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clownery-and-fuckery · 6 months

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Another wip for you bc I like sharing my large collection of Tech whump

Missions didn't tend to last this long. Tech wondered when trouble would strike.

He moved around the ship, carefully examining the well checked machinery Tech knew he had already fixed. Hunter made him stay back, telling Tech to "take it easy" while the others completed their objective. That was a ridiculous notion, Tech tapped away at the console, leg bouncing insistently. He did not need to "take it easy" as Hunter claimed. What he needed was to be out there, with his brothers and sister. He needed to be active, useful.

"Brown Eyes?" Tech startled hard, turning quickly and drawing his pistols. "Woah-!" Phee jumped, arms raised. "Relax!! It's just me, Brown Eyes." Tech blinked hard, letting his grip loosen on his pistols as he lowered them, slowly. "Wow." Phee laughed, dropping her hands and walking further into the ship. "Didn't realise you were so jumpy."

Tech fumbled, squaring his shoulders. "I am not, usually." Tech said, looking away. "You just happened to have caught me off guard." Phee laughed again, looking around the ship, hands on her hips. "So." Phee caught Tech's eye and grinned. "They left you here to babysit the ship, huh?" Tech stilled, giving her a stiff nod. "Bummer." Phee wandered over, casually leaning on his chair. "How long until they get back?"

Tech glanced up at her. "I'm not sure." He said honestly. "I estimate we have an hour, why do you ask?" Phee shrugged, lazily gesturing outside. "An hour sounds like enough time to go explore." Tech frowned, shaking his head. "Hunter would not approve." Tech told her immediately, and Phee sighed. "Don't be boring!" Phee turned Tech's chair around, startling him slightly. "What dark and broody doesn't know won't hurt him, right?"

Tech stared up at Phee, and considered her. "Hunter won't like that." Tech mumbled, but itched to get off the ship. Phee grinned wider, knowing she was close to convincing him. "Come on, Brown Eyes!" Phee nudged him, and Tech did not shy away. "We'll be quick. Your brothers won't even realise." Tech hummed, thinking before sighing. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to take a small look around the planet. Tech had been eyeing the scenery since they arrived.

"Alright." Tech sighed, and Phee lit up. "Let's go!" Phee grabbed Tech's arm, pulling him up and dragging him out. Tech barely had the chance to lock up the ship as Phee pulled him away, down a dirt path. They disappeared into the forestry. Tech looked around, admiring the landscape. The woods were different, unlike anything Tech had ever known growing up. War tended to ruin the land, and even with the Empire exploiting everything nowadays, nature seemed to retake its place. It was admirable, Tech enjoyed the science behind it, as well as the sight.

"You know," Phee mentioned, dragging Tech back from his observations. "There's supposedly treasure around these parts." Tech fought the urge to sigh, both at Phee's statement and the curiosity it sparked in him. "We could have a quick look for it, if you wanted." Phee squeezed Tech's hand, reminding him of its hold on him. Tech faltered, but didn't let go. What caught his attention was the shiver than ran through him.

"Would it-" Tech couldn't believe he was considering this, but his skin crawled at the thought of spending more time alone on the ship. "Would it take long?" Tech asked, quiet. Phee smiled, shaking her head. "Shouldn't, no." Tech let his shoulders drop, relaxing. "Then it couldn't hurt, I suppose." Tech muttered, thoughtful, looking at his datapad. The signal was dropping rapidly, there was no real way to tell if Hunter and the others were by the ship, and considering Tech was the only one that could unlock the ship, that was a problem.

Tech put his datapad away, and focused on the task at hand. Phee was leading him down a winding path, filled with thorn bushes and loose branches that cut into their skin. The fog seemed to circle an area, and that's precisely where Phee was leading them. They came upon a circle of large rocks, each decorated delicately. The centre was almost empty, aside from a patch of dirt. In the centre there was a flower, delicate and pink in colour. Tech thought it looked quite pretty. "What is this?" Tech asked, wandering towards it. The fog got worse the closer he got, and as Phee's hand slipped from his, she completely disappeared from view.

"It's a ritual site." Phee explained from somewhere to Tech's left. "I think."

Tech hummed in response, turning as he walked, looking around. The symbols on the rocks suggested an accurate knowledge of astrology, though the erosion told Tech it was at least a few thousand years old. How old, Tech wasn't sure. He approached one of the stones as Phee started talking, explaining some legend she'd heard about the site.

He leaned in close, squinting through the fog towards the rock, when a sudden gust of wind sent dust directly into his face. Tech spluttered, wiping uselessly at his helmet front to get it off. "You okay?" Phee called from behind him, and Tech tore off his helmet to get the dust off. "I am fine." Tech responded, huffing in frustration when the dust stuck stubbornly to his helmet and goggles. "There is dust all over me." He muttered, hoping his admittance would go unheard.

It didn't.

"Here," Phee's voice grew closer. "Let me help." Tech flinched hard when hands appeared from the fog, gently lifting his goggles from his face. Tech stuttered, resistance breif before Phee cupped his face, wiping gently at the dust. It came away easily for her, and Tech blinked as his goggles were returned. "Thank–" Tech started, but startled when the hands suddenly yanked themselves back, and the fog disappeared completely.

"Phee?" Tech called, looking around to find himself alone. "Phee!" Tech called again, more insistent, but silence answered him. Tech frowned, confused, and looked around again. The stones seemed much larger, towering over him. Strange, he swore he was only a bit shorter than them when they first arrived. He shook it off, calling for Phee once more as his comm pinged.

"Yes?" Tech spoke into his comm, still searching for Phee as he answered. He trembled hard, though it felt scorching hot. "Tech!" Echo's voice sounded angry, and Tech found himself confused again. "Where are you?!" Tech looked up, and it was glaring obvious he was missing something. "We've been trying to comm you for almost an hour! Get your ass back to the shuttle, now!" Tech tensed, stuttering stupidly for a moment. "But I–" Tech started, looking around again, almost desperate. "I was with Phee—?"

Echo paused. "What?" Tech asked, growing frustated with his confusion. "We were only gone a few moments, I dont know what happned. And now I can't find her at all–" Tech was cut off by Hunter, his time. "Repeat that?" Hunter sounded as confused as Tech. "Phee." Tech gestured, though they couldn't see it. "Phee was with me, I don't know where she went." Tech waited in silence for a response. He expected Hunter to sigh before ordering him to "look harder" or even join Tech in his search. Instead, Echo answered, slow and cautious.

"Phee didn't come with us."

Tech paused, blinking hard. "Ridiculous." Was his immediate response. He had seen her, felt her hand clasping his. They had spoken, but now, looking around the very much empty space, Tech doubted himself. He looked around, more frantic, and heard his breathing kick up when he found nothing, again. "Tech." Hunter's voice was steady, bringing Tech back from the blinding panic threatening to slam into him.

"Yes?" Tech winced at the way his voice hitched. "Get back to the ship." Hunter ordered gently, and Tech forced himself to breathe, and responded with a quick, "I'm on my way." Before taking a final glance towards the stones, scanning for Phee one last time, still not sure what to think, before he turned and started the walk back to the shuttle. The whole wood seemed changed, though Tech was not sure why.

This was wrong, Tech concluded on his way back. This wasn't the way he came. Turning, Tech tried to follow the path, though it led to nowhere, and Tech searched around feverishly. "Hunter!" Tech said into his comm, glancing around as he did so. "Hunter, I can't– I don't know where I'm going—" The trees leaned into him, closing in until there was only one way left for Tech to go. Breaking into a run, Tech stumbled along the path, tripping over a root and tumbling down, gasping sharply. Tech landed on a dirt patch, and looked up.

He was back at the ritual site.

This was definitely wrong. Tech scrambled to his feet. This was so, so wrong. Tech span around, looking every direction. "Hunter?!" Tech called into his comm, hearing his voice shake. "Echo-? Can you hear me?" Tech received no answer. Tech looked around, frantic. The fog was dense, too dense, Tech could hardly see his own hands through it. He tripped over himself in his hasty twisting and turning, trying to see anything through the fog when—

"Tech?"

He turned, freezing in place. Phee was standing fog covering her figure. "Phee!" Tech called, relieved. "Come on," She held out her hand, stretched towards him. "We should get back to the others." Tech hesitated, taking a few trembling steps towards her when he paused. Echo said Phee never came on this mission. Then who was this? Tech stopped, drawing up. "Tech." Phee's voice dropped, sounding weary. "The others are waiting. Let's go." The hand reached further, and Tech longed to take it.

"Tech!!" A new voice called from behind Tech. Hunter. Tech turned again, squinting. He couldn't see Hunter, yet his voice sounded close in his ear, and a calm enveloped Tech when he heard it. Hunter called him again, and Tech felt conflicted. "Tech! We have to go, come on!" Phee snapped, snagging his arm in a vice grip. Tech gasped sharply, turning to see what he thought was Phee, tugging at him harshly.

Tech struggled, pulling himself free. "Who are you?" Tech demanded, after freeing himself. "You're not Phee." Tech stared hard at whatever was in front of him. Tech backed away, his head felt lighter than cotton. Phee, now distorted and wrong, faded backwards into the fog. "Where is Hunter?" Tech asked into the mist. "Where are the others?" Tech called, looking around. He got no answer, but the fog started circling him, more insistent. Tech's head swam.

He swallowed thickly, stumbling as the mist closed in. "Hunter–!" Tech called, desperately trying to see around the fog and the dots in his vision. Tech wobbled, eyes clouded as a figure approached. Tech collapsed, falling endlessly through the fog, the last thing he heard was Hunter calling him again.

#ive got SO MUCH tech whump.#its actually insane #sw the bad batch #tbb tech #tbb hunter #tbb echo #phee genoa #tech x phee #slightly its supposed to evolve

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