"If you don't back the fuck off, I'll give you a reason to," Soph snarled. Anakin's eyes narrowed.

"You need to think rationally-,"

"No! I need to find Echo, Anakin! He's my responsibility, and I- I let what happened to him last time happen again. I have to find him now."

Anakin set his hands carefully on her shoulders. "Soph. You won't accomplish anything acting rashly. You're running yourself ragged."

"And I'll stop as soon as I have him back," she brushed his hands off of her. "So help me or get out of my way."

He sighed and shook his head. "Fine. We lost track of the ship when it jumped to hyperspace, but ARC places trackers in their men, don't they?"

Soph's eyes widened. She spun around and ran in the other direction toward the barracks. Inside, she found Domino and Epsilon together.

Domino was a bit of a furious mess, and Epsilon wasn't much better - the two teams had gotten close, and she saw that Epsilon was tense alongside Domino.

"Sir," Droidbait stood when his eyes caught on her. "Did you find him?"

"No, but I think I know how we can," she said. "Does anyone have Echo's datapad?"

Fives grabbed it from his pocket and tossed it over. "I was looking through it earlier, but it's password protected. He keeps a lot of sensitive information on there."

Soph frowned at the datapad for a moment before waving her hand over it - she could open locks with the Force. It wasn't much more difficult to get into the piece of tech in her hands.

ARC troopers had special datapads that tracked their vitals, as well as some other levels like white blood cell count. They also had the trackers' information in them. She flipped through file after file until finally, she found what she was looking for. She breathed out sharply and opened it, watching as it worked to locate the man in question.

After what felt like an eternity, the datapad beeped loudly. She took in a sharp breath.

"Geonosis," she whispered. Dread pooled in her stomach. Geonosis had been bad every time they'd been there. They'd lost many men the first time, and the second wasn't much better. "Shit."

"He's on Geonosis?" Attie asked with a frustrated frown.

"Yes," she sighed. "Let's get going, men."

"You're taking us?" Hevy perked up. He'd assumed she'd keep them back, seeing as they had such a personal connection to Echo that, theoretically, could be an issue in battle.

Soph nodded. "Normally, I'd say no. This is a special situation, though. If I trust anyone to get him back, it's Domino and Epsilon."

Both groups looked deeply relieved, as well as resolved. She knew she'd made the right decision letting them come - she had a feeling they'd sneak out to come along if she hadn't invited them, and if they'd done that, they'd technically have been deserting. It was just best to pass over the entire situation.

They made their way to the Twilight with Anakin and Ahsoka, who was tapping her foot anxiously. Once everyone was inside, Anakin wasted no time sending them into hyperspace. The trip to Geonosis didn't take too long, and Soph was grateful for that - they were all anxious.

When they got to the awful planet, she grabbed Echo's datapad again and connected it to the ship's navigation. It took them down into a canyon until they ran into a small, hidden base.

Finally, after eight rotations, they were bringing him home. They just had to hope he'd made it that long.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Echo had long since given up on resisting. He had a high pain tolerance, of course, but Tambor seemed to have taken it as a challenge, and he'd certainly won.

He was screaming. He hated it, but as he was electrocuted and cut into deeply, he'd lost control over himself. He knew he was bleeding, but he wasn't sure where it was coming from, or what it was coming from.

It hadn't been too bad at first, really. For the first day, nothing had happened. He'd felt like he'd been drugged, but nothing else seemed to be wrong. He had a gap in his memory every day, though, that bothered him deeply, but it was the least of his concerns at that moment.

A droid hit him with the electrified staff once more in his ribs and he heard more than felt himself scream again. His ribs throbbed not only from the electrocution, but also the simple hit from the staff. They weren't exactly taking care to be gentle with him.

There was a loud bang outside of the cell he'd spent so many hours in, and his head shot to the side. Before he could react, the droid in front of him took another hit with his staff, this time at Echo's legs, which gave out, leaving him being held up entirely by the chains above his head.

A shot sounded off, and he took in a sharp, pained breath as the droid dropped to the ground. His staff fell into the standing water, and Echo shouted in pain as the electricity traveled through the water.

"Get back!" a familiar voice called. He watched with wide eyes as the staff raised itself in the air, ending the electric current. It snapped in half before falling once more to the ground.

The doors to the cell slammed open, and he found Soph rushing inside with Coric. Soph got him down and Coric dropped to his side. He closed his eyes in relief as a bacta patch was laid on his ribs.

He hadn't truly believed he'd be found. At a certain point, it had felt worse to have hope, and he'd given up. All he'd wished for was release from the torture in whatever form that took.

"We've got you," Soph told him softly. She took his shaking hand within her own and squeezed it tightly. "We have you, Echo. You're safe now."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I don't know."

"You have to know something."

Soph glared. "You've been asking him the same question for forty five minutes. If he doesn't know, he doesn't know."

Anakin rubbed his temples tiredly. "I'm trying to help, Soph."

"By interrogating him?" she scoffed.

"It's fine," Echo told her. "All I know is that there's gaps in my memory. I don't know if he- if he did too much and I blacked out, or if it's something else."

Echo had been in the med bay for three rotations, and he'd spent two of those in a bacta tank. The last day was to monitor him and take scans they'd been unable to take before. He'd been released hours earlier and was on firm orders to take it easy for another two rotations. So, of course, he'd reported to Anakin for debriefing - not Soph because she worried too much and he knew she'd have ordered him to go rest. He didn't want to rest - when he did, he had too much time to think about what had happened. Keeping busy was the only thing he could think of to avoid falling into the memories.

Soph had been looking for Echo when Jesse and Kix had reported seeing him walking with Anakin toward a conference room. Kix had insisted she make him rest, so she'd made her way over and immediately started yelling at her friend. Anakin was kind enough not to point out that Echo had to be debriefed, and that it should've already happened. She'd refused to leave and had sat with her arms crossed in frustration.

"Let's move on, then," Anakin sighed. "Do you know what his goal was?"

Echo frowned. His eyes drifted to Soph. "He knows I work with you. He wanted you."

Soph looked crushed, and he immediately wished he'd lied. "Echo… I'm so sorry."

"He knows you're the one that started destroying chips," he continued slowly. "You're his priority. He told me as much - it was why he… kept me alive. He thought I'd give you up."

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you had," she promised quietly.

"ARCs are trained to withstand torture," he reminded her. "More than that, you're my general. I'd have died first."

If that was meant to make her feel better, it didn't.

"We're going to put you in touch with a trauma counselor," Anakin told him. "He'll help with any PTSD you have."

"I'll be fine, sir," Echo told him. "I was trained for this. I know how to handle myself."

"We want you healed, not just functional," Soph said gently. "Your health, physical and mental, is our priority."

"Is there anything else you think may be relevant?" Anakin wondered. Echo shook his head stiffly. Everything else he could think of that happened was pure torture. Nothing seemed relevant in the foggy haze of his memory.

"Let's get you back to Domino," Soph suggested. "They've been losing their minds. We had to place guards outside of the med bay to keep them from disturbing you."

"Are they okay?" he wondered.

"Their brother isn't, so they aren't."

Echo couldn't argue her. He did want to see them. He'd been told they had been there when he was rescued, along with Epsilon, but he barely remembered it. He'd been told what had happened - they'd used his tracker and datapad to find him, and had engaged near a hundred droids to find him. Tambor had run the second they'd arrived, and they'd failed to capture him in favor of taking care of Echo.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He was grateful for being rescued, of course, but he felt much more strongly about catching Tambor. More than that, he felt strongly about punishing Tambor. There was a part of him that wanted the man to suffer the way he'd made him suffer.

That thought made him wince. Maybe he did need a trauma counselor.

"Get back to your barracks," Soph ordered - because it was definitely an order at that point. "I don't want to see you until your two rotations are up."

Echo winced. "I don't do well just sitting around."

"Play sabacc," she shrugged. "Read. Write up reports and strategies, I don't care, just rest."

He nodded. She gave him permission to do work while he rested, and that was enough for him. "What's happening next?"

"We're heading back to Saleucami," she answered. "To find him. While we're gone, you'll be doing trauma counseling."

"I could always come with," he offered. His nerves picked up. He itched to find the man.

"Or you could stay out of a situation in which you'd be compromised due to conflict of interest," Anakin disagreed. "It's too dangerous. You're staying here."

"I'm going to have Hevy stay back with you," Soph informed him. Echo frowned. If it was a conflict of interest for him to come along, it was certainly the same for his brothers. That being said, he trusted Domino more than anyone to catch Tambor.

"Okay. When you get back, I'll be… I'll be good."

"Take your time," Soph insisted. "You deserve rest."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Obi Wan and Soph had fought.

While she was insistent that she join them to find Tambor, he knew she was compromised as well. She cared too much for her men to stop her from doing unspeakable things to Tambor, and he protected her by keeping her back.

Rex had been sent with Obi Wan and the 212th, along with Jesse, Kix, and Hardcase, who had been recruited by Rex. Soph was pacing the halls when she got a message from Cody.

Rex was shot. He's going to be okay, but he's out of action.

So, naturally, she grabbed Epsilon and Ahsoka and went down to the surface to find him.

Cody sent them to farmland to find them, and they got there as Jesse and Hardcase were about to leave. Soph rushed over with wide eyes. "How is he?"

"General," Hardcase said in surprise. "I thought you stayed back."

She scoffed. "Rex was hurt."

Jesse shook his head. "Don't question it, Hardcase. He's doing okay, general. Kix stayed with him. They're in the barn."

Soph wasted no time hurrying inside. When she got in, her breath caught in her chest. She came to his side and ignored the men as she kneeled by his side and took his hand within her own. "Rex."

"Kat," he grimaced. He reached out to touch her face gently and visibly relaxed. "What are you doing here?"

She stared at him. "You were shot."

"I'm alive," he countered.

"And you were so calm when I died," she muttered. His eyes sharpened on her.

"Epsilon is right behind you."

She turned to glance at the squad. Del raised an eyebrow at her. "We didn't hear anything, sir. We also saw nothing."

"Good men," she nodded firmly and glanced at Kix. He snorted.

"Respectfully, sir, we already knew. Most of us do. You're, ah… not very subtle."

She wanted to be irritated, but he was right. With that in mind, she pressed her forehead against Rex's hand. "Don't you dare do that again."

"Get shot?" he asked, amused.

"Yes."

"I'll do my best, Kat."

The door to the barn opened, and they all glanced up to find another clone walking in. He wasn't in armor, and he held a staff in his hands. His eyes sharpened on Rex and Soph.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Who are you?" Soph shot back, eyeing his civilian clothes. "What's your rank and name, soldier?"

"So… I see the war has made its way out here," he said, lowering his staff. He looked resigned. "I guess I can expect a visit from some droids soon."

"Most likely," Soph agreed.

"My name is Lawquane. Cut Lawquane. I'm just a simple farmer."

"You're a deserter," Rex said.

"Well, I like to think I'm merely exercising my freedom to choose: to choose not to kill for a living."

"That is not your choice to make," Rex said. Soph shook her head.

"Yes, it is. This is what we've been working towards - freedom for all clones," she reminded him. "If he wants to be a farmer… this war will move on without him."

"He has a duty," Rex said with a frown.

"I have a duty, you're right," Cut said. "But it's to my family. Does that count, or do you plan to turn me in?"

"No, Cut," Soph promised. "If you're happy here, you'll stay here. Just let us defend your home and defend Rex."

"I can do that."

"Daddy!" a little girl ran in excitedly. "You're home!"

"Look what I drew you, dad!" the boy shoved a piece of paper in Cut's face. The man laughed and grinned.

"Well, well, well. That's great, Jekk."

"I see you two have met," Cut's wife said, waving at Rex. "I didn't know there would be more coming."

"One of our men got in touch with me and told me what happened," Soph explained.

"He looks just like you, Daddy!" the girl said. "I told him."

"Ah, you did, huh?" he stood. "I was just making our guest, Captain… uh, what's your number?"

"Rex," he answered. "I also have a name, believe it or not."

"He was injured," Suu said. "I told him he could stay just for the night."

"Of course, he can," Cut agreed. "We never turn away those in need, do we?"

"No," their son agreed proudly. "We always help anyone we can"

"Right," Cut nodded. "You guys look hungry."

"I'm fine, I'll just-," Soph leveled him with a look that said he'd better agree. He grimaced. "Alright. I'll join you."

Moving inside was difficult, but they made it. While Soph, Rex, and Kix sat at the table, Epsilon was outside watching the border.

"We may be clones, but we're still individuals," Cut told Rex as he filled his plate. "You have a name rather than a number, Captain. Why is that?"

"Perhaps our leaders feel it's a more efficient way of distinguishing us."

"I was wondering," Cut glanced at Soph. "Who are you?"

Soph gave him a small smile. "General Soph-Katarina Sizre. The Jedi Master that's been working on freeing clones."

"Freeing us?" Cut raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan to do that? How did you realize we need to be freed?"

"Because… you're forced into fighting a war you had no part in starting," she explained slowly. "And some information came to the surface that showed me that clones truly are being controlled. I won't let my men be slaves, Cut."

"Slaves," he repeated. "I didn't think anyone in command knew."

"One of my men risked his life to get me the information that truly opened my eyes. Kix here worked with Coric outside and my man Echo to make a device that deactivates the chip that the Kaminoans placed inside your head ensuring a form of… loyalty to the separatists and the Sith."

Cut's eyes widened. "A chip?"

"I'd guess yours malfunctioned," Kix said. "I'd have to scan you to be sure, but if you deserted, it's likely yours never worked to begin with."

"Chips," he repeated. "And you've found a way to deactivate them?"

Soph shifted and dug into the pockets of her cloak. She pulled out the transmitter. "This might feel weird if your chip does work."

"Please, go ahead."

She pressed the button and watched carefully as he frowned. "Anything?"

"That… sick feeling is gone," he answered slowly. "I've always chosen my family, and never regretted it, but there's always been this underlying feeling of being wrong. That's- it's gone now."

"The loyalty part of the chip," Kix hummed.

"Well, you're free now," Soph promised. "Truly free. I'll get in touch with your general and have your records removed - no evidence of your existence and desertion will remain."

"Thank you," Cut inclined his head gratefully. "You have no idea what you've done for us."

"Only what any good person would do."

Dinner was finished with quiet conversation about Cut's life as a farmer, husband, and father. They updated him on the war and he seemed greatly relieved to hear that, though there were still obstacles to overcome, they were making good progress. The end wasn't in sight yet, but it was getting closer, inch by inch.

After they ate, they retired to the living room, where Rex and Cut started a game of Dejarik. Cut's eyebrows rose. "Good move. Very good move."

"So, what was it?"

"What made me decide to leave the corps?" he sighed and sat back. Soph watched him quietly - the question clearly troubled him. "Shortly after the battle of Geonosis, our troop transport got caught between two Separatist gunships. They fired on us with everything they had. We crashed. Most of us were either dead or severely injured, so when they started working their way through the wounded, killing us off, I knew there was no hope. I ran. It… still haunts me."

"I'm sorry," Rex said softly.

"Geonosis was a bloodshed," Soph muttered. "I'm sorry no one came for you."

"There were other things for you to worry about, I knew that," he assured her. "You were there, weren't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "My friend and our Master found themselves about to be killed, so Master Yoda and I went to get the GAR. I fought that day- I lost men that day."

While the kids went outside to play, the adults sat back quietly to finish their game. Cut felt extremely safe letting his kids outside, but Soph still ordered Del and Attie to keep an eye on them anyway.

It wasn't too long before Soph's comm beeped at her. She pressed the button. "Sizre."

"The kids found a crashed pod in the field," Zeer told her. "There were droids on board, but we're taking care of them. Hevy's bringing the kids back now."

"Shit," she rubbed her forehead. "Let me know when you've taken them out. Have Nax do a perimeter search with Kosmos. Report back as soon as you're finished."

"Copy that."

"Oh, Zeer," she looked up suddenly. "Have we heard from Obi Wan yet?"

"Jesse called to say they've engaged Tambor," he replied. "But it sounds like that idiot's getting away from what I heard."

"Great," she glared down at her hands. "I owe Echo. He deserves peace from Tambor."

Zeer said nothing, but Rex touched her hand gently. "He'll get it, Kat. You have to give it time."

"The more time I give it, the worse things will get," she argued. "I owe him peace. After last time, and then this- shit, Rex, I couldn't save him either time."

"Tambor will get what's coming for him. If you're after him, he'll have to hide in the most remote corners of the universe to escape you," Rex assured her. "But be patient."

Soph's comm beeped once again. This time, she winced. "Hello, Master."

"What did I tell you?"

"To stay behind," she allowed. "But Rex was hurt, Master."

"And he'll be fine," Obi Wan sighed. "Tambor got away. How are things there?"

"Okay. There were some droids, but I had plenty of men to take care of them. We're protecting some local farmers at the moment but they should be safe. Send me your coordinates and we'll make our way over."

"Sending them now."

Saying goodbye to Cut was harder than anyone expected. The man had been kind and patient. He'd opened his home to them, knowing he may be reported for desertion. Soph gave him her personal datapad information with orders to contact her if he needed anything.

The trip back to the Resolute was quiet and tense. When they got there, Rex was rushed to a bacta tank for three hours.

Soph sat outside waiting the whole time.

OoOoOoOoOoOo