Double update because The Bad Batch season 2 premieres today! Happy bad batch day! Go watch it!:)
Hunter and Alona follow Rex outside. The sun had set, casting darkness across the entire planet. The place looked less hideous and disease infested because of it.
"Copy that. I'll meet you at the rendezvous by the next rotation." Rex says into his comm.
Alona smiled softly. Just like Rex to never give up. She wishes that courage came to her just as easily as it does to him.
"Figured you weren't out of the fight just yet." Hunter said, announcing his and Alona's presence. They stood on either side of the Captain...or Commander. Alona wasn't quite sure what rank he stood by the end of the clone wars.
Rex looked out at the stars. "I spent my life defending the Republic. Can't stop now."
Alona sighed. "Rex, the Republic, the Jedi, the Senate, it's all gone now. All that's left is the Empire." She said quietly.
Rex placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ah, not all of it, Little Skywalker. We're here. Others are out there too." He reassured. Rex turned to Hunter. "Your squad's skills would be a tremendous asset." He said in a suggestive voice.
Hunter shook his head. "Things aren't like before. Our priorities have shifted."
Rex looks between the two of them with a certain look. "So I've noticed."
"Omega needs us. She needs people to care for her. She needs to be a kid for once." Alona explained, crossing her arms over her chest.
"And I have to do what's best for my squad." Hunter added on. He gave Alona a second glance. There was an enticing look in his eyes that made her stomach flutter. Alona couldn't look away.
"Which is what?" Rex asked.
"I'm still figuring that out." Hunter sighed. What was best? Continuing the fight? Settling down, laying down their armor?
"I guess we all are. When you sort things out, let me know where you land." Rex nodded understandably. "Tell the boys I'll see them around." He concludes.
Alona hugs Rex one more time. "Stay out of trouble, Captain." She says quietly.
Rex laughed. "Funny coming from you. Be safe, Alona." He says before pulling apart. He puts his helmet on. "Take care, trooper." He says to Hunter before starting down the scraps of metal.
"Captain." Hunter calls out before Rex can get too far. "If you're ever in a bind, you know how to reach us."
Rex nods and then disappears in the fog, gone into the night.
Alona stands beside Hunter, looking up at him with a tentative expression. "So," she started, rubbing her hands up and down her biceps to keep warm. She left her cloak on the Marauder. "What do we do now?" She asked, biting her lip as she recalled their long day.
So much went down, even in the last hour. It was a lot to process.
Hunter moved to stand right in front of her, the moons shining bright in his eyes. "You are going to stop biting your lip." He said lowly, moving his eyes down to her lips.
The corners of Alona's mouth quirk upwards. And she bit her lip again. "Why?" She asked, watching him take a step closer to her. She could feel his breath on her face. Alona couldn't stop herself from staring at his lips.
"The only person who should be biting your lip is me." He blurted, raising a hand slowly and placing it on her face, brushing his thumb along her scar. Alona had no idea where the sudden surge of confidence came from, but she was enjoying it.
Alona's eyes flickered across his face. "Actions speak louder than words." She dared, her stomach fluttering.
Hunter lowered his head, connecting his lips with Alona's. A surge of electricity shot through Alona as she closed her eyes. She placed her hands on his shoulders, smiling into the kiss. That's what his lips felt like.
Hunter bit her lip and she exhaled, bringing a hand up to rest in his long hair. The feeling was indescribable, really. Alona hadn't realized how bad she truly wanted Hunter. She needed Hunter.
Neither of them moved when their lips finally parted. Alona rested her forehead against his, taking a second to catch her breath.
"So this is now?" She asked, running a hand down his armored chest before dropping it at her side.
Hunter exhaled. "What is this?" He asked. Alona shrugged. Neither of them had a clue what this was.
Hunter and Alona's comms beeped. "Hunter, you're up now." Echo reported.
Alona took a step back from Hunter, letting out a sigh. "Maybe we can figure out what this is later." She declared, meeting Hunter's eyes again. She smiled at him.
He nodded, tearing his gaze away from her. "On our way." He said into the comm.
Alona and Hunter walked in silence together to the medical bay, trying to process it. This.
She sat beside Hunter throughout the entire operation, repeating that moment over and over in her head. Alona had never experienced this feeling before and she hopes it doesn't go away any time soon.
–
"Hunter, Alona, Tech. We were spotted by patrols." Echo warned. The sun had risen on Bracca, revealing the hideous atmosphere.
"Wrecker's in pursuit. He says he has it under control." Omega adds on. She and Wrecker had gone to do some explosive disarming training. She was supposed to be taking her first test.
"That's not comforting." Tech hums. Alona chuckled, crossing her arms.
Hunter grinned. "Echo, get a visual."
Alona shakes her head. "No need. I have a visual." She chimed in, holding out her hands. She stops the Scrapper transport mid-air. Wrecker was dangling off of the side. "Yeah, he's totally in control." She smiled.
Wrecker climbs all the way onto the transport and throws the Scrapper out. "I had it!" He shouted. Alona scoffed, letting go of the transport. It continued moving at a fast rate, throwing Wrecker off seconds before it crashed and exploded into another cruiser. "A warning would have been nice!" Wrecker groaned from the ground.
Alona faked confusion. "I thought you had it?" She asked.
"I...I was just waiting to make my move." Wrecker said awkwardly.
The squad met back up on the Jedi cruiser. Wrecker had tied up the Scrapper and brought him up, still unconscious.
"Rex warned us about the scrapper patrols on Bracca. We should leave." Echo expresses. He flailed his prosthetic arm around, nearly hitting Wrecker in the face.
Alona picked up a pretty rock and made it float slowly over to Omega. The blonde grabbed it and ran her thumb over the flat side. It was shaped like a heart, which both girls thought was quite cool. They exchanged smiles.
"In our present situation, we need money. And we gave a chance to make a lot of it right here." Hunter argued, though his eyes were focused on Alona and Omega. A soft expression washed over his face as he watched Alona make the heart shaped rock float in circles around Omega.
Wrecker laughed. "In this dump? How?" He questioned.
Alona glanced over at Wrecker, dropping the small rock back into Omega's hand. "You'd be surprised just how much some things in these Jedi cruisers are worth." She chimed in.
Hunter nodded, turning to the very intelligent clone. "Tech, what's the potential haul inside this cruiser?" He asked.
Tech adjusted his glasses, looking up from his device. "My scans indicate the armory and artillery bay have not been fully off-loaded. The dianoga must have kept the scrappers away." He replied.
Hunter rubbed his fingers on his chin. "Just a few of those weapons should clear our debt with Cid.
Echo shook his head. "We're soldiers, not arms smugglers." He argued, strongly against staying on Bracca any longer.
Alona turned towards Echo. "Things are going to have to change. The Republic is gone which means you guys are technically relieved of your duty. There's no government for us to rely on anymore." She sighed, leaning against the rusted metal wall.
"We're presented with an opportunity here. We have to take it." Hunter added on, leaning against the wall with Alona. He brushes his hand against hers.
"I would also add that the intel from the bridge's central system has the potential to be worth far more than any weapon." Tech chirped from his seat on a pile of metal.
Wrecker scoffs. "Not to me."
The boys put their helmets on, preparing to navigate through the decaying cruiser without Rex's help.
Alona liked Hunter's helmet. He looked good both with and without it.
"Tech, get to the bridge. Get the power online and whatever intel you can gather." Hunter ordered. Tech nodded to him.
Omega looked over at the scrapper Wrecker had brought up. "Uh, what do we do about him?" She asked.
"We'll grab what we need and be gone before he even wakes up." Hunter replied.
Omega raised an eyebrow. "And what if that doesn't happen?"
"Then Alona will use her Jedi mind tricks on him."
Alona looked at Hunter with her eyebrows raised. "Oh, will I? Wrecker's the one that knocked him out, it sounds like it's his problem." She teased, starting down the hall. Everyone else but Tech follows. He instead goes to the bridge, per Hunter's orders.
Once they got inside the armory they immediately split off and began going through the hundreds of storage crates and boxes full of weapons. Alona stumbled upon a specific bin that had items she was very familiar with.
She grabbed the spherical training device and held it up to the flashlight Hunter had given her. "A Marksman-H training remote." She smiled, remembering all her training she did with the device. She had accidentally destroyed many during her time as a youngling and then later a padawan.
The lights come on and Alona squints. She turns the flashlight off, placing it on her belt. Her comm beeps.
"The power's back on." Tech's voice announces. Alona blinks a couple times to adjust to the lighting.
"Yeah, we can see that." Wrecker replies.
Alona joins the bulky clone and Omega, who were towards the back of the artillery hangar. Wrecker was trying to pry open the door, using all his strength. Omega looks at him incredulously and presses the button on the side of the door. It slides open.
Omega turned to Alona, staring at the training remote she had yet to put down. "What is that?" She asked. Alona handed the device to the blonde.
"It's for the Jedi to use. The device shoots small lasers at random, it teaches us to deflect them." Alona explained, holding her hand out to turn on the sphere. She pulled out her lightsabers, igniting them. She takes a few steps back and closes her eyes.
Alona tracks the marksman-H device, her orange blades moving at the same speed. It takes a shot. Alona whirls the blade around and blocks the blast from hitting her.
It flies behind her and fires three more shots. Alona doesn't even turn around, moving her arm back and deflecting them. The laser blasts ricochet off of her saber, destroying the training device.
Alona opened her eyes, switching off her lightsabers and sliding them back onto her belt.
Omega stared in awe. "Can you teach me how to wield a lightsaber? I want to do that!" She says excitedly.
Alona smiled. "Maybe someday. Learn how to control that bow first."
Omega's comm beeps. "Omega, I need you up on the bridge." Tech chimed. "And tell Alona to head to the medical bay and grab some supplies there."
Omega pressed a button on her comm. "Copy that." She answered, running towards the bridge. She waves to Hunter and Echo, who were pushing a cart of supplies, as she passes by. She turns right, disappearing from sight.
Alona started that way too, smiling at Hunter upon brushing past him. Instead of turning right at the hall like Omega, Alona went left. Thanks to Tech, walking through the cruiser alone was not nearly as scary as it was when the lights were off.
Who said Jedi couldn't be afraid of the dark?
It didn't take the brunette long before she was at the medical bay. Most of the room was left in destruction after Wrecker's incident. But Alona could spot a cart that had been dented from Tech's back. She kneeled down and pulled open the bottom drawer-
"Alona..."
Alona whipped around, her hand resting on her lightsaber hilt. She scanned the room, her brows furrowed. Nobody was there. She shook her head, turning back around and throwing valuable medicines into a box.
"Alona!"
Fear shot through her. "Anakin?" She blurted, whipping around with her lightsabers ignited. She heard his voice. It was as clear as day. Her heart raced, her feet slowly backing her up until she was pressed against the wall.
Her comm beeps. "We've got company." Tech warns.
Alona shook her head, looking around the room. He wasn't there. Anakin was dead, that couldn't be his voice. She switched off her sabers, putting them on her belt. She just needed rest, that would explain her delusions of hearing her dead brother calling for her.
Her comm beeped again. "Is it more scrappers?" Hunter asked. Alona took a deep breath and finished loading the medicines quickly.
Beep. "No, it's the Empire."
—
First kiss on a junkyard planet is so Alona tbh. I love her so much.
Again, go WATCH BAD BATCH SEASON TWO ITS OUT TODAY