Jedi Fugitive (The Bad Batch)

32:

Astera:

I slashed both blades across the final droid's chestplate, the force of the strike cleaving it into three separate pieces. All three parts collapsed in opposite directions, the top of it sliding down the dip in front of me. Silence fell on the training room with the absence of blaster fire, the only movement coming from three veteran clones and Omega picking their way through the mess of droids, towards Hunter and Crosshair in the middle of the room.

Crosshair, leaning heavily on his rifle, finally straightened, turning to Hunter behind him. He was met with the barrel of his own blaster pointed at him, the others' weapons gripped tight in their hands as they moved closer. Even my lightsabers did not deactivate, at the ready in case he would make a move.

Yet for all the unspoken threats, he did not raise his own weapon, keeping the sniper's barrel pointed carefully to the floor.

"Crosshair, forget the Empire," Hunter entreated the clone that had once been his brother. Just like he had on the destroyed cruiser on Bracca. "This isn't you. It's your inhibitor chip. We can help you."

"Wrong." Crosshair only sighed quietly. "I had my chip removed a long time ago."

It was perhaps the first time I'd seen shock affect Hunter so profoundly - his jaw slackened, eyes widening as he forced his next words out with some difficulty. "Since when?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

But Crosshair still did not answer the question.

"This is who I am," was all he said instead. A soldier of the Empire. The insinuation of that alone was enough for Hunter to recover himself, expression hardening and grip tightening on the blaster he held. Crosshair mirrored the movement, eyes also narrowing and weight shifting in preparation. Locked in a silent standoff.

Crosshair moved first, jerking the rifle up towards Hunter with his finger already on the trigger. Hunter fired before the barrel could get higher than his thigh, the stun blast hitting the other clone squarely in the chest. A shot that would have dropped any normal person instantly. Yet Crosshair fought against it, swaying unsteadily on his feet for a moment before he dropped to his knees, sniper rifle falling from his grasp and finally succumbing to the effects of the stun.

Only when Crosshair's chest connected with the ground did Hunter ease up, the handgun shifting towards the ceiling. The others took it as their cue to move, Omega dashing for Hunter and throwing her arms around his waist as I finally depowered my lightsabers and hooked them onto my belt. There was no point hiding them for now. The Batch knew now, and I could sense no other presence in Tipoca City. The facility had been fully evacuated now, it seemed. I might as well have my only weapons at quick disposal.

"Sorry Omega," he apologized to the girl when she finally let go of him. "I know I promised you'd never have to come back here."

Oh. Right. The promise he'd made after we'd rescued her from Bora Vio. A promise I had made too. I winced at the thought - after all of that, she'd still been forced to return. To rescue us.

But Omega did not seem affected by the broken promise, only offering up a small smile. "You did the same for me."

He sheathed his weapons, crouching by Crosshair to examine his unconscious body, both hands reaching out to carefully shift his head, revealing the mottled burn stretching over it. His face remained neutral seeing the old injury, but I could still catch the flash of guilt in his eyes. We had done that to him.

"Hunter, three Venators are descending on the city." Tech's urgent report distracted me from the thought of Bracca. Three of the giant starships? One I could understand for the evacuation, but three seemed excessive. Not to mention they were still lingering. Something wasn't right. "We need to leave. Now."

Hunter didn't respond immediately, instead reaching for Crosshair's rifle and pack to sling them on his own back before addressing anyone. "Wrecker, grab Crosshair. He's coming with us."

The larger clone picked him obediently, Tech and Echo turning to head for the door. I went with them, neither clone acknowledging the tense secret that sat between us. A small blessing - I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle it now. To tell them why I had lied for so long. Escaping was the more pressing matter - we could deal with my deception later.

We hadn't even made it outside before the first of the explosions rocked the city.

The whole structure shook violently, throwing us all off balance as the lights flickered once and failed, plunging the hallways into darkness. We were forced to stop just to keep from losing our footing, my arms flailing just from the sheer focus it took to keep my balance.

"Hurry! Get to the lift!" Hunter's words were like a physical push, spurring us all back into motion and sending us down the hallways at double the pace, desperate to get outside and find our ship before the situation exacerbated.

Outside, the Venators were firing on the city.

Explosions racked the compounds, great holes punched through the walls by the clumsy lasers fired by the cannons on the starships. Even as we watched, the bridge in front of us erupted in a fiery inferno, obliterating our only path out. It was only a matter of time before we were next.

"Back inside! Go!" Omega was the only one who didn't listen to Hunter's command, transfixed by the sight in front of her. Horror was written clearly across her features, and she was rooted to the spot, unable to move. The little medical droid - AZI - grabbed her hand and pulled her along, forcing her back into the building with us.

The building dropped dangerously, the shrieks of metal as it tore under its own weight, unable to hold up the compound any longer. The walls shuddered again, cracking and splintering with broken pipes snapping free from their confines. The buildings couldn't hold themselves together any longer.

And with a groan that shook the very air around us, Tipoca City began to fall.