A/N: I tend to forget this isn't canon, but I've picked up Cuthalion97's theory that Hunter's more susceptible to electrical shocks.
-frantic whisper- I'm so sorry!
"Hunter!"
Zavalim ripped his sparking weapon out of Hunter, eliciting a shuddering groan. Wrecker whipped up his blaster, but Zavalim only met his gaze and held the sparking tip just above Hunter's back. Wrecker growled, but Zavalim's message was clear.
Whisky, standing just in the corner of Wrecker's vision, wasn't moving. He had his blaster pointed at the ground. The fight went on behind them, the Rodians far from Wrecker's mind at the moment.
For a long moment, the only sound in the back corner of the pirates' camp was Hunter's rasping pants. He tried with shaking arms to push himself off the post Zavalim's attack had shoved him against. Zavalim didn't take his eyes off Wrecker, but his staff moved along with Hunter, never touching while remaining too close for Wrecker to risk an attack.
Whisky was the first to speak. "Zavalim, I suggest you back off."
"I'd rather watch you squirm," Zavalim rumbled.
Wrecker glared at him. "Let. Him. Go."
Zavalim smirked. "No."
Zavalim drove the sparking tip into Hunter's back.
Hunter didn't even make a sound. He just jerked once, then went limp.
Wrecker roared and charged as Whisky fired. Zavalim's spear jolted backward, cutting a line in Hunter's back. Zavalim brought the spear-blaster up, then Wrecker crashed into him.
Both hit the ground, their weapons flying out of their hands. Wrecker punched Zavalim twice, cutting his knuckles on the sharp edges of his helmet. Zavalim's feet dug into Wrecker's stomach and thrust up, somersaulting Wrecker onto his back.
Wrecker flipped onto his hands and knees. Zavalim lunged backward and twisted. Whisky, nearly to Hunter's side, threw himself sideways to dodge Zavalim's punch. Whisky's foot lashed out, kicking Zavalim in the side to no avail. Zavalim slapped him away and reached for Hunter.
"Leave him alone!" Wrecker roared.
Wrecker grabbed Zavalim's ankle and whipped him sideways. Zavalim rolled with it and sprang to his feet, suddenly with his spear-blaster back in hand. He jabbed at Wrecker, who grabbed the sparking end and yanked. Zavalim thrust the spear forward, and Wrecker finally had to let go when the tip stabbed into his arm. His hand spasmed as he tried to regain his grip, and Zavalim's next thrust caught him in the knee.
A bolt hit Zavalim in the shoulder, briefly drawing his attention to Whisky shakily pointing a blaster at him. Zavalim laughed and stalked forward, dodging a second and third shot, then punched Whisky. The medic went straight to the ground and didn't move.
Wrecker looked at his blaster laying nearby, then back to Zavalim. As long as Zavalim had his spear-blaster, fighting up close wasn't going to work. He crawled toward his blaster, eyes on Zavalim.
Zavalim turned almost leisurely and went to Hunter's side. He looked over as Wrecker's hand dropped on his blaster. In a flash, the tip of Zavalim's spear-blaster was hovering over Hunter's back, forcing Wrecker to freeze.
Zavalim crouched and snapped the binders on Hunter's wrists. He then grabbed the back of Hunter's collar and straightened, hauling Hunter upright.
Wrecker seethed at the sight of Hunter hanging limply in Zavalim's grasp. Hunter's body was shaking slightly and his breathing rasped harshly.
Worse, Zavalim held Hunter too closely for Wrecker to risk shooting. Zavalim turned his spear-blaster outward, mocking Wrecker. Zavalim had the upper hand, but he was still trapped between the fight in the camp and Wrecker.
Whisky's voice cut into the tense standoff. "You know your problem, Zavalim? You always underestimate us."
Wrecker looked down. Behind Zavalim, Whisky laid with blood streaming from his nose and bruising swelling one side of his face. But his blaster was steady, pointing at Zavalim's head.
Zavalim turned his head slowly. Wrecker smiled in relief and anticipation.
"You aren't getting out of this one," Wrecker said.
Zavalim looked back at Wrecker, then suddenly bared his teeth in a sneer. He dropped into a crouch.
"Karkin-"
Whisky fired, but Zavalim leaped clear over Wrecker, dragging Hunter along with him. Wrecker spun, catching sight of Zavalim landing and Hunter clutching his shirt collar, then he leaped again, vanishing over the boulders before Wrecker could react.
"Wrecker!"
Wrecker twisted to see Tech standing in the middle of the camp, oblivious to the fighting still going on behind him. Tech had one arm thrown out, the other in a makeshift sling.
"Why didn't you stop him?" Tech demanded.
"I didn't know he could jump like that!" Wrecker said, running toward the boulders.
"He's a Lasat!"
"I don't know what that is!"
Wrecker scrambled up and over the boulders, landing on the other side with a heavy splat. When he tried to take a step, he had to fight to pull his boot from thick, sucking mud. Wrecker growled and looked around for the first time.
The ground behind the camp fell into a bog. It was edged by low ditch walls that spread outward from the camp to make a soggy triangle in the land. The boulders had blocked the flow of water from entering the camp. Trees with thick, knotted bark and moss trailing from the branches were scattered in the bog.
Wrecker narrowed his eyes. Hunter and Zavalim were gone. A slight fog rose from the muck, thickening the growing darkness, but it wasn't nearly enough to hide the pair.
"Wrecker!" called Whisky's voice from the camp.
"I got it!" Wrecker yelled back. Quieter, he added, "If the coward would show himself."
In the next second, Wrecker had to jump away from a laser bolt. Mud sucked at his boots, making him stumble and drop the blaster, but he kept his feet under him.
Looking from where the bolt had come, Wrecker saw Zavalim perched five meters up a tree. He had Hunter, who was bleary-eyed and rubbing a long red welt on his neck, hugged against his body with one arm.
"Have a problem with the truth, furface?" Wrecker mocked. "Or are you going to get down here and fight for real?"
"I don't care about a fair fight anymore," Zavalim said. He sounded disinterested, like Wrecker was a particularly dull bug.
"I got that when your friends shot me in the back."
Zavalim's expression and tone never changed. "I warned you."
Zavalim shoved Hunter against the tree trunk. Hunter's eyes snapped to Wrecker and his arms went back, desperately catching his balance. Zavalim extended his spear-blaster.
"No!"
A bolt hit Zavalim's shoulder before any of them could move, knocking him briefly off-balance. He snarled and lifted his spear-blaster again, only for a second bolt to knock the it sideways.
For a second, Wrecker automatically assumed it was Crosshair watching their backs. Wrecker yanked a foot from the sucking mud, but was halted by a hoarse shout from the forest.
"Should've made sure I was really dead, sleemo!"
Zavalim bared his teeth at the trees. In a quick, single movement, he collapsed his spear-blaster and snapped it up. He fired once and was answered by a yelp. Without further distraction, Zavalim extended his weapon again and turned it toward Hunter.
Hunter hadn't moved from his spot. Wrecker wondered if he'd even be able to climb down on his own, anyway. He had his back to the trunk and his hands were shaking oddly in front of him, flipping over one way and the other.
Wrecker's attention was jerked away from Hunter when Zavalim drew his arm back. Zavalim smirked down at Wrecker, cruel glee glinting in his eyes. He thrust his sparking weapon forward.
Hunter shouted raggedly and shakily reached for the tip in his shoulder. A strange, keening sound came from him as he sagged against the trunk.
"Hunter!"
Weaponless, Wrecker did the only thing he could think of. He put his shoulder down and charged against the tree. He was slow, but he felt the whole tree jolt.
Wrecker looked up in time to see Zavalim crouch, shock on his face. His spear-blaster had fallen and plopped into the muck.
Hunter stayed pressed against the trunk for a long second, eyes wide and hand against the burn wound. Then his eyes rolled skyward and his legs sagged, and Hunter fell limply off the branch.
Wrecker lunged, arms outstretched, and caught his brother. He lost his balance in the mud and fell to his knees, but kept his hold on Hunter.
"Gotcha!" Wrecker said.
Hunter didn't react. His eyes were closed and, aside from sporadic twitches, he was utterly still. Still and quiet.
"Hunter?" Wrecker said quietly.
Still nothing. Wrecker stared at the electrical burns on Hunter's body. Fury rose within him when Hunter remained silent.
"You killed him." Wrecker's head snapped up and he screamed, "I'll kill you!"
Wrecker put Hunter down as carefully as he could, then was on his feet in a haze of anger. He threw his shoulder against the tree again, shouting in anger and pain. The roots tore from the soaked ground with ease, and the tree toppled into the bog with a big sucking sound and splash. Almost covered was the sound of Zavalim's growling shout.
Wrecker glared at the fallen tree, shoulders heaving, then turned to find Whisky suddenly at his side. Drying blood covered his chin and his expression was as calm as ever. Tech and a reg were slogging toward them.
"Whisky," Wrecker said. "Hunter, he-"
"I saw," Whisky interrupted. "Go after Zavalim."
Wrecker stared at him in shock. "I'm not leaving Hunter!"
"You can't help him now," Whisky said. "But you can make sure Zavalim doesn't shoot the rest of us in the back, so go!"
Whisky crouched beside Hunter, as if he expected Wrecker to obey. His seeming indifference made Wrecker clench his fists, and he had to turn away before he punched Whisky.
As he did, Wrecker spotted Zavalim emerging from the branches of the fallen tree. His helmet was missing, scratches covered his face, and his fur was full of mud. He glared at Wrecker, then turned and jumped into another tree.
Wrecker ran after him without a second thought. Zavalim jumped from tree to tree each time Wrecker got close, and Wrecker could only slog after him.
"Stop running away, you coward!" Wrecker roared several trees later. "Just get down here and fight!"
Zavalim scowled, then jumped to yet another tree. Wrecker wished he had a blaster so he could just shoot Zavalim.
Eventually, Zavalim changed course, leaping to the ground, then running to the edge of the bog, somehow not getting bogged down. He reached the dirt wall edging the bog and jumped out of sight.
Wrecker slogged over to the wall, growling under his breath and legs burning with exertion. Wrecker hadn't noticed, but the edging wall had grown taller, so he had to reach up and haul himself up.
As soon as he did, Wrecker found a blaster barrel in his face. He turned his gaze past the barrel and the sneering face of the Nautolan holding it, and saw at least a dozen pirates flanking him. Zavalim was in the back, smugly grinning underneath the mud.
Well, now Wrecker knew who Ketter had been waiting for.
"Take him," Zavalim said.
Wrecker was still hanging halfway off the wall, but he swung himself up in one motion. His hand went up, grabbing the Nautolan's blaster and yanking it away. The Nautolan lurched after it, but Wrecker smashed the blaster's handle into his face. Another pirate came forward, but Wrecker was already on his feet, blaster in one hand and the other in a fist.
"Come on!" Wrecker roared.
The pirates pushed forward. Wrecker fought his way toward Zavalim yelling at the back, using the blaster like a club to plow down any pirate that got in his path.
Wrecker was determined to reach Zavalim but, severely outnumbered, Wrecker found himself pushed toward the ground. The blaster was ripped away and Wrecker's body was pummeled on all sides. He fell to his knees and barely caught himself on his hands. His ears rang with the fierce blows on his back and head. Wrecker lashed out weakly. The pirates laughed and surged forward, Zavalim's voice rising above them.
"Hold him down now! Eris, give me your blaster!"
Wrecker snapped. His fury -abated in the chase- rose anew and hotter than ever, flooding his limbs with strength. He shook off the pirates and surged to his feet with a bellow.
"Shoot him!" Zavalim's shriek pierced the rush of blood in Wrecker's ears. "Shoot him!"
Wrecker marched forward, indifferently smashing anything that moved within reach. Screams and howls mingled around him, breaking off one by one until Wrecker's swinging fists found nothing.
Panting, Wrecker let his arms drop. The buzz of battle faded from his eyes and ears, and he looked with disgust at the fallen pirates all around him.
Zavalim wasn't one of them.
Wrecker swept his scowling glare across the forest and bog, but the cowardly Lasat was truly gone. Wrecker threw back his head and howled out his fury.
"You can't run forever, Zavalim! I'll find you! I'll find you and make you pay for what you did! I'll never forget, Zavalim! I'll find you!"
Wrecker turned his back and stomped away. Zavalim would be long gone, and Wrecker didn't know how to track. He needed Hu-
Wrecker's steps faltered and his shoulders sagged. His anger fully spent, Wrecker was swamped with sorrow. He stood still for a minute, then forced himself onward. He needed to make sure the others were alive, at least.
The walk back to the pirate camp felt a good deal longer than it had originally been. Wrecker spotted Wolfpack laying or standing idly on dry land near the boulders. He went to Whisky, who was wrapping a reg's wrist while scolding him.
"Maybe call someone next time, tell us that you're alive, Traj," Whisky was saying. "How'd you even hold your blaster with one broken wrist and dislocated shoulder, anyway?"
"Had to brace it in a tree's fork," Traj said proudly. He winced when Whisky tightened the bandage. "Would've been a headshot otherwise, but I couldn't get the angle right. Hey, Wrecker."
"Where's Hunter?" Wrecker asked shortly.
Traj lifted his free arm, winced, then gestured with his head. "Back there."
Wrecker marched past, barely hearing Whisky comment.
"That was a good plan."
Wrecker briefly wondered what had supposedly been a good plan, but then forgot about it. Hunter was laying at the edge of the group. Tech was sitting cross-legged at his side, studying his datapad in his lap.
Tech raised his head. "Oh, Wrecker, you're back."
"Yeah…" Wrecker glanced at Hunter, then Tech. "How bad did you get hurt?"
"Just my arm," Tech said dismissively. "We'll both recover."
Wrecker looked around. "Is Echo here?"
"No, he stayed behind," Tech said.
"Then you meant Omega…?" Wrecker asked, confused.
"He meant me."
Wrecker's head jerked down.
Hunter's eyes were open and alert. Wrecker hadn't noticed his breathing because it was quiet and even again. Aside from the burns and the welt on his neck from his shirt collar, Hunter appeared unharmed.
"Hunter!" Wrecker happily dropped to his knees "What- how did you-"
Wrecker's stumbling questions broke off as Hunter sheepishly grinned at him. Wrecker sat back, realization hitting him like a slap to the face. He scowled, prompting a breathless laugh from Hunter.
"I told you to stop doing that!" Wrecker yelled.
"I told you," Hunter insisted.
"You know I can't ever remember the signs!" Wrecker said, flinging his arms into the air.
"Considering this happens two or three times a year, I would think that you would have the signs for 'I'm playing dead' memorized," Tech said, adjusting his cracked goggles.
"You really didn't know?" Whisky asked as he joined them. "I assumed you were just acting."
"I can't act!" Wrecker said with a huff.
Tech hummed. "Well, perhaps it's best that you don't recall the signs. As you said, you can't act. And your anger makes you quite efficient in clearing out any remaining enemies in the area."
"Speaking of," said Wolffe, limping up to join them, "Did you catch Zavalim?"
"Almost," Wrecker grumbled. "But he led me into an ambush, then ran once he realized they were losing."
Wolffe considered him for a moment, then shrugged slightly. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about him getting reinforcements."
"I'm going to need help tracking him down," Wrecker said.
"Oh, you'll have plenty of help there," Whisky said darkly.
Wolffe shifted a step away from the medic. He cleared his throat when Whisky glanced at him.
"We'll have to deal with Zavalim later," Wolffe said. "It's getting late, and we don't want to be out here once night falls."
"Are snappers nocturnal?" Tech asked.
"No, but the things that eat the snappers are," Wolffe said.
Tech nodded and put something into his datapad.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Hunter asked.
Hunter started to sit up. Whisky opened his mouth, but Wrecker interfered first by poking Hunter's burned shoulder. Hunter grunted and fell back, staring at Wrecker with something akin to betrayal.
"That's for playing dead," Wrecker said.
"Very funny, but you heard Wolffe. It's time to go."
"You aren't walking anywhere," Whisky said, crossing his arms.
Hunter and Wrecker exchanged dubious looks. Yes, Hunter wasn't in the best condition, but if he was alert and trying to walk, he could walk.
Maybe.
"Hunter, Wrecker," Tech cut in, "It's all water under the bridge."
"We need a code phrase like that," said one of the nearby regs. Wrecker thought it was Boost, though his markings were hard to make out under the mud.
"I'm surprised you don't," Tech said.
"Never needed to," Wolffe said. He turned away with Whisky. "We leave in five."
"Wrecker, it's a long walk to the Den. You should carry Hunter," Whisky advised before going to another injured brother's side.
Hunter grimaced. Wrecker shrugged sympathetically. After years of trying to prove themselves to the Kaminoans and the regs who almost never knew quite how to take the Batch, it was habit to keep up their act of strength. Even if one had been electrocuted nearly to death.
"They're right," Wrecker said.
Hunter grudgingly nodded.
As soon as he did, Wrecker scooped him up. Hunter, as stiff as a board, grunted in protest and flapped a hand at Wrecker.
"Wolffe said we aren't leaving yet," Hunter said. "Put me down."
"I'm allowed to hold my little brother," Wrecker said gleefully.
"It's embarrassing," Hunter muttered.
"I'm allowed to embarrass you, too, Hunter." Wrecker's grin faded and he lowered his voice. "You can relax now, okay?"
Hunter huffed out a sigh, but some of his tension loosened. Wrecker carefully wrapped one hand around Hunter's wrist.
"You're not going to break me, Wrecker."
"Unless he sneezes," Tech put in.
"It was one time," Wrecker grumbled. "Your pulse is kinda fast, Hunter."
"Well, what did you expect? I just got electrocuted twice."
"Three times," Wrecker and Tech corrected together.
"Oh." Hunter blinked slowly. "I think I blacked somewhere after the first time."
"Probably good that you don't remember," Wrecker consoled. "Now, I'm serious, just relax, Hunter. Hey, Tech, where are Echo and Omega?"
"At the Den, Wolfpack's base," Tech said. "Sinker already commed to let them know you two are safe."
Hunter noticeably sagged. Wrecker glanced down, then back at Tech.
"You gonna explain why Wolfpack's helping us?"
"It's what they do," Tech said, blinking at Wrecker.
"I meant- never mind."
Wrecker wouldn't have been able to focus on Tech's undoubtedly long-winded conversation, anyway. Not when Hunter had started shivering in his arms.
"Do you need Whisky?" Wrecker asked.
Hunter shook his head. "'M fine. Jus' cold."
"No wonder," Wrecker said, considering Hunter. "You look like a drowned womp rat."
"Hk. Thanks."
Wrecker shifted, suddenly regretting putting Hunter down in the bog. There wasn't anything to do about it, though, except find some way to help Hunter warm up. He wondered if any of Wolfpack had a blanket on them.
A shriek cut through the woods, making everyone flinch. Hunter stiffened and Wrecker turned in the direction everyone was looking.
Electricity popped from the bog. Wolfpack burst into a flurry of movement, leaping upright and grabbing blasters.
"Zavalim!" gasped one of the regs.
Wolffe darted to the bog's edge. He hesitated, then snapped up his blaster and fired once. There was another shriek, then a frantic scrabbling and splashing that quickly faded.
"False alarm," Wolffe said. "Snapper grabbed Zavalim's bo-rifle."
"Yeah, Zavalim's not going to mess with us again," Wrecker said, looking down at Hunter.
Hunter, eyes half shut, had gone still again.
"Hey," Wrecker said, jostling him. "Wolffe said it was a false alarm. Zavalim's not here."
Hunter didn't react. His pulse was racing, but he was holding his breath again.
"Hunter? Hunter, I said it's fine."
"Wrecker?" asked Tech.
"It's Hunter," Wrecker said, voice rising in panic. "Hunter, it's fine, stop messing around!"
"Wrecker, put him down," Whisky said, running to his side.
"He's fine," Wrecker said as he knelt. "You're fine, Hunter!"
Whisky half dragged Hunter from Wrecker's arms to lay him flat. He checked him briefly, then threw himself into CPR.
"Wha- Whisky?" Wrecker said uncertainly.
"He's gone into shock." Whisky blew into Hunter's mouth. "I have to get his lungs going before-" he broke off, put two fingers to Hunter's neck, then cursed. "Sithspit, Hunter, stay with us!"
No response, no matter how angry Whisky sounded. Whisky restarted CPR, counting between urges to Hunter to breathe.
Wrecker knelt without moving. Hunter played dead painfully often, he knew how to fake it. He was just faking it again, he had to be!
"Hunter?" Tech whispered, dropping to his knees.
Hunter wouldn't mess with Tech like this. He wouldn't… he couldn't hold his breath so long his lips were turning blue, couldn't lay still under Whisky's fierce compressions, he couldn't- he wasn't-
"C'mon, Hunter, come on!" Whisky barked before sitting back.
Wrecker jerked forward, hands rising and a shaky smile on his lips.
But still nothing. Hunter laid silent and still.
"Hunter?" Wrecker laid a gentle hand on Hunter's burnt chest. "Hunter, wake up."
He was still so cold. Colder than before. He wasn't shivering and that… that was bad.
"Whisky, do… do you have a blanket?" Wrecker asked, his voice breaking in worry. "Hunter's cold."
"It's too late." Whisky's eyes were fixed on Hunter, his voice pained.
"What is… no, Whisky, he's cold, my little brother's cold," Wrecker insisted.
"Wrecker."
It was Tech's voice, cracking and hesitant, that broke through to him. Wrecker looked at Tech, who sat with big eyes and a quiver in his shoulders.
"Hunter… Hunter's dead, Wrecker."
A/N: ...for the record, this wasn't in the original script. D_D Just one more chapter to go; I'll post it as soon as it's acceptable.
I had a reviewer ask for more Hunter whump in the last chapter, and, uh... is this enough?