The Bad Batch

Part 48: Replacements

Gregor: "They're gathered for inspection. There's no way past'em." 

Echo: "If we can't reach the lifts, we can't get out of here." 

Tech: "I can redirect them." 

He ran to the control panel and began to type on it. 

Gregor: "Armor like that, I take it you're CCs like me?" 

Me: "CT-99s." 

Gregor: "Defected clones? If you ask me, it's the ones who want to stay here who are really defective." 

Echo: "What was your assignment?" 

Gregor: "I was an instructor--" 

At that moment alarm began to beep loudly. 

Me: "What's going on Tech?" 

Tech: "I keyed a Code-16 to redirect their forces. I don't know what happened." 

Gregor: "Clone codes don't work here. You just triggered a security alarm." 

At that moment I heard them coming and we quickly stepped behind the walls to cover ourselves from blasters. Immediately I began to shoot back. Tech threw a smoke bomb at them and as it went off Gregor and I ran up to them and knocked them out. 

Me: "Is there another way off this base?" 

I asked Gregor as I took the key for opening doors off the commander. 

Gregor: "Only one way out. Up." 

Tech: "Look at this. These are not clone troopers." 

He said as he removed a helmet off one trooper for us to see a new face. Gregor chuckled. 

Gregor: "That's what I have been trying to tell you. These are our replacements. If you can believe that." 

Turning around I shoot another trooper that came behind us. Then as more came I threw an electrical ball toward them before running after Tech, Echo, and George. More troopers came and we had to shoot them as they were on our way. 

Tech: "Are you sure, you know where we are going?" 

Gregor: "Hey, I am the one who escaped here before." 

Tech: "And you were captured." 

Gregor: "After I made it out." 

Shooting two more troopers we stopped in front of the elevator. 

Me: "I thought you said  you trained these guys?" 

Gregor: "I didn't teach them everything. That wouldn't be very smart, would it?" 

As the elevator came down and the doors opened I saw two troopers inside. Before they could shoot us I knocked them out with the stun blaster. Gregor and I pulled them out and as we stepped in the elevator Tech looked at us. 

Tech: "We need an authorization code." 

I threw him the key that I took from the trooper and as he used it elevator began to move up. 

Echo: "These new troopers, what do you mean they're our replacements?" 

Gregor: "Well, we clones are soldiers of a Republic that doesn't exist. Those recruits come from all over the galaxy. They swear loyalty to the Empire. They're not as skilled  but there's an endless supply of'em." 

Me: "Numbers aren't everything." 

I said as I looked at him. At that moment the doors opened and we had troopers in front of us. Before they could start shooting I pressed the button and the elevator closed the doors and began to move down. 

Tech: "You were saying?" 

Gregor: "We'll, uh, take a detour." 

Lunar's POV 

Me: "Excuse me Wrecker. But how can you be so relaxed?" 

I asked as I looked at him sitting on the chair with his legs on the monitor and his hands behind his head. He looked back at me a little. 

Wrecker: "Oh, I'm preparing. I'm sharing up before I charge in." 

I continued walking up and down the room. 

Me: "We should've heard from them by now. What if something went wrong?" 

Wrecker: "I am sure they got everything under control." 

Me: "We are here only because of me. If I would be the better fighter you didn't need to stay here with me." 

Wrecker: "This is not t-" 

I quickly looked at him, meeting his eyes. 

Me: "Oh come on Wrecker get real. It is true. Hunter left you here with me just because I am incapable of fighting as good as any of you." 

Wrecker: "You are getting better at it every day Lunar." 

Me: "Maybe if I could use Force I could be more useful."