*Meanwhile at the capital in Raxus*
A crowd could be seen gathering at the city capital on one sunny day. Murmurs could be heard throughout the citizens as they gathered. An imperial officer walked up to the edge of the balcony.
"The Empire is not your enemy." She said, the crowd jeered. "We promise to treat all planets within the Confederacy of Independent Systems fairly. All we asked in exchange was for your loyalty. Yet that has not been forthcoming here on Raxus."
"I can't go through with this." The senator for Raxus, Avi Singh said to his protocol droid.
"Senator, it is your only option." The droid said.
"This is what it's come to? I must be a puppet for the Empire?" He asked.
"If you do not comply, you will be arrested like all the other senators. Or worse." The droid said.
"To deal with the rise of incursions," the imperial officer continued her speech. "A mandatory curfew will be put into effect for your protection." The crowd angrily roared. "Such measures were approved by your esteemed senator, Avi Singh, who would like to say a few words about the importance of cooperation. As we build a unified galaxy." She stepped aside and motioned for the senator to move forward. "Senator."
Before he moved forward he turned to his protocol droid. "GS-8, if anything happens to me, follow my instructions to the letter." He walked forward to the balcony.
"What will happen, senator? Senator?" GS-8 questioned but he moved forward.
The crowd cheered as he looked upon his people. "Fellow citizens, I implore you to embrace these new laws. Under the Empire, Raxus will flourish once more, and as your senator I promise-I... I promise too..." Senator Singh looked at his people. "No. This is wrong. It is my duty to act in your best interest, and it is why I can no longer condone this unjust occupation." The imperial officer sighed but the crowd cheered louder. "They wish to intimidate us, to scare us," The officer nodded and clone troopers moved forward and grabbed the senator. "But we shall not cower at their acts of aggression." GS-8 took this as their sign to turn and run away while they were distracted with the senator.
On the comms the officer said, "move in." The clone troopers on the ground started to push the civilians out of the way.
"Step aside. Clear out!" The clone troopers said.
"We have a right to be here." One citizen said. "You're the ones trespassing." An alarm could be heard as AT-TE walkers could be seen moving into the square. The crowd started screaming and the citizens started running.
GS-8 ran and hid behind a pillar, the droid pulled out a comm and spoke into it. "I'm sending this message on behalf of my master, Senator Avi Singh of Raxus. The senator has been seized by imperial authorities and is in grave danger. We require your assistance." GS-8 ran off.
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Aurora shifted, she was laying down and she buried her face into the pillow. She took a deep breath and the pillow smelled of someone familiar, she groaned and sat up in the bed. The blanket falling to her waist. She looked around the room and saw she was in an unfamiliar part of the Marauder. Continuing her search around the room, it was small, but she realized this was Hunter's space. She didn't remember coming here. Then she realized she was still in her same clothes from Felucia. She took out the ponytail and ruffled her hair. She stood up and made her way back out to the Marauder. There were only Hunter, Tech, and Echo on board.
"Good morning." Hunter said as she walked up to them.
"Morning." Aurora said, rubbing her head. "Why was I in there?"
Hunter handed her a ration which she gladly took. "You fell asleep outside on Felucia, figured you'd be more comfortable in there. More quiet."
Aurora took a bite of the ration bar. "Right... Where's Omega and Wrecker?"
"Getting more mantell mix." Tech chimed in.
"We were waiting for you to wake up before we caught up to them." Echo said.
"I see." Aurora said. "Well let's not keep them waiting."
It wasn't long before the four of them caught up to Wrecker and Omega. The whole group walked through Ord Mantell. Aurora was walking next to Wrecker, he had Omega on his shoulder.
"How's the mantell mix, kid?" He asked.
Omega took a bite. "Mhmm," she dropped a piece into Wrecker's mouth. "Better than ever."
"Yea it is." Wrecker laughed and Aurora couldn't help but laugh too.
"So when's our next mission?" Omega asked.
"With two bounty hunters after you, it'd be wise to keep a low profile." Tech said.
"I can check the guild trade and see if there is anything new that arose." Aurora chimed in.
"Tech's right, and that would be great Aurora." Hunter said, he took Omega off Wrecker's shoulder. "There's too much heat on us right now."
"Well not on me." Aurora remarked, earning a look from Hunter.
"Ha! That never stopped us before." Wrecker said.
"The kid's been through enough. She needs a break." Hunter leaned in and whispered to Wrecker. The two of them looked over to see Echo inspecting some mantell mix, he sniffed it before taking a bite. Aurora giggling.
"She seems fine to me." Wrecker said, Hunter moved past everyone and walked into Cid's Parlor. Everyone walked up to the bar, Aurora jumping over it and pulled out a bottle and two shot glasses. She poured them and handed one to Hunter.
"I got a mission for you boys." Cid walked up to them and Hunter and Aurora downed their shots. "A simple extraction on Raxus."
"Raxus?" Tech questioned.
"Isn't that separatist territory?" Aurora asked.
"That is the former center of the separatist government." Tech said. "It has since become an imperial outpost-"
"I'm not interested in the history lesson, goggles." Cid said. "You're being hired to locate and free Senator Avi Singh from his confinement. My client will meet you at the given coordinates to brief you." She handed Hunter a little drive. "Details are on this. Now get going."
"Help a separatist?" Hunter questioned. "Not gonna happen." He tossed it back.
"Your debt's still not paid, remember?" Cid reminded him. "A job's a job." Hunter motioned her to have a private conversation and they walked away. Aurora tried to listen in but she could barely hear them but Aurora could see the worried look on Hunter's face. "Yea, yea, bandana." Aurora heard Cid say and waved a hand. "Just get outta here, will you?"
Hunter knelt down in front of Omega. "Ready when you are sergeant."
"Not this time Omega. You're staying with Cid." Hunter said.
"But the-the mission. I'm part of the squad too." Omega said.
"Then following orders shouldn't be a problem." Hunter said. "Stay close to Cid and don't leave this parlor. Got it, soldier?"
Omega groaned. "Yes sir."
Hunter stood up and walked over to the bar. Omega moped off and the boys started for the exit. "So, we're helping a separatist senator? How does that make you feel?" Aurora asked.
"Not we." Hunter said.
"Excuse you? What do you mean, not we?"
"Omega is staying with Cid, and I don't trust her so I wanted you to stay with her-"
"And you trust me?" Aurora crossed her arms.
"I trust you more than Cid."
"That doesn't really give me the vote of confidence. So you barely trust me more than her."
"Aurora, don't do this."
"Do what Hunter? I've been to Raxus, I could've helped you." She turned away from him.
"I just want someone to look out for Omega, and I know you will."
"I will stay and make sure she's taken care of, but just don't expect me to be here when you get back." She started to walk away from him.
"Stay in the parlor." Hunter called out to her.
"I'm not one of your soldiers, you don't get to tell me what to do." She yelled back as she disappeared around the corner.
Hunter shook his head and put his helmet on, he turned to Omega and nodded before walking off, catching up with the others.
Cid looked at Omega. "Hey tiny. I got a mission for you." She waved a sponge in the air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Omega was sitting at the bar, looking bored as ever. In an attempt to cheer her up. Aurora made her a nonalcoholic drink that involved red cherry syrup but it didn't work.
Aurora was wiping out a glass when she looked back at the girl. "Cheer up kid, they'll be back before you know it."
"But why couldn't we go with them in the first place?" Omega questioned.
"Because Raxus isn't safe."
"But we've done 'not safe' missions before. How is this any different?"
Aurora thought for a moment. "Because separatist are involved and defying the empire is not something to take lightly.
"I'm still mad."
"You and me both kid." Aurora mumbled.
Cid walked up to the bar and stared at the two of them. "Enough with the moping around. You're both bringing the mood down around here."
"Sorry." Omega said, full of attitude.
"All right, I'll bite. What's wrong with the two of you? Are you mad your boyfriend didn't take you along?" Cid said.
Aurora scoffed and rolled her eyes. "He is not my boyfriend. He can choke on beskar for all I care."
Cid turned to Omega. "I haven't heard back from them yet. Do you think they're okay?" Omega said.
"They better be for what this job's paying." Cid said and Aurora shot her a look.
Omega sat back in the seat. "I should've gone with them on the mission. It's not fair."
"I've got news for you, kid. Life ain't fair." Cid said. "You don't like it? Stop pouting and do something about it. Maybe if you weren't so helpless, those four laser brains wouldn't have left you here with me." Omega got up from her seat and walked off.
Aurora rolled her eyes. "You are horrible with children."
"Yea, well maybe if you weren't so difficult to deal with, dark and broody would tolerate you more and bring you as well." Cid pointed a finger. Aurora rolled her eyes again and walked away from Cid as well.
"What are you two looking at?" Aurora turned to hear Cid yell at Ketch and Bolo. She watched the Trandoshan walk back up to Omega.
"I'm not helpless." Omega said.
"Look kid, I told dark and broody I'd keep an eye on you and keep you safe." Cid said.
Omega scoffed. "For how much?"
Cid turned and walked away from Omega. "Not enough." She grumbled.
Aurora walked up to Omega, she was sitting at one of the booths and she knelt down in front of her and put her hand on her knee. "Cheer up kiddo."
"They left me behind. I'm part of the team." Omega turned her head away from her.
"I know that." Aurora with her free hand gently placed a hand on Omega's cheek and made her look at her.
"I wanted to go with them."
"Well then there's a couple options." Aurora waited for a response but continued when she wasn't going to get one. "One, we could show up at Raxus, but that's not wise. Two, when they return we beat them up for leaving us behind. Or three, we prove to them why it's a mistake, leaving us behind."
"Do you think option three might actually work?"
"It's worth a try." Aurora shrugged. "Listen Omega, I know you're upset that Hunter made you stay behind but I've been to Raxus and that isn't a place to mess around. He's worried about this mission and he already has to hear about it from Echo. He worried that there is a chance they may also get captured and given your bounty and everything, being right in the middle of separatist territory is where Hunter doesn't want you to be, and just think I'm here with you."
"But you're also mad at Hunter for leaving you behind."
Aurora had a slight nod but smiled. "I was in fact upset, like I said I've been to Raxus before and I know the layout of the building they're rescuing the senator in and I thought it was a poor move not taking me with them." Aurora sighed. "But Hunter needed someone to look out for you and he asked me if I could."
"Cid is looking after me."
"Is she actually?" Aurora raised an eyebrow, "Hunter wanted someone he trusted."
Omega smiled. "He does trust you alot."
"I don't know why he does, he's crazy." Both the girls laughed.
There was a moment of silence between the two girls. "Why were you on Raxus?"
"Um-because-I may have uh stolen some things from Senator Singh."
"Stolen?!"
"Bounty hunter, remember?"
"Do you think he remembers?"
Aurora stood up and ruffled her hair. "I sure hope he doesn't but I also have distinctive features that he may." She started walking towards the door.
"Aurora, where are you going?" Omega raised an eyebrow.
"Out for a walk."
"But Hunter said to stay here."
"That he did, but he isn't the boss of me." Aurora chuckled as she left the parlor.
Walking through the streets of Ord Mantell, Aurora was looking at all the vendors. She found the mantell mix stand that Omega and Wrecker liked and Aurora got a small bag for her. She was walking around some more when she saw someone familiar in the distance, she ducked behind a cart and peaked her head over. The man seemed to be looking around, but she remembered that he used to work for him. A cold sweat ran down her back. She needed to get back to the parlor, still ducking she made her way back to Cid's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once she was safely back at Cid's, Aurora looked around. Ketch and Bolo were still at the Dejarik table, except Cid was playing against them. Omega had made her way back to the bar. Aurora walked over to her and placed the mantell mix on the bar.
"I got you a little something." Aurora said.
Omega smiled a little bit and took a piece. "Thank you Aurora."
Aurora ruffled her hair again and smiled. "Of course kiddo."
"You've got her cornered!" Bolo could be heard laughing.
"Oh yea, I'm real scared." Cid said. Aurora walked behind the bar and worked on cleaning the glasses. Omega turned to watch them.
"Delay all you want, you're not getting out of this one." Ketch said.
Cid was about to push a button when Omega spoke up. "I wouldn't do that."
"Hear that?" Cid pointed to Omega. "We got an expert here."
"I would listen to her Cid, kids kinda a genius." Aurora added in.
Cid still proceeded to push the button and in turn she lost one of her players. "She's done for!" Bolo laughed.
"I told you." Omega said.
"Well, expert, what should I do next?" Cid asked.
Aurora leaned over the bar as Omega walked up next to Cid, she quickly pushed a couple buttons and Cid's other player took out both of Ketch and Bolo's player.
"You blew it!" Bolo yelled at Ketch.
"Yea, but you're the one who said to bet it all!" Ketch exclaimed.
Bolo groaned "You wanna take this outside?"
"Gladly!" Ketch said and the two of them got up from their seats and made their way out the parlor.
"Boys! Behave!" Aurora called out but it was useless.
Cid looked from Omega to the table a couple times. "How'd you know to do that?"
"It's a strategy game. I'm good at strategy." Omega said.
Aurora saw Cid put a hand on her chin. "Cid whatever it is you're thinking about, don't."
"Come on, don't you want credits?" Cid asked and turned back to Omega. "How good? Enough to win a few matches for money?"
Aurora rolled her eyes. "Depends." Omega said. "What's my cut?"
Cid thought for a moment. "Thirty percent."
"Sixty." Omega smiled and Aurora liked her thinking. Cid too thinking about the deal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back on Raxus, The Bad Batch managed to save Senator Avi Singh and his protocol droid GS-8. It was touch and go there for a moment, but Tech got the Marauder in the air and they started making their way back to Ord Mantell.
Hunter was sitting across from the senator. "Where did you learn a thing like that? With the wall." He asked.
"Actually it was from someone who robbed me many rotations ago. We thought we had her pinned in the same ally but she pulled out this bomb. A hand crafted one mind you and when she placed it on the wall. I watched the bomb cave in that said wall and she disappeared and I thought that it was clever and it was because of her that if I ever needed to escape my own planet I would use her tactics." The senator said.
"Sounds like a smart thief." Hunter said.
"She wasn't any old thief. She was a bounty hunter, she wasn't working alone but when she infiltrated my building she was and she was really good at sneaking in and out without getting caught. The only reason she did was because a child tripped outside the building and she helped the poor boy up. My guards noticed what she had and they sounded the alarms."
"Why would the bounty hunter do that?"
"Not a clue, but perhaps she isn't all terrible."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"No one can stop this kid!" One of the patrons cheered. Omega and Cid were still at the Dejarik and Aurora walked around the bar, giving drinks out to the patrons. They were practically pouring their credits into their hands. As she walked back to the bar, she cleaned up empty glasses as she went. She grabbed another round of drinks and when she turned. That's when she noticed The Bad Batch walking in. She saw the concerned look on Hunter's face and started walking towards him.
"Of course." She heard Hunter say, and for some reason that made her turn back around and continued to hand out drinks. Part of her didn't want a lecture from him.
The Pantoran Omega was up against, hit a button and took out one of her players. She thought for a moment and looked up at the man and smiled, before pushing a couple buttons, her creature taking out both of his in one move.
"Oh man, she did it again!" Someone called out.
Omega saw the boys and waved to them. Aurora walked back to the bar, dropping the tray off. Omega got up from the table and ran to them, Aurora also made her way to the boys.
"All right, show's over. No more bets." Cid said.
Wrecker picked Omega up, laughing. "Kid, where'd you learn to do that?" He asked.
"She's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Rainbow too, she was able to get all the guests drinking which meant more credit spending." Cid commented.
Omega smiled. "I told the two of you to keep a low profile. This is the opposite." Hunter said and Aurora rolled her eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me, it was for your safety." Omega looked down.
Cid pushed Hunter. "Ease up, bandana. The girls made enough money to pay off the debt you boys owe me, so try showing a little gratitude to my friends." She jabbed his chest before walking off and patting Omega. "You did good." Aurora smiled. Cid walked up to the senator, "senator, glad you made it. Let's talk payment." The senator walked by Aurora before stopping to look at her.
"Your uh-" He started.
"I don't know what you are-uh-talking about." Aurora gave a sheepish smile.
"Hmm, perhaps, but your strategies saved my life, so thank you." He patted her shoulder before walking off into Cid's office.
Hunter looked at Aurora and raised an eyebrow, she gave him a dirty look before turning on her heels and back to the bar. The boys followed her but Wrecker did shoulder check Hunter.
Behind the bar Aurora watched Hunter and Omega, after pouring the boys some drinks. "You really paid off our debt?" Hunter asked Omega.
"I wanted to be useful, I think Aurora did too. Even if we couldn't go on the mission." Omega said.
"Hmm." Hunter said, turning to the Dejarik table. "How about we put those strategy skills to the test?" Hunter walked up to the table. "One match. If you win, then no more sitting out on missions." The two of them sat down and Hunter powered up the table. "You ready for this?"
"Are you?" Omega asked.
Aurora was sitting ontop the bar, a drink in her hand. "Win for both of us, kiddo." Omega looked at her and she winked. Omega smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aurora was alone in the parlor but she finally managed to catch up on all the dirty glasses from earlier, she had her back to the parlor and she was in the middle of wiping out a glass when someone sat down, but she didn't hear them. She was lost in thought.
"So it seems you stayed." They asked and Aurora turned, letting out a gasp and she dropped the glass. She looked up and it was Hunter.
"Hunter!" Aurora exclaimed, she knelt down and carefully started to clean up the broken glass.
"Are you... alright?" He asked again as she stood up, disposing of the glass.
Aurora shook her head. "Ah yes I stayed, for Omega, your usual?" Hunter nodded and Aurora poured his drink and handed it to him. "So Omega won."
Hunter took a sip of his drink. "Yea, so no more sitting out for either of you it seems."
"Yea..." Aurora placed her hands on the bar and stared past him, towards the entrance.
"Aurora?" Hunter tilted his head, taking note that she seemed on edge. "Aurora what's wrong."
Aurora looked back at him and smiled. "Nothing's wrong."
Hunter placed his hand on top of hers and lowered his voice. "Hey, we're a team. You can talk to me. I see something's bothering you."
Aurora looked at their hands before she pulled hers away. "I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"Because you're going to ask questions and I know they're going to be questions I don't want to answer."
Hunter thought for a moment. "If I don't ask any questions, will you tell me?"
"Why do you act like you care?"
"I do care, Aurora. I want to help. I promise, no questions."
Aurora took a deep breath. "I left the parlor today and walking through the streets I came across a man, someone I used to know. I-I don't think he saw me but-" Aurora gripped the edge of the bar, taking another deep breath.
"Hey, hey." Hunter reached over and grabbed her hand. She looked at him. "I know you said no questions but are you in any danger?"
She sighed. "I don't think so, as soon as I saw him I ducked and came back here as soon as possible." Aurora thought that if he did see her then she would've been taken back to him by now. "He used to work for someone I knew well. I don't know if he still does."
"I see. Aurora-"
"You said no questions, I let you ask the one."
"It wasn't a question. I want you to know that no one is going to hurt you. We have your back. I have your back.
Aurora nodded. "Thank you Hunter, really."