46

happy dad batch day (father's day) batchers!!

enjoy a chapter for the holiday!!

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Things were bad.

Lined up on the boardwalk by the docks, all of the kids from the boat party sat subdued, heads down. None of them had been cuffed but it was understood that they weren't free to leave. PPC officers – or Pabu Protection Coalition, Saedii had learned – stood in front of them, arms crossed as they talked in quiet tones.

Several of them were watching Saedii, who was still in binders. She tried to make herself as unthreatening as possible.

Aren had his head in his hands. He gave it a firm shake. "I can't believe this. We've never been caught before."

"I thought you said drinking was legal at our age," Saedii muttered.

"That...might not have been fully true."

Saedii said nothing. She didn't know what to say. Her own head was swimming with thoughts of what Hunter and Echo would say when she told them. Of how much trouble she'd be in. And maybe still a little buzzed from the ergas.

Actually, a lot buzzed. Her head was starting to spin and her stomach was rolling uncomfortably. Nothing felt funny anymore.

It was very late. Sometime past midnight for sure. Most of the market shoppers were gone for the night and the restaurants seemed to be shutting down. A few bars near the water were busy. People packed at the window to stare out at the kids lined up along the boardwalk.

On Aren's other side, Dyron was blubbering. He couldn't stop begging, "Please don't tell my mom! I swear I'll never do it again!"

"Be quiet, Dyron," one of the officers said in exasperation.

Dyron cried harder.

"What's going to happen to us?" Saedii whispered to Aren. For a moment, she debated trying to escape before she got in too much trouble. She could do it easily enough, even in binders. But the officers had already seen her face. They'd tell Phee.

She was screwed either way. Might as well find out just how much trouble she was in.

"I don't know," Aren whispered back. "I've never been arrested before."

"Me neither," Saedii said. Then, as an afterthought, amended, "Not on Pabu, anyway."

A very brief grin flashed on Aren's face before he sobered.

The head officer was looking at the lot of them, hands on hips. He was the one with the mustache. Not much of an intimidating figure, though Saedii could tell by the way he stood, he thought very highly of himself.

Blooming beneath both eyes, dark bruises were beginning to take shape. His nose, which was red and swollen, had been put back in place and both nostrils had been plugged with gauze which had already turned red. Gingerly, he kept reaching up to touch it.

Aren groaned. "That's Chief Loras. There's not much crime here on Pabu. He gets pretty bored waiting for something good and cracks down where he can."

"You mean like underage drinking?"

A wry sigh escaped before Aren could help it. "Seems like it."

Chief Loras marched over to stand in front of Saedii, looking down his bulbous nose at her. If he was trying for intimidating, he was missing the mark. The massive swelling in his nose kind of killed the effect.

"You!" He pointed to her with a wiry finger. "What's your name?"

"Saedii."

"Full name."

"General Aesaedii Synn."

"General, huh? Appointed yourself, did you?"

Aren quickly pointed out, "She's a Jedi, Chief."

Chief Loras scoffed. "If you think I'm impressed by fancy titles, you're wrong."

He had a very high unpleasant sort of voice. Made worse by the nasally buzzing caused by his swollen nose. Saedii couldn't help herself. She giggled.

"Think this is funny, do you?" he demanded.

"Not really." But damnit if she couldn't stop laughing. Apparently, everything was still pretty damn funny. Especially the thought of what Hunter and Echo were going to say when they got here.

He set his hands on his hips. "We'll see how funny you find this when you're staring at the inside of a jail cell."

There was a pause. Saedii tried really, really hard to hold in her laughter. But in the end, she couldn't stop it.

Miffed, Chief Loras looked at the officer behind him and snapped, "Add Mocking an Officer of the Peace to her list of charges."

"That's not a real charge!" Aren said at once.

"Quiet, Hazard, or I'll charge you, too!"

Aren snapped his mouth shut.

Down the dock, there was a commotion. Voices raised. Someone called for the Chief.

Dyron let out a whimper and moaned, "No, not my mom!"

"My dad's here, too." Aren's lips were pressed tightly together.

When Saedii followed his line of sight, she went stock still. Blinking. Waiting beside Shep Hazard was Phee, Hunter...and Wolffe?

How drunk was she? Was she imagining this? What the hell was Wolffe doing here?

At the weight of her gaze on him, Wolffe turned in her direction. The narrowing of his eyes told her that she was in much more trouble than she'd thought.

"I don't recognize the guy with them. With the scar," Aren said nervously.

Saedii blew out a breath. "I do."

Aren cut her a look. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Bad." Definitely bad.

Chief Loras led Shep, Phee, and the two Clones in their direction. As they approached, Dyron suddenly begged, "Please, Chief, don't let my mom see me!"

"Be quiet, Dyron."

Dyron dropped his face into his hands and sobbed.

A scowl tugged at Saedii's lips as she watched the group approach. Wolffe was glaring daggers, and even Hunter looked angry. Phee looked between the two of them, lips pursed.

"This one is yours?" Chief Loras pointed accusingly at Saedii.

"Unfortunately," Phee said. The look she shot Saedii very much said I thought I told you not to get in too much trouble.

Chief Loras began, "She's in a whole mess of trouble! Underage drinking. Assault of an officer. Public intoxication. Resisting arrest –"

"I didn't resist arrest," Saedii said quietly.

"And now she's lying! Lieutenant, add Perjury to the list!"

A nearby officer began to type furiously on a holopad.

In a very tightly controlled tone, Phee said, "She's not under oath, Loras. You can't charge her with perjury."

"Well, then: Knowingly and intentionally lying to an officer!"

Phee rolled her eyes. Hunter's jaw tightened.

Wolffe's tone was full of authority as he demanded, "What's the penalty for the charges?"

"There isn't going to be any penalty," Shep said quietly.

"There sure is! She's looking at a minimum of ten years!"

Ten years? Saedii's mouth dropped open. "That's such bullshit!"

The Chief eyed her indignantly. "Lieutenant, add Drunk and disorderly!"

"If you type another thing on that damn holopad," Saedii snarled, turning a look towards the other officer. "I'm going to break both your hands."

The man blanched and immediately dropped the holopad as Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose.

Indignant, Chief Loras hollered, "Another count of Threatening an officer!"

Aren started, "You can't just –" but cut off as the Shep raised a hand towards him.

Several of the other kids down the line were crying as their parents arrived. The starts of stern lectures echoed in Saedii's ears, just louder than the lapping of the waves beneath the docks. Further down, TX9 and several other navigator droids were wringing their hands.

"Chief," Shep said carefully, "I don't think this is necessary. They're just children. It was all an unfortunate mistake – one that won't happen again."

At that last part, Shep turned a baleful look towards his son. Aren withered, looking down at his feet.

"Just children?" The chief pointed at the other two officers that Saedii had hurt – one who was still wet, the other with a black eye and an arm in a sling. "She assaulted three officers! I can't let that go unpunished!"

"Pabu doesn't have a jail cell," Phee pointed out.

The Chief drew himself up. "I'll build one, then!"

Saedii tipped her head back. This was such a shit show.

"We're not putting anyone in jail," Shep said calmly. "At most, they'll get community service."

"Community service?" Chief Loras was aghast. "That's it?"

Shep looked patiently at Saedii. "Do you know what the legal drinking age is here on Pabu?"

"No."

"And did you know these men were peace officers when you hit them?"

"No."

"A lie!" Chief Loras shouted.

Saedii looked at him defiantly. "I thought you were Imperials."

The look that crossed the Chief's face told how much he believed that. But at the sharp look from Wolffe, he didn't challenge her.

Very tactfully, Shep said, "Since Saedii is new here and doesn't know our laws, I propose that her punishment be split among the Pabu children that did know what they were doing was wrong. An extra week of community service for each of them, on top of their own."

Aren's head popped up, but at the look his dad gave him, he didn't argue.

"I want her punished! She broke my nose!" Chief Loras insisted. With the nasally sound of his voice, it sounded more like whining.

"She will be. You have my word on that," Wolffe said, quietly for him. At the sound, Hunter's jaw tightened.

Oh, Saedii did not like that tone. Wolffe was never more angry than when he was quiet.

"Can I actually go to jail instead?"

Wolffe, Phee, and Hunter all turned the same disproving look on her.

Smirking, Chief Loras unlocked her binders. "Good luck," he said low under his breath.

Saedii got to her feet, looking uneasily at Wolffe, who was glowering. The anger radiating off of him was making the Force writhe like a storm. It pressed uncomfortably against her skin.

"Let's go," he barked.

She lingered, turning to whisper to Aren, "Thanks for today. I had fun."

"Me, too," Aren said softly. A little smile stretched his face.

"Let's go, Saedii."

Hunter held a hand out towards her, gently resting his hand between her shoulder blades as he walked her off the docks. Behind her, a loud, piercing voice was raised, screaming about delinquents and criminals. When Saedii glanced back, Dyron was cowering beneath the glare of a tall Zabrak woman.

"Are you alright?" Hunter asked gently.

"Fine." Saedii glanced at Wolffe, who marched stone-faced at her side. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Wolffe responded in the same hard tone.

"Why?"

"It can wait until morning," Hunter cut in.

Wolffe turned his cutting gaze up to him. "It's waited long enough."

"What does that mean?" Saedii asked.

Her head felt light, like she'd emerged from hyperspace too fast. She wasn't entirely sure that she wasn't dreaming all of this. The toe of her boot caught over an uneven spot in the path and she nearly faceplanted.

Hunter grabbed her by the shoulders, keeping her upright. He shot a look over her head towards Wolffe, who was hovering, and said, "She's drunk. It can wait."

"And who's fault is that?"

Phee was a step behind them. Her eyes slid back and forth between the two Clones. Watching the barbed exchanges.

"Just let her sleep it off at Phee's place."

"She can sleep it off on the ship."

"Respectfully, Sir, that's not going to happen."

"Respectfully, Sargent, you don't have the authority to oppose me."

Hunter came to an abrupt stop. His hands tightened on Saedii's shoulder and he pulled her unconsciously closer as he shot a dark look above her head.

Maybe it was the ergas, but she felt very dizzy trying to keep up with the two of them. They were arguing about something, but she had no clue what.

"What's going on?" she asked them. "Did something happen?"

"No," Hunter insisted at the same time Wolffe snapped, "Yes."

Tension swelled in the Force around them – sharp and grating against Saedii's senses. She winced. It felt like it was echoing in her head.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure this can wait until morning," Phee's voice said from behind them. It was the first time she'd spoken since they left the docks.

Wolffe's heated eyes flashed up to her. "It can't. I'm taking Saedii back to Teth tonight."

"And I'm not letting that happen," Hunter asserted.

Saedii looked between the two of them. She didn't know what to do. Siding with one of them made her think that it would set some of precedent, and she wasn't willing to do that. Not until she fully understood what was going on.

Phee stepped between them, gently pushing them apart. Creating space. "This is not the time or the place. Let's just get Saedii home and we'll talk about it tomorrow."

"She's coming with me. That's not a request." Wolffe was in full Commander mode. It was the same voice he'd use in the heat of battle. The same voice he used to get Shinies to fall into order.

A voice of someone in charge.

Hunter's hands tightened on Saedii's shoulders. "She's in my squad. We'll bring her to Teth."

"She's the General of the 104th, and she's coming with us."

"I won't let you."

"It's not up for debate."

Heavy silence blanketed the four of them. In it, Saedii could hear the raised voices down on the docks. Loudest among them was the shrill ranting of Dyron's mother.

Saedii suddenly wished she was back on the dock. Jail sounded better than watching two of the people she loved more than anything argue over her. She looked helpless between the two of them, unsure how to get them to stop.

Hunter's eyes flashed down to hers. They were black in the dark – two chips of obsidian. At the sight of her watching, the tight hold of his jaw loosened. He let out a quiet sigh.

"Alright, Commander." His hands tightened imperceptivity on her shoulders before Hunter stepped away. Giving them space. "My squad will follow in the Marauder. We'll finish this conversation on Teth."

"Looking forward to it." Rather gently given his current state, Wolffe reached out and grabbed Saedii's arm. He pulled her forward – not right, towards Phee's place, but left. Towards the top of the island.

Saedii slowed, shooting a look at Hunter over her shoulder. "What's going on, Wolffe? Why can't I go with Hunter and the Batch?"

"I'll explain when we get on the ship." Wolffe's voice was like the crack of blaster fire in the dark.

"Am I in trouble?"

The harsh expression on his face gentled. He looked down. "We can talk about that in the morning. Once you've gotten some rest."

"Is it because I got arrested? Or because I was drinking?" Saedii continued. "Because Hunter didn't know what I was doing. I didn't tell him. It's not his fault."

Wolffe didn't answer her.

By the time they made it to the top of the island, Saedii really didn't feel good. Her stomach was recoiling, burning. She felt like she was going to throw up. That pleasant buzz in her head was solidifying into pressure, like her head was filling with concrete.

A single ship was waiting on the landing port. Some kind of small transport ship. Three figures stood outside, decked in white armor. The newly-shaved head of Warthog was instantly recognizable beside Boost and Sinker.

Warthog grinned at the sight of her. "Starting bar brawls, General?"

Wolffe silenced him with a look.

Onboard, Hammer was waiting in the cockpit. He gave them all a nod as he fired up the engine, withdrawing the exit ramp. Coordinates flashed on the navicomputer as the hyperdrive warmed up.

"Here you go, Commander." Boost grabbed a water jug out from a small fridge built into the wall. Wolffe took it as he led Saedii towards the back.

A single cabin hid behind the only door. Inside, a very small bed was made with crisp white linens. Standard military grade. The edges on the sides were sharp and crisp.

"Drink this." Wolffe handed her the water, then reached down to yank the top sheet out of its place. "And get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"Why can't we talk now?"

His eyes crinkled and he gave her a rough pat on the shoulder. "It's better to have this conversation when you're sober."

Saedii wanted to argue, but Wolffe very softly corralled her towards the bed. The ship gave a little shudder as she kicked off her shoes and climbed in, and through the thin window above the bed, she saw as the island of Pabu slowly slipped away beneath them.

Wolffe yanked the blanket up to her chin then turned and pulled something from the hall, resting it beside her bed. A bucket.

"What's the bucket for?" Saedii asked as she pulled the top off the water and took a sip. The water felt like a stone dropping into the well of her stomach.

He just gave a little chuckle. "Trust me. You'll need it."