Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

<--->

Tensions have risen to a high Kallen had not seen since the war. Curiously, those at the helm on both sides have issued non-statements at most. The Japan Liberation Front decried what they called the barbaric and unprecedented attack on civillians in Akihabara, managing to blame both the Britannian military and the Saitama group equally for the atrocity. Despite that, what seemed like the next logical step of excommunicating the Black Queen never took place, muddying the waters. In the same vein, no official show of support or, indeed, any kind of communication indicating how the separate cells should treat Saitama had emerged.

On the Britannian side, the response was even meeker. Clovis has yet to do anything but issue inflammatory statements; it is being whispered through rumor, more and more insistently, that behind closed doors he is far more decisive, and that it translates to overruling his military advisors when they demand to take action against the terrorists.

That would need to be dealt with, and soon. But for now, Kallen prepares for her first ever board meeting with the men and women standing at the helm of the Stadtfeld Group.

Before knowing thy enemy, she reflects, you must first know thyself. Not for the first time, Kallen wonders if she's being hypocritical in her desire to milk her name for all it's worth- and like all the previous times, it doesn't take long for her to set it aside.

"Have the members of the board arrived, Hisui?" she queries, turning to the maid who, for all intents and purposes, is now her personal secretary.

Hisui is quiet and discreet, which suits Kallen's purposes just fine, and not actually all that business-inclined or particularly good with people, which doesn't. "They are waiting for you, Miss," the maid-turned-secretary responds with a bow.

That must mean that the board has assembled, and Kallen can stop wasting time hanging around her father's office to put pressure on them by her absense.

Kallen finally departs the office and enters the boardroom with brisk steps. The suit was especially tailored; most noblewomen favour dresses and whatever the fashion industry has produced this year, but Kallen is projecting efficiency, competence, and even impatience. The dark jacket and pants are unadorned with labels; it's rather gauche to display her crest when everyone present should know who she is. Confident that she manages to look older than she is, she glances around the room as she takes her place at the head of the table.

Kallen succeeds in her task. None of the five people waiting for her in the boardroom look amused to see her, or otherwise find her out of place. The only thing can't quite leave behind, it seems, is the air of a frail, somewhat pampered Britannian noble that she had spent so long to cultivate.

The five on the board of directors for the Stadtfeld Group are Britannian, as expected. One, Alicia Reynolds, is a woman, and like Kallen she eschewed a dress for a business suit for this meeting. The youngest of the five, she is in her early thirties. If she hadn't read her profile, Kallen might be tempted to consider that the beautiful blonde slept her way into her position, but her father would have never allowed their legal defense to rest in the hands of an incompetent.

Jared Hallstrom, head of acquisitions, is seated to Alicia's left. At forty, he is already balding, a fact that does nothing to his mundane features. His name is one she had been familiar with even before her recent interest in the family business; he had advised her father on the negotiations with the Holy Land Foundation, doing quite a bit of the prep work in that relationship. Jared looks uncomfortable at first glance, but Kallen establishes with a longer look that he is merely so tired, both physically and especially mentally, that it shows.

Next to him is Samuel West the Third. Kallen's files on him indicate that his family's fate had been tied with her own financially since before the time of the first Samuel West, dating almost to the point where the Stadtfeld fortunes soared. The records of those early days are hardly complete, regrettably. A rather tall, aristocratic-looking man in his late thirties, he is in charge of public relations and marketing.

Research and Development is headed by Doctor Harlan Granger. He holds a PhD in the fields of finance, mathematics and physics, and has been often been said to claim they are all interconnected. His involvement with the main group seems tenuous at first, but Kallen's own research into the board and the running of the Stadtfeld Group had shown that he is in charge of an umbrella of several technological endeavors the Stadtfeld Group has controlling shares in. His hair is already graying; he is the oldest, with an age somewhere in the sixties. He refuses to divulge the real number, apparently, even to his closest friends, and any records have been mysteriously wiped clean of the exact date.

Rounding out the board, and seated on Alicia's right, is Michael Boon. Officially, he is the head of production. Unofficially, a fact anyone here must be acutely aware of, he happens to deal with research of a different kind than Harlan. Calling it industrial espionage would be crude, but present an accurate portrayal of his field of expertise.

"Good morning to all," opens Kallen, taking her seat. "We will be here for some time, so please, get comfortable, because I need you to bring me up to speed. It is regrettable that the Baron remains incapcitated during this period- a critical time of great risk and great reward. The investments and deals we make at this juncture will, I believe, shape our future more directly than ever before in the history of Area 11." She pauses to clasp her hands on top of the table.

"Such is the nature of existing during a period that might as well be considered war, no matter what the pundits are saying. Mr. Hallstrom, I'd like you to begin with a summary of our current major holdings, including the Holy Grail Foundation, and what is being considered for investment in the future."

She turns her gaze to Hallstrom's eyes, attempting to poison him with enthusiasm. A board member who would rather be sleeping is not the kind she wants to deal with. One way or the other, some degree of excitement will be needed in this committee.

Kallen gets nods at her greeting from across the boardroom table, as well as focused attentiveness.

As she speaks to Jared, he startles, even as the other four board members give first him and then Kallen measuring looks. "Ah, I'm afraid you are mistaken, Miss Stadtfeld," he says. "The Stadtfeld Group does not possess any shares or the like in the Holy Grail Foundation. Should I proceed with the Group's major holdings, as requested?"

"Please."

The looks of interest persist, but no one speaks out of turn.

Jared clears his throat, picking up a tablet laid before him and tapping it a few times, making a scrolling motion in the end. "The Stadtfeld Group has controlling shares in several fields, as per our attempts to diversify our repertoir and increase our resiliency in case of a crisis with one of the areas we are investing in. Miwa Foods serves as a front for our agricultural pursuits; it has been determined that the Elevens would find the name more authentic and purchase our products, while it lacks any controversial content, and can be marketed to the Britannian markets as exotic. Indeed, abroad, the products are being distributed by Miwa Exotic Delicacies, a subsidiary of Miwa Foods. We own stock and have other ways of controlling several of the competing companies, and use this relationship to help coordinate pricing and maximize profits, while edging out the true competition."

He pauses. "Stadtfeld Aerodynamics and Stresseman Motors are the technological jewels in the Stadtfeld Group's crown. The former mainly performs research and largely stays out of the public's eye, while the latter is very popular in the African Areas. We are continuing our efforts of increasing our market share elsewhere, naturally. Another venture which has proved itself to be successful beyond any measure or expectation is the Shop-s-Mart chain, which we have sponsored and helped take off the ground. I believe you would be familiar with that one, Miss Stadtfeld?"

It's hard to escape a grimace at the thought. Everyone loves to hate the shopping complexes that seem to spring up everywhere, yet Kallen is certain that they would be the first place most people would go to if they needed any decently-priced daily life items.

"Yes, quite," replies Kallen, with a wry snort. "Has Stresseman Motors acquired a foothold here? If not, why not?"

Jared glances at Samuel, who takes it as his cue to speak. "The provisional governor's office has cited special security concerns as the reason for ensuring the monopoly granted Ford is maintained for the foreseeable future, Miss Stadtfeld."

"They don't have much of a ground to stand on," Alicia adds, "as far as the law is concerned. However, going against Governor Clovis publically in court and embarrassing him in this fashion is certain to backfire, and any immediate gains we make would be offset terribly in the mid-to-long range."

"Do these security concerns spread to other industries?" asks Kallen, addressing Alicia. "Or is this legislation exclusive to automobiles? For that matter- who else is in or wants to be in the car business?"

"The Chinese, despite the punishing tariffs," Alicia responds leisurely. "We do not believe them to be a serious concern, regardless of their enthusiasm. For all of it, the Chinese fail to account for the mindset of Britannian customers, and their brand would never truly take off here. From home, we also have to contend with General Motors, who have adopted the same approach as we did of 'wait and see'." She makes air quotes with her fingers. "Another avenue of concern is the Six, but we do not believe the chances of them receiving a permit to operate in this field are very likely."

"These so-called security concerns apply wherever the Governor decides they do, Miss Stadtfeld," Michael speaks up, addressing Kallen's first question. "At present, that includes the automobile industry, computer technology, sakuradite mining and refining and, lastly, any directly military technologies."

"Who or what are the Six? I assume we're not talking about the knight," asks Kallen, curiously.

Alicia's lips quirk into a smile. "No, not the Knight. It's common use... slang, I suppose. A term for the six wealthiest families native to this Area that decided to cooperate with Britannia. As a result, I believe they receive quite a few tax breaks, as well as the license to mine Sakuradite, among other things. Effectively, one might say the micro-management of Eleven-held industry goes through them, as they are its public face."

"Do they operate as a conglomerate, or as individuals? That is, do the actions one take reflect on all, as far as the press and the governor are concerned?"

"That would be a fair assessment," Samuel confirms.

Even as she asks the question, however, Kallen is finding she has to struggle not to let her disgust towards that group of traitors show.

"Alright. The other restricted material, computers and military R&D. Who holds monopolies on them?"

"The Crown is effectively handling the remainder of the Sakuradite mining and all of the refinery process," Michael informs Kallen. "The company names used for public consumption don't matter. Computer technology and combat frames alike are being handled by Dallas Labs Incorporated, which might well amount to the same thing."

The other board members shift uncomfortably at that.

Kallen leans back in her chair. It rocks, slightly, creaking and showing it's age. "If, hypothetically, one of the Six were to, in fact, take to court the restrictions on automotive production, what are the likely outcomes, with respect to both their and our fortunes?"

Michael, Samuel and Alicia exchange glances, before the latter is silently chosen to respond. "Eleven rights are a joke, even if they happen to be wealthy, Honorary Britannians or both. There will be fireworks, and anyone involved will get burned."

"I see. I view this particular case as a weapon," states Kallen, glancing across the board members. "

"One that is best handled by a party otherwise unassociated with us. You see, shortly before his unfortunate stroke, Stanley spoke to me of his plans for the future. It was his desire to bring the Stadtfeld's to the very top of the heirarchy here- that is, to the governor's office. It is an ambition that I share," states Kallen, bringing her gaze to each member of the board in turn, infecting them with conviction of the necessity of this course of action.

"A public feud between the crown and a major stakeholder in the Area is just the sort of conflict that would create countless openings for advancement- that is, to those who keep a safe distance from the conflagration. But not too far back, if they wish to pick up the pieces, whether those pieces be sakuradite, cars, or what have you."

Holding their gazes long enough to instill her feelings into the board members is no easy task, but Kallen's speech helps a lot towards that goal. Each straightens up perceptively after the fact.

"Entering into the Sakuradite scene would be difficult for us," Doctor Granger speaks for the first time that meeting. "It is, in many ways, restricted technology. Our rivals would be years ahead of us, and catching up quickly enough to make a difference would be a costly gambit."

"But one we could afford, perhaps," Jared suggests. "The rewards are more than worth it."

"It is impossible to predict how the entrenched players would react to the emergence of a new one cornering their previously-exclusive market," Michael notes, not presenting an opinion either way.

Alicia frowns, tapping her left hand against her lips in thought. "An ambitious drive, but not entirely without precedent," she comments, referring to the other part of Kallen's speech. "And how entirely like the Baron to aim for it."

"Dr. Granger, you raise an interesting point," notes Kallen. "Certainly it would be costly without the proper expertise. However, I happen to be good friends with one Milly Ashford, scion of a particular family that dwindled away those years ago. A family that still retains scientific contacts in fields dropped for almost a decade. I don't propose we play catch-up with the existing corporations, but move along entirely new routes.

"As for aiming for governor- there are two ways to be awarded the position. The first is to have it assigned to you, as is so common amongst the young princes and princesses, new to their power. The second is to already be in control, and have the title as a mere formality."

"Miss Stadtfeld," Michael asks, sounding rather direct, perhaps on the verge of bluntness, "do you know exactly what it is that you propose here?"

"I'm saying," replies Kallen, quite slowly- "That our goal is to corner this area, and we will be treading on some very regal toes along the way."

"Ah, yes," he continues delicately. "If the mess with the courts is, say, throwing a pie into Prince Clovis's face, then working together with the Ashfords in the open is akin to punching him in his royal eye. Their exile might not be official, but it might as well be."

"It's not necessarily holding open relations with the family I intend," replies Kallen, shaking her head, and gazing at Michael. "More the headhunting of key personel, to be ensconced within a laboratory, rarely to show their faces in public. There is also the possibility of offshore development, if a respectable distance must be kept."

Uneasy looks are once again exchanged between the board members. This time, it is Alicia who speaks. "Miss Stadtfeld, that last part sounds disturbingly like a suggestion to outsource restricted and military technology. Given the political makeup of the world and the nature of the Ashford isolation, that could only go to the Europeans or the Chinese. While either would be happy to cooperate, it is a move that would constitute high treason in any court, should it be detected. It would be ill-advisable to say things that would imply such outsuch of forums such as this one."

"Head-hunting might be a good idea," Harlan says next, steering conversation back on track. "In particular if we make everyone believe that it is genuine, while in reality, the Ashfords cooperate fully."

The other board members stir yet again, but the looks are contemplative, now.

"Well, I should thank you for steering me back to the straight and narrow," replies Kallen, not sounding terribly bashful. "I can guarantee the Ashford's cooperation in this regard. The key question, it seems to me, will be one of timing."

"How so?" Samuel inquires.

"When would the best time to have the case brought against Clovis? We will be working through a proxy and ourselves be relatively safe, but we would want to create a situation where we are poised to snap up whatever production rights we can. How can we stack the deck in our favour?"

"Legally?" Alicia asks, studying Kallen.

"Let me put it this way. If the good Baron would do it, I'm listening."

The only visible reaction is the climbing of Alicia's eyebrows. "Very well, Miss Stadtfeld," she responds. "We need to truly distance ourselves, and not just have an appearance of distance. Therefore, we couldn't interfere directly into the legal process. However, we could and should become involved in the court of public opinion. Through proxies, naturally, and anonymous dispatches through disposable agents who could, in turn, take a fall for the Group if they are tracked down. At the same time, relying on the principle of parallel evolution so prevailent in hard sciences, we will be working on just the right kind of technology the market would be opened to. Naturally, we would need to know about the technology in question to better tailor our own to fill in the void that will appear."

She very studiously does not look at Michael, though a couple others sneak a glance at that.

"The real question remaining, however, is how to cause those who sold their own country for profit to fall on their sword and give all that up," she concludes rather bluntly.

"They need a push," agrees Kallen, glancing around the board. "An incentive. And I believe I know of a sword that every eleven-turned-honorary feels is hanging over them. You see, the funny thing about anonymous pseudonyms- if nobody knows who you are, then it's impossible to verify whether a message is truly from the original. Or in this case, a threat."

Alicia indicates for Kallen to proceed, listening attentively. None of the others interject.

"This Black Queen calls mere honorary britannians- elevens who signed a form merely so they could earn a living- traitors. How much more ire would she have for those who intentionally sold out their country? If she threatened them, how high could she make them jump? Would they risk her wrath, or dare to oppose the crown? The right words, the right person, the right timing..." Kallen spreads her hands.

There is a strangled, hysterical burst of laughter. It comes from Jared, who quickly gets it under control. Rather than looking embarrassed, he seems mortified.

The other four are merely pale.

"If we are too convincing, Governor Clovis or the army may just use us as a scape goat," Michael notes calmly, though he looks slightly queasy. "They might not even bother with any legal process or other niceties. If we're not convincing enough and it traces back to us, the Six will sue. Between that and the public backlash...." He trails off.

"Finding the right sort of balance would be difficult," Samuel notes, his voice shaking.

"Fraud, identity theft, you name it," Alicia chimes in with. "There'd be plenty of legal options against every single one of us, and the Group as a whole, however the dice fall. It's a do or die proposition."

<--->

<--->

"Then what? It may be possible to convince them through normal means. But that leaves an obvious trail back to us. No, this is a period where audacity would be rewarded," insists Kallen. "All parties are confused at the current time. You speak of what would occur if we are caught- we won't be caught through the threat. It need not be elaborate, nothing a common man with the ability to send mail couldn't do. Simplicity itself."

"The elevens- the six- what have you- they wouldn't risk ignoring a threat. The crown wouldn't look harder for an excuse to do what it has always done. Our rivals our discredited, opportunities are open-" She starts ticking off points on her fingers. "And we would hardly be the only ones. The other groups and foundations would seek their piece of the pie as well. We'd simply be the best prepared. Which is what I rely on all of you for."

All the while, she communicates enthusiasm through her Geass, a desire to make this work. The chance is here to wrest economic might away from the fake Japanese to the fake Britannian, to her, where it could be put to real use

Kallen cannot make eye contact with Jared, who seems to be studying the data on his tablet as if his life depended on it.

Harlan looks away after the briefest of glances. "Are we the best prepared?" he asks her. "We can use this period, as you've said. Perhaps you're even right about the ease with which we'll get away with it; it's not my expertise. But we aren't ready. We could be, just as we've discussed, despite what other risks that might carry, but adjusting to brand new avenues like these, especially since we're talking cutting edge, restricted-use technology, is all but impossible in the near future. We will need weeks alone to properly integrate our new staff, study the data and prepare the facilities. I estimate that month of actual development will follow, and that is before we even enter the testing stage. To have anything market-ready in place, we would need time. Is this period of uncertainty and unrest here to stay with us through that time?"

The other three indeed seem enthusiastic, if still pale. They await Kallen's response, however, not pitching in just yet.

"True. Things could change. The nemeses of the day could be arrested, or killed, or simply vanish. Or who knows? Perhaps she could be more successful than any of us would like," notes Kallen, steepling her hands. "Area 11 is not the most stable of territories. Let's consider another view. The heart of any argument would be over that most common technology, the car. The Crown will probably give up that to save face, whatever happens to the elevens.

"The Sakuradite they hold would go into production limbo. Who would gain access to it? Would it happen immediately? What other group could be prepared to take charge immediately? We don't need to have everything in place at the earliest point, only before anyone else can get their things together."

"So what we are really talking about, here," Samuel says, licking his lips in anxiousness, "is that it is enough to deal a crippling blow to our would-be competitors, to sabotage their efforts. Even if we can't immediately utilize on their weakness, Sakuradite is a key export and the Crown would not see it kindly if its flow were to stop, particularly given that it is widely-accepted as the reason for the conquest of Area Eleven."

Michael nods. "And some of their best and brightest might read between the lines and jump ship, and in that aspect, at least, we truly would be best placed to take advantage of things."

"How soon can you identify our key competitors?"

"Two days should be sufficient to write an exhaustive report," Michael responds. "Are you interested in them across the board, Miss Stadtfeld, or in more specific areas?"

"Scandals, Mr. Boon. Who is sleeping with who? Who is selling drugs to schoolkids? Who is playing ball with the mafia? Who is mistreating their eleven workers? I want stuff that'll make the bleeding hearts run dry," replies Kallen. "Aside from that, use your discretion. We'll wait on taking action for just now."

"If all the leading players but us suddenly get attacked viciously in the court of public opinion," Alicia notes casually, though she's looking at Kallen intently as she speaks, "some of them might get a clue. Do we really want to open the door and invite retaliation, Miss Stadtfeld?"

Kallen gets the sense that this is somehow very important to the older woman.

"If all the leading players except us get attacked in any arena, it would invite reprisals," notes Kallen, glancing back at Alicia. "I understand your concern," she adds, turning back to Michael. "We don't need to go after everyone, only the people who could push in front of us. And I don't mind sharing a little, if it comes to that."

She taps the desk. "When is the international sakuradite conference?"

"That might be a good opportunity," Samuel picks up. "There are still two months until the big-name players gather in Dallas. Arranged just right, those who stand in our way in Area Eleven could suffer from unpresedented negative publicity due to the worldwide exposure the event provides."

"Very good. As I said, we won't arrange to deal with all of them before the date, if that's even within our means. We must put up a strong debate for the sake of integrity," notes Kallen. "Good. Harlan, I will put forward referrals from the Ashfords to you. Boon, West, your tasks are evident. Jared, are you listening?"

Michael and Samuel nod in acceptance of said tasks, while Harlan opts for a more respectful bow from his sitting position.

Jared startles, looking up as the tablet clatters to the desk. "Of course!" he exclaims. "What is it, Miss Stadtfeld?"

"This is ultimately about acquisitions, that is, your field," she notes, turning her gaze on the man and studying him intently. "This is the point where I ask if you have any concerns or questions, I think."

"None, Miss Stadtfeld," he says, keeping his voice so calm that if it weren't for his earlier outbursts Kallen might be tempted to believe it.

He is lying. There is something Jared worries about quite a great deal, enough for that to eclipse all other concerns.

"Hisui, please fetch Jared's tablet for me," she states, her voice flat.

Confusion seems to dominate the emotions of those present as Hisui wordlessly steps from her position several steps behind Kallen and to the side, and goes around the large oval desk to do so. Kallen's geass allows for more; dismay is hidden beneath the surface with Michael and Alicia.

"Excuse me?" Jared asks in confusion, even as he hands the device to Hisui.

"I'm sorry. I'm merely curious as to what absorbed your attention during our discussion," she notes, leaning back. "Does anyone have any other business for this meeting?"

"Not as such," Michael speaks. "However, I have a broader question. There has been a void ever since your father fell ill, Miss Stadtfeld. Does this mean you are prepared to step in to fill it, at least as far as these meetings are concerned? They were a usual, weekly fixture before."

"Is that so? I can't decide that right now, I'm afraid," replies Kallen, with a frown. "Let's meet again next week at the same time and decide then."

"Mondays would be better," Alicia notes. "The better to set the tone for the week. If you are worried over problems with the school, Miss Stadtfeld, I would be happy to assist in that avenue."

"Monday it is. I'll talk school over with you shortly, in fact." replies Kallen, with a brief glance at Hisui following.

Hisui presents the tablet to Kallen. It's open to a listing the Group's major holdings.

Kallen sets it down nearby. "If there's nothing else, then the meeting is adjourned," she says, standing up from her chair. "Don't hesitate to contact me should an unforseen obstacle or other issue arise. I assure you, we can take this Group to the very top, and when father recovers, he will find it in better shape than he left it."

As the others stand up to leave, she glances at Alicia. "Would you mind if I kept you a few minutes?" she asks, quietly.

A casual look over the board brings to light a curious situation; Alicia wishes to see her in a more private setting. That much is clear even without geass from the way she lingers on after being dismissed, or the nod she gives when Kallen asks her.

Surprisingly, so does Jared, although in his case the signs are nowhere nearly as clear.

Kallen's phone vibrates in her pocket, a certain sign of receiving mail.

"Excuse me a second," she says, pulling out her phone and checking the message.

Jared hesitates, and with a glance at Alicia who makes no move to leave just yet, departs.

Kallen's message is from a number she doesn't recognize offhand. It reads, "Couldn't get through on the other line. There's been some news. Call back." The message is signed with 'Inoue'.

"Jared. You forgot your tablet," notes Kallen, shoving the phone back in her pocket and picking up the tablet. "I need to talk some things over with you, but it'll have to wait for a later time," she adds, drawing closer to him. If he looks at her, she can at least put a little trust in him. Just like she did with Milly. Just to be sure.

For all the power that Geass grants her, she can't help but wonder if she's becoming more paranoid- no, she definately is.

Kallen catches up to Jared just outside the boardroom. He accepts the proffered portable computer, looking down at it quizzically, before raising his eyes to Kallen's face as she mentions needing to talk to him. Something within him changes, shifting gear, Kallen can instantly tell.

"Very well, Miss Stadtfeld," he says, inclining his head respectfully. "Have a good day."

"You as well," she replies, before turning back to Alicia. "Let's use the study," she offers. "Hisui, can you bring us some tea?"

Hisui bows deeply, and informs Kallen in a quiet voice, "Of course, Miss."

Alicia does not need a guide to Stanley Stadtfeld's office, in fact leading the way. She holds the door open for Kallen, waiting for the redhead to step in first.

Kallen drops her corporate manner shortly after everyone else has left, taking a seat behind the recently-cleared desk- all the files have been put away earlier, leaving it empty except for a computer and some trays.

"Who knows?" she asks, folding her arms. "And who cares?"

"I presume you are referring to that bit of information that may well sink us with you at the helm?" Alicia asks, taking a seat opposite Kallen. "No one should, although there were limits on what my team could accomplish. Sometimes, arranging for a deeper cover-up only singles it out for those who seek out the secrets. We didn't want to appear on anyone's radar in that fashion."

"What do you suppose would happen if my ancestry became public, exactly?" asks Kallen. "Short of a royal decree, I suppose there is no legal way around it."

"Royals break the rules," Alicia agrees with a curt nod. "On its face, there are no real obstacles to what you are doing. This had been the norm for Britannia longer than either of us have been alive. In fact, it might not even be the most successful case of... elevation, shall we say, through the castes? But it gives everyone an opening. The papers would smell a story and not let up, and not just the tabloids, who love a good scandal. Our stock would take a hit, we might lose the trust of some of our consumer base. However, the real issue comes from competition and government alike tying us up with legislation. At worst, we'll end up paying fines, and that alone would be easy to handle. Bribes are how we got into this situation in the first place, after all. But our hands would effectively be tied until this were resolved, for months if not longer, and in that time we could get cornered out of our markets."

"That doesn't sound as bad as I imagined. You could even turn it around," notes Kallen. "If it's played right, the papers will have far more interesting things to talk about than me. And for what it's worth, we'd gain consumers amongst the elevens..." She snorts. "And if it's played wrong, I'm in jail, you're all fired, and our assets rot in a vault somewhere."

Alicia frowns. "Your records are falsified, and that is a crime. You are named as your father's heir, and that is also illegal. We, the Stadtfeld Group, have facilitated these crimes, and are thus involved as well. Don't take our legal liability too lightly, Miss Stadtfeld. You may not be the only one penniless and in jail if things fall apart. I also find your opinion of eleven consumers to be in question. It is far more likely you would be seen as a Seventh."

"But there would be a key difference between me and the Six, if that were to occur," chides Kallen, leaning across the table and staring at Alicia. More brightly than before, the sigil flares in her eye again. "I'm not like those traitors," she hisses, feelings of anger and betrayal spilling forth. "They're scum who sold out their nation. I'm different! I was forced into it! It's only now that I can finally start taking back Japan, for the Japanese! I want to use my true name, Alicia, and I want to be proud of it! And I can make that happen, even if I have to wring this group to do it!"

She leans across the table, bringing her face ever-closer to the older woman's, anger and resentment slowing forming into conviction. "With the power of this group, I can fund a revolution and climb the tower at the same time. I can make the Japanese too strong to be ignored, and then be the voice speaking for them in the highest echelons. If the army turns against us, everything I have will be thrown against them. And if they don't, they have no choice but to leave me at the top. Either way-

"-I'll take back our names!"

Alicia's eyes widen, first in initial surprise and then in outright shock, even as the irises are framed with red as Kallen's power surfaces fully! She sits there, stock-still, even as Kallen leans forward, bringing her face close enough for their noses to nearly touch.

The door opens.

"Your tea, Miss," Hisui says in her ever-quiet voice.

Kallen leans back, twisting her head towards Hisui. "Just leave it on the table," she instructs, with quick breathing and something of a red face.

Hisui, it comes as a mild shock to Kallen, also seems to be blushing lightly. She moves quicker than usually, depositing the tray on the table to Alicia's left, and swiftly makes an exit, refusing to meet eyes with Kallen the entire time.

Kallen tilts her head in confusion for a moment, before reaching for the tea and taking a sip, leaving Alicia frozen in place.

Alicia's mouth moves. The lower lip twitches, her face getting animated slowly. It twists into a scowl.

She drops back into the chair, holding the cup aloft. "I'm the only one who can really change things," she murmurs. "The only bridge, the one who can work from all sides. Help me," she insists.

<--->

<--->

"Help you?" Alicia asks, her voice shaking. "Help you?! Do what, ruin all that we've worked so hard to build all these years? Destroy what your father labored for, so much that he drove himself into an early grave? All so that he could pass it on to you?"

She stands up, slamming her hands against the desk. "This is how you repay him?! All for a name you yourself left behind when it was convenient?!"

Her chair drops on the floor behind her, forgotten.

"It's more than just a name! It's my whole life!" insists Kallen, dropping the teacup and glowering back at Alicia. "I never had a choice, and my father never did it for me- only.. only for his damned pride!" She starts to shake, one of her own fists clenched. Contact is reasserted in an instant, as she can't afford to let this get out of hand.

"He would've done me in if I hadn't toed his line- that's what invasion is all about, isn't it? Can you imagine what that's like? If you just need to drop your life and live some path someone else decides for you? If everyone you knew got thrown in the garbage heap and you can't do anything to help them, where others can just *step* on them, and if you try and help directly, you'll just get stepped on too? It doesn't matter how gilded a cage is if it's still a cage!"

"Stanley wouldn't do that," Alicia says, looking away as her anger evaporates instantly. "He loved you, Kallen. He worked hard to see the moment you'll get all of this." She sweeps her arm in an errant arc through the office. "I still can't believe he's in... in a coma...."

Alicia's speech becomes stilted, and she presses a hand to her forehead. The other one remains on the desk, but this time, it's easy to see that the blonde is using it to keep herself upright.

Kallen flops back down in the chair. "I never knew him, and he never tried. It was all by... protocol," she insists. "And this isn't about just me. There's layer upon layer of glass ceilings out there. It isn't fair for just me to be lucky. Maybe they can only get broken from the top, I don't know. You tell me what I should do!"

Alicia stills, but that only last an instant. She looks back towards Kallen, and smiles. It is not a particularly nice smile. "You should take what's yours back, of course. By any means necessary."

Her eyes are rimmed with red.

Kallen drops the contact, noting a clear difference between Alicia and Milly. The results of continuous use, she thinks to herself, pressing her own hand against her head. "That's right. Then the so-called truths of the Britannian Empire can be shown for the lies they are," she insists, before straightening up.

"As far as my name goes, it's true that if it's revealed prematurely, it'll go badly," she notes. "But it's key that if and when it happens, the court of public opinion should see it favorably, no matter how the actual litigation goes."

"It's not my field of expertise," Alicia admits, moving off towards a bookcase to her right. She studies it, running her hand idly over the covers. "I could, however, prepare for the legal aspects."

"That's what I ask. I'll have West work on the public sphere and leave the courts to you," she notes, glancing at the study's various furnishings. "As for school, it's not really anything major, and the Ashfords tend to be very understanding. I'd rather you concentrate on that and forecasting of how the Six's case would likely proceed."

Alicia nods. "I'll keep you posted," she agrees, finally withdrawing a book. She studies the cover for a moment, snorting, before turning back to face Kallen, holding the book. "Would it be alright if I borrowed this? For sentimental value, say."

The book is A Little Princess, judging by what's visible of the title, though Kallen can't tell which edition it would be. A strange place for such a book in her father's library.

"Keep it. I don't like that one," replies Kallen, the sight of that title triggering deep ambivalence.

Alicia seems amused, but does not comment. "If there's nothing else, then?"

Kallen gives a brief nod. "That's all for now," she agrees.

Rather than leave immediately, Alicia makes her way back to the desk, and picks up her cup of tea from the tray still lying there. It is no longer steaming, but she picks it up, taking a sip.

"Hisui is quite skilled," Alicia compliments, replacing the cup on the tray, and with another smile walks out of the office, closing the door behind her.

Kallen sits on the chair for a moment, and flips out a small compact, peering into her own eyes.

Kallen looks tired, but not terribly so. A light application of makeup should help conceal the outwards signs.

After wiping out some dust, she snaps it shut and pulls out her mobile again and calls Inoue back

The bluette picks up after a couple rings. "Got my message?" she asks without preamble.

"Yeah. What's up? Should I come down?" replies Kallen, propping her feet up on the desk.

"More importantly, is your weekend schedule open?"

"Board meeting on Monday, but the weekend's free. Will I need to cancel?"

"I doubt it," Inoue responds. "I need a date. Be my date for Saturday, Kallen?"

"You what? Me? Uh..." mumbles Kallen. "This is some kind of scheme, right?"

"Oh, don't be that way, Kallen!" Inoue says in an uplifting voice. "I'll take you to Kyoto! What do you say?"

"Oho. That sounds like fun," notes Kallen. "To see some temples, no doubt."

"And a priestess, if we're in luck. Bring your camera~"

"Just us?"

"Oh, I don't know," Inoue muses. "Some couples I know might also show up. Kyoto's a popular dating spot this time of year."

"Yes, the sakura are quite lovely, I'm told. Spring is such a wonderful time~. Train, I suppose?"

"Naturally. I'm not driving us all the way."

"I'll meet you at the station at noon or so. I'll arrange some tickets, we can have a private chat along the way. You have no idea what's just happened here, and I have to tell you all about it."

"I'll show you a good time~" Inoue promises in sing-song, and cuts the line.

<--->

<--->

Hisui holds the limousine's door open as Kallen approaches it. The board meeting is long over; the others went home, but she delayed until now. Even though, appearances must be maintained. She can no more allow herself to return by train than she can to show up at the next meeting in faded jeans and a baby T.

The car takes off, and the telltale chime of receiving mail alerts Kallen to her laptop. In many ways, keeping information upon it is a security risk. However, isn't she expected to try and gather dirt on her competition as befits her station in life? This should be the last of the reports she had solicitated to help her read into the political situation of Area Eleven.

But Kallen is what she does, and if she spends too much time faking it, then even a lie becomes truth.

Flipping open the lid to the device, she pulls up her inbox and starts to read.

Most of it is a repeat of what she had read already. The current trends seem to be holding; surprisingly or not, but popular opinion amongst the Elevens seems to be in condemnation of the Black Queen. Even close to three weeks after the attack in Akihabara, wide-spread support for the Saitama group fails to materialize. Britannia does not feature any more favorably in the polls. If anything, the people are united in their disapproval of both sides. A vacuum exists, but one that may not remain for long, the report notes, given how short the public's attention span always seems to be.

On the Britannian side, support for the government seems to be steadily dropping due to what is seen as Clovis's inaction. The report suggests, without going out and outright stating it, that combined with the ever-increasing leaks from the governor's office, that the ground has never been more ripe for a hostile takeover. Initial Britannian anger against the craven Eleven attack is slowly transforming into simpering hatred for the lack of initiative on the part of their ruling body.

One part, in particular, warrants special interest. The Purist Faction, representing a significant part of the nobility and, as such, counting more than a third of Area Eleven's state of the art Knightframes among its resources, is particularly infuriated with the present situation. Its leader, one Jeremiah Gottwald, a baron according to Kallen's report, is becoming increasing outspoken against the restraint the military exercises. If he is not careful, the report suggests, he might either commit lese majeste or be accused by it by one of his equals in the regular military, lighting a veritable powder keg and leading to infighting on an unprecedented scale for recent Britannian history.

So far, however, Major General Davidson seems to be serving as an impeccable shield for Governor Clovis and the military forces under his command alike. How long his composure would hold is hard to say, as rumors insist that even he would like to see a response of some sort, even to ease off on the tensions between allied forces.

A third faction of note is lead by Colonel Peter Abrahms. The Colonel is an avid supporter of Governor Clovis's Honorary Britannian program, and beyond worrying about his own command, which suffers from a very real threat of being terminated, truly seems to see it and, in turn, coexistence between Britannians and Numbers as the ideal Britannia should work towards.

It would only take one more humiliation to drive the final nail into Clovis' governorship. With the Purists so volatile, something like an eleven company behaving like upstarts would be the light to their powder. And then, when the inevitable retaliation occurs, people would start asking why so much effort is put towards chastising elevens with theoretically legitimate greviences instead of actively hunting down the Black Queen.

It could spark the whole area. There's no telling what it'd look like when the dust settled, but the heavy-handed tactics that would be put to use wouldn't win the Britannian leadership any points in opinion polls. But doing so would ultimately lead to suffering from many Japanese in the short term, and while hatred for Britannian might rise in all areas, it still wouldn't be a cakewalk to exploit that.

That could be one option. Or Kallen could, perhaps, throw her backing publicly behind one faction or another- most likely Abrahms. Working with both her allies in the ghettos to help guide the Honorary forces- she's sure she could turn up -- the Black Queen. A few attacks on Clovis' rule from behind the scenes- other ambitious nobles could probably be goaded into that- and he'd still probably fall out the governor's chair, leaving her with any number of ways to sit in it herself or ensure whoever winds up in it is a sympathetic sort. Short of the mainland sending another replacement from the royal family...

The only issue with that route, naturally, is that it's an acknowledgement of Britannian rule, to a degree. And no matter what else she might do from there, there just isn't any easy way to take the entire system apart and strip it of primogeniture.

No one can help Kallen with her dilemma. Even if she could find it within her to trust Hisui, the maid is riding next to the driver today.

At the very least, she has to try and protect the Japanese where she can. If the Purist Faction contains so many members of the nobility, and is so eager to punish the elevens, then how hard can finding one be? She can't geass everyone, and getting into contact with a public figure she intends to twist to her will could be outright dangerous, but what about someone else? Perhaps someone her family has already dealt with in the past? The kind of people in that group would undoubtably be all over any chance to harass the ghettos, and an insider could tip her off in advance.

From past experience, Kallen knows such an inquiry would not take more than a few days, and even that only due to her wish for it to remain discreet.

The limousine stops. She hears a door in the front open, before Hisui steps over and opens Kallen's for her.

"Thanks for today, Hisui," notes Kallen, closing the laptop for now. "Do you mind continuing this work?" she adds, putting it in it's bag and stepping out the car. "I understand it's not quite what you're used to."

"I will do what you ask of me, Miss," Hisui responds stoically.

"I'm asking what you want to do, Hisui," replies Kallen, hoisting the case over her shoulder and starting for the door. "If you don't mind saying."

Hisui stares back at Kallen, as if uncomprehending.

Kallen tilts her head. "Because I wouldn't want my staff to be dissatisfied, so if there's a problem, now's your chance."

Hisui looks distinctly uncomfortable at the scrutiny. Observing her, Kallen gets the feeling that her offer touched something deep within her, but the quiet maid is not quite ready to act upon it.

After a moment, Kallen just shrugs. "I'll have you continue, then," she affirms. "Good work today. I'll be going on a trip over the weekend, so please let the staff know they'll have some extra time off." With that, she heads inside her house.

Hisui bows, responding with, "As you wish, Miss."

The estate is quiet these days. Kallen finds this instance no different.

It's her house, now. She can do what she likes in it, and only the servants would ever know. Even they don't have so much to do, lately. With Cleo out of the picture, there are about half as many little, needless chores that get heaped upon them.

Which means Kasumi does virtually no work at all, and sometimes Kallen heads to the kitchen to make her own damn tea. If she happens to leave the kitchen with two cups and have someone tell Kasumi to go to Kallen's room, nobody is there to cry foul or find little ways to make her life unbearable.

Kallen has the persistent suspicion that the servants don't think particularly highly of her, but they accomodate her needs just fine.

Not even five minutes have passed since she made herself comfortable in her room, before there is a knock at the door.

"Come in," replies Kallen, wondering if she should do something about that, but not sure what the right choice might be.

The door opens. Her mother steps inside, a hesitant smile on her lips.

"Come in. Oh, shut the door, would you?" asks Kallen, gesturing towards a chair, a cup of tea sitting in front of it.

Her father is an asshole who'd kill his own son, she reminds herself, and that's why Kasumi has been how she's been. It's his fault! Her mother deserves someone who can offer her a bit of kindness after the cruelty that man has showed her, and the only person that can be right now is Kallen.

Kasumi closes the door behind her, coming to sit by Kallen's desk quietly. She looks at it, her gaze going past the steaming cup of tea. It lingers on the picture of Kallen, taken during far more innocent times.

"I've been pretty busy lately," notes Kallen, taking a seat at her bed. "And it looks like it'll only get worse in the future. It seems like a lot of the time, I'm just visiting my own house for a bit before I race off again, so, um, have you been alright? I think things are easier around here, now."

"I don't get to do much," Kasumi responds, picking up the teacup.

"Well, there's not much to do, is there?" notes Kallen, with a tiny shrug. "This place is just too big, but nothing much happens here now." She takes a sip, and flops back on the bed. "Do you go out at all, these days?"

"It's dangerous to do that," Kasumi tells her, and Kallen realizes this must be true for someone so obviously Japanese in appearance. That her mother is even aware of events taking place outside is a welcome sign, aside from that. "I'm glad that you don't travel on your own."

"Well... there's no real choice if you can help it. Tokyo seems dangerous for everyone, these days," replies Kallen. "It doesn't matter where you live or who you are. Behind closed doors, it's getting pretty chaotic. But even so, life goes on, right?"

Kasumi nods, seeping her tea in silence.

"So, you know, if there's something you want, I mean, to buy, or to do, you don't need to stay here all day, ok? Just let me know and I'll make it happen somehow. There's another woman I've met recently who you might like to meet, and maybe go out with somewhere. She's pretty dependable," rambles Kallen, thinking about Sayoko. "She- well, she works for a friend of mine, but she's Japanese too, and they're pretty liberal, so..."

"You want me to... meet a woman? And maybe go out with her?" Kasumi asks, eyes widening.

"Well, you don't get to meet many people, and... you know I can't spend much time like this," replies Kallen, not really considering the implications that Kasumi seems to be. "And, you know, it might be good-"

She chokes back a chuckle. "This is really not the way someone should talk to their parents," she mumbles.

"We're not that liberal," Kasumi murmurs, clearly embarrassed. She cradles her teacup to her chest to alleviate some of it.

"Eh? Well, I'm trying to be," insists Kallen. "Look, I know Cleo ran a tight ship, but she's not running it anymore, right?"

Kasumi's embarrassment only grows. "I... I wish you the best, Kallen," she says, her voice barely over a whisper.

"Hah?" asks Kallen, a little confused. "Well, I certainly need it. There's school to consider, too." She makes a pained face. "Lots of friends.. transferred out lately. I'm on the school council, you know, and half of it ran off, and even I haven't been in for weeks, so who knows what it's looking like now..."

<--->

<--->

Kasumi only nods, but sitting so close to her, Kallen feels it. Her mother really wants to reach out and reassure her, but she's afraid. The fear is either too deeply ingrained into her psyche, or otherwise too nebulous for Kallen to understand, but it's there, and as a result, Kasumi remains within arms reach, and yet all-too-distant.

Kallen has faith that her mother will get over it, as long as her world can brighten up a little. The best thing she can do is act like her daughter. Which is pushing it, she suspects, as most teenagers she knows spend their time escaping their mothers rather than telling them about their days.

"...so I really should go in tomorrow or something. I have to go away for business over the weekend, and there's another meeting on Monday, too. I'm thinking of running meetings via videoconference sometimes, then I'd save time on travel."

"It is important to appear in person," Kasumi says suddenly, sounding a bit like she's reciting words told to her in the past. "You go that extra mile for those you work with, and they always notice that and appreciate it."

"True, I guess people pay more attention to something solid," Kallen notes. "I'm not sure they appreciate a teenager telling them what to do, though..."

Kasumi wilts a bit, remaining silent this time.

"But things are changing and I should be able to make a difference. To the whole Area, even," she adds, finishing off her cup of tea. "I guess... yeah, I'm pretty happy with how things are going, overall. We might be putting a rebuilding effort through sometime in the future, too!"

"That's great," Kasumi voices, smiling at Kallen. "Just make sure you don't do anything dangerous, alright?"

"I can take care of myself," insists Kallen, instinctively.

"I know," Kasumi demurs. "It's just...."

She doesn't finish the sentence, but Kallen doesn't need a Geass to understand what her mother is trying to say.

"I'll be careful out there. I've got too much to do to let anything stop me. So try not to worry," replies Kallen. "Let me do the worrying."

Kasumi wrings out her hands, her cup left discarded on the desk. "You know I can't do that," she says quietly.

Kallen looks down, shiting her feet a little. Maybe she should've gotten changed first, wearing the suit around her mother is a bit anti-casual.

"Yeah, I know. I won't let anything bad happen to me, you know that."

"You are so much like your father," Kasumi whispers, raising her eyes to gaze at Kallen fondly.

Kallen does not look terribly pleased at this comparision. "Is that so?" she asks, her face losing some of it's tenderness.

Kasumi flinches at the tone, standing up abruptly. "I-- I should go," she says, fretting. "There is work to be done. I can't be taking up your time like that."

"And the other maids will gossip," replies Kallen, tugging at her collar. "Don't push yourself too hard."

Kasumi bows, and escapes into the corridor before Kallen could add anything else.

Why her mother, of all people? If it came from the board, she've been happier, but it doesn't get more backhanded than that.

Maybe it could be true in the future. But right now her father is a vegetable, and they weren't similar in the past! And that's that.

<--->

<--->

She has to be more careful now, but Kallen is still no stranger to adjusting her appearance. She arrives with a little makeup on to tone her skin, a brown-red ensemble of denim and leather, and a shoulder bag with a change of clothes (should she need it) and assorted other essentials stashed away. It's a trip, after all.

It's easy to spot Inoue, dressed casually in jeans and a windbreaker. The sunglasses are a nice touch, Kallen thinks, and the way Inoue is leaning against a bulletin board suggestively is enough to make the redhead roll her eyes.

Which she does, along with an exaggerated grimace as she approaches the older woman. "Ready to go... sugar?" she montones.

Inoue pouts. "And here I was hoping I'll get to see you in a pretty summer dress." She pushes herself off the board, looping her hand through Kallen's. "But let's go, sure. You got us a private cabin?"

"You'll get your chance in a month or two~" replies Kallen, nodding. "Yeah, I've got your ticket. I hope you like pizza, by the by."

"I prefer spaghetti, but we'll work on that," Inoue responds.

Their train arrives to the station, and will be departing in five more minutes, according to Kallen's tickets. An elderly woman walking past them to the front car gives the two a disapproving glance, shaking her head. Inoue does not seem to notice, her eyes running over the train. "Where are we, then?"

Their cabin is in the fifth car, relatively close to where Inoue was waiting for Kallen.

"Fifth car down," replies Kallen, ignoring the inevitable looks.

Ultimately, there aren't that many of those. The train station is not as packed as Kallen is accustomed to seeing it, a point that drives home yet again just how reluctant people are to go outside or travel throughout Area Eleven these days.

As they head for their car, Kallen notices that Inoue leans on her considerably, using their linked arms as support.

"Everyone's staying home lately," notes Kallen, slotting the tickets through the machine and heading for the carriage doors. "I heard quite a few nobles are heading back to the mainland, too, for that matter."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Inoue comments. "Plenty of the locals would like to leave. If they had anywhere to go."

"Yeah. Though I wonder about that," admits Kallen, helping Inoue through the train to their cabin. "Even if they had the cash to leave the area, it'd still be pretty hard for an eleven to get by on another continent. And until recently, Tokyo seemed like the safest place, didn't it?"

"Ironically, I would call Kyoto the safest place," Inoue responds as the two finally get to their reserved cabin. "It's strange, but Britannia didn't bomb it during the war, and the JLF's kept out of it for the most part. I wonder whether there is some sort of shady deal taking place at the highest levels about that."

She grimaces. "Whatever, I'd be better off not knowing."

"Surrender quietly and we'll let you keep some of your stuff," mutters Kallen. "Anyway, is that why it's being used as a meeting place?"

"That would be my guess," Inoue agrees. "Ah, man, this bites. Ohgi goes and disappears on us, and dumps all this bureaucratic crap on crippled old me."

"Don't talk to me about bureaucratic crap. My eyes are going numb from staring at computers and files and god knows what all day," replies Kallen. "And I bet you didn't need to wear a suit the whole time, either- though, speaking of, at least you're up and about now, right? Full recovery in the works?"

Inoue loses some of her cheer. "Probably not. Yet another reason I get shuffled to 'command'." She adds in the air quotes in disgust. "The doc doesn't think I'll ever run a marathon. Not that I ever had, before. But getting told that, I kinda wanted to. Strange how a person's mind works, isn't it?"

"What, how when someone tells you 'no', you wanna get around it? That's totally natural!" replies Kallen, shaking her head. "Completely understandable."

"Good to hear that," Inoue says, and Kallen feels a shift within her. "We're on the brink of something, and it can't be good, Kallen. Our group's falling apart. Naoto, Ohgi, Lucille-- we've lost them far too quickly, and then, there is Tamaki massacring millions under my command. I can't begin to imagine what Kyoto must think of us. But still... I don't want to give up. Not on Shinjuku. And neither do you, isn't that right?"

"I'll never give up, on Shinjuku or anywhere else in Japan," replies Kallen, quietly. "But anyone can say that. What we need is.. some clear course of action to take, some obvious goal to work towards. What's the best way to help? I've got to admit, I'm struggling with that."

"I sometimes think I have an idea," Inoue says, sprawling over the couch. "And then it feels like I wake up, and it's the same old thing, fighting against a force of nature. Who knows? Maybe Kyoto figured this out and that's why they called everyone."

"You said you were worried about how they might think, but do they even know who's really responsible for Akihabara?" replies Kallen, raising an eyebrow.

Inoue gives her a look. "You know we coordinated some aspects of the operation with other groups. It was too big to handle on our own. They won't have the details, but they know who's responsible, alright."

Kallen slouches on her chair. "You think you're out of it, but you're still neck deep. I get it," she responds.
"I think the only consolation is that the Brits are as lost for leadership as anyone. But if the purist faction manages to come out on top, it'll be bad. As things are, I'm not sure how long our good Prince will keep them all in check."

"Never expected that fop to even try," Inoue scoffs. "Or do anything but hide under his bed."

"Hmph. So I wanted your opinion on this. There's the Purist Faction. Then there's another general who's pretty big on the honorary britannian system. You know, integration, that sort of thing. Which would we want to have more power within the system?"

"Can I take neither of the above?" Inoue asks with a snort. "Japanese begging to be Britannia's lapdogs. How can you support something like that? It's so demeaning I'd rather die." She shakes her head. "The so-called Purebloods would like to help me with that. Can't say I like them much, either, aside from their honesty."

"So Clovis is preferable to any kind of real leader?" quips Kallen, pulling out a bottle of water.

"Probably. Unless a smart general manipulates him into moving against us, of course."

"The current situation has to be resolved if he wants to keep his position. Unless the perpetrator's caught somehow, he'll eventually be forced to have his troops move out. Either that, or he'll be replaced," replies Kallen, surmising her thoughts on how the Britannians will act.

"So we're either looking for a massacre at Saitama or a new Governor," Inoue echoes her. "Yeah, that's what I figure as well."

"If there's going to be an attack, I think I can get advance warning, even some of the details," replies Kallen. "If we had time to prepare..."

"I like the way you think," Inoue tells Kallen. "Most of us, they would think about how to evacuate in time or use that information to minimize losses. But you actually intend to try and win, don't you?"

"You don't fight if you can't win," insists Kallen. "If we just wanted to minimize losses or run away, we should just disband. It's that simple. And there's one thing I know about the military structure," she adds. "The leaders are always close to the front. We could never just slug it out, not as we are now. But if you take the king..."

"His Royal Highness?" Inoue scoffs. "Dirty his hands by being anywhere near a battlefield?"

"He needs to recoup his reputation," replies Kallen. "This is based on the assumption that he values his reputation, right? So when the dust settles, he'll want it to look as if he's the one who pulled the culprit in. It's not like he'd think he's in any real danger when he's hiding in his mobile HQ."

"Makes sense," Inoue agrees, though she frowns, and Kallen senses uncertainty from her.

"We also have our secret weapon," adds Kallen, with some trepidation.

"Maybe that's why Kyoto left us alone," Inoue mutters quietly.

"There's no real countermeasure to be brought against it. It should even filter through knightmare armour," responds Kallen. "It won't spread like a disease, either- it doesn't even kill people. Not only can we use to put down our enemies, but we can do so without damaging their equipment. Which becomes our equipment."

"The mechanics are a bit more complicated," Inoue says. There is a distinct touch of distaste in her voice, but she forges on bravely regardless. "The gas is lethal enough, and at the same time, certain counter-measures could be taken to minimize exposure and increase one's chances of weathering out the attack."

"Even so, we stole it for the purpose of... using it," responds Kallen. "Maybe Balsam can suggest some way of deploying it with effect. She'd know it better than anyone."

"I've talked to her about it," Inoue says. "We can either use all we've got to blanket an area, or set it up within traps and lure enemy units over. It'd work even better indoors, she says, though she claims she's not an expert."

"Indoors..." muses Kallen, tapping the desk. "They'll just shell the ghetto and go house-to-house through the rubble. There won't be anyplace you could call 'inside' left by the time they infantry close in."

"Sounds like something the Black Queen would do."

"Really? Because as I see it, she hasn't done anything but put a sound file on the web."

"So you think it's all hot air?" Inoue asks doubtfully. "She's been around since before that... opportunity." She scowls, but proceeds. "Anyway, secretive as she keeps herself, it can't be just for fame. She intends to do something, and she'll need it to be big, or risk becoming irrelevant."

"Yeah, but... what could it be? She doesn't have that much support. Unless she's actually got some kind of special weapon or intel or something..." replies Kallen, equally doubtful.

"It took her a few days to make the announcement," Inoue says quietly after several moments the two spend in uncomfortable silence. "Maybe something changed, she got her hands on something and decided to make the most of it."

"Someone mentioned the Saitama people were acting oddly at the last meeting, didn't they?" muses Kallen. "I think it's natural to not try and steal the credit immediately, though."

"On account of new leadership," Inoue confirms. "She's pretty charismatic by all accounts. You have to be, normally, to take over a group like that."

"She seemed kinda young, too."

"So what, now I'm too old, too?" Inoue scoffs. "I should just roll over and die, rather than suffer through the endless Christmas Cake jokes."

She doesn't seem too serious. Except for the last part, which sounds like a touchy subject for her.

"Not at all! Youth and enthusiasm is no subsitute for..." Kallen puts her hand to her chin. "What were your qualities, again?"

"You are so sleeping on the couch!"

<--->

<--->

Kyoto is always somewhat of a cultural shock. There are far more Elevens on the streets than one might see in any other Britannian settlement in Area 11; they seem to maintain the myriad of shrines and temples the city possesses. An unkind soul might call it a reservation or, even, a zoo, which the Britannians left largely untouched for their amusement and entertainment. The streets are filled with tourists, many visibly from the Mainland, Kallen can tell by the fashions.

One of the temples happens to be where Inoue is leading her. She relies on Kallen for support, as before, and the end result is that their heads are close enough for Inoue to whisper to her without drawing more attention than they already are merely by walking.

"There are two sessions scheduled," she fills Kallen in. "The first is this evening, and another tomorrow. We can either return after that one, or stay another night; that's been left to our discretion."

"Depends on what's going to be on the agenda, doesn't it?" remarks Kallen, gazing at the nearby stalls of Area 11, 7-year old Britannian theme park. "We should push to prepare for an attack in Saitama, right?"

"I've decided it's futile to plan ahead," Inoue responds with a crooked smile directed at Kallen. "So much depends on what's going to happen that it's pretty pointless, so I'm going to wing it."

"I guess no preperation survives contact with your allies," snorts Kallen. "Hey, why did you ask me and not someone else to come?"

"You are the most dependable of who's left," Inoue tells her. "Sad, isn't it, that we're reduced to recruiting from campuses?"

Kallen snorts. "You cradle-snatcher. I guess I should be horrified, but they do say it's darkest before the dawn."

"Even if it's wrong, know that my feelings are true?" Inoue offers with a snort of her own.

They turn from the main streets, heading down a narrow alley. Inoue nods to herself as she passes a Buddha statue wearing a baseball cap, and turns left into the next alley. There must be other signs, but none are as obvious for Kallen as she is lead along.

The streets of Kyoto are so mazelike that Kallen fears she would get lost without the bluette to guide her, and drops the banter for the time being. It'll soon be time to wing it. Whatever it is.

Inoue finally stops before what seems to be a small art museum. She steps inside, and as Kallen follows, she is possessed by a strange feeling of longing, as if a part of her that had been missing no longer is.

"It seems nostalgic, somehow," she confesses with a whisper, slowing her pace a little as she heads inside.

Inoue nods curtly. Two sets of indoors shoes have been left; Inoue dons one, and Kallen is certain at a glance that the other pair will fit her well.

Though no one is there to greet them, Inoue stands up with some difficulty, unsuccessfully hiding a grimace. "Prepare to be astonished. The temple is below ground."

Kicking off her sneakers, Kallen slides her feet into the shoes and steps up next to Inoue. "Looks like we're the last ones here," she observes.

"I very much doubt that," Inoue mutters, leading the way once more. They travel past the exhibits, the art displayed of a surprisingly Britannian style. "It's not authentic enough," she elaborates for Kallen's sake. "So there aren't many visitors, and those who come, only show up for the architecture, without really stepping inside. Convenient."

The fourth room they come across is just like the others, except it is missing several floor boards. A ladder extends below, and Kallen can see faint illumination ahead.

Inoue sighs. "Yeah, this'll be a barrel of laughs."

Kallen peers down the hole briefly, checking out how deep it goes. "Not saying anything," she replies, starting to climb down.

Neither does Inoue, though Kallen starts getting uncomfortable as she nears the end of her climb. It takes several moments to realize that the sensation is foreign to her, and several more to retrace it to its source, Inoue.

She's not even looking at Inoue while she climbs. Is she getting more sensitive?

Putting that aside, Kallen quickly clambers down to the bottom and peers up, in case Inoue needs help.

Inoue would like that very much, but she is mortified at the very thought of asking, and hidden below all that is a desire that Kallen doesn't notice just how badly the climb is bothering her.

Kallen gets a mild headache.

"Dammit, Inoue," mutters Kallen, so quietly that the other girl shouldn't hear. She shuts her right eye, turning away so Inoue doesn't see her grimace.

It takes almost twice as long, but Inoue finally makes it down, putting her arm across Kallen's shoulders. "Let's go?" she asks.

Kallen adjusts to the headache, managing to drown out most of it; her head feels like a layer of cotton surrounds it.

A path carved out of the earth leads ahead, the way illuminated by bare lightbulbs.

Kallen nods, and starts following the cheap lighting. "Next time, let's meet somewhere with an elevator. Like a cheap hotel or something," she grouses.

Inoue is amused by that, Kallen senses. And quite comfortable, now.

"Afraid that this is where all the meetings have been so far," she responds. "Your brother took me along once, when Ohgi couldn't make it."

There doesn't seem to be anything she can add to that, and all that's left is to proceed. The trip is hardly a long one. Before long, the two emerge into a cavern. Over forty pairs of eyes meet them as Kallen and Inoue step inside.

The cavern is largely barren, aside from a stage erected opposide the entrance; it holds several folding chairs, and is presently empty. More chairs fill the area, though few of those present are actually using them. Several Knightmares are parked off in alcoves to each side.

"I guess this place has it's merits," admits Kallen, eyes drawn towards the knightmares for a moment. "Anyone you know around?"

Inoue grimaces. "Not with the attrition rate being what it is." She points subtly at a pair far to the left, observing the Knightmares silently. "Think those are from the Fuji base. Can't really tell. The only ones I'd really know well would be from Saitama and, well...."

"And they ain't gonna come unless they plan on something theatrical," mutters Kallen.

"It wouldn't be someone I knew, anyway," Inoue mutters.

Footsteps sound behind them.

Kallen turns her head at the new arrivals. A chance to mingle, perhaps!

It is a beautiful woman, with jet-black tresses that reach past her waist and warm blue eyes. She smiles at Kallen, pausing, and the redhead realizes that she and Inoue must be blocking the way.

That brings another thought to the fore. Inoue could pass for Britannian at a casual glance, if no gaze lingers past the clothes and the makeup. Kallen herself looks far more authentic, but then she also undeniably has Britannian blood in her. The young woman facing her, however, could never be mistaken for a Japanese, and then it is confirmed when a chocolate-haired boy Kallen's age comes to her side.

"What's the hold up, Mary?" he asks, levelling innocent green eyes at Kallen.

"What's the rush?" replies Kallen, glancing curiously back at the Britannian woman. "Nothing's going on just yet, unless you're here to start. I gotta say, I didn't expect anyone else with Britannian blood to show up here." She pauses, and extends a hand. "Kallen, by the way." She keeps an eye on the other woman, intending to gauge how she reacts.

The smile remains, warmer than a merely polite one would be. "Mary," she says, accepting the hand with a dainty grip and shaking it. The smile takes on an amused air as she adds, "As I'm sure you've realized."

The boy by her side bows at the waist. "Kururugi Suzaku. It is nice to meet you." Inoue shifts at the name, and he seems to notice. "Yes, that Kururugi," Suzaku adds guardedly.

"That so. Any idea what the meeting is all about?" asks Kallen, putting aside what she knows about Kururugi. Children shouldn't inherit the sins of their fathers, after all. "We just got here, too."

"I'm actually a bit in the know," Mary confides in her, leaning closer. "There will be a vote."

Inoue belatedly introduces herself. Kallen feels the embarrassment coming off her in waves.

"Really? What's the agenda?" asks Kallen, trying not to let it bowl her over.

Kallen is unable to stop a mild flush from appearing, but otherwise weathers the foreign emotion.

"The future course of action the JLF is to take," Suzaku elaborates stoically. "Whether to remain petty terrorists forever, or gain a vision for itself."

"From how you say it, I think I can guess your position," replies Kallen, raising a palm to her chin. "But isn't the JLF's vision evidenced by it's very name?"

"If we limit ourselves to that strict reading, then what are we doing here?" Mary asks Kallen, the implication obvious.

"If you want to get interpretive, I'd say that the Liberation is the important word in that title," replies Kallen, with a shrug. "Nothing can change as long as Britannia is in charge, after all."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Mary muses. "Every change of governors represents a far greater change than the JLF has managed to cause in all its years of operation." She shakes her head resolutely, hair dancing behind her. "However, I happen to agree. True liberation cannot come as long as the Britannian Crown holds control over this Area. The way towards it, however, can wary, and that is what is at the core of tonight's discussion."

"It's a matter of force, isn't it? Of one kind or another..."

Suzaku tenses, and Inoue looks at Kallen curiously.

"Force might accomplish much," Mary responds, cocking her head. "But isn't force without direction ultimately meaningless? Therein lies the true power, and the real path to victory. In having an unwavering hand deliver that force, along with a message that would strike deep, that would resonate with everyone, Britannian or Japanese alike!"

"The strike and the message are one and the same. The targets that are defined shape the future, both of a resistance and anything that could follow it's success," replies Kallen.

"What message would you send to the world?"

Mary smiles again. "You'll get to hear it soon enough, won't you? May we get to work well together, Kallen."

"We're blocking the way," Suzaku says, as two more representatives scale the ladder down. Inoue twists to look into the tunnel past him, wincing almost imperceptively along the way.

"Let's get some seats while they're still empty," remarks Kallen, tugging Inoue along.

There are enough to seat over a hundred, from a quick glance. Inoue aims for the second row, and Mary follows along with Suzaku, claiming the neighboring seats. Mary gets more than a few glances, most of them hostile. So does Kallen, although she can see those turn apprehensive after a whispered conversation that no doubt involves her.

The room begins to fill up slowly. Inoue was right; they were hardly the last one to make it.

Kallen ignores it, remaining resolute. So what if a few people might have doubts? She'll prove her loyalty in time. And the Britannian next to her has more self-confidence that she surely has a right too- there's no doubt in Kallen's mind that she's not bothered in the slightest.

Observing Mary without being obvious about it bears that out. The woman sits comfortably as she waits, only moving her head to whisper to Suzaku once. Whatever she hears in response must make her pleased, as she nods briefly and settles down once more.

Roughly half an hour after Kallen and Inoue's arrival, a lean man ascends the stage, being the sign people need to begin to settle into their seats. He wears glasses, and has a distinctive scar on his face.

"Asahina of the Holy Swords," Inoue whispers to Kallen, sounding excited. "That must mean the rumors of Miracle Toudou being here are true!"

"I wonder what he'll propose?" murmurs Kallen, reflecting on what she knows about the man. A brilliant strategist, of that there is no doubt, but his victory was one amongst a sea of ouright failures. A living legend born out of a single spark.

The miracle wasn't the victory itself, but how he seemed to be such an attractive rallying point for the resistance groups. Would they even exist if it weren't for that one win?

There is always resistance, but even as she asks herself that question, Kallen realizes that those crushed ruthlessly without having anything to show for it are much harder to rally. In many ways, Toudou Kyoshiro is the man responsible for the JLF existing in its present incarnation.

"I'll make this brief," Asahina says, his voice carrying over. The room either has good acoustics or a sublime sound system, as Kallen doesn't hear the electrical noise usually assosiated with boosters and speakers set up in such conditions. "We are here today because of the events of Akihabara." Inoue shifts uneasily at Kallen's side, and the redhead's mind is assaulted with dark emotions ranging from fear to anger and self-loathing. Due to the onslaught, Kallen almost misses the next part. "Due to unfortunate circumstances, the JLF ended up triggering an outbreak that claimed millions of lives, many amongst them Japanese. One of our affiliated cells then took credit for the act, cementing it in the public's eye. Our response has been indecisive, and I can now reveal to you that it was due to a severe split within the leadership. In the end, a compromise was reached, leading for delegates from all the paramilitary groups and affiliated cells alike to be summoned, following precedents from previous case, even though none of those were quite so dire."

Another figure ascends the stage, and any murmurs Asahina's introduction caused cease entirely. Kallen knows that man, as does any Japanese. It is Toudou Kyoshiro, the man of miracles.

Asahina moves out of the way, and Toudou claims the center of the podium. "Make no mistake," he speaks, his features sharp. "We are not here to haggle, or to bring up old grievances. We are not here to judge each other. None of those are productive now. The only purpose of this meeting is to decide on the way the Japanese Liberation Front should take in the aftermath."

Kallen's face is a still mask, but it doesn't mean she isn't impressed with Toudou's delivery. People will judge, and complain to one another, but for now, at least, she believes that will be set aside until the new business is dealt with.

Mary's face is likewise impassive, Kallen notes while taking a look around. Suzaku's is more animated, and she feels a strange mix of anxiety and happiness as he focuses his attention on Toudou.

"Before we can see where we're going, however," Toudou is meanwhile saying, "we must know where we are, and what resources we have available to us. During the war, we've realized the destructive abilities of the Knightmares, not to be matched by any other weapons platform due to their flexible deployment options." He squares his jaw. "Japan has adapted. We have developed the Burai, a Knightmare that is equal to the state of the line Britannian hardware, the Sutherland."

This gets more than a few whispers.

"Mass production is still several months away, but a few test models have already become available," he continues. "And work on the next model to succeed the Burai has already started. This time, we'll achieve technological superiority over Britannia!"

And the sea of whispers and murmurs turns into a roar. Mary frowns.

"Amazing," remarks Kallen. "I had no idea we had R&D centres at that level of sophistication. Mass production, too..." She spares a glance at Mary, attempting to refocus her Geass away from Inoue- dammit, she knows her friend well enough without it- to see if she can tell what's on the Britannian's mind.

Kallen finds it difficult to detach herself from Inoue, although that feat is accoplished with her force of will. Mary, however, remains a null read to her even as she turns to look at Kallen quizzically at the scrutiny.

"Intelligence is next," Toudou announces, drowning out the crowd, which settles down once more at his words. "While we are not in a position to reveal much, forces operate within the Britannian leadership that find themselves in direct opposition with one another, and--"

As he speaks, Kallen realizes that she already knows that much, at least, as Toudou details the troubles in the Britannian heaven.

Anyone could find out with the proper contacts- the broad picture of high-level politics is, by nature, open to all. Turning back from Mary after a moment, she goes over what Toudou is saying, wondering if there's anything she knows that he's missed. The ideal state of Britannian politics is a question she hopes she can find an answer to today.

The facts themselves do not change. What does is their presentation, and even trying as he is to be objective in analyzing them, Toudou dismisses the Honorary Britannian faction as anything viable. In his conclusion, it is only a matter of whether the Purists will be able to seize control or indirectly do so by committing the entire Britannian military while acting on their own.

"This is one of the things we should address here," Toudou says. "Naturally, we must respond to undue aggression on behalf of the Governor, to draw a line that his office must never be allowed to cross, fearful of the consequences. But what should the proper response be to provocation on the side of these Purists? Some of us would view them as inseparable from the military. Others might consider holding off and forcing the Governor to waste resources and erode his already crumbling faith amongst his men to handle this hypothetical Purist insubordination himself. I'm afraid that, once again, it is not an easy question upon which Kyoto House has agreed unanimously."

"If the governor loses all his support, we'll just get a new one, and the situation will probably stabilize on the Britannian side. It's while they're wavering that we should take some kind of action," opines Kallen, quietly.

"Something has to be done before the situation's stabilized, yes," Mary agrees quietly, staring ahead at Toudou.

She stands up once there is a lull. "I believe that about covers up our tactical situation?" Mary asks, raising her voice. "In that case, Toudou-san, might I be allowed to speak?" And without waiting for an answer, even as those around her gasp and turn to look, Mary strides over to the stage.

<--->

<--->

Mary remains unbothered by the glares falling upon her, as she joins the JLF head tactician on the stage. That he does not oppose her is the only thing keeping those gathered in check, Kallen feels, almost overwhelmed by the rising hostility.

"Thank you, Toudou-san," Mary says, smiling at him. "As I sat through your presentation, I could not help but notice something. You are detailing our respective resources and analyzing the situation accordingly, but that's not really how things are, is it? After all, it fails to account for Britannia might, and while you might see victory by these numbers, there is zero chance of this Area being abandoned by the empire. Certainly not where its Sakuradite resources are involved, certainly not due to its key strategic position, and certainly not given that man's enormous pride."

"That is true," Toudou acknowledges. "However, we cannot, as a Japanese resistance, realistically make the whole of Britannia our enemy--"

"Why not?" Mary asks calmly, and the hall erupts in yells once more!

Kallen pauses for a moment, briefly eyeing Suzaku before rising from her seat and attempting to pitch her voice into the ring. "Wait! Wait one second," she calls out, hoping to push it above the crowd.

Outwardly stoic, filled with worry below the surface, that's the read Kallen gets from Suzaku. By her side, Inoue seems worried, but doesn't react just yet.

"And now it's another Britannian!" a uniformed man exclaims angrily. Kallen spots a colonel's rank on him. "Are we going to let them run their own resistance, too?"

"Just what is wrong with that?" Mary asks from the stage, causing him to seethe. "Tell me, Lieutenant Colonel Kusakabe, how else should a Britannian that hates Britannia act?"

"We have no right of protest! The Britannian system is ruined from the top," adds Kallen.

"We know that nation will never let us go as things are, and their policy of inequality means that they will never respect any demands we might make! But how are we supposed to wage war? Britannian rules half the world. There's no way Japan alone can prevail against that sort of might, not without support from within Britannia itself or without, from other nations."

"In many ways, the conflict is very simple," Mary continues, as Kusakabe sputters. "You have Britannia's forces, and those who oppose them. And so, you can either be with us, or against us." Standing there on the stage, she suddenly looks extremely arrogant. "And thus, the choice is made quite simple, wouldn't you say?"

"What choice?" a call comes from the crowd, and Mary smiles, as if having awaited it.

"The choice to join me and destroy Britannia, of course," she says in a silky voice. "I can make it happen!"

Kallen is suddenly struck with the strange feeling that Mary's words are true. Inoue gasps, drawing her attention from the stage.

Kallen starts to reply, but her head twists automatically towards Inoue. Something feels wrong, here, and yet so right.

There is a sudden silence, as those gathered try to process Mary's words. Then, suddenly, Kallen spots movement from the left. She's not the only one, and a wave of panic goes through the crowd as one of the Knightmares moves into the light. It is not a model Kallen had seen before, and the unique, Japanese-themed design leaves no doubt in her mind that it is one of the vaunted Burai.

"Is that so?" an aged voice asks her from within it. "You stand here and claim that you can bring the Britannian empire to its knees?"

"I can do more than that!" Mary declares. "I will form a strong, united resistance that will, in time, reach critical mass and eliminate that man and his ideology from the world!"

Kallen has no idea quite how to respond to that, and remains silent for the moment to watch the discussion between the robot and the Britannian.

The Burai is silent, and so is the crowd, looking at it tensely.

"Toudou," the elderly voice finally asks, causing the tactician to snap into attention. "Can we trust her?"

He bows curtly. "Of the tactical abilities, there is no question. But her approach to combat--"

"Irrelevant," the Burai's pilot cuts him off. "This has been endlessly debated already. We can't be locked in indecision forever."

"We cannot," Mary agrees, causing a ripple of whispers to spread at how casually she enters herself into the conversation. "If we allow ourselves to be locked into a defensive position, we will never emerge from it once the governor's office recovers. We must strike now, we must strike often... we must raise such a hell that the Emperor himself takes notice, and then we will destroy his vanguard!" Her voice raises as she speaks. "Once we have achieved that, there won't be a man or woman in the world that wouldn't know the name of the JLF! And all those dissatisfied with Britannia, with its values, with it's approach--"

Mary's voice catches in her throat. "People are not equal?" she asks mockingly. "Fine! Then we will have to show ourselves better than all that Britannia throws at us!"

"What targets do you propose? Who are we aiming at in the now?" demands Kallen, putting her hands behind her back. "Are we waiting for Britannia to move out and catch them whilst extended, or to seek first blood?"

Mary smirks. "Why, we'll strike at the head of the snake, of course. His Royal Highness Clovis," she says, her voice denigrating when she mentions his title, "is hiding under his royal bed, but that won't save him. I have the means to take him out!"

Murmurs once again spread through the crowd, as Mary turns to face the Burai squarely. "If I do that, I will have proved my worth, this tactical ability you are forced to take on faith thus far, isn't that right?"

Though she speaks directly to the man in the Burai, Kallen has no doubt that Mary's words are intended for everyone gathered.

"And let him be replaced? With a more decisive, more intelligent governor? Having a clown in command is possibly the best thing that ever happened to us," replies Kallen, shaking her head.

"As things stand, the Britannian government is in chaos! It isn't a question of how it will regain control- it's a question of which faction decides to drag the rest into some ill-planned operation, one we can exploit! We can turn it into a nightmare for them, a public relations disaster- an attack that would erode the confidence of Britannians in their own government, not one that would spur them against a murder! Instead of merely taking his life, we can execute a political assassination, and force him to abdicate!"

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with a Britannian," Colonel Kusakabe mutters, shaking his head ruefully, "and a teenager, at that. But she's right! Clovis is a wimp, and according to our intelligence, he is being pressured from all sides, adding to the ineffectiveness of his forces. To take him out at this stage is madness!"

Voices rise in support, mostly from the military contingent, Kallen notices.

Mary, for her part, graces the colonel with a look filled with scorn after her eyes briefly slide over Kallen and dismiss her as a debate partner. "Hmph." She tosses her long hair over her shoulder with an air of superiority. "That is why old men like you lost!"

Several of the gathered delegates seem to forget themselves, charging the stage at the insult, but Suzaku is suddenly there, settling into a defensive stance before Mary. "Three trained soldiers against one girl. It does not seem fair, is it?" His voice carries a note of warning in it.

"I am not taking that back!" Mary says loudly over the arguments and insults filling the air. "A cowardly choice of retaining the status quo, reassuring ourselves that it is the best we can possibly reach? That is a lie!"

She moves past Suzaku, facing the hot-headed soldiers head on in a deliberate disregard to her safety. "We can win this, people! But not if we keep on settling for second best! Not if we keep on making the same excuses that lead to Japan's humilitating loss!"

There are no outwards signs, but Kallen can feel Suzaku flinch at the words.

"Clovis's replacement would be worse, you say?" Mary is asking the crowd. "Then his fate is clear, isn't it? And the next replacement. And the next one!"

"The time is not right to take a royal head! It's only when the streets themselves cry out for justice- when we win the hearts of the people- can we truly prevail on these grounds! If you do this on the heels of the disaster that was Akihabara, there won't be a shred of support! If the world turned against us, could we possible win?"

People quiet down at the mention of Akihabara, and the air turns oppressive.

Mary is the exception. "We cannot remain chained by Akihabara forever!" she announces to the crowd. "If we put our plans on hold so that the people have time to forget it, then is it not hypocrisy of the highest degree?" She shakes her head resolutely. "I reject this! Public support is fleeting, and we can't run the resistance based on PR data. What we must do is generate support, true support for our cause! People would respect us staying the course! People would respect results! Those results are what we must present to them, and that is why striking at Clovis is so crucial! There is no sign more visible of Britannian tyranny in Japan--"

Mary's lips quirk suddenly. "Oh, excuse me. It is Area Eleven, isn't it? So many of you, here, have accepted that fact with your hearts, that I might as well use terminology that speaks to you."

"You're saying that people will respect us merely because we take action without considering why!" snarls Kallen. "Goad that tyranny into damning itself, and freeing Japan from it's false names becomes simple! Kill Clovis, and the only support we'll ever get is that we already have- people will not rally around outright murder!"

A sharp change goes through Mary. While so animated just then, she suddenly becomes languid and, perhaps, even a touch bored as she finally levels her gaze at Kallen.

"Ah, I see the plan you propose now," she drawls out. "Wait for Clovis or those under his command to commit atrocities against the Japanese. Then, having attained that mythical high moral ground, we will nag Clovis out of office. We'll make the newspapers write harsh words about his vile misdeeds, thus gaining worldwide support in our campaign against Britannia."

The smile she gives Kallen is positively catty. "Perhaps your group could loan him one of those weapons that proved so effective in Akihabara, Kallen, so that our beloved governor would not need to labor so to manufacture just the right kind of massacre we would like to flay him over?"

Inoue stands up sharply, teeth clenched. Suzaku pales visibly, but comes to stand by Mary's side. Still on the stage, Toudou seems concerned, but all that and more is but background noise. Mary, looking down on her from the stage, is all that matters to Kallen.

"It wasn't meant to be that way!" replies Kallen, seething, shivering, clutching her fist against her chest. "But the Britannians have been intentionally massacring us for years! And every time- every time!- it's been called... rezoning. Connstruction. Police work. A *traffic jam*. They have their pretexts, their lies- from a nation that claims right to exist because it reveals the truth! If you want to wage war against Britannia, then we need to break the slogans it uses to prop itself up. If all we needed to do was kill the royals, then..."

She snorts. "We might as well go to Pendragon, if you're talking about the head. Assassins struck within six years ago, did they not? And they were never found. Clearly, it can be done. Would it be enough? I'm not convinced."

<--->

<--->

"What's with this us?" a woman behind Kallen exclaims, jumping to her feet. "You're Britannian, too! Don't ignore it when it's convenient!"

"Shut up!" Inoue exclaims, whirling on her. "Kallen is as Japanese as you and me!"

Mary's eyes narrow, but before she can say anything, Suzaku storms towards Kallen. "How dare you?!" he exclaims, and his anger is palpable. "You don't know what you're talking about--"

"Why should we listen to a little traitor like you?" Colonel Kusakabe exclaims, staring Suzaku down. "Didn't you turn your back on your heritage and try to enlist with Britannia?"

"That is quite enough," Toudou says. His voice sounds calm, but it still manages to stop everyone in their tracks. It cuts through Kallen's anger, making her feel as if she had a bucket of freezing water dumped over her head. "We have heard several opinions here, today," he continues, knowing that he has everyone's attention and using that influence. "I propose that we reconvene tomorrow morning to decide on the JLF's path." It doesn't sound like a request or a mere suggestion.

Already with one foot forward and a hand halfway up at Suzaku's approach, Toudou's words cause Kallen to drop back into her seat a moment later. Her gaze fixes on Kururugi, in a clear answer to his challenge.

"Toudou-san is right," Mary uses the ensuing silence to speak. "This is an important decision, after all. It should be based, at least in part, on logic and not on flaring tempers and pointless provocations."

At her words, Suzaku stands down, but his gaze is saying, 'This isn't over,' in a way that doesn't lend itself to misinterpretation.

It shouldn't be Kallen who says that what's done is done, she reflects. "We have the same ultimate goal, after all," she adds. "No matter what is decided in the end, all of us need to follow it through."

Mary bows respectfully to Toudou and to the man in the Burai, and without waiting on a response, strides over to the exit. She seems to exude an aura that makes the sea of people part before her, none harassing the raven-haired woman as she leaves. She does not visibly respond to Kallen's words, but her gaze falls upon the redhead briefly; Kallen is the only one to get such a treatment, and then she is gone, Suzaku catching up.

Inoue places her hand on Kallen's shoulder. She grimaces, whispering, "Think I twisted my ankle. The bad one."

"Want to just rest for a minute? There's no hurry," replies Kallen, turning from the retreating duo and putting her attention back on her companion. "At least, not for us."

Inoue seems miserable as she nods, dropping heavily into her folding chair. "I don't think I can make it back up on my own."

"Ah, don't be like that. They've gotta have another exit. There's too much stuff here, even a Knightmare," replies Kallen, standing up herself. "I'll go find something."

Leaving Inoue behind for a moment, Kallen heads through the crowd, towards the bespectacled soldier, coming right up to the stage. "Asahina-san, can you help me with something?" she asks, without preamble.

"Actually, it's about Inoue. There's an old injury she's having trouble with, and she probably can't climb that ladder. Is there another way out?"

Asahina studies Kallen for several moments. "Shinjuku, right?" he asks. "This is a problem. As must be obvious, the Knightmares have a different way of getting here, but it is restricted."

People continue to leave through the designated exit; most are angry, Kallen senses, but none of it seems to be focused on her specifically, at least.

"Oh, don't be like that," a youthful voice calls out from the same alcove the Burai emerged from earlier. "We have a duty to help sick and injured people, don't we?"

"What are you doing here?" Toudou asks, sounding nonplussed. "This is no place for children."

"Hmph." The girl emerges fully from the shadows, and the first thing about her Kallen notices is her striking emerald eyes. "If I'm a kid, then what about her?" She points at Kallen. "Just because she's unnaturally busty, does she get a free pass?"

"Because I work, dammit! What do you do, shrimp?" snaps Kallen, whirling at the voice. "And is that jealousy I hear? You need brit blood for that, don't be." Folding her arms, her voice drops. "What's with that attitude, anyway? Hanging around privates so long that you've picked up their talk?"

"Eww, Britannian cooties." The girl makes a face. "The price, it's just too high!"

Asahina looks embarrassed. Kallen can tell it's genuine.

"It's a serious concern for me," mutters Kallen, briefly recalling the Valentine's incident. "-annnnnnnyway, whose kid are you?"

"What's it to you?" she asks, crossing her hands in front of her chest. It is easy for Kallen to tell that her jab about jealousy wasn't far off the mark.

"Depends. I wanna take a friend for a ride in a knightmare. Can you help me with that?" replies Kallen.

"Not really," the girl responds, stretching languidly. "They're all the rage, and there would be all sorts of whining and going "No, Kaguya, you can't take the prototype for a ride." She makes a face. "If you really want to leave this joint, how about using the rails?"

Toudou looks torn even as he keeps his silence, while Asahina beats a hasty retreat.

"Aww. Good enough. Y'know, I was thinking we'd have to steal knightmares or something. Now I wanna try testing one of these Burai, see how it handles. Pity, but what can you do?" remarks Kallen, gesturing briefly at Inoue. "Gonna show us the way?"

Kaguya makes a point of eyeing Kallen, and turns up her nose at the end of her inspection. "You? Right. Have you ever actually gotten into one of them before?" Her tone seems to imply that she has experience.

"Yeah. I beat everyone in simulations, too," replies Kallen. "But they didn't like it when I said I wanted to be a Japanese Knight..."

"They probably just didn't like being around a stupid person," Kaguya says, waving her hand in a dismissive fashion. "Don't take it personally."

Another Burai emerges from the alcove, and it lowers to one knee, the cockpit block opening. A young woman stands up, dressed in a uniform Kallen can't immediately place. She is the very image of a Japanese lady, until one takes a look at her fiery red hair. "We shouldn't stay here too long, Kaguya," she says, using a cable to lower herself the rest of the way down.

Kaguya sighs. "Alright. I get it. But we're still taking them, Akiha?" She gestures at Kallen, and the distant Inoue. Most of the room's occupants have left by now.

The response is a brief nod.

"She's so magnanimous, isn't she, Inoue?" mutters Kallen, as she heads to the bluette's side to help her along.

Inoue accepts it silently, radiating shame. Akiha materializes at her other side, and though Inoue initially resists, the redheads overcome her in no time.

"Alright!" Kaguya declares, punching the air triumphantly. "Let's go!"

As the energetic girl leads the way into the alcove, Kallen spots Akiha and Toudou exchanging nods, the latter moving towards the now-vacant Burai.

Kallen follows, though she didn't think it would take two people to help Inoue along. "What did you think of the meeting?" she asks, addressing the other girls in quiet tones.

Kaguya leads them deeper inside, and Kallen realizes that it was not an alcove at all, but a tunnel. A railroad starts not far from the entrance, and a vehicle capable of traveling it awaits.

"She'll get their support," Inoue says, gritting her teeth. "And get them all killed. Wouldn't you normally consider the chance of failure and plan for it? She plans to discard all that, I can feel it." Her face twists into a grimace, as if she had bitten into something particularly bitter. "And the worst part is that I can't help but think she might be able to pull it off!"

"It must be why Toudou-san approved of her ability without much of a resume," Akiha muses in response, being surprisingly open despite her previously reserved approach. "It's not recklessness on her part. She knows exactly what she's doing."

"Where did she come from?" asks Kallen, deciding to indulge her curiosity. "She must have already proved herself somehow, right? To Toudou-san, if not to the rest of us."

"You didn't know?" Akiha asks, showing surprise. She frowns. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Mary leads the Saitama cell."

Inoue grows quiet at the mention.

"To be honest, the thought crossed my mind," mutters Kallen. "It's natural to go after the leader in war, but I can't believe she'd suggest killing Clovis now. The military is practically willing to tear itself apart already. More than anything, this is like... trying to let them know that we exist."

Frowning, her voice becomes more worried. "As far as killing him goes, you know, I don't actually think that, in itself, would be impossible."

"In a way," Akiha responds, "it is true. Few things are ever impossible. As you've pointed out, even an assassination deep within Imperial territory is possible. However, there have been numerous attempts on Governor Clovis's life before, none successful, and none at a time of such hysteria and increased security protocols that border on the paranoid. This would pretty much necessitate her to assassinate the Governor at his home, as he no longer leaves it, and it is built like a fort. However you look at it, that would represent a tactical achievement few could match."

Inoue nods sourly. "That girl wouldn't be the first to try," she agrees. "But if she succeeds, that just means the JLF is hers to do with as she wishes. Dammit, I didn't join a suicide pact!"

Akiha shakes her head. "I don't believe that would take place. The military elements would never follow a Britannian, even if Toudou-san approves of her. Even if Kyoto approves of her."

"But a lot of the resistance is not arranged on military lines," replies Kallen. "Saitama and Shinjuku aren't the only ghettos. The Purists might run out and drag the rest of the army behind them- she might try and do the same herself."

Akiha's mouth becomes a flat line. "I find the comparison distasteful," she states. "Mary might be many things, but she is not a genocidal racist by any measure. Toudou-san met with her, and he is not in the habit of allying himself--"

"Hey, we're here! Hurry up!" Kaguya calls over, turning to wave at the three. "I don't have all day, you know!"

"I didn't mean to say it like that," replies Kallen, unwilling to pick up the pace for someone so young-seeming. "I just feel that the worst thing we can do is split ourselves and end up working at cross-purposes."

Akiha and Inoue seem to agree on that, and the former settles down.

A few dozen steps cover the distance to the vehicle, appearing much like a cable car. It seats six, more than enough for Akiha and Kaguya to claim one side and leave the seats opposite them to Inoue and Kallen. As it starts moving, Kaguya tilts her head, pressing her lips together in an expression Kallen secretly finds adorable.

"Oh, right!" the girl exclaims. "We haven't introduced ourselves, have we?" Appearing haughty, she states, "You have the pleasure of meeting Tohno Kaguya face to face. Know that it is a great honor!" She smiles brightly, and swivels in her seat to look at her older companion. "Did I do it right, Akiha?"

The redhead ignores the question, instead saying, "Likewise, Tohno Akiha. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." She concludes her introduction with a bow from her seating position.

"Kouzuki Kallen. The pleasure's all mine," she responds, mirroring the bow with a faint grin and trying to resist snatching Kaguya to take her home.

"Inoue Kikuko," the bluette concludes the round of introductions. "Sorry for the trouble."

Kaguya waves it away. "It's okay, I was bored anyway."

Akiha's eyes narrow. "So that is why."

The younger girl suddenly looks shifty.

"What's your relation? Cousins?" queries Kallen, glancing from Akiha to Kaguya and trying to reconcile the two completely-different looking girls.

"Our relationship goes deeper than that!" Kaguya protests instantly, her hands forming tiny fists that she shakes at Kallen. "It is a special bond that transcends social norms!"

Akiha slaps her upside the head. "Stop doing that. I know it's on purpose." She sounds cross, but the look she gives Kallen and Inoue is apologetic. "Sisters."

As Kaguya looks away, puffing her cheeks, Kallen must admit that hair color aside, their bearing and general features have things in common.

"Hear that, Inoue? You should form a club," murmurs Kallen, nudging her companion. "It must be hard," she adds, for Akiha's benefit. "I know."

Inoue reddens at Kallen's words.

"Withholding piloting priveleges works wonders," Akiha says dryly, ignoring the byplay, while Kaguya whirls on her with a distraught expression. "You wouldn't!"

Kallen snickers at the blatant threat. "You could do martial arts instead. With some proper training, even you could become someone formidable!"

"Even you? Hey, what's with that even?" Kaguya demands, standing up to tower over Kallen, hands on her hips. Then, the moment is ruined as the car jerks, sending the girl crashing bodily into Kallen.

Akiha chuckles. "The Kaguya Effect. Put that girl into anything mechanical, and if there is a way to cause it to malfunction, she'll find it. Entirely by accident." She shakes her head. "I sometimes wonder whether that makes her the better test pilot."

Kaguya sputters indignantly, but there's not much she can do while tangled up ignobly with Kallen.

"You just need to get your hands on them, is that it? 12 is too young to be a pervert!" growls Kallen, grabbing Kaguya's head and starting to noogie her. "First lesson! Headlock!"

Kaguya contorts herself into several shapes that leave Kallen in doubt as to existence of the younger girl's spine, trying to escape. Finally, her chance comes, as she manages to bite at Kallen's hand.

"Sharp teeth, too," Akiha notes, sighing.

Wincing a little, Kallen eventually shoves Kaguya lightly away from her and back into her seat. "Using every weapon you have avaliable is how it goes," she admits, shaking her palm.

Kaguya grins triumphantly despite her tussled up hair, proudly displaing her white teeth.

And as the car speeds off into the unknown, Kallen suddenly realizes that the nostalgic feeling she had experienced back at the meeting has left her some time during their trip, taking along with it the added sensitivity of her Geass.

<--->

<--->

[16:57] Their ride reaches its destination. Kallen can't tell the difference, but Kaguya's face lights up. "Welcome to my secret base!" she announces loudly, spreading her arms widely as she stands up.
[16:57] Akiha brings a hand to her forehead, sighing. "Something about that greeting didn't sound right," she mutters, and Inoue snorts.
[16:58] A tunnel leads ahead, but the rail ends here.
[16:59] "But it's at least half-accurate?" remarks Kallen, shortly standing up and offering Inoue a hand.
[16:59] "It is a very splendid secret base!" Kaguya insists, as Inoue accepts Kallen's help without her previous fuss.
[17:03] Well, it isn't a treehouse, after all. "Impressive, for a kid," she decides to admit. "How long have you had it?"
[17:07] Akiha coughs. "Since we took you here, there can't be any harm in telling you," she says. "This is one of Kyoto's research facilities for Knightmares. Since people we can't afford to lose frequent the JLF meetings, there is a rail leading there the leaders could use either to escape or to call in reinforcements."
[17:07] She looks embarrassed as Kaguya exclaims, "That's what I said! A secret base, a secret base!"
[17:13] "Nice. Truth be told, I'm amazed the resources to make this happen exist in the first place," admits Kallen, somewhat astounded. Her voice droops, a little. "If I'd known..."
[17:17] "Japan wasn't defeated," Akiha says to that. "Since we didn't fight, didn't even get a chance to fight, our resources were mostly intact. And we haven't been idle since, not those loyal to the cause of freedom."
[17:17] Kaguya ignores the exchange, running ahead. "I'll tell everyone we have guests!" she calls over her shoulder, and disappears around a curve.
[17:17] Akiha sighs. "I suppose it should be safe, here."
[17:17] "Your burden is a heavy one," Inoue sympathizes.
[17:19] "Especially when there are those who decided it wasn't worth taking," adds Kallen, dryly.
[17:22] Akiha nods sharply. She doesn't respond beyond that, but there's anger in her eyes.
[17:22] "Guests, was it?" Inoue speaks into the somewhat-oppressive silence.
[17:22] Akiha startles. "Oh. I doubt a request from Kaguya would be denied if she pouts, so we could put you two up for the night if you would like."
[17:24] "Sure. How could we possibly refuse such energetic hospitality?"
[17:25] "By sneaking out while she's preoccupied," Akiha responds, sounding perfectly serious.
[17:25] "She might come after us. In her knightmare."
[17:27] Akiha rolls her eyes. "Don't feed her delusions. Even if we're desperate, we wouldn't let thirteen year olds pilot."
[17:30] "It sounded like she had trained already," admits Kallen. Nobles start learning young, though they're naturally not on the battlefield until they're of the right age. In theory.
[17:36] "Well." Akiha colors slightly, turning her head away from Inoue and Kallen. "It's hard for me to refuse, too, sometimes. But it's under controlled circumstances."
[17:36] The light gets brigther as they walk. Rounding yet another corner allows Kallen and Inoue to see the tunnel finally opening up into a cavern. Unlike the spartan look of the one used for the meeting, the one ahead seems more like a basement than a cave. Its center is dominated by a dismantled Knightmare similar to the Burai Kallen had seen that evening,
[17:36] lying there like a dissected corpse as scientists gather around it, easily discernible by their coats and clipboards.
[17:38] There are six of them-- no, seven, as another appears, stepping out from behind the Knightmare's head. A middle-aged man, he is talking to Kaguya as she relates something to him animatedly, waving her arms for emphasis. On top of them, there are several JLF troops nearby, and an older woman wearing the same kind of uniform Akiha is.
[17:42] Kallen starts heading towards Kaguya, curiously glancing at the Knightmare skeleton that dominates the room along the way. When attention inevitably comes her way, she bows. "Kouzuki Kallen, and Kikuko Inoue, from Shinjuku. Sorry for presuming on you all like this."
[17:49] "My, you've even taken to introducing me to everyone?" Inoue asks, hanging off Kallen's arm.
[17:49] Akiha rolls her eyes. "Now I get it," she mutters, before walking off to the older woman now studying them. Kallen places her in the late twenties. Her hair is dark, almost purple, the way the light hits it, and curly. She smirks, and greets Akiha, who responds in kind.
[17:50] "Ah, so that is how it is," the scientist who was seen talking to Kaguya earlier says wearily. "This is what she meant by the urgent need for permission." Seemingly dismissing Inoue and Kallen, he lectures the young girl, "Now, Kaguya, what have we said about asking for permission?"
[17:50] "When you can't get it quickly enough, seek forgiveness?" Kaguya responds, seeming to be reciting from memory.
[17:52] "Keep talking like that, and you'll be buying your own cake again this Christmas," scolds Kallen quietly, before quirking her lips at Kaguya's response.
[17:55] "Now that's just below the belt," Inoue grouses.
[17:55] Kaguya keeps on smiling disarmingly at the man scolding her, and he sighs. Finally acknowledging Kallen and Kikuko, he seems to shrug. "Shinjuku, was it? Well, as long as you don't touch anything. I'm Daisuke."
[17:59] "We'll try not to break anything. Although I kinda wanted a shot," replies Kallen, trailing off towards the end.
[18:00] "A shot?" he asks, sounding confused.
[18:00] "Nothing. Mind showing us around, Kaguya-chan?"
[18:03] Inoue winces at the question. "Actually, if there's some place to get dinner," she says, Kallen catching her throw a quick glance to her wounded leg. Kaguya appears oblivious. "We can do both!" she exclaims. "Akiha! Hey, Akiha! You and Kujo are going to get some food anyway, right? Take Inoue along!"
[18:04] Daisuke uses this chance to slip off, shaking his head.
[18:07] "See you in a few, then?" offers Kallen, after a moment. "I want to check the place out a bit, so..."
[18:12] "Have fun," the bluette wishes, sounding relieved. There is no time for Kallen to respond, as Kaguya latches onto her arm and drags her off with surprising force for a thirteen year old girl.
[18:12] The secret base, as Kaguya refers to it, has several facilities for the staff living in it; she skips them altogether, judging them to be too boring to be included in the tour. The large are the tunnel connects to is merely where the Knightmares undergo final testing before assembly, Kallen learns. There are also separate chambers for the various unique systems making up Knightmares,
[18:12] from their sensors through their armament to propulsion; here, Kallen is denied access, even when Kaguya tries to force their way in.
[18:16] "Do you have simulators?" asks Kallen, after heading away from another attempt at brute-force diplomacy. "Or is it all live exercises?"
[18:19] "Well...." Kaguya gathers her hands behind herself, rolling back and forth on the balls of her feet. "What should I do, I wonder?"
[18:24] "I guess they might not let you in, though," continues Kallen, holding her hands behind her head. "The real pilots might object."
[18:24] "Hey, now!" Kaguya's hands are balled into fists once more, and she places them on her hips. "I am an excellent pilot!"
[18:25] "Hmm? Can you prove that?" counters Kallen, peering down at the younger girl.
[18:26] "I can!" Kaguya asserts.
[18:26] "Show me!" replies Kallen, with a grin.
[18:27] "No way!" Kaguya snorts. "What do you take me for, a kid?"
[18:28] "So you can't," replies Kallen, sadly.
[18:29] Kaguya brings her fists under her chin, looking up at Kallen. "That's not it! But if I just give in at such a simple trick and show you, I'll look like an idiot!"
[18:36] "But if you don't, then you look inconstant," replies Kallen, raising a finger. "Besides, if you're that good, then I look like the idiot for trying to trick you, right? And besides, I want to see for myself if the Japanese Knightmare measures up to Britannia's current models."
[18:37] Kaguya looks miserable. "I'll let you win this round!" she exclaims, pointing at Kallen, her index finger a mere whisper from the redhead's nose. "Let's sneak into Kujo's room. She keeps the simulators there."
[18:38] Kallen can't help but tell that Kaguya is a bit excited, too.
[18:42] Anyone would know that just from hearing her speak for a few minutes- not to mention the general proclivity of kids towards sneaking around and keeping secrets. Something she shares, she archly reminds herself. "Sure thing. Kujo's Akiha's friend?"
[18:47] "Maybe a friend. Maybe not. Their intricate relationship cannot be described by mere words!" That certainly sounds familiar, and Kaguya continues to describe the apparently complicated, if she is to be trusted, friendship between the two women even as she leads the way.
[18:47] The living quarters are easy enough to access; Kallen and Kaguya don't encounter anyone along the way, and before long they stand facing a door marked 'L. Kujo'. "This would be difficult without the keycard," Kaguya says, and her eyes are mischievous as she produces one. "Very difficult."
[18:50] Even school is more secure than this. Kallen restraints that from slipping out, merely nodding at Kaguya with a smirk.
[18:56] Kaguya slides the card and enters a five-digit code on the keypad nearby. There is the telltale click of a locking mechanism, and Kaguya pushes the door open. The room contains a messy bed and a closet, but it is dominated by a desk propping up a large monitor currently in sleep mode. A computer hums beneath it, and a tablet is left nearby.
[18:56] There is also a mini-fridge within easy reach of anyone sitting behind the desk.
[18:56] "Where is it," Kaguya mutters, heading towards the closet after a quick glance around. "Did she hide the gear?"
[18:58] "If you sneak in often, she might be adapting."
[18:58] "Nah, Kujo's just a slob," Kaguya throws over her shoulder, opening the closet doors and beginning to rummage through its contents.
[19:00] Kallen tilts her head to get a better view of underneath the haphazard bed, figuring it's the next most likely place to stash this sort of gear if it ain't in the closet.
[19:02] A few beer cans greet Kallen. "Found it!" Kaguya exclaims, struggling with a cumbersome-looking helmet. Wires lead from it, several of them going to a pair of gloves that must be part of the set.
[19:07] "Not exactly lifelike. Does it hook up to the computer?" asks Kallen, glancing at the monitor. "You know, for viewing purposes?"
[19:09] "Don't underestimate this system!" Kaguya says, cheeks red from the exertion. She gives a final, forceful tug and goes flying back as the kit has finally been retrieved from the depths of the closet.
[19:13] Somehow, Kallen manages to catch Kaguya as she tumbles back, preventing her from adding to the already-dismal state of the room. "Right. I am prepared to be surprised," she declares.
[19:15] With Kallen's help, Kaguya manages to get the gear to the desk. She glances at the tablet occupying space there before grabbing and carelessly tossing it over to the bed.
[19:15] "We don't have the space here for an actual simulator," Kaguya tells Kallen, working on hooking the head gear up to the computer. "Plus it's not really a training facility, you know? Some things we can test live, like you said. This... this is for testing weapon systems!"
[19:21] "I get it. Finding a good place for that must be troublesome," muses Kallen. "There aren't many places left where there's really room for proper training, after all... anyway, so it's basically a shooting gallery, right?"
[19:25] "You can move properly and everything, but the feeling is not the same," Kaguya says, entering the password into the computer after she finishes connecting everything. The screen shows a logo in the form of a content-looking cat, of all things, before resetting. Words in Japanese appear on it, and then freeze as Kaguya presses a button. "The system is ready whenever you are."
[19:27] "Interesting. Alright, let's see how it goes," remarks Kallen, pulling on the gloves, and then gingerly settling the helmet on her head, feeling a little bit claustrophobic for a moment.
[19:31] A girl's voice introduces itself as the operator as soon as the helmet is donned, and Kallen is taken in by vertigo as her vision shifts. Words slide across the screen, surrounding a Japanese flag, too fast for her to read in her disoriented state, only dimly aware of sitting down in the real world.
[19:31] "Setup complete," the operator announces, and Kallen's vision shifts yet again! She is floating meters above the ground, looking down at the landscape. It's Tokyo, her Tokyo, and Shinjuku is burning!

<--->

<--->

The chair Kallen is sitting on is fairly rigid, but the accomodations are the least on her mind. She is in a spherical cockpit, its lower part fading away into shadow whenever she glances below. Her gaze doesn't stay fixated there long, however, as the displays of Tokyo burning capture her attention once more. Kallen moves one of her arms, and only then realizes they're holding onto the Knightmare's controls. As she moves, so does the Burai, taking a step ahead. It is steady; the cockpit's design protects Kallen from any aftershocks normally assosiated with such movement.

This full-body virtual reality is a bit different to what she's used to, that's for sure.

Tokyo's burning! The enemy must be upon her, so some kind of target must be close. Remembering how the controls work will only come if she starts using them, so she lets the landspinners hit the ground and takes off in a charge towards whatever awaits her!

There is the sensation of movement, but once Kallen looks away from the main viewer to glance at her controls she realizes it is an illusion, much like the sensation her mind would conjure up if she watched a movie filmed from a rollercoaster.

A tactical map comes into being. There are four green dots -- allies, Kallen can tell, and a congregation of menacing red nearby. Burai one through four are encircling the enemy units in Shibuya, if Kallen's not mistaken.

Outnumbered on their own ground- it doesn't speak well.

Kallen advances to join the other Burai in their encirclement, but takes it upon herself to find a position to get visual contact on the enemy. The buildings and smoke can surely provide cover, morbid as hiding behind flaming structural skeletons could be.

"Loading tactical advisor," the Operator's voice sound in Kallen's ears. A transparent overlay appears over the map, suggesting a route. It would take Kallen's Mark Five to a vantage point rather than to melee itself.

That doesn't suit Kallen. At least, it didn't suit Kallen. Her marskmanship isn't poor, but she was always best at close range!

Still, she has to use the machine as best as she can. There should be some switch that will display her loadout somewhere...

"Ikazuchi equipped," the Operator informs Kallen as she begins to flip switches. She's made it to her designated area, a rooftop overlooking the battlefield. Her fellow Burai are darting to and fro, using the buildings for cover. Britannians are circling the wagons rather literally, as Kallen realizes to her shock that all they have are armored vehicles and troops with anti-armor weaponry. A sight appears over Kallen's right eye as she contemplates the situation; one of the vehicles is being tagged as her target.

Aim at the target. Pull the trigger. Repeat. A volley for one vehicle and a few for the anti-armor units, but this really is a shooting gallery.

No, it's more like she's the invading Britannian, shooting at the technologically inferior Japanese who can't hope to stand up to her weapons and manoueverability.

Her hands fight against the recoil, the sight slipping. Keeping her wits, Kallen sees the vehicle she had been aiming for pierced by a beam of light. The armored carrier falls out of formation immediately, smoke rising from it.

"Charging," she hears, and a repeated squeeze of the trigger brings up a bar. Her weapon is only at fifteen percent, and it would take another minute until a full charge.

The Britannians below use the chance to respond, and Kallen sees the early warning system flash an ominous red. Shoulder-launched rockets are inbound, seven in number.

"You people invented lasers?" demands Kallen. She directs her knightmare to the side of the structure she's on and skids down between it and the neighbouring building, using her landspinners to brace the gap! Even if they're guided missiles, she'd like to see them track her through a wall.

The building takes the brunt of the impact, and Kallen's view shakes. She drops the remaining few feet to the ground and slides away as the ground behind her is peppered by falling cement.

Her fellow Burai are using this chance to assault the Britannians, she can tell from the tactical display. Another rooftop is designated as her next vantage point; Kallen could easily reach it with the help of her pair of slash harkens.

"Charging complete."

The enemy vehicles can't have gone far, if there are even any left. After this, she shouldn't even need to find a new location.

The harpoon-like harken jams itself into the roof of the next building, and a sense of slight vertigo soon follows as the knightmare pulls itself up without Kallen really moving with it.

Another of the vehicles is burning by the time Kallen had made it up. Two more remain; they're focusing their fire on the buildings around them, and the one Kallen had used for cover just then collapses, sending up a cloud of smoke that obscures the area.

It occurs to Kallen that if she was on ground level, she could probably get both of them with a single shot.

Of course, the risk of friendly fire involved isn't trivial, and she fires another bolt towards the nearest vehicle, letting the other Burai deal with the remainder.

The beam pushes the dust aside on its way down, and Kallen can see that she had missed. The near miss turns out to be enough, however, as the vehicle sags, its tires blown out.

"I would've hit that one," Kaguya's voice echoes in the Knightmare's cockpit.

"On your first run?" Kallen is tempted to say, but settles for "Is that it, then? No enemy knightmares?"

The monitors go black, leaving Kallen in darkness.

Taking off the helmet feels like a struggle, given the weight, but it's clearly preferable to being blind.

The first thing Kallen notices as the real world rushes in is that Kaguya is being scolded. Getting the gear off her head, Kallen discovers that they are no longer alone. Inoue is leaning against the doorframe, looking embarrassed. Akiha stands next to her, arms crossed over her chest. She is not the one lecturing Kaguya, however. That task is left to the room's owner.

Kallen has the grace to look slightly ashamed, though she feels obligated to intervene on Kaguya's behalf.

"Kujo-san? You're yelling at the wrong person," she admits, setting the bulky headpiece back on the bed.

"I don't yell," the woman says, dutifully directing her scolding gaze towards Kallen. "Now, who were you, again?"

"Kouzuki Kallen," she replies, standing straight. "Pardon the intrusion, but I just couldn't restrain myself."

"Yes," Kujo agrees scathingly. "The lock to the door for my private quarters, where my personal equipment is stored, adds nothing in the way of restraint. I understand that quite well. In fact, I've come to expect it in Kaguya--"

The younger girl exclaims an indignant "Hey!" but gets ignored by the purple-haired woman.

"Still, I've always held hope that once she got older she realized a few things about boundaries. The future you paint for me, Kouzuki, is quite dark indeed."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll do fine. Unlike me, she has role-models who are... clearly disciplined, even tidy sorts," replies Kallen, straightforwardly. "Sadly, I had to set my own boundaries. On the bright side, that's why I'm here at all."

Kujo cocks an eyebrow. "To clean my room?"

"It looks alright to me," replies Kallen, absently kicking a beer can under the bed.

"Then your job here is done," Kujo says in as clear a dismissal as Kallen had ever heard.

With barely another word and a bow, Kallen makes good on Kujo's demands.

Kaguya moves to follow, but Akiha snatches her effortlessly as she passes by, holding her up as the younger girl's feet dangle helplessly.

With a wave at Akiha, Inoue hobbles after Kallen. "Had enough excitement for the day?" she asks, siding up with the redhead. Kallen would need to slow down or Inoue might fall behind.

"Excitement? This was relaxation," replies Kallen, dropping her pace. "Did you have a nice chat?"

"It was alright," Inoue responds, sighing almost imperceptively in relief as Kallen's pace drops. "Akiha introduced me to her friend. I actually got invited for a few drinks just now, so now you know what I'm giving up for your sake."

"Ah, sorry. I'll treat you sometime to make up for it. You name the time and place."

"Sure, I'll take you up on it," Inoue agrees, smiling. "How about you two? From what I've seen of that girl, relaxation hardly describes any time spent with her."

"She's... well, she's a kid!" responds Kallen. "Walking around the base like she owns it, you'd think she's royalty or something, and she's got enough of a lip that I'd tell she's an army brat, even if we met topside. I like her."

"She's probably allowed places because her sister pilots Unit Four," Inoue muses. "Though Akiha looked pretty depressed when her parents were mentioned, so that could have something to do with it, too."

"I figured something like that was it. It's not like everyone's kid sister hangs around the resistance because they wanted to," replies Kallen.

Somewhere along the way, Inoue took over leading them, and now Kallen can see their destination -- a room with no denominations. "It's a guest room, of sorts," the bluette fills her in. "Kujo said visiting techs use it sometimes, and it's free now."

"Is the meeting tomorrow going to be at the same time as todays?" asks Kallen, punching the open button and stepping in as the doors slide away. "I'm hoping to catch a few people before it starts properly."

"It would be late morning, actually," Inoue reminds Kallen.

"Figures. We'll just have to try and get there early. It's just... a meeting like that, you can't discuss anything properly," mutters Kallen. "Not really."

"Getting there wouldn't be a problem," Inoue agrees. "Not from here. I doubt that anyone getting there tomorrow would still be wavering, though."

"Things are going to split," forecasts Kallen. "And then there will be two resistances. We're already fragmented, it's not much of a stretch."

"Because she's going to take some of the resistance with her no matter what, and there are those who would never make that extra step?" Inoue suggests. There is no elaboration on who 'she' is, nor is there need for it.

"Yes. It's not 'we should kill Clovis', it's 'you should help me, as I go to kill Clovis.' To tell the truth... I'd rather we didn't try at all. But if it's going to be like that, then..."

"Then what?" Inoue asks with a snort, closing the door behind her. The room is spartan, and has enough for two people to stay the night, and not much else. "We should just bow down because it's inevitable?"

"Then we're pretty much stuck supporting her, no matter what we do, aren't we?" points out Kallen. "We can't exactly turn around later and go 'oh, no, we don't support killing Clovis' as a resistance, and it's not like I care to keep him around because I like him."

<--->

<--->

Inoue tries to respond several times, but stops herself. A pensive look comes over her as she sits down heavily. "We could do it first," she suggests.

"But I wanted to keep him alive because he's a load on the establishment," clarifies Kallen. "Even if we did kill him first, wouldn't the other gruops just see that as being.. childish?"

"It all depends on how we present it, right?" Inoue asks, shrugging. "Even if it's childish, as long as it's not a Britannian doing it, many would just overlook that fact. But I get what you're saying. You think that Clovis being alive is worth more to us in the short run, since everyone pretty much agrees he's got to go eventually, right?"

"That's right. It's because while he's alive, I can make contacts in the Britannian military more easily," replies Kallen. "With the information I can get from them, we could launch more effective strikes to take advantage of the current state of affairs, or even when the time comes to actually go after Clovis himself- in battle or out of it.

"That isn't all, either. It's an opportunity for nobles, too. If the Stadtfeld group grows, that's power I can contribute! If there are Japanese companies who aid the Britannians, then it's alright for the reverse to be true. I don't care if Brits call me a traitor in the end, anyway. But this part, I don't think everyone here would approve of."

"Yes," Inoue agrees, "and that's the heart of the matter. I know I'd be uncomfortable with arguing in favor of accepting help from a Brit company, and after calling you Japanese and everything just now. Those who don't know and would only see the surface? You'll never get their vote. They'll spit on you even as they take what they can."

Inoue grimaces as she grows silent. "What if we look at this from another angle?" the bluette suggests finally. "Mary's train of thought goes like this -- she wants recognition, and the shortcut to that is showing us a miracle. With me so far?"

"Yeah. For what it's worth, she can do it. And I think we could, too. Killing just one person isn't terribly miraculous, to me."

"He's not just any person." Inoue grimaces anew as she says this. "But you managed to hit the nail on its head. If killing one person works for Mary, as she slays the personification of Britannia's evils... does that person have to be Clovis?"

"No... no, he's just the highest-profile. He's not the only Brit leader. He's not even the one who antagonizes the Japanese the most," murmurs Kallen.

"Jeremiah Gottwald. The leader of the Purists. Wouldn't striking at him and delivering a real victory on the battlefield reproduce the Itsukushima miracle better than any shadowy assassination?"

"I get it. Following his death, there's a military scramble, made all the worse by Clovis' indecision. The homeland can't really step up to this- he's got to deal with it on his own to prove his worth. Or abdicate in shame.. he's too vain, isn't he? He'd be known as the Coward Prince."

Kallen starts tapping her finger against the table. "The Purists account for about a third of the Knightmares in Britannia, as well as the regular army. Assuming we know where they're going, what sort of odds do you give us?"

"Us?" Inoue raises her eyebrows. "About zero. We could handle an assassination, because we have the means for it. But meeting elite Knightmares in combat? That's not something our group can accomplish with the resources it has. Not alone, at least." She smirks. "But if instead of going head-on against Mary's plan we push for an amendment like that, and we gain popular support for it, we'll end up staying in the loop, don't you think?"

"I don't like how we need to keep up to her tempo. But this is preferable to a dead governor," admits Kallen. "Most of all, I don't want the rebellion to fight itself. Everything would crumble if that happened.

"As for Clovis, I don't want him killed under his bed. He should either fall in battle, or be outright dragged out of his chambers and thrown to a mob. When we take him down, it should be a show of raw force. There's no better way to make a statement about royalty."

Inoue gives Kallen a hooded stare. "Clovis. Die in battle?"

"I'm counting on his pride to drag him out eventually," mutters Kallen. "But I agree that in the future, he has to go, no matter what the means."

"The other option was no better," Inoue continues, ignoring Kallen's mutterings. "A mob lynching, now there's a way to show you're in the right and gain support." She grins immediately. "Don't get me wrong. I won't complain much. Just... bad for the cause, I think."

"This is a revolution we're plotting, not some kind of peaceful transition. In the end, I agree with a lot of what Mary said, after all."

"The most controversial thing about Mary, aside from Mary herself," Inoue says, referring to the young woman's heritage, "is her disrespectful attitude. Not what she seeks for Japan, not really."

"I don't care about that. She doesn't have a choice but to act like that if she wants to be heard."

Inoue doesn't argue with that statement.

Kallen gets up, only to walk a few paces and fall over on her bed. "I can't like her yet, though."

"I'm sure she would be heartbroken over that," Inoue says sarcastically.

"Be sure to tell her what she's missing out on."

Inoue grins in response. "And share? I don't think so."

<--->

<--->

As Kallen finds herself waking up, the first thing that comes to mind is a vague sense of pain. Only as her head clears does she realize that it doesn't belong to her; while still in recovery in some ways, her body feels great.

The next thing she thinks of, inexplicably, is that Inoue doesn't snore. The bluette seems to defy her expectations in that regard.

Not that it would matter if she did- with her current rate of activity, Kallen has already mastered the ability to falling asleep the second her head touches the pillow. Rest is a savoured treat, one which must be preserved at all costs!

Jumping to her feet, she takes a quick shower and gets dressed in her usual outfit, no-doubt clashing with the military sorts all over the base, and briefly checks on how awake Inoue is.

Inoue has yet to wake up, but it's still early enough in the morning that Kallen can let her lie in. It's barely ten past six when she exits the nearby shower.

Stepping out of their borrowed quarters, Kallen pauses for a bit before heading for the mess hall, assuming that's where any other early birds can be found at this time.

She doesn't encounter anyone along the way. The mess hall itself has several technicians present, sullenly eating their food. They don't look like they've slept that night.

Perhaps they aren't the most approchable bunch, but that won't deter Kallen from grabbing some cereal and taking a seat nearby, eventually inquring about if, and where, General Toudou might be found in the morning.

Getting food is easy enough. Getting answers is slightly more complicated. Anyone she approaches claims to not know, although some use it an excuse to maintain their zombie-like behavior.

Just as she is getting frustrated with the lackluster response her query gets, a uniformed man enters the mess hall. It is Asahina, Kallen easily recognizes, one of the Four Holy Swords. He gathers his breakfast, and takes a free seat opposite Kallen, beginning to eat.

"Good morning, Asahina-san," greets Kallen, simultaneously respectful yet somehow familiar in tone. "Do you know if I can speak to the general before the meeting starts today?"

"What is it that you have to tell Todo-san?" Asahina asks somewhat curiously, pausing in his eating.

"It's an dillema," replies Kallen, pausing, and lowering her voice a little. "Um. On how we should proceed in the future. Not just tactically speaking, but ethically. We can't fight straightforwardly, so how should we conduct ourselves? Right now, we have the means to deal a strong blow to Britannia within our hands, but how and where should it be delivered? That's what I want to ask. I have my own ideas, but..."

She pauses for a moment, and frowns. "But I think a general has a better view of things than me. The meeting hall isn't the best place for a calm discussion..."

"The means you've acquired?"

"That.. virus.. was not the only weapon we acquired," replies Kallen, pursing her lips. "We also possess nerve gas and complementary innoculations. With them, there are many places we can strike, whist leaving equipment intact for the taking. A few well-placed raids, and our effectiveness can greatly expand."

Asahina returns to his breakfast, the next minute passing in silent contemplation.

"I expect that Todo-san will meet with your delegation before the meeting," the bespectacled man says eventually, not raising his eyes to meet Kallen's.

"Understood," replies Kallen, not letting the man's shift in demeanour slip by her.

Asahina keeps to himself after that, and though the pace he eats is hardly hurried, it feels that way to Kallen. Once he is finished, he leaves, acknowledging her with a brief nod.

When Kallen returns to the guest room allocated to Inoue and she, the bluette has already risen. Bleary-eyed, she glares at Kallen as the latter enters, before returning her baleful stare to her watch, hanging precariously by a strap from her left hand.

"I don't deserve that look," complains Kallen, dropping onto her own bed. "You'd better get dressed, though, we're expecting visitors.

"I hate you," Inoue states, making Kallen wonder briefly whom she is addressing. Nevertheless, she begins to move about lethargically.

"I asked to speak with General Todo before the meeting," she continues, flipping open her civilian phone and checking it for messages. "Sorry if it's a pain. But there's probably no other opportunity, and since once you get in that room, it's all 'shut up, Britannian!' or 'you're all cowards!'..."

No one desperately sought Kallen out over the night.

"No problem," Inoue grumbles. "We'll just convert him to our side, whatever it might be. Peace of cake."

"We can't defeat Britannia head on. So we'll take what they have and use it against them. That's how we can win this kind of war," replies Kallen, snapping it shut. "It's what forms the core of my strategy, since it's not enough to just produce our own material. There's our side."

There is a knock at the door. "Are you awake?" Akiha's voice carries over. It sounds more like a formality; there is no sense of questioning in her voice.

"Yes, just a second," replies Kallen, giving Inoue a few seconds to get decent before opening the door.

"I'm good," Inoue says, looking presentable. She's loud enough that Akiha takes it as her sign to enter.

The older redhead is not dressed in her uniform. Rather, she wears a skirt that goes past her knees, and an equally modest red blouse. "It seems that it is my duty to play guide for you two, today," she says, prompting Inoue to roll her eyes exaggeratedly.

"Come to Tokyo, we'll return the favour sometime," replies Kallen, grabbing her shoulder-bag and heading through the door. "Where're we going?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Akiha says, and though she keeps her voice light Kallen senses there's more to her words. The pilot redirects her attention towards Inoue in the meantime, a palpable sense of awkwardness emanating from her. "Can you actually walk on your own already?"

"Of course!" the bluette exclaims. The pregnant pause between the question and her answer reveals the truth, however.

"So let's go already, then," replies Kallen, grabbing Inoue's hand anyway and stepping outside.

"And I can believe quite a bit, trust me," she adds, not even remotely joking.

Akiha leads the two to the surface, and over time Inoue comes to lean more and more on Kallen. The route they take is different to the exit through the museum and, thankfully, contains an elevator. A limousine awaits outside, a chauffeur standing at the ready next to it. He opens the door as the trio approaches, and Akiha steps inside gracefully, acknowledging the man with a brief nod.

Kallen slips inside as well, finding it all too similar to going to work back in Tokyo. But at least this time, someone else foots the bill?

Either way, it's true she didn't expect this kind of delivery.

Inoue follows with Kallen's help, not looking too pleased. Akiha notices, but waits for the chauffeur to close the door behind them and get in the driver's seat. When he starts the engine, nodding at her in the rearview mirror, she raises the screen between them and says, "Hiding in plain sight is a necessity here, I'm afraid."

The limousine takes off.

"Sure you didn't want us to dress up? Seems fancy," remarks Kallen, leaning back in the chair.

Akiha smiles pleasantly, and waits with her hands folded in her lap. She gives off an entirely different image from yesterday, now, making Kallen compare her to the few rich heiresses she has been briefly introduced to in the past. Today's Tohno Akiha would feel right in, perhaps even edging some of them out.

Inoue scowls. "So where are we going?" she asks, straight and to the point. "Maybe we really should stop somewhere and I'll dress up."

"Our destination is the Pendragon. We won't be staying there long enough to warrant fancy clothing, however," she responds.

Things make more sense to Kallen, now. Indeed, a limousine would be the best camouflage when going to the most expensive Britannian hotel in Kyoto. As long as they never leave its confines, that is.

Which brings the question of who they're going to see into clear view.

Watching Akiha, Kallen remembers feeling so awkward around those other girls, and at the time pretending sickness seemed the best way to get out of having to interact with them  beyond the minimum.

It is hardly a surprise to either girl from Shinjuku when the limousine pulls over next to the hotel, and they see a familiar woman approach. Suzaku is by her side, dressed garishly as a manservant. He opens the door for Mary, who climbs inside to claim a seat by Akiha's side. A glare at Kallen makes his true feelings towards her known, but then the boy closes the car's door and climbs into the front seat.

No one speaks, at first, but before the silence can get oppressive Mary takes the initiative with a simple, "Good morning." She is calm and composed, but that is only what Kallen can tell from her expression and the way she carries herself. Mary's true feelings are a black box, to her.

Maybe it's possible for people to hide them from her, if they try hard enough. Or maybe Mary's special, like Lucille.

The thought sends a chill down Kallen's spine, but she doesn't let it show when she returns the greeting, trying to focus her Geass-given senses on Mary nonetheless. "Morning. I was wondering if I'd be able to see you before the circus begins anew," she replies.

Mary remains unreadable to her senses, appearing not to notice Kallen's scrutiny.

"A circus is a good way of putting it," the raven-haired woman agrees, inclining her head slightly. "I've made a point of paying a visit to those hidden amongst the sheep that had a mind of their own. Does it surprise you that you two would be on that list?"

"Flattery will get you everywhere," remarks Kallen. "Some of us are in positions that demand a choice." There's not much point continuing to try, if results haven't been earned just yet, and Kallen leans back in her seat.

"Well, I agree with what part of what you said, anyway. A defensive outlook is just slow death."

"Excellent," Mary responds to that. "Then we already share common ground. How can we expand it?"

"Negotiating by the book, hmm?" remarks Kallen, with a slight grin. "Alright. Even with that attitude, though, it's an undeniable fact that our forces are just too small. Supplies, manpower, training, logistics, every step is a struggle to overcome.

"The Britannian forces, however, are able to fly their flag at bases all over the country, to say nothing of the greater army on other continents. How can we oppose the world's only superpower, just as we are?"

Mary starts to respond, a whimsical smile appearing on her lips, before she stops. Kallen can practically taste the confusion from Inoue and Akiha alike, the latter concealing it far better, as the silence stretches on.

"By creating the world's other superpower to oppose it," Mary finally says quietly. "It can be done. That man took Britannia, and made it happen. All those disenfrenchized, those dissatisfied with the world he left in his wake... I will take them all, and forge them into a weapon to strike him down."

As that time during the meeting, Kallen is once again struck with just how much such absurd, insane words sound plausible, when spoken by Mary.

Kallen lets out a long breath. "I understand, now. Where we differ," she responds, steepling her hands. "It's my goal to free Japan. Destroying the emperor, destroying Britannia itself- that's a means to me at most, not an end. But for you it's the opposite..."

She looks up at Mary again. "Am I right?"

"The two are one and the same, and any division between them fake and artificial," Mary insists. Her eyes focus on Kallen to the exclusion of all else, capturing the redhead's gaze. "The Emperor is a man of great pride. If he cannot have Japan, he will sear it with fire and salt the ashes. Along with all the colonists, if he has to!"

Mary's voice rises suddenly, and there is a knock from the other side of the sliding screen. Kallen is peripherally aware of Akiha taking hold of a phone and talking on it.

"You think you can free Japan and live happily ever after as the world's only superpower, in your very words, licks its wounds and is shamed on the global arena? As it is deprived of a massive amount of Sakuradite? As such a free nation appears on the border of one of its enemies, in a strategic position Britannia had lost? Think over that, and tell me our goals are opposite!"

"Not while the Emperor still reigns," agrees Kallen. "What would Britannia without him look like, I wonder? Especially if he's toppled by other Britannians, rather than a foreign power, against whom revenge must be taken..."

She meets Mary's stare head-on. "But you're right. Without something like that, one fits into the other. Killing a prince is a symbolic victory, one that can spark a fire! But such an act will bring inevitable retribution, and I won't martyr our rebellion for the sake of the world. When Clovis is killed, we'll have more than knives in the dark to back up our will! I'm not like the JLF, preaching resistance for seven years... whilst standing still.

"The way things are, the current climate, in the wake of Akihabara... I can use it to get everything we need to wage war. Money. Sakuradite. Weapons. Everything. Kill Clovis now, and I guarantee, that chance will be lost. It's his weakness that makes it possible!"

<--->

<--->

"We cannot match Britannia soldier for soldier, Knightmare for Knightmare," Mary states, her expression relaxing. Her posture remains rigid, suggesting she might not be as calm as she seems. "If anything, you might only gain that very interest of Britannia you wished to avoid if you collect enough resources for them to pause and take notice. Doesn't that make your goals contradictory, then?"

"I don't think so. Guerilla warfare can hurt, but it can't dislodge Britannia alone, not on the scale of just Japan... and certainly not on a multinational basis. At some point, we must come forward with enough raw muscle to contest their dominion.

"Thanks to the present state, it's possible for me to put together these resources under the front of a Britannian company. The scale'll not be noticed until the right moment. In the meantime, the lack of coordination in the military faciliates ongoing covert strikes."

"And how would that go?" Akiha seems surprised that she's voiced her thoughts out loud, but her gaze on Kallen doesn't waver. "It's easy to think that just taking over a Britannian company would be enough to turn the tide of the war, but they're neither omnipotent nor all that easy to control."

"It hinges on taking advantage of two factors; the loyalty of top staff to their employers and pockets instead of the crown, and the greviances of those Britannians who have been spurned by their nation."

"The point raised is a valid one," Mary presses on. "Even if the latter turned to be true, and maintaining control of a company in this way was true, what about the former? I could see using Britannian firms as a stepping stone to victory, but to actually bet the success or failure of the struggle upon one?"

Kallen wipes her bangs for a moment, feeling a bead of sweat drop down her forehead.

"Fair enough. It is a lot to ask before producing something tangible," admits Kallen. "I don't know your plan to kill Clovis. Does it have an expiry date? I need a couple of months to put the infrastructure in place, but that would be the hardest part. Afterwards..."

"It's not a matter of expiry dates, I'm afraid," Mary says firmly. "There is a window of opportunity, but the more time passes, the more likely it is to close, the more chances Britannia has to adapt."

Inoue seems surprised, Kallen notices.

"If anything, I would've thought now is the hardest time to attempt something like that."

"It is," Mary responds instantly, "which also makes it the best time, you realize."

"What is it you're actually trying to accomplish by asassinating him?"

"It is not just the elimination of a criminal," Mary says at length. "That is important, as is proving that it can be done. But the manner in which Clovis would be executed is just as important, if not more so. Clovis is a stepping stone, while my real targets are Cornelia and Schneizel."

The second prince and second princess. Kallen knows of them, of course -- who doesn't? But she'd never heard their names spoken with such an intense, peculiar mix of emotion, of admiration and hatred all at once.

They don't arouse any particular emotion in Kallen, apart from a slight apprehension due to their respective reputations. Excellent generals both, admired throughout the empire...

"Are they stepping stones to the Emperor, as you'd put it?"

Mary gives her a curt nod.

"Disregarding the first princess I can understand," Akiha voices. "But what about the first prince? Even if his reputation is right on the mark, unlike her, he holds an important role in the Britannian chain of command. Wouldn't getting to him be just as effective?"

This time, Mary shakes her head. "Actual status is irrelevant, here. Cornelia and Schneizel are both the true threats, and the favored children of the Emperor. He would not care if others died, but with those two...." She trails off, an unreadable expression on her face.

Akiha settles back into the comfortable seats, appearing satisfied with the explanation. There's also curiousity, hidden below the surface, but she keeps it closely under wraps; Kallen doubts anyone beside her would have picked up on that.

"Their reputations speak for themselves," murmurs Kallen, glancing briefly at Inoue and trailing off for a moment herself. She can't seperate her thoughts from Nunnally and Lelouch; talking about the royal family cannot help but bring them to mind. What would they think of murdering their siblings?

Nunnally would probably hate it, but if you follow Lelouch's hatred for nobility to the obvious conclusion...

"The plan, then, would be to deal with them in a similar fashion when they arrive?"

"The same trick won't work twice," Mary responds. "An escalation would be in order. But details aside, yes. Their deaths would demoralize the Briannian military ranks and command, and draw out our real enemy. That's not the entire plan of action; we can't believe that assassinations alone are enough. But they are at the core of the plan, for without them, Japan will never be free."

"The Chinese had thirty-six strategems for conflict; the thirtieth; 'Make the host and guest exchange roles'," replies Kallen, after a moment. "The other advantage to my position is the ability to influence the upper strata of society. That's why deposing Clovis via embarrasment appeals; from the royalty, governership would surely go to the nobility; another step closer to where it can be influenced. To me that's the better idea; to twist them from within whilst building up in secret. Then we can turn things over in one stroke, and be ready to defend against any follow-up assault.

"Still, if we went by your way, in what ways would a Britannian firm be most helpful to the cause? With the proper time and resources, I can arrange for Knightmare R&D, as well as production."

Mary doesn't immediately speak, choosing to subject Kallen to undisguised scrutiny.

"Are you implying what I think you are?" she asks when the silence begins to feel uncomfortable. Her next question marks the first as rhetorical, asked for the sake of needing to vocalize it. "And are you in a position to seize power in that moment of vacuum?"

"Yes."

Inoue is distinctly uncomfortable with the discussion, Kallen acutely feels.

Mary supports her chin with a hand, deeply in thought. "In that case, you should support Clovis's assassination," she declares at last with an air of authority. "Embarrassed royals tend to lash out, especially incompetent mediocrities such as he. You couldn't maneuver into position without alerting him to something, and he wouldn't need much reason to make you feel his wrath. Better that you position yourself into the right spot without appearing to provide an alternative option to him, and then slide in naturally into the vacancy once the strike on Clovis takes place. You would be the only one to know of the timing and the means, and as such, the one most prepared."

"So what would the means and time be, then?" replies Kallen. "If Cornelia or Schneizel choose to intervene after his death..."

"We want them to," Mary interjects, biting on her thumb. "But it's alright. They're arrogant enough to leave you a chance. Cornelia doesn't care about anything beyond charging out into the field blindly, and governship would be beneath her. Schneizel would prefer plotting in the background, anyway, so he's no threat in this area."

"If I can ask... did you know them personally?" asks Kallen, thinking about Mary's words.

If what she says is true, it's actually ideal. If she became governor and the royals appeared anyway, then they'd certainly have to confer with Kallen at some point... and that would be that. It sounds so nice in theory.

Mary leans back, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You can ask," she responds, and there seems to be a smirk playing across her lips.

"Even Toudou-san would not go along with such a plan," Akiha speaks. She sounds antsy.

"Make the host and guest exchange roles," Mary repeats Kallen's earlier words. "It's an interesting approach to defeating Britannia, isn't it?"

"By becoming it?!" Akiha exclaims, pretenses of propriety gone.

"Just as we've taken their Knightmares for our own," Mary says with a meaningful glance at the older redhead, which silences her immediately.

"But Akiha-san has a point," replies Kallen. "The JLF is overwhelmingly unlikely to accept this kind of plan without some assurance that we're on the level, and what could be enough?"

"Was the JLF aware of your original plans?" Mary asks curiously.

"No... I wanted to show my worth before coming forward with them publically," replies Kallen, seriously. "It feels rich to ask people to trust me without any results."

Mary smiles at that. "Then isn't your question already answered? There is little need to reveal every detail of the plan to the JLF at this point. As for sufficient results, those would be assassinating the well-protected Clovis and seizing power, even under Britannian auspices and limitations."

"So. How do you propose to do that, then?" asks Kallen, after a moment.

"We play it by ear at the meeting," Mary responds. "Working together is the important part. There is no need to present a unified front. In fact, it might help to have discord in the Britannian contingent of the resistance, wouldn't you say?"

"I don't like that. It's one thing to deceive Britannians, but this is something else," replies Kallen, frowning.

"I suppose it is deception," Mary admits. "But knowing some of them, they would prefer to go against common sense if it meant avoiding siding with Britannians. By conveniently grouping ourselves together on a single side, we might well be signing their death warrants as they prefer to do something reckless on their own instead."

Inoue snorts here. "Something reckless. Unlike, say, taking over Japan and killing royalty."

"Unlike that," Mary agrees.

"I don't think there's any completely rationale means of achieving our goals," admits Kallen. "If someone comes up with one, though, I'll be sure to listen."

"Opposing each other now could lead to problems further down the track as it is, anyway. There's already enough room for misunderstanding without inflating it," adds Kallen, with a shrug.

"True enough," Mary acknowledges, though Kallen detects a note of reluctance in her voice. "Perhaps we can present the results quickly enough to sway all but the blind."

Before anyone does anything 'reckless', it goes unsaid.

It wouldn't be a problem if Kallen used her Geass on the most vocal elements. Which would neatly trivialize her issues with merely lying to her comrades. Opposing Britannia seemed so much simpler when she didn't have to actually figure out how.

"Then we'll meet again in a few hours, I suppose. Out of curiosity, who else have you spoken to?"

"I've tried to meet with the highly-ranked officers," Mary responds. "Some were more practical than others. And, of course, with all the groups from the greater Tokyo area."

It is a curt answer, but it covers Kallen's question adequately. The redhead chooses not to press, perhaps because her mind is still preoccupied with the conversation that took place just then. As such, she doesn't notice the limousine had stopped until the door is opening on Inoue's side.

"End of the line," Akiha says, smiling at the pair from Shinjuku. "We could either swing by to collect you in a few, or you could get to the meeting spot on your own. Which is it?"

The car is in downtown Kyoto, Kallen guesses. It wouldn't be impossible to reach the museum on foot from here.

"Is there an option that doesn't involve a gigantic ladder?"

"Be here half an hour in advance, then," Akiha returns.

Inoue nods, and climbs outside.

"I planned to speak with Toudou-san before the meeting began," adds Kallen, quickly. "Will that still be possible? This was rather longer than expected."

"I'll pass it on," Akiha promises.

Mary moves past her, and a surprised expression briefly crosses the older redhead's face. "We were going to take you back--" she begins, but Mary waves her off.

"I could use a walk. Don't worry about me, I'll be there on time."

<--->

<--->

The limousine drives off. Mary's eyes linger on it until it turns a corner and drives out of sight, and then she walks away herself, heading towards a cafe.

"Sounds like we have a few hours to kill," Inoue muses. She finds a bench nearby, limpting towards it and seating herself. "Might as well do it here rather than some dank place underground."

The wait seems longer than it is, but that could be due to Kallen checking the time every few minutes. Exactly thirty four minutes before the meeting is slated to start, a car pulls over by the roadside, an off white, aged Honda. There is only one person in the car, Kallen can see upon approaching it. Toudou is sitting behind the driver's wheel.

"The two of you asked to speak to me beforehand?" he states curtly, as Inoue's eyes widen in surprise.

"Ah, yes," replies Kallen, somehow falling into a detached persona that seems to be worming it's way into most of her conversations, lately.

"I should've caught you after the meeting yesterday, sorry about making you come out like this. Shall we get in?"

"I needed to clear my head," he says, gesturing for the door. Inoue takes the invitation, sliding into the back seat. "This was along the way."

"I'm afraid all I'm going to do is fill it again," replies Kallen, getting in alongside Inoue and closing the door behind her.

"We don't have much time before the meeting proper starts again, so I'll get straight to the point. The night of Akihabara had several outcomes, and one that's yet to make it's impact involves a stolen weapon. It isn't yet widely known, but we current possess a significant quantity of lethal nerve gas, as well as a corresponding vaccine."

Toudou nods. The car merges with the morning traffic.

"As Kallen's said, it's tactically significant--" Inoue starts to say when he remains silent, but that is when Toudou speaks again.

"We are aware of that."

"We're not generals," replies Kallen, after a beat. "We're fighters. This stuff is ready to go wherever we need it. I'd thought to target the resources of the Purist faction. By nature, it's perfectly suited for- well, stealing more gear, but on a larger scale. How feasible is this?"

"Unless you have vastly more of the nerve gas than we were lead to believe, such a large scale operation would not be sustainable," Toudou responds. "Also, the weapon's effectiveness would drop considerably with each useage, unless all the surgical strikes went through simultaneously."

"We have enough to decapitate the head of their forces. It's not a feat to be repeated, since our supply is limited," replies Kallen. "But they're responsible for many of the Knightmares, here! If we at least targeted the hangars and service areas, it's a one-time opportunity to boost our capabilities."

"That would definitely alter the status quo, moving us forward by definition," Toudou agrees. "If this strike succeeded, of course. Having a disproportionate amount of Knightmares means enough can protect themselves in time and oppose us, and being zealots they disdain staying near anything Japanese. Their true bases lie in the heart of the Britannian settlements, the guard on them second only to the Governor's palace."

"Would you consider making it happen? It's the best use I can think of," replies Kallen. "Other targets don't really have the strategic value that warrants the opportunities we can get, and I'm confident the gas can be smuggled in."

Toudou doesn't react outwardly, but Kallen notices a shift in him. The general is feeling curious, mild traces of confusion and admiration following far behind.

"Smuggling enough of the gas into position on the high-security base of Britannian racists who loathe the Japanese seems like the hardest part of this operation," Toudou notes. "What exactly are you having trouble with, then?"

"As for getting the gas in, well, that's espionage. Getting our people in and out? That's as straight-up a war scene as you get."

"We could help with the planning," Toudou says, and Kallen can almost hear him think. "Organize a diversion to distract any pursuers. Arrange for safe houses and storage facilities."

Inoue looks uplifted, but his next words cause her smile to slip.

"We can't, however, do more or actually intervene without taking control of this operation."

"Personel is out of the question? What about training? We need pilots, or we can't get this off the ground," replies Kallen, glancing at Inoue.

Inoue rolls her eyes, while Toudou nods slowly.

"Training is quite possible for any paramilitary groups aligned with the JLF," he proceeds to say. The implication is quite clear that should the Shinjuku group fall out of alignment, that offer would be off the table.

"Right. I guess there's no point discussing it further until the meeting plays out," remarks Kallen, leaning back. "But speaking of that, I wanted to ask where you think the resistance needs to go from now, in more general terms. I don't think I'm the only curious one, here."

"The Japanese Liberation Front," Toudou responds, his grip tightening slightly around the steering wheel. "We call it that, but really, most see it as a resistance, much like yourself. That has to change, before it becomes so entrenched in people's minds and hearts, that even victory delivered on a silver platter no longer makes a difference."

She feels a bit heated at that for a moment, and she isn't sure why. It's a sudden impulse of frustration, and she remembers feeling this way a few months ago. Just a few months ago, when life didn't quite feel as hopeful- and as dangerous- as it does now.

"..yeah, sorry. I haven't forgotten the goal," she declares. "That's why we need to make progress soon! Six years was a long enough time to wait."

"We have several opportunities at the moment," Toudou agrees. "It is a matter of picking the right one, because making the wrong choice here might be tantamount to the death of a free Japan."

"And how will we know the wrong choice when see it?"

"If it were that easy, would you be asking me that?"

"Well, you are the man of miracles," replies Kallen. "I guess that's a name one might get sick of, though," she adds, with a slight grin.

Inoue looks mildly scandalized, but Toudou merely raises an eyebrow, visible through the rearview mirror.

"Tactics and strategy are two different things. This distinction is where the expression of having won the battle but lost the war comes from."

"That so. Well, right now, if we lose one battle, I'd bet the war follows," replies Kallen, turning to face old Kyoto, where the Japanese culture she barely remembers lies on display for prideful tourists. Any Brit here is a tourist, even if they claim to live here.

"Wouldn't be doing this to start if I didn't think we had a good shot, though."

Toudou nods. "True enough. The decision is ultimately not mine, however. All I can do is pass the proposal along with my own thoughts."

"Dare I ask who decides our fate?"

"Kyoto, right?" Inoue asks, and she doesn't seem to be talking about the city. Toudou nods once more.

The general lapses into silence, and Inoue is happy to accomodate him, as is Kallen. The car takes several turns, all innocuous, until one takes it into a one-way street. Toudou activates a garage door by remote, and steers the vehicle indoors. The door lowers back, and then Kallen feels a light jolt. The floor moves; they are in a freight elevator currently lowering itself below the ground.

The ingenuity of Japanese engineers in building an entire secret base beneath the streets of Kyoto on the sly never ceases to amaze Kallen, and she says as much to Inoue.

"Last place anyone would look, right?" Inoue responds with a shrug. She's trying to act casual, but Kallen can easily tell that the bluette is quite impressed herself. "Necessity is the mother of invention, or so I heard."

As long as there's not an earthquake, but Kallen chooses to keep that particular cheerful thought to herself.

<--->

<--->

The car reaches its destination, and Toudou steps out. Military personnel is abound, a dozen in number, and they straighten up in the general's presence. He nods curtly at them, and talks in low tones to a couple. Kallen can't hear the words, but the meaning is clear -- two soldiers are assigned to guide she and Inoue to the meeting.

The underground hall is full when the Shinjuku representatives arrive. This time around, they weren't early. Kallen instantly notices Mary, who claimed the same seat as last time. The raven-haired woman is easy to spot, as there is a ring of empty chairs around she and Suzaku. As if noticing Kallen's attention, she turns her head slightly, and inclines it towards Kallen in greeting. Once Suzaku catches the direction of Mary's gaze, he scowls.

"Friendly crowd," Inoue quips from Kallen's side.

"At least they let us in," replies Kallen, briefly nodding back at Mary, and heading to find a seat that's neither that close, nor very far from the other Britannian.

"Quick, strategy meeting," she adds, turning to Inoue and speaking in a low voice. "The goal is to get approval on two operations; taking out Clovis and what we discussed with Toudou. I don't think the crowd here will commit to it. But... that's alright. We'll make them give us a chance. As long as they're willing to support us if we get results, I think we can handle it."

"The less we say about the second operation, the better," Inoue whispers back. The two are perhaps half a dozen seats away from Mary, who is not paying Kallen any special attention, seeming to gaze lazily about the hall. "If we manage to get people behind it, it's because they think it's possible, and if they think that, then we'll get pushed aside."

"Alright.. if we need to, we'll phrase it as concurrent raids," replies Kallen, after a moment. "A series of attacks at around the same time. They'll leave Tokyo to the Tokyo cells. For now, we'll wait and see."

Inoue seems doubtful, but before she has time to object, Toudou steps onto the makeshift stage. This time, he is alone. "We've had our time to think," the general announces, cutting straight to the chase. "Unless there are new items to be brought to our attention, it is time for the JLF to decide on its course."

"We should begin preparing strikes now!" declares Kallen, popping up before anyone else can speak. "The time for waiting is over. We need to make our presence known and seize the initiative. Every cell represented here has it's own intelligence and targets, whether they be military bases, shipyards, sakuradite stores-"

A brief pause, as she swivels her head around the room- "-or even the governors office itself. If necessary, we will lead the charge in the Tokyo settlement itself!"

<--->

<--->

"Because that worked so well the last time!" a man exclaims. Thin, but not to the point of being wiry, unshaven, and in his mid-to-late thirties, he looks up at Kallen with scorn.

"It's alright," a female voice interjects. Kallen recognizes it as Mary's, seeing the young raven-haired woman rise to her feet at the edge of her peripheral vision. "If Chiba wants to sit this out, wallowing in misplaced anger and guilt, that is without a doubt a superior path towards the liberation of Japan."

"Not everyone can shrug off so many civillian casualties--" the man starts responding hotly, but Toudou's voice cuts him off, heard clearly from the stage.

"This is something we have agreed to put in our past," the general points out, but Kallen detects a note of hesitation in his voice. His next words confirm her suspicions. "In retrospect, however, perhaps that was a bit premature. We, who represent a free Japan, are at war with Britannia, are we not?"

"Are we not, indeed. Because war is but one way of persuing our goals- and what are we seeking, truly? What does the liberation of Japan *mean*?" demands Kallen, leaving the question open to the room.

"Freedom for the Japanese," the man from Chiba responds, standing up. He glares at Kallen and Mary as he adds, "That means leaving enough alive to enjoy their liberation."

"You fight wars to win them. People die in the fighting," Inoue speaks up, dragging herself to her feet. She looks about the room, and then shrugs. "What? Everyone's standing up dramatically, can't a cripple do it too?"

"Our friends from Shinjuku are right," Mary voices, taking it as her cue to speak next. "Talking about gaining freedom without sacrifice is meaningless. Most of you here hate it! But is there anyone in their right mind who believe a bloodless victory over the Britannian Empire is attainable?"

"What happens in Akihabara was not something anyone could have expected. I, who planned the mission, wasn't aware it was even possible. The man who pushed the button didn't realise the scope of the devastation. This is no excuse. This is not something we just 'push aside'. Chiba is right, in a sense. As the one ultimately responsible... my life is forfeit to the cause."

Kallen clenches a fist and holds it across her chest, feeling her own beating heart and staring the man from Chiba back in the face. "And what choices are there? Either to give up all hope of retaking Japan by force, or to take advantage of the current situation and press down this bloody path. We can no longer wait. Every year, more Japanese consider their options and seek status as an Honorary Britannian- and who can blame them when we do nothing for our cause?

"What happened can't be atoned for. But whatever is decided, Shinjuku will commit everything it has. We can't do any less. And for my opinion, while seeking peace now may avert unknown calamities, it won't give reparations to the Japanese people, and all of this and the next generation will assuredly grow as second-class citizens, to say nothing of the future of those who've already engaged in operations to this date.

"We can show the people that we have the will and the way to liberate Japan- to make it an option they can choose based on merit more than pride- or we can give up. I don't see any other way."

"No other way exists," Mary affirms during the silence that is spread in the wake of Kallen's speech. "And you all understand that. Some of you are simply fighting tooth and nail to avoid admitting it, but the time to advance past that is now."

"If we just give up now, what is the point?" Inoue asks. "What was the point all along? What do we say to the dead, to their families, to everyone who has been fighting all this time?"

Toudou nods heavily from his position on the stage. "This is not some duel with a pretense of honor. If the Japanese Liberation Front is to have meaning, it is in fighting Britannia until we have won and Japan is ours once more. If we are not willing to do that, our only other choice is to disband immediately to minimize the casualties."

Silence reigns once more, but murmurs soon replace it. Heads begin to nod around the room, people glancing at Kallen and Mary before returning their attention to the stage.

"How we fight is up for debate. At present, we're spread out, and that helps us. Until our movement can gain enough support- and not just in Japan- we can't just throw down the gauntlet and slug it out, right?" continues Kallen, getting a bit giddy on the apparent impact of her words.

"And the best way to gain that level of support is to do something that would leave an impact overseas. An attack the audacity of which would send waves to be acutely felt everywhere. A strike at Governor Clovis, a highly-placed member of the Britannian royal family," Mary adds smoothly. Suzaku firms his jaw, remaining quietly at her side. "An attack to signal the official start of our war of independance." She pauses briefly, observing the crowd. "We are no longer resisting an invasion, and today, the JLF has finally been weaned off this fallacy. We are, however, fighting Britannia, and our goal is a Japan free of the Empire's influence."

Kallen has nothing to add to that, and affects a more relaxed stance. She briefly glances at Inoue- she really shouldn't be standing up, but damned if Kallen is to tell a stubborn person what to do- and tries to consider how things are panning out. With a more direct and violent uprising, her original plans to act as a Britannian will need to get remodeled, but perhaps she was naive in the first place. It's certainly the end of any chance of a peaceful resolution.

Perhaps Geass could've ensured that would've been advantageous to Japan, but would that necessarily have been the better choice? If something happened to her, then...

No, no time for regrets, especially not now.

"Kyoto approves of your proposed course of action," Toudou tells Mary, nodding curtly. "You will be provided with the resources you need--"

"I need nothing more than what I already have," she announces, cutting in. "I've said it before, didn't I? I will succeed where others have failed, and not because I had the full backing of the JLF. And when I do, that would matter."

Toudou's lips tighten, pulling into a line. "In that case, we wish you luck," he says, eliciting an amused smile from Mary.

Not many are smiling, Kallen can see. Quite a lot of the military personnel present look disgruntled. No one goes against Toudou or his endorsement of the way to proceed.

The meeting peters out soon afterwards. People give Kallen and Inoue their space as they filter out of the chamber, Mary being the sole exception. She comes up to the two, Suzaku trailing sullenly behind, and offers her hand to Kallen.

"I must say it has been a pleasure," she tells the redhead.

"Although I can see that's not what everyone thinks," remarks Kallen, with no mistake as to who she's referring to. "Whatever. I need to get your timeframe on Clovis. We've got an operation that compliments yours pretty nicely in the works. Let me know when you know."

She pauses. "And I think you owe me one, your majesty, so after the hit, let me publish the follow-up statement."

Suzaku looks even more sour at that, if that were possible, while Mary calmly studies Kallen. "We'll be in touch," she says, and lets Kallen's hand go, offering hers to Inoue who seems to take it automatically.

"It's going to be the damn ladder again, isn't it?" Inoue asks, despondent, once they are left alone once more.

"Oh, please, there's at least two and probably more ways out of here than climbing," grouses Kallen, seeking out Asahina or someone from whom to get elevator clearance.

<--->

"I know I promised to take you somewhere fun," Inoue says out of the blue, as they're headed back towards Tokyo, seated away in their private cabin on the bullet train. "But this went beyond even my expectations."

"I'm still shivering," admits Kallen, gingerly sipping at a can of lemonade. "I didn't think things would move so fast, and then the only people advocating any kind of, I don't know- direction, were Mary and, well..."

"I hate to admit it, but I gave this some thought," Inoue says quietly. "We've been the resistance for how long? If there was anyone on the inside who could direct us towards victory, they would've done that already. New blood was what we needed, we just didn't realize it, and fought it every bit of the way because it was difficult to admit."

"It's not just that, is it? There's the elephant in the room, too."

"There's a whole damn herd of them," Inoue shoots back with a roll of her eyes. "Are you talking about the only ideas for fighting Britannians coming from Britannians, or something else horribly embarrassing and uncomfortable for the fragile men of the resistance?"

"Yeah. They're pissed because a sixteen-year old student has got more balls than them," replies Kallen, with a smirk.

"I'm pissed as well, but I just hide it well," Inoue insists, not sounding too sincere. "That aside, I'm going to accept the general's offer. Training of that class only comes if you're Britannian or have high-level connection to the JLF, and since we got the chance I'm not going to waste it by thinking my crazy rebel skills are enough to free Japan and I don't need to improve."

"You'll take the others with you, right? Call it a field trip."

"I'll find me a date," Inoue promises. "Don't be too distraught over my absence."

"I'll try. I'd like to come, but.. busy," replies Kallen, making a face. "I'll train on my own. Haven't forgotten anything Naoto taught me yet..."

Finishing off her can, she sets it back on the table and leans back. "I thought of him a lot today. It made me think of our last conversation. Morbid, huh..."

"That's one conversation that can't end well," Inoue says with a sigh.

"Yeah. Let's just say it had me considering, you know. Going straight and playing the good little heir," replies Kallen. "It was that kind of angry. We'd always gotten mad at each other, but never.. ah, man, sorry for this."

Inoue doesn't seem to know what to say to that. "Not sure what my choice would be in your situation," she admits.

"One means you have to go to school. The other means you can play with robots. So in the end, it was an easy choice."

"Spoken like a true teen," Inoue says with a snort. "So what do you think the Queen wanted, all with her 'we'll be back' vibe?"

"I don't think she actually had a plan. This was just testing the waters for her," replies Kallen, pursing her lips. "Now that she's got her way, she's actually got to go and make one, and she doesn't want to talk about things until then."

"That would be incredibly arrogant. And gutsy."

"But not implausible or stupid."

"It's neither of those things, no."

"You know why I supported her?"

Inoue shrugs. "Brits got to stick together?"

"Yeah, right. It's because even she doesn't kill Clovis, it can still achieve our goals. Almost killing him is as good. You've said he's a complete coward, and nobody's even taken a shot at him yet. How would he behave, even if he survives?"

"Run back to daddy with his tail between his legs."

"Exactly. Now, here's some other questions about our would-be monarch. Why's she got a personal interest in the royals? Why does Kururugi stick with her? How'd she muscle in and take over Saitama?"

"The last one's easy," Inoue says with a roll of her eyes. "Have you ever been to Saitama? If you thought our little cell was falling apart, you should've seen theirs. We let an underaged girl get away with jerking us around. You saw what they did."

"But I'm Naoto's sister," replies Kallen. "What was her in to the group? Something dramatic, no doubt."

"Nepotism can only get you so far," Inoue says, but then she pauses. "Maybe she did have a plan of sorts when she showed up?" She raises her hand. "Hear me out. It's just a thought, but the way Mary kept on going about showing us a miracle, and turning it into support for her... maybe she said it because she already tried it, just on a smaller scale, and it worked?"

"That'd make sense. If you find something that works, stick with it," murmurs Kallen. "But they wouldn't just fold over for a Brit with big ideas. They'd have to be stuck, somehow, and then broken out of it. I mean, if there's a problem, and you tell people how to solve it, then you're in a spot to just keep telling them what to do from then on, aren't you?"

"We could just ask her what it was," Inoue suggests. "She did say she'd be in touch."

"Probably be thrilled to tell us," admits Kallen, resting her chin on her palms. "Looks like we're arriving soon. I'll be in touch, too."

<--->

<--->

Although she intended to see about the illustrious student council president upon arrival, Kallen could barely make it to the first period on time on account of her train being delayed. For a change, the malfunction had nothing to do with overzealous rebels, but a mere technical issue plaguing the train in question.

Irene was right there to greet her, albeit seeming somewhat distracted, and then classes followed one after the other, consuming Kallen's attention until lunch break.

Before Kallen runs off for the break, she leans over to Irene with a worried expression. "Hey, where's Teresa? I've been out of touch," she asks, only just now noting how many of her friends have found reason to vanish from school, as of late.

"Oh," Irene says, startled. "Teresa? She's been keeping to herself a lot."

"I.. guess, yeah. Did she, uh, have friends in Akihabara?" asks Kallen, looking rather downcast.

"Well, she is a geek," Irene says by way of explanation, though it comes off bland.

Kallen can hardly call Irene out for being harsh when that's exactly the logic she used- not that Teresa couldn't have all kinds of other reasons to stay in her dorm. She picks herself up and heads out the room towards the Ashford dormitories, feeling obligated to check up on her for all kinds of reasons.

The female dorms are quite accomodating. A garden for scenery, compact if comfortable rooms for two, and entirely abandoned during the classes. Kallen doesn't encounter a soul as she makes her way to Teresa's dorm. She can't remember ever visiting it, and it is surprising to see that her friend got the room all to herself, unless she had taken to filing her roommate's name off the name plaque.

She hardly ever paid house calls or visited acquaintances, except for Shirley, who's off making herself a soldier of herself. If she wasn't so honest, so *good*...

"Teresa? It's me," calls Kallen, knocking on the door.

She hears sounds from within, too vague to identify. "So it is," Teresa answers, followed by footsteps making their way over to the door, which remains closed.

"Taking visitors? I brought soda," replies Kallen, with a clink of bottles. "Um. And it's been a while."

There is a grumble, but the door opens a sliver in invitation. The insides of the room are dark; Teresa must have closed the drapes over her windows. The only other source of light is coming from what must be a monitor further in.

Kallen pushes the door the rest of the way open, slipping inside. The light must shadow her face, making it hard to see how concerned she appears. "Doing something cool, huh. Sorry, I heard you were keeping to yourself, so I couldn't resist," she notes, seeking out Teresa in the darkness and handing over a bottle.

The light spilling in from the corridor makes it easy to make out Teresa's features. She is disheveled, looking like she hadn't slept in a while. Her room is in disarray, though Kallen has no idea whether that is a recent change.

"Couldn't resist bringing me soda?" Teresa asks, accepting the bottle. "Follow your instincts more, I'll say." She kicks the door closed, letting the darkness settle down once more. "You're right, it's been a while. So what changed today, of all days?"

"I've been skipping school for work, but some time's opened up. What's your excuse?" replies Kallen, pulling off her lid (it's a plastic screw-top, but turning it is a hassle) and drinking a bit.

"I like that excuse. I'm adopting it."

"G'luck. It works best if you're an aristocrat with comatose parents."

"I'll keep that under advisement," Teresa notes, proceeding over to the bed. She sits on the edge, gesturing towards the chair set by her desk in silent invitation.

Kallen takes the offered seat, and swivels around the room to get a good look. "Don't you have hall monitors or something who'd rat you in for this?" she asks, still adjusting to the gloom. "Seriously, why the retreat to darkness? Still worried over mysterious students who shouldn't exist?"

"Blackmail," Teresa says dismissively. "I have dirt on everyone. Ashford might object, or she might find it funny, but seeing as she's not present...." Teresa trails off with a shrug. "I don't know if I'm worried so much as considering my future. Did you ever have moments like this, Kallen?"

"Not often. I spent a lot of time being angry. Or faking being sick. Or working off sweat. Or heaps of other distractions. And now I don't get to think of what I want to do, so much as what I have to do," replies Kallen, with a shrug. "I guess you've got options?"

"Plenty," Teresa confirms. "Don't like any of them, obviously. But I'm thinking that this is where I have to decide." She snorts, shaking her head. "I don't know the circumstances, but I bet I'm not alone in this, either."

"Doing nothing is a choice. If you're anything like me, you don't like that one," remarks Kallen, after a moment. "That said, it sounds like you're trying to pick who to extort."

"Nah, that was just a precaution," Teresa says with a roll of her eyes. She seems to feel even strongly about that than she shows outwardly. "I'm trying to decide whether I want to do something about all the dead people."

"I didn't think you were that type," replies Kallen, with faint surprise, and she swivels about to look Teresa in the eye, thus allowing the other girl's feelings to be more ably communicated. "If you wanted to help recovery and rebuilding efforts, I could set you up with something... but... that's not what it sounds like you mean."

"What, I can't be ruthless if I try?" Teresa asks, raising an eyebrow as she stares back. Beneath the surface, she's anything but calm. Worry dominates over all else. "Our governor is weak, those in command of the military spend more time fighting each other than doing their jobs. Everyone else, Britannians and Elevens alike, would just rather bury their heads in the sand and let it pass." She takes a halted breath. "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing," Teresa quotes. "I guess what I'm trying to decide is whether I'm a good person, because that, without a doubt, was something evil."

"You sound like a twisted version of Shirley, somehow," replies Kallen, sounding a bit distraught. "I should've tried to stop her," she adds. "I guess you wouldn't try something like becoming a soldier... information's your thing, isn't it?"

"Boot camp's out of the question, yes."
There's some confusion when Shirley's name is mentioned, but Teresa seems to catch on pretty fast.

"That doesn't leave you many official options to work with. Not that I'd know how they recruit people at the spy shop, but I'll bet that's not an option."

"If it were that simple I wouldn't need the excuse of skipping school to work, now would I?"

Kallen raises an eyebrow, and turns back in the chair to face the computer. "You know, I'd tell you not to do it, but, of course, you already have," she remarks, glancing over the screen. "Did you find anything?"

The screensaver is on, cycling through old news reports on Akihabara.

"Nothing yet," Teresa responds curtly. "Quite possibly because I'm not sure what I'd do if I had, and hold myself back subconsciously."

"..this is getting a bit heavy," murmurs Kallen, almost to herself. "Unless you had some flashy evidence of.. anything, you'd have trouble getting anyone high up to take you seriously. Just finding stuff won't be enough without contacts."

"This is an even better reason for why I'm nowhere near my answer," Teresa agrees, seeming to relax further.

"Well, it's not actually dangerous if it's just crawling the net," remarks Kallen, after a moment. "Sorry, it's just- since Shirley joined the military, I'm in constant fear of her getting blown up. Kinda channeled that for a moment. And, you know, I don't have the same viewpoint as most people. Not that I'm condoning a massacre, but I thought I understood why people on both sides fought. Well.. I used to think that."

"So what changed?"

"I can't imagine the kind of person who'd willingly slaughter millions of people like that," replies Kallen, thinly. "Are they fighting for something I can understand, something I could ever support? I don't know, now. It wasn't like that before," replies Kallen, pursing her lips.

"Yes, the people who are taking up arms for the stated goal of ridding Area 11 of all Britannians by any means necessary shouldn't be taken at their word," Teresa says sarcastically.

"Kinda obvious when you think about it, yes," mutters Kallen. "I won't bore you with sob stories, but there was a time when just that seemed like a really swell idea."

"I won't offend you by pretending to listen and care, then," Teresa agrees. "A bit tapped out on that at the moment." She is silent for several moments, before she changes the topic altogether. "So if you're here, worried about me in a roundabout way, my presence must be missed?"

"Shirley and Milly aren't at school. Who else do I have to trade barbs with, Irene?"

"Yes, I suppose it's not as fun if she just stands there and takes it like a true sap."

"That's the short of it. So come to class, or I'll drag you to class. And you owe me a soda."

"I owe you nothing."

"Ah, so cold."

Teresa raises her eyebrow again. "A compliment. You must really want me back."

"Yeah, I need someone to copy notes for me while I'm away."

"That you can make Irene do with a clear conscience."

<--->

Later that day, Kallen finds herself trudging towards the student council office in search of Sayoko. She got out a bit earlier than the junior school, so Nunnally hopefully won't be there (not that the younger girl necessarily has a consistant schedule). If the attack on Clovis is going to go through, though, Kallen dearly hopes that Nana is in a safe place at the time- and that's what she's here to try and confirm.

The office is empty, no council activities planned for the day. As she travels throughout the building, however, Kallen spots her quarry make her way towards the front door. Looking down from a second floor window, she can see Sayoko step inside, burdened with shopping bags.

Not surprising, seeing as over half the council isn't presently attending school. Poor Rivalz.

"Sayoko-san!" calls Kallen, jogging up to the door. "Need a hand?"

Sayoko looks up in surprise, seeing Kallen come down the stairs. The bags begin to slip, but she maneuvers them into a manageable position. "I will be fine, thank you," the maid responds.

"Ah, alright. Any word from Milly, yet? I need to get in touch with her, or at least know how she's doing," replies Kallen, skidding to a halt not far from the maid.

"Miss Ashford is... doing well enough." The pause is hard to miss.

Sayoko heads for the kitchen, where she places her groceries and begins sorting them out methodically. "It should be possible to pass on a message, but she strongly wished to have no direct contact unless it was absolutely necessary."

"Things are moving quickly," replies Kallen, after a moment. "The sooner Nunally gets to a safer place, the better. I don't need to speak to Milly directly right now, but I do want to know if there's been any progress."

"Quickly and sooner are vague terms that either stand for something far less vague, or are just a way to force a reaction that wouldn't normally be supported by the actual facts," Sayoko notes calmly, not looking at Kallen.

"I don't have an exact timeframe myself, or I'd give it to you. No, it's good that it's flexible," notes Kallen, quickly glancing around- of course nobody else is here. "There's a plan in the works to attack the governor-general within a month," she continues, politely dispensing with vauge adjectives and telling Sayoko as best as she can. "It's meant to be a strike against the royal family itself. If at all possible, I want Nunally out of here before it happens."

"This timetable is one I can pass along, without the other details," Sayoko affirms. Her movements lose their fluidity, and she fumbles a vegetable.

Kallen catches it before it drops out the bag, and hands it back over. "Good. She.. speaking of Nunally, is she actually aware that I know her previous identity?"

"Would it matter?" Sayoko asks, accepting the carrot and placing it on the counter.

"It might. I wonder if she'd think of me differently when we talk," replies Kallen, her voice softening a little. "I wonder if she cares what name she bears, I suppose."

"I... shouldn't be talking about this. If you want to ask Miss Nunnally herself, Miss Ashford gave you the privelege of seeing her."

"Yeah, I know, I'm being pretty nosy," she mumbles in reply. "I do want to speak to her, though, so.. I think I'll go wait on the balcony."

"I'll bring out some tea when Miss Nunnally returns, then," Sayoko promises, returning to the groceries.

<--->

<--->

Kallen comfortably arranges herself on the balcony, settling down for a short wait. The smell of freshly-brewed tea wafts towards her ten minutes later, but what catches her interest is Nunnally. The wheelchair-ridden girl is being pushed towards the student council building she resides in by her blonde classmate, Alice.

Alice. Of course, she would be around Nunnally at all times, wouldn't she? Especially in the present climate. That is, if she truly was an intelligence agent, and not just... an anomaly in the system. A highly coincidental anomaly, and one she must determine the nature of as soon as possible.

This might end up being her chance. If she leaves at the same time as Alice, there's ample opportunity for a private chat. Picking herself up off the balcony, she trots down the stairs to greet the approaching duo- a bit abashedly, as her last conversation with Nunnally was far sharper than she cares to recall.

She passes Sayoko on her way, the maid holding a tray with a teakettle and several cups. It is a set, and an expensive one, as special guests of the Ashford family can be expected to use. Proceeding, Kallen spots that the elevator is in motion; she must have daydreamed just a bit while reminiscing on her previous meeting with Nunnaly and her plans for Alice. It would be pointless to go down the stairs, now, but she could intercept the pair on the second floor easily enough.

No time for the past in the present. When the doors open to the elevator, Kallen is surely there; "Hi, you two," she greets, brushing aside a bit of hair (she has to spend so much TIME on it when she needs to go around in Britannian society). "Sorry for dropping in unannounced."

Nunnally looks startled briefly, but then she raises her head and smiles at Kallen. "It's quite alright," she tells the redhead. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to greet you. Did Sayoko-san offer you something to drink?"

Alice, for her part, nods at Kallen, saying, "How do you do?"

"She did, but it's no fun to drink alone, so I waited," replies Kallen, shaking her head. "And I'm doing well, thanks. I haven't been around very much lately, so I came to pop by to make up. How's school been?"

"It is very educational," Nunnaly says diplomatically.

Alice rolls her eyes. "Seems like you have guests, Nana-chan, so I won't keep in the way--"

"No, please stay!" Nunnaly exclaims, suddenly nervous. "You're not a bother, isn't that right, Kallen-san?"

"'course not!" replies Kallen, briefly glancing at Alice's eyes and trying to sum her up. "It's just a casual call, and the more the merrier, right? Let's not stand on formality or anything, I've got home for that."

Well, that's how home used to be, but without dad or Cleo around to irritate her, the place has gotten significantly more relaxed.

Kallen is confused -- no, that must be Alice, even if she's showing no outwardly signs of it.

"If you say so," the blonde accepts, placing her hand on Nunnally's shoulder.

"Sayoko-san?" the exiled princess calls out softly, and the maid appears swiftly. As if sensing her presence, Nunnally continues, "Can you please set some tea for me and my guests on the balcony?"

"Very well, Miss," Sayoko responds, and retreats out of sight once more, while Alice takes this as her cue to push Nunnally's wheelchair towards said balcony.

Kallen heads out after them, soon returning to the spot where she was waiting from in the first place. "Have you still been going to council meetings?" she asks, curious about how things are going there, and admittedly a bit deseperate for something to talk about. She didn't really know what Nunnally's interests, likes, dislikes were... well, apart from the obvious, and that was probably taboo.

"Of course," Nunnally responds, Sayoko there to pour tea into her cup before silently taking a spot behind the girl's wheelchair. "It is my duty to the school, after all," she adds, perhaps with just a tad more emphasis than what would be called for.

Alice glances at Nunnally curiously, but opts to pour herself tea without remarking.

"Duty? Ah, enforced labour," replies Kallen, sagely. "Yes, that is how Milly would have put it. Has Rivalz been handling things? Not that there was really much to do this time of year, but still, you know."

"All the council's efforts are geared towards the 'Welcome Back, Miss President!' party," Nunnally admits, blushing slightly.

"She has trained him well," murmurs Kallen, almost to herself. "How ostentatious are we talking?"

"Milly-san would definitely enjoy it," Nunnally states firmly.

Alice giggles. "Looks like there's something to look forward to next semester."

"Want to help? We're shortstaffed, I know that much. And you get to eat such delicious food."

Alice looks tempted. "I'm in junior high," she points out, however. "Milly Ashford might be able to do as she pleases here at Ashford, but I'm not sure the rules would bend for anyone else, including those requiring council members to actually attend the high school section."

"Were you in high school next year?" asks Kallen, after a moment. "There's, you know, internships avaliable."

"You mean like skipping a grade?"

"For the purposes of clubs and societies only," replies Kallen, nodding. "We let Nina-chan and Nana-chan in, what's one more? I mean..." She pauses for a moment, and then shrugs. "It's just a student council. As long as there are at least a few seniors, I don't see why it matters. Junior high needs representation too!"

"We have one, too," Alice states quietly.

"Really?!" Nunnally exclaims, turning towards Alice.

"Yes," the blonde explains patiently. "But it doesn't have Milly Ashford, so it only does what you would expect a regular student council to do."

"...no cool toys? No holding the school in a velvet glove?"

"Keeping the school clean, assigning hall monitors." Alice shrugs. "Normal."

Nunnally looks as if she's struggling with the idea. "A junior high student council...."

"All the class representatives attend meetings once a week," Alice continues, taking a sip of her cooling tea after blowing on it.

"But isn't that odd? Shouldn't we have known about this?!" blurts out Kallen, reaching for the teapot herself. "It's unjust! There should at least have been, you know, some communication... well, there will be now, if I have anything to do with it. Shouldn't there be a... liason officer, that's the one."

"Well, Milly-san would know about everything that goes on in the school, regardless of grade," Nunnally says slowly, still processing. "So a liason would be pointless. And I don't get out much, so I wouldn't know about it."

Alice reaches out to place her hand over Nunnally's at that. "Let's leave it at that and talk about something else?" she proposes. "Like which classes you would like to take when you make it to high school?"

"Don't do economics," warns Kallen. "Not unless you're getting paid for it."

"How about civics?" Alice suggest.

Nunnally frowns cutely. "Maybe not that, either."

Alice shrugs in response. "Good call. Many avoid that boring stuff."

"Then why did you suggest it?" Nunnally asks in indignation, while Alice just laughs.

"What about the sciences? Physics isn't bad."

Nunnally nods. "I will probably give the sciences a try, but I'm curious about the arts, too."

"I'm not really one for the arts," admits Kallen, glancing at Alice. "You?"

"They have their uses in life, but I'm more of a direct person," Alice responds, looking back. "So the hard sciences have a much stronger appeal."

"Yeah. Well, for me, I'm just not any good at them. I can't tell a story or play a flute or paint or anything. Left-brain all the way."

"Sounds like we might get along really well," Alice says, before the girl stands up. "Thanks for having me, Nana-chan, but it's time I went back. See you tomorrow?"

Nunnally hesitates, but then nods. "Tomorrow, Alice-chan."

"Oh, are you heading for the dorms, or to the gate?" asks Kallen, looking up.

"Yes," Alice agrees with a smile. "Good day, Kallen-san."

Kallen glances back at Alice a bit quizically, and seems to shrug to herself. "Later, Alice-san," she replies, taking a sip from her own cup. "See you around."

Alice's smile lingers a bit longer, and she nods at Sayoko before leaving. The maid follows, leaving Nunnally alone with Kallen.

"Alice is nice. She's in your homeroom, right?" replies Kallen, after a moment. "Do you have many classes together?"

"She is, and we do," Nunnally responds, sipping her tea again before reaching to refill the cup, her hand seeking out the teapot.

"Let me. You know, Nana-chan," responds Kallen, lifting the pot to pour her a fresh cup- "I know it's not really much, but if there's anywhere you want to go in Tokyo, or do, um, you can ask me. I'll make it happen if I can."

Nunnally seems like she's about to refuse politely, but then her expression turns contemplative. "Anywhere, Kallen-san?" she asks quietly.

"Sure. We could even go to Kyoto, I suppse, or Okinawa or Sapporo... On a weekend or something, when there's time," replies Kallen.

"I want to go to the ghettos."

Kallen almost chokes on her tea. "You do? Why?" she asks, after a moment, with genuine curiosity.

"You said anywhere would be fine," Nunnally insists with uncharacteristic childishness.

"I.. know, and I wasn't lying!" replies Kallen, a bit stubbornly. "If it's the ghettos you want, then to the ghettos you will go. Of course, you need to blend in. You can't go riding this fancy chair around there, and you're too... Britannian... to easily go unnoticed... so... it's okay.. as long as you let me do your makeup," she sputters, after a moment. "I still want to know why! And you can't ever tell Milly."

Nunnally squirms. "I don't want to say why," she says. "But the rest doesn't matter. It doesn't bother me if I look different, or have to use a different chair."

"You don't have something... reckless in mind, do you?"

"Like what?" she asks guardedly.

"I don't know, anything that would make Milly strangle me. You're surprisingly bold," mumbles Kallen, shaking her head. "It can't be on a school day. Saturday. I can come pick you up. Can you speak Japanese?"

Of course she can, thinks Kallen, a moment later. She's been living here how long? Such a stupid question.

"Some friends taught me a while back," Nunnally responds.

"Alright. We won't stay there longer than an hour or two," warns Kallen. "If that. If you don't have any objections, we'll go to..." she starts, and then trails off. Where, where, definately not Saitama. Shinjuku would probably be safe, but she'd probably run into Inoue or, gods forbid, Tamaki, and then the questions...

"Can we go to all of them?"

"That's about half of Tokyo."

"We don't have to do it at the same time."

This time, Kallen really does choke on her tea. "I.. I need to think about that, then," she manages, grimacing. "If you want to keep going after one trip, we'll talk about it."

She could, of course, travel down there in the comfort of a limosuine, Nana-chan in the backseat. It would be just like a drive to anywhere else for her, though. That isn't what she wants and not something Kallen is cheap enough to bother giving.

Damn her mouth for being unable to say no to this girl.

"I won't change my mind," Nunnally states firmly.

"It's mine you should be worried about," mumbles Kallen. "No, I mean, I don't back out on my word." At least not with you, as you are. "As long as you promise to do everything I say while we're there," she adds.

"Everything... within reason," Nunnally says. "I know better than to write blank cheques after spending some time with Milly-san."

"Yes, well, it seems you learned a lesson I managed to miss." And you deal with angry people over important issues almost every week, don't you, Kallen? Your one weakness, an ill girl. "Now I know how onii-san felt, god." She sets down her empty cup, and makes to stand up. "So it's a date, this weekend. I'd tell you not to let Sayoko know, but I bet she already knows."

"Sayoko-san can pretend to not know, if Milly-san asks her," Nunnally says, giving Kallen a tentative smile. "Because she works for the Lamperouges, now, and because she's our friend."

"Well, that's a comfort. You know, I think you're as devious as your brother when you put your mind to it. What did they say about a pretty face?" remarks Kallen, but she can't help but be good-natured about it. What was another potential calamity in the making for her?

"I'll be at school this week, but please don't make deals with me, even if I ask for them."

"If I made such a promise, I would be breaking it right now," Nunnally points out.

<--->

<--->

[15:27] That friday, Kallen sneaks away into the Shinjuku ghetto, seeking to pay a visit to the resistance cell she is a member of. The weekend, and her promise to Nunnally, are just around the corner, but she puts all that out of her mind in favor of making preparations to advance her true cause, that of freeing Japan.
[15:28] The warehouse used by the resistance is manned by a skeleton crew of Minami and Inoue, the latter having no time beyond a harried greeting before she speeds off. "She's been busy like that ever since she got back," Minami tells Kallen, that everpresent severe expression adorning his face. "We're suddenly important, it seems."
[15:31] "She was arranging training exercises with the JLF, last I heard. I take it everyone's been filled in on the general meeting?" asks Kallen, dropping a heavy-looking duffel bag on the ground with a thump.
[15:32] "Tamaki's excitement went through the roof," Minami deadpans.
[15:34] "You have no idea how much that worries me."
[15:36] A rare hint of a smile is shown, before it is ruthlessly suppressed with a scowl. "So what made you grace us with your presence today?"
[15:42] Kallen rolls her eyes; can't Minami be a least a little less cold? "Funds, for one," she responds, jerking a finger over her shoulder. "And I need some things. Microphones, bugs, that sort of stuff. They don't sell 'em in the size I need at the store." She shrugs, after a moment. "'sides, can't I drop by? Or... could it be, I should've come sooner?"
[15:44] "No, it's alright," he responds. "You must be busy with your real life. That would be asking for too much."
[15:48] "Hey! I took a bullet, you know! That means you can't give me that crap," retorts Kallen, slapping a hand on her chest. "Speaking of which, I need to see a certain doctor.
[15:50] "Hmph." Despite his coldness, Minami seems to relent at her words. "Office area, second door to the right," he tells Kallen, referring to the section of the warehouse that was originally set aside for the guards and management when it was still used for storage.
[16:00] "Oh, yeah. The money there's not all for toys," adds Kallen. "Get some food and supplies out to Shinjuku. Use it to recruit, too." She snorts, after a moment. "Can probably drop some more off each month without ringing some audit bell somewhere." After the no-doubt gruff acknowledgement, Kallen heads off to the warehouse offices.
[16:02] The door to the office space Minami indicated is left ajar. The insides are cramped, but they sport a servicable bed and a rundown desk lacking a chair. Jean is sitting on the bed, her back against the wall and her eyes closed.
[16:03] Kallen stands in the doorway, and after a moment of contemplation, she raps on it a couple times with her knuckle to wake up the sleeping doctor.
[16:04] "Yes?" Jean asks. Her eyes remain closed.
[16:05] "It's me. Came to see how you were going," replies Kallen, walking into the room and taking a seat on the desk.
[16:07] "Not going anywhere," Jean tells her, her posture straightening up at the sound of Kallen's voice. "But I'm rational, self-aware and in control of my faculties, if that's what you mean."
[16:11] Kallen reaches over with her leg, and taps the door closed. "Lucille's vanished, and I doubt she'll be coming back," she states. "So, as of now, the book on your old research is just about closed. I'm sorry. I'd say you can leave if you want, but I'll bet the foundation would love to catch up with you."
[16:12] "So how much of that doing the right thing spiel was actually true?" Jean inquires casually.
[16:16] "All of it." Kallen chokes back a sick chuckle. "When I heard about her four months ago, the first thing I thought of was how to free her from being treated as a lab rat. I thought that she didn't deserve to be confined against her will, especially not by greedy Brit pigs. Thought." Kallen snorts. "Think, more like."
[16:17] "And so, you've decided to possess her yourself." It is a strange sight, when someone raises an eyebrow while keeping their eyes closed. "Greedy Brit pigs? It fits, I suppose."
[16:20] "If I didn't, someone else would have. And if that happened, how would I be able to do anything about it? It was like that. Take it or leave it," responds Kallen, distantly. Or maybe she was just mad at her dad. It's hard to conjure up his name without feeling a simmering temper.
[16:22] Jean snorts. "Your argument that I would've gotten screwed by a greedy Brit either way is compelling."
[16:25] "Glad you agree," replies Kallen, jumping to her feet. "You can't study Lucille. So I want you to study me. Yeah, I'm an egocentric Brit all the way, aren't I?"
[16:27] Jean can't hide her susprise. "Study... you?" she asks, stumbling slightly over the words.
[16:29] "It seems Lucille did something to my mind, in that tank," responds Kallen, leaning back. "Seems that I can read people's emotions. Seems that I can influence them to some degree. And right now, there's only one person I can talk to who's not going to dismiss the very concept of 'psychic powers' as a joke."
[16:32] "I don't think you've got any particular reason to care or support our cause. You don't seem the patriotic sort, either. If you still want to exercise that brain of yours, this is your chance."
[16:33] "I'm not a psychiatrist," Jean points out. "How can my expertise possibly help you?"
[16:36] "Beats me. You're the doctor, here. Since you had studied her, I assumed that some research had been down on all her abilities," responds Kallen. "Besides, this is less psychiatry, more... neurobiology, I would be guessing. I kinda assumed..."
[16:37] "So what you want isn't help in influencing people better through your efforts, but an attempt to boost the innate power letting you do it in the first place? Or replicating it?"
[16:41] "I want to understand it," replies Kallen, tapping the side of her head. "I don't really care for it to be replicated or empowered. But I wonder, could it be suppressed, or could someone be made resistant to it's effects? And is it doing something- to me- that I'm not noticing? Side-effects? I could be burning out my own brain for all I know."
[16:43] "The possibility of side-effects in everyone involved is a very real one," Jean agrees. "I have to wonder, though. Will you take no for an answer?"
[16:45] "That depends on if I can trust you to keep secrets to yourself."
[16:46] "Can you?"
[16:49] "Open your eyes, and I'll tell you," replies Kallen, her voice still. "If you want, I'll let you say no and go back to your own pursuits. But I'll make sure you can't betray me. You understand, right?"
[16:50] "Oh, I understand, alright," Jean says with a chuckle. "I'll give it a try, sure, but forgive me if I don't take you up on your other offer."
[16:57] "You should know that Lucille would have been my ally, hadn't I had a lapse of sanity and decided to break your jar. Honour before reason, huh? Lucky you." She turns and flexes her hands. "The power manifests through direct eye contact. Over a hundred metres of range. It's not stopped by opaque lens or reflected by mirrors. Write me a list of equipment you'll need."
[16:58] "First on the list is a way of preventing it from making contact, and money is no object?"
[16:59] "You should know that Lucille would have been my ally, hadn't I had a lapse of sanity and decided to break your jar. Honour before reason, huh? Lucky you." She turns and flexes her hands. "The power manifests through direct eye contact. Over a hundred metres of range. It's not stopped by opaque lens or reflected by mirrors. Write me a list of equipment you'll need."
[16:59] "First on the list is a way of preventing it from making contact, and money is no object?"
[17:00] "Yes. I figure, once we knock that one of, I'll be able to have a damn conversation with you without feeling like I'm talking to a puppet. You see-" Kallen frowns. "Lucille told me there were no other people like me around, and I bet she has no political ambitions. I'm not convinced something this complicated can really be a unique phenomena, however."
[17:02] "And so, it would make sense to ward yourself from the effects." Jean nods. "Quite sensible."
[17:03] "Correct. Besides, I think it's a power that likely shouldn't exist." Kallen curls her lip in a smirk. "Doesn't that make me the prize hypocrite."
[17:04] "Probably," Jean states bluntly. "But you already know I don't care about things like that."
[17:07] "I guess that's right. Later, Doctor."
[17:10] "I'll bring in results."

<--->

[17:15] Kallen returns from her visit to the ghetto with over an hour to spare before her dinner engagement, time well spent on making herself presentable and putting final touches on everything. The food has been prepared, the table arranged, light entertainment is within reach... the only matter she had not decided upon, consciously pushing it back all along, is what to do with her mother.
[17:15] Hide her, parade her, let her act as she pleases, each is a valid choice, but each might also set the tone for the evening.
[17:19] It's unfair for Kallen to use her mother as a symbol or a tool. She's just.. Kasumi. Kouzuki Kasumi, who had no real idea of what her daughter was up to, who she was hanging out with, or the extent of her goals. And if Kallen had her way, she wouldn't find out until they'd been achieved.
[17:20] Tonight, it's fine to let her do as she wishes; without Cleo loitering about, as far as Kallen is concerned, it's as much Kasumi's house as hers.
[17:24] Samuel West arrives with the chime of a clock, impeccably punctual. He is accompanied by a butler, but the servant swiftly disappears after ensuring his safe arrival. Kallen observes this scene at the foyer from a vantage point at the top of the stairwell.
[17:30] Kallen herself is dressed in a high-cut black evening dress (which she had Irene pick out for her the day before; the only thing Kallen felt safe choosing on her own was denim), and begins to step down the stairs after Hisui ushers him in. "I'm glad you could make it, Mr. West," she greets as she descends. "How was traffic?"
[17:33] "Quiet at this time of day," he responds, raising his eyes towards his approaching hostess. "Thank you for the invitation, Miss Stadtfeld. I apologize, but my wife was unable to return to the Tokyo Settlement in time, and has asked me to convey her deepest regrets."
[17:39] "Oh, none necessary. When she returns, I'll gladly host again another evening. I'm, hmm, hoping to catch up on lost time," she admits, reaching the ground floor and gesturing towards the dining room. "My father must have had a long working relationship with all members of the board, and I'm hoping we can build up the same sort of rapport in the future."
[17:43] Hisui disappears with his coat, as Samuel nods respectfully and follows Kallen to the dining hall. "It was more than that, one could say," he voices along the way. "Our families have worked together closely for generations, as he might have told you, and that won't change."
[17:47] "He has, but little more. I'm.. not as well-versed in history as I should be." The dining table is not, as it might happen, a particularly large or grand affair; it's rare that large numbers of guests are  brought to the mansion. Kallen had no illusions why; she, Cleo, and Kasumi never painted a flattering portrait of daily home life in the past. "Speaking of which, though, he was just beginning to teach me the ropes himself."
[17:50] "It is truly unfortunate," Samuel says heavily. "The way it happened so suddenly...." Seeming to realize the company he's keeping, he clears his throat. "It would be an honor for me to bring you up to speed if that is your wish, Miss Stadtfeld."
[17:53] "Please. And... let's spare the formal speech from now on. It's tiring just keeping it up, especially if we're all family friends here," replies Kallen, taking a seat at the head of table. Light music is playing through the hall (she double-checked to ensure none of her REAL music was in the player, but irrationally, she wondered how he'd react to an onslaught of 10-year-old Japanese pop.)
[18:00] "The way I address you is merely proper, Miss Stadtfeld," Samuel corrects her. "We maintain a close working relationship, and a friendly one would doubtlessly grow in time, but I cannot just visit a girl before her majority at her home and be familiar with her." Comparing his behavior with what little she had spotted during the meeting, Kallen finds Samuel far more assertive in this setting.
[18:06] "I.. yes, of course. Sorry," responds Kallen, a little abashed. But, she'd expected something like that. Besides, he was like twice as old as her... and a high-class Britannian figure. It was unlikely there'd be true friendship here, family history or not. "Well, then. I'll accept your offer."
[18:07] Drinks would be served shortly; she'd considered wine, but figured that would be trying far too hard to look like an adult. In cases like this, water is best.
[18:09] Samuel inclines his head. "Such things inevitably take time, and arrive before we even know it," he voices. "There are no true shortcuts."
[18:13] "Well, perhaps as a frame of reference, how long have you known my father for?" replies Kallen, straightening up in the chair.

<--->

<--->

"It wouldn't be exaggeration to say 'all my life'," Samuel informs Kallen. Drinks are served, right on schedule, and he takes a sip.

"From the standpoint of an old friend, then, how would you describe him? I've seen him.. so little, myself, you understand," she responds, facing Samuel and letting her eyelids droop a little. Throughout the conversation, she intends to sound out the man's feelings on a range of matters- although she doubts Geass is truly needed to figure out what's going on behind his eyes.

"Calm, very calm. Collected. Assured." Samuel voices adjectives, and Kallen feels a sense of nostaglia. "Your father knew what he wanted, and when I looked at him, I would think to myself, 'This man can make it happen!'"

He deflates slightly. "I'm sorry, it probably doesn't make much sense."

"No, it does," responds Kallen, briefly lifting her glass. "When he told me he planned to run for governor, there wasn't a trace of doubt that it must be within his reach... I did think he was rather distant, though. He seemed a very focused man."

"He was," Samuel agrees, and as Kallen continues gazing into his eyes, she suddenly feels lost. It only lasts a moment, and as she recovers her senses, she realizes she must be very surprised.

Kallen breaks off the contact for a moment to take a sip at her own drink, and leans back a little in the chair (although hardly slouching, as that is likely a sign of indolence.) "He also used to tell me that the best way to lead was by example," she continues, setting down the glass. "I've wondered what he planned to do once he reached that position."

"Expand the Stadtfeld interests further would be my guess," Samuel suggests thoughtfully. "It's not a good answer, again. I know, and I apologize. I believe he would appeal to one sector of the population, rather than try to keep everyone satisfied. He preferred directness and resolute decisions."

"Ah, I see. If that was the case, then I would suppose his target audience in all things would have to be the nobility. After all, one couldn't reach governorship in the first place without their support," responds Kallen.

"Ah, I see I misspoke," Samuel amends. "I meant for after the position was his, of course, and the not the actual process. Britannia's way is very lenient towards those who have power."

"True enough. Still, if expanding company interests remains his goal, he'd surely still need the support of peers within his class, would he not?"

"Perhaps," Samuel allows. "A governor does not really have any peers within the Area, after all. And while crude, the good and bad cop approach is often used because it works."

"What do you mean by that?" replies Kallen, taking another drink. The actual meal should be getting served shortly, which will at least give her some natural breaks in the conversation.

Hisui helps set the table, as the first course arrives on schedule, replacing the hors d'ouevres. Kallen had told the staff to spare no expense with the preparations, and it shows. Her usual meals are delicious, as to be expected, but none of them quite gave this officious sense.

"The governor is the supreme authority, but there are many aides by his side," Samuel elaborates, giving Hisui and the meal a glance before returning his eyes to Kallen once more. "They can be amiable and listen carefully to all the complaints a noble with a hurt pride might have towards the Governor, while promising to do their best to aid them in their cause. They will, unfortunately, be limited in what they can do with such an unreasonable person in charge, but that is quite understandable. The end result is thus often that these petitioners get less than they expected and feel grateful for it, too, sometimes enough to return a favor later down the line."

"I get it," replies Kallen, reaching for her cutlery (start from the outside, work your way in, don't just use the same fork). She gives Hisui a brief nod before the maid leaves. "Have you ever approached them yourself, as the man responsible for PR?"

"The plan was in a far too early a stage for that," Samuel curtly responds, turning his attention to the food.

The meal is one to be eaten at a slow pace, and Kallen herself isn't, in fact, particularly hungry; her own servings are quite lean. "I was surprised that it seemed he hadn't spoken of it to many others," she confesses. Of course, he couldn't, since he hadn't spoken of the Grail foundation to many others, either. The two seemed to go together in whatever plan he held.

"Yes, it seems that way," Samuel agrees, and there is a mix of emotions accompanying that rather simple statement, agitation and guilt prime amongst them.

Kallen lets the conversation lull for a moment or two while food is consumed, and when she speaks again, it backtracks a little. "On a slightly different topic, though, I wanted to ask you for some advice. It's obvious that becoming governor- or any real progression- requires some serious networking throughout the halls of power. I'd guess most can forge connections during time in academies, or in military stints- but it's something I need to get started on right now."

"Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, Miss Stadtfeld," Samuel says, looking up from his meal, "but you are already at the best possible place for that. The Ashford Academy is just the right kind of place to make important friendships. It is an opportunity that would not recur through higher education, unless you returned to the mainland fo rthat, but even those ties may not be as helpful if your goals lie in this Area."

"Yes, yes. I'm aware of that. I think I mentioned Milly Ashford earlier, now that you mention that." replies Kallen. "However, I'm just as interested in dealing with already-established individuals. Most of those of age with me aren't attending meetings or hosting dinners for their associates. They'll be the leaders of tomorrow- but I need to get to know the leaders of right now."

"An excellent point," Samuel concedes, seeming to mull over her words. "And I imagine you would wish to meet them as an equal, and not through the contacts you would make at school?"

"That's right. I'm not going to hold myself below anyone or be introduced as a.. study partner," replies Kallen, taking a second to finish off her plate. "I'll be candid about this. I want the governorship, but I'm aware it's neither easy nor certain to take that position, especially as... a relative unknown on that playing field.

"Still, if I can't be governor, then I at least want whoever takes that title in the future to know he has me to thank for it. I don't have a complete view of things, but from where I see it, the people in a position to do so are almost all involved in the military."

"Nobility and a desire to rise through the ranks often go hand in hand with military service," Samuel agrees, although he sounds hesitant. "Such an approach would be risky, however," he cautions, carefully putting his cutlery away. "Businessmen would ignore your age while trying to curry favor with you. Those in the military may not be quite so willing to place it aside, especially for an outsider. If you had plans to enlist, yourself, it might be different..." He trails off and looks at Kallen with curiousity. "Do you?"

"No. I don't have time to do things the normal way," replies Kallen. "Right now is the time to make a splash. The different factions within the military can't afford to spurn whatever support they can get. You know of the schisms, right?"

Samuel visibly hesitates, before nodding. "Yes."

"Well, that's why they have to deal with me. Sneer at my age as they might like, they can't ignore potential sponsorship. They need whatever advocates they can get," replies Kallen, finishing off her water. "As long as I can get a chance to meet with some of their representatives, that's good enough. There was.. the purists, correct? Clovis' own pet general, and the pro-eleven faction."

Samuel winces. "However much they might want advocates, I don't think most of the factions would appreciate being characterized in such a way. Except for the Purists, really." He purses his lips. "It goes without saying that you can only support one, and each would have its own reprecussions. I don't have anything prepared, but would you like to hear an incomplete presentation?"

"I know that much, and forgive me for not dressing my views up in front of you. But, yes, tell me what you think," replies Kallen.

"Just as long as you know not to use them in mixed company, so to speak," Samuel guides Kallen. "Since you mentioned wanting to make a splash, Miss Stadtfeld, I wanted to caution you about the bad sorts of splashes one could make, uninformed."

He pauses, collecting his thoughts. "At least for the duration of his campaign, I feel your father would have sided with the Purists. It would provide him with a ruthless, uncompromising image and conveniently place him in opposition of the current governor, Prince Clovis. Normally, this might marginalize his appeal with the Britannians in the Area, but recent events have made Clovis quite unpopular with what is seen as wishy-washy policies, and the common man wants to feel secure in his home more than ever in these troubled days. The hardliners in the military are always those one's psyche conjures up during troubled times, while shunning them at every other turn, after all."

Samuel considers his next words far more carefully. "It would be nigh-impossible to become a governor by following the current one, I feel. Public opinion is fickle, and may not support such an endeavor. Prince Clovis is, no matter what, royalty. Anyone else sharing his opinions, however, might be open game for some in the crowd. Also, unless one could reliably predict when the prince would vacate his post, maneuvering well enough to position yourself as his replacement would be difficult, to say the least."

Samuel leaves aside the third faction, quite conspiciously.

"In any case, they wouldn't do so by presenting their views as close to his. People would want an active governor," responds Kallen, raising a hand to her chin. "Public sentiment as it is, the third group might as well not exist. In fact, I imagine it really won't, presuming the Purists themselves are able to gain control... which you've made seem the likeliest prospect."

"Therein lies a chance," Samuel says reluctantly. "They would be the ones most desperate for legitimate support from the populace. Having the support of nobility, not to mention a financial investment in their cause, and they can, indeed, perhaps be bought."

"Doing so is basically running against the others. Until I get a chance to speak to the leaders involved, it would be difficult to choose... but I'd suppose that meeting with either party sends out messages to the others, doesn't it?"

"Quite so," Samuel says, nodding. He seems pleased, but at the same time, Kallen detects a hesitance behind it, something he is holding back.

"And your opinion on the more productive route?"

Kallen pauses. "I'm not asking you to be definitive. Just what's on your mind."

He hesitates further, before heading on. "Invite them all. Camouflage the meetings with a flashy event, and make it difficult for them to avoid attending. Usually, fundraisers for wounded war veterans are near-impossible for the higher-ups to avoid due to the potential public relations fallout."

"A fundraiser, huh? A ball of some sort, I would suppose, and a charity dinner. Yes, that could work quite well. We should think about who else to invite. There's no reason to limit ourselves to the military during such an event," murmurs Kallen, mulling it over. "I'll put it on the agenda for this Monday... oh, but do you think it's as viable to run it for reconstruction/aid work in Akihabara? It's in the public eye."

"While it would draw your targets, as it were," Samuel says, sounding uncomfortable at speaking that term, "their moods would be vastly different. The situation would carry a confrontational undercurrent. It might actually be best to do a lighter event, as it were. A visiting movie star or a prominent singer would make it harder for any participant to lose their temper and cause a scene."

<--->

<--->

"But it wouldn't it also show that I'm unafraid to deal with important issues?" replies Kallen, not really dismissing Samuel's advice- certainly, if she was really only interested in cordial meetings and pleasant negotiations, she would be deferring to him.

"In the worst case scenario which, frankly, is also the likeliest one to occur, it would turn into a four-way yelling match which would be anything but productive, and is quite likely to alienate you from all three. And that doesn't even take under consideration someone taking personal insult and carrying a vendetta from that point on. Duels as such are illegal these days, but...."

"...that hasn't stopped some being fought in other arenas," finishes Kallen, contemplating this. "Very well. If we began next week, how much time would you estimate be necessary to make the arrangements?"

"Two weeks is the absolute minimum. Two months is standard." Samuel shrugs. "Usually, a month to a month and a half of preparation produce the best results due to the time we have to work. Past that point, oversaturation may set in."

"Alright," replies Kallen. "We can talk over the specifics on Monday, after using the weekend to dwell on it. I'd aim for sooner rather than later, all said."

"There is a reason that such things take time, when done properly," Samuel says, not quite frowning. "The better you ready the ground, the higher your success rate goes. Is there really a point to an intermediary success that requires further hurdles to be overcome down the line, when its benefits dry up?"

"In the current situation, it's unclear when the scene will shift again," responds Kallen. "His Highness, for example, could choose to abdicate and fly back to the mainland at any time." A polite way of saying 'run back to daddy like the coward he is', that was, and one that would hardly be missed.

"If something like that happens, and my foot isn't in the door, it would be too late to make a meaningful impact. I'm hardly saying that taking every step possible is unwise, but right now, haste would be a virtue."

Samuel looks dubious. "Society would never stand for any noble seizing governship in a matter of mere weeks from debuting in it. In fact, if the scenario you describe happens, it would be better if we took the longer way around, which then positioned us to replace whomever would take Prince Clovis's place. With only a short time in office, and likely promoted through hasty measures, they would be easy prey."

"As I said earlier, if not me, then as long as the new governor knows who I am..." replies Kallen, lapsing into silence for a moment. "I'll likely defer to you, although a month sounds optimal from my standpoint. Quick enough that the chances of any dramatic shifts are lessened, but a long enough time to cover our bases. After all, it's intended as a meet'n'greet more than a session of hard bargaining."

"A month it is," he agrees, "and we won't be idle during that time."

"Of course not," responds Kallen. "While you're here, is there anything else you feel needs to be brought to my attention with regard to.. work and politics?" The two topics one should avoid speaking of at dinner. Well, so much for that. It's not like she can talk about things like hobbies or school with Mr. West, esteemed associate of the Statdfeld family.

<--->

Taking Nana-chan to the ghettos proved some conceptual challenge. In the end, Kallen had decided to settle with the outskirts of Shinjuku, where she knew she'd at least be relatively safe, the people there knew her and were unlikely to pose any awkward questions beyond a greeting and a 'who's that'- and she wouldn't get lost there herself, which was always a plus.

In the event of Murphy's law rearing it's ugly ahead and causing some unlikely catastrophe, she knew all the local hiding spots and boltholes, so keeping Nunnaly safe was still easy there. As for getting her there in the first place, Kallen had decided to use the train, but had pre-emptively parked a car on one of the servicable roads in case she needed to leave in a hurry. It wouldn't take more than a broad-brimmed hat and some touchups on the younger girl to ensure nobody identified her as Britannian on a cursory inspection.

A less bulky and more typical wheelchair was easy to acquire; the student council already had such things in storage. She hadn't made more plans than that, expecting the 'tour' to only take a couple hours at most. She got herself over to the school in casual gear early Saturday morning, along with a shoulder bag with some sandwiches, her purse of improptu self-defence, and a pistol, concealed by her jacket.

Sayoko is out when Kallen stops by to meet with Nunnally, the younger girl waiting for her on the ground floor. "I gave her a day off," Nunnally explains, after the greetings are over with. She seems hyperactive at first glance, but as Kallen helps her into the prepared wheelchair and disguise, it doesn't feel like excitement after all. Nunnally is very tense, and eager to go at the same time.

Kallen's first thought is that Nana must be worried about something, but on thinking about it for a moment, she figures that the girl has simply never done anything like this before. Nervousness going hand in hand with eagerness is something she can recognize, being a chronic sufferer.

"Out and about, just like us, right?" asks Kallen, not really thinking that Sayoko is unaware of what's going on in any capacity. "We're gonna go to Shinjuku. It's not that far out the settlement, practically borders on it. It used to be a really hectic place, I heard."

"I remember," Nunnally responds, adjusting her hat. "I only visited once, but it was really loud and noisy."

"It was pretty much *the* nightlife district," replies Kallen, starting to wheel Nunnally out towards the school exit. "Filled with bars and clubs and restraunts and all that. And shopping during the day, of course, but you could have made the argument that old Tokyo was a giant mall to start."

"It still is, if you listen to my classmates," Nunnally echoes her, as they start making their way towards the nearest train station.

"I suppose. It was different, though. Shinjuku was.. chaotic. Central Tokyo now is very tidy and neat. It's kinda boring, I guess. Still, right now, Shinjuku is... well, it's hard to tell one ghetto from another by looks alone."

"Then how do you do it?"

"You get to know the people, of course," replies Kallen. "Most people in the ghettos are there because they used to live and work there. Others were displaced from their original homes during the occupation. There's a lot of shared feelings depending on where you go. Anger, hope, despair, charity... they all have their own character."

"Is Shinjuku..." Nunnally hesitates. "Does it have a character of anger and despair?"

"Shinjuku's been there. But these days, people are getting more hopeful." Kallen snorts for a moment. "I'd say they're still pretty pissed off, though."

Nunnally lapses into quiet reflection. Their train arrives, right according to the schedule Kallen had checked and double-checked as she prepared their outing plans.

"How does it look from here?" the younger girl asks suddenly when the train is in motion, breaking her self-imposed silence.

You can't accuse the Brits of not running their trains on time, if nothing else.

"We're on an overpass," replies Kallen, glancing out the window. "Roads everywhere. It's kinda like a giant knot- but there aren't actually all that many cars on it at this time, huh. If you look behind us, you can see the settlement. Everything's new and silver back there- I can see the building with my family's offices. A couple helicopters, too...

"If you look to where we're going, though, it's like a cracked mirror. There are about as many buildings, but they're slanted, broken, and some are even scorched. You look at them and know they're going to crumble someday. You can't really see any people at all from here, though."

"Isn't it dangerous to live in them?" Nunnally asks worriedly, biting on her lower lip. "If the buildings are in that state, then they could collapse and crush those inside!"

"Yes, they could," replies Kallen. "There are programs to safely demolish them and expand the settlement, of course, but they're quite slow in progress. But the people living there have nowhere else to go. Most of them are basically squatters."

<--->

<--->

[14:36] Once again, Nunnally looks like she wants to say something, but she ends up nodding instead. Another minute of travel passes in silence, with only background chatter from others aboard the train, too muffled to overhear.
[14:37] One of the helicopters passes overhead; Kallen can see that it is approaching a commercial airship, clearly there to advertise an upcoming theme park, if the marque it carries is any indication.
[14:37] "Who is running those programs?" Nunnally asks, and it takes Kallen a moment to reorient herself and realize she must be referring to the plans to safely expand the settlement.
[14:43] "There's some kind of overall development plan set in place by the governor's office, and corporations can invest in it," replies Kallen, after taking a moment to think over the details. "Various incentives are in place to develop the land and encourage offshore nobles and businessmen to immigrate and stake a claim. It's entirely profit-driven."
[14:47] Nunnally tilts her head, focusing on Kallen. "That's a cold way of describing people being deprived of their homes," she notes quietly.
[14:54] "According to the state office, they never owned them in the first place," replies Kallen, biting her lip. "No provisions are made for Japanese who don't have jobs, identities, or status as an Honorary Britannian. The theory goes that if they want something, they need to make an effort to climb the ladder."
[14:54] Kallen pauses for a moment. "Did Shirley ever talk to you about why she joined the military?" she asks, suddenly.
[14:55] "She wanted to help," Nunnally says hesitantly.
[14:58] "Yeah. I don't know if she realised how hard it might be to change things, but she wanted to find some way to help those who can't help themselves," replies Kallen. "That was.. really admirable. I wonder what her parents thought..."
[15:01] "Milly was exasperated," Nunnally volunteers. "She called Shirley an idiot. But she also sounded thoughtful afterwards."
[15:03] "I didn't want her to join either," responds Kallen, with a dry chuckle. "How do you tell someone not to try and do a good thing, though?"
[15:05] The words seem to strike something within Nunnally. "It's very hard," she agrees, her voice quiet once more.
[15:12] It strikes Kallen that it should've been easier for her, given that she's doing something so diametrically opposed. It's not until they're almost at Shinjuku that she speaks again. "I just hope she succeeds. Antipathy would come from both the army and those she's trying to help..."
[15:19] Nunnally nods just as the train arrives at the station where they should get off. It's still a fair distance from Shinjuku, but Britannia didn't make a priority to arrange for comfortable transportation to the ghettos where locals live.
[15:19] It's still within walking distance, however, and no one prevents Kallen and Nunnally from entering the premises. "Ah, this is Shinjuku?" Nunnally asks with an almost uncanny promptness, as Kallen wheels her chair down the street not even a hundred feet away from the entrance.
[15:33] "Almost. The station was built just outside," replies Kallen. The street away from the station wasn't particularly crowded, with only a few elevens heading back and forth- some wearing cheap suits on their way to work, others in faded jeans and rumpled t-shirts.
[15:33] There weren't many skyscrapers or the like in what was left of Shinjuku, but plenty of multistory buildings were left behind, and despite Kallen's warnings on the train, she didn't predict any would happen to choose today to collapse on their own accord. Most of the old roads were still in one piece, but it was still a bumpy ride for the younger girl.
[15:33] The main entrance to Shinjuku was framed by an old torii. The red paint was cracked and faded, but the structure itself was still whole. A man reading a newspaper gave Kallen a curious nod as she passed through the entrance and into one of the main streets. Not far away was a broken bridge used for the old rails; the centre of it had fallen in long ago, and a couple of kids stood on either end, throwing a ball or something between each other.
[15:33] There was some degree of chatter throughout the streets- Shinjuku wasn't a small place, and they were quite crowded. Plenty of people had taken up shop in the ground level of various buildings, and even here there was work to be done- makeshift sheds and dwellings had to be repaired and maintained. A few ramshackle shops were selling food and sundries. If you just went by hearing, it could almost sound like a busy district in any city- albeit with more audibly sick people coughing their lungs out.
[15:33] What you needed to see instead of hear were the bodies sleeping on the streets, or how some people were terribly gaunt and pale. Even the fit young people going about didn't always look at the top of their game- certainly, at this time, Kallen was probably the most unquestionably healthy person in sight.
[15:42] Nunnally looks uncomfortable, almost recoiling before she catches herself, but Kallen doesn't think anyone but she notices. Shinjuku's residents had gotten very good at not seeing or hearing anything they weren't supposed to; at least those that tried to become productive members of society, either by Britannian or their old standards.
[15:52] Kallen turns a corner, heading away from the main street and into some of the smaller alleys that were once filled with tiny, hole-in-the-wall shops and restraunts; it was a maze to the uninitiated. The stove and ovens were still operable, run off tanks of gas or portable generators, but many were a communal affair, where one could bring whatever food they'd scrounged up and ensure it was properly cooked.
[15:52] "Apart from us, there are no Britannians at all," comments Kallen, coming to a brief stop outside one of the kitchens and leaning over the counter. The smell of cooking food is everywhere down here; oriental seasonings are used as well, grown in little pot-plants set up in street-level windows. "If you didn't guess, we're smack in the middle of what passes for a food court. Hungry? Probably nothing on what Sayoko-san makes, but hey, I bet you won't forget the taste!"
[15:56] "Britannians don't go the ghettos?" Nunnally asks, raising her head to face Kallen's.
[15:59] "Not often. There's not much here for them," explains Kallen. "I guess you get scouters. And people who like to lord it up. Not that many casual visitors, though... oi, Kenji!" she calls, shouting in Japanese to a sleepy-looking guy emerging from the kitchen. "Get us some drinks, willya?"
[16:04] He nods tiredly, marking the sleepiness as running deeper than just his appearance, and disappears back. It takes about a minute, during which Nunnally tries to make herself as small as possible, until Kenji emerges back out into the open with two opened beer bottles. They have been refilled, Kallen knows, and likely with juice, considering the customers.
[16:04] "Here ya go," Kenji says lazily, glancing down at Nunnally as he hands the bottles over to Kallen.
[16:14] She wouldn't put it past him to spike her own drink with something hilarious, but she'll kick his ass if he feeds something suspect to a girl in a wheelchair. "Thanks," she responds, dropping a few more coins than was strictly necessary on the counter and managing to place the bottle in Nana-chan's hands. "How's things? Chidori-chan doing alright?"
[16:16] Nunnally busies herself by drinking from the bottle. She goes too fast, pulling it away and coughing a few times, and then continues taking shorter sips.
[16:16] "Same old, same old. Haven't seen you around lately, though. What gives?"
[16:23] "Running around a lot. Checkpoints have been tighter lately, especially at night," replies Kallen. "And when I do get here, Inoue takes up all my time. You know how it is." She gestures to Nunnally. "Ah, this is Naomi. Her dad works in the settlement, but she asked me to show her 'round here. Naomi, this is Kenji, dealer in unique, improptu beverages."
[16:28] "How do you do," Nunnally says in polite Japanese, inclining her head towards Kenji. He rubs the back of his head, messing his bed hair even worse, and then coughs into his fist. "Charmed."
[16:28] As an incoherent yell sounds from indoors, Kenji rolls his eyes at Kallen. "There's my cue." Before he disappears out of sight, though, he calls back, "So did you tell Inoue that you traded her in for a younger model?"
[16:31] A thrown coaster is Kenji's response, and it hits the top of the wall above his head. "Pardon?"
[16:33] He laughs, ducking out of the way, his laughter continuing to echo from inside. "Your friend was... interesting," Nunnally voices quietly, nursing her bottle.
[16:34] "He's a bartender. They need to be interesting. It's how they get dinner going," replies Kallen. "If you ever need to find someone who lives around here, a guy like him is the first one to go to."
[16:36] Nunnally nods, taking another sip before asking, "And when is Inoue-san the first one to go to?"
[16:37] "When you want christmas cake."
[16:38] A perplexed expression appears on Nunnally's face. "She's a baker, then?" she ventures.
[16:41] "Haha, no, it's a dumb joke we have. She's just a friend of mine, and six years older, and she doesn't have a husband, and it's an old, old joke," replies Kallen, shaking her head.
[16:44] Nunnally's confusion does not disappear, but she refrains from questioning Kallen further.
[16:47] With a taste of local moonshine (or juice, or who-knows-what) in hand, Kallen starts to wheel Nunnally out of this street and into another. An old staircase down to the underground subway is nearby; few people go down there anymore, unless they're smuggling something. "Where to, next? We could check out the underground tunnels," comments Kallen. "Or head someplace high like the top of a mall. There's a couple of shrines still around, too- they're pretty interesting, actually. You go there and find out how lucky you're going to be for the next year."

<--->

<--->

Nunnally finishes her drink as Kallen takes her through the market. Some of the smells are inviting, and she has more than her share of contacts here, but it would be pointless for Kallen to stuff her face there. Something tells her Nunnally didn't ask to visit the ghetto because she was tired of Sayoko's cooking.

For her part, the young princess is quiet and subdued as they leave the impromptu market.

The ghettos are ultimately a slippery slope. The fringes are unquestionable the nicest areas, but as Kallen begins to guide Nunnally's chair further into the once-bustling suburb, things take on a more sombre feel. A massive crater lurks ahead- the result of some powerful bomb- with a huge building lying sideways within it. Still mostly intact, the structure gives an impression that the world has been turned around. The crater itself is home to dozens to tents, wet and filthy as though the confines might be.

"I need to pick up the chair for a second," notes Kallen, glancing ahead at the path. "There's a ditch in the road."

Nunnally nods quietly, clutching the armrests.

Gripping the sides, Kallen manages to heft the bulky furniture, girl and all, and leans towards the other side of the obstacle.

"We're in front of, well, I guess you can call it a village," she states afterwards, just stepping to the other side. "The people who couldn't find a place to squat ended up here, right? In some places, you can get running water and power, but it's harder if you have to live in a tent." she adds.

"Are there many people who have to live in tents?"

"Yeah. Can't give you a number, but it's probably at least a fifth or a quarter. They're not all tents, strictly speaking. Some are... sheds, I guess? Places put together from whatever's lying around," replies Kallen.

A group of elevens nearby are sitting on folding chairs and boxes, all watching a small television with a coathanger antenna sticking out the top. With an irritated snort, one of the guys bashes the top, prompting clearer reception.

"And you said these are people who couldn't find a home in one of the abandoned buildings?" Nunnally seeks to clarify. Occupied as they are by the television, the locals don't give Kallen and her charge more than a cursory, bored glance. "There is nowhere else they could stay?"

"Nope. They don't wanna stay in the towers that might collapse, so you could say it's a safer option," replies Kallen.

"What about moving, or trying to become Honorary Britannians?"

Kallen resists the urge to spit. It's hypocritical, she tells herself. "They can't move without either money or Honorary status. You can't get Honorary status unless you can convince the government to give it to you. You can't do that unless you have some special skill, some noble likes you, or you join the military. The last option is the only one avaliable to most, and... it's generally considered to be selling out. Practically treason."

Nunnally nods hesitantly, taking that in. "Then, isn't it possible to build houses for those who don't have it?"

"It's possible, if someone decides to make it happen," acknowledges Kallen. "It's entirely dependant on how much power they have... and if nobody tries to stop them."

"Someone might try to stop this, just because they can?" Nunnally asks, sounding appalled.

"It's not impossible. The people here have very little to offer," replies Kallen, bleakly. "Someone reaching out to them can't expect anything in return. But because of that, some nobles think that they don't deserve to be helped. It goes against the emperor's philosophy."

"Did... did you try to help and someone stopped you?" Nunnally asks hesitantly, lowering her voice.

"No.. not quite. I haven't been stopped. I've tried to help," replies Kallen. "My dad never approved, but he's... not around and all. I guess you could say I haven't had the opportunity to do more than a little until recently."

<--->

<--->

"Do you know other people who want to help?" Nunnally asks. "Do you... try to work together?"

"I know Shirley," replies Kallen. "But I only wish I could say I had a lot of people behind me on this."

"Is there... anything someone like me could do?" Nunnally asks, looking stoic despite the hesistancy she must feel, if her speech is any indication.

"I could say something cheesy, like 'your thoughts are enough', but that won't satisfy you, right? It's trite, so I won't," asks Kallen, pausing in their trek.

"There's loads of things one person can do. Help directly, getting out there and working with community services, that sort of thing. I guess that means adminstrative tasks. Answering phones, that sort of thing, instead of actually building stuff or laying down cable. You can help directly like that, but it's attacking the symptoms, not the problem, so it feels like throwing pebbles at a lake.

"It's changing how people think. Talking to others and showing them the state people have to live in. Getting them to question the country Britannia has become. But since saying the wrong thing can land you in jail..."

Nunnally lowers her head. "I can't speak out in public," she says quietly.

The only way Nana-chan can help- really help, in Kallen's estimate- is by declaring herself a princess and using her name as leverage upon other members of royalty. And that isn't a sure thing. In doing so, she would paint an enormous target on her back, and she would surely need more savvy than she could possibly have.

"Ah, right," she replies, taking the chair across a bridge. A canal for an artificial river runs across it, although the only water there is a thin stream. "And it's awkward to even talk about stuff like this with people at school. The leaders of tomorrow, as Milly puts it."

"But you talked to Shirley," Nunnally points out. "And you're one of those future leaders, Sayoko told me. Maybe it means others can get involved, just like you two had!"

"You're right. I mean, Shirley was my best friend, so it took a while before we could really speak about this stuff, but it's not like anything can happen if someone doesn't bring the issues up, you know?"

"Was?"

"Is. Is, I just haven't got to speak to her for a while."

Nunnally nods in understanding. The canal, the river flowing through it and the bridge across are a distant memory, by now, and a park remains. It is, in stark opposition to the rest of Shinjuku, well-kept and tended for. Kallen knows the reason for it, of course. It holds Britannia's war memorial, an obscene symbol of its triumph over Japan. Perhaps, monuments such as the one located in the center of the park are the only ones that ever reference Japan by its true name.

Harming the park or the monument always brings heavy-handed retaliation against the surrounding civillian population. That is the only reason it remains untouched, Kallen imagines.

It wasn't as bad as Tokyo Tower, or what was left of it. Bad enough that Britannia erects monuments in the heart of Japanese communities, but to complete their mockery, they had turned Japan's own symbols into their own triumphs.

Kallen heads around the landscape, refusing to stay or comment upon it while she's here. "It can't be helped, though. Boot camp is hell, and I bet she spends her free time catching up on sleep."

Nunnally nods once more. She tilts her head as Kallen takes them around the park, no doubt noticing the change of scenery. Kallen herself can smell cleaner air already, and the faint hint of greenery, something sorely missing in both the ghettos and the settlements.

"Ah, are we still in Shinjuku?" the blind girl asks.

A pair of teens leave the park through an exit up ahead. They look Britannian.

"Yeah, but we're almost at the other edge," replies Kallen. "Keep going, and we'll probably walk back into the settlement."

The pair seems to be hanging about the exit. As Kallen pushes Nunnally's wheelchair over towards the exit, lacking in options unless she wants to turn back or carry the younger girl through the debries littering the park's perimeter, three more teens join them.

Kallen continues to wheel the chair towards the teens, intending simply to go past them and continue about her business. "Want to head back?" she asks, after a moment.

"Can you take me to the highest spot here?" Nunnally requests, turning her head towards Kallen.

"Sure. We're not that far from it, actually," replies Kallen, thinking of a nearby tower that's considered amongst the least likely to fall down this year. "But! You will have to ride on my back. The chair's too heavy to take up stairs as well."

"Oh, the elevators don't work!" Nunnally exclaims, as if the thought hadn't occured to her before. "Then, the people who do live in the houses... do they have electricity, and water, and gas?"

"Some. People usually share the essentials," replies Kallen. "Water's not that big a problem. Electricity, though..."

"So the provisional government doesn't help even with that..." Nunnally says sadly.

"Because it exists to serve the interests of Britannians. I've stopped listening to the governor's announcements. 'We and elevens working together to build a better society', that's all such bull." growls Kallen. "The elevens don't even try, and who can blame them? It's still only been six years. People don't forget or forgive that quickly. They wouldn't, even if the government was benevolent."

"Hey, it's a monkey, jabbering in that strange monkey language," one of the Britannians calls to the laughter of the others. Nunnally flinches, adding to their mirth.

Kallen doesn't flinch so much as twitch, and levels a cold stare at the offending Britannian. "And then there's shit like this," she murmurs. "I'd really like to teach them all a lesson."

"Who said you could look back, monkey!" the Britannian declares, in a perfect mix of haughtiness and anger. His companions fan out, blocking the way.

The area is not quite deserted, locals using the same road and kids playing in the rubble, but at the loud, confrontational tone, it begins to clear out.

"I wouldn't talk like that around here, if I were you," replies Kallen in accentless Britannian, narrowing her eyes. With Nana around, though, she can't escalate the conflict. Well, even if she wasn't, it would be just Kallen against five. And even if she could beat that many at once, it'd only make things worse later.

Luckily, she has other options, and she poisons the man across from her with her own mindset. She feels trapped, she wants to get away, and soon enough, so shall he. "Some people still get mad, and the rest of us don't want trouble."

The young man she's facing bellows, hand flashing behind his back. His companions look shocked when he draws a blade and lunges madly, bypassing a shot at Kallen to try and gut Nunnally!

Kallen is shocked for a moment, and there's no time for thinking! She steps forward and reaches for his arm- if he was trying for her, she'd probably get stabbed- and grabs it by the wrist! She can't just push back- she tries to flip him over, using his heedless momentum against him!

His grip is strong, Kallen finds out to his shock, and as muscles ripple below the casual shirt their assailant wears, she realizes that she can't throw him from her position. She can't even halt his momentum; merely altering the knife's course would take all her strength and concentration!

Kallen grapples with the man, pulling the knife away from Nana- away from *her*- anything to pull the deadly weapon off-course! She should at least be able to wrestle him away, or what good is she as a soldier- or a bodyguard?

The knife scrapes the chair's side as Nunnally flinches aside, and it is touch and go for several moments. Then, all of a sudden, the man's resistance ceases entirely, disappearing along with the back of his head. Showered with gore, the nearest Britannian looks utterly shocked, before turning tail and running away, the other three following without a glance back.

Kallen's strong grip on their assailant's arm is all that keeps his corpse upright.

Kallen holds it up dumbly for a moment, before she shoves the body away in shock and backs away.

Nunnally is shivering, hugging her arms around herself. A pool of blood gathers around the dead man, fear forever etched on his expression.

Who shot him? That wild thought springs to mind. It must be some eleven who saw what was going on and decided to act. If he hid himself to avoid discovery, that wouldn't be surprising.

Hanging around would be crazy. The surviving brits would call the police, no doubt about it. Since a Britannian died, they'd tear the place apart, even if he was just a commoner. No, it's because he's only a teenager that they'd try harder. Nana-chan can't get involved with the police or anything official. Kallen could, if a baroness claimed to be present and was assaulted by a commoner, the shooter would probably get a medal. Unless her lineage was discovered- and questions would be asked-

The thoughts keep flying through her head as she grabs the wheelchair and starts heading away from the scene. Is there any blood on her?

Other than a large, mostly cauterized hole in the Britannian's forehead, his front is spotless. The splatter pattern was away from Nunnally and Kallen, it appears, although she can't quite avoid all the blood if she is to push the wheelchair forward. Some of it might cling to its wheels despite her best effort.

Picking it up, Kallen can pick it up again and carry it across. Then, she can take the quickest route to the car she parked earlier, and drive back to Ashford.

Abruptly, she realises that unless she says something, Nana-chan will still have no idea exactly what happened. "Sorry. I'm so sorry that happened." she manages.

Nunnally seems to be in shock, not responding to Kallen's words in any visible way. She seems to be whispering something, far too quietly for Kallen to casually overhear.

Kallen's phone rings, disturbing her concentration further. The regular one, she realizes after a moment.

Kallen flips it open and takes a glance at the caller. She can always find some excuse for not answering later, if necessary.

It's an unlisted number.

The timing is too convenient, and Kallen hits the 'call accepted' button and raises it to her ear. "Hello?"

"You can't take her back to the school," she's told as soon as the line connects. The voice is going through a scrambler, and all Kallen can tell is that it's female, unless that, too, is part of the camouflage. "Can you hide her?"

"Yeah. Who is this? How long have you been watching?" demands Kallen, trying to think. Something doesn't make sense. She'd assumed the man lunged at Nana-chan thanks to her Geass. But in that situation, wouldn't he go for Kallen instead if that was all?

It's suspicious.

"Good. Do it. I'll be in touch."

The line goes dead before Kallen can get another word in.

She needs to trace the call. Nana's identity has clearly been compromised, but now, so has Kallen's. If it was a rebel- even one disguising themselves- they'd have used her other phone.

It might have been someone she already knows is friendly- Sayoko, perhaps- but it strikes Kallen as highly unlikely. There's at least one idea that sticks out, though in the end it raises many more uncomfortable questions.

For now, though, she tries to think of a safehouse nearby. The rebel HQ is probably out of the question, but despite talked of crowdedness in the ghettos earlier, there are still plenty of designated caches and hiding spots around. It's to one of them that she starts moving- one a moderate distance away.

Putting that phone away for a moment, she pulls out her other, more secure cell, and calls Inoue.

"S'up?" Inoue asks, picking up after five rings.

"I'm here to ruin your day. Ready?"
"There's a brit missing part of his head lying near the north gateway. The fucker came at me with a knife, but someone blew him away. While we were fighting over it."

A pause. There's not much you can add to a statement like that right away.

"Get out of here!"

"Yeah, it gets worse. He had friends, right? I give it a 50/50 of them reporting this," continues Kallen. "But that's not the best part. I've got someone I need to hide. Can you meet me?" She drops the name of the hideout- it's close to one of the old subway entrances. "I gotta tell you some things."

"This better not be bullshit," Inoue grumbles. There's a rustling of clothes. "I can make it in forty. Just sit tight."

"Thirty minutes, got it." Just talking to Inoue is enough to regain her composure- after walking through a sea of blood, Kallen doubts she would ever stay phased for long again.

"Yeah, yeah."

<--->

<--->

[14:41] The safe house wasn't a house (and some might argue it wasn't safe), but an old hole-in-the-wall bookshop, once one of hundreds of shops that line Shinjuku's streets. It had the advantage of a second-story window, out of which one could get a wide view of anyone even trying to approach the vicinity. Likewise, it was located close to a subway entrance, much-loved by freedom fighters all over-
[14:44] -Tokyo for the ease of use. The attention paid to it's interior design was not as thorough as that to it's tactical value. Low-hanging lights were hooked up from the roof, and a few futons were rolled up against a wall. Shelves of various boxes and supplies were lying around, including food, medicine, and weapons. None were marked, and Kallen was rifling through them, tossing aside crusty books-
[14:46] -in favour of finding a pair of binoculars and a blanket. The latter, she soon carries over to Nana-chan, and quietly puts it over her body. "We should be safe here. I'll call Sayoko soon," she says, trying to think of ways to comfort the younger girl-
[14:46] -and failing miserably.
[14:50] Nunnally nods at Kallen, although the older girl can't tell whether she truly understood her.
[14:55] "I can't take you back to school," continues Kallen, dropping onto a folding chair by a desk, and peering out the window. "You're probably going to be here for a couple of weeks. If there's anything you want, from home or something, then I can go get it later," she continues, dropping her head into her hands with a muttered obscenity.
[14:57] Nunnally shakes her head, this time. "I don't need anything," she says quietly.
[15:01] No time to be in a funk, Kallen reminds herself. Not when someone is relying on you, whether they like it or not. She reaches for her secure phone, and begins to call Sayoko, wherever she might be.
[15:03] "Yes?" Sayoko's voice asks, as she picks up the phone after four rings. "Who is it?" The reception is somewhat shaky.
[15:07] "Me. Nana-chan was attacked, and I can't take her back to school anymore," replies Kallen. "How soon can you get to Shinjuku?"
[15:09] "What?!" Sayoko exclaims. There is some noise, as if the mouthpiece were covered, before silence permeats the line. She must have placed her phone on mute.
[15:10] Stupid of her, to forget that Sayoko could've been anywhere, and a discussion like this couldn't happen in some places.
[15:11] "Go ahead," Sayoko's voice returns. The line still has a bad connection, but the background noise has all but disappeared, now.
[15:16] "Some thug attacked her with a knife," replies Kallen- quietly. "But someone else was watching, and shot him in the back. Whoever it is-" she has one big guess- "-, they've had an eye out for a while. I'm in the safest place I know."
[15:19] "Miss Nunnally was involved in a mugging attempt, and you felt it necessary to take her to a ghetto to keep her safe?"
[15:24] "The sniper called me afterwards and told me the school wasn't safe," hisses Kallen. "If they wanted to just take her, she could've just shot me at the same time and done it."
[15:25] "She?"
[15:26] "It was a woman's voice, albeit a distorted one."
[15:27] "It would take me time to get to Shinjuku," Sayoko says after a pause. "Are you in immediate danger? Is the sniper able to track your movements?"
[15:35] "They must be able to, to some extent," replies Kallen.
[15:35] "But I don't think we're in immediate danger."
[15:36] "I'll be there as soon as I can. Will you be available at this number?"
[15:37] "Yeah, I will."
[15:38] "We'll talk more when I'm there, then," Sayoko promises.
[15:40] "Alright. Later," replies Kallen, cutting the connection.
[15:49] Inoue finally makes it over to the abandoned bookshop thirty three minutes later, looking a little red in the face. Armed as she is with binoculars and a good vantage point, Kallen is in a good position to intercept her long before Inoue gets to the front door.
[16:01] Kallen greets her out the front. "Hey. Sorry, but it was urgent," says Kallen, glancing over her shoulder.
[16:03] Inoue looks past Kallen casually. "So you said." Her expression indicates that she is expecting to hear that explanation she was promised.
[16:06] "Alright. You ever heard of the Ashford family?" asks Kallen, in a low voice.
[16:07] Inoue snorts. "Please. I do keep some interest in your life. You go to their school."
[16:12] "Ah, right, school. Ashford Academy. How could I forget? Look, long story short, they figured my identity ages ago. But I ended up making a deal with them. They'll help work against Britannia if I help them out when they need it, right? Well, this is it. One of their wards is up there, and someone wants to get rid of her."
[16:13] "Whoa, whoa, back up!" Inoue looks at Kallen incredulously. "A bunch of Brit nobles figured your identity?" The emphasis she places on the last word is unmistakable.
[16:14] "Yes. This happened... months ago," grimaces Kallen. "When Naoto died, mother came to school."
[16:16] "Oh, that identity." Inoue relaxes slightly. "Not--" She gestures around, "--this?"
[16:20] "They found out this, alright. But they have no intention of giving it away," responds Kallen. "They have reason to hate the Empire as well."
[16:22] "I'm sure they do. I hear taxes are a bitch."
[16:34] "Uh-huh. They have a long and exciting history of getting screwed," responds Kallen. "I trust 'em."
[16:37] "That's why they run an exclusive academy, because they're getting shafted by the regime," Inoue mutters, rolling her eyes. "Look, Kallen, you've got to give me more than that. You trust them, and I trust you. That's fine. But if I vouch for this and one of us is being played, the entire resistance can go down in flames. Fuck, the best case scenario is that the JLF cuts us off and we all get shot."
[16:48] "Played, huh," mutters Kallen. "Heh. Who's playing who, then? Alright. The Ashfords aren't protecting just anyone. They've been sheltering royalty in exile for the past six years. But they can't keep that up forever, not in the current regime- and that's why they came to me."
[16:50] "It's... original, at least," Inoue says, sounding skeptic. Though she takes another peek of the bookshop's insides.
[16:57] "Yeah, I know. Nunnally vi Britannia, the.. sixty-somethingth heir," replies Kallen, throwing a wary eye down the street. "Let me explain the circumstances," she adds, giving a brief rundown of just how the attack in the ghetto played out only a short time ago.
[17:00] "No way," Inoue mutters. "I think I saw something on the news, way back, after the invasion. So you're saying vi-what's-her-name got away?" She listens to the attack's description, eyebrows climbing. "So this dude just tried to pick a fight with you, and then lunged to stab the kid and got his brains blown out?"
[17:07] "Yeah. The attack was weird. The sniper was weirder. They're probably going to contact me again, too," mutters Kallen. "I need help covering this place."
[17:08] "You were serious about earlier, right?" Inoue asks rhetorically. "That gets me thinking, you're looking for some unofficial help."
[17:13] "Which part gave it away?" asks Kallen, theatrically. "I contacted the Ashford's own bodyguard for help already. Nana-chan isn't worth much as a hostage, despite her rank, but if this got official, that's what'd happen."
[17:16] "My memory's not the best, especially when it comes to Brit propaganda, but they sure invoked her name in a lot of the post-war clensings," Inoue muses, herself glancing around for any onlookers. "Not the name, actually. Wasn't there a pair of royals who were supposed to buy it with the invasion?"
[17:18] "Yeah, it was her and her brother," replies Kallen. "The Ashford's sheltered both of them. But the brother went AWOL a while ago, and it's just been her since then."
[17:19] "Nice," Inoue drawls sarcastically. "Next you'll be spinning me some sob story about how she's just a poor cripple who's got nothing to do with Britannia's evils and just wants a world of puppies, rainbows and bunnies."
[17:20] "Yeah, it's kind of unreal how nice she is."
[17:21] "'course she is. With those genes, how could she go wrong?" Inoue breathes out through her mouth noisily. "So when do I get to meet her?"
[17:26] "Ah, you can go up now, but she's in a state," replies Kallen, turning around. "The attack was enough of a freakout for her, and on top of that her position was revealed."
[17:29] "Couldn't pick a better time for the introductions," Inoue agrees, heading inside and then up the stairs.
[17:30] With one last glances down the street, Kallen heads in after Inoue and locks the door behind them.
[17:33] Inoue is halfway up the stairs when Kallen's phone rings.
[17:33] Kallen flips it open and checks the caller- unlisted, surely- and answers is shortly afterwards.
[17:36] Kallen's expectations are answered, and the same filtered voice greets her on the other side. "How long can you keep her safely hidden?"
[17:37] "Five minutes? Five weeks? Five years? That depends entirely on who's looking," replies Kallen, staying at the bottom of the bookshop.
[17:40] "The SIS, my guess."
[17:40] That would stand for the Britannian Secret Intelligence Service, Kallen realizes, more commonly known as the Directorate of Military Intelligence Section 6, or MI6 for short.
[17:43] "You're shitting me. If we can get the jump on them, then long enough to get her someplace untouchable," replies Kallen, frowning. "If we just sit on our hands, our odds are bad."
[17:47] The voice doesn't rise up to the bait. "I estimate she would be safe in the ghetto, as they would move covertly to gather information about her whereabouts. I realize that you can't tell me the key parts of any plan involving her safety over this line, but what can I do to help?"
[17:53] "Information on any SIS operatives would be appreciated. If you can tell me how to find one, I can take everything from there."
[17:54] There isn't an immediate response, and when one comes, it's almost hesitant. "I can't do that. What else?"
[17:56] "Can you feed them false information? Tip us off if they seem to be getting close?"
[17:57] "It's not impossible. I'll be in touch."
[17:59] "Intel is everything, if you're serious. The more of that you give me, the safer she'll be."
[18:00] The line goes dead without an acknowledgement.

<--->

<--->

"There's no point in denying it," Kallen hears Inoue say as she scales the last few steps before reaching the second floor.

The young princess is wringing out her hands, seated on the chair Kallen left her in.

"I'm sorry, Nana-chan," states Kallen, closing the door behind her and heading over to the window. "I've known your secret for weeks. I wanted to help, but the only way I can do that now is by hiding you here."

"I... won't make a very good hostage," Nunnally voices hesitantly.

Inoue rolls her eyes. "Seems like it. Don't suppose you know more about who's trying to get to you?"

Nunnally shivers.

"We aren't taking you hostage," replies Kallen, slowly. "I called Sayoko and she'll be making her way here. Once we've got everything set up, we'll move you out of Japan alltogether, and that should leave anyone after you in the dust."

"No."

It takes Nunnally a while to respond, but when she does, her answer is resolute.

"I'm glad we sorted that out," Inoue mutters.

"You should know that Milly went away specifically to find a safer haven than Tokyo," notes Kallen, grimacing. "Staying here is incredibly dangerous in the long-term. With imperial agents on the move... why would you want to stay here?"

"I'm not leaving Oniisama behind," Nunnally says quietly. "I know, that if I leave, I'll never be with him again."

"If you stay, you might be caught, and then you definately won't be with him again. With anyone again," replies Kallen, pressing her palms into the windowsil. "It's not like I don't symphasize, but if Lelouch came looking and couldn't find you, the Ashford's are the first person he'd ask, surely."

"So it would be best for everyone if I just didn't exist?" she asks bitterly. "I just cause trouble for everyone wherever I go."

"Don't do that," warns Kallen, sharply. "Blaming yourself for this is stupid. Blame your dad, or blame the SIS, or just blame Britannia."

"Cheery kid," Inoue whispers to Kallen, coming over to her, when Nunnally remains silent.

"Would you be happy?" asks Kallen, pointedly.

"Ecstatic," Inoue deadpans.

It takes the better part of two hours for Sayoko to make it over, coordinating her arrival as she gets closer to the hideout. Nunnally asks for a drink in the interval, but otherwise avoids talking to Kallen or Inoue in the meantime.

<--->

<--->

Kallen's chosen time to approach the younger girl is just after school on the following monday; accosting her after classes shouldn't be a difficult matter, unusual as it might be for a senior to go into the wings reserved for middle school. 

From the murmurings Kallen picks up on as she waits for Alice's class to let out, an unscheduled visit from a minion of the infamous Milly Ashford is bound to make waves throughout the lower grades. She doesn't have time to get more than a general impression; the teacher exits the door to the hallway amidst a rising noise level back in the classroom.

Giving a moment for the usual horde of freed schoolchildren to burst through the door, Kallen then steps towards the entrance, glancing around to try and catch a glimpse of her quarry.

Alice is packing away her notebooks, not part of the early rush to escape school for the day. Her seat is at the second row, and her neighbours have already fled towards freedom.

Stepping inside the room, Kallen calls out above the low noise of mumbling schoolkids. "Hey, Alice-chan! Are you free for a few?"

"If it's just a few," Alice responds, flashing Kallen a smile. "My aunt is sick, so I have to go straight home today."

"Ah, sorry, then." Kallen heads towards Alice, taking a seat at one of the neighbouring desks and attempting to get a fix on Alice's emotional state. "I was actually wondering if you knew where Nana-chan was today."

Kallen was having trouble getting at Alice's dominant emotion, but her words clear that right up. "She caught a nasty cold, it seems," Alice responds with not even a fraction of the anxiety she feels. "Her maid called the school."

"Ah, right. Um," Kallen's eyes shift away for a moment to glance about the room, and then refocus on Alice to talk in a lower voice. "Can we go somewhere private?" she asks, and this time she attempts to instill the same sense of trust within Alice that she did with Milly. "I'm worried that it's a bit more than just some cold, but I don't want any- well, you know, gossip," she adds, in a low voice.

"There's bound to be gossip," Alice mutters quietly. A sense of tension permeats her already existing unease, and the younger girl nods at Kallen. "I really shouldn't, but if it's just for a few minutes...."

"There's gossip and there's gossip," mutters Kallen back, and she heads to an empty science lab, a little out of the way of other classrooms, which students aren't likely to pass often at this time of day. "The thing is, I went to the council building to check on her," she comments. "She wasn't there, and I figured she might've gone to the doctors, but this is just the end of something that's been nagging me for a while." She turns to keep a steady eye on Alice; this is only going to work if she can shift the other girl's emotions to the point where she treats Kallen as a confidante, and not a potential danger. 

"Going to the doctor might be why, yes," Alice agrees, no longer able to keep her unease entirely out of her voice, while its levels spike dangerously beneath the surface. "I'm certain that Sayoko would ask Nunnally's friends for help if she needed it. Going beyond that feels a bit like stalking."

"Stalking, huh. I guess it might," admits Kallen, sighing. "But I'd rather be accused of that than let something bad happen to her. You see, I've got reason to believe someone's hunting her," she continues, changing tack. Instead of pushing simple trust at Alice, she tries to spur that protective instinct towards Nana, the idea that the girl needs to be protected. "There's evidence that she's hiding from something, and I did some poking around." She leans a little closer. "You're some kind of bodyguard, right?"

Alice laughs in Kallen's face. "A bodyguard? Me? Next you'll be calling me Nana-chan's knight!" Shaking her head, she moves past Kallen. "And here I thought this was something serious...." Beyond her facade, anger builds up on top of the frustration and worry.

<--->

<--->

Kallen's other phone, belonging to a secret life only few are privy to, receives a short, cryptic message. It only features a series of numbers, starting with zero and seven, which Kallen knows to mean today at seven. A meeting of their cell is being called, and the remained of the text stands for the place they are to gather, a warehouse the group rarely frequents, but which should be safe from Britannian intelligence.

Seven, giving Kallen about three hours to get there. A direct route wasn't normally used, for security purposes, so the trip wasn't as simple as just wandering down there.

She had one thing left to do at school, though, and she starts to head towards to Teresa's dorm, setting her anxiety aside.

Kallen finds the door locked which, knowing Teresa, is par for course.

She knocks on the door; using the master key is probably impolite. "Are you there, Teresa?"

Rather than a grunt indicating some stage of coherence, Teresa's voice rings clear through the door. "Affirmative." There is a brief silence, during which Kallen hears a sigh, and then the other girl's voice sounds once more. "I assume you want to come in, too?"

"Would that be so horrible?"

Teresa doesn't respond. A few moments later, however, the door is unlocked.

Kallen pushes it open and steps inside, making the transition from the shiny corridors of Ashford to the technomanic otherworld of Teresa's room.

The room is better-lit than how it was the last time she was there. And is there an actual open window letting in natural light?

Teresa, however, remains seated behind her computer, and Kallen briefly wonders how she managed to unlock the door from there. The lock seems entirely mechanical.

Kallen briefly glances to the corners in her blind spot, and then steps inside and closes the door behind her.

"So, I found something out about the other fake IDs," she says, deciding to get straight to the point. "You want in?"

Teresa raises an eyebrow, reflected in her monitor for Kallen to see. She doesn't turn towards her, but her fingers dance across the keyboard, summoning a list onto the screen, which she then manipulates directly until Alice's face occupies it. "What do you know?" she inquires.

"You would pick the one I know the least about," replies Kallen, sighing. "At first, I thought she was SIS. But because I found out about Lulu and Nana, I'm not so sure."

"Fine, let's do it in the order you want," Teresa grumbles, shuffling the personal files. Out of the resulting mess, four portraits appear in a split screen, Kallen's adorning the lower right. "Go ahead, and I'll provide the special effects."

Despite her antics and demeanor, Teresa appears interested in what Kallen has to say.

"You can't record this on a computer," notes Kallen. "Promise me you'll keep it in your head."

"I can promise not to put it anywhere networked," Teresa says evenly.

"There's still physical evidence. Believe me, you'll remember it," replies Kallen.

"Let's hear it," Teresa says, her chair turning towards Kallen at last.

"Lamperouge isn't their real name. They're... well, they're exiled royalty. Vi Britannia is their surname," replies Kallen. Specifying that it needs to be kept a secret isn't really necessary, not when she can communicate her desires via Geass.

Sorting out her own emotions on the affair is a troublesome thing, but a need to keep the wrong people from finding out is high amongst them.

"Did you ever study recent history? If so, I might not need to explain everything."

Kallen tastes idignance, while Teresa rolls her eyes. "You know I don't bother with that claptrap. Couldn't you find a better story to waste my time with?"

"Unfortunately, it's the truth. Anyone would've heard of Marianne the Flash, I'm sure. And it's not exactly a secret that she had close ties with the Ashford family," replies Kallen. "After she died, her children were sent here. And during the war, they were supposed to have been killed."

Teresa looks skeptic, but indicates for Kallen to continue.

"You can piece together the rest. I don't know how, but the Ashfords managed to save them from the bombs. By the looks of it, they've been sheltering them ever since."

Kallen's tone turns disgruntled, and her contact with Geass breaks. "Yet it seems that protection has run out, since both Lelouch and Nunnally have vanished from the campus."

Teresa nods slowly. "Let's say I buy this. You're saying... what, exactly? That the Ashfords threw the two of them out to the dogs, one by one?"

Teresa is terrified, Kallen realizes, and really good at covering it up.

"The opposite. I'm saying they ran away," replies Kallen, grimly. The fear is infectious, and it's hard not to see how many ways this could lead to a terrifying fate- and not just for herself or the siblings.

"I don't think I need to look far to see why, either," she adds, gesturing at the picture of Alice. "There are four people with faked identities at this school. I can vouch for myself, obviously, and I know their story. It's too much of a coincidence for Alice to be unrelated."

"No, don't tell me, let me guess. She's their long-lost cousin?"

"You know, if it wasn't for you, I might have actually thought it was something like that. I'm pretty sure she's a spy, alright."

Kallen stands up, and moves over to peek outside the window. "What I don't know is who she's spying for."

"Aside from the obvious, you mean?" Teresa asks snidely.

"The SIS? I thought so, at first. But I don't think they'd be so passive as to just watch..."

"That seems to be exactly what spies do, especially the sleepers that make for such great blockbuster movies," Teresa says absent-mindedly, turning back to the computer. An online encyclopedia's website comes up, and she surfs to the portion dedicated to Marianne the Flash.

Been there, read that.

"If they knew their location, I would've thought assassins were in order before spies," mutters Kallen. "In any case, I was wondering, then, if you felt up to spying on a spy."

"Putting you asking me if I wanted a quick death aside for the moment," Teresa muses, browsing through the section as tabs begin to open and clutter the top of the screen, "why would you instantly think of assassins? It's one thing to silence someone who knows too much, and quite another...." She trails off, gesturing at the monitor. "Unless you think the invasion of this Area was a pretext to kill those two?"

"A convenient sideffect, maybe," replies Kallen, her face blackening. "Although I wouldn't call it impossible. Either way, right now, it'd be more than just a minor embarrasment if they were to be revealed." She turns back to Teresa with an angry grimace. "People were killed in their name, by the more radical psychopaths in the invading army. Not to mention the line of succession...."

She pauses for a moment. "Or maybe that's it? Alice might not be sent straight from the top, but by someone trying to climb up, someone who could make use of them... one of the other royals, instead of the Emperor himself, maybe. I can't make an accurate guess, but it's another possibility."

<--->

<--->

"A saner one," Teresa concurs.

"It's hard to think straight, and the insane seems possible," replies Kallen, glancing at the monitors again.

The current tab shows a picture of Empress Marianne along with her children. Kallen supposes she can see the similarities to Lelouch and Nunnally, but it is a bit of a stretch.

Teresa shrugs. "You were talking about getting me killed, earlier?"

"I figured you were gathering information on your own already, anyway. First question: Is it possible that your contacts could dig up anything more?"

"Anything's possible," Teresa allows guardedly.

"That so?" asks Kallen, scanning Teresa's emotional state. "Well, I'd be interested in what they had to say on Alice, and if it's an issue, enough money to get them interested in telling us."

The feat never really went away between the times Kallen's checked, but there's now an undercurrent of confusion as well.

"Money's not an issue," Teresa says tersely, and Kallen feels a brief flash of annoyance. "I'm just not convinced why this is anywhere my business to dig into her well-covered past. I'm afraid your interest alone isn't enough to get me involved, happy though I might feel deep inside at you finding the answer to your question."
OOC: Death back at'cha?

"It's because I'm concerned for those two," replies Kallen. "I always thought you'd get curious enough on your own, sooner or later, to dig deeper without prompting, too." She gestures around. "Maybe I'm wrong, but if that's the case, why have you locked yourself in here?"

"It wasn't the British intelligence that I was worried about," Teresa states pointedly. "Until now, at least. And really, Kallen, you'll need to do better than that. Even if I got the urge to look into Alice's affairs, to admit it to anyone by sharing my findings... well, let's be blunt. What's in it for me?"

Teresa doesn't have a single driving desire here, Kallen can tell, and the swirl of conflicting wishes leaves her slightly light-headed. That would only get worse if she tries to sort them all out in detail, she instinctively feels.

"You aren't exactly a person with wants," mutters Kallen, and she clicks her tounge. "So, unfortunately, I don't have anything to offer." She stands up from the chair.

For a moment, surprise dominates Teresa's being, and it shows outwardly. But the moment passes, and she adopts her casual, neutral expression that always made Kallen think Teresa was looking down on the people she was speaking with, until she got a better read on her.

"This would be the part where you prove me wrong by asking for something," notes Kallen, blandly.

Teresa smirks. "I'm not exactly a person with wants," she agrees belatedly. "It's disappointing that you don't know me enough to suggest something anyway, however misguided and ultimately doomed the attempt would be, but it's difficult to shop for perfection."

Despite her nonchalant words, Kallen believes that Teresa must actually feel some of that disappointment she mentions so casually.

"I suppose we could discuss another open-ended favor, to be cashed in by yours truly at a time of her choosing?" Teresa finally suggests, although Kallen doesn't believe that she actually wants one.

"You're a powerful woman, to have two favours from me in hand," remarks Kallen. "How about it? Want a job at the Shop-S-Smart? Maybe a lifetime slurpee pass? Maybe you just want to own one? Nothing is impossible."

Teresa shrugs. "Another favor and a lifetime supply of icecream? Alright, I guess. I like mine as vanilla with a side of strawberry, although I keep an open mind."

"Whatever you want," replies Kallen, indulgently. "Seriously, though, thanks. If something comes up, or you think it's too risky to proceed, let me know."

"I already think it's too risky to proceed for any sane person," Teresa deadpans.

"Well, let me know when a crazy person would stop and think."

"The flaw in my argument, found out so easily," Teresa laments.

"So, what did you write in there about me?" asks Kallen, changing the subject and peering at her picture.

It's serviceable enough, although Kallen can think of more flattering images of herself.

"It all comes down to your eccentricies," Teresa responds.

"Eccentric? Me?"

"You're right. It's perfectly normal to casually investigate spies and dead royalty for fun."

"Yes, but yoooooooou aren't going to write that part down, right?"

"I don't know. Should I?" Teresa pretends to think.

"I'm really hoping you're better at being discreet than I am, is all," replies Kallen, starting to head for the door. "I gotta run."

Teresa waves, her eyes following Kallen as she leaves her dorm room.

<--->

<--->

[15:06] The group that gathers at the meeting place is small, Kallen being the sixth member to make an appearance. Inoue sits on the rundown desk pressed against a side of the room, residing on it as if on a throne, while the other Shinjuku cell members have resigned themselves to using folding chairs. More of them remain nearby, should Kallen choose to take one for herself.
[15:06] "Good, you're here," Inoue states. "We can start, then."
[15:09] Kallen puts a case down on her chair and opts to lean against the wall, happy enough to remain standing for now. "Right. First order of business?"
[15:12] "We've already moved on to the second," Inoue informs her with an obnoxious smirk. "You'll be pleased to hear that you've been accepted as a fully-fledged member of the cell by a unanimous vote, Stadtfeld."
[15:16] "That's Kouzuki to you!" retorts Kallen, with an undisguised grin. "Or do all the cells need a token Brit, these days?"
[15:19] "Only the ones with the cool kids," Inoue returns, taking a stack of papers set aside next to her on the desk she's perched on. "Now that the core has been assembled, the second order of business, as it goes, is deciding to approve or decline new applicants."
[15:19] Yoshida perks up at this, while Tamaki pumps his fist in the air, exclaiming, "Hell yeah! 'Bout time!"
[15:23] "How many have we got?" asks Kallen, a bit surprised at the prospect despite herself.
[15:34] "Just one," Inoue responds, waving the folder in her hands. "But it's a start," she states. "This is the point where we start the struggle all over again." Tamaki leaps out of his chair, leaving it cluttering against the floor, and snags the folder out of Inoue's hands. She looks cross, but flashes a look to her leg, and remains seated.
[15:34] Tamaki whistles, peering at the folder's contents. "What a beauty!" he compliments, almost whining when Yoshitaka takes the documents away from him, examining them coolly. They get passed over across the group, Kallen getting to them last. The application is for one Shinozaki Sayoko, currently employed by the Lamperouge family.
[15:40] Kallen flicks through the pages a bit, glancing interestedly if the notes actually detail the Lamperouge family to any degree, and then hands them back to Inoue.
[15:45] "Thanks," Inoue tells her quietly, before slamming the folder back on the desk, startling Tamaki once more. "You've gone and spoiled the fun I was going to have telling you she's a genuine, honest-to-goodness maid, so here's the boring stuff everyone skimmed over.
[15:45] She looks after a young, sickly girl which consumes much of her time during the day, while at the same time letting her venture far and wide into Britannian society. Even places where Numbers would normally be barred from entering have their doors unlocked for the harmless maid who is only taking care of a poor, defenseless child. This is why we need her. Do we want her?"
[15:53] "I don't see why not," replies Kallen, with a shrug. "It seems an unlikely source for a plant, and even if she does nothing more than pass rumours along..."
[15:58] "She comes with one bit of particularly timely information," Inoue reveals. "A Purist facility is going to be temporarily defenseless, as part of the reorganization of their internal structure. Shinozaki's claimed she can tell us when and where within days, if we can act upon it at a moment's notice."
[15:58] Yoshitaka's lips press together. "And you want us to do it?"
[15:58] "Why not?!" Tamaki exclaims. "We'll show them our Japanese spirit!"
[16:02] "What kind of facility?"
[16:06] "Depot three-zero-five." Inoue grins much like a shark. "The Purists use it to do maintenance on some of their Knightmares, it turns out."
[16:06] This time, it's not just Tamaki that exclaims loudly in disbelief and eagerness.
[16:11] "Snatch and grab. Sounds fun," replies Kallen, emulating Inoue's grin. "How defenseless are we talking?"
[16:17] "Light security. A dozen guards on the scene, and the rest too far to aid them effectively."
[16:17] "It would need to be sufficiently out of the way, unless it's within the Green Zone," Yoshitaka notes, glancing at Inoue to confirm. She nods at him, and he continues, "A twenty minute response time, then, best guess."
[16:18] "In that much, we can even sell the spare metal for scraps!" Tamaki boasts, and Inoue snorts, rolling her eyes. "Shinozaki's estimate was twenty-three minutes at top speed, assuming optimal conditions. I tend to agree. We can do this, if only--"
[16:18] "If only we had the manpower, right?" Sugiyama voices, drawing another nod from Inoue.
[16:21] "Which we would have," points out Kallen- "If we collaborated with another cell."
[16:25] "Beauty and brains." Inoue grins. "Is it any wonder I picked you? You're right. We have no prayer of pulling it off on our own, which means we continue to stagnate, which means resources only deplete and we get no new recruits. The Witch of Saitama agreed to help when I contacted her, and she even left it to us, rather than go for that bullshit of shared command. She's loaned us a combat specialist."
[16:26] "You're not talking about who I think you're talking about, are you?"
[16:28] "I don't know, are you talking about Kururugi?" Inoue asks casually.
[16:28] "I don't like him."
[16:29] "I'm sure he realizes that," Inoue says with a shrug. "considering he'd been listening in for the past three minutes. Is that going to be a problem, Kururugi?"
[16:31] "You're- you- oh, fuck," mutters Kallen, pressing her fingers against her temple.
[16:33] Kallen's reaction is mirrored to various degrees, as everyone but Inoue looks around for the interloper. As the moment drags on, Inoue sighs and gestures, to which a shape drops from above, straightening out once landing quietly on the floor. It is indeed Kururugi Suzaku, clad in a black, tailored uniform of some kind.
[16:40] Awkward. Very awkward. Smooth it over, Kouzuki! "Hi."
[16:43] Suzaku gives Kallen a glance, before studiously continuing to ignore her. Inoue makes a face. "There's no need to be so anti-social. We're all friends here!"
[16:43] "Mary ordered me to assist you. That's the only reason I'm here," Suzaku responds coldly, and Inoue's face falls.
[16:43] "Fine, whatever. Can we do this together?"
[16:43] He considers the question. "With a good plan, it should not be a problem."
[16:48] "Does one extra person make the difference we need?" asks Kallen, raising an eyebrow.
[16:51] "I--"
[16:51] "Mary knows the situation," Inoue says, cutting Suzaku off without a care, "and she sent him. Either she's setting us up for a fall, or she believes that under similar circumstances, she could make this work." She turns towards Kallen, leveling a serious gaze at her. "You've spent as much time around her as I had. What do you think is likelier?"
[16:55] "I don't doubt her," replies Kallen, although the fact that Shinjuku could be her only real ally amongst the other ghettos goes unsaid. "Alright. Seven of us, twelve guards, it's hardly impossible. If the Purists are undergoing an internal shakeup, irregular logistics would probably be part of it, right?"
[16:59] "I've considered several plans, and I believe it would be best if we went in with two small teams, each independant of the other," Inoue reveals, taking fresh papers from her pile and sliding it forward on her desk.
[16:59] Yoshida stands up after she nudges her head in his direction non-too-subtly, and shares them with everyone present. Of those, there is enough to go around. "These have the best routes plotted for each team to take as they infiltrate the facility and eliminate the guards."
[17:02] Inoue coughs, catching her breath. "Eventually, both teams converge at the goal, the control room which should hold the activation codes for any Knightmares undergoing service. That's only a target of opportunity, however; what we're really after are the release of the lockdown the guards will institute as soon as the alarm is raised.
[17:02] Once we manage to bring it down, we can simply drive off with their shiny toys. Any questions?"
[17:04] "After we steal the Knightmares, where will we put them?"
[17:09] "The vehicles that delivered the Knightmare frames for maintenance should still be there, on hand, but just in case I'm rounding up a pair of trucks to keep nearby," Inoue responds. "I'll be in charge of that, as well as overall supervision, since a damn cripple would only slow you down.
[17:09] Minami, Kururugi, you two will lead your teams in. Get organized however suits you best; do it by schoolyard draws, for all I care, but get it done."
[17:09] As Yoshitaka sizes up Suzaku, the latter frowns, before saying, "There should be three teams."
[17:10] "I'd like that too," Inoue admits, "but splitting our limited forces any further would degrade them too much."
[17:10] "The third team will consist of myself," Suzaku responds, and Inoue is briefly caught speechless.
[17:43] "Well, if Kururugi can fight as well as he clings to the roof, I don't care if we go in as three teams or two," states Kallen, after a long breath. "Which team would hit the control room first?"
[17:45] Inoue sighs in exasperation. "Best case?" she asks. "All teams at once. If the advance is uneven, we lose valuable time and the danger to all participants increases."
[17:53] Kallen nods to herself. "Who'll lead the third team?"
[17:54] "How about..." Inoue wavers, looking over the remaining cell members. "Ooh! Pick me!" Tamaki calls, and Inoue swiftly moves her head to nod at Kallen. "Give it a try. Since I'll be playing mission control, I'll assume overall command, and you'll make any decisions on the scene."
[17:58] "Won't let you down," replies Kallen, with a bob of her head. "While we're there, by the way, I say we leave something behind for the Brits to remember us by."
[18:00] Inoue inclines her head to indicate that Kallen elaborates, and the others show their interest, including even Suzaku.
[18:06] Kallen reaches for the case, and unclips it; opening it backwards, she reveals a number of old-fashioned Japanese scrolls, one of which she unfurls for the benefit of all to see; in blood-red ink, an archaic kanji stains the page. "The characters read 'Heaven's Wrath'," she translates. "I was thinking of writing some haiku, but this says it all, doesn't it? Every time we beat the Purists into the dirt, we'll drop one of these off, so they know that from now one, they're the ones being purged!"
[18:08] Inoue nods appreciatively, in a rare agreement with Tamaki, while Yoshitaka adjusts his slipping glasses. "Can the paper or ink be traced back to you?" he inquires, which manages to dampen the mood somewhat.
[18:12] "Only if someone decides to spontaneously raid my house?"
[18:14] Inoue appears disapproving, now, but Suzaku speaks before anyone else does. "It would be a good idea. A signature for Shinjuku's group."
[18:20] "That's the plan. I'll take precautions against tracing, but we can't just be nameless revolutionaries any longer. This will give us an identity."
[18:21] Inoue nods reluctantly, after surveying the rest of the group and seeing agreement reflected on their faces.
[02:08] "It'll make recruitment easier, too. It's hard to rally to a faceless group. Of course, there are other strategies here we should persue, as well," notes Kallen, glancing briefly at Inoue. "We need to actively seek out new members, rather than wait for them to look for us."
[02:10] "We've neglected that part due to our own... reorganization," Inoue says. "But once we have this under our belt, we're going to do all that and more." She directs her attention towards Kallen, asking, "Did you have any specific ideas, here?"
[02:20] "Yes. It's one thing to take the fight to Britannian institutions. But we're here to represent and protect the Japanese as well, and on the simplest possible level, that means just taking care of the people in Shinjuku. The basic supplies are one thing, but arranging for better power networks and medicine are things we can try to work on, I think -- and there's dealing with minor disasters, as well. Buildings still collapse enough that it's a concern around here, right? People who won't organize around fighting Britannia may still do so when it comes to helping their own." Her lip quirks. "What I have in mind isn't that different to how the yakuza supposedly acted. Illegal activities on the one hand, community service on the other. I can supply funds and arrange for bribing certain officials to look the other way. Not only will this help boost our local prestige, but it'll stem the flow of people seeking out Honorary Citizenship to boot."
[02:27] "I was dubious until you said the magic words," Inoue tells her with a snort. "'I'll pay.' If you have the funds, I think it's a damn good idea."
[02:27] No objections are heard.
[02:32] "It's pretty much a full-time project to organize it," adds Kallen. "So, who wants to be in charge of social services?"
[02:33] "I'll put Nagato on it," Inoue speaks before anyone could volunteer. "It's his thing, more than anything else."
[02:43] "Gotcha. Alright. One more thing to talk about," states Kallen, taking a breath for a moment. "Everyone here needs to get a medical done within the next few weeks. We need to test for allergies to the vaccine, otherwise we can't safely use it."
[02:45] "Vaccine?" Suzaku asks, his eyes narrowing. The rest, Tamaki included, just seem hesitant at this subject being brought up.
[02:54] "Yes, a vaccine, to a particular experimental weapon stolen a few weeks ago," replies Kallen, glancing briefly at Suzaku. "A nerve gas. The true objective of our raid."
[02:59] "You can't still be thinking of using that!" Suzaku accuses.
[02:59] Inoue clears her throat. "Not now, but--"
[02:59] "When, then?" he asks acidly. "When Akihabara is resettled?"
[03:03] "I talked at the summit! Despite Akihabara, we and the JLF decided to continue fighting. And the nerve gas is just a weapon, like any other!" replies Kallen, narrowing her eyes. "And the circumstances aren't the same as then. The situation was chaos. The nerve gas is different, a localized weapon. It is neither infectious, nor does it spread. And most importantly, we would be choosing the time and place."
[03:06] Suzaku's hands form fists on their own volition, as a tremor goes through his body. He makes as if to close in with Kallen, but stops suddenly, closing his eyes. "Is there anything else?" he asks, directing the question to Inoue.
[03:07] "Not right now," she says tersely. "I'll contact Mary with the details, once we know more."
[03:07] Suzaku nods once, his head jerking. "Then I am done here."
[03:09] She should've listened to Samuel, Kallen reflects, and not tried to bring up such an important detail in outside company.

<--->

<--->

Discussion doesn't take long to wind to a close after Suzaku's departure, and Kallen makes her way out, too, with a brief apology and a promise to stay in touch.

She takes her time marching across Shinjuku to get to the old bookshop where Nana dwells, as the last moments of the meeting have caused a resurgence in bitterness and guilt.

But on the topic of the gas, she's not wrong, she's certain. You can't be shackled by the past! Any advantage must be taken, especially when they're so outmatched. Any less would surely be betrayal, wouldn't it?

By the time she reaches the entrance and opens the door, Kallen is in a dark, simmering mood.

In the twilight of the darkened bookshop, it takes a moment for Kallen's eyes to refocus, but once they do she spots Sayoko sitting by a small table she had apparently moved to stand near the stairway to the second floor. The maid looks just as impeccable at first glance, although her posture is slouched.

"Evening," states Kallen, deciding to hide her own weariness as she trudges up the stairs. "I brought some stuff. Are you guys hungry?"

"Miss Nunnally should eat something," Sayoko says tiredly, not stopping Kallen as she advances to the second floor of the bookshop. There, the young castaway princess is curled up on a rundown sofa. She stirs as Kallen comes closer.

Kallen reaches into her satchel, and fishes out a plastic bag; a few riceballs and pieces of fruit are in it, as well as a couple cans of juice (and a couple cans of stay-awake-energy-drink for her.)

"Hiya, Nana-chan. Apples, pork onigiri, juice, the choice is yours. And, something else," she adds, fishing around a bit more, and producing a portable radio. "Least I can do is find something to help pass the time with."

"I'll have some juice, please," Nunnally says, settling into a sitting position. Her voice is listless. "Thank you, Kallen."

"Least I can do," repeats Kallen, snapping open a can and handing it over. She fiddles with the radio for a bit, tuning it to one of the local pop stations.

A Britannian idol is singing her heart out, lamenting lost love. It's Maria, or Marlen, or something like that, Kallen thinks; Irene would know for sure.

Nunnnally fumbles with the can briefly, before orienting herself and drinking from it.

Wasn't Samuel saying something about a high-profile star? A singer, or an actor, or something...

She heads back over to Sayoko, pulling up a chair across from the table.

"I'll stay until morning, and Inoue will cover tomorrow night," she says, taking one of the onigiri for herself and starting to unwrap it. "Gonna get some rest?"

"I have nowhere else," Sayoko responds quietly, dropping her head down on her folded arms. She lets out a shuddering breath. "Oh, Miss Nunnally...."

It occurs to Kallen that while she's here, she should at least put some effort into making the place livable. The place was chosen some time ago for having functional facitilies, but things could've changed since then, and a bit of jury-rigging might be called for before cooking or washing was possible.

"There are some futons in the back," she adds, for Sayoko's benefit.

"It's alright--" Sayoko begins to say, before she pauses. "I will take one upstairs," she voices, changing her mind, and standing up. Kallen can see her shuffle, collecting a futon and then taking it with her to the second floor. Then, however, the redhead remains alone in her solitary watch.

This changes an hour later, just a handful of minutes past ten. A shape approaches the bookshop, she can see from her vantage point, unerringly making its way towards the entrance.

One can't get in here without a key, although the door lacks a bolt or chain to keep it secured from the inside. Something to fix.

She grabs her handgun and a high-powered flashlight, and flicks the latter on from the window, shining it right on top of the would-be intruder( hopefully temproarily blinding them to boot.) "Who's there?" she demands, steeling herself.

He throws his hand to guard his eyes, and it is indeed a he. Kallen recognizes Suzaku without much trouble, although he had changed, and wears what seems to be a Japanese school uniform she cannot immediately place.

"You?" asks Kallen, not entirely shocked by his arrival (though she can't imagine why he bothered changing his clothes to come out here.) "What do you want?"

Suzaku looks surprised to see Kallen, too, but then he glares. "Where is Sayoko-san?" he asks, moving towards the door and sliding a key into the lock.

"She's sleeping," replies Kallen, completely baffled, and she glances over her shoulder at Nunnally. "I guess you'd better come in. Don't ask or anything," she mutters, flicking off the flashlight.

Suzaku steps inside, locking the door behind him once more.

"This place was supposed to be a secret," mutters Kallen, flicking off the light and putting it aside. "So much for that. Seriously, why're you here?"

"To guard Nunnally with my life," Suzaku responds. "The secret is not out, if that is your concern. But people know about it. That always happens when more than two people share it."

Kallen can't refute that, since proof is right in front of her. "Mary, too?" she asks, holstering her gun. Milly is going to kill her. Her days are now numbered.

Suzaku doesn't respond, which is an answer in itself.

Kallen peers closely at Suzaku, attempting to fahtom his own feelings on the matter. "I'm not displeased that you'd help us keep her safe, secrets aside. But what's your interest?"

There is a spike of anger, driven by an even stronger urge to protect. Overwhelming frustration rules supreme over both.

"We are friends. This is personal," he says curtly.

"Good. She needs a friend as much as a guard, I think," replies Kallen, glancing over her shoulder at the sleeping girl. "And I somehow doubt she looks at me that way, but I guess she knows you better, huh."
glancing towards the stairs

"She did, once," Suzaku responds, following Kallen's gaze. He feels wistful. "Those were better days."

The phrase brings to mind Kallen's own youth, along with a knot of depression. Indeed, things were so much better before friends and family had been lost, gone forever.

"You wouldn't ever have expected it, looking at them," remarks Kallen. "They even kept their first names, and still nobody figured it out for this long. It feels, I don't know. It's still hard to believe."

"The Emperor has many wives," Suzaku responds whimsically. "And people tend to ignore or forget the unpleasantness, even if it's right under their noses. You think their fellow students should have realized? They didn't even notice when the nearby ghettos underwent all those 'reconstructions'."

"Some of them do. They just don't care," replies Kallen, creasing her brow. "Movies get put on the 'net, you know- and they just sit around to watch and laugh, or say it's the eleven's fault."

She snorts. "But what can we expect? All the journalists are backed by officials or high-ranking nobles. And the Emperor can still get up and say Britannia is an empire that finds the truth."

"It is a terrible monster that cannot be changed from within, working up to it," Suzaku states, as determination fills him.

"I thought it was possible, before," replies Kallen, suddenly. "Maybe not for a number, but for a noble. But doing things that way would be like deserting. Betrayal. And in the end, you can't make a lasting impact unless you're royalty."

There is a sense of sudden shock, made all the more significant at how it never reaches Suzaku's face.

"Perhaps, a noble in the right position could do something," he says, even as his mind wanders.

"It ends up the same either way. To strive for equal rights and for the preservation of culture, for reparations- it's the same as telling the Emperor he's wrong. Even a noble can't get away with such a blatant slap to the face."

"There might be a way," he muses quietly, only overheard in the quiet shop by chance.

"What is possible, and preferable, is to find Britannians who can't stand Britannia," replies Kallen. "It's the opposite of what I was saying earlier."

Suzaku appears to catch himself, and visibly collects his thoughts. "Mary believes that combining the two would be the key to victory," he says.

"She'd be right. But it's much harder to understand Britannian motivations than Japanese," replies Kallen. This was the last person she expected to be discussing her thoughts on how to make a better future with- well, within her comrades, anyway.

"I think... the average Britannian who'd be sympathetic is, well, likely to try and work within their system," she continues, as a certain girl springs to mind. "But the leap to go from there to supporting us directly is huge."

"Indirect support would be good, too," Suzaku says, after several moments of contemplation. "More among the rich could provide the funds to make life better for the Japanese, if they knew who to turn to."

"For some, out of some sense of noblesse oblige. One that would drain away quickly if they felt their positions were threatened."

Suzaku grows silent, commandeering a chair he places by the base of the stairs.

"Nunnally's upstairs, you know. I'll bet she can't sleep. There isn't really anything to do here but sleep, so she's probably had quite enough of that."

Suzaku gives Kallen a long, probing look, eventually nodding slightly in acknowledgement, whether of her or her words, she cannot tell. "I will be upstairs, then," he says, standing up once more.

About eight hours later, Kallen Stadtfeld hops off an early train and starts to trudge up the obnoxiously long road towards her mansion. More than once, she considers just calling and demanding someone comes to pick her up, but to do so would feel so unbelievably lazy.

It's a relief when the gates finally appear before her, and the thought of her comfortable bed is an unrepentant joy.

The gates open as Kallen approaches them. Her personal maid is standing just past them, bowing deeply. "Welcome home, Miss," she says, her posture rigid.

"Uh. Good morning, Hisui," replies Kallen, before her mouth chooses to open of it's own accord and emits a hastily-covered yawn.

"Good morning, Miss," Hisui returns somewhat uncertainly. She straightens up and proceeds to close the gates after Kallen, her movements stilted.

"Please call the school and let them know I'm ill, would you, Hisui? Thank you. You're so reliable," replies Kallen, starting to step towards the front door.

"Of course, Miss," Hisui assures Kallen, following a step behind her. "It will be done." She hesitates briefly, before venturing with, "Shall I summon a doctor? Or, perhaps, some warm soup...." Hisui trails off uncertainly, waiting for Kallen's reaction.

"No, that-" Another yawn threatens to build up, and Kallen tries to force it back. "No doctors! I'm very tired, so I'm going to bed. I'll have soup or something in the afternoon, I'll leave it up to you."

"Very well, Miss," Hisui responds, bowing to Kallen's back. The mansion's doors open, and as Kallen steps through them, Hisui hurries to follow. She squirms, but the only thing she says is, "Good night, Miss Stadtfeld."

"You said good morning five seconds ago, Hisui, make up your mind," mumbles Kallen, heading towards her room.

The trip to her room, much less her bed, is something Kallen can't recall when she wakes up, feeling refreshed. The sun is setting, she can see past the drawn curtains.

The temptation to laze around in bed for the evening is there, but there is at least one thing she has to get in order before the upcoming operation, not to mention arranging a few more meetings with the board over upcoming plans, and keeping up her workout schedule. Then there's discussing Knightmare design with the Ashfords, which certainly has to happen sooner or later, bt she needs to coordinate that with her R&D team, and the looming spectre of homework, too.

Well, she can't possibly cram all that into one evening, but there's certainly enough to keep her busy, so Kallen clambers out of bed and pulls on a dressing gown, before lurching out of her room in search of sustenence.

Hisui is there, slouched in a chair just outside Kallen's door. She's fast asleep, a tiny bit of drool escaping the side of her mouth cutely.

An unusual sight, given Hisui's typical alertness and professionalism. Kallen can barely resist the temptation to poke Hisui in the cheek.

She's probably in a deep sleep anyway, and Kallen has a sneaking suspicion that the maid decided to stay up all night to wait for her. There's nothing for it, then; to repay such diligence, she can at least carry Hisui to her own bedroom.

Hisui doesn't stir as Kallen takes her into her arms, only mumbling incomprehensibly.

Now, which room was Hisui's?

A dilemma, but one easily solved when another maid chances upon Kallen in the hallway.

"Where's Hisui's room?" asks Kallen, without preamble. How awful, to not know her way around her own house...

It's on the first floor, the third door on the left, Kallen learns. She could easily orient herself from that little, knowing the general direction to take from the decorative stairwell connecting the two floors together.

That's the way to go, then. Hisui isn't that heavy (although the clothes seem to add a remarkable amount of weight).

"Gotcha. Also, I'd like some breakfast. Can you see about that?" adds Kallen, before trundling off up the stairs.

The maid outfit is voluminous, but Kallen manages to keep it under control as she navigates. "Of course, Miss Stadtfeld," the maid giving her directions says with a curtsey, only barely stuttering.

Kallen reaches her destination easily enough, but once there finds the door to Hisui's room locked.

Kallen possesses a master key, which she managed to leave on her own table. Hisui, however, should have a key to her own room, which should be in one of the maid's voluminous pockets.

With any luck, it won't be an inner pocket.

Kallen needn't frisk her devoted maid for long, finally drawing a key that looks like it fits the lock. Her hand brushes against something rought -- a piece of paper, she thinks, kept in the same pocket.

Kallen certainly isn't the sort to rifle through her servant's possessions without a sufficiently good cause, like breaking into her bedroom.

She leaves the paper there and opens Hisui's door.

It is quite plain, she notices. A simple bed, a small, serviceable desk adorned with a few books, two chairs by it. A nightlight is placed by the bed, while an old television is set up in the corner.

It doesn't look like much, and it occurs to Kallen that while life without Cleo is probably not unpleasant for the staff, it could certainly be better- maybe she should arrange for a pay rise?

She doesn't go so far as to change Hisui, but does manage to tuck her into bed.

Hisui stirs as she is tucked away, her eyes fluttering open.

Honestly, her timing had to be like that, didn't it?

"Don't push yourself," states Kallen, curtly standing upright and glancing away. "Really."

"Miss Stadtfeld," Hisui says sleepily, struggling with the covers. Her movements are heavy, and she's managing more to tie the blanket into a knot than anything else. "Please, wait, Miss."

"Yes?" asks Kallen, pausing.

Hisui continues to struggle, but as she slows down, she is able to extricate a hand. A letter is held in it, which she offers to Kallen. "This came for you in the mail yesterday, Miss."

Kallen takes the letter, shaking her head to herself.

Now that her task has been fulfilled, and the higher functions of her brain are waking up, Hisui realizes her situation and blushes furiously, raising the covers over her head.

Kallen, meanwhile, is far too engrossed in turning away and reading the letter to note Hisui's anxiety.

The sending address has been smudged, but she had spent enough time with her to recognize the handwriting.

"Dear Kallen," the letter within starts with. "It's my first choice to send mail. You don't mind, do you? It's not as comfortable as texting, but the instructors are really strict about that, here. I think my mail might even get read, which is just creepy. But I wanted to let you know that I'm alright, and that I'm even starting to get used to this. Not everyone is as fit, but a lot are really old and stuff, like a decade older, you know? If you thought I would be this perfect soldier, climbing to the top, I think you might be disappointed."

The next paragraph starts with, "Do you think you could tell everyone in school that I'm fine? I could only send a letter to you and home, and I didn't really want to ask my mom or dad to talk to my classmates. This quota is so annoying! I'm not even supposed to say--"

The next sentence is blacked out.

"I keep my eyes on the most important thing," Shirley continues. "My goal. Once I'm done here, when I know all that this course has to teach me, I could finally start making a difference. I'll have an impact, just like you are trying your hardest! As always, you remain my inspiration."

The letter is signed simply with her full name, Shirley Fenette.
first chance

Kallen kept walking out the room, but as soon as she's out of eyeshot she stops moving, and remains standing there until she's finished with the letter. She reads it over twice, and when she reaches the end of it, she needs to rub out her eyes.

The pressure and guilt suddenly become unbearable, and before she realises it, Kallen is all but running back to her room.

<--->

<--->

[14:46] Ohgi Kaname. No one had seen him in a week, perhaps more, Kallen finds. He's not at his old haunts, and wherever he is, the former leader of Shinjuku's cell is keeping a low profile. A terrible thought crosses Kallen's mind, but that is what leads her to chance upon Ohgi as she visits her brother's grave in desperation. He stands there, a fresh bouquette of flowers offered by the name plate.
[14:49] Kallen is quiet on her approach to the grave, and when she comes alongside Ohgi, she kneels down before it and clasps her palms together.
[14:50] She can feel Ohgi's eyes upon her, but her brother's friend soon returns his gaze to the grave.
[14:55] Heartbeats pass. "If Onii-san is watching," she says, breaking the silence with a soft voice. "I think he'd be mad at me."
[14:56] Ohgi shifts by her side. "I'm the one who abandoned his path."
[14:58] "I don't think he'd be angry about that," replies Kallen, taking a slow breath. "He never wanted me on it. It's not like he didn't care about you guys, either. Just..."
[15:00] "And that's another reason he would be far angrier at me," Ohgi says with a sigh, finally turning towards Kallen in earnest. "Won't you rethink things, Kallen? I could help you get out, whatever that takes."
[15:04] "I've thought things over a thousand times. It's not in question anymore," says Kallen, opening her eyes. "But I did have a selfish request for you, though. As a friend."
[15:05] Ohgi sighs again, despite visibly trying to suppress it. "What would it be?" he asks.
[15:07] He isn't going to like this, of course. But Kallen suspects he will eventually agree, despite his own frustration. "If something does happen to me, then you're the only person I can rely on to take care of mother," she replies, unfolding her arms and standing up.
[15:10] Ohgi doesn't respond. His posture slumps, and he turns back to gazing at the grave, as if it held all the answers he were seeking.
[15:13] "Please understand, Ohgi-san!" Her voice is raised, and stops and starts abruptly- "There are things only I can do, so backing out just isn't allowed anymore."
[15:14] "I understand. And if those very things take you too far? If you are captured, and the Britannians decide to come after your family? You are the one who doesn't understand," he says bitterly.
[15:16] "I do understand! That's why I'm here!"
[15:20] Ohgi doesn't respond, the silence beginning to drag on uncomfortably.
[15:25] After many poignant seconds, Kallen's face eventually falls, and she sighs. "When you figure out your answer, contact me the usual way," she murmurs, turning about and starting to leave the graveyard.

<--->

<--->

There are parts of her business Kallen takes pains to familiarize herself with. The day-to-day management is mostly left in the hands of the board whilst she gets herself up to speed and makes herself known.

Today, she had two tasks; to leave behind some memos to Dr. Granger, requesting that he arrange tours of the group's leading R&D centers within Area 11. The other was familiarizing herself with the shadier side of the group, something she can only assume lies in the hands of her acquisitions specialist. A meeting had been scheduled, and she lounges about in her office, awaiting his arrival.

Jared makes her wait, appearing only quarter an hour after the set time. He looks haggard, although his outwards appearance is impeccable. Cleanly-shaved, Jared offers his hand to Kallen, saying, "My apologies for my late presence."

If there's something she's realised, it's that acting all imperiously just doesn't suit her. Certainly, a bit of dignity is required, but throwing her weight around like she did in the boardroom can't be conductive.

"As long as you have time now," she replies, with a nod, accepting the handshake. "Take a seat. Hisui, bring me some water, and Mr. Hallstrom some..." She pauses. "The same? Tea? Brandy, perhaps?"

"I'll have some tea, please," Jared responds, as Hisui silently takes the order. "Milk, two sugars."

The maid disappears, and Jared seems to sag even further. "It has been a trying time," he admits, taking out a handkerchief and dabbing at his forehead.

"The company has been shaken by many things lately, so we're all feeling a push," replies Kallen, keeping her Geass activated to read Jared's feelings- although she isn't sure she can't tell with a look at them.

"Still, because of that, I need to keep on top of things. Mr. Hallstrom, what are the immediate issues that draw your attention at the moment?"

He buries his face in his hands. "The thrice-damned foundation, what else? Oh, what a disaster, Miss Stadtfeld, what an utter distaster...."

Before Jared inadvertantly breaks eye contact, Kallen can sense that it is indeed what occupies his waking thoughts, dominating them.

Her ill-considered raid managed to inflict harm all the way here, too. It's not a surprise, but the reality of things always hammers it in. Perhaps that's why she hasn't actually visited Akihabara herself, yet.

"In so many ways, for so many people," she echoes. "We have to focus on what we must do right now."

Jared takes a deep breath, shaking his head. "My sincerest apologies," he says, raising it once more. "I don't know what came over me, Miss Stadtfeld. Your presence--" He abruptly stops. "No matter. I've tried to run damage control from every direction. I don't believe it will be traced back to us, but I still cannot say it with certainty. The charity...." Another shuddering breath interrupts him. "It has been taxing to run all of that, particularly in the aftermath."

"If there are any weak links in the chain with regards to the facility, please let me know," states Kallen, after a moment. "As for the charity, I can't have the board doing everything on a project that I initiated myself."

She purses her lips for a moment. "I'll look over your workload and relieve you of some of it. Perhaps dealing with invitations, the guest lists- Samuel did mentioning inviting some movie star... and a bit more seriously, I have a strong interest in security, lately."

"Kyoko?" Jared asks, struggling to remember, before his attention is drawn to the rest of Kallen's words. "It is a serious committment, Miss Stadtfeld. I don't intend to imply that you would be incapable of fulfilling it... merely that doing so would run you ragged."

"I'm amazed you've found time to worry about that, of all things," remarks Kallen. "I can't be the only one to laze around. I'll find the time."

"As you wish, Miss Stadtfeld," Jared responds after a lengthy pause.

"Back to the earlier topic, what has been done with the warehouses used by the Foundation?" asks Kallen, frowning. ""And what of the foundation itself? Have they chosen to lay low and vanish?"

"Asprius Bartley disappeared along with the senior staff. They ran off to the mainland, I suspect, and as long as they don't intend to resurface that thread is best left alone. The facility has been ransacked, first by them, we believe, then I arranged to wipe it out before the army was lead to it. And that is without telling what havoc the terrorists caused there in the first place."

"And how much has this exercise in futility ended up costing us?"

"It will stunt our growth for the next two decades, and this is merely representing the lost investment. The cover-up, the aid work...." Jared shakes his head. "If this becomes public, the liability would destroy us utterly."

"Alright. There's something I need to tell you about this, and obviously I could not contact anyone else about it until now. One of the senior members contacted me, personally," replies Kallen, seeing a convenient opportunity to both start getting what she needs, and testing the effect of her Geass.

It's that very feeling she attempts to put into Jared, as without a bit of prompting, he would surely react to this news with some alarm.

"Apparently, she split off from the organisation during the debacle. She has claimed, however, that despite the losses inflicted, continued research on medicinal lines is not impossible."

Jared sighs wearily. "It sounds great," he admits. "Just as the whole cursed venture did, when we were first looking into it."

"The risk of failure seems high, with most of their staff gone," continues Kallen. "But the costs have gone significantly down due to a reduction in the necessary equipment, whilst I believe the payoff remains considerable. I already asked her to prepare a list of requirements, without committing either way."

"It tempts, oh, but it tempts," Jared laments. "But to assosiate ourselves with that...."

With Milly, Kallen recalls, it seemed to have taken her time to think it over herself before she really decided to open up to her. That was accidental, and little Kallen in the interim- or since- has justified that trust.

But it stuck around, and perhaps grew.

"Until I see the list and thoroughly quiz her, there's no way we'd make a decision now," she states. "But we aren't ignoring it or ruling it out. There are still other parties out there who could become aware of our involvement. There was another.. potential investor at the original meeting, after all."

Jared's expression darkens. "We'll need to do something about that-- oh, but Miss Stadtfeld, I implore you. Just let that terrible gambit lie, and do not attempt it again! We could not bear for another... another event like that."

"In so many ways, I want to do as you suggest," replies Kallen, grimacing. "Reminding myself that it was the end result of terrorist action doesn't help. That a weapon of such scale was developed there, without my knowledge... but I know for a fact that things that can be put to better use were being researched, as well! We bear at least some responsibility. At least some atonement is necessary. So I cannot ignore this."

Jared looks conflicted, closing his eyes. "It is as you say, Miss Stadtfeld."

Kallen flops back in her chair a moment, and drinks up the rest of her delicious, soothing water.

"Alright. Next topic, then... Are there any other secret projects that you think I should know about?"

"I regret that your introduction to the family business had to be this way," Jared tells Kallen, shaking his head. "No. While no corporation is spotless, anything else we have our hands into pales in comparison."

"I do wonder why Dad chose to initiate me through such a dubious method," admits Kallen. "In many ways, I think it was a test."

"Perhaps," Jared heavily agrees. "It was also a gamble. Had it succeeded, well...."

"Thinking like that is a trap that's difficult to escape from," admits Kallen, before she gives Jared a critical eye. "Mr. Hallstrom, it's obvious- and understandable- that you're not well, beyond simply working too hard," she adds. "I'm going to have to give you some time off to rest."

He looks defeated at those words, and not a tiny bit hurt.

"Dad relied on you for a lot of things, and I must do so as well," she adds. "For that, I need you at your best. Distance yourself a bit from your problems, and approach them with a fresh mind. I think the group will survive a brief absence."

"Once more, I must apologize. My behavior is unseemly. If it will dispel this bad first impression I have given you, I will accept this without protest."

"If that'll get you to take a break, then I'll accept this apology," replies Kallen, with a nod. "I'll talk to Samuel about the charity, so that will be all for today."

<--->

<--->

[15:08] "Let's run this over once more," Inoue's voice emanates from the earpiece, and it is all Kallen can do to avoid rolling her eyes. How many times must they go over the plan? But Inoue isn't out in the field with them or, more specifically, in one of the nondescript trucks heading towards the general area of the facility, where they would be parked until needed once more.
[15:08] Inoue is stuck somewhere safe, unable to do a single thing to affect the outcome, aside from trying to get those going as ready as possible.
[15:13] Kallen's boots are too tight. She does contemplate reaching down to loosen them a bit, but if she does, she'll probably then find her utility belt is too loose or something, and it'll just never end. "Go ahead," she replies, trying to remain professional whilst on the job.
[15:18] "Teams one and two will breach through their assigned entry points in ten minutes. Traffic held you back some, but your team should still make it there with enough time to hit yours. You do remember it, don't you?" Inoue's last words sound teasing, but an air of restlessness invades that.
[15:18] Kallen's Team Three is to inflitrate the warehouse through a sealed-off vent by the back which was dedicated to waste disposal under the facility's previous owners. Sayoko's information assured that this was no longer the case, and that they should be able to get it opened with a bit of effort.
[15:21] "How could I forget? You're shoving me up a former garbage chute," replies Kallen, flatly, and she glances at her squadmates with a wry grimace. "Our first strike will be a surprise attack, and then we'll shock-and-awe our way to control room."
[15:24] "Sideways, more than anything," Inoue chuckles, sounding reassured. "Team Two will see if it is feasible to disable the power temporarily for a distraction, so keep that in mind. There would be a forewarning, but it would come only moments before."
[15:29] "Any confusion like that favours the attackers," replies Kallen. She fumbles with a balaclava in her lap, a necessary precaution for her and possibly her alone within this group. "What do you think the chances of the enemy surrendering are?"
[15:30] Strangled sounds which might have been laughter Inoue tried to hold back come through the earpiece. "Not very high," the bluette finally responds.
[15:40] Seven minutes later, the truck has been stashed away, ready to move at a moment's notice. Tamaki is somber, not cracking jokes or breaking the operational silence. Yoshida, on the other hand, is edgy, but that doesn't stop him from smearing the access points to the sealed off vent with a chemical compound that would burn through the metal and allow them entry.
[15:42] A nervous tension settles over Kallen. Unlike the previous operation in which she took part, this is fundamentally an assault. They're not trying to bypass security; they're planning to overwhelm it with raw force.
[15:47] She's been in scraps in the past, and trained her body as much as she can. She knows she should be prepared for this, but still, the thought that she might get shot again, the thought that she might die- they're more present in her mind than ever before. Steeling herself, she readies her shotgun- a close-quarters weapon, the best for this kind of fast-paced indoor work- and prepares to breach the entry point.
[15:48] At Yoshida's signal, Tamaki averts his eyes. It would be bright, and they are too close to afford having to blink it off during this critical time.
[15:49] Kallen follows suit, glancing aside at the ground below.
[15:52] It's not the swift flare up she saw in a movie once, an otherwise forgettable tale of a cat burglar passed off as a pseudo-documentary. The glare continues for almost a solid minute before tapering off. Yoshida uses a spray on the burnt sections, before kicking the vent open with a dull clang.
[15:54] The reality of these operations is always sordid, after all. Kallen moves in front of Yoshida and slips into the vent- as the smallest in her team, she's the easiest fit and the best to check out the path ahead.
[16:00] The other end is similarly sealed off, but they still have time until they are to get in and keep the pressure up. They should make it, and the warehouse is lit, with no patrols scheduled through that area.
[16:06] Kallen sidles up to the other end of the vent, and withdraws her own container of compound to smear on the edges of the obstruction. She keeps an ear out for anyone passing by, just in case an irregularity approaches...
[16:07] She hears nothing untowards. Unless someone has the luck to stand still within sight of the vent, Kallen should be in the clear.
[16:09] She signals to the others to look away. Doing the same herself, she sets the breaching material alight, and takes a few steps back. Once the stuff is burned through, she'll be able to kick it out and slide into the warehouse proper.
[16:19] Another minute is sacrificed to this, but Kallen makes it into the warehouse proper afterwards. Tamaki and Yoshida filter in after her.
[16:19] Massive containers divide the insides, turning the warehouse into a maze rather than the large open space once would expect. If Sayoko's information is accurate, then in a minute a pair of guards would be coming down a corridor formed by the containers a hundred feet to the right; just enough time to set up an ambush.
[16:29] "If we take cover behind these containers, we can pop out and hit them in an instant," decides Kallen, gesturing to either side of the corridor the patrol would come through. It's stupid to flank them in a straight line with guns, but if they pop out just after they move past their position...

<--->

<--->

Kallen's detachment positions behind the containers just as footsteps are heard beyond their impromptu embankment. Kallen has enough time to discern two distinct people when the guards in question walk out into the open!

Kallen gives the guards a moment to step past their cover, and then she clenches her jaw, and steps out from around the side of her container. Holding the stock of the shotgun in an underarm stance, she levels it at the back of one of the guards and pulls the trigger!

Her shot it spot-on. The front of the guard's head trades places with a fine red mist that spray outwards.

The second guard throws himself into a roll at the sound of the gunshot, his body twisting to bring his weapon about, but Tamaki and Yoshida spray the man together, their weapons set to autofire. His body jerks as bullets impact it, and dimly Kallen becomes aware of other shots being fired elsewhere, the exact locations difficult to pin down due to the nature of the volumnous warehouse.

The shotgun only holds six shells at a time, but it's a semi-automatic and doesn't require her to pump it. Reloading will still be a bitch, but the increased accuracy at close quarters is worth it in this place. An easy weapon to handle for her.

"Let's go! Two minutes to the target!" She signals to start hustling down their prearranged route!

Kallen feels more than hears their assent, and Tamaki rushes ahead to impact violently against a container at the end of the path. He nods to Yoshida, who is already in motion, and clears the corner. Kallen sees Tamaki nod once more before he also disappears, and then she is there herself. It is a T section of sorts, and they are to proceed to the right. Several openings would present themselves, and somewhere between and fifth and sevenths is where they would encounter opposition once more, if all goes according to plan.

That this stunt can be planned so precisely somewhat amazed Kallen during the briefing, but drilling it into her mind helped; she doesn't need to think about what she's doing, and can concentrate on the task at hand.

With several openings ahead, the plan is to clear the first few and then start leapfrogging from corner to corner until the enemy appeared.

The guards are the first to chance upon Kallen, the first signs of it Yoshida being gunned down. He collapses clumsily, as if someone swept the rug from under him! Tamaki takes cover and returns fire.

The thought occupying Kallen's mind is that the guards responded faster than anticipated, but if they don't break through them here, all might well be lost!

Kallen blasts a shot down the corridor and takes cover as well, uncertain whether or not it hit. She can't help but glance at Yoshida for a moment; is he alive? Is he dead? Just wounded? There's no time to check.

She detaches a grenade from her belt, removes the pin, and counts to three; then she slings it down the corridor to where the gunfire seemed to be coming from!

Yoshida lies still-- but no, Kallen sees him twitch, and then he attempts to drag himself out of the line of fire. That is as much attention as she can give him.

Tamaki lays down suppressive cover fire while Kallen readies the grenade, and takes cover at the last possible moment.

Kallen's ears ring. The gunfire has stopped.

After taking down the guards at this spot, Kallen is to advance until the tenth opening between the containers and hold position there for the next ninety seconds. Any stragglers escaping from the second team would thus end up straight in her field of fire, while minimizing any possible friendly fire incidents.

"Yoshida, how bad are you?" she asks, glancing at him; worry intrudes on her supposedly prepared mindset.

If it was a glancing hit, he can probably take care of himself- having to stop to give first aid would compromise their firepower. But the sooner he gets help, the more likely he'd survive...

Yoshida has managed to drag himself to take cover behind a container, leaving a trail of blood along his path. "My leg, it's my leg," he gasps, grimacing in pain. From a casual observation, it might be worse than that, but he is conscious and able to move of his own power.

There wouldn't have been a better time to be clinical about this, but she doesn't feel she can take the risk in leaving him there.

"Tamaki, check him," she instructs. "I'll cover the passage, regroup as soon as possible!"

She doesn't give a chance to protest before dashing to her predetermined position, leaving the two men a short distance behind.

Tamaki seems lost in indecision, but he doesn't follow Kallen as she rushes to her predetermined position. No insidious bursts of gunfire strike her down as she holds her post. She hears the sounds of combat get closer; yet, a minute after and no enemies reveal themselves to her.

"Five, four--" Inoue's voice starts counting in her ear suddenly, and Kallen knows what that means. "--One!"

The warehouse is clouded in darkness.

Kallen reaches to her head, and pulls down a bulky pair of dark goggles; flicking a switch in the headband, the warehouse lights up for her in a crackly hue of green.

"Tamaki, how was it?" she asks over the radio, peering down her designated route.

"Dark," he answers helpfully.

Kallen sees a figure appear around a bend, retreating backwards. It holds a gun in its hands.

It's possible he's not alone, and in the darkness there's no way he can tell Kallen is there. She gives it five seconds to see if anyone is coming along with him before taking aim and firing off another shell!

The figure had crossed perhaps a third of the distance when Kallen takes her shot. It hits squarely in the back, downing her target, but Kallen can see that it still moves!

Kallen isn't able to just pull the trigger on someone she's already floored- but the gun! If her target is still holding it, then it doesn't matter if they're wounded!

As Kallen grapples with the dilemma, a burst of automatic gunfire puts an end to her target's struggles. Kallen only sees the shooter briefly, as they gesture with their gun and proceed onwards.

With the preliminary obstacles cleared, the only place for them to take is the control room, now.

As Kallen falls back into the easy way of following pre-scripted movements, some part of her curses herself for, once again, not being mentally prepared for this. What if the target did have a gun? It takes less than half a second to pull a trigger and end a life! Next time, she might not be lucky, and it'll be her as a footnote in someone else's mission!

"Kouzuki here," she reports on the channel. "Yoshida's down. Tamaki was looking after him at the second point of contact. Moving up on the target now."

"Right," Inoue responds. Before Kallen can take more than a handful of steps, the cell leader's voice comes over the link once more. "Belay that. Investigate the hangar."

It's not a proper hangar, Kallen recalls, but that is what they decided to call the Knightmare holding section of the warehouse. Rather than proceeding ahead, it would take her at a sharp angle further inside.

"Roger. What'm I looking for?" asks Kallen, swerving around a corner and moving towards the storage section.

"Stragglers," Inoue responds tersely. "Tamaki, go with her."

Knightmares. There must be a dozen, perhaps even more. Enough for everyone in their group to have their very own Glasgow model-- one of them is moving! It turns towards Kallen, and her vision goes white!

<--->

<--->

[15:30] The goggles have gone from amazingly useful to worse than nothing in an instant, but before she even thinks of taking them off, Kallen is already moving somewhere- back is probably impossible, but there's no shortage of shipping containers around to dive behind, if her insticts are right!
[15:30] The weapons of a goddamned monster like that can't be avoided from here by anything but reflexes and gut!
[15:41] Kallen hears a crash where she used to stand, the sounds of metal twisting paining her ears. Her dive ends with Kallen tackling a container's side with her shoulder.
[15:44] If she follows the edge of the container, she might turn a corner! The pain from the impact goes on standby (to be collected later with interest) as she makes a mad dash away and hopefully around a corner; her spare hand reaches to pull off the goggles. It doesn't sound like a gun firing, though- did the knightmare just try to crush her?
[15:46] Gunfire sounds at that time, as if bidden by Kallen's stray thoughts. Automatic weapons, not the heavy artillery being used for a Knightmare's head-mounted cannons, nevermind its main armament. Kallen's shoulder throbs; spots dance in her eyes, black and white and all the prime color combinations inbetween.
[15:51] Kallen picks her way away from the ongoing battle for the moment, and drops the useless goggles; her vision clearing isn't going to happen instantaneously, and until it does she's deadweight, and best off putting a few meters (and a few giant crates) between her and the deceptively speedy vehicle behind her.
[15:56] More sounds of carnage follow, but Inoue's voice cuts through it all. "Kouzuki, where are you? Respond! Tamaki, can you see her?"
[15:56] "I can't see jack!" Tamaki's voice curses, barely understood over the gunfire. "They were supposed to be stored up, nice-like!"
[16:01] "I'm behind a crate near the knightmares, and they all looked ready to go just like that one!" snarls Kallen, furiously rubbing her eyes. "I think it's guns aren't loaded, so it's just gonna run over us!"
[16:06] She can see something beyond the spots, but what Kallen sees is the prevailent darkness.
[16:06] "Get the lights back on!" Tamaki calls. His voice comes through much more clearly now; he must have paused to reload. "We don't stand a chance without it!"
[16:09] It's not like they came packing an RPG or anything that could take down that thing! But if it has no guns, then a lucky shot might take out the factsphere and give them a shot at getting away. She glances behind her for a second, looking out for the strobe of the Knightmare's headlights.
[16:12] Some muffled curses filter through Kallen's headset, while she spots the spotlights in the distance. Two beams, their points of origin close to one another. Neither is seeking her locations, it seems.
[16:12] Inoue is counting. At the sound of "One!" light is restored, the powerful beams subsumed.
[16:12] Gunfire resumes at once, bullets bouncing off the Glasgow's head.
[16:19] "I'm gonna make sure nobody else is planning on getting into those things," states Kallen, tersely. She opts to try and take a route around the Glasgow towards the rank of knightmares, at least hoping to get a clear view of the area. "Aim for the factsphere, and it'll go half-blind!"
[16:29] "I'm tryin' to!" Tamaki curses, following through with another burst of fire. This one is more focused, as per Kallen's words, but the Knightmare is not standing there to take it. With its famous maneuvering ability, the Knightmare zig-zags past much of the bullets, and smashes an arm against something out of Kallen's sight.
[16:29] Tamaki's curses, audible through the radio, double. The fire rate drops to almost nothing, however.
[16:42] "Looks like he's gonna be alone," mutters Kallen. "Inoue, what should I do?"
[16:43] "Keep it occupied for three minutes," Inoue says, before asking tersely, "Can you do it?"
[16:50] "If it can't hit me when I'm blind, it ain't gonna hit me when I can see," boasts Kallen, more for her own sake than Inoue's. She skirts to one of the thinner corridors, and starts taking potshots at the Knightmare as long as it's not coming back after her, ready to duck away at a moment's notice!

<--->

<--->

A shell bounces off and away, her shotgun pumped with the motion to load another. The Knightmare ignores it, perhaps due to its rear armor plating, and because its factsphere is located in the front. Instead, the machine continues assaulting a container savagely with its arms, the noise far worse than nails being trailed across a chalkboard.

Getting close to it is surely suicide, but it's obviously hammering into where Tamaki might be; if she doesn't do something, he might be crushed!

Since it's back is to her, however, she has free reign over the warehouse for a moment, and if there's anything around that she could use to make an impact on the knightmare, like a crane or a forklift or something...

A forklift is off to the side, and another far closer to the battle. The second had been trampled by the Knightmare's rampage.

Not big enough. "Tamaki, are you trapped over there?!" she calls, trying to be audible over the grinding sound.

The only thing she can do is start running to try and get around the other side of the Knightmare; if she can get a shot at the factsphere then it can't just ignore her, can it?

Curses and gunfire come from Tamaki's direction and the comlink, creating a strange echo as Kallen rushes towards him. Approaching the Knightmare the rest of the way means stepping out into open space, however.

Even if she heads out into the open, it can't see behind it.

And if it does notice her, then she might have just enough time to clear the open part of the warehouse and dive for cover again before it crushes her.

The Knightmare turns as Kallen is halfway across, at the worst possible spot! It turns, displaying incredible mobility, and launches its shoulder-mounted slash harkens at Kallen!

As the Knightmare turns to face her, Kallen breaks into a sprint to the other side; diving and going prone out in the open would surely leave her to be crushed by the mecha's feet!

The harkens stab down, missing Kallen. Before she can rejoice over her lucky escape, however, she feels herself rudely pushed forward, enough to cause her to stumble roughly if not launched off her feet entirely.

It's the ground being roiled by the hardened tips of the harkens!

Kallen doesn't resist getting pushed forward, however, and tries to roll with the impact; better to keep in motion before the Knightmare can find some other way to make this her second-worst day ever.

Kallen's back feels like a mass of bruises, and the forward roll only makes her more aware of the fact. She hears the harkens retreat as she regains her bearings.

The winding time of the harkens is a second or two, and she probably won't get a better chance than this whilst the pilot pauses for a moment.

She whirls around, takes half a second to sight the glasgow's lone factsphere, and takes her best shot!

The shot is spot on, but the Knightmare brings up its arm to block it, fragments bouncing harmlessly all over!

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" snarls Kallen, backing away from the Knightmare and taking the opportunity to run behind a nearby container.

It begins to give chase, but reconsiders when gunfire assaults it from the side, Tamaki now concentrating his firepower on the left arm's shoulder joint. This plan is proving to work, if slowly, but Kallen can now tell that Tamaki's cover had been all but destroyed, and the way to retreat cut off. The Knightmare's assaults on the containers providing cover to Tamaki also warped their shape, making escape the way he came from impossible.

The factsphere is fairly delicate, but the armour is another story. Shells won't cut it. Her other grenade wouldn't do more than scratch the paint, either.

Ejecting her reamining ammunition, Kallen opts to load her shotgun with a couple of slugs instead; they're hardly anti-armour weapons, but they might get some punch against the joints! She breaks cover and opts to back Tamaki up, firing each heavy-duty round into the shoulder as best as she can!

Kallen's first shot finds purchase, but the Knightmare is no longer there for the second! Kallen gets her wish -- the Knightmare is now fully focused upon her, trying its best to run her down!

Kallen bolts from her imminent smackdown like the red-headed stepchild she is. The sharp manueverability of the Knightmare can only really be compared to that in terms of other armoured vehicles. A human on foot can still get out of it's angle of attack, just like dodging a car!

And just like a car, a person dodging a massive vehicle going at fifty miles per hour is impossible. It is folly to even try. Yet Kallen does not give up, and only gets clipped in the side for her trouble, sending her careening into a container. The impact dents its side, and Kallen idly counts all the containers she had hit with her body that night, when Inoue's voice cuts through the fog in her mind.

"Still alive?"

"Yeah," replies Kallen, swallowing back a few smart replies. Save it for afterwards, Kouzuki! "Somehow."

"Can you lure it as close to the perimeter wall as you can?" Inoue asks. "And then get very, very lost?"

The Knightmare launches its harkens, boxing Kallen in and sending up a cloud of peeled paint and metal chips towards her face. Beyond it, she can vaguely see it level its massive arm at her, drawing it back before the inevitable strike!

Left, right, back, they're all out, so Kallen takes the only option left to her and jerks forward, hoping to somehow slide under the Knightmare's assault! Thought and reason flee her mine completely, replaced with only an instinct to get away from danger, even if it only means a few more seconds of life.

She ducks under the coming fist, breaks hard to the left and begins to run. The Knightmare's pilot must have expected the former, but not the latter, as the machine turns on its wheels, attempting to ruthlessly crush anyone under its feet.

But the pilot recovers in record time, and begins to gain after Kallen once more.

"Be there in fifteen, you better be gone~" Inoue sing-songs through the earpiece. Gunfire assaults the Knightmare from behind -- Tamaki -- buying Kallen several precious seconds!

"Aargggh!" screams Kallen, focusing on her own voice and shoving out her other senses until such a time as they will be needed again. Without even bothering to look back, she sprints forward towards the perimeter of the building, barely avoiding slamming into another few hostile containers as she heads from passage to passage!

The paths here are much wider, clearly left such to allow vehicular access. Kallen is by the wall. She feels, then hears a rumbling from the outside.

Her body isn't going to want to do anything tomorrow if she keeps treating it like this.

Kallen turns sharply to the side and bolts to the left, promptly trying to make herself scarce.

The squeal of metal ripping apart is becoming familiar to Kallen. Yet this is the first time that she sees a massive truck rip through a warehouse's outer wall. It drives through the row of stationary Knightmares, sending them crashing out of the way, and continues towards the active Knightmare. The machine catches the truck with its arms, struggling to push against it and hold its former momentum.

It succeeds in that, yet its pilot must not have seen Inoue tumble out of the truck's cabin in the chaos. Once the bluette's body stops rolling on the floor, she raises herself weakly on an arm to look back.

The truck explodes into a bright orange fireball.

Kallen stumbles back and shields her eyes, slumping against a wall and starting to catch the breath she left lying about three containers back.

"Secure."

"Secure."

The other teams seem to be reporting on their shared channel, but their voices sound distant to Kallen.

No, she's not going to goddamn fall unconscious halfway through a mission again! She didn't even get shot this time!

Kallen slaps the side of her face, making the mistake of trying to wake up and start feeling all the pain she incurred earlier tonight.

Her hand comes back bloody, but the pain certainly helps refocus Kallen.

Unconsciousness might be better. Kallen peels off her messed-up balaclava (or did she already rip it off sometime before?), picks herself up, and remembers that she has a radio, too.

"Enemy knightmare destroyed. It's pretty messed up down here," she reports. "Yoshida, Inoue and I are gonna need a checkup. Looks like we're otherwise secure here. Tamaki?"

It doesn't look like they'll be able to make off with the knightmares so easily now, either.

Tamaki doesn't respond. No one responds. Kallen's balaclava comes off in pieces, floating down to the ground. It is liberally painted in blood.

<--->

<--->

[16:14] The first rays of dawn are beginning to seep into a room that Kallen finds awfully familiar. Her improptu ward back in the ghetto hasn't really changed at all since the last time she was recuperating here, save that sleeping off her bruises is likely to be a swifter affair than a sucking chest wound- "Ow! Yes, it hurts there!" she complains, batting away Jean's prodding hand. "Would you kindly stop poking me?"
[16:17] Jean grasps Kallen's flailing hands in her own and forcibly sets them down, before silently returning to her inspection.
[16:17] "Nice bedside manners, Doc," a sarcastic voice intruds on Kallen's pain-filled world. Jean doesn't even bother acknowledging Minami as he comes into the room.
[16:21] Kallen opens her mouth to say something else, but winces from a sudden pressure on her side, and her body ceases it's futile resistance. "Hi," she croaks, twisting her head. "How's- ow!- Yoshida?"
[16:24] "His doc's much nicer," Minami says, cracking a smile. "So is Inoue's. I guess you drew the short stick here, Kouzuki."
[16:24] Jean actually frowns as Minami continues to speak, making sure to avoid eye contact with Kallen.
[16:30] It must be payback for having a jacuzzi to unwind in back home, she reflects. "So. Tell me the spoils- and how'd Kururugi do on his end?"
[16:34] "He didn't hold us back," Minami acknowledges. "The Glasgows, on the other hand, are a mixed bag. Only a couple are entirely unscathed; the rest would need maintenance. But all in all, we have two operational, nine more in repair and the last will need to be scrapped for spare parts."
[16:39] "Great. Even just two makes things easier," murmurs Kallen, tilting her head back to the ceiling. "I stuck the scroll up in the control room. Figured it was the most obvious place."
[16:44] "It's not 'just two'!" Minami protests. "Make that two now, about a dozen once we get someone to fix the rest. The JLF is certain to send someone to help with that if Inoue makes an official request." He snorts, shrugging lightly. "As official as it gets for us, anyway."
[16:48] "Depends on how efficient they're feeling," replies Kallen. "But I think you're right. I mean, apart from Saitama, who else is doing anything impressive lately?"
[16:50] "Yes, yes, now hold still," Jean tells Kallen, moving her head into an uncomfortable position that allows the doctor to examine its left side. Out of the corner of her eye, Kallen can see Minami wince.
[16:53] Kallen clamps her mouth shut whilst Jean inspects her skull. Unbidden, she starts wondering just what is so horrible that it would make Minami squeamish, and finds herself not particularly wanting to find out.
[16:55] "You've outdone yourself, Miss Stadtfeld," Jean says in clipped tones, releasing Kallen and picking up a chart, affixed to an old-fashioned clipboard. She makes notations in it, nodding to herself. "I certainly hope it was an experience you are not eager to repeat."
[16:57] If she's the one in the knightmare next time, it won't be so bad. "I've outdone getting shot?"
[16:59] "Quite," Jean responds curtly.
[16:59] Minami clears his throat. "It's good to see you in such high spirits, Kouzuki. Tamaki will stop by later. He just wanted to spend some time with Yoshida, first."
[17:00] "...am I going to get better?" asks Kallen, sounding very small and not in high spirits at all.
[17:04] "We have the technology and the capability to use it," Jean says, light glinting off her glasses. Minami edges away, before giving Kallen a hurried wave and retreating.
[17:06] "I draw the line at test tubes, you know."
[17:09] "That was just to drive the simpleton away," Jean says, placing the clipboard on the bedside table and walking the few steps to the door to close it. "You look like a scarecrow, but it's actually a genuine case where things look far worse than they are. With the resources you've provided me, I could easily handle the therapies in question in a manner of days."
[17:11] "Managed to make it back here without falling apart, so I didn't think it was, um, awful. Great," replies Kallen, sighing with relief. "Will there be signs of injury left?"
[17:12] "Do you want there to be?"
[17:13] "That would be... really bad."
[17:15] Jean chuckles at the response. "I shall do my best. Naturally, I must insist on remaining here until you have a clean bill of health."
[17:20] "As long as it's just a few days, it should be fine. I shouldn't be missed for about a week without needing another excuse," she replies, wincing. "God, another inch and I'd be missing a leg. Or dead."
[17:23] "Let's see how it goes," Jean says vaguely, before amending her words. "At the very least, I should be able to tell how well you are responding to treatment in a day or two."
[17:26] "Right," replies Kallen. Silence reigns for a moment, and then she speaks again- "So, you got what you needed. How are we going to go about studying this thing?" she asks, indicating her eye.
[17:27] "As it so happens, I was waiting for that question, Miss Stadtfeld," Jean responds, Kallen catching a note of eagerness there before it is ruthlessly squashed.
[17:27] "I already knew that."
[17:29] Jean clucks her tongue in a sign of annoyance. "Metamphetamins, Miss Stadtfeld. Dare I ask if you had used them in a recreational manner so far?"
[17:31] "Metampheta?... oh, right. I managed to stay away from drugs, even when things were really bad," replies Kallen, pausing. "I've heard of people using that kinda stuff before going into combat. To keep 'em high, but messing with that stuff just isn't worth it."
[17:37] "Seeing as we are in Area 11, I find it amusing that the solution to your woes would be found in the research started here," Jean elaborates, circling Kallen's bed slowly. "While it is true that their best known function is as a drug to induce euphoric and increase sexual pleasure, studies are conducted with metamphetamines being used to treat certain behavioral conditions.
[17:37] We are talking about a psychoactive stimulant drug, after all."
[17:39] "And what I'm guessing you're suggesting is that Geass, if it's a neruological.. affliction, I suppose- can be treated or prevented in much the same fashion?" suggests Kallen, her eyes slowly trailing after Jean's midsection.
[17:43] "What we have been doing is the opposite, but it occured to me," Jean responds. "Just why can't the same theory be applied in reverse, so to speak? I have sufficient knowledge of Lilith's neurochemistry, and I have also gained enough of your own, and how it changed from your last medical checkup, Miss Stadtfeld.
[17:43] I suppose it would be termed an ongoing experiment, but I could guess reasonably closely to the right dosage, and we'll keep on modulating it until we arrive at just what we seek. Perfect control, by achieving the superhuman focus necessary to use it."
[17:47] "So.. the target of this experiment is to create a drug that would allow me- or anyone, really- conscious and focused control over their own emotions?" asks Kallen, sounding a little confused.
[17:48] "Over perception," Jean corrects Kallen. "I believe that to be sufficient for your needs, Miss Stadtfeld."
[17:58] "Right. I think I get it, then," replies Kallen, straining for a moment; she's felt emotions from people without quite looking at them before, and this is a moment when she'd like to be tuning in to Jean's. "Look, we both know there's a risk with these things. I don't mind taking it, but at the same time, I'd rather go slowly."
[18:00] Irritation, however mild. "A strong mind can overcome any undue pull, and any chemical dependancies can be weaned out," Jean says impatiently.
[18:08] "I'd agree, except for one thing. My mind has a heap of things weighing on it already, and going too fast with this... look, I got hit by a goddamn robot today! That'd make anyone consider drugs, even if they didn't have some alien magic happening in their heads," mutters Kallen. "
[18:17] "Yesterday, technically," Jean notes calmly, and the sense of irritation fades. "Very well. I shall be waiting for a time when you rationally decide to take the drugs that could help you handle all the things weighing on your mind, Miss Stadtfeld."
[18:23] "...I'll sleep on it," mutters Kallen, reaching for her blankets and pulling them over her head.

<--->

<--->

The phone rings several times before it is picked up on the other side.

"Yes?" Kallen hears Mary's voice ask calmly. There is some background noise, but it is cut off almost instantly, as she hears a door close.

"Kouzuki here," replies Kallen, fresh out the shower and clad in a towel. "I'd like to discuss something with you. When's a good time to meet this week?"

"I can make it today," Mary responds. "How about," she continues, pausing briefly, "five o'clock? We could meet over tea in Shibuya."

It is morning, and Kallen would have plenty of time to get anywhere within the government-administered district if she so wished.

"It works. Don't go to Shibuya much these days. I'll call you when I get there and find you off that?"

"I'll be waiting at the Arc de Triomphe," Mary responds. "By all means, if you can't find it, give me a call."

"It's a date, then. Ja." Kallen hangs up the phone, and then sets about the serious business of getting dressed.

The Arc de Triomphe is a cafe, Kallen discovers as she travels to Shibuya later in the day. It is within easy walking distance of the intra-settlement transit system's Shibuya terminal, which the battered Inoue openly acknowledges as a blessing. "Sugiyama and me will be nearby at a quiet corner table," she promised Kallen as they plan this little gathering over the phone, and as the redhead enters the establishment, she sees the pair there as scheduled, mixed with the other patrons who appear to be mostly EU expats.

Mary is seated at a table for two, her back to the wall and in a position to observe the entrance. She smiles as Kallen makes her appearance, gesturing at the seat opposite herself.

Kallen gives Mary a little wave, and slips through the tables to take her seat. A Euro bar isn't a bad choice for a somewhat-secretive meeting, she reflects; foreigners tend to mind their own business when staying in the settlement.

"Afternoon. Actually, I meant to contact you earlier, but it's been a rough week," she greets. "How's business?"

"Slowly plodding along would be how I'd call things," Mary responds, flagging a waiter over. "Earl Gray for us-- unless you would like something else?"

"Coffee for me, thanks. Black, no sugar," replies Kallen, briefly glancing at the waiter. "I know what you mean," she responds once he's vanished. "Any movement at all is an improvement, but it's not enough. How would you like to speed things up?"

Mary briefly makes a face at Kallen's pick, but is soon reabsorbed into the conversation. "A few more movements such as last week's, and we could have Gottwald where we want him. I think this approach would sit well with you?"

"That'll be kept up, have no doubt. Lord Jeremiah is bound to act sooner or later, even as he chafes at his highness' prudence. Actually, a lot of people are chafing under that particular yoke. I've been considering your proposal. To be honest, it doesn't seem possible to me, the way he's behaving. At least from the outside."

"What do you mean?" Mary asks, as their drinks arrive, along with a tray of scones.

"If you want to get rid of Clovis, there's no need to do the work ourselves," replies Kallen, reaching for one of the scones. "The top military personel can still get close to him where an outsider couldn't get in position. Sir Gottwald, I believe, will be in quite the frustrated mood soon enough. He's already barely avoided a charge of lese majeste, hasn't he?"

"He can keep at it long enough for the wait to become impractical," Mary responds, sipping at her tea. "This misses the larger point, however. Clovis himself is a tool. The key element here is not the act of his death, but the act of bypassing all the defenses someone in his position has against outsiders."

"Of course. And why would Jeremiah conceivably wish to slay Clovis?" asks Kallen, setting down the scone untouched after a moment. "Because he's in the way. Because he's stopping him from reacting. He's not permitted to take the fight to the terrorists, as it were. You see, this is why we and he are natural allies, in a sense. We want to show we can get rid of Clovis. Jeremiah wants not just permission to attack, but a certain degree of support behind it.

"So, if he were to committ such a murder, who better to frame... than us?"

Mary looks something between shocked and confused, before she laughs. "You know, this does have the ring of truth to it!"

"Thought so. Now, if the news properly obliges us, everything that can be done before approaching Jeremiah himself will be done," notes Kallen. "As it happens, an opportunity for just that has been arranged. I wouldn't want to take that risk if you had some other method in mind, though."

"Let's hear the elaboration of your idea, first," Mary suggests, leaning over on her elbows to give the appearance of an avid listener.

"It would take some social engineering," replies Kallen, leaning back. "I'm hosting a gala next week, and have sent invitations to a selection of Tokyo's elite. For me, it's not dissimilar to a debutante ball, and they'd have to be blind to miss that. There'll be a lot of meet'n'greeting going on. General Davidson should be in attendance as well, and the atmosphere should be pretty damn charged, seeing as both representatives of the 'do nothing' and the 'do something' crowd are in attendance. I imagine that if things were left to go as they were, there'd be an argument, maybe even fisticuffs if they're all drunk enough. Of course, having them storm out would be counterproductive."

"The right time to approach Gottwald will be when he's once again reminded of the perceived incompetence within the higher echelons of the heirarchy, or perhaps even slighted for the loss of his troops; I doubt it'll take long, and a private conversation with him should give an idea of how amenable to the idea he is before it needs to actually be pitched. It's not as though assassination isn't unusual amongst that class, particularly when it comes to incompetent royals. Should he refuse in the end... well, what happens behind closed doors stays there, after all, and I wish him good luck at making charges for conspiracy against a teenage baron." It occurs to Kallen, briefly, that given the sudden illnesses suffered by both her father and Cleo, such a charge might end up holding weight. But if all goes to plan, nothing like that will happen.

Kallen rights herself, and her eyes drift to the nearest source of media; newspapers, or perhaps a TV in the corner. "As for the method, either one can be provided to him, or we can leave it to his own ingenuity."

"Your proposal does have a fairly fatal flaw," Mary muses, following Kallen's eyes towards the TV hanging overhead, coincidentally over the table Inoue and Sugiyama picked for themselves. If she had recognized the former, Mary gives no indication of that, observing the sports commentators argue amongst themselves with a polite detachment. "The purists, more than anything else, are radically in favor of the Britannian throne and against the so-called Numbers. You would have Jeremiah break away with both of those tenants of what one might as well call the Purist faith."

"Never mind the presumptions on Jeremiah's temperament," admits Kallen. "Still, at present, he is at odds with the throne, and I believe some fairly clear ideals related to survival of the fittest have been set out by someone a few rungs higher than Clovis. This whole business can be seen as an extension of weeding out the weak to make way for the strong. The empire as a whole has never had problems assisting Darwinism."

"I was addressing the existential problem, the impossible rather than the improbable," Mary agrees, growing pensive as she mulls over Kallen's words. "In fact, if you were to claim to act on Cornelia's behalf, Jeremiah might be quite malleable to this. But...." She grimaces, and then shakes her head. "No, he would never support the Numbered terrorists."

As Kallen reflects on the man they are discussing, the noble who rose to the leadership of the Purist Faction to stand unchallenged at its top, she recalls that while pursuing an anti-Numbers agenda ostensibly, Jeremiah Gottwald seems to harbor a special hatred for the Elevens.

"Eleven terrorists, at the least. The other generals aren't even worth discussing on these lines... well, I shall keep this in mind nonetheless. As long as we restrict our attacks to Gottwald in general, I have doubt that the other armed groups will make serious moves until they've seen how he reacts."

"They certainly would not rush into a potential trap," Mary agrees once more.

"That said, let's return to the beginning," replies Kallen, absently pushing her untouched coffee away. "What methods exist for striking at Clovis to us presently?"

Mary takes care to sip from her tea once in a while, for her part. "I have someone on the inside," she confides in Kallen. "I'm tracing his behavior, taking stock of his defenses, getting hold of his daily routine."

"An enviable connection," notes Kallen. "You think he's a creature of habit?"

Mary snorts, replacing her teacup for a scone. "Clovis? He's a creature of wants and desires, somehow the world must revolve around. His insistence on me-me-ME is reliable enough to draw quite a few insightful conclusions from."
someone

"If he seems something he likes, then, I presume he takes it, and damned be the consequences?"

"And finally being the top dog, here in Japan, there's no one to tell him no or send him to his room without supper," Mary adds with a roll of her eyes.

"I guess some kind of poisoned gift? What do they call it, the honey trap?" considers Kallen, leaning forward herself.

Mary looks briefly uncomfortable. "I have something else in mind," she responds vaguely.

"That so, that being?" asks Kallen, genuinely curious.

Mary seems to waffle for several moments, finally saying, "Clovis will commit seppuku for his sins."

"It might be poetic, but I guess the problem remains catching him alone and unguarded in the first place to pull a stunt like that," replies Kallen.

"Clovis is quite the ladies man," Mary says in a seeming nonsequitur. "Though he has effectively barricaded himself in and remains in hiding, this hasn't changed."

Kallen wrinkles her nose in disgust for a moment. "Yeah, nobody can go far without hearing about that. Is he gonna have to go outside his usual, how d'ya say it, flock for this to work?"

"Given sufficient impetus to look elsewhere in tandem with carefully feeding his paranoia about his circle of acquaintences. Not all, mind you. Just one or two. But which? That's how I'm advancing right now."

"If you've got someone close enough to him to consider a plan like that, then it sounds well in hand," notes Kallen, although Mary's earlier hesitance hasn't gone forgotten. "But it'll take time. It's already been a month, hasn't it? And whoever does the deed will want an escape, too."

"The escape is the real issue," Mary says quietly, looking down into her tea.

"If that was no issue," replies Kallen, mulling it over- "Do you have any guess when this could be put into action?"

"As soon as next week," Mary responds after a brief pause where she looks contemplative.

"Suppose," considers Kallen. "Suppose that your woman does the deed, and then screams bloody murder, bringing the guards upon herself. Suppose then, someone is seen obviously escaping from the scene. How did they get in? How did they get out? These aren't questions anyone can answer easily. But it's clear by their mere presence where the most suspicion would fall."

"A daring plan," Mary admits. "Do you fancy yourself playing the part of that suspect?"

"We've got ourselves some Knightmares," replies Kallen, reaching for her cup and drinking down the by-now cold coffee in one gulp. "If we plan it right, I'll bet I can make a.. well, it'll be a messy break, but it'll be a break alright."

<--->

<--->

"Not in a direct assault, no, but as a diversion, perhaps?" Mary appears lost in thought once more.

"The goal is to drag attention away from the actual murder and then escape, and a knightmare is the best vehicle for that if it's impossible on foot," replies Kallen, trying to recall the layout of the area in question.

"Where could we stage a diversionary attack, given that those participants need to get out as well?"

Mary shakes her head. "I don't believe so. Kallen, Britannian security relies a lot on its electronic measures for identification, and often ignores the so-called Elevens as little more than background noise." A faint note of anger seeps into Mary's voice. "This is a system I can beat. Rather than escape in a blaze of glory, I will walk right out of the front gates."

She tilts her head, studying her half-empty cup while steering it idly with a tea spoon. "Where to stage the diversionary attack, however... a power plant would provide the best results. Clovis's guards are arrogant enough to believe we don't know about the backup generators for the palace, and consider it an ineffectual miscalculation. Confident in their superiority, the actual security in the palace proper will be lax than otherwise, under similar conditions. And they can't well just ignore such a blatant terrorist act, either, which will cause their forces to go after a red herring with a predetermined escape route."

"It would have to take place at roughly the same time as murder, or Clovis might be dragged away from his fun- particularly if they infer an assault on the power plant being a precursor to another. The chaos should work in your favour, though if the guards infer an assault is incoming then I don't know about their laxity," replies Kallen.

"To protect His Royal Highness from any trechery on the side of the Elevens, what do you think palace security would do?" Mary asks with a smile.

"They'd think we're on the outside coming in, wouldn't they?"

"And that maybe, just maybe, you can't discount the possibility with those sneaky, trecherous Numbers... they just might have sympathizers on the inside?"

"But that'd be bad for you," ponders Kallen. "Unless there's a likely target within the grounds on which to focus their scrutiny. Otherwise, wouldn't they just lock the whole place down until things seem safe?"

"I am aware that in the real world, a perfect plan doesn't survive contact with the enemy. That is why I'm prepared for either contingency, depending on how the diversion goes off, and when that would happen in relation to Clovis's assassination."

"It's a lesson I'm tired of learning," mutters Kallen. "Alright, how's this. We'll start planning the diversion this week, it's pretty much seperate to the main operation anyway, only the time it happens connects them tactically. I'll do some research on the area around the palace and figure out an escape route for myself, and leave figuring the details about what needs to happen within the grounds to you."

Mary begins to nod before she pauses, and glances over at Kallen. "Would it be an issue if Suzaku continued to represent Saitama in this partnership? I believe the recent joint operation went well, from what he told me."

"The mission went as well as anyone could hope, indeed. We have more knightmares than fit pilots, so- he can pilot one, right?"

"I'll make sure he learns in time," Mary affirms.

Kallen feels that's somewhat dubious, but can hardly point to her own crew as a team of elite pilots. "We're gonna do some practicing in the old subway tunnels this week. No better practice than the real thing."

<--->

Brainstorming over battle plans turns into exchanging pleasantries in a seeming duel between the two. Kallen is the first to lose, if one might call it that, opting to cut the inane conversation short and part with Mary. On the train back, she is able to exchange impressions with Inoue and Sugiyama. There is only so much privacy even a quiet section of the train can afford, so that conversation only goes into the most general of terms. Kallen's cell leader supports her, and judging by Sugiyama's reaction, she's not in the minority. While the plan's success is contingent on a great many things, at least her group will attempt to make it a reality.

Kallen is drained when she reaches home, wishing nothing more than a relaxing snack, yet something about Hisui's bowing form catches her attention. The maid is waiting subserviently by the front gates once more.

Something about that woman just irritates Kallen, but there's nothing she can do about it.

"Evening, Hisui- what's going on?" she asks, getting straight to the point once she reaches the gate.

"Welcome home, Miss Stadtfeld," Hisui greets, straightening up. "A guest from school is waiting for you in your room."

"Can't they call ahead?" mutters Kallen, striding forward. "Who is it?"

"A Mister Cardemonde," Hisui dutifully reports, following half a step behind Kallen. She puts on a sudden burst of speed as they come near the entrance, opening the door before Kallen with another bow.

"Ah, alright," replies Kallen, stepping inside. "Good work. The lounge, right?"

Hisui freezes.

"You wouldn't show a guy into my bedroom, right?" continues Kallen, after a moment.

Hisui shrinks upon herself.

Kallen pauses for a moment, and raises a hand to her temple. "It's... oh, man, don't do that, Hisui! Guests go to the lounge from now on! Geez..." she mutters, heading for the stairs.

As Kallen opens the door, she immediately spots Rivalz lounging on her made up bed, leafing through a photo album. He seems engrossed in it.

"Well, well, isn't someone feeling casual today?" notes Kallen, closing the door behind her and dropping her bag near the entrance. "You can call ahead, you know!"

"Ah, Kallen, our absentee student council member!" Rivalz greets her, grinning as he sets the album aside on the bed. "Speaking of calling ahead, you sure don't look sicker than usual."

"Absent due to work, not sickness," mutters Kallen, briefly eyeing the album- it's not one of hers, is it?- before taking a seat by her desk. "School would be way more fun."

It doesn't seem to be the secret rebel album of Kallen at the ghetto's shooting range.

"Don't say that." Rivalz makes a face. "Really. I'm at my wits end, you know?" He almost seems to whine. "Everyone ditched me! Everyone!"

"Uh, I can't speak for the others, but I'm sorry about that," replies Kallen, feeling slightly guilty despite herself. "I should've tried to stop Shirley. The army, of all things..."

Rivalz looks dumbfounded. "No kidding! As President would say, what a loss of assets." His expression grows sad once more, headed towards despondent, as he exclaims, "President, why you have forsaken me?!"

"She'll come back eventually, and you'll get to show off how well you kept things running!" replies Kallen, doubting that this will improve Rivalz beyond 'loyal puppy' status in Milly's book. "That is, if she doesn't find out you've been hanging around in my bed."

"Ahahaha, good one," Rivalz laughs in a dejected deadpan. "First, Lelouch transferred out. Then, Shirley joined the army. The army! Then President has to go off on some top secret mission for the school, and then Nana-chan is suddenly home sick-- wasn't she staying at the school?" He looks straight at Kallen, stating firmly, "You are not leaving me alone with Einstein. Nice try, Kallen. But no."

"So this whole thing is to drag me back to school, and here I thought you might just have wanted to see me," mutters Kallen. "We don't have any big events coming up, and I'm really busy right now, Rivalz. Is there some crisis..."

"It's an Intervention," he gravely states.

Kallen flips out her pocket organizer and starts looking through it to see what free time is left to her. "Uh-huh. Go on."

Her schedule fails to magically alter itself to suit Kallen better.

"Budgets need to be finalized by next week," Rivalz says, his eyes acquiring a dangerous glow to them. "You don't know what it's like! After everyone left, the clubs are trying to push me around! There was... there was a black rose left in my locker!"

"Black rose, right, continue- wait, doesn't that mean someone likes you? Or... is it a threat?" wonders Kallen. "Geez, and budgets? Do we have more or less money to spread out than last time? Can't we just do the same thing? The clubs can't change that much..."

"We can't," he insists. "We really can't. They know where I live!"

It is tempting to dig out her chequebook and throw money at the problem until it goes away, but some slight sense of subtlety urges otherwise.

"Look, we've got a week, right? I don't have time to properly come into school, but.. just, forward me the spreadsheet after you've done a once-over and I'll make sure people get what they deserve. If it makes you feel better, I'll be the primary signatory. No matter what it is, SOMEONE will complain, but so what? You can't let them threaten you into submission!"

Rivalz looks dubious, but then his expression turns thoughtful. "You've got bodyguards and such, right? You have to, for a house this large, and all those maids--" He seems to lose himself briefly in a happy fantasy, judging by his expression.

"Yes, and judging by the amount preppy idiots receive to spend on breaking their necks playing white knights, they're all overdue for a raise," mutters Kallen. "And if anyone is complaining too much, tell them we're saving it for some fantastic special event. I dunno, a giant pizza or something."

Rivalz laughs politely.

"Did you want to stay for dinner?" asks Kallen, suddenly. "I'm sorry for being so snippy, just... in a bad mood. You rode here, right?"

"Yeah. I parked nearby," Rivalz responds. "And it's okay! I understand. You really want to come back yourself, don't you?"

Kallen nods. "I really miss you guys, life's just not as fun these days! Now that you've gone and said that, you're definately staying for a bit," she adds. "Tell you what, though, I'll make it up to you. When Shirley gets some leave and the others come back, how about we go out and do something? Like, head to that new water park?"

"Clovisland?" Rivalz asks. "It's open already? Huh, the way time flies...."

"Who knows? Even just a coming-home party would be nice," replies Kallen. "Although the name is kinda... uh. It lacks... tact."

Rivalz's laughter comes easily, now, and free of dejection. "Ah, you think so too? It's way embarrassing. Lelouch would say the same thing, you know."

"Lelouch is on the ball, as usual. Anyone who'd say otherwise about this place is lying," replies Kallen, with a nod. "I mean. A prince naming a pool after himself, and I hear he designs swimsuits, too, you know? It's like he doesn't want to be taken seriously."

"That's the better interpretation." Rivalz shudders in exaggeration, standing up. "I'm really not imposing, then?" he asks, swiftly changing the subject back.

"No, no, it's fine," replies Kallen, standing up and heading for her door. "A black rose, though? Seriously? Who'dya think sent that?"

<--->

<--->

Kallen had, of course, toured the premises earlier, but it is difficult to compare the function rooms of Santiago Hall when they are deserted to when the event is getting in full swing. The redhead had insisted on modernity when making the selection, and her staff has not disappointed.

Her guests entered the premises onto a balcony that overlooked the main hall; cobalt lights in diamond-shaped lanterns illuminated the upper level, and several alcoves jutted out into the open air, looking over dimly-lit gardens. The lower level itself was ringed with dining tables (including one rather close to the stage, at which Kallen would eventually sit); a large area was nonetheless set aside for dancing. After all, it was intended to be a musical evening.

Various crests and drapings hung from the walls and balconies, making it quite clear who the sponsors of the event were. Both Britannian and Eleven caterers rushed about, no less immaculately dressed than the various influentials; several of her house staff were present. One likely fellow stood near the door, ready to announce each and every distinguished group that passed into the function.

Kallen herself wore a crimson dress, in rather stark contrast to the lighting and decor. Still, she came to make herself known, and it wouldn't do to not stand out. Presently, she waits near the entrance, ready to greet some of the notables personally.

She cannot help but notice that the nobles are male, and two decades older than their dates.

A familiar blonde approaches, clad immaculately in a pantsuit, and draws Kallen's attention away from the third couple she had just finished welcoming to the fundraiser.

"Good evening," Alicia greets Kallen, a smile upon her lips. "So is it true that Jane will be performing today?"

The things people will do for money and love!

Kallen lowers her voice. "I thought it was 'Kyoko'. Jared arranged all of that," she replies, soundingly faintly embarrased.

"Oh, it is, it is," Alicia responds, practically beaming at Kallen. "But we both know a publicity stunt when we see one. An Eleven could not truly rise to the top of the entertainment world -- any world, really -- could they?"

"You know the thing about glass ceilings, Alicia?" remarks Kallen, tilting her head. "They only last until someone starts throwing stones."

"Ah, but have you ever tried?" Alicia inquires curiously. "The falling glass shards are quite dangerous, and near-impossible to avoid."

"It's worth a few scars, and it's the people standing on top who should be more worried," replies Kallen. "Did you get a look at the guest list?"

"Yes, though I happen to be one of them. Seeing Prince Clovis among those invited was rather entertaining."

"Even a prince deserves a chance to give back to the community," replies Kallen, with a theatrical gesture towards the floor. "We're all saints, here."

"I don't doubt he's furiously writing up his cheque as we speak," Alicia deadpans.

"I would be thrilled if he felt it necessary to keep up with the trend-setters," replies Kallen, arching an eyebrow. "To be honest, I'm glad he's not going to show, but it felt somewhat mandatory to send a letter his way."

"The one thing you needed even less than his attendance was him to think that he was being snubbed," Alicia acknowledges with a nod. "It's fairly basic, and relies on reverse psychology fairly successfully."

"Yes, it's not enough for the enemy to be at his gates for him to do anything. He has to feel snubbed," mutters Kallen. "His generals are showing up. You could call that half the point of this exercise."

Alicia observes Kallen silently, finally nodding to herself. "Yes, that makes sense, now." Laughter drifts over to the two, and straightens out imaginary wrinkles down the length of her suit. "Well, I shouldn't monopolize your time like that, Kallen. I am certain this will be a party to remember."

Another noble is approaching, obviously trying to get Kallen's attention. Yet behind him and his date, Kallen can spot a tall officer with wild blue hair. It is difficult to make the call from across the distance merely looking at his profile, yet when he turns towards her she is certain; it is one of her invitees, the margrave Jeremiah Gottwald.

Kallen meets his eye momentarily before turning her attention to the noble already in her face. She makes pleasantries with the latest middle-aged creep (it's hard not to think of them as otherwise; the girls barely seem older than her!) in order to send him on his way.

Once that's dealt with, she clips towards the man whose men she's only just recently been blasting apart, and offers him her hand. "Lord Gottwald. Your reputation precedes you," she notes, with a pleasant smile. No date, she observes, but he is a soldier, as opposed to some silver-spoon aristocrat. She offers him her hand, and begins to study his emotions.

The margrave turns towards her, his sheathed sword slapping lightly against the leg of his parade uniform.

"Miss Stadtfeld," Jeremiah says, shaking her hand with a firm grip.

"I don't have the aquaintance of any within the military, as you might expect," remarks Kallen. "So this is a rare opportunity. Shall we take a walk?" She gestures towards the aisle, somewhat away from the other invitees.

He nods, setting an easy pace for Kallen to match. Though no outwards signs of this are exhibited, Kallen can taste Jeremiah's irritation.

"You must think this is unfair," she remarks, letting a hand drift onto the balcony. "Being dragged out here on some noble's idiot stunt when you've got real work to do." Kallen gazes right into Jeremiah's eyes, forcing his mind to take an interest in her. "So allow me to assure you, my lord, that my ultimate intent is to make your job easier, not harder."

Jeremiah seems disturbed, a sense that only increases as Kallen continues gazing into his eyes.

"There is no issue with the execution of my duties," he returns somewhat stiffly.

"Ah, so we can expect the terrorist threat to be dealt with at any moment?" replies Kallen, arching an eyebrow. "Everything is well in hand? If so, I will say no more. If not, allow me to speak."

No longer disturbed, Jeremiah lets his affront show as his eyes refocus sharply on Kallen. "I came here in support of the honorable Britannians who suffered as a result of Eleven terrorism, not to be lectured on military doctrine by a schoolgirl, even if she is a baroness." His lips seems to curl up of its own accord. "Make that especially if she is a baroness. Have I made myself perfectly clear, Miss Stadtfeld?"

Kallen sighs. "Crystal, my lord," she replies, in a level monotone. "Do try to enjoy the evening." It does feel as though she's made a mistake, and it does seem appropriate to let Gottwald feel the same way.

"My Lady," Jeremiah greets her, his voice flat, and proceeds onwards. As she lingers on the balcony, Kallen sees him disappear into the gardens, shunning any attempts to accompany him quite well.

Kallen makes an effort to smooth over her irritation, something easily done by remembering she isn't on Jeremiah's side, anyway.

Others are beginning to arrive, and soon enough it will be necessary for her to venture towards the floor. She still has two generals to meet, after all; one to drive to drink, in a fashion, and the other to what anyone else might call a form of seduction. Perhaps Gottwald will feel a bit more miserable if he sees his rivals getting along with her, as well.

The procession picks up, and it is now impossible for Kallen to exchange lengthy greetings with all those arriving; the sheer volume of her coming guests ensures that.

The general commonly considered to represent Prince Clovis soon arrives, being right on time. As he comes to shake her hand, the man is suddenly pushed from behind, causing him to stumble. He catches himself two steps from Kallen, even as a voice drifts over from behind him.

"Sorry for the inconvenience," a slightly nasally voice says, not sounding particularly apologetic. "We simply couldn't find a nice way of asking you to stop blocking the doorway."

"You shouldn't say things like that, Lloyd!" a female voice chides.

"I shouldn't? Even if they're true?"

This doesn't quite match Kallen's expectations, at least not when it comes to the sickeningly polite standards of Britannian nobility. She takes a step back in the wake of a man almost falling on her, and her lip curls a little. "The buffet will still be there, even if you must wait a moment," she notes, glancing behind the general. "There's no need to rush- oh, I'm sorry, General," she adds, extending her hand.

Major-General Charles Davidson cuts quite the imposing figure, broad-shouldered and standing at over two meters tall. His blonde hair curls slightly despite the way it is carefully groomed, and his handlebar moustache is truly a throwback to an older era. Kallen is briefly left thinking that he would fit more in a wrestling ring than a formal party, and despite reading about him halfway expects his dress uniform to rip along the seams.

"No need for apologies, My Lady," he says, stabilizing himself with as much dignity as he can muster.

Perhaps he should try his luck at Babel Tower!

"I will apologize for the doors, then. How do you do?" she asks, sneaking a peek at the general's own mind. Another soldier with no date, although with one like this, she would have expected him to be married...

He seems slightly cross at that comment, but does not let it bother him. Kallen feels herself being studied carefully, her every action and expression scrutinized and catalogued. It feels much like a portrait coming to life from a blank canvas, first through the initial outline and then getting cohesion as more and more details are filled in.

"I regret that my wife found herself unable to attend, having been brought down with a mild case of cold," the general responds in a measured tone. He purses his lips briefly. "A shame indeed. She had been anxious about the event."

"Ah? That's a pity. But hopefully, this will not be the only occasion," replies Kallen, gesturing towards the hall. "I was just about to head down."

He inclines his head in a nod, and gestures gentlemanly for Kallen to go first, inadvertantly blocking the trickle of new arrivals.

Kallen has no issues taking the lead, and starts to head to one of the tables by the corner of the hall. "Might I ask you something, my lord?" asks Kallen, answering her own question in a fashion. "What is it, do you think, that the Britannian people need the most, right now?"

"Stability," Davidson responds after a moment's thought, a pause during which he flags a passing waiter and gets himself a drink. Some fruit juice, nonalcoholic in nature. "The people must believe in the power and authority of government, and in the ability of the army to protect them, their investments and their way of life."

"It is something that we could be perceived to have lost, quite recently. If we ever had it here, in Area 11," murmurs Kallen, glancing at the general. She's hardly fond of it, and quite used to powering through it, but she's no stranger to despair; Davidson shall soon get a taste of misery. "There's a need for a demonstration of some sort, but..."

"Every Area is beset by terrorism in its formative years, My Lady," Davidson tells Kallen, shaking his head lightly. "We will weather through this summer storm."

He gives his drink a lengthy gaze, and then places it on an empty table.

"But never like what's happened here," replies Kallen, glancing briefly at the drink. "In part, that's why I think an event like this is necessary."

It is a fruit cocktail of some sort, heavily favoring pineapple, going by the visuals.

"This is a good cause to come together for," the general agrees.

"Which is why I was wondering if you might like to say a few words," replies Kallen. "In a situation like this, I think that it's necessary for people to see that something is being done. It's my goal, in a sense, to rally people to action, but, well, I'm not especially..."

It may well seem like a hopeful thing, but Alicia's thoughts on psychology don't escape Kallen's head. In a sense, she desires every word she says to push Davidson the opposite way, perhaps forced only to agree with her for the sake of formality. Better than the commander closest to Clovis' interests is driven into a maudlin state on every issue related to the area's instability, and left feeling hopeless, as though nothing can really be done.

"I would be honored," Davidson responds, and if his voice does not waver, his emotions certainly do.

"Ah, you would? Thanks so mu- I mean, thank you, my lord," replies Kallen, allowing a brief outburst of bubbly sentiment to escape before being tightly reined down. "I'll ask you to the stage later this evening. I hope," she adds, her voice turning serious- "That I can do something for the empire with this. Don't hesistate to let me know, in the future, if there's something you need." She straightens up. "The Statdfeld group will do it's best!"

"Your patriotic contribution is noted and appreciated, My Lady," he says, in a way that sounds practiced and void of feeling to Kallen's ears.

No doubt Davidson has been struggling with fairly consistant PR issues as of late, and the recent attack can only have prompted more arguments with Jeremiah.

Kallen soon departs his table, scanning the hall for more likely targets of conversation.

There is a hubbub mounting by the stage, with the crew's movement gaining a level of animation they previously lacked. It could only mean one thing, and hushed whispers descend upon the hall as an orange-haired girl and a man who must be her manager begin to descend the spiraling stairway to the ground floor.

An exclaimed "Who told you that?!" cuts through the anticipant atmosphere, making the singer and her entourage pause. Kallen's eyes travel towards the source along with most of her guests towards an irate Jeremiah Gottwald, who is confronted by a gorgeous woman in a revealing cocktail dress and her date.

"Ah-ha!" the other man exclaims, wagging his finger at the general. "So you were right, Cecile!"

"Oh, I was merely speculating on the way property values had been going down on the outskirts of the settlement," the bluette responds bashfully. "It was but a lucky guess."

Somehow, that gets Jeremiah to seethe even more.

Given what happened in Akihabara, Kallen is not quite certain why the property in Area 11 is worth much of anything to Britannian developers, at present. Nonetheless, seeing Jeremiah lose his cool to another woman tonight lifts her spirits quite well, and she instantly develops a fondness for that particlar couple.

She has her hostly duties to perform, however, and angles herself to meet the descending singer at the foot of the stairs.

The gathered guests take their cues from their hostess, and with no further outbursts from the leader of the Purist faction, attention turns fully to the star of the evening. She manages to complete her descent just as Kallen reaches the base of the stairs, and the sunny smile she gives her reminds Kallen of Shirley for a brief moment.

"I'm so glad you've made it!," remarks Kallen, before raising her voice- "Ladies and gentlemen- I give you, Kyoko!" Sweeping any remaining attention away from Jeremiah and foisting it onto the girl before her, she leads on with a broad smile to the girl in return.

Kyoko turns that bright smile upon her audience, waving for good measure to the sound of applause.

Kallen gives the girl a wink. "Might be a tough crowd tonight," she confides, glancing in Jeremiah's direction. "Want to take a seat, or head to the dressing rooms?"

"The dressing rooms, please," she responds, her voice strong and energetic. "Lead on!"

<--->

<--->

Kyoko takes the lush dressing room reserved for her in with a childlike enthusiasm, spending several moments admiring the star with her name on it which adorns the door.

"All this just for one song?" she asks Kallen, planting herself before the dresser. "You must be really rich!"

The manager makes a choking sound behind them, pausing noticeably in the middle of closing the door.

A celebrity without reservations!

"No expense spared on a worthy cause, I say," replies Kallen, folding her arms with a grin. "But if you feel like an encore, I'll happily oblige."

Kyoko glances over at her none too subtly via the dresser's mirror. "If I do, would you use some of the evening's take on the Elevens as well?" she asks Kallen.

"You can't-- I'm sorry, she gets like that sometimes," the manager rambles apologetically, stepping in between them. Wringing his hands, he radiates nervousness to Kallen as he continues, "I'll give her a stern talking to, My Lady--"

"It was only a little wish!" Kyoko protests, interrupting him.

"I prefer people to be candid about what they want, Mr...?" replies Kallen, glancing at him. "There's no need to hold back on charity! As it happens," she confides, glancing back at Kyoko- "It was part of my intention here tonight to match the donations we received here to those who have lost their livelyhood here in Area 11, both in the ghettos and in Akihabara." Her lip curls in a smile.

"We've already got something in common, it seems. If tonight goes well, I might ask you to help me out in the future, too."

"Sheffield, Miles Sheffield," he responds, though whatever follow up the blonde man might've had evaporates as Kallen continues to speak.

"Rock on!" Kyoko exclaims, spreading her make up supplies out on the dresser.

Kallen extends a hand to Mr. Sheffield, assessing his emotions with idle curiosity. "Like I said, it might be a tough crowd out there. Distinguished as some gentlemen are... but, anyway, I'll get out of your hair. Good luck!"

The manager is confused more than anything else, and the source of that emotion is shaking his hand.

"Was that a dig at my hair?" drifts after Kallen as she makes her exit, and the redhead hears Miles speak hurriedly in hushed tones.

The door closes.

Her first impressions favorable and her mood rightfully bolstered by Kyoko's attitude, Kallen troops back towards the floor, seeking out yet more notables with which to converse.

Observing the ground floor, Kallen spots Major-General Davidson. He keeps to himself, and is now nursing a drink that doesn't seem to have any fruits in it. Margrave Gottwald is nowhere to be seen after his outburst, although the couple that accosted him can be spotted by a table with confectionaries. The man is piling different cakes on a plate too small contain them while his date appears to chide him. They get quite a lot of space, as well as plenty of attention, most of which goes to the woman, no doubt due to her revealing cocktail dress.

Colonel Abrams had arrived by now, and Kallen sees him socialize with a couple which doesn't feature a trophy date.

And then conversations seem to hush as Ruben K. Ashford and his wife enter the premises, escorted by a familiar maid.

The way moods seem to swing in this event is something of a marvel; it reminds Kallen somewhat of an orchestra, as though everyone present made an effort to keep their emotions in time with those around them.

She heads to the foot of the stairs, intent on greeting the couple regardless. If it's a slap in Clovis' face, well, it's not the worst of what he'll be getting.

Sayoko retreats, keeping her head bowed. Reuben Ashford steps into the lead, approaching Kallen as she nears them.

That would mean Suzaku, in all likelyhood, is with Nunnally presently. "It's not quite as flashy as a school festival," she remarks. "But we've done our best. Welcome, Lord Ashford."

"This event is in the name of a good cause," Reuben responds, inclining his head in greeting.

"We are pleased to be here," Mildred Ashford adds, smiling at Kallen.

"It's good to see familiar faces," replies Kallen, not quite so audiable to any eavesdroppers. "I do appreciate it. I haven't seen any of my peers here," she adds, referring to students. "I did expect at least a few seniors to show up, you know?"

"Ah, yes." Reuben subtly nods to his left. Following his gaze, Kallen spots a news crew setting up shop. "While many of your classmates would be drawn to this event due to the way it is being organized, no doubt, it is doubtful more than a handful see the true reason for it or the value of appearing here in person. At the same time, their parents and uncles are rarely as naive, and would not court a public embarrassment by allowing their progeny to attend."

"Some might have received the proper training, so to speak," replies Kallen, her eyes soon returning to the principal. "Still, they're likely more concerned about networking with one another. I expect they wait until college to get their feet wet in this sort of thing."

"There is that as well," Rueben acknowledges, and Kallen senses amusement from him as he looks over her shoulder.

Kallen can't help but turn her head to follow his glance. "Are you particularly acquainted with anyone?" she wonders; fall from grace or not, running a prestigious school would surely put the Ashford's in the good books of a few.

She is the center of attention, both being the hostess and from greeting the Ashfords, so Kallen doesn't quite know what Reuben was looking at--

"I know my students," he responds, and it suddenly becomes clear. She's dressed much different than how she is used to seeing her, but even the flowing gown with a low back can't quite conceal that one of Kallen's admirers is Teresa, standing next to a man in his mid twenties. She gives Kallen a slight nod upon recognition.

Not for the first time, Kallen wonders if she shouldn't have paid a little more attention to the guestlist herself. She smiles back at Teresa, "-better that I know my friends, it seems," she remarks, a tad shamefully. "Shall we?"

The redhead starts to step towards her friend. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise, but the image of Teresa locked up in her bedroom, with the curtains drawn and monitors running has become the dominant one.

Now that she is closer, Kallen can tell that Teresa does not feel very comfortable for some reason, though the other girl gives no outward indication of that. "Baroness Stadtfeld, may I introduce my eldest brother, the Vicount Hallbrook?" she asks formally with a curtsey.

The older man extends his hand to Kallen, murmuring, "Please, call me Raymond," yet Kallen can't help but think that Teresa's last name is Velsper.

Teresa's subtlety does her credit, and Kallen wonders if she might not learn something. That the girl was being so formal seemed unnerving, nonetheless. "Then you must call me Kallen," she replies, accepting his hand with a firm grip. "Did you arrive before Kyoko?"

He brings Kallen's hand to his lips to place a light kiss on her knuckles as soon as she extends it. "A pleasure," Raymond says, and a mild sense of nausea bites into Kallen's side, courtest of Teresa.

"I'm afraid our arrival has been delayed and we were unable to do so," Teresa responds, before curtseying to the Ashfords as they approach.

Hopefully, Teresa's nausea doesn't show on Kallen's face, and she soon withdraws her hand.

"She's got a confidence about her... well, that's the mark of a performer," replies Kallen. "What do you think of her work?"

"I believe I heard it placed in terms of being an idol singer, of the kind this Area was famed for previous to colonization, in all that comes to presence and performance," Teresa responds.

"My, but that is a bit harsh," Raymond comments. "Weren't they devoid of actual talent, and relied heavily on the recording studios to produce halfway decent music?"

Teresa gives a slight shrug. "Today that question should be answered once and for all, at least for us."

"I suppose the entertainment industry is a vicious one, wherever it might be. After all, it's an industry where style and substance are... not quite, but almost the same thing," replies Kallen, glancing at the stage, still in preperation. "It's especially hard for women, though."

"Really?" Teresa inquires. "I would imagine that it is the one area where women lack glass ceilings."

Kallen doesn't miss the sharp look Teresa's brother gives her.

"Quite so," Reuben agrees with a slow nod. "Given a choice of entertainment, I don't doubt many here would choose a young woman in an instant."

The amusement Kallen feels drift over from him is soon drowned in shock from all around them. She thinks she might have even heard a faint gasp.

Kallen's eyes drift towards the sound; this can't be anything good, whatever it might be.

It is one of the nobles she greeted earlier that evening. She's reasonably certain he is a baron and his name has something to do with pines. The aghast Britannian woman hanging off his arm, her mouth covered with her hand, is young enough to be the man's daughter.

"Oh, I don't know about most, my lord. Surely, over half of us here today would surely be focusing on the music most of all," replies Kallen, arching an eyebrow. "For those of us who cannot, it can seem amazing to watch those who can perform."

Teresa feels amused, Kallen can tell. "Without a doubt, My Lady," she states demurely. Her eyes are briefly drawn towards the shadowed gardens, and she appears apologetic.

"You are tired, Teresa?" her brother asks, and she gives him a grateful smile that feels hollow to Kallen.

"Just a bit, I'm afraid. Some fresh air would do me some good." She curtseys to Kallen and the Ashfords. "By your leave," Teresa says, and there is a spark of anticipation.

It would be nice to head outside with Teresa, but there's still people Kallen needs to talk to, and the sooner, the better. "Certainly," she responds, with a nod. "Don't wander too far. It's quite a maze out there."

"Certainly, My Lady," Teresa echoes, and departs.

Raymond shakes his head. "Her constitution has always been weak," he says, watching his younger sister leave. "I was surprised that even such a prominent event drew her out into the open."

"We're friends, as it happens," replies Kallen, glancing in Teresa's direction. "'Weak' is never something I would have used to describe her."

"Ah, is that so?" he asks in surprise. "Teresa never spoke of it."

Kallen could presume that Teresa doesn't speak of much to her brother at all.

"We're classmates, after all. But I was surprised to see her here as well," she responds, angling her head a moment. "To tell the truth, I didn't recognize her right away."

Kallen is peripherally aware of the Ashfords moving away as they proceed towards refreshments.

"The Academy has a dress code, doesn't it?" Raymond inquires. "I suppose that would account for it."

Not inside the council offices, it doesn't!

"Quite." Kallen singles out Colonel Abrams from the crowd, and begins to start towards him. "Speaking of schooling, are you in college at the moment, or..."

"I've already gotten my MBA, if I might be allowed a moment of pride at such an achievement," he responds, dutifully following Kallen on her way towards Colonel Abrams, who is yet to notice her approach. "At present, I am involved in running the acquisitions arm of the conglomerate."

No doubt, he is referring to the Hallbrook Conglomerate, who seem to have their hand in everything as any noble-headed self-respected business, though their focus is towards realestate and tourism.

"One of the more hectic areas, from my experience," replies Kallen, recalling Jared's constant pace of work. "I've heard property costs are falling. It must be a busy time."

"We always purchase and invest with an eye for the future," Raymond easily responds.

"So do we all, but I do wonder what sort of future Area 11 will actually find itself with," wonders Kallen, trying to catch a fragment of whatever conversation Abrams is involving himself in.

"--persistent rumors that she is, in fact, a Number!" Kallen hears a woman exclaim, sounding properly scandalized. More of her guests have accosted the colonel from the time she saw him on the ground floor.

"In the end, everyone needs a home, and people are not going to stop staying in hotels for their vacations," Raymond states. "There may be so-called industry bubbles here and there, but this basic truth has remained with us for much of the Empire's glorious past."

"So far, that has been true, but that's the past. The world today isn't the world fifty years ago," replies Kallen. "I do wonder, Raymond. Everyone needs a home, yes, but who would choose to make a new one here, right now?"

"A compelling point," he acknowledges. "Yet, at the same time, if this were truly the sentiment of Britannians in Area 11, we wouldn't be seeing so many people at this function, hmm?"

"Frankly, I do not believe it would matter one bit," Colonel Abrams says, causing some of his circle to ooh and aah in admiration. "Naturalization is the goal of our program, so that those loyal to her would add to Britannia's greatness." He is a fairly average-looking man, Kallen notes, but there is a certain charisma to him, a presence that transcends his rather plain features.

"True enough. As long as we stand together..." muses Kallen, slipping into place within Abrams' little circle.

"And to encourage others, signs of success would be needed, wouldn't they?" she asks, addressing him directly.

"As with everything else, My Lady," Abrams responds, as those in his circle greet Kallen with a humility so fake it makes her ill.

Kallen didn't need geass to know that. Their contempt is matched, if not exceeded, but she tries to forget about the sycophants in lieu of speaking with Abrams himself.

"Naturally. The key is incentives and opportunities. People must be made to want to integrate," she responds.

"Prosperity, a shot at a better life. Seizing their destiny with both hands!" Abrams exclaims enthusiastically. "To many of us here, these may well be just slogans, but to those who lack everything but the drive to be part of Britannia's greatness they serve to guide their steps."

Kallen is rapidly putting together her own profile of Abrams; a man clearly dedicated to his cause, a bit prone to displays of emotion, and one who, unfortunately, is apparently a true patriot.

"It's up to us, in many ways, to make those ideas possible for them," replies Kallen. "I know of the military programs already in place. But what other means of progression are open to the aspiring eleven, Colonel?"

"How else would those patriots be able to demonstrate their allegience?" he asks, sounding surprised. "After all, service guarantees citizenship."

<--->

<--->

"Certainly, it is one method. But there are other places in which one could serve, aren't there? Emergency services, rescues, the police, that sort of thing, for a start. The willingness to put oneself on the line for the greater good, in all of it's forms."

"Elevens? As police?" a woman exclaims.

"With access to pharmaceuticals?" another asks with a thoughtful frown.

"The problem with such services," Colonel Abrams responds, smiling genially and patiently at the Britannian ladies gathered around him, "is that they lack the cohesion the Army builds, the Britannian spirit only the armed forces can impart."

"It's a matter of getting them acclimatized?" asks Kallen, feigning curiousity. "How are they new recruits treated? It sounds like it might a bit, ah, difficult when it comes to assigning them duties."

"Well, we certainly would not be handing them out handguns!" the colonel responds jovially to laughter from his admirers.

Ah, he told a joke. Kallen allows herself to smile at it, but can't really bring herself to laugh.

He smiles charmingly back. "The hopefuls undergo what we call basic training, which is much as one would expect it to mean. There, they have the chance to study about Britannian greatness and learn valuable skills. And, of course, they learn to the importance of obeying their command structure, knowledge that they would take with them and apply to every area of life henceforce."

One would think the Japanese had always lived in ghettos, just waiting for some brilliant mind to come along and show them the path to satisfied living, and weren't part of a complex nation of technocrats just a decade ago.

"The emphasis on integration is at the heart of it, correct?" she chooses to say instead. "Would they train alongside Britannian soldiers, then?"

"Not during basic training, if that was your question, My Lady," the colonel responds.

"Then you must mean it happens afterwards?" Raymond asks before the officer can proceed, and a frown appears briefly on the latter's face.

"There is no need for concern," he assures the gathered Britannians. "At that point, true integration can begin to take root."

Once more, Kallen discovers that she hardly needs the power of Geass to notice the unease suddenly gripping the group.

Kallen had almost forgotten Raymond was present, but his question was well-timed.

"It would seem a rather fruitless exercise otherwise, wouldn't it?" remarks Kallen. "One would hope that opportunities open up to the loyal soldiers who seek them- that's part of the point."

"That is precisely the point!" Colonel Abrams agrees, smiling. Few nearby reciprocate, causing the smile to become slightly strained.

From the start, it was hardly in doubt that the Britannian lemmings surrounding the Colonel were befriending him for something other than the sake of his cause.

"I think it's a good thing," she replies, slowly laying her own cards out on the table. She knows that if she were truly pro-Britannian, she'd argue something similar- hell, she'd probably be better at it. "The world moves faster than it used to, and if there's a way that the time normally taken to properly integrate the numbers can be shortened, then why not try it?" A sycophant is chosen at random, and she begins to shift her mind to a more properly accepting form.

They're lemmings, after all, and failing securing the proper leaders, it's enough to begin putting together a clump of people big enough that others will want to follow based on size alone.

For a moment, she is Charlotte Temple, professional socialite. The event has been a mixed bag thus far, providing plentiful gossip about several of the partygoers and their hostesss herself, but tempering it all is the disturbing topic of Elevens. Why would anyone include them of their own free will? Don't they realize what a foolish idea it is?

And then, it clicks. This is only a foolish idea because she's grown to accustomed to riding the currents of the Area Eleven social life. If her hostess wishes to champion lost causes, be it endangered whales or the homeless or Elevens, it is the most obvious thing to follow her lead! As long as she is not forced to actually have any contact with those smelly misfortunates, there is little trouble in sharing her enthusiasm and concern. When in Rome, after all....

Kallen is herself once more, Raymond looking strangely at her.

Kallen lets her gaze drift away from the woman, briefly shaken by the experience and doing her damn best not to show it. Naturally, her eyes soon meet Raymonds, and she quirks an eyebrow at him.

He nods lightly at her.

"Better than leaving them to their own resources, I think," she adds, faintly patronizing. "People without direction cause all sorts of trouble, after all."

"Quite so!" Charlotte pipes up, drawing surprised looks and one reasonably concealed gasp from those around her. Yet Kallen can see how some of those looks of shock are replaced by contemplation.

Kallen gives a brief nod. "It's like what we said earlier, isn't it, Colonel?" she remarks, turning her gaze back to him. "A few successful elevens in the program would tempt more into service. How has the project been proceding so far?"

"Why, it has been a resounding success!" the man boasts, clearly encouraged, though Kallen senses a note of confusion from him. "We're close to completing the training of the first two groups, and two more are but a month away. With the experience gained from the initial classes in the program, we now feel confident enough to proceed with full integration as scheduled."

"Within a mere month, this would take place?" Raymond asks, receiving a nod in return.

"It is difficult to believe, isn't it? And it is to happen right here in Area Eleven." When the colonel smiles at Kallen, the gesture somehow feels more open. "I feel that you truly understand our goal, My Lady, and dare I say, share it?"

"Certainly! We are of a strong and prosperous nation," replies Kallen, inclining her head. "It behooves us to be gracious, doesn't it? I confess, I come at this from a slightly different angle; to improve the standard of living all throughout the area is my goal, and helping others help themselves is the best path towards that."

"Helping others help themselves?" several of those gathered echo, soon to murmur ascent even as a sense of confusion lingers on.

"We are strong especially because Britannians can climb high in society through effort and skill," Abrams says proudly.

"Yet there are limits one cannot normally pass," Raymond comments thoughtfully.

"I would not say that," Reuben's voice sounds from nearby. "After all, a commoner rose from anonymity to lead the nation alongside His Majesty Charles zi Britannia."

"Well, I don't think anyone would call The Flash a normal woman," remarks Kallen, glancing towards Rueben. "Anyone that exceptional would rise swiftly in life, with merit being their ladder."

Kallen knew well enough that Marianne was a talented pilot, and by all accounts had a vibrant, magnetic personality- but when it comes to her deeds, she finds herself lacking.

"Exceptional talent can rise even past the barriers of nobility in Britannia, just as exceptional circumstances can cause one to plummet back down that same path," Reubden says with a self-deprecating smile. "It is the reason Britannia would prevail against its enemies, of course."

"Enemies? I know there has been tension with the EU and the Federation, but--"

Reuben cuts colonel Abrams off with an almost condescending gaze. "We are already at war merely by existing, different as we are from one another. There can only be victory or death, and that means Britannia will seize that victory by any means necessary." Nostalgia envelopes Kallen. "Marianne understood that."

None in the present crowd dare speak up against the dead empress, and a silence stretches oppressively.

Kallen, too, is silent for a moment. It always takes a second, when this happens- when someone nearby is so wrapped up in something that it spills over to her. For an instant, she forgets who she is, and what she stands for.

But when the second ticks over, her thoughts turn dour. The idea of the EU or the Federation going to war with Britannia directly- and prevailing- seems nigh-on preposterous. Victory or death? Just an excuse to take, hold, plunder and conquer even more! If the EU or Federation is so different from Britannia, then she'd take them over it anyday!

Dealing with her own anger is, in many ways, easier than dealing with someone elses nostalgia, and concealing it is almost second nature to her. Clearing her throat, Kallen speaks.

"I am sure she understood that even victory is not without death, my Lord," replies Kallen, taking a sombre tone. "For Britannia to be where it is today, countless brave men and women have put themselves on the line, and suffered for it- and if there is war in the future, then the same will happen again."

"Their loss is keenly felt. We must never forget the sacrifices that have been made, nor fail to provide for those left behind. But, of course, that is why we are here- to remind ourselves of what has happened in the past, as well as to prepare for what the future holds. For the costs such struggles entail. I would prefer not to think of them as inevitable, not when the price can be so high."

If Reuben's words made the group awkward and speechless, Kallen's achieve the latter effect just as well. The sycophants look as if they had been dealt a mortal blow, though Kallen holds hope for the others.

Yet before she can get a coherently-formed response, a simple announcement makes it moot.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. Here's Kyoko!"

<--->

<--->

[19:18] "Hii~!" Kyoko's vibrant voice calls out, boosted by the sound system. As Kallen look to the stage, helped along by a projector focusing on the singer, she can see Kyoko there with cordless gear. She has forgone the regular microphone that occupies the stage, no doubt for speeches one of which Kallen may well end up making herself.
[19:18] She doesn't look much different from before, when Kallen saw her in the dressing room. "Thanks, everyone! Thanks for coming!" Kyoko announces brightly to applause. The camera crew is drawn in, Kallen sees, and so does the singer by the wink she gives the lense as it turns towards her. "I'm very happy to be here today, to be a part of something like this."
[19:19] She laughs. "But I'm sure there'll be plenty of that being said later, so what say you we get started?" At her signal, band begins to play. It is a song Kallen does not recognize, except to place it as a happy, cheerful pop song of the sort she would expect Irene to listen to.
[19:25] Whether they want to or not, the Britannians will like this vestige of Japanese entertainment! Still, the fact that the audience is mostly composed of older gentlemen with objectified women gives Kallen a bit of pause, but it's a bit late to wonder if a pop star would hit on the sensibilities of her guests.
[19:28] They likely wouldn't care less, though Samuel had placed it far more delicately, though the same would have been true even if she had been able to reserve the world-reknowned Philharmonic of Berlin. The people here did not come to listen to music or enjoy themselves doing so. They came to show their faces at an event and to have their names mentioned in the right way.
[19:28] By securing a star that is on the rise, the association with her is one of the appeals of Kallen's fundraiser, that ability to stay with the times and be a part of something exclusive.
[19:35] It brought them here, as Samuel suggested, and provided her with a stage from which to push her own agenda, something she'd better get to doing properly. "Colonel," she murmurs, moving a bit closer to the officer. "Might you join me on the balcony for a moment? It's rather..." She gestures to the edge of the room, the perfect place to hold a private conversation in plain sight.
[19:40] The gathered sycophants, at least, seem genuinely taken with the performance. Reuben Ashford pretends to not notice as the colonel accepts Kallen's invitation and heads off with her. Raymond clearly notices, but doesn't do more than glance after Kallen.
[19:47] It's not as though she's a thief, skulking away with the jewels. Who cares if he notices? Putting it out of her mind, Kallen turns to the Colonel. "I wanted a chance to speak plainly," she explains, glancing briefly out into the garden before her gaze returns.
[19:47] "Colonel, I truly hope your program succeeds. But it's.. not enough." She focuses her Geass upon him, intending to get a sense of his feelings before pressing on with the rest of her spiel.
[19:50] Confused, slightly curious. The colonel waits patiently for Kallen to give him her spiel.
[20:03] "I've seen the conditions within the ghettos first-hand," she continues. "It is quite hideous. The unfortunates who live there are crushed under endless pressures; too many are without proper homes, let alone food, medicine, any chance of getting a decent job. It's one thing to hear about it, but quite another to get a good look for yourself.
[20:03] "The ones of the proper age and health can find a place in the military... not so for the children or infirm. It is- no, I'll say it straight- it's a disgrace that they're treated like this, never mind when some team of idiot bravos decides to harass them. But even without the unequal treatment issue..."
[20:03] "I want to do something about it! I'll throw support behind your your project... But there's so much more that can be done, and so many who would look dimly on it *being* done.
[20:03] "I have a plan. This very evening, I'll be making some announcements on getting some help to those who need it, directly. I just want to know if I have your support."
[20:03] All throughout, Kallen works her magic; the Colonel will be made to realise the inequity of it all, and the pressing need to *do something* about it. There's no need for her to think too hard about it; sympathy, for the unfortunates. A great disgust for those who abuse their station in life to trample on the rights of others, and a simmering desire for change.
[20:03] She releases her grip, praying that she hasn't gone too far.
[20:12] "Do go on," he says in a subdued voice, seeming unable to speak at first.
[20:25] "I intend to start by contributing a sum towards medicine and food distributed towards a single ghetto, and would appreciate any contribution on these lines. If, at least, you were to endorse this, I'm sure it would further encourage those serving under you," replies Kallen.
[20:30] He exhales loudly. "My Lady, I wish I could. I truly do! But have you realized the inequity of it all? Have you, in truth? Those who work and strive towards becoming proper Britannian citizens have to invest all of their efforts tirelessly towards that goal, while those they view as slackers ineligible for citizenship are tended on hand and foot by merciful nobles?
[20:30] It would feel a great injustice to them, undermining the whole program!"
[20:41] "For three reasons, I must disagree. Firstly, I would bet a great deal that many, even most would join the program seeking a way to provide for their families. On that count, I'm sure they wouldn't disapprove of a little extra.
[20:41] "Secondly, this is just the essentials. Given the proper opportunities, those who complete their training have a lot to look forward to. The successes amongst them would surely encourage others.
[20:41] "Finally, there is a limit to just how much can be provided. If you were to provide me with support, well... a positive correlation would be made between your success, and the welfare within the ghettos. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with that...?"
[20:44] "Those who join the program are people wishing for citizenship! They wish to be Britannians, not to use the program as a convenient means of finding work!" Abrams insists, seizing on what lies closest to familiar ground.
[20:54] Going too much further would cause the whole thing to devolve into a proper argument. Even if Abrams knew- *knew* he was wrong, it's not impossible that continuing to push against him would cause him to tighten his guard. "To be a Britannian means to be successful, Colonel, and that is something anyone would chase.
[20:54] "I'm sorry, but I must follow my conscience. There are many who simply cannot take up that duty... still, is there no way in which we can support one another?" Perhaps putting it explicitly would do; on some level, Abrams must be aware of his tenuous position.
[21:00] "If the ghettos-- but no. What if...." Abrams makes several other aborted attempts, the momentary silence between them accentuated by the lowered background noise level; Kyoko is done with her song, apparently.
[21:00] "I will need to consider this in more detail, My Lady," he finally says, frustration tingling within Kallen. "I am certain our goals are not so dissimilar after all, but the proper way to cooperate...." He trails off, shaking his head. "I bid you, give me time to consider this matter."
[21:02] "Of course, Colonel. Perhaps I've said too much at once," replies Kallen, inclining her head. "Well, then."

<--->

<--->

[12:51] He nods as well, his expression cloudy.
[12:52] Kallen slips away. The speeches will be starting now, but nobody will miss her absence for the first one, at least; from what she recalls of the itinery, it is a report only of interest to financiers and accountants. She's not going to learn any more about her company's situation from it than she has already... so she slips out into the garden to hunt down one of her only actual friends in attendance.
[13:02] Before Kallen slips away, she spots Teresa across the room. She has returned from her little sojourn, and is smiling at Kyoko fakely.
[13:04] She can still afford to take some time to speak to her, and weaves herself around the partygoers to get there. "Having fun, right?" she remarks, once she draws close enough.
[13:06] The look Teresa gives her is as full of casual, all-encompassing scorn as ever, but then it melts away into a vapid smile. "However could I not be, Lady Stadtfeld?" she responds.
[13:10] "I can think of a few dozen reasons why, almost as many as there are people in this room," replies Kallen, putting her hands behind her back.
[13:12] A snort escapes Teresa, and she gives Kallen a dark look, struggling to retain her composure.
[13:17] "Well, there are a few reasons for the opposite, too," she remarks, turning her eye back to the stage. "Your brother seems nice. Does he come to this sort of thing often?"
[13:17] Not once has Kallen ever given a sincere compliment using such boring words, at least, not in Teresa's presence.
[13:19] "He has his obligations," Teresa responds. "To the conglomerate, to the family name. I imagine he does this a lot."
[13:23] "Planning on getting a hand in that yourself, eh? Well, it's better to be ambitious, especially while we're young~"
[13:26] Teresa smiles with polite fakeness again. "I have three older brothers, Lady Stadtfeld," she responds. "My hand, as you say, will never find its way anywhere near it."
[13:32] "Their loss, then," replies Kallen, with a shrug. "Doing things by age is so stupid..."
[13:34] "I'm certain gender had nothing to do with it," Teresa pleasantly agrees. "Irene wanted to come," she continues suddenly. "She cried herself to sleep while keeping me awake the better part of last night." Teresa frowns." "Next time she does it, I'm hanging up."
[13:37] "Well, it's her kind of music. I guess her parents had something to say about her being out." Kallen makes a face. "I wonder if they're here themselves. I honestly wouldn't know."
[13:51] "I caught a glimpse of her mother earlier. There was no chance to greet her, but--"
[13:51] "Now, wasn't that admirable?" Kyoko's voice cuts through the din of the crowd, interrupting Teresa. "I certainly never knew the Stadtfelds did so much! It's almost a shame to hold more such enlightening speeches back, but I've been asked for an encore. A person I admire wrote a while back, and I hope... well, it's all there. To all those who were there to help!"
[13:51] "Goodbye, England's rose," Kyoko begins to sing, music following. Teresa's eyes carry towards the stage.
[13:58] "I'll give her a call later and asked if she watched it," replies Kallen, after a moments silence on her part. "She's not bad," she adds, glancing at Kyoko.
[14:02] Somber one moment and uplifting the next, the song retains a dignified presence throughout. Though she is not a critic, Kallen is certain some of that is due to the singer's talent and the emotion she brings out. Teresa listens silently; her eyes appear slightly misty.
[14:02] Kallen's phone vibrates.
[14:03] It's hardly the pop song of the first event. Kallen flinches as the phone makes it's presence known, and retreats to a corner in order to check the caller.
[14:04] The phone reads RIVALZ CARDEMONDE.
[14:06] Kallen looks at the phone, briefly speechless, before flipping the phone open and answering it. "Rivalz? Is this something important..."
[14:06] "I'm sorry," she can hear Rivalz whispering. "I'm sorry, I tried to hold them off."
[14:07] "What are you talking about?"
[14:08] He's breathing heavily. "I tried," he repeats. There is a loud banging sound. "There he is!" "Get him!" Unfamiliar voices, distorted through the phone. "They found me!" Rivalz screams. "Get away, Kallen, get aw--"
[14:08] The line goes dead.
[14:11] "Your candle's burned out long before," Kyoko is singing, "Your legend never will."
[14:13] "Wha-..." murmurs Kallen, her mood shifting from that of an irritated socialite to a paranoid insurgent. The room takes on a different tone, and her eyes flit about, before settling on a security guard, whom she approaches. "Has anything unusual happened?" she asks, quietly.
[14:15] To his credit, the black suit-clad man does not argue, tapping his earpiece twice and making several inquiries. He shakes his head slightly afterwards, responds just as quietly, "Everything is in order, Miss."
[14:19] She has to acertain the situation, but Rivalz must be genuinely in trouble. That it might be some stupid prank crossed her mind, but there's no way he'd sound so panicked over that. Biting her lip, Kallen walks back to Teresa. "Call someone at the dorm and asks them if everything's alright," she states, in such a tone that there's no doubt she's serious. For her own part, she quickly calls her own house.
[14:23] "Stadtfeld residence," one of her maid, Maya, answers after two rings.
[14:25] That her maid is answering so formally in the first place tells Kallen just about everything she needs to know. "This is Kallen. Listen, Maya, if anything unusual happens, or if any visitors come calling, call me immediately," she instructs.
[14:26] "As you instruct, Miss Stadtfeld," Maya responds, and Kallen can almost see her stand up a little straighter.
[14:27] That's a servant for you. There's never any need for Kallen to justify herself. She hangs up, and glances at Teresa.
[14:30] Teresa is listening to Kyoko as the song comes to a close.
[14:35] "Teresa!" hisses Kallen, sidling closer. When it's like this, she knows she has to keep calm- but it's so hard!
[14:37] Teresa tears herself away, looking at Kallen with dismay. "What is it?" she hisses back, absently wiping at the corner of her eye.
[14:43] "Cardemonde gave me a call. It sounded like he was in serious trouble. Like he was being attacked, at school, then he was cut off," replies Kallen, filled with urgency. "It's stupid, but I don't know anyone in the dorms, so can you *please* call someone there and find out what's going on?"
[14:45] Teresa looks shaken, but nods. She retrieves a cellphone from her purse, and dials.
[14:45] Applause for Kyoko is settling down, and Major-General Davidson is moving resolutely towards the stage, the singer vacating it.
[14:50] There should be no need for her to panic and flee the premises just yet, but by what Rivalz said, someone might be after her, personally. In which case... security is too good for anyone to pull a trick here- that is, anyone who isn't already on Kallen's side. No, she should be safe for now.
[14:50] Depending on Teresa's call, she may be forced to call the police.. and make some unsavory announcements.
[14:54] Teresa is quiet, her replies and inquiries murmured too softly for Kallen to overhear without listening in overtly by pressing her ear to the cell.
[14:54] "Lisa says there's been a disturbance in the direction of the student council building," Teresa finally says, holding the phone away. "Some yelling and glass breaking. She's too afraid to take a look."
[15:01] "If someone hasn't already, tell her to call the police," replies Kallen, getting straight to the obvious. "And to get the wrestling or boxing club or something to check it out."
[15:03] Teresa looks briefly shocked, before she gives Kallen a hooded look. "I'm sure she'll get right on that, once she stops cowering under her bed." She brings the phone back to her ear, and after a few more quiet exchanges, hangs up. "Do you have anything better than a smartphone around?"
[15:06] "The function rooms. They're everywhere, and they're not locked," replies Kallen, glancing back towards the lobby.
[15:11] "Hmph. Make sure to match my donation for this, or else," Teresa mutters, and then her fake smile is back and she starts making her way towards the lobby.
[15:11] "Britannia, unbowed and united!" Davidson is saying. "Glory to the Empire. All Hail Britannia!"
[15:11] "All Hail Britannia!" the crowd responds with various degrees of enthusiasm.
[15:16] Kallen's anxiety makes it impossible to concentrate properly. Is Davidson just beginning, or was he just finishing?
[15:19] The major-general appears to be done, though it could not have been a very long speech.
[15:22] "All Hail Britannia!" the crowd roars once more all around Kallen.

<--->

<--->

The crowd is animated. Perhaps it is the presence of cameras, and there is not a noble in sight who wishes to appear lacking in patriotism. Perhaps the zeal is genuine on a large part of them all, as it affirms their superiority in society.

Kallen spots Kyoko off by one of the tables, sipping champagne from a long crystal glass. The Ashfords are leaving, and rather quietly, unlike their entrance. Their maid, Sayoko, is not with them; a quick glance across the room reveals her lingering by the punch.

The major-general raises his hands by the podium, the crowd's volume rising anew at the gesture.

Kallen adds her own applause to the crowd's. If people leave in good spirits, she supposes, then they would have to call the party a success.

She needs a moment before she can truly add her own weight to it, however, to settle something. Glancing at Sayoko, she tries to catch the gaze of the maid for a moment, still from the rear of the hall.

Sayoko must be more perceptive than the average maid. Her eyes meet Kallen's questioningly.

There should be a brief break for some more toasts and socialization, so Kallen brushes back her hair a moment and heads out one of the side doors to the outer corridors, figuring Sayoko will meet up with her there.

It takes Kallen's hearing a few moments to readjust after she gets away from the din. She strides towards the restrooms, past a room where she hears aggrivated tapping -- must be Teresa, judging by the location. She slips into the restroom, lavishly decorated and empty.

Kallen is just finishing checking the stalls for other inhabitants as the Eleven maid slips into the restroom, a polite smile on her face.

"Something's gone down at the school- well, the council offices," states Kallen, launching straight into it. "Rivalz called me. Could tell people were hunting him down. Told me to get away." She grimaces. "He was seriously scared."

"Oh my!" Sayoko brings a hand to her lips. "How dreadful!"

"How long would it take you to get there? I don't know who the actor is, but we can't ignore it, right?" asks Kallen, finding something a little off-kilter about Sayoko's response. It costs her nothing to get a grip on her feelings...

"Of course we can," Sayoko responds pleasantly. "After all, Ashford Academy campus is the safest place in Area 11."

Sayoko seems to believe those words, Kallen discovers as she listens to her. Yet there is something more beneath the surface....

"But secrecy is paramount to all our efforts! If someone's doing some B&E on the premises, isn't that cause to worry? Especially if we can't identify them?"

"Lord Ashford would have been informed if any such inappropriate behavior took place," Sayoko says, this time with less certainty. "And then I would know, without a doubt."

Except Kallen can tell the doubt is there.

"That was not some prank, it was genuine panic!" Kallen twists her gaze to a mirror. "Successful crimes aren't reported until they're done. Of all people, we should know that. We lose nothing if we're wrong. Are we checking it out?"

"And what of the fundraiser?" Sayoko asks, changing the topic.

"I'm about to go wrap it up," replies Kallen, frowning. "The elites brought all their security as well as what we set up. For the duration of this thing, the place is pretty much a fort. I don't think anyone got in without getting scanned."

A burst of smugness assaults Kallen.

Sayoko inclines her head. "Yes, the security here is first rate."

"Such as it is," mutters Kallen. "I have to go before someone wonders where I am. I'll contact you if I find out anything else."

"Very well, Miss." Sayoko bows, stepping aside, and Kallen tastes amusement.

<--->

<--->

Kallen slips away from the bathroom, and decides to take just a moment to check on the nearby Teresa before heading into the main room to properly wind up the evening's events. Perhaps the girl will have found something to undo her rampant paranoia.

Teresa is flipping through several images so quickly Kallen thinks they're stills, at first. Movement in one of them just before Teresa resumes the impromptu slideshow, however, reveals them to be footage from video cameras. "I've got the live feed tapped into," Teresa says without looking back at Kallen as the redhead approaches her from behind to peer at the monitor of her commandeered terminal over her shoulder.

"See anything interesting?" asks Kallen, squinting down towards the computer. "We should check out the last few minutes, if we can."

"That's pointless unless we first--" Teresa trails off abruptly, and manipulates the controls to flash back two screens. It shows the outside of the student council building; the doors have been opened inwards, hanging awkwards off their hinges. Kallen is quite certain they were not meant to turn that way.

Teresa curses, slamming her mouse against the table. "Why are there so many cameras outside the building, but nothing indoors?!" she exclaims, freezing afterwards. When she continues, it is at a far calmer voice and disposition. "I suppose that was a stupid question...."

"See if you can get footage of them breaking in, and keep an eye out to see when they, whoever the fuck they might be, leave," states Kallen, deciding to keep things on track.

"For this kind of hit and run, you'd want a car handy... so they probably parked it nearby, but outside the school. I don't think you can leave secretly from within the building or anything, and they wouldn't stick around long."

Teresa's eyebrows climb as she finally tears her attention away from the monitor to glance at Kallen.

"Ah, yes," she finally says. "While there is little else I would like to do more at this time, it appears that I am unable to access the recordings at this time. Isn't that interesting?"

"Then we're stuck with the live feed?"

"I'm stuck with it. You, go away."

Kallen rolls her eyes. "I'm expecting results," she insists, before trooping back out the room and towards the main hall.

Kallen sees Teresa salute her rather rudely in a way that would surely shock her older brother had he born witness to it. Upon returning to the main hall, she can tell that the banquet is indeed winding down as she had expected. Conversations still take place around the various tables, and the catering is as excellent as at the onset, but the stage is no longer in use. If she is to give a speech to all those who came and retain their attention, she cannot afford to wait for long or the moment may well be lost.

Despite her maddened dashing around the back halls of the Santiago building, a calm settles over Kallen shortly after re-entering the hall. Everything she could do has been done, and all that remains is what she came for in the first place- to introduce herself to the public at large, and let her feigned agenda be known to the area.

Kallen signals to her crew that she intends to move onto the stage shortly, which would prompt a slight shift in the security arrangements- more guards to the front and center- and let the media know what's coming. When the moment feels right, she begins to take her steps up onto the stage. There's no lectern, nor speech notes, but just the microphone Kyoko used and empty space on either side.

A hush spreads across the gathered nobles as Kallen advances towards the stage. The staff make themselves scarce by the time she is there, and looking over the crowd, Kallen can see the red light of the camera pointed towards her.

"Good evening, Britannia!" she calls, extending one arm to the side whilst holding the mike to her lips with the other. "And let me be the first to say, on behalf of the Veteran's Commission and assosciated charities- thank you. Today, we gathered here to pay the proper dues to those who put up their lives to defend our empire, in the hard times and the good. Today we're helping those who stand up for us, no matter the cost. And for them, we are grateful. Today we raised over fifteen million dollars- give yourselves a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen, as this is no small feat!"

Applause is poilte, contrasted with the sweeping cheers capping off the previous speech.

Kallen seems full of life upon the stage, smiling and casting her glance from nobleman to nobleman, being as all-inclusive as she can. "These funds will be poured back into the veteran's pension scheme- nobody who has served Britannia will go without their reward. A portion of the funds will go into local hospitals and care centers as well.

"Thanks to the people we've gathered here for today, Britannia has remained safe and strong. And every soldier who steps up to do his duty can know that the people of Britannia will stand united behind him, that he WILL be awarded for his work. And now more than ever, he must know he's appreciated by those he defends. That's why I can say I'm proud to be part of this assembly. It shows to them our gratitude, and it shows to all our unity- that we will always come together for a just cause."

It is disconcerting. Kallen feels as if she has many successive out of body experience, moving on from one to the next before she can even truly realize what is taking place. Only the brevity of the individual experiences and her tight focus on her speech allow her to proceed with it, while her mind struggles to keep up.

Her confidence surges; she experiences that same gratitude from others, enough to feel an echo reverberate through her. The nobles focus on Kallen, and their attention strengthens with every moment, she can sense.

"These days, that unity is needed more than ever," Kallen continues, wishing dearly that she actually did have a lectern to lean a hand on while she speaks. "There can be no doubt that now, we need our protectors, for recent events- things that will live on in infamy forever- must never be repeated. People from all walks of life have suffered in the wake of Akihabara, from those of us who have lost loved ones to the Elevens who are cajoled by violence from the right path into lives of crime."

<--->

<--->

Kallen pauses, allowing herself a moment to inhale, exhale, breathe, think, and then continue-

"It is for this reason I intend to make two further donations."

Kallen is acutely able to feel the attention of everyone in the hall, from guests to staff.

"The first is to the Chrysler fund, dedicated to assisting the bereaved of Akihabara and contributing to the research of several medical institutions-" a voice reminds Kallen that they're the ones that probably perform live autopsies on virus victims, or at least would, if there were any suitable subjects- "in order to  provide recompense and safeguard us from future ills."

"The second is to a series of charities directed towards improving the infrastructure and providing vital information and services to the Elevens living on the outskirts of the settlement," Kallen refrains from using the word 'ghetto' in public, although there would be nobody hear who would mistake what she means- "-such as language tuition, medical assistance, and employment information. It's my hope that these efforts will help them choose to work towards becoming part of Britannia."

Murmurs. Kallen can't catch any -- they are too low to be overheard from the stage -- but her audience can hardly erase the shock she can see on many faces in the crowd.

Kallen is fairly certain she wouldn't want to. The unsettling feeling she receives as it is; a mishmash of different emotions from the crowd- is nauseating, particularly when she discerns just how many are odious.

"Soldiers often talk of a bond, something that can only be built out of their shared experiences; danger, and triumph both- something that transcends other differences between them. It's clear that here, in Area 11, everyone is facing the same risks. I want these donations to mean something. I want them to show that we'll stand together, and not apart," continues Kallen, more forceful than her demeanour should demand. "And I want leave you with a question, one I hope these donations can pose- who can you rely on? And who can rely on you?"

Kallen takes a step back, with a flourish of her arm. "God bless Britannia, and goodnight- I hope to see you all again."

There is a silence as Kallen concludes her speech. A palpable hesitation permeats the hall; no one is quite certain how to respond, it seems, and certainly none wish to set themselves apart and be the first to do so. The camera's red, blinking light glares at Kallen, and the silence stretches on.

Slow, drawn-out clapping penetrates the hush. The man with the messy blue hair that caused a scene earlier in the evening is smirking annoyingly at Kallen, his companion looking embarrassed at the attention they generated. Those near them have jumped at the unexpectedness of it all.

"God bless Britannia!" Kyoko calls out from somewhere at the back of the crowd, and that breaks down the floodgates. Applause follows, subdued but, nevetheless, dutiful.

Kallen can't help but smile back at the man, and she reminds herself to find out who he is at some point; introductions and discussion will have to wait, however, as as she departs the stage, thoughts of the previous few minutes begin fleeing her mind, replaced by an endless worry over just what is going on outside the Santiago's walls.

Teresa runs into Kallen in the corridor outside the main hall; she seems disturbed. "Come on, Stadtfeld, we're going to your place," she hisses. "Did you bring a car or should we use mine?"

Kallen stares at Teresa for a moment, inviting her to ponder her question.

"Out the back," she replies, after a moment. "Come on, let's go."

"Leave the goons behind," Teresa suggests, grimacing. "You'll thank me afterwards. Trust me."

"Didn't plan on bringing them anyway," replies Kallen, pulling a key from her pocket and heading for the back parking lot. It'd be the perfect indignity if she was picked up for underage driving, today of all days...

As the present owner of an automobile concern, Kallen has access to whatever cars she wants, and for her trip here she opted for a nondescript- though top-of-the-line and rather shiny- black sedan. Comfortable leather seats soon attend to her and Teresa's needs, and in a few minutes they're on the streets of the settlement, cruising away from the Santiago.

"Tell me what went down," she says, once they're on the road.

Teresa crosses her arms over her seatbelt. "It has to be seen to be believed, Kallen," she says with a huff, glaring at the road ahead. "I am ashamed to be a part of Ashford for the very first time during my life."

Teresa plans to stay at her place tonight, after all.

"Mmmhmm."

"This must not get out. We'll swear everyone involved into secrecy," Teresa continues. "I've got dirt on those who would protest. Only then can I possibly attend the Academy once more."

"The less attention any of this draws, the better."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but we need the Ashford heiress back. Without her to control that nuthouse, some of the inmates are getting uppity." Grimacing once more, Teresa says, "Dial home and tell your security to lock down the gates and head into the house." She frowns, throwing Kallen a questioning glance. "You do have a proper gate, don't you?

"My house is a fucking fortress, Teresa. You'd need a tank to get in."

Kallen shakes her head. "What, did the medieval club decide to re-enact the storming of the bastille? I was under the impression this was serious business, not a bunch of idiots protesting the campus budget."

Teresa returns her furious glare to the road ahead. "It is a bunch of idiots. If anyone learns of this, we'll be a laughing stock, especially with all the publicity from tonight."

"Are you quite sure we should be going to my place, and not to put out fires? Actually, can you just tell me what happened already?" asks Kallen, coming to a sudden stop in front of a red light.

"Positive."

Teresa refuses to cooperate, restating her belief that Kallen must see it with her own eyes, and gets only terser as they near their destination. Finally, once the sedan rounds the corner to the street where the Stadtfeld estate is built, she has her answer. Dark shapes approach in the distance from the opposite direction.

"Floor it," Teresa demands emotionessly.

"Taser's in the glovebox," notes Kallen, flashing her headlights and tearing up next to the dark shapes, soon coming to a screeching halt!

A frightened neigh joins the screech of tires, and there is a sudden yelp! An upperclassman impacts against Kallen's windshield, denting the glass.

Teresa looks cross when Kallen breaks, and her leg twitches in the direction of the gas pedal, but she seems to reconsider. Retrieving the taser, she pulls on the seatbelt to lean out of the rolled-down window and stabs the Ashford student in a tender place. He twitches violently for several long seconds, and then Teresa sits back down primly.

"One down."

"My car! That's... I only have..." mutters Kallen, trying to think of how many spares she has left in the garage. She flips her headlights to high-beam, and reverses back towards her gate, intent on surveying the opposition!

Their unintended passanger rolls back with the motion, sliding off the car to plop on the ground. The rest of the Horseback Riding Club is facing off against Kallen's car in various states of shock.

Teresa taps her fingernail agitatedly on the taser's hard surface. "What are you waiting for, Kallen? There's eight more of them!"

"You need to know how to do these things, Teresa," replies Kallen, revving the engine a couple of times. "There's eight of them. This car runs at 800 hp. That means we outnumber them a hundred to one! So we can't lose!"

She revs the engine one last time, and then floors the accelerator, blaring the horn and doing her level best to cause each and every horse to rear away in fright!

The horses scatter! Despite their training and expertise, it is all the riders can do to remain seated, and one of them fails even that. Teresa gestures urgently to that fallen, disoriented figure, waving her taser for good measure.

Kallen drags the car alongside the other figure, allowing Teresa to do her grisly work.

"You reprobates! We saw everything!" she declares, furious, and she blares the horn again for good measure.

He is only starting to rise as Teresa unlocks the passanger door and kicks it open. There is a dull thud, and the door slams shut once more.

Teresa smiles. "Seven left."

Kallen speeds up and brings the car around for another pass, wondering if she shouldn't call out an army of maids, armed with rolling pins and ladels and the gigantic kitchen knife she saw Hisui cut herself with once...

Regrettably, Hisui had been left back at the function, and who else could rally her maids to her banner?

This time, the riders are smarter, and evade with their horses, rather than try to fight against the animal instincts. "Raise our club budget!" one of them even has the temerity to demand. He might be the club's president; Kallen can't quite tell. An angry chorus of agreement follows.

Teresa grits her teeth and opens the glove comparment once more, rooting in it.

There should be an airhorn there, and a first aid kit. Kallen congratulates herself again for not keeping any firearms on her legitimately-owned belongings.

"I have all your names, you dipshits!" yells Kallen, unable to figure out what insult a proper Lady would use in her situation, and resorting to the common vernacular. "You think you'll get away with this?" She stares through her cracked window in the vaugest direction of the leader's eyes. "It's useless! Give yourselves up, and I might even let your club stay intact!"

There is a pause. "Well... yeah," the closest of the riders responds. Kallen can see him blink owlishly.

Teresa looks very cross with the selection she finds, but restocks with the airhorn.

"Our determination is without a match!" the club president calls out loudly, rallying his troops. "First, Cardemonde! Then, Stadtfeld, and our goal is clear! Onwards, men! It's just one sickly girl and her maid in a beat up car!"

Kallen is in no mood for theatrics at this later hour. Must it always come down to filling her enemies with terror?

Well, it's probably better than just running over them all and being done with it. She blares her horn again, and lashes out at the nearest student with a bolt of mind-numbing fear!

The car engine doesn't seem to be in bad shape, so as beat up as it is, Kallen is still sure she can drive circles around the students, until their horses tire (they're not MEANT for this kind of exertion, she knows), at which point things will start to get a little more hands-on.

The student in question just seizes, and then slides off his horse. He lands awkwardly on his left arm, and doesn't move beyond the occasional twitch.

Kallen's seeming inaction, however, gets three of the riders to charge her sedan! With her focus on her intended victim, she cannot react in time to the threat, and then they are there! Teresa calmly shoves the airhorn out of the window at what seems to be the last possible moment. There is an awful howl, and then the airhorn drops down; Teresa hits the release for the window, raising it back up and pushes off with her feet, forcing her seat back.

The window is dented by hoofprints an instant later, before the bulletproof glass is outright demolished, but Kallen has no time to focus on that, as one of the horses leaps on the car's roof by way of the rear bumper, and the third is not far from its direct path towards Kallen!

Kallen puts the car into reverse and takes it in a backwards turn- the impact on the horse would trigger the airbags, probably cripple the beast, and make her and Teresa easy prey for a horde of randy males.

She kicks open the door and rolls out of the driver's seat, arising once again on the manicured grass besides the road. "Six months of faking sick. All for nothing," she complains, under her breath. "Alright, you fucks. You asked for this."

She leaps on the car's hood herself, daring the nearest punk to bring it on.

The horse atop manages to complete the jump and touches down safely. Its rider is not so lucky, and Kallen's turn undermines the already shaky balance of a tricky maneuver. It is not a very high jump and he doesn't land on his neck, so the boy should probably survive. Considering the distance he rolls across the ground and the original bounce, he will spend much of his newly-extended lease on life in traction.

As she jumps, the hem of Kallen's dress catches on the edge of the opened door, but the resulting tear only serves to increase her mobility in it. Only one of the trio that dared challenge her remains on horseback; Teresa had taken her own target as well, Kallen can see from her vantage point. Regretfully, her sudden swerve not only saved her car from the inevitable collision with the president's horse, but allowed him to escape that fate as well.

Kallen's sympathy is boundless. It occurs to her that nobody here can really lodge a protest against her, that is, unless they want to bring an awful lot of legal trials upon themselves- so she gives up her reservations and dashes towards the president's horse, waiting for him to turn about before reaching to pull him off the saddle herself!

One of the remaining riders attempts to take advantage of this, but a projectile thrown with surprising precision from Kallen's car impacts his temple. The boy remains seated in his saddle, but no longer directs his steed.

Teresa climbs out of the back seat, scowling, and heads to collect her taser.

The club's president turns, shell-shocked. Donald McSomething, Kallen thinks his name is. They hadn't moved in the same circles on campus or off it.

Kallen yanks down, hard, dragging the boy to the pavement below! She whacks the horse on the side to send it bolting away- it'll be whatever's left of the club's job to pick up their errant steeds (or they pay for them out of their own pocket, she resolves.)

There weren't many left, Kallen thinks. One or two at the most, perhaps? She can see no sign of them around, and a neigh in the distance reaffirms her suspicions.

"H-How?" the president stammers, looking up at Kallen from his prone position.

"I used to be an army brat," replies Kallen, with a twisted grin. "Did the girl cadets thing and all that when I was 14. Came second in my unit, 'cause I didn't wanna come first. Hey, Teresa! What's the dirt on this guy? Donald Mc...Duck? Duke?"

There is the sounds of an electrical discharge, and a choked cry of pain. "Still works," Kallen can hear Teresa say, as the blonde approaches. "This creep? McPherson, if you care to know what to put on his headstone."

"We can't kill him, Teresa. I need someone to get these fucking horses off my lawn," replies Kallen, glancing at the steeds still milling about her premises.

"You know, McPherson, you're not very smart. You know you can be shot for trespassing on noble property? You know I have guards who would do just that? Huh? You listen to me, you dumb fuck," continues Kallen, kneeling on his chest and grabbing him by the collar. "I don't even wanna see you looking at me on campus! You're a fucking insect to me! You cross me again, and I'll bust you out of the Academy so fast by the time you realise it, you'll be whoring out for the Duke in Babel Tower!"

"You can't do this!" Donald exclaims hotly, regaining his composure if not his measure of common sense. "My father--"

Teresa kicks him.

"Your father? You mean, that guy who I own? Hey, gimme my phone, Teresa. I'm gonna buy this fuckup's house. Then I'm gonna cave it in, and stick a pole there with your stupid face on it!"

"I'm not your maid," Teresa grinds out, kicking Donald again. He yelps this time, eyes shocked anew and staring into Kallen's.

Her words are meant for intimidation; the prospect of ever actually doing more to this poor sap raises all sorts of problem's that he's not to know. One long, good stare, and perhaps she can twist his mind until he sees the idea of opposing Kallen once more is completely unthinkable.

Donald recoils, hitting the back of his head against the ground. Dazed, he does not even react when Teresa kicks him once more, digging her heel in and then twisting viciously.

Kallen pulls herself off the youth, and shakes her head. "Let the rest of your buddies know, too," she mutters. "Go on. Get your shit out of here."

"Let's tase him," Teresa suggests, which causes Donald to spring into action. She watches him scramble about, while muttering darkly, "Damn, two got away."

"Whatever, they can't do anything," replies Kallen, shaking her head. "I've got to get the car inside, and... wow," she mutters, catching sight of herself in the rearview mirror. "And we will never speak of tonight again."

"Not in mixed company," Teresa agrees quietly. She had faired much better than Kallen; while her hair is out of place, she is already brushing off her gown, and looks quite presentable. Kallen's sedan would need some time in the shop. While she imagines it should still run, its roof is dented, the bumpers are torn off and the windshield is cracked, while the passenger side's window is broken outright.

"This is way irresponsible," mutters Kallen. "Ugh." She walks towards the gate and punches in a code at the intercom that should open it up, and then sets about the inenviable task of cleaning up the debris around her ruined car, and taking it inside to the garage.

<--->

<--->

A brand new day greets Kallen and Teresa as they make their way to Ashford Academy via the Tokyo Settlement's rail network. The ground was uneven by the entrance to the Stadtfeld estate when they left it earlier that morning, but that was the only sign that anything untowards took place there the previous evening. Clearly, the staff worked overtime to take care of things under cover of darkness.

"Mmm," Teresa voices all of a sudden. "Kallen, what is your position on the council?"

"Well... I was just a councilwoman before," replies Kallen, frowning. "But the Lelouch left and Shirley left, so Rivals ended up as Vice-President and I suppose that makes me the treasurer and the secretary simultaneously. Of course, Milly's away, too, so Rivalz is acting-president at the moment, but we didn't really announce that to the school."

"Our ranks are a bit thin. I'm thinking of getting replacements. Want a job?"

"It might look good on my resume, even as it destroys my aloof reputation," Teresa muses.

"Nothing important was harmed, then?"

"Ah, yes. I forget who I am talking to," Teresa deadpans, letting out a long-suffering sigh. "I heard what you've done at the fundraiser, just so you know. It must be nice, not having to worry about a public image since you can deflect everything with a title and cash."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Hmm. It's strange." Teresa peers at Kallen, pursing her lips. "This is where anyone else would make a blonde joke, but I think I'll abstain."

"You just don't get it," replies Kallen, looking at Teresa oddly. "Sure, it's because I have that stuff I can do things like yesterday. The whole point of it is to set an example. Anyone who didn't have some title would probably get laughed at, or just ignored entirely." She sniffs.

"That might still happen, even."

The train shakes slightly with a turn, and Teresa stumbles slightly, invading Kallen's personal space in a move so graceful it must be planned.

"You are very naive," Teresa murmurs, her voice for Kallen's ears alone. "Please consider your position more."

The statement reminds Kallen of her father, and her face darkens with anger.

"You have your title and money to hide behind, but do the employees of Stadtfeld-owned businesses?" Teresa adds quietly, before looking apologetic and moving back.

"Sorry. You don't have to look so grouchy, it's not like I stepped on your large feet," she says in a normal voice.

Kallen tilts her head towards the window, and watches the debris of old Tokyo speed past through the window.

"I know I have my responsibilities," she mutters.

"It is good that you understand. We were discussing, then, my bid for vice-presidency?"

"In lieu of the president's authority, you would require the unanimous support of the remaining councilmembers," remarks Kallen. "So, you see, I can't make any promises."

"I am smart and I have a shapely body," Teresa says bluntly. "That should take care of both requirements, correct?"

"If you mean to use your womanly charms, then I'm afraid you still lose against Milly."

"I was actually referring to the president's special requirement for council membership."

"Oh, yes. I won't enforce the mandatory skinnydipping this time, but when she comes back..."

Teresa's voice returns to her more common deadpan. "I can hardly wait."

Teresa is silent for a long while after that, spending much of the train ride in contemplation. It is only towards the end that she asks Kallen several pointed questions about what she actually did as part of her official duties, seeming to compare Kallen's answers against some sort of mental checklist.

Together, the two arrive at the gates of the Academy. Sayoko is standing there by the entrance, dressed impeccably as a proper maid should.

"Good morning, Sayoko-san," says Kallen, stopping by the entrance and doing her very best to not look contrite in front of the maid.

Teresa gives Sayoko a long look, before glancing back at Kallen. "I'll go ahead," she announces, and proceeds without waiting for confirmation.
"Good Morning, Miss Stadtfeld," Sayoko greets Kallen, smiling pleasantly.

Kallen is sure there's something unpleasant behind that smile, and uses her powers to determine what that is.

"I was just heading to the councilrooms. Do you know if Rivalz is in today?" she asks, beginning to wander towards the office.

It would be unbecoming of a maid to show condescention. That and smugness are negative traits that a proper maid shall never hold within her pure heart.

"Mister Cardemonde has called in sick today, I believe," Sayoko responds, easily falling into step.

"Is that so. Did you hear what is wrong with him, by chance?" replies Kallen, finding the neat lawns of Ashford to feel very similar to mud, or perhaps quicksand.

"If I might be so bold as to speculate on such matter, Miss, I believe he has injured his pride," Sayoko responds primly.

"Ah, that sort of ill. It heals quickly, but is quite stinging whilst it persists."

It might be just Kallen, but she thinks Sayoko's smile becomes wider at that.

"It is as you say, Miss."

"I'm glad you agree," replies Kallen, wandering through the still-broken doors of the councilroom and heading straight to the computer on which they store all the financial details.

The room itself has been tidied up expertly, Kallen notes, although the computer has been replaced with a different model.

"Mister Cardemonde attempted to defend the school's budget with his very life," Sayoko says with a straight face. "He did not allow the priveleged information to fall into enemy hands."

Kallen flips on the power and boots up the computer, deciding that at least one club needs to have a few adjustments made to it's details.

"He is a credit to the council. Is there some way in which we can reward his noble service?"

Sayoko looks contrite. "I'm afraid Miss Ashford would not like it if we parted with one of her reserved rewards for Mister Cardemonde without her express approval."

"That may be so. But as the only council member on campus, I believe that makes me acting president?" asks Kallen, pulling up a spreadsheet of expenditures and flipping to the entry that deals with the Equestrian club.

"That would be with accordance to Academy rules as set out by Lord Reuben Ashford, its founder," Sayoko confirms.

"Mmm. Therefore, when it comes to making concrete expressions of our approval, the buck stops with... me? I want to be sure, here," states Kallen, setting about doing terrible things to the Equestrian's budget.

"Unless countered by Miss Ashford's proxy in matters relating to finance, yes," Sayoko responds, standing behind Kallen and observing her manipulations of the school budget.

"Who might that be?"

"I am really not supposed to say, to avoid coersion both intentional and not, but I believe it would do no harm in this case. Miss Ashford has entrusted such matters to Miss Einstein."

"I could hardly get approval for financial matters without knowing her representative in that regard," replies Kallen, looking on with satisfaction as several of the numbers in the spreadsheet spontaneously turn red, or grow smaller. "Would you say that I'm being just, Sayoko-san?"

"It is highly irregular for Miss Einstein to object to anything within reason," Sayoko says. Vaguely recalling the mousy girl, Kallen has to admit it sounds fitting. "And this spread is entirely within reason, if I might say so myself."

There is a thump from the next room.

"Who's that?" asks Kallen, signing off on the budget and tilting her head towards the inner sanctum of the council building.

Sayoko seems perfectly serene. "Just some trash I forgot to take out last night, Miss. Please do not concern yourself with such matters."

Another thump, sounding more urgent, echoes the first.

"Oh, Sayoko! That's terrible! We're going to have to leave it there for another week before the truck comes again!" admonishes Kallen.

Sayoko bows. "I humbly apologize, Miss."

Kallen nods. "Alright. Class is up, soon, so I'll see you later. Give my regards to Lord Ashford if you see him before lunch, would you?"

"Very well, Miss Stadtfeld," Sayoko acknowledges, straightening up.

<--->

If it's not one thing, it's the other. During lunch break, Kallen's business phone rings. The number is from her secretary at work.

Here we go, she thinks.

"Hello?" she asks, from underneath the pleasant shade of one of the great trees that dot the Academy's premises.

"I've been hoping to coordinate a board meeting, Miss," Harold is saying, sounding apologetic. "I know that you are at school right now, but the board members are pressing and it is simply a nightmare, trying to coordinate all the schedules." There is a barely heard cough, as if he realizes he is babbling. The next time Harold speaks, he sounds much more concise and confident. "We have two openings in your normal schedule, Miss. This afternoon, from four to six, and wednesday, if we make it evening. Say around seven p.m.? Would either of these be acceptable?"

"I was coming in tonight as it was. I'll see them this afternoon," replies Kallen, full of confidance and self-assurance, at least over the phone.
confidence

"I will relay that, Miss Stadtfeld. Once again, I apologize for the iconvenience."

"Don't mind it. I'll see you then." Kallen hangs up, and emits a long, slow breath.

"Kal-len!" Irene whines, dropping by the redhead in the shade of that tree she had claimed over lunch. "You took Teresa but not me?"

Irene is pouting mightily.

Kallen flips back her phone and drops it in her pocket. "I was surprised when she showed up! I didn't think it was Teresa's thing," she explains, pulling up her knees.

"You didn't want to take any of us?" Irene asks, looking devastated.

"It was a very boring event, really!" protests Kallen. "It was all talking to old lords and their courteasans! Ugh, I could feel them undressing me with their eyes. You didn't want to be there. Trust me."

Irene blinks. "Uncle Jeremy did that?"

"Well, maybe not all of them..." relents Kallen, pressing her hands on the ground. "Ok, it had good parts, too. Everyone who's anyone did get an invitation, you know, so I thought you would've come, actually. But, you know, there will be other occasions! I talked to Kyoko, she's really nice, and we might work something out. Maybe a more casual concert next time..."

"Oh, really?" Irene asks happily, clasping one of Kallen's hands in hers. "Could you introduce us? Or get me her signature?"

"Next time there's a concert in Tokyo, how 'bout I get you a backstage pass?" asks Kallen, unable to resist savoring Irene's happiness.

It has a fluffy, perky flavor.

"Yay! We'll go together, the three of us!"

"Sure, I'll see what I can do. Did you watch it on TV? Actually, I should find out what people are saying..." mumbles Kallen, flipping open her phone and checking out a few newspaper websites.

Kallen catches a few headlines about a successful fundraiser bringing the nation together.

"I wish I could have been there!" Irene says wistfully. "I have all her albums, but that was a new song! They didn't broadcast it all, so it was a special treat for the guests...."

Kallen blinks at that revelation. They didn't broadcast the patriotic song, eh?

"Even I didn't know about that one," replies Kallen, as though she knew anything at all about Kyoko beyond what she learned that night. "I bet she'll do a proper release of it soon!"

"Ooh! I think you're right!" Irene gushes. "Was it a publicity stunt, then? Oh, I know, Kyoko would never do that, but you can never be too sure about these shady managers...."

Kallen is unable to restrain herself from giggling, and she stretches out her legs to lie down on the grass.

The rest of the lunch period is spent in pleasant conversations about nothing that manage to get the impending meeting off Kallen's mind. They manage that too well, perhaps, both girls being late to class in the end.

Before too long, however, it is a quarter to four and Kallen arrives at her office building. The ride up to the top floor is smooth, her secretary filling Kallen in on things he is absolutely certain she must know. They amount to the board being gathered in its entirety.

The lift's doors open, the meeting room reserved for this purpose straight ahead.

Kallen strides forward, determined not to allow her uniform, age, height nor gender detract from the authority that a noblewoman in charge of a company must command. Her actions, she reasons, have done enough of that already.

The five members of the board are arraigned around the table, looking at the double mahogany doors as Kallen opens them, striding within. She instantly senses the mood in the room is subdued, as well as a great deal of uncertainty from all but Michael.

Kallen takes her empty seat at the head of the table, thrown slightly off-guard by the subdued faces- she had expected some more virulent emotions rather than this sort of tone. As he's the odd one out, Kallen naturally glances at Michael, intending to pierce a little deeper into his mind while she takes her position.

"Afternoon, everyone," she announces, firmly. "I assume you have some questions, but allow me to say something first. Then, we'll have at it."

Michael seems amused at this turn of events, Kallen finds. All five nod their assent.

"The event yesterday was intended as much as reconnasiance, you might say, as well as a sort of debutant ball and an introduction," begins Kallen righting herself in the chair and placing her hands on the table. "I was personally interested in speaking to a few members of the military's upper echelons, roughly equivalent to three broad factions therein that, I feel, are the real keys to the balance of power in Area 11 at present, and people whom we should consider backing. I'll give you my impressions.

"I exchanged about ten sentences with Margrave Gottwald, alltogether. To put it extremely simply, there is no way we would ever get along. He made his misgivings in dealing with civilians- not to mention youth- quite plain to me from the beginning. How you imagine it is very likely how it went, so I'll spare you the details.

"On the other hand General Davidson was pleasant enough, but he is too guarded, too perfunctionary. He was saying the right words- in effect, saying nothing. He was just going along with the motions. It would be one thing if his Highness was present, showing the flag, as it were, but I've made my feelings to you on the Crown's status known before. Backing the status quo seems a dead end.

"Colonel Abrahms was the last I spoke with. He alone was out there, in the crowd- he had a crowd, I might add. The man has charisma, I'll give him that- he had a way, it seemed, of making the unpalatable seem reasonable to the onlooker. I spoke with him for a time on his goals, mostly for within the military itself.

"What most impressed me was his dynamism. The other generals seemed in a sort of stasis. Abrahms is moving forward, trying to promote change on a level beyond the others. Because Gottwald is intolerable, and Davidson immovable, the Colonel appears to be the only candidate I can consider to help support."

"From there, the rationale behind my announcements should be clear. He is a man who needs allies that aren't afraid to take stands on the same grounds, which I hope to have shown last night."

"Your feelings on the Crown? All good, I hope," a man's rich baritone asks pleasantly. He steps through the same doors Kallen had just used earlier, blonde, tall and confident.

"This is patently illegal," Alicia is saying. "Once again, I must protest--"

He isn't listening to her, taken with observing Kallen instead.

Kallen can almost feel the metaphorical CLANG as she is disarmed of her composure. Dimly, she can hear the sound of breaking glass as the sword flies through her wall and plummets towards the ground below.

Her hand presses into the table. "Your highness," she remarks, turning the chair to face Clovis.

"I realize this is somewhat irregular," Clovis says, making an effort to look genuinely contrite. He succeeds for the most part, except for his eyes, which twinkle mischievously. "Still, royalty has its perks, I've found."

Striding towards Kallen, Clovis stops just a few short feet away, extending his hand. "Clovis la Britannia, at your service."

Kallen finds herself standing up and reaching out to shake his hand. "Kallen Statdfeld, and the pleasure is all mine," she replies, imaging her hands reaching up to encircle Clovis' throat. "It seems you have me at a significant advantage."
This doesn't have to end badly, she realises, inwardly kicking herself. Clovis is a man like anyone else, and that means he can fall victim to her! It's not a time for subtlety.

She focuses intently on his eyes, intending to have a perfect picture of his mindset.

He brings her hand to his lips, brushing them gently over the surface. Only then do his eyes reach out for Kallen's, and Kallen is a creature of many passions.

"It appears to me that we could achieve much together," Clovis is saying.

Standing up is difficult. Kallen's knees are shaking, just barely able to avoid knocking into one another. And how could she, when she wants this gorgeous man?

"I was touched by your appeal," he continues genuinely.

Compassion. So much of it that she has to bury it all behind a sealed door, or it will bring her ruin.

"There is a time for action, and the need for it is great."

Kallen understands it, just as she understands art. The tragic sacrifices of the faceless many always tug on her heartstrings, achingly beautiful.

He makes a displeased sound, though his smile assures Kallen she is not its cause. "My advisors," Clovis says, "they argue incessantly, but they united in the need to censure your speech. That drew me to you, and for that, I am glad."

And so is Kallen, excitement bubbling as it rushes through her body!

<--->

<--->

"Ah, your highness, I'm flattered," asks Kallen, unable to stop herself from bursting into a full, honest smile. As a tide of desire and excitement rolls over her, she finds herself reaching up to brush back a stray lock of loosely-hanging red hair-

-concentrate-

-and holding her other arm under her chest, which rises and falls with each breath she takes- it suddenly seems harder to do such a simple thing-

-concentrate, dammit!

"I see that I've succeeded beyond my wildest imaginings, if that is what has brought you here," she adds-

-Get it together, girl!-

"You've heard of my program," Clovis is saying, speaking airily as if about the weather. Her focus lets Kallen see past the casualness, and past what lies beneath, to get a feel that Clovis likes to downplay what he lays claim to as his achievements to draw stronger praise for them. "It has garnered moderate success, yet many of my advisors are slow to realize that. What is needed, here, is for keen minds to seize the moment and turn that modest stream of applicants into a vibrant river! What else can better prove its superiority in how our empire approaches its Areas?"

"If I might say so, your Highness," replies Kallen, finding herself not quite wanting to sit back down, not when she can stay up close and personal to the prince like this- "It would seem that your advisors remain behind the times. Without some clear path to advancement, it is obvious that the numbers would grow restless and discontent. It is only a matter of time, I am certain!"

She has to get her advisors out of the room, she realises intuitively. Then it would be trivial to.. to.. to what?

She wants him, and she wants him dead.

"That seems doubtful," Clovis says. He shakes his head, his locks traveling gently, as if carried by a breeze. "When an Area becomes unruly, the Empire introduces suppressive measures. Every time, without exception. The smarter of the Numbers realize this and know just how far they can push, while thost obstinate would hardly be satisfied with anything less than their fevered demands. Advancement -- and towards what, some might ask -- is a matter occupying only a precious few. Too few, alas, to truly make a difference. Yet you are correct. You understand that there must be an appeal to the Elevens of this Area to join forces with Britannia. It must be a thing of value, a prospect so lucrative they would move heaven and earth to seize it."

"Thus the scheme for Honorary Brittanianship," replies Kallen, finding that even when she stops consciously trying to use the Geass, something remains- it just doesn't fade away, not entirely. How can it, after she peeked into Clovis' soul and came to know him?

"Yet at the moment, I believe the scheme cannot truly succeed. The number is offered the life of a soldier- not entirely pleasant even at the best of times. And to contemplate it would be seen as unthinkable by most..."

"By proving themselves with their contribution to Britannia and shaping themselves into honorary citizens, the rest of the comforts of modern society eventually follow," Clovis counters, smiling at his captive audience. "After all, which loyal citizen can begrudge those comforts to those who have fought to protect and safeguard them?"

Kallen finds herself still unable to remove her reciprocal smile.

"It was my intent to foster this concept, at least in the long term..." she replies, pausing for a moment. "After speaking with Abrahms, I realised it would be the only way. Both for the elevens to see the appeal of the system, and for Britannians to accept it."

She needs to use him. Use him now. Kill him later. It's a shame he's a prince. But there's no way she would settle for the farce that is fake citizenship. Even if he's a good man, it doesn't matter.

"Shall we discuss how we can work together, in order to promote the scheme?" she asks, trying to sound more cool and clinical than she does breathless. "Privately, perhaps?"

It was probably her looks that got him here more than anything, she tells herself. No sense not exploiting them.

"Privately?" The blonde prince rubs his chin, a thoughtful look upon his face. "Yes. Yes, quite. Perhaps we should. It is regretful that this cannot be today, however. I merely came to meet such a promising young talent."

He considers this further, gazing upon Kallen. "Once you have formalized your idea into a written proposal, do contact my personal attendant, Delores Berkley. She will arrange a pass for you to present it for perusal and debate in a more amenable setting."

"I see," replies Kallen, barely able to wait. There is a cloying sense of anticipation in the air, one she is sure both he and she share- no, she can make sure. She can make him think about her, wonder when she's going to come, wish she was there now...

It's so easy, she finds. She barely needs to push at all.

"Then you are not staying long?" she asks, allowing herself to be seated once again.

"Alas, no," Clovis says, true regret felt in his voice. "I wanted you to stay strong in the face of censure and hold on until such time our way will win over the skeptics."

Alicia shifts at those words, but has learned from her previous attempt, and does not attempt to speak.

"I see. What exactly should I be prepared for in the coming weeks?" asks Kallen, still feeling as though she's floating.

"Oh, not that much, when it comes down to it," Clovis responds, gesturing dismissively. "A financial review, an entirely petty affair, in all truth. I am confident that your books are up to par, and it is but a minor inconvenience. Interviews with the board and several employes in key positions, also quite manageable, when you get right down to it. There is also the matter of literal censure. Hi-TV will be ensuring your compliance in that sense, a truly deplorable restriction that I wish it were easy to veto." Clovis scoffs, the expression perfectly aristocratic. "Let them have their little victories, however. In the end, it is our path that shall bear fruit, is it not?"

Any feelings of floating on air are rapidly forgotten, leaving the smile on Kallen's face seeming a little flat. Just how much money went into the entirely top-secret Holy Grail project? How much did she launder and send over to fund her cell? How much time will she need to spend at the bank, making slaves out of accountants to cover her trail?

There goes her happy school life for the next month... though she counts herself fortuntate that she hadn't taken steps to begin her other project just yet.

"The message shall resound, nonetheless," she replies. "Censorship or otherwise. This is the cost, I suppose, of attempting to blaze a new trail. In the end, though, the naysayers are the ones who are left behind."

"Quite so," Clovis states, straightening up. He cuts an impressive figure like that, perhaps even imposing. That air of having power and position and being aware of it, basking in them... he has it all in spades.

The prince casts a longing look at Kallen, before catching himself. "Until we meet again," he says in parting, offering the redhead a courtly bow.

Kallen stares after Clovis for a moment, before righting her chair back to face the desk. She is silent for a long moment- seconds stretch out to almost a minute.

"Next time I am embarrasing myself in front of royalty, please, feel free to at least cough," she remarks, smoothing her features and appearing to possess an impassive mask- far different from the girlish face she put on before Clovis.

"We will be reconvening on Wednesday. I believe you are all free then. As appears quite clear, we have a great deal of work to do. I will be speaking with each and every one of you over the course of this week, as well. Harold-" She grimaces- "Will find suitable times to make appointments. We must be spotless."

She pauses. "What will this censorship mean for us?" she asks, glancing at Samuel and Alicia. "Will this be a public spectacle? Or a quiet, offside issue, where this television station will simply not deal with us until it is lifted?"

Michael coughs, grinning when he draws glances towards him.

"A-As a matter of fact," Samuel says, ignoring his colleague to respond to Kallen's query, "the usual modus operandi is to assign a minder that would... filter, for lack of a better word, any and all public announcement and appearances."

Alicia, for her part, says, "I believe a private setting would be best to discuss matters." She draws several raised eyebrows, but sounds direct and not mocking in the slightest.

"I assume that goes for everyone," replies Kallen. "Then we will adjourn for now. You're all smart people. You don't need me to tell you how to cover yourselves." Her eyebrow twitches with irritation.

<--->

<--->

After the meeting was completed, Kallen instructed a few members of her board to come and see her later in the day. She doesn't bother getting changed, leaving her sitting behind her enormous desk still in uniform, though while nobody else is around to critique her she dropped the jacket and the tie.

Alicia should be in any minute, and she arranged to speak with Michael later that evening...

There is a knock, and without waiting for an answer, the blonde steps inside. She takes care to lock the door behind her, and makes her way to the chair set in front of Kallen's desk for her visitors.

"Seems we're gonna be taking on the good and the bad," notes Kallen, closing her laptop. "When exactly did you all become aware that Clovis wanted to see me?"

"Shortly before you arrived," Alicia responds, settling down. "We knew of the censure since morning, of course, but this... this changes a lot. Not everything, but just about."

"What are the legal implications? I'll be talking to West about the censureship later, but let's hear your view on the situation."
censorship, blah

"Officially, none. It is rather self-defeating for the Empire to give us a stage to air our grievances by acknowledging them, so it's business as usual, in a sense. Unofficially, this would be known to our competitors and to the legal establishment. The former might decide it time to take action, and the latter might consider playing it safe and siding with the Administration's apparent position."

"A position that would soon be overturned by any sign of public support between ourselves and the crown," replies Kallen. "Except that Clovis' own position is weak... He needs allies, too. I guess that's why he was here.

"So what are we looking at? Lawsuits over petty matters? Takeover bids?"

"Nothing you need to trouble yourself with," Alicia responds rather curtly. "What we should be doing is considering ways to keep you and, by extension, the Group safe."

"What, personally?"

"Quite. The secret of your birth must never be discovered by the Administration's dogs. Not in a situation such as this."

It was an outcome she had considered, and must always be aware of, Kallen reminds herself. But even that meant disaster for her company and personal life- and Kasumi... it could still have been used in the ghettos in an effort to rally support.

"I have complete trust in everyone who is aware of my birth," replies Kallen. "I know the falsifications are not infallible... and of at least one hole. It's not one I think any investigator would find, but it exists nonetheless."

"Are you willing to put your trust into everyone who knows? And into the methods used to cover any irregularities in the records?" Alicia insists on asking once more. Her voice is calm, collected. "You must realize that above anything else, even a single misstep would end up costing us everything."

"Whatever it takes. You handle the legal side. I'll worry about the personal angle." Kallen frowns.

"My statement is presupposed in that I'm aware of everyone who knows, which is a very short list. If there's anyone else, perhaps in the census bureau, or forgers..."

Alicia shakes her head. "None who would benefit from talking." She lets out a sigh. "I wish I could pursue this further, just in case, but I'll be kept busy as it is for the coming months."

"I do appreciate it," replies Kallen. "I need to figure out a way to utilize this opportunity Clovis has given us... but I don't see much future in working directly with him. No, he's already lost too much of the people's faith. He's not going to last forever... that's just how Britannia works, correct? The weak perish, the strong survive..."

He needs to go out like a martyr, Kallen reasons. You get promoted two ranks when you die, it's like that. If he dies while doing something noble- no, because he's doing something noble, to which she is attached...

"It will be a race," Alicia affirms. "A race to get as close to the top as one can. And we've just been granted a surprisingly advanced starting position. I'm glad you understand this."

"Of course. You understand it too, right? That anything is permissable, as long as it gets results, and at least in private, nothing is taboo?"

"Once more, I am relieved to hear you say that."

Retrieving her datapad, Alicia proceeds to outline the direction she intends to take the Stadtfeld Group's legal defense team. She does not go into detail, and Kallen gets the distinct feeling that formality aside, Alicia is only doing this so that Kallen is not blindsided later on. Several names get dropped, for such a case if Alicia herself is unavailable, though it goes unsaid that there is only so much trust one can place into a follower, as opposed to a leader.

Once her report has been concluded, Alicia stands up. "Will there be anything else?" she asks, businesslike.

"Ah, there was. Do you happen to know much about the Hallbrook Conglomerate?"

Alicia pauses. "Hallbrook? Let's see. Ran by Count Richard Hallbrook, the realestate mogul. It is widely-accepted that his eldest son, Raymond Hallbrook, would one day succeed him, although much of this is speculation. There was some sort of matter with his wife, a few years back, but I am not clear on the details. Would you like me to prepare a brief?"

"Yes, please. I happened to speak with Raymond yesterday," replies Kallen. "I'm also on good terms with his.. stepsister. It's likely I can arrange a meeting with him later without being snubbed, as I feel other firms may well do in the current situation. Depending on what we work out with Clovis, their support could be most useful."

"It may be a good match," Alicia says with cautious approval. "Very well, I'll work on that."

"Great. I'll be in every day, most likely. Keep me posted."

<--->

Hisui is waiting for Kallen by the gate as she returns home from work. As Kallen approaches, Hisui bows in greeting.

Kallen barely has a word for anyone at the moment, but she nods at Hisui as she walks towards her door.

"Welcome back, Miss," Hisui says quietly, putting on a burst of speed to open the door for Kallen. "You have a guest today."

"Ah, good. Show me to him, please?"

Hisui nods and hurries off to stay ahead of Kallen's brisk pace. This time, she leads Kallen to a tea room on the ground floor.

"He is waiting for you here, Miss," Hisui announces with another bow.

Kallen has caught a familiar face on her way over, however. She has met with Shinozaki Sayoko enough to recognize her at even a fleeting glance.

Of course. There are so many maids that one more would barely be noticed. She doesn't need even half those she has, but in these tough economic times, where else would they go?

Kallen pushes the door to the tea room nonetheless, resigning herself to knowing that Sayoko will overhear just about everything she has to say.

"Welcome home," Michael Boon greets her, raising his cup towards Kallen.

"Thanks," replies Kallen, closing the door behind her and dropping onto a comfortable-looking armchair. "You found this afternoon entertaining, I gather?"

"Quite. Haven't you?"

"Surprising, yes. Promising, certainly. Humorous, not really," replies Kallen, exhaling.

"That is because information exists which you have not yet been made aware of," Michael says with great relish, sipping his tea.

"I can see you're just dying to tell me."

"Hi-TV were made to choose their best man for the job of following us around and restraining our actions," Michael elaborates, not dragging it out. "However, there must have been a miscommunication of intent somewhere down the line; that is the only way I can explain the end result. The producer in question has, in fact, been responsible for some of the most imaginative propaganda in recent times for this Area, but his alignment with the establishment is in serious doubt. He is independant and glory-seeking, a fact his superiors must not be aware of or downplay to retain his talent." He grins. "In other words, by trying to deal us this mortal blow, the Administration has only handed us an opportunity."

Kallen blinks, and her lips crinkle into a smirk. "Ah, you know, today started out horrible," she remarks. "And then it just keeps getting better. What's the name of this luminary?"

"Diethard Ried." A matching smirk graces Michael's lips. "Incidentally, he is the one in charge of preparing obituaries for dignitaries. Perhaps you have seen his work before?"

Kallen finds herself unable to keep it in, and snickers loudly. "Are- are you serious?" she asks, pressing a hand to her mouth. "This isn't a joke, right? That's beyond hilarious. Does West know, yet?"

"Some. You will forgive me, but I wished our reactions to the censure to be genuine."

"Yeah, that's fine. I need to meet with this guy," replies Kallen, straightening herself. "Do you hear about much that goes on with Clovis' advisors?"

"He will be showing his face soon enough," Michael agrees. "It is his job to be looking over our shoulder, after all." He smirks again, before getting to Kallen's question. "We have certain information that may well be useful. Not now, when they are so united, but later down the line as old disagreements spark once more. If fragmented, as is their usual state, we could easily play some against others."

"It's just a matter of time," agrees Kallen. "I'm curious, actually. How closely are their fates tied to Clovis'?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm asking if they are invested in his personal success. For instance, if Clovis was forced to abdicate, what would happen to his cabinet? Would they remain for the next governor-general, or would his failure reflect down the ranks?"

Michael seems taken aback by the question, but recovers swiftly.

"The new governor has absolute authority, in such a case. The various aides and advisors will remain in service, but how much the advice of those who were part of such a resounding failure would be counted is another matter. They may well be summarily dismissed in disgrace."

"Right. It seemed to me that they were putting him under significant pressure, so I was wondering just how much power the rest of the office holds," replies Kallen. "The appointment of this Ried may not actually be a coincidence, if we can take the Prince on faith."

Michael shrugs. "That is not for me to speculate. Besides, you may end up discovering that soon enough on your own."

"Quite," replies Kallen, tapping the side of her chair. "Well, I have something I'd like you to do, in the meantime. I do recall a warning that we would be compared to the Six, earlier. I'd like to know how they're reacting to this- if they're reacting at all. It's highly likely that if the Honorary Britannian schemes gain weight, they will wish to put themselves on board and leech off the success. Let's stay a step ahead.

"Alicia's also informed me that our competitors may be looking to work against us for the moment. I'd like to be prepared, and not just in a legal sense. Put a brief together on what dirt you've got on our biggest rivals and get it to me sometime this week."

"I could do that, but I would advise against moving against them in any way at this point," Michael says, seeming to commit Kallen's request to memory. "As for the Six, we simply don't know enough. They may wish to distance themselves due to the chance of failure, or take credit as you have suggested, or even oppose us to retain their own consolidated power rather than open the same opportunities to others."

"Yes, there are numerous possibilities," replies Kallen. "Keep an eye on them."

"For the rest, well. At the moment the plan is simply to weather the storm, and then use Clovis- and Ried, now- to put ourselves back in the game by way of mutual endorsement," replies Kallen. "If anyone has taken action against us before that, we won't forget. And we'll make them wish they never thought of screwing with us once the situation is stable."

"Yes, yes. Very impressive fighting words." Michael finishes his tea. "It is not my place to say, but just the same, look suitably contrite for the near future? Even home, unless you implicitely trust all your employees here not to report on any duality."

"I'll take that under consideration."

He shrugs, placing his cup down. "Excellent. For the things you wanted, to do a thorough job while evading showing anything out of the ordinary to those so-called auditors, I believe two weeks should be sufficient. Shall we meet again then?"

"Two weeks to the day? That will do," replies Kallen, pulling out her organizer and inputting the oncoming meeting.

<--->

After her business with Michael has been concluded, Kallen explores the mansion's ground floor. It is in a section of the house she rarely goes to that she spots Sayoko. The woman in question is not alone, however; Kallen chances upon her in an old reading room, together with Kasumi.

Kallen pauses near the door, and finds herself studying the two women a moment before making her presence known.

Sayoko says something, making Kallen's mother laugh.

Something just feels nice about the scene. If Sayoko can make Kasumi laugh, the maid has gone up yet again in Kallen's estimation.

Kallen walks into the room with a smile. "Hiyas," she says, falling into Japanese while it's just them. "Hope I'm not interrupting?..."

"Oh, hello!" Kasumi exclaims, startled. She quickly reorients, however, and smiles back at Kallen.

Sayoko offers a smile of her own and a nod of acknowledgement, remaining silent.

"I hope your days have been better than mine," says Kallen, wandering towards one of the many chairs in the reading room and leaning on one of the arms. She glances from side to side. "Did you two meet before?"

Kasumi tries to respond but ends up stammering, seeming embarrassed over something.

"Yes, actually," Sayoko says in her stead.

"How'd that happen?" asks Kallen, easing herself into the chair.

"We met on campus," Sayoko responds, adding for clarity, "of Ashford Academy, that is. It was a chance meeting in many ways, but we've discovered that we share several interests."

Kasumi nods at this point. "Sayoko-san is an amazing person," she says, and seems to want to add more before her embarrassment returns and she clams up.

"The faculty and council hold her in very high regard," adds Kallen, grinning. "When did you go down to campus? Uh, not that I mean to be nosy or anything," she adds, her eyes sliding away, as if to say 'blatant lies here'.

For some reason, Kasumi's embarrassment visibly grows at this.

"I hope you do not mind us using this mansion to meet," Sayoko interjects. "We try to stay out of the way, just the same."

"That's fine, it's not like anyone uses most of the rooms," replies Kallen, glancing around the one they find themselves in. "It's nice to have guests. Are you staying long tonight?"

"Are you staying?" Kasumi echoes, her face falling when Sayoko immediately shakes her head.

"There is an important friend that I need to look after later today, Kasumi-san," the maid says. "You know how I don't like to leave her for long."

"Ah, that one--"

Sayoko nods. "The same."

"You can come by again whenever you like," adds Kallen, feeling like she wants to scrunch up in her chair. "Is your friend doing well?"

Sayoko's face falls somewhat. "She has hope," she responds vaguely.

Kasumi nods sympathetically. "Did you try telling her the legend of the thousand cranes?"

"It helped," Sayoko affirms. "I think it had, at least. But some wishes cannot be fulfilled, no matter how you persist."

Kallen blinks. "That's the origami one, right?"

"Yes," Sayoko responds.

Kasumi picks up the tale, elaborating, "There is an ancient legend that if you fold a thousand cranes, the wish that you kept in your heart while folding them will come true."

"Yeah, I remember that one from somewhere. I managed to get to about... ten," she replies, smirking at herself. "Used to wonder if it would have come true if I'd actually gone through with it. It really bugged me for a while."

"There have been cases of... of miracles. Like Itsukushima...."

Sayoko looks silently at Kasumi for a moment, before nodding slightly. "Perhaps. However, it would seem that the determination to bring about a miracle is what creates them. A strong will to overcome any obstacle. At the same time, however, there are obstacles beyond the reach of mortals."

"A miracle stops being a miracle once someone achieves it," replies Kallen. "If people keep calling it one, it's just because they didn't figure it out. The kind of person who doesn't believe in miracles is the kind of person who'll make them happen."

Sayoko smiles once more at Kallen's words, wistfully this time. "Few people deserve it more."

Standing up, she takes Kasumi's hand. "I better go now, but I'll call you later?" Receiving a nod in response, she bows to Kallen. "In this case, I shall bid you a good evening."

<--->

<--->

Kallen catches up to Sayoko in a few moments and begins pacing alongside her down the hall, towards the front door.

"I can't easily leave the settlement for a while," she explains, after quickly making sure no other maids are about. "Please let Inoue know. It is very likely I'm being investigated at the moment." She pauses. "Has there been any word from Milly, yet?"

"Not as yet," Sayoko responds, not missing a step in her stride. "We should have faith in Miss Ashford, however."

Kallen nods. "If you have more information on Purist bases or depots, please give it to Inoue as well- I will need to push our plans for Clovis back a bit, and in the interim there should be no complaints with further raids on that faction."

"What reason should I give for this temporary withdrawal?" Sayoko asks.

"He has granted me a private audience later this month, at my own discretion," replies Kallen. "It seems he has few allies in court at present, and sees one in me."

Was that a snort? Kallen can't see any signs of amusement on Sayoko's face when she looks, however.

"Anyway, I need to figure how to use this, so concentrate on the Purists for now."

"Miss Nunnally would be terribly disappointed," Sayoko notes.

"I seem to be rather good at that," mutters Kallen. "I won't make any excuses, though."

"I can't imagine one that would make a difference," Sayoko agrees. "Would you like me to pass anything else on?"

"Yeah. Tell Nagata to make contact with the charities," replies Kallen. "Get to know the people working on the ground. Forge a working relationship. Make some friends. You know."

"It shouldn't be a problem," Sayoko assures her.

Kallen nods. "One last thing. Do your networks reach inside the firms held by the Six?"

"A proper maid never reveals her secrets," Sayoko says, smiling slightly. "Is there anything in particular you're interested in?"

"I want to know how they plan to move in the immediate future, and if the heads are united or divided. Would they be likely to support my firm's public efforts? Or distance themselves?" replies Kallen.

"A complicated question not easily answered, I'm afraid."

"I need some way to gauge them," replies Kallen. "Honestly, I think they're all sycophants who'll try and go with the popular flow, so if nothing appears to contradict me there..."

"I'll do what I can," Sayoko promises.

<--->