"IN ANOTHER GALAXY..."
The Bad Batch Alternative Universe fic. What if Crosshair hadn't followed the Empire? Read on to see who follows along, rebels, and struggles with the decision. Inspired by the following post and AMAZING artwork by @daidrm with comment discussion @tech-aficionado @gars-weaponeer @wrenkenstein @milesobrein @merkitty49
https://www.tumblr.com/daidrm/816109210018414592?source=share
Warning: Star Wars canon violence, swearing, Jedi padawan is roughed up and choked but lives.
"RUN CALEB!!!"
To Crosshair it seemed a strange feverdream as the Regs shot at Deepa Biloba. He and his Batcher brothers stood in shocked silence as they watched Gree and his men mow her down with blaster fireβ¦
Or so he ASSUMED his brothers looked on with shock.
Caleb Dume turned towards The Batchers with fear and ANGER in his eyes.
Are theyβ¦going to kill the PADAWAN? Crosshair couldn't wrap his mind around the death of the Jedi Master. Going after her Padawan seemedβ¦unnecessary andβ¦WRONG.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!"
Caleb spun away, fleeing into the forest.
"Terminate the Padawan" Tech ordered. His voice suddenly cold, monotone, and EXTREMELY out of character.
"ARE YOU FUCKING JOKING??? Echo yelled though his helmet.
Are you fucking joking indeed⦠Crosshair kept his mouth shut and emotions close to his vest. Something big and DISTURBING was happening. Best to keep quiet and assess the situation.
"HUNTER! WHAT'S GOING ON?" Echo demanded of his Sergeant.
Hunter never registered Echo's demand. Their brother GROWLED in a way Crosshair had NEVER heard before, as his brother hunched close to the ground, slowly unsheathed his vibroblade, and took off in pursuitβ¦
After a KID!
Hunter was going to KILL Calebβ¦
Echo LIT UP with curses and questions, grabbing Tech by the arm, demanding answers.
Tech's reply chilled Crosshair to his very bones.
"YOU are in direct violation of Order 66." Tech slapped Echo's hand off him. "Stand down or your behavior will be considered an act of Treason and punishable by Termination."
"What the HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???" Echo ranted, continuing to outwardly and loudly question Tech's words and behavior.
Wrecker stood there, clearly in analysis paralysis, helmeted head flicking from Tech and Echo then back to Crosshair.
Crosshair shook his head inβ¦confusion, anxietyβ¦concern.
Then took off after Hunter and Caleb Dume.
Tracking was never Crosshair's ability. But following both is brother's and the padawan's tracks in the snow was easy.
That and the sound of blaster fire and Caleb's angry screams.
Crosshair slid down into a deep valley of trees to catch the end of Caleb's light saber battle defense against Hunter. The saber now laying out of reach upon the snow.
Hunter had the child pinned down with his lower body while Caleb struggled. One hand clamped around the Padawan's neck in a firm choke hold.
As Crosshair ran closer, he could see Caleb face starting to turn red, struggling to remain conscious.
Hunter raised the vibroblade above his head.
HE'S GOING TO GUT THE KID???
Noβ¦Hunter would NEVERβ¦
The blade in Hunter's grip reached it's apex.
"HUNTER! NO!!!" Crosshair's voice surprised even himself.
Hunter visibly paused, knife poised over Calebβ¦like a dog waiting for a command. His grip on Caleb loosened just enough for the Padawan to take a breath, opening his eyes.
Hunter shook his head.
The voice coming from Hunter's helmet sounded like his brother. But the wordsβ¦from a total STRANGER.
"Good soldiersβ¦."
Hunter visibly struggled with the rest.
β¦followβ¦orders."
A HUGE wave of DISGUST and FEAR rolled over Crosshair.
The knife in Hunter's hand plunged down towards Caleb as the child attempted to feebly Force block it.
Crosshair shot Hunter in the back.
The knife fell from Hunter's grasp as the trooper collapsed with his full weight upon Caleb.
Sounds of Reg Troopers approaching through the forestβ¦
Kicking Hunter's body off Caleb, Crosshair grabbed the front of the Padawan's tunic to haul him up out of the snow.
Caleb managed to regain enough high ground to force throw Crosshair down off his feet, regaining the light saber.
The move felt like he had been gut punched, and with the wind knocked out of him, Crosshair stared dumbly at the torn piece of tunic in his hand.
"Leave me alone!" The Padawan hissed.
Trooper voices getting closerβ¦
"Kidβ¦" Crosshair coughed, trying to sit up and breathe. "RUN. You're life DEPENDS on it!"
Caleb's face softened slightly with the realization Crosshair was letting him escape.
Cross managed to stand and watch as the Padawan ran, vaulting over the waterfall, and disappearing into the forest without a trace.
He quickly pocketed the torn piece of fabricβ¦
Two Regs burst from the treeline as Cross turned to face them.
"Status report!" One of them barked.
"The Jedi has been terminated." Crosshair spoke passively to the Reg soldiers nodding his head towards the thundering waterfall. "Shot in the back and fell to his death."
Both soldiers glanced towards the falls, then Hunter, and back to Crosshair.
Cross anticipated their skepticism.
"Our brother has been injured by the Jedi. We must get him to Kamino for medical treatment."
Crosshair's statement seemed to suffice for both soldiers who commed the update to their command and for a holostretcher.
Good soldiers follow ordersβ¦and hardly question themβ¦hmmβ¦
The Marauder hovered over Kaller's littered battlefield as Crosshair loaded the holostretcher containing Hunter onto the ship.
Per usual Tech manned the pilot's seat. But his demeanor was off. Instead of his brother's usual relaxed posture while navigating, Crosshair noticed he seemedβ¦stiff and severe.
Echo was NOT in his usual spot as copilot.
To Crosshair's horror, he was bound to one of the Marauder's bunks, still as death, and missing all of his prostheticsβ¦
Wrecker sat in the back of the ship with an expression of extreme GUILT.
WHAT'S going on???
Crosshair's skin prickled with goosebumps at the thought of Tech or Wrecker purposely killing Echoβ¦
"Echo has chosen to disobey Order 66." Crosshair recognized Tech's voice, but his tone and cadence was foreign. "WE are commandeering him back to Kamino. Echo will serve as an example to any of our brothers who refuse to comply with the Empire."
The eye's behind Tech's goggles contained a cruelty Crosshair had never ever seen before.
Crosshair numbly nodded, turning away to park the holostretcher.
"Good soldiersβ¦" Tech called after Crosshair, leaving a very deliberate pauseβ¦
Shitshitshit!
Crosshair did his best to put FEELING into the lieβ¦hoping the choice to parrot Hunter's words would fool Techβ¦
"Follow orders."
"Good. It is imperative that I KNOW you agree." Tech sniffed arrogantly, casting a disappointed and fleeting glance towards Wreckerβ¦
Who visibly hung his head at the remark. Crosshair could see while Wrecker may have outwardly questioned what was going on, in true form he inevitably caved and obeyed Tech.
"No matter. Governer Tarken has ordered that YOU shall be examined by Nala Se for possible reconditioning."
Wrecker flinched and cowered.
WHO the fuck is Tarken? WHY is Tech giving all the orders? WHAT the HELL is GOING ON???
Crosshair strode to the back of the Marauder, parking himself in a seat next to the broken hearted Wrecker.
The ship powered up and took off from Kaller towards home.
Crosshair kept his helmet on the whole trip. It allowed him the privacy to keep eyes on EVERYONE. To his relief he could see Echo breathing regularly, meaning he had been stunned just like Hunter.
From his peripheral vision, Crosshair could see Wrecker STARING a hole through him.
"β¦WHAT???" Crosshair snapped.
Wrecker glanced around the ship for a beat. Then leaned in, whispering into Crossy's earpeice.
"Ya didn'tβ¦kill the little Jediβ¦did ya?"
Crosshair scoffed at Wrecker's question. Then glanced with uncertainty over at the incapacitated Hunter.
"I'm an arrogant asshole, Wrecker. NOT a TOTAL psychopath."
The reply seemed to abate SOME of Wrecker's anxiety. But not all of it. The larger clone slowly settled back into his seat while wrapping his arm around Gonky for emotional support.
Crosshair leaned back, propping up both feet, pretending to nap. It would be seen by the rest of his brothers as normal behavior per usual. Cross wanted them to assume that. And it would give him time to think.
Both brothers sat in troubled silence as the Marauder made it's way back to Kaminoβ¦
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