The Bad Batch: Oneshots

Two Worlds, One Family

     Omega rose to her feet as the sound of heavy footsteps neared her cell. She could tell Crosshair was back by the string of flavorful curses that seemed to effortlessly float off his tongue. She couldn't blame him though. If she didn't hear Hunter's chastising voice every time she even thought of a crass word, she would follow Crosshair's example.

"Get your kriffing hands off me!" the sniper growled as he was shoved into the sad excuse for a cell.

"Keep that up and you won't be getting rations tonight," the trooper outside the red shield snapped.

"Kriff you," Crosshair muttered, but decided to not engage in an argument he knew he wasn't going to win.

Omega waited until the guard left before scooching over toward the barrier separating them. "I heard that," she said, glancing at him with a soft smile.

Crosshair looked at her out of the corner of his eye, leaning his back against the cell bars, huffing, "Yeah, what are you gonna do? Tattle to Hunter?" Immediately, the sniper realized his mistake. He watched as Omega's smile fell slightly.

Changing the sensitive subject he asked, "Do you know what today is?"

Omega shook her head. The days started slipping by her the longer she stayed against her will. It was as if she had lost her grip on reality.

"Today is Life Day," Crosshair said plainly.

"What's Life Day?" The childlike innocence was ever so present in her voice as she looked at him with eagerness.

"It's a Wookie tradition," Crosshair recalled. "They gather around to celebrate peace, freedom, and the gift of life by eating the night away, dancing to ridiculous tunes under sickening colorful lights."

Omega's eyes widened in awe. "That sounds like fun!"

She pictured everyone—Crosshair included— back on Pabu at Shep's house. She could see the large table on the back patio covered in all sorts of good food. Wrecker would be over the top thrilled. Echo and Hunter would probably be the ones who set it all up. Tech would be in charge of managing the schedule as per usual. Pabu's warm yellow lights were already amazing, so imagining them in all different types of wonderful variegated colors would be mesmerizing.

"Does everyone celebrate Life Day?" she asked, still holding onto her vivid imagination.

Crosshair nodded. "Wookie's started it, but once others discovered their tradition it kinda spread throughout the galaxy."

"Wow..." Omega breathed. "Do...did you ever celebrate it with the others?"

The question caught the marksman off guard. A wave of memories washed over him. The good times he and Tech had decorating the Marauder, Hunter being completely overwhelmed by the chaos. When Echo came along, it only added to fun...especially in the kitchen. Hunter's cooking was ultimately replaced by the ARC's. He cherished those memories. He would never tell the kid, but during the most intense torture sessions, he would cling to the reminders of the better days.

"We did," Crosshair said, reminiscing. "The last time was a year before the war ended." This year would be the first time he wouldn't be there with his brothers.

Omega pressed her head against the cell with closed eyes. "I wish we could be there with them."

"Yeah, me too."

The bright white lights in the hall dimmed, switching over to the haunting red.

"Time to sleep!" a group of guards walked down the corridor, banging their blasters on each cell.

Crosshair rolled his eyes. Those troopers would do anything to show their dominance. If he wasn't malnourished and without a weapon, they wouldn't stand a chance against him. As the troopers passed, the sniper caught sight of Emery Karr. As much as he hated her, he knew she would do anything for the kid. Well, anything within reason.