SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 16 out, this is Chapter 17 of this fic and the start of Season Two. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Pairings: Tieria/Sasha between Season One and Season Two. Allelujah/Marie and Lockon (Jr.)/Anew in Season Two.

Standard BS Disclaimers: I do not own Sailor Moon, Gundam 00 or the pairings. If I did, the other Senshi would be as powerful as Sailor Moon and kicking MOTD ass more often and VEDA would have least an anti-hacker program installed. The only thing I do own is the plot.

Chapter 17: Scars

On the Ptolemaios II...

"Just terrible." Ian cursed, watching the aftermath of the attack.

"So, this is how they operate." Lasse muttered.

"Damn those A-LAWs." Ian spat.

"Mileina, you shouldn't look." Feldt led Mileina out.

Upon seeing the body bags, Sumeragi's mind flashed back to the incident where her miscalculations had led to Emilio being killed. Overwhelmed by her memories, the tactical commander passed out.

"Sumeragi-san!" Sasha managed to steady the older woman before she hit the floor.

"What's wrong, Sumeragi-san?" Lasse hurried over.

"Ian, notify Dr. Moreno." Sasha instructed.

In the Rub' al Khali desert...

"We have an urgent message from Sasha." Allelujah informed his fellow Meisters. "It appears that Sumeragi-san has fainted."

"What happened?" Tieria asked.

"I don't know." Allelujah admitted. "But Sasha wants us to return to the Ptolemy."

"All right." Setsuna nodded. "Let's head back."

"You're coming, too." Tieria turned to Saji in the back of the transport. "If we leave you here, who knows what else can happen."

On the Ptolemaios II infirmary...

"Due to a psychological shock of some kind, she's temporarily unconscious." Dr. Moreno informed the crew. "Give her some time and she should wake up on her own."

"What on earth happened to Sumeragi-san?" Lasse wondered.

"I don't know." Ian sighed. "But there's no doubt that it was somehow triggered by this latest massacre."

On the Ptolemaios II...

"How is Sumeragi-san doing?" Allelujah asked as Sasha, Lasse and Feldt returned to the bridge.

"She hasn't woken up yet." Lasse replied.

"She may need to stay in bed for a while." Feldt added.

"What's the latest on the Katharon?" Lockon asked Mileina.

"I'll put it on the monitor." Mileina brought up the updates. "The Katharon members will begin evacuating at 1200 as planned."

"The A-LAWs will be back, without a doubt." Lockon told his teammates.

"We know." Tieria retorted.

"We'll send out the Gundams." Setsuna decided.

"But what about our tactics?" Allelujah inquired. "With Sumeragi-san unconscious..."

"Even so, we have to do something." Lasse reminded.

I really, really don't want to use the ZERO at this point." Sasha sighed. "But looks like we have no much choice. Lasse, we'll move the Ptolemy over the oceans." both helmsmen took their positions. "It's of the utmost importance that the enemy detects only us." inserting an earpiece into her right ear, she tapped a button and a crystal visor slid over her eyes. "ZERO System, initiate."

"Ptolemaios, taking off." Feldt launched the ship. "Disengaging optical camouflage."

"Estimating approximately 0037 until observation satellites spot us."

"All hands to primary battle stations." Lasse ordered.

"Feldt, have the smoke missiles on standby." Sasha added in monotone.

"I know they noticed us." Lasse remarked, after a while. "It's about time they started heading this way. We're sending out the Gundams."

"Decks One and Two, opening hatches." Mileina started the launch sequence.

"Seravee, Arios, prepare to launch." Feldt sent out Tieria and Allelujah. "Up next is Cherudim. 00, remain on standby." she then sent out Lockon and Setsuna, Ian reminding the latter not to use Trans-Am. "Confirming mobile suit formation, probably A-LAWs." she reported.

"We'll be entering combat airspace soon." Mileina added.

With the A-LAWs...

"Four Gundams have been sighted." Barrack informed his squad. "We'll break into teams and take down each Gundam separately. We'll leave the double-drive Gundam to you, Mr, Bushido."

"Our team's target is the Winged One." Soma voiced.

"Roger, Lieutenant." Andrei responded.

"The time has finally come." Louise muttered.

"Gundams spotted." Barrack led the remainder of his squad to battle. "All machines, begin your attack."

Arios and 00 took the front, with Cherudim hovering over the ocean and Seravee took up position at the back.

Barrack's group dodged Seravee's energy blasts and the GN-X IIIs flew in to engage the heavy-duty Gundam.

Parrying off an GN-X III, Tieria shot out a cannon blast from a knee, only to have the unit dodge the attack.

Lockon came in from underneath, shooting out the GN-X III.

Swapping to aerial mode, Arios led Soma away, before switching back to Gundam form. "This feeling..." Allelujah realized who his opponent was when Soma's Ahead tackled him.

"Test subject E-57!" Soma, too, realized who her opponent was.

"Could it be..." Allelujah came under heavy fire from Soma. "Is it you, Marie?"

"Lieutenant!" Louise turned to help Soma when she herself came under fire from the Ptolemaios II. "Stop interfering!" she took off towards the ship.

"Warrant Officer Halevy." Andrei called out and went after Louise.

On the Ptolemaios II...

"The auto-fire bombardment isn't hitting anything." Mileina stated.

"Ian, head over to the sub-bridge and take over the bombardment." Sasha opened communications to Ian. "Lasse, focus on handling the ship."

"I'm picking up a machine making a direct charge towards the 00." Mileina declared. "It's extremely fast."

On the battlefield...

"It's that new model." Setsuna recognized Graham's unit.

"Your marksmanship has improved as well." Graham noted dodging 00's shots. "That's the spirit, young man!" he clashed with Setsuna in a sword fight.

Setsuna kick the Ahead off his back, only to have Graham land a kick to 00's torso.

"Team leader, Warrant Officer Halevy is heading for the ship." Andrei informed Barrack who was chasing after Cherudim. "I'm going to go support her."

"Too naive!" Barrack turned his attention to Seravee

"Just as I'd expect from the A-LAWs." Tieria was impressed, raising his GN Shield. "These guys are skilled."

On the Ptolemaios II...

"Two machines are closing in on the ship." Mileina reported.

"Those two broke through." Ian hissed, having brought Saji with him. "Fire the Valiant!"

While Saji was hesitating, Sasha had the Igelstellung guns locked on target and she set loose the array of bullets at Louise's unit.

On the battlefield...

Setsuna and Graham renewed their fight.

"Taking it easy on me?" Graham growled. "Or is this an attempt to insult me?"

"At this rate, we'll..." Setsuna frowned and swatted Graham back.

"Please stop it, Marie." Allelujah pleaded, unwilling to fight his childhood friend. "It's me, Allelujah!"

"I am a Super Soldier!" Soma spat and pulled out her beam saber.

"Gundam!" Graham raised his beam saber. "This is your requiem!"

In response, Setsuna activated Trans-Am.

Allelujah tried to fight off Soma with his rifle shots, only to have said beam weapon pierce Arios straight in the chest.

SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.