Rescue on Ryloth

During the three year long galactic conflict known as the Clone Wars, the planet of Ryloth, the homeworld of the Twi'lek species, was attacked by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. General Cham Syndulla, a well-known freedom fighter, spearheaded the initial local resistance against the occupation. When the Galactic Republic initiated a counter-offensive to drive out the Separatist forces, Jedi General Mace Windu contacted Cham, convincing him and his longtime political rival, Senator Orn Free Taa, to form an alliance for the benefit of their planet. Cham harbored concerns about a prolonged Republic military presence on Ryloth, but Windu assured him that the Republic's clone troopers would eventually withdraw, though they would remain temporarily to maintain order. Consequently, a unit led by Clone Captain Howzer was stationed on Ryloth to aid in the planet's defense, with the understanding that they would depart once the war concluded. Cham developed a friendship with the clone officer.

However, the Clone Wars' end signaled the beginning of a bleak era in galactic history. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine accused the Jedi Order of attempting to murder him and seize power. He declared the Jedi to be traitors and reorganized the Republic into the Galactic Empire, with himself as [Emperor](/article/emperor], promising a new age of peace and security. In reality, Palpatine was the Dark Lord of the Sith and had been secretly planning the Jedi's destruction for a considerable time. This was largely executed through Order 66, a secret directive that forced the clones of the Grand Army of the Republic to betray and kill their Jedi commanders via implanted inhibitor chips. Only a small number of clones were resistant to these chips, which also ensured their obedience to the Empire.

Initially, Cham, weary of war, accepted the new era of "peace" at face value, overlooking the warning signs as he hoped for the realization of his dream of a secure and free Ryloth. However, his wife, Eleni Syndulla, and lieutenant, Gobi Glie, remained cautious. Eleni diligently monitored the Empire's activities on Ryloth, while Glie began organizing a new resistance with other freedom fighters. When Vice Admiral Rampart arrived on Ryloth, he found Cham more cooperative than Senator Taa's warnings had suggested, but remained suspicious and sought to firmly establish Imperial control over Ryloth. Howzer, unusually independent for a clone in Imperial service, accepted the regime change and reassured Cham that allowing the clone army to protect Ryloth was the goal they had both fought for. The Empire also demanded that the Twi'lek people disarm and surrender their weapons, a measure Glie strongly opposed, believing it would leave them vulnerable.

To bolster the growing Empire, Rampart spearheaded Project War-Mantle, an initiative to assess the effectiveness of recruited soldiers within the Imperial Military. He facilitated the recruitment of the first unit of Elite Squad Troopers, placing them under the command of CT-9904, a genetically modified clone known as "Crosshair." Crosshair had previously been a member of Clone Force 99, an unconventional clone commando squad. However, the other members of the "Bad Batch" were immune to Order 66 due to their genetic alterations or, in the case of Echo, cybernetic enhancements inflicted by the Separatists.

While Crosshair underwent chip enhancement, the remaining members of the Batch escaped Kamino, the clone homeworld, taking Omega with them. Omega was a young clone of great value to the Kaminoans' efforts to maintain the Empire's interest in their cloning operations. Crosshair became obsessed with hunting down the Batch, but his single encounter with his former squad on Bracca resulted in severe injuries while the Batch escaped. Meanwhile, the Batch worked as mercenaries for Ciddarin Scaleback, an information broker.

Upon arriving on Ryloth, Rampart brought the Elite Squad to monitor insurgent activities. Crosshair quickly identified Glie as the leader, although Taa was certain that Cham was secretly in charge. Glie had recruited Cham's daughter, Hera, to spy on the new Imperial doonium refinery being constructed. During one such mission, Hera and her astromech droid, Chopper, were apprehended by clones, and Howzer escorted them back to the Syndulla residence. Recognizing the delicate situation, Howzer promised the general that he would not report Hera's actions, but warned that it could not happen again. Cham was furious with Glie for involving his daughter and made him promise to cease sending Hera on such missions. After touring the refinery, which was clearly a military installation despite the Empire's claims, Eleni questioned Cham about the potential cost of achieving peace through cooperation with the Empire.

Despite Cham's orders, Glie invited Hera on his next mission, a supply run to Ryloth's third moon, offering her the opportunity to pilot his starship. She had Chopper cover for her. Glie had purchased weapons from Scaleback, which the Bad Batch delivered to the designated drop-off point. While Glie and Serin inspected the delivery, Hera met Omega and was given a tour of the Marauder. The two girls bonded, and Omega, sensing that Hera and her people were in trouble, provided her new Twi'lek friend with the Bad Batch's comm channel code for emergency use. However, upon returning to Ryloth, Hera, Glie, and Serin were captured by the Empire. Crosshair had observed Glie's landing pad and attached a homing beacon to his transport before their departure. Rampart ordered their arrest, although Howzer initially protested the arrest of Hera, considering her just a child. Taa demanded that they all be charged with treason.

Lenk informed Cham and Eleni of the capture, and when Chopper learned of the treason charges, they rushed to the rescue, knowing that Taa would deny Hera a chance to defend herself. The freedom fighters attacked the HCVw A9 turbo tank transporting the prisoners, which also carried Rampart, Taa, and Howzer. The clone captain was reluctant to pit his men against the Syndullas and their allies but reluctantly followed his orders. However, when Lenk disabled the tank and Cham and Eleni were about to breach it, Rampart feigned surrender to keep them alive.

After the freedom fighters freed their comrades and escorted their prisoners outside, Rampart's true intentions became clear. He had set up an ambush with Crosshair, who sniped Taa non-fatally just after Eleni had dissuaded Cham from killing the corrupt senator himself. Accusing the rebels of attempting to assassinate Taa, Rampart ordered their arrest. Hera and Chopper escaped, but Rampart was confident they would not get far and ordered Howzer to find them, although the captain doubted the freedom fighters' involvement in the assassination attempt.

Despite the ongoing search, Hera and Chopper evaded capture, and Rampart reassigned the Elite Squad to locate them. Cham, Eleni, and the other rebels were imprisoned in the Capitol building in Lessu. Rampart taunted them, confident that he could convince the people that Cham was a traitor. When he asked Eleni to reveal Hera's location, believing she was more reasonable than her husband, Eleni declared that she would rather be his enemy than his ally. The admiral ordered Howzer to round up all of Cham's supporters, but the captain was hesitant to arrest innocent people without justification and expressed his belief that the rebels were not responsible for Taa's shooting. When Rampart coldly asked who he thought was responsible, Howzer claimed ignorance and offered to carry out his orders, volunteering to find Hera himself.

Rampart denied Howzer's request, stating that another squad was handling it and that she would be found soon. Chopper, who had been sent into the city to gather intelligence, partially overheard the conversation. He relayed the information to Hera, who was scouting out her home. The Elite Squad, accompanied by regular clones, searched the Syndulla residence as Hera watched through macrobinoculars, reporting to Crosshair that she was gone and may have already left the planet. Crosshair, however, correctly deduced that she would not leave without her parents and ordered them to continue searching. Hera instructed Chopper to meet her at their base to send a transmission.

Hiding at her father's old command outpost from the Separatist occupation, Hera recorded a message and had Chopper send it to Omega, detailing her situation and requesting help, including coordinates. The Bad Batch received the message while in deep space, as Omega was attempting to repair Gonky. Tech did not recognize the frequency, but [Hunter](/article/hunter] had him play the message. Wrecker recognized Hera from the recent weapons delivery. Hunter was surprised that Omega had shared their comms channel, but she explained it was for emergencies, and Hera's situation qualified. Tech dismissed the situation as a child's exaggeration, but Omega insisted otherwise.

Hunter was reluctant to assist, viewing it as a risky endeavor with no reward, but Omega persuaded him by arguing that it was what soldiers did. Upon arriving at the hidden outpost, they were greeted by Chopper and Hera. Hunter inquired about the Empire's interest in her parents, and Hera explained her father's identity, questioning why the Empire was targeting him. Hera also mentioned that her parents could compensate the Batch if they were rescued. Echo pointed out that Cham's influence made him a logical target for the Empire. Hunter cautioned Hera that he could not guarantee success and that they needed to assess the situation in Lessu first.

In Lessu, Rampart delivered a speech to a wary crowd, portraying the assassination attempt as a regrettable act of treason by someone the people considered a hero. He claimed that the "beloved" Senator Taa was recovering well. The Batch, Hera, and Chopper surveyed Lessu from sector five, a high rock spire outside the city, using macrobinoculars and listening in. Omega spotted Crosshair and pointed him out, prompting the adult clones to move away for a private discussion. Hunter noted that Lessu's plasma bridge was deactivated, leading Wrecker to suggest an aerial assault, but this was rejected due to the capital's sensor capabilities.

Tech observed that the Imperial forces were comparable to those on the former Separatist capital planet Raxus, which concerned Echo, given that Ryloth had been a Republic planet. An Imperial probe droid spotted them from above, but Hunter's enhanced senses detected it, allowing him to evade the droid and destroy it from above. However, the droid had transmitted footage of the Batch before its destruction, as Hunter suspected. Aware that the Empire was now aware of their presence, the group left the area, with Omega urging Hera to follow.

Crosshair, informed of the sighting by one of his troopers, increased patrols. Howzer had arrested some of Cham's supporters, but Rampart deemed it insufficient. When Howzer expressed concern that Rampart's harsh actions would incite an uprising, Rampart asserted that it was the price of peace. Informed of their presence by Crosshair, the Admiral dismissed Clone Force 99 as a threat and reiterated that he wanted Crosshair and his squad to find Hera, implicitly threatening to have Howzer search for the girl if Crosshair failed. Meanwhile, the Batch retreated to the cave outpost, with Tech noting the increased patrols. Hunter informed Hera that they had lost the element of surprise, making the rescue mission impossible, although they could take her off-world. Hera, upset, stormed off, and Omega followed her after telling Hunter that she would do the same for him as Hera was trying to do for her parents.

Omega assured Hera that they could persuade Hunter to help by devising an effective strategy to rescue her parents, suggesting they leverage Hera's familiarity with Ryloth. Working together, the girls and Chopper formulated a plan involving a diversionary attack on the doonium refinery to draw forces away from Lessu. Hunter accepted the plan when the girls explained it, deciding to follow Hera's lead and allow them to participate, although he wanted them to avoid direct combat.

Howzer secretly approached Cham and Eleni in their cell, where the general expressed his disappointment that the clone captain had sided with the Empire. Howzer questioned Cham about the expected consequences of attacking an Imperial convoy, but Eleni countered that Senator Taa's actions had left them with no choice as they had to protect their daughter. Lowering his voice, Howzer explained that he was trying to do the same, as Rampart's squad was hunting her. Cham retorted that both of them had sworn to defend Ryloth, and Howzer asked Cham and Eleni to tell him where Hera might be so he could protect her. Cham did not believe him and refused, stating they had made a mistake trusting him, leading a pained Howzer to leave them.

The team divided into two groups: Hunter and Echo would scale the walls of Lessu and infiltrate the city covertly. Omega and Hera would wait outside the refinery, while Tech and Wrecker remained on the Marauder. Meanwhile, Chopper would sneak onto a Rho-class transport shuttle carrying workers and other astromech droids to work at the refinery. The shuttle arrived at a landing pad outside the facility's main gate, and as the workers and droids went through security, Chopper sneaked around the gate and was able to enter while the clones at the checkpoint were diverted. Sneaking through the facility, he located a droid socket and, after taking out another astromech that had been using it, plugged in to the control console for the refinery's autocannons, intending to deactivate them. However, Chopper hit a snag, and while he was attempting to access the systems and communicate with Hera, his aggravated beeping caught the attention of two patrolling clones, who recognized him as an unauthorized droid.

Hera and Omega observed from a distance as Chopper was captured and escorted through the facility by the clones, Hera wondering what they were going to do. Omega had an idea, telling Hera they would rescue Chopper after deactivating the console, which they would accomplish by stealing one of the shuttles. In Lessu, Hunter and Echo climbed the city's wall. As they reached the top, a patrolling clone heard Echo as he reached the top, turning to see him casually ask for a hand. The clone was immediately knocked out by Hunter, who helped Echo over the wall before the two headed deeper into the city.

At the refinery, Omega and Hera approached one of the shuttles on the landing pad stealthily, Hera commenting that her parents would disapprove, prompting Omega to promise not to tell them. The girls boarded the shuttle and settled in the cockpit, just as Tech contacted Omega to ask if Chopper had disabled the cannons. Omega said they were working on it, before surprising him by asking him not to shoot down their shuttle. Hera composed herself and performed a takeoff, her inexperience causing chaos on the landing pad as troopers reported the unauthorized liftoff of shuttle two.

Gaining command of the starship, Hera executed a turn and navigated towards the control station, skillfully maneuvering the shuttle into a stable hover. Seizing the opportunity presented by the chaos, Chopper neutralized his two guards with electrical shocks, rendering them unconscious before making his way to the vessel. Hera and Omega unleashed a barrage of fire from the shuttle's cannons upon the control panel, triggering an explosion that effectively disabled the artillery, subsequently opening the front hatch to welcome Chopper aboard. As the girls piloted the ship to safety, Tech communicated that he had detected several significant explosions, to which Omega confirmed their responsibility, stating that the cannons had been successfully neutralized.

With Wrecker assuming his position in the gunner's seat, Tech guided the Marauder towards the refinery, initiating a sudden burst of engine power before executing a controlled drift. Overjoyed at the prospect of causing explosions, Wrecker commenced firing, obliterating the facility's defensive gun emplacements. Amidst the ongoing destruction, the refinery's garrison issued a distress call for reinforcements. In Lessu, Rampart flew into a rage upon receiving the news and immediately departed to personally oversee the unfolding conflict, instructing Howzer to remain behind and safeguard the city. Within the detention sector, Cham, Eleni, and the other detainees were taken by surprise when Hunter and Echo materialized, swiftly incapacitating the guards and unlocking the cell doors. Glie was particularly astonished as he recognized them, informing Cham that their rescuers were mercenaries, but clarifying that he had not contracted their services. Hunter clarified that Hera had enlisted their aid, prompting Cham to inquire about her well-being. Above the refinery, Hera remarked that she believed she was beginning to master the art of piloting the shuttle, to which Tech responded that her "unpredictable maneuvers" were proving equally perplexing to the Imperials as they were to him.

Imperial reinforcements were being loaded onto Nu-class shuttles in Lessu, preparing for deployment to the refinery. Crosshair and his Elite Squad were on the verge of joining them, but the sniper abruptly halted their progress just as they were about to board their shuttle. Despite his troops' inquiries, he discerned that the refinery was not the true objective of the mission. When ES-04 questioned the actual target, the other shuttles in the courtyard began their ascent, leading Crosshair to deduce their intentions. Unbeknownst to him, Howzer had observed the Elite Squad's delayed departure, and the impending danger prompted the captain to make a crucial decision. As the commandos and freedom fighters navigated their way through the Capitol building, Crosshair assembled a squad of clones equipped with riot shields, positioning them alongside his unit at the main exit to obstruct the others' escape.

Upon reaching the Capitol's primary exit, the escapees were poised to make their departure when they were intercepted by Howzer, who cautioned them about an impending trap, removing his helmet to convey his message. Glie questioned the basis for trusting him, to which Howzer asserted his allegiance, denouncing the Empire's actions as unjust. He apologized to Cham for his previous inaction in preventing the atrocities, and Cham assured him that he and his people would eventually return to Ryloth. Informed about the blocked exits, Eleni proposed utilizing Senator Taa's personal shuttle, which was housed in his private hangar. As the group prepared to depart, Eleni suggested that Howzer accompany them, recognizing that the Empire would inevitably discover his involvement, but he declined to abandon his squad, insisting on attempting to reason with them regarding the Empire's true nature.

As the group set off towards their new destination, Hunter cast one final glance back at Howzer before departing, as the captain donned his helmet once more and braced himself to confront his men. At the refinery, Tech received notification that Hunter and Echo had secured alternative transportation and were instructed to rendezvous at the designated extraction point, expressing his relief at departing in light of the approaching Imperial vessels. The Marauder and the girls' commandeered shuttle fled the scene. In the courtyard, Crosshair, having established a sniper position overlooking the main entrance, instructed his troops to maintain their formation after ES-04 inquired about advancing. When the door finally opened, they braced themselves, but lowered their weapons upon realizing that Howzer was the one emerging. He questioned his men's actions, reminding them of their initial mission to liberate Ryloth from Separatist control, which they had accomplished, only to now oppress the very people they had sworn to protect.

Declaring his refusal to participate any further, Howzer cast his blaster onto the ground, soliciting support from those who shared his convictions. Six other clones in the courtyard followed suit, relinquishing their shields and weapons. Caught off guard, Crosshair commanded the arrest of the dissenters, who offered no resistance. Amidst the arrests, however, Senator Taa's stolen shuttle erupted from its hangar and soared into the sky, prompting Crosshair to fire a few futile shots in its direction. Both Crosshair and Howzer watched the departing vessel, before the captain and his supporters were led away.

The Batch and the Twi'leks reconvened on Ord Mantell, which served as the squad's base of operations. With the Marauder and the stolen senatorial shuttle safely landed in the same hangar, Tech demonstrated to Omega and Hera how to obscure a ship's magnetic signature, while Hunter engaged in conversation with Hera's parents. Eleni attempted to offer him the payment that Hera had promised, but he declined, asserting that they would have a greater need for the funds, given the escalating Imperial occupations occurring across the galaxy. Cham lamented that he had hoped to avoid another war, but it had become inevitable, and Hunter declared that he would not be participating, as he had individuals to safeguard. Eleni, however, countered that the impending conflict would affect everyone, not solely the Twi'leks. Cham informed Hera that they were departing, and Hera and Omega exchanged farewells, with Hera expressing her gratitude to Omega for her belief in her and instructing her to look after her brothers. Once Hera and Chopper had boarded the shuttle, it departed as Omega and the Batch observed.

Surveying the extensive damage inflicted upon the refinery, Rampart conceded to Crosshair that he could no longer underestimate his former unit, lamenting that they were not fighting on behalf of the Empire. Crosshair requested authorization to pursue the Batch, which Rampart granted. The Batch's next confrontation with Imperial forces occurred when fellow clone deserter Captain Rex requested their assistance in rescueing the clone commando Gregor, another potential defector, from Daro. The squad infiltrated a clandestine Imperial base where clone commandos were tasked with training squads of recruited troopers intended to replace clones and successfully freed Gregor, but Hunter became separated from the others during their escape. He was captured after instructing the others to evacuate without him, and was confronted by Crosshair, who expressed his hope of capturing the entire squad, but acknowledged that Hunter would suffice.

Crosshair transported Hunter to Kamino, where Rampart was spearheading an operation to dismantle the cloning facilities and secure all of the Kaminoans' expertise for the Empire. Rampart greeted Crosshair as his group arrived, informing a stoic Hunter that he had been impressed by the Bad Batch's actions on Ryloth, before entrusting Crosshair to deal with him as he saw fit. As the Empire prepared to obliterate Tipoca City, Crosshair attempted to persuade the Batch to rejoin the Empire when they arrived to rescue Hunter, even eliminating his own Elite Squad Troopers, but they remained steadfast in their refusal, even after learning that Crosshair had secretly removed his inhibitor chip. Rampart initiated the bombardment of Tipoca City after receiving confirmation from ES-02 that Crosshair had lost control of the situation, but the Bad Batch managed to escape, abandoning Crosshair on a remaining landing platform when he refused to renounce his allegiance to the Empire.

Approximately a year later, Howzer and two of his men were being transferred from Balmorra to Wayland as prisoners aboard a Gozanti-class cruiser. As the cruiser departed from orbit, a transport was observed emerging from hyperspace. The transport carried Echo, Gregor, Fireball, and Nemec onboard, who promptly opened fire upon the cruiser.