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When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 18
Metal steps can be heard across the rocky ground of the random planet I hadn’t even bothered with remembering as I see the skeletal forms of the b1 battle droids marching with the convoy of transports on repulsor lifts with their familiar hum filling the otherwise silent backwater planet.
The occasional howl of the wind or wildlife can be heard but now it’s just the droids marching forward to the location of a nearby settlement who were here to pick up the product to take back to the ship and haul back to the core worlds or whatever route this particular group is taking along the hyperspace lanes for trading.
Or so they think. As the droids walk across the area and stop before some start picking up the crates left by the locals who trade with the Federation for small scraps on the cheap that the Federation gives them they can sell the product for far more or make it into something worth more credits. Just another form of robbery except it’s legal for them to do so and the little people don’t have much of a choice since the Trade Federation knows this.
So they take advantage as much as they can. Not that what I am about to do is going to be any better for these people in helping them survive but it is what it is.
The droids bring the crates to a stopped transport that lowers its ramp for them to offload the crates. Holding a small handheld device in my hand with a button on top waiting patiently as they finally finish loading and heading back the way they came.
Seeing that they look far enough from the settlement with the push of a button a loud boom goes off all but destroying the droids and the few intact transports as dirt and rock goes flying with the shockwave before settling down. The few transports that were not blown to pieces had severe damage to them as sparks and fires crackled and popped.
Raising my rifle the handful of battle droids that remain before dismantling them and then all that can be heard in the distance is the crackle of fire as I get up and hop into my ship quickly going back to orbit and seeing the large cargo ship sporting gaping holes along the ships hull as what’s left of its cargo is spilled out into space as the ship floats along like a dead fish.
Shaking my head at them not checking the cargo they hauled onto the ship. Didn’t even need the rest of the supplies to detonate on the ship with what they had collected being more than enough. Checking over the other sites with the few spy cams placed and seeing the battle droids with their transports destroyed with only a small number of droids that are barely functioning are all that’s left.
Another several jobs are done. Sending off the message with pictures included before going into hyperspace and sitting back and working on some droid designs along with weapon ideas as I tinker here and there before stopping in a random nondescript system waiting for the job postings to refresh for the special bounties and jobs the Hutts are sending my way.
After the first few I had finished both quickly and efficiently, the Hutts started sending bigger and bigger jobs my way. Sabotage or steal these supplies here, go to this cargo ship and make sure it never arrives at its drop point for its cargo. Or eliminate some random official from the Trade Federation. It was always a pleasure watching the cowardly slime beg for their lives or think they could pay me off.
The latter is far easier than you would think. It just takes a little bribe here and there to get some information if it isn’t already around from trade depots or people high enough in the chain of command familiar with the one I am after in question and go to the planet or sector in space scout it out and either set up some explosives at the point the ship would leave hyperspace or simply sneak onboard which again proving they need to start checking the crates of supplies they take onboard.
A ping goes off and checking the tablet and see my Korp members have accomplished several of their jobs. Figured it would do them some good to get some proper experience since training can only get them so far and having first-hand experience would do them a lot of good. Most of their jobs were simple if you count having to fight against hordes of battle droids who sure are dumb but they make up for it with their numbers.
Only a few of the many groups out on bounty jobs have lost a member or two but otherwise are perfectly fine. The ones lost were due to just bad luck like the droids managing to surround them and pick away at bad cover that didn’t last long against prolonged blaster fire or a tank got a good enough shot that killed them when using a rocky outcropping for cover.
But besides that, they have handled themselves rather well. Like knowing not to let the droids surround them. The colosseum from Attack of The Clones comes to mind when the Jedi let the droids surround them. Doesn’t matter if the b1s are dumb as a pile of rocks, they don’t need to be intelligent when they have you surrounded and a wall of blaster bolts is coming for you from all sides and angles.
Like a line of musket men, that gun may have been inaccurate for an inexperienced rifleman but if you have enough of them lined up you're bound to hit something.
There is a reason numbers remain one of the biggest advantages throughout history. My forces used their environment as much as they could and other times just picked the droids off at a distance or simply just blind fired from cover knowing that they would hit one of the droids with how many there were. The extra money they will be bringing to the table will help even if it’s only a small fraction compared to the credits I am currently bringing in personally.
Glancing over a notification on the job postings, a job was prioritized for me. A sigh escapes me knowing it’s going to be something that the rank and file couldn’t handle if it’s getting sent to me. Looking it over and see it’s about a jungle planet used as a storage and forwarding point to other systems for illicit goods.
Not exactly a big one but big enough that it is significant enough for the Hutts to send me and Aurra Sing to find out why it went dark and kill whoever had attacked if they were still around. Something that has been making the rounds on Nar Shaddaa is the Trade Federation all of a sudden going on the offensive compared to the first round when the Hutts gave them a nice black eye when the pirate crews managed to hijack a couple of Lucrehulks with the cargo mostly intact.
The Federation had suffered big losses in a short amount of time but much like Disney, they have enough saved up to stay afloat for some time. Still doesn’t change that it hurt them where it mattered.
The Trade Federation suddenly knows where some of the Hutts' criminal operations are just screamed rats. Someone squealed or took a bribe and now they are attacking and harassing the Hutt's businesses and they are angry. By this point the Hutts are still holding back but nowhere near what they were doing before. Now they are outright attacking and destroying Trade Federation property without even attempting to get their cargo or property.
Pirate crews who work under or pledge themselves to the Hutts are getting bigger and better weapons among other nice goodies to further help them attack them. Other criminal groups are taking advantage when they can with either side but mostly the Trade Federation is dealing with these scavengers. Whether that is because if they somehow win which is unlikely they have proven they are untrustworthy and may turn against any who side with them.
The Hutts are slime, make no mistake about that. But they do usually hold up their end of a deal. The Trade Federation through their treachery and incompetence has proven they shouldn’t be trusted as a long-term ally. But some groups see an opportunity to get one over the Hutts and have done so but only to get small scraps out of it and an eventual kill squad sent after them.
Getting the ship moving as hyperspace greets me while contemplating what to take with me down to the planet before my coms spring to life seeing that it is Aurra. Not wasting any time the women’s voice comes in as I navigate through the system heading for the planet in question. Verdo I is the planet's name.
“Corvo you got the details for the job?”
“Yeah. Why did the Hutts want the two of us for this job?”
She chuckles. “They didn’t. I did.”
“Why?” I asked her confused.
“You showed you are willing to come back for those you work with and your professional, not to mention skilled. All things I could use on this job.” She says like she is checking off boxes on a checklist. I feel like she is not telling me everything but I won’t complain about getting extra money and I have someone nice to look at when on the job.
Humming at that before speaking my thoughts.
“The outpost for the Hutts wouldn’t be easy to take down even with a large force of simple b1s. The jungle environment would make it difficult for them to take advantage of their numbers and heavy vehicles like a tank would find it hard to get past the dense foliage.” Even without verbally saying yes that statement alone shows that I am interested in the job.
A growing unease takes form in the back of my mind. Erring on the side of caution, ultimately deciding to bring the heavy-duty equipment. If it’s as bad as it could be then having some overkill won’t hurt. Not like it will slow me down much.
“All things I had thought of myself. So whatever has done this is dangerous. It’s why I wanted you for this job. So I will meet you at these coordinates and then we will go into the compound.”
Aurra sends me the coordinates for our meetup and we talk more on other details of what each of us will be doing and what to do in case something happens.
Getting out of my seat and activating two of the boxed-up Assaultrons their forms are more refined and sleeker than their older sisters as the design for them is coming along with each iteration.
The boxes expand out as they change and shift like an Autobot from Transformers. The human-like faces look at me with a red glow with a black pupil looking at me as they await their orders.
“34 and 38 we are heading for a jungle world to meet up with a coworker. I need you two to keep overwatch for me and her. If possible stick to the tree tops keeping an eye out for any hostiles. The planet has a Hutt outpost that has gone dark and it wouldn’t be an easy place for some simple battle droids to assault and take over without them getting a distress call off before dying. So expect something powerful and dangerous.”
“Affirmative.” They both say in unison before heading further back into the ship.
Heading over to a few lockers and cabinets getting out an assortment of weapons and putting them in the holsters and pockets along my armor. After a moment and heavily loaded up with an armory of weapons for numerous situations, the blue-green marble that is our destination is seen in the system with a few other planets with their star shining brightly.
Dropping down to the planet and seeing a lush jungle greet me with valleys and mountains off in the distance with exotic alien birds and what looked like big cats of some kind stalking off in the trees. Flowers of all kinds with beautiful colors dot the landscape making it look like something out of a fantasy movie.
The ship zooms along quietly before finding a flat area after a brief moment looking around for a safe place to land that isn’t covered in vegetation. Landing on the rocky outcropping on the lower section of a mountain that the outpost lays in its shadow.
The instant the ramp lowers down the droids do their job jumping down and quickly securing the landing zone checking for any signs of hostiles before giving the signal it’s clear. Getting out of the pilot's chair and activating one of Jeeves' gaming buddies as he warbles out before taking a seat in the copilot's chair.
“Going down to an outpost that went dark. Anything that comes near the ship that doesn’t look like it belongs on this planet or is a hostile native you get in the air and get ready to pick us up and shoot whatever is attacking.”
Walking away after the droid acknowledged my orders. The instant my foot hits the rocky ground the smells of the jungle greet me. A cocktail of wonderful smells greets my nose as a smile forms on my face. The scent of the flowers mixed with moisture from the rain to the trees and the grass or whatever it is that covers the ground.
All of it is just so beautiful. Shame this place is being used as an outpost for storing illicit goods and shipping them off to who knows where. Making our way down the steep mountain far faster than most normal people could do as we clamber down rock face after rock face and use the occasional tree and its large massive branches to quickly descend.
Leaving the mountain behind as we begin leaping from tree to tree occasionally spotting native predators to the planet, some serpents and others large catlike creatures with amphibious features.
Dropping down from the tree while the girls stay up in the foliage, weapons trained and ready with their scanners working overtime to spot anything that tries to pull something. My senses are bombarded with the ambient sounds from the jungle ranging from the chirps of the birds to the clicking and skittering of the insects among numerous other sounds and noises.
Despite all of that it’s not overwhelming me in the slightest picking out any sounds that could be threats before focusing on what I had noticed. A broken branch from a small plant. On its own, it would be nothing. But with a few other plants along a small narrow path through the foliage tells a different story.
The faint rustling of plants comes from behind as Aurra comes out of it with her blaster pistols trained on me with my oversized rifle aimed right back. She gives me a cocky smile strutting forward holstering a pistol as she steps up to my side.
“Glad to see you are prepared. Though I think you may have overdone it a bit.” She says looking at my form and glancing at all the weapons.
“Never such a thing as over-prepared. The last job I could have used a lot of this equipment.” Looking away from her and towards where the compound is keeping my senses trained on anything that could be a threat. Just because this jungle is beautiful doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. More often than not the most beautiful things tend to be the most dangerous.
“Yet another reason to have you back me up. I have a bad feeling about this job…”
Looking at her out of the corner of my eye now very unhappy. “Did you really have to jinx this job?”
She looks at me in surprise, both brows raised before giving me a smirk and chuckling. “What? Just for saying I have a bad feeling about something you think it is what? Cursed?”
“Something like that.” I say back shaking my head at those infamous words that most notable people in this universe said and every time they are spoken something goes wrong.
Seamlessly moving through the foliage with Aurra in tow surprisingly keeping up with me and not causing a disturbance in the plants around us like she had when she approached me. She must have done that on purpose.
Despite the weapons and armor that would make it far more difficult for a normal person, for me it’s a nice afternoon jog without disturbing only the smallest plants with little movement to show for it. Stopping at a baron portion of the ground with drying mud seeing a few footprints as they are small and human-sized.
Aurra herself looks at them before looking around a weapon in her hand at any time.
My eyes narrowed at that, not liking the implication. “Small group. Stuck to the foliage from the looks of it before moving on the compound.”
Aurra gives me a look as if she is trying to solve a puzzle. Not paying her any attention before moving along seeing the building with its walls holding steady. No holes or signs that they were assaulted. So they came in stealthily.
Aurra stalks ahead of me peering through the leaves and seeing our objective. “I’ll go first. If they are still around and attack me I can get away and leave the planet after seeing who is responsible. If not, I will wave you over and I can open the gate for you.”
“Works for me besides the gate. I can get over the wall just fine.” At her questioning look I respond. “I’m a lot stronger than I look.”
She sighs. “Alright have it your way. Don’t feel embarrassed when you need to ask me to open the gate for you.” She says as she sashays past me quietly leaving the foliage landing on the dirt. Staying there for a second before stalking forward far faster than you would think she could. Quickly reaching the wall she lowers down before jumping and clearing the wall.
My eyes widened at that. The only time I have seen anything like that was from the Star Wars movies. But those were Jedi… she’s force-sensitive. Maybe not a Jedi but force sensitive nonetheless. That would explain how well she was able to handle herself in that dogfight with the Trade Federation.
A chalk-white arm with long fingers waves over the side and I take that as my cue. Coming out of the jungle to the open clear ground that would give the men stationed here an advantage should an attack happen with the walls and the parts of the jungle a good distance from them most attackers would be hard-pressed to take this place without trouble or massive losses.
Quickly running up without making any noise and not disturbing the ground by stepping on the drier parts of the ground before leaping up and clambering over the wall and landing silently on the other side. I could smell it on the other side but seeing it confirms my thoughts. The men stationed here are dead.
Spotting a few bodies on the ground long dead. Walking over to one as he lays on his back a look of terror on his face. A slash across the throat. Another one a narrow cut through the heart and the pool of dried blood on the ground under him.
“Haven’t seen any sign of the ones who did this. But from the looks of the ones I have seen so far they were good. All of them have cuts and dismembered parts.” Aurra says to me while keeping her head on a swivel speaking quietly to me. I don’t fail to notice the occasional look she gives me after I clear the wall.
Fully focusing on the bodies seeing if anything useful could be gained from them. The few I see around while keeping a weapon in hand as all the bodies have in common is they were killed with a bladed weapon of some kind as Aurra had pointed out.
No blaster scorch marks or any other sign of a ballistic or energy weapon. Seeing an open door to one of the buildings around the large walled compound and moved over to it with Aurra following me.
A food court. One that turned into a battle. Overturned tables on the other side are placed up against the wall on the far side. Some bodies draped over the tables with more cuts, some having limbs lay next to them severed from their owners with blasters still in their cold dead hands. Looking along the walls from the doorway I am at and seeing many blaster marks on the wall.
Most have a pattern as several of the scorch marks are closely grouped. They also move along the left and right wall and even see several on the ceiling where there are parts of the ceiling that could be used to run and leap along it if someone was skilled enough with an open skylight up top.
“Whatever did this was highly mobile and organized. Skilled enough to kill these men with some kind of blade as you said. They didn’t rely entirely on stealth and somehow these people became aware they were under attack and tried to put up a fight. Despite fighting back they were all killed.”
Aurra nods her head as she inspects a few bodies before we leave the food court. If it wasn’t for my other life experiences I would be spooked by this place but instead, I am calm. A little tense but that is to be expected for an upcoming fight.
Aurra herself is holding up well enough as she doesn’t seem afraid in the slightest. She is like me if anything -- tense and ready to throw down. Here’s hoping we can get off this planet soon enough. After all, it’s only fun when I am the ghost in the night stalking someone.
