6 Chapter V

{Padme Amidala}

The Queen of Naboo was perplexed, confused, even mortified. The guards that they had left behind were fighting a war back at Theed. From a transmission that she had received from Sio, a trusted friend, they were following behind a man called Corvinius. She couldn't conceive as to who this man was or why her guards were following him. All that she knew, besides what Sio had told her, was that this Corvinius was fighting when she couldn't.

The Republic Senate were not going to help her, they were currently in the midst of voting for a new Chancellor. The Jedi didn't seem like they were going to send help, which was honestly the most shocking part of all of this. Despite all of this, Padme knew that right now her people needed her now more than ever. So regardless on if she would return without the aid of the Jedi or the Republic. She was going to find help, and she would do it knowing that it could risk her own life. That said, who would possibly aid her? The Republic was corrupt, its Senators and officials in endless debates that mean nothing if they actually get nothing done.

That was when the young Queen realized, she and her people weren't the only ones on Naboo. She turned her gaze to one of her handmaidens.

"Nabberie, I need you to go find Jar Jar for me and bring him here as soon as possible."

Padme ordered, and watched as her Handmaiden decoy bowed her head and left the room.

Now she had a plan, and she could only hope that her people could hold out until she returned. That's all she could do now, hope.

{Corvinius}

The man, the Primarch, the hero stood within the royal hanger bay alone. He stood near the edge of the hanger, his eyes looking upwards at the stars above him. His mind was elsewhere, thinking about what he had just done. He had effectively convinced these men and women to fight to the bitter end, not knowing that while they died, he would live. This was the first time that Corvinius felt pity, guilt, and a smidgen of worry. Not for himself, no, but for these soldiers, these men.

They weren't Guardsmen, well real Guardsmen, but each time that he saw them, they were slowly becoming more and more like Guardsmen. For them to all die here would be such a waste. Unfortunately, he had no idea on how to effectively use his powers as a Primarch, nor how to effectively lead them. He was practically making this up as he went. Corvinius never knew how stressful leading others were until now. Now it seems as if his body was keeping his more human emotions in check. For example, if he wished to express his anxiety, it was simply contained mentally then dissipated into oblivion. Corvinius couldn't truly express much of his emotions, unless he actually tried.

Just as the man was about to think more, he heard a pair of footsteps approaching. His head turned to find Caden and four other Nabooians Guards marching towards him. Each looking like determined battle hardened warriors fresh from the frontlones of war. His eyes landing on each of them, studying their faces, memorizing them. Until his gaze centered on Caden, the young man who had so much heart, so much faith. Corvinius was no fool, he had already noticied that he had gotten taller when the Nabooians accepted him as their commanding officer. He was, in their eyes, their Primarch, even though they didn't understand the title and rank.

Composing himself right as the Guardsmen came to a stop and at attention before Corvinius.

"Reporting for the high stake mission, sir!"

Caden reported and addressed, his eyes facing forward like the rest of the men beside him. That was when a slight breath escaped Corvinius' lips before he faced towards the open hanger once again.

"Guardsmen, the task before us will be costly and highly dangerous."

Corvinius began to address in a calm, soothing, and serious tone.

"Our enemy has dispatched most of their fleet from the planet, with only two ships to keep us here. None of us can pilot the ships in this hanger, nor can any of us ensure that the skies will forever be ours. So to that end, we must do something extremely bold and ludicrous. We take the fight to our enemy."

No one spoke as the words settled in for the men behind Corvinius. It was a small silence as the Guardsmen pondered on what Corvinius just said.

"But sir...how are we going to get to the Lucrehulks?"

Caden asked in wonder and confusion.

"By having our enemy take us there."

Corvinius answered as if it were simple. Not the best plan, but considering that he wanted to show that they can beat the droids and to ensure more faith for if this worked. Then at least one of these men and women had to return alive. And unfortunately for the other four, Corvinius wasn't spoiled for choice.

"Sergeant Herec will lead a distraction while we slip out from the palace, from there we will trek our way to the landing zone for the enemy and stow ourselves aboard their ship."

Corvinius stated, then finally turned to look at the Guardsmen as they looked upon him finally realizing what his plan was. With a resolute look coming to them, Corvinius knew that they were ready to follow him. With a nod, he waved for them to be dismissed.

"Arm yourselves well, we leave as soon as you are ready and as soon as Sergeant Herec has begun his distraction."

{Argall Herec, 30 Minutes Later}

The Sergeant and his men lie in wait. They were all bunkered down in key locations across the palace. Whether they be wounded, or depleted of sleep, they were ready to fight tooth and nail. He and his group were crouched down at the main entrance to the palace. The doors had long been blown off their hinges. The only thing that kept the droids from marching in now was just a pile of debris that Corvinius had placed there.

The good Sergeant honestly didn't know what to think of Corvinius. On one hand, he was a total stranger who doesn't gain anything from helping Naboo. He had no wealth, status, or anything to lose. Yet, regardless of not need to be here or aid them, Corvinius came at a time when they really needed someone to lead them. Sergeant Herec lived by three principles. One, honor ones family. Two, respect those deserving of your respect. Three, show extreme prejudice to those who have no respect for your or having any love and honor to their family. After having seen Corvinius in action and speaking, Herec felt that this man honored his three principles.

Though it did sadden the Sergeant that Corvinius was truly a stranger here. It meant that the winged warrior had no family, no friends, or anyone that he could associate himself to.

Before he could think more upon this, a guard beside him spoke.

"Sergeant, everyone is in position, just awaiting your order."

The guard whispered, and found a nod to be Herec's reply. He and his group were to start the distraction that Corvinius had spoken of. At the back of his mind, Herec knew that all of this may be pointless. They were all probably going to die just like Corvinius said, dying to soulless machines. And yet, he knew that if they were to die here, then they would die on their feet for what they believed in. Which was that this was their home, and if someone wanted to take it from them, then they were going to have to claim it from their cold dead hands.

"Gentlemen, let's give the Trade Federation some fireworks."

Herec uttered, then grabbed a small device from his belt. Most of Theed was overrun by Trade Federation droids. That didn't mean that the Nabooian Guards couldn't outmanuver their enemy. He peeked over from the barricade that he and his men were behind. His eyes landed on more than a hundred battledroids preparing to march towards them. Past them, he peered towards an alleyway where a Flash Speeder was concealed. He pointed his device at the alleyway, watching for a response. It came in a set of blue flashes directed back at him. That was when the Flash Speeder moved out of the alleyway slowly, pointed it's turret, then unleashed a single bolt at an unsuspecting hovertank from behind.

The explosion caused the marching battledroids to pause, and turn their attention towards the source of it. Then the Flash Speeder fired once again, destroying another hovertank in the process. Herec waiting, watching as the battledroids got ready to turn their focus to where the Flash Speeder was.

"Gentlemen, UNLEASH HELL!"

Herec ordered, then moved his blaster over the cover of the barricade. He began pouring blaster bolt after blaster bolt unto the confused battledroids. He was followed by the rest of his group, firing indiscriminately into the horde of battledroids. By the time that the droids had turned back around, roughly fifty or so droids had been downed. There were still plenty more, but their enemy were in disarray all across the perimeter outside the palace. Other Nabooian Guards were outside in Flash Speeders running hit'n'run tactics upon the unsuspecting battledroids. It gave the guards inside the palace room to fire into the grouped up battledroids, and time.

Just as the battledroids before Herec and his group finally began returning fire. He had already crouched down beneath cover, a laser bolt narrowingly singed the top of his head. Though the guard beside him fell dead after being hit with a volley of laser bolts. Herec looked the man for a moment, then focused on the current objective now. His eyes looked up to the sky as the sun began to rise on the horizon. He saw a single H shaped ship ascending upwards into the sky.

"Now all we need do...is survive."

{Corvinius}

'That went off easier than I thought..'

Corvinius thought as he and his group were huttled in a corner. The ship that they had stowedaway in was nearly empty, with only a few droids inside. Even then, there weren't that many guards outside the ship either. That was when a though occurred to Corvinius.

'Does that mean that nobody knows how to wage war yet? If that's the case, then I've got a head start already.'

He glanced back at the group with him. They looked wary and ready. Their blasters being that of fallen battledroids that had been recovered for ammunition. Corvinius already knew that there was no way that a Bolter could be made or any projectile like weapons to be mass produced. After all, he has yet to see anything in Star Wars that resembled an actual firearm. Either the people of this galaxy just don't want to use projectile weaponry anymore, or they simply don't even know how to make them now.

Pushing those thoughts to the side foe the future, Corvinius felt the ship continuing to move. They had yet to reach their destination. Even so, the anticipation within him was gnawing away at him. For a moment, he felt nervous, not for himself, he would survive this. That said, he knew that these men with him may not. He wanted to at least save Caden, for the young man showed great promise and potential. In another life, Caden would make an exemplary and dutiful Guardsman. Yet he felt as if he destined for something, he felt as if-

At that exact moment, Corvinius felt his vision flicker between reality and to a third person's point of view. His eyes widened once he realized that he was witnessing yet another vision.

As soon as the vision cleared itself up for him, he found himself in a third person position. He was on a bridge of some kind, surrounded by dozens of destroyed battledroids and the ship's crew ripped to shreds. Their body parts scattered across the floor, entrails hanging off of consoles, and blood staining the walls. Yet as he looked down, Corvinius saw something that he was hoping wasn't going to happen. In his arms, was the young Caden. His body littered with blaster wounds and barely clinging to life. The future Corvinius held the man up as he was on his knees gazing down at him.

Despite the short amount of life still in him, despite the death that was coming to him. Caden had a smile on his face, there was even a small ounce of fear in his eyes.

"C-corvinius..."

Caden called out to in a weak and stuttery voice.

"M-my mother and sister... please...please tell them. That I made my father proud... p-please tell them... that I did the right thing."

Before the future Corvinius could respond, he watched as Caden breathed his last. The utter silence, the heart-wrenching moment settled in for Corvinius. For a moment, he didn't know what to think. As the future Corvinius gazed up, his face covered by his bangs. The past Corvinius could have sworn that he saw blood red pupils staring forward and a set of fangs coming out.

At that moment was when the vision ended as a hand landed on Corvinius' arm. He glanced back to see Caden staring at him in worry.

"Sir, we've arrived."

Caden pointed out, and watched as Corvinius looked forward to see that the large transport ship that they were on had it's main doors opened. His eyes looking through his helmet's visor as he processed the vision that he just saw. For the first time that he had been here, since he had even inhabited this body and interacted with the people around him. Corvinius actually felt fear. Not for himself no, but for the man right behind him. He hadn't realized it, nor even thought about it. He was a Primarch, a demigod. He would live for virtually forever, suffer no wounds that he couldn't recover from, or even fear death even if he wanted to. Yet, he finally understood why most Primarchs weren't so in tuned with their humanity. Why most Primarchs don't interact with many of the humans who surround themselves around them.

It wasn't because they would outlive the humans around them, it was because that no matter what they do....they would die. Despite the power that a Primarch has, all men die around them.

The sooner that realization settled in with Corvinius, he was starting to have second thoughts about this mission. He didn't want to see Caden die. He didn't care for the others, they knew what they were going to do. Caden however didn't deserve to die just yet. He was young, but so were some of the men with them. They couldn't turn back now, there was only one way and that was forward. And that was something that Corvinius hated. He couldn't control when he had these visions, similar to how Sanguinius couldn't either. They came and went, and it was up to them to interpret when the vision would happen.

Would Caden die on this ship? How would he be shot up? Could Corvinius even stop Caden from dying?

The questions almost overwhelmed him, consuming his mind of the what ifs. Yet one thing was clear, there was only one way to find out.

Corvinius narrowed his eyes and took in a deep breath as he rose to his full height.

"Onwards, Guardsmen."

Corvinius ordered, then sent a glance to Caden. His visor hiding his gaze upon the young man. Then he faced forward and clenched his opened fist.

'Sometimes... I hate 40k powers.'