Bad Batch Oneshots

Content: Graphic Violence

Senator Chuchi watched the traffic speed by above her as her speeder descended upon 79s. She glanced down at her datapad and tapped a few keys, pulling up a short list of questions and notes she had jotted down earlier that day. After the passing of the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill, the need for her project to create an outline for the clones after military service was in as great a need as ever. As the speeder slowed, she heard faint shouting and looked to see some clones fighting outside the cantina.

"Senator, this doesn't look safe," a security guard said, turning in the passenger seat to glance back at Chuchi. "We should leave. Come back at a better time."

"There may not be a better time, Captain," Chuchi answered. "We don't know what's going to happen when the clones are fully decommissioned, and it is my job to figure out what they need to survive. It must be today."

The captain said nothing, instead exiting the speeder and opening Chuchi's door for her. She climbed out of the speeder and approached the cantina, where she could hear shouting coming from within, drowning out the music. The door opened with a swish, revealing the warm ambiance of the cantina. Lanterns hung from the ceilings, colorful drinks lined the walls, and holoprojectors blared on with news, sports, and more.

The guests inside, however, were locked in a massacre.

Chuchi froze, watching as clones brawled amongst themselves, fists flying and blood pouring everywhere. Her datapad dropped out of her hands as Security Force officers tried to keep the fighting at bay, only to be tackled and beaten into the ground. Chuchi's security guard grabbed the senator's arm, pulling her out of the bar, but she didn't move. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the spectacle, no matter how much she tried. Blood was splattered up the walls, clones were collapsing left and right, and the sound of police sirens was fading into the scene. A pool of blood oozed toward her feet, staining the tile flooring. She looked down to see a clone trooper crawling toward the door, his face drenched in red. He groaned in pain, reaching out and clawing for Chuchi's ankle. She screeched in surprise, pulling away from the clone before another raced up to her, shouting.

"Hey! It's that senator!" the clone slurred, pointing at her. "What happened to getting us back on the field, eh? What are we supposed to do now that we have no war to fight in? No Republic to fight for?!"

"Senator!" the captain shouted, finally snapping Chuchi out of her trance. She backed away from the clones, allowing her guard to remove her from the cantina and back to the speeder. She slumped against the seat, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" the guard asked her, his voice tight with strain. She nodded, her mind still in the cantina. Her hand drifted across the seat, feeling for her datapad.

"My..." Chuchi swallowed hard before looking the captain in the eye. "My datapad. It's still in..."

The guard glanced over his shoulder at 79s, then back at Chuchi. "You stay here, I'll go get it."

The guard left, leaving Chuchi to process what she had just witnessed. The bill was passed; was this the result of the Senate's actions? Those clones were to be arrested at any moment, and that would result in making a bad name for them. All those poor soldiers were to be reduced to a stereotype: violent and unpredictable.

Chuchi placed two fingers on her wrist, feeling her racing pulse. She didn't know what to do, how she could possibly hope to create and approve an outline for them now? She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers to her temples, and let out a shaky breath.

What did I just witness?!