Mercenary (3)

Rodia

Outer Rim

I used the Force to activate a shield unit that was placed around my left arm.

The protective field enveloped me like a sheath just as Ferr ordered my murder. I held still for a fraction of a second while making sure that Amidala was distant enough from my position. Once that was done I unleashed telekinetic wave all around me. A sphere of invisible power exploded from my body and engulfed the short droid platoon that was surrounding me. My shield absorbed the few shots that the CIS troops managed to get off before the sh0ockwave threw them in all directions.

I watched with satisfaction how Ferr bounced off the ground and stayed down. Only his groaning gave indication he was still alive. I called my blasters from their holsters with a thought and jumped to find their way into my outstretched hands. My first two shots took off the heads of the cannon fodder that was escorting Amidala to some dingy cell. I ignored Padme who wasted few precious second by gawking at me before she grabbed one of the weapons of her disposed of captors.

While I kept a small part of my mind occupied with tracing Padme's position, most of my attention was concentrated on taking out the robots that tried to kill me. Before the machines could recover from my surprise attack I had blown to pieces three quarters of the B-1's. Those fragile things needed only a single, well placed blaster bolt.

Only four of the mass produced irritants were left when those remaining were able to grab a weapon and return fire. It was at that time when the SB droids had recovered and unleashed hail of crimson death in my direction.

Thanks to my deep connection to the Force I knew in which direction they were aiming and where their fire was about to go. I twisted, turned and weaved around a hail of blaster fire.

Two shots turned the torso of a B-1 into a scrap. I moved my head to the left just in time to avoid getting my brains evaporated. Without looking my left hand moved and I snapped a shot behind my back. I knew it will find its mark before the blaster bolt hat left the barrel of my gun. A snap shot destroyed the weapon of another mass produced clanker. My shields whined in protest as I ducked a moment too late and was caught as one of the SB's stitched a line through the air with its repeaters.

I answered by snapping shots in its direction as fast as I could press the triggers. Seconds later its armor was a melted river running down its front and it fell like so much scrap.

A barrel roll took me from the line of fire of the remaining Super droid. Amidala's accurate fire had disposed of the last two B-1s by now. We concentrated our firepower on the last machine standing and shortly the droid caved under our onslaught.

My shield had gotten as low as fifteen percent. Not too bad for a piece of ancient technology.

A glance at Padme showed me that she was thinking on her feet. She had a communicator in her hand and was talking in it. If her droid and the bloody gungan had not destroyed the Nubian transport yet there were good chances that they'd be able to signal for reinforcements.

After checking for enemies in the immediate vicinity and founding nothing I turned to Ferr who was still moaning on the floor. I holstered my weapons and, with a gesture, had him suspended in the air in front of me.

"Senator Ferr, how good of you to wait for us."I smiled as I used just enough pressure to make him struggle for each breath. "Please tell me what Separatist forces are stationed in this facility and on the planet."

Amidala came to stand next to me.

"Uncle..." she whispered in horror. "Veil! Put him down! We are not torturing prisoners!"

"I won't hurt your friend too much if he cooperates, Senator Amidala. Besides I am not part of your precious Republic." I told her with emotionless tone. Then I tilted my armored head in the Rodian's direction. "Please resist. It will be more fun that way."

Needless to say he sang like a canary after he saw that I was serious and was ignoring Padme's threats and protests. There was additional platoon of B-1 droids with a dozen or so Super Battle droids and couple of droidekas rolling around. He also told us that there was a powerful communicator at the top of the central tower.

I let Ferr to fall to the ground where he slumped and gasped for air.

"See? That was easy. Now, Senator Amidala, if you are finished with berating me with your morality, we have to prepare for the Viceroy's arrival. But first we need to take that tower." I pointed upwards "and make sure that the remaining droids do not raise an alarm."

I waved the pissed off former queen to follow me and headed up towards the comm tower. On the way there I had to listen to her ranting about how evil were my actions. She was wearing my patience thin. I didn't really touch the guy! I just held him somewhat tight! It could not compare to Vader throwing a temper tantrum much less something that the Empire would have considered a proper interrogation.

We made a short work of the few B-1's which were guarding the comm station and after a brief chat with a Republic task force which was conveniently nearby – they'd be all over our location in one and half hours, it was time to plan the reception of Gunray. That thought cheered up Padme who had by now had her frustration and outrage under control.

=RK=

I waited in the shadows behind a stack of crates near the landing pad. A terrified Senator Ferr and a bunch of his underlings who were formed in half circle in front of the location where the Neimoidian ship was supposed to land made up the expected welcoming committee. They had a squad of B-1s as an escort. Apparently the droids stationed here were at Ferr's disposal unless his orders conflicted with detectives given by CIS personal. Getting the show in place was surprisingly easy. Even better, all the fear that the Rodians felt after I demolished most of the droids stationed on this little piece of land would be attributed on them fearing the Separatists.

A large transport headed our way just in time. I'll give the Neimoidians that one, they knew how to be punctual. A pair of vultures were escorting the Viceroy's craft but they broke off and headed back to space. No much choice with their limited operational time. According all the Intel and hands on experience the GAR had, those droids only had fuel for thirty five minutes of flight.

The transport turned around so that its engines and the loading ramp in its back pointed towards the waiting delegates and landed. It slid to the ground revealing Nute Gunray who was escorted by a pair of B-1's and two cloaked figures. I was suddenly glad that thanks to my perpetual paranoia I was masking my presence in the Force.

"The citizens of Rodia salute you!" Ferr made a theatrical bow to Gunray.

"Yes, yes, as they should. Now where is the Senator?"

"Up in the tower."

"He is anxious. I can smell deception all over him." rasped one of the cloaked figures.

So those two were Palpatine's test. I could sense the Dark Side pulsing around them. It was like an open, sore wound. Those idiots had fallen to it completely. My lips stretched in an unpleasant smile. I've been hunting down the likes of them for decades.

I was going to slaughter them, but I had to hold back a lot. Making it look too easy was going to ring too many alarm bells among both the Jedi and the Sith. I simply didn't need such a scrutiny and I had to work under the assumption that this fight would be recorded and distributed.

On the bright side, at least I was going to have a bit of fun – if I went all out this battle would be over too fast to enjoy it.

My mind raced over the currents of the Force. It was as if I was outside my body as I looked at the Confederate transport from the side. I pushed with my will and the Force obeyed. The CIS craft shuddered. The two Dark side users looked around wildly in a search for the threat. The ship lurched to the left as I exerted my will over it. The spacecraft lifted without the help of its repulsors guided by my mind and the Force alone. Just a bit more effort was all it took and I violently pushed it over the side of the landing pad. There it fell in the swamp. Dirty water and almost liquid mud started leaking through its open ramp. That thing was not going to fly away any time soon.

As everyone's attention was focused on the transport's demise as a space worthy vessel, two of Ferr's retinue drew already active Ion Grenades from their clothes and threw them at the nearby droids. One was cut down by a B-1 who for a change was fast on the uptake but it was a split second too late. The Ion Grenade was already in the air.

The two Force users tried to push the explosive devices away but now that my attention was no longer on the disabled ship, I could use the Force to make their efforts futile. The grenades stopped short of Gunray but were far from harmless. Their dual discharge was enough to fry all remaining droids and stopped short of the Viceroy and its special escort. The machines fell down turned into inert mass of disabled weapons and alloys.

The Rodians fared much better – they just got some light shocks and mild energy burns. That left a moaning delegation trashing on the ground and a Viceroy who looked positively ill. I headed their way.