GN-006 Cherudim Gundam

After the decisive battle between Celestial Being and the United Nations GN-X Taskforce, the Gundams were all but completely destroyed. Exia was severely damaged but somewhat operable, Dynames had been dismembered by the Throne Zwei, Kyrios was sliced and shot to pieces, and Nadleeh/Virtue had all but disintegrated. It was time to start anew.

The GN-006 Cherudim (keldeem/cherubim/etc) Gundam was the first of the "second-string" of 3rd-generation Gundams produced by Celestial Being, and was intended to be a successor to the Dynames. Like the Dynames, the Cherudim is purpose-built for long-range combat, but it adds several improvements to make up for the Dynames' lackluster close-range armament. Whereas the Dynames' cockpit featured a large "sniper controller" interface for high-accuracy shooting, the Cherudim has a sleeker, more standard cockpit. As with the Dynames, the Cherudim is designed to be partially (or entirely) controlled by the orange Haro (a spherical robot with advanced, multi-purpose artificial intelligence intended to act as a conduit for the supercomputer Veda).

For armaments, the Cherudim is definitely more advanced than the Dynames. The main weapon, the GN Beam Sniper Rifle II, is far smaller and easier to manage, and can convert to a beam submachine gun by flipping the extended barrel down. When sniping, two holographic projectors rise from the shoulders and create a hazy blue targeting screen in front of the Cherudim's face. The red sensor on its forhead then opens to reveal a very large targeting scope, capable of unparalleled accuracy. For close-range combat, the Cherudim carries two GN Beam Pistol II's, mounted on the back. These are designed with a second mode as well, where the barrels flip upwards to become GN-enhanced hatchets (resembling cleaving knives). Each of the four rectangular frontal armor skirt segments conceals a GN missile launcher--the warheads of which can be programmed to either explode on contact, or bury themselves in the target and use their thrust to push it away.

Perhaps the most interesting weapon in the Cherudim's arsenal is the set of 9 "Shield Bits". These bits are disguised as large armor slabs, mounted on the knees, left shoulder, and clustered around the externally-mounted GN Drive on the back of the Cherudim's pelvis (creating the large "tail binder" that mirrors the two on the Dynames). These bits, when activated, deploy with phenomenal speed, moving to intercept both beam and projectile shots directed either at the Cherudim or anything the Cherudim is protecting. The bits' movement is guided by the orange Haro and the Cherudim's own computer system, and their delay is nearly immeasurable. To deflect larger shots, the bits can link together to form a larger shield surface. The bits can only take so much punishment before they are destroyed and the Cherudim must return to the Ptolemaios II for resupply.

Lockon Stratos, aka Neil Dylandy, was killed in 2307 by Ali Al-Saachez in the Gundam Throne Zwei (which he stole from the Trinity team after killing two of their members), and would not receive the Cherudim. However, in 2312, Neil's younger brother, Lyle Dylandy, was recruited into Celestial Being, and assumed the same alias as his older brother. Appearing nearly identical to the previous Lockon Stratos, Lyle developed his own style of fighting, which was much more balanced in ranges. Late in the fighting between A-LAWS and Celestial Being, the Cherudim received an upgrade of several more shield bits and new "Rifle Bits"-- floating remote beam rifles capable of merging to form a powerful GN beam cannon.

The Cherudim was heavily damaged in the final battle for control of Veda, but not destroyed. It is assumed that the Cherudim Gundam will be repaired and put back into use.