Excerpt from Bad Batch Episode: Identity Crisis

"Make way! Make way!" Teatra shouted as Tech helped Mila. "Lady in labor coming through!"

Everyone was so excited because Mila and Tech were finally having their babies. They couldn't wait to meet the new little angels. Mila was only sad her family couldn't be here to see this momentous occasion.

"Keep breathing, Mila. Keep breathing." Tech soothed.

Meanwhile, in a city somewhere far away…

It was a seemingly peaceful day in the marketplace. A tarlafar mother, whose name was Ailish, was walking through with her baby boy Baryn. The mama set her baby down on a crate with his tooka doll while she began browsing a flower stand.

Baryn tossed his doll around until he accidentally threw it at a vase. He climbed down from the crate to try and get back his toy, right near where a vendor and a customer were haggling a price.

"Fifteen," said the Aqualish customer.

Then suddenly, a vase flew right by him, just barely missing.

"Hey! Who threw that?" said the customer.

An arcona man pointed at little Baryn, but the first one didn't believe it.

"The kid can barely lift a vase that big, let alone throw one," said the Aqualish.

"But he did. We saw it." said the arcona.

Quickly, Ailish came and picked up her crying son.

"Sorry. So sorry."

"I thought that kid was strange," said the arcona. "People say he's cursed. You know? Gifted."

"Shh. Don't go saying things like that," said a human woman beside him. "You know what kind of trouble that could bring. Come on."

The suspicious aqualish entered a building and activated an intercom.

"I've got a tip for a class one bounty hunter." He said. "There's a kid here you might be interested in."

Meanwhile, Hemlock was overseeing another experiment until he was called to meet with Emerie to discuss an issue.

"Progress in the lab has stalled since Nala Se's confinement." Emerie said.

"The Kaminoan can no longer be trusted," said Hemlock.

"Do you trust me?"

Hemlock was silent.

"I've spent years working by your side. With a proper clearance, I could be more useful."

"You wish to be the new chief scientist, Dr. Karr?"

"I believe I have earned it."

Hemlock decided it was just as well, and for Emerie's first duty as new chief scientist, Hemlock opted to bring her up to speed on Project Necromancer.

Emerie was brought to a familiar chamber, where Hemlock explained that in addition to the assets of the sublevel containment chamber, Emerie would also have access to the vault.

Emerie wasn't sure precisely what to expect, but Hemlock told her that the "specimens" within were not her responsibility.

And inside the vault was a huge room that was all white and gray, and inside, there were.. Children: a red iktotchi girl, a green mirialan boy, and a pantoran girl. All of them appeared to be fiddling with some little puzzles.

"These particular three were selected because of their high M-count, whereas the escaped prisoners were selected both for high M-Count and powerful magic, some with a combination of those things." Hemlock explained.

"Why children?" Emerie asked. "Are there not adults that could serve this purpose?"

"There are, but most of them have escaped and gone into hiding, and Mariverde has yet to confirm which ones would be the correct matches to impregnate, as she needs pure raw genetic material. Besides that, children are easier to attain and more agreeable to the subjugations."

That partially explained why Mariverde selected teenagers to get pregnant; she figured them being hormonal kids prone to emotional insecurities and such, they would be easier to force to get pregnant.

"Similar to the escaped prisoners, these children are unaware of why they're here and what they possess. As you know, M-count cannot be directly replicated from the source. However, Nala Se knew of another way. Which is why she aided in Omega and her friends' escape. The females prisoners' blood are the only binders that have proven to be compatible with the DNA to recreate a perfect combination of M-count levels and GBC-count levels. And why Omega, her sisters, Comedia, and Myra must be found. Testing should proceed. We must be prepared for every possibility once the children are found."

Hemlock left to attend to another matter, but Emerie felt unsure about what she was getting into. But then, she heard a little voice say hello. It was the iktotchi girl. Her name was Eva. She liked Emerie's glasses.

"Dr. Karr? Limit your personal interactions with the specimens," said Hemlock. "They are scientific assets, nothing more."

"Of course, Doctor."

Meanwhile, Mila was breathing heavily as she was prepared to give birth, and she was crushing Tech's hand as she experienced contractions.

"Mila! You're crushing my hand!" Tech banged his fist against the bed as he was in pain.

"And I'm giving birth too!" Mila screamed, squeezing harder.

"Ow! That hurts!"

"You're hurting?!"

Everyone could hear Mila screaming from across Pabu.

"However many babies she's having," said Hunter outside with his wife and their babies. "They better hurry up before Tech needs a doctor too."

Then there was another scream, which sounded like Tech.

"It may be too late for that." Indira said.

Speaking of babies… Baby Baryn was happy to be playing with his mother as she was also feeding him his dinner, and he was so adorable each time he giggled. However, Ailish's loving smile quickly changed to a look of concern as she heard footsteps approaching. She set her baby down on the sofa as she approached the door, sensing something bad was approaching.

Suddenly, the door opened, and in came Cad Bane, who stunned Ailish and had Todo test Baryn. Todo collected a blood sample from the baby, and once it was done, Todo put him into a pram.

"Keep that thing quiet," said Bane.

"I am not a nanny droid." Todo said.

The baby continued to cry, to Todo's annoyance, but then he found a simple solution; Baryn wanted his doll. And once he had it, that calmed the baby. But he started to cry again as he was taken away and he saw his mother on the floor.

A little later, Emerie decided she needed to have a serious talk with Nala Se about Project Necromancer.

"You have taken my place then," said Nala Se.

"I have." Emerie said.

"Which means you've been to the vault and seen the specimens."

"They're children. Like I was. Was your plan to discard them too?"

"Mariverde will keep them in order to control them."

"They don't belong here."

"No, they do not. But none of this was my choice. I had to protect Omega and her friends."

"And what about the other children?"

"I did what I could. Now they will look to you. What will you do, Emerie?"

Emerie didn't believe there was anything she could do; she didn't have the same power as Hemlock, but Nala Se thought otherwise.

Emerie left with some thoughts hitting her mind, but she was interrupted by Hemlock, who notified her that a new specimen would be arriving today.

"Another?"

"I heard about the earlier incident," said Hemlock, referring to the mirialan boy, named Jax, who attempted to escape. "So, I understand your hesitation. However, this latest acquisition will not be a danger to you."

"I would like to accompany the commander."

"That is not necessary."

"You've stated how important those specimens are, Doctor. I would like to ensure that they are properly maintained at every stage."

Meanwhile, Mariverde was reviewing a report some other scientists conducted. For the last few months, one escaped prisoner of particular interest was Mila. According to the scientists' research, there was no record of her existence in this galaxy anywhere, Enchantra, Republic, or Outer Rim.

But, a little digging, and the enchanted experts came to the conclusion that Mila was literally from a different world, an entirely different dimension.

"So this is why you weren't affected the same as other victims," said Mariverde. "Children of two worlds… everyone called me crazy for believing such a legend is real. Well, they won't be laughing once I find them."

Mariverde realized by now Mila was likely about to have her babies, and she made a new message that Mila and Tech's babies were to be listed as high priority captures. Even just one of them being captured for now would be perfect for study, preferably a girl if one was available.

"Now the only question is where to find you."

A lot of screaming was heard practically all night as Mila gave birth. And then, there was the sound of babies crying filling the air.

Everyone was so excited to meet the new babies.

The Batch were first to get to meet the babies, being their uncles. Omega couldn't wait to see the babies.

Tech held on bundle in his arms in a purple blanket.

"Meet our firstborn daughter… Sophie." Tech introduced.

The baby girl was fast asleep. She had hair the same color as Tech's, and seemed fairly calm too. Everyone thought she was adorable.

"And our second born daughter…." Tech picked up a second bundle, this one in a yellow blanket with dark brown hair like Hunter. She was awake, and she had brown eyes like her father. "Kalista."

Mila, on the other hand, held a bundle in a blue blanket.

"The third, our little hijo… Mateo." Mila smiled, kissing the baby boy's head. He looked a lot like his father, but had his mother's eyes.

"Triplets?!" Omega gasped. "Wow… they're so cute."

"But wait." Mila said, picking something else up… and that something turned out to be a fourth bundle in a pink blanket. "Meet our youngest one…Tecna."

Tecna looked just like her mother, with Tech's eyes.

Everyone was totally shocked! Quadruplets?! When everyone heard Mila was having more than one baby, they expected it to be twins, maybe even triplets, but quadruplets?

"Wait, four?!" Hunter gasped.

"Si. That's all of them." Mila said, cuddling the two babies in her arms.

"Tech's got his hands full." Wrecker teased.

The babies were all so cute. Everyone was ecstatic to meet them, but of course everyone who learned it was four babies all together was shocked, but also delighted. Four little bundles of joy, and they were all so beautiful.

Once Mila felt strong enough, she and Tech placed the four infants into their newly built stroller so they could meet all of their friends and family for the first time.

Sophie, Kalista, Mateo, and Tecna all received plenty of attention from everyone around them, all four of them curious. Tech and Mila were for sure going to have their hands full with four babies, but they were happy nonetheless. Their children were healthy and they were safe, at least for now.