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

=RK=

Part 4

=RK=

Republic cruiser Concordat

Bothawui

The Force screamed in an unnatural agony and a whole world howled with it.

Ki-Adi-Mundi thought that when he felt the reverberations of Kamino's death, it would be the worst thing he ever experienced. This day proved him wrong.

He felt life itself unravel, scream and beg as it was consumed by the Dark Side itself. He fell on his knees and screamed too only to be answered with insane laugher.

Mundi's eyes snapped open and he saw something twisted stumble down the corridor. Madorin... the former Jedi Master felt like a sore in the Force, a tumour that was simply wrong.

"Can you feel it my friend?" Madorin snarled. "Power! So much power!" He cackled madly. The lianas that made up his body twisted and turned, pulsed with dark miasma that made the Jedi recoil from their very proximity.

"Sith!" Mundi growled. "Everything your kind touches rots!" He spat and pulled himself together. He got up on unsteady legs and drew his lightsaber.

"You think you can stand against me? Here and now?" Madorin brought his head back and laughed. "My eyes are finally fully opened! You can't comprehend the power of the Dark Side, Mundi! Today I am invincible! You won't stop me! No one can stop me now!" There was hunger and anticipation in Madorin's voice.

At that moment, Mundi almost believed him. Veil was dying – that much he could sense, yet in his moment of death, that madman decided to unleash an insanity the galaxy has never seen before. Bothawui was being consumed by the Dark Side. It was becoming an empty husk, a would that would stand as monument to the Sith's hubris and crimes.

The Jedi Master couldn't ignore what was happening around him. Even as he steeled his resolve, as determination to stand against the night kept a small flame of light in the face of the Dark Side itself, he couldn't help but feel righteous anger at the crime he atrocity he couldn't prevent. It was at that moment that he understood. There was no place for the Sith in the galaxy if anyone was to have a future. The Council was right after all. The Sith had to be vanquished, once and for all. With Veil dying, that only left Dooku and the fallen in this fleet. No matter if it meant his death, Mundi had to excise this cancer once and for all!

Madorin sneered. "You came to end me, didn't you? Come then! Let me show you what you could never comprehend!" The fallen Jedi ignited his green lightsaber and charged.

A platoon of Clones, forgotten until then, opened fire with sonic blasters and flame-throwers. That should have been enough to make Madorin falter. On another day, it would have been.

But today, as Bothawui was consumed? Madorin pulsed with dark power and sonic blasts struck him to no visible effect. Liquid fire refused to touch his form and parter as a river as he approached. Mundi got his own lightsaber up and ignited just in time to intercept an incredibly powerful slash that sent him to his knees. The second strike made his muscles shook with the strain of keeping the madman's blade away. The third – it battered his blade away and left him open for a deadly blow... one that never landed.

A whole Clone squad jumped at Madorin either wielding their sonic blasters as clubs or drawing vibroblades. One attempted to tackle the fallen Jedi and distracted him long enough for Mundi to roll back. The Clone succeeded and died for his troubles when Madorin grabbed him with the Force and slammed him in the ceiling so hard that his armour cracked. Blindingly fast riposte later, three more Clones lost their shields and got their blasters cut to pieces. A fourth got caught in a telekinetic grip and Madorin used him as a battering ram to clear the surrounding space of soldiers before slamming him into the floor until blood flowed like a river through what was left of his shattered armour.

The remaining Clones didn't falter. They simply began falling back and kept shooting. One of them paused for a moment to drag Mundi with them.

Madorin laughed and charged into the heart of their formation. A whole squad let their sonic blasters fall to the ground and pulled out blades, then jumped at the fallen Jedi just as he reached them. He threw them away with a telekinetic pulse just in time to meet Mundi who used the brief respite to gather his wits and go on the offensive. They exchanged a flurry of blows and the Jedi had to fall back. Madorin's blows were too fast, they had too much power behind them. The Dark Side was oppressive, more powerful than even as she fed upon a whole world. It sapped Mundi's strength, weighted him down, slowing his reactions and it was only his shielded armour that kept him alive when he couldn't parry in time. His shield popped, his armour melted and ablated, Clones died around him as he had to fall back again and again.

"NO!" Mundi snapped. He couldn't fall here! He couldn't let the Sith win another victory! They must not be allowed to spread their insane ideology any further, no matter the cost.

That decision filled him with peace. Mundi planted his feet on the deck and refused to be pushed back. The air itself blazed from the clash of their blades. The Jedi Master threw everything he had, everything he had at his fallen comrade, yet it simply wasn't enough! Madorin met him blow for blow and with each exchange, Mundi felt his strength wane while his opponent only grew stronger.

It was at that moment when one of the Clones the fallen one knocked away earlier tackled him. Madorin managed to slam the man into the floor in the last moment, yet that wasn't before a vibroblade found its way into his left foot. The fallen Jedi screamed in pain, slammed away Mundi's blade and delivered an overpowered slash that finally burned through the Jedi Master's breastplate and seared his

chest.

While painful, it was far from a lethal blow. Yet, it didn't matter – Mundi was opened and defenceless. All he could do was desperately jump back and despite his wound, Madorin followed. The Jedi Master gathered as much of the Force as he could and threw it at the approaching adversary. Madorin simply bullied his way through the attack and swung down what should have been a killing blow. Instead, a Clone flew by propelled by a rocket-pack, flew right into the fallen Jedi wielding a vibroblade he slammed into his chest before both of them impacted the wall to the left with bone-breaking speed.

Madorin screamed and brought his lightsaber down upon the Clone. It popped the shield, burned through the armour and cut into the jet-pack, igniting the fuel. The following explosion seared the corridor and sent Mundi flying back. He stared at the dead clones, at the smoke and flames blocking his visions and glared. The Jedi could still feel Madorin. The fallen one stumbled into view, displaying his torn and smoking body.

"The Dark Side can't be denied!" Madorin hissed in pain. With every painful step his raked flesh twitched and screamed, yet he kept coming.

The sound of armoured feet slamming into the deck echoed into the corridor. Clones piled up behind Mundi and without wasting time aimed their blasters and opened fire.

With his lightsaber destroyed by the earlier explosion, Madorin raised a hand in a desperate bid to stop the incoming fire-power. While the fury of the Dark Side was enough to somehow sustain his body despite the deadly he incurred, this was too much. Some shots did fizzle in mid-air swallowed or dissipated by Dark Side energies. Yet, more than enough slammed into Madorin, blew away large chunks of his flesh and ignited the rest.

The fallen Jedi howled in pain just as the few damned souls still alive on Bothawui before they were consumed too. Then it was finally over. Madorin's burning body crumpled to the floor only to be shot again and again, before an enterprising Clone picked up a fallen flame-thrower and covered it with burning fuel for a good measure.

Mundi collapsed next. Bothawui's dying screams, the strain of this short but vicious combat and his wounds, they were just too much.

=RK=

All across the galaxy, people watched the unexpected broadcast from Bothawui. That world had one of a handful of transmitters large and powerful enough to reach most of explored space despite the pitiful state of the holonet and burn even through a significant amount of jamming to deliver its message. Many were shocked by yet another betrayal. The Separatists cheered – they got an ally and if the deities they believed in were just, then they were about to watch a monster receive its due.

In the Republic, the transmission was met with mixed feelings. There were many who decried Veil as a monster. Others saw him as necessary evil and yet more people hailed him as a hero, saviour even.

On war torn Mandalore and thousands of worlds that Mandalorians called home, billions watched their leader make his last stand. He didn't run as the Bothans expected. He didn't betray his warriors in order to save his skin as a Sith should have.

Instead, Mandalore stood his ground. He gave his final order – for his fleet to relieve their homeworld and then... The whole galaxy watched in high definition how he burned and healed in front of their eyes only to burn again. They watched through direct sensor feeds how the whole Bothan fleet fall in disarray and simply drifted without firing a shot. Battle stations remained silent. Countless civilian ships tumbled out of control, some crashed, others flew in the darkness of space void of all life and the rest got caught by Bohawui's gravity and splattered themselves upon its planetary shields.

They saw the Bothan Council scream, shake and fall apart into flakes of black dust.

Dark smoke passed over the surface and where once stood green forests and crystal blue oceans only grey ruin remained. All across the galaxy, those attuned to the Force felt the backslash.

When it was all over, once not a single living thing remained on Bothawui, only then the doors leading to the Shining Light's observation lounge blew up, showering the dark cold interior with shards of burning metal. Armoured Clones followed by medics stormed in to find a twisted, burning wreck – all that was left of their general. Medics rushed to the smoking corpse and that was the last thing the galaxy saw before the Republic fleet jumped into hyperspace.

=RK=

Part 5

=RK=

LAAT transport

en route to Republic R&D centre

Coruscant

Nowadays, whole wings of LAATs, fighters and even bombers patrolling the skies or flying through the large man-made canyons of the city-world of Coruscant were a common sight. No one paid any attention to yet another flight of transports. While the Battle of the Senate as the media dubbed it proved to be a breaking point for the riots that threw the whole world into chaos, the troubles were by no means over yet. There were still smaller protests and riots all over the place. Groups of rogue Clones and criminals reigned in parts of the under-city and three whole army groups got unleashed upon them to back up the exhausted security forces.

As far as anyone was concerned, the transports carrying a battalion of Ahsoka's soldiers was on its way to secure yet another problem spot or on its back after it did so. Nothing out of the ordinary, no sir! They were most certainly not going to a secret Republic facility where they were to arrest the senior staff for conducting experiments better suited for memetic Sith than anyone working for the Republic!

Ahsoka stared through the open side door of her LAAT with unseeing eyes. It took all her training – both Jedi and as an officer to keep her temper in check. She had been incensed ever since Obi-Wan called her with her new orders and explained what was the latest mess she had to clean up. When that particular call happened, Ahsoka's Regiment was busy restoring order in a district where two of the local gangs went out of their minds and started a small war. It took her hours to wrap things up enough, extract one of her Battalions and arrange transportation – time enough for Obi-Wan to push through some important paperwork, which made her visit to the R&D centre official and would help to take the madmen there off-guard.

Tano's target was protected in part by obscurity. No one tried to deny that it was a large research and development facility – after all there were a lot of those on Coruscant and almost all of them belonged to various corporations. As far as the public at large knew, this one was no different. On the outside and its upper levels that was indeed the case – that part was a legit Coruscant Arms research branch. No one would be too surprised to see a place like that, one working very closely with the Republic military, protected by actual GAR soldiers. Of course, most people might have raised an eyebrow or two at the vast, sealed off complex that took many of the levels bellow.

"We're two mikes out, ma'am." The pilot announced. "Please fasten your seat belts, put your meals and drinks away and brace for landing!"

Ahsoka's lips twitched. These kinds of small jokes were something she was unfamiliar with from when she served with the Clones. While there was no doubt, which group was more professional, there was simply something more fulfilling from working with ordinary people. Tano didn't know if it was the fact that she was officially in charge and had the rank to prove it or if it was the small things that constantly demonstrated that her people had lives and loved ones outside the military, yet they volunteered anyway... or because of it.

"Inform them that the new Chief of Security is on her way. I'll be meeting my predecessor along with the senior staff ASAP." Ahsoka said.

"Right away, Ma'am."

The LAATs banked left and began their descent. They left a large canyon made by two rows of space-scrapers and flew above a small boundary of much smaller buildings that marked the edge between a residential district and a nearby industrial zone. Their target was near that border – a fifty story tall domed building which was just the tip of that particular asteroid.

"Our codes check. We got confirmation and landing instruction. The former Chief of Security will gather the senior staff and await you in one of the conference room. Security will be ready to escort you there." The pilot informed her.

"Good. Boys, prepare for action. I want that building secured, especially the Ascension wing. If the local forces give you any problem, give them one warning and if they don't listen or appear compromised, put them down, hard." Ahsoka ordered.

=RK=

Twenty five minutes later, Ahsoka stormed into a large ellipsoid conference room. Two armed to the teeth squads followed inside and fanned out behind her. She gave a toothy grin to the gathered scientists – a clear sign of her sore mood for anyone familiar with her species.

The place looked just as she would have imagined it would – clean, sterile even, impersonal and expensive.

"I'm Colonel Ahsoka Tano, the new Chief of Security." The Togruta introduced herself. She listed a number of projects whose leaders were to prepare a briefing on the progress and expected time of battlefield deployment of their work, which she would be reviewing later before reporting to Obi-Wan. Then she dismissed those, promised others she'll be in touch soon and then only Dr. Solumn and the former Chief of Security – an older human male with pale, almost transparent skin, remained.

Tano fixed the Director of the facility and bared her teeth at him in what could be charitably described as a death's grin. "Dr Solumn, can you please explain to me what do you think you're doing experimenting on Force Sensitive people and one of your colleagues, a certain Dr Zash?"

To his credit, outwardly at least, the Duros kept his composure perfectly intact. He simply blinked with his large eyes in what was a clear demonstration of confusion. "I'm afraid I have no idea what you're on about, young lady."

Unfortunately for him, Ahsoka didn't have to rely on her sight alone. Ever since she arrived, she had been examining everything through the Force too. She could feel his shock and fear at her question. Got you, she thought!

He predecessor felt a bit uncomfortable too. She nodded towards the human and a pair of her men stunned him and went to secure him.

"That's a bad boy." She chided. "Zash. Red haired woman, probably a nasty disposition – she's supposed to be a Sith Lord after all. Spill." Ahsoka demanded and used the Force to reinforce her words.

Solumn did talk. With a gusto too – he couldn't wait to demonstrate his genius by describing in an excruciating detail what he had done to date, what he planned to do to Zash and any alive Jedi he could get his hands on and how he desecrated the corpses of multiple Jedi recovered from the Temple he managed to somehow arrange to end into his custody.

Halfway through Solumn's confession, which was being recorded by the helmet cameras of everyone present, Ahsoka wanted only one thing – to jump on the table, run up to the murderous bastard and strangle him with her bare hands! She had seen some ugly things during the war so far. Worlds burning, families torn apart, people dying from disease, thirst and hunger when logistics networks were disrupted by the fighting, not to mention those directly caught in the fighting. But this unthinking horror Solumn was busy describing to her...

"He's mine, girl." A voice broking no argument interrupting the monologuing madman. A glowing figure materialized in front of Ahsoka just when her self control was about to snap.

An older human woman wearing expensive robes with practical cut stood proudly before Tano's eyes. She could feel the Force radiating from her and it wasn't the soothing warmth she was accustomed to. Ice and burning anger combined within the stranger to become something she hadn't really experienced coming from the Force. Thanks to Delkatar, she had brushed with the Dark side, but this was different. Enticing.

Ahsoka wasn't the only one who could see Zash. Her men levelled their blasters at her and Solumn finally shut up and took a fearful step back. The woman glanced at the Duros, gave him an impressive sneer that made him back off until his back struck the wall, then she turned back to look at Ahsoka and smiled.

"Aren't you an interesting little thing." Zash leaned forward to look at her more closely. "Such righteous anger and indignation. A lot of power too. I can work with this!" The Sith nodded to herself. "Nice to make you an acquaintance, my new Apprentice!" The older woman beamed as Ahsoka.

"Whut?!" Tano spluttered.

"Your first Master proved himself an idiot. Your second one is too busy running a galaxy wide war. You are an unpolished gem my dear and I hadn't had a proper Apprentice after Delkatar. You're it." Zash explained blithely. "The things I can teach you..." The Sith spoke in a voice that held all kinds of promises that made Ahsoka shiver in both fear and anticipation.

This was so not what she signed up for! There was no way she would let a Sith Lord train her! Unless it was Delkatar, but he was different, right! Besides, he was married, so she shouldn't fear for her virtue with him, which... She glanced at Zash who looked at her with smoky eyes. Yeah, that was certainly a concern here. Nope! No. Just no, this wasn't happening!

"Get Solumn into custody." Ahsoka growled, turned around and left the conference room without sparing a second glance to the ghostly form of the Sith.

"I do like them feisty!" Zash crooned and suddenly was walking beside her.

=RK=

A half hour of pestering, sexual and other innuendos, Ahsoka was close to the end of her rope and that bloody ghost knew it! They just got into the Project Ascension Wing and the part where Zash's body was held. It held a closer resemblance to cooked meat than a human body – one arm and legs were missing too, with the others having their flesh burned to the bone in places.

"How in the name of the Force aren't you dead yet?" Ahsoka snapped at the Zash.

"I'm a Sith, dear." The ghost explained in a motherly tone.

That... Ahsoka looked between the corpse that refused to die and the glowing form of the woman pestering her. That was actually a good point. Zash was simply too annoying to die, that had to be it.

Ahsoka opened her mouth to retort, when the Force screamed. Her eyes snapped towards a spot on the floor, which was the closest she could pinpoint the direction.

"Oh, my. I haven't felt something like this in ages..." Zash muttered. Her bearing shifted and became deadly serious. "Something pushed Delkatar beyond his limits."

Ahsoka did feel Kamino die along with everyone who had a strong connection with the Force. This... This was so much worse... She fell to her knees and screamed right along with the billions who she felt being consumed. She experienced their pain and horror, she felt the hunger of the Dark Side, her thirst for more.

Warm strong hands enveloped her into a warm embrace and a soothing voice whispered something in her ears, however all she could hear was howls of pain as life itself unravelled. She could see them, she could feel them – billions upon billions of Bothans and other people from all across the galaxy as they died. It was wrong! Oh, so wrong, yet... there was a part of her that experienced an echo of what Veil was doing, of his emotions... Pain! Ahsoka felt her body ignite and burn! She relished in consuming a whole world! She screamed, begged, laughed and screamed again, all the while a Sith Lord did her best to soothe her anguish.

Ahsoka spent an eternity in hell until the spell broke and she collapsed.

"Apprentice, what did you do this time?" Zash asked aloud. Through their connection she felt the same thing the little Togruta did, which was surprising. The child wasn't Delkatar's apprentice, she knew that for a fact. Yet, there was a tiny, frayed link between the two of them and that might have just driven the young girl insane.

Zash closed her eyes. What Veil did... it tasted like Vitate's ritual, however it was obviously it hadn't worked. The Hell happened out there on the Rim to force him to such a desperate measures?

The only bright side was that trough their connection, Zash was able to syphon a tiny fraction of the power that Delkatar consumed and his body simply couldn't handle. That had been enough to make her ghostly form more than tangible. She was practically bursting with energy.

Zash sighed and put down the girl she had been cradling. Hopefully the child hadn't gone too insane – it would be such a waste if she did.

The Sith Lord went up to the Bacta tank containing her current body and placed her transparent fingers upon the thick transparent alloy. She channelled the energy she stole into her own ravaged flesh and the Bacta around it accelerating its regeneration to impossible levels. Before her eyes the burns healed, flesh knit together and began to slowly crawl up exposed bones.