It had been several minutes since Tech had clambered down the ladder. And no matter how much Omega hopped or fidgeted, it was several more before he called up to the others.

"The metal has been worked free! We're coming up!"

"Do you need any help?" Hunter called back.

"Maybe...once we reach - the surface!" Tech's voice sounded strained, and Omega could hear the muted clang of boots falling heavily on metal rungs.

Tech emerged first, his already smoothed-back hair plastered flat against his head from the rain. He scrambled to the surface of the landing pad and turned, reaching down into the shaft.

There was an unsteady pause.

Then,

"Crosshair, don't be stubborn!" Tech snapped. "You could very well die without proper treatment."

"I didn't ask you - to rescue me!" the sniper growled back.

Tech lay flat on his stomach and reached into the shaft with both hands.

"For your information, I did not. We wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for Omega." A pause. "Come to think of it, neither would you."

Omega bounced on her toes in a near fit of apprehension. She didn't care about any of what was being said right now. She didn't even care about how it had all started or how it had come to this! She only wanted Crosshair to be back home with them and safe.

After another moment of silence, where all that could be heard was the steady rush of wind and splattering, pounding drops, Crosshair sighed.

Omega wasn't sure how someone could snarl a sigh, but Crosshair managed.

Tech reached down a little further, then he was stumbling to his feet, Crosshair's wrists caught in his hands, the sniper's fingers wrapped tightly around Tech's forearms.

They staggered in place. Omega hurried forward and tried to steady Crosshair, and Crosshair slowly lifted his head and glared at her.

He couldn't glare at Tech because Tech was standing alongside him, one of Crosshair's arms over Tech's shoulders for support. But Omega felt that if Crosshair had been able, he might have glared at Tech, then shaken him as well.

Crosshair was trembling. Omega stepped away, unsure of how to help. Perhaps she should just stay out of the way until Crosshair had cooled down. She had never seen anyone so angry.

Crosshair stared hard at Echo, then at Wrecker, then finally landed his piercing gaze on Hunter.

"You...perfect...fools!"he growled. "Fools!"

Omega cringed, and Hunter stepped forward, then paused when Crosshair bit back a cry and doubled over. Wrecker shoved his way forward, catching Crosshair as the sniper collapsed.

Wrecker carefully lifted him and backed away, turning towards the Marauder. As Wrecker passed by Hunter, Crosshair lifted his head from Wrecker's arm, and Omega closed her eyes as Crosshair's opened. She didn't want to see them, even though she knew Crosshair was looking at Hunter and not at her. She hated how cold and bright Crosshair's eyes were. They scared her. But she couldn't help hearing his voice - angry, but wavering and weak.

"You...You could - have...died..."

Omega couldn't tell if the soft sigh that followed was Hunter or Crosshair.

Once she was sure Wrecker had passed, Omega opened her eyes.

Hunter was gazing after the sniper, watching as Wrecker carried Crosshair to the ship. Tech tripped after them, hovering his datapad near Crosshair's head.

Hunter poked Echo on the arm and jerked his head towards the ship. Echo gave him a searching look, then followed after the others, his boots clicking heavily on the landing platform.

Omega waited. She didn't want to leave Hunter all alone to stare at the now empty ocean with only his thoughts. No more than an hour ago, he had climbed aboard the ship with only a few parting words to Crosshair, and with a steady face and silence. Now, there was no silence.

The wind dashed across the raging sea, tossing the waves into foaming peaks. The water had climbed all the way to the very edge of the landing platform. The waves lapped helplessly about the rim, as if they were struggling to pull themselves onto solid ground.

Omega looked up into Hunter's face. The heavy storm clouds cast a shadow across his face, and it seemed to Omega that some had even crept into his eyes. They were gray now, and though he stood motionless against the wind, his hair whipped across his brow and sent the shadows in his eyes shifting all about like strange flashing lights Omega didn't recognize. The storm was inside of Hunter, and if she hadn't trusted him so completely, Omega would have been terrified.

A bolt of lightning split the clouds and sent a piercing clap of thunder rolling through the air. Omega jumped and clutched Hunter's hand. She squeezed it harder and harder as the storm grew more wild, and finally, Hunter let out a single, quiet sigh.

Hunter was facing the storm that raged all around - the storm outside as well as inside. Omega swallowed. She didn't understand why the storm inside Hunter was there at all. Things had never seemed so hopeless and complicated. Omega wanted to be upset, but she looked up at Hunter again and saw that his eyes were less pale than before. He was brave. Omega knew how to be brave, too.

With a deep breath, Omega released Hunter's hand.

She hadn't noticed, but Hunter had been holding on as well. Without looking at her, he tapped her on the arm and turned her towards the ship.

"Let's get off this planet."

Omega nodded, wondering how Hunter's soft tone could sound so desperate.

She reached the boarding ramp and scrambled to the top, her boots sliding and squeaking against the water pouring over the steps. Echo was at the top, and he gripped her shoulder, looking out over the rainswept ocean as well.

Echo had been invited into the Bad Batch. So had Omega. But Omega knew that she and Echo would never be to Hunter what Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair were. Echo and Omega were apart from the others somehow. Not often and not by much, but apart enough that in a time like this, they were unable to do anything for Hunter.Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair were not out in the storm with their sergeant. Their brother.

Hunter was alone.

He walked slowly towards them, and Omega felt such a surge of unknown sorrow that she was frightened. She stepped back, leaning into Echo, and pressed her arms over her heart which was pounding fiercely.

It beat faster and faster, and her knees began to shake as she struggled not to collapse.

A powerful gust of wind surged from behind them, then switched directions and collided with a neighboring breeze, sending a perfect sheet of rain streaking across the landing pad and obscuring Hunter from view.

Omega jumped forward, and Echo pulled her back, but she continued to struggle.

"Hunter! Hunter!!!"

The rain blew upwards then, and Omega coughed at the sudden burst of air that slammed against her face.

She could see Hunter again.

He was standing, poised as if he were about to jog up the steps as he so often did, but he was motionless, looking back over his shoulder as the ocean swelled again.

A huge wave climbed high above the edge of the landing platform. It rolled forwards, growing ever higher as it approached, then, with a frantic reach, it collapsed, crashing onto the surface and sending a spray of foam shooting out in all directions. Ripples of water crawled foward and brushed over the toes of Hunter's boots. Then the wave died and slowly slid back into the sea.

Omega was so captivated by the scenes playing out around her that she didnt notice when Echo stepped back. She didn't feel him guiding her to the side so Hunter could climb slowly into the ship. She didn't hear Echo leave for the cockpit, but when the door of the Havoc Marauder closed, it was like a thunder clap. The solidcllunng!and thehissssssof the seal and lock shut out the storm on Kamino forever.

But not forever.

As Hunter passed Omega, he looked down at her, and Omega looked back at him.

He smelled of wind and cold, wet rain. His eyes still held a ghost of the stormy clouds. It was as if he were a mirror for the storm. But reflections were quiet, and for a long moment there was nothing but silence.

The Havoc Marauder trembled as it lifted from the landing pad and took off through the storm. Soon, Omega couls no longer hear the familiar sound of rainon the viewport anymore. They were leaving Kamino forever, where so many storms had happened. But they were taking a worse storm with them, a storm Omega hadn't wanted.

Hunter turned away.

The dim lights on the control panels blinked slowly...on...off...a glimmer here, a small flicker there... Like fading lightning. Their glow barely reached Hunter's face, but Omega could still see the water sliding down Hunter's cheeks.

Droplets of salt water. Salt water from the final, desperate wave.

Or perhaps they were tears.