Because I hesitated on the ending for this series, and the boys deserve better than what I gave them in the last chapter.

I looked for Star Wars' take on the afterlife but decided to, in short terms, say "screw it", and theorize it how I want to for this chapter.

Star Wars © Lucasfilm.

Tech had never expected the afterlife to be so vast, nor for it to be as full with life and knowledge as he'd discovered it to be.

He had been naive in thinking that Kamino's vast libraries of information were extensive, for the afterlife had everything. He'd conversed with numerous Force-sensitives from eras long past and had debated with senators from the Old Republic on such a vast array of topics that even Tech couldn't remember all of them.

Tech had even had a day-long argument with a Fosh scientist on the evolutionary change of the Karkarodon species, shifting from strictly water dwelling to a species that could adapt to living outside of water for a few hours at a time. The Fosh had been determined that the Karkarodons had begun their evolutionary change because of strained food resources within Karkaris' oceans, while Tech had argued that the necessity had come about from the increase in volcanic activity that had created larger swaths of land on the ocean planet. Tech had never felt so invigorated by an intellectual debate before and made an effort to find the Fosh again so that he could argue with her daily.

She always smiled when she saw Tech approaching, her red eyes glittering with excitement as Tech stopped in front of her, and they had formed a quick friendship based on a desire for intellectual stimulation. Tech enjoyed his conversational debates with Tarrisha immensely, and always looked forward to seeing her twitch with anger whenever he brought up a scientific fact she disagreed with strongly, but his debates with Tarrisha were not the emotional steadiness he desired.

No one he'd met in his years in the afterlife understood when he needed a listening ear like Crosshair had always given him, nor could they read his emotions as Hunter once had. The Force-sensitives could feel Tech's emotions, but they didn't understand what they meant to Tech like Hunter had. And there was no Wrecker to laugh at Tech's rambling or tease him about his "nonsensical blathering", as his always astute brother would say. Even the absence of Echo's sarcastic comments and frustrated sense of affection for Tech left a loneliness within his heart even with everything the afterlife provided him.

Tech had not expected to be granted the chance to exist in the afterlife's plane of physical consciousness after the Force had finally had its use of him on Mon Torri, and it had come as a pleasant surprise when he'd opened his eyes to a plane of color and life that was so unlike the galaxy he'd lived in for such a short time.

One could travel to planets with a single thought, or watch over their brothers from a scrying pool or by following them as an undetected essence of the Force. Tech, naturally, had spent hours learning how to follow his brothers, and spent days upon days observing his brothers over the years.

He'd watched as Crosshair blended back into his family, becoming a man fueled with the desire to protect his family from everything that could harm them. Crosshair had taken years to accept that he had never killed Tech out of his own free will, but it had taken his stern brother hardly any time at all to adapt to fighting for his family again.

Tech had never been more proud of his brother than he was now and, though Tech could no longer communicate or interact with his brother, he made sure to stay by his brother's side whenever Crosshair was entrenched with nightmares. Tech couldn't be there for his brothers physically, but he was there for them in spirit and he valued the Force's willingness to allow him to feel like he was with his brothers again.

His consciousness had been trapped on Mon Torri for eight years, unable to leave the tumultuous planet until Crosshair had finally returned and foregone his self-loathing. After Tech had found himself in the afterlife, he'd conducted hours of research on planets and their connectivity to the Force to better understand what had thrown Mon Torri into such upheaval.

Most of the texts he'd read were ancient and, in the living galaxy, had been destroyed when the Jedi Temple had been burned to the ground on Coruscant. Luckily for Tech, though, the afterlife had every single tome ever written - even Sith tomes, as he now understood that the afterlife was the true neutral space of the universe - and had an unlimited supply of reference material to rely on.

From what research he had gathered, both during his time as a Force-presence on Mon Torri and in the afterlife, Tech had come to understand that planets could feed off the living Force that occupied all living organisms. A Rodian Jedi from the Old Republic era had even confirmed his studies when she told him of a time when she had retreated to Alabash, and had felt her connection to the Force slowly blend into the planet's own. Master Iirfea Chyo had even allowed Tech to experience what she had felt, using her connection to the Force in the afterlife to act as if she was the planet feeding off his living Force.

It had left Tech exhausted and physically drained, and he had felt odd for days afterwards. Odd… in that he felt his emotions so violently and forcefully that he'd retreated to a quiet sector of the galaxy, away from most of those who traveled the afterlife. Tech had never felt so much conflict or peace, nor the amount of anger and happiness that had waged a war inside his chest, as he had after Master Chyo had shared her emotions with him.

After that day, Tech took care to avoid attending any more Force connectivity seminars - or allowing a Jedi to share their thoughts and emotions with him. He was fine joining the Jedi and Force-sensitives in meditation, as he enjoyed the chance to let his overactive mind calm down and actually stop thinking for once, but never again would he risk sharing his mind with another Jedi.

Tech understood the Jedi far better now in the afterlife than he ever had while he was alive, but his knowledge was rudimentary at best. Jedi and Force-sensitives were not beings of science or logic, but beings of cosmic force and, for all intents and purposes, magic. They were anomalies to his brain and would forever remain as such.

His brothers, at least, made sense. They were living, though he'd last seen them with graying hair and aging bodies, and not made of forces beyond his comprehension. When he was alive and when he'd been trapped on Mon Torri, Tech had always feared the unknown, but he only felt curiosity for the unknown now that his every moment of existence rested in the afterlife.

He could travel to forbidden planets, learn forbidden languages - yes, he understood ancient Sith now, thank you, afterlife librarians! - and follow his family as they traveled the galaxy, just as unsure of their destination as Hunter and the rest of his family were.

Over the years - Tech only knew that years had passed because of his regular checking of the Havoc Marauder's clock, as there was no advancement of time in the afterlife - Tech had to watch as his brothers fought Imperials or bounty hunters, chased off slavers and pirates, and suffered injuries and near-death experiences. After a blaster bolt had struck Echo's central processing brain modification, Tech had been forced to watch as his brothers did everything in their power to save their brother.

Omega and Crosshair had not slept until Echo finally woke up, many days later, dizzy and abnormally ill for the cyborg. At that moment, Tech hated how he could do nothing for his brothers, how he could not show them all the literature he had memorized on protecting cybernetic brain implants, and he had not visited his brothers for what turned out to be eight months.

After that, Tech was much more careful about keeping track of the galaxy's advancement of time, and made sure he did not miss any more time with his brothers. Though they were apart in life and in death, Tech always felt happiest when he was watching over his brothers.

Though he could not share in their experiences physically, Tech had the chance to scowl alongside his brothers as they scowled at prospective dates for Omega, or had the ability to laugh as Crosshair lost in arm wrestling against Wrecker. Wrecker would always smile and try to challenge Crosshair again, but Crosshair would refuse, his arms crossed over his chest as a little pout split his mouth.

Crosshair was always the most sour whenever he would lose to Wrecker in their competitions - Crosshair had even foolishly challenged Wrecker to a bantha steak eating contest once, in the middle of the Clone Wars, and he had been sick for weeks afterward. Hunter never let Crosshair live that one down, and even Tech had started to rib his brother for his ridiculous actions, up until Crosshair glared at him venomously.

Tech's brothers were happier now that Crosshair had returned to them, though Tech knew that each of his brothers still harbored broken hearts over him. Tech wished that he could comfort each of them, to show them somehow that he was watching over them and could not bear to see their hurt any longer.

But he knew that, until his brothers joined him in the afterlife, their sorrow would linger forever in the Havoc Marauder.

The afterlife had celebrated the destruction of the Empire with feverish fervor, though Tech had only paid the minutest of attention to the eradication of the Empire. His brothers had not been a part of the battle over the moon of Endor, though they had allied themselves with the Rebellion days before at the behest of Rex.

Instead, his brothers had busied themselves with assisting a smaller fleet of Rebels who were desperately clinging to an outpost on Horuz. Tech had been studying up on Kashyyyk's forests when he'd felt a sudden, sharp agony spear through his chest. All pretense of care for the book he had been reading vanished as he'd thrown the book away from himself and stumbled, clawing at his chest as he felt his brothers' agony and sorrow scorch through his chest.

And what Tech found when he forced his being to the Havoc Marauder made him freeze. Laid out in the tiny medical bay was the unmoving, nearly decapitated form of his oldest brother.

"Wrecker?"

Tech watched as Omega, her armor splattered with Wrecker's blood, reached for Wrecker and brushed her fingers across his chest. Crosshair stood rigid in the back, eyes unfocused as he stared past Wrecker's lifeless form. Tech could imagine the guilt and anger running through his brother's mind and, cautiously, tried to reach for Crosshair.

When his hand passed through Crosshair's shoulder, Tech exhaled and looked towards Hunter, who was shaking as he muttered weak apologies to Wrecker. Echo, who was always standing near Hunter, placed his hand on Hunter's shoulder and squeezed it, an attempt at comfort that Hunter did not seem to notice.

Tech looked between his brothers as they mourned Wrecker, regret piercing through his heart as he watched helplessly. He could do nothing to comfort his family, and it hurt. His heart ached for the feeling of his brothers' bodies pressed against his in a hug, ached for the way his brothers used to show their affection for him - with smiles, laughs and attentive nods to his rambling.

He could not receive their affection now that there was a split in their planes of existence, but he could help them in a different way.

Wrecker, of all of them, would be the most lost in the afterlife, worried for his brothers and desperate to find a way back to them. If he could find Wrecker, Tech could protect his oldest brother from the fear of abandonment he knew Wrecker suffered from.

With a sigh, Tech left his brothers' ship and marched into the halls of the afterlife, gaze searching for Wrecker. He passed by numerous others, though none were as tall and large and loud as Wrecker, a stab of worry growing in his chest as he searched and searched and searched in vain for his brother-

"TECH?!"

"TECH!"

Wrecker slammed into Tech with the force of a gale, his hug crushing every inch of air he had in his body out in a pained wheeze, and buried his face into Tech's shoulder as he finally lowered him to the ground. Tech hesitantly raised his arms and reciprocated Wrecker's hug, leaning into his brother's warmth with a long sigh.

He noticed only minutes later that Wrecker was crying, his broad shoulders shaking as he pulled Tech even closer to his chest. Tech shifted his shoulders slightly, then shuffled into Wrecker, allowing his brother - just as much as Tech allowed himself - to feel his hug. Wrecker communicated his love for his brothers through physical touch and, for as much as Tech's instincts still cringed at physical touch usually, he had never felt so willing to accept one of Wrecker's bone crushing hugs.

"I missed you so much," Wrecker gasped out through each broken sob, his grip on Tech's body growing tighter with each word, "I- were- what- why are you here? Where are we? I'm sorry- I never meant to watch you die- I shouldn't have-"

Wrecker's worry was powerful in the afterlife, the stark fear storming through his chest noticeable even to Tech as it slammed against him. Emotions were felt by all in the afterlife, and it took time and training to mute the oft overwhelming surge of emotions that struck those who existed in the plane of the afterlife.

Tech pulled away from Wrecker's hug carefully, though he did not let go of his brother once, then gently laid a hand on Wrecker's shoulder. Wrecker turned to Tech, his eyes dark with worry even as Tech met his brother's gaze.

"You and I both now exist in the plane of the afterlife, Wrecker."

"Then… then," Wrecker swallowed, his eyes wide as he stared around Tech, the worried thump of his heart loud in Tech's ears, "then I died… didn't I?"

"Yes," Tech breathed, "you have…"

Wrecker rubbed at his face, his lips turned down into a hard scowl as Tech noticed tears track down his brother's cheeks, moments before Wrecker jerked his head away from Tech and stared angrily down at the ground. Tech startled at the sight and, slowly, reached up to his brother's face and placed a steady hand along Wrecker's cheek. Wrecker flinched as Tech rubbed at his brother's tears with his thumb and pulled Wrecker's head back to face Tech.

"The others made it out. They are safe."

"They're alright? All of them?" Wrecker gasped, his eyes turning more and more worried and red with tears as he stared into Tech's eyes.

Tech nodded, knowing that sometimes Wrecker needed physical reassurances more than verbal, and smiled weakly. "You protected them as you always did, Wrecker. But you are now one with the afterlife… and our brothers cannot see us, hear us or sense us. But we can visit them, I will show you how. I know you have to see them to truly believe they are safe, Wrecker, just… trust me."

Wrecker leaned into Tech's hand and sighed, the faintest trace of a smile appearing across his lips as he did. "I have always trusted you, Tech. Always."

I know you have, Wrecker. I know…

Echo's cybernetics failed him next, a few short years after Wrecker's death and, when he appeared in the afterlife, Tech did not recognize him. This Echo had all of his limbs, and not a trace of what the monsters on Skako Minor had done to him. And, striding alongside Echo, was a clone Tech had never seen before, one who had the Aurebesh number five tattooed on his right temple.

It was Echo's batchmate, Fives, and the person who Echo had talked about during long nights in the Havoc Marauder's cockpit, tears in his eyes and a brokenness in his voice. Tech had researched what he could on Fives' death when Echo had first joined the Bad Batch, but even he had been unable to crack the secure files on Fives.

Wrecker slammed Echo into a hug as a smile spread across Echo's face at the sight of his brothers, and the look he sent Tech was burdened with years of sorrow. Tech approached Echo slowly, stopping near him but not that close before he nodded to his brother.

Echo stayed for some time, until Fives tugged Echo away and pulled him away from Tech and Wrecker, though not before Echo promised that he would be back. That he would return to his brothers.

Crosshair came to the afterlife fighting.

Tech, Wrecker and Echo had to watch as Crosshair went blind, becoming a cagey, fearful version of himself that lashed out at Hunter and Omega alike. Tech had seen the illness take over Crosshair, a byproduct of his enhancements that made Crosshair lose everything he valued about himself.

The sniper turned away from Wrecker and Echo as they attempted to comfort their brother, his eyes fixed on the ground with a scowl. Crosshair shoved them away and rose to his feet, turning to snap at Wrecker until he noticed Tech and froze.

"... Tech? Is… are you?" Crosshair pushed past Wrecker and stopped before Tech, though he seemed hesitant to believe the eyes that had failed him for so long and were now his again.

Crosshair reached a hand out towards Tech, but hesitated for a long moment. Tech tilted his head quizzically at Crosshair and watched the emotions that raced through his brother's eyes and body. Crosshair was conflicted and hopeful, yet terrified all the same and, when Tech felt Crosshair wrap his arms around his smaller frame in a harsh and desperate hug, he leaned into Crosshair and sighed.

"Thank you for keeping your promise, Cross."

Crosshair's hot breath wafted over Tech as he felt his brother pull him closer, unwilling to release the brother he'd lost so long ago, and sighed. Tech didn't need to hear Crosshair say anything, for everything that Crosshair wished he could say but couldn't, was wrapped around Tech with a vice-like grip.

Never again would Crosshair leave Tech, and never again would Tech leave his brothers.

It was a promise made not in words, but in the closeness of their hugs and it was unbreakable.

Tech and his brothers knew when Hunter joined them, for they had watched as his accelerated aging claimed the leader of their group, tearing him from Omega as she buried her head against Hunter's chest and cried. Wrecker moved to comfort Omega until Echo pulled him back and shook his head, his eyes pained as Wrecker looked between his brothers and Omega desperately.

They all knew that there was nothing they could do for Omega, no one left to comfort her or protect her, and it hurt. Even Tech, who had not known Omega as closely as the rest of his brothers had, ached to see the woman his brothers had raised break down before their eyes. She did not deserve to be alone, but there was nothing any of his brothers could have done to prevent it.

All of them knew that death chased them, following them quickly as they aged for twice the years that passed. They knew the truth, but had never dared to remind her until Hunter lay weakly on the Havoc Marauder's operating table. Nothing could have saved Hunter or kept him with the young woman he had long considered to be like a daughter to him, and now all he had left were his brothers.

They found Hunter searching for Omega, eyes wide with desperation as he called her name into the forestry meadows of the afterlife. Hunter stopped, hearing his brothers running towards him, and whirled on his heels, surprise and shock and so much love blazing through his eyes as Wrecker swooped their brother up in a hug.

Tech watched as his brothers, all of whom had known Hunter for longer than he'd ever had the chance, hugged Hunter. Crosshair bumped Hunter in the shoulder with his own, his eyes sparking with unspoken words as he gave Hunter an easy smile. Hunter returned the smile as he turned and greeted Echo, a raised eyebrow the only sign of surprise at seeing Echo unlike the man they had known.

Then Hunter stopped, his head turning slowly to face Tech, and the sheer joy that flashed across his face made Tech's heart lighten. Hunter hurried up to him, words failing him as he spluttered Tech's name, and stared, truly stared, as if he thought he was imagining his brother.

Tech shrugged and gave Hunter a small, years in waiting smile. "Hello, Hunter."

Hunter continued to stare at Tech, though his eyes burned with the redness of tears, and then a small, relieved sigh escaped from his mouth. "You are back with us, little brother… I… I am so happy to see you. I-"

Tech knew Hunter was beating himself up inside, still angry at himself for allowing Tech - and the rest of his brothers - to die, and that Hunter would not stop. There was no pause in Tech's intent as he stepped closer to Hunter and buried himself against his older brother, nuzzling into the warmth and fire that had protected him as a cadet, a soldier and as a brother.

His brothers were home, for home for the Bad Batch was each other and the comfort they sought from each other.

Tech had missed his brothers for so many years, through an endless waiting game on Mon Torri and through the never ending reaches of the afterlife. But now he had his brothers back, and they could not leave him. They would not.

His family - but for his sister - was back together, and Tech had never been happier before in his life. There was so much to catch up on, so much to talk about and so much that Tech wished he could say, but knew he couldn't.

But his brothers would understand, he knew they would, for there were some things that were best left unsaid, and some things he could not voice with the same feeling in his heart.

He loved his brothers with all of his heart, though he could not explain to his brothers how much they meant to him. He had practiced speaking from his heart, revealing his emotions, as he waited for his brothers to join his side for the last time, but had never been able to convey what he felt in words.

And so they would remain locked in his heart, each beat of his heart a reminder to Tech of just how much he needed his brothers. They were his protectors, his strength and ferocity, his voice of reason and his reason for existing.

He needed his brothers, and they needed him.

They had always needed him, and the relief in that knowledge was unable to be explained by logic.

For once, though, Tech didn't need logic. He only needed his brothers and the love in his heart to sustain him, and he had never felt more alive than he did in the afterlife at his brothers' sides.