#the Batch have made Omega their new purpose.

[starwarsbundle]

Pt. 6. TBB Headcannons they probably deserve.

Today!

Last but nowhere near least, is our little girl Omega.

For as much as I’ve observed, I quite like Omega, both as a person and as a character, particularly as (despite our *hugely* different situations) I empathize with her as being grown ahead of her time due to the ways in which she was raised.

Let’s go!

Omega has the equivalent of a nat. 20 in perception, and so is able to tell both when people are lying and telling the truth. This includes lying to protect. Also, she can absolutely lie convincingly - after all the time she’s spent around Nala Se, she knows a thing or two about talking to “important” people.

Sleeps curled up, and has several pairs of the biggest, fluffiest bed socks you’ve ever seen. One pair was knitted for her by Tech - and they’re her favourites.

Has a tendency to reach for and hold onto the nearest hand in the vicinity when scared. This also has a tendency to activate Protective Dad Mode(tm) immediately in any of the Batch she grabs onto.

White chocolate is her favourite chocolate. Of course Tech told her it wasn’t true chocolate, but that doesn’t stop him or Hunter or any other member of the Batch from buying it for her anyway.

She is a hat-wearing kinda girl and would absolutely wear matching cowboy hats with Hunter.

Omega likes to shadow each of her brothers and will imitate them occasionally. Which the Batch finds terribly endearing but also frightening by how accurate she is.

She witnessed the creation of the Batch and even watched over them for a period as babies. She was heartbroken when they were taken away from her. Adores and would do anything to help her brothers, and is determined not to lose them again.

Knows how to dance, and how to dance in several different ways (because her brothers have different dancing styles and they absolutely taught her how to dance).

Echo taught her how to shoot. Wrecker wanted to teach her how to use a knife. Hunter wouldn’t let him.

Hunter is always the first person in the Batch Omega will go to; but second to him, she’s happy to hang out with any of them.

Omega definitely reconnects with Hera after the finale. She also reestablishs contact with Rex, and gets to meet Ahsoka and Luke. She also eventually meets Boba - and the pair of them bond over genetically identical father-figures.

BONUS: Fennec is absolutely like: “do I know you?” And Omega’s like; “yeah, you tried to kidnap me several times, and the first time my brother took you out with only a speeder.” And Fennec’s like: “KID?!”

Omega is the chaos-sunshine kid with 5-we’ll-kill-you-if-you-harm-her Dads.

Let me know if you want a series 2 of these Headcannons! Or any specific Headcannons. :)

[eriexplosion]

Yesterday everyone was posting their feelings on TBB. I'm glad I waited, because there's a lot swirling around. Cut for negativity again.

I was introduced to The Bad Batch in August 2022 and fell instantly in love. The characters, the story, the complex family dynamics, they all spoke to me. I wasn't even a Star Wars fan but I went through and devoured The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian, all of it. I threw myself into this world and adored every second of it. I must have rewatched season one over five times before season two even came out.

When season two premiered I loved it. Every Tuesday night I stayed up until the episode drop and devoured it immediately. I looked ahead at the schedule and took days off work for the double episodes, for the big Crosshair episodes - he was my favorite early on and season two only made that grow. But season two also really brought Tech into my radar even more. I had always liked him, but here he was shining. The Crossing really solidified it, as an autistic person. I'd never heard someone describe the difference in processing so succinctly before, so clearly, and it spoke to me like very little had. Here was a character that was like me. Here was a character that I needed when I was an undiagnosed child, someone that would have made me feel like I had at least some way of describing my differences.

Then, well. He died. It was an affecting scene, but it felt out of nowhere, it felt unfinished. Tech didn't even get the climax of the episode. He just fell into the clouds, the Batch grieved for a few minutes, and then the plot steamrolled right along.

I didn't believe it, not after the mad scientist presented his goggles and claimed not to salvage anything else. It seemed like such an obvious fake out. The longer I sat with it the less satisfying it felt. It felt so brushed over, so pointless, all for a mission that they accomplished nothing on. Then came the social media circus. Again and again his fall was shoved in our faces on Twitter, demanding we stream it. TikToks were made that were so out of touch they felt like parodies, the wound ripped open again and again, and I thought surely there had to be a purpose to it.

So I waited for season 3 as interviews were done that seemed to almost intentionally avoid calling him dead. As tweets were made promising we'd be so fulfilled if we could only see who was onscreen in the mid-season! (A tweet that immediately garnered dozens of people hoping it referred to Tech, all without a single comment to try and quell the speculation.) It felt already like we were being toyed with, but I thought it had to be for a reason or a purpose. More weirdly vague discussions went up about his Sacrifice, his Fall, his Anything But Death, even as everyone insists that it was so meaningful, the way he died on a mission that accomplished nothing. Jokes were made around Valentines Day.

He Fell For You, get it?

The first official use of killed went up on the databank right after the trailer, on Hunter's page of all places. The first time the interviews used dead was the Friday before the premier. It all felt too late, theories had already grown for months by that point.

Season 3 finally came and I waited up for every episode drop just like I did for season 2, hoping for him to come back or at least for him to be properly grieved, since we had barely a couple of minutes in Plan 99 before it was swept away for the next plot point. Surely Tech's impact deserved an episode of focus, if he were really gone.

The previously on plays his last words twice. But then we skip months into the future. We don't see Crosshair find out the news - even though Tech died on a mission to retrieve him. We don't watch Omega grieve. She barely seems to notice she's missing a brother. We got a brief allusion in episode two. It took three episodes to even mention his name in passing. Five episodes in everyone got their chance to look sad about him, but only for a few seconds and only when his skills were relevant. Compared to the gorgeous callback to Mayday in the same episode, it felt shallow. He had to have been more important than this didn't he?

Episodes 6 & 7 felt like maybe there was a reason. We see a new masked assassin that gets extra focus, who got put through a series of Tech-adjacent situations, whose beef with Crosshair was just a little too personal, who survived longer than all the rest but stayed masked. Rex talks about losing brothers, but Hunter says nothing about the brother they lost. I hoped it all meant something, that this was the reason that he felt so much like he was thrown away, so that he could come back in.

More one off mentions that only really come up when it's about how useful Tech would have been. More poking at the wound that still felt open and raw because we'd never gotten any closure. The closest we get is a single scene in episode eleven, so late in the season and so brief that I thought that couldn't possibly be it.

CX-2 comes back, and he talks like Tech. He's still not unmasked. I really need him to be something because otherwise what was it all for?

The most emotion comes in Juggernaut, from Phee. Its a highlight because it actually feels like it was about him, like he mattered as a person. It's episode twelve and we finally talk about him like a person. We never saw her get the news either.

Episodes thirteen and fourteen pass without any mentions at all. We're running out of time. Episode 15 hits and we get one raw one from Crosshair that Clone Force 99 died with Tech. It's the first time they directly say he's dead in so many words. It's the season finale. CX-2 is a nobody it turns out, and he dies faceless. Everyone gets a happy ending and after over a year of wondering if we'd ever get closure, it turns out Tech's just dead. But look how happy everyone else is!

Everyone gets to grow old. Except the autistic one of course. He's just dead and it hardly feels like it mattered at all. Did you know Wrecker and Hunter don't use his name once in season three? Omega and Echo mention him once each. Crosshair twice, only once with any emotion behind it. Phee tops the charts at three mentions, two by name and one by nickname. We see his goggles four times. I kept count.

There was never a bigger plan, this was just all he was worth. We spent two seasons on Crosshair's absence. We spent a whole episode dealing with it when Echo decided to go with Rex. Tech dies though and all his life amounted to was a handful of mentions when his skills would have been useful, some shots of his broken goggles, and endless cooing out of the text over how meaningful his sacrifice was. Too meaningful to take back, of course, even as Ventress is brought back from her own sacrifice.

I had really, really thought that this time autistic life would be worth more than autistic death. That a character that felt so carefully handled couldn't have just been thrown away for shock value, barely to even be mentioned again, his memory used to string us along to keep us watching. If you added up every mention and shot through season 3 it might actually clock in at less time than was spent on Mayday's send off.

I'm an adult. I'll survive, though the sting of seeing yet another character like me used as a stepping stone for everyone else's happy ending will take a while to fade. But I think about the child I used to be who needed a character like Tech. And I think about how it would have felt to actually get that only to watch him die a handful of episodes later as a side note to his family's story, barely even mentioned again. How badly it would have hurt, how deep it would have scarred.

I'm not that child anymore. But there are a lot of autistic kids out there that are the same as I used to be, and they're learning for the first time that people like us don't get happy endings. Instead they die so that everyone around them can rise up, and they might even get mentioned a few times. But don't worry. Everyone will tell you how meaningful and special it is and how delusional you were to ever hope for anything else.

The Bad Batch still means a lot to me. I think it always will. I love the characters. I love the family, and all the potential they had. But the sting of not belonging in this happy ending is there, and it's deep. It's been a long time since I trusted a show. It'll be a long time before I risk trusting another. And I hope that the autistic kids trying to learn how to close their hearts off behind new walls are doing okay.

[lost-in-fiction-like-ur-mom]

Hello lovely I hope this enough for a request but I was wondering if you would write a fic for Hunter x Jedi!Reader around season one. Hunter has the start of a crush on reader but once omega comes into the picture and he sees how good reader is with her he knows he needs to ask her out! Feel free to change whatever, I hope you like the idea!

I Will Protect You

Hunter x Reader

Summary- As a defective Jedi you are reassigned to The Bad Batch. How can you resist Hunter? Especially when he confesses after seeing how good you are with Omega.

A/N- Thank you so much for requesting! I LOVED this idea! I've contemplated doing something similar in the past, so I am so glad you requested this!

Word Count- 1,679

You remember being assigned to Clone Force 99 like it was yesterday. The day you were considered a 'defective' Jedi. While you were skilled in the force and an expert in wielding a lightsaber- you got attached.

In a mission gone wrong, you sacrificed yourself for your Jedi master. She was entirely grateful. Even though you made a full recovery, the Empire was not happy. Claiming you shouldn't have those 'emotional tendencies.'

You understood the purpose of severing all relationships, trying to only be one with the force. Emotions just came naturally to you! Connecting with all kinds of people, acting motherly to the less fortunate, and trying to be there for all of the clones.

The final straw for The Empire was when you were caught holding a small ceremony for a few fallen Clones. A fellow Jedi, you once called brother, turned you in.

You were immediately reassigned to Clone Force 99- labeled 'Defective.'

That was the same day you met Hunter. The first thing you noticed was his face tattoo, how attractive it looked. The skull covering half his face tickled your curiosity. You never had the courage to ask him about it, the whole 'don't get attached or you'll get reassigned' circled your mind.

You quickly grew to love Force 99. They accepted you, treated you like a human being. Not just a force wielder, something you'd never had. Despite your vow and upbringing, you considered them all to be your family.

Just under a year had gone by when Order 66 went out. You noticed how protective Hunter could be. He fought off droids, clones, and anyone who tried to harm you.

Not many knew of your Jedi background, allowing you to go into somewhat of a stealth mode. You acquired new gear, matching your team's. With a helmet on around others- your identity and life were safe. Though, you and Crosshairs friendship wavered...

The weight of your life always being at steak rested on you heavily. You couldn't sleep anymore, having gone days with low or no rest..

"Hunter, can we talk?" You asked him in the cockpit.

"Of course, what happened?" He looked worried.

Tech, however, does not even look up from his position as pilot.

"Uh, Tech, can we have a moment?" You asked, feeling a little guilty for making him leave.

Now he does look up, pressing some kind of 'auto-pilot' button. "Sure."

Great, now you already felt awkward.

"Look, I think I should go.." You got straight to the point. It hurt too much to draw it out.

Hunter's face fell, he was not expecting that. Though, a little part of you appreciated he cared so much.

"W-what?" He stepped closer to you.

"I just, well I just think it's for the best..." You fiddled with your fingers. The force felt moody, like something was off.

"Did something happen? Did Crosshair say anything! I swear I-"

"No, no. Nothing like that I promise!" You took the last step separating you. You were inches apart now.

"Did I do something?" He whispered, knowing he couldn't forgive himself if he did.

"No, I don't think there's anything you could do to make me turn from you." You whispered back, like a secret.

"Then what?" He softly asked.

You looked at the floor, unwilling to face him now. "I can't be the reason you guys are attacked. The Empire is after all Jedi's. You are all at risk if I am here..."

He, with the lightest touch, listed your chin up with a finger. "That doesn't matter... You're safest with us. You can't leave. Damn if the rest of us are in danger, I don't care. We will protect you. I won't let anyone take you." His voice was husky, he meant every word.

You didn't know how to respond, you were awestruck. Your legs felt like jello. All of your training out the window. You hadn't a thought except for him. Everything was suddenly him.

You just nodded, leaning further into his touch. Almost in a trance. You desperately craved his lips on yours. Just an inch forward and they'd be yours. So close-

A beeping made you gasp and pull away. Tech storming back in to the cockpit, taking his respective seat.

"Sorry to interrupt. We are about to land on Kamino."

You panted still, the exchange leaving you flustered. He eyed you, searching for any kind of rejection from you. Neither of you spoke with Tech in the room, you just looked at him with your head in the sky. You were unbelievably happy.

Unfortunately, you and Hunter were yet to bring that moment up again. Things kind of went back to normal, as you all got increasingly busy. Losing Crosshair and gaining Omega was a stressful time, you didn't have a second alone with Hunter. Even if you did want it more than anything.

Luckily, you had a calling to Omega. She was the sweetest girl you'd ever met, her positivity was inspiring.

You spent a lot of time with her, bonding especially when there was down time in-between missions. You also picked up on Hunters defensive and protective nature with her. He was undeniably acting as a father would.

"Yes, bullseye!" You jumped up and gave Omega a high-five. She was getting better everyday with her energy bow.

She laughed and bounced giddily.

"Now, lets see if you can hit a moving object." You encouraged her.

The two of you were far enough from the city to be hidden. You moved a small cart and a few bricks with the force. It slowly moved back and forth. It was hard concealing the powers you learned as a Jedi, but you soon adapted. Using the force less frequently as time went on.

She took a deep breath, inhaling as she pulled the bow string back. Just as she let the arrow go, it went flying past the target.

"Aw." She was visibly upset, not realizing how different moving targets were.

"Hey, it's okay. You should have seen me trying to move an object for the first time. It took me days to even lift a pebble." You proved your point by lifting a nearby stone up. "I still struggle sometimes..." You purposefully dropped the piece.

"You're so cool... I wish I was a Jedi! Then I wouldn't have to learn how to use an Energy Bow. I could just use my mind!" She made silly gestures. Moving a hand out to pretend she was wielding the force.

You smiled at her, deciding to shield her from the horrors of your childhood.

"I think an Energy Bow is just as cool. If not cooler!" You assured her.

"If you think so." She grumbled out, but ready to pull the string back again.

You sighed. "I think that's enough practice for today. It's getting late, honey." The sky was getting dark.

She looked displeased, "Why don't you go find Wrecker and get some dinner?"

She brightened up at this. "I'll save some for you too!"

You watched her as a mother would, making sure she was by Wreckers side before turning away.

"I can feel you staring." You announced, cleaning up the mess you and Omega made while training.

Footsteps were now heard as Hunter revealed himself. "Sorry." He acted as if you caught him doing something bad.

"Oh, I don't mind. I know you're just trying to keep Omega safe. Care to help?" You asked, bending down to place the brick back where they were found.

He walks to you, crouching to help. "Not just Omega." He says, lifting a few bricks.

"Hmm?"

"You as well." This made you blush lightly.

"Thank you, you know you'd make a really good father, right? Omega really looks up to you." You proclaimed, making sure Hunter knew his worth.

He stiffened, the words hitting his heart. "If anything she looks up to you. You're so good with her. It's..." He seemed to have regretted his choice of yours, continuing with- "You just always know what to say and do."

"It's what?" You asked, not letting him change the subject.

With a sigh he starts, "It's one of the reasons I love you so much." Another shift in the force, your heart thumping loud.

You stood, turning to him. A sense of Deja Vu rushed over you. To that day on the ship, the moment that was never resolved.

"You do?" You asked. Love was a feeling you were never supposed to feel as a Jedi.

"Have I not been clear? I live and breathe you..."

A flutter rests in your stomach. A sharp thrill reaching lower.

You walk to him, chest almost touching. "I don't think we finished what we started in the cockpit..." He declared, voice deep.

You shook your head. "No, we didn't. Are you going to make that up to me?" You spoke smug, but knew you'd melt at his touch.

"Only if you'll allow me..." A hand brushed against your forearm, resting there.

"Yes, of course..." He leaned down, his other hand now cupping your face.

He stopped just before his lips touched yours. "There won't be any going back." He whispered.

You didn't speak, only pushing yourself flush to him. It forced your lips to meet.

It was clumsy, you'd never done anything like this before. The Jedi code was very strict. You wondered if he had been with anyone else in that moment.

All of a sudden insecure over something you've yearned for.

Your thoughts were crushed with is next words, "You're perfect. So, so perfect." You turned a new shade of red, deeper and deeper.

"Watching you with Omega... Made me realize." He stopped, opting to kiss you once again.

You complied. He wrapped a hand around your waist, bringing you as close as you could be. Your arms lifted around his neck.

You pulled your head back slightly to breathe, "And what is that?"

"That I should ask this beautiful woman out." He stated, looking for your response.

"You didn't even have to ask..."

A/N- Thank you so much for reading! I loved writing this one, I hope you liked it!! It's like 1 am, so i'll come back and edit this when i'm not tired xD!

Tags- (lmk if you want to be tagged as well!) @thethreeeyed-raven @dangraccoon @knight-of-flowerss

[lightwise]

Full Circle - The Return to The Outpost

The Return is a masterpiece in visual, verbal, metaphorical, and situational parallel and payoff. We have been waiting for 3 long seasons to see Crosshair and his family come to terms with their choices, reunite, and move forward together, and this episode somehow manages to give us all of it by walking us point by point through the scene of Crosshair’s change of heart—The Outpost. Most likely the themes presented here will continue to be parsed out for the rest of the season, but their fulfillment is begun here. 

We start with Crosshair outside of the ship, choosing target practice as a thinly-veiled excuse for avoiding his brothers. He is reunited, but not yet comfortable or fully trusted. In The Outpost, the scenes open with Crosshair outside of the ship on a smoking toothpick break, and he is approached by a Lieutenant who is decidedly not amenable to him. In both instances he is starting to be a little more open, however—his helmet is off, and in the first is listening to a group of regs, and the second, chatting with Omega and letting her show him physical affection. 

After a reunion on everyone’s part with Echo, who we see fully embrace a hug from Omega, and slip back into familiar banter with Crosshair, we are taken to the dining area on Pabu. This is a callback to the dinner that the main group had when they first arrived on the island, except this time, Crosshair and Echo have come home, and there is an empty chair symbolizing the absence of Tech. This episode shows no other characters besides the Batch (now including Batcher as the best girl that she is). The conflicts and themes in this episode are meant to fully delve into the heart of what makes this family tick. 

Barton IV is, as Crosshair states, a “remote, understaffed facility. It shouldn’t be a problem to infiltrate.” He can barely hold eye contact with Hunter while saying it, when once he was Hunter’s second. Hunter wants Omega to be safe and instructs her to remain behind, but she is adamant that they should stick together, just like she always has since joining them. Hunter almost looks like he’s going to cry, but he relents to both her demands and Crosshair’s input, although he is still suspicious of Crosshair’s motives. 

Before they leave, Crosshair has his original Bad Batch armor returned to him by Wrecker. His old identity and loyalties, kept by his family the same way he never left their hearts. A contrast to his previous mission, where Crosshair and the other clones are considered “used equipment,” and their only purpose is to protect and retrieve the shiny new armor meant for their replacements. 

As they make their way to the base, the weather also points to a drastic difference between the two episodes. In The Outpost, the weather is MISERABLE. Cold, stormy, clouded, dangerous. Crosshair’s inner turmoil at that time cost Mayday his life, and broke his allegiance to the Empire. But on their return it is clear, sunny, calm, settled—almost serene (on the surface). Crosshair has thawed and grown as a person, and his emotions appear to be in a much calmer, if somber, place. As they land, Echo states that there are no signs of life on the scanners. 

The planet is a graveyard. A memorial. A resting place. Made to dredge up and bury. 

A baptism. A resurrection. 

They exit the ship, and a vulture shrieks overhead, a reminder of Crosshair’s failures. Crosshair lifts his head to look at it, and his shoulders slump. (There’s an excellent little explanation of the vulture symbolism here.)

Mayday had told him that the vultures are vicious creatures who find a way to survive. They bury the dead and they take the scraps and they clean up for everyone else. They are shunned but beautiful. And they survive. Against all odds. 

The second the vulture disappears, tension between Hunter and Crosshair begins to spill over. While the others are happy to see Crosshair assuming his old identity, Hunter is suspicious that the planet is deserted yet still heavily guarded by sensor beacons, and rounds on Crosshair demanding explanations. Crosshair has willingly led them to the site of his trauma but he is NOT ready to talk about it yet, and matches Hunter snark for snark. According to him (he should know) the danger (local raiders) has been taken care of. Hunter is even more pissed off as he gets a glimpse of Crosshair’s activities under the Empire, and Omega is disappointed in both of them. Their feelings remain tense and tight as Echo convinces them all to get inside and focus on their mission. 

Once inside, Wrecker asks a question that encapsulates the fate of all the clones. 

“So why’d the empire abandon this place?” “I guess it served it’s purpose.” “Hmm, sounds familiar.” 

This prompts Crosshair to separate from the rest and go to a side storage room, where he first comes across the same heater that Mayday had once carried over to him as a gesture of friendship. It is dark and dead now. A sweep of his flashlight, and an even more sickening sight awaits him. All of Mayday’s troopers helmets, once lined up in a silent memorial, are now in a pile on the floor. And Mayday’s is among them.

Crosshair must have known this was a possibility, coming back. He isn’t ready to talk about his feelings toward this place, but his face tells us all we need to know about his grief and his regret. He steps over and in reverence, greets the helmet of his friend. He understands now. Loss, grief, death. The burden that Mayday carried. Succumbed to. At the time, Crosshair had merely watched. Now he participates and gives Mayday and his squad the honor they are due. Hunter, who has become more and more suspicious of what Crosshair isn’t telling him, catches sight of his brother honoring a (supposedly) random group of regs, but slips away to not disturb him. Yet. 

Crosshair rejoins the others as the sensors are turned off to redirect the power supply, and Batcher suddenly starts acting up. Crosshair takes her seriously, although he is forgetting something important that Mayday once told him—“you’ll freeze to death in that armor—if what’s in the ice doesn’t get you first.” Typically this is Hunter’s job, to be alert to shifts in the environment, but he is so focused on Crosshair “leaving” that he seems to be completely unaware of something stirring outside. 

Crosshair walks out both to scout and to process his feelings, and is greeted with an up close look at the ice vulture that has haunted him. He starts to scowl and as the bird takes off, asks “are you going to be my shadow everywhere?” A statement that could hold true for both the vulture and Hunter, who has followed him. And Hunter gets right to the heart of it.

“I know you,” he says. Or I did, before you became someone I don’t recognize. Someone who would betray us and leave. “There’s more you’re not telling us. Start talking. What did you do to get on the Empire’s bad side?” Hunter needs proof. He wants to know how the brother who swore loyalty to the Empire thrice over and stayed on that Kaminoan platform had a supposed change of heart. But he frames it bitterly, believing that Crosshair is simply repeating a pattern—one that had almost made them enemies. 

Crosshair’s hand shakes so much that his toothpick slips (like the sharp and pointed wit that often protects and comforts him), and we see a rumbling in the ice. Their emotions are starting to bubble and seethe.  

“You thought we’d take you back and not ask questions? I don’t think so.” Hunter is losing his grip on his emotions and physically shoves Crosshair in an attempt to spark the fight. His face is drawn, angry, and anticipating hurt. 

Crosshair remains remarkably calm, not even necessarily wanting to make an argument out of it, but he eventually responds to Hunter’s indignation with his own. And this time he doesn’t hold back. He starts at the end, admitting he killed an Imperial officer, but holds the tender explanation of why close to his chest still. Instead he tells Hunter what he thinks he wants to hear—that his betrayal of the Empire mirrors his betrayal of the Batch. Except Crosshair adds his own perspective—that he only betrays after feeling like he has been betrayed first.  

Hunter doesn’t have time to ponder that information as Crosshair now unleashes the root of his own turmoil onto him—and he knows how to hit Hunter where it hurts. Where he’s failed.

“I risked EVERYTHING to send you that message! You ignored it. You let Omega be taken to Tantiss.” The hurt blooms on Hunter’s face. “You failed.”

Crosshair isn’t even concerned about what happened to him on Tantiss. He’s concerned about Omega. And he knows that fact will twist Hunter’s gut in ways nothing else can. Hunter is their leader. He by default bears the blame of what happens to them, even though his squad makes their own choices freely. Crosshair doesn’t want to let him forget it. Hunter never lets himself forget it either. 

Both men only know their own sides of the story. And it’s tearing them apart.

They’re ready to trade blows but their attention is pulled back to their family and larger circumstances by Batcher barking. Hunter finally realizes where their emotions have brought them, but it’s too late. The snow erupts from a giant wyrm creature, no longer kept at bay by the high-pitched hum of the sensors. No matter the gulf between him and Crosshair, Hunter’s first priority is to shove him away screaming “move!”--echoing Mayday trying to save Crosshair during the avalanche. They fall to their knees and the ground splits between them. They barely make it back to the base as the symbol of their outburst chases them across the snow. 

Plans are made. The squad won’t be safe until this threat is dealt with. Each member volunteers their strengths. Hunter is in mission mode now, his face open, and extends an olive branch after his brother offers to shoulder the burden of leading the creature back beyond the perimeter alone. “We’ll do it together.” But now it’s Crosshair’s turn to be suspicious. Will Hunter really trust me again? Can I trust him?

The creature follows them. Disaster strikes. Hunter shrieks and falls below the ice. All animosity gone, Crosshair rushes to him, panic lacing his voice. Hunter! I can’t lose you the way I lost Mayday, buried beneath the snow.

And now, it is Hunter’s turn to tunnel into the darkness below the ice and face everything he’s been running from. Shot for shot, Crosshair has already been on this journey, already faced himself, his fears, his failures, down there. They can’t reconcile their perspectives, because Hunter has yet to do the same. Hunter commits to making sure that the wyrm is led away from his family, putting himself in harms way to make sure they stay safe. However, he has a safety line—Crosshair and Batcher up top, tracking him, covering for his usual role. 

“We found a weak point in the ice. We’ll try to dig through.” “You’ll try?” Their old banter makes a hesitant appearance. Hunter is still running. Crosshair is willing to try, as long as that effort is acknowledged. But despite their words, they hope that they won’t let each other down this time. 

“Am I going to have a way out or not?” “If you end up where we hope you do.” Hunter needs reassurance of an outcome first. But Crosshair reminds him that he is the only one who can plot his path, and its consequences. Hunter has to take responsibility for his own journey. The way out of this predicament hinges on how far, and where, Hunter lands. And he won’t take shortcuts, even when Crosshair begs him to go ahead and exit the tunnel once they find each other. He begged Wrecker to get Tech back onto the railcar. This time, he’s in the trenches himself. 

Tuned into his senses again, Hunter still doesn’t jump even as he feels the wyrm get closer, until the sensors are reactivated. Finally, he accepts Crosshair’s to help pull him out of the literal mouth of danger as the worm barrels into view. And they run again, leaping to safety just in time, having accomplished their mission. The wyrm is now harmless, roaring at them from the other side of the perimeter, chastened until it finally slinks away. 

The boys collapse, share a fully open look. All they need now is a nod. They have each others’ backs. Approval, gratitude, and trust now have space to grow. They are brothers again.

And Crosshair gets a redo of his trek back to the platform, except this time, instead of Mayday dying in his arms, Hunter is by his side, unharmed, and Batcher prances alongside them. Instead of silent TK Troopers and the insolent sneer of Lieutenant Nolan, they are greeted by Echo and Omega’s shining faces, and Wrecker running to meet them (and hug them. We all know they secretly loved it.)

(Side note: both Crosshair and Hunter have shown self-sacrifice on behalf of someone else in these parallels. Behind the scenes, Echo and Omega have a conversation that hints at the fact that Omega might be contemplating the same. The outcome of the guilt and confusion shadowing her even while Crosshair returns to the light remains to be seen, but it does not bode well.) 

The episode could end here. But it doesn’t. Now the real conversations can begin. It’s late in the evening and they have dug their ship out in order to depart. Bathed in warm light, Crosshair is finally ready to open up, at least a little, although he can’t face Hunter in the process. 

“I thought I knew what I was getting into with the Empire.” Owning up to his perspectives, not shifting blame. It was a choice he made. “I’ve done things. I’ve made mistakes.” Ones that he regrets. Crosshair's default is still to paint himself in the worst light possible when trying to reconcile with someone, in the hopes that the darkest parts of him will be accepted. He so desperately wants to be accepted for who he is, even when he knows he has done terrible things, and maybe especially, because he hasn't fully forgiven himself for them yet. So he tries to shock and hurt in the hopes that either his inner self-loathing will be corroborated, or his need for forgiveness can come from an outside source. 

And Hunter does forgive him, and doesn't even dwell on the many, many things he could blame Crosshair for, now that his own anger has passed. He acknowledges that he has regrets too, gives an even playing field by saying that none of them really had full information of what was going on when their separation first began, and extends solidarity in the best way he knows how. 

A smoothing of the path behind, and a glimpse toward the path ahead. He doesn't know what it holds either, but he's willing to walk it together.

And I think their choice of words is what they needed from each other. Hunter needed to know how Crosshair viewed his own actions. Crosshair needed to know how Hunter felt about the consequences, both those caused by him and those caused by Hunter’s own choices since. Hunter has always questioned his brother’s perspectives—his mind. Crosshair has always questioned his brother’s heart—his loyalty. Their strengths--and also their weaknesses.

“All we can do is keep trying to be better. Who knows? There might just be hope for us yet.” 

And for now, it’s enough. Crosshair looks into the sky, watches the ice vulture flying overhead once again, except this time, it flies off into the sunset, leaving him still mournful, but slightly more whole than when he first arrived. 

✨ Tag List ✨

@drafthorsemath @freesia-writes @sunshinesdaydream @the-bad-batch-baroness @heyclickadee @the-little-moment @ladyzirkonia @jedizhi @burningfieldof-clover

[hugmekenobi]

S3: The Bad Batch (10)

Chapter Ten: Identity Crisis

Gif by @dreamswithghosts

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: Ever since Eriadu, Clone Force 99 had been a fractured squad. Months have passed but you're finally back with the Batch but Omega is still out there and you won't stop until you find her again.

Chapter Summary: Emerie discovers the truth of what lies in the vault

Masterlist for S1 and S2

<Previous Chapter

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers (we're in the lovers stage now)

Chapter Warnings: Brief canon-typical violence and food mention, me making up a rough timeline, Hemlock, threats, kids being imprisoned, medical testing, angst and emotional hurt/comfort, me interpreting Emerie's headspace and more subtle laying the groundwork for a certain character return (not through CX-2)

Word Count: 3K

Author's notes: Sticking very close to the episode here but hope it's still enjoyable and episode 11 is underway!

When Emerie had asked to be promoted to Chief Scientist and fill in the gap created by Nala Se’s confinement, it had felt like a good idea, but now as Dr. Hemlock led her to the vault and began filling her in on Project Necromancer, she was now experiencing a growing sense of apprehension about the whole thing.

“In addition to the assets in the sublevel containment chamber, you will be given access to the vault.” Hemlock opened the doors to the corridor that led to the vault. “The specimens within are now your responsibility. They are vital to this project.” The next set of doors whirred open to the circular room. “And thus, must be handled with the utmost care.”

Emerie took in the plain, white walls but as she glanced from the observation level- made up of another circular corridor and large windows that allowed for constant supervision from her fellow scientist- and examined the tables ahead, her apprehension morphed into horrified shock.

“These particular three were selected because of their high M-count.” Hemlock revealed.

“Why children?” Emerie asked, managing to keep the alarm out of her voice. “Are there not adults that could serve this purpose?”

“There are few adults left with such characteristics. Which is why it is vital we get the woman of Clone Force 99 here.”

Emerie turned her head to him in surprise. “Omega never said that she was-”

“No, she wouldn’t, given the new regime and Omega’s... concern… for others, but a fully realised Jedi would be of great use to us.”

Hemlock led the way around to one of the cells and carried on with briefing. “Children are easier to attain and more agreeable to the subjugations. They’re unaware of why they’re here and what they possess.”

Emerie watched as the droid took a blood sample from one of the children. She swallowed tightly before asking, “If children are easier for this purpose, why do you want her here?”

Hemlock regarded her curiously. “Dr. Karr, I am surprised at you. Surely, you’d know having a such a person in our samples would only better us as scientists. Besides, I have… other uses in mind for that individual.”

Emerie felt a shiver run down her back. She’d seen what happened to the clones who did not follow Hemlock’s orders, “What other-”

“It is no matter right now. With regards to your other concern, I have it on good authority that with Omega here, her cooperation would be ensured, and our project could finally see some positive results.” Hemlock took a breath and continued with his explanation of the project. “As you know, M-count cannot be directly replicated from the source. However, Nala Se knew of another way. Which is why she aided in Omega’s escape. The young clone’s blood is the only binder that proven to be compatible with their DNA to re-create their M-count levels. And that is another reason as to why Omega must be found.”

Emerie could only offer a shallow nod; she didn’t trust herself to speak.

“Testing should proceed as planned. We must be prepared for every possibility once they are recovered.”

“Sir.”

Hemlock walked over to Scorch.

“Hello.”

Emerie glanced down at the high-pitched voice to see one of the children addressing her. “Hello.”

“I like your glasses.”

“Uh, thank you.” Emerie replied, taken aback by the conversation. “What is your name?”

“Dr. Karr?” Hemlock turned as he saw Emerie talking to one of the specimens. “Limit your personal interactions with the specimens. They are scientific assets, nothing more.”

Yes, that was what she was here for. This was what she had wanted. She couldn’t allow herself to get attached or concerned, that was Omega rubbing off on her and she needed to let it go. “Of course, Doctor.”

--

Emerie walked into the room, datapad in front of her face as she let the droid in their take the sample from the next specimen.

“Hello again.”

“Hello, SP-54.” Emerie said professionally. She kept her sights firmly of the information on her screen.

“My name’s Eva. What’s yours?”

She felt some of her resolve slip. “You may refer to me as Dr. Karr.” Emerie replied, a tad shakily.

“What happened to Mistress Nala Se? She hasn’t been back?”

“She is no longer overseeing this project.”

“Why not?”

“That is not your concern.”

“Oh, but she said she’d find out for me.” Eva said dejectedly.

“Find out what?” Emerie asked, properly looking at the young girl now.

“When I’ll be going home. Can you find out for me?”

The sheer innocence and trust behind the question caught her off guard and Emerie felt emotion clog at the back of her throat, “I will look into it.” She managed to say.

“Thank you, Dr. Karr.”

Emerie nodded before she moved onto the next room. “Hello, SP-32.” She brought up the young boy’s information as the droid whirred over to take a blood sample. What she didn’t count on however, was the boy grabbing the datapad out of her grasp and making a break for the door.

An alarm blared around the room and the lights of the room changed to red to signal the breach.

“Sp-32.” Emerie calmly approached the boy as he realised the datapad wasn’t going to work for him.

“Stay away from me!”

“It’s alright.”

The boy bashed against the glass and paid her words no attention, “No! Let me out of here.”

“You’re safe, SP-32.”

“That’s not my name.” He turned around, fear in his eyes. “They said I could go home. I just wanna go home.” He said desperately.

Emerie felt something tug at her heart, but she couldn’t quite place it, it had been a feeling that had been creeping in ever since she’d gotten to know Omega.

He returned to banging against the door but stopped as he saw a trooper walk in.

“Set to stun.” Scorch ordered his troops as they circled to boy. “What’s the situation?” He asked the chief scientist.

“Blasters are not necessary. I have everything under control.” Emerie said definitively but she couldn’t stop the boy in time as he made a dash for the door behind Scorch. “Don’t!” She shouted at the trooper, but it was too late, the boy fell unconscious to the ground.

“Secure him in his room.” Scorch ordered to the two other troopers who carried him away.

“Your actions were extreme, Commander. He’s only a child.” Emerie reprimanded the clone.

“The specimen attempted to escape. I was following protocol.” With that, Scorch left the vault.

Just following protocol? Somehow that didn’t offer Emerie the comfort it might have done before.

--

Emerie watched the droids attend to the unconscious boy and take his sample before she felt a tug at her sleeve.

“Dr. Karr?”

Emerie looked down at the familiar voice. “Yes?”

“Is Jax going to be okay?”

“Jax?”

Eva pointed to the boy.

“He’ll be fine.” Emerie reassured her.

“He’s not going to be in trouble, is he?” Eva asked fretfully.

“No, he’s not in trouble. You can see him tomorrow.” Emerie only hoped what she was saying would be true.

--

The warm afternoon Pabu sun provided some much-needed comfort for the conversation that was about to take place. 

“I’ve thought about it a lot…” Hunter began to say as you all sat at Shep’s table.

You rested a hand on his knee and gave him an encouraging but sad smile.

“And I think the best course of action is to leave Pabu.” Hunter said to you all.

Crosshair removed his toothpick in mild surprise, but he had a feeling something like this would happen.

“What?! No!” Wrecker and Omega both said together.

“We have to.” You said with resigned acceptance.

“Why?” Omega asked, her upset obvious.

“Yeah, we can handle this! We’ve kept you and Omega safe this long.” Wrecker disputed.

“It’s not just us now.” Hunter pointed out gently. “We have to think about the people of Pabu too.”

“If there is a chance to Empire can find us as easily as Ventress could, that puts everyone else here in danger.” You explained. “Shep, Lyana, the regs, and everyone else who came here for a fresh start and to get away from whatever hell the Empire caused them, they’d all be at risk if we stayed here.”

“We’d shelter you all you regardless.” Shep chimed in as he brought out a plate of sushi.

You shot him a grateful smile. “I don’t want to risk their safety like that. And I know you don’t either.” You said to Omega.

“No, of course not.” Omega replied as she understood the bigger picture at play now.

“Believe me, I want to stay but it’s just not viable right now- this is the best way forward. We’ll come back when we figure out why Hemlock is after you and how we can beat him.” Hunter reassured her and the rest of his brothers.

“When do we leave?” Omega asked quietly.

“We’ll start packing up tomorrow.” Hunter said with a heavy sigh.

--

Emerie walked back to the vault, ruminating in her own conflicting thoughts. Her conversation with Nala Se had brought her little comfort. She understood the Kaminoan’s urge to protect Omega but what about the other children? She didn’t know how she was in a position to stop this, no matter what the Nala Se seemed to think.

“Dr. Karr, a word?”

Emerie paused as she heard Dr. Hemlock’s smooth and quiet voice.

“A new specimen will be arriving today. Commander Scorch is departing shortly to retrieve it.”

“Another?” Emerie asked.

“I heard about the earlier incident, so I understand your hesitation.” Hemlock appreciated before he inhaled deeply, “However, this latest acquisition will not be a danger to you.”

It wasn’t the danger to herself that she was worried about. “I would like to accompany the commander.”

Hemlock waved the suggestion away, “That is not necessary.”

“You’ve stated how important these specimens are, Doctor. I would like to ensure they are properly maintained at every stage.” Emerie insisted.

“Sir, Governor Tarkin requests you contact him at once.”

Hemlock turned to the stormtrooper and had to supress his irritation at the interruption before he turned back to Emerie. “Do as you wish, Dr. Karr.”

--

Hemlock put the transmission through as he sat behind his desk, “Governor Tarkin, to what do I owe…” He debated saying ‘pleasure’, but the word would be a lie. “This, uh, summons?”

Tarkin got straight to the point. He didn’t want to have to interact with Hemlock any more than necessary. “Questions have been raised regarding the financial impact your facility is having upon Imperial resources. And now additional funds have been diverted at your request?”

“That is correct. It is for a project that is of personal interest to the Emperor.” Hemlock replied briskly.

“Which is what?”

“Oh, I’m afraid that’s classified.” Hemlock barely managed to conceal the victorious smirk at the glimpse of impatience on the hologram.

“Perhaps there is some assistance I may provide, seeing this is of such importance?” Tarkin offered diplomatically but with an air of contempt.

“Mmm, the funding is all I require. It is worth the expenditure.” Hemlock assured him.

“You had better hope so. If this project fails to yield proper results, it won’t bode well for your operation. Or for you, Doctor.” Tarkin signed off with the warning.

Hemlock gritted his teeth at the threat. Tarkin’s small mind wouldn’t be able to comprehend what he was doing here, none of the bureaucratic Imperial elite could. But his call made it all the more important that his plans came to fruition, so he put a different transmission through. “I require an update.”

“The information you obtained proved accurate. I tracked the Trandoshan and pulled some intel out of her. She gave up the name of a pirate that’s been in contact with the targets.” CX-2 revealed. “I’m searching for her now.”

“The other operatives aren’t ready to join you in the field.”

“I can handle it on my own.”

Hemlock sighed in aggravation, “Can you really? Cause you’ve already failed once. No more mistakes. Do not return without the Jedi and Omega.”

--

“You’re not the usual Imperial they send.” Cad Bane commented as he walked down to stand in front of the woman who arrived at the station.

“I’m here to inspect the specimen. Who I am is none of your concern.” Emerie replied frostily.

“Todo, bring out the kid.”

Emerie watched as the droid brought out a hover-pram from the ship but what was inside filled her with distress.

“Problem?” Bane challenged as he caught her reaction.

“This specimen is younger than I expected.” Emerie looked back to Scorch.

“Then he’ll be less trouble.” Scorch responded coldly.

“I need to test him. For confirmation.” She brought out her kit and found herself hoping that this baby’s M-count would not be high enough. “How many others like this have you captured?” She asked the bounty hunter as she took the blood.

“Let’s just say I’m good at my job.” Bane replied casually.

Emerie saw that the child did indeed have the necessary count. “And where did this child come from?”

Bane narrowed is eyes at her. “Asking questions like that, you give more away than you think.”

“It’s all here Mr. Bane.” Todo said as he took the payment.

“Until next time.” Bane dipped his wide brim hat in farewell before he boarded his ship.

--

“How is he acclimating?” Emerie asked the droid as the baby was set up in another empty room.

“The specimen is in good health.” The droid replied as it stored the latest sample.

Emerie left along with the droid but as she walked through the room, she noticed an empty room. “Where is SP-32?”

“It is standard operating procedure for a subject to be isolated for two rotations as punishment following an escape attempt.” The droid informed her.

Emerie took a moment to process that before she entered Ev, no, SP-54’s room but the upset look on the girl’s face did not escape her. “Is everything alright, SP-54?” She asked as the droid left but she didn’t get a reply immediately, so she tried again. But she knew this would be a turning point she couldn’t go back on. “Eva?” She inquired, keeping her voice kind.

“You lied.” Eva answered gloomily. “You said Jax wouldn’t be in trouble. He just wanted to go home.” She hugged her knees to her chest. “We all wanna go home.”

Emerie didn’t know what words she could offer because the only thing that would truly bring Eva comfort, she couldn’t give her. Instead, she walked out the room and powered down the system for the night.  

--

Emerie processed the latest samples in the lab and scrolled through her datapad where she came across Omega’s file, and it gave her an idea of a small something she could do for Eva. She opened the storage container and took out the hay doll.

--

Emerie watched from the windows above as Eva happily received the toy. She had thought signing on for this job would give her something greater to strive for but now she wasn’t so sure. She didn’t know what mission she was serving anymore.

--

“We missed you at dinner.” You called out as you saw the clone sitting on the sand, the moon casting a beautiful white light on his features, highlighting the look of deep contemplation as Batcher sat loyally by his side.

You greeted the dog as she bounded over to you with a couple affectionate pats before she ran off and began sniffing the area around the cove. You walked over to Hunter and handed him a box of leftovers. “Here, I saved you some.”

“Thank you.” Hunter said with a grateful squeeze of your hand as he took it from you.

“So, what’s going on in that head of yours?” You asked kindly as you sat down next to him. You tucked your knees up and fondly bumped your shoulder against him as you awaited a reply, but he didn’t answer you immediately. The only sound filling the silence was the quite lapping of the waves on the shore. “Hunter?” You asked, more concern seeping into your voice as you sensed his turmoil and saw the conflict behind his brown eyes.

Hunter rubbed a hand across his face, “This place was finally starting to feel like home- for all of us. Giving the order to leave just feels like I’m letting you all down.”

“You’re not.” You assured him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “There are too many unanswered questions and variables to warrant staying right now. None of us want to see Pabu get caught up in our mess.”

Hunter breathed heavily, “I know but we were building something here. I hate that we have to leave it so soon.”

“So do I.” You bit your lip as you contemplated what you were about to say next, “Although, there is another option…” You suggested tentatively into the quiet night.

Hunter subconsciously drew you closer to him and he already knew where you were going with that, “No.”

“But you all could sta-”

“No. And not just because I don’t want you enduring that hell at the Empire’s hands again, but also if you did that, Omega would feel she had to as well.”

That had you contemplating things a lot more.

“We- I- barely got through losing you both once. I don’t want to ever relive that again.” Hunter admitted quietly. Yet, deep down, part of him knew it was still a very real possibility and that’s what scared him the most.

You knew he wasn’t naïve enough to completely rule it out, but you didn’t see the sense in pushing the matter when by all accounts, it didn’t need to be discussed any further- it wasn’t a pleasant thought for you either. Plus, there was already a perfectly viable plan in place. “Well, regardless of what else the galaxy will throw at us, we still have tonight.” You said as you leaned your head on his shoulder.

“We have tonight.” Hunter echoed as he rested his head on top of yours.

Next Chapter>

Tagging: @noeasyisnoisy, @arctrooper69, @dominoeffectsworld, @andreaaxy, @notgonnaedit, @allthingsimagines , @superbookishhufflepuff @jellybeanstacey0519 @nightmonkeysstuff

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

TBB Mini Retrospective

After my first official rewatch of the entire show, TBB is still one of the best things Star Wars has ever created imo. I LOVE TBB and it's easily one of my favorite piece of media. Alongside CW and Rebels, it's my favorite thing from SW. Tbf, I've always loved the animated shows more than the live-action stuff. I still love the movies, but the animated shows always seem to hit me just right in the feels.

When I look back, there are so many episodes I have a deeper appreciation for and there is literally no filler. Every episode serves a purpose. While the content might not be as exciting as any episode where Cross shows up, there is still a reason for its existence. "Metamorphosis" is definitely one of my personal favorites on rewatch. I honestly think looking at the first two seasons now vs back then makes them more enjoyable for me. It's nice to catch the little references, musical leitmotifs, and rest assured knowing that Crosshair will be ok.

Speaking of the characters, this rewatch has made me love them even more. I love the Batch so so much and I will never stop saying that. Crosshair is singlehandedly (no pun intended) one of the greatest SW characters ever in recent years. He has a beautifully realized redemption arc and I'm forever thankful for it. Seeing Omega grow up from a tiny munchkin to a lovely young woman also hits my feels. And Tech. I miss him so much. I had much deeper appreciation for Echo's journey as well and I wish we got more of it. Wrecker is ever the gentle giant and I admit I've gotten along better with Hunter than in previous rewatches of the first two seasons (this was prior to S3's release).

Overall, TBB still stands strong. Compared to Rebels and CW, it's much more serialized but I don't think that's a bad thing. There is a lot of story being told and I wish we got more time to delve into it. I loved exploring how the galaxy changed post Order 66. I loved seeing old and new faces. I loved learning more about the clones' story. I loved the music and animation. Most importantly, I just loved being CF99. They have a fun dynamic and they will always be my fave SW family.

The one major, glaring flaw with this show, however, is how Tech's death was handled. I still have no words, only tears, and I hope the Domestic Batch held a memorial for him off-screen after the finale. This show has other flaws, but this one stands out to me the most and has the biggest impact on my viewing.

[dindjarindiaries]

Din Djarin & Hunter: The Rhyming of Two Star Wars Dads (Analysis)

Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) and Hunter (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) are two Star Wars characters who both end up becoming a primary caretaker for, and ultimately adopting, a child in need. Their journeys share even more similarities than what meets the eye, telling a tale of love, loss, and eventual peace for each of them.

Both stories begin with Din and Hunter at their status quo. For Din, this is a lone life of bounty hunting, providing for his hidden Mandalorian tribe. He's good at what he does, and he seems to enjoy it. He's made a name for himself as "the best in the parsec" and he's proud of that reputation.

For Hunter, this is leading his squad to a 100% success rate during the Clone Wars. He's often described affectionately as a "frat boy" in this era for his behavior, which sees him acting much like an adrenaline junkie who truly enjoys the rush of battle and action. He enjoys the fact that the Bad Batch's reputation precedes them.

Then, both men come across a child. (Ironically, it's revealed that these children are both technically older than Din and Hunter, which is a fascinating similarity.)

This complicates things for both men. Din is instantly conflicted by the morality of what he's doing; he's supposed to be turning this child in for a price. But as someone who lost his family at such a young age and would have been lost in the galaxy had it not been for the Mandalorians, how can he fathom doing that? Still, he does end up sticking to the Guild code and doing what he initially signed up for, and he turns in Grogu.

Hunter is genuinely confused about Omega at first, but the more she tries to fit in with their squad, the more that confusion is exchanged for worry. He knows the galaxy is changing quickly with the rise of the Empire and that his squad often brings trouble wherever they go. For her sake, he finds it best to have her keep her distance, and he leaves Kamino despite her warning of what's to come.

And when both men find out these children are at risk, they're faced with a life-changing decision: will they sacrifice the life they've always known for this child?

It's an easy yes for both.

Both these men make major sacrifices to save these children. Din goes against his livelihood and even receives assistance from his covert on Nevarro, which puts them all in danger. He only narrowly escapes, and even as he does, he has no idea what his next steps are. His life is forever changed.

Hunter takes his squad back to Kamino and is immediately imprisoned with Omega. He loses Crosshair at the hands of the Empire because of this, and he has to leave him behind to get away safely. With no Republic backing them up anymore, Hunter now has to protect a child and care for his squad in an ever-changing galaxy.

Their first stop is meant to help them lay low and start figuring things out. For Din, that's on Sorgan, where he meets Cara Dune, Omega, and the Sorgan villagers. He gets a glimpse at what a peaceful life would look like, and how Grogu seems to enjoy it. Din insists that's not a life he can ever give Grogu, and so he tries to leave Grogu there, but a threat to his safety (and no doubt some of Grogu's own desire to stay with his new father figure) leads Din to keeping the child with him.

The Batch's stop on Saleucami serves a very similar purpose. Hunter sees the life Cut and Suu have with their children, and he sees how happy it makes Omega to live amongst the kids and simply enjoy a peaceful life. He believes it's not something he and the squad can ever give her, so he decides to have her go with Cut and Suu. But just as with Din, the galaxy has other plans, and Omega stays with her new father figure and brothers.

From there, both men struggle with two primary things: first, their new role as a protector to a child, and second, life on the run. Din needs a way to make credits, but cannot return to work from the Guild. He agrees to questionable jobs to make this possible, all to keep both himself and the child in his charge alive. In the meantime, he's constantly dodging betrayals, from Toro Calican to his old gang, all while Grogu is being pursued by various bounty hunters.

Hunter also knows he needs credits, or else his squad cannot survive. This is complicated even further by Omega being under threat by bounty hunters. It leads Hunter to agreeing to Cid's less-than-ideal partnership, which sees them completing mercenary work for a rather lousy share of credits. He also struggles with the betrayal of Crosshair, who catches up to them on two different occasions.

Everything culminates for these men when it's time to return to the planets where everything started. For Din, he knows he cannot continue to outrun the Empire and their bounty hunters. The only way both he and Grogu will be freed is by taking out the Client. He gives himself up to get closer access, but this plan quickly backfires when the true mastermind behind it all arrives. Din nearly sacrifices his life to save Grogu and his allies, but in the end, a droid makes a heroic sacrifice to help save everyone and see them to the other side—keeping himself and his child safe for the time being.

Hunter doesn't get as much of a choice at first. He sacrifices himself to let his squad get away on Daro, and he falls into the Empire's—and Crosshair's—captivity. This leads them all back to Kamino, much to Hunter's displeasure. Though they survive through the Empire's and Crosshair's initial plan, they nearly meet their demise due to the destruction of Kamino. It is yet again a droid who sacrifices himself to save them, though he at least makes it through. Hunter has thus gotten himself, his child, and his squad on the other side safely, but only for the time being.

It's at this point these men's stories begin to differ, yet still share many similarities in the process. Din has been sent on a mission by the Armorer to reunite Grogu with his kind, and this is what defines much of his journey in The Mandalorian season 2. The overall theme is the same, however: Din doing whatever it takes to protect Grogu, and even considering a life or a possibility that Grogu wants to stay with him for a lifetime.

Hunter's main concern in The Bad Batch season 2 is keeping Omega and the rest of the squad safe. He, similarly to Din but for different reasons, continues to lead his squad into missions, but at the core of it all is his desire to protect—and a search for a deeper purpose. Pabu is what helps him realize what that would be, and that a life of peace could actually be possible for him, Omega, and the squad.

(This is where things begin to get less linear. We'll be going back to The Mandalorian season 2 even as we discuss The Bad Batch season 3.)

Then comes a pivotal event for both men: the inevitable separation of them and the child in their charge. Din's is difficult for him in the way that he knows it's right, but it's still hard to give up the relationship he has with the child he's come to love. He's sacrificed so much for Grogu, and now he has to let him go. It's a devastatingly bittersweet moment that begins a new chapter for Din. Unfortunately, it's not a great chapter, as he becomes lost in his grief for the missing child.

Hunter loses both Tech and Omega, both of which he feels heavily responsible for. Neither loss is something he had control of. What's worse is the irreversibility of Tech's loss, and the difficulty of getting Omega back. He's at his lowest, having lost so much, and he too is overwhelmed by this grief—but also an intense determination to get back Omega, at all costs. Both men have now been changed, but not necessarily for the better.

The path ahead is dark for both men. The Book of Boba Fett finds Din unable to do what used to be easy for him, nearly failing a bounty hunting mission and giving himself a horrible injury in the process. It's only made worse by him being excommunicated from his tribe for removing his helmet, sending him on an even worse spiral. He's certainly at his lowest, with only a few allies there to support him along the way. He's even refused a chance to see Grogu, and though he could go against this, he chooses what's best for his son again.

Hunter is making rash decisions in his and Wrecker's quest to find Omega when The Bad Batch season 3 rolls around. The usual level-headed sergeant is impatient and impulsive in his desperation, with Wrecker having to act as the voice of reason quite often. Like Din, he certainly isn't himself anymore, and the things that used to come easily don't anymore—even his enhanced senses. Though he still helps others and does what he thinks is best for the children, he's utterly lost.

Then, a glimmer of light and hope returns. Din is suddenly reunited with Grogu, and even amidst the chaos of the battle for Mos Espa, Din stops everything to enjoy the moment. It's an emotional reunion which informs viewers that Grogu will be staying with Din for the long run.

Hunter also gets his light returned to him, and like Din, it's his child who finds him first. This reunion is nothing short of emotional, especially with the shared relief both Hunter and Omega have to be back in each other's arms. It's obvious at this point that Hunter and Omega (and Wrecker) want nothing more than to enjoy being a family for the long run.

This is where The Bad Batch season 3 begins to echo the latter half of The Mandalorian season 2. Going back in time for Din, he's completing missions to get answers on Grogu, most notably about the Jedi and where he can find them. He helps his allies along the way, but his main priority is always protecting Grogu and getting the answers he's seeking.

This is much of what Hunter does with Wrecker and Crosshair after Omega's been returned to them. He and Wrecker even team up with Fennec Shand (an ally of Din's as well) to get the answers they're looking for regarding Omega. They also help Echo and Rex, but their main priority is keeping Omega safe from the Empire and finding out what exactly it is about her that they're so eager to get.

Then comes the pivotal capture. Din and Grogu are on Tython when the Empire catches up to them, and Din can't be in two places at once. He has to go out and fight, leaving Grogu vulnerable in the process. This allows the Dark Troopers to get a hold of him and whisk him away, just after Din's trusty ship—the one that was much like a home to him—is destroyed. By the end, Din is left with no leads on Grogu's location, and no ship of his own.

Hunter and the Batch are on Pabu when the Empire finds them. Their ship is also destroyed, taking away what was once their home—and their only means of escape. Hunter has to leave Omega in Crosshair's care as he tries his best to find them a way out. Rather than being taken by force, however, Omega gives herself up, but Crosshair's missed shot also leaves them in the same situation as Din: no ship, and no leads.

Their journeys and plans then become very, very similar. Din gets the help of his allies Boba Fett and Fennec Shand to ferry him over to Nevarro, where he hatches a plan with Cara Dune to spring a prisoner who's a former Imperial. The prisoner is freed, but there are complications to getting the coordinates, and it requires the use of juggernaut vehicles to get there.

Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair get help from their ally Phee Genoa, who ferries them to a planet where they can also spring an Imperial prisoner. This is where the juggernauts factor in for them, as they must hijack one that holds the prisoner so they can get the coordinates from him. However, there are also complications with this, and there are extra steps they have to take.

The stakes rise to their highest for both men. Din is faced with a harsh truth: if he wants to find Grogu, he has to break his Mandalorian Creed. He does it, removing his helmet for the first time in front of other living beings since he was a child and thus risking his identity for Grogu. He gets the coordinates, but it comes at a high cost. He also has to blend in as an Imperial to complete this mission, which adds to the already mounting stakes.

Hunter also has to strip himself of an identity, but for him, it's the customization of his armor that has long since represented his squad's history. This is to help him blend in as an Imperial as he and his squad gets the coordinates. The stakes mount even more as they discover the only true way to find Omega is to go to Tantiss themselves with no backup, and Hunter doesn't back down as they do just that.

And then they reach the big rescue mission. Din has a slew of allies at his disposal, which makes the raid of Moff Gideon's ship rather easy. He earns the massive weight of Mandalore's throne by accidentally winning the Darksaber, but The Mandalorian season 3 resolves this by passing the responsibility on to Bo-Katan Kryze, which frees Din and Grogu for a future of their own making once the three of them at last take down Moff Gideon. This allows Din and Grogu to live a life of peace on Nevarro, even if they still have future adventures in store with the New Republic.

Hunter and the squad's mission isn't as simple. They nearly don't make it out, and they're tortured horribly in the process. Omega has a lot of agency in her freedom and their own, though it's still Hunter and Crosshair who get to take out Dr. Hemlock—also freeing them to a life of their own choosing. Hunter tells Omega that they can finally rest, and they at long last get to do so on Pabu.

The last thing to address is the epilogue of The Bad Batch. Interestingly enough, it goes back to paralleling The Mandalorian season 2 finale. Hunter letting Omega go is very reminiscent of Din letting Grogu go, as both fathers sacrifice their love and protection for the sake of the children's futures. Though Grogu would ultimately choose to return to Din, Omega is now set on her destiny, even if there is a high chance she hasn't seen the last of her father and her brothers on Pabu.

At the end of the day, these two Star Wars dads are just two guys trying their best to raise a child in a dangerous galaxy—and even if it's gotten rough around the edges at time, they've done a wonderful, beautiful job of it.

Thank you for reading! All screen caps (minus one) came from cap-that.com. Feel free to share your thoughts!

[badbatchsprincess]

Heated ~ pt.16

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

Masterlist

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

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

Warnings: Canon Typical violence, smut!, blow jobs/oral, mentions of slave girls, Hunter being protective, Wrecker's massive dick

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

“Okay, show me how one more time.” Wrecker said studying the photo reference versus the tangled bindings around Tech’s wrists. 

“I already told you twice. You need to pay closer attention.” Tech snapped shoving his wrists into Wrecker’s grasp.

“But you made it look so easy.” Wrecker growled staring to undo the intricate knots. 

“You are skilled at defusing bombs, this can’t possibly be more difficult than that!” Tech argued. They had been a this longer than he would have preferred. 

“I also have a very distracting photo in front of my face!” Wrecker yelled gesturing to the photo of you tied up with your chest pushed out and glistening while Tech was pounding into you from behind. Your cute little ass was all red and your skin was shiny from your body oils, it made Wrecker sweat just looking at you. His hands seemed unable to respond as well.

This had all started once Tech had shared the very explicit video of the two of you trying bondage for the first time. Wrecker was adamant about learning how to do that, and demanded he get a copy of every photo Tech had taken… for educational purposes of course. Tech waited while everyone was out grabbing supplies at some random stop on the way to their next job, to try and educate his younger brother. 

“I just don’t understand, you double up this one but then separate the two strands to do-” Wrecker paused mid sentence to find the three of you standing in the cabin doorway with varying degrees of shock smeared on your faces. 

“Uhh.” Your jaw hit the floor staring at Tech’s red ropes bound around his wrists while Wrecker clearly was the one tying him up. 

“Trying something new there, Tech?” Hunter smirked setting down the bags of rations. 

The two of them looked down at their joined wrists and the red rope tied between them before flying apart like caught teens. 

“There is a perfectly reasonable answer for this.” Tech’s cheeks flushed, just a bit, while Wrecker stood up sheepishly and flushed a deep crimson. 

“Which is?” Echo raised a brow. 

“I was simply trying to educate Wrecker on how to tie shibari knots.” Tech looked down at his still tied hands. 

“I change my mind.” Echo shook his head and started heading down towards the under belly to drop off the restock, “I don’t want to know.” 

“Thank the maker.” Wrecker laughed. 

You stepped over to Tech to help him escape from the knots before shooting the two of them a conspiratorial look. You knew they were up to something, this just wasn’t exactly what you had in mind. 

“Okay, Tiny!” Echo called from the back of the ship, “Training for an hour then we can head out.” 

“Okay!” You replied setting your bags of goodies down on the dining table.

You followed Echo out of the ship into the desert clearing where Tech landed the ship. You were far enough away from the outpost you knew you’d be safe from wandering eyes. 

Stepping out into the Tatooine sun, you basked in the warmth momentarily. 

“Think fast!” He warned, coming at you with a swinging fist. 

You ducked, and skittered back catching your footing before ducking again. Then he roundhouse kicked, just barely missing your nose. 

You stepped far enough back that you could switch to the offense, and try to mix this all up in your favor. 

Ever since you started training with Echo, and the boys started leaning more into the bonding of your relationships, you noticed you were able to anticipate their moves better. You weren’t entirely sure if this was the soul bond, or just learning them better, but regardless… you knew Echo was going to try to get the upper hand after letting you get a few hits in. You could feel it coming. A certain sense was strengthening in you.

When he went for another right hook, you dodged back and left, bringing your knee up to his ribs forcing him to cough for air on impact.

You heard him before you saw him, but Hunter tried to sneak up behind you. The sound of gravel crunching under his boots alerted you to his position. You spun around swinging your right leg at his middle. He caught it under his bicep and tucked it into his armpit, trying to shake your balance. But you just let him take you both to the ground, where you bent your left leg and used your knee to throw him over you, tossing him into the near by brush with a thud.

“Stun’em pip!” Wrecker cheered from the ship. 

You reached for your blaster when Echo grabbed you, shoving you into the side of the ship knocking the air out of you with a wheeze. You growled pushing back at him but he was using his strength advantage against you keeping you pinned to the warm metal. 

He grabbed the hand holding the blaster and raised it above your head while using his forearm to pin your shoulders back. 

“C’mon.” He encouraged. It was then you realized he put you in the same position Crosshair had on Kasshyyyk. Your blood boiled… then something took over you…

It was like you were seeing the world through Echo’s eyes. Feeling his every move, sensing his own weaknesses and strengths. You made shocked eye contact with him before snapping back to your senses. 

You kicked your feet out tangling his up with your boots while you yanked your extended arm down elbowing him in the jaw with a crack.  

Echo stumble back while you flicked the gun to stun and unloaded on the ARC Trooper. Your aim was impeccable. He dropped into a heap in the dust. 

You only had a moment of victory before Hunter was hurling the vibro blade right at your head. You ducked right in time hearing it cut through the air. It bounced off the durasteel of the ship with a ring making you spring into action. 

You heard Wrecker cheering from the steps as you charged across the clearing.

You aimed your weapon right at Hunter and fired a series of shots. He expertly dodged them making you growl in frustration. He was about to reach for his own weapon when you charged at him, using his own thigh to launch you up in the air, you wrapped both legs around his neck and shoulders twisting your body down to the ground, just like on Kassyyyk, bringing you to the ground. 

But he knew your moves by now, and countered this by grabbing onto your hips, throwing you off of him into the sand carelessly. 

You landed with a grunt rolling in the warm earth quickly getting up onto your feet determined to win this time. 

Echo was just starting to stir when Hunter decided to arch his kicks down at you. You rolled and dodged every kick just in time, watching his heel brutally dig into the sand with every impact. 

You backed up far enough to stand and line up your strike. 

Just when you were ready to make the perfect hit to his beautiful jaw, you missed him pulling out his gun to stun you mercilessly from his hip. 

You yelped before collapsing into the sand in a heap. 

Blackness surrounded you in a numbing sensation.

~~~

“She’s up!” Echo chuckled poking your cheek.

You swatted him away feeling your body coming back to you. You groaned flopping onto your back feeling that you were definitely back on the marauder hearing the rumbling sound of deep space.  

“I was so close.” You whined rubbing your eyes. 

“You were significantly better, out performing your past few sessions by great proportions.” Tech seemed proud of you. 

“Something happened before you shot me.” Echo narrowed his gaze. 

“You felt that too?” You asked sitting up slowly. 

“Yeah… that was strange.” He rubbed his chin. 

“I think it’s a pack bond or something. It was like I was in your mind.” You shook your head confused.

“I noticed your fighting styles take on whoever you’re opposing.” Tech analyzed, “It is most fascinating.” 

 “I think it’s the soul bond.” You said, “I felt like I was Echo. Just for a second. It was strange.” You shook your head still trying to make sense of that. 

“Well, they do say that souls bonds are a unique kind of experience. Two people becoming one in every way. They can even sometimes hear one another in their heads like Jedi.” Tech said. 

“That that has to be it.” You looked to Echo, one of your oldest friends. Of course it was a bond. Platonic as it may be, you viewed Echo as family. He’s been with you for almost your entire career with the GAR. 

You smiled at him and poked him back in the cheek making him playfully shove you back. 

“Cid gave us more intel.” Hunter came into the room partly to check on you but to also let everyone know that they’d be at their location soon. 

He waited for the others to file out, before kneeling down next to you on the cot, “I got something for you.” 

You were curious, “What is it?”

He held up a smaller chest plate that seemed to have been created just for your size. You looked at him with a raised brow. The metal was plain as blaster metal.

“I may not like putting you in the middle of these jobs.” He grabbed your hips sliding you to the edge of the bed before unlatching the pieces, “But, we came across a mandalorian smith who construed this and a few other pieces for you. At least gives me a little more peace of mind.” He sandwiched you between the two metal pieces before securing them together at your shoulders and sides. It looked similar to his own which made you giddy. 

You suddenly felt very overcome with emotion and looked up at your alpha, “Thank you Hunter.” You touched his jaw as he secured the last strap. He wanted to keep you safe. The gesture meant everything to you. 

“How does it feel?” He looked down at you running his hands over the collar of the metal. 

“Good.” You smiled, “Like a glove.” 

“It’s beskar.” He tapped it, “Not even a lightsaber can penetrate it.” 

“Sounds expensive.” You narrowed your eyes. 

“Cid pitched in too.” He smirked. 

That little trandoshan. You knew she cared about you. 

“Actually it was her idea.” Tech walked into the doorway, “Said we were being too reckless with our omega.” 

“Hmm.” You smirked, “I think I owe her a few more shifts then.” 

Tech huffed a laugh, “We’re here by the way.” 

You felt Echo directing the ship down to the surface of Tatooine as you and Hunter returned to the cockpit to join the others. 

~~~

The others showed you how to put on the shoulder guards, the forearm and thigh gauntlets. The last step was Hunter securing the thigh holster over everything along with a knife sheath that ran sideways along your lower back. When he was happy with it, he stood up to stand amongst the others approving their work. 

“Okay, one last present.” Wrecker smiled running into the bunks to grab it. 

“Is it heavy mesh’la?” Hunter asked worrying about you keeping up. 

You raised your arms, testing out the weight, “No, it’s light enough!” 

He nodded approvingly. 

When Wrecker returned, the four boys all looked very excited to show you what they got. 

Wrecker spun around holding a matching helmet, unique it it’s own way, just like theirs. But it seemed to reflect you perfectly. 

Wrecker shuffled forwards to place it over your head being mindful of your hair. 

When he settled it on, you heard it pressurize and suddenly the lens switched on showing you their com channels and the technology inside was analyzing all of your surroundings. 

“Is this what you guys have been seeing this whole time?” You said in wonderment as you looked around the ship and at the alphas standing before you. 

“Heh, yeah pip.” Wrecker chuckled, “Pretty nice huh?” 

“This is wild.” You waved your hands in front of your face watching the technology track your movements.

“That was my doing.” Tech raised his finger, “Wanted it to keep an eye out for you too.” 

“Thank you guys.” You sighed feeling their love as you felt safer than you ever had before. Clearly they had put a lot of thought into this. 

They all smiled looking at you getting used to the armor. 

“Now she looks just like us.” Echo said proudly. 

“Well, she’s gotta paint hers first.” Tech smiled, “Then she’ll be just like us.” 

“I gotta think of what to do.” You shrugged wondering what colors you should use. 

“Alright, let’s get a move on.” Hunter hit the hatch panel, “I don’t want to be here long. The Hutts aren’t people I want to spend much time with.” 

“Keep that on.” Echo thunked you on the head making you whip around to face him, “Hopefully the empire hasn’t put a bounty on you, but incase they have, the Hutts would know about it.” 

“Keep the helmet on. Got it.” You followed after him like a duckling. 

The dome shaped castle Jaba the Hutt inhabited sat right in front of you all. As you approached, the stark surroundings made you a little uneasy, it was even more barren than the little outpost on the other side of the planet. 

Hunter approached the door first when a droid came flying out of the wall yelling at you all in Huttanese. Tech quickly translated explaining that they were there on behalf of Cid for a money transfer. 

The droid camera disappeared into the wall and the massive metal gate creaked open. 

“C’mon.” Hunter waved you all to follow, “Stay close to Echo.” He gave you the order. You swallowed thickly and stuck to Echo like glue. You were getting a little antsy. This was like throwing yourself into the deep end on your first job! No one messed with the Hutts.

The hallway inside the castle was dark and sandy. You noticed gamorrean guards posted in the alcoves watching you closely and holding their massive axes as they snorted.

When all five of you entered the main gallery, you were surrounded by lively music and nearly a hundred bounty hunters, all lounging around in various states of debauchery. You also noticed the slave girls chained to the main throne holding the ugliest mother fucker you’d ever seen. 

Jabba the Hutt…

Hutt’s attendant waved you all over to speak with the slug himself. Hunter stepped forwards saying hello before introducing the group. Then Jabba quickly got into the business deal. Hunter pulled a holo with Cid so the two of them could speak directly. 

While that was happening, you took your time observing the place. A dozen games of sabak were being played while credits and bets were placed. The air was thick with smoke and the light scent of spice. The musicians and show girls were working for their salary. But what surprised you the most was going on in the back of the club. 

You locked in on a few Twi’leks fucking some willing customers in an alcove near the back bar. They were not ashamed in the slightest by the attention they were receiving from other drunk bounty hunters. One girl was perched on a man’s lap as he held her knees up showing everyone just got deep he was inside her as she moaned putting on a show clearly wanton for the looks. 

You felt yourself heat up the longer you watched. It was…hot the way he showed her off. The way all the others were captivated by watching her client’s cock disappear and reappear from her depths. 

Crosshair had done something similar with you and Tech, and the memory had your clothes suddenly feeling a little too restricting… You could still feel the ghost of his hands at the backs of your knees while Tech’s face was buried into your cunt. Even the way Crosshair stretched and displayed you was a clear memory. You shivered trying to will away those feelings. 

You felt Echo nudge you, drawing your attention back to your sergeant. 

It seemed negotiations were going well as the attendant handed over a case of unmarked credits to Hunter. Tech translated a few last words, assumably a thank you, before your alphas turned back to you ushering you all to leave. 

You look one last glance at the slug which was a mistake, his gaze was greedy and hungry as his long foul tongue licked at his slobbering lips. You trotted up to Hunter suddenly realizing how many of the men in the room were staring right at you with the very same look. 

Well… this must be how things are in the outer rim. Not a particularly safe place for women.

You heard Jabba’s voice silence the crowd, “Kava Che Ta mandalorian” 

Tech froze in place looking to Hunter. 

“He asked how much for the mandalorian.” Tech bit out. 

“What?” Hunter was confused, “What mandalorian? 

“He’s talking about Y/N.” Tech said. You shivered. What the kark?

You tucked into Hunter’s side feeling your stomach drop into your ass with nerves. 

“She’s not for sale.” Hunter growled tugging you closer to him. 

Jabba then said, “Jee'll Fofo Cid's Moulee-rah Che Ta Cheeka”

Tech growled, “He’ll double Cid’s amount for the female.” 

You clenched onto Hunter’s belt feeling him get riled up and protective. 

“Not going to happen.” Hunter snarled placing his hand on the hilt of his gun. 

“Is she yours?” The attendant asked with a devilish grin. He clocked the way you clung to Hunter like a typical omega would. 

“Yes.” Hunter tightened his grip on you and the weapon at his side, “She is.” 

You felt the others close in on you keeping you protectively in their circle. Wrecker pressed into your back securely.

Then Jabba gave the order. If they weren’t going to sell you, he was going to take you by force and kill your alpha. The entire club erupted into violence as the other bounty hunters opened fire wanting to be the one to bring Jabba his next prize. 

Hunter grabbed you hauling you behind one of the alcoves as blaster fire whizzed by your heads. 

“We gotta get to the ship!” Echo yelled firing back hitting one bounty hunter after another. 

“Wrecker give us some cover!” Tech yelled firing into the crowd. 

“Oh gotcha!” Wrecker reached into his pack grabbing two flash bangs. 

“Cover your ears.” Hunter covered you with his body as Wrecker chucked the bombs into the lounge. You muffled the sound inside your helmet just in time when the whole building lit up with blinding white light and disorienting smoke. You heard the loud groans and screams coming from the crowd.

“Move!” Hunter nudged you forwards and you broke out into a run. 

More blaster fire flew past you and you grabbed your gun firing back giving yourself more cover. You watched one of the plasma bullets hit a bounty hunter square in the chest. You internally cheered seeing your training finally paying off. 

“Ahh!” Echo was surprised when a gamorrean knocked him off his feet sending his back into the sand with a punching thud.

Then you were surrounded. The greenish guards brandished their axes swinging at you without much grace. You swiftly shuffled backwards before kicking the guard hard in the side of the head. He squealed and stumbled back giving you a window to fire your blaster killing him on the spot.

“Hah!” You cheered. Hearing the commotion in the back. When you turned back around, you saw your alphas finishing off the last gamorrean before grabbing your hand and continuing to run towards the open gate. 

“Just a little further!” Tech said remotely powering up the ship hearing it whirl to life. 

You broke out into a full sprint wanting to fling yourself into the Marauder as fast as possible. 

When the ship was in site, you followed Tech inside skittering into the cockpit helping him start the launch sequence. Tech guided the ship up as the others jumped inside dodging more blaster fire. 

“Shit!” Echo yelped dodging a bullet, “Any day now!” 

Tech angled the nose of the marauder into the sky and hit the accelerator. Hunter hit the hatch door and you all flopped down into your seats letting out a groan. 

“Is it always like that for you?” You yanked the helmet off letting your hair tumble out as you gasped for air. 

“Pretty much.” Tech nodded setting the course for Ord Mantel. 

“Dank ferrik.” Wrecker groaned out in pain as he clutched at his bicep.  

You looked up noticing the red patch on his arm… he must have been shot in the escape.

“Oh no.” You got up running past him to the galley to grab your medical bag. 

“Hold still love.” You helped remove his shoulder pauldron and rolled up his sleeve. He winced when you jostled the skin a bit but you quickly got to work spreading the bacta and applying the bandage to stop the bleeding, “All better alpha.” You smiled up at him getting him to cheer up. 

He held the back of your head in his massive hand bringing you up to his mouth. He pressed a loving kiss to the crown of your head as a thanks. When he was distracted, you jabbed his arm with the pain medication. 

“Oh! Ow!” He whined. But it was over before he could complain. You just smiled sweetly giving him a proper kiss as an apology. 

“You did good Tiny.” Echo praised you, “You handled that really well.” 

“Thanks Echo.” You replied cheerily putting your supplies back in the bag, “It was kind of exciting.” 

“Oh no, we’re creating a monster.” Hunter jested. 

You threw him a playful scowl. 

“We’ve got a few hours until we get to Ord Mantel. I’d get comfortable.” Echo said turning back to face you, “Got any more of those rations from Layla?” 

“Kark yeah.” You shot up running to the underbelly. 

~~~

“Delicious as always darling.” Echo licked his fingers making sure to get the last of the sauce left over on his plate. 

You hummed shoving the last piece of soaked bread into your mouth enjoying every chew. 

“Let me take Wrecker’s portion to him before he gets hangry.” You put your dirty dish in the sink leaving the others to lick their plates clean. 

Picking up a tray for Wrecker, you grabbed a cup of water and a spork walking back to the bunks. Wrecker must have dozed off from the pain meds. When you hit the access panel, he stirred noticing you had food and instantly woke up from his nap. 

“Here big guy.” You sat down on the cot next to him passing him the tray, “How are you feeling?” 

“A lot better pip.” He smiled shoving the food into his face like a starving rancor. You giggled watching him inhale his food. Good. At least that is a good sign he’s healing.

While he wolfed down his food, you gently lifted the bandage checking the progress the bacta had made while he slept. The wound was nearly closed up and all that was left was a small indent and angry irritated skin. You nodded approvingly liking how quickly the healing was progressing. 

He finished his meal and set the tray down on his nightstand before cuddling you into the mattress rather aggressively. You giggled adjusting to get comfortable in his grasp while he sighed peacefully scenting you. 

You gently ran your nails up and down his arm making him rumble from the sensation. He rolled you onto of him snuggling you to his chest like he does with Lula. 

You couldn’t help but wriggle around enjoying his warmth. 

“Mega.” He looked up at you, “You gotta stop doing that.” 

You smirked knowingly, “Why hun?” 

“You know why.” He adjusted his lap and you felt the hardness push up against your core. You hummed still feeling the lingering effects of what you saw at the Hutt palace today still playing in your mind. You wanted Wrecker to hold you like that… 

“What if I don’t want to?” You bit his arm lightly making him growl. 

“I don’t think I can with those pain killers in me.” He was still little groggy. 

“What if I make you feel good instead?” You bit your lip and sat up. He lazily ran his hands over your hips giving you a little pat on the ass.

You smiled down at him massaging his chest with your hands, “You did so good for me today, it’s a little reward for the shot.” 

“Hmm.” He smiled liking where this was going, “Okay.” 

“I’’ll take care of you alpha.” You slid down lower reaching for his sleep pants. You gently ran a hand over the bulge making him groan as you teased him. Wrecker groaned watching your small frame slide even lower keeping sinful eye contact with him. It made him squirm with anticipation. It wasn’t often women had offered to do this for him due to his size, but seeing you so eager made his blood run hot. Make you were perfect.

“Just want my alpha to feel good.” You nudged between his legs spreading them a bit while you teased the elastic of his boxers. He tensed feeling your finger slip lower getting dangerously close to where he wanted you. 

When you tugged down his boxers you were happy to find him throbbingly hard. You bit back a moan when you wrapped your hands around him fitting both along his shaft, and started to work your way up and down. Wrecker threw his head back covering his eyes with his forearm and groaned so loud you were certain the others could hear. 

Well it’s not like they didn’t know what you were doing. It was his night after all. 

Then you leaned forwards to give him an experimental lick. He gasped at the warmth of your tongue and inhaled sharply when you slid your whole mouth over him taking him as best as you could. 

Tech had taken the time one night to try and train you to take him as deep as he could go. It took a while, and your throat was so sore after, but eventually it started to work and you were able to repress your gag reflex like you had during your heat. 

Wrecker choked as you began to bob up and down using your slobber to lube your hands to work his shaft. There was no way you’d be able to deep throat Wrek, but you went as far as you possibly could. Your jaw was starting to ache but the sounds he was making had your core dripping with arousal. 

He subconsciously started to buck up into you letting you know he was getting closer to cumming. You decided to tease him a little bit more and drag this out. You withdrew your mouth making him whimper and look down at you from under his arm in curiosity. 

You kept massaging him with both your hands while you sunk closer until you could nuzzle his balls with your nose. 

“Fuck.” He cried out when you sucked one into your mouth laving it with your tongue greedily. 

“Shit, Pip!” He crossed both arms above his head fighting every instinct to grab you and shove you closer. 

You smirked and continued to lick and suck on his balls until he was a writhing mess. Then you took mercy on him and returned to sucking on his tip wanting to watch him cum now.

He opened his mouth to speak but you sped up your hands and doubled down on sucking harder making him thrust up into you a bit mindlessly. Wrecker came with a grunt, trying to still his hips but you licked up every last drop swallowing proudly. 

He gasped for air trying to catch his breath still stunned at your work. 

“That was amazing mesh’la.” He sighed looking down at you adoringly. You smiled pulling his boxers and sleep pants back up before crawling up his body and perching yourself on his lap again. 

His expression turned devilish, “Your turn.”

“Wait Wrek! Ahh!” He lifted like you weighed nothing sitting you on top of his face. 

“I wanna taste you sweetheart.” He yanked down your pants pushing you up slightly to slide them off. When he chucked them to the floor he yanked your hips down onto his face so he could nuzzle your damp panties making sure to inhale your intoxicating scent.

“This was supposed to be about you.” You whined unable to resist the way his nose dug deliciously into your clothed clit. 

“This is about me.” He smirked poking a finger under the wet fabric and shoved it to the side revealing your dripping core to him. 

You whined as he licked a big stripe through your folds making you buck. Usually you’d be a little cautious but Wrecker had assured you that he’s strong and big enough to handle you riding his face. 

So thats exactly what you did. 

With his encouragement you set your whole weigh ton him making him hum with joy. He ate out your cunt with fervor making you writhe and squirm on him just like you had made him do not long ago. You moaned loudly when he sucked your clit into his mouth quickly rushing you to the edge. Between the twilek and then sucking off Wrecker, your orgasm was coming fast. 

You whimpered barring down on him as his skilled tongue brought you to your needed orgasm. The dizzying pleasure consumed you making you flop forwards catching yourself on the wall as you flinched away from his tongue from overstimulation. You shook as you came down feeling his hot breath on your thighs. 

“How was that mesh’la?” He chuckled reaching up to tease your breast while you calmed down above him. 

“Too good.” You laughed shaking your head still trembling from aftershocks. 

He helped you back down his body so you could lay on him. You both stripped out of your remaining clothes so you could lay skin to skin, feeling each other closely as you cuddled. It was nice. It reminded you of that night in your apartment before everything fell apart. It was a small pocket of peace that you would never take for granted. 

“You did good today too.” He said taking your hand in his. The size difference was laughable. His palm dwarfed yours significantly. 

“It was kind of wild.” You said watching him play with your hand, “and exciting.”

“I thought Hunter was gonna kill Jabba.” He said rubbing his thumb into your palm, “I sure wanted to.” 

You smiled liking the protective talk, “I knew I was safe. You’d all protect me no matter what.” 

“Damn straight.” He held your wrist in his grasp.

“Though, I think I might prefer staying on the ship.” You giggled as his fingers tickled up your forearm before massaging up to your shoulder, “Getting almost sold is a little off putting.” 

You preened rubbing your face into his pectorals scenting him affectionately wanting his smell all over you. 

“But you do look so sexy with a blaster.” He leaned down to kiss you. You giggled into the kiss using your hands to pull his face closer to yours. He snuggled you in closer pressing you to his warm chest. 

Maybe being a mercenary wouldn’t be too bad…

uhm chile...anyway...soooo

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Taglist: @substantial-exposure

@rains-on-kamino

@minimissmoo

@z-and-the-batboys

@aynavaano

@9902sgirl

@sideofhorny

@sxftiebee

@booksandtitts-blog

[warsamongthestars]

Since i Don't Like the TBB set up, how bout some health alternatives?

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN REX Corny title, I know.

The idea here is that Rex hasn't ever been a main character. He's been support only, reactive to other stronger personalities. A show that centers around Rex Could be beneficial to his character, and be a clone centric show.

( I woudln't trust the TBB writers with it--but there's someone out there that can pull it off. )

In this story, instead of following the BBs, we replace them with Captain Rex. The story goes is that, after the crash of the ship, he reinfiltrates Kamino to see the situation from the homeworld, and runs into Omega.

Instead of BBs having Omega, Rex does. ( Justified by the fact that Rex, has in fact said on screen with the full implications, that he wanted kids. Perfect match I think. )

Rex is building a rebellion and was high ranking--of course he would know about informants like Cid. He would work with her to build contacts, which justifies meeting Guest Characters and slowly building the rebellion, whilst on the side trying to raise Omega.

It comes to a head in Season 2 when the Empire takes interest in Rex.

And season 3, the final season, ends with Rex facing the Tantis project, just one of many horrors that occurred to Clones.

Your Crosshair arc could be replaced with Cody. Positions of the side teammates being Wolffe and Gregor as the show progressed, to match up with Rebels.

And suddenly, everything clicks.

The shallow impact of the BBs would be immediately covered by the fact that Rex has had 7 years to be developed and solidified as a character, and wouldn't require either introduction or set up, just to get him to where the story needs him. Same with everyone else.

Even Omega taking the spotlight wouldn't take so much issue, beacuse as a new character she needs development to solidify her position in the Galaxy Far Far Away as a character, and it wouldn't be any skin off Rex's teeth.

CLONE FORCE 99 (As opposed to the "Bad Batch")

Instead of occurring in a post Order 66 era, its a series of complication arcs that occur at various times over the course of the Clone Wars involving The Bad Batch. It explores character histories and dynamics, missions and backstories, of course exploring the Galaxy Far Far Away.

And the last season introduces Echo, and then we End at Order 66. The purpose is that Order 66 leaves the BB's fate ambiguous.

No ending has to be happy, or known. Tragedy has its place, and is even needed to make a piece relevant.

THE OMEGA PROJECT

A show that actually centers around Omega, and a few select cadet characters. In the narrative style of Rebels, young cadet and odd clone Omega now has to navigate a new galaxy, post Order 66, and what her purpose in the Kaminonian "Omega Project" is...

No Bad Batch this time, no overly despairing themes. This is explicitly a kid's show.

If you want to Focus on Omega, then focus on Omega. She doesn't bring anything to the Bad Batch that doesn't diminish them in some way--so just give her, her own show. Boom, problems solved.

So yeah, there's three shows that could've been made from the TBB rough draft mess.

[celestial-specter]

Here I am again, for more in-depth analysis of The Bad Batch!!

Here you go, @skellymom :))

Aftermath’s battle simulation: How one scene reintroduces us to Clone Force 99, and possibly foreshadows later events in the series.

(Part 2)

As the simulation begins, Hunter orders Crosshair to ‘take the towers.’ Crosshair is thus the first to split off from the rest of the group, quickly climbing one of the towers. As I discussed in part 1, the higher levels in this scene represent the empire. To explain this idea further in reference to the towers themselves, in literature, towers have been used to represent strength, success, and power - all things which Crosshair personally craves. With all this in mind, this movement provides an early indication of Crosshair’s upcoming departure to climb the ranks of the empire. The climb itself is treacherous with no equipment, but Crosshair manages it with ease, quickly reaching the top level - just as he manages to rise to the level of Commander of his new imperial squad.

Once in position, Crosshair makes quick work of shooting and disabling the four towers. I have thought through several interpretations of what these four towers could represent, but my two personal favorites are:

The towers are a representation of Crosshair’s relationships with his four brothers; his disabling attack on each tower shows the severance of his ties to each brother.

The towers have a much more literal meaning, representing the four members of his own imperial squad that Crosshair later kills on this same training ground.

Meanwhile, at Hunter’s order, the rest of the squad push further into the training ground, leaving Crosshair behind on the tower.

When the battle seems to be taking ‘too long,’ Wrecker charges in alone to take down the droids, unconcerned about the danger to himself. Tech does briefly reach out to stop him, but then does not seem to be worried for his brother either, rolling his eyes as he watches from behind the barrier. While we do not see the reactions of the others during this moment, I assume they also were largely passive towards Wrecker’s antics. To me, this carefree attitude is similar in tone to the first few episodes of the series, in which the batch remain largely unaware of the danger they are in from the empire, and Wrecker begins exhibiting symptoms of his inhibitor chip activating. They remain unaware of this huge risk until the episode Battle Scars, in which Rex reveals the truth about the chips.

The composition of the shot in which Wrecker asks Tarkin for more droids to battle is also interesting - Wrecker is naturally larger than the rest of his squad due to his strength-based enhancements, and most shots we see of him are composed to enhance his size (e.g. placing him beside much smaller characters such as Omega). As far as I am aware, this is the only shot we have seen which purposely makes Wrecker look physically small - the height from which Tarkin is viewing him at does most of the work, but this is furthered by none of his brothers being beside him for comparison.

Tarkin himself is not a man of physically imposing stature - this is made obvious when the audience sees him beside the Kaminoans. So, the framing of this shot, with Tarkin appearing to be much bigger than Wrecker, makes the usually giant clone appear almost… doll like.

This shot, as seen below, could be interpreted simply as Tarkin looking down on all clones, viewing them as unworthy of service in the new empire. While I agree this is definitely relevant, I believe it is only a piece of a larger problem. Even in the time of the Republic, many nat-born officers viewed clones simply as cannon-fodder - as in, they were created and thus, expected, to die for their army. But, as we saw in The Clone Wars, many Jedi formed close bonds with their clone battalions, and were instrumental in the clones forming their own identities outside of their lives as soldiers.

Now, with the Jedi order destroyed, imperial officers such as Tarkin, and later Hemlock, are free to treat clones as they wish; simply as toys to be played with for their own entertainment, and to be discarded as soon as they are no longer useful.

When Tarkin then orders the use of live rounds, Wrecker encounters a force even stronger than himself, which the audience can see takes him by surprise. This definitively foreshadows the activation of Wrecker’s inhibitor chip - as the ‘muscle’ of the team, it is likely rare he ever encountered an opponent he couldn’t fight off before, and yet both here, and on Bracca, he was caught off guard and suffered as a result.

When Wrecker is shot by the droid in his right shoulder and flung to the ground, it is Tech who puts himself at risk to move from behind the barrier and drag Wrecker out of danger. This mirrors how he is the first member of the squad and the most at risk of physical harm when Wrecker’s chip first activates. Interestingly, Wrecker is shot in the exact same place that Crosshair later shoots him in during their standoff in the hangar. As Wrecker would be viewed by many as the heart of the squad, having him end up injured in both of these scenarios is a good way to highlight that these moments are strong emotional turning points for the batch and their story.

Seeing that his brothers are now in active danger, Crosshair begins to shoot the new droids firing live rounds, still in his position atop the tower. When the droids then turn their attention on him, the shots they fire damage the tower Crosshair is standing upon. He abandons his post, hanging precariously over the edge of the tower for a moment before sliding down to the ground level. These moments could reference Crosshair realization that the empire does not care about any of the clones, leading to his decision to shoot Lieutenant Nolan, thus abandoning his imperial service and falling back to the very same low societal level that he began with, and that his brothers still occupy.

Once back on the ground, Crosshair returns to Echo and Hunter, but they immediately must move behind a barrier to avoid being shot. Pinned down, Crosshair’s sarcastic commentary during this moment shows he is beginning to lose faith in their ability to complete the simulation successfully. Echo comments that their training blasters are useless against the new droids- each member of the team is already aware of this fact, yet Echo being the one to vocalize it shows he likely accepts new information faster than the rest of his brothers (a notable progression in Echo’s character development since his first appearance in The Clone Wars). As such, Echo is the first member of the team to recognize the breadth and power of the new empire, and the consequences it will have for the clones. He is also the first to begin actively fighting against it by joining Rex’s clone rebellion.

[martianbugsbunny]

He Waits By The Riverside (A Bad Batch Fic)

*approaches in a swan paddleboat* so I cried myself to sleep last night about the fact that Tech is actually dead, hence the need for a boat. I'm living in a lake of my own tears at this point. I didn't cry for him properly when he died because I had hope that he wasn't really dead after all and now it's hitting so hard, especially because he's the only one who didn't get to grow old. My chest gets tight when I think about how horribly unfair that seems. So I wrote a fic to put that sadness somewhere, inspired by He Waits, By The Riverside from Renegade Nell. I tried my hardest to make the fic feel the same way the song does (absolutely heartbreaking in a way that holds your hand) and honestly I think I did a pretty good job. So read on and enjoy (?)

Tech opened his eyes. His goggles were gone—his sight was acceptable without them, but he couldn’t see the more precise details of the landscape surrounding him. One was thing was certain, though: it wasn’t what he had been expecting when he plummeted, heart stopped, chest tight, through the clouds.

“Welcome, beloved,” a voice said. Not the gravelly voice of his sergeant, or Wrecker’s warm one, or Omega’s enthusiastic chirp, or Echo’s soft laugh—not even Crosshair’s pinched tone. It was the sort of voice that seemed like the wind, drifting out in one instant and fading away in the next, with no single pitch or volume but constantly shifting, shifting, shifting like the fog Tech had fallen through. Wind itself, however, was absent from the surroundings, not even a breath of it stirring.

Tech looked around, sitting up, searching for the voice’s owner. There was a pounding in his ears, either his heart or a far-off drum; he couldn’t decipher which, or even which made more sense in his current context.

The first thing he noticed properly was, at his feet, a mass of water that was not quite a river. It was long and gently curving into the distance like a river, and he estimated it was about five feet wide, but it didn’t flow. It was utterly still, just as the air was. It was unnatural, and yet somehow, it didn’t fill him with the creeping dread that perhaps it should have.

“You’ve come later than I expected,” the voice said. “Many of your kind joined me much sooner.”

Tears were blurring Tech's vision a little more, although he didn’t know why. A bird with a lilting song—one he could identify after a moment as a Yavin nightingale—was singing in the distance. Fish glittered vaguely in the river that didn’t flow past his feet, sunlight pouring down around them like rain.

That wasn’t right. The sunlight shouldn’t reach down here.

“Sooner than I hoped.”

The bird continued to sing, sweetly, brightly.

There were no bulrushes growing on the not-river banks, allowing Tech an unobstructed view of the creatures thrashing in the reflective water, scales aglow in the light that shouldn't have cut through the clouds. He couldn't bring himself to look up and see if there actually were any now.

“Ah, well.”

The sweet song was becoming a monotonous drone as it went endlessly, unhesitatingly, on. The fish in their sparkling glory were flames in Tech’s slightly unclear vision, kicking up sand from the bottom of the riverbed that drifted around them as the fog had about him. The reed grasses beneath him rustled as he got to his feet and turned his face to the cloudless grey sky.

He knew why he was crying.

A creature stood on the opposite bank, sheathed in a long white robe, bare-footed, with its face invisible except for a peculiarly unreadable grin made of white teeth and red lips. “Join me, love,” it said.

He knew why he was crying.

For a moment, there was a phantom pain across his body, the immense impact of sharp stones after a long fall. Another tear slipped down his bare face, and he knew he had succeeded. They were all safe: Hunter with his wide heart, Wrecker and his brilliant smile, Omega with her endless hope, Echo for his new purpose, maybe even Crosshair despite his mercurial loyalties.

He knew why he was crying.

“Do I have to?” he asked, despite already knowing the answer. This one time, he wished logic would fail to hold, and he could be released to rejoin the family he had made safe. To enjoy the fruits of his final and hardest labor.

“All that is loved becomes mine eventually,” it said. “You have been loved.”

Tech sobbed.

As the creature compelled him on, softly playing a military tune on an ebony fiddle and urging with its strange and sighing voice, Tech stepped into the river and crossed over to the other side.

….

In the still water—there were no fish to be seen from this angle—he could see them, by turns, running from the Empire, running towards the Empire, doing the best they could to keep their broken family from rifting any further, trying to mend it as best they could. It ached to watch, knowing they could never be truly whole again now that he was gone. Knowing that they were becoming more whole by the day, however, as Omega brought Crosshair back to them, and that he had sacrificed not only his life, but also his chance to be part of a reunited family.

Their lives continued to be dangerous, and every so often he would glance across the water, afraid he would see Hunter or Wrecker there and that the family on his side of the river would become more whole while that on the other side became more fractured and grief-stricken. He had a world without end. It hurt, but he would rather wait until the others were all old to hold them again. He didn’t want them to die young like he did, even if it meant sitting alone beside the water for another hundred years.

So Tech sat there, on the other side, and sang, slightly off-key, as though he could warn them, as though they could hear him, as though he could put off their final reunion for longer if only he was as determined as the nightingale that he could no longer hear.

“He waits by the riverside, and he waits by the road; he’ll play you his drum and the fiddle he’ll bow. So caution yourself—beware of his tongue.

“Cause all that is loved….”

Can crumble to none.

[danceswithsporks]

Calm-Part 9 (Finale)

Wrecker x Seamstress!reader

Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Chapter Notes: many new adventures await our lovers.

Authors notes: Here we are! The final part to Calm. This won’t be the last time we see Wrecker, Tech, Chai and Stitches. There’s still so much we haven’t learned about our friends yet! Thank you all of you for being by my side as we tell these stories. I never expected to fall into the bad batch fandom but as a clone wars girly I had to give them a shot and now they’re my loves.

The next part of the Complete Series will be Awake A Crosshair X Innkeeper (Doll)!reader fic!

Crosshair has seen both sides of the board when it comes to finding his place in a changing galaxy. Now that he knows the truth and is a free man, will he be able to adjust? Or will he need the guiding light of an innkeeper?

If you don’t want to be in the Taglist for Crosshairs story please let me know so I can remove you! If not then I’ll see you all there when it premiers in roughly a month!

Chaos, your house was utter chaos right now. You’d somehow been talked into hosting the engagement party for Tech and Chai and thus your house, courtyard, and even your shop, were packed to the brim. The newly engaged couple was around here somewhere no doubt being harassed by countless well-wishers. You were happy for them, they were taking the next big step in their relationship. A really big step in all honesty. Tech had been home for six months now and had changed, they all had. No more were these rigid and fierce clones on the run. No, now they were just men trying to get by in the galaxy like everyone else. Well, kind of.

Hunter, Crosshair, and Echo still went out on missions but they were now infrequent and only if painfully necessary. Other than that they were slowly finding their place here in Pabu. Doll would never openly admit it, but she and Crosshair were in some kind of odd relationship where they were together but also not together. She’d confided in you about the situation one evening while you were dropping off their dinners. Mentioned how it had started as a stress relief for him but was slowly turning into something more. You had no advice to give her besides “follow your heart” it was the best you could do.

Echo had taken up a position at the school as the history of the galaxy professor. He was the least active of the three because of this. You’d asked him one night why he’d chosen that job out of all the jobs he could have taken on Pabu. He’d replied that he wanted to tell the tales of those now gone and make sure that people didn’t forget the past. Whatever the reason, he seemed happy. However, you could tell something weighed on his mind some nights when he’d come over for dinner or to tutor Omega. But he never seemed to share what it was.

Hunter seemed to be the most active of the three of them, struggling to settle while the others had found a new purpose. Almost monthly he was leaving for some kind of mission. Rex being the one to dole out the missions. Hunter would travel back to Ord Mantel and the tea shop there before leaving on whatever the mission was. From what he’d shared with the group, his main job was helping to locate higher-ranked clones who were still missing after the fall of the Jedi.

“Fox” he’d told you one night while Wrecker, Hunter, and yourself were sitting in your courtyard. “He’s the Husband to the Senator who helped us find Omega. We owe it to her to find out what happened to him.”

It had warmed your heart to know that he was determined to thank this woman in whatever way possible. That her help would hopefully be repaid one day. Hunter had told you that it had been close to two years since Riyo had seen or heard from her husband and it had made your heart hurt for her. You could barely survive two days without seeing Wrecker. Going years without seeing him or knowing if he was ok would be torture.

“Credit for your thoughts?” A warm and loving voice pulled you from your thoughts and back to the party happening.

When had you walked out into the courtyard? When had you placed your wine down on the courtyard wall? “Just thinking about these last few months. How lucky Chai and Tech are. How lucky we all are.”

Wrecker smiled while placing his beer down next to your wine. “We are lucky, aren’t we? Got a safe place to call home. Omega is safe and happy. We’re all together and most importantly, we have people who love and care for us.” Reaching up, he ran his thumb across your bottom lip gently. You kissed the pad of the digit making him hum softly. “Come on, let’s make a break for it.”

“Break for what?” You laughed softly while watching the elderly ladies from your shop reprimand some of the kids who were running through the crowd of people. Shaking your head at them, you looked back to your beloved clone.

His thumb traveled from your lip to gliding across your cheekbone before he held your face gently in his large palm. “ Break for the Marauder. Tonight’s the night, Sarad.”

It took you a moment to understand what he was referencing. What was tonight? Then it hit you, the nebula. Tech had located one a few systems over from yours and Wrecker was instantly intrigued. “W-why tonight?” You weren’t ready, you were barely flying the Marauder here in the atmosphere. Now he wanted to take you fully off planet and through hyperspace?

“Tonight’s a night of celebrations. Why not have our own private celebration and finally get you off this rock?” A light sigh came from the large clone as he knelt in front of you. “I’ll never force you to go, but know that I wouldn’t ask this if I didn’t think you were ready.” He looked at your perfect eyes carefully. “I want to show you something wonderful. Will you let me?”

-*-

“W-Wrecker, I can’t do this.” You stared at the vast emptiness of space waiting for you just outside the atmosphere of the planet. The Marauder was currently idling as Wrecker passed the controls to you.

“Yes, you can. You are the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You’ve helped me conquer my fears. I know you can conquer yours.” He reached over and placed his hand on top of yours while it squeezed the yoke.

You looked at that brown-eyed clone with fear coursing through your veins faster than you thought possible. “What if something happens? What if …”

Wrecker released your hand and pulled your face into his hands. “What if the stars fall from the sky and your teeth fall out? Nothing is known for sure besides three things.”

“What’s that?” You watched as that adorable smirk of his made an appearance.

He pulled one of his hands away and held up a finger as he named off his list. “One, this is one of the fastest ships in the galaxy. Techs outfitted her with the best parts credits can buy. If anything happens we will escape. Two, if they somehow catch us then I will defend you and keep you safe until my dying breath.”

A shuddered breath left you as you listened to him. “Three?”

Wrecker leaned in and kissed you deeply and fiercely. “I’ll tell ya when we get to the nebula.”

“What?” He was going to keep that from you and use it as a bribe to get you there? Damn, he must have learned that from Tech. Swallowing the large lump in your throat, you looked back out of the window and towards the waiting darkness of space.

“Get us to the nebula and I’ll tell you the third thing, Sarad.” He stood from his chair and walked around behind yours.

Large hands reached down and found purchase on your shoulders giving you the courage you suddenly needed. You could do this, you were brave. How many times have you circled the planet within the atmosphere? How often had you dreamed about seeing the stars up close like this again? Going to different planets and seeing a nebula in person? You adjusted your grip on the yoke once more before taking a deep breath and pushing forward. The Marauder shot like blaster fire through the clouds and atmosphere before finally breaking through into the vastness of space.

A shaky breath left you as you stared at the endless star-filled void before you. You’d done it. You were in space for the first time in nearly a decade. Shaky hands released the yoke as you slowly stood and turned to face your lover. He was beaming with pride for you and before you could speak, he pulled you into his arms and kissed you. His kisses always made things so much better. Were you terrified? Stars, yes. But in his arms everything was ten times better. You were safe in space with the man you adored.

“I’m so proud of you, Sarad. So. Incredibly. Proud.” Each word was accompanied by a fierce kiss. He wasn’t sure of any other way to share how proud of you he was besides kissing you. You, his perfect wonderfully brave riduur. He savored the lingering taste of wine on your lips as he kissed you once more for far longer than he probably should have. The two of you released each other's lips and took in much-needed oxygen. “Come on, my beautiful girl. Let’s get you to that nebula.”

Oh, how your knees went weak whenever he called you his girl. He pulled away from you and with a smirk that you knew far too well, he started to undo his pants. “And what may I ask, are you doing?”

Wrecker winked at you and pulled down his pants revealing his rock-hard erection. He moved around you and took a seat in the pilot's chair before patting his bare thigh. “Come on, pretty girl. Let me take you to your nebula in style.”

Like you’d say no to an offer like that. Grinning, you reached beneath your skirt and pulled off your panties in one swift movement before passing them to Wrecker. The thick clone took the offered garment and placed it to his face where he inhaled deeply, his eyes fluttering at the scent on them. You wondered why he liked the smell of your panties so much but what usually came next drew your attention away from the question every single time. “Mmm, my favorite seat.” Walking over to his lap, you straddled him and smirked. “Sure you can focus on flying while screwing my brains out?” You asked while raising one of your hands to your mouth.

Wrecker watched as you licked one of your hands in a way that had him groaning. You’d done this before and it had made his head swim. The saliva-covered appendage was lowered to his aching cock and wrapped around firmly. “That’s …kriff. That’s what the autopilot is for, riduur.” You’d be in hyperspace for approximately three hours. More than enough time for him to fuck you in here and on one of the bunks. Your hand moved up and down a few times, lathering his cock before you pulled it away and impaled yourself on him. “Kriff, there’s that right little cunt I love so much.”

“Mmmph, here I thought you loved me for me. Not just my cunt.” You sat comfortably with him inside of you for a few moments, taking in his size and wondering if you’d ever tire of this full feeling. Probably not and if you did well it would be clear something was wrong with you.

Wrecker buried his face into the nape of your neck and sucked the skin gently. “Don’t worry, I love you for both.” Turning the chair to face the yoke, Wrecker gripped your hips and lifted you up and nearly off of him. Then he released you letting your body slam down onto him while he released the most sinful deep groan possible. Damn, he needed to focus on flying but you just felt too damn good. “Do me a favor and entertain yourself while I get us to jump?”

You panted needily before nodding. “Ok.” You placed your hands on his shoulders and lifted yourself almost off of him before sliding slowly back down his impressively thick length. It burned and stretched you in all the right ways and you moaned loudly making him chuckle.

He kept one hand on the yoke and the other on your ass guiding your body up and down.“Good girl.”

-*-

Thick fingers stroked your bare back while you lay against Wrecker's bare chest. Your body was tired after the long hours of sex and thus you had no energy to even get up and get dressed. His soft being cock was still buried inside of you from where you’d ended back up again. In his lap and the pilot's seat. After you’d made the jump to hyperspace he’d proceeded to impale you repeatedly on him before lifting you and carrying you towards the bunks in the back. There he’d screwed you into his bunk so perfectly your head had been spinning. You’d cum a second time around him after he’d pressed you against the ladder leading up to Omega's old room and screwed you hard enough to leave some marks on your back. As you came down from your orgasm he’d whispered how thankful he was that Tech kept the medkit properly stocked before leaving you to grab some bacta spray for your back. The third round had you starting in his bunk and finally ending in the pilot's seat once more. Your body was tired and hunger was growing in your stomach, but stars were you satisfied.

“Sarad, we’re about to drop out. Wanna get dressed?” He looked down at you and stroked your cheek gently. Maker, you were beautiful in his lap. How he ever got lucky enough to have you in his life was beyond him. If he could go back in time and tell a young cadet that he would have a woman as magnificent as you in his life one day. Well…he probably would have called himself crazy.

Stars, he was so damn warm! You nuzzled against the warmth he offered and shook your head. “Too comfy.” You could easily fall asleep like this. These strong arms holding you close while a hand stroked your skin giving you goosebumps. This was bliss. Wrecker chuckled deeply, making that broad chest of his vibrate.

He wasn’t going to argue with you about this in the slightest. “Okay, Close your eyes?” He raised his hand to your eyes and gently swiped down, closing your eyelids for you. “I want ya to see it in its entirety for the first time. Not while we pull up to it.”

You smiled softly and nodded while feeling him adjust his arms to steer the ship toward the nebula. It didn’t take too long for you to feel the ship stop, excitement now building within you. Finally, after months of hearing about the beauty of a nebula you were about to see it. Wrecker stood with you securely in his arms before you felt him lift you slightly allowing his softened dick to fall out of you. You shivered at the odd sensation before you heard him tell you to place your feet down. Doing as you were told, you felt his arms leave your body.

The large clone took a few steps away from you to give you a moment and then took a deep breath. “Ok. Open your eyes.”

Opening your eyes to the sight of the nebula was like waking up in a new universe. It was beautiful, no, it was breathtaking. The nebula appeared like a delicate celestial painting, swirling clouds of gas and dust dancing gracefully against the backdrop of space. Its colors, ranging from vibrant hues of red and blue to subtle shades of pink and purple, mesmerized you. In that moment, you felt a connection to the universe, as if you were witnessing the birthplace of stars and planets firsthand. It was a breathtaking experience that left you humbled by the sheer beauty and magnitude of the universe.

“Oh, Wrecker. It’s amazi-“You’d turned to look at your lover and found him staring at you in a way you’d never seen before. “What?” You ran a hand through your messy hair. “Does my hair look weird?”

Wrecker closed the space between the two of you and wrapped his arms around you once more. Never had you looked so beautiful to him. Not in the first time you’d been naked in front of him, not in the afterglow of your orgasm, not even when you told him you loved him. Don’t get him wrong, you were beautiful in each of those moments. But right now with your nude body being bathed in the blue glow of the nebula, you looked beautifully ethereal and all he wanted to do was hold you. “You look perfect, riduur.” Leaning down, he kissed you deeply.

“Thank you, Riduur. This is … well it’s breathtaking. I can’t describe it with any other words.” You now understood why he always said nebulas were beautiful. Though, you still couldn’t see how you were more beautiful than the sight outside the ship. Now, that was the most beautiful sight in existence.

Riduur coming from your lips always sent a chill down his spine. You were calling him your partner, your spouse in the language of the clones, his language. A language that you were trying to learn for him. How amazing could you get? “Sarad, you should know something.”

“Is it point number three?” You smiled at the serious look on his face making him smile back. “You told me you’d tell me when we got here.”

You were right. He had told you that hadn’t he? Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone. “Point number three is that I am undeniably and insanely in love with you. I can’t see my life without you in it. You mean everything to me. You are brave and strong and more beautiful than that nebula outside. I adore you, Stitches and I need you by my side forever.”

Your bottom lip trembled as he confessed his undying love to you. Yes, he’d told you he loved you countless times before but this. Stars, this was so much more intense. “Oh, Wrecker. I love you so much too. I never want you to leave my side.”

Wrecker took a deep breath before speaking. “Mesh’la, I haven’t been honest with you about what Riduur stands for.”

“It means partner or spouse. I know already, my love.” You tapped your nails against his chest as he continued to hold you close. “Omega told me the same night we went to the waterfall the first time.”

But that was months ago, nearly a year now and you hadn’t said anything? “You’re not mad?”

Your head shook quickly “How could I be mad when I feel the same way?”

“You do?” Wrecker felt something inside of him well up. You were ok with being called his riduur. You saw yourself as his wife! He watched you bite your bottom swollen lip and nod quickly. “T-then … will you marry me?”

Tears burned your eyes as you nodded and cried in happiness. “ Of course! How could I say no?” He picked you up and spun the two of you in happy delight making you gasp and wrap your arms around his neck.

“I don’t have a ring. B-but I’ll get you one. Any style you want! We can head to Ord Mantel right now.” He wanted to jump into the pilot seat and fly straight to the planet right now. But he also didn’t want to let you go. No, he wanted to hold you forever and ever.

Your laugh filled the air as you wiped tears away from your eyes. “Wrecker, there’s no rush. We’ll get one when we get one.” Plus it would be less attention on you two right now when everyone was celebrating Chai and Tech.

“Are you sure? We can go right now and be there in less than six hours.” You had more than enough fuel to make it and you two could stay at the tea shop. You nodded to him, making him hum in thought. “Ok. But as soon as we get the chance. I’m getting you the most beautiful ring in existence.”

“You could get me a piece of twine and I’d wear it with pride.” He chuckled against your lips before he pressed his against yours in a passionate kiss. “I don’t need a ring for you to show how much you love me, Wrecker. I just need you by my side.”

“I can do that, riduur.” He whispered while lowering the two of you to the floor, his cock hard once more. “I can do that.”

-*-

“Look at that ring! It’s gorgeous!” Chai held your hand up for Doll to see.

The three of you were currently in your shop designing Chai’s wedding dress. They were planning the ceremony in such a short amount of time you worried slightly if it would be finished in time. Four months wasn’t long when it came to designing and sewing a dress. But with Magda and Sue by your side, you may just be able to finish it in time. You blushed as you held the ring up for both women to see. “It’s black opal. Wrecker had Tech help him pick it out because it reminded him of our nebula.”

“How romantic.” Doll sat with a bolt of silk fabric in her lap, her fingers gently stroking the cool material. “It looks like a little tiara on your finger.”

“You’d know all about tiaras wouldn’t you, Miss Pabu, three years running.” Doll was gorgeous and she knew it, as did everyone else. It wasn’t a surprise that she won the island pageant every year.

“Think I’ll be hanging my tiara up this year. Give some of the other girls a chance.” She sighed softly as she stared at your wring. The metal was black for your band and went into a diamond shape that made it look like the top of a tiara with the black opal in the center. Little stones cradled the metal drawing the eye towards the hypnotic trance of the stone. “I can’t believe he flew you to a nebula to ask you to marry him.” It was just all so romantic. You with your Prince Charming and Chai with her knight in shining armor. She wanted that to be her, but Crosshair was a stubborn ass who wouldn’t let her in.

“I can’t believe Tech hung from the side of the island with Chai to propose. Think that has mine and Wrecker beat by a long shot.” You watched the way Doll became lost in her thoughts. It seemed whatever situationship she and Crosshair were in was currently not doing great. She hadn’t told you much but from the way she was sighing and staring off into space, you could tell it wasn’t good. You’d ask her about it but she’d seemed adamant about Chai not knowing yet. The poor girl would be too excited for something that wasn’t even a full relationship yet. Shaking your head, you looked back to Chai who was standing in the mirror looking at herself. “With these gorgeous shoes from Ahsoka’s friend as a starting point to design the dress around, I don’t see us having any issues deciding on a style.” You motioned to the shoes sitting in their box still. “You’ll have to send her a thank you note. Couldn’t have been cheap to ship from Naboo.”

The tea shop owner nodded as she turned and eyed her body carefully. What style should she go for?“From what Ahsoka told me, her friend died a while ago but the person handling her assets was positive she’d want another bride to wear them for her wedding.” Chai stared at the gorgeous heels with flowers embossed on the gold material. “Apparently her wedding was at a lake. I asked if she wanted them returned but Ahsoka said to keep them.” It was far too kind for shoes that looked more expensive than she’d ever spend on shoes. But the lovely gift would be a treasured moment in their ceremony.

“Oh, how sad.” You made a mental note to make sure the expensive shoes were properly cared for. “Did the husband not want her things around?” The memory of when you’d tried to throw all your parent's stuff away after their death came back to you. The sight of your dad's jacket or your mom's scarf would hurt too much to see them around. You were glad that Phee had stopped you from discarding the items.

Chai turned and sat on the stool she’d been standing on. “Apparently he died around the same time. Super tragic. But from what Ahsoka told me, she’d never seen two people more in love.” That was all the mysterious Jedi would share about the owner of the shoes and her life. Chai hadn’t felt the need to push the topic.

“Oh, how heartbreakingly tragic!” Doll leaned back in the chair. “I hope they’re with one another now. Happy and still in love.”

You hoped that Doll wasn’t about to cry on that silk. It was from Naboo and worth a good chunk of credits. Your oldest friend was a hopeless romantic when it came down to it. With others, she acted as though she didn’t care but romance novels and movies were her guilty pleasure. “That’s all any of us really want. Isn't it?” You gave your friend a reassuring smile before tapping at your datapad. “What about something with puffed sleeves?”

Chai made a face at you making all of you laugh brightly. It had been a while since all three of you had been together like this. You’d missed it. “Ok, ok. How about…” you tapped at the screen a few times. “Something like this?”

“Oh, Stitches. It’s perfect.” Chai walked over and stared at the design on your screen. Yes, that was her dress.

-*-

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing. It seemed Doll and Crosshair had made up just in time for the wedding as he was currently leading her towards the side of the Archium. You nudged Wrecker and pointed towards the two. “Would you look at that? Looks like Crosshair is settling in.”

“That’s my brother! Always good with the ladies.” He placed a hand on your shoulder with a proud smirk. “She’s gonna be good for him, right?”

“Yeah. She’s sweet and has a wart of gold. Only thing I worry about is the romantic notions she has. She can fall kinda easily for someone.” The poor girl had just gotten over a crappy relationship right before Crosshair and the others had returned to the island.

“Cross is still recovering … but I think he’ll take care of her.” He stroked his chin in thought. “Don’t worry, if he hurts her, I’ll hurt him.” Though he doubted it would ever come to that.

“Sounds good.” A noise on the opposite side of you caught your attention making you look towards the source. You watched as Chai and Tech tried to make their secret exit from the party. Her dress had come out beautifully and was perfectly paired with the golden heels she’d been gifted. The pressed flowers between the layers of her dress had come out exactly as you’d hoped. It had been touch and go for a while but you’d somehow pulled it off. “I don’t think they’re being as secretive about leaving as they think they are. You chuckled softly to your fiancé next to you.

Wrecker watched as Chai made a gesture to her brother begging him for silence as they made their way out of the Archium courtyard. “Not even a little.” He looked down at you and smiled while brushing some of your hair over your shoulder. “So what’d ya think? Wanna have a big wedding like this?”

A laugh left you as you shook your head. “Not in the slightest. Far too many people and far too chaotic.” You placed a hand on his bicep and stroked it lovingly. “Just me, you, and Shep to officiate. Plus the rest of our little family. But that’s it. We don’t need the entire island there.”

“Sounds good to me. Means we don’t need a big party and I can have you all to myself.” He leaned down and kissed you gently. “We’ll still have cake, right?”

“Of course.” You winked at him before stepping over to Omega and shaking her awake gently. “Can’t deny this one her cake.” The child had eaten herself into a sugar coma and was currently nuzzled under the large tree in the courtyard. “Come on, ‘Mega. Time for bed.”

Omega yawned while stretching her arms over her head. “But I’m not tired.” The plate of half-eaten sweets and treats fell to the side as she adjusted. “What about the party?”

“You’ve been sleeping the last thirty minutes!” Wrecker joked while reaching down to pick up his sister. “Tech and Chai left already. Time for bed.”

“But I didn’t get to say goodbye,” Omega whined while climbing into Wrecker’s arms. Her body felt so tired and her head kind of hurt.

“We’ll see them in a few days.” Smiling, you picked up her plate and walked it over to a nearby trash while Wrecker followed you.

“Will they have babies next?” She kicked her feet lazily from Wrecker's shoulder.

You froze and looked at her. “Well … I don’t know. Maybe. That’s kind of a discussion for them to have.”

“Oh,” Omega thought silently to herself for a moment before speaking again. “Are you and Wrecker going to have babies?”

“I … we …” you stumbled over your words as you tried to find the right words. Quickly, you looked at your lover for help.

“That’s one of those adult conversations that Tech was telling ya about.” Wrecker adjusted the girl on his shoulder.

Omega chewed her lip in thought for a few minutes. From the way you were acting, it seemed like it had been an uncomfortable question. “Will you, please?” She was so tired that the question had just slipped from her lips.

The three of you had started walking towards the house when she made her request. “Omega?” You stopped and looked up at her. “Why do you want us to have babies so badly?"

Wrecker lowered the sleepy girl to the ground before taking his place next to you and kneeling. Omega shifted a few times before finally laying her heart out to you both. “When I found out that Emerie was a clone it was like something changed inside me. I had a sister. A blood sister. But then Hemlock killed her to punish me and it… hurt a lot.” She toed the cobblestone a few times. “I want family members my size, my age. I miss seeing the babies and kids around Kamino.”

“Having babies the natural way is … well it’s difficult, sweetie.” There was a lot to it and honestly, you weren’t sure the clones could even reproduce. Wrecker had told you that he’d been told that clones were unable to reproduce. But he’d also been told there were no female clones and right now you were both staring at the truth. “For now, let’s just enjoy being our own little family, like we have been, yeah?”

Omega nodded while wiping a few tears away. You reached over and took one of her hands while Wrecker took the other and continued your walk home. After a few minutes, she spoke once more. “What does fertile mean?”

Once again you froze midstep. What the hell was in that cake that she was asking these types of questions? You turned and looked at the blonde with a tinge of concern in your eyes. “W-why do you want to know that? Did someone say that to you?”

“Nala Se and one of the other Kaminoans were talking about the reproductive capabilities of the clones. Nala Se they were told something about being infertile but were actually very fertile. What does that mean?” Omega watched as some kind of look crossed your face. Shock? Confusion? Surprise? It was hard to tell.

Wrecker felt like his knees were going to give out. Fertile. If Tech said that infertile meant unable to reproduce then fertile was the opposite and she said that they were very fertile. Which meant that they could have kids. Kids, he could have kids. The two of you needed to talk ASAP. But what did he say? Was he supposed to tell her the truth? Raising kids was hard. “W-well you see. It means … “

“It means they’re great at farming. Why do you think Cut and his family are doing so great?” The ease at which that fell out of your mouth was slightly concerning. But you’d question that later. Right now, Wrecker was giving you a smirk that was making your heart skip. Kids, you two could have kids. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

-*-

“So … guess we should talk about tonight’s revelation. Huh?” You sat on the edge of your bed in your nightgown with your feet swaying.

Wrecker nodded as he pulled his shirt over his head. “Guess so.” All he’d been thinking about since that moment an hour ago was you carrying his child. The idea of your stomach swollen and full because of him had unlocked something within him. Wrecker stepped over to you with just his pants on. Kneeling in front of you, he took your hands in his. “I know what I’m thinking and how I feel. What about you?”

You blinked a few times trying to keep yourself calm. “I … like the idea of us having a child someday. I’ve always liked that idea. I just … didn’t think that was a possibility for us.” Your eyes stung as you began to fight back tears. “B-but now we can. Now we have that chance.” A few tears ran down your cheek. You sincerely hoped he felt the same way. “What do you think?”

“I think you’ll look amazing carrying our child.” He whispered before leaning into you and kissing you deeply. His hand wrapped around the back of your head and kept you close while he felt the wetness of your tears run against his lips. “You’ll be beautiful and I’ll care for you, Omega, and our baby in every way possible.”

“You sure I won’t disgust you with my swollen ankles and morning sickness?” Sweetly, you ran your nose against his while leaning back into the bed.

Wrecker laughed brightly while crawling over you and caging you beneath his body. “I’ll find you the sexiest woman in the universe.” He bent down and kissed above your breast. “I’ll get you whatever weird cravings you want. I’ll sleep with the house like a frozen tundra or like the sands of Tatooine.” He kissed above the other one while moving towards your shoulder where the thin black strap of silk material held the dress up. “If you want the house to smell like fish then so be it. If you want us to stop eating Mantel mix because the smell makes you sick then we will. Whatever you desire, I will do it.”

His lips pressed against the crook of your neck while his sweet words danced in your ears making you sigh in need. “All I’ll need is you by my side, riduur.”

“I’ll be there for you. Always. Either inside or beside you, my nebula.” Rough lips pressed to your jaw before finally finding your lips once more. He raised his calloused fingers to your thigh and slowly pushed the material up, pleased to find you’d forgone panties. “You’re missing something, Sarad.”

His thick fingers pressed into your thigh pulling a small moan from your lips. “I thought we could practice some more.”

A deep dark chuckle left the clone as he pulled away from your lips and leaned back to stare at your needy body. Your legs were spread open with the dress pushed up around your waist and your heat glistened in the light for him. “Kriff, I’ll never get over how delicious you look, Mesh’la.” He moved to the edge of the bed and pulled you with him, making you squeak. “We’ll practice as much as you want. Not in any rush to share ya just yet.”

You prepared to comment back to him but instead found your words replaced by a long moan. Wrecker had flicked his tongue right over your sensitive bud and was quickly turning you into a puddle. “P-practice time?” He growled an ‘mhmm’ from between your legs sending a vibration through your body. Kriff, how were you supposed to be quiet when he moved his tongue like that?

“That’s right, be a good girl and be quiet. Don’t want ‘Mega hearing us.” He smirked up at you from his happy place between your legs, watching as you bit your lip in need. Sure, making you scream while forcing you to be quiet was mean but you were so damn pretty when you fought your voice. “Don’t want her to hear us farming in here.” Wrecker gave you a teasing smirk.

“Ugh, I panicked.” You laid your arm over your eyes and sighed as Wrecker's breath ghosted your core. “I will admit, you’re pretty kriffing amazing at f-farming.” His tongue swirled around your pearl and you were instantly a moaning mess.

The large clone chuckled before he gripped your thigh and squeezed it. “We’ve been farming a lot lately. Lots of practice.” He moved his free hand below his chin and ran a thick digit across your opening. Your cute whine beneath him made his hips roll against the edge of your bed. His cock was getting too hard in these pants, he needed to take them off. “Be a good girl and play with yourself while I get undressed.”

You watched him stand and slowly begin to unbutton his pants. Reaching between your legs, you slowly rubbed your clit. It wasn’t as good as his tongue, you’d found that nothing could be as good as his tongue. But it was doing enough to keep you stimulated and in need of him. “Wrecker” you gasped softly while rolling your hips against your hand, your speed picking up. “Need you. Now. Please.”

He growled while watching your fingers dance across your core. “Such a good girl.” Came as a whisper from him as he lowered his pants and stepped out of them. He watched as your fingers slid closer to your opening and quickly, his large hand reached out and grabbed yours while tutting at you. “That’s my job, sarad. Ya that needy that you forgot?”

A long whine left you as you took in the hard member between his legs. Screw his mouth and fingers! You wanted him . Sitting on the edge of the bed, you reached out and wrapped your hand around his cock while using your other hand to beckon him closer. Wrecker happily moved closer to you and let out a long sigh as your hand started to pump him slowly.

“Eager, ain’t ya?” He rocked his hips into your hand, helping you pump him.

“Need you filling me up.” Knowing that you could have kids with him was making you so unbelievably needy for him to screw you.

Wrecker let you work on his cock while bending down to kiss you. “My sweet nebula, are you asking me to breed you?” A sentence he never thought he’d say.

Was that what this was? A desire to be bred and swollen with his seed? Stars, you never thought your life would get to this point but you had to admit you loved the idea. “Yes! Please, breed me Wrecker.” His hips stopped moving and instead, you were pushed back onto the bed.

You were so damn hot when you begged for him like this. Like hell was he going to say no. “Get on all fours, sarad. Gonna screw ya good and hard.”

You moved so fast that you would have thought your life depended on it. His strong hands wrapped around your waist and held you firm. The strong demanding feeling of his hands on your body was so mind-numbingly amazing feeling you could easily get lost in it. The tip of him was rubbed against your folds gathering the wetness from his mouth and your need to help ease him entering you. You shuddered at the feeling as he lined up with your entrance before carefully and slowly pressing into you. A long hiss left you as you felt the telltale pressure of him inside of you. He filled you perfectly in all the right ways. Your lover shifted before pulling away and thrusting into you once, twice, and three times. You were a howling mess instantly. “Yes, Wrecker!”

Wrecker watched you fall onto your elbows and bury your face into one of the pillows, no doubt trying to muffle your cries of pleasure. He hummed at the delicious sight of you bent over in front of him, his dick buried in your core. “Look so good like this.” He thrusted languidly a few more times before he watched your arm move beneath you. Suddenly you were clenching him and keening even more into the pillow. You were playing with yourself while he fucked you, perfect. “That’s right. Work yourself while I fuck ya.” He groaned as you squeezed him. He’d fucked you the night before and yet your cunt was as amazing as ever. Lasting long wouldn’t be in the cards for him that night. Not when he knew you wanted him to breed you. That delicious idea of his seed filling you was single-handedly driving him to his climax.

“Wrecker, fill me with your cum. Please. Fuck me and fill me.” His hands tightened around your waist as his speed increased. “Oooohhhh.” Between him hitting that spot inside you and your fingers working between your legs, you were becoming a blubbering mess. Suddenly, his hand was on one of your ankles and pulling it up. You turned to the side slightly and found him placing your ankle near his ear. The position allowed him to sink deeper into you and after four hard deep thrusts that was it for you. You came in a stifled cry as he continued to fuck you through your orgasm.

Kriff, your cunt held him for dear life, practically begging for his seed. Who was he to hold back? He gripped your thigh tight and held you in place as he deepened his thrusts and his speed. The lewd sound of your sweaty bodies slapping filled the room as the bed began to squeak. He didn’t care, he was ready to fill you. “Say it again. Beg for it.”

“Please, Wrecker.” You sighed through your post-orgasm haze. “Fill me with your seed. Let me milk you.”

You said it in such a sensual and needy way it had him falling over his edge. Each thrust of his orgasm was deep and hard as he tried to plant himself as deep into your body as possible. The hot strings of his release coated your walls and filled you as much as possible, nearly overflowing from your body. “Fuck, so good at milking me.” He continued to thrust slowly to ensure all of him had been planted inside of you.

Once he came down from his high, he didn’t pull himself from you. Instead, he kept himself buried inside your warmth to ensure none leaked out of you just yet. Your ankle was lowered back to the bed and he fell behind you before placing kisses across your shoulder. “Think that’ll take?”

Reaching behind you, you stroked his cheek sweetly while humming. “That would be nice. But if it hasn’t taken thus far then we may need more practice.” You hadn’t lied to Omega when you’d stated it could take a couple years. Your parents had tried for three before you were born and were never able to conceive again.

“Hmmm, don’t mind the practice. Only practice I’ll look forward to.” He whispered into your ear, his fingers ghosting your arm. While he enjoyed screwing you, this post-sex cuddling was his favorite part. In this moment everything in life was perfect. You were perfect and glowed with a post-sex aura. All he wanted was to be near you when you were like this.

“Then we’ll keep practicing. You know what they say, practice makes perfect.”

-*-

“Sarad? What are you doing out here?” Wrecker was surprised to find you outside. Chai and Tech's new baby, Ashla, was inside your home and you’d done nothing but talk about how excited you were to hold her.

You turned from the courtyard wall and looked at your love. “Thinking.” You leaned back against the wall to the distaste of your fiancé. No matter how much had changed and how brave he’d become when it came to his fear of heights, he still hated that you liked to lean against this wall. Some things never changed.

Wrecker walked over and leaned against the wall next to you. His hand took yours and held it up so the sunlight could glean off your engagement ring. “About what?”

Well, maybe some things didn’t fully change. When you first met you couldn’t even get him to come over here and lean against the wall. Now he was willingly doing so. “Our wedding. How many people were inviting.”

“Having second thoughts about the size?” He tugged at your hand and pulled you into him. His arms wrapped around your waist as you pressed your back into his chest. “What a big wedding?”

“Nah, but I think we may have forgotten one or two people.” His arms squeezed slightly before he chuckled.

“Shouldn't be a problem then.” Wrecker leaned down and kissed your cheek sweetly. “That all that’s on your mind?”

You chewed your lip in thought before tilting to the side and looking up at him. “Why haven’t you held Ashla yet? She’s nearly five months old.”

Wrecker shifted awkwardly. “Afraid I’ll hurt her. She’s so tiny and my hands are so big.”

“You won’t hurt her. She’s delicate but not breakable. I know you’ll be careful with her.” You pulled one of his arms from your waist and held his big hand up for you both to look at. “You gotta get used to holding babies, my love.”

“Why’s that?” He placed his head against the top of yours and closed his eyes. To his surprise, you took his hand and placed it on your stomach. “Sarad?”

You bit your lip as his thumb stroked your stomach, how he hadn’t noticed the little bump growing there had amazed you. “Took almost a year. But … well … we’ll have two of our own soon.”

“What? Two? Babies?” Wrecker's mind was scrambling to put the pieces together and to fully understand what you’d said. ‘Two of our own’ your own … “we’re having twins?” You nodded in front of him and he let out a victorious yell. The sound shook the ground around you.

“When you farm, you do it perfectly.” Blushing at his excitement you stepped away and turned to face him. You pulled the bottom of your shirt up a little and turned to the side for him to see. “I’m three months along.”

It took him a moment to notice but sure enough, there was a little bump. Three months, that only gave him six to learn all he could about babies. What did they eat? He’d seen Chai feed Ashla earlier with a bottle. Was that all they ate? Bottle stuff? What about caring for them? How did he stop them from crying all the time? And their diapers! How did he change one of those? They smelled so bad too, would he just get used to them?

“Wrecker?” You could see him getting lost in his thoughts. “Are you okay?” Lowering your shirt, you moved back over to him. “Hey, my love?” You grabbed his hand and placed it back against your stomach. “Talk to us.”

Wrecker blinked a few times before feeling the warmth of your body. “Us …. Us” that’s right. It was no longer just you two. You’d be a family of four in a few months. “I have … a lot to learn.”

You chuckled brightly while nodding. “Yes, you do.” Taking a step towards the house, you pulled him with you. “Starting with holding a baby.”

-*-

Calm, that’s how you’d describe Pabu. The weather was always perfect, save for a rare storm every few months, and the waves always crashed against the rocks of the island in a calming rhythm. Standing in your living area, you watched your little family celebrate the news of your pregnancy. Your best friends Chai and Doll sat with their respective partners, Tech and Crosshair, while the love of your life nervously took Ashla from Omega. Echo spoke hastily with Dove about something closer to the kitchen and Hunter watched the entire group with a protective gaze.

Outside you could hear the foghorns of the fishing boats out at sea, working their lives away to provide for their families and those of the island. You were born here, raised on the sea life brought in daily by the fishermen. While others had escaped whatever horrors they experienced out there in the galaxy by coming here, you’d learned to walk on these cobblestones. Scraped your knees in the plaza at the top of the island and learned to swim in the bay on the back of the island. One day so would yours and Wrecker’s children.

This was your home, where your little family went through disasters with one another and came out stronger on the other end. Where laughter and tears were shed and new loves were formed.

This was Pabu.

This was home.

The End

Taglist:

@rndmpeep @sarahskywalker-amadala @queenariesofnarnia @idoubleswearimawriter @bambambunny @ravenclawbitch426 @jupitersaturnapollo @mzjakao @heylosers06 @dangraccoon @impala1967666 @andrakass2 @ducks118 @motte-the-goblin @rintheemolion @merkitty49 @jediknightjana @onyxtides @moon-wrecked @mssbridgerton @griffedeloup

[lightspringrain]

Tears in the Sea

Summary: What if Tech didn't make it out of Hemlock's lab. What would his funeral on Pabu look like?

Notes: The story and images where created by me (LightSpringRain) and can also be found on A03. This story was edited by @eclec-tech.

The cloudless skies betrayed. There was a stillness in the air. A somber tone. There was no one in the streets of Pabu. There was no one on their boats, no one at the beach. There was no one in the pilot seat of the Marauder. There was only an emptiness and the pain of an open wound that filled the air. For today was not a day of joy but of a day of reflection. A day to say one’s final goodbyes. A day to let go of all the grief and begin to learn how to love again.

Tech knew all the calculations and risks probably before any of The Bad Batch set foot on Eriadu. He knew the probabilities of surviving the fall the second he looked down and deeply sighed. He knew even if he were to survive, he would be in enemy territory, gravely wounded and alone. However, none of that mattered. He knew what he had to do in order to save his family.

His plan worked. His family survived but only to be broken up again by a betrayal, long coming. His probabilities and calculations were right. He did survive but only to be captured by Dr. Hemlock. Tech’s body was broken. Too broken to fix even by the doctor. It was the machines that gave him life. A life of pain and torture. A life forced to do unspeakable things and aid in diabolical plans. However, Tech did believe there was a reason he was alive. That reason came when he saw his brothers again.

Although he was tethered to Hemlock’s lab, he was able to aid his brothers. To his delight and fear, everyone he loved was on Mt. Tantiss. Even Phee, who had not given up on the possibility that he was alive. Tech aided his family while still in the lab as they freed the clones and rescued Omega and Crosshair. When they came to get Tech, he had to inform them that he could not go with them...not in the way they wanted him to leave. He was living on borrowed time.

It was Hunter’s worst nightmare. He was so close to having his family together again, but sacrifices had to be made. It was always Tech that made them, but he never second guessed his decisions. It was Tech that asked them to unplug him from Hemlock’s machines. He insisted it would be mercy for him. Mercy to let him have a moment in time where he was certain of peace.

Although their relationship was new and had its growing pains, it felt like the start of a true spark. Tech wanted to navigate it with Phee and see where it would go, but time was cruel. He only had a minute to say his final goodbyes, but he was glad he got to see her again. Glad he got to tell Phee his hopes and realized they shared the same dream. He was glad he got to see his family one last time, knowing they would be safe soon. His purpose as a soldier was done.

It was Crosshair who unplugged Tech - a death that would forever haunt him. Crosshair had heard how Tech stood up to rescue him when all others doubted him. At first he was angry at Tech, for he did not believe he was worth saving. However, now with the consequences in front of him, it would be cruel to deny the meaning of Tech’s sacrifice. Crosshair had to accept his worth to his family after all.

Circumstance gave The Bad Batch the opportunity to bury their brother this time. His body would not be lost in the battlefield, or be kept in a lab to be used as some sort of science experiment. Months after their escape from Tantiss the day came when all preparations were ready. The day felt so heavy even under the cloudless skies. It was time to lay Tech to rest.

His body was no longer being preserved in bacta. Out on the main pier sat his coffin on a stage. It was white like his armor, with a streak of orange running down the middle. There was a little window where one could look at his face. He looked at peace, like he was having a nice dream. Omega wasn’t sure how she felt about this. She wasn’t sure if it made her feel better or worse.

It was morning and people shuffled as they laid out the tables and chairs all along the beach. Normally Omega was one to help, but instead she was near the shore sticking a stick into the wet sand. She glanced over to the pier where Tech layed and got a sinking feeling in her stomach. It wasn’t as strong as it was before, but it still made her look away quickly.

“Sooo. This is where you've been all morning?” Omega continued to stare at the ground despite Phee’s voice.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she grumbled as she threw the stick into the water. Omega clutched her knees as the sinking feeling returned. 

“I didn’t expect you to,” Phee said softly. She stood next to Omega for a moment and looked out to the sea then to Tech’s coffin. She deeply sighed and asked, “Mind if I join you?”

Omega gently wordlessly nodded, still refusing to look at Phee. The two sat there for a moment, not speaking at all - Omega lost in thought and Phee continuously staring out to the sea.    

“Phee, have you lost someone before?” Omega finally broke the silence. Phee knew Omega would come around with some space. 

“Certainly, people who were close to me and some who were not.” Omega finally was able to look at Phee with this comment. She searched Phee’s eyes for an answer to an unspoken question.  

“Is there any way to…understand grief?” 

“People might think there are paths on how grief travels but there are no maps to these things. We all grieve differently and grief can take many forms.” Omega again returned to looking at the ground and Phee to the sea. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.” 

“Am I a bad person because it doesn’t hurt so much anymore?” Omega asked in a broken voice. Phee took a second to respond. She again looked at Tech’s coffin and looked back to Omega. 

“When we love someone, we put a piece of our souls into theirs and vice versa. When they are ripped away, that piece is also ripped and it creates a deep wound. That wound changes things. It may take a long time to heal, but when it does that person stays with us in a new way. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It just means you are ready to love him freely again.”

Omega broke her lock on Phee’s eyes as she tried to process what Phee had said. Slowly she realized something.  

“I once was sad to be even in the Marauder. It feels different now that Tech is not piloting it, but now it makes me smile to remember all our flying lessons … us practicing the Tech-Turn.” There was a faint smile as Omega recalled the memories. There were still tears building in the corner of her eyes but she felt less guilty about the joy returning to her heart. 

“That is the spirit!” Phee put her hand on Omega’s shoulder. Omega smiled at her. “You are able to appreciate the legacy he left behind. We may have lost him, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t able to love him. It may hurt, but to have lost meant you had to have loved. Grief is love expressed through sadness. To heal from grief is to love freely again.” 

“So…I am not a bad person. I am trying to figure out how to love him again.” There was a relief in Omega’s voice as she came to this realization.  

“Remember all the time he spent with us. Let those memories make you smile again,” Phee said while clutching her chest and looking at Tech’s coffin. 

“Isn’t that right, Brown eyes?” she whispered so low that even she could barely hear it.   

The sun was reaching noon. There was a gentle breeze, and a light buzz. Some of the residents gathered at tables set along the beach. The Bad Batch and Phee were at a table directly in front of the coffin. It was a tradition to have one last meal before sending a loved one off. It was supposed to be as if the deceased was with them at the table. Only positive memories are supposed to be shared. It was painful and slow at first. Omega finally broke the awkwardness with the memory of Tech winning the Riot Race. Soon The Batch were drinking and laughing. They remembered things back when they were cadets, they remembered things when they first adopted Omega and they remembered things from Tech’s last few days. Tech always had a sassiness that never left him. When it was all said and done, they raised their glasses up high and cheered, “To Tech!” 

The coffin was moved onto a small wooden boat. One by one, the Batch came up and spoke a couple of words and left something behind in the boat. Hunter left one of his headbands. Omega, her trooper doll.  Wrecker, some of his favorite fruits. Echo, some of his tools. Crosshair, his reflectors and Phee her golden hair bands. They gathered around the boat and pushed it off. 

They watched as its sails caught the wind and took it out to sea. They all wore white except for a black sash around their waists. When the boat reached the horizon, they each took off their black sash and let the wind take it away. They were all ripped away and blown over the water. Like tears in the sea, they all dissolved into the water, carrying all their grief and sadness with it. Leaving only a clean white slate behind. 

Over the horizon the boat began to sink. There were reefs below, a whole ecosystem full of life. Slowly the boat pulled itself apart with the weight of the water. The coffin gently sank, landing on the reef where over time it would become a part of it. There Tech layed, in an eternal peaceful slumber. Forever surrounded by life and the sun-filled waters of Pabu. He was born on the sea and he had returned to it. 

[mrbubblyurchin]

Adapting Republic Commando into canon

Yes. I am doing this for fun.

RC was written for the EU, so I thought it could be fun to try to adapt some of its story into the current canon. In fact, there are only a few issues that need to be solved for this to work! Let’s begin.

1- Twi’Leks and Humans can breed

This was a rule that took place in Legends, but obviously we known Kanan and Hera had Jacen in Canon, which means there is now no reason as to why Atin and Laseema cannot.

2- CSF

In the EU, the CSF were pretty popular as the police force more than the Coruscant Guard. I figured that this doesn’t change anything in particular, maybe just that Kal says he prefers working with the CSF over the CG because he has Obrim in the CSF

3- Mandalore

So, obviously Mandalore from the EU and Mandalore from the Clone Wars are… different. Well I have a solution to this. The clones were created in 32 BBY, which was during the Phantom Menace. AKA, after Obi-Wan met Satine, well, after Sabine’s well established rule, she created Mandalore as pacifists. But, for the sake of this universe, a group of Mandalorians went to form their own ‘Mandalore’ on Kyrimorut to adhere to their more traditional Mandalorian values. Jango ruled this new Mandalore for a short time, explaining why Shysa wanted his heir, and why Shysa eventually becomes a Mandalorian ruler. This place would still be Mandalore to them, but it would be separate from the actual Mandalore of the Clone Wars Series.

Kyrimorut= New Mandalore= From Republic Commando

Mandalore= Actual Mandalore= From The Clone Wars

4- Spaarti Clones

So obviously the Spaarti Clones bred by Palps don’t exist in canon. So we are changing them to the most recent batch of clone troopers shipped off Kamino at the end of the war. Maybe still made with second generation Jango DNA. Instead of investigating the Spaarti clones, maybe Besany can find something related to Order 66. Which brings me to my next point…

5- Order 66

This is the biggest issue of canonization within the series. Because in the EU, there were no inhibitor chips. The clones just followed orders. So… what does that do here? Well… there are a few solutions.

Solution One is that they didn’t listen. The Nulls are already incredibly deviant when it comes to orders, so not a real problem there. Omega Squad is iffy, because they weren’t around any Jedi when it happened, but they knew they were going to meet up with Etain, who was a known Jedi. I could see Darman still fighting the chip, but not really for Niner, Atin, or Corr. Fi doesn’t matter since he isn’t wearing his trooper armor, and therefore doesn’t receive Order 66.

Solution Two is better. And it’s that Besany discovered the inhibitor chips based on the same report made by Rex that Ahsoka watched. She managed to access Anakin’s database or whatever cause Jaing tech skills for the win. While she did not discover the purpose of the chips or anything, she discovered they were there, and Kal hated having those chips inside his boys’ heads, and had them be removed as soon as possible in secret. Not to protect the Jedi, but just because Kal didn’t want the Kaminoans to be able to control his sons in any way. Then, when Order 66 rolled around, none of them obeyed.

So, yeah. That’s my idea on adapting RC into canon. Thank you for reading!

[amberskyyking]

Brainworms got me. Tech lives and I have words about it.

***CONTAINS BBS3 FINALE SPOILERS***

Implications Of Being Alive

Chapter 2 - Serving Purpose (This Might Be Banthashit)

CX-2 raised an eyebrow. The thief threw and caught a piece of fruit in the air as he departed, an entirely useless maneuver, it accomplished nothing and was unlikely to serve as an adequate challenge to improve any of his skills. It would serve him better to consume it rather than play with it, given the obvious signs of malnutrition he displayed, from the slack in his cheekbones to his sunken eyes.

The adolescent female watched him go, turning to follow his retreat back into the mines, but the moment he vanished her head bowed in thought. CX-2 felt a tug of concern, which it shouldn’t - And it flinched as it remembered as much, bracing itself to receive punishment for its deviance -

But no punishment came. The scene felt frozen, the girls back to it, turning something over in her head. They had just experienced success, had they not? Humanoids were fickle, it was aware of this, but the idea of one being troubled at a time like this was curious.

If no electric shocks were coming now, there was nothing to stop him from discovering why and adding it to its databanks. Simply for reference, if it was ever questioned. CX-2 dropped its arms loosely at its side and approached.

“What is it?” It questioned.

“The empire’s not the only threat,” She said, her voice sounding smaller than usual… Perhaps even afraid. “We’ve seen so many in the galaxy like Mokko.”

The Empire is only a threat to those who oppose it, is what it should have said. Or perhaps, Resisting is the Empire is futile, insurgents will be eliminated. Yet neither of those perfectly acceptable responses were what came out of its mouth.

“Unfortunately, yes,” He found himself saying instead, staring down at the girl and her sad, trusting eyes. No, that couldn’t be right. It adjusted his goggles, he… He missed his goggles, he had engineered them himself, they had been perfectly tailored to his own specific needs, when had he lost them? Why hadn’t he built a new pair?

It turned back to the rest of his batch and something twinged in his heart again. The girl was looking for assurance from him and it wasn’t quite sure why, but it… he… had a purpose here, that much was obvious. He gave the others an appraising look and chose his words carefully. “However… There are many like us out there, as well.”

Hunter carried one of the last crates onto their ship. Wrecker held his returned tooka doll tenderly in his massive hands. Crosshair… CX-2 wasn’t sure where Crosshair was just now, though logic dictated that he must be nearby. He reached out to give Omega’s shoulder a squeeze.

“And that’s something,” Tech reassured her, and a soft smile settled on her face, filling him with warmth seconds before a monotone alarm yanked it rudely from its stasis.

CX-2 was being activated. It blinked its eyes open, pushed itself upright, and shook its head. For what little sense the fragmented memories made, it hardly seemed worth the effort to purge them from its system completely, not without the treatments he used to receive to assist with that matter. They would only return, they always did, and wasting energy battling them only served to weaken it in the field. Yet it still would be required to empty itself before receiving its directives, so it did so quickly.

The warmth left its body as it did, but it merely shivered once and stood. Delaying further for a small malfunction such as that would be unacceptable. It exited the single bunk domicile with its face blank beneath the helmet, traveling the same path through the same halls of the same star destroyer as it had been for a decade.

There were only two places CX-2 typically reported to anymore. The same lift would take it to either, but today, it was to report up to Colonel Bragg’s suite, rather than down, to the medical bay. It experienced a brief twinge of relief at that, and quickly corrected the feeling before proceeding. There was no point preoccupying itself with that. It would serve whatever purpose the Empire determined was most useful. That was all it existed for. Nothing more.

Reminding itself of that had increased in difficulty as it aged, but it managed. Such challenges were to be expected for organics, and the Empire had not yet seen it fit to replace its remaining organic parts with anything more sophisticated.

It stopped short of the doorway, alerting the Colonel of its presence through the key pad just outside, and awaited entry. Thirteen minutes and fifty one seconds later, the door whirred open.

“CX-2,” Colonel Bragg spoke in her signature clipped tone, barely looking up from her datapad. “A small fleet of Rebel forces have gathered on Terova. Our intel indicates they are using an outpost on the outskirts of the Capital for munitions transfers.”

She gestured for CX-2 to step closer, and it obliged, turning its back to her the way it knew she wanted so she could transfer the data directly rather than waste time on words or formalities. A second later it felt the expected small jolt of a data stick plugging into a space on its spine directly between the shoulder blades, and it resisted the urge to pinch its back at the sensation, as it always did. The intel flooded into its mind directly and scrolled before its eyes in its helmet.

“Find them, eliminate their leader and neutralize their operation,” Colonel Bragg said with a bored sounding sigh.

CX-2 squinted at the data. It’s eyes were getting worse. It would need to update the visual filters in its helmet to compensate for that particular degradation. From the looks of this, though, it would be performing this operation alone. Its lips formed the barest frown. Working alone was typically preferred, however, with three separate objectives…

“Is there a problem, CX-2?”

“There is not,” CX-2 said blandly, but it paused and considered. Even if the TK troopers were utterly incompetent, it had learned that they had their uses. Their confusing logic, unpredictable behavior patterns, and overall lack of skill could be weaponized as distractions or bait, which could be beneficial in this situation.

“Will I have a squad?” It asked before it could remember not to.

Colonel Bragg huffed behind it. “If a squad was necessary you would be given one already,” She said pointedly. “If this mission is beyond your capabilities then perhaps you have served your purpose.”

No, CX-2 didn’t feel that, it didn’t feel much of anything, but the cold from earlier briefly turned to ice at the statement nonetheless. It knew better. It wasn’t its place to question orders, it existed to accomplish objectives… Didn’t it?

It swallowed hard, refusing to acknowledge that at one point, it was nearly certain it had served a different purpose, completely ignoring the traitorous idea that his current one had the potential to be…

Banthashit, one of his “brothers” sneered derisively in his head.

“Good,” Colonel Bragg said, apparently taking its silence as compliance. “I’ll need a full report upon your return.”

The data stick was yanked from the back of its neck. It didn’t wince.

“Dismissed.”

CX-2 marched back out of the office without a single look back. It had a mission. The intel flickered through its mind as it walked and it easily divided its attention between navigating to the hangar and analyzing everything it knew about its targets to form a potential plan and identify exploitable weaknesses.

A minimum of five rebel pilots had been spotted, two identified. One, known in the database only as Cy, was a former Clone Trooper turned traitor, though his CT number was unknown. No matter. A traitor reg may as well be a dead reg. The other was its primary target, the young rebel identified as the leader of this particular effort, a female twi-lek named Hera Syndulla. There was a secondary warning attached in the file to neutralize her C1 unit quickly and with prejudice if it was encountered.

CX-2 would never underestimate a droid, though seeing that the last operative to encounter it had left its body count in the notes was moderately surprising.

In any case, it had been warned. It would fulfill the objectives or be terminated in the attempt. CX-2 slipped into the cockpit of its designated ship, engaged the engines, and piloted it free of the hanger, its mind engrossed in the details of the mission. Once given the all clear, it locked its coordinates, effortlessly executing a sharp swing turn with zero thruster pull to point towards Terova, and punched the hyperdrive.

The ship was encased in glimmering streaks of blue, but not before an excitable voice in the recesses of its mind mis-identified the move as a Tech Turn.

It… It wondered if Tech had liked that name.

FULL STORY HERE!

Chapter 1 HERE!

Chapter 2 HERE!

I’m mostly on A03 so hey. ❤️

[tinywitchgoblin]

Hi I am so sorry I put an ask in a few moments ago for a bad batch ship but I thought of more things to add 😅 so if you don’t mind I’ll start again.

Could I please get a sfw/nsfw if you’re comfortable with that.

I’m in my mid 20s afab, she/her pronouns. I’m an infp a Scorpio, I sit comfortably as an ambivert and I have adhd. I’m 5’7” and am petite with a pear shape body and hearty hips.

I was raised by a kick ass single mother, my passions are music, reading, starwars, theology and mythology.

I am a dreamer who is constantly looking for magic and the impossible. I am empathetic and caring, outgoing, conscientious and compassionate.

In my teen years I was planning on studying to be a doctor like the rest of my family but decided against it when I couldn’t stomach losing patients.

I’m an administrator with a experienced background in medical administration but I have since left the medical profession instead focusing on broad administrative roles.

I my past I have experience with martial arts (ninjitsu and aikido) with focus on Bo staff as well as hand to hand combat and defence, figure skating and reiki.

My family and my friends are my life. I would do anything to protect them. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them. I cannot wait to have children of my own.

I believe that everything in life happens for a reason, both the good and the bad. Everything that we experience shapes us, teaches us and makes us who we are. I wouldn’t change even the worst things I’ve experienced because it makes me who I am. And I’m happy with the person I’ve grown (and am continuing to grow) to be.

If I were in the Star Wars universe I would adore being a powerful force user who only discovered her abilities later into her 20s (who wouldn’t 😂)

I am a romantic person at heart. Although I try to act tough and independent, I’m soft and delicate. I’ve been wronged in love too many times so I have a shield up to protect me. My love language are mainly physical touch and words of affirmation but I enjoy a even amount of all of them. My partner left me at the beginning of the year so I’m learning to be my own person again, heal my heart and start again.

I think I’ve gotten everything this time 😂 thank you so much for your time !

Of course!!

I ship you with...

Echo!

Echo loves every single thing about you, but if he absolutely had to choose, it would be your heart. He sees how much you care about the people around you and how protective you are of your loved ones. Since you started dating (and even before), you grew to be very protective of his family, too, in a way that none of them had really experienced from a non-clone before. Plus, seeing the way you and Omega bonded made his heart melt.

Echo has been through so much pain and suffering, whether that be during or after the war, and he's grown a bit jaded. However, with you, he started seeing the good in the galaxy again. He admires your outlook on life and your desire to learn from your mistakes and become a better person, and he finds it very inspiring. He also finds it fascinating when you talk about theology, especially when it has tangible applications. Echo was never religious, and it wasn't something he was exposed to when he was younger, so to hear you talk about it is something that means a lot to him. He loves having those types of conversations with you.

Learning different types of martial arts was an integral part of Echo's ARC training, so he's a very skilled martial artist- easily the best of the batch. He loves sparring with you and teaching you some of what he learned, as well as learning new techniques from you. It's a good way to keep in shape and he gets to spend more time with you- it's a win-win! Sometimes, Hunter will join in as he has some martial skills as well, but it usually ends with Echo whooping his ass solely for the purpose of showing off (respectfully, of course).

Due to his prostheses, Echo is a bit nervous about engaging in physical affection with you at first, but eventually, after lots of patience and slowly building up to it, he ends up loving it. Some afternoons, the batch will walk in and see you and him cuddling on the couch, fast asleep, not a care in the world. When you sleep at night, you typically end up spooning, but who ends up in which position tends to vary. Either way, as long as you're together, Echo feels safe and secure, both physically and emotionally; you are his safe place.

-

Thanks for reading! If you want a ship request like this, drop it in my ask box, and don't forget to reblog <3