Hello everyone. :) If you click this open then I appreciate the time you took in opening the story. I hope you all like this.

I don't if this know if this idea has been done before but I guess it's worth a try. The idea came from the Ali vs Lockon fight of Gundam 00 S1 and from rewatching it, came to me like what if Lockon didn't let his anger consume him and somehow had a moment or second to think. A brief moment of clarity that somehow let him examine things and had not died. :)

So, lemme know what you guys think about it. Like it, hate it? Write your criticism in the reviews if you want to. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam 00 or the Gundam Franchise. The right belongs to its rightful owner Sunrise.

Mobile suit Gundam 00: Altered Fate

Summary: Lockon Stratos in his duel with terrorist leader Ali Al-Saachez had a brief and slight moment of clarity in the midst of his revenge. Would it change the fate of Celestial Being? What would be the outcome of the small change one man has and its effect on the operation of UN Forces against the Paramilitary Organization Celestial Being?

"That's the Throne," he growled. His fingers twitched on the controls threatening to shoot even without accuracy. "Then that must be Ali Al-Saachez!" screamed the pilot making a mad chase after the terrorist leader. Grabbing the GN Rifle, he shot at the fake Gundam. His anger rose as each of his shots missed and the other pilot weaved through the asteroids expertly. Die! His heart screamed.

"All because I can't use my good eye!?" Ah! Dammit! Of all times! The coward! He raged as his enemy went to hide behind a large asteroid. The second given to him made him held his shot as he then breathed deeply then turning to his military training. Remembering to be calm, and objective. He had more self-control than that! Lockon Stratos of Celestial Being cannot lose himself in his anger, he thought of thinking of their family whose cold flesh couldn't smile anymore.

His hot rage turned to cold fury. Ali Al-Saachez from his knowledge was a very skilled pilot able to outmaneuver them in inferior suits. So, he pushed his anger down as he retreated. Moments later the man came out of the hiding place retaliating and bringing the brunt of his giant sword which he deflected with his own beam saber but the force behind the swing nearly pushed him back.

"Ali Al-Saachez!" he spit out the name in the same level as the devil himself as he contacted the man. "You're with the KPSA aren't you?!"

The man scoffed. How dare he put it lightly. The organization that killed and destroyed so many lives! "The Krugis punk told you about me, huh?" How dare this man remain calm and not drown in his guilt. Neil Dylandy's heart longed, no, burned for vengeance. Burned for justice. Justice for his sister, mother, father. Even his brother whom he destroyed his life! The Gundam Meister won't rest until he burns in hell! If he had to take him there personally then he will just to deliver the long awaited justice this man deserved!

Putting more power in his Gundam's thrusters, he pushed back Throne Zwei and grabbed a GN Pistol. The other unit reversed and blocked his shots with its large sword. "You're the bastard who ordered the bombing in Ireland! Why?" Why? They didn't do anything. They didn't do anything!

"What bombing?" The man howled in laughter. The fucker had the gall to laugh it off! "I bomb people all the time. I did it because I'm a mercenary. Besides," His rage burst inside his chest as the cage it was in exploded! This man was not a human being. No. He was a monster. Any man who becomes like this person was beyond human and saving. No god would want to save it. "It was obvious the Middle East would react violently when the EU built their Orbital elevator!"

"You involved innocent people!" Father, Mother, Amy. The people in the mall just living for their families. What did they have to do with anything? What?!

"You're the same as me!" This man grated in his being. How can this maniac say that they are the same as him!? Celestial Being fights for peace. They desire peace! Setsuna, Allelujah, Sumeragi, everyone. All of them had been changed by the songs of war. The child soldier, the super soldier, mourning lover. They all had tales of woe that made them let people bleed for peace if they had to. For no peace was achievable without causing a storm. They are not a mercenary group that causes chaos, they represent the change necessary for the future. "You're just a terrorist who says he's trying to eradicate war."

He pushes back the Throne unit and unleashed a barrage of beams upon it hoping to shoot the madman down with his righteous anger. How easily the Throne evades his attacks made his anger rise as he shoot some more. "I'll take full blame of what I've done…" Lockon grips the control tightly as he recalled the people he killed for the sake of peace. The pilots, foot soldiers. He would repent after he had made the world even a little better than it was yesterday. All for his family. For Lyle. They may have a strained relationship with his twin but he was doing this for him too s that Lyle would not had to shed blood of others. Not just only to sate his vendetta for this monster in human form. "After I've defeated you!" shouts the one eyed pilot unleashing missiles followed by quick shots from his pair of beam handguns.

Neil cursed the man's existence and it was only added by his missing and hitting only asteroids. He would not escape today! The man's anger ran unchecked chasing after the target of his emotions with a rain of pink beams.

Breathing to calm himself, Lockon's anger once again kept down he stopped his attacks. "I'll never forgive you," he growled enough for the man to hear as he turned left and around another rock. This gave him reprieve and get himself together. He could not match the man in melee, he knew that if Setsuna could be defeated by a AEU prototype. Loathsome as it is to admit, the man may kill him before that. He would still strive to kill that man before death took him, the sniper promised to himself.

The Celestial Being pilot immediately opened fire upon his exit behind his cover and raised the shield in time to be pushed back by the man making him grit his teeth in frustration. "Hit. Hit. Hit. Hit." Haro cried even as he maneuvered through the crimson GN particles.

"You are a personification of everything that gives birth to fighting!" When the Throne Zwei rushed towards him still firing, he couldn't dodge and switched to beam sabers pushing against the momentum of the Throne before him as they then circle each other. Lockon this time, attacked first swinging his close range weapon but he wanted needlessly tightly gripped the controls when his strike was blocked by the large GN sword.

"Keep crying!"

Lockon one handed the melee weapon only to draw the second one to bring upon this monster that caused his life hell.

"You and I are two of a kind!"

Two of a kind!? Saachez wished they were! He has a purpose. The monster before him had none! "I'm nothing like you!" screamed the man gutturally simultaneously swing the beam sabers crossly cutting down the humongous weapon. Bringing down the weapon to the now armless Mobile suit but ran like a coward he was.

"Enemy approaching! Enemy approaching!" Haro reported following the direction where the unit was detected. A lone damaged MS they fought earlier. His anger shifter from the man he was about to cut down to the fast approaching daredevil. Firing all his missiles left and storing his sabers to shoot down the incoming unit. "Don't get in my way!"

No one will get in his way! Justice will be served.

Lockon didn't care he was using so much of energy at shooting it down. He had to kill the annoyance quickly before Saachez takes advantage of the opportunity. He kept peppering it even when the missile hit it and covered by the veil of smoke. The attack didn't let up. Nothing would get in his way of destroying the menace of Ali Al-Saachez!

When the sensor detected nothing else, he hastily turned his concentration on his primary target as they fire back and forth. The cockpit shook continually. "Trans-Am!"

The speed in which the newly discovered system shocked him but was quickly overwhelmed by a feeling of satisfaction of now ensuring this man's death. The partially blind pilot cursed himself at his slight miscalculation of not seeing his right side as he hit the rocks and warned by his partner.

"I'll make sure this is your last moments! Ali Al-Saachez!" With great determination he passed through cutting the stolen unit as the man defend himself best as he can but was being pounded hard by his Dynames, cutting its feet and arms as he circled around it swiftly as he knew the Dynames was a blur but he gritted his teth when only he achieved only scratches. The reflexes of the monster was unlike any other. Circling around the opposing unit, as the Zwei then released its remote weapons. He rolled around the first shot and went passed it quickly downing it and flew above the Saachez shooting down the damn weapons. "Missed one! Missed one!" Lockon maneuvered around an asteroid and aimed for the Throne he smirked vindictively when he passed it and cutting its left knee and turned to shoot only to gape at the sight of a GN Fang.

"Shit!" he buckled in his sit as the attack pushed him backwards and his unit out of balance when found his Gundam without its right arm a status of a bleeding red on the diagram and the the right leg constantly blinking red.

Damn it! Leg's busted. How can he hit me even in Trans-Am!

"Ha! Ha! Ha! You can't see your right side, do you!? You thought that fancy move will save you? Think again, Gundam Meister," the mercenary dashed for him releasing two more fangs heading from both side with great velocity. Switching to his rifle. You will die by my hands you scum. He thought easing on his breathing a little and felling another one before turning to the other one.

"Impact! Impact!" the warning made him swivel around and faced the brunt of the attack with his remaining left shoulder shield. "Shield damaged! Shield damaged! Fang disabled. Fang disabled."

With a quick press of a button the man released his only defensive weapon and holding only his handy GN Rifle then shooting down the dashing madman. Curses after curses came from his thoughts dodging the red GN particle beams which grazed him with its accuracy. Responding in kind, he furiously shot back only to miss on a wide margin.

Lockon hid behind one of the many rocks and to get his bearings straight again for a second and going out again only to smirk as Saachez turned his back on him. "Die."

He was shocked when the man evaded the accurately aimed energy quickly that it didn't even manage to graze him when it moved out of the way and returned fire as he then sidestepped when it exploded to where he was.

"Ha! Ha! ha! Found you!" As the Throne Zwei approaches he threw his rifle in exchange for a saber to block the incoming swing of Saachez's own.

"Trans-Am finished. Trans-Am finished." The man was angry that Saachez didn't die even when he had Trans-Am! Only managing to separate a leg. How could such a talent exist in a horrible person.

He kicked the damn thing away and stabbed it only for the man to leap from his close attack bringing the menacing red weapon down on his remaining arm. Time slowed for him as the man denied his incoming death. The brunet would not leave the world with is unfinished promise! Every second ticked by, the beam saber closes the gap and his heart stopped.

"Ali Al-Saachez!" Setsuna's voice with emotions never before heard rang across the communications and promptly deflecting the strike.

"Krugis brat! How nice of you to join us," was their enemy's excited reply. "This is it! This is a duel of life and death! Isn't exciting, eh Gundam Meisters? Gundam versus Gundam. How exciting!" he said getting away from Setsuna's parry of the GN Blade just out of its range.

There they are now, two of them highly trained pilots against a lone mercenary. He was eyeing Ali Al-Saachez with deep rooted anger in his cockpit.

"Lockon, are you okay?" inquired his young friend in their private channel. Lockon Stratos was out of breath. Every maneuver he could think of he tried but the man was skilled than he expected. He was a cut above them, begrudgingly Lockon admitted but this fact would not deter him from ending Ali Al-Saachez with his own hands.

"Lockon angry. Lockon angry."

If the former KPSA thought of anything in the statement he didn't comment and spoke again, "Maneuver A-8." Was what he said. Neither did he say anything and went into action. The Exia confronted the mercenary with swift strokes of his blade and distracting the orange Throne as he then moved to spear his partners back only for Setsuna to sidestep the last minute and his thrust headed towards the invulnerable chest of his hated enemy. Saachez moved back and kicked away his offense and his Gundam Meister partner swung the blade down beside him only to be locked in the same situation as he did.

Continuing their coordinated strikes, even with their teamwork they were still hard pressed with the man's maneuver. The man was handling them both easy and he hated this fact. Setsuna whipped out a GN dagger and made a piercing motion only for him to slip as Zwei boosted back but he moved forward to defend his friend with only one weapon as he defended against Ali Al-Saachez's savage swings. "Damage. Damage."

"I know!" he said clicking his tongue. "Setsuna! B-6"

"Is this all Celestial Being has to offer!?" Saachez howled in excitement. "No wonder Celestial Being is finished!" said by the man kicking him away but Exia's foot caught it as he then ducked when the other's saber passed above the head making Saachez block it and he then thrusted left bringing down his weapon.

He smirked when one of its sabers move to defend but he rotated attempting to cut its back from the lower right waist across its back to its rear left shoulder. He grunted in pain when once again he was kicked away. By the amputated leg.

"Missiles approaching! Missiles approaching!"

"Setsuna!" a grunt was his younger friend's reply before they made a mad dash away from the barrage of GN missiles exploded within the area and blanketing it completely. The GN Arms swooped in and fired secondary beams as it exploded some more. They waited with bated breath for the stolen Throne, he barely moved in time with Haro's warning as a red beam came out of the smoke. He moved only to grit his teeth as he impacted harshly with the right leg being on critical level.

And lo, from the shadows came out he Throne Zwei still holding on but barely hanging with its head cut off, right leg now mangled too and the other limbs slightly better than the battered leg but only a little. Lasse didn't wait for Saachez and fired again cutting it in half with a beam.

"B-," the terrorist struggled but Gundam then exploded in a vicious red hue of GN Particles.

"You guys okay?" Lasse asked.

Lockon couldn't reply as he sat frozen in place. His heart squeezed tighter and tears went out of his eyes slowly. He didn't know what to feel because right now a myriad of emotions came over him. Happiness. Satisfaction. Sadness. Anger. Possibly all of it at the same time. He, or rather they did it. The feeling was very enlightening in ways he never knew. The heavy pressure on his chest lightened as for the first time in years he cried and let loose his mourning heart.

What now? I've done my promise. Amy, I hope you know what I did for you. Rest in peace knowing your big brother has avenged your soul. Mom, dad, I did it.

He didn't care what they were saying right now. The man basked in his own stormy paradise. For the first time in many years, Neil Dylandy, the man, a brother, and a son who lost it all engulfed with his hatred, bottled up emotions were released as tears floated freely in his cockpit.

"I… did… it," he whispered.

"-ack later. Let's go back to Ptolemy." It was automatic for him to set the Gundam on autopilot to follow his brother-in-arms.

Nothing but his victory came to his mind.

He felt lighter in years when he left the cockpit of his unit. Feldt immediately latched onto him upon exiting the Dynames. "Don't ever do that again, Lockon." The young woman shook, and he could see tears float away from them. "We were worried. You could have asked us for help."

He could never had. It was his personal mission. All of it has nothing to do with Celestial Being. This was his thoughts as he soothed the crying pinkette by rubbing his hand up and down her back. He had to, for the peace of his soul.

"Lockon, reckless. Lockon, reckless."

He laughed heartily and out of his usual character at that statement while his heart was still pumping from adrenaline. He was prepared to die. He was ready to end Saachez if it meant sacrificing his own for the many the monster killed. His and Setsuna's past. Lyle's and many unnamed others.

Tiera's disapproving gaze met his own making the two have their own staring contest. "Don't do that again. We are already at a disadvantage. We don't need another Gundam down," the purple haired pilot stated with his look turning to a glare. "Did you have a death wish!? What do you think would happen if we lost you!" Anger radiated the man and he could see his fist shaking in conjunction. "You would have sacrifice yourself for nothing. The UN would outnumber us more." Virtue's pilot turned and left passing their tactical forecaster briskly.

He had no words to say. All of those hit his core for it was not his intention to leave early but he was prepared.

"Thank god your alive," said Sumeragi giving him a shaky smile. "You didn't follow the plan." In her eyes, Neil could see the glistening tears starting form but the woman did not cry and only shook her head in great relief.

A smile was his offer in return but deep inside Lockon winced internally. He was foolish for letting his emotions control him, much more for preparing to die and leave the others behind. Their little family they had made in the turbulence of life.

"Ah!" Ian exclaimed in frustration. "Look at the mess Dynames is in now! It'll take a while to prepare the Nadleeh, Kyrios, and now this!" Ian's said in outburstbut his expression softened. "But at least you returned."

"Ian, can you repair all the Gundams under six hours?" their commander said to which the man simply harrumphed in annoyance.

"You're asking for the impossible," replied their chief engineer arms crossed. "I'll see what I can do but its gonna be an all-nighter! All right, get to it everyone!"

The Haro's light up in excitement flapping its wings as it did so. "Get to it. Get to it," the robots chorused.

Lockon was sore all over, his eyes itched so the pilot walked silently towards his quarters.

Sumeragi clearing her throat made him stop, "Feldt, why don't you escort Lockon to Dr. Morino for further therapy of his right eye."

Said woman happily nodded and grabbed his arm dragging him along. He protested but Fedt had him in a tight gripped that he couldn't help but smile.

Sumeragi Lee Noriega in the privacy of her quarters, released her worries after the harassing anxiety she felt upon Lockon Stratos's take off. What was the man thinking going after the ship even equipped with GN Arms D! Look at the state the Gundam had returning! He was lucky to be alive after that! The data she'd seen from the Dynames had Lockon on the tight spot fighting the stolen Throne. On her observation, she was sure that Ali Al-Saachez was better than Lockon and it was pure luck that he survived the deadly duel.

She didn't know what'd she did if one of them died, the woman thought curling into fetal position to stop her emotions from controlling her. She promised herself not to messed up anymore! In the darkness of her room, she could see the Emilio all over again. No! She doesn't think she can stand that. That was why she became a tactical forecaster, to prevent anymore deaths and yet on her watch another one nearly happened!

Steeling herself, the former AEU commander closed the footage and analyzed the enemy's formation with their current units. they stand no chance of getting out the cage the enemy commander had set them up in.

Lockon did a good job of destroying two carriers and Tiera and Allelujah did fine in holding the enemy MS back despite the damage they received in the end. It was a Pyrrhic victory for them. They were on their last legs, that she knew with Nadleeh now needed outside of its purpose, Kyrios under repair. Dynames needing extensive repairs and Ian as of now working on repairing the Gundams. That left them with Exia and GN Armor as their only wild card left in their defense.

Still, she had to look at the positives, those fake GN powered MS numbers were greatly reduced by the attack. The threat of Throne Zwei gone. There was hope. No, not hope, a chance. A chance I'll take for us to live. No death would happen on her watch, she would make sure of it.

Hours after his rest and imprisonment in the medbay, Lockon Stratos woke up with his dominant eye itching and wanting to be scratched badly. "Lockon, Lockon." Haro greeted him jovially.

Removing the eyepatch, it was a little blurry, but the man could handle it. It was better than before and he had worse injuries before.

His eyesight mixed creating a strange effect on his little round friend. "Haro, how long was I out," he asked the little thing since their good doctor was not there to greet him. Probably taking his only chance of resting since they weren't out of the woods yet. They would face hell before they see the end of the tunnel.

"Six hours, six hours!" Six hours. Was his robot partner kidding? Why haven't they woken him in case Operation Fallen Angel commences again. "Dynames fixed! Dynames fixed!" chirped his little buddy happily.

Deciding to check it for himself, he went towards the container of his Gundam and whistled appreciatively.

The old man did managed to make it battle ready. At this point, the Gundam Meister wasn't surprised that Ian worked miracles once again given their tough timetable despite it only being partial. His Gundam lacked the armor in some areas particularly the glaring on the left shoulder, right kneecap and the foot. The sniper thought he probably damaged some of the parts on continuous crashing on the asteroids. The mechanical joints could be seen on where the fang hit him. The left shoulder had been removed and the small left shoulder shield had been removed making it more vulnerable.

Well, he didn't really put his expectations that high and thinking his Gundam to be fully repaired because his unit really took extensive damage from that monster.

The silence of the Ptolemy unnerved him than usual. Usually he was calm but not like this. Their organization was being threatened to the end. His, their very existence was threatened by people who didn't understand their mission. He, they, Celestial Being wouldn't surrender. Even if they did, which he knew would not, Neil Dylandy would fight for what's right while he lived, Lockon realized as he took a deep breath. Finished as his goal may be, still, Lockon knew his friends wouldn't stop there. They still had a long way to go to achieving their believed mission. He couldn't stop now too. With his primary goal gone, he was somehow lost. But for Lyle, he promised taking a deep breath, he would still go a mile.

Even between the animosity between them, he couldn't hate his younger twin. He knew what Lyle felt being under his shadows. His younger sibling may deny it, but he knew that their family's death still eats him like him. The difference between them was that he turned it to his goal. To become his drive. Lyle hid it well behind the layer of nonchalance and saying to move on. He could now though, after a foolish and his nearly stupid rush to death.

"Lockon Stratos," the youngest Meister greeted from his spot of observing his Gundam. "What now?

Silence reigned between them as Lockon stared at his own reflection. Setsuna understood him and vice-versa, that much he knew. It was in that brief moment of anger when the revelation of Setsuna's KPSA affiliation became known to all Gundam Meister. His hatred, his reason for joining Celestial Being also being thrown into the open. His hatred of terrorist drove him.

While he didn't know everything about the young man, the brunet had enough knowledge to know that his past was harsher than his with Saachez and KPSA in the picture. Soran Ibrahim was repenting for his actions by making a better future. It was the only he could.

"I'm not sure," gazing at Setsuna on the reflection he asked back. "But I know I'll stay with you guys." That's a promise. He would stay at their side and would never leave them alone.

If Setsuna ever thought of him bad, then he didn't express it in any way but instead remain neutrally impassive and moved beside him.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

He waited for the young man to clarify his question.

"Why would you leave?"

Why would you leave us? Me? was his friends silent message. Neil knew Setsuna acting as impassive as ever, was happy, attached to their little family they have onboard the Ptolemaios.

For a moment a lumped formed in his throat before he swallowed it and a heavy feeling settled in his chest. Setsuna knows, was his internal musing concluded. He hoped the others didn't notice it. He recalled the fight. His fight to the bitter end. Guilt rained in his conscience threefold now and the first thing he felt was Feldt's concern and love for him. Setsuna's silent love for his brothers and sisters. These kids, people, he felt bad for planning to leave them in sorrow and tears. Dammit, what was wrong with him?

He chuckled a little to at least alleviate the tension between them. "I never planned to."

Lies, he said to himself. But if that lie can make Setsuna happy then so be it.

He didn't doubt that Setsuna himself didn't believe that particular lie. The youngest pilot was more perceptive and intelligent than a normal teen. Still, despite obviously lying the man wasn't called out on his obvious bullshit, which he can only thank Setsuna profusely in their morose atmosphere.