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Inside the Daedalus, 12:46 p.m. The Black Knights and Tokyo Mavericks managed to break into the titanic dreadnought airship that served as the flagship of Charles zi Britannia, and are fighting their way through the ship, finding the cores that keep it afloat. The Masakado was approaching such a core, after fighting through several Knightmares, along with some Sutherlands and Burais. Charles’ voice boomed from the speakers on the ceiling.

Charles: Your immaturity is not only disappointing, but obnoxious, annoying. You, Wake, and all those you consider your allies, are merely spiteful children, playing at adulthood.
Alistair: We’ve had this song and dance, before, Charles. It’s getting old, fast. You already know where I stand, in this matter.
Charles: On the side of sin, yes. Your resistance is revolting. You fight against the stagnation that I worked so hard to create, to enforce. People like you are why I rule Britannia, why humanity is flawed. You’re living proof that control and order are wholeheartedly necessary.
Alistair: And, you’re proof that tyranny, despotism and nihilism prove nothing, in the end.
Charles: Soon enough...that determination will break.

Meanwhile, the Yoshitsune was cautiously approaching another core, along with other Knightmares, hearing Charles’ voice, as well.

Charles: I did not entirely suspect that more of my own children would betray me, let alone soldiers of my army.
Cornelia: I’ve got nothing to say to you, murderer.
Euphemia: You made Alistair’s life hell. I’ll make sure you pay for it.
Charles: If you will not obey your father, then I have no use, for you.
Darlton: You suck at being a parent, more than I do. I don’t abuse my sons, in the slightest, and they turned out to be badasses.
Guilford: I was blind to my patriotism, for Britannia, myself. But, the horrible acts that were committed woke me up.
Charles: You fail to understand that the ends justify the means.
Euphemia: Bullshit.
Cornelia: You’re just another hypocrite, lying to others to serve your own purposes.
Charles: Very disappointing.

Meanwhile, the Guren went with the Tristan and Mordred, heading towards a third core, Charles’ voice emerging from the speakers, once more.

Charles: How is it that my elite soldiers, the Knights of the Round, would betray their Emperor? What happened to your loyalty?
Gino: Have you ever considered that other people can have morality?
Charles: A meaningless word.
Anya: Save it. He’s already lost it.
Kallen: Once we’re done with you, Japan will be free!
Charles: And then, what? If Britannia no longer exists, there will be no order, nothing to keep the evils of free will in check. You need me. You need a proper ruler.
Kallen: That’s the thing. Everyone hates you. You take lives and countries, just to satisfy yourself. You’re a dictator, a fascist, a terrorist.
Charles: Evermore, shall you be a savage, succumbing to the ultimate sin of freedom.

The Shinkiro was almost at the final core of the Daedalus, accompanied by the Lancelot and Zangetsu, the group hearing a familiar voice on the speakers.

Charles: Lelouch. My most foolish son. Do you truly believe that fighting against the status quo will earn you anything?
Tohdoh: He quit being your son, when you treated him and his sister like trash.
Zero: Too true. I’m Lelouch Lamperouge, normally. But, now...I’m Zero.
Suzaku: I was once part of the Knights of the Round, as the Knight of Seven. I hereby renounce that title, in favor of...the Knight of Zero!
Charles: You would devote yourself to such madness, Kururugi?
Suzaku: Better than being stupid about every action I take. Besides...I think it fits my status as the ace pilot of the Lancelot.
Zero: I like it, as well.
Charles: It seems that dialogue will not sway you. Your deaths are the only suitable punishments I can think of, for your ilk.

As all the groups reached their respective cores, the pilots realized that the rooms housing the cores were massive, housing an army of Knightmares, perhaps nearly a hundred or more. The room the Masakado reached was filled with nothing but commander Knightmares and Royal Guard Vincents, the Yoshitsune’s group facing commander type Vincents, Enclave Knightmares and the Lancelot Sigma, the Guren’s squad being surrounded by various Sutherland types, Gloucesters, Vincent Wards and the Knightmares of Civility’s remaining AIs and Agents, and the Shinkiro looking at an army of powerful-looking Sutherlands and Gloucesters, Royal Guard Vincents, and the Vincent Enclave and Galahad.

Zero: Of course, we’d get the hardest room.
Tohdoh: The Knight of One’s the only one left, in the Rounds.
Suzaku: We can’t fail, here!
Cornelia: You’re not leaving this ship, alive, Sigma.
Euphemia: I’ll take him, alongside you.
Guilford and Darlton: (in unison) We’re with you!
Kallen: Wow… Since there’s no empty sky, I can’t use my wings, to the fullest.
Anya: I can still use the cannons.
Gino: No friendly fire, please!
Alistair: Let’s do this thing.

Four separate battles commenced within the four core rooms, the Black Knights and Tokyo Mavericks facing impossible odds, once again. Outside in the open skies, the fighting continued, between the airships, as the Gawain Nexus fired its Hadron Cannons at a large group of Knightmares, destroying them, as the Michizane took its position, on the Ikaruga.

Tamaki: Hey, Seth! How come you didn’t go in, with the others?
Seth: There wouldn’t be any room, for the axe. Also, I wanted to avoid friendly fire.
Tamaki: Ah, fair. I’m gonna try to give some covering fire, for the others!
Jeremiah: Roger that! I’ll also do my best out here, since the Slayer Harkens won’t do any good, in there!

Back inside the Daedalus, the Yoshitsune blasted several Knightmares away, with its shotguns, while the Yamato Takeru used its Tsurugi greatsword to cleave through various others. The Knightmares throughout the ship were heavily upgraded and reinforced, due to the Confederate Enclave’s influence. Sigma engaged the ace Knightmares, but could barely get a hit in, due to his unkempt rage allowing him to be hit with counterattacks, damaging his Lancelot.

Sigma: Die…! All of you, die!
Euphemia: Shut the hell up.

The Yamato Takeru sliced the Lancelot Sigma, in half, with its greatsword, destroying it.

Euphemia: That’s for possessing my boyfriend, asshole.

Meanwhile, the Guren destroyed several of the Knightmares guarding a core, along with the Tristan and Mordred, and each of them blocked attacks from the remnants of Civility.

Agent California: Aww, who’d have thunk that Alistair would even get a girlfriend? He’s such a waste of space, you know.
Kallen: And, you’re getting your ass handed to you, despite having Geass. You can’t turn it off, can you?
Agent California: ...Just die!
Garuda: I’ve had it, with you fools!
Agent Louisiana: This is the end!

As the Civility Knightmares went to attack, the Tristan fired its Failnaught crossbow, each of the VARIS streams hitting the targets. The Guren fired its Radiant Wave beam and the Mordred fired its Hadron Cannons, destroying the Knightmares, and both attacks struck the core.

Meanwhile, the Zangetsu clashed with the Vincent Enclave, while the Shinkiro and Lancelot fought against the Galahad.

Suzaku: Damn, he’s strong…!
Zero: No wonder he’s the Knight of One! Even I can barely land a hit on him!
Bismarck: You must know, yourself, Zero. Or, rather, Lelouch. Such abilities are a blessing, and I will not fail Britannia. Not now, not ever!

Bismack’s closed eye opened, as the piercings fell to the floor of the cockpit, revealing a Geass.

Bismarck: For I, too, have Geass!
Zero: Shit! This is bad!
Bismarck: My Geass allows me to see into the future!
Suzaku: Why...would you tell us that?
Zero: It doesn’t matter if we knew what his ability is or not. He’ll keep coming after us, and we can barely do a thing about it.
Bismarck: Too true! Now, fight!

The Galahad struck at the Lancelot and Shinkiro, with its Excalibur MVS, both Knightmares managing to either dodge or block the attacks with their respective melee weapons. The Lancelot rapidly attacked with its MVS blades, but barely managed to deal any amount of damage on the Galahad, due to the evasion and parrys. Even the Shinkiro had trouble hitting the Galahad, without using its missile launcher or Tesla Cannon, relying on the Hadron Cannons on its wrists and the Slash Harkens in its knees, due to the lack of space for such powerful weapons.

Suzaku: This is taking forever! We can’t beat him, like this! It’s a miracle that Xingke even landed a hit!
Zero: Seeing the future is annoying, that’s for sure! Tohdoh’s having trouble! Suzaku, help him!
Suzaku: What about you?!
Zero: I’ll hold him off! Now, go!

The Lancelot flew off to aid the Zangetsu, and the Shinkiro blocked the Galahad’s path.

Bismarck: Not bad, Lelouch. I actually didn’t see that coming.
Zero: Oh? Is that so?

Zero smiled under his mask, and had an idea. The Shinkiro flew toward the Galahad, and struck it with its axe, the Galahad blocking the blow at the last second. Bismarck looked at the Shinkiro, and noticed that its image in the future was fading in and out, going in numerous directions.

Bismarck: What…?! What is this…?! I can’t...see his future, clearly…!

Zero yelled with effort as the Shinkiro struck away at the Galahad, cutting its armor with its axe, each blow getting faster and stronger, and the Shinkiro pointed its Tesla Cannon at the Galahad, point blank.

Zero: Gotcha!

The Shinkiro fired the Tesla Cannon, sending the Galahad across the large chamber, completely damaging it, but not destroying it. With the Knight of One’s Knightmare out of commission, the Shinkiro moved in to assist the Lancelot in dealing with the Vincent Enclave.

Zanzibar: Now, I don’t mean to make this about where you come from or who you are...but, you’d best high-tail it out of this ship, before you get hurt, boy.
Suzaku: In all honesty, it feels like it’s about both those things, when you put so much emphasis on “boy”.
Zanzibar: No, no, nothing of the sort.
Zero: Really, now?
Zanzibar: It’s about your age.

The Shinkiro and Lancelot looked at each other, then back at the Vincent Enclave, shooting it with the wrist-mounted Hadron Cannon and VARIS rifle, repeatedly, damaging it beyond repair, as it fell to the ground.

Tohdoh: ...Wow. Never took him for an ageist. Racist, maybe, but not discriminating others for being kids.
Zero: I doubt it’s the last we’ve seen of him, so let’s deal with this core, now.

In the last core room, the Masakado continuously slashed away at the enemy Knightmares, making piles upon piles of Knightmare wreckage, until it finally reached the final core of the Daedalus. In the Ikaruga, Ohgi stood up, about to leave the bridge.

Ohgi: Is my Burai fully loaded?
Inoue: Huh? Uh...yeah. Why are you-?
Ohgi: Good. (leaves bridge)
Yoshida: Oh, shit.
Minami: Oh, how I missed this…

Inside the Daedalus, the squads of Knightmares destroyed their respective cores, weakening the Daedalus’ defenses and armor. In the bridge, panic ensued from the crew, save for Charles.

Britannian Commander: The cores are destroyed?! That’s not possible!
Charles: Send out all remaining Knightmares, and finish off this vermin.
Britannian Commander: (gasps) The reserves defending the cores...they’re all destroyed! How is this…?! This can’t be happening! How did this happen?!
Charles: Would you calm down? You’re acting hysterical.
Britannian Commander: We had the advantage, in numbers and experience! And, we were defeated! By terrorists, Elevens!
Charles: Or, don’t. (sighs in disappointment)

As the Knightmare squads left the Daedalus, Ohgi’s heavy weapons type Burai walked to the front of the bow of the Ikaruga, holding two heavy assault rifles, and priming its missile launchers.

Tohdoh: Oh, I’ve wanted to hear this, again! Ohgi, I don’t think the Emperor of Ego heard you, last time! Could you repeat your question!?
Ohgi: Gladly. Charles zi Britannia!

As Ohgi’s Burai prepared to fire its weapons on the Daedalus, several other long range Knightmares commenced the bombardment of cannon and automatic fire, just as the heavy assault rifles fired their bullets and micro missiles, and the missile launchers were fired.

Ohgi: HOW DO YOU LIKE ME, NOW!?

The other Knightmares joined in on the bombardment, the Shinkiro firing its Tesla Cannon and Phase-Transition Cannon, the Lancelot firing its Hadron Blaster, the Yamato Takeru firing its VARIS rifle, the Guren firing its Radiant Wave beam, the Mordred, Masakado and Gawain Nexus firing their Hadron Cannons, and the other ships firing their powerful cannons, damaging the Daedalus, heavily. Inside the bridge, Charles stood up and went to an escape pod, hitting an eject button when he stood up.

Britannian Commander: This is bad! Your Majesty, what do we-?!

As the commander saw Charles enter the escape pod, it went immediately down toward Kamine island, leaving him dumbstruck.

Britannian Commander: (pauses) Did he just abandon us-?

Before the commander could finish his sentence, the Daedalus’ bridge was destroyed, and the gargantuan airship fell into the ocean, leaving the Black Knights and Tokyo Mavericks victorious.

Alistair: Gotcha, bitch!
Nunnally: We did it!
Lelouch: (takes off mask) Not yet. I saw an escape pod heading toward the ruins.
Ohgi: Good. Get him. And, don’t let him leave that dimension, alive.
Lelouch: Huh?
Tohdoh: You heard the man. Go! We’ll hold off the reinforcements, from here.
Alistair: I’ll catch up, when I can.
Lelouch: Thank you. All of you.

As the Shinkiro made its way toward Kamine Island, a coffin-like device landed on the beach, and Hawking approached it.

Hawking: Hello, Marianne.

Once Lelouch landed, he exited the Shinkiro and went towards the ruins, activating his Geass and entering the Sword of Akasha. Inside, Charles was preparing for something, only to be interrupted by his former son.

Charles: You don’t know when to give up or do as you’re told, do you?
Lelouch: I learned from the best.
Charles: What do you hope to do? I cannot die, and this process can’t be stopped. You have failed, and can either let events transpire or delay the inevitable. Either way, victory is mine.
Lelouch: Yeah, right. Behind me is the only exit out of here. What makes you think that either of us will still be breathing, once the Ragnarok Connection is said and through?