51

Saedii didn't sleep well that night.

She blinked heavily as she stood at the landing pad beside the Marauder, feeling the warmth of its exhaust as it sat idle. On the platform beside her, Tech and Echo were running final pre-flight diagnostics, and Wrecker was ferrying fresh boxes of ammunition aboard.

No one was smiling.

The air was uncharacteristically grim as they set about their work. Crosshair and Hunter, Saedii sensed, didn't want to go to Eriadu but had done so for her sake. Meanwhile, Echo and Omega were frustrated that the Batch's input was coming to an end.

Rex stood beside her, arms crossed. A little divot between his brows told Saedii that he felt the tension. That he understood where it was coming from.

Wolffe was there as well. He, too, was frowning, though for an entirely different reason. "The 104thshould be running this op."

"I've already told you that the Batch have it covered," Rex said stoically.

"No offense, Rex, but they're not exactly known for subtlety."

Close by, Hunter was talking quietly with Crosshair. If he heard Wolffe's comment, he gave no indication. His expression was admirably placid.

"We've run covert missions before," Saedii snapped.

Wolffe eyed her. "Are you talking about Kamino or Serenno? I wouldn't count either of those a victory in my book."

"What do you count a victory, Wolffe? Hareth, where we lost over eighty percent of our invading force? Or maybe Corilynth, where you and the rest of the 104th carried out your orders to perfection?"

Heat filled Wolffe's eyes but he said nothing. Rex, on the other hand, looked uneasily between the two of them before stating, "I'm...uh, going to talk with Hunter. Give you two a minute."

As soon as he was gone, Wolffe leveled her a disapproving look. "What are you taking up an attitude with me for? I didn't lie to you."

"You caused a scene yesterday and made everything worse," Saedii said, low under her breath. "And you had no right to tell Omega about Pabu. You should have let Hunter do that."

"Like he told you?"

She glared at him. "It was a sleamo move and you know it."

Wolffe rested his hands on his hips, looking stern. "I was just trying to help you."

"No, you were taking out whatever grudge you've held against the Batch, and you used me to do it."

His face was smooth as stone. Unreadable. He didn't even try to deny it.

"I've made no secret that I don't think you belong with them," he said slowly. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"So you think fighting with them in front of all the other Clones is the best way to protect me?"

"No, I was just –"

"You were just being a dick."

His mouth clicked shut. From the furrow of his brow, she'd struck a nerve.

"Saedii," Hunter called. When she looked up, he was gesturing her over.

Time to go.

"We can talk about this when I get back," Saedii said quickly, "but you need to understand that, whether I choose to stay or leave, the Batch are my family now. Same as you. And if you can't accept that, then we're going to have problems."

Wolffe said nothing to this, but his eyes were like amber fire as they watched her board the Maurader.

Onboard, Echo was stony-faced in the pilot seat beside Tech. He looked up and met her eye as she boarded, giving Saedii a glimpse of the tension that hovered around his tight mouth. Apparently, she wasn't the only one in a bad mood.

"Tech, you have the coordinates?" Hunter asked.

"Affirmative. We should reach Eriadu in sixteen hours' time."

Hunter turned to Omega, who was pouting in one of the landing seats. "Did you bring your plasmabow?"

"Yes," Omega said with heat. She wouldn't meet his eye.

Hunter heaved a very soft sigh and gave Tech the order to take off.

Through the windshield, Saedii caught one last glimpse of Rex and Wolffe. Wolffe still didn't look happy, arms crossed over his chest, but Rex gave them a wave in parting.

In the back, sitting across from each other on the lower bunks, Crosshair and Wrecker were talking quietly. Saedii went and took the seat next to Wrecker just as he said, "Five credits that we're in and out in two hours, no sweat!"

"Ten credits says it's less than an hour," Saedii said brightly.

Across from her, Crosshair was silent. His attention was on the rifle in his lap, hands moving in quick, sure strokes along the barrel as he oiled it up.

"Cross, did you hear us?" Wrecker asked, frowning.

"I heard you," he said coldly.

Saedii's hopeful smile fell. "Come on, Cross. Please."

"Why? You're leaving. None of it is going to matter."

"I'm not –"

"You chose us," he said quietly. Tone little more than a whisper. "You chose us when no one else did, and now that we've let you in, you're leaving."

Her mouth dropped. It was rare for Crosshair to be so honest. To give them a peek into his mind. For him to share this told Saedii that he was more upset than he was letting on. Even Wrecker was staring at him in bewilderment.

The look he turned on her was full of hurt and anger. "I thought you were different. I thought you were one of us, but you're just like all the others. We weren't good enough for you and now you're abandoning us. Just like the Grand Army."

Saedii was so stunned by how upset he sounded that she couldn't think of a single thing to say to refute him. Just shook her head pathetically. "Crosshair –"

Instead of waiting for a response, he clicked the barrel back onto the main compartment of his gun and stood. Without a glance at either her or Wrecker, he walked up to the cockpit.

Hunter frowned at him as he passed.

"Leave him," Saedii said before Hunter could say something. She pushed angrily to her feet, yanking aside the curtain to the gunner's mount and stepping inside.

The tension was nearly suffocating on board. If she wanted to survive the next sixteen hours with the Batch, Saedii needed a moment alone. She collapsed onto her bed, running her hands over her face. Wolffe and Crosshair's anger wasn't making her decision any easier. Couldn't they see how hard this was on her?

Behind her, the shrill scrape of metal announced the curtain had been pulled back. When Saedii looked up, Omega was frowning in the doorway.

Silently, she walked over to join Saedii, face drawn into a sharp glower. Her small body pressed against Saedii's as she sat beside her on Saedii's bed.

"I hate him," Omega announced, low under her breath.

"Who?" Saedii asked, though she had a feeling she knew.

"Hunter. He's tearing our family apart."

Saedii's own frown gentled. She ran a hand along Omega's head. "Omega, don't say that. You don't hate him."

"He's making you go away. You and Echo."

"Neither of us have decided anything yet."

"Echo has. He told Hunter this morning that he's staying with the Rebellion. I heard him."

Saedii's hand stilled on the crown of Omega's head. It shouldn't be a surprise to her that Echo was staying. He'd made no attempt to hide his concern for the Clones still in captivity. And Rex was his friend. He would never let him fight a war alone.

The knowledge that Echo was staying somehow made her guilt even worse. If she stayed, too, then the Batch would be down two members. Not just one.

"We shouldn't be leaving," Omega insisted. "You and Rex will need us. You're our family. We can't abandon you."

Weeks ago, before Hareth, Omega had said the same thing. Then, Saedii had secretly agreed with her. Had hoped that the Batch would change their mind.

Now, Saedii understood the difficult choice Hunter had made. The Batch had been fighting for a long time. Had spent most of their life looked down on by the very brothers they'd fought for. And now that they had a chance for peace, for a quiet life, Hunter had decided to take it.

They deserved it. Saedii didn't fault Hunter for his choice, nor that he'd kept it from her for so long. If anyone deserved happiness, it was him and the Batch. Omega included. Her young friend would finally get the chance to have part of a normal childhood on Pabu. Something Saedii couldn't give her here.

Saedii put on a brave face. "You're not abandoning the Rebellion. Rex knows that."

"What about you? Are you coming to Pabu or staying on Teth?"

"I don't know yet," Saedii admitted. "I haven't decided."

Omega's expression crumpled. "I don't want you to leave. Or Echo."

"I know." Saedii wished she could tell her something better to cheer her up, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

Instead, she ran her hand back through Omega's hair, running it between her fingers. It was lighter than usual, bleached from their two weeks in the sun on Pabu. Omega's skin, too, was darker. A nice healthy glow. She would look like this all the time on Pabu.

Omega leaned into her touch. A glitter of tears caught on her cheeks before she swiped at them.

In the silence that followed, Saedii looked around at the converted gunner's mount that had served as her home for the past year and a half. The small space had become just as much of a home to her as her cruiser had been – so familiar that just the smell of it put her at ease. If she did decide to stay with the Rebellion, this would be the last time she'd see it in a long time. The thought made her sad.

Beneath her hand, Omega's head suddenly jerked up, as if she'd heard something. Gracefully, she jumped down from Saedii's bed, running over to the trunk beneath her own bunk.

"I just remembered," Omega said as she rummaged around. "I have something for you."

"You do?" A small smile curved Saedii's lips. The last time Omega had given her a gift, it had turned out to be a very old explosive device that had nearly taken Saedii's head off as she'd been sleeping. When it came to giving gifts, Omega was still learning.

Something brown and soft was in Omega's hands as she stood. When she handed it out, Saedii was surprised to find an old dirty cloth. She rose a brow.

"You have to open it," Omega said.

Feeling a little apprehensive, Saedii unfolded the cloth.

Inside, an ugly little black rock had been strung on a thin strip of leather. When Saedii picked it up, it was smooth as glass in her hand.

"It's a torrinite necklace!" Omega said excitedly. "Wrecker and I bought it for you when we were on Ord Mantell a few weeks ago."

It took everything in her not to laugh. No doubt, that seedy vendor had swindled Wrecker and Omega out of another thirty credits. Maybe more. All for a stupid rock that he'd probably found on the ground.

Omega held up the rock around her own neck. "It's just like mine!"

"It is," Saedii agreed, holding it up. Somehow, it was even uglier up close.

"It's to celebrate you becoming a Jedi Knight! Since Wolffe gave you something, we wanted to give you something, too."

At that, the smile stretching across Saedii's face grew genuine. It was a sweet gesture – getting her a gift in celebration. Of course Omega had thought of it.

Saedii pulled her in for a hug. "Thank you for my necklace. I love it."

The answering smile that lit Omega's face was radiant.

"Will you help me put it on?"

Eagerly, Omega climbed up behind Saedii and took the necklace. With practiced movements, she draped it around Saedii's neck and tied off the leather in a tight, sturdy knot. When she was done, the rock rested lightly against Saedii's sternum. Right at the center of her chest.

Saedii slipped it beneath her robes. "Thank you, Omega. That was very kind."

"Sorry it took so long. I wanted to give it to you earlier, but after Ipsidon, I forgot all about it."

"That's alright."

Omega's expression sobered. "Now if you do leave, you'll have something to remember me by."

Saedii gave a little laugh. "You're my sister, Megs. I couldn't forget you even if I tried."

"I'll miss you if you leave," Omega admitted.

"I'll miss you, too." More than anything, Saedii wanted to promise her that she wasn't leaving. But she couldn't. Not when she didn't know what she wanted for herself yet.

The torrinite stone was cold against Saedii's skin. Heavy against her bone. She touched it through her robes, feeling the gentle weight in her palm.

It reminded her of a bracelet she'd once made for Kalth – nothing more than a thin braided circlet of old leather she'd found lying around the Temple. But it had felt nice to give him something. To know he carried a piece of her around with him.

For a brief moment, she wondered what had happened to it. If he'd gotten rid of it or lost it. But then, she decided she didn't want to know. It didn't matter anyways.

Saedii continued to run her fingers through Omega's hair. Enjoying this small moment of peace. For now, with her future so out of balance, this small moment felt like so much more.