Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Star Wars. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not created with commercial aim. I make no money from it.

Phase 14

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PART 6

=RK=

Mandalorian positions

Sundari

Mandalore

Omega Squad gathered together for the first time in weeks. They met into a half-demolished trench just behind the current front-line, which soon would be said front-line. For ten days the Separatists pushed into the city with a suicidal abadon and it wasn't until a few hours ago that Niner was told the why of it – thanks to underground hard-lines all communications from the Mandalorian government to the galaxy at large were directed through the capital, giving the impression that Sundari held a prize worth taking. An organic commander might have seen through the deception or not cared. The droid in charge of taking Mandalore on the other hand – that clanker apparently had its directives and kept throwing forces at the death trap of a city.

That suited the Mandalorians just well. Every additional day they spent fighting here meant better protection for the planetary shield generators. Those were built under a massive mountain, had dedicated theatre shields and a lot of well hidden fortifications protecting them, fortifications that were being expanded for months now.

That was the good news.

"We aren't getting any more supplies." Dev's succinct words said it all.

"We're already down to using hydrogen for ammunition!" Fi snapped. While all kinds of gas could be made into ammo for blasters, most of those simply lacked the punch or energy density to be a good substitute for the real stuff. That became really apparent in heavy and precision weaponry – like snipers.

"We're down to ten percent of the critical reserve on explosives across the board – at least that's what all the quartermasters claim." Dev added.

"Boys, why don't we just go out to get ourselves some supplies?" Aria asked.

All Commandos stopped whatever they were doing – either maintenance of their gear or taking bite to eat, and stared at the extremely dangerous mascot they kinda picked up when they arrived on Mandalore. At least that was the official version and they all would swear it was the honest truth!

"What?" The Chiss woman narrowed her red eyes at the Clones. "The clankers don't have any supply issues. They've got to have something we can use."

"There are a lot of them." Niner patiently explained. While the kid did soak up military knowledge like a sponge, there were moments when she demonstrated she hadn't received any real formal training. "We won't be able to get away with any useful amount of supplies – especially blaster ammo. That tends to be quite bulky and heavy." At least the useful containers were – those with high pressure gas used to recharge ammo-packs.

"We don't go by ourselves then, duh." Aria rolled her eyes. "We locate a supply depot, hit it hard to secure it and hold the perimeter while a bunch of those tall strapping Mandalorian lads make it out like thieves with everything we can use."

"Aria, what part of, there are a whole shit-pot of clankers ready to jump us, didn't you understand?" Atin asked.

"Like that has stopped us before." The Chiss snorted at the very idea.

"You aren't going to drop this, are you?" Niner groaned.

"Nope. No way in hell."

"I'm going to regret this..." The Commander sighed. "I'll make a call to command and suggest we go liberate us some supplies."

=RK=

CIS FOB

Sundari's outskirts

Mandalore

"This was the worst idea ever!" Cor screamed.

"You think!?" Atin snapped. "Medic!"

A Mandalorian medic did try to get to the wounded Commando and got evaporated for his trouble. The Separatist thank that did the deed rotated its turret and aimed at the bunch of debris where Cor and Atin huddled. A missile streaked down from the fifth floor of one of the nearby skyscrapers and it would have been a solid kill – if it connected. An APS – active protection system, shredded it. Over the past week, the Separatists began deploying vehicles with all types of new equipment added on and this was among the nastiest for Sundari's defenders. Once they ran out of Tibana gas, the only reliable way to take out enemy vehicles were either IDS or missiles. It was bad enough that they were running out of dedicated anti-armour weapons, however the APS made a bad situation simply untenable. That was the reason why command agreed on the raid in the first place – without proper ammunition, Sundari was as good as lost.

The Separatists either paid attention for once or the defenders got unlucky. The why didn't really matter in the end. It was the fresh Confederate armour division that hit the perimeter moments after looting the FOB began that mattered.

Another missile flew at the tank – not fast enough to exploit the short recharge rate of the APS and got splashed too.

Atin tried to drag his brother away, though he knew it was a futile gesture. They barely made it a few steps from their flimsy cover when the tank's cannon roared again and a plasma bolt detonated between the Clones. It threw what little was left from their broken corpses in all direction. Only then two more missiles, the last the Mandalorians in that sector had left, flew at the tank. The APS blew the first out of the sky, however the second finally hit and its warhead sliced through the turret ring. Unsecured ammunition cooked up and the tank's cupola was blown right out of the chassis.

When Aria saw and more importantly, felt, two of her friends die because of her idea, red haze engulfed her mind. She screamed incoherently and charged the advancing Separatist armour. Even if she had heard Niner's shouts over the Dark Side's promises of vengeance, Astra wouldn't have cared.

The clankers, the Confederacy, they were all going to pay!

The rage gave her speed and power that took the Separatist forces by surprise. It was just enough of an edge that she managed to close with them without getting hit and it wasn't for a lack of trying. Aria managed to slice, crush and fry her way through an armoured platoon with infantry support, yet that success betrayed here. She suddenly found herself at an intersection with Confederate forces bearing on her from three directions. The Chiss had a moment to comprehend her mistake as the enemy aimed at her and then hundreds of blaster bolts flew at her.

Aria did all she could do – which wasn't much. She braced herself and channelled as much of the Force in a shield around herself. It was going to last mere moments and then the enemy fire was going to incinerate her. She screamed at the unfairness of it all, at the Force for allowing her friends to die and at the Dark Side for deceiving and leading her to her death. She screamed at herself at how foolish she was... and the Force screamed right back with the voices of a million damned souls. Astra's shield fizzled under the onslaught, the Dark Side cackled madly and her connection with her master got slammed wide open by a flood of raw, corrupted power.

The apprentice screamed again – loud and long enough to tear her vocal cords. Power, more power than any single being had any right to wield erupted from her body in an uncontrolled pulse of energy. Blaster bolts, cannon shots and even missiles simply disintegrated before they could touch her body.

"Let us burn together. Forever." Aria unknowingly voiced her master's final words and the Dark Side obeyed. The energy she channelled twisted even further. The icy touch of the Dark Side became the heart of the star mirroring the fury and pain both Veil and Astra felt. Black flames surrounded her body and exploded outwards consuming everything in their path. Droids, vehicles, people, buildings, it didn't matter. While Bothawui died, Aria lit it a fitting funeral pyre in the heart of the Mandalorian homeworld.

Niner's eyes widened when he saw the approaching wall of fire.

"Run, fools!" he screamed and followed his own advice. Clones and Mandalorians alike died as they ran and got fired upon by the Separatists. He felt the incredible heat approaching and made peace with his death when a Mandalorian flying with a rocket-pack swooped down and grabbed him. Niner saw another one of the maniacs grab Dev. Fi, who had his own jet-pack for easier access to vantage point hopefully did the smart think and booked it already.

The Commander looked over his shoulder and blanched. Whatever Aria unleashed in her grief, looked like a fusion explosion caught on a slow motion camera. The black flames somehow both melted stuff and turned it into ash, leaving pure devastation in their wake. Despite their roar and the screams of the poor bastard who got caught in them, he could still hear Aria's howls of pain. Niner didn't doubt that the whole bloody city heard her. It was the most wretched, grief-stricken and agonizing sound he had ever heard.

=RK=

An hour later, a third of Sundari was simply gone along with a large number of enemy forces and many of the soldiers who took part of the raid. The Separatist obviously had no idea what the hell happened and were busy pulling back and consolidating their positions. That, combined with the chaos among the Mandalorians, l allowed Niner and the survivors of Omega Squad to get their hands on jet-packs and go check the epicentre of the cataclysm. They all knew that by all means Aria should have died. They heard her death or so they thought.

They went anyway.

They found her too – at the bottom of a hundred metres deep crater made of black glass. Aria looked intact – at least physically. Whatever happened had destroyed her armour and clothes, leaving her naked covered only by a fine sheet of dust.

"What the hell happened, boss?" Fi whispered, afraid that speaking any louder might awake her and then it was anyone's guess what would happen.

"No idea, brother. No bloody idea." Niner whispered back.

"Is it safe to move her?" Dev asked.

"It doesn't matter. We can't leave her here for the clankers." Niner said.

"Is it safe for us, I mean." Dev looked pointedly at the devastation that surrounded them.

=RK=

Part 7

=RK=

GAR HQ

Coruscant

"The Republic is dead! It's ashes are now ruled by the same traitors who allow the Sith slaughter billions!" That was Perrion from the ORR.

"We all saw the moons of Sullust burn! We saw Bothawui die!" Ryloth Resa was on the air decrying the Republic.

"The Sith's obsession with death must end! All they do is spread misery and pain! We will end them! The Sith will never harm another person again!" And this was the tune of many loyal news agencies across Republic space.

Obi-Wan waved a hand and muted the holonet news. He turned around and looked at an image projected above the only furniture in the small room – a holo-tank built in the floor. The east part of the galaxy hung in front of him, coloured blue, green, yellow and angry red. Across hundreds of sectors the war was stalemated. Both sides fed whole fleets and armies to keep it that way and every day they lost and gained dozens of systems. The death toll mounted, yet strategically nothing changed.

The west was unknown – Veil didn't deign to explain what happened with his Mid-Rim Alliance. Did they win stunning victories securing that part of the galaxy and thus allowing him to reach Bothawui? Or was the fleet he brought here the only remaining Republic force outside the Core and the East?

The Core... Fleets, old and new were mobilized and training for a strike at Corellia. Raiding forces preyed on shipping and skirmished for intelligence and then there was Kuat...

Kuat – the reason why the war in the Core was at a stalemate. The Kuati were still reluctant to unleash their fleets. The Separatists were afraid to strike that most vital of systems. Both sides knew that the Confederacy could actually cripple the industry there... however they would suffer punishing losses in return and it would be for nothing unless they took out the Kuati fleet and if they committed enough ships to do so, even a victory would leave Fondor open for a devastating Republic counter-strike. One that would be successful and leave both sides back at the starting point.

Kenobi scowled. If Kuat had unleashed their fleets, they could have kept Corellia, possibly taken out Fondor and the war could have been decided. However, politics happened. Corellia was crippled, four of the five brothers were in Separatist hands. The Republic wasn't much better and now, Kuat was the biggest power in the Core. Onara Kuat and her wretched family let the Republic burn for power and Obi-Wan was forced to play nice with her or doom the rest of the Core.

That was the truth of the matter, a truth he carefully avoided admitting to himself even if he knew it for months. The Republic was its greatest enemy and this war pulled away the veil hiding that ugly truth.

Was it pride that blinded him along with the other Jedi? Or perhaps their self righteousness, the belief that they knew best?

Obi-Wan felt the Force tear itself apart. He felt Veil's death as he murdered Bothawui... and the last chance for the Republic to somehow survive this conflict. It was a monstrous act... just another atrocity committed by that Sith. Kenobi should have expected something like it after Sullust.

What he didn't expect was for Delkatar to sacrifice himself to save his fleet in order to give it a chance to get to Mandalore. His, no, their home. Obi-Wan didn't know what to think about that. As a Jedi, as what was still hopefully a decent human being, he knew what he should feel – horror at the war-crime and relief that the monster was dead.

It should have been that simple.

It was anything but, because ever since Mandalore, Obi-Wan didn't really fight for the galaxy at large, no matter what soothing lies he kept telling himself. He didn't fight to uphold the Jedi ways.

He fought for Satine. To keep her safe and happy. To protect her people, their people.

Obi-Wan laughed bitterly. It was only now, when the dead Republic was falling apart at the seams, when a Sith made the unlikely choice to sacrifice himself for others, that he understood. The Dark Side was more insidious than he dared fear. Kenobi shouldn't have been able to understand why Veil did what he did at Bothawui. He shouldn't have been ever able to even contemplate doing something similar... It was unthinkable. Obi-Wan believed that he could never go to the same lengths... yet he could imagine it.

There. It was at that moment he knew why the Jedi forbade attachments. They could be wonderful. An incredible pillar of strength, the guiding light that could keep you going when the night was darkest.

However, attachments, love, they could push you into the unthinkable... for the best of reasons.

Kenobi glared at Kuat's symbol on the galactic map. Petty people, petty grievances and their lust for power. They killed the Republic and now it was his wife who would have to shoulder the blame and pick up the pieces. It was Satine who everyone would blame. Loath and go after.

What would he do to protect her and their unborn daughter? What wouldn't he do?

Obi-Wan finally understood Delkatar and hated him for that understanding.

In the end, it was such an easy thing, betraying everything the Jedi stood for. Everything he used to stand for. Obi-Wan could see a path forward. A chance to keep the sham of the Republic going for a bit longer so he could save Mandalore, for his wife's sake if nothing else. All he had to do...

Kenobi stood straighter as the weight of doubt slid from his shoulders. He chose his path and while he had many regrets, loving Satine would never be one of them; the same was true for his daughter.

His thoughts manipulated the holo-tank and the image of the galaxy vanished to be soon replaced by that of a medical room. He saw Zash sitting upon an examination leg. Her left hand was gone just above the elbow and her right leg below the knee. Despite that she had it crossed so it served for a pillow for Ahsoka who still slept after suffering a backslash from Veil's suicide. The only thing the Sith wore was a thin green scrub that barely protected her modesty to the consternation of Tano's soldiers who watched her like birds of prey.

"Kenobi." Zash looked at the floating drone – probably the same one he used to see them both after Ahsoka got overwhelmed by a surge through her Force Bond with Veil – and Obi-Wan very much wanted to know how that thing formed in the first place!

"I'm in need of your services." Obi-Wan admitted.

"Oh? Wouldn't your wife object or perhaps you want us both at the same time? Or perhaps the three of us?" She sensually caressed one of Ahsoka's lekku as she said that.

That woman was going to be the death of him!

"I need you to be the big bad Dark Lord of the Sith." Obi-Wan forged ahead, ignoring Zash's innuendos. He refused to let her get under his skin, nor figuratively neither literally! " I need you to be know as the one who taught Veil everything he knew and could do it better." He paused, thought about it and continued. "Or worse if you so desire."

Zash stared at him for a long moment then laughed merrily. "Oh, Obi-Wan, you I like! You want me to threaten your wavering allies to keep them in line and terrify your enemies! Finally, you act as the Supreme Commander of a galactic power! I knew there was a reason why Delkatar liked you!"

"I'll do what I must."