When Luck Changes Sides

1 - kaller

"Execute order 66."

The words slithered into Crosshair's ears making him dig his heels into the snow to break his run. Like poison, the voice seeped down his spine, turning his veins to ice.

Blaster fire erupted behind him. Captain Grey and his men closed in on General Billaba from all sides and fired upon her. The padawan, Caleb, ran to her, but he soon came running back with terror in his eyes. The screams ceased and the general was gone.

"What in the blazes..." Crosshair began, but cut himself off as Caleb approached. He stopped at a a distance, eyeing the Bad Batch with suspicion.

Crosshair watched his brothers' backs straighten as they faced the Jedi padawan. Their heads zeroed in on him, fingers tightening around their weapons. Crosshair knew the look well.

"Stay away from me!" Caleb yelled with his lightsaber drawn, and took off into the snow-capped forest.

The Bad Batch stared after him as he ran. Hunter pulled out his blasters while Wrecker and Echo followed suit. Tech tossed his datapad into his pack in a reckless manner.

Crosshair couldn't explain the sudden change in behavior in his batch mates. He knew it had to do with the order just given, but for the life of him, Crosshair could not surmise what Order 66 called for. He was reluctant to ask. Even Wrecker gave away no sign of confusion. A small part of Crosshair dreaded the snide remark he knew Tech would give if he inquired.

His brothers carried on in pursuit of Caleb without discussing their next move, oblivious to Crosshair's lack of action. Annoyance pricked at him.

"Does anyone care to explain what Order 66 is?" Crosshair hissed.

Hunter, Echo, Tech, and Wrecker stopped in their tracks and looked at Crosshair. He always thought he could read their expression despite the helmets, but it seemed to Crosshair that their visors were glazed over. A reflective barrier.

"Just follow my lead," Hunter said. "Now come on, we're going to lose him."

Crosshair stood baffled as the four of them charged into the forest after Caleb. Before they got too far ahead, he started after them and caught up with Hunter.

"And what exactly are we going to do once we find the kid?" Crosshair asked.

"We execute him," Tech answered. "As per our orders."

"What orders?"

"Order 66."

"And it calls for executing a kid?"

They stared at Crosshair again.

"Good soldiers follow orders," Hunter said. One by one, he assigned everyone their position and laid out a plan to ambush the padawan. By the time Hunter got to Crosshair, the marksman had already disappeared.

Hunter frowned under his helmet. He stared at the fresh tracks in the snow and motioned for Wrecker to follow him while Tech and Echo would circle around.

"What're you up to, Crosshair?"

——

Crosshair took careful steps as he trekked between the trees. He scanned the canopies until his eyes landed on a small, hooded figure staring right back at him.

"They'll be coming," Crosshair said to Caleb. "You can come down the easy way, or be flushed out by those troopers," he pointed back with his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't have a choice-"

A blaster bolt zipped into the trees and Caleb fled. Crosshair looked behind to see Hunter aiming up at the branch the padawan sat on a moment ago.