku Kururugi is dead," Zero told him harshly. "Only Zero remains."

            "I see," Kyoshiro said looking out the window.  "You may go now...Zero."

---

            "You see anything Tamaki?" Gino asked as they slunk around the side of a building under the cover of darkness of the cold AM hours of the South American night.

            Tamaki held a pair of micro-binoculars in front of him. "Yep," he replied as he watched the Azul Defense Force trucks unload all four of their KnightMare Frames into a large well-lit warehouse.  "Those are our Type-21s alright."

            "Great," Lt. Weinberg snarled. "Now what the hell are we gonna do?"

            "Get them back," Kallen said as she came up behind them. "Anya and I spent most of the day scouting out the perimeter of this place.  It doesn't look very heavily guarded and there's practically no video or audio surveillance equipment around here.  We should be able to get in and fly out without too much trouble."

            "There has been an increase in activity though," Anya added taking out her small PDA sized pocket-computer.  "According to the Principality's military communications network, there seems to be a general order for all of the provincial territories to go on high alert.  That doesn't sound like something you'd need to do for just the four of us."

            "So once we're actually in the air we'll be in for a fight the whole way out of Cornelia's territory." Gino frowned. "Not good Captain."

            "We don't have any choice," Kallen said in a serious tone. "If we stay here much longer someone is bound to find us.  We can't afford to get captured."

            "I hear that," Tamaki said. "I say we just storm in there right now and take our fighters back."

            "And die in the process," Anya rolled her eyes. "I think we should try and sneak in through the rear loading dock.  It looked like one of the rusted main doors back there is stuck partially open.  We should be able to slip underneath and into the building from there.  Chances are good that our KnightMares will be held towards the front of the warehouse and thus we should have a better chance at concealing ourselves until we get the opportunity to reclaim our machines."

            "Yeah whatever," Tamaki grumbled. "I prefer the direct approach, but if you ladies want to take the back-door in then I'm cool with that too."

            "Okay tough-guy," Kallen laughed. "I guess we'll let you go in first then."

            "We'd better get going," Gino told them as he looked up into the dim light of the early morning sky. "Those lights in the distance look like an airship.  I'll bet it's coming to take possession of our Type-21s."

            "They're not wasting any time are they?" Kallen sneered.

            "Neither should we," Anya said as she started around the corner of the backside of the building they crouched next too.

            "Wait up for us Anya," Gino told the girl as he and the others followed closely behind.

            Within a few minutes the group of Black Knights weaved their way along the backsides of the buildings which abutted the large warehouse.  They found their way to the loading dock area which was littered with broken concrete and scrubs of weeds pushing their way upward through the tarmac. 

            The four members of the Yamato no Orochi crept to the open loading door as silently as the terrain would allow.

            Using hand gestures, Kallen signaled Tamaki to go in first, followed by Gino, then Anya, then herself.

            "It's pretty dark in here," Tamaki whispered to Gino.

            "Quiet," Lt. Weinberg told him softly as they felt their way through the darkness of the loading dock in the back of the building.

            "I found a doorknob," Tamaki said as he stopped at the entrance. "Should I open it?" He asked holding onto it.

            "Might as well," Kallen whispered from her crouched position at the back of the line. "But do it slowly."

            Tamaki turned the door handle as cautiously as he could and eased the entrance open quietly.  The doorway led to a dimly lit corridor that ran the length of the rear of the warehouse; doors lined the opposite side of the door Tamaki held open as did two other corridors.

            Tamaki motioned the all clear signal with his hand and the others filed out into the hallway; single file with their pistols at the ready.

            "Which way?" Gino asked Kallen at the front of the line.

            She motioned for him to go down the first hall at their left.

            They rounded the corner and followed the dimly lit hall to another door at its far end.

            Tamaki (at the front of the line again) looked towards Kallen, who nodded in reply to his silent question.  He opened the door inwards to reveal an iron frame stairway leading upwards toward the catwalks above a large, brightly lit, central storage area.  In the center of this area were crews of military personnel working busily around the four Type-21 KnightMare Frames as they loaded them into service gantries.

            "We'd better move fast or else they'll have our KnightMares locked down." Gino told Kallen.

            Captain Kouzuki looked over the mass of technicians, engineers, and soldiers that surrounded the four KnightMares.  "This isn't going to be easy.  We'll have to move in two teams and take the guards down first.  There are six of them; two at the main doors, two on the scaffolding above us, and two at the back of the warehouse near the door to the control booth.  We need to take down the two on the scaffolding and the two at the control booth entrance.  Avoid the two at the entrance; even if they shoot at us they'll have to fire their guns on semiautomatic or else they might hit their own men."

            Kallen looked at Lt. Alstreim, "Anya, you and I will head for the energy filler trucks on the far wall of the warehouse. We'll have to move them quickly and replace our energy fillers."  She turned to Gino, "You and Tamaki will have to provide cover fire while Anya and I refill our KnightMare Frames."

            "This plan sounds pretty weak Kallen," Tamaki complained.

            "You got a better one?" Kallen asked him with a sarcastic grin.

            He shrugged his shoulders.

            Kallen chuckled, "Didn't think so."  She gave Gino a smile. "You ready to do this?"

            "As I'll ever be," He replied with a wink.

            "Let's go," Kallen said as she darted out of their concealed area near the door; firing on the two guards on the scaffolding above them as she ran out towards the KnightMare loading trucks with Anya right behind her. 

            Anya took both of the guards on the catwalk down with carefully placed shots to their legs; the two men writhed in pain holding their wounded legs on the metal floor of the walkway.

            Gino and Tamaki shot down the two guards at the entrance to the booth.  Gino hit one in the right shoulder and leg while Tamaki hit the left arm and thigh of the other.

            The two guards at the entrance to the warehouse fired on Gino and Tamaki causing them to take cover behind an upturned metal shop-bench whilst the technicians and engineers ran for cover to escape the crossfire of the gun-battle.

            "Hurry up Kallen!" Tamaki yelled over to her as he caught a glimpse of the people in the control booth frantically calling for help on their radio.

            Kallen and Anya split up from one another as each of them jumped into the open-cab of an energy-filler truck and started the low-riding machines.  The electric motors of the vehicles started up immediately and both women pulled them out towards the four KnightMare Frames that had been moved into positions just in front of the service gantries.

            The two women moved the trucks into position next to their Type-21s as bullets ricocheted off of the metal skin of the trucks. 

            Kallen started the metal arm of the energy filler truck up to the plug-in of her "Shogun" when the truck's arm exploded into a mass of twisted metal from a projective hitting it.

            Kouzuki shielded her face as small pieces of burning metal fell everywhere. "What the hell?" She yelled out.

            "Gloucesters!" Tamaki cried out.

            Six of the fifth generation KnightMare Frames rode into the warehouse and leveled their autocannons at the four Black Knights.  A blinding spotlight flooded the interior of the cargo bay as a mass of some twenty soldiers ran in and formed a line at the feet of the large metal warmachines.

            "All men prepare to fire!"  A female officer standing at the head of the troupe demanded. 

            The Azul Defense Force troopers raised their weapons at Kallen and her team while the KnightMares lowered their autocannons to the level required for personnel neutralization.

            "READY!" The female officer barked.

            "Gino, Anya, Tamaki, RUN!!" Kallen called out to them as she moved the truck around to ram it into the mass of soldiers.

            "TAKE AIM!" The Azul officer continued.

            "STOP!" A female voice commanded as she walked out of the blinding light towards the interior of the warehouse. Her glasses reflected the light from the headlights of the energy-filler truck that Kallen had managed to move around to face the Azul forces.

            The short woman's appearance became clear as she entered the building.  Her long green hair wrapped around the shoulders of her white lab coat that covered the pink-red skirt and blouse she wore underneath it.

            She adjusted her glasses before addressing the Yamato no Orochi. "It's been a long time Kallen." Nina snickered.

---

         End Part 1

[Kodai_Okuda]

 

CODE GEASS

DIRGE OF DAEDALUS

Turn Seven: Decisions (Part 2) 

---

    "I don't understand why I can't raise Schneizel on the communications system," Nunnally complained to Kaguya and Reika as they stood within an antechamber of the UFN council building.

            "I've heard that all international communications are out," Jiang told her as she poured them all some tea.

            "When do you think this darn meeting will start anyway?" Kaguya Sumeragi complained as she took one of the steaming cups the Tianzi handed her.

            "Now," Zhou said as she entered the antechamber to fetch the three women.

            Nunnally (on her cybernetic legs), Kaguya, and Reika walked slowly but gracefully to the main chambers of the UFN.  It was Kaguya's idea to move at a leisurely pace, not only for Empress Nunnally's sake, but for the effect of not being at the beck and call of the United Federation of Nation's council.

            The council chamber was a large bowl shaped room with a circular bottom surrounded by tiers of seats that ran up to a walkway at the back of the large meeting-hall.  The council was filled to capacity when the three women entered the chamber and took their pre-arranged seats at the head of the assembly.

            The emergency meeting of the UFN council had already begun.

            "This is intolerable!" A corpulent French representative of the EU shouted out to his fellow members. "The Sakuradite in Antarctica was to be for the whole world's use, not the petty ambitions of the former Britannian Monarchy."

             "We should have arrested all of them from the start," A black-woman of the African delegation bellowed from the top tier of the assembly.

            "Let's not forget that it was Britannia that developed the FLEIJA in the first place," A bearded elderly Italian representative declared with a raised fist.

            Zhou came to the head of the governing body and slammed the gavel down hard upon the podium; the reverberation of the microphone enhanced impact vibrated the bickering delegation into their seats.

            "ORDER!  This meeting is now in session!" Zhou yelled at them. "Empress Nunnally of Britannia, Empress Jiang Reika of the Chinese Federation, and Lady Kaguya Sumeragi of the United States of Japan are now present and presiding over this emergency meeting by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the UFN armed forces, General Kyoshiro Tohdoh."

            "What?" The Frenchman exclaimed. "Why would he put the Empress of Britannia at the head of this conclave when it is her brother and sister whom are responsible for this FLEIJA attack?"

             "FLEIJA attack?" Nunnally was shocked and angered by the accusation. "Cornelia would never use such a weapon!"

            "How dare you feign ignorance!" He shouted at her. "We know you've conspired with them against us.  You are a traitor!"

            Kaguya shot him a venomous glare, "Do you have actual evidence of this Monsieur Le Fiat or did you just scry that information out of the last doughnut you plopped in that fat orifice you call a mouth!"

            The man was mortified by Sumeragi's verbal assault, "It is no secret that you are a friend of Madame Nunnally, Lady Kaguya.  I've no doubt that Japan has a stake in acquiring a share of the Sakuradite that now rests in the hands of Chancellor Schneizel."  Le Fiat's beady little eyes moved over to the Tianzi. "And what of the Chinese Federation, are they apart of this as well?"

            Jiang Reika raised her chin towards him defiantly. "Are you insinuating that a conspiracy exists between us?"

            "Yes! Why wouldn't there be?" The Italian man joined in. "We know that the three of you were traveling here together from Britannia for the original UFN meeting.  Perhaps it was to iron out the details of whom shall get what share of the spoils of this scheme."

            "That is preposterous!" The Tianzi yelled at the man. "We were traveling together to..."

            "Discuss the situation with me in private!" Zero said as he walked down towards the center of the chamber.  Whispers amongst the representatives surrounded him and spread throughout the congress as he made his way to the bottom.

            "Is it really him?" Le Fiat inquired out loud to the assembly. "Is he really Zero?'

            Kaguya snickered, "Yah, he's a zero alright."

            Muffled laughter bounced around the room.

            "Kaguya!" Jiang Reika glared at her.  "They all can hear you with your microphone on."

             Sumeragi's face turned red, "woops" she said as she slumped down into her seat.

            Suzaku ignored his cousin's comment as he addressed the council, "General Tohdoh has briefed me on the situation and I recommend we contact both Cornelia Ceasaro and Chancellor Schneizel in order to get their side of this situation."

            "As if they would tell us the truth?" The African delegate yelled at him. "Are you aware of the attack on Port Elizabeth and the destruction of Cape Town?" 

            Gasps filled the room as the shock of the news filtered through the representatives.

            The ebony woman continued, "Not that we can ask them anyway as all of our satellite communications have gone completely dead, making intercontinental transmissions impossible."

            "Yes I am aware of the attacks and the communication problem that succeeded them," Zero told her. "But we still must pursue this in an orderly and diplomatic way so as not to precipitate an unnecessary conflict.  We have no solid proof that Cornelia and Schneizel are working together.  Cornelia may have no knowledge of any of this.  If we attack her without just cause we will only be giving Schneizel an ally should this be all part of some elaborate scheme of his."

            "Perhaps Zero is correct," The burly gentleman from the Russian delegation told his fellow congressmen. "Maybe we should have all the facts before we pass judgment on Cornelia and Schneizel."  The wizened old man smiled in Zero's direction.

            Suzaku nodded at him in thanks before turning towards Nunnally, "Empress Nunnally, in light of the situation surrounding our international communications grid being shut down I can only come to the conclusion that this problem is due to the advanced ECM suite of the Thor.  I have sought out the advice of someone familiar with this form of technology and asked her here to give her suggestions on how we might overcome this problem."  Zero outstretched his arm towards the blond haired Indian beauty at the top of the stair he had come down. "Gentlemen and Lady-congressmen, may I present to you Professor Rakshata Chawla."

            Rakshata gracefully waltzed down the staircase with her trusty long-pipe in hand and an entourage of technicians in tow who were carrying a holographic overhead projection device.

            Kaguya gave Rakshata a smile and a concealed wave of Hi with her left hand. Rakshata smiled back at her while she waited for the technicians to finish setting up the projection device; they were done in a few moments.

            Professor Chawla addressed the conclave, "Ladies and gentlemen of the UFN council, I believe I have come up with a plan to restore most of our communications array quickly."  The projector came to life and created a 3D holographic representation of the globe above Rakshata.

            "If we position transmission and receiver pods along these positions with high-altitude balloons and glide-device anchors," red dots appeared on the 3D globe above Rakshata, "we should be able to restore communications between the continents via short-wave radio.  After that we can use the ground based systems on land to relay information."

            "Balloons?" The woman from the African delegation asked with a skeptical eye at the digital model. "And how long will this take to implement?"

            "With our current fleet of airships and Type-21s," Professor Chawla smiled. "Eight hours, maximum."

            Zero looked over the assembly of delegates, "If we are too maintain peace and justice as an international body, then we must try to establish communications with the accused parties before we simply make an offensive move against them.  I ask you all to vote now and make a decision as to whether or not we should put Rakshata's plan into action at once."    

            The conclave of representatives muttered amongst themselves for fifteen minutes before Kaguya stood up and asked, "Shall we take a vote on whether or not to put this plan to work immediately?"  Sumeragi waited for a show of hands. 

            "Very well then, we shall vote on Rakshata's plan now.  Let those for the plan raise their hands," The bulk of the representatives raised their right arms. 

            "And those against?"

            A few arms went up.

            "That's that then," Kaguya smirked. "The Yeas have it!  We shall put Professor Chawla's plan to work immediately."

---

            "Papua New-Guinea is our best chance of making up some time," Chiba told the group that stood on the bridge of the Ikaruga as she took another sip of her morning coffee.  The mid-morning sun clashed with the digital map that showed northern Australia and the Papua New-Guinea islands. 

            Valletta swallowed a slug of orange juice from a carton she held then asked, "Isn't there a UFN airbase near the Owen Stanley Mountains just to the north of Port Moresby?"

            "Yes, it's a small base but it should have enough supplies and equipment to allow us to repair our damaged KnightMares and rearm our fleet.  I think the elite Black Knight Brilliant-Lance squadron is stationed there also, which means that base has at least twelve Type-21 Variable-KnightMare Frames." Chiba stated.

            "So we'll have adequate protection while we rearm and replenish our ship stores," Jeremiah said as he monitored the overhead viewscreen data that Nagisa had brought up on the viewer.  "Would it be possible to unload the civilians there?"  He continued.

            "Anxious to get off my ship so soon are you?" Chiba teased him.

            "No," He smirked. "I was just thinking that we should get those not experienced in combat to safety should we find ourselves in battle again."

            Chiba gave him a troubled look, "I don't think Papua New-Guinea would be the place to drop them off."

            "You think this new enemy will attack there soon don't you Nagisa?" Valletta inquired.

            "That would be the most logical course of action for them," C.C. crunched down a mouthful of shredded wheat cereal and milk from the Captain's mezzanine. "They have the military advantage, I can't see them stopping at Australia for longer then they need to secure their position."

            "Then we had better hurry and get there before they do," Jeremiah told his three compatriots. "Otherwise we'll have no chance of making it to Japan."

---

            "I don't like leaving Hephaestus alone in Tartarus my Prince," Sthenno said in a snarky tone from the Command chair she sat in on the bridge of the Thor.  The morning sunlight glinted off of her raven black hair giving it the sheen of finely polished black-opal which enhanced her already radiant beauty.

            "We shall only be gone for a day at most my Goddess," Schneizel told her with a warm smile. "Your warrior Jason has yet to achieve dominance over the Australian continent and we cannot afford to loose much more time.  Therefore I thought it best if I convince the people of Australia to ally with us. We're already behind schedule which could allow the UFN to gain some time and mount a counter offensive should your sisters fail..."

            "They will not!" She cut him short.  "The harpies and the Gorgon may not be fast enough to catch the renegade fleet of airships, were the enemy flotilla to continue to fly on to Japan, but since they've chosen to change their course and head for the islands above Australia it is wise to assume they will stop there to rejuvenate their ships and rearm."

            "I agree, that is a logical course of action for them to take," Schneizel gave her a worried look. "However, if that is the case then your sisters may be in danger."

            "Oh?" Sthenno asked with a raised brow. "And why is that my Prince."

            "I believe the base in Papua New-Guinea is equipped with Type-21O Outback KnightMare Frames.  Those KnightMares are heavily armed versions of the standard type of tenth generation variable KnightMare and since it seems that Jason's Automatos were evenly matched with the few seventh and eighth generation KnightMares they encountered in Australia I'd hate to think what could happen if they engaged tenth generation types."

            "And you thought to tell me this only now!" Sthenno snarled at him.

            "Please do not be angry my Goddess, I had no idea the fugitives would flee to Papua New-Guinea.  However..." Schneizel paused. "If you would permit me to convert what remains of the Australian defense forces to our cause then we could overwhelm the Black Knight force near the Owen Stanley Mountain range.  It will take at least twelve hours for the renegades to resupply their craft, we've plenty of time to reach Australia and deploy a force of converts to crush the Papua New-Guinea defenses and thus take the chain of Islands.  At the same time we can send Euryale and her force of Harpies to the Philippine Islands to ambush this fleet once it crosses over them."

            "What makes you think they'll fly to the Philippines?" Sthenno's expression softened as her curiosity got hold of her.

            "They could have bypassed Papua New Guinea and flew straight to Japan at low altitude much faster then they are traveling now."  Schneizel pressed a button on a nearby control console and brought up a map of the Philippine Sea area with six red dots representing the Black Knight fleet. "They're traveling at high altitude and moving towards large land masses. It doesn't make sense for them do this when they could've just jaunted across the open ocean much faster.  Unless of course they know of the fate of the armada Charybdis destroyed at Kerguelen Island, then it would make sense for them to take the course of action they're currently employing."  Schneizel gave Sthenno a grave look, "However, there is no way the Australian forces would have known the fate of the force we destroyed at Kerguelen due to the fact we created a world-wide communications blackout almost as soon as Tohdoh was informed of what happened to the combined African-Australian fleet.  The timing of the blackout was perfect."

            "Meaning?" Sthenno eyed him cautiously.

            He walked over to her and knelt down in front of her, "Meaning we have a traitor in our midst my Goddess; someone who told the Black Knight fleet of Charybdis and how to avoid it."

            Sthenno regarded him for several moments before she caressed his cheek gently, "You are correct my Prince and I've no doubt it is Jason and his Argonauts who've done this thing.  Vengeance and honor are one and the same to them.  He probably feels that I've betrayed him because we had him attack Australia during the Olympiad that you spoke of to me before I sent Jason there.  The men of my culture are fickle like that.  To them sport is akin to hero worship or obedience to one's deity.  To interrupt sport for the sake of conquest is viewed as an injustice by Jason and his men who are regrettably among the most honor-bound men of Tartarus.  Therefore to appease his honor he will seek vengeance upon us."

            "Honor is an annoyance at times," Schneizel smiled at her. "However, it can be put to good use provided Scylla has the same sense of honor."

            "Oh?" She tittered seductively, "What are you driving at Prince Schneizel?".

            He took her hand in his, "Jason and his men have deprived her of a chance at striking down this fleet of renegades by informing them of the power of her Charybdis.  That treasonous act of disgrace must be punished."

            Sthenno cackled wickedly, then bent down and kissed him on the lips, "You are a cunning one aren't you my Prince.  Indeed, I shall have Scylla shadow Jason and his Argonauts as they make their way towards Japan.  Once they have crushed the UFN in Kyoto I shall have her destroy him along with the whole miserable country."

            "Prince Schneizel," A female navigational officer interrupted.

            "What is it?" He asked as he stood up.

            "A supersonic-high-altitude-shuttle (SHAS) has just launched from the top KnightMare bay.

            "WHAT!" Sthenno barked as she looked around the bridge. "Where's Kannon?" She hissed.

---

            Kannon held onto the flight-stick of the SHAS for dear life.  Even in the special-supersonic flightsuit he wore he could feel his body being pushed down deep into the G-couch chair as the little triangular shaped ship flew at MACH 25 (19,000 mpg/30,400 kph).

            Palmer Island was a blur underneath him that was here and gone in a blinding flash as he zipped over the Antarctic coastline in seconds while his craft flew at low altitude supersonic speed. His cheeks threatened to push up into his eye sockets as the G's kicked in even more as his aircraft's flight computer adjusted for the curvature of the Earth.

            Kannon's little ship traveled 1580 miles in just five minutes.  The ocean below him looked like mirrored glass due to the visual effect caused by the speed of his ship and the glare of the sun.  Three minutes later he saw the South American land mass come up in front of his shuttle at lightening speed.  His craft blazed over Cape Horn so fast that he didn't even notice the anti-aircraft Hadron-cannon batteries that fired at him in vain nor the squadrons of Vincent-Ward, Gloucester, and Gareth KnightMare Frames as they made futile attempts to intercept and attack the SHAS as it screamed across the skies of South America towards the Rio Negro and over into the Sierra De La Ventanna.

            In just over ten minutes Kannon had traveled 3167 miles and was now nearly at his destination; Buenos Ares; when he felt the speed of his shuttle drop and the craft begin to slow down to a stop; the rhythmic hum of the engine cut off completely.

            "Damn! My energy filler is expended!" He shouted in a panic within his helmet as he struggled to guide the small delta-winged ship down towards the hogbacks below.  Kannon flipped on the switch of his radio.  "Mayday...Mayday!  This is Chancellor Schneizel's Yeoman, Kannon Maldini, I hereby request political asylum in the Principality of Brazil.  My ship is out of power and I am descending towards the foothills of the Sierra De La Ventanna.  Mayday...Mayday!"

            His SHAS dropped rapidly towards the rocky plain below him as he tried to keep its nose up and put the landing gear down.  The ground came up on him fast as he closed his eyes and prepared for the end.

            Suddenly his little ship stopped in mid-air.

            What the hell? Kannon thought to himself as he opened his eyes; to his amazement he saw a Pink Lancelot model KnightMare Frame holding his little craft.

            "You still alive in there?" A familiar woman's voice asked over the radio.

            "Mrs. Cecile Croomy, is that you?" He queried trying to keep the emotion in his voice down.

            "Yes Kannon," She laughed in relief knowing that he was okay as the shadow of the Avalon came into view above them.

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[Thank you all For Reading]