Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY

The New Coordinate

Story:
AU of GSD. Xander Darklighter, a ZAFT ace pilot was thrown into a string of events that will test his skills, resolve, courage and determination. Which side will he choose to fight with? How will he deal with the events unfolding before him?

Notes:
ChibiRulz: Shinn's fate, eh? It will most likely follows what happened in the series. Minus Luna of course. But it all depends on my level of laziness. Seriously.

NukeDawg: About the Impulse matter, I sorted that out. No worries, eh?

Shinigami Keitaro: Meh, I write this story assuming you guys already watched GSD. Hence, I won't trouble myself in typing in the battle between those two.

GodNo127: Well, not exactly owned though I would like to do so. Just don't wanna offend Shinn's fans out there you know...

Prepare for another new character I'm gonna introduce (this late?). What's her relation with Xander?

I don't own GSD, their characters or anything else aside from Xander Darklighter, Claire Whitestar, Yvonne Norman and Crystal Blue.

Chapter 28: The New Coordinator

Atonement Gundam docked into Archangel and Xander jumped out from the cockpit. He took off the helmet and a pair of headset. Kira approached him.

"Did you get to use the PX system?"

Xander shook. "Nuh-uh. PX system sounds great and all but it will have an effect on me and the suit if it's overused. I will only use it when I absolutely, extremely need it. By the way, is Athrun alright?"

"He collapsed the moment ZAFT forces withdrew."

"I knew it. Oh well, at least he'll be fine."

Kira turned towards his back. "Looks like someone's here to see you."

"Hm?" Xander looked at Kira's direction to see Lunamaria running at him. She was wearing a formal white Orb military uniform coupled with miniskirt and a pair of black high-knee stockings. Xander wondered where did she get those stockings.

"Xander!" Lunamaria hugged him before he could say a word, ignoring everyone who were watching. Kira smiled sheepishly.

"Ahem. I think I better leave now..."

"Uh, yeah..."

With that, Kira turned around and left. Lunamaria looked up at him. He smiled.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's alright. As long as you're here with me, I don't care about anything else."

"Thanks. But I think we better go to somewhere...private. Too many eyes watching us here."

Half an hour later...

In his casual clothes, Xander started up the sports car with Lunamaria watching him.

"Can you wait a little more? I need to check up on my parents."

"Why don't you let me come with you?"

"Me and my dad have some issues with each other. Adding you into the mix will just worsen the situation. Please understand that."

Lunamaria nods. "Alright. But be careful."

"Sure. See ya!"

Xander pushed the accelerate pedal and the car left. Lunamaria watched the car disappeared slowly from her view.

"Already miss him?" A female voice came from behind. Lunamaria turned to Yvonne who was standing not far from her. She was wearing a male uniform of the Orb military with her long black hair tied neatly to the back.

"You're..."

"I'll introduce myself properly. I'm Lieutenant Yvonne Norman of the Alliance. Pleasure to meet you."

"Lunamaria Hawke. Pleasure to meet you too."

Xander arrived in front of the hospital and quickly found a room reserved for VIP. He opened the door to see his father Knuth on the bed with Christina and Mary Ann standing beside the bed.

"Dad! What happened?"

"Xander! You came!" Christina hugged her son.

"Master Knuth...he got hit by a stray bullet while we're evacuating...it hit his lungs and he just have a few moments to live..." Mary Ann explained as she was sobbing.

Knuth smiled weakly at Xander. "Son, forgive me for all I did..."

Xander went to the side of the bed and held his hand. "Don't talk, dad. Save your strength."

"I must, son. I think the time is right for you to know your origin..."

Christina was shocked by her husband's statement. "Dear, are you..."

Knuth nods. "Please tell Xander everything about it..." He coughed before continued. "Mary Ann, please take care of them for me..."

The maid bowed. "Of course, Master. I'll do my best."

Knuth then turned to Xander who was crying heavily. "Son, I forgive you but will you forgive me when your mother tells you everything about it?"

"Dad, I'll forgive you no matter what. You are the reason I'm here."

Knuth smiled and held Christina. "Honey...my time is up...thanks for...everything..."

Christina nods and cried on his chest. "I'm...so...happy..."

In moments, Knuth died with everyone in the room grieved over his death.

"I...I...failed..." Xander muttered, shaking his fist.

Yvonne and Lunamaria were talking in the cafeteria over some drinks. Lunamaria listened silently as Yvonne told her about how she met Xander and the things they did two years ago.

"So you two had a battle and Xander somehow beat you even though his skills was inferior to you."

Yvonne nods. "I can't believe he used such underhanded tactics to beat me. Distracting me with a beam rifle that was remotely controlled and then knocked me out."

"I thought that was part of battle strategy. Or something like that."

"I know that, Luna. But I prefer a straight battle to win a fight. Not using some distraction like that. Cheater."

Lunamaria chuckled. "Cheeky?"

"You can add that to his bunch of repertoire. Having Claire around really influenced him a lot."

Lunamaria stared at Yvonne curiously upon hearing the name.

"Can you tell me about Claire?"

"Let's see. She was the leader and the brain of Dark Crimson. She planned every operation with such details that they accomplished every single assignments without any glitch."

"I see. She didn't change even after she joined ZAFT."

Yvonne raised her eyebrows. "You know her?"

Lunamaria nods. "She...was my senior at junior high. We frequently hanged out together and she taught me many things. We were almost like sisters until the Bloody Valentine."

"Ah, I've heard from Xander that she had lost her family there..."

Lunamaria nods again. "Since then, she started to distance herself from everyone and finally vanished without a word. I never thought she joined ZAFT until I found this picture."

She then put a photo of Xander and Claire on the table. Yvonne took a closer look and nods.

Xander entered his father's study led by Christina. She retrieved a file and handed it to her son. Xander flipped through to see various DNA formulae and equations and diagrams until he came across the word New Coordinator.

"The New Coordinator?" he repeated.

Christina nods. "Before your father became a mobile suit engineer, he was a DNA specialist. And he...conducted his experiments on your DNA even before you were born..."

Xander took a few moments for the facts to sink in. "I see. That's why I always feel different from other Coordinators."

"Son..."

Xander smiled at her. "I'm okay, mom. I won't blame anyone for this. I'm glad because of the way I am, I was able to have many friends who I care about."

Christina hugged him. "Thank you, Xander..."

Later that night, Lunamaria was about to retire when she heard a knock.

"Lunamaria, are you there?"

She recognized the voice. "Miss Lacus? Hold on, I'll be ready in a while."

A while later, Lunamaria and Lacus were outside on the deck.

"What will we do now?" Lunamaria asked.

"We'll have to wait until ZAFT make their move. Until then, we'll be standing by."

"I see. How are you feeling, Miss Lacus? About the impostor, I mean."

Lacus just smiled about the live broadcast earlier in Orb when she appeared to snuff out Meer's anti Logos speech. She then looked at the night sky. "I feel sorry for her. And the Chairman for resorting to that kind of method for propaganda."

She then continued. "Are you okay about this?"

Lunamaria blinked her eyes then nods. "It was my decision to be here, Miss Lacus. To be with him..."

"Please take care of him then, Lunamaria. For the last three years, all he could feel were sorrow and regret."

"I...I'll do my best, Miss Lacus."

In his room, Xander was just done reading through the research files about the New Coordinator project left by his late father. He looked at the palm of his hand as he wondered about his origin.

"So, it wasn't only because of my talents and training for me to get this far, the genes in me played a major factor too. Faster, stronger and tougher than normal Coordinators. Well, glad I'm the only New Coordinator around here. I hate to think if there's anyone else who is the same as me..."

In his office at PLANT, Gilbert was briefing a young woman about her next assignment. She was wearing a formal red ZAFT uniform with the FAITH insignia attached to the collar. She was clearly beautiful with her pale colored skin really stood out within the darkened room. Her light blue hair was tied to the back and coupled with icy blue eyes, her appearance alone will strike fear into any normal person.

"Lunamaria Hawke's defection and the appearance of the real Lacus Clyne caught us off-guard. I'm assigning you to Minerva to assist them in taking out the Lunar Base and Lord Djibril. I hope you don't disappoint me, Crystal."

"Can I make a request, if I may." She asked.

"Please do."

"Please permit me to kill Xander Darklighter after I have accomplished the objectives."

Gilbert smiled. "Of course. Permission granted."

To Be Continued...