Hello, everyone! Sorry for the later than usual update: we didn't edit until yesterday and I had to make some changes, not to mention that I worked overtime today.

Man, we have no Star Wars this week. What am I supposed to do with my life? Not to mention it's easier to write Star Wars when you have consistent Star Wars.

Zabuzasgirl: I love the Bad Batch SO MUCH. And thank you!

OneLittleSpark18: Well, the chapter's out so you tell me!

4thwallbreak: But how long will I ALLOW the break to happen? Knowing me…well, we'll see.

TW: Implied noncon sexual content. It's VERY light, but I thought I'd better warn you.

No Mando'a this chapter!

ABSOLVED: Chapter 27

Tech performed three attempts against the Imperial system before they came close to Ladarra. None worked, of course. Tech did not know if he expected it to ever work. It was just part of the way he lived his life now: seeing a constant stream of failure notices and making slight adjustments to his algorithms.

"Tech!" General Skywalker called. "We're almost there. I need you to scramble their sensors."

Tech smothered the jolt of annoyance he felt at being interrupted. He had always hated being bothered in the middle of his projects. It had grown worse since Omega's abduction, but he was attempting to get it under control. He no longer snapped at anyone who dared speak to him.

"Yes, sir." Tech said.

He got up and went to the cockpit. He plugged his datapad in and began his work. Jamming scanners was a simple task to him.

"We will have two hours to land and engage before their scanners return online." Tech said as he finished the task. "We will be able to land as close as five klicks to their camp due to the size of the planet. The curvature will obscure their vision."

"Good." General Skywalker said.

Tech stayed in the cockpit as they landed, ensuring that the scanners remained jammed. General Skywalker got up and returned to the bay once they had settled on the ground. Tech followed him.

"All right men." General Skywalker said. His eyes flicked to Taja. "And guests. We're looking at a camp of fifteen to thirty slavers, though we don't know the exact population. Ladarra is a desert planet, so don't expect much cover."

"I can help with that." Admani said. "Taja's developed a pretty good smokescreen that I can deploy from one klick away."

"Good." General Skywalker said.

"Not just that." Taja said. "I have an agent that targets a Zyggerian's enhanced sense of smell and overwhelms them."

"There is a high chance of the agent negatively impacting you and Admani as well." Tech said. "A Togruta's olfactory receptors are just as sensitive as a Zygerrians."

Taja raised an eyebrow and unclasped something around her collar. She drew up the material and pressed it to the middle of her nose. It stayed and Tech saw a filter embedded in the material.

"Ah." He said.

"All right, then." General Skywalker said. "Taja, Admani, Tech. You three scout ahead and get an idea of their numbers. Send back any information. We'll start out once you report in."

"Acknowledged." Tech said crisply.

He heard General Skywalker divide the remaining clones into squads as Tech, Taja, and Admani disembarked. Tech blinked in the harsh sun that pounded down onto the silvery sands of Ladarra.

"Chromium." Tech commented. The sand created a glare that made it difficult to see. "This planet used to be home to a chromium mine. It was not profitable enough to be maintained and has long since been abandoned. The Zygerrians must have chosen this planet due to the few inhabitants, as well as the abandoned base."

"That's not it." Taja said in a tight voice. "The Zygerrians prefer to use menial mine work to break their new slaves. It doesn't matter to them if there's actually anything useful to mine."

"Ah." Tech said and cleared his throat.

He was once again considering the potential complications that could arise from Taja and Admani's past. He himself had had- issues when facing a Kaminoan on a mission. Taja had claimed to have confronted Zygerrians before, but Tech could not help but be troubled.

The trek across the shining sands was uncomfortable to say the least. The temperature was not ideal, their vision was limited, and it was difficult to walk on the shifting sands. They were silent, as their current circumstances discouraged speaking. It took them seventy-three minutes to get to a point where they could see the base. Luckily the sand settled in such a way that a large dune protected them from sight as they drew nearer.

Sand worked its way into the cracks of Tech's armor as they crawled up the dune. He clenched his jaw against the sensation. He had learned long ago that he had to ignore these discomforts, even if they made him want to rip his armor off.

At the top, they had a fair vantage point around half a klick away from their destination. Tech was able to see the small building, tents, and groups of Zygerrians, as well as a number of ragged figures that Tech assumed to be the slaves.

He felt Taja and Admani tense beside him as the sound of a whip cracked through the air. The beatings continued as Tech flicked down his visor and activated the heat sensors. He grimaced as all he saw was a blur of oranges and reds. He should have considered this. The heat reflecting off of the chromium rich sands made thermal readings useless.

He switched from the heat sensor to his life-form scanner, but it would not be as accurate at this range.

"Twenty-seven hostiles." Tech said into his comm. "Expect them to be armed. There are two dozen prisoners, watched by five rotating guards. The rest are in the base."

"Acknowledged." General Skywalker replied. "Less than I expected. Any sign of our recruits?"

Tech engaged the scope feature in his visor.

"Possibly." He said. "The Ithorian is here, as well as the Mon Calamari. I do not see the Pantorans or the Zabrack."

"Kriff." General Skywalker said. "We'll have to confirm if they were sold or killed. Stay put and be ready. We're on our way."

Tech grimaced as he turned off his comm. It would be over an hour before General Skywalker arrived with the reinforcements. They would have to wait in the hot sun with only cruelty to observe.

Still, Tech paid close attention to the treatment of the slaves. He wished to better understand Taja's experiences. He was disturbed by what he saw. The slaves worked, though Tech could not ascertain their purpose. There was much digging in the sand, which seemed difficult and pointless. They were beaten often, even when Tech could not discern any wrongdoing. The Zygerrians seemed to enjoy their barbarous work. Tech could occasionally hear snatches of laughter and voices on the wind, mingling with cries of pain.

Tech couldn't help but glance at Taja. How was she so- unaffected in her day to day life? She had never said how long she had been a slave, but from what Tech was observing, even a day would leave its mark.

It was a relief when Tech spotted the three squads on the horizon.

Admani readied his rifle as the others reached their dune.

"I've got a good shot into one of the windows." He said. "I'll fire the toxin in there, and again as they come out. Then I'll set up the smokescreen as you get close."

General Skywalker nodded.

"Tech, you're with my squad. Taja, with Jesse's. On my mark." He said. "Go go go!"

Together they surged forward, running low to the ground. Their white plasteel would provide decent camouflage against the glistening sands. They had only made it a third of the way before shouts came from the camp. Just as the first blaster bolts peppered the ground at their feet, a shot trailing orange soared over their heads. It cracked through one of the building's windows. A second shot struck the ground where more and more Zygerrians were gathering.

Tech did not enjoy the pain of other beings, but he felt a certain satisfaction as he caught shouts and screeches as the toxin assaulted the Zygerrian's senses.

By the time Admani fired the smokescreen, a few slavers had already been felled by the clones. The smokescreen exploded and the clones crashed into it.

Tech flipped down his visor, which was able to allow him to pierce the smokescreen somewhat. This made dispatching the enemy a simpler task, made even easier by the fact that a majority of the Zygerrians were using non lethal weapons.

But- something was wrong. No matter how many Zygerrians he shot, their numbers did not seem to decrease. Tech quickly activated his life-form scanner.

His heart dropped.

Twenty-seven Zygerrians had been a vast miscalculation. The numbers kept getting higher: forty, fifty, seventy-five. All appearing as if from nowhere.

This was not just a Separatist base.

It was the entrance to one of the mines. Mines that were protected from his scans by their depth and the chromium.

"General!" Tech bellowed, trying to catch sight of the Jedi's lightsaber.

But the life forms were all around them now, able to move into position with the help of Admani's smokescreen.

This had been a terrible mistake.

Hunter wanted to stun Crosshair, or at least smack him. He understood that Crosshair was worried for Tech; he was too. But he wasn't pacing the ship, snapping at Wrecker, and generally exuding a noxious attitude.

Hunter was surprised that Echo was still hanging around after coming back from his mission. He didn't need to be here. He had other brothers. But he stayed, enduring Crosshair's frustration and providing a steadiness that only he or Tech could provide.

The only downside was that Fives was hanging around too, and he wasn't much of a calming presence for Crosshair.

"If he gets hurt on this mission, he gets to patch himself up." Crosshair said out loud.

Hunter rolled his eyes at Crosshair's empty threats. Fives looked offended, but didn't say anything.

Wrecker glared at Crosshair. Hunter had noticed that he'd been on edge since Tech left.

"Or he could go to the army medics, since he seems to care more-" Crosshair started.

"Shut it!" Wrecker snapped. "Just lay off of him!"

Crosshair turned his steely gaze at Wrecker.

"He's choosing to have nothing to do with us!" He snarled. "Maybe we should so the same-"

Hunter's comm beeped. All five of them looked to it. Hunter answered it, nervous.

"This is-"

"Hunter." It was Captain Rex. Hunter tensed at his urgent tone. "Admani Desai is here- the mission went south. The entire team, except him, were captured."

Hunter allowed himself a sharp inhale and endured the lurch of his stomach before forcing himself into the role of Sergeant again. He ignored Wrecker's wide eyes and Crosshair's snapped toothpick.

"You'll need us for the extraction." Hunter said. "What's the plan?"

"The slaving operation is five times the size we thought it was." Rex said. "Today it's just a full assault with Torrent Company and Commander Tano."

"Right." Hunter said. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as we're ready." Rex said. "Get prepped."

Crosshair, Wrecker, and Echo were already on their feet and moving to grab their gear.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Ahsoka muttered as she watched her men load up on the shuttles. "I knew this would go wrong."

"I know, 'Soka." Rex said. His voice was tight, but with a forced layer of calm over it all. "We can handle it."

Ahsoka nodded and took a deep breath that did little to help her anger and distress.

"Dammit, Anakin." She muttered. "Why didn't you take me? Why didn't you take any of us?"

"He was trying to protect us." Rex said.

"Why did he go then?" Ahsoka snapped before forcing another calming breath.

These emotions had no place in her right now. She would have time to be properly angry at Anakin later. Right now he was in danger, as well as Tup and Jesse. Her throat constricted at the idea of her men, men who had saved her and fought by her side, in the hands of those Force forsaken slavers.

Rex was hiding his own fear well, though Ahsoka could feel it eating away at him.

"How long has it been?" Rex asked quietly.

Ahsoka looked at him.

"Why?"

"I just-" Rex took a deep breath. "The sooner we get there the better."

"They won't break." Ahsoka assured him.

"No." Rex agreed. "I never did."

It was a lie. A part of him had broken on Kadavo. Ahsoka had seen it in the weeks after. It had taken a while to heal, but he had been there for days. Jesse, Tup, Tech, and the others would only be there for hours.

Ahsoka couldn't help but make calculations in her head. It took two and a half hours to get to Ladarra. Admani had said that he'd had to hide from the slavers for over three hours before they stopped looking for him. Including the time it was taking them to prepare and the time it took for Admani to return to the ship, the men would be under the slavers' whips for over ten hours.

There would be no strategic landing when Ahsoka and her men came raining hell down, no stealthy approach. Ahsoka wanted the Zygerrians to see them coming.

Her comm beeped and she swore under her breath. She tried to keep her voice calm as she answered it.

"This is Tano."

"Commander, we've got an incoming communication." It was Wolffe on the other end. "It's- Maul."

Ahsoka resisted the urge to curse again. She almost told Wolffe to get someone else, but Maul only spoke with Jedi. Obi Wan wasn't a choice with Maul in any situation and he was the only other choice here. Besides- Maul seemed to respect Ahsoka. He always reacted better to her than to Anakin.

"I'm on my way." Ahsoka said.

She could at least tell him to kriff off for now.

When she reached the command center, she saw Maul's form in blue hovering over the holo table.

"Ah, Lady Tano." Maul said. "It has come to my attention-"

"I don't have time for you, Maul." Ahsoka said. "We've got a situation on our hands. So unless you can say what you want to say in about three seconds, it has to wait."

"Situation?" Maul asked, as if she hadn't just told him that she was in a hurry.

"Yes." Ahsoka said. "Those kriffing slavers on Ladarro have captured one of our transports, which was piloted by your men."

Maul raised an eyebrow.

"I am well aware." He said. "I wished to inform you, if you did not know."

Ahsoka froze.

"Then why aren't you getting your men out?" She asked. "Why tell us?"

Maul cocked his head.

"I have far less at stake than you if two of my followers are lost." He said. "And we are allies, are we not?"

Ahsoka didn't know how to respond. She expected the callousness of Maul's attitude towards his men. She hadn't known he valued their alliance this much.

"Thank you." She finally said. "But I really need to go."

"Of course." Maul said. "Best of luck, Lady Tano."

Ahsoka returned to Rex arguing with Kix in front of one of the shuttles.

"Kix, we don't need this many med supplies!" Rex was saying.

"They've been in the hands of slavers for hours!" Kix retorted. "I don't know if you remember what state you were in when you got back after Kadavo, but I do!"

"I was there for days, Kix, we're not going to need this much." Rex said. "The more time we spend packing up bacta, the more time they'll have to get hurt."

Kix opened his mouth as if to argue, but Rex put his hand on the medic's shoulder.

"Jesse will be fine, Kix." Rex said, his voice softening slightly. "But we need to go now if he's gonna stay that way."

Kix nodded tightly and returned to the shuttle.

Wolffe, who had followed Ahsoka, approached Rex. He studied Rex, brow furrowed. Then he clapped Rex on the shoulder.

"Give them what they deserve." He said. "Good luck."

Rex's eyes were intense as he nodded.

Ahsoka's comm beeped as Rex followed Kix onto the shuttle.

"This is Tano." She said as she answered it.

"Commander, we're ready to go." It was Hunter."Fives is with us."

There was so much strain in his voice. It hurt Ahsoka to hear. She had a great deal of sympathy for the Batch. They were good men, and to have one of their own captured so soon after Omega was taken was so unfair.

"We still need a few minutes on our end." Ahsoka said. "Standby."

"We can go now." Hunter said. "Scout things out."

"You sure you won't just crash into their base, blasters blazing, and get yourselves captured too?" Ahsoka asked.

Hunter didn't say anything.

"That's what I thought." Ahsoka said. "Give us ten minutes. And then we go."

"Yes, sir." Hunter said in a low, dark voice.

The comm clicked off.

"Commander Tano!" An accented voice called.

Ahsoka turned to see Admani Desai hurrying up to her. He had his rifle slung over his shoulder.

"You're not coming." Ahsoka said.

"Commander-"

"We have the forces." She said. "Your sister will be in good hands."

Admani gritted his teeth.

"Please, Commander." He said. "I can't lose her to them too."

He had been shaken by his encounter with the Zygerrians; she could see it in his eyes and feel it in the Force.

"You are not at your best." Ahsoka said. "Let us take care of it."

He paused, but nodded. Ahsoka patted him on the shoulder. She felt his eyes on her as she turned to board her shuttle. She couldn't help but feel the weight of her mission on her shoulders. It had seemed so light at the beginning of the war. She had been foolish then. Anytime the lives or freedom of good people were in danger, the weight should be enormous.

Tech fitted his hands under a large piece of broken rock and heaved. His muscles strained. He was a soldier. He was used to physical exertion. This was different: hours of intense physical labor with limited access to water or food.

He would endure. That did not mean it would not be painful to do so.

He dropped the piece of rock into the bin he had been ordered to fill. It clattered against the other stones there. He resisted the urge to wipe at the crack in his goggles, born of the first beating he had experienced at the Zygerrians' hands. He'd earned it by merely making a sound of protest as the slavers forced a collar onto Taja's neck. She had been screaming, a sound of pure panic and pain. He did not know where she was now.

He scanned the cavern where the main mine was situated. He could not see her among the other slaves working with the dull grey rock, though he could not be sure. He was only able to search for a few seconds.

It was a few seconds too long.

"Get moving, skug!"

The harsh words allowed Tech to somewhat prepare for the harsher lash against his unarmored back. He gritted his teeth at the combination of stinging and burning pain the electrowhips inflicted.

Tech forced himself into motion before the guard had a chance to strike him again, moving back towards the rocks he was moving for some unknown reason.

The guard in question leered at him with a teeth baring smile. Tech's initial analysis had been correct. These beings enjoyed inflicting pain. Any small infraction was punished harshly, and sometimes the guards took offense to a slave's mere existence.

Tech passed another slave: a clone. Tech had discovered that a significant portion of the slaves here were clones, and that their team had merely added to that number. Tech did not have the energy to hypothesize why.

Well, he was sure he would get answers once the Rebellion rescued them. It was only a matter of time. The Rebellion knew where they were. They would be rescued within a 25 hour rotation. Not to mention that his brothers would come the moment they learned of his capture.

Tech stooped to pick up another rock. His gloves protected him from its texture, but he could already feel the material wearing thin from the constant friction. Once the barrier between the feeling of the stone and his fingers was gone, that would be another step towards his inevitable shut down.

This place was hell for his senses. The sounds of machinery, rock moving, and cries of pain were constant and he didn't have his helmet to combat them. The air was rank with sweat and ozone. Most overwhelming of all was the constant pain of the burns, welts, bruises, and cuts that spattered his body.

His limit would come quickly. He did not know what would happen to him when it did. The Zygerrians likely had no use for a slave that could not endure.

Tech kept working. He longed for his equipment, if only to keep track of time. It would all be easier to bear if he could have a clue as to when his brothers would come for him.

Taja never had that comfort. He thought as he heaved another stone. This would have been her new life.

The idea was unfathomable.

The slaves around him began to perk up slightly. Tech followed their gaze to the troughs being brought to their section of the mine. Guards began filling them with water from spigots from the ground. Tech licked his dry, chapped lips, but he continued his route. Any movement towards the water before the foreman gave the command was punished by being forced to wait until the next water break to drink.

The foreman gave a shrill whistle, indicating that they were allowed to approach.

Tech let out a long sigh as he stumbled towards the troughs. Other slaves pushed past him. He let them. He could not spare the energy to fight to the front of the pack. That meant when he reached the water, it would be dirtied and lukewarm. He would have to not care.

A flash of red and gold caught his eye. Tech turned his head to see Taja at the edge of the pressing crowd. Her eyes were downturned and her head bowed.

Tech did not immediately push his way to her. He instead eased himself in her direction as the mass of slaves moved forward.

"Taja." He whispered as he finally found himself next to her.

Her green eyes flicked to him for only a moment before fixing on the ground again. He recognized her posture: shame.

"We cannot speak." She said, barely loud enough for Tech to hear.

Her voice was so different from what it was before: dull and flat. She seemed a different person. All of her confidence was gone.

Tech knew it was foolishness to risk speaking more, but he found he could not leave her in such a despondent state.

"They will come for us." Tech said. "It will not be long now."

Taja shook her head.

"It will be too late." She breathed. "I feel their eyes. They will take me for breeding."

Tech stiffened. She had explained to him that a breeder was little more than a pleasure slave.

"No." He said. "You are marked. Your lekku-"

"I did this to myself." Taja whispered. "I was one of hundreds of Togruta. They never bothered to check. But here-"

Tech felt cold. Here, she was unique. He had seen no other Togruta. She would be noticed.

Tech's eyes were drawn to the stumps of her lekku. She had mutilated herself to protect herself from a terrible fate. It seemed that here, the pain she had endured was for naught.

"The others will be here soon." Tech found himself saying.

Taja shook her head. She did not believe it would be in time. Tech did not believe it himself. There was nothing Tech could do. Any attempt to keep Taja from the Zygerrians would likely end in severe punishment for them both. He could not protect her.

The fact that he could not burned.

As always, from the top!

Ladarra is a real planet in the Star Wars Canon, though all we know is that it was a desert planet with a failed chromium mine. It is near Yavin, and it is on the edge of what was Separatist space, so I decided it made sense for there to be a base there.

Oops. Mistakes were made.

Crosshair likes to make himself feel better by complaining and making empty threats. But the second he learns Tech is in actual danger, he's ready to tear the galaxy apart.

I love the idea that Maul is more respectful of powerful women because he was from a matriarchal society.

I'm sorry, Tech. I hurt who I love. A lot.

I was considering Taja, and that her lekku were severed to show that she wasn't fit for breeding and I thought 'wait but why isn't she fit for breeding?' and then I decided she did it to herself to protect herself.

Right, I think that's everything!

Stay safe, remember to review, and have a great week!