SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 26 out, this is Chapter 27 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 27: Prelude to Tragedy

In the African orbital tower...

"This is a message for all citizens here." Hercury broadcast his intentions. "I am Colonel Pang Hercury of the Earth Federation Forces, Information Operations Center. My comrades and I have taken control of this station. We've taken over the garrison forces, the life support system, the linear trains and the solar generation system. We have but one objective: to inform the world of the brutality of the A-LAWs, the Federation Government's Autonomous Peacekeeping Force, so the public here can decide whether they are truly in the right. Are you aware that under the guise of eliminating anti-government forces, they have massacred millions of people in cold blood? Do you know how many innocent people have been killed in their bid to reorganize the Middle East? It's all true; you have been handled a false peace by the Federation's information control and without knowing it, you have all been living a dictatorship. While we are disclosing these facts to the world, I am afraid your lives will be in our hands. Go ahead and despise me if you wish, but let me make something perfectly clear. As soldiers, we're sworn to protect the interests and safety of our citizens. And that is why correcting the mistakes of a misguided government and military is also the sworn duty of a soldier."

"We're completely surrounded both here and the ground, Colonel." one of Hercury's men reported.

"Don't worry." Hercury assured. "It's just as we planned. What about Katharon?"

"They say plenty of their mobile suits are already on their way here." the undercover Michael Trinity answered.

"All that's left is to see what action Celestial Being will take." Hercury noted.

In the Ptolemaios II's bridge...

"The Africa Tower occupied by a coup d'état force." Tieria mused, standing behind Sasha's seat.

"It's a Katharon informed us." Lasse remarked.

"This must be why the A-LAWs suddenly withdrew from the battle." Sasha reasoned.

"What are we going to do about it, Sumeragi-san?" Allelujah asked.

"Obviously, we're gonna help them, right?" Lasse pressed.

"The Coalition has an extensive information network that's comparable to VEDA." Sumeragi spoke. "So, how did they fail to notice the planning of this incident?"

"Are you suggesting they predicted the coup d'état, but still let it go ahead?" Feldt guessed.

"It's a possibility." Sumeragi agreed.

"But now that the A-LAWs are involved, we can't just sit back and watch." Lasse reminded.

"Also, the masterminds behind the A-LAWs is the Coalition." Tieria added.

"Regardless of what they're planning to do, we have to actually o there and find out for ourselves." Sumeragi decided. "Furthermore, once Setsuna finds out about the coup d'etat..."

"He's be there." Lockon finished.

"Ian, can you get the weapons control system working before we reach the Africa Tower?" Sumeragi asked.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Ian sighed.

In the African orbital tower...

"Colonel, we have A-LAWs mobile suit teams." the soldier beside Michael reported.

"Don't intercept them." Hercury commanded. "The whole world is watching."

"Mobile suit teams are releasing containers." Michael added.

"The infamous automatons." Hercury realized what the boxes contained.

"They're through the bulkhead walls, sir." Michael informed.

"Switch the defenses to mode S to repel them, just as we planned." Hercury instructed.

In a hallway, with several automaton robots being shot down by the installed machine guns, a robot which had escaped being destroyed gained access to the station's database and began hacking.

"43 percent of the automatons have been destroyed, sir." another of Michael's workmates reported.

"Just a scouting part, perhaps?" Hercury's right-hand suggested.

"I'm not so sure." Hercury frowned.

"Colonel, Katharon forces are approaching the pillar." the soldier beside Michael informed.

"Is the Federation intercepting them?" Hercury asked.

"Negative, sir." the blond answered. "Katharon forces have entered the pillar's launch bay. They have joined our ground forces."

"The A-LAWs must been deployed on the surface as well." Hercury mused. "Yet they have chosen not to attack."

"Colonel, a machine has entered the pillar through Sector-DH42 and is ascending." Michael informed. "I'm bringing it up the screen."

"That's a Tieren Taozi." Hercury's right-hand recognized the mobile suit.

"Send some mobile suits to escort it." Hercury instructed. "It's the least we can do; a good friend is in that machine. So, you came after all, Sergei." he greeted his old comrade.

"I've come as a secret messenger from the Earth Sphere Federation Forces with a message fro Pang Hercury." Sergei declared. "The Federation Government will never submit to the demands you've made. We advise you to surrender immediately."

"You've come all the way up here just to tell me that?" Hercury snorted.

"The Federation Government's information control system is absolute." Sergei reminded. "Your message will never reach the world. Why have you taken innocent civilians hostage?"

"They are not innocent at all." Hercury raised a hand to silence Sergei. "Content with their wealth, they accept the Assembly's policies without question. This led to the government's corruption. It's the folly of these citizens that allowed the rise of an organization like the A-LAWs. We must open their eyes and show them the truth, even if the lesson is accompanied by pain."

"Isn't the military supposed to protect the interests and safety of the people?" Sergei argued.

"That's the reason why we're doing this!" Hercury snapped. "Or have you forgotten about the Emancipation Day Massacre?"

"Just surrender." Sergei advised. "If you do it now, there's a chance you can still save the lives of your men."

"The A-LAWs won't be that forgiving." Hercury reasoned. "This meeting is over. Return to the surface and convey my response to headquarters. We are not leaving here, and we will fight to the last man to hold onto it. Take him away,"

"I'm staying right here." Sergei insisted. "Do you really believe I only came here because I was ordered to? I don't want to go through another..."

"Colonel!" one of the system operators reported. "New automatons have broken through. They're heading for the gravity block."

"Close the bulkhead walls like we planned." Hercury ordered. "Have First Infantry Unit secure the route and guide the citizens onto the trains. Second Infantry Units will intercept the automatons."

"Hercury." Sergei realized his former comrade's intentions. "Are you..."

"The automatons are attacking the civilians too, sir." the blond soldier beside Michael reported, the Second Infantry squad was holding off the attacking automatons. "We have civilian casualties, sir."

"They've programmed the automatons for 'Kill' Mode?" Hercury reasoned. "Do you see now, Sergei? This is what happens with a misguided government and military."

"The first linear train has departed, sir." the linear train operator informed. "The second will leave in five minutes."

"You were planning to release the civilians from the very start." Sergei noted. "Then why?"

"Like I told you." Hercury answered. "I'm opening their eyes by having them witness the atrocities of the A-LAWs, even if it's accompanied by pain. That pain shall lead to doubts about the Federation Government and then the doubts will begin to grow. The government and military must have responsible citizens in order to function properly. If this is what it takes to open their eyes, I will happily sacrifice myself."

"Colonel, the Federation's announcement." one of Hercury's aides stepped forward.

"These images were recorded with unmanned reconnaissance drones by the Autonomous Peacekeeping Force inside the Africa Tower." the Federation's official spokeswoman broadcasted the Federation's response, showing doctored videos of the soldiers firing on the civilians in the Tower. "The anti-government forces have begun killing the citizens in the station. The Assembly is considering a forced entry by the Autonomous Peacekeeping Force." the amended videos then fizzled out, replaced by the real recordings from the Tower's security cameras.

"No matter what deceptions they use, the truth is now shown." Hercury told Sergei. "That's why I ordered that the citizens be sent to the surface."

"I can't imagine this whole scheme of yours is outside the Federation's expectations." Sergei noted.

"Even so, they won't be able to silence sixty thousand witnesses." Hercury reasoned. "Also, friendly troops and Katharon are on the ground."

"They planned on spreading false information to gain the public's support and give themselves a reason to attack." Sergei surmised. "But who in the world managed to bypass the Federation's information security? What will the A-LAWs do now?"

Nena Trinity was then showed in an undisclosed VEDA Terminal, having used her access to VEDA to shut down the Federation's access to the station's mainframe.

In the combat airspace near that Ptolemaios II...

"Setsuna!" Sumeragi called out on the 00-Raiser's intercom, breaking up the fight between Setsuna and Graham.

Cherudim, Arios and Seravee each fired off energy blasts to force Graham off.

"Setsuna." Allelujah was the first to arrive.

"What a guy." Lockon teased. "He's managed to stay alive."

"That's good news." Orange Haro chirped. "That's good news."

"Guys..." Setsuna's weakened voice sounded. "Is everyone all right?"

"What's wrong, Setsuna?" Tieria realized something was wrong with the pilot.

"Setsuna." Allelujah shouted as Arios and Cherudim moved to catch the deactivated 00-Raiser.

In the Ptolemaios II's bridge...

"This is..." Sumeragi frowned when she saw the Federation forces split into two. "This battle formation is concealing a much bigger meaning. Feldt, show the wind speed data within one thousand kilometers of the Tower."

"It can't be!" Sasha gasped, realizing the A-LAWs' true aim. "Just as I suspected, they have a second satellite weapon!"

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