#tbb oc colell n'cante

[fritoley]

Febuwhump 2024 - Day 11: Time Loop

Fandom: The Bad Batch (Star Wars) Characters: Jaye N'Cante, Colell N'Cante, Tech, Wrecker, Hunter Word Count: 695 Content Warning: Major Character Death Previous // Next Febuwhump 2024 Masterlist

Summary: They say history tends to repeat itself, and for Jaye, it rings true.

Jaye slumped down against the co-pilot seat of the stolen Republic shuttle, trying to calm her heaving chest. It had been a hectic few days after the Clone War ended, from deciphering comm chatter and dodging patrols to trying to figure out why her brother, Colell, was so terrified of the clones. She had spoken with practically thousands of troopers during her time as a Republic medic, and they all had a different personality, despite having the same genetic makeup.

Then she was told that the only people who ever truly understood her had killed the Jedi.

Colell had whisked Jaye off Coruscant on the stolen Nu-class attack shuttle that was now drifting in space as they planned their next move. Colell walked into the cockpit with two cups of caf, handed one to Jaye, and sat back in the pilot seat.

“Nice view, huh?” Colell said, motioning to the stars outside the transparisteel window. 

Jaye hummed in response. “Better than the view in here.” She swiveled her chair to face her brother. “I thought you were a high-ranking officer. How in the history of Ashla did you manage to scrape up nothing but a little ship with chairs?!” She threw her hand out to her left, referring to the benches that took up the main hold of the ship.

“Hey, it’s not exactly easy to steal from the Republic, okay?” Colell shot back. “You try to hack into the databases of the biggest power in the galaxy.”

Jaye laughed. “Relax, brother. You know I jest!”

“We don’t have time for jokes, Jannie.” Colell swiveled his chair to face Jaye. “The clones turned on the Jedi, and we don’t know who else they could be targeting. The galaxy is changing, and if I die or something, it’s my job to make sure you’re set up for success.”

“You’re not gonna die, Colell, don’t say that,” Jaye answered, placing her cup on the console.

“We have to acknowledge the possibility,” Colell answered. “And I’m letting you know right now, if I do die…”

Colell stood and leaned toward Jaye. A strand of hair hung over his brown eyes as he stared at his sister. Jaye held her breath, awaiting his next words. Suddenly, he smirked.

“No, you can’t have my officer uniform.”

Colell tossed his empty cup into Jaye’s hands and rushed out of the cockpit, glancing over his shoulder to see Jaye fumbling with the cup, laughing. “Oh, c’mon! You know I look better in it!”

“You must sever the connection hinge. Now!” Tech’s voice blared through Jaye’s helmet with an urgency she had never heard from the clone. Blaster bolts shot by the tram, some even making it through the open doorway. Jaye pressed herself closer to the wall, her hands shaking as she aimed at the TK Troopers on the other tram car. 

“Not until you’re up here!” Wrecker answered. 

“Wrecker, get him on board!” The desperation in Hunter’s voice was evident, causing a spike of anxiety to swell up in Jaye’s chest. A guttural growl escaped her lips as she pushed past Hunter and raised her blasters, recklessly shooting at the TK Troopers. She counted two hits before a stray shot from the other tram car bolted straight into her right shoulder, knocking her off her feet.

“Jaye!” Hunter shouted, taking cover behind the doorway. He rushed to Jaye’s side as she groaned in pain.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Jaye said, leaning on Hunter as he helped her stand.

“There is no time, Wrecker,” Tech continued. Jaye looked to see Tech hanging by a thread from the broken tram car, felt the cars shake violently as the Imperial spacecraft shot another round.

“Tech!” Jaye shouted, pressing her good hand to her helmet. “No, Tech, you’re not gonna die, don’t— don’t say that!”

“Don’t do it, Tech!” Wrecker pleaded, his voice tight with strain.

All Jaye heard was a deep breath and a moment of silence. No blaster bolts, no attack shuttles, no shuddering tram cars. She stared at Tech through the broken metal as he raised his blaster and spoke his final words.

“When… have we ever followed orders?”

Tech.

Tech—

“TECH!!!”

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