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kamino-coruscant · 2 years
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KAMINO SECURITY TROOPERS
The Clone Wars 6.02 & 6.03
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circadianaa · 2 years
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hello!! hi ceph!!! thank you mutuals discord server for this lovely conversation and new oc i love them more than i know how to articulate
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coaz-photography · 2 months
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Man Down
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mwolf0epsilon · 10 months
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Fives: Please help, my brother is dying.
Kamino Security Guard: I'm not falling for that! It's like, the oldest trick in the books!!!
Fives: .... He's literally dying right there.
Tup, wheezing and panting in agony: The nightmares... The mission... They're over...
Kamino Security Guard: Oh
Kamino Security Guard: Right, LMAO my bad.
Fives: :'(
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sidonius5 · 2 years
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dystopicjumpsuit · 2 months
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Someday
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A/N: Happy Cody Day!
Pairing: Commander Cody x Reader (GN)
Rating: T
Wordcount: 526
Warnings and tags: straight fluff; established secret/forbidden relationship.
Summary: You enjoy a quiet morning with the man you are absolutely not supposed to be with.
Suggested listening:
Masterlist | Sign up for my tag list
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Shore leave mornings were your favorite. They were too rare, these golden, stolen moments with Cody when you didn’t need to sneak past security holocams or explain your presence outside the marshal commander’s quarters to overzealous troopers patrolling the hallways of the Negotiator. Mornings like these were to be savored, and you hoarded them like the precious treasure they were. No comlinks, no datapads. Just slow, lazy hours sipping caf that hadn’t come from an industrial machine and reveling in the quiet intimacy of time alone with your lover.
Cody was reading a volume of Venestrian poetry—an actual flimsi edition he’d found in some charity shop in the Mid-Levels. You lay on the sofa with your legs draped across his lap, dabbling lazily with a piece of charcoal in your sketchbook. At that precise moment, you were trying to capture the exact way the warm sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains caught on the planes of his cheekbones and cast deep shadows on the hollows of his face. It was a futile task if ever there was one, but still, it gave you an excuse to admire him openly.
The only sounds were the soft scratch of charcoal on paper, the occasional rustle of a turning page, and the music playing quietly from your favorite holoradio station. The song ended, and a new one began, its melody hauntingly familiar.
“I love this song,” you murmured absently.
He glanced at you, then set aside his book. “Dance with me.”
“Hmm?” you asked, startled.
“Dance with me,” he repeated in a low voice.
He tugged the sketchbook gently out of your hand, then trailed his fingers up your wrist. With a tiny smile, you shifted your legs off his lap, and he stood, offering his hand to help you up. He pulled you to your feet and seamlessly into his arms, swaying in time to the slow beat just as the singer’s lovely, wistful voice joined the instruments.
“Is that Ryl?” he asked.
“Yes,” you replied. “She’s singing about…”
You trailed off, keenly self-conscious about your tendency to monologue. He smoothed his hand up your shoulder and stroked his thumb across your clavicle softly.
“Tell me,” he whispered. “What is she saying?”
“She’s singing about all the lovely, distant places she wishes to see—Naboo; the temple ruins at Jedha, Cantonica; Scarif; Rugosa. She wants to experience them all instead of just staying at home on Coruscant.”
“Does she ever go?” he asked.
“No. It’s a song about longing, not about doing.”
“That sounds sad.”
You considered for a moment. “I don’t think it’s sad or happy, either one.”
“No?”
“It’s more like daydreaming or wishing.”
He gazed pensively into your eyes, tracing his thumb up the side of your throat. “Is that what you wish for?”
You shrugged. “It's not like we haven't seen our share of the galaxy.”
“I wouldn't exactly call what we do sightseeing,” he observed drily.
“True,” you laughed. “Maybe when the war is over, we can see it together.”
“Mmm.” He pressed his lips to your forehead. “Sounds nice. No more fighting. No more hiding. No more pretending.”
“I know,” you sighed. “Someday.”
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Taglist:
@secondaryrealm @sev-on-kamino spicy-clones @wings-and-beskar @523rdrebel @merkitty49 @anxiouspineapple99 @sinfulsalutations @arcsimper5 @starrylothcat @clio3kantarella @cloneloverrrrr @goblininawig @ladytano420 @arctrooper69 @wolffegirlsunite @sunshinesdaydream @mandos-mind-trick @littlemissmanga @stunkbiggu @starqueensthings @clonemedickix @marierg @idontgetanysleep @moonlightwarriorqueen @dudewhynotthis @sleepycreativewriter @tcwmatchmakingau @littlemissbshine @multi-fan-dom-madness @heavenseed76 @wizardofrozz @bobaprint @sweetcream-coldfoam @banksys-rat @skellymom @pickleprickle @trixie2023 @mythical-illustrator @dickarchivist @cw80831 @kimiheartblade @meredithroseg @flyiingsly @lightwise @swcowgal @reader6898 @cdblake1565 @epicy0n @codyday2224
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hubblebubblehub · 2 days
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I understand why people are upset that Ventress didn't really 'add anything' but to be honest I really liked how vague they kept it.
It's realistic. Ventress wouldn't know anything about m count experiments, and if she did her Intel would have been based on the clone war - I don't think she would've known anything about Project Necromancer considering there's a lot of security and it also seems to be a newer project.
I think Ventress answered the Jedi question for us very clearly - Omega isn't a Jedi. She could have the potential (I guess like Sabine - someone with low aptitude but can be pushed into Jedi status with the right training?) but that's not why the Empire is after her midichlorian wise.
I am really looking forward to seeing how they explain her blood, I think they're really tapping into Kaminoan/Clone centered experiments and lore which is so REFRESHING
I honestly feel like in the Clone Wars series and the Bad Batch too we are always getting CRUMBS on what life was like on Kamino, the extent of the experimentations and lack of commentary on just how BIZARRE the clone army really is. There were millions of them commissioned on some Jedi 'Vision' and they barely lasted a generation (10 years to make, 3 they served in the war(?))
We are only really seeing the aftermath experimentations with the new dark trooper clones (idk the name sorry) but I am so looking forward to more clone lore (especially about female clones like emerie and Omega!!)
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hugmekenobi · 6 months
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S2: The Bad Batch (12)
Chapter Twelve: The Outpost
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Gif by @dreamswithghosts
Hunter x femaleJedi!reader
Series Summary: Some time has passed since everything that happened at Kamino and you and the Batch are trying to figure out your place in the rapidly changing Imperial galaxy. And you're having to do all this whilst figuring out where your relationship with Hunter fits into it.
Chapter Summary: Crosshair's mission for the Empire finalises what he'd feared would happen to him. Meanwhile, you and the Batch take on a tame job yet you find yourself filled with anticipatory dread but you have no sense of why.
Masterlist for S1
<Previous Chapter
Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers (we're in the lovers stage now)
Chapter Warnings: Canon-typical violence, angst, Lieutenant Nolan, character death, my interpretation of Crosshair's thought process, Force-related anxiety, descriptions of exhaustion, poor attempt at kidnapping, light injury descriptions, reader isn't quite on top of things, briefest instances of innuendo (it's tiny and you might not even notice it but including just in case), me making up some of Hunter's past, hurt/comfort
Word Count: 5.9K
Author's notes: Told you I hadn't forgotten about Crosshair lol, the poor boy goes through it. Also added my own thing to go with it and thank you to @fuckoffthanos and @arctrooper69 for helping me out with deciding how this should go! Also, @arctrooper69, loved your idea and had to incorporate it somehow but just the way other things panned out, it's a bit on the tamer side but thank you again! Hope you everyone enjoys!
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He waited by the shuttle and watched. He watched the group of newly redundant clones walk past. It was the same spiel from the Imperial officer every time- “The Empire thanks you for your years of service and wishes you well on your retirement.” Like that would really make a difference.
“CT-9904?”
Yes, that was who he was to them now. Just a designation, but at least he still had a purpose here, not like the countless others he’d seen be forced out. He turned to face the lieutenant who addressed him.
“You’re out of uniform.”
Right, yes. Can’t be seen to look too different. He put his helmet on and awaited his instructions.
“I’m Lieutenant Nolan, your commanding officer for this mission. We’re heading to the Imperial Depot on Barton-4. High-value cargo stored there has been targeted by local insurgents. We’re to secure it until it’s transferred at week’s end.” Nolan paused as he heard the faint voices of the clones already in the shuttle. He let out an irritated sigh. “Fantastic. More clones.”
“Problem, sir?”
“Yes. I don’t like used equipment.” He boarded the shuttle. “Let’s go.”
Right. ‘Used equipment.’ He couldn’t afford to give that more thought. There was a mission to complete. He grabbed his sniper rifle and stepped onto the ship.
--
Barton-4 was an ice planet. And a hostile one at that. The cold wind howled and worked its way through to his armour and seeped into his bones, and the gusts of snow made it hard to see ahead. It was understandable how things had been going so wrong. Getting caught off guard by native insurgents in a place like this would mean the squadron here would have no chance of defending themselves successfully.
The group made their way into the main cargo haul and Nolan addressed the droids moving the shipments. “Where is your supervisor?”
“You must be our reinforcements.”
They all turned in the direction of the voice who emerged from behind one of the containers.
“We expected you 36 rotations ago. Did you get lost?” The clone asked coolly.
“We work on the Empire’s schedule, trooper, not yours.” Nolan replied.
“It’s Commander, Lieutenant.”
“Well, Commander, your orders were to guard and protect this facility and its cargo, yet this outpost is grossly unguarded.” He followed the clone round the corner. “Where are the rest of your men?”
“Dead.” He replied bluntly before he introduced the clones cowering round a heat lamp. “Hexx, Veetch, and I, we’re all that’s left.”
Their names. He was using their names. Not designations.
“Your failings will be dealt with later.” Nolan scolded. “For now, I am in charge here until the cargo is transported.”
“I feel safer already.” The commander drawled.
“Look here, clone, you speak to me with respect.” Nolan snapped.
“In my experience, respect is something to be earned.”
The Lieutenant sneered. “Yet the Empire assigned you to this desolate rock, were you let the majority of your squad get killed.”
The commander didn’t rise to it. “Tell me, Lieutenant, how many missions have you commanded?”
Meanwhile, he watched the interaction between these two men with hidden interest. He liked that this clone wasn’t backing down so easily.
“That’s what I thought.” The commander said as his question was greeted by silence. He addressed his group behind him. “Boys, why don’t you help the new boss get situated?” As soon as they all left, he focused his attention on the soldier in black armour that had followed the lieutenant in. “You, uh, know the lieutenant well?”
“For about two hours.” He responded.
The commander scoffed. “Two hours too long, I bet.”
He hummed in agreement and was both surprised and grateful to see his fellow clone bring over the heat lamp.
“So, what’d you do to get stuck with this mission?”
“Just lucky, I guess.” He said distantly.
The commander’s laugh turned into a sigh. “The name’s Mayday.” He looked at the clone expectantly.
He debated for a moment. It had been so long since anyone had wanted to know his name and cared enough to ask about it. “Crosshair.” It almost sounded foreign; it had been a long time since he’d had a reason to use it.
“Welcome to The Outpost.” Mayday with faux celebration. He grabbed his helmet and blaster. “I’ll give you the lay of the land.”
--
Nothing was out of the ordinary, the ship flew peacefully through hyperspace, with you all deciding that you were going to heed Cid’s instructions- after all she had said you shouldn’t return if you didn’t scavenge anything from the crash site so you were doing as you were told and the added benefit of not being in her employment worked things out quite nicely.
So, why as you sat on the edge of your bunk, was it that with nothing being out of the norm, you had a deep sense of dread lingering in your heart? This was the worst it had been; you had sensed it creeping in the days since the failed mission from Cid and your sleep had been very limited but you had put the cause down as being the mission and assumed it would go away. It hadn’t. And last night had been the worst. It overwhelmed you and had prevented you from sleeping entirely and the exhaustion you were feeling wasn’t helping matters. A light tapping on your leg forced you out of your head.
You glanced down to see Hunter kneeling in front of you, hand on your knee. “Sorry, did you say something?”
“What’s going on?”
“Didn’t sleep well.” You said briskly, not wanting to create a fuss.
“Something on your mind?” Hunter asked kindly. He could tell you were putting a brave face on but even that couldn’t hide the dark shadows under your eyes and the way you could barely keep your head up.
You shook your head. You didn’t want to bother him with something you couldn’t even put a cause or label on. “Is something happening?” You jutted your head in the direction of the cockpit where the others were gathered.
Hunter let your deflection pass for now. He knew you well enough to know that he couldn’t push you to talk. You would come to him when you needed it.
“Phee got in touch. She’s got a mission for us, but she needs us to get some credits from a contact first.”
“And the catch?” You asked, stifling a yawn.
“Her contact seems to have five possible addresses to keep people guessing his location.”
You nodded slowly. “Honestly was expecting worse.”
Hunter gave you a small smile. “I’d figure I’d keep Omega with me and the rest of you split to check out each of the other addresses?”
“Sounds good, Seargeant.” You said as you stood up to go to the refresher. You splashed some water on your face, and you caught a glimpse of your reflection. You did look pretty rough. Your eyes were puffy and dark circles graced the skin underneath them. Maybe a distraction from this feeling would be a good idea. There wasn’t much you could do about the tiredness expect for push through but even doing a small job might help with forgetting for a little bit.
--
Not only had it sounded like Mayday and his team had been hung out to dry with degraded equipment and poor support all the while protecting cargo the Empire hadn’t deemed necessary to inform them of what exactly it was, but it also hadn’t taken long for the first attack on the depot to occur since he and the rest of them had arrived.
The raiders had made it in and out fast and had caused the deaths of the rest of Mayday’s team and had stolen more cargo. The only saving grace had been that Crosshair had been able to hit one of them as they retreated, and the blood trail led to a system of ice tunnels that had allowed them to slip through undetected for months.
Upon Nolan’s request, he and Mayday had gone in search of the crates, and they started with the ice tunnel.
--
“You sure you’re up for this?” Hunter asked you gently as the others stepped off the ship.
You knew he was coming from a good place, but your sleep-deprived state took it as more of an insult. “Yes.” You said tetchily.
Hunter raised his hands in appeasement. “I’m just checking in.”
You exhaled wearily and ran a hand across your face. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s probably best to just leave me be for the moment.” You lifted your hood and mask up.
Hunter debated pushing the matter further, but he decided to wait until this task was over. “Okay.” He put his helmet on and let you leave the ship first.
--
It turned out that Wrecker had the current address and after he confirmed everything went smoothly, Hunter had said you were all to head back to the ship. You cut down an alley way that was a shortcut but also a means to avoid a public scene since you’d been followed once you’d rounded the corner from one of the contact’s alternative residences. “Please, I’m in no mood to do this today.” You said tiredly as the figure dashed in front of you, halting you in your tracks. You stared the Weequay. “What do you want?”
“How’d you know about the money? I’ve been watching that house, and I heard your comm. Where’d you find him?”
“I don’t have it.” You ignored the crux of his question.
“No, but someone you know does. And you’re going to help us get it.”
You really couldn’t be bothered with a simple kidnapping. If you were going to be threatened today, you’d rather it be a bit more interesting than this. “You know you’re not actually going to get anywhere with that plan, right?”
The Weequay simply sniggered and drew a blaster.
You sighed heavily and reached for your holster. Your entire body was slow. You’d never felt so sluggish.
And that was probably why you didn’t pick up on the ‘us’ or register the person that came from behind and smacked the butt of their blaster across the back of your head.
--
“Alright, let’s get going.” Wrecker said cheerily as he stepped on board and put the case down. He took his helmet off.
Hunter glanced past him. “(Y/N)’s not with you?”
Wrecker shook his head. “Was she supposed to be?”
“She’s not come back yet, and we haven’t heard from her.” Omega informed him, her own troubled face matching Hunter’s.
Hunter reached for his comm and tried for you, but he got no reply. “She wouldn’t go radio silent without being told to.”
“You guys aren’t in a fight, are you?” Wrecker asked.
Hunter shot his brother an irritated look. “No. And even if we were, she knows better than to ignore any of us if we’re checking in.”
“(Y/N), come in.” Omega tried but again was met with no response.
Both Wrecker and Tech also attempted to get in touch with you, but nothing came through.
Hunter started pacing. You wouldn’t ignore all of them. You just wouldn’t, no matter what was happening. The panic was starting to set in now. It was something he rarely did and when he did do it, he didn’t like it, but now he was thinking he should’ve pulled his rank with you and at least made you stay on the ship. He’d known you were in not shape to go out there, even if it was a simple mission, whatever you were going through and the exhaustion you were experiencing would have an effect on anyone.
“Hunter, it’s her.” Tech called over from the cockpit as the ship’s main communication control lit up. Only it wasn’t your voice that came through.
“If you want to see her again, meet us with that lovely case of credits you picked up in 30 minutes.”
“How do we know she’s with you?” Hunter asked, doing his best to keep his voice level.
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Her top has half a white skull on it.”
Dammit. Hunter paid no attention to the looks the others gave him. He needed to know more. He needed to know if you were okay. “I want to hear her. For all I know, you just saw her and that was the first thing you noticed.”
The voice chuckled unkindly. “She’s currently… unavailable for speaking. If you want that to be a more permanent state, then by all means, don’t do as we say. But, if you want her back, you better be here.”
“If you’ve hurt her-”
“It’s 20 minutes now. By all means, keep talking and pissing me off if you want her to suffer but I’d suggest you start walking.”
“Wait, but where are-” Omega started to say but the transmission cut out. “How are we supposed to find her?” She addressed the others.
“They used her own comm. I can trace it easily enough.” Tech said calmly as he got to work.
“The rest of us will go over her steps.” Hunter directed before he led the way off the ship.
--
If it wasn’t for the throbbing radiating throughout your skull, you might’ve been grateful for being knocked out. It was the closest thing you’d had to a rest. But the resulting headache and embarrassment at being so easily caught took precedence over any relief at being able to not think about what signals the Force was trying to send you. Now that you were awake, the feeling was back.
“Ah good, you’re up.”
You ignored the voice and took in your surroundings instead. The room was dark, the only light came from the faint glow of a lantern, and you were sitting with your back to a damp wall. Your hands were tied loosely in front of you with a piece of frayed rope. It was the worst attempt at kidnapping you’d ever experienced.
“Don’t worry. We’ve been in touch with your friends. Once we have the money, we’ll let you go.”
Your eyes had adjusted to the dimness, and it was then that you saw the two Weequay men standing by the doorway. You snorted. “Yeah, I’m not all that worried.”
“Oh yeah?” The one that had originally cornered you in the alley said.
“You two really don’t do this a lot, do you?”
“What are you talking about?” The one you didn’t recognise asked.
“Kidnapping people. You two are clearly new to the game.”
“Meaning what?” The first Weequay asked suspiciously.
You released an aggravated huff. You were too tired to do this, but it was your way out of here. “Meaning if you were regulars at this, you wouldn’t have used my comm to send your demands to my team- I’m assuming that’s what you did, right?” Their anxious glance to one another gave you your answer. You continued, “Ideally, you also would tie my hands behind my back, or, at the very least, you would double check the strength of the knot.”
“Check it.” The one you had seen first ordered his companion.
Perfect. As he kneeled down in front of you, you punched him on the underside of his jaw, and he crumbled to the floor. Acting quickly, you broke your hands out of their restraints, and you fired a stun blast from his blaster to the second one, who had been too taken aback by your actions to get his blaster out in time.
You grabbed your stuff and headed for the door, but it was then you heard the faint sound of someone grunting. You were still pretty out of it so as you moved to dodge the blade, your reaction wasn’t quite fast enough. You inhaled sharply as the knife sliced the part of your forearm that wasn’t protected by your armour. It wasn’t much more than a graze, but you could feel blood slowly secreting from the wound and it stung like hell. You whipped around and fired a stun bolt to the half-collapsed figure, and he fell unconscious.
You opened the door to be greeted by three familiar faces. “Oh. Hey, what brings you all here?”
“We were coming to rescue you.” Omega said as she peered around you to see the two knocked out Weequays.
“I appreciate it, kid. I’ll save you something to do next time.” You dug deep for the smile that graced your face as you touched her shoulder. “Thanks for coming after me, guys.” You said to the group.
“Did they hurt you?” Hunter asked urgently as he scanned your body for any obvious injures.
You shook your head. “Nothing major. It was my fault anyway. I completely switched off.”
“Yeah, what even happened?” Wrecker asked you.
“Don’t really wanna relive the humiliation at the moment, Wrecker.” You took a breath. “We good to go?” You asked Hunter who nodded and the four of you walked back to the Marauder.
--
“Tech, would you mind bringing the medkit down here?” You asked as you boarded the ship and sat down on your bunk. “Also, thanks for helping find me.”
“No thanks are necessary. Although, it was a relatively simple mission; I do not understand how this incident occurred in the first place or how you managed to injure yourself.” Tech said frankly as he pulled the medkit down and started to make his way over to you.
He was right but you were embarrassed enough to be so caught off guard like you were and you didn’t need more reminders. “Tech, what about my general demeanour right now makes you think I’m unaware of that fact?” You said through gritted teeth as you tossed your vambrace with a little too much zest judging by the way it smacked off the wall by your bed. You were doing your best to keep it together. You were determined to not let your mood affect the relationships around you.
“I only meant-”
“Tech.” Hunter warned him off calmly as he took to medpack from him. “Just get the ship in the air, okay?”
“Very well.” Tech said with a nod before he turned back for the cockpit.
Omega and Wrecker followed him.
“Do you want-” Hunter started to offer.
“I can do it myself, it’s a really small cut.” You said touchily as you held your hand out for the case.
Hunter didn’t fight you on it and he was prepared to give you space, so he handed it to you. “I’ll be in the cockpit with the others if you need me.” He risked a step forward and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead.
You did feel instantly more tranquil after he did that. “I’m sorry.” You uttered quietly as he stepped away.
Hunter tenderly rubbed a thumb across your cheekbone. “Get some rest.”
--
Crosshair and Mayday rounded the corner of the tunnel, and the blood trail came to an end. Both their lights found the dead body of the raider hunkered against the wall.
“He didn’t get far.” Crosshair said wryly.
Mayday kneeled down to examine the body. “Not sure what bothers me more. That he’s wearing armour stolen off my men or that his cohorts just left him here.”
“No point in carrying deadweight.”
Mayday glanced back at Crosshair. “Remind me not to die on your watch.”
Crosshair didn’t pay the comment much mind. He just carried on walking past, but he didn’t get very far as he suddenly came to a complete standstill as he heard the activation click of something hidden in the snowy ground. His best chance was to not move a muscle.
“Pressure mine.” Mayday stated.
“Mm-hmm.” Crosshair nodded.
Mayday brought his light down to examine it. “What were you saying about deadweight?”
“Do you know how to disarm it?”
“I’m not an explosives expert, but since I don’t feel like carrying your body back to the outpost, I guess I’ll give it a shot.” Mayday took off his helmet and put his blaster on the ground as well as his torch- but he kept the light trained on the pressure mine- as he crouched down. He blew away the flakes of snow still covering it. “Hmm. This mine’s a little different than ones I’ve seen before, but I’m pretty sure they’re all the same. Guess we’ll find out soon enough, huh?”
It wasn’t the most comforting of statements for Crosshair to hear, but he’d take any help he could get at this point.
Mayday pulled out his tools and carefully got to work. “I wish I had the proper equipment for this, but the Empire’s ignored all my requests. I’ve learned to improvise though. I guess all clones have had to since the war. Can’t say I ever thought much about the war ending…” he sighed, “… until it did.”
As Crosshair stood still on the mine and waited for Mayday to get him out of it, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander and start thinking about his old squad and how different this mission would be going. Tech would have the suitable equipment. Hunter would’ve known where to step to avoid a situation just like this and he’d have made finding these raiders look easy despite the conditions. And, even if one of them still found themselves in this position, Wrecker would’ve disarmed it with a degree of ease and sophistication people wouldn’t necessarily expect from him. While he would never admit it out loud, he was finding that he missed them. Mayday’s question to him pulled him out of his thoughts.
“What unit were you with?”
That was a question he did not want to answer. “It doesn’t matter.” He just about manged to grind out.
“Humour me. I could use the distraction.”
Well, if he wanted them both to make it out of this, he had to do what Mayday was asking of him. “Clone Force 99.”
“What happened to them?”
“They’re gone.” He replied subduedly. It wasn’t a lie. They were gone and he didn’t know where they had wound up or even if they were all still together and alive. It had been a long time now since that day on the platform on Kamino.
“And here we are, the survivors.” Mayday peered up at Crosshair. “Hmm. Combat troopers stuck babysitting cargo shipments.”
If he let his mind start to drift down that path any more than he already had on occasion, then he’d lose all sense of purpose. He’d lose that purpose he was so sure this Empire would provide. “Mission’s a mission.”
Mayday chuckled sarcastically. “Yeah, I used to say the same thing.” He inspected his work and grabbed his gear before he stood up. “There. That should do it.” As he saw Crosshair start to move, spoke up swiftly. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t pick up your foot yet. Wait until I tell you, then lift it, but real slow like.” He started to walk past him. “I’ll wait around the bend. If I don’t hear a boom, then I’ll know it worked.”
“Glad your confident in your work.”
Mayday put his helmet back on as he continued to walk away. “Oh, I’m confident. I’m just not stupid. Remember, nice and slow. On the count of three. One. Two. Three.”
Crosshair lifted his foot and sighed in relief when there was no explosion.
The two of them made their way out the tunnel into the storm. It was then they saw the light radiating from the raider’s base and they put their plan of attack into action.
--
It had been going well. The enemy bas was destroyed, and they were able to reclaim the cargo. They went down to the area where the cargo had spilled. But it was then when it had started to go wrong as they both discovered what it was they were risking their lives for and what it was Mayday and his men had men had devoted their lives to defending. And… and it wasn’t worth the fight they had put in.
“Gear?” Mayday said aloud as he examined the boxes. “We’ve been risking our lives to recover equipment we could have been wearing this whole time?”
Crosshair nudged a helmet with his foot to expose the design. “It’s not clone trooper gear.” Because why would it be? They were disposable after all.
Mayday picked up a breastplate. “New toys for their shiny new military, and we get the scraps. After all the clones have done, all we’ve sacrificed… We’re good soldiers. We followed orders. And for what?”
Crosshair didn’t have an answer for him. He thought he’d been a good solider but how was that being rewarded? He couldn’t see it. If he had any lingering doubts about where his place in this Empire was, this mission was doing a good job of eradicating them. He, Mayday, and all his fellow clones weren’t valued. They weren’t worth anything to this Empire.
Suddenly, a growing rumbling echoed around them.
“Go!” Mayday ordered as he saw avalanche hurtling towards them from the mountain behind them.
They ran as fast as they could through the deep snow, but they couldn’t outrun it, the best they could do was make it past the rock ahead.
Crosshair didn’t know what happened. One minute both of them were running side by side, and the next Mayday was knocking him past the rock and letting himself get swept up by the snow first which meant he smashed into the rockface.
Crosshair’s helmet was knocked away and the best he could do was take a deep breath as the snow smothered him.
--
Crosshair punched a hand through the top of the snow before his head followed and he breathed in the cold air. His entire body was numb and shivering but he couldn’t dwell on that for too long since he’d caught sight of Mayday’s helmet a few metres ahead. He heaved his way through the waist deep snow towards it and started to desperately dig through to find his companion.
It was after a few moments that Mayday’s face came into view, but his eyes were shut, and his body was limp as Crosshair propped him against the rock behind him. “Mayday? Mayday, wake up!” The faint groan from Mayday’s mouth was enough of an indicator that he was alive… that there was hope for him. “Come on. We have to move.”
Mayday’s eyes flickered open. “Go.” He gasped. “I won’t make it.”
Crosshair didn’t know what possessed him to grab Mayday’s helmet and put it back on his head. All he knew now as he supported Mayday’s body was that it was something he had to do. He had to make sure they both made it back and Mayday would survive. He was going to get them both through the storm.
--
Hunter came back from the cockpit to see everyone else asleep but you. You were perched on the edge of your bunk looking utterly shattered and anything but relaxed. You still had all your gear on, minus the one vambrace you’d taken off to tend to your cut earlier. “Sweetheart, you need to get some sleep.”
“I can’t.” You mumbled, utterly defeated, as you brought your head down to lean against his shoulder.
Hunter rested his head on top of yours. “Tell me what’s wrong?”
“I can’t because I don’t know.” You sighed deeply and pushed your face into the crook of his neck. “I’m just so tired.”
“What can I do?” Hunter asked softly.
“Knock me out until we rendezvous with Phee.” You suggested, only half kidding.
“I’m not sure that’s the best idea, but we can keep it as an option.” Hunter said lightly. “Come on.” He gently nudged you up, ignoring your slight groan of protest. He went to the ground in front of you.
“Okay, but I’m pretty tired, can’t promise I’ll be super enthusiastic.” You attempted levity but your tone was too flat.
“Hush you.” Hunter said with a slight grin. He got to work on taking your boots off before he came to sit next you. He started to delicately take your remaining armour off before he reached for the ends of your first layer. “Arms up.” He prompted tenderly.
Your arms felt heavy, but you did as he asked and he brought it up and over your head, taking care to not let you get caught in the material. “Now what?” You asked drearily.
“Now you lie down and close your eyes.”
“You know, I have tried doing that.” You said drily.
Hunter gave you an imploring look. “Just trust me, okay?”
You did and so you found yourself lying back down.
Hunter enveloped you. He rubbed, light, soothing patterns across your arms and back. He could feel how tense you were. He kept his voice quiet and low to create as restful an environment as he could for you. “I want you to focus on me. Nothing else. Nothing else matters. It’s just you and me here right now. Switch off. Focus on my voice. Focus on my heartbeat. Breathe with me.” He stared taking slow, deep breaths whilst continuing his peaceful touches. “It’s just us. I’m right with you. You don’t have to think about anything else. I love you. I’ll always be right here.”
You did as he asked. His hands were warm- if a little rough- against your arms but years of wielding a blaster would have that effect and you welcomed that feeling. It reminded you of all that he had survived, of what you all had survived and that he was there with you. Deep breaths. He’s here. He’s okay. Everyone’s okay. Shut it off. You thought to yourself. You mirrored his breathing and continued to listen to his words.
As the minutes grew longer and you continued to listen to him, you felt yourself start to relax into him. Your eyes grew heavy, and it was easier to keep them shut this time. How’d you know how to do this so well?
“Growing up with enhanced senses had its difficulties. I had to learn how to manage it.” He felt you nuzzle closer to him, and a deep sigh left your body. “There you go” He murmured as he kept caressing your body. “Keep breathing with me.”
Things felt easier now as you focused on him, on his scent, on the feeling of his hands on your body, on his breathing. And the last thing you remembered was you telling him you loved him and the kiss to the top of your head from him before you drifted off.
--
Crosshair staggered onto the main platform of the outpost and fell to his knees. He tried to be as gentle as he could when it came to putting Mayday down.
“About time you two returned.” Nolan said harshly as he approached the two men.
“He-” Crosshair broke off with an exhausted pant before he removed Mayday’s helmet. “He needs a medic.”
Nolan ignored him. “I see you didn’t retrieve the crates, which means you’ve failed your mission.”
How could that be all he was concerned about? “Did you hear what I said? Help him!” Crosshair begged as he could feel the pain and weariness creeping into his own body, but Mayday needed the help first. He had to be saved.
“Certainly not. That would be a waste of the Empire’s resources.”
“He’ll- He’ll die.” Did they truly not care? And it was then he heard one last pained cough from Mayday before his eyes shut and he fell silent. Crosshair searched for a pulse but found none. No. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
“He served his purpose as a soldier of the Empire.” Nolan said unsympathetically.
Crosshair could feel white hot anger start to rise within him. “You- You could have saved him!”
“Perhaps you didn’t hear me. He is expendable, as are you.”
And there it was. Confirmation of the doubt he had been trying so hard to deny. Hunter had been right. They were only ever numbers.
“And if you speak to me again with such disrespect, I’ll see to it you meet a similar fate, clone.” Nolan continued disdainfully.
Crosshair caught the sight of the shadow of one of the ice vultures. He knew they were coming for Mayday. But it shouldn’t be here for him.
“Now, leave him and get back to work… while you’re still useful.” Nolan started to walk back to the shuttle.
Crosshair looked up to the sky and started at the circling bird. He’d thought he’d found a way to survive on his own too but that had changed. He was supposed to have this incredible ability to see things others couldn’t. How had he been so blind for so long? Well, no more. He’d had enough. He wasn’t concerned about the consequences he would face with what he was about to do. All he knew was that he wouldn’t give this Empire anything more.
He got unsteadily got to his feet and trained his blaster on the retreating back on Lieutenant Nolan. “Lieutenant.” He didn’t hesitate and the shot went straight through Nolan’s chest as soon as he turned around. It was after that final act that he finally let the exhaustion and agony take him and his sight went dark.
--
You awoke with a start and sat up. Things had been going well but that was a new development. You rested a hand on your chest as you felt your heart pounding. You shivered. You were cold, both outwardly and inwardly. There was a deep chill in your veins that left you feeling frozen and unsettled. You took a few deep breaths to settle yourself.
“What’s wrong?” Hunter rasped; his voice still thick with sleep as he sat up alongside you and laid his hand on your back.
“I don’t know.” You murmured uneasily as you fiddled with the bandage on your arm. “Something woke me up. There was this cold shadow and all I could feel was fear and pain, but I couldn’t see what from or who.”
“It was just a bad dream.” Hunter comforted. He kissed the back of your shoulder. “Come on, you should try to get back to sleep.”
“Right… a bad dream.” You whispered distantly as you let him lay you back down. Whatever it was that had woken you up, it felt real, it wasn’t just a bad dream, you were experiencing what someone else was going through but you didn’t have a face to put to the feeling and you didn’t know what it could be. You closed your eyes and tried to focus on the feeling of Hunter’s arm draped over you, holding you close, but you couldn't shake the feeling like there was something more to what just happened and so sleep didn’t easily come this time around.
--
Crosshair woozily came around to the sound of equipment beeping. He didn’t recognise where he was, and it was then he heard the muffled sound of someone addressing him.
“Hello, CT-9904. Or do you prefer, Crosshair?”
His name. She was using his name. The woman that was speaking to him seemed to be some kind of doctor. “Where am I?” He asked wearily.
“I’m holding you for observation. Once you’ve healed, the doctor will come for you.”
She was holding a needle to his neck, yet she wasn’t the primary medic? “Who- Who are you?”
“Remain calm. Cooperate and you might survive.” That was all he registered before the needle pierced his skin and he fell into darkness once more.
Next Chapter>
Tagging: @noeasyisnoisy, @fuckoffthanos, @tpwkcalli, @graciexmarvel, @arctrooper69, @nightmonkeysstuff, @brujaporfavor, @flyingkangaroo, @sunkissedclones, @ladytano420, @keep-calm-and-drink-caf, @yyourmotherr, @xxeiraxx, @dragonrider9905, @starwarsnerd111,
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panda-writing · 2 months
Text
Fives Lives: Bad Batch Pilot Episode AU
Dividers by: @ saradika @ freesia-writes / @ lornaka
Note: So it got kinda long...
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Content Warnings: death mention, mention of medical procedures/experiments, loss, imprisonment, lack of sleep/exhaustion, mention or reprogramming aka messing with mind. (I think that's all of them)
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The sound of the blaster went off.
He felt the searing pain of being shot as he looked at the hole in his chestplate
Falling to the ground...
Getting shot.
Dying.
That was the easy part. Why was that the easy part?
Maybe because everything after that made it harder..
He at least thought he had. If what he had felt wasn't dying.. He wasn't sure what was.
"Call for help! We need a medic!"
He remembered what, at the time he was certain was death as he grew weaker and weaker as his ori'vod help him in his arms.
"Stay with me Fives. Fives!"
He heard Rex beg for his life as he was fighting the urge to pass out. He remembered as Rex clung to his body.
He looked into the face of Commander Fox. "Don't do it trooper! Don't do it!"
He panicked. He couldn't let Palatine kill him before the truth got out.
His Vod shot him down. Quickly.
Now.. He had the feeling that Fox was under orders. The chip.
She drugged him. He wouldn't have ever done that if she hadn't drugged him. To this moment he was filled with regrets.
He woke up. The recent events, fresh on his mind.
Wait... How long had it been?
Wearing the blacks. His wound healed almost..
A brief sense of security until his mind came into focus. He lay on a medical table.
Kamino.
Ever since he woke up... It was constant experiments, it felt like... Done by Nala Se, mainly. Or spending the day in a cell.
He enjoyed the cell more.
How long had he been here? Every day was the same. It was moments like these he had to wonder if being killed on Umbara would've been better. At least then, it was because he did his duty.
The nightmares started.
Not too long after the first day he remembered. The experiments. The poking and prodding.. It now just freaked him out.
There was no comfort in any of this.
He was the last of his batch, surely they expected better of him.
He had been. He did the right thing. But now.. All he was seen as was the clone that went rogue then insane and tried to murder their political leader... Despite what the truth really was.
He had suspicions Nala Se enjoyed the suffering this caused him. Her anger and disdain as he tried to uncover the truth before his 'death' the drugging.. He almost undermined her. And the Kaminoans, they wouldn't like that much. Was this his payback?
The nightmares still went strong. Constantly reliving the death of Echo, his twin... The massacre on Umbara.. How he had been hunted down like a terrorist. And how no one believed a word he said.
He had a break once. It lasted for a little while... Until Nala Se found out about it. It was a research assistant to her. A sister. Omega.
She would come in often. And they just talked about anything. He'd tell her about the war if she asked. She'd tell him about her day.
But eventually he was moved somewhere else in the cloning facility. And then the visits stopped.
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He knew when the war ended. And it was more than just the feeling he got
He noticed the shock troopers passing through. And then he noticed clones occasionally moving past his cell, now Shock troopers on duty.
He knew.
He had been right about the fears plaguing his mind. Now that he wasn't completely kept from everything and everyone.. He assumed this meant the worst.
They didn't consider what he knew a threat anymore. He had lost.
He noticed the difference in the troopers around him. They were all under control of those chips and there was nothing he could do to save them...
They weren't completely robotic it seemed. As they had things to say about him. The shock troopers knew who he was. Some of them might've been in the group that was sent to kill or arrest him. There was no real way of telling.
For Rex.. He hoped he had either been able to stop what was happening, get out of that situation... Or have died before his free will was taken like everyone else.
The clones around him made their opinions known. The words hurting more than before.
"Defect."
"Bad Batcher."
Back in his domino days. They had also called him and his batchmates bad batchers at times.
But this was different. Maybe because the implications were steeper now. Now he was looked at as a traitor instead of the soldier he once was. Every day he spent fighting for the republic... Washed away just like that. Forgotten.
The troopers guarding his cell were talking some shit. Not like the rogue clone was ever gonna escape, right?
Or maybe they just didn't care he was right there, thinking even less of him.
"I heard they're gonna be messing in his head to try and fix the crazy."
"They'll ship him out to some top secret research facility."
"If it works they'll put him back on the line of duty."
"If not Tarkin'll order him decommissioned or killed, I bet."
"If he wants to live he'd better shape up-"
Suddenly their comms beeped.
"Clone force 99 has escaped, we're supposed to meet up with CT-9904 to cut off their escape!"
They grabbed their weapons before running out of the room.
He had to wonder about this Clone Force 99. If they were going after them.. Maybe they had went against the Chancellor too.
If this was the case he hoped they actually escaped instead of being stuck in a situation much like his own.
On a side upfront.. He looked ahead at his ARC gear. It had been saved. Before he didn't understand why.. But now he had.
It usually served as a little... Miniscule sort of comfort. It was his past and the only thing he had ever truly owned. It was the armor he painted alongside his twin.
A reminder of how he made it to ARC Trooper. The dream they all shared, butost hadn't gotten to see... So he promised himself he'd live it for them. He had to get out of here one day...
When they tried to move him, he was gonna fight like haran. For his squad.. And for all of his brothers.
He had tried to escape, fight his way out many times. The cell fought him back, making him weaker than when he first attempted it.
He was leaning against the bottom wall of his cell. His head was tilted back, he was trying to rest some from all of the exhaustion. His knees against his chest, and his arms crossed around them.
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Suddenly he heard voices near the door of the room. The Shock troopers had forgotten to shut it.
"Normally we wouldn't even consider sticking our neck out for a reg like this... But I hear he's a special case."
"They also said he went against order 66, but that seems unlikely because according to records.. he's been here a while."
"I heard shock troopers talking about reprogramming him. When we were in the cell."
"If we don't get him out..."
"We'd better hurry if we're gonna get him out and back to the ship before the shocks find us."
They walked in. He could tell they were clones, but they definitely didn't look like any he knew.
One had goggles and the other was even more different. His arm was a scomp link and he had ports in his head along with a pale ish skin tone.
He took notice of them. They weren't wearing their armor, but instead they were in their blacks.
These must've been the escaped clones the shock troopers were talking about.. He had also been in his, that was standard as a Kaminoan Prisoner.
He took notice as the pale one walked in slowly, to a stop.. his eyes were fixated on something. Fives turned his head, and noticed him looking at his armor intently.
The one in googles was looking at something on a datapad. Then suddenly he looked between the other one and himself, a look of realization..? was crossing his face.
Was the pale one.. from the 501st? Did he recognize him? He seemed in disbelief upon looking at his armor. Stopping in his tracks.
The clone wearing goggles noticed the distraction and tapped the pale one on the shoulder.
"I understand this might be a complicated situation for you. But you must remain focused if all of us are to leave alive."
"I.. Yeah I got it. Just this belonged to... Nevermind. We better hurry."
"You'll have to scomp in. Once we break him out, they'll know if we don't divert their attention. He appears to be on high priority."
They rushed to a terminal, center room.
One typed away ferviously as the one beside him, plugged in and twisted against the gears with the scomp in his arm.
"Got it Tech."
Tech pressed a button.
"We don't have a lot of time. If you want to get out without your brain being reconstructed, you'll need to grab your things and push on."
Fives hopped to his feet, though the exhaustion all over his body was still evident. He moved over to his old gear.
"Hey, uh thanks for saving me. Haven't been out for a while." He was placing the armor plates over his blacks.
"It's what we do.. And really no one deserves to be stuck like that." The pale one said before turning around.
He was in shock, staggering backwards despite his mechanical limbs.
Fives sent a glance upwards after securing his kama.
He looked at the trooper ahead of him. Something felt familiar... Then he looked at his eyes.
He held his breath..
He didn't move, looking ahead.
Echo
He didn't blink, scared he was hallucinating it all.
Scared he would just disappear...
Tech noticed the silence, he knew why. He could understand it from a psychological standpoint.. But they had more pressing concerns.
"We are running out of time. Hunter can't wait on us forever when everyone on Kamino will be looking for us."
Fives shook his head, to snap out of it. It took Echo a little longer to regain focus at first, but he did. They were soldiers.. It's what was required of them.
"Right." Fives finished securing his armor and placed his helmet on his head.
He never thought he'd wear it again. He never thought he'd see Echo again either... The day was full of surprises. Despite the overall horrible... This was good. Though he did feel guilty for thinking it.
"Got a blaster Echo?"
"Back with our gear in the hangar bay."
Fives tossed one of his DC-17s to his vod'ika. Echo caught it.
Tech pressed a button on the datapad.
"Now we move. The cell's alarm is triggered."
They rushed out, hoping to make it back before Crosshair realized they were missing.
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Upon reaching the hangar, Echo handed Fives back his blaster before moving to the trunks of gear to find his own.
"Fives?" Omega said surprised as she saw him. She hasn't seen him in months. She wasn't even sure he was still here.
"Yeah kid, it's me. It's good to see you."
She hugged him from the side as batch 99 started and finished grabbing their gear. He returned the hug briefly. Echo and Hunter looked over at them curiously.
"Haven't seen Crosshair over here yet." Hunter finished gearing up.
"Omega, keep with Echo and The Reg..."
Fives moved next to Echo and the crate he had just finished grabbing from.
"Tech, get the ship fired up, we might need a quick escape."
Tech nodded and moved for the ship, readying it.
"And Wrecker, with me. We're finding Crosshair."
"You've got it Sarge."
Omega picked up Wrecker's Lula. As she stood on her feet, she noticed the bay doors.
"I think he had the same idea." Omega said pointing to the bay doors, as they slowly opened.
Fives set his blasters to stun as he ducked behind the crate with Echo. The others also ducked.
A squad of shock troopers came rushing in, their carbines were pointed in their direction.
Crosshair carried a sniper rifle as he walked in.
Hunter stood up, walking to the center as he looked at Crosshair.
Wrecker, Echo and Fives peered over their crates.
"Is that...Crosshair?"
Crosshair stared ahead at Fives, but quickly returned his attention to Hunter.
"Best surrender. Sargeant."
"Turn in the reg. Make it...easy on yourself."
"Are you out of your mind?!" Hunter exclaimed
"We should've killed that Jedi. You disobeyed orders."
"I did what I thought was right!" He defended
"How's that working out for you? Now you're throwing in with a reg, a traitorous one at that and... A kid?"
"Now Surrender."
Hunter looked back at the men. Wrecker put his helmet on his head and readied his weapon. Echo was aiming, and the ARC Trooper nodded his head as he took aim.
He returned his look to Crosshair. "Is that an order?"
Crosshair smirked. "Heh. I guess it is."
"Well.. I guess I'm disobeying that one too."
The tension was high as soldiers stared upon each other, daring the other to make the first move.
The silence. Loud.
Crosshair's expression narrowed, his finger inched closely on the trigger of his hand held pistol and sniper rifle.
Then he fired a shot.
Hunter ducked in time and it had hit the side of the ship.
It was quick to become a firefight.
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In the end, the batch escaped mainly unscathed, except for Wrecker who had been shot by Crosshair.
Echo was currently tending to him. And this was giving Fives the entire world time to think.
But thinking.. Was all he had since he was in that cell. He was tired of thinking.
Omega had shot the blasters out of Crosshair's hands. It was a very impressive feat for an untrained clone.
Hunter walked over to Fives. Even Tech would easily read that which appeared all over his face.
"Uh thanks... For covering us back there." He started an awkward conversation.
"It's what we do.." He said a hazy focus.
"What's on your mind uh...-"
"Fives."
Hunter chuckled briefly.
"What is it?"
"ARC-5555?" He looked up at his 5 tattoo after he spoke.
"Uh yeah?"
"That's a little on the nose, isn't it?"
"Says the guy who has batchmates named Tech, Crosshair and Wrecker." Fives
Okay, he had him there.
"So... Uh.. Heard you tried to kill the Chancellor.."
"That's just the version clones were told about me. Because the truth... Would've stopped this from ever happening."
Fives held his palm against the side wall as he sighed.
"You mean order 66?"
"It was much worse... But that was a big part of it."
He looked back at Echo, fending off Wrecker who complained about the medical attention.
"It's why they pushed the crazy clone narrative so hard. Because if I appeared insane... No one would believe me."
"And it worked."
"They expect all of us to be unthinking droids... To follow every order without a single question? But.. That's not who I am. They weren't expecting it, I suppose."
"They weren't prepared for me to investigate when things were clearly not right... It was unsettling to them. They had to take the nuclear option to protect the skeletons in their closets."
"You defied their 'programming?' too?" Hunter asked
"Good soldiers follow orders.. But the best ones know when not to." Fives said
"That type of thinking usually gets you labelled as a defect."
"Eh, I'm used to it. My squad and I, we've been hearing that one since were cadets." Fives said
"Maybe they were right. But I figure the way things are going, that's how you know you're in the right."
"Conforming to the standards of the rest.. They are basically unthinking droids. I wouldn't want that either."
"You know you might be stuck with us for a while, considering the move we just made." Hunter said
"You're all brothers. It's more than I had back when I was imprisoned on Kamino."
"And you don't care that we're not.. Well, regs?" Hunter asked
"Why should I care about that?"
"Don't examine me! I'm not a computer!" They heard Wrecker yell out.
They looked over at him, diverting their attention.
"This will just take a second."
Hunter uncrossed his arms, he glanced at Fives before they began to walk over.
"Get that thing away from me!"
Echo looked past, seeing Fives again. Well... Now was as good of a time to address this as any.
Fives looked over at him. There was a sigh in relief.
Omega silently observed them. Having already known they were batch mates.
Wrecker, Tech and Hunter were busy talking about Cross hair, until they realized Echo wasn't part of the conversation. He walked over to Fives.
"Did you miss me?" Echo asked, breaking the long silence as he reached his twin's location.
Fives didn't say anything as he quickly pulled him into a tight hug.
Echo took a breath, returning the hug with his one good arm.
"It's really you... I can't believe it."
They caught the attention of the others, the only ones not appearing to be confused were Tech and Omega.
"I'm so sorry.. I never should have-"
"It's not your fault. I never blamed you." Echo said
"I left you.."
"No. You followed orders."
"Look where following orders has gotten clones." He sighed, blame on himself...
"What happened?" They asked at the same time after a silence.
They let go finally.
"Fives.. Rex told me you were killed. In fact you're listed as legally dead."
"How are you-"
"I don't know. There's.. things I just don't remember." He was honest, his mind was hazy at times
"You recognized me back on Kamino. Before anyone else ever called me Echo."
"Like I would ever not recognize you Ech'ika?"
"What.. Happened.. After.. You know." Fives said
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"I take it they used to know each other." Hunter said off hand
"I would certainly hope so, being batchmates and all." Tech replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world
"What?" Hunter asked
His eyes were glued to the datapad.
"CT-27-5555 and CT-1409 were the last remaining members of Domino Squad, both making it to ARC Trooper status shortly after helping The Republic take a win during the Battle of Kamino. Report by Taun We.."
"Domino Squad consisted of members Hevy, Cutup, Droid-Bait, Echo and Fives. Three of the Five were killed on their first mission at the Rishi Moon outpost. Echo and Fives were the last remaining, and were requested for the 501st legion by Captain Rex."
"Echo was seemingly killed by an explosion at the citadel rescue, leaving Fives as the last remaining Domino before the parasite turned him crazy, resulting in his death by blaster, Commander Fox."
"I have recently been informed that Echo survived the blast, and was taken captive by the Techno Union. Later joining with Clone Force 99. Report taken by General Shaak Ti."
"So you mean they're from the same squad?" Wrecker asked
"That is what I just said."
"Can they read each other's minds?" Omega asked
"What do you mean?" Hunter asked
"They keep giving each other looks without talking and look like they're having a conversation." Omega said
"Maybe they have telepathy!" Wrecker said
"I highly doubt that as a possibility." Tech said
The Domino Twins walked over together after finishing their conversation. Echo came by to check on Wrecker. And Fives briefly spoke with Tech as Hunter spoke up to Omega.
"Impressive shot back there." Hunter looked to Omega
"Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I don't know.  I never fired a blaster before."
"I guess I just got lucky."
The attention of the others was diverted to the conversation when Echo spoke up.
"She's not the only one." He moved Wrecker up.
"I'm fine. It'll take more than a blaster shot to take me down." Wrecker said
"You were down." Echo reminds him.
"Yeah, well.. Not for long!" He laughed out loud, playfully punching Echo in the arm.
He groaned in pain shortly after.
"So uh.. Where are we gonna go now? Not exactly a lot of places for clone deserters and a clone traitor." Fives asked Hunter
"I thought we could go off on our own. Lay low."
"But with Crosshair gunning for us, I'm not so sure." Hunter was thinking
"What about your friends?  Can any of them help us?" Omega asks
"That would be a short list.." Tech said
"Well.. I can think of one. Plot a course for J-19." Hunter said
Tech nodded his head and set the Navi computer.
"J-19?" The twins spoke up at the same time.
"We know a guy."
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The ship was silent.
Wrecker and Omega were huddled up together, asleep.
Tech was flying the ship through hyperspace.
Fives and Echo were sitting next to one another. Fives rubbed his eyes, he still tried hiding how tired he really was.
"Fives. Get some sleep. Even those two are asleep by now." He motioned towards Omega and Wrecker.
"I'm not tired."
Echo scoffed. How dumb did this fool think he was?
"Did you by chance forget who you tried that with just now?" Echo was a little snarky
"Or did you perhaps think I somehow don't know you anymore?"
"I'm the one person who has always known you and will always know you."
Fives looked down at the floor. And Echo put his hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, what's going on?"
He didn't want to bring it up.
"I really don't want to talk about this right now."
"We haven't seen each other since the Citadel before today. And the first problem you're having.. You don't even want to talk about it?"
"I have my reasons." He responded
"They all- look.."
"You're right. We did just get each other back. And that's exactly why I don't want to ruin that with this."
"Talk to me."
It was easy to slip back into old habits with Echo around. Of course.. Things were somehow harder now than it had been.. But there were a few things in this moment that did feel the same.
"Well uh...I don't sleep...really. Not anymore."
"Things have gotten worse the longer I was there."
"I just can't take it... It's all the nightmares. They just.."
"Everytime I sleep.. I'm reliving it."
"I only sleep when I absolutely have to. Maybe 2 times a week."
"Things are different now.. They've been difficult for a while." Echo said
"We never really seem to catch a break,  do we?"
"No.. We really don't." Fives responded
"Except this time." Echo said
"After every horrible thing that's happened this last... Well since the Empire. It brought back our best way to fight through these things. Being together."
"As long as we live.. We're still batchmates. And you're still my twin. Though I might not exactly look the part anymore."
The joke resulted in a chuckle from the pair as they made eye contact.
"Try and sleep. I'll be right here the whole time." He promised.
"We're going to get through this eventually."
"You know after everything... It did nothing. The warning. No one believed me and no one was saved." Fives sighed.
"It might have."
"Do you think it's ever gonna be okay?" Fives asked
"I know.. We're clones. We were made for being soldiers.."
"But this brings back the fear.. What are they going to do to our brothers now that the war is over?"
"I don't know Ori'vod.. But we are going to save who we can."
Fives rested his head on Echo's shoulder.
"If they could see us now.. I hope they'd be proud." Echo said
"They would." Fives answered
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enigmatist17 · 11 months
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Okay, so my one-shot might not be a one-shot anymore
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The first time Obi-Wan Kenobi sees CT-7567, he's balanced on Commander Wolffe's hip like he belongs there, the cadet pointing to a holographic map and giving intel about certain sections of Tipoca City. It was still alarming to hear the voice of a soldier come from the body of a child, and this one was screaming loss hurt anger into the Force that made his heart ache. Wolffe is relaying such intel to his troopers down on Kamino, and it takes a moment to register the Jedi had joined them with his ever-present shadow behind him.
"General, Cody." He nods, and the cadet looks up in curiosity. Kenobi could feel Cody suddenly radiate an innate need to protect this child, and knows things are about to become interesting. "The kih'vod has been helping us with some of the last strongholds."
"Very well, please continue...?"
"CT-7567." The cadet responds, and Kenobi wonders what name he'll be given one day. Cody, who usually stuck to his Jedi's side like glue, instead moved to stand beside Wolffe, who hands the cadet over without a moment's hesitation. In turn, Cody adjusts so 7567 is on his hip now, and the cadet is eyeing his golden armor with a dozen awed questions. The older clone just gives him a soft look, and 7567 turns to keep explaining the weaknesses that could be accessed, as gathering up Lama Su and his remaining doctors was critical for a complete takeover. He apparently had been good at sneaking around with his batchmates, and true to fashion, Lama Su is dismayed to find his secure bunker was quite the opposite. The cheers of thousands of clones rise up when he's secured, and Kamino was theirs, theirs to do with what they wanted, what they should have been able to.
Make it a home, rather than a place to suffer and be stifled.
7567 has no more tears to shed, watching through footage as Lama Su and the others were placed in cells for interrogation. He rests his head on Cody's shoulder, and the commander just murmurs something in Mando'a before adjusting his hold. Kenobi excuses himself so he can return to the city, leaving Wolffe and Cody with the young clone, and for a moment they stare at each other.
"Gree and Ponds are already on their way, I told them to meet us in your quarters," Cody speaks first, and Wolffe grumbles. "It's either that, or fight your wolf pack for the kid, like I don't feel them staring at me."
"Wolf pack?" 7567 asks, and Wolffe puffs out his chest, and some of the clones working on the bridge let out a few whoops.
"It's what we all call ourselves here." Wolffe grinned, and 7567 giggled a bit at how proud they all were. Cody just rolled his eyes, but the smirk on his face betrayed his amusement. There's a beep on Wolffe's comm, and he groans after reading the message.
"Kriffing Neyo heard about it, and he's coming with Monnk. Just how many commanders did you let in on this?" Cody had the decency to look sheepish, and the datapad in his hand becomes a shield.
"Well, I told Fox first..."
"No you didn't." It was no wonder some of the harder-to-reach CC's were poking their heads in. "You do know Neyo is an adenn chakaar when it comes to kih'vod's right? Fox needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut."
"Right, you tell that to the man in the worst position." Cody scoffed, and it was not long before the two devolved into a bitching fest, with 7567 watching with wide eyes.
He was learning so many curse words.
"Is THIS the one I've heard so much chatter about!?" Commander Bly had the subtly of a raging bantha, and there was some laughter from various clones as he practically force jumps his way across the bridge. "Let me see let me see!" 7567 doesn't get a chance to say anything when he's scooped up from Cody's hold, gripping onto armored arms as he's spun around with an excited gasp. His voice has the twinge of some accent 7567 has never heard before, and he finds he enjoys it almost immediately. "He's a blonde!"
"Careful, you'll fling him through a wall if you're not careful," Wolffe grumbled, but chuckles when the cadet grins at the new CC.
"I'm keeping him, it's official," Bly stated quite proudly, before grunting when someone slaps his helmet from behind.
"You don't get to decide this early." 7567 noted the CC who had smacked the now spluttering commander holding him was decked out in green, and recognized that he serves under a Jedi he had seen about a year prior on a rare stop on Kamino.
"Fox would rip you a new one if you did that before he got to see the kih'vod for himself." The one in green berates Bly, and the accented clone grumbles before setting the cadet down for the first time in hours.
"Is the Fox you keep mentioning the Coruscant Guard commander?" He feels a little awkward asking, but the various CC's nod in answer, and 7567 grins. "I've heard he's really cool."
"Fox? Cool? In what universe?" Bly cackles, removing his helmet to grin at the cadet, and his fellow leaders do the same. Despite each of them sharing the same face, 7567 can already pick out differences in each of their faces, and it reminds him of his batchmates.
No, he's not going to cry in front of all of them, not right now.
"He serves the Chancellor, and according to some...data we found, he gets to see all the Senators all the time!" 7567 is beaming as he rambles off what he knows, and every CC is suddenly transported to the times they were younger and a little more carefree before the war sunk its claws into them. 7567 doesn't see the way they look at each other, and what Wolffe saw in him was made solid for all of them.
"Sorry I'm late, someone wasn't in their barracks like the comm said."
Not a single soul on The Triumphant had ever seen so many commanders in one place before, and work was abandoned to watch one of the rarer clones grace their presence. Not many of them got to see one of the men hand-trained by Jango Fett himself, so comms are beeping all across the ship as those on the bridge recorded what they could, as well as sending said news out to the nearby other cruisers.
"Sorry Ponds, Bly here decided to ignore that, and here we are." Gree greeted, the two knocking their forearms against each other before Ponds looks down at the small clone, whose wide eyes are looking up at the recon expert.
"Blonde?" Ponds knelt down so the two were eye to eye, removing his helmet and setting it on the floor by his knee. "Lama Su hates blondes."
7567 didn't realize just how wide his eyes could go.
"I forgot you were blonde, the shiny dome makes one forget," Cody smirks, and there are more than a few snickers, including one from 7567. The commander just shrugs, and seems to just analyze the younger clone in front of him for a moment, before giving a small smile.
"You're going to have the most annoying adoptive ori'vod this side of the known universe." It's a statement more than an observation, and Ponds was never wrong. "I have spoken."
"Sir, Commander Fox sent word he'll arrive within a rotation, and to quote, "not let the others steal the kih'vod, or he'll have all caff allotments pulled'." A communications clone reported to the group, and he was trying very hard not to laugh.
"Not fair!" Bly complained, and the various commanders start bickering and laughing at each other all at once. 7567 is picked up by Ponds when he stands to join the fray, and for the first time since he had left that horrible room, it's like his batchmates are the ones bickering and laughing with him.
He doesn't realize he's fallen asleep, face buried into Ponds' chest plating like it's the most comfortable pillow in the world.
"I think he'll fit in just fine." Gree hummed, standing beside his friend as they watch the others bicker.
"He'll have to, we're not letting him go."
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anxiouspineapple99 · 21 days
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The Order and the Purge
Pairing: none
Summary: Avery talks about the night of the Jedi Purge
Warnings: Order 66, talks of youngling death, nightmares, first person POV
Word Count: 395
A/N: This semester has been kicking my ass so 400 words of angst is about all i have managed! Hopefully I’ll get some writing done over spring break in a few weeks! In the meantime enjoy some ouch!
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Someone once asked me if I remembered that night. But I’ll never forget it, no matter how much I may want to.
It was quiet at first. I’d just discharged my last patient from the medbay. I’d settled in at my desk with caf number… five? Perhaps it was six? Anyhow, that was when I felt it first. That pricking at my neck that made my hairs stand on end and made me want to reach for my lightsaber. The lightsaber that was secured in my room. Because why would I need my weapon while I’m in the Jedi Temple Hospital?
I peeked into the hallway. It was peaceful l enough. Most evenings were. Tonight appeared to be no different, so I tried to ignore it. I told myself it was exhaustion from being on my feet for fourteen hours. I wish now that I had listened. Maybe I could have done more.
As the hour progressed, so did my unease. I began pacing. I chewed my lip bloody. By the time I heard the first screams, my stomach was in knots.
When I looked into the hallway this time, I saw clone troopers. 501st. I knew those colors, they were Anakin’s men. But they were firing on the Jedi.
I didn’t wait. I snuck out and made my way to my room. I needed that lightsaber. And my medkit.
It all happened so fast. Or it felt like it did. But the loudest screams came next. In my head. Followed by the searing pain cutting through me in the Force. Master Vytuia. She was… before I could get to the door she was gone. I clapped my hand to my mouth. I had to stifle my sobs. I couldn’t be caught. Moments later I felt it again. But the intensity was amplified this time. Fear. Confusion. And I recognized them too. The younglings. My younglings. My babies… The pain and horror rocked my body as I felt them one by one.
I believe I screamed then. I can’t truly recall. It’s all a blur from there. I evacuated as many as I could. And then I ran too. The Order had fallen and there was nothing left for me there. So I went into hiding. But I wasn’t the same. I was broken. So broken…
I still feel them. Hear them. In my nightmares.
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Ragu List: @secondaryrealm @sev-on-kamino @dystopicjumpsuit @mooncommlink @moonlightwarriorqueen @sunshinesdaydream @starrylothcat @starqueensside @mandos-mind-trick @the-rain-on-kamino @multi-fan-dom-madness @808tsuika @msmeredithrose @trixie2023 @mythical-illustrator @wings-and-beskar @wizardofrozz @ladyzirkonia @eyeluvmusic21 @523rdrebel l @idontgetanysleep @littlemissmanga @sinfulsalutations @the-bad-batch-baroness @dickarchivist @eclec-tech @dreamie411 @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @cw80831 @flyiingsly @eternal-transcience
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mistergreatbones · 1 year
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Do you ever :) think about how :) fives and hevy :) were both killed :) trying to warn their brothers :) something terrible was going happen to them :) and it happened anyways :) and their deaths meant nothing in the long run :) ?
Hevy sacrificed himself to warn the Republic that the Separatists were going to attack Kamino and guess what? he only delayed the inevitable!!! Kamino was still attacked! just at a later date!!!
Hevy hated Kamino! He was going to AWOL when they failed the test! But he sacrificed himself to save his brothers, and they still died!
Troopers died! Cadets most likely died as well! 99 died!
They died, and Kamino kept operating.
Fives tried to warn Rex and Anakin. He tried so fucking hard despite being drugged out of his mind and hunted down by the people he was trying to save. And he was ignored and he was killed and Palpatine won.
He saved Kix and Rex and Ahsoka (post mortem) and that's it! Everything fell apart like he said it would! All his brothers were killed as slaves to their own minds, or were abandoned by the Empire for something they had no ability to resist! And he wasn't even alive to say I told you so!
The only mark Hevy and Fives would leave on the galaxy would be giving Rex and Echo even more trauma and guilt. Because, if you think about it, Echo got to be on the front lines to see everything they died to protect be destroyed, and got to walk away every time.
Echo listened to Hevy sacrifice himself, and Echo got a medal for it. Echo watched 99 die in his arms, and he got to be be an ARC, Domino's dream.
Echo watched Order 66, he watched the chips be activated, and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't save Depa or Kanan or Crosshair or any of the regs because he didn't know what the fuck was happening. Rex didn't tell him about the chips. He had to learn what Fives died to prevent after it already went down.
He watched the galaxy fall apart in real time, not knowing Fives had died trying to protect it. He was there when Kamino fell, making Hevy's sacrifice pointless twice over, and all he could do was survive. The Empire rose, and all he could do was try to keep himself and his squad alive for another day.
Cuz Echo dedicated himself to the cause, and it was all for naught.
Echo wasted his entire life religiously obsessing over orders and regulations that didn't matter. The Republic didn't give a shit if he lived or died, and Palpatine was planning to take away his decision to follow orders anyways.
Echo kept going, barely pausing to mourn Domino, because he was a loyal soldier first and foremost, and it didn't fucking matter. He got blown up trying to secure the ship, and Piell still died and the information went to Palpatine, who still gave it to the Separatists.
Echo was tortured for battle strategies that the Separatists already had access to because Palpatine could have just told them. Echo suffered unimaginable pain, and it was just window dressing for Palpatine's show.
All the clones suffered for no reason, to the point that Droidbait died trying to protect Rishi Station, same as Hevy, and not even his brothers care to remember him. Because clones follow orders, and they get shot by droids, and they die, and that's it. That's just the life cycle of a clone, so why would you waste paint honoring someone who didn't do anything special.
Domino squad was so bright-eyed and hopeful. They wanted to serve with their brothers so bad, and they wanted to save their brothers so bad, and now all the clones are dead. They could have failed their test, become maintenance clones, and nothing would have changed.
They were all selfless, sacrificing soldiers, who fought til they fell for a pointless cause.
Except for Cutup, who was eaten alive at age nine cuz that eel was hangry.
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starrylothcat · 8 months
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First of all, thank you to all my followers and mutuals. If you follow me for my writing or my unhinged reblogging, I appreciate all of you from the bottom of my heart! Sorry it took me a minute to put this together! This was a fun event to run, and big hugs to everyone who sent in their shout-outs. Please check out everything on this list, there's a lot of wonderful content from even more wonderful creators! (Linking and formatting on Tumblr is wonky so if I made any mistakes or links don't work, please let me know!) Masterlist under the cut!
⭐Fanfiction⭐
Glitch’s Masterlist - OC Masterlist by @techs-stitches
Masterlist of OC Glitch x Tech
In More Ways Than One (NSFW) The Bad Batch x F Reader by @madameminor
A night out with the Batch almost turns into a bar brawl, until your quick thinking sets up the perfect cover. Then your squad starts thinking it doesn't have to stay a cover. Sharing is caring, after all.
Fireworks - Hound x F Reader by @imarvelatthestars
Reader meets Hound after her massiff makes a run for it. Will romance blossom?
Dance With Me - Echo x Reader by @kaminocasey
You're cleaning the ship, listening to music, and Echo gets an idea.
Dominoes AO3 Link - by @meridiansdominoes
Domino squad wakes up to find themselves back on Kamino, hours from taking their final test... except they remember passing the final test, and they each remember dying afterwards, too.
Ghosts of Coruscan AO3 Link by numphet on AO3
Padmé Amidala, a former senator of the fallen Republic, barely survived the childbirth. After her recovery, she suffered from partial memory loss and was led to believe that the Emperor's mysterious enforcer, Darth Vader, killed her husband on Mustafar. Eight years later, she has joined the aspiring Rebel Alliance and volunteered to take part in a high-risk operation, only to be captured and thrown into an Imperial prison. To hide her true identity and protect her children from the Empire's wrath, she is forced to use a little too predictable alias.
Doc’s Febuwhump Series - The Bad Batch x OC by @staycalmandhugaclone
Fem Medic OC fic series with all the Batchers
Nightsky (NSFW) Echo x F Reader x Rex by @rain-on-kamino
Just back from a mission, The Bad Batch is unexpectedly visited by Rex. So you just have to wait a little longer to lay down with your love Echo. Or? Maybe this is the opportunity to try something new. Especially since the handsome captain obviously has a crush on you, too.
In Need (NSFW) Hunter x Jedi F Reader by @wanderer-six
While travelling with the Bad Batch, you find yourself overwhelmed by a certain need. Unable to deal with it, you try to wait it out in hopes it will pass. But you come to find that your arousal has been unintentionally torturing your poor sergeant.
Positions (NSFW) Cody x F Reader x Rex by @kaminocasey
Rex invites Cody out to 79s, only because they have bigger plans for you tonight.
Water and Rock (NSFW) Obi Wan x F Reader by @split-spectrum
When your former master Obi Wan joins you on a mission, it's clear things aren't the same as they once were. The trials you face together may break your bond, or turn it into something else entirely.
Hunter x F Reader by @freesia-writes with bonus spicy Hunter fanart by @verndusk and a smutty part 2 by @spicy-clones. Phew! Clone Matchmaking AU Masterlist by @tcwmatchmakingau
The Clone Wars have ended, and with their legal status secured, the clone troopers look to the future, to the things they never thought they would be able to have. Homes. Families. Love. But without the support systems and social structures available to natborns, many troopers have difficulty finding meaningful connections. Enter Right to Love Matchmaking Service: a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping clone troopers find the loves of their lives.
Sharp Edges (NSFW) Crosshair x Reader by @spicy-clones & @lightwise
What started off as self-indulgent Crosshair smut has evolved into a fully-developed fic, with plot, character development, twists and turns, angst, yearning, and plenty of delicious *spice*. ;)
⭐Artwork⭐
Wrecker and Reader Cuddles (plus Lula!) by @madbunnyarts
Bo Katan Comic by @projectorthus for @bokatanweek
Celebrating Anakin's Birthday by @stealingpotatoes
They Call Themselves...The Bad Batch by @shyranno
Alpha 17 and Captain Rex by @cobaltbeam
Sexy Tech Fanart by @raevulsix
Crosshair Back on The Marauder by @zaana
Awesome Graphics by @idontgetanysleep
Fixing TBB S2 Finale by @lightspringrain
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coaz-photography · 5 months
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The Trooper
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mwolf0epsilon · 3 months
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Liability Issues
Rex, glancing uneasily at the tiny closet/office walls while sitting on the galaxy's most uncomfortable plastic chair: ...S'a bit cozy in here, uh?
Fox, staring at Rex with an impassive expression while pressing a frozen cloth against one half of his face: I take it you didn't come all the way down here, past the receptionist, and the great majority of security, to compliment me on my crappy workspace.
Rex: Uh... No I...Hmm, what happened to your face?
Fox, blinking calmly while pulling the cloth away from the mass of burn scar tissue that used to be his left eye-socket: ...Badminton Accident.
Rex, staring at him incredulously:
Fox, rolling his eye: What do you want Rex?
Rex, running a hand through his very short hair: I... OK, so there's this group of really difficult clones that I'm currently responsible over. They came from a really bad situation where their general was severely abusing them. Actually, several battalions have squads that came from this battalion, and things are going great for everyone else, but not for me because I have all the traumatised veterans that have been there the longest and...
Fox: Rex. Breathe.
Rex, taking a deep breath: ...There's been some developments with some of them. But their captain and one of the younger troopers are extremely aggressive towards 'outsiders'. I was worried I'd have to send them to Kamino and undo everyone else's progress, which I really don't want, until one of my medics suggested I get them an emotional support animal to help put them at ease.
Fox: And you need my help, because?
Rex: ...Where can I get a fully trained service massiff?
Fox: ...Right. The K9 division. Good or bad news first?
Rex: Bad.
Fox: The corrie kennels aren't breeding massiffs right now. The bitches and studs aren't in season.
Rex: Ah... And the good news?
Fox: I know where you can get a pup for free, and I know where you can acquire a training guide for service animals. Including obedience and specialized jobs.
Rex: Oh! Great!
Fox, holding up a beaten up old datapad: Just sign this liability clause before I disclose anything.
Rex:
Rex: Why do I have a bad feeling about this?
Fox: You want the massiff or not?
Rex, grabs a stylus and starts signing: The things I do for the vode...
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missfrieden · 3 months
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Tech as a father Chapter 31
Two days back at work, and I had to get sick... well at least I only have a sore throat and don't use it for longer vacation. What a new start for the year. But anyway next chapter.
Masterlist
Chapter 31: Problem ahead
Tech's heart raced as he received the encrypted message from Amanda. He quickly moved to sit in his bunk, ensuring that no one would notice his communication. With practiced precision, he activated a secure communication channel and responded to Amanda's query if he is on Kamino. The prepared bottle now being held loosely in his hand. "Yes, I'm on Kamino at the moment" he typed carefully, his fingers moving swiftly across the datapad's keys. He didn't dare mention Orion, just in case the message was intercepted. The secrecy of their son's heritage was paramount.
The seconds dragged on as he waited anxiously for Amanda's response, wondering what she might need or want to communicate. It had been too long since he'd heard from her, and his heart ached for a connection, even through these encrypted messages.
"I have been summoned to Kamino by Prime Minister Lama Su, he said I need to get a few medics and troopers back to the temple with me. And maybe, it is not the best idea when you know our stars are around, given... but I know you can't simply leave without any direct orders. I will arrive with my Padawan in half a rotation." Tech's heart skipped a beat as he read Amanda's message. Her presence on Kamino was unexpected and raised a whirlwind of emotions within him. He quickly composed a reply, mindful of the urgency and secrecy of their communication.
"Understood. I'll stay clear of your path and won't interfere. Do what you must, and teach your Padawan. If you need anything, you know how to reach me." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I hope to see you, even if it's from a distance." With a final glance at Orion, who he picks up and was now waking up and his bright blue eyes spotting his bottle, Tech sent the message, his heart heavy with the anticipation of seeing Amanda, if only briefly.
As Tech started to feed Orion, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions. The prospect of seeing Amanda again, even from a distance, filled him with a sense of longing and excitement. But he also understood the complexities of their situation and the need for secrecy. Tech has to learn to keep his distance when Amanda was around, especially after their last encounter when Orion had cried when they left the ship. It was a painful reminder of the delicate balance they had to maintain to keep their secret hidden.
So, Tech focused on feeding Orion, gently caressing his son's cheek as he took each sip from the bottle. He knew that, for now, their separation from Amanda was necessary to protect both her and Orion.
With Orion peacefully asleep on his chest after he had his bottle, Tech continued to work on his reports. His nimble fingers moved swiftly across the datapad, detailing their recent missions and making sure to add a few extra layers of security to the logs to prevent any unwanted prying eyes. The soft rise and fall of Orion's chest against his own provided Tech with a sense of comfort, even amidst the clandestine activities he sometimes found himself involved in. As he finished up the reports, he couldn't help but glance down at his son's serene face, a smile tugging at his lips. In that quiet moment, Tech's heart swelled with both love and a deep sense of protectiveness.
Tech's heart raced as Orion's cries filled the barracks, escalating into a full-blown meltdown. Panic surged through him, and he quickly set aside his datapad, scooping Orion up in his arms, desperate to soothe his distressed son. "Hush, Orion, it's okay," Tech murmured in a soothing tone, gently rocking him back and forth. He checked Orion's diaper, temperature, and for any visible signs of discomfort, but nothing seemed amiss. Tech knew why but he hoped for another reason.
The rest of the squad was now wide awake, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. Hunter who was so startled fell out of his bunk, recovering from his fall, approached Tech, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong with him, Tech?" he asked, his voice filled with worry. Tech shook his head, his own anxiety mounting. "I don't know, Hunter. He was fine just a moment ago."
Orion's cries showed no sign of stopping, and Tech continued to hold him close, trying to comfort him as best he could while searching his mind for any possible way to sooth his son's distress. “Tech, you are lying to me… what is wrong with him?” Hunter asks again after a moment. “Amanda is on her way to Kamino, or to be precise to this very cloning facility” Tech mutters. “Great! Not enough problems already.” Crosshair snarls, probably more irritated he was woken up.
Tech's heart raced as he carried Orion towards the Havoc Marauder. He hoped the familiar sounds of the ship and the gentle rocking motion of his steps would provide some comfort to his distressed son. Orion's cries echoed in the quiet corridors of the ship, and Tech's worry continued to mount. As he stepped inside the ship, the low hum of the engines greeted him, a sound he had grown accustomed to over the years. He carefully held Orion while he started up several system. The soothing vibrations from the ship's idling engines seemed to have a calming effect on Orion, who now smacks his tiny fists against his father’s chest, throat and shoulders.
Tech continued to hold Orion close, gently stroking his tiny back as he walked back and forth in the cockpit. The squad watched from the doorway, their concern evident. Hunter, Crosshair, Echo, and Wrecker exchanged glances, all feeling a mixture of helplessness and worry for their youngest member. Because they would not let Tech handle it alone, all knew there is just one way for Orion to stop. And they could at least help shield Orion and Tech, from questions of the regs or their creators.
Chapter 32
Reblogs are very welcome and I am open for feedback, as english is not my first language, so maybe my sentences may be weird sometimes, or I write a word wrong even with google, or I use a wrong word for an item.
Tag: @spectacular-skywalker @aalizazareth @neyswxrld @clonethirstingisreal @sleepycreativewriter
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