𝖠𝖼𝗍 𝖥𝗂𝗏𝖾.
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Onderon had not been what they thought it would be. Hunter led the squad through the dark underbrush, the nightly sounds of the jungle echoing about them. His mind whirled. The insurgents were not insurgents, but rather children, mothers, fathers, people of age, people who could not fend for themselves...
How could it be the Empire sought to murder the lives of innocents?
"At least with the Republic we knew where we stood," Tech opined as the Marauder came into view. "Tarkin and this Empire are a whole different story."
Crosshair pushed his way forward. "Why are we debating this? We need to complete the mission," he sneered.
"Wake up, Crosshair," Echo snapped. He was angered Crosshair would even consider going through with the mission. Just like on Kaller. Just like what he did to Talia... "They sent us to eliminate innocent civilians."
"Who said they're innocent?" Crosshair sneered, getting dangerously close to his face.
Hunter whirled on them. "What's wrong with you?"
Crosshair faced him, a dark look enhanced by the even darker shadows on his face. "Me? I'm following orders."
"Exactly," Hunter snapped.
Crosshair advanced, invading his personal space with a threatening glare. "Those insurgents are plotting against the Emperor. If you don't have the stomach to do what needs to be done, then you're not fit to lead this squad."
The rift was now a canyon, gaping further wide. The two comrades crossed eyes aggressively, neither backing down. Until Hunter's gaze flashed to the side, sensing movement among the underbrush. His blaster pistol was in its holster one moment, and the very next, raised to a point among the trees and vines.
A single blast was fired and a metal crash followed. Crosshair eyed the weapon by his head and they both looked back at one another.
Hunter glowered. "We're being followed."
He brushed past him, purposefully knocking shoulders as he went. Crosshair scowled.
Tech was the first to follow. "That is a probe droid," he said.
"Tarkin's spying on us now?" Wrecker asked.
"The Jedi never did that," Echo pointed out with a glare Crosshair's way.
The marksman sneered. "Not that you know of."
At the mention of Jedi, Hunter's heart stopped. Jedi. Omega had mentioned a Jedi. A Jedi captured on Kaller. He could deny it no longer, Talia was alive, somewhere on Kamino. His heart raced, fear taking hold of him for the very first time.
He stared at the droid, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. "Omega."
"What about her?" Echo said.
"She warned me about the mission," he said, turning back to the ship. His strides were purposeful, and they followed him. "And Tarkin. She said not to return to Kamino, that it's not safe for us anymore."
He paused, standing at the ramp of the shuttle, the light of the hull illuminating his regretful features. His head bowed, berating himself for not seeing it sooner. For not acting sooner.
He turned to face them. "And she mentioned a test subject, that had been captured on Kaller..."
Tech's brows rose in mild surprise. "Talia," he surmised.
Hunter nodded slowly, regret and shame creeping back in.
Echo paled. Anger replaced the horror just as swiftly as it had come. "And you didn't think to mention this before?" he cursed, as loudly as he dared in the depths of enemy territory.
Crosshair scoffed. "We're taking the word of a child now?"
Tech climbed the steps of the shuttle, reaching for his datapad to lean against the hatch of the main hull. "I would not discount Omega's insight. A state of heightened awareness is not unusual for an enhanced clone such as herself."
Wrecker laughed hysterically. "Good one, Tech. You almost had me."
Tech shook his head. "When Nala Se spoke of five clones, Tarkin assumed that meant us, but Echo's a reg. The fifth is Omega. I confirmed my suspicions after analyzing her DNA while we were in the infirmary."
Echo cursed again. "And you waited until now to mention it?"
Tech kicked off from the side of the hatch. "Well, I thought it was obvious."
"How is it obvious?" Wrecker exclaimed, throwing his hands up.
By now, Hunter had stopped listening entirely. The voices of his brothers had faded far into the background. His mind whirled, faster than it had before. There was only one path laid out before them. Omega was one of them. Over the short time they had spent together, he was sure of it. He'd be damned if he left her there to suffer at the hands of the Empire, left abandoned among the enemy.
And Talia? That hardly seemed a question at all. He'd made up his mind a long time ago that she was one of them, a part of their story. Her path was intertwined with theirs in ways that made his heart race.
"We're going back for them," he declared, and it was final. His tone left no room for debate, of which Crosshair didn't seem to catch.
The marksman stepped in front of him, preventing him from following the others into the shuttle. "Disobeying orders again over a kid? Bad play, Hunter."
Hunter frowned, knocking aside the finger pointed at his chest. He brushed past him, climbing the stairs of the gangplank. Crosshair watched him go, scowling as he chewed on a toothpick. The ravine between them had turned into a gaping canyon, and they stood farther now than they ever had before.
Hunter sighed as he turned halfway up. "She's one of us. We're not leaving them there."
Crosshair glowered as he watched them go, entering the shuttle and prepping for takeoff. He tossed aside the toothpick and climbed the steps, the main hatch closing behind him with a resounding hiss.
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The blast doors slid open with a hiss. Omega stood at the entrance to the barracks of Clone Force 99. A cluttered mess spread out before her, filling the small room with junk and gadgets. She awed in amazement.
"Wow. What is all this stuff, Ayzee?"
She strode into the room and the medical droid hovered after. "My scanners are indicating an assortment of armament, curios and detritus of little to no value."
She picked up a tool, inspecting it with an eager eye. "I like it."
AZI-3 shook his head. "We should not be here, Omega. Nala Se instructed us to stay in the medical wing."
"Don't worry. We're on... a research assignment," she explained, moving further into the room.
AZI perked up. "A research assignment? Those are my favorite." He gave an excited spin. "What is it we are searching for? Is it this?" He picked up a piece of tech before tossing it aside. It crashed a ways away as he picked up another item. "What about this?"
Grateful for the distraction, Omega wandered about the room, eyes filled with wonder. While the droid browsed through the squad's personal belongings, she discovered a black and red tooka doll. She smiled at it before taking notice of an opened chest at the foot of one of their bunks. The wall of the small bedstead was decorated with a skull emblem, and she knew instantly who the space belonged to.
She eagerly walked over, lifting the lid to inspect its contents. Her eyes caught sight of a handheld device resting at the top of the chest and she grabbed for it. Jumping to sit on the edge of the bed, she activated the holophoto. It flickered to life, and there on the small device was a photo of the Bad Batch. It appeared decently recent.
"This is a curious keepsake," AZI said as he inspected a conjoinment of wires. He followed the cables until he came upon the head of a series one battle droid. He exclaimed in fear, and Omega set down the photo. She shushed him as she rushed over.
"Shh! People will hear us."
AZI looked down at the droid head. "I have concluded this space is unfit for habitation."
She picked up the head to set it back where the AZI unit had found it until she froze at the sound of faint shock trooper chatter.
"Someone is coming," she whispered. "Time to go."
She grabbed AZI-3's hand and led them toward the door. Just as the blast doors opened to let her out, a crimson-stripped shock trooper burst into the room. A grunt escaped her lips as she collided with the hard armor of his chest before falling back.
"You're not authorized to be in here," the trooper glowered.
Omega stood on shaky legs. "I... got lost. Sorry. It won't happen again."
The shock trooper gestured to the white-armored clones who filed into the space behind him. "Pack up their gear and take it to the hangar." He turned on Omega. "You, you're coming with me."
Her eyes grew wide as a hand reached for her. He grabbed hold of her upper arm and her heart sank in fear.
AZI tried to interfere, prying the clone's hand off her. "We will not. We are official Kaminoan medical personnel—"
"Don't touch me, droid," the shock trooper exclaimed, pulling out his blaster from its holster.
A bright blue flash erupted from the barrel of the blaster pistol and AZI-3 screamed as he went down.
"Ayzee!" Omega called as her friend fell to the ground, electrocuted.
She turned on the shock trooper, and before he could grab her again, she ran.
"Get back here!" the crimson-stripped captain yelled, ordering his troopers after her.
Omega ran and ran, turning corners and racing down hallways. She ran until the turns grew unfamiliar, and the bright lights of the facility grew dim. At last, she came upon a door...
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The Marauder slammed out of hyperspace, coming upon the water world of Kamino. It looked darker now than it ever had before. Dark, ominous clouds rolled across a grey surface, all pearly white had gone as intermittent lightning strikes flashed amongst the clouds before disappearing.
The path they traveled now was certainly the most selfless they had ever taken, knowing the Empire would be waiting for them. Hunter hadn't given the squad room to argue the matter, but they hadn't seemed to mind. Only Crosshair was opposed, and uncomfortably so.
Hunter had never felt so eager to arrive on the rain-lashed world. Truth be told, he didn't have a plan. He rarely ever did, and it had worked in his favor more times than he could now count. He didn't know what would happen if he found Omega and needed to convince her to leave with them. He didn't know where Talia was even being held, or if they would be able to find her at all. All he knew, was that he wasn't leaving without her... Without either of them.
He couldn't begin to explain why he felt so desperate to arrive and get them out. He barely knew them, Omega most of all. And yet, he had felt a connection to them. The connections were different, of course, but connections all the same. Omega was one of them, a defective clone, left to fend for herself amongst regs who looked down on her. She craved a family, and he felt as if he owed it to her to help her find one.
Talia Shan, on the other hand, was a mystery and a half. They'd only encountered her twice, and yet both times had stuck them all profoundly. Even Crosshair, he knew, felt something for the Jedi. He couldn't begin to explain the way she made him feel himself. It was strange, unnerving and foreign at times, and yet he craved it. If all went as they hoped, he didn't know what the plan would be long-term, and as of now, that hardly seemed to matter.
All they needed to do was get them out. They could figure the rest out afterward.
"I'm getting no response from com-scan," Tech said as they broke atmosphere. "This is unusual."
Hunter was hardly surprised. "Bring us in," he ordered. "We'll find out what's going on."
For once, the conglomeration of domed structures that made up Tipoca City looked ominous and sinister. The grey clouds above lent the city a darker look, despite the make of its ethereal design. Landing on the outdoor landing platform beyond the hangar had gone smoother than he'd expected. The raging wind, rough and windy, sent the rain gusting about their ship.
The gangplank lowered and they were met with a wall of rain. The landing platform was empty, void of any ships or troopers. They kept the shuttle running as they walked single file towards the hangar bay doors. Thunder rumbled overhead and lighting clapped, illuminating the space in a flash before rendering them in darkness once more.
"Stick to the plan," Hunter said, facing them before going in. "Split up, find Talia and Omega, meet back here at the ship."
Tech moved toward the control panel and typed in a series of codes. The hangar bay doors opened with a jolt, slowly lifting and lowering. The space was eerily silent despite the rain and wind. Hunter eyed the space, hesitant in the way his gaze narrowed. It was too quiet.
They made their way inside, navigating through the large armory crates and Imperial supplies. They'd made it only a few paces in until Hunter could feel movement behind the crates. He ordered them to halt with a simple raise of his first.
In the very next moment, they were surrounded by Coruscant guards. Hunter dropped his helmet to the permacrete ground and hovered a hand over his vibroblade, ready to pull the weapon from its sheath. The others moved just as quickly, weapons raised at the ready. They were surrounded. Every which way they looked, the barrel of a blaster rifle was there to greet them.
Crosshair sneered at Hunter's back. "As expected."
A tense moment passed as Hunter took stock of their predicament, weighing their options. At last, Tarkin approached, flanked by two shock troopers. "The Empire does not tolerate failure, Sergeant."
"There were complications," Hunter replied.
He slid the vibroblade fully into its sheath and stood, the others slowly following suit. They had lost this round.
"Yes, the probe droid's report was quite detailed," Tarkin admitted. "Conspiring with Saw Gerrera. I assume you know the punishment for treason."
Hunter reeled back. "Treason?" He was taken aback, confused about where any crime had been made.
Tarkin gestured to the crimson-stripped captain. "Throw them in the brig."
Hunter was pushed forward when a blaster connected harshly with his back. The others followed after as they were escorted by the squad of shock troopers. At last, they made it to the brig where they were stripped of their weapons and armor. Left only in their black bodysuits, they were shoved one by one into a holding cell.
When they were all inside, a trooper pushed the central lever on the control panel, and a transparent energy shield closed them in. The energy barrier had a blue, shimmering tint to it as they looked around.
Wrecker sniffed the cell. "Smells weird," he grumbled.
"Because it's clean," Echo replied.
Hunter began studying the ray shield and then the make of the cell itself, searching for any points of weakness. Now that they were in the facility, they could begin their search for Omega and Talia. He hadn't noticed anything unusual until Tech chimed in, saying, "Well, the plan wasn't a total failure."
They turned as one, and as if by sheer luck, there Omega was, seated on the floor of the cell, knees curled up to hug against her chest, staring back at them silently. A sheepish grin spread her cheeks as she gave them a small wave.
"Goody," Crosshair sneered as Hunter moved past them to kneel before her.
Omega hugged her knees tighter, dipping her chin further from embarrassment. "I warned you not to come back."
He shrugged. "Had to. We were looking for you."
She perked up, astonishment written all over her face. "Me?"
Hunter fought back a smile. "What do you say, kid? You want to come with us or did we get captured for nothing?"
Her face lit up. "You came back for me?" she said again, as if she couldn't quite believe her own ears.
"That's right," Hunter nodded. He became suddenly self-conscious. "Or you can stay on Kamino if, uh—"
"No, it's like I said before," she said, getting up with the brightest smile any of them had ever seen. "I want to go with you."
"How touching," Crosshair's sardonic voice grabbed their attention.
Hunter stood to his feet, a dark glare to match Crosshair's as he faced him. Hunter was never the one to start arguments, he was always the one to end them. At this moment, there was utter silence, but Crosshair's defiance and anger radiated clear as day. Hunter could feel it spreading, like an infectious disease. He also was never one to get mad, but he was leaning in that direction.
Wrecker cleared his throat, purposely breaking the tension. "Uh, Hunter, how are we breaking outta here?"
Hunter never took his eyes off Crosshair. "I'm working on it."
"You know what you should work on?" Crosshair continued, marching forward with an accusatory finger pointed in his direction. "Explaining when you went soft."
"Stow it, Crosshair," Echo lashed out.
The two had not been on good terms as of late. Not since Kaller.
Crosshair sneered at him. "Don't you see we're locked up here because of him?" he asked the squad. "He had us disobey orders!"
Tech adjusted his goggles. "I never thought you disobeying orders was a problem."
"Yeah," Wrecker agreed. "We do it all the time."
Crosshair spun back on them. "Good soldiers follow orders!" He jabbed a finger at Hunter. "Every choice you've made since Kaller has been wrong. First Talia, then the Padawan, now Gerrera. You're becoming a liability."
Hunter's face darkened at Talia's mention. Anger bubbled beneath the surface, attempting to break free. Hunter swallowed his pride. "We can debate my choices later. For now, let's focus on getting out of here."
He walked away, staring at the ray shield. Thinking, planning, and somehow still distracted. Maybe he was getting softer. He didn't know. What he did know was that Crosshair had not been the same since Kaller. It felt as if he had been slipping ever since, and all Hunter wanted was for him to hold on a little while longer.
Crosshair sat down, a hand on his forehead. The pain was getting worse, sharper. He didn't know why all of a sudden disobeying orders was wrong, he just knew deep down that it was. Truth be told, he didn't know why he had shot Talia, why he had been the one to take her down, or why he had done anything since. All he knew was that she was an enemy of the new galactic order, and that she needed to be put down. The memory of her divine features, the sight of shock turning betrayal, staring back at him through the scope of his blaster rifle was the image he saw whenever he closed his eyes.
The blaring headache began to consume him before a soft voice drew his attention.
"You're angry."
He looked over to find Omega sitting beside him. He hadn't heard her approach. He rolled his eyes, resting his chin on a fist. "How perceptive."
"I know what you're going to do, but please don't," Omega said.
Crosshair sat up. "What do you know?"
"I know it's not your fault," Omega assured. She touched a hand to his shoulder. "You can't help it."
He eyed her sharply.
The blast doors to the brig opened and three members of the Coruscant guard walked in.
"CT-9904, you're coming with us," the shock trooper said.
The energy shield was deactivated and Hunter rushed to intercept them. "Oh, no, no, no. We stay together."
The butt of the trooper's blaster connected with his stomach, and he collapsed to a knee.
"Stand down," the trooper ordered, and he listened, watching as Crosshair walked past him. When he'd gone, the ray shield was reactivated. They watched as the doors slid shut behind him.
"You alright?" Echo asked.
"I'm fine," Hunter replied.
He sat on the bench. Their rescue mission had grown more complicated. Now not only did they still not know where Talia was, but they had to find Crosshair as well.
Omega hopped up on the seat beside him. He didn't think much of it until he leaned back against the wall. If they were going to be stuck here, the least he could do was get comfortable. It wasn't until he glanced over did he realize Omega had her arm behind her head, just the way he was. His lip quirked.
This time, he leaned forward, one hand on his chin and the other resting on his thigh. Omega didn't even try to be subtle about it. She did the same, and he couldn't help but smile at her. She smiled eagerly back.
"I've got it." It was Tech who pulled Hunter out of his daze. "Why didn't I think of it before? This is not a prison."
"Yeah, well, I beg to differ," Echo scoffed.
Tech shook his head and pushed his way to sit between him and Hunter. His voice was hushed so that the shock troopers guarding the door could not hear. "This is a Kaminoan facility. It was built prior to the Clone Wars. There were no barracks or prisons when it was constructed."
"Well, how does that help us?" Hunter prompted.
Tech grinned. "Because while these cells were retrofitted to hold normal individuals, they could not possibly account for someone like Wrecker."
Wrecker stood up, suddenly excited. "Oh! You mean I could punch our way out?"
He flinched at his own loud tone, glancing over his shoulder at the troopers. Hunter hushed him and Omega did the same.
"Oh. Right," he whispered this time. "You mean I could punch our way out?"
"If you punch the correct spot," Tech clarified.
Wrecker rubbed his hands together, an excited gleam in his eye. "Right. Show me where."
Hunter looked over. "If this is gonna work, we'll need some cover. Form a wall."
They shuffled as quietly as possible, Echo, Hunter, and Omega forming a wall of sorts while Tech examined the nearby wall. Wrecker sat back attempting nonchalance. Tech ran his fingers over the wall, before tapping a much thinner and weaker spot. He tapped it again, showing Wrecker.
"Hit this. Here."
Wrecker nodded and moved him out of the way. Tech joined the wall they'd formed.
"Tell me when," Wrecker whispered.
A trooper holding a datapad walked into the brig. He began speaking to the two on watch duty.
Hunter looked over his shoulder. "Now."
Wrecker barely hit it and moved to quickly sit back down. The guards looked over and Hunter glanced away, Omega copying his movements. The guards resumed their conversation and Wrecker leapt back to the wall.
He groaned. "Nothing happened."
Hunter eyed Tech. "Are you sure this is gonna work?"
"Try it again. A little harder," Tech suggested.
Hunter sighed. "You're all clear. Make it count."
"Okay," Wrecker nodded. He reared back and sent his fist flying at the wall, and a dent was formed.
The Coruscant guards turned their heads again at the bang but didn't come near.
Wrecker groaned again. "Oh, it still didn't work."
Tech glanced over. He left their wall formation to inspect the dent. "Oh, yes, it did. Look." He grabbed hold of the thin durasteel panel and pulled. It lifted, revealing a small opening.
"I'll never fit through that," Wrecker whined.
Tech shook his head. "Astute as always, Wrecker, but I was actually going to suggest—"
"I'll do it," Omega said.
Hunter frowned. "You sure, kid?"
Omega nodded, determination written all over her face. "I'm sure."
She was eager to prove her worth to them. Hunter sighed. "Okay. Get to the console and hit the lever to lower the ray shield."
She nodded again and climbed up into the vent as Tech and Wrecker worked to close the panel behind her. They'd made their move just in time as the shock trooper with the datapad returned.
"Incoming," Echo warned under his breath.
They tried to appear relaxed as the three troopers approached. "Wait, where's the girl?" the first asked.
"You tell us," Hunter glared.
"Harm her and you're a dead man," Echo threatened.
Another trooper stepped forward, lifting the comlink on his arm. "Operations, we need a status report on prisoner 0219."
Meanwhile, in the ceiling above, Omega looked down through the slats of the vent. She could see the console as well as the three troopers. And then, the vent jolted under her weight.
The troopers looked up. "What was that?"
"Sorry," Wrecker recovered quickly, leaning against the wall. "These floors don't hold me so well on account of them not being designed for abnormal individuals such as myself," he rambled.
Hunter shook his head and Tech simply rolled his eyes, facepalming with a wince.
"What's behind you?" the trooper asked him. The troopers raised their blasters.
"Nothing," Wrecker slouched. He leaned back even more, hands interlocked behind his head to hide the panel they'd removed.
"Move away from the wall. Now."
"Why don't you come here and make me?" Wrecker challenged.
The trooper's helmet beeped. He lifted a hand to receive the intel. "Copy that. The girl's still registered in lockdown. Tell us where she is."
Just then, Omega fell through the ceiling with the ventilation shaft, landing on top of the three troopers. They were flattened under the piece of ferrocrete. She rolled off the vent and Hunter jumped into action.
"Hit the switch, Omega!" he urged.
She rushed to the central console and reached for the lever. She pulled it down just as the reg grabbed her. She fought back, swinging her tiny fists, doing little against the hard pieces of plastoid-alloy composite armor.
"Hey, Red."
The trooper turned and all it took was one swift punch and he was knocked off his feet. The force of Wrecker's punch was so strong the reg went flying into the wall, falling to the ground with a thud. They armed themselves with the trooper's discarded blasters and Echo reached for the datapad.
Wrecker put a hand on Omega's shoulder. "Ha! Not bad."
She smiled at the praise. Her heart swelled and a giddy feeling spread from her stomach. She had never felt so whole in all her life. They convened in the center of the room.
"We need to find out where they're holding Talia and where they took Crosshair. Let's move."
Omega followed after Hunter as they rushed into the brightly lit hallway. She frowned and slowed to a stop behind them. There was something she had meant to tell them. And then she remembered. Her eyes went wide.
"Wait!" she whisper-shouted.
They stopped, turning to face her. "I know where Talia is," she said.
Hunter's eyes widened. He pushed his way back through Wrecker and Tech. "Where?"
"I came across a door," she rushed. "before they captured me. It's not far from here."
Hunter felt his heart race. "Let's go," he said.
"Wait," Tech said, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder. "We're not going to get very far without our gear."
Hunter frowned at him, shocked that that was what he was worried about.
"They started moving all your things to the hangar," Omega piped up. "Your gear might be there too."
Hunter's frown deepened. They were at a crossroads. Three paths had been laid out before them, and selfishly, Hunter already knew which path he was taking. Tech could see the decision already made in his eyes.
"We may not have time," Tech warned, a gravity in his tone that would have shaken Hunter from his fixation any other instance. Not this time.
Hunter shook his head as the two comrades crossed eyes. "We're not leaving without her," he declared, and it was final. His tone left no room for debate.
Tech disagreed, but relented, dropping the hand from his shoulder.
Hunter looked down at Omega. "Lead the way," he ordered, and she took off down the nearest hallway.
They followed closely after, leaning around corners, evading squads of marching troopers. The appearance of squads became more infrequent, and the hallways began to appear less familiar and less vibrant as they went. As if the nearing, negative energy had sapped the ethereal hues of white from the very walls.
At last, they came upon a set of doors.
Omega eyed it. "I was stopped before I could go inside," she whispered, shivering a little at the cold that oozed heavily from the blast doors.
Hunter's eyes narrowed upon them. This was it. He could feel it. He raised the blaster as he approached the doors, the others following suit. Tech stepped forward and activated a series of switches on the nearby console. It flashed green and the blast doors slid open with a hiss.
Cold air whipped them in the face as they entered the room. Unlike everything in the domed city that was brightly lit and eerily picturesque, this space was different. The overhead lights were dim and wires and exhaust vents seeped with countless steam pipes and enormous chemical tanks of varying shapes.
Keeping his blaster clutched in his hand, Hunter rose into the dark chamber. The room was deathly quiet, except for the hissing of steam escaping some of the pipes in the room.
It was a lab for all intents and purposes and was equipped with medical tubes and multiple computers. Blinking, flashing lights lent the space a haunting glow, pulsing in time with the rhythm of a heart monitor.
At the center of it all, a platform was raised, and on this vertical dais, was a hunched figure, strapped down by metal restraints.
In that moment, Hunter's heart stopped, his eyes widening at the sight that lay before him.
The figure's head was bowed, and strands of long, brown hair hung down over lidded eyes. Slumped and shackled to the raised platform, was none other than Talia Shan.
Echo's eyes widened as he felt his heartbeat quicken. His ears began to ring as visions of Skako Minor plagued his thoughts. So this was how she and Rex had felt when they'd found him, he thought weakly.
In the next moment, Hunter rushed forward. Her head hung low, and he reached up to push away the curtain of hair concealing her from the world. She looked broken, but she was still breathing. Hunter sighed audibly in relief, pushing aside for a moment the fact that a rigid muzzle covered her from chin to nose.
"Wrecker," he snapped. "Help me get her down."
This seemed to break the squad from their horrified daze. They rushed to action, Tech jogging to the nearby computer console while Wrecker and Echo joined Hunter at the foot of the raised dais.
"What did they do to her?" Echo whispered in horror.
Her tan tunic was torn and scorched, indicating electrical torture. The sleeves of the Jedi tunic had been cut away meticulously, leaving her arms exposed. They could see track marks on the inside of her elbows, dark black bruises and welts nearest to her veins.
Omega, lingering behind, felt sick at the sight.
"Just help me get her down," Hunter said weakly.
Wrecker grabbed hold of the metal restraint on her wrist and tugged it free. It crumpled under his strength and he moved around to the other one, doing the same for the two securing her ankles. Lastly, he tugged free the restraint against her chest and she fell forward, limp as the dead.
Hunter and Wrecker caught her as she fell, laying her slowly onto the frigid ground. Hunter rested her head on his thigh and reached around to the base of her skull, undoing the clasp to the muzzle. He tossed the metal contraption aside and it clattered against the quadanium steel floors, somewhere to the far ends of the lab.
The area around her chin and just under her petite, upturned nose was raw and red. Hunter pushed away the lingering, unruly strands of hair from her face as he watched the warm moisture in her breath condense into tiny droplets of water, materializing like small, misty clouds above her parted lips.
Horror and anger still gripped his heart, but he felt a deep-rooted solace at the fact that she was at least still breathing. Her body trembled uncontrollably in his arms.
"It appears they've drugged her," Tech said from behind the computer terminal.
He was doing his best to acquire and remember as much information as he could without the aid of his datapad. What he had read already surprised him more than he'd anticipated.
"Will she be all right?" Hunter asked, a strain to his gruff voice.
"Yes," Tech assured. "It's only a sedative, but I'm not sure when she'll wake."
Hunter nodded, relief flooding him yet again. He handed Echo his blaster and lifted her trembling form into his arms as gently as he could. She was lighter than he'd expected.
"Time to go," he ordered. Wrecker moved to take her but Hunter only shook his head. "I've got her."
"Wait," Tech said.
They turned as one to see his eyes wide behind the goggles, reading furiously. He glanced up at Talia and then back down at the screen. He typed in a series of codes into the console before the dim lights of the lab flashed red and alarms began to blare overhead.
"What did you do?" Echo asked furiously.
"We can't let them have what they've already taken," was all Tech said. He reached for something below the console and pulled out a familiar silver and gold hilt. "Now, we run."
They rushed together from the lab as a high-pitched whine began to whistle from the steam pipes nearest to the chemical vats. The whistle rose in pitch until it stopped, and then a great big explosion erupted behind them, shaking the city.
They took the long way to the hangar in order to avoid the squads reporting to the decimated lab. Getting there wasn't a challenge. The corridors were more crowded than before, but they were rushing in the opposite direction towards the lab as well as the brig. Hunter knew the routes and was able to sense anyone before they were near.
At last, they rushed into the empty hangar. The Marauder had been moved inside, out of the rain, and at the base of their shuttle, were stacks upon stacks of crates. Omega pointed to the various chests and items, and she had been right. All their gear was there and next to the ship.
Convenient, Hunter thought as he shifted Talia in his arms. Her breathing was still labored but she seemed to be stirring by the way he felt the rhythm of her heart begin to beat stronger, and little mumbles weakly escaped her lips every now and then; as if she were tormented by some bad dream.
When they'd ensured the hangar was clear, Hunter gave them a nod. "All right, boys, suit up. Let's make this quick."
They set to work, digging through their chests as they armed themselves, donning their armor once again.
Hunter kneeled as he lowered Talia to the floor, Omega at his side. He held her head with one hand, gently resting her on the metal ground so as not to jostle her or cause her further harm. Omega watched the interaction and was finally able to get a good look at the older girl.
In a word, she was beautiful. A pair of arched eyebrows looked down on long, sweeping lashes, and her delicate ears framed a button nose. Her complexion had an impeccable, ocherous hue, framed and complimented by rich mahogany hair of tawny brown.
"She's beautiful," Omega said, startling Hunter, reminding him she was there.
"She's your responsibility," was all he said instead, standing to put on his armor. "Can you handle that, kid?"
Omega nodded, determined.
Hunter sorted through his crate, quickly placing the plastoid armor pieces in their designated places over the black bodyglove. He grabbed the commando pack and all his essentials. Now that Talia was with them, he could think clearer. He had thought about the long run, and they weren't going to come back to Kamino. That much was certain. When he reached the bottom of his crate, all that remained was a datapad and his vibroblade.
Behind him, Wrecker dug through his chest frantically, rummaging through the various items. "Right. No. No! Where is it? Where is it?" he cried. "It's gotta be here somewhere."
Omega looked around and saw the tooka doll lying on the floor a ways away. She looked down at the pretty Jedi girl, before deciding it was worth the risk to go grab the doll.
Hunter flipped the vibroblade into its sheath and glanced over his shoulder. "Tech, power up the ship and get Talia on board. The rest of us will go after Crosshair."
Tech nodded and made his way toward the shuttle. Lightning clapped overhead, bright flashes illuminating the space for brief moments at a time, as Omega bent to grab the doll. She smiled and held it close, turning to look back at Wrecker.
The smile was wiped from her face when a distant alarm sounded beyond the blast doors. "I don't think we'll have to go far," she said.
The doors slid open with a hiss, and a squad of shock troopers appeared, backlit by the dim lights of the hallway. They ducked, blasters in hand. Hunter cursed. He'd counted six troopers, maybe more. A soft moan drew his narrowed gaze downward. His eyes widened as Talia stirred.
His hand reached for the side of her head when at last, those long, dark lashes fluttered open. He watched those eyes, eyes the shade of a winter sky fading into spring greens, focus up on him.
Her sharp brows knit, a disoriented look on her face. "Hunter?" she mumbled, feeling as if lead coursed through her veins and a heavy fog had settled over her mind. Perhaps this was a dream.
Her voice was scratchy and hoarse from lack of use he noticed. He kept a hand on the side of her face and his blaster pistol in the other. "It's all right," he said, his voice gruff and quiet. "We've got a situation, but we're getting out of here. I need you to stay down."
He didn't wait for her response as he lifted his blaster around the crate. The shock troopers had taken position by the crates nearest to the hallway, and a dark figure now walked in behind them. It didn't take them long to realize who the clone was, donning black clone trooper armor.
"Is that Crosshair?" Wrecker asked, and Hunter's eyes widened.
A mix of shock and horror passed over them at the sight of their former comrade. Hunter looked down and his eyes narrowed. He was determined not to lose his brother so easily. With one last glance at Talia, he lowered his blaster and grabbed his helmet, standing to walk around the crates, and stepping out into the line of fire.
"Best stand down, Sergeant," Crosshair advised. "Make it easy on yourself."
"Have you lost your mind?" Hunter snapped at him, losing all sense of patience. Had he truly chosen the Empire over them?
Crosshair chewed a toothpick between his teeth. "We should've killed that Padawan. You disobeyed orders."
"I did what I thought was right," Hunter countered.
"You never could see the bigger picture," Crosshair sneered. "Now hand over the Jedi and surrender."
And then the rift the size of a canyon became a sea. Water rushed down into the gaping space between them, separating them for good. Standing at one end of the vast ocean, nothing had hurt Hunter more than to see the hatred in his brother's eyes who stood on the distant shore, all of it directed at him.
He looked over his shoulder at Wrecker and Echo. Both their blasters were raised and Wrecker pushed his helmet down over his face. It was a show of support, they had his back and they were ready to blast their way out of here if it came to it.
Hunter leered back at Crosshair. "Is that an order?"
"Heh. I guess it is." And that fact seemed to delight Crosshair, for whatever the offer the Empire had made him had finally given him power.
"Well," Hunter said, knowing exactly what to say to take that satisfaction away. "I guess I'm disobeying that one too."
Crosshair glowered and spit the toothpick from his clenched jaw.
There was a pause. A stillness as they glared at each other, now knowing what was going to happen next. Hunter didn't want to, nor did he intend on harming Crosshair, but he doubted he would show them any mercy now. He needed to get the rest of them to safety, otherwise, they would all die with the past, and Talia would be taken for whatever sick experiments Tarkin had planned for her. Hunter recognized that now.
Thunder clapped and the lightning illuminated the space in a flash.
Just as quickly, Crosshair swung down his rifle, leveling and firing. Hunter's reflexes were quicker as he ducked, and the laser bolt hit the ship behind him. Hunter dove for cover, shielding Omega when the regs triggered their laser guns, filling the open walkway with a deadly crossfire.
Hunter placed his helmet on just as smoke canisters were thrown into the midst of the walkway. Hunter could feel the regs begin to inch forward as the dense smoke filled the area, blinding them. The only one who could see was Crosshair who lowered the rangefinder of his helmet, using the thermal lens to see five heat signatures. His eyes narrowed upon the slim form slumped behind some crates.
There she is.
He opened fire, the deadly lasers of his Firepuncher just skimming the crates beside their heads. They ducked.
Hunter lifted a hand to the side of his helmet. "Tech, we gotta move. Now!"
"I'm working on it," Tech replied through the comm.
"Wrecker, clear the smoke on three," Hunter ordered.
"You got it, boss," Wrecker replied.
At last, Hunter turned to the side. "Omega, stay low," he ordered.
She nodded her head abidingly, hands covering her ears, the tooka doll still safely in her grasp.
Satisfied, Hunter began the countdown. "One... two..."
"Three!" Wrecker yelled, rushing forward. He held two crate covers before slamming them together, dissipating the smoke in a whoosh. Before the regs could take aim at their now visible target, Wrecker flung one of the crate covers like a great big discus. The regs went flying back and Crosshair peaked out from his cover.
He took aim at Wrecker but the giant of a clone threw the other crate cover right for him. Crosshair dove out of the way, tucking and rolling before raising his blaster, lifting and leveling. He fired off a single shot, and Wrecker went down.
Hunter wasn't entirely sure if what he had just witnessed was real. Until a horrified gasp echoed behind him and Omega rushed out.
"Omega, don't!" Hunter exclaimed. He grabbed for her, pulling her back just as a laser blast seared into the space she had once been. He held her back. "He's using Wrecker as bait," he explained.
"But he needs help!" she cried.
Hunter turned towards the ship. "Tech, we're out of time."
"Almost got it," Tech said.
At last, the Marauder's sublight engines ignited, the internal fusion reactions producing a stream of highly charged particles that were forced through the engine's exhaust ports at nearly the speed of light.
Crosshair looked through the scope of his rangefinder and saw the great big heat mass grow as the engines fired up. "Seal the bay doors!" he ordered.
A clone rushed to the control panel. The large bay doors jolted downward, closing slowly. However, they didn't get far as metal clunked and a great big whirring sound echoed from the control mechanisms. Somehow they were being held remotely.
Alarms blared overhead as the reg jammed the release button. "Sir, someone's overriding the controls."
Crosshair glared through the scope, narrowing his sights on the heat signatures of a certain sergeant and Jedi.
Hunter put a hand on Omega's shoulder. "When I say 'go,' you head for that ramp and don't stop. Got it?"
She nodded at the stress in his voice. A weight had settled over his shoulders at the reality of getting them all away safely. Getting Talia and Wrecker onto the ship, and everyone else without a scratch, was near impossible. There were still many troopers left, not to mention Crosshair who waited patiently behind the scope of his rifle for them to make their move.
Hunter turned, spotting Echo between two crates. He caught his attention. "Echo, go for Talia. I'll get Wrecker."
Echo dipped his chin, and they were clear.
Crosshair watched from the rangefinder of his Firepuncher. He had them right where he wanted them. Wrecker lay immobilized on the floor of the walkway in plain sight. The only way to the shuttle and to safety was through him.
"Only one way out, Hunter," Crosshair mocked, a teasing taunt to his words. "Your move."
There was a pause. The wind screamed a haunting cry beyond the bay doors, singing across the ocean surface. They could feel the rage surrounding them, as if the ocean was countless tears ready to pound at the foot of clones and men and Kaminoans, to remind them who their maker truly was, how they could never truly leave. The strength of the god-beast Protas sent waves crashing against the city's structural supports; booming clashes that sounded as if the ocean wished to swallow them whole, back to the depths of their evolutionary beginnings.
The sea of chaos was vast and never-ending, with no visible landmasses showing behind the solid cloud cover. Yet the wind howled over Protas' watery fists that beat against the supports of the city, perhaps with the intention of causing enough injury for the Kaminoan city to remember his anger.
They strained to see in the darkness, trying their best to hear. But there was no sound at all besides the raging storm. Nothing.
Then, a very loud hiss.
The sound was familiar. They froze where they crouched.
Out of the darkness, a light appeared—the purple flame of a just-ignited laser sword. In its illumination, Hunter, Echo, Crosshair, Omega, and clones alike, saw the figure of Talia Shan, standing protectively amidst the walkway over Wrecker's still form.
Crosshair's weapon lowered slightly at the sight of her. She stood on wobbly feet, a vision of power as she glared down the way at him through half-lidded eyes.
His revere was broken when she gripped the saber tighter and brought it before her defensively, so dark was the space around her that the light thrown by her laser sword was quickly absorbed and illuminated scarcely more than a meter in front of her.
Her movements were sluggish. The sedatives hadn't fully worn off, he realized.
He lifted his rifle back into firing position. "Set your weapons to stun," he ordered, his voice resembling the coiled snake she'd first heard all those months ago on Anaxes. She could practically see the scowl beneath the helmet.
"I want her alive."
Talia snapped her lightsaber about, deflecting the bolt harmlessly wide. She grimaced, fighting hard to move her arms and legs, which felt as if lead coursed within them, lagging her movements. Even more, she struggled to rid the fog from her mind. Her vision was blurred, and so she abandoned the physical, submersing herself entirely in the spiritual.
She closed her eyes and blocked everything away, sounds and movements alike, becoming one with the Force, disappearing into its flow, searching for the laser bolts as they came.
Hunter watched all this with wide eyes. For some reason, he realized he'd feared he'd never see such a sight again, and it had rendered him frozen where he crouched beside Omega. Just as quickly as she'd ensnared his undivided attention, did he snap himself from the stupor.
"Go!"
Hunter and Echo jumped from the cover of the crates, returning fire on the regs alongside Talia who dissipated their stun blasts into thin air. Omega did as she had been told, and ran as fast as she could toward the shuttle. Lasers exploded all about and sparks followed.
Echo struggled at Wrecker's side while Hunter rushed to Talia's. They fell into the sword and shield maneuver as if by second nature, Talia covering their front while Hunter returned the fire of the troopers. She stumbled but kept her balance. Another blaster shot followed, then another, and she easily picked them both off, deflecting one and turning the other back at Crosshair. But as the bolt ricocheted toward him, he leapt away, tucking and rolling to the side behind a nearby crate.
Hunter glowered beneath the helmet. "I told you to stay down," he remarked.
She noted the tension laced through the veiled smoke of his voice. It sent a chill down her spine. She breathed, just barely knocking aside another blast. "Get, Wrecker," she ordered, her voice strained. "I've got this."
At last, he relented, leaving her to cover them while he rushed to help Echo with their wounded comrade. They dragged him toward the shuttle while Talia allowed the Force to guide her hand, the Jedi bringing her lightsaber to the left and down, knocking the energy bolts aside.
But Crosshair had seen his opening. While Talia was focused on the regs, he leaned around a crate, taking aim at the thermo reading of Hunter's head. His finger teased the trigger.
Before the laser could be fired, a blast knocked the Firepuncher from his hands, a perfect shot down the barrel of the blaster rifle. It clattered to the floor, riddled with electricity. Crosshair looked up with a start, and Hunter, Echo, and Talia turned to find Omega, holding a raised blaster.
Crosshair reached for the blaster pistol in the holster at his hip, and before he could retaliate, Omega sprayed several more blaster bolts in his direction, prompting him to dodge out of harm's way. They capitalized on the distraction, Echo and Hunter hauling Wrecker onto the ship as Talia backed up the steps with lightsaber raised. Her free hand shot out to grab hold of the main hull's hatchway when Tech took them up, stabilizing herself from tripping over shaky feet in order not to fall forward onto the slick ground of the hangar.
Crosshair rushed around the crate, lifting the pistol as he fired away at the ship. Talia's blade dissipated the stun rays until they crossed into the wall of rain, leaving Crosshair and the hangar of Tipoca City far behind.
─────────────────────────────────
𝖠𝖼𝗍 𝖲𝗂𝗑.
The corridor was nearly as brightly lit as the room, but Nala Se's almond-shaped eyes did not see this brightness. What appeared as white dwellings were actually colored with shades that humans and a number of other species could not see. The ultraviolet spectrum danced before her, beautiful and soothing in its captivating magnitude.
She passed many windows, everything polished and shining and smooth. At last, she stopped at one side door and sent it sliding open with a wave of her hand. The door appeared to move as if it were liquid, fluid and rippling as it closed behind her. Lama Su faced away from her, his slender fingers clasped behind his arching, regal back.
"Has the matter been rectified?" the Prime Minister prompted.
"The inhibitor chip augmentation was a success," Nala Se replied. "However, the remaining clones of squad ninety-nine have escaped, along with Omega and Subject 2187."
The Prime Minister turned. "Mmm. We must be cautious. Until the Empire's intentions are made clear, say nothing."
Nala Se reached out gracefully toward him with an incline of her head as smoothly as any dancer might. "Yes, Prime Minister."
She turned, and the doors closed like a white flower of liquid petals behind her.
High up in the tumultuous sky above, the Marauder climbed and climbed, until it broke atmosphere and entered the starry blackness of space. Echo and Hunter managed to drag Wrecker further into the hull as Omega lingered beside, nervous for the big brute.
Talia had barely managed to scramble up the rampway and into the interior of the ship before the hatch sealed and the Marauder began to accelerate. She sat on the cool metal floor of the entry, her clothing torn and damp from the rain, her body bruised and battered. She breathed deeply, waiting for her pounding heart to quiet and for the fog to clear from her mind.
It never did.
She didn't even seem to notice Echo who sank to his knees beside her. At last, her eyes met his, but they barely seemed to register him, as if struggling to focus on just one thing. Her breathing was labored and strands of her hair hung down in disarray and stuck to her damp face and neck. His lips parted, as if to express to her the relief and joy he felt that she was here and safe with them at last.
How he thought he'd lost her.
And then he watched her eyes roll back in her head, the lightsaber clattering against the metal floor as she fell back. Echo caught her, holding her close as he called her name. Hunter was at her side before it even occurred to Echo to call for him, brushing aside the tangles of her hair from her damp face. A trickle of relief broke through the dam of their panic when they noted the shallow breaths escaping from the small space of her parted lips.
Together they threw her arms over their shoulders to lift her off the ground.
"Put her in my rack," Hunter ordered.
They carried her toward the ship's end where the shelves and storage spaces sat stacked atop one another. When she was safely secured in the elevated rack, Echo left her side for just a moment to grab the medical supplies. He grabbed the hypo-syringe and stim-shot, injecting both into the sloping curve of her nape. She didn't even stir.
"She might be out for a while now. It'll take a while for her system to clear out the pharmacons," Echo breathed.
In the background, they could hear Wrecker complaining to Tech and Omega who fussed over him and his injuries.
Before Hunter could offer, Echo spoke instead, "I'll watch her until she wakes."
Hunter's lips parted in protest, as if to take his place by her side instead, before he was reminded of his responsibility. They needed him now more than ever. They had nowhere to go. No plan, and no missions. Their life had become a mission, the mission of survival, he realized. He nodded, stealing one last glance at the girl's now peaceful expression, before departing to the main hull.
When he'd gone, Echo looked down at the sleeping face of Talia. He was drawn back into the memory of the first time he'd seen her, the first time he'd laid eyes on this face. She had flown through the Battle of Felucia, deadly and precise in her movements. She had been a vision of strength and beauty, the 'angel of the battlefield' the clones had called her. And now here she lay, battered and bruised, tormented and broken, betrayed by the very galactic order she'd fought to protect.
They all had.
It brought a pang of great sadness to his heart as he thought of all those they'd lost along the way. What world did they live in now? Was there still a place for them in it? A clone and a Jedi, traitors to the Empire...
"Oh, Talia," he whispered, his voice reflecting the heaviness of his heart and the uncertainty of the journey that lay before them. He dared to brush the knuckles of his gloved fingers against the soft skin of her cheek. The darkness of his covered digits looked foreign against the unusual paleness of her skin, a stark contrast to the normal burnt sienna. At least they had found a new family, one perhaps they could hold on to for a while longer, until their own path was charted in the stars.
A few steps away in the main hull, Wrecker sat as Tech fussed over him with medical supplies. He reached for the stim-shot and Wrecker's eyes widened.
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey. What's that gonna do?" He hated needles.
Tech held up the syringe. "Just hold still."
Omega appeared at that moment with Wrecker's Tooka doll. She held it up for him to see.
"Is this what you were looking for?"
Wrecker gasped. "You found my Lula!" He went to reach for it and Tech injected the hypo-syringe before he could realize the deception. "Ow!"
Omega giggled.
Tech reached for his datapad. "Now, let's see here. Hold still."
Wrecker hugged his doll and pushed him away. "Don't examine me. I'm not a computer," he fussed.
"This will take just a second."
While the brothers squabbled, a foreign sight ensnared Omega's attention. Hunter watched as she approached the cockpit, like a moth to a flame. Buttons blinked and flashed, a beautiful array of machinery that entirely captivated her eager eyes. But most impressive of all were the twinkling lights that dotted the inky blank canvas beyond the viewport in all directions.
She'd only seen the stars a few times on Kamino, when the near-constant storms had ceased, allowing the nightly sky to break through the clouds. It was strange and wonderful and she knew in that moment she could spend hours just sitting here, staring at the stars.
"Your first time in space?"
She turned and found Hunter moving to join her in the cockpit.
"First time anywhere," she replied.
He paused, letting her see space. The stars. All of it.
"Impressive shot back there. Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I don't know." Omega shrugged. "I never fired a blaster before. I guess I got lucky."
"She's not the only one," Tech announced as he entered the cockpit.
He'd just finished scanning both Wrecker and Talia. While Talia's injuries were far more severe than Wrecker's, his diagnosis had been that they both would live, though Talia would still need a few days recovery.
"I'm fine," Wrecker grumbled as he plopped into one of the passenger seats. "It'll take more than a blaster shot to take me down."
"You were down," Tech pipped up from the pilot's seat.
"Yeah, well not for long," he laughed.
Tech turned in his seat. "What's the plan, Hunter?"
Hunter brought a hand to his chin. "I thought we could go off on our own. Lay low." He looked back toward the ship's end, where he could see Echo still standing by his rack where Talia lay. "But with Crosshair gunning for us, I'm not so sure."
"What about your friends?" Omega suggested. "Could any of them help us?"
"That would be a short list," Tech replied.
"I can think of one," Hunter said at last. It was the first person who came to mind at Omega's suggestion. "Plot a course for J-nineteen."
Tech nodded and turned to prep the coordinates.
Hunter turned to Omega and bent low, gesturing to the copilot's chair. "Strap in, kid. You're not gonna wanna miss this view."
She leapt into the seat with an eager smile, watching as Tech pressed various controls, his hands following muscle memory as they flew over the computer input terminals. The forward controls beeped and a low whine, rising in pitch, began to issue from the high-tech computer. She observed as he flipped one switch after another, before taking hold of the light-speed throttle.
With a push of the lever, they watched as the stars that filled the viewport turned from silver pinpricks to long streamers as the ship streaked smoothly into hyperspace, leaving Kamino far behind. Omega's eyes turned blue and white, reflecting the light of the stars. Never had she seen anything so beautiful.
Framing the backrest of her seat, Hunter smiled down at the innocence of her childlike wonder. Despite everything that had happened, he knew he would remember this moment forever, for the look on Omega's face was the purest thing in all the Galaxy.
Then an aching feeling caused his chest to tighten, and the smile was wiped off his face in the next instant. He would also remember this moment as the time he'd broken the one rule he had sworn never to break. The one rule they as a squad lived by. The first thing they'd learned as cadets: Never leave a brother behind.
He looked back before his mind could warn him otherwise, toward the shuttle's end. Echo sat now on a crate, dutifully by the side of the girl sound asleep in his bedrack. He had done it for her, and for Omega, and he found he could very well live with that choice, as long as they were safe.