When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 10

The time came far faster than I had liked. My newly purchased ship was put to use in taking me and several dozen of my men to the planet the Jedi were on. The ship was nothing special, just another uninspired ship that was a big block of metal coated in grime and rust. Got it cheap too and after some elbow grease and the Holonet fixed it up to the best of my ability while helping me figure out the inner workings of it. 

My talk with Shey had gotten me to start thinking back on how I had lived my life after Miguel’s passing. Shey is right. He wouldn’t want me to needlessly throw my life away. That wouldn’t honor his memory. Once those thoughts had come and passed the time came to resume my training. Having gotten a satisfying level of understanding and refinement to my new spells I felt about as prepared as I could get for this upcoming job. I even went so far as to train in my Lord form. 

That will be a night to remember for the few who caught a glimpse of a monster massacring several gangsters from a sizable portion that had tried to split off from Dibbs' sinking ship of an army with a group of the black-clad forms shooting them. Like a scythe through wheat, they were helpless. 

The ship had come when Dibbs' master had said it would after the job was done for me and only some of Dibbs' forces managed to get on it instead of all of them for one reason or another. Like rats scurrying for their lives on a sinking ship the forces of Dibb splintered and fragmented. It was nice spreading my wings and soaring in the darkness above hunting them down as they fled for their lives. I could almost taste the fear in them just as I can still savor the memory of it. 

The Hutts had continued to hammer away at them after my job and with the help of some bounty hunters, the shield was brought low. After that, it was plain to see for all that they had lost. Like Xim The Despot, Dibb and his forces broke themselves against the Hutts and paid the price that all those who battle the Hutts must pay in the end.

From what Jugo had let slip originally it was found by some criminals who thought the area might make for a decent hideaway only to find a small opening leading into a cave that had numerous crystals within it. 

One of them was knowledgeable enough to realize what the crystals were and how much money they could make. Not realizing how dangerous it is to dabble in anything associated with the Jedi order since they have shown in the past a tendency to crack down on any enterprising criminals messing around with things associated with their order. 

So the fools initially set about harvesting the crystals and of course, things go wrong for them. They had a ship arrive to their dismay that had a handful of Jedi aboard it with some Judicial security forces as backup. The Jedi did most of the work clearing out the criminals with the survivors selling the info to Jugo. Jugo himself has a few ideas about how the Jedi showed up but that is some rotten luck for those criminals regardless. 

But here I am on the ship doing whatever I can to better prepare myself and my men for what is coming as one of my droids works the navicomputer ensuring we get there as fast as possible. Though I am still giddy after getting to watch us leave Nar Shaddaa piloting the ship the entire time. 

One hell of a sight seeing the stars across the cosmos race towards you as you shoot off into the sky. Always wanted to go to space. And even under the circumstances, it doesn’t stop me from enjoying the final frontier. 

The ship we are flying in was a shipline that was discontinued when better models were introduced a long time ago. The ship is a giant rectangular box with a horizontal circle that has the rectangle inserted halfway into the circle. 

The circle acts as the cockpit of the cargo ship. It may have once been pristine and clean but now it's cleaner than what it was but the years of hauling cargo for who knows how long took its toll on the ship. But that did not detract from it since it showed me it was reliable and capable of getting the job done.

Several dozen of my Death Korp are lining the cargo bay. Continuing their training without me as they practiced anything that wouldn’t damage the insides of the ship while being beneficial to me. I made sure to supply them several different potions with some members having specific purposes in this coming fight. 

Leaving the gravitational pull of the moon and reaching for the stars feeling the power in the controls as I move the ship around. Even if it was not that big of a deal for the original owner or most people in this galaxy, for me it was amazing.  Watching all the lights across the surface of the moon and seeing the star of the system shine on brightly. It was a mesmerizing sight and I would stare at it for a few seconds before it ended far sooner than I would have liked.

Knowing that I have a crystal to get I snap to it and start initiating the jump into hyperspace. Jeeves stands behind me watching me work with one of his brothers in the copilot seat going over the data with the navicomputer charting our course through hyperspace. When Alfred gave the green light I punched seeing the stars elongate becoming wispy trails of light as we were on our way to the planet.

Now I just bide my time running the Death Korp through several drills while experimenting and working with my illusions. Hours fly by as I train vigorously exhausting my magicka each time making adjustments to my spells and developing ideas for new ones down the line that I could use. Checking over equipment to ensure it’s up to standards when we meet the Jedi. I will give them a chance to surrender peacefully. 

If they don’t take it then what happens is on them by that point. Eyeing a simple rocket launcher I had made from scraps for some of the Korp troopers as they practiced hand-to-hand and pickpocketing one another with small stones in each other's pockets. They have gotten better compared to their obvious first attempts at grabbing the stones without being noticed. 

The fighting is mostly reserved for grapples and throws to ensure they are not too injured from attacking each other. They will take it too far if I give the order to kill one another. I don’t need to waste time on that when we have such an important objective coming up that cannot be failed. 

Focusing on the idea of the spell in my mind's eye, taking the Dead Thrall spell as my foundation and piece by piece it is cut down into tiny fragments like a scalpel on a surgical table using my understanding of souls in an attempt to create something similar.

Then taking the spell I had taken the time of developing under Illusion with fragments of knowledge, memory, and desire breaking it down into little puzzle pieces as it fragments. The pieces floating within the void gather around the cut portions of the gaseous purple spell as they attach and conjoin on different portions of the spell as its state goes from gas and wispy portions of consciousness yet not consciousness to a state between solid and gas the colors mix and conjoin into momentary purple and green ever-shifting.

The pieces mesh over one another looking almost complete besides the portions that just don’t fit right. Like playing a game only to find a void in the side of a building where it doesn’t connect with the ground and you see an empty void. The spell is almost there, but still incomplete. Slowly but surely its form has come closer and closer to completion. And to think this is only the prototype…

My comlink crackles to life sending the void with the floating incomplete amalgamation into nothingness as my eyes open to see the cargo hold with my Korp troopers looking at me as I open the comlink rising out of my meditative stance on the floor. “We are one minute from the planet sir.” A robotic voice belonging to Alfred tells me.

Taking a deep breath to ease the tension out of me. Despite the direness of this situation, a growing part of me looks forward to the coming fight. I just hope they will be sensible enough to surrender to me. Despite how they were depicted in the prequels and Clone Wars they were still decent and not inherently evil. They just got caught up in serving the Republic and were unwilling to see it as the corrupt cancerous tumor it had become. 

“Weapons armed and ready boys and girls!” I say loud enough for it to reverberate off the walls of the cargo hold. They get to work readying their weapons as they pull off the tarps from the speeders I had brought with us. I made sure to be extra careful with this operation not wanting anyone to know what I was up to or having anything to do with this.

It would be nigh impossible to ensure such a big operation with so many moving parts to go unnoticed. So I made sure to keep myself far from it and any purchases I made were not connected to me. Even using a newly made spell to alter both my appearance and the sound of my voice. Developing it enough to even replicate a few different species' appearances and sounds native to them.  

The black-garbed and masked forms of my troopers double time it as they get on the speeders going through the motions as the repulsorlifts come to life with a hum as they load onto them. Others grab weapons and equipment whether it be snipers or rocket launchers. Grenades loaded into belts along with multiple blasters holstered. 

Removing most of my armor and weapons from my person as I step out only in form-fitting black thermal pants. Now for the fun part. As easily as I breathe and far easier than it had been in the past my form shifts and expands as shadows congeal and come to life in the cargo hold. My body grows far bigger, easily doubling in height as my senses expand. 

Even if my forces don’t have a heartbeat or a need to breathe I can easily sense their presence. Feeling the minute vibrations of the droids working the cockpit, feeling the ship's subtle lurch out of hyperspace, and the shift in movement going towards the planet. Folding my wings onto my back and with less effort than you would think with a body this big with such contradictory grace and flexibility I make my way to the cockpit as both droids glance back at my fanged visage in all its glory.

“Bring us in boys. Don’t worry about us getting detected, I will handle that. You both focus on getting the main force down and close to the objective. Then drop off the support squads and myself along any vantage points we can gain.” I tell them in a soft but terrifying voice that is both light yet deep like the crumbling and grinding of the earth yet the light taps of raindrops hitting the ground.

“Affirmative sir.” Alfred says to me as Jeeves beeps in agreement as they bring the ship down to the planet as we enter its atmosphere. Bringing my hands up resting on the sides of the doorway as green coats my hands and with a flash the green coats the ship before seemingly sinking into it bringing any noise from both the ship and all within it to an eerie silence. 

The other hand lets loose the readied spell. Like a colorless and formless paint being dropped and spreading its contents across the ground it coats where I had touched the ship with it crawling forward quickly. Anywhere it crawls the ship shifts to a mere shimmer in the air myself and the droids included. Glancing back seeing the forms of my men standing on a piece of metal floating in the air begin to disappear as well.

They don’t even bother looking at what is happening and accept it instead of panicking, they stare ahead before they cease to be visible. For most people that is. I can still feel their forms and smell them knowing how many are there and any positions they are in. I smirk at the power that is at my disposal. In the game, Vampire Lords were a joke. But in this form, everything is enhanced. But that is only a lesser reason to take this form. I don’t want anyone associating this with Corvo Attano. 

Instead, this will be associated with the leader of the Death Korp… of Malachor. A random name that I can’t quite remember where it came from but I know it originated in Star Wars. Regardless if it did it sounds just right, complete in a way where before it wasn’t. Our forms were completely cloaked as the ship continued on course heading for the coordinates that the Jedi and judicial security forces would be at.

Closer to the surface of the planet I see it’s mostly barren with a few forms of life like the occasional forest and wildlife ranging from small rodent-like creatures to big cats mixed with reptiles as they stick to the forests as the ship goes on the forests are split up among dry cracked dirt and rocks as hills and in the distance mountains can be seen. Our ship flies onwards coming closer to the point as I make my way back to the cargo hold.

Feeling the door opening on the carbo bay, I and several of the support squads leave the carbo bay with the ship flying further with the bulk of the main force. A few speeders fly off with me flying ahead of them with ease. Seeing our target fast approaching a large red t shaped ship with the Republic emblem on its side. A few dark gray-suited figures can be seen in the shade. Their uniform is reminiscent of the Imperial officer uniform. 

We come to a halt and look off seeing what looks like a large jagged rock jutting out of the cracked dirt seeing an opening leading into the ground and two robed figures with four men like the ones near the ship moving about with some equipment. Crates and the like as they stack them on top of one another. 

One of the robed figures stands on watch. A male twi’lek from the looks of him with blue skin. The sun bearing down on this system makes it far hotter and with no wind, it makes that much worse. 

Despite wanting to attack now I ultimately don’t. It may be dumb but I will give them a chance. Noting no one is currently inside of the ship. Flying some distance away feeling a vibration from a pouch in the belt around my waist I had procured. Two quick vibrations tell me the troopers are in position. 

Time to give them their choice.

…

Jedi Knight Sanjun Ortega had been with the order for as long as he could remember. He and his fellow Knights had been sent when word from a Sentinel about smugglers who had discovered a cave with kyber crystals within it had reached the temple. 

Not wanting any more items closely associated with the Jedi Order to be peddled on the black market they came post haste with a Republic Judicial security force to help them drive the criminals off and to hold the area until more senior Jedi arrive. 

The cave they had investigated was far greater in size than they had expected and once inside they could feel it. A calming effect taking off what little pressure they had pressing down on them. A pressure Sanjun hadn’t known that was pressing down on him. He had always believed himself to be the example of what a Jedi should strive to be.

Calm, patient, and above all else never desiring anything more than what he has in life. But that calmness that had eased him and others after the fight with the few smugglers who didn’t flee. He felt shame that he enjoyed the coming fight and had looked forward to it.

The lack of dissatisfaction from when he entered the cave showed him he must be careful and not think like that. That way leads to the dark side—

“Sanjun you sense it as well?” Kira Kirkland, his fellow Jedi Knight and someone he has known since he was a youngling. Her blonde curls cascaded down her back as her emerald eyes bore into his own and she feels it as I do. 

“Yes. It’s almost like the dark side…” I say yet it’s not?

“It feels unnatural even for the dark side. Almost completely alien and foreign. The dark side is unpleasant but this… it’s almost like it’s something different. We need to alert the security forces—”

Before Kira could do anything a voice spoke, making them pull out their lightsabers looking around but seeing nothing through their eyes or the force. “Jedi! You and your forces are surrounded. Lay down your weapons and surrender and the Death Korp of Malachor will let you live. What do you say?”

The one speaking has a deep voice that sounds like he is right next to them. Coming out of the cave entrance and seeing Ikarom as he looks around with the extra backup the Republic gave them having their blasters out. 

Ikarom speaks up loud enough for all to hear him. “I would suggest you do the same along with your forces. If you have any.” Ikarom responds, looking off towards a large rock in the distance. His eyes bored into it.

“Then all the lives lost on this day will be on your heads. Let’s do this.”

All lightsabers ignited now with the ever-present buzz in the air the security forces scrambling for whatever cover they could as they looked around seeing absolutely nothing. “Master Jedi I don’t think there is anyone near-” 

A blaster shot sends the man falling to the ground dead as a black-garbed figure can be seen some distance ahead of them. The Jedi were horrified and confused. They didn’t sense anything to indicate an attack. Before they could think any longer about what just happened a swarm of blasters opened fire on them as they were forced to deflect them.

Kira was the first to go down as several blasters managed to get past her blade, overwhelming her as she fell to the ground dead with several more shots hitting her body, her lightsaber rolling out of her hand the blade extinguished. If only she had instead of settling for form six and barely training it with the least effort she could have survived. 

Something that the vast majority of their order have done with most not seeing a need to train in other forms that require more effort.

Ikarom has a look of sorrow on his face before determination builds up inside of him.

“Sanjun we need to retreat to the cave. We can’t face these men out here in the open.” Ikarom tells him struggling to deflect all the blaster fire as he uses the force to enhance his body. Being pushed far greater than he ever has before.

“But Ikarom, what about the others?” Sanjun argues before he feels something through the force and glancing over to the ship sees to his horror most of them are dead. One is scrambling up the ramp of the ship as it closes with him on it with powerful blaster shots nearly hitting him, sending dirt and rocks flying. Relief fills him at knowing one of them survived and would call for help.

Ikarom extends his hand towards Kira’s lightsaber as it flies into his hand as he wields both of them, deflecting the blasters far better than he had prior. Still getting overwhelmed as they back up, Sanjun takes a glance at the ship as it starts to take off. A frown finds itself on his face, a part of him had hoped he would wait and try to at least help them.

Several speeders race forth with rockets flying from the ground impacting the ship. Most of them do nothing but one rocket manages to hit one of the thrusters making it sputter and fall dead. The ship lurches before careening back down crashing into the dirt and sending up a massive plume of dust in the distance. 

Some of the speeders turn back around with mounted guns or gunmen on them, opening fire and circling them. “To the caves Sanjun we can’t stay here any longer!” Ikarom orders him and he begrudgingly complies.

Both backed away, making sure to not get shot by a stray bolt in the back, using the force to help them flee faster into the cave and helping them deflect the occasional sniper shot that sent tremors through their arms. Once at a safe distance into the caves and their attackers do not initially follow them they deactivate their sabers.

“Ikarom what do we do?!” Sanjun asks with worry.

“Calm yourself Sanjun. The force is with us and this Death Korp will have to deal with the consequences of attacking us. We just need to hold out until help arrives.” Ikarom says, trying to calm Sanjun.

“And what if that man didn’t contact the Republic or the Order on what just happened? Then what?” Sanjun counters.

“Then we protect these crystals at all costs. With our lives if need be. They have ill intentions if they desire them. Especially when the criminal elements know the risks of going after them. We can’t let them have them.”

Sanjun starts to finally calm down both his fellow Knight and the effects of the crystal. “You are correct. I apologize Ikarom. I lost control and…”

Ikarom places a hand on his friend's shoulder and smiles at him. “Do not feel shame in this Sanjun. I too was once like this. Remember Sanjun there is only the force in the end. May it be with you.”

“And it with you.” Sanjun smiles up at him having made his peace on this day. 

Both turn to look back at the way they had come and sense their enemy soon approaching. Both recede into the shadows having discussed what to do with what time they have. Both stay as still as ghosts along two passages on the side of the main one illuminated by the glow of the crystals. Staying at the edges looking at one another hearing the occasional steps. 

Closer and closer they get until they stop just shy of where they are. Sanjun gives Ikarom a questioning look before the force warns them and they both run away as two objects hit the ground next to where they both were. An explosion goes off sending rock and dirt flying and shaking the cave causing dust and debris to rain down from above.

Dirt and dust rush down the tunnels obscuring all within. Several of the Death Korp walk down the tunnels splitting up into several long lines of squads following one another as they hunt down the two Jedi. As they move further the Jedi begin their counter-strike. 

Sanjun briefly ignites his lightsaber and cuts down several members of the Death Korp, some dying on the spot and others only having legs or arms cut off but still capable of firing back. Sanjuns blade disappears before the troopers quickly charge up shooting where he once was before stopping. Seeing that their quarry is not there.

A blue glow springs to life cutting more and more of them down except this time heads are rolling off of bodies or torso’s separated from their legs. Just as before the blade disappears as they fruitlessly hunt him down. Sometimes troopers would have an unseen presence grasp them like a hand and slam them into a wall breaking the body on impact or dragging it off further down into the cave.

Ikarom was faring as well as his comrade. Both blades of green and blue were mesmerizing to watch as they sliced through their enemies with surprising grace and precision. Like a graceful dance that was slow and steady and would build up to fast and acrobatic leaps.

The man’s lightsaber form transitioned from wide sweeping strikes to an acrobatic one used when in wide open parts of the cave as he danced and weaved around the troopers. Each strike saw a trooper downed and before they had fully fallen he was already past them.

The rest of their adversaries started backing up while the closest continued to open fire. Knowing what was coming through the force, Sanjun retreated into the darkness moving further into the caves' maze-like tunnels. Ikarom on the other hand stopped the grenades mid air halting them before thrusting his hand forward his face etched in concentration sending the grenades back to the ones who had thrown them.

The ceiling collapsed, sealing off one of the ways to that portion of the tunnels. Ikarom on the other hand had cleared out most of the immediate enemies he was facing as he took a moment to rest. Sanjun quickly fled through the tunnels sensing Ikarom's presence through the force as he winded his way through the cave to meet up with his comrade.

Halting as several blasters impacted where he would have stepped had it not been for the early warning. Quickly backing around the corner he had come from and raising a hand from around the corner. But before he could muster the concentration he quickly backs away as a fire springs to life.

An explosion assaults his ears as he is pelted with rock fragments. The cave, despite its protest thankfully doesn’t collapse. Trying to double back he halts as more blasters shoot from the direction he had come from. How did they pin him in and find his position? Sensing that dark and alien presence he has an inkling of how they did.

Igniting his lightsaber he raised a hand while struggling to block and deflect the blaster fire. As he thrusts his hand forward sending a wave of force that pushes rocks and dirt out of its way. A large ominous figure that he can’t properly see in the darkness with several of the blaster wielders behind them and to their sides.

As the force push comes closer to them an arm raises with their hand outstretched as if to stop the unrelenting force coming towards them. To Sanjuns shock a pale light forms over a horrific visage of evil and teeth as the push merely parts before it like waves against a flood gate as the walls shudder and crack from the push but hold steady.

Before Sanjun can even process what he has just seen the bubble disappears and the force all but screams at him bringing his lightsaber up to his horror lightning erupts from its clawed hand as his lightsaber holds under the onslaught. Sanjun struggles to hold as his arms feel like they are holding up an unimaginable weight pressing down on him while his feet dig trenches in the ground.

Shaking arms start to steady as he calms himself, the force aiding him. Backing away slowly before he glanced behind him but it was too late. The enemy's men from behind had pinned him in and from both sides, they opened fire. Sanjun couldn’t even block with his only weapon preoccupied with the lightning.

…

If you are interested in reading more this story a Pat re on under the name of SullenMadMax is available. If anyone is interested for $1 you can read a chapter a week early, or for $5 you can read the chapter after that two weeks before it is released publicly. It would go a long way to helping me and my family and regardless if you don’t want to that is fine as well and I appreciate all of you for giving my stories a read and hope you all enjoy!