Hunted|The Bad Batch.

thirty-five: kamino lost.

[A/N: last chapter of season one!]

Yelena had caught up to the others in silence, the woman standing next to Jaina, the jedi and mando behind Tech but in front of Crosshair. Her words left Crosshair a lot to think of, it had been some time since someone had bothered to impart him with kind words. He wasn't really sure what to think of it really. However, for the others they weren't sure of what to say, they hadn't heard everything but they could tell she was calm and gentle while speaking to the man. All of them, but Omega and Jaina didn't know if they should even ask her why. Echo wondered how she was so calm with Crosshair, but he also knew she was a compassionate and empathetic person. "I'm trying to be civil-ish with him, but I don't understand how you're being so kind to him. He's being a...pain in the ass." Jaina quiet voice asked her cousin softly, the mando honestly was curious and wanted to know why and how.

"If I can't show him even an ounce of kindness...how can I expect him to trust us." Yelena breathed, her eyes flickering to her cousin who was frowning beneath her helmet. "Crosshair needs to know someone has his back, even if it's a jedi. I don't have to agree with him like Tech said, but I have to have his back and offer him words of kindness." She whispered gently and Jaina looking at her cousin, even though Yelena couldn't see her face she knew what she was thinking. "I'm a jedi, compassion is the very core of being a jedi. Not the no attachments or curb your feelings, compassion. I've struggled in the past to show it to people, the Zygerrian's for example." Yelena sighed and told Jaina, her arms crossed and she rubbed them. The Zygerrians on Ord Mantell didn't deserve compassion in her mind as they were a threat to lives, but she didn't even show the former Zygerrian queen compassion like Anakin managed.

"Even Anakin managed to show their former queen compassion in her last moments, he could have easily not done so. She didn't deserve it and with his past, he was under no obligation to give it, but I think he saw something...something to pity and that gained his compassion. When someone is an immediate threat to lives, I won't hesitate to stop them but...I can still hold compassion." She took a breath, Jaina listening quietly but intently. Yelena's gaze flickered to Hunter and then back to Crosshair who was dragging behind them. "I am a jedi and I always will be, so if I can't at least try or attempt a compassionate outlook to Crosshair then...whether or not I left the order, I'd fail as a jedi." Yelena exhaled, her words soft but honest and Jaina smiled slightly beneath her helmet. Yelena was a much better person than her for that, she could not comprehend being in such a way. It was impossible for her.

"You're a better person than I," Jaina uttered and Yelena chuckled, shaking her head.

"It's hard for you and that's okay." Yelena offered a smile, Jaina smiled back and even though the jedi couldn't see her face, she knew. "He needs me, he needs a friend, despite our differences and despite what he's done. Even after everything he's done." She says quietly, Jaina nodding understandingly.

"You can try and I understand, but...I'm not sure he'll reciprocate the extended hand of friendship." Jaina confessed and Yelena hummed, a small shrug shaking through her shoulder.

"Maybe." was all she said before silence enveloped them. Jaina watched her cousin for a moment but said nothing else to her. Yelena's way of thinking always was different from hers or Ursa's, in fact, Ursa admitted sometimes she couldn't understand it. That didn't stop them from loving her and Ursa felt the jedi's compassion gave her a foot up over everyone else. If there was an afterlife, Jaina and even Ursa was sure despite certain things, Yelena would make it. However, Hunter had heard her and was silent, even Crosshair had heard. Neither sure of what to say regarding it. Hunter frowned to himself, she pressed compassion a lot when he got to know her and...she had a special gift if she could get through to Crosshair, truly. Tech, however, the whole time couldn't help but find himself agreeing with Jaina but he opted against saying anything to either woman during the conversation. It wasn't his place to say anything during that and Echo felt the same way. Though it was hard for Echo to understand Yelena's view completely just...with everything that happened.