AN: My muse has been on a roll lately so have another update. As always, I appreciate constructive feedback.

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 19: Storm front

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Part 4

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Senate Chamber

Senate building

Coruscant

"Do you see, my young friend?" Palpatine's ghost whispered sadly. "This is what I had to live for decades as a Senator and later, fight as the Chancellor!"

Anakin did see, truly he did. This wasn't the Republic he was supposed to protect as a Jedi and the past months drove home a terrible truth – that Republic, the ideal the Jedi believed in, killed and died for, it might not have existed since the time Veil was part of the Sith Empire.

Today the Force was with him and as if to mock him, the Dark Side allowed him an unparaleled insight into the people around him. He could sense the emotions of the Senators surrounding him and through them make educated guesses about their thoughts on the subject. While there was a large group who felt righteous anger and horror at what happened to Bothawui, the great majority of Senators crying for blood were simply afraid. They didn't want Veil punished because he committed a war crime, certainly not for the Bothan's sake. He was a threat to them, their worlds, people and more importantly, in many cases, their ambitions. They couldn't buy him, nor could they handle him as a regular officer of the GAR could be managed. That more than anything was why too many senators and the local government that backed them, wanted Veil gone.

That display disgusted Anakin almost as much as feeling Bothawui die.

Beside him, his Padme was torn. He could sense her cry inside at the injustice. Anakin knew his wife's heart, that it tore at the thought that Veil might get away unpunished after what he did, yet her duty to Naboo and its people, it demanded something different. If there was one thing that no one could doubt about Veil was that he was one of the most effective commanders the Republic had. He won even against impossible odds and even when victory was impossible, he extracted frightful toll from the enemy before getting away. The simple, cruel truth was that they needed him at the front, commanding and unleashing all Nine Corellian Hells upon the Separatists.

Meanwhile, while Sidious had a properly sad expression fixed upon his face, he cackled madly inside. He watched gleefully someone else having to deal with the Senate and the constant headaches that produced. Further, it was great fun observing some of the most moral and uptight people in the galaxy irrevocably sliding into darkness for the best of reasons. He might be dead, yet not only Sidious had the possibility for a new body to look forward to, but even if that didn't happen, he had the joy of knowing that no matter what happened from now on, the Sith had won. The Dark Side triumphed, the Jedi were scattered, their reputation destroyed as much by their own actions as by the grand plan orchestrated by the Sith!

Sidious even had a new apprentice, or at least that was a work in progress. Anakin continued to listen to him and the future was full of possibilities. To top it all, he had a front row seat of the Republic tearing itself apart. He had to give credit to Veil, the way he handled the Senate, it drew a line in the sand and now sides would be chosen and the Republic would sunder itself in such a fashion that it might very well pave the way for a future Empire! And he didn't have to do anything but watch the show and whisper in Skywaker's ear!

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Satine opened her eyes, ignored the Senators and looked down at the pods, where her husband waited. Obi-Wan was in his armour, lacking only a helmet and was flanked by admiral Coburn and general Valentra. Behind them a large security detail stood at attention, ready to intervene if the Senate went out of control or something else went wrong. She looked Obi-Wan in the eyes, met the gazes of his colleagues and knew it was up to her to make the call. The way Veil spoke, he cornered her. There wouldn't be stalling this time. She had to either publicly support or condemn him and no matter what, the consequences would be severe and immediate. Her own officers, many of them would oppose any move against Veil. The Clones would follow her orders and that would shatter what little trust was left within the GAR between the Clones and regular soldiers after the debacle that was Order 66. Her own people would want her head, her own sister too, if she did the right thing. Doing it might damn her home too, because the truth was the GAR couldn't spare enough ships to secure Mandalore without striping them from the critical campaign to retake Corellia and push the enemy out of the Core. Veil – he was possibly the only one who might relieve Mandalore with the resources that could be scrapped up for such a campaign.

The army loved him, her people wanted to be just like him, and many among those she needed to continue the war were among his supporters.

Too many others, who she needed to keep the Republic together, now and in the future, weren't, both among her allies, opponents and more importantly the neutral factions.

In the end, what choice did she have? The cruel truth was that Satine didn't become Chancellor to do what was best for the Republic. She proposed and went with this whole stunt to keep her people and home as safe as possible. So in the end, her choice was an illusion. Her mind made, Satine couldn't help it but feel relief that her sister wouldn't spit at the very mention of her name nor her people scream for her head. She as ashamed too, because what she was about to do would betray the principles upon which the Republic was supposed to be built. A betrayal of her office too, because not only her decision was based upon the wrong reasons, but it might be remembered as the point of no return for the Republic.

Satine gave a sharp nod to the Speaker and straightened up. What she did now, she did it for her people. She couldn't waver nor could she show any weakness.

"ORDER! I will have order!" The Speaker's voice demanded.

When the noise subsided just enough for her to be heard, the Chancellor looked sternly at her Senators. "I hoped such unseemly displays were behind us." She spoke harshly. "Let me make some things clear. This behaviour is unacceptable among the beings sent here to represent their people! We will have order in the Senate even if we had to maintain it in ways unthinkable in a more civilized age." She looked pointedly at the GAR delegation, a reminder that the Senate once again might find itself policed by the army.

Naturally, that earned her a lot of surprised and outraged gasps, even more angry and mutinous looks. It didn't matter. Soon enough, those who would stand with her would do it anyway, because it was in their best interests, not because they liked or respected her. She cursed Veil's very existence again and took the plunge.

"After reviewing after action reports, sensor logs and interviewing the ranking surviving officers under general Veil's command, GAR High Command has determined that general Veil's actions at Bothawui were military justified given the circumstances he found himself in. Consultation with the Ministry of Justice concurs."

Absolute, shocked and outraged silence followed Satine's declaration. Her words were seen as what they were – making a stand and taking a side. Otherwise, it wouldn't have mattered what the laws said or more importantly, the people who interpreted them. There always could be found someone to find an alternative read, a forgotten law still on the books, something else to be of use. If everything else failed, said laws could be changed, with the best of intentions of course! A Sith murdering worlds had to be a crime and it had to be punished, the same was true for a Mandalorian, much less Mandalore himself doing it. Anything less would be unacceptable for a number of worlds and their Senators.

Most of those were now Satine's sworn enemies, no matter what they might say in public or if they would be forced to remain in the Republic's fold for no, out of fear if nothing else.

Fear. The Chancellor wanted to laugh bitterly. Veil played them all after all. Many were afraid of what the Separatists would do to their worlds if they won, many others were now afraid of what Satine's pet monster would do to them if they even hinted at not supporting her regime. With a few words, Veil just made her a dictator in fact if not in name.

The silence stretched, due to sheer disbelief and possibly the fear of armoured Clones bursting into the chamber in case of a riot. Satine surveyed the senators and could see many giving her wary if not outright scared looks, even if they were often hostile too. She wanted to throw up at the sight and at the sense of power that it produced within her.

"General Veil, we hope you will continue your excellent service and give hell to the Separatists and those who support them at every opportunity." Satine continued. Now even more Senators looked at her with terror because as far as they were concerned, she just promised to unleash her pet monster upon them if they stepped out of line.

The Senator from Anaxes stood up, grinned and began clapping, slowly and deliberately. Those of like mind, who were stunned too, at basically their favourite holiday, complete with all the presents coming early, soon followed suit and more and more senator joined the thundering applause not to be seen as less than loyal.

"And so liberty dies." Bail Organa muttered loud enough for Satine to hear… yet he was clapping too.

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"with an applause." Padme mirrored his words, unsure what she felt. She was sad, that was the strongest emotion she could make up. Padme didn't want this, yet her applause was genuine because Satine's choice meant that the odds of the war being won and Naboo being relieved just skyrocketed. Yet, that wasn't enough to make her joyful at the occasion, not when the price was the Republic dying in front of her eyes.

"It died some time ago, my love. Today, it wasn't even made properly official." Anakin muttered. His applause was genuine. Palpatine was right. The Republic needed someone strong to push it and show the way otherwise it simply didn't work. He was glad that Satine was the right woman to help bring order and stability to the galaxy.

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Mon Mothma was clapping, smiling too, though she felt no joy in the act, merely acceptance. She suspected that something like this was coming, prepared for it, and while she couldn't help but despise Satine for the choice she made, the Chandrilan woman understood the reasoning behind it. She simply doubted the Chancellor truly knew what she unleashed upon the galaxy. Mothma was going to openly support the regime, while doing her best to prepare her people for the tyranny to come and set the ground for the eventual restoration of the Republic, no matter how long or what it would take to do it.

=RK=

Obi-Wan felt like one great failure. Here he was, one of the most powerful people in the galaxy, the man in charge of an incredibly powerful military, yet he felt helpless. No matter what people might say, today the Republic died, his wife, the woman she chose before being a Jedi, became a dictator and he helped her. He was going to continue doing so, to keep her and his unborn daughter safe if nothing else. For them he was going to do his damned best to win this war, that much Obi-Wan knew for sure, yet that didn't stop him from tasting ash.

Was the Council right? Was he corrupted by Veil and his feelings towards Satine? As a Jedi, he should be acting, the fact that he was thrown out of the Order shouldn't matter. Yet, there he was – simply standing, offering silent support. Clapping even.

'What am I doing?!' A part of him demanded!

The answer was simple – what he had to. The war had to be won and the Senate and too many local governments proved again and again that they couldn't be trusted to do their part of their own free will. Was it that simple? Did victory and keeping the few precious people he had safe justify this?

Obi-Wan looked at Satine and though he knew the Jedi would damn him for his choice, he knew that for him, that was true. His family, even the soldiers under his command who relied upon him to keep them alive, for them he would damn himself if he had to.

=RK=

Royal Suites

Royal Palace

Naboo

Tarkin, along with many of the people behind the Mid-Rim Alliance watched with a baited breath the drama unfolding on Coruscant. It was one transmitted for the whole galaxy to see and it's resolution was going to be vital for the people in the richly decorated room in Theed. The good news was that Veil was alive after what he did at Bothawui and back in Republic space. That meant the Alliance would have a powerful voice… unless the General got thrown to the kath hounds for his actions to date.

If that happened, Tarkin would despise the Senate and the Republic to his dying breath. Despite what Veil did to him, the man did his best to keep Eriadu safe, made sure his family was on the ascension and as importantly, they did see eye to eye on many things. There were a few people in the galaxy, fewer alive today, whom Tarkin respected and Veil earned his place at the top of that list after Chancellor Palpatine got murdered by those damned Jedi! What Veil did at Bothawui, it resonated with certain half-formed ideas that Tarkin had. This was the way to win the war and keep the Republic from tearing itself apart even further! What little news leaked through smugglers from the Core painted a nasty picture of unreliable allies and betrayal. 'Let's see them turn on us now that Veil's back, alive and has Bothawui as an example!' Tarkin felt vindicated.

He listened with rapt attention how the General spoke to the Senate and after his masterful delivery, everyone's eyes were upon the Chancellor, wondering if she would try to live up to the impossible standards that Palpatine put forth for his successors or if she would turn out to be a great failure.

To her credit, Satine Kenobi earned herself a measure of respect in Tarkin's mind. He didn't know if she had planned this with the General or simply ran with the opportunity he gave her, but the way she played the Senate, it was a piece of art! Tarkin finally allowed himself to smile, something shared by some of the worthies gathered to watch the live broadcast from Coruscant. Even the Queen looked relieved. With what just happened, if the Mid-Rim Alliance could survive until the Republic relieved them, they would be more powerful on the galactic stage than they could have ever dreamed to be!

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ONI safe-house

Alderaan

Many of the surviving Jedi watched the tragedy unfolding in the Senate and most of them rued their failure to eradicate the Sith.

"You were right." Mace Windu admitted to the smug looking Dooku. "The Sith finally showed their true face. The only thing left is to officially proclaim the formation of their new Empire and that won't be a long time coming."

"I did warn you, Master Windu. Sidious played us all and seeing this, I have no doubt that I was right. I was merely a pawn to be sacrificed. That man, Veil is his true apprentice, he has to be. We were all deceived and betrayed my old friend." The smug look vanished from Dooku's face. "I was a fool." He admitted. "Sidious told me what I wanted to hear, played with my fears and doubts and I betrayed everything I once held dear." The Count lowered his head.

"We will get him. We'll get them all. This war is far from over and no matter what, we have our duty!" Windu spoke and there was fire in his eyes. "As long as single Jedi draws breath the Sith won't sit easily upon his throne!"

"I hope you're right, old friend."

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location classified

Hapan space

It took long weeks of sneaking around with the Republic navy hunting them, yet Master Yaddle and her charges finally made it to safety. The Order did have its secrets, old plans created while the scars of the New Sith Wars were still fresh, boltholes that men like Veil couldn't know about. One of those was beyond Republic space, within the territory of one of the independent polities in the rim. A lush jungle moon that people avoided for a good reason – there were no valuable minerals there and for most intents and purposes the place was a death world. The system itself had a small population concentrated on the fourth planet, which served mining efforts at the asteroid field separating it from the inner system. In contrast, the sanctuary moon orbited the second world and due to proximity with the local star, the climate was wet an oppressive. If it was just a bit closer, instead of jungle, it would have been a desert world. What made this moon useful was that due to events during the New Sith Wars, it was left seeped in the Dark Side, with said aura ideal to hid the Jedi from the gaze of the Sith who would undoubtedly hunt them.

While some of the knights tended the younglings and kept the old hidden temple safe from the local flora and fauna, the rest of the Jedi were gathered in the small council chamber where centuries old but still functional equipment displayed the events on Coruscant. Even those who once had their doubts about the Council's reasoning and choices now knew that their now mostly dead leaders had it right. The Sith and Mandalorians were taking over and a distressing number of systems supported them, some out of fear but too many out of their own free will.

"What do we do now, Master Yaddle?" One of the knights asked, while applause thundered from the comm unit.

"We recover. As a Jedi we lost our way in more way than one. We are in no shape to oppose the Sith, much less at a time when the Republic military backs them. We will train, we will prepare for when the time is right to return and save the Republic from the Sith and itself. Now we have work to do. Make sure the holocrons we saved are properly secured and in working order. Veil proved that we had forgotten much. We won't face him nor his apprentice before we have recovered the knowledge and skills of the ancient Jedi and are ready for such a confrontation."