Chapter 18: ...Maybe Crosshair Wasn't So Crazy After All

In addition to the pure fear that made her blood run cold while simultaneously beginning to sweat bullets - not the most comfortable combo - Talla's stomach flip flopped and she cursed the fact that she took off her helmet, knowing the color must have drained from her face.

And of course Hunter would see and sense all of her severe negative reactions to this request, which promptly returned the color to her face but not a healthy one. Honestly, the only sentients who should have bright red faces were ones like Twi-leks or Togrutas, because it wasn't a flattering look on a fair skinned human like her.

Not trusting her voice, Talla merely gave a curt nod at the assistant and made to leave with the long-neck, but Hunter surprised everyone by catching her firmly by the elbow with his free hand and gruffly asking in a low tone, "Want company?" It was less of an offer and more of a promise that he or all of them would happily be her escorts, Talla just had to say the word. Not that she couldn't handle herself, but it was a reference to the pact - if Nala Se mistreated her in any way, they'd blow her off the face of the planet. Wrecker, Tech, and even Crosshair all adopted looks of determination, awaiting her call. Though she didn't the sniper's actions to heart, he did say it was his job was to protect the weak and helpless.

And Talla did want to accept the offer, Hunter proving to be great at keeping her grounded and making her feel safe during these turbulent times since her leaving Kamino, even with all the bumps at first. Tech and Wrecker were a close second in that area, but the assistant did in fact hear the Clone Sergeants murmured offer and quickly rejected it in Nala Se's behalf. "The Mistress does not require your presence, just SAC-1's."

There was no denying her trauma response when Talla's body suffered tremors at the mere thought of facing the Kaminoan doctor alone, but she forced her voice to be strong when she met Hunter's steely gaze and responded, "I'll be back ASAP."

Hunter still wanted to come along anyways, 'consequences be damned' they swore, but a slight shake of Talla's head saying 'NO' made him reluctantly let her go. If she wished to face this battle alone, he'd respect that.

Didn't mean he wouldn't stop worrying till his friend was safely back home where she belonged, where those kriffing long-necks couldn't hurt her. Truthfully, he didn't know how far he'd go if they dared laid an evil finger on her.

The whole trip to Nala Se's office, Talla's stomach was wrought with knots. The assistant wouldn't reveal why the Chief Medical Scientist wanted to see the Clone Agent, so her mind went to the worst-case scenarios.

AM I IN TROUBLE?!

AM I BEING FORCED INTO ANOTHER EXPERIMENT?!

AM I BEING DECOMMISSIONED?!

Talla thought that since she received the new cybernetic limb, the danger had passed of suffering repercussions for what happened on Silva, or even in the mess hall here on Kamino.

... Or maybe she found out what happened on Coruscant?

Suddenly, her new look didn't seem so wizard anymore. And Talla considered slipping into the refresher to shave her head with her vibro, being bald probably being a more acceptable new look than the fiery-colored hair of awesomeness. And whatever fun she had at 79's did not seem worth it anymore.

When they walked through the entrance Talla squared her shoulders to give the appearance of confidence, but still let out a shaky breath to steady herself, and with palms still sweaty she approached the intimidating figure of Nala Se. The Kaminoan Scientist was sitting behind her large pristine white desk in a matching suspended chair that Kamino was unique for, typing on her desk monitor, but raised her head when the pair walked in and focused her haunting black eyes on the Clone Agent trying to contain her quivering and fidgeted with her feet, hands, and hair (which didn't make it any less conspicuous).

While slowly standing up Nala Se dismissed her assistant and soon Talla was alone with the doctor who had inflicted so much emotional, mental, and physical pain. Her erratic heart pounding thrummed throughout her entire body, and she felt like puking as she waited for her creator to explain the unexpected summoning. Nala Se's disapproval wasn't revealed in her facial features, though that species faces never did, but Talla could sense the frustration radiating off of her and expected the worst, and fought back the urge to hang her head in shame.

"I received a full report of your exploits on Silva, SAC-1, and wanted to congratulate you."

Talla blinked several times, too stunned to even attempt correcting Nala Se by saying her name was now 'Talla.' Being congratulated was far away from the scenarios she had come up with - it didn't even come up in her mind as a potential possibility! When her brain did process the strange words of praise that came from the usually evil Mistress's lips, part of her guard instantly dropped, and she gave a relieved grin. "Oh. Thank you, ma'am!" Maybe my luck has taken a turn for the better!

"The doctors who operated on you provided a detailed report on your successful cybernetic implant procedure, how quickly you recovered, and the guarantee that your performance will not be hindered."

"Yes ma'am, it's true." Talla happily confirmed when Nala Se paused. "My abilities have not been affected at all by the cybernetics."

Nala Se calmly picked up her datapad and read over the satisfactory report she intended to send to the Prime Minister. "Based on your actions on Silva, it can be concluded that Experimental Unit: Clone Force 99 have indeed trained you well."

Talla's nod was enthusiastic, though so far the only thing the Clone Agent admitted she really needed help with were her lack of galaxy knowledge and the trauma symptoms that she caused her. But that seemed like thin ice to tread. "Yes, ma'am. They've been great teachers."

Nala Se typed Lama Su's code into her datapad. "You have met every expectation that we placed on you, and faster than we predicted."

Talla's confidence shot way up throughout this conversation - Nala Se had never complimented her... never.

This meant she had proven her worth. That she was not a failed experiment. That she wouldn't end up in a tube with the others.

Oh, I'm going to have fun shoving this in Crosshair's face!

"Experimental Unit Clone Force 99 have served their purpose."

This was another sentence she was not expecting. Talla's smile faltered, and she tilted her head in confusion. "... Served their purpose, ma'am?" Was repeated unsurely. Those were words that held a foreboding element that she was all too familiar with.

Nala Se did not bother to spare the Clone Agent another glance as she made final touches to the report and request for decommissioning for the squadron of deviant clone commandos. "Yes. Since your training is complete, they will now be decommissioned and serve as maintenance clones."

Talla became mortified. "What?!" It took a few sputters before she could get out a complete, coherent sentence. "Why?! They're the best squadron the GAR has to offer!"

"Experimental Unit Clone Force 99 was just that: an experiment." Talla allowed the Kaminoan doctor to explain further, but not without her eyes turning as sharp as the vibroblade holstered on her wrist guard, which she itched to use as a jolt of white-hot anger shot through her. "They proved that enhancements could be given to clones, so then came the possibility that clones with all of the enhancements combined could be created and become the ultimate soldier, thus how Project SAC came about."

Of course, Talla knew about Project SAC, but apparently there was a whole despicable sequel to the project that she had not been made aware of!

"Experimental Unit Clone Force 99 were allowed to live so that we could observe how enhanced clones responded to our training program."

Allowed to live?! Fury tore through Talla. How sick and cruel can you be?! Whether or not the lives of these clone troopers should continue is NOT YOUR DECISION, SICKO! Just when she thought the Doctor couldn't get more evil, Talla was once again proven that she had a lot to learn about the universe. The sad part was, she thought she had figured out this one here on Kamino. What other evils are there to uncover?! Will I ever be able to move on from this nightmare?!

"When it was clear that it was not enough for enhanced clones, we allowed them to go out into the field and perfect their enhancements on their own. Then when the time came, they would teach their ways to our first successful SAC experiment, and after be decommissioned so the Special Agent Clones could take their place as the most successful soldiers in the Grand Republic of the Army."

This information dump sent Talla into another downwards spiral that threatened to make her take violent actions towards this kriffing long-neck. "Why be decommissioned at all?!" She demanded, "Despite being an... experiment -" It made her skin crawl, calling her friends plus Crosshair that. "- they're still phenomenal soldiers who never fail to impress!"

Here Nala Se sensed that 6.72% percent of unsound mind manifest. "You have demonstrated the capability to complete missions in less time and with minimal destruction, thus costing the Republic Army less money."

Bopping her head back and forth Talla did ponder this rather accurate statement. "Okay, I admit the boys use a lot of explosives, but that doesn't change the fact that they get the job done!" She still defended firmly. It took guts to do what they did, being more capable than a whole battalion of clone troopers. And the forty-one missions they'd successfully completed proved that! (A/N at end explains this guesstimate)

Nala Se remained unregretful. "It would be more expensive to fund four reckless clones than it would be to fund one responsible clone."

Talla breathing was quickly turning erratic as her temper spiked. "That's not fair!" She shouted. "You can't do this!" Though she knew the exact opposite was true.

Nala Se's face might have been expressionless, but her eyes revealed her own mounting irritation. "I can. You and future Special Agent Clones were created to be the superior soldiers, not Experimental Unit Clone Force 99, therefore they will be decommissioned, and you will continue to serve the Grand Army of the Republic single-handedly until the next generation of Special Agent Clones come of age, then you will become a trainer for these enhanced clones."

Talla assumed in a growl, "And then I'll be decommissioned?"

"No. Only the defective clones are decommissioned. You still serve a purpose."

Talla sneered. "The Bad Batch and I are more than objects you can just throw away - they're people! What you're doing is amoral and heartless!"

Nala Se black, intimidating eyes bore into Talla for a moment, but the Clone Agent refused to allow herself to flinch. "Two weeks ago, it did not concern you that you were Kaminoan property. It seems that being with the defective clone commandos have given you a rebellious attitude along with your anger management issues." She observed flatly, eyes flicking to the ghastly hair coloring and ear piercings.

"You call it a rebellious attitude, I call it doing my duty as a soldier: defending the lives of innocents." Talla shot back. "I won't let you do this to the Bad Batch!"

"This is the fate that befalls all defective clones, and you are not in a position to change that." Nala Se declared with finality.

Talla was once again reduced to sputters, and cursed tears of weakness misted her widened eyes full of pain and hate and misery, "I - I..." Her eyes snapped shut and she made a guttural noise of rage, sadness and frustration at the unfairness of this all, "Argh!" Before stalking out of the office.

Being overwhelmed with emotion, head spinning with all this terrible news and the Bad Batches terrible fate, and the resulting tears blurring her vision, Talla didn't sense or see obstacles in her path as she made her furious exit and ended up ramming into someone. They both grunted in pain and the victim jerked to the floor from the force of her collision, the wind knocked out of him as his back collided with the floor.

It took a second for Talla to realize what happened. "I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed as the man - a reg trooper with a goatee and tattoo of a five on his right temple - got his bearings and sat up, shaking his head to shake the wooziness away.

"You alright?" The fallen clones' identical, cleanly shaven brother worriedly asked him from above.

"That was totally all my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going!" Talla apologized, reaching out her left hand in an offer to help him up.

The reg on the floor saw her hand once he caught his bearings and firmly clasped it. "It's oka -woah!" He wasn't expecting her to pull him up as if he weighed no more than a dried leaf, and then he finally got a good look at her after he released her hand and gaped. "Wait a minute, you're that new Special Agent that General Skywalker told us about, right? The one with freakish strength and other weird abilities?" It was as if he was talking to a celebrity!

Despite the dreary conversation she just had, Talla found this description of herself amusing. Meanwhile, his brother scoffed. "Wow, you really have a way with words." The reg Talla body-slammed tossed him a confused look. "They're called enhancements, not weird and freakish abilities."

"I didn't mean anything bad by it-" Looking fretfully at Talla again, became concerned this time around. "Hey, you okay?"

Feeling the now cooled tears staining her red cheeks, Talla was swift to look to the side and wipe them with her hand with a sniffle. "Yeah, I'm fine." She replied in a taut tone.

"You sure?" The reg pressed, unconvinced. "You seem upset. Is there anything we can do to help?"

A ghost of a smile came to Talla's face at his immediate kindness to her. The naivety she possessed made her instantly trustworthy of him, because he didn't have the same look in his eyes as the long-necks or some of the other regs. "I don't suppose you can somehow convince the Kaminoans that clones are more than just expendable meat droids?"

The reg's nose scrunched up and he shared a look with his equally disdained brother. "Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of influence."

Talla hummed in disappointment and trained her hard eyes on her boots. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"Are the Kaminoans giving you trouble?" The cleanly shaven reg asked, concerned for a fellow mistreated trooper.

"They excel at it." Talla scoffed.

That reg scanned the area for any Kaminoans and leaned closer to her when he found none, the information about to be given highly sensitive. "Well, if they're doing something... 'questionable,' you could take it up with Mistress Shaak Ti."

Talla was definitely interested, and eagerly wondered, "Who's she?"

He was surprised she didn't know who Shaak Ti was, but elaborated anyway. "She represents the Republic here on Kamino, overseeing the training of troopers and is an advisor to the Prime Minister. But unlike the long necks, she has compassion for us and treats clones like real people."

Talla understood why Nala Se never mentioned her, and felt a spark of hope in her chest. "Does she have the power to stop a squad of exceptional soldiers from being decommissioned just because their ways are a little bit unorthodox?"

The reg shrugged. "She might. Wouldn't hurt to try arranging a meeting with her."

Talla fervently shook her head. "No, I need to see her now, otherwise it'll be too late!"

Abashed, he also told her, "You can't just barge in on the general - that would be highly disrespectful!"

Talla made a noise of frustration and averted her gaze, her severe rigidness from this unfortunate truth causing the brothers to look at each other regretfully, feeling bad that they couldn't help her.

Then two men - one whom she never thought she'd see again - joined the two troopers and Agent in the hallway. "Fives, Echo!" Obi-Wan greeted them, making the brothers turn around and happily salute. "Congratulations on the promotion to ARC Troopers!" Anakin backed that statement with a smile and a nod.

They beamed with pride. "Thank you, sir." Was there simultaneous response to their superior's praise.

The Jedi Master addressed the dumbfounded Talla next. "Hello Talla! I hear your squad defended the younglings?"

Talla didn't respond at first, just staring at him in disbelief for a few seconds before closing her eyes and shaking her head. When the hallucination didn't cease, she turned away wobblily and put a palm to her dizzy head. "That deathstick must have affected me more than I thought - I'm seeing dead Jedi!"

Realization dawned on Obi-Wan's features. "Oh. I completely forgot." He sidestepped Fives and put a hand on her shoulder to turn her around. "You're not experiencing... erm, deathstick deliriums, I am very much real." He confirmed with an apologetic smile.

It did not bring comfort. "How can that be so? Ahsoka -" She speedily retracted that statement. "I - I mean Commander Tano told me that you died, and I attended your funeral!"

Anakin huffed darkly. "Long story short, Obi-Wan faked his death to go undercover as a criminal." He explained with a betrayed look in his eyes.

Talla nodded slowly, this being the second information dump thrown at her today. "O-kay... I have so many questions, but I really have more pressing matters to attend to."

Fives suddenly perked up as an idea came to him. "Generals, would you be able to take Agent Talla to see Mistress Shaak Ti directly?"

Echo shot Fives a disapproving glare at his boldness while Anakin and Obi-Wan became questionable. "May I ask what requires such impertinence?" Obi-Wan asked shrewdly.

"Hunter, Wrecker, Tech and Crosshair are going to be decommissioned." Talla revealed to the generals with visible anger.

Anakin was flabbergasted by this news - they were some of the best soldiers he had ever worked with, even with the first failed mission attempt! - and he suspiciously crossed his arms. "Have they done anything wrong?"

With wide, pleading eyes Talla shook her head. "No, they haven't done anything wrong, but apparently to the Kaminoans they're just science experiments, apparently they were only allowed to live and go out into the field so that they could perfect using their enhancements, then one day teach me their ways and then I'd replace them." She gestured to the reg brothers. "They told me that Mistress Shaak Ti might be able to help prevent that since she has a high position here on Kamino." Obi-Wan and Anakin shared a contemplative look, and she pressed on even though it could get her into more trouble - she had to try! "Please sirs, I don't want these highly skilled men to become nothing more than maintenance clones. You've seen how great they are in battle, how valuable and effective they are. You have to see that this is unfair!"

Anakin reached out to lay a comforting hand on her trembling shoulder. "Calm down, Talla." He admonished, and the enhanced soldier took in a deep, shaky breath and let it out slowly, something Tech taught her. "I can see how much this means to you, so we'll take you to Master Shaak Ti."

Most of the tension left Talla's figure. "Thank you, General Skywalker."

"But we can't promise she will agree with you." Obi-Wan warned. "I don't think Master Shaak Ti has ever met the Bad Batch, so she'll have nothing to go on but your word, and she doesn't know you either."

Anakin saw the fear flash through Talla's again, and decided to say, "But I'm sure if you and I back Talla's word with our own experiences with the Bad Batch, she'll definitely see to it that their skills aren't wasted." Obi-Wan gave his former padawan a displeased glance, but nonetheless nodded.

Talla looked up at the generals with bright, hopeful eyes. "I'll be forever indebted to you for your help, and your efforts will definitely be appreciated."

Despite the potential disappointment looming over his head, Obi-Wan smiled again. "Your loyalty to your squad is to be commended." He then gestured for her and the rest of the group to follow. "Master Shaak Ti is in her office waiting for us, actually. There'll be a small funeral for Maintenance Clone 99, who perished in this attack."

Fives and Echo's faces fell at the memory while Talla's eyes widened. "What's happened to 99?" She breathlessly asked, and didn't like the answer she received.


By the time Talla reached Shaak Ti's office, her day had gone from bad to worse upon hearing the tale of 99's valiant sacrifice, and with a heavy heart she agreed to represent the Bad Batch at the funeral, for it was taking place as soon as they arrived due to the pressing post-battle duties the Generals had, so there was no time to invite his favored protégés who were all the way across the city.

With solemn faces they entered Shaak Ti's office and she was surprised to see Commander Cody, and vice versa. He stepped over to her and she saluted in greeting, the generals and newly promoted ARC Troopers walking up to a female Togruta that Talla assumed to be Mistress Shaak Ti. "I didn't know you were stationed on Kamino." Cody remarked to the Agent.

"The Bad Batch was instructed to come back and protect the younglings, sir." She recited to him.

"Why aren't the boys here?" Cody wondered, sparing a glance at the door to make sure he hadn't missed them. "I know they were close to 99."

With a sad shake of her head, she informed him, "They don't even know he's dead. They went straight back to the ship after the battle while I went into the city, and that's where I ran into the Generals, and they told me about 99's funeral. Unfortunately, this is going to be a quick, simple affair so I wasn't able to invite them to it." She paused, then asked because she honestly did not know what the right thing to do in situations like this and hoped highly experienced Commander Cody would. "I thought about comming to tell them about 99's passing, but I think it'd be better if this was broken to them in person... right?"

Cody gave a firm nod in confirmation. "These things are better said in person. Good on you."

Her smile was sad but understanding, then everyone's conversations were interrupted by another soldier coming in - a reg Captain in blue painted armor and jaig eyes on his helmet, holding a simple metal urn that undoubtedly contained 99's ashes. Behind him, a flock of young cadets followed him with downcast expressions on their faces. The Captain set the urn on Shaak Ti's desk and the attendees gathered around it, and the funeral was started. From left to right, the line went Shaak Ti, Obi-Wan, Anakin, the reg Captain who Talla saw had close-shaven blonde hair when he removed his helmet, Cody, Fives, Echo and Talla, with the line of shorter cadets in front of them.

Shaak Ti recounted his valiant sacrifice, and then all the reg troopers decided to solemnly share their favorite memories of 99, and Talla felt her chest constrict in regret when she saw that she'd never get to know this incredible man, brother and soldier.

When Echo was finished, everyone looked expectantly at Talla, and she felt her face heat up, causing her to focus her boots. "Well, to be honest I didn't know 99 very well... I only met him today." She bit her lip briefly as she tried to think of something nice to say. "But, one thing I've noticed is that he's always talked about with the highest praise by those who really knew him, and he's the very inspiration for my squad's name - Clone Force 99." She raised her head. "From what I've heard from everyone here and my squad, he was one of the bravest, wisest and most selfless soldiers there ever was, and I aspire to be like him... and I wish I got to know him better." Talla meant these words with all her heart, and they seemed to be the right words spoken because she received small smiles from everyone.

After a moment of silence, a Kaminoan walked in and retrieved the urn, thus ending the simple, but nonetheless meaningful funeral.

While the reg troopers gathered in a circle to converse with the cadets, Talla eagerly walked up to Shaak Ti when Anakin gestured her over and introduced her. "Master, this is Talla, the new Special Agent."

Talla saluted, and Shaak Ti gave a kind nod in acknowledgment. "Your appearance has caused quite a stir in the city." She remarked in a soothingly calm tone that eased tons of Talla's anxious symptoms. "I've also experienced feelings of shock, for despite being here to oversee the development and training of clone soldiers, I was not informed of your existence." Her tone suggested an explanation.

"Very few knew of my existence, ma'am. I'm a..." Her nose scrunched up as she was forced to describe herself in such a dehumanizing way. "'Personal project' of Mistress Nala Se." Shaak Ti frowned at this, and Talla felt that flutter of hopefulness again because if she was affected by her being considered nothing more than a science experiment, then she'd surely not condone the Bad Batch boys being considered that way as well! "And that's what I need to discuss with you."

Shaak Ti folded her arms and gave her a curious look. "Yes, these two told me that you had something urgent to discuss with me that could not wait for a proper appointment."

Talla's grim look revealed the severity of the situation. "They were right, ma'am. If something is not done right away, Mistress Nala Se will have four of the best soldiers the Republic Army has to offer be decommissioned and serve as nothing more than maintenance clones!" Her tone rose as she spoke each word, and by the end of her sentence she was in fact shouting in anger, catching the attention of the four reg troopers, Cody specifically.

"Who's being decommissioned?" He repeated darkly as he marched up to the group, though he already knew the answer.

Talla gave him her attention now, knowing how he favored the commandos. "Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair will be if we don't do something about it."

He became astonished at this. "What's the reason behind their decommissioning?"

Guilt ate away at Talla so much she couldn't look him in the eye as she explained the problem. "Because they were just an experiment that proved enhancements could be given to clones, and were only allowed out into the field to perfect the use of those enhancements so that one day they could teach... well, me, then I and future SAC's would replace them as the most successful soldiers in the GAR while they got the fate that befalls all defective clones." She finished bitterly.

Cody scowled, though his anger wasn't directed at her as she thought it was. "Those boys don't deserve that!"

Talla glanced at him with newfound determination. "I know, sir. That's why I'm here." She returned to Shaak Ti, who had a deep contemplating look on her face. "I apologize for raising my voice, but this whole thing is wrong - my friends are being treated poorly because of my existence and I don't think that's fair! There has to be a way for the boys to remain soldiers... There has to be!"

"Calm down, Talla." Anakin told her again, putting a hand on her shoulder again, and Obi-Wan had to hold back a chuckle - do you know how angry you had to be for Anakin Skywalker to tell you to calm down? Twice?

Shaak Ti was admittedly a little put off with Talla's passion on the subject, but also found it very typical - all troopers were bred to be fiercely loyal, and this Agent appeared to be no different.

Talla repeated her earlier action took in a deep breath to calm herself, then apologized again. "Mistress Nala Se says I've got anger management issues." Her face was red and blotchy now - Can't you maintain control around your commanding officers, di'kut?! Apparently, Crosshair wasn't needed for her to embarrass herself.

"You are loyal to your squad, and of course have a strong moral compass like all the other troopers, so naturally you would be very concerned about them, especially if they are being treated unfairly." Shaak Ti reassured her empathetically.

Talla didn't have a mother, but she had heard of them and seen them in holovids, and the soothing elements in the manner of this particular Togruta Jedi Master used despite her outbursts reminded her of that specific parental figure, and was a stark contrast to the Kaminoan Doctor. A pleasant and reassuring one. "More than unfairly." Talla emphasized without fear of being harshly punished. "They are being treated as nothing more than completely expendable science experiments, and they are so much more than that."

Shaak Ti hummed in agreement. "What exactly is the name of your squadron?"

Talla's spirits started lifting. "Experimental Unit Clone Force 99, though we prefer just being called the Bad Batch."

Recognition dawned in Shaak Ti's features. "I've heard of these commandos: Prime Minister once told me of their enhancements and unorthodox ways, but completely unblemished mission success record."

"It's true, they've never failed one of their forty-one missions." Talla reiterated.

She tapped her chin and averted her gaze thoughtfully, "The way he spoke about them, I doubt he knew about the scientists' plans for the squadron... and I think I can guarantee he would not be pleased about it." Talla anxiously hopeful turned to sweet relief as Shaak Ti now had that same spark of steadfastness to make things right. "Did Nala Se say when this decision was going to be implemented?"

"No ma'am, but I assume that it'll be soon, probably after Kamino has recovered from the battle..." She shifted her feet nervously, knowing this would be a totally insolent request since she had achieved earning her support in the first place. "But I was hoping that you'd be able to do something about it before that time came."

Cody became incredulous. "Excuse me?" He was stunned at her boldness to demand something of her superior, who was doing way more than required of her already! "I'd be grateful for the General's help at all!" He reminded her with an edge in his tone.

Talla threw up her hand in defense. "I - I don't mean to come off as ungrateful, it's just that I'd rather the boys didn't hear about what we know."

At this even more bizarre request, he squinted mistrustfully at her. "Why?"

He misinterpreted her intentions though, as her speech revealed they were honest and just. "Because as clones it's always on the back of our mind that we're Kaminoan property and bred to be completely expendable, despite the kind Jedi influence. Our feelings of humanity are already fragile, and I'd rather not completely shatter the boys' by telling them that despite their amazing abilities thought to make them awesomely different, they were just meant to be replaced like an old pair of boots, and seen as nothing more than little science experiments. It's just -" Her sigh heaved was a disheartened one, "It'd hurt morale." Cody's fading hard expression earned him an astute inspection. "What did you think was the reason why I didn't want to tell them?"

With slight shame, Cody admitted. "I thought that you were holding back this information for your own benefit."

She got the feeling he wasn't referring to the joy of their souls not being crushed because he looked like he had fumes coming out of his ears. So, she innocently asked, "How would it benefit me, exactly?"

He didn't think it mattered now, so he gave a half-shrug and bluntly said, "I thought you were holding this information back only because you being their replacement would most likely affect the good light they hold you in."

It wasn't even a consideration... it didn't even cross her mind... till now. "I didn't even think about that." Talla verbally assured him, "But you're probably right, it would affect the way they see me." A pit in her stomach started to form. This day went from worse to nightmarish.

Shaak Ti, being the peacekeeping Jedi she was, encouraged her to do the noble thing. "While I don't condone keeping secrets, I will go to the Prime Minister now to discuss the matter. As I said before I can guarantee he will not be pleased with his Army's top squadron being decommissioned, and will intervene to put a stop to this unfair treatment." Her eyes bored into Talla as she implored, "But I hope you will do the right thing and not deceive your friends."

The Clone Agent, now scared at the thought of her friends - especially Hunter - looking at her with deserved contempt, she found it extremely hard to meet Shaak Ti's gaze. After a few awkward seconds though, she did and gave a brief nod, saying she would.

Inside though, she wasn't so sure she'd follow through on this terrible, soul-crushing promise.

After this conversation everyone went their separate ways, the two male Generals having heaps to do post-battle while Shaak Ti escorted the cadets to their assigned quarters, leaving Talla with Cody, Fives, Echo, and the reg captain.

"You did the right thing," Cody praised to Talla with a rare upturn of his lips. "Those boys are good soldiers, and don't deserve this treatment."

Talla's returned smile at the reassurance was strained. "I'm just thankful I ran into Fives and Echo." The smile became genuine when she turned to the two newly promoted ARC troopers, and they stepped up to the pair at being acknowledged. "I wouldn't have known to go to Mistress Shaak Ti if it wasn't for you two, so thank you."

"Anytime." Fives said with a grin, and Echo... well... echoed this promise.

After a beat of awkward silence, Talla took a sidestep. "Well, I should get going -"

"Wait!" Echo cried out, and she shot a questionable brow at him. "The four of us were heading to the Mess Hall to celebrate the victory and our promotions." He shrugged. "It's not a very festive place, but that's all we got here on Kamino - care to join us?"

Both Fives and Echo looked eagerly - borderline imploringly - at the woman, and her smile couldn't help but grow at the sheer adorableness of it. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to postpone the inevitable for a little bit longer." She spared a kind glance at the reg captain standing slightly behind Cody, looking at her with hesitant interest. "It might be awkward though since I don't know all your names yet."

Cody immediately fixed that. "Talla, this is Captain Rex of the 501st Battalion." Talla saluted respectively - man, that got tiring to do - and he gave curt nod before they started making their way to the mess hall.

"I have so many questions to ask you." Echo, who was on her left side, told her with such eagerness that it almost made her uneasy. Almost. But she had survived Tech, a clone commando with an enhanced mind, so she was positive she could handle one little reg of average intelligence.

Fives, on her other side, teasingly replied to his twin's egghead tendencies. "Echo, why don't you wait until she's eaten something before you scare her off."


Talla hadn't realize how many hours had ticked by, Echo and Fives maintaining a firm hold on her full attention with extensive questions on her existence and stories about their ten(ish) years to distract themselves from the pain of losing 99, though they did talk about him some. It appeared that 99 didn't just influence the Bad Batches lives, but to any of his brothers who spared a glance at him.

Captain Rex also joined in on the conversation every once in a while, when the Domino Twins took a breather from all their chattering. He came off as gruff at first... but when he saw Talla in a fit of giggles after Fives told a hilarious story from his time as a cadet, a switch inside him flipped and his guard completely came down. From then on, he gazed upon her with soft eyes, and one corner of his lips lifted in a lil' warm smile, which did not escape Commander comrade's notice.

The quintet conversed on many different topics, from training accidents to battle stories. The Domino Twins intently listened to her story of taking on an entire Separatist Base by herself, thought her sword was wicked cool, and if Fives was being honest he felt a tad insecure about his victories compared to her very first one... and perhaps that's why he later embellished the story of how he got his name.

"I fought off five super battle droids, with my bare hands." Fives' chest puffed in proudness over his delusional accomplishment.

Gullible Talla ate that story up, not noticing the sideways glances the rest of the group were giving him. "Wow, that's amazing! No wonder they made you ARC Trooper!"

Fives smirked arrogantly at her admiration while Echo smirked knowingly at his brother. "Go ahead and tell her your CT number, Fives." He deadpanned.

Fives' eyes bugged out and he suddenly found his discarded dinner to be very interesting. "Uhhh... that's not relevant here." He muttered before stuffing his face with ice-cold gruel that barely passed for real food when it was warm.

Talla's eyebrows snapped together and she was about to question what Echo meant when her wrist comm beeped. So she shifted slightly away from her tablemates and pressed the activation button to answer it, expecting it to be Hunter or Tech. "Talla here."

Instead it was her arch nemesis, who hissed, "Where are you?!"

Her heart sunk, and the unenthusiastic, figurative claws were extended, ready to verbally slash him if need be. "Crosshair?" Great, now I'm gonna lose my lunch... er, dinner.

"Answer the question!" He barked.

Talla stated with a roll of her eyes, as if it was no big deal, "Don't have a bantha - I'm in the mess hall."

"The - the mess hall?" Crosshair repeated, as if he didn't hear that right, voice laced with confusion. "Weren't you supposed to go to the long-necks office?"

"I did."

There were several beats of tense silence, and the hologram didn't need to be activated to see that he was visibly summoning every ounce of patience his crotchety nature allowed him. "Then what are you doing in the mess hall?" He asked slowly. Dangerously.

Last I checked, I don't have to explain myself to you anymore. But she did anyways. "Well, I met some newly promoted regs, one thing led to another, and I ended up joining in on their celebration with them, Commander Cody and a Captain Rex."

Again, there was dead silence on the other end, and for a moment she perked up as she thought he hung up, but his crude voice shattered her hopes and dreams. "So, you're not being... experimented on?"

The wind was knocked out of Talla at the thought just openly exposed to her companions, and she squirmed in her seat as the regs gave her looks of mild confusion mixed with concern. "No, I'm not." She muttered, feeling the mortification.

Once again, Crosshair was rendered speechless for a moment, but she didn't allow herself to be hopeful again to avoid the disappointment when he eventually growled with more venom than any viper found in the galaxy, "... You could have told us about this."

Whatever mortification Talla felt, it was nothing compared to the disdain she had for Crosshair's attitude problems. "Why?"

"Why?" Crosshair repeated incredulously, "Because everyone (except me) has been wondering where the hell you've been for four hours! Wrecker was ready to come in guns blazing because he thought Doctor Sithspawn were experimenting on you again or worse had killed you, Hunter was going to back him up, and Tech won't stop pacing."

This information replaced her annoyance with guilt. Talla didn't think to call her squad, forgetting the reason they wanted to come along in the first place, and the reason they weren't at the funeral. "I'm - I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking - I didn't mean to cause any trouble I just needed a distraction -"

"Well, next time you make plans outside of what was discussed, tell us so that we don't end up tearing apart the planet looking for you." He suggested with an edge in his tone, telling her there was no room for argument. It was the same tone he used at the bar when telling her she should have known all the 'Basic Stranger Danger' knowledge.

"Alright!" She yelped. "I get it, it won't happen again! Tell the others I'm fine and I'm heading back now..."

"Try not to get distracted." Crosshair jeered before signing off.

Talla sneered right back at her disconnected comm, then addressed her companions. "I've been summoned." She stated in derision while picking up her helmet and standing from her seat, everyone else following.

"He sounded... friendly." Fives joked, trying to lighten her promptly snuffed out sunshine.

Talla hatefully scoffed, the tactic not working. "I made a simple mistake and Crosshair's acting like it's the end of the galaxy."

Captain mode was activated with Rex, and he imparted knowledge on this misinformed soldier. "Actually, it's a little bit more serious than that." Her eyebrows snapped together. "Communicating clearly and concisely in a squadron is extremely important during times of conflict." Was his sober take on things, "Not doing so could be the difference between life or death."

Talla didn't shoot down her commanding officer, of course, just stated her different take on the situation, "I understand communication is important during a battle, but we defeated the Separatists."

"Communication is still important." Rex told her firmly. "If you don't have a good dynamic off the battlefield, you run the risk of your team falling apart when it really counts."

Talla's nose scrunched. "... It seems I still have a lot to learn about being part of a team."

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it." Fives whole-heartedly believed and put a proud arm around Echo's shoulder. "Our squad didn't work well together at first, but we learned and so will you."

Talla gave him and his grinning a smile of gratitude, and the sunshine was momentarily back so that they wouldn't part on dreary terms. "You know, you and Echo and the Captain are okay, for a bunch of regs."

"Regs?" Echo didn't know if he liked the sound of that.

"Regular clones." Cody spelled out, then gestured for her to continue.

"All the other regs I've met don't treat me and the boys very well, but you guys do." She gave them all a two-finger salute she'd seen Hunter do that evening at the Jedi Temple, before taking a sidestep. "If you're ever in a bind, Commander Cody can tell you how to reach us."

They all nodded in goodbye and after a 'See ya later!' from the Agent she made post haste to the Marauder.

"I don't know if I should be insulted by being called a 'reg'." Echo voiced unsurely as he and Fives decided to leave as well.

"I think she meant it as a compliment." Fives assured him.

When they were out of earshot, Cody gave Rex a sideways smirk, seeing the Captain's starry eyes focused on Talla's retreating figure. "Some girl, huh?" He commented knowingly.

"She sure is." Rex unconsciously agreed, very much in a dreamy tone, then he blinked back to attention and sent Cody an anxious glance before clearing his throat. "I mean, from the stories I've heard she seems to be like a good soldier." He stated in a voice deeper than his usual tone in an attempt to seem normal and completely unaffected by meeting Special Agent Talla.

Cody's chuckled - Rex was a great leader but a terrible liar. "I should warn you that Talla's a feisty one, and a bit eccentric -" He patted Rex's shoulder good-naturedly. "Good luck with that, brother."

Rex became flustered at this completely preposterous assumption! "Wh-what do you mean? I have no intentions -" Cody sent him another smirk over his shoulder. "Commander?" He chased after him. "Cody!"


By the time Talla returned to the Marauder, she had cooled down from Crosshair's irate words, but was now a bundle of nerves because she had no idea how to break the news of 99's death to them, or what Nala Se told her about her existence.

Do I just come right out and say it?

Which should be said first?

At the bottom of the entry ramp, the Agent had a brief thought of running away, commandeering a ship, flying to some remote planet and becoming a simple farmer, but quickly told herself to stop being a gutless little jellyfish and marched into that ship before she was given another chance to try and succeed to talk herself out of it, finding the boys in the common room. Tech had apparently stopped pacing and was now preoccupied at the workbench, Wrecker was focusing on his holovids, Crosshair was next to him calmly cleaning his rifle, and Hunter flew out of the computer room when he sensed her walk in.

While Tech and Crosshair snapped their heads toward her when she entered, Wrecker bolted from his chair and engulfed her in a big bear hug that lifted Talla off the ground, her helmet dropping in the process. "Thank the force you're okay!" He exclaimed, and Talla was thankful for her armor because she was certain her ribs would have been crushed from his super strength had it not been for the plastoid-alloy protection. "I was ready to blast through every single long-neck to come and rescue ya!"

"I heard - sorry I didn't comm you guys." She apologized in a strained tone with gritted teeth, still somewhat affected from the crushing hug despite the protective armor.

"What matters is that you're safe." Wrecker sighed in relief, giving her a final squeeze that nearly snapped the woman in half before he placed her on her unsteady feet again.

From the near-death by constriction, Talla hunched over and had to heave a few breaths to recover. Hunter, who had become as anxious as that 3PO protocol droid Skywalker told them a few funny stories about, he rushed to her side while Wrecker sheepishly apologized and was ready to catch her if need be. "Why did Nala Se want to see you?" Hunter inquired after he was certain she wasn't going to.

Still hunched over, her entire body immediately stiffened. "Oh uh..." For two seconds her mind was a whirlwind of Shaak Ti's words, Cody's assumptions, and her own anxiety induced thoughts, causing her breath to hitch and heart to pound painfully in her chest. He felt her pounding heart and abnormal breathing, but thought it happened because of the after effects of a Wrecker Hug. "She..." Talla briefly squeezed her eyes shut, made a split-second decision to spare their feelings, then straightened to look Hunter straight in the eye. "She wanted to offer her congratulations on my success. For Silva." Why tell them Nala Se's hurtful words when they have proven to be so much more than the expendable science experiments she claimed they were?

Hunter's eyebrows raised in surprise while Tech actually voiced his surprise. "That's odd. Giving praise to clones is not in the Kaminoans' nature."

Talla tucked a piece of loose hair behind her ear - a nervous habit Tech had pointed out to her - feeling a little weird omitting the other half of the conversation with Nala Se to her friends, but she decided to also protect the dynamic of this squad, and honestly felt it was the right thing to do. "Well, I am a heavy investment for the Kaminoans, so I can imagine their relief that I've met their lofty expectations."

Everyone once again felt awkward about Talla referring to herself as an 'investment' instead of a person, so Wrecker quickly changed the subject. "So, you ran into Commander Cody?"

That anxiety creeped up again as that was brought up. "Um, yes I did and..." She shuffled her feet and became crestfallen, "There's something I need to tell you guys."

"Can it wait?" Tech hoped, discarding his project of wires and chips before leaving the workbench. "We had wished to spend time with 99 while we are stationed here, and meant to see him hours ago, but had to wait for you."

Feeling as if her heart was torn out of her chest, Talla tugged at her one of her braids, both out of the crown it had originally been arranged in, and she couldn't meet anyone's inquisitive gaze. "... It's about 99." She said so quietly Hunter almost didn't catch it.

But he did, and he became anxious all over again. "What about 99?"

And her nervous fidgeting got worse. Wringing of her hands, shuffling of her feet, tugging her hair. Yet no matter how much she did it, it never did succeed in alleviating her anxiety... and yet she couldn't stop. "I have some... bad news for you guys and I'm not exactly sure how to tell you." Now her voice sounded choked.

And that got the rest of the squad's anxiety up, and they were quick to crowd her.

"What kind of bad news?" Wrecker pressed nervously.

"What's happened with 99?" Tech pressed frantically.

Talla was forced to stumble backwards a few steps as the questions kept piling up from Wrecker, Crosshair, and soon Tech, and she ended up pressed against the back of one of the couches, her brain quickly going into overload. "Um - there was - he was - a-and then -"

"Spit it out." Crosshair demanded harshly.

Hunter dispersed the crowd with a couple of shoves and held up a hand to silence their overwhelming question loads, then looked at Talla with softer eyes. "Just give it to us straight." He instructed gently, but she sensed his heart start to race.

Talla gulped, then nodded with a grimace on her face, still unable to look at any of them in the eye. "During the invasion, 99 ended up helping Commander Cody, the reg Captain named Rex and two other troopers called Fives and Echo, I told you about. They were on the front lines, and he delivered firearms and grenades to them when they needed it. Towards the end of the battle, they ran out of grenades, so 99 risked his life to go get more." Pain etched on her features, from her research knowing that her next words would most likely wound them so deeply it'd take them months or even years to recover from with their already present mental scars. "99 got caught in enemy fire and he... didn't make it out alive."

Hunter's felt and looked as if he got the wind knocked out of him. Unable to see Hunter in so much pain, Talla looked to the other boys, only to see them have different variations of that experience as well, so she resolved to grasp her upper arm with the opposite hand and train her watering eyes down on her boots, sensing the boy's drop in moods and feeling really bad about sorta being the cause of it, and began rambling. "I would have commed you, but Commander Cody said that this should be said in person - I felt bad because there was no time to invite you guys to the small funeral, so that's why I was gone so long - I wanted to postpone the pain his death would cause you and the fact that you couldn't even say a proper goodbye to someone who was the closest thing to a parental figure you'll ever get, and receive proper closure at his funeral." After all this, there was nothing left to explain or say, so she shut up and waited for them to speak now.

And sadly, no one did, because she was right - the pain of losing the closest thing to a parental figure was an indescribable pain that gripped their heart with tendrils covered in barbed wire, especially because the death was unexpected.

One by one the boys silently left the common area.

Wrecker and Crosshair to their respective rooms.

Tech to the cargo hold to look over the manifest and see if they had everything needed to depart as soon as possible.

And finally, after being rigid as a board and silent as the grave for a time frame Talla couldn't put a number to, Hunter fled back into the computer room before she could see his own eyes become glassy with tears he refused to let fall.

Soon Talla was standing alone in the common area, wondering what she should with this day that went from nightmarish to just plain Hell's eviler twin.


A/N:

~ side note ~ I guesstimated the number of missions they'd been on based on the tally marks I could see on Wrecker's board in their barracks in The Bad Batch: Season 1 Episode 1. I counted 53 tally marks after he added 11 when they returned 180 days from their last visit to Kamino, so I subtracted 22 missions from the time they meet Talla one year before the war ended, 360 days roughly a year, and there will obviously either be more or less missions by the time I reach that point with everything I'm going to add, but we'll just have to see -

...

That made sense in my mind

Thank you for coming to my TECH-Talk

- Ella