Star Wars: The Bad Batch - One Shots

2 - Cid's Parlor/Dax

Set in season 2; I did a bit of rough research in preparation for some parts. This is an original idea from yours truly, me.

The rag slipped from the fingers of a young man furiously scrubbing the edges of a worn table. It wasn't the first time he had cleaned that particular corner, and it always seemed to accumulate grime. Not that Cid's Parlor could be classified as a perfectly clean establishment, anyway. Grunting as he bent to pick it up, the young man flinched and bumped his head against the underside of the table as a laser smacked the wall near him, where a makeshift target had been set up. The blond girl winced and threw him an apologetic look, but the young man didn't meet her eyes. He flinched again when a cane sailed downwards, inches away from his sweeping hand.

"Dax!"

Dax paused and looked up tentatively. Cid scowled, slowly withdrawing her cane from the table. He braced himself for her words, but then she glanced left and right, as if about to tell him something important.

"Dark and broody has been asking about you."

Dax matched her scowl and thrust his index finger towards her.

"You better not have –"

"Relax, kid, I haven't said a word. They're different, you know."

"I don't care." Dax slid across the booth to tend to the other table, ignoring the fact that he had already cleaned it. "They're still clones."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but their percentage has thrown off your paycheck."

Dax scoffed, huffing. He had to pause before lowering his voice, gripping his head through his tussled, auburn hair. It desperately needed a trim.

"You said –"

Cid cut him off. "I know what I said, but things have changed."

"Apparently so. Well, Cid, I appreciate what you've done for me, but it's time for me to move on." Dax glanced at the blond girl, celebrating another bullseye as the clone they called "Echo" watched on with a slight smile. "Keep an eye on her. There's something different about her; I just don't know what."

"I'll try," Cid said, rolling her eyes.

When Dax gathered up the cleaning supplies and started to move past her, she stopped him, her cane tossed out in front of him. The water from the bucket Dax carried sloshed around precariously, and Dax eyed Cid in annoyance. He really wanted to snap that cane.

"If you help the fellas out, I might be able to scrounge up some extra credits for you."

Dax laughed a little louder than he had meant to, and he felt the stares on him. Clearing his throat, he shook his head.

"I don't work with others. The consequences are too great."

"Fine. But I'm having a briefing in this area; just clean these booths and we can work out an arrangement later."

Cid turned around so abruptly Dax remained standing where he was, and her words didn't register until after she had called "the fellas" over.

"Bandana! I have another mission, so gather the troops and let's get going."

Dax ducked his head to hide his amused smile as Hunter glared at Cid before reluctantly complying, sliding off the stool at the bar. The others instinctively followed suit, and Wrecker quite literally sat on a table nearby.

"Rude," Dax murmured under his breath.

He could block out the chatter and wasn't aware of how much time had passed, but a voice behind him startled him so badly he hit his head against the underside of the table again. Harder. He whirled around.