The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the consoles. The lights were dimmed, casting long shadows across the walls of the private command office. Lelouch stood before a large projection of the Earth, glowing faintly with red and blue markers that charted battle lines and losses. His fingers brushed across the surface of the display, moving reports aside, pulling up casualty numbers, and rereading Tanya's latest transmission.
He read slowly, lips pressed thin. The battle had been a disaster. The Apsalus was gone, the Federation had unveiled a weapon immune to conventional fire, and Zeon's Southeast Asian front was bleeding men and machines. He stared at the data in silence, then let his hand fall to his side.
"This war," he murmured to the empty room, "is changing faster than anyone is willing to admit."
The door hissed open, and Jason Arkadi stepped inside. His uniform was still faintly dusty from the hangars, his posture relaxed but cautious.
"You called for me?" Jason asked, glancing briefly at the display.
"Yes," Lelouch replied, turning toward him. His voice was calm, but there was a gravity to it that made Jason straighten almost unconsciously.
"This isn't a debriefing," Lelouch continued. "It's… something more important."
Jason tilted his head. "You sound like you're about to give me a choice."
"In a sense." Lelouch gestured toward the display. "You've seen the reports. You've read what happened. Tell me — what do you think of the Federation's new weapon?"
Jason's expression darkened slightly as he stepped closer, scanning the images. "Its armor nullifies our conventional weapons. Its pilot fights like someone who's been in the cockpit for years. Whoever made this thing, they've just changed the entire balance of power."
Lelouch nodded once. "Exactly."
He paced slowly in front of the display. "Zeon still has the momentum. We have strongholds in space, the will of our people, and leadership that believes in independence. But victory alone isn't enough. If Zeon wins, and the Zabi family tears itself apart in the aftermath, what good will that victory be? It will only birth a new war."
Jason folded his arms. "And if Zeon loses?"
"Then humanity will sink back into Federation stagnation," Lelouch said coldly. "Corruption and bureaucracy will strangle progress. The sacrifices of every soldier who fought for freedom will mean nothing."
Jason studied him carefully. "So what are you suggesting?"
Lelouch stopped pacing and turned fully toward him. "I don't want you to just follow orders, Jason. I want you as my own man — not a pawn, not a cog in someone else's machine. Someone who can think and act independently, but aligned toward a greater purpose."
Jason blinked. "That sounds dangerously close to treason, depending on how this war goes."
"Not treason," Lelouch corrected. "Preparation."
He stepped closer, his voice low but sharp. "If Zeon wins and stays united, I will help build its future. I will guide it toward something greater than just war and conquest. But if Zeon wins and falls into civil war, I will oppose those unfit to lead. And if Zeon loses, I will carve out my own path — a new force that can stand against a corrupt Federation."
Jason's eyes narrowed. "You sound like you're planning to fight everyone, no matter who wins."
Lelouch gave a small, cold smile. "I'm planning to fight for humanity. No one else seems to be thinking that far ahead."
For a long moment, the room was silent except for the hum of the projectors. Jason's mind raced.
This man, he thought, is dangerous. Not because of his rank, not because of his resources, but because of how he thinks. He's not just planning for tomorrow's battle — he's planning for the next ten years. Who in this world could possibly outmaneuver someone like him?
He considered his own secret, the knowledge he carried from another world. The designs, the strategies, the understanding of technology that no one else here had. He had been careful to use it sparingly, careful not to draw too much attention. But this offer was different. This wasn't just survival — this was a chance to shape history.
Jason finally spoke. "If I do this, I won't be just another soldier in your little scheme. I want to be more than a piece you move around the board."
"That's exactly what I want," Lelouch said with a faint, approving nod. "I need a knight — someone who can move freely, strike where I cannot, and think beyond the orders I give."
Jason smirked slightly. "A knight, huh? Haven't heard that one before."
"You'll hear it again," Lelouch replied.
Jason looked away briefly, then back at him. "Alright. I'm in. For the first time since I got here, I feel like this might actually matter. My choices might actually change something."
Lelouch smiled, not the cold smile of calculation but one tinged with genuine satisfaction. "Then let's begin."
He turned back to the projection and pulled up a star map of the Earth Sphere. "We'll need people. Not just soldiers — thinkers, pilots, mechanics, leaders. People who can act independently, who won't crumble under pressure."
Jason stepped closer, scanning the map. "You have anyone in mind?"
"A few," Lelouch admitted. "But I want your input. You have a sense for talent — I can see that. I want you to recommend people you trust, people who can be sharpened into weapons for what's coming."
Jason considered that, thinking of the names and faces he'd seen on the frontlines, the people who had impressed him with their courage or ingenuity.
"I can think of a few candidates," he said at last. "But we'll have to watch them first. See how they perform under fire."
Lelouch nodded. "Agreed. We can't afford to gamble on unreliable pieces."
Jason chuckled softly. "You really do see this as a chessboard, don't you?"
"Of course," Lelouch said simply. "It's the only game that matters."
They stood together for a moment in front of the map, the room filled with the quiet sound of data scrolling across the screens.
"The future won't wait for us," Lelouch said finally. His tone was calm, but there was iron beneath it. "If we do nothing, others will write history for us — and they will write it in blood."
Jason smirked faintly, crossing his arms. "Then let's make sure we hold the pen."
Lelouch glanced at him, and for a moment there was no commander and subordinate, no superior and junior. There were only two men who knew they were about to set something in motion that could change everything.
Jason let his thoughts linger as he left the room later that night. This is it, he told himself. The chance to become something more than just a pawn. To be the right hand of the man who might actually reshape this entire world.
He smiled faintly to himself, already thinking of who he would recommend for their cause.