“The Harbinger”

The stranger
On Pabu, Wrecker and Crosshair return from a fishing expedition, having befriended a local. Hunter informs them that he hasn’t heard back from Fennec Shand. While Crosshair thinks they should be hunting for answers, Hunter believes that Shand’s contact can help them figure out what an M-count is and why the Galactic Empire is hunting for Omega. Crosshair thinks it doesn’t matter, while Hunter believes they must be prepared.

Meanwhile, Omega and Batcher play on a rocky beach when the lurca hound follows some animals inside a cave. In the cave, Omega finds a mysterious white starship. Batcher retreats from the cave as a pale woman approaches Omega from behind. Batcher races out of the cave and finds the rest of the Bad Batch. She leads them back to the cave, where they find the mysterious woman dragging Omega by her wrist.

When confronted by the Bad Batch, the woman releases Omega. She chides the clones for failing to lay low, focusing on Omega. When Crosshair asks who she is, the woman says Fennec Shand sent her. Hunter is annoyed that Shand’s contact was able to find them despite not giving her their coordinates. The woman is aware of their interest in the M-count, which she describes as dangerous. She asks why they are interested in the M-count as payment before divulging its secrets. When Hunter responds that they have already paid Shand for the information, the woman tells them to take it or leave it.

Omega says they are interested in the M-count because the Empire is seeking a “friend” for some mysterious M-count experiment. The woman believes that the M-count is something in the blood of all living beings. Those with a high M-count were believed to be more capable of wielding the Force.

When Hunter asks if this is connected to the Jedi, Omega asks if she is saying she is a Jedi. The woman replies that her blood does not make her a Jedi but rather training. The woman says that Force-sensitive clones are unusual but that they are genetically defective clones. Wrecker says she got that right. The woman remarks that the Kaminoans produced millions of clones and warns that the Empire will hunt them down if they have a high M-count. She concludes that this is their intelligence before walking away.

Balancing rocks
When Omega asks the woman if that is why the Empire is after her, the woman says that she can’t determine her Midi-chlorian without testing her. Omega asks the woman to test her, saying she can handle it. The woman warns that the truth is not comforting, but Omega insists. The woman relents but warns Omega that she asked for it.

Later, the woman tests Omega on the rocky shore by getting her to balance a rock on her head while stretching her arms and standing on one leg. When Omega asks what this exercise has to do with her M-count, the woman tells Omega to stop striving for balance and to let go of her conscious mind. Omega is ignorant of the concept. When she slips, the woman tells Omega to try again. Wrecker tries to cheer Omega up, but the woman tells him and Hunter to leave. Hunter insists on staying and watching over them.

When Omega asks if she is a Jedi, the woman confirms she is not a Jedi but knows about some of their ways. She tells Omega to concentrate and continue her test. Crosshair returns from consulting Tech’s files from the Republic Archives and confirms that the woman is Asajj Ventress. When Wrecker asks why a Separatist assassin is helping them, Crosshair questions whether she is helping them.

After Omega slips on the slippery shore, Ventress asks what happened before helping her up. Ventress sends Omega to retrieve a white blossom from a Weeping maya tree at the top of the colonnade before sunset. Omega starts to complain but complies. With Omega gone, she warns the rest of the Bad Batch that whatever they are planning won’t end well for them. She asks them to think carefully as she approaches them.

Veterans on opposite sides
Meanwhile, Omega runs up the streets of Pabu to reach the weeping maya tree. As the sun sets, she convinces Batcher to give her a ride to the top of the colonnade. Back at the cove, Hunter and the clones demand that Ventress leave. Ventress refuses to leave until she has finished testing Omega. The clones aim their blasters at Ventress, but the former assassin uses the Force to hurl their weapons away. She warns them not to cheat as they charge at her.

Ventress engages the Bad Batch in hand-to-hand combat. After several rounds, Crosshair manages to pin her down but she breaks free. She then fights Wrecker before pushing him into the other clones. Following the fight, she asks Hunter and Wrecker if they have had enough. When Wrecker asks what she intends to do with Omega, Ventress suggests she could take Omega. While Ventress is distracted, Crosshair retrieves their firearms and returns them to their brothers.

Ventress asks the Bad Batch to stand down, but Hunter replies that they don’t like to follow orders. With Batcher’s help, Omega reaches the maya tree and relieves a white blossom before sunset. The Bad Batch shoots at Ventress, but she uses her yellow lightsaber to deflect their blaster bolts. Ventress says she doesn’t intend to kill them, but they are tempting her. Wrecker responds defiantly, and she charges at them.

When Omega and Batcher return, they find Ventress Force choking Wrecker. When Omega asks what is happening, Hunter tells her Ventress is a war criminal. Ventress responds that times have changed for them both. When Hunter disagrees that they are the same, Ventress replies that they are both pawns who lost the Clone Wars. She warns them that the Empire is more dangerous than they can fathom. Before walking away, she tells them that she is not their enemy.

A second chance
Later that night, Hunter tells Omega that Ventress cannot be trusted due to her actions during the Clone Wars. Omega disagrees and says that Ventress did not kill them when she had the chance. Wrecker disagrees, saying that Ventress was warming up. Omega says she doesn’t know about the wars but that people can change. Crosshair thinks Omega is naive, but Omega counters that she never gave up on him. She urges the men to give Ventress a chance.

The sea adventure
The following day, Omega and Batcher find Ventress by the pier. Ventress is surprised that Omega returned, given what the other clones told her about Ventress. Omega knows Ventress’s actions during the Clone Wars but compliments her for staying around. She believes that Ventress is trying to help and asks about the tests. Ventress says she failed the first test but is evasive about the second. The two depart on a boat while Batcher stays behind. Ventress is unnerved about Omega’s smiles, finding it unsettling.

Ventress takes Omega into deep waters, explaining that Force-sensitive individuals have an affinity for nature and connect with things that respond to their energy. She activates a blue platform and tells Omega to contact the Force for anything. At the Archium on Pabu island, Wrecker is uncomfortable letting Omega spend time alone with Ventress. Hunter reminds him they promised Omega not to intervene. Wrecker realizes that Ventress can still sense they are watching.

Omega struggles with the test. Ventress blames the three older clones for her lack of training and discipline. Omega counters that she has training. Ventress explains that Force training differs from being trained to be a soldier. Omega steps away from the platform, prompting Ventress to ask whether it wastes time. Omega asks why she should listen to Ventress when she doesn’t understand these things.

Ventress demonstrates her Force powers by summoning a shoal of green rays. However, she also accidentally summons a large sea monster with a thick shell, large maw, and tentacles known as the Vrathean. Seeing the danger, the other clones prepare the ”Marauder” and depart. The vrathean overturns their boat and grabs Omega with its tentacles. Ventress frees Omega with her lightsaber and brings Omega to the surface. The two retreat to the capsized boat. As the vrathean closes in on them, the “Marauder” strafes the creature, agitating it.

Ventress says she can handle the Vathean but that her friends only worsen it. Omega convinces Hunter and the others to stop firing and let Ventress handle the situation. Ventress uses the Force to communicate with the sea monster and convinces it to depart peacefully. Crosshair picks them up and brings them aboard the “Marauder.” Omega describes the adventure as fun.

Hard choices
At the cove, Ventress concludes that Omega does not have a high M-count. Omega is perplexed, but Wrecker says they will figure it out. She and Wrecker leave to get some chow. Omega thanks Ventress before leaving. In private, Crosshair tells Ventress she is lying. Ventress says that if Omega has a high potential, she would have to be trained, which would mean leaving the Bad Batch. Hunter refuses to leave Omega, but Ventress warns that the Empire is after Omega and recommends that they leave Pabu. She tells them they are not as safe as they think. When questioned about her allegiances, Ventress confirms she is not with the Empire and has few lives left. The clones watch as she flies away into space.