Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Keeper's Arena

Chapter 20 - Trust

Jade sat up and rested the palm of her hand against her forehead as a raging headache settled in her mind. She blinked, trying to get her bearings. A small figure ran over to her; she had been lying on her back, her jacket tucked under her head. Someone had moved her. Omega – the small figure – scanned her quickly, and Wrecker blocked the setting sun as he came over and crouched.

"Did I pass out?" Jade asked groggily.

She knew it was a ridiculous question; of course, she had passed out. Still, the words slipped out of her mouth.

"Yeah, you hit your head pretty hard," Wrecker chuckled, as if it were amusing.

Jade gave him a wry smile and extended her hand. Wrecker took it and brought her to her feet. Jade nearly stumbled, realizing her right leg had likely been sprained. She threw out her hands to balance herself, then moved around Wrecker. She stopped in her tracks after a few steps. Nothing could have prepared her for the scene in front of her.

The Arena had fallen.

The rubble stretched out farther than the Arena had been originally, and the landing platforms were completely buried. Fire competed with the sun, and smoke rose like a bulging tree. Jade noticed some figures, too, but she tried not to focus on their lifeless bodies. The Star Destroyer was gone, and Jade looked from the clear, darkening sky to the Arena, or what was left of it. It was as if nothing had happened, and the Arena had fallen of its own accord. She tore her gaze away from the mess to survey the rest of her surroundings. Different captives were mingled with the faces she remembered saving, including most of the locals. She knew it wasn't everyone; there were 10 districts in total, and each district contained at least 100 people. Still, she couldn't believe they were free. It was almost too good to be true.

"I'm sorry," Wrecker said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Why?" Jade asked, wincing as a sharp twist of pain cut through her mind.

"I know you want to see your brother in that crowd," Wrecker said, and Jade dipped her head.

She hadn't given herself time to heal over that, and she didn't think she ever would. She nodded stiffly, unsmiling. She couldn't summon contentment, or else it would have been fake.

She motioned to the crowd. "He would have been happy to see this."

Still, her face bore no trace of a smile. She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes, searching. She saw the Marauder off the side, between trees and steep mountains tall enough to hide it but with an opening big enough to land and take off. Hunter, Echo, and Tech disembarked the ship and headed towards them, talking amongst each other, but that wasn't who Jade was searching for.

"Where's Kendra?"

Wrecker glanced at Omega, and Omega pointed to a man several yards away.

"You should talk to him," Omega suggested, and Jade caught the solemn tone.

She limped as fast as she could over to the man, and he turned after hearing the awkward shuffle of feet. A large gash had ruined one side of his face, and the eye was swollen shut, perhaps permanently. Jade paused a moment before speaking, gathering her thoughts that had been scattered suddenly. She repeated her question.

"Kendra," Jade started, desperate. "Please tell me –"

She trailed off, unwilling to hear the truth.

"She cared more about getting as many people out as she could. She lingered behind, and it cost her. The blaster fire was too powerful."

The man dropped his head quickly, excusing himself, and Jade stood there. Her leg crooked, Jade couldn't help but lean, and her head cocked in disbelief. She sucked in a gulp of air before a gasp of distress could leave her. No, she didn't know Kendra all that well, but she could picture the fake scenarios of Kendra's last stand, and it was far from comforting.