Bad Batch: Healer's Heart

Devil's Deal

Althea ran through the streets of Mos Isley, her blaster gripped tightly in her hand. "I've got the package." She said into her comm. Tucked under her arm was a wooden box about the length of her forearm.

"Meet at the rendezvous point." Hunter told her.

Althea ducked behind another corner, the sand from the neighboring Dune Sea kicking up under her feet. Three men stood there in a dead end. Althea cursed silently, she went the wrong way and now there was trouble.

"There she is!" One said.

Althea stood up straight and backed up. "No one needs to know about this, right guys?" She asked with a nervous smile under her mask. She took another step back, but a wall stopped her. The medic looked up to see a large Devaronian snarling down at her.

"Hello." Althea said with a tiny wave. She turned her attention back to the other three men. They were drawing their blasters. "Gentlemen," The medic said calmly. "There's no need for blasters. Is there anyway we could come to terms peacefully?"

One of them, a Night Brother, spoke up. "Only if you give us the box, girly."

Althea smirked. "I was hoping you'd say that." She jabbed her elbow into the Devaronian's stomach, dropping him to his knees. When the other three men fired their blasters, Althea dodged and shot back, using the now dead Devaronian as cover.

She grabbed her knife from her thigh strap. She held the blade between her fingers before throwing it, lodging it in the Night Brother's skull. The other two men were so shocked from the death of their comrade it gave Althea the opportunity to rush them. She dropped the box to the ground and charged.

She grabbed her knife from the Night Brother's skull and blasted the two men. She stood up straight and holstered her blaster. The medic took her knife and cleaned it, wiping it across the break in her armor by her elbow. She then sheathed it, but footsteps caused her to grab her blaster.

Down the barrel of her blaster stood Hunter, his own blaster ready by his hip. Althea lowered her weapon. "Jeez, warn me next time you emerge from the shadows."

"I heard blaster fire." Hunter said, his helmet hiding his expression. "Are you alright?"

Althea gestured to the bodies of her attackers. "I'm doing better than they are."

"You're supposed to comm us if you run into trouble." The Sergeant scolded.

Althea walked past him, picking up the box and tucking it under her arm. "I dealt with it. Relax, dad." She said with an eye roll. "C'mon, we gotta go." She took off running down the street.

Hunter shook his head and sighed before following her.

It wasn't long before they reached the Marauder. Tech was already prepping the ship for take off while Wrecker, Omega, and Echo held off enemies.

"About time you showed up!" Said Wrecker as Althea and Hunter boarded.

"I got the package, didn't I?" The medic retorted as she the ramp closed.

With everyone on board, Tech took them away, blasting into hyperspace.

Althea pulled down her mask and set the box on the crash seats. "Okay, who broke what?" When no one answered, the teen couldn't help but smile. "Alright! Looks like we can set the board back to zero missions without injury. That's a first." She added quietly.

Omega moved to look at the package. "What do you think is in there?" She asked.

"Cid made herself perfectly clear that we were not to open it." Tech said as he walked in from the cockpit.