The Clone Wars - Blog Posts

Best Pilot in the Galaxy | Tech from The Bad Batch

Summary: During a mission, Tech has a hard time allowing his ship to be driven by someone else.

Warning: slight angst and argument

Pairing: Tech x Fem!Reader Pilot

Type: Oneshot

The Marauder was sitting on a world in the Outer Rim called Cassander. It was a lush, green planet with a few major bodies of water. However, most notably, the planet was growing in population and had recently become Ord Mantell's most competitive trading rival.

The ship was nearly empty, except for a singular pilot sitting in the cockpit. She was not the rightful owner of the ship, but had been assigned this mission with the group of rouge clones that did own the ship. The squad was located somewhere in the capital city nearby, attempting to steal the package in which they had come for. The pilot waited patiently for the pickup call.

Now, the pilot had been waiting for nearly two hours for the call to come through the comms. She did everything she could think of to pass the time, which included rummaging through the squad's belongings. Though she didn't find anything of value.

The gonk droid made a noise as he waddled into the cockpit. The pilot went through the ship's log, seeing all the planets the squad had recently visited. Their last stop happened to be Ord Mantell where they were assigned this mission in particular.

"Y/n! Come in," Hunter's voice sounded desperate over the comms. She quickly jolted forward in her seat, pressing the button to relay a message back.

"Read you loud and clear," Y/n responded. She began clicking buttons on the control panel, preparing the ship for liftoff.

"We need a pick up. We've been compromised," Hunter explained. He was panting on the other end of the line, which probably meant they were running.

"What part of stealth mission is so hard to understand?"

"Just hurry. We don't have a lot of time. They're sending air support," Hunter warned her.

"Oh great," Y/n scoffed sarcastically.

"I'm sending you our coordinates," Tech interjected over the communications.

As the Marauder departed off the ground, the landing gear retracted back into the ship. The wings moved downwards as the ship was angled towards the sky. The engine roared to life; the ship began flying towards the rendezvous location.

The workers from the trading post were shooting their blasters at the criminals running away from them. They tried to keep up with them, firing relentlessly as they got away with some of their own goods.

It was Wrecker, Hunter, and Tech who were carrying the heavy cargo in the form of a shipping container. Normally, it would take four guys to carry the cargo, but since Wrecker was so strong, he was able to carry the left side without help. Behind them, Echo and Omega fired shots back at the workers. They covered them as the rest ran as fast as they could.

"Whatever is in here, it better be worth it." Wrecker grunted, dodging the blaster fire.

"As long as we get paid," Hunter responded.

The small squad continued running through the vast forest, maneuvering around trees in hopes of using its coverage to their advantage. They came into a clearing with the workers getting closer each second. All of the sudden, a cliff came into their view which caused them to halt in their place.

"Where's our ride?" Echo asked desperately. He peered around his shoulder with his gun still raised.

"There!" Omega pointed into the sky.

The Marauder rounded the corner of the mountain, coming into their line of view. It flew over to the edge of the cliff to meet them. The ramp lowered to hover right by the cliff, allowing the squad to climb aboard the vessel.

The blaster fire was beginning to hit the sides of the ship. The squad fired back, striking a few of the workers down. Once everyone was aboard, Hunter slammed the button on the side of the wall so the ramp was lifted.

"That's everyone," Hunter shouted. "Get us out of here!"

"Roger that," Y/n said.

Pulling a lever, the thrusters sent a powerful volt back which propelled the ship forward rapidly. By steering the ship, Y/n directed the ship back into the mountain range. She could hear the air support coming up behind them. She took a sharp turn to deter them.

The sharp turn caused each member of the squad to loose their footing and grab something nearby to steady themselves. Carefully, Tech quickly made his way into the cockpit. He leaned over the back of the pilot's seat, resting his hand on the panel for support. He hadn't taken the time to remove his helmet.

"That is sufficient," Tech announced to the pilot. "I'll take it from here."

"A little busy here," Y/n stated instead. She turned the wheel to the left, taking another sharp turn which made everything in the ship turn that way. And Tech ended up leaning a little into her.

"Wrecker," Tech ordered. He moved to sit in the co-pilot seat which was where Echo usually sat. "Get to the tail gun."

There were at least six smaller ships following them at this point, firing as many rounds as possible. The Marauder swayed to the left and right, expertly dodging each blast aimed at them. In the tail gun, Wrecker got into position before firing back at the ships. He managed to hit one of them, but it wasn't enough to bring the ship down.

Back in the cockpit, Tech began pressing a few buttons on the control panel. The pilot glared at him through the corner of her eye, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. She maintained her grip on the sides of the wheel.

"Transitioning controls back to co-pilot," Tech announced. He went to press the final red button, but she swatted his hand away. "What are you doing?" Tech demanded an explanation.

"I know how to fly," Y/n said through gritted teeth. Her eyes were still facing forward as she focused on the task at hand.

"I never said you didn't," Tech informed her. "I am simply stating that I am ready to transition controls back to me as I am more capable of flying this vessel than you. It is my ship after all," Tech said as a matter of factly.

Hunter rolled his eyes in the background. He knew it was pointless to argue over the comment.

"You weren't hired to be the pilot for this mission," Y/n argued back. "I can get us out of this."

With that comment, one of the blaster fires struck the right wing which caused it to catch on fire. The two of them peered out the window, spotting the trail of black smoke falling behind the hit.

"You were saying?" Tech replied. He gestured to the damage done to his ship. She rolled her eyes at him.

A few more ships began trailing behind them. They began firing more shots towards them. There was no way one ship could take the whole fleet down.

"Uh guys," Wrecker announced from the tail gun. "We've got more incoming."

Ignoring the comment, Tech quickly transitioned controls back to his wheel before the other pilot could protest. He gripped the wheel harshly, moving the wheel to take a sharp left hand turn. The ship was forced to swerve around the side of the mountain; a few of the enemy ships crashed into the sides as a result. She switched controls back to her wheel, taking a right hand turn. The ship weaved around another mountainside.

Behind the googles of his helmet, Tech squinted his eyes in slight irritation. He changed controls once again. He quickly grabbed onto the lever, pulling it backwards so the thrusters gave another jolt of energy. Now they were flying a little faster.

Nevertheless, another blaster hit managed to strike the back of the ship. The Marauder jolted forward from the force of the blast. The two pilots lurched forward in their seats. The others continued to hold onto things for support.

"You aren't doing much better," Y/n replied snakily. She reached forward to press the button once more. She turned the wheel as far as she could, which caused the ship to completely turn around. She pulled the lever for the extra push.

"What are you doing?" Tech exclaimed. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

Down in the tail gun, Wrecker began firing at the ships flying directly in front of them. With his expertise, he struck down three ships. Those ships exploded into a million pieces, fierce flames erupting around them. The Marauder flew through the fire without taking damage.

The enemy ships needed to turn around before continuing their chase. They quickly swerved their ships. Once the ships were facing the right way, the thrusters kicked in for that extra power. And the enemy continued their pursuit.

"I will only say this one more time," Tech's modulated voice spoke through his helmet. He turned to face her in his seat. His eyes looked angry behind his googles. "Relinquish controls now."

"Over my dead body," Y/n challenged him. She didn't take her eyes off him.

In the background, Hunter and Echo seemed to raise their eyebrows at the two pilots. They looked between them, half expecting one of them to cave in and go back to flying the ship. But neither of them faltered.

"Uh guys," Omega interrupted them.

Both of them directed their line of attention back towards flying the ship. With a quick maneuver, they managed to dodge the mountain they were heading straight for at the last second. A few more ships crashed into it.

"You're both going to get us all killed if you don't figure something out," Hunter shouted behind them.

Reaching forward, Y/n went to press a few more buttons, but Tech swatted her hand away this time. He went ahead and pressed his own buttons. He was punching in the coordinates for their destination.

"You are not the best pilot in the galaxy," Y/n claimed. She glanced at him through the corner of her eye. He kept putting in the coordinates.

"Hardly a measurable cause," Tech said with a roll of his eyes in annoyance.

"You haven't made the Kessel Run in fourteen parsecs," Y/n added. It was like she was insisting that it could be measurable.

"I have a theory that it can be done in twelve," Tech stated as a matter of factly.

"I highly doubt that," Y/n chuckled at the comment.

Suddenly, Y/n pressed the wheel forward with all of her might. The ship began to descend down at a rapid pace, shifting into a nose dive position. The ground was growing closer and closer with each second. The enemy ships following right behind them, firing non-stop.

Both Hunter and Echo were holding onto panels behind them. The force of falling forwards was pushing them back. They were unable to move.

"You have to pull up--" Tech ordered in a slight panic.

"Oh for the last time," Y/n shouted over him. "I know what I'm doing!"

At the last possible second, the wonderfully skilled pilot pulled the wheel into her chest so that the ship was pulled up. It was so close to touching the ground, but it missed it by a hair. The last two ships crashed into the ground, exploding suddenly and sending debris flying.

Now that the threat of the chase was finally over, Y/n could relax in her seat a little. The rest of the squad was completely silent, realizing that she had managed to get them out of the situation with little damage in the end. Beside her, Tech kept his eye on her since he was still angry with her.

The Marauder started to climb in altitude, shifting towards the edge of the planet's atmosphere. It finally passed through the atmosphere, flying through space. The stars throughout the galaxy sparkled as the planet grew small and smaller. It was now all behind them.

"Are the coordinates to Ord Mantell in?" Y/n wondered. Her voice was so much calmer now. Her shoulders slumped at her sides. But she refused to make eye contact.

"Yes. They are in," Tech informed her softly. His eyes softened behind his helmet. He studied her carefully, trying to figure out what she was thinking in that brain of hers. He quickly shook it off, directing his attention back towards the void of space in front of them.

Without thinking, Tech and Y/n went to reach for the lever to send them into hyperspace. Their hands grazed each other's with neither of them being any closer to the lever than the other. They both awkwardly pulled their hands away upon contact.

"I'm sorry," Y/n muttered under her breath.

He wasn't sure if she was apologizing for the situation they just came out of or the situation that just occurred with the lever. Nevertheless, she reached for the lever once again, pulling it back to send the ship into hyperspace.

Back at Ord Mantell, the Bad Batch went back to Cid's Parlor. They stood on the other side of her desk, having just delivered the cargo that she paid them to retrieve. She peered into the package, checking to make sure everything was there.

Behind the group, Y/n stood there in total silence. Her eyes were trained on the floor as she shifted in her place awkwardly. She waited for their boss to address them.

Beside her, Tech stood about an arm's length away. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye, taking note of her odd demeanor. He raised his finger and opened his mouth to say something to her, but he was rudely cut off.

"Looks like everything is here," Cid announced. She closed the cargo container. She began rummaging through her drawers, collecting the correct amount of credits to pay both parties.

Now Y/n went to take a few steps forward and made her way through the members of the squad. She stood in front of the desk. Her boss went ahead and placed a handful of credits in her hand.

"That is your cut," Cid told her. She handed the rest of the credits to Hunter. "And here is your cut. I'll call you when I have another job," Cid claimed.

There was a brief moment of silence in the room. Cid went to cross her arms over her chest. She narrowed her eyes at the company of six standing in front of her.

"You guys work well together," Cid said honestly. "You should work together more often."

In response, Y/n breathed a scoff under her breath. The boys turned their heads to look at her, slightly surprised at her reaction. She shook her head in denial.

"Yeah. Like that's ever going to happen," Y/n rolled her eyes at the notion.

Without hesitation, she spun around on the heels of her feet in order to head towards the door. She purposely bumped into Tech's shoulder a little too harshly. She left the room with the door closing behind her.

"What's wrong with her?" Cid scoffed. She looked at the rest of the squad for some form of explanation, but none of them said anything. "Fine! Be all quiet and mysterious. See if I care," Cid said.

By the time the Bad Batch left Cid's office, Y/n was nowhere to be found in the bar. They went to sit down at the bar so they could order drinks to celebrate another successful mission. They sat in complete silence, thinking about what transpired during the mission.

"Where do you think she's gone?" Echo wondered.

Though they never pulled missions together, the Bad Batch knew that the pilot worked for Cid and was stationed at Ord Mantell. They had seen her quite often over the past few months. They had grown familiar of her. And now they worried about her.

"The odds are that she returned to her flat," Tech explained. He pushed the bridge of his googles up to be more secure on his face. He kept his focus on his data pad.

"Probably," Hunter shrugged his shoulders. "But it's late. Which means it's dark out."

"Astute observation," Tech claimed sarcastically. He gave a single nod, but didn't take his eyes off his data pad.

"And she's walking back to her flat...at the edge of town...late at night," Hunter further explained.

"She will be fine," Tech stated. He knew where he was going with this. "She is always saying how she can take care of herself and doesn't need our help. Why would that change now?"

The other members remained silent. They turned their heads to take quick glances at one another. With a silent agreement, Hunter rose to his feet and went to stand by Tech. He roughly grabbed his shoulders and hoisted him out of his seat, much to his dismay.

"Go find her. Make sure she gets home safe. And apologize to her," Hunter ordered.

"I do not see why I have to be the one to apologize when I did noth--" Tech began. He was quickly cut off.

"Tech," Hunter said in a warning tone of voice. He crossed his arms over his chest, showing that he meant business.

"Fine," Tech said in defeat. "I will apologize."

With some hesitation, Tech grabbed his helmet and fitted it over his head. He began making his way towards the door of the parlor, leaving the rest of his crew behind. He walked through the deserted streets of Ord Mantell, passing a few shady people in the process.

Now Tech knew that she lived near the edge of town because she had once mentioned it during a conversation. Besides that, Tech really didn't know where to look and simply hoped he'd bump into her before she got home so he'd know she was safe. He passed by a few alleys, peeking through each one briefly.

The Marauder was parked in a hanger bay only a few blocks away from the parlor. Just as Tech passed by the hanger, he heard a familiar voice coming from his very own ship. He backtracked by taking two steps backwards. He peered into the hangar bay to glance at his ship.

Stepping into the bay, Tech tilted his head to the side in slight curiosity. The right wing of the ship began to move downwards until it lay completely horizontal. A few seconds later, Y/n began descending down the ramp with a toolbox in hand. She walked over to the wing of the ship.

Upon seeing her, Tech sharply inhaled. He felt the back of his throat close up and his shoulders tensed at his sides. He hesitantly took a few steps forward, fiddling with his fingers nervously.

Reaching upwards, Y/n placed the single toolbox onto the flat surface of the ship's wing. She proceeded to grab onto the wing before hoisting herself up onto it. She climbed to the center of the wing to assess the damage inflicted in the crossfire.

At this point, Y/n had no idea that he was also in the hanger bay with her. She opened the toolbox, rummaging through to find the right tool. The damage done to the right wing was a massive gaping hole with burnt edges from the fire. It would eventually need a panel welded to cover it up again. But for now, she focused on the internal repairs.

Thankfully, from the assessment, nothing major had been hit. A few bolts had gotten loose and a few parts needed to be replaced. She focused on that for now.

After grabbing a socket spanner, Y/n leaned down to place her arm into the gaping hole of the wing. It went so far down that her chest was practically pressed against the surface of the wing. She used the spanner to tighten some bolts.

"What...are you doing?" Tech decided to finally announce his presence. He stepped forward until he stood in the light coming from the opening of the hanger bay.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Y/n only rolled her eyes to herself. She continued her work as she preferred to focus on repairs rather than on him. She grunted softly, making sure that first bolt was nice and tight.

"What do you want Tech?" Y/n wondered. She pulled her arm out of the hole to assess her work. She didn't even bother to glance towards him, knowing he would have sent her a look of disapproval for working on his ship.

Slowly, Tech began to lower his gaze to the floor. He contemplated his next words carefully, fighting the urge to lash out at her for meddling with his ship. He liked things to be a certain way and would have much preferred if he did the actual repairs. Now Tech didn't want to fight with her so he changed his approach.

"I analyzed that you left the parlor on your own and thought it would be better if I accompany you back home," Tech explained. She huffed at his answer.

"I've told you before," Y/n began. "I can--"

"Take care of yourself," Tech finished. He adjusted the lenses of his goggles though he still wore his helmet. He noticed how she fell silent. "Yes, I've gathered that much."

"Why are you really out here?" Y/n wondered. She went to lean down again in order to tighten more bolts.

"I...could ask you the same," Tech replied slowly. He honestly felt like this was the first civil conversation they had ever had.

"I wanted to make some repairs on your precious ship since it was apparently my fault," Y/n claimed. Her tone sounding a little harsher now. She tightened two more bolts in the process.

"That is not what I meant," Tech interjected. He took a step forward. He gazed up at her figure perched on the wing, attempting to reason with her. "I was...caught up in the moment. Shouldn't have said those things," Tech confessed quietly.

"Well, don't worry. As soon as I finish up these repairs, I'll leave and you'll never have to see me again," Y/n responded.

For some reason, Tech couldn't combat a response to her comment. He simply nodded his head understandingly. He lowered his gaze to stare down at the ground and allowed her to finish her repairs in silence. He thought for some time how he could fix this relationship since it wasn't his strong suit. Fixing things was more his style.

"Blast," Y/n's voice pulled him out of his train of thought. He glanced up at her.

The sleeve of her blue flight suit had gotten in the way of her repairs. She had rolled her sleeves up to keep the material out of her way, but the sleeves continued to fall back down to her wrists every time she placed her arm in the hole. She pulled back and rose to her feet.

Without hesitation, Y/n's hands flew to the top button of her flight suit. She began to undue the buttons in which she revealed the black tank top underneath. All the while, Tech studied her carefully as her nimble fingers worked steadily. His pupils dilated behind those goggles of his.

Upon reaching her waistline, Y/n had stopped unbuttoning and shrugged the suit off her shoulders. She tied the sleeves around her waist. She dropped to her knees to continue working without the distraction of her clothes getting in the way.

Slowly, Tech raised his hand to the side of his head and clicked the bottom to save the recording to the drive. He records everything and he was certainly glad he recorded that. He wanted to revisit the recording later for his own 'research' purposes.

"There," Y/n sighed. She sat back on her knees, wiping her dirty hands on the pants of her flight suit. "Repairs are finished."

Naturally, Y/n began to pack away the tools she used and placed them back into the box. She closed the lid of the toolbox, tossing it over the edge of the wing for it to land on the ground with a thump. She then proceeded to jump down off the wing of the ship, landing a little hard so her knees buckled slightly.

Just like she promised, Y/n had every intention of leaving the hanger bay so that they'd never have to see her again. She went to walk away, but just as she passed beside him, Tech reached out and grabbed her forearm. She halted in her steps.

Neither of them could look at each other. She felt his gloved fingers digging into her bare skin, but not hard enough that it would leave marks. She slowly turned to look at him, but he kept his head down.

"I...really came here to apologize," Tech confessed. When Tech lifted his gaze to meet her face, he saw how her eyebrows went up in slight surprise. It definitely caught her off guard.

"I see," Y/n thought about his words carefully. She shifted her balance from one foot to the other. "So all those things you said back on Cassander where just...what?"

He closed his eyes, seriously regretting everything he said. "Like I said earlier, in the moment, I was incredibly frustrated with you."

"Because I wouldn't give up the controls?" Y/n said flatly.

"No, because I recognize that my levels of dopamine are elevated when I'm around you and I distance myself from you in order to prevent that from happening,” Tech confessed before he could even stop himself.

But now, hearing what he just said, Tech quickly averted his gaze away from her. He was thankful to be wearing his helmet so she wouldn't see how bright his cheeks had gotten. He released his grip on her arm, letting it fall back down to his side.

For once, Y/n actually understood what he said. Her eyebrows rose in surprise at this sudden confession. She definitely did not expect him to blurt out his emotions that night, especially after their fight on the ship. She knew better than to tease him at a time like this.

"I-I don't understand why," Tech said rather sadly. That was the first time that he'd spoken those words out loud.

What broke her heart was the tone of defeat laced with his words. It told her that he'd been wrestling with these foreign emotions and thoughts for some time. He didn't know how to react around her and so he acted with defense. He pushed those feeling away, fighting against it.

Hesitantly, Y/n lifted her hands to the sides of his helmet. She went to remove his helmet slowly, revealing his face to her for the first time today. She tossed the helmet to the side without a care in the world, but he still refused to meet her gaze.

"You are probably repulsed by me," Tech began. "From the way I treated you and the words I said to--"

But Tech wasn't able to finish that sentence. Because Y/n had taken his face in her hands and leaned upwards to press her lips against his own. He froze in his place.

His eyes were wide open in surprise. His hands were elevated on either side of him because he didn't know what to do with them. He could feel the softness of her lips still against his own. Before Tech had the chance to process what was happening, Y/n pulled away from him.

The two of them were standing so close together; the chests being pressed against one another's. Their breath mingled as their noses bumped together once or twice. He glanced down at her lips because he wanted nothing more than to taste them once more.

His hands found their way down to her hips with one hand sneaking around her lower back. He pressed that hand into her back which brought her body even closer to his. She released a small gasp.

"Apology accepted," Y/n whispered to him. She played with the edge of the plastoid armor on his chest. "And I'm sorry for the way I acted towards you."

"Why cyare?" Tech wondered. He raised his hand to the side of her face, tucking a single strand of hair behind her ear. He held his hand against her cheek.

"I should have given up the controls. You are the better pilot and it is your ship," Y/n explained with a shake of the head.

"I am not the better pilot," Tech stated firmly.

There was a moment of silence between them. "I can't make split second decisions and calculations like you do when you're flying."

"Well, I've never done the Kessel Run." Tech argued back playfully. He smiled down at her. "At least, not in twelve parsecs."

"Fourteen," Y/n corrected him. "I did it in fourteen."

"Fine. Fourteen," Tech caved in.

Slowly, Tech tilted his head to the side and began to lean down with every intention of kissing her again. But the two of them were interrupted when someone cleared their throat over by the entrance of the hanger bay. The two of them quickly pulled apart and turned to face whoever had interrupted them.

The other members of the Bad Batch stood looking at them near the entrance of the hanger. It was initially Hunter who had cleared his throat to garner their attention; he stood with his arms folded across his chest just as a disapproving father would. Beside him, Wrecker and Omega were practically squealing with each other. They couldn't contain their excitement. And Echo averted his gaze in an awkward manner.

"Care to explain yourselves?" Hunter hinted. He glanced between the two of them with a playful smirk on his face.

"I think they finally confessed that they like each other," Wrecker interrupted. His words coming out louder than anticipated. He nudged Echo who stood beside him.

"You think?" Echo glanced at him.

"It's exciting, isn't it?" Omega smiled at them.

Meanwhile, Tech quickly collected his helmet off the ground and placed it over his head once again. He hoped it would cover the blush creeping up his neck to his face. He knew he wouldn't hear the end of the taunting from his brothers anytime soon.

"Well boys. It looks like we got another member on our crew," Hunter said slowly. "Welcome to the Bad Batch."

The Sergeant's Senator | Chapter 3

Summary: Returning to the senator's home, the Bad Batch quickly realizes that they are under attack. They have to act fast if they want to catch the shooter.

Warning: assassination attempt, destruction of furniture, various weapons used, sniper/shooter mentioned, someone getting shot, slight talk of blood, slight moment of panic for reader, concussion symptoms discussed but not confirmed

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 4.8k

Series Masterlist

Only a few hours later, the sun had dripped below the line of the horizon and the moon began to rise into the skyline. Though the hours of the night fell over Coruscant, it was a place that truly never slept. The planet's skylanes directed the air-traffic of airspeeders via auto-navigation system that moved the speeders along preprogrammed routes.

In the Senate District, Senator Rayna possessed an apartment in one of the high-rises. Her place was situated on Level 60, which meant it was a little over halfway until one reached the top of the high-rise. Upon entering the apartment, there was a large spacious living area adorned with fancy plush couches, custom woodwork tables, and dainty priceless knickknacks.

A single bedroom was located near the back of the apartment. In the living room and bedroom, there were grand windows that overlooked the vast expanse of the city. It was quite similar to the architecture of her office not six blocks away. These windows were installed to promote plenty of sunlight during the daytime and a scenic view of the city lights during the nighttime.

It was a quite spacious and luxurious space; a fitting living situation for the planet's senator.

Walking into the apartment by following the senator, the Bad Batch took a moment to take in their surroundings. They felt out of place like they didn't deserve to even step foot into the apartment. Everything looked too expensive to touch.

"Smells weird," Wrecker noted. His nostrils flared at the odd scent.

"Because it's clean," Echo retaliated.

The senator only smiled at them. She gestured towards them with a wave of the hand, silently inviting them to take a few steps further in. She saw the door close behind them.

"This is my place. I don't really spend a lot of time here," Senator Rayna insisted. She took note of how each of them were looking at something different. Whether they were glancing out the window, examining a random figure on a table, testing the feeling of various textures, or looking directly at her.

Given that she was finally home for the day, Y/n had lifted her leg behind her until she felt her shoe come in contact with her hand. She steadily removed her heel before mimicking the notion with her other leg. Once her shoes were removed, her stance dropped down another inch in height.

The senator proceeded to remove the tie from her braid. She weaved her fingers through her hair to undo the braid and work out any knots. As her hair began to fall around her face, Hunter felt this fire ignite in the pit of his stomach. He thought her hair looked much better down.

"We'll give you some privacy," Hunter quickly noted.

"Make yourselves comfortable. There is food on the table if you're hungry," Y/n stated. She gestured to the table where a bowl of fresh fruit lay.

"I'm always hungry," Wrecker claimed. He eagerly made his way over the the table and grabbed the nearest fruit. He stuffed it into his mouth without hesitation.

With that, the senator went to turn towards her private quarters. She did not catch the way the sergeant's eyes followed her form as she entered her room or how they stayed on her until the door was fully closed. His mind was still lost until one of his brothers spoke up.

"Your thoughts are painfully loud," Crosshair grumbled from across the room. He was currently standing beside the large window, which was an indication that he found a decent perch for a sniper's view. He began to assemble the parts for his rifle.

"I don't know what you mean," Hunter lied through his teeth. Looking over his shoulder, Hunter had a feeling that Crosshair was rolling his eyes at him from behind his helmet.

"Oh please. Don't play innocent," Crosshair scoffed. He proceeded to remove his helmet, setting it down on a table beside him. He plucked a toothpick into his mouth. "You're practically drooling all over her."

Meanwhile, the other three clones watched the brothers interaction. Their gazes switching between the two of them. They often didn't get along so this was nothing new to them.

"You jealous?" Hunter teased. An all knowing smirk graced across his lips. He always knew how to push his brother's buttons.

"Not in the slightest," Crosshair went to cross his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall behind him. He further explained himself. "Not my type."

"What? Coruscanti?" Hunter wondered.

"Politicians," Crosshair corrected him.

"Fair point," Hunter agreed. He redirected his attention to look back at the closed door.

"Be careful, brother. Don't get too attached," Crosshair warned. His voice sounded like it was laced with venom, but his words rang in his brother's ears.

Ignoring this comment, Hunter went to approach the window in the living space. His gaze lowered towards the city below them, looking at all the airspeeders moving rapidly. He remained stationed by the window, but his senses picked up what was happening next door.

Behind him, Wrecker continued to consume the entire bowl of fruit greedily. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, somewhat content with the quality he had eaten. Then there was Tech who was currently fidgeting with his data pad. He made some minor adjustments with a miniature screwdriver.

By the window, Crosshair had just finished setting up his sniper's rifle. He opened the window before carefully lifting his long rifle to rest on the ledge. He peered through the scope to examine the city. Finally, Echo was still taking in some of his surroundings. He found himself walking around the spacious room, glancing at little figurines and art pieces on the walls.

For a brief moment, Hunter silently wondered if he should tune out what he was hearing. He glanced down at the helmet in his hands, which was customized to help him drown out noises if he switched a setting. Tech had made this feature for him a long time ago. This helped the sergeant when his senses grew overloaded, bringing him a sense of calm and comfort.

After some contemplation, Hunter chose to not put his helmet on. He closed his eyes to focus in on the sounds he was hearing, permitting his heightened senses to take over. The first thing that he noticed was a soft humming voice coming from the other room. His lips twitched into a smile.

The sergeant also heard the soft patter of feet making its way across the bedroom, accompanied by the soft swish of a fabric. As the footsteps grew a little louder, Hunter turned his head to face the door as he presumed she was walking towards it. Sure enough, the bedroom door opened to reveal the young senator wearing a long white nightgown. A blue silk robe hung over her shoulders.

Without thinking, Hunter's eyes dragged down the entire length of her body. He tried to commit the littlest of details to memory. He quickly placed his helmet over his head in hopes of hiding the way he was staring at her. He cleared his throat.

Opening the bedroom door further, Senator Rayna invited him into the confines of her room to speak privately with him. He silently obliged to this, shifting forward in order to enter her room. They left the door open, but kept distance away from the doorway for the privacy they sought. The two of them turned to face one another.

"So what's the game plan for tonight?" Senator Rayna intrigued. She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to maintain a modest appearance for her sergeant.

"We think it would be safe for us to stay here one night," Hunter stated plainly. "Get a feel of things. Make sure you can get some sleep tonight," Hunter added.

"Alright," Y/n agreed with a firm nod of the head.

"Tomorrow, we will only have one person stay with you. We'll rotate and take turns," Hunter further explained. "Clone barracks are only three blocks away should we need to call for backup."

Upon hearing this, Senator Rayna felt the air getting sucked out of her chest. She inhaled sharply. Her body grew quite tense. Almost immediately, Hunter saw the uneasiness in her expression. He heard how fast her heartbeat picked up. He was quick to reassure her.

"Not that we expect to call for backup regularly," Hunter tried to bring up her spirits.

"No, but it is good to be prepared for anything."

"I agree," Hunter nodded.

Unbeknownst to them, a masked figure had made their way to the rooftop of a building across the way from the high-rise. With a large package in hand, the mysterious person made their way to the ledge of the rooftop. They peered over the edge to look down at the steady flow of traffic.

Setting down the package and unlocking the box, the pieces to a rifle lay incased within it. They quickly began to assemble the sniper rifle, clicking the parts into place. Now looking over the side of the ledge, the sniper raised it's weapon to rest on the ledge. They focused the scope to get a better view.

The scope's view shifted past the various windows of the high-rise, searching for one in particular. It eventually settled on the right window, spotting the infamous senator standing in her own quarters. It looked like she was talking to a clone though it was awfully hard to see his armor.

The sniper took the time to watch the clone turn around in his place and begin walking towards the door to the room. He only got a few steps away before the sniper proceeded with their original plan.

Lowering the scope slightly, the unknown sniper fired a single shot at the window. However, it wasn't a blaster shot. It was a small magnetized explosive. The explosive latched onto the surface of the window without difficulty, activating a timer that blinked red.

In that exact moment, Hunter can to an abrupt halt in his steps. He could hear the steady beeping sound of the explosive from outside the window. He surveyed his surroundings, searching for the source of the noise.

"Sergeant?" Senator Rayna inquired from behind him. "What is it?"

Upon realizing what the sound was, Hunter only had one second to act quickly. He spun around on the heels of his feet and ran directly for the senator. Next thing she knew, a body had forcefully slammed into her and tackled her to the ground. She felt her head hit the floor hard, but she didn't think that mattered at the moment.

Because the explosive had suddenly detonated and destroyed the window glass. A million shards of glass threw across the room, landing as far as the other side of the bed. With the shock from the explosion, Hunter did his absolute best to use his body as a shield as he lay on top of the senator. He covered her head with his hands, keeping her face tucked into his chest.

In the other room, the other clones had seen the explosion through the open door. As if this was a battle simulation, they drew their weapons and quickly got into their respective positions. Wrecker had grabbed the large wooden table and hoisted it up onto its side. He dropped down to take cover behind it with Echo and Tech following suit.

By the window, Crosshair had the smallest bit of coverage by a pillar. He peered through the scope of his own rifle, desperately searching for where the explosive could have been fired from. His scope focused on every single rooftop.

Wherever the assailant was, they suddenly began firing blaster rounds into the now open window. The blaster shots began striking the back wall where the senator had once stood. They hit nobody.

Hearing the blaster fire directly above him, Hunter could only heavily rely on the protection provided by the bed beside him. He could hear it drawing closer as it now grazed the blankets on the bed. Attempting to keep the senator safe, Hunter pressed his body further into hers and squeezed her tightly. He could feel how desperately she clung to him.

Finally, Crosshair's scope was able to find the exact rooftop where the assailant was located. He could barely see a figure peeking from the ledge, but he saw the rounds firing from the weapon. He fired a single shot, which struck the ledge right below the weapon. The assassin quickly cowered out of view.

Knowing this was far from over, Hunter went to press the comm attached to his wrist. He spoke over the comms. "Bad Batch Plan 100," Hunter ordered.

Receiving their orders, Wrecker and Echo seized the opportunity to leave the apartment in order to pursue the assassin across the street. The two of them began running as fast as they could. The plan entailed them hurrying to capture the assassin while the others tried to distract them in the meantime.

Suddenly, the unknown assassin popped their head over the ledge once again. However, this time, they fired a single shot towards the window in the living room. The explosive latching onto the window once again. With little time to waste, Crosshair took cover right beside his brother who was still behind the table. The explosion shattered the glass, sending it across the room.

Now, the assassin began firing blaster rounds through both of the open windows. They seemed to be alternating between the two rooms, firing a round of shots before switching to aim at the other room. The shots kept coming with the clear intention of trying to hit someone.

"Tech," Wrecker's voice sounded over the comm channel. "Where is this guy? Have you gotten a lock on his location?"

"I'm working on it," Tech replied back.

He sneakily peered around the edge of the table. He pressed the side of his helmet which dropped the scanner over his eyes. A very distinctive red heat signature appeared on his scanner on the same rooftop. The smoke spewed out of the tip of the rifle, signifying it's overuse.

"West Tower Level 64 Mark 329," Tech called out.

"Roger that," Echo replied through the comms. "In pursuit."

Switching targets, blaster fire began pouring through the living quarters. It began striking the back walls, destroying the paintings, and ripping holes through the furniture. In response, Crosshair and Tech remained hidden behind the table in hopes that it would continue to provide them with protection. They couldn't hold out forever.

Recognizing that the blaster shots weren't coming through the room at that specific moment, Hunter carefully placed his forearms on either side of the senator's head. He pushed himself upwards slightly, pulling his armor plated chest off her own and peering down at her small frame.

The small specks of glass were sliding off his back and falling to the ground around them. He could feel his muscles aching in pain, which pulled a soft groan out of his mouth.

"Are you alright, senator?" Hunter inquired after her well-being. His ears were burning from the sound of the blaster fire streaking through the room next door. "I need you to use your words, sweetheart. Are you alright?" Hunter asked once again.

"Y-Yes. I-I-I'm alright," Senator Rayna stumbled over her words. She nodded franticly. It almost felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest from how rapidly it was beating.

"Everything is going to be alright," Hunter reassured her. "I'm gonna get you out of this."

Peering around his own body, Hunter spotted his two brothers in the other room. The two of them took turns firing shots around the table they had taken refuge behind, shooting blindly at the assailant on the rooftop. They took cover again just as the blaster fire was returned to them.

"As much as I enjoy this position," Hunter spoke while turning back to face the senator laying under his body. "I need to go help my brothers."

"What about you? You're going to get shot if you go out there," Y/n exclaimed.

"Don't worry about me. Our mission is to protect you and that is exactly what we are going to do," Hunter replied.

Finally, Hunter further lifted himself up until he wasn't laying on her anymore. He brought himself into a crouching position for a brief second before switching to lean against the side of the bed for more cover. He retrieved the blaster from his holster.

"Stay here. Stay low," Hunter ordered.

When Tech went to look around the table, he felt a single blaster shot whiz right past him. He just barely managed to dodge the shot, sitting back against the table to maintain coverage for the moment. That shot was much too close for Hunter's liking.

"Wrecker, Echo," Hunter called for them over the comms. "How are we coming along here?"

"We are nearly at the top," Echo replied. He glanced up at the long staircase, guessing that they only had a few more floors to go. They had been climbing the long staircase for a few minutes now.

"So many stairs," Wrecker panted from behind him. He went to lean his body against the railing, wanting nothing more than to take a short breather. The two of them continued to climb the staircase, getting higher and higher with each step.

"We need to do something; we can't just sit here." Crosshair explained from his position. While Tech agreed with him, there was little any of them could do until the others reached the shooter.

By lifting his head, Hunter spotted the light hanging from the ceiling in the other room. Without hesitation, he raised his blaster to shoot the light out. The sharp shards of glass shattered around the light, falling to the floor. Naturally, Crosshair and Tech flinched from the sound of glass breaking directly above them. They covered their heads to protect themselves.

"What the hell are you doing?" Crosshair shouted at his brother from the other room.

Ignoring his comment, Hunter proceeded to shoot out the light hanging above the bed. The sound of glass breaking filled the room and blaster fire halted momentarily. Both of the rooms were now protected under the veil of darkness.

"Can't shoot if you can't see," Hunter explained. Even though Crosshair rolled his eyes at his remark, he only did so because he knew he was right.

Sure enough, the shooter had a hard time finding a target in the darkness. They moved the rifle to point at one room before switching to point at the other room. The shooter tried to look for any sign of movement, eyes narrowing behind the scope.

Seizing the opportunity, Hunter moved upwards until he was just peeking over the edge of the bed. He pointed his blaster, firing a couple shots in the general direction of the shooter. Though Hunter's shots missed the target, they did get dangerously close to the shooter which caused them to cower behind the ledge once again.

The sergeant returned to his position behind the bed, thinking carefully about their next move. He knew that the shooter wasn't hiding anymore and had gotten back behind the scope. Then it suddenly clicked in Hunter's head: the shooter was watching for movement.

Formulating a plan, Hunter realized that he might actually be able to take his guy down if he played his cards right. He'd have to distract the shooter, fire his shot, and hope that the others reached him before he could get away. He knew what he had to do. He turned to face his brothers in the other room.

"Stay down," Hunter commanded them. They gave a nod.

Now, Hunter went to pull his vibe-blade out of his wrist holder. He reared back and tossed the blade into the other room. The blade was propelled forward and lodged itself into the wall on the far side.

Upon seeing the movement through the corner of their eye, the shooter quickly moved their scope to face the other room. Their eyes searched desperately for a target and their finger shifted to the trigger.

With the shooter distracted, Hunter rose to stand at his full height. He aimed his blaster and pulled the trigger to fire a single shot. The blaster shot managed to strike the shooter directly in the shoulder, sending them to the ground. A wave of relief washed over him.

A moment later, Wrecker and Echo burst through the rooftop door with their blasters drawn. They looked around the rooftop to survey the site. From the high-rise, Hunter watched his two brothers walk around cautiously. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Talk to me," Hunter asked them.

"That's just it," Wrecker replied. He shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "There is no one here."

The shooter had disappeared behind the ledge when the sergeant shot him, but he couldn't imagine him getting too far with his injury. He would have seen him stand up so he must have crawled away. It didn't make any sense.

"Search the place," Hunter ordered them. Echo knelt down by a small patch of blood on the ground. "He couldn't have gotten far."

Knowing Wrecker and Echo could handle themselves, Hunter decided to direct his attention back to the person he was assigned to protect. He saw that she hadn't moved from her position, laying on the glass riddled floor and propping herself up on her forearms. Her eyes twinkled with fear.

Approaching her, Hunter heard the glass breaking and cracking underneath his boots with each step taken. He knelt down beside her, knowing that she was feeling extremely uneasy. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder in hopes that it would bring her some comfort and calm her nerves. He also removed his helmet to set it down.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Hunter questioned.

"I-I'm fine," Y/n's voice quivered. She pulled herself into a sitting position with the sergeant making sure she didn't hurt herself on the glass.

For some reason, Senator Rayna couldn't seem to bring herself to look him in the eyes. She could feel her heart beating so loud in her chest that it was almost painful. She tried to use every muscle in her body to stifle a whimper from escaping her lips so she covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself. But the tears began swelling in the corners of her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. She was so overcome with emotions that she was falling apart.

"You don't have to be," Hunter reassured her. He stared down at her with the utmost sympathy behind his eyes.

Wrapping her arms around herself and drawing her legs to her chest, Senator Rayna began rocking back and forth subconsciously for comfort. Her head dropped down until her chin touched her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut just as the sobs began to rack over her body, causing her shoulders to shake violently.

Knowing words would bring little comfort, Hunter brought his arms around her body. He had one arm looped behind her backside and the other one slipped under the crook of her legs. He hoisted her body into his arms, rising to his feet in order to carry her. He went to turn around in his place and entered the other room.

"We can't stay here tonight," Hunter explained to them. "We'll go to the Marauder for now."

"We'll lead the way," Tech agreed with a firm nod of the head. He made sure to keep his blaster drawn just in case they ran into the assassin.

"Rendezvous at the Marauder," Crosshair spoke through the comm system for the others.

"Copy that," Echo replied. "No sign of our shooter."

As they made their way to the platform, Hunter glanced down at the weary senator in his arms. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were still red and shiny from her tears. Her head was resting against his solid chest plated armor and her hand was pressed against where his sternum would be. He readjusted her slightly in his arms, lifting her up a little more to take sure he wouldn't drop her.

With great caution, the Bad Batch made their way to the landing platform on the other side of the high rise. They secured the perimeter as well. The ramp lowered for them; they ascended into the ship's main hull. They made sure to secure the ramp behind them, locking them in for the night.

Entering the cockpit, Hunter brought the senator over to one of the chairs beside the control panel. He lowered her body into the seat as carefully as possible. He took a single step back away from her to allow his younger brother access to assess her.

Now Tech kneeled down right in front of the senator with a medkit in hand. He riffled through the box in attempts of finding the tools necessary for a thorough examination. When Tech lifted his head to look at the senator in front of him, he faltered slightly upon seeing her red eyes. He quickly rifled through the medkit again before retreating a single tissue.

Slowly, Tech offered the tissue to the senator which she gladly took to wipe her tears away. The other clones watched the interaction from a few steps away.

"I am going to perform an examination to take sure you are unharmed. Will that suffice?" Tech inquired. She nodded her head in agreement, but didn't look him in the eyes.

For a brief moment, Tech took his time looking over her body. He gently lifted each arm to inspect under it before switching to the other one. After checking every seeable part of her, Tech had come to a conclusion. He typed the data into his device.

"You are unscathed. I am surprised you weren't hurt from the glass," Tech noted. The senator's eyes slowly drifted up to the sergeant who sent her a small smile.

Carefully, Tech took hold of the senator's wrist. He pulled the sleeve of her nightgown back to reveal more skin on her wrist. He pressed two fingers there to feel her pulse. He waited a minute before recording his findings on his data pad once again.

"You're heart rate is rather fast," Tech concluded. "Understandingly though."

Reaching back into the medkit, Tech pulled out a small flashlight. He clicked the button the activate the light, raising it slightly to shine it in the senator's eyes. He hummed quietly to himself.

"Are you perhaps feeling dizzy or are you having trouble seeing?" Tech wondered. He put the flashlight back into the medkit.

"No," Y/n spoke softly. "Why?"

"Hunter says you hit your head," Tech stated. He recalled their brief conversation when they were walking back to the ship. It was the whole reason why Tech decided to do an examination in the first place. "I am merely making sure you don't have a concussion. Though we can monitor your vitals in the next couple days to see if any symptoms arise."

"Right," Y/n nodded.

"Everything appears to be in order. My only concern is the severe sleep deprivation," Tech explained. He saw the heavy bags under her eyes. "You need sleep."

"I-I don't know if I can. Not after that," Y/n tried to make them understand.

"You can sleep in my bed," Hunter offered. "I'll take the first watch."

"That will do nicely," Tech agreed.

After a few minutes, Hunter escorted the senator into the back room where all of their bunks resided. Luckily, Hunter's bed was the lowest one with Echo's bed directly above him and Tech's bed right above that one. He pulled the blankets away, which allowed the senator to crawl into bed.

Hesitantly, Senator Rayna laid down with her head resting on the pillow. Her sergeant brought the blankets up to cover her body, checking to make sure she was extra comfortable. It did feel nice to be in a bed even if it wasn't her own.

"Just try to get some sleep," Hunter requested. She nodded her head in agreement. He took a single step back. "We will be in the cockpit if you need us."

Just as Hunter turned to walk away, Senator Rayna sat up in the bed. She called his name frantically. He looked back at her expectantly, raising his eyebrows in question.

"T-Thank you," Y/n sputtered. "For saving me."

"Just doing my job, ma'am." Hunter stated professionally.

“Please,” Y/n spoke softly. She wanted to roll her eyes because she was so used to being addresses like that. “Let’s not worry about formalities.”

“Alright,” Hunter agreed with a curt nod. “Get some sleep, Y/n. We’ll make sure you’re safe.”

“Thank you.”

The door to the bunks slid open which granted him access to step into the cockpit. He left the room without another word. The door closed behind him and the bunks fell into a soft darkness.

Slowly, Senator Rayna proceeded to lay back down on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chest. Shifting to lay on her side, her head sunk into the soft pillow and her hand slipped under it for extra padding.

The sergeant's natural scent invaded her senses, bringing her an odd bit of comfort. It smelled rather woody, which was fitting for his personality. Even though the bed was stiff, the senator found herself drifting off to sleep and dreaming of the sergeant.

In a dark alleyway, the wounded assassin was resting his body against the wall. He nursed the wound inflicted to his shoulder, wincing in pain. The rag he used soaked up more blood and the stinging sensation grew with the smallest touch.

This particular person wasn't well known in the galaxy for bounty hunting because he was still new to the scene and was trying to make a name for himself. He pulled off a few jobs until he finally found someone who'd be willing to pay a hefty price for his services.

The first few attempts were orchestrated to instill fear into the senator with the enemy's desire ultimately being her resignation. However, Senator Rayna refused to step down from her position in the senate. She was stubborn after all.

The next attempt ended up taking the lives of her guards, which meant that she would be without protection. This made it the perfect opportunity to strike, but now, there was a new problem presented before the enemy.

Lazily, the mysterious man pocketed the dirty cloth and placed a bacta patch over it instead. A moment later, he proceeded to retrieve a device out of his pocket. He pressed a button on the side which ignited the familiar figure of Count Dooku.

"Is the deed done?" Count Dooku inquired with a cocked eyebrow.

"Afraid not," the assassin hissed from the pain in his shoulder. "She's got a new security detail with her now. A batch of clones like I've never seen before."

"A poor excuse for failure," Count claimed.

"You didn't see them. They're smarter, stronger. One of them protected her before the bomb detonated."

"Hmm," Count Dooku hummed to himself. He pondered carefully as if trying to understand what he was now up against. "How many are there?"

"Five, sir."

"This creates a unique dilemma," Count began. He stroked the beard on his chin in thought. "The senator is scheduled to present her at the end of the quarter. I had hoped to have her silenced before she'd be able to sway the senate's vote."

"I-I can take her out," the assassin reassured him; the eagerness to prove himself was the main thing driving him.

"No," Count Dooku shook his head in denial. "I will contact you when the time is right to strike. Until then, lay low and learn more about these clones."

"You have my word, Count Dooku."

CHAPTER FOUR HERE

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The Sergeant's Senator | Chapter 2

Summary: Upon arrival at Coruscant, the planet's senator gets to finally meet the infamous Clone Force 99 who are assigned to protect her.

Warning: threat to one's life, talks of assassination, beginning of anxiety attack, slight argument

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 6.4k

Series Masterlist

The planet of Coruscant was one of the most active planets in the entire galaxy. The surface was riddled with various cities; skyscrapers that tried to reach the sky. The underground system, which often times wasn't the best location to be, was also incredibly active during all hours of the day. And in the skies, modes of transportation were always going from one place to another.

The Marauder entered the planet's atmosphere, having just come out of hyperspace. The descend took a little longer than usual given the air traffic. However, eventually, the Marauder was able to make its way to the capital city. They made sure to land on the correct landing platform.

As the ramp descended, the group of five climbed out of their ship. Not far away, Commander Cody stood at attention and was ready to greet the clone force upon arrival to Coruscant. He gave a single nod to them in acknowledgment.

"Commander," Hunter greeted.

"It's been a while, boys." Commander Cody commented. He looked at each of them carefully as if expecting to see some kind of change, but there really wasn't anything much different about their looks or behavior.

"Not long enough evidently," Crosshair grunted from the back of the group. He went to cross his arms over the stretch of his chest. He was most certainly the least happy one to be assigned this mission.

"You didn't give much details on the line," Hunter explained. "What are we working against here?"

Slowly, Commander Cody began to walk back towards the compound. The rest of them went to follow. Though Cody and Hunter were heading the group.

Now the commander made sure to survey his surroundings before bringing up the sensitive topic. "The senator has faced three assassination attempts within the last month alone. The last one claimed the lives of her guards," Cody told them.

"And that's where we come in?" Echo questioned.

"Our main priority is to keep the senator safe at all costs. Hopefully, if we play our cards right, we can catch whoever was sent by letting them come to us," Commander Cody expressed.

"So lay low, keep our eyes open, and protect the senator?" Hunter replied.

"At all costs," Cody added.

"Shouldn't be too hard," Wrecker said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Don't be too sure," Cody warned. They approached the entrance of the building. The doors slid open for them to enter the lift.

The small group went to enter the lift, finding a spot before the doors closed in front of them. After clicking the button for their final destination, the lift began to move.

"The assailant...whoever it is...they are nothing like I've seen before. It's not like a bounty hunter; they're much too sloppy for a job like this. No...we are dealing with a professional here," Commander Cody almost sounded conflicted.

In the background, Hunter and Crosshair seemed to glance at each other through the corner of their eyes. They both knew the kinds of missions the commander had been on and the things he had seem. It didn't bring them much relief knowing that even the commander was worried about his mission.

The doors slowly opened to reveal a grand entry room. The marble flooring was shining against the soft glow of the golden lights. There were intricate golden patterns that looked like crown molding near the ceiling. And the handles on the door were made of pure gold.

"She should be just inside," Commander Cody insisted. He went to open the door doors, which allowed the rest of the group to enter the senator's office.

The most appealing part of the grand office was the massive window overlooking the busy city. There was plenty of comfortable seating, ranging from single seats to full couches. And a single desk was situated in the center of the room. Though the senator was nowhere to be found.

The Clone Force were a little cautious to step into such an impressive looking space. They felt a little out of place with their custom black plastoid armor and unique looking helmets. Not to mention the fact that they were all defective clones with varying appearances.

It could have just been the color of the lighting or the modern look of furniture in the room. However, everything looked so pristine and rather expensive. They honestly didn't think this office belonged to a senator, rather it belonged to a princess.

Each of them had gone their own ways throughout the room. While Tech instantly gravitated towards the small collection of books on a nearby shelf, Echo found himself standing in front of the window looking out at the city.

Without much thought, Wrecker went to touch a little glass figurine on the senator's desk. Though before his hand could make contact, Hunter's instincts kicked in and swatted his hand once as a warning.

"Don't touch anything," Hunter mumbled under his breath.

"I'm sure the senator is just running a little late from her last meeting," Commander Cody explained. "She shouldn't be too long."

Upon hearing this, Clone Force 99 made their way to stand in front of the desk. They wanted to make a good first impression on the senator whenever she arrived. As they waited, their eyes viewed the skyline in front of them.

All of the sudden, there was a slight shift in the atmosphere of the room. Naturally, as if it was a response, Hunter turned his head ever so slightly to his left. His ears perked up upon hearing an unfamiliar soft heartbeat coming from the room next door. He glanced at the door on his left through the corner of his eye.

As the heartbeat drew closer and louder, Hunter was able to make out the muffled conversation that followed from the other room. Despite the fact that Commander Cody was speaking with the rest of his brothers, Hunter seemed to ignore them and could only focus on the heartbeat. It was the softest thing he had ever heard.

"Do me a favor? Behave yourselves, boys." Commander Cody commanded them.

"No promises," Crosshair replied snakily.

Finally, Hunter went to turn his head to look directly at the door beside them. It was if he predicted the arrival because the doors began to open only a second later. The sound of the door opening caused the other members of the company to turn towards it.

The Senator of Coruscant came waltzing into the room with her assistant at her side. She wore this white flowy dress that cascaded over her feet and dragged on the floor behind her. The upper half of the dress was more sheer and showed the soft supple skin underneath it. Her hair was tidied back into a braid, which was heavily decorated in small white pearls.

For the first time ever, Hunter heard his own heart skip a beat upon laying eyes on her. His eyes trailed down the length of her form, taking it all in for his own pleasure. He was most certainly thankful to be wearing his helmet.

Though the senator didn't even acknowledge the clones upon her entrance, but this was probably because she was busy hearing what the rest of her schedule looked like for the day from her droid assistant. The clones seemed to watch her movements carefully as she circled around the room to the backside of her desk. Their eyes raked down her body shamelessly, losing themselves in thought for a brief second.

Just as she passed by them, a subtle hint of her scent had followed right behind her. Her scent naturally flowed through the filters of Hunter's helmet and invaded his senses. He closed his eyes to relish the scent of fresh lavender, which was not something you would expect from a senator who lived in a heavy populated city.

"Your final appointment is at three in the afternoon," the droid beeped. He held up the data pad for her, but she waved it off.

"That's fine," Senator Rayna agreed. She stood behind her desk and went to organize a few papers.

Upon hearing her voice, Hunter's ears perked up once more. He wasn't sure why he was so enamored with her. Whether is was the softness of her voice, her mesmerizing appearance, the intoxicating scent of her perfume, or the gentle heartbeat that followed her.

"Right," Senator Rayna sighed loudly. She placed the last stack of papers to the side before finally directing her attention to the clone force. "You must be my new escort," Senator Rayna figured.

"Senator," Commander Cody interjected from the sidelines. Her eyes scanned over each clone carefully. "I'd like to introduce you to the group of clones that's been assigned to you. This is Clone Force 99."

Each of the clones proceeded to remove their helmets. They stuffed their helmets into the underside of their arm. Now, the senator was able to get a good look at them. She realized how differently they looked from your regular ordinary clones. And she was intrigued by this.

"Well, you know who I am so there is no need for introductions there." The Senator rounded the side of her desk to stand in front of the clones. "State your name for me so I know what to call you," Senator Rayna ordered.

"Uh, my name?" Wrecker asked slowly, given that she was looking directly at him.

"You all have one, don't you? All clones are given numbers; although I gathered that most clones prefer to go by names. So what is yours?"

"I'm CT-9902. They call me Wrecker," the clone's deep voice boomed. He smirked down at her. She offered her hand for him to shake, which he did so very carefully because he was afraid to hurt her.

After this, the senator took a single step to the right. She was going to make her way down the line of clones. And she wanted to hear each of their names.

"My designated clone number is CT-9903," Tech replied as a matter-of-factly. He adjusted his glasses. "Otherwise, as known to my brothers, as Tech," he added at the end.

The Senator offered her hand to him as well, which meant he needed to move his data pad to the other hand in order to shake it. He gave her a single nod of approval before she moved down the line again.

The clone trooper didn't say anything. He maintained a defensive stance with his arms crossed across his chest. He also wore a nasty scowl on his face. He truly did not want to be there because he had no interest in politics.

"What is your name soldier?" She questioned him. She tried to figure out what was going behind those eyes if it was anger or distain.

Though Crosshair was far from intimidated by her antics. He felt a slight nudge in his side. He finally spoke. "CT-9904."

"And do you have a name?" She wondered.

"Crosshair," he said reluctantly.

Likewise, the senator chose to say nothing. She gave a single nod understandingly before extending her hand out to him. The only problem was that he didn't take it. So she awkwardly slipped her hand back down to her side and moved on.

"I am CT-1409. I'm Echo," he replied quickly.

"Oh," Senator Rayna perked up. "Not a 99, huh?"

"No ma'am," Echo responded.

"He was originally part of the 501st and served with them for many years. He's the newest addition to this squad," Commander Cody said from the sidelines.

"Pleasure to meet you," Senator Rayna smiled up at him.

The senator went to shake his hand, only to find a scomp link located where his right hand should have been. He had even raised his arm as if wanting to shake her hand as well; he was still getting used to not having a hand.

"Oh," Senator Rayna said defeated. She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She cringed at her own actions, wishing she had caught that before she made a fool of herself. "My deepest apologies," she went on.

"Not to worry," Echo reassured her. He saluted her instead with his scomp link.

Now, reaching the end of the lineup, the senator was standing face to face with the leader of the group. She looked up at him with curious eyes. But before he could introduce himself to her, she spoke up first.

"And you must be the sergeant," Senator Rayna concluded. She also took the time to study him carefully.

"CT-9901," Hunter's deep voice sounded from the back of his throat.

The senator raised her eyebrows at him as if mentally requesting for his given name. He realized that he should have also mentioned his name, but he honestly was still lost in his thoughts.

"Hunter," he corrected himself.

"Hunter," Senator Rayna repeated with a small smile on her lips. Her heart started beating just a little faster than normal, which did not go unnoticed. He quirked his eyebrow at her. "I've heard a lot about you."

Upon hearing this, Hunter felt his breath catch in the back of his throat which caused his chest to heave out a little. He straightened his back in posture. He could only wonder what kinds of things she knew about him and his squad.

"Uh senator," the droid spoke up. He glanced between the two of them, expecting them to turn to address him. But they kept their gazes on one another. "I hate to interrupt, but you're going to be late," the droid reminded her.

In response, the senator squeezed her eyes shut. She cursed under her breath. "Blast! How could I forget?"

Without hesitation, Senator Rayna went to collect the stack of papers on her desk. She quickly rifled through them to make sure none of them were missing. She proceeded to spin around on the heels of her feet, walking away from the clones to scurry around the room.

The clones didn't tear their eyes away from her retreating figure, subconsciously peering around one another to keep their gaze on her backside. The commander needed to clear his throat to gather their attention once more. They quickly redirected their focus in front of them.

The droid went to hand her a cloak to put on. She slipped it over her shoulders. She began tying it around her neck. "Where are you heading next, commander?"

"Kiros," Commander Cody stepped forward. "There are talks of surrender. We'll see how it goes. I won't bore you with the details."

"Perhaps we can discuss them at a later time," Senator Rayna agreed. "When I am not running late."

"Senator," Cody saluted her. He excused himself from her presence.

The senator grabbed the last of her things, hastily hanging the pile of papers to her droid. She took the data pad out of the droids hand to check her schedule. She was running very late. Nevertheless, the senator tossed the data pad over to Tech.

"Might be a good idea to make yourself a copy of my schedule to have on hand," Senator Rayna explained to him. He quickly typed in a code which would transfer the information to his own data pad.

"Already on it," Tech confirmed.

"Might I remind you that this is the fifth time you have been late to a meeting this month?" The droid interrupted once more. It slowly moved around the room given it's lack of flexibility.

"I have been a bit preoccupied with other things," the senator waved off. Finally, Senator Rayna stopped what she was doing to address the small squad of clones. "Now, about this meeting..." her voice trailed off.

For a brief second, the Senator of Coruscant wondered how she could explain what she does as a career or what they could expect from this type of job. She felt a wave of anxiety begin to wash over her, being rudely reminded of the threats she faced every day now.

At that moment, Hunter noticed a change in her demeanor. He could hear her heart beating faster and her breathing quickened in pace. She began finding with her fingers nervously to contain her nerves, which did not go unnoticed by the others.

"I am a member of the Loyalist Committee which is headed by The Sepreme Chancellor. The other members are senators or representatives like me. This is an informal meeting; it takes place just upstairs in one of the conference rooms," she informed them.

The senator was talking so rapidly that the others could barely keep up with her. It almost sounded and looked like she was on the verge of having an anxiety attack. And Hunter noticed this immediately.

"Senator," Hunter interjected. She kept talking though.

"In the past, I haven't needed my guards to be present in the room. Things have changed since then. Now...I would feel better -- safer, if at least two of you accompanied me in the meeting. Like I said, it's more of an info--," but she was stopped.

"Senator Rayna," Hunter spoke over her to stop her ranting. His voice wasn't loud, more firm than anything.

Slowly, Hunter took a single step forward to stand an arm's length away from her. He looked down at her with soft eyes, which she found oddly comforting. He heard her heartbeat going back to a normal pace. He sent her a small reassuring smile.

"We are going to protect you," Hunter told her. "Don't worry. You're in good hands."

The ride in the lift felt like it was lasting ages. There was a slight sense of tension in the air given that there were six people basically crammed into the space. In their defense, no lift ride is ever comfortable for an average person.

Facing the door, Senator Rayna stood in the middle with Hunter and Echo standing on either side of her. The other three clones were standing behind them with their backs nearly touching the wall of the lift. The illuminated number continued to change as the lift passed another floor, drawing closer to the final destination. Just a few floors left.

Initially, the senator kept her hands clasped together in front of herself. Her hands mindlessly fell apart, which resulted in her hands shifting back to the respective sides of her body. In the process of this happening, the senator's hand brushed against the back of the sergeant's gloved hand on accident.

Upon contact, the both of them retracted their hands in a slightly awkward fashion. The sergeant shifted on his feet slightly, taking a small step away and mumbling a soft "sorry" through his modulated helmet. Though it was hardly his fault.

In response, the senator sent him a warm smile before directing her line of attention back towards the closed door in front of her. Her hands moved back into the original position in front of herself. She could feel some heat rising to her cheeks, but she figured it would go unnoticed.

Behind them, Tech had watched this slightly awkward encounter with a cocked eyebrow. He was quick to nudge Wrecker who stood beside him.

"Huh?" Wrecker looked down at Tech.

Tech gestured to the sergeant and the senator was a subtle nod of the head in their general direction. So Wrecker took a second to analyze them with his eyes switching back and forth between the two bodies. He didn't catch their encounter so he was rather confused.

"What? What happened?" Wrecker whispered to his brother. Though it wasn't really a whisper, because everyone in the lift heard him.

"Nevermind," Tech sighed with a roll of his eyes.

Finally, the lift had come to stop on the designated floor. The two doors slid open to reveal a vast long corridor. A few people were walking through the corridor which consisted of other members of the senate or personal guards.

It didn't take long for Hunter to sense the uncertainty radiating from the senator standing beside him. He glanced down at her briefly to see the worried expression on her face. For a little encouragement, Hunter placed one hand on her lower back to urge her forward and his other hand gestured to the corridor before her. She gathered her courage with a deep breath, taking the necessary step forward.

Exiting the lift, Hunter and Echo walked on either side of Coruscant's Senator. Right behind them, Wrecker went to follow them but was abruptly stopped when Crosshair placed a single hand on his chest. The much larger clone nearly toppled over his own feet and looked towards his brother for some form of explanation.

"Wouldn't want to step on the senator's dress, would we, Wrecker?" Crosshair teased him. He gestured to the white train that flowed behind her dress and trailed along the floor.

"Oh right," Wrecker agreed while scatching the back of his neck.

The three clones waited until the others had properly exited the lift before finally following them through the corridor. They made sure to be two steps behind so they wouldn't step on the senator's dress.

And Wrecker was relieved that his brother saved him the embarrassment because he couldn't imagine the look on the senator's face if she ever found a large footprint on her white dress.

Walking through the corridor, the escort found themselves quickly becoming the center of attention. It seemed like they continued to receive stares from passing senators or workers from the capital. This was something they were commonly used to, especially back on Kamino. But for some reason, it felt different this time around.

"Sorry about the unwanted attention," Echo said from beside her.

"Hmm? I hadn't noticed," Senator Rayna replied with a small smile on her face. The clones were a little relieved to hear that the senator did not mind in the slightest.

In the short distance, a few clones were striding down the long length of the corridor with blasters in hand. The clone armor that they wore was adorned with red accents, hinting to the fact that they were members of the Coruscant Guard. They were elite clone shock troopers whose main purpose was to protect the Galactic Republic Capital. They were some of the best clones the Republic had to offer.

In passing, the Coruscant Guard took a second to stare at the passing members of Clone Force 99. They nudged each other and gestured to the group of defective clones. Their unnatural appearances always caused them to garner more attention than they would have liked.

"Hey," one of the guards called attention to his buddy standing beside him. He tipped his head to gesture to them. "Get a load of these guys."

"Those guys are clones?" Another clone remarked from the sidelines. "They sure don't look like clones."

Once the Coruscant Guard was out of their line of sight, Crosshair seemed to glance over his shoulder. He seemed to grumble something under his breath, narrowing his eyes at the batch of regs behind them.

"Remind me again why you weren't assigned members from the Coruscant Guard?" Crosshair questioned. It seemed like an obvious choice for an escort given that they were already stationed on Coruscant.

"Because my last guards were part of the Coruscant Guard," Senator Rayna replied flatly. "And they didn't do a great job."

"Fair enough," Crosshair accepted. He almost wanted to chuckle at this because he knew the guard was not nearly as skilled as everyone gave them credit for.

Upon rounding a corner, Senator Rayna halted in her tracks to stand in front of a closed door. The other members of her escort seemed to stop beside her, waiting for her next step. She activated the panel on the right side which opened the door for them. She quickly stepped inside with Hunter and Echo following behind her.

As the door closed, Wrecker and Tech went to stand on either side of the door for the extra added protection. And Crosshair began walking down to corridor to secure the perimeter. Back inside the room, Hunter and Echo took their stops by standing beside one another in the back of the room. Their eyes never leaving the senator's moving figure.

"My apologies for being late," Senator Rayna announced. She went to sit at the head of the table, finding a small stack of papers in her place meant for her. She quickly looked them over.

"No worries, my dear. I'm sure you have plenty of other things on your mind," an older voice spoke from the far side of the table. Raising her head, Senator Rayna's eyes landed on the familiar form of Chancellor Palpatine who was sitting at the head on the other side.

"Right. Now what have I missed?" Senator Rayna questioned. Her eyes shifted between the various senators within the committee, half expecting one of them to catch her up to date since she arrived so late.

On the right side of the table, Bail Organa of Alderaan and Padmé Amidala of Naboo were sitting beside one another. On the left side of the table, Mon Mothma of Chandrilla and Orn Free Taa of Ryloth had also been apart of this committee. The senators looked to each other in order to see who would speak first.

"We were just discussing the details surrounding the upcoming Gala," Senator Amidala explained.

The Senator of Coruscant proceeded to rifle through the stack of papers in front of her, attempting to find the list of things that still needed to be completed in preparation for the gala.

For a moment, Hunter's gaze seemed to drift towards the window in the large conference room. He studied the buildings across the way carefully, spotting a few unoccupied rooftops. It was the senator's voice which brought him out of his train of thoughts.

"How far out are we again?" Senator Rayna asked.

"Three months," Chancellor Palpatine said rather calmly.

"Are things going accordingly with the planning?" Senator Rayna wondered. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room, which caused the senator to look up at them with a confused expression. "What's going on? You've all been acting weird."

The other senators continued to remain silent. However, they looked at each other as if they were all thinking the same thing and were choosing to stay quiet about it. Finally, Bail Organa gathered the courage to speak for the rest of them. He spoke softly and calmly with hopes that it would help soften the blow he was about to deliver.

"We think you should take a hiatus," Bail Organa replied.

"A hiatus? From what?" Senator Rayna asked in utter confusion.

"From your job -- your position as senator of this planet," Chancellor Palpatine added. "Law low for a little bit until things die down."

"I don't need to law low. What I need to do is my job and taking a hiatus will not help me do that," Senator Rayna argued. She rose out of her seat in a furry.

"Y/n," Mon Mmtha interjected. She spoke with a calm voice. "We are worried about you and your wellbeing."

"I have a new escort. They will protect me," Rayna would not drop her argument.

"And the hiatus will only add to that protection," The Supreme Chancellor claimed. He was trying to sound optimistic about the proposition, which only seemed to anger the senator more.

"I have to present a treaty at the end of the quarter. And we vote a week later. I can't miss that," Senator Rayna tried to reason with them.

"It can be pushed back," Chancellor Palpatine suggested. He shrugged his shoulders at the notion, seemingly unfazed by the option of pushing back her speech.

"Til when?" Rayna inquired angrily.

"Indefinitely."

Upon hearing this, Senator Rayna leaned forward to press her hands against the table. She looked the chancellor dead in the eyes from across the room. She wore a stern look on her face.

"I have been working on this treaty for months, changing the littlest of details to make sure it is nothing short of perfect. I applied for the notion to be brought to the senate at the end of the quarter and it was accepted. I am going to present this," Senator Rayna said sternly.

Look back out the window, Hunter saw a small perch on one of the rooftops. He almost wondered if that was a sniper's nest; it would have been a prime location if it had been. With that in mind, Hunter's eyes trailed along the length of the sniper's path. His gaze settled on the wood table in the room. And his stomach dropped.

"E-Echo?" Hunter whispered to his comrade standing beside him.

"What?" Echo said in the quietest voice.

The sergeant was staring directly at what looked like a small nick in the middle of the wooden table. It couldn't have been more than an inch in diameter. There was a small dark circle around it. It had to have been from a blaster shot.

The senator's hands were on either side of said hole. He quickly came to realize that if the sniper had raised his weapon just a little higher, it would have gone right into the senator's head.

"I think this is where it happened," Hunter concluded. Whoever had taken the shot knew what they were doing. They fired a warning shot. At least, that seemed to be the case before they proceeded to take out the guards.

The sergeant's mind was occupied elsewhere. He hadn't been fully listening to the conversation up until now. He tuned his ears into what the chancellor had to say about this. And sure enough, Hunter's suspicious was right.

"Who says you will even be around to present your treaty?" Chancellor Palpatine wondered. "The last time you were in this room -- it did not end well. You could have been killed if your guards had not been there."

It suddenly made sense. The senator was feeling nervous about leaving her office to come here because of what happened the last time she was there. She was still feeling the affects of the incident. And whether she chose to deny it, it was affecting her mental health now.

"We cannot force you to take a hiatus, but we strongly advice it."

"Please Y/n," Senator Amidala said softly from the sidelines. "We don't want you to get hurt."

"I appreciate your concern -- truly I do," Senator Rayna began. She looked over the faces sitting around the table. "But I have to be there for my planet and for my people. You should all understand that."

"We do," Senator Organa nodded his head in agreement.

"Then let me do my job," Senator Rayna pleaded her case one final time. Her eyes shown with sympathy.

With great hesitation, the other senators looked towards one another in a form of silent communication. A few of them seemed to nod their heads gently as if to say they will allow the senator to operate as she always had been. Finally, The Supreme Chancellor reluctantly gave her his approval in the form of a short and curt nod of the head.

"Very well," Chancellor Palpatine agreed. He sent her a smile. "Continue as you were, senator."

By the end of the meeting, a majority of the members had gone their separate ways since their schedules differed. Now, it seemed like only Senator Organa, Senator Amidala, and Senator Rayna remained in the room. While the Senator of Alderaan went to speak with the newest escort, Senator Amidala went to stand beside her best friend and greeted her with a warm smile. The two young women began talking amongst themselves.

On the other side of the room, Senator Organa went to talk to Hunter and Echo. He took the time to shake both of their hands in greeting and introduced himself to them.

"You must be Clone Force 99," Bail Organa noted.

"We are two fifths of them," Echo claimed. "The others are right outside."

"I was the one to reach out to General Kenobi and Commander Cody about finding Senator Rayna a new escort. I've heard a lot of things about your squad," Senator Organa replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"All good things, I hope." Hunter wondered.

"You know your own reputation better than anyone. You tell me," Senator Organa stated. He quirked his eyebrow at the two clone troopers in front of him. They remained silent because he did bring up a good point.

Looking over his shoulder, Bail Organa looked towards the two senators talking to each other. His eyes softened upon seeing how the two of them interacted with each other. While they were best friends, he always thought they acted more like sisters (though they actually got along with each other). He felt a weak smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"She's a handful, that one. Once she sets her mind on something, she won't back down easily. One of the most stubborn people I know," Bail chuckled to himself.

Neither Hunter or Echo doubted that. They had just witnessed how stubborn she could be in their meeting and how she refused to take a hiatus despite the fact that her life was on the line. However, was it stubbornness or selflessness?

For a brief moment, Hunter found himself following his line of sight until it landed on the senator. She seemed so carefree; her face was radiating with beams of happiness. Her lips turned upwards into a smile and her laugh echoed over to them.

"I won't tell you how to do your job," Bail Organa returned to their conversation. He looked between the two clones. "But can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Of course, senator." Hunter nodded his head.

"Be mindful of her. She's gone through a lot recently and she's grown more sensitive to her surroundings. She doesn't sleep most nights in fear of what may happen when she closes her eyes," Senator Organa claimed.

Slowly, Hunter's eyes drifted back to the senator standing in front of him. He saw the gentlest and kindness in his eyes. He could tell by the tone of his voice that he cared deeply for his fellow senator. But then things turned more solemn.

"She's like the daughter I never had," Bail's voice was laced with a heavy sense of sadness. "If anything should happen to her--"

"We know, senator." Hunter interjected. He placed a hand on the senator's shoulder. "We'll try our hardest to take care of her for you."

"Thank you," Bail gave a nod of appreciation.

Across the length of the room, Senator Amidala and Senator Rayna caught up with each other. They had spent some time apart. While one was traveling the galaxy, the other was strictly confined to the planet for her safety. It truly felt like eternity since they had last seen one another.

"I heard Senator Organa reached out to General Kenobi for assistance," Senator Amidala began. "Did he travel alone or--"

"He was accompanied by Commander Cody," Senator Rayna explained. The corners of her lips tugged into a mischievous all-knowing smirk. "His Padawan was not with him if that's what you're wondering," Senator Rayna added.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Senator Amidala scoffed awkwardly. She shook her head at her friend's ridiculous comment.

"Oh please," Senator Rayna sighed. She rolled her eyes. "You think I don't notice how you are constantly asking about him and pining over him."

"I do not!" Padmé scolded her.

"You do know that it is forbidden for the jedi to form attachments," Senator Rayna tried to talk some reason into her friend. She knew that there was some unspoken thing going on between them, but she didn't know the details of it.

"Enough about me," Padmé quickly dismissed the conversation with a wave of her hand. "What about you?"

"Me? What about me?" Y/n scoffed slightly.

"Isn't there someone you are pining over yourself?" Senator Amidala wondered. She cocked an eyebrow at her in a suggestive manner.

"No, I am not pining over someone." Senator Rayna shook her head in denial. "I'm a little bit occupied with other matters at the moment."

From across the room, Hunter's highly sensitive ears had picked up their conversation unbeknownst to them. He turned his head ever so slightly to be more in tune. He felt his heart flutter once again in his chest.

Finally, Senator Amidala and Senator Rayna went to leave the room by walking beside one another. The others made sure to follow behind them. They entered into the corridor to be met by the rest of the squad.

"Perimeter is secure," Tech relayed to his sergeant. Hunter gave a curt nod of acceptance. "The shuttle is ready for departure whenever the senator sees fit."

Now Hunter and Echo had shifted to stand beside their brothers in the corridor. The senators had directed their line of attention to view the small squad of soldiers. They certainly did not look like your regular batch of clones. Their armor didn't even match the traditional white with hinted colored accents. It was more of a dark grey color and was accompanied with hinted red accents.

Not only did each of their helmets mismatch, but so did their physical appearance. The one near the back was a literally giant, two of the others were tall and lanky, the other one looked more like a droid, and the last one had broad shoulders and a strong built. Just by looking at them, one could tell that there was something off and that they were genetically enhanced.

"Ma'am," Hunter drew the senator's attention. "Whenever you are ready."

The Senator of Coruscant nodded her head understandingly. She quickly gave a brief farewell to her fellow senators. The clones saluted the other senators as a form of respect. The senator proceeded to walk back down the long length of the corridor with her new clone escort following right behind her.

Meanwhile, Senator Organa and Senator Amidala watched their retreating figures with keen eyes. They saw how their associate interacted with this new batch of rogue clones. She didn't seem to mind or question their abnormalities. At first, Senator Rayna had been hesitant to ask for help from the jedi and was uncertain about having a clone escort. But now, things seemed to have changed her mind. And the senators wanted to know why.

CHAPTER THREE HERE

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The Sergeant's Senator | Chapter 1

Summary: It is revealed that there is a plot to assassinate a republic senator. With some negotiations, Clone Force 99 is assigned as the security detail and must protect the senator at all costs.

Warning: threat to one's life and talks of assassination

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 1.1k

Series Masterlist

Note: Technically, this is a reader insert series. However, with that said, I did give the senator (reader) a last name. It worked better when writing; I didn't have to keep putting Senator L/n. Might change it later if people aren't fans of it.

The planet of Coruscant was one of the most important planets in the galaxy. Not only was the Jedi Temple located there, but so was the Galactic Senate. The senate included thousands of representatives through the galaxy in the form of senators. They met to create laws, meditate disputes, and discuss ways to end the war.

A meeting was being held in one of the meeting rooms at the senate, It had been called by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan to discuss a recent incident that nearly claimed the life of Coruscan't own senator. The senator called Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi who brought Commander Cody to accompany him.

After formalities, Senator Bail Organa explained the delicate situation to both General Kenobi and Commander Cody. The incident happened only two nights prior and resulted in both of the young senator's guards being killed from unknown snipers. She was being targeted.

The young senator sat amongst the company of three, keeping to herself. Her hands lay in her lap though she couldn't help twiddling her fingers nervously. The sense of worry was laced across her face.

"I see," General Kenobi said after hearing the whole ordeal. He stroked his beard in thought. "This is a delicate situation," Kenobi added.

"Coruscant is the capital of the republic. Her role is vital for the success of the senate. Without her, the senate may fail and Coruscant will fall. If that happens, the Separatists will be able to gain the upper hand in this war," Bail Organa explained.

"How would you suggest we help?" General Kenobi inquired curiously.

"What she needs is a new security detail to keep her safe until someone catches the assailant," Senator Organa claimed. The much younger senator closed her eyes because she wanted nothing more than to disappear away from this conversation.

"Hmm," General Kenobi hummed. "I'll have to consult with the council. I'm not sure how many Jedi are available. Most of them are on missions off world."

"Would a clone force be more suitable for this situation? We clones are much more expendable than the Jedi," Commander Cody offered this solution.

The senator thought for a moment. "That could work. Who do you have in mind?"

"I would recommend Clone Force 99, sir."

Upon hearing this, Senator Rayna's ears perked up slightly. She would feel much more comfortable being around a group of clones than one lone Jedi. Though, General Kenobi's face fell upon hearing the name of the clone group. He quickly turned to his commander.

"Uh, Commander." He began. "Can I speak with you privately?"

Now General Kenobi and Commander Cody turned away from the two senators to speak in hushed tones. There was a brief moment of silence between them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean having a clone force escort is one thing, but Clone Force 99 is entirely different," Kenobi explained.

"They have a 100% success rate," Commander Cody defended.

"I understand. But they are a little on...the extreme side," General Kenobi added.

"If I might intervene," Senator Rayna spoke up for the first time. The two of them directed their attention to her as she stood from her place at the table. "If you think Clone Force 99 is a suitable fit to be my security detail, then I think we should skip all these formalities."

"Uh senator," General Kenobi stepped forward. "I'm not sure this is a very wise decision. Clone Force 99 is slightly unhinged at times," Kenobi explained to her.

"How so?" Senator Rayna wondered.

"Ah well..." Kenobi's voice trailed off.

"They call themselves the Bad Batch," Commander Cody stated blatantly. "They are a group of elite clone troopers with enhanced genetic mutations. They aren't like the regular clones you're used to."

"They don't go by the book either," General Kenobi added.

"But you said they have a 100% success rate," Senator Rayna concluded.

"They do," Commander Cody gave a nod of confirmation.

"Would you say that they are the best clone troopers you have out there?" She wondered.

"I will say this: While they might be a little unhinged at times and they may not follow orders like the rest of us, they are damn good soldiers and they get the job done."

"Thank you, Commander. That is all I need to hear," Senator Rayna finalized. "I look forward to meeting them."

Later in the day, a single file had arrived at the office for the senator which had been sent by the commander himself. Upon further review, the senator saw how page had a brief summary of every member on the small squad. It included their number, rank, skills, and their strengths. It also showed the number of successful missions they accomplished together.

The squad was comprised of a sharpshooter, a muscle man, a technological genius, a cybernetic hybrid (former reg), and a tactical tracker. They certainly were a bunch of misfits, but their track record alone spoke for them.

The senator stared down at the final page, which was designated for the squads sergeant. She found herself being more drawn to his page from the rest of them. He had been genetically altered to attain expert tracking skills and heightened senses.

Without much thought, the senator proceeded to send a comm to the commander once again. She waited a moment before her comm chimed a response. And she responded to him by asking him if he had anything else on this sergeant.

The Marauder was currently navigating through space. The Bad Batch had just completed a mission on one of the planets within the Outer Rim. Now they were heading back to their home world of Kamino.

In the other room, Hunter just finished receiving a message from Commander Cody. He switched off the communication channel before making his way into the cockpit of the ship to join his fellow brothers.

At the moment, Tech was putting in the coordinates for Kamino with Echo at his side in the co-pilot seat. Crosshair was polishing his sniper rifle and Wrecker was lounging with his feet up. The leader of the group made his way towards the control panel.

"Change of plan. We've got new orders," Hunter announced. This made Tech look up at him questionably. "Set course for Coruscant."

"What's on Coruscant?" Echo wondered. He knew the importance of the location, but he was more so curious about why they were needed there.

"We've been assigned to be a security detail for Coruscant's senator," Hunter relayed the information he was given.

"Doesn't she have guards for that?" Crosshair said with a roll of the eyes.

"That's just it," Hunter shrugged. "They're dead."

"There must be an imminent threat on her life, especially if the guards who are assigned to protect her are dead." Tech came to the conclusion.

"All I know is that she needs protection. And Commander Cody recommended us," Hunter told them.

"Great," Crosshair scoffed. He leaned back in his seat. "We get to play babysitter for who knows how long."

"It's just until she can find another detail or until the assailant is caught," Echo explained. He recalled one of his early missions. "You know, one of my first missions was to protect the Rishi Station Moon Base. Now that was a boring couple of rotations."

"Yeah, at least we don't have that kind of mission. Coruscant is much more exciting than some dumb old moon base," Wrecker explained.

But Crosshair wasn't super convinced. He crossed his arms over his chest in slight defeat, already knowing that they wouldn't be seeing as much action as they were used to.

"Preparing jump to hyperspace," Tech announced which drew them all out of their own thoughts. With the pull of the lever, the Marauder was shot into the glowing blue tunnel of hyperspace.

CHAPTER TWO HERE

Taglist:

@totally-not-your-babe @jedipoodoo @gyllord @roam-rs @totallyunidentified @redheadgirl @mrcaptainrex @whore-of-many-hot-men @graciexmarvel @qweenrogerina

NEXT PART DROPS ON FEB. 21ST SO IF YOU WANNA BE ADDED TO THE TAGLIST, LET ME KNOW!

The Sergeants's Senator | Prologue

Summary: The Bad Batch has a newly added member of the team who can't seem to stop asking questions.

Warning: none

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 1.1k words

Series Masterlist

Note: In honor of the trailer dropping today, I have decided to release the first part earlier than anticipated! New chapters should come out consistently because the whole story is already written.

(THIS CHAPTER TAKES PLACE AFTER ORDER 66 AND DURING THE FIRST EPISODE OF SEASON 1 OF BAD BATCH FOR THOSE CURIOUS.)

The Marauder was flying silently through hyperspace with a final destination locked into the coordinates. The four remaining members of Clone Force 99 had just narrowly escaped Kamino, leaving behind one of their own. But luckily, they had gained another.

It was a little girl who was named Omega. She had taken an interest in Clone Force 99 upon the return of their mission on Kallar. It was later revealed to them that she was a clone just like them, which inclined them to bring her along with them as they fled Kamino and the newly established Empire.

Now, having just narrowly made an escape, Tech was flying the ship somewhere else. He put in the coordinates for a desolate planet and made sure to hold the wheel steadily as he steered. They'd be heading for Saleucami. Echo sat beside him in the co-pilot seat.

Behind the pilot's seat, Wrecker was sitting beside one of the control panels and Omega sat in the seat across from his. The two of them were talking quietly to themselves, sharing how exciting their escape had just been.

In the background, Hunter silently turned around in his place to exit the cockpit. He wanted to be alone, which meant leaving the others for a short time. Unbeknownst to him, Omega watched him walk away with curious eyes. She wondered if she should follow him.

Now Hunter walked into the backroom where their bunks were located. He lowered himself to sit on his own bunk, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his legs. He sat in silence even though a million thoughts and voices were filling his head.

In the background, Omega had poked her head into the doorway. She made sure not to be seen, but she wanted to see what he was up to. He thought a moment longer before reaching into his back pocket to retrieve a small device. His thumb brushed against the button, pressing it gently to activate the holo-photo.

From Omega's perspective, she wasn't able to see the face of the person in the hologram. She only saw the back of the person's head and the back of the long dress. Her eyes shifted upwards slightly to see Hunter's reaction.

For some reason, there were tears brimming in the corners of his eyes as he stared down at the hologram. His shoulders hunched over; his head drooping low until his chin rested against his chest. He clutched the device tightly. A broken sob escaped past his lips.

Just then, Omega's shoulders seemed to relax at her sides at the sight. She forced herself to take a single step into the room with the desire of wanting to comfort him. However, at the sound of her approaching footsteps, Hunter clicked the hologram off and stuffed it back into his pocket quickly. He sniffled once to hide the tears that nearly streamed down his face. He avoided eye contact with her.

"Who is she?" Omega inquired innocently. Her eyes shined with sympathy for him.

With some hesitation, Hunter quickly glanced at her through the corner of his eye. The walls he built started to come back up once again. He chose to not say anything and redirected his attention elsewhere. But Omega pressed on.

"She looks pretty," Omega's voice hinted at a small smile. She took another step towards him. She tried to meet his gaze, but he continued to avoid her. "Is she a princess?"

"Look kid," Hunter interrupted her. He released a loud sigh. "I don't really want to talk about her."

"O-Okay," Omega nodded her head understandingly. She wondered if he was just tired since it had been a long day. "Maybe some other time."

"No, I mean...I don't want to talk about her," Hunter reinforced his words. He looked her dead in the eyes. "Not now, not ever."

Although Omega had a million questions circling around her head, she thought it would be better to remain quiet in this particular situation. She gave a single nod of the head understandingly, choosing to drop the subject despite her curiosity. She took a step back to give him space.

Leaving the backroom, Omega went back into the cockpit to join the others silently. The door slid closed behind her. She flopped down into one of the seats, which earned a glance from Wrecker who sat in the seat beside her. She took her time to glance at each of the three clones sitting in the cockpit, wondering how much they knew about the situation with the sergeant.

"Who was she?" Omega inquired one final time.

Upon hearing her question, Omega noticed how Tech's shoulders tensed and his grip on the wheel tightened. She also saw how Echo had looked over to Tech as if expecting him to provide an explanation. Now turning to Wrecker, Omega saw the blank expression on his face and how his eyes stared off into nothing. They pondered her question in silence.

"Listen kid," Echo spoke up first. He looked over his shoulder from his seat. "It's an awfully long story. And I'm not sure if we should be the ones telling it."

"Hunter won't say anything," Omega said rather sadly. She shrugged her shoulders. "It's like he doesn't want to talk about her."

"Well, I don't blame him. It's hard to talk about what happened. He's still processing it," Echo defended.

"He's been processing for a while," Wrecker claimed with a groan. He tried to recall how long it had been since it all happened. "It's been two years already."

"Some wounds never heal," Echo replied to this sorrowfully.

"What did happen?" Omega pressed again. She only received silence from them.

For a moment, Echo thought about answering the question. The wheels were turning in his head, processing what kind of response he could come up with. But it wouldn't have been a simple one.

"Let's just say," Tech interrupted his train of thought. "Clones are not supposed to form attachments. And Hunter did."

"With her?" Omega clarified.

"That would be the only logical explanation as to why he has a hologram of her, isn't it?" Tech replied as his usual self. He received a sharp glare from Echo.

"Did he fall in love with her?" Omega wondered. The three clones felt their breaths catch in the back of their thoughts upon hearing the weighted question.

"It...depends on how you define love," Tech tried to convince her.

"Tech," Echo warned him with a hard look.

"Fine," Tech brushed it off with a roll of the eyes. "He did love her...in his own way."

"So what happened to her?" Omega asked sadly.

"Perhaps it would easier if we did tell you," Tech thought. He contemplated for a moment. "We do have a long journey ahead of us."

With that, Omega sat up in her chair with a beaming smile on her face. She leaned forward with anticipation, lowering her eyebrows onto the tops of her knees. She listened intently as the clones began to tell their rendition of the story that happened so long ago.

CHAPTER ONE HERE

Taglist:

@totally-not-your-babe @jedipoodoo @gyllord @roam-rs @totallyunidentified @redheadgirl

The Sergeant's Senator Masterlist

Summary: It is revealed that there is a plot to assassinate a republic senator. With some negotiations, Clone Force 99 is assigned as the security detail and must protect the senator at all costs (FULLY COMPLETED).

Warning: +18 minors DNI, threat to one's life, talks of assassination, multiple assassination attempts, various weapons used throughout series, people getting shot or seriously injured, mutual pining, sexual tension and eventual smut (chapters marked in red), and an overall dangerous series

Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Epilogue

THIS IS AN ENTIRE WRITTEN, EDITED, AND COMPLETED SERIES! ALL THAT REMAINS FOR ME TO DO IS POST EACH PART! LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO BE ADDED TO A TAGLIST

Omg it’s me 🥹 I am honored, thank you! 💕💕

Determined to be more direct, Ahsoka laid a hand on Rex’s arm, and he looked up at her. She took a deep breath and tried to be brave. “I, um, knew about tonight.”

Rex breathed in sharply, expression turning unreadable. Ahsoka continued on in a rush before she could lose her nerve. “I know Fives and Jesse were taking you out for drinks to try and find out if you have feelings for me. But it’s okay if you don’t! I just thought maybe you might because well…”

She wagged a finger back and forth between the two of them. “Well, I don’t know about you but I kind of feel like something was happening here. And, um, for a while now, I’ve kind of been wondering how you feel. Because of how I feel.”

— Snips2112, from Chapter 2: An Unexpected (But Welcome) Outcome in ‘Tihaar? More Like Truth Serum’

💙🧡 Fivesoka Recs 🧡💙

Fivesoka Creation Day is 2 weeks away! You can see the full announcement HERE.

On that note, I put together a small list of Fivesoka fic recommendations to provide inspiration or just to enjoy.

I do also plan to make a Fivesoka Master List after the event, so this is sort of the beginning of that.

I only selected a few, so if there’s a Fivesoka fic (or art) that you love that’s not listed here, feel free to drop a link in a comment or reblog! Just make sure the link is for the main source (AO3, Tumblr, or wherever it was originally posted).

If you need more Fivesoka fics to read, I recommend going through the Fives/Ahsoka tag on AO3. There’s some really good stuff in there!

Rec List

Title/Link (Rating) by Author - genre(s)/brief details

Asking For Trouble (T) by lildropofmagic on AO3 - fluff & humor; this whole series is really good!

Reunion (M) by @snips2112 - fluff, angst, mild sexual content

From Yellow to Red (T) by @tealmisthams - fluff & mutual pining

Get your act together (M) by Yelpe on AO3 - angst, humor, slow burn

No Subs (E) by Jade_Max on AO3 - angst, hurt/comfort, smut

the courage to confess (T) by @aknightreaderr - crack, angst, mutual pining

Dividers by @ahsokathegray

Tags: @aknightreaderr @snarkyfina @cyarikacyare @snips2112 @solodoodles

If you’d like to be tagged in future posts for the Fivesoka Creation Event, let me know!

Fivesoka Creation Day

Officially announcing the first ever Fivesoka event! 💙🧡

Guys, I cannot put into words how excited I am and I’m still amazed at how many people responded to the interest check. You guys are the best! Best birthday present ever. 🥹

When: March 15, 2025

What is the event? An opportunity to create new Fivesoka content for ourselves and the fandom! Create something—fic, art, mood board, whatever you want—and submit it on March 15!

How to submit your creation: Post it here on Tumblr or, if it’s on another website like AO3, post the link. Make sure to tag @everythingfivesoka so I can reblog it and include the tag #fivesokacreationevent

Not sure what to create? I will be taking prompt suggestions over the next few days, which I will then compile and post, to help with the inspiration. That being said, create whatever you want! Create what Fivesoka content you haven’t seen yet, but would like to. Create whatever makes you happy!

There are a few RULES…

1 — Please only create content in which Ahsoka is portrayed as an adult. Whether you want to age her up during TCW or have your setting be after TCW or an AU, up to you!

2 — Aside from that, anything goes, as long as it is Fivesoka-centric. Just make sure to tag sensitive content accordingly. (Smut/NSFW, trigger warnings, character deaths, etc.) If you’re not sure if you should tag something, tag it anyway, just to be safe! Also, please put NSFW content under a cut here on Tumblr.

3 — Creations that will NOT be accepted: AI or plagiarized work. Any creations depicting hate or harassment of any kind. Creations in which either character is underage.

4 — Please be kind and considerate! The Fivesoka community is very small, so let’s support each other as much as possible!

Since many of us are in different parts of the world, the official time for the event will be rather loose. Just try to post on March 15, whenever that is for you! And if you post later, I’ll still reblog. 😊

Feel free to message me either here on @everythingfivesoka or on my @tealmisthams account with any questions!

Also, let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future posts related to this event!

Thanks, you guys. I’m so excited!

~ Misty 💙🧡

Art by @ahsokathegray

Tags: @aknightreaderr @snarkyfina @cyarikacyare @swfandomevents

Dear Fives,

I have a bit of a dilemma. After reading all of your insightful, informative and thoroughly entertaining replies to other lovesick readers, I think you're just the person to help me.

I've had an eye on a certain clone trooper for a while now, but I just can't seem to get a good read on him. I work as a physician on Pabu, and there are a group of clones who live here. You may know them as 'The Bad Batch'? There is a certain sniper among them who has caught my attention.

He's tall, and handsome, and although he tries to put on a tough front, I know he has a kind heart. His softer side shows through from time to time, especially around his little sister. He can also be rather grumpy, but I find it endearing. I could talk about him all day... but that's not what I am trying to accomplish by writing to you.

Although I have been rather taken by his taciturn nature, it is that very trait that makes him so hard to read. We've spent a lot of time together: he often walks me home from my clinic in the evenings, and I've managed to run into him a few times around Pabu. We always talk and it's always enjoyable... but whenever I suggest meeting in a more purposeful way, he makes his excuses and scurries off. Or as well as a man of his stature can scurry anyways, but I digress.

I suppose, after all that exposition, my question to you, dear, dear Fives, is how on earth am I supposed to figure this man out? I've tried to be patient, but at this point, I do wish for an answer. I sorely hope it is the one I seek, but even if it's not, anything would be better than dancing around the subject like we tend to do.

Help me, dearest Fives. You are my only hope.

Best Wishes,

Arlo

Editor's note: Got a question for Fives? Read the rules here. My ask box will close in 12 hours. I was so excited to see that this is from Arlo!! I’m so glad your lovely OC has decided to swing by Fives’ advice column <3

Dearest Arlo,

You call it a dilemma. I call it an opportunity.

I am unfortunately acquainted with The Bad Batch. I actually quite like them all (my editor too, especially a certain Hunter-Gatherer) except for The Biting Child. You refer to her as the little sister. 

Do not be deceived by her supposed kindness. It is all an act. I must warn you that she bites. It’s important you are aware of this because if you’re about to get close to Crosshair, you’re going to be around her a lot. I’ve been told she only bites because she’s protective of those she loves but I’ll let you read between the lines.

Your Crosshair is such a sweetheart. It’s true that he hides behind the tough bad boy exterior, but he truly has a heart of gold. Please do not feel the need to stop talking about him. That’s what I’m here for - to listen!

I think that there is only one way to approach this and that’s to be blunt with Crosshair. If he keeps making excuses then it’s a sign that he is not ready for a relationship. You should not be chasing after someone who won’t recognise your value and accept your advances.

However, it is also important to balance that with realising that some people need a bit more time and coaxing. It’s a tough balance, I won't lie.

Knowing his personality and his history, I think he has a hard time connecting with new people and learning to trust them. That being said, his actions are all very positive so far. He’s choosing to spend time with you and talk to you. 99% of the time (pun intended but the statistic is true) he will grunt at someone then walk off. It’s clear that he genuinely likes you.

You need to tell Crosshair in no uncertain terms that you like him and you get the feeling that he might reciprocate such feelings. Tell him that you would like to explore a relationship and that it does not need to move fast if that’s what he needs to feel comfortable. I would tell him what ideas you have for a first date. That way, it takes away some of the nerves on his end if he is planning to say yes. Crosshair will appreciate knowing that you've thought through all of the details.

The other thing to consider is when and where to do this. I suggest one night when he walks you home that you invite him inside for caf or something to eat. Once you’ve both got a cup in hand, I’d ask him out. That way he cannot easily scurry off.

I personally think he has feelings for you. However, if he is not brave enough to act on them, then you shouldn’t waste your time waiting for him to man up. Remember that your time is precious and so are your feelings. You shouldn’t put your life on hold because a man is struggling to get his life together.

Remember, my dearest Arlo, that we have hope. Hope that things will get better. And I think they will 😉

Lots of love,

Fives advice columnist who writes “insightful, informative and thoroughly entertaining replies” - quote Arlo

No Rest, No Reprieve

Summary: In the aftermath of the final battle of the Clone War on Raxus Prime, Kix struggles against the mental burden and emotional exhaustion inherent to his role as a medic for the 501st. Overwhelmed and exhausted, Kix must find the strength to continue on, for the sake of all his brothers who depend on him.

For Febuwhump 2025 Day 2: Holding Back Tears

Fandom: Star Wars

Pairing: None

Characters: Kix, Coric, & Jesse (Kix POV/Kix-centric)

Rating: M

Word Count: ~2,400

Warning: CPR, medical scenario, themes of death and burn out

Link is here on ao3 because again tumblr doesn't allow me to direct post the link.

This fic is the sequel to my fic "Hold on to Me", which can be found here on ao3. This will provide some context to some of the situations Kix references during this fic, but both can be read independently.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

@tealmisthams and @kotemf, tagging you guys because this is the "Kix the burnt out medic fic" from my WIP list game that you both asked about! It is finally finished, so instead of answering your asks I give you the fic :)

I love them all but I’m here for Kix 👀

I miss and love all the clone troopers and here’s some more of my favourites <3

Something More, for You and I - Part 1

Summary: Reginald "Rex" Fettson is the Land Agent for Shillshire Castle in England, the home of Lady Amelia Ahsoka Tano, his childhood sweetheart. When war breaks out across Europe in 1914, Rex is swiftly sent to the frontlines and in his absence Ahsoka is hurriedly engaged to a member of fine society at her father's behest: a Member of Parliament with great connections and even greater wealth.

When Rex is on leave from the frontlines, the two meet again, by chance, or perhaps by fate. Will they rekindle their long, lost love despite the limitations of their rank and station? Or will they obey the expectations of their positions, and allow life's one true love to pass them by?

TLDR: A Rexsoka AU set during WW1, inspired by Downton Abbey

For Rexsoka Monthly August Prompt: AU August

Pairing: Rexsoka

Rating: M

Chapter Word Count: ~1,200

Welcome to my Rexsoka AU: inspired by Downton Abbey and a recent trip I took to England. After touring all the castles and the English countryside, I couldn't help the flood of ideas I had for early 1910s Rexsoka <3 Some inspiration has been taken from Downton Abbey (which is one of my favorite shows of all time, if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it), and from the history of similar estates and wealthy families of that time, but I tried to give it my own spin.

Hope everyone enjoys! If anyone wants to chat about this AU together shoot me a message. Always down to chat about fun things like this <3

20 Fic Writer Questions

Thank you for tagging me @ladylucksrogue and @aknightreaderr! Excited to do this question game!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

26

2. What's your A03 word count?

162, 887

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I write for the Star Wars fandom! A long long time ago, before I was confident enough to post my fics, I wrote some Lord of the Rings fan fics that will never see the light of day XD But now my main fandoms are The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

That Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Feeling - 205 (Rexsoka)

Tihaar? More Like Truth Serum - 118 (Rexsoka)

Hold On to Me - 111 (Rexsoka)

Not Strong Enough - 86 (Gen, Tech centric)

Please Don't Make it Real - 84 (Gen, Crosshair centric)

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmmm I have a few, but I think Lost Without You is pretty darn angsty. The general premise is that it is a Rexsoka fic I wrote where Ahsoka is in mourning after Rex passes away :(

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I would say Tihaar? More Like Truth Serum has the fluffiest, happiest ending! What can be better than an adorable, drunken Rex admitting his feelings to Ahsoka :)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I haven't yet (and hopefully never will), everyone has been very kind in the fandom, which I appreciate!

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I don't! I'll write a little bit of spice into my fics but I always tend to keep it pretty mild, and rely on fade to black when anything further is going to happen.

10. Do you write cross overs? What's the craziest one you've written?

I haven't written any cross overs but I am working on an AU of the Bad Batch as Formula 1 drivers, which is probably the closest I'll ever get to a cross over.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not yet, but I have some tentative plans with one of my lovely fellow fic writers to collaborate on a fic for her fanfic universe! Not sure how much I should say about this so I'm gonna leave it at that :)

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

I think its a tie between Crosslo (Crosshair and my OC, Arlo) or Rexsoka! I love both of these ships to death (as you can probably tell from my writing). 

15. What's a WIP you'd like to finish but doubt you ever wilI?

Ahhhh this would be my Kix the burnt out medic fic (that is literally the placeholder title in the word doc)! I really want to finish this but it is pretty heavy on the angst so we will see if I can make it through the long dark that is this fic! I would love to share it, but it's just a very heavy one to write.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Hmm I would say I think I do a good job of characterization and getting into my character's mind sets and pulling out emotion in my writing.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I would like to improve my ability to set the scene in my fics. Sometimes I see the scene very well in my head but forget to write it into my fic XD

I would say I also admire some of my fellow writers ability to write off the charts chemistry and sexual/romantic tension between their characters. Although I think I have some ability in this, I would absolutely love to improve it more as I think I have room to grow!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I'll throw the occasional Mando'a word in if I'm writing a clone centric fic, and I usually use Star Wars specific swear words but I would never write full passages of dialogue in another language, at least not at this point.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Technically Lord of the Rings, if you count my never to be posted fanfics from a long time ago XD But the first fandom I ever posted fanfic for was Star Wars!

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Oooo I am particularly proud of Disobedient Hands, which is the first fic in my Crosslo series for Crosshair and my OC, Arlo. I felt like I really did a good job of getting into Crosshair's mind in this one, as well as creating the beginnings of what has come to be my most favorite OC of mine, Arlo (not that I have many, but of the few I do, she is my fav). I truly love all the fics in this series though, and it's been fun exploring the relationship between Crosshair and Arlo, and watching them grow through my writing. The series is ongoing and can be found here on AO3 if anyone is interested <3

Tagging: @tealmisthams, @acatinwinterfell, @queen-of-mandalore, @melting-houses-of-gold and anyone else who wants to participate!

Snip's Stories

This is a masterlist of my writing! All of my fics can be found on my AO3 🧡

---

Current WIPs

Cross My Heart and Help Me Heal

Series of one shots & culminating in a long fic (coming soon!!). I tag this series with the tag 'Crosslo' on tumblr and AO3. The AO3 series can be found here.

Fandom: The Bad Batch

Pairing: Crosshair x OC (Arlo)

Rating: Variable, G to M

General Themes: Romance, domestic life, hurt/comfort, PTSD, Crosshair's tremor, accelerated aging cure, timeline spans early S3 to post Tantiss

Fics (listed in chronologic order):

Disobedient Hands (T) - one shot

A Chance Encounter (G) - one shot

Shoot Your Shot (G) - one shot

Not the First, But the Best (T) - short multichapter fic

Warm and Safe (T) - one shot

Unbidden (M) - short multichapter fic

Nearly Whole (E) - one shot, newest fic, just posted!

Why? (T) - one shot

A Pabu Tradition (G) - short one shot, Kiss Roulette prompt

Falling for You (M) - short one shot, Kiss Roulette prompt

---

Race Force 99

First fic is up, long fic is in progress! Updates coming soon 🏎 🏎

Fandom: The Bad Batch

Pairings: Crosslo (Crosshair x OC: Arlo), TechPhee

Rating: T to M

General Themes: Bad Batch as Formula 1 Racing Drivers AU, racing, formula 1, trauma, PTSD, angst, competition, romance

Fics:

Space Race (T) - one shot

If You're Not First, You're Last - place holder title for the long fic, coming soon!!!

---

Completed Works

Rexsoka

That Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Feeling (M) - long multichapter fic, post order 66, romance and slow burn 🧡💙

Something More, for You and I (M) - first chapter up, more updates to come!

Hold on to Me (M) - one shot, Rexsoka Monthly prompt

A Well Deserved Rest (G) - one shot

Reasons (T) - one shot, Kiss Roulette prompt

Beside You (T) - one shot, Kiss Roulette prompt

Lost Without You (T) - one shot, Rexsoka Monthly prompt

The Beach Can Wait (M) - one shot, Rexsoka Monthly prompt

Tihaar? More Like Truth Serum (T) - one shot, Rexsoka Monthly prompt

If Only (G) - one shot

---

Fivesoka

Reunion (M) - one shot, Kiss Roulette prompt

Impulse (G) - one shot, Kiss Roulette prompt

Sweet and Gentle, Let me Dream of You (G) - one shot, gift fic for the great galactic gift gathering

---

Assorted The Clone Wars Fics

No Remedy for Guilt nor Grief (M) - Fox x OC, Angstpril one shot

Oh, My Charming Prince (M) - Fives x OC, one shot

No Rest, No Reprieve (M) - Kix-centric fic dealing with burn out, death and loss, one shot

---

Assorted The Bad Batch Fics

Please Don't Make it Real (M) - Crosshair finds out about Tech's death from Omega

Not Strong Enough (M) - Tech as CX-2, written for Angstpril prompt

Chaos and Order (G) - Clone Twin Week prompt for Crosshair & Tech

---

Other Fandoms

Dragon Age

Alone (G) - Solas x Female Lavellan, Exploration of Lavellan's heart break after the events of DA:I

Bellanaris (T) - Solas x Female Lavellan, exploration of the events immediately after Veilguard redeem ending

Just Like Them (T) - Solas x Female Lavellan, analysis of the parallels of Solas taking on a physical form and Lavellan agreeing to remove her vallaslin

And Always, My Love (T) - Rook x Lucanis Dellamorte, multichapter fic about the love story between my Rook, Delphine Mercar, and Lucanis - First chapter up, more to come soon!

---

Thank you so much for reading!

If you read any of my works on AO3, please leave me a comment and a kudos, it is super encouraging to see what you think of my fics! I also love talking about my writing and my OCs, so feel free to leave me an ask or send me a message, I would love to chat 💙

rex with long hair............

there is no chaos, there is harmony.

-I would never make it as a jedi cause the second i'm close enough to touch one of their arms there will be marriages💍🎀

A Well Deserved Rest

Summary: Although he's very proud of the rebel cell he's been able to build over the last few months, Rex is exhausted. When he finds a quiet moment to rest, Ahsoka ensures he finds the rest he deserves.

Fandom: Star Wars

Pairing: Rexsoka

Word Count: ~1,200

Please enjoy this cute little fic <3

Sleepy Rex on his sleepy speeder taking a sleep break on Onderon

For the kiss prompts, I would like to request another Fivesoka please! 💙

35. A kiss against a wall

Ah I had so much fun with this prompt and it got loooooooong! Thank you so much for the request. This fic inspired a ton of Fivesoka fix it head canons so I can safely say I WILL be writing more about these two in the future :)

This fic is set during TCW after Ahsoka leaves the order, but she returns sooner than she does in canon because Anakin has called her back... because reasons... This is also a fix-it scenario because well, Fives lives <3

Without further ado, full fic below the cut for some spiciness :)

Reunion

Pairing: Fivesoka

Word count: ~2,800

The halls of the Resolute were still and silent, the night cycle having taken effect several hours ago. Ahsoka felt as though she was a spectre, wandering the halls in search of some solace from the prickling discomfort that had settled into her bones after stepping aboard the vessel.

She did not regret her decision to return to the war effort. When she’d received Anakin’s call, she’d felt the gravity of his words even worlds away. He’d been rather cryptic about why he needed her to return, but she knew it was important.

After she’d arrived, she’d tried to entreat some answers from him to assuage the growing sense of dread in her gut but Anakin had been firm in his stance. All he would reveal was that he planned to tell her tomorrow, when Obi-Wan arrived with his fleet. He told her that his information required 'coordination', and the plan would require a 'precise execution'. He would reveal nothing more.

Ahsoka smiled wryly against the cool trepidation in her heart. She’d never seen Anakin so organized, nor so grim. Whatever was happening must be serious, but she trusted Anakin without question. She would wait until the briefing tomorrow, but that didn’t mean the wait would be an easy one.

She’d intended to retreat to her quarters and meditate before attempting to rest, but her feet had led her away from the officers’ quarters, in search of something else entirely. There was one person whom she’d been unable to reunite with since her return. Sadly, she couldn’t seek him out directly, for it would look rather odd of her to single one clone out over all the others. And a reunion amongst the other troopers was not the same.

Fives had been there, a part of her welcoming committee, so to speak, but they hadn’t said a word to each other. Ahsoka had barely glanced in his direction, and he’d stood at attention as procedure and protocol dictated. Beyond a subtle flare in his Force signature, he’d betrayed nothing, and Ahsoka was grateful for that. Up until now they’d kept their relationship a secret, and she intended for it to remain that way, for the time being.

Passing through another set of blast doors, Ahsoka realized she was indeed in the bowels of the ship now. She’d made her way down to the storage levels, and the hallways were lined with various alcoves, leading off towards other storage rooms housing more supplies. With a sigh, Ahsoka continued her walk, drumming her fingers against her thigh. When she's last been down here it had been for entirely more enjoyable reasons, accompanied by the one who's presence she yearned for now. She smiled at the memory, pretending it didn't color her cheeks with a pleasurable blush.

As she passed the next alcove the Force crackled with warning, and Ahsoka was ready for the hand that shot out of the darkness, intending to catch her unawares. She allowed the assailant to grab her, but twisted away easily at the last second, spinning and catching the attacker across his chest with a glancing blow. Then she pounced on him and shoved him into the wall, with her forearm across his chest to pin him. She made sure to keep her strikes measured though, as she had a good idea who her mystery attacker was.

“Whoa there Commander, take it easy,” Fives’ familiar drawl filled her heart with warmth, and she couldn’t help the way her face broke out into a happy smile. “I just wanted to say hello.”

“Since when does hello require dragging someone into a dark, abandoned hallway?” Ahsoka quipped, leaning into Fives a bit and enjoying the fact that he’d chosen not to wear the top half of his armor for this clandestine meeting. His chest was warm against hers, and his goatee tickled the skin of her arm beneath his chin as he looked down, fixing her with a mischievous smile.

“I had to find some way to get you alone,” Fives rumbled, his smile transforming into a self-satisfied smirk as he obviously caught the way Ahsoka was already looking at his lips. Ahsoka cursed her eagerness but could not deny she was hungry for a kiss. It had been too long. Their separation had been of her own making but still, she missed him dearly.

As Ahsoka leaned in, tilting her head up, Fives bent his head to meet her, but stopped short of pressing their lips together. His breath was warm against her face, and when his bottom lip brushed her top lip it was all Ahsoka could do to prevent herself from grabbing his face and pulling his mouth to hers.

Frustrated, she murmured, “What are you waiting for?”

Fives chuckled and his hands settled around her waist, one slowly travelling up her side to grasp her shoulder. He moved ever so slightly, brushing his lips against the side of her mouth, his thumb tracing her hip bone beneath her battle dress. Ahsoka couldn’t help the soft sigh that escaped her lips, and she relaxed into his touch, practically falling against his chest.

As soon as she relaxed, Fives sprang into action. He grasped her shoulder and shoved her backward, flipping them around so that she was the one pressed into the wall, and he now towered above her. Ahsoka tried half-heartedly to escape, but ended up with her hands pinned as well, one beside her hip, and the other alongside her head. Fives pinned her hips with his, trapping her with the full weight of his body and ensuring every inch of their bodies were pressed together.

“That,” he rasped, grinning triumphantly from ear to ear. “I was waiting for that.”

And then he kissed her. It was passionate and rough and wanting, and Ahsoka couldn’t help the whimper that left her lips as deep desire flared brightly through her lower abdomen. Fives deepened their kisses quickly, swiping his tongue against her bottom lip, to which she gladly parted her lips, meeting his tongue with her own.

His grip on her wrists loosened and Ahsoka pulled her hands free, roaming her hands over his body and exploring every inch of him. She ran her fingers through his hair – shorter than usual, she noted – and over his shoulders to his waist, and then back up his chest. She could feel every muscle through his blacks, and once again basked in the warmth radiating from his body. She was always so cold when she was in space, but she was never cold when she was with Fives.

One of Fives hands gripped her waist tightly, pulling her hips against his as he slipped his knee between her legs, while his other hand worked its way up her body, enjoying her curves as he met them, before tracing the chevrons of her lekku with his fingertips. His lips travelled across her jaw and then down to her neck, kissing and sucking at her skin hungrily.

Ahsoka tried to stop the breathy moan his actions tore from her lips but found she could not, and Fives seemed only to kiss her more vigorously for it. She ran a hand over his head again, wanting to fist her fingers in his hair but was disappointed as she noted again that it was too short to do so. Instead, her hands travelled back down his body, before attempting to slip beneath the bottom of his shirt.

The second her fingers met the skin of his abdomen he grabbed her wrists again, wasting no time in pinning her arms above her head. He stretched his body out over hers, pressing her into the wall and ensuring they were nose to nose. His eyes danced playfully, and he didn’t even bother to fight the grin that split his features so pleasantly.

“Really Ahsoka?” He drawled. “Undressing me in the hallway of all places?”

Ahsoka made an indignant noise. “Do you want me to stop?”

Fives hummed low in his throat and kissed her deeply, rolling his hips against her as he did so. Ahsoka gasped and he pressed his tongue into her mouth again, kissing her for some time before they were both forced to come up for air.

“Of course I don’t,” he mumbled against her lips, and then kissed along her jaw to her lekku as he spoke next. “Though glad to know you care about what I want.”

His words snapped Ahsoka out of the lustful bliss she’d fallen into, and her eyes popped open, brow markings furrowing in confusion.

“What?” she murmured as Fives lavished her right lek with kisses, tracing the pattern of her chevrons with his tongue. “What are you talking about?”

Fives pressed a few more kisses to her shoulder as he murmured, “Didn’t seem to matter what I thought when you left.”

Ahsoka stiffened beneath him, the guilt of her departure settling deep into her gut, like a ball of durasteel chained around her sternum. Seeming to sense the change in her mood Fives pulled back. He released her hands which she dropped to his chest, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her carefully and averting his gaze.

“I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean it like that.” Fives swallowed and then looked her in the eye. His eyes were stormy and sad, and Ahsoka could see the depth of his pain as she stared into the deep brown hues.

“I just wish…” he started before swallowing and stepping towards her, getting as close to her as was possible. “I just wish you’d said goodbye.”

Ahsoka’s heart broke in her chest at the cadence of his voice, so hollow and empty. She cradled his face between her hands, stroking his cheeks sweetly.

“I didn’t want to leave you,” she whispered, searching his face and trying to convey the depth of her contrition. “I’m so sorry, Fives.”

“No, no,” he shook his head and took a deep breath. “I know I’m being petty. I know there was far more to it than just you and I. But I…”

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. “I really care about you, Ahsoka. And when you left without a word... and then I’m left to find out from an announcement from the General, without any contact or explanation.” He shook his head, brow furrowed tightly. “I know you had your reasons but-“

“I hurt you,” Ahsoka said quietly, nodding and caressing his cheek softly. “I know I did. I’m so sorry, truly, Fives.”

Fives nodded. His eyes still held sadness, but he smiled softly at her, reaching up to trace the white markings on her cheeks. Ahsoka smiled back, enjoying the way his fingers skimmed over her skin.

“It’s alright.” Before she could protest, he was shaking his head and speaking again. “Really, Ahsoka. It’s alright. I know there was more to it. Things are not often what they seem.”

His voice faded out and his eyes took on a faraway look as he rubbed his fingers absentmindedly over his right temple. His frown concerned her and Ahsoka looped her arms around his neck, holding him a little tighter. She could feel the muted distress in his Force signature.

“What is it?” she whispered, scratching her fingers over the back of his head gently. Fives dipped his chin and kissed her forehead. He took a deep breath.

“A lot’s changed since you left. The General will tell you more tomorrow.”

Ahsoka raised a brow marking, her curiosity flaring again as it seemed even Fives was privy to Anakin’s cryptic ‘news’.

“So I’ve heard,” Ahsoka said. “But no one seems willing to tell me what’s really going on.”

Fives shuddered in her arms, furthering Ahsoka’s concern. It took a lot to frighten him, and the way he pulled her tightly into his arms and peppered her montrals with desperate kisses had her heart hammering in her chest with worry. Before she’d suspected the news was serious. Now she knew something was wrong.

“Fives-“

“I can’t say more, meshla,” he murmured against her skin, continuing to kiss every available inch of her. “Please don’t ask. The less people who know, the better. I trust the General, and Rex. They have a plan.”

Ahsoka wanted to protest, to entreat Fives to honesty, but the resolve in his Force signature made her hold her tongue. Ahsoka cradled his face between her hands and brought his eyes back to hers. Behind the resolve, she could feel his distress thrumming in the Force between them, and she sought for some way to reassure him.

“I’m with you, Fives. I won’t leave you again, no matter what happens.”

Fives smiled, his eyes softening in a way she’d rarely seen before. He kissed her once, sweetly and softly before pulling back and fixing his eyes on hers.

“I love you,” he answered, softly and firmly, without any bashfulness nor uncertainty. “Whatever comes next I want you to know.”

Ahsoka was overwhelmed with feeling. She felt her insides go numb but at the same time she was convinced her skin was on fire. She wanted to cheer or shout or say anything at all, but she couldn’t find her voice. So, she kissed him hard, wrapping her arms around Fives’ neck and pulled him to her. Fives returned her affection, pressing kiss after kiss to her mouth as his hands explored her body. His hands slipped beneath her backside, and he lifted Ahsoka up, trapping her body between his own and the wall behind her. Reflexively she wrapped her legs around his waist holding him tightly as they kissed.

Fives hitched the skirt of her battle dress up above her hips, slipping his hands beneath it to touch the bare skin above her leggings. Ahsoka shivered with desire and dropped her head to nibble her way down his neck, huffing in frustration when the collar of his blacks got in the way. She changed directions, kissing up the side of his head and flicking her tongue over the shell of his ear before biting it gently. Fives growled quietly and pressed kisses to her lekku and shoulders.

“Kriff,” he muttered. “I want you. So much.”

Ahsoka nodded and pressed kisses into his hair again as he sucked a mark into the soft skin of her neck below her jaw.

“Yes, Fives,” she groaned softly, but shook her head as his left hand skimmed down over her breast and towards the waist band of her leggings. “Wait, wait. Not here.”

“Where?” Fives muttered between kisses, returning his hand to her breast again, his touch distracting her in the most pleasant of ways.

“My quarters,” she murmured between kisses. “Twenty minutes.”

“Twenty?” Fives exclaimed incredulously, pulling back and raising a teasing eyebrow. Ahsoka laughed and grinned.

“Fine, fifteen minutes,” she amended. “Just make sure-“

“No one sees me,” Fives nodded. “Sure thing, Commander. I know the drill.”

Ahsoka scoffed and slapped his shoulder good naturedly. “Don’t be so smug.”

“Hmm. You like it when I’m cocky,” Fives countered, adjusting his hands beneath her thighs, having yet to let her down from her perch between himself and the wall. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

“Do I? Please tell me then, what else do I like? Since you seem to know so well,” Ahsoka harrumphed, though she kept her tone light to let him know she was teasing.

“I know exactly what you like,” Fives rumbled, leaning in until their lips were almost touching. “But I’d rather show you, than tell you.”

“Maybe you should do both. That could be fun,” Ahsoka murmured before she realized what she was saying. Fives snorted and grinned, finally taking a step back so she could drop down between him and the wall, settling back onto her feet with a deep blush coloring her cheeks.

“That can be arranged,” Fives drawled, grinning from ear to ear. Ahsoka shook her head but smiled, straightening out her dress before making for the door.

Before she left, something tugged at her heart, and she looked back over her shoulder at Fives. His words from earlier thrummed in her ears and in her heart, the magnitude of his feelings warming her from the inside out. She knew the feelings in her heart matched his, and he deserved to hear it.

With her heart hammering in her ears, Ahsoka turned back and took Fives’ hand in hers, holding it gently and running her thumb over his knuckles.

“Fives,” she murmured softly, meeting his eyes with a smile. “I love you too.”

Fives didn’t grin, nor chuckle, nor did he say anything at all. Ahsoka blushed as he smiled the softest smile she’d ever witnessed from him, and very slowly he brought their joined hands up to his lips. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles while holding her gaze, and Ahsoka felt her heart and stomach attempt to switch places as butterflies careened between her chest and abdomen.

“Go on,” Fives murmured, jerking his chin towards the door. His words were brusque, but his eyes were loving and kind. Ahsoka kept her eyes on his until she exited the room completely, her heart soaring in her chest as her world seemed to fall into place. The Force still swirled with malcontent, and Ahsoka knew things were about to get worse before they got better. But come what may, she knew with Fives at her side she could handle any hardship the Galaxy decided to throw their way.

If still doing the kiss roulette, 35 or 43 Rexsoka? Pls and thanks.

Thank you so much for the request! I decided to do both prompts in one fic, so this one got a little longer than intended. I really hope you like it thought <3 This fic is set sometime during the later half of TCW and I want to make clear that this is an aged up, adult version of Ahsoka! If i ever write her during TCW I always age her up :)

Full fic below the cut!

Reasons

Kiss Roulette Prompts: 35 - a kiss against a wall & 43 - a bloody kiss

Pairing: Rexsoka

Word Count: ~1600

Warnings: blood, minor injury

Rex shoved Ahsoka against the wall, covering her body with his against the shower of shrapnel that followed the deafening blast from the Separatist cannons. Every nerve in his body was on high alert, and his muscles were tense, ready to jump and move again if need be. The shrapnel, gravel and debris pinged and clattered against his armor, and Rex pressed even tighter against Ahsoka, ensuring she was entirely shielded from the aftermath of the blast, knowing she wore far less protective equipment than he did.

Her hands were clutching his chest plate, and he listened to the sound of her breathing, muffled behind the ringing in his ears from the blast. Her respirations were clear and even, and Rex matched his breathing to hers, slowly calming his racing heart.

When it had been silent for long enough that Rex was certain another blast was not coming, he relaxed marginally and chanced a glance over his shoulder. Sure enough, the spot in the square where they’d been standing was now a crater, and various chunks of debris as well as troopers unlucky enough to be caught in the blast littered the area.

Rex couldn’t tear his eyes from the bodies, strewn at awkward angles throughout the square as they were. He fought the urge to run to his brothers, desperate to search for survivors, however small that possibility that might be.

“They’re…” Ahsoka coughed as the dust in the air tickled her throat, interrupting her words. “They’re gone, Rex.”

As she confirmed his suspicions, Rex let out the breath he’d been holding, shoulders slumping under the weight of his despair. His entire squadron, gone in one moment. He wished for the chance to mourn, but they needed to move, and they needed to do so quickly. They still had a shield generator to destroy so General Skywalker could move his troops through the main streets and into the legislative buildings were the Seppies were holed up, and now they needed to do so without the rest of their strike force.

With a sigh of resignation, Rex turned back to Ahsoka to suggest they do exactly that, but he found his words remained trapped within his throat at the sight of her.

Ahsoka was dabbing with her bare hand at a laceration on her forehead, just below her headband. As scalp wounds were wont to do, it was bleeding profusely, and the blood easily escaped her half-hearted attempts at tamponade, running down the right side of her face. It marred the beautiful white markings on her cheek, and stained her lips a bright red.

Rex was no medic, but he’d tended to his fair share of wounds. Theoretically, he knew this wound was superficial. Theoretically, he knew that the scalp was a very vascular part of the body, therefore although the blood loss looked impressive, it was likely not serious. Theoretically, Rex knew Ahsoka would be just fine.

But in reality, Rex tore his helmet from his head, letting it bounce haphazardly across the ground as he dropped it unceremoniously. He grasped her chin with trembling fingers and turned her head, pressing the gloved fingers of his other hand firmly against her wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

“Rex, please, it’s fine,” Ahsoka grumbled, trying feebly to free herself from his grasp, but he held her fast, pressing her into the wall more securely to prevent her from escaping.

Refusing to take no for an answer, Rex indicated to his belt with his chin. “There are a couple of bacta strips in the side pouch. Grab them for me.”

“You’re overreacting,” Ahsoka bemoaned with a roll of her eyes, but she did as he bid her, grabbing the bacta strips and handing them to Rex. “I’m fine.”

“You will be,” Rex agreed gruffly. Then more softly he said, “Please, just let me help you, ‘Soka.”

His gentle plea effectively silenced any further protests from Ahsoka. He made quick work of treating her wound, appraising his work briefly once he was done.

“There,” Rex stated softly. “Good as new.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes and laughed softly, laying her blood-stained fingers gently against his cheek. Her smile was sad, as how could it not be in a world filled with war and death, but her words were light, buoying his heart against the darkness and fear.

“My hero. You saved my life and patched me up,” Ahsoka told him with a subtle wink, a little impishness making it through the sadness in her smile. Rex cradled her face in his hands, his eyes reflecting her melancholy, but also her resolve. They couldn’t linger long, but Rex took the chance to be with her now, if only for a moment. The reality of war had taught him to savour such moments. Nothing was permanent. He could lose her as easily as he’d just lost all of his men.

“Mmmhmm. And just how will you ever repay me?” he quipped, leaning down while losing himself briefly in her beautiful blue eyes. Ahsoka smiled fully, her gaze drifting down to his lips.

“I can think of something,” she murmured. She stepped closer, and Rex watched as her eyes fluttered closed. His own were half lidded.

“Hmm. Something nice, I hope…” he replied.

Ahsoka’s lips brushed his. “Very nice, I promise.”

Before Rex could respond, she kissed him. Her lips were soft and sweet, and Rex cradled her face gently between his hands, swiping his thumbs lovingly over her cheeks. All he could feel was her. She invaded all of his senses, sweeping him well away from the horrible reality of war, if only for a moment.

But as she deepened the kiss, the tangy, metallic taste of blood slipped through the blissful haze the movement of her lips had lulled him into.

Suddenly, he could hear the distant blaster fire, mixing with the even more distant clanking of battle droids. He could smell the scorched earth from the cannon’s blast and felt the dirt and dust upon his skin and hers.

The wounds on his heart opened anew as he thought of his men, dead in the square behind him while he stood, alive and well, kissing his Commander.

He should stop it. He should end things as regulation and expectation dictated. He was not a mere man, entirely susceptible and beguiled by the affections of a woman, even a very beautiful one such as Ahsoka.

But that was entirely the problem. This wasn’t some irresponsible dalliance, distracting him from his mission, his purpose. This was love. It was the desperation for a connection with another being, fighting for life amongst all the death.

Ahsoka was his whole world. The clones were bread to fight for the Republic. They didn’t need a reason to do so. But all the same, Rex knew Ahsoka had become his reason. He fought, day in and day out, for her.

Desperately, he deepened the kiss further, slipping his tongue into her mouth as he pushed her a few steps back towards the wall. Gasps left both their chests as they crashed harder than Rex had intended into the solid structure.

He couldn’t stop, and he didn’t want to, so he continued kissing her and touching her, pressing their bodies as close together as his blasted armor would allow. Ahsoka returned his passion with vigor, her fingers hooked around his chest plate, holding him close while her other hand scrapped against the back of his head.

They kissed without a thought for anything but each other. Rex didn’t even bother to stop for a breath until he could go no longer without one.

When he broke the kiss, his chest was heaving, his oxygen starved lungs begging for relief. Ahsoka’s breathing was similarly labored, and she clutched tighter at his armor, unwilling to let go.

“I love you,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Rex opened his eyes then to find hers filled with tears, which slowly slipped down her cheeks, creating tear tracks through the dried blood that still marred her beautiful features. Rex blinked away the blurriness from his own vision and held her tighter.

“I love you too, ‘Soka.”

They held each other for a moment more before Ahsoka let out a long sigh, breaking through the emotional veil of desperation, fear and love. Rex stepped back, standing at attention, while Ahsoka peeled herself from the wall, brushing her hands over her battle dress in an attempt to clear it of any dust and grime.

Bending down, she grabbed Rex’s helmet from the ground, studying it briefly before holding it out to him, He accepted it from her, but hesitated before placing it upon his head. Ahsoka pressed a hand to his cheek and tried to smile, although her eyes were still troubled by a stormy darkness, dimming her shining blue hues to a muted grey.

“Please don’t die,” she bid him, her voice breathy and desperate, as it seemed she too must have tasted their mortality and found it rather jarring. Rex leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead, before pressing his own against one of her montrals.

“I go where you go, cyare. I have no plans to leave your side.”

“See that you don’t,” Ahsoka ordered before stepping back, her posture and expression morphing into that of his battle-hardened Commander once more, although the affection in her eyes remained.

“Yessir,” Rex agreed, nodding before securing his helmet upon his head. Taking a deep breath, he deferred to her, ready to jump back into the fray, as his duty bid him. “Lead the way, sir.”

Ahsoka nodded and they slipped around the wall, keeping to the shadows as they pushed on towards their objective. Although weary and worn, war left no rest for any but the dead, and Rex was not about to join them. So, he followed his Commander without question, staying close to her side as she bid him, and keeping her even closer to his heart.

That Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Feeling - Part 16 & Epilogue

Summary: Lost and adrift after the events of Order 66, Ahsoka and Rex struggle to find their place in this new reality. Both need to deal with the loss in their own way; as they help each other in this shared struggle, their relationship blossoms into something neither expected. As the threat of the Empire grows, can such a tentative, new connection be sustained? Or will they be torn apart by their duty to fight?

Fandom: The Clone Wars

Pairing: Rexsoka

Rating: M

Chapter 16 Word Count: ~7,000

Epilogue Word Count: ~700

Ahhh the fic is finally finished!! Thank you to all my readers for all your love and support! This fic was a major labor of love, and I am so excited to finally share the finished product with you all.

On a related note, I had originally planned to do a sequel to this fic... if this is something people would actually be interested in reading, please let me know!

Thank you everyone for all the love and support! This has been quite the journey <3

That Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Feeling - Part 15

Summary: Lost and adrift after the events of Order 66, Ahsoka and Rex struggle to find their place in this new reality. Both need to deal with the loss in their own way; as they help each other in this shared struggle, their relationship blossoms into something neither expected. As the threat of the Empire grows, can such a tentative, new connection be sustained? Or will they be torn apart by their duty to fight?

Fandom: The Clone Wars

Pairing: Rexsoka

Rating: M

Chapter Word Count: ~4,700

Thank you all for your patience! Just one more chapter and an epilogue to go after this one! We're nearly there!

Last Line Challenge

Rules: In a new post, show the last line you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you like).

Thanks for the tags @tealmisthams and @acatinwinterfell!

Here is a tiny line from my current longfic, That Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Feeling:

As she tentatively opened herself to the Force, allowing her mind to sink into a meditative state, the truth of the matter poured out around her.

My deepest apologies to all who have been following this fic, the ending has undergone a major rewrite to fit more with the character development, so I've been significantly delayed in releasing the last few chapters. I promise they will be here soon though! This fic will have an ending, just bear with me in getting it out there <3

NPT: @ladylucksrogue, @melting-houses-of-gold, @ahsokathegray, @saviinika, @mschiefmanagxd and anyone else who wants to participate!

THANK YOU KAMINO

Canon x OC Fanfic Writers are criminally underappreciated.

I refuse to believe that so many amazing stories with incredibly crafted original characters have barely any interaction, terribly lacking in comparison to x reader fics. I love a good x reader fic, smut or not, but so often I see authors on here whose x reader stories get traction while their larger, fleshed-out canon x oc stories aren't read or liked, much less reblogged or interacted with. It's sad to think that these writers spend so much time working on these stories because they are so complex. Crafting characters and full storylines to span tens of thousands of words and multiple chapters...they're out there writing novels and their work so often gets ignored because it's not a quick read and/or the reader won't explicitly see themselves reflected in the story. I always stand behind x reader fanfiction and love me some great x reader smut.

But can we please stop to think that there is so much more to reading fanfiction? With some of these stories, you could get a whole retelling of your favorite show with another character in the board to change the game. You could get parts of your favorite show you'd never see on screen, but they're being brought to life by a writer who loves it so much they're willing to pour their heart out into a story. Can we please stop for a moment and think of how magical these stories are?

Please, go read some Canon x OC fanfiction. Go give these stories love. The stories and their writers deserve all the love. Reblog their stories. Engage. Comment. Support the writers blessing our fandom with brilliant work.

Chaos and Order - Clone Twin Week

So I couldn't help it and wrote a tiny drabble for clone twin week. The prompt is Day Four: Chaos and Order, and of course I wrote it for Crosshair and Tech!

Hope you enjoy!

Might I pretty please request prompt 40 for rexsoka!!

Ahh thank you for the ask and your patience! I am sorry it took so long to write this. I've added a healthy dose of Rex-centric angst and hurt/comfort for you, so i hope that makes up for the long wait!

This fic is set a couple years after they part at the end of TCW, sometime during when Rex is gathering his forces on Teth.

The fic is a little longer than planned so the full text is below the cut!

Beside You

Kiss Roulette Prompt 40: Impulsive Kiss

Pairing: Rexsoka

Word Count: 1,500

Rex sat up, desperately gasping for air, arms shaking as he trained his pistols on the clone troopers holding the med bay door open. He had to do it. He had to save her. To save them, both of them.

GoodsoldiersfollowordersGoodsoldiersfolloworders-

The blaster shots rang out in his mind, shattering the dream and suddenly he was sitting up on his bunk all over again, gasping for air and training his empty, outstretched arms towards the wall.

Rex wasn’t sure how long he remained frozen in that position. His breathing was ragged and his heart hammered so speedily behind his ribs he was sure it would stop of fatigue. An uncomfortable mixture of terror, guilt and relief ran through his veins, as clear and palpable as it had been on the day Order 66 had come through. 

Trying desperately to control his breathing and calm his rapid heartbeat, he swung his legs over the side of the bunk. The stone floors of the monastery on Teth were cool beneath his feet, but the sensation did nothing to ground him. His breath still came in short, shallow gasps. His hands trembled in his lap. Hands that were covered in the blood of his brothers-

Rex squeezed his eyes shut tight, balling his shaking hands into fists. Wrangling for control of himself once more, he forced his focus to his breath. 

In through the nose, out through the mouth. In, hold for four seconds. Out, hold for four seconds. Repeat. Repeat. Re-

A knock at his door had him drawing in another sharp breath, ruining his methodical pattern and sending his heart rate skyrocketing once more. 

He forced another shaky breath past his lips, screwing his eyes shut tighter and hoping that whomever was at the door would be on their way shortly when he didn’t answer. He couldn’t speak right now. His voice was lost between the panicked, stilted breaths he desperately tried to pull in and out of his chest.

The knock came again, making him wince, but the voice, soft and sweet to his ears, made his heart marginally calmer.

“Rex?” Ahsoka’s voice was muffled through the door. “Are you alright?”

Rex tried to find his voice, but when he opened his mouth the words wouldn’t come. He hoped beyond hope that Ahsoka would leave him in peace, but he worried such a desire would be in vain. 

She’d stood by him, through all of it. He’d nearly killed her, and she’d never once wavered in her faith or support of him. He shuddered, remembering the days after, left with only each other for comfort. The way she’d cried in his arms on that little forgotten farming planet. The way he’d cried in hers. 

He could feel tears behind his eyes now, and attempted to blink them away, but when he opened his eyes he found his breath was stuck in his chest as the horror gripped him anew. His hands were covered in blood. His brothers’ blood. He stood and shook them, backing towards the wall at the other side of the room. 

Suddenly, his foot caught on something, one of his boots perhaps, lined up neatly beside his bunk, and he stumbled, falling hard onto his backside with a thud and a low groan. But all he could think about was his hands. His hands. His brothers were gone, it was his fault myfaultmyfault-

“Rex?”

Startled, he jumped, eyes flicking to Ahsoka standing in his doorway, backlit by the illuminators in the hallway. Something told him she wanted to rush to his side, but she approached him cautiously, kneeling before him. He caught the concerned look on her face before the door snapped shut, leaving them in darkness. He could only just make out her face in the blue glow from the chrono, sitting on the ledge beside his bunk.

“Hey now, it’s okay,” Ahsoka assured him, her voice calm and gentle. She reached out, taking his hand in hers and pulling it so it rested against her chest. “You’re going to be okay, Rex. Just breathe with me.”

He nodded, unable to do anything but breathe and focus on holding back the tears that were clouding the corners of his vision, threatening to spill over.

As Ahsoka instructed him, she took her other hand and carded her fingers through his hair. Or more accurately rubbed her hands against the short, soft strands. Rex briefly cursed himself for cutting his hair short again. He missed the feel of her fingers playing with his curls.

Closing his eyes, Rex leaned into her touch and followed her voice as she continued her quiet, reassuring instruction. Slowly, his breathing evened out, and his heart returned to a more normal rhythm. 

Somehow in the interim, Ahsoka had found her way onto the ground, just behind him, and he was now lying against her chest, his head resting on her shoulder as she continued running her fingers over his hair, and her other hand remaining locked in his. 

Finally, he managed to find his voice.

“Thanks, ‘Soka.”

“You alright? Do you want to talk about it?”

Her voice was so near to his head her lips were nearly at his ear, he reckoned. He shook his head but held his breath, wanting to feel her lips against the side of his head, though he knew it wouldn’t come. It had been too long. Their relationship had changed. Their feelings still ran deep, but after so many years apart, it was different.

He cursed himself for leaving. He missed her so much.

“You can talk to me, you know.” Her nose brushed the side of his head, and he could have sworn she held him a little tighter. He traced circles against the back of her hand, selfishly leaning a little closer. Ahsoka adjusted her position, pressing her cheek to the top of his head.

“Tell me,” she murmured, an open invitation, not an order.

Rex contemplated. The Tribunal. His brothers. The med bay, the chip-

“I can’t right now,” he rasped, shuddering in her arms. “But you know of it.”

His hands shook again. Ahsoka nodded against the top of his head.

“Your brothers?” She guessed correctly. All Rex could do was nod.

“I’m sorry.” She was quiet for a moment. Then, “Rex I… thank you.”

His brow furrowed. He didn’t get it. She was the one comforting him.

“For… what?”

“For choosing to save my life.”

Her voice was quiet and thick. Rex felt his heart twist in his chest as tears clouded his vision once more. He didn’t know what to say. The phrase that came to mind was ‘of course’ but he couldn’t force the words past the tears in his throat. He felt guilty for his actions, but he’d never once regretted saving Ahsoka. It was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do, yet it had been the easiest choice he’d ever made. 

Ahsoka’s fingers left his hair and found their way beneath his chin, turning his head to meet her eyes. He could see her gratitude clear in her blue gaze, and the sorrow in the tears that rolled down her face. Still, he couldn’t find his voice to answer her, to comfort her. 

So, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She was stiff at first, surprised, but she kissed him back without hesitation. Rex relished in the feeling of her lips on his, moving slowly to savor the moment. 

Wrapping one arm around her waist, he cradled her rear lek with the other hand, pulling her against him and deepening their kiss. Ahsoka responded in kind, melting into his embrace.

When they finally broke apart he pressed their foreheads together, holding her close.

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have done that-“

“It’s alright, Rex.” Her breath was warm against his lips, and he shivered. “I feel it too.”

Rex nodded and just held her close. After a while, Ahsoka shifted, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek and then whispering in his ear, “You should sleep. We have quite the day ahead of us.”

“Stay with me,” Rex whispered, ghosting his lips over her montrals, unable to let her go. “I sleep better beside you.”

“I sleep better beside you too,” Ahsoka confessed, nodding and pressing a fleeting kiss to his temple.

Without another word they situated themselves on Rex’s bunk, old habits returning as they fell into a familiar position. 

As Rex tucked her into his arms, settling his chin between his montrals, he pretended like things could go back to how they were before. He pretended that tomorrow morning wouldn’t mean a return to their new commands in the rebellion, he as the leader of his troop of clones, she as Fulcrum. The only thing he did not pretend was that he still loved her. No matter what changed, Rex knew his love for Ahsoka would never fade. He fell into a deep, dreamless sleep with that comforting thought at the forefront of his mind.

That Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Feeling - Part 14

Summary: Lost and adrift after the events of Order 66, Ahsoka and Rex struggle to find their place in this new reality. Both need to deal with the loss in their own way; as they help each other in this shared struggle, their relationship blossoms into something neither expected. As the threat of the Empire grows, can such a tentative, new connection be sustained? Or will they be torn apart by their duty to fight?

Fandom: The Clone Wars

Pairing: Rexsoka

Rating: M

Chapter Word Count: ~5,900

Here's the latest chapter! Only one more and an epilogue after this!