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prologue: the pykes
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"Cid, that's too dangerous of a job. We're probably not going to make it out alive, especially with Omega with us," Hunter told Cid, after she gave them their new job. "The amount of money we will make is tempting, but we'll have to refuse."
"I got nothing else. It's either that or you'll starve. You said you guys don't have much money left right?" Cid replied, hoping that the group of clones would take the job.
"It's not going to happen."
"Worst case scenario, you do die on the mission. That just means you'll die either way."
"She is right," Tech chimed in trying to get Hunter to accept the offer, "might as well take the risk."
"Tech, shut your smart ass up for one second and think logically. We only have four members-"
"Five!" Wrecker yelled from the back corner.
Hunter turned around to face him and sighed. "Crosshair is gone, Wrecker. For good. There's no way he'll turn back now. I thought we could turn him back but we can't."
"I meant Omega," Wrecker mumbled under his breath.
"Omega doesn't count. She's just a child."
Cid stood up from her chair, completely and utterly annoyed with Hunter at this point. "If you're that worried about Omega then just leave her on the ship. I can't believe you were planning on taking her."
"We weren't," Hunter argued, "it doesn't change the fact that the pykes are dangerous people. And you're asking for five crates of spice. Hell, we would be lucky if we made out with one."
"Suit yourself," Cid said. "But don't come looking for another job."
"Fine by me," Hunter said, starting to walk away from the table.
Echo looked at Tech, then Wrecker, then back at Tech.
"Wow you've gotten soft," Echo said, rolling his eyes, pushing pass Tech. He grabbed the puck from the table, and put it in his pocket.
"Hunter are you fucking stupid or something? We're taking the job. Omega will be fine."
"Finally, someone with common sense," Cid said.
"I would like to believe I have common sense as well," Tech replied.
"Okay fine goggles. I guess you can never be left out of the conversation. I never thought you were so needy," Cid replied, leaving the room for good.
Tech rolled his eyes. "I'm not needy."
"Not as needy as bandana that's for sure," Cid said, as she slammed her door shut.
The four clones walked out of Cid's back room into the old bar that she owned. Echo threw the puck onto one of the tables and sat down at the booth.
"So the Pykes, huh?" Wrecker said, sounding unbelievably excited about this job.
"Tech," Echo addressed, "since Hunter was being extremely overdramatic about this earlier with Cid, why don't you tell us the actual dangers of the pykes."
Tech looked confused for a second, then remembered Echo's past, and why he wouldn't remember them.
"Here's a basic rundown. The pykes are a sentient species native to their homeworld, Oba Diah. We are only dealing with the Pyke Syndicate, which are the galaxy's preeminent suppliers of spice, a narcotic substance which is mined on the planet Kessel. The now extinct republic nicknamed the Pyke Syndicate to just 'the pykes,' since the planet bears as headquarters to the criminal organization."
"So they're gangsters?" Echo asked.
"Basically."
"So here's the plan. We fool them, get our money, and get out. Simple," Echo stated, seemingly proud of his plan.
"You really think you can get away with fooling a Pyke?" Hunter asked, after being suspiciously quiet through the entire conversation.
"We've tricked so many others in the past, what makes this any different?"
"They're vindictive and open to torture, especially towards clones," Tech added to his previous statement. Echo glared at him.
"You're not helping my case, Tech."
Hunter shook his head and sighed. "Never have I regretted going to Skako Minor more," he mumbled. He grabbed the puck off the table, and walked out, leaving the other three behind. Echo got up and went after Hunter. Once he got outside, the bright sun blinded him. After his vision became clearer, he saw that Hunter was just heading towards the ship.
"So what Hunter?" Echo called, "You want me to betray you and join the empire? Just like Crosshair did?"
Hunter stopped in his tracks, and looked back at Echo. "Don't say that."
"What's stopping me?"
Hunter turned to Echo, a mixture of anger and sadness filling his face. "If you're that unhappy here, then go. Go be like every other reg who betrayed everything we stood for."
"I'm just giving you an example, Hunter. We can't argue like this over one job. It's the only way we'll survive at this point."
Tech walked by the two, trying to get the exact coordinates for the trip ahead. "Maybe don't give that example next time."
"Yeah, Echo," Wrecker also said.
"Ah, shut up."
When the clones boarded the ship, they were immediately greeted by the sight of a happy and joyful Omega. She always loved going on missions, for some odd reason, no matter what the stakes were.
"Hey Omega," Wrecker called, getting her attention. "Are you feeling better?"
"It was just a slight headache, but I'm all ready for our next mission."
All the other clones went silent, looking at each other, waiting to see who would speak up.
"You're ready for a mission that you aren't going on," Tech finally said, raising the awkwardness from the group.
"Wait, what?"
Hunter kneeled down to her level, and faced her eye to eye. "Look Omega, I know you've gone on every mission we've had so far, but this one is just too dangerous. Tech taught you how to fly the ship, you can be our getaway. But for the mission itself, stay on the ship."
"But-" she tried to say, but Hunter interrupted her.
"You'll do as I say. It's for your own safety, but you can also blame Echo if you want to."
"Blame me for saving your ass?" Echo added, "that doesn't sound very nice, now does it."
"Shut the fuck up and let's get out of here."
Once the ship was in hyperspace, the members started to discuss their plan but nothing was working. Omega was sick of the talking and planning, which was going nowhere, that she asked a question of her own.
"So what's this dangerous job Cid has you doing that I can't be a part of?"
"So you really want to know, huh?" Hunter said, worried that the more dangerous the mission, the more she'll want to come.
"Yes, I do. Because I may be of some assistance."
"We're dealing with the Pykes."
"Oh you guys are on your own," she said almost immediately. "Don't get yourselves killed."
This came to a shock to Hunter, as she's always wanted to go on more dangerous missions where the stakes were higher.
"That bad?" Hunter asked, trying to get more information.
"Anakin did tell me that the Pykes are extremely dangerous people, and I think that's a pretty trustworthy source," Tech added, "he told me on the way to Skako Minor."
"Whatever happened to Anakin?" Echo asked, "he came with you guys to Skako Minor then I never saw him again."
"I hate to say this, but he was a jedi. He was probably killed like the rest," Tech said, "however he is one of the few that hasn't been confirmed dead yet. Same with General Kenobi."
"Oh well, he was a good guy."
"That's enough of getting off topic," Hunter said, extremely annoyed. "What's the damn plan?"
"I'm not dressing up as a droid again," Echo jokingly said.
Hunter's expression went from annoyed to concentrated, as if Echo's idea may work.
Wrecker almost started laughing. "You shouldn't have said that, Echo. He'll actually make you dress up as one now-"
"I'm not sure yet," Hunter interrupted, "I'll think of the plan and I'll tell you when we get there."
"Well you better think fast because we're here," Tech said.
"Shit."
Oba Diah was located on the outer rim in the Kessel sector. Where Tech had decided to land the ship was surrounded by Obsidian mountains, in order to keep their presence hidden. Omega, looked out the window, wishing she could go on the mission. The other members were mumbling something behind her, but she was just focused on the scenery around her.
Hunter turned to face Omega, breaking her out of her trance. "We'll be right back, Omega, and remember, stay on the ship."
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
"Do you? Because every time we told you to stay on the ship, you left and found us."
"This time I won't, I promise. I know better."
"Good."
"Omega, how would you know about the Pykes if you were on Kamino your whole life before us?" Tech asked.
"As anyone would, I got bored, and went to the archives and did some, um, research."
"So you obtained this information by being nosy?"
"No, just being bored," she said, sitting on the pilot's chair.
"Make sure to have the ramp open, so when we come back, we can put the spice on the ship as quickly as possible."
"Okay."
The four other members geared up for the job, and left the ship. Omega was all by herself, the first time in a while.
A few hours later, she had fallen asleep, in the pilot's chair, hugging Lula.
They've been gone for a while, she thought. Maybe I should go look for them.
As she stood up, she started to hear footsteps coming up the ramp, each one echoing louder and louder as they approached closer to her location. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. She ran to the gun seat, trying her best to hide. She bit her bottom lip in fear as the footsteps drew closer, to the point where her lip started to bleed.
Omega held her breath, trying not to be noticed. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead, from a mixture of heat and nervousness. Chills ran through her body. She squeezed her toy so hard she felt as though it would break.
If it was a Pyke she was done for.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, everything went black-
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