Hello everyone!

I'm so sorry about the delay. First, I was in charge of my sister's baby shower and I had no time to get the chapter finished. And then the day before yesterday, I got sick! Yaaaaaaaay. But I finished it up today, and I'm pleased how it went.

SWNerd4Life: Ew. Ads. I might have to look into it though, it seems like good background noise for when I work. Yes, Shoe is Shoe. It's actually based off of a very funny comment from one of my readers on AO3, who mentioned that he was the other shoe dropping. I enjoyed it thoroughly. And we'll see how things go with everyone this time!

Mando'a translations at the end!

RESTITUTION: Chapter 9

Tech allowed himself exactly one second of shock before ducking back into the mine entrance.

"Browneyes?" Phee poked her head out from behind an open panel. "Something wrong?"

"The Empire is here." Tech said quickly. His mind raced. How could this be? "I would suggest delaying your departure."

Phee raised an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't it be better to try and get out now?" She asked.

Tech clutched his datapad.

"Perhaps. I- do not know." He said. "I do not have enough information to make that determination with complete confidence. But in most scenarios, it would be best to wait."

He looked back to the Marauder, out in the salt.

"I will return with my ship momentarily." He said.

He sprinted back out to his ship, leaving bright red footsteps. He saw tiny flecks breaking away from the so called Star Destroyer. A landing party, or setting up a formation?

"Defiant, come in." Tech said, activating the comms as he guided his ship into the hangar. He could not completely hide his presence, but it would be best to remove his ship from sight. "Defiant, this is Havoc Marauder, come in."

The comms just buzzed with static.

"This is not ideal." Tech muttered to himself.

Had they been betrayed? Tech ran through possibilities as he disembarked. Echo had mentioned prisoners, but how would they know where the Defiant was heading? But who else would leak information to the Empire? More important was the question of how much the Empire knew.

Phee joined Tech as he moved to the entrance of the mine and peered up into the sky.

"I cannot contact the 501st." He told her. "I believe the comms are being jammed as well."

Phee cursed and in a moment Tech knew that it was not because of his news. Several of the Empire's ships were growing closer.

"What are the chances that they're looking for us?" Phee asked. "And what are the chances they'll find us?"

Tech glanced at her.

"I doubt they are here specifically looking for you." He said. "But it is likely that they are searching for me. There are few mines on this planet and their locations are well documented. As we are unable to erase the marks of our arrival, it is probable that they will be able to find our location in a timely fashion. As I am likely their target, I would suggest you conceal your presence until they leave."

Phee straightened and put her hands on her hips.

"We're a team now." She said. "I won't just run away and hide while those stormtroopers hunt you down."

Tech blinked.

"I shall appreciate the help." He said. "Our first objective should be to close this bay, if possible."

Phee nodded and pointed to one of the maintenance panels.

"I gave it a go when I got here, but I decided it wasn't worth the effort."

"I believe it will be in this particular case." Tech said.

He expected her to follow him to the panel. She did not, instead going to the skimmers he had seen earlier. She seemed to notice his gaze and nodded towards the panel.

"As much as I enjoyed our lesson earlier, now isn't the time for another one." She said. "I figure if we can get these old fellas working, we can send them off to make a false trail."

Tech nodded. A clever ploy.

"I will give you warning when I am ready to close the door."

"Appreciate it."

Tech crouched in front of the panel. It was easier to open due to Phee's use of it earlier. He grimaced at the sight of the tangled wires and rusted components within. He did not wonder at Phee deciding that it was not worth the effort.

He began his work. He could hear Phee's rattles and curses as she tested the skimmers. Her idea was a good one, but the chances of her successfully repairing the skimmers within the time restraint was-

An engine roared to life behind him. Tech turned and saw Phee grinning as she aimed the vehicle out the hangar bay doors.

"Go and get 'em, hun." She said to the skimmer, and then dropped a piece of scrap on the accelerator.

The skimmer rocketed forward, past Tech, and into the sunlight. He watched it and the spray of red following it for a moment more before turning back to his work.

Phee managed to get one more skimmer going and flying away by the time Tech finished his task.

"Door shutting now." He announced.

A large screeching noise made Tech activate the noise canceling feature of his helmet as the large door started easing down. Phee walked over with a grimace on her face. They watched the door close together. Tech disabled the noise canceling as it finished closing.

"-they didn't hear that." Phee was saying.

Tech nodded.

"They are unlikely to." He said. "I estimate that we still have time before they land and the chances that they could discern the noise from inside their ships is very low."

Phee rolled her eyes, but she was- smiling. Odd.

"Do you think we should go hide deeper in?" She asked.

Tech considered. Yes, that could be advantageous.

"That would leave us unaware of our enemy's movements and our ships open to sabotage." He said.

"Well, we better decide soon." Phee said.

As she spoke, Tech heard the roar of approaching ships. She was correct.

"How about a trap?" Phee asked. "One of us stays as bait, the other goes deeper to set something up. The bait leads the troopers to the trap."

Tech cocked his head and then nodded.

"I'll be the bait." Phee said. Tech frowned. Phee should not have been able to tell, as his helmet was on, but she still said, "Don't be such a gentleman. I bet you'll be able to set up a better snare than me. Besides, I've been here a few hours. I'm more familiar with the place, so I'll better be able to lead them to wherever the trap is."

"I am hesitant to allow you to do so." Tech said. "We had standing orders to protect civilians. However- your logic is sound. One moment."

He went into his ship and found one of the spare comms. He gave it to Phee.

"We need a way to communicate." He said.

Phee smiled for an unknown reason.

"You're right." She said. "But I thought comms were down."

"The focus of the block is for interplanetary signals. These should be fine within the range we need." Tech said.

"All right then. Let's move out, or whatever you military types say." Phee said.

"Move out is correct." Tech told her. "Good luck."

She gave him a lazy, two fingered salute. He turned and delved into the darkness of the mine.

Fives and Echo moved as one, shoving in front of Rex and blocking him from the stream of troopers rushing into the ship. Jesse joined them a moment later. Rex growled and would have shouldered past them if he didn't worry about distracting them. Instead, he began barking orders.

"Get that cadet off of the bridge!" He snapped. "Form a line! Don't let them past!"

His brothers sprang into action to fulfill his orders, as always. Reaper snatched up Shoe and hauled the cadet away, the boy all the while screaming about them being traitors.

Rex continued with a stream of orders, trying to keep up. He repressed a flinch every time a brother fell. Echo and Fives had launched themselves into the group of stormtroopers and were proving exactly why they were ARCs.

Not every place the enemy had boarded was faring as well. Rex kept getting reports of clones being overwhelmed and having to retreat. Not every stormtrooper squad was met with twenty armed clones as they boarded. Rex was sure that there were places where the enemy had boarded without running into anyone.

It took precious minutes, but Rex heaved a sigh of relief when stormtroopers stopped emerging from the attached transport. He signaled for Echo and Fives to sweep the enemy ship.

"Jesse, watch those doors and keep the bridge secure." Rex said when they returned. He went to the bridge's engineering station which was staffed by Mile. "Mile, we need to know where they've boarded."

As Mile pointed out the compromised areas, Rex moved troops into position. He made sure there were at least three squads for each defense point. There were only a few dozen enemy troopers in each transport it seemed. The problem was that there were almost a hundred transports latched to their ship.

Soon reports of engaging the enemy trickled in. But there were too many telling him that the squads had found no troopers on board the transports.

"Hunt them down!" Rex ordered. "We'll lock down your sector!"

"Sir!" One clone reported. "They've taken the detention block! Lt. Warden isn't responding!"

Rex froze and looked down to the lightsaber he still had clipped to his belt.

General Skywalker.

"Fives, Echo!" He barked out. "With me! The General in down in the detention block! We need to extract him!"

"Since when does the General need extrac-" Fives trailed off as he caught sight of the lightsaber. "Oh, kriff. You didn't give it back?"

Rex grit his teeth. He'd been- preoccupied, and they had been watched so closely by those cadets.

"Nevermind that. Let's go!" Rex said.

"Echo and I can do this." Fives said. "You stay-"

Rex whirled on Fives.

"My life is not worth more than yours!" He hissed. "We're soldiers! We have a duty, a duty that we chose this time!"

"And if you die?" Fives shot back. "You chose to be Commander Jr.'s dad! That's your duty too!"

Rex swallowed. The idea of never meeting his son pierced him like a vibroknife and burned like it too. But-

"General Skywalker risks his life for us." Rex said firmly. "And he's in the exact same situation as I am."

Fives looked like he wanted to argue, but Echo spoke.

"You've got Senna, Fives." He said. "Does that mean you shouldn't go?"

Fives looked away, hands clenched.

"Let's move out." Rex said.

Ahsoka paced. The med droid had advised that she rest, but she could not stay still at a time like this. So she paced, despite the pain and exhaustion, holding her baby to her chest.

She tensed as a knock came at her door.

"Mrs. Tano, you have more visitors." The med droid chirped as it came in. Then it saw her. "Mrs. Tano! You are on bedrest!"

"Kriff bedrest!" Ahsoka snapped.

She paused, seeing who the droid had brought.

"Are you okay, Ahsoka?" Omega asked.

The entire Batch, omitting the obvious two, were hovering behind her. Ahsoka stared at them. Now of all times? She'd have to tell them. They deserved to know.

"The mission's gone bad." Ahsoka forced out. "We've lost contact with Tech and the 501st."

She immediately regretted saying it so bluntly. Crosshair and Hunter were rigid and tense, while Wrecker and Omega's eyes went wide. Their distress fed her own. Ahsoka felt like crying, though she knew much of it was the hormones of birth.

"What do we know?" Hunter asked.

He pushed with Omega into the room. Wrecker guided Crosshair in after them.

"Not much." Ahsoka said softly. "I felt- something and I had Tup try to contact them. Nothing. I can't find out more through Rex or Anakin, otherwise I could distract them. But something is wrong."

The Batch stared at her. Ahsoka wanted to comfort them, but the only comforting thing that she knew was that Rex and Anakin were alive. Nothing else, nothing about Echo or Tech.

"He arrived at Crait." Crosshair muttered. "He sent us an update when he got there."

"Then Rex must have arrived as well." Ahsoka said. Ad'ika fussed in her arms. She tried to comfort him as her mind raced. "If we can't reach either of them, they're probably in the same place that's having the comms blocked."

Hunter nodded, but then winced as Ad'ika squalled.

"Hush." Ahsoka murmured.

She tried to soothe her baby's distress in the Force, but he threw her off in a way she had never experienced. He was crying for his father and for his mother's distress. Kriff, she was so new at this. She didn't know how to deal with both of their heartache.

"Here." Omega said. Her voice was empty, but she reached for Adi'ika. "I used to help Nala Se calm my brothers down."

Ahsoka wanted to pull away. This was her baby, but- Omega was his ba'vodu. Ahsoka hesitantly let Ad'ika go. Omega experimentally bounced the baby up and down and then looked around. She plucked a pacifier from a small pile of baby things the med droid had brought and pushed it into Ad'ika's mouth.

"Crosshair really liked these too." Omega said as Ad'ika's crying died down. "What can we do to help everyone?"

Ahsoka shook her head, trying to clear it.

"Gek- Gek and Wolffe are patrolling the Coruscant ring." Ahsoka said. Ever since the Siege of Coruscant, it and a few planets in the inner rim still raged with chaos. It created a bubble of space filled with pirates and marauders that needed to be kept in check. "They should be able to get to the 501st."

"Then let's get that done." Hunter said.

His voice was taut and Ahsoka could see how he hated not being able to do anything. Crosshair, by the way his fingernails were digging into his upper arms, felt the same way. Ahsoka grabbed her comm.

"Tup." She said. "Contact the 104th and send them to Crait."

"Already done, sir." Tup's voice said promptly. "I was about to contact you. General Kenobi signed off on it."

"Obi Wan?" Ahsoka asked. Why- why was that such a surprise? "Um- good. Good. Keep me updated."

"Of course." Tup said. "Tup out."

Ahsoka slowly put the comm down. Part of her was relieved that help was already on the way. But- she knew exactly how the Batch were feeling now. She was so used to being able to act, even from afar. Having that taken away, while people she loved were in danger, was hell.

Tech was frustrated that he could not go faster, but the darkness, narrow beam of his light, and the uneven terrain necessitated a slow pace.

"I think my trick worked." Phee's voice from his comm sounded pleased. "They haven't come knocking yet, at the very least. How's it going on your end?"

Tech looked around, taking in the rough stone and jutting crystals around him.

"I am formulating a plan." He said. "I just need to find an appropriate location."

"Good." Phee said. She sounded relaxed, like they were not being hunted by the Empire. "Tell me what you need to do, I might have seen the right spot."

"A good idea. I have tested how the crystals react to force." Tech explained as he clambered over fallen rocks. "They tend to shatter into many pieces without much effort."

"Yeah, I noticed that a while back, before you showed up." Phee said. "Got curious and dropped a rock on one."

Tech nodded his approval, though she could not see him.

"If I can rig the mining equipment to apply enough force to a large enough cluster of crystals that are situated on the ceiling or walls," He said. "That will cause them to break and fall on the enemy. They should be dense enough to cause significant blunt force trauma even through the armor, leaving them incapacitated or dead."

"I like it." Phee said. "There are a few nooks that are still filled with the things."

"A corridor or tunnel would be ideal." Tech said. Was it his imagination, or could he hear something else through the comm? "Particularly if it loops back towards the exit."

"You're pretty particular." Phee said. "Though- I think I got what you need. Might have seen something like that in the southeastern sector. I don't know for sure, I didn't explore that part too much."

Tech frowned. There was a buzz in the background as she spoke.

"Phee." He said as he adjusted his trajectory towards the southeast. "Are they attempting to get in?"

She was quiet for a moment.

"Yup." She said. "Sorry, didn't want to distract you."

"I am not easily distracted from crucial missions." Tech told her. Of course, the definition of 'crucial' was often a debated topic between his brothers and himself. "Please refrain from withholding mission critical information."

"Right." Phee said. "Then I'd better tell you that they're working on the doors now."

Tech hastened his pace.

Phee watched the sparks fly from whatever cutters the Empire was using to get in. This wasn't the first time that she'd been in a tight spot with an attractive sidekick, but it was one of the few times where she fully trusted that sidekick. She didn't know why she felt she could depend on this odd, straightforward clone so much, but it was a nice change of pace.

"Do you have an estimate of when they will breach the door?" Tech asked.

Phee was lucky she'd learned through her travels how to eyeball the progress of someone cutting through a door.

"We've got ten minutes, I'd say." Phee told him. She was quickly running through what she remembered of the mine in her head. "What about you?"

"I have found an appropriate location." Tech said. "I estimate fifteen minutes until I am ready."

That left them with five minutes. Phee could run around for five minutes.

"When you're done, just call out that you need help." She told him. "Just in case they overhear."
"Agreed." Tech said. "You were correct. I am in the southeastern sector. I will send the coordinates."

Phee glanced at the screen of her comm and noted the location. She had a decent idea of where to go.

She stood, tense, as the crackling sound of a plasma torch grew louder. She curled her hand around her blaster. A few shots should get their attention once they got through.

Ugh. Phee was better than most at waiting, but this was unpleasant.

"Talk me through what you're doing, Browneyes." She said. "Could use the distraction."

There was only a brief silence before Tech began to speak.

"Currently, I am moving the drill drones into position." He said. "They are an old model, I suspect from the mining guild. But they are functional."

His voice was even and calm. It soothed her slightly frayed nerves. Before she knew it, the plasma torch broke through. Light spilled into the hangar bay.

"In they come." Phee muttered. "See you in a bit, Broweyes."

"Good luck." Tech said.

Phee aimed at the first white armored figure that burst in. Once a few more followed them, she fired. She was pleased to see the trooper drop; she didn't need to hit them necessarily, but downing one was a perk.

She felt their visors snap onto her.

"Over there!" One shouted.

Phee ran. Normally, she was a pretty damn good athlete. Having to run from angry bastards who thought they owned the artifacts she retrieved kept her in shape. But running on rough terrain, with only the bobbing light from her torch, and scattered scrap made things a little difficult.

Not to mention she had blaster bolts flying past her head. She cursed as she stumbled and scrambled to get her feet back under her. Every instinct screamed at her to turn her light off and hide, but she couldn't risk them getting bored and finding Browneyes.

Five minutes was a kriffing long time.

She heard them shout behind her, but the blood pounding in her ears made it difficult to make it out. Dammit, she couldn't even glance behind-

A white figure stepped into the beam of her light, several yards ahead. Phee cursed again and ducked the stormtrooper's shot. Kriff, how did he get in front of her?

She grasped the hilt of Liberator and ripped the vibroblade from its sheath. She dodged another blaster bolt, kicked off from a rock, and slashed down through the trooper's blaster. By his scream, she caught a few of his fingers too.

Phee hit the ground running.

"I was under the impression that you were going to avoid engaging the enemy." Tech's mild voice nearly threw her off balance.

"Sometimes plans change!" Phee panted. "Ignore me and keep working!"

"I am able to multitask." He said. "Being concerned about your well being will not slow my work."

Phee nearly asked him if that was flirting. From what she could tell from him, probably not. He didn't seem the 'flirting' type.

She flinched as a crystal exploded next to her head, the shards refracting the leftover light of the blaster bolt that hit it.

"Begin adjusting your course toward my location." Tech said. "My task is nearing completion."

Phee tried to take in her surroundings as she ducked behind a large rock wall. She double checked her location. She was relieved to see that she wasn't too far from his position.

"Come on, pals." She muttered to herself. "Catch me if you can."

She bolted from her hiding place. The troopers shouted as she darted in front of them and veered into a side passage. More crystals shattered around her.

"I need your assistance." Tech said. "I will come to you."

What? Phee thought.

She didn't have the breath or time to question him. She had chosen a twisting corridor that had her nearly running into jagged walls. If her mental map was right, she'd break out into a larger chamber in a short while. From there she'd just have to find the right entrance to Tech's trap.

She was right, and was soon sprinting in a cavern where her footsteps echoed.

Just a bit-

Phee's luck ran out.

Her foot caught on something and the next few seconds featured her light flipping from her hand and her knees and palms skidding into the ragged ground. She grit her teeth at the pain. Her light had oh so helpfully landed in a way that illuminated her in the middle of the open space. She swore she could feel the blasters locking onto her.

A hand hooked under her arm, pulling her to her feet.

Phee knew she had no time to be confused.

"I'm fine." She snapped out to who she assumed to be Tech. "Lead on!"

He did so, his own light now the beacon to which the troopers were called. She followed him as blaster bolts exploded into sparks at their feet.

"Are you injured?" Tech asked.

He seemed used to talking while running. He barely sounded strained. Made sense. His voice echoed slightly from her comm.

"I can run." Phee managed.

That was only partly true. She was slowing; she was pretty sure she had twisted her ankle. The troopers were getting closer and Tech was matching her step. She wouldn't have taken him for such a gentleman.

He fiddled with his datapad even as he ran.

"We are approaching the location-"

He snapped his head to the side and fired into a side passage. His bolt struck true- a stormtrooper collapsed. But his brief pause cost them precious seconds. Phee thought she saw a blaster bolt graze one of his pauldrons, leaving a black mark.

Tech glanced back once, looked up, hit a button on his datapad- and then shoved Phee to stumble forward a few feet.

A clinking, crashing cacophony hit Phee's ears before she had time to regain her balance. She whirled to see a dark, bloody waterfall of crystal pound down from the ceiling of the tunnel. The stormtroopers' lights bounced from shard to shard, creating a haunting glow. And at the edge, lying in either his own blood or the crimson light-

Tech.

The show was over before Phee could get to him, though the sound echoed long after the last crystal fell. She dropped to her knees at his side, the salty ground making her scrapes burn, and took him in. Thank the stars- it looked like he was only caught in the shoulder at the very edge. Even that had thrown him to the ground and long splinters of crystal jutted from his arm.

He was panting and his eyes were squeezed shut.

"Do not-" He choked out. "Do not remove the shards. That will increase the probability of-"

"Of you bleeding out, yeah." Phee said. She took a deep breath. "I've dealt with this sort of thing before."

"Good." Tech grunted.

"Am I good to move you?" Phee asked.

"You must." Tech said. "We do not have the luxury to do otherwise."

Phee set her jaw and helped him sit up. He let out a sharp gasp.

"Kriff, Browneyes!" Phee said. "Are you sure-"
"It is superficial pain." Tech interrupted. "The rhodochrosite is made up primarily of salt, which causes a burning sensation in torn flesh. It is- excruciating, but it is not indicative of the severity of the wounds."

Phee stared at him, horrified. She shook it off; there would be time to be properly aghast once they were safe.

"Sorry about this, then." She told him as she put his uninjured arm around her shoulder.

She pulled him up and tried to ignore the battered hiss from him as they moved. Each step seemed to be torturous for him, but he stayed stoic beyond his ragged breathing.

"Turn off my light." He said. "We do not want to draw any attention if they have back up. We can use my datapad to guide us."

Phee nodded and reached to click off his helmet's light. Then, step by laborious step, they moved into the darkness.

Mando'a:

Ad'ika: little one, current nickname for Rex and Ahsoka's son.

Ba'vodu: aunt/uncle

From the top!

(Forgive me if my ANs are a little sparse or nonsensical, I'm still kinda sick)

Okay I was writing along, and I realized I wrote that the comms were down, but also had Phee and Tech communicating with them. So I decided that sometimes comm jammers are more focused on keeping interplanetary signals and long distance signals from going out. I hope that makes sense. If not, please just ignore the plot hole.

Fives and Echo wish to keep Rex safe for his kid. This makes Rex upset. I actually debated for a while whether Rex would insist on going on the mission or not (and considered having Fives stun him to avoid having to answer that question) But I think I came to the in character decision here.

10 points to anyone who can figure out who I named Mile after.

Also, oops, Anakin is stuck with no lightsaber...

Poor Hunter, Crosshair, Wrecker, and Omega. Omega just wanted to see the baby and now they all have anxiety about Tech and Echo.

I need to write out my Baby Batch headcanons about Omega getting the Batch to sleep. And of course Crosshair loved pacifiers.

Maybe don't think Obi Wan is helpless now that he has none limbs, Ahsoka.

I had fun with this last sequence. Also, Phee totally named her sword. ALSO WE WERE ROBBED OF HER DOING COOL PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN SWASHBUCKLING IN THE BAD BATCH.

I accidentally created an excruciating wound here. Crait is a salt planet. There is salt everywhere. Ow.

Also, I only today looked up what the red crystals on Crait are called. It's apparently rhodochrosite, and the only thing we really know about it is a non canon side mission in LEGO Star Wars...so I'm just gonna say it's mostly salt.

All right, we'll be posting again on September 19th!

Stay safe, remember to review, and have a great few weeks!