Order 66 | The Bad Batch | Hunter

Chapter Nine- Escape Attempt

One day she made a plan. While Fallow had visited her that morning, she managed to grab a small knife from Fallow's sewing kit. She tucked it in her boot, and when she was taken to her training that day, she had it with her. Vader was alone that day. She waited almost as long as it normally took for her to pass out, and she faked it. It was highly possible Vader could tell she was faking it, but she slowed her heart rate down and turned her mind off.

Then when Vader left the room, Kiv was left alone with the man she had still yet to learn the name of. He turned his back to her for a moment, and she sprung up, pulling the knife from her boot and putting it to his throat. He had been shocked and angry, though he cared more for his life. He gave her his key card, and she let herself out of the room. She quickly overtook the minds of the troopers around her, forcing them into unconsciousness.

She didn't make it far.

Kiv almost made it to an escape pod when an alarm sounded on the ship. She stopped in front of a window, checking around her to see where she could go. Kiv almost missed it, but turned back to the window, looking at the metal skeleton in the sky next to her. It was some sort of weapon, it had to be. It was circular, just the skeleton of it having been built so far. But it was massive. Whatever it was was bad and she had to stop it from being built.

She had waited too long.

She felt his presence before she saw him. Darth Vader was down the hall from her, lightsaber ignited. He didn't even say anything. Didn't argue, didn't yell, didn't try to persuade her again to join him. He simply walked towards her menacingly, swinging his lightsaber. Kiv stepped back to run but her feet were frozen to the floor. She couldn't do anything but watch as Darth Vader stalked towards her and sliced her with his lightsaber. She passed out briefly afterwards while being carried back to her room over his shoulder.

The next day Kiv woke up chained to her bed. She pulled against the chains, cuts forming on her ankles and wrists. Her shoulder throbbed where Darth Vader had attacked her, though it was bandaged.

The door opened. Fallow stepped in, a saddened look on her face.

She sat next to the bed, pulling out her fabrics and such.

"I'm sorry, darling," she said. Kiv didn't respond. Fallow attempted to distract Kiv for the rest of their time together that day. She told Kiv of her fiancé, a clone who worked on the same ship. His name was Falco. Kiv made a joke about their names both starting with 'Fal'. It was the first time Kiv smiled since she reached Hunter through the force. Hunter.

"Fallow?" Kiv muttered.

"Yes, my dear?"

Kiv sighed. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Yes, of course-"

"Even though it could get you in trouble?"

Fallow faltered. "What is it?"

"I just want to speak to my friends. I won't tell them where I am or how to find me. I just want to say hi."

Fallow sighed. "I suppose that could be arranged."

Kiv smiled, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. "Thank you," she whispered.

Fallow figured it would be better to do it sooner than later, now rather than giving anyone time to figure out what they were doing. So Fallow quickly returned to her room, grabbing her "forgotten" sewing kit, and stowing her personal comm inside.

Upon returning to Kiv's cell, she temporarily unlocked one of Kiv's wrists, allowing her to put the Batch's codes into the comm. The call was almost immediately answered, Tech's matter-of-fact voice sounding through the comm.

"Who is this?" He asked.

Kiv smiled so wide her face started to hurt. "Tech, it's me."

"Kiv?" He sounded extremely shocked, which made Kiv laugh.

"Yes. It's me."

"Did you say Kiv?" Hunter's voice was coming through now.

"Yes, I did."

"Kiv? Kiv, is that really you?" Hunter was yelling.

"Shhh, keep it down," Kiv scolded. "I can't talk for long. I just needed to hear your voices."

"Where are you?" Hunter asked.

"I can't tell you that. I can't let you come find me. I won't let you."

"What?" He sounded outraged. "You have to tell us where you are-"

"Hunter, no." Kiv stopped him. "It's too dangerous here. I just wanted to speak to you one last time."

"'One last time'? No, Kiv. We're gonna find you," Hunter was arguing.

Fallow knocked from the other side of the door. Their warning.

"Someones coming. I have to go," Kiv said.

"Kiv, tell me where you are. I have to find you."

"No Hunter-"

The door banged open, Fallow being held at gunpoint outside in the hallway.

"Kiv?"

The troopers ran forward, grabbing the comm from her and rechaining her to the bed.

"Kiv!" Hunter cried out one last time before the trooper hung up the call.

"I wasn't telling them where I am, I swear!" Kiv yelled, watching them arrest Fallow in the hall. "Don't do that! She didn't do anything! I forced her to give me her comm!" She lied, but it still didn't work. "I'm sorry!" Kiv cried out to Fallow as they carried her away.

One of the troopers was watching through the door, his whole body tense, almost shaking. Falco. It had to be him. And Kiv had just gotten his fianceé arrested.

"I'm sorry," she said to Falco, who briefly looked at her and then turned away, walking back into the hallway.