Reunion - A Bad Batch Fanfic

Chapter 6

Caleb stared at the junk-filled planet, recognising several destroyed ships amongst the wreckage. He'd never visited Bracca before and it wasn't exactly appealing.

Behind him, Omega let out a small whimper. Caleb could sense her fear rolling off her in waves. "Couldn't we go anywhere else?"

"We asked Rex, but he said finding another suitable place would take time and we know we can safely remove the chips here." Hunter replied, a hint of regret in his tone.

"What happened last time you came here?" Boba asked, fiddling with his jetpack.

Instantly, the cockpit fell silent, save for the hum of the engines. All of the Bad Batch wore downcast expressions, as if Bracca held particularly painful memories for them.

"My chip sorta activated before we could get it out. I almost..." Wrecker trailed off. He murmured the ending of his sentence so quietly Caleb was certain he'd misheard him, "Almost killed Omega."

"Oh." Looking slightly guilty, Boba refocused on his jetpack.

Omega darted over to the gentle giant and embraced him. Smiling warmly, Wrecker picked her up and the young girl wrapped her arms around his neck.

Shocked, Caleb stared at the pair. Wrecker and Omega were so close, he couldn't picture him harming a hair on Omega's head. Yet the chip had forced him to nearly kill his little sister. He couldn't imagine the guilt Wrecker must've experienced after having his chip removed. A whirlwind of emotions about clones swirled around inside him. On one hand, Caleb still resented them for the murder of Master Billaba and countless other Jedi. However, on the other, he felt sympathetic towards them. It wasn't their choice to open fire on the Jedi.

Groaning from the middle of the ship diverted Caleb's attention. He knew the trooper who shot at him was handcuffed to a bunk mere meters away. Hunter had forbade him from approaching Crosshair, not wanting Caleb to be killed, but Omega had mentioned previously that she'd briefly managed to delay Wrecker by talking to him. Her words had momentarily brought him back. Sneaking a glance at the Sargeant, Caleb stealthily backed out of the cockpit.

"Commander Dume," a malicious voice sneered behind him. "I see Hunter can't resist adopting every child he comes into contact with."

Taking in a shaky breath, Caleb turned and faced Crosshair. The clone was significantly different from the last time he'd laid eyes on him. His ash-grey hair was gone and a nasty scar covered the right side of his temple. He was lying down on the bunk, his left wrist bound to the wall above his head. When their eyes met, his brown ones gleamed with hatred.

Caleb grimaced. "Your new look doesn't exactly suit you."

Crosshair rolled his eyes. "Did Hunter send you in here to interrogate me?"

His voice felt colder than ice and harsher than a desert sandstorm. Hearing the killer in his tone, Caleb abandoned his idiotic idea of trying to pry Crosshair from his chip.

"No, I came here to tell you that we'll be landing soon." Caleb's heart pumped with fear seeing the sharpshooter again. He'd gotten extremely close to killing the Padawan on Kaller. Had Caleb not knocked him unconscious, he was unsure if he'd be alive.

"Thank you for being so generous," Crosshair's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Mind telling me where we are?"

"No," Unable to steady his racing heart, Caleb moved to leave. He opened the doors to the cockpit and hesitated. "I forgive you."

"What?"

"I forgive you for trying to kill me. I know your actions were influenced by your inhibitor chip. When you're back with your brothers and sister, they'll forgive you too."