Later, Clone Force 99 cruised through the star-speckled void aboard their ship, the Marauder, headed for Kamino. I was there with them, albeit in my indoraptor form. Ever since I had gone rogue, I couldn't shift back to my human self. But honestly? This was for the best. My human body was fragile—my heart barely kept pace with the demands of life. In this sleek, powerful form, I felt more alive than I had in years. The strength surging through me matched the thrum of the ship's engines, and a wild sense of freedom coursed within. This was who I was meant to be, and out here, among the stars, I was ready to embrace it all.

I lay on the floor near the gunner's nest, staring out at the stars streaking past us, when Echo approached. I always sensed he would be the one to check on me; our bond had only grown stronger over the years. He understood me in a way most others didn't. After everything he'd been through—especially during that ordeal on Salucami—seeing him again had filled me with a warmth I hadn't realized I craved.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice a comforting reminder of our shared struggles. I could tell he was still grappling with his own scars, even beneath the surface of his usual bravado. There was a moment of silence between us, a quiet acknowledgment of the chaos around us and the calm we found in each other's presence. In a world filled with loss and trauma, moments like this grounded us—reminded us that we weren't just soldiers; we were survivors. And right now, with him here, I felt more connected than I had in a long time.

"Mind if I sit here?" Echo asked, gesturing to the opposite wall. I shook my head, my gaze still fixed on the small glimmers of stars visible through the gunners' nest windows.

"You've been unusually quiet since we started heading back to Kamino," he remarked, trying to draw me out. I shot him a glance, a mix of frustration and vulnerability in my eyes.

"What's there to talk about?" I replied, sighing through my nostrils, feeling the weight of my thoughts like a heavy cloak. "The clones I loved turned against my family." I looked away from him, my gaze dropping to my sharp claws, the stark reminder of what I had become.

"I always thought I'd be the one to take down the Republic, to kill the Jedi Order. But it wasn't me," I continued, my voice quiet, almost breaking. It felt surreal to admit, this tangled web of betrayal and loss that had become my reality. The stars outside twinkled mockingly, as if they held the answers I sought but would never find.

"I'm happy it isn't you," Echo said, a serious tone in his voice. "I would never want to face you in combat or have you on the other side, Nyx." He reached forward to touch my arm, a simple gesture that felt both comforting and constricting. I closed my eyes, feeling the sting of unshed tears building up beneath the surface.

"Don't call me that," I replied, my voice cracking, the name feeling like a weight I couldn't bear. "I'm not Nyx."

Those words hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning. Somewhere along the journey, I had lost that part of myself—the part that had fought so fiercely for the Republic, that had loved fiercely, and that had believed in a cause. The abyss I had fallen into felt deep and unyielding, and I wasn't sure I could climb out.

Echo's expression softened, understanding flooding his features. "I know who you are now, even if you don't." His hand lingered, a quiet assurance that I wasn't alone in this moment of pain. Somewhere amidst the turmoil, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe my past didn't have to define me.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself as Hunter stepped into the gunners' nest, his gaze examining me with that familiar intensity. "You doing okay back here, Crimson?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

I snorted, the sound dry and bitter. "I am, but tell me..." I lifted my head and locked eyes with him, searching for answers. "Why are we going back to Kamino? That's the last place we should be if the Chancellor has finally made up his mind to kill my family."

Hunter's expression hardened, the weight of my words sinking in. "I get it, but we have a mission," he said, his tone firm yet sympathetic. "We need to gather intel and find out what's really going on. If the Chancellor really is turning against you and your family, we can't just sit back and allow it to happen."

"But at what cost?" I shot back, a mix of frustration and desperation fueling my voice. "I don't want to put you or the squad in danger because of my past."

"Listen," Hunter replied, stepping closer, his voice low and steady. "You're one of us. We protect our own, no matter what. If it's a fight you're worried about, then we'll face it together. You don't have to carry this burden alone."

I studied him, searching for any hint of uncertainty, but all I found was unwavering loyalty. In that moment, I felt the storm within me quiet just a bit—a reminder that maybe I wasn't as alone as I had thought, even in the darkest of times.

I gave him a small nod, acknowledging his words but feeling the weight of the situation settle back onto my shoulders. Standing tall, I looked down at both Hunter and Echo, who were now silent, watching me with concern etched on their faces. "You walk into death, Hunter," I said, my voice low but steady, a somber warning as I brushed past him, my heart pounding in my chest.

I made my way to the cockpit, wanting to escape the heavy atmosphere and the looming decisions ahead. I pulled open the door and stepped inside, the familiar hum of the engines and the vastness of space surrounding me. My eyes quickly turned to the stars, a breathtaking sight that had always brought me solace.

I took a seat at the controls, gazing into the endless expanse, hoping that starlight might somehow dispel the darkness creeping into our mission. Each pinprick of light felt like a memory, a moment of clarity amidst the chaos swirling in my mind.

But even as I watched, a nagging worry gnawed at me. Kamino. The past. My family's fate. I closed my eyes briefly, willing the heaviness to lift, reminding myself that I had the squad at my side. Together, we were stronger than the sum of our fears.

"You're not alone in this, Crimson," I whispered to myself, a promise to keep moving forward, no matter what awaited us among the stars.

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When we finally touched down on Kamino, the stark white landscape of the clone facility loomed before us, a chilling reminder of my past. As we moved through the corridors, the remnants of the Marauder clones scattered around us, I felt a creeping sense of dread mixed with a smoldering anger. It wasn't long before they made their presence known—those I had hoped never to see again.

I recognized them instantly, the unmistakable armor of the Coruscant guards marking them as Commander Fox and his squad. My gut twisted at the sight, and I immediately growled harshly, "Don't you dare touch me, Fox!"

He halted, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hey, take it easy, big girl. You just have to come with us," he said, his tone infuriatingly casual.

I sneered at him, an instinctive response as my boys tightened their formation around me, a protective barrier ready to defend against any threat. "Didn't the lady say she didn't want to come with you?" Werecker grumbled, his hulking frame moving in front of me.

"Back off, freak," another guard spat, glaring at Wrecker. The tension in the air crackled, and I could feel my anger simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.

I stepped closer, my eyes locked onto Fox with a fierce intensity, but before I could fully step into the confrontation, Hunter's hand gripped my arm, steadying me. "Don't try anything," he warned, a note of caution in his voice.

I let out a cold laugh, a sound devoid of mirth. "Oh, they won't like what I'm about to do," I muttered lowly, then turned my gaze back to Fox. With a sudden movement, I lowered my head, an eerie silence hanging in the air. The next moment, I opened my jaws wide and released a screech that echoed through the hallways, the sound reverberating like a shockwave and sending several guards stumbling back.

"You will not touch me, do you hear me, little one?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous, a warning laced with primal fury. A sinister grin crept across my face as I leaned into the threat. "Or do you want me to give you your place back?"

The look on Fox's face shifted, a flicker of apprehension crossing his features as the reality of my words registered. I could feel the weight of my squad behind me, bolstering my resolve. We were a family, and no one would break through our defenses—not now, not ever.

I glared down at Fox, my red eyes boring into him with all the fury I could muster. He let out a resigned sigh, clearly realizing that pushing me further would only lead to more trouble. "Fine, boys, let's move. The Chanceller said we shouldn't be here anyway," he announced, a hint of defeat in his tone as he turned to lead his squad away.

I watched as they retreated, the tension in the air easing just slightly. I could feel their eyes on me, the remaining members of my squad gauging my reaction. I held my ground until they disappeared from view, my heart racing with adrenaline, the protective instincts of my crew still humming around me.

"Well handled," Hunter commented, breaking the silence that had settled in the wake of the confrontation. I could hear the admiration in his voice, and it brought a small flicker of pride to my chest.

I snorted, brushing off the compliment as I turned to move through the sterile hallways beside him. "It's just what I had to do. They have no idea who they're dealing with," I replied, my voice low and steady but laced with the remnants of my earlier rage.

As we continued down the stark white corridors of Kamino, the sterile environment felt even more suffocating than before. The memories of my past with the clones clawed to the surface, but I refused to let them control me now. I had my squad beside me, and together, we would face whatever came next.

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension, but the shadows of the past lingered. "Let's keep moving," I finally decided, picking up the pace. Hunter fell in step beside me, his presence a steady reminder that we were in this together, no matter how daunting the path ahead might be. 

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The Bad Batch headed back to their quarters while I was summoned to the Prime Minister's office. As I stepped inside, nostalgia washed over me—I hadn't been on Kamino since the war, especially not in this form. Lama Su turned around, and as he caught sight of me towering over him, he greeted me with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

"Ah, Ms. Indoraptor, I see you're here at last. How did the mission on Kaller go?" he inquired with a careful tone.

I shot him a sharp glare. "Well, your so-called loyal soldiers of the Republic turned on their masters," I retorted, pressing him against the wall, my presence looming over him.

"Care to explain why you still haven't removed the inhibitor chip?" I demanded, watching as Lama Su swallowed hard.

"You're still on that, are you?" he stammered, clearly uncomfortable.

I spat out a bloody pulp, my anger boiling over as I snarled, "Of course I am! My friends are dead because of your incompetence!" My voice was laced with fury, each word dripping with the weight of my loss. It was unbearable to stand there, confronting the very architect of their demise, the one who had failed to protect those I cared about most.

Lama stuttered, "I-I'm sure you can see the importance of having inhibitor chips in the first place," he pleaded, his eyes wide with fear as I glared down at him, my long, curved claws pressing dangerously into his chest.

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't cut your throat and drive the Kaminoans from this place, letting their blood stain these waters," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. I had already lost the parts of myself that once held back my rage; the idea of slaughtering an entire species that had wronged me no longer felt like a hesitation.

Lama swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "W-well, you see, the boys in the Bad Batch have the same chips," he stammered, desperately trying to diffuse the situation.

I bared my fangs in response, my anger boiling over. "Are you telling me they could turn on me at any moment? How the hell is that supposed to calm me down?!" I spat, my words laced with venom.

"No! I don't know why they haven't done it yet, but you're here, and it means your squad is more loyal than the others," Lama insisted, his eyes darting nervously.

I hissed so loudly I felt the heat of it in my throat, a warning more than a sound.

"If you're wrong about this, and the Batch turns against me, I will come back here and haunt you until you beg for mercy, Skug," I growled, my voice dripping with menace. With that, I stepped away from him, feeling the tension drain as I slinked back into the dim corridor.

My heart raced as I kept my head down, bumping into both Kaminoan personnel and clones alike without a second thought. Each encounter felt like a brush with irritation, but I wasn't there to care about the consequences; I needed to escape and unleash the storm brewing inside me.

Finally, I reached the hangars. As I climbed into my Night Fury, adrenaline surged through me. The moment I revved the engines and launched into the air, I felt a rush of freedom. Just before I ascended high enough to let loose my pent-up anger on the city below, I let out a deafening roar that echoed across the skies.

Electricity crackled around me, carving jagged lines through the darkening clouds, splitting the sky wide open in a magnificent display of fury. The sky trembled with my wrath, and for that fleeting moment, I felt powerful—untouchable. 

I looked down at the trembling clouds, watching them part as if in reverence, revealing the sprawling cities of Tipoca below. I bared my fangs in a snarl; the Kaminoans would pay for what they had done. But first, I needed to ensure that no one would ever set foot on this accursed planet again.

Just as I was about to dive toward the heart of the city, seeking my target, a stray shot from one of the hovering cruisers whizzed past me. I yelped in surprise as it skimmed my wing, sending a jolt of pain through my body. Instinct kicked in, and I banked sharply away from the incoming fire, weaving between the clouds to shake off my pursuers.

The anger that had bubbled within me flared hotter as I circled around, my heart pounding with adrenaline. How dare they! My fury ignited, and I turned my gaze toward the offending cruiser, ready to unleash my wrath on the source of my pain.

With a fierce roar, I gathered my electrical energy once more, letting it build within me. I'd show them the true meaning of resistance; I wouldn't just be a mere distraction. They had made a grave mistake in thinking they could challenge me. This time, when I dove, I would strike back with a vengeance.

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