Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY

The New Coordinate

Story:
AU of GSD. Xander Darklighter, a pilot with attitude problem was just assigned to Minerva when three new mobile suits were stolen from Armory One. What will happen when he decided to take that path in front of him?

Notes:
ChibiShinn: Thanx for the review. Glad this story got the approval from a rabid SEED fanboy. XD Keep on reading and hope you enjoy the ride.

ChibiRulz: Yeah, Xander will be hanging out with Jess for a while. Kinda an excuse for me to write my own gaiden (side story) from there but it won't stray far from the main story.

Thanx for the reviews. Keep 'em coming!

I don't own GSD, their characters or anything else aside from Xander Darklighter.

Chapter 10: Warrior Gone Astray

It was morning as Xander opened his eyes. Basked in the warmth yet fresh light from the sun, he stood up. To his surprise, he barely felt any pain at all. Remembering what Jess had said last night, he smiled.

(The body of a warrior. Maybe he's right after all...)

"Good morning Xander." Jess waved at him from a distance. With him, a net which contained their breakfast.

"Great. Fish again..." Xander muttered.

Both men were having their breakfast.

"Say, Jess. How do we get out of this island? We don't have a boat now, right?" Xander asked.

"No, we don't." Jess replied with his mouth full. "But I do have a mobile suit."

Xander widened his eyes in shock. "A WHAT?"

Followed by Xander, Jess made his way into the forest and they reached a clearing where a mobile suit was there. It was different from most mobile suit but Xander recognized it from its trademark colors and head.

"That's...a Gundam?" Xander asked.

Jess nods. "Yep. It is called Astray Out Frame. A friend from the Junk Guild gave it to me."

Xander looked at the unit thoroughly. He spotted a camera attached to its hand. "What's with the camera? You actually take pictures in a Gundam?"

"Hey, hey. I'm a man of peace here, okay? Plus, I'm not a fighter." Jess replied.

"Really. What would you do if someone attacks you?"

"Well, of course this unit have its own weapons. But they are pretty standardized."

"I see. Is that a backpack I see at the back?" Xander asked, referring to a rectangular container attached to the unit's back.

"Yeah. Pretty much. Since I'm a photographer, I need all the arsenals to blend in with the surroundings. Get it?"

Xander nods. "Yeah. It will be suck if this unit is caught shooting a battle scene."

"Right. If you're ready, let's go." Jess said as he got into the cockpit.

Puzzled, Xander asked. "Uh, go where?"

"To the Junk Guild. Don't tell me you don't need some sort of vehicle if you're thinking of global world-trotting. I'm sure the guild have a lot of stuff to give away."

Xander paused and considered his options.

(True, I need a mode of transportation in order to start my own journey. Besides, Jess will probably start to complain if I keep on hitching his ride.)

"Well?" Jess asked.

Xander buckled his sword and nods. "Fine. Take me to them."

A few hours later, the Astray Out Frame had reached the base of the Junk Guild which is a former Earth Alliance base, Artemis.

"Never thought anyone would use this place as their base." Xander, who was standing beside Jess, said.

Jess nods. "Yeah. But for them, it's better this way."

Then, the display picked up something. A red framed Gundam approached them. A spiky haired young man with bandanna appeared on screen.

"Hey Jess. Is that you?"

"Yeah. It's been a while, Lowe. Can we get inside for a while?"

"We?" he asked.

"Yeah. I have brought a friend. Don't worry. He mean no harm."

"Okay. Follow me. Be careful with the asteroids."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

Xander and Jess got out of the Astray unit and was greeted by the pilot of the red framed unit.

"Jess, it's been a while. How's the Out Frame?" he asked.

"It's better than I expected. So far, I haven't run into any ZAFT or Earth Alliance." Jess replied.

"That's good to hear." He then turned to Xander. "Is this the one you said?"

Xander nods and extended his right hand. "Xander Darklighter."

Smiling, he shook his hand. "Lowe Guele."

"Pleasure to meet you, Lowe. Is that the Astray Red Frame you're using?"

"Ah, yeah." Lowe replied short.

"I see. I only heard the existence of the Astrays but never actually seen them though."

Lowe laughed. "Hahaha. Really? So, what brings you two here?"

Jess stepped in. "Lowe, can you give him a vehicle of some sort? A small ship will do."

Xander nods. "I'm willing to pay for it."

Lowe folded his arms in deep thought. "Actually, business is bad these days and all we've been getting is uh, junk. Even if we do, we could barely do a thing with another war broke out between Earth and PLANT. But I do have something a little different. Follow me."

Xander and Jess followed Lowe further down the hangar and the young Red Frame pilot stopped in front of a mobile suit. It has a pair of sinister looking wings coupled with twin anti ship swords attached to its hips. "This is it. You can have this if you want."

Xander looked up and gasped. "A Gundam?"

Jess narrowed his eyes. "Well, I haven't seen this one before."

"Isn't this...the Strike Gundam?" Xander asked, remembering the legendary Strike Gundam from two years ago.

Lowe nods. "Yes it is. But now it is known as the Dark Strike Gundam. Model number LG-01A. A friend from Morgenroete sent the original Strike technical data to me and I built it from various materials around here. The best part is, it is sturdy enough to enter atmosphere on its own and capable of using the Phase Shift Armor mode. Plus, it possesses the Mirage Colloid and you can enable it even when you left it. This way, it won't be detected while you're away."

"Hmm. Aside from the snazzy features, this one is a large piece of junk. Besides, putting your initials as the model number just cheapens it further." Jess commented.

Lowe glared at the photographer. "I heard that."

"I...promised myself not to use a mobile suit anymore. I can't accept this. I'm sorry." Xander said.

"Oi, after the hell I went through to get you here, you better take it." Jess said, strangling Xander into a headlock.

"Hey...stop it..." Xander said as he gasped for breath.

"Jess, stop it." Lowe said. Jess released his submission lock on Xander.

"Xander, were you at Jachin Due?" Lowe asked. Xander nods.

"I see. I kinda understand your situation. But you have to think. Mobile suits isn't just meant for destruction or causing grief. It also can be used to help those in need."

The words struck Xander and he remembered the battles he fought alongside Minerva. "To help others..."

Lowe nods. "Like you, I was drawn into war but thankfully I managed to escape from it with the help from my friends. It is all entirely up to you, you know."

Xander closed his eyes. "I see. How foolish I am to see the bad side of everything."

"So, what will it be?" Jess asked.

Xander turned to Lowe. "I'm afraid I don't have enough money to buy it."

Lowe shook his head. "Nah. As long as you give me the technical data on your usage, I don't mind about the payment."

"You sure?" Xander asked.

Lowe nods. "Positively. I want to see how the unit I built and modified will fare."

Xander turned on the system for his new unit and adjusted the settings accordingly.

(It is better than I thought. Lowe is indeed a great engineer. Dark Strike, system start.)

Suddenly, Jess appeared on his display. "Hey Xander. Where will you go now?"

Xander shrugged. "I have no idea."

"How about hanging out with me for a while. Maybe you can be of some help to me."

Xander grinned. "Returning the favor, eh? Oh well, I do owe you one. Alright, I'll go with you until I figure things out."

Jess winked. "Great. Now let's go."

With that, Jess launched out with his Out Frame. Then, Lowe messaged Xander.

"Everything's okay?"

Xander nods. "Yeah. I don't have to do much. Thanks again."

"No problem. Just make sure you send the stuff I want and we're even. Well, I'm out of here."

With that, Lowe cut off the communication as Xander prepared to launch.

"Xan, I want you to have fun while using a mobile suit."

Smiling, Xander moved his unit forward into space. "Xander Darklighter. Dark Strike, heading out!"

He then turned on the Phase Shift system and the color of the unit turned from grey to black. The black unit shot forward as Xander screamed in delight.

"WOOOHOOO!"

To Be Continued...