Jedi Fugitive (The Bad Batch)

17

Astera:

There were clones everywhere. AT-TEs patrolled the streets, troopers marching along beside them wordlessly. Several were stationed outside the gates of Singh's house, accompanied by cameras on a constant rotation. I could only guess at how many would be inside the perimeter. Breaking in was going to be difficult.

"We have reached our destination." GS-8 announced, directing us into cover behind a series of bushes across the street. Tech's visor flipped over his eyes, gaze passing over the entirety of Singh's residence to scan for heat readings.

"There are six exterior guards and multiple heat signatures inside. Four in the subterranean level."

Echo grabbed hold of GS-8 roughly, half throwing the droid into the wall behind us. "Why do I get the feeling you're setting us up?"

GS-8 only gazed back at him, completely unruffled by the blaster jabbed into her face. "It is against my programming to send my allies into danger."

"We ain't allies, tin bin," Wrecker growled angrily next to Echo.

"Enough." Echo let go of the droid at Hunter's order. "We need to take out the compound's surveillance system. Move in."

He led the way, crossing the street as quickly as possible and carefully leading us through the bushes in the house across from Singh's. A hand up stopped all of us in our tracks; pressed up as far along the back wall as possible to avoid the camera's detection. It swivelled away; Hunter resumed moving, directing us down the side alley before the camera could turn back.

There was only one trooper in the alley; Wrecker grabbed hold of him and silenced him before he even had time to groan. The unconscious body was stashed in the bushes, the six of us moving on and looping around behind the back of the house, to the other side of the gates. Tech peered out from behind yet another set of bushes, holding up two fingers. Two guards at the door.

"Time to make yourself useful." Hunter took rough hold of GS-8, pulling her in front of him as the rest of us concealed ourselves behind the bushes again.

"I do not possess a military skill set for a tactical advantage," she protested, though she made no move to fight back against him.

"We're counting on it." Hunter pushed the droid forward, sending her stumbling into the middle of the street. She was instantly noticed by the guards; I heard them yell out to her before she exclaimed and turned back, rushing for our hiding place with footsteps pounding right behind her.

The first trooper was met with Wrecker's fist, instantly collapsing at his feet. The second one took both my elbow and an armoured boot to his face, the combined impact instantly knocking him out cold. They were dumped behind the bushes like the last one, the five of us hurrying to the gate's controls. Blasters were kept raised, heads on alert while GS-8 input the code, the gates whirring open a second later. We were in.

There were yet another two guards patrolling the paths on the inside of Singh's residence. They had already passed by the gates; their backs were to us as they continued their route, disappearing around the corner.

Hunter crept up to the next bend, ensuring they were well and truly gone, before directing Tech to the next door. He wired his datapad to the door's controls, pressing buttons I couldn't even make sense of, and before long had pulled up an image of the streets outside.

"I am tapped into their security system," he reported to Hunter, pulling up his visor and disconnecting his datapad in one fluid movement.

"You two," Hunter ordered Wrecker and Echo, "clear the upper levels. Ashe, Tech, we'll take the main floor and below. Droid, you're sticking with me."