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Britannian Homeland, 3:00 p.m. Luciano walked into a hangar and looked up at the newly rebuilt Lancelot Sigma.

Luciano: So, you're the friend I made, all this time, and not Suzaku, hm? Sigma, I believe it was?
Sigma: Luciano...
Luciano: I hate to bring bad news, but your Director has perished. The fault lies with Zero and Alistair Wake.
Sigma: WAKE...
Luciano: Save your energy. We'll attack Area 11 and take it back, soon enough.
Bismarck: Luciano. Your Valkyrie Squadron has arrived, and the development of Gareths is complete.
Luciano: How wonderful. The Confederate Enclave's forces will help tremendously, with our forces. We'll wipe those Elevens off the face of the Earth.
Bismarck: We're only after the Tokyo Mavericks and the Black Knights. Civilian casualties will be at a minimum.
Luciano: That's your opinion, Knight of One. You're rather close to the Emperor, so one would think his thought process would rub off on you.
Bismarck: I am one of few that can keep His Highness on the right path.
Luciano: That's not what I hear.
Bismarck: What do you hear, then, Knight of Ten, Vampire of Britannia?
Luciano: I heard from a reliable source that our dear Emperor has no kind view on humanity. That much is obvious, with how he views Britannia should be. But, he wants the whole world under his thumb, all for him to control. (smirks) Because, his mommy died.
Bismarck: He lived in the dark times of the royal family.
Luciano: You say they were dark times, but it doesn't seem like it's stopped, has it? Enslaving the world to his whim, killing those who disagree with him...creating weapons of mass destruction.
Bismarck: The F.L.E.I.J.A. is only a last resort.
Luciano: According to my source, weapons like that are illegal.
Bismarck: Who told you these things?
Luciano: President Sears.

Bismarck growled and stormed off, entering Sears' room.

Sears: How may I help you, Knight of One?
Bismarck: I need to talk to Hawking.
Sears: (sighs, takes off glasses) This doesn't get any easier, Bismarck. You know this.

Sears pocketed his glasses, and his Geass activated.

Hawking: Hey, Charlie's golden boy! How are ya?
Bismarck: Spare me, Hawking. Why have you been speaking to Luciano?
Hawking: 'Cause, I could. Reminds me of me, except I didn't kill my parents, since I don't even know who or where they are. Also, Charlie's a nihilist.
Bismarck: You don't know that.
Hawking: Oh, but I do. I lived in the most cynical neighborhood you can think of, and it drove me insane. They wouldn't stop bitching and moaning, until I made them stop.
Bismarck: Even amongst the dead, you irk everyone around you, that doesn't think the way you do.
Hawking: And, you still haven't gotten off that amoral high horse. You still haven't gotten over the death of your darling Empress? What was your little crush with her about, anyway? How she was the only one to beat you, or the fact that she was already married?
Bismarck: Speak no more of Lady Marianne, devil.
Hawking: Charming, as per the norm. Alright, I'm done screwing with you. But, just so you know, the ship is sinking, whether you like it or not.
Bismarck: What do you mean?
Hawking: Britannia, of course. Take whatever strategy you like, I'll supply you with the manpower and firepower. But, karma's coming for that nihilistic ass of Charles'. And, if you somehow get ballsy enough to fight Alistair...good luck. Now, move along, you schmuck. I've got planning to do.

Bismarck glared at Hawking, then left the room.

Bismarck: (thinking) I have already gone too far to stop now, Hawking. I have my loyalty, as I promised to His Majesty and Lady Marianne. I will stand with Britannia, until my last breath.

Meanwhile, aboard the Yatagarasu, C.C. was in Zero's room, waiting for Lelouch to come back. She accidentally turned on the TV and got scared by it. Zero then entered the room, pushing a cart with a platter.

Zero: I've brought you something to eat, since I thought you'd be hungry.
C.C.: (hides behind couch)
Zero: What? Oh, right.

Lelouch took off his mask, revealing his face.

Lelouch: It's just me, C.C. (picks up platter, lays it on table) Aren't you hungry? I brought you this pizza, and had Sugiyama make it. Surprisingly good cook. Go on.
C.C.: It's...alright for me to eat this?
Lelouch: Of course.

C.C. picked up a slice of pizza, and ate it, immediately enjoying it.

Lelouch: Thought you'd love it.

Lelouch let C.C. eat, and dialed a number on his phone.

Lelouch: (thinking) Gonna need some extra help, with this one.
Alistair: (over phone) Yo.
Lelouch: (out loud) Hey, Alistair. So, uh, you know how C.C. passed out, when we got out of that dimension, a couple days ago?
Alistair: What about it? Is something wrong?
Lelouch: Definitely. She doesn't remember me, or any of the events we've been through.
Alistair: Amnesia, huh? Pretty specific one, too.
Lelouch: Well, more or less devolved to the point when she was a kid. And, a slave.

Something shattered on the other line, presumably in Alistair's prosthetic hand, and Alistair suddenly hung up.

Lelouch: Huh. Kinda forgot that kind of crap pisses him off.

There was a knock on the door, and Lelouch put his mask on, answering it. Upon opening the door, Kallen was revealed to be on the other side.

Zero: Oh, Kallen.
Kallen: Hey. So, is there an exact reason why the Masakado is heading this way? (notices C.C.) What's with C.C.?
Zero: Well, during our karmic escapade to kill the Director of Civility, who kidnapped Nunnaly, I wound up meeting my douchebag of a father, in another dimension. Long story short, the Emperor of Ego turns out to be a nihilist, is stuck in said dimension, and C.C. lost her memories, from before she even got Geass.
Kallen: (pause) Dimension's connected to Geass?
Zero: Yep.
Kallen: Alright, I believe you. The others might not, but considering the weirder shit they've seen, already...
Zero: Skepticism is lowered, I hope. C.C.'s...immortal, not by choice. She was a slave, once-
Kallen: Ah, so you called Alistair. I'm gonna want pictures of that therapy.
Zero: Deal.

Meanwhile, at the Britannian royal palace, Charles stumbled into Bismarck's room, panting in pain and exhaustion.

Bismarck: Your Highness!
Charles: I had checked Sigma's room...only to find it empty.
Bismarck: He had been removed from the Knight of Seven, when he was kidnapped-
Charles: Wake... Foolhardy child, of a foolhardy people. Get me a new pair of clothes, and treat these wounds.
Bismarck: And...what of the knife, in your hand?
Charles: I will deal with it, when I deal with it. And, change the bounties on the Tokyo Mavericks and Black Knights. The highest bounty available...and I want them all dead.

Back aboard the Yatagarasu, Alistair stormed into Zero's room.

Lelouch: Man, you got here, fast.
Alistair: I adjusted the Masakado's speed. Where is she?

Lelouch pointed at C.C., who was sitting on the couch, looking scared at Alistair.

C.C.: Are you...going to hurt me? Did I do something wrong?

Alistair approached C.C., and pet her head, smiling.

Alistair: Of course, not, C.C. You're too cute to hurt.
C.C.: (blushes) Wh-Why are you being so nice to me?
Alistair: It comes naturally, to me.

Alistair pet the back of C.C.'s head, as she smiled and hugged him, comfortably.

Alistair: So, what's the next move?
Lelouch: Reviving the United Nations, under a different name.
Alistair: Extra backup sounds pretty good. And, the Guren?
Lelouch: Its final upgrades are reaching their final stage. Kallen will be back in action, soon enough.
Alistair: She'll need to be. As will everybody else. If Britannia's bringing their best, then so will the Enclave, and whatever remnants of Civility they've got, left.
Lelouch: I...actually have something, to tell you.
Alistair: What?
Lelouch: V.V.... He gave Sears Geass. Hawking's been back from the dead, for some time.
Alistair: No wonder the strategies and tactics are all too familiar... But, there's an advantage, in that. Sears' body can't handle Mephisto, like Hawking's can.
Lelouch: That's good. Bismarck and Luciano will be part of the attack force, too.
Alistair: That Knight of Ten prick is a pushover. I'm honestly surprised he survived our first encounter.
Lelouch: Same. Now, to think of a speech...
Alistair: Try not to memorize it, otherwise, you're gonna stumble.
Lelouch: Right, right. By the way, do your prosthetics seem...upgraded, to you?
Alistair: They did it, again, huh? Those Medical Corps geniuses are as stealthy as actual assassins.
Lelouch: Wait, you don't even ask for the upgrades?
Alistair: Never asked for the metal scars, to begin with.
Lelouch: That's some serious dedication.