Jedi Insurgency 288

Waking from his meditation, Corvus saw the Millennium Falcon parked nearby, and a bored looking Bad Batch roasting some game they had hunted. 

“All done with yer training, General?” Hunter asked, offering up a shishkabob of meat & veggies on a skewer. 

“Thanks, Hunter. And almost. I know you men are antsy to get back to the front now that Omega has a home. Let me tell you, I appreciate everything you five have done helping teach tactics & outdoor survival training.” Corvus said, giving them their flowers. 

“Awww, it weren'much, General. Anything ta help lil Omega fit in with her friends.” Wrecker said with a big childish grin, then chugged a big foamy mug of beer. 

“Yes, yes. It was most enjoyable to be found out despite wearing a camo-cloak, and crouched in a tree. The Force is very fair.” Crosshair snarked in a dark voice, and roll of the eyes. 

“Cheer up, Crosshair. Between my research, the archives, and Tython's special nature, haven't we all made some progress?” Tech chirped, looking up from a dataslate full of research to nod at the bald sniper. 

“Tch. Being able to barely feel the presence of someone, or their intentions is hardly what I'd call extraordinary.” Crosshair crossed his arms, and sighed. 

“Your research is quite phenomenal, Tech. Last I checked, you said that by combining the data from the Murakama flowers, and injecting a serum, you could awaken trace amounts of Force ability in others? I think there is a world where the five of you might even become as active as a Padawan.” Corvus encouraged. 

Afterall, giving the Force to others was not unheard of. For example, Palpatine in Legends could enhance someone like say Han Solo, and transform them into a Force Sensitive on par with Obi-Wan. The Staff of Marka Ragnos could inherently transform others, and certainly, if he put his mind to it. Plagueis could as well. 

Given that Tech had taken Plagueis’s research on Naboo, and had been studying the Murakama flowers for several months now-a Force Sensitive organism that made those zombies-and had access to Tython's database, the genius scientist had put some pieces of the puzzle together. 

“Yes, General, you are correct. However, I theorize that the serum would not hold on just any world. It would require what you Jedi call a Force Nexus to properly take. Furthermore, I synthesize Murakama extract, which is an incredibly dangerous act. Any leakage would result in another spread of that plague. Fortunately, Master Kina Ha is particularly adept in this area.” Tech ignored Crosshair's surely attitude, and continued to babble on about his discoveries & hypotheses like a child that had discovered videogames. 

Corvus was all too happy to humor him, and enjoyed snacking on his shishkabob with relish. 

“Thank you for your contributions to science, Tech. Peace suits you well. All of you.” Corvus complimented, then looked at Echo especially. 

The cybernetic man, and one time science experiment had perhaps undergone the rawest deal out of everyone present. His last was mired with torture and betrayal. Now, enjoying the peaceful nature of Tython, a change had occurred in the Bad Batch's second in command. 

“Oi, ee's sayin you got fat!” Wrecker guffawed. 

“Analysis shows your waistline has indeed increased by 1.5 inches.” Tech added on, holding out a scanner a blue ray swept up and down Echo's midsection, beeping all the way. 

“Put that thing away.” Echo said in an embarrassed tone, slapping the scanner away. 

“You've grown fat, brother.” Hunter smirked, then took an extra crispy bite from his kebob, crunching down on a grilled, onion-like vegetable. 

“General, don't you have some mystic voodoo magic solution for this? Wave your hand, give me the green stuff.” Echo practically begged, ignoring the ribbing his brothers were dishing out. 

“You've read the internal reports same as the rest of us, Echo.” Crosshair began in a silky smooth voice filled with schadenfreude. “The General's green light heals one to 100%. Exactly as a man is.” 

Corvus, for his part, stroked his chin. He had never really considered body modification under the auspices of [Heal]...however, now that Echo had mentioned it. That was a great idea! Previously, when fighting Vader, in order to destroy the Infinite Gear, he had pumped everything he had into [Heal]. In the process, he had accidentally completely restored Prime Vader. 

Such a mistake was one of the things that had been haunting him for the past month. However, as [Heal] was one of the concepts he best understood out of all of his abilities…he felt like it was possible! 

“General? General, why are you stroking your chin like that? Ah? Uh. Maybe I can just work off the weight. Yeah, that's right. Don't you worry brothers, I'll be right as rain in no time. Here, I'll go on a run now, no time like the present.” Echo hurriedly, nervously spoke. 

Corvus clamped his hand down on Echo's shoulder. “And just where do you think you're going, soldier?” 

Echo gulped. “Like I said, sir, a run-”

“Nonsense. You're perfectly correct, Echo. You need to be in tip top shape since you're going to redeploy.” 

“But sir-”

“You don't want to leave your brothers high and dry, do you?” Corvus sternly lectured, adopting a holier than thou, righteous persona. 

Echo met the eyes of Hunter sitting behind him, and hung his head in shame. “Oh, very well, General. Give me your best shot.” 

“Hm.” Corvus nodded, then sat down in a meditative position, slightly floating a foot off the ground as he began to focus intensely. 

“Ack, ya done gone and done it now. Good on you, Ech-oh.” Wrecker slapped his brother roughly on the back, making him stumble forward. 

“I wonder. Will the General slice off a few portions first? Vibroblade, or lightsaber? Doesn't he need to [Heal] an injured person?” Crosshair continued to speak in a low, sinister voice. 

“Indeed! I must record this scene for future generations. One day, when I become a true Jedi, I must replicate this exact scenario.” Tech excitedly added on, paying no attention to the increasingly pale-purple-green expression of Echo's face. 

“Heh, you might as well wolf down all you can eat now, brother. After this, you'll probably want to be on a diet.” Hunter wolfishly handed over a mug of ale, and some carb heavy food. 

“Hunter, you're the only one who gets me.” Echo practically sobbed, taking his brother in a tight hug. 

“Easy, easy, just make sure when you barf your guts out later, you do it down wind.” Hunter said, pulling back, wrinkling his keen nose. “And by the Force, brush your teeth sometime, man!” 

“...” Echo stared at his brother, mouth agape. 

“You'd better start eating, I think the General is close to finding his epiphany.” Hunter reminded. 

Echo flinched at that, then grabbed the food Hunter had offered, and began chugging alcohol like it was his last day on the planet. Which, considering how things had progressed, they might very well ship off Tython within the next 24hrs! 

Corvus, meanwhile, was putting together all of the knowledge he had accumulated as a Jedi, trying to find a practical way for body modification. Crosshair wasn't entirely wrong, until now, every time he'd healed someone, it would restore them to their previous ‘peak’ state. Whether you were thin as a twig, or thick as an ox, that's what you would look like once restored.

‘Hmmm.’ 

Flicking his hand at Echo, he concentrated deeply. Green light encased the man, aaand nothing happened. 

“Want my knife, General?” Crosshair offered. “Just tell me where to cut.” 

Corvus waved the bald saboteur off, much to Echo's relief. 

“But maybe you're onto something. Often times it is said, to create, one must destroy.” Corvus murmured to himself. 

“Please, whatever you do, make it quick.” Echo pleaded, yet stood straight, trying to look tough. 

Corvus shook his head as he pondered. Shaving away flesh was a crude path. Perhaps it would work, but he didn't think so. No, instead he needed to find a solution that relied upon the Force. 

As he meditated, and the night dragged on, Ashla and Bogan-one luminescent pearl & dark jade-shimmered down upon him. Dark & Light intertwined, granting him a glimmer of inspiration. Give & take, push & pull. Eyes glimmering with [Force Sight], he stared past Echo and into the great beyond. Countless inspirations flooded his mind as he opened himself up. So much information, it was almost enough to drive a man mad. Any lesser or newly initiated Force Sensitive would be driven mad by this excessive information. However, thanks to Pause, Corvus had infinite time to process this deluge. Light & Dark constantly pressed upon his psyche, and finally, with the moonlight shining upon his white robes, and his shadow stretching across the clearing encompassing all those present, had he come to a conclusion. 

By mixing the plague like qualities of the Darkside ability [Slow], and actively reshaping an organism, he could mold it into a form he saw fit. Then, with the other hand, he must gradually apply [Heal] in an ordered process. Without fully curing the darkness in his target, whilst simultaneously burning away the minty freshness of [Heal], he had found a way. 

Eyes blazing white/dark like Yin & Yang, time seemed to freeze within the clearing as his shadow pulled beneath him into a circle so small, it was lesser in size than the lid to a jar of peanut butter. Power flowed from both his hands. Red & Green intermingled as they transformed what was into what would be. The galaxy churned, and nearby trees swayed as a new ability was birthed upon the universe. 

Echo screamed in painfilled ecstasy. From the most basic of cells to his nerves, muscles, and organs. Each and every section of him felt like it was on fire. At the same time, his body was pumped full of a lethal amount of serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline and other hormones. Yet he did not die. Under the stunned, awed, fearful gaze of his brothers, Echo's body was reworked. Once ravaged by implants, the cybernetics were pushed out, and that small glimmer of Force Sensitivity solution Tech had injected into Echo was enhanced. 

Twin beams of moonlight, one dazzling white, the other dim black shone down from Ashal & Bogan as Corvus pulled upon their power. Tython answered him in kind, adding more to this miracle than he ordinarily would be capable of. 

Feeling the immense power tugging on his shoulders, and sapping his energy, Corvus recognized this as a brief moment of epiphany. A moment in time that once gone, to recreate it would require much training and pondering. What was happening now was beyond any simple remodeling, but was practically akin to creating life itself! 

Under these circumstances, he knew he had to act fast. Entering the [Shadow Wrath State] to give him that extra little boost, he now had the will to expand his targets. Thus, he promptly began to work his magic on the brothers of the Bad Batch! 

All together now, the brothers screamed as they were transformed. For fifteen long minutes, Corvus tirelessly, mercilessly enhanced them into something remarkable, something new. What he was doing was like the Sith Alchemists of old, creating new sub-species of themselves. 

White, phosphorus blood seeped from all his pores and from his blackened, shadow-strewn skin. Where it fell, the ground hissed as if acid had been poured onto it, yet the plants that were touched suddenly bloomed with untold potential. 

In the end, fifteen minutes later, he staggered to his knees, spent. Drowsiness took him, and he barely remained conscious. However, the five men-now naked due to the extreme strain placed upon their bodies-were steaming. Sculpted like Greek statues, cured of their fast aging, and with impervious bodies like iron, that unmistakable source of power coursed through their veins. 

They were Force Sensitive.

~~~~~~

AN: Pls forgive me. As power levels become increasingly higher in this story, the Bad Batch become progressively useless. Forgive a man for wanting to uplift his bros.