HELLO EVERYONE

I'm sorry for the later posting, I'm still off from getting only 3 hours of sleep Tuesday night.

Speaking of which:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

HOLY CRAP. HOOOOLY CRAP THAT WAS AMAZING. I'll keep it spoiler free for now, and I don't have time to gush about everything I loved about the TBB season 3 premier. The only thing I would change is to add a few scenes.

Wait, one spoiler. I totally CALLED Omega being kidnapped, being used as an assistant, and then her suddenly becoming important to the project. I CALLED IT. If they turn Omega force sensitive through experimentation, I think it's safe to say that Jennifer Corbett reads my fic.

Lothcat99: It's been fun watching you react to all the chapters! And thank you, I apparently think the same as the writers in any case!

Merelmoujke: Thank you! And lol yes, I should have made it clear: I don't know if Ventress is alive or dead in this fic. I know she's alive in TBB and I'm so excited!

Mando'a translations at the end!

ABSOLVED: Chapter 41

Rex let his mind wander, just a bit. He'd normally keep himself razor focused on the mission, but he wasn't much use right now with his crushed cybernetic leg. He listened to the orders, watched what was going on, but in one corner of his mind he indulged in a small distraction.

Our baby.

Despite the situation, a thrill ran through him. He longed to hold Ahsoka in private. To comfort her. To celebrate with her. To thank her for giving him the impossible.

Rex glanced at her. She leaned out of the side of the gunship, staring over the city. If he hadn't seen her do this dozens of times, he might have been worried.

But he was worried, though not for her safety. She was so conflicted and unsure about her choice. He felt her search in the Force for answers.

He didn't need the Force to know she had made the right choice.

Rex tensed as the gunship rocked.

"They've definitely noticed us, sir." Deck said. "We've got three bogeys on us."

"They won't stay for long." Ahsoka said. "Palpatine is gone. They have nothing to protect here."

"They might have orders to act like he's here." Rex spoke up. "They might even be looking for the General, since he's injured."

He had to speak louder than even his raised gunship voice. The twins had begun to cry. They shrieked, noises Rex hadn't realized that humans could make.

"Sir-" One of the medics approached Rex. "They keep reaching for you or the Commander. Would you mind?"

Rex blinked, but gestured for the twins. If he was going to be a buir, he could use the practice. Another harried medic came forward and handed the squalling kids to Rex. They quieted almost immediately. Luke nestled quickly into the crook of Rex's arm. Leia latched onto his chest.

"Hang on there, adi'ke." Rex found himself saying. "We're off to get your dad."

The ship rocked again and Ahsoka barked out an order. Rex tightened his grip on the babies. Luke whimpered.

"It's all right." Rex murmured. "I've got you."

He noticed Ahsoka's eyes on him. Her expression was soft as she looked. He shot her a grin.

"We're approaching the General's location!" Deck reported.

"I see him!" Ahsoka said, peering from the side of the ship. "Kriff. Get the ship as close to the building as you can!"

The gunship lurched and Rex could see a lone figure clinging to the side of the Senate building. As they drew nearer, Rex could make out the slumped form of General Skywalker, exhausted.

"Anakin!" Ahsoka shouted.

General Skywalker looked up and Rex suppressed a gasp. There was something wrong with the General's face. Rex couldn't see the details, but he'd clearly been injured.

The General and Ahsoka seemed to communicate silently for a moment. Then, the General jumped. Ahsoka threw out her hands and caught him, pulling him into the ship.

A gaggle of medics swarmed him. The General waved them away and turned to Rex.

Rex swallowed. Half of the General's face was- withered. Deep furrows creased the left side of his face and strange burn spread there. His lip seemed to pull away slightly from his teeth.

But his eyes were still his General's and he looked at Rex, and more accurately the twins, with wonder.

"General-" Rex started.

The General lunged forward and engulfed Rex, Luke, and Leia in his arms. Rex blinked, stunned. The General was a hugger, yes, but he'd never done something like this. It was mostly smacks on the back, or an arm around the shoulders at most.

"My babies." The General said. "Thank you, Rex. Thank you."

"Of course, sir." Rex said.

The General took a shuddering breath and let Rex go. Luke whined and reached for his father. General Skywalker held his arms out and Rex gave them up. Leia babbled something to Rex, and he got a vague feeling of gratitude before she let go.

General Skywalker sat down in front of Rex and silently held Luke and Leia to him. The babies cooed and touched their father's face. Rex couldn't help but smile at the sight. He knew how the General had suffered being parted from his family.

The General stayed there even as Ahsoka shouted orders and the gunship lurched.

"General." Rex said. "You said you were injured. I suggest you let the medics take a look at you."

General Skywalker looked up with reddened eyes. The damage to his face unnerved Rex.

"Fine." The General said.

Rex nodded to one of the hovering medics, Crate. The clone hurried forward to study the General's face.

"Sir, what caused these injuries?" Crate asked. "They're like burns, but not like any I've seen."

The General just looked down at the twins.

"The Dark Side can take the form of lightning." He said. "I don't think there's much you can do."

Rex noticed Ahsoka pause ever so slightly in her command. He remembered the single time she had manifested the Force as lightning. It had been powerful enough to take down a tri droid. Rex now saw its effects on flesh.

Crate paused, but continued in his examination.

"Bacta's more likely to help than harm." He said.

"Sir, the enemy has disengaged!" Rex heard Deck report.

Ahsoka didn't respond. She was staring out of the gunship, an odd expression on her face.

'Soka? Rex asked.

I thought I sensed- it's nothing. She replied.

Rex could feel more confusion in her, but he didn't press her.

"Padme." General Skywalker said. It had taken longer than Rex had expected for him to ask after her. "Is she safe? Is she all right?"

Padme clung to the handstrap of the gunship, though it was a stretch to reach. The ship jolted and she nearly let go.

"They really don't want you to get away." Fives commented.

Padme nodded grimly. For the last hour they had fled in the wake of the TK troopers of the Coruscant Guard. They'd taken heavy damage. They hadn't shaken their pursuers even in the labyrinth of the lower levels and every moment they got further from the safety of the venators. Still, Padme felt safer with the six ARC troopers surrounding her in gunship's bay than she ever had in Palpatine's Empire.

Tup looked down at her.

"I don't know how much longer we'll last in the air, ma'am." He said.

The ship lurched to punctuate his statement.

Padme swallowed.

"What are our options?" She asked.

"Landing won't be easy." Jesse said.

"Any landing we do will be of the crash variety." The fourth ARC, introduced to Padme as Scales, put in.

The final two ARCs, Horn and Talon, nodded.

"Wyvern Company specialized in crash landings, though." Talon said.

"No way that you had more than Torrent." Fives said with a dismissive air. "General Skywalker had the record, I think."

Padme got the feeling that they were trying to put her at ease, though she could see their tense postures. She appreciated the effort.

"They're right ma'am." Tup said. "I think that our best bet is to attempt a controlled crash."

Padme turned to the others.

"Do you agree?" She asked.

They all nodded.

"Do it." Padme ordered.

Fives relayed the order to their pilot.

"Brace yourself." He told Padme. "The next hit and we'll go down."

Padme tensed and was at least somewhat prepared when the ship rocked once more. What she wasn't prepared for was the lurch in her stomach as they began to plummet.

She expected the shots raining down on them to stop.

They didn't.

Fives cursed.

"They want us dead." He said. "Kriff, I'd thought they would want you as a prisoner-"

Padme felt her face drain of blood as their descent became far more erratic, the ship spinning.

"Brace!"

Despite a galaxy's worth of aches and pains, Tup forced himself to his feet. It wasn't until he started moving that he registered his surroundings. The gunship had split in half, both pieces lying on their sides. It seemed that Tup was thrown from the ship right before it crashed. He couldn't see movement beyond the flickering flames.

They needed to go, if he wasn't the only survivor. If the Empire was halfway competent, they'd send troops to confirm their deaths.

"Fives!" Tup shouted even as he ran to the wreckage. "Senator! Jesse!"

He heard a groan and to his immense relief, he saw some of the debris shift. Fives crawled out from underneath. Tup ran to him.

"I'm okay, Tup'ika." Fives said before Tup could ask. "Don't fuss."

Together they climbed into the broken ship. They froze as they took in what was inside. Talon knelt, clutching the lifeless body of Horn to his chest. Horn's head hung at a deadly angle.

"Talon-" Fives started.

"I know." Talon's voice was broken. "I just- I don't want to leave him alone yet."

Tup nodded and turned his attention to the rest of the ship. His heart jolted as he saw a scrap of fine looking cloth in the corner. He sprinted to it and heaved up a fallen weapon's locker. Senator Amidala lay curled underneath, blood wetting the side of her head. Tup went cold and he knelt to place his fingers on her neck. He let out a long breath as he felt a pulse thudding under his touch.

"Senator?" He asked.

Senator Amidala groaned and blinked open her eyes. It took too long for her to focus on him.

"Tup?" She asked. "Where-"

She trailed off, blinking up at him. She lifted a hand to her ear.

"What's that noise?" She mumbled.

"Please follow my finger with your eyes, ma'am." Tup said.

He grimaced as her eyes trailed his moving finger at a lethargic pace.

Tup heard Fives approach.

"Jesse's got a broken arm and Scales has a few bad burns and a piece of shrapnel in his calf." Fives said. "Tix- he crashed us cockpit first, probably to try and protect us."

Tup took a deep breath. Their pilot had been an eager, younger clone.

"How's the senator?" Fives asked.

"Concussed." Tup said, leaning back. He paused, looking at her. "Er- Senator?"

Senator Amidala had turned her head and her eyes were filled with tears. Tup followed her gaze to Talon and Horn.

"Is he dead?" She whispered.

Tup sighed.

"I'm sorry." He said. "Tix- didn't make it either."

Senator Amidala began to cry in earnest.

"Please, no more!" She sobbed. "Too- too many clones have died for me!"

Tup's heart twisted for her. She cared so much, her emotions unlocked by the concussion.

"I'm sorry." He said again.

"We need to go." Fives said.

"Right." Tup said. "Senator, I'm going to carry you, all right?"

He wouldn't normally be so forward, but they'd be slowed down enough by Scales.

Senator Amidala stared at him before finally nodding. Tup gathered her into his arms as gently as he could. He tried to ignore how his heart beat just a little bit faster as he did so.

"Talon!" Fives called again. "We've got to go. Now."

Tup could see Talon shudder before pulling his brother into a final keldabe kiss. Then he laid Horn down for a final time.

"We shouldn't have to leave him." He said as Fives helped Scales to his feet. "They're just going to throw him away like trash."

"I know." Fives said quietly. "But there's nothing we can do."

There hadn't ever been anything they could do for fallen brothers. It was common to have to leave the dead on the battlefield. But after months of relative safety and freedom, Tup could see the slap in the face it was to Talon.

Tup looked at the crushed cockpit, where Tix still was. It was a slap in the face to all of them.

Tech paused at the entrance of the small, curtained off area that contained Omega's sick bed. Wrecker sat on the cot. He cradled Omega's body in his arms. A sharp fear pierced Tech's heart, but then he saw her chest rise and fall.

Hunter pushed past Tech. Wrecker looked up and shook his head with a stern expression. Hunter hesitated, but nodded. He took a seat to the side, eyes on Omega. Echo passed Tech too and joined Hunter.

Tech studied Omega. She was thin and ashen, red marks peeking over the edge of her medical gown. Her brow was furrowed and she occasionally shifted and whimpered in her sleep. Her hands were knotted into Wrecker's blacks.

Tech took out his datapad and prepared a scan. Wrecker shook his head harder. Tech paused and slowly put the pad away. He was confused. What harm could a scan do? But he had learned to defer to Wrecker when his brother had that expression.

Tech looked around the room. Hunter, Echo, Wrecker, Omega, Tech himself. They were almost complete.

Tech reached up to his right eye and mimed a cross over it in the air. Wrecker's expression darkened further. He just shrugged and looked away. Tech's heart sank. He needed more information. If could not learn more about Omega's condition, perhaps he could glean something about Crosshair's.

Tech stepped forward and lightly touched Omega's hand. Relief flooded him despite her status. She was injured, yes, but she was returned to them. They could make things right.

Couldn't they?

Tech turned away and slipped out into the main medbay.

"Excuse me." He said to a trooper hurrying by.

The clone paused and Tech could tell he was harried.

"Do you happen to know of my brother's condition?" Tech asked. "CT-9904, Crosshair. He was admitted to surgery a few hours ago."

The clone sighed and ran his hand through already disheveled hair.

"I'm sorry, but we've been hit by an influx of patients due to the retreat." He said. "I don't know anything about your brother. I'm sorry. You probably won't know until it's done."

Tech swallowed.

"I see." He said. "Thank you."

The medic nodded and ran by. Tech stayed where he was. He was- frightened. For Crosshair, of course. This reminded him far too potently of the hours waiting after Wrecker's accident. At least he knew that they would not decommission Crosshair.

But- the fear was not just for Crosshair, but for when Omega woke. Hunter had described how much she'd changed. When she opened her eyes, would Tech know her?

He did not turn back. A part of him, the part that he had to accommodate and work around, protested like a child. He did not want to adjust to this. He did not want Omega to have changed. He wanted their lives to return to normal.

He chided himself for his selfish thoughts. He would adapt. Change was a fundamental part of life. He had learned that harsh lesson long ago.

Still, he did not move.

He was not quite sure of how long he had stood there before Echo came looking for him.

"She's awake." Echo said. "She wants to see you."

At his words, Tech felt able to move again. He wished to run, but restrained himself. His anxiety over her condition was overcome with anticipation. It felt- real now. His sister, no matter how changed, was returned to him.

Omega, still in Wrecker's arms, looked up as Tech entered. She did not smile as he had hoped she would. Instead her eyes filled with tears, though they were already red. She held her arms out and Tech willingly embraced her. He rocked back and forth as he had practiced.

After months of stress and strain, she was back with them. He would not fail her again.

"Omega." He said. She heaved a sob at the sound of her name. "Are you well?"

His heart sank as she shook her head.

"There's something wrong with me." She whispered. "I feel different. Inside."

Tech placed her gently back in Wrecker's lap and knelt by the cot.

"May I scan you?" He asked. "I may be able to determine the issue."

Omega looked- afraid. Of Tech. It caused a pain he had not thought possible.

"Omega," He said. "I would not hurt you."

What had happened to her to cause her to fear her brothers in any way? She straightened somewhat and took a deep breath. She curled her hand around Wrecker's, who took it quickly. Then she nodded.

Tech felt his brothers' gazes on him as he lifted his datapad. Omega herself had her eyes squeezed shut.

Tech felt the need to explain what he was doing to her.

"Right now I am scanning your body for irregularities compared to previous scans I have taken of you." He said. "Ideally I would do blood work-"

Omega gasped and shook her head, pressing tightly against Wrecker. Wrecker glared at Tech.

"But that is not necessary now." Tech said quickly. He paused, thinking. Scans themselves were not painful but they were clearly distressing to Omega. "Omega, what did they do to you after you were scanned?"

Hunter and Wrecker gave Tech an angry look, but Omega took a shaky breath.

"They- he- would take my blood." Omega said. Her voice used to be so strong, but now each word shuddered. "And injected things. It would- hurt. I would feel sick for days."

Wrecker tensed. Hunter stood up and went immediately to Omega's side. Echo began to pace. Tech merely closed his eyes. They all knew the pain of experimentation: Echo as a prisoner of war, the Batch as cadets. All any of them had wanted was for Omega to escape the suffering they had endured. For her to live as normal a life as they could provide.

They had failed. They had been given their most important mission yet, and they had failed.

"You don't have to talk about it, Omega." Hunter said.

"But-" Omega's voice was shaking, but she kept speaking. "It might- might help Tech figure out what's wrong with me."

A nauseous feeling crept over Tech.

"No." He said. "I made an error. We do not need this information at this moment."

He did not want Omega to think she needed to be strong.

"What's important right now is that you're safe." Echo said, approaching her. "And- hopefully Crosshair will be too."

Omega nodded and reached for Echo. He hugged her and muttered something Tech couldn't hear. Tech frowned as she winced from the embrace.

Tech did not know what to do. He had so much knowledge, but none seemed at all helpful pertaining to his broken little sister.

He would change that. He would research every corner of the holonet to find out how to help Omega. There were other resources. He could ask Taja-

Tech began to feel nauseous again. Taja- had been the one to capture Omega.

No. He argued with himself. She had not known. She had been tricked. He had forgiven her. He loved her.

But when he looked at Omega- his sister- he could not put what Taja had done from his mind.

These thoughts hurt. Thoughts should not cause pain like this. It was far more difficult to endure than physical injuries.

He was therefore relieved when a medic entered.

"Hunter, right?" The medic asked. "Your brother is out of surgery."

Hunter straightened and all of them stared at the medic.

"Can we see him?" Hunter demanded. "Is he all right?"

"He's stable." The medic said. "Follow me. The surgeon can explain more."

Wrecker got up, cradling Omega, and they all followed the medic. The medbay was full, packed with injured troopers and civilians alike. The assault had been a success, but clearly the cost had been high.

The medic led them to a private room near the back. Crosshair lay on a bed inside. His eyes were bandaged and bacta patches covered his chest, arms, and face. A monitor nearby displayed his steady heartbeat. He seemed unconscious.

Another clone medic stood by his bed.

"You must be his brothers." He said. "I'm Sawbones. I've got- news."

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked.

"He's alive." Sawbones said. Tech nearly rolled his eyes. They could see that. "We were worried for a while that he wouldn't stay that way. His burns are extensive, but he'll recover in time. They're prepping the bacta tank for him now."

He hesitated and Tech went even colder.

"He suffered severe blunt and puncture trauma to his eyes from shrapnel." Sawbones said. "We won't know the extent until he wakes, but- he will have significant vision loss. He might even be blind."

Tech stared at the medic, along with the rest of the Batch.

Blind? Crosshair could be blind?

"Do we have any options for cybernetics?" Hunter asked.

It did not matter, Tech knew as the medic explained the lack of resources. Crosshair's eyes were better than any common cybernetic. The Kaminoans would have replaced Crosshair's eyes if cybernetics would have improved his performance.

Out of all of them, Crosshair was the most jealous of his position within the squad and his ability to act within that position. And he despised change.

Tech became as afraid for Crosshair's mental state as he was Omega's.

"Let him wake up before you dunk him." Hunter said. "Let him talk to us."

Tech agreed. Crosshair, even if he would never admit it, would be frightened enough upon waking.

Sawbones hesitated. Tech opened his mouth to give an argument based on the efficacy of bacta and the recovery time from sedation, but then the medic nodded.

"The seds should wear off within the hour." He said, clicking a button on one of the IVs. "Call us when he's ready for the tank."

The Batch settled down to wait. Hunter leaned against the wall and Echo joined him. Wrecker settled on the floor while still holding Omega. She didn't stay for long. She crawled out of his lap to approach Crosshair's bedside. She laid her head on it as she took his hand. Tech frowned at the way she sagged against the cot. She was so weak.

"Omega-" Hunter started.

"I want to stay." Omega said. "I'm- I'm the reason he's like this. I'll stay until he wakes up."

"It wasn't your fault, Omega." Echo said quietly. "Crosshair knew what he was getting into when he came to rescue you. We all did."

Omega didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"When Crosshair was decanted, he wasn't strong." She said. Tech perked up. She did not often speak of their first days together. He was not sure why. "Nala Se was going to decommission him, but his eyes had turned out perfectly. She decided to give him a chance."

Omega wiped at her eyes.

"I was so scared for him all the time." She went on. "He'd barely meet requirements. His eyes were the only thing that kept him alive."

Wrecker shuffled forward to put his arm around her bony shoulders.

"We are no longer under the control of Nala Se or the Kaminoans." Tech said. "Crosshair's life is not in danger."

"He's going to hurt." Omega said. "He hurts already. A part of him knows."

The certainty in Omega's voice made Tech shiver.

"How do you know?" Echo asked.

Omega didn't look back at them.

"I can feel it."

A new suspicion began to gnaw at the back of Tech's mind.

Mando'a:

buir: parent

Adi'ke: little ones

Tup'ika: little Tup

From the top!

I can and will abuse the idea of Force sensitive children for my own cute scenes. They know their uncle Rex.

Anakin got BLASTED. Oh well, he should count his blessings. At least he's not in canon. Or Obi Wan in this fic.

Uh oh, what weird thing is Ahsoka sensing?

Not me introducing a few clones and then immediately murdering one in the next scene. (Wyvern company has caught my imagination, and I might create a Jedi and Commander for them)

Padme's crying here is drawn from watching my sister cry about everything with her recent concussion. Also, if you read my one shot Flowers, you'll know that Tup has a crush on Padme.

WELP just stranded Padme.

TECH MY BELOVED. I miss his presence so much already. And Echo. I miss Echo.

Tech's thoughts about not wanting to have to change to deal with things is directly lifted from my own, stubborn autistic thoughts when things go wrong.

After the premiere and Omega going feral, it feels weird that Omega is so weak here. I figure it's realistic because this is season 1 Omega who was kidnapped and then medically tortured for weeks. So I'm sticking with it.

Tech is now discovering the drawbacks of dating your sister's kidnapper. As an aside, I will not be replacing Taja with Phee in this fic, though you all know how much I love Phee. I have committed. I also never said that there wouldn't be severe roadblocks to Taja and Tech's relationship.

I am so sorry, Crosshair. (not sorry enough to not do it lol)(also another parallel, shaking hands/vision loss making him a less effective sniper)

Crosshair's eyes have to be better than cybernetics. Otherwise, when creating the ultimate sniper, they would have just gotten rid of his eyes. At least, that's how I interpret it.

You may want to ask Taja who her therapist is, Tech.

I want more content about the Baby Batch and Baby Omega. There is so much cuteness possible.

Well, I should probably go to bed now and recover from my insane act of waiting up for the premiere.

Stay safe, remember to review, and I'll see you in two weeks!