To Heal Poignancy ■ TECH - The Bad Batch ■

The Calm

Knowing the dangers of Rex and Echo's mission did not settle Adla's woes. When the group departed, she had watched the two leave until she could no longer see them. She was afraid they would be shot at the moment she turned her back.

She kept Crosshair close for the rest of the week, worried about his safety more so than her own.

She had not expected to hear from the Bad Batch for a while; she didn't see a reason for the group to contact her or vice versa. She was proven wrong when a week after their failed attempt at stopping Rampart's Bill from going through, she received a call. Surprised, she excused herself from a conversation with Mon Mothma and Bel Iblis.

"Hello?" she asked quietly into her communication device when she secured a private spot to speak.

"Senator Klenn?" A tired accented voice sounded from the device on her wrist. "We require your assistance, if you please."

"Tech?" she questioned frantically. Of course, she recognized whose voice spoke on the other line. "Is everything alright? Are you guys okay? Are you hurt?"

The line was silent for a moment too long for Adla's taste. "We are fine now. We had been mining and extracting some combustible mineral, but that exploded and is no longer an issue. We also had a minor issue for a short period of time where our ship had been stolen, but that is not -"

"What!?" she shouted into her comm device. She clutched her wrist as she brought it closer to her face. He sounded way too calm and nonchalant in his recap. She held her breath as she looked behind her to make sure no one came to check on her. When she knew she was in the clear, she began rapidly speaking again, although she tried to keep her voice down. "Explosive minerals? A stolen ship? Where are you guys?!"

"Currently? Hyperspace."

"And everyone is intact?"

"Physically? Yes. Mentally, I think this mission took a toll on a few of us." Immediately, Adla knew Omega was a part of that "few", and by the hesitation in his voice, she thought he could have been included as well.

So, if everyone was fine, why did they need her? She questioned him as much.

"Ah, yes. Well, you see Cid abandoned us on the planet. If we had not retrieved our ship on our own, we would still be stranded." Adla furrowed her eyebrows. "We have decided to part ways with Cid."

Adla let out the biggest sigh of relief and thanked the Maker and every deity who collaborated on the departure. She met the trandoshan woman once and had disliked her immensely. So, she guessed the whole "worship the ground they walk on" talk didn't work.

"What do you require from me?"

"With Cid no longer an ally, we have nowhere to go. Aimlessly floating through space is less than adequate. You are near the top of the short list of people we trust. We were wondering if you knew of a place where we could lie low for a little while?"

"Near?" she teased. "Who holds the top spots?"

"Echo and Rex. But they are currently on a mission and are unable to receive our transmission."

Adla laughed softly. "Naturally, of course. But yeah, I have a place for you guys." Her mind instantly flew to different locations she could have them go. "I'll send you the coordinates and meet you there." They exchanged a few more words before the conversation ended.

Swiftly, she made her way back to Mon Mothma and Bel Iblis. Crosshair had stood off to the side the entire time, arms crossed and toothpick in his mouth as he leaned against the wall. His eyes immediately latched onto her.

As she walked past the two senators, she bid them goodbye before she approached her guard. This was it. She would reunite Crosshair with his brothers - and sister - whether he liked it or not.