Episode: Return to Kamino Parts 1 & 2
The Bad Batch were a man down now. One leader short to be exact. Hunter was trapped on Daro in a strange base of some sort full of soldiers in green and black who, according to Gregor, worked for Mariverde. And what was even stranger, the missing clones weren't the only prisoners there. They'd also found a little girl who was scared half to death, her big blue eyes still filled with tears as the first clone to help her was missing. The poor child still wouldn't speak; they didn't even know her name, who she was, or where she came from.
Right now, Echo was working on the Marauder with Omega helping him, while the others were contacting the royal family and the Jedi for help.
"Let me see if we understand correctly," said Garrett over holo-chat. "You found the missing clones, but in the data-base of their computers, you found MARED prisoner numebrs?"
"We did." Lamenta said.
"How is that possible?" said Obi-Wan. "Every criminal who has recaptured so far is back in prison now, with others still at large."
"Maybe Mariverde decided to catch some for herself to make an army." Gabby suggested.
"But if she has an army of clones, why isn't she using them for that?" Padme said. "We all saw how she's been able to clavatize people more easily as of late."
"It makes absolutely no sense." Tech said, looking at his tablet again. "Other than to divert our attention, I cannot encrypt any possible reason Mariverde would release hundreds of criminals only to recapture them for herself.
"We couldn't use any magic inside the base either." Maybelle said. "There are adracium crystals everywhere in there."
"Essentially, we'd have to rely on old-fashioned tactics to get anyone out of there." Kara said.
"We were at least able to rescue one clone," said Estrella. "And a little girl we found. But she needs Mariposa to nurse her back to health."
"Why her specifically?" Master Luminara asked.
"Because she's a..." Estrella looked around and quietly said the last bit of her sentence. "Doresho gypsy."
This definitely intrigued everyone. So far, they only knew of four existing Doresho gypsies: Mariverde, Mariposa, Goldie, and now the unnamed new girl Hunter rescued.
Omega couldn't think straight knowing Hunter was probably being tortured by now.
"Spanner wrench." Echo requested.
Omega just grunted in frustration. It didn't help that she get making light spheres out of whack due to her emotions.
"This is taking too long!"
"Omega, focus." Echo said calmly.
"I can't. We have to get back to Daro and rescue Hunter."
"We will, but we can't go anywhere until the ship's fixed. Hand me the spanner."
Omega handed Echo the required tool, and he fixed what needed to be fixed.
"That should do it." Echo wiped some sweat away.
Meanwhile, Tech was working on the inside of the ship with Lamenta helping him.
"The hull's patched." Echo said.
"Nearly finished getting the systems online." said Tech.
"I left Gregor with Cid." said Wrecker. "She wasn't too happy about it."
"What else is new?" said Echo.
"Well, we're stuck with Orange." Crosshair groaned, still carrying the girl they rescued.
"Is that her name?" Lamenta raised a brow.
"I don't know, she won't say anything or let me put her down. No surprise she wouldn't let Cid take her though."
"Can't say I blame her," Pinto said. "Let me take her."
"Be my guest." Crosshair panted. "My arms are getting tired!"
Pinto picked the little girl up with his magic and placed her on his back.
"Don't worry, little one. You're safe with me." Pinto said.
"We are up and running." Tech declared.
"Let's go get Hunter." Omega said.
Suddenly, a beep came up, and Tech went to check it out.
"Hunter's communication beacon has just been activated." said Tech. "It appears he is no longer on Daro."
"What do you mean? Where is he?" Omega asked.
Soon, a ship came to land on a familiar water planet with cities being probably the only land on the entire world: Kamino.
Hunter was pushed out from a ship in briar restraints by some of the hoodes soldiers, and they were greeted by Admiral Rampart.
"Where are the rest of them?" asked the Admiral.
"They'll be hear," said the lead soldier. "We'll intercept upon arrival."
Rampart looked at Hunter and approached him.
"So you're the one they call Hunter." said the former. "The destruction your squad caused on Ryloth got my attention. As did the news of your sister becoming a princess of Solaris."
Hunter didn't say a word. Rampart told the commander he was leaving Hunter in his care.
"Stay on schedule." Rampart finished.
"I don't trust any of these clones," said one of the soldiers. "Or the other prisoners Mariverde is having us hold."
"If this plan fails, we will make sure none of them will be a problem any longer." said Rampart. "Keep an eye on things."
Luckily for Hunter, his family was on their way. And not just his biological family.
"Activating Hunter's comm was intentional." said Tech. "Mariverde wants us to come to Kamino. I am uncertain as to why."
"If Kamino is where she's hiding." Boba said over the comm. "This could be our chance to capture her and stop her from clavatizing more people."
"And, we can find out why she has the clones and free them too." Gabby added.
"No turning back now," said Wrecker.
"Are you positive about these coordinates?" Tech asked Omega
"Yes. I told you," said Omega. "They're to a landing pad we can use in Tipoca City."
"I double checked with her," said Boba. "My dad used to have me memorize coordinates like that all the time in case of an emergency."
"Every platform down there will be storming with Mariverde's troopers." said Echo.
"Not this one," Omega insisted. "Trust me."
The Marauder soon came close to Kamino.
"I'm only seeing three cruisers." Echo said, seeing outside. "Where's the rest of the fleet?"
"Who cares?" said Wrecker. "That's a good thing."
"I'm not so sure about that." Lamenta said. "Remember, Mariverde is a deceptive lady, and will do just about anything to get my family's crown jewels. Which is why I came up with a plan to make sure she can't get them while we're in there."
"Locking onto the coordinates." said Tech.
It was very stormy outside. Thunder boomed and lightning struck, which frightened Orange.
"It's okay, chica." Estrella soothed. "It's just a little storm."
"Hang on. This is going to get bumpy." Tech warned.
"Hold on, kid." Pinto told the girl on his back.
Tech steered the ship towards the coordinates Omega gave them, but they didn't see anything.
"We are at the given coordinates, Omega." said Tech. "There's nothing here."
"You have to get lower." Omega said.
So, Tech lowered the ship.
"Lower." Omega repeated.
Tech lowered it again.
"If I go any lower, we will be in the water. And none of us can breathe underwater like your brother."
"It's the only way to activate the platform."
"Hold on." said Echo. "Scanners are picking up a large structure directly beneath us."
And just like Omega said, a platform rose up, giving the Batch a place to land.
Indira was first to exit despite the rain and her injured wing. Her rider was in danger and she had to help him.
The humans all exited the ship, but Maybelle and Pinto, being the only horses without wings to help them escape, stayed on the ship with Orange to make sure she was safe.
Wrecker chuckled and told Omega, "Never doubted you for a second, kid."
"Landing was only one problem." Tech pointed out. "How are we going to get into the city without being seen?"
Tech had a point. Apparition could work, but they could just as easily be headed into a trap, and even if it weren't stormy outside, flying would risk someone seeing them and shooting them down. And even with Lamenta's invisibility, she would only be able to do one horse at a time, and that would take too long.
"We'll take the tube system." said Omega.
"The what?" said Echo.
Omega walked over to another part of the platform, and there a door opened in the floor, and up rose a pod of some sort.
"Come on," said Omega.
"Nice." Wrecker chuckled.
Everyone got on the pod and it rode through the tube like an elevator and then a subway train of some kind. It intrigued everyone, especially Tech.
"This type of underwater transport system is not documented on any schematics." said the smartest clone.
"Kaminoans keep a lot of secrets." said Echo.
"Everyone has their secrets," said Lamenta. "Some deeper and darker than others."
"Indeed." Tech agreed with Echo. "Omega, how did you know this existed?"
"Nala Se." said Omega. "This tunnel leads to her private research lab. The others run throughout Kamino."
Echo, however, noticed Omega seemed down. He knelt down to her and asked if she was okay.
"It doesn't matter. Saving Hunter is what matters."
However, the others could definitely tell something was on Omega's mind.
"Omega, you know you can tell us anything." Lamenta told her cousin.
"I don't wanna talk about it." Omega said.
Lamenta was about to say something else.
"Just leave it be, Lamenta." Indira said. "Sometimes things need to be let to have silence before they can be said."
Meanwhile, Hunter was escorted down the halls of one of the labs, and he passed by many soldiers along the way.
"What are you planning to do with all the regs?" asked Hunter.
"That is for our queen to know and you to find out." said the soldier holding him.
"No Kaminoans either," Hunter noted. "This facility's being decommissioned. You don't seem too concerned."
"Why should we be? Mariverde said with this place being decommissioned, no one would suspect the truth behind her master plan."
That drew some concern in Hunter. What was Mariverde planning to do with the clones, the crown jewels, and all the villains she'd released or created? It still didn't answer why Mariverde had a little girl imprisoned on Daro.
Hunter was brought into a computer room where there were more of Mariverde's henchmen.
"A ship was detected entering the system," said one soldier at the computer. "but we lost them below scanner range. It must be the prisoner's friends. I'll notify the scouts"
"Don't bother. They'll come to us. The royal family won't dare leave a dear member behind."
"Whatever you're planning, it's wrong. What the royal family's ancestors did to yours in the past does not justify endangering the innocent."
"Quiet you."
The rescue team soon found themselves entering a lab that looked new to Lamenta and the horses, but familiar to the clones.
"That looks like every other Kaminoan lab to me," said Wrecker.
"Not exactly," said Omega. "Most in Tipoca City don't know about it."
Tech checked his tablet then and said, "Hunter's comm is still active. I'll pinpoint his location."
"I'll tap into the system." said Echo.
"I don't get it," said Wrecker. "What's so special about this lab?"
"It's where Boba and I were created." said Omega. "You all were here too."
"What do you mean?" Tech asked.
Omega walked over to an empty tube, on which she placed her hand.
"Your mutations were enhanced in this room." Omega could feel old memories coming back to her long before she met her adoptive family. "Experimental Unit 99 began right here. I was there."
"Whaa-?" Wrecker was astonished. He looked at Tech. "Is that true?"
"How could I possibly know that?" said Tech.
"It was only for a short time," Omega continued. "Before you were sent to be with the other clones."
"Something's not right," said Echo, looking at a data computer. "All the central files have been wiped. There's nothing in the system."
"Anyone else think that's weird?" asked Wrecker.
"I agree," said Estrella.
Suddenly, the group heard some metal squeaking, and everyone got into defensive positions.
"Do not shoot!" said a voice, and out came a little levitating droid. "I am AZI-345211-"
"AZ?" said Omega, recognizing the droid.
"Omega, I am relieved it is you."
"What are you doing here?"
"I am in hiding. Strange soldiers were deactivating droids and forcing key Kaminoan medical personnel onto transports. Those who resisted were eliminated."
"Do you know what they're doing with the clones?" Banjo asked.
"I'm afraid not. All clone troopers were arrested and transferred off-world, none being spared. Not even the youngest ones. All for something titled Operation: Clava-Morphosis."
"Again with that operation name?" Estrella said. "What does that even mean?"
"I am afraid I don't know."
"It is not safe here, Omega. You must leave."
"We can't." said Omega. "Not without Hunter."
"Found him." Tech said. "His comm is pinging from the central cloning platform."
"Come on, AZI." Omega took the droid's robotic arm. "You're with us."
As the soldiers anticipated, the rescue team was coming for Hunter. Right on schedule, at least one royal family member was on their way.
Everyone rushed in on the horses through the rain and snuck through the halls, where they ran into a few additional members in the form of Gabby, Boba, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Myra (who was ecstatic to be going on her first real Jedi mission), and all their horses too.
"Okay, fill us in." Ahsoka said. "What exactly are we dealing with?"
"Mariverde has some kind of operation going on," said Omega. "Something to do with the clones, and somehow releasing villains and getting our family's jewels is connected to it."
"No doubt they're planning to use Hunter as a hostage." said Indira said.
"Wait. Hunter's on the move." Tech said. "This way."
"Rapidos!" Fiesta whinnied, and galloped ahead really fast.
"Whoa, girl!" Ahsoka said, trying to get Fiesta to slow down some.
They eventually followed Tech's signal into another room, and according to the scan, Hunter was directly above them.
"The training room?" said Crosshair.
"If Mariverde's got these guys under her control," said Gabby. "they're probably waiting for us right now."
"Precisely why we will not be taking the main entrance." Tech said. He made some calculations and had a plan. "We'll enter through the lift. That should give us a slight advantage."
"Kids, wait here." Echo said.
"No, we should stick together." Omega said as the adults got onto the lift.
"Yeah, we're stronger than we look." Boba added.
"No, Echo's right." Wrecker said. "It's not safe for little kids."
"We're thirteen!" said the twins together.
"Need I remind you that our family's crown jewels are the one's they're after?" Gabby said.
"And that's why you need to stay out of sight." said Anakin. "If things go south, we'll send you a signal to make a run for it."
"Don't worry," said Ahsoka. "We've been through tougher hostage situations than this."
But, little did the adults know just how wrong they were.
As soon as the lift went up, the group found themselves surrounded by Mariverde's soldiers.
"Drop your weapons." said one of the lead soldiers.
"Where's our friend?" Anakin demanded.
"Where are your children?"
"You think we'd bring a bunch of kids here?" Wrecker laughed.
"You are not as dumb as I thought you were, but you are not as smart as Mariverde." said the soldier. "Find the royal children. Take whatever jewels they have."
Just as Ahsoka said, with things going south, they sent the children a signal.
"It's the signal!" Omega exclaimed.
"Per CT-1409's instructions," said AZI. "we should flee to the research lab."
"No. Something went wrong. We have to help them."
"But that means we will also be in danger."
"I've survived bounty hunters, getting shot at, and lots of dark forces." Gabby said, literally rolling up her sleeves. "It takes more than a few soldiers to scare me."
"Focus, everyone." Omega said. She noticed some keys on the wall. "I have an idea."
"Lamenta, you're with me." Boba said, taking his cousin's hand.
The adults were still trapped by the soldiers holding their weapons and now a bunch of magical potions and stuff at the ready.
All the unicorns kept their horns up at the read, but they were all desperately hoping the kids made it out okay.
Meanwhile, Omega was nearly finished with the droids... until Gabby screamed as a soldier spotted them.
"Freeze! Both of you."
"Uh... hello." Omega said.
The soldier contacted his leader on the comm.
"Sir, I found two of the girls."
"Capture both of them." said the leader.
"Hey, Omega." said Gabby. "Think we oughta show this guy how bright we really are?"
Omega knew immediately what her sister was getting at, and quickly blinded the soldier with her light, giving Gabby time to trap him in some of her vines so the two girls could run as fast as they could.
But back with the hostages.
"Odd. I lost contact with DT (doresho troop) 849." said the leader.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers grunted in pain like he'd just been punched, and then he did it again. And again. And again. But he wasn't the only one. Soon, a bunch of the troopers were hit by something no one else could see, or they got hit as geyers of water shot through the floor and took the soldiers with them.
"What's going on?" asked Ahsoka, when all of a sudden a bunch of droids came up.
"Tech, why'd you activate the droids?" Wrecker asked.
"This wasn't my doing." Tech said.
Everyone quickly got to fighting the droids with blasters, lightsabers, or magic, and began making their way to the exit as they did so, taking down many troopers. Omega also helped with her crossbow and Gabby with her powers. Hunter and Crosshair even worked together to take down one of the bigger droids.
Any remaining troopers took this as their cue to flee.
Meanwhile, on a ship leaving the lab...
"All essential personnel have been removed from Kamino." said Rampart.
"And the chief scientist?" said Tarkin, to whom Rampart was speaking.
"Secured. The cloning technology is now firmly under Mariverde's control."
"Very good, Admiral." said Tarkin. "You may fire when ready."
With a wicked smile, Rampart told the soldiers to move into position.
It took nearly half of all the team's combined blaster fire to take down all the droids. But soon, it seemed it was finally over.
"You didn't think we were gonna miss all the fun, did you?" smiled Lamenta as her uncle took her into his arms.
Omega hugged Hunter, delighted to see he was okay, and Indira started to lick him like crazy.
"Alright, Indira. I missed you too." Hunter chuckled, amid Omega still hugging him tightly. "Sorry, kid. I know I promised you'd never have to come back here."
"You did the same for me." Omega said.
"We'd better get out of here before any more soldiers, or worse, Mariverde herself come after us." Myra said.
"Myra is correct. Three Venators are descending on the city. We need to leave, now."
"We're took big a target if we stick together." Anakin said. "We'll have to split up into groups to get out of here."
"Oh, wait!" Boba said, getting out some bracelets, each with a blue pearl on them. "Everyone who doesn't breathe underwater put one of these on."
"What are these?" Crosshair asked.
"They're magical pearls Aqualia's family gave us." Boba said. "Merfolk use them sometimes to change into humans and vice versa."
So, amid their initial skepticism, the Batch and everyone else who couldn't turn into merfolk put on one and began running. Except, none of them were prepared for what came next.
Rampart ordering open fire.
Suddenly, all over the city, there were shots fired from all directions! Blaster fire hit everything in the city from the labs to the commissary, and even the supports underneath.
Gabby and Lamenta screamed as they dodged the fire, and Boba and Omega were both filled with great trauma as the one place they knew as their home before the Skywalkers and Jinns was being destroyed before their very eyes.
The firing just didn't seem to stop, and everyone had to keep running to find cover or a way out of this place.
"Carousella, get the little ones to safety! Get help!" Anakin ordered the alicorn guard.
Omega continued with her brothers in the Batch, but ended up getting separated from all of them but Crosshair.
"Hunter!" Omega exclaimed.
A door shut between the group, trapping Omega and Crosshair in the process.
"Omega!" Hunter and Estrella exclaimed.
However, Omega and Crosshair weren't alone.
AZI turned on his lights and found Omega barely conscious.
"Omega? Omega, wake up!"
"Hmm?" Omega opened her eyes groggily and saw AZI there. "AZI?"
"I do not wish to alarm you, but if you do not vacate this compartment, you will soon perish, and I will be left here on my own!"
AZI wasn't kidding, even if he were programmed to. The city was sinking into the water, and the whole place was starting to flood!
"Wait, where's...?" Omega looked around and saw trapped underneath some metal sheets. "Crosshair!"
Omega started to push on the metal, but it was really heavy. Now Omega started to wish she'd earned super strength as part of her powers. But since she didn't have that or her grandfather there to help, she did the next best thing: contacting the others over her comm.
"Anyone read?" Omega asked.
"Yeah, kid." Hunter answered. "Are you okay?"
"Not really. The room is flooding. And Crosshair's stuck."
"Tech, get the door open!" Hunter ordered.
But when Tech checked his tablet... "All compromised compartments are sealed to contain the flooding. I cannot override the protocols from here."
"I can," said Wrecker, getting out his blade and shoving it between the doors. But it didn't look like it would be fast enough.
"Just let me blast it open!" Estrella said.
"You can't do that, Estrella! The city is very fragile now." Indira said. "You might make a bunch of rubble fall on Omega and Crosshair."
Crosshair coughed and hacked as he finally came to.
"Greetings, CT-9904." said AZI. "You survived the aerial bombardment but are now moments away from drowning."
"Get this off of me." Crosshair said, the heavy metal hurting him as he really felt it now.
"AZI, help!" Omega grunted.
But then, Omega remembered the pearls! She quickly used it to become a mermaid and dive underneath to get the metal off her brother's legs.
"Crosshair, you have to use the pearl." Omega said, amid Crosshair coughing. Didn't look like he would be able to activate it himself. Omega told AZI to go under and use his boosters while she tried to break Crosshair free.
Omega managed to get close enough to Crosshair to activate the pearl so it would buy some time, and it turned his legs into a black and red fish tail.
"What the-?!" Crosshair was shocked to find he could breathe underwater, and even more to find he was suddenly shirtless. But now his tail was stuck! At least he could breathe underwater now.
Omega got out of the water and used her Crossbow and a little magic combined with it to get the metal loose from Crosshair. Eventually, he was free.
"Come on, we've gotta get the door open!" Omega said.
Crosshair struggled a little, having never swam with a tail before, but he started to help Omega pull the door as best they could. Luckily for them, they still had Wrecker's brute strength to help out, and they managed to let both of them out.
But the others were a bit surprised to see Crosshair and Omega as mermaids.
"What happened to you?" Wrecker laughed.
"That's what the pearls do." Estrella said. "They turn you into merfolk so you can breathe underwater."
"Hope you know how to change back too." Crosshair groaned, looking oddly at his tail.
"Don't worry. It's easy." Omega said, and she gave her own tail a good whip, which changed her back to normal. "I see Boba do that all the time, and Gabby or Lamenta too."
They weren't out of the woods yet, though. They had to get back to the ship. But the city was falling apart faster and faster! Everyone had to hold onto something as more and more rubble fell... until the vessel they were on turned flat so they could stand up again.
"Everyone alright?" Banjo called.
"A little shaken up," said Indira, shaking herself dry.
Omega looked at AZI as he'd been knocked out in all the commotion. But luckily he came to as well.
"Omega! Omega, watch out!" AZI stopped when he saw all was fine. "Oh, you are okay."
"Where are we, though?" Indira asked.
"I believe we have landed on the ocean floor." Tech said. "There is no way to accurately calculate the damage. Most of the facility must be-"
Tech was interrupted as there was a sudden explosion.
"... compromised." Tech finished.
"We need to get to a space that's more secure," said Hunter.
"Our best bet, I'd say," said Banjo. "Is to use them pearls to transform and swim up to the surface and get the heck outta here."
"Follow me," said Tech.
And everyone began running to look for a more secure space to get the job done and escape.
"I just hope the others made it out okay," said Omega.
"Knowing yer pa, I'd say he got everyone out with barely so much as a scratch." Banjo commented.
And the group soon came to a good space to work.
"Ironically," said Tech. "our old barracks is one of the few compartments habitable, albeit temporarily."
"This is where you lived before?" said Indira.
"That, it is." Hunter said.
"This is our room?" Wrecker couldn't believe it. "What happened to it?"
"At least the smell's gone." Echo said.
Wrecker then flashed his light on something that made him smile.
"Check it out. Our board's still here."
"All those missions together." Crosshair said. "Good times."
"Impressive numbers," said Estrella. "You oughta join more of Garrett's classes. You could learn a lot stepping outside your comfort zones."
"Right now, our main priority is getting to the surface." Crosshair said. "Who knows if Maybelle and Pinto are handling Orange fine."
"Who's Orange?" Hunter asked.
"Apparently, what we're calling the girl until we know her real name." Tech said.
Suddenly, Omega spoke up.
"Look!" Omega pointed outside a window. "We landed on the underwater tunnel. If we use it to reach the base post, we could get back to the Maruader."
"Accessing the tube will be... challenging." Tech pointed out.
"You didn't say 'impossible'." Indira sang.
"Better than staying here." added Echo.
"We have to try." Omega said.
So, they did.
Omega led the group down some bits of the vessel, with a little help from Banjo to make sure they picked safe spots to step. Eventually, they found a spot Omega believe they would be able to reach the tube from.
Tech checked his tablet as AZI began welding an oval in the floor.
"My scans indicate the tunnel is directly below this maintenance deck." said the smartest clone. "AZI says, with a precise weld to maintain an airtight seal, this might work."
"What do you mean 'might'?" Wrecker asked.
AZI checked as soon as they hole opened, and he confirmed the tunnel was all clear. Except, shortly after everyone stepped into the tunnel, Crosshair noticed something. The glass on the tubes was cracking.
"We need to go back." said Crosshair. "There must be a safer way."
The others looked at saw the cracks.
"Maybe it would be a good idea to get out the pearls?" Banjo suggested. "All we'd have to do is transform and then break the glass on purpose."
"That would be a good decision if all of knew how to swim like merfolk." Tech said. "And clearly, none but Omega do."
"Ya got a better idea?" Omega said.
"Let's just keep moving." Hunter said.
And so they did.
But, they had a much bigger problem than breathing underwater.
The group soon heard roaring in the distance.
"AZI, these tunnels are protected, right?" said Omega.
"If the power is operational," said AZI. "Which at the moment, it is not."
"Great," said Estrella sarastically.
And then, that was when everyone was met by the sight of a frightful undersea monster!
The horses all whinnied and began running with their riders as the creature spooked them. AZI hypothesized that restoring power should deter the creature, so everyone just ran and moved as fast as they could while the droid tried to restore power. AZI managed to restore the power for a little bit to deter the creature, but the power went out just as quickly as it came on.
Now, the group was left to use flashlights, as well as Omega and the unicorns' lights to see. Luckily, they managed to make it to where the Batch originally entered when they arrived to rescue Hunter.
"What is this place?" Hunter asked when he saw where they ended up.
"Nala Se's private lab." Tech answered. "Omega says this is where our mutations were manipulated and enhanced."
"How would she know?" Hunter asked.
"Because she was there. Omega and Boba were created before us. Technically, they are older than we are."
Just as they thought they were going to get out the way they came in, they were met with a new problem. The tunnel they'd take was busted beyond repair, and that was the only way to the Marauder. How were they going to get out now?
"It would seem that, once again, we are trapped." AZI said.
"Let's stop and think." Banjo said. "How else could we get out?"
Back on the Marauder, Pinto and Maybelle stayed with Orange as she'd fallen asleep. Pinto let her lean on him for comfort and to warm up with the coziness of his fur and body.
"They shoulda been back by now." Maybelle said. "What if somethin' awful's happened?"
"I don't like the look of this either, sis." Pinto said. "It's pretty stormy out there."
"I'll try to contact them." Maybelle said.
Maybelle hit some buttons with her hooves and tried to contact the Batch.
"Omega, do ya copy? Hunter? Crosshair? Anyone?"
The Batch's comms all beeped as Maybelle attempted to contact them.
"We read you, Maybelle." Omega said. "Are you alright?"
"We're fine. And so's the Marauder. Where are ya'll?"
"We're underwater. We're trapped. The tube to get back is broken, and we can't get out."
"Sit tight, everyone. We'll find a way to get ya all out. Right, Pinto?"
"Is the girl still okay?" Hunter asked.
"Sleepin' like a newborn filly."
But the Batch was very worried about their own safety. Their oxygen levels would be critical in a few hours, and they weren't sure how they would get out safely. Still, Estrella was insistent they use the pearls and just bust out.
"Even if we managed to use these," said Hunter. "How exactly do we avoid all the falling debris?"
"We're equines," said Banjo. "We know when danger's coming long before it had a chance to be a real threat. Most of the time."
"The droid could be helpful." said Crosshair.
"AZI, can you guide us to the surface?" Hunter said.
"Barring any extraneous complications, I should be able to complete the task."
Omega was reluctant to let AZI put himself in danger like that, but AZI told her, "Your safety and well-being is my primary mission objective."
So, Omega tutored the Batch in what they needed to say to make the pearls work and how to move their bodies to swim once they were mermen. But... they only had one other thing.
"How exactly do we break outta here?" Echo said.
Then someone tapped the glass from the other side. And everyone was shocked to see Maybelle had dived down to help them, and she had a bubble around her head to help her breathe.
"Ya'll didn't expect me to miss all the fun, did ya?" Maybelle said.
'How did you-?" Crosshair said, until Banjo interrupted.
"Maybelle once took on a pack a coyotes single-hoofedly. It takes a lot to shake her up."
"Get ready for the water ride of yer lives, boys." Maybelle said. "Glass is goin' down!"
Quickly, Maybelle made her horn glow, while everyone else quickly used the pearls to transform into merpeople and sea ponies. The water was rough at first, but once everyone got under and found they could breathe, they were on their way. They just needed Omega to make a little light so everyone could see where they were going and dodge the debris. There was a lot to dodge, but eventually everyone made it to the surface.
"I have a visual on the Marauder. I suggest the horses change back so we can get back there."
So, the horses changed back first so they could spread their wings and carry their riders as they changed back too.
It felt like a long flight, but the Batch eventually made it back to the Marauder. Pinto was so happy to see the others all made it back okay, but there was one thing that was lost. Tipoca City. Omega was devastated to see the aftermath of Mariverde's attack on Kamino. It was all gone. The first home she ever knew, the place where she met her brothers for the first time. It wasn't exactly the most ideal home, but Omega still felt hurt by its loss.
"We best get moving before your parents start to worry." Tech said.
As soon as the little girl saw Hunter again, she ran up and hugged him.
"Hey, kid." Hunter said, gently patting the girl on the back. "Good to see you recovering nicely. We best get you to our home so you can be checked out and cared for."
