Tech wiped his brow, standing back to look at his handiwork He had been repairing the rear deflector shields for the majority of the afternoon, and it was already beginning to grow dark out. Fireflies began to appear around the ship, and the warm pinks and oranges of the sunset cast an ethereal glow on the hilltop where the Marauder stood.

It was a beautiful planet: grassy with rolling hills and a few tall, majestic trees. This portion of the world was uninhabited, and the Bad Batch had used this to their advantage, taking the opportunity to set their ship down to do repairs.

A light breeze blew across the planes, ruffling Tech's hair slightly. He took a deep breath, enjoying the coolness of the air. It had been very hot that afternoon, and he had shed most of his armor in an attempt to cool off. The only armor he wore now was on his legs, much to Hunter's disapproval - he worried for Tech's safety, should there be some kind of attack, but the team's genius assured him that he had set up precautions should such an emergency arise.

Tech looked across the field at the setting sun and noted with some annoyance that he was running out of daylight far sooner than he had anticipated. The shields were nowhere near done - Crosshair's attack had done a number on them when they had escaped Bracca. He scowled at the dismantled shield generator in front of him. He would either have to work double time or work in the dark.

The second option wasn't terrible, but it was inconvenient, as it would also mean he'd have to put his helmet back on in order to have a light source, and it was still hot enough that it was certainly an unpleasant thought. There wasn't much else the others could do, it really wasn't a multi-person job, and besides… at the moment, Tech wanted to be alone.

Crosshair's attack hadn't just caused a lot of damage to the ship - it had taken a mental and emotional toll on all of them. Hunter hadn't been able to talk the sniper down, and the whole incident had only reminded Tech all the more of how incapable they were of saving their brother, and what lengths Crosshair was willing to go to in order to kill them.

Tech couldn't help but feel upset at himself for how everything had played out in the end. There should have been something he could have done to prevent the situation they had been placed in. He should never have taken them through the ion engine chamber! If they hadn't gone that way, they wouldn't have been separated, Hunter would have never gotten shot, and Omega…

Tech ground his teeth, staring into the distance. Omega would never have gotten captured by Cad Bane. But Tech knew it wasn't his fault. Crosshair knew the Batch too well - going through the ion chamber was, in the end, the best way off the ship; and he knew that Tech would take that route. Just as he knew Tech would hack the troopers' omms to track their movements. Crosshair would always have the advantage when they went against each other - he knew every move before they even made it.

Tech sighed, getting back to work on the shields. He was tired, frustrated, and… something else, but he couldn't tell what.

He had just started making some adjustments to the wiring on the panel when a small cough sounded from his right. He pulled himself out from under the ship, only to find Omega standing there, hands behind her back, smiling down out him.

"Would you like a hand with anything, Tech?"

Tech hesitated. "Well, there's not much you'd be able to do - it's more of a single person job."

"Oh!" Omega nodded, still smiling, and she sat down on the grass across from him. "Can I keep you company then?"

Tech nodded, not wanting to make the young girl feel unwelcome, and he went back to work. There was an odd silence between the two of them for several minutes. The only sound that could be heard was the wind rippling through the grass.

"So," Tech asked, in part to fill the silence, in part because of genuine curiosity. "What are the others up to?"

Omega giggled. "Echo is trying to make Hunter rest some more because he won't stop moving and that risks reopening his wound. And Wrecker is using Gonky as a weight again."

Tech chuckled hollowly. He was surprised that droid wasn't falling to pieces by now. "Does Hunter know you're out here? I don't want him thinking you've just vanished."

Omega shook her head. "Don't worry, I told Echo right before he started giving Hunter a hard time." She scooted closer to the ship, leaning against it as she scanned the horizon. "The sky is beautiful! I didn't realize it could be so many colors!"

Tech popped his head out from underneath the ship just enough to get a glance at the sight Omega was so fascinated by. It really was beautiful.

The light on the clouds had changed from a pink and orange hue to various shades of purple, pink, orange, blue, and yellow - Tech had honestly never seen such a beautiful sunset. He rose from underneath the ship once more (the repairs could wait two tics), pulled out his data pad, and he shot a picture. It came out beautifully, but…

He looked down at Omega. Her honey brown eyes were alight with the colors in the sky, and she had a happy, content smile on her face.

Tech quickly shot a picture of her as well before moving back so that he could capture the whole scene in front of him: Omega, sitting on the hill beside the Marauder, everything glowing in the radiant evening light. Normally, he didn't take pictures of anything unless it was to record data he would need later on, but this… this was something he didn't need, but it was definitely something he wanted, though he couldn't explain why.

He walked back over to the ship. Omega didn't seem to notice he had been taking pictures, and he smiled to himself. He had been told once that the best pictures were captured when others didn't realize you were taking them.

"It really is quite fascinating, isn't it?" he said, pointing to the sunset. "The fact that so many colors can be created from a single source…"

Omega looked over at him, her smile still there, but Tech realized with some surprise that it wasn't the same smile he had seen earlier. It… it was a forced smile. As though something had upset her, but she didn't want anyone to know.

Tech gave her a puzzled look. "Are you alright? You seem… bothered by something."

Omega's smile faltered slightly, and she looked away from him. "I'm fine!"

Tech raised one eyebrow. "You know, you're a terrible liar."

She was silent for a moment, but finally she sighed and looked over at him, her fake smile replaced by a look of concern. "I've just been thinking a lot lately. Until I met you guys, I'd never seen anything outside of Kamino. And now that I'm finally free of that place, I'm going to spend most of my life running and hiding. I know it's so self-centered… you're all doing so much for me, and you're keeping me safe! But… I want to be able to see other worlds! To go other places! I want to meet new people, I want to experience everything I can, and I want to learn everything I can! But… I'm stuck for now. And I know the right thing to do would be to not complain about anything. But…" She shrugged. "It's just… everything is so confusing right now. I'm scared, I'm angry, and I'm…"

"Curious?" Tech offered.

She nodded.

He completely understood where she was coming from. The unbridled curiosity of a child was something she definitely possessed, and it was something he too had always had. The urge to learn, explore, delve into the unknown… he understood it all. And he could only imagine how this child, who had never gone outside the white, sterile walls of Tipoca City, would feel.

"I understand your frustration, really, I do. But currently, the best course of action for us would be to lay low for a little while. I promise, whenever it's safe or possible, you'll have the chance to explore as you wish." He smiled. "There is a good deal for you to see that can be found in the places we will go. For example," he gestured towards the horizon. "This sunset is certainly a rare enough sight. The chemicals in the atmosphere, the oxygen levels, and the angle of the sun all have to be just right in order to create such a vast array of colors like this. As for the bounty hunters, we are several systems away from their last known location - the likelihood of them finding us here is only about twelve percent."

Omega nodded, her smile returning, though not as happy as it was before. "It is still a bit scary, knowing someone wants me for an experiment."

"I'm sure it is." He wanted to say more, to comfort her and ease her worry, but nothing came to mind, and once again, Tech grew upset at himself. Hunter, Echo, and Wrecker all spoke to this young girl with such ease- they made her laugh, smile… washed away her fears with a few words. But nothing he said ever did that, at least, not that he could recall.

"Do you ever get scared?"

The question caught Tech completely off guard and for a moment, he just stared at her. "What?"

"I said do you ever get scared?"

Tech considered, and then nodded slowly. "I suppose I do. More concern than fear, but yes, I suppose you could classify it as that."

Omega looked at him with surprise. "Really? Like when?"

Tech didn't know why she would want to hear about anything that remotely upset him, but she looked at him so earnestly, he was obliged to answer her question. "Well… I guess the things that have 'scared' me… well, most recently would be when we found Hunter wounded on Bracca, with you nowhere in sight. I was worried we would be unable to get you back. Just like…" he stopped, smiling briefly at her questioning gaze, adjusting his goggles. "Nevermind. That's actually all I can think of."

Omega raised an eyebrow, smirking very slightly. "You know, you're a terrible liar."

Tech adjusted his goggles again. "Actually, I'm a very good liar, when necessary. I was trained so that if I were ever to fall into enemy hands and be interrogated, I-"

"I know you're lying!"

Omega pointed an accusatory finger at him, and he blinked. "Oh? How so?"

She grinned. "When you're twisting the truth, or even outright lying, you fiddle with your goggles, same as you do when you're about to tell someone a very important fact."

A slow smile spread across Tech's face, and he folded his arms. "Interesting. I didn't think you would have noticed such a thing. Very astute of you, Miss Omega."

She repositioned herself so that she was facing towards him. "You were going to say 'just like Crosshair,' weren't you?"

Tech turned back to face the horizon. The sun had almost disappeared completely behind the rolling hills, and the air was now cool and refreshing. The grass around him rustled in the breeze.

Omega looked up at him, her face somewhat sad, her large eyes shimmering in the twilight. "It's not your fault…"

Tech nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I know. However, my concern is somewhat in the same vein as your own - it is still upsetting to know that one of the most skilled soldiers out there is doing everything in his power to kill us. It wasn't something I expected to happen. It stood to reason that, due to our altered genetics, we would remain unaffected by the chips. Clearly, I was mistaken. I've been trying to develop a way to capture him and extract his chip but have yet to find a logical approach. The best thing to do would be to return to Cid's and see what information I can gather on the Empire's current priorities and whether their plans are something that could involve Crosshair. That way, I would be able to predict his next move which would allow for an opportunity to capture him so we can bring him to a proper medical bay and operate."

He stopped, looking over at the ship, the back of which was still in pieces. "However, we cannot go anywhere until I fix these shields - should we be attacked again, they would not withstand it in their current state." He snatched his helmet off the ground, placing it on his head as he turned on its light - it had grown very dark within the past few minutes, and there was no way to work properly without it.

Omega watched as Tech worked: splicing wires, soldering, running diagnostic tests and all the while muttering under his breath about 'improper tools,' 'not enough credits to buy new parts,' 'need more time to make modifications,' and several times stating 'these shields are too damaged!' But despite his annoyance at the state of the shields, and the obvious need for proper tools and parts, he continued working, taking everything apart and putting it back together several times before he finally took off his helmet with a sigh, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"This isn't going to work."

Omega walked over to him, peeking under the ship. "Tech, you said it was the shield generator that you were fixing, correct?"

"Yes, but the circuits were blown, and it needs new wiring, which I don't have."

"Right, but the kind of wires you need should be the same as the ones used for the weaponry. Splicing the wires for that would be much easier, because the weapons system doesn't require as much energy as the shields. You could probably take a portion of what you need from the weapon's panel and splice it to these two wires here, so that the circuits don't blow again."

Tech stared at her, dumbfounded. "How did you know that the voltage of the weapon panel's wiring was compatible with this one?"

Omega smiled, standing back up. "Last time we were on Ord Mantell, you were making modifications to the weapons, and I saw the setup. You were also talking to yourself as you worked so I figured out what went where and how it worked just by listening." She laughed. "It was way easier to remember than when Wrecker told me how to disarm a bomb."

Tech was still in shock. "You just stood there, listening to my rambling? Why?"

Omega shrugged. "Because it's interesting."

Tech cocked his head, confused. None of his brothers ever found his ramblings interesting. They listened when he was answering questions they asked or when he provided them with important information pertaining to the mission. But when he was tinkering and just started talking about whatever he was working on? No, they didn't do that.

Well… the only person who ever did was Crosshair, but only when he was in a good mood, which was a rare occasion. It never occurred to Tech that there might be someone else who actually found his random thoughts and spiels interesting, and the thought made him… happy.

"You're right, the wiring is compatible. We should do that, I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner!"

He dashed inside the ship, Omega right on his heels, and they made their way up to her room. After removing the necessary parts, they returned to the shield generator, and Tech began to splice the wiring. Omega lay on her back beside him, watching as he worked.

He explained the process as he made the adjustments, answering her questions and letting her inspect the panel if she didn't quite understand at first. Within twenty minutes, they were done, and after running a final diagnostics test, Tech declared the ship ready for departure.

Omega went to let the others know, and Tech gathered up his tools and armor, looking around at the grassy planet once more. Fireflies blinked in the darkness as far as the eye could see, and the tall trees were silhouetted against the starry night sky - a waning crescent moon peaked over the eastern horizon, casting a cold light on the tips of the Marauder's wings.

Omega came back outside, walking over to Tech before spinning around in a full circle to take everything in.

"What are those?" She pointed to the fireflies and Tech adjusted his goggles.

"Fireflies. They were out earlier; did you not notice them?"

Omega shook her head. "I was so focused on the ship I didn't see them."

Tech nodded, opening his mouth to say they should get going, but something stopped him.

He remembered Omega's words from earlier that evening and realized that this was one of those chances he had spoken about - a chance for her to explore, learn, and experience something new. So he let her walk around the ship, chasing fireflies and staring at the moon. They had been on the run so much lately that it was nice to just stand there in the silence of the night. Just stand there and… exist.

The dangers of the past day were gone, if only for a little while, and for one small moment Tech nearly forgot about his worries. But the peace didn't last long, and he found himself thinking about his lost brother once again.

He had known Crosshair since they were children - they had trained and fought together, laughed and joked… And in the blink of an eye, that was all gone. They had left him.

Tech knew they had no other choice when they abandoned Crosshair on Kamino, he knew the circumstances left them with only unfavorable options, but he also knew no matter what he told himself, no matter what the facts were, that feeling of guilt would never go away. Not even if they got Crosshair back.

He told Hunter not to worry, that they would find their brother and save him, but he had begun to realize that he was simply trying to convince himself.

He sighed and gathered up his armor, watching Omega as she jumped as high as she could to catch a particularly bright and illusive firefly. She missed but kept jumping, the bug always just a little bit beyond her reach.

Tech shook his head. "You're not going to be able to catch that one, why don't you try going after a different one?"

Omega shook her head, jumping up again. "No, this is the one I want. I'm going to get him!"

Tech sighed. "And what makes you think you'll be able to catch it?"

She smiled, her eyes still glued to the lightning bug. "I don't know, but I'm never going to know if I can do it unless I try!" She jumped one last time and trapped the firefly in her tiny hands. "I did it! Tech, I caught it! Look!" She dashed over to him, peeking into her hand and grinning widely. "I told you!"

The bespectacled clone smiled, peering in between her fingers to look at the captive insect. "You certainly did. Well done."

But it wasn't the fact that she had caught the bug that impressed him, it was that she didn't stop until she did. He looked at Omega, smiling to himself.

His team was broken, lost, trying to find their way in a universe that had turned upside down overnight, taking their reason for being along with it. But she was holding them together, this little girl who marveled at everything they took for granted, who saw hope when they didn't, and who always saw the best in people, when they only saw the bad parts, even in themselves. This child, so eager to learn of the world around her, that she would sit and listen to Tech's incessant chatter when no one else would…

Tech wasn't an emotional person. Everyone knew this. But in that moment, he realized that, more than anything else, he wanted to keep Omega safe. He had lost Crosshair… he wasn't about to lose her too.

Her capture by Cad Bane had left him shaken, though he struggled to admit it. He had been so certain she'd be safe, so certain they had taken all the necessary precautions against Fennec Shand… but he hadn't factored the existence of another bounty hunter into the equation, and it had led to Omega's capture. Just as his miscalculation about the chips had led to Crosshair joining the Empire.

It was a mistake he was never going to allow himself to repeat.

"We should probably return to the ship," he said, and Omega nodded.

She let go of the firefly, watching as it flew off into the night sky. "Thank you for showing me how to fix the shield generator, Tech."

He smiled, patting her gently on the head. "And thank you for helping me with the repairs." She grinned, and the two of them walked back to the Marauder. Tech put away his tools and gear before hopping into the pilot's seat and starting the engine.

He set a course for Ord Mantell and took off, leaving the beautiful grassy planet behind.

Hunter came to sit beside him in the co-pilot's seat, Omega standing between the two of them. Tech prepared to make the jump to hyperspace, but stopped as an idea came to mind.

Hunter cocked his head, looking at the team genius. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Omega, come here a moment." Tech motioned for her to sit on his knee, and she did so, looking with awe at all the buttons and controls now within her reach. "I have a very important job for you." He hit a few switches and pointed to the lever on his right. "You're going to take us into hyperspace."

Omega gasped, turning to look at Tech. "Really?! I can do that?"

Hunter made a face. "Are you sure that's safe?"

Tech nodded, walking Omega through the process. "It's very simple and straightforward. All you have to do is push this lever at a quick and steady rate until the hyperdrive activates and we make the jump. Do you think you can do that?"

Omega nodded, taking hold of the control. "Yes!"

Carefully, she pushed the lever, just like she had seen Tech do so many times before, and the blue streaming lights of hyperspace formed in the viewport, before the ship took off.

"Nice job, kid!"

Wrecker gave her a high five, and she laughed with excitement. "How did I do, Tech?"

Tech smiled, patting her on the head. "You did perfectly, Miss Omega. Well done!"

Hunter grinned, nudging her softly. "It is time for bed though. We're going to be very busy when we get back to Cid's, so you're going to want to get as much rest as you can."

Omega nodded, hopping down from Tech's lap. Echo scooped her up in one arm, carrying her to her bunk, despite her protests that she could do it herself. Wrecker tucked her in with Lula before calling it a night as well, and Echo started bothering Hunter to go lie down.

"If we're going to be busy, you're going to need to let that wound finish healing. I'll keep first watch. Tech," he shoved his brother out of the pilot's seat. "Go sleep. You've been working all day."

Tech did not argue, heading over to the chair in the back that he usually fell asleep in while tinkering. He made himself comfortable, propping his feet up on the control panel in front of him.

He had almost fallen asleep when he felt someone small crawl into his lap and rest her head on his chest. He opened one eye and couldn't help but smile at Omega, who had carried her star-patterned blanket over to him, along with Lula, and made herself comfortable. She was small and light enough that it didn't bother him, and he made no effort to remove her. Instead, he patted her head in silence, wrapping one arm around her so she didn't fall off his lap.

"Goodnight, ad'ika. Sleep well."