Omega cast a look about the Marauder and sighed. Everyone was asleep. That was good, except so was the person she wanted to talk to.

Tech's head was tipped forward onto his chest and he snored gently. AZ lay on the ground in front of the flight chair Tech was seated in, a pile of circutry and wires acting almost like a lap robe for the mechanic. A probe dangled from Tech's limp fingers, and Omega took the tool in her more awake hand, setting the probe on the ground before it could fall and clatter everyone from sleep.

A low murmuring caught her ear. The bunkroom door was open and Hunter's voice was drifting out in tired, dejected tones. Omega shuffled closer, wondering what had happened to make him so sad, but even at the edge of the doorway she couldn't make out any words. That was probably good, she decided, when Crosshair's sharper voice sounded harshly, and Hunter came slowly out of the room.

Omega stepped aside to let him reach the control panel, her eyes glued to his hand as he pushed the button and closed the door. His fingers were shaking.

Without looking at her, Hunter walked into the cockpit and sealed the door before Omega could so much as call out to him.

Wrecker stirred on his rack. Echo mumbled something unintelligible, and Tech snored a little louder.

Omega sighed again and fingered the sleeves of her tunic. So, she was alone once again. She might as well start now before she became too nervous to even try. If Crosshair had made Hunter leave so visibly despondent - Hunter whom he'd known all his life - how could she, a little girl who had only spoken to Crosshair a few times, do anything to help?

It couldn't be too hard, she thought and turned to face the bunkroom door. From what she had seen, Crosshair felt threatened somehow by the others. While they knew him better, being the newest member of the squad gave her some advantages as well. She wouldn't have to work towards starting over with Crosshair like the others would.

Her hand hovered over the door controls, and she hesitated, wondering what Hunter would say if he caught her - wondering why she felt the others would stop her if they should wake up and notice her.

She didn't actually have a satisfactory reason to offer. And she didn't want to lie.

A hitching sigh from inside the room jerked her from her thoughts, and she was on the other side of the door before she had time to think again.

It seemed forever since Omega had stepped into this room and seen Tech lying awake in his bunk after the others had rescued him and Omega from the wicked Kaminoan on Bora Vio.

Crosshair was in the bunk, but the difference between what Tech had been like and what Crosshair was now couldn't have been more drastic.

He lay on his back, hands clenched at his sides and eyes squeezed shut. The dim light split harshly against the ragged scarring on the left side of his head and was lost in the sharp angles of his face. His whole frame trembled, and despite how hard she found it to be patient with him, Omega found herself hurrying forward to his side.

She was a medical assistant, after all.

But what could she do? The others had treated his injuries...but not all of them.

Crosshair didn't gasp again, but after a single hard tremor, he clapped a hand to his forehead and gritted his teeth.

Omega placed a hand on his arm. She knew it wouldn't fix anything, but maybe it would comfort Crosshair, at least a little.

"Your chip didn't get removed, did it?" she said softly. Hunter would have to be told.

Narrow fingers clamped around her wrist so tightly she squirmed to get away. Crosshair opened his eyes. Omega blinked hard, trying to chase the tears from her own, but she wasn't fast enough to prevent one from sliding down her cheek.

Crosshair was looking at her, almost vacantly. He had stopped trembling and the pained lines on his face were slowly fading.

Omega twitched again, her wrist twinging in Crosshair's unyielding grip.

"Crosshair," she sniffed. "Please let go!"

Recognition flashed across his face, and he dropped her arm as if it had shocked him, then clenched his hand as he pulled himself stiffly upright.

"What do you want?" he growled.

Omega swallowed and rubbed her wrist. The pale marks from Crosshair's fingers were slowly turning red, and she was sure her wrist would bruise.

"H-how are you feeling?" she ventured.

Crosshair didn't respond for several seconds, whether from surprise or annoyance, Omega couldn't tell. She could feel him watching her, but she didn't look up and continued to rub her sore wrist.

Finally he spoke.

"Just...go away..."

Omega frowned. She was only trying to help! But at least she knew that the chip was still inside Crosshair's head. She remembered her words to Crosshair when she and the Bad Batch had been trapped underwater on Kamino and wished she could unsay them. But she couldn't. She could apologize, though.

"I'm...sorry for speaking to you like I did back on Kamino." She cast a hesitant glance up.

Crosshair was no longer watching her. His head was turned slightly towards the wall - he was ignoring her.

Omega tried again. "I know it really isn't your fault. The chip made you this way. You can't help it."

Silence.

Omega shuffled her feet, unsure of whether to leave or not. Then Crosshair spoke - bitterly, but very softly.

"Can't I?"

Omega shook her head. "The inhibitor chip -"

"The chip," Crosshair interrupted, still facing away from her, "is no longer functioning properly. It's been shut down."

Omega nodded, determined to indulge him despite not believing him.

"We'll help you. Once the chip is out, you'll feel a lot better. You'll be a lot better, too. I promise."

She knew Crosshair was rolling his eyes. "How touching," he sneered. "Hunter's pet -" he rounded on her, eyes flashing - "is trying to win over an enemy."

"You're not an enemy!" Omega retorted. "You're not Hunter's enemy either! Or Tech's! Or Echo's, or Wrecker's!"

Crosshair huffed. "Aren't you mine?" he snarled.

Omega took a step forward, shaking her head violently. "No! I'm not your enemy, I want to help!"

"You want to help..." Crosshair muttered derisively. "Is Hunter your enemy, then?"

Omega was shocked. "What? No! He's my friend! He -"

"Then why isn't he doing what's best for you?" Crosshair's tone was soft and dangerous. "For the squad?"

"He is!" Omega snapped.

She was angry that Crosshair had dared to say what he had. And folding her arms, she told Crosshair that Hunter had tried to give her a better life and she hadn't wanted it. She had wanted to stay with him, and still did. He might not be able to give her everything Cut and Suu would have, but he provided what he could. All of the Bad Batch did. They were Clone Force 99. They worked with what they had.

Crosshair lifted an eyebrow. "What, I'm no longer part of this squad?"

Omega stammered. "Wh-wha-no! That's not what I meant! I..."

Crosshair turned to face the wall again with a world-weary sigh. "Just forget it."

Omega twisted her fingers together and around her hands. The silence stretched on for several minutes. She wanted to speak, but had no idea what to say. She didn't want to leave - Crosshair might think she was scared of him. But she was also feeling very sleepy.

Finally, Crosshair spoke again.

"Just say it already."

Omega blinked. "Say what?"

Crosshair sighed loudly and tilted his head slightly to glare at her. "Aren't you going to pester me, too, about why I joined the Empire?"

"No. I don't care about that."

Crosshair cocked his head and watched her suspiciously. Omega looked back, wondering what there was in her that he mistrusted so much. She didn't think she was getting anywhere, so she said,

"Do you want to see my laser bow?"

Crosshair snorted, lowering his eyebrows until his eyes were mere slits his face. "No."

Omega shrugged. "Okay. But I have to work on it anyway. Tech's added some different features to it, and I want to make sure I get them memorized."

Crosshair lay back down, rolled over and didn't respond.

Omega hurried out to retrieve her bow. When she returned, Crosshair was asleep.

Positioning herself against the far wall so as not to disturb him, Omega set to work. Within five minutes, she was asleep as well.