Bad Batch Oneshots

Content: Torture

Hunter stumbled into his cell, glaring over his shoulder at the clone trooper who pushed him in. Jaye watched with worried eyes before being shoved down the hall and out of sight. Hunter sighed, scanning his surroundings. He and the Batch had stormed Mount Tantiss on the hunt for Omega, but at some point, Jaye had gone off on her own and gotten caught. Hunter tried to get her out of the sticky situation, ordering Crosshair to take the squad back to the Marauder and wait for them, but Hemlock was one step ahead.

The squad was who knows where, having escaped the facility while Hunter and Jaye were in the clutches of the Empire, awaiting the infamous Dr. Hemlock.

Hunter could hear Jaye cursing out the troopers in the next room over, couldn't help but admire her boldness, considering she could've been shot at any moment. He heard a blow hit and her gasp of pain, then the soft clicking of cuffs. Kriff.

Footsteps receded, leaving Hunter in silence. He waited a moment before moving to the wall adjacent to Jaye's cell and tapping a code on the paristeel: Can you move?

A soft tap of a foot answered: In a chair.

Plan 4?

"Fascinating language, Morse Code."

Hunter looked to see Hemlock standing at the entrance of his cell, a smug look written on his face. "Wouldn't you agree, Hunter?"

Hunter glared at the doctor. Hemlock descended the steps, approaching Hunter. "I think we both know how this is going to go. I'll ask where the rest of your squad is, and you'll refuse to tell me. Does that sound about right?"

Hunter said nothing. Hemlock smiled. "As I thought. Well, not to worry, it's only a matter of time before they come back to save you. In the meantime, I thought we could engage in a little experiment."

Hemlock began pacing across the cell, clenching his gloved hand in his other. Hunter heard a scuffle in the next room over. "Experiment?"

"Why yes," Hemlock answered, his eyes gleaming as he turned to look at the clone. "Your devotion as a father figure to Omega is quite fascinating. I hadn't realized that clones could care about those other than their brothers." Hemlock brushed a piece of lint from his shoulder. "I want to see if that devotion extends to romantic partners, as well. You're aware of Jannie N'Cante in the next room, yes?"

Hunter's stomach dropped. "I don't know what you're—"

"The fact that you tried to single-handedly save her from my forces proves your relations to her," Hemlock cut him off. He stared at Hunter with a kind of venom that surprised the clone, a kind of stare that threatened horrible possibilities. "You may have noted that you are not bound to a table or other restrictive surface, besides your cuffs. That was on purpose. You need to have full mobility if the results are to be as accurate as possible."

Hemlock pulled a comlink out from his pocket and keyed it on. "Begin the sequence."

"Yes, Doctor," blared an unfamiliar voice from the comlink before crackling off. Hunter's brows furrowed in confusion as Hemlock grinned. What was he—

"No. Wait—"

Hunter froze, his hearing strained. He could hear Jaye in the other room, her breathing becoming more erratic. Anxiety spiked in his chest as she cried out. He stared at the floor, listening to his heart pounding. What were they doing to her?!

"Please, no. Please—!"

The scream that ripped through the air made Hunter's ears ring. His chest seized up, the hands of malice and outright rage gripping his heart. His hands clenched into fists as Jaye gasped for air, begging for the pain to stop.

"She's not being harmed," Hemlock chirped. "At least, not physically. A colleague of mine is studying different sounds and how the mind reacts to them, but Jannie's results turned out to be the perfect material to study you."

Hunter's mouth went dry as Jaye screamed again. He glared at Hemlock to see the doctor smiling. Smiling! At the sound of a human being's pain and agony! How could Hunter have let this happen? How could he have allowed this monster to lay a finger on Jaye, or Omega and Crosshair, for that matter? Was this the leader he was trained to be? To let his team fall apart at the hands of Royce Hemlock?

Hunter struggled against his cuffs. Oh, how he would pay. As soon as Hunter got his hands on the scientist, he would make Hemlock pay.

"You're sick," Hunter growled, his entire body shaking with rage. Hemlock's grin only widened as he backed out of the cell and allowed the ray shield to close.

"And you are supporting my hypothesis."