#99s

You continued to pear up at the cerulean sky when a shadow eclipsed you. You looked up adjusting your vision to peer up at your alpha…

You traced a finger over the tattoo covering his eye, before affectionately running your fingers through his lengthening silver hair. 

You happily sighed, “Cross.” 

He smiled down at you admiring your form before running the back of his fingers over your hair, cheek, then neck. He smiled making your heart flutter. 

He mumbled something while dancing his fingers over your collar bone making you quirk your head, “what alpha?” 

“I said,” His soft expression suddenly turned wicked and depraved. His hand shot out locking around your throat in a vice grip. Suddenly the sun was gone and replaced with pouring rain and what was once warm and welcoming was now a lightening filled storm, “I’m coming for you…adi’ka.” 

You shot up in bed grabbing at your neck gasping for air looking around like a feral hound.

“What?” Tech shot up looking at you before looking around forcing himself to be alert. 

Wrecker and Hunter came bursting through the door not even a minute later while you were still sitting there trying to catch your breath. Tech rubbed soothing circles into your shoulder blades comforting you. 

“Bad dream.” Tech said trying to explain to the others. 

Hunter sighed letting the tension fall from his shoulders. You knew he must have heard you from his room and thought you were in danger. 

You finally got a deep breath down before turning to look at the concerned soldiers, “It was about Cross.” You rubbed your neck tugging at the collar of tech’s shirt, “I’m alright. It just frightened me.” 

Wrecker looked worried. You smiled at him before lying back down. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hunter asked, “I-we haven’t really talked about what happened.” 

Tech leaned back on the mattress pulling you into his chest. 

“It’s okay.” You shook your head, “I think it’s better if I don’t think about it.” Even though you couldn’t feel the pain of the bond, the empty feeling still hasn’t repaired itself and you were starting to think it might never. 

“Okay well if you need anything.” Hunter said turning to leave you and Tech alone. 

“Wait.” You perked your head up, “Can you both stay? I just…” 

“Of course mega.” Wrecker was thrilled and crawled into the bed on the other side of you. You snuggled into his warmth while Hunter crawled nearly on top of you to lay his head on your hip. His added weight really helped calm the anxieties while you were now surrounded in warmth and safety. It was reminding you of Mimban when everyone was piled into your nest all cramped up and on top of one another. 

You sighed feeling alright to sleep again. 

“Thank you.” You whispered before closing your eyes and forcing yourself to drift off into sleep comforted by your alphas. 

~~~

“So I need you to help me bring in 15 cases of Nabboolian wine out back.” Cid was looking at the check list while you and the droids she owned helped start to drag in the crates. You just followed her directions and got to work. 

Your new muscles from all your training was really coming in handy. The shipping crates weren’t even phasing you while you pulled the bottles and started placing them on the shelves. 

You got through those boxes quickly and made quick work of restocking the snack packs and filling the little bowls to set out on all the tables. The spicy treat was a favorite of the locals you noticed, you kept track of all of the incoming shipments making sure to send Cid the updated roster. 

“Hey Cid?” You stacked as many bowls as possible onto of one another walking out towards the bar, “I have the updated roster, so you want me to send it to you or just leave it on the data-”

Cid suddenly barreled into you shoving you back into the supply closet, “Go. Go! Shh!” 

You scrunched your brows but followed her lead and stepped back into the back room. 

“What?” You whispered still clutching onto the bowls. 

“There’s imps out there.” She whispered poking her head back out from the door to get another view. 

“Imperials?” Your blood ran cold. There has never been imperial’s on Ord Mantel before.

“Thats what I said sweet cheeks.” She snapped. 

“Why are they here?” You asked putting down the bowls making sure you did infect have your blaster on you. 

“I don’t know.” She shook her head, “I think they’re just passing through.” 

You poked your head out just barely catching a glimpse of their white plastoid armor. The new storm troopers you saw on the holonet. It was a pathetic attempt of copying the clone’s armor. According to all of the news streams there was a new mandatory civilian conscription going on. These were no clones, none of your friends, just strangers under the imperial dictatorship. 

“All the way out here?” You whispered watching them sit down in the corner booth your boys claimed as their own. 

“I don’t like this.” Cid turned back to look at you, “Your boys will be real upset with me if something happened to you sweet cheeks, you better go up stairs and wait till they're gone. I’m taking you off the clock.” She fapped her claws at you and you nodded without a word untying your apron and scurrying out the back to the fire escape where you climbed the stairs to get to the apartments above. 

You were feeling your anxiety start to creep back in as you fumbled to unlock the padlock. Once the door slid open you stepped inside forcing a deep breath into your lungs. Flashes of the horrible dream you had last night came flooding back and the feeling of Crosshair’s calloused hands snaking around your throat. 

You flung yourself down into the nest by the window trying to calm yourself down. 

~~~

“Cid sent us a message.” Tech Hunter said walking into the bar while opening the ping. 

Behind him, Tech was yapping about the flora spawning this time of year after the rains while Wrecker chowed down on some kind of massive roasted bird leg. 

“What does it say?” Echo asked when they stepped inside. 

Hunter stopped dead in his tracks noticing all of the white amongst the usually colorful crowd. His gaze immediately went to the bar looking for you, but instead he found Cid. He noticed the way she casually signaled a claw up at the ceiling letting him know you were hidden and safe. 

“Imperials.” Tech pushed up his glasses looking around at the cantina. 

“What are they doing out here?” Wrecker wondered allowed finishing off his bird leg. 

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Hunter walked forwards trying to remain casual. The three clones stepped down inside the building getting settled in like they were also just passing through. They sat down at the bar ordering a drink each and reaching into the snack bowls. 

Tech started another conversation with Wrecker while Hunter was carefully listing in on the storm troopers.

From what he could tell, they just stumbled into this place. It didn’t seem like they were looking for anything in particular. 

Hunter could pick up on your footsteps upstairs as you walked around presumably pacing, probably wondering where the hell they all were. 

Then he zeroed in on the group in the booth they usually sit in way in the back. 

“I just got back from going to the new fortress on Naboo.” One of the troopers said running a hand through his golden hair. 

“What was it like?” 

“Why is it on Naboo?” 

“They prefer the conditions there.” He said again leaning forwards onto the table, “But, you wouldn’t believe what I saw.” 

They all leaned in closer listening to this one trooper. 

“It’s a new breeding program.” He said in disbelief, “They’re making it into a place for conscripted omegas.” He looked around suspiciously hoping no-one but his friends were listening, “and, I overheard they’re creating more clones.” 

“If they have clones, why bother with omegas?” One of them chirped. 

The golden haired one shrugged, “No clue. That place is guarded to the teeth. I was ordered here when the first cargo freight arrived. It was full of omegas.” 

“Human omegas?” 

“Yeah.” He nodded, “You wouldn’t believe it.” 

“Are the omegas and the clones… ya know…” This trooper made a lewd gesture alluding to fucking. 

The gold one shook his head and shrugged, “Thats what I thought too, but who knows. Those scientists weren’t letting anyone near the internal part of the building. Only the coruscant guard were allowed entry.” 

“Well the clones are an army of alphas.” A smaller man spoke up, “It’s the only thing that would make sense if they’re trying to breed more lupin-humans.” 

Hunter looked to his brothers with a concerned glance. They caught on and continued to have their casual conversation making sure to pay a bit closer attention to their surroundings. Echo leaned in closer to Hunter, “What’s going on?” 

“They’re trafficking omegas to Naboo. I heard the one with gold hair say he saw them arrive in cargo containers. Apparently theres a massive compound there, and they’re making more clones. Presumably, for this program.” 

“Program?” Echo repeated out of habit. 

“He said it was a breeding program.” Hunter lowered his voice. 

They both waved at Cid for another drink. 

“You don’t think thats why they had Crosshair reprogrammed and ordered to retrieve Y/N do you?” Echo’s protectiveness was starting to ebb into his chest, but that would make total sense why Tarkin wanted to keep her under his thumb. 

“Can’t say for certain.” Hunter shook his head, “But, I don’t think it’s going to be safe for Y/N for a while. We can’t let her out of our site until we understand what is going on.” 

“If thats true, that’s beyond fucked.” Echo shook his head, “sick bastards.” 

Hunter grunted in agreement pouring the rest of his drink down. 

“Let’s get upstairs before-”

Hunter was cut off when a drunk trooper shouted, “Hey! You look familar!” 

Hunter and Echo swiveled around to face the stumbling trooper. Beta, from the smell of him.

“Sorry, you got the wrong guy.” Hunter said calmly. Hunter used his elbow to turn his helmet away from the man knowing the shape might be a little recognizable. 

The beta just hummed and stared for a bit before flopping back down in his chair fisting the snacks on the table mumbling something incoherent. 

Hunter got up leaving with Echo while Tech and Wrecker left shortly after. They walked out the front but disappeared around back making it to the entrance to the courtyard undetected. When they climbed the fire escape and entered the apartment, they found you panic cleaning the whole place. 

“Woah.” Echo put his arm up trying to get you to slow down, “You okay Tiny?” 

“Where have you been!” You squeaked throwing the broom off to the side, “Did you see the imperials down there!” 

“Yeah we saw’em.” Echo stepped inside walking towards the living room couch. 

“Pip, I don’t think we can leave you here anymore.” Hunter shook his head, “I think you need to start coming on jobs with us.” 

“Why?” You asked a little nervous. Republic missions were one thing, but their mercenary jobs were a whole other ball park. You had no experience in this whatsoever. 

“If they’re casually stopping in here from time to time, it’s just a matter of time before someone recognizes you or us.” He explained, “I know you’ve kind of made a home here, but it’s just getting too dangerous with them coming here now.” 

“We can move your nest to the marauder like last time!” Wrecker offered rubbing his forehead. 

“Did you tell Cid?” You sat down next to Echo letting him put an arm around your shoulders. 

“She sent us a message warning us and to get out of dodge.” Tech replied showing you the memo. 

You read it and sighed, “Okay.” You agreed. 

“Okay?” Tech clarified. 

You nodded. 

“No fighting? Just like that?” Hunter narrowed his eyes.

You shrugged. 

“What’s wrong, I thought you liked it here?” Echo looked at you. 

“I do, I just… after last night… I don’t know. I just have this feeling like Crosshair’s right around the corner and he’s going to come walking in here with those troopers one day. I think Hunter’s right. I think it’s getting too hot here.” 

They stood there in contemplative silence. Obviously you were getting anxious, but they had reasoned that your fear of Crosshair finding you was just paranoia. Now, they understood that with so many imperials running around, your worries might actually have a chance of coming to fruition. 

“It’s settled then.” Hunter said, “Let’ get packed up and back to the ship.” 

You nodded, back to the marauder we go…

Super short little chapter! The next one is coming soon, posting both back to back!

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