Chapter Text
Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, but best of all, know when to walk away and know when to run.’ Kenny Rogers
“Send everything to Rex and Echo. They will know what to do with it.”
“What’s our new heading Hunter?”
Tech’s question had been on the mind of both Wrecker and Omega too. The duo having finally managed to calm down their most recent addition to the family having run amok the Marauder just hours ago. But bribing always being the best policies the food offering having gotten the feline to stop her cattish antics enough to gulp down the chow. And so now, the tooka was asleep happily having draped herself around Wrecker’s neck. Surely not very comfortable for the man but Wrecked did not seem to mind at all.
Hunter seemed to be deep in thought though. With their final mission for Cid behind them as Hunter had so adamantly stated it to be during their pre mission discussion with the barkeep. But also after their most recent SNAFU having gotten stranded without a ship and inside a depleted Ipsium mine… well, luckily, things had turned out fine for the team. But their options were starting to become pretty clear. Their issues with Cid having piled up to the point they were about to cut her lose.
Even if Tech having pointed out Cid knew a lot about them and it might not be as easy as that to cut all ties. The looming threat of Cid turning tail on them and betraying the Batch to the Empire? Well, Hunter had weighed in all of that too. And even if there was always that very fear present as none of the really trusted Cid as they really should not, even Cid’s own words of the same served Hunter as a reminder. Hunter was sure(?) now the squad could handle it should it happen. After all, they had managed to evade the Empire so far.
Echo was back with the team now too, not that he had really been gone right? At least not in Hunter’s mind. The Arc simply having been “on another mission” with Rex. At least that was Hunter’s go-to line whenever the others had brought it up.
Missing Echo had been on all their minds and the family dynamics quickly falling apart. Luckily, Echo and Hunter had chatted about it all. Having had several long distance calls during Echo’s “away mission” and then finally seeing the missing Batch member a short while ago during the rescue mission on the Ipsium mine planet with the kids and the cadets. Echo assuring them all he had not left the Batch rather simply doing the work they all needed to do. It was all good, for now.
And so, there was a decision to be made for the rest of the Batch as well.
“Ord Mantell.”
“I thought we were done with Cid.” Wrecker had a slightly angry tone being really irked with the Trandoshan at this point in time with the memory of her abandoning them still fresh in his mind.
“Yeah, I thought you promised Echo we would go back to Rex’s base after this last mission if ours.” Omega pressed on her standing as tall as she possibly could with hands on her hips taking the best defiant stance she could.
Hunter sighed. Shaking his head. “We will. But, Cid still owes us. Big time. We are going to go and collect the debt and then grab Azi with us. Then we will go to Rex’s base. And that, is a promise.” Hunter assured this team.
Tech simply nodded and engaged the nav computer’s autopilot to the already familiar coordinates letting the computer do the driving for a while.
Omega’s face changed though having totally forgotten about the poor droid friend of hers with all the ruckus going on, the missions lately, Echo being gone…well currently not with them… and so, feeling like a really bad, totally bad friend her frown got even worse and her eyes started watering suddenly.
“What’s the matter?” Tech blurted out seeing the Kid once again at the verge of tears.
“I… am I really that bad of a person?” Omega sniffed.
“Waddaya mean?” Now Wrecker to had gotten all confused as the Kid seemed to be all over the place with her emotions again. Didn’t they just get Echo back? Get a new pet too? Save a bunch of kids even if their latest mission had been a totally scary bust with the man-eating-gozilla-size-growing Zillo Beast and the imps nearly catching them too?!
“I forgot all about Azi.” Omega finally admitted before she burst into tears.
Tech, Hunter and Wrecker were all staring at the girl wide eyed for a moment. But it was Tech who finally ended up taking the lead and offering his hand to Omega which the Kid gladly took. Holding onto the girl’s hand for a moment and after a heavy sigh, Tech reeled Omega in and onto his lap.
Halleloo!!!
Omega climbed into the offered safety. Something of a first for sure. But guess no matter how odd it was, Tech was trying to console the girl to the best of his ability even while feeling completely awkward about it. Omega did not seem to mind though. At all. Holding onto Tech while sobbing away her discomfort.
“It will all be alright Omega.” Tech told the girl keeping his tone as sooting as he possibly could. “You had a lot on your mind for sure.” Tech tried to explain Omega her own feelings. Something out of Tech’s specialty.
Wrecker and Hunter simply looked on after having exchanged glances with each other. The whole scenario totally new, bizarre even. But it was also showing a lot of personal growth for the otherwise aloof man. Hunter could not help the soft smile emerging knowing well how hard this was for Tech.
The cockpit of the Marauder soon fell silent as the exhausted team falling into a light slumber with only the soft snores and the low purrs filling the area with the hyperspace lights flashing dimly in the viewport as the ship rushed inside the faster than light speed corridor.