Reunion - A Bad Batch Fanfic

Chapter 7

Catching a Force-sensitive girl who fell from a Jedi Cruiser was not how Cal had expected the evening to go. Truthfully, just seeing the starship reminded him too much of Master Tapal, so he had no idea why he felt drawn to the wreckage. Maybe he wanted to run through the halls one last time, practice his powers in the training room, laugh and share stories with the 13th Battalion. Tears pricked at his eyes as happy memories from Clone Wars burned bright in his mind, and for a brief moment, Cal selfishly wished to return to the struggling times. When planets and its occupants were constantly in danger. When every battle threatened to be his last. When Master Tapal was alive. Fear grew inside him like a virus, infecting his mind, digging a pit in his stomach. Suddenly, a warm antidote blossomed in his mind. Another Cal felt the presence of the other Force users after the other Scrappers started shooting one of them. Screams, shouts, and shots rang in his ears. Due to the complex layers of corroded metal, Cal had no visual on the conflict occurring above him. Instantly, the shooting ceased, but the Force guided him forward, where a patch of light dimly shone. Squinting upwards, Cal could vaguely make out something falling towards him. His fear returned when he realised it was a child. Were they dead? The warm feeling in him told him they were alive and Cal winced when they crashed into a support beam. Feeling sympathetic, Cal used the Force for the first time in weeks, the familiar sensation igniting in his fingertips. He gently weaved them in and out of the intervening debris. As the child neared him, Cal identified them as a girl, roughly his age. Her curly locks were the colour of ripe wheat and she was dressed in some sort of uniform, a white t-shirt with red and blue sleeves and black trousers and boots. Her Force signature was weak, but it was there nonetheless.

A pained groan slipped through the girl's mouth. Startled by the noise, Cal retreated, blending in with the shadows, unsure whether or not he could trust her.

"C-Caleb?" the girl murmured.

'Who's Caleb?' Cal thought. Cautiously, he slowly turned her around so she met the ground feet-first, lowering her downwards as he did so. Cal could feel her fear and agony through the Force, the noise still present in his ears.

"Hello?" she called.

"Hello?" Cal mentally kicked himself. Why had he done that? Yes, she was Force-sensitive, but he didn't know her.

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

"Nobody," Cal replied. "Who are you?"

"A-A friend. I think," she stuttered. "What's your name?"

Cal kept his mouth shut, determined not to answer her. He attempted to depart until a wave of fear burst from the girl. She was terrified and just wanted the company.

"What's your name?" she repeated.

'I'm gonna regret this.' Cal hesitantly walked back towards her and stepped back into the light, revealing himself to her. Her brown eyes widened as she saw him, a bright spark of hope burning in her irises.

"I'm Cal. What's your name?"

"Omega. Are you a Jedi?" Omega asked.

"Not anymore," Cal admitted. "Are you?"

"No, I wasn't a Jedi."

"What? But, you have a connection to the Force." Puzzled, Cal stepped closer to Omega.

Unaware of Cal's hesitation, BD whizzed towards her, crashed into her boot, and beeped, 'Hello! I'm BD-1.'

Glancing down at his droid, Omega giggled. "Hello BD," she turned her attention back to Cal. "Honestly, I didn't know I was Force-sensitive until my friend Caleb told me."