When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 14

Besides spending some time at any casino I could get to and back from in a quick manner most of my time is spent better preparing my new Korp members and tinkering with new weapons that I will be needing. Watching the walking black form of T-009 as her nimble form runs around the environment firing off stinging shots with blaster pistols in both of her hands at the new recruits as she easily weaves around them dodging their return fire.

T-009 is my attempt at an evolution of the Assaultron line of robots from Fallout. Taking their already incredible prowess in combat and advancing their capabilities with the technology of Star Wars has made an absurdly capable and lethal killing machine despite 009 being a prototype like her sisters. 

The little bulkiness that a regular Assaultron would have is gone with a gorgeous sleek form with feminine curves placed into it with a more human-like face hiding a nasty surprise coupled with a shiny black frame. A design choice I made on a whim after the first four were made and tested. It’s not as refined as I would like it, noting the obvious marks of the metal not being properly conjoined. An odd wire sticking out or her face plates not properly lining up at times when moving too fast. But otherwise, 009 is proving to be a good investment.

Took some doing but coupled with my absurd intelligence level and the perks like robotics and science making something like her wasn’t as difficult as it would have been. I managed to get her up and running and put her through some hoops to see how she stacked up just like the others. 

Against my new recruits, she does a fantastic job. Against me, she could do some damage but she ultimately loses. If she had some advantages and I was mostly unarmed she could do something but would ultimately lose in the end. Physically speaking she is weaker than me but she is fast and nimble compared to most people that are not me. 

What gives her an advantage is her capability to learn and learn fast and use her upgraded processing capabilities to avoid projectiles while simultaneously returning fire and constantly being on the offensive.

Using her speed and agility to her advantage nimbly avoiding the returning fire while still shooting back taking them down with quick and precise strikes while constantly evading any attempt of surrounding or cornering her. They managed to beat her predecessors a few times doing this but she learned from their mistakes quickly to not fall for obvious tricks like that. 

Each sting shot not killing nor seriously injuring the recruits as they are allowed to use proper blasters. A method to ensure I don’t lose my men after investing so much time into them over something like simple training. The other reason is to ensure the droids learn to fight at both an advantage and especially at a disadvantage when they have the odds stacked against them. 

A loud blaring echoes out across the decrepit manufacturing room as 009 and my forces lower their weapons looking at me. Clapping my hands as a charming smile forms on my face. Now this is some good progress. Wearing the armor from the meeting with the Hutts as things seem to be tense on Nar Shaddaa with the declaration of the Trade Federation. Looking over my hands seeing the faint shimmer of the enchantments making their presence known.

Looking over at the table with the newly made cylindrical grenades with their ribbed gray forms contrasting the dirty black table. Going to need them when I go after the Trade Federation. The sound of metal hitting concrete can be heard below me before a black figure blurs up and over the railing landing in a crouch that is far quieter than you would think it would be.

Rising to her full height as she follows me around acting as a sort of bodyguard. Walking down corridors spotting her sisters around some areas either manufacturing some upgrades or repairs to parts that were damaged. I let them have free reign over the upgrades they think would best suit them. 

Seeing many recruits walking about from one room to the other either moving on to another training session or sifting through the many weapons we all have collected to choose for their personal use. Some can even be seen chugging a potion for stealth or one-handed. Something I had put to use myself by furthering my training or at least covering up a flaw or weakness. 

Testing with the potions resulted in them helping the user to be more efficient with whatever the potion is made for. Stealth leads to a better understanding of how to properly be sneaky with one’s movements, using shadows effectively, or doing something in broad daylight. One-handed helps with unarmed combat as much as it does a simple knife or sword. Where to land and time a lethal strike and how to properly swing a sword or throw a punch.

I still have no intention of being a great blade fighter or martial artist. As cool as it sounds I am not putting myself in needless danger like that when I am perfectly capable of fighting someone at a distance. After all, why would I lower myself to fighting someone with a blade? 

Watching T-005 work on what looks like a massive spiked fist with the occasional spark coming off the tool she uses on it that looks like a potential replacement for her current arms as her form nearly becomes one with the shadows. 

Looking up from her work looking at me with a faint red seen behind the womanly mask of her face. Nodding and smiling at her she resumes her work seeing the faint sheen on her body that’s different from most of her siblings. Only a matter of time to see how effective she will be with the other two.

I let them make their own upgrades along with installing weapons of their own choice. It will make it harder for any enemy who engages them to think they are all one and the same and have no key differences like most droids. Walking into an armory with weapons of all shapes and sizes with three towering armored forms standing in the shadows.

Seeing the tubes connecting to their backs from the wall, small fist-sized cylinders sitting on electronic platforms with a faint hum. Seeing that the power sources are nearly charged grab a few things out of the room. Walking up to the suits of power armor looking forward to putting them to good use.

Feeling satisfied that they will be fine, I head off to the surface of Nar Shaddaa as I swap out my armor for more casual clothes while keeping several weapons on my person. I have been training for far too long and need a break. 

One can only do so much grinding before they feel like they are going to go insane. Taking a small little box with me that I had made recently for the sole purpose of sitting down and relaxing. Jeeves landing outside of Shey’s bar I quickly head inside and many more people are inside of it than normal.

Several I even recognize from the get-together when the Hutts dropped the news on us. Ignoring the stares as I head to the bar and get myself one of the more expensive but tastier bottles from the bartender but not before ordering a round of drinks from the top shelf for all those currently in the bar. Most were ecstatic at free drinks and good ones at that whereas a few looked angrier for it.

Heading over to a table to enjoy myself. One of the perks or downside depending on how you view it of being a vampire is that I can’t get drunk. That doesn’t mean it’s going to stop me from enjoying some booze.

I sat down at the table with a glass and poured myself a drink. Picking the glass up and giving it a taste as my eyes light up at the flavor. Like a Fuji apple mixed with a kiwi and orange. Instead of downing the glass in one go I savor the taste of it as some of the bounty hunters glance in my direction in either interest or just glare at me. Three rise from the table they were set at as they waltz up to me.

Drinking without a care in the world not feeling threatened in the slightest seeing the tension in their forms as I can see they are looking for a fight. Two were human with the third being a Pantoran. The Pantoran walks up with the other two staying behind him as he slams his hands on the table.

Grabbing the bottle of liquor prevents it from falling to the ground as I look at the troublemaker with an easygoing smile that pisses him off even more if his grit teeth and grimace were any indication. “Who the kriff do you think you are?” He growls out.

“Corvo Attano the guy who got you and your buddies a drink. Ones that you should be enjoying.” I say happily to them showing how unconcerned I am with them.

“You think you can be our buddy with a round of free drinks? A nobody like you rising out of nowhere making the rest of us who have spent years in this line of work look bad and you think you are better than us?! We don’t need your damn drinks.” He says getting more and more angry the more he talks.

Making a show of me looking like I had come to a grand realization. “Awwww you think me getting you guys some drinks was me looking down on you. Trust me you’ll know when I am going out of my way to make you look bad. So I think you boys should go relax and enjoy those drinks since you know some big stuff is going to go down and never know when it may be your last.”

“Is that a threat?” He growls out as his two buddies have their hands resting on their holstered blasters.

Before I say anything further a voice gets our attention. “No, but this is. You’re leaving either alive or dead. You know the rules here.” A smooth woman’s voice says as they look over seeing the pale-skinned woman from before. She stares them down along with several of the other patrons and the bartender. I try not to look at the antennae sticking out of her head as it sticks out like a sore thumb.

“This has nothing to do with you Aurra so-”

“I disagree since you and your friends here decided to disturb the peace in a guild-associated bar while the rest of us are relaxing. Now get out.” She says, narrowing her eyes at them. 

The three look like they are going to disagree before thinking better of it as the sounds of movement are heard across the bar as the many patrons look like they will be joining in. They quickly turn and leave but not before glaring at me before they walk out with a huff. 

“Thanks.” I say to who I now know and somewhat remember as Aurra. I remembered an old PlayStation game that was a Twisted Metal ripoff with her as one of the playable characters. I think there was a scene where she tried to snipe Luke with his iconic green saber? Either way, I have no idea about her backstory.

“Least I could do when someone gets me a free drink and those three make a scene in this bar of all places.” She says with a shake of her head as she walks closer to my table. “Do you mind?” She says gesturing at the chair I am sitting at.

“By all means.”

Taking a seat at the table as she stares at me and I back at her. Sliding the bottle over to her as she eyes it and then me before taking a swig from it. You're just going to drink straight from the bottle? Some people I swear. 

She gives an appreciative look on her face at my choice. “Not often do I get top shelf. What’s the occasion?” She says leaning back in her chair.

“Well with what’s coming I figured I could only do so much preparing before it becomes too much.  Needed a breather and figured it would be enjoyable and if it’s the last thing I do in this galaxy I want it to be something fun.” I speak honestly to her.

It’s something that had crossed my mind a few times even before Miguel’s health started declining. I was with him in a bad neighborhood with violence all over the place. If I am going to die I want to have some fun before that happens at least. And this is no different in the end. 

She gives a hum at that as I look past her seeing the silver helmeted form of Jango with the cowboy Duros right alongside him as they both step inside. Both look over to me and Aurra and immediately walk over to us. Both take a seat at the table as Jango takes his helmet off showing short dark hair with tanned skin making him look like someone from Hawaii or one of the many islands in the sea.

“You guys want some?” I ask them as they look at me and the bottle on the table.

“Hard to pass up a free drink. Bane?” Jango asks the now-named Bane as the name sounds familiar but I still can’t quite place where I heard it. Never really watched much Star Wars content after Revenge of the Sith and the 2003 Clone Wars series.

“I got time to waste.” He says in a low voice after a moment as he stares at me. The same stare some of the other hunters would give me.

Oh boy, not another one… 

I quickly get up from the table and a second later return with glasses for everyone. Pouring them each a drink and leaving the bottle in the middle of the table for anyone to grab for a refill. “Their room for one more?” Shey asks, walking up to our table after popping out of her office done with whatever work she had to finish.

“Always.” I say to her as she takes a seat.

“Thanks for giving Corvo a hand, Aurra.” She says after taking a sip.

“None at all. Just don’t like it when my relaxation gets disturbed.” She says coolly.

“I take it one of the others didn’t like the new blood showing up here?” Bane asks.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t some of them?” Shey fires back.

“Something’s never change…” Jango says, shaking his head.

Deciding this is a good chance to have some fun I cut in. “Well since we have so many people at the cool kid's table-” My comment gets a snort out of Shey at that but I ignore it “-how about a card game?”

Jango gives me a look as he sets his drink down. “Gambling?”

“Nope. Just a game for fun. I doubt you could even properly make any money off of Uno.”

“Uno?” Aurra asks as the others give me questioning looks.

“A game from my homeworld. You are given a set amount of cards and your goal is to use all of them. You guys want to try it?” I ask them.

They all look at one another before all give a nod. “Alright, Corvo you got the cards?” Shey asks, speaking for the group.

“Yes, I do.” Pulling out the box of cards I had made and quickly giving a rundown of the game's rules. At first, it started slow but it quickly picked up as they each got into it rather fast. Several of the others in the room even got closer to our table watching the game go down. I was beating them but before long they were keeping up with me. Especially Cad Bane once I learned his full name.

I think I remember seeing him as a part of the newer The Clone Wars series that came out sometime when I was in high school. Either way, I know nothing about the guy. Plus I got more important things currently happening to me.

“Come on. Come. On!” I say exasperated as I get hit with a plus twenty and draw the cards as the group laughs at my misery. “You guys won’t be laughing for long, just wait!” I say pointing a finger at them as they laugh harder.

Even Bane is chuckling as he gets his revenge for the three plus fours I gave him in a row. “Just wait, Bane, it's coming back around for you.” You don’t just hit a man with that many cards and expect him to take it lying down.

While they play their cards Bane just smiles at me. “Is it though?” His response makes me pause as his turn comes and he plays the dreaded reverse card. And I don’t even have one. This hand sucks! I have just one plus two and three skip cards.

The rest of the group all get a good laugh at my misfortune as I slowly try to trim the fat from this hand. Not helped by the occasional plus two or anything they want to pile on me. Thankfully they are more invested now in screwing each other as the people at the table would either laugh or groan at what is happening to the others and themselves. It’s cozy and enjoyable at the table and many patrons are even getting a laugh at watching us.

As the day goes by the bottle gets emptied. Not by too much since me and Shey drink a good portion of it while the others drink conservatively. “So I assume you three are acquainted with Shey?” I ask as I put down a blue three.

“Some more than others.” Aurra speaks up, eyes focused on the cards in her hand as she puts down a green three. Quickly cutting in placing down two green threes as the others eye my slimmed-down hand.

“I knew Shey back when I had gotten fully into the bounty-hunting business.” Jango says as he puts down a plus two calling out an Uno. The plus two targets me but not before I stack it with my own and give Bane four more to his hand of two as he glares at me under the wide-rimmed cowboy hat.

I only give him a smile that is all teeth in response. “Well, you must have been quite the somebody back in the day, Shey.” I say simply as Bane plays a skip making Aurra huff as she still has six cards in her hand. Shey places a green six into the pile as I skip over Jango playing my own. 

He snorts as Shey glances over at me. “That’s ancient history, Corvo. Maybe sometime down the road, you will learn it.” She says cryptically as I roll my eyes at her trying to be all mysterious.

“Why not now? Everyone loves a good story. Plus I told you about my younger years.” I say as Cad puts down another card keeping it going. Aurra adds a reverse card to the mix making me wince knowing Cad has something in store for me. 

“First, we have a bunch of people here who don’t need to know the personal details especially when everyone who's anyone knows the official history. Second of all, you telling me a part of your life was to get you to hopefully not do something foolish like rushing off to fight someone who wronged you and you could do so quietly without anyone knowing besides yours truly.” Shey says to me in a sugar-sweet tone that Aurra snorts at.

Cad with a grin puts down a plus two. “Hah, jokes on you but I got one as well! Sorry not sorry Jango.” I say ecstatically preventing Jango from winning by using Cad Bane.

Jango just gives me a sad smile like he is teaching a kid a lesson. “Thanks for the win, Corvo.” 

“What?” I respond dumbly as he places down his last card being the same color of plus two. 

Cad Bane huffs before a chuckle escapes him as Shey and Aurra laugh alongside them with the people watching us gathered around chuckling. “Damnit…” I mutter before standing up from the table with the others noting it’s getting late.

“That was fun. We should do that more often. Shey catch.” I say tossing the cards I had gathered back into the pack as she fumbled catching it before securing it in both hands. Impressive considering she was caught off guard and a little tipsy.

“You're just giving me them?” She asks me looking between me and the pack of cards.

Holding up a finger I explained, “One, it wasn’t hard to make them.” A second finger joins the first, “Two, the people around us look like they want to give it a try so why not.”

Then a third finger. “And the final reason is that it gives us all a reason to come back here to have some fun.” I say holding a hand out for Jango and company to shake on.

Jango has a small smile as he grabs the offered hand giving it one good shake as Bane does the same albeit reluctantly at first. Aurra even gives it a shake. “Alright well, I look forward to beating you all next time. Till then you all enjoy the hunts to come.” Shey says passing the deck of cards over to one of the hunters who wants to play with the rest of the crowd.

“Don’t damage the cards and enjoy yourselves.” She says as she walks back to her office as I head back to my current apartment to rest a little more while tinkering away on some other projects waiting for when the time comes to exact my retribution.