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mylifeisactuallyamess · 11 months

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Chapter 21: Choices

A/N: This has taken me a while and I’m sorry! Just been stirring myself in a little spiralling pot of self hatred. You know, the usual. Girlrotting.

Warnings: Mentions of death, stress, panic, feelings, ND behaviour, and Palpatine.

Word Count: 10.5k+ (my finger slipped.)

Masterlist

Tagging: @idoubleswearimawriter @ravenclawbitch426 @dreamqueenkala @moon-wrecked

The entire ship was quiet. Occasionally someone would attempt to get some sleep but there was a quiet restlessness that resided in all them. Even Omega was affected as she tried to meditate in her room. You mainly stayed in your place on the floor, shifting when you got too uncomfortable or when Wrecker took Gonky to exercise his muscles. Not much conversation was had, Echo and Tech discussed Rex’s flight plan while Hunter brooded about the planet they were heading to.

His knife was singing, flipping through the air even though his eyes were trained on a spot on the floor. You had geared up in your armour, feeling more unsettled the closer you got to Coruscant. Tech stayed in the cockpit, going over the intel Rex had sent through and working out every possible outcome he could. What happened between you burned at the forefront of your mind, but now wasn’t the time to confront it.

You looked up as Hunter and Echo silently swapped places, you knew they had come to an unspoken agreement to watch you. He settled in the seat, staring up at the screen with those light honey coloured eyes. “Are you worried?” You asked, making him turn round. “About going back?”

“No. Strategically it makes sense and we should be able to slip under their radar because to the Empire, we don’t exist anymore.”

“With the ship's signature scrambled as well they will not recognise us at all,” Tech announced his arrival into the conversation as he usually did. “I am confident this mission will be a success.”

“Well, we don’t know where Rex has us extracting this data from,” Echo pointed out, motioning with his scomp. “Don’t get too cocky until we know more details.”

“I am not cocky,” Tech responded quickly as he nudged his goggles. “I am sure in our abilities and running the statistics with previous data of extraction missions, I would say we have a very high chance of success.”

“Yeah, we’ve done this before,” Wrecker agreed.

The proximity warnings went off and Hunter pulled the ship from hyperspace before moving to let Tech in the pilot's seat. You followed Omega into the cockpit, getting a look at the planet you’d heard so much about and never seen.

At first the light pattern looked like a scrawling mess, then you saw it was in fact obscured by cloud cover. The darker side of the planet was lit up like the streets of Ord Mantell during a festival. You’d never seen so much life below, so many people crowded all on one planet.

Ships filled the sky, flying to and away from the surface, making their way past the orbiting Venators. Hunter was on high alert, his brow dipping down as he watched the planet get closer through the canopy. Really he didn’t want to be here, or bring you and Omega to somewhere he knew was dangerous for all of you. Automatically you reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder and he acknowledged it with a small nod.

The day was bright, the clouds white and fluffy with the sky a rich blue that you couldn’t help but admire as Tech guided the ship through the tall buildings. Omega was just as enamoured, leaning forward to try and see everything at once with small gasps. She’d never seen a planet like this before. Soon the taller buildings dropped away and Tech followed the service lines to a wide hole in the ground. This led to the lower levels. You watched the sides swallow up the daylight, only artificial light existed down here in the depths of the planet and it gave you a sense of foreboding.

Eventually the ship was set down in the dark, away from everything else on an empty platform. You grabbed your helmet, sticking close to Hunter as he descended the ramp. The air was weirdly cold down here, echoes of ships passing unseen could be heard and your footsteps rang out louder than they should. The Marauder powered down and a door opened ahead with two figures emerging.

One you recognised instantly even without his armour or poncho. Rex stepped forward, wearing a blue outfit that made him look relaxed. His sense of calm washed over you, pulling you in and he gave you a nod which you returned.

“Glad you made it,” he addressed the group. “This is Senator Riyo Chuchi.” Everyone's attention settled on the Pantoran. She had blue skin which reminded you of the bright sky up top, large golden eyes that roamed over the group, with gold markings that stood out on her cheeks. Her hair was a glorious pastel purple; it reminded you of the inside of your purple meiloorun from that day at the festival. “These are the special clones I told you about and their medic.”

“Hello!” You smiled a little at Omega’s instant friendliness.

“Thank you for coming,” the Senator said. Her voice was soft and mellow, a calming tone that you wanted recorded to play in your ears constantly.

“Why are we here, Captain?” Hunter wanted this to be over quickly and he made that clear. Rex shared a look with Riyo and then pointed over his shoulder.

“Inside. There’s something I want you to see.” You followed the boys, pausing at the doorway and looking out into the dark.

“Is…everything all right?” It was the first time Tech had spoken to you. His eyes cast out into the gloom before he looked at you with a slight tilt to his head.

“Yeah, fine.” He seemed satisfied and walked off but you looked back out, not liking the way your skin prickled or how your senses were sparking with something. It felt like you were being watched but by who, or what. You had no idea.

It looked like a stasis chamber but all it did was remind you of your confinement. Rex opened the panel on the top and you came face to face with another clone. Tendrils of your nightmares ensnared you, squeezing on your throat, constricting your chest and you took a step back in horror. There was a void in the box, a silence that nothing could break and it screamed at you.

“He’s an assassin,” Rex clarified to the group. “His identifying numbers been wiped.”

“I was not aware that was possible.” Tech seemed surprised by the information.

“Who was his target?” Hunter asked.

“A clone contact of mine named Slip,” Rex answered heavily. “He said he was in danger. I came to Coruscant to get him out, but the assassin got to him first. Nearly got the Senator too.”

“Why would a clone be targeting another clone or a Senator?” Echo frowned. He knew there was more at work here than what they were seeing.

“To silence us,” Chuchi spoke up. “Admiral Rampart has the entire Senate believing Kamino was lost to a cataclysmic storm.” You felt the boys all tense up but Omega was openly angry as her hands balled into fists. “Slip witnessed the truth. I wanted him to testify to Ramparts crimes.”

“We did this.”

“We were following orders.”

“But we still did it. Our homeworld, destroyed because of us.”

“Good soldiers follow orders…”

The memory was fleeting but it made you suck in a breath as you stared at the dead clone. The pieces were coming together but still the gap yawned widely. You knew what was coming, and yet, didn’t know. It scared the living stars out of you.

Your visions were carrying more and more weight.

“We were there too, Senator.” Echo told her. “I can be your witness.” Your heart was pounding as you watched the discussion between the boys, hating how much this felt like an actual nightmare. Closing your eyes you hoped to wake up from it all, but the boys kept talking.

“Where’s the Venator now?” Wrecker queried loudly, his gruff voice pulling you back into the room.

“Being retrofitted at the Imperial shipyard right here on Coruscant,” Rex explained. “Lots of security, but I know a way in.”

“Rampart’s Defence Recruitment Bill goes to a vote tomorrow. We must prove his crimes before it passes.” Riyo looked up at Rex. “I’ll return to the Senate and garner support where I can.”

“You could still be in danger,” Rex pointed out but you could already see she wasn’t going to back down.

“Then I must be on the right track,” she told him grimly.

“I can go with her and keep an eye out,” Omega piped up, looking round at her brothers.

“You can’t enter the Senate district without an Imperial security clearance,” Chuchi told her.

“That will not be a problem,” Tech added quickly.

“And Stitch…” you looked up to find everyone staring, fingers curled nervously around the base of your helmet as you concentrated on Rex who was coming towards you. “I want to ask you something.” He carried on and you had no choice but to follow him to a shadowy part of the workshop. You looked over his shoulder to see Tech watching, Hunter had his characteristic cross armed stance, but he was scowling as he listened.

“I’m not sure what I can do,” you said quietly to Rex.

“I don’t need you for this mission,” he responded almost apologetically. “But, uh…I need you for afterwards.”

“Afterwards?” You didn’t think the boys were staying, you could sense Hunter’s irritation and constant worry about being here as it was. No way would they stay. “You’re asking me to stay behind?” Hunter jerked in your peripheral, his arms uncrossing as he closed his eyes for a moment. He was definitely listening.

“It’s a big ask,” Rex hurried as your entire body shifted, shrinking away from him and your eyes couldn’t rest on anything as the panic began to take hold. “I wouldn’t be asking it if I wasn’t desperate. I need your help, Stitch.” His eyes were wide, a hand came up to brush over his scalp in an almost nervous gesture. He was holding back, you could feel him wanting to say more.

“I can’t…” your brain was confused, loud thoughts spewing forth at the idea of not being with the boys, not being near Tech. The room swam before you, shelves bending as the shadows stalked you like wild animals. Everything was terrifying here and you wanted to run back out to the Marauder and hide next to Gonky. It was one thing to be left on Ord Mantell where it was safe, completely another to be abandoned in the very centre of the galaxy.

“I can’t say much, right now. I’m sorry for that. Not until this mission is done and then I can explain more.” He was gazing at you, making your breath catch as you caught the pleading light in those eyes you knew so well. If it wasn’t for his hair he’d look exactly like Jango and that made part of you want to lean in his direction, but there was something in you that wanted to run for the deep space. The longer you were here the more this entire planet made your skin crawl. “Think about it.” You heard Rex say, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck as disappointment lay on his shoulders.

Your legs wouldn’t move. Your insides were quivering and you felt the pressure of a panic attack as it wrapped tightly round your lungs. Closing your eyes you tried to find that centre of peace but there was only blackness and twisted chaos…

“Stitch.” A tear escaped when you opened your eyes, looking into those concerned brown eyes that you adored so much. Worry lined Tech’s face and you automatically reached out. Hesitation made it so your motion didn’t complete but he saw and he took a moment to respond. Flexing his own hand in your direction and gently taking your limp fingers in his grip.

You were on the verge of shattering, breath quickening to match the pace of your heart as he stepped closer. You couldn’t stop looking at him, drinking him in as he came so close to you. “Breathe.” Yes, breathe. His eyes watched your lips, darting back to your eyes and you saw a slight blush creep across his cheeks. His hand was warm in yours, even bleeding through the gloves the same as his calmness was slowly beating through your fear. You felt pressure on your wrist, right at your pulse point, his fingers feeling the throb of your body and making sure you were calming down.

“H-he wants me to stay,” you whispered quickly. “He wants me to stay behind when you leave and I don’t know if I can do that, Tech.” He frowned at your words, clearly trying to sort out why Rex would need you to stay behind, processing what that meant.

“Rex would not ask lightly,” he told you slowly.

“Tech…” the tears were coming faster now and your nervous gaze fell on the others as they crowded round the Captain. They needed to move and you were holding things up. “You should go.” Drawing your hand away from him you used it to wipe your face. You pulled everything back inside, sucking it into the black hole of your soul and putting on a mask. They had a job to do and they needed to go now.

Tech didn’t say anything else, he stood there as though he wanted to but then he was turning and joining the others; only to be replaced by Omega.

“We’re going with the Senator!” She gushed happily. “Come on!” She dragged you back to the middle where Tech was already programming the clearance you both needed to enter the Senate District.

“These will get you in and out of the building,” Tech explained. “Omega will be passing as a child on Senator Chuchi’s staff and Stitch will be passing as a guard.”

“I am not a Pantoran,” you blurted out.

“Some of my guards were killed when Rex found me and I would need quick replacements,” the Senator explained kindly. “No one will take any notice that I have hired you, even if they don’t know the reason why.”

“Trained her myself,” Hunter announced, catching your eye, giving a slight nod and a smile. “She’ll pass as a guard easily.” If only you felt that confident in yourself.

“You will need to change,” Riyo gestured to an empty set of armour that sat abandoned on a storage crate. You felt the wave of sadness as she lowered her eyes when Rex picked it up.

“I’ll get changed in the ship.” The material was light and slippy in your hands, it held none of the rigidity that your armour did and you tried to get it to sit right.

Eventually you heard a knock on the door and you told them to come in with an exasperated cry. To your surprise it was Tech who entered, shifting his goggles a little anxiously as he looked you over.

“Senator Chuchi is wondering if you are ready.” He closed the cockpit door behind him and stepped towards you.

“I don’t really know where this goes,” you admitted holding up what looked like a ceremonial blaster holder belt with an extra bit attached. “There’s a cape, an actual cape, Tech.” You spun on the spot grabbing at the maroon material. “How is this…I wish I could wear my armour.” You halted when you felt Tech’s hands rest on your shoulders. The sudden contact had you flinching a little and he lifted the pressure.

“If you stand still, I can correct it,” he commanded quietly. A few moments of silence passed, only the sound of your pulse throbbing filled your ears and you felt the urge to speak.

“Do you know much about Pantorans?” You asked, hoping to distract yourself as Tech stood close, his fingers settling the fabric and gliding over your arms.

“Near-humans from the moon Pantora. The tattoos they wear are a status symbol or family affiliation and based on ancient Pantoran texts. They have an extraordinary resilience to cold temperatures and their architecture is something extraordinary.” You zoned out to his voice, letting him soothe you as he explained in a low tone. He pulled the belt round your middle, checking with his fingers that it wasn’t too tight and you inhaled sharply at the sensation.

He withdrew, looking at you with wide eyes as you stared at each other. “Did I do something?”

“No…I just…” you were gazing at each other, the sound of your intense breaths the only noise in the cockpit. “Where does this go?” You asked, grabbing the last bit that needed attaching.

“Here.” Tech took the strap from you, quickly fastening it under your chin, concentration furrowing his brow as he tried to get it right.

“Tech…?”

“Yes?”

“A-about earlier…”

“Which moment earlier?” Of course he’d need clarification and you suddenly felt sweaty in your new uniform.

“The, um, when I…” you pointed uselessly at his face over his arm and he gave a curt nod.

“Ah.” He took a step back and your chin lowered. You were now fully dressed in the garb of a Pantoran Guard and you’d never felt so uncomfortable before.

“I feel we need to talk about it,” you breathed. Twisting your fingers and shuddering at the sensation of the new gloves. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do it.” Tech was so still and you frowned a little desperately, wishing he would say something to you. “I get it i-if you don’t feel the same.”

“I cannot measure my feelings against yours,” he suddenly said. “I do not know exactly what you are feeling but I can attempt to tell you mine.” His gaze cast hopelessly around, fingers nudging his goggles and you heard him clear his throat.

“I have to admit, I have no experience with this and nothing to compare it to. A situation such as this, it is something strategy cannot help me with.” You waited for him to continue, your entire heart in your mouth. “I have noticed changes when you are around. Here.” He placed a hand over his chestplate, spreading his fingers over his heart and your eyes widened. “When you, uh…” you’d never heard Tech falter for as long as you’d known him, so to hear it now made your whole body miss a beat. His feet shuffled and you watched his fingers curl in agitation. “Touching is not something you seek out,” he restarted in a stronger voice. “And I was surprised—when you—when it…happened.”

You felt a rush of warmth, it pillowed around you and made the sensations in your body stronger. Your chest ached as you listened to him continue to try and untangle his thoughts and translate them into words. That’s when you realised it wasn’t your feelings that were heightening, you were reacting to his and it stole the breath from your lungs making you gasp.

“Tech,” his long winded explanation came to a sudden halt. “You don’t have to make sense of it,” you whispered, your voice breaking. “What’s here,” his eyes watched your fist tap on your own chest. “Cannot be explained with words.” He seemed to deflate with relief and you both stood there for a moment.

“What do we do now?” Tech asked in such a matter of fact tone you almost giggled. “I recognise I do not process, emotions the way others do and it can be frustrating when what I say is interpreted incorrectly, or, as if I do not care.” He clamped his mouth shut and you reached for his hand.

“It’s ok.” His eyes were wide, you could see his neck tensing as he turned to look at you. “Would…would you like to try it again?” His fingers tightened on your hand and you saw him swallow harshly, using his free middle finger to push up his goggles even though they were already sat perfectly.

“Y-yes.” A shiver ran down your spine at his faint stutter and you stepped closer, bumping into his chest plate but he didn’t move away. He was watching you with that heated caramel gaze, his eyes almost crossing the closer you got and you smiled. Drifting your nose against his you moved and kissed him on the cheek first, letting your lips linger against his skin as you soaked him in.

He pressed his face against yours, his head slowly turning until your foreheads were pressed together. “This is called a Keldabe Kiss,” he murmured.

“Oh?” His eyes were shut now and his breath brushed over your cheeks, his hand coming up to rest on your shoulder.

“Also known as a kov’nyn or mirshmure’cya…” Before he could say anymore you pressed your lips against his, Tech’s breath expelled quietly from his nose and you felt his hand slide along your shoulder and up your neck, to find a resting place against your warm cheek. Neither of you moved away, drinking in the sensations of one another, brushing your lips together and enjoying the way he made your soul soar. In this moment you felt you could take on anything, because nothing else mattered; only Tech and the way he was holding you so preciously.

You broke the kiss, smiling a little when he leaned forward to chase your lips before opening his eyes with a slightly dazed expression. “I should go. They’re waiting for me,” you murmured just as you felt someone on the ramp of the ship.

“Stitch? Tech?” You squeezed his hand and then let go, turning to grab the guard's helmet off the console.

“I’m ready,” you called to Hunter as the door opened.

“What, uh, what’s taking so long?” He cast a curious glance at Tech who was still standing in the same place and hadn’t acknowledged his brother at all.

“I couldn’t work out this belt. I’m ready now. Is the Senator ready?” You were trying to act normal, to keep the waver out of your voice with a breezy tone.

“Yeah, she’s waiting with Omega.” His gaze narrowed and he spoke deliberately slowly as though he was trying to figure out something.

“Be careful.” You blurted out, getting a soft smile off Hunter and an abrupt nod off Tech. “I’d rather not use my skills on Coruscant and with none of my equipment.”

“We’ll be fine,” Hunter answered. “We’ll come back for you after the outcome of the Recruitment Bill.” You looked at them one last time, your hand on the edge of the door and you tapped it once before leaving the ship completely.

Tech inhaled quickly and Hunter turned to look at his brother with a raised eyebrow. “How did you know she needed help with the uniform?”

Tech shrugged, “She was taking too long.”

“Did you talk?”

“Talk about what?” Tech refused to look at Hunter, gathering up your armour and heading out of the ship with it, leaving Hunter no choice but to follow.

“She told me what happened.” Tech paused, watching you talking to the Senator through the open door, your hand held Omega’s as you took some final instruction and then you were gone. The feel of you lingered, the warmth of your delicate touch and the scent of your hair was something he’d never let go.

Hunter placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, taking your helmet in his hand as he looked down at it. He huffed lightly at the hidden markings, tilting it so their shadows showed in the thrown light. He remembered Tech etching them out and applying the paint himself, so many small actions that spoke volumes. “You think, she’s going to stay and help Rex?”

“Stitch has her own path to follow. As does Echo.”

“Echo?” Hunter drew back slightly, and wondered what insight Tech had that he didn’t. Or maybe he just didn’t want to see it. “Come on. We need to go over the service tunnel schematics before we leave.”

The Senate building was huge. You walked behind the Senator as she talked to Omega, your senses stretched to the maximum, eyes wide under the low visor. People dressed in all sorts of finery walked the halls, all with guards or other Senators. You could sense feelings of elation, waves of sorrow and down right anger until that was all brushed away by smugness. It made your skin feel like it was being wrapped in something slimy and you shivered in your new clothes. The object of such a disgusting feeling was heading towards you, a spark of surprise shocked you to watch him closely.

“Senator Chuchi.” His voice sounded as slithering and as obnoxious as he looked. You had to refrain from grabbing Omega and pulling her away from the man.

“You seem surprised to see me, Admiral.” Alive. Her voice was clipped but still managed to hold her soft tone. This was the man who was trying to phase out the clones, this was who had destroyed Kamino. This was the man who could make your nightmares, reality.

“Not at all. I was just making preparations for tomorrow's vote,” as he spoke his eyes flickered over Omega and then you. His aloofness not dropping for a second as he looked down on Riyo.

“Indeed. I am looking forward to it,” the Senator responded. Rampart’s attention wandered somewhere else, a welcome distraction before the situation got any worse.

“If you’ll excuse me.” She was already moving, dismissing him as much as he dismissed her. You carried on following the Senator, refusing to look back at Rampart as you felt his frustration blend into annoyance. Your fingers flexed when you came to a stop near a door, looking up and down the corridor and finding it clear. Omega followed Chuchi faithfully, her curious gaze drinking in every sight she could see.

“This is where the Senate gathers to discuss many pressing issues and legislation.” You took your cues from the other guard and stood by the door. He’d given a brief rundown on what was expected of you and then hadn’t spoken a word since. You could hear Chuchi talking to Omega but your attention was drawn by an astromech as it rolled towards you. The droid paused by the door, beeping out a message and then carrying on its way.

“What was that?” Omega asked.

“A message.” Chuchi told her. “Can you keep a secret?” Omega nodded and you fell into step with them. “Come on, he’s waiting.”

Darkness fell on Coruscant. The view from Senator Chuchi’s state rooms was really something. Omega plastered her face against the transparisteel as she stared out at the lights gradually coming on.

“Looks amazing,” she murmured. “So pretty. I’ve read about Coruscant but to see it with my own eyes…do you think it’s pretty?” She turned to look up at you. It really was pretty, the light created a picture of vibrancy as they lit up the night, the tall building even blending in with the stars themselves.

“Yes.” Even here, you were still nervous. In the warmth of the Senator’s quarters you still managed to find a chill that layered on your bones, making you tremble erratically. You couldn’t put your finger on what the issue was, it didn’t have a name, or a face, just a looming nothing that held the weight of everything.

“Are you alright?” Now you smiled, putting a hand on Omega’s shoulder in an attempt to reassure her and to draw some calmness from her.

“Yes. I’ve never met a Kaminoan before.”

“Oh! Well I haven’t met this one but the rest were...” She paused and seemed to struggle for anything to say. So she shrugged and wandered over to join Riyo on the large sofa in the middle of the room. You’d both been fed a decent meal and watered with some fruit wine you didn’t know the name of. It was so sweet it set your teeth on edge, so you didn’t finish the glass.

The doors opened to reveal two of Riyo’s guards and a tall figure that must be Senator Burtoni. You’d studied a lot of different anatomies in your time as a medical student, but Kaminoans had never existed in your Academy’s database so you had no idea what to expect.

She was tall, with willowy arms and legs. Her fingers were long and expressive, every move she made reminded you of wind through the trees and her voice was just light and airy. She was pale, a pearly white in the low light and her eyes glowed like large jewels. You stayed near the window, hands behind your back so you could fidget underneath the cape you were still wearing.

“Senator Burtoni. Thank you for coming.”

“Are armed guards really necessary?” Chuchi dismissed them and the doors closed behind them with a soft shnnkk.

“There is a matter I must discuss with you.” You admired her boldness, the shorter Senator almost squaring up to the Kaminoan as though she expected some resistance. Halle eyed Omega up and then you. Her force presence was so extraordinarily alien, you couldn’t pick apart what she was feeling. Did she recognise Omega for what she was, or was Halle so far detached from her people by being on Coruscant she didn’t know what a female clone would look like?

Seeing not much to interest her she walked over to a chair. “Then speak.”

“Tell me about the missing Senate appropriation funds that were earmarked for operations on Kamino.” You didn’t think Riyo was going to go straight in, but with darkness falling, time was running out. You turned back to look out the window, your mind on the boys and hoping they were all right.

Your thoughts were loud, replaying Rex and his request. You didn’t have a wide skill set, only medical skills were of any note. You knew roughly his operation was helping other clones get out from the clutches of the Empire…but why did he need you specifically? Then there were your feelings for Tech.

The pair of you had barely scratched the surface on what was between you, now you’d established there actually was something between you. Expelling a silent sigh you rubbed your fingertips across your forehead and forced yourself to pay attention to the conversation behind you.

“You’re a fool to bring me here,” Halle chastised Riyo. “Do you know what happens when you dig around where you shouldn’t?”

“Your people deserve to—,” Riyo started to speak but the Kaminoan shut her down immediately.

“My people are gone!” She snapped. “The few remaining Kaminoans scattered throughout the galaxy are of no importance to me, and therefore, not my concern.”

“How can you not care about what happened to Kamino?” Omega spoke up and your breath hitched at the sadness and fury that swept from her like a wave through the room. You tried not to show you were affected, keeping your expression neutral as you watched the conversation before you.

“Why do you care, child?” Halle sneered and your assumption was proven right, she didn’t know about Omega.

“Because, I’m a clone too. It was my home. I was there, I saw the Empire destroy everything and I’m angry.” Omega sniffed glaring at the Kaminoan as her emotions stormed through her. Not only the sorrow of the loss but the confusion of it all. Everyone forgot she was just a child, trying to process everything she’d experienced and still not finding any answers. “What they did, it’s not right.” Her emotions simmered around her, so much more profound than her brothers because they were trained to not dwell on things they couldn’t change. Only to move on and adapt, but Omega didn’t have that luxury.

“I suspected an attack was imminent,” Halle said. “Lama Su was arrogant. Too confident his clones were a necessity to the Empire. But none of us are.”

“Did Admiral Rampart divert the funds?” Chuchi asked, causing Halle to pause for a moment.

“You already know the answer. But yes.” Relief bloomed in the Pantoran, this is what she was chasing, this is what she needed.

“You must testify to that in front of the Senate tomorrow. He cannot continue to get away with what he’s done!” But the Kaminoan didn’t look convinced.

“Rampart is a mere cog in the machine and my word won’t do you any good, you need concrete proof.”

“I need both. And I’m running out of time,” Chuchi admitted.

The room you had been given was the most luxurious you’d ever stayed in. The mattress was too soft, the sheets too smooth, the pillows too fluffy. You hated it. This room wasn’t a bunk on the Marauder surrounded by the comfort that came from the Batch, or your room at the medbay that had been modified to within an inch of its life by Tech.

Sure it was nice, but it wasn’t…home. Omega was fast asleep beside you, her energy calm and barely rippling. You got up and stretched, heading to the window and staring outside. You couldn’t see the shipyards from here but you knew the boys would be carrying out their mission right now.

A headache was brewing between your eyes, one so deep seated you couldn’t rub it away. You shivered, drawing the blanket closer around you and still finding no extra warmth. It felt like that time you woke up from seeing Crosshair on that icy planet. Had that been real? The chill clung to your bones, it made you ache every time you moved and you shivered again.

Maybe you were coming down with something and that was the last thing everyone needed. A sick medic on their hands. Settling down in a chair you closed your eyes and tried to level out your breathing. Breathe in for four and out for four. Bowing your head over your hands as they fisted in the blanket, you tried to find that peace within, the elusive pool that beckoned only once in a while.

After a few minutes you gave up. Surveying the stretch of Coruscant through the window before getting up and leaving the room. It was never truly dark here, shadows were prominent on the floor and in the corners but you could easily see where you were going.

You found some drink, pouring a light coloured liquid into a glass and sniffing it. Your eyebrows flew up as your nose wrinkled at the same time. Smelled like something Tech would put in the Marauder fuel tank but you were going to risk it anyway. You downed the shot, pleasantly surprised by the fragrant taste only for it to burn all the way down your oesophagus and heat up the inside of your stomach. Putting the glass down you decided not to have another. Although, if you didn’t fall asleep soon you might have to.

Even with the alcohol lining your stomach you still felt cold. Such a strange cold as though it had tattooed itself onto the very inner parts of you, leaching everything out of you, leaving you stripped and exhausted. Sitting on the sofa you tried to wrap yourself up better, your lips quivering as you pressed your teeth together.

Then you heard them. Disembodied whispers that made you turn around. “Who’s there?” You breathed, knowing full well you were alone. The silence screamed at you, pressing on your ears, squeezing on your pulsing neck as you drowned against the throb of your headache.

Fleeing back to the bedroom you closed the door and backed up against the wall. You could sense it, seeping under the gap, slow and steady like a moving corpse as it clawed its way across the floor. The whispers came, light and airy until they tickled your skin, making your eyes close as you gasped in fear.

You slid down the wall, hunching on the floor as you tried to control your elevated breathing. You need to bring yourself back.

None of this was real, it wasn’t real.

“Stitch?” Your eyes flew open to see Omega sat up in the bed, her gaze barely there as she rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Why are you on the floor?” You looked around, the terrified feeling was trickling away and you managed a convincing smile.

“I just needed a moment. Want me to get back in?” Omega nodded and you moved, sliding in beside her and accepting the hug she gave you.

“Are they ok?” She suddenly asked quietly and you stiffened.

“I have no way of knowing.” She sighed, pulling herself closer into your side. Putting an arm around her, you forced yourself to relax, not used to having someone else in your sleep space. Your eyes were heavy but sleep still eluded you. Not unfamiliar territory. You listened to Omega’s breathing even out again and silently admired the way she was taking everything so well.

Brushing some blonde hair away from her forehead you felt a strange pang in your chest, a fierce protectiveness that took you by surprise. It wasn’t something you’d really explored before although it had always been there.

Once more you mulled over Rex’s request, torn between wanting to help and staying with Tech. A small tear ran down the side of your face and you quickly swept it up, sniffing lightly as you tried to keep yourself from falling apart. Everything was changing and you had no idea how to stop it.

You had barely got an hours sleep before you were back in your uniform and standing outside. Omega was sighing, tracing patterns on the wall as you both waited for the boys at the designated RV point. There was no one around except one of Chuchi’s guards waiting in a speeder round the corner.

Rubbing your face you tried not to let yourself think the worst and concentrated on the fact you’d heard from Rex and trusting he would have said something if the mission had gone wrong. But then again, maybe he wouldn’t. They would have called you, you’re the medic.

The sound of a speeder had adrenaline coursing through you and you couldn’t help but do a quick head count as they approached only to feel despair when you realised it was just Rex and Echo. There wasn’t time to ask where the others were as Rex leaned over the edge of the stopped speeder

“Get this to Senator Chuchi. Hurry!” He handed the case to Omega and the pair of you hurried to jump into your own speeder, the guard driving you back to the Senate building.

The Senate building wasn’t busy, everyone was in the chamber watching the current proceedings and getting ready to vote on this bill.

You took the stairs in haste, Omega’s hand slightly clammy in yours as you tugged her along behind you. Everything hinged on this, the boys and their fate was going to be decided today and it could shape the rest of everyone’s lives.

The guard showed you to General Organa’s pod and you leaned heavily on the wall to catch your breath as Omega handed him the case. You both slumped onto the floor, giggling softly because you’d done it! The proof was there and you were going to see Rampart get what he deserved.

Your chest was heaving as you peered out into the council chamber, watching the event unfold so you could recount it for the boys when you saw them. But the smile was soon wiped from your face as Senator Chuchi began to play the recording.

It manifested as a huge hologram in the middle of the Senate, easily viewable from all sides, making the domed facilities of Tipoca city unmistakable. It felt like you were there, rain spattered loudly in the recording you could imagine it pattering on your skin. The waves were in turmoil, churning roughly but not enough to hide the blue bolts shot from the ships.

Your jovial mood dissipated. Your heart beat strongly as emotions swirled inside you. The boys had witnessed this, Omega had witnessed this. You reached for her, feeling her hand grasp yours tightly as she tried to keep her tears at bay. Her pangs of pain were vibrant as she relived the horrendous moment.

Suddenly the recording was paused as voices began to rise around the chamber. You could feel the tension, the anger and the mood shifted dramatically, causing the hairs to rise on the back of your neck as a nameless chill to seep through your body. Alarms started blaring, piercing your skull like blaster shots and you moaned at the pain that spread through you.

“Stitch!” Omega whispered when you sagged against the wall, even the guard asked if you were all right and you removed the helmet trying to relieve the pressure that seemed to be pressing on you from all sides. “What’s happening?” Omega asked the guard in a hushed voice.

“The Emperor is coming,” he replied and you sensed fascination as well as a healthy dose of fear radiating from him. It beat on your senses, making you peer out between your fingers to watch the throne rise from the middle of the floor.

He was cloaked, his face hooded by the cowl and it added to his mysterious appearance. The hologram wavered, the picture of Rampart’s deception and lies flickered into nothing and for a moment there was only silence.

The Vice Chancellor spoke, his booming voice carrying easily around the room as he addressed the Senate. “It would appear that Senator Chuchi’s horrific assertions are correct. This unprovoked attack on Kamino was a cowardly act by Admiral Rampart to further his own personal agenda.” The voices of the Senate were nothing but echoing background noise to you. A continuous buzzing that filled your mind as you stared at the Emperor sitting quietly as he observed the reaction.

The chill in your body got worse. Your muscles twitching from the relentless icy touch, but you sweated in your uniform. You felt like he was staring at you, his sightless gaze heavy and unmovable. But that was stupid. He wouldn’t pick you out of all these thousands of people.

You were barely aware of Rampart being arrested or of Mas Amedda calling for order in the vast room. Your eyes were fixed on one point and one point only. As were everyone else’s when he stood to address the Senate for the first time.

“I am deeply troubled by this recent revelation.” The Emperor’s voice was like poison, black and oozing as it dripped into your ears with each word. The tremors that worked their way through your body made you feel like you were losing yourself. Every word he spoke added a weight to your load and soon your knees were attempting to buckle under the pressure. You knew, deep down, you knew what was coming.

“My gratitude to Senator Chuchi for exposing a rogue element within our ranks. Many lives have been lost, but I assure you, Admiral Rampart will face the consequences for his treachery. However, he did not act alone.”

“No!” You barely formed the word, your fingers shaking so badly as tears filled your eyes.

“Stitch, what’s wrong?” But Omega’s question was about to be answered. And not by you.

“The fact that the clones under his command so blindly followed orders, inflicting such carnage without hesitation, gives me pause.” Your breath was gasping as Palpatine’s words erased whatever shred of hope you had left. “Perhaps, it is time for a change. Now more than ever, building a strong galaxy requires protection and security. Due to the nefarious actions of Admiral Rampart and the immediacy of the bill on the floor today, it is my opinion that this legislation is our future.” Your body crumbled. Everything you’d been seeing was going to happen. The clones, their empty armour, the blood between your fingers, their dying cries…you hadn’t done enough to prevent this.

“You need to leave!” The guard gripped your arm and helped you stand. “Take the speeder, go!” The world was spinning, the only thing you could rely on was Omega’s hand in yours as she hurried you out of there.

You sat in the cockpit of the Marauder. They knew to leave you alone, to let you sort out how you were feeling for yourself as they discussed what to do next outside. Everything inside you felt like it had been eaten by a demolition droid and spat out in pieces. The life you had dared to briefly hope for with the boys was dashed, shattered into a million pieces like stars in the galaxy. Wiping your face free of tears you tried to collect yourself, still shaken by your reaction within the Senate building. Your body shook every now and again, the tremors skitting through your body as the chill gripped you on the inside.

Breathing through shaky lips you tried again to fix yourself and rearrange the pieces back to where they belonged. But it was hopeless. Only one thing now could help ease what you were going through, and you were determined to see it through.

Lifting your head, you wiped your face again as someone approached. You could feel him. The slow measure of his steps, the weight of his thoughts and the faint press of apprehension rippled through his calm. Rex stood in the hatch of the cockpit, a small sigh escaping him as he eased himself down into a seat. He wanted to talk, to blurt it all out but he also knew what you’d seen today.

“I’m not here to force you,” he started. In truth you’d already made up your mind. You had witnessed the recording of Kamino, you had felt Omega’s pain as she witnessed it for a second time. The boys had been quiet since the bill passed. They had helped it happen. No one could have predicted Palpatine’s ability to turn it round to his advantage, not even Tech.

You had come here to sort out your own feelings away from the influence of the Batch, to try and pick apart what you wanted to do.

“What, exactly do you need me to do?” You finally asked Rex.

“I need your hands,” Rex said simply, holding his own out absently. “We need your abilities. Clones come to me, not always in the best shape and I am tired,” his voice broke. “I am tired of watching my brothers die.” You knew that feeling. You had seen the empty plates of armour, heard the dying screams and felt the warmth of their life bleeding out onto the ground. “It will be worse than ever now, every clone has the threat of death above their heads and it’s only a matter of time.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Really?” His rush of relief was palpable, you could almost touch it as it filtered around the cockpit. “You don’t know what this means,” he started but you turned your chair to finally face him.

“I do. I know what this means. I can feel it.” Tilting your head to the side you regarded him, tracing the tired lines of his face and the worn look in his eyes. “I am connected to this fight in more ways than I care to admit, with the things I’ve seen. I’m being put on this path and—I’m fed up of fighting it.” Your gaze dropped to the top of your knee and you fought back the urge to cry. “I am not looking forward to telling Omega.”

“It won’t be forever, she will understand.” Rex murmured as steps sounded on the ramp and Echo appeared.

“Rex. Can I talk to you?” Dropping your leg you went to get up but Rex put out a hand to stop you.

“Wait…whatever you want to say can be to both of us.” Echo’s face showed surprise before he could school it into indifference, his golden eyes flicking between you both. “Stitch has agreed to become my medic.”

“She has?” He looked sharply at you, frowning a little. “What about Tech?”

“Tech?” It was Rex’s turn to look a little confused until realisation dawned. “Ah…Tech.” Now you felt embarrassed, shifting on your feet as you glanced up at the ceiling.

“If Stitch is doing her part, I am ready to do mine.” Echo straightened up and fixed his attention on Rex. “I want to help, to do more for our brothers.”

“We’d be lucky to have you,” Rex said with undisguised relief as he clapped Echo on the shoulder. “I’ll get Gregor to set you up. Be just like old times.”

“Yeah,” Echo agreed with a rare smile.

“Stealing my squad, Captain?” Hunter materialised from the darkness of the hold.

“Actually,” Rex rumbled. “I’m stealing one and the other volunteered.”

“Hmmm.” Hunter looked grimly at the group before him, already knowing which was which. He reached for Echo and they knocked their vambraces together. “Good luck, brother. You will always have a place among us.”

“Thanks, Hunter. I’ll never forget what your squad have done for me, but I belong somewhere else now.”

“I know.” Hunter gave him a cursory nod and then moved aside letting Echo and Rex leave until it was just you and him. You didn’t expect this to hurt so much, you felt torn between wanting to go with the Batch and staying here to help Rex. “You have to do what you feel is best,” he told you, clearly trying to gauge how you were feeling about all of this.

Your face crumbled as your mask slipped, spilling forth the cascade of emotions that had gathered in your chest. He approached you quickly, pulling your head into his shoulder as he cradled you to him. “I don’t want to leave you,” you sobbed. “Not Omega, not T-Tech, not Wrecker.”

“They will understand. It won’t be forever, Stitch. We’ll know where you are.” You stayed in his arms, eyes closed as you quietly cried into his chest.

“What am I going to say to him?” You whispered.

“Just tell him the truth. I can guarantee he’s already worked out every possible scenario, so I doubt your choice will come as a shock to him.” You sighed and turned your face, pillowing your cheek on his armour and finally wrapping your own arms around him.

“Saying it makes it real,” you murmured.

“It does,” he hummed in agreement. With a reluctant sigh you broke apart, Hunter taking the comfort and warmth of his embrace with him. “I’ll get him.” You didn’t need clarification as to who he was referring. You began to pace along the length of the cockpit, your fingers dancing along the tops of the chairs as you mouthed silently about what you wanted to say. As soon as you felt him on the ramp your anxiety kicked up a notch and you began to wring your hands together, swallowing down the tears.

“Hunter said you wished to speak to me?” Tech removed his helmet and put it on the console.

“I-I do.” Your voice was weak, wavering with emotion before you’d even said anything and he sighed lightly from behind you. “So you know Rex asked me a question earlier?”

“I assumed it was related to that,” he sounded so calm but there was a tightness to his words that you really had to listen for. He felt tense, agitated as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “You are staying,” he concluded heavily. For the first time, emotion coloured his words and it struck you right in the chest.

“I have to. If I can do anything to prevent my nightmares from becoming real…” your hands lifted to curl into fists, tears raging from your eyes as your jaw clenched. You drew in a breath to try and calm yourself.

“What you are doing is admirable.” You slowly turned, Tech frowned at your armour clearly not able to look you in the face right now and you couldn’t blame him. “I understand your choice to walk a different path, though I may not agree with it. I realise that might be—selfish of me.” You had no idea what to say, his candid response had knocked the wind from under your wings. He seemed to shake himself out of his own reverie, blinking a couple of times before looking up into your face. “I am not entirely sure what you require from me?”

“I don’t know either,” you confessed. “I…I guess this is a goodbye.”

“I am not versed in saying goodbye.” You let out a rough sob, covering your face as you shook. He was sad, you could sense it and he was confused by it. Tech didn’t like change but he always took it in his stride, that’s who he was as a person and soldier. Except this was different.

Overcoming a change in battle was one thing but overcoming a situation that he had no experience in was something else. He could feel that uncomfortable sensation inside, the way his guts knotted and he only knew one way to ease them. He didn’t think, he just acted. You let out a gasp of surprise but you didn’t resist, falling almost gratefully against him as your body tensed with the force of your crying.

His fingers found their way to the back of your head, resting his cheek against you and hooking his other arm around your waist. Your armour knocked against his and he wished just in this moment, neither of you were geared up.

Tech breathed you in, soaking up your scent and feeling you in his arms. Closing his eyes he tried to commit all of this to memory. The sound of your breathing in his ear, the feel of your hands, the texture of your hair, the softness of your cheek against his; he stored it all away in his memory bank. Knowing that he could pull on it at times when he felt he was going to need to remember you the most.

You were staying. Helping Rex with his secret missions and liberating clones. He couldn’t stop the feeling that bubbled up in his chest, a fierce protectiveness and he had the fleeting idea of telling Hunter that he was staying too. But he couldn’t do that to his brothers.

Once they left…there would be no contact, no secret comcalls when you couldn’t sleep, no sitting together and enjoying the silence; no talking in depth about ships or animals or anything else that you might require from him. It made him hold you tighter, letting his face fall into the softness of your neck.

You shifted, moving your face so you could kiss his cheek, wetting his skin with your tears. Closing his eyes he copied, pressing his lips against your cheek and he tasted the saltiness that sat there. Tech’s hand moved, sliding along the curve of your neck to stroke the line of your jaw as your noses knocked into one another.

He ached to kiss you. He had been surprised by the way you had rendered him stupefied earlier and now all he wanted was your lips to banish all the thoughts in his head. Your breath was hot and ragged, dancing across his mouth and mingling with his own as you both seemed frozen. Your lips ghosted over his and he couldn’t resist anymore.

He felt more confident this time, a soft moan rumbling up his throat as you provided that bliss he so desperately sought from you. He didn’t want it to stop, to not feel the way you melted against him or hear the little groan you responded with. He brought his other hand up, cupping your cheeks as he tried to pull you closer, feeling your open mouth against his as you let him in. He didn’t know what he was doing, he just knew he wanted to feel you in every way possible.

Your grip tightened on his hips as he leaned into you so much he made you back up into the pilot's chair. He drank down your gasp of surprise, squeezing his eyes shut even tighter, knowing this moment was coming to an end.

You broke the kiss, resting your forehead against his, the pair of you catching your breath from the intensity of the moment.

“Tech…” his name was the embodiment of the painful ache in your chest. Fear spiked as he pulled away and you fought the temptation to grip him tighter, to hold him close and never let him go.

“I know Wrecker will want to say his goodbye.” Fresh tears made your vision flounder and you nodded, seeing him give you a brief smile and a nod before he disappeared completely.

It felt like your chest was caving in. You struggled to breathe and that’s how Wrecker found you. Gasping and clutching at Tech’s chair in an effort to ground yourself as everything swirled just out of your reach. It was all changing so fast and you knew why but that didn’t make it any easier.

Wrecker tried to put you back together, his large hands held you and his deep voice vibrated through you as he shed his own tears until you both were just a heap on the floor. You were going to miss this clone, something you never thought you would ever think or say. When you’d first seen him he created such a sense of fear in you, you didn’t think you’d ever be able to overcome it. And here you were, right now laying on his broad chest, looking at the lower half of the console not knowing how much time had passed until Hunter appeared in the doorway.

You knew it was time.

He pulled you up, his eyes catching yours for a second as he held out his vambrace and you paused. He gave you a nod, the tiny upturn of a smile at the corner of his mouth as you balled your fist and lifted your own arm. The katarn clacked together twice followed by his hand on the back of your head and he briefly pressed his forehead to yours.

Wrecker was next, he pushed a little forcefully against your arm but you took the hit, letting the bigger clone bend down and put his forehead to yours for a moment. Hunter offered your helmet and you took it. Quickly wiping your face as they followed you out of the ship.

Tech was standing with a hand on Omega’s shoulder talking to Rex and Echo. You quietly joined the group, a sense of guilt twisting your insides as Omega beamed up at you. An anxious silence fell on the group and Hunter sighed, turning to address Rex first.

“If you need anything Rex, just say the word.” His voice was gruff, harder than it was before and you knew this was a blow to him. To all of them. Echo looked at him, resolve evident in his posture. “Wherever you end up, remember what I said.” The change in Omega was instant at Hunter’s words, her joy at having everyone together trickling away as her face fell and realisation dawned in her eyes. “And you,” Hunter murmured. “Stay safe.” A nod was all you could muster.

Wrecker gently hit Echo’s shoulder, “Don’t get into trouble without us,” he said gruffly to Echo. Giving you a gentle shoulder knock as he walked past to the Marauder.

“Without us?”Omega questioned and you kneeled down next to her. “What’s going on?”

“We are staying,” you managed to choke out.

“We? Why?” You glanced at Echo, barely able to keep yourself together.

“Because we are going to help Rex,” you managed to tell her through the burn in your throat.

Echo came up next to you, looking down at her with a soft expression on his face. “The clones will need our help now more than ever. I can’t turn my back on them,” he told her.

“You—you can’t leave!” Her hazel eyes cast frantically between you. “We’re a squad!”

“Omega, this is something I have to do,” Echo stressed firmly but gently.

“And you?” She asked with the beginnings of tears.

“After seeing what happened to Kamino, paired with my nightmares and this outcome at the Senate…if I can do anything to help, I will.” You tried to give her a comforting smile but you were sure it just looked like a grimace.

“We are going where we’re needed,” Echo stressed gently.

“But we need you too! And…” she looked at you again. “What happens now?” Echo crouched down, his helmet on the floor next to yours as he put a hand on the young girl's shoulder.

“It’s not forever. We’ll be back. Keep up with your training while we’re gone. Huh? Understood?” You could feel her trying not to give in to the sadness that filled her even as she threw her arms around both your necks.

“Get Tech to keep your medical knowledge up to scratch,” you whispered, glancing up at him as you spoke. Omega released you both, brushing away the stray tears that had fallen.

“Yes ma’am,” she whispered. You stood up, clutching your helmet in your hands to stop you from throwing yourself at Tech.

“Best of luck, Echo.” His voice was cheery and bright but you sensed what was lurking behind. You saw the way he looked at you, his brow pulling into a tortured expression that made his eyes look so sad behind his goggles. He went to walk away but you lunged for his hand, making him draw abruptly to a halt and he turned to look at you with a puzzled expression. “We have already done our farewell,” he murmured.

“I know but…I can have one more,” you murmured.

“It does not make this any easier,” as he spoke you felt his fingers interlace with yours, giving your hand a squeeze and absently drawing you closer.

“No.” You became aware that everyone was watching you as Tech studied your face. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” you admitted in a breathy rush.

“Then it is worth it.” Tech’s gaze dropped to Omega as she walked past and he let you go, following her to the ship and he didn’t look back.

You stood beside Echo, trying and failing to keep your sobs quiet. You watched the ship start up, gliding effortlessly away while repeating it wasn’t forever, over and over again. But right now it felt like you were never going to see them again.

The sensation of being watched crawled up your spine and you inhaled, turning to the left, eyes searching the gloom and coming up with nothing. It dispersed when Rex came up beside you.

“Come on. There’s someone who is dying to meet you.” The next steps you took, felt like your boots were made of raw doonium. Yet they carried you back inside, to a new chapter and further away from Tech.

#sanctuary #tech x reader(stitch)#tech x stitch #tech x reader #tech x you #tech x f!reader #the bad batch

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tbnrpotato · 20 days

Text

Our Own Choices

Chapter 9

"So how'd you know I was on that gunship? I was specifically extra stealthy that time," I ask Rex as we jump off the vehicle that Crosshair was driving as we arrive back at the base. I put on my helmet.

"You've done it 19 times, kid. I know when you've clipped yourself to the outside of the gunship just by the sound of it," Rex replies, not bothering to look at me. He's not even bothering to scold me for coming here without his permission. I think he's just tired of me, he does have a job to do as a captain as well.

But why should I listen to him anymore? Even though he's technically my superior in the GAR, I don't need him anymore. I'm biologically 20, I can handle myself. But clearly he doesn't think so, considering how he usually doesn't let me on missions anyways. He says the reason that he grounded me was because he didn't want me getting myself killed out in the battlefield because of my impulsiveness.

"But there was no sound-" I protest as the bad batch walk past me, and I stare at them as they walk to their ship.

They're really cool. They don't fit in here, just like me.

Rex nudges me in the side, I take it as a sign to go to the ship as well. Rex says he talked to General Skywalker and he says that he'll have to wait for the council to approve of the mission to Skako Minor to get Echo. I'm surprised that he lets me come along on this mission. I guess he knows that there's no stopping me when it comes to saving my brothers.

As I head into the ship, I receive looks from the batch.

"What?" I ask.

Tech looks back to his datapad, Wrecker goes to lift the gonk droid in the back of the ship, Hunter just sits there staring at me, and Crosshair is checking his rifle. I take off my helmet and lean against a wall, staring at Wrecker and the poor gonk droid, and then to toothpick boi.

Gotta admit, their armor is really cool. Crosshair's got that belt thingy with a bunch of places to store ammo, almost like my own. And then he's got that bar thingy on his left shoulder armor, probably for his rifle or something. Hunter has a random bandana for the dog shit on his head, with a small skull on it. Wrecker's helmet would scare the absolute shit outta me if I saw that first thing in the morning. Tech's helmet is cool, at least it hides his receding hairline. Whatever. At least now I'm not the only one with dark-colored armor.

Anyways, Rex and General Skywalker board the ship soon enough and we set off for Skako Minor. Tech's flying the ship, while General Skywalker checks out Crosshair's rifle and Wrecker's still lifting poor Gonky.

"So, how many missions has your team been on, Sergeant?" General Skywalker asks Shithair as he passes Crosshair's rifle back to him.

"Honestly sir, I've lost count. All the action sorta blurs together," Hunter replies, and that felt like a big "skill issue lmao" smack in the face.

"I know you work with Cody sometimes, but who do you guys report to?" Rex asks.

"Hm, good question," Hunter says, crossing his arms. "Can't say I've got an answer."

And then I'm reminded of that "good question" Shrek meme that I saw on the holonet a few days before I came to Anaxes, and I try to keep a straight face.

Wrecker, who's still lifting Gonky, chews on a big ass chicken drumstick which I think was kept in the ship's storage area for days. Then, the ship suddenly shakes.

"We are approaching Skako Minor," Tech reports. "It looks to be a difficult landing."

So we strap in and Wrecker gently sets Gonky down, before going to the co-pilot's seat with Tech. The ship shakes a bit until we land on the ground, and we stand up and head towards Tech and Wrecker.

"Rex, what do we know about this place?" General Skywalker asks, Rex standing next to him. Toothpick boi and I stand behind them as I play with my knife, because I'm just kinda bored and need something to do with my hands.

"On this part of Skako, there's a race of locals, the Poletecs. All we know is they're very primitive," Rex replies.

"Primitive is being kind," Tech says. "My intel says the Poletecs worship flying reptiles."

Suddenly, one of those flying reptile thingies land on the front window of the ship, cracking it slightly. I look out, sheathing my knife into my wrist compartment.

"Oh! What the heck was that?" Wrecker looks out the same time as I do. "It's one of those reptiles," Tech says.

"I want that thing off my ship," Hunter says, sounding really annoyed, before moving to get off the ship.

"Hold on! Hold on! Don't just run out there," Rex tries to warn them but we all run out anyways because which one of us even follows orders?

We see the Poletec and a flying reptile thing jumping on the ship. General Skywalker ignites his lightsaber and Wrecker points his blaster at it, and I'm tempted to do the same.

"Hey! Get off of there!" Wrecker shouts.

"Hey, calm down. We needa talk to them," General Skywalker says.

"Why?" Hunter asks.

"The General's right," Rex says, and then I hear some more flying reptiles in the distance, and I spin around to look at them, blaster and sword drawn. General Skywalker pushes Rex out of the way so that Rex doesn't get clawed to death by the reptiles. We all point our blasters towards them, unsure of whether to shoot or not.

Suddenly, the flying reptile and the Poletec on the ship swoop down and grab General Skywalker. He's caught off guard, dropping his lightsaber, and I throw my knife at the reptile before it can get too far away. It hits the reptile in the chest, but not deep enough to be a lethal shot, although I can hear it screeching as it flies away. Rex fires his pistol at the reptile but none of the shots hit.

"I have a thermal reading," Tech says. "Point two five east, elevation 175." His visor is lowered.

"Relax. I'll handle this," Crosshair says, before attaching a grappling hook to his rifle and using Tech's shoulder as support (we'll never get to see this again this is so sad), shooting it at the reptile. It hits and Hunter attaches the cable to himself.

"What are you doing?" Rex asks.

"Going for a ride." And then Hunter's lifted off his feet, flying into the air.

I just stare at Crosshair, eyes widened. Holy shit that was fucking cool. Bro really has to be so pro at sniping.

And then I think of my own sniping skills which are slightly decent at best and suddenly I'm filled with a slight jealousy of his skills. Like bro he gets to be badass and do all those fucking trick shots and I'm stuck here throwing knives.

Shut up.

"Tech, I'm with the General. Hone in on my signal," I hear Hunter say through the comms. Tech and the rest of us head back to the ship and do so, before heading to Hunter's location. We land on a ridge near what looks like the Poletec village and run down to Hunter, who's near the edge, looking across at the village.

"That creature still has a hold of the General," Hunter says.

Rex zooms in on the village, and I do the same, seeing the General getting pinned under one of those reptiles' claws. "We're going in, but remember what the General said. No casualties, disarm only," Rex says.

"We're on it, Captain," Hunter says. "Wrecker, Crosshair, rockslide."

The rest of us slide down the ridge to the village as Wrecker and Crosshair push a really big rock down the ridge, and we run behind it as it knocks down some tall but not-so-advanced structures, using the dust as cover.

We shoot at the weapons that the Poletecs are holding, disarming them. I throw a few knives at their weapons, they all hit their target and disarm them.

We run to the place where General Skywalker is, and I see some electrified thing hit the claw that's holding General Skywalker, probably shot by Crosshair, and the reptile jumps back, letting General Skywalker dodge the rock that's rolling towards him. We all point our blasters at the Poletecs in case they try to do anything.

The Poletec that Hunter's pointing his blaster at speaks some alien language, and Hunter asks Tech to translate what he's saying.

Tech steps forward, presses a few buttons on that control panel on his wrist, and moves his visor down above his eyes. "He says he does not want our war on his planet. That is why he took our leader."

The rest of us still point our blasters at the Poletecs.

Can we just hold them at gun/knifepoint and just get them to give us whatever info we want?

"We didn't bring the war here. It was Wat Tambor and the Separatists," General Skywalker says.

Tech translates what General Skywalker said into the alien language, something that both Crosshair and I find kinda funny as I'm tryna hold in my laughter as we all lower our blasters. Definitely gotta roast Tech for that.

"Tell him we apologize for what's happened," Rex says. "But tell him the enemy is holding one of our men prisoner in Purkoll. As soon as we rescue him, we'll leave his planet for good."

Tech translates what Rex said into the alien language again, and I try my best to keep a straight face. This is just too funny.

As Tech and the Poletecs talk some more and agree about sending scouts and stuff to help find the city, I run to the reptile that I threw my knife into and rip it out. It's wedged kinda deep in there, and when I pull it out, it's covered in red blood, dripping onto the floor. The reptile screeches and tries to attack me, but I shoot it with a stun blaster a few times and it's knocked out. The other Poletecs move to attack me, but then Rex and Tech help to calm them all down.

"Woah woah woah, calm down, she's just tryna get her weapons, no need to panic," Rex says, and Tech helps translate it. The other Poletecs calm down when what I think is their leader nods at them.

I pull my other knives out from the weapons that I threw them at and head back to the others.

"Nice going," Crosshair knocks his shoulder into mine as we set off with the other scouts, the sarcasm in his voice is obvious. I cross my arms as I follow behind him. "Thanks."

We follow the scouts quite a bit of distance and find ourselves on a really high cliff. The Poletec scouts point at what looks like Purkoll in the distance before walking down the direction we just came up in.

"Hope nobody's scared of heights," General Skywalker says. I try not to let it show, although sometimes heights get on my nerves.

Hunter and Crosshair look at Wrecker.

"Well I'm not scared of nothing. I just...When I'm up real high, I got a problem with gravity," Wrecker says.

"That's being scared of heights, Wrecker. You're real smart," I roll my eyes under my helmet, standing next to Rex.

"Speaking of problems," Tech, who's standing behind Wrecker, speaks up. "I am no longer picking up Echo's signal."

"I...I don't understand," Rex says. "You said it was coming from this city." He points towards Purkoll.

"I can only speculate, but it is possible there's a latency issue with the frequency caused by all these atmospheric disturbances."

"Or, maybe they sent the signal to lure us into a trap," Hunter suggests. "And maybe your friend's actually dead." He folds his arms. "Well, I can't be the only one thinking of that."

"Every mission could be a trap," Rex and I say at the same time, and I glare at him, falling silent. "This one is no different," Rex continues. "I'm telling you that signal is being sent by Echo himself! He's alive!" I nudge Rex in the side. "Be realistic, Captain. There's not really a high chance that that's gonna happen."

"I think you're letting your personal feelings get in the way because you left him for dead at the Citadel," Crosshair says, and I clench my fist around one of my knives, which is sheathed in my belt right now. That eagerness to punch him in the face out of pure anger, it's strong, but I resist it. Not really the logical thing to do right now.

"I had no choice, you hear me?!" Rex, unlike me, isn't doing much of a good job hiding his anger.

"Oh, I don't blame you. I would've left him for dead too. Besides, he's just another reg."

I'm breathing heavily under my helmet, one hand gripped on the hilt of my knife, the other with my nails digging so hard into my skin, even though my glove, it leaves marks. Even though Crosshair is directing his words towards Rex, it's having an effect on me as well.

And then Rex punches Crosshair in the face/helmet, knocking him to the ground.

"Yoooo Rex, just chill!" I try to get him to calm down, but he's not stopping. I pull out my pistol and point it to Crosshair's head as Wrecker picks Rex up by the back of his armor. "I called first dibs."

"Hey! Why don't you pick on someone not your size?" Wrecker throws Rex to the ground, who almost instantly gets up, walking up real close to Wrecker. "You'll be a whole lot smaller when I'm through with you."

My pistol is still pointed to Crosshair's head, my finger resting on the trigger, my other hand drawing my knife and pressing it under his helmet and to his neck, I'm breathing heavily, all sense of logic gone, it's the same feeling when Fox killed Fives. And it's strong.

"That's enough!" General Skywalker puts a hand on Rex and Wrecker's shoulders, pushing them away from each other before Wrecker beats Rex to clone mush, and then he pushes me and Crosshair apart before I can get any more blood on my knife.

"Sergeant, take your men and scout the area for a tower entrance. I want to talk to my troopers alone," General Skywalker orders, sounding slightly fierce.

Rex and I stay behind as the batch walk away. Toothpick bitch glances back at us for a moment, before looking away.

"Rex, Aris, I hate to say it, but...you have to prepare yourself for the possibility that Echo is dead, and this is all a Separatist trick," General Skywalker puts a hand on our shoulders.

"Sir, I have watched so many of my brothers fall during this war, and I try not to hang on to any one of them," Rex says, taking off his helmet. "But that changed when I heard that Separatist transmission. It was no algorithm. That was Echo's voice. I know it."

"And if there's any chance that Echo, my brother, is still out there, alive, we have to take it," I add on, taking off my helmet as well.

"I hope you're right," General Skywalker says. "But if, for some reason, you're wrong..."

"Then I'll deal with it," Rex and I say at the same time.

And I've learned to deal with it on my own. No "Dad" to comfort me or help me. That's what I did with Fives. And if I have to do it again with Echo, I will.

All I'll need to do is constantly wipe the blood off my knives, and make sure no one sees the wounds on my arms.

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badbatchblog · 19 days

Text

Hello everyone! This is Omega. Since we've just started up this blog, I thought it would be a good idea to have us introduce ourselves!

I'll go first. Like I said, I'm Omega! I'm the newest member of the Bad Batch, and although I look like the youngest, I'm actually the oldest! I used to live on Kamino working as Nala Se's assistant until my brothers came to rescue me after the Empire took over. I'm really good at using an energy bow and playing strategy games. I have a Tooka doll named Lula that my brother Wrecker gave me. And my Trooper doll too! Oh, and I have a pet! Her name is Batcher, she's a Lurca Hound. Gonky and AZI are part of our family too, but I don't think they'll be joining the blog. Umm. I'm not sure what else to say about myself! I'm still trying to figure things out, honestly. But I'm excited to meet new people and chat with all of you!

Ok, here are my brothers! -Omega ☀

*****

heya everyone! I'm Wrecker! I like to blow stuff up and eat good food and cause a ruckus! the last part is what Tech and Crosshair say I do anyway haha. I'm the biggest and strongest of all of us and proud of it! I also get called the sweetest one by other people, but idk I think Omega is the sweetest one. I do think of myself as a nice guy tho! just don't get on my bad side hehe. uhh let's see, what else... oh! I only have one eye! my other one's a fake one. if you saw the scar on my head, you'd understand why! oh yeah and I know Omega said I gave Lula to her... which I did! but we still share her. Omega just gets to keep her more often. I don't need Lula THAT much! ...don't listen to anything Crosshair says otherwise. ok I think that's all! lookin' forward to talk with you guys sometime!

-Wrecker 💪🏽

*****

Hello. This is Tech. I am the main source of information and the main mechanic for the Bad Batch. I possess a high level of intelligence and dexterity that allows for me to bear these titles. I set up this blog as a means for us to get to know the people of this website better, with the hope that it will provide some much-desired information about the society culminated here. In fact, it would be much appreciated if we could get specific information from those who choose to interact with us; anything you're willing to provide will do. Oh. Omega has informed me that this was supposed to just be about myself... I'm afraid the rest will have to wait until another time. Or perhaps saved for potential inquirers. Regardless, I look forward to whatever is gleaned from this experience.

Addendum: It appears as though there's some confusion surrounding my existence. Misinformation, if you will. Well, I can assure you all that this is one hundred percent the real me, and any rumors surrounding my death have been greatly exaggerated. If you require further proof, by all means, ask for it. That is all.

-Tech 🧠

*****

Echo here. Wrecker already stated it, but I'm actually a former member of the squad. I'm also a former member of the 501st Legion. I still consider myself a part of the family though (and the others do as well), which I appreciate. I have several cybernetic augmentations and limbs, curtesy of the Techno Union, thanks to an accident I endured a few years ago. It's fine, I'm over it now. I've accepted who I am, and if other people can't, then that's their problem. I probably won't be as active here as the others, but I'm more than happy to answer any questions thrown my way.

Thanks. -Echo 🔌

*****

hey. name's Hunter. i'm the leader of this squad. i have enhanced senses and am good with blades. my face has half a tattoo on it. i like to keep my hair back with a bandana. don't mess with my squad or you'll regret it. i don't know what else to say. i'm no good with technology stuff.

(Addendum: It's true, it took him 15 minutes just to write all of this out. -Tech)

-Hunter 💀

*****

The name's Crosshair. I'm a sharpshooter, and the best damn one you'll ever meet. If you want to know more about me so badly, then ask me yourself. Information like that doesn't come for free, after all. I don't care how much Omega fusses at me about it either. Like she's doing right now. Yes, that's correct. Keep fussing, kid, and I'll just keep mentioning it. Pout all you want. Cry, even. Anyway... my actions speak louder than my words. Send me questions if you want, I don't care. Just know that you're more likely to get a decent conversation out of me than Hunter. The man can't even capitalize his sentences correctly. So go ahead. Ask me something. Just don't expect anything... pleasant in response.

Oh... and Wrecker was totally lying about Lula.

-Crosshair ❌

#the bad batch #star wars the bad batch #the bad batch rp #tbb rp #mun note: please read the pinned post before interacting; thank you!!

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feltpool · 2 years

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What they do

We’re told right from the start that the batch are ‘enhanced clones’ and that they each have an ability that makes them special.

But this is an oversimplification. They don’t have different abilities, they all have the same abilities, only in differing proportions. And I’m including Omega in this too. Five enhanced clones.

Hear me out...

Tech tells us: "They manipulated preexisting aberrations in our DNA, resulting in your brute strength, Crosshair's sharpshooting skills, Hunter's enhanced senses and my exceptional mind"

Now Wrecker is big. He’s tall and he’s broad, and looks like he should be able to lift a truck without pause, let alone a troop ship. We see him pumping iron using Gonky on more than one occasion. But bodybuilders also look like they’d be really really strong, however, it’s all about the look of the muscle and they’re actually a lot weaker than their bulk suggests.

But we saw him lift that ship off of Cody so where are you going with this?

I don’t think strength is really where his talents lie. His enhancement has increased his physical density, which gives the appearance of far more strength than he actually has. The structure of his body has become vastly dense which allows him to take the strain of lifting that weighty ship without breaking his own bones, or tearing his muscles to shreds in the process.

Any human can physically lift way more weight than we generally actually do, because our brains cut in with all the warning signals to tell us to stop before we break something important.

So sure, if hysterical strength kicks in and overrides those responses people can do incredible things like lift cars off of trapped people, but they pay a heavy price for that afterwards. Torn muscles, crushed joints, cracked bones and teeth, internal bleeding, etc.

So strength alone just isn’t enough to counter the damage caused by such an action. But density just might be.

Look at the scene in TCW where he’s holding Jesse up by the neck. Rex is pushing at him, trying to make him put him down. Now Rex isn’t a small man, but he doesn’t so much as make Wrecker sway slightly, and he should already be off balance by holding a wiggly Jesse.

And it’s easy to ignore how much the clones are struggling to pull him up and away from the dianoga on Bracca because we’re led to assume all of their struggle is them having to pull against the creature in the water, not that they’re struggling to lift his hugely dense and weighty body up to their level.

They get around this same issue in TCW by having Anakin force lift him out of the Echo Chamber instead of the others having to work out how they’re going to get him out of there.

Look how much he was struggling by the end of his fight with Muchi. Sure, it was made into a joke (“He’s losing his touch”), everything with him always is. Right up until it isn’t funny anymore. Like with bouncing his head off of every hard object until his chip activated and he went into full on murder mode. But what if his apparent lack of stamina is simply the byproduct of him struggling to heft his own body weight around for a prolonged period?

There’s a gap between the fight and him walking through the streets of Ord Mantell with Muchi by his side and we don’t get to see if he spent all of that time sitting down and resting (”chargin' up before I charge in”) any more than we get to see him returning to the ship post fight.

But what does this have to do with anyone else?

With Hunter we saw the Zygerrian slaver wrap his electro whip around his arm and he barely reacted to it. And while much of the whip was wrapped around the armour on his arm he was also holding it in his hand. Given just how much those things have hurt people when we’ve seen them used previously it seems unlikely that the thin fabric of his glove would be enough to protect him from feeling it.

Unless the increased density of his body maybe helps to decrease the sensation of pain? That remains unclear as yet, but it’s a possibility.

But we also saw him fall halfway down a mountain and get up again at the bottom. Gregor, a man also wearing the same class of armour that he has, had already said they couldn’t survive that jump, and that was before Hunter solidly bounced off a lot of rocks and trees as he descended.

Oh, he shook his head a little before he got up, but he should have been dead.

We don’t get to see Tech flex his muscles much but he peels that durasteel? panel off the brig wall like it’s nothing.

And what of Crosshair?

In the mess hall we see him trying to be a good boy and not get into a brawl up until the fight comes and lands right in his dinner, at which point he uses his increased density to put enough force behind that flung lunch tray that it not only slams into two other clones, but does it with sufficient force to knock them both right off their feet.

And that’s just not normal.

But neither is the way Omega manages to slide down a cable strong enough to moor the Marauder and prevent it from breaking free and escaping from the crab creatures (in the S2 trailer) without slicing both of her hands open and causing friction burns on top. She certainly should be in no condition to spring up, grab her bow, and start firing shots.

There’s a really good reason abseilers wear sturdy gloves.

It's 'Crosshair's sharpshooting skills', not Crosshair's phenomenal eyesight.

We’re led to assume that it’s his eyesight because we tend to think of shooting as being a linear thing, because straight lines are how projectile weapons work.

But blasters aren’t like slug throwers and we see that every time Crosshair gets his reflector discs out, such as when he mows down a corridor filled with droids, bouncing a single shot off disc after disc and cutting down everything standing in between them, or setting up his Elite Squad to die long before they walk into the training room.

His enhancement is an increased mental processing speed, just like we see in Tech and Omega. It’s his ability to calculate the angles super quickly in order to set up that corridor full of droids on the fly, or to target something 10 klicks/6 miles away and to pre-place a series of reflectors accordingly so they never see it coming that makes him special.

His ability to see where a child jumped into dark night waters after a sinking droid, to calculate the distance and angle, and to shoot a grapple at just the right velocity to hit his target even against all the water resistance. And to calculate all of that in seconds before anyone is stupid enough to jump in after her.

Chances are his eyesight is no better than any other clone.

But he also shows signs that he may feel less pain than is usual, just the same as Hunter does.

A high velocity rifle with a super long barrel filled with as many collimating components as will fit inside must give one hell of a kick. Even with the shoulder padding on his original armour the recoil from the firepuncher throws his shoulder back hard every time but he never shows any sign of pain. Does an increased density of tissue simply mean he doesn’t feel it as much?

And Tech? With his self proclaimed ‘exceptional mind’?

It’s all about the fast speed at which he can process the data he acquires. Which goes well with the excellent flight skills he’s displayed, such as over Ryloth and Daro, which suggest his reaction times are exceptional, allowing him to correct for changes in environment and in combat situations really quickly.

Very similar to Crosshair’s skill, but with a different application.

Omega displayed excellent strategy skills when beating everyone else at dejarik, she identified Cid when none of the others managed to work out who she was, she manipulated Todo 360 into allowing her to repair his leg so she could make her escape from Bane’s ship, while scared and handcuffed she then managed to find the comms station and operate outmoded equipment in order to contact the Batch, then she made her escape from Bora Vio all by herself.

So her processing speed doesn’t appear to be lagging any either.

When the Batch are on Onderon Tech says “I would not discount Omega's insight. A state of heightened awareness is not unusual for an enhanced clone such as herself.”

But they’re all ‘enhanced’, I mean, that’s exactly what’s supposed to make them all so special in the first place.

A ‘state of heightened awareness’ is usually taken to mean a state in which you’re highly aware of your surroundings, hyper vigilant or focused. And those of them whose mental processes have been speeded up should be far more skilled at picking up on subtle cues and background information that other people don’t notice.

It’s like they want to make them force sensitive but without actually letting them access the force because something somewhere once said that clones aren’t force sensitive, so they’ve gone for the next best option.

So they can have hyper senses but no lightsabers.

Hunter sensed the probe droid when it was lurking in the trees and we put that down to his EM detection. But a little earlier, when it was watching them through the trees, Crosshair looked around too, even though there was no indication that there was anything there. So it seems like he felt it in some way too.

We all noted how Hunter appears to ‘feel’ Crosshair’s presence when they’re leaving Ryloth, but one person on a busy planet with a lot of people, communications, construction, etc wouldn’t give off enough of an EM disturbance to pick up at any sort of range unless they were deliberately sending out a signal, and hyper awareness shouldn’t apply since he wasn’t within sight, sound, etc range.

Crosshair seems to know where Caleb is hiding up a tree on Kaller, and he doesn’t buy that he fell over the waterfall for a moment even though there’s no evidence to show otherwise apart from knowing Hunter well enough to know when he’s lying.

In the mess hall fight Tech picks up the threat to Echo from the clone who slams him with the lunch tray even though he isn’t facing him, only turning towards him in time to warn him of the incoming threat.

We don’t notice Wrecker reacting to his surroundings in the same way the others sometimes do, but it’s possible that he might have a better sense of the space around him and the room he takes up and uses this to move around in a small area like the Marauder without bumping into things or stepping on anyone’s toes.

But no one of them noticed the scrappers on Bracca approaching noticeably before any other one does.

And it was no help to them when the Zygerrians snatched them either.

Hang on, Hunter’s skill is EM detection. Tech says so.

Yes, it is. But it’s everyone else’s skill too, they’re maybe not as good at it as he is, but they’re all picking up the signals to some degree.

However, if you’re trying to sell your team of enhanced clones as being unique individuals with a skill that makes each one special, you’re not going to want to point out that they’re all technically doing the same thing.

So they focus on Hunter’s EM detection, Tech’s fast processing, Wrecker’s apparent strength, and Crosshair’s sharp shooting.

Because it sounds fancier that way.

And fancier sells for a higher price.

When they’re talking about getting their experimental clones back Lama Su says “We only need one” and if they all have the same abilities coded into their DNA then that’d be right.

Any of them would suffice to allow them to proceed to the next phase.

#tbb #the bad batch #enhanced skills

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echoedcrosshairs · 10 months

Text

Those Who Fight Together - Part 15

Summary: Undescribed Female Jedi nicknamed Reaper goes toe to toe with the Techno Union, mention of character death? and blowing a little steam with some restraints

Warning: Violence, Old Force Magic, Bondage if you squint, Techno Union, The Algorithm experiment, injuries, temporary blindness, restraints, drinking

Word Count: 11k

Part 14 Part 16

Masterlist

Echo paced back and forth on the Marauder, something didn't feel right but he couldn't place it maybe it was just being alone again in a sort of cramped space. He looked at the empty chairs before forcing himself to sit in one, I could just head to Kamino not that there's anyone there for me to talk too but I wouldn't be alone. I could met up with the 501st... She'd probably kill me if I got hurt. Echo's hand went to the crystal around his neck, I wonder if you've found them yet. Was it a formality or am I going to need this. He wrapped his fingers around it.

"GONK GONK GONK"

"You take forever to charge," Echo grumbled, "I need company."

"GONK GONK GONK"

"I don't speak power droid, add it to the list of stuff to learn. Do you mind me waking you?" Echo listened to a happy gonk sound and amused that it was fine, "There out on a mission... in the outer rim, the depths of the outer rim and I had to stay here," Echo heard the panic gonk sound, "Their going after the group that did... this, the group you guys rescued me from" he said waving at himself, "There with this incredible Jedi, we call her Reaper," Echo recounted meeting her and their assignments and apologized for not charging him. Gonky seemed to listen to him making distinction noises keeping him company. "Thanks Gonky, I think we're gonna be here all night."

Slick flew up and awake hearing the small rustling start, he flung the covers back see Crosshair and Tech attempt to wake her up. Crosshair growled but got up allowing him to get in. Slick climbed on top of the bed and rested on his knees holding his hand to her face, "Duchess, time to wake up," Slick gave her a couple moments but she wasn't waking, "One of those nights," he scowled getting up and gently pulling out of the bed feeling her start to shake and the sweat starting. He dragged her over to his bed folding his legs and rocking her in "Duchess, wake up," he said tapping her face a little harder.

You jolted awake in a panic, your head colliding violently against a hard object, "Ow! Hard-head," Slick complained rubbing his jaw. You tried to open your mouth but his hand was over it shaking his head, "Duchess, calm down" He said removing his hand, "Remember they're here. Breath," you slumped in his arms trying to lower your pounding heart, "Nightmare or a vision?" He asked. "Nightmare." Slick nodded knowing the repeated night, "Do you want to try to go back to sleep or go for a stroll? I can't obviously offer you fresh air or scenery however because someone just had to insist on white everything."

"More food?" you asked.

"Yeah come on."

You crawled out of Slick's lap rubbing your eyes and held Hunter's cool touch about your skin, reflexively you grabbed him and took him with you. The Duchess doesn't...

"Shut up, I just woke up," you groaned.

"Talking to yourself again?" Crosshair eyed.

"You can also shut up," you snipped.

Hunters hand tightened around yours as he saw the way your eyes slitted as you looked at Crosshair. He tugged you a little closer as you all finished the walk to the lounge. He found Reef already there cooking.

"I thought I heard an approaching disturbance," He said turning his head around but keeping his body on task, "I am preparing breakfast, do you need to partake of some early?"

"I'm famished," you said tugging your hand out of Hunters and crawled into the booth next to slick.

"Last time you said that, I had to insert Reef's other program and that was a long day," Slick leered.

"To be far we had just gotten back from a rough assignment I was very very hungry," you laughed slightly shoving him, "and if I remember correct you were eating during it anyway."

"I was starving, I'm not a desert before dinner type of guy and you had entertainment."

Wrecker asked "Are they talking about what I think they are?"

"Yes. I bet Echo would love to know," Crosshair rolled his eyes, "Told him she had a droid kink."

"It was the type of sex, Crosshair, that would make you jealous" you narrowed your eyes at him, "Now be a good boy and shut up, maybe you'll get a treat," you send slipping back into the cool waters of the Duchess.

Slick put his hand on your leg again and leaned in, "As much as that one deserves it, you don't need to be so harsh until we get there."

"Keep getting close, I'll bend her over one of these stools," Crosshair hissed behind you.

You jumped a little, "Cross! Maker you step as light as a loth."

"He's definitely crossed," Slick chuckled rolling his eyes taking his hand off.

"I expected his behavior from Tech not you," you squinted.

"Don't think that drink didn't effect him too?" Crosshair growled.

"Yet he drank it," you said turning back to the counter just to have Crosshair grab you and spin you back around.

Slick tried to hide the smirk on his face when Reef split his arms and pulled 4 guns on him, "Is there a problem Dutchess?" he asked pointing each of them at Crosshair who didn't even look phased.

"No, but thank you Reef," you said kindly watching Reef tuck everything away, you gave Crosshair a little shove and stood up turning the icy stare, "I know you're looking out for your brother but here? You need to watch out for yourself. Anything else?"

"No."

You lean forward looking like you were going to kiss him but very forcibly bit his lip, "Good, you're getting on my nerves," and sat back down.

"What did I say about playing nice?" Slick scolded, "even if he started it," he muttered, "I'm going to regret this," he groaned already seeing the spiteful wheels turning in your head.

You gave him a little coy smile, "You mean my favourite way to treat you when you irritated me? Then yes." You turned around and grabbed Crosshair by the throat gently then forcibly pushed him to the wall you flicked your fingers up and his arms went flying above his head, "I bet you've imagined this differently," you said running your tongue over your teeth which got a snarl from him. Carefully you tugged his shirt up and flicked it over his head using it at a cushion for his hands.

"You can only keep my hands up for so long," he growled.

"You're going to be holding your own hands up. Slick, darling, a black napkin and my tea."

"Duchess," he groaned staring at the glint in your eye knowing there was no change your mind. He grabbed the napkin and quickly put on the tea, "The tea will be done soon."

"Lovely," you said patting him taking the nap, "Crosshair," you gave him mischievous siren eyes, "You're going to hold your hands up until I say... Crosshair again," the compulsion spilled out then the pain and coughing. You covered you mouth knowing what next, forcing your self to stand straight as your throat tore a little and covered your mouth.

Hunter's nose flared as the smell hit him, the faint scent of blood. His hand tighten on the table and he felt Wrecker's hand come down his shoulder. Tech blinked rapidly looking between Hunter and the napkin. Crosshair's eyes went wide as he saw the discoloration and the faint stain, he tried to fight against it but couldn't, "Hold your hands up," kept replaying in his mind every time he tried.

"Was that really necessary?" Slick whispered handing you the tea.

"When the time comes... he has to know what it will do to him. At least this way it'll be kind. Duty above all," you whispered back after taking a few drinks of the tea and swishing it around your mouth before swallowing, "Much better," you purred, sipping it until it was empty and handing it back to him. You turned back to Crosshair who was studying you, you moved back in front of him letting your fingers walk up his chest, "You are so handsome."

He remained silent observing very movement and word letting the icy sniper underneath show tucking away the sliver of warmth he displayed. He watched as you trailed your fingers up his chest your finger tips spread wide to feel more of him. Crosshair felt you gazing into his eyes and he let himself bore back into yours with every ounce of ice even when your touches dance to tender places like his neck and his legs.

"Is he always like this?" Slick asked leaning against the table watching with Hunter, Wrecker and Tech, "There's nothing in his eyes."

"Crosshair is a sniper, our Reaper is currently the Duchess. He did happen to try to kill her when he saw her with Dooku so the fact that she has him... displayed is probably setting off was warning bells," Tech offered.

"He what?" Slick's head snapped, "I regret every word of trying to get her to be nice. He really did just toss her aside..." he voiced louder knowing he would hear as he scoffed marching over there. One handed he snaked his fingers over the ones you had on Crosshair's chest and pulled your hand back, "Let him go Duchess. He doesn't deserved to be worshiped like this from you and doesn't seem to appreciate it anyway there's no point." He saw the mask slip for a moment revealing defeat and sadness before being replaced with the pouty flirt that doesn't get her way, "Crosshair," Slick let your hand go, "You can do that to me anytime," he said swiping his finger up your cheek, "At least I can appreciate a woman seductively touching me, what man can't? Oh wait" he added purposely poking him before heading back to his stool taking the napkin and tossing it in the garbage.

"What happened to play nice?" You asked joining him.

"He apparently tried to kill you. I know you're not the same person around them you are with me but he doesn't deserve that slice of the Duchess, the tenderness under the rage and wraith. None of them would appreciate it."

Crosshair watched pulling his shirt back on tucking it in, he enjoyed it but it still felt wrong. He stuck a tooth pick in his mouth and walked back to the table with brothers questioning if his dignity was intact. I hate that fucking Reg.

"Once again your right."

"I know," his voice full of glee, "Food!" he said looking down at the steaming food Reef set before both of you. He watched you dig in and scarfed it before eating himself.

"Are you enjoying the food?" Reef asked looking down at the empty plate, "and soft enough for throat?"

"It was as perfect as always."

"Thank you, I must check in with our guest."

You laid your head down at the table, letting the tiredness hit you with the warm food, "Let's get you back to bed," Slick sliding his arms around your shoulders and knees, "We can have fun when you wake up."

"You're not going to sleep?"

"With Crosshair on board? Not a chance, I'll nap when your awake just so one of us are up."

"He's not going to-"

"The emptiness and hollowness in his eyes said different."

The rest of the walk was silent, he gently returned you to bed the and the squad retaking their position except Crosshair who sat in the corner floor so he could watch the whole room. Slick grabbed a pad and sat up in his bed occasionally checking in watching Crosshair's glare at him and heard Wrecker's snoring. Almost as bad as Chopper's, he scowled remembering his unit but still missed them. Wrecker didn't sleep either, he stayed up petting your head for the rest of the night ready to step between Slick and Crosshair if a fight broke out and he was pretty sure it was.

You felt Hunter's hand on your face and a kiss on your forehead making your eyes flutter open, "Good morning," you yawned sleepily stretching into him, "mmm you smell good," curling up a little more.

"Don't get any ideas, it's still my time," Tech said to no one in particular noting Wrecker, Crosshairs and Slick's absence, "Obviously that's not a good sign," he said.

"Their fine, Wrecker and Cross are eating and Slick's on deck," Hunter replied, "Non of them slept."

You rolled your eyes sitting up, wiping them, "You guys shouldn't have come," you muttered.

"Why so you could have your fun with Slick and Reef?" Tech deadpanned.

"No, it would have been the last thing on my mind but at least Slick would have liked it, I have never been more degraded and insulted..." you sighed the anger deflating a little, "Slick's right, there was nothing when I touched no warmth.. no humanity, nothing. I shouldn't have even bothered. It was like looking in the mirror."

"Do you doubt Crosshair's affection?" Tech inquired.

"I doubt everything I have ever believed," you uttered grabbing another outfit and leaving them. You changed walking down the hall without a care in the world as you headed towards the deck and climbed your spot in the chair in the center, BB-001 informed you that you still over half of an orbital's flight and you groaned. You knew Slick could see your bitter mood but neither of you wanted to discuss it and it was only made worse then Crosshair walked in shirtless.

"Do it again," he said leaning over you in the chair.

You scoffed "Why would I waste more of my time when you proved me to be uninspiring to a fine creature such as yourself?" You snipped trying to move him with your leg but failed with how firmly he was planted, "Move," you growled but he still didn't budge, "Go fuck a whore, Cross," you added shoving him back finally getting him to move, "if your so good in bed. Obviously to good to be interested in me and now your only doing it out of pride. Did you go to the med bay and grab some helpers? There was nothing last night between us, nothing... why would there be? I'm nothing but a barely hot piece of ass for you only when you want it," the words ripped from your throat as the tears came, "Just leave me alone." You ran from the room shaking locking yourself in one of the destruction rooms knowing after sadness always comes anger. You could hear Wrecker and Slick banging on the door you opened the panel and shot it a few times to keep Tech from overriding it. That should buy a least a while of peace and quiet. You curled yourself up on the floor and sobbed yourself back to sleep.

"Are you trying to break us up!" Crosshair shouted shoving Slick.

"You're doing that just fine on your own," he scoffed catching himself turning his attention back the door, "Going to have to blast it open?" He asked looking down at Tech.

"Yes, she has disrupted the signal on the other end."

"I'm not threw with you," Crosshair said yanking Slick again.

"We can have it out when I know she's okay, I actually care about her and I personally don't have time for your bantha crap until I know she's fine," Slick said walking over to the wall with a concealed Pod waking one of the droids, "Get the door open." Slick watched as droid punched the seam until there was a dent big enough for the droid to get his hands on and pry open.

Wrecker got to her first and checked her breathing and the undisturbed room, "She's asleep." Wrecker scooted you into his big arms, "You gave all of us a scare," he said listening to your breathing change.

"I just want to be alone."

"Well you can be alone in my arms but that's the most alone you're going to get."

"I rather be alone in bed, the floor isn't that comfortable," you said rolling your shoulder.

"I can put you in bed beautiful."

Crosshair watched Wrecker carry her off and how puffy her face one, "I do not know how to assist," Tech standing next him also watching.

"We'll deal with it when we go home," Hunter chimed in, "Just need to get our heads on straight for the mission ahead as much as I want to solve it now there's not enough time."

Crosshair took out the toothpick and flicked it into the room, "We're soldiers, we pick ourselves and move on," his words didn't match what was going on in his head. His trained cool demeanor refused to display his personal feelings. He felt the eyes on him but he followed after Wrecker ignoring the glare as he picked up his armor attaching it, after his helmet sealed shut he grabbed his Firepuncher taking a glance to see the silent sobbing. He took himself down to the shuttle letting himself have a single tear before focusing on his drilled in task of cleaning and prepping his weapon.

"Everyone is in the shuttle, we got to go," Slick said disturbing their slight embrace.

You had long since stopped crying and hoped your face was half presentable as you walked into the shuttle taking the seat next to Hunter as Slick and Reef took the pilot chairs. You fiddled repositioning your sabers time counting the minutes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Slick asked hoping you hadn't lost your nerve.

"I can't wait to watch it burn at my feet," the cruel sweetness came back to your voice and he smiled.

"I'll happily watch anything that upsets you burn at your feet," he replied, "especially if your in heels"

"I wouldn't have it any other way my knight," you purred standing up resting your elbows on his and Reef's shoulder, "Everything is position?" your regular voice returning.

"The rendezvous ship is 25 minutes out of sensor range, that provides us with enough time to disrupt and destroy."

"For Echo," you whispered returning to your seat, pulling the other saber out of the nap sack with your armor, you kissed it placing it back in the bag, "Techno Union is about to learn you will reap what you sow", you whispered letting every once of rage lace it "I think I'm going to make an entrance, see you boys when you catch up!" You laughed skipping your way to the exit door and opening it, grabbing the lid off of a crate and stepping out tugging the door shut behind you.

"She is falling at terminal velocity towards a solid mass, she is going to die!" Tech said standing up but Wrecker shoved him back down. Slick clicked his tongue, "She'll be fine, she did it all of the time and usually from higher up. It's a very effective technique. Well you boys should know by now the Jedi like the fall and jump from deadly heights," wish more of them were finale, he mentally added.

"Effective in doing what? Running a high probability of dying?" Tech asked staring with his head slightly cocked.

"Intimidation," Crosshair said flatly.

"So he does still have a tongue," Slick joked, "Alright boys getting ready to touch down... She's fine... in more ways that one," He laughed watching her ass sway in the heels walking towards the main door with the two guards in tow, "Maker made that one just for us clones," he whistled, "Touch down. Waiting for her signal," almost on que the she pushed the door open, "Okay three minutes," Slick said putting on his helmet and jogging after her making some excuse as to what took him so long to catch up.

"You good, Cross?" Hunter asked as soon as Slick had caught up.

"Yes," he said tartly.

"You could just stay-" Wrecker started.

"Shut up."

The guard had bought the story about a surprise inspection given the possibility of contracting them for a new task. You casually looked at everything as he went through the tour noticing the exits, cameras and blind spots. The job seemed to easy, shouldn't this place be more fortified? Although we are in the most protected and dangerous place in the outer rim. Three minutes were almost up. You nonchalantly asked to be directed to the bathroom was Slick distracted the man. You reached the bathroom and hit the signal for Tech to tap in remotely as they made their entrance. Camera's should start rolling off. Now for business. You stride out of the bathroom and heard the fun at had started. Guards were running which ever way and Slick and the head of the building had made there way to you telling you go to safety. Slick winked and you followed after both of them.

Crosshair found you and sneaking up the crosswalk above, being up high was currently the only comfort he had. He'd always love being up high in secluded spaces, it always eased his mind but his brain was still rattled from earlier as much as he tried to shove it from his thoughts. He waited and waited until he saw the smile on your face and your sabers sizzle to life. Aiming he raised his fire puncher but within moments you had already cleared the room.

"Next room, darling?" You purred to Slick already kicking the door open.

"No one stood a chance," he chuckled.

"No one ever stood a chance against my resolve."

Slick joined the dance clearing every room of every living thing while listening to the droids start ripping up and destroying equipment, "Everything seems to be on schedule," Slick muttered as your face went white as both of you made your way to the lab, "Scratch that." Both you looked at the assorted Troopers hooked up to various machines more experimented on.

"Hunter we need Tech in the lab, now," You shouted he could hear you over the sound of blaster fire and the shredding of metal. Your fingers danced quickly over the keys able to disconnect a few of the disoriented soldiers. It seemed like forever but Tech and Crosshair stepped through the door.

"Is there enough room on the shuttle?" Tech asked working quickly.

"Slick, plan C."

"I farking hate plan C," he said jogging off.

When the technicians came for their experiments Crosshair watched you dispatch them ruthlessly mocking up as they were cut to bits. It made his stomach turn. His eyes flicked up to Slick waving, quickly he watched you move the troopers onto one of the beds and push the bed towards him working on the next set as Tech finished. Tech looked down at the last soldier pulled the plug and moved on. Crosshair eyes scanned the screen, there was nothing that could have been done. His lips twitched with bitterness but starting picking up stray guards as they came in from behind.

"May I inquire what plan C is?" Tech said putting his data away and grabbing his blaster.

"Mildly plummeting to the world below and hoping she's angry enough to play catch."

Crosshair cocked his head, I'm surprised the building isn't falling already. Hunter and Wrecker were catching up destroying everything that even looked remotely electronic on there way down.

"I think she's angry," Wrecker said looking at the carnage.

"They were experimenting on Trooper's, I do not think angry covers it," Tech said.

Hunter shook his head, the four of them jogging after them. Hunter used her scent to track were they had gone finding them in one huge lab like the one they pulled Echo out of, "It's empty," he said.

"Just means they were going to try again," you growled looking at the technology, "Grab any thing important you can off of it."

Tech went to work pulling information files off of it while deleting them afterwards, "Done."

You put your sabers away and unloaded your blaster in the machine, "Die," you said blasting more then Slick's hand went to your face distracting you, "We have to move," he said letting go, "Echo would be happy if he saw that."

"I'll show him when we get home."

"Thanks, Tech," you said smiling, "I appreciate it."

He nodded. Tech watch you waltz from the room getting on your com to the droids when they started exploding, "We're out of time!"

"Slick, take them and go!"

"We're not-"

"Wrecker..." you asked looking at him, he gave a disappointed nod scooping up Hunter and grabbing Tech before he had time to move, "Get going, I'll get the injured." You noticed Crosshair didn't move as Wrecker moved to the door waiting, "Crosshair we can do this my way or Slicks way." Again he didn't move, "Forgive me," you begged watching in slow motion as Reef fell from the ceiling dropping him to the floor giving Slick enough time to hit the seal of his helmet and injected him. You saw the look of guilt hidden in his eyes before Slick put the helmet back on and tossed him over his shoulder.

Aren't I the one whose suppose to be apologizing? Crosshair thought as the tranq slammed into him.

Echo opened the priority hologram of Cody, "Echo? Where's Reaper... and everyone else it's morning?"

"There out on assignment, it's just me. Anything I can do to help you?"

"We just got a batch of injured from an outpost in the outer rim... They described her perfectly, a trader brought them in however."

Echo's hands tighten, "They were all out there," he said swallowing.

"Don't go getting any bright ideas, they'll turn up they probably just had to finish whatever it was. They just wanted to say thank you."

Echo looked down to see Hunter's homing button blinking, "Have to go, they're back. I'll let her know, Commander," he said switching it off, "I don't have a good feeling about this," he muttered to Gonky who gave a concerned gonk.

Echo tracked the signal back to the border finding the white shuttle waiting. He docked the Marauder, opened the door and waited the moment he saw Hunter and Wrecker's faces he knew something was grow. However Tech's and Crosshair's were unreadable.

"Where's Reaper?" Echo asked staring at Slick's emotionless expression.

"With the soldier's... she's not back yet?" His expression going pale.

Echo fell in the seat next to him with a thud, "They made it... she wasn't with them."

There was a heavy silence between all of them before Slick broke it, "I'll get back and if I find her.. I know how to get ahold of you."

"If we find her, we'll let you know," Hunter confirmed, both of them pulling the doors shut to disembark, "We'll find her Echo."

"Unlikely, it was a two rotation journey. She most likely got incinerated catching them or succumbed to whatever injuries after getting them to safety."

"Tech!" Hunter snapped.

"I am not going to provide false hope, we all have to look at the facts and the statistics of her survival is less then minimal to none."

"For someone who was so broken about her leaving, you seem fine," Wrecker muttered.

"I am... adapting. We are soldiers, we adapt and move on. Its not that I am not hurt, but I know with our short lives if she has perished I will see her again one day and when that time comes I do not want to be lectured for letting my emotions get the better of me, again," he paused to collect himself, "If it was her final wish to get us to back to the republic... I will not allow her sacrifice to be for nothing. I will continue my duty as she would have wanted."

Plan 99, they all thought. Crosshair disappeared to his bunk. He sneered hearing Hunter behind him. He tossed his rifle in his bunk and plopped down next to it, "Leave me alone," he send pulling his privacy curtain.

"Crosshair, we both know she was upset when she said that. She loved you" Hunter said running his fingers along his bandana, even after all of that he could still faintly smell her on it, "We all saw it when she looked at you."

Wrecker bear hugged Echo, "We'll be okay." He tighten his grip as Echo tried to maneuver out of it, "Nope. Just accept the hug," that comment got through to him and he melted again, Wrecker finally set him down, "I'll go keep my eyes on brainy, since he still has stuff stashed on board."

Echo stood outside their room and rested his head on the door, I've lost so many brothers in this war and now possibly her. He pulled himself off knowing Tech was right about carrying on, he grabbed the crystal around his neck and put himself in his bunk which got a surprised look from Hunter. We're all hurting just in our own ways, I can't go in there yet.

Tech sat at the pilot seat putting his feet up with his arms folded over his chest as he stared out the window seeing a new message coming from Cody. He flipped it out not even nothing to look at him.

"I take it she didn't make it...?" Cody asked.

"Reaper is Missing in Action," Tech reported, "Yet to be seeped Killed in Action."

"What we're you guys even doing out there? There was no assignment out that far."

"We... brought down the Techno Unions Lab, the report should be available. Clone intelligence should already be investigating."

"I assumed but why?"

"Their was reasonable suspicion they were abducting clones in attempts to make another... 'algorithm' which we concluded to be true."

"Protecting us clones," Cody said shaking his head, "the only way I could have ever seen her going out. Has anyone told Wolffe?"

"No, it is our responsibility to tell him so, the others will probably want to refrain for a few days to confirm that she didn't find an alternate mode of transportation."

"Should still tell him, Tech."

"I will take it under advisement," Tech said before Cody cut off the communication.

"I'm not looking forward to that call," Wrecker muttered.

"I will do it, if there is not objections Hunter?"

Hunter commed that it would be the best if he did. He sat on his bunk listening to the anger in his voice then flatness when Tech mentioned duty. It pissed him off, but Tech was correct which passed him off more. Hunter heard him say keep him apprised and Tech signed off. He took off his bandana and clenched it in his hand, Hunter didn't want to give in to the possibility but knew there was no running from the truth that the probability was slim even for a Jedi. Hunter bolted up right and pulled Crosshair's curtain but to find his emotions rolling down his cheeks and fall down them to hiss pillow. He stepped back knowing the look of the coiled snake waiting to strike.

Crosshair yanked the curtain shut again but didn't say anything, already torn but aggravated at the lack of privacy from his brothers when he needed it. Move on, pick your self up and move on. You got it out of your system. He wiped what was left of his emotions off his face and pulled the curtain back hoping down to grab food. He felt Hunter's eyes when the hair on the back of his neck stood up but he wouldn't give him any further satisfaction of seeing him compromised. Grabbing food he sat down next to Tech and Wrecker staring out the view wondering if there a deeper meaning to Forgive me, what you said? Having Slick drug me? Knowing he'd have too? Not making up before the battle? He groaned his head swimming again, he moved himself to her room retaking his position on the floor staring at the bed and the fresh armor on it.

Echo spent the next three nights sleeping his bunk with his brothers, Wrecker this time seeking the solace of her room, even Gonky came in and joined them. He spent every day looking at the sensors for any sliver of hope whether it was his shift or not when he was finally going to give up a huge gold ship dropped in-front of them with the Tomb's crest. The ship put a tractor beam and pulled them to the docking port.

Hunter was the first to enter the ship to find Indel staring at him, surprised she's allowed to leave. The rest of the squad filed onto the ship unaware of what they would be doing all the way out here however the look in Indel's face gave him a sliver of hope. He watched her point her finger at Echo and extend her hand, he walked Echo freeze his hand holding it but he reluctantly gave it back watching Indel put the saber by together.

"Whole once again," she said looking specifically at Echo, "Balance requires two, saber and user or man and machine however together they make a whole," she said handing the saber to him, "once again you are whole."

Echo stared at the saber, "She's gone isn't she?" he whispered.

Indel let out a short laugh, "Did you not hear a word I said child. Come."

You groaned, "Touch each finger to your thumb, good, wiggle your toes," Asclepios repeated every motor skill practice several times a day then moved on to practical making you walk and eventually run a simple obstacle course, "I don't think you missed anything," you complained.

"Master, it is part of my training don't you forget," she jokingly snipped back making you do it all over again, "it looks like it is time to go home," she said looking up at the observation window to Indel and the Squad looking down, "Can you see them?" she asked.

"I don't need too, I can sense them. Any more test or can I get out of this.. hospital gown, this shade of yellow is not my color."

"Let's one through the test one more time, to put on a show as you would say."

"Might as well give you your second saber, you catch up fast," you said sarcastically, "Thank you for putting me back together."

"It is my duty, but I am glad I sensed it and came as fast as I could for my friend."

Hunter unknowingly put his hand on the glass, stepping forward staring down watching every bodily movement intensely not believing she was still alive. Tech wide eyed starred in disbelief wondering if she enjoyed rewriting the laws of physics. Wrecker jumped saying he knew it, she was to bad ass to be dead. Echo stared at the saber finally understanding what Indel meant, he saw her smile at his understanding. Crosshair stood there silently observing. They all followed Indel lead them to the medical room after you concluded your test.

"It will gradually come back more with time" Asclepios tried reassuring by the time the door opened, "just have patience, Master. You have guest behind you waiting."

"How could I not know their loud," you chuckled turning around, "Clone Force 99, Cody spoke a lot about you."

"Master, that isn't funny," both of you started laughing enough for Indel to cough, "well maybe a little."

"Do you think she is well enough to... go home?" Indel asked.

"No, but I grant her permission. I do not think this facility is equipped to keep her contained much longer," she said helping you off the observation table, "I think a familiar area... will help."

"So be it, you may... take her home."

Asclepios anxiously released her hold on you watching you take a few steps towards them. All of them were scared to touch you not wanting to break down and make a sense. You were thankful for the cluster around you using them as a guide by to the ship, you missed the step up and felt Crosshair's grasp on you to steady you then quickly release as you got into the Marauder. Your hand went to the wall of the ship, "Been awhile," you whispered guiding yourself to your room. "I think... She's blind?" you heard Hunter questionably whisper, but pretended to ignore it but your spike in heart rate proved to him other wise. Your hands grabbed your armor and moved it gently to the floor and sat at the end of the bed, "Did I miss anything fun?" you asked looking up at the them.

"No, however excuse me, I need to alert Cody, Wolffe and Slick you have been found," Tech said pulling himself away unsure how to proceed with Hunter's insight.

You felt Echo's arm snake around you and Wrecker pull you back into his abdomen, "My favorite pillow."

Hunter climbed up and joined them, he leaned forward and sniffed her. The calm relaxing scent of her finally letting him relax. He swiped the bandana back and forth on her head recoating the comforting smell back on it before burying his face in her neck.

You felt Crosshair still sitting over on the floor when you heard Tech join him down there. "What's with the silence? Did you honestly think that was enough to take me out?" You anxiously laughed trying to break the eerie silence when you felt Echo's fingers on your lips. Oh... they did. You kissed his fingers he moved grabbing you by the waist, "Well.. I'm home" You offered, "although I don't know how much longer I can lay down, when I wasn't doing stupid test I was laying. It get's pretty boring after.. well I don't know how many rotations it's been."

"Technically Six."

"It felt like forever... I need to get out of this gown, this is not a flattering shade of yellow."

"Reaper... it's red," Hunter whispered pulling up kissing the top of your forehead, getting up and digging through your civvies for something comfortable comforting.

"Of course that's what I meant," you scowled annoyed that she didn't correct you on the color, wondering if she had hoped that you would point it out and they would notice.

"We can tell," Echo whispered.

"It's temporary," you said giving up the charade.

"How bad was it?" Tech inquired getting angrily glared at at his poor timed question.

"I didn't ask. She would have to tell me the truth and I'm not ready to admit I'm mortal quite yet," you said smiling trying to be in good spirits over it, "Wait you contacted Slick?" you asked confused.

"Yeah, we've each spent the last 4 days looking for you," Hunter said sitting you up attempting to put clothes on you and failing.

Another set of hands gently touched and moved you, Crosshair wasn't ready to speak but was tired with Hunter's effable attempt. As much as it amused him to watch Hunter fail at such a simple task, he didn't want you to get cold given how cold their ship was compared to one you were on.

"How about 79's? It theoretically should be a slow day and it is... quiet familiar?" Tech asked getting up.

"I would appreciate it."

"You're quiet," you said touching Echo. He spotted your face in kisses, "I can't believe your alive" He offered, "You should have known," he blinked times "How?" You laughed feeling his neck for the crystal realizing it had probably been returned "It would have chipped and eventually broke," you said, "The balance destroyed."

Wrecker shifted and Echo pulled you tight against him wrapping his legs around yours, "I am glad you're alive, Riduur."

"I'm happy I am too, just no babying me. Every thing is hazy and colors are wrong but I'm not defenseless."

"You're taking the fun out of it," Hunter said caressing your cheek.

"Awwwe, can I carry you around at least?" Wrecker asked.

"Yes you can big boy," you smiled, "I can't see the ground anyway."

"But that course?" Hunter asked.

"It's a force sensitivity course, not quite your eye day training course."

"I love you," Echo whispered holding you a little tighter.

"I love you too but you're squishing me, Corporal," you said tapping his arm, he let go apologizing putting you on your back speckling more of your face with kisses, "You're cute when you worried."

"Not funny," he said grumpily.

You brought your lips to his wondering why he hadn't yet, putting your hand on his feeling the tenderness and longing. Every kiss was firm so incredibly soft, he pulled back and kissed your nose with a chuckle, "Is there something wrong with my lips, she said there only be faint scaring-" you said if then Hunter's hand grabbed your chin and pulled you towards him, "There's nothing wrong them, we're just to busy staring at your beauty thanking the maker your still fighting," he said giving one kiss. He watch the red creep into your face, "I was jealous that first time seeing the reg making you this pretty color," he whispered letting the back of his finger stroke the blush.

"Jealous? That's cute," you giggled like a little school girls pretty sure made him roll your eyes, "Okay I'm tired of laying down," you said making yourself sit up, Wreckers arms picked you up and you felt him drag you to the pit and set you down in one of the seats, "Can't see much but much better."

Crosshair was still quite but he cautiously handed you a cup of water and wrapped your fingers around it and returned to his position on the outskirts of the room continuing his perch observation. He saw her look down at the cup at him and down at it.

"Water," Echo said, "Drink it."

"I know what it is," you said before chugging it, "I just said not to baby me."

"It's Crosshair's day, let him have it," Hunter said.

"I can't believe I was gone that long..."

"We'll your back now," Wrecker said , "We're all glad you're back."

"I'm glad to be back." Even if there is still unspoken conversation that needs to be had. You felt Crosshair's eyes watching you as Echo knelt before and placed his head on your lap.

"I'm not sure if your outfit is 79's entire," he joked feeling the cool pajamas against his skin.

"Can pick something out for me then," you offered rubbing his shoulders.

You sensed Crosshair move out of the room, "Is there a reason he's not saying anything?" you whispered.

"He.. dealt with it in his own way, he's more quiet then usual," he said standing you up and guiding you back to where Cross was waiting

He picked a simple outfit and flat shoes, he left his gloves on as he moved about your body changing the poorly chosen outfit. He still didn't know what to say. He felt you grip him and pull him closer the moment he finished putting on the shirt, he went as stiff as piece of plastoid as she wrapped her arms around him. She took a few moments of just embracing that she pulled back navigating herself out of the room. He quietly followed after her positioning him in the further chair away from her.

Tech looked back and stared at her, studying the void expression in her face as she rested her head on her knee letting the other leg dangle down. He turned his attention back to his piloting, What do I even say that hasn't been said yet? Do I even need to say anything? What do you even say to some thing like that? I don't know what type of reaction I should have or what would be deemed suitable. Do I need to get adjust to having her around again?

"Tech, I know you think a lot but you're loud."

"Apologies," He felt her hands run through his hair, a simple pleasurable gesture acknowledging him, "Can I be of assistance?" he asked wondering if the touch was more for his sake or her own. He heard her mutter no and shuffle away, he was tempted to turn and ask if she understood but he was flying. If it was a miscommunication, I will correct it when we land. The rest of the flight was semi quiet besides the attention she was receiving from Wrecker, Hunter and Echo. Tech side eyed his aloof brother who was in thought pretending to clean his armor even if it was the twelfth time this week, it had become apparently it was his way of being be present yet alone with himself.

Wrecker carefully walked you off the Marauder before picking you up and placing you on his shoulder finally have head clearance, "I know you can't see that far.. or good? but does it feel nice?" he asked looking up.

You thumbed the back of his skull, "Feel on top of the world," you stated, you looked down observing the orange outline of him no features you returned your eyes back to the world around you, "Wonder how long it's going to last," you muttered missing people watching, enjoying the simple things outside of the battlefield.

"Hopefully not much longer," Hunter said guessing what you were talking about.

As Wrecker brought her down off his shoulder Hunter put his hands on her waist to stabilize her watching Echo grab ahold of her hand. Hunter kept a hand on her waist gently maneuvering her through the crowd to repeatedly empty booth, Probably because it's the one we sit in, he thought already noticing the Reg's expressions already. Echo kept their hands together sliding into the booth, Hunter smiled he's not going to let her go for awhile. He saw Tech's hesitation of sliding in next to her so he took the spot, the flash of relief in his face made him wonder what he was thinking about earlier but she didn't seem to notice. Wrecker slide in next to Echo letting Crosshair be the last to sit so he had to get drinks, opting for water for Tech and himself.

"Look what the loth dragged in," you heard the familiar cadence of Cody's voice. You step up unto the table, accidentally jolting Echo's arm up before releasing him to jump at Cody only half colliding with him, "When did you start missing?" He laughed but saw the tight faces, "I knew you would be fine," he said changing the subject.

"We'll I'm glad someone believed in my immortality," you joked, "A couple scraps and bruises but nothing major."

"Besides-" Tech started feeling a tug from Hunter, "the temporary blindness," he said feeling it was his responsibility to tell him because no one was apparently going too.

"Was wondering what saved my skull from throbbing for the next couple hours," he said, "Small price for immortality," he joked.

You threw an arm around his neck and got him with your knuckles, "Still got you, Commander," you laughed.

"Very funny, General," he groaned swatting at your hand until you quit, "Next rounds on me, mind if I sit with you boys? Someone's looking a little lonely without ya," he joked looking at Echo quickly realizing it wasn't a joke.

Wrecker stood up snatching you putting you back besides Echo, who's hand found yours, "Thank you," you said stroking Wrecker's receding hand, "Missed me that much?" You whispered, his squeeze answering. The boys chatted about the adventure, you occasionally chimed in but focusing on trying to make out the figures around you.

"Straining yourself is only going to be make the healing prolong," Tech said observing the occasional squints and stares.

"Thanks, captain obvious," you said rolling your eyes, "It's been a week, worried it's not going to come back."

"I don't think the Republic would have any objection to giving you cybernetic ones after all you've done," Cody offered, "Still mad I wasn't invited," he said darting eye between the both of you.

"None of us were invited," Hunter chuckled taking a drink squeezing his hand on your thigh, "However we were invited to the after party," he smirked.

"La la la la, shut up," Cody laughed, "She's practically my sister I don't need to know more than I already do."

"The only reg not interested," Wrecker laughed squishing him, "Is Cody defective?" he asked realizing how weird it was.

"I won't take offense to that," he breathed out while being squished, Wrecker released him apologizing.

Echo and Hunter silently communicated with a smirk forcing Tech and Crosshair to scoot to let the three of you out. You followed them intrigued until letting them guide you over the dance floor, "Wonder who was going to have first dance," you laughed.

"I'm your GAR issued backpack," Echo joked pressing himself up against your back as Hunter stole both of your hands, "I'm not the standard model however it comes with other upgraded perks."

"ECHO!" You said falling forehead in Hunter chest with laughter until your face hurt. You felt both of their amusement seeing you genuinely happy, "Death by humor, not the way I thought I'd go," you laughed feeling the tenderness in your ribs.

"I thought you'd like it," he said watching you weakly compose yourself, "I love your laugh Riduur... I missed it."

"It's a beautiful sound," Hunter agreed looking down at you, you must have sensed him because he saw you look up to him, "Missed you."

"I missed you too, Hunter... how many people are staring?"

"A few, you are between two men-," Hunter's eyes flicked up barely hearing Crosshair voice at the counter then a woman talking to him.

"They've been there for a while," you said, "Crosshair can do whatever he wants."

"I think you two-"

"It's fine, Hunter," you said pulling him close burying your face in his chest, "I told him too remember?" You whispered.

"You didn't mean-"

"Didn't I? The Crosshair I met would have yelled at me for telling him something like that.." you said trying to convince yourself you were okay, "I think we can figure out something if he ends up with other plans," you offered.

Hunter and Echo exchanged concerned glances, "if he does," Hunter finally said to fill the gap in silence. He knew his brother use to be something of a player and wonder if he was just up to old behavior or just being Crosshair trying to make her jealous, "I think I'll leave you two alone for a little bit, I need some water," Hunter said leaning down kissing you, "I won't be gone long," he added spinning you towards Echo, "Keep her entertain, Corporal," he laughed making his way to the bar.

"With pleasure," Echo got into the grove with the music stepping and twirling you when he saw openings that wouldn't lead into you crashing into someone, "Tech showed me the footage," he said pulling you close, "All of it.."

"Hope you enjoyed watching the show," you rolled your eyes not liking where this was going, watching the seriousness spread across his face, "There is nothing Asclepios can't fix, I'm okay Echo," the seriousness stayed, "I promise, no more nightmares."

"Okay," he said pulling you tighter resting his chin on your forehead, "Are... we okay?"

"I don't know... the lack of kissing is kind of frustrating," you admitted touching his face feeling the doubt, "We're okay, Riduur," you felt the kiss at the temple and he slowly worked his way down. His lips were cool to the touch seemingly to barely be breathing as he finally kissed you in earnest. It sent a little shiver through your body, it wasn't fluster or want by his but need to have himself by your side and to know you were okay. You gently put your hands one the sides of neck gently rubbing your thumbs on his cool skin, "Are you okay?" you asked feeling his heart beat pick up.

"All of you left, the moment they came back I knew someone thing had gone wrong... I had four long days of trying to come to terms with the fact I would never see you again."

"It wouldn't have been your fault, Echo, protecting you and this squad is my duty. I would do it again in a heart beat regardless of what happened to me at the end of it. Bond or not, it would have just been a matter of time before I handled them anyway."

"I know you would, that's who you are Reaper," he staring at Crosshair brooding next to them with his arm crossed waiting, "We can pick this up later, I think someone wants to cut in," Echo gave you a little spin towards him kissing your neck, "I'll go see where Hunter wandered off too," he said hoping the two of you would make up.

The dance was silent and slightly out of sync, which was fitting for the situation. Date didn't want to dance with your poor attitude? You bit your tongue not to make the situation worse.

Hunter watched the bar waiting for the next round of drinks, I don't who looks more uncomfortable. He peaked over at the table watching Cody entertain Tech and Wrecker with cards smiling at how simple it had been to finally get them all to relax, well almost all of them.

Crosshair rolled his toothpick side to side in his mouth before lowering his mouth sliding the dry side into your mouth. He never shared his toothpicks with anyone. It was a small deeply intimate gesture that didn't go unnoticed by his squad, "That's never happened before," he heard Tech's shocked voice in the distance. He wanted to smirk but he kept himself composed watching you roll it accidentally drop it. His hand flew to catch it and returned it to your mouth.

"Seeing Crosshair.. soft, might scare me more then when she's angry," Echo joked.

"That makes two of us," Cody said pulling his eyes away, "Surprised she didn't punch him for talking to that woman at the counter."

"I would assume she is only entertaining him because it is his day, presumably she is more then likely fuming underneath," Tech offered, "Although he had not said a word to her since we picked her up she might also be under the assumption they are over given their last interaction therefore dancing with him as a way to conclude their relationship. It is an odd thing some people do that I have found from my research a good bye kiss or one last date, I don't understand the behavior but I could hypothetically see why it could be therapeutic."

"How do you even breath when talking so fast?" Wrecker asked.

"I am accustomed to giving long winded speeches."

"I hate to tell ya Tech, but I think your dead wrong for once," Wrecker said watching them, "Ha, Tech being wrong that would be a first."

"I said assume, I didn't say it was it was fact therefore I wouldn't be wrong but nice attempt."

You could feel Crosshair's eyes staring at you, your heart was still racing and your mouth was dry. You tilted your head up offering the toothpick back feeling him take it hesitantly. He noticed how dry your end was and cautiously pulled you back through the crowd motioning the squad to scoot together and pouring up us glass of water. You took it and sipped on it, feeling all of them still staring between you and Crosshair. It's going to be a long day... or night whichever it is. Anxious about the tension you ended up coughing, water going down the wrong way which ended up making you cough more. You felt his hand firmly patting you until the water dislodged. Can today get any more embarrassing? It did you ended up spilling the part of the water on the the table. "Ugh!" You spatted. One handed Cross brought your wrist together holding them above the table while he wiped it up. Your face was burning.

"Yeah it's scarier," Cody coughed up trying to hide the smile to Echo.

Crosshair squinted glaring at him as he released your hands watching them quickly pull into your lap. Ah, it's me. He let out a long exhale forcibly moving Tech in between both of you. He scowled watching his brother to busy on his pad to care, he stomped his foot and stared at him which made him finally put it down.

Looked at you abnormally shut in, Tech turned side ways and covered you with one leg wrapping his arm around you, "It is not as uncomfortable as it looks," he whispered, "I am... unsure how to proceed it seems like I have to re-adjust to you being alive."

"It's okay, Tech," you said leaning your head on his shoulder, "I am glad you didn't cave to... past habits."

"I assumed as much. Being scolded in the afterlife didn't seem like a pleasurable way to spend it."

"I only would have spent.. maybe a year scolded you," you joked, "I could think of quiet a few other pleasurable ways to spend it," you whispered.

"I think I may need a reminder at a later juncture."

"I haven't been that long," you poked.

"No however I thought it would be prudent to get accustom to repressing that.. need again" he said quickly adding "Nothing of ours was deleted, Cyar'ika."

You turned his face towards yours kissing him, he fumbled at first before slipping his leg off and sliding you into his lap allowing himself to enjoy it. You ran your fingers to comb his hair tracing the band his goggles, giggling a little when you felt his tongue press again your lips. You parted your lips allowing him to enter and his arms hold you a little tighter, once he was satisfied in his inspection he ran his tongue over your teeth one last time before detangling your mouths. As much as he was trying to hide how hard he was breathing but you could feel it and something else pressing into you.

"How's that repressing working for you," you murmured.

"Breached," he whispered, "I will attempt to gather myself... apologies again if it's uncomfortable."

"It's cute," you said wiggling a little bit hearing him exhale a tiny moan, "I hope you recorded that just for me."

"It is always recording," he said tartly taking a drink of water hiding his embarrassment about the outburst.

"Get a room," Cody joked just to get glared at by Crosshair, "on second thought more drinks?"

Hunter patted his big and followed him over the counter, "Wolffe joining us?" he asked.

"No he's out on assignment, but he'll meet up with you as soon as possible. I suspect all of you are going to get an earful even if you didn't let her go alone."

"Next time he can go with her," Hunter chuckled, "It was... quiet the nightmare," he admitted, "Out there..."

"She becomes a different person?" Cody arched an eyebrow, "I am quiet aware. She is balance... there's our side of her and then the side you never want to be the target of. After Wolffe got injured... it took a whole squad of us to take her down after chasing Ventress across the planet it made the battle itself look like hologame."

"What a woman," Hunter said leaning against the counter watching her tease Tech and watching Crosshair feign indifference, "Glad to know she's on our side and came back to us."

"I'd hate to know what would happen if she wasn't."

Hunter carried the drinks over, wrinkling his nose at the arousal coming off them. He scolded them and told them to knock it off. You laughed at the expression on Tech's face as he dug his fingers into your thigh taking several deep breaths. You brought your hand to his face feeling the relaxation wash over him and he unburied his hand, fiddling with his goggles. Wrecker laughed at how normals things seemed to be and how happy all of them seemed. On a whim Tech put you between him and Crosshair, you wrapped your ankle around Tech's. Hunter looked at Tech scoldingly but understood what he attempting to test. Echo covered a groan watching the woman Crosshair talked to earlier walk over towards them.

"Pleasure doing business with you handsome," she winked pushing the package and drink towards Crosshair before waltzing off.

Crosshair gridded his teeth and slammed the drink, pushing it towards the edge of the table and felt the smack from Wrecker, "Not your usual type maybe next time don't do your business with her around," Wrecker said pointing at you.

"He doesn't need to hide it," you said crawling over Tech, "I need to go to the refresher."

"I'll help-"

"I know where it is, Hunter," you said letting your finger tips touch the wall counting foot steps between booths towards the quiet part we're the refreshers we're.

They all sat there staring at him for several minutes before the tension finally erupted "What we're you thinking," Hunter growled standing up putting his palms on the table to stare down at him, "You didn't need wipe it in her face, I don't care how good you are in bed but you don't need your flings to wipe it in her face-."

Crosshair growled sliding the box towards him, "Open it."

Hunter glared at him but grabbed the box and sat back down and carefully opened the box exposing a locket. He carefully picked it up, staring at it seeing the engraving of all of their names on it and opened it to a hologram picture popping up of the five of them together some time after that rescued Echo. Hunter tucked it back in the box and slid it back to Crosshair, turning his head to the refresher and then back to him, "Do you realize how bad that looked?" he said frustratedly.

"I can't just walk into the women's refresher, Hunter," Crosshair growled.

"I believe that was more words than you've said the past four days," Tech remarked, "Do you love her or not?" he said turning to stare scooting himself out of the booth.

"I don't run," Crosshair growled grabbing the box and headed to the refresher, "Coming in," he knocked ignoring the stares. He looked down to find you sitting on the floor, he knelt down next to you, "Not that type of business."

"He speaks," you said rubbing your eyes getting up hearing him do the same, can't even get a slice of privacy in the refresher, you purposely ducked through the crowd occasionally bumping into a few people attempting to sneak out for a moment alone.

Hunter watched you bolt from refresher and cut in the crowd, his heart skipping a beat before he saw Crosshair dart out his eyes finding you an instant and following after you. He slumped his head on the table and rolled it side to side, "Blind and still manages to cause problems," he muttered.

"Technically Crosshair caused it," Tech corrected.

"Shouldn't we go after her?" Wrecker asked, "ya know her eyes."

"Crosshair has exceptional eyes, he will not lose her," Tech countered, "however Wrecker may have a point" he said his eyes finding the door with a raised eyebrow.

"That didn't last long," Cody snickered watching Crosshair walk in carrying her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes with restraining bolts around your wrist and ankles, "He wasn't playing around."

"Rarely ever does," Hunter said looking up at the spectacle as he plopped her down at the booth, "Last I checked we're soldiers not bounty hunters."

Crosshair took off the wrist restraints and placed the box in your hand, "Made with pieces of our armor."

You were silent as you opened the box, feeling the heart shaped object. You brought up to your eyes squinting at it looking at the outline of possibly letters. You clicked it and a picture appeared, "It's of us," Crosshair said closing it and putting it around your neck and clasped it on. He returned to his silent behavior pouring himself a glass of water.

They all waved as Cody said he had to head in for inspection wishing you a good rest of the evening. Echo coughed motioning for you to be placed by him, Wrecker obliged him. "Riduur," Echo smiled wrapping he arm around you and put his face in your neck, "Scare me again and be I'll be restraining you to me... or the bed," Echo laughed but the edge in his voice betrayed his concern.

Purposely you brought your fingers to this connections and stroked it once watching him shiver, "Is that even a punishment?" you laughed. Echo grabbed the restraints off of Crosshairs belt and put back on your wrist smirking, "It's going to be... at some point," Echo added seeing Crosshairs silent threat across his face.

The rest of the night Wrecker, Hunter and Echo had a little to much to drink finally relaxing after the days of stress leaving you, Crosshair and Tech sober. Drunkily Wrecker still managed to carry you to the ship laughing about the restraints. Crosshair scowled but took them off once he put you down letting Wrecker crash face first into the floor of the ship and pass out. Idiots. Tech helped Echo to his room placing him on the huge bed before proceeding to watch Crosshair carry Hunter to his bunk, "Don't do anythiiiing stupid," he tried to scold before laying back.

"Was I that annoying?" Tech asked.

"Yes."

They both looked at you, "What?" you asked feeling it.

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