Fixing Our Broken Pieces || The Bad Batch

Chapter 2: First Impressions

The Empire were quick to wipe out Onderon and force them to turn to their cause. They had discovered Saw's camp so Saw and Orla were expecting Imperial forces any minute. But Orla was having trouble accepting it. She was now an enemy to the galaxy, to the Empire all for things she couldn't understand. The whole point of her leaving the order, her brother disintegrated in front of her. Everything that made all the pain worth it was gone. She couldn't be a Jedi, she would have to hide the force, her identity. Where could she go that would be safe, who could she trust, who was still alive? At the same time, Saw's in trouble, everything else can wait.

In the meantime, Orla mediated over her Holocron to find a sense of who or what was being sent. The Holocron hovered over a campfire, the flames tickling under the luminous cube. 

Honest men will look you in the eye. Was all got but she could imagine the number 99 and a skull, two of which she had no sense of what it meant. She opened her eyes and shut off the Holocron by taking out its crystal and tying it back around her neck.

"Nothing?" Saw, frustrated, stood and kept looking towards the sky expecting to see a ship over his planet at any moment. His patience was running out.

"No, it said honest men will look you in the eye."

"So nothing?"

"To your standards? Yeah nothing?"

One of the campers pushed past crowds to show Saw that a ship had just arrived out of hyperspace, with one swift motion Saw instructed his people o get into position. There were already groups of fighters waiting in the trees and the children were kept further back with Orla and Saw.

"When the Empire comes, you need to hide. We don't know if clones are being sent and they'll kill you as soon as you know you're here." Saw knew Orla could easily fight a clone,  but she needed to protect her cover. She couldn't risk someone recognizing her as a Jedi.

On the other hand, Orla would never leave Saw to defend by himself, not just because of his drastic actions but she didn't like to stand around and wait for a disaster to happen. But it would be worse for the fighters and civilians if the clones had a reason to attack because right now they had no reason to attack.

"Fine I'll stay here, but you do not engage," she pointedher finger firmly up at him. He lowered it with his own.

"You know me."

The sounds of engines roared above them, they both looked up, seeing the ship land in the distance.

☆☆☆

The bad batch exited the Havoc Marauder creeping out into the dark forest

"The Separatist encampment's two klicks south," Hunter informed, putting his tracking abilities to use, "We'll continue on foot and do a full perimeter scan."

Wrecker started to sprint forward, eager to hunt for battle droids.

"Covertly." Hunter stopped Wrecker with his hand and he groaned.

"Oh come on. It's been days since I've blown something up."

"Easy Wrecker, your programming's kicking in," Tech chimed in.

"Hey don't start with that!" He pushed Tech forward and continued to follow Hunter's lead.

The squad listened out, only hearing chips of birds in the trees and the constant beeping of the scanner for their search.

"How many droids are we talking about Tech?" Hunter asked, unsure about what he was walking into.

"I can't tell from this distance, something's blocking my scan."

"Clankers always travel in packs. Let's get a closer look at what we're walking into."

Orla meditated at the top of the tree to see who was coming. Her senses increased as the batch got closer and she could picture them clearer and clearer. The rest of the Saws fighters were hidden in deep bushes watching the group of clones closer to the ground.

Orla could finally make out a small group of clones, none that she hadn't seen before. Their armour was each unique to each other and they all seemed to have a different look but she couldn't tell from so high above. She should be getting an instinct that the camp was in danger, but nothing. Except for a stronger connection to one of the clones, picturing him perfectly in her mind whereas the other members stayed unfocused and blurry.

Wait...That's clone force 99!

It was her job back in the temple to know every clone, every military proceeded, code or Jedi that could keep the temple protected including clone force 99. She knew of their existence not much else.

Hunter also felt something up in the trees. He continued to stare up but saw nothing.

"I'm clocking 25 heat signatures ahead but zero droids," Tech spoke.

"Tarkin said insurgents, not droids," Crosshair said still defending the Empire's choices.

"There are children down there," Echo pointed out. Hunter was suddenly uneased, what had the Empire really sent them to do and why can he feel someone at the top of the trees?

Something's not right, why haven't they moved?
Orla could see them waiting in front of the camp, the fighters had not engaged just as she asked but now she wanted to step in. Maybe she was being nosy, maybe it was something else. She discreetly moved further down, snaking through the branches and could now pick up what the clones were saying.

"What are you waiting for, give the order." Crosshair pointed his rifle at an older woman peacefully sitting by the campfire.

"Negative. Stand down, we're not alone."

Once Crosshair had lowered his rifle, Saw's fighters came out of hiding. The bad batch pulled out their weapons, still not knowing if they were Separatists, but they were still surrounded.

Orla knew she should have stayed in the trees, but her curiosity overtook her and she jumped down as the fighters revealed themselves and the Bad Batch surrendered.

Hunter turned around where Orla was pointing her weapon at his head.

"Stand down soldiers," Orla turned off the safety with a click, "I'm only gonna ask you once."