aftermath: life debt | the bad batch

prologue: the pykes

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prologue: the pykes

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•••

"Cid, that's too dangerous of a job. We're probably not going to make it out alive, especially with Omega with us," Hunter told Cid, after she gave them their new job. "The amount of money we will make is tempting, but we'll have to refuse."

"I got nothing else. It's either that or you'll starve. You said you guys don't have much money left right?" Cid replied, hoping that the group of clones would take the job.

"It's not going to happen."

"Worst case scenario, you do die on the mission. That just means you'll die either way."

"She is right," Tech chimed in trying to get Hunter to accept the offer, "might as well take the risk."

"Tech, shut your smart ass up for one second and think logically. We only have four members-"

"Five!" Wrecker yelled from the back corner.

Hunter turned around to face him and sighed. "Crosshair is gone, Wrecker. For good. There's no way he'll turn back now. I thought we could turn him back but we can't."

"I meant Omega," Wrecker mumbled under his breath.

"Omega doesn't count. She's just a child."

Cid stood up from her chair, completely and utterly annoyed with Hunter at this point. "If you're that worried about Omega then just leave her on the ship. I can't believe you were planning on taking her."

"We weren't," Hunter argued, "it doesn't change the fact that the pykes are dangerous people. And you're asking for five crates of spice. Hell, we would be lucky if we made out with one."

"Suit yourself," Cid said. "But don't come looking for another job."

"Fine by me," Hunter said, starting to walk away from the table.

Echo looked at Tech, then Wrecker, then back at Tech.

"Wow you've gotten soft," Echo said, rolling his eyes, pushing pass Tech. He grabbed the puck from the table, and put it in his pocket.

"Hunter are you fucking stupid or something? We're taking the job. Omega will be fine."

"Finally, someone with common sense," Cid said.

"I would like to believe I have common sense as well," Tech replied.

"Okay fine goggles. I guess you can never be left out of the conversation. I never thought you were so needy," Cid replied, leaving the room for good.

Tech rolled his eyes. "I'm not needy."

"Not as needy as bandana that's for sure," Cid said, as she slammed her door shut.

The four clones walked out of Cid's back room into the old bar that she owned. Echo threw the puck onto one of the tables and sat down at the booth.

"So the Pykes, huh?" Wrecker said, sounding unbelievably excited about this job.

"Tech," Echo addressed, "since Hunter was being extremely overdramatic about this earlier with Cid, why don't you tell us the actual dangers of the pykes."

Tech looked confused for a second, then remembered Echo's past, and why he wouldn't remember them.

"Here's a basic rundown. The pykes are a sentient species native to their homeworld, Oba Diah. We are only dealing with the Pyke Syndicate, which are the galaxy's preeminent suppliers of spice, a narcotic substance which is mined on the planet Kessel. The now extinct republic nicknamed the Pyke Syndicate to just 'the pykes,' since the planet bears as headquarters to the criminal organization."