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When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 19
Searching the compound as we go our separate ways for a brief amount of time before the two of us meet back up. No survivors just like all the others. Some were unaware if their positions or what they were doing at the time when they died was any indication. But most of the others were aware and tried to fight back.
The system used to send out a message or call for help was scrapped. The whole building it was in looked like an explosion happened inside of it. Despite looking the entire place over and staying in contact with Aurra neither of us had found a single trace of who or what had killed everyone here.
The silence was deafening here. The jungle could be heard in the distance but here there's no sound. Just the wind and humidity make everything damp. Aurra walks around a corner and I head over to meet her.
“Corvo, have you found anything?”
“Nothing. You?”
“Whoever did this didn’t even go through the crates in the storage depot.”
“You check to see if they left any surprises?” I ask her dreading if they took a page out of my playbook.
“Of course. Nothing. No traps or explosives.”
If they didn’t wipe out the base or take the contraband in it, why kill everyone here and not blow the place sky-high?
“I am thinking the same thing. This whole thing doesn’t make sense.” Aurra says like she is reading my mind.
Raising my comlink to my mouth, “34 and 38 do you see anything?”
A moment passes as I begin to worry as Aurra gives me a look when there is no response. “34 and 38 do you copy?”
Nothing. Only static can be heard on the comlink. “Aurra we need to leave.” I state with finality.
“These droids of yours powerful?” She says moving right next to me having pulled out both blaster pistols as I head to a part of the wall if we jump over it the uneven ground on the other side should act as cover. Not much but it’s better than nothing.
“Jango and Bane tell you about the droids I sent to rescue them?” She gives a nod at my question.
“These were a more advanced version of the ones who helped them get off that Lucrehulk. They are all still in the early stages but these were supposed to be a lot more capable. So it’s safe to say whoever is responsible is still here if my droids got scrapped.”
Getting near the wall and I keenly listen for anything out of the ordinary as Aurra stays near me a look of concentration on her face. “If something had happened they would have contacted me. So whoever is responsible managed to destroy them so fast they couldn’t do anything. How near is your ship?”
“About a few miles from here. Why?”
“Up to you but I would highly recommend getting on my ship and leaving yours behind.” I tell her not trusting our chances in the jungle especially if whoever is responsible is in the jungle. But if we get overwhelmed we have to leave. Even if it means running through the very jungle I would rather avoid. If my ship gets here and we can hold the fort down long enough it would be preferable. But if we get overwhelmed here then we need to leave.
“Corvo to J6. Get to the compound immediately we need extraction now. 34 and 38 have been destroyed.”
A few beeps and whirs are his response. Pocketing the comlink and moving to a landing pad Aurra leaps to the top of a nearby building getting herself a vantage point with the sniper rifle she had across her back.
As I move to a few empty crates I stop. A step. Then two. Then more are heard. The blaster turret-turned rifle is unfurled as Aurra is already in action aiming down the scope of her rifle. Just as she sees their enemies firing a few shots before lowering her weapon and rolls out of the way of several throwing knives that embed themselves on the rooftop along with what look like arrows.
Aurra fires a quick pot shot or two in retaliation before leaping from the building. Listening to the steps before the sounds stop. Whirling about keeping myself calm and scanning the surroundings for any sign of our attackers. “What did you see, Aurra?”
“Remember those two bodyguards you had to deal with when you grabbed Dib?”
I wouldn’t say my throat and mouth felt dry at that question but it still made me worried knowing that she was bringing those two up.
“Yes?” I say to her hesitation clear as day in my voice.
“It looks like there are more of them.”
Oh no. Aurra starts moving away towards a building near the landing pad as I quickly follow her while bringing a metal flask to my lips and chugging the potion down.
Hearing something from behind dropping the flask and turning then opening fire, Aurra beats me to it, making the pale white woman clad in form-hugging black light armor avoid the shots with speed and grace that no living thing should have and move behind a building.
Now and then one of the attackers can be seen running past or on top of a building despite not having seen them jump the wall. They move so fast that even with my bullet time they are still moving fast enough that it’s hard to land a shot. Faster than the twins I dealt with that day. It doesn’t stop me from shooting at them, forcing them into cover.
At least that’s what I tell myself as blurs of white and black flit about moving from building to building getting uncomfortably close to us. Aurra got far closer to hitting them than I did on several occasions but just as the bolts would have hit they would tilt or bend just enough to avoid it while still keeping their momentum.
Like dealing with a force-sensitive hero character off of EA’s Battlefront 2 except instead of it being the dashes they are always moving that fast. My attention is split from one of them charging at me weaving through the blaster bolts of my rifle before they get to me and pull out my automatic blaster pistol with my other hand as several throwing knives are shot out of the air that were aimed at me.
I don’t fail to notice the slight widening of the woman’s eyes before they narrow. Her sword comes closer before opening fire with both blasters aiming for any position she could move to while the other aims for where she is now narrowing down her options to dodge.
A small noise that sounds like opening a can of soda and a rush of air makes me tilt my head. Just in time, a small dart flies past hitting the building with some kind of liquid running down where it’s embedded. Still rushing through the compound, Aurra and I try to stick together keeping any of them off of each other's backs as we play this game of cat and mouse.
Having had enough of this, reholstered my side blaster and pulled something I had recently made. Pulling out a weapon with a stock similar to broomsticks with a large tube for its barrel. Seeing one of the women running along the buildings before aiming and just as she jumped for one of the buildings close to me I fired.
A thoomp is followed by a deafening explosion as the top of the building is lit up with smoke and fire and the woman is thrown back from the explosion out of sight. My joy at getting one of them is short-lived as more throwing knives are sent my way deflecting some but one lands right in the barrel of my main blaster with a few more managing to stick in one of my legs and two more in my abdomen. Ignoring the burning sensation and pain of having several knives in my body I focus on my assailants.
Knowing better than to shoot my rifle with that inside of the barrel and seeing one of the women run right for me with two following her I toss the oversized blaster rifle at the lead one who merely jumps over it. Raising my grenade launcher as they all pivot and move to cover. Turning and rushing for the open doorway of a nearby building and getting inside before the door is shut and the panel is shot by Aurra who is right along with me.
Dropping my grenade launcher on a desk in the room before grabbing the knives in my body and yanking each one out covered in blood.
“Corvo stop let me get something to bandage your wounds before you bleed-”
“Not necessary.” I grunt out not wasting any time with the last knife falling to the ground before my wounds begin to knit themselves shut. Aurra stares wide-eyed as my potion is put to use.
After a few seconds, the wounds have sealed shut, and moving my leg around noting it's fine. “What was that?” Aurra says walking up to me looking me over and seeing that my wounds have indeed been healed.
“Magic.” I say to her in a spooky voice with my hand wiggling its fingers at her.
The look she gave me showed she was not impressed. “Didn’t know that you were force sensitive. Who trained you?”
“I’m not force sensitive. I had a few teachers who taught me some useful spells but I mostly taught myself.”
“Bantha poodoo. I have seen what the Jedi can do and that had to have been the force you just used to heal yourself.” Aurra was adamant as she looked around the room and tried to find anything that could be useful.
Making my way over to a table that would not look out of place in an office complex, grab it, and drag it over one-handed to the door before pinning it in front of the door. It’s the only door that leads into the room. Looked like something a desk jockey would use to keep numbers and everything on file that comes in or out. Spartan with how little was in it but also small compared to the other rooms in the different buildings.
“I’m not arguing with you on whether it’s the force or magic. We need to get out of here and fast. I doubt that the door or the table are going to stop them for long.”
Aurra nods at that as I bring my comlink up. “J6 do not land in the compound. The compound is compromised and an unknown number of hostiles has us pinned in a building. We will meet you at that clearing I had designated as a possible landing zone in an emergency and use that as our evac point.”
Aurra frowns at what I just said but she knows that I am right. “Last place I would ever expect to fight against a group of Echani warriors.” She says idly, laying her weapons down and looking them over.
“That’s what they are called? Never knew what they called themselves just that they look similar to the two bodyguards Dib had protecting him.”
“You never heard of the Echani warriors? Then again I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Most people know of the Mandalorians. The Echani warriors a long time ago were considered the Mandlorians' rivals.” pleased with what she sees, we get up and move out of the room noting it leads further down and we quickly start moving while keeping an eye, and ear out for our attackers.
That's one hell of a revelation getting dropped on me. “So color me surprised that they are the ones responsible for what happened to this place. I wonder how the Trade Federation managed to get them to help?”
“As nice as it would be to know that we need to leave.” I say seeing an incline leading up. “Can you sense what they are doing or where they are located?” I ask her hoping she can give us something to work with.
Besides the new information on the Echani kill squad out there, the reveal of Aurra being a former Jedi was a surprise. But it does make sense. How she could nearly hit the Echani better than I could or her being capable of doing what she did in Jango's ship. The force is bullshit.
“What they are doing now? I can’t.” She goes quiet for a brief moment before continuing. “But I can sense six of them are in the compound. There were more before but I don’t know where they went. Whether they are around us I don’t know. Just that they are close to us.”
As she trails off I hear something faint come from behind us. Weapons raised and aimed back down the corridor Standing with my DL-44 in hand as my suppressed urges and instincts make themselves known. If we get to the jungle I can’t cut loose. So long as Aurra isn’t around. Seeing my magic is one thing but seeing me let my inner hunter out is a whole different ball game.
Aurra watches tensely before her eyes open wide. “Corvo we need to leave!” Aurra says to me in a hurry looking at the incline and I have a good idea of what the killer kung fu ninja bitch squad is doing.
Putting Aurra behind me I take both of my hands bathed in a golden glow just as a beep can be heard from the outside. Fire and a tremor before a wave of fire comes from where we had entered before it illuminates the corridor. As the tidal wave of fire rushes to meet us the golden glow forms into a golden half-sphere in each hand that contains me and Aurra.
I feel my magicka quickly drain as the fire is kept at bay like a lone island in the middle of a flood trying to stay afloat with the rest of the flames rushing past us slamming into the walls and doorways in some cases melting the metal of the doors and forcing its way into the rooms. What feels like an eternity as Aurra clings to my back as if it was a lifeline. I may as well have been one to her.
Watching cracks form along the wards as the heat begins to pour in before doubling the magicka out of an instinctual fear of the flames. Pouring as much as I can into the ward as fear grips my heart like the icy vice grip of death making itself known. Slowly the cracks mend as the heat is kept at bay with it fading away noting the sweat coating my face as it drips down my eyes. Fear gnaws away at me feeling my magicka dwindles away not knowing if this will end with us dead or not.
Aurra lets go of me as she now has a look of determination on her face as she raises both of her hands palms facing the raging river of flame before my very eyes the flames and light move back like something was shoving against them easing the pressure in the wards before Aurras demeanor changes looking more exhausted as the flames return to the ward pressuring it once more as it slams back into it with more cracks forming.
They slowly go away but it’s a struggle every inch it takes to repair the ward. Aurra raised both hands once more and this time the flames were pushed back some distance giving me some breathing room as the flames expanded and rose before finally fading away. Letting the wards fade away as the heat from the fire is still strong but tolerable. The walls, floor, and even the ceiling are charred and cracked with parts molten from the flames. Chips and pieces of the ceiling fall occasionally but pick up in pace.
Aurra looks at me and we both agree on what to do. Aurra steadied herself as she looked like she was about to fall over. “Magic?” She asks me with a tired smile. Despite how tired she looks she pulls her own weight as we rush through the corridor and find a door that had been blasted open as the doorway partially collapsed.
“Magic.” My smile is gentle and appreciative as I ignore my knee-jerk reaction to just bail out as fast as possible.
“They don’t know if we are alive. While we can we need to get out of here and into the jungle. How many are near us?” I speak quietly even if it isn’t necessary with the crackle of the few flames left over from the explosion and the groan of the duracrete of the building.
“So far nine of them. I don't know if there are any more and where they would be.”
“Probably outside of the compound in case we survived.”
Quickly giving a rundown of the plan with Aurra and with a quick detect life see that the Echani are still watching the remains of the building we were inside of. They look more relaxed but are still waiting for something as they are in various positions on the ground. This was a trap. That much is obvious but it makes me wonder if Aurra was the target or was it me?
The smoke rising from the charred underground obscures everything to the Echani warriors as many buildings collapse and burn away with the compound all but destroyed and unsalvageable.
Just as they start to believe they have managed to kill us, Aurra leaps out of the smoke, her speed superhuman even surpassing the Echanis as she runs past the rubble that was once the walls. Before the Echani can give chase a muffled thump has them leaping away before an explosion erupts where the three of them were.
Aurra keeps up the pace as some of their enemies chase her down. Seeing the damage done to the compound. Must have planted explosives while they were running around while we shot at them.
Leaping over the rubble that is all that’s left of the wall, the green of the jungle is soon all she sees slowing down to conserve her energy not knowing if any of them are waiting in the jungle for them. That and she can’t keep that level of speed up for the length of time it would take to get to the area Corvo had told her about.
A part of Aurra feels relief at Corvo staying behind to get more of the group's attention even if she still has some chasing her. Another part that she had long since believed to have died since her days under her as a padawan but she felt guilt at leaving him even if it was a plan.
If she could shake or kill the ones chasing her she would give him a few minutes to get to the ship. If not then she can leave with no issues. Her mind keeps going back to what he did with the flames from the explosion. That shield he formed as far as she could sense wasn’t the force!
But it had to have been the force. How else could he have done that? Maybe he is good enough to hide it even when using it? But that shouldn’t be possible. The Jedi she has hunted on occasion all made ripples the instant they used it even when they were concealing themselves before. Yet Corvo made none.
Something to figure out later. With the familiar warning from the force, she ducks under a blade cutting through the foliage like it wasn’t even there. A vibrosword. Twin blaster pistols drawn she opens fire on the Echani as she twirls and flips over the shots Aurra tries to corral her before turning one of the blasters at another one forcing them to slow down as they dodge the shots.
Swiftly running while opening fire on them she creates a killzone preventing them from getting near her or at least slowing them while using the other blaster to shoot in the areas they would have to take. Some help from the force as she now predicts exactly where one will be. Two of them are running behind her and if the erratic movement of plants is any indication another two are behind them to the sides. Probably trying to pincer her in.
The two behind her pick up their speed as Aurra turns around with the force aiding her. One is leaping off of trees using them as a means to try and get her from above while staying unpredictable. The other runs lower to the ground sword held out. Several well-placed blaster shots force the one on the trees to take the other ones as a feeling of satisfaction comes over Aurra that would only be better if they were Jedi.
Sparks fly from the tree that the one in the air was hoping to take forcing them to another one as they toss a volley of knives at her but Aurra simply smiles, positioning her body so they all miss before shooting three shots. One forces her to reorient her body just enough to avoid it, the next she just manages to block with the vibrosword before the last one hits her leg as she tries to kick off of a tree but her leg fails her and she lands in the foliage.
Unfortunately not dead but out of the fight at least. What has to be her sister since Echani's siblings tend to look practically identical to one another making jobs in an assassination against them when they have siblings is a pain if you don’t want to save time and just get them all.
She charges towards her sword raised and with a flurry of slashes and cuts she aims at Aurra as she simply weaves around them. Even if she never got beyond being a padawan under her tutelage she did learn many things about wielding a lightsaber.
Adding blaster fire into the mix forcing her to keep up her assault while simultaneously avoiding her shots as it looks like a highly acrobatic light show and dance as they move around one another each shot getting closer and closer to hitting the Echani as each sword slash gets further and further from even making a light cut.
Not that it deters the Echani and Aurra loves it. She always enjoyed a good fight especially when she is fighting someone who is capable but has no chance of doing anything to her. The best kind of fight. Another one comes out of the plants seeing the situation her sibling is in and seeing the downed form of the other. Rushing in to help as one of the blaster's shooting stops with a few fingers raised and some concentration Aurra pushes the downed log of a tree branch forward making the Echani leap back lest she get crushed by it.
The one leaping around with Aurra overreaches hoping to finish the fight believing her to be distracted with a slash aimed for her head. To her shock, it is evaded before Aurra kicks her in the chest sending her flying back and rolling along the ground before she stops crouched looking not pleased at how she embarrassed her. The one who was forced to leap back at the tree limb sent their way rushes past them.
Poor thing doesn’t even realize I wanted to kill her there but her sibling would have gotten an opening if I did. Not paying her any mind, Aurra mid-air sends several bolts at the other one coming in to help their siblings before they have to evade her shots. They get more daring but Aurra is prepared as they rush past narrowly avoiding each blaster shot before with one hand Aurra uses the other thing she learned as a padawan.
A wave of telekinetic energy rushes forth impacting the Echani and sending her flying back end over end before landing in a heap amongst the plants.
Landing on the trunk of a tree Aurra leaps off using the ever-present force to guide her despite how tired she may feel using the force she pushes on as she goes from tree to tree forcing the few Echani chasing her further back as her constant shooting and using the trees to use force enhanced jumps helps her get further and further from them. Jumping off one tree Aurra looks back at the two Echani looking like one stayed further behind for the fallen one.
They stop as one pulls out a comlink. Done talking they turn and leave heading back further into the forest. Aurra sighs, having a suspicion they are going to help the others with Corvo. Aurra did what she could to distract some of them. A shame she only managed to harm the leg of one of them. If circumstances were different she would have relished the chance to kill them. The rest is up to Corvo if he can make it to the ship.
Would be a shame if a hunter like him meets his end in a place like this. If he manages to make it to the ship Aurra wouldn’t mind showing her appreciation to the man for doing what he did to help a girl out when they both have some downtime.
