The Runaway {Hunter} (WATTYS 2022)

Chapter 59

Hera paced back and forth, her arms hugged around her as they stood around her, back in the old cave where her father once stationed for the freedom of Ryloth. Cora crossed her arms as she watched the girl feel trapped in a situation she didn't want to be in.

"All my father wanted was peace on Ryloth." Hera was turned away from the group, "Why is this happening?" The young twi'lek asked.

"He's a voice the people stand behind." Echo said trying to comfort her, "That makes him a threat to the Empire."

"I don't care about any of that." Hera shook her head, "I just want my parents back."

Chopper, who was on the Havoc with Tech, jumped down to meet the crew with his voice chattering. "We're all over the Imperial comm channels." Tech said following the little orange droid. "They've increased patrols within the city."

Cora heart dropped. She still felt uneasy with the group thinking she had something to do with the Empire. She was just as pained and hurt by all this Imperial mess as they were. Yet, she felt the weariness of the men around her when they picked up on some sort of connection to Rampart. Her mind went to those comm channels. If what Tech said was true, Rampart would know that she was there.

They were on the same planet again. Something she wished would never happen again in her lifetime.

"Crosshair will expect an attack." Hunter said breaking Cora from her thoughts. "The element of surprise is gone. There's nothing we can do."

"Wait, you can't leave." Hera said frantically, her eyes wide with fear.

"I told you," Hunter turned to her, his eyes hard, voice stern, "no guarantees. We'll get you off world and take you some place safe."

Hunter turned and nodded to the group to follow. Omega looked to Cora with pleading eyes as she knew this was wrong too. It felt all too familiar to Cora. The frantic run from her home planet, leaving everything she knew to escape it, but Hera didn't want to escape it, she wanted her parents so she could escape with them.

"Stop!" Hera pulled Hunter back, grabbing his arm with force. Hunter looked down to the girl, his stare enough to stop the twi'lek. "I'll pay you double." Hera tried.

"All the money in the galaxy won't matter if we're dead." Hunter told her. "What you're asking us to do, it's not worth the risk."

Cora sucked in a sharp breath. His words echoed in her mind. It wasn't worth the risk to help a little girl get her parents back. After everything they had done for Omega, helping another little girl wasn't important to Hunter. The slick slime of hate washed over Cora as Hera looked to Hunter with disbelief.

"Not to you." She turned away from him and sulked back towards the cave, Chopper following her.

The group watched as the young girl walked away, her heart broken. Cora saw Omega change emotions at Hunter's harsh words. Cora felt it too, her heart beating as she just wanted to scream and cry. Her body ached for sleep and for peace of mind. She felt out of place, like she didn't belong here anymore.

"You shouldn't have said that." Omega snapped at Hunter.

"Being strategic means knowing your limitations, Omega." Hunter told the girl as she turned to comfort Hera.

Looking over her shoulder, Omega glared at Hunter. "She's trying to save her family, Hunter. I'd do the same for you." The girl turned away and walked towards Hera.

The other guys stepped back on the ship as Hunter glared to Omega, thinking of her words. Cora stood, her chest tight as her anger was starting to bubble over. She took a step towards where Hera and Omega were when Hunter grabbed her arm and stopped her. Cora snapped her arm from his grasp and turned to him, her eyes a furious blaze.

"Cora-"

"Save it." She snapped. Cora took a shaky breath, "Hera needs our help, you won't help a child be with her parents?"

"It's too dangerous."

"To hell with being dangerous." Cora rolled her eyes. "We risked ourselves for Omega, a child. Yet, when she tries to get you to help others, you treat her like a soldier and shut her down." Her eyes burned into his skin. He said nothing for a moment.

Hunter met her eyes. "You know that Imperial official." He simply stated.

"What does this have to do with helping Hera?" Cora's voice cracked. She took a breath as she realized what he was implying. "You think I have something to do with the Empire?" Her question felt bitter on her tongue.

"I never-"

"You implied it." She cut him off. "Yes, I know him. But I haven't seen him in years." Cora leaned closer. "I have absolutely nothing to do with the Empire."

Hunter looked to her, his eyes flickering in the dim light of the hanger. He could feel the anger in her body, it was coming from her like heatwaves. He felt his senses suddenly become overwhelmed, his head spinning with thoughts.

Cora watched as he searched for something to say, his face still. "You don't believe me." She weakly whispered.  Hunter opened his mouth just a little, but no words escaped his lips. "That's enough to break my trust with you." Cora whisper was harsh.

She turned to walk towards Hera but Hunter again grabbed her. Cora's head swiftly turned to him and in a fit of anger, she slapped him across the face. Cora looked to him as her scowl turned into a frown, shocked that she had just slapped him. She stepped back as Hunter turned back to her, a hand on his tattooed cheek. His eyes were cold, his face completely washed with regret. Cora took a sharp breath again, turning on her heel as her hand stung from the impact.

Cora went to opposite way of where Hera and Omega had walked off too. She needed a minute along. She found a little cove that hung out over the rocky valley, the stars above her. She sat down with a heavy sigh and hung her legs over the edge of the cove. She looked down and saw the drop below her. Cora looked up again, her eyes looking to the stars. The buzz of her argument with Hunter still fresh as the feeling of betrayal washed over her.

It was a feeling she thought she had overcome. The thoughts of Lark turning on her in his last moments alive. His eyes burning in her mind as he died in her arms. She shuttered at the thought of having clone force 99 now against her. She felt that betrayed feeling before, and now she felt it all over again. She hated it.

Cora lay back on the rocks as tears escaped her eyes. "I wish you were here, Rex." She whispered into the night sky. "I'm so lost. I don't know what to do." She wept.

She wanted to leave, leave the group and find him. Cora didn't want to be here anymore. Her head ached at everything around her. The plea from Cas to go home, the sudden mistrust in the Bad Batch, and the need to help Hera and her parents. It all flooded her with no warning.

"Cora." Omega whispered as she stepped closer.

Cora sat up and quickly cleaned her face of tears before turning to the girl as she walked closer. "Hey, kid." She croaked out, trying to cover her sadness.

Omega sat next to Cora, crossing her legs as she leaned against the Senator.

"We need your help." Omega said suddenly. Cora looked to her and raised an eyebrow. "Hera and I are going to make a plan to convince Hunter to help her parents."

Cora turned away towards the stars, and huffed. "I'm onboard with helping her parents. But Hunter is a different story."

"Hunter didn't mean what he said." Cora looked to the kid and said nothing. "I don't think you have anything to do with the Empire."

Cora gave a stiff smile. "Thanks." She nodded. They sat in silence for a moment. "What ideas do you have?"