Order 66 | The Bad Batch | Hunter

Chapter Three- Familiar Faces

When they arrived on Ord Mantell, Kiv was shocked.

"Of course I know Cid," she told Hunter. "Never thought I'd see her again."

Next to her was Omega sitting atop Muchi, with Wrecker on the other side. They had both grown attached to the rancor.

After Bib Fortuna walked away with Muchi in tow, Kiv's appearance was revealed to Cid.

"Well I'll be damned," Cid commented as Kiv pulled her hood off. "I wasn't sure you boys could pull this job off. But a Jedi? You should get into the bounty hunter business."

Kiv scoffed at Cid. "Pleasant as always," she snarked, walking past Cid into her bar.

Kiv, unsurprisingly, didn't have enough money for a hotel, and ended up sleeping on the Marauder with the batch. Hunter tried to offer her his bed each night, but she refused. She would sleep in one of the pilot's chairs each night, waking up the next morning much more comfortably with a blanket tucked around her. She couldn't figure out who was doing it: Echo, her old friend from Anakin's forces, Omega, the sweet child who followed her around like a puppy, Wrecker, another puppy, Tech... (it probably wasn't Tech), or Hunter, who seemed very determined to keep her safe.

Their next mission was only a few days later, and Kiv chose not to go on it. Cid allowed her to work in her bar while the batch was gone, and she would help keep her hidden.

What she didn't expect was a visitor a few days after the first mission.

"That is one strange lookin' lizard," Cid commented, looking into the recent pickup for a client.

The batch stood around, talking to Cid, and Kiv sat at the bar, a hood pulled over her head.

"What's your client want it for?" Echo questioned.

"Maybe it's a pet. Maybe he wants to turn it into a stew. Don't know, don't care," Cid scoffed. Kiv rolled her eyes, glaring at the lizard lady under the protection of her hood.

"As long as you get paid," Hunter said.

"Now you're catching on," Cid said, still smiling. "And guess what? That means you get paid too. Bring the lizard in the back."

Echo and Tech followed Cid, bringing the cage along with them. Hunter froze at something in the corner, before turning to Wrecker and Omega, who stood meekly behind him.

"Hunter?" Omega asked.

"What are you two up to?" Hunter asked.

Kiv felt something shift in the room. Not an intentional shift, but something old, familiar. Her attention was drawn to a hooded figure in the back, not unlike herself.

"The missions over," Wrecker commented. Kiv slowly placed her hand on her lightsaber. "Can we go?"

"Again?"

"It's a tradition!" Wrecker argued. "It makes the kid happy.

Kiv stood slowly, still watching the hooded figure.

"Uh-huh," Hunter nodded. "The kid?" He sighed. "Don't take long."

Wrecker cheered loudly, knocking Kiv from her focus as he and Omega stomped out of the bar.

Hunter left Kiv, walking back into Cid's office. Kiv had lost her focus with the force, but she was still keeping an eye on the hooded figure. She sat back down, suspiciously watching him.

A few minutes later some of the regulars stalked into the bar, picking a fight with the figure. Something about him being in the dude's seat. She wasn't paying that much attention until the figure stood, shooting his blaster to get the guys to run away from him.

Kiv jumped up, her hood falling back slightly, her hand grabbing her lightsaber.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Cid yelled, reentering the room, the three clones in tow. "Who are you?"

The figure reached up, pulling his hood down.

"Rex?" Echo asked.

"Oh great, another clone. Just what I needed," Cid snarked.

Kiv was frozen by the bar. She reached up, pulling her hood down. Rex glanced over to her and made eye contact. His features flooded with relief.

He made his way over to her, but she stopped him, holding her hand out.

He put his hands up. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Kiv. I had my chip removed. You're safe."

She wanted to believe him. Cid made some off handed comment, stalking out of the room.

"Really?" Kiv asked lightly. Rex nodded.

She put her hand down and walked to him, gripping his shoulders before pulling him into a hug.

After swapping stories of their experiences with Order 66, Kiv was zoned out. She reexperienced everything while telling the boys what had happened, and it was more than she could handle.

Hunter reached over to her, placing a hand on her hand and raising his eyebrows at her. She just blinked at him and smiled, pulling herself back to the conversation.

"Who is she?" Rex was asking.

"Omega. She's a clone, like us," Hunter explained.

"Well look who it is," the loud voice of Wrecker came from the doorway. "Come here, Rex!" He picked Rex up easily, pulling him into a hug.

"Yeah," Rex said, being squished alive by Wrecker. "Good to see you too, Wrecker."

"I thought you didn't like the regs."

"This one we like," Wrecker laughed.

"Omega. This is Rex," Hunter introduced.

Rex knelt down to Omega's level. "I've met many clones in my time, but never one like you."

"You're a generation one."

"Now how'd you know that?"

"From the lines on your face."

"Yeah, I guess I've been around."

"You got that right," Wrecker laughed, quickly turning into a grimace. "Tech, I need one of those med patches." He held his head.

"You used the last one," Tech stated.

"What's wrong?" Rex asked, standing cautiously.

"Nothing, it's just a headache." Kiv glanced over at Rex, and started to understand his concern.

"Which are becoming more frequent," Echo commented.

"Is that so?"

Tech interrupted. "If you're concerned about the so-called inhibitor chips, don't be. Our deviant nature appears to have impeded their functionality. Except in Crosshair."

"You're telling me you haven't removed your chips?" Rex questioned.

"No, not yet."

Rex's one hand pulled Kiv behind him, while the other reached for his blaster. "Those chips make you a threat to everyone around you. Especially her," he gestured to Kiv. "You're all ticking time bombs."

"Take it easy, Captain."

"What's in your head is more dangerous than you can imagine. I've seen what happens when the chip activates, and I don't wanna bury any more of our brothers. Trust me. It is not something you can control. I couldn't. It's a risk you do not want to take."

"How do you suggest we get them out?"