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When You Give a Man Power
Chapter 49
I walked along the street with civilians looking at me in fear huddled in tight groups around the area where they were being held.
“How many are left Jango?” I asked the man of the hour who looked no worse for wear.
He knew what I was asking about. “We have around a thousand survivors that are what’s left of the fleet. We would have had more but the droids and the Republic made sure they didn’t make it.”
Several of the Hutts’ forces around us moved about keeping a casual eye on the civilians making sure no one got any bright ideas with a few of my droids up top with their sniper arms extended helping.
“So I noticed when the swarm came for my ship. Speaking of my ship even with the spaceport equipment being put to use it will be at least five days until she is fit to fly.”
“We don’t have five days,” Bane said, coming from around a corner, with a blaster pistol in his hand. “The Republic and Federation already look like they want to storm the city. Give it a day or two if not sooner and they will march in here, civilians or not.”
As much as I wanted to argue with Bane, I knew he was right. The Republic hasn’t exactly been the smartest in how it has handled this entire conflict. Plus with that lizard son of a bitch being the commander here he wouldn’t hesitate to storm this city and raise it to the ground if it meant he could kill us all right now.
“Bane isssn’t wrong.” A hissing voice had me glance over to see Bossk and Cradossk. “My brother will not pass up an opportunity to kill us all when we are grouped together and vulnerable.”
“Then we have a day or two. The Republic's bleeding hearts will come into conflict with his orders but it won’t stop them from following them in the end.” Jango sounded like he had personal experience there with how he made it sound like a fact instead of a simple statement.
I never knew much of Jango's backstory from Star Wars beyond that he had a grudge against the Jedi. I always liked his character when he was first introduced and enjoyed the few moments Attack of the Clones gave him.
But with how cold he is-- or colder I should say than usual. He is a professional but he comes off as more stiff and agitated. Like a pitbull in a bad mood making everyone around it on edge not wanting to be the one to set it off.
“Then you need to hurry in getting your ssship fixed,” Cradossk said, turning to look at me.
“Don’t need to tell me twice. Jango if you need anything I’ll be scavenging parts to get my ship repaired. Also, what are we doing with them?” I gestured to the civilians who flinched back trying not to look at us.
“The Republic will think they are hostages when they are not. It’ll buy us time. So long as they don’t do anything stupid they will be fine.”
I slowly nodded at his answer. “So you're just keeping them here so they’re out of the way and don’t get any ideas… alright I am fine with that.”
I walked away heading towards the space port checking on the ship's progress. So far my droids had managed to make some progress but we still had several days before it would be fixed by the estimate it was giving me.
The city must have been a quaint place to live. Despite being the capital of the planet for the colonists it was more like a city meets a small town. It was big and had an alright-sized population. But it had that small-town charm to it with the bigger buildings having many smaller ones surrounding them from small knick-knack shops to restaurants.
But it was also rather depressing seeing how empty and ransacked some places looked. Like the people who were working or shopping dropped whatever they were doing to flee for their lives. An understandable response when you had what amounted to a ragtag army of criminals storm into your city with a horde of starfighters blowing up the surroundings outside of the city.
It was depressing to look at bringing back memories of the Commonwealth. Particularly when I found what I thought were people in distress on my journey to save Shaun only to find out they had been dead when I was on ice and I was only hearing a prerecorded message of their last moments.
Shaking my head of such thoughts, thankful that Jango wasn’t intending to use the people as hostages. It didn’t sit well with me despite how the assassin part of me viewed it as a viable strategy. I refused. I am not using an innocent person who has no stake in this conflict nor has done me any wrong and just use them as a meat shield.
If I am going to die, so be it. But I’m not dragging someone who hasn’t wronged me into the grave.
With that last thought, I locked it in getting back to the ship to assess the extent of the damage and focusing on what to prioritize. The damage… was a lot more than I had expected with that Jedi doing one hell of a job on the rear thrusters and the components to them.
It was salvageable but would take time. Time we unfortunately didn’t have. Looking up at the night sky seeing far too many starfighters flying about with Republic cruisers and frigates hovering far above us.
The number of them had only grown since we managed to get into the safety of the city’s shields. Jango had the common sense and foresight to have that shield generator be one of the most protected parts of the city. Anyone trying to get near it will find themselves turned into melted Swiss cheese.
Even most Jedi beyond the strongest their order could bring to bear would die to the number of people, droids, and sheer number of blasters stationed around it.
Metal steps had me turn to see a few of my Assaultrons carrying the household appliances and other various pieces of hardware from across the city.
Each of them set them down before charging off to get more. Prying off the side wall of an expensive fridge taking out the circuitry and internals that I was going to need. Hours went by with me bathing in filth while knee deep in various crawl spaces and tiny crevices in my ship.
“Come on, come on you stupid- agh! Fuckin’ whore.” I grunted out when a wire sparked in my face before managing to connect it to another wire with a quick application of flames in between my fingers had the wire welded together. Pulling out a circuit board from a pocket before slotting it into the panel connecting everything where it needs to go before running a quick test.
Pulling my head back not wanting any random sparks or discharge to hit me in the face. Warily looking at the panel flipping the switch… nothing. A sign of relief left me.
Pulling myself up and out of the narrow crawlspace that may as well be a vent from one of those old school thrillers or spy movies. I tried to ignore the constant boots walking in and out of the cargo hold taking what weapons they could from the cargo hold to better set up across the city to defend it when they come for us but it makes it rather difficult when it’s constant and I am trying to focus.
It doesn’t help that nearly all the sound from the ship and those moving around in it somehow ends up in these small spaces.
Sliding out of the tunnel and putting the metal plate back on it before securing it. Quickly dusting myself off and wiping my hands of the grime that clung to me before holstering some of the weapons that were too big to fit in there.
Like hell I was letting one of those people out there use my personal favorites. Especially if they get killed and I can’t get them back.
“Alright another part down…” I muttered to myself going through a mental checklist while managing my stress levels. I managed to get a decent amount of work done on the ship. Though not without taking some shortcuts when certain parts would have taken too long to fix so I just bypassed them when I could.
That didn’t exactly mean much if it was just one thing. It would be a nuisance to whatever systems it was associated with causing things like certain functions to not work correctly or not as efficiently. Sometimes it even causes delays like a laggy game of CoD.
But a lot of parts like this would add up, which is why I was racking my brain to ensure that each bypass wasn’t going to snowball into something that would get us all killed. A negligible amount of input delay from the cockpit of the ship to the repulsors wouldn’t be the end of the world.
A lot more than like let’s say ten seconds before the ship responded to my input would be certain death. Just when I was about to head off to the next section near the thrusters I sighed when I got a call.
“What’s the problem now?”
Moving down the corridors of my ship about to crawl into another cramped space, only to pause at Jango's words. “I need you to meet me. We’re going to need you.”
It didn’t take me long to get a speeder and move around the now quiet city beyond the few civilians that huddled and whispered in their homes. Between a few of my droids and many of the Hutts’ forces kept them from getting any ideas about trying to fight back.
I found myself thankful for that. My days as the General of the Minutemen flashed before my eyes when looking at the few scared faces that would look up at me. A slow exhale had me force them to fade away. Those days were done and gone.
I would try to keep these people alive since this wasn’t their fight. But if they tried to shoot me or the others then I will do what I must. Too much was at stake to risk it all for a couple of civilians.
I hopped off my speeder and moved into what looked to be the city’s police department. Walking in with the patrols and guards letting me through without so much as a word. A quick few directions where Jango was had me walking past many jail cells with energy barriers up.
I see the police had it rough, many of them glaring at me but none said a word. Some were lying on the floor looking worse for wear. That’s what happens when you try to fight a bunch of hardened criminals fighting a war when you're just a backwater planet's cop.
Making my way further into the building. I see Jango and the rest of the group have made themselves a command center out of the meeting room. The room was big while also having a holotable at the center of it. The image was of the city with various red dots flying around and above it. A lot of red dots.
“With Corvo here we can get started,” Jango said helmet off sitting on the edge of the table. Jango looked tired and worn down. Yet I could see that fire in his eyes. Not the motivation kind. This was hatred.
“Corvo, how long until your ship is operational?” Jango got down to business with no preamble.
I let out a long suffering sigh, “Another day. Maybe two.”
Jango slammed his fist into the table glaring up at me. I noticed Bane gave Jango a look. One that Jango noticed too, calming down if only slightly. He was still agitated. A fury just simmering under the surface.
“That’s not good enough Corvo. I need that ship operational.” Jango tapped his finger on the table. Each time his finger pressed into the table my eye twitched as I forced myself not to grind my teeth. The amount of time and effort I had put into it to both get it fixed and to also keep it from getting us all killed was exhausting.
“Jango, what do you know about ship maintenance and repairs?” I asked calmly. It was a contrast to my frustration that was steadily building.
Jango’s posture shifted, he had gone from hunched over somewhat relaxed on the holotable to standing upright alert like a hound that just got a scent and it was on the hunt.
“Enough. What about it?” He asked me, an edge to his voice. The kind that told someone to watch where they stepped for if they were not careful they might fall off a perilous edge.
“Did you know that if you use too many bypasses to certain systems built into the ship's hardware and its software it would cause all kinds of problems? Stuff like massive input delay, lag, and system failures. You want to know what I’ve been doing since we crashed?” I said all of this in an obnoxious sugary sweet tone with some of the people in the room looking on in utter shock that I was willing to talk to Jango like this. Only to rear back with what happened next.
“Bypassing my ship's systems!” I yelled out loudly. My voice boomed across the room, some of the people in it flinching, hands going for their weapons. They paused when no attack came.
My eyes were narrowed staring down unflinchingly at Jango. “I have to pick and choose which systems to bypass and which ones to leave alone testing each one to ensure that we don’t die because it won’t move when turbolasers are shooting at us.”
“He’s right.” A soft voice spoke up. Everyone turned to look at Spice who looked like she had wished she hadn’t spoken up. She gestured towards me, “Corvo is right about using too many bypasses. The ships are wired certain ways for a reason. Too many and it will get us killed just as much as staying here.”
Jango glared down at her, his posture all but screaming violence. Spice for her part kept a neutral expression but I could see how afraid she was. Jango slowly turned his head back to look at me. He looked like he was ready to chew me up and spit me back out.
That was until movement to our side made both me and Jango snap out of it when it seemed we both were about to come to blows.
“Enough. Jango, Corvo, you both need to calm down.” Bane said, stepping up to the holotable between both of us. “I agree with both of you even if I don’t fully understand what you are talking about Corvo but you're not the type to lie about something like that. But with what’s coming we don’t have time to test every part of the ship.”
My expression softened, hands balled up into fists before they relaxed, the tension in me bleeding away like water released from a water balloon that was close to popping.
“Alright. What’s so bad that having a ship not respond to its controls is a better alternative?”
Jango looked like he wanted to say something more but he let out a sigh and his own desire for violence faded away. Replaced with a calm determination with a quiet exhaustion.
He tapped on the holotable, the image changing to the bastard who attacked my apartment. “You will be given one chance to surrender. Lower the city’s shields and you will be taken prisoner to see a Republic trial. Don’t surrender and you will be shown no mercy when our forces march on the city.”
The message goes on for a moment longer listing all of their demands.
“What are we up against?” I want to know what to expect. Like hell I am surrendering and from the looks of the others they agree. But that didn’t mean I would rush in blindly without some kind of plan.
“Anywhere from a dozen Jedi to over a hundred, easily several hundred thousand droids, and what Judicial forces they have with them,” Bossk said listing off on one hand what is coming.
“Alright I’ll try to get the ship up in running--”
“Your droids will handle that. I need you to help us when they come. We have until the star rises over the horizon before they attack. Spice and a few of the others with experience with ships will help with the repairs.” At Jango’s mention of her name, she looked at him in surprise. She hadn’t expected that, more like she expected to be punished for speaking in my defense.
“Alright. Corvo can you send me the details of what systems you know don’t cause too many problems?” She asked me. Her body told me she was both worried and excited. Worried about the army coming right for us yet excited at a chance to get a look under my ship's hood.
“Sure.” She quickly left the room with a few others following her looking like they wanted to be anywhere but here.
“What’s the plan?” I said aloud to the room ready to rip the band-aid off. There was still tension between Jango and me but it was buried for the time being.
The hours went by far faster than I would have preferred. I wasn’t exactly on edge since my past experiences had all but numbed me to such things. As soon as the meeting had come to an end with Jango going over the battle plans with the rest of us I had sent the details over to Spice and the other various smugglers that were working tirelessly to get my ship ready.
I sat in a bar that several of the survivors of what was left of our fleet had appropriated in their downtime. Jango has made it clear to everyone that you have some downtime but don’t overindulge and make sure you're clear headed enough to fight.
That and making sure they don’t abuse the civilians. The vast majority of them were crammed into a section of the city with the buildings used to house them scoured for any potential weapons. Then we just had some of our people patrol with a few of my droids around making sure the civilians don’t do anything they would regret.
Taking the bottle of liquor and pouring myself another drink I sipped at the glass feeling the bitter burn as it went down. The bar was crowded but the others all gave me space. I sat in my little corner far from the others going over what happened with Jango.
I should have been calmer about what I had said to him. As Miguel put it to me it’s not what I said but how I said it. It didn’t help my frustration at being rushed with my ship on something that can’t and shouldn’t be rushed.
The entire incident in the asteroid field didn’t help. I appreciated him backing me and the others up but that went down the drain when he endangered all of us.
The bar quieted down when the doors hissed open. Familiar steps of leather tapped against the floor as I saw Bane looking around before zeroing in on me. He calmly walked over taking a seat across from me. I took a glass from a shelf beside me and slid it over along with the bottle of Corellian Brandy.
The crowd around us began to talk louder again with the sound of glasses clinking against one another with some of the gathered members got physically closer to the opposite gender. Some of them even stumbled out of the bar together, looking for more privacy so they could enjoy each other's company.
“Stressed?” I asked Bane idly looking at him while enjoying the atmosphere.
It wasn’t exactly free of tension but everyone was trying to enjoy themselves for what might be the last time. Some might have thought about surrendering but that would be a bad idea especially getting on everyone else’s bad side if they did so.
Kinda like Colonel Custer when some of his men left when they realized they were all marching to their deaths at what would be the Battle of Little Bighorn. I had heard that those who tried to leave were shot by the other men under Custer’s orders.
It also helped that a lot of them didn’t trust the Republic or Trade Federation along with knowing that whatever sentence they got if they even saw a Republic trial death would be preferable. All of that has led to them enjoying themselves before the clash.
“No. Just here to talk to you.” He said sipping his drink showing no sign of the strong liquor having an effect. Stuff could knock a grown bull on its ass.
“About?” I ask, eyeing some of the women in here. A few are eyeing me up but I decided against indulging. I would rather be fully ready and sex is the last thing on my mind.
“You and Jango. You going to be fine following his orders?” He questioned me, leveling me with a searching look.
I sat back in my chair getting comfortable and my drink was placed back on the table. “I can follow orders so long as they are within reason. If it’s a stupid counterproductive order or it’s going to get me and others needlessly killed the order is getting ignored.”
Bane simply looks at me while telling him all of this in a matter of fact tone of voice. His mask cracked when he smiled at me. “Good. Was wondering if your time in your people's military made you into a blind follower.”
He took a sip from his glass reclining in the chair, the wood groaning under him. His hat was placed onto the table while we remained silent for a time. Until he broke it.
“Don’t take what Jango was saying personally, Corvo. He has a deep history with the Jedi.” Bane told me quietly. Quiet enough the other tables and people enjoying themselves couldn’t overhear us.
“Deep enough to detonate a seismic charge in an asteroid field putting me, you, and the rest of the squad in danger?”
Bane's smile turned into a frown. “Trust me, I had a nice chat with Jango about that. Not just for me but you as well.”
I didn't know what to say to that. That Cad Bane had stuck up for me. It helped that he was also put in danger by that stunt but he didn’t have to speak up for me. I of course didn’t fail to notice his choice of words that he only spoke up for me and himself and not the rest of the squad. That’s Bane for you.
Only acknowledges those who have earned his respect. At least I think I had gained his respect. If I haven’t I doubt anyone beyond Jango could earn his respect and I have no idea how Jango could earn it. Bane may as well have some very high standards for someone whose line of work is an assassin for hire.
“And?” I asked, hiding my curiosity about how that went.
“Jango would think about it.” He said making me freeze before letting out a tired sigh.
“Guys got issues.” I took a long swig of my drink finishing off what was left before pouring myself more.
“Who doesn’t in this line of work?” Bane countered.
Tipping my glass in his direction. “Fair enough. But you know what I mean. Who does that? Especially when he himself said the more of us died the likelier the mission would fail.”
“Careful Corvo. Jango is my mentor and I won’t tolerate you talking badly of him behind his back. If you're going to do it, you do it to his face.” Bane grumbled warning me with a stern glare before his expression softened as he downed more of his glass.
“I’m not talking badly of him, just pointing out how horrible an idea that was. And how he went against his own words about the mission. And who do you think you're talking to? I’m the guy who was willing to stand his ground against him in that meeting. I have no issue calling him out to his face or you for that matter.” I bit back, setting my glass down in the calm atmosphere growing tense.
None of the others noticed all of them too caught up in their own merriment to notice both Bane and me getting far more serious.
“Jango has his reasons. It’s not my story to tell. Calm down Corvo before this gets ugly. I’m not on anyone’s side, just making sure you and Jango don’t come to blows when we have enemies just right around the corner coming for us all.” Bane said being the voice of reason despite how his posture and muscles moving under his skin told me he wanted to hit me for the disrespect but he held himself back.
We stayed like that for several minutes with me feeling kind of bad now. Bane was trying to get me to calm down. In his own way that is… both of us just watched one another before I broke the silence.
It took a lot but the current situation was bad enough that I was willing to relinquish my pride. “Sorry,” I said far too quietly.
“What?” Bane said, having not heard me.
“I said… I’m sorry.”
Bane just looked at me, registering what I had said, his signature resting bitch face softened before it vanished as if it had never been there at all.
“You're not the one I am pissed at. You're just trying to defuse it or at least make it so we can all work together. I can respect that. Once this is done, if we all make it, I need answers from Jango.” I said to him, setting the half-finished bottle off to the side after Bane waved his hand at me not wanting any more.
Some whoops and hollering had me and him look off to the side seeing a large group of people playing a game of Uno. The cards looked terrible like someone made them from cloth scraps and cardboard. But they didn’t need to look nice to play the game and they were enjoying themselves with those around them watching, enjoying the playful banter laughing along with everyone.
“Careful with that Corvo. Jango doesn’t tell just anyone about what happened and even I don’t know the full story. I only do from what little he’s said, and pieced together from what was going on at the time.”
“Well, I can be rather persuasive. If me and him are doing any jobs in the future then I need to know that whatever his issue is won’t get me killed when we need to trust one another.”
Just when I was about to walk out a siren wailed across the city. Everyone in the bar froze. Swiftly stepping out I looked up and saw ships flying below the dark clouds that were beginning to grow into a storm.
There were a lot. Many of them I immediately recognized as the droid drop ships used in the final battle for Naboo in The Phantom Menace. The repurposed blaster cannons opened fire on the ships from the walls but with how heavily armored those ships were they might as well be shooting spit wads at them.
Bane quickly followed me up looking up grimacing at the sight of the horde of droid drop ships. I looked at him, giving him an intense look. “So much for sunrise.”
