@Slayer Anderson some musings from Jaegar.
Jaegar Reads the News
<JAEGAR NO GO ZONES: EU, MEF, NAL, Japan>
You lean back in your newly-imported swivel chair.
"Ahhhh... this. Is. The. Life!" You exclaim, throwing both hands above your head, talking to no one in particular. "What do you say, Madison?"
"Oh right, you're getting the coffee." Realizing your folly, you stop talking to thin air so the Cabal can't isolate your location.
'Well, better make like a normal morning person and... read the news?'
You slide over to the keyboard, turning on the program for disabling tracking of your search history through a eleventh-party proxy, and booted up the browser.
A black screen with green text greeted you, with prompts of HOME and NEWS and LAB.
You chose NEWS, like any other person would.
'Right, let's see how the Prince has been doing. The Witch-Hunters haven't shown up on my radars, so I'm guessing he must be doing well.'
Of greatest news this year...
Tales of Lelouch's exploits!
A conspiracy! Destroyed utterly! Surgical precision!
'My, that is quite impressive. With his skills in the shadows... there could be hope of taking them down...!'
You keep reading,
Apparently driven by the revelation that Duke Isacc Stadtfeld's primary heir had been designated as his half-Japanese daughter, one Kallen Kozuki-Stadtfeld.
You know that feeling well. "It was a while ago... remember, Madison?"
You remember that she was still out.
"Right, well, I was bullied for being different... okay, go AWAY, bad thoughts!" You swing your arms around to intimidate the computer screen, aware that even if the Cabal had tapped your lab, they would already know the information about your childhood.
...or what if They were using emotional manipulation beacons to affect your mood? You quickly scribble down another totally legible note in an almost-forgotten ancient African script to check for unauthorized transmitters when you can.
Those bastards.
Britannian homeland ... high-level talks which have been occurring between the Chinese Federation's governing body of Eunuchs and representatives of the Empire.
"Good. Excellent. Brilliant!" You gesticulate each word, making sure that the shadow figures looking for you through the screen know who they are messing with.
'Maybe I can finally get that vacation to Shanghai that Madison keeps bringing up...'
Area 5 has been brought firmly under Britannian control
"Those thugs! At last! Justice prevails!"
You spin around in your chair reflexively.
Well, you never had anything to do with Area 5. In fact, you were only aware of its existence due to Lelouch offhandedly mentioning it during one of his conversations with Madison.
He always seemed to like talking to her over you.
...
You scribble
an illegible note a perfectly legible note written in ancient Syrian, sticking it to the wall on your side.
'I will investigate this further.'
North Africa League... Cornelia li Britannia
'Hah! Just desserts for putting up a man-hunt for me!' You scoff. Those fools standing before Cornelia are done for! The Britannian army is just as strong as Lelouch says!
As long as the Prince holds up his side of the bargain, you're more than glad to go along with whatever political webs are spun. It goes to show how Brittania has been more accepting of you than those purported... 'free' places.
Middle Eastern Federation that they have moved to a wartime footing. Citing reasons of common cultural heritage, trade ties, and a common self-interest in fighting the invading power, the MEF was shocked by the fall of Cairo so rapidly, cementing their final vote to declare war on the Holy Empire of Britannia.
'Oh, that was a mistake.' With a chuckle, you take a stress ball from the table.
'Squishy. I like that. This lab really does have it all...'
MEF troops pushed across the Egyptian border and retook the city of Cairo in a surprise attack only hours after a formal state of war was announced.
MEF forces could not make gains far outside of the industrialized heart of Egypt.
The ball makes a loud *SQUEEEE* noise as you grip goes closed.
"COWARDS! The unjust and dishonorable are held back by their own ambition!" You slam the ball against your table. "I have no idea why I am so mad... no wait, I do. Extinguish the MEF! Show them a REAL surprise attack!"
At this point, with Britannian naval dominance in the Mediterranean Sea, it is unknown whether the MEF will move their Indian Ocean assets around the horn of Britannian-controlled Africa or if they will chance breaking the Red Sea Disarmament Pact and move capital ships through the channel, opening Britannia and Ethiopia to do the same.
"A good old... Area 1 standoff, if I sa-- am I using that term correctly? That's the place where they shot those Old Western movies, right?" You make finger guns and pretend to shoot at the screen.
artists and celebrities contribute
"PFFFFT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!" Seeing this, you fall onto the ground and start laughing, and laughing. And laughing.
After a short period of two minutes, you finally get back up and recompose yourself before letting out another chuckle at the statement above.
You scroll down so that the offending line is no longer in your sight. You have self-discipline, no matter what others imply.
"Blah blah, politics, blah nations, oh!"
The EU military premiered their new, domestically-produced Knightmare Frame
"Ohhhh, someone must have leaked those schematics!" There's a knock on your door.
"Come iiiin~" You already know who it is, since no one else knocks on your door. You shake your head lightly.
Madison held in her hands a tray with a cup of coffee and a cup of tea, with various snacks.
"So, how has your morning been?" She asks you, making her way towards you.
"I..." You stand up as she reflexively turns and lowers her head. "Am WON~DER~FUL~" In between each syllable, you strike a different pose, lab coat thrusting out behind you as it flutters briefly in the stagnant air, swiftly floating down.
"Great to hear." Madison sets down the tray on your table, and takes the cup of tea, ignoring you as she passes by your statuesque posing with your right elbow covering your face as your other arm flies out in a straight line to your left.
She must be mad.
Like Mad-ison! "HAH!" You let out, before closing your lips, not allowing the pun to come out.
Self-discipline.
With Madison ignoring you, you return to your musings in the news.
Partway through protests, what is later determined to be a gas explosion destroys much the Marie Curie Institute for Radiological Science, spreading a sickening cloud of hazardous substances and chemicals over much of the city of Paris. In the wake of the disaster, clean up efforts and and the political repercussions have lead the EU to institute a series of bans and harsh restrictions on all radiological research going forward to ensure such a tragedy does not occur again. In general, this year has seen wide-scale backlash against many forms of scientific development.
...you stare at the screen. The words start to take shape in your mind, forming words and phrases that shouldn't be there. You know this was the work of the Cabal.
They were sending a message.
You go down, reading the rest without a word.
The Republic, too, has suffered a grievous year of political demonstrations against the newly-elected president.
...breaking with the EU...
"Democratic citizens revolting against their democratically-elected head of state? What has this world come to? Surely this is... no..." The demonstrations, also a machination of the Cabal. Their influence is just too much.
You hear a loud slurping noise behind you, which you ignore.
...Euro-Britannia spends the year stumbling backwards...
refusal to accept the loan of any army groups or air support from Britannia
overdraw of their economy
a year of stagnation for Euro-Britannia.
Economic manipulation... passive politicians... subtle changes... this was all the signature work of the Organizations.
You were too smart to not notice the links. Lowering your head to brood, you steeple your fingers. "Organization or not, there is someone after me... they've been unable to find me and thus use the opportunity to destroy my possible hiding spots in a macro scale." You voice your thoughts loudly. "Madison, we must be vigilant, and NOT allow the Prince to fall. He may be the only one capable of helping us right now."
No sound.
"...Madison?"
You look back, and she's resting her head on her desk, staring into you.
You turn back around.
With the increased shipping of valuable Sakuradite and other materials, pirate activity is on the upswing in and around the islands. Several large cargo vessels are seized and their contents sold on the black market over the year. Cries for the Chinese Federation to take action apparently fall on deaf ears even as Britannia increases escort duties to compensate it's own naval trade. The ultimate response to the pirate threat has been undecided at this point.
Your face pales. These were the mercenaries!
"Undecided? UNDECIDED? Madison, it's already decided for us, and we're in trouble if those bastards reach us, I tell you!" You begin to hyperventilate, the memories of the past and visions of the plausible, unfortunate future flash through your brain. "I'll have to not only increase my research pace, but also the scrutiny! I see EXACTLY why Lelouch did not allow me out of the lab! Yes, he is most wise. The mercenaries cannot find me if I am to be inside my lab for the majority of the time. The walls are embedded with wavelength-interrupting material, stopping radio waves from travelling in or out! The connections are secure and isolated from the rest of the world, so infiltration will have to go through the rest of the base's security, both physical and digital, to get to ME and YOU!" It is at this point that Madison starts snoring.
You turn around, seeing Madison sleeping, now. She looks so peaceful.
Taking off your lab coat and putting it over her, you whisper to yourself and no one in particular, "well, a trusty assistant is more than a mad scientist like me could ask for. Thank you for sticking with me, Madison. Really."
You take the coffee and sip. Two sugars and one milk.
Perfect.
