"The Revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall."
-Che Guevara

Ptolemios II

Sumeragi sat down in her chair. Everyone had finally settled down a bit and Ptolemy was headed back into space. Setsuna came onto the bridge.

"So, how is Saji doing?" Sumeragi asked.

"He's in the O-Raiser hanger, he's doing alright."

"And that girl?"

"Miss Halvey is still in her room."

"I can imagine," Sumeragi admitted, "she's probably still going over everything in her mind."

"Sumeragi," Lasse spoke up, "would it help to show them all the information we have on the Thrones?"

"I don't know, that would be a sensitive area." Sumeragi then turned to Feldt. "Feldt, would you mind going to Miss Halvey's room. She's actually the one we need to worry the most about."

Allelujah, Marie, and Sergei were sitting round a table in a meeting room. Most of the talking was done by Allelujah and Sergei though, accounts of all that transpired five years ago. In the end, Smirnov simply shook his head.

"Simply unbelievable, all that fighting to end war and now look at us." Allelujah gave a light chuckle.

"I've been thinking that ever since I found out Marie was alive." The door slid open and Lockon came in.

"So...this is where you've been all this time."

"Oh, Smirnov, this is Lockon Stratus, Miester of Gundam Cherudim." Sergei nodded in introduction.

"Pleased to meet you. If you don't mind me asking, are you from a civilian background?"

"What makes you think that?" Lockon asked with his arms crossed.

"Your stature isn't that of a soldier. Not exactly untrained, but more relaxed, no apparent form of strictness in your stance. I'm an old soldier, like I told that young man back in the middle east, I pick up on these sort of things." Lockon gave a simple shrug.

"Fair enough. Actually, the only real reason I'm here now is because my brother was the previous Lockon."

"The previous Lockon? I see, the names are titles that are passed down through family lines?"

"Lockon is a speacial case," Allelujah explained, "Lockon's older brother Neil died in battle four years ago. Then, when Celestial Being was regrouping, Setsuna found the new Lockon in Ireland." Sergei gave an exhausted sigh.

"Looks like I have a history lesson in store for me."

Louise pressed her head against the wall of the shower, the warm water pouring down her neck and shoulders.

Saji...

He had grown from since they last met. She held her hands together and cupped her face, as though trying to prevent her thoughts from falling down the drain. Memories flowed through her mind, stopping and going at their own leisure.

"...it's beautiful...Saji"

"So it's Celestial Being is it?"

"I'll destroy you...I'll eliminate you ALL BY MYSELF!"

"He's doing well...he's working in space."

"Louise...don't tell me you're in a mobile suit!"

"That man is a member of Celestial Being!"

"You blame Celestial Being and the Gundams for the reason the world is twisted, but have you ever wondered what the reason was for Celestial Being's existence?"

"You are just a fed-up, spoiled brat who just can't stand things not going the way you want!"

"I'm sorry Louise! I should've been there for you! Instead I went into space an left you alone!"

She turned off the shower and wrapped a robe around herself after drying off. She sat down on the edge of the bed in the room she was given. She didn't know how long she sat there before someone tapped on the door. She hesitantly got up and unlocked the door. It slid open and she was presented with a girl in a Celestial Being uniform with long pink hair and cool green eyes.

"Sorry to bother you," the girl said with a friendly incline of her head, "I'm Feldt Grace, I was told to help you settle in."

"Oh, uh...sure, please come in," Louise struggled to say. She was actually taken aback. This girl wasn't like Setsuna, neither was that Sumeragi lady that brought her to this room. They were both more...emotional? That was probably it. The girl, Feldt, came into the room and immediately began sizing her up with her eyes.

"Hmm...well, you look about my size. I guess we would just have to make with what's due." She crossed to the closet and started shifting through the various articles of clothing. "Do you have any preferences at all?"

"Oh, no I don't," said Louise, giving her head a dismissive shake. "Not any more at least, I've sort of lost interest in those kind of things."

"Very well then, let's see, ah, here we go, please try this on."

A few minutes later, Louise stood in a Celestial Being uniform accented with turquoise. She had to admit, Feldt actually knew what she was doing.

"Um Miss Grace?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you a Gundam pilot?" Feldt laughed.

"No way, I couldn't see myself becoming a Gundam Miester in a hundred years. I'm one of Ptolemy's CICs. Besides, four operational Gundams is more than enough."

"Then how come another one appeared?" Feldt dismally shook her head.

"Who knows, the whole thing just terrible really. It's just like Team Trinity all over again."

"What's Team Trinity?" At this Feldt immediately realized she must have done something wrong, clapping a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, dear heavens I forgot, I'm sorry."

"No please, go ahead," Louise urged, wondering why she would be apologizing because of her of all people. Feldt began twisting her hands in hesitation.

"Well...four years ago we were approached by a different group of Gundams. Their Miesters also claimed that they were with Celestial Being."

"Were they?"

"Most likely no. If they were then they would at least refrain from doing what they did."

"Why?" Louise asked cautiously, feeling a growing sense of dread. "What did they do?"

"Well...they were ones who-" At that moment the door slid open and a younger girl in a uniform with a skirt poked her head in, a hurried exspression on her face.

"Feldt! I was looking all over for you! Sumeragi wants everyone in the briefing room now!"

"Mileina what's wrong?"

"It's that new Gundam! The pilot is about to broadcast another video!"

"This guy must love to hear himself talk," Lockon observed, as Setsuna and Tieria entered.

"So what's going on?" asked Setsuna.

"All the networks in the world have been over-ridden," Sumeragi explained, "All of them are displaying a countdown accompanied by a scrolling message that states that another broadcast by Veritas will commence shortly, please stand by."

"I don't get it," said Tieria. "How is this 'Veritas' able to do this a second time?"

"What do you mean?" asked Saji.

"The quantum processing system, Veda, is under the control of the Innovators. Veda does more than just gather and compile raw data and information. It also acts as an operating system for mobile suits equipped with GN-Drives. In addition, Veda can also be used to actually control the flow of digital information."

"So are you saying whoever is conducting these broadcasts is by-passing Veda?"

"Exactly, I'm surprised the Innovators weren't able to disrupt this one."

"What about the Innovators?" Most of the people in the room were surprised by the entrance of Louise, Feldt, and Mileina, but mostly because of her apparent knowledge of the Innovators, although there was one who was surprised for another reason. Saji immediatly looked Louise up-and-down a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Of course she noticed. "What?" She and Saji then caught each others eyes and blushed, momentarily understanding what the other was thinking.

"Can we change the focus of our attention please?" asked Anew from the front of the room, "Veritas' broadcast is about to begin."

all media networks

A white background with a blue circle with a red "V" over it (Veritas' logo).

Greetings all!

Most of you I can imagine were shocked by the actions of anti-government terrorists and the dramatic battle that followed the fall of the Africa tower. The reason for the Orbital Elevator's auto-purge was a detonation induced by a high-energy yielding particle beam. But let me ask you all something.

Why the hell would anyone use something, let alone a weapon, without testing it first?

Terrorists? Definitely a matter of debate. But the uniforms and weaponry of the faction involved with the incident at the Low Orbital Station is evidence of their origins. Ex-military or rogue military affiliation. One thing about the military is that they ALWAYS test weapons before they use them. But where in the world could a weapon of this description be tested? Well...it just so happens that I have an answer to that question.

Image of a massive crater in the middle a desert.

Behold, the former capital of the Kingdom of Suille. There's also a second site, the former capital of the Kingdom of Richera, but I was incapable of securing a photo at the time.
Back to the Kingdom of Suille.
A perfect, not to mention tragic, target for testing any random weapon of mass destruction. But something perked my interest. At the time of the blast, I was eavesdropping a meeting between the Royal Family of Suille and an induvidual by the name of Mahal, one of the division leaders of the Anti-Federation organization Katheron. Katheron, which takes its name from the Greek word for "pure," is easily the largest of the anti-Federation terrorist groups. Using that logic, it would only make sense to use such a weapon to deal a direct blow to such an organization. But who would that benefit the most?

*audible sigh*

You know what, screw it. You probably want to know what the weapon looks like right? Well then fine by me.

Ptolemios II, Briefing Room

Almost everyone in the room gasped.

"No way, he actually got footage of it!"

all media networks

Video of Memento Mori, plays until the laser fires and the camera shakes and goes to static.

There you go! Someone up-and-built a satellite weapon on the Orbital Ring. That must take a lot of cold, hard cash and blood money to build. Just tie a little ribbon on it and it would be the perfect gift for a terrorist. Just on little problem.

TERRORISTS CAN'T BUY CRAP LIKE THIS, LET ALONE BUILD IT!

No matter what vice you come from; mafioso, cartel, terror cell; you would never have the resources or the man power to achieve the existence of such a weapon. But who can? Let me see...

ID photos of those named.

B.G. Arthur Goodman, Homer Katagiri, Barak Zinin, Lee Zhejiang, and Aber Rindt. These are the criminals responsible for the creation of such a terrible weapon, and what is the Federation Government doing about it?

Veritas' logo

And a congratulations to Celestial Being. Your efforts in organizing a spontaneous joint-effort will no doubt go down in history. Just hunt down that final Throne and you'll get yourself a clean slate.

This is Veritas Stigma, the Gundam Meister of a new era. Peace out!

Ptolemios II, Briefing Room

The Broadcast ended, and everyone starred in silence. After a painful few moments, Lockon looked around and spoke up.

"Well, now what do we do?"