--Building a New life --Tech x Jedi Reader Bad Batch

Chapter 97 --So, its come to this --

The last few days had been a break from your life as a mercenary. The wedding had been exciting and stressful, but the days you got to spend alone with Tech easily outweighed those in pleasure and intimacy. You had never felt this close to anyone, and had reached a point that your emotions were as unquestioned as your loyalty. But now, there were new thoughts in your mind ... what if ... this was it?

You had spoken a little to Tech on the subject, and found your husband to be like minded. This mission coming up, as well as the history of the past missions was putting an added weight on your relationship and now seemed to be postponing your future life. When you had first joined the Bad Batch you had need the money and group to survive. Now it was different, and you had a feeling the others in the Bad Batch were also ready to retire. You wanted to live out your days with Tech. You wanted to have a home, a community that you could build and invest in. It was not the mercenary lifestyle. This last mission, in honor of Rex, would truly be the last.

Tensions were higher then before, an air of nervousness and caution being maintained by your Captain with some excitement and determination from the others. Echo had come with you on your flight to Pantora, and Veraxsis had said his goodbyes on Alderaan with the intention of rejoining you on the rondevu planet in the near future. Golrin also said his goodbyes, but explained that he would be tailing your ship to Pantora which surprised you. Evidently Rex had managed to recruit Golrin as an additional support, much to yours and Hunters concern.

Now as you flew along it was a little cramped with all the men on board again. Echo and Tech piloting, Wrecker, Omega and Hunter making themselves useful and Crosshair just sculking about avoiding you like a hated task. You got to hear a few stories about what went on while you and Tech were 'indisposed' for a few days but you weren't surprised that Veraxsis and Crosshair got along, or that the smuggler had become an alcoholic for a while. You didn't say anything, but you could imagine the wedding itself held some painful remainders for Veraxsis.

The flight was long, passing a few Imperial patrols, but as you headed off the primary trade routes into the galaxies further reaches the ships thinned out. Soon it was just the Havoc Marauder and Golrins ship the Dauntless Sage heading towards Pantora.

Being one of a few snow planets sprinkled throughout the galaxy, Pantora was far outside the central political influences and at the end of two trade routes. With all things considered it had been an independent planet for centuries with its involvement in the republic being one of its greater political moves. The planet itself was simply so far out in the galaxy that most of the decisions on coruscant, unrelated to trade, had almost no impact on the Pantorans day to day life. But, given its distance and little influence this also created a struggle upon the planet surface for control of resources and connection. As of late, the Empire had 'forgotten' about Pantora and with political tensions high within the senate, Senator Chuchi had been fighting more then ever to be acknowledged or considered in political decisions. Other representatives had been pushed aside, ignored, or disappeared with no investigation into their whereabouts.

While the Senate was supposed to stand for representation of the entire galaxy, it was clear that after the Emperors rise to power, there were hidden political sides that became more ingrained into the Imperial influence or against it. Senator Chuchi had already been a nay-sayer on over-taxation of outer colonies and race-relations. After her wild claims related to the Imperial military spending bill, and later further discussion into the Empires military organization and manufacturing. Senator Chuchi had firmly placed herself on the 'lesser side' of the Senate. As a consequence, the Pantoran government had become more unruly then ever, and in an act of desperation there were factions beginning to arise, each hoping to align the planet towards an achievable stable future.