You lifted your gaze as a sensation washed over you—it was the Force, whispering urgently in your ear, urging you to be vigilant, to stay alert. You tilted your head slightly, your dark blonde hair, cut short to ear length yet still flowing softly, framed your face. Your jaw tensed, fangs barely grazing your lip as you sensed the impending danger.

"What's wrong?" Echo inquired, having reached the entrance of the shipwreck just after you and Hunter had ventured inside.

"Crosshair is here," you hissed, each word dripping with venom. Echo's eyes widened, and he quickly donned his helmet just as a barrage of blaster fire rained down on the empty hull that Rex had vacated earlier that afternoon—a fact for which you were now grateful.

Swiftly, you transformed into your dragonborn form, spreading your wings wide to shield Echo from the shrapnel raining down from the ship's damaged engine.

"Are you okay?" Echo asked after the shuttle that had been floating outside ceased its barrage.

"Just fine," you grunted, feeling something sharp dig into your back. You turned your head around and hissed as you saw a sizable piece of shrapnel lodged between your shoulder blades. It wasn't lethal—didn't cut deep enough to be fatal—but it was certainly going to be a nuisance to deal with.

Echo stared at the sharpened blade lodged in your back. "How... how are you not dead?" he asked, and you snorted before standing up, teeth gritting. It hurt to move, and soon Hunter, Wrecker, and Tech all came over.

"Oh no," Hunter breathed when he saw the shrapnel buried in your back. Omega's eyes widened; she didn't get to ask, though, as soon the shuttle reigned down fire and you lost it.

You let out a ferocious roar as you disregarded Hunter's words, launching yourself from the freighter and hurtling towards the ship. The troopers inside shrieked as your massive claws ripped through the hull with ease, tearing apart everything in their path. A second shuttle appeared from around the bend, opening fire on you relentlessly, but their shots were merely deflected by your powerful wings as you lunged at them with a long tail lash. Inside, Crosshair was paralyzed with fear, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Stop firing!" he screamed frantically above the chaos of battle, hoping to spare his team from certain doom.

Hissing, you paced back and forth inside the shuttle as Don tried to calm you down. Your eyes locked onto the force field, screaming at you to keep it down, not to kill them. You snarled in frustration before leaping off the shuttle that was descending rapidly towards the ground. With a resounding crash, it landed and an explosion rocked the ground around it. Hunter and his squad appeared from behind cover, shouting your name in relief. "Amethyst!"   they cried out desperately as they rushed towards you. But you didn't answer instead, you stood silently staring at the damaged shuttle that hovered ominously before you.

"You chose this," you snarled at Crosshair, your eyes blazing with fury. With a powerful leap, you took to the air once again. Without a second thought, you unleashed a barrage of fire towards the enemy ship. The sky became a fiery orange-red and black as your attack hit its mark with deadly precision.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

You woke up with a start, your whole body sore and aching. It felt as if you had crashed hard into the wreckage. Looking around, you could see the shuttle you had attacked, lying nose-first in the murky water. Nearby, the troopers lay motionless, all dead.

With a heavy sigh, you lashed your tail, rising to your paws. Your gaze fell upon Crosshair, sprawled on the ground at a distance. Approaching him, you carefully turned him onto his back, revealing his severely burned face. Guilt gnawed at your gut as you observed the damage inflicted upon him.

Resolute in your decision, you gently placed your fingertips upon his forehead. Channeling your own life energy, you allowed a fragment of it to seep into his battered form. The healing process commenced, alleviating his wounds and leaving him blissfully unaware of your gaze upon him.

Despite the risk of potential discovery, you knew in your heart that aiding Crosshair was the right choice. You only hoped that your act of compassion wouldn't return to haunt you in the days to come.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

Hours passed, and eventually, you found your friends, relief flooding your veins upon seeing them mostly unharmed. Echo leaned heavily on his side, weariness etched on his face, while Hunter scanned the sky with a hopeful gaze. As you descended towards them, your dark Nebulon scales shimmering in the light, a wide smile graced your features.

"Hey, hey, easy there," Hunter greeted, his posture visibly relaxing at your arrival.

Despite your inability to communicate verbally in your full Nebulon form, you knew your joy was evident as you gave your wings a playful flutter. Tech, ever the analytical observer, noted, "From my scanners detecting an increased heartbeat, it appears the beast is happy."

In response, you released a melodic croon before shifting into your Dragonborn form. "Right you are, Tech," you affirmed, embracing your comrades in a heartfelt reunion. Overwhelmed with gratitude, you knew the bonds of friendship had only grown stronger throughout these trying times.

Hunter's hand clasped firmly onto your shoulder as he inquired, "Are you alright? We didn't see you after the firestorm."

Your eyes darted away momentarily, a twinge of guilt washing over you. But when your gaze met Omega's, you knew there was no point in hiding the truth. "I'm fine," you began, your tone slightly hesitant. "I saw Crosshair, and well, I healed him."

You scratched your neck uncomfortably, adding, "He's fine, or at least he should be."The admission hung heavy in the air, and you couldn't help but wonder how your friends would react. But if there was one thing you'd learned from this journey, it was that trust was paramount—and that included being honest about your actions, even when it wasn't easy.

Hunter's smile was genuine as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss against your temple. Startled, you tensed briefly, but his words brought reassurance.

"You don't need to feel bad for healing him," Hunter said softly. "Crosshair is our friend, no matter what the Empire has done to him. You're a caring person, Amethyst, and we admire that."

Glancing up, you saw the rest of the Bad Batch smiling at you—their expressions mirroring Hunter's sentiment. Wrecker, in his characteristic enthusiasm, landed a light punch on your shoulder. "Yeah, he's right!" he exclaimed.

Chuckling, you unfurled your magnificent purple wings and enfolded your friends in their protective embrace. "And I admire you guys—I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world."

The group shared a collective moment of affection, their appreciation for one another palpable. You knew that, no matter what challenges lay ahead, your Bad Batch family would always have your back. This unbreakable bond would carry you through the darkest of times, and together, you would forge a path through the galaxy.