RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Repaired "Phalanx"

"'The final beast could be reawakened,' - TSWotP's Story Summary, referring to the Gundam."The RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Repaired "Phalanx", or just Unicorn Gundam, Unicorn Repaired, Unit Zero-Three, The Third Beast, Unicorn, Gundam, or "Phalanx", is a Mobile Suit set to appear in the story Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: The Sheltering Wings of the Protector.

It is the extensively repaired version of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex that was severely damaged, and assumed destroyed during the events of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: One of Seventy Two.

Technology and Combat Characteristics
The RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex was a new machine that was secretly built under the direction of a certain EFSF official who disapproved of the Vist Foundation's involvement in the UC Project. Using a test full-psychoframe body which was in an incomplete state before delivery, it was assembled independently by the Earth Federation Forces and reflects the construction data of Units 1 and 2. Rather than that of a Unicorn, the Phenex's motif is that of a phoenix, illustrated with a much more elaborate horn/V-fin and a golden body.

However, after it went rampant during its test flight with the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee, the Phenex was presumed to be destroyed after its battle with the AMX-107R Rebawoo, as its wreckage was never found by the EFSF search party.

The unit, however, was not completely destroyed. The floating wreckage was later retreieved by the Vist Foundation, and the third Gundam remained dormant until its reactivation just a year later.

In its repaired state, the Gundam undergone extensive hull modifications, replacing its golden, anti-beam coating frames with white ones, with its Normal Mode and even Destroy Mode being nearly identical to the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, if it were not to its blue psyco-frame, as opposed to Unicorn's red ones.

In its normal mode, the Unicorn's head is similar in appearance to those of Londo Bell's mass-produced mobile suits, with the addition of a single, horn-like antenna extending from the forehead (hence the name "Unicorn"). In terms of its armaments in normal mode, the Unicorn is very lightly armed, with half of its built-in weaponry only being available in Destroy Mode, just like the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam.

Destroy Mode is the form the Unicorn Gundam takes when its NT-D System is activated. The transformation is marked by an expansion of the suit's frame. The armor seams separate and lock down into various hard-points, while the newly exposed psyco-frame emits a cyanish-blue glow (attributed to the Psyco-field phenomenon). In this mode, the mobile suit becomes taller and its head transforms to one having standard Gundam features, the visor and face guard retracts into the head to reveal the mouth plate and the antenna splitting into a V-fin. (Note that the Phoenix V-Fin is replaced with a more simpler V-Fin, similar to Unicorn's) In order to prevent its transformation being interrupted, its I-Field strength will be increased, at least temporary. Additionally, a pair of sub-sensors will be revealed on the shoulders, and two concealed beam sabers will extend out of the backpack.

In this form, the suit's psyco-frame scans the pilot's thoughts and directly transmits them to the suit's drive system; in other words, the Phalanx can ultimately be controlled by the pilot's thoughts alone. The machine's performance - its mobility in particular - is dramatically increased when the NT-D is active partially due to the exposure and activation of six additional thrusters. In addition to the performance boost, the NT-D also allows the Unicorn to take control of an enemy's psycommu weapons (also known as "Psycommu Jack") by emitting a Psyco-field from the manipulator. However, the stress placed on the mind by manipulating an object more than tenfold the size of an average human is extraordinary.

Even with the aid of the psyco-frame the pilot's mind can only endure roughly five minutes of operation before a limiter is activated, deactivating the psyco-frame and returning the mobile suit to its normal form. In addition, it is possible for the pilot to intercept the thought-waves of an enemy pilot. The system also directs the movement of the suit when active, and does not completely depend on the pilot for commands. By default, the system will automatically attempt to destroy any Newtype enemies it detects, but requires the pilot to give it a conscience so it does not merely become a killing machine.

Special Equipment and Features

 * Newtype Destroyer System (NT-D)
 * The Newtype Destroyer (or NT-D) System is an anti-Newtype system developed by the Earth Federation and used on the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam and its brother units. The system works by using the Psycoframe built within its body to seek out Newtype brainwaves. Should one be found, the NT-D System activates and turns the Unicorn Gundam into its "Destroy mode", improving its stats overall and allowing it to take control of Newtype weaponry used by others and turn them against them. However, the system has a number of flaws to it. Among them being having a five minute time usage so it wouldn't kill its pilot and the fact that it doesn't discriminate against real Newtypes and Cyber-Newtypes. Its most ironic flaw is that, because of the massive stress to gives its pilots, a Newtype is the best pilot for the unit. Thankfully, those with strong wills can overpower the system and determine when it can activate.

History
The Phenex is fielded in December 3, 0095 U.C. where it is deployed with the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee in a shoal zone filled with debris due to reports of a Neo Zeon MS performance test. It then encountered the "Sleeves" and engaged in a heated battle against the AMX-107R Rebawoo. After repelling the Rebawoo, a Psycoframe resonance with the Banshee causes the Phenex to become uncontrollable. The Phenex attacked the Banshee, damaging it, and destroyed the bridge of the mother ship.

The Phenex's wreckage, was later discovered by the Vist Foundation, and it was fielded in for repairs. The grueling process took months to complete and restore the Gundam to its full potential, and even then, the Foundation couldn't fully repair the Phenex. The golden hull was replaced with a much more dull-white coating, made from Luna Titanium Alloy. Losing its Phoenix-like essence, the Phenex was ceremoniously renamed to "Phalanx".

Due to its absence of the La+ Program, the unit stayed asleep and was not activated during the first assault on Industrial 7 on U.C. 0096. The Gundam stayed under the radars, both from the Earth Federation's and the Neo-Zeon's. It was not until months later, a new pilot calls forth the repaired Gundam and reactivates its NT-D system, and even awaken it to its fullest potential.