Rescue of Hunter

Early in the Imperial Era, Clone Force 99 launched a mission to rescue their leader, Hunter, from the Galactic Empire. Hunter had been captured on Daro while the squad was rescuing another clone, Gregor, from Imperial custody. He was taken to Kamino by Crosshair, a former member of the so-called "Bad Batch" who had remained with the Empire, as he hoped to lay a trap for the rest of the squad. Unbeknownst to Vice Admiral Rampart, who was overseeing an operation to strip Tipoca City of anything useful to the Empire before destroying it, Crosshair wanted to try and persuade his former comrades to join the Empire. During a confrontation in the city's training facility, Crosshair killed most of his own Elite Squad Troopers while attempting to persuade the Batch, who refused the offer. After ES-02 reported to Rampart that Crosshair had lost control of the situation, Rampart had her evacuated before commencing bombardment of the city. The Batch stunned and took Crosshair prisoner before fleeing the sinking city. They eventually made it back to their ship after a dangerous underwater journey, but left Crosshair behind after he refused to leave the Empire.
==Prelude==
The Clone Wars was a three-year conflict between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Republic's army was composed of clone troopers created by the Kaminoans, under the command of Jedi Generals. Unbeknownst to all but a few, however, the clones had been secretly engineered with inhibitor chips which, when activated, would compel them to turn on and kill their Jedi commanding officers, as part of a conspiracy by the Sith to take over the galaxy.
In 19 BBY, the Clone Wars abruptly ended just as the Sith had planned: Republic Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, truly the Dark Lord of the Sith, issued Order 66, marking the beginning of the Great Jedi Purge as almost all of the Jedi Order's members were wiped out, with the few survivors forced to go into hiding from the new Galactic Empire. Very few clones were immune to the command, among them most of the members of Clone Force 99, an experimental unit initially composed of genetically defective clones. Echo, the squad's only "reg" member, was immune thanks to cybernetics implanted during his time as a prisoner of the Techno Union. The sole exception was Crosshair, the team's sniper, whose chip was functional, albeit initially less active due to his genetic mutations, which changed after its effects were amplified on the orders of Admiral and Governor Wilhuff Tarkin. The so-called "Bad Batch" defected from the Empire shortly after its formation, leaving Crosshair behind as he had tried to kill them but taking along Omega, a uniquely modified and enhanced clone who was a special project of Chief Medical Scientist Nala Se.
Officially wanted by the Empire, the Batch eventually settled into working as mercenaries for the information broker Ciddarin Scaleback out of Ord Mantell City. Crosshair, meanwhile, became involved with Project War-Mantle, the Empire's plan to phase out clones in favor of a recruited military. He was placed in charge of the first unit of Elite Squad Troopers by Vice Admiral Rampart, and after the unit's first mission was a success, Tarkin gave Rampart permission to continue with the project. Secretly, Crosshair resented his former unit for abandoning him, and developed a desire to hunt them down.
The Batch found out about the existence of the inhibitor chips after leaving Kamino, although Tech initially concluded that they were not a danger to the squad. They eventually had their chips removed at the insistence of fellow rogue clone Captain Rex, who unlike them had personal experience with how dangerous they were, travelling to Bracca to do so. After Rex had parted ways with them, however, the Batch's presence on Bracca was discovered, and Crosshair was sent in with Imperial forces to eliminate them. During the ensuing confrontation, Batch leader Hunter and Omega attempted to get through to Crosshair that he was being controlled by an inhibitor chip, but it did not work, and Crosshair was severely injured by the backblast of an ion engine as the Batch escaped. However, Crosshair eventually had his chip removed, but remained loyal to the Empire, believing that he would never be replaced as he was superior to standard clones and feeling that the Empire gave him a purpose his former squad was sorely lacking.
The Batch next faced Imperial forces when rescuing several high-profile Twi'lek freedom fighters from Imperial custody on Ryloth, during which they narrowly avoided a confrontation with Crosshair in Lessu. Impressed by the destruction the Batch had been responsible for, Rampart expressed a wish that the team was on the Empire's side, and granted Crosshair permission to hunt them down. However, the renegades' next encounter with the Empire came on Daro: Rex asked them to rescue Gregor, a clone commando who had been assigned to a secret base there in order to train recruited "TK troopers" as part of Project War-Mantle. At the time, Rampart and Crosshair were overseeing an operation which saw the removal of all viable clones, personnel, and equipment from Tipoca City on Kamino, before the Empire intended to remove the threat its cloning facilities posed to their supremacy. During the rescue mission on Daro, Hunter was separated from the rest of the Batch, ordering the others to escape without him as he was captured by the Empire.
In the aftermath, Crosshair visited Hunter in his cell, saying that he would do although he had hoped for the whole squad, before transporting him back to Kamino. The rest of the Batch had regrouped on Ord Mantell, leaving the injured Gregor with Scaleback while they repaired the Marauder in preparation to rescue Hunter. Once repairs were complete, the squad picked up a signal from Hunter's comlink, which had been intentionally sent by Crosshair as he hoped to lure them into a trap. Echo and Tech realized this was likely, but they decided to go anyways. Upon arriving on Kamino, Crosshair's party was met by Rampart, who told Hunter that his squad's actions on Ryloth had drawn his attention, before giving Crosshair permission to deal with Hunter as he saw fit as long as he remained on schedule. Elite Trooper ES-02, however, privately informed Rampart that she was suspicious of her commander's motives regarding his former unit, not trusting any of the clones. Noting that none of them would be a problem if Crosshair's plan failed, Rampart ordered her to monitor the situation.
==The rescue==
===Entering Tipoca City===
As the Marauder travelled through hyperspace, Tech noted that the signal was obviously a trap, although he did not know why the Empire wanted them to come to Kamino. Omega gave Tech coordinates to a safe landing pad in Tipoca City they could use. Echo pointed out the city's landing bays would be swarming with troopers, but Omega insisted this one would not be. When the shuttle emerged from hyperspace, Echo wondered why there were only three Venator-class Star Destroyers above Kamino instead of the entire fleet, although Wrecker assumed that was a good thing. Tech took the ship down through Kamino's stormy atmosphere towards Omega's coordinates, but there appeared to be nothing there. Omega told him to take the ship lower, but when the Marauder was very close to the water, Tech said he could not go any lower as they would then be beneath the ocean's surface. The girl responded that that was the only way to activate the landing pad, and Echo reported that their sensors were detecting a large structure beneath them. The platform rose out of the sea, allowing the Marauder to make a safe landing.
After the Batch disembarked, Wrecker told Omega he had never doubted her for a second. Tech wondered how they were going to get over to the city, visible some distance away, and Omega said they would take the tube system, something that both Tech and Echo were unfamiliar with. Omega walked over to a hatch on the landing platform which opened to reveal a circular pod, which the squad boarded. Activating the pod's controls, Omega took it back the way it had came, deep under the surface into a long transit tube. Tech noted that the system was not on any official schematics, and Echo responded that the Kaminoans kept a lot of secrets before asking Omega how she knew about it. Omega said that Nala Se had told her, and that the tunnel led to her private research lab. Observing that Omega seemed sad about something, Echo asked her if she was alright, and she said she was.
Being led through the hallways of Tipoca City, Hunter commented on the absence of any "regs" or Kaminoans, realizing the facility was being decommissioned, although Crosshair was confused as to why he even cared. Hunter retorted that it meant the Empire would be phasing out clones next, to which Crosshair responded "Not the ones that matter." Crosshair brought Hunter to the main control room, where ES-03 informed him that a ship had been detected, although it had been lost below scanner range. He stated that it was the Batch, but told ES-02 not to bother informing the scouts because the renegade clones would come to them, before pointedly remarking that they did not normally leave their own behind. Hunter said that they had not had a choice since Crosshair had tried to kill them, to which he asked Hunter if he thought he had had a choice either, something Hunter glared at as he assumed Crosshair was still under the influence of a chip.
When the rescue team arrived in Nala Se's lab, Wrecker commented that it looked just like every other Kaminoan laboratory. As Echo worked to access the city's computers, Omega explained that she had actually been created there, and so had the Batch. Wrecker asked if that was true, but Tech quipped about how he was supposed to know that. Omega said that she had been present as the Batch's mutations were enhanced there, before they were sent back to be with the other clones. The conversation was interrupted when Echo announced that the city's computers had apparently been wiped and he could not find anything, something which puzzled Tech. The group was startled and drew their weapons when a noise came from a corner, but it proved to be the medical droid AZI-345211896246498721347, a friend of Omega's. He explained that the Empire had been rounding up important medical personnel and killing those who protested, and that he had escaped the mass deactivation of the city's droids. AZI-3 revealed that the only clone still officially assigned to Kamino was Crosshair, leading Wrecker to comment that he should have known the sniper would be present.
AZI-3 told Omega that it was no longer safe in Tipoca City and they had to leave, but she said they would not do so without Hunter. Tech detected the signal from Hunter's comlink coming from the main cloning platform, and Omega led the way out of the lab, pulling AZI-3 along. In the central control room, Hunter attempted to get through to Crosshair about what he had seen the Empire doing, asking if he couldn't see that it was not right. Crosshair retorted that Hunter was still unable to see the bigger picture, and Hunter asked him if he couldn't see that he was being used by the Empire, bringing up the inhibitor chip. The conversation was interrupted by an alarm, and ES-02 reported an unauthorized entry on platform five. Noting that it was right on schedule, Crosshair said it was time to go, moving Hunter and the Elite Squad to the training facility to stage an ambush. He was prepared to ambush more than the Batch, however, and secretly planted some of his blaster bolt-reflecting mirrors in the room before arranging the Elite Troopers to ambush the clones when they entered.
===The training room===
As the alarm blared, the Batch crossed an outdoor bridge to reach the building where the training facility was located, following Hunter's signal. Taking point, Echo led the way through the empty hallways, before the group took shelter in a doorway to avoid the notice of a group of TK troopers moving boxes out of the city. Omega asked AZI-3 about the clones being gone, and he confirmed that the troopers were not clones; Echo further explained about the troopers on Daro. As they continued on, Tech reported that Hunter was on the move and led the group in a different direction. The Batch eventually entered the storage rooms just beneath the training facility, Tech announcing that Hunter's signal was coming from directly above. Echo said the training room was open ground and that Crosshair would pick them off, Wrecker agreeing that the sniper would be lying in wait. Tech said that was why they would be using the lift to enter instead of the main entrance, which he believed would give them a slight advantage. Echo told Omega to wait in the storage room, which she was not happy about, insisting that they stay together. Wrecker agreed with the cyborg, however, stating that Crosshair was only after them, and Echo told Omega that they would signal her if things went south, upon which she was to go to the ship and contact Rex. Tech activated the lift and the trio rose out of the storage room.
Crosshair, however, had anticipated that move, so when they arrived in the training facility they found themselves surrounded by the Elite Troopers. Wrecker commented that Tech had been wrong, and Crosshair, tossing Hunter's comlink on the ground, remarked that they were all together again before stating they would not need their weapons. Echo, Tech, and Wrecker initially kept their blasters as the Elite Squad closed in, but dropped them after a nod from Hunter, prompting Crosshair to sarcastically comment that it was not so difficult for the Batch to follow orders. He asked where Omega was, and Wrecker unconvincingly lied that the Batch had not brought her to Kamino. Seeing right through it, Crosshair ordered ES-02 to locate the girl, and Echo covertly signaled Omega. Upon receiving the signal in the storage room, AZI-3 said they should follow Echo's instructions and head to the research lab, but Omega refused, saying something had obviously gone wrong and they had to help the others. AZI-3 was concerned that they would also be in danger, but Omega told him to focus. Noticing the many storage cabinets full of dangerous training droids, Omega hit upon the idea of activating them to attack the Imperials, beginning to open the cabinets.
Upstairs, ES-03 reminded Crosshair that they were running out of time, but Crosshair told the Elite Troopers to hold their positions. Hunter sarcastically remarked on Crosshair's "grand plan" to lure the Batch to Kamino and kill them. Crosshair responded that the Batch would already be dead if he had wanted to kill them, calling out Hunter for supposedly betraying everything the squad had ever stood for no apparent goal other than the fallen Republic. Hunter responded that the Batch was loyal to each other, not the Empire, and Crosshair retorted that they had not been loyal to him. Reminding a chagrined Hunter that he had once been one of them, Crosshair announced that he was going to give the Batch the chance that they had not given him, leading the Elite Troopers and the Batch to react in surprise and confusion. Down below, ES-02 found Omega while she was working on activating the training droids, ordering her to freeze. When she reported to Crosshair that the girl had been located, she was ordered to send Omega on a shuttle offworld, leading Hunter to protest. Crosshair claimed it was for her own good, brushing off Hunter's argument that she belonged with the Batch by saying they were living as fugitives and it would be better to let her go.
Telling Hunter he should stop trying to be something he wasn't, Crosshair said they were and always had been superior to the "reg" clones. He said the Empire could not protect the galaxy without their strength, arguing that was their purpose. Striking off Hunter's binders with his own knife, Crosshair said they had been brothers once and pushed him towards the other members of the Batch. As the Elite Troopers reacted in surprise, Crosshair continued that they could be brothers again. Tech noticed one of Crosshair's mirrors on the wall and silently alerted Wrecker. Hunter asked why they would trust Crosshair, and the sniper raised his blaster pistol and ordered the Elite Troopers to stand down. After a moment, they refused, ES-03 out loud, raising their weapons and aiming at the prisoners. Crosshair fired a single shot, utilizing the mirrors to kill all of the Elite Troopers. Approaching the others and removing his helmet, Crosshair asked if that answered Hunter's question.
In the storage room, ES-02 found herself unable to raise her squad on the comms, and attempted to order Omega to move. The girl nervously said she was in the middle of something, and ES-02 only noticed AZI-3 moving around just before he opened a storage cabinet, which slammed into the Elite Trooper and knocked her unconscious. AZI-3 exclaimed that he had done it, and Omega complimented him before beginning to activate the droids, saying they had to hurry as the two ran off. In the training facility, Crosshair insisted that the Batch should join the Empire, saying it was time for them to stop running as they were meant for greater things. Hunter responded by flatly stating that Crosshair really did not understand who they were. Crosshair's response was to coldly warn him not to make the same mistake twice or they would become his enemy, which Hunter said they never had been. The conversation was interrupted when the training facility activated due to Omega's actions, deploying the training droids. Hunter took advantage of the distraction to tackle Crosshair, while the other members of the Batch reclaimed their weapons and began destroying the droids. Wrecker assumed Tech was responsible and demanded to know why, but Tech said it was not his doing.
Omega and AZI-3 observed the scene from one of the training room's corner turret towers, and the medical droid stated that Omega had activated far too many droids. Agreeing, Omega drew her energy bow and began firing. Below, Hunter fought Crosshair, the two exchanging blows before Hunter flipped the sniper over onto the ground, reclaiming his knife and Crosshair's pistol before opening fire on the training droids. As another unit of droids arrived in the room via the lift, the Batch began attacking them, and Crosshair, getting to his feet, joined forces with his former squad to fight the droids. Wrecker charged the droids, and the entire Bad Batch fought them as a unified force. Having regained consciousness, ES-02 entered the training room and discovered the fight. Seeing her fellow Elite Troopers were dead, she destroyed a droid which attacked her before retreating from the room. Upon reporting to Rampart that Crosshair had lost control of the situation, he ordered her to pull all remaining forces out of Tipoca City, leaving the clones to die together.
===Imperial bombardment===
As the battle in the training room continued to rage, ES-02 boarded the final Rho-class transport shuttle, which flew to the three waiting Venators commanded by Rampart. The Vice Admiral reported to Tarkin that Tipoca City had been cleared of all essential personnel and cloning technology, and that Nala Se had been secured by the Empire. Tarkin gave permission for Rampart to fire when ready, and Rampart ordered the Star Destroyers moved into position.
Once all of the training droids had been destroyed, Hunter held Crosshair at gunpoint as the rest of the Batch moved in on their former comrade. Hunter attempted to appeal to Crosshair one final time that he had only served the Empire because of his inhibitor chip and that they could help him. The sniper countered by revealing that he had had his chip removed some time before, to the others' shock, and Hunter demanded to know when. Crosshair claimed it did not matter and that his actions had been true to who he really was. Hunter stunned Crosshair before the sniper could shoot him, and Omega ran to Hunter and gave him a hug. He apologized for breaking his promise that she would never have to return to Kamino, but she said he had done the same for her. Hunter crouched down to investigate the burn scars on the right side of Crosshair's head, but Tech warned that three Venators were descending on the city and they had to leave immediately. Taking Crosshair's sniper rifle and backpack, Hunter said they were taking the sniper with them, having Wrecker carry him. The Batch ran out of the training room and headed through the empty corridors.
With the Venators in position, Rampart gave the order to open fire. The Batch was alerted to the bombardment when the lights flashed and went out as the city shook, and Hunter shouted for them to hurry and get to the lift. When they reached the outside bridge they had to cross, however, it was destroyed by the bombardment, and they had to retreat inside. Horrified, Omega hesitated, but AZI-3 took her by the hand and dragged her back in. The bombardment destroyed Tipoca City, causing it to sink into the ocean.
Running through the structure, the Batch attempted to find cover but was trapped inside due to the damage as it collapsed and sank. The clones were briefly knocked off of their feet by the Star Destroyer fire. As the group gathered themselves, a small explosion knocked them down again, and they were then sent sliding down a rapidly-tilting hallway as the city collapsed. Crosshair, dropped by Wrecker, briefly regained consciousness as he slid along the floor and became trapped in rubble. Omega stopped to help him, but the others slid further down. The girl called out for Hunter as he slid past her, but an electrical short caused a door to close between them as he called her name. More falling debris caused the group to lose consciousness. Their task completed, the Venators departed Kamino.
===Near drowning===
Water began to flood the upper compartment, putting Omega and Crosshair at risk of drowning. AZI-3 reactivated himself and, seeing the water, awakened Omega and alerted her to the situation, advising her to escape the compartment as soon as possible. Looking around with her flashlight, Omega discovered Crosshair pinned in the wreckage and attempted to free him, but the debris trapping the unconscious sniper was too heavy. Omega contacted Hunter and the others, who were awakening in the lower chamber. When Hunter responded, Omega told him she was trapped in a flooding room and that Crosshair was stuck, leading him to order Tech to get the door open. Tech responded that compromised compartments were automatically sealed to prevent flooding, and he would be unable to override the protocols from there. Wrecker then attempted to force the door open by leveraging it with his combat knife, as Tech assisted. The section of city began to sink below the ocean surface.
Crosshair woke up to find himself stuck amidst the rubble as Omega strained to shift it, and AZI-3 informed him that he had survived the bombardment but was now at risk of drowning. The sniper angrily demanded that they get the debris off him, and Omega yelled for AZI-3 to help her. The water level neared Crosshair's neck, to his alarm. In the lower chamber, Wrecker and Tech wedged the door open a crack, allowing a stream of water through. Omega dove underwater and tried to shift the debris, but failed to make progress before she was forced to surface. Crosshair was forced to hold his breath as the water began to pass his face, and Omega ordered AZI-3 to submerge and use his boosters while she tried to break it free. As Wrecker and Tech tried to force the door from below, AZI-3 pulled on the rubble underwater while Omega climbed above and fired on the debris pinning the now fully-submerged Crosshair with her energy bow. Two shots proved effective, and Omega dove again and pulled Crosshair to the surface.
As the two clones coughed for air, Crosshair pulled away from Omega with irritation. The girl told AZI-3 they had to get the door open and swam towards it with her torch in her mouth, diving again to pull on the door near where Wrecker's knife had been inserted. She made no headway before she was forced to surface again, with the water level nearly reaching the ceiling in that lower end of the compartment. Shortly after, Wrecker successfully forced the door open, and Omega, AZI-3, and Crosshair were washed into the lower chamber before the door was sealed again. Echo caught Omega, while Crosshair was left to slide along the floor. Confronting Hunter, the sniper demanded to know what he had done. Hunter responded that the Empire had destroyed the city and the Bad Batch had not intended to leave Crosshair behind. Tech interrupted, stating they had no time to argue and had to get to the surface immediately. Hunter told Crosshair it was his call whether to stay behind and die, and the Bad Batch moved out. Crosshair reluctantly followed.
===In the sunken city===
The segment of Tipoca City sunk fully under the ocean surface, beginning a freefall towards the bottom. Inside the structure, the clones ran down a corridor which passed through large cloning chambers, which were actively being flooded. The sight of the destruction affected Omega, who stopped to stare. The others stopped briefly as well, but Wrecker told Omega they had to go now, and the group continued onwards.
The sinking ruins tilted in their descent, causing the hallway the clones were fleeing down to swiftly orient vertically. Hunter shouted for everyone to grab hold of something, and the clones briefly continued running before finding handholds in the wreckage as they lost their footings. AZI-3 floated over to Omega, and was deactivated by a falling piece of debris which he protected her from. Omega caught the droid by the arm before he could fall any further. The structure's descent was arrested when it came to rest atop the tube system. Echo lost his grip in the shudder caused by the collision, but was caught by Tech. With the ruins no longer sinking freely, the corridor tilted back horizontally, causing the clones to release their handholds and collapse to the floor.
Omega reactivated AZI-3, and Tech informed the group that he believed they had landed on the ocean floor. As he was discussing the likely destruction of the facility, water began to pour into the hallway through a crack in the ceiling. Hunter said they needed to get to a more secure space, and Tech, after checking his gadgets, led the way. Crosshair did not move as the others took off running, and Omega stared at him in distress, exchanging a glance before she followed the others. After a moment, the sniper turned and ran after his former team.
Tech led the clones to the Bad Batch's former barracks, which he commented were still, ironically, one of the few remaining habitable places in the city for the time being. Wrecker was shocked to discover the room's identity, as the Empire had removed almost all traces of the squad's presence. The sight of the room caused Crosshair to question why his former teammates had thrown everything away in favor of desertion, and Hunter retorted that they had made a choice, and so had he. Crosshair said that soldiers followed orders, but Hunter retorted that blind allegiance was the work of pawns, and real leaders looked out for their teams. The sniper countered that that attitude had gotten Hunter to the point where his team would die there because of him.
Omega interrupted with the discovery that the city had landed on the tube system. The girl suggested that they could use the underwater tunnels to return to the Marauder. Tech stated that accessing the tube would be challenging, but Echo said it was better than staying where they were. Omega added that they had to try. Crosshair snidely asked if the girl was calling the shots now, and Hunter rhetorically asked him if he had a better idea while brushing past him, leading the way out.
===Tube journey===
The group descended to a maintenance deck which Tech identified as being directly above the tube. AZI-3 cut a hole into the floor to access the tunnel. While the droid was working, Tech explained that a precise airtight seal might be able to allow access, the "might" in his wording making Wrecker uneasy. When the hole was done, AZI-3 entered the tunnel and scouted, reporting back that it was clear. The rest of the group entered the tube.
As the group travelled towards Nala Se's lab, Crosshair noticed extensive cracks in the tube's glass walls and demanded they turn back to the city, stating there had to be another way out. AZI-3 responded that the tunnel was their only escape route, and Wrecker asked the sniper if he was done complaining, pointing out that Crosshair's own actions had put the clones into their current predicament. Crosshair responded by insulting Wrecker's intelligence, and he retorted that the sniper had never even tried to return to the Bad Batch, even though they would have taken him. Tech advised Wrecker to drop the subject, stating that Crosshair was incapable of changing his "stern and unyielding" nature, before informing the sniper that he was not defending his actions, but attempting to understand them.
Examining the cracks with her torch, Omega told AZI-3 the tube did not look safe, but the droid responded that it was a viable mode of transport barring any future complications. Hunter ordered the group to get a move on, and they continued forwards. Shortly after, however, the clones heard a roar coming from the ocean depths, and Hunter stated they appeared to have a problem. As the group stopped and looked into the dark water, Omega asked AZI-3 if the tunnels were protected, but the droid replied that that was only true when the power was operational, which it was not. A kamoradon which had detected the clones emerged from the murk, roaring, and Hunter yelled for the group to run. As the creature approached the tube, Omega tripped and fell onto the glass, which cracked under her weight. AZI-3 stated that restoring power would likely repel the creature, shouting for the clones to try and stay alive as he flew ahead. Omega got to her feet, and the girl and her brothers ran along the tube.
Reaching the base of the lab, AZI-3 flew up and located a socket which he plugged himself into. The kamoradon swam up to the part of the tube which connected to the lab and bit it, causing the structure to shake. The clones, with Omega in the lead, reached the part of the tube where it curved upwards as water began to pour in through the various cracks due to the creatures attack, climbing upwards. As the clones reached his position, AZI-3's effort to restore power was successful, opening the hatches above to allow entry to the lab and activating the structure's lighting. The kamoradon was delivered an electrical shock which caused it to release its bite and swim away. The lab's power was mostly drained as a result, with AZI-3 able to seal another door ahead of rising water before the power went out again. AZI-3 flew through the hatch before it sealed, and the exhausted clones dropped down onto the door to rest. The droid explained that the remaining power had been shorted out, but he considered the effort satisfactory because the clones had survived the transit.
===Reaching the surface===
The group climbed into the lab. As Omega sadly surveyed the powerless building, Hunter asked what it was. When Tech explained, Crosshair expressed skepticism about Omega's knowledge, but Tech countered that the girl was older than the Bad Batch's original members. The group left the main chamber and ventured into another one, where they discovered a problem upon looking out the window: the tube leading back to the secret landing platform, which was their only path back to the Marauder, had been severed. Omega despondently relayed the news, and AZI-3 commented that once again, they were trapped. The platform itself, however, was undamaged by the Imperial assault.
Back in the lab's main chamber, as the clones spread out looking over the room, Omega noticed something appeared to be wrong with AZI-3. The droid informed her that his batteries were becoming depleted, apologizing for the inconvenience. Echo reported to the rest of the group that long-range communications were down, and oxygen supplies would become critical in a few hours. Crosshair snidely quipped that the clones' predicament was the natural result of letting a kid call the shots, and Hunter retorted that Omega had saved the sniper's life when the Empire had left him for dead. The sniper did not care, however, justifying the Empire's destruction of Tipoca City as a necessary act and accusing Hunter of taking things too seriously. Crosshair stated that the time of "regs" and the Republic was over, and now that the Empire called the shots, it would control the entire galaxy, something he intended to be a part of. He told Hunter he had made the wrong choice, before turning to walk away. Hunter retorted that Crosshair would only ever be a number to the Empire and needed to stop fooling himself.
Crosshair sat by the window alone, rubbing his head as if complaining of a headache. Omega sat next to him, guessing that he had never liked it on Kamino at all. When he told her to go away, she said she understood, explaining she had spent most of her life alone in the lab before the creation of the Bad Batch, and it was why she had been so determined to find them again. Crosshair coldly retorted that being a clone did not make her a member of the squad, and Omega, disappointed, stated that her belief that his behavior was solely the result of his inhibitor chip had been wrong before walking away.
The rest of the Bad Batch had been examining the specimen tubes in the lab, and Echo announced the tubes were their escape route out of the lab. Tech added that the capsules' buoyancy would, if their weight was properly distributed, allow them to float to the surface. AZI-3 pointed out that the capsules had not been tested for such a purpose, and Hunter added that they would lack directional control, asking how they would avoid the underwater debris field. Crosshair interjected, suggesting the droid could do it. Hunter asked AZI-3 if he could guide them to the surface, and the droid confirmed he could, barring any complications. Omega asked if it would not be dangerous, but AZI-3 responded that the clones' safety and well-being were his primary mission objective.
Omega and AZI-3 planted explosives on the large window in the lab's main chamber, while the others set out four large capsule tubes. Wrecker complained that he barely fit inside his assigned tube, but Echo retorted that at least he was not doubled up. As they finished with their task, Omega asked AZI-3 how his charge was holding up. The droid responded that he had accessed his reserve power, and they needed to hurry. Running over to the tubes, Omega reported that the explosives were set. The girl and Wrecker each had a capsule to themselves, while Hunter and Crosshair shared one pod and Echo and Tech another. On Hunter's order, the clones sealed their capsules. AZI-3 took his position and signaled Hunter, who in turn nodded to Omega to detonate the explosives. The girl hesitated briefly before hitting her detonator.
The charges blew open the window, causing water to rush into the lab. The capsules were caught up in the torrent. AZI-3 submerged himself, grabbing the one containing Hunter and Crosshair. The other capsules floated out of the lab and upward, and AZI-3 followed with the one he was pushing. The ocean was filled with debris, and the droid navigated Hunter and Crosshair's capsule past debris while approaching Omega's tube. Wrecker complained that he could not see anything, and Tech responded that that was a good thing as something struck his and Echo's capsule, cracking it. Orienting Hunter and Crosshair's capsule upright, AZI-3 let go of it before adjusting Wrecker's, pushing him away from some falling debris. The droid next turned his attention to Omega's capsule, navigating the girl away from more debris before pulling her upwards. Omega encouraged the droid that he was doing great.
The girl's capsule was struck by a large, twisted piece of debris, which knocked the droid away and sent her plummeting down. AZI-3 called out in concern, and seeing that the other capsules were floating upwards unhindered, dove after Omega. Seizing the debris, AZI-3 attempted to shift it but failed, his boosters sputtering due to his low power. The droid activated his torch and moved to cut apart the wreckage.
The other capsules surfaced amidst burning wreckage, and the clones opened them and sat up. Not seeing Omega, Hunter called her on his comlink. Below, AZI-3 finished cutting apart the debris, causing it to fall away from Omega's capsule. The droid began pushing the girl towards the surface. Answering her comlink, Omega explained she had been caught on some debris but AZI-3 had her. However, seeing the droid's photoreceptors flicker, she grew concerned. AZI-3's boosters died, but the capsule continued to float upwards. Omega exhorted the droid not to give up as they were nearly at the surface, but AZI-3, with his last remaining power, responded that her path was clear and he had completed his objective. His power having failed, AZI-3 began to sink below the surface, to Omega's horror.
Omega exclaimed on her comlink that she was going after the droid, ignoring Hunter's shout not to do so. The girl opened her capsule and dove after AZI-3. On the surface, Hunter removed his helmet as Echo, staring into the water, reported that he could not see her. Omega reached AZI-3 and, grabbing hold of him, attempted to swim back up. However, the droid was too heavy for her, his weight dragging her down. Hunter announced he was going in. Crosshair, however, reclaimed his sniper rifle and reassembled it with a cable launcher. Hunter realized Crosshair was armed and apparently aiming at him, but the sniper aimed and fired a cable at the sinking AZI-3, far below the surface. Omega and the droid were towed to the surface by the cable, and Hunter pulled them both into the makeshift boat while reassuring Omega that he had her. Crosshair, realizing that Tech, Echo, and Wrecker were aiming their blasters at him, tossed his rifle to Wrecker. Tech reported that he had a visual on the Marauder, suggesting everyone start paddling.
==Aftermath==
===Departure===
The group arrived at the landing platform after daybreak. After climbing onto the platform, the clones took a moment to watch the burning remnants of Tipoca City in the distance, Omega sadly commenting that it was all gone. Tech noted that they needed to leave before Imperial scouts arrived, and Wrecker asked Crosshair if he was going to accompany them. Crosshair retorted that their recent teamwork changed nothing and he had made his choice. Hunter, reminding Crosshair that he had given them a choice earlier, said they were returning the favor. The sniper refused, and Hunter responded that they did not have to be enemies even if they wanted different things. Crosshair still chose to remain with the Empire.
The Batch boarded the Marauder. Omega remained on the platform a moment longer, watching the burning city, before turning to the ship. She stopped by Crosshair, who responded with irritation, and thanked him for saving AZI-3. He responded that they were now even. After Omega boarded, the Marauder departed Kamino, as Crosshair refused to look. Crosshair was stranded on the landing platform for thirty-two rotations before being found by the Empire, after which he was placed on medical leave to recover.
===Officially dead===
The squad was officially listed as dead following the destruction of Tipoca City, and was able to maintain a low profile and avoid the notice of the Empire for several months afterwards. Upon being recharged, AZI-3 began working as a waiter at Cid's Parlor.
The Batch came back into Imperial notice after attempting a heist at Castle Serenno, the home of the late Separatist leader Count Dooku, in the hopes of stealing some of the contents of Dooku's war chest, a vast collection of riches, which could set them up for life in case they had to flee Ord Mantell for any reason. During the unsuccessful raid, Clone Captain Wilco, who was leading the operation to secure the valuables, saw and recognized Hunter and Wrecker as members of Clone Force 99. However, Wilco's attempt to report the truth led him to fall afoul of Rampart, who was concerned about repercussions to his career if Governor Tarkin discovered that the Bad Batch was still alive. After Wilco refused to falsify his report, he was murdered by Rampart.
==Appearances==
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==Sources==
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*Star Wars: Timelines
==Notes and references==
Category:Missions of Clone Force 99
Category:Missions of the early Imperial campaigns
Category:Missions to Kamino
Category:Rescue missions