The Bad Batch Aftermath{TechxOC}

Hunted

It's only been a couple rotations since Order 66 was called. Valerie was on a speeder heading back to the hideaway camp her and Caleb were staying at, the starfighter they hijacked only had enough fuel to get to the next planet over called Montross. Valerie was on a food run but she had only managed to get one sandwich, she figured her and Caleb could split it. She knew they would have to leave soon. She made it to the camp they were staying at and she parked the speeder, covering it in a makeshift moss blanket. She walked over to the tent, "Caleb?" She called out, "I'm back with dinner. Caleb?" She wandered into his tent and saw Caleb packing a small bag. "Caleb, whats going on here?"

"Oh Valerie, listen I was thinking we move on." Caleb said.

"Well of course Montross was never a permanent thing, but where do you think we could go?"

"No, I mean we move on in different directions."

"Oh..." She trailed off.

"It's not that I like traveling with you, I do but the clones are going to be looking for us together and I think it'll be safer if we go our separate ways."

"Caleb do you really think so?"

"No, but I also need to learn to make it on my own, learn to protect myself, I couldn't protect master." He looked at the dirt floor.

Valerie placed her hands on his shoulder, "Caleb, Master Billaba was not your fault, I promise, but if this is how you feel. Then I understand, we'll leave in the morning we can sneak you off on the next shuttle."

"Valerie, please don't be mad."

Valerie smiled at the young padawan, "Caleb I'm not mad, I promise, if this is what you want to do then I understand, just take care of yourself." She pulled out the sandwich she had acquired earlier and handed it to him, "here for your journey tomorrow."

"Okay, we should probably get some rest then." Caleb said and Valerie nodded. Valerie got Caleb settled into his cot.

"Goodnight Caleb." She smiled again at the young boy before leaving his tent. She laid down on the dirt and stared at the stars, she wondered about everyone affected by the order. The jedi, citizens, the clones.

Her Clones.

Valerie's mind wandered to her clones, missing them. She sat up realizing she wasn't thinking about the 671st, she was thinking about clone force 99. She sat criss-crossed in the dirt and placed her hands on her knees. She didn't know who to trust anymore. She's tried calling out to the Jedi High Council but no one answered her call. She and Caleb got Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's message about not returning to the Jedi Temple, she was afraid. She had no one to trust, she hadn't tried reaching out to her master yet, maybe she should, but their last time together wasn't pleasant so maybe he didn't even want to see her. She shook her head, she had to try anyway. She closed her eyes and let the force around her guide her.

"My name is Valerie Ortis, I was a Jedi-Knight on the Planet Kaller when Order 66 was called, and now I'm calling out for guidance. I don't know what to do or who to even trust. I'm so scared. I'm hoping my old Master, Drake Amon hears my message and this is it. Drake I know what I did back then was a bad call but I'm not mad at you for sending me away, I understand why you wanted to get rid of me but please Drake please call back to me, I'm so scared." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I haven't been a good knight, I don't know what to do and the padawan I'm with is even leaving me too. Please Drake, I hope you don't hate me." As soon as Valerie stopped right on cue her com-link went off. She held her wrist up ready to speak but she stopped herself when she realized who was speaking.

"Valerie? Valerie, are you there?" It was a certain goggle wearing clone.

Tech.

How did Tech know which channel she would be on? She hasn't even used her com-link since Kaller, so she knows he didn't track her.