The Bad Batch discovering you stayed loyal to Empire HCs
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The jungle is coloured in hues of silver, the overhead canopy filtering in just enough moonlight to see. Despite hearing the Marauder flying above, he canāt see the ship yet and thus, the chase is still on.
Branches crack under his heavy boots. Vines sway as he sprints past them. He can feel his lungs burn but he ignores it, urging his body onwards.Ā
He knows you're closing in. Well, he doesnāt know you areā¦ whenever he manages to glance behind as he runs, all the clone sees is the new assassin sent by the Empire gaining on him.
He follows the instructions that are hurriedly given through his comm. āJust another few metres and thereās a clearing, weāll get you there!ā his brotherās voice assures him. It doesnāt seem like a difficult task but as he stumbles out onto the clearing and realises itās a cliff edge, things become interesting.
You know better than to run straight out after him and instead opt to stay close to the tree line. As the Marauder hovers closer to him, a sigh escapes your lips.
Maybe you wonāt be able to capture him this time but as he looks back at you, you decideĀ to take off your helmet and show him exactly who this new assassin is...
HUNTER
Hunter thought the Empire couldnāt hurt him anymore. But here you are. He presumed he lost you a long time ago but now youāre standing in front of him, a slight scowl darkening your face as you stand your ground.
For a moment, Hunter forgets that heās just a few feet away from escaping this close encounter. All of his thoughts are consumed by you. How are you still alive? And why are you working for the Empire?!Ā
He says your name in a mere whisper, the engines of the ship behind him easily drowning out his words. But you donāt need to hear his words to know how Hunter feels.Ā
There is a look of misery and regret in Hunterās eyes, a sad acceptance of things that could have gone a different way.
You know this is your chance. Heās completely vulnerable, shock distracting him from his hypervigilant senses. If you wanted to take the shot, this was your chanceā¦ but you donāt. Instead you simply stare, a feeling you thought you long buried rising within you.
If this happened when the Batch first strayed from the Empire, before they truly knew the cruel dictatorship they were up against, Hunter would have offered you his hand and tried his best to convince you to come with them.Ā
But now? This far into the tyranny of the Empire? Itās a painful realisation but Hunter knows youāve already chosen a side. Heās already been through the turmoil of this with Crosshair, he canāt go through that again just for you to reject his help.
Hunter knows that leaving the Empire has to be a decision you make. Not him.Ā
And so Hunter makes his escape, grabbing onto the rope Wrecker has thrown down for him. He knows this wonāt be the last time you two meet, and he knows youāre letting him go on purpose.
Hunter knows you too well and he knows that you could have fought harder if you wanted to.
Slowly watching as you turn back and retreat into the darkness of the jungle, Hunter sighs, hoping that maybe the you he knows and lov-ā¦ *ahem*, the you he knows is still in there somewhere, deep deep down.
WRECKER
Wrecker smiles when he spots you but that quickly turns to shock and sadness. Looking back at the others on the ship, Wrecker gives them a confused look that reads āare you seeing what Iām seeing?!ā. Wrecker is every emotion.
After all this time apart, youāre right in front of him and yet youāre not. Wreckerās smile slowly dims, his initial joy slowly fading as he comes to the realisation that it was you chasing him through the jungle so ferociously.Ā
Wreckerās face grows sullen. How has it come to this? He doesnāt understand but he knows this isnāt you. It canāt be! You mustāve gone through the same treatment as Crosshair or maybe they have something theyāre using against you.
He refuses to believe youāre doing this because you want to and so against his better judgement, Wrecker ignores the shouts of his brothers to retreat and heads straight for you.
With renewed determination, Wrecker manages to dodge a few of your attacks. He tries to disarm you without actually hurting you.
He canāt just leave you here, not when youāre like this and in the Empireās grasp. Wrecker would never forgive himself if he leaves without you.
Despite having trained with you in the past, this is a completely different experience. This isnāt sparring. This is a fight. You slash your blade through the air each time he nears you, Wrecker moving as swiftly as he can. Youāre like a wild animal being cornered, your eyes darting around as you try to maintain the upper hand.
The Marauder lowers to the ground as Hunter and Crosshair jump out, ready to help their brother (and to also make sure Wrecker doesnāt get himself killed).Ā
With their help, Wrecker manages to disarm you... and he may have accidentally knocked you unconscious too. He swears he didnāt mean to put you in a headlock that tight! But honestly, itās probably a happy accident thatāll make this a lot easier.
Even though the others are dubious about having you on the ship, Wrecker is adamant that they have to help you and make you see what the Empire truly is. You would have done the same for any of them and so itās only right that they help you now.
With AZI scanning you for any serious injuries (or microchips), Wrecker sits beside you and patiently waits for you to awake, his head hanging low as he tries to come to terms with this new revelation.
ECHO
Seeing you again is like defeating impossible odds and it makes Echo come to a sudden realisation. The moment is an unexpected one, yet somehow deeply familiar.
Echo wonders if this is how Rex felt when he realised Echo was still alive and on Skako Minor.
He wants to reach out to you, to offer you his hand... but he doesnāt. Instead, Echo hesitates. The powerful urge to act on his impulse lingers for a moment before rational thinking catches up to his heart and he stops himself.
He canāt help it as his concern grows for you. The unfortunate thing is, Echo knows that you might not even want his help. Maybe itās too late and Echo wouldnāt be able to sway you from your stance in all of this.Ā
Echo is still plagued by how he was forced to help the Separatist forces during the war and so much of the concern he feels for you stems from his dreary past.Ā
Slowly taking a few steps in your direction, Echo approaches you with caution. Heās careful to maintain a constant vigilance over your hands and movements, being aware of how quickly this could go wrong. He tries to ask why youāre with the Empire, if youāre aware of what theyāre doing to the clones.Ā
Echo knows that you care about the clones, or that at least you did at some point. Even if your beliefs have changed, heās confident you would never stand for what the Empire is doing to his brothers. If he can just get you to hear him out, then heās certain you can both get to some sort of an understanding.Ā
The last thing Echo wants to do is argue, especially with how high tensions are. Echo knows you. Of course he does. You two have been through so much. And so he knows that all he needs to do is fill you in on the mistreatment of the clones and youāll turn your back on the Empireā¦ right?
Despite the fact that you were just chasing him, Echo doesn't want this to be a āyou vs himā sort of thing. If you listen to him and open your eyes to what the Empire truly is, then Echo can assure you that with some time, you can be brought into the fold of the rebellion. This isnāt the end and he assures you that any trust that may have faltered can be restored.Ā
Of course Echo wants you to join them immediately, hence why he initially went to offer you his hand. But for that to actually happen, he needs to see some sort of cooperation from you, whether that be a plea for help, you lowering your weapons to the ground or simply engaging in conversation when he informs you about the clones.
If you choose to go with them, Echo would call for some back up from the ship, reassuring you as Hunter and Wrecker join him. Itās only a precaution in case some kind of sleeper agent training activates. Itās going to take a while for them to trust you again so be prepared for a lot of āprecautionsā.
But if you choose to stay with the Empire? Well, at least Echo knows he tried.
TECH
Tech should have seen this coming. The Empireās latest play of deploying assassins to hunt them down has resulted in an essential need for stealth.
Not only is that one of your strong suits but your great track record and prior relationship with the Batch makes you the perfect candidate to locate and eliminate them. In hindsight, Tech feels as though you were the obvious choice.
Tech contemplates holding his ground against you but with the Marauder so close, he realises that retreating is the most logical option. He is mindful of his movements, slowly taking steps backwards as to not startle you or trigger you into action.Ā
After hearing about how the Empireās harsh ways of conditioning people, Tech is aware that whatever they may have subjected you to may have drastically changed you. The likelihood that you might not be the you Tech once knew is unfortunately high.
Tech's mindset is one of caution and pragmatism, balancing the risks and benefits of each option. So while he would ideally want you to lay down your weapons and come with them peacefully, he needs to think about his brotherās and Omegaās safety; something that could be jeopardised further if you joined them.
Not only would you joining them cause potential problems for them, but Tech is conscious of how that would endanger you too.
What if youāre chipped with a tracker? Would the Empire be able to track you down easily, and thus them too? He refuses to make such an impulsive decision and ask you to come with them.
In an ideal world, this would never happen. You would never be with the Empire. But here you are, and this is something Tech isnāt going to dismiss simply because he thought you were a close ally back in the day.
Once Tech is sure heās close enough to the ship, he swiftly boards the platform. You watch the ship slowly rise higher and higher, the look on your face one that Tech is unable to read.Ā
Before he loses sight of you, Tech gives you a simple nod. Itās not a nod of respect - how can it be when youāre doing the Empireās dirty work?! - but it is one of recognition. Recognition of what was once between you both as well as the familiarity of an old pawn of the Republic seeing a new pawn of the Empire.Ā
He needs to think, to analyse this new development. Tech remains calm as the Marauder soars away from you and through hyperspace. The others all speak over each other at this new development but Tech is quiet.
Right now, his main concern is to come up with potential ways of meeting you again in hopefully less hostile circumstances and to find out what exactly is going on.Ā
CROSSHAIR
Crosshair wishes this was a surprise to him. But honestly? You and him were always close, having a deeper understanding of each other than most. And so if the Empire was able to keep him for so long then he unfortunately sees how theyāve been able to keep their grasp on you too.
He takes a moment to analyse your stillness. Youāre simply standing there, watching; as if youāre waiting for him to make the first move.
Despite the scowl on your face, Crosshair acknowledges that you havenāt moved for your blaster yet. Perhaps youāre conflicted?Ā
You took off your helmet for a reason. You wanted him to know that itās you. For Crosshair, thatās enough to deduce that maybe youāre doubting the Empire and the mission theyāve given you.
If thereās anyone who can sympathise with your predicament, itās Crosshair. And while he doesnāt know all the facts or why youāre here, he knows first hand how the Empire has basically drilled it into peopleās heads that theyāre the good guys and so he canāt blame you for carrying those beliefs.Ā
Crosshair has heard this plea before. Heās heard it countless times but that was when his brothers were the ones trying to convince him to abandon the Empire. But now heās on the opposite side and trying to persuade you to leave the Empire.
He opens his hands, almost as if surrendering but in reality he just wants to show you heās not reaching for a weapon either. All he wants to do is talk and to make sure youāre aware that just because youāre on opposite sides doesnāt mean youāre necessarily enemies.
Unfortunately this is the part that Crosshair is bad at. Talking. Reasoning. Not being sarcastic or saying a snide comment. He isnāt as compassionate as Hunter, nor can he find the right words like Echo usually can in situations like this.Ā
āI thought you were too smart to fall for the Empireās lies,ā Crosshair can practically hear Omega sigh in the Marauder at his choice of words but itās how heās always talked to you. Neither of you have ever minced your words before. Clearing his throat, he tries again, keeping his words genuine and making sure you know he wants to help.
Even if youāre receptive to his truce, Crosshair is hesitant to bring you with them. Not because you may be conditioned to bend to the Empireās every whim but because he fears what they may do to you if they realise you've went AWOL. Crosshair knows exactly what itās like to get on the bad side of the Empire and itās something he would never wish on you.
Whatever your decision is, Crosshair respects it. He wonāt pester you to change your mind.
Crosshair still believes in you and whatever it is you decide to do, heāll trust. Whether youāre on opposite sides of the galaxy, a war, or a game of Dejarik, Crosshair will always have trust in you.
