To Heal Poignancy ■ TECH - The Bad Batch ■

Clone Rights

She internally begged the Maker that nothing would happen to the Jedi Master.

The young senator stared intently at the entrance, refusing to take her eyes away from the grand entryway. She didn't even notice the Coruscant Guards attempt to make everyone go about their business; had no idea how long Fox stood in front of her.

"Senator Klenn, you should really vacate the premises. It's not safe."

"I'm good," she stated.

"I must insist."

"Duly noted, Fox. Thank you."

Fox's sigh filtered through his modulator.

He sounded defeated, tired, "Make sure you stay behind the rope then, please, Adla." She promised she would.

The sun had begun to set on Coruscant. Adla's stomach rumbled as she had once again denied herself food all day, and was not in the process of scavenging for anything.

Movement caught her eye from the top of the stairs. It was hard to see the figure, but the hum of a lightsaber and the red glow showed that someone was at the entrance.

"Jedi!" a clone shouted.

"Fire!" Fox ordered as he turned around.

It took approximately two seconds before the clone commander called for a ceasefire, and everyone stopped immediately.

"Stop! It's Lord Vader!"

Vader had not, in fact, been harmed by any of the blaster fire. Adla had watched as he calmly blocked every blaster bolt with the swift grace of his lightsaber.

"Lord Vader," Fox called up to him. "I'm sorry, my men... we saw the lightsaber and thought -"

The clone commander dropped his blaster and gripped at his throat.

"You did not think, Commander," Vader corrected. His voice was cold and detached from any humanity he potentially once had. "You had failed to debrief your men on my appearance and weaponry."

A choked noise emitted from Fox's modulator. He desperately clawed at an invisible hand that clung and squeezed at his neck. He slowly lifted off the ground.

Vader slowly made his way down the steps, unbothered. His lightsaber was extinguished and back on the clip attached to his side. His completely black arm stuck straight out, his hand turned as if Fox's neck rested in it.

He was force sensitive?

"The Empire does not take kindly to failure. Let this be a lesson for all watching. This is what happens if you do not meet the expectations of the Empire. This could be the fate that awaits you."

Fox kicked his feet in the air. Adla gripped the rope as she watched in horror as her friend scratched desperately at his neck, trying to alleviate the pressure focused there.

In an instant, Fox ceased moving altogether and hung limply in the air for a moment before he dropped into a careless heap on the ground. The snap had echoed loudly throughout the entire area. Speculators gasped and backed up, some even screamed and fled. The clones remained still and quiet as they watched their commander and brother die.

The familiar friend of panic blossomed in Adla's chest. All rational thought left her as she stared at her friend's body. For a moment, she was frozen. Unsure of what to do, or where to go. But in a split second she shouted, "No!" and flung the rope over her head.

To Mustafar with Fox's rules.

She was the only one to sprint to his side.

"Fox!" she breathlessly cried out as she dropped to her knees. Her hands instantly went to pull his helmet off of him, as if that would help him breathe better.