Jedi Insurgency 113

‘Zombies, it had to be kriffing zombies!’ Corvus thought to himself as he watched the live security footage. 

The hallways were flooded with the damned creatures, and they were homing in on the security room. Most of them were staggering towards them, yet he wouldn't let this seeming rigidity fool him. The Blackwing virus was originally conceived by a Sith Lord using a Force Sensitive flower, the Murakami orchid. This spore-like strain gave the infected a basic level of intelligence. They could use weapons, activate complex devices, and in Legends, an infected Star Destroyer was even piloted to land on a planet! 

Although they weren't as intelligent as the average Human adult, each body possessed the skills that they had in life. 

Capable of sustaining serious damage-as evidenced by the security footage-Corvus knew that this threat would only grow fiercer the larger their number grew. Before long, this shambling gait would evolve into faster movements, as the virus infecting these bodies learnt how to push them to their limit. 

Already, he saw a squad of former royal Naboo guards using small unit tactics, checking corners, and advancing with cover. Meanwhile, he saw the flicker of one skinless, muscular zombie move at speeds that could match that of a Padawan or Assassin Droid. Surrounded on all sides, this threat was no less than when he was ambushed by his first T-1000 cybersuit! 

The worst part about this, was that following typical zombie rules, they had enhanced scent, and hearing, meaning sneaking out of here would be much more difficult.

Meaning there was only one way this matter could end…

“Be advised, within a certain radius, these creatures can track us by scent or sound. We're going to fight our way out!” Corvus declared, and ignited his twin blue lightsabers. 

“We're with you, Master.” Yon nervously said, his knuckles were white as his grip on his lightsaber hilt was overly tight. However, taking a few breaths, he once again regained his confidence. 

Jax quietly nodded, and ignited his own saber. The smallest hint of a magnificent aura escaped from his being. 

Meanwhile, the shadows of the dimly lit security room clung to Corvus like a cloak or blanket. Although they were made of the dark, shadow could not exist without light. A state of balance tempered his mind, and gave him a sense of being part ethereal, part material. The overall effect allowed his vision to pierce the darkness as if it were daytime, and his movements became subtly more graceful, perhaps even sublime. His every step carried with it the hint of an afterimage, and his speed was enhanced. 

“Do not let them bite you, or their fluids to touch you. Otherwise, you shall end up looking like them.” Corvus said in warning, and then buffed himself, along with his party with his full complement of buffs. 

Master (low): Valor, Speed, Energy Resistance, Physical Resistance, and Force Barrier coated their forms like invisible shields. 

Each and every skill was buffed a further 25% thanks to his kyber crystal's ability to enhance Lightside attributed abilities. 

As soon as the last skill had been cast, the durasteel door leading to the security room began to make some noise. The cameras depicted a growing horde of butlers, maids, and groundskeepers smashing into the wall. Their mass was doing little, however, a moment later, a zombie dragging a plasma-saw came up. Engine whirring, red hot beams began to tear into the durasteel door. It would only be a matter of minutes before a breach was made. Staying in here, within this enclosed space would be waiting for death! 

Twirling his lightsabers, Corvus centered himself within the Force, the door suddenly hissed open, and then he moved. 

Leaning forward, the zombie wielding the plasma-saw hadn't expected the sudden change, and was falling down towards Corvus due to the sudden change in momentum. 

Form VII at this point was like muscle memory to Corvus, and he bisected the creature from its crotch to the crown of its head. Flickering forward like a phantom, his movements became predatory in nature. Aggressive sweeps, explosive flicks, stabs, and twirls. These moves and more expressed the cold resentment that had built up in his system. 

Each and every foe he cut down netted him (+10EXP) confirming those he killed, and notifying him when a zombie he thought was permanently dead, was in actuality, still biting, and ready to go. 

The ice that had been in his veins, the constant pings of danger, and tension that caused sweat to accumulate at his temples was all being released now in this one cathartic moment of slaughter! Limbs went flying into the air, and black blood sizzled as it made contact with super heated plasma. 

A zombie without legs made to grab his ankles. In response, he stabbed down without looking, severing its spine, and rendering it truly immobile.

Another one dropped down from the high ceilings, only for him to side step, and use a full power [Force Push]. That one zombie-along with a dozen more-were launched into a nearby wall. Their bones snapped, organs burst, and muscles tore. Twitching on the ground, they more closely resembled insects stepped on by a boot than once living beings. 

Single handedly clearing out a few dozen butlers & maids, Corvus didn't have much time to celebrate, as more and more foes were amassing down the halls. 

From the depths of the palace came a sound of moans, groans, and blood curdling wordless shouts stripped of their humanity. 

Hunger. Ceaseless, boundless hunger came from the depths of their souls. The Force was bright in these creatures, and most horrifically, gave Corvus the sense that trapped within those crazed minds, was the insane consciousness of once ordinary individuals. 

Taking aim, with blasters, they took cover behind pillars, couches, and all over the place as they shot at him. Furthermore, they had spread out, and weren't rushing at him in a clump all at once. They were learning. 

It was kind of eerie, what was happening. Almost as if they were NPC's with aim bot, as they all moved as if bound by a single, unseen will…

Tanking a few shots to his [Energy Resistance] barrier, he knew that standing still to deflect bolts back would be pointless. Advancing with Jax & Yon, they began to pick off these former palace royal guardsmen one by one. 

With a burst of speed, he surged forward, sabers whirling in dangerous arcs. The first group met him head-on, but they barely lasted a breath. One saber cut low, sweeping legs from beneath them, while the other struck high, disarming one attacker before sending it sprawling. Corvus moved like a tide, he was smooth, unstoppable, and impossible to react to. Even with their unnerving accuracy, it was no match for his enhanced speed. 

Of course as he had this thought, a high powered, green sniper bolt snapped through the air towards him at an incredible rate. If he was a Knight, this sniper bolt could have threatened to strike him, and even break his barrier. However, that was the old him! 

He turned, deflecting it with the calm grace of a master, sending it into the shoulder of another infected charging from the side. The powerful bolt popped the zombie like a melon, showering blackened blood everywhere. Careful to dodge each drop, he used Pause buffering to duck underneath the next sniper bolt, and then spotted his foe. Camped up on a ledge of one of those giant windows, the creature was priming another shot. 

Before they could launch another attack,  Corvus launched a Force assisted thermal detonator. The resulting point blank explosion melted the monster, freeing him up. During this brief interlude, a dozen more ran at him, vibroblades roaring, and ready to go. Ducking under a heavy swing from a vibroblade, he spun, and knocked three enemies back with a wide, Force-augmented strike.

More and more entered the hallway, flooding the zone. They came faster now, moving at overclocked speeds similar to the fastest of Earth's athletes. Their coordination became greater the longer the fight dragged on. The rate of learning was both alarming, and astonishing. Although they were as easy to kill as womp rats now, he could foresee a scenario where their threat level became exceedingly dangerous! 

He couldn't allow this virus to spread! 

Corvus pressed on, cutting a path through the tightening ring of attackers. His movements were fluid, his strikes precise, not one hit of his was wasted. Where others might have faltered under the sheer pressure, he seemed to thrive in it. Not only was he fighting for his own survival, but he recognized that if he faltered here, it could spell doom for all life  on Naboo! Each encounter tested him, and each time he adapted faster than they did.

One tried to flank him from behind. Without looking, Corvus stepped aside, pivoted, and caught its weapon-arm in a cross-block with both blades. He shoved hard, disarming the creature, and dicing it into a dozen bits. 

But even as he felled it, the reinforcements seemed endless. 

‘Damnit, how many people worked in this palace?!...did the worst case scenario come to pass, is Theed also infected?!’ Corvus worried to himself. 

Theed was the largest population of Naboo. Of the 25 million inhabitants, about 500,000 called this place home. Although it might not seem like that much, he wasn't currently leading an army! Jax & Yon might believe in him, but he knew his limits. Just because he achieved power quickly, didn't mean he was an idiot! 

Something deeper pulsed in the Force. Corvus could feel it, a will, behind these infected. They weren’t moving strictly by instinct. Nor were these creatures simply reacting to him. They were surrounding him with discipline no ordinary zombie horde could muster. A vision of that hazmat wearing figure pierced his mind, and his psyche found itself within an animal enclosure…the Force was guiding him to the museum! 

As the vision faded, the horde began to come closer and closer. 

“Change of plans, we're going to make our way to the hangar where Obi-Wan can pick us up. Let's move!” 

A second later, Corvus raised a hand, the weight of the world seemed to be within his grasp as he concentrated. With a gesture, the ground trembled, and debris from the ceiling collapsed. Stone shattered as a nearby pillar toppled over, collapsing part of the corridor and creating an opening to escape. 

Corvus turned and sprinted toward the upper levels of the palace, where the hangar laid in wait. The passage twisted and turned, rife with debris, and solo zombies lunging out of closets, corners, and couches. Lit only by the flickering glow of emergency lighting and his lightsabers, his adrenaline was pumping full force as he knew that the horde behind them would be catching up any minute now. During his mad dash to escape, he sent a quick voice message to Obi-Wan, and never once paused in his step, or rested his blades. 

Following his map, he eventually made it to the hangar. 

However, what awaited him was a dense army of zombies, and five mutated zombies that were radiating danger in the Force. Based solely on his premonition, he estimated that these five biological weapons were no lesser than Knights. 

Then, as if it were a scene straight out of the Phantom Menace, the door that Maul had emerged from hissed open, and a 7ft tall, bully zombie clad in pulsing black veins emerged. This one was greater than those five. 

Gripping his lightsabers tightly, Corvus glanced at his wrist, where the Falcon's estimated distance was displayed. 

[5 minutes]

The tall mutant zombie stared him down with intelligent eyes, and a mocking smile spread across its face. The source of the infection, a black, Force Sensitive Marakami orchid sprouted from the top of his skull. Furthermore, a carapace-like milky white colored growth spread across its arm, forming a wicked chitin arm blade. Eyes going wide, Corvus sensed that this arm blade had an aura similar to the Force Blade that the Anzat had wielded so long ago! 

Taking a deep breath, he once more twirled his lightsabers, and spoke to his two disciples with his back to them. Despite the high level of danger that had presented itself, he had become extremely calm at this moment. 

“Recall that feeling of harmony. Together, we are strong. We are Je'daii. Never doubt yourself.”