All of the clanker droids were cleared out and the Battle on Kaller was over. The biggest rattler of the day had soon been figured out. The batch found out the clones had been ordered to execute all of the Jedi because they had supposedly committed treason. Hunter knew he had to find out exactly what was going on and fast.
Tech and Echo were piloting the batch's ship back to their home planet that is Kamino. The planet was soon in sight.
"We're coming up on Kamino" Tech announced.
"Ah, it's good to be coming home" Wrecker breathed out a sigh of relief, "how long's it been?"
"One hundred and eighty rotations in a standard cycle, but galactic zone changes put the adjusted figure at about two hundred and five" Tech explained with no trouble. Wrecker just stared back at him confused with the mention of those numbers.
"What?" he questioned. Echo let out a sigh.
"A long time" he replied to Wrecker. Meanwhile Hunter and Crosshair we're being quiet between each other. Until Crosshair made the first move of speaking up.
"Are you sure that Jedi died when he fell?" he skeptically questioned towards Hunter.
"Sure I'm sure" Hunter was able to put the lie out once so far, "why?"
"Usually when someone falls you look down, not across."
"Some of us don't like to watch" Hunter got up from his seat and walked closer to the the front of the cockpit to the main control console. Crosshair only leaned back more into his chair crossing his arms across his chest.
They continued to fly towards Kamino when out from behind the Marauder to the front of the ship came two battle ready ships.
"Unidentified transport, transmit your clearance code" a voice rang out.
"Clearance code?" Echo questioned, "Don't they know who we are?"
"Must be a protocol drill" Tech concluded. He transmitted their code over and they were all clear for landing in the docking bay. The gang made their way through the bay towards the entrances to the main corridors, but something didn't seem right at all.
"Shocktroopers?" Hunter pondered out loud, "What's the Coruscant guard doing here?" They then heard the voice over the speakers.
"Level five lockdown remains in effect, security teams report to the command center."
"This isn't a drill" Tech informed.
"Aw man, what'd we miss now?" said Wrecker, sounding defeated due to the possibility of missing the opportunity to cause more destruction somewhere.
"The end of the war," one of the incoming shocktroopers responded.
"Say again trooper" Hunter replied calmly.
"General Grievous has been defeated on Utapau. The Separatist leadership has collapsed. The war is over." The trooper kept moving along when the batch noticed more of the shocktroopers carrying back a covered body on a stretcher. A lightsaber then fell from under the covering onto the floor. It was picked up by a following trooper. Hunter almost looked pained by the sight of a dead Jedi.
"Is there a problem?" the trooper questioned.
"No, no problem at all. We'll just head back to our barracks then."
"You best hurry, there's a mandatory meeting coming up presented by the Emperor himself at 0500." So then the boys began to make their way through the halls to their room area. Things still felt strange.
"It's not just the regs on Kaller," Hunter started, "all the clones are acting strange."
"Let's test that theory" Tech suggested, "excuse me trooper, which division are you from?" Tech asked another clone.
"Step aside" was all the trooper responded with, pushing Tech aside.
"Oh, well they seem the same to me" Tech concluded. They all came back to their room, closing the door behind all of them.
"Ah, it's good to be back" said Wrecker as he pulled out his knife, "welp, I'll get the board" he started making little tally marks on the wall.
"Eleven more successful missions," he declared, "ha! Like there was any doubt."
"Kaller wasn't a win" Echo objected.
"Says who?" Wrecker countered back, "we completed our objective" he said happily.
"Not all of the objectives" Crosshair coldly commented, he turned to face Hunter, whom was turned away from Crosshair with his fist under his chin with a look on his face, "Hunter let that Jedi kid escape. Or do you want to keep lying to us?" Hunter stood up and walked to the window looking out it.
"I don't like to think of executing our commanders as a mission objective."
"An order is an order."
"Since when?" Both Hunter and Crosshair had scowls on their faces at each other. The tension continued to rise between the two brothers.
"None of this makes sense," Echo said, "those clones served aside General Billaba for years. How could they turn on her like that?" he asked with a hint of anger in his voice, banging his closed fist on the table he sat at.
"It's because of the regs programming" Tech mentioned casually.
"What programming?" Hunter seriously questioned.
"It's been well documented that the Kaminoans inhibited the cognitive functions if clone to engineer them to follow orders without question."
"Ha! Well we sure don't!" Wrecker explained throwing his arm around Crosshair's shoulders, who then pushed Wrecker off in an annoyed matter only to him start pushing his little stuffed animal in Crosshair's face.
'Grow up Wrecker' he thought, just showing his way past him.
"Well obviously we are different Wrecker" Tech continued, "they manipulated preexisting aberrations in our DNA resulting in your brute strength, Crosshair's sharpshooting skills, Hunters enhanced senses and my exceptional mind. My guess is we are immune to the effects of the programming. Though I can't be 100% certain if it."
"Well what about Echo? He was a reg before he joined us" Hunter said.
"Yeah, if all regs were programmed how come I didn't react like the others?"
"The damage you received on Skako Minor most likely wiped out all of your present behavioral modifications. You are more machine than man, percentage wise at least" Tech answered.
An announcement over the intercom sounded again for the upcoming meeting starting soon.
"Let's get going boys" said Hunter, "this is one meeting I don't want to miss."
All of the clones in the facility were gathered for the meeting, watching and listening to a huge hologram of the Emperor giving his speech.
"And the Jedi rebellion has been foiled" he continued, "the remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated. The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed. But I assure you my resolve had never been stronger. In order to ensure the security and continuing stability....." as the speech continued something triggered Hunters senses. He felt someone watching them. Turning around a little more towards the back of the room Hunter found a small girl watching them. She kept herself less noticeable in the corner of the room, watching the batchers curiously. Hunter just looked back at her.
'Where did she come from?' he thought to himself.
"What is it Hunter?" Hunter suddenly heard Tech's voice. He looked back at Tech, then looked back where he found the girl. But she was gone with the blink of an eye.
"....the Republic will be reorganized..." the speech continued.
'What?'
"It's nothing Tech" Hunter assured. They paid attention again to the rest of the speech.
"...into the first Galactic Empire!" All of the clones began to cheer loudly except for the five of them.
"Galactic Empire?" said Echo with the slightest amount of concern in his voice.
"For a safe and secure society!"
"Still don't think the regs are programmed?" Tech said to the others.
The batch left the meeting when it was over with so many questions about what on the world was happening. Some of it was confusing.
"Galactic Empire?" Echo questioned again, "But we're soldiers of the Republic."
"Republic, Empire, what's the difference?" said Crosshair.
"The systematic termination of the Jedi is a big one for me" Tech commented.
Something again triggered Hunter's senses, and he felt the same presence as earlier.
"Lads" he put up his hand telling them all to stop walking, "we've got company." They all turned around to find Ryla standing behind them. Had she been following them this whole time? If so, for how long?"
"Um, hi guys" she said, hiding her nervousness.
"What is she?" Wrecker casually asked, knowing none of then had ever seen her before. Tech ran a small scan on her.
"Adolescent human female, looks to be about nine years old, and origins....are uncertain though she appears to be in complete health."
"My name is Ryla. I've seen you guys around before."
"You know who we are?" Hunter asked, almost intrigued by her.
"You're Clone Force 99 aren't you?"
"Yes, we are" Hunter bent down closer to her height, "what are you doing here on Kamino kid?"
"I live here like you guys, this is my home. I've grown up on this planet my whole life."
"Then isn't there anywhere you're supposed to be right now?"
"Um...not really" she just let the lie out. Hunter looked at her skeptically.
"Alright then, well-" Hunter suddenly heard voices of Kaminoans all the way down the hall and around the corner with the help of his enhanced senses, he could have sworn he heard them say Ryla's name. Hunter recognized their voices.
"What is it Hunter?"
"Tech, use your infrared, who's around the corner down that hall?" Tech activated his infrared in his goggles and looked over ahead.
"Hunter, there are three Kaminoans from the experimental wing, what are they doing all the way down here?" Ryla suddenly looked alarmed, they were looking for her.
"I gotta go" she said to herself.
"What?" said Hunter.
"I, um, I've gotta get going. Look, it sounds sketchy, I know, but if anyone asks if you've seen me don't tell them anything." Without saying anymore Ryla put up the hood of her black jacket over her head and ran off, disappearing just before those Kaminoans came around the corner.
"This day keeps getting weirder and weirder" Hunter said. They were about to keep making their way back to their barracks when someone stopped them.
"You five" they heard a trooper exclaim, "have you seen prisoner 0219? She looks like this." Crosshair was about to speak up with no hesitation but Echo, being the closest next to him, stopped him.
"No," Hunter quickly confirmed, trying to keep it casual yet serious, "we haven't seen her. But good luck finding her."
"If any of you spot the prisoner contact security immediately, she's wanted in the experimental wing."
"Right, whatever you say trooper. Let's keep moving boys."
"Lying again to other troopers are we Hunter?" Crosshair growled.
"Crosshair, we'll discuss it later. Something tells me we shouldn't give her away. Those Kaminoans from the experimental wing are the same ones that performed those rough experiments on us when they first figured out we were defective."
"That doesn't matter Hunter-"
"Crosshair, use your brain, Hunter said we'll discuss the girl later. Now drop it" said Echo.
Later that night the boys had gone to the dining hall to get some food. Crosshair, Tech, Echo, and Wrecker were already at their usual table with their food.
"Clones being programmed, nothing controls me" Wrecker declared.
"Wrecker, it is a logical conclusion that you're affinity for destruction would stem from your conditioning," Tech replied.
"You take that back" Wrecker warned.
"I am merely stating a scientific hypothesis based on factual data."
"Oh yeah? Well I've got a fact for you-" he stood up a little bit from his seat, "I like to blow things up, because I like to BLOW THINGS UP!" He hollered slamming his fists on the table, everyone around the room looking towards their table. He then sat back down.
"Got it?" Wrecker asked more calm.
"Well I'm convinced" Crosshair remarked. Hunter finally had then made his way to the table with his food.
"An Imperial's been sent to evaluate the clones. Everybody's talking about it."
"What kind of evaluation?" Echo asked.
"Hopefully not mental" Tech added, "clearly we'd never pass that." Wrecker was about to say something when they all saw Ryla appear and sit at their table next to Hunter.
"Hello again." They all just looked at her.
"Ryla," she reintroduced herself, "from earlier?" They still didn't say anything.
"In the corridor-?"
"Yeah kid" Hunter finally spoke up, "we remember. Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"No, I'll stay."
"You want to sit with us?" Tech asked. Ryla nodded her head in response.
"Well that's never happened before." Hunter was about to say one more thing to her when a small group of regs walked by.
"Check it out, the defects squad got themselves a new recruit. Hehe, another member added to the sad batch" he commented, his buddies snickering as they walked away.
'They did not just say that' Ryla thought to herself. With no warning to any of the guys she stood up on the table and pulled out one of her throwing stars and threw it at the reg at the right angle to where it just left a scratch across his armor and made its way back to Ryla like a boomerang as she caught it in her hand. All of the batchers eyes went wide at her.
'Oh boy' Hunter thought, 'either that was an accident or she wants to pick a fight.'
"Hey! What the-! Who threw that?" He hollered, turning back around.
"I did! Now you apologize to my friends. Now. Before I start something you won't be able to finish."
"Oh yeah, I like this kid!" Wrecker declared. The regs scowled at her, walking back to their table.
"What did you say?"
"Oh no, no, no," Hunter said to the reg as he got up and stood between the two, intervening, "you don't want to do that. Just take it easy and don't bother the kid." He gave the regs a serious look. If the regs wanted to start a fight with her, he would make them go through him first and wouldn't let them get to her. The reg gave in, getting ready to head back to his table.
"Know your place girl" he scoffed. They thought it was over until suddenly a whole trey of food was thrown at the regs. The batchers all turned back to see Wrecker loaded with another tray to throw again.
"Oops" was all he casually stated with a big smile on his face.
'Here we go' Echo thought to himself. And then a whole food fight had started between the dining hall.
"Not again Wrecker" Echo sighed, yet proceeding to throw punches anyway.
"Echo, watch out!" Tech yelled. But suddenly Echo's whole world went black as a tray was brought down hard against his head.
Eventually Echo found himself waking up in the medbay, but he didn't have the most welcome of awakenings. His worst nightmare was waking up being hooked up to those machines.
"Ah-no, get them off-" but he managed to ease himself when Ryla appeared.
"Echo, easy, it's okay. It's me, Ryla." He just looked at her slightly shocked.
"I understand, I don't like being hooked up to the machines around here either" she began to unhook him when she knew he was okay. The other batchers walked in when they saw he had woken up.
"Ha! Told you he was alive!" Wrecker exclaimed, "You owe me two credits Crosshair!" The med droid told him that Echo was going to be perfectly fine, and not thinking they already knew brought up the fact that they were all genetically defective clones. But they had already known that for a while.
"This is bad," Echo then said.
"What's bad?" Hunter replied.
"Admiral Tarkin's here. He's the one evaluating the clones, and he's not a big supporter of then either." They then found out that they were being requested from Tarkin to discuss something.
"Probably wasn't a huge fan of that fight in the dining hall," said Wrecker as they all left the medbay.
"I'm coming too, I started it" Ryla said.
"No, you're staying" Hunter said, "listen kid, our squad is nothing but trouble. For your sake, keep your distance. Got it? Don't follow us and I mean it clearly, stay here." She nodded, sighing a defeated sigh. As they left Wrecker smiled and waved at her as he rounded the corner, helping her to smile a little again.
It turned out, Tarkin actually wanted the batchers to go through a battle simulation to test their skills. It was rough at first when they used live rounds in the simulation which was not normal, therefore Wrecker going full wrecking ball mode earned him a blaster injury to the shoulder but he got it patched up fast after the simulation and it ended up going well after all. So Tarkin had another test for them to see where their loyalty truly lied. Would it be for the Empire or the Republic?
The boys went back to their barracks.
"Live rounds?" Wrecker was on a rage about the unusual use of live fire in the training facility, "They used live rounds on us? Who's that Imperial snake think he is?"
"Stow it already" Crosshair shot, "you got shot. It happens all the time."
"There's a fundamental difference between taking fire in actual battle and being used for target practice," Tech countered.
"Exactly, we're not dummy droids" Wrecker agreed.
"There's one thing we agree on" Tarkin's voice suddenly rang though the room as he appeared, "that was quite a show you put on."
"We had no other choice, sir" Hunter confirmed.
"Indeed. Our new empire may have methods which seem a bit unorthodox, but so does this squadron. Both certainly have their merits. Nala Se speaks quite highly of her five enhanced clones. She claims you're more capable than an army. We have tracked a group of insurgents to the Onderon Sector."
"Who are these insurgents?" Echo questioned.
"Separatist forces intent on keeping the galaxy at war. They must be dealt with. If you neutralize this grave threat you will most favorably be looked upon as I assess the needs of the Imperial Army. Good luck." That was all he said before he left again, leaving the clones deep in thought about this mission.
That night they were after all getting ready to go on this mission.
"Any more intel on the insurgents?" Tech asked Echo.
"Negative, Imperial files are locked down tight" he handed the datapad to Tech.
"Give me time, I'll crack them" Tech assured. Wrecker and Crosshair cane back with some more carry on things for the ship.
"The Empire knows firepower for sure, I'll give them that, you should see the new armory!" Wrecker exclaimed.
"He actually cried," Crosshair remarked.
"Hey, we both did." Wrecker grabbed a huge case of explosives.
"Wrecker, there is no more room for that on the ship," Tech said as if Wrecker were a child trying to pack extra unneeded things for a road trip.
"We can make room," Wrecker convinced as he proceeded to take it on the ship, "a new mission and unlimitedly explosives, things are back to normal."
"That's not going near my rack!" Tech declared chasing after him, "I refuse to sleep next to a projectile again."
Hunter was getting ready to board the Marauder when he heard a voice call for her.
"Hunter!" He turned around to see Ryla coming up to him.
"Kid, I told you to keep your distance from us."
"I know and I'm sorry but I need to talk to you. Please, it's important." Hunter knelt down infront of her, willing to listen.
"Alright, I'll hear you out."
"That Imperial officer, I think he had it out for you. I overheard him talking to Lama Su. He doesn't like clones, I don't trust him."
"A mission is a mission kid, it's nothing to worry about" he assured.
"But this is different, I know it. Everything is changing, Kamino isn't safe anymore. We have to leave this planet. You need to leave as much as I do."
"Change takes time to get used to, kid. Just don't worry about it. Besides, it's hard to find safe places these days. We'll be back soon. Just keep yourself out of trouble and don't go near the experimental wing." She nodded, watching him as he left to the ship.
"Something wrong Hunter?" Crosshair questioned.
"Um, it's something about her I can't figure out."
"Well, maybe children just isn't in your expertise. Let's get going. We have a mission."
They arrived at the location of where the supposed insurgents were, but figured out that indeed they were set up just as Ryla told Hunter. They were really sent to wipe out their own Republic forces, a troop of innocent civilians under the command of Republic fighter Saw Gerrara. Hunter reasoned with Saw while he was under the impression they were sent to kill them all but Hunter assured him they still sided with the Republic and were really set up. Tension was up between Crosshair and Hunter again as they left, not completing the objective Tarkin sent them to complete.
"At least with the Republic we knew where we stood," said Tech, "Tarkin and this Empire are a whole different story."
"Why are we debating this? We need to compete the mission" said Crosshair.
"Wake up Crosshair, they sent us to eliminate innocent civilians," said Echo.
"Those insurgents were are plotting against the Empire!" he argued, still referring to then as insurgents, he turned to face Hunter, "and if you don't have the stomach to do what needs to be done then you're not fit to lead this squad." Hunter and Crosshair just stood across from each other, with noticable scowls on their face. Suddenly noises in the distance caught thier attention as Hunter whipped out his pistol and shot down what was watching them. They all walked over to it.
"Ah, that is a probe droid. This isn't good," said Tech.
"We're being followed," Hunter agreed, "let's get back to the ship and out of here." As they walked back to their ship, Hunter had a realization.
"Ryla."
"What about her?" said Echo.
"She warned me about this mission and Tarkin before we left. She said not to return to Kamino, and that it wasn't safe for us anymore."
"We're taking the word of a child now?" said Crosshair.
"I would not discount Ryla's insight. A state of heightened awareness and anxieties of surroundings and people is not unusual for an enhanced clone such as herself."
"Ha ha, you got me on that one, we're all the enhanced clones in existence," said Wrecker, not catching on yet.
"What are you saying?" Echo asked Tech.
"When Nala Se spoke of five clones Tarkin assumed that meant us, but Echo is a regular clone. The fifth enhanced clone is Ryla. I confirmed my suspicions earlier after analyzing her DNA while in the infirmary."
"And you didn't think to tell us until now? She could be in as much danger as we are now," said Echo.
"Well I thought it was obvious."
"How is it obvious?!" said a now slowly growing frustrated Wrecker. Hunter made the executive decision.
"We're going back for her."
"Disobeying orders again over a kid? Bad play Hunter."
"She's one of us, we are not leaving her there. You know what the Kaminoans did to us when they first found out we were defective. It could be just as bad for her and we wouldn't know it. We're going back to Kamino, leaving, and Ryla is coming with us." They got on their ship and went back. Walking down the landing bay Hunter relayed the plan.
"Stick to the plan boys, split up, find Ryla and meet back here at the ship." Suddenly a group of troopers appeared surrounding them with their weapons ready as Admiral Tarkin appeared.
"The Empire does not tolerate failure, Sergeant. Yes, the probe droid reports were quite detailed. Conspiring with Saw Gerrara. I assume you know the punishment for treason?" Hunters eyes went wide in surprise.
"Treason?"
"Throw them in the brig and relieve them of all their gear and supplies. They must not have any chance of escape."
And there they were, without their gear or their armor, just dressed in their under-armor black bodysuits. Stuck in the one of the brig cells behind a ray shield.
"Well at least the plan wasn't a total failure," said Tech, finding Ryla in the room with them.
"I told you you shouldn't have come back Hunter," she said quietly.
"We had to, we had to come back to get you," he assured her.
"Me? Really?"
"What do you say kid? You want to come with us?"
"Yes, I want to come with you, we have to get off this planet."
"Well just hold tight kid, we'll figure it out."
"How touching," Crosshair snarled. Hunter tuned back to Crosshair.
"She's right, just how are we getting out of here?" said Wrecker.
"I'm working on it," he said, still looking at Crosshair.
"You know what you should work on? Explaining when you went soft."
"Stow it already Crosshair," said Echo.
"Don't you see we're locked up in here because of him? He had us disobey orders! Every choice you've made since Kaller has been wrong. First the Padawan then Gerrara. You're becoming a liability." Ryla could see it on his eyes, she could tell he wanted to do something none of the others in the group would expect him to do.
"We can debate my choices later, right now we've gotta figure out our way out of here." Crosshair just went and sat down. Ryla got up and began to walk towards him. She then felt a gentle hand grab her shoulder. She looked up and saw Echo.
"It's hard to reason with him kiddo."
"At least let me try." Echo then couldn't help but give her a soft smile, letting her go. She sat by Crosshair.
"You're angry," was all she started with.
"How perceptive," he said as he looked at her.
"I know what you are thinking about doing but please don't do it. Is it worth doing that to your brothers? Is it worth leaving them like that?" He didn't say anything, he just kept looking down towards the floor. Ryla bravely put her hand over his arm.
"I know it's not your fault and you can't help it. Just please think about it and resist it." She got up to leave him alone then. Suddenly some troopers came and opened the shield.
"Ryla, behind me," Hunter ordered.
"CT-9904, you're coming with us." Ryla gasped to herself, seeing Crosshair stand up, that was his number. Hunter then got in between Crosshair and the troopers.
"Woah, woah, hold on a minute, we all stick together," he suddenky grunted out on pain feeling the barrel of a blaster get pushed up against his stomach.
"Stand down, all of you!" The trooper ordered.
"Hunter," said Ryla, she tried to get to him but was stopped.
"He'll be fine," said Tech as he pulled her to him, "stay back."
"Step aside clone, we're taking him with us. None of you try to interfere either."
'No, they can't take him' Ryla thought.
"Crosshair don't go them, please!" she pleaded to him. She wanted to try and get through to him again. But Tech kept her in his grip and wouldn't let her with the risk of her getting hurt.
"Ryla there is nothing you can do, if you try to stop them they're going to hurt you if not worse. We have to let him go, we can't do anything."
"Crosshair!" Ryla called out again, "You can't go! Don't do this!" The troopers took Crosshair and put the shield back on.
They couldn't believe it, what were they gonna do with him? Hunter looked defeated, whatever was going to happen with Crosshair wasn't going to be good at all.
"We have to get him back," said Echo.
"What are they taking him for?" Wrecker asked.
"Whatever they do to him, it's not going to be good," Ryla said, all of them catching the worry in her voice, "if we're too late, he won't come back the same." They all looked at each other with worried expressions, fearing the worst for Crosshair.