Star Wars One-Shots

The Cost of Loyalty (Bad Batch) (Pt1)

He waits.

And waits.

And waits.

He watches the smoke float across the surface of the water, the black clouds hiding what remains of Tipoca City. The flames are beginning to die down, but he knows the singed pieces will remain on top of the surface for the next few days. The waves of the never-ending ocean lap against the beams holding the platform in places, the splashing a constant beat with a few interjections from stray pieces of the city he was created in.

Yet Crosshair can't help but feel like this moment means more than just the end of the Republic.

The end of an era with his brothers.

He knows they offered him a chance to join them again, but still, he feels like they didn't want him.

And why would they?

Even he can't think of a reason why.

After all, he was vile the entire time they were trying to escape. He complained about every call made, poisoning everyone's attitude as if he were actually a snake. He had been the one to lure them all into coming to Kamino. He coiled around them until he finally got his opportunity to strike them with his tormented bite, chiding them for how they treated him.

So yes, Wrecker was right. It was his fault for getting them into that situation. He's the one who was endangering Omega just as he accused Hunter of doing.

And though Tech claimed he wasn't defending him in that underwater tunnel, it still felt good to have someone speak up for him.

Because even after Hunter said they were never enemies, it still feels like it was one against five. No matter what he said, none of them seemed to agree with him. Hell, they had their weapons trained on him every time he moved towards his rifle. He couldn't adjust it without getting a cautious glare from Echo.

They even placed him in a tube with Hunter so they could keep an eye on him.

They didn't say it was for that reason out loud, but it was obvious.

And when he saved their little sidekick, all he saw were the ends of their guns all aimed at him. Seeing Wrecker so defensive actually hurt. He always stood up from him, but clearly, those days are gone.

He didn't hear a single thanks, not even muttered under their breath like they used to.

They still don't trust him.

Not that he really blames them.

Omega was the only one to give him the benefit of the doubt, and he somehow turned her against him too. Was it what he said to her in the lab? He wasn't trying to be mean, he was just trying to warn her not to get her hopes up.

Because he's a clone too, their defective batch brother, yet he doesn't think he was ever one of them.

At least not in the way the rest of them are brothers.

Hunter promised they would never leave their own behind. He proved it time and time again. When they went back for Wrecker after he took a hard blow on Kashyyk. Or when they worked to save Tech from those odd creatures on Geonosis.

And just like he predicted, they came back for Hunter without a second thought. There was no moment of hesitation for them. He laid a trap that should have been obvious had they opened their eyes and placed themselves into his shoes.

Crosshair sighs, staring at the armor that he had taken off. He forces himself to look at the reflective black plates, his slightly warped face glaring back at him. He hates to admit it, but seeing his brothers in their old armor made him miss his.