A/N:

🚫Trigger Warning: extremely angry Hunter🚫

- Ella


Chapter 5 - A... Friend? :D That I Almost Kill?! :(

(Day 3 w/ the Bad Batch)

SAC-1's eyes burned from staring at the bright screen of the ship's computer system in the dark for... how many hours was it now? Three? Four? She had lost track.

The agent sighed and tried rubbing the tiredness and stinging in her eyes away, then blinked a few times to get them to focus on her research again, leaning her heavy head against her palm.

Commander Cody told them that Separatists had set up a large command center on Silva, a planet aligned with the Republic but being a peaceful planet had no military occupation whatsoever, and the base was guarded by three times more droids than usual, meaning that lots of information about the Separatists must be kept there.

Due to the clone army being spread thin, the Republic could only send a platoon of soldiers from the 212th, and they failed to infiltrate the base to see who was behind the plot to kidnap the Chancellor, losing most of the troopers. So, Cody called them because the Bad Batch were more capable than an army, and he knew that they could get the job done.

The operation to get inside the base would include Clone Force 99, Commander Cody, and three Jedi that the Order decided was needed to succeed. It would be a full-frontal assault to get inside the base and retrieve the information as to who planned to kidnap the Chancellor, then destroy the base after liberating the planet. They were meeting on a Jedi Cruiser at Coruscant, then would travel to Silva together.

SAC-1 didn't want to be at a disadvantage, being the new soldier and all, so that's why on her first night with her new squad, she was up at 0300 just in her blacks, researching the planet of Silva to get a feel as to what kind of environment she'd be fighting in.

Not that she would've slept anyways - new surroundings and smells and sounds and people all around her.

She felt a person cautiously step into the computer room. "Did I wake you?" She asked softly in concern, turning her head slightly to acknowledge his presence. "I thought I was being quiet enough."

Hunter was briefly startled that she knew he was there before he spoke, forgetting in his sleepy state that she had enhanced senses like him. "I tend to sleep a lot lighter than normal people." Hunter replied in a low tone as well.

SAC-1 closed her eyes and shook her head at her own stupidity. "Right - enhanced senses... I forgot that you have it too. I'm sorry."

Hunter, who was also just in his blacks, crossed his arms and leaned against the door jam, squinting at the graphs on the large screen. "What are you doing up so late?"

SAC-1 pressed a couple of keys to switch between tabs. "Research. I want to know what to expect on the mission so I don't slow you all down."

"You'll slow us down if you're half asleep." He commented bluntly.

At his tone, she sensed his annoyance and loathing, but remained civil because she wanted to prove him wrong - SAC-1 was a good decision on the Kaminoans part. "I've been trained to go long periods of time without sleep." Was her confident and factual response to his 'concern,' pressing more keys.

"A person can be trained all they want, but even one night without sleep still affects performance - we need you sharp."

"I'll be fine." She promised with patience wearing thin. "I've been designed to -"

"One thing that you'll learn being a soldier is that war is unpredictable, and if you're given the opportunity to safely get some shut eye you should take it, specially trained or not."

His total disregard for her attempts to be useful increased her ire, and she sharply turned the chair so she was facing him. "I know my own limits, sergeant." She firmly insisted.

Frustration sparked in his eyes. "And how can you possibly know your limits if you've never even been on the battlefield?"

To this, SAC-1 didn't have a response, and she realized this was why the squad didn't want her - she had never been at the war front.

But they saw me with the simulations, right? They saw how I aced them without breaking a sweat or even having any casualties. A simulation was an exact replica of a real battle, so it could be assumed that I'd succeed out there. Why couldn't they see that?

But once again to show that she was a good soldier who took orders well, she turned and pressed computer keys again, this time to back out of her research tabs, then obliged him.

Before she was completely out of the room though, she turned her head towards him and gave him a piercing glower. "A small part of me wishes you and Crosshair hid your loathing for me better like Tech and Wrecker, but on the other hand it's a good thing to know where I stand with this squad. And I will enjoy proving you all wrong about me." Hunter was surprised at her boldness, and she marched away saying a monotonous, "Goodnight," over her shoulder, though sincerely hoping he didn't have one because she was just that frustrated with him.

SAC-1 entered her quarters and shut the door behind her, looking around at all her unpacked crates with sullen features. She was all excited to set everything up, but after that talk with Nala Se, she didn't feel the inclination to because a small part of her worried:What if I did fail this mission? Then I'd have to pack everything up again and leave with my tail between my legs.

The crushing weight of being surrounded by people who didn't want her and the importance of succeeding on Silva set in, and she sighed heavily, then walked up to her bed and caught sight of the one thing she did unpack: her Loth-wolf doll. The disheartened clone picked up the stuffed toy then turned and flopped onto her back on the bed, clutching the wolf to her chest, wishing for the comfort it always brought.

It did, but not by much. SAC-1 had to succeed in this mission, and her mentors provided no tips or tricks because they wanted her to fail. So, it was all up to her and her unfinished training ...

Man, I thought my lone-wolf days were over. Was her embittered thought.


Due to the challenge lying at her feet, SAC-1 ended up not sleeping at all, though she was right in saying that it didn't affect her that much, so when the morning rays trickled in through the windows above her, she walked into the common area with minimal grogginess.

There was a brief moment of awkwardness (and mortification on SAC-1's part) when the men forgot that they had an innocent woman living with them and emerged from their rooms in various forms of undress - Hunter was shirtless in joggers, as was Crosshair, Tech was in a tank top and shorts, and Wrecker was just plain in shorts - to which after she gave a short, high-pitched shriek as her face turned crimson, they looked at her like she was crazy, then came to the realization that she was here and they were (they looked down at their clothing... or lack of it rather) -

'KRIFF!' And other various curses were yelped and there was some shoving and elbowing and tripping as they tried to climb over each other to scurry back into their rooms and make themselves decent, those battle-hardened soldiers blushing so fiercely that they wanted nothing more than to be swallowed by the floor at their own colossal mortification.

Wrecker immediately tried to diffuse the awkward moment after everyone was back in the common area and went to the storage closet to retrieve breakfast - two packs of rations for him and one each for the rest of the squad, including SAC-1 which confused her - and they all sat down together and ate breakfast.

SAC-1 didn't join in on the talking and sat at the edge of the lounge slightly facing away from everyone, knowing full well that they all didn't want her to participate and deciding that she wouldn't fake along with them anymore because it was taxing on her apparently fragile mental well-being, and silently nibbled on her rations.

Tech noticed the firm frown on her face and her unusual silence and, despite his vow of silence towards her for the state of his ship, tried to include her in the conversation several times, but she rejected his efforts, thinking that it was fake, and he soon left her be, confused as to why she wasn't her usual self, though perhaps it was because of the... incident five minutes ago.

Hunter merely ignored her, knowing that it was all in the air now and he didn't have to pretend to approve of her presence.

Crosshair never pretended in the first place and ignored her as well.

And Wrecker was just too clueless to notice the tension in the room.

After breakfast, the squadron plus SAC-1 gathered into the cockpit because they were seconds away from arriving at Coruscant. She was going to hunker down in one of the very back seats to avoid interaction, but Tech had other plans for her.

He gestured to his chair. "Agent, take the pilot seat." She raised a brow at him, a hand gripping the back of the chair she was going to sit in. "You will be taking the ship out of hyperspace and landing us on the cruiser."

SAC-1 saw the uncertainty of the rest of the guys, and honestly felt the same way. "But I've only had two lessons."

"And you have shown great progress already, so I am confident that you can land the ship on a cruiser." She blinked, put off by his sudden praise, but he mistakened it as nerves and added reassuringly. "I will be guiding you every step of the way, of course."

She was once again baffled as to why he was helping her when he didn't even want her there but rose to the challenge like she always did and trudged up to the seat as Tech took the copilot's chair.

"Uh, Tech..." The intelligent clone turned to look questionably at the Sergeant. "I rarely question your actions, but are you sure this is such a good idea?"

SAC-1 felt a burning indignation in her heart, and promptly sat down in the pilot's chair as Tech began defending his student - which also confused her - and began pressing various buttons and flipping several switches to prepare the ship to come out of hyperspace.

The hyperdrive panel beeped. "Coming up on Coruscant." She announced, so the men took their seats and she grabbed hold of the lever and pulled it gently, and with another whiplash they zoomed out of hyperspace.

SAC-1's lips parted in awe as her eyes flitted around and took in all the massive Republic Attack Cruisers all around the vicinity. They're HUGE! And there are SO MANY!

"Now," She blinked and focused on Tech's instructions, "We'll be receiving a comm in three, two, one -"

The comm beeped, and she let out a quick silent breath to steady herself and answered it.

"Unidentified shuttle, state your business."

"This is Clone Force 99 requesting permission to dock." She stated, then pressed a couple of buttons on the panel above her. "Transmitting clearance code now." She held her breath waiting for the reply, hoping she did everything right.

"Code confirmed." SAC-1 sighed in relief. "You've been assigned to Bay Eleven on the Negotiator. Sending coordinates now."

"Thank you." She turned off the comm and glanced expectantly at Tech, awaiting further instruction.

"Once we find the ship, head towards the ventral hanger bay, which is located on the bow of the cruiser. They should be opening the doors now."

SAC-1 nodded in understanding, then when the coordinates came through she pressed on the accelerator. Flying through space wasn't as nerve-wracking as she thought, but flying into the cruiser then into designated bay was what was really hard. She had to slowly lower the ship into the hangar, then maneuver the repulsors perfectly to shimmy their way into their assigned space without hitting personnel or objects.

When she managed to avoid hitting anything and the landing gear touch-downed, all the tension left her shoulders and she gave a small, proud smile.

Tech was smiling too, and he stood to step over and pat her shoulder. "Well done."

SAC-1 furrowed her eyebrows, then shook her head and proceeded to power down the ship before following the squad, picking up her gear from the floor below her on the way out, and tucked her helmet safely under her arm.

As she strides down the ramp to keep up with the others, her eyes were wide in awe. The ship looks even bigger on the inside! This massive Hangar alone had hundreds of ships, from star fighters to bombers to shuttles. She couldn't even fathom how beyond this Hangar, there was even more to see!

Commander Cody met them on the floor, along with three figures in brown cloaks with their hoods down. SAC-1 surveyed the two males and female Togruta - the older man had auburn hair and a kind smile, the other young man had brown hair and an air of determination, and the young female Togruta's demeanor mirrored the young man.

During one of the few instances when she was allowed a short leisure time, she had researched the Jedi since she would one day fight alongside them, so she recognized them instantly. One of the few things she couldn't understand though was their powers - the Force, it was called. There wasn't very much information on it, but from what she could gather the Jedi had a special connection to the energies that bind the galaxy together. But how could an individual sense an energy field that was not supposed to be sensed by anyone?

It scientifically made no sense.

So, she drew the conclusion that the Jedi merely were another religion of magic welders like the Witches of Dathomir, but more prominent since they were granted positions in the GAR.

SAC-1 stood slightly behind the group as they approached them, deciding that it would be respectful to wait until she was introduced before approaching her commanding officers, and Wrecker's large body in front of her covered her from the view of them, though the Jedi sensed her presence.

Hunter grasped forearms with Cody in a good-natured greeting. "Nice to see you again, Commander."

"You too, Sergeant." Cody gestured to the Jedi and introduced them in order. "This is General Obi-Wan Kenobi, General Anakin Skywalker, and Commander Ahsoka Tano - the three Jedi that the Republic sent to assist us on the mission." Then he gestured to the squad. "This Sergeant Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair - Clone Force 99."

Hunter and the rest of the squad saluted to their superiors and the Jedi nodded back in acknowledgement.

"I've heard great things about your squadron." Obi-Wan informed Hunter with a smile. "Cody says that you'll be able to infiltrate the base with no problems whatsoever, and I trust his word. I look forward to seeing how you four enhanced clones succeed where the regular clones could not."

"Thank you, sir." Hunter said respectfully.

Cody peered around them. "Where's the new recruit I met on the hologram?"

Hunter heaved a reluctant sigh and the squad parted, creating a path for SAC-1 to march up to Commander Cody and the Jedi, and with her free hand saluted them in greeting.

"This is SAC-1." Hunter introduced with a slight grimace, hoping she wouldn't embarrass him in any way.

Ahsoka's eyes were twinkling in curiosity as she took in the Special Agent Clone. "It's hard to believe that you're a clone trooper." She commented, though SAC-1 didn't detect any hostility behind those words like her squadron used, more awe and inquisitive. "I've only seen one type of clone trooper throughout this whole war."

"I agree with my padawan - you're unlike any clone trooper I've ever met." Anakin chimed in, bewildered himself.

"Well, I'm not exactly a clone 'trooper,' I'm a clone agent." SAC-1 pointed out factually. "I'm a new division to the GAR. I don't fight in regular battles, I go on special missions that clone troopers of any kind can't handle, like for instance undercover missions," Hunter's eyes almost widened in fear as he realized the warning signs of a ramble. "See, it would be kind of hard for a clone trooper to go undercover because there's a billion others with his exact, well-known face - the Separatists would sniff him out instantly. But Special Agent Clones will be kept on the DL with the enemy, and they will each be created by different genetic hosts so that they can blend in with whatever environment they're in and not be traced back to the Republic Army."

Everyone raised their eyebrows, startled at this information dump, and for a moment SAC-1 felt her face heat up in regret. In the short time she was with the Bad Batch, she saw how the others sometimes expressed annoyance at Tech for going off on a tangent about anything and everything and she did just that now, in front of her commanding officers.

Should I just have kept my mouth shut? Hunter's ire could be sensed, and she hated the fact that he now must have another reason to despise her... because she embarrassed him.

But then Ahsoka smiled coyly and gave a sideways glance at the two other Jedi and Cody. "Well, I hope they make them all women, because I get tired of being surrounded by stubborn men all the time. Female soldiers would be a breath of fresh air."

Anakin's response was a stink eye while Obi-Wan chuckled in amusement.

SAC-1 gave a small smile back in relief. "I've only been with Clone Force 99 for one day, and I already understand how you feel, sir." Hunter shot her a warning look, and she became defensive. "What? Why pretend we actually get along? They'll find out soon enough that we don't." Hunter's jaw clenched and he glowered down at her, and she felt that if they weren't currently with their superiors, he'd chew her out right now.

Tech on the other hand hated that she felt unwelcome.

Wrecker... kind of felt the same way.

Crosshair was amused at the edginess between the two of them, but also irritated at her behavior.

Anakin and Ahsoka became uncomfortable as they sensed the bad blood between the two of them.

Thankfully, Obi-Wan cut in before things escalated. "Well, it's wonderful to meet you, Agent," A smile returned to her face, and she nodded at him in thanks, "And I'm excited to see a specialized clone like you in action - I look forward to seeing all of you in action."

Hunter cooled down enough to politely thank him, then Cody interjected, "We should go over the plan." He bobbed his to the right, "Follow us to the bridge."

Cody turned and began marching out of the Hangar, the Jedi followed, and Clone Force 99 after them. SAC-1 singlehandedly brought up the rear several feet behind them and felt a pang of sadness in her chest despite the group's actions towards her. Being deprived of social interaction her whole life, she was absolutely thrilled to be a part of a squad! To be surrounded by good people who fought for the same thing she did: peace. But now it felt like she was back in that lab on Kamino: surrounded by people who made her feel nothing but awful about herself and doubtful about her skills. She hid her insecurities well, for she'd rather come off as strong than weak, but she wished she didn't have to put on a mask at all.

SAC-1 was put out of her stupor when she felt a presence step into pace next to her and looked to see Commander Tano walking alongside her.

"Want some compa - Hey are you okay?" Ahsoka wondered in concern, seeing SAC-1's firm frown and dazed look as she approached her.

"I am... Are you?" The Agent asked with furrowed eyebrows as they walked out the Hangar doors.

"Why wouldn't I be?" The young Jedi truly wondered.

"No one ever wants to be in my company." SAC-1 disclosed bitterly.

"What about your squad?"

SAC-1 gave a mirthless laugh as they rounded a corner. "Especially my squad."

Ahsoka glanced at the four enhanced clones with confusion. "Why's that?"

SAC-1 eyes narrowed at the back of Hunter's head. "To put it simply, they think that because I've never been in battle, I'll hold them back." She explained in a low tone.

Ahsoka hummed in understanding, "I see..." She then put a reassuring hand on SAC-1's armored shoulder, the contact making the touch-starved female clone stiffen, but Ahsoka didn't shy away because she knew all clones experienced this, and decided to ease her into it, "Don't worry, I'm sure once you prove yourself they'll warm up to you. That's what happened to me and my Master."

SAC-1 found the physical reassurance to be odd... but not unpleasant. "You and General Skywalker?" She was surprised to hear that someone else went through this exact problem. Uncanny!

Ahsoka snickered at the memories of their strained first interactions, "Yeah. He didn't want to take me on at first, but once I proved I wouldn't slow him down, he accepted me as his padawan and we've become a formidable team that leads the 501st Legion to victory."

SAC-1, unconvinced it'll end that well for her, gave the Commander a tight-lipped smile. "That sounds all good and well sir, but I think it's going to take a lot more than that for them to accept me. They don't seem to interact well with anyone outside their tight-knit group."

Ahsoka patiently repeated her reassurances to the outcast young woman, "Don't worry, I know this will all end well."

SAC-1 still didn't quite believe her, so she decided to change the subject, drawing to the conclusion that Ahsoka actually wanted to interact with her, which is what lifted her spirits. "So, I've read some things about the Jedi."

Ahsoka noticed the deliberate change of the subject, but went along with it, not wanting to make her feel any more uncomfortable. "Mhm."

"I don't quite understand your ways and beliefs, but I'm intrigued to learn more about your unique weapon - the laser sword."

Ahsoka was amused at the mixed-up terminology, "You mean lightsaber?" She amusedly corrected.

SAC-1 nodded sheepishly. "As you can see I know very little about them, and I want to understand my generals and commanders better if I'm to fight alongside them."

Because the small immature part of her liked to show off, the young Jedi reached into her cloak and unhooked her lightsaber from her hip, then held it out for SAC-1 to study. The female clone eagerly took it with a gentle hand and observed the seemingly simple weapon that was able to tame such raw energy while Ahsoka explained how it worked and how it was wielded. SAC-1 hung onto her every word and asked intuitive questions when appropriate, all the while itching to press the button that turned it on.

After Ahsoka was done explaining the basics, SAC-1 gave her a pleading look, like a child asking for candy.

Ahsoka gave a firm nod in permission, and SAC-1 handed her helmet to the Jedi and held the lightsaber with both hands, then pressed the activation button.

Pssshhew!

The green light lit up SAC-1's already shining eyes, and she grinned in awe over its magnificence.

The sound of the lightsaber activating drew the attention of the rest of the group, and they whipped around to see Ahsoka smiling and strolled several feet away from SAC-1 as she did some test stances with the exotic weapon since there wasn't anyone in this particular hallway, the vibration/hum-like sound bouncing off the walls of the almost empty hallway.

"You wield it like a professional!" Ahsoka commented in an impressed tone.

"I've been trained to use a vibrosword, but even though it's a remarkable weapon, I think your lightsaber upstages it just a smitch." SAC-1 was full of admiration for the work of art. However, when she noticed the group had stopped and Hunter's disapproving frown, she sobered up and deactivated the lightsaber, giving it back to the Commander and retrieved her helmet.

"That's what that is?" Ahsoka asked in disbelief while pointing to SAC-1's sheath. "I wondered what was in the scabbard. I knew it couldn't be one of those ancient swords that wouldn't last two seconds against a droid army."

Anakin was smiling proudly at his little padawan who was socializing so well, though she had mostly outgrown that pattern of snarky quips, but he knew that they had important business to attend to. "Come along Ahsoka, you and your new friend can play with swords later." He teased light-heartedly, easing SAC-1's anxiety. And lifting her spirits.

Commander Tano and I are now friends? :D

Ahsoka sneered playfully at her master but genuinely grinned at the Clone Agent, making her feel borderline euphoria.

I finally have a friend! Someone who is kind to me!


Once they reached their destination, Cody activated the hologram of the Separatist base and began explaining the details of their assault, Anakin and Obi-Wan chiming in when they thought necessary. The more that they explained the plan though, the more that SAC-1 didn't think it was adequate for the layout of the Command Center.

"Any questions?" Cody asked when they finished briefing everyone.

SAC-1 held up a finger. "I have one." All attention was now on her, and Cody nodded for her to continue. "Wouldn't it make more sense for this to be a stealth mission?"

"How so?" Obi-Wan asked, hand still astutely stroking his beard.

"It's my conclusion that making our presence so explosively known will greatly minimize the odds of retrieving this tremendously important information because once we do, Tech will have a thousand droids on his heels which will give him less time to retrieve the hologram. But, if the droids weren't alerted of our presence, we could plant charges as we snuck to the mainframe, Tech would most likely have between one to two minutes more to retrieve and record it onto the holodisk, then we sneak back out and blow up the base once we escaped."

She finished with a confident air about her, only to be met with silence and stares.

Several seconds later, Crosshair cut through the silence with a crude remark, "Why don't you leave the plans for the ones who've actually fought in the war?"

After several beats of astonishment, to everyone's stupefaction SAC-1 grinned mockingly at the sniper. "You are so right; I mean what would I, 'a new recruit,' possibly know what I'm talking about? My training will nevermatch your experience." She haughtily huffed, "I guess I should just leave the planning to you 'seasoned veterans' of the war." Crosshair viciously sneered while Wrecker guffawed as she began to stalk out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Hunter questioned in his harsher Sergeant voice, and she briefly wondered if he had any other tone as she hadn't heard him really use one since she met him.

"We have a couple of hours before we reach Silva, so I want to explore the cruiser." She answered tersely over her shoulder.

"Uh, are ya sure that's a good idea?" Wrecker asked in concern. "Remember what happened in Tipoca?"

She froze in her tracks, and her shoulders slumped in humiliation at her inability to wander around by herself yet; she really didn't want to embarrass herself again.

Coming to her rescue, Ahsoka jogged up to her and once again put a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "I can show you around!" The young Jedi offered in kindness and absolutely meaning it.

SAC-1 gave her a look of pure gratitude and the two of them exited the room, SAC-1 immediately spouting off questions about the ship and Ahsoka happily answering them all.


With her enhanced mind, SAC-1 had a fierce thirst for knowledge, especially since everything she had learned in her four short years was strictly about what would benefit her in the field. That meant that she had a lot to learn about the galaxy around her... and zero people skills whatsoever. She had no idea how to know when she was being overbearing, and was put off when Ahsoka, after a full hour of patiently answering all of the questions that popped into that exceptional mind of hers, seemed to snap in a clipped tone, "Man, I don't believe you've drawn a breath this whole time!"

SAC-1, stunned to silence for a moment, then turned crimson and curled up on herself as the figure of Nala Se appeared next to her instead of Ahsoka and froze in her tracks for the second time that day, hanging her head in shame, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to annoy you - please don't be upset, I won't do it again, I promise."

Ahsoka immediately tried retracting her statement that seemed to really upset the young woman, "Woah, hey!" She exclaimed in complete regret, putting her hands on SAC-1's trembling shoulders and tried to get her to raise her head, "No no no, it's okay I'm not upset!"

SAC-1's head snapped up and Ahsoka could see that tears pooled into her eyes, and the female clone asked hopefully in a small voice, "You're - you're not?"

"No, I was just teasing you!" Ahsoka reassured her.

"Oh..." She sniffed and quickly swiped the back of her gloved hand over her eyes to get rid of the tears, cheeks tinting red in embarrassment, "...Sorry." SAC-1 put forth weakly, not knowing what else to say in this awkward situation.

"You have nothing to be sorry for - I upset you, so I'm sorry."

"I didn't realize that you were teasing..." SAC-1 admitted in shame, "Usually when people point out my annoying tendencies it's because I've - well - annoyed them."

Ahsoka knew about the Kaminoans tendencies to be negative towards their 'property', so she immediately understood where the female clone was coming from but now tried counter that negativity with positivity, "You've led a sheltered life, so your naturally curious about the galaxy beyond - it's not annoying, it's actually a quality that should be celebrated! I was just making a lighthearted quip to lighten the mood, seeing if you wanted to talk about something other than the cruiser."

"What else is there to talk about?" SAC-1 truly wondered.

"Well, I know that even though you were subjected to intense training rituals, all cadets still had some leisure time. So, what did you do for fun?"

"Fun?" The Agent repeated with a befuddled look, the foreign word feeling odd in her mouth, "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term, what is 'fun?'"

That was not the answer the young Togruta was expecting, and her smile faltered while her heart sank, "Oh... it's something you do for yourself, for... enjoyment."

"Oh!" The female clone hummed in deep thought, which only made her companion even more sad. After a full ten seconds, SAC-1 snapped a finger with a broad smile as she finally came up with something that fit that definition, "Once a week during my Anti-Trauma De-Programming sessions, I got a full hour to ramble without any reproach or punishment - does that count as fun?"

Ahsoka was floored at her answer once again, and her look became sharp mixed with extreme worry, "What 'trauma' did you need 'de-programming' from, exactly?"

SAC-1 realized her huge slip up and her eyes bugged out and her chest constricted in fear, "Uh -"

"And what sort of 'punishment' did you receive for this quote unquote, 'bad behavior?'" Ahsoka asked more forcefully.

SAC-1 sputtered, becoming unglued at the thought of this massive slip up. If Nala Se found out about this, she'd be FURIOUS, for no one was supposed to know about the experiments at all, especially since they were, sometimes, also used as punishments.

If the Jedi find out, all our cloning scientists will be locked away in jail and we would not be able to produce more soldiers for the GAR, and the Republic would lose the war - do you want to shoulder that burdening responsibility? Nala Se repeatedly threatened her with to ensure she'd never breath a word about it to another soul once she was free from her control... though even thousands of light-years away from her, Nala Se still had a hold on her it seemed.

Ahsoka, the Jedi who took her peace-keeping duties very seriously, suddenly thrust her hands forward and firmly grasped the anxious Agent's shoulders, "Agent, if the Kaminoans are doing anything underhanded -"

"Forget I said anything!" SAC-1 blurted out, which only made Ahsoka more suspicious of the cloning scientists, but the Agent reached up and gripped the padawans wrists and gave her the most entreating look she could muster, "Please, sir, I was just exaggerating, it's really nothing!" Ahsoka skeptically quirked the facial marking that would be an eyebrow if she was a different species, "... nothing I can't handle?" She mentally berated herself for the pitch in her tone, which only made Ahsoka more suspicious, "Commander, can I respectfully ask that you forget about this, and we move onto another subject of conversation that doesn't include questions about the starship..." Ahsoka didn't want to budge, but after SAC-1 gave the most pitiful, "Please?" The young Jedi reluctantly dropped the subject.

"Alright... but just know that if you're being mistreated in any way, you need to tell someone. My door is always open, but if you don't feel comfortable talking to me, then go to General Shaak Ti, she represents the Republic there on Kamino, oversees the training of troopers and is an advisor to the Prime Minister."

SAC-1 fervently nodded, though she would never ever take her up on the suggestion, and blatantly changed the subject by trying that 'conversation' thing, "Sooooo, what made you decide to become a Jedi? The lightsaber? The padawan braid - erm - bead accessory?"

Ahsoka was not going to let this go, but decided to humor the curious, deprived young woman and chuckled. "It doesn't exactly work like that."


Silva's picturesque landscape was said to rival Naboo's, holding many jewels within its trees, like waterfalls, meadows, lakes and many more wonders. There were only three large modern cities on the planet, the people preferring to preserve the beauty of the forest landscape and live in harmony with nature in small, primitive villages. Their houses were built from the natural resources found around them and had minimal-to-no technology. Anyone who wanted a tranquil life could find it on Silva.

So of course, it wouldn't be beneath the Separatists to invade the peaceful planet.

An hour later, right at 0900, SAC-1 and Ahsoka walked back into the Hangar Bay to meet with the team for this mission. SAC-1 hadn't been able to explore the whole ship in two hours but was satisfied with what she did see. Despite the shaky start, the casual conversation between the two new friends never died after that, though Ahsoka had more to say than SAC-1 due to her travels and status as a Jedi Commander.

SAC-1 didn't like all the stares she was getting from the clone personnel while they roamed around the occupied parts of the cruiser - it was like Kamino all over again - and Ahsoka was in the middle of explaining why they did when they strolled up to their assigned gunship.

"Wait, so when that clone said I was hotter than the flames on Mustafar, he was saying he found me... attractive?" SAC-1 asked innocently.

"Yeah, it's called a pickup line." Ahsoka clarified with a disgusted look on her face. "I once had a guy say my smile glowed brighter than a lightsaber."

"Huh." SAC-1 breathed in astonishment as they stepped into the group circle.

"What do you think of my cruiser, Agent?" Anakin asked politely.

She beamed, ignoring the dirty looks she received from her Sergeant and the sniper next to him. "It's unbelievable, sir! And I mean that in a good way, of course."

He smiled back, then Cody interposed, "Let's get going, we want to keep the element of surprise with the Separatists."

"First battle." Ahsoka proclaimed to her new friend beside her, releasing the strap she was holding and rolled her shoulders to release any tension. "You ready for this?"

SAC grinned back at her, then placed her helmet over her head, her response altered by the voice modulator. "Ready and eager, Commander."

The blast shields creaked open and a strong gust of air whipped about them, and the planet's surface was thirty yards below them.

Unaffected by the harsh whooshing of the wind through two years of training, Ahsoka effortlessly approached the ledge, smirking over her shoulder at the Clone Agent. "Too bad you're not a Jedi - we could've raced to the surface."

SAC-1 returned the smirk under her helmet, Ahsoka's playfulness rubbing off on her. "Who says I need to be a Jedi?" Ahsoka furrowed her eyebrows as SAC-1, without any explanation, ran and yeeted herself off the ship.

Hunter felt his heart drop and he gasped and rushed to the ledge - along with everyone else - thinking he'd see her fall to her death, but then her jetpack that he forgot she had activated just before she hit the ground and slowed her falling the last few feet, preventing her from becoming part of the ground.

He shook his head at her crazy antics as Ahsoka barked a laugh then jumped after her.

"I think you've been replaced, Anakin!" Obi-Wan teased over the howling wind, making his former padawan give a sideways peeved look but with a playful smile. Wrecker loudly cheered her on while Hunter, Tech, and Crosshair were baffled at her courageousness... or was it stupidity?

SAC-1 touch downed on the planet's surface first in a crouch, having had an unfair start, and Ahsoka landed several seconds later.

"You cheated." Ahsoka said with a grin, then unhooked her lightsaber.

"Sorry about that, sir." She said in faux remorse as she straightened and yanked out her vibrosword, tense and alert as she surveyed the meadow with her enhanced eyes and ears while the gunship landed behind them, dirt and blades of grass being strewn about by the force of the repulsors. "Next time, I'll give you a head start." SAC-1 teased, liking this whole playful thing, and Ahsoka's reply to that was a good-natured punch to her armored shoulder.

The rest of the crew whipped out their weapons and cautiously stepped off the ship, but SAC-1 signaled for them to relax.

"I don't sense any droids nearby." She informed them.

Ahsoka was surprised at this revelation. "You can sense droids?"

"Both Sergeant Hunter and I can, yes, it comes with our enhanced senses."

Ahsoka looked at Anakin with appalment written all over her features. "Even we can't do that, Master."

Anakin was just as amazed. "It's definitely impressive."

"Are there any droids nearby, Hunter?" Crosshair still overtly asked his sergeant which peeved his new female squadmate, and Ahsoka once again noticed the pass at the Clone Agent which made her feel uncomfortable and slightly annoyed as well.

Hunter didn't care about sparing his squadmates feelings either, "Not yet, but we should stay sharp; we're not that far from the base."

Cody cut the chit chat, "Alright, remember the plan: we have to get Tech into the mainframe so he can - "

SAC-1 felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she felt an unnatural energy source. Whipping around, which made Cody stop re-briefing and everyone become battle ready as her enhanced eyesight and hearing picked out a probe droid thirty feet away hidden in the trees, recording them.

Without any warning she darted towards the tree line and disappeared in the forest, the sound of blaster fire and then the clanking of metal against metal making her team rush to her aid, only to find her on top of the distressed probe droid. SAC-1 jabbed her knife into its main photoreceptor, causing sparks to fly at contact and its systems to shut down, and the droid fell to the ground with the beeps and other sounds dying clankers made.

Once it was gone, she hopped off of it and wrenched her imbedded knife free. "The Separatists anticipated your return." She declared, sheathing the knife onto her wrist guard.

Obi-Wan was impressed at her quick work, "Well, at least you took out the probe before our plan was revealed to them - nicely done."

SAC-1 nodded and underneath her helmet gave a confident grin.

Hunter was in shock that she sensed the droid mere milliseconds before he did and was able to take it down without getting injured. He felt a spark of hope in his chest for maybe, just maybe, she wasn't going to screw up things up for them.


There they were, breaking into the base and blasting down droids - or in Wrecker's case, punching them into oblivion. In the midst of the battle, Hunter tried watching the Clone Agent from the corner of his eye and couldn't help but be impressed at SAC-1's abilities at the moments he could flit a glance in her direction, and he wasn't the only one. The Jedi were shocked to see her deflecting blaster bolts like them with her vibrosword. She took down dozens of droids with her sword and even her fist and booted foot, effortlessly alternating between the three that everyone thought 'Wow, she really is a super soldier!' For a brief moment, Hunter thought she actually belonged with his team of abnormal soldiers, thinking her to be a great addition to the squadron. He'd be proud to fight alongside someone like her.

But one thing SAC-1 and Hunter would learn the hard way was that simulations weren't completely capable of preparing her enhanced senses for the battlefield.

They were so close to getting Tech into the building where the computer would be, only having one more wave of clankers to get through.

"Wrecker, time for some explosions! Clear a path for Tech!" Sergeant Hunter ordered over the comm, slicing a droid's head off and it cried out in 'pain' - could droids even feel pain?

"Ah yeah!" Wrecker cheered from across the battlefield. "You got it, Sarge!" Wrecker took out a charge with his right hand while still shooting his rifle with the other, pressed the activation button to bring it to life and chucked it towards the line of droids by the door of the command center.

When the explosion hit, that's when things started going terribly, utterly wrong.

SAC-1 didn't know what happened, but all of sudden she dropped her sword from her now violently shaking hands to hold her throbbing helmeted head in her hands as her ears began ringing so loudly that her eyes squeezed shut and face screwed up in unbearable pain!

Twenty feet away Ahsoka saw her crumple to her knees. "Agent!" She cried out and rushed to her side, deflecting blaster shots for the both of them, though SAC-1 wasn't aware of this. "Agent, WHAT'S WRONG?!"

The Clone Agent didn't hear her Commander's frantic calls though.

Suddenly, the ringing stopped and SAC-1's eye snapped open, but things weren't any better. Hands fisted into the grass beneath her, the blaster fire, shouts and lightsaber noises were for some reason overwhelming her senses and now completely deafening and making her frustratingly disoriented. She couldn't comprehend anything as her dilated wide eyes darted back and forth, trying to make sense of the situation and the readings on her helmet screen though everything was blurry and unfocused, and she was breathing heavily despite not moving, her heart was practically thrumming out of her chest as she knelt there.

Suddenly, something searing, bright and ear-piercing whizzed past her head, making her recoil a few feet sideways, ramming straight into the back of Ahsoka's legs and knocking the Togruta right off her feet.

"Agent, what are you doing?!" Hunter roared in frustration while striking a droid in the chest piece but seeing the whole thing incident out of the corner of his eyes.

Ahsoka quickly scrambled to her feet, but alas she was not fast enough. Just as the Jedi was about to ignite her lightsaber, a blaster bolt she senses too late stroke her in the stomach and she doubled over with a pained cry from the burning sting and collapsed to the ground.

"AGENT!" Hunter shouted, and Crosshair cursed under his breath when he also witnessed what happened several feet away.

Suddenly, everything became clear for SAC-1, and shockingly she wasn't hit by any blaster fire. "COMMANDER!" She cried out when she saw her new friend unconscious - or worse, dead - on the ground. Another bolt flew past her head, and she rolled away a few feet back to her sword and swiftly picked it up and deflected blasts coming at her. Hunter decided not to interfere, seeing that she was up again.

SAC-1 pressed her helmet comm. "Commander Tano is down!" She frantically shouted, slicing through a droid that appeared.

Panic-stricken, Anakin shouted back, "DEAD?!"

"I don't know!" SAC-1 whimpered, "She took a bolt to the stomach!"

"Get her out of here!" Anakin furiously instructed.

SAC-1 gritted her teeth and explored her options while deflecting shots. Over twenty droids between her and the exit. That would take too much time to pick them off one by one, and Commander Tano needed medical attention now.

Then her first clear thought popped into her mind: EMP! She took one of those shock grenades out of her belt pouch and hit the activation button. But just as she was about to throw it in the direction of the droids in her way, another bomb exploded right in front of her, and SAC-1 became disoriented once more and the grenade was tossed haphazardly in the opposite direction it needed to go - Straight into the path of Tech and Crosshair.

The two Bad Batchers didn't see the grenade until it was too late, and as they tried to dart away from their doom an electric shock coursed through their bodies causing them to scream, then collapse onto the ground, now unconscious.

SAC-1, who had been thrown onto her back, her hearing came back in just enough time for her to hear through her comm, "- WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU JUST TOOK OUT TECH AND CROSSHAIR!" Hunter bellowed, causing her to wince and hold the side of her helmet.

"We won't be able to retrieve the hologram without our slicer!" Crosshair piped in.

"We're down four men!" Wrecker also shouted.

"That settles it - we're retreating!" Obi-Wan decided.

Hunter growled loudly in rage before saying, "Wrecker, grab Tech and Crosshair!"

"Anakin, you cover him!" Obi-Wan instructed.

Wrecker and Anakin made their way to the downed Batchers and Wrecker threw them over his shoulders while Anakin provided cover, and then the two started towards the exit, Anakin redirecting red blaster fire and slicing through droids while Wrecker lugged his two limp squadmates closely behind him.

"Hunter, get to the other two! Cody and I will cover you!" Obi-Wan said.

SAC-1's vision and mind were clearing up, and she was about to jump up on her own but a hand roughly seized her forearm and she was yanked up from the ground. She shook her head and, in slow motion, saw a red blaster bolt coming straight at her, but a lightsaber ricocheted it before it hit its intended target.

Suddenly, she remembered where she was and what was happening, but it was too late. Hunter, who already had Ahsoka over his shoulder, jerking her along as Obi-Wan redirected blasts while they booked it out of the base before the droids closed off their exits, and Cody was behind them giving cover fire, dropping droids like flies and dodging blasts.

Once they cleared the base, they darted into the forest.


(SKIP LAST SCENE IF TRIGGERED BY RAGE)

By the time the group reached the gunship Tech and Crosshair had become conscious once more, and Wrecker set them down when they started protesting about being manhandled. Ahsoka, who thankfully was still alive but not by much, groaned as Hunter gently laid her on the floor of the ship as everyone else boarded. Obi-Wan commanded the pilot to get them out of here NOW and the blast shields clanged shut and the ship began its rapid ascent. After a moment Tech became fully alert and saw that Ahsoka needed medical attention, and being the medical expert of the squad began expertly treating her with the medpac, anxiously trying to keep her alive until they reached the cruiser. Anakin knelt down next to Ahsoka and gingerly held her limp hand as Tech applied a bacta patch onto her wound and injected her with symoxin for the pain.

SAC-1 was frozen in her place at the back of the ship and felt intense guilt crushing her very soul over what she had caused, unable to look at her suffering Commander and tried to remain quiet and inconspicuous, not even taking off her helmet like the others lest it drew attention to herself even though she felt like it was suffocating her. But after Tech finished with what little he could do for Ahsoka, all focus shifted to the trembling SAC-1. Cody, Obi-Wan and Anakin all bore confused expressions - not knowing that she was inadvertently responsible for Ahsoka's injuries and not understanding why she took out Tech and Crosshair; Tech and Wrecker had thoughtful looks while Crosshair and especially Hunter ferociously glared at her with blazing eyes.

"Care to explain what happened out there?" Hunter asked in a dangerously low and shaky tone as he was trying - and failing - to contain his rage at the 'Special Agent Clone'.

SAC-1 squirmed under his fiery gaze and looked at her boots in shame. "I - I don't know." She murmured weakly.

Hunter began visibly shaking in fury. "You don't... you don't KNOW?!" She winced as this sent piercing daggers through her head and held the side of her helmet with her free hand, which Tech noticed and understanding dawned on his features. "You almost killed my brothers and Commander Tano and you can't explain why?!" Hunter continued raging, making Wrecker and Tech's eyes widen in fear - he'd never been so angry before.

Anakin tensed up. "What do you mean she almost killed Ahsoka?"

"'Special Agent Clone' over here is the one who knocked her over and left her vulnerable." Crosshair informed him giving the cowering SAC-1 a sideways glare of his own, unfazed by Hunter's yelling - he thought it was just.

Anakin's eyes sharpened when he was told SAC-1 was responsible for his padawan's current state, and she murmured in despair, "I don't know what happened, I -"

"You screwed up the mission, that's what happened!" Hunter raved, and she gritted her teeth as a new wave of pain seemed to penetrate straight through her skull. "Do you know we're probably never going to be able to get back into that base because there'll be ten thousand clankers there by days' end, so now the Chancellors safety is at risk because of your mistakes!"

Her head was pulsating, and the ear ringing was back. "Please stop yelling." She begged in a whimper, both from the pain in her head and the pain in her heart.

Crosshair scoffed in derision while Hunter was absolutely appalled, and somehow, he raised the level of his shrieking even more. "You just made us fail the mission and nearly killed off half our men and you want me to be calm about it?!"

Tech decided it was time to intervene and fearlessly put a hand on Hunter's shoulder. "Hunter, if I may ease your -"

"Not now Tech." Hunter growled in warning.

"But I -"

"NO TECH!" Hunter barked, and SAC-1 nearly dropped to her knees as she couldn't take much more of this. The sergeant turning towards his brainy squad mate who promptly snapped his mouth shut. "I don't want to hear any more of your excuses about her! The woman kept going on and on about how she was supposed to be this 'great soldier' who 'couldn't fail missions' - you even fed into that! - but it's clear that she's all talk and no action!" He growled in anger again. "I knew this would happen! We should have never taken her on!"

Despite the throbbing, SAC-1 acutely also felt the crushing weight of shame. It was all true, what he said. She had almost killed Commander Tano, Tech and Crosshair, and completely screwed up the mission, and Clone Force 99 was known as the squadron that always succeeded, so she had mucked up their perfect record.

Obi-Wan finally tried to cool things off. "Alright, let's all try and take a deep breath."

The ship suddenly lurched - they were back on the cruiser.

Wrath towards herself had bubbled up within SAC-1 during this whole condemnation display, so much so that when the blast shields freed them, she stomped off the ship, yanked off her helmet and rammed it into the side of the ship, her enhanced strength making it shatter as if it was a piece of glass while simultaneously pounding an indent into the durasteel, then she stalked off. Her erratic actions caught the attention of some clones in the area, and they looked at her with wide eyes, smartly stepping out of the way as the fuming female clone made a beeline towards the Havoc Marauder II.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Hunter roared after her, storming off the ship.

SAC-1 didn't give a verbal reply, not trusting her voice, only barely acknowledging him by a shove of her hand in his direction with her face twisted in indignation, then wrapped her shaky arms tightly around her middle and hung her pounding head in shame.

Hunter was about to pursue her, but Cody grasped his armored shoulder firmly, stopping him. "Just let her go." He advised sternly.

"She's not getting off the hook so easily."Hunter seethed as Ahsoka was carefully laid on a stretcher and swiftly carried off to the medical bay, Anakin tailing them while Obi-Wan reluctantly marched to the bridge so he could give the unfortunate bad news to the council, who had high expectations for this mission. The rest of the Bad Batch stood stiffly off to the side, awaiting orders from their Sergeant, who was currently seeing red.

What would happen now?

"There'll be consequences to her actions." Cody assured him.

Hunter briskly turned towards him after he saw the pathetic excuse for a soldier disappear inside the ship. "I want her shipped back to Kamino first thing in the morning." Tech's face fell, but Hunter ignored this and continued his brusque request. "Can you do that for me, Cody? I don't want to deal with her stupid incompetence anymore."

Cody inquisitive eyes bore into him for a second, but Hunter didn't flinch, so he then nodded in concurrence, though said in a suggestive tone, "If that's what you really want." He knew what fate beheld all clones, Special Agent or not, who couldn't fulfill their duties successfully - maintenance work.

He didn't know what Nala Se threatened though.

Hunter didn't seem to care either way, "It is."

Cody hummed thoughtfully, but didn't press him any further, wanting to be a friend for him in this moment instead of a commanding officer, "I'll find a form of transportation for her." Cody cleared his throat awkwardly. "But uh, why don't you guys try bunking somewhere else tonight - maybe the barracks? Let her be alone for a while." Hunter squinted dangerously at him, and he held up his free hand in defense. "I'm not condoning her actions, but I'm sure she feels guilty enough about what happened and doesn't require another loud scolding to make her understand the gravity of her mistakes." Cody eyes landed on the shattered remains of the helmet strewn about the ground next to them.

"Don't expect me to feel sorry for her," Hunter asserted with no emotion whatsoever. "That chick should feel guilty."