“Retrieval”

Repairing the skiff
At the abandoned spaceport, the Bad Batch works on a rusty speeder bike while Omega studies her scanner. Wrecker complains that he is bored, hot, and starving. He says that they are wasting their time and that the skiff is a heap of junk. But Tech claims that with a few repairs, it will be a slightly operational heap of junk. Tech says that the energy cells have enough power to get them to the town on the other half of the hemisphere. Omega suddenly realizes that they have forgotten Gonky. Tech says that since the thief disabled the ship’s transponder, they couldn’t track it. Omega says that she didn’t mean the Marauder and that she means Gonky. Tech says that that is an ingenious idea. He says that she can try a trace on Gonky’s binary reference code. Wrecker says that she should not get her hopes up.

A den of thieves
The Marauder approaches a settlement on a plateau. Inside, a speeder bounces up and down while Gonky approaches the masked thief sitting on the pilot seat. The thief tells Gonk to “shut it” because he is getting annoyed. He removes his helmet, revealing that he is a human boy named Benni Baro. Baro speaks via comlink to his master Mokko, who chastises him for being late. Baro apologizes but tells Mokko that he has found something he would like. Mokko lowers the deflector shield and the Marauder is taken by a conveyer belt into a cavernous hangar.

Inside, Baro chomps on some biscuits while Gonky beeps in Binary. Mokko and several youths and droids greet Baro at the hangar. Mokko is impressed with Baro’s find with Baro says that he got the ship from some amateur miners in the “northern territory.” Inspecting the ship, Mokko says that miners don’t travel in modified starships. Mokko thinks that Baro’s find will cause them trouble and accuses the boy of being ungrateful. Baro explains that he was trying to help. Mokko relents but says that they will have to dismantle and sell the ship piece by piece to avoid drawing attention.

Baro asks if he will be top earner this week. Mokko is evasive but allows Baro to keep Gonky. When Baro asks about water rations and reminds him that he was scouting for water, Mokko mockingly sips a bottle of water in the presence of the thirsty Baro. He allows Baro to drink the remainder while claiming that Mokko always takes care of his crew. Mokko orders the other youths and droids to strip the Marauder. Gonky beeps with concern.

Tracking Gonky and confronting Benni
Back at the abandoned spaceport, Omega is able to track Gonky to 100 kilometers east. She reasons that if Gonky is still on the planet, the Marauder must be also. Following Gonky’s signal, the Bad Batch and Omega travel on the salvaged speeder bike towards the thief’s den. Tech’s scanner detects several lifeforms in a subterranean level. Wrecker remarks that this place looks worse than the abandoned spaceport. Hunter orders the team to split up.

Meanwhile, Baro tells Gonky that he will have to sell him for spareparts since he is “defective.” He is surprised by Hunter and Tech. The former tells Baro that Gonky belongs to the Bad Batch and demands to know where their ship is. Baro attempts to flee on a speeder bike but is ambushed and knocked to the ground by Wrecker. Baro is restrained by Omega, who points her energy bow at him. When Baro asks why they would care about a “beat up old battery,” Omega disagrees.

Hunter asks where their ship again. Baro tells the clones that their ship is with Mokko, who owns the town. Baro is reluctant to betray Mokko since he took care of him but agrees to lead the clones back to their ship. During the journey, Baro explains that Mokko took over the ipsium mine from Techno Union. Omega deduces that Baro is an ipsium miner and a ship thief. When Baro says that stealing is a skill, Omega disagrees. Baro replies that it is when you are good at it.

Infiltrating the mine
Tech generates a schematic of the mine on his hologram, which shows that the subterranean entrances appear to be guarded in shifts and that the mine is protected by a ray shield. Wrecker is not daunted but Baro warns that blasting their way into an ipsium mine is dangerous. Tech proposes infiltrating the mine through the factory stack, which has a lower access hatch inside. If timed correctly, Tech thinks that they can rappel down between exhaust cycles. When Hunter asks about the time window, Tech says it is 60 seconds. Baro wants to back out since he doesn’t want to be burnt alive but Hunter reminds him that he can go when they have recovered their ship.

Working with Tech, Hunter uses a grappling hook to descend into the factory stack. He soon spots a sentry droid, which complicates the mission. After Baro drops a cylindrical rod, Hunter fights with the sentry droid. He manages to run towards an access door before smoke is released at the 60 second interval. However, the droid is not so lucky and is seemingly incinerated. Baro observes that the Bad Batch are not miners, prompting Omega to tell him that he stole from the wrong people.

The rest of the team and Baro descend down the factory stack and enter the access hatch. They see several workers pushing crates of ipsium under the watch of armed droid sentries. When Tech notices the harsh working conditions, Baro explains that the degraded state of the ipsium has forced Mokko to lower wages to keep the mine running. Baro tells the Bad Batch that their ship is in the upper garage bay across from the central tower. He offers to show them a short cut. Hunter warns him not to trick them, prompting Baro to respond that he is not trying to get caught either.

Baro leads them to the Marauder. He attempts to leave but Tech notices that the hyperdrive is missing. Baro says that restoring the hyperdrive will not be difficult. When Omega asks about the ray shield, Baro says that it can only be deactivated from the central tower. Hunter wants to go but Baro argues that the adult clones will stick out too much. If they don’t trust him to go alone, Baro suggests that Omega can come with him since she can blend in with the miners. Tech tells Omega to transfer the data onto a mini computer, which he can access. Baro gives Omega advice on blending in.

Undercover mission
Meanwhile, Mokko gorges on food and drink inside his personal quarters. Outside, Baro explains that they can’t just walk in because only Mokko’s inner circle has access cards. Omega learns that Baro is aspiring to join Mokko’s inner circle. He warns her to act naturally or he will be sent to the mines as punishment. The two descend into the a mess hall via a ladder. One of Baro’s colleagues is playing a game and the two chat about competing to be in Mokko’s inner circle. Mokko soon arrives to speak with the miners to announce the tally.

After giving a brief speech about the bleak season and everyone doing their part, Mokko announces Drake as the winner of the latest round. Drake is awarded extra ratios, which he gulps down. Mokko tells the other adolescent miners that rations are low and that they will have to work harder to survive. Mokko promises not to let his crew staff and leaves them to fight over a bowl of soup. Baro feels betrayed while Omega is disgusted.

Meanwhile, Tech informs the other clones that they are not going anywhere until they have reconnected the hyperdrive. While walking on a suspension bridge, Baro grumbles that stealing the ship did not make him a “top earner.” Omega says that they shouldn’t have to compete for food. Baro says that they have to earn their share to survive here but hopes to impress Mokko. He leads Omega up a ladder into the control room. Once there, Omega informs Hunter, who tells her to get the shield code and get back to the hangar after that.

While Omega copies the data, Baro discreetly presses a button which glows green. He notices that the Bad Batch treat her like one of their kind, which he compares favorably to Mokko’s treatment of his crew. When Omega observes that Mokko doesn’t seem to care about any of them, Baro disagrees. He says that Mokko has promised that they will find better ipsium with more time and digging. Baro explains that he can’t leave because it is his home and that is all he knows.

Omega says she can understand and says that the Marauder is their home, the only one they really have. Baro apologizes for stealing their ship. Omega offers him her rations to thank Baro for helping her. Baro reflects on Omega’s kindness. Meanwhile, Tech has finished installing the motivator but says that he still needs to connect the primaries to the guidance system and adjust the navigation computer. Wrecker reports that the weapons system is online. Hunter decides that they will not reactivate the ship’s system due to his concern about the plight of Mokko’s child laborers. Tech remarks that Mokko appears to be using his power and means as a leverage over his workers, which he likens to the Empire.

Hunter senses movement and sees Drake approaching. Drake notices that the hyperdrive has been restored and asks if Bryce and Hugh removed the hyperdrive. He is startled by the Bad Batch. Wrecker responds that Mokko sent them while Hunter tells them that he is here to claim back their ship. Meanwhile, Omega has difficulty finding the shield codes on Mokko’s computer but finds his profit reports. Omega informs Baro that Mokko had been lying about his ipsium being degraded.

Exposing Mokko
Just then, Mokko enters the control room with two sentries. He thanks Baro for catching another thief before revealing that his left arm is a cybernetic claw. Baro informs Mokko that the others are in the garage bay. Baro apologizes to Omega. Mokko describes Baro as a prospective “top earner” before the sentries take Omega away. Meanwhile, Tech informs Hunter via comlink that the hyperdrive is nearly online. Hunter informs Tech that their “spies” have escaped and have summoned reinforcements.

Mokko confronts Tech and Wrecker on the suspension bridge. When Tech and Wrecker tell him that they have come for their starship, Mokko responds that the ship belongs to him. He warns that if the clones fire, they will ignite the ipsium. When the clones say they don’t miss, Mokko threatens to order one of his droids to throw Omega down a molten chasm. Back in the control room, Baro reads the scans on Omega’s mini computer.

Mokko orders his miners and droids to take Tech and Wrecker into the mines where he intends to imprison them as indentured workers for ten years. Mokko is interrupted by Baro, who reveals that Mokko lied about the degraded ipsium in order to keep a larger share of the profits for himself. Mokko claims that Baro is lying but Baro shows the mini-computer to Drake. Drake confronts Mokko for lying to them and exploiting their labor. Mokko claims that he was taking his share and that the miners wouldn’t survive without him.

Mokko orders the sentry droid to throw Omega into the molten chasm. However, Omega instead drags the droid down with her. Hunter uses a grappling hook to swing her to safety. As the miners converge on Mokko, he insists on keeping his profit and orders his sentry droids to subdue the miners with electrostaffs. However, Tech and Wrecker quickly disable the droids with their blasters. Mokko attempts to defend himself with his cane but loses his balance. Baro extends his hand but Mokko attempts to drag him down with him. Drake pulls Baro to safety and Mokko loses his grip and falls into the molten chasm with his sentry droids. The droids look at their clone liberators.

Resolution
Later, Wrecker hugs Gonky, telling the GNK-series power droid that it is good to have him bag. Baro returns the Bad Batch’s personal belongings under Hunter’s watch. When Omega asks what he and the other miners will do next, Baro replies that they will continue mining ipsium because that is all they know. Omega responds that he can be whatever he wants in a big galaxy. Baro says that miners plan to share the profits. Drake tells Baro it is chow time. Before parting company, Baro tells Omega that if she needs a thief, he can help her.

After Baro leaves, Omega tells Tech that there are other threats besides the Empire like Mokko. Tech reassures her that there are many good people out there like themselves.