#vagabonds

“Taavi?” Thoomie quietly approached her uncle as he stood transfixed in the ship’s bay. 

He didn’t seem to hear her, instead puffing his pipe silently. 

“Uncle???” She approached, laying a hand on his shoulder.  “What’s wrong?” 

Puff...puff... 

Finally...Taavi exhaled, blowing tobacco and Star Sedge smoke before answering. 

“Got a really bad feeling about...them leaving...” 

“What is it, Uncle?” 

“Don’t know...”  Taavi puffed his pipe again “Just a gut feeling...” 

“Well, the message I just received should cheer you up.”  Thoomie smoothed her hand along Taavi’s back. 

“Eh?” 

“The Nomaadi Community just commed me.”  Thoomie brightened.  “They’ve found a safe planet for Reunion!” 

“OH, THANK THE FORCE!” Taavi cracked a wide smile.  “Been forever since we done gathered.” 

“Leaving you the coordinates, Uncle.”  Thoomie smiled back “When Hunter comes back with Sil and Mad...well...I don’t want to assume too much...”  She trailed off. 

“Oh, them clones ARE DEFINITELY invited!”  Taavi chuckled.  “Us trustworthies gotta stick together.” 

“Good to hear, Uncle.  I’ll be heading back to the clinic then to close things down.” 

“Thank you little girlie” Taavi leaned down to hug Thoomie gently, then kissed the top of her head.  “Go do yer thing.” 

Thoomie returned the hug. 

Taavi watched her leave the bay. 

The nagging bad feeling still stuck with him... 

He pondered a bit longer... 

Then sent an encrypted message of the coordinates in Nomaadi to Tech aboard the Marauder. 

Just in case... 

Now Tech had directions to a secret sanctuary moon, Hunter had his comm, Echo and Wrecker were more than capable, crazy ole’ Mad had those Force babies...Omega and Sil would be just fine... 

Taavi, ya ole’ goat, quit worrying and go work on the Beldame! 

All that ruminating was probably nothing. 

Crosshair opened his swollen, burning eyes to the intense Kamino sun.  The sea spanned for miles around the platform.  The ruins of his home poked out of ocean.  It had stopped smoldering some time ago.   

There had been NO rain since his brothers and Omega left him behind.   

A VERY rare occurrence on Kamino... 

No fresh water to quench his thirst.  Only his urine.   

Did his brothers DISPISE him so much as to NOT leave at least a canteen of water and some rations??? 

An exhausted, deep HATE rose in Crosshair.  He should have shot Hunter square between the eyes when he had the chance...except the kid would have seen it... 

...and his squad would have killed him outright.   

I deserve it...I’M A FUCKING FAILURE.  Brothers are gone...forever... 

He’d cry...if he could produce tears... 

Crosshair’s hunger was only abated after shooting down the occasional sea bird, feasting upon the body and drinking its blood. 

Fishing was impossible...as he was constantly being watched... 

...by the Saber Jaw trolling around the platform in the waters below. 

It’s large eye, the only thing poking above the surface, keeping tabs on ole Crossy. 

He initially watched it swimming around the wreckage, looking for bodies left after the Empire bombed Kamino City. 

Now it was coming for him.  Crosshair closed his eyes and wished for a quick death soon.  Baking in the hot Kamino sun until he died of dehydration was excruciating. 

Hours later a distant hum had Cross open one dry eye.  It was difficult to see.  Everything was a blur. 

The sound, now louder, slowly become a roar. 

His eyes strained to look skyward, but the glare blinded. 

A shadow fell over him, as the craft descended onto the platform. 

About KRIFFING TIME the Empire showed up...   

Although Crosshair was unsure if it truly was a ship...or mirage. 

The platform shook slightly as the craft landed.  Then the engine died.  Sounds of a gangplank opening.  Footsteps... 

Please make it ANY other officer.  I can’t STAND Force-damned  Rampart’s uppity-assed voice. 

An image flashed across Crosshair’s mind: mustering the last of his strength to blast Rampart to bits AND have the stormtroopers shoot him out of his misery...at the same time. 

Crosshair smiled and giggled dryly.  

The footsteps stopped. 

“Would give the WHOLE galaxy if that smile were for US” 

Crosshair’s eyes popped wide open.  He jerked up on one elbow swinging Firepuncher up to sniper’s position. 

He attempted to swallow nervously...but he had no saliva. 

Hunter stood several meters away, intensely staring at Crosshair.  The words didn’t match the action.  Instead, Hunter emanated anger. 

He’s FUCKING with ME!  Came back to torment!!! 

Echo and Wrecker flanked each side of the Marauder’s gangplank.  Their weapons weren’t raised but they held them ready just in case. 

Cross could barely see Tech’s head inside the Marauder.  Everything far away was a blur.  

Hunter turned them against me!  All for that kid... 

...AND THERE SHE WAS! 

Omega had slipped out of the Marauder, following Hunter. 

Crosshair growled grinding his teeth in rage.   

“I TOLD YOU TO TAKER HER AWAY SOMEWHERE!” 

Hunter blinked at the sound, his teeth on edge. 

Omega stopped in her tracks; eyes wide. 

“AND YOU BROUGHT HER BACK AGAIN!” 

Crosshair kept on spewing more anger, hurt, and delirious vitriol.  While Hunter was intensely hurt and angry at his brother, there was concern.  Cross’ high emotional stress, severe dehydration and starvation drove his eyes to roll back...causing a loss of bodily control.  Crosshair fought unconsciousness... 

...causing his finger to pull the trigger. 

Firepuncher jumped in Crosshair’s grasp.  It jerked him back to consciousness. 

Hunter barely had time to duck.  The bolt flew past his temple, searing free the bandana from his head...and a few locks of hair. 

Crosshair stared in horror at what he just did... 

Sil pulled the gifted blaster from his jacket, preparing to help cover Echo and Wrecker. 

“OMEGA...get back to the ship!  Hunter stood frozen, taking in his senses.  Trying to listen... 

Mad calmly strode toward the open hatch...  

“EYYY...?”  Wrecker reached out to prevent Mad from falling.   

But Mad didn’t want that. 

She Force SQUEEZED Wrecker out of the way.  He panicked internally, as it firmly pressed the air from his lungs...not enough to hurt... 

...just enough to allow Mad to lean past him and over the open gangplank.   

Mad reached out with the Force and yanked Omega up, tossing her back into her secure grasp.   

Wrecker inhaled loudly when the pressure released, as a transfixed Echo stared wildly back at Mad and Omega. 

A VERY SHOCKED Crosshair, eyes wide, didn’t miss this. 

"MY BROTHERS ARE TAKING JEDI AS SQUADMATES!!! " Crosshair was floored. 

“DAMMIT CROSSHAIR!  SHE’S CARRYING OUR CHILDREN!!!”  Hunter blurted, red faced, flustered that Cross had seen this BEFORE he could get his brother into the Marauder...and visibly SHOCKED at Mad’s growing Force abilities. 

Crosshair’s face froze in shock. 

Mad stared transfixed as Crosshair...the snarky, caustic, brother...as he GLARED back at Mad. 

...But underneath lies an angry, unsure, confused, and ill-prepared human man who did very bad things and the loneliness is a deep well of regret of bad decisions from living in the shadow of his shorter brother somewhat mentally adjusted brother who dared not follow orders but grappled with being a good soldier verses an efficient killing machine with loyalty of the growing most powerful entity murder machine he assisted spreading among the stars oh the stars the stars the suns baking him to death on a dead homeworld... 

“MAD!”  Hunter screamed at the top of his lungs, SNAPPING her from distraction...pulling away from sliding into Crosshair’s headspace and emotions.  Mad’s eyes blinked, noticing Hunter’s terrified expression. 

Crosshair, clearly thinking Hunter’s duress comical in his sun addled brain, grinned like a maniac. 

Keeping Hunter on his toes!  I might NOT KILL YOU after all... 

...huh???  Mad, still cradling Omega, cocked her head like a dog. 

YOU...HEAR me? Crosshair touched a hand to his forehead. 

Hunter cocked his head.  He sensed SOMETHING...he DIDN’T like it. 

THE SABER JAW BURST FROM THE WATER BELOW.  Slamming its body upon the platform.  Everyone cantilevered off balance.  The Marauder slid toward the group. 

Tech fired up the engines, picking the ship up off the platform.  Echo and Wrecker held on for dear life.   Sil slid past Mad, who failed to catch him.  Echo scruffed the collar of Sil’s tunic before he slipped from the Marauder.  The blaster fell from his grasp and clattered onto the platform below. 

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? Echo yelled at Sil.  The teen’s face displayed the terror of how ill-prepared he was in the current situation. 

Echo pushed Sil back towards the Marauder’s seats, then trained his blaster on the Saber Jaw. 

It's shadow fell over Hunter and Crosshair. 

Their heads flicked up to take in the Sea Dragon’s wide opened mouth as it loomed over them: teeth, forked tongue, throat open to receive its meal.  It stunk like ten degrees of Rancid Jotaz. 

Hunter and Crosshair stared into that abyss then simultaneously screamed the rest of their sanity away. 

Wrecker and Echo fired their blasters repeatedly into the Saber Jaw as Tech swung around firing the Marauder. 

Mad backed away from the opening of the ship, dragging Omega with her.  Then grabbing Sil, shoving him into a seat.   

“For Force sake, BELT IN!” 

“Auntie...YOU AREN’T even belted in...” 

“LISTEN TO YOUR AUNTIE!!!”  Echo yelled while firing his blaster.  

Sil shut up, obediently sat and belted in. Mad handed him Omega.  Sil belted her in next to him.  

The Saber Jaw roared, then shot downward, swallowing up Hunter and Crosshair before they could escape.

Mad screamed, doubling over.  The pain in her abdomen was unfathomable.  Echo ran to embrace her. 

Wrecker and Tech kept blasting.  Shots hit the Serpent, causing minimal damage. 

It leaped off the damaged platform into the depths of the ocean. 

Mad went silent.  Everyone else was stunned. 

An eerie silence permeated the air. 

Everyone watched the seafoam on the surface dissipate.  

All calm.  All gone. 

Mad inhaled shakily, deeply, then forcibly wailed with every fiber of her being.  Her face burned beet red. 

Then her water broke. 

Wrecker shook his head in disbelief, slowly turned around to see embryonic fluid roll across the floor of the Marauder. 

Echo spoke first “Oh shit!”  His eyes were wild. 

Tech whipped around, took in the sight, then engaged the gangplank to close. 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TECH!”  Wrecker screamed.  His voice cracked. 

“We MUST get Mad medical attention quickly...” Tech sounded doomed. 

“NO!” 

“YES WRECKER!”  Tech shot back. 

Wrecker glanced at Echo.  Echo sadly glanced back nodding his head yes. 

Mad cried out in pain and misery. 

“NOOOOO!” Wrecker wailed. 

Tech took off, heading for the horizon.  His hands gripping the steering mechanism tighter than he should. 

Sil grabbed Omega who screamed and burst into tears.  His eyes glazed over. 

“NO NO NO NO NO NO NO...”  Wrecker hammered his fists against the inside of the Marauder. 

Echo gently picked Mad up from the floor and sat her on a seat.  He slid in next to her and put his arms around Hunter’s woman, resting Mad’s head against his.  She continued to wail, and silent tears ran down Echo’s face. 

Wrecker collapsed next to Sil and Omega, sobbing.  Sil, still glazed silently reached out, encircling the big man with his other arm and hugged him. 

Omega screamed that they should turn back...   

Tech, struggling with his illogical inner demons, sped toward the stars...INSTEAD of the Bar’ge ‘N Go he punched in the coordinates for the Sanctuary Moon in the Unknown Regions... 

He KNEW the Bar’ge had everything that was needed medically... 

But the planet Taavi had sent him coordinates to...it FELT the better choice... 

The SAFER choice. 

He couldn’t explain it logically then...and from that day forward he STILL struggled... 

...the Marauder jumped into Hyperspace. 

Tavvy, his head in the Beldame’s mechanical panel reached out for a wrench just as his comm signal went off.  He turned it on only to hear shrill screams.  One of which sounded VERY familiar! 

Uncle Taavi paled in fear. 

He backed out, slammed the panel shut, and hurriedly boarded the Beldame.  The rest of his special modifications to the ship would have to wait. 

T1nK noticed his agitation and bleeped excitedly.  

“Load up, WE GOTTA GO!”  He shouted to the droid.  She streaked below the Beldame and was snapped up into the bowels of the ship, immediately scomping in. 

Hope I’m not too late!  Furiously rubbing the back of his neck.  

Tavvi took off from ‘Tav’s Solar Bar-ge Fix ‘N Go” and kicked the ‘Dame in high gear towards Kamino. 

“Little Thoo!”  Taavi radioed back to the Barge. 

“Yeah, Uncle?”  Thoomie answered back. 

“Got an emergency brewin’.  Takin’ the Beldame to Kamino.  You run things while I’m gone...kay?” 

“Uncle...”  Thoo’s voice held concern.  “Is there BIG trouble?” 

“I expect so little girly, but I hope not.” 

“May The Force be with you Uncle.” 

“I’ll need it...and so will Hunter...” 

To read Chapter 35 "BELLY OF THE BEAST":

https://www.tumblr.com/skellymom/788656881666228224/vagabonds-chapter-35?source=share

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