#Badbatch

[aouralune]

“clone force 99 died with Tech”

Oh take me back to the night we met

He do be kinda dead bro

[pianju]

THEY GOT TO GROW OLD. THEY GOT TO GROW OLD WITH THEIR GIRL.

[avathebestx]

I love Wrecker 😭💗

[norraexploradora]

The Tragedy of the CX Troopers and the Missed Opportunity to Teach Us All an Important Lesson

A deeper look into how the CX-Troopers were handled in the Bad Batch and the narrative surrounding them that unfortunately got dropped in season 3

I want to start off by applauding the Bad Batch for the brave attempt to tackle dark topics throughout the series and presenting them in a way that is appropriate for families to watch and discuss with their children. Most of series is successful in being just dark enough to raise tension but to also keep things suitable for a child’s first glimpse into the harsh realities of life. However there still a few places that missed the mark.

The one I wish to cover today is the inconsistent narrative surrounding the CX-Troopers. I’m not here to say it was bad writing per se, but if a dark topic is discussed in a family oriented tv series, it is best to commit adequate time to truly flesh it out so the messaging is clear. Subjective is great in a mature series like Andor, but kids lack the life experience required to read between the lines.

And yes, exposition does make dialogue sound clunky at times, but there is a reason why most cartoons in the 80s had the kind of “The more you know” lesson after each episode. The Bad Batch was no different. Tech’s speech in the Crossing and his encouragement to Omega at the end of Retrieval are perfect examples of this.

In my opinion, there was an opportunity for an important lesson to be learned from the CX Troopers that was brought up but left unfinished. These shadow operatives could have been a way to show the viewer how anyone can be “brainwashed” either by force or by clever manipulation.

One operative in season 2 called himself a “Believer” which seems to evoke he was forcibly submerged into a cult-like indoctrination. It’s also why I prefer to use the phrase “coercive persuasion” or “forced persuasion” instead of brainwashing as they are a more accurate description of the process that has been historically implemented by governments, cults, and captors in order to make good people believe in or do horrible things.

Dr. Hemlock’s use of forced persuasion on select clones to turn them into CX-Troopers is a interesting look into the real world and well-documented cases of brainwashing within fascist regimes; especially in wartime settings. It is common and disturbing tactic implemented in moments of great despair and something that deserves more focus within the narrative if it is to be brought up as a major plot point.

Most of the brainwashing aspects in the Bad Batch were rapidly glossed over probably due to time and budget constraints, and not so much by the dark and disturbing imagery. One can easily get the “idea across” without showing it explicitly. (Like Crosshair having his hand chopped off. We didn’t see it but yeah, we get the gist).

I will say however, that despite the mystery surrounding brainwashing in the CX-Program, one of the more poignant moments was Captain Rex telling a caught CX Trooper that he was still their brother and that they would help him. It was a beautiful show of compassion and introduced new plot element; that the soldiers who undergo forced persuasion could possibly be reached or even saved.

It’s not a stretch to believe that the Bad Batch would take this route given the series had built up “we don’t leave our own behind” as one of the main themes. It would also be safe to say that saving fictional heroes from brainwashing gives us hope that real life survivors can recover from such trauma.

It was one of the many reasons fans were led to believe that the mysterious CX-2 operative could have been Tech or Cody. The focus on this particular shadow operative gave rise to speculation that he was different, that there was something coming to shed light or hope that a lost soldier could be found and rescued; something that would make sense of it were a character we already cared greatly about.

Alas, CX-2 was kept a mystery box that gave no insight to the tragic nature of his existence nor gave us a reason to mourn his death. That is why the battle between the Bad Batch and Hemlock’s Batch of secret operatives felt rushed and incomplete to some viewers. There wasn’t proper time for the story to breathe beyond “One Batch is good, the other Batch is bad.”

There were simply too many dropped narratives throughout the final season that reduced the whole CX Trooper plot to a video game-esque final boss battle. Don’t get me wrong, it was an amazing fight, beautifully animated, terrifying, and intense; but nevertheless, it felt hollow because the build-up went nowhere.

At that’s exactly where the narrative around the tragic nature of brainwashing got lost.

It’s important for you to know that I’m not saying the Bad Batch killing these operatives in the final fight was wrong. I’m also not saying that they should have tried to reach out to save these Shadow Operatives in the middle of of a life and death situation. It’s just unfortunate that we were never given a reason to feel anything other than relief that the CX-Troopers were killed.

And yes, this is a show about the Bad Batch and not brainwashed mystery troopers, but I stress, the writing set up these characters and introduced a very dark and disturbing concept to young viewers. With more time and effort spent on the narrative, it could have been an important lesson that applies to real life.

Coercive Persuasion is not a fantasy concept. It is very very real. Sleep deprivation, isolation, abuse, constant interrogation, drugging, shame, and humiliation, are all various means to break down a person’s will and forcibly persuade them into believing anything.

One can simply look to how many people get forced into false confessions by unethical police practices, or those who end up committing atrocities due to cult leader manipulation. A more common and less obvious example is social media outlets designed to spin conspiracy theories; coercing people into believing anything they want, like like the Earth is flat and microchips were put in Covid vaccines. By preying upon people’s anger and fear, these sites cultivate distrust and can lead one to extremist thinking.

This is real world, dark and scary stuff that needs to be handled with serious care and consideration of bringing it into an animated Star Wars series.

So given more time and budget, how could this lesson be shown through the story of the Bad Batch? How could these brainwashed operatives been presented in a way to that is scary but still gives younger audiences a way to sympathize with them?

Shedding more light on a terrifying process would remind us the CX-Troopers are victims and despite their terrifying nature, they still deserve our compassion and empathy. So giving the operatives more of a backstory is a good start.

For Example:

Showing the transformation of at least one of these operatives before the final battle would provide more emotional impact after their demise. Having kids clearly, and not subjectively, understand that under those cool costumes there used to be good men is such an important lesson. It reinforces the narrative that the real villains aren’t these soldiers but the regime that warped their minds and forced them into mindless monsters.

To be clear, this a a family series and I am in no way implying that a clear visual of lengthy torture would be acceptable. There are already hints through Crosshair’s PTSD and that is enough to get the idea across.

My suggestion would have been to place the sniper clone who eventually became CX-2 in the cell next to Crosshair while on Tantis. The viewer gradually sees these two men go back and forth to their cells after these conditioning sessions and the witness bond that forms between them. Crosshair is forced to see CX-2’s identity slip more and more away after each session until he is no longer the person he once was. The sadness and loss of seeing this man lose his identity not only leaves a mark on Crosshair, but by the viewer as well.

The scene of the shadow operative watching Crosshair on Tantiss and the one shadow operative calling him “brother” would have made more sense in retrospect. In addition, having an emotional and clear connection between Crosshair and the man who became CX-2, would have given their epic fight on top of the waterfall more emotional weight. CX-2’s line “You could have been one of us. You made the wrong choice” would be more resonant to the viewer. CX-2 would literally be a sniper shadow operative that Crosshair could have become verses a subjective mystery box.

To further this narrative and Crosshair’s character arc, making the above change to the story could have also opened the door to Crosshair eventually saving this lost brother. Omega’s determination to never give up on Crosshair could have resulted in Crosshair reaching out to CX-2 and eventually getting through to him before the final battle. It would have been so emotional and fulfilling.

And yet…as lovely as that would have been, I realize the above scenario would require at least one additional episode; which the animation team probably didn’t have the luxury or the budget to do. So I’ll offer another solution:

Adding a few minutes here and there during season 2 and the beginning of season 3 dedicated to Hemlock’s treatment to the CX-Troopers and other Clone prisoners would give the viewer a clearer picture into the nature of the CX Program. The result would be that the feeling of triumph wouldn’t be seeing the shadow operatives lying dead on the floor but knowing that the experimentation on the clones at Tantiss by Dr. Hemlock was finally over.

So in conclusion:

It’s a shame that the shadow operatives were left a mystery and simply became foils and metaphors. The fight at the end was nothing more than the Batch having to kill or be killed and it failed to showcase a serious topic with less black and white thinking.

With more time, the writers could have explored the tragedy of forced coercion. Discussing a difficult subject in a manner fit for young audiences could leave them with awareness when they are faced with a similar real world scenario.

The CX-Trooper plot could have also been a good way for a parent to discuss what coercive persuasion does to people; especially in today’s world where social media is rife with bad people luring in youth and manipulating their anger and fear into extremist thinking.

Think about it.

How does someone get so isolated that they fall prey to extremism and they end up committing acts of terrorism? How does one get indoctrinated into a cult and become so brainwashed that they take their own lives or the lives of others at the behest of a cult leader? How would an innocent person sign a confession of a crime they didn’t commit?

These are all good questions that people often ask after horrendous real life events and can regularly be seen on the daily news and social media. Having a fictional metaphor for scary real world issues that children could easily understand would be exactly the kind of thing Star Wars was created for. It was also created to give children and all of us hope.

So in the end, the lesson should have been that people who fall victim to brainwashing aren’t weak or gullible. They have been put through extreme duress and put through unethical means of isolation and manipulation.

And if there is hope for even one of the CX-Troopers to be saved, we as a society should have empathy and try to reach out to those in our own lives who have been a victim of coercive persuasion before writing them off.

Disclaimer:

One thing I’ve learned in life is that platforms like Twitter are not places for deep discussions and good faith arguments. You have a set number of letters to get your ideas across and interpreting the meaning or tone always leads to misunderstandings.

That is why I’m coming to to Tumblr to discuss my deep dives into season 3 of the Bad Batch. I am the type of person who doesn’t like angry, confrontational sparring over ideas.

My goal is to shed light on a different perspective; not to make anyone agree with me, but just to understand that we can all watch the same show and interpret things differently due to our own life experiences. By explaining my viewpoints, I’m showing you into my thought process. You are certainly free to disagree but I’m not trying to change your feelings on the matter, nor do I wish for anyone to forcibly change mine.

We can all exist in the same space and I encourage anyone who has a different view to write an analysis of their own instead of arguing in anyone’s comment section. Be kind and respectful and most of all, remember this is fiction and subjective interpretation. There are so many things to be really angry about in the world and Star Wars is the least of our worries.

Cheers and as always, May the Force be with you!

[badbatchsprincess]

Heated ~ pt. 3

Pt.1 ~ Pt.2 ~ Pt.3 ~ Pt.4 ~ Pt.5 ~ Pt.6 ~ Pt.7 ~ Pt.8 ~ Pt.9 ~ Pt.10 ~Pt.11 ~ Pt.12 ~ Pt.13 ~ Pt.14 ~ Pt.15 ~ Pt.16 ~ Pt.17 ~ Pt.18 ~ Pt.19 ~ Pt.20 ~ Pt.21 ~ Pt.22 ~ Pt.23 ~ Pt.24 ~ Pt.25

Masterlist

Summary: This is an ABO Bad batch!Poly x Omega Reader smut with a plot. This takes place as an AU before order 66. Y/N previously served under the 501st before being transferred to Special Forces 99. This is her adventure with these rowdy Alphas in a quickly changing universe.

THIS IS AN ABO AU ABOUT THE BAD BATCH (NO CANON OMEGA!) Due to the unfortunate situation of her name being Omega… Omega the child from the canon series is not going to be apart of this fanfic/porn with a plot. I feel obligated to put this warning in because it makes my skin crawl thinking anyone could make that mistake. 

Warnings: Some suggestive themes regarding heat cycles and general awkwardness. Also Layla is a playful omega causing trouble for the boys.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

A sweet scent filled your nose, drawing you slowly from your slumber. Reaching out with your hand, you were met with the softest sheets you’ve felt in a long time. A silky hand lightly traced along your cheek and combed back your hairline in a soothing manner. You leaned into the touch, finally starting to come back to consciousness.

“Hey, pretty girl,” a saccharine female voice lulled you back.

You groaned, feeling the aches returning to your body as your eyes fluttered.

With a slow blink, you winced at how bright the lights were, longing to return to the comforting darkness behind your eyes.

“Her vitals are coming back,” the voice said, moving to brush your hair away from your face. “You can get the General now.”

You finally started to adjust to the white lights. Looking around, you took in the stark hospital room, along with the massive window of stars to your left. Sitting on the stool next to you was a face you didn’t expect to see outside the field.

“Layla?” you croaked, feeling how hoarse your voice had become.

“Hey,” she gave you a sweet smile, never leaving your side.

“Where…?” you tried sitting up, but she gently kept you lying down with a small, manicured hand. “W-where am I?”

You recognized the room as a Republic vessel. This certainly wasn’t the Marauder.

“You’re on General Skywalker’s Venator,” she informed you.

You scrunched your nose in confusion. “H-how?”

“Your squad brought you here,” she kept combing your scalp with her nails. “You had a pretty bad accident.”

You stared at her, struggling to piece together the events that led you here. How had you ended up back on Skywalker's ship? Wasn't he on Coruscant for repairs?

"Why are you here? You never leave the clinic," you noted, trying to make sense of the situation.

"I wouldn't have, but I was with the boys when they received the call," Layla explained, with a sweet smile. "They thought I should come and be with you. And there was no way my boss was turning down a directive from General Skywalker."

You sighed, still grappling with confusion. Where was your squad? Was the 501st here? Your mind raced with questions until Layla offered you a glass of ice-cold water, which you eagerly accepted.

You looked down at your hands, seeing the deep purple bruises on your left wrist along with the scraps and cuts. Suddenly, you started to remember what happened. The wild look in Hunter’s eyes as he manhandled you around the ship. The way he threw you like a rag doll, trying to tear the implant out of you. You gasped and went to touch your shoulder where he had cut you.

Layla watched you with concern. "It's okay. We patched you up. The sniper did a decent job, but you passed out when they brought you on board."

"What?" you looked at her, recalling Crosshair's unexpected assistance and protection.

You remembered his uncharacteristic behavior, both his hostility and his unexpected care. It was a jarring contrast to his usual demeanor.

“Strange Alpha,” she smiled. “He snarled at us when we tried to get you to the medical wing. He only agreed to let you go when he realized omegas would be treating you. I thought he was going to take Kix’s head off. He carried you all the way up here.”

You looked at her with shock in your eyes. Crosshair? He doesn’t give a crap about anyone… Especially not you…

“If you knew him, you’d be shocked hearing that,” you tried to laugh, but your throat was killing you. She laughed.

Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps signaled the arrival of General Skywalker. With a kind smile, he greeted Layla before turning his attention to you, offering a warm embrace that elicited a wince from your still-aching body. You didn’t miss the way Layla’s cheeks flushed pink in his presence. 

"Explain yourself," he teased, though his eyes held a hint of concern. "I thought you were tired of taking beatings, which is why you left us."

You chuckled weakly, feeling a pang of guilt at his playful reproach. You knew he and the others were likely unsettled by your departure. They didn’t like their pack mates straying too far.

"If I had known this was in store, I would have stayed," you joked, gesturing to your bruises. "Your hair has gotten long," you noted, observing its length.

An amused smirk played across his lips. 

"Can someone tell me what happened?" you asked, still bewildered. "How did I end up here? Where's my unit? Is Hunter okay?"

Anakin hesitated, exchanging a glance with Layla before responding. "Sergeant Hunter? He's alive," he assured you, explaining the situation as best he could.

“He’s alive?” you asked confirming. “I-I had, I had to…” you remembered pulling the trigger. The sound his blaster made and the look on his face when he realized what you did. The monitors next to your head started beeping faster with your anxious heart rate.

“He’s alive,” Anakin said trying to calm you. “They had to run some tests on him to make sure the chemical compounds were out of his system. I-I didn’t know exactly what happened until your pilot informed me. He said the Sergeant was exposed to drugs that caused him to attack you…”

“He brutalized her,” Layla growled, looking you over. You were covered head to toe in bruises. Layla had cried when she saw the cut he had made, tearing out your implant, then the bruises. When she had peeled Crosshair’s shirt from you, she had sobbed seeing the bruises littering your entire form.

You lowered your eyes to the sheets, starting to feel like you were going to cry again.

“He didn’t know what he was doing. He wasn’t in his right mind,” you whispered, feeling guilty for shooting him.

Anakin sighed and placed a hand on your shoulder, trying to console you.

“You did what you had to do, Tiny,” Anakin reminded you. “He’s a soldier. He understands that.”

Layla huffed. Omegas understood alphas can be cruel. That’s just the universe we live in. But it was eating up your friend to see the damage you withstood.

“We are working with the survivor. She’s trying to help us understand what happened to your Sergeant. But until then…” he stood up and walked to the door, “You have a lot of very anxious pack members waiting to see you.”

He opened the door, and not a moment later, two blurs of white and blue came barreling into the room.

“Tiny!” Fives and Jesse flung themselves on top of you. Anakin left with a smile, leaving you to be dog-piled by his men.

“Ugh!” you barked on impact. Jesse snuggled into your side while Fives curled up on your feet. Just like pups. You winced as their armor collided with the fresh bruises.

“Tiny, I thought you died!” Jesse wailed, clinging onto your side.

“I’m okay,” you petted his head.

“I’ll get some more bacta for those bruises,” Layla giggled and stood up, leaving the boys to rub up on you with their comforting scents.

“I was worried,” Fives squeezed your ankle. “We had just gotten to the hangar when we got the distress call.”

“How did you get here?” you asked.

“We met you halfway. The cruiser was en route for Naboo. Crait was one system over, so we just met in the middle. You had us all types of worried, even the General.”

“Are you hungry?” Layla asked suddenly.

You nodded. You couldn’t even remember the last time you ate. She left the room, presumably to get something from the mess.

“What happened out there?” Fives asked.

“Hunter got hit with something and went crazy. I had to shoot him,” you felt the tears coming back.

“Aw,” Jesse hugged you, “It’s okay, Tiny.”

“It doesn’t feel okay,” you whimpered, letting the tears fall. “He’s my Sergeant. I didn’t know what else to do. I was so worried I had killed him.”

Jesse just hugged you. They all knew about your aversion to guns. You spent your days patching up the aftermath; you never wanted to participate in the violence.

“Where’s Kix?” you asked, rubbing your eyes.

“He’s treating your Sergeant,” Fives chirped.

“And the others?”

“Who? The 99’s?”

“Yeah. They’re pacing a hole in the hangar bay floor,” Jesse chuckled.

“You should have just stayed back on base, Tiny,” Fives nudged you. “Could’ve been curled up with the Commander right now.”

You screeched and slapped him, “I almost died, and you’re making jokes?” Your grin gave you away. It totally wasn’t the racing heart monitor beeping aggressively in the background.

 The three of you laughed. It felt so good to have them with you; it made the constant body aches more tolerable. You missed your pack more than anything. You hadn’t ever fully recovered after Ahsoka leaving. None of you did. It felt like a massive hole every time you saw the boys. That’s why you had to go too. You had to get away for a bit. You saw the heartbreak in their eyes, but you knew it’s what you needed. But this, this was starting to make you feel like you belonged again, even without the rowdy togruta that made you all smile.

Layla returned with a steaming platter of whatever food they had in the mess. She settled back down next to you, setting it in your lap.

“Mmm,” you groaned, smelling the braised Shaak roast. You grabbed the spork and dug in. Jesse leaned over, snagging a piece of the meat and slurped it down. Layla scolded him, trying to protect your meal from their grabby hands.

You just giggled and listened to their stories about their most recent trip down to Naboo’s surface with intrigue while you finished off your food. You could have licked the plate and would have if there weren’t people watching.

While you were sipping the last of the blue milk, Layla took your tray from you and set it down on the nightstand. “The Sergeant has been medically cleared. I just wanted to let you know.”

You looked up at her, “Can I go see him?”

The three just looked at you a little uneasy.

“Are you sure?” Layla asked, clearly concerned for your mental well-being. The man did just brutally attack you not even 24 standard hours ago.

You nodded. You were sure. The guilt was eating you alive.

“Okay,” she nodded and helped you stand up. She helped you slip into a pair of loose white sweatpants and tied them around your hips. The boys turned away when she helped peel the gown off of you. You winced, raising your hands over your head, feeling every muscle burn and ache. She gently wrapped a fresh set of bindings over your breasts and lowered a loose white T-shirt, some of the physical therapy patients used in treatment. The material was soft and stretchy. You liked it. It was so much better than the cotton surgical gown.

“You can look,” you said to the boys, and they got up to help with your walk down to the hangar bay. Layla insisted you at least put on a pair of socks against the freezing floor while Fives wrapped your arm around his and Jesse supported your waist as the four of you made a slow journey down to the hangar bay. You practically let them carry you, quickly realizing you should have asked for a high dose pain killer. Hunter really had done a number on you.

“Are you sure about this, Y/N?” Layla asked one last time.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” you nodded, “I just need to make sure he’s okay with my own eyes.”

Layla nodded and held the lift door open while you and the boys shuffled out into the hangar bay. Over to the left, you saw the Marauder parked next to a row of assault transports and drop ships.

“Woah,” Layla said, shocked at the sheer size of the military ships. You had forgotten she’s never been aboard a Venator before.

“Impressive, huh?” Fives laughed at her wide eyes.

They stopped when you made it around the corner. Over next to the Marauder was your unit sitting on some ammunition crates talking with the scientist from Crait, Rex, and General Skywalker. You stood there holding onto Fives when Tech noticed you. He perked up, getting Hunter’s attention. The Sergeant whipped his head around, staring at you. The first thing you noticed was the many layers of bandages wrapped around his middle and his shredded top. You could have thrown up seeing what you did to him. He still wore his lower armor, but his top was barely holding on by a few threads.

“Pip!” Wrecker yelled, getting everyone else’s attention.

You let go of Fives and slowly made your way over to the Sergeant. He stood there and lowered his gaze, unable to look you in the eyes. Your heart broke. You could see the guilt eating him up. Skywalker watched the Sergeant carefully in case anything changed suddenly; he wasn’t entirely sure how you were going to react. When you were close enough to him, you broke out into a jog, unable to bear it any longer. Letting out a low whine, you threw yourself at him, wrapping yourself into his chest.

He was shocked, standing there unsure what to do. He had expected you to tell Skywalker to execute him on the spot. Slowly, he lowered his arms and embraced you gently, still afraid to touch you. He didn’t want to hurt you again, no matter how warm your embrace was.

He smelled your tears before he saw them, and his heart shattered.

“I’m sorry,” you cried, pressing yourself further into his chest. You were desperate for his forgiveness; he could smell it all over you. But once again, he was shocked.

“Why are you sorry, Pip?” he looked down at you. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Crosshair grunted from behind them.

“I-I thought I killed you,” you sighed, feeling guilty for hurting him.

He let you go despite your protests and kneeled down in front of you. "I’m the one who is sorry, adi’ka," he said earnestly, now seeing all the damage he caused: bruises in the shape of his hands on your neck and arms. The smell emanating from him made you cry even more, and he felt terrible, the poor alpha. You knelt down with him and pressed yourself into him again, trying to comfort him. "Look what I did to you," his voice choked with emotion.

He was so upset and horrified. "You should hate me right now," he said.

"It wasn’t you, Sarge," you croaked out, trying to coax him into embracing you again. "And I hurt you. I could have�� I-I—" You stuttered, looking at the side you put a bullet through, biting your lip until it bled. He let go of any restraint and wrapped his arms around you, tucking your head into his neck.

"I’m so sorry, adi’ka," he whispered, petting down your hair and holding you close.

The others watched the interaction in silence. Even the scientist, who was just getting to know these people, observed with curiosity, trying to understand your dynamic with these defective alpha clones.

"But next time," he pulled back, making you look him in the eyes, "you put that bullet in my head, or any alpha that ever hurts you. Do you understand?"

You just looked up at him, chewing on your lip, and gave him a little nod. He wiped your tears with his thumb and pulled you back into him. "You’re lucky, pip. It’s hard to stop an alpha like that. You’re a very strong omega."

You sat there shaking and bonding back with your sergeant, giving him the same comfort you needed. The others slowly returned to their conversation, but you two remained on the floor, sitting near one another. You kept yourself wrapped around his arm while he petted your damaged wrist, trying to soothe away the bruises.

"What possessed your team to go to Crait?" Skywalker questioned the scientist. She adjusted the thermal blanket around herself, appearing cleaner than before. She must have been able to shower and run a comb through her hair. It was a stark difference from when Wrecker had brought her on board the Marauder.

"We were informed that separatist forces were opening mining operations on Crait. We were instructed to figure out what they were looking for," she said. "When we realized the dangers of the compounds, it was already too late. My only speculation was that they figured out that the spice from Crait was different and it could affect your designations so drastically."

"What happened to your team?" Rex asked.

"I had a team of omegas," she said, looking at you. "They died from extreme heat symptoms. Their systems just gave out."

"And that explains what happened to Hunter?" Tech asked, noting everything down on his datapad.

"I believe so," she said, looking to the sergeant who protectively surrounded you. "It has all the normal symptoms of a spice high, but for the designations, it seems to elicit a different response. Omegas go into an incurable heat, and alphas become… something else."

You shivered, making Hunter tighten his hold.

"Why are the separatists collecting this spice?" Crosshair’s silvery voice cut in.

"I don’t have any confirmation on my theory, but—" She looked around at everyone present. "You have an entire army of Alphas. I can only imagine what would happen when they’re exposed on the battlefields… You’d all go mad."

"Thousands of rutting alphas in close proximity," Rex sighed. "They’d turn on one another."

She nodded.

General Skywalker immediately left to make a call with the council to report the findings. Hunter stood up, pulling you up with him before lifting you and setting you on one of the ammo crates. His alpha instincts were itching, desperate to care for you. He grabbed a spare blanket from under Tech and wrapped it around you before tucking you into a little cocoon.

Tech and the others watched in amusement, seeing their leader fuss about how wrapped up you were in the wool fabric.

You just smiled and let him get it out of his system, knowing he couldn’t help it. You both went through such a trauma. It was all part of the reconciliation ritual between an alpha and omega. You got a little emotional, realizing he may even view you as a pack member with how he’s acting. You’d make sure to ask him later on.

Then Layla dumped a metaphorical ice bucket on the two of you. "There’s something else I have to tell you, Y/N," she said, stepping forward, careful not to get in Hunter’s way.

"Hmm?" you asked, starting to feel a little giddy with all the attention.

"I-I…" Her face betrayed her soft-spoken nurse voice. She looked anxious. "I wasn’t able to give you a replacement implant… neither of you."

Hunter stopped what he was doing and looked at the medic.

She continued nervously, "We tested your hormones and found alpha pheromones in your bloodstream. It’s sending you into a breakout heat. We can’t give you another implant until you do."

Hunter suddenly lifted his hands from you and stepped back, realizing what he was doing. The two of you didn’t have effective suppressants and were acting like a bonding pair. It was your scent driving him to do all of this. He flashed back to him licking at your wounds on the ship. He could shoot himself at this very moment; the guilt was setting in again.

He looked at the medic. "What does that mean?"

You were a little annoyed he wasn’t touching you anymore, but you looked to your friend. "I have to have a heat?" You could cry.

She nodded, still keeping her distance from the alpha, not wanting to be perceived as a threat. "I was going to wait a bit and hope you’d have more time, but you’re both displaying traits that have me a little concerned."

"Well then we’ll have to keep them separate," Fives pointed out.

Hunter made a low growl.

Layla made a face as Hunter proved her point. Rex just crossed his arms and walked forward. "We can’t have an omega in heat on this ship. We have suppressors for a reason. She’ll force everyone into a rut, and then it would be a disaster around here.”

Layla also didn’t like the idea of being trapped on a ship full of horny alphas.

“So then what do we do?” Wrecker asked.

Hunter moved to get closer to you again, but Crosshair tutted, flipping the firepuncher to stun. The sergeant stopped and looked at his brother challengingly.

“You take her down to Naboo,” Crosshair said, keeping his weapon trained on his brother. “Leave her at a heat center and put Hunter back on his suppressors.”

You whined, not liking that idea either.

“Absolutely not,” Hunter and the other 501st boys objected.

“You don’t have a choice,” Crosshair drawled. “She’s slipping quickly, and there’s no other solution. I can smell her through the suppressants.”

“Crosshair would be correct,” Tech agreed. “I see there are five locations just in Theed. And while I acknowledge that heat centers are not ideal places, there is no one here equipped to assist Y/N without mating with her. Which we also know is not an option.”

You gulped when they all looked at you. Suddenly, you were starting to feel warm, knowing Crosshair was correct. You realized you didn’t have much time.

“I’ll take her,” Layla offered, knowing Hunter would put up the least resistance with her.

“You need a pilot,” Echo stood up. “I’ll come with. We’ll keep an eye on her,” he said to Hunter, trying to convince him to stand down.

Hunter’s scent was getting stronger by the second, and they knew you wouldn’t budge without his direct consent.

“Vod,” Crosshair urged.

Hunter looked at you with soft eyes. “Is that what you want, adi’ka?”

You tightened the blanket around yourself. “They’re right. I don’t have a choice,” your voice was meek.

He knew you were scared; he could hear your heart fluttering and your anxiety filled his nose.

He begrudgingly stepped to the side, allowing you to slide off the crate and limp over to Layla. She gave a quick goodbye before helping you over to one of the smaller transports. Rex gave the clearance while the other boys ran to fetch your clothes and shoes.

Crosshair kept his rifle aimed at Hunter while he fought all of his instincts to board the transport with you.

“It’s better this way,” Crosshair offered his consolation.

Hunter was devastated watching the transport leave the hangar bay and make a direct line to Theed.

“Alright, buddy, open up,” Wrecker tossed the bottle of suppressors at Hunter, who caught it and groaned before popping two in his mouth with a growl.

The heat center was nicer than you imagined. Everything in Naboo was actually so beautiful. You haven’t even been but you’d heard stories from some of the troopers. The whole planet was stunning, but the care put into all of their buildings was hypnotizing. 

You stared up at the art inside the dome ceiling while Layla and Echo checked you into the system. A protocol droid waddled up to you taking your small amount of belongings before walking you to your designated suite. You waved to Layla and Echo before disappearing down the stone hallway. Everything was starting to get foggy in your mind. You couldn’t even remember what Layla had said to you before she left. 

You were a little nervous. You had two years of suppressants to work off. You knew this was going to be a grueling week. 

“Here you go Mistress Y/N” The 3PO- Protocol droid opened the door for you, “This will be your home for the week.” 

You stepped inside smelling the sterile cleaning supplies inside the lush room. There was an area with a holoscreen, a small living room, a kitchen, bedroom, and full bath. This was way better than any place on Coruscant. You looked around getting familiar with the space. 

“Food will be delivered three times a day, but the door will remain locked until you’ve been cleared. It’s a safety precaution  for the other guests.” The droid rattled on setting your things down on the dresser top. 

“There will be round the clock medical care if needed. If you need anything please let us know.” It finished its routine before scuttling back to the door and closing it behind it. You heard the locks slide into place and settled in. 

It didn’t take long at all for the warmth to shoot up through your body again. You changed back into the comfier therapy clothes you had in the hangar bay before settling onto the couch to turn on the holonet. You preened at the smell of Hunter still lingering on your clothes. You had rubbed up against him leaving his smokey scent all over the soft fabric. You picked up the front of your shirt and brought it to your nose inhaling the scent. 

Shit. You didn’t remember it feeling like this. The warmth became scalding forcing you up onto your feet. You made a beeline for the bathroom turning on the fresher to cold. You stripped out of your clothes and stepped into the glass shower letting the cold water drench you. 

You sighed feeling the relief. That was then the slick started to produce between your legs. You whined trying to wash it away. When you were satisfied with being somewhat clean. You shut the water off and grabbed a towel wrapping it around yourself. 

A wave of cramps hit you making you yelp and double over. 

“Kriff.” You shouted feeling like you’d been hit by a bantha. What the hell did you sign up for. 

Crawling over to the bed you brought the clothing with you feeling the urge to start forming a nest. The cramping began to ebb the more you leaned into instinct. You rearranged the pillows to surround you along with the comforter and sheets. You placed the scented clothing right up against your nose obsessively breathing it in like oxygen.

You groaned feeling more cramps churning your insides. You reached down between your legs feeling the wetness spreading everywhere. You ran your fingers through your folds before settling on your clit. Desperate for some relief you began circling the nerves making yourself twitch. Your orgasm came quickly but it barely took the edge off. You were craving more. You needed to be filled and stretched. You craved a rough fucking. You tried again but once again it didn’t do much. You wailed and tossed and turned praying for relief. You really had wished you stayed with the Commander or let the Venator to fall into madness because right now you needed an Alpha. A big, strong, powerful alpha.

You wanted the Sargent…

~~~

When Layla came to collect you eight days later, she said you looked like a drowned rat.

The cleaning droids had come and gone, leaving the place sterile once again. They had washed your clothes, repaired your uniform, and shined your boots, leaving them outside the bedroom in a neat pile.

You felt yourself come back to yourself on the sixth day, but you weren’t totally back to normal. The box of toys left for your convenience had been thoroughly dirtied, along with all of the soft fabrics in your nest. You had even shredded the clothing scented by Hunter on one particularly bad night. The droids had pried the ripped-up fabric out of your pathetic grip and disposed of it, insisting it was a safety hazard, whatever that meant. On the seventh day, a medical droid determined you were out of the thick of it. The droid had also informed you that your bruises had healed entirely.

You were starving and dehydrated. The droids had left food, but you didn’t care one bit during the week. You couldn’t snap out of the frenzy long enough to eat anything anyway. Usually, an alpha has to command you to eat, and without that, you were lost to the madness of the heat.

Layla had helped brush your hair after your final bath. You had scrubbed down in scent-neutralizing soaps before slipping into the repaired Republic uniform. She put your hair in a simple braid, trying to keep the knots out. You munched down on the lunch served to you and happily drank the water, making your friend happy. You popped two bacta pills for the soreness and called it a mission complete.

When it was officially time to go, you thanked the droids before stepping outside with Layla.

“I’m almost scared to ask,” she sighed, interlocking your arms.

“It was horrible,” you shook your head, “Like the place was nice, but it’s been so long I almost forgot.”

She hummed, “That’s why you gotta find a hot alpha.”

“Well, I almost had one, but everyone tore us apart,” you nudged her playfully.

She gasped, “You’re a little-”

“What?” you laughed, “You said it first.”

“He looked like he was going to bend you over that container before I said something,” she pinched you and you squealed.

“Maker help us,” you smiled, noticing Echo waiting awkwardly in the lobby.

“I wonder what he’s like,” she whispered before Echo could hear. You just gave her a playful look. You had a feeling Hunter was a more dominant Alpha. He was a sergeant, after all. But especially since you’ve been on the receiving end of his full strength, you know he could manhandle you like you weighed nothing.

“I had a whole week to think about it,” you thought about how you had run your voice hoarse crying out for your sergeant. The omega in you had nearly snapped from him not being present. The scent on your clothes acted as a cruel torture.

“Hi Tiny,” Echo smiled sweetly. You skipped forward and hugged him.

“Miss me Echo?” you beamed.

“Always Tiny,” he ruffled your head, “You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I think so,” you laughed awkwardly, “Do I smell?”

“No, you’re all clear,” he took your shoulders in his grip and led you out of the building towards the waiting transport.

“Yay,” you were excited to get back to the Venator. You were hoping Anakin would let your unit stay until you received a new mission. You missed having so much personal space.

The ride back to the Venator was short from the surface of Naboo. Echo pulled into the hangar bay and set the transport down softly. You suddenly got a little nervous to face your unit. Not saying what you went through this past week was shameful by any means, it was just a bit awkward that they knew what had just happened. They knew way too much.

“I want to get your new implant in if that’s alright with you, Y/N,” Layla said, stepping off the ship with you. You nodded and opted to follow her out of the hangar bay and into the medical wing.

“I’m heading back to Coruscant now that I know you’re okay. Fives and the boys said that General Kenobi was supposed to be arriving soon with his unit. I just wanted to let you know. I think I’m heading out tonight after dinner.”

“Aw, okay,” you sighed, wishing you had some more time with your friend, “How was living on a Venator for a week?” you nudged her.

She smiled, “I don’t know how you think straight with so many hot alphas running around.” The troopers posted at the doorways perked up.

“It was weird at first, but most of them are alright,” you smiled, “Especially Rex’s boys. They’re very sweet.”

“Sweet?” her tone shifted to something sultry, “I wanna ride that captain.”

Multiple troopers walking by whipped their heads around to stare at your friend as you passed. You turned red and ducked your head laughing.

“Layla!” you chastised.

She just smirked, “I got a thing for blondes.”

“Oh my god.”

“…and authority.”

“Layla!” you screeched, turning down towards the medical wing.

“Have you seen the way he holds that gun?” she bit her lip, “Ugh, being an omega around all these soldiers is really difficult.”

“I’m going to throw you into a cold shower,” you pleaded for her to stop.

She loved making you loosen up and gossip with her. You had seen her during your trainee days and knew she was a little wild omega. The way she had those alphas in the club wrapped around her manicured finger always kept you entertained.

“I saw him out of the armor,” she mused, “Right after training. Mmm. I almost fell to my-.”

You rounded the corner to the medical exam room, finding said Captain and his boys waiting in the lobby, helmets in hand. They all turned to face the two of you, making you stop in your tracks and snap your mouth shut.

“Oh, hi Captain,” Layla’s voice was saccharine as she gave him a little wave and a once-over.

You giggled, walking forward through the crowd stifling both of your laughs.

“Layla,” he gave her a proper nod, “Tiny, you’re back?”

You panicked, “Yes, sir,” it came out more flustered than you had wished.

Rex raised a brow.

The boys watched you two disappear behind the divider curtains. You turned to her and silently made a funny face at her which she returned, “Yes, sir?” she mimicked silently before grabbing her injector kit.

“What was that all about?” Kix asked, looking up from his datapad.

You didn’t miss the way some of the boys tried to silently laugh at the very awkward interaction.

“Nothing, Kix,” you smirked.

Layla bit her lip, “Up,” she patted the table.

You jumped up, moving your collar out of the way. She sterilized the injection site before placing the mechanism up to your skin. As Layla finished administering the implant, she couldn't resist adding a playful jab. 

"Try to keep this one inside you this time," she quipped, her tone laden with mischief.

Kix, caught off guard, choked on his own breath, nearly dropping his datapad in surprise. His eyes widened as he struggled to compose himself, realizing the unintended innuendo.

Tiny yelped at Layla's crude joke, a mix of embarrassment and amusement coloring her cheeks. She shot a quick glance at Kix, who was now sporting a flustered expression, his cheeks flushed.. 

More snickering erupted from behind the privacy curtain, where the other troopers couldn't contain their amusement at the exchange.

"I'll try my best," Tiny replied, her voice tinged with laughter, trying to diffuse the tension. But the mischievous glint in Layla's eyes hinted that she was far from finished.

Before Kix could recover from his embarrassment, Layla leaned in conspiratorially, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You know, Kix, I've heard suppressant injections can be quite stimulating."

Kix's eyes widened even further, if that were possible, as he struggled to find a response, his mind clearly racing to keep up with Layla's playfulness. She bent over giving him a good look up her uniform skirt when she grabbed the bin of implant cartridges.

Tiny, trying to contain her laughter, shot Layla a warning look, silently pleading for her to stop before things got even more awkward. But Layla, clearly enjoying herself, wasn't about to let up.

"Just be careful not to get too excited," Layla added with a mischievous grin, before finally pushing Tiny out of the exam room.

As they emerged from behind the curtains, Tiny couldn't help but blush furiously, knowing that the entire 501st garrison had likely overheard the entire exchange. But Layla seemed unfazed, her playful demeanor still intact as she greeted the troopers with a sly smile.

The sight of Kix, still visibly flustered, only added to the amusement of the moment, as the troopers exchanged knowing glances and suppressed giggles. Just as you passed through the curtains, she gave you a sharp slap on the ass and a wink before turning back to her injector. Your cheeks burned hot pink as most of the 501st garrison looked at you with varying smirks.

You gasped and covered your mouth, refusing to look Rex or anyone in the eye before scurrying out of the lobby. You could feel everyone’s eyes glaring into the back of your head. I’m going to kill Layla.

“Alright, who’s here for a replacement?” you heard Layla’s teasing voice behind you. Then a symphony of troopers were suddenly vying for her attention, just begging to go first.

With a sigh, you’d had your fun, you realized you needed to show face with at least one member of your unit so they knew you were still alive.

Even though you had absolutely no clue where they could be. If it was up to Wrecker, they’d be in the mess. If it was Tech, they’d be in the engine room, probably causing curiosity-based chaos. Crosshair would be in the armory, and Hunter? He’d probably be in the barracks somewhere. You decided you weren’t in the mood for guessing and just pulled out your com device, “Hey, is anyone there?” you asked.

You waited a few seconds before Wrecker answered, “Pip is that you? Are you back?” he sounded happy.

“Yeah, Wrek, where are you guys?”

“We're in the barracks,” Tech replied.

“Okay, I’m coming,” you turned around, walking in the other direction.

The walk to the barracks was short. A couple of nice troopers pointed you in the right direction, and before you realized, you were there. The massive blast door was hard to miss. The door slid open, revealing your unit lying around in various bunks. Tech sat, legs crossed, leaning against the headboard of a lower bunk, messing with the electronics of his helmet, while Crosshair took the top. He was tossing and catching what looked like a silver ball into the air while swinging his long leg off the side in front of Tech’s face. Wrecker was in the center of the room, chowing down on a ration bar, while Hunter and Echo sat facing one another in the middle of a conversation.

“Pip!” Wrecker put down his ration bar and ran over to you. “Hi, Wrek, ahh!” you screamed as the big guy wrapped his behemoth arms around you and lifted you off the ground like a little tooka cat.

“Wrecker, put her down,” Hunter chastised.

“Ugh, fine,” he settled you back down gently before stepping back and grinning down at you, “I missed Pip. The pack wasn’t the same without you.” Your heart fluttered at the thought that he saw you as pack.

“I missed you too, Wrecker,” you smiled.

“How was the heat center?” Tech asked, looking up from his tools.

You shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed, but you had to clear the bantha in the room. You knew they had to be curious. “Ehh,” you bit your lip tilting you palm side to side, “It was far better than any place on Coruscant but nothing I’d like to repeat anytime soon.”

“It had good reviews on the holonet,” Tech replied.

You giggled. Of course, he studied the reviews.

“You look thin,” Crosshair pointed out, displeased, “Did they even feed you?”

“Thanks, Cross,” your mood soured, feeling a little self-conscious, “And yes, they gave me food.”

He snarked and went back to tossing his toy around in the air.

“I’m shocked the GAR didn’t send you guys on a mission somewhere while I was gone,” you said, realizing how bored they appeared. Had they really been here the whole time?

“Command heard about what happened. I think they felt bad and decided to give us a small break until you got back,” Hunter said sympathetically, standing up from his bunk.

You just nodded. He looked at you strangely. You were hoping he didn’t still feel guilty.

“And,” he shifted to one side, looking uncomfortable, “They want to know if you desire a unit transfer after everything that’s happened…” he looked deflated.

Wrecker whined from behind you clearly upset with that possibility. You looked at him and the others, realizing how sad they looked at Hunters news. 

“A transfer?” you clarified.

Hunter nodded his head.

“They want to know if you don’t feel comfortable,” Echo said calmly.

You just stood there a little in shock.

“We’d understand if that was the case, Y/N,” Hunter said, trying to be the good sergeant. You gave it a moment of thought before turning to look at Wrecker, who looked dejected.

“No.”

“No?” Hunter repeated, sounding relieved.

“No,” you crossed your arms, “I’m not leaving… Do you want me to leave?”

Hunter shifted a little, “I don’t want you making a decision based on our feelings. We’ll be okay if that’s what you want.”

“You’re my pa-…you’re my squad,” you stood your ground, feeling a little insecure. You didn’t miss the way Crosshair stopped for a moment at your slip up. Did they not want to work with you now? Did you and Hunter mess up the dynamic? You couldn’t smell it, but you were certain Hunter could pick up on your stress.

“Pip is staying!” Wrecker was jovial. He was pumping his fists in the air like a little kid.

“I’m relieved to hear you are still wanting to work with us, Y/N,” Tech looked at you.

Echo got up and gave you a hug, “I was worried I was going to be losing my favorite stakeout buddy.”

You hugged him back, “I’m not going anywhere as long as you’ll all have me.”

They just smiled and started to settle back in.

“So what do we do now?” Crosshair asked. Clearly, none of them have ever been trapped on a Venator for long periods of time with nothing to do.

“We wait for orders,” Hunter said, sitting back on his bunk.

You slipped off your boots and curled up on the bunk next to theirs. You had a week of sleep to catch up on, and frankly, you were just excited to have a proper mattress to sleep on and you could move on from this horribly awkward situation. 

You were positive the missions would come rolling in soon. You guys were the best after all.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

I loved writing the Layla scenes so much. I'm hoping now that we have a baseline for the story I'll finally be bale to start working on Y/N's relationship with the bad batch.

To join the tag list comment down below!

@substantial-exposure

[rainydaydream-gal18]

I break my unintentional hiatus to bring the Bad Batch fandom this.

Thanks to this squad, the number 99 catches my eye!

[doctor-lewin]

Not the usual art that I post here, but I wanted to share something amazing I got to do the past two days at Steel City Con!

Got two signatures from Dee Bradley Baker, cool photos with other cosplayers with my Tech helmet, and I got to see him during a QnA panel! Truly something amazing as a huge fan of The Bad Batch and especially Tech! 🧡

»»———————————————————

[underworldqueen13]

Look I just think some of my faves deserve to be soft and chubby.

Kallus: hell yeah

Clones: you betcha (especially the ones neglected by the fandom. They get my love too)

Darth maul: definitely! Mans needs a quiet life enjoying good food and soft blankets.

Obi wan: you know in reality anytime he hears the name Skywalker he binges anything he can to get through.

What can I say, the best remedy for any character hands down is enough food to feed a small village and a comfy place to rest.

[maddywillow]

These two brothers will always look out for eachother 🥺

[aouralune]

HAUNTED

Sorry for the inactivity 😭😭

I’m really busy atm 😭🫶

[pianju]

never thought we’d get yoga-mom-zen crosshair but we just keep winning

[avathebestx]

SPOLIERS

The way Echo and Hunter CONSTANTLY and I mean CONSTANTLY looked at each other for approval means some sort of bonding happened when they went looking for those nerf nuggets. They went from like be fine with each other to mom and dad like what did we miss Jennifer?!?! ☝️😭

Not 1…

Not 2…

BUT 3 TIMES AND ITS STILL GOING-

[norraexploradora]

Calling on all the artists and writers who loved Tech from the Bad Batch, who felt that his story wasn’t complete and ended unfairly because it was only just to raise fictional stakes and consequences:

Fuel that anger and upset. Keep it with you and hold it close so that when the time comes and you are able to write, direct, animate, or publish your own story, you’ll get to control the narrative!

It may not be Tech from the Bad Batch but it could easily be a character inspired by him.

Always remember that pain, sadness, and disappointment you felt when they wrote him off. Think about how angry you were about being misled and manipulated so that when you get the opportunity to make a difference in media, you can choose a different path.

Make the story you want to see.

Give the world a super sweet, neurodivergent character who makes it through to the end, gets to choose love, gets to ride off in the sunset, because otherwise it may never happen.

So it’s up to you my young friends. Don’t let history repeat itself. Make a happier story for the characters that speak to you the most!!

[badbatchsprincess]

Heated ~ pt.4

Pt.1 ~ Pt.2 ~ Pt.3 ~ Pt.4 ~ Pt.5 ~ Pt.6 ~ Pt.7 ~ Pt.8 ~ Pt.9 ~ Pt.10 ~Pt.11 ~ Pt.12 ~ Pt.13 ~ Pt.14 ~ Pt.15 ~ Pt.16 ~ Pt.17 ~ Pt.18 ~ Pt.19 ~ Pt.20 ~ Pt.21 ~ Pt.22 ~ Pt.23 ~ Pt.24 ~ Pt.25

Masterlist

Summary: This is an ABO Bad batch!Poly x Omega Reader smut with a plot. This takes place as an AU before order 66. Y/N previously served under the 501st before being transferred to Special Forces 99. This is her adventure with these rowdy Alphas in a quickly changing universe.

THIS IS AN ABO AU ABOUT THE BAD BATCH (NO CANON OMEGA!) Due to the unfortunate situation of her name being Omega… Omega the child from the canon series is not going to be apart of this fanfic/porn with a plot. I feel obligated to put this warning in because it makes my skin crawl thinking anyone could make that mistake. 

Warnings: Some suggestive themes and awkward situations. Medical related jargon, and some canon type violence.

Happy bad batch eve... I hope we made it through this one, or we die like clones 🫡.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

"We’ve got incoming!" Tech announced from the cockpit.

"Crosshair, man the blasters!" Hunter ordered as he settled into the cockpit with Echo and Tech.

Crosshair skipped past you as you nudged your way over to the jump seats. You always hated this part. It was always separatists, pirates, or just some pissed-off asshole making it difficult for your squad.

You literally could not strap into the jump seat fast enough. Once secured, you clutched your medic pack to your chest while the others ran around in a frenzy.

"Steady the ship!" Crosshair barked as he unloaded the blaster cannons on the pursuers.

"Why can’t things just go smoothly?" You whined, gripping the seat straps.

Echo just gave you a sympathetic look while Tech skillfully outmaneuvered the gunships. A particularly loud blast hit the hull, and you screamed, praying to the maker that none of you would get sucked out into the vacuum of space.

"It’s okay, Pip," Wrecker tried to comfort you. "We’ve been through worse."

"Don’t remind me," you said, gripping the straps even tighter.

Tech said something to Hunter when Crosshair confirmed, "One down. Two to go."

"Who even is that?" Wrecker asked, trying to look over Crosshair's shoulder. The Sniper just grunted and went back to aiming the scope.

"Gonk! Gonk!" The droid chirped, nuzzling up to your boot.

"It’s okay, Gonky," you sobbed, feeling the G-force of one of Tech’s turns. "The boys got it… I think."

"Of course, we got it," Tech said.

"Get closer to the surface," Hunter ordered, and Tech made a dramatic turn towards the planet below.

You took a deep breath, trying to still your nerves. You were beginning to miss the boring moments from Anakin’s ship. This was definitely a stark difference.

"I can’t outrun them," Tech began fiddling with the controls. "They’ll just follow us to the surface."

"Two down!" Crosshair yelled.

He suddenly hit the accelerator, throwing everyone backward. You let out a scream as you watched Hunter’s feet float up into the air, and Gonky went sliding down the galley with a panicked wail. Even Wrecker went tumbling into the gunship’s stairs like a newborn fathier.

Tech suddenly cut the engines and whipped the back of the Marauder around, knocking Crosshair into the side of the glass window. Once the ship made a 180, he punched the accelerator and started charging straight for the last pursuer. Echo was quick with the front guns, firing accurately and hitting him on the nose. The ship exploded into a million pieces, and you finally let out the breath you had been holding.

"Everyone okay?" You called out, and they all groaned in response.

"Good flying, Tech," Hunter clapped his brother on the shoulder.

You sighed and ran a hand through your hair, finally letting the adrenaline calm down.

"I hope Kashyyyk is more welcoming than that," Echo mumbled.

"Doubt it," Crosshair came prowling back into the main cabin, reaching for Firepuncher.

"From my cross-referencing, I believe those gunships were Trandoshan," Tech pushed his goggles up the bridge of his nose. "That would make sense as to the very reason why we are here."

"We need to take out a separatist-backed outpost," Echo informed. "Trandoshans have assisted in building these operations. They don’t like the Wookies as they’ve been loyal to the Republic, so they’ve teamed up with the Seppies to get a few hits in."

You sighed, hoping everything would go smoothly this time. You happened to love the Wookies. Your best childhood friend was a Wookie. But that was a story for another time.

"Prepare for landing," Tech announced.

"General Plo is supposed to be touching down in one rotation," Hunter informed. "We have to take out their stronghold before then."

"General Plo? As in Commander Wolffe’s garrison?" Your pulse increased, and Hunter turned to look at you. You just gave him a little nod, and he continued on.

"Republic forces can’t deploy ground support until this artillery cannon has been destroyed."

"I get to blow it up?" Wrecker clapped.

"Yup," Hunter nodded.

"And how exactly are we supposed to get to this artillery unit?" Echo asked, looking at the schematics. "It’s surrounded with BX’s… my favorite." He groused.

You gave him a little supportive nudge.

"Do I get to stay on the ship?" You asked hopefully.

"Yes," Hunter agreed. "Pip stays on the ship. Echo, I understand if you don’t want to come given the situation."

Echo just groaned. "I know. But I want to come. I’ve got a score to settle."

Hunter agreed, which meant you’d stay on the ship and monitor coms in case they needed a swift pickup. The boys devised a strategic plan to get Wrecker behind the blockade to plant the charges, and that was that.

"Pip... If anything happens, and I mean anything, you shoot to kill, do you understand?" Hunter asked, handing you a blaster again. You just nodded and stepped into the holster, securing it to your belt. You had a feeling you were going to have to learn to use one of these things whether you liked it or not.

"Trandoshans have thick hides," Tech took the pistol and added one of his fancy charges in there. "You’ll need something stronger." The modified charge blasts glowed bright blue.

"Aim for the eyes," Crosshair tutted.

"Okay. Okay," you said, putting the blaster back into the thigh holster. "I will. Happy?"

The five Alphas just huffed in approval before gathering their things.

"Alright, let's get this done," Hunter led the charge.

"Close and lock the door!" Tech reminded you as the five left. You gave him a mock salute and hit the side panel, closing yourself inside the Marauder.

Deciding you needed something to keep you busy, you cranked up the volume on Tech’s radio and started getting to work on cleaning the filthy ship. After a week on board Skywalker’s Venator, you realized how nose blind you had become.

~~~

"Well, that’s disgusting," you used one of Tech’s soldering pliers to pick up a crusty sock from under his bunk.

Tossing the rest of Tech’s laundry into the repurposed supply sack, you threw the boys' nasty laundry into the washer, along with their sheets and blankets.

"No mercy!" you talked to yourself. "Everything goes in."

By the time you had heard anything from the boys, you had managed to clear out the entire cockpit, galley, and main cabin. You had a massive pile of trash you needed to take out. Between the six of you, there was a lot of Republic-issued meal wrappers and ration packs. You scrubbed, dusted, and washed every crack and surface in this whole damn ship. You had no clue where most of that gunk had come from, and you surely didn’t want to know. There was definitely a secondary ecosystem forming in this spacecraft.

You skipped up to the radio and put the headset on, "This is Pip, squad leader, come in."

"You doing okay out there?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, just on my third load of laundry," you chuckled. "Did you know I found a few interesting items hidden on this ship?" You teased.

"Don’t go sticking your nose in places unless you're prepared for the consequences," Crosshair jested.

"Don’t worry, Cross," you bit your lip. "I found your socks too."

You could imagine him scowling at this point. You waited for his reply, "The Marauder’s clean enough to do surgery," you were cheery.

"Good, because we may be needing it," Tech’s reply made your blood run cold.

"What?" You stood up, taking the headset with you. "What happened?"

"The usual. Some minor cuts and bruises," Tech replied, "but Wrecker got a pretty bad gash to his cranium. He may require stitches."

"Okay, I’ll be ready. You guys get back here when you can, okay?"

"Will do, Pip," Hunter closed off the communication line.

You sighed and put down the headset before returning back to your project. Deciding you needed something to do besides worry about your unit, you went back to the galley and pulled out the already dry load of clothing from the tumbler.

You sat down on the floor, spreading out to fold the various clothes and sort them back into their proper piles.

Crosshair’s pile of ever-growing collection of black civvies sat to your left, Hunter had a few varying neutrals he likes. Wrecker had a few T-shirts with some of his favorite bands on them, and Tech had a very neat pile of lights he preferred to wear on his shore leave. That left Echo; the arch trooper had a pair of clothing for every occasion. The man preferred being comfortable. You understood. Spending that much time on ice, he liked what he liked and didn’t take one second of comfort for granted. He had pajamas, warm sweats, T-shirts, long sleeves, jackets, hoodies, shorts. You smiled and folded everything neatly before setting the piles on their owners' cots.

You smiled at your work and went back to put the last of the laundry in the dryer.

Taking Wrecker’s Tooka mug, you filled it with lukewarm caff and sat down at the dining table, sipping it slowly. You even picked away at a freeze-dried snack pack, waiting for the tumbler to ding.

"Gonky?" You called out into the storage room.

"Gonk. Gonk." You heard the chirpy little droid respond before waddling out into the galley.

"How’s your battery levels?" You asked.

He just shook back and forth.

"Should I hook you up to the solar?" You asked, reaching under the dining table.

"Gonk!" He waddled closer and spun around so you could hook him up to the energy system. Gonky settled and powered down next to you while he went through his charging cycle.

"There you go, little guy."

You heard a sudden loud bang in the distance, making you shoot up from the Tooka mug.

"What the..." You looked outside of the cockpit window and saw a massive mushroom cloud forming in the distance. It took a second, but when the sound wave hit, the entire Marauder shook violently, making Gonky startle.

"Wrecker…" You shook your head, knowing he’ll be over the moon about the size of the dust cloud.

You heard the dryer ding, so you popped the last freeze-dried fruit nib in your mouth before adding the packaging to the trash and sauntered over to the galley. Pulling the massive pile of sheets out onto the floor, you got to work finishing it up before they could get back.

Once every bunk was made, and every last clean sock was returned to their storage drawers, you plopped back down into Tech’s chair, debating whether or not you should pull up a holofilm to bide the time.

"Pip!" Echo’s voice radioed in, "Open the hatch!"

You chucked your data pad to run to the door panel. You slammed the disengage, letting the door flip down. You were greeted with the boys struggling to support Wrecker, who was covered in crimson blood.

You didn’t say a word; instead, you turned to grab your pack and make room for him to sit comfortably.

Crosshair and Tech helped the big guy on board and into the main cabin where you had him sit on a cargo crate.

"What happened, Wrek?" You said softly, approaching him.

He just groaned and slumped his shoulders, mumbling to himself.

"What was that?" You asked again, pulling out your cleaning solution.

He shrugged a little embarrassed. "I hit my head on a low pipe."

"Awh, honey," you cooed, bringing the cool cloth to his head. "You gotta look where you’re going."

"I knowww," he groaned.

You smiled and continued your work, gently cleaning up all of the blood in the surrounding areas to prepare him for some bacta and a bandage.

“It smells weird in here,” he sniffled, suddenly realizing the years of gunk were gone.

“Because it’s clean!” Echo admonished.

“Any trouble, Adi’ka?” Hunter asked, setting down his heavy pack.

You shivered at the Mando’a but tried to play it off. The last time you had heard that word, he had been all over you in the hangar bay. “Nope. Everything was quiet.”

“Good,” he seemed pleased, slowly beginning to take off his armor and put the pieces in a pile on top of his pack. He walked off to the cockpit to relay the success to General Plo.

You shuffled around Wrecker and stood between his legs to get a missed patch of dried blood. You looked down at him and whispered into his unscarred ear, “What does that mean?”

He looked up at you with a smirk, “It means he thinks you're small.”

“Small?” You tilted your head.

“Yeah,” Wrecker chuckled, “You are!”

“Am not,” you scrunched your nose.

“You’re tiny!” He put his hand on top of your head, which you realized barely reached his height while he was seated. “Our little Pipsqueak.”

“It doesn’t mean she’s small, you idiot,” Crosshair passed into the main cabin wearing his more relaxed clothing, “It means little one,” he drawled.

“That’s what I said,” Wrecker argued.

Crosshair just shook his head and continued into the cockpit. Unlike Wrecker, you didn’t miss the double meaning. It was the same pet name Crosshair used with you. It suddenly made a shiver run over your skin. Little one. It was a term of endearment. You were starting to feel hot all over again.

“You okay, Pip?” Wrecker noticed you get lost in thought.

You just nodded and continued your work. You smeared a healthy amount of bacta on his gash and covered it thoroughly with a bandage. “Hey, Wrek?” You started cleaning up your supplies. “Do you think of me as pack?” You asked softly, half expecting him to reject you.

“As pack?” He asked, looking at you with wide eyes.

“Mhmm?” You responded; the suspense was killing you.

“I always thought of you as pack, Pip,” he smiled, bringing you into a big bear hug. You let out a deep breath, feeling relief. You hugged him back, letting the happy little omega in you relax.

Wrecker was pack. Facts.

“Do you think the others do?” You whispered again.

He whispered back, “I think the others do too. Echo’s always been, but I’m not entirely sure about Crosshair,” he was sympathetic. It was exactly the answer you hoped for.

Wrecker let you go a little bit, “I saw how upset he was when Hunter hurt you bad. So maybe he does. I dunno,” he shrugged.

“What are you two whispering about back there?” Echo’s voice rang throughout the cabin, and both you and Wrecker flushed red, getting caught red-handed.

“Nothing!” You giggled, handing him a juice pack.

He happily took it and slurped it down. You were hoping to get his blood sugar back up from the blood loss. You gave his arm a little squeeze and helped him up to his feet. You gave him instructions to go eat something and stay awake for the next 12 hours after a head injury.

“Who’s next?” You yelled.

Tech came scampering into the dining area, taking off his glove to show you his busted knuckles. You followed the same steps as Wrecker, cleaning and repairing. He then took off his helmet, and you helped pull a few pieces of stray shrapnel from his cheek.

“Just so you know, Y/N, I too think of you as pack,” he said suddenly, making your hand falter. He had heard you and Wrecker.

You looked up at the skinny clone with emotion in your eyes, “Really?”

“Though we are not the most traditional group, it would seem you fit well into our dynamic, and our unconventional ways have not deterred you.”

You smiled, nuzzled his cheek with your forehead, and continued cleaning the cut on his face. His cheeks turned bright pink at the sudden and unexpected affection.

“Thanks, Tech,” you quickly smeared some bacta on him and sent him on his way. He just gave you a smile and took his helmet with him.

Next, to your surprise, Crosshair came sauntering in, chewing on his toothpick and watching you straighten out your things.

“Do you need something, Cross?” You used your nurse voice, knowing he was staring holes into your back.

“Yeah, Adi’ka,” he smirked.

You bristled and slowly turned to side-eye him, “What can I help you with?”

“I have a deep cut,” he fiddled with the pick, “I need you to patch it.”

“Okay,” you nodded to the table.

He just walked over and leaned against it. You looked him over, not seeing any visible injury. You were going to open your mouth to ask where the cut was, but he just tapped his thigh.

You sighed… of course, Crosshair, “Take off your pants,” you ordered, thinking you heard Hunter cough from the front of the ship.

Crosshair just raised a brow and smirked, opening his mouth to make a smartass retort, but you crossed your arms and glared at his smug expression. He snorted and bent down to slide his black joggers down, leaving the right leg on. You then instructed him to sit on the table, which he obliged. If you hadn’t been a trained nurse, this might have phased you, but you’ve seen much worse in the field, so you just shoved his injured leg further open, making him look down at you with surprise. He didn’t expect you to be so confident.

He must have tried his best to wrap it in the field, as it had mostly stopped bleeding. Crosshair seemed to make a pretty good medic when on duty.

“Do I want to know?” You asked, grabbing your laser suture and prepping the fresh cartridge.

“Probably not,” he leaned back on his palms, letting you get as close as you needed to. You grabbed a stool and settled in between his long lithe legs. Crosshair watched you with a close eye as you nudged closer to him confidently.

“Do you need a tetanus shot?” You asked, looking up at him. He swallowed before answering, “Most likely.” He returned his gaze to the wall behind you.

You quickly got to work, imagining all of the potential horrible ways he got this nasty cut. He was right; it was deep and ugly.

You put on your safety glasses and grabbed the laser suture. You tested out the machine, priming its little ion core. He looked down at you with a skeptical glare. You just smiled up at him and got to work. Carefully, you stitched him back together.

If he was in pain, he didn’t let on, not even one bit.

“I didn’t get a chance to thank you,” you said, adding another careful binding stitch.

“For what?” He groused as he felt the stinging burn.

“For taking care of me,” you said, tilting your chin forward to get another glance before placing another stitch. “My friend told me about what you did. And in the end, you helped me get to Naboo.”

He didn’t respond. You didn’t expect him too.

“I was beginning to think you didn’t like me,” you added.

He grimaced at the pain, “I’m starting to rethink my stance.” Now you knew he was in pain. His silence was probably him trying to fight off the urge to growl at you.

You just smiled softly, knowing he didn’t mean it. You finished up with the last stitch and grabbed your tub of bacta and an applicator. You smoothed on the soothing gel, and he visibly relaxed. You knew that had to feel good.

Last came the bandage and the shot of medicine and painkiller. He took the repair job like a champ, and you knelt down, helping him slide his sweatpants back up his legs very carefully, holding onto his waistband to avoid the fresh injury.

“Hey guys, General—woah…” Echo stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the two of you.

It was then you realized the situation you were in. You looked back at Echo, whose eyes were glued to your hands. You then looked at Crosshair’s waist, where you were still holding onto the band of his pants, and then up to his flushed face (from the pain, of course). Not to mention, your face was literally mere inches from his crotch as you kneeled on the ground in front of him. You immediately dropped his pants, letting them snap back into his black boxers, and scooted away, leaving Echo to laugh at your embarrassment.

“I thought we handled that problem,” Echo howled, watching you scurry back up to your feet.

“Shut up, vod,” Crosshair slid from the table, pulling up his pants the rest of the way.

“Hey, guys!” Echo turned back towards the cockpit, leaving you, “I think we’re going to have to make a run back to Naboo…”

You were about to run back to your bunk when Crosshair’s arm shot out and caught you by the scruff like a rowdy pup. You lurched back as he swiveled you around to face him, bringing you closer to his face. Your heart was in your ears.

“We’re even, yeah, tooka?” He looked at you, taking the toothpick out of his mouth.

Your mouth instantly dried up, “Mhmm.” You nodded, knowing your cheeks were as red as a Sith’s lightsaber.

He let go of you, pleased. You straightened out your uniform and watched him saunter out of the cabin.

“Sith’s hell,” you muttered, putting all of your things away and stowing the pack on board.

Echo was still laughing when you finally decided to turn in and change into your comfy clothing for the night. Folding your uniform carefully, you grabbed your just-laundered sweats and tank top. You plucked out your favorite pair of fuzzy socks and pulled them on before stepping out into the main cabin.

Tech gave you a tray of steaming rations, and you sat down at the table, happy for another meal. You thanked him and dug in. The boys chatted about the mission, and Wrecker animatedly retold how he masterfully blew up the entire ion cannon. You laughed, listening to their story, finishing up your mashed roots when Tech started giving you the exact specifications of the Separatist base.

It was then you felt eyes on you. Without looking up, you realized Crosshair was watching you with his trained eye. Suddenly feeling a little claustrophobic, you sat up and took a big sip of water.

“How was your day, Y/N?” Tech asked, drinking his blue milk.

“Oh, you know…” You waved your spork around, “Just held off an entire army of Trandoshans all on my own.” You rolled your eyes playfully.

Echo crossed his arms, leaning back, eager to play along, “You didn’t even call for backup?”

You scoffed, “Of course not. Me and Gonky are a superb team.” You laughed, “Plus, me and Mini Firepuncher over here are doing just fine without you boys.” You patted the still-holstered blaster sitting on the shelf next to the dining table. Even Tech laughed at that.

“So when are you going to let Crosshair teach you how to use that thing?” Echo said slyly.

You slowed your chewing and swallowed thickly. Crosshair just looked at you with a bored expression.

“I didn’t think that was on the table,” you said, looking up at him.

“Neither did I,” he raised a brow.

“It’s becoming obvious that you need to sooner or later,” Hunter said, setting down his spork.

“But-but…” You stammered.

“It’s okay, Pip,” Wrecker nudged you, “You’ll probably never need to use it.”

You sighed, “I don’t like it.”

“Didn’t you learn in the training program with the GAR?” Tech asked, “It’s standard for medics.”

“I’m a civilian medic,” you shook your head, “I was in a nursing program at Coruscant University before I was selected to be brought into the clone medic program. The only medics with combat training are clones.”

Tech nodded, noting that down on his datapad.

“You’ve never received any combat training?” Crosshair asked.

“How did none of you know this?” You looked around, “Look at me.” You gestured to your noodle frame.

“I did,” Echo raised his scomp.

“So did I,” Hunter bit into a piece of meat, “I had to read your file when you were transferred.”

“And you still took me?” You laughed.

He chuckled, “Of course. You were beyond qualified with frontline experience. We needed that.”

"You needed someone who can use a laser suture," 

He nodded, "That would be correct."

"Good call, Sergeant." You finished your portions and flung the tray into the kitchen sink.

"Wrecker’s on dish duty," you smiled, standing up from your chair and grabbing the pistol and its holster. Wrecker just groaned, making you giggle evilly.

"Let’s get this over with," you found your combat boots and pulled them on, "C’mon Cross, before I change my mind."

He stood up, putting his tray in the sink and grabbing a cup of caff, "I didn’t agree to this."

You just opened the hatch, feeling the warmth of the sun starting to set in the distance. Crosshair grabbed firepuncher and shoved you out of the way before descending the stairs. You recovered from the stumble and trotted after him with a grin. You knew he’d want to show off.

"I’m not missing this," Echo said, pushing his tray to Wrecker before walking outside.

Crosshair pulled out his vibro blade and stalked over to a nearby tree, carving a massive target on the trunk.

"Alright," he stalked back, throwing the blade and letting it whiz through the air before planting itself in the dirt at Hunter’s feet. The Sergeant groused, stopping in his tracks and crossing his arms.

"First lesson," Crosshair waited for you to hold the pistol, "Check how many charges you have." He showed you how to release the clip to see the modified plasma cartridge.

"It’s at full power, so you should be good." He took the pistol and used his palm to slam the clip back into place, "Next, you flick off the safety. It won't fire unless this is turned to the right." You nodded, listening diligently.

"Then, you hold it firmly with both hands. Hunter was able to knock it out of your grip because you only had one hand. Make sure it’s secure."

You swallowed thickly, mimicking his hands.

"Then you aim and fire. There will be a small kickback, don’t let that scare you." He held up his own pistol and fired at the tree, hitting it spot on. You stood there a little unsure.

"You can do it!" Echo yelled from the ship’s steps.

"I just pull the trigger?" You asked.

"That’s what I said," he crossed his arms.

You took a deep breath, peering down the sight. You held it towards the tree and pulled the trigger with a squeak. The blast flew way to the left of the tree, hitting a nearby rock.

Crosshair just raised a brow, "You can’t aim with your eyes closed."

You looked at him, "It’s scary."

He looked like he was going to throw you into the tree.

"Again."

"Ugh." You tried aiming again. Taking another deep breath, you placed your finger on the trigger and squeezed.

"Wrong tree!" Hunter yelled as he sat next to Echo on the stairs.

"We’re gonna be here for a while," Echo sighed.

"Again," Crosshair commanded.

~~~

The sun was going down and you were getting frustrated. You had squeezed off forty rounds, two hit the tree but not the target, and the others, well, they ended up somewhere. 

“Again.” Crosshair was lounging against a tree behind you closing his eyes. 

“Can you just help me?” You turned around looking at him desperately. 

He opened an eye, “You stunned Hunter I know you can do it.”

“That was close range!” You whined. 

Echo and Hunter were busy building a camp fire listening to you growl at the tree. You were about ready to march over there and set the tree on fire. 

“She’s cute when she’s mad.” Wrecker said watching you from the Marauder. 

Echo and Hunter whipped around to watch you unload onto the unsuspecting forest. The three just bit their tongue and continued on with the fire not wanting to add to your frustration. 

“Argh! I’m not good at this!” You waved the gun around, “For kriff sake Crosshair are you taking a nap?” 

“I’ve had a long day.” He grumbled crossing his arms across his chest and leaned further into the tree. 

“Ugh!” You screamed turning back to the tree and firing again… missing…again.

Your scream made the others laugh. Tech just observed your poor aiming capabilities and typed into his calculator, “She has an approximately 1.3% chance success rate of hitting her desired target.” 

“This is getting sad.” Echo warmed up next to the fire. 

You spun around slapping the safety on and chucking the gun into Crosshair’s stomach. His eyes flew open wildly before snapping up to you. 

“Help! Me!” You growled in all your tiny omega glory. 

The sniper stood up dwarfing you in his size. You were too mad to cower. Instead, he stood up and held the blaster up firing three consecutive shots hitting the bullseye, “Here.” He kept the gun in its position and let you squeeze in-front of him to take the weapon. Keeping it exactly where he held it, you peered down the site and pulled the trigger watching the blue plasma blast hit inside the target’s outer ring. 

“Oh my god!” You screamed, “Oh my god! I did it! I did it!” You jumped around ignoring the grouchy sniper shaking his head. “I did it!” You celebrated. 

“Told you, you could do it!” Echo cheered from the side. He then turned to the others and in a whisper said, “I didn’t think she could do it.”

The others just nodded and sipped their caff. 

“Show me again.” You trotted over to Crosshair suddenly feeling excited to hold the weapon. 

“Since you asked so nicely.” He rolled his eyes and adjusted your grip. He stood back and grunted. He stepped forwards again using his boot to kick your left foot forwards slightly adjusting your stance. When he was satisfied with your positioning he turned back to the tree letting you take control. 

You fired again hitting the inside of the target again. You gasped and fired again watching the blasts hit inside the target. You just looked up at Crosshair with excited eyes. He gave you an approving nod before going back to his reclining tree. 

You leaned forwards a bit getting used to the placement. 

“Oh she’s doing it!” Tech said a bit surprised. 

“She’s hitting the tree!” Wrecker clapped. 

“Finally.” Hunter chuckled. 

“Guys! I did it!” You looked over at the squad and they cheered you on.

When you were finally out of charges, Crosshair called it a night wanting nothing more than to jump into his bunk and go to sleep. 

You however, were giddy. You trotted over to the campfire and plopped down on one of the crates wrecker set up for you all to sit on. 

“Tomorrow we're teaching you how to defend yourself.” Hunter handed his cup of hot caff to you.

“Isn’t that what Crosshair just did?” You sipped the brown liquid pulling your legs up into a crisscross. 

“We’re going to teach you how to fight.” Wrecker smashed his fist into his palm. 

You gulped and looked at them with concern. 

“Wait like…punching and stuff?” You curled in slightly.

“Don’t worry we’ll take it easy on you.” Echo chirped. 

“But like… Hunter literally wiped the floor with me.” You looked up at him, “I can’t fight. He threw me around like a limp tooka.” 

“We’ll show you the basics.” Hunter took his cup back and sipped, “Eventually you’ll have to leave the Marauder one day, I don’t want anything happening to you.” 

You sighed, “Yes Sarge.” 

He hummed happily continuing to finish his cup. 

You just curled up on your crate and snagged a moving blanket letting the fire warm you as the boys talked. 

“General Plo should be arriving tomorrow morning.” Hunter let everyone know, “They’ll be securing Kashyyyk base come sun up.” 

You just nodded and rested your eyes. 

Quickly, without notice, you fell asleep to the sound of your pack and the crackling fire deep within the Kashyyyk forest. Your sleep would have been perfect if it wasn’t for a disturbance under your curled frame. 

You groggily opened your eyes to find Hunter leaning over to pick you up, “C’mon you limp tooka let’s at least get you inside.” 

You just grumbled too tired to fight your Sergeant as he carried you inside like a sleeping pup. When he set you down in your bunk, you kicked off your boots and rolled into the blankets not caring about anything besides being face down in your plush pillow. 

“Goodnight Adi’ka.” Hunter whispered turning to leave. 

“Night Sarge.” You whispered back knowing he could hear you. 

He turned off the light and shut the door behind him to go back to talking with the boys. 

Sleep quickly came for you drifting you off into some much needed rest.

~~~

You really wished you had just stayed in bed this morning. 

Instead, you were now standing out in the sprinkling rain listening to the way Hunter was trying to explain close combat. 

Your exercise clothes were getting chilled from the misty forest air and you were close to shivering. 

“So I’m supposed to hit Tech?” You asked not liking the sound of this one bit. 

Crosshair leaned back on one of the crates legs spread like last night watching you with a smirk. He didn’t have much faith in you, you knew that for certain. Crosshair was more on the team of just letting himself and the others step in if you needed help but Hunter and the others were determined to teach you something. 

Tech stood before you in his civvies and his goggles looking calm as always. 

“It’s okay Y/N. Just do what Hunter showed you.” Tech encouraged taking a slight stance. 

You just whimpered not liking the idea of hurting anyone, especially your pack. 

“It’s hard. I’m fighting instincts.” You sighed putting your fists up like Echo said. 

Crosshair groaned knowing this was stupid trying to teach an omega to get violent. He knew they only get violent when their pups are in danger. It’s literally against her nature. 

“C’mon Pip you can do it!” Wrecker tried to nudge you. 

You just whimpered and stepped forwards throwing a punch at Tech’s shoulder. He swiftly dodged you and pushed you past him. You stumbled over a pile of moss nearly loosing your footing. 

“That was… something.” Echo rubbed his forehead. 

You shook your head and looked at Tech, “You won’t hurt me Y/N, try again.” He cooed. 

You took a deep breath and tried again. This time he flung you around into Wrecker who caught you and spun you around. 

You reared back and launched another punch, this time he grabbed your wrist and rolled you mid air landing you on your back with a thud. You coughed feeling the air press from your lungs. 

“Maker Tech!” Hunter ran over to you kneeling down to help you up, “Gentle vod!” 

“Apologies.” Tech replied scratching his head. 

“It’s okay.” You brushed the moss off of your pants. 

“You’re asking her to do something against her biology.” Crosshair growled. You nodded and agreed with the sniper. 

“I think I’m probably better with learning how to shoot.” You shivered in the cold, “I couldn’t over power an alpha even if I wanted to. You’ll just be tossing me around until someone calls it quits.” 

Echo sighed and stood up walking over to you grabbing you by the shoulder looking deep into your eyes, “Remember that one time on Ryloth when that pup clung to you begging for help? And you took him under your protection when the separatists stormed that village? He was separated from his pack and so were you. We couldn’t get to you in time and you destroyed the droids with nothing but a loose pipe?” 

You looked up at Echo swallowing again. 

“And what did that pup call you?” Echo raised a brow. 

“Ryma.” You whispered suddenly getting emotional. 

Echo nodded, “Ryma.” 

“Ryma?” Wrecker asked. 

“Mother.” Tech translated. 

Mother. Something in you switched at the memory. You looked at Echo who seemed to notice the change, “Now, remember how you felt protecting that little helpless pup and all those horrible droids trying to take him from you.” He backed up letting Tech step forwards again. This time when you struck, you clocked Tech in the chin. His head snapped back surprised you managed to hit him. You stared at your own fist in shock and then immediate panic. 

“Oh my god Tech!” You rushed forwards trying to console the Alpha. 

Hunter just laughed, “That did it.” 

“That was good Pip. Do it again.” Echo encouraged.

Crosshair raised a brow a little impressed Echo was smart enough to tug on your emotions like that. 

The next few minutes you actually were able to do what Hunter had showed you. You sparred lightly with Tech getting used to the basics of kicks and punches. Hunter also taught you how to protect yourself and keep the sides of your head protected while Tech made a few practice strikes. 

You were just starting to get the hang of it when you heard a deep rumbling come from the forest. You all paused your sparring lessons to watch two massive venators appear from hyperspace above your heads. Within seconds, drop ships deployed heading straight for your little encampment. 

“They’re here.” Wrecker watched the ships near the clearing to their left. 

You stood there watching as General Plo Koon’s orange head popped out of the attack ship followed by the telltale grey plastoid of Commander Wolffe’s entire garrison. 

Your stomach flipped when you felt Echo’s mischievous eyes met yours. You looked at him as his lips turned into a smirk. Oh no. 

 You felt the heat creeping up your neck to your cheeks and you quickly excused yourself and trotted back inside the Marauder before anyone else noticed. 

“Hey Sergeant!” 

“Kriff.” You whispered hiding behind the wall of the ship listening to the 104th make their way through the open field towards your unit. 

“Hi Commander.” You heard Hunter great the man you were dying to avoid. 

While you were focus in on what they were saying, you missed Echo sneaking up on you finding you pressed up against the door panel spying. 

“Nuh uh.” He chuckled grabbing both of your shoulders and steering you out of the ship. 

“You’re evil.” You whisper letting him guide you back outside. 

“We need gossip material.” He shoved you forwards into Hunter’s side. You came skittering to a halt and stared daggers at Echo who just meandered into the crowd greeting his friends. 

“And what do we have here.” Wolffe took off his helmet letting it sit on his hip while he looked you up and down. You felt the lump in your throat as the alpha shamelessly eyed you, you suddenly felt exposed in your training gear, “The little omega from 79’s.” He tutted. 

If you hadn’t known Hunter the way you do, you wouldn’t have noticed, but that wasn’t the case. You noticed the small muscles in Hunter’s arm flex like he was rearing for a fight. Clearly he didn’t like Wolffe’s behavior in the slightest but his face remained neutral. 

“What are you doing all the way out here Crya’ika.” He purred 

“Hi Commander Wolffe.” You forced your nurse voice to the forefront. “Sergeant Hunter had quite the assignment, and being their medic, I’m here to make sure they don’t get banged up too badly.” You smiled looking up at your Sergeant for approval. 

“You doing a good job?” He asked with a quirked brow. 

You nodded, “I try my best.” 

“I’m sure you do.” He smiled before turning back towards his men. They began setting up camp leaving you and your boys standing in the light rain watching as more and more attack ships flew overhead no doubt heading towards the blast zone. 

You let out a breath you had been holding and allowed Hunter to escort you back to the ship. 

“I don’t like the way he looks at you.” Hunter mumbled as you approached the steps to the Marauder. 

“He’s an overconfident alpha.” You reassured, “I don’t think he’d ever try anything.” 

Hunter let you walk first into the Marauder, “He tried to pick you up back on Coruscant.” He pointed out. 

“And I didn’t go through with it…” You rolled your eyes. 

“Yeah, but does he know that?” Hunter snapped. 

You jerked back looking at him, “Hunter, I’m not going to rut with him can you please drop it. I’ve already live through one incident I’m determined not to have another.” 

He deflated his shoulders, “Sorry pip. I didn’t mean that. I just don’t like when someone messes with my pack.” 

Your eyes widened. 

His eyes suddenly mirrored yours realizing what he has said and he stuttered, “I- uh.” He scratched his head, “Sorry I-“ 

“I’m pack?” You grinned ear to ear. 

He looked at you seeing how happy it made you, he was thrilled at the smile you were giving him.

“Yeah pip. You’re pack.” He admitted. 

You squealed and jumped on him giving him a big hug. You knew how much of a big deal this was. The 501st immediately adopted you without any hesitation, but you knew how close this unit was. You were beyond the moons hearing that the pack leader had adopted you too. He softly hugged you back. This had been the longest six months ever.

“Do I still have to go to training tomorrow?” You asked mumbling into his armor. 

“Yup.” He replied.

“Dammit.”

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Bruh, I'm scared for this episode not going to lie....

Taglist: @substantial-exposure @rains-on-kamino @minimissmoo

[zaya-mo]

GUYS LOOK AT THESE LKJLSKJSLK

[clonegirlie]

I don’t know why but I can’t stop thinking about how Omega is going to be following Crosshair around like a lost puppy in the new season and Crosshair is going to secretly love it even if he acts like he hates it. God I cannot wait for season 3