02

"Damn it," Tohdoh snarled, turning his Gekka straight at the Sutherland that had been responsible. He charged, not failing to notice that Urabe had brought his own Gekka behind his, so that just after Tohdoh slashed a diagonal cut across the Sutherland that came down to the right, the Four Holy Swords member made a second cut that went down to the left, creating an 'X' straight across the Britannian knightmare's body. The Sutherland fell down on its face and exploded not long after, its cockpit never ejecting.

Their numbers subtracting fast, the remaining Britannian frames chose the better part of valor and retreated back. Tohdoh was about to give the order to pursue, but the voice of Nagisa Chiba, another one of his Four Holy Sword subordinates, soon echoed from the radio. "Colonel, the Britannians are pulling back in all sectors, likely to mount a final defense around and within the government bureau. Victory is only a matter of time now, sir."

"I'll refrain from calling it that until all of our enemies are vanquished, Chiba," Tohdoh stated with resolution. "Have you encountered any Gloucesters on your end?"

"Not yet sir. I think Asahina's force encountered one, but it pulled back to the bureau as well."

Tohdoh looked back at the looming government building in question, one of the few that had not toppled over when Zero's underground sources caused the settlement to collapse. They really are mounting their last defense then. "All forces regroup. We're going to make our push on the government bureau. Expect the Britannians to do everything to halt our progress."

"Shouchi!"

Britannian Emperor-class sea carrier Emperor Maximilian

Pacific Ocean

Prince Schneizel el Britannia was a man that held very few emotions outwardly. Nervousness was not one of them, at least not usually. But even though he stood on the bridge of the carrier Emperor Maximilian, flagship of the Britannian Imperial Navy's Third Fleet Taskforce 31, with the same cold expression that he seemed to naturally give off, one could still see sparse traces of that very emotion emanating from him. It was a terrifying thing when such a man was shaken by an outside force.

The bridge itself was equally silent. The officers and crew still went about their duties, but they all felt the same fear and doubt that Schneizel was feeling, only they lacked the mental controls to keep it on the inside. As such, there was an eerie calm settled upon the bridge, and possibly the rest of the ship, the kind that occurred before or after a catastrophic storm struck.

And then it all came crashing down with one voice.

"The Elevens have just breached the fourth line of defense," said the radioman, looking toward Schneizel, who turned toward the man after hearing his voice. The Prince quickly noted look of terror in his eyes; it wasn't the kind of terror one had when facing death, but the kind that one had with the knowledge of imminent defeat. "Enemy knightmares are making their way to the government bureau. Sir Gilbert is organizing another line now, but it's not likely they'll be able to hold."

Schneizel allowed himself to take a short but deep breath, one that only the most perceptive would barely notice, to calm himself. The last thing he was going to do was let his own inner anxiety get the best of him. "Where is Major Kururugi? Is he among the defense force?"

It was a slim chance, but Schneizel was well aware of Suzaku Kururugi's exploits with the advanced prototype Lancelot. His mere presence alone could perhaps turn things to Britannia's favor. Such a hope was dashed when the radioman, after taking a moment to confirm, shook his head. "Major Kururugi has left the field of battle sometime ago. He claimed to be in pursuit of Zero, who is believed to be moving to Kamine Island on the Gawain."

Despite the negative feeling that welled up in Schneizel at that explanation, he arched an eyebrow in curiosity. If Zero is not leading the rebels, then who? Perhaps the man behind the Miracle of Itsukushima. Could that be exploited…?

That line of thought halted when he realized the radioman had said Gilbert was leading the defense effort and not Cornelia. "You said Sir Gilbert was in command. What happened to Princess Cornelia?"

Again, the radioman took a moment to confirm, and once more, he turned back with a grim expression. "Princess Cornelia has been wounded in action at the bureau's roof garden. Her wounds are deep, but she is alive. They're trying to evacuate her now."

"If they managed to defeat the Witch of Britannia…" someone spoke up with fear flowing through their voice like a waterfall.

"They are still fighting regardless," Schneizel immediately stated, managing to sound firm and reassuring at the same time, without having to raise his voice even. That seemed to be enough for the man who spoke, so Schneizel again turned his attention to the battle. "What about the Avalon? What was its last reported position?"

"Just a minute Your Highness," the radioman said before he asked the prince's question on the radio. The reply came as fast as the first two. "The Avalon is currently evacuating citizens from the settlement. Shall I send the order for it to support the defense effort?"

Schneizel didn't realize it at first, but he actually formed a brief smile across his lips when he heard that. Lloyd going out of his way to save humans? Even I never thought of hearing that.

Rather than answering the radioman's question, Schneizel paced across the bridge toward where the fleet commander, Vice Admiral Sir Nelson Keyman, was standing. "Admiral, it is apparent that this fleet will not be able to reach Area 11 in time to provide support. Would it be possible to send strike aircraft for reinforcements?"

The Admiral contemplated that suggestion, but replied with the same grimness as the radioman. "Unfortunately, none of our aircraft have that kind of flying range, my Prince. Even if they did, it would still take hours for them to reach the area."

"Are you sure? I was led to believe that she had long-range fighter-bombers onboard," Schneizel said.

"Yes sire, but even if they were to land at a ground base instead of return to the Maximilian, they would only have a range of four thousand kilometers or so," the Admiral shook his head. "There's just too much sea between here and the islands, sire."

It was then the radioman spoke up. "Your Highness, the Chinese fleet has now entered the Sea of Japan," he reported with even further grimness. "It's likely they're setting up for a land invasion."

That news hit Schneizel with almost with particularly strong effect, though he didn't show it obviously. He knew how it would play out. Once the Black Knights vanquished the last of the Britannians from the area, the Chinese would send in their own forces to repeat what they had tried to do at Fukuoka and make their way through the island. At best it would take a few days, but the Chinese would be victorious; whatever Britannian force that wasn't destroyed by the Black Knights would be ill-prepared to face the Federation's numbers, and the Black Knights themselves would be too exhausted from their battle with the Britannians to put up a worthwhile defense. Schneizel doubted that the Black Knights even knew about the Chinese moving in on Area 11, since they were too preoccupied to notice, thus making the surprise attack to come all the more devastating. In the end, the land known as Area 11 and its precious sakuradite would change hands from Britannia to China, with only the Federation gaining what it wanted all along.