Howdy everyone! Time for another To the Far Reaches update! Next month there will actually be two chapters posted, 3 and 4!

CW: Mild PTSD, mature references, angst callbacks

As with the first jump, I stayed hidden until we dropped out of hyperspace. Once I got the all clear signal from Tech, I entered the cockpit and stared with wonder at the blue and green marble. It looked a lot like Scarif, but I didn't reckon that was the planet below us.

"Rakata Prime," Tech supplied, taking us down. "Also known as Lehon. It is the homeworld of the long-extinct Rakata species, who were rumored to be the first to develop hyperspace travel, and is one of the few navigable worlds located in the Unknown Regions."

I blinked in surprise. "The Unknown Regions? Didn't think we were that far out! What was the name of the planet we were on?"

"Curiously," Tech said, raising his finger and pointing. "Your planet had no name in the database. It was one of the first oddities I noticed, aside from the absence of any Republic or Sepratist forces."

"So much for that last bit," I growled, rage simmering beneath my skin once more. A hollowness in the pit of my stomach followed as James' corpse flashed across my eyes, and I violently shook my head to rid the image burned into my retinas.

"Shadow?" Hunter asked worriedly, resting a hand on my shoulder. He had already armored up while Wrecker and Crosshair were in the main compartment getting theirs on.

"I'm fine, Sarge," I assured him, giving him what I hoped was a reassuring grin. "Just gotta process it, ya know?"

"Yeah, but don't strain yourself," he said. "Processin' your first kill takes time. It's alright if you don't work through it within a day."

I flicked my ears. "I'm one of y'all now, Hunt. A soldier. I gotta toughen up a bit if I'm gonna make it."

"While that is true," Tech said, earning himself a Hunter Glare. "You have not been rigorously conditioned from birth to adapt to battle or war. You cannot logically recover as quickly as we can."

"Recover from what?" Wrecker asked, trotting in with Crosshair close behind.

"James' murder," Tech replied.

Crosshair glared in his direction. "Why would you bring that up?"

"I did not. Shadow did."

The demolition expert and marksman looked at me, but I avoided their gazes. Instead, I focused on the planet as we flew closer. Leaning against the console, I gazed out at the swirling clouds as we passed into the upper atmosphere. Lush, tropical landscapes greeted us when we broke through and headed for one of the few urban hubs. If you could even call it an urban hub; it was hardly bigger than an airbase.

Base. Just like the Outpost. Which, thanks to that bastard, was nothing but smoldering ash.

I should have made his death slower.

A large hand rested on my shoulder. "You ok, Squeak?"

"Aye. Why?"

"Well," Tech huffed. "You are putting a dent into my ship."

I looked down and jerked my claws free from the dashboard. "Yikes, sorry." I backed away, staring at my hands.

Blood? There was blood! But I thought I washed it! No, I didn't even have blood on them! What the hell?!

I frantically rubbed them, trying to get the red off. But it wasn't coming off. Stubbornly it remained, a grisly reminder of what I was now. A killer.

Wrecker caught my hands and held them still. "Squeak! What's wrong?"

"Don't you see?" I gasped. "Red! The blood! They're red!"

Wrecker shook his head. "Ain't you!" Holding both my hands with his left, he pointed up. "'Just the light! See?"

Light? What…

A red bulb glowed just above my head, dyeing my hands red.

"Oh…" I said quietly, regaining my breath.

Guess I had another TraumaTM to add to the files that encoded for PTSD.

A fine addition to my collection, indeed.

The men around me exchanged a concerned glance again.

"Shadow, I think stayin' with Tech is the best call after all for you," Hunter said gently.

I just nodded, tail wrapped around my leg and furiously twitching at the tip. "Yeah. That's… probably best."

"Do not worry, Shadow," Tech said, heading for a free landing space. "I will give you a tour of the ship while you stay."

I flicked my ears. "Well, certainly ain't gonna say no to that."

"There anythin' you want us to get ya from the market?" Wrecker asked as the ship touched down.

I thought for a moment. I didn't have anything in mind, especially since I didn't really know the material things of the universe. Aside from like, lightsabers and blasters, but I had those two covered. Well, the first at least. But I reckoned the Bad Batch would be more than eager to outfit me with any weapon I could think of. So, aside from those two things?

What about a tooka doll?

Possible. But Wrecker would no doubt let me borrow Lula any time I needed a stuffie. Crosshair would also probably let me snuggle with that stuffed shark of his. Could do clothes, but how was I to know what clothing existed in Star Wars? I always focused on characters and species, not clothing.

Rebels flashed through my head.

"What about a meiloorun?"

I got a couple of funny looks.

"Of all the things," Hunter chuckled. "You want a fruit?"

"Hey, they look fuckin' delectable!" I defended, jabbing the sergeant in the ribs.

He blocked the strike and laughed as he headed for the stairs. "Alright, one meiloorun for Shadow. Got it."

I grinned at him. "Thanks, guys. I really mean it."

My sniper attacked me from behind, avenging Hunter with a strike to my own ribs. "Not goin' soft on us, are you?"

I slowly turned my head, narrowing my eyes at him. "Say that again and you gettin' dropped faster than a hot potato."

He hummed in mock thought before snaking an arm around my waist and yanking me close. "But you like it when I tease you, don't you?" His arm tightened. "Darlin'?"

A comical look halfway between terror and something else entirely spread across my face. "Well!" I squeaked. "Mark me down as scared and horny!"

He chuckled, damn near giving me a second heartbeat. "Markin' you would be my pleasure."

"I would like to get the supplies today, if you please," Hunter growled, sticking his head around the side of the ship from halfway down the stairs.

Crosshair glared at him but his smug look returned as he gazed down at me. "See ya later, sweetheart," he purred, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before vanishing out the door, leaving me frozen in the middle of the Marauder.

-Crosshair PoV-

Shadow would be alright, wouldn't they?

The Realm Walker was resilient, he knew. But he also knew that one could only go so far before they broke. And killing a man for the first time? At point blank range with no time to brace yourself beforehand? That could break anyone.

Shadow wasn't broken, not at all. Crosshair considered the perils they'd faced on the Vault mission a testament to how resilient Shadow could be.

But they certainly were traumatized.

Would he ever forgive himself for not stepping in sooner? Crosshair doubted it.

But it should be no surprise that he failed to protect the ones he cared about. As Tech had said, he was the least nurturing of them all. He hardly planned to become a worrisome mother tooka like Hunter, or overly emotional like Wrecker, but he didn't like being known as the cold and unyielding one. To outsiders it was fine, and even quite helpful. His stern and pragmatic nature had saved all their asses on more than one occasion after all. He didn't care if outsiders saw him as an ice-hearted and humorless bastard who would neutralize any threat at the slightest hint of aggression. But to know that's what his brothers, his family, saw him as too?

And, knowing now what happened in that other timeline?

He reached up and rubbed the scar on his temple, hidden beneath the shaggy silver curls atop his head. His heart lurched as he felt the rough line, dread and horror churning his stomach. Despite his flirting with Shadow, and true joy at them responding favorably to his advances, he was far from carefree.

The knowledge that his squad left him behind in the other timeline, because of something he had zero control over, was eating him alive. To know that they abandoned him, left him to the wolves, and never even bothered to go back for him? Did they even mourn his absence? Mourn him?

At least the chip was out here. But what if he still turned? What if… those Kaminoans drug him back and forced it back into his skull? What if it activated? Turned him into something he was not? Turned him against his team? His brothers? His family?

Would they abandon him in this universe too?

Movement close to his right side caught his attention and he snapped into defensive mode, hand flying to his pistol.

Hunter caught his arm. "Easy, just me."

Crosshair scowled and jerked his arm away. "Stop hoverin'. Hate it when you do that shit."

"Not hoverin'," Hunter defended. "I'm checkin' on my brother."

"Don't. I'm fine," Crosshair spat, picking up the pace and leaving Hunter behind as he made his way through the various vendors. He angrily swatted at some flies as he caught up to Wrecker at one of the stalls.

The man browsed over some trinkets, deep in thought. He didn't even acknowledge Crosshair's approach, too focused on a collection of three items: a polished translucent blue and purple gemstone, a small purple tooka doll, and a wood-carved statue of a Varactyl. When he finally realized Crosshair was standing beside him, he turned partially towards him.

"Hey, Cross!" He gestured towards the assemblage. "What do you think for Shadow?"

Crosshair squinted at the trinkets then at the stall keeper. The vendor, a dark orange Togruta male, offered a smile that Crosshair didn't return. The sniper knew these street vendors types, and knew all they cared about was selling their wares. He took another look at the three trinkets.

Admittedly, the Varactyl was of decent quality and care had clearly gone into the carving. Not cookie-cutter, but not sloppy either. The tooka-doll looked to be hand stitched as well, bits of material poking out of the seams in a few places. As for the rock, it reflected a rainbow in the light but not in a way that would suggest a fake.

Something shifted behind the shopkeeper and Crosshair's hand twitched towards his pistol, only to halt when he realized what it was.

A… kid.

The shopkeeper had a kid.

The blue skinned boy blinked shyly up at him, half hidden by the shopkeeper, and Crosshair's heart softened.

Looks like Golwari.

His eyes traveled back to the shopkeeper. This must have been his father. Trying to sell something to provide for his family and keep his child fed.

"It doesn't have to be perfect. All that matters is that you try."

Shadow's words rang in his ears once more and he thought again of Golwari. The aquarium that day had certainly been an utter disaster thanks to Tech, but, thanks to Golwari, Crosshair still slept with a smile on his face that night. A smile he wouldn't have had were it not for the kid doing something kind and selfless for him.

Now, he could pay it forward. It wasn't anything monumental, but it was a start. A start to being a better man.

"All of 'em."

Wrecker, the dad, and the son stared at him in shock.

"All?" Wrecker echoed.

Subtly, Crosshair indicated the kid with a tilt of his helmet.

Wrecker glanced over and immediately caught on. A large smile spread across his face and he looked at the shopkeeper. "Yeah, I'll take all of 'em!"

"I… thank you, sir!" the shopkeeper exclaimed, a smile spreading across his own face.

"Thank you, misters!" the kid said, grinning as well. He bounced up and down as his dad carefully wrapped the trinkets. "Does this mean I can get that holo-book later?"

"Guess it does," the dad remarked, shooting Crosshair a grateful look. Thank you, he mouthed.

Crosshair dipped his head and stepped away quickly before any more attention focused on him. As a sniper, he wasn't supposed to be the one in the spotlight. He was supposed to be hidden, invisible. Being the center of attention always made the hair on the back of his neck stand up, because danger and blaster fire usually followed.

But he did allow himself a small smile, hidden within the safety of his helmet. He hoped Shadow would be proud of him. Not that he'd tell them just yet; he didn't want the Realm Walker to think he was bragging.

Silently wading through the crowds, shifting between patches of darkness yet taking care to make sure his avoidance of light wasn't obvious, he finally found what he was looking for.

"How much?" he asked from the side of one stall, scaring the Rodian vendor half to death.

"Karking hells, where'd you come from?"

"How much?" Crosshair repeated.

The vendor, a hand over his heart, pointed to a sign tacked to one of the posts. "Prices are all there. Kark!"

Crosshair fought down the panic rising in his throat as he scanned the page. Why couldn't letters ever just stay still? Why did they always have to entangle themselves or shift somewhere else entirely? Apparently glasses helped, if only a little, but Crosshair wouldn't be caught dead wearing those damn things.

Not after what the Regs did.

"What's the matter? Can't you clones read?"

"We can," Crosshair spat, forcefully keeping his arm pinned to his side so he didn't punch the man. "Just tell me how much two are."

"Twenty credits. Each."

Galactic robbery, is what this is!

"Twenty for both," Crosshair countered.

"Thirty!"

"Twenty-five."

The Rodian smiled. "Ah, you drive a hard bargain, clone. Two for twenty-five!"

Twat.

Tossing the credits and snatching the two fruits off the counter, Crosshair quickly headed back the way he came. He met up with Hunter and Wrecker at another stall, the former mulling over some black and gray gauntlets.

"Hey, Cross!" Wrecker greeted. "Got the meilooruns?"

Crosshair just held them up. "Both your eyes work."

"Fellas," Hunter grumbled before turning his attention back to the gauntlets. "Think these will work for Shadow?"

"Yeah! They'll love 'em!"

The vendor, a pink skinned Twi'lek that reminded Crosshair of Sue Lawquane, tilted her head. "Shadow? Are they one of your squad? I thought all troopers were outfitted by the Republic."

"Ah, well, Shadow's a… new addition," Hunter replied with a nervous chuckle.

"A transfer?"

"A partner!" Wrecker laughed.

The Twi'lek smiled. "Oh! I see."

Great. Can we go now?

There were too many people here. Too many alleyways. Too many vantage points. Too many cover spots. With their distinctive black and red armor, they all stood out like sore thumbs compared to the rest of the patrons moving through the marketplace.

They were child's play for even a novice sniper.

The Twi'lek looked between Wrecker and Crosshair. "Well, this Shadow will certainly be a happy partner with such generous lovers."

Lovers. That's right, that's what they were. Even as Hunter paid and they set off to find a supplier for their bulk needs, the word continued to play on repeat in Crosshair's head. Such a charged term, but certainly one he treasured. After all he and Shadow had been through, to be able to call themselves lovers now meant the galaxy to him. But only Hunter and Wrecker had the chance to really make use of that designation. Crosshair himself had only caught a glimpse after the battle of how wonderful that term could really be.

He would have to fix that on Shadow's planet. Surely, he could get the Realm Walker alone again. After all, they'd been more than eager to get a taste of him, the tug on his belt fresh in his mind. On their planet, he could finally show just how much he wanted them.

Both emotionally… and otherwise.

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