Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or Gundam UC, both are owned by Sunrise.

Forward Unto Dawn

Chapter 15

Alarms blared loudly across a Britannian Maximum Security Facility in Japan, soldiers scrambling to their stations while tech crews readied mobile suits for launch. In the control room, operators monitored an approaching convoy of trucks and LAVs escorted by a quartet of mobile suits.

"New readings along the seaward side…these are…!" an operator barked. "They're Type-53 Submarine Carriers…! It's the JLF!"

"How many are there?" the garrison commander demanded.

"I'm reading two ships…they're aiming their main guns!"

"What?"

On the JLF submarines, armored doors on the dorsal hulls slid open, dual turrets rising and extending gun barrels while turning and angling towards the Britannian prison. With thunderous roars and clouds of smoke, 127mm naval guns fired, sending AP shells arcing through the air and punching into the mobile suit hangars.

Had the first rounds been HE rounds, the hangars might have held, hardened as they were. But these were AP rounds, and despite their small size they ripped through the hardened exterior and wreaked havoc in the interior. The submarines I-09 and I-10 fired a second salvo, and then a third, knocking out most of the Britannian mobile suits before they could even launch. The guns reoriented towards new targets, while launch tubes and access hatches slid open.

Fast craft outfitted with heavy machine guns and carrying large numbers of troops roared out skimming fast over the water towards the prison. At the same time Seiran mobile suits launched, hovering over the water on hover-jets mounted under their feet and at key points along the legs and hips of the machines.

The Seiran was originally designed just before the Britannian invasion, which prevented its entering mass production. However the JLF continued development after the surrender, with the assistance of the Six Houses of Kyoto, and thanks to information from 'Sierra Source' an Axis agent rumored to be masquerading as a Britannian noble, the design was upgraded to include Dom-style hover jets for propulsion purposes. The final design was complete by AD 1959/2014 ATB/UC 0092, and placed into limited production for the JLF.

Its armament included either a 120mm machine gun or a 240mm rocket launcher, along with a RBS (Rotating Blade Sword) for melee combat. Compared to either the Redcoat-III or the Crusader, it was inferior due to its lack of a Float System, and its use of ballistic weaponry instead of kinetic accelerators or beam weapons, but had superior mobility compared to either due to its hover jets and had greater survivability against anything less than beam weapons compared to the former thanks to its heavier armor.

The naval guns fired, taking out tower-mounted 73mm guns around the corners of the Britannian prison. The Seirans roared ahead of the JLF landing troops, machine guns and rocket launchers blazing away and clearing the docks ahead of the landing troops, before moving to assist the four Cloud Knight mobile suits engaging the Britannian mobile suits.

"These things are crap!" one of the Cloud Knights piloting the four captured (and hastily repainted and reprogrammed) Redcoat-IIIs complained as he fired his kinetic accelerator. "It's like piloting a Hi-Zack…only the Hi-Zack felt like he had substance behind it! This thing feels like it barely has any armor!"

"One could say the same for the Marasai." A fellow Cloud Knight replied. "These things might not have beam weapons, but they were built to fight mobile suits with beam weapons. Armor's barely worth a damn against beams, that's why they're built so lightly."

"I know that!"

Growling in irritation, the Cloud Knight fell back, firing his kinetic accelerator in a pattern to draw the Britannian in before arcing down to the ground, the Britannian in hot pursuit. Said Britannian promptly took a 240mm round from a JLF Seiran, tearing it apart. The Cloud Knight flew up, targeting the service wing of the facility.

"Rise and shine, Britannians." He snarled, opening fire. The service wing collapsed as 200mm kinetic accelerator rounds rapidly pumped into it.

On the ground, JLF and Cloud Knights infantry stormed the facility, overrunning the garrison and breaching the holding facilities within fifteen minutes. The inmates were shouting and cheering as fatigue-clad troops ran past their cells, but the soldiers were short on time. They had a window of forty minutes before Britannian reinforcements arrive, and they'd already spent twenty-five minutes to get there.

And many of the inmates were capital criminals: rapists, serial killers, drug dealers, etc. The JLF and the Cloud Knights had no desire to either release them or induct them in their ranks. But other inmates were fellow resistance fighters, either from the JLF or their affiliates.

One such inmate was Lieutenant Colonel Kyoshiro Toudou. The man had sat silent in his cell in the heart of the facility, bound in a straightjacket and kneeling meditatively on the floor. The cell had no windows, but he could tell based on the vibrations that a battle had erupted outside. As such he wasn't surprised when his cell door opened, and Japanese soldiers rushed over a Britannian guard's corpse.

"Kumo no Kishi…?" Toudou murmured questioningly as he spotted the patch on the sleeve of the man untying his straightjacket. "A JLF-affiliate…?"

"You could say that sir." The man said, pushing an SMG into Toudou's hands. "But please leave the questions for later. We have ten minutes left in our window before Britannian reinforcements arrive."

Toudou checked his weapon's safety, and pulled the bolt back once. He nodded at the Cloud Knight, and they rushed out of the cell. As they ran down the corridors, Toudou glanced out of the windows outside. Seirans and repainted Redcoat-IIIs were gunning down the garrison as they fought to stop the prisoners from escaping, and then Toudou and his rescuers along with other escapees were rushing down a fire escape to waiting trucks.

"VIPs secure…!" the ranking JLF officer shouted into a radio as the trucks rumbled to life and tore off towards the docks. "Commence withdrawal operations!"

In response, the I-09 and the I-10's guns thundered again, sending HE shells to explode on the Britannian lines as the mobile suits retreated as well. The two submarines continued to fire, buying time for the ground troops to board the launches.

"Long-range sensors detect a Britannian armored convoy approximately twelve kilometers away." A sensor operator in the I-09's bridge reported.

"Launches secure, they're moving towards us now." Another operator said.

"Reorient the guns." The captain ordered. "Target the approaching convoy and fire. Buy us some time!"

"Roger!"

The naval guns ceased firing at the facility, the turrets turning and the barrels rising as they aimed at newer targets in the distance. Toudou and others were boarding the subs as they fired several salvos, the HE shells arcing into the distance where they exploded in the heart of a Britannian convoy.

"Captain…" the I-09's XO reported. "…all surviving personnel have embarked, and hatches secure."

"Good…" the captain said. "…signal the I-10. Re-submerge, and proceed towards the rendezvous point. All objectives complete, I take it?"

The XO nodded. "All objectives have been achieved sir." He said. "No mobile suits were lost, either our own or those of the Cloud Knights. Though given they are joining our forces from this point onwards, that last bit is a bit redundant."

"And infantry losses…?"

"Light…" the XO said as the submarines descended deeper into the sea. "I have confirmed fifteen dead and nine wounded."

"I see." The captain said with a nod. "Very well, have both the wounded and our imprisoned allies checked by the doctors. And make sure they have something to eat as well, something hot. It's the least they deserve after being stuck in that place."

"Yes sir."

Toudou gratefully accepted the hot cup of coffee handed to him by one his former – well not anymore – subordinates in the JLF, and sipped at it while looking out over the storage bay turned makeshift mess. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a group of Cloud Knights helping out in putting things together for the escapees.

"The Cloud Knights…" he began, with his subordinate turning to look at him in response. "…that's a rather unusual name. I can see that they're obviously Japanese, and they helped us out, but the name…"

"It sounds Britannian, doesn't it sir?" the other JLF man said in agreement. "I think we can count on their loyalty though. They did kill Prince Clovis after all."

Toudou looked at his subordinate in surprise. "They killed the Viceroy…?" he echoed, and the other man nodded.

"Yes sir." He said. "They also managed to get some critical information out, which might prove useful in the future. But this operation though wouldn't have been possible if not for Sierra Source's information."

"Sierra Source…" Toudou murmured. "…there's another variable out there. Wait a minute…the Cloud Knights, are they…?"

The other man chuckled. "Yes sir." He said. "They're backed by Axis. Unlike Sierra Source though, the Cloud Knights aren't Axis operatives, they're all Japanese exiles whose families fled to the Moon in the wake of the invasion. From what we've know, the Cloud Knights are drawn from Japanese exiles who refuse to assimilate into Axis society, and who have intentions of returning to live in Japan once the country is liberated."

"And yet Axis is helping us." Toudou murmured thoughtfully. "I suppose I can't complain too much, we in the JLF get a lot of help from the Chinese Federation, but there's a world of difference between them and Axis. Literally and figuratively…"

"Especially once we consider the guiding philosophy behind the nation of space…" the other man said in agreement. "…the enemy of my enemy…?"

"It certainly seems that way." Toudou said. "We might not be able to trust them for long after Britannia is defeated. But for now…"

"We take all the help we can get." The subordinate said, and Toudou nodded. "What about the Cloud Knights though?"

"They're Japanese. We should be wary, but all the same we can't persecute our own people. We've lost enough to Britannia already, and we don't need to add more losses out of paranoia. If their families return to Japan, then we should have no question of their loyalty. And if not…we'll say and do nothing but to keep our eyes and ears open."

"I understand sir."

An Australian submarine cruised its way out of the Gulf of Carpentaria on the surface, white foam breaking over the dark grey hull. A young woman with platinum hair leaned against the rail on the observation deck, enjoying the sea breeze and the natural sunlight, the former gently flapping her officer's mantle and its gold epaulettes.

"Sophie…!" someone called from behind her, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Sophie Fran looked over a shoulder.

"What's wrong, Charlotte?" the blonde asked as she returned her attention to the waters and sky of the Pacific.

"Nothing really…" Lieutenant Charlotte Hepner said, joining the other woman at the rail. "…just wondering what you were doing, that's all."

Sophie smiled. "Enjoying the Earth, that's all." She said. Charlotte looked at her from the corner of an eye, but stayed silent as Sophie continued. "This is all so different from our homeland in space isn't it? It's so beautiful. A part of me wonders why Humanity would leave the Earth, or even want to, considering all…this."

"Sophie…"

"But if we don't leave…" Sophie said sadly. "…we'll only end up destroying it. That's what Zeon Deikun said, didn't he? Humanity should leave Earth for space, preserving its environment and making room for new life to grow, flourish, and to eventually reach out to space in its own turn even as we do so now."

"And yet…" Charlotte murmured. "…we pillage the other planets of the solar system to substitute for the raw materials we would normally get from Earth, or cannot find there."

"True…" Sophie agreed. "…but Jupiter, the Moon, and the asteroids can't naturally support life, not like the Earth can. There are only a handful of worlds like the Earth in the universe. If it means keeping those worlds safe and green with life, I suppose the hypocrisy of pillaging lifeless worlds by those who live in space is a lesser evil, if it is evil at all."

Charlotte laughed at that, wondering as ever at the surprising depth of a woman who upon entering the battlefield fought with all the fury and bloodlust of a Norse Berserker. "I can't disagree with you there." She agreed. "I suppose you're going to say next that the mark of an advanced civilization is the ability and commitment to preserve those rare worlds for the coming races?"

"Not…really…" Sophie said in surprise, blinking at Charlotte. "…that's fairly deep Charlotte."

"Eh…no I…oh…thank you I guess."

Sophie smiled. "It'll take about five days to get from here to China, right?" she asked while turning back to the view.

"That's right."

"And then the action begins…" Sophie murmured, her eyes going hard ever so slightly. "…one Paladin Gundam, five Crusaders, one Doven-Wolf, a full company of commandos. More than a match for anything the High Eunuchs can throw at us as long as General Xingke lives up to his end of the bargain."

"This ship is equipped with ballistic missiles, isn't it?" Charlotte asked.

"No, ma'am..." a new voice said, and the two women turned to see an Australian NCO standing behind them. The man threw a salute, and the two officers returned it. The difference between the rather plain Australian uniform (though Axis enlisted and NCO uniforms were also plain in comparison to those of officers) and the more embellished Axis uniforms was striking. "…to accommodate mobile suits and the ability to deploy them, the ballistic missiles and their launch systems were removed. We could still provide support, but only in the form of long-range missiles."

"We'll be deploying Minovsky Particles." Sophie said. "I guess that missile support is no good."

"The missiles should have optical guidance." Charlotte countered, but then gave a shrug. "But optical systems aren't a complete replacement for radar."

She then turned to the Australian. "I suppose that you have a message to deliver, petty officer." She asked.

"We're about to submerge ma'am. Please return inside the ship."

"I see." Charlotte said before turning to Sophie. "Let's go Sophie."

"Yes, yes…"

"So we're going to Earth…?" Nonette asked.

"Yes..." Major Ple Zwolf (Ple-12) replied laconically, wearing a greatcoat and an officer's cap over her uniform as she took the Knight of Nine, the Eleventh Prince, and the Count and Baroness Ashford through Kiel Naval Base. "…Gibraltar to be specific, where we can count on the First Fleet and the garrison for additional protection, to say nothing of geographic proximity to the Third Princess' current location."

"Now all we have to do is nab her out from under Nellie's nose." Nonette said sourly. "I don't know about you major, but that's easier said than done. Nellie is obsessed with her sister's safety."

Lelouch snorted. "Yeah, that sounds like Cornelia alright." He agreed, and Milly laughed. Nonette glanced briefly at the Ashfords, but didn't say anything. They hadn't gone through the same degree of hardship as the vi Britannias, but they hadn't been treated well either by the court after the death of Marianne vi Britannia.

In the end she decided it was better not to judge their decision to flee to the Moon, much less their assimilation into the Axis Federation.

"When do we leave for the Earth?" Nonette asked, but it wasn't Ple-12 who answered.

"You will depart once Madrid is secure." Mineva Lao Zabi answered, joining them at an intersection accompanied by additional Court Guards and a giant of a man with a black beard. As Ple-12 looked at his face, images of the same man flashed through her eyes, grim-faced and carrying an unconscious and debilitated-looking sister of hers while a seedy-looking building burned behind him.

She shook her head to clear the images, and fought to bring her Newtype powers back in line. Mineva glanced at her briefly but didn't say anything, although she extended a mental nudge indicative of concern. A responsive nudge from Ple-12 indicated reassurance, and the Empress mentally relaxed.

"The North Africa campaign will begin after that." Mineva continued, leading the way to an observation gallery further along the hallway, her crimson cape flapping behind her. "The Third Princess' coming to our custody and thence to the creation of a Britannian government-in-exile will follow along the campaign."

"You sound so sure." Nonette said bluntly. "I still say it's easier said than done."

"Agreed…" Mineva said with a nod. "…but nothing of worth has ever been achieved without equal effort."

"Point…"

Mineva smiled and paused before glancing at Nonette. "Tell me Knight of Nine…" she said. "…what do you know about Gundams?"

"Gundams…?" she echoed with a raised eyebrow. "The Gundam…if I remember your world's history, the Gundam was an Earth Federation prototype mobile suit piloted by the White Devil, Ensign Amuro Ray. In his hands it was one of the deadliest war machines ever built, and was ultimately destroyed mutually by then-Captain Char Aznable and his Zeong during the Battle of A Baoa Qu at the end of the One Year War."

"Is that all?"

Nonette narrowed her eyes and then widened them in succession. She couldn't possibly…

"The Gundam's reputation was such that the Federation would continue to use the name to designate advanced prototypes." She said. "This is evidenced by the Gundams involved in Operation Stardust, Zephyrantes, Physalis, and the Dendrobium."

"And just before the Transition…" Mineva concluded. "…the Titans were rumored to be developing Gundams of their own."

"And you have Gundams of your own." Nonette said. "The units which took me and Luciano down, those Paladins, they're Gundams aren't they?"

"Limited-production Gundams for field-testing new technologies, yes…" Mineva admitted as they entered the observation gallery, from where they looked down as mobile suits and other equipment and supplies were loaded onto a large, refitted courier. "…this is Captain Suberoa Zinnerman."

She indicated the giant standing with them, and he gave a polite bow which they returned. "He will be commanding the courier Oberon which will serve as your transport to and on the Earth. Major Zwolf as you already know will command the Honor Guard from the Imperial Court Guards, which will be composed of both mobile suits and ground personnel alike."

Mineva paused and turned to Nonette. "You Knight of Nine…" she said. "…you've already committed to assisting in the liberation of Britannia. I still have misgiving about doing this, but Haman's convinced me otherwise."

Mineva gestured and an aide stepped forward. "You'll be assigned a Paladin of your own." She said much to everyone's – except for the Axis officers and men who already knew – surprise. "It'll take a few more days to bring Madrid down it seems, and for the rest of Britannia's troops in Spain to surrender. In that time feel free to take advantage of the Paladin's limited customization options."

"Customization…?" Nonette echoed, and a smile slowly spread over her face. "Hmm…yes I think I could work with that, lots of opportunity…"

Milly smirked and Lelouch handed over a wad of cash. "What was that all about?" Mineva asked in bewilderment.

"Lulu didn't think Lady Enneagram would be…obviously enthusiastic about getting to customize her own Gundam." Milly said while counting her winnings. "He said that in this situation she'd be more…serious about things."

Lelouch muttered something under his breath, and Nonette cackled. "Aw come now, Lulu…" she said while patting him on the shoulder. "…you really need to lighten up. And why make that bet as though you didn't know me? You of all people should know that I like to take things easy."

"I don't know." Lelouch said. "It seemed a good bet at the time."

What he didn't say was that Nunnally had told him that her usual 'quirky' behavior was a form of escapism from the burdens of her actions being amplified by her Newtype extrasensory abilities. He'd assumed that having decided to face the truth, her quirks would vanish as well.

And now he'd lost five hundred Reichsmark as a result.

Mineva coughed uncomfortably, and turned to Ple-12. "Well…" she began while spreading her hands. "…any questions?"

Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald was in a foul mood. Just two days ago one of Britannia's bases had been attacked, and a number of mobile suits stolen. And then this morning those mobile suits had been spotted, painted in enemy colors and used in an attack on a Britannian Maximum Security Facility.

Kyoshiro Toudou, lined up for execution at the formal funeral of Prince Clovis la Britannia and the installment of Duke Calares as the new Viceroy of Area Eleven had been broken out, along with a number of other terrorists and insurgents. A number of Britannians had died along the way as well, and the failure of the Purists – who had de facto control of the Area ever since the Third Prince's death – to respond effectively to the theft of the mobile suits and to prevent the prison break was a black mark on their record.

There was also their failure to locate 'Jessica Valentine', the Newtype spy from Axis running wild in Tokyo to say nothing of Prince Clovis' Code-R. All in all, what could have been a golden opportunity for the Purists to bring glory and recognition to their name and cause alike had been squandered.

And Duke Calares didn't seem particularly impressed by him either. "Margrave Gottwald…" he said coolly in greeting, and Jeremiah gave a polite bow in return. As the Viceroy and a Duke, Duke Calares outranked him. "…I received your preliminary report. You've done well since His Highness' death, which is commendable in itself."

"You honor me, Your Excellency."

"Indeed…" Calares said neutrally. "…but Area Eleven still remains in many ways behind other Areas, which is quite surprising considering that Area Eleven is relatively peaceful compared to other frontier territories. No doubt this is due to Prince Clovis' lack of experience for which he cannot be blamed, but…"

The Duke trailed off, but the way he looked at the Purists made more than a few of them – Kewell Soresi in particular – bristle. It was clear that the Duke didn't care much for them.

"Much work needs to be done…" Duke Calares said. "…and I have no intention of disgracing His Majesty by proving his decision appointing me as Viceroy as erroneous in any way. I will expect things from you and your men, Margrave."

"Of course Your Excellency, you may count on us to perform our duty."

Further conversation was preempted by the roar of engines, and eyes turned and widened at the sight of mobile suits approaching the runway. They were no bigger than Redcoat-IIIs or Crusaders, but the new machines were still a sight to behold. Or at least, the beam rifles they held were.

"Ah…" Duke Calares said with evident approval. "…as should be expected from Prince Schneizel, his reinforcements are right on schedule. Yes Margrave, those are our newest mobile suits, the Morrigan. They're still behind by an extent, but the gap is much narrower now. The Morrigan is nuclear-powered, can operate in space, and possesses beam weapons. All in all, a fine example of Britannian innovation if I may say so."

What he didn't say was that the Morrigan suffered from the same problem as a Hi-Zack: its proton-Boron reactor could not produce enough power for more than one beam weapon at a time. Morrigan pilots thus had to choose between either a beam rifle-MVS combination, and a kinetic accelerator rifle-beam saber combination. Most would choose the former.

"What about that unit?" Villeta Nu asked, indicating a white and gold unit standing amidst the dark-colored Morrigans.

"Ah…that unit…" Calares said with a smile that had Jeremiah feel a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "…it is the Lancelot, a next-generation unit currently piloted – and indeed can only be piloted by – the Camelot Project's top test pilot…"

The Lancelot's cockpit opened, and the pilot stepped out, pulling off his helmet. Even across the distance the young man's Japanese features were clearly visible. "…First Lieutenant Suzaku Kururugi."

A/N

Toudou doesn't trust Axis, which is quite reasonable of him when you think about it.

The Midnight Fenrir makes their move, or at least they're positioning to do just that. Suberoa Zinnerman makes an appearance, and Ple-12 has a vision of her canon self (which didn't happen here thank God). Nonette also gets a Gundam. A limited-production Paladin Gundam to be sure, but still a Gundam for all that...

And the Purists get a slap in the face. Serves them right…