Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed Destiny or Gundam 00, both are owned by Sunrise.

Collision

Chapter 10

"Hey there, you three. It's been a while."

"NEO!"

Neo grunted as Stella practically launched himself at him, the older blonde staggering back a few steps from the impact while Stella cheerfully crushed herself against him. "Good grief," Neo said with a small smile and while patting Stella on the head. "Did you miss me that much, Stella?"

Stella hummed an affirmative while still pressing herself against Neo. "How about you two?" Neo asked to where Sting and Auel were looking on, and noted that like Stella, both of them were wearing EFF uniforms, if currently lacking rank insignia. "Doing well?"

"Only if spending…I don't know how much time, in those pods counts as doing well." Sting replied.

"That said," Auel followed up. "I've never felt better in my whole life! These EFF guys are great!"

"Speaking of which," Sting began, narrowing his eyes. "You feel…I don't know…different? No…it's almost as if…I've never noticed the whole you or something like that, before…what is this?"

Stella blinked and pulling away from Neo looked up. She blinked at him twice more, and then smiling, placed a hand on his chest. "Neo feels really big and warm here." She said happily. "Stella also thinks you're like us…like Stella…now…and Stella likes you even more for that…"

Neo blinked, and then coughed. "Right…" he said. "I'm glad to hear that…anyway, you'll be given a more detailed explanation when you're briefed during and over your training for the next month. For now, that's your quantum brainwaves allowing you to…sense, your surroundings and other people beyond merely what's apparent and physical."

"Quantum brainwaves…?" Sting, Auel, and Stella chorused.

Neo scratched his head. "I don't understand it completely myself." He said. "Apparently, it's something possessed by Innovators – the next stage of Human evolution – as well as artificial variants of them, and which enhances their spatial awareness to a degree beyond most Humans would normally have. It also gives them limited telepathic abilities, which can be boosted and fine-tuned by technological means."

"Innovators…are those supposed to be like Coordinators?" Sting asked while sitting down on a nearby couch.

"I suppose there are similarities." Neo conceded. "For instance, both are supposed to be the next stage of Human evolution. That said, I'd say the biggest difference is that Coordinators are artificially made, while Innovators develop naturally, either awakening their abilities at some point in life, or inherit them from their parents. Another difference would be that Coordinators' abilities are largely physical: trans-Human strength, agility, dexterity, eidetic memories, enhanced immune systems, things like that. Innovator abilities are largely mental, though: quantum brainwaves like I said, give enhanced spatial awareness, as well as enhanced analytical abilities and limited telepathic ability. The only physical advantage they have over baseline Humans, would be changes in cellular makeup giving them – theoretically – a lifespan twice as long."

"…where'd you learn all that?" Auel asked with wide eyes, and also sitting down on a nearby chair.

"I was briefed." Neo said with a smile and a shrug. "And I was given a written report. I'm sure you'll get the same, soon enough."

"…Neo," Stella began after a moment. "You're an Innovator, aren't you?"

"…they say I am." Neo admitted after another moment. "Then again, I've always had high spatial awareness…like the rest of the elite Mobius Zero squadrons back before we had mobile suits in the Cosmic Era…"

"…thinking about friends long gone…?" Sting asked after a long moment, in which Neo seemed to have withdrawn into himself.

"Yeah…just a bit…" Neo admitted with a sigh. "Though, they also say my quantum brainwaves have distinct differences compared to other, known Innovators, but they chalk that up to individual variation."

Neo shrugged dismissively. "Oh well," he said. "I don't really care, to be honest. Not a scientist…"

The casual dismissal of the issue brought a smile to the three Extended Humans. It was just what they'd expected and knew of the man, and which was a comforting touch of familiarity to their situation, given all that had happened recently. Not just the raid on Armory One and the skirmishes that followed, but also being thrown between timelines of all things, then the mutiny on the Girty Lue, joining up with the Earth Sphere Federation, and then their time in the pods, something very similar and yet completely different to the regular maintenance they once had to have.

"…so…" Auel hesitantly began. "…are we Innovators, too?"

"No…" Neo said while joining Sting on the couch, Stella plopping herself down next to Neo and quickly latching onto an arm. "Well…it's complicated…you see, the Federation doesn't really know how Innovator abilities are awakened, but there are ways to get…watered-down, versions of their abilities. What they did to you…fixing the butcher's job the Atlantic Federation did to you guys…no offense…"

"None taken," Sting reassured Neo. "The docs briefed us, and I can say in all seriousness that there's a world of difference between what stuff they have back home and what stuff they have here."

"Yeah…" Auel said with a grin. "We get to keep all our enhanced abilities, and then some, all without needing to have regular maintenance and other stuff like that. And best of all, we get treated like people instead of as disposable equipment."

"…we don't have to go back, do we?" Sting asked.

"Not if I can help it." Neo said firmly, and Sting and Auel grinned. "Anyway…back to the topic from before…watered-down, pseudo-Innovators exist. The first are the Innovades, made by the paramilitary organization Celestial Being though since coopted – like us – by the Earth Sphere Federation. The details are classified, but their abilities are supposed to be the same as that of an Innovator's, except for a qualitative inferiority that varies from person to person. And of course, Innovades are artificial, kind of like Coordinators but focused on mental rather than physical abilities."

"…we're not Innovades, or counted among them, are we?" Sting asked.

"No…you are counted as Super Soldiers." Neo said with a shake of his head. "Made by the former Human Reform League, they possess enhanced physical abilities, some through surgical and chemical or cybernetic modification, others through genetic enhancement, as well as quantum brainwaves for enhanced spatial awareness and all that jazz. Like Innovades though, they have qualitatively-inferior quantum brainwave frequencies, the details of which are again classified, or in case of those parts which are not classified, I can barely wrap my head around."

Neo shrugged again. "In any case," he continued. "While the HRL was barely better than the Atlantic Federation when it came to treating their Super Soldiers, the EFF is much better. You'll be commissioned as officers, and when your tenure in the military ends, there'll be full benefits. You certainly don't need to worry about getting 'liquidated' as would happen back home."

"Works for me." Sting said with a shrug.

"It kind of sucks we're not Innovators," Auel said while picking his nose. "But I'm not going to let that get to me. I mean, who are we supposed to be, Blue Cosmos?"

"We used to work for them." Sting pointed out. "Though I see your point."

"Well, we don't work for them anymore." Auel cheerfully said. "So, fuck them and acting like them."

"Very frank…but I completely agree." Neo said with a smile and a nod.

"…Major Regetta…was she an Innovator…?" Stella asked. "Stella remembers…feeling something…when Major Regetta was talking to us…"

"…no, she's not an Innovator." Neo said, after a moment of thinking whether or not to reveal what he'd been told of his new staff officer. "She's an Innovade, though. She didn't tell you?"

"No." the three Extended or rather Super Soldiers chorused.

"…okay…in addition to being my staff officer," Neo said with a cough. "Apparently she'll be helping us with any difficulties when it comes to our quantum brainwaves, as well as answer any questions we might have about them."

"Sounds good…" Sting said with a nod.

"Yup." Auel said.

"Hey, hey," Stella said while pulling on Neo's arm. "What's next for us, Neo?"

"Hmm…well, what did Major Regetta tell you anyway?"

"She told us that we'd be forming an EFF black-ops unit, kind of like Phantom Pain, I guess." Auel said a shrug. "In a way, just like old times, I guess. Oh, and training too…will we get new mobile suits?"

"Hmm…not quite like old times," Neo began. "But about mobile suits, yeah, you'll be getting new ones, since the EFF brass wants Chaos, Abyss, and Gaia disassembled for reverse-engineering."

"Well, I guess we can't do anything about that." Auel said with another shrug. "Though, here's to hoping our mobile suits stay kickass."

"I'm sure they will be." Neo said before turning to Sting. "Do you have a question?"

"Yeah…" he said. "What exactly are the details of our new unit? And all those benefits we're promised…plus what specifically can we do with our quantum brainwaves? Major Regetta said you'd answer our questions, so…"

"…she's dumped the job on me, eh?" Neo said with a sigh. "Figures…oh well, I'm supposed to the CO so…alright…let's start with our unit, the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] Special Operations Force. We'll have a mandate…"

"What do you mean Commander Morton and his forces have been lost?"

"Weren't they supposed to be maintaining radio silence? Perhaps they've just been delayed, and they're simply refusing to respond, in light of the previous operational condition."

"No…they can't possibly be delayed. Even on silent running, the Morton Team should have reached Mendel by now. However, by all accounts, the Federation expedition continues to operate freely at the colony, and would likely already have forwarded a significant amount of data back to the Earth."

"…it can't be…"

"…Commander Morton…"

"They were intercepted? But how? They had two Laurasia Classes and one Nazca Class with them! And while most of their mobile suits were older GuAIZ Rs, they also had several ZAKUs with them, including a ZAKU Phantom!"

"Do you think it was the Federation?"

"Who else could it have been?"

"No…maybe an Earth Alliance unit was somehow transported through space-time…"

"Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds? How could an Earth Alliance unit be able to operate freely for so long? No…they might have been transported…but surely they'd have joined up with the Federation by now, as defectors or something like that…and I wouldn't be surprised too if the Federation welcomed them with open arms! Those damn Naturals have to stick together, don't they? That's all they really have in the end, just numbers!"

"Too many words…what difference is there between the Federation and the Alliance in the end?"

"Agreed!"

"I think so too!"

"Yeah!"

"That's right!"

"Absolutely!"

"Both are made up of Naturals…both are enemies of PLANT and the Coordinator people…no, more than that, they're a threat to Humanity itself! They're holding Humanity back from reaching its full potential, a potential that can only be achieved by Coordinators such as ourselves, who've unlocked all the hidden strengths and abilities in our genes!"

"That's right!"

"Agreed…!"

"Absolutely!"

"…more to the point, if the Federation really did intercept Morton and his team, why haven't they raised a stink about it yet?"

"…"

"…"

"…they're probably patronizing us. They let it go, so as to not jeopardize their upcoming peace conference with that race traitor Durandal."

"Damn Naturals…who do they think they are?"

"They're getting above themselves!"

"They need to be taught their places!"

"…just as important though, is how did the Federation even know about Morton and his team?"

"…what?"

"I mean…it was supposed to be a secret, right? As far as the rest of ZAFT is concerned, Morton and his team's departure was supposed to be just a routine patrol…so how could the Federation have known in advance that they were headed to Mendel, and deployed forces en route to intercept? And in such strength too, that no survivors were able to return and report the situation past the battlefield jamming?"

"…it can't be…"

"…you're not suggesting…"

"…I know it's hard to think about, but could there be a spy among us?"

"…"

"…"

"…Captain Bronze, please refrain from making such sweeping statements without any evidence to back them up. Right now, we need unity more than ever."

"I understand, and I apologize for any offense caused. But regardless, we need find out how the Federation found out about Morton's mission, and tie up that end. The last thing we want is for the Federation to possibly warn Durandal of any plans we make, and any hope for a return to Patrick Zala's righteous cause to disappear for good."

"I agree."

"I second the motion."

"Likewise…"

"…Commander Christian."

"Yes, sir…?"

"I'm putting you in charge of finding the leak, and putting a stop to it. See to it personally if you have to, we cannot, I repeat, we absolutely cannot lose this struggle. No matter what…not just for the sake of PLANT or ZAFT, or all the sacrifices made in the past, but for all of Humanity, as well."

"…I understand, sir."

Booted feet walked in step down a metal-paneled corridor, lit by harsh xenon lamps built into the corridor's pillars. "So," Regene began, speaking over a shoulder. "Did you all have a good talk with each other earlier?"

"I suppose you could say that, Major Regetta." Neo said. "The details will have to wait until an official briefing for the three of them, but they know and understand the gist of Innovators and everything else related to them. Oh, and of course, they know and understand what we're going to be, and what we're supposed to do. Naturally, they also look forward to what they're promised at the end of all this."

Regene laughed at the last. "How very mercenary of you." She remarked.

"…hmm…you could call it that." Neo admitted. "But people have to eat too, and not everyone wants to stay in the military forever. If any of us ever leave before retirement age, we're going to need some payback for all the work we put in and to start over with. And even if we stay until retirement, we're still going to need payback to enjoy the rest of our lives with."

"Oh?" Regene said with a curious note. "Which is it for you, Colonel Roanoke?"

"…for now, I've got nothing to do or people to see outside the military." Neo answered. "That might change, but for now…that's answer enough, isn't it?"

"Hmm…and you three?"

"Stella will go where Neo goes." Stella cheerfully replied.

"Meh…someone's got to keep an eye on Stella." Auel chimed in.

"And someone's got to keep a leash on Auel." Sting added.

"Hey!"

Regene laughed at the banter. "Ah…Super Soldiers…" she said with a shake of her head. "Every last one of you have some quirk of some kind, though it's not really surprising, considering what the HRL or in your cases, the Atlantic Federation, did to your minds and bodies. Though, I have to say you three are very lucky."

"How so?" Sting asked.

Regene looked over a shoulder. "At least you're only like a mildly-dysfunctional family." She said. "According to the HRL's research data, quite a few test subjects developed more serious issues like sociopathy, psychopathy, dementia, schizophrenia, and even nihilism among other issues."

Sting and Auel looked uneasily at each other, while Stella clung tighter to Neo's arm. "…so," Neo began with a cough. "We'll be seeing the mobile suits we'll be assigned, right?"

"The mobile suits the three Super Soldiers will be assigned." Regene corrected. "But first, some background: right now, given budgetary limitations, the Ministry of Defense has decided to give the fleets both in space and on Earth priority for the new GN-XIV mobile suits. Reserve and auxiliary units are to make do with older units, such as the GN-XIII and a number of high-performance prototypes or limited-production models, while rear echelon units will continue to use non-GN Technology-equipped mobile suits."

"…that shouldn't really be a problem." Neo said after a moment's thought. "From what I can see, the GN-XIV should be more than a match for the GuAIZ R which is currently ZAFT's mainline unit, though it remains to be seen with regard to the ZAKU series. The GN-XIII should also be able to hold its ground too."

"And the older units…?" Regene asked.

"…well, they'll definitely be outclassed by the GuAIZ R." Neo admitted. "But with good pilots and leadership, they should have a fighting chance."

"I see."

The five of them continued on their way in silence, until they arrived at a large pair of double doors. Regene typed in a security code on a panel nearby, followed by retinal and fingerprint scans. Rumbling filled the air as security bolts were withdrawn, and with a hiss of pneumatics, the doors slid open. The five officers waited until the doors were fully open before proceeding into the hangar beyond, and stopped after several steps.

Sting whistled. "So these will be our units?" he asked.

"Yes." Regene said with a nod. "The final unit assignments will depend on your performance in the following month, but based on your profiles, I'd say Misters Oakley and Neider are most suited to pilot the GN Cannons, while Miss Loussier pilots the 1 Gundam."

"In what way?" Neo asked.

"Both Misters Oakley and Neider favor a ranged piloting style, bombarding the enemy from a distance." Regene said. "Mister Neider especially, seems to favor just overwhelming the enemy with sheer firepower."

"Heh," Auel said with arms crossed behind his head. "So what if I do? Dead is dead, and it doesn't matter how all-around an enemy's unit is or how good it is up close when it's blown to pieces by beam after beam."

"Quite," Regene conceded. "As for Mister Oakley…well, as previously mentioned, his leadership scores are the highest, and a GN Cannon would serve him well in that role."

"Stay in the back," Neo said with a slow nod. "Unloading ordnance while directing allies further afield as per the tactical plan, huh? Makes sense…"

"And Stella…?" Stella asked.

"You my dear favor fighting up close and personal." Regene said. "Not necessarily a bad thing, as it does have a role on the battlefield, but we'll try and round you out over the following month. But, either way, a GN Cannon's not very well-suited for you. The 1 Gundam with its balance of ranged firepower and melee ability would be."

Stella stared at Regene, and then slowly turned her gaze away towards the 1 Gundam. Letting go of Neo, she walked a few steps towards the 1 Gundam, and stared silently at it. Neo stared after her for a few moments, and then turned back to Regene. "There's something else you're not telling us, isn't there?" he asked.

"Perceptive," Regene said with a nod. "And you are right. These three units are captured Celestial Being prototypes, which we'd like to have tested in live action on the battlefield, to determine their and their abilities' viability. Depending on the results, they will be the basis for future mobile suit development."

"…I see." Neo said with another slow nod. "Well, I guess it's no different from me sending them out in those three captured ZAFT machines during those skirmishes."

"Indeed," Regene said with a nod. "In any case, you need not worry about being sent to the battlefield with sub-par machines. Based on technical readouts and simulations, these three units are qualitatively on par with a GN-XIII. And depending on the pilot…"

"…could be a match even for more advanced machines." Neo agree with a nod. "I see…you alright with this, you three?"

"…might as well give it a try." Sting said with a shrug.

"I could do a lot of damage with four beam cannons." Auel said with a grin.

Stella was silent, and after a few moments, Neo turned her way. "Stella," he began. "How…"

He trailed off as he sensed something shift around her, and just looked on along with the rest of them as she walked over to place a hand against the armored, metal skin of the 1 Gundam's foot. "1 Gundam…?" Stellar said with a grin, her irises glowing. "Interesting…very interesting…I can't wait to see how you stack up to that combining bastard from before."

Windows appeared on the display, data scrolling down quickly but not so much that it was illegible for the people in the room. "So PLANT and the Federation have agreed to finalize the pre-conference meeting." Allelujah remarked. "The location shall be as proposed by the Federation government, and will take place within a month's time, to allow for the Federation State Department and PLANT Diplomatic Committee to finalize the drafts for both sides' agendas."

"Everything starts there." Setsuna said firmly. "Whether or not the seeds for peace will be sowed, or the sparks for a new war struck."

Sumeragi nodded. "I completely agree." She said. "If the meeting between Secretary Mitchells and Chairman Kazaefsky falls through or is compromised, then it is all too likely that the coming peace conference will be canceled in the aftermath. Should that happen, then tensions between Earth and PLANT will rise, and with them the probability of war will also increase."

"Then we can't allow anything to threaten the meeting, to say nothing of the conference afterwards." Allelujah said.

"One thing at a time." Lockon said. "Let's focus on securing the meeting first, and then worry about the conference afterwards. Prioritization is a thing, after all."

There were nods all around. "According to Veda," Tieria began. "The single biggest threat to the meeting and the conference alike will be ZAFT extremists, such as those that were the target of our most recent armed intervention. While there are other factors which could result in a failure of talks, said factors generally involve PLANT and Federation diplomats being unable to find common ground with each other, and are factors which we are unable to mitigate at this point in time. Therefore, it is only logical we focus our efforts on what we are able to take action on here and now."

Anew nodded as Tieria looked at her. "Based on signal intercepts and information mining and gathering algorithms planted inside PLANT's networks," she said. "Veda has identified multiple Coordinator-supremacist cells and organizations inside both PLANT and ZAFT. Evidence also points to the presence of a loosely-unified leadership coordinating operations and the like between those cells and organizations, and are likely how the extremists were able to pull off an attempted colony drop as well as the recent attempt to attack the EFF at Mendel."

"…so that's how the terrorists at Mendel were able to keep their machines active for so long." Lockon said with narrowed eyes. "Though it shouldn't really be a surprise: speaking from experience with Katharon, keeping machines well-maintained and combat-ready on the field isn't easy. Without external support, they shouldn't have been able to do so well as they did at first, veteran pilots or not, those damn terrorists."

"But," Mileina asked. "Whether it's our Earth or the one in the Cosmic Era, how could the terrorists have hoped to capitalize on the colony drop? I mean…if they get outed for mass murder, then wouldn't they undermine their own cause?"

"Not really," Sumeragi said grimly. "It would have been fait accompli, after all, and there is the old saying about victors writing history."

"If they had succeeded," Marie said with a mix of revulsion and sadness. "Then their cause would have been enshrined as righteous."

"Assuming they would have been outed at all." Lockon pointed out. "Their involvement could have been covered up, and the PLANT government could go in to help the survivors and appear as saviors for it. With all other governments wiped out, they'd have effectively gained complete control over the world. I imagine for the Coordinator-supremacists, that'd be enough, with the shattered Naturals reduced to clients and dependents for the emerging Coordinator elites."

Grim silence descended across the gathering. "…how is ZAFT responding to the missing ships and mobile suits?" Setsuna asked after a few moments. "We already know said unit was officially on a routine patrol, and that by now their disappearance has been noticed. If so…"

"The National Defense Committee is currently conducting an investigation." Anew said. "Thus far, that is all they've publicly said on the matter. Internally, however, things are more confused as far as Veda is aware."

"…if only we had HUMINT from inside PLANT and ZAFT itself." Tieria murmured. "Unfortunately, we haven't had the time and opportunity to set such up…"

"What's the plan to deal with those extremists, Miss Sumeragi?" Lockon asked.

"Beyond making sure any attempt by them to make use of hard military force ends in failure," Sumeragi replied. "Nothing that requires us to make any overt moves of our own."

"Oh?"

Sumaragi smiled. "Veda isn't limited to collecting information from PLANT and ZAFT." She said. "Information, after all, goes both ways. Veda and I both agree that Chairman Durandal while potentially having an agenda of his own, is a fundamentally well-intentioned man."

"He is a politician." Setsuna said. "Of course he has an agenda of his own. But, while I still sense something off about him, I agree that he doesn't seem to be…distorted. Not like Ribbons or Alejandro Corner were. Not truly…"

Sumeragi nodded. "Playing the role of an anonymous informant," she said. "Veda will leak information directly to the Supreme Council regarding the extremists. It is something of a gamble, but if they take the actions we hope they will, then we can simultaneously neutralize the militarists while allowing the PLANT government to demonstrate their goodwill to the world."

"And if they don't?" Lockon asked. "It is a possibility, after all."

"…then we must do what we must. For now, though, let's give them a chance. They deserve that much."

A/N

Looks like the extremists are in for a bad time, yes? Good, they deserve it.

I'm sure some of you are grumbling as to the three Extended turned Super Soldiers being assigned obsolescent machines like the 1 Gundam and GN Cannons. Except, none of those units are actually obsolescent. They're both comparable to the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] Generation Gundams (Exia and other Celestial Being units from season one), and are superior performance-wise to the GN-X line up until the introduction of the Ahead.

It's even stated in background material that one on one, the GN-X is inferior to the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] Generation Gundams without numbers on their side. The Exia Repair certainly was able to overwhelm a GN-XIII despite its crippled state, with only said state allowing Zinin to overwhelm it with his Ahead.

In short, unless you're facing next-generation machines like the GN-XIV or the GNZ series (which are explicitly the first GN Tau Drive-equipped units to be able to go toe-to-toe with Celestial Being Gundams), or are named characters/aces (essentially one and the same in Gundam), the 1 Gundam and GN Cannons are formidable units even at this point in time.

As for Durandal…actually, yes. His methods – the Destiny Plan and using Neo-GENESIS and Requiem to enforce it – are wrong, but his intentions are good, especially when one considers the circumstances which led to him adopting said methods. You could say he was twisted by the Cosmic Era in general (and by that son of a bitch Rau le Creuset in particular), but he was not a twisted man by himself. Then again, he is a brunette Char Aznable, so…YMMV, I guess?

One more thing…Mu is officially a Newtype, so his being seen as an Innovator up to and including having quantum brainwaves might seem…a case of favoring AD mechanics over CE or even UC mechanics. Thing is, what Newtypes have is just different by one word in terms of terminology: psychic brainwaves, as opposed to quantum brainwaves (that and Innovator eyes glow when actively using their powers, though Newtypes tend to generate a psychic aura when doing likewise). Considering how alike their abilities are, I daresay this is a case of semantics, as opposed to actual favoritism for one side or another.