Rescue of Omega

Around 32 BBY, Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas contacted the cloners from the remote [planet](/article/planet] Kamino, located in Wild Space. He requested the creation of an army for the Galactic Republic. Sifo-Dyas was murdered, and the Sith hijacked the project with the intention of using the clones for their long-awaited revenge against the Jedi. The Sith Lord Tyranus employed bounty hunter Jango Fett to act as the [clone template](/article/clone_template]. In exchange for a significant fee, Fett requested one unaltered clone for himself. He named this clone Boba and raised him as his son. However, during their cloning efforts, the Kaminoans produced another clone without the accelerated aging and ingrained obedience that was standard for [clone troopers](/article/clone_trooper]. This clone, a female named Omega, was unaware of the truth of her creation. She worked as a medical assistant to [Chief Medical Scientist](/article/chief_medical_scientist] Nala Se. Nala Se developed a fondness for the young clone, a sentiment that contrasted sharply with her view of regular clone [troopers](/article/trooper] as mere products and property.

The [Clone Wars](/article/clone_wars], which Sifo-Dyas had foreseen, commenced in 22 BBY with the First Battle of Geonosis. During this battle, Jango Fett, who was working for the Separatists at the time, was beheaded by Jedi Master Mace Windu. As the war continued, the Kaminoans were compelled to stretch their remaining samples of Fett's DNA in order to produce more clones. This resulted in a decline in the quality of the clones. The war concluded in 19 BBY through Order 66, which was the Sith's revenge on the Jedi. This command activated inhibitor chips that had been implanted in the clone troopers, forcing them to betray and kill their Jedi commanding officers for alleged treason. In the aftermath, the Republic was reorganized into the Galactic Empire by Emperor Sheev Palpatine, who was secretly Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith. This was supposedly done to restore stability to the galaxy.

The new Empire showed no interest in continuing the Republic's contracts with the Kaminoans, citing cost as the primary reason. Only days after the formation of the Empire, Omega escaped Kamino with the Bad Batch. The Bad Batch was a group of unorthodox clone commandos who were among the few clones immune to Order 66. However, they lost Crosshair, the sniper and only non-immune member of the squad, to Imperial brainwashing. Following this, the Empire initiated Project War-Mantle, which aimed to assess the effectiveness of recruited [soldiers](/article/soldier]. Crosshair was given command of an Elite Squad composed of recruits. The success of the squad's first mission caused concern for [Prime Minister](/article/prime_minister] Lama Su and Nala Se. The [scientist](/article/scientist] was then authorized to proceed with the next phase of experiments to create a superior clone. However, these experiments required fresh genetic material from either Boba Fett, codenamed "Alpha" by the Kaminoans, or Omega. Neither of them were willing to return to Kamino. As the Kaminoans had lost track of Boba's location after the Clone Wars began, Omega became their only option.

Nala Se hired the bounty hunter Fennec Shand to capture Omega, providing her with details about the Bad Batch's modified Omicron-class attack shuttle, known as the Marauder. When the fugitives stopped on Pantora for supplies, Shand was able to locate them. However, after a chase, [Hunter](/article/hunter], the squad leader, rescued Omega from Shand before the Batch escaped the moon. Despite Omega's escape, Shand reported that she would continue her pursuit. The Batch's attempts to identify Shand led them to Ciddarin Scaleback, an informant, and they began working for her as mercenaries afterwards. However, Scaleback was unable to identify Shand's employer because she had been directly commissioned for the job. The squad had no idea who wanted Omega or why.

After completing several missions for Cid, the Batch was located by Rex, their friend and fellow rogue [Captain](/article/captain]. Rex arranged for them to meet him on Bracca so that he could surgically remove their inhibitor chips, which posed a danger to them. After the surgeries, a Scrapper Guild patrol spotted Hunter on the wrecked Venator-class Star Destroyer where the operations had taken place. They reported the intruders to the Empire. Crosshair led forces to eliminate the Batch, who had stayed on Bracca because Hunter wanted to recover valuable salvage from the wreckage in order to settle a debt that the squad owed to Cid. Concerned that the Imperial forces would harm Omega and ruin their contingency plan, Lama Su hired [Cad Bane](/article/cad_bane], another bounty hunter, to capture Omega from Bracca. Nala Se objected, as they had already hired Shand, but the Prime Minister argued that their only concern should be ensuring that one of the bounty hunters returned the girl unharmed.

During a skirmish with Crosshair and his forces in the wreckage, Hunter and Omega were separated from the others as they made their way back to the Marauder. Upon arriving at the shuttle, they encountered Bane, who had killed the clones guarding the ship. Hunter attempted to defend Omega from the bounty hunter, but he lost a blaster duel with Bane and was severely injured. This allowed Bane and his droid, Todo 360, to easily capture Omega. However, Hunter's shot went astray and blew off Todo's booster leg. When Echo, Tech, and Wrecker returned to the Marauder, they found Hunter, revived him, and quickly got him onto the ship while under fire from Imperial clones. As they escaped, Hunter explained that Omega had been captured by a bounty hunter. Despite his wound, Hunter insisted that they had to find Omega instead of escaping into hyperspace. However, Echo pointed out that Omega's abductor was already gone, so they fled the Bracca system.

After Bane reported from the Justifier that he had captured Omega, Lama Su instructed him to travel to an abandoned Kaminoan facility on Bora Vio in the Lido system for the handover. The Prime Minister, stating that Nala Se's concern for Omega was a liability, sent his aide Taun We to the rendezvous. He further ordered that Omega be terminated after the necessary genetic material had been extracted. This caused Nala Se to secretly contact Shand, sending her to Bora Vio to rescue Omega from Bane and keep her away from Lama Su. Meanwhile, the Batch were also searching for Omega. Echo identified Bane from old Republic records, noting his history with the Jedi. Tech performed another analysis of Omega's DNA, deduced the reason for her value, and informed the rest of his squad. This led them to realize that the Kaminoans were the ones who wanted her. The squad checked with Scaleback to see if she knew anything about Bane, but she had no way of locating him, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Onboard the Justifier, Omega was confined in a force field-secured cell. She had unsuccessfully demanded that Bane and Todo release her after waking up. While Bane was in the cockpit flying to Bora Vio, Todo sat on the floor in front of Omega's cell, attempting to repair his leg. Seeing an opportunity, Omega offered to help fix it, citing her experience repairing the repulsors of medical droid AZI-3 and reminding him that she was only a prisoner, as he had stated. After some hesitation, Todo agreed to let Omega repair his leg, on the condition that she return to her cell afterwards. Omega easily fixed Todo's leg, but it needed to be realigned, which required working on his head. She used this opportunity to deactivate Todo, apologizing but noting that it was only temporary. The girl then began searching the cabinets for her wrist comm, which had been confiscated and which Todo had said was stored there.

As the Justifier exited hyperspace at Bora Vio and descended into the planet's atmosphere, Omega was frantically searching, having difficulty opening the cabinets. Due to the reduced visibility caused by Bora Vio's clouds, Bane summoned Todo to the cockpit, but the deactivated droid did not respond. Bane eventually found the facility and landed, before heading into the hold to check on his apparently malfunctioning droid. As the bounty hunter approached, Omega became frantic, located her [comlink](/article/comlink] just in time, and fled the ship. Bane discovered that Omega was missing and reactivated Todo, who was shocked to learn that she had escaped and did not admit his role.

Omega ran into the facility, frantically trying to reach the Batch on her comlink. The clones picked up her signal on the Marauder, but could not respond due to the distance of the transmission, so Echo worked to boost it. Hiding in the planet's pervasive mist, Omega was thrilled to receive a reply from Hunter, who told her she had escaped. He asked her where she was, and she admitted she did not know. Wrecker told her they were coming for her, but Echo pointed out that the signal was too faint to get a lock on her position. Tech took over the comms and told her to find a panel. Omega located one by a door similar to those in Tipoca City. Activating it per Tech's instructions, which partially opened a door, Omega was told to find a way of causing a power surge so the Batch could home in on her location. However, Bane located the girl, and she called for help as she tried to get away from the bounty hunter. Bane ripped the comlink off of her wrist and stomped on it to destroy it, before putting the girl in binders and dragging her away. He told her she was lucky his clients wanted her alive and that she would soon find out who they were.

Onboard the Justifier, Todo reported that the starship's sensors had detected an approaching craft. Bane ordered him to investigate. The new arrival was Shand, who sabotaged the Justifier while it was unattended before entering the facility. Locating Taun We in the mist, Shand killed the Kaminoan and took the unmarked credits she had been carrying. Omega and Bane heard the blaster shots, and the girl assumed her friends had come to rescue her. However, they soon encountered the corpse on the floor. Omega was shocked to see the Kaminoan aide, insisting that she needed help. Bane pushed her back and said there was nothing that could be done as Shand revealed herself. Recognizing the rival hunter, Bane asked why she was interfering, shoving Omega towards the wall. Shand explained that Omega had been her target first, offering to exchange the credits for the girl. Bane said it sounded fair, suggesting Shand go first. Before an exchange could occur, Todo arrived and seized the case of credits, leading the two hunters to engage in a firefight.

Bane threw a thermal detonator at Shand, but she kicked it towards Todo, knocking the droid out the window along with the case of credits. The case fell open, spilling the [chips](/article/credit_chip], to Bane's horror. Omega seized the opportunity to escape the crossfire and ran further down the hallway. Shand pursued, briefly driving Bane into a side hallway. Bane ordered Todo to find Omega. As Shand chased her, Omega slipped through a doorway and fled down a side hallway, heading deeper into the facility. Growling that Shand should know when to quit, Bane passed through a doorway to find that the rival hunter was missing. He advanced cautiously, but stumbled upon an explosive she had planted, which flung him back and knocked him unconscious.

Omega found a chamber with tanks filled with long-abandoned experiments, which unsettled her. Finding a control panel, she activated it and used it to send a signal from the facility's damaged but still-operational long-range transmitter. The Marauder picked up the signal in deep space, and Echo pinpointed its exact position, leading the shuttle to jump into hyperspace. Locating his unconscious master, Todo attempted to rouse Bane, but after failing, rushed off, promising to secure the target. Shand soon located Omega in the chamber, telling her she could not rely on anyone but herself. Omega asked Shand why she had killed Taun We, and the bounty hunter said Omega should thank her, considering that what Lama Su wanted with her was worse than Shand's reasons for being there. Shand said she was trying to help Omega, but the girl pointed out that she had said the same thing on Pantora. Todo arrived but was quickly taken down by Shand. Omega used the distraction to slip back to the control panel. As Shand tried to tell her there was no time to send another signal and that they had to leave, Omega detached the tank Shand was standing next to, causing it to fall on her and shatter as Omega fled the room. Shand was disgusted by the naked corpse and fluid that fell on her, taking a moment before continuing her pursuit.

Omega found a balcony on a lower level, leaned over the railing, and saw a lower level with flight pods. She headed along the balcony in search of a way down, spotting a ladder before being found by a revived Bane, who growled that playtime was over. However, Shand arrived and attacked him, knocking one of his blaster pistols out of his hand with a bola before throwing Omega down the corridor and engaging Bane in hand-to-hand combat, disarming him of his other pistol. Omega began to head towards the ladder, but Bane took Shand out of the fight before approaching her. However, Shand recovered and attacked Bane again, and Omega got to her feet and ran to the ladder. She managed to find a way to descend the ladder despite her binders, but when she was only partway down, she was confronted by Todo, who had recovered and deduced she was heading for the flight pods. Omega kicked Todo away a few times as he attacked her, but eventually chose to jump atop the droid, riding him down to the lower level. She fell off and rolled, sustaining slight injuries, while Todo, who was damaged, was momentarily trapped upside-down, stuck standing on his head.

As Bane and Shand continued their fight above, Omega got to her feet and stumbled towards the flight pods, boarding one of the ancient vehicles. Todo recovered and followed her, but was too late to stop her escape, landing on the outside of the pod as she activated it. The droid panicked as he realized what she was about to do, and was knocked away as the pod launched, tearing off an outside panel while shouting that she would regret this. Bane managed to knock Shand unconscious after a fierce struggle, and was contacted by Todo, who reported that their target was escaping. Seeing Omega's pod fly away, Bane ordered Todo back to the ship. Shand revived, and Bane drove her into a nearby hallway with his wrist flamethrowers, but she used another bola to bind his arms before leaping forward and kicking him over the railing. Bane used his jet boots to save himself, but upon returning to the balcony, he was extremely angry, finding it difficult to free himself.

Omega's pod malfunctioned and stopped working while flying through Bora Vio's atmosphere due to the damage inflicted by Todo, and she panicked as it plunged into the clouds. However, the Marauder arrived and rescued the pod, docking it with the ship's bottom airlock. When the airlock opened, Wrecker looked in to see if Omega was inside. Omega was relieved to see her friends, and after she was brought onboard, the Batch jettisoned the flight pod and departed Bora Vio. Bane returned to the Justifier in pursuit, but he and Todo discovered that the ship had been sabotaged, leaving them stranded and preventing them from pursuing either the Batch or Shand, who departed on her ship, the Outcast.

Onboard the Marauder, Hunter asked Omega if she was all right, and Omega tearfully asked why the Kaminoans were after her. Echo told Hunter that he had a responsibility to tell Omega, and Hunter told the girl that she was more valuable to the Kaminoans than all of the other clones they had created, including the Batch. Omega wanted to know how she was different, so Hunter told her. Later, while everyone else was sleeping, Omega confided to Hunter that she was afraid of the possibility of becoming an experiment in a tube. Hunter told her that the Batch would defend her against anyone who tried to take her, but she was doubtful that they would be able to fight all of their potential pursuers. Omega's worries were somewhat alleviated when Hunter promised her that she would never return to Kamino.

After departing Bora Vio, Shand was contacted by Nala Se for an update. Shand reported that Omega had been rescued by the Bad Batch, and that it would cost the Kaminoan extra if she wanted the group tracked. Stating that it was acceptable as long as Omega was kept out of Lama Su's hands, Nala Se told Shand she was transferring her payment. Shand told Nala Se that she knew how to contact her if she changed her mind.

Due to the bounty hunters after her, upon their return to Cid's Parlor on Ord Mantell, Hunter decided that Omega would stay with Scaleback while the squad carried out their next mission. Omega was upset, but after discovering a talent for dejarik, she was able to earn enough money to pay off the Batch's debt. Although he was not impressed by the attention her matches had drawn, Hunter decided to put her strategic talents to the test and challenged her to a game, promising not to leave her behind again if she won. Omega continued to accompany the Batch on future missions.

Hunter was later captured by the Empire during a mission on the planet Daro, and was transported to Kamino by Crosshair as part of a scheme by the sniper to attempt to recruit the Bad Batch back into Imperial service. When the squad came to rescue him, Hunter apologized to Omega for breaking his promise, but she replied that he had done the same for her.

Sometime after the event, Bane told the Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka of the time he had encountered Shand on Bora Vio.