"What do you think about joining our team? We could use your skill, and you've proven to be trustworthy. You might have better luck searching for your parents if you're not stuck on a planet," Hunter said.
It was so abrupt, so bluntly put, Jade stood for a full ten seconds trying to register what Hunter had just said. She knew Hunter had given it plenty of thought already; perhaps he had already discussed it with the rest of the Bad Batch. Jade knew by now that Hunter was always firm in his resolve. He rarely worried about making the wrong choice; he typically made the necessary evaluations beforehand. Jade realized he was less impulsive than the others, but people were difficult to protect, and protection seemed to be Hunter's top priority. Working for clients likely put them in more dangerous situations than Hunter would have liked, but they had to earn credits somehow. He understood the weight of a dangerous galaxy now that they had limited support.
All these thoughts crossed her mind briefly, making it more difficult to think of a response. If Hunter was being genuine, she needed to be. Besides, he could have abandoned her the minute they entered the Arena. Instead, he kept a close eye on her, even when she tried to stop him.
Her eyes darted away from them, as if she would find the answer in the distance. Catching herself, Jade folded her arms.
"You're also our friend," Omega added, able to meet Jade's eyes.
Jade's focused frown switched to a smile. Omega was too good for the galaxy.
"It's... an amazing offer. Frankly, I've enjoyed working with you, despite the fact that I thoroughly resisted it at first –" Hunter shared her knowing look "– but I don't think I could leave so suddenly. This planet needs to recover from so much, and not enough people are ready for it. The Arena – or at least what's left of it – is highly unguarded, and I don't want another situation to rise from its ashes," Jade said, pushing back the thoughts that urged her to go with them.
She was going to be alone if she stayed; she knew that. She recognized she had to decide at some point, she just didn't expect to have to make it without Sam.
"Remember, you can't keep this town free from harm forever," Hunter said.
He paused, then nodded.
"If this is where you want to stay... this is where you need to be."
Omega, however, looked incredibly discouraged. Jade's heart sunk, but she crouched to smile at her. She tapped at Omega's pocket, where she knew the lizard carving was stowed.
"Keep that close. Who knows... maybe you'll need to come back for a mission," Jade said, and she started to rise.
Omega caught her around the middle, squeezing tightly, and Jade shot Hunter a surprised glance before sinking into her hug. She waited until Omega let go, and Omega wiped her eyes. Waving slowly, Jade backed away until Hunter and Omega turned and disappeared into the crowd. She nearly bumped into some townsfolk, and Jade mumbled a quick apology. She realized her med patches had shifted and she decided to head back to her place.
Later...
Jade flipped the switch, but the single light bulb didn't shine immediately. Jade knew it would be an eight second delay and chose her memorized route to swerve around furniture. She opened the windows, which was more successful than the bulb itself. The small room contained a cot, a desk and chair, a small bathroom, and a closet to house all her belongings, food, and other necessities. Jade had used most of her savings to ensure she had a secure door; she cared less about making it look hospitable. It wasn't like she received many visitors, anyway, and she was in an area congested with thieves. They would not be stopped by simple security measures.
Jade removed her jacket and wrapped it around the headrest of the cot, then lifted the side of her shirt to adjust the med patch. It seemed to be doing its job, and Jade landed on the cot to check her sprained leg. It had improved significantly. The cot beckoned her, and Jade stared at the neatly folded blankets in fondness. With a heavy sigh she refused them and stood up.
She grabbed her jacket and opened the closet doors, snatching what seemed most important. She began adding to her pack until it bulged around the edges. Finished, Jade hoisted the pack over her shoulder and eyed the corners of the small room, making sure she hadn't missed anything. She needed to find work far away from the heart of the town. No, the heart of the town did not offer a grand scheme of buildings. On the contrary, the entire town was short, stocky, and incredibly bland, as if the residents wished to make it a part of the landscape. Still, she would have better luck "hiding" from the main crowd if she stuck to the outskirts and laid low for a few days.
The minute she stepped back outside, cold metal pressed against the back of her neck. Jade froze, letting the pack fall off her shoulder so she could hug it to her chest.
"What's your deal, champion?" said a ragged voice, pressing the blade deeper.
Jade frowned, not exactly intimidated by the tone. Slowly she craned her neck behind her. A shadow fell over her, and another person turned the corner. He had a blaster and was far more intimidating than his companion. He was skinny, but his beard and dark eyes made him look much older. His companion – sweaty and short like a rat – scuffled around her, keeping his knife handy but away from her skin, and Jade took a step back.
"Ah, I wouldn't do that," the taller man said, but Jade didn't listen.
"Why is that?" Jade asked.
The shorter man snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, you brought a lot of new people to this town. You dropped them off like strays. Did you honestly think you could take such actions without being questioned first?"
"I did nothing wrong. Long story short, Keeper ruined our lives. Those 'strays' are not foreigners. They belong here, just as much as you do."
Jade spotted another person creep up beside her and turned. Her foot made a semi-circle in the dirt. She didn't think it would be an effective barrier against him. The new person – almost identical to the shorter man – laughed. He was also carrying a knife, but brandishing it, as if he intended to sit down for a meal.
"Jade, is it? Your name was quite popular, back in the day. I remember Keeper announcing your victory over and over again," the bearded man said, and Jade's head snapped towards him.
"We know Keeper altered your behavior, but he never gave us details. It's difficult to decide how much of a crazed lunatic you actually are," the bearded man continued. "To top it all off, you go back to the place. You kill the champion that was supposed to pave a new way for fame and glory –"
"Stop it," Jade seethed, gripping her blaster. "Don't say another word."
He didn't listen.
"Now, you suddenly show compassion towards the captives of the Arena and create such a ruckus that the Empire itself decides to show up. Were you working with Keeper beforehand? Do you intend to play off the situation as a lost cause? More importantly, do you intend to lead the captives towards a bigger problem?"
Jade would have liked to explain. She would have told him how misinformed he was and how she never meant to kill "the new champion" in order to reclaim fame. She would have told him how she hated Keeper from the beginning, but escaping his grasp wasn't easy, especially if he forced those under his "care" to work. If she had never escaped, things would have been simpler, but no one would have been freed. Even worse; the Empire would have a firm hold. She knew he wouldn't understand, and she wasn't going to waste her breath.
Jade took a deep breath. "I don't have time for this. Keeper is dead, and the Empire was associating with Keeper long before I showed up a second time. Your reasoning and understanding are flawed. I'm not a 'leader' for these captives; I simply tried to do the right thing, and I've lost enough already. Get the bigger picture and get out of my way."
"I'm afraid we can't do that. You're coming with us, and we're going to find the nearest judge to sort this out," the newer man stated.
Jade lifted her blaster. "I don't think so."
Once again, she was running, tugging her pack fully on. A few blasts from her blaster sent the three of them scattering for cover, but it wouldn't last forever. They chased her like a bloodthirsty pack of wolves. A blade spiraled past Jade's ears. She had no idea where she was going. Eventually, realization hit her. It was market day. Dust smacked speeders posted outside a bar as Jade swerved and hurried down a short alley. Blaster fire just missed her and struck the speeders instead, and her pursuers were delayed by the onslaught of angry owners.
Eventually, they caught up to her again, but she was already stepping on people's toes as she weaved through the crowd trying to buy items from various stands. A cart directly in front of her wasn't moving out of her way, and blaster fire sent hay flying, ruining the neat bails. Jade grabbed the end of the cart, hoping the small bar would hold her, and put one foot against the ledge, the other foot dangling just above the ground. She leaned and turned but didn't fire just yet. There were too many people, though they seemed to be scattering.
The more they scattered, the more Jade realized the three men had acquired backup. The cart lurched to a stop, and Jade was thrown forward. Hay pricked her skin, and Jade scrambled back up to grab the side of the cart and jump out. The driver shifted, her scream nearly making Jade trip over her own feet. When she looked up, a ship immediately caught her eyes.
The Marauder.
And then she remembered she still had a communication device. With fumbling fingers, Jade snatched it from her thigh bag and held it close to her mouth. She dove behind a box, sucking in a gasp of air.
"I need your help," Jade spoke into the device, flinching as a laser skimmed the top of the box.
She heard engines starting up, and turned her head, dreading what she would see. The Marauder was readying for takeoff. Jade hoped they would answer, but her heart was already dropping and then leaping to her throat again when the blaster fire singed an area close to her ear. When she heard voices, Jade peered around the box and fired at what she thought was an arm. Sure enough, she heard a yell and a dull thud; the man had fallen to his knees and was trying to take cover behind his companion.
"Jade?"
It was Omega, and Jade lifted the device immediately.
"Yes, it's me! There's a group trying to take me to a judge to be questioned. I knew the townspeople would be suspicious, but I expected a little more support. I'm pinned down, but I see the Marauder."
"Get on board," Hunter said.
Jade froze, looking past the fence to watch the Marauder. She collected her thoughts enough to swing around the box again and fire at anything that moved. Hunter, having received no response, repeated the order.
"I can't just... leave," Jade said.
Her roots were strong, but it was as if the entire planet itself was shoving her away. She was adamant, but she couldn't exactly prevent it from happening, not unless she surrendered. She was denying what she wanted – again – because she was afraid of change. She was afraid of failing. There was only so much a person could take. She tried to replace the frustrating thoughts with initiative, and it got her on her feet. If she wanted to avoid making the same mistake twice, and she couldn't change her circumstances, she needed to change her mentality. Her overthinking needed to take a backseat.
"I'm on my way," Jade announced, and she put the device away, wholly focusing on lifting her blaster and firing more aggressively.
She was backing away and towards the corner of the fence guarding the landing platform. She used the stands in front of her to shield her from the blaster fire, swerving every time the opening was too great. Finally, Jade's side bumped into the corner, and she spun around to hide behind the solid wall. If she followed it, she would reach the entrance. Now, she was incredibly exposed. Jade broke into a run, glancing behind her and spotting a foot move past the edge of the wall. She gasped, but a look ahead eliminated any worry. Wrecker and Hunter were at the entrance, focused on her pursuers. As soon as they emerged, Wrecker and Hunter bought her some time. When she reached the entrance, Hunter's hand came against her back in case he needed to move her aside. Jade didn't stop and kept running, bounding up the steps that led to the side door. Hunter and Wrecker leaped for the steps right as the Marauder lifted, and Jade skidded to a stop once inside. Back bent, Jade gasped and fought to regain normal breathing again. The wind had stung her eyes, and she blinked away the tears.
Despite the exhaustion, she was smiling, finally safe. Omega was just as pleased, and she immediately ran over to check on her. Her small hand reached out to grip Jade's arm, and Jade patted it, unable to speak but wanting to confirm she was alright.
"Thank you," Jade said, tilting her head to acknowledge Hunter, who passed by.
He stopped and waited a moment before asking her a question.
"Are you reconsidering?"
"I guess I am," Jade sighed, straightening, and dropping her pack to the floor. "There are places I can hide, but I don't want to have to look over my shoulder every five seconds. Vresha is restless. Understandably, people want answers. Without Keeper, they need another person to question or be skeptical of, and it seems I'm the target. I never thought my own people would turn their backs on me."
"What about the captives and the locals involved?" Omega asked.
Jade shook her head.
"They're processing the shock of their own journey. If I leave, it'll be the best thing for them. I don't want them to become a target thanks to my actions, whether or not I did the right thing."
"You did," Echo reassured from the cockpit, turning his chair around.
Jade moved forward, realizing they were climbing. The orange, jagged landscape was disappearing underneath dark clouds, and Jade took it in, hand on the shoulder of Echo's seat. It would be the last time she saw these colors, at least for the time being. She swallowed hard, a wave of dizziness threatening to take over. It wasn't just the difficulty of detachment; it had been years since she had last been on a ship leaving Vresha, and seeing the wide expanse of stars and darkness was almost too overwhelming. Withdrawing her hand, Jade tore her gaze away – watching would only make it worse – and observed a clunky droid pace back and forth in the main room.
"We're receiving a transmission," Echo called, and Hunter left his seat.
"Who is it?" Hunter asked.
"Cid."