The Bad Batch: Tech and Vel

28. Resonance

The feeling of his lips on hers and the intoxicating delight of his affection was all Vel could think about for the next number of days. She'd been yearning to revisit it at any chance they could get, but they'd been sent on another mission, and Tech was right back into "work mode", executing his duties with flawless precision and efficiency. She had plenty to do as well, even being coerced into joining them in the reconnaissance stage. After days of lurking about the Coruscant underworld, Hunter had cornered their target, calling the rest of the team to close in.

Then the weasel escaped.

How, Vel couldn't figure out, and Crosshair made sure to interrogate Hunter about it later, but for now, the Rhodian was scuttling down an alley toward a parking lot of speeder bikes. Tech and Vel were closing in quickly on either side, narrowly missing him as he shot off into the Coruscant traffic lanes. They each grabbed a bike as well, Vel whispering a silent apology to whoever the unfortunate owners were, and darted after him.

Careening around corners and weaving between other ships, Vel shortened the distance between them, navigating expertly amid the cacophony of the night sky. If she was being honest, she was slightly smug about the opportunity to show off her skill on a speeder bike. It hadn't come up in their conversations or missions, but she had significant experience from a somewhat adventurous adolescence. Tech was an admirably adept pilot, but speeders were different than full-sized ships, and she yearned to outperform him in something other than the occasional mechanical fluke.

Tech was close behind, scanning possibilities from behind his visor and simultaneously paying attention to the erratic twists and turns of his quarry. Angry honks and yells followed the racers as they narrowly missed a crash every few seconds, each taking increasingly dangerous risks to try to outwit the others. A quick review of the layout of the sector they were currently in gave Tech an idea, and he peeled off and disappeared from view.

Hair whipping behind her, Vel leaned further down, coaxing the little bike faster and faster. Her jaw was set in determination, the wide galaxy-colored eyes of the Rhodian fueling her need to capture him... to prove herself... She wobbled for a moment as she fetched her blaster from her thigh holster, cursing as a hovertrain temporarily blocked him from view. Twisting the accelerator even harder, she shot past the train, seeing her chance to corner him in a convergence up ahead.

But at the last minute, Tech came out of nowhere, dropping in front of the Rhodian with perfectly-executed timing that caused the alien to jam on the brakes, skidding sideways and smacking into the building before falling onto the ground in a dazed stupor. He was struggling to pick himself up from his splayed position when Vel landed close behind, running to ensure he didn't get away this time. But Tech was on him in an instant, having leapt from his own speeder in an impossibly lithe movement, broken with a smooth roll that brought him to the Rhodian's side before he could reach his feet.

The squawks of complaint were useless as Hunter caught up, taking the target by the electrocuffs and steering him firmly away, leaving Tech and Vel in the dark alleyway. Pulling off his helmet, Tech leaned against the parked speeder bike, pulling out his datapad and immersing himself in it immediately. The glow from the screen illuminated the light sheen of sweat on his forehead, and the accentuated rise and fall of his chest told of his exertion.

Vel thought she had put on a good show, but Tech's unmatched skill and agility, prowess and power, grace and calculation... It all rushed through her mind, casting a wave of tingles through her. He seemed so business as usual, as if he didn't just perform some kind of superhero move while making it look as simple as if he were brushing his teeth. Whether it was the adrenaline still coursing through her veins or the long-simmering attraction she held for him, she bit her lip as she gazed at him with an undeniable desire.