Mother of The Bad Batch-a Bad Batch story (ON HOLD)

Chapter nine

After ten minutes, Riley was so focused on the files she didn't even notice someone walked up to the front desk until they rang the little bell. "Um, excuse me, miss?" A voice said.

Riley looked up to see a man with long hair and a skull tattoo on half of his face. "Oh hello! How can I help you?" She asked. The man seemed surprised for a moment, he was staring at her and Riley didn't know why.

Hunter took in all of her features, looking at every scar, freckle, and detail. He knew it was her. It had to be her. She hadn't aged much, really the only difference he noticed was that her hair was longer and it didn't have any hair dye.

"Are you going to answer me or are you just gonna be a creep and stare?" She asked suddenly. Hunter snapped out of his thoughts and apologized for staring. "Sorry, you just look like someone I know." He said. "Do you know if anyone is hiring in town?" He asked.

Riley thought for a moment, trying to remember if she noticed anybody hiring when she went to the market. "I believe so. What kind of work are you interested in?" She asked. Hunter thought for a moment before answering her.

"Really we'll take any job—as long as we don't have to cook. Me and my brothers don't know how to cook." He said, scratching the back of his neck. Riley nodded and smiled softly at him. "You're a clone, right?" She asked suddenly.

Hunter perked up at her question, maybe she recognized him. "Yes I am." He answered. "I thought so. Most clones can't cook for their lives." She chuckled. "There should be someone hiring in the the town center. Look for a large green building." She told him. Hunter nodded and thanked her, slightly disappointed that she hadn't recognized him.

He walked outside the inn to where his brothers and sister were waiting for him. "What took ya so long?" Wrecker asked upon seeing Hunter. After Hunter didn't respond Tech approached him.

"Are you alright, Hunter?" He asked. Hunter looked at Tech, then at Wrecker. His eyebrows were furrowed and he glanced back at the inn before answering.

"I just seen mom." He stated. Wrecker and Tech looked at him shocked for a moment before stepping closer to him. "You what?" Tech asked. "Riley. Mom. She works here. She didn't recognize me." He said.

"I'm sorry, you seen who?" Echo asked, a look of confusion on his face. Hunter sighed and glanced at Tech and Echo before speaking. "Riley. She was our caretaker when we were cadets on Kamino, but she was more like a mother to us." Hunter told him. "She left after a bad...accident." Tech added.

"Wait, you said her name is Riley?" Echo asked. Wrecker nodded and Echo's face grew more confused. "The lady who brought food for me and Omega was named Riley. The woman with long brown hair and green eyes?" He said.

"Right eye is green, left one is blue—however she did like wearing contacts to cover it." Tech pointed out. "Is it that lady in the holopic you guys have?" Omega asked suddenly. "Yes. H-how did you know about that?" Hunter asked.

"I went through Crosshair's stuff." She mumbled. "You sure she didn't recognize you, Hunter?" Wrecker asked. "No, well, she recognized I'm a clone just didn't know which clone I am." Hunter told him.

"Why didn't you tell her who you were?" Omega asked, looking up at him. "Because...I don't even know if she remembers us. She only took care of us for a about a month." Hunter answered quietly. "Well if you guys were so close that you called her 'mom' I'm sure she remembers you." Echo countered.

"Even if she does, she seems happy here—probably happier then she was raising clones." Hunter said. Wrecker looked towards the inn sadly. "I wanna tell her." He said. He turned towards the entrance of the building and was about to run inside when Tech grabbed his arm.

"We have to focus on getting jobs, Wrecker. You can confront her all you like later." Tech told him. Wrecker groaned and picked up Omega, sitting her on his shoulder."Let's go." Hunter said, they all headed into town in search of jobs.

Riley watched as the clone walked out of the inn. She couldn't help but feel that she knew him. However she'd never seen someone like him so she doubted it.

"Maker, I know him from somewhere." She mumbled to herself. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and got back to work.

[time skip brought to you by Ahsoka and Anakin giving Obi Wan a headache]

The bad batch was nearing the inn, walking slowly and content. Omega was looking at something on Tech's datapad with him, Wrecker was telling Echo something about bombs, and Hunter was staring at the entrance to the building.

"If she's in there, don't approach her." Hunter warned. "Why not?" Tech asked. Hunter sighed and looked at his brother. He wanted to reunite with Riley just as much as Tech and Wrecker did. However he knew the possibility of her not remembering them was great.

"She probably doesn't remember us." Hunter said. "Bantha shit! We're her sons, of course she'll remember us!" Wrecker grumbled. "Watch your language in front of the kid." Echo scolded.

Hunter sighed and led them into the building. Instead of Riley being at the front desk there was a girl with brown hair who looked a little older then her.

Omega walked up to the woman and rang the small bell. The woman looked down at her and smiled. "Hello little one, how can I help you?" She asked. "Do you know where Riley is?" Omega asked.

The woman furrowed her brows in confusion, why would someone be interested in Riley? She thought.  "Um yeah, she just finished her shift. I can go get her for you if you'd like?" The woman said.

"No! I-uh-sorry to bother you ma'am." Hunter stammered, leading Omega towards the lift where the rest of their brothers were waiting.

————————————————————

Word count: 1623