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: LOL. It's just a short flight to Eternal. There's no need for him to do that.

NukeDawg: I'll definitely check out your latest stuff.

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

Model number: N/A
Code name: COMET
Unit type: Covert Operation Mobile Enforced Tactics (COMET) for use by ZGMF-X17A Atonement Gundam
Manufacturer: Clyne Faction
Operator(s): ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty), United Emirates of Orb
First deployment: C.E. 73
Dimensions: overall length 99.46 meters; overall width 60.12 meters
Weight: 552.42 metric tons (not including mobile suit)
Special feature: Mirage Colloid stealth system
Fixed armaments:
2 x 120cm high-energy beam cannon
2 x 93.7cm high-energy beam cannon
2 x MA-X200 beam sword
77 x 60 cm "Erinaceus" anti-ship missile launchers (22 per pod, 12 per arm unit, 9 on tail fin)
Technical notes and history:
After the Battle of Jachin Due ended two years ago, Lacus Clyne, knowing that peace won't last long enough, ordered the engineers of the Clyne Faction to design a support unit for ZGMF-X17A Atonement Gundam (along with rebuilding the two lost METEOR units). They succeeded in producing a stealth version of METEOR known as COMET.

In every aspect, this mobile weapon resembled to METEOR with two differences. COMET was equipped with Mirage Colloid stealth generator (which powered by Atonement's N-Jammer Canceller upon docking) and its rocket booster was optimized to be much faster compared to METEOR. With these extra features, COMET will be very useful in covert and stealth sabotage operation.

Chapter 32: Revelation

Aboard the bridge of Eternal, Andrew was briefing the battle plan with Xander, Kira and Athrun.

"Kira and Athrun will try and take out first relay station of Requiem. Both Eternal and Archangel will provide cover along with our mobile suit units."

Both Kira and Athrun nodded. Andrew then turned his attention to Xander.

"Darklighter, you will attempt on station three. Alone."

Xander's jaw unhinged. "WHAAAT? Who do you think I am? A one man squad of mobile suits?"

Lacus who was looking on, smiled. "Of course we don't want you to take them head on."

"Try another method you've been specialized in." Andrew added.

Xander paused before continued. "You mean...stealth?"

"Correct. Besides, the squads who are guarding it aren't that many. Based on my estimation, you will be able to take them down easily."

Xander sighed in frustration. "Give the dirty job to me and let these two take all the glory, huh?" He continued, glancing at Kira and Athrun who were chuckling at his remark.

He then nods. "Alright. Fine then. Just tell us when to start."

Within half an hour, Xander was already inside his unit preparing for his covert assignment. Then, Lacus commed in.

"Sir Xander, we'll detach the COMET unit as soon as you launched."

Xander nods. "Yeah. Thanks. Take care, okay?"

"Don't worry. I will."

She then signed off. Moments later, Kira and Athrun appeared on screen.

Kira wished him. "Good luck out there, Xander."

"Just make sure you come back and back us up. Things will be pretty hectic out there." Athrun added.

"Sure, sure. Thanx, you guys. And please look after Maria for me."

"We will." Athrun replied.

The Eternal's catapult deck slowly opened as Xander prepared himself to launch. A while later, Meyrin messaged him.

"Xander, be careful out there. I hate to see my sister cry because of you."

He smiled at her. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna have myself blown up again. Twice is enough."

Meyrin smiled back at him. "Okay then. Good luck." Xander showed a thumb up.

"X17A ATONEMENT. PLEASE LAUNCH!"

His visor lowered as he acknowledged it. "Xander Darklighter, Atonement." Then, he smiled mischievously. "Saving the world from the scum of the universe."

With that, he launched out and Eternal detached the COMET mobile weapon. Xander docked his unit with the black support unit and enabled the Mirage Colloid. After tuning it accordingly, he pushed forward towards the designated coordinates. The speed and velocity caused Xander to reel back in his seat. And he reveled in it.

"This speed...is exhilarating...WOOO-HOOO!"

He stepped up further and Atonement faded from view within moments.

From the Archangel, Lunamaria watched Xander and his unit disappeared from view.

(Xan, please come back alive...)

"Luna."

She turned around towards Yvonne. "Yes?"

"We better get ready too. That guy Lorrnoke will brief us on our assignments."

The Impulse pilot nods. "Okay. Let's go."

Xander was cruising smoothly towards Requiem's third relay station until the large beam deflector came into view. He stopped to observe the surroundings.

"Odd. There's no one around. Something is very wrong here..."

He ran a scan throughout the area but still no sign of any ZAFT military units. Then, a sudden chill ran through his spine.

"Something is definitely wrong here. But I'll have to worry about that later."

Without hesitation, Xander went inside the station and used COMET's beam swords to tear apart the relay station. As the station exploded, he suddenly detected an overwhelming presence behind him.

"This feeling...it's her..."

He turned around to see the Eiskristall Gundam was floating not far from him.

"I will kill you here and now, Darklighter." Crystal's voice echoed in his mind. She then pulled out the beam lance.

Xander nods. "Fine. Whoever you are, I have to stop you before you start coming after my friends."

He then detached Atonement from COMET. The mobile weapon then turned into its mobile armor form.

"Sorry, friend. You have to go and help Eternal." He said as COMET left the scene. He then ignited his beam saber and prepared to do a battle to the death.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's dance!"

Without further ado, Crystal lunged at him and Xander blocked the attack. Xander countered with few strokes of attacks and Crystal easily avoided them.

"Good, Darklighter. Very good. My blood is boiling in excitement."

"Stop toying with me, woman! Tell me who you are!" Xander yelled as Atonement launched its sword DRAGOON at Eiskristall. Smiling evilly, Crystal avoided them and used its transparent wing blades to take out four of them.

"If you insist, Darklighter. Open your thoughts and I will tell you."

Reluctantly, Xander cleared the depth of his mind and saw Crystal's thoughts and memories poured into him. Then, his eyes widened in shock.

"You're...my clone...how..?"

"Remember Patrick Zala? He took a blood sample from you when you enlisted to ZAFT and after he liked what he saw in your genes, he decided to make a clone far better than its original. And it was the chairman that manipulated the DNA and altered its gender. I was born as a perfect clone with no after effects unlike that lowly Le Creuset and his clone, Rey."

Xander was still in shock upon the revelation. He tried to deny it but he knew Crystal was telling the truth. Seizing this oppurtunity, Crystal lunge at him again and Xander barely avoided it. Then with amazing speed, Eiskristall took out Atonement's left arm. Xander tried to back off but Crystal suddenly appeared behind him, with her plasma cannon readied. She then grabbed to put him into a submision lock.

"I will freeze you up and then cut you down to pieces. Then, I will be the most powerful Coordinator! No one will be able to stop me! Not even the Chairman. Not anyone!" Crystal sneered.

Xander could feel that the temprature dropped drastically and saw icicles started to form around the cockpit. He started to shiver. He tried to move his unit but failed. The grip from Eiskristall was too powerful. "Ugh...this...is this...it..?"

"Do not struggle, Darklighter. I'll make sure you die in peace...I mean PIECES."

Then, a ghastly laugh could be heard throughout the fallen station.

After the Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice launched out with METEOR, Lacus gave a speech towards the ZAFT soldiers about the Requiem's threat towards peace and pleaded them to stop fighting. But her appeal fell on deaf ears and a full scale battle occurred.

Meyrin, on the radar controls of Eternal detected COMET's signal.

"COMET is coming back!" she informed.

"By itself? Where's Darklighter?" Andrew asked.

Meyrin shook. "There is no sign of him."

Andrew sighed. "Something bad must have come up. I feel uneasy about this."

"There is no time for that. We have to concentrate on what lies ahead of us." Lacus said, grimly. "Prepare to dock the COMET upon its return."

Neo, Yvonne and Lunamaria were inside their respective units, waiting for the signal to launch.

"We only need to provide cover until Station One is destroyed. Then, we'll head to Daedalus to take out the control centre." Neo reminded the other two.

"Roger that." Yvonne replied.

"Affirmative." Lunamaria confirmed.

After a while, Akatsuki and N Dagger N were brought into the catapult. Neo was the first to go out.

"Neo Lorrnoke, Akatsuki. Heading out!"

Then, the golden mobile suit launched and shot forward into battle.

"Yvonne, please be careful out there." Miriallia said through the display. Yvonne smiled and winked. Miriallia slightly blushed.

"Don't worry. I will. Yvonne Norman, Nuclear Dagger. Launching!"

With that, the red Dagger headed out and turned on the Mirage Colloid to blend itself into the scene. Finally, the Impulse was brought into the catapult deck.

"Lunamaria, which Striker Pack do you wish to use?" Miriallia asked.

"Give me the Lightning Striker please. I need to be on battle as long as possible." she replied.

Miriallia nods. "Acknowledged."

Then, the Lightning Striker Pack was attached to the back of Impulse. Attached to its forearms were a pair of protective pads that doubled as a powerful electromagnetic cannon when they combined. Lunamaria braced herself as she prepared to fight against her former ZAFT comrades.

(I can do this, Luna! You can do it!)

"IMPULSE, YOU ARE CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF!"

She pulled down the visor. "Lunamaria Hawke, Lightning Impulse. I'm going out!"

The customized Impulse then left Archangel as its color turned to black and without waiting, it used the electromagnetic cannon to defend the ship from ZAFT.

(I hope I'm doing the right thing.)

To Be Continued...