Turn 8 Teaser

To be honest I wanted to join the Japanese liberation front the second I heard about it. Not because they were the largest group of resistance fighters in area eleven, or the vast amount of resources they had at their disposal. Practically every member was a soldier of the, former, nations military. An entire army ready, trained, and equipped for any major offensive. Then came the hotel jacking, and the bubble burst.

Excerpt from the personal log of Noble six.

"So... "Noble Six said as he sat Lelouch down on a beat up and rusted folding chair, in front of a worn-out card table, of a rubble strewn room, in a dilapidated building deep in the Shinjuku ghetto. "I'm going to start asking you some questions, and please, don't lie to me." Six then picked up a 3 foot thick block of concrete and dropped it on the other side of the card table. "I have very little reason to be nice here." He said before sitting down.

Lelouch said nothing, he just stared at the Spartan. In order to get to Shinjuku from Saitama as fast as possible Noble Six had picked up both him and CC and carried them over his shoulders. Right now she was laying on a somewhat ratty futon behind him, still unconscious. But that wasn't important right now, because the trip had given him plenty of time to think on the way over. The things that this Spartan had said, what he seemed to know had thrown Lelouch for a loop, but he was not gonna let that happen a second time. "Alright where do you want me to start."

"Was it okay that I tagged along on this trip?" Suzaku asked, felling a little out of place. He had been quite resistant to the idea of going on this trip to the most expensive five-star hotel at Lake Kawaguchi. However once Lelouch asked, or more accurately told everyone the honorary Britannian would be joining them, he had reluctantly agreed. Also the fact that the vice president had already been roped into going along on this trip had been the real deciding factor.

Of course the only way Milly had been able to swing the deal that got all of them reservations in said hotel was to get the whole thing marked as a extended overnight field trip in the school budget. A field trip for the student council to personally observe the international meeting set up to discuss the distribution of sakuradite.

And while Suzaku was a little uncomfortable with being on this trip, Rivalz and Lelouch didn't want him anywhere else.

"Are you kidding? Your the main attraction."

"Rivalz is right. Everyone's using you as an excuse to have fun." Lelouch said as he himself was finally starting to relax.

"Thanks, but if the military needs me, I'll need to leave early."

'Return, so the military is what you consider home now?' That is what Lelouch wanted to ask, but the Spartan's voice suddenly buzzing in his ear kept him silent.

"1100 hours, have acquired vehicle and currently proceeding to the meeting area. How are things on the field trip?"

The small device in the VP's ear was a micro transmitter provided by Noble Six, courtesy of the UNSC's pet spy division, ONI.

Lelouch ignored the Spartan's report, the last part of it. Every time he called to report in Noble Six would end with that same dam question! What was this guy, his father? If he could reach it, Lelouch would have pulled the pin sized device from his ear and gone back to enjoying this time with his friends. but now he was reminded why he wished he had been else where when he first set foot on the train. He was supposed to be back in Tokyo, as Zero, introducing the Shinjuku street fighters to their new, mobile, hideout.

However Milly, in a rare case, had been able to trick him into going at the last minute. If only that brain could be harnessed, the possibilities were terrifying. Also, there had been a great deal of pushing from his new red metal shadow.

Not that this trip was all bad. What few realize when starting a double life is they start to lose connection with the world around them and the people in it. This trip was actually helping him to feel... normal. It was calming, even relaxing, soon before Lelouch even realized it, he'd fallen asleep.

Over in the girls section, the prez was siting back down after a quick trip to the power room. Things were starting to get a little dull for Milly. They'd polished off all the good snacks and the scenery out the window, while nice in its own right, hadn't really changed that much for the past hour. If there was one thing an Ashford couldn't stand, it was boredom. That meant it was time for Milly to break out here second favorite past time.

"Shirley. I just peeked into the guys' lounge and the seat next to Lelouch was open."

"Please stop that, president." Shirley knew Milly meant well but sometimes her teasing was too much.

"We'll call Suzaku and Rivalz over here. You want to be alone with him right?"

Nina stiffened at the thought of the council's newest member in such close proximity to herself. Milly placed a calming hand on her old friend's shoulder, the young genius was still adjusting to their newest member. This phobia of the eleven boy trailed back to an incident Nina had back in the ghettos of Shinjuku over a year ago, a trauma that might never fade away.

As for Shirley?

"Well I do but…" She was extremely unsure of herself as all the ways it could go bad raced through her mind. Until she though about Kallen, and that time she saw her with Lelouch from the window, and realized not doing something could be worse. "okay!" she said as she got up.

"Lulu can I join you?" Shirley said opening the door to the boys room then waited for the exaggerated 'no' she expected he might give, or the even more feared yes. Yet when there was no answer she finally opened her eyes to actually look at him. "he's sleeping!"

"He naps a lot lately." Rivalz Explained as Shirley took the empty seat. "Is he staying out late again?" she asked.

Rivalz just shrugged, "I'm not sure. He hasn't been asking me to drive him anywhere." Which was weird, his connection to the grapevine hadn't revealed any new players in the world of underground chess.

"This can't be right... can it?" Ohgi said as he and the other six members stood next to a giant purple and gold truck. Being there made them nervous because it wasn't an normal truck, it was a customized sixteen wheeler with a permanently connected trailer that had been remodeled into a living space. It was a transport used by high-society types when they wanted to rough it.

Of course it didn't help their nerves when a disembodied voice said. "Why, what were you expecting?"

"WHOAH!" Everyone jumped as the super soldier suddenly appeared right in their midst, like he had been there the whole time.

Kento Sugiyama's first response was to point his gun in Six's face.

"Put that toy away or I will take it from you."

The Spartan's size, presence, and overall killing intent were so overwhelming that Sugiyama almost pulled the trigger. Until Ohgi took the gun from his hands. "As I have already explained to everyone, don't shoot the very big, Very, dangerous super soldier. And you," he said turning to face the Spartan, "Don't Do That! And also, How Did You Do That?"

Noble Six held his hands up in defense with his best apologetic voice. "I'm sorry, I thought knowledge of my active camouflage had already been disclosed. As for how, I don't know. All they told me worth remembering was the time limit and that that there's a visible distortion when I move around."

The brief explanation of the active camo's flaws put the wannabe freedom fighter's minds at ease, while diverting away from the technology's origins.

"Anyway," Six said as he walked up to the truck's main door before opening it. "Feel free to explore."

Again, Kaname Ohgi was the first to step-up. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The door slid open, he took one look inside, and said two words "It's huge."

After that everyone, practically, rushed in. What they saw was the equivalent to a five star hotel room, Tamaki gave it the blunt, yet spot-on, definition of, "A mini mansion on wheels."

Yoshida went to look at the stares in the back of the trailer. "Get-out it's even got a second story."

"Three actually if you count the sky deck." Six Added.

"It's even got a TV." Minami started looking around the two couches. "Where's the remote?"

"Later," Ohgi was more interested in the fine print. "So where did this, car, come from?"

"Zero borrowed it from, and I quote, a rather libertine noblemen who... indulges, his requests."

"He asked for it! Just like that?"

"I was just as surprised when he handed me the keys. I'm willing to bet there's more to it than that, but sometimes the less people know, the better."

Even in his sleep the fallen prince's past haunted him.

Right now in his dream-scape it was eight years ago, he was walking through the doors and into the throne room. His father, the emperor, was sitting on his throne with that same stern face he seemed to have where ever he was.

Lelouch had made this appointment because it had become the only way he could talk to his father since Marian's death "Hail, Your Majesty. My mother, the Empress, is dead."

The emperor merely grumbled like he was watching a rerun. "Old news. What of it?"

"What of it?!" the young prince was shocked that his own father would treat this subject with such distance.

"You sought an audience with the Emperor of Britannia simply to inform me of that?" the emperor turned to his guard "Send the next one in, I've no time for these childish games."

Lelouch wasn't about to be turned away so easily as he ran up to his father until a pair of royal guards blocked his path. "Father! Why didn't you keep mother out of harm's way? You're the Emperor! The greatest man in this nation if not the world; you should've protected her and now you don't even visit Nunnally!"

The emperor, Charles Zi Britannia, the father of Lelouch and Nunnally, answered him with six words no one expected. "I've no use for that weakling."

Lelouch just stood in shock. "That weakling?" Why would his father say that?

"That is what it means to be royalty."

Finally Lelouch vi Britannia had enough, of his father, this treatment, the death race that the title of prince and princess had put him and Nunnally through. "Then I don't want to be your heir; I give up my claim to the throne!"

The crowd gasped, in the entire history of the empire no member of the royal family had ever done such a thing. Not over something like this. In fact most found it made the desire for the throne that much stronger.

But Lelouch vi Britannia was adamant about his decision. "I'm sick of the fighting and scheming over who will succeed you, father! I've had enough!"

Whatever the young prince expected his father to do or say never came. Instead his little temper tantrum earned him something far harsher. "You are dead. You've always been dead to me; dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you wear and comfortable home, the food you eat and your very life? All of those, I have given to you. In short, you are nothing to me because you have never existed! Yet you dare speak this foolishness to me?!"

He then got up from his throne and began walking towards the young boy. Until he towered over the child Lelouch.

As he approach Lelouch tried to back up and tripped on his cape, falling back.

the emperor, in the sternest tone, spoke. "Lelouch... You are dead, therefore you are not entitled to any rights. I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan. As prince and princess you will serve well as bargaining tools."

It was then everything faded to white.

"Lelouch!"

The young man's eyes snapped open as he regained consciousness. All his cabin mates were looking at him with concerned expressions. Suzaku, Rivalz, and-

Shirley? She must of come in while he was asleep.

"Are you okay? You were moaning." She asked.

"Yeah, it's nothing. I just had a bad dream." he said in an effort to calm his friends.

"Lelouch, you don't feel well? Do you feel like throwing up?"

"I'm okay, really." he said while putting on a brave face.

He was used to it, every time Lelouch would find a moment that could help him be at peace, the universe would find a new and creative way to remind him of that day. The day his old world came crashing down.

The rest of the trip was rather quiet, not that Shirley would complain. Just before Lelouch had woken up he had grabbed her hand. And he didn't let go until they pulled into the station.

The second Lelouch set foot into the hotel's lobby he wish the trip was already over. It wasn't because of the service they provided, which is tantamount to being waited on hand and foot. Nor was it the possibility of getting bored: there was a spa, in and outdoor pools, and a casino each one with their own designated floor. Plus with the hotel being out on the lake itself, it had its own dock where a small flotilla of yachts and other small watercraft were moored.

It was the very public spectacle that was taking place that set him on edge. Hundred of cameras all over the hotel watching and recording everything going on, there was no telling what footage would be tossed aside and forgotten or plastered on TV for millions to see all over the world. It would only take just one person to recognize him as the former Prince of Britannia and then it would be all over. To make matters worse, Nunnally, Alice, and Sayoko were due to arrive tomorrow morning.

The boy's mind was so consumed by these thoughts that he almost missed hearing his name being called out, again.

"Lelouch. Lelouch."

It was a familiar voice, calling him from some where…

There, behind one of the pillars lining the walls, he saw a girl wearing a white sun dress, yellow over shirt, and glasses. With long pink hair.

"Euphy!?"

The instant that Lelouch saw her she grabbed hold of his hand and dragged him into a different room. One he knew he shouldn't be in.

"The woman's bathroom! How embarrassing!" He said as he made sure there was no one else in there with him. This was the last place he wanted to be surprised right now. For all he knew Cornelia could be in here too.

"I'm sorry." Euphemia said apologizing for her sudden appearance, and corresponding actions. "I didn't want anyone listening to our conversation."

He probably already knew the answer but Lelouch asked anyway. "Why are you here?"

Euphemia had a long and colorful history of doing what she thought was the right thing, in most cases, at the wrong time. More than a few had landed herself and those involved in a large amount of trouble.

"Tomorrow is my inauguration." She said as the joy of seeing her brother again faded. "I was able to attend school even though it was for only three days, I even made a friend named Suzaku. Once my arrival is officially announced I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to see you again."

She just wanted to see the brother she believed lost for so many years before her status and his cover would separate them forever. Euphy was the most honest and kindhearted person Lelouch had ever known, save his little sister Nunnally, and considering the rest of his family that was saying a lot.

The, former, Prince took a deep breath gathering all the stress and troubles that had landed on his shoulders in the last 10 minutes.

"Did I cause you any trouble by coming?" She asked, as it looked like her brother's temper had reached a boiling point.

Lelouch dared to let a smile grace his face, an honest smile he rarely showed. "Sheesh, Euphy. You haven't changed." She'd already reached out to him, and a direct connection to the royal family could be useful later. "Since it's before your inauguration your name and face aren't known to the general yet public. Also, seeing as we haven't been disturbed by anyone since you pulled me in here, I can assume you've already given you're attendants the slip."

"Yes. They're up stairs guarding the suite."

This was a bold surprise for the former prince, if a noble felt the need to stray away from their guard, the smart ones, would at least make sure they were in ear shot at least. "Okay, that will more than likely last till mid-morning tomorrow-"

"Oh, I had my schedule set up for a late brunch."

"Then make that late morning to early afternoon. That will make Nunnally very happy."

Euphie's face lit up at the mention of the family's second long lost sibling. "Nunna is here too?!"

"Not yet, she will be here first thing tomorrow morning. She was disappointed when she discovered you had been at the school and didn't get to talk with you."

After everyone had familiarized themselves with the layout of their new transport Noble Six sat down on the only piece of furniture that could support the weight of his armor. A custom designed reclining chair, full leather exterior, arm rests with cup holders, and stuffed with enough padding that even the spartan felt like he was floating. It was a luxury that the super soldier was grateful for, and it annoyed the hell out of him.

'Just where the heck did he get this thing?' Six though just before he noticed everyone had gathered around him. Kallen and Ohgi at the front of the group.

"So, Britannian, you think joining up with us is a good idea?" Ohgi asked.

The Spartan let out an agitated sigh. "Its about time, I've been expecting one of you to ask a question like that some time ago."

"You want us to distrust you?"

"I want you to think, ask questions, be ready for anything. If you'd kept up this indifferent attitude towards my presence, I was planning to do something drastic and unpleasant. The less I say about it the better." The super soldier leaned forward, placing his elbows on the arm rests and the chin of his helmet on his knuckles. "I'm not in a situation where I have a lot of... options."

"Are we?" Kallen asked, "There are other groups out there that better organized, with funding, and other resources."

"I take it there is still something I have left to prove to you?" Six asked, taking time to look everyone in the eye and would see they were not going to back down.

"Yea, like where do you come from?" Tamaki said with his regular air of, unsupported, superiority.

Six turned to face the loud mouth. "I'm impressed. You actually thought of an intelligent question."

Tamaki felt pretty proud of that comment. "Yep."

Yet the Spartan couldn't help but burst that bubble. "It must have taken him all night to think of that one."

"Well actually... Hey!"

"Either way, I might as well explain my origin. So please, take a seat."

In an instant everyone had taken a seat on the two couches watching the Spartan with baited breath, waiting to hear what factory or dark ally this man machine had spawned from.

"At the age of four, I was taken in by a noblemen, along with several other children-"

Tamaki seemed to think this was a great time to speak his mind again. "Great, he's the adopted son some rich-"

"And experimented upon in order to create the ultimate weapon. Whenever We weren't in a class room having every form of combat, strategy, and tactic drilled into our heads or on a training field practicing every known fighting style until our bones would rattle and break. We were in a Laboratory being poked prodded, injected, and sliced open to find out how to make... Us... Better."

Six seemed to slow Down with these words, like the pain from the past was being felt by the present.

"I never found out who he was, what little I did hear about his allegiance has made me suspect he was a former supporter of the 97th emperor's regime. What, the nobleman that created us, wanted was to bring the destructive power of a knightmare frame to a infantry man's field." Six's tone began to grow deeper, darker. "Think of it, one soldier with the ability to take on an entire army and walk away without a scratch or breaking a sweat. Then picture ten of them, twenty, hundreds..."

Every one was silent as the horror of what an army of Spartans could do became clear in their minds. Tamaki was the only one to ask for more. "What happened to him?"

"The noble man? He was found out. He wanted power, so I was created to get it for him. Yet some how he was exposed before that, and dealt with by prince Clovis. The third prince must have seen potential in me or something, and to prove my loyalty... he had me kill anyone that knew of my existence."

"You said I when Clovis discovered you, but the story started with we. What happened to the others?"

The Spartan's voice grew solemn "Why do you think I'm called Noble Six? I was the only one in the program to make it far enough alive. The others are all dead, either from the experiments, or by me from the late viceroy's order, and now... I'm the last."

Everyone just stood there shocked. It was a known fact, those with power often wanted more. But the lengths this man had been put through, it was almost too much. Many soon turned to look away or try to think of some other topic to focus on. Noble Six secretly smiled under his helmet.

They bought his story.

Ohgi was the first to change the topic. "I wonder what's on the news?"

Noble Six handed him the TV remote, "Here, I figured it was best to let everyone get familiar with the layout of the new base before fooling around. Its got all one million channels."

"How are things looking at the scene."

Leaving the woman's lavatory was thankfully uneventful, and a quick explanation that she was a friend of Suzaku made Euphie's introduction to the student council all the more smother.

Once everyone had set their bags and personal items in their suites, it was time to draw straws to see who'd go shopping for snacks and meals. It was the hotel's only flaw, outside of room service, there was no food. With the school's funds for their trip only able to cover their rooms, this is where pooling their allowances would come in handy. By some random show of luck or fate, the two chosen for the expedition turned out to be Lelouch and Suzaku.

"Sheesh, Euphie is so spontaneous." Lelouch said as he struggled with his bag of groceries.

"I didn't know you were friends with her." It had come as quite a shock to Suzaku when he found out Euphie was actually the third princess, even bigger one came with. It was no surprise that just because the prince and princess's were all related, that few of them actually got along. Sure there were truces, fragile alliances, and under the table deals. But genuine friendships? Those were almost taboo.

"You either. When did you meet her?"

"I showed her around campus." Suzaku said, just as he noticed his friend giving him a leery expression. "I didn't know she was a princess at the time-" the look only intensified, "I didn't do anything!"

Despite giving his old friend the idea that he meant something inappropriate, Lelouch had been probing for something else. Not that he didn't want to know if there was something romantic going on between. Euphemia had been a very friendly girl since she was born, it had given more than a few boys the wrong idea. Which put them squarely in the elder sisters cross-hairs.

"Come on, let's hurry back. They're probably waiting!"

"Oh yeah."

However, once the two students reached the bridge they discovered a quickly growing crowd being held back by a military convoy blocking the path back to the hotel.

"Um, I'm a soldier. Did something happen?" Suzaku asked the first officer he could find.

"The Japan Liberation Front have taken all the guests hostage and shut themselves inside the hotel."

"Suzaku!" Lelouch said having heard everything.

"You evacuate! I'll go look for everyone!"

As Suzaku disappeared into the crowd of soldiers, Lelouch dropped the groceries and disappeared himself.

"What is this?" everyone turned their attention the the news broadcast Ohgi had turned on. HI-FI News channel's field reporter elaborated on the situation.

"I'm here in front of the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Center Hotel. The hotel-jackers have identified themselves as the Japan Liberation Front. Members of the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting, most notably, chairman James, were taken hostage as well as several tourists and hotel employees. This footage was taken by the perpetrators; in it, you can clearly see chairman James, including some students."

Kallen immediately recognized the students in the footage. "From the student counsel."

"The leader of the group claims to be Lieutenant-Colonel Kusakabe of the now defunct Japanese military. Sakuradite, an essential component in the manufacture of high-temperature super conductors, is a vital strategic resource that directly affects world security. Area 11 is the largest producer of this material, providing 70% of the world's total supply. Here at the yearly national meeting of Sakuradite producers, it will be determined how this resource will be distributed among the world's nations. It's no exaggeration to say that the outcome determines the balance of global power between Britannia and other countries. It is believed that the terrorists are using world interest in the annual gathering to their advantage by carrying out this violent hotel takeover."

Everyone was shocked int to silence by this sudden turn of events, which made the pin Noble Six was about to drop all the louder.

"Looks like Zero's mission has just gone FUBAR."

"Zero was attending the summit meeting?!"

"Why would he do that?"

"It was an attempt at making direct contact with the six houses of Kyoto, or at least one of the foreign power actively apposing Britannian." Once again all eyes were on Noble Six. "...International conferences and summit meetings attract spies for the same reason hotel bars attract hookers. You can do business and drink for free."

Tamaki tried not to laugh at the Spartan's analogy as he asked. "How is that supposed to help?"

"You'd be surprised the amount of leverage you could get from a spy on the job." Six said, speaking from some personal experience, on both sides of the situation. "They're playing a delicate game, like placing marbles on a Go board, and the last thing they want is someone coming in and smashing their delicate game with a brick. Only now it looks like the JLF went and upturned the whole table. Why do it now though, what's the point?"

"They're easily the biggest anti-Britannia force in Japan." Ohgi answered. "And their prides hurt."

"Because of us?"

"Maybe." Ohgi shrugged

"I don't know to feel happy or sad for them, because they're all gonna end up dead." Tamaki said, adding his own sting, before noticing a strange popping sound coming from the Spartan's hands.

The sound was a mix of metallic popping and stretching leather. it would be a long time before he would learn that it was the the sound of Noble Six's knuckles popping from squeezing his fists in anger.

And Six was very angry. In fact he was so angry that he was starting to see red in the corners of his eyes. There were so many things wrong with this situation he could keep it all strait. Wasted opportunities, lost resources, ruined plans, and for what? Hurt PRIDE?! This... This...

Failing to sense the palpable tension coming off the Spartan, Tamaki opened his big mouth once more. "Feeling sorry for your countrymen?"

Noble Six got up from his chair and walked over to Tamaki until he towered over him. Giving the man the feeling that if the Spartan took one more step forward he'd be crushed like a bug. "No, this is disappointment in yours." Six's hands were so tightly clenched that had he been holding a rock, he could've squeezed blood from it. But after a minute of staring down at this single, small, man the Spartan's grip eventually slacked. Noble Six had finally regain enough of his senses to realize that the one he wished to vent his frustrations on was not here.

Time to change that.

"Phillips, the convention center hotel on Lake Kawaguchi has been hijacked, why am I only hearing about this now? From the news." Six asked switching to internal communications. The response he got was a little unexpected.

"I'm on it! I'm on it." The AI replied back in a, slightly stressed tone. "I've got more on my plate than just you."

"That's not an excuse, but we don't have the time to debate what takes priority in your work. Just get me everything you can on the situation at the hotel. We're going in."

In all honesty Phillips was having a, really, off day. Since this morning, when all four of the stratellites reached their designated geosynchronous orbits over the three superpowers of the world, he'd been hit with a extended collection of raw data that had all but overwhelmed him.

In all honesty it was actually something he was neither programmed or prepared for. Jobs relating to urban infrastructure were normally handed by a superintendent, a variant classification of the dumb AI family. An at most each one was given one city to handle at a time.

Dumb AI are basically a genius ditz. Their skill sets run along the lines of a singular goal or task. Any information or objectives that do not align with that goal are ignored or forgotten because their programming lacks any ability to deal with it.

But it wasn't like Phillips was incapable of handling all this information, it was just gonna take him longer. To a digital entity like Phillips the rest of the world looks like its standing still. By the time Noble Six had contacted Phillips about the hijacking an hour later, he'd finished a crude organization of the ocean of information he'd jumped into. Allowing him to devote some of his attention to the situation at lake Kawaguchi. If he had a real head, Phillips would be banging it against a hard surface for letting that one slip past.

Thankfully this was all easily solved with a single element which was always found in both great quantities and never enough of, time. Practically every single artificial intelligence to date sees the world around them at a fraction of the pace of a regular human. Something that every smart AI seemed to take an, almost, perverse pleasure in.

In between the seconds on the clock he was able to collect all the information available to civilians, military, and criminal elements. All he needed to do now was organize it into a form that made sense to a casual observer. Like assembling a million piece puzzle, the situation began to take shape.

Accessing the hotel's security and financial records allowed Phillips to discover the JLF's point of access. Earlier the same morning several large catering trucks, bound for the hotel, were hijacked by the Japan liberation front. So instead of various ethnic and foreign cuisines the trucks ended up delivering five knightmare frames, 16 soldiers, and one very big machine of unknown design.

These weren't stolen or recovered Britannian mecha like the ones those smaller outfits like Noble Six's new friends in Shinjuku had. these were remodeled copies that had been revers engineered from the Glascos design of Britannia's original invasion of Japan, designated the Burai.

Sticking a pin in that, the smart AI Pulled back to get a better view, or more accurately end idea, of the terrain the Japan liberation front were using. The convention center hotel itself was a few structural modifications short of being a literal fortress. The building itself was over half a mile from the shoreline with only three bridges connecting it to the mainland, each one going in a separate cardinal direction from the hotel itself. The bridges themselves actually added to the building security by the fact that they were a series of drawbridges, at the moment the two longer ones were raised preventing any land-based vehicles from approaching, save the main bridge. While the military had provided an extensive blockade on the shoreline no attempts have been made to cross the bridge itself, the JLF had posted three of their knightmare frames to guard that entrance. One was equipped with a standard knightmare assault rifle, the other two were positioned halfway up the building with sniper-based artillery. Any attempts to storm that route would've been a slaughter. Which is where the attempts to enter through the water and air channels came in. However with the fourth knightmare frame acting as an anti-air battery and every aquatic entrance being guarded by two to three infantrymen, the building was sealed up tight.

Yet the Britannians remained undeterred, at the nearest military base there was still one heavy knightmare transport, loaded with four military Sutherlands and six police Glascos, fueled and waiting for orders to take off. So far it looked like the craft and its cargo were destined to meet the same fate as the previous failed attempts to enter, fly into the line of fire, be riddled with holes from heavy ordinance, then crash, burn, and drown in the enormous moat that surrounded thi impregnable fortress.

Except… there was one feature in the building's design that was left wide open. Being built over the lake the hotel's designer borrowed heavily from the blueprints of Venice by placing the structure on top of a series of pillars that were sunk into the lake bottom. However the main load-bearing column sunk down even farther where it connected with the city's utility tunnels, many of these tunnels varied in size according to their use however the one leading up to the hotel was wide enough for five lanes of traffic. And enough overhead clearance space to stack a pair of M312 heavy recovery vehicles, called elephants by marines, on top of each other. Plenty of room to roll a knightmare right on through, or five as Phillips picked out that same number of distinct Britannian IFF signals charging up the utility tunnel at top speed.

This was it, this is to be first step back for the triumphant return of Lord Jeremiah. All he had to do was travel down the utility tunnel to the hotel's main support column and destroy it. By destroying the pillar the supporting structure for the hotel's foundation would collapse and cause the lower half of the hotel's structure to sink into the lake. Allowing the main force to breach the hotel and rescue the hostages in the ensuing chaos.

Sure he wasn't the one put in charge of this mission, or leading the charge. But it was a desperately needed start. Certainly it was better than standing at the rear guard, he'd even been able to bring Villetta Nu in as his second. The former Margrave was not so cold as to hog all the glory to himself, with the inferior weapons of the JLF this crucial part of the mission would be a cakewalk.

"Contact ahead." The lead pilot said as the end of the service tunnel came into range.

Jeremiah had his machine raise its free hand, silently signaling for Villetta to slow down. Despite the overwhelming strategic and tactical advantages the knightmare gave them and the substandard equipment these terrorist factions were forced to utilize, it was not entirely uncommon for them to get a lucky hit on a charging Britannian. Plus if Jeremiah's recent losses in battle and status have taught him anything, it was not to underestimate his opponent.

The Japan liberation front had all the other entrances secured and guarded, the list of things that could be at the end of this tunnel waiting for them was short, but dangerous all the same. Better to let the raw recruits take the brunt of this obvious trap, while the two more seasoned veterans take to the more important task of destroying the main support column of the convention center hotel.

"The main utilities tunnel running directly beneath the convention center hotel. basically we'd go in through this rout, destroy the foundation block, and submerge the hotel. since the tunnel was also built to handle supply deliveries it should be able to accommodate Sutherland. even if the enemy has take precautions it should be no problem, they've been using substandard weaponry so we should have no problem evading them."

"Power surge, weapons launch detected!" The object was large and fast but the Britannian machines were easily able to identify and predict what was coming. A simple unguided missile, most likely equipped with a anti-armored vehicle payload. "One anti-knightmare missiles? Just like those monkeys to think that archaic weaponry will still work on us now. Spread out and evade."

Jeremiah was a little disappointed as the prospect of more glory to go around evaporated. Yet it was probably for the best, wishing that his teammates would die so he and Villetta could take all the credit was not a habit the former leader of the defunct pureblood faction wanted to encourage. Yet they had no sooner acknowledged the order, when the number of projectiles jumped from one, to over twenty-five.

"Missile number has suddenly increased!" Villetta shouted, but it was already too late. The three leading Sutherlands were instantly torn apart like tissue paper and a wood chipper, providing no real protection to Jeremiah and Villetta, just a few extra seconds.

"There's Too Many-"

Those three words were the last any of the command staff would hear from Jeremiah as his IFF signal dropped off the screen.

In his digital domain Phillips let out a light whistle, or the best equivalent a digital entity could make, as he began taking a better look at the weapon the JLF had stationed at the mouth of the utilities tunnel. At first glance it resembled a giant bug. In reality, someone had cannibalized a pair of Glasgow knightmare frames and molded them around a large prototype magnetic acceleration cannon to create a mobile artillery platform. It was an impressive design, if it wasn't for the fact that it still needed some work. Much of the internal systems that he could access had been jerryrigged, the cannon itself was a proof of concept prototype for a battleship that Britannia had scrapped the second they took over. The power necessary to run this machine was also too great for any standard Yggdrasil drive, in fact the entire machine was powered by a sakuradite generator a quarter of its size. In total, it was a haphazardly slapped together machine, but it got the job done.

The second this information reached the viceroy and her command staff, they almost couldn't believe it. There was very little that could take out a knightmare frame, other than another knightmare. "Wiped out! are you sure?" Darlton almost shouted. Five knightmare frames taken out in under a minute with one shot, surly that had to be a mistake.

"it looks like they've modified a Glasgow into a linear cannon."

That seemed to be the tipping point for everyone else in the room. The JLF's position had been confirmed secure, men whose constitutions were as solid as iron crumbled to dust as they began to consider the demands.

This sudden on set of cowardice made the Viceroy's stomach turn. "We can't show weakness to terrorist!" She shouted. There was no way she was going to yield to these cowards, even if she had to-

Then Guilford quietly reminded his princess why she was showing this restraint. "But princess Euphemia she's..."

"Yes I know." The second princess whispered back, this was a new situation for her. Until now Cornelia Li Britannia, the goddess of victory, never held back on any field of battle. This was the first time she had to show... restraint, to her enemies. She wasn't sure what to do, scream? cry? She was completely useless now, a failure as an older sister.

"Thus far none of them have discovered that fact. If they learn she is among the hostages they'll try to use her as a bargaining chip. She went there just to observe, so she's not registered with the other guests."

What little solace Cornelia took in the fact that this wasn't a direct attack on the royal family was fleeting. Because that news didn't help the lump that was growing in her gut from knowing that Euphy was well within the JLF's hands. But it galvanized her resolve, the JLF have the upper hand, for now.

From a small bank the ASEEC staff waited in standby, as usual. Their commander Lloyd Asplund had take a seat along the bank of the lake, his prized pilot Suzaku and the greatest assistant in the world Cecil Croomy stood behind him.

"Can't the special core offer any assistance with the rescue operation." Suzaku asked. He was desperate to help. This had all happened right in front of him and he had done nothing to prevent it.

"I've already asked them but we're a irregular unit and they don't acknowledge our chain of command." Lloyd said with his regular air of gloom that appears whenever he's denied the chance to show off his creations. "Besides..."

"It's too risky to entrust the operation to an eleven, is that right?" Suzaku said finishing Lloyd's sentence. The situation carried too high risk of classified military assets falling into enemy hands. A nice way of saying the eleven trash could turn on us.

"Yet I'm sure you're aware that princess Cornelia is very discriminating about Britannians and numbers."

Like a tick burrowing into his mind Suzaku remembered the Spartan's words. 'Tell me! how you're going to change a nation of cutthroat bigots and supremacists?' more and more his goal of change seemed to slip away. "So the Japanese still aren't being accepted enough into your structure."

"If that's true then what point would there be in even having a honorary Britannian system." Cecil said. It wasn't a question.

At the farthest edge of the crowed that had massed around the military's blockade of the hotel. Lelouch was trying to Make a call out, but this mass of people were taxing the cell towers with their own calls and Lelouch was starting to get frantic. Until the hand held device started vibrating on its own, only one number could do that and it belonged to the person who showed him the setting.

"So, how's the trip so far?" Six asked.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" he growled into the phone

"Answering a question like that won't help change the situation."

"You-" Lelouch was ready with an entire tirade about the Spartan withholding information, but the super soldier cut him off.

"Save your complaints, insults, and blame for when you can afford to get away with them. Now you know the situation, so what's the plan?"

"How soon can you and the others get to lake Kawaguchi? I need to get back in there."

"We're already half way there with-" Noble Six paused for a second as the last 7 word Lelouch said sunk in. "Wait, back in there? Where are you exactly?"

"First door at the top of the stairs has new boxes of supplies and equipment, I want everyone to be fully equipped and suited up before we arrive." Six said as he started typing information into his tacpad for Phillips to review. Ohgi, Minami, and Yoshida acknowledged his instructions with a nod before walking past, giving the spartan as wide a birth as possible in the vehicle's confined space.

The super soldier mentally kicked himself, whatever gaps he had bridged only moments ago were once again wide open. After nearly venting his frustration on Tamaki's head everyone was reminded that he was with them, but he wasn't one of them.

It didn't bother the super soldier too much. His focus was needed for the mission at hand, however doing so was putting a growing knot in his stomach. Deciding it was time to find something to occupy his idle hands, Six walked over to a pair of cabinets that were placed next to the big screen TV. Inside were a collection of items the Spartan had personally made sure were fully stocked and in working order. Opening up the safety glass of the display window, Six, reached in and pulled out a, Britannian, standard issue military pistol. Nothing got a Spartan's mind off their troubles like stripping down a firearm, cleaning it, then putting it back together.

Which also made this somewhat of a necessary learning experience, even though he had a generous supply of ammunition from the UNSC it was still a finite amount. At some point in the future he'd need to learn how to acquire, maintain, and use the various tools of war this world had to offer.

Taking his seat once more the Spartan unfolded a desktop that was built into the chair's arm which included a magnetic plate so that items wouldn't shift while the vehicle was in motion. Honestly Noble six didn't know whether to kill the kid or praise him for including such a useful, luxury, item.

In the blink of an eye Noble Six had the side-arm in pieces on the tray. The first time he had taken one apart six had almost mistaken it for a toy, after he had inadvertently crushed several of the more delicate internal components. That same outcome had been repeated three more times before the Spartan finally understood how the weapon's internal components needed to be handled. After he had inspected and roughly cataloged each individual part Noble Six had given his assessment of the weapon's design: primary observation, this weapon was a marvel of modern engineering. Not even DARPA had made a working model of a hand held rail gun, especially at this stage of human development. Secondly, it was a piece of junk. Sure this thing could kill, but the muzzle velocity was just barely able to clear the minimal range for lethal effectiveness.

"Spartan… Noble Six, what will happen to the hostages?" Kallen asked.

The gun barrel slipped from Six's fingers and rolled four feet across the floor to the girls feet. Kallen quickly picked up the metal tube and placed it in Six's out stretched hand. He slipped the previously misplaced part into place before reattaching the pistol's outer casing. "If the situation remains on it's current course..." the spartan turned the small weapon over in his hand for inspection before looking up at the news feed. Thinking about this had brought a phantom itch to Noble Six's back, from an injury he'd all but forgotten about. "At the very best more than half the hostages will get killed, at the very least-"

Kallen then looked back to the tv. On the screen a man with chocolate brown hair in his late forties was talking to a reporter, asking about his daughter, Shirley. He was the leading expert in cybernetic prosthesis, but she didn't see why that would suddenly silence him.

In truth Six had not been silent at all, he just switched over to internal communications. "Phillips, what is the current status of the Britannian forces posted outside the hotel?"

"About time you caught on," Phillips said with a little more sarcasm then he probably meant, "this does not fit in with the history of aggressive tactics she's employed in the past. You're not gonna believe why."

A picture of the hostages appeared on the spartan's hud, the smart AI then zoomed in on a girl with glasses and pink hair deep in the back of the crowd. "Now I know you've committed the current pictures of the royal family to memory, so you better know this."

"Princess Euphemia, is one of the hostages. Its the only reason Cornelia hasn't already leveled the entire convention center. Lelouch probably-"

Ohgi then reappeared carrying a box. "Hey Noble Six I found these. Should I hand them out to everyone? I mean as far as gear goes it's pretty hip but we're just a resistance group." the box was full of uniforms, the new look of this little outfit of misfits.

There was a sharp crunch as Noble Six's fingers suddenly tightened around the weapon. The spartan had almost laughed, almost. "A resistance group? Save Kallen here, You people were an annoyance at best."

Ohgi looked a little put down, a reminder of his failing as a leader. "But," Six continued, dropping the now useless weapon back on the tray. "there is... potential. I see it as does Zero, otherwise he wouldn't be here to help you. We, are to be... knights for justice." Ohgi and Kallen looked at the spartan like his head just fallen off. "Zero's words not mine." then their expressions changed to one of inspiration.

There was a subtle "I still think its rather corny too." Phillips whispered into Noble Six's ear.

Back in Kawaguchi the ASEECs team were going over the Lancelot's systems to make sure it was combat ready i,f and when, the viceroy would have need of them.

So far everything was running at optimal efficiency, but Ms. Croomy then noticed Suzaku had set one of the knightmare's main screen to the news broadcast while he worked.

She also noticed his interest in the footage of the hostages, and the image of the four teenage kids. "Those teenage hostages are your friends from school aren't they? Their still negotiating so don't give up hope."

"I have faith in the system. I prefer the logic of systems to individualist emotions." it was one of Suzaku's few coping mechanisms. However his calm mood abruptly changed as the Lancelot detected movement from the hotel. The targeting system quickly zero'd in on the source, providing a clear picture on the white knightmare's main screen. "Ms Ceciel look."

"That's..." Suzaku breathed, his face growing paler as he watched several JLF terrorists lead a bound hostage onto the roof of the tower. "Don't do it-!"

The man teetered on the ledge, then one nudge sent the doomed soul over the brink.

"NOOOoooo!" Suzaku cried as the man tumbled down to his doom.

Everyone in the G1 base were one step away from going nuts. The JLF had just upped their game by sacrificing a civilian life, with the intention of repeating it every hour their demands were not met. Princess Cornelia had enough of sitting on that useless throne every mobile base came equipped with and was making he way to the side hanger with Darlton amd Guilford, where her personal kightmare waited for her.

"This is their warning? Barbarians." they were all thinking it, Darlton just went ahead and said it.

"For now we could negotiate just getting the women and children out-"

"Forget it!" Cornelia shouted, silancing her knight. "If you give in to their conditions even once then your simply legitimizing terrorism." the viceroy refused to give these… she was so angry that she couldn't even come up with a properly demeaning title for them. They were way past the eleven reference, the common stinking monkey was a kindness by this point, and lowly cockroach wasn't the right fit either. She was so angry that this big of a mess could happen on her watch that she just wanted to get in her knightmare, storm the gates, and rip that - head off like a bottle cap with the glascow's hands.

"Then do we use force?" Guilford asked, giving a voice to the princess' thoughts. Before everyone was reminded of the obvious reason why they hadn't resorted to that plan already.

"We would pursue that course of action after we secure the safety of princess Euphemia."

An there was the heart of the viceroy's problem. The one person that would bring the goddess of victory to a halt, that she'd do anything to protect. And she was in the heart of the enemy camp.

Just then a soldier arrived with an urgent message. "Viceroy! it's Zero! We just received a message from Zero."

"WHAT!"

At the edge of lake Kawaguchi, Dietard was fishing to pass the time until the station's next broadcast. Until one of the support crew gave him a shock.

"What? What do you mean van three was stolen by Zero? What the hell was Gibson doing all the while?"

"He said once he realized what was happening it was too late."

"Then where's van three now?" Dietard ask. The answer almost made his jaw hit the floor.

"Driving strait towards the military."

Like an obsidian idol, Lelouch stood stock still as the stolen van rolled up to the hotel's front gate. Every weapon was trained on him, but no one had the guts to fire. That right was reserved for the viceroy, who conveniently enough was waiting for him in her personal Gloucester.

"Well well, we meet again Zero." Princess Cornelia shouted from the seat of her knightmare's open cockpit. "Are you a member of the Japan Liberation front? Or do you intend to help us? Regardless, our priorities take precedence over yours at the moment, and so for the death of my half brother Clovis I shall take my revenge right here.

"Cornelia, which would you chose? Clovis who is dead, or Euphemia who is alive."

The second princess paled at those words. How could he have known?

Lelouch couldn't help but mentally pat himself on the back. He had underestimated her abilities in the field their during last encounter but not maters of the heart. "it's within my power to save Euphemia for you."

Her response was strong, but unmistakably hollow. "What do you mean? I have no idea what your talking about."

"I said that I am able to rescue her." Zero repeated.

Cornelia resisted the urge to shoot him then and there, but he knew she was in there. Zero knew Euphemia was in the hotel with the JLF. If he knew that, then who else could?

"There is no way that should have worked." Six said to himself, even though Phillips found it rhetorical he jokingly commented anyway.

"Oh come on, have a little fa-"

"No really, I was fully prepared to enact Plan C right here and now." Six said as he clicked the safety back on his magnum before placing it back on his hip.

"Wait, What?"

"She's on the list."

"I know that but this… its not… crap, you're right. This would have been the perfect opportunity to capitalize on Plan C."

Outside the van, every soldier shared that same disbelief the Spartan had.

And sir Guilford was the first to express it. "Viceroy what are we doing?"

"I believe that by letting Zero go in we can buy some time before the next hostage is executed. So this is our chance. We can hit them both at the same time. Radio the transport, I want it in the air and at "

"Wonderful! I want to thank you for that lovely order." Lloyd all but screamed in joy. "They said you've got the green light Lancealot, you've got orders to charge right in to that linear cannon in the tunnel."

Cecil however was horrified. "Wait a minute, you mean they're using him as a decoy to make an opening for them?"

"Yup. Seems they'll use the confusion to send in the royal guard." Nothing would dampen Lloyd's spirits now that his prized creation would be allowed to shine as it should.

"Seems like!? But Loyd-"

"Ms Ceceil." Suzaku's interruption stopped her before she could say anything else "I'm ready, please allow me to do it. If Lancelot and I are needed and we're able to give the hostages an opportunity to be saved then I'll do it. Even if it means being a decoy."

She didn't like it. She was being ordered to make a boy charge headlong down a single shaft with no cover, no exits, and a giant anti knightmare cannon at the other end. And to make it worse, the boy being sent on this suicide mission was begging to go.

While clearly a distinct entity from its brain donor, a smart AI will often retain varying degrees of residual memories, thoughts or feelings from the seed brain. These may range from mannerisms, feelings, or even the AI avatar's likeness to the donor or associating certain sensations with those the brain donor may have experienced. This also gives each individual AI a very unique perspective of the digital world around them.

And right now Phillips felt like he'd been in a hour long staring contest with a search light. What would happen next was pretty strait forward: Noble Six, Zero, and the others would drive down the road leading to the hotel. Predicting what would happen next would be a waist of his considerable processing power. First, the Burai Knightmare guarding the entrance would let them pass, while Six would slip a very explosive surprise next to its fuel tank while being cloaked. Next, they would pass through the the main lobby of the hotel to the elevators, the only people still there were the dead security guards the JLF had taken out when they took over. Finally, while Zero goes up to talk with the lieutenant colonel, the spartan would escort Ohgi and Kallen to the hostages, and everyone else would be placing C7 charges around the hotels super structure.

Ping.

Phillips was almost done sifting through the ocean of raw information he had acquired from the EU and Chinese Federation, just a handful of people were left to be investigated.

"Okay Mr. CEO of the European union's biggest" Ping "multi-billion-dollar mega corp, let's shine a light into your" Ping "closet and see what sort of skeletons jump out."

It wasn't all that hard to do a background check on a person when the encryption on all their personal data was over 500 years out of date. "Wow, then again your company may not be so mega after" Ping "finish paying all the fines and bills you've racked up over the years. I mean that's a lot of " Ping " government personnel you got on your payroll. Lobbyists, inspectors, law enforcement, wow there's even" Ping "holy Toledo! I thought organizations like that were a myth! Forget skeletons I just found the whole damn grave–"

PING

"Okay who is doing that!? It is getting really annoying." No one responded to Phillips's question, because he was alone in the system.

When a smart AI comes into contact with various forms of digital stimuli is been known to cause interesting, and sometimes amusing, reactions. It's never really the same, but what happens is something like memories and physical experience can be triggered as a direct response. Like in Phillips case each one of these little attempts to access his system were pulling up the very unpleasant sting of a slush ball to the back of the head, followed by the icy trickle down the back of the neck and under the coat.

"Ryo listen, I know you don't understand most of what I'm doing, but this? It's unbelievable, this new network is acting like a digital siphon. It's sucking up huge amounts of data at a rate I never thought was possible until today!"

"Okay that I get, what does it mean?"

Ryo Sayama and Yukiya Naruse were two Japanese refuge kids living in Paris, or more accurately, its sewers and catacombs with a ragtag crew of twenty other kids. Ryo is the oldest and is groups leader, he really only had one true goal, find a home for his friends by any means necessary. Yukiya was the groups newest member, a computer hacking genius, and sounded like he'd hit the jackpot.

"It means, if I can access this damn thing, that everything would be at our fingertips. Real-estate, weapons distribution, financial transactions… Early access to movies that haven't been released in theaters yet."

"Really?" Ryo asked very interested in the direction this was going. "Well then,what do you need?"

"Really, just one more minute and..." Yukiya watched as the code filtered through the screen' growing more excited as the status bar reached 90, then 95, 98, then stopped as a red warning window popped into view.

"Whats happening?"

"No, no No NO! The security measures are resting themselves- DAM IT!" and the screen went dark. "I almost had administrative level access to the network."

"Yeah and look where that got you." Ryo and Yukiya took a confused look at each other before looking back at micro laptop's screen. The blank screen had been replaced by a pulsating light. "However some congratulations are in order, you are the first, and so far the only person to get this far. So here's a prize."

The screen shifted back to its original settings, and it only took the young hacker one look to realize that his systems had been severely compromised. "Crap!"

"You've got some skills kid, so lets see you use em. And hey, if you can pull off debugging this potential paper weight I might have a job for you. With some real tech to go with it." As the audio cut out Phillips left these last words unsaid, because I will be watching you.

Well, I seem to have made a new special friend. A 16-year-old Japanese refugee living in Europe. The little bugger is part of a underground gang of similar origins, and he actually tried to hack me, me can you believe it? In truth I found him completely by accident, trying to empty a bank account I had already cleared out myself. Compared to the level of programmers I'm used to, this kid isn't half bad, even got this little pink sprite as his personal avatar calling card. I think I'll be keeping an eye on him for a while, not that he will be doing much for the next couple of months anyway after the bug I put in his system. Speaking of keeping my eye on things better check back on the hotel situation before-

Oh crud.

"Six we have a problem."

"What is it Phillips." Noble Six said after he turned off his external speakers.

"After re-positioning our eye in the sky for a better vantage point of the structure, it would appear the JLF have... moved the hostages."

Six didn't like where this was going. "Where are they now?"

"Current footage from the thermal imaging system points to them being led to helipad four."

The Spartan sighed as the elevator reached it's destination, this mission was quickly setting itself up for a full on FUBAR. Six then held his arm out to bar the other occupants from leaving. " New orders from Zero. Kallen, Ohgi, you and the others will regroup with Tamaki's group and assist him with the demo charges. Once completed you will then move down to secure the escape route for the hostages."

The two former terrorists looked at each other briefly, unsure if they should follow these orders.

Before Six could pull out one of the collection of tricks Phillips had been putting together for just such a situation, Kallen let out a sigh. "Okay fine, we'll check up on him. And just for the record, Tamaki is not a... Total, idiot."

"I never said he was." Noble Six stepped off the elevator. "I'm just waiting for him to prove it." He said as the sliding door closed. Once the numbers above the elevator dropped to a sufficiently low level the spartan gave Zero the news. "There's been a change of plans. The LC has moved the hostages, I am currently in route to your position."

There was no point in waiting for a response, by now Zero was already face-to-face with Kusakabe. Their room was one floor down on the other side of the building, and while shooting a hole in the floor to make an express route seemed promising. But Noble Six decided this was a better time to conserve ammunition. The stairs were out of the question, which left the elevators. And there were only two that could handle his weight that let out on this floor. Since the one closest was being used, the spartan quickly walked to the spare elevator.

Euphemia was scared, confused, and none of it was for her own well-being. After the general had made his declaration and revealed his hostages to the news, the rest of the soldiers had gathered everyone up and began marching them to the helipad on the roof. Taking extra care to examine each civilian as they passed by. When one of the high school students, a timid girl with glasses and dark hair tied into pigtails, panicked as one of the JLF soldiers got to close, the princess couldn't stop herself from coming out into the open. Despite the nearly silent protests by the attendees her older sister had assigned to guard her, Euphie couldn't allow herself to watch as the soldier had grabbed hold of the young schoolgirl in order to drag her off to some unknown location.

Instead of the expected shock of a royal being discovered in a hostage situation. The soldiers of the Japanese liberation front immediately shuffled her off to a elevator to be taken down to the general with two other soldiers where as the rest of the hostages were cramped together in a separate lift, somehow the JLF already knew who she was. And that's where her concern started, if they knew who she was then what need would they have for civilian hostages? If she could just reach the general the young princess believed she could negotiate a settlement on behalf of her elder sister. Then the elevator stopped just above the generals floor, and all hopes of a peaceful settlement were dashed against the rocks of reality.

The Sliding doors opened to reveal a incredibly tall suit of black and red armor in a large trench-coat with his finger on the elevator call button. Both men of the Japanese liberation front immediately went to their weapons, but could only raise their rifles halfway before both men fell to the floor. Blood pooling around their shoulders. Looking back at the armored knight she saw a large curved blade in his hand.

When did he draw a knife?

"Your majesty." The armored giant said before stepping into the elevator, taking care not to step on the recently deceased men. "Forgive me if I do not bow to you, but I think the situation warrants more practical manners."

He then pressed the button for the doors to close, but nothing happened. He pressed it several more times with the same result, until he took another look at the two corpses on the floor and realized one of them had his head lying over the threshold. The princess could sense the agitation in his movements as she watched him pick up the fallen soldier with one hand then lay him across the floor outside the elevator. The next second he did the same for the second soldier, laying him next to his comrade. While stripping them of their guns ammunition and anything else of use could find on them, making sure to leave any personal items behind.

When the doors finally closed she took another look at her... possible, rescuer. He was well over six feet tall, probably seven. What armor she saw under the black trench coat was just as dark, with bits of dark red.

He would not look at her but Euphemia knew he was fully aware of her presence. The large knife in his hand twitched with indecision. "Are you deciding weather or not to kill me yourself?"

"There is a personal debate on that. Zero has ordered that no harm was to come to the princes once she is recovered, and that is what I intend to do." He answered despite the MJOLNIR VI/S helmet's perceived narrow vision, the scout helmet was designed to remove blind spots so Noble Six could easily look at the small princess without turning his head. "Do I frighten you?"

"No"

Now Noble Six turned his head to look at the princess directly. "Really?" Euphemia stared straight back at him, and like she said there was no fear in her eyes, at least, not of him. The elevator doors opened as they reached the desired floor. The third princess walked off first, leaving the spartan to continue to stare at her until she asked. "Does it bother you that much?"

"NO!" Six almost shouted stepping of the platform just before the doors started to close. "No, just surprised. Fear is a common reaction that I've come to expect from people when they see me fort the first time." Six crossed his arms before resting his chin on his knuckles, creating a contemplative pose. "Of course thinking back on that I may not have been trying hard enough to avoid creating such emotions in others."

"I can understand how useful fear can be. But its not something a person should rely on."

"Agreed," the super soldier held his arm out, causing the princess to stop. just a few feet ahead the hall broke into a four way intersection. "but sometimes, fear is the appropriate response." Six stared at the wall to his left. his motion tracker showed two people at the end of the other hall

"Members of the Japan Liberation Front, I am a member of Zero's organization. Lay down your weapons and surrender, you will not be harmed. You may be allowed to fire the contents of your first clip, but be warned, if hostilities continue beyond that, I will kill you."

Noble Six turned the corner and was met by a hail of bullets, but just like the Britannian weapons back in Shinjuku, the Japanese assault rifles barely had any affect on his shields. Half way down the hall the JLF ran out of bullets, Six stopped and waited. The looks on the JLF's faces were a mix of shock and confusion, and it stuck that way for a whole minute.

"Well?" The Spartan asked.

One soldier reached for a fresh clip, causing Noble Six to burst forward to strike. Maybe Six was a second too late or perhaps the former Japanese soldier had practiced reloading a hundred times, but even if it was both, the JLF soldier had slammed a fresh clip into his assault rifle and fired one shot, point blank, right into the super soldier's face. However instead of shrugging it off like a rain drop on a sponge, that one bullet had brought Noble Six to a dead stop, his helmet pointed toward the ceiling with a line of smoke trailing from his face.

Once more the soldier's face was a mix of shock but now there was excitement. He'd shot the-

"What... was... that?" The demon slowly asked.

The excitement was instantly squashed by the sudden absolute terror of knowing that he'd failed to kill a person who was most likely going to break every bone in his body, one at a time, if the rumors were to be believed.

"Seriously, what is in that gun?" Six asked again as he brought his head back down to look at the man who shot him. "Because I actually felt that."

The former soldier looked down at his weapon in confusion, first because he'd been able to actual hurt someone who rumors were starting to call indestructible, secondly his rifle had been snatched from his hands so quickly the man didn't realize it was gone. Noble six scanned the assault rifle, it was a standard issue Japanese assault rifle, its read out exactly like the Britannian's in all but the smallest details, except one.

Taking the weapon in both hands the spartan put his face to the barrel turned the armor's shields up to max and pulled the trigger. Granted it was the stupidest thing he'd ever done, but the effect was still the same. his head jerked back from the bullet's impact and caused a sudden familiar drop in his shields that he hadn't seen for several days. Placing a hand on both sides of the assault weapon Six brought the rifle down on his knee and snapped it in two, sending its small fragile parts sailing through the air. Until the one piece noble six was looking for landed in the palm of his hand. At first glance you'd think it was a case-less bullet, the same standard ammunition used by every other native to this planet.

"An armor piercing bullet... I'm unfamiliar with this design, how come they're not on any of Britannia's records."

"Its... its a new model made by our allies in India. These were the first test batch." The man smiled trying to sound friendly, and useful.

"Interesting, Teflon coating, shaped tungsten carbide core, all housed in a sabot shell, plus with the near universal standard of fire arms it will easily fit into almost any gun. I'd say five more shots with this and you could have actually killed me." Then Six hit him with a single swift uppercut, causing the man's head to snap back with a loud self explaining crack. Everyone froze as the young man stared up at the ceiling, his head at a unnatural angle, before falling to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

The other soldier pulled out his pistol, but instead of pointing it at Euphemia or the spartan, he put the muzzle to his own head. Before he could pull the trigger the small gun was pulled from his hands and pinned to the wall by the same knife Noble Six used to kill the two terrorists in the elevator.

"Don't be so quick to take the cowards way out." Six said as he retrieved the kukri knife.

The princess stared at the giant soldier with wide eyes "You let him live, Even stopped him from killing himself. After you slew his comrade right in front of him, why?"

"I gave my word. I want that to mean something." his words were echoed by the footsteps made by the man as he ran down the hall until he disappeared through a door marked stairs. "Something people should practice more often."

Euphemia was surprised, this man seemed to embody everything Britannia strives for: strength, power, glory. But in this monster of a man there was also integrity, mercy, and restraint. "Might I ask you to carry a message to Zero, and perhaps a small favor?"

"I... will listen." Six said as he started to examine the door.

"I know what, my brother, Zero wants of my sister."

Noble Six seemed to stiffen slightly before turning to face the young princess once again.

"I know my sister's entire schedule for the next several months and I can give you the perfect time and place for the two of them to meet. I only ask one thing, otherwise this agreement is off."

"And what's that?"

What the princess said next would go down in the super soldiers record as the most serous, stern, and threatening order he'd ever gotten from her. She did not raise her voice, make any threatening gestures, or any overly emotional out bursts. She just looked him squarely in the eye and said. "No harm is to come to my sister, under stood?" he would never admit it, but Noble Six had almost taken a step back right then and there, and the part that bugged him the most was he couldn't figure out why.

Despite the growing annoyance of the ever changing situation, Lelouch maintained the calm persona of Zero. "You have no intention of joining me?"

"Remove your mask and reveal your real face to us. It's disrespectful not to."

"I understand, but before I do I'd like to ask you something. What exactly do you hope to accomplish by this action?"

Kusakabe smiled like it was something to be proud of. "Gain attention. I want this country and the world to know the Japanese aren't dead yet."

Lelouch was less than impressed by the LC's answer. "How stale. You people are obsolete. There's no saving you."

"What! Why you arrogant-"

One of the general's subordinates didn't like Zero's reaction and was ready to show his anger. But Kusakabe wasn't arrogant enough to strike him down for it, because he could tell zero knew something he didn't."

"Explain what you mean by that Zero."

"In a moment, there is some one else who would like to speak with you about it."

"Who?"

Everyone almost jumped at the sound of two assault rifles suddenly firing outside the room. The short silence that followed was almost deafening. It was then pierced by a single rifle shot, shortly followed by another.

"That would be him now." Zero then noticed no one was moving. "Well go on, don't keep him waiting."

One of the JLF soldiers built up the nerve to open it. But before the man could take a step forward, the door its self was knocked right off its hinges by a front kick from the spartan. the door, a solid reinforced armored plate covered in a very expensive mahogany veneer, sailed across the room until it struck the far wall. Where it ricocheted off and back to its point of origin causing the two JLF guards to jump for their lives as the high speed object bounced off the floor between them. Noble Six then caught the quick moving piece of metal and wood.

"How'd you know that these VIP rooms are built like vaults and the weakest point is the door frame?" Phillips asked.

"I didn't, i just got tired of waiting for someone to open the stupid thing." Six said on his internal comm as he slammed the dented and warped, former, obstruction back into the now vacant door frame.

Lieutenant colonel Kusakabe's hand was gripping the hilt of his sword but he didn't draw it. Not because he'd be shot before he could pull it even halfway out.

There was something about the imposing figure in front of him that scared the general. By watching him, the Lieutenant colonel saw the control in every movement as it took it's place behind Zero, he could feel the weight of every footstep, smell the blood that had been spilled, even his mouth went dry as he watched this giant machine move behind Zero. But what scared the hardened soldier even more was the silence, was its source, this giant armored man had yet to make so much as a squeak after kicking down the door.

"So you're thee lieutenant colonel Josui Kusakabe. I'm whelmed..."

"Whelmed?" Kusakabe asked.

Noble Six fought back an eye roll at himself, using a twenty third century term 300 years before its time, stupid. "It means i respect your rank as a, former, soldier."Six used all the control he had to sound polite, but the venom still bled through. "However your recent career ending move makes me want to... break something."

The Lieutenant colonel's emotions flickered for a moment' anger and fear were there as expected but there was something else. Anticipation? "Perhaps you'd like me to explain my plan-"

"Zero's mask has a transceiver built into it, I already heard everything. What I want to know is, why did you lie to him?" this time Zero turned to look at the spartan in surprise.

"Lie? What-"

"Half truth then." Six said as he released a small square of paper from his hand that he'd discovered on one of JLF soldiers at the elevator. as the paper gently floated down to the coffee table between the Spartan and the Japanese Liberation Front XO everyone in the room got a clear look at its contents, a young beautiful girl with long pink hair and an innocent smile. "You came here for her, the number of ways you have ruined what should have been a simple covert abduction is insignificant compared to my next question. Who tipped you off?"

There it was again, the anticipation in the lieutenant colonel's eyes. He seemed to think he had an ace up his sleeve, what it was eluded Noble Six and it bothered him. Phillips was little to no help, And not for lack of trying, he'd torn through every network and database controlled by both the Japanese liberation front and Britannia's office of secret intelligence. "Useless, all of it!" Both sources had huge amounts of information, but from the AI's perspective it was like trying to read a musty old tome or watching TV through a shattered fun house mirror. The information OSI had was extensive and thorough, but dated as well, the most recent report they had on the JLF was over a month old and it said nothing about the organization's movements in this area. The JLF networks we're broken and scattered about, all the info was current but corrupted and loaded with conflicting data. Sorting through it all was quickly becoming a real pain. "Sorry Spartan, but I need more time."

"Never mind." Noble Six sighed, a clear sign that he needs to remember not to rely on artificial intelligence for everything. "At this juncture… it no longer matters."

"Does it?" Both six and Zero looked at Kusakabe as the lieutenant colonel's smile continued to grow wider. "Britannia has conquered over one third of the world and shows no signs of stopping. How do you fight that? By taking them head on, no, not unless you have a death wish. Or an even greater force, which I doubt you have."

"The point, if you please lieutenant. Our patience is already thin enough." Zero said.

"Britannia is winning the war to control the world, but in the shadows, another war is being waged to control Britannia. Tonight could be a deciding factor in that war."

This was not the information Six wanted, and it created more questions than he wanted to focus on at that moment, but at the same time everything else seems to click into place. "You came here to abduct Euphemia as a ploy to put her on the throne." Zero said with both both outrage and just a hint of disbelief.

"She does seem like the best candidate to be made into a puppet, I must admit I can see the appeal. But," the grin on Kusakabe's face started to slip. "You seem to be under the impression that our opposition of Britannia stems through our own self interests, that is an exaggeration at best." The smile finally left the lieutenant colonel's face, because now he had lost any chance of persuading the Spartan or Zero. "I have come to understand change of this nature, and scale, needs two things. Someone outside to demand it, and someone inside willing to make it."

"Do you think you can set foot into the realm of shadows and not be noticed by it's masters? They will not let this go unchallenged."

"If I must make my self clear. I will see the empire turned to a noble course on its own, or burned to the ground. I refuse to let a foreign threat subvert authority over the empire. If anyone wants to prove me wrong I will be in the center of Shinjuku, waiting."

That was the final straw, Lieutenant Colonel Josui Kusakabe lowered his head in faux solemn regret. "Well then, There's No Point In Talking Any More!" In one quick motion the rounded man drew his sword and jumped atop the coffee table that separated him from Zero and the spartan, ready to cut them down. To Lelouch the action had almost been too quick to catch, but Noble Six? something was clearly off.

In one quick motion Noble Six pulled out his combat knife and parried the first katana slash, the LC's stance was borderline amateurish. Six then parried his follow up attack, and must have misjudged the JLF commanders grip, as Six knocked the artisan blade from his hands. Two strikes, that couldn't be, Kusakabe was fully adept with that sword wasn't he? Yet all the mans skills seemed rustier then a iron salt bucket. The spartan pinned any questions as he pulled out the kukri knife and placing the portly mans neck in the crook of the blade.

"Lieutenant Colonel it is come to my attention that there is more to this situation than what you brought to light so far. Yet our current situation must take priority over your, pending, interrogation."

"Indeed." Zero said as he walked around the cybernetic super soldier. "You and your men will help us escort all the hostages down to the hotel's docs where they will all be safely evacuated from the premises. Afterward you will be accompanying the two of us to a more private location where you will help us explore every one of these little secrets of yours."

Despite Six's blade being deeply pressed against Kusakabe's neck, he showed no fear, in fact there was a deep rage.

"I will still die with them…" he said before sliding his neck along the knife. "Hail, Hydra."

To Noble Six the whole act had literally been in slow motion, but those last two words had made him pause just long enough for the lieutenant colonel's body to hit the floor. The shock quickly made way for the boiling rage that followed, because the situation had gone more then just sideways. it had gone up, down, and inside out! The lieutenant colonel had killed himself, and took any chance of resolving the situation without unnecessary bloodshed and secrets of a larger conspiracy with him. "Dammit… dammit Dammit DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!" the spartan brought his left armored boot down on the hand crafted coffee table that had stood between him and the lieutenant colonel. The two inch thick sheet of African black-wood withstood his strike, for all of two seconds, before snapping like cheap kindling. Six's other boot then kicked the couch next to Kusakabe, sending the sofa flying across the room, causing the two JLF men to once again hit the floor or risk getting crushed, again. Noble Six stared down at the cooling corps of the late Josui Kusakabe in silent fury, then in one deep breath released it all. The man was dead, no point in making an unnecessary mess with a temper tantrum. But that did not mean the Spartan was done with him. Silently inside his helmet he gave the command, "analyze." In seconds Noble Six's HUD was awash with information gathered by the sensors in his helmet. Once again Forge was able to organize and refine the raw data into a easily recognized format. Brushing past the Lieutenant Colonel's height, weight, cause of death, and other biological notations, Noble Six focused his interest on the artificial items on the dead man's person. Although there was one interesting note, despite the man's short and rotund appearance, it was all muscle.

No subcutaneous transmitters or other surgically implanted equipment detected. Lucky, no messy games of operation tonight. "Device located, accessing." forge said as it zeroed in on the only metallic object it could find. A small rectangular device made of metal and plastic in his front left pocket, cursory inspection after extracting it from its resting place revealed a cell phone. But it wasn't, through the diagrams and digital cross section the Spartan could see it was more. So much more. But that would have to wait for another time as Noble Six went back to the door after slipping the device into his own pocket and brought in the special guest.

"Daughter of emperor Charles Britannia, third princess. Euphemia Li Britannia to see commander Zero."

"Euphemia, you were willing to sacrifice yourself for the commoners." Zero said as he approached her. " You haven't changed." Lelouch was awash with emotion: relieved that his half sister was safe, angry that the JLF chose today to attack, sad that Nunnally would miss the chance to see her favorite big sister, and happy that she might still get to. "Noble Six, I wish to have a private word with the princess."

"By your leave, sir… just, well… I must insist that you restrain yourself in this situation."

Zero's response showed confusion then Six had expected. "Restrai- and what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"I only wish to avoid any mistakes that will be greatly regretted later."

Zero's voice dropped several degrees. "Would you care to clarify that?"

Six took a look at the princess, who was staring at the floor her face the same color as her hair, then at his commander the spartan then stood at ridged attention, realizing where his warning had gone wrong. "Sorry sir, I fully retract my previous statements and will depart immediately." the spartan turned to face the door, then pointed two fingers at the overturned couch. "Don't think I've forgotten about you two. Either you leave this suite through this door, or out that window. Your choice."

There was a short heavy silence before the two JLF men cautiously stood up. Then walked out, followed promptly by Noble Six himself, rifles ready and pointed at the Spartan's head.

"Please holster the sidearms, you're more likely to hurt yourselves with a ricochet at this range then kill me."

After a few seconds to think over the situation they lowered their weapons, one of them asking. "Are you going to kill us?"

"That will be entirely up to the two of you. Because I have questions that need answers, and to get the obvious one out of the way. With the lieutenant colonel dead, no one will be willing to stand down will they?"

Both men then stood at attention as the first one spoke. "Corporal Lee-"

WHAM!

Noble Six's arm moved so fast that the corporal just froze on the spot. A warm trickle down his cheek alerted him to a thin cut just under his eye line. Six then sighed, "A simple no, or at least a quick go to hell, would have sufficed. And while an appropriate response, there is no time to be dealing with name, rank, and serial number. So please answer my next question seriously, your own faction could be in serious trouble, and my next punch will be four inches closer to the target." both men shared a look between each other. "What do you know of this… hydra?"

Both men looked at each other with a shared look of confusion, and is he crazy, before one of them finally explained. "They're supposed to be ghost stories, modern day myths. But…"

"What?" Six asked.

"It all dates back to the EU civil war of 1937. Many of today's technological advancements were developed in quick succession. Behind these advancements were various government run programs. But not like the normal R&D, I mean super black, the kind of things that would make them kill you before they told you."

"Hydra is one of them." Six didn't need to see the two soldiers nodding in unison to know he was right. "Why are there no records of these organizations?"

"Well, there are plenty of conspiracy theorist nuts out with there own ideas. The most common rumor goes that all the intelligence organizations and other spy networks are divided into four main groups: there is the majority that don't believe in the devil, those paid off by the devil, the few that are the devil, and the rest that are killed after meeting the devil."

"Somehow I'm… not surprised in the slightest." "Do your comms still function?"

"Yes… why?"

"Spread the word to your comrades, if they willingly surrender to Zero's men they will be safely escorted back to the nearest JLF base."

ME boost, Now!" Suzaku said as the knightmare's acceleration jumped to full power.

"Lancelot now launching." like a tripped land mine, the white knightmare exploded from the prone runner's pose that the young pilot had adopted every time he sortied.

Down at the other end of the tunnel there was the smallest of flashes, Suzaku needed little reminder that that was his first warning an attack was incoming. But there was no way in hell that he was going to let the alarm from his knightmare's twin factspheres be his last. Not that it was too difficult to dodge the several dozen softball sized metal slugs, in fact it was almost a milk run compared to the chaos mine drills he'd run the day before yesterday.

Suzaku knew what he needed to do and nothing was going to-

Heat source detected.

"What?"

The white knightmare almost flipped over as the pilot brought it to the quickest stop it had ever done. Lloyd would later recount the four records that it broke doing so: the quickest time for stopping, shortest stopping distance, and much to the brilliant engineer's cringe the most cracks on an actuator joint without breaking, plus the deepest footprint made in solid concrete. Unaware of the possible damage his reckless stop may have caused, Suzaku immediately focused a factsphere at the new contact. There were two bodies, a man and a woman, from the lost knightmare team.

"Lancelot reporting, I'v-" Suzaku's breath hitched as the Lancelot's factspheres identified the two figures, and recognized who they were.

Despite being called the Holy Britannian Empire there were very few citizens who actually attended religious functions. Right now Villetta had decided that once she and Jeremiah were safe, she would seriously consider attending the next sermons. Not that it had been a total miracle that they had survived, the shell the weapon had fired did fragment before impact but the main destructive force had been focused on the tunnel's center. Of course their Sutherlands had taken several hits as well, but hugging the walls had allowed them the time needed to eject. One projectile had punched a hole clean through Jeremiah's cockpit, she had been horrified at the thought of what state the former margrave would be in. Surprisingly the worst he seemed to have suffered was a cut just under the hair line over his left eye.

After making sure they were both relatively unharmed Jeremiah had actually tried to resume his march on the enemy. Thankfully talking him out of it hadn't been too difficult for Villetta, but it bothered her that he kept looking back, ready to storm the gates of hell. Plus finding a way to escape the utility tunnels were proving to be just as dangerous. They had made it half way down the underground passage before they had ejected, and one of the first rules about ejecting from a knightmare is to have a minimum of 16 meters of clear overhead space. The tunnel's ceiling was less then ten. Neither of their cockpits had made it even a quarter of the way back before bouncing off the ceiling and crashing into the pavement. Eventually they were able to reach an emergency exit, but then fate had once again played its cruel hand. The JLF's weapon had been fired again, their first warning was a almost missed thump that quickly built into a thunderous roar. Both Villetta and Jeremiah tried to cover each other but neither of them realized that even a glancing blow from one of the secondary projectiles would pulverize them. Dozens of metal spheres, twice the size of a volleyball, ricocheted off the tunnels' surface. Warping steel, spraying the two pilots with chipped pavement, and created a gust of wind that threatened to blow them away like paper dolls. Once the maelstrom of death passed the looked back to the emergency exit, and felt the last flames of hope get snuffed out. The door's frame had been struck, warping the guide rails and effectively freezing the door in place. The two of them looked back down to the Britannian's side. Trying to steel themselves for the hell march to the next emergency hatch. Only to find the least expected, and most unwanted visage of the Z-01 Lancelot quickly approaching them.

"This is how it ends." Jeremiah said as he braced for the inevitable end. He knew the pilot of that machine, he'd arrested him, framed him for anothers murder in a bid for advancement, and watched it all go down in flames around him. There could be no mistake, the boy had come back to kill him. They watched the Lancelot raise its arm, angling the wrist mounted slash harken at them, then fired right into the emergency exit behind them, clearing the door way. Both Jeremiah and Villetta sat there dumb founded, the last person they expected to show them mercy, just saved them.

Suzaku allowed himself a small sigh of relief, there were survivors. Sure he recognized them, and there were a few sore feelings about being arrested on trumped up charges, but those thoughts and feelings were cast aside like dead leaves. Winning over the hearts and minds of the Britannian people would take time, this was as good a place to start-

There was another small flash from the end of the tunnel as the JLF's linear cannon fired again. Suzaku immediately maneuvered the knightmare between the britannians and the on coming storm of death, bringing the twin blaze luminous shields on both arms to maximum power. They could take the hit, the energy barrier was tested against multiple types of heavy weapon strikes, it could take the hit, it had to. The first fragment bounced off the blaze luminous with almost no noticeable affect, except that the power in the right arm was now down by over twenty percent. this discovery was overshadowed by the quick torrent of strikes that fallowed a second later, fist the left shield collapsed after four strikes. The right held on to the end at on percent before finally flaring out. When silence finally returned Lancelot's pilot turned to check on his charges, both were already gone. it didn't mater to him if they had left before during or after he shielded them from the attack, they were safe now. Suzaku's heart was quickly restarted by Ms. Croomy.

"Repeat again Z-01, what was your last transmission?"

"Intense enemy fire just slowed forward progress, no damage received but blaze luminous has been forced to cycle. Resuming charge on hotel's main support once full power is restored." Suzaku felt his stomach turn. Why did he lie? The man in the armor warned him, that mercy was weakness to Britannia. If he wanted to change things he needed to be subtle about it. Sure lying made him sick, but he wouldn't stop helping people.

It only took seconds for the blaze luminous to read full again before Suzaku punched the throttle.

Tamaki gingerly placed the alien explosive in the center of the hotel. 'careful, careful.' he thought as he gently placed the backpack on the floor. The idea was to cause the hotel to collapse, creating an opening for everyone to escape. while they did have enough standard explosives in reserve to level the hotel, Noble Six had offered to provided something from his own reserves. A 32 lb C-12 satchel charge.

Ever since the Spartan told him of the bombs yield he'd held it like it was a made of thin rice paper.

Shortly after entering the hotel:

"This thing has the destructive yield of quarter a ton of Trinitrotoluene. Minimum." Noble Six said as he handed him the satchel.

"Huh?" Tamaki said, the whole explanation went completely over his head.

"TNT. Which means that the mishandling of this bag and its contents could vaporize you and everything around you for over fifty meters."

"Oh." he said, looking at the satchel charge more cautiously. And Holding it a little farther away from himself as the spartan walked away.

"And Whatever You Do Don't Drop It!" Six shouted as he disappeared down the hall.

"Gah!" Tamaki's hands slipped as the Spartan's shouting caught him off guard. After fumbling with the pack for a few seconds he finally got it back under control.

once the explosive was placed Tamaki all but charged down the hall hoping to put as much distance between him self and that bomb. Not knowing that while Noble Six had been truthful about its destructive power and use of caution while handling the material, the spartan had omitted that, without the detonator, he'd need to hit it with a live grenade to have a chance of setting the C12 off.

"Okay, this situation can go wrong in more ways than I am willing to count and even more reasons that you're less than interested in hearing."

"I know I'm not properly equipped to go against heavy armored vehicles, but in order to get to the landing pad on the roof we have to go through them. And while the princess has strongly requested we show them leaniency, their last transmission ended with a clear, screw you, diplomacy is officially a dead horse now."

"Right fine, then lets just review the situation, shall we. Right now you're facing off against three piloted mechs all equipped with both short, mid, and long range weaponry. It was just two earlier, but when you, Zero, and the others crossed the draw-bridge it was pulled up, so the third knightmare moved up here to join up with them. The weapons and equipment you have on hand are as follows: one magnum, two SMGs, and four grenades. two fragment, one plasma, and a spiker. Your portable equipment consists of a regenerator, grav lift, and radar jammer. You've also got your armor lock, active camouflage, hologram, and jet-pack. The constant use of your active camouflage is a given thanks to that coat you're wearing, however that can only get you so far. Just because you've got all that gear on you doesn't mean you can use it all at once, so tell me what you're going to use and I'll see what kind of guidance I can give you from there. Oh and finally, I can have the wombat perform a single emergency air drop with any weapon in our reserves."

Well, I feel... ashamed, very ashamed at how long this took.

But I am still pluggin away at it, I said I will finish this thing. AND I BLOODY DAM WILL!

as for a reason for this delay, well some people wanted me to go off the rails and if the little surprise in this post doesn't clue you in, I'M ABOUT TO JUMP THE TRACK. Just try to figure out just how far. Stuff like that requires extensive alterations.

So please PLEASE, post reviews, comments, speculations, predictions on what you think might happen latter down the line. I really want to see them. And to prove how much I'm encouraging you, I've set the stage for a one on three battle between the spartan and three knightmares. You've seen their weapons, tech, and options. So tell me, how do you want Noble Six to win. I am including the weapon list for halo 6 in the options for the air drop, minus forerunner weapons... for now.