Star Wars The Bad Batch: The Runaway

Chapter 54 - The Last Domino

Guess who's back after a year of not updating this story??????? ME!!!!!!

I really am sorry for leaving this story temporarily, this past year has been one thing after another, and I just lost that motivation to write. But I'm finally able to come back and post this new chapter! As a way of saying sorry, I made sure this chapter will punch you in the gut and rip your heart out.

What do I mean by that? Well, you'll just have to read and find out. 😏🤭

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It wasn't long after the battle in the tunnels before the one on the surface was also finished, and surprise surprise, it was a win for the Bad Batch. Technically the Republic, but who pays attention to those minor details?

The teens and Echo regrouped with everyone, and Anakin and Tech spoke with the Chief while Calli and (surprisingly) Jace were instantly engulfed into a hug by Wrecker. It's safe to say that Wrecker had taken a liking to the young Jedi, and deemed a friend at this point who'd receive just as many hugs as anyone close to Wrecker was fortunate enough to receive. While it didn't hold as much meaning or make him feel butterflies, Jace still felt a warm fuzzy feeling at the hug from the gentle giant and he chuckled alongside Calli as they were finally plopped back down on their feet.

"We missed ya guys! I took out like fifty of those droids! How'd you do?" Calli was taken aback by the question, but not because she didn't expect it. It was tradition after all, to keep track of how many droids each Bad Batch member shot down. It was surprising because: Calli didn't keep score. She had so much on her mind(such as her worry for her brothers and the boy that made her feel funny feelings), it just slipped past her to make a mental tally mark with each droid cut down.

"Oh uh," Calli scratched her head while thinking back, but for the life of her she couldn't come up with a number, and she shrugged "I don't know, actually." Wrecker gasped dramatically - yet he wasn't being dramatic on purpose, he genuinely was confused - almost offended in fact - as to why Calli didn't know her droid kill count.

"Ya didn't count 'em? Wha - Why? It's our thing!" Wrecker exclaimed, and Calli didn't really have an answer - that she wanted to share that is. But Crosshair must be able to read minds - or Calli was more transparent than she liked to believe - and she could practically see the smirk thankfully hidden underneath his helmet.

"Distracted, were you?" He quipped and against Calli's wishes, her face heated up. Thank goodness for her own helmet so she could keep looking at Wrecker and pretend to not have heard the sniper. Though she could tell that Jace did, only he didn't seem put off by Crosshair's words, more curious - and something else Calli couldn't quite put a name on. Wrecker took Crosshair's statement in a different way and shook his head while crossing his arms.

"That's what happens when we leave you unsupervised - ya slack off!" He said with a huffy attitude and Calli was now the one to look offended.

"She didn't." Jace interjected, and both siblings turned to him with surprised looks, making the young Jedi smile at their shock before continuing, "Scar took down twenty one droids, all the while being completely blinded by smoke."

"You kept track?" Calli asked, being both flattered that he spoke in her defense and seemed proud of her while again startled that he kept score. She figured he thought it was a dumb game, but yet he went out of his way to count the number of droids she took out. But there was something in the way he was smiling that made her pause and narrow her eyes at him. "How many droids did you take out?"

Jace's smirk grew bigger. "I also took down twenty one -" he did a dramatic pause, "-plus four more." Calli's mouth opened then closed in shock, before she shook her head, not wanting to believe this.