It had been a few days since the whole ordeal with the fire and kidnapping, and now, Maenyst and her crew were back in business. They intended to take a break for the time being, for they'd gone through a harrowing experience. The stunning, dragonborn female lay sprawled across the ship's roof as it effortlessly soared through the air. She had no real course in mind, just content to continue flying high, unraveling the complexities of the sky.

A crackling sound from her wrist-worn comm-link startled Maenyst from her contemplative lull. She hit the small button with her long talon, "Amethyst, we need to fly back. Can you come back down?" It was Hunter on the other end, and Amethyst couldn't help but smile. "Sure, Hunter. I'll be right there." She hastily pressed the off button and descended via a small ladder to the cockpit's door. Her graceful fingers deftly pushed it open, and Amethyst stepped inside.

As Amethyst stepped into the cockpit, it was Omegea who welcomed her in a hug.

"You're gonna love your new job," Omegea told Amethyst with infectious enthusiasm, leading her to her seat. Crossing her legs to sit in a lotus position, Amethyst let out a small hum, her tail lazily draping over her knees. Omegea mirrored the position and Amethyst playfully traced her sharp claws down her companion's neck. The teasing elicited a giggle from the blonde girl.

Hunter, seated elsewhere in the cockpit, offered them a supportive smile that Amethyst returned. The Havoc-Master, under Hunter's command, soon descended onto the Ord Mantell beach, and the team disembarked. Omegea bounced from one member to another, buzzing with excitement as she shared the details of their latest CID mission. Despite the dangerous nature of their work, there was something in the shared purpose and camaraderie between this group that gave Amethyst a fresh sense of drive and hope.

Soon, the group found themselves in the CID parlor, where a Trandoshan, tall and rugged, greeted them with, "Good, you're here." He gestured them to the backrooms, where a huddle formed near the bar, Amethyst included.

"This is your new mission," CID declared, pressing a hologram into existence. A middle-aged human man and a white Protocol droid emerged before the assembled team. Amethyst narrowed her eyes at the display, her disbelief evident, "You want us to wrap wings around a separatist?" she inquired, doubt and sarcasm evident in her tone. CID, however, only returned a knowing smirk before continuing with operational briefing.

"Well, pay you a good sum if you get him back alive, Amethyst," CID announced, adding a bit of a threat in her tone. Amethyst's eyes glimmered with displeasure, her tail flicking angrily as she stared at their new target. She ultimately acquiesced, nodding curtly and pivoting to face Hunter.

"It's fine with me," she stated firmly. "I don't like seeing souls in trouble, however dark their path may be." Hunter heaved a sigh and reluctantly agreed, "Fine, but this once."

The team, now equipped with a clear objective, prepared to set off for their latest CID-sponsored endeavor, their convictions varying from greed to a sense of duty. Amethyst, a dragonborn with a kind heart, had her reasons for joining, but there was a growing unease amidst the group as they embarked on a mission that would put their wits and skills to the test.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

As she waited outside the towering building, Amethyst's amethyst lips quivered. The clones rappelling down the building's facade had earned their approach. Flies poured in, drawn to the meat they sought, and Amethyst wasn't exactly sure how to hold them back. She'd bunned her crossbow nearly to the ground, wondering what would stop her from burning these creatures. She sighed and rubbed her head with a claw. The black thing gleamed in the sunlight, and she coughed as the whiff of their burning filled the air. They all were running, but still, they weren't fully out of her vicinity.

She stilled when a giant walker, crushing debris under its heavy feet, stomped past her. She saw Wrecker pop out of it, waving her over. "Get in!" he called, urgency in his voice.

As the whole thing rocked and then began to creak, Amethyst hissed, "We need to get out!" She burst through the door and flapped her wings to stay above ground, holding onto Domega. Hunter and the other members of Bad Batch clambered aboard as well, with the GS droid helping Senator Singh climb out. "Take care of her," Amethyst hissed to Echo, who grabbed the female clone in his arms and held her tight.

Wrecker, now beside Amethyst, asked, "What are you gonna do?" Amethyst shushed him, her tail whipping past the big man's head, and with a sudden movement, she shot forward, unleashing a fiery blast from her mouth.

Soon, Ehther and her companion briskly trotted into a clearing, where the Amethyst Adept began molding the air into a fiery orb. Ehther timed her casting of the blazing projectile with the adept's, seeking to rain more fire down upon the troopers that dared to venture after her friends. Her voice roared as she cried out, "RUN!" Her friends did not hesitate for even a moment, fleeing from the scene.

Hunter, however, lingered behind, watching Ehther's body morph and twist as she ascended into the clouds. Ehther, no longer fully human, found her crash landing in the forest. Her anger flared as she hurled a thick branch in the direction of her friends, who scattered in fright. Teech yelped in surprise, while Hunter called out to the enraged dragonborn.

"Stay...back!" she hissed, the intensity of her blue eyes betraying the fury she held inside.

"Amethyst, we don't want to hurt you!" Hunter pleaded, lifting his hand in a gesture of peace. The dragonborn, however, bared her sharp teeth and lunged at him once more, her claws, now tinted with darkness, glistening in the dim light.

"Liar! All you clones do is shoot and ask questions later, thanks to your stupid inhibitor ship. I'll have to forfeit being the one thing that meant more to me than anything: being a Jedi!" Amethyst growled, her voice quivering with rage.

She shook her head violently, her fingers clutching at her temples, drawing lines of blood across her face. "No, no, that's not true," Hunter whispered, approaching her tentatively before placing a hand on her shoulder. The sudden movement provoked a reaction, and one of her wings flailed, catching Hunter in the face. He groaned in pain.

"I think we should stay back," Teech recommended, keeping Omega close to his chest for protection.

"Hunter, listen to Tech. He knows this," Ehco said, his combat link whirring in the background. "This shell get out of her. I remember when she had some of her fits while serving with General Skywalker too."

Wrecker, the senator, stepped forward, a bit away from the chaos, and spoke up. "But we can't leave her here, and we need to leave," he pointed out, before addressing the Bad Batch. "If she's one of you, you'll have to figure it out. G1 and I will find a place to hide. I'm sure the clones won't get this far."

Hunter shook his head, rubbing his jaw where a bruise was forming. His brown eyes remained fixed on Amethyst, as they all watched her wings tremble uncontrollably.

"We can't leave her," Hunter stated firmly before turning to Senator Singh. "You need to get into the Mauler and stay there until we're ready to take off again. Okay?"

Singh nodded and waved his silver protocol droid with him. Now, the Bad Batch and Amethyst were left alone in the aftermath, as the dragonborn continued to strain and fight against her unstable state.

"Hey," Hunter called out, his voice cutting through the tense air. Amethyst reluctantly lifted her head, revealing a snarl that twisted her clenched, bloodied teeth. Through a gravelly growl, she spat, "Why in the seven hells are you here, clone? I weren't one of you, I never was."

Hunter, unphased, shook his head. "You'll always be one of us, no matter what your past was or what your future is. We trust you, Amethyst, and you need to come back to us." The determination in his voice was unwavering, a testament to the bond shared between the Bad Batch and their once-Jedi ally.

Amethyst let out a derisive scoff, her voice dripping with scorn. "Foolish mortal, dragons are loners. We do what we want, we please who we want, and we rule whatever we encounter. I just joined you guys because there was no other option, but in doing run missions for a reptile that doesn't seem proud of herself, we..."

She paused, her breath light, before continuing to rub her torn ear gently. The conflicted emotions written on her face betrayed the complex nature of her thoughts

She shook her head, her voice trembling as she addressed Hunter. "I can't come back to you, Hunter. The Batch is better off without me. I was the one thing that Cad Bane wanted, that the Kaminoans wanted. You're not safe with me."

Her voice was soft now, and she had finally come to a realization. She was too horrified with which what had been done; she had lost her cool and nearly cost her friends their lives. She couldn't let that happen again.

Hunter stared at her, his expression somber, before he sighed and extended a hand. "No, we don't leave our own," he said firmly, the unshakable bond between the Bad Batch evident in his conviction.

She shook her head. "I cannot return to you, Hunter. The group is better off without me. I was the one thing that Cad Bane desired, that the Kaminoans coveted. You are not safe in my presence," she said, her voice now soft. She had finally returned, but she was filled with horror at what had transpired. She had lost her composure, and it had nearly cost the lives of her friends. She cannot allow that to happen again.

Hunter stared at her, then sighed and reached out a hand. "No, we do not abandon our own," he said.

Amethyst sighed and stepped back, her wings folding around her, concealing her body. "I cannot," was all she said before she transformed into her full dragon form. She cast one final glance at her friends before taking flight, the trees bowing in her wake.