#tech fan fiction

[starryevermore]

following orders: the goggles (1) ✧ tech

following orders ✧ a tech bad batch story | ao3 

inspired by: a conversation with @captainsbestgal​

pairing: tech x fem!reader

series summary: you don’t want to live in a galaxy where the love of your life, tech, does not exist. but, you can’t abandon your already grieving family. you devote all of your energy to helping hunter and wrecker save omega from the empire and, perhaps, save the wayward crosshair along the way. but the longer you look for the youngest member of the bad batch, the more you suspect that your lost love is not as lost as you once believed. 

chapter summary: the aftermath of plan 99.

word count: 7,223

series warnings?: spoilers for “plan 99”, plan 99, canon-typical violence, hurt tech, canon divergent, fix it fic, angst, grief/mourning, torture, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, relationship discussions, mutual pining, clone troopers speak mando’a, depression, suicide ideation, memory loss, brainwashing, jealousy, not proofread

chapter warnings?: mention of tech’s death, grief, mourning, suicide ideation, not proofread

“When have we ever followed orders?”

You cradled Omega in your arms as the Marauder traveled through hyperspace. You weren’t sure if you should still be holding her. She’d been gravely injured, and you have enough first aid training to know that it’s safer to let a person be stabilized than to constantly be adjusting them. But holding onto her, your pseudo-daughter, was the only thing grounding you in this moment. And, perhaps a bit delusional at the moment, you told yourself that, when traveling through hyperspace, maybe it was safer to hold onto her than to let her little body be whipped around the ship—not that her brothers would do that. Not now. Not after everything that’s happened. 

“When have we ever followed orders?”

A tear slipped down your cheek. You raised one hand, quick to wipe it away, before returning to holding Omega. You couldn’t cry. Not now. If you cried…That meant it was real. And it couldn’t be real. He couldn’t have…No. He was fine. He was okay. He piloting the ship, he was making last-second calculations to ensure a safe landing. He was…He was not with you. Not now. Not ever. Even if he had beat the odds, used that brilliant mind of his to calculate just the right way to fall…You all left him. You weren’t sure anyone could survive in the wilderness below, even someone as brilliant as him.

“When have we ever followed orders?”

Hunter walked up to you. His face was void of his emotion, save for his eyes. Hunter could play the stoic leader all he liked, but his eyes would always tell a different story. The man was barely holding it together. You could hardly blame him. Losing Tech…No one had seen that coming. No one saw him making the sacrifice play. He was supposed to be on the ship with you. How did he expect you to move on when he meant everything to you? When there was still so much left unsaid? 

“When have we ever followed orders?”

Hunter sat down beside you. Omega’s head rested in your lap. He reached down, stroking her blonde curls. He needed this, too. Everything that all of you did was to ensure that Omega would live, that she might one day get to see a peaceful galaxy. Or, when that was too large a task, at least that she would live a peaceful life. That she wouldn’t become a soldier in an unwinnable war. But what was the point in that when all she’d experienced since joining you and her brothers was unspeakable loss? No kid deserved that, especially not one as kind and innocent as her. 

“We’ll be landing soon,” Hunter said.

You swallowed, trying to choke down any sob that threatened to escape. “Are you sure this is a good idea? When we were…When we were on Safa Toma, Millegi told us that Cid can’t be trusted.”

Hunter kept his gaze focused on Omega. You weren’t sure, but you thought that he kept his head downturned so that you wouldn’t see any tears that were close to falling. “I don’t see how we have any choice. She needs proper medical treatment. AZI is the only one I trust to make sure…”

To make sure she didn’t die. He couldn’t finish the sentence, but you could feel the weight of it. It nearly suffocated you. You couldn’t lose anymore of your family. The galaxy could not be so cruel as to take another from you. You wouldn’t let it. 

“I just worry that Cid will do something. We cut off all communication with her. We may have once been in her good graces, but I don’t know what will happen if she sees us again.”

“I know. But, she has a soft spot for the kid,” Hunter said. His hand fell from Omega’s hair, stroking her cheek. Though still unconscious, she let out a whine. You weren’t sure if it was one of pain, or if she recognized that her father figure was present. “I can only hope that that will grant us some favor.”

“If it doesn’t?”

Hunter’s jaw clenched. He lifted his head, finally looking at you. His eyes were glassy, but hard. With a sort of ferocity you only ever heard from him on the battlefield, he said, “I won’t let anyone take her from us.” 

The Marauder jerked slightly as it entered Ord Mantell’s atmosphere. While Echo was more than a capable pilot, he lacked some of the finesse that Tech possessed. Or perhaps you were hyperaware now of every move, every jump, every jerk. It felt like your senses were on fire. Like you had to perceive everything so that you didn’t have to picture his face. 

Within minutes of entering the atmosphere, the Marauder landed. Hunter stood, then held out his arms to carry Omega. It was a kind gesture, and maybe he wanted to carry her because he also needed to be grounded. But you knew that if you let go of her, for even a second, you would collapse and never want to get up again. So, you shook your head, adjusting your grip on the young girl, so that you were cradling her in your arms as you stood. It was an effort, you had to admit. You were strong, but that did not compare to the strength of a genetically enhanced clone trooper. But the pain, the burn of your muscles, was one of the only things reminding you were alive, that Omega was alive. 

Echo and Wrecker were already waiting outside the ship when you and Hunter emerged. Echo looked much like you and Hunter—stoic, but barely holding it together. Wrecker, on the other hand…The poor guy must have spent the entire journey crying. Tear tracks stained his face, his eyes all red and puffy. Even the tip of his nose was a bright red. When he saw you carrying Omega, he immediately reached out. And, oh, he needed this much more than you. You let him take Omega from your arms, a sob escaping his lips as he held her. 

“I’m going to stick with the ship,” Echo said. “Make sure everything’s in working order for when we leave.”

You shared a glance with Hunter. You wanted to say, We might be here a while. Or, you should probably be checked out by AZI, too. We all need help right now. Perhaps even, Please don’t leave us now. But, everyone grieves in their own way. If this was Echo saying he needed to grieve alone, who were you to deny him that?

Hunter said, “Keep your comm on and close by. We might need a quick getaway.” 

Echo nodded, then turned back to the ship. You watched as his shoulders sagged as he walked back up. You and Echo were never the closest on the team, but you knew enough of his life before the Batch that losing a member of the team hit him hard. Perhaps when Omega was healed, when you all left this Maker-forsaken planet, you would talk to him. Maybe convince him to stick around a little while longer before rejoining Rex. You couldn’t make him stay forever, but you all were his family. This was not the time to be splitting up for an undetermined length of time. 

Hunter squeezed your shoulder, letting you know it was time to go to Cid’s. You let out a shuddering breath, kept your gaze focused on your feet, as you walked the streets to the oh-so-familiar parlor. The entire walk, you tried working on keeping a straight face. You knew you couldn’t hide what happened from Cid—she was far too perceptive to not notice you all were down a man—but you didn’t dare show weakness in front of her. You were already certain a betrayal was on the horizon. You refused to give her anymore ammunition to hurt you with. 

The parlor was empty when you arrived, save for Bolo and Ketch. Ketch’s eyes widened when he saw the four of you. You could only imagine how much of Cid’s wrath they had experienced when you all never returned. Bolo’s eyes flicked toward the bar, and you followed his gaze. Cid was wiping down the counter. It seemed like she hadn’t noticed you all yet, but you knew Cid well enough to know she was waiting for one of you to make the first move. 

“Is AZI around?” you asked as you approached the bar. 

Cid’s eyes flicked up, a snarky remark on the tip of her tongue. But then she saw Omega in Wrecker’s arms, the pained look on his face. Instead of her usual sarcasm, she asked, “What happened to Tiny?”

You looked at Hunter. You weren’t sure how much he wanted to reveal to the Trandoshan. If it was up to you, you would give her nothing. But he was calling the shots, and he might think it better to give something so that she would be more inclined to let the med droid tend to Omega. 

“Mission gone wrong,” was all he offered. “She needs to see AZI now.”

Cid nodded her head toward her office. “He’s in the back doing inventory. Do what you need to do. But when the kid’s taken care of, we need to have a talk about best communication practices.”

You narrowed your eyes at her, a snarky remark of your own on the tip of your tongue, but you held back. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and all that. If Cid’s concern for Omega was the only thing keeping her from throwing you out, or worse, throwing you to the Empire, you could hold your tongue. For, at least, long enough to let AZI tend to Omega’s wounds. 

You started for the back, Wrecker and Hunter following close behind. But you didn’t make it far before Cid stopped you all again.

“Wait. One of youse is missing.” When you looked back at her, Cid’s eyes were flitting between the three of you. “Is Goggles on the ship or something?”

You decided to borrow Hunter’s words, and only offered her, “Mission gone wrong.”

Oh, what an understatement that was. But she didn’t deserve to be privy to the details. She didn’t have the right to know of the pain that stabbed at you, that bit and clawed at your heart, reminding you that you were alive instead of him. She was not a friend. She was hardly an acquaintance. If you couldn’t even talk to your own family about the ache you felt, why should she get to know? 

True to her word, though, AZI was flitting around the back, taking stock of the various liquors that Cid ordered for the parlor. He lifted his head when he heard you all approach. You might have been imagining things—and you surely were, because droids don’t express emotions in the same way as sentient beings—but the med droid almost looked happy to see you. Part of you had felt bad for leaving him behind with Cid. He had been Omega’s friend after all. But, Hunter wasn’t keen on returning to Ord Mantell back then. Not after the incident at the ipsium mines. You could hardly blame him, so you didn’t push. Now, you wish you had. If you had come back for AZI all those rotations ago, he would have already been on the ship or at least on the sanctuary that was Pabu. There would have been no need to come back here and endanger your family’s lives any further. 

“Oh! I was wondering when you were coming back!” AZI chirped, coming around the many boxes. “Cid had not been very happy when you all didn’t return. But I knew you would come back! And I was right! I knew that if you left, you wouldn’t leave me behind.”

“We need your help,” Hunter said, ignoring the droid’s words. He had previously been standing in front of Wrecker, shielding the droid’s view of the injured Omega. Now, he stepped out of the way. “Omega got hurt, and it’s gonna take more than a few bacta patches to fix her up.”

AZI stared. You could almost sense the hurt he could be feeling. Whether it was at the knowledge that you all weren’t there for him or that his friend was knocking on death’s door, you couldn’t be sure. “I see. I shall get started then.”

You reached out, your fingers grazing the droid. If he could have blinked at you in confusion, you were sure he would have. “Thank you. And…I’m sorry.”

“No need for apologies or gratitude. This is what I’m here for.”

You weren’t sure how long you watched AZI tend to Omega. It felt like days—long, agonizing days as he flitted around her—though you doubted it was any longer than a few hours. You had lost track of time. Between watching him fix up Omega and occasionally tending to you, Hunter, and Wrecker when he needed time for the medicine to work its magic on her, it all kind of felt like a dream. Or, really, a nightmare. The crushing weight of this reality was starting to settle on your chest. You didn’t like this. You didn’t like it at all. 

At some point, Hunter brought you some breads and a glass of water. “Eat,” he said, ordering you like you were a soldier. You and him both knew that you would ignore him if he asked. “He wouldn’t want you to starve.”

You let out a quiet huff of a laugh, if you could even call it that. “He would talk about the benefits of a well-balanced diet, go on about how the food here was hardly sustenance, but that fed is best.”

Hunter wiped away a tear that rolled down your cheek. You’d hardly noticed it. How long had you been crying? You’d been so sure that you were holding it together still. “We’ll get through this.” He nodded his head at the door, gesturing to where Wrecker had disappeared after AZI put his neck in a brace. Wrecker had been placing a huge amount of space between you and him. The guilt must have been hurting him, too—even if he had nothing to feel guilty for. “Wrecker and I were talking about staying on Pabu full time, after Omega is fixed up.”

“What about Crosshair?”

Hunter’s jaw clenched. “I can’t trust that his message wasn’t a trap. I’m not going to lose any more of my family on the chance that he’s switched sides. He’s given no indication that he wanted to join us before.”

“It’s not a trap. I know it’s not.” Perhaps it was a low blow, being so close to the incident, but you couldn’t stop yourself from saying, “Tech knew it wasn’t a trap.”

Hunter swallowed, hard. You watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed. Then— “Tech…died so his family could be safe. I’m honoring his wishes.”

“Crosshair is part of this family. His message, it was a sign that he still cared. That despite everything, he still cares.”

Hunter started to argue, but his mouth snapped shut when Omega groaned. He shot you a look—this wasn’t over. But the conversation would have to be tabled for another day. 

You squeezed his shoulder. “We can go to Pabu if that’s what Omega wants. Whatever she chooses, I’ll respect.”

“Hunter?” Omega managed to say. She said your name as she realized you sat beside him.

Hunter immediately leaned over her, stroking her hair. You reached out, taking one of her hands,  giving it a squeeze. Hunter offered her a small smile, and said, “Hiya, kid.”

“You gave us a right scare there,” you said. 

Omega let out a groan and started to sit up. “W-What happened?”

You and Hunter shared a glance. You could hardly put into words the ordeal you all just experienced. You weren’t sure you could explain it to her without crying, but you also didn’t want Hunter to shoulder that responsibility. He already carried too much weight on his shoulders. 

But before you could say anything, AZI entered the room. He chirped, “Hello, Omega. I am relieved you are awake.” He did a quick scan of her, the light blue light illuminating her face. “You each sustained multiple injuries. However, you all will make a full recovery with proper treatment and rest.”

Omega sat up, a hand clutching her head. Hunter reached around, helping her so that she didn’t make things too hard for herself. You gave her hand another squeeze. At this point, it was probably more for your comfort than hers. She was alive. She would be okay. That’s all that mattered right now. If you could focus on that, everything would be okay. Eventually. 

At the sound of Omega’s voice, Wrecker came into the room. He wouldn’t look at you, even when you tried to meet his gaze. You understood why—the guilt he must feel would be tremendous. He was the brawn on the operation. He was the muscles. It’s his job to make sure that no one in his family has to take the brunt of any injuries. In his eyes, he failed. In his eyes, he’s the reason your heart is broken. In his eyes, he’s the reason Tech died. 

You hadn’t been sure how to comfort him, so you let him go off on his own for a while. You weren’t quite sure how to comfort yourself. So, you let him sit in his misery and you in yours. Now, though, you wish you’d done something. It hurt, him not being able to look at you, even if he thought he was trying to spare you the pain. 

“You’re—You’re okay,” Wrecker said. He stumbled forward, kneeling in front of Omega, letting out a breath. He was the perfect picture of held-back panic. He held Omega in a quick hug, careful not to press on any of her injuries. “Don’t scare us like that again.”

Hunter offered her a drink. “How do you feel?”

“I don’t know,” she mumbled. Her face twisted, contorted into sadness. You’d almost hoped she hadn’t remembered. She doesn’t deserve this kind of pain. She shouldn’t have to know this kind of loss. “The last thing that I remember, we were in the railcar when…”

She gasped, her eyes going wide. Her eyes darted toward you, searching for an answer to the unsaid question. But you couldn’t meet her gaze. If you did, you would cry. And if you cried, you would confirm her worst fears. 

She looked to Hunter. “Where’s Tech?”

Hunter looked away, looked at you. You gave a nod. She had to know. “Omega, Tech didn’t make it.”

You dropped Omega’s hand, letting your hand come to rest on Hunter’s shoulder. You gave it a squeeze. You’d meant what you said, that he shouldn’t have to shoulder all this responsibility. You felt bad for making him say it, but you suppose she would only believe the news from him. 

“We have to go back!” Omega said. “What if he’s hurt? He—He needs us! Tell him, Wrecker! We can’t just leave him!”

You looked at Wrecker, seeing his eyes squeeze shut. Oh, that must have killed him. That must have confirmed every dark thought that swirled in his gentle mind. Was it too soon to force everyone into a group hug? 

“Omega,” you said, reaching out, stopping her from jumping out of the bed. “You saw him. He calculated the odds right before he did it. He knew his chances, and he’s seldom wrong.”

“NO!” Omega smacked your hand away. “Tech’s not gone! You know he’s not! He—He can’t be!”

Her face screwed up as the tears began to fall. Hunter took your place, wrapping his arms around her. She sobbed into his chest. Your heart clenched at the sight. She was alive, but she was hurting. And you weren’t sure what to do about that. Nothing that you said would help her. Nothing you said would bring him back. 

You rose to your feet, glancing between the members of your family. “I-I need to go,” you mumbled, stumbling out of the room.

You didn’t make it very far, nearly collapsing into a seat at the bar. Your shoulders trembled as you tried to keep your sobs at bay. Until that moment, it hadn’t quite hit you that he was gone. You knew he was. You were there when he fell. You saw the calmness in his eyes, his acceptance of his fate. You could feel the unspoken words on the tip of his tongue as he said his final words. You felt the tremble of the railcar, the panic in your chest as the line snapped, as he plummeted…Going, going, gone. 

You’d lived through all of that, but a naïve sort of part of you had hoped. Had prayed to the Maker, to the Force, to whatever cosmic being there was that controlled Tech’s fate that he had made it. But at that altitude? With a railcar plummeting with him? Even if he survived the fall, the railcar landing on him would surely do him in. Tech had accepted his death, but you couldn’t. 

How could you? He had meant everything to you. He was the air you breathed, the reason you stayed with the Batch for so long. When the war ended, you had no reason to stay. Your contract with the Republic ended the moment that battles stopped. But he…He gave you one look, one unspoken plea, and you stayed. 

What was the point now? 

You lifted your head as Wrecker collapsed into a seat next to you. He stared at the bar. Knowing that he wouldn’t make any move, you grabbed his hand, gave it a squeeze. “It’s not your fault,” you whispered. “There was nothing you could have done to change what happened.”

Maybe the words were partly said for your own peace of mind, but it brought neither you nor Wrecker any belief. “He was gonna ask ya out when we got back to Pabu,” he mumbled. “He knew you liked looking at tha stars, so he planned a midnight picnic. Was gonna tell you every fact he knew about every star, planet, comet in tha sky.”

“…Oh.” You weren’t sure what else to say. What could you say? How could express the remorse of never getting to experience a future you so badly craved?

“He wanted to come back to ya. He was supposed to come back to ya. And I’m the reason he didn’t. You should hate me.”

“I could never hate you, Wrecker,”  you said. You squeezed his hand. “I meant what I said. His fate was sealed when he went out with me to make repairs.”

“I saved you. I should have saved him, too. I could have saved him.”

Your bottom lip trembled. “He made you get me first. He made his choice. Wrecker, he knew his fate. You…You did everything he wanted you too. Okay? So don’t, don’t feel bad about what happened.”

The sound of two glasses hitting the bar pulled you from your conversation with Wrecker. When you looked up, Cid was sliding you and him a couple of drinks. Your stomach twisted. You didn’t like the look in her eyes. There was something she wasn’t telling you. “Here,” she said. “These are on the house.”

You pushed the glass in front of you away. “Nothing ever comes for free with you, Cid.”

Wrecker pushed his glass, too. “It won’t help.”

Cid was silent for a beat. “I’m sorry about Goggles. I always liked him.”

“Yeah. Me too,” Wrecker said. 

You watched Cid. She had her arms crossed over her chest, one of her clawed fingers tapping anxiously. You sat a little straighter, sniffed back a couple of your tears. No matter what grief you were experiencing, you needed to keep your mind sharp. You had walked right back into the lion’s den. You needn’t give Cid any opportunity to betray you. 

Wrecker noticed, too. “What’s with you?” he grunted. 

Cid wagged one finger at him. “You know, I tried to look out for you kids. But you got too much heat on you. And you brought it here, to my place of business! I had to make the best of a bad situation.”

You watched the rage contort on Wrecker’s face. Oh, you don’t know if you had ever seen him so mad before. You almost expected him to reach across the bar and kill Cid with his bare hands. Instead, he growled, “What did you do?”

“Sorry, Muscles. Sorry, Killer.”

The doors to the parlor slid open. You were immediately on your feet, shoved behind Wrecker as a group of commando clones entered the parlor, their blasters raised. One shot at Wrecker, and he charged, more stun bolts firing at him. One hit you, and you went down easily, not able to put the same kind of fight as Wrecker. As you fell, you prayed to the Maker that Hunter got away—or at least that he convinced Omega to leave you all behind if he wanted to play hero.

The commando clones had you and Wrecker kneeling with your hands bounds behind two of them, maybe another half dozen behind you, all of their blasters raised at the door, waiting for Hunter. Hemlock stood beside you, watching you curiously as you avoided his gaze. He knew something. He knew something about Tech. Your eyes fell to the case he was holding, wondering what its contents were. Was it Tech’s head? His helmet? Some other cruel piece of his life, of his memory to taunt the fact that you all lost?

Hunter emerged from the back, his blaster raised. You let out a breath. At least Omega wasn’t with him. At least she might have escaped. He wouldn’t have come out unless he was sure she was long gone.  

“That’s not very strategic, Hunter,” Hemlock said. “You don’t need to use your enhanced senses to know you’re outnumbered.”

Hemlock turned to Cid, raising the case. “The Empire thanks you for your assistance,” he said, passing the case to the Trandoshan. 

Oh. It was just credits. Maybe Hemlock wasn’t so cruel to taunt you all with Tech’s death using whatever part of him they uncovered. 

Cid and Hunter shared a look, before Hemlock said, “Our business is done. Leave.”

Cid’s head dropped. She turned, walking past you and Wrecker. She paused for a second, looking like she wanted to tell you something. Maybe an apology. You weren’t sure. All you knew was, whatever she had to say died in her throat as you reared your head back, spitting at her. Childish, sure. Gross, definitely. But Cid didn’t deserve your respect. Not now. Not after she sold you all out. 

Hemlock turned his attention back to Hunter. “Please, consider your next move very carefully. I would hate for this to end poorly for all of you. Here is how this is going to go. You will lower your blaster and hand over Omega. And I will allow you to keep breathing.”

“Omega’s not going anywhere with you,” Hunter growled. 

“Oh. Well, who knew clones are so paternal? Fascinating,” Hemlock said. He paused for a moment. “I was saddened to learn of your friend’s demise. What was his name? Oh, yes, Tech.”

You let out a growl. He didn’t deserve to say Tech’s name. What right did he have to talk about Tech?

Hemlock glanced back at you, his eyebrows raised. As he took in your expression, he turned more fully. He reached out, a finger running down your cheek. You fought the urge to bite him. That wouldn’t end well. “Ah, yes, the girlfriend, right?” he mused. Not technically. You and Tech never made anything official. “From what I gathered, the two of you were rather…intimate. I didn’t know clones could do that, either. Though, I suppose his form of intimacy is far different than a…normal human, wouldn’t you say?”

“Don’t you dare talk about him,” you spat. “You have no right.”

“So protective,” he said. Chuckling to himself, he turned back to Hunter. Beside you, Wrecker growled, only to be hit with a blaster by one of the clones holding you all captive. One of the commando clones handed him something. You couldn’t quite see what it was. “I’m afraid this was all I could salvage. Consider it a gift.”

He tossed the object at Hunter’s feet, and you could finally see what it was. A sob caught in your throat. No. No. No, no, no. If that was all they managed to recover, then that meant…Another sob escaped you before your could stop it. 

“To lose one of your own, it must weigh heavily on you as their leader.” Hemlock glanced back at the clones. Several of them pressed their weapons into Wrecker. One of them reached out, grabbing you by the hair, yanked your head back. He pressed his blaster into your temple. You wondered how eager he was to shoot. At least if you died, then you could be with Tech. “And if you don’t lower the blaster now, you will lose more.”

Wrecker shook his head. You couldn’t do the same, not with the way you were being held, so you did your best to convey your message in your eyes. Don’t lower your blaster. We’ll be fine. 

Still, Hunter slowly lowered the blaster and set it on the floor. He picked up Tech’s goggles, the glassiness in his eyes clear. 

“Wise decision,” Hemlock said. He motioned to the clones, and two of them stepped forward to bind Hunter’s wrists. They pushed him to where you and Wrecker were kneeling on the ground. 

Another clone came from the back and reported, “Sir, the girl is not in the office.”

“She’s long gone,” Hunter said. “Like I said, Omega’s not going anywhere with you.”

“Hmm. We’ll see.”

Oh, how could Hunter have been so right and so wrong all at the same time? Omega was, indeed, long gone, but she’d been taken by Hemlock. Despite your family’s best efforts, no one could stop Hemlock. Part of you wished that Omega had listened to Hunter, that she escaped and left you all behind. But the other part of you understood. She’s lost too much. If she lost you, Wrecker, and Hunter to the Empire…You weren’t sure how she would survive that kind of heartache. But now, the three of you and Echo floated through space, with no idea on where to go. Your mission had been a failure—you didn’t have the first clue where Hemlock’s base of operations was. Everything that you all fought—everything that you all lost—was for nothing. 

Eventually, Hunter told Echo to fly you all back to Pabu. Returning there and clearing all of your minds before making the next move was important. Everyone’s emotions were still high. Even if you all could come to a decision, could fall upon some useful information, there was no guarantee that a rescue operation would be successful. While Omega was in more danger the longer she was in Hemlock’s control, it would do her no good if all of you were captured trying to save her. 

You spent the journey laying in Tech’s bunk. Your face pressed into his pillow, bundled up in his covers, trying to commit his scent to memory. His bunk always smelled clean. Crosshair, back in the days of the Republic, once told you that Tech had been incredibly messy before you were assigned to the team. But the moment Tech met you, he went out of his way to keep his area as clean as could be. Back then, you thought Tech was just trying to be kind, to make you feel welcome. Now, you realized he was trying to impress you. 

Tears burned at your eyes at the memory. You tried blinking them away, focusing on the scribbles on the wall of Tech’s bunk. Most of them were about ship repairs that he would be doing with you, or upgrades to weapons. But there was one in the corner, near his pillow, that caught your eye. 

In his messy scrawl, he had written out a series of steps to win a woman’s heart. Most of them were checked off, save for three. Step 7. Take her on a date—make sure it’s something she would enjoy. Step 8. Kiss her—refer to holofilms for best approach. Step 9. Ask her to be yours—let it be her choice. 

You let out a choked laugh, running your fingers over the words. Wrecker was right. Tech had been planning to ask you out. Oh, he had planned everything out. You wondered how long he had this plan. What you would give to have him back for just a moment, to ask him every question you ever wanted to ask, to listen to his voice, to be with him, to tell him you love him, too. 

When the Marauder landed, you reluctantly left the comfort of Tech’s bunk, joining the boys. As you walked out of the ship, you saw Phee waiting. She wore a bright smile on her face, her eyes twinkling. Considering your abrupt departure, you had no doubt that she had a million questions she wanted to ask about the mission. 

“Didn’t think you guys would be back from your secret mission so soon,” she teased. “Did you get what you were looking for?”

You looked at her, and shook your heard. It was one thing to tell Cid that the mission was a failure—she didn’t really care about your family. But to tell Phee? Who had gone out of her way to bring you guys to a place to a call home? Who showed time and time again that she cared, even if she had a funny way of going about it? It hurt. 

Her smile didn’t waiver. She understand yet. “Ah, well, that’s okay. I’m sure you guys’ll get ‘em next time! Say, what’s the long face’s for? The mission wasn’t that bad was it?”

Hunter squeezed your shoulder. You reached up, squeezed his hand back. Behind you, you could hear Wrecker shuffle his feet and the quiet whhrr of Echo’s scomp as he fiddled with it. No one offered an explanation.

“Geez, you guys look rough. Must’ve been real bad out there.” Phee glanced between the four of you, her smile falling. “Say, where’s Brown Eyes? Where’s the kid?”

You opened your mouth but no words came out. You looked back at Wrecker, Hunter, and Echo, but none of them seemed keen to answer. Phee seemed to know, though. You all wouldn’t be so put out, so mournful looking, if something bad hadn’t happened. When you looked back at her, she had stepped closer to you, a hand coming to rest on your shoulder. 

“I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry,” she said. 

Your lip quivered. Kriff. You couldn’t take this. None of this was supposed to happen. You all were supposed to find out where Crosshair was, you were supposed to rescue him. Everyone was supposed to be reunited. You all were supposed to come back to Pabu and live as normal a life as you could manage. You weren’t supposed to lose Tech. Omega wasn’t supposed to be captured. 

Shrugging off Phee’s hand, you ran off. No one bothered to follow you, to call after you. For that, you were grateful. You didn’t want to be around anyone right. Not for a while. 

You settled on the docks. It was nearly dusk when the Marauder landed, so most of the fishermen had docked their boats and returned to their families with whatever they managed to catch. It was the perfect place for you. Almost no one around to bother you. You were as alone as you felt. 

Sitting on the edge of the dock, you let your legs hang over. You leaned all the way back so that you stared at the sky. The beautiful reds and oranges soon faded into a black abyss. The stars started to peak out, winking down at you. Once upon a time, you would have killed for the opportunity to watch the stars like this. There was seldom free time like this in the last few years. The stars once brought you comfort, providing you a map for your way back home. But it was different now.

The stars no longer brought you comfort. What was the point in the stars guiding you home if he wasn’t there to go with you?

Your eyes fluttered shut. For the first time since the incident, you let yourself cry. Sure, tears had escaped before, when you didn’t want them to. But you had been holding them at bay this entire time, trying to focus on the tasks at hand. Now, there was nothing to do. There was nothing you could do. Nothing, except mourn. A sob wracks your chest. You cover your face with your hands, letting everything you’d been holding in out.

You cried, and you cried, and you cried. Until there were no tears left. Until you uncovered your face, staring back at the stars, sniffling. 

A steady clunk! of a set of boots alerted you to a guest. You had a one-in-four shot of guessing who’d come to comfort you, but you didn’t care enough to see who it was. Did it matter? None of those four people were the one you wanted. And none of those four people was the kid you were supposed to protect. 

You saw Hunter’s face as he finally reached you, sitting down beside you. He said nothing. Hunter was never really the comforting type. He’d gotten better since Omega joined the team, learning to navigate his emotions so that he could be a better parent. But this wasn’t the sort of thing he’d been prepared for. None of you were prepared for this.

“I asked Shep to set you aside some dinner if you decide you’re hungry,” he said. “He said you can come into his house anytime you decide you’re hungry and take it. It has a note on it for you, in his fridge.”

“Thank you,” you said.

A silence passes over you. There’s so much to say. There’s so much you want to say. So much you aren’t sure how to say. How do you navigate this sort of sudden loss? What was the right way to grieve? What was the right way to comfort? A thousand possibilities flooded your mind. None of them felt right. Finally, you settled on an apology. 

“I’m sorry for running off,” you said. “If I worried you, I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intent.”

Hunter shrugged. “I knew where you were. I figured you just…needed time.”

“No amount of time can bring him back.” You sat up, looking out at the dark sea. If you jumped in now, you might sink fast enough under the weight of your armor that, by the time Hunter dove in after you, it would be too late. Even with his enhanced senses, the water would drown it all out. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save Omega.”

“You’re sounding like Wrecker now,” he said. He had heard your conversation with him back at Cid’s. Usually, he kept quiet about conversations he overheard. But things were different now. No one knew how to navigate this sort of hurt. “They got us while we were down. I don’t know if there was anything we could do to save her.”

You rested your hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back.”

“We will,” he affirmed. He reached for something that you couldn’t quite see. When he brought his hands back into your view, you gasped. “I, uh, came to give you these.”

“Hunter, no—”

“I talked with Wrecker and Echo. We all agreed that he would have wanted you to have them. Anything of his, it’s yours. But these especially.”

As he pressed the goggles into your hands, a tear rolled down your cheek. Oh, this was too much. How could you look at these goggles and not want to jump off the dock? How could you look at the cracked lenses and not picture his eyes squeezing shut as he hit the ground? How could you not imagine the way he looked at you, in the split second before he made his choice? How could you not see of how he looked before, when you all were leaving for the mission, the fire in his eyes as he searched for a way to rescue his brother? How could you not dream of the soft look in his eyes the night before, when you rested your head on his shoulder and told him how you wished the two of you could have a peaceful life? You ran your thumb over the light that used shone red, indicating his constant filming of his surroundings. It was off now. Part of you wondered why, but you dismissed the thought. It was probably broken in the fall. 

“What do we do now?” you ask. You look up at Hunter to see him already looking at you. His eyes were glassy still. You wondered if he had allowed himself the privacy to cry yet, or if he was still playing the part of the stoic leader. “Echo’s probably going to return to Rex soon. Wrecker’s in no position to fight. Kark, neither of us are either. We don’t have the first clue where to look. We don’t have—”

Hunter squeezed your shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. I don’t know how, but…We’ve faced horrible odds before.”

“We had a hundred percent success rate back then.”

“I don’t know what we’ll do,” he said, “but if we stick together, we’ll figure it out. I know we will.”

You wanted to push back, to argue, to feel something other than this grief, but you didn’t want to hurt Hunter in the process. So you let it go. Instead, you asked, “Could you tell me about? What he was like before I joined the team?”

Hunter let out a chuckle. “When we were cadets, Tech was a complete menace. Worse than the rest of us, if you could believe it. Always challenged the Kaminoans at every turn.”

You laughed, the picture forming in your mind. You leaned back against as Hunter talked, and soon he did, too, telling you everything about what little Tech had been like. For a moment, you forgot all that you’d just endured. For a moment, you felt at peace. But then you felt the weight of Tech’s goggles in your hands, and you were thrown back into the reality you were faced it.  

Tech was gone—you were sure of it. But he died to make sure his family would live. You weren’t going to let him die in vain. No matter what it took, no matter what you had to do, you would get Omega and Crosshair back. 

You swore it. 

[mae-lou-ron]

Back to Sleep

Summary: After some bad dreams interrupt your sleep, you find some unexpected comfort in your beloved partner, Tech.

Pairing: Tech x gn!reader

Warnings: hurt/comfort, waking from bad dreams (no details), fluffy practical Tech in a newish relationship.

Word Count: ~800

A/N: AHHHHHH okay okay okay so the plot goblins absolutely infested my brain after I saw THIS ✨incredible✨ artwork of our darling Tech by @ghostymarni 🫶🏻 This is completely self indulgent because, well, I love him, your honor. I was also a little inspired by the scene in the episode of Schitt’s Creek where Alexis tells David about her breakup with Mutt and realizes she needs a hug 😂

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, Tech?" you murmured into the room he was occupying.

Tech hummed softly in acknowledgment. "It is late and I am in the middle of repairs—what do you need?" he asked quietly, not looking up from his project.

You didn't take offense to his demeanor when interrupted; it was just how his brain worked. His mind never ceasing its search for information and solutions. Sometimes that meant extracting himself from your sleepy cocoon to pursue whatever pathway his incredible mind had opened up to him in the middle of the night. But when you didn't respond for a moment, it shifted his unwavering attention to you, immediately noticing your slightly disheveled state.

"I just…" You paused again. "Maker, this is so stupid," you muttered under your breath, unsure if Tech heard you or not.

There was no room for anxiety in your gut now that the mortified butterflies had taken over. Things were still fairly new with you and Tech. You appreciated that he wasn't one who typically relied on physical affection to convey his feelings—and neither were you, really, but right now you were still a human with a rattled nervous system.

You heard the sound of tools being set down gently and the quiet thump of his approaching footsteps.

Your face was burning with embarrassment. You weren't a child, clearly, you should be able to console yourself and go back to sleep, but you were here now and had his undivided attention. Something that made your chest flutter wildly whenever you had it.

The toes of his boots came into your view as he stopped in front of you. "Sarad?" Tech inquired, his voice softening. "Is something the matter? You seem… unsettled." He offered. The warmth he always radiated displaced some of the chill that had set into your bones, and you instinctively leaned forward into him a little more. "Did I wak—"

"I had a nightmare—" you blurted out, inwardly groaning. Your eyes flicked up to his briefly before focusing on the middle of his chest. “I woke up and you…”

"I see," he said softly after a moment, adjusting his goggles as he regarded you. "You were seeking comfort after your bad dreams had woken you?"

"It's nothing—I was just a bit anxious when I woke up, but it's… it's nothing," you said again, standing on your tiptoes and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm fine, I really should go back to sleep…and don’t to stay up too la—" you rambled, still talking yourself out of whatever reason you had to disturb him. You took a few steps back the way you came, but Tech’s hands on your shoulders stopped you.

"Your heart rate is elevated," he said plainly, peering at you. "You are flushed and speaking more quickly than usual." Tech lifted the back of his hand to gently run along your heated cheekbone. "…and you are avoiding eye contact with me, so I can deduce that you are, in fact, not 'fine’, my dear," he said softly, his fingers trailing down your chin before he pulled them away.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked genuinely. “I know that helps you sometimes,”

You shook your head, furrowing your brow. "It's just the same one I told you about," you confessed, biting the inside of your cheek, trying to determine yourself what it is you were seeking. His hand was back at his side, but you wished it was still caressing your face.

"I think I might need a…hug…" you said warily, as if you were unsure of the words that came out of your own mouth. "…or something?" You added, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Ah," he said, his eyes darting back and forth processing this information. He did that sometimes. You couldn't help but smile at seeing the brain you adored at work for you. "I understand," he added before walking back to his workbench—making it seem as though he didn't actually understand at all. You took a few steps in his direction as he pulled over a nearby chair and sat down.

Confusion was visible on your face. You told him you needed a hug, or something, and he immediately went and sat down? Possibly to continue the task you had just interrupted? But he didn't start working; he just looked at you expectantly.

"Come here, sarad," he said gently, shifting in the seat and patting his legs.

You smiled slowly, now understanding, and tiptoed over to him, gingerly taking a seat in his lap. He pulled you to him tightly, encouraging you to relax and lounge fully on him. He kissed the top of your head and ran his hand up and down your spine as you curled into the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent of clean soap and mechanical ozone.

"This is nice," you sighed contentedly, feeling the tension in your chest releasing.

"Good," he quipped, brushing your face with his fingers again. "Rest. Fall asleep if you wish… I shall be here."

"Thank you," you murmured, curling your arms around his waist and closing your eyes. Tech's hands eventually left you to resume his task, but he pressed his lips into the top of your head every so often, reminding you he was still right there with you. His warmth and the steady thrum of his heart soothed you, while the sounds of his gentle tinkering and even breathing lulled you back into a peaceful sleep.

When you awoke, you found yourself back in Tech's bunk, but this time he was wrapped around you, snoring softly into your shoulder.

[skellymom]

"AMBER EYES"

Bad Batch TECH Fan Ficlet x READER

A story of HOPE for Tech Fan's: Resident of Pabu unlocks a secret even THEY weren't aware they had access to!

(Credit: Pinterest Bad Batch, Saphira Laufens, Dividers @saradika)

Word Count: 475

Rated: SAFE for EVERYONE! ENJOY!!!

“Can you hold this for a minute?” 

Omega handed me her brother’s goggles while she wiped down the shelf they would be resting upon in the Archium. 

Clean up and repairs to the island and the artifacts museum were underway after the Empire had left the planet of Pabu...and when the clones returned. 

They helped the residents of the island put their lives back together.

We helped them find a better life here. 

Crosshair was the one to locate Tech’s goggles under some heavy rubble Wrecker lifted out of the way.  His eyes catching a glint of light reflected off the remaining amber glass of its lenses. 

I held the goggles, staring into what was left of that glass. 

Unfortunately, I came to the island after he perished on a distant planet.  Never got the chance to meet him. 

Pity that.   

I became close to his remaining brothers and sister.   

It started with Hunter.  According to him, he has enhanced senses.  I clocked him right away... 

Just a feeling.   

But that’s been most of my life.  Small snatches of intuition... 

Lucky guesses...they happen occasionally.  Fortuitous events that helped me navigate my life in this ever-changing galaxy. 

Wrecker’s strength, Crosshair’s eyesight, Omega’s empathy and strategy... 

And Tech’s superior intellect. 

We all have gifts. 

I lift the goggles up to stare through them as Tech would have done.  That amber glass captivating me... 

Hunters head snaps up quickly.  I can FEEL his stare. 

My hands suddenly go numb...like when cold wind rushes over them. 

The Archium’s walls dissolve into blue, cloudy skies and it handicaps my equilibrium... 

I trip and fall...hear Wrecker screaming... 

Down. 

Down. 

Down. 

A shattering impact.  I suddenly cannot see... 

Don’t know how long I was...GONE...but the feelings of being in my own body returns.  I’m cradled in the warm arms of Wrecker.  His face along with Hunter, Crosshair, and Omega’s hover over me as I lay on the floor. 

“What happened?” Crosshair’s expression is one of concern. 

I lift up the goggles, clutched TIGHTLY in my hand and gaze at the splintered amber lenses. 

“Tech.” is all I can muster. 

“Whatta’bout Tech?” Wrecker asks with trepidation. 

Staring into those lenses, I inhale and exhale.  I’m breathing...he’s breathing...WE are breathing simultaneously. 

“I...felt...FEEL HIM...he’s...ALIVE.”   

All eyes widen, then shift to their Sergeant. 

Hunter’s eyes discern SOMETHING...he doesn’t understand what.  But he believes what I’m saying.  Can read it in his expression. 

He then taps the comm on is wrist. “Havoc 5, do you copy?” 

Silence, then a grumpy voice answers back “I copy Havoc 1.” 

“Rendevous at our coordinates.  Recon mission for Havoc 2“ 

Stunned silence, then an excited reply “Enroute IMMEDIATELY Havoc 1!  Havoc 5 OUT!!!” 

“You’ll help us find..?” Hunter requests as he reaches for my hand. 

I grip it firmly with conviction. “Yes...look forward to FINALLY meeting him.” 

To read Chapter 2

https://www.tumblr.com/skellymom/767923139764207616/amber-eyes-chapter-2?source=share

PLEASE SUPPORT BY REBLOGGING!

Please let me know if you wanted to be added to my taglist or removed! Thanks so much for your support!!!

@marymunchkiin @talesfrommedinastation @giganonyx @thecoffeelorian

@hugmekenobi @the-bad-batch-baroness @genericficerblog @techs-goggles9902

@arctrooper69 @random-chaotic-bitch @dystopicjumpsuit @nika6q @heyclickadee @n0vqni @doublesunsets

@echo-lover @fionajames @spacemagicandlaserswords @phantom-of-the-keurig @bmarino

@momojedi @violinrox15 @ollietheshark0 @knightprincess

@blueinkblot @stelli-sketches-alt @ci-avmovies14 @melymigo

@crosshair-lover @floraseasbee @sarapaprikas-blog @idoubleswearimawriter

@ovaa-bi-bia @blairaptor @idoubleswearimawriter

@knightprincess @ladykagewaki @gun-roswell

@starrylothcat @savebytheodore @maybethatfanfictionwriter @wild-karrde

@jedipoodoo @incognito-lezbean

@purgetrooper77 @freesia-writes @mistress-of-the-empire @ex0genmultifandom

@lucifidious @lizartgurl @notavalidusername

@tink1221 @the-hexfiles @amorfista @scarelitt

@gonky-kong @arcsimper5 @cloneloverrrrr @the-rain-on-kamino

@thebadbatch2022 @cassandrasfairytale @everybirdfellsilent

@groguandthebadbatch @theosb0rnway

@woswasi3006 @greatshieldmaiden14

@heiress-prime @kanenas @vrycurious

@feral-ferrule @oporayamm @ci-avmovies14

@zahmaddog @billybatsonmylove @sleepycreativewriter

@feral-ferrule @zahmaddog @legacygirlingreen

@momojedi @emmaveale123 @nerd-ika

@clone-simper @soberatthedisco @summerfall21

@blessedarethesnakes @graciaramirez @omglisalithium

@x-galactic-star-x

@crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf @ades106

@tbnrpotato @msskaywalker @sweet-carolinevl

@holocrondreams @techsgoggles @falling-among-the-stars

@cornfowercowboy @badbatchbeau @kitsolo06

@shadowphantomreaper @sayrvne @dangerousyetexhausted

@kaleidoscope1967eyes @thiswitchloves9904

[drafthorsemath]

Recorded Hope

Written for Pheebruary!

Prompt: Rebuilding Mel

Warnings: None, really. Mention of Tech going on the mission to Eriadu. Includes angst and hope.

A/N: This is a Tech Lives fic and a Tech Lives blog.

Word Count: a little more than 800

Another successful mission complete, Phee landed Providence on Pabu and patted a partially-functional-but-now-powered-down Mel on her way out the door. She put the crystal dagger she’d recovered in the Archium and paused next to Lula and Tech’s goggles. Her heart ached. She wished she could see him again or at least redo their last encounter. She wished she had been braver with her feelings, or offered to come with them, but she couldn’t change that now. She dragged her feet back home and slouched into bed.

The next morning she grabbed a bite of fruit for breakfast and headed back to the ship to work on Mel. She’d been her usual helpful droid self, but some severe blaster fire meant Phee needed to rebuild her again.

She sat in front of Mel and twirled a spanner before powering her up. The droid made a whirl, some of her lights coming on and others not. Phee removed the burned-out photoreceptor and a few wires that needed to be replaced. A new photoreceptor was modified and Phee hummed a tune to herself while replacing the wiring. Mel’s lights came on as she attempted to take in the information around her, almost panicked as if she was still on the run from yesterday.

“It’s okay,” Phee said, “We're home, but I'm not done with you yet.”

The droid relaxed and Phee was at least pleased that the new parts were working. She pulled out part of Mel’s front panel and sighed at the piece. It was completely covered in carbon scoring and while it protected some of the inner workings, some shots had managed to disrupt a power coil and a memory bank. Phee grabbed a spare metal scrap and continued to hum while cutting it down to size for Mel. She attached the front panel and left it open while she dug around to assess the damage to the memory. It wasn’t too bad. A little light was off, indicating part of it wasn’t working like it should. Another wire was replaced and the light came on, but started blinking. Phee knitted her eyebrows in frustration, but then found a small component attached to the back of the memory bank. It looked like a tiny restraining bolt. How did that get there? She picked it off and the blinking light stayed on strong. Once she replaced the memory bank and closed the panel, Mel beeped at her.

“A recording?” Phee asked. “Why didn’t you mention that before?”

Mel indicated that she didn’t know it was there before. Phee was getting more suspicious of the little restraining bolt. Someone must have put there without her knowledge between now and the last time she rebuilt Mel, but the only person who helped her with the droid since the last time she was rebuilt was Tech. Phee felt like she was falling upside down and spinning. Had she been standing, she would have toppled over. It was all she could do for the words to get from her brain to her tongue.

“Play the recording, Mel!”

Mel started playing a holovid. Tech’s face appeared right in front of Phee and she felt hot tears at the sight of Brown Eyes adjusting his goggles before he spoke.

Hello Phee. If you are seeing this then my family and I, or perhaps only some of us, are missing in action. It was our intention to retrieve information vital to saving Crosshair and keeping Omega safe, but as you know, things do not always go to plan. I have taken the liberty of hiding codes and secure information in Mel. I know the Imperials are not smart enough to find this data and leaving it solely in the hands of my brothers seems reckless should we all be caught. It will only be a matter of time before you have to rebuild her and I am certain you will easily find this recording. With the information I’ve left in Mel, you should be able to retrieve any recordings on my goggles and datapads including those behind an extra layer of encryption. There is also an encrypted backup on the Marauder’s computer. Should something happen to us, I will try to leave behind what clues I can. While I hope this is all for naught, I know that if any of us goes missing, there is no one better to find us than you.

Tech’s soft smile pulled at her and she watched him reach forward to stop the recording. Phee stared at Mel in shock before reaching for the button again. She paused on Tech’s image as the projection restarted and tears fell on her cheeks. Mel beeped at her almost asking if she was okay.

“Come on,” she said, rising to her feet, “We have to get to the Archium.”

[leapingbadger]

Amends

Summary: Takes place after the season 3 episode “The Return”. Hunter and Crosshair trust each other again and are on their way to a reconciliation, but they still need to communicate. That’s where Wrecker comes in. Read on AO3

Notes: This follows along with canon for the most part. If interested, you can also check out some of my other stories at these links: Hope; Sunrise; Sunset, Goodbye, Tattoo, Tested and Safe

Word Count:2644

Wrecker stood at the foot of the steps to the Marauder. The Pabu sun was beating down on him, sweat prickling at his neck. He hesitated before taking the first step up to the ship. It had been three days since they had returned from the ice planet. Things were better. Hunter and Crosshair weren’t actively avoiding each other anymore, but the tension was too much for Wrecker to take.

Hunter had been like his old self since Omega had returned and Wrecker was so relieved. He’d spent months trying to keep hope alive, trying to keep Hunter alive, despite his best efforts. His strong and steady sergeant had become a walking hazard. Erratic, volatile and with no regard for his own safety.

He was surprised to come across Crosshair first. Wrecker knew he had been deliberately avoiding the ship. Maybe there were too many memories tied up in it for him. He was sitting at the Comm station, carefully holding Tech’s goggles. He hastily put them down as Wrecker entered. The glass clinked as they landed face down on the control panel, a sliver of yellow glass falling out and onto the floor.

Crosshair hastily picked them up and put them on the shelf they had found themselves on since they had arrived back into their lives without their owner.

“Don’t worry. Happens all the time,” Wrecker said matter-of-factly. He picked up the glass shard, carefully tucked it back into the frame and replaced them on the shelf again.

Both he and Hunter had held vigil over the goggles as the long search for Omega had continued. They had become a kind of shrine they prayed to in the dark, as though Tech would bestow some wisdom from the grave.

Crosshair looked embarrassed and turned away from his brother. “Was just looking,” he mumbled under his breath.

“We do it all the time,” Wrecker said with a shrug, “keeps him close, you know.”

Crosshair scowled but didn’t reply.

“You’re going to have to talk to him eventually, you know that, right?” Wrecker said, sitting in the seat opposite.

“It’s fine, Wrecker, we sorted it out.”

Wrecker paused and looked down at his hands. Hunter and Crosshair had always been close. They were so similar. The quiet, observant members of the team. Crosshair would occasionally bristle when Hunter didn’t agree with him, but he believed in Hunter, respected him. That’s why Wrecker couldn’t stand this, how far they had come from who they used to be.

“He didn’t let Omega get taken to Tantis,” he said quietly. Crosshair raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply, “your comms were on. We all heard,” He added.

“It doesn’t matter, Wrecker,” Crosshair hissed, clearly not wanting to have this conversation.

“It does,” Wrecker said louder than he intended. He wanted to defend his brother. Defend himself. Crosshair paused and looked at him, clearly not sure what to do next.

“You haven’t known Omega for very long. She’s a great kid…really amazing, sweet, caring, and funny. But she’s also willful and stubborn and has no sense of self preservation,” he chuckled, “Just like Hunter, actually…He told her to find Echo. Told her to run…I…I wasn’t sure he was going to make it, Cross…after we lost her…and Tech.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from Crosshair at the mention of Tech’s name. They both instinctively looked at the goggles and Crosshair’s mood seemed to sour further.

Wrecker blinked at his little brother, suddenly realizing. This wasn’t about Omega. It was about Tech. Crosshair had always had the ability to wound with words alone. This talent had landed him and the whole squad in trouble when they were cadets. Most of their fights with the Regs broke out because of Crosshair’s mouth. Wrecker was surprised that he was holding this back. That even Crosshair knew that to bring this up to Hunter, to start a fight about Tech, would be something they might not come back from. But they still had to have the conversation.

“You really need to talk to him,” Wrecker said again.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Crosshair hissed, swiveling the chair so his back was to his brother, “Tech’s dead.”

The words were sharp, cutting like a virboknife to the face. Wrecker closed his eyes, anger bubbling up inside of him. Anger at himself, at their situation, at Tech, and at his remaining brothers. It wasn’t a conscious decision. His body moved before his brain was fully aware but Wrecker stood up, grabbed Crosshair at his waist and threw him over his shoulder, carrying him with heavy footfalls through the ship to the cockpit where Hunter sat.

“Wrecker, what are you…” Crosshair spluttered as his toothpick fell from his mouth and onto the floor. Wrecker all but threw him in the seat next to Hunter.

Hunter was in the pilot seat, leg propped up on the console, eyes closed. Wrecker knew he wasn’t asleep, that he’d likely heard their hushed conversation with ease.

“What’s your damage, Wrecker?” Crosshair spat, squaring up to his enormous brother.

Wrecker pushed him back into the seat again.

“Sit.” He looked from Crosshair to Hunter and back again, “Don’t come out until you’ve talked about it. I’m sick of this.” He scowled as he walked to the ramp of the Marauder.

“Hey, Kid, wanna get some icecream?” Wrecker called down to Omega.

“Yeah,” she called back sunnily, unaware of the turmoil within the ship.

“Talk,” Wrecker barked again, before heading down the ramp and closing the door. Shutting off the sun and leaving his brothers in darkness.

***

“He’s had one too many blows to the head,” Crosshair said, standing up and brushing himself off.

Hunter remained in the chair; eyes still closed. “He’s right,” Hunter said quietly, “he usually is about this kind of stuff.” He sat up and took in his younger brother.

Crosshair was glaring, but not at him. He couldn’t seem to make eye contact and Hunter wasn’t going to push it. He noticed him favoring his right hand and frowned as he noticed it shake involuntarily. He’d have to ask Omega about that later.

“I already know what you need to say,” Hunter continued, standing up, “just say it and we can try and move on.”

Crosshair looked at him with narrow eyes, turning and walking to the back of the ship. He was pacing like a caged creature. He paused again and turned back. Hunter knew that look on his face. He had seen it thousands of times, from when they were cadets to when they were in the field. Crosshair wasn’t angry, he was wounded, and he was searching for the words that would hurt the most.

Hunter tried his best to prepare himself, knowing it would hurt. Knowing it would cut to his core and knowing that while this may make things easier for Cross, it would likely kill him on the inside. But he waited.

“You killed him,” Crosshair growled, his eyes so narrowed his iris’s looked like black holes.

Hunter felt a weight drop in his chest and stay there. He couldn’t speak, a rock had landed in his throat too. But he nodded and croaked out, “I did,” in a strained voice that didn’t sound like his own.

“I told you to hide,” his brother spat.

“We don’t leave our own behind. We had to try and get you out,” Hunter said.

“And look where that got you. Tech died because of your negligence,”

Hunter felt like he’d been stabbed between the ribs. He couldn’t get enough air in his lungs, but it was nothing that he hadn’t said to himself already. He knew anything Crosshair would and could say would pale in comparison to the destain he already had for himself, every day, every second since his brother fell.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” Crosshair said, taking a step closer.

Hunter did. He could have said any number of things to defend himself. But he didn’t want to. His squad had had a one hundred percent success rate. They didn’t fail in anything until they left Kaminio, until they were on their own, and until Crosshair got left behind.

“I’m sorry. For leaving you on Kamino. You were tying to kill us. But we should have taken you with us. Somehow.”

Crosshair balked. Shaking his head as if to shake the memory out. “This isn’t about that…I…this is about Tech.”

Hunter nodded, “I failed you Crosshair, in the same way that I failed Tech, and the same way that I failed Omega, and Echo, and Wrecker.”

“Wha…just stop…Hunter…” Crosshair’s hand was shaking more violently now. He brought it to his forehead, as though trying to wipe away his thoughts. He was shrinking in on himself, retreating entirely.

Hunter moved forward and went to put his hand on Crosshair’s shoulder, but his brother caught it, his left fist reaching out instead, punching him in his side. Hunter winced as he let his brother land the hit. He staggered back and knelt down; arm wrapped around his side. If he thought he couldn’t breathe before, he really couldn’t now.

“All that time with the Empire and they still couldn’t train you to hit better?” Hunter growled. He didn’t know why he was baiting his brother. Maybe the same reason that he had been throwing himself into more and more dangerous situations of late. Because deep down he felt like he deserved every bruise, stab wound, blaster bolt that came his way. If he hurt enough, maybe that would be enough penance for Tech. Maybe every drop of blood was a sacrifice.

Crosshair launched himself at his brother, knocking him to the floor. Hunter let him land every punch, kick and bite. He let his brother unleash his fury, his hurt, his loss on him in the dim hope that maybe afterwards, he could heal. Hunter gave no thought to his own healing though; he knew that wasn’t possible.

“Fight back,” Crosshair yelled. But Hunter didn’t move to protect himself. He continued to bait his brother.

“Is that all you’ve got, Commander?” Hunter asked.

“Arrr…. I hate you,” his brother screamed, tears welling up in his eyes, “I wish…It should have been… you…I wish you died instead of Tech!” Crosshair froze, as if horrified by his own words. His fist was raised, pulled back to his ear, ready to unleash another blow.

“Me too,” Hunter said looking directly into his little brother’s eyes, voice gravely and horse.

Crosshair collapsed to the floor with a clank, wiping the sweat and tears off his face. Hunter sat up with a wince, wiping the blood that was pouring out his nose. He tasted copper on his tongue and could hear Crosshair’s erratic heartbeat gradually starting to slow.

Hunter looked wearily at Crosshair. He was cradling his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees, silent tears falling on his cheeks.

“He was the best of us, Crosshair,” Hunter said through sniffs of his likely broken nose, “that’s why we have to be better. For him,” he slammed his palm on the door release, letting the Marauder swim with light once more and slowly walked into the sunlight.

***

The moon shone bright white on the dark Pabu Sea as Crosshair made his winding way down to the beach. He fought against the memories of earlier, attempting to push them out of his head but failing. He shook his head to rid himself of the image of his big brother, covered in blood, wincing but taking every blow he threw at him or Omega and Wrecker’s horrified faces as Hunter left the ship, bloodied and bruised. His stomach dropped in shame, and he tried again to shake the memory out.

The warm Pabu air was usually comforting, peaceful, but now it felt lonely and oppressive. The lights of the island cast shadows as he walked. He hesitated to round the corner, unable to see what was ahead but not wanting to turn back.

When he reached the beach, he struggled to find him, noticing some of his clothes, bandana, blaster and virboknife were scattered in the sand. His heart sank and he started searching for the water in earnest. Wrecker had told him how Hunter had changed, and Crosshair feared it was more than not being cautious, his brother had a death wish.

“Hunter,” he shouted, urgently, panicked.

“Hmm” came a grunt from the water.

Crosshair got closer to the water to find his brother, floating in a star shape, long, dark hair trailing behind him. His eyes were closed, and he barely moved, except when the waves lapped around him, slowly moving him this way and that.

“What are you doing?” Crosshair hissed quietly, trying not to intrude too loudly on what seemed like something important.

“The saltwater helps with the bruises and the pain,” his brother replied.

“I’m…sorry,” Crosshair said in a whisper. His brother didn’t respond, and he wondered if there was any way back from this, from what he’d said, from what he’d done.

“I know.” Hunter said

“I don’t just mean about today…I…”

“I know, Crosshair,” Hunter interrupted.

“Will you let me finish?” Crosshair spat, exacerbated, “I’m sorry…for all of it. I should have come with you on Kamino…I should have been there…help with…I don’t know. I’m just…” he trailed off. How could he apologize for all of it. For all the pain he’d cause. He nearly killed them multiple times. How would he be able to live with himself if he had?

And then it occurred to him, that’s what Hunter was feeling. Hunter thought he’d killed Tech. Crosshair had told him he had. And Hunter couldn’t live with himself.

“You have to stop,” Crosshair said into the darkness. His brother had floated further out, his silhouette dancing on the moon lit water.

“It’s just water, Crosshair. I’ll be out in a minute,”

“Not that. You have to stop blaming yourself. It’s killing you. It will kill you,”

Hunter pulled himself upright in the water, he wet hair plastered flat against his head, the long tendrils covering his skull tattoo. He ran his hand through it, to get it out of his face.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“You’re not. Wrecker told me. You’re the leader.  You don’t get to go to pieces. The squad needs you. I need you; Omega needs you.”

Crosshair noticed something change Hunter’s face at the mention of Omega. He looked past his brother and up at Pabu and the Marauder, the warm light shining through the gunner’s mount as the ship rested by the weeping maya tree. And he suddenly understood. Omega wasn’t just some kid, and she wasn’t just his sister either. Crosshair had been right all along.

“Stop pretending to be something you’re not, Hunter” he had told him on Kamino. But Hunter wasn’t pretending, he was like a father to her in the way that the rest of them just weren’t.

“You need to stay around, for her, if nothing else,” Crosshair continued. “Tech would want you to survive. He’d want all of us to survive.”

Hunter was still looking at him with an expression Crosshair couldn’t quite place. He nodded, an almost imperceptible nod and started to swim towards the shore.

Crosshair noticed a collection of new scars on his brother’s torso that he’d never seen before.

“What’s all that from,” Crosshair asked suspiciously.

He was surprised to hear Hunter laugh, “ran in with a few bounty hunters, the Pikes and a Hutt or two,”

“So, you did have a death wish,” Crosshair said gravely.

“Desperate times…” Hunter started but didn’t finish.

“Are any of those my fault?” crosshair asked

“You wish Crosshair,” Hunter said with a grin, “you still hit like a cadet,” he clapped his brother on the back as they started to make the winding trek back to the Marauder, together.

[apocalyp-tech-a]

#TechTober2024 - Prompt 1. Sweater Tech. From @masksketchies festive autumn Techtober Prompt List.

Rolled up sleeves, arm veins, nuff said, amirite @eclec-tech ? 😉

Also added an ao3 ficlet "Providence Awaits" featuring Phee Genoa:

[rebelssscum]

i love the artists of the bad batch fandom. you guys rock 🤟 keep up the good work

[cadenreigns]

Sins of Goliath chapter 19 is up on AO3, it was a big chapter so extra art.

[zahmaddog]

Week 2 - Comfort Zone

Summer of Bad Batch | Crosshair x Phee x Hunter x Omega | Post-Tantiss Rescue on Pabu | One Shot | 262 words

“I didn’t forget about you,” Phee smirked and slid a small package across the table to Crosshair. His right mechanical hand lifted a finger to stop it from falling into his lap.

“What’s this?” Crosshair slithered.

“Open it!” Phee instructed.

Crosshair sighed, picking up the small box with his mechanical hand. 

“Knife?” He motioned towards Hunter without taking his eyes off the mysterious package. Hunter tossed him the knife and Crosshair caught it by the handle using his peripheral vision. He gently sliced through the brown paper to find a leather-bound box. Crosshair studied the box, then found it to slide open like a matchbox, exposing a few hundred dark and smooth toothpicks. Crosshair’s expression shifted from guarded and confused to grateful. 

“How did you know?” Crosshair asked Phee as he put one of the luxury toothpicks between his lips.

“Guess,” Phee winked.

“Tech?” Crosshair shifted the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.

Phee returned a soft nod to confirm. 

“What’s special about them?” Omega asked the room.

“These are from the trees in Kashyyyk. The wookies do not cut down trees, but when the trees have died from natural causes, they use the wood for creating items and luxuries. Tech had mentioned that these were Crosshair’s favorite, but it’s well-known to be a rare commodity,” Phee explained.

Crosshair studied the package again and inspected a few toothpicks, looking at the fine grain and dark brown coloring of the wood.

“I guess you are a liberator of… wonders,” he remarked. “Thank you,” Crosshair nodded towards Phee in gratitude. 

________________________________________________________

Taglist:

@heidnspeak @cloneflo99 @megmegalodondon @tentakelspektakel

@summer-of-bad-batch

[miss-musings]

TBB Fic Rec: "The Bad Batch Chooses A Family Name"

RATING: G (General Audiences) | No Archive Warnings Apply

SUMMARY: Set about four months after "The Bad Batch" series finale, Omega and her brothers finally move into their new house in Lower Pabu, and we get a brief account of their new routine.

Phee gives them a housewarming gift that sparks a discussion on whether the four clones should adopt a family name, and if so, what it should be. Eventually, Omega comes up with an idea...

Will the Bad Batch pick a name we know like Hazard, Genoa or Lawquane? Or will they choose one that reflects their own paths and their own legacies?

All five chapters combined is ~30 min read

Lots of family fluff with some heavier moments too. And a cameo from another "Star Wars" TV show character!

[starryevermore]

following orders: the intel (3) ✧ tech

following orders ✧ a tech bad batch story | ao3

inspired by: a conversation with @captainsbestgal​

pairing: tech x fem!reader

series summary: you don’t want to live in a galaxy where the love of your life, tech, does not exist. but, you can’t abandon your already grieving family. you devote all of your energy to helping hunter and wrecker save omega from the empire and, perhaps, save the wayward crosshair along the way. but the longer you look for the youngest member of the bad batch, the more you suspect that your lost love is not as lost as you once believed. 

chapter summary: despite wolffe’s information, there still is not much to go in your quest to find omega. that is, until an opportunity presents itself. 

word count: 5,183

series warnings?: spoilers for “plan 99”, plan 99, canon-typical violence, hurt tech, canon divergent, fix it fic, angst, grief/mourning, torture, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, relationship discussions, mutual pining, clone troopers speak mando’a, depression, suicide ideation, memory loss, brainwashing, jealousy, not proofread

chapter warnings?: grief/mourning, mention of alcohol, not proofread

One Month Later

And yet, nothing changed. Nothing substantial, anyhow. Despite the rumors that Wolffe, Boost, and Sinker had heard on Cato Neimoidia, there wasn’t much else to be heard. It made sense, of course. The Empire was attempting to sweep the clones under the rug. The last thing that any higher-ups would have wanted was for the public to know they were torturing, experimenting on, the very people they had created to fight their wars. This was information that was going to be under heavy lock and key. Few people would know about it, and even fewer would know the intimate details. With the kind of missions Rex was running, it was difficult, if not impossible, to find out anything that might be helpful in the hunt for Omega and Crosshair.

In the weeks following the Wolfpack’s reveal about the possible experiments, you found yourself going on fewer and fewer missions with remaining members of the Batch. It was too disheartening. To be out there, fighting to save others when you couldn’t even save your own family… You didn’t understand how Echo did this sort of thing day in and day out. Did it not kill him to know there was little to be done to save Omega? To save Crosshair? How did that not wear him down? How did that not make him want to give him, declare this all a fruitless endeavor? (Perhaps he was a better person than you. Perhaps you were too selfish.) 

Of course, your reluctance to leave for missions did not mean that you gave up entirely. The clones were more than capable of going off, saving their vode, retrieving information, without you. But when they returned to base, they were spent, and the necessary upkeep on their ships and the few droids they had became sidelined. You weren’t the best mechanic in the galaxy, but you learned enough from Tech over the last several months to make yourself useful. At least it kept your mind from wandering off, worrying about all of the horrible things that Omega had to be experiencing. 

“We’ve got room on the Marauder for one more,” Hunter said as you fiddled with a ship’s hyperdrive. 

You glanced at him, then saw Wrecker standing just behind him. Wrecker still didn’t like to talk to you all that much. From what you’d gathered from Hunter and Echo, he was worried that you might finally break, finally snap at him, finally blame him for his perceived part in Tech’s death. Wrecker wouldn’t blame you for lashing out, Echo told you, but he thought it was better to give you space. It didn’t matter that you told Echo to tell Wrecker that him avoiding you was hurting you more; the big guy had already made up his mind. 

“I need to get this fixed before Howzer and Gregor go on their mission,” you said, turning your attention back to the broken hyperdrive. 

“I’m sure one of the droids can finish up if you wanted to go with us,” Hunter said. 

You looked over at one of the pit droids hitting the other with a wrench. “…Yeah, I think it’s safer if I finish this.”

Hunter didn’t say anything for one beat, two. Now more than ever, he wanted the remaining members of his family to stick together. He couldn’t protect his family unless they were all together. But, he knew he couldn’t force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. “We leave in ten minutes,” he finally said, “in case you change your mind.”

“I won’t, so don’t wait up for me. There’s a lot around here I need to work on, anyways.”

You weren’t sure how long Hunter lingered, but when you looked a few minutes later, he was gone. But Wrecker still remained a few feet away, staring down at feet, hand rubbing at the back of his neck. You let out a sigh, rising to your feet, and approached Wrecker.

“Are you going to try to convince me to go, too?” you asked. 

He shook his head, then extended a hand toward you. Your brows pinched together, watching as his hand opened to reveal a ration bar. “You need ta eat,” he said. 

“Wrecker—” you started to argue, but you were cut off by the sound of your stomach rumbling.

How long had it been since you last ate? The meals here were hardly remarkable—they almost entirely consisted of those terrible rations partly left over from the war and partly stolen from the Empire. It wasn’t like on Pabu, where Shep and Phee always invited you to dinner, always had real, hot meals available. Your time spent on this base had all blurred together. Had it been hours since your last meal? Days, maybe? The pang in your stomach gave you no indication—only that you hadn’t eaten in some time, and that ration bar looked oh so tempting. 

It was funny, how you could distract your mind from your base needs if you zoned out far enough. 

“You need ta eat,” Wrecker repeated. “He wouldn’t want ya to hurt yerself like this.” 

You stared at the ration bar for a moment. “I’ll eat, if you promise to stop avoiding me. I don’t blame you for anything that’s happened. If you think you’re sparing my feelings by staying away, you’re wrong.”

Wrecker looked down at his feet. “But ya should. I’m s’posed to protect us—”

You took the ration bar from Wrecker’s hand, then used your free hand to hold his now-empty hand. “Tech wouldn’t want me to hurt myself, I'll give you that. But he would also wouldn’t want you to feel at fault for a decision he made. You know Tech as well as I do. He calculated every odd, every chance at survival. There’s nothing any of us could have done to have made it better.”

“I dunno—” Wrecker shuffled his feet. “What if you change yer mind? What if you start to feel bitter? I can’t lose you too.”

“Oh, Wrecker…” You dropped his hand, wrapping your arms around him. You rested your head on his chest. For a moment, Wrecker remained perfectly still. But, slowly, he wrapped his arms around you, too. “I miss you. Okay? I don’t want to lose you either, and when you push me away like this…Even if your intent is good, it feels like I am losing you.”

“Oh.”

“Let’s make a deal, yeah? I start taking better care of myself, if you stop avoiding me.”

Wrecker’s mouth lifted into a smile. “I can do that.”

“Okay, good.” You pulled away from the hug. “Now, go on that mission and blow something for me.”

“I can definitely do that!”

You let out a laugh, watching as Wrecker ran over to the Marauder. It felt a bit strange, to laugh. It felt wrong, to be happy when so much had completely and utterly gone wrong. You tried to think of what Tech would say. Maybe something about how people have to grieve in their own way, but that part of that process was learning how to live again. That being able to laugh again was a good thing, that it was a sign you were healing.

Sighing, you turned back to the hyperdrive. Now was not the time to be thinking about things like that.

The unfortunate part of pushing those thoughts to the side was that, eventually, it was all going to boil over eventually and, often, in the worst ways possible.

Wrecker hadn’t meant any harm. Really, he didn’t. But when you’ve spent so much time trying to push your feelings to the side, trying to ignore the pain in your heart. And when he did the one thing you couldn’t ignore—Maker, you couldn’t stop the rage from boiling over.

Ever since Hunter had given you Tech’s goggles, you took them with you everywhere. That was relatively easy when you all were still on Pabu. You hardly ever left the Marauder, so you didn’t have to worry about breaking the goggles any further. But now that you were on the base, going out of the ship and helping with repairs…Well, it was much harder to ensure the goggles were safe. You had a few bits of scrap fabric, so you fashioned something of a bag that you wore on your belt with the goggles inside. It wasn’t infallible, though. One wrong move, and you could easily break them even more.

It had been a rare moment of respite for you and the Batch. Wrecker and Hunter hadn’t been sent out on a mission in a few days. It had been a relatively quiet day. You were busy fixing some broken blasters. Hunter had joined you under the guise of offering assistance, but he wasn’t particularly inclined to that sort of work. All he really did was hand you the tools that were too far out of reach or helped you steady something when you needed it. Mostly, he just talked. 

Ever since the night on the dock, if he had the time, Hunter would come and talk to you about Tech. You weren’t sure if it was more for your sake or his—was he trying to cheer you up? or was he clinging to the memories of his fallen brother?—but, regardless, you appreciated the gesture. 

“Tech actually tried convincing the Kaminoans that a Jedi started the food fight?” you laughed as he regaled one story from when they were cadets. 

“No, worse—he tried to convince the long-necks that one of the regs was Force sensitive,” Hunter corrected. “Which was impossible, because they tested all sorts of things, so if a reg had a high midi-chlorian count, they would have known.”

“Or Shaak Ti would have realized.”

“Exactly! But it had been the fourth time that month that Wrecker and Crosshair started a fight, and Tech worried about the long-necks might to do them, so he just started talking without thinking.”

“I'm surprised he could do that,” you teased. “For all his brilliance, he had to come up with the worst possible lie imaginable.”

“Tech was never a good liar, but it kind of worked in the end. The long-necks were too interested in if they had missed a Force sensitive clone that they never did do anything to Wrecker or Crosshair.”

“What about when they realized Tech was lying?”

“Well, he came up with a bit of a better lie then. Said it must have been a trick of the light,” Hunter laughed. He leaned forward on the bench, propped up on his elbows, shaking his head. It was rare to see him so calm, so relaxed. “Still a terrible lie, but they let it slide. They couldn’t prove anything by then, anyways. Actually…Now that I think about it, they did put us on janitor duty for a while there…”

You snorted, trying to imagine the Batch as janitors. Tech would probably be the most diligent about it, at least in terms of making sure they others weren’t mixing any chemicals. Or else Wrecker would be convincing him to make an experiment of it, just to see what would happen. Hunter would be giving a half-hearted effort, just because he was too distracted by making sure the others didn’t get them into more trouble. Crosshair would only be contributing to the mess by throwing his toothpicks on the ground. If Echo had been there, he probably would be grumbling the entire time about how it wasn’t fair that he had to be punished when it wasn’t even his fault while also being the only one actually trying to clean.

It was nice, to laugh like this. The ache in your chest was ever-present, but having time like this dulled it slightly. 

But the universe was not on your side. For every moment that you felt a little more normal, a little bit lighter, it would all come crashing down in a blaze of fire. (Grief is not linear, Tech would say. Some days will be worse than others. You might feel like you have gotten over something, but one thing will remind you of the pain. It might feel like a setback, but grief does not just end because a certain amount of time has passed.) 

Wrecker had come running up to the bench where you and Hunter sat. He looked excited about something—maybe discovered a new joke, or was just excited to spend time with you and his brother. Regardless, he was running, running, running— As you watched him, you worried if he would be able to stop in time, if he might crash into the bench, if he would trip over his feet and fall or—

“Oh, kark—”

The bench shook as Wrecker fell into it. When he hit it, the bench slid into you, knocking you off your stool. You landed on your hip. A cracking sound made your blood run cold. Hunter rose to his feet, rushing around the bench to where you were. He helped you to your feet, trying to hide his flinch as more of the glass cracked against itself.

Time seemed to slow as you reached down to the pouch. You opened it, tipping it over so its contents spilled onto the table. The goggles fell out first, a dull clunk! ringing through the air. The glass followed. Pieces that were once attached to the frame were disconnected, mostly shattered into hundreds of near dust-like particles. Your breath hitched in your throat. 

Wrecker said your name. You could barely hear him. “I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t mean to—”

“Are you alright?” Hunter asked. 

A hand reached out to touch your shoulder—who the hand belonged to, you weren’t entirely sure; your mind was a million miles away—but you flinched at the contact. Without a word, you scooped up the goggles, clutched them close to your chest, and ran off to the Marauder. 

Was it childish to do act like this? To be so close to falling apart over a pair of already broken goggles becoming more destroyed? Perhaps. But, oh…What would Tech say if he was here? (“Grief is not rational, sen’ika.”) And yet, you found yourself feeling ashamed at how you felt. It was just a pair of goggles, right? But they were his goggles. His bunk on the Marauder and those goggles were all that you had left of him, the only things left of him that were purely his. 

Now, you fully understood how Omega could be so distraught when the Marauder had been taken. 

In the sanctuary of Tech’s bunk, you let yourself feel the tidal wave of emotions rush over you. A sob wracked your body as you buried your face in his pillow. It did not bring you as much comfort as it used to. In the weeks since you lost him, his scent had faded. The lack of his presence made you feel out of place. Even look at his dozens of notes decorating the wall made your heart ache more than before. 

Neither Wrecker nor Hunter followed after you. You wondered what they were doing. Was Hunter chastising Wrecker for his carelessness? You hoped not. Wrecker didn’t mean anything by it. He didn’t know the consequences that would follow from his actions. You knew Hunter knew that. But Hunter was also at his wits end. You weren’t quite sure what would send his over the edge. 

But the longer you laid in Tech’s bunk, staring at his notes on the wall (How to Win Her Heart: Step 1. Make her laugh—she has a very nice laugh. Step 2. Learn more about her. Share your own experiences. Step 3.—), the more concerned you became. Was no one going to come talk to you? Hunter had always been the type of person to give you space when your emotions were high. But he always came around eventually. And Wrecker…Well, usually he would have come running after you the second he hurt you. 

Sitting up, you decided you had to go see what was happening out there. But, a steady clunk! clunk! clunk! of a pair of boots stopped you. The footsteps were heavier than Hunter’s usually were—he tended to be relatively light on his feet, always careful to not make too much noise so he didn’t overwhelm himself. That meant it must’ve been Wrecker. You swung your legs over the edge of the bunk, peaking your head out so you could watch Wrecker approach you. 

His head was hung low, hiding his face from you. But you could imagine the pained expression he probably wore. He always wore his heart on his sleeve. Even if he hadn’t meant to cause you pain, he felt every ounce of guilt as if it were intentional. What was more curious, however, was the glint of something in his hands. When he got closer, you realized it was a necklace. 

“Wrecker—” you started. 

“I know it’s not the same as it was before,” he said, cutting you off, “but I tried to make it better.”

He held the necklace out to you. It was a simple silver chain, but the pendant was the part you were interested in. It was one of the larger shards of glass from Tech’s goggles. Your heart clenched at the sight of it. Wrecker had done this? To make you feel better?

“Did you make that?” you asked. 

“Mhm. Picked it up when we were on Ord Mantell. Learned from one of the ladies who made jewelry when I’d hafta wait for the Mantell Mix be made.”

“But…why?” You didn’t understand why Wrecker would pick up on this hobby, why he would reveal it to you now. Perhaps the grief was clouding your mind. It was hard to think these days. 

“I like blowin’ things up,” Wrecker said, twirling the chain of the necklace around his finger, “but I like knowin’ I can do gentler things, too. I like knowin’ my hands can make things an’ not just destroy things.”

He held the necklace out to you. You took it from him, looking at the yellowed piece of glass that hung from the chain. The edges of the shard had been filed down so it wasn’t as sharp, wouldn’t cut you as you were wearing it. 

“You made this?” you asked. 

Wrecker nodded. “Most of the glass was too broken to salvage. I put those pieces in this,” he said, producing a small box and handing it to you. “But I figured you could wear this piece, keep him close to your heart.”

You handed the necklace back to Wrecker, turning your back to him. “Help me put it on?” you asked.

Wrecker reached around, looping the chain around your neck and clasping it shut. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break it.”

You turned back around. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to.”

“I just didn’t know you carried his goggles around with you. If I did—”

You grabbed his hands, squeezed them tight. “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you.”

Wrecker nodded, but he still looked so crestfallen, so remorseful of what he’d done. You gave his hand a tug, urging him to sit next to you. Slowly, he sank into the bunk. He kept his gaze turned toward his lap. You scooted closer to him, bumping your shoulder against his. Finally, he looked up at you, his eyes glassy as if he was trying to do everything he could to not cry. 

“Tell me a story about Tech,” you said. 

“Doesn’t Hunter usually do that?”

“Yeah, but I wanna know your stories about him. I wanna know about who Tech was through your eyes.”

Wrecker was silent for a moment, two. For a second, you wondered if he was going to say anything at all. If you were going to have to assure him again that you weren’t upset. But, finally, he said, “The first time you joined us on a mission, Tech spent the entire night talkin’ ‘bout you. Kept talkin’ about how he liked how you listened to him, didn’t roll your eyes or nothin’ when he’d start ramblin’ about a topic. Really liked it when you asked him questions. Said it made him feel like he wasn’t a bother to other people. But, what he really liked, was when you laughed at one of his jokes. Showed me a recordin’ of you laughin’ over and over and over again.”

“I never knew that.”

“He didn’t want you to. Took him a long time to figure out how he felt about you.” Wrecker’s mouth tugged into a smile. “Didn’t stop him from practicing every joke he wanted to tell you on me first.”

You twisted your necklace around your finger, a smile growing on your face, too. Oh, if only Tech knew how much you loved him from the moment you two met, too. 

“He made a lot of bad jokes. You should be grateful he ran them through me first,” Wrecker teased, bumping your shoulder with his. He moved as gently as he could manage, careful to not knock you over. “He kept trying to make a joke about tookas work, but it never did.”

“Could you tell me some of those jokes? If you remember them, I mean.”

And for the rest of the night, Wrecker told you as many jokes he could remember. (Which, of course, sometimes meant that he only remembered the set up or the punchline but not both, which was just as funny in its own right.) 

“Have I mentioned that I hate this?” you muttered, picking at a loose thread on your dress as you waited in the long line of people seeking admittance to the Imperial gala. 

“You’ve made yourself perfectly clear,” Hunter said through the comm in your ear. “Just focus on the mission.”

“I don’t see why you or Wrecker couldn’t have joined me.”

“Our faces are a lot more recognizable than yours, sen’ika. Even with us looking different than the regs, if someone were to look a little too closely, our cover would be blown.”

“I just don’t like being out here on my own.”

“You’ll do fine,” Hunter assured you. “It’s nothing you haven’t done before. It shouldn’t even end with a fight. You’ll be fine.”

But, Tech was with here before, you wanted to say. You held your tongue. It was cruel to point out something that Hunter was already painfully aware of. He knew his brother wasn’t here anymore. He knew you and Tech were the ones who used to run these types of mission before. He knew it was killing you to have to do this on your own. 

“We’re on standby if you need anything,” Hunter said.

You didn’t say anymore. Nothing you said could change anything. You were already in too deep to walk away. In fact, you would likely only draw more attention to yourself than if you were to follow through. If someone were to abruptly leave the line for the biggest event on this planet, that would surely draw too many eyes to you. Eyes you couldn’t afford to have on you at the moment. So, there you remained in line, glancing at the rich and powerful people who stood around you. 

Oh, what would it be like to actually be one of them? You had played this role before, done all the pomp and circumstance. You’ve putting on the pretty gowns, laughed at the outlandish things the wealthy would say because they don’t have the first clue how the rest of the galaxy suffers. But you only knew this life as an outsider. What would it have been like to truly be one of them?

Before, you used to imagine that, after the war, Tech would invent some brilliant thing. He would marry you, and together you would become a power couple. Still on the outside, of course—the rich and powerful look down on people from “new money”. But to be a part of the conversations in a real way, to be able to actually do something with the power and prestige you would share. Maybe you would be a Breha and Bail Organa sort of couple. Using your wealth to fund the change you wished to see. That would’ve been nice. 

“Name?” a droid asked you.

You blinked, not realizing you had already reached the front of the line. How long had you been daydreaming of a life lost, one you never truly had?

“Dione Hart,” you said. 

The name had been something you and Tech picked together. He supplied the first name, Dione. He seemed oddly sheepish when he suggested it. You didn’t understand until he explained that Dione was the mother of the goddess of love. She was believed to heal with just a touch of her hands. In one of the most well-known myths of Dione, her daughter had been in battle and, as she Dione tended to her wounds, she reminded her daughter that, though she was immortal, she, too, was subject to pain and injury. 

“Since I have met you, I have begun to understand my desire for your affections,” Tech had told you, “yet the rational part of me worries of the pain I might experience if I allow myself to give into such temptations.”

“But isn’t the joy of love worth the chance of pain?” you had asked. 

“If it is with you that I get to experience that joy? There is no doubt in my mind that it would be worth it.”

“Then let our last name be Hart, because you’ve had mine since the day we met.”

The droid confirmed your name was on the list and waved you in. Without really meaning to, you held your breath as you passed through the doors. Definitely no turning back now. 

The room was the sort of opulent display of wealth you’d grown to expect from these events. The entire place glistened in gold and sparkled in marble. Droids flitted around, holding trays of drinks and food in portion sizes so small Wrecker would opt to eat the tray itself if he were here. You fought the urge to laugh at the thought of him hiding in the corner of the room, trying to nibble on the metal. But, alas, luck, or the Force, or whatever cosmic energy deigned this moment to exist, was not on your side. 

As you let out a quiet giggle at the image of Wrecker’s shenanigans, a voice behind you asked, “And what has made a woman as beautiful as yourself laugh so prettily?”

Kriff. You weren’t meant to draw any attention to yourself so soon. You were supposed to spend a few minutes scouting the place, try to find an Imperial officer that was high-ranking enough to have the information you needed but stupid enough to hand it over after you batted your eyelashes at him. Oh, this better not ruin your plans…

You turned to face the man, a soft smile on your face. You had been ready to say something so sugary sweet, he wouldn’t realize you were telling him to get lost. But when you turned, you zeroed in on the insignia on his chest. Oh, he could be quite helpful indeed. You let your soft smile morph into something more flirtatious, looking up at him through your eyelashes, “Oh, I don’t share my jokes with strange men I’ve just met.”

“Strange men?” he repeated, quirking an eyebrow. “How about I introduce myself? Then I won’t be a strange man anyone.”

“No, only an unfamiliar one,” you teased. 

“Torin Bartow, ma’am,” he said. 

In your ear, you heard Wolffe say, “He works in stormtrooper recruitment. I’ve heard his name around a few times.”

Keep an eye on him, was the unspoken order. 

“Dione Hart,” you said. 

“A name as beautiful as the woman,” Torin said. He held his arm out for you to take. “Join me for a drink?”

Though every fiber in your being wished only to attack him, to claw out his eyes, to force him to tell you everything he knew about the clones being decommissioned—where they were taken to, what happened to them when they got there—you withheld from following such urges. Instead, you held onto his arm, allowing him to direct you to the bar. You allowed him to order you a drink—spotchka, a terrible drink from a terrible man. You pretended to enjoy it. 

You laughed at his terrible jokes. You pretended to care about all the “advancements” and “improvements to the galaxy” that the Empire was going to make. You fawned over his title. You batted your eyelashes and giggled and caressed his arm. You allowed him to buy you drink after drink, discarding them where he could not see all while he drank every last one of his own. 

And when the night came to an end, you allowed him to lead you out of the gala and into the night. 

“Tell me more about your work,” you cooed, clinging to his arm, leaning your head onto his shoulder as you walked. “What happens to the clones? I can’t imagine the Empire would just…” You swallowed down your disgust. “…discard them when so much money had been invested in them.”

“Oh, the clones are not discarded,” Torin laughed, his words slurring together. “Though, I cannot say for certain what happens to them either.”

“Oh?” Your heart sank. Was all this for nothing? Had you done all this for nothing. Maker, you had to think of something to say, something that might give you something useful. Something that would have made all of this worth it. “Surely a man as important as you would be privy to that information.”

If he was not so intoxicated—eight full glasses of spotchka downed in a few hours—he might have had you questioned for such a blatant act of disrespect. But he was too far gone, too unaware of what he was saying and its implications. “All I know is they’re taken somewhere in the Mid Rim. Finally being put to use, you know?”

You swallowed hard. What do you even say to that? “What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “The Emperor’s interested in cloning, I guess. Don’t really know what for. Now, c’mon, enough work talk—”

Torin leaned in as if he was going to kiss you, but you pulled out your blaster, pulling the trigger before he could get to close. Set to stun, though you wish it hadn’t been as you watched him hit the ground. After a quick glance around, you pulled him over into an alley, leaving him behind a dumpster. Someone would find him eventually. Or he might wake before then, drowsy and confused, unsure if the woman he met at the gala had been real or something of his imagination. 

“Looks like we got some work, boys,” you muttered. 

[prompts-of-bad-batch]

COMING SOON…

Are you lacking the creative juices to write that fan-fic? Or maybe you want to draw some fan-art, but have no ideas?

Well, my friend, then you have come to the right place!!

On this blog, I’m going to be posting not one, but two creative prompts a week, and you get to turn them into Bad Batch fan-fic/fan-art!! The show may have come to an end, but the fandom certainly hasn’t! I don’t want the beautiful fire of creativity that this fandom has to sizzle out for good, I want to fuel it and keep it alive!

But I can’t do this alone…

I need each and every one of you Bad Batch fans to do this!!

WE WILL UNITE, AND KEEP THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ALIVE AND WELL!

So, starting on September 1st, every week I’ll drop two prompts for you! Some will be just a vague idea or a single word, others will be more specific dialogue prompts. And the best part? No due date for any of the prompts! I’m just here to fuel your creativity my friend! There will be a few guidelines your art or fic will need to follow if you want me to reblog it (which I will do for all that follow the rules!) but they aren’t to strict, I promise.

Here’s the thing though…

I need you to help me create these prompts!

Do you have a good prompt idea? Please share!! Just put them in the ask box and who knows? Maybe yours will be chosen for a future week of prompts!

So friends, remember! September 1st is when the first set of prompts will be dropped. As soon as possible I will post the guidelines/rules for this, but until then…

May the force be with you!

[skellymom]

WRITER'S WALL OF FAME-CLONES!

Check out these talented fan ficer's!

PLEASE LIKE, COMMENT, AND REBLOG! They don't get engagement without it, and tell them how much you enjoyed their work!

READ BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR CRITERIA TO BE ADDED TO THIS POST!

@sparks0918 and @ochsabird STAR WARS WRITING RESOURCES! Check it out!!!

@aggy72

@anxiouspineapple99

@apocalyp-tech-a

@arctrooper69

@a-single-tulip

@badbatchposts

@baddest-batchers

@batchedzine

@bibliophilesince2003

@bilbosmom-belladonna

@blackseafoam

@captn-trex

@catboydogma

@changeling-selfship

@clonethirstingisreal

@deejadabbles

@detroitbydark

@dickarchivist

@dindjarindiaries

@djarrex

@doublesunsets

@dumfanting

@dystopicjumpsuit

@enigmaticexplorer

@eyecandyeoz

@half-truths-and-hyperbole-louk

@havocdream

@hellhound5925

@huntressdarkness

@imabeautifulbutterfly

@imarvelatthestars

@indigofyrebird

@isthereanechoinhere96

@fionajames

@fractiouskat

@freesia-writes

@friendlyneighborhoodsynthezoid

@genericficerblog

@girloffourhouses

@gun-roswell

@just-here-with-my-thoughts

@hugmekenobi

@jetii

@jinngonjin

@justaparsec94

@kaminocasey

@knightprincess

@kybercrystals94

@lacygirlingreen

@leapingbadger

@leenabb104104

@lonewolflupe

@longlivetheclones

@madameminor

@mandos-mind-trick

@marierg

@marswrites

@masterjedilenawrites

@merkitty49

@momojedi

@moodymisty

@multi-fan-dom-madness

@mylittlepooka

@notgonnaedit

@photogirl894

@nahoney22

@neon-junkie

@noblelightfighter

@0vvl404

@pinascreatorcorner

@redemption773

@rendomski

@rex-meshla

@rexxdjarin

@sinfulsalutations

@starqueensthings

@thesmollestnerd

@starrylothcat

@sev-on-kamino

@soaringthroughthegalaxy

@skellymom

@sleepingsun501

@spacemagicandlaserswords

@spicy-clones

@staycalmandhugaclone

@stellarbit

@sued134

@swprequels-big-bang

@substantial-exposure

@talesfrommedinastation

@tcwmatchmakingau

@techhasmjolnir

@techs-goggles9902

@the-bad-batch-baroness

@thecoffeelorian

@the-little-moment

@the-rain-on-kamino

@vodika-vibes

@wanderinginksplot

@welcometo79s

@wild-karrde

@wizardofrozz

@wolveria

@zoeykallus

@523rdrebel

IF THERE IS ANYONE MISSING, OR YOU WANT ME TO ADD A WRITER PLEASE MESSAGE ME! THANKS!!!

Ok, for clarity my criteria for CLONE CONTENT:

*Clone main character

*Clone supportive cast characters with a non clone main character

*Clone OC's

*Clones showing up SOMEWHERE significant in the fic. Not just one clone character who is in and out and the rest is non clone characters

Probably the ONLY exceptions that break the other above rules could possibly be the following (and PLEASE feel free to steal these ideas):

*Characters fighting for Clone Rights in the Senate, battlefield, another planet, etc where no physical clones are present, but their story is front row and center.

*Characters interacting in the story regarding the science or cloning actions of ANY of the Clone centered operations like on Kamino or any other planet, Hemlocks clone experimentation, shadowy cabal or Gov Tarkin planning something regarding the Clones, etc. where no physical clones are present, but their story is front row and center.

*I'm cool with ALL CLONE CONTENT TYPES: action packed, slow burn, mundane, clean, comfort, angsty, sad, heart breaking, tragic, cliff hangers, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, lovey-dovey, soothing, happy, domestic relationships, platonic relationships, hot romantic relationships, smut (off all kinds), aromantic, asexual, non-binary/genderfluid/gay/lesbian/bi/omni characters or targeted readers, baby batch, young cadet batch, etc. Your imagination is the limit!

READERS: PLEASE READ THE TAGS AND WARNING ON THESE CREATORS FICS to make sure it's what you WANT to read! PLEASE BE DISCERNING DURING YOUR JOURNEY ON TUMBLR!!!

I am allowing some of the "problematic" ships.

AND BEFOR ANYONE COMES FOR ME, IT IS UP TO THE READER TO READ THE TAGS AND WARNINGS ON THEIR JOURNEY IN "THE EYEBALL ZONE" WHILE READING FICS AND LOOKING AT VISUAL CONTENT.

I WILL NOT POLICE ANYONE.

NOT A FAN OF CENSORSHIP.

WILL NOT KINK SHAME.

THESE ARE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS.

IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR BEEF WITH A WRITERS CONTENT PLEASE TAKE IT UP WITH THEM. AND, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO IT CONSTRUCTIVELY AND DO NOT HARRASS OR TROLL THEM.

I am only one person and cannot know what some people find offensive or not. Yep, it's the interwebs and there are some things that are gonna shock you...probably even shock me. I'll leave it up to you to make those decisions and control your own content consumption.

Thanks for understanding.

*The writer MUST have a visible pinned post of their work at the top of their page! Need to make it easy for those visiting the links to find their work. Also, at this time if they are ONLY on Wattpad or Ao3 WITHOUT a visible Tumblr link (pinned post that is easy to find), I cannot list them. Again, doing this for ease of locating work and available for people primarily on Tumblr.

Also, if you suggest a creator, PLEASE make sure you spelled their Tumblr name correctly. Thanks for understanding!

PLEASE send me some love too! I created this listing to not just help people find creatives, but to PROMOTE MY OWN Tumblr account. So go check out my fics. It's called networking, baby! <3

[mae-lou-ron]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome, traveler!

I encourage you to read my ✨rules of engagement✨ before jumping in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ratings Legend:

🌼 Fluff ❤️‍🩹 Hurt / Comfort 💢 Angst 📚 Chaptered / Multi-part ⚡️ One Shots 🔥 Suggestive / Spice / Mature Themes / NSFW / MDNI 18+

🚧 updated: February 15, 2025 🚧

🖼️ header graphic by me 🖼️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Crosshair~

A Friend Indeed 🌼💢❤️‍🩹⚡️(feat. big bro Wrecker) Two years after settling on Pabu, Crosshair still grapples with recurring nightmares and sleep paralysis. Despite his reluctance to open up, Wrecker's efforts help Crosshair discover unexpected comfort in familiar places. - A Little Kindness 🌼💢❤️‍🩹📚 (ongoing) | Part 1 | Part 2 | It’s been a few months since Crosshair and his family returned from Tantiss for the last time. Settling into civilian life hasn’t been easy, but one Pabu resident shows Crosshair some kindness that makes him want to try.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Tech~

Back To Sleep 🌼❤️‍🩹⚡️ (inspo by the gorgeous artwork done by @/ghostymarni here!) After some bad dreams interrupt your sleep, you find some unexpected comfort in your beloved partner, Tech.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Fox~

Give Me the Twilight 🌼❤️‍🩹🔥⚡️ inspo by this feral Fox piece by @/ghostymarni Overworked and overtired, Commander Fox is just trying to make it through the rest of his shift, but with a budding migraine it’s been easier said than done. Lucky for him, you’ve got some ideas in mind about how to soothe him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Gregor~

For Granted 🌼❤️‍🩹🔥⚡️ Your beloved Gregor returns from a weeks-long mission for the clone underground, and after a long night filled with debriefings, he can’t wait to show you just how much he missed you while he was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Rex~

More Than That 🌼💢❤️‍🩹⚡️ Something has been on your mind, but you should have known your lover in secret, Rex, would see right through you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Wolffe~

Keeping You Around 🌼❤️‍🩹⚡️ Commander Wolffe's assignment to embark on a reconnaissance mission takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself stranded with you—a development he was far from prepared to deal with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Any questions? Just want to chat about Star Wars? I love receiving comments and messages!

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

Sorry, Wrong Comms! Masterlist

Season one Bad Batch AU fic; our favorite squadron of rouge Clones escapes the Empire (some more reluctantly than others) post Order 66 and do their best to make their way in a turbulent galaxy. When a medical emergency puts one of their own at risk, they're forced to seek out medical help, and end up forging a friendship in the woman who kindly helps them. She may be a simple medic, but she's no stranger to the sick and injured of the galaxy, even when things get grisly once more for the Bad Batch...

Please mind the warnings for each chapter as there are things like vague medical terminology, near death(s), mild injury description + care, blood, drugs (both medical and **recreational references), use of restraints, needles (autoinjectors), nausea and non-descriptive mentions of vomit, language and minor adult themes throughout the series.

*RATING: 16+ | STATUS: Complete | POV: 3rd Person | Fem Reader

🩺Chapter 1

🩺Chapter 2

🩺Chapter 3

🩺Chapter 4

🩺Chapter 5

🩺Chapter 6

🩺Chapter 7

🩺Chapter 7.5

🩺Chapter 8

🩺Chapter 9

🩺Chapter 10

🩺Chapter 11

🩺Chapter 12

Started: 5/1/2023 | Finished: 7/24/2023 | Total word count: 82,209

*I am aware chapters will say "Intended audience is 13+"; these were written some time ago and new edits will not always "take" when I have tried to save them.

**This is a one-time occurrence.

[FFF Masterlist] [TBB Masterlist]

[apocalyp-tech-a]

#TechTober2024 - Prompt 2. Tech-o'-Lantern.

From @masksketchies festive autumn Techtober Prompt List.

This was originally just a drawing, then I was just going to give it the candle flicker effect, but then I got the crazy notion of the tactical droid spiel. I had always admired Tech, but his desperation to explain tactical droids hooked me in forever. 😂 (This is my first animation (besides a crappy but funny practice one), I'm hoping to make a little movie of a scene from one of my stories someday. A fanfic writer can dream...) @neverend-rs 🎃 @pinahallowsevecloneparty

Also added a little ficlet "The Operational Brains" featuring Wrecker and Omega: