#imagine Wrecker next season

[heyclickadee]

Regarding Tech and one reason I think we’re all reeling:

So, we’re all pretty hurt right now. Even if you’re firmly in the “Tech lived” camp, which I am, it still hurts—it still feels like a death, and something that needs to be mourned, even if or when he makes it back. I’ve seen a lot of people say it feels like they’re grieving a friend, not a fictional character. And one reason for that, beyond Tech being a well-developed, beloved character, beyond him being a fantastic piece of representation, even beyond the way that our brains can react to fictional characters the same way they do to real people, is that Tech’s story is so unfinished.

He’s developing this amazing relationship with Omega. He has the chance of staying on Pabu in peace and being something other than a soldier. He maybe discovered a passion for racing. He’s branching out and appreciating the galaxy beyond the war, the republic, the separatists, the Jedi, and being allowed to appreciate how broad it is in ways he hadn’t before. He’s falling in love with someone who’s falling for him. He’s pushing to get his brother back and reunite his family. And then—

His story gets derailed. The batch’s story gets derailed—by something none of them could have accounted for. No one expected there to be someone else infiltrating Eriadu. But there was, and it sends the whole trajectory of his life, all of their lives, figuratively and literally—they’re on a train when this happens, guys—off the tracks. Suddenly Tech has to let himself fall to give his family a chance. It’s fast, it’s brutal, and it’s almost nonsensical. It shouldn’t need to happen—but it does. And that’s how loss happens in real life, a lot of the time.

Sometimes there’s closure, and sometimes the people we lose get to live out their whole full lives, but not always. A lot of the time, they had plans. They were just going about and being themselves. The walk out the door and you think nothing of it and then—they’re gone. And now there’s so much left to do, so much unsaid, so many things that will never happen because they’re gone. You come home after hearing the news and their room is empty. There’s a half eaten bowl of cereal they left on the table. Their favorite chair is empty. There’s no satisfying conclusion or narrative closure—it’s just life, interrupted, suddenly and brutally, in a way that’s impossible to understand. That’s often how it is. And right now, for the batch characters, and for us, that’s Tech. He has everything to live for—and then he’s ripped away.

Now, this is something that rarely happens in fiction, because it’s incredibly unsatisfying. Maybe because loss is so sudden and cruel in the real world, we want our fictional deaths to come with purpose and feel like a natural conclusion. And while the unsatisfactory nature of Tech’s “death” is one of the many (many) (seriously there are so many) reasons why I don’t think this is permanent, it does (for now) put us on the same emotional footing as the characters in a way it wouldn’t if it had happened in a narratively satisfying way. We’re not just sad, we’re grieving him right alongside them. It feels unfair and wrong because it is. It wasn’t supposed to be like this! This wasn’t supposed to happen! And no, it wasn’t. But things got derailed on Eriadu.

[lady-pug]

Anything For You

Summary: 5 times Crosshair protects you and 1 time you do the same for him.

Pairing: Crosshair x Reader

Word count: 5k

Warnings: canon-typical violence, one dude being kinda creepy at 79's

Notes: Hello hello everyone! It's been a hot minute since this series has seen an update, but after season 3 I had some inspiration (I know it has been a while since season 3 actually come out, but some things had happened that needed my sole attention, I didn’t have the time nor the energy and motivation to write for quite a while). But now I’m back!

I really hope you, dear reader, enjoy this and have fun while reading it. If you spot any mistakes, please feel free to warn me and I'll correct it right away, and feedback is always welcome and appreciated. I hope you truly enjoy this story.

Reader is female, but no physical descriptions provided. Also, when describing the formal attire in topic 3 I tried to keep descriptions to a minimum so you can imagine what the reader is wearing in this scene (I’m a sucker for women in suits, but it’s up to you to imagine)

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1.

The Batch’s mission on Taanab had gone south very quickly. The Separatists had aimed to cut the commercial lines the planet held with Coruscant, which would pose a major problem as it could possibly throw the entire Republic into starvation. So Clone Force 99 had been sent to scout the planet and possibly find Separatists spies stationed there. What they didn’t count on was being ambushed by Norulac pirates almost as soon as they tried to leave the planet.

Tech and Hunter had gone inside a facility suspected of housing the spies they were looking for, while Wrecker kept watch by the entrance, and you and Crosshair covered their shebs from a hill a few klicks away. What you didn’t expect was for Tech to take a major hit as soon as they walked out the door with the spy. In order not to compromise the mission, Wrecker pushed the cuffed nautolan back inside the compound and closed the doors behind them. 

As soon as the first blaster bolt was fired, you leaped to your feet, much to Crosshair’s protests, and started running towards Tech, medkit clutched tightly under your arm. Crosshair, ever the marksman, kept shooting his Firepunch, trying to get rid of as many pirates while you pushed forward. As you approached the place where Tech had gone down you skidded to a halt, keeping your head down as to avoid the blaster fire. Slipping your hand under his armpits you dragged him across the pebbled ground (and mentally apologized for any scratches he might find on his backplate later on), taking cover behind a short wall and starting to patch him up.

What you didn’t notice, however, was the pirate approaching from behind you and Tech while you assessed his injuries, who must have either slipped unnoticed by Wrecker and Hunter or come up all the way from behind the facility. You only seemed to notice him once Tech, coming back to his senses after a stim shot, pointed over your shoulder and told you to look out. By then it was already too late, as the pirate had his vibroblade raised and ready to strike.

As you fumbled with your blaster to at least try and protect the two of you a long blaster bolt came scorching through the air, hitting the man right on his temple and sending him tumbling sideways, dead. You glanced back towards the hill you had just climbed down from, sending a nod in Crosshair’s general direction, knowing he could see you with his scope.

“Thanks for having my back, Cross.” you spoke into your commlink before resuming your work on Tech’s wound, barely catching Crosshair’s reply.

“Anything for you, Copikla.” he mumbled, going back to firing his rifle in order to help his brothers take out the remaining pirates.

2.

The woman was definitely moving too fast for someone who allegedly had nothing to hide. And Clone Force 99 was hellsbent (more like ordered to) figure out why.

Your current mission, issued by Commander Fox of all people, albeit a stealth mission of sorts, wasn’t like anything you had ever done before. A Gran representative of Malastare, acting as a temporary substitute for Senator Ainlee Teem while the senator went back to his home planet to help calm the nerves and appease the public opinion of the citizens of Malastare about the rampage caused by the Zillo Beast, was suspected to be working for the Separatists. Afraid that an investigation lead directly by the Coruscant Guard would be too on the nose and she might try to cover her tracks, Commander Fox had surprisingly, as him and the Batch often didn't see eye to eye, requested that the Bad Batch be the ones to follow her around and figure out her intentions.

So here you and Crosshair were, following the woman a few paces behind her all throughout Coruscant busy streets. The plan of action had been to split up, Hunter and Wrecker taking the two parallel streets to the one where the woman was currently speed-walking while you and Crosshair followed behind her. Tech had stayed behind at the Guard’s headquarters, tracking the woman’s movements using the surveillance system. 

As the teams were being separated Crosshair had demanded that you go with him (although ‘demand’ might be too strong of a word, as he knew Hunter, as his commanding officer, could very well tell him to shut up and take a step back, which he thankfully didn’t), internally reasoning with himself that you could very well get lost and compromise the mission, even though the knowing smirk the Sergeant had sent his way after agreeing with his suggestion told him he might have other reasons. And now he was glad he insisted on that.

As dusk fell over the city and rush hour approached, more and more people filled the streets eager to head home. This didn’t pose a problem for Crosshair as his height, greater than that of the regs (and quite greater than Hunter’s, as he often liked to tease his vod about) paired with his extraordinary eyesight allowed him to keep his eyes on the Gran woman at all times. You on the other hand weren’t so lucky, as people bumped into you and tried to squeeze their way past the both of you. Concerned you’d slip away, dragged by the sea of people, he snaked his arm around your waist, his hand lazily draped over your hip, keeping you close to his side and not letting you venture away from him.

You looked up at him, a tiny grin gracing your features.

“Thanks Cross.”

The only response you got was his grip on your hip. tightening almost imperceptibly.

3. 

“I don’t like it.” 

Hunter sighed for the umpteenth time in the past hour.

“I already told you, these are our orders.” he turned towards his brother, who scowled in return.

“Why can’t one of us go in?”

“As a matter of fact, that option has been brought up to Commander Cody,” Tech chimed in, not once taking his eyes off his holopad “but he has reminded us of a crucial fact: no matter how much our phenotype might differ from that of the regs, we’re still clones. If a single slightly more enlightened individual in that ballroom catches sight of our resemblance to our mandalorian progenitor, the mission would be compromised.”

Crosshair huffed, still not convinced.

“But why does it have to be her?” he argued “Why couldn’t they have brought another natborn specialist? Or, kriff, even a senator? Senators are good at these sorts of events.”

“Senators are public figures, they would be recognized in an instant.” Hunter promptly answered “And all other female natborns were unavailable.”

“And the Seppie likes pretty women!” Wrecker laughed “I mean who doesn’t? I’m sure none of us would be able to seduce him!”

“I still don’t like it.” unsatisfied, Crosshair picked up his Firepuncher to check the scope, even though he knew for a fact it was pristine as always. 

A beneficent gala was being held by the InterGalactic Banking Clan to members of the Confederacy of Independent Systems council in Cantonica. One Separatist senator, a sleazy old quacta of a man, was rumored to have information on the next course of action regarding a siege against Republic forces in Ansion. So, given the sensitivity of the mission ahead, Clone Force 99 was called in. However, none of them could go in without the risk of being recognized as members of the GAR, so they had to send in-

“How do I look?” he was buried so deep in his own thoughts he didn’t even hear the door to the fresher opening and you stepping out into the hull of the ship. As he looked up to glance at you, he thanked the maker he was already sitting down, otherwise his knees would have buckled and he would have been sent tumbling down.

You looked gorgeous. 

Your hair was styled in a completely different style than you normally wore it, a few delicate pins adorning it. Some light makeup covered your face, accentuating your natural beauty. And your outfit… Crosshair had only seen you in your uniform and armor in the battlefield, or in your GAR-issued blacks around the ship. He had never seen you wearing anything like this, so formal and fitting for your exact frame.

He couldn’t even speak. He just kept staring at you, his eyes moving up and down your frame.

“You look beautiful, baar’ur’ika!” Wrecker’s booming voice brought him out of his stupor, as he shook his head.

“You really think so?” you asked, feeling a little shy “I never usually wear something so nice, this is a bit out of my comfort zone.”

“You look amazing Doc.” Hunter chimed in, nudging his brother with his elbow, his lips pulled in a knowing smirk “Doesn’t she, Crosshair?”

He was still collecting his thoughts when you turned to face him, eyes gleaming with… hope? 

“Yeah,” he dared answer “yes, she does.”

You beamed at him, smiling so brightly he felt his heart skip a beat for being the reason for your happiness. He wasn’t even bothered when he heard Hunter chuckling under his breath, no doubt catching on his vod’s reaction to your presence. 

As your squad started diskimbarking to start the mission, Crosshair reached out to hold you in place, his fingers gently encircling your wrist, leaving just the two of you still on the ship.

“If-” he swallowed thickly, not knowing how to say what he was thinking. 

“What is it, Cross?” you turned towards him, giving him your full attention.

“I’ll be keeping watch on the roof the entire time.” he breathed out “If anything happens, if at any moment you feel like you might be in danger, comm me. I’ll find a way to get you out, Copikla.”

You smiled softly at him, turning your palm up and intertwining your fingers.

“I’ll be fine, Cross. Really. You don’t have to worry about me.” Impossible, he thought, and as if reading his mind you squeezed his hand gently “But thank you for keeping an eye out for me.”

He squeezed your hand back, lips turning up in the tiniest of smiles.

And if at a certain point during the gala, a glass of wine carefully balanced on a tray on a waiters hand spontaneously exploded, startling the waiter and making him drop the entire contents of the tray over the separatist senator as he started getting handsy with you, Hunter’s scolding for nearly compromising the mission was definitely worth it as you giggled at his antics behind the sergeants back.

4.

79’s was certainly more packed than usual for a standard Taungsday. It seemed like most battalions were on leave at once, hence the more chaotic atmosphere and the crowd forming around the bar. 

It had been forever since Clone Force 99 had shore leave scheduled on Coruscant instead of being called back to Kamino, so you intended to make the most of it. Wrecker was already a few drinks in, arm wrestling some of the boys of the 212th; Echo was catching up with some of the boys in blue, having spend so much time away from his old battalion; Tech had already gone back to the barracks to read some articles on his holopad, the weird neon green cocktail he had order right at the beginning of the night only half empty and long forgotten; and Hunter had already scurried off with a gorgeous orange Twi’lek. 

Only you and Crosshair remained at the table, chatting idly, your thigh pressed against the side of his and his arm slung over the back of the seat behind you. Your heads were tilted close together in order to hear each other over the beat of the music in the club. For a moment Crosshair thought it felt weirdly… intimate, even though you weren’t actually doing anything. He’d never been this close to anyone, where he felt he could just let himself be. It was nice.

“I’m going to get another drink.” you whispered-yelled at him at one point, gesturing at his own cup “Want anything?”

He pondered for a moment, before declining with a shake of his head.

“Someone has to keep a clear head in order to babysit the lot of you.” he motioned to where Wrecker, clearly a little more than tipsy, was celebrating another victory over a shiny.

You snorted, before quickly turning around and walking towards the bar. He couldn’t help but silently watch over you, always keeping you in his line of sight.

It had become second nature to him, watching you. At first he tried to argue that it was only to ensure you didn’t do anything stupid and risk one of his brothers, but it slowly ended up becoming something he just did naturally. He wanted, no, needed, to ensure you were safe at all times, and not just on the battlefield.

As he watched you lean over the bar and signal the bartender, your back turned to him, he noticed a devarionian man quickly glance over at you from a few seats away. For a few moments nothing happened, he kept his eyes trained on you, occasionally catching sight of the devarionian from the corner of his eye. 

And then the guy was moving.

He slid up next to you, standing way too close for your (and Crosshair’s comfort). The mirror above the shelfs in the bar let him see your face,  and you did not seem too happy with your new company. At first you tried ignoring the man, he noticed, giving him very clipped answers and only nodding along. The guy, it seemed, couldn’t seem to take a hint, as he kept rambling on and on about something the sniper couldn’t bother reading his lips for. And the moment his hand brushed against your arm, startling you and prompting you to take a step away from the man with ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘creeped out’ written all over your face, Crosshair was out of his seat and crossing the dancefloor towards you in quick strides.

Once he approached the pair of you, you noticed him over the man’s shoulder, your face relaxing slightly at the sight of him.

“Is everything all right?” he asked, to which the devarionian turned to him seemingly undisturbed. 

“Yeah, me and the lady over here were having a wonderful chat.” the devarionian dismissed him “ Now if you’ll excuse us.” 

Crosshair knew he was tall. He, along with Tech, was the second tallest amongst all clones, shorter only than Wrecker. It wasn’t something he usually cared for, unless when he got to tease Hunter about his own height, which was shorter than the regs, but he knew for a fact he was taller than most people. So he decided to use this to his advantage. As his face contorted into the deepest scowl he could muster, he crossed his arms over his chest, squaring his shoulders. This meant he was absolutely towering over the man. He didn’t even have to say anything and the devarionian was already cowering.

“A-actually, I think my buddy over there is calling me over.” and he rushed off without even looking at you again.

You looked at Crosshair as he relaxed, a mixture of gratitude and a sense of residual unease written in your face.

“Thanks Cross,” you started “but I could’ve handled him. You know I can take care of myself.” 

“Trust me, Copikla, I know.” he shrugged “But you shouldn’t have to.” 

Your face softened at his words, and you leaned your head against his arm. 

“Thank you anyway.” 

His response came in the form of a wordless hum, but which carried a whole lot of meaning to it.

‘Always’.

5.

Crosshair absolutely hated keeping watch. He would take Wrecker’s snoring and Tech’s endless tinkering over this any day. They were in hyperspace, for maker’s sake! What threat could be so dire that one of them had to stay awake and alert for hours, freezing cold as Tech refused to fix the cockpit’s heating system?

But Hunter insisted. And as their sergeant, Hunter was in charge and whatever he said goes. And so here Crosshair was, watching nothing go by bored out of his mind.

All of a sudden he heard the soft pattern of bare feet against the cold floor of the Marauder, approaching the cockpit. It couldn’t possibly be Wrecker, he could still hear his snoring from all the away from the bunks. It wasn’t Echo either, as the clanking of his mechanical legs against the durasteel floor would have given him away. It probably wasn’t Hunter, as the man was an incredibly deep sleeper, his slumber being one of the only one moments his heightened senses gave him a break. And Tech wasn’t supposed to come relieve him from watch duty for at least three more hours or so. So that left only you.

Because of this line of thought he was unsurprised when you joined him in the cockpit, dropping onto the co-pilot seat next to him.

For a moment neither of you uttered a word. He stayed silent as he took you in, noticing the way your shoulders trembled slightly and the soft sniffles you were trying to contain.

“What’s wrong?” he asked at last.

You startled, as if only now noticing his presence next to you. Once you calmed down you simply shrugged in response.

“Nightmare, ‘s all.” your voice wavered a tiny bit, but it was enough for him to notice.

Silence permeated the room once more as he thought about the situation. You clearly seemed shaken by whatever was plaguing your mind when sleeping, yet he didn’t really know how to help. He wasn’t the best with words, Hunter and even Wrecker were way better than him when it came to comforting people.

But then he paused. Thinking about Hunter reminded him of something his older brother would do whenever one of them had nightmares as cadets.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

As a kid Crosshair never took Hunter up on his offer to listen, but he would still sit with him in silence and let him wind down after the dream. Wrecker on the other hand often rambled about what had scared him and Hunter always found a solution for him. Tech often kept to himself, never mentioning when he had nightmares of his own, but he knew Hunter had his back should he ever wish to talk.

You chuckled, though it was humorless and heavy.

“You know I have worked with other clones, right?” he nodded, remembering the medical base you used to work at before joining Clone Force 99 as their field medic “I had a lot of patients there. Most we were able to treat, but… we lost a lot of them as well.” 

He could only imagine the kind of toll that took on someone.

“And it’s like they weren’t even people!” you whispered, frustrated tears collecting in your eyes “There wasn’t any family we could contact to deliver the bad news, at best one of his batchmates or another brother from the same battalion. But in the end it was just… crossing numbers out of a spreadsheet.” 

You took a deep breath in order to collect your thoughts.

“I see them when I fall asleep sometimes.” you smiled, but it was a sad smile, one that Crosshair didn’t think suited you at all “The ones I could save.” 

Crosshair didn’t know what to say to that. How much death had you witnessed before you met the Bad Batch? Before you met him? You had your own demons haunting you, and it served to show him that them, the soldiers fighting this war, weren’t the only ones affected by it.

“Come here.” he extended a hand to you.

“What?” you looked at him, confused.

He repeated himself, and when you stood up and stopped in front of him he gently grabbed your wrist and pulled you onto his lap, maneuvering you so your head was resting against his shoulder, your ear right above his heart.

“It’s not your fault.” he spoke into your hair “You cannot save everyone. All you can do is try.”

“What happens if I’m not able to save one of you?” he heard the terror in your voice and he couldn’t stand it.

“I won’t let that happen.”

“Cross…”

“I won’t.” he affirmed firmly “I watch over you so you can watch over us. Always.”

He could feel the tension in your body vanishing, as a comforting silence enveloped the both of you. Slowly, as your breathing slowed down and you fell back asleep, he tightened his grip on you, keeping you close to him. And you slept soundly and peacefully through the night, with Crosshair keeping guard of your dreams. 

+1 

Another mission, another success. Clone Force 99 was ordered to infiltrate a Separatist base on Agamar and retrieve some sensitive information regarding the former Separatist rule over Onderon. The mission was easy (at least by the Bad Batch’s standards) and Wrecker was overjoyed over getting to blow a droid tank up. But it was time to head back to Kamino, resupply and wait for new orders.

Wrecker practically barged out of the ship as soon as the Havoc Marauder touched the hangar on Tipoca City, claiming to be starving even though he had eaten not even an hour before. Tech, Echo and you followed him to the mess hall, and Hunter headed to the commander’s office to submit the several missions’ reports he was due, promising to join the four of you later. Similarly, Crosshair mentioned stopping by the armory to grab some more reflective disks as he was running out, shooting a wink your way as you promised to save him a seat next to you on the squad’s usual table.

On the way back to their quarters following his visit to the armory Crosshair bumped into Hunter and after a few words both decided to stop by their quarters in order to leave their equipment before heading to the mess hall to meet the others. As they wandered the sterile halls of the kaminoan facility, however, an incoming transmission from Hunter’s comm made them stop short.

“Hunter, where are you?” Tech’s usually calm and collected voice came through sounding a bit… panicky. Strange, Crosshair’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at his brother; Tech didn’t panic.

“Crosshair and I are on our way to our quarters, why?”

“You might want to make a detour to the medbay.” Echo’s voice came in as well. “A fight broke out in the mess hall.”

Hunter pinched his nose as Crosshair sighed in annoyance. Typical. They’ve been back on Kamino for less than a standard hour and they were already in trouble.

“What did Wrecker get up to this time?” Crosshair spoke into his brother’s comm.

Echo and Tech paused, the silence on their end stretching for a moment.

“It wasn’t Wrecker.” Tech answered.

“This time.” Echo chimed in.

A distant ‘Hey!’ was heard as Hunter and Crosshair exchanged a confused yet concerned glance before rushing through the halls. Tech and Echo were waiting for them before the closed doors that lead to the medbay.

“What happened?” Hunter asked, his tone laced with tiredness, clearly fed up with his brothers’ antics. 

But before either of them could respond a pair of troopers, regs by the looks of it, walked out the doors. And they couldn’t look worse for wear; one of them had a busted lip and the other was sporting a broken nose, two large bruises already starting to climb up towards his eyes.

“Oh, look, the rest of the anomalies are here.” the one with the cut lip snickered, grimacing as the action pulled against the wound.

“How about you control your little shabuir next time, eh?” the other scoffed as they walked away “Crazy shebs medic and the genetic freaks, it’s like they were made for each other.”

As soon as the word ‘medic’ crossed the reg’s lips Crosshair was moving, busting through the doors of the medbay. What he saw made his heart clench with worry; you were sitting on a cot, holding Wrecker’s hand rather tightly as a medical droid worked on your face. Crosshair could see some caked blood on your hair as the droid cleaned the side of your forehead where it had dripped down. As the droid went over where the cut must have been you winced, to which Wrecker rubbed up and down your back.

“There, baar’ur’ika. It’s all better now.” Wrecker whispered, or at least tried to.

“Thanks, Wreck.” you smiled up at him “I’m just not used to being on the receiving end of medical care, that’s all. I’m always the one cleaning up your cuts, not the other way around.”

Crosshair was so engrossed in watching the exchange he barely heard his brothers follow him into the medbay.

“Some regs started provoking us as we were walking to our table in the mess hall.” Tech explained “She started getting agitated but we told her to just ignore it. But then… a pair of regs said something under their breaths only she could hear, and she…”

“She went ballistic.” Echo completed for Tech, who looked unsettled for once “It looked like she was out for their heads. So much so that Wrecker had to step in.”

Crosshair heard Hunter sigh behind him.

“Command is not gonna be happy with him for getting into a fight. Again.”

“Oh no,” Tech corrected “Wrecker intervened in order to pry her away from the regs. The two troopers who just walked out? That was all her doing.”

A strange sense of pride bloomed inside Crosshair’s chest and started crawling up his throat, his lips threatening to curl into a small smile. Not only were you always looking out for them on the battlefield, but also outside of it? The trust he had been building over time seemed to solidify at that very moment.

As the droid finished wrapping your injury and walked away, Wrecker finally seemed to notice them. 

“Look! Crosshair and Hunter are here!”

As your eyes finally found his, you seemed to light up entirely, akin to a little kid on Life Day.

“Come on, Wrecker, let’s get you some food.” Hunter called, a barely contained sigh escaping from his lips “From what I hear you didn’t get a chance to eat yet. And I have to go back to Command and report this incident.”

Your smile turned sheepish and Crosshair couldn’t tell if you were embarrassed over the slight reprimanding tone in the sergeant’s voice or because your shenanigans had caused everyone to miss dinner so far.

As the other’s left, he sat down on the foot of your cot next to your legs, his long fingers wrapping around your ankle.

“So” he drawled out, a small smirk pulling at his lips “I hear you got yourself in trouble?”

You chuckled, to which he squeezed your ankle playfully in return.

“Yeah, I guess your affinity for trouble is rubbing off on me.”

“I mean, you were assigned to us after all, you obviously aren’t the little angel Commander Cody made you out to be.” he joked, before letting his curiosity get the better of him “What did they say anyway to make you snap like that?”

He noticed the very moment your face fell, your smile slipping off your face and your eyes turning slightly dull.

“Oh, Cross.” there was something so sad in the way you said his name that he never wanted to hear again, even if it meant he never got to hear his name fall from your lips for the rest of his life “They were so vile. First they started talking about Tech, Wrecker and Echo and they just told me to ignore it, but then…” a very soft, almost unnoticeable sheen of tears brimmed in your eyes “They started talking about you, Cross.”

The grip he had on your leg grew even tighter as he physically recoiled, taken aback.

“They started saying these awful things about you and you weren’t even there.” you stammered “They were being cruel and mean to you behind your back and I couldn’t let that slide. I just remembered what you once told me, about how the regs treated you as cadets and I just… saw red. I didn’t even think, I just acted.”

Crosshair felt his heart skip a beat. You, their sweet medic, got into a physical altercation… because of him? Because you felt the need to protect not only him, but his vode as well? You, who baked cookies and was nice to him even when he pushed you away and insulted you, broke a soldier’s nose… for him?

“I-I’m sorry.” you sighed “I know I shouldn’t have, but-”

“Would you do it again?”

Now was your turn to be taken aback.

“What?”

“If a bunch of regs ever insulted me or my brothers again,” he said slowly, the words feeling heavy on his tongue “would you defend us again, even if it meant getting hurt?”

Your lips curled up in a gentle smile, one he came to realize was reserved for him and him alone.

“I’d do anything for you, Crosshair.”

In a moment he was by your side, not even realizing he was moving. He sat on the bed by your side as you scooted over, making space for him, and wrapped an arm around your shoulders. His lips pressed softly on the hair on the crown of your head as he spoke.

“I won’t let you get hurt, Copikla.” he whispered, the most vulnerable he had ever been “Not on my watch, you’re never getting hurt again.”

He sighed contently as you relaxed by his side, laying your head on his shoulder.

“I promise.”

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

Making myself giggle as I imagine an AU where Crosshair goes with his family at the end of "Kamino Lost," and subsequently the events of "Spoils of War/Ruins of War" play out almost exactly as we see it go down, but with Crosshair there.

The levels of grumpy snark would be unprecedented.

He would spend most of the mission with Hunter and Wrecker because he'd have been assigned watch duty and therefore wouldn't get stuck in the cargo container.

Only difference in the story would be that they manage to get away with some of the treasure, because Crosshair definitely wants to one-up Wilco and they are NOT leaving Serreno emptyhanded. Also, Crosshair fumes for the next month over Tech breaking his leg and spends the rest of the season bringing it up, but they all know it's just because he's concerned.

(I almost always stick with canon compliance for my stories, but I might just need to branch out a little to AU and write this one down.)

[spinningwebsandtales]

Imagine Reminiscing With Hunter

Hunter X FemReader

Rating: G

Warnings: Angst, all the feels, fluff

Word Count: 930

(A/N:) Okay I gave myself some major feels in this one. As I have gone through a lot of loss within the last 3 years this helped me heal just a little bit. I hope this helps bring a little bit of closure to the series. Though I loved the final season I was a little bit disappointed in how fast the ending came. It ended a little quickly (or I just didn't want it to end) but I'm so glad they got the ending they deserved. Until next time happy reading! ~Countess

It wasn't unusual for Hunter to disappear during the night, you had grown used to his disappearances during the waning hours of the night. As a soldier, created for one purpose in life, it wasn't unusual for his senses to overwhelm him. So in moments you would give him his space, but other times you would search for him. You had a way of telling whatever Hunter needed. As a leader, he had to be the guidance and rock of the team. Now he didn't have to worry about such things, but it had still taken it's toll over the years. This moment, finding Hunter's side cooling and him nowhere in the room and the solemnness that had overcome the tightknit family, you knew that Hunter needed you this time.

Searching for any signs of the aging clone, you noticed Batcher's absence as well. Normally the loyal creature was holed up with Omega. But even the younger girl's room was barren of her presence. That's when you knew, she was making good on her argument with her brother's this evening. You sighed deeply, breath hitching as your heart cracked. Passing by Wrecker's open door, deep snores echoing out into the hall, you knew Hunter needed you now more than ever.

Pabu was silent as the town slept on. You sat on the stairs a hot cup of caf in hand as you waited for Hunter's return. The stars above glistening brightly before a ship crossed over above your head, and you knew the blonde haired girl was making her own way in the galaxy. Batcher's padded steps alerted you to the return of Hunter. The Lurca snuffled your hand before heading inside. Though happy to see you, you could tell the creature was saddened by her body language. Hunter sighed deeply and you gave him a sad smile.

"Caf," you asked holding out the cup.

He nodded and took your offering, then took a seat as you patted the spot beside you. You had the uncanny ability to know just exactly what he needed. And caf answered a lot of life's more problematic issues. Though it warmed his body and alerted his senses, it couldn't heal the fresh wound in his heart.

"I take it she's gone," you sniffed, fighting back the tears.

"Yeah," he answered, taking another sip. "I couldn't talk her out of it. I didn't even try."

"She wouldn't have listened. That's why she try sneaking away," you replied. "She can't just sit by and do nothing while other's suffered. It's never been in her nature and," you nudged Hunter with an elbow, "she learned it from you."

"Doesn't make it any easier," he chuckled. "I still remember the first time I saw her on Kamino. I never understood why she was so drawn to us."

"It's because you guys were different," you paused. "Like her."

"Tech taught her a lot too. He was the best out of all of us."

You smiled, wiping a stray tear, "He was definitely a rebel. You probably shouldn't have let her spend so much time with him, he clearly influenced her."

Hunter nodded, grinning to himself behind the mug of caf, "I wouldn't change a thing."

"I wouldn't either," you agreed. "But you know Tech wasn't the only one she learned from. Echo had a lot to do with her to, Wrecker was a total enabler, Crosshair too when he wanted, and don't even get me started on you. You were like a father figure to her. You protected her and you taught her in your own way."

Hunter leaned his head back, taking a deep shuttering breath.

"What I'm getting to is," you grabbed his hand giving it a gentle squeeze, "she had good teachers in her brothers. In you guys. The Force is with her and her other brother is out there watching over her too. Tech is all for this and you know it. He goes with her wherever she goes and so do you, Wrecker, Echo, and Crosshair. She is a part of you and her you. It's a cycle we must live. We have them and then we have to let them go, whether that is in something they must set out to do or they end their race of life."

"That's the only reason I let her go," Hunter replied.

He finished his caf and set the empty mug aside. You held your arms out offering him the comfort he needed now more than ever. Hunter tugged you towards him setting his chin on the top of your head. His beard catching a few of your hairs. You cried softly, letting yourself free yourself from emotions, and Hunter wiped at a few stray tears. The galaxy such a vast place, you meet so many people and they make you into you. He never regretted for one moment having Omega in his life and that's why it hurt so much in letting her go. With one final squeeze Hunter let you go, wiping at wet eyes and cheeks.

You laughed wobblily, still drying tears. "Now this just raises the question. Who's going to tell Wrecker?"

Hunter shook his head, grabbing both of the empty cooling mugs, "I'm not."

"I'm not either," you argued.

He paused for one moment and you both stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Crosshair," you both said in unison making you both laugh.

With sorrowful but light hearts you both went back inside the warm home, hand in hand. Ready for whatever the galaxy threw towards your way next.

[vephyrus]

Bad Batch season 3 trailer shots (spoilers?)

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we got this. please don’t let this be who i think it is. :( they’re built like him. i know i said i had a feeling that Tech would be dark trooper’d/Winter Soldier’d, but now i’m not ready for it.

NEXT back on Pabu. i imagine that this is when they’ll get Phee and break the news of Tech’s death, considering she was his lover and she appears in the trailer

Omega piloting something??? is this an escape attempt??? where’s Cross??? Tech would probably be so proud

is it just me or does Wrecker have more scars. i swear he didn’t have those marks on his nose and cheek

WHO THE EVER-LOVING FRICK IS THIS. i panicked and got terrified that she was Ventress but Ventress died??? ugh i’m so excited but so scared.

-EDIT- after watching the clip over and scrolling through comments, that is definitely Ventress. 😭

honorable mentions:

FENNEC SHAND. LOVE HER. SO HAPPY. AND BANE. HES ALWAYS ICONIC

why the frick do i not see Echo in most of these shots. it’s all Wrecker and Hunter. WHERE IS ECHO.

Crosshair literally looks so depressed and i can’t handle it

WOLFFE WOLFFE WOLFFE WOLFFE WOLFFE WOLFFE WOLFFE WOLFFE

REX REX REX REX REX REX REX REX REX

also pretty sure i saw Scorch, always fun to have him around

[xecutivecucumber]

Executive Cucumber's Thoughts on the Bad Batch Season 3, Episode 5, The Return!

(And I'm doing this instead of sleeping)

Spoilers after the break

Notes may not be in order

At first I was a little disappointed that we didn't start immediately after the end of the last episode, but I think I prefer it. We can have the reunion any way we want now. It's possible that the writers thought that they would all just awkwardly and quietly get on the Marauder and fly off and they knew we would be disappointed by that. So they left it to us to imagine what happened next. I think that's also why they didn't show Crosshair finding out about Tech. For them, Crosshair might just stay silent, or disassociate or something and we wouldn't be satisfied. But now we get to imagine all kinds of angst for when that happened.

Oh, the contrast between Omega waking up on Pabu and on Tantiss. SHE DESERVES THIS SO MUCH.

Aww AZ really loves Omega.

Okay, but how did Crosshair accept the fruit? Did he say thank you? I NEED TO SEE CROSSHAIR BE AWKWARD AROUND NORMAL PEOPLE.

I honestly think Crosshair wants to train Omega as his replacement if he can't get over his hands.

Wrecker and Hunter just blatantly watching them is amazing.

MOM'S HOME

Crosshair's sass is everything to me in this episode.

I honestly think that Echo is the only one who really talks about Tech out loud because he's the only one of them who has experienced loss before. He knows how to handle it. The others...do not.

STOP MAKING CROSSHAIR GO TO COLD PLACES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT COLD PLACE TRAUMATIZED HIM

'Little brother' oh my gosh they are my everything.

I expected Crosshair to love Omega, but he ADORES her and I am here for it. I'm also here for the fury for when she is inevitably captured again.

Hunter, you are a butt. I still love you.

HIS ARMOR. YES. YES. YES.

'It still fits' it might not have because he was so skinny and that is devastating.

Oh my gosh Hunter and Crosshair's arguing is everything I could have wanted.

'Kill each other later' Echo I love you.

I love that Batcher is just a member of the Batch now. Also, Hunter, get your senses in order the dog is doing your job.

THE HELMETS. AAAAAAAAAGH.

Hunter: sees Crosshair tenderly arranging helmets

Also Hunter: this is unreasonably suspicious

TOOTHPICKS YES

HIS TREMBLING HAAAANDS

Ugh I love Crosshair and Hunter's fight so much. Crosshair isn't just pushing Hunter's buttons, he's legitimately angry that Hunter let Omega get captured and go through what she did. And then there's the beautiful subtext of 'you let Tech die.'

Crosshair and Batcher are best duo.

THE SNOW IS SO GORGEOUS

CROSSHAIR SOUNDS SO MUCH LIKE TECH HE EVEN SAYS 'OMEGA' THE SAME WAY.

This is their get-along-worm.

Wrecker hugging Crosshair and Hunter may be one of my favorite things ever.

'There's no blood.' I am requesting all fic writers to provide me with a plethora of fics featuring Hunter and Crosshair fighting to bloodshed, ranging from angst to the stupidest argument ever.

CROSSHAIR YOU BEAUTIFUL PERSON YOU OPENED UP.

Okay after Hunter said he did things he regretted too I'm now convinced that he has committed so many war crimes in trying to find Omega. Wrecker has nightmares about it.

I can't remember where, but Crosshair's theme was played in the major key!!! LET HIM BE HAPPY

Crosshair is such a joy to watch this episode. This is who he is and it really contrasts with chipped Crosshair.

I miss Tech so much. I want to see him in this dynamic. I also want to see Crosshair and Phee's dynamic.

I mean this in the most complimentary way possible: this episode felt like a fanfiction. The focus on their interactions and emotions feels like something we'd get from a fic rather than Canon. And I love every moment of it.

I adore seasons 1 and 2, but there were definitely episodes I preferred over another. This season has been 10/10 for me so far. And once more I have to wait a FREAKING week for more.

[chaotic-kitty]

Talking to (info dumping on) my partner just now about Tech, and man, I'm forever going to be salty over how his death went.

If they were gonna kill him off for emotional impact/shock value, they could've at least done something more with it. They had all of this material they could've worked with to create an episode in memoriam or just include in the episodes we had. Like:

Omega telling Cross about Techs death

Wrecker and Hunter telling Phee about Tech (especially given what their last interaction + implied relationship was)

Shep and Lyanna learning of Tech's death

Echo telling Rex about Tech

Everyone also finding out about Omega's kidnapping

Seeing how Wrecker and Hunter dealt with mourning Tech while also searching tirelessly for Omega

Seeing how Omega and Crosshair dealt with mourning him while being held captive

How they all dealt with the loss when they were together again. Like giving him a proper memorial or something

There's just....more they could've done to acknowledge his death and the impact it would've had. Hell, Echo got more focus in some ways when he left the BB and he didn't even die. And they could've framed the episode in so many ways, too.

This wasn't just some random person. He was a main character, a brother, a beloved member of the squad. He deserved a bit more. Especially as it felt like the only times people brought him up were when they could've used his knowledge. And there was more to him than what he could do for them.

Had he been revealed to be alive somehow, maybe it would've been a bit more understandable. But he didn't. If they truly wanted more impact and shock, imagine how much more our souls would've been crushed, and our hearts ripped to pieces, had we gotten an episode or something showing the stages of shock and grief they all would've gone through.

And the thing is, this was still a creative choice that was made. Sure, higher ups could've interfered but like, why? If you're going to kill a character or put them through something, the least you could do is to do the storyline justice. Especially as his death only saved them for a moment before they were ultimately put on a path that they were. And it honestly just feels cheap and like a waste. All of that character growth and teasing of romance just to be killed off - via a sacrifice that was avoidable had they thought things through more - and tossed aside to allow for a dragged on storyline next season. :/

[captaineyayah]

Happy Bad Batch eve, y’all ! Who else is absolutely terrified, excited, and ready to accept that they’re going to spend most of tomorrow in some sort of haze! I still don’t think I’ve truly processed that this is the final episode, but to help me cope I thought I’d share some of my anxiety riddled (probably delusional) theories about what the finale will bring.

First of all, I don’t think that this show will end like Rogue One did. I have seen people theorize that only Omega and the other kids will be the ones to successfully make it off of Tantiss, but this series has had such a focus on family that I can’t imagine that they would leave Omega on her own without any of her brothers. I also want to say that I don’t think that it will only be Omega and one other member of the Bad Batch who survives. I don’t think that they would kill off 4/6 of the main characters. Star Wars has always been about hope, even in the moments that seem hopeless, and I think that killing off over half of the characters would make this ending way more bitter than the bittersweet people keep talking about.

Secondly, for whoever does die (hopefully no one – except Hemlock), I cannot see any of these characters going out in any other way aside from self-sacrifice or as a catalyst for something. At this point, there is no way they would just randomly kill off one of these characters without it meaning something.

Moving onto the individual characters:

Wrecker is who I am honestly the least worried about. Do I think there is a 100% guarantee that he’ll live – no – but I do think that if they were going to pick one or two Bad Batch members to sacrifice themselves, I don’t think Wrecker would be their first choice.

Next up is Hunter and, honestly, I think I might be in the minority thinking that he might make it out of everything alive. I definitely wouldn’t put money on it, but his and Omega’s relationship has been a focal point of the show since day one, so I think that there is a chance that that’ll be how it ends. Now, can I also definitely see Hunter doing the sacrificial play or pulling an Uno reverse card on one of his siblings who tries to sacrifice themselves, putting himself in their place instead – yes…

This one might be a little more delusional than some of the others, and I have way more thoughts on him that I didn't include cause he's my favorite and this is long enough already, but there are basically two ways I can logically see Echo’s fate ending. Either he is the one to sacrifice himself (Filoni, I am in your fucking walls if you do anything to my boy!) or he is one of the ones to make it out, maybe not unscathed but alive. Midway through the season, I had started thinking that Echo wasn’t in enough of the episodes to make his death impactful, but with how competent he has shown to be in the past couple of episodes I’m starting to get worried. I do not know what they are setting up with his scomp getting stuck and I do not like it. There are also the parallels that everyone keeps pointing out between him and Fives in the stolen, blank armor and that does significantly scare me, but maybe this time he is successful in saving his brothers where Fives failed. Emotionally speaking, please, my boy has been through enough, let him live a happy little life after all the turmoil he’s been through! Please, I am begging you!

Finally, Crosshair is the one that if you had asked me when season 2 started coming out who I thought wouldn’t make it to the end of the series, I would have said him. Something about the line Rampart says about seeing how much Crosshair has actually changed from being just loyal to himself to being loyal to more than that makes me think that he’s going to sacrifice himself for his family, for the other kids, for the other clones. I can totally see Hunter trying to pull the sacrifice play, then Crosshair shoving him out of the way at the last second and doing it himself. I’ve seen people talk about how it would be a waste of his redemption arc that they’ve been building over the past two seasons, but this is also such a common trope that I can’t help but think it is a possibility.

Or maybe everybody survives and goes to live happily ever after on Pabu, and we're all stressed for absolutely nothing! (*muffled sobbing in the distance*)

[vyr2oso]

Imagine: later in the season they need to do a precise shot that pre season 3 crosshair would be able to do like it was nothing. Instead he guides Omega through doing it with her crossbow. She then takes out multiple enemies in a way reminiscent of how crosshair took out dozens of droids in one shot in S7 of Clone Wars

Crosshair is super proud if her but ofc acts like he's salty about it, as siblings do. He says something like 'Don't worry, I'll beat you next time' and Omega grins at him and says just as snarkily 'no you won't'

Paralleling Wrecker and Crosshair from S7

I would cry tbh

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Ep. 13 "Into the Breach" Review

This was another fantastic episode that packs so much into its 25 minute runtime. Seriously, the finale better be like an hour. I feel like there's so much we have to address, yet so little time. My faith in you doesn't waver Jennifer; you've guided us through thick and thin. I will say that Rampart is surprisingly a really fun character to revisit and I enjoy watching him interact with the Batch. This man doesn't learn, but he's funny now so I give him kudos for entertainment purposes. I loved the dark atmosphere as the finale draws nearer and near. This is the end of the Bad Batch. We know it and they know it.

As usual, spoilers below:

MAMA ECHO RETURNS!!! After so long, he graces us with his appearance and he serves. I loved everything from his action sequences to his sass. Watching him sneak around the Imperial ship, rolling off of crates and working his magic was awesome to watch. That's why he's the Arc Trooper. And boy was he funny too. If it were possible, Rampart would've definitely be set on fire. Between being told he was being demoted to being denied the title of "sir," Rampart was demolished by Echo. It's just so good to see Echo again. I love him so much for his kind heart, quips, and awesome action sequences. The writers delivered!

Rampart, Rampart, Rampart... what will we do with you? He certainly hasn't changed and probably never will. But honestly, I kinda hope he doesn't. Sometimes, people are just aholes who do the right things for the wrong reasons. Rampart provides an interesting moral perspective. And he's still hot. Seeing him cleaned up in the uniform didn't help either. I'm a simple woman guys. He's also hilarious and I love it. Rampart's ego is so big that he unintentionally comes across as whiny and comical. Going forward, I seriously wonder what they'll do with him because he's going to Tantiss. Will he get dropped off? Sell the Batch out? Die in the battle that is to come? Next week will tell. I'm glad he was brought back though. He did his job as a villain well. Now, we get to see him in different situations and it's fun.

Omega, my sweet bean, hang in there. This episode does so well in establishing just how much she's grown over the past few seasons. Omega's always been resourceful and clever. Seeing her scheme to escape the Vault was exciting. You can also see the influence her brothers, particularly Hunter, have had on her. Omega's become more confident and mature. She's a leader in every sense of the word. The other kids look to her for guidance as she plans an escape. I also want to give the other kids a huge hug; I can't imagine what it must be like for them. It's one of the darkest things we've ever seen in Star Wars. Also, Emerie and Scalder rivalry definitely is gonna end with Emerie's true motivations being discovered. Scalder's not gonna let her allow Omega to slip away.

And seeing the boys strip their armor of all their color... that was legitimately heartbreaking to watch. I see it as a symbol of finality. There is no going back once they get to Tantiss. Hunter's "negative" just cements that. The last 5 minutes of the episode were so tense as the boys hitched a ride. As a my discord friend put it, "all roads lead to Tantiss."

There were a lot of smaller moments I enjoyed too. Wrecker was pretty funny this episode. Crosshair and Hunter voicing their trust in Echo was sweet. It furthers just how much the Batch truly trust and know each other. It's that implicit trust that makes me love their dynamic so much.

Anyways, that's all for now. We're truly in the endgame guys. After so long, we've finally made it to Tantiss. All that's left is to get Omega, the children, and escape which is so much easier said than done. I'm so scared yet excited for what's to come. See y'all next week!

[freesia-writes]

Chapter 11: Intellect

During the Clone Wars, the Bad Batch is tasked with a variety of missions across the galaxy. An unexpected addition to their team throws a wrench in the mix, particularly for Tech, who finds a particular connection with this disillusioned Padawan-turned-mechanic named Vel throughout the events in this action-adventure romance.

COVER ART BY @zaana!! And this was my first fanfic ever, y'all! :D

Master List of Chapters

Author's Note: The nature scene in this chapter is actually where I started writing this entire story. :) I was in a gorgeous place on a hike one day, we were in the middle of season 2 of TBB being released, and I was totally smitten with Tech, so I imagined what it would be like to explore the setting with him there. As I'm re-reading it and editing it this time around, with a much fuller grasp of Tech, I had to shift a few things to make it more in-character and fitting. :) But you'll see a picture of the tree that inspired this whole writing endeavor too, LOL.

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A few weeks passed, full of various adventures and punctuated with rest and refuels. Vel was slow to let her guard down, and understandably so. She was invited to various projects and repairs around the ship but was somehow not expected to contribute in any way just yet. There was a gentle ease into the new dynamic, and she noted Hunter's particular sensitivity toward her. Vel had made her intentions clear in their "real talk", as Wrecker had coined it, that she was willing to rejoin with the condition that she was not to be "piled off on the next farmer they saw." Hunter had accepted this with a grin and a "fair enough", and they were off to the races.

Vel tended to stay on the ship for the most part, venturing out only for necessities or for simple local explorations on hospitable and friendly stops. She did enjoy trying various foods and attempting to learn some phrases of strange new languages but primarily contented herself with her work around the ship. 

The team landed on a densely wooded planet, a beautiful, lush place teeming with life. Having time before "the show would begin", again as Wrecker had put it, Tech decided to explore the flora and fauna, and Vel opted to tag along. It had been a relatively quiet week, and everyone was in good spirits. She definitely had no other motive in seeking out time alone with him. Definitely. But, in all honesty, the beauty of the planet was inspiring, and she soon realized that she was being fully present, simply soaking up everything around her. Tech was completely engrossed in his visor and scanner at the same time, a stark contrast to Vel's uncharacteristically free enjoyment of the scene around them. She had worked hard to keep up a stoic exterior, to avoid being hurt again. But something about this kind of nature setting brought out her favorite side of herself, and she emanated peace and delight as they ventured into the forest.

Momentarily peering through the lines on his visor, Tech watched her explore and discover for a moment, fascinated by this soft, curious side of hers. She caught his glance and instead of any sort of challenge or walling-off, she held up a stem, revealing a giant, round leaf with a disproportionately tiny white flower right in the center. It could have been missed by the casual passerby.

"Would you look at this!" she called, twirling it between her fingers with childish intrigue.

"I am observing," he replied, regarding both her and the plant with interest.

She explored the textures of the trees, taking deep breaths of the crisp, fresh air, and bent down to inspect the tiniest patch of plants, amazed by the variety and intricacy in one small area. Tech continued looking at everything through his visor, with species information and characteristics filing past his eyes. He tapped into the datapad, categorizing and noting each item before filing it away.

Vel rose from her plant inspection, suddenly enamored with a large tree trunk with impossibly smooth bark. Large pieces had fallen off in chunks, revealing a watercolor texture of browns. It was dappled with random knots and bumps, and the grain of the bark swirled around each one as if it were a galaxy all on its own. There were specks of red and long streaks of dark brown, all in a perfect work of art. It was too much to keep it to herself.

"Tech! Look!" she said, beckoning him over from a curled fern he was scanning. "This tree is incredible."

His response was immediate: he tapped on the datapad and looked at the information feeding through his visor. "Indeed! It has a growth cycle of over—" "No, Tech," Vel said, with insistence, "Really look." She placed a gentle hand on his own, wrapped around the datapad, and gave him a meaningful glance before she reached up and, hesitating to check for any complaint, lifted his visor to reveal those large, inquisitive eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, the intensity of her reaction surprising her. He blinked for a moment, brow furrowing in comprehension. "Ah," he brightened up suddenly, "I am neglecting the full experience of all of the senses by favoring only the visual." "If that's how you need to put it," Vel responded, trying to return her focus to the situation at hand. "But try it. This place is incredible. I haven't felt like this since I was a kid. It's absolutely filled with intricacies and details that you could spend forever discovering. So full of vibrant life and delights of all kinds... So much you'd miss with just a cursory glance." Tech observed her, head tilted once again, finding those words to be fitting for more than just the nature around them. These strange thoughts were foreign to him, but he observed them with curiosity, fitting them into the larger puzzle of his experience. They were even accompanied by certain sensations that he associated with particular emotions, and he was torn between taking a moment to cognitively investigate the feelings or simply continuing to experience them.

Vel reached a hand up to the tree trunk once again, marveling at its simultaneous texture and smoothness. She leaned in, mesmerized by the intricate filigree of fibers, while Tech stood beside her, unmoving but watching with interest.

It was too wonderful to keep to herself, and she felt compelled by some unseen force. "Can you take off your glove?" she asked, reaching for his hand. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her today, but the joy of the setting and the company was carrying her along on a cloud. And the fact that he allowed his hand to rest in hers was sending tingles through her like a wildfire. "Is it necessary?" he inquired. "Yes," she replied firmly, "It will be a decidedly beneficial endeavor." The shadow of a smile curved Tech's lips at her choice of words, and he looked down at his hand, considering the way her simple touch made him feel. Vel wanted to take his glove off for him, but for some reason it felt too bold, too intimate, so she sat there for a moment, frozen in indecision.

He took his hand back, tugging the fingertips of his gloves until the small armor plate and black fabric around it were pulled all the way off, and he tucked his glove in a pouch. Another pause held him back as he studied the tree, either trying to identify the optimal hand placement or convincing himself that this was indeed better than memorizing its characteristics.

"Can I touch your hand?" Vel whispered, trying to make it seem as natural as possible. But her insides were churning as he turned his brown eyes on her, reaching for the tree but hovering his hand above it, giving her a slow nod.

Vel placed his bare hand on the tree with hers on top of it, electricity surging through her limbs at the sensation. She splayed her fingers out, between his, and gently cupped his hand to move it up the tree a bit, roving from silky white patches to stubbly brown areas dotted with red flecks. But she wasn't focused on the tree at all, rather completely intoxicated by his warm hand, strong yet soft... the texture of his knuckles, the shape of his long fingers... The consistency of the tree's surface was quite enjoyable, Tech mused to himself. There was a delightful variety within just a small area, and he wondered if the tree could possibly be a hybrid between a few local species. He was distracted, however, by a sudden awareness of the intimacy of the situation. He wasn't usually one to allow or enjoy physical touch. But the typical stomach-churning sense that usually flared up in response was notably absent. He explored further, both the wood and the feeling, and moved of his own accord a bit, tracing the knots along the side with her palm still resting on the back of his hand. The tranquility was unmatched, and time seemed to slow down. Tech leaned in to look closer at the markings and growth patterns, eyes roving from one knot to the next. Vel felt his inner calm rising to match her own, standing still next to him, and took a moment to savor it all -- the touch of their hands, the crisp air, and the gentle breeze.

The peace was broken when she felt a twinge inside of her, something old and familiar yet still foreign somehow. Alarmed, she pulled her hand away, taking a step back and casting a glance around the small clearing. Tech noted her sudden shift and moved back as well, swiftly swapping his datapad for a blaster and watching her in silent question.

"That was weird," Vel tried to explain, "It felt like a presence, but not a full one... but that doesn't really make sense..." She fell silent as the sensation grew again, almost like a small shadow passing over her, but there was no indication of threat or impending danger. Her eyes flickered to and fro, searching for the source of this mystery. 

Tech caught her eye and nodded deftly toward a branch to their right. She followed his gaze to discover a small bird, no bigger than a Loth-Cat, perched above them. It observed them calmly, with more composure than any creature she had seen before. She felt inexplicably connected to it, which kindled her curiosity.

"I believe that is a convor," Tech said, tucking his blaster back into its holster and lowering his visor. "They are also called Trandoshan birds, native to the moon called Wasskah, but they are found in various planets throughout the galaxy. Apparently, they are known to have notably strong connections to the Force." 

Vel's eyes remained on the convor, and it regarded her evenly. She felt disproportionately encouraged by the fact that she had even sensed it in the first place. Her Force skills had been so abysmal that she had continually resolved to give up any hope of it entirely, yet somehow she kept coming back to try. 

She closed her eyes, turning her focus inward, and reached down to that place deep within, a place of stillness and calm. It was so much easier to access here than all the busy places they had been, and she relished its presence. From there, she stretched her awareness outward, connecting with the living Force all around them. 

It was like seeing a dim outline of the world through closed eyes, as she felt Tech's presence beside her, the trees and plants, the insects and flowers. She felt the convor as well, a radiant little beam of light on the branch above. Its energy touched her own, and she sucked in a soft breath, marveling at the experience. 

Tech watched curiously, mystified at this strange ancient magic. He lifted his visor to better ascertain the situation and found himself unable to take his eyes from Vel's face. "Unremarkable", she had said, so many times, about virtually everything about herself. Yet in this moment, there could not have been a less accurate description. 

His gaze roved from her closed eyes, more serene than he had ever seen, up to her textured brown hair following it to where it was tied loosely at the nape of her neck. He noted her mouth, the corners of which were twitching upward in a gentle smile. The primly pointed twin peaks of her upper lip sat in stark contrast to the full curvature of her bottom lip, slightly parted in her intentional outward focus. 

This last observation created a churning sort of sensation in his midsection, and Tech placed a hand on his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to look away, though his mind continued to race with queries. He felt a warmth begin to accompany the tingles, and he swallowed more noisily than intended. 

Vel opened, her eyes, retreating from the blissful awareness of all things around them, and found herself looking into Tech's face, painted with an inscrutable expression. She smiled fully, feeling a compulsion to reach out and touch his cheek, but she had explored quite enough for one day, and felt awash with glowing contentment.

"Well," Tech said, licking his lips and adjusting his goggles before turning to head back toward the ship. "This has been most informative." 

Author's Note -- I wrote this before the Pabu episode aired, but now as I'm re-reading it, I see a similarity between Vel asking him to engage with the tree and Phee showing him the lights coming on at sunset. Heheh. Ah well.

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[just-here-with-my-thoughts]

Abandoned (?) fic plan

Throwing this out into the void so people can enjoy mine and @ninjadeathblade's bullet-point brainstorming even if I never get round to writing the full fic (apparently we wrote this in June '23? And it's just been hanging around since then?)

Tee fic plan

The Bad Batch Post Season 2

After Tech falls

He isn’t dead

Captured and taken to Mt Tantiss

Which means he can help Crosshair and Omega escape (yaay!)

Only

Tech dies helping them escape

He sacrifices himself again

Tech is the brother Crosshair is closest to

They are both very intelligent, from TCW we can see they work the most closely together out of all the Batch

Tech knows Cross is the one who can get Omega safely back to the others

So actually dies (with a body this time)

.

Meanwhile elsewhere…

The Batch (what remains of it) are planning how to rescue Omega

They don’t know where Cross is

They don’t know Tech is alive

Phee is helping but she is weak/dizzy/nauseous

“I’m sure it’s nothing…”

“Doesn’t seem like nothing to me…”

It’s morning sickness

(Turns out she and Tech got a lot closer than the others realised ;))

Only

Tech’s DNA was modified for enhanced growth like all clones

Phee’s pregnancy is progressing much faster than a normal one

She doesn’t have long to think about it and is considering aborting the baby

“What? No! That’s… that’s Tech’s child. Our brother’s child. You can’t do that.”

“Well how am I supposed to raise a kid all by myself? And one with accelerated ageing at that? Who’s going to help me?”

“We’ll do it. We’ll look after you.”

.

Bad Batch tracks Omega’s location and launches rescue mission simultaneously to Tech helping Crosshair and Omega escape

So they pick Cross and Omega up together

They never knew Tech had been alive

Omega tells them he died to save her

Cross refuses to talk about it

.

Time goes on…

Crosshair has a lot to process with learning about Phee’s pregnancy

He didn’t even know Tech had a girlfriend after all

I mean let’s be honest he probably thought Tech incapable of noticing the female of the species

Combine that with knowing that Tech sacrificed himself to rescue him

After all they’d been through

Cross has conflicted feelings to say the least

Takes to avoiding Phee. If she enters a room, he leaves it, even if it’s mid-conversation

Everyone notices it but no-one knows how to broach it with him

(Omega btw is sad but excited to have a new baby niece or nephew on the way!)

.

Eventually it’s time for the baby to arrive

It’s probably only been a handful of months with the accelerated growth. Maybe 4 months.

The rapid growth has put a lot of strain on Phee’s body and it’s a difficult labour

Omega is like “I know what to do with babies! I was there when you all came out your tubes!”

“That’s great Omega but what do we do before the baby arrives?”

“Oh that? I have no clue.”

In the end Echo is the midwife

Giving instructions to Hunter to help

Wrecker: “You can squeeze my hand Phee! I’m tough enough to take anything!”

Even so, his eyes are watering with how tightly she is crushing his fingers

It gets to a really difficult part of the labour. Everyone is worried. Phee is screaming in agony and the Batch don’t know what to do to safely deliver this baby

Suddenly Crosshair enters the room

Shoulders Wrecker aside and sits down next to Phee, taking her hand

His long, narrow fingers have an iron-strong grip and he doesn’t wince when she squeezes his hand through a contraction

“Focus. Keep your eye on the target. You know what you need to do to get through this.”

It’s almost like having Tech back… almost. Cross is physically the most similar and Phee can close her eyes and imagine it is her clone lover there with her

Eventually the baby is delivered safely

Hunter is the first to hold the baby, catching the boy as he is born

Passes him to Echo to swaddle

Omega: “This is much messier than when you all came out your tubes!”

Echo passes the baby to Phee

Wrecker (gushing over his new nephew): “He’s got Tech’s eyes!”

Phee (with tears in her eyes and a smile): “The phenotypical eye colour of all clones is brown…”

The others all cluster round except Crosshair, who quietly leaves

As he reaches the door

Omega: “Don’t you want to hold the baby?”

Crosshair pauses for a moment in the doorway, then leaves

.

Over the coming weeks baby Tee grows fast

(Tee is short for Tech. They didn’t want to name the baby Tech; in fact at first the baby didn’t have a name. Clones are given numbers, not names when they are born. Phee couldn’t decide what name Tech would have chosen. The Batch just referred to the new arrival as ‘The Baby’ or ‘Little One’ until Phee settled on Tee. That’s a nice rhyme too between mother and baby :))

Omega is delighted to play with the baby. It reminds her of when her brothers were little, only this time she is allowed to be affectionate and bond with the baby. Of course she gives Lula to Tee

Wrecker is a doting uncle and constantly lavishes affection on baby Tee. He is always on hand to help Phee out with nappy changes and playing with the baby

Echo is reading up on clone development whilst taking charge of night feeds

Hunter is in charge of organising supplies; making sure that new mum and baby have everything they need, especially as Tee is growing so quickly. He loves holding baby Tee even if he is a bit embarrassed in front of the others. Phee knows this and is always happy to give Hunter a chance to bond with his nephew.

Phee knew when she met Tech that he came as a package deal with his brothers but she is surprised by how much she likes having them around to help out. She may have lost Tech, but this extended family means she doesn’t feel alone with her new baby

Crosshair assiduously avoids Phee and Tee

With the others busy with the baby he has taken charge of their missions to bring in money, organising everything and just letting the others know who he needs with him – always leaving someone behind with Phee and the baby

Also he is Experiencing Emotions

Tech sacrificed himself to save Crosshair

And this is Tech’s son

And he doesn’t know how he feels about it

Every time he looks at Tee he feels guilty that Tech wasn’t the one to make it back from Mt Tantiss

Omega seems to sense what he’s going through

Unlike the other Batchers, who avoid talking to Crosshair about Phee and the baby, she will chatter on about how Tee is developing and what he is like

Crosshair pretends like he’s only putting up with it to humour Omega

But it’s helping him come to terms with Tech’s death

And how their lives go on without him

.

One day Tee is crying

And no-one can settle him

Phee is out

The Batch have tried everything they can think of to no avail

Echo and Hunter are poring over parenting manuals trying to find any advice about what to do

Omega has given up trying to distract Tee with toys and has her hands clamped over her ears

Wrecker is holding Tee and jiggling him up and down trying to cheer him up but he won’t stop crying

In walks Crosshair

Hunter gets up to confront him thinking Cross is going to complain about the noise

Crosshair walks straight past him and up to Wrecker

Lifts Tee off Wrecker’s lap

And holds him close against his shoulder

He tilts his head against the baby’s, murmuring soothingly

Tee starts to quiet, then stops crying

Crosshair is slowly pacing the room, rocking Tee gently against his body

Everyone else has their jaw on the floor

Omega is the first to recover

Starts to shoo the others out the room

“When he calms down Crosshair can lay him down for a nap!”

Outside the room

Hunter: “I never thought I’d see Crosshair do something like that”

Wrecker: “He’s a natural with the kid! And he’s never even held him before!”

Echo: “I think he’s wanted to for a long time. I’m glad he’s ready for it now. And just in time to save us from the crying… my ears are ringing”

Omega just smiles

Inside the room

Crosshair gets to sit and hold his baby nephew

Look into his brown eyes

“Thanks for believing in me, brother. For coming after me. For saving me.”

“Don’t worry, Tech. I’ll look after him.”

.

Phee comes back from the shops

Finds the rest of the Batch sitting around enjoying downtime

“Where’s Tee?”

Omega, brightly: “Crosshair’s got him!”

Phee goes to baby’s room

Crosshair is dozing in a chair with Tee asleep on his chest. Cracks one eye open when Phee comes in

“Well, I didn’t expect you to be the one with him, Long-Legs”

Crosshair doesn’t comment. Gets up and moves to Phee, handing Tee back to her

Hesitates, then looks away sadly

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring him back to you.”

Phee pauses, small nod: “I’m sure he’d be glad just to know you were back with your family, where you belong”

Cross exits

Omega is outside the room

Smiles up at him

“Thanks for getting Tee to sleep, Crosshair!”

Cross nods, then rests a hand on her head and ruffles her hair

Crosshair: “Is it time for target practice?”

Omega lights up: “Yeah!” runs and gets her bow

Hunter and Echo share a look. Hunter looks like he’s about to say something but Echo smiles and shakes his head. Leave them to it, don’t comment

.

On a side note, because Tee has inherited the clones’ accelerated ageing, he will be physically a late teen about the same time as Omega

They can be chaotic nineteen-year-olds together

Hope you enjoyed our brainstorming :)

[starqueensthings]

So I’ve been really struggling with the unexpected events of the season two finale, and I know a lot of us have been. We’ve all been grieving in different ways, but I wanted to share one of the coping mechanisms I used to help me get through the first couple days. I wrote these snippets from the perspective of Wrecker, Hunter, and Echo, as a sort of prayer or message to Tech. All three are based on the concept of heaven, or a peaceful afterlife, so if that’s not your thing, please carry on. And while I’m not overly religious, the concept of peace after death is something I find cathartic. Please enjoy, and hopefully this helps you like it has been helping me.

Tech, if you can hear me.

Part One: Wrecker Part Two: Hunter

Part Three: Echo (anger)

“Tech, if you can hear me.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck. I’ve been sitting on the ship staring at your chair for probably hours. I keep trying to funnel my thoughts into a place where I can actually understand them, but I can’t. I’m angry. I’m. So. Angry.

And I shouldn’t be. I should be really good at this by now. I’ve gone through this tornado of feelings more times than I can count… but I don’t know if anyone ever gets “good” at accepting a loss. Especially when it’s a brother.

I don’t have many memories of leaving Skako, but I remember waking up and seeing you right over Rex’s shoulder. I remember hearing him beg you to help me… and you did. You made it possible to get me out of there. Your uncelebrated ingenuity freed me from hell and I will never forget it.

Growing up, my batch mates always poked fun at me for reading schematics… they called me “reg manual”. I can admit, the obsession was a little unusual, but I couldn’t help it. I found comfort and stability in knowing and understanding logistics. It gave me a confidence that I wasn’t inherently born with like the rest of them were. When I joined Clone Force 99, you became a living, breathing manual beside me, and I never said it, but I found so much comfort in you. You were so effortlessly confident, aware… and I firmly believe that most missions were successful because of you.

Fuck. Why am I doing this? This is so dumb. You probably can’t hear me.

A lot of people believe there’s a peaceful place where one goes when they die, but… I just can’t imagine that sort of peace anywhere in this galaxy or in the next. How can such a wonderful place exist, when there is so much evil in the air down here? How can anyone fathom such serenity when there is so much turmoil? I can almost hear you saying ‘the notion that such a place exists is a highly illogical presumption, Echo. There is no sound data in any archive of any habitation such as one that fits those categories’.

But, if somehow it does exist… If you actually can hear me, and you’re in that place… Then I just want you to know… you deserve it, Tech. You deserve a place where your datapad battery never dies; where there’s an infinite conveyer of mechanics that need your ingenious repairs; you deserve a place where you’re allowed to write on the walls in the middle of the night when an ingenious idea hits you; a place where the lenses of your goggles never fog up, and the seams of your blacks aren’t scratchy. I hope it’s there for you.

And if you’re in that place… maybe keep an eye out for my twin? I could never bring myself to talk about him, but he was the greatest man I’ve ever known. You’ve probably already run into him up there; he’s loud, funny, animated, annoying, and he can talk his way into or out of anything. If you see him, can you tell him I miss him? His name is Fives, and you’ll probably find him hanging out around a table, playing sabacc with a sea of friends. He was always popular. I’ve heard Jesse is up there too. And Tup… Hardcase… so many brothers. Tell them I’m trying. Tell them I’ll keep trying for them.

And don’t worry about me. I promise I’ll keep my keep my hinges clean, and my scomp spinning.

Thinking of you always my brother,

Echo”.

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

"Creative" Miniseries

Warnings and Information: Because some of these get suggestive, we're gonna say Minors DNI.

I went down a list of creative hobbies at random, so some of these may not necessarily "fit" our Bad Batch and Wolfpack boys. This is more a creative writing exercise than a serious list of headcanons.

If I miss someone from a certain unit, or you want to see so-and-so with a different creative hobby than the one I went with at random, let me know and I can do another part just for them. It doesn't have to be in the form of a request, but you're welcome to make one (it'll be easier to keep track of that way/guarantee I'll see it)!

Word count: 2,010

The Bad Batch 

Crosshair 

His cyare writes him poetry, short stories, and fake scripts. Wordsmithy about purple mountains crowned in silver snow. His retellings of how he wiped out fifteen battle droids in one shot becomes fit for the silver screen when you present him with the scene. He's thought about carefully etching your poetry about him into the stock of his gun. But he couldn't decide on just one line; how could he pick just one when they were all so good? He's thought about the filthy praise you've written for him on strips of filmsi when he misses you most. He's memorized every word before he discreetly drops the strip into a puddle on the landing pad, or some water cupped in the palm of his hand, to let the evidence dissolve and melt away. He knows you keep your records if you ever wanted to do a reading while you ravish him; just like you promise on paper while maybe being too timid to tell him out loud. No two lines have ever been quite the same. It never fails to make him feel so loved when every word you write is chosen with utmost care. Even the parts about himself he despises he's found himself slowly coming to love. You've been wonderful for his self-image, in many ways. And you constantly surprise him. He's never imagined you could be so crass when you write how much you want to ruin him in bed. Him. Hunter asked if Crosshair had gotten some bad news because he could hear the sniper's heart racing wildly, once. "No… everything's fine." Crosshair insisted in a way that didn't quite convince Hunter, but he thankfully let it go.

Wrecker

His cyare spoils him with home cooking. Absolutely spoils him. Sweets and breads and stews. Meat so mouthwatering and tender it falls off the bone. And the best part is you make enough so he can eat until he's had his fill. He's full for one rare moment in his life. No bland ration bars. No under-seasoned food from the mess. You always make it just how he likes it, and some extras that he takes home with him for his brothers, made how they like it, too. He's not sure he's ever seen a single recipe card. He's pretty sure you have a flawless memory. He offhandedly mentioned it had been a while since he'd had something once, and the next day, you whipped up exactly what he'd been craving. Right down to the spices and the drinks you paired with the meal the first time. So when he jokes that the two of you could really give him a case of deja vu by engaging in a certain "after-activity" once you've had some time to digest, he finds that's exactly what you had in mind. Mornings after he spends the night, he's made breakfast in bed. You might find yourself engaged if you do that enough times! He might not even have a ring or any sort of commemorative accessory ready for the moment, but he's so swept up in feeling so loved by you that he wants to feel like that forever. What better way than to ask to be yours?

Hunter

His cyare has the greenest of green thumbs he's ever seen in this galaxy. You can tell what the soil needs from feeling it between your fingers. You can deduce what ails your plants with startling accuracy before ever consulting the Holonet. Your garden thrives with life in such a small space; unlike anything he's ever seen. Herb and flower and produce. You have an idea for a hydroponic garden that you've been flirting with the idea of; something you can propagate here that you could let him keep on Kamino. A little secret piece of greenery to break up all that sterility of white and silver. He loves to spend time with his hands in the dirt with you, watching you prune and weed with precision. He may not understand how you keep all the seasons of planting and blooming and harvesting straight in your head, but he appreciates your brilliance and your knack for filling your garden with so much growing in tandem. You invited him once to do a little late night planting in the new flower beds, but the two of you ended up fooling around so much that the beautiful seedlings from the nursery remained untouched until sunrise. (It took Hunter three days to get all the dirt from his hair.) Eventually he can tell what section of your garden you spent the most amount of time in by the way you smell at the end of the day. "You've been in the herbs again. Maker, I love it when you smell like this…" You laugh softly, feeling your skin tingle pleasantly wherever his hands begin to roam. "Good. Because tomorrow I plan to fertilize the new patch I made, and we both know you're not a fan of the fertilizer. But I need to get things ready for you to choose your own little things you want to learn to grow."

Tech

His cyare shares an interest in puzzles and programming. Logic puzzles, jigsaw, sudoku, crossword, word searches, mazes, memory and recall, you name it. Anything that tests your reasoning and intelligence. You've slipped so many little ciphers into your messages together, and sent him many tasteful images. He needs to crack three layers of unique encryption to get to it. Were the files in his datapad not so important in order to perform his part in the Grand Army of the Republic, you'd gladly give into the idea of sending him a virus that would do something harmless, or cause a minor nuisance like changing his primary language from Basic to Shyriiwook to Huttese to Dathomiri to Rodian all at random. "It would be fascinating, not knowing what language you're going to get the next time you pick up your datapad," you tell him, trying to explain why you hesitate to entertain this fantasy, "but what if you needed to show something to Commander Cody and he doesn't speak Kel Dor?" You have a point, he concedes, but he files this odd fantasy away for another time. Maybe when the war is over. Letting his exceptional mind go to waste would be an utter shame. Letting an opportunity to be involved with you in this mutual hobby going to waste would be criminal.

Wolfpack

Commander Wolffe

His cyare's poor hands are full of splinters all hours of the day. "I wish you'd wear gloves, or something…" he grumbles worriedly as he assists you in working a particularly nasty splinter free. It's in there deep… and he's this close to taking you to one of the medics on board to make sure it's out before infection sets in. "But it's just not the same without the feel of the wood in my hands if I wore gloves." you tell him. You don't mean it to be dismissive of his feelings. You know he's only thinking of your best interests and your safety in mind. He always is. The idea of woodworking, something that could be very demanding on your hands, something that could too-easily go wrong if you didn't mind the blade of your whittling knife didn't scare Wolffe, but it didn't comfort him either. "I see enough hurt to last a lifetime when I accompany General Plo Koon on relief efforts. The thought of you… Please promise me you'll be careful." You nod softly. Promising that you're doing your best. You're always doing your best. "I'll be careful. I have to be if I want this to look good." He's never asked his cyare what they make. Not because he doesn't care, but because he's so preoccupied that he doesn't get to see anything while it's still being worked on; he's only seen the finished results. All of them are so beautiful. But for once, since he knows this one is still in progress, he wants to know what you've spent the better part of the month working on. What you're so determined not to screw up. "It's you. And your men. As a whole pack of loth-wolves." you tell him. "I just finished Comet today. Would you like to see?" 

Comet

Mapmaking for fun was his cyare's hobby. Maps and diagrams of anything, really. Phony star charts filled with made-up constellations that were named after him and his brothers and the General. What an underground wolf den would look like if it was large enough to host the entire Wolfpack. You even made maps of some of his dreams. Sprawling cities where people could have enough space to dance in the street. You tried making a diagram of the time Comet had assisted General Windu from the precarious wreckage of a Venator-class ship that had been reportedly sabotaged, but it was ultimately abandoned. Something about that incident was spoken of so quietly by the Clones. "General Plo says the one responsible was just a kid…?" The diagram was trashed and instead you worked on something related to the Aleena people. 

Boost

His cyare promises him when they first get together that the gifts of soap are not a jab at his hygiene, or rather, lack of it since he only bathes with regularity when he's on leave. "I-I just make so much soap… And I'm always trying new things. Fragrances, I mean! If you don't like any of them, you can give them to your brothers or throw them away and I swear I won't be mad." you tell him when you give him a mesh sachet of travel-sized soap bars when he asks what you've been up to since your last date together, in the beginning of your relationship. You had picked up soap making as a hobby in the three months you've been apart. His brothers certainly think they all smell nice, and they feel cleaner when they can smell something they haven't gone nose-blind to after nothing but regulation cleaners and soaps for years on Kamino. "Hey, Boost! Tell your sweetheart I really liked the thing they called lavender! I love the way that stuff smells. Do you think you could get some more of it for me?" He feels a little bad that when he goes to visit, he comes with what's for all intents and purposes a list of soap orders. "They're offering to pay if it means they don't have to use the communal body wash dispensers." 

Sinker

Leatherwork became his cyare's hobby of choice after Sinker had an opportunity to finally take care of a few things he hadn't had the time for in a while. Cleaning out his footlocker, being at the top of his list. You'd offered to help, curious to see what you'd find, partly, but mostly just glad to spend a little time with him. "Huh. Don't remember this… Why'd I keep a roll of plain leather? Oh: you know what, this must have been from that one planet back in the-" he stops himself, laughing. "Eh, the sector's not important. It was a thank you gift from the locals of the planet after we delivered relief supplies to them once we took care of a Separatist blockade. The General said it would have been impolite to refuse. I don't really have a use for it, or the time to make anything with it… But if you like it," he tells you, seeing the way you smooth your hands over the rich leather again and again, "I'm sure you'll find a better use than just sitting in my footlocker for it." He never thought you would have taken the suggestion to heart, but he's glad to see you've found something you enjoy and can pass the time with. When you present him with a small leather bag embossed with the image of the Wolfpack, he asks if you wouldn't mind making the same for his brothers out of their rolls. You'd be happy to.

[Masterlist] [501st Edition] [212th Edition]

[eriexplosion]

I have nothing to do this weekend so it is Catch Up On Rewatch time. We're up to Decomissioned!

I genuinely love that this episode begins a very long tradition of the batch making basically Zero goddamn money for Cid because they never accomplish the actual goal she sent them there for

I love the Grime of Ord Mantell so much

Like this? It is a fucking look.

"What if it was shiny" WHAT IF IT WAS GROSS AND COVERED IN DIRT AND RUST AND HAD SOME GUY SLEEPING ON IT?

The woman wandering into Cid's looked drunk already but Omega nearly shooting her in the face sobered her up REAL goddamn quick.

Bolo and Ketch are my beloved boys, crime uncles to go with the crime grandma for Omega. I don't know what their crimes actually are but look at them. They're definitely up to crimes.

This is just a sweet moment though, even if Omega is getting frustrated, everyone gathered around to watch her practice. She's not a natural but SHE'S LEARNING.

Cid: I assume you boys know what a tactical droid is?

Tech:

This is unsurprisingly one of my favorite moments he literally looks like he's going to explode when no one speaks up. IS NO ONE ELSE GOING TO TAKE THIS INCREDIBLY EASY QUESTION?

"You make money, I make money, and I watch your back." You fool. You will never get any money from these people.

CID WITH THE BOW IS HOT OKAY, I AM AN EASY MARK.

You know I'm surprised this facility doesn't sell the tactical droid modules themselves, like I'm sure it's imperial funded to get rid of all the separatist droids but come on, no one in the factory other than the Martez sisters is stealing these things?

BEING THE LOOKOUT WAS CROSSHAIR'S JOB. I'm sure Hunter loves getting that reminder of his Failure to keep his family together.

THE GIRLS ARE HERE <3

DON'T JUST STAND THERE. GRAB A WEAPON. "I had one >:T"

Omega was literally about to shoot Rafa at point blank range though like imagine her first kill was from about 2 feet away

SHOULD I HAVE LET THE DROID SHOOT YOU? Hunter has zero patience right now he is So Grouchy the instant Rafa opens her mouth

No worries just jump over the flaming pit of death Wrecker. Nothing bad can happen when you jump over the flaming pit of death.

LITERALLY STOLE THE DROID HEAD AND LEFT THE CHILD TRAPPED ON THE CONVEYOR BELT TO HELL.

God this moment with Wrecker's chip partially activating is so good.

Trace literally stops and realizes the child is going to be dumped into the slag and does NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR SO DAMN LONG. SHE COMES THROUGH IN THE END BUT GOD HOW LONG YOU GONNA STAND THERE?

I love them, they're disasters.

"Fine but I still don't like you." "I'M USED TO IT." This is very much like Hunter with Phee in season 2 he just gets so fucking cranky.

WRECKER HEARING "GOOD SOLDIERS FOLLOW ORDERS" IN CROSSHAIR'S VOICE IS SO FUCKING MUCH. Love this set up for next episode by which I mean I am horrified by it.

I'm easy, I find it hilarious when Echo makes a dad joke about their name.

THIS WILL HELP ME ACCESS THE PROGRAM. *TECH LITERALLY STABS THE DROID WITH SOME FORM OF SPIKE*

Honestly seeing Rafa again makes me remember those fake leaks when everyone was freaking the absolute fuck out over the idea that Rex/Rafa was going to be a thing in season 2 and honestly I still love the idea. I think that Rex falling for a garbage girl with thieving little raccoon hands is the funniest thing I've ever heard. He found a girlfriend in the dumpster.

Our first real push towards 'you can't just endlessly run away while doing it all for the money' from Trace. Again I am stuck on this, that you can't push for two seasons for the batch to actually stand up to the Empire and fight, to actually push back, and then have it turn out they should have just kept never getting involved anyway if they wanted to live. I'm chewing on the walls and the beams.

"in the end, we all choose sides" anyway this is why I think the very end of the show will be the batch together and actively choosing to go against the Empire, not because they're soldiers but because they're a family and they're fighting for each other. But unfortunately I don't think it will be as simple as retirement even if it's what they deserve, because of bits like this. At the very least, they're active in helping Rex get the other clones somewhere safe, even if they're not diving in to fight directly.

The way they hide who Rex is to make it look like the girls immediately turned on them doijsofd

SOON WE'RE GONNA HAVE REX THOUGH. THE BOY.

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Episode 4 Thoughts

Spoilers for Season 2

This episode was so fun! 😄 I needed that after last week.

Hunter and Echo were transporting nuggets?! 🤣

Wrecker playing strategy games with Omega is adorable. Love how they're showing just how smart Wrecker really is this season.

Tech seems to be questioning working for Cid. Might join Echo's mindset of joining the Rebellion? 🤔

CIDDARIN SCALEBACK?!

The vibes in this episode are immaculate omg.

TAY-0. JUST TAY-0.

Ngl, did not expect the racing to be quite this brutal.

Omega really stepping up this season. Love to see it. 🥰

WHERE ARE MY ARMS AND LEGS?!

Kind of a shame Echo wasn't there. Just looking at TAY-0 being like "yeah, I've been there mate".

More Cid backstory this season? 🤔

TAY-0 GOT SPLATTED

I had to pause it because I was laughing so hard. WAS NOT ANTICIPATING THAT. 🤣

Wrecker just flopping the droid head around. 🤣

"He's not joking".

Wrecker has had to deal with his chaotic brother for so long. He knows when he's serious.

Also, Wrecker is so supportive this episode. I want to cry. 😭

Sound design amazing as always. ✨️

The commentator talking about Tech is so funny. 🤣

"No, it's called losing!" Holy shit, Wrecker. I love you. 😭🤣

The nerdy boi being an absolute legend on the track is my favourite thing. I'm gonna need all the Tech racing we can get after this episode. 🔥

WRECKER AND OMEGA WERE SO PROUD!!! 😭🥰

The audience cheering for Tech is all of us every time he is on screen.

It was kinda fun getting an episode with just these three. We don't really get this team up that often and they're so fun together. 🥰

Saying that, Echo, honey. I miss you. 😭 I need my grumpy cyborg back.

I can just imagine Hunter and Echo coming back only to find out that Tech had taken part in some ridiculously dangerous riot racing not long after a broken leg.

Final thoughts

OMG I LOVED THIS EPISODE!!!

Was it filler? Pretty much. Do I care? Absolutely not. Having something more fun was a nice break after last episode. Sure, I still think ep 3 is the best, but this was a nice chill one (if slightly stressful at times). Happy to see more of these three interacting because I love them so much. 🥰

Definitely made me laugh a lot and the soundtrack slapped. Enjoying feeling very happy rather than miserable after watching it. 😄

There seems to be a growing uncertainty among the Batch as to where they want to be. I think there's a possibility that Tech might start to align with Echo's way of thinking a bit more and decide that the Rebellion might be a better idea than sticking with Cid.

But we'll see. This episode was a nice respite from the rest of the show but I'm looking forward to what is going to come. 🥰

Also, two whole episodes without Echo??? I'ma definitely need my boi back next ep. 😭