A quiet wind sounded hollowly around the Marauder and slipped over the transparisteel window in the gunner's mount. It hushed the sounds of the other members of the Bad Batch as they prepared for the day. Blinking bleerily, Omega reached for her chrono, but gave up about halfway. It felt way too early.
Omega turned onto her back and pushed herself deeper into the soft floor. The wind sounded cold, and it made her chilly to even think of it. She had just tucked her blanket more firmly under her chin when there was a knock outside the curtain and Wrecker's cheerful voice boomed in.
"Hey, kid! You awake?"
"No..." mumbled Omega.
The curtain slid open, bringing in Wrecker's beaming smile like a glare of sunshine.
"Yeah, y'are!" he yelled.
Reaching out to the outer wall by the ladder, Wrecker flicked on the lights. Those definitely imitated sunshine. It didn't help that the sky outside was coated in thick, heavy clouds.
Omega shut her eyes tightly and frowned. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel like getting up this morning. She tried to be logical and come up with a reason why she should feel this way, but nothing came. She felt...grumpy.
"Do I have to get up, Wrecker...?" she sighed.
"Yes," said Hunter, passing by the gunner's mount without so much as looking at Omega. The sound of his clicking boots faded out as he moved to one of the computers, then stopped completely. Omega kept her eyes shut and held herself firmly still. Just five more minutes...
Hunter's footsteps sounded again, coming back towards the gunner's mount, and Omega sat bolt upright.
Wrecker jumped off the ladder, and Hunter looked up.
Omega squinted down at him.
Hunter smirked and turned off the lights, and Omega couldn't help the grateful smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. Somehow she felt a little less tired, now. Even if she did, she didn't need to frown...
"Get up, Omega. We're heading out."
Omega bundled up her covers and threw them into the corner of her room, knocking over Trooper and Lula who sat stoically astride the precious commlink. "Where? Where are we?"
"Ord Mantell."
Omega flopped back down. "Ugh...I hope Cid doesn't make me play anymore Dejarik matches..."
Hunter chuckled and now Omega smiled fully, too. It was always nice to hear Hunter's laugh. It came rarely, like Tech's smiles and Echo's jokes. And despite his often cheerful behavior, even Wrecker seemed to be losing some of his good humor lately.
Everyone seemed so...tired...
Omega rolled onto her back and stared at the now lifeless string of bulbs on her ceiling.
"Hunter...?"
"Hm?"
"Can we go somewhere?"
Hunter climbed up the ladder and sat at the top. "Like where?"
"Oh..." Omega blinked slowly, suddenly very happy that Hunter was sitting there, talking with her. And she realized, with some confusion, that she missed him. But that didn't make sense. She had seen Hunter every day since she left Kamino with him and the others. She would have to ask how being lonely for someone whom one saw every day was even possible. But not yet. Hunter was still waiting for an answer to his question.
Omega looked up at him. "I don't actually know... Somewhere nice. Where we can all go exploring instead of running away all the time."
Hunter nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I suppose we could use some down time... Tell you what. We're going to check with Cid about another job. Now hold on," he said as Omega's face fell. "We're going to get the highest paying one she's got and once it's done, we're taking a trip back to Pantora."
Omega smiled and sat up. "Fixing things?"
Hunter nodded. "That's right. Might as well get that errand out of the way. Assuming the gran doesn't gun me down before I can return his credits."
He chuckled again. Omega didn't think it was very funny.
Hunter tapped her on the nose. "Then, we can take a look at some places and see where you'd like to go for a few days."
Omega fairly wriggled with excitement. "Really!?"
"Really." Hunter climbed down to the floor, and jerked a thumb over one shoulder. "Now get up, get some food in you, and get to watching the ship. We won't be gone long."
Omega bounced to the edge of the ladder and tumbled from her room, snagging her boots in one hand just before she hit the floor. She didn't mind staying behind for a bit, she thought, struggling to pull her boots on as she hopped after Hunter.
The others were already grouped at the door. Omega looked up, nearly losing her balance when Wrecker laughed.
"Whatcha doin' Omega?" he howled.
Tech's head popped up behind Wrecker's shoulder and Echo smirked.
Hunter shook his head and put on his helmet. He punched the door controls and the Marauder slid it's metal ramp out and down, opening itself to the biting sting of cold wind.
"Let's go," said Hunter. "Don't blow up the ship, Omega."
"Wait - she's staying?" said Echo.
Before Omega could respond, Wrecker gave her a gentle pat - in truth, a solid thump - on the back, and followed Hunter down the ramp. "Don't blow up the ship without me!" he grinned.
"Don't blow up my ship at all, if you please," Tech sniffed, tripping after Wrecker.
Echo put a hand on Omega's shoulder and called after Hunter. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Aren't you...?"
Omega jumped, falling solidly into Echo at the sudden voice that snaked from behind her. She turned halfway to glance behind her, and remembered with inescapable clarity what was different about today.
Crosshair was leaning against the doorframe, one hand gripping the edge, and glowering.
Omega gulped. He was here.
Then Hunter was back in the ship as well, pushing past Echo to face the sniper. Echo kept a hand on Omega's shoulder, and Wrecker stomed up the ramp and towered behind them.
Hunter removed his helmet. "Not this time, Crosshair. You'll be fine 'til we get back."
Crosshair lowered his head and gazed piercingly at Hunter. "That's not what I meant. Aren't you afraid I'll run off and tell the Empire where you are?"
"No."
Omega felt marginally better at the certainty in Hunter's tone and the open surprise that flashed across Crosshair's sharp features.
"Really..." the sniper drawled.
Hunter nodded firmly. "Really. You're not going anywhere with that leg, and if you try, Omega can shoot you."
Omega didn't feel happy anymore.
Wrecker ducked down and whispered loudly in her ear. "He means stun!"
"I know..." Omega whispered back, but Crosshair had shoved himself away from the doorframe and took a single step forward towards the group.
"And that's another thing. Aren't you afraid I'll injure your little sidekick?"
"Nope." Hunter turned and waded through Echo, Omega and Wrecker, stepped back onto the stairs and walked down the ramp to Cid's landing platform.
Wrecker patted Omega's head and followed, seemingly satisfied to follow Hunter's conviction that all would be well. Omega wasn't so sure.
She didn't miss the furtive glance Echo shot at Crosshair, or the way Echo was lingering as he started down after Hunter.
Crosshair shoved himself forward and Omega had to skip out of the way as Crosshair stumbled and clutched at one side of the Marauder's entrance for support where he clung, gasping faintly.
"And why...is that?"
Hunter turned back and gave Crosshair a hard stare. Omega peeked out of the ship under the sniper's elbow, careful not to get too close.
Echo caught her gaze and bumped Hunter with his scomp link. "Hunter, I don't think -"
Hunter cut him off with with a wave and stepped forward. "Because no one," he said "who risks valuble time, their position and their life in order to prevent another's capture or death is going to do anything to harm a child. I don't believe you ever valued the Empire, Crosshair. Either for itself or for what it does."
Crosshair snarled, slowly pushed himself away from the doorframe and stumbled back to the bunkroom.
Omega watched as the Bad Batch started off towards Cid's. The gray morning seemed even more dreary than it already had, and the biting wind stung her nose. A few forgotten wrappers and some pieces of limp foliage mysteriously present in this "dump" - as Echo called it - floated mournfully past the Marauder and disappeared between the buildings.
Omega wanted to run after the others and leave Crosshair to be grumpy all by himself. But just as she thought she might seriously consider it, Tech, with a final wave in her direction, tapped his wrist controls and closed the Marauder's door. Omega tipped forward and leaned her head against it.
"Can today get any worse...?" she asked the Marauder. Not too loudly - she didn't want Crosshair to know she was in a bad mood as well. It might make him feel victorious.
The ship was silent except for the whistling wind that split and swirled around the folded wings of the ship. Omega puffed out her cheeks and sighed, straightening abruptly.
"Well, I suppose I could go keep Crosshair company!"
The bunkroom door slid shut with an angry hisss!
Another moment of silence. A loud swoosh of wind - and impossibly, it began to rain.