Nirann could accurately track the positions and movement of every object around him, but there were still limitations on how quickly he could actually move his physical frame. The hit to his back forced him forward, and he had to react as best as he could. Granted, he could calculate multiple options to avoid taking the brunt of the force from the detonation. His blade was still active, and he could twist it around behind him to sever the arm holding him. An organic Rothian would probably break their own arm trying to contort in such a way, but he did not have such limitations. However, for Nirann, it was not just himself he had to worry about. He lacked enough information on the internal specifications of the explosive charge that he could not accurately predict the explosion’s characteristics. The exact direction of the explosive force, fragmentation, there was enough variance to be worried. He could not predict who else behind him would be hurt if he was not in the way, and he had to protect them. He had to protect her. He directed all available power to bolstering his frontal shielding and allowed his frame to stay between the charge and his allies. 

In an instant, there was a flash of light, and in the next, a deafening blast that shook the hallway. In the span of fractions of a second, Nirann’s shields flared brighter and brighter, then cracked. Most of his heavily armored frame could withstand the explosion, thereby protecting those behind him, but his head had been point-blank to it. In an instant, Nirann’s head had been blasted apart, along with much of the forearm of the droid that had been holding it.

As the rest of Nirann’s frame dropped to the ground, the industrial droid was knocked back by the blast, though kept its footing. Even damaged as it was, it was still active…still dangerous. Unarmed, the machine was still a deadly weapon on its own. One arm sparked between twisted, contorted metal plates, while the other was raised into a fist. It chose its next target, but it never found its opportunity to make its rush forward. Rather, it quickly lost control of its limbs as a glowing red energy blade cleaved through the actuators controlling its hip joints, then continued upwards through its torso to bisect the machine vertically. Its two halves fell to either side, glowing red from the intense heat, leaving Nirann’s headless frame standing tall in its stead, his blade held high. 

Naturally, a droid’s head was not where the Rothians chose to place its central processing unit. For such a critical component, the much more heavily armored torso was a far better location. “Damn it, lost the primary sensor suite. Going to have to manage on secondaries.” Nirann muttered through notably lower-quality speakers. “Can we all move? We need to be out of here five minutes ago.”