The Bad Batch: Tech and Vel

33. Contentment

A gentle breeze ruffled the waves of Vel's hair across her face, blurring her vision of what lay before her. She knew there were plenty of planets that she'd never heard of, but how a place like this had remained off the radar, she didn't know. Bendego was relatively small, with geography that ranged from snowy peaks to verdant valleys covered with a plethora of flora and fauna of every possible shape, size, and color. There were rivers everywhere, running down from the mountains through lush forests and grassy plains, all the way to the sea where it joined the sparkling blue waves and disappeared into the horizon.

It had been an agricultural farming community for generations, made up of a variety of sentient species that were mostly human or humanoid in nature. They held a deep respect for their planet and lived in vibrant harmony with it, cultivating it and caring for it to the best of their abilities and appreciating the beauty and sustenance it produced. Technology was minimal, yet the towns scattered across its surface worked in diligent cooperation and always had precisely what they needed to enjoy a simple, fruitful life. There was a prevailing spirit of contentment and curiosity, propelled by the bountiful resources that seemed to evolve and change regularly.

Tech had not only thoroughly researched all of the options but had somehow communicated with local leaders to secure a variety of potential careers and regions on the planet that would be attractive for each member of his family. They'd arrived to a warm welcome and had spent a number of days exploring the entire planet, visiting towns and villages with different needs, environments, and structures. As Tech had predicted, there was a fitting place for everyone, and since the world was so much smaller than most they'd been to, it was a short flight even between villages on opposite sides of the planet. With the war coming to a sudden end and the complete uproar in the Core Worlds, there was plenty of military equipment that no one was paying attention to, so the cargo ship and handful of LA-ATs that came to Bendego with the clones weren't missed.

"What do you think?" Tech asked, coming to stand beside her, following her gaze. They were standing on a grassy knoll at the edge of a village, watching the sun dip below the mountains. It was an older star than the ones that illuminated many of the other planets they'd been on, resulting in a larger, more reddish glow when it kissed the horizon each day. The atmosphere here was also a little thicker, and clouds of virtually every color were always dappled across the sky, impossibly large and fluffy. Grassy hills rolled away from them in gentle curves until they reached the forest that nestled along the base of the mountains. A large river wove its way through it all, continuing past the village until it disappeared out of sight.

"This entire planet is incredibly beautiful," Vel breathed, tears springing to her eyes unbidden. From Corellia to Coruscant, she'd spent most of her time on industrial, urban, gray planets, yet her heart had always yearned for nature. She'd held it in her heart from childhood, soaking it up whenever she could, and now, on a world where there was nothing but vibrant life in all directions, she felt as though her chest were about to burst.

"It appears to have an emotional effect?" Tech observed, ending with a question in his tone to invite her to share. She brushed the backs of her hands across her eyes quickly, turning to him with a closed-mouth smile.

"Overwhelming joy," she identified. "Disbelief. Awe. Excitement. Contentment. A nagging, foreboding sense that this cannot possibly be real... And yet undeniable evidence all around me that yes, it actually is real."

"That is an impressive variety of feelings to experience simultaneously," he responded, stepping closer as some of his "research", namely an archaic romance novel, popped into his mind. He gently turned her back to face the view, snuggling his torso against her back and wrapping his arms around her waist. His armor was safely tucked away on the ship, and he'd even relinquished his lifelong hold on the black base layers in favor of a simple, cream-colored henley shirt and dark brown pants. The utility belt was a permanent fixture, however, containing a variety of pouches and a holster for his blaster. His sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, and Vel relaxed her head against his cheek, heart thrilling as she caressed his forearms and relished his snug embrace.