Hey everyone!

Apologies for the delay. I'm on vacation in upstate New York to visit my sister. I managed to write a few pages on the plane, but it's been hard to find the time. But I managed!

Thanks for your support regarding my Tech romance decisions. I see those who are disappointed and your feelings are valid.

Quick side note for you Tech fans: I have a friend who recently uploaded a BRILLIANT analysis of Tech and his autism rep. It's really good. Go check it out! www. youtube watch? v=UPPPpASzoIg&t=637s (remove the spaces, add . c o m and a / after com)

SWNerd4Life: I'm not gonna lie, I've enjoyed these Olympics. The chaos has been great. Have fun with the Classic Who! I used to be a pretty big Whovian in my teenage years, but it was mostly 9 forward. It was hard at the time to get the classic stuff.

Yes! Hi Phee! And yeah, Taja and Tech's arc just kinda ended itself.

And now that you say it, you're right! I do see the similarities!

Yeah, they need to handle this delicately. They may not have the opportunity to.

Oh, he's a CC because he's a command cadet. Most of the other cadets here are CTs.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

No Mando'a this chapter!


RESTITUTION: Chapter 8


Tech landed the Marauder in a billowing cloud of red and white. He checked his data pad again. Yes, as he thought, Crait was a mineral planet, primarily of salt and known for the striking red coloring of its earth.

The 501st was still approximately an hour away. Tech could not do much to prepare- his brain scanner was complete, he just needed access to the cadets. So, while he waited, he had decided that he would investigate one of the many abandoned mines here. Their small community on Ossus was not lacking in basic supplies, but there were many improvements that could be made, especially when it came to droids. This mine could hold supplies or technology they could use to upgrade.

The salty ground crunched as he stepped out from the Marauder. He paused, looking at the surroundings. There were patches of pink, where the salt was only partially blown away. Tech squinted at the open bay door of the mine, He could see the form of a ship and the evidence of its landing there. Not the signs of a departure.

A scavenger, likely. Tech was not overly concerned. He flipped his visor down to zoom in. Inside the mine's entrance was a smaller ship, only capable of carrying a crew of five or six comfortably. Well within Tech's abilities to eliminate, if they proved hostile.

Tech made up his mind and made his way to the open bay door. It was silent as he entered, the faint sound of the wind disappearing. Motes of dust, likely made of the salt, floated in the sunlight that only pierced a few yards into the bay. Besides the scavengers' ship, there seemed to be some very old skimmers.

Tech glanced at these, but unfortunately they were not of much use, besides his own desire to test them. This was especially true on a heavily forested planet like Ossus. High speed vehicles were extremely dangerous in such biomes. One was more likely to crash into a tree than safely reach their destination.

He took a moment to appraise the scavengers' ship. It was well maintained from what he could tell. Not to mention that it seemed to be a ship he had not seen before. That meant it was extremely new, which he doubted, or a custom ship.

The silence pressed on his ears as he reached the door from the bay to the mines. The door's panel had been pried off and Tech saw evidence of attempts to repair the wiring. Successful attempts, as the door opened as Tech brushed the wires together with his gloved fingers.

It was pitch black inside. He clicked on the light on his helmet. The beam hit a flat surface and the immediate area was filled with a soft red glow as a large crystal refracted the light.

Keeping his light on the crystal, Tech slowly approached it. It was- remarkable. Three times his height, smaller crystals sprouting from the base. He had never seen natural crystals this size. How large could these structures grow? There was no information on that subject on the Holonet.

Like he always had to, he turned away with his questions unanswered. He had once hoped that, when the war ended, he would have the time to indulge in his curiosity, but then- the Empire had risen and Omega taken. Now he stayed on Ossus, always near the settlement, for Hunter and Omega's sakes. He helped with the construction along with his brothers, but he wanted more. It felt like a betrayal to admit it. He should be content with peace and his family. But he missed piloting, missed researching and experiencing new planets, missed- missed Taja.

He did not know why his mind categorized her with his current dissatisfaction with his day to day existence. But whenever he considered how understimulated he had become, she would come to mind as well. Perhaps getting to know her had been similar to the wonder of discovery on new planets.

He turned from the crystal and pointed his light elsewhere.

He explored the cavern, finding gouged out stone and badly damaged mining equipment. Nothing of value. Not even broken droids to repurpose. As he went on, he was surprised to see a glimmer of light.

His curiosity was peaked and he made his way through the darkness. The light seemed to be natural sunlight. He emerged into a hallway with a broken ceiling. He felt his eyes widen as he saw the massive red crystal jutting from the ground, piercing the durasteel of the roof. It was easily four times the height of the first crystalline structure.

His mission forgotten, Tech hurried up to it. He removed his helmet. How quickly did these grow? It must have been a remarkable rate indeed; he was unsure of the age of this mine, but it was not more than fifty standard years by the equipment he saw.
He stared up the glistening length. Was it just salt here, or was there something else with the mineral? Did the red color have a relation to the speed and strength with which the crystals grew?

Tech lowered his eyes to the shining surface before him. He was vaguely reflected in it, but behind that-

Tech took a step back and put his hand to his blaster.

Before he could call out an order to identify themselves, a head poked out from behind the crystal. Human. Dark skinned. Female. Hair formed into locs, sweeping up and to the side, gleaming with ornamentation.

"Well, hey there." The woman said. She stepped out fully. She was lean and wore a long, dusty, brown coat. Her hand was on a sword length vibro blade sheathed at her side. "Didn't think anyone else would be interested in this place."

"Why are you interested in this place?" Tech asked.

The woman raised an eyebrow.

"I asked first." She said.

Her eyes flicked across his face. Her shoulders dropped a degree.

"You did no such thing." Tech said. "You did not state a query."

The woman smirked. Her eyes still lingered on him.

"Fine." She said. "I implied first."

Tech went over her initial words in his mind. He supposed it could have been an implication.

"I am merely investigating the state of the various devices and mechanisms left behind by the previous workers of this mine and ascertaining if there is anything that could be repurposed or perhaps used in its current state." He said.

He had nothing to hide. This was not a covert Republic mission. It still seemed slightly odd to him to not have to filter his purposes.

The woman blinked.

"You're scrapping."

"That is what I said."

She laughed.

"Guess I'm doing the same." She said. "My ship's acting up and this was the closest planet with a chance of having what I need."

Tech cocked his head.
"I do not think the machinery here would be at all of use in repairing your ship." He said.

"Ah, I can just jerry rig something to get me to somewhere civilized." The woman said.

She seemed to change as she talked, her body loosening. He was fairly sure she was relaxing somewhat in his presence. Interesting. He found that he was not as on guard as he had been at her initial appearance. Even more interesting.

She was studying him again.

"You're- a clone." She said, her tone perhaps indicating surprise.

"Yes."

She folded her arms.

"From what I understand, you clones always come in pairs at the very least." She said. "And aren't you supposed to look alike?"
"I am one of an experimental batch." Tech said, adjusting his goggles. "I have- desirable mutations, most notably my intelligence, that the Kaminoans believed would make me exceptional in combat and military operations. They were correct."

"Careful there, don't want to seem too humble." The woman said.

Tech frowned.

"I was merely stating the reasons for my aberration in comparison to other clones of Jango Fett."

The woman was looking at him strangely.

"Well, nice to meet you." She said. "I should get back to my ship."

"Perhaps I could assist you." Tech said.

The woman gave him an even stranger look.

"Why'd you want to do a thing like that?" She asked.

"I saw your ship as I entered." Tech said. "I would be interested to inspect it, as I guess it is a custom model."

The woman continued to stare. Had Tech once again said the wrong thing without knowing?

"You're- serious." She said. "Huh. I guess I've never heard of a lying clone."

"The Kaminoans discouraged dishonesty in us." Tech said. "It is an inconvenient trait for a soldier. In addition, it seems that a majority of clones have a disinclination for effective deceit."

The woman laughed aloud.

"I wish more beings had a 'disinclination for effective deceit.'" She said. "I'm Phee, by the way. Phee Genoa. You have a name?"

"Tech." Tech said.

"'Cause you're good with tech?" Phee asked, looking at his datapad.

"No, actually." Tech said. "While I have a disinclination for 'deceit,' I do have an inclination for the use of the word 'technically.' At least, that is what my brothers told me."

"Huh." Phee said. She was still smiling. "Well, let's go take a look at my ship, then."

She moved past him, flicking on a torch as she reentered the darkness. Tech took a moment as he followed her to do a quick search for 'Phee Genoa.'

"My time is limited." Tech said after it was complete. "I did not come here just to 'scrap,' as you put it. A legion from the Democratic Alliance of Planets was sent to extract the previously missing clone cadets. However, there were complications. They are meeting me here so I can assist them."

"Hmm." Phee said. She had paused, inspecting an old drill. "You sure you should be telling me that?"

Tech cocked his head.

"You are currently wanted by both the Empire and most of the major crime syndicates." He said. "We share a common enemy and therefore you are unlikely to undermine our mission for them."

"Fair enough." Phee said. "What kind of complications can a legion run into that only one clone can help with?"

Tech looked at the same drill. He saw what Phee did- a power pack that was in rather good condition. A power issue, then.

"The cadets' inhibitor chips are still active." Tech said. He crouched down next to Phee and offered her a pry bar to help ease the power pack free. "I helped develop the initial chip removal procedure and I am needed to create a new one."

Phee took the tool, but glanced back at Tech.

"And what exactly is an inhibitor chip?"

So Tech had an opportunity to explain the inhibitor chips, their discovery, and their intended purpose. They had found three more power packs and had returned to the hangar bay by the time Tech reached his invention of the device to remotely disable the chips.

"You sure you should be telling me all this?" Phee asked.

"It is declassified." Tech said.

"Then why don't you use this thing on the cadets?" Phee asked as she opened the ramp to her ship.

She seemed- disturbed, if Tech was reading her correctly.

Tech swallowed. He did not like to think of the shortcomings of that device.

"It has a twenty percent fatality rate." He said.

He dismissed the image of the first of those fatalities, the seizing clone killed during his first test, from his mind. He still did not know exactly why it killed.

"Oh." Phee paused. "I'm sorry. I can see why you wouldn't want to use that on the kids."

Tech nodded.

"I- sometimes regret that I used it on so many on Coruscant." He said.

"I don't think they'd blame you." Phee said. "I think I'd rather be dead than controlled like that. Kriff, and all this time I just thought you were all just assholes."

She motioned for him to stay and boarded her ship. Tech frowned. He knew that the Democratic Alliance of Planets had begun attempts to spread the truth of the clone army and Palpatine, but it seemed there were still those who blamed the clones for the Empire. The thought was disquieting.

"You probably already guessed that my power's on the fritz." Phee said as she came back. "I've got enough power to get almost everything going, but I'll be damned if I can't divert the power in the right way to get me limping back along. I thought that if I charged some of the systems with these, it'd be easier to balance."

"Hm." Tech said. He looked at the power packs. "A feasible plan. I assume you've already disengaged all non critical systems?"

Phee rolled her eyes. Crosshair had done so enough for Tech to know the meaning.

"I am assuming that is an affirmative." He said.

"Yup, Clone Obvious." She said.

"In that case," Tech went on. "We must determine all systems that could be feasibly powered by four power packs."

"I was planning on just three." Phee said, folding her arms. "Too many seems like a bad idea."

Tech paused, and then nodded.

"You are correct." He said. "Combining an excess of power input can lead to combustion."

"You can just say they'll explode." Phee said, though she was smiling.

"It does limit what systems we can attempt to power." Tech said.

He walked around the ship, studying it. Phee watched him with her arms crossed.

"The hyperdrive motivator." Tech said.

"What?" Phee asked. "You decided that already?"

"It is the only answer." Tech said. "It will require a relatively small amount of power, as you will only need a burst for the initial jump."

Phee nodded.

"You're right." She said. "That way I won't have to worry about these holding out for too long."

She nudged the power packs with her foot.

"If you could point me in the direction of your hyperdrive, that would be most helpful." Tech suggested.

"Right." Phee said. "This way, Browneyes."

Tech raised his eyebrows.

"I believe I told you my name is Tech." He said.

"You ever hear of nicknames?" Phee pried open a panel on the side of her ship.

Tech grimaced.

"Only in the context of nat borns referring to our chosen names as such." He said. "Implying that our true names are our assigned number."

"Nat borns? Like natural born?" Phee asked.

"Yes."

She frowned. Tech prepared for her to say that she disliked being referred to as such.

"People can be such womp rats." She said instead as she shifted inside the ship. "Names don't have to be given by another person to make it legitimate. But nicknames are supposed to be positive."

"So you were intending to be friendly by calling me 'Browneyes.'" Tech guessed.

"Uh huh." Phee said. She pointed. "There. Hyperdrive."

Tech peered in.

"This will not take long."

"Hang on," Phee said. "Show me the steps."

Tech glanced at her.

"If you get your power supply properly replaced or mended, you will have no need to replicate this particular repair."

"I'm sure I can learn something from it." She said with a shrug.

That pleased Tech. Omega was one of the few he knew that enjoyed his instruction. As well as Taja, on the few instances that he had the chance. He explained the process of wiring the power packs together and hooking them up to the motivator without any of the energy bleeding into the actual hyperdrive. Phee listened carefully, paying him every attention and asking questions.

It was- nice.

He let her make the final adjustments.

"That look right?" She asked him.

"It is sufficient." Tech replied, appraising her work.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel like she's done a good job." Phee said.

Tech paused.

"You are being sarcastic?" He asked.

Phee raised an eyebrow.

"You really can't tell." It wasn't a question, unlike how that phrase was usually said to him.

"No." Tech said.

Phee put a hand on her hip.

"Should have spoken up." She said. "I tend to err on the side of sarcasm."

Tech shrugged.

"My inability to understand sarcasm is no concern of yours."

She gave him another strange look.

"That doesn't sound fun for you."

Tech did not know how to respond. He merely cleared his throat.

"In any case, you did not make any errors." He said. "It is impressive."

Phee grinned at him.

"Thanks, Browneyes."

Tech turned his head, eye caught by a shadow moving out in the sunlight. The pointed edge of the shadow told him what it was.

"It seems we have completed our task not a moment too soon." He said. "The 501st has arrived."

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Browneyes." Phee said. "Thanks for the help."

"It was not an inconvenience." Tech told her. "Good luck."

She flashed a smile at him as she began putting the panel back in place. Tech turned and exited the hangar bay. He looked up.

And he froze.

That was not the Defiant. It was a new model of Venator.

One built, and used, by the Empire.


CC-8702 turned off the comm array, relieved. His head was hurting again, but he had done it. He had been a good soldier.

"Hey!"

8702 whipped around at the sound of a trooper calling out. A clone, an ARC, was hurrying towards him.

"What are you-" The clone asked before catching sight of the comm array. "Who did you contact?"

8702 said nothing.

The ARC took his shoulder firmly.

"Who did you contact?" He demanded.

"Traitor!" 8702 snarled.

"Oh, kriff." The older clone swore. He raised a hand to his helmet. "Tax, Kyr, lock down the cadets. One's gotten out and got to a comm array. Rex, we've got a problem."

8702 could not hear the responses.

"I don't know." The ARC said. "Kriff, it could be anyone from Kamino's old lines to the Empire."

Another moment of replies 8702 was not privy to.

"Acknowledged." The ARC said. "I'll be right up."

The ARC, still holding to 8702's shoulder, steered him away from the comm array. 8702 struggled, but he was only a cadet against a full grown clone. Besides, he had done his duty. He'd been a good soldier and followed the orders to uphold the Empire and deal with traitors. The thought made his head throb.

The ARC walked briskly, practically dragging 8702 along. Each step made pain throb through 8702's head. He gave up on trying to get away.

Eventually they arrived at the bridge. All the traitors were here: the new ARCs and CC-3425. 8702 glared at them as best he could through his pain.

"We haven't been able to get ahold of Tech." The clone with a single blue pauldron said. "Has he said anything, Jesse?"

The ARC that had captured 8702 shook his head.

"You know how the chipped ones get." He said. "You'd have better luck interrogating a droid."

The single pauldroned clone, who seemed to be in charge, grimaced.

"Let me have a go." 3425 said.

"Careful, Reaper." The commanding traitor aid as 3425 came to crouch in front of 8702.

"I'm pretty sure I know what they're capable of, Rex." 3425 said before looking 8702 in the eye. "Shoe, we need you to tell us who you contacted and what you told them."

8702 glared at him. Traitor, more than the rest of them. 3425 was supposed to lead them. He was supposed to keep them on their mission.

"Come on, Shoe-"

"I am CC-8702." 8702 snapped.

"No, your name is Shoe." 3425 said. "You chose it when you managed to steal a trooper's boots. You thought it was very funny."

8702 frowned. He- remembered that memory. He just didn't feel anything about it. If anything, it made his head hurt worse.

"Please, Shoe." 3425 said. "We need to know."

The pain flared brighter and hotter. 8702 clutched his head, a whine escaping him. Why did he want to tell the traitors? Why did it hurt so bad?

"The-the Empire!" He choked out. "Going Crait too!"

He thought he heard the others breathe sharply but he couldn't be sure with what felt like a Kaminoan storm in his head.

"Kriff, is he okay?" Someone asked. "Call a medic!"

"It's the chip." Another said. "It was painful to certain troopers. I imagine it's worse for the younger clones."

Hot tears rolled down 8702's cheeks. He- he was a good soldier.

He didn't want to be a good soldier anymore.


Rex stared at the young clone before him as the cadet held back sobs and clutched his head. Would these chips ever stop tormenting his brothers?

"Rex." Fives said. "We're minutes from-"

The ship jolted beneath them, coming out of hyperspace.

"I stand corrected." Fives said in a tight voice. "We're here."

Rex turned to the viewport, his heart sinking. They were face to face with one of the Empire's Venators. Star Destroyers, he'd heard them called, which always seemed a bit on the nose to him.

In between them and the enemy was a swarm of V-wings. They opened fire.

"Battle stations!" Rex roared. "We need to hold them off until we can get into hyperspace!"

"I need a destination, sir!" Leap shouted from the nav computer.

"Closest friendly planet!" Rex ordered.

"They're blocking comms!" Relay reported.

Rex swore. There were few things worse than a prepared enemy. He had just wanted to help his brothers and then go home to his family. Apparently, the Force had decided that was too much to ask.

"Rex, what about Tech?" Echo demanded.

Rex paused and cursed to himself. They couldn't contact Tech, but he didn't know if that was just because the comms were blocked or if the man was captured. How much did the Empire know? If they just knew that the 501st was arriving, it would be safer for Tech if they just left. But if that cadet had reported that they were meeting someone, Tech would be alone as the Empire hunted for him.

Echo met his gaze and Rex knew that his brother would not leave one of their own behind. And if Rex was just risking himself, he would feel the same.

But he had a Venator filled with cadets that he had to protect, not to mention his General and brothers of the 501st.

"Rex!" Jesse said, pointing at the viewport and ripping Rex from his thoughts. "Incoming!"

"I don't like the look of those." Fives said.

Rex tried to find what the two were talking about. It took a few seconds, and a few seconds too long, for him to pinpoint the strange new fighters swarming in after the V-wings. He'd never seen the like. They looked like dropships or transports, but where did they expect to offload their troops?

The bridge shuddered as one of these strange ships landed on the viewport, underside pressed tightly against the transparasteel. Rex felt his eyes widen as part of the other ship's hull began to glow.

"Back!" He shouted, grabbing the cadet and throwing himself backwards.

The circle of energy punched through the transparasteel. The cut section fell forward and shattered. Rex whipped up a blaster as the bottom of the enemy ship opened and troopers began spilling into the bridge. His comms blasted reports from all over the ship that all said the same thing.

They were being boarded.


From the top!

And here is the outpouring of self indulgence. I want Tech to be able to go and explore. I think he really enjoys it. (See: Him being fascinated by the Zillo Beast). Unfortunately he's got his traumatized family to think about right now.

Tech wants to ride those skimmers so bad.

Phee: hey

Tech: are you ready for an INFODUMP

Phee: oh no he's cute

It's really nice to have an autistic character in this so I can just dump info and have it be in character.

Uh oh, the Empire. 8702 you're grounded.

(Ignore that 8702 was called another name a few chapters ago, I have changed it)

Okay I know that Star Destroyers aren't technically Venators but they're clearly related and I'm just going to say this is a transition model that is technically a Venator that they just started calling Star Destroyers and that led to the actual Star Destroyer line.

But I did look up V-wings for this.

These new ships are of my own creation. They land and they cut into the ship and then they board.

I would probably say more but I'm also very tired.

Good night! Hopefully I'll still be able to update on time next week.

Stay safe, remember to review, and I'll see you next time!